"Pan's Labyrinth" & WIPs

Last night I found myself alone. Everyone else in my family had something else they needed to do, and none of it involved Mom's taxi services, a rare event. I shopped for a gift for a small diva-like, glitzy young friend who turns seven on Sunday. Then I went to see "Pan's Labyrinth." It is an artsy movie about a young girl who tries to survive in the midst of a tryrantical Captian Vidal in the mountainous forest regions of Spain. In an effort to try and escape her situation she goes into the world of fairies, fauns, monsters and magic. The costumes are amazing. The story is heartwrenching. At times I had to cover my eyes. I cried a few times. It is a brutal movie, brutal in a different way than you might see in a war movie. I hope that when the movie comes out on DVD that it will feature a "Making of.." featurette, complete with story boards. It is a movie worth seeing, but not one for kids. This is a dark, disturbing film.

On a lighter note, I have finished some things I hope to post pictures of soon. I have completed the knitting portion of my felted bag. I will wait to felt it with my friend so she can see how to do it. I have also made another funky bag, similar to the one in the previous post.

I am now trying to figure out what my next project will be. Ethan has asked for some fingerless gloves in a nice charcol color. I am considering it. He doesn't ask for much, so I would like to make them, but I have never done something like that before. The pattern is a little intimidating. My knitting friend, Gerri, says that it is time I moved away from the "big" stuff and challenge myself with something my complicated. I will most likely go for it. I may do a felted oven mit first, in order to learn how to incorporate fingers. There is a great, free pattern at Knit Picks, "Hot Out of the Oven." The pattern I am looking at for the fingerless gloves comes from Knitty.com. They are called Knuckles. They have lots of fun, free patterns. When I was working on my felted tote I bookmarked a few of their choices.

We are also trying to plan our spring break, which happens in two weeks. The kids have requested a road trip in the new-to-us van. We are considering Santa Fe. We haven't been there since about 1988.Anyone have recommendations for us?