Black Coffee…but you can skip the cigarettes!

You see, I quit over 10 years ago… haven’t had one since then. 

I started knitting about 40 ish years ago and used to make little baby sweaters and hats when the kids were little. But single motherhood… with 4 kids took a bite out of free time, so knitting was set aside.

But I started back up again, about 15 years ago, and when I quit smoking, I really started knitting… it became a great replacement habit.

Knitting has gotten me through some tough times and sleepless nights, and I am grateful for that. And it has given me a wonderful creative outlet, and a way to make personalized gifts for people.

I started designing my own patterns about 5 years ago… and you can find them on my Ravelry page… or go to my Gypsywagonknits.com for ideas, resources, and some free patterns.

This #100daydresschallenge has made me look at my life differently. ANd it has made me wonder, how else I can challenge myself, and do better.  So this year — I am going for 12 sweaters. And this is sweater #2 for the year.  It is for #1 daughter… and she picked out the yarn, Cloudborn highland wool in…espresso.  I will be testing and publishing a pattern, at some point, and will call it Skylark.

For those of you new to this blog …I am involved in a 100-Day Challenge, put on by Wool&  —  Same dress.  100 days. (And yes, you can wash it!) Part of my reasons for deciding to do this was to simplify my life, especially with my lifestyle.

What’s in store today:

Knitting and blogging, and some dancing thrown in… but that was after the gloriously long shower I had this morning… after coffee and podcast time.

And I made a little movie starring the new sweater — so I could send it to  #1, and she could see her new sweater.  Although she promptly called and said I could NOT keep it!  Here is the video…

It’s 100% silk… and I think it’ll be perfect for summer… especially If I get my Sierra! Yarn info HERE! Code TRACY15 gets you 15% off.

And larger needles mean a faster knit — just love it when it get’s hard to put down!

I think this length goes really well with Woolamina.

Hmmm, what color shall mine be????

As part of the challenge, I will be posting my daily outfits on blog posts as well as social media with the hashtag #tracywearswool — please follow along — and see all the creative outfits that I can come up with!

SOME OF MY RECENT POSTS:

Did I mention my Appalachain Flatfooting and Clogging Challenge?? Check it out:

JOIN ME ON TWITTER!

Stormy weather, and I just can’t get my  poor self together!

That is the way the song goes, anyway.  I think I got myself together pretty good… but I only have stormy weather out on the horizon, but not in my life – as in figuratively speaking.

So I only need to bundle up against the cold wind that is blowing.. and against the HAIL we had last night– seriously, hail at the beach.

But then the sun came out… and it was beautiful!

For those of you new to this blog …I am involved in a 100-Day Challenge, put on by Wool&  —  Same dress.  100 days. (And yes, you can wash it!) Part of my reasons for deciding to do this was to simplify my life, especially with my lifestyle.

What’s in store today:

Sundays are always great days.  I have so much I want to get done… but also want to spend some time relaxing from the hectic week.  So I will knit a little, listen to my podcast, go to Mass online, then do a little dance — and videotape it for my other challenge — learning to dance!

I have a chicken quarter for my instant pot  — that makes dinner pretty simple!For a  free Instant Pot cheatsheet on cooking perfect rice —GO HERE!

And since I finished sweater #2, I wound the yarn for Sweater #3.  Super excited about it… will be making my own pattern, and will post it on Gypsywagonknits.com when done! You can head over there to check out free patterns, and great resources.

And — It’ll en a good day to shoot some videos for my Appalachian Flatfooting and Clogging Page — before we start week 6! Check that out HERE!

This poncho is from Forever 21.  I never used to go there … thinking they were only for the young crowd and I am just about 3 times 21!  But it is a great place for leggings, t-shirts, and occasionally…. a poncho!

I had someone recently tell me that I smelled great… and the secret is….shhhh… it is my deodorant.  How great is that! Anyway… I get it from MYRO… and it comes in great scents.  And they are having a great intro deal…. check it out HERE! Planet-friendly, refillable canisters.

As part of the challenge, I will be posting my daily outfits on blog posts as well as social media with the hashtag #tracywearswool — please follow along — and see all the creative outfits that I can come up with!

SOME OF MY RECENT POSTS:

Did I mention my Appalachain Flatfooting and Clogging Challenge?? Check it out:

JOIN ME ON TWITTER!

It’s a good day… but then again, everyday is a good day for me.

It’s not that I am ridiculously optimistic and cheerful.  But everyday I am alive is a good day.  Some days are more challenging than others.  Some days are more fun.  Some days even have sorrow and frustration and anger.  But they are still, for the most part, good days.

Because if I don’t like something, I change it.  And if I can’t change it, I change the way I look at it.  For me, it is that simple.

And sometimes, I need to say “Not my Circus, not my monkey” and distance myself from all the petty problems and drama out in the world today.  And that gives me more time to look for the good stuff in life. Because the good stuff is out there, sometimes just waiting to be discovered.

For those of you new to this blog …I am involved in a 100-Day Challenge, put on by Wool&  —  Same dress.  100 days. (And yes, you can wash it!) Part of my reasons for deciding to do this was to simplify my life, especially with my lifestyle.

What’s in store today:

It’s STILL a bit rainy and windy out here on the coast! We did get a bit of sun… but now it is gone.  In addition to dance class and my morning podcast, I would love to finish the brown Skylark sweater… and move on to the next– already planning it out with some great yarn that I got!!

Check this out… it is the yarn for the next sweater… I am going to do something short-sleeved and cropped to go with Woolamina…. and the new Sierra that I am ordering!!  Yarn is silk & raw silk combination, sport weight… and scrumptious.  You can find it HERE! And the color just screams SUMMER!!!

For 15% off almost everything, use my discount code: TRACY15 at checkout!!

And — It’ll en a good day to shoot some videos for my Appalachian Flatfooting and Clogging Page — before we start week 6! Check that out HERE!

Seriously, the group is a fantastic community of supportive people, and it has become an amazing way to connect with like-minded people —  doing, or thinking about doing the challenge. The dress is great… the community is beyond compare.

As part of the challenge, I will be posting my daily outfits on blog posts as well as social media with the hashtag #tracywearswool — please follow along — and see all the creative outfits that I can come up with!

SOME OF MY RECENT POSTS:

Did I mention my Appalachain Flatfooting and Clogging Challenge?? Check it out:

JOIN ME ON TWITTER!

And the beat goes on… forever, I hope!

Lately, I have been enchanted by the rhythm of life.  I am not sure if it is because I spend so much time alone, that I  am becoming more aware of everyday rhythms around me… waves, squirrels, birds, traffic, hoofbeats.

So I have been working with that.  I took a Bodhran (Irish Drum) workshop,  and have been playing the wooden spoons.  And there is the Cajon that I am sitting on..  just added the foot pedal!

But my favorite of all has been making music with my feet!! It’s the Appalachian Flatfooting and Clogging class I have nee taking with the extremely talented Musician, Singer, and Dancer Carla Gover. You can track my progress HERE! I am on week 5.

For those of you new to this blog …I am involved in a 100-Day Challenge, put on by Wool&  —  Same dress.  100 days. (And yes, you can wash it!) Part of my reasons for deciding to do this was to simplify my life, especially with my lifestyle.

What’s in store today:

It’s a bit rainy and windy out here on the coast! But I love it!  In addition to dance practice and my morning podcast, I have some serious knitting to catch up on — gotta get the brown sweater #2 done… so I don’t get behind on my 12 in 12 sweater goal!  And I wanted to put up a page with all the sweaters ( as I make them) so I can track my progress!

And later today, there is the Berkely Old Time Music Jam — gotta get in on that one… I am bringing my guitar, and spoons…. and probably my dancing shoes to that! (And the beat goes on!)

That is my trusty little concert UKE with a pickup…. She’s been all over with me — to UKE camp in Santa Cruz mountains, and Lake Berryessa…

So nice when that is happening again!

As part of the challenge, I will be posting my daily outfits on blog posts as well as social media with the hashtag #tracywearswool — please follow along — and see all the creative outfits that I can come up with!

SOME OF MY RECENT POSTS:

Did I mention my Appalachain Flatfooting and Clogging Challenge?? Check it out:

JOIN ME ON TWITTER!