I’m baaaaack! (That looks rather sheep-ish, doesn’t it? baaaa….) It was 38 degrees with blue skies, loads of sun, and gorgeous yellow Aspens blowing in the mountain winds yesterday. (Today, 90+ in St. Louis. We shall not speak of it.) I had a wonderful weekend with my friends and got some knitting done! Photos of my two completed socks on Wednesday. Check out the beautiful yellow Aspen leaves on this tree. These trees were all over, popping out of the evergreens all over the mountainsides. If you have never been to Colorado in the Fall, you ought to go. It’s like someone tipped over a big yellow bucket of paint and then flung it far and wide. Just gorgeous.
There was much food this weekend. We went to this Ski Tip Lodge for dinner one night. It’s a former stagecoach stop, turned private home, turned restaurant and Bed and Breakfast. The food was wonderful and after dinner was over, they took us into the big living room area for dessert. Here are my friends Michelle and Christy, waiting for their desserts. 
It was fun to walk through this house and imagine the long life it has had. I’m not sure I would’ve given it up if I had lived there. We also made many fun meals back at the condo, and of course I took pictures and collected recipes so that I could share them all with you over the next few weeks. These gals can cook, let me tell you. One of the gals is sending me a cookbook that her church put together with all sorts of wonderful recipes in there. (Aren’t those the BEST cookbooks – the ones where people submit their very best recipes? I have some from churches and schools and organizations and I always reach for those first when looking for something “good” to make.)
We stay near Keystone, and we take Swan Mountain Road from the Keystone/Dillon area, over to Breckenridge (another favorite shopping spot.) There is a lookout at the top of Sw. Mt. Rd. with beautiful views and cute chipmunks that come right up and eat out of your hands. (But they’re quick – so this is the best photo I could get.) It was really windy that day. Great hair day.
So – shopping, eating, knitting, movies, talking – that pretty much sums up my weekend. (You’ll have to tell me what exciting things you did in your weekend.) Now I’m glad to be back because there are fun things going on around here at Loopy. I will fill you in on our big news on Wednesday. We also have boxes upon boxes of yarn on its way to us. We’re doing big re-stocks on Louet,
Claudia, Trekking, Austermann, Sockina, Apple Laine, Fiesta, Nature’s Palette, Yarn Nerd, Woolly Boully, sKNITches, Perchance to Knit, Wollmeise, Seacoast Superwash Sock, Dream in Color Classy and Smooshy, and Lime & Violet. These will all be arriving between now and the end of October, if all stays on schedule. The non-indie lines will go up as they come in, the rest will go up in Sneak Ups. We also expect some of our new lines in during that time: Oceanwind Knits, Numma Numma, bellamoden, Sheepaints, Colinette Jitterbug (yay!) and more. Also, we’ll have new Yarn Cruisers from Ham’s Jam, more Loopy/Louise/Bart stitchmarkers from Katie, and a few other new fun things, too. It’s kinda crazy around here these days, but it’s all good. 🙂
Yes, we have a Sneak Up scheduled for this week! In there, you’ll find: Yarn Love, Shibui Knits, Schaefer Anne, Lola and Heather, Chewy Spaghetti Sport, Trekking, 40″ Addi Turbos, Wendy Knits patterns, Monica Knits patterns, Soak, Loopy Totes, Stone Barn Fibers, Fleece Artist Somoko, Urban Gypsy, and Lorna’s Laces. (See what happens when we skip a week? Too many cool choices for the next week.)
And now for the 4th Quarter Challenge (aka: Q4). The Challenge this quarter is to knit something – socks, shawl, scarf, fingerless mitts, hat, etc – with at least 2 different colors of sock or lace yarn. You could do coordinating heels and toe, or a bit of stranded work, you can make a chevron scarf, you could knit a shawl with a second color around the edges, you can put ruffles on hats or mittens in a second color, etc. (Of course you can use more colors than that.) I know you all will come up with some really fun and creative things for this one, and I can’t wait to see what you do. All photos should be uploaded by Friday, January 4th for voting. Speaking of voting, there are 42 photos in the Q3 Gallery that need voting on! I will draw one name from all the participants to win a $25 Loopy gift certificate. The second $25 Loopy gift certificate goes to the winner of the Knitter’s Choice Award – and that’s where you come in. Simply email me (sheriATtheloopyeweDOTcom) with your vote for your favorite from the Q3 Gallery. You can base it on best adaptation of the challenge (to knit something that was a stretch for you), or favorite color scheme, or most beautiful photo, or whatever makes that one your personal favorite. I’ll announce the winners next week.
Lastly, winners of the “Take Loopy on Your Summer Vacation” contest (photos here):
– best “far away” place that I visited – Sydney (from Kim)
– most interesting famous person that I met – Yarn Harlot (from Meghann)
– most unusual place that I visited – Penny Lane (from Sue)
– most creative photo that I was in – Loopy in peril (from Linda)
Kim, Meghann, Sue and Linda – email me and we’ll get Loopy gift certificates to you for your win. Thanks to all who participated, and voted. Loopy had a fabulous summer, and looks forward to doing it again next summer!
Sheri internetwasoutuntilthisafternoon-thatmakesforalateblogpost….
What beauty in the Aspen’s! Totally gorgeous yellows. I wish dh would appreicate foliage scenery as much as I do, lol!
Hi Sheri! I’m so glad you had a wonderful trip. I love the photo of the trees! And, I would have enjoyed the cool weather. It was 90ish here too. : ( I’m ready for fall, I tell ya!!
I can’t wait to hear the BIG news on Wednesday, the suspense is killing me! And, it looks to be another fun sneak-up – I need me some more Wendy patterns! Looking forward to everything, really – just when I am trying to go on a serious yarn diet, there is much more to tempt me, lol…
Looking forward to the 4Q challenge (sorry, I’m used to writing it that way at work) – I have some things in mind that I had also been considering for my 3Q challenge (but went in a different direction), which isn’t quite finished yet. But, I did finish the techniques I wanted to do, just not one of the socks (I just did a post on my blog – hope to post photos soon, when I can get a good pic taken). Okay, off to go vote for the 3Q challenge – I have a pretty good idea of what I’m voting for… : )
Oh, Sheri, it looks like you had the most lovely weekend! I’m especially jealous of the trees turning lovely colors – it was getting chilly here for a bit, now it’s back to 85 again! I hope it starts feeling like Autumn in St. Louis soon! I can’t wait to start the Q4 challenge – maybe this is my excuse to FINALLY give colorwork a shot – I’ve been too chicken in the past to do it, but now I’ve got a great reason to!
I’m glad you had such a wonderful weekend. Your pictures make me homesick for New Mexico and cooler temps! We’ve missed your posts over on Ravelry!
Hey Sheri! I am so glad to hear that your vacation went well! We were missing you though and are glad you’re back.
It sounds like you had a wonderful time!! I lived in Colorado for a short while but got to experience all the seasons. I am excited to see the Sneak Up as usual. I have stayed in because even though it is October we have been having 90 degree weather here in KY!!! I have been knitting some gauntlets for a friend!!
Oh, good. I can stop worrying now. 🙂
Your Girlfriend Getaway sounds fantastic! I love an old place and imagining its previous lives. Lucky you!
The Aspens are beautiful. I love the colors of Fall.
Sounds like you had a wonderful time. Can’t wait to see your knitting from the trip.
90+ here too, but a cool front is promised in the near future 🙂 yay!!! sock weather.
I’m jealous that you got to experience some real fall weather if only for a short time. I wish it would get cool down here but it seems that St. Louis and Memphis are destined to be warm this week.
I was starting to worry that you’d decided not to come back! (Which is fine as long as you make sure the Loopy Room and Loopy Computer and Loopy Family is all moved to Colorado with you….)
My weekend was spent blowing much of my needlework budget at an area yarn shop hop. It was great fun; I got to visit three stores I’d never been to (two of which I’d never heard of before the hop, and which were really interesting shops), I spent the day with a cool and fun friend, and I petted lots of yarn.
Favorite yarn of the weekend: Mirasol Miski, a couple skeins for mitts.
Favorite book of the weekend: Clothing from the Weavers Room, to inspire me while I get my fabric looking better. (I have a sock yarn remnant shawl dancing in my head, but that’s a few projects away yet.)
Favorite purchase of the weekend: 6-0 dpns (just in case that isn’t clear, that’s size 000000) — I’ll never use them (or more likely, I’ll struggle with them once just to say I made something with them), but it’s so incredibly cool to have them.
Welcome home Sheri! It sounds like you had a wonderful trip! Yes, the aspens are truly beautiful! My parents always used to make a point of going to Colorado in the fall, just to see the aspens…I haven’t had the pleasure, but hope to some day! Can’t wait to see all the pretty stuff going up in the next few weeks…and some new recipes too!
Woohoo! I won! I never win anything:)
Sounds like you had an awesome vacation. Things are starting to look pretty fall like around here too. I love it:)
Makes me homesick for Arizona.
This weekend I sold my loom, went to a Baby Shower, fed everyone raking and bailing hay (what little there is here), cleaned pens, fed critters, and when the day was done stayed up late knitting.
Sometimes i sure do miss thise days of having nothing to do but knit.
Glad your weekend was so much fun. It is good to get away at times.
We missed you!
Didn’t you once have a picture of an advertisement of paint spilling down the side of a building and over a van? That’s what your description reminded me of. What an amazing yellow.
I agree, let’s not talk about the St. Louis weather…blah. Somebody needs to be reminded that it’s October in the Northern Hemisphere.
I’m so glad that you had a great time with your friends! You deserved it!! Those aspens are beautiful..such a pretty yellow which just happens to be my favorite color.
I’m going to be participating in the Sneak-up this week. The Chewy Spaghette has me perked up. But they all sound nice.
The Q4 challenge sounds fun. I would love to do a stranded sock but I don’t think I will have the time. Ya know, Christmas knitting has to come first:-) A shawl is 1/3 done, with fingerless mitts and 2 pairs of socks up next.
Those pictures are gorgeous! It looks and sounds as though you had a wonderful time. I’m longing for Fall weather – it was 88 degrees yesterday, even here in PA! My kids are still wearing their shorts! I just keep knitting socks (everything else makes me sweat)! At least it cools down somewhat at night, so I open the window and knit away……:)
What a beautiful picture of the aspens! So glad to hear that you had a good time with the gals! We all need that every now and then! Sorry you had to come back to such miserably hot weather (if it makes you feel any better, we’ve been having a heat wave over here as well).
Now to go plan what to do for the Q4 challenge…!
Wow! you crammed a lot into one blog entry, woman! You trip sounds wonderful. Welcome home! 🙂
Fun trip- the Aspen are beautiful! They were one of my favorite things when I lived in Colorado.
Q4 challenge sounds fun, I’ve never knit two color socks before…
Welcome home!
Yay Jitterbug!
I think I remember those chipmunks from the last time I hit the Rockies. Well, they’re probably ancestors of your chipmunks, but they would run right up to you and take the potato chips that you offered.
Lovely pics–and seems like a lovely time! Here in MA we are finally seeing Autumn drift in, and I spent yesterday with 19 kids (only two were mine, thank you) heading to a local farm for apple picking and animal hijinks! Goats, I mean, not the kids (usually). 🙂
I have some ideas for Q4…now I have to narrow it down.
Glad you had a fun trip. Welcome home. Color on Aspens are spectacular. Autumn is finally here in Ma., this week anyway. Friday 90 and Monday 54. Only in N. E. Happy knitting. Hugs
If you love cook books you should check out the Virginia Hospitality cook book. Just search for it because every recipe I ever make from it is amazing.
I’m so glad you had such a wonderful time! We all need a break and a treat!
I actually had one of the best weekends in a long time — still working on the house, but just a great weekend overall, as I got a lot done on my stairway and really got to spend time with my guy!
That area of Colorado has so many fun things to do. Sounds like you had fun. Enjoyed the new items so much I had to by some MORE sock yarn from TLE! I will try to complete something for Q4 challenge, since my Q3 sock is still only one third done!
We’re having a squash soup for dinner-if the recipe is good, I’ll pass it on. That soup and a good french bread and some wine…..what could be better for an October evening.
Neat! My husband and I rebuilt a miner’s cabin in Sts John (above Montezuma) when we lived in Colorado, so I recognized the place where you stayed. My family is all in Colorado so I miss it – nice pictures!
Hey Sheri, sounds like you and a marvelous time. The pictures are gorgeous. Living in Southern California, we don’t get to see much “change of seasons”.
Ah my weekend. Saturday up at 5:30, get DD up at 6 for a 7:20am departure for her SATs, get home, do laundry, pay bills, clean. Noon arrive at the school to pick up DD. Her session runs late. Call the manicurist to change appt back to 2pm for DDs mani-pedi. 1pm she’s done, run home, throw together a sandwich for her, go to maincurist. 2:45 run home — contact lens broke in DDs eye –2:50 run to hairdresser for DD. (Oh did I mention it was homecoming dance?) Boyfriend is picking her up at 4pm. 3:40, leave hairdresser, run home she throws on her dress and makeup….picture time. Luckily BF is always late. 4:25 she leaves, I throw on my jjersey because fiance surprised me with hockey tickets! Great day, great time with fiance, Kings, not so great. I was so tired that I fell asleep on the drive home!!
Great to have you back!!
…..*sigh* We used to have aspens in our front yard in CO….*sigh*…… Oh well. Thanks for the photo; it was great to see aspens again!!! I’m so glad you got to take a break. I’m excited you’re getting Jitterbug…I don’t know what it is, I just have an irrestistable attraction to those colors…!! Yay for sure! Although….there’s that whole not-enough- time-to-knit-all-the-wonderful-stuff problem that keeps cropping up……more sighing…..
Glad you had a great time and thanks for sharing the picture of the gorgeous yellow trees. Colorado sounds amazing. My dad used to drive out there from Toronto every summer (alone) so it holds a sort of mystique for me. Someday I have to go and find out what I missed!
The Q4 Challenge sounds like fun. It’s just the motivation I need to get started on the colourwork mittens I hope to make this fall!
WOW! You really make me want to go to CO in the fall. I’m beginning to wonder when fall is coming here. We’re in a drought, and it ‘s 90+ degrees here too!! It’s just wrong. I want sweatershirt and wool-sock wearing weather!
Anywho, welcome back! Q4 challenge is getting my creative juices stirring. Looking forward to the recipes.
This past weekend wasn’t anything special. But I’m getting away this weekend with some of my knitting friends, and I’m really looking forward to it.!
Well, the coolest thing I did this weekend was going to a Blue Man Group concert. Other than that, I am still working on recovering from a recent accident and knitting for a new cousin (born on Saturday!). I sure wish I were in Colorado though. I’ve been there twice in June, and I can only imagine how wonderful it would be in October! Glad you had fun!
I am very excited about the new challenge.. I really need an incentive to finish up my chevron scarf (although now that I’ve trained myself to knit with a broken arm, I don’t really need an incentive, just time, patience, and Tylenol 🙂 ).
This is really rather a perfect challenge. I just found out that I couldn’t do what I wanted with the yarn I had, and decided that I needed to do it with sock yarn. Hopefully this will motivate me. It’s only a hat, hats aren’t that hard…right? lol Well, maybe when you are knitting them for your brother. lol
Saturday I did hospice volunteer work, then my husband took me out for a pre-birthday dinner (it’s today, but we like to celebrate when we’re not too tired). We went sailing on Sunday, and did landscaping in the yard on Monday (my extra day off). Oh, and I did some knitting as well — but of course!
I was given Victorian Lace Today for my birthday, so perhaps my 4th quarter challenge will be a lace shawl from the book. I’m going to Stitches East on Friday, and perhaps a skein or two of lace yarn will “speak” to me.
(pricks up ears) Big news? Oh boy! I guess I know where I’ll be tomorrow if I can possibly manage it. Glued to my computer. To the detriment of my lace knitting I expect. And all my other jobs.