Best Laid Plans…

I had big plans for my Saturday. I was going to wind a bunch of yarn for my Ravelympics project, and then some for random projects I wanted to start in the next few weeks. I’m going to be laid up this week, so I wanted to have the yarn ready for when I finally come out of the haze of pain meds…but alas, that was not to be.

How is it that I have this….

But my yarn looks like this?

That would be because it was IMPOSSIBLE to wind this yarn using my ball winder because every few feet the yarn was twisted, not just a little bit. It required a lot of untwisting!! And no, I didn’t have the wrong end. It was like this from both ends, so I had to wind this by hand, taking twice as long. Because of this I got frustrated and tired, so I didn’t do the rest of my yarn. Not to mention there was a knot in both skeins I had to wind, that came apart with little to no help, so I really have two medium size balls and two smaller balls. I’m not impressed and this will likely put me off buying any more of this yarn despite the fact that it is beautiful and soft.

And the winner is!

I’ve been meaning to post this for a little while now, but a couple of weeks ago Kelli of AfricanKelli was giving away some of her hand-stamped cards. To enter we had to write about a letter we had received or needed to write and why it’s so special, or what old-fashioned thing we still loved so much. I wrote:

“I don’t know if this is considered “old-fashioned” but it certainly seems the tide is turning with all these new e-book thingys like the Kindle and the Nook. Give me a good old-fashioned book any day…I love the feel of it in my hands, the feel of the pages, the smell. I have never listened to an audio book either, and I don’t really care to – even if it might save me some time.”

And I WON!! Here is what I won (I have used a few since receiving them!)

One Day to Spare: January Socks

I finished my January socks yesterday! These socks were actually started way back in November 2009, but since they’re the only socks I had on the needles, I’m considering them for my January socks. I decided to try again this year for a pair of socks a month…and so far so good!!

Yarn: Araucania Ranco Multi

I actually can’t wait to start my February socks. I’m using Crystal Palace’s Mini Moochi I bought at Fibre Space last month. The colors are just so beautiful, with the added bonus of not having to wind the skein into a ball. My friend Michelle also bought some and it soon becamse apparent that I could probably get one knee-high sock out of each ball, given that she got a pretty decent length sock and her feet are much bigger than mine (sorry Michelle!)

Foto Friday

Foto Friday

Booking Through Thursday

Do you read the inside flaps that describe a book before or while reading it?

Yes…sometimes…it depends…Most of the time as I browse the bookstore I will pick up a book and flip it over to see the back cover, or read the inside flap. This is the main way I decide on buying the book if it’s not an author I all ready know. If it’s an author I know and really like, reading the inside flap is usually just a formality.

The flap can only give you a snippet, and of course, they write those things to suck draw you in. I sometimes read the first couple of pages if I have time…and then that will cement my decision.

Hot Tea Month Blog-A-Thon

Tell us about your favorite teas. Do you prefer black, green, white, red, or “herbal”? Do you like added flavors such as fruit, flowers, vanilla, chocolate, or spices, or are you a “purist”?

I am a black tea girl all the way!! I prefer Tetley’s British Blend or PG Tips teabags. I tried green tea when I was living in Japan, but I just didn’t take to it. For me, there was always a bitter after taste. I do not like the fruity teas..the only thing I’ve come close to liking is a black tea with a hint of vanilla.

Hot Tea Month Blog-A-Thon

Week One: January 3rd-9th
“Tea as a mood lifter: How does tea improve your day? What is your favorite time for a nice, hot cuppa?”

Tea is a big mood lifter for me! I have to have a cup of tea every morning or I just don’t feel like my day started off right. Before I started my full-time job with the hour plus commute, it was fairly simple: I got out of bed, used the facilities, then head downstairs to put the kettle on. Now, I wait until I get to work to have my cup of tea. Normally my coworkers and I will head out for our morning walk to get coffee/tea. I get tea, they get coffee. It still has the same affect for me – it picks me up so I can get on with my day.

I normally have a cup of tea when I get home in the early evening too…again, it just makes me feel good. Since it’s winter now, it’s a combination of a pick-me-up after a long day and as a measure to warm me up. I still drink tea in the summer time, usually just in the morning when I get up…but I do certainly cut back on how much I drink.

Foto Friday

Booking Through Thursday

What books did you get for Christmas (or whichever holiday you may have celebrated last month)? Do you usually ask for books on gift-giving occasions or do you prefer to buy them yourself?

This past Christmas I got all knitting-related books. I separated out my regular books to a private wishlist because I was trying not to add to my TBR pile, which is extremely high. This year I plan to try and read some of those to get that pile smaller; then I might be able to get a few new books. I have absolutely no problem with getting books, knitting or otherwise, for Christmas. I have an Amazon wishlist that many people buy from and I rarely ever get the same book from two different people. I don’t know why someone would have a problem with getting a book for Christmas, unless of course they don’t like to read! Then that’s more to do with the person buying than anything else.