Knitting 101

I know you are thinking, "Doesn't Dana already know how to knit?" The answer is sort of. I know how to do a knit stitch, I know how to purl. I don't know how to increase, decrease or do fancy things like make a button hole. But I'm learning.

So I signed up for Knitting 101 at Loops. And this was my first project. Harriet, my teacher, helped me learn the buttonhole technique. What could have been a scarf with one more skein, became a cowl instead. It's made of Misty Alpaca Chunky on size 11 needles. Cast on 20 stitches. Knit every row. Make a button hole about 1 inch from the end. Voila!

I'm learning lots of little tid-bits that I missed along the way. This week, we're knitting a hat on round needles. Fun stuff. I get a little OCD while knitting. Do you?

The 4 corners of My Living Room, Revisited

Some of you may remember the post about the awkward layout of my living room last year. Apparently many of you have a similar problem, as a lot of people visit that post after googling "problem living room" or some similar googlage. Which made me realize I never posted after pics of our living room. And there is a reason for that... It is not finished yet.

However, it is at least presentable for company and since most of you are more like neighbors, I figured, what the heck, open the doors and let people have a look see!

Scroll thru and then if you care, read my "thinking out loud ideas at the bottom". Feel free to think out loud yourself in my comments.

 Corner 1

Corner 2 

Corner 3 

Corner 4 (which is really the first corner you see when you enter through my foyer.)

Out loud thoughts, corner by corner:

Corner 1. I "borrowed" Steve's chair from his office, just for this picture. I have not actually bought a chair for this wall yet. He wants a recliner, the space is a little cramped to have a recliner angled towards the tv, so I just have avoided making a decision. We are living with this one for a while in this spot to see if he likes it. Meanwhile he sits on the floor in his office, I guess. Also note, I have not replaced my broken window shade yet. I'm having a hard time deciding what to do there also. If money were no object, I would throw away every plastic blind in this house and get those wooden plantation shutters. However, as an adult, I have learned money is an object, it truly is.

Corner 2. Although I fretted over the decision of what kind of sofa to get, I can honestly say that I do love my sectional. We were able to custom order one in the right size (smallest one we could find) and I love the color of the leather which is brighter than the color of my old sofa. I also love the nail head trim. Things I do not love about this picture: the art on the wall. Which I thought I had to have just a mere two years ago. I have something new picked out for this wall which will make a big statement in the room. However, I called to finally bite the bullet the other day and the store informed me it was sold. However, they can order another one for me. I have not made a decision about whether or not to replace the coffee table. I realize it is looking dated, like 1989 dated, but I figure if I hold onto it just ten more years it'll make a come back! No, truly, I like the glass top. It sort of disappears in the small room. However, Daisy would like a velvet tufted ottoman instead of a coffee table. She is so high maintenance.

Corner 3. This is the wall that has kept me from posting about this room so far. I had dreams of another style of chair in this corner. Something with delicate french styled legs and linen fabric, but I am still fretting about if it will be too fussy for this room (aka look dated in 5 years). Meanwhile, this red leather chair is needing a home, and well... here it is. Will it stay? I don't know. At least for now it is. AND... I need art and light on this wall. Look! I even left the hook for where art will hang some day on this wall. I'm a planner like that. Yes we got a new tv, we have our priorities, you know. Although one son thinks we should have gotten a bigger one. Kids! And I might go splurge on a floor lamp today, yes today! Which will make this picture obsolete, almost as fast as our new tv was made obsolete by those new internet ready tv's.

And Corner 4. This is my favorite corner of the room. I think it definitely trumps all other views as the focal point, However, if I am so lucky as to get every wish I have ever wished for, I would frame out the top above the mantle and build in a beveled mirror above the fireplace. I think that would make this fireplace rock the Casbah. Dare to dream, it just may happen some day.

I think it looks better overall, but it still is not "there" yet. Then sometimes I look at the before and after pics and I think, it looks the same. Ha! Don't tell Steve I said that, he might make me take everything back. There are of course other details that have not been addressed. And please don't judge my tabletops. You see, I haven't restyled since I took down what little Christmas stuff I had up. But I knew if I waited that long the moment to post about this would surely pass. (ie: I would have a mess in one corner too big to camouflage for pictures.)

p.s. Daisy looks right at home doesn't she? 

So Delicious, We Bought Two!

When we first bought the cabin, we decided to splurge a little and get one of those one cup coffee makers. We settled on the Tassimo brew system because they had a selection of pods we liked. You can get some Starbucks products for it, as well, as Gevalia, Tazo Tea, etc. I'm a little bit like Will Rogers, I never met a Tassimo pod I didn't like. Or was that Roy Rogers? No, that was Roy and Trigger. Not sure who Dale belonged to. Anyway, I digress. Let me just say, we started looking forward to going to the cabin just so we could sip on these lattes. And of course Steve was stopping by Starbucks on his way to work every morning. Speaking of digressing, did you all hear they are taking Starbucks out of the Starbucks logo? They apparently think the mermaid has enough power to stand on her own, or would that be swim? I'm not sure. Anyway they think it is like the swoosh, I guess. You know what swoosh I am talkin about!

But my point was... we liked the Tassimo maker so much that we bought one for home too. And Steve doesn't stop to see the mermaid anymore on the way to work. Which we think helps offset the cost of those pods. Because we have gotten so spoiled we just pop one in anytime we want one now. That is a tip to buy stock in that pod company. However, I will say that brewbot commercial they have is not at all how she really works. It is not a transformer of coffee makers, not in the literal sense. But it has transformed our coffee drinking habits.

Just thought I would share.
P.S. Nobody pays me money to publish this stuff. It's just one of the many things I do for free. However, if you want to send me some pods to compensate me, Mr. Tassimo Brewbot, I would not turn them down. Thank you and Amen.