A few pictures to light the dark...

Nascar

Sorry I didn't post last Saturday. I was in Las Vegas visiting my family, and enjoying the warm sun at the races. We had a blast, Aunt Karen, Uncle Reed, Grandma Joyce, and me. I took my camera with me and put it to good use. Here are a few of my favorite pictures from this weekend.

For those who don't know the Las Vegas Speedway is just across the way from Nelis Air Force base. The lovely pilots always provide a nice show every year, which culminates during the Star Spangled Banner with a flyby over the stands of the Thunderbirds. Here's a few of the shots I managed to get of them..

Who one you ask? Well, funny you should, he's pretty famous for the way he celebrates his wins. Carl Edwards is known to do a back flip off his car when he wins. I managed to catch all of it but the take off. >

What better way than to end the day with a beautiful sunset? I hope you all have a great week. ~Leslie

A new project

So I've been thinking for a while now about knitting myself a sweater. I have put around 20 or so sweater patterns on my Ravelry favorites list. But about a month ago I saw this pattern and fell in love. I bought the yarn and am now 18 rows into what will be my first handmade sweater. Hopefully it will go well and fairly quickly so that I can wear it before sweaters are no longer needed. Otherwise I might have to wait until this fall. Here are a few pictures of my progress, the yarn is Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in Lullaby.

Snow and a finished project

Its snowing today, and the snow is rummored to continue for the rest of the weekend. Before I went to bed last night around 3am there was no snow on the ground of falling from the sky. When I got up this morning around 11:30am there was several inches, and maintence was scraping the parking lot. Last night we were only supposed to get 10-18 inches this weekend. Now however they are saying 12-22. Well darn it I guess I'll just have to stay inside and knit. Here are some pictures from about 3:30 this afternoon. I finished my Ulmus shawl this week, I absolutely love it. When I first pulled it off the needles I was afraid I would have to give it to my niece as it seemed so small, but with a soaking and a good overnight blocking it grew to be a perfect size. I am planning to make another soon which will also include some beadwork as well. Here are a few pre-blocking pictures of it. . The last picture was taken durring blocking. I can't help but love it. I am so excited to wear it out this summer.

Have a great weekend!

~Leslie

Tuzigoot

I grew up in Arizona, I don't know if I ever mentioned that before on this blog. I remember many school field trips to various amazing sites. Among the ones that really stand out in my memory are trips to Tuizgoot and Montezuma's Castle. Although Montezuma's Well is relatively close to the Castle I don't think I've ever been there before. My hubby has never been to any of the wonders that Arizona has to offer so a couple of weeks ago we got in the car and took a trip to Tuzigoot. I got to try out my new camera while I was at it. I love my new camera. I thought I would share some of my favorite pictures of Tuzigoot with you. The last picture is of some of the surrounding mountains around Tuzigoot, and the storm that was blowing in at the time. I love how much of the sky you can see in Arizona.

Have a great week!

~Leslie

Current works in progress

I seem to have quite a few projects on my needles right now. I am also attempting my first KAL (knit-a-long) its with the Sunshine Yarnies group on Ravelry. This is Ulmus in Swedish Short Snout, and Edwards Volvo colorways by Sunshine Yarns. If you haven't experienced Dani's amazing colors you should go visit her website.

This project another shawl has been on my needles for a very long time poor thing. I love the pattern but the repeats are starting to make me crazy. This is Percy Shawl in lilac Malbrigio.

I have a few other porjects in the works: I need to cast on for a mate to a pair of socks for my friend Rebecca. I want to get a pair of socks made for Theresa's birthday later this month. We'll see what happens.

Have a great day!

~Leslie

So many projects so few updates....

I've accomplished a few knitting projects at a few cards since the last time I posted anything. So here are some pictures of what I've finished. The socks went to a friend of mine Wanda, they were a very late birthday pressent. The pattern is my own design. The cards I made four sets of and they went to three friends in the U.S., and one friend in the UK. I also recently got a new camera which I am in love with. Very awesome and the detail is amazing.

Have a great day! ~Leslie

One Lovely Blog...

I'm not totally sure I deserved it with the way I often neglect my blog (such is life as a college student) but my Aunt Nancy got this award and passed it on to me. You should visit her blog its full of lots of recipes that one day I would like to try. Thank you very much Auntie! The "One Lovely Blog Award" isn't meant to stop in one place so here are a few of my blogger friends who I've passed it on to. Hopefully they too will pass it on! Thank you all for sharing yourselves with the world :)

With that in mind here are my lovely blog choices:

Nicole at http://backatheranch.blogspot.com/

Nona at http://nonapearl.blogspot.com/

Aaron at http://www.aaronsbooth32.blogspot.com/

Jena at http://livelovelaughscrapbook.blogspot.com/

Erin at http://erincobb.com/ThePigBear/

Karen at http://karenrussell.typepad.com/my_lifejust_not_on_the_ro/

Lucy at http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/

Mean Mommy at http://themeanestmom.blogspot.com/

I hope you enjoy some of my very favorite blogs.

-Leslie

Digital Scrapping

So I admit, I am very late to the whole digital scrapbooking thing. I once looked at it several years ago and could not begin to figure out what I was meant to do. Close to My Heart launched a program this past year called Studio J. Its wonderful, very easy and totally user friendly. Here are five layouts I made recently, each layout could not have taken longer than 20 minutes at the most.