Socks For My Boy

I told Kerry that he should be wearing his wool socks to keep his feet warm. He replied that he couldn't find them - not surprising since his room is a disaster. He requested a new pair in Dallas Cowboys colors. He's a good boy for me, so I got out the dyes and had some fun.

I'm not sure how one of the gray stripes turned out a bit wider, but he doesn't care. He put them on right away and is excited to wear them.

Now if he would only wear a heavier coat...

A Book Review, Kind Of

Back in 1989 my dear friend Debra and I each bought a copy of The Andy Warhol Diaries. She, being an artist, was a fan of his work. I was aware of who he was and trusted Debra's taste. We read it then. I don't remember a lot about my thoughts from that time. I'm sure I was shocked at all of the talk of drugs. I was probably more interested in his friendship with Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran. Well, I pulled the book out early in December to reread since I've been in a 1970s state of mind. This time through I've noticed so much. He talks a LOT about drugs in the 70s. Did any of the celebrities get angry and try to file lawsuits? I don't know that I'd want the world knowing that I did all sort of substances in front of my kids, for example. He didn't go into detail about the rumored debauchery at Studio 54, probably because the person he was talking to already knew all about it. I would like to hear more, though, being a bit curious as to how bad it really could have been. Andy worked so much. His work days seem to be twelve or more hours a day, sometimes even on Sundays. I've seen pictures of lots of his paintings, but there must be hundreds more for me to see, not including the private portraits that he did. I'll have to check the local library for some books of his art collections. After working until nine or so he'd go out with his friends for dinner and clubbing until the early morning and the get up and do it again. He must have been used to it, having lived that life for twenty-some years. There are some people, like Bianca Jagger, who are in the entirety of the diaries. He talked of a different group of people as he got more into the Eighties. Up-and-coming stars must have sought him out for publicity since he knew so many people and was seen everywhere. He seemed lonely, though. There are several entries where he spoke of wanting a romance. I imagine his schedule made having a boyfriend difficult, especially in those days of hedonism. I was very aware, this time through, of how many people died from AIDS. Living in the middle of nowhere, we didn't get too much news of AIDS until later in the Eighties. Andy starts talking about it in about 1982, although he referred to it as "gay cancer" because it didn't have a name yet. He was really worried about it, even without a lover. I wonder if people wouldn't give permission to have their pictures in the book. There are two sections of photos, but they're both small and the pictures are kind of blah. Andy talked about having a camera with him all the time. What happened to all of those pictures? Maybe they're all in another book somewhere. I guess the review part is this - it's an interesting book, especially if you're a fan of that era (mid-Seventies to 1987) or are a Warhol fan. The editor claims to have left it mostly intact, so if that's true it's a close look into the mind of an artist and celebrity. It's made me wonder, of course, what he would have thought of today. A person can become famous for a picture on Instagram. The internet has created a new world of celebrities. And reality television...Warhol's movies Eat and Sleep kind of started the "reality" genre in a way. I'm sure all of the Real Housewives would have loved having portraits painted by the same man who painted Jerry Hall and Liza Minnelli. Now I need to decide what to read next. Should I hit the library for a biography of one of the Studio 54 crowd? Maybe back to Sherlock Holmes? Dragons and wizards? I always have a tough time deciding. A final note for today...yesterday I was browsing CVS while waiting for a prescription refill and saw, in the Valentine's Day section, a gift set of Halston cologne and body lotion for $14.99. I wonder if it smells the same as it did when it was new. I let Eric know that I'd like to get it. It's a bit sad, though, that Halston is on the shelf while Coty Musk is locked up. Okay, that's all for today. No pictures, sorry. I'll share some knitting next time as soon as I get this project finished.

Planning Projects

Hi again! As I type the temperature outside is 1F. The wind chill is around -20F. School was cancelled all over the area because of the cold, and not just in Illinois. It's crazy cold in a big chunk of the country today. If it affects you I hope you're bundled up!
I have big plans for projects this year. I'm continuing last year's plan to knit up some of my big shawl patterns. I'm also knitting a lot of socks because I love my socks...and a couple of my favorite pairs are wearing holes in the heels. I'm going to try a sweater or two, too. I have some purple yarn that really wants to be a cabled cardigan.

One of the podcasts I listen to is having a hat knitalong this year. I think hats would be a good way to use up some of my single skeins of yarn and will come in quite handy on these winter days. I've been considering keeping a box to put finished things in that I can gift to people - I do know a couple of young men who might like wool hats and mittens.
During one of my sleepless nights I realized that I have a nice assortment of shirtwaist dress patterns - ranging from the 40s to the 70s.

I'd like to make a few of them up this year. I've made the oldest one before and wear it fairly often, so another one would get used. I think it would be fun to have a similar dress from different decades. I think I have one from the 80s, too, somewhere in my pattern collection...one of the blogs I read regularly said something about an Eighties Sewalong. I wonder if she's still planning it. I have a few different wrap dress patterns, too, that will be in consideration to be made. If only the fabric fairy would leave me a present!
I'm going to keep making things from my "Project Ideas" Pinterest board as well. Recently I asked some people if they make the things they pin and they all said no. Do you guys make the things you find on Pinterest?
My final plan for this year is to get Joshua healthy. He's still not well. Eric thinks I should talk to a different vet for a second opinion. I just know that it makes me sad that the poor kitty doesn't want to play like he used to and only has energy to walk from one napping place to another. He's far too young to be a lazy cat.

Winter Break Round Up

Happy new year! The kids are back at school after two weeks of being off for Christmas and I was so ready. They're much more manageable when they're on a schedule.
Our Christmas was rather small this year but nice. Both Kerry and Khloe asked for footwear - Kerry picked out a new pair of shoes from the Adidas website that were on sale with free shipping and got here in three days, just in time to wrap. I won't have any problems ordering from them again. He loves his new shoes and only took them off to sleep...although he was rather sick and may have slept in them a couple of times. Khloe has asked for brown combat-style boots since her birthday and I found a pair on Amazon that are perfect. She, too, has worn them non-stop since opening them. It makes me so happy when a gift is loved. Eric is not easy to buy for, so when he mentioned a cherry wine from Wisconsin that he'd had and liked I did a search and ordered a bottle from the winery and he enjoyed it. I also got him some cd's - Black Sabbath and AC/DC. He likes to rock. What did I get? Eric got me a sandwich maker, but mine is a double. I've used it several times and it's cool. The only tricky part is getting everything out without burning myself - it gets really hot. Mom gave me a set of Zephyr knitting needles from Knit Picks. They don't sell them any more so I think this was the set she'd ordered for herself a few years ago and doesn't use. I'll get plenty of use from them but knitting plans will come later. She also got me:

two new jars of buttons. She has me figured out!
Speaking of buttons, I spent Christmas Eve making these bracelets

inspired by some I've been seeing on Pinterest. The hardest part is deciding which buttons to use. I have a couple more planned, of course. The black and silver one is really long and can be used as a belt...once I tone up a bit. It fits now but is snug. I'm planning a brooch, too, but it's still in the "back of the brain" planning stage. Do you all have that? An area in your brain where ideas percolate until they're fully formed and ready to be born?
I'm going to be making this beauty soon

because it's gorgeous. I'm not sure what I have in the stash that will work. I didn't get any money for Christmas so new fabric will sadly have to wait. Doesn't it look like something Curtise would wear?
That's all for now. I'm in the house warming up a bit from shoveling snow out of the driveway. I can finally feel my toes again - and I'm wearing three pair of socks and winter boots. It's flipping cold out. I don't like it. I should go finish shoveling now before I get too comfortable...or maybe I'll save it for my son to do. Yeah. That's the new plan. I'll be back tomorrow to share my plans for this year. Stay warm, my dears!