Secret Pal Alert

Opening the box....






A cute handmade card....


This woman does her research! She sent my favorite tea, Earl Grey (coincidentally, I had just tried the Tazo Earl Grey and loved it!), Some gorgeous yarn from Crystal Palace in my favorite color combination (purples and green), Noro Kureyon in a very pretty colorway, a Mary Englebreit collectable pin cushion shaped like a teapot, a cute little green bracelet, and two pair of homemade knitting needles!




I was so impressed that she made me knitting needles!

Thanks, Secret Pal, this was a nice surprise to come home to!

I'm also including an Amelia photo for her devoted fans. She definitely poses!

Latest Meme

What kind of lunch box did you have as a kid?

I can remember two of mine. One was Doctor Doolittle (Rex Harrison) and one was Campus Queen, which had a little magnetic game on the back, which I though was very cool.

Tag! You're it!

Does Anyone Know....

...where I can buy Bucilla Silk Ribbon for embroidery? I used to see it all the time when I didn't need it. Now I need it for the Sweetpea Cardigan (which has flowers embroidered on it). I can't find it anywhere! The places that have it online have very limited colors.

Secret Pal Heard From

I received a bottle from my secret pal today! Yes, you heard right, a bottle. It was a clear plastic bottle full of tootsie rolls and Smarties (if you eat smarties and dum dums do they cancel each other out?) Also, rolled up inside was a nice note saying she is planning to send two packages plus a birthday present. That works for me! DH and I promptly shook the bottle to get all the contents out, then hid the "canny" (as Amelia calls it). In fact, yesterday I took her to CVS with me so I could buy paper to write on at work today. She terrorized the store, opening lipsticks, rearranging all the displays, etc. I had to resort to bribery to get her out of the store, so I promised her some candy. (I would never tell my clients' parents to do this!) I told her she and DH would share a package of M&Ms. When we got home, she asked for the "canny" and said, "No, Daddy; just mine." lol

Thanks again, Secret Pal, whoever you are! It was such a clever way to say hi and introduce yourself.

Another Meme

I saw this meme on another Wendy's blog, so I gotta try it:

Do a Wikipedia search of your birthdate, but leave out the year. List three interesting events, three people who were born, and three people who died on that day.

Here goes==
Events:


1892 - A hidden lake bursts out of a glacier on the side of Mont Blanc, flooding the valley below and killing around 200 villagers and holidaymakers in Saint Gervais.

1933 - Congress passes the first federal minimum wage law in the United States: 33 cents per hour.

2002 - Gay rights: The Superior Court of Ontario orders Ontario to recognize same-sex marriages

Births:

100 BC - Gaius Julius Caesar, Roman soldier and politician

1895 - Oscar Hammerstein II, American lyricist

1948 - Richard Simmons, American fitness trainer

Deaths:

1804 - Alexander Hamilton, first United States Secretary of the Treasury

1996 - John Chancellor, American television journalist (b. 1927)

1996 - Jonathan Melvoin, American musician and keyboardist (Smashing Pumpkins)


Maybe that's enough just to list them. I guess it's safe to say I was born on a day that is never boring...

Ta Daaaaa!

Here's the after photo! I am very happy with the way it turned out. I did put it through three cycles of felting in the washing machine, and cut off the top (it was just too pointy). Now, I can revel in its felty goodness. Now, I just wanna felt everything!! Hee!

Felting, felting...

The tea cozy is knit, and here is its before picture. It kind of looks like a strange brightly-colored ski mask. Not my best look. It is now in the wash (hopefully felting as we speak/blog).

Stay tuned for the results!

Mother's Day

I still can't believe I am a mom at all, let alone have a "day." Being Amelia's mother is a gift in itself. Today being Mother's Day, however, I got some fabulous gifts from Teavana. The highlight is this cute teapot that has its own metal mesh infuser inside. Very timely as I am in the middle of the Knitter's Tea Swap and in the mood for tea. I also knitted away on the tea cozy, hoping the felting process will cover the mistakes. If this doesn't turn out, I guess I will erase all mentions of it in my blog to destroy the evidence!

Felted Tea Cozy

This morning, I decided to get a pedicure and knit at the same time (I love to combine favorite activities!) As the woman was working on my feet I worked on the felted tea cozy I am making from the yarn that was Sonnet. A woman who was having her nails done asked me what I was making. "A tea cozy," I said, hoping I wouldn't have to explain. I did tell her that it would be felted later. The woman did know what a tea cozy was due to having a British mother, but asked me about the felting process. I told her I hadn't done it yet, but that it would require washing in hot water in the washing machine to shrink and felt it. Several minutes later, I accidentally dropped the ball of yarn in the pedicure tub of water! "Quick! It's gonna start to felt!" the other woman cried. I like my life.

Sonnet

I have to say, I pulled out Sonnet last night, to finally realize that I don't think I like it. I love the yarn, Noro Kureyon in a bright colorway, but I don't think I like it put together. The body is almost 1/2 done. Has this ever happened to anyone? I feel embarrassed that it has taken me this long to decide I don't like it. What to do? Frog it and start over? Blehhhhh!

Yarn

OK, my tea swap partner wants to know what yarns I like. Hmmmm.....Rowan, Debbie Bliss, Karabella, Noro, Knit Picks, etc., etc. any soft wool or soft cotton. Does that help? Yarn=good. The more the better, right?

SP8 Questionnaire

Here goes:

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

Noro is my fave brand, but I like most nice yarns. I'm not really into novelty yarn or anything scratchy. I find chenille hard to work with.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

I have most of my needles in my nightstand.

3. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I've been knitting for about a year and a half and I consider myself to be an advanced beginner/intermediate.

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

yes, Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/2KCWUUG8PQTHK/002-2256386-1042443

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)

Fruity things, then floral. Just don't like vanilla.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

I have an incredible sweet tooth but I'm trying to lose weight right now.

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

I do crocheting, cross stitch and beading. I don't spin. Trying to resist!

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

I like world music, classical, klezmer, and lots of stuff and can play MP3s.

9. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?

My favorite colors are purple and green. I like all colors.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

I am married with a 2 1/2 y o daughter and two cats.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

Yes, although I don't think I look very good in hats.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

Sweaters.

13. What are you knitting right now?

2 sweaters and a tea cozy (See sidebar)

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Yes, except for those toilet paper cover thingies.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

It depends on the project whether I use circular or straight. Bamboo is my favorite, then metal next.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

I have a winder but not a swift.

17. How did you learn to knit?

At Knit Out at the National Mall 2004, then from books and TV.

18. How old is your oldest UFO?

About a year. It's a mitered square vest I got tired of doing.

19. What is your favorite holiday?

Valentine's Day and my child's birthday.

20. Is there anything that you collect?

hearts, teapots, small toy figures (for work)

21. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

I want to get the new Wendy Knits. I would love the new Lantern Moon bamboo circulars. Love any patterns! I subscribe to Interweave, Vogue, Knit Simple, and Creative Knitting.

22. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

Still need to master double points to make mittens, socks, etc. I eventually want to do fair isle and intarsia.

23. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

Haven't knit socks yet (see #22). I wear 8 shoe. Need help with foot measurements....?

24. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)

July 12! Right in the middle of the exchange!

I'm In!

Cool!