Thank you Kitten!

The second wonderful thing I need to say thank you for is a package I received from Kitten-With-A-Whiplash.  It was sent with things to make baby items.  Kitten discovered that I don't have a whole lot of little kid patterns, and so sent me a box of fun stuff to enable me to make baby items that have a chance of fitting an actual human baby!

Let's start here:

Can you believe how much yarn he managed to fit in that box??  It's like opening Fibber McGee's Closet!  More yarn than I though possible popped out at me, and it just kept coming and coming.  But this is only part of what Kitten managed to fit in there. 

Here's everything all together:

In an amazing display of generosity and non-euclidean geometry, Kitten-With-A-Whiplash has sent me more beautiful yarn and patterns than I could have imagined.  I am humbled and touched.  Thank you.

Let's get a closer look at the patterns.  They're really something special.

I've got the card with the Unicorns and poppies also on my cork-board so I can see it when work decides to stink.

While I've been stupidly sick and unhappy about it, I've been reading the books.  I haven't been able to knit because I've been grossly sick, so these books have been a life-line for me.  Thank you again. 

And if that wasn't generous enough, these were sent for me particularly!

Aren't they gorgeous?  I am so grateful and excited to use them!  I've been petting the pink when my fiber-withdrawal gets too tough to take. ;-)

So, I must thank you from the bottom of my heart.  These have helped me to be happy even when the cold swelled up my hands so I couldn't type or knit (although truthfully the knitting thing was more of a blow than the typing thing).  I am overwhelmed by your generosity, and I feel really blessed in the people I've met in this last year.

Thank you again!

thank you Rusty

Good grief, I had no intention of abandoning this for a week.  I swear I just set my head down for a minute and a week passed.

Today, (well last Tuesday really) I owe 2 people thanks.  I got some amazing things in the mail & am really excited to share.  This post is about a package of brightly colored cards that I received.

Look, aren't they pretty?

And these as well!

Apparently, the cold is affecting my ability to take a decent picture... but the cards are so lovely I wanted to share even if  they are a bit dark. 

I love the colors and actually have them set up on pins (as opposed to with pins through them) on my cork board so I can look at them while I work.  They are lovely, and you do fabulous work!  Thank you!!

Thank you!!

Hokay, so as I mentioned yesterday I was having a craptastic week and I suddenly got an outpouring of unexpected goodies.  Everything was small and cute and just perfectly wonderful.  So, in order of the date they were posted, I'm going to upload photos.  Some of these were posted a while ago, so my postal hub is definitely experiencing technical difficulties.

I'm going to keep the senders identities for their privacy, but I know who you are and really appreciate all of the effort and affection that went into each of these.

First up was a really fantastical envelope and card.  Inside was something pretty fantastic!

Lookie, the other side is just as exciting:

Hehehe, I just love the puffy sheep!  I may have to admit that I've already got it helping me keep my spot in one of my Japanese stitch dictionaries.

Next up were these beauties:

Aren't they pretty?  They're soft jewel tones, and I just love them!  So much fun!

Next, I got an envelope with a weird squishy feel to it.  Inside was this little guy:

Hahaha, I love him.  I don't know if it's the pink or the squishy, but he's my laptop mascot now.

Here's all the loot together:

Seriously, thank you guys.  I was completely surprised and it was a complete 360 on how the last 2 weeks have gone.  You really brightened up my day, and I'm still giddy over it!

Thank you, for thinking of me and for sharing a bit of your whimsy and heart.  I really appreciate it.

For those curious, I used this as my staging for the photos:

Can't beat natural light for capturing stuff.  And the wooden bowl completely makes my questionable bread look decent haha.  I'm trying to do my photos in natural daylight so that I get accurate colors, and this will pretty much be my staging area for a little while.  Tomorrow, I will have a few progress shots on something new, and I am continuing to curse(?) fight(?) work(!) my way through the FO shots so hopefully I'll have some posts on that forthcoming (work allowing).

So thank you all again, I have to say that knitters really can't be beat for generosity of heart!

random driveby post

So, I had all these good intentions to blog more frequently this week.  I forgot I'm still covering for one of my coworkers, whose accounts are utterly filled with crazy people.  Those aren't the words I've been using all day today, but they'll work.  I'm too tired for vitriol tonight.

So, in no particular order, here are the things I photographed today.

In order to keep colors from blending where I don't want them to, I do a single color per day on each of these.  Today was yellow on concalls day.

I keep wishing for snow.  Thinking about snow.  Contemplating a nice fire and a white-out outside.  I think it has to do with these 2 above....  the left is knit with a single strand of elann baby peruvian lace and a single strand of elann silken kidd.  The right is knit in cashmere.  Touching them is like a pile of downy goodness.

As you can see, wishful thinking abounds here today.  Both of those are projects I'd like to see on the needles in short order.  But first I have to free up the 60 inch, size 3us needles for the red.

And finally I'm debating some possibilities for the 1 year anniversary.  I like this dyer a lot, and these skeins are random madness.  Gotta love me some random madness.

I actually want/need to do another thank you post because I got a buncha unexpected goodies in the mail today.  I can see that some of them were posted a while ago, so I know my main branch office has been behind(?) playing games (?) having a bad month (?) as well.  I'm just so touched, I owe them their own post.  I won't forget, but want to photograph in natural light so that everyone can see how cool and uplifting they are.

Hope your week involves keeping cool and knitting lots!

Words fail to capture.... thank you!

Today, the mailman assaulted my front porch (a first, since the majority of this winter there have been 3 feet of snow blocking access).  It was completely unexpected, and I figured it was computer parts or something similar for the spousal unit.

Imagine my surprise when I saw a big box:

And it was addressed to me! 

I was caught totally flat footed, but decided to open it and see what was within.

On top was a back issue of Vogue Knitting that I didn't have yet.  And under that.... well take a look!

And the box seemed like Fibber McGee's closet of Mayhem... only pretty and yarn-like!  The more things that came out of the box, the more I found in it.  I suspect some kind of Non-Euclidean Geometry went into packing this box because it contained so much pure awesome it should have taken 2 boxes!

So, first let me show you how the yarn-y (and related) goodness ended up tumbling out:

I did take a shot of each yarn individually, but loved the composite shot best.

Ok, from the back to the front, left to right:
Vogue Knitting Winter 2004/2005, VK Spring/Summer 2006, and VK Fall 2004.
Blue Heron Yarns Rayon/Metallic (500 yds) in Sunrise, Jasmine 100% Silk (!!) color 7025, 8 oz of gorgeous Cream cotton/rayon from Robin and Russ Handweavers, a beautiful blue/purple wool/acrylic/polyamide by Niagara, a pretty spring pastel by Crystal Palace Yarns (Musique, acrylic/wool/cotton), and a fun beachy-Summery ball of Poppy by Tahki Yarns. 
In the very front is a flat of Vanilla block pillar candles (one of which I have lit as I type).

I am filled with awe, gratitude and glee.  This is like getting a box of pure fun, and I'm just fondling these and day-dreaming.  But I have to admit, you haven't seen everything yet.  I haven't shown you what was hiding in the pink paper under the card.

GASP!

This picture isn't as clear as I would wish, the hat has a really sweetly purl'd heart shape.  They are gorgeous and I actually cried happy tears when I opened the package. <3

I love them.

As a matter of fact, I love them so much, the first thing I did was... well, this:

yep, I still photograph badly ;-)

And then my husband caught me chortling around the house and captured this:

He actually caught me running around the downstairs and booty-dancing about in them.

I might be typing this out while ninja-ing.  The scarf/cowl is a long loop with no detectable seaming.  It's awesome as a long loopy cowl, and it loops perfectly 2 times around my neck.  Suddenly, I'm really stoked that we're getting freezing rain!

The person who sent this to me is just amazing.  They have a special eye for the world around them, and use their knitting powers for good on a regular basis.  I am very grateful to the Internet for introducing us, and am honored to have such a 'knit buddy.'  I don't know if they wish to be identified, but if they don't mind I will update with a more direct thank you to this post.

And, really?  Thank you.  So very, very much.

This made my month!

nothing to see here.... tralala

I've come to the conclusion that I would be a dangerous woman if I could count to... say... 3.  Effectively.  Consistently.  This morning is obviously not a lace knitting morning, as I've screwed up counting to 3 more times than I can count (haha).  Coffee is not helping, so while my fingers are feeling fine and ready to fly.... I should stick with the blanket until the stupids fall out one of my ears.

This morning, I took my heart in my hands, my finished knits in a bag, and walked the (freaking freezing btw) distance to the Coffee Shop in the heart of my town.  Nice people there, and they know my husband and youngest on sight.  Which is kind of funny and kind of cool.  Anyway, they're doing a craft show there in March and my husband asked me to put some stuff in it.  As much as I grumble, I really can't refuse him anything (but don't tell him that or I'm doomed).

I'm hideously shy.  Something about being able to always find the exact wrong thing to say in any situation.  Need to know what to say?  Ask me, and do the exact opposite.  It's a talent.

Anyhoo, I brought in the last set of knits I finished and blocked to show them and.... they said would be happy to have some shawlettes in their craft expo thingy.  Yay!  It's totally not me, my social retardation was at an all-time spectacular high.  They like the knits, they really like them.  I've been happy dancing for a while, but now I have to knit about 6 more ettes in something other than a triangle shape.  I guess it's time to do some stoles.  I've knit purples, blues, pinks, greens, browns... so I'm thinking some reds, some black, and some white.  Maybe a yellow... although the yellow yarn hasn't gotten here yet.   I do have some gorgeous gold yarn, but am not ready to share it.  It makes me happy when I haven't seen the sun in days, so I'm having trouble knitting it instead of just fondling it.

You guys have listened to me gripe about the not as happy things, so I figured I'd share about the exciting (and slightly scary) things too.  I'll post more about it when I get more details, and I'll blog the remaining ettes as I get them knit so you can see them as they happen.  I won't be not doing the full size shawls in the meantime, and in the almost finished conga line of blocking I have some that I've knit for myself to keep as samples... and to wear because I lurve them.  So I'll have some FO posts coming up soon.

And thanks for making it to the bottom of a non-picture post.  :)

things that come or go in boxes

Last week, while life was blowing up completely, my husband brought me home a box that looks like this:

WOOHOO

Yep, I am a woman who is well loved.  Anyone who lives local enough to know these folks know that anything that comes in one of these boxes will be decadent, sweet, and tasty enough to make the things that make it decadent and sweet worth eating all at once.

This is what he got me:

pure love, in cheese and cake and sweet form

So pretty.  So yummy.  Even the little guy tried a little, which is something he wouldn't usually do.  Caramel cheesecake.  A little bit of love in food form, for sure.

Then, today, I got a brown paper box from Japan.  Inside it is something for the little man.  To wit, these:

totoros!!

These are from one of the greatest movies ever created for little kids.  My little dude loves this movie, and he sings along with the songs.  It's so cute that when I got a notification that Totoro figurines were for sale again, I couldn't resist them.  I considered the squishable, huggable, lovable ones that were stuffed-huggies.  They were 78 USD plus shipping.  I considered them very seriously, and then watched how the little dude plays with his things.  I got these instead.  They are fuzzy, and fit in the palm of an adult hand.  They are basically action figures, and I know he'll love them when he gets home.  Much more reasonably priced, and they'll fit into his play-style.  I am bouncing in glee waiting to see how he reacts.

In terms of things that are going in boxes, I just finished packing this:

guilt yarn, keeps leaping out at me

A wonderful and fantastic person is about to get a box o yarn.  You know who you are, and thank you so much for accepting charge of it.  I am hoping there will be glee when this gets there too.

Finally, on my parade of things to do, I have these to block.

to be blocked, and ends to be woven in

Yeah, one of those needs a final row knit on it, but it'll be joining the blocking party in another few hours.  Woohoo, block party at my house?

Anyway, that's where I'm at for the moment. 

squeeeee, thank you!!

Look at what came in the mail today!!

sweet surprise!

Aren't they cute??

Look, there's a little box with note cards

so cute!

and a project bag

can never have enough project bags

This was a totally unexpected surprise, and it really brightened my week.  I've been having trouble with the cast, it's been making my thumb numb when I try to use the hand.  So this package really gave me something fun to be excited about.

The package came from Graywolfie, who has a definite eye for the cheerful.  Thank you so much for the presents, they totally made my day!  I might have already started using them... ;-)

perfect traveling size!

I'm going to go play with them now.  Thank you again!