Rainy Sunday Night

The plaza downtown (Graz, Austria) looks so empty now that the Christkindle Markets are gone.  But the lights are still up, which I think helps prevent that "post holiday" let down so many people feel.

 What a change from the photo I posted with hordes of people, right?  I love it when the streets are less crowded.

And my side-kick - always springing up and running to get winter clothes on when this Mom announces that I can't stand it anymore, I just HAVE to get outside for walk because I am going shack-whacky no matter what the weather is outside.  Hey, that is what umbrellas are for, right?  I love him so much.

Unfortunately, it is almost time for me to leave.  How can three months go by so darn fast?  We have a complicated Visa issue in my family, in case you are wondering.  

Window Shopping Photos

Prices are in Euros.  Thought my knitty readers would enjoy these photos.  When I first started to come to Graz I was so amazed at the prices and was always stopping to take photos.  Now, not so much.  This year I paid $100 for a 2nd suitcase and loaded it up with clothes for my ever-growing son and Christmas gifts.  I often pass this shop window and keep thinking that I really need to take some photos, but I don't want to do it when the store is open - but the other night I was walking by and it was closed, so I took some photos... much to the amusement of some other people who were seriously contemplating what was in the window.

Sorry for the flash glare!  The hat below is made of cloth - I thought it was leather but my son peered at it very closely, saw the grain lines and declared that it was fabric.

And this sweater - although it is 100% cashmere still cost more than my first car.  

That is why it is called WINDOW shopping folks!
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This just PROVES that the beret my sister crocheted for me has to be the height of fashion.  I actually have a photo on this blog of me wearing it in Graz back in 2006 (go ahead - take a look here, wow my son sure has grown!  Anyway - I thought I had lost my beret this week and was upset because... well here it is 2014 and it is STILL my daily winter hat.  LOVE IT!  Thankfully I did find it but I am going to pester her to write the pattern down for me should it ever really become lost and need to be replaced.

A bit of Graz history for you all.  It is a pretty city, bordered by mountains.  Our weather this winter has been mild - as you can see, we have rain instead of snow.  It isn't very often that we stay in though - we tromp all over this city, umbrellas in hand.  

On the Needles Friday - More Baby Monsters!

I waited too late today to try to get a good photo of these
"baby monsters" because the light wasn't the greatest.  Lego landscape behind them for scale!

 I make them in spare moments and my son glues the eyes/teeth on and often will embroider the mouth.
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This is the collection of completed ones we had this afternoon (plus some unfinished ones in the knitting basket).  He gave another one away today.  Anytime we go visit or someone comes to visit us, my son loves to let them pick one out.  And often there are brothers/sisters so more than one will leave the nest at once.

This is one of those things that I almost always seem to be working on in the background and never seem to blog about.  I am trying to be better about that - even if I don't "love" my photos.  I guess I am not a "designer" blog, but here I am, I am me!
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I blogged about my first "baby monster" in November in this blog post and included the pattern link there.  I just keep making them and my son gives them away.  Little kids seem to love them - they are the perfect size for little hands to hold.  However, I should add - I have been asked to stop making them with a larger crochet hook because you can (gasp!) see the stuffing through the stitches.  My son's favorite monster is made using a tiny hook - figures!
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Want to see what everyone else is knitting this week?  Check out Judy's blog here!  Lots of knitted goodness!