Owl Cowl

I finished the Owl Cowl that I swatched in October, but still need to write up the pattern.  I couldn't wait that long to share the pictures.  

I wasn't sure if I should add buttons for the eyes.  What do you think?

While browsing Ravelry I have seen some knitters add button to just one owl on the sweaters.  I guess if I find some buttons that go perfectly with the yarn I'll add them to one of the owls.  Then the cowl would have a defined front, but it may make it more obvious that it's an owl.

It's nice and cozy; knit in Malabrigo Worsted.  It is a good yarn to keep the cowl from collapsing on itself.  I did notice that it scrunches up in the center where the cables are.  Then lays flat again along the border pattern.  The better to keep you warm I guess.

This blue cowl is a gift that has already been wrapped and delivered, but is local in case I find buttons.  I want to knit another for me in a funner color.  I'm thinking Green Apple.

Thomas the Train

About four years ago DH picked up a Thomas the Train set on the last minute, deeply discounted, just barely enough time before Xmas sale on Amazon.  We pull it out each year to play with it and the rest of the time it sits in it's box waiting for next year. 

Last year we put it under the tree.  Thomas had been played with enough that he wasn't working so well.  We taped a bunch of silver dollars to weigh the engine down in hopes that it would get better traction on the track.  That kinda worked, but not really.

This year we learned that toys don't fix themselves while packed up and sitting in the garage.

BG suggested a complete clean out because she could see stuff wrapped around the axles inside the engine.  I've done that a million times with the vacuum cleaner so I figured it was a really good idea.  Then I took Thomas the Train completely apart. 

There was a little bit of stuff stuck in there.  There was also a moment when I wasn't sure if all the King's Horse and all the King's Men would be able to put Thomas together again. 

After being put back together, Thomas worked great for about fifteen minutes and went back to getting stuck in various spots around the tree.  Normally in the back. 

We will still pull him out every year.  It really is more for show than a toy.  Especially when it plays the Thomas the Train Theme song the entire time it is running.  One can only take so much of that.

The Big Tree

Now that all the rest of you are putting up your Christmas decorations, here is our big tree.  It looks just like it did last year.  You know why?  Because I bought a fake tree.

I don't have anything against going with the real stuff.  Except I don't like dropping that amount of money on something I'm going to throw away two weeks later, and I have to put all the lights on and off, and flocking costs extra, and I have to remember to water it.

I don't have anything against real trees, but my sinuses have a serious issue with them.   At least that is what my allergist told me.

I really love my tree and all it's glittery everything.  There is glitter on the tree, ornaments, floor.  This year I didn't put up any of the glass ornaments.  Even with the child gate up I didn't want to risk one breaking and feet getting cut.  It gave me an excuse to buy more of the 4/$1 glittery snowflakes at Target. 

I found a great wreath for our front door that matches.  It's also fake, so I can reuse it until the color fades.

Sometimes I feel bad for DH having to live in a house fill with all our girlyness.  But then I look at all the glitter and completely forget about him.