Likely Story

No More SP

My Secret Pal is Hanne.  You can find her at VÄKERRELLEN

To recap, here's what i got:

a bar of vanilla soap and some lip balm

a card

2 pair of handmade knitting needles, size 3 and 8

"made by" tags

yarn

Thanks Hanne.

The Last SP Contest - "Snow"

I have a love/hate relationship with snow.  I think its really beautiful and I love the snap it gives the air!  However, I can never erase from my memory the snow day that went wrong.

I was young, maybe 4 or 5, and my mother and I decided to go play outside.  At the time we lived in upstate NY and it had snowed the night before.  A really good, fluffy snow.  I remember being so bundled up in my snow suit that I could barely walk!  My mother decided we should build a snowman.  I was rather apathetic to the whole idea b/c I was just so overwhelmed by the snow and all that it promises; snow angels, snow tunnels, snow balls, etc.  My mother built her snowman and was extremely pleased with it.  So much so, that I was informed that I couldn't touch it or I would get a handful of snow rammed up my nose.  I was young and, at the time, I never though my dear, sweet, kind, life-giving mother could possibly be serious with that threat.  I had freckles and long braids, I was too adorable to maim in such a violent and cruel manner.  Besides!  Its just snow, right?

WRONG!

I was trying to run.  I can honestly say I had no intention of harming the snowman, but my snowsuit made me so uncoordinated that I fell.

I fell.

On the snowman.

And my mother leapt in for her revenge, hunk of icy snow ready in hand. 
And I, being a bewildered 4-5 year old, didn't think to cover my face.

The brain freeze was exquisite.

For that day on, I kept a 30 foot radius around any snow creation she ever made again.

Secret Pal Christmas Loot

Look what I got today, priority mail all the way from Finland!!!

Apparently Finland is the land of gorgeous yarn!  That's 2 skeins of mohair in a lovely burnt orange, one skein of wool in a nice, dark red and a skein of a wool/polyamide? blend in verigated autumnal colors.  So nice!!!  I think I just might knit some of those together and make a crazy, fuzzy scarf!  We'll see....

Thank you Secret Pal!  Its all soooooo pretty!!!!!!

Merry Christmas Secret Pal!

Knitting Progress

I am almost finished with the Big Knit Tube!  Its the repair piece for the Felted Bag Nightmare.  I am at a standstill on the project right now b/c I am waiting for more yarn.  I had a hunch a few weeks ago that I'd be short a skein, so I dutifully ordered it from the same on-line yarn retailer allowing plenty of time for shipping.  And they sent me the wrong yarn.  I ordered Big Kureyon #17 and they sent me #12.  I called and apparently, I have to send them back their yarn and have them "figure out how this mistake could have happened" BEFORE they will send me out my original order.  I don't think I'll be ordering from them again, even though they are deeply discounted.  Bad!

But, being Big Kureyon-less means I get to start another project!  So its on to something for me! A Clapotis in Silk Garden #84!  See:

Oh!  And I got a very cute postcard from my SP!  Thanks SP!

Secret Pal 9 Contest #3

This post is about my favorite recipe and why it is special to me.  I have two, but they are part of the same christmasy story - very appropriate.  My favorites are Apfel Kuchen and Cuccidratti (aka "The Fig Cookies)

I graduated from college in 1998.  Let's just say the last couple of years in school were really awful (lots of debt and an abusive ex who turned into a psycho-stalker) so I came home for a year after college to live, work, pay off above mentioned debt and basically learn to be a human again.  Christmas came a knocking and I had no money to speak of and no credit rating worth anything.  I was stuck.  Working in retail (Barnes & Noble), you can become really overwhelmed at the holidays.  Too many grumpy people, spending extreme amounts of money and no one having any fun.  Christmas starts to lose its meaning.  No tradition, just spending!  Yuck!

So, my idea for Christmas was this:  I was going to recreate a lost recipe for each of my parents which they remembered from their childhood.  Something they always thought they'd never have again.  All of my grandparents are dead and there wasn't much of a cooking legacy in my house so there were no recipes left behind to go from.  I just had to ask questions.  Now it gets interesting!

SP Strikes Again!

Looky what I got in the mail!  How Cute!!!!

Thank You SOOO MUCH Secret Pal!  With all of my Xmas knitting, they are perfect!  I love the color,
I love the little lamb, I just love it!  So Awesome!  Thank You!  Thank You!

And, SP, I'm working on the December list right now! 

And The SP Riddle Answer Is...

SKULLS!!!  Actually, my father and I both guessed along these lines but who can knit with a skull?
Well now I can!  Very cute!  Thanks SP!
   

SP Contest 2

Well this is a BIG BUMMER!!!  The 2nd SP contest is up and the prize is AWESOME!  Its a box of yarn from our hostess' stash - so its good, good stuff.  What's the problem then?  With the ever growing list of christmas presents I have to knit, there is no way I can take any time off and knit a washcloth.  I just can't do it.  As it is, the holidays are fast approaching and I may not finish all the presents. 

I'm sorry, but there is no way I can stop what I'm doing and knit a washcloth.  Simply no way. 

And I could totally use some stash building.  I am too poor to buy my own yarn right now.

Just my luck!  Bummer.....

Riddle Me This

I am, but I do not live.
I have eyes, but I do not see.
I have a mouth, but you never hear me scream.
Once I did have a thought.

(It might feel a little odd, but trust me, you'll get lots of street credit among knitters!)

Anyone? It's a hint from my Secret Pal and I have no idea what it could be.  A river, A scarecrow, A potato, Fire?  I don't know!  None of my answers work!!  Help!!!

SP Fun!

I got a card from my secret pal yesterday!
It was a cute little thing with a dove shaped reflector in it.

And for now its hanging in my window.  See?  (sorry for the bad picture)

When I get my bicycle fixed, it will probably find a permanent home there.
Thanks SP!!!