Revealing…

First up, this weekend was the secret pal reveal. So, I opened the card that was included in my last package. And, this is the card I discovered inside! A reprint of a cloud chart from 1936. Inside, I discovered that my pal is Kathy, of Kathode Ray Tube (love the pun, by the way). And, boy, was she right that we have a lot of things in common! Stop over and say hi to her if you get a chance. Perhaps we can encourage her to write a little more often

This has been a great round of secret pal giving and recieving! BTW, stop over and say hi to the gal I was gifting too… Jami… I’m running a little behind on her last package because of the large amount of “bed” time I’ve had lately and last week’s snow.

And, despite no huge chunks of knitting time this weekend, Skyway Scoop is well on its way to the finishing stage. Of course, that means I need make a final decision on how I’m going to do the finishing around the arms and neck. I have some ideas and it might just be a bit of trial and error to make the final decision.

The back is done, the front armhole shaping is nearly done and the neckline is making some significant progress. I think I’m really going to like this tank top! I keep thinking how great it will look with my white capri pants and my thin white cotton cardigan Of course, it’ll also look great with the second attempt at Clapotis as well whenever I get that wrapped up, LOL! *sigh*

Oh, and in non-knitting news, I started water aerobics once again this morning. That means on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays I won’t likely be getting around to posting until around noon or so Mountain time…

Secret Pal Strikes Again!

My lovely secret pal struck again! I stopped off at the PO on Monday evening before heading to SnB and had a package containing the lovely items pictures above, plus a card. Though I was warned via e-mail to not open the card until the official “reveal” day as she had given her identity away inside.

She sent two skeins of the KnitPicks Sock Landscape in Spring Prairie, the Spin-Off Socks book, a nice tin of Darjeeling loose leaf tea and the awesomest little stitch markers with polymer clay sushi on the ends from Amyville!

I’m still astonished about the sushi stitch markers. Amanda had sent me the link a while back and she preferred the sweets, but I liked the sushi. I’ve been all about sushi lately as it is yummy, it fits within my new dietary restrictions pretty easily and it is a way for me to get some fish in me without making my DH ill (he’s allergic to fish and gets ill just from the smell).

Thank you so much Secret Pal!!!!!

Excuse Me While I Rant a Bit…

While I haven’t had the worst luck in the Secret Pal Exchanges, I think I’ll be sitting out the next round.

Don’t get me wrong, the things I have recieved from my present secret pal and my past secret pal were wonderful, wonderful items and I’ve really enjoyed that part. However, I haven’t enjoyed the other part - the giving. I have enjoyed the hours I’ve slaved over hand made items for both of my recieving secret pals and the contemplating and re-contemplating of the items to include in their packages. That part I have really enjoyed.

Where my complaint comes in is that in both rounds now I have been matched up with people who don’t post to their blogs very regularly and then when they do, they don’t even post more than three words that say in passing, buried in amonst other non-knitting blathering they got a package. No private thank yous, no pics in their blog. It makes me feel like all the time I spend trying to really personalize their packages is not appreciated. And, well, if what they have recieved is not appreciated I can certainly use the $60 (and usually when all is said and done much more than that as I never include the priority mail costs etc. in the total) spent over the course of the three months for my own personal stash enhancement or acquisition of more or better tools.

If any of you out there reading this are in the secrat pal exchanges, please take the time to share your goodies and show your appreciation on your blog, or at least in private e-mail! Frankly, I’m running out of steam for the last package since I’ve had no indication that my recipent has enjoyed her package at all (yes, singular, I combined the first two because she celebrates a birthday in March so I made this package extra special for that). And I was planning something that alone takes up 2/3 of the price amount and would most certainly put this person well over the total price to be spent over the three months. *sigh*

Show Your Secret Pal Appreciation!

Secret Pal Strikes Again!

I headed to the PO yesterday afternoon in a huff about a publication I hadn’t given permission for. The offending rag was not in my PO box, but instead I found a package from my SP4 to wash away my rant.

I resisted ripping it open right there in the PO and instead rushed home. As soon as I had the envelope unsealed this love aroma came wafting out. It was a very sweet, yet floral scent. I reached my hand inside and first discovered the Cachet Journal with it’s spiral binding (always great for arting in, that way the book stays open and flat) with black pages! I haven’t had the pleasure of working on black pages in a journal for a long time. In fact, ever since I discovered my preferred paper for binding journals has a bleeding problem with their black. And, the cover is in my favorite color - PURPLE! Wheeee!

Upon dipping my hand in the envelope again, my hand found a box of jewelry proportions. I was shocked! Inside was a love memory wire coil bracelet all beaded in blue and purple with wonderful accents of a shocking lime. I *love* it! I don’t have much in the way of bracelets so this is a wonderful addition to my jewelry collection. I think the bright spots of the lime are my favorite.

Hmmm, I still hadn’t uncovered the source of that lovely smell that had permeated the entire package and its contents. The next item I removed from the package solved the mystery. It is Mango soap from Ten Thousand Villages! Ah-ha! I think it must be more like mango blossom as there is definitely a floral scent mixed in with the sweet, but it makes it smell very exotic and intoxicating.

At the very bottom was one last little giftie - a retractable tape measure in blue! This is great. I have one that is clear that resides in my main “accessories kit” (a clear make up bag with my gauge/needle sizer, calculator, darning needles etc.). However, I just got this lovely new tote bag from Target a week or two ago and with somewhat sizable projects (like Clapotis) I don’t have room for the entire make up bag, but there is a small bag attached to this tote bag that will hold some stitch markers a calculator and this tape measure. So, now I don’t have to go hunting down which bag I have my kit in because I’ll have a tape measure in my two main project bags!

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I know you’ve probably left on your trip by now, but hopefully you’ll see this when you get back.

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Yesterday evening was movie night. I watched The Prince & Me with Julia Stiles before DH got home. I’ve always been drawn to her movies. I love the characters she plays. I think because they remind me of myself, only her life always turns out. Anyway, that was not a DH movie, though I think I may have to put it on my wishlist so I can add to my Julia Stiles collection. Then after supper DH and I watched Bringing Up Baby, as it was just releasted by WB in their Classic Comedies Collection a week or two ago.

With all the movie watching I’m in the home stretch on the Sockapalooza sock, having nearly completed the gusset. Not bad considering I hadn’t picked up knitting needles in the two days prior. I won’t have much knitting time today as I’ll be busy getting all currently enrolled persons into their respective classes today (class doesn’t start until next Wednesday but I like the students to be able to get settled before the actual classes begin). But, I’m hoping to knock off a little early on all that and enjoy the nice weather we are to have today and knit and little bit outside with Emma. I know I’ll be needing the calming factor. Opening up the classrooms always makes me irritable as you always get at least a handful of people who don’t read ALL of the directions and then can’t get into class.

Poor, poor Clapotis has been banned to the project bag, not to be taken out again until the Spearfish socks are complete. She’s lonely and sad and wishing that I would get done with the darn sock!

Valentine Goodness from My Secret Pal

Dear Secret Pal -

You are too kind! That yarn you sent from Be Sweet is sooo full of yummy textures!* I can’t wait to wind them into balls, but I wanted to do the photo shoot with them in their original hanks. And, Twizzlers! Thank you! Thay are my comfort and snacky food of late. I was down to only one and I just couldn’t bring myself to eat that last one and here a new pack arrived. So, DH ate the last one for me And those pens are awesome colors. I’ve been admiring the new Sharpie colors, but hadn’t played with them yet and I’ve never tried the Identi-Pens in my art journaling so I’m quite excited. I write my last lesson for a while today and tomorrow and then I should have some “play” time once again The lotion is great! I actually had gotten the exact one from SIL1 last year for my birthday and it’s been gone for a while now. And, the container is so usefull for other things when empty too. The Braille card it really, cool! I still can’t believe you work with blind people. What are the chances that someone with a blind mother would randomly get paired up with someone who works with blind people??

Thank you so very much! Oh, and the lovely paper you wrapped the yarn in - I’ll be using that for a journal cover at some point, I’m sure!

:-) Kristi

*

Look at all the various types of fiber in these hanks? Just a quick superficial look turns up some mohair boucle, standard mohair, various ribbons and a novelty slub yarn. I can’t wait to ball it so I can see how it is put together and so I have an idea of the yardage present. I’m suspecting it’ll make a nice sized scarf.

I’ll be back later today, or perhaps tomorrow with the latest yarn acquisitions that I spoke of on Friday, but I don’t want to dilute the wonderfulness of my first SPIV package

Yet More Wishes…

First, a quick SPIV update. I got a lovely e-mail from the gal sending to me. It seems we have a lot of things in common, and more unusual things too! Hmmm! She also said a package was going out for me later this week. Yippee! Then yesterday I got a lovely e-card wishing me a Happy New Year!

I have to say I’m really struggling with what to get the woman I’m sending to. She hasn’t been too forth coming on what she wants. Most of the knitting related items on her wishlist are not yet released. And, she has *very* sparse photographs on her blog so I don’t have much a clue about her style. The only thing I do know is that she has plenty of sock yarn in her stash so she’s not interested in anymore of that. I have an idea for one thing, but it’ll take some time to bring to fruition. Is anyone else kind of stuck with the person they are sending to? Oh how I wish she would make a post like this one…

Then, to the subject of the title…

Because the lovely, Abby asked and I’m doing a little “window” retail therapy to recover from my beginning of the week woes…
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Woot!

I made it to the heel flap! I made it to the heel flap! Weeeeee!

I don’t think you’d really see much difference, so no more pics until I’ve at least turned the heel and completed the gusset.

In other news, I got my SPIV match and have e-mailed her. I also got an e-mail from my SPIV (Hi!), but unfortunately she revealed herself in the “from” of her e-mail even though it was from a special e-mail address.

So, a note to those of you setting up accounts in for e-mailing to secret pals in the future — Do not give them your real name when you sign up! Do something like Secret for the first name and Pal for the last etc. That way you won’t be giving away your identity, which is a large part of the fun of this game, isn’t it?

Fortunately my pal does not have a highly unique name so I still don’t really *know* who she is other than her full name which means I don’t know which blog is hers or where she is located etc. So, I still get to continue the guessing game.

But, be careful guys! Send yourself a test message from this special account and make sure it doesn’t give you away before you e-mail anyone.

SP4 Questionaire

Hello SP4! I got my match over the weekend so I figured it was about time to share the questionaire once again.

I’m not sure my answers will have changed too much since last round, but I think they did change slightly, so I’ll fill out the questionaire again…

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer high- a nd/natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you?

I’m not a yarn snob in that I only like high-end yarns, though I prefer 100% natural fibers which limits Red Heart and Lion Brand. I do occassionally go for LB novelty yarns as an element to a design, but not too often.

2. Do you spin? Crochet?

I want a spinning wheel. It’s on my ultimate wishlist. I have a drop spindle, but with some of my health issues I find it hard on me to actually spin with it long enough to get the rhythm down. I only crochet when required to edge a pattern. I tried to make snowflakes a couple years ago to use in place of bows on the holiday gifts that year, but I fail miserably at following the patterns. I haven’t tried it since…

3. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, pets, fibers, perfume, etc.)

I’m sensitive to perfumes and highly allergic to smoke and cats.

4. How long have you been knitting?

I’m about at the 1.5 year mark of solidly knitting. Though I had learned as a child and made some doll blankets and the bias garter square kitchen rags, but gave it up relatively quickly due to a lack of yarn selection in my hometown.

5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

I do indeed have an Amazon wishlist. I’m all about used items too.

6. What’s your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)

Citrus! Especially Lime or Grapefruit, preferrably pure without the addition of herb or other non-citrusy scents.

7. Do you have a sweet tooth?

Yes I have a healhty (or not so healthy) sweet tooth. I’m trying to limit fat intake though so I’m having to stick with non or low fat treats like licrorice (Twizzlers) or Good ‘n Plenty. And, if I do chocolate I go for the dark variety as I’m also trying to limit dairy intake as much as possible too.

8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?

I do mixed media work and bookbinding.

9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

I like what is often called adult alternative - Jack Johnson, Train, Sister Hazel and many others. I also enjoy classic jazz (Ella, Benny Goodman, Dizzy, Duke, etc.) and bluegrass (Alison Krauss, Gillian Welch, Nickel Creek etc.). I have relatively wide ranging tastes, though new wave, funk, rap and most punk don’t really do anything for me. And, yes, my computer can play MP3s and I have a small MP3 player I use from time to time as well.

10. What’s your favorite color? Or-do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer?

Purples! And, anything that is rich and deep - jewel tones and autumnal colors are high on my list. I’m also very fond of sage and moss greens.

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