Oh Happy Day!!!

I received my STR package today and I'm super excited about the color of the yarn. It's PURPLE!!!! Only the best color in the world :) The first month, it was red, which I'm not crazy about. Then it improved with green. It really won't get any better than this for me. I can't wait to start working on these socks and yet I will have to because I have so much school work to do! The end is near, but not here.

As you can see in the picture I also received a very handy luggage tag. I can't wait to go somewhere so I can use it!!!

I also received my sock club yarn in a bag filled with goodies from a LYS. The kit included the yarn, a sock pattern, point protectors that look like socks, candy, a pen, rinse free wool wash and powdered lemonade. I love it all and the bag it came in too!!




They will be having KALs the first and third Thursdays, but unfortunately I won't be able to go to either one this month. I have a class on Thursdays and thought about leaving early, but I have an appointment scheduled with an advisor for starting the masters program (yes, I'm nuts!). I really wanted to get out there and meet some knitters, especially since the World Wide Knit in Public Day is coming up. I know that there are knitters from this yarn shop that are planning on meeting up somewhere to knit in public. I was hoping to get to know some of them before the event. Oh well!! Next month!

Catching Up

For Mother's Day, I made breakfast for my mom and family. I also decided it was finally time to block a lace scarf that I made awhile ago (probably about a year ago) and give it to my mom for Mother's Day. I really haven't done lace blocking before, so I had put it off for quite some time. This is how I did it:



Like my official blocking device? Yeah, that's right, I used my bed. After pinning it down, I decided that next time I should probably use more pins. I only bought one box from the store. I thought about two, but went with one. When in doubt, always buy extra. Here's the scarf after blocking:



Tonight, I finished my STR socks from MARCH. The next shipment is for May and it usually comes at the end of the month, so I may have finished them just in time. Here's how they turned out:





The pictures are a little dark. I really like the color of the yarn, but I'm not all that pleased with the way the socks turned out. They are a little baggy. I made the medium size. Maybe next time I should try the small size. I wear I size 8 in women's, which I think is more of a medium size. What do you think?

March/May...Whatever!

So I finally started my March socks from the STR sock club. I figured I should get on it since the May shipment should be coming towards the end of the month. Hopefully I can finish these socks by the end of the weekend (ha!). This is what I did tonight while watching "August Rush"...



which, might I add, I did not think lived up to its hype. My mom told me how great the movie was, but I thought it was too predictable and a little cheezy! Wasn't a fan. Just glad that I didn't totally waste my time because it got me to sit down and start these socks :)

P.S. Take notice of the adorable stitch holders. My cousin made the ball of yarn and sock and I did the pancakes. So crafty!!

No Time!

I swear there is no time for anything!! Well at least not the things that I would rather be doing right now. I am student teaching all day every day right now, and then I have classes at night on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Somewhere in between those things, I have to make time to write lesson plans, do busy work assignments (don't even get me started), buy groceries, eat, bathe, you know...the basics. While all of this is going on, I have started the job hunt, which is practically impossible with the budget cuts and no school district seems to know what openings they will have. Many people at the job fairs are telling us to not be opposed to substitute teaching. Why do they even have the job fair?? Argh!!!

Anyway, this weekend Eddie actually complained that he hadn't seen me knit anything for awhile. This is not because he is not there all the time. It is true, I have not been knitting. So last night and today I started the handles to the Market Square bag. I am so close to the finish line on this project and it has been dragging on. Must finish!!! I will post pictures soon(er or later) when it is finished. I apologize for the boring blog, but needed to post something!!

A Little Something...

My cousin told me that she was sending me "a little" something in the mail for a special day for me to celebrate. She said I shouldn't get too excited about it. It turned out to be so much more than I could have anticipated:



She sent me 4 balls of yarn, a book about yarn, PURPLE cards and PURPLE candles. This chick knows her stuff!!! I am so excited and I love her dearly. Not just because she sent me great stuff, but because everything inside the package was personalized for me. She is always thoughtful with her wonderful words of advice!

Between this and my last post (the yarn cake), I think my family is picking up on my obsession of this yarn and knitting thing. It's awesome :)

Aren't You Jealous!?!

That's right! My mom wrote a recipe for YARN BIRTHDAY CAKE!!! I'm so spoiled :) Today is my birthday and I celebrated with my family yesterday. We actually celebrated four birthdays in my family that all fall within the same week. Amanda (me), Bill (dad), Carol (aunt) and David (uncle). My aunt pointed out that it's the A,B,C,D Birthday. Loved it!

As far as my birthday today...well it was spent student teaching until 2:40pm, doing homework, writing lessons and going to class from 4:40-8:00pm. Not so exciting today. It's only 9:30 and I am ready for bed! Wow, I feel old! ;) To make the day a little better, my K-1 class sang happy birthday to me and gave me cards they made themselves. Their teacher even had them estimate my age. I got everything from 16-80. Do I really look that young or old?? Kids are funny! Definitely made me laugh :)

Life Made Simple

I finally bought a swift!!! After the last fiasco of trying to wind a ball of yarn without one ended with me spending about 3 hours untangling yarn, it was well worth the investment. I bought it from my LYS and it was smaller than what I thought I would be getting and I love it. It also can be turned sideways which is an added bonus. Now I can wind yarn all on my own :)



I was able to join a swap right before it started. Thanks for mentioning it Knittingma! It's the Wee Tiny Sock Swap and might just be the best swap ever. I was able to knit the sock very quickly and am sending it out tomorrow. Love it! It was fun to make the sock and it is so adorable. I can't wait to receive my wee tiny sock!



As I mentioned in the previous poast, I started working on the Market Squares bag and I ended up twisting the stitches. I finally got up the nerve to undo it all and start all over. While on Spring Break this week, I was able to get quite a bit done. I really like the way it is turning out. I wasn't too sure about the combination of colors at first, but they're starting to grow on me.