Life from Death

So much has happened that I'm not sure where to begin . . . . . . .

When he was a cool dude . . .

Initially I was busy with school and also with preparing a challenge for, not one or two, but seven course!  Lots of work!  I finished the course and am waiting to find out about the course challenges.  

Nonno loved spending time with all his grandchildren

Meanwhile my dad who had been ill for some time finally gave up the ghost to cancer.  He was almost 77.  It's been a process and a journey and I am so grateful for the opportunity to get home with my family and spend time with them.  And that we had a chance to share our grief and say goodbye. 

Mum & dad at happier times

I'll just leave you with some memories: 

How do you sum up the life of a man whom we loved with all our hearts and souls?  How can you reduce a lifetime to a few short paragraphs?

My father would have found the words!  He was a man who loved to talk & share stories.  Making friends came easily to him & he developed friendships with many people, feeling comfortable around anyone and everyone.

What do I remember about our father? 
 
I remember being three & feeling so shy and overwhelmed.  I buried my head in his lap.  I felt safe.  Protected.  No harm would come to me.  He would be there to care for us.  Always

I remember the silly little things.  The horsey-back rides & the tickle fights where we laughed so hard, we felt as if our sides would explode.

I remember his veggie garden!  Even now, I can see him standing in the middle of his magnificent "gardino", surveying its progress & watering the "tinnirumi" and the "pomodori".  And always he had plenty to share.  With everyone.

I remember the long talks--and sometimes heated arguments--at the supper table after everyone finished eating.  We felt as if we had managed to solve the world's problems . . . 

I remember dad surprising me by picking me up from kindergarten.  Instead of going home, we ended up at the "billardo" where he treated me to pop & chips. 

And I remember all the long "passeggiare" along St Clair Ave where we'd look at shop windows.  Eventually we'd stop at the bakery or one of cafes and get a "gelato".

I remember him taking aside my then fiance to give him "the talk" before the wedding--just so he knew "what was what".  And I remember him telling me that he just couldn't do the father-daughter dance 'cuz it would've been too hard.  He wouldn't have the strength to get through it without falling apart.

These little moment make my soul happy.  They bring us peace and comfort.  So while our hearts swell with sadness, reminiscing about our shared joys & little moments of happiness fill us with hope.

Farewell :(
 

Merry, Merry

Just popping in to wish everyone a very merry, merry Christmas!  And here's hoping the day brings joy and happiness shared with friends and family. :)

Just in Time . . .

Ends and bits trimmed off the hats

Dear friend, I have not crafted in a long, long time.  Hard to blog when there's no crafting to report.  Yeah, school got in the way (and work, and family life . . .  well you get the point, right?).  Thankfully I have finished all my courses for the semester.  So I finally have some free time.  And what did I do with this mythical free time?  I was industrious!  LOL!  I managed to finish the first of my Christmas gifts.

Check out my nephew's hats:

Angry Bird Hats

I really like how everything came together.  If you will remember from previous posts the hats initially didn't look like much without the face details.  Don't the finished hats look great, though? Just love them (If you're interested in the mods, check out my Ravelry notes for Angry Bird #2).

And I really like my niece's hat.  I decided against threading any ribbon through the eyelets 'cuz I was worried it might interfere with the fabric's stretchiness.  Besides, the pom pom adds a nice "pop" of colour (Too bad the yarn sheds a little).

Finished Zeebad Hat

I was nervous about making a pom pom 'cuz it's been a long time since I made one--and honestly I was never really good at it.  But I found this great tutorial on You-Tube from Repeat Crafter Me (I follow her Facebook page).

It really works!!  And yes, I did the thing using only my fingers!  Check out the finished pom pom before it was sewn to the top of the hat:

Pom pom detail

Now I'm off to wrap these hats so they can get mailed to my niece and nephews--just in time for Christmas!! :)
 
 

Yay!

Even though I haven't been good about posting regularly, I am trying ever so hard to craft on a regular basis.  It can be hard during the week 'cuz I've got lots of readings and assignments to work on (seriously, I have something due every week).

Stack of Christmas hats

Happy to say that all my Christmas hats are finally done (six in all)!  They're not completely finished, but all the knitting is done.  And that's something for me who has been lacking in the mojo and/or the time department. I just need a weekend to finish everything, as in weave in ends and make pompoms and such (Hoping to work on the ones that need to be mailed away first).

Last Angry Bird Hat

I managed to finish the last Angry Bird hat.  Even though it is the black Angry Bird, I decided to finish it in the same way as the red ones.  I'll just adjust the colours of the facial features so that the features will be visible against the black.

New amigurumi, but who could it be?

And I've started something new and interesting.  Can you guess what it might be?  I'll give you a hint.  It's amigurumi and it's something for which I have no pattern.  Yeah, that's right: I gotta wing it.

I'll give you another hint: I'm using a pattern for John Lennon and converting it into something else--or someone else.  Stayed tuned . . . . ;)

Happy Thanksgiving

Scarecrow courtesy of morguefile.com

Even though it's dark, dreary and pouring rain, I feel incredibly thankful. So hug your babies and enjoy time with your family and friends this fine Thanksgiving morn. :)

Some Problems

Last Angry Bird hat

There is knitting--not that there's much to share (Actually, I'm farther along than picutred above--almost ready to start decreases with an inch to go).  At least I'm on my last Christmas gift.  I decided to work a black Angry Bird rather than a yellow one.  It'll be interesting to modify the facial features.  Hope this fits my oldest nephew.

School books with binder

Anyways I'm currently facing  a couple of problems with regard to lack of time for knitting.  The first problem is school--specifically homework.  There's lots of reading, especially since I'm enrolled in 2 courses.  Free time is limited.  After supper and the dishes, I'm doing homework.  When I'm done with that, I have little brain power or energy to knit.

Smartphone with Candy Crush Soda app

My other problem is my new phone.  My previous phone was a small flip one.  Very old school in size and function: small and no real internet access.  Now I have a smartphone--with apps! Oh the apps!  Specifically Candy Crush Soda.  That is my downfall.  At naptime, I used knit and now I "crush candy".  See the problem?  Welcome to my world.

Good Ol' Stash!

Nothing like rummaging through one's stash to get the mojo flowin'!  

Leftover bits of yarn

Over the long weekend, I decided to clean out my two yarn baskets--full of used patterns, misplaced (or "lost") needles, leftover yarn and almost finished items.  Do you have one too?  A bin, basket or other suitable receptacle where all the leftovers or WIPs collect?

Yarn, socks and lacy scarf

In re-organizing all those bits and pieces, I had to rummage through my stash containers.  Lo and behold, there was my mojo!  Hidden away in a plastic drawer filled with special yarns in pretty colours.  Funny how one's stash can inspire . . . .  
 

Almost there . . .

So I finally got back to ripping out and finishing one of those Angry Bird hats.  Some of those itty-bitty face parts got made too. Excited to sew all those bits in place 'cuz then I'll be almost done (although I have to confess that I'm eyeing a special project for a family member, but it will require some "designing". . . ).

Yarn for last Angry Bird hat

Happy to report there's just one more hat to make!  This last Angry Bird will have to be a different colour.  There's not much red left.  So one of my nephews will get either a yellow or black Angry Bird--not sure which colour to use yet.  I promise to keep you posted. :)