April Showers Bring...

Sock yarn!!! Ok so it's a couple of days before April but our first package from the Yarn4Socks club arrived today. *giddy squeals*

My colorway is the blue and grey one called "Stormy". Doesn't it remind you of dark and stormy seas? Hmm... I think this would be perfect to knit with while watching the tv series "Deadliest Catch". LOL!

Mom's colorway is calledpurply one called "Boysenberry" and is very luscious. I wish I could keep both but that wouldn't be a nice daughterly thing to do now would it? >=)

Here's the fun pattern we received to go with the yarn. It's hard to see in the picture but there are tiny cables around the top of the sock, a few down the sides and then a strip of them right before the toe part of the sock. NEAT!

And I didn't break my YFC yarn diet either. I purchased this club as one of my free days!

But I Don't Want To Be Among The Mad People

I'm in a fiber art group called "Fiber Art Traders" on Yahoo and I just hosted my very first trade. What made this extra special was:

• It's my first contribution to the group.
• It's the first swap/trade I've hosted with the group.
• It's my very first sewing project!

My theme was "Alice's Mad Tea Party" tea carrier/postcard swap. I just adore the Alice in Wonderland stories. Below is the tea carrier I made for the swap.

Tea carrier closed

Tea carrier opened

I actually lined up the inside flaps properly but if you look carefully, you'll see the little pockets on each side to hold the tea (and sugar packets if you want).

I'm so pleased with how it turned out, mistakes and all. So much so that I want to make another for myself. LOL!

Here's what I wrote for the swap introduction:

Welcome to Alice's Mad Tea Party trade!

Like everything in Wonderland, nothing is as it seems so take the Doorknob's advice when he said to Alice, "Read the directions and directly you will be directed in the right direction."

Make 1-2 teabag carriers AND/OR postcards (yes, you have a choice) depicting what comes to mind when you think of a tea party in Wonderland. Poetry spouting dormice? Topsy-turvey unbirthday cakes? Queens who have a serious thing for red roses? Catless grins? For those who'd like to make a teabag carrier, there's a tutorial from Embroidery Library you might want to look at: Tea Carrier Instructions

Here's your chance to go a little crazy (because we're all crazy here) and create a bit of whimsy, Alice in Wonderland style.

Pics are due Tuesday, April 3rd

Partners will be assigned Wednesday, April 4th

Trade items should be mailed out Friday, April 6th

Sound like fun? Then what are you waiting for! Sign-up for my very first trade! =)

Funky Convertible

I've completed the bag for the Knitted Purse Swap 2. Now I just need to fill it with goodies and get it mailed off. I'm pleased with the way the Jayne's AP Bag came out and will definitely be making more, especially one for myself! I made one modification to the design and that was in the strap. So that it can be worn over the shoulder or in the hand, I put snaps on the handle so the length can be changed as seen fit. Hope my partner likes it as much as I do.

The bag with straps all the way out.

The straps buttoned up short.

Side shot of the strap buttoned up short.

The strapped opened up so you can see all the hardware.

It Ain't Over Until It's Over

I just received my last package from Scout's Indie Swag Club. It's a gorgeous 400 YARDS skein of a lovely colorway called "Marina Piccola". This is a colorway that speaks of beachside cottages, sand and seashells, sipping lemonade while dangling your feet in the water... *sigh*

A close up of the gorgeous pattern that came with it.

This is one that will definitely be knit "as is" because it's just dreamy for lack of a better word.

And you'd think I'd be saddened by this being my last package from round 1 of the club but I'm not. Why you ask? That's because...

I GOT INTO ROUND 2!!!!!!!!!

Oh baby! Oh baby! Oh baby! The lottery gods were smiling on me (though I wish they'd do the same on the MegaMillions drawings) and I got the word! Now to wait for April for my next lovely skein from Lady Scout.

PSA: Mark Your Calendars!

May 5 & 6, 2007

Howard County Fairgrounds / West Friendship, Maryland/ http://www.sheepandwool.org/

The money not spent on tons of yarn these past 3 months is being set aside for THE MARYLAND SHEEP AND WOOL FESTIVAL!!! Knitters, crocheters, weavers, spinners, beaders, and other fiber crafters get here anyway you can! Ran or shine, this event will put you in fiber heaven!

Mom and I have regularly attend (when other events don't keep us away) and once returning home, we want to just roll, roll, roll in the yarn! Rovings, skeins, supplies out the wazoo! And not just any old fiber or tools either. Handmade drop spindles in luscious woods, silk caps in drool worthy colors, and did I happen to mention the alpacas? There are other crafts and live animals to see. Competitions to enter and view the results of. A midway of food that will keep you nourished when you dive in for more. And best of all, it's free to get in! More money for spending!!!

I've got a whole month to wait but there will be pictures, lots of pictures. Once I can see straight again of course.

Incoming and Outgoing

Purses, purses everywhere!

First look what Rose, my Knitted Purse Swap 2 (KPS2) partner sent me!!!

Not one but TWO purses plus cute goodies. The green cable purse is both beautiful and clever. She knitted it over an existing purse she'd picked up. New handles and voila! Instantly lined and gorgeous new purse! The second purse is a lovely little black shimmery number that will be perfect for going out on the town or just when I wanna feel uber-sexy. And then she had to go and include beads! YAY!!!

For the International Tote Exchange 3 (ITE3) I sent my partner the following treat:

The tote bag I made her, a bag of caramel kisses, the book Knitting for Peace (I liked it so much I want to pick myself up a copy) and 3 skeins of yarn in her favorite color. The solid skeins are an alpaca blend!

This is the tote bag held up so you can see more of the colors. I'm making myself and mom one of these. It's really nifty!

This is the tote bag filled with goodies before posting to the mail today. I hope she doesn't explode before it arrives. I've kept her in suspense long enough.

My Super Girlie Good Power Mom!

I just want to beam with pride as my very own mom was presented with the Super Girlie Good Power Award over on the lovely Ms. Margot's website.

You know you have to find out what I'm talking about, so check it out!!!

Go Mom! Go Mom!

Goooooooooooo Mom!

Dragons In My Life

Scout put a call out for pictures of people's tattoos so.... here's mine!

Yes, I have a tattoo. It's on the back of my right shoulder and I would never have it removed because I it's so much a part of me (and not because it's on my skin). It's a little over 10 years old now.

I've loved dragons since I was a little girl. I loved the stories (always rooting for the dragon), the pictures and other artwork of dragons growing up. Part of my fairytale castle bedroom (bunk beds built into the wall to look like a castle) had toy dragons from the Dungeons and Dragons era hanging all over the place. I still have one from that time, the Dragonne , that sits on a shelf in my studio.

After a lot of discussion with my then boyfriend/now husband and a co-worker who also wanted to get tattoos, the decision was made to find a quality studio (Dragon Moon) and get something meaningful done if we were going to do it at all. The inspiration for mine came when I got a copy of the Dancing Dragon catalog and starting thumbing through it. A t-shirt caught my eye and I quickly became taken with it!

The inspiration (of which the original shirt hangs in my closet):


The text reads: "Drag'on: N. A timeless creature of wisdom, benevolence, and inspiration to the high qualities of life."
It would be an interesting discovery some years later to find out that Bryan's Chinese astrological sign is the dragon. =)

As for future tattoos, yes, I'm thinking of one or two more. I have an email out to Shelly Jackson of the human book "Skin", but it may be a long time before I hear if I can participate or not. So the search continues for the right image to adorn my body.

Gonna Rock These Socks, Rock Them Inside Out!

A Mr. Setzer, if you only knew...

After a loooong day at work on Monday, I came home to two large packages sitting on my mailbox. It took me all of a second to realize what was inside, the ROCKIN' SOCK CLUB PACKAGES HAD ARRIVED!

I have two packages, not because I'm greedy but because mom had her club goodies sent to me so she'd be sure they were safe when she's out of town. Of course that means if one of those packages happens to be extra awesome, well... we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. =)

In this starter package we got:

1. THE YARN. This skein is called "Monsoon". It's 380 yards of 100% superwash merino!
2. A, and I'm not making this up, teenie tiny skein of "emergency yarn" in the same colorway. Yeah, that's that tiny green splotch near the bottom of the picture. LOL!
3. A Rockin Sock Club button.
4. A Notorious Sock Knitters sticker.
5. A real neat sock pattern called "Inside Out"
6. Not pictured: information for the 2007 Camp Cockamamie Rockin' Sock Camp
7. Not pictured: a card to get 10% of my next order with Blue Moon Fiber Arts
8. Not pictured: all the information inside the binder like how to size socks and such.

Here's a close up of the yarn and the pattern:

The hubby has already claimed the yarn and socks for his own. That is, he wants me to make the socks for him using the "Monsoon" yarn. COOL!