Turn out the lights, the party's over. . .

Wow!  It's the last day of the year?  When did that happen?  Well, Peanut, it seems to happen every year about this time. . .resolution time sneaks up on us, and we plan a big party time to celebrate and indulge in all the stuff we're giving up "for the new year."  (Or, at least for a couple of days, so that we can feel a little better about ourselves.)  

Me?  What are Pretty's resolutions?  Oh, that's an easy one!  A few years ago, I swore off resolutions for New Years.  These days, when I think I should be doing something differently than I currently am, I try to just jump in there and start. . .like when I joined the gym a few months ago.  I don't go every day, I shoot for three times a week. . .and sometimes I fail at that.  But, I'm human, and I'm gonna mess up from time to time.  Still, it's been a positive change, and I didn't even have to wait for January!  :o)

What are my plans for tonight?  Well, seeing as how I spent all of last night at the "first new year's eve party of the year" for the teens at our church, I'd say that I'm going to turn in pretty early tonight!  (Heck!  I'm probably sleeping right now. . .oh, the wondrous wonders of technology that allow me to write my blog and schedule it to post later!)  I'll probably miss the ball dropping on TV, and I won't participate in a champagne toast or a midnight kiss, but I will probably wake up when the random gunfire starts "in the neighborhood."  At that point, I will look at the clock, thank the Lord for another year to spend with family and friends, and go back to sleep.  Oh, and I will look forward to a "Stitch-a-Day" from my new Vogue Knitting calendar (thanks again, Family, for the knitting gifts this year!).

2012, just like 2011, will likely bring lots of knitting and time with the family.  I hope that you will enjoy similar blessings in your new year as well!  Until then, and after the "big moment," I hope that you will find much happiness.

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Broken Purse :(

Here's the story, of a gal named Pretty

Who was saddened by a very broken purse...

So she went to buy a new one after Christmas,
Shopping for a purse can be the worst!


There are big ones, there are small ones, nice and pretty, 
But the one that fits her stuff looks more like this:

Out of date and out of season, it's no beauty,
But all her stuff went right inside and it all fits...

So she bought it, she bought the purse, 

Off the clearance rack she bought herself a purse!* (for $13.60)

*First she bought two purses at full, discounted prices for more than $30 each, which she returned yesterday morning, in a depressing ritual that's almost as bad as returning a too-small pair of jeans.  Why, oh why, is it so hard to buy a purse?!?

In Knitting Knews, here is the secretChristmasknitting that I could not show you last week!  Four hats for 3 nephews plus one girlfriend:

And one beard, for the nephew who mentioned it on Facebook, perhaps not realizing that his aunt was lurking:

 Oh, and one little bulky hat for a beautiful girl!  

Soooo, it was a five-hat, three-doll Christmas, and we had lots of fun!  I hope that your holiday celebrations have been grand, and that you continue to enjoy yourself throughout the rest of this year.


Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!


PS - What are you doing Saturday night?

We wish you a Merry Christmas...

You've heard the discussion.

You've seen and read the comments.

You know that I am not sending cards this year.

But I still want to say Merry Christmas, and I am not the only one:

Wherever you are, and whatever you are celebrating, we wish you and your loved ones the very best.  :)

Thanks for stopping by!  Knit, and celebrate, in Good Health!

Welcome to the Ginger-Hood!

Last weekend I waxed poetic about Christmas cards...more specifically, the lack of Christmas cards coming from my mailbox.  I think I am about over it now, so I spent the last few days immersed in the sights and smells of Christmas gingerbread!  From baking the pieces. . .

. . .to assembling the"tools" I would need. . .

. . .to crushing the first candies, preparing to melt them into. . .

. . .stained "glass" windowpanes. . .

. . .to decorating and assembling the walls. . .

. . .and carefully placing the roof. . .

. . .to get both sides on "just so" takes patience and a steady hand!

After the initial icing and assembly, it's time to gather the girls for the decorating!

What's the most important part?  Taste test!

It is a process. . .concentration and a steady hand are required. . .

 . . .and more tasting!

Yummmmm!!!

All that hard work. . .and tasting. . .

Sure pay off in PRETTY!!!

Then it's time to knit! 
(The password is KNITTINGFORCHRISTMAS.  Shhhhh!)
I hope your holiday surprises are good and pretty and tasty!


Thanks for stopping by, and Knit (secretly) in Good Health!

Christmas Cards 2011

I mentioned last Saturday that I had a dilemma. Would Pretty Knitty Christmas Cards go out for 2011? Should Pretty Knitty cards go out? If they don't go out this year, will they ever go out again?

I mean, I'm feeling really Christmas-y. . .

Check out the knitterly gifts I received at the

Knitter's Christmas-and-Bacon Extravaganza

. . .and I have enjoyed sending (and receiving!) annual Christmas cards for years. But, is my time for this tradition up? I mean, I love to come up with the words to share, and I love to play with the available technology to create and arrange photos for the annual correspondence. . .just look at the technology that hangs out on my desk each day!But with social networking (most of my card recipients are on Facebook these days), maybe my time for holiday cards is up. Don't get me wrong. . .I still love words (see the blog archives for reference, lol!), and I love to play with and share my photos. . .but there are so many avenues for that these days. I mean, gone are the days of only hearing from my cousins, Aunts and Uncles, and faraway friends only once a year. . .even my Army Boy "over there" communicates with me on a somewhat regular basis. . .by the way, if Army Boy were to send a Christmas card this year, it might look something like this:. . .because that's how his mom rolls. She photoshops Peanut into his friends' Facebook photos so it will feel like she and he are closer together. BTW, is she just the cutest, or what!?!

Thanks to all of you who weighed in on the options last Saturday, and thanks to all of you who are still sending me cards! I truly do love to receive them. :) But for now, I believe that my Christmas-card-sending days are through. Watch the blog for updates twice a week, and please comment or send an email anytime you like. :o) I'd love to hear from you, electronically or on paper.

Thanks for stopping by, Merry Merry!, and Knit in Good Health!

Crack and Candy for Christmas

So, in a previous post, I mentioned Bacon Crack, and someone asked me for the recipe. . .but first, a photo!Oh!, if only this were in person. . .if you could smell it or just have one little taste, you would know why we knitters were so excited about having bowls and bowls of bacon crack at our parties! Mmmmmmmm! I asked my friend The Queen's permission (it's her recipe), and here is how you can become addicted to one more bacon recipe. And as you are buying more and more bacon next week, just remember that I warned you. . .addictive!

Bacon Crackers
Ingredients:
---Club Crackers
---Bacon
---Garlic salt
---Parmesan cheese

Pre-heat oven to 250. Cut bacon into thirds and wrap around the cracker (like a belt). Lay them out on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with garlic salt and then parmesan cheese. Cook for 2.5 hours.

Time consuming, but so easy, and soooo addicting! Mmmmmmmmm!

As for the candy, since this seems to be a recipe blog lately, I thought I'd also share Mr. Pretty's Grandmother's recipe for homemade caramel. . .again I say, "Mmmmmmmmmm!"When Grammy could no longer make the caramel for the holiday turtles, as well as the other yummy Christmas candies, I took over. It's nearly time to get cracking on the candy around here this Christmas, and once again, I am feeling the pinch of time running out! But, there truly is no match for the smell of homemade candy and bakery in my kitchen for the holidays. . .or any day, I guess. . .It's the best!

Now for the Eye Candy, because I know that you will gladly indulge a grandma who got to take her dear Peanut to see the big man in the red suit this past weekend. . .they really sized each other up!I think Peanut is enjoying the holiday season, and I know that I am! I'd regale you with tales of the knitting, but it's all holiday related at this point. . .so mum's the word! I promise updates the first of the year, and perhaps there will even be some not-so-secret knitting in the next couple of weeks?

In the meantime, thanks for stopping by, and I hope that you are taking time to enjoy the season amidst the busy-ness! Oh, and I hope that you are Knitting in Good Health!

Christmas Dilemma

"I have a dilemma."

If I were going to write a Pretty Knitty Speech in the month of December, that's how it would start. Today is December 10. . .just over two weeks until Christmas, and for the last few years, this time of year has thrown me right into a quandary.

Twenty years ago, or so, I started sending out Christmas newsletters. The first couple were rather long winded (like my blog posts?), and they chronicled every minuscule accomplishment of my way-above-average-I-was-sure-at-the-time family. Bragging? Maybe a little. Trying to prove to my friends and family that I was insanely happy in my hum-drum (sometimes boring, sometimes painful) little life? Yeah, that's probably closer to it.

As I sent (and received) letters each year, I started to realize that my friends and family didn't want the entire album of experiences every year, but really they just needed more of a snapshot. Over the years I got better and better at condensing, and I think some of my Christmas letters even bordered on entertaining and funny. At least I hope that's how they came across.

Then in 2009, something weird happened. I did not send out a Christmas letter, or even cards signed, "Love Mr. & Mrs. Pretty!" I tried, starting in November, but totally missed my Christmas deadline. Then I thought maybe I could get them out as "New Year" cards. . .but I failed again. . .Valentines? Easter Cards? Yeah, I was delusional at that point. Eventually, somewhere in June I think, I finally gave up on the dream and the dilemma.

I did manage to get cards out in 2010, and they went out before Christmas, and I think most of them even arrived at their destinations before the holidays were over. . .WIN!

This year, as I was setting up a decorative mantel for family photos at a church event,I revisited the dilemma. Am I gonna send out cards? Letters? Anything? Am I just too busy this year? If I gave up social media for the month (yeah, I know. . .who am I kidding with that one?), then could I find enough time to do the annual Christmas mailing? I mean, I still have the baking and the knitting and the shopping and the wrapping. . .maybe, just maybe I should let this go. . .but I can't pull the trigger. . .I don't know if that's my final answer or not.

What do you think? Do you send out cards? How many? Do you like to get Christmas cards? If you are on my list, will you miss a card from me this year? I don't know what I'm going to decide, but I do hope that you will leave me a comment with your thoughts.

Well, comment or not, thanks for stopping by!
Happy Christmas Season to you, and Knit in Good Health!

Three Weeks. . .

Three weeks before Christmas, so I put on my Christmas socks!
Then I grabbed a couple knitters, and we went to a party that rocks!It rocks because of the food, there was fruit. . .. . .and meat,. . .and "Bacon Crack." (drool)

Honeycrisp with sweet, creamy dip. . .. . .and desserts from the front to the back!It rocks because of the guests, Joe was there with his toys. . .. . .and knitters (of course!), and we even had boys! (with video games)There was so much food that we all ate in rounds. . .And the knitters came to this party from all around "town"!As usual, we thank our angelic hostess. . .(?)Well, halo or not, she has hosted the mostest!

(Of all who attended, she has hosted the most Christmas parties, that I know of at least! But, here's a picture of "the Queen" in a more "natural" pose.)We wore festive clothes, with our best foots out strong. . .. . .and we knitted our hearts out, knitting 'til daylight was gone!But wait!, there's more! Are those gifties I see?Yay!, there are gifties for everyone under that tree!

(Sorry, but I can't show you all the stocking stuffers until next week. . .some bags are still unopened!)And then it was late, and time to go home. . .

(Wait, who said you could take this home? Weren't these meats a gift for the kitteh?)So we packed it all up, and then hit the road. :(

But before we left town, we stopped by this sight:Christmas house must be seen at the end of the night!

(Wow. Just Wow. And it's the whole cul-de-sac...not just that house. Wow.)

As we all headed home, and the party house grew less bright,We bid all, "Merry Christmas!," and, "See you Thursday night!"

It's good to have friends.

It's even better to have friends that like a good party.

But the best?

The best is knitting friends that LOVE to knit and have fun together!

Thanks again, to all my knitting friends, for all the wonderfulness of Sunday's party! See you Thursday!

And thank YOU, Dear Readers, for stopping by to see a little slice of the fun in pictures. I hope you are having a lovely (even if it's crazy) Holiday Season!

Knit in good Health!