Steph, you are amazing. Not only did you start on too many projects too close to the deadline, you are accomplishing them! Doesn't matter that it's with help from Ian. You are getting them done! Simply amazing.

Thanks Stephanie for another wonderful entry...so nice to know that I am not the only woman who gets hit with the panic I feel when faced with entertaining...

certainly those chocolates must have been meant for you!

Hope the sewing party goes well!!!

Oh, and is your brother married? He's CUTE!

Be careful. I'll bet someone is gonna offer to send you a bra.

I suffer from all of the same house stuff. The carpet is horrid and needs to be replaced and just shows off how threadbare the couch is which...yeah.

The bra thing makes me laugh...I have three, and I can never find more than one at a time, and then I can only find one IF i'm lucky. ;) You rock steph.

Our drywall guy (he's been in the basement for 4 weeks now. He's never leaving.) got some of the paint up on the wall finally. After Kevin expressed amazement that the colors I picked actually look good, we realized that the drop ceiling now looks totally crappy. Aaaaaargh. It is an evil, evil cycle.

First of all, I love the cute little poncho! I agree that it's nice to knit things for little ones because they go so much faster!

As for the wall color versus the runner color... in the photo it doesn't look so bad. the photo makes the wall look cream-colored, though.

Love your blog. I read it daily & it always makes me smile!

Oooh, send that brother my way; I promise to provide him with a heated home (well-stocked with single malt) in which he can paint to his heart's content. And how is he with leaky roofs?

Now that the state of the house is public, stop worrying about it. What Carol said - your panic attacks get things done. Unlike mine. You ARE the Queen of the World.

I don't think the wall clashes with the runner all that much. I have similar shades currently non-clashing in my living room. Besides, you have kids and a husband - wait a few months, and I'm sure someone will walk on the runner in muddy shoes, and then you'll have a nice earthy shade of brown to complement the walls.
Maybe your bra is hiding in your stash. It could be a cotton conspiracy...

In order to conceal the runner you could set us up on the stairs to sew up the afghans. If we're *sitting* on the runner we can't actually *see* it... Sound good? ;) At least the good thing is that you've acknowledged that the colours clash, so no one will be snickering!

I'm happy for your family that you turned on your heat.
I've been without heat in my own life because the landlord hasn't showed us how to turn on the furnace and I don't want to blow up. Fortunately, it isn't as cold here yet. If it gets below freezing, I'm going to just start flipping switches and pushing buttons until something happens.

Nice job on the paint and the poncho. The little ponchos are much easier. I did mine with a twisted stitch between the yos. Subtle, but nice.

PLEASE tell us about the book. Pretty please.

(responders -- do the wave! BookBookBookBookBook)

The heat is on? I thought I saw something resembling a pig go flying by my office window.

There's a similar effect in most aspects of life to the 'home renovation insanity syndrome'. I usually see it referred to as Diderot's Effect, which comes from an essay called "Regrets on Parting with My Old Dressing Gown." I think you'd like it.

I would think that your sew-up visitors would like to partake in "let the ladies be free" spirit. Especially now that the heat is on.

I don't feel so much like a wuss anymore. I caved yesterday. No, I didn't put my heat on (I live in an apartment and Steph somehow believes this disqualifies me from participating in the Heat Wars. I claim nothing in the rules specified type of abode). I... are you ready?... get out the winter clothes! And what's worse - packed away the summer things. I am a firm believer in the "if you're cold, put on a sweater" adage, but if you have no sweaters, it gets hard to resist the siren call of the thermostat.

Besides, I was starting to look like a pile of scraps with all the layers I was accumulating to stay warm - shrug, shawl, blanket, scarf *all at the same time*. In my livingroom. It was time.

Hey, Steph! You live in my house! I can tell by the the newel post. (well, aside from those nice horizontal lines on the ball on top - mine is missing those) But I'm glad you took out the old, cracked, red-brown, linoleum tread-covers I had on the stairs and put in carpeting, no matter what the color. I painted my living room a nice light sage-y green to cover the footprints of the girl who cannot make her feet hold still.

You might look for your bra in a cardboard box on some half-hidden bookshelf - this is where my mother once put mine, when she still was coming to "visit" and would spend her time hand-washing diapers and scrubbing the walls of back rooms. Thank goodness she finally thinks she's too old (84) for that now.

You know, my grandma lived in this house, too, but I think her hall was a little wider as she fit one of those tall victorian oak bench-coat-hook-mirror things against that left wall. Her house was in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, with a view of mountains.

ps, I hope this is not too cryptic. Probably is. Oh, well.

How can I resist a wave that pertains to a book?

BookBookBookBookBook

Really the walls and the carpet do not clash as badly as you think - at least not from the posted picture. And if anyone dare give you grief - tell them you were going for the tonal look. I hear it's quite a popular trend right now. :)

Aw, how cute! Do you live in one of those wee skinny Toronto houses? My partner's aunt lives in the Beaches and her house is a third the width of ours (and about three times as expensive).
I admire your fortitude with the heat thing; I just can't stand to knit with chilly fingers, and have had the furnace on since mid October. And I wore my scarf for the first time last night!

I agree with the non-clash. The walls and the runner look perfectly fine together--and I'm an art historian so I know a thing or two about color. (Not that knitters' don't, mind you.) This is of course assuming that the colors in the photo are accurate. I'm not willing to stake my reputation on a faulty reproduction! {wicked grin} What's off about the situation is the white stairs. If they were a warm stain something like that on the newel post... Sorry, I just had to fuel the home refurnishing anxiety.

You never cease to amaze! Have a great time this weekend!

Damn, now I want to show up to watch the mayhem on Sunday .

Err... I mean, I want to help sew squares. ;-)

as far as I am concerned, bras serve only to take money out of my yarn budget. They are a very low priority around here! Have a great sew-up party :)

My 2 college daughters have pretty much given up bras unless they are running or playing lacrosse (sport bra) or dressing up really fancy (satiny, lacy, Victoria's Secret thingy). Otherwise they have a wardrobe full of bra top camisoles that function as a layering tool also. My 13yo is too well endowed to forgo the bra (much teasing from older sisters ensues) and my 4yo is too young to bother (tho she did see a Hello Kitty bra at Target that she admires...). I on the other hand, cannot go without a bra unless I want to do myself great bodily injury. Your walls look great. Isn't it nice to have a handy brother? Unfortunately for me, my carpenter bro lives on the opposite coast.

1) Noone will notice
2) I'm a wimp. My heat's been on for weeks. However, I did have a conversation with my daughters day care teacher about the virtues of not having the heat on this morning.
3) I love the green on your walls. Very nice
4) Your brother rocks.

Susan, you are not going to put dibs on that cute, blue-eyed, fit young man and have him waste his time on the roof.

BookBookBookBook!!!!

Wow.
Lots of accomplishments....makes me wish i could zoom up to Canada for the sewing party, but even though Minneapolis is faaaaaairly close, no car, not time, etc.
Ian....I second Judith's sentiments....why would Susan send him up to the roof:)

HA! That was great! Thanks. I really like the spiral of Home Improvement Syndrome. It gets things done, and the house looks DARNED good when you're in recovery.

By the way, your brother is really cute.

Heehee, Claudia and I think the same way (where's the surprise there?) And, having met you, I think that although you'd fill it out more generously, you and I wear about the same bra size. Expect a rather ratty garment arriving in your post sometime next week. Will that be soon enough? (naw, I wouldn't really do it. Or would I?)

does your brother do house calls?

oh, and hey, your brother's a cutie.

Hey, is your brother up in the Marry a Canadian program? Because mmm. And he works around the house! :D

Next time you have some free time (hah!):

1) Knit some bras!

2) Knit a new runner.

I find it funny you turned your heat on yesterday because I turned mine OFF yesterday deciding that I perpetually feel too hot (which is odd considering how cold it is outside) I'm sure though your sew up party will love the heat. Better not bring your brother over to the party or sounds like by the comments he will be swarmed :) The little poncho is terribly cute. I'm sure your bra will turn up once you stop actually looking for it.

Wow. If the planets continue to align so well for you, maybe the gods will give you your period this weekend too... that would be how my luck goes.

About the house, one word, MOVE, it sounds cheaper.

1. YAY! Canada Post!
2. Your brother's WAY cute. And I just turned my heat on yesterday.
3. Seriously... I'm making a Very Harlot Poncho for my niece. I'm so glad she's only 6 and petite.
4. The way the photos look of the stairwell it looks like the colours match.

Yeah for heat! I used to be the same way, daring myself to make it to Halloween, then later. I gave that up as soon as I moved above the very low middle class level. Now I am one of the wimps.

I've been wanting to ask you for a while, how do you possibly knit so fast? I try to knit daily and can't seem to finish ANYTHING, yet you fly by, kicking out finished project with ease. What's your secret (beside insanity - I mean knitting secret LOL)?

Your brother is foxy!
BookBookBookBook

Holy hotness, Batman!

As if we weren't all already thinking of moving to Canada... you have to go and post a picture of your brother!

And having lived around you, any yarn nuttiness by any of us lesser mortals would be as nothing to him...

*sings* Oh Canada...

I don't see what your problem is. The walls are Winter's Silence, right? So the carpet is Winter Green. There ya go, relax! (This from a woman who chose her bathroom colors solely on the basis of the paint color names. Not as crazy as it sounds, they both have to do with the sea. But damn, I was eyeing up the "lambswool" and "mohair" shades. Definitely for the next room.)

Well Steph, you just explained why my house looks like crap. If I fix up one thing then I will want to do it all, so I just don't even start. I am actually starting to appreciate all the crayon scribbles and fingerprints as improvements to the room. And if I do get the urge to paint a room, I just hang a bunch of pictures until the feeling subsides or I run out of wall space-whichever comes first. Glad you have finally turned on your heat-seeing the Canadian forecast I was beginning to worry about you all up there. Have fun with the sewing party. And if you can't find your bra don't worry-you'll be among friends. Just don't make any fast moments and give someone a black eye.

Add me to the list of gals that think your brother is hot...and I mean "hot" as in sexy. Not temperature ;)

When I wear my reeeely big thick sweatshirts to work, it's prob'ly 'cause I can't find a clean enough bra. I just don't make any sudden, fast moves...'course, this only works in the winter.
The house looks great, don't worry about it. Have a great time this weekend.

BookBookBookBookBook!!

Oh yeah, knit fast while the little children are still little, DD17's Harlot Poncho, "Fiesta", is taking a VERY long time since she's 5 inches taller than I am.

Whew! Here I thought I was the only woman in the world to just own one bra. My only problem is that the bottom hook got eaten by the dryer so it scratches me.

I'm probably sharing too much...wtg on that poncho! LOL

Have you turned your heat on yet? I think you can burn the leftover candy wrappers and keep it off another day....

I own more than one bra. I never use them.

BOOO TO HEAT!!!! okay, not really. i am glad that your paint is going to dry and that your toilet bowl will not freeze over. besides, you wouldn't want to piss off mr. washie, he probably doesn't want an ice bath. BUT because i still think that you deserve something wonderful, email me a mailing address (i understand if privacy is your concern, but i am sure you already have several stalkers - and having that brother of yours is probably not helping the situation) and i'll mail you out something anyway... i promise it won't be a ratty bra. well, i promise that it won't be ONLY a ratty bra. ;)

I don't have the home renovation insanity; that is reserved for my body. The main reason I don't wear jewelry is because people will notice that I don't wear makeup. If I put on jewelry and makeup, then people will notice how hopeless I am with my hair. If I do the hair, the accessories, and the makeup, then people will notice that I dress like a slob most of the time. Since I don't have money for new clothes, I just let everything else go!

The walls look great! My husband and I also suffer from, I mean use, entertaining as a deadline to accomplish home improvement projects. The only problem is that you can get that first 90% of the job done quickly. Then, if you are like us, you kind of overlook that last 10% - like all the little finishing details - for a REALLY long time. Beauty of this system is that if you let the details go long enough you forget them. Until you mother comes to visit...

Good luck finding that bra. I am afraid I would not be able to button my pants if I did not have a bra on...very sad indeed.

Boo on bras! Unless you really need one for support (hugs and pity to the busty gals with back problems) then you don't need to worry about going without one :)
I hates them... so expensive, so uncomfortable...
However I do hope you find yours, as I just said they are expensive to replace... Perhaps a knit bikini top would do the same job??

a) you are absolutely right about the bra thing! ditto all the way here..
b) you are absolutely right about the stairs runner and the wall color :)
c) heat? I turned on *some* heat last monday when it hit minus 16 C here, but just for an hour or so....
ok, I admit I had the fireplace running during the night, but that doesn't count does it? gotto love living in the mountains!

I finally broke down and turned my heat on last night. Albeit, I live MUCH further south than you do (Kentucky) - I thought though that perhaps when I woke myself up because I was shivering so hard, that breaking down and turning the furnace on wouldn't be such an admission of defeat. :) Good luck with the sewing party. Such a wonderful idea that Kay and Ann had. I love your blog - it keeps me entertained for quite some time everyday.

Your brother looks amazingly like Toby McGuire. Which in my book makes him very good-looking. I can't say hot because I'm married. Perhaps the resemblance explains his knowledge of ladder jumping and getting up onto high spaces on the wall...?

I have to say that I am a bit jealous of all the posters who say they have forgone ye old over-the-shoulder-boulder-holster. Unfortunately, mine definitely require restraint--of the underwire kind. One of those cute camisoles with the built in bra will NOT suffice. (I tried, it was frightening. Especially when I dropped my laser pointer on the floor while teaching. Thankfully, art historians work in the dark.) So, I have quite a collection of bras and couldn't lose one if I tried! (Do not fear, Harlot, I won't send you one!) But, to all who can, I say set the girls free! (Except, possibly, while jogging or galloping on a horse--ouch!)

And, yes, your brother is darn hot!

I vote with the consensus (for once) that the multi green hues are lovely. A bright persimmon orange would numb them into submission if you have a wall hanging, flower arrangement or appropriate piece of hangable art... don't you think?

I need my bras. Otherwise I bounce. I have several which are serving as jewelry/change bowls on my dresser. Horizontal surfaces have an infinite capacity to hold laundry. Don't fuss.

I am in awe of the square knitters generosity. I feel humble.

Love the paint color ! And the man painting it ! You don't need the bra - jus the needles ! You might set a trend ! Have a wondeful day !
happy knitting,
Kim O

The color of your walls is really nice, and I echo the wolf whistles toward your brother!

Cluttered walls are my answer to color clash -- it makes a world of difference here in my wonderful guacamole family room.

My 14 yo daughter informs me that "over-the-shoulder-boulder-holder" is old-school, the kids nowadays call it "an elastic basket for your peaches", hee hee. Well, let's face it! Some of us have boulders, some have peaches, some have fried eggs, and some of us are president of the I.B.T.C. and only wear a bra when we want to fill out the top of a dress, and need some help desperately!

Nobody WILL notice. And if they do, they will think it is suppose to be that way. We demolished out dining room ceiling in March (plumbing and ancient wiring issues, one independent of the other), with the full intention of replacing the ceiling. We're still in that, "Yeah, we need to really replace that ceiling, don't we" phase, but everyone that visits our house thinks it's supposed to look that way! Fools!!!

:-)

Well, now I feel good about telling you what the prize would have been.

I was going to get you two of these http://www.fleeceartist.com/yarn_cashmere.html in whatever color you wanted and about $230 dollars of maid service, which looked like about a month to two months worth, depending on the square footage of your house and how often you wanted/needed them to come by.

I told you it was a rocking, awesome prize. I'm glad you're not freezing your children to death, though. It will make me sleep better at night.

Also, I found something I wanted to buy for myself, but I waited until your heat was, in fact, turned on.

I might send you something anyway, if'n you hit me up with your shipping address.

Bippy

Uh, girls, I noticed NO ring on the brother's finger but of course I guess that doesn't mean he isn't taken! Steph, you are probably getting a good laugh out of all of us women drooling over your brother. But when you see cute & handy, is it any wonder?

I have to say that I have lurked for months & have gotten so many good laughs from your entries. Thanks for your words & wit! And yeah, how DO you knit so fast?? It's almost like you complete a couple of projects a week. Me, I can't get one project done a year (okay, maybe I lie a bit but that Rhinebeck sweater - no way it would have ever been done in two weeks by me)!

same question as so many others: is Ian available? and in case he's against relocation: i will move to canada for him. i'm thinking of moving anyway....

p.s. i see you've gotten other offers but should mention that i have extra bras i can send your way...

favorite things
1. Yarn Harlot's blog
2. any relative that comes over to help and not to suggest that things are better done or not done another way... fortunate Steph - help and cute too!
3. Anyone in this day and age that can contemplate hosting any kind of get together bra-less ---- yeah! go Steph again!
I joined the group too late, but would be happy to donate knit squares for next year - just let me know the specs.

Oh how I've been missing my daily dose of Harlot. But to be rewarded with such a post! Greetings from the Italian Alps, baby!

Three chocolates for each of the kids you would have to be patient with all day. Chocolate sooths the savage beast and they were meant to keep you from being beastly.

Steph -- my hubby has looked at Ian's picture. He couldn't care less 'bout Ian. But he guesses your house is pre-1900, and the picture was taken on the second floor. He recognizes the newel post, and all guesses are based upon it, by the way. He wonders if he can come look? (And he does install skylights if you need any installed.) He wishes I'd been able to attend the sewing up party today instead of attending the Board meeting (at which I volunteered his services for several committees!).

Dude, who gives a crap about the wall color matching or tracking down the underwire when you've got beer! Jees...oh yeah, your brother's hot.

I stumbled across your blog two days ago, refered from some yarn site and I am blown away. I never read blogs because it cuts into my knitting time, but have yours on my bookmark taskbar. Personally I think you need to write a book. You have an amazing ability to craft a phrase and to invite the reader directly into the scene!

Thank you for taking the time away from knitting to post! I will take the time daily to read....and *do* think about a book...

Stephanie, I'm wasting way too much time checking obsessively (but you wouldn't know what that's like) for the report of the sewing-up party -- you need one of those things that Ann and Kay have that sends me a little note whenever there's a new post. Oh -- and if you're willing to send me your mailing address, there's some very wonderful chocolate made around here. . .

Elizabeth in PA

Bras are for sissies. Seriously. ;-)

Unfortunately, I'm a sissy with an F-cup. :-P No bralessness for me unless I want to knock passersby unconcious!

I join the chorus of the Ian-admirers. Cute and Canadian -- God, he could have his pick of thousands of American women right now! ;-)

I don't think the walls & the runner clash, btw.

What a wonderful tribute to your grandfather.
The hat is so pretty, have you posted the pattern for it? It would be nice to have.
Your blog is very enjoyable!