Heidi says Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm sure Heidi is thankful that I only make her dress up like this 2 maybe 3 times per year. But she got treats out of the deal so she shouldn't be complaining.

I, on the other hand, am thankful for:

• My wonderful family
• Friends that understand my obsessions and oddities
• My enabling and extremely generous fiber guild
• Yarn
• Fiber
• Pumpkin pie and the whipped cream in a can
• A husband that can cook and does the dishes
• Still functioning wrists (getting much better about stopping when it hurts)
• A husband that also puts up with my obsession and wet skeins of yarn and chunks of roving hanging all over the kitchen to dye and the stash that is threatening to take over the living room

As a side note, since I mentioned Heidi and dressing her up. Instead of making her wear a Christmas outfit, I now take her to PetMart over near AC Moore and Target in Barboursville. On December 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, and 21 from 11-3 your pet can have their picture taken with Santa for a $10 dollar donation and all the money goes to Little Victories. Last year, they gave me a polaroid in a little card and sent me electronic copies too. And this year they are giving out boxes of treats with the picture too.

You might want to cover your ears for this one...

I have a freakin' spinning wheel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!












Grace had decided that her Babe wasn't getting enough love at home now that she has her new Baynes wheel. So I offered to give it a warm and loving home. OMG! I am so excited. I've already filled a bobbin.







I just can't believe I actually have a spinning wheel. The ladies of the River Cities Fiber Guild have been so wonderful to me. They taught me how to spin, they have given so freely of their stash and their time and now this. I just can't thank them all enough. I am blessed to have met them. And yes, I ended up crying at the meeting. I am a sap. But I have a freakin' spinning wheel.

Next stop...fiber animals. mwah ha ha ha.

p.s. Grace sells awesome t-shirt on her Etsy store. You should all totally check them out. Not just for spinners. Any fiber person would need a "Got Wool" t-shirt.

Woooo!

Have a few updates on the Christmas list. I am adding a number 16 to the list for a gift swap. Should be pretty simple though.

Number 9 was already listed as done. But here is a picture. Tracey, don't let Steve see.

Number 3 is now finished. Woooo. Mom don't let Brian see. But now you can match them.

Number 10 has gone from 0% to about 70% in a matter of moments. I found something hanging out in my UFO tote that will work perfectly. Only have about 1.5 more repeats to go. Sexy.

And since I never actually posted the picture when it was finished. Here is a picture of my finished dumpling bag. This was a great pattern. And the yarn was very nice. My only issue was that it turned very, very fuzzy when felted. I had to shave it. Literally. With a razor. I got a cheap disposable one. Once it was shaved, you could actually see the color changes.

And I am about halfway through my Versatility. I don't think I will be able to do the full 8 repeats it calls for. I'm thinking more like 6. Cause I've done three and it really is at the halfway point. Even though I said I wouldn't be working on any projects besides Christmas projects. Apparently I lied.

I am also taking part in a swap on one of my groups. Since my person doesn't know who is sending to them, I can post some pics here. Yay. I actually only have a couple more items to go.

Sorry

I apologize for being awful about blogging. I was sick for most of last week (stupid annual respiratory infection). But to be honest, I don't have much to blog about. I have switched into the "all I'm allowed to work on are Christmas presents until they are all done" mode. I'm making my way through the list, but since I am trying to be dedicated and present recipients often read this blog, I don't have much to take pictures of. Maybe I need to come up with something gimicky while I am in project secrecy mode. Maybe talk about some of my favorite blogs. I would give shoutouts about my fave Etsy stores, but I haven't bought a lot on there so my reviews would mostly consist of "Holy Crap! Isn't everything they have listed beautiful?!?" Which could be kind of boring.

I did finally felt my Dumpling Bag, which means I finished my FIL's present as well. So I could take a picture of the bag. But I also don't have batteries. Actually, I could take pictures of the swap I am participating in. It is a secret, so the person I am sending to doesn't know who I am, so they wouldn't know where to look for the pictures. Oooo and I could keep a countdown with how much of each project I have done.

So here we go. I need to make gifts for 15 people(totally meant 15, I did not forget anyone, honest). (there are others I need to buy)

I will use numbers here so I don't give stuff away.

1. 25%

2. not started

3. 50%

4. 66%

5. 50%

6. Done

7. I've bought the pattern

8. 35%

9. Done

10. I'm not sure yet

11. Done

12. Done

13. Done

14. Done

15. 50%

Wow, that is 6 done, nearly halfway there. And most are started. Actually this list was very helpful. Kinda puts everything in perspective

Shameless, Shameless plug

I am doing a shameless plug for something I want for Christmas (besides a spinning wheel)

Loop's Secret Santa Spinning Batt Club

I actually adore all of the fiber batts she does, but this could be fun.

as for the questionnaire that she has to go with it. Main color blue, I am an equal opportunity fiber spinner (so anything), yes on the glitz.

Now I feel kind of bad for mentioning this, I will turn it into a plug for Loop and for Etsy. First off, I love her batts. They are gorgeous. I have drooled over her Earth Goddess colorway since I learned how to spin. She doesn't really make that one anymore and a lovely lady in my spinning guild was tired of me drooling over the batts of it that she had so she gave me one. I started crying. These things are amazing. If you spin, I recommend getting something from her. It will inspire you to spin better so you will be worth of her stuff.

And Etsy is so much fun. It is like Ebay (but no bidding) and it is all handmade/handcrafted stuff. Anything. You can even commission people if you can't find what you want. I use it mostly to find awesome, small indie providers of yarn and fiber. But it would be a great place to find completely unique and beautiful gifts for people this Christmas. And you wouldn't be buying generic, big box gifts. These are handcrafted, one of a kind items. And, like Ebay, they have a rating system so you can make sure people are reputable sellers.

Now I don't feel so bad about plugging for myself for this Christmas

A Trip to Athens (Ohio)

So for Halloween every year, Zach and I go to visit his brother and SIL in Athens, Ohio and take part in their annual Halloween block party. It is always a lot of fun. We mostly just go to hang out, see the costumes and listen to the bands (if they are any good). Mostly we just enjoy visiting. I failed miserably at getting good pictures this year. I didn't think to get any before we went out, well except for this one of Cain.















Doesn't he look thrilled to be wearing part of my costume. That wig is freakin huge. It was actually really warm this year. I thought this would lead to a lot more near-nakedness but it didn't really. The past couple years, I just remember being all huddled in my HP costume (with robe and gloves and scarf) and wondering how these people are walking around in clothing that covers less than a bathing suit and not freezing to death. But here is a fun crowd shot. I am unfortunately way to short to try to take these kinds of pictures. But this is one small street corner of the whole thing.


While were were in Athens, Lauren took me to The Tatting Corner. It is a little craft store that has quite a variety of stuff. Lots of quilting and sewing patterns. But as you can tell from the name, the owner is a tatter. So she had a nice variety of tatting threads. No needles, but she did have lots of bobbins. I have to say that now I've done needle tatting, I am very very very tempted to try it with a bobbin. My only hesitation is that I don't have someone to show me how and you can't take out your mistakes. Two things that could lead quickly to some mighty strong frustration.

I've been doing a lot of tatting. I love the look of the snowflakes and Haley let me borrow a book of celtic tatting designs so I am quite enamored. I have to thank Haley immensly for her help. You can learn stuff online, but there are things that they leave out or different people do different ways. Like, I wasn't pulling my tail all the way through my loops and chains so it was making my stitches to big and uneven and she pointed that out. She also helped me fix my "Reverse Works". Nothing I read mentioned that you needed to tie a knot after finishing each chain or loop or whatnot. Yeah that has helped immensly. So snaps for Haley! (I was watching Legally Blonde 2 last night)

Time has come to work mostly on Christmas presents. But as long as I keep tatting I'll have pictures to post. I might have a few things, but for the most part, I will have to keep them all secret. Maybe I can do teaser pics and only show like a couple inches or a real close up pic of it.

Voting/Election

Yay, I voted and apparently so did a lot of the rest of the country. But I have a random observation from reading other blogs and emails.

Who else took their knitting/crocheting with them and knitted/crocheted in line?

Who else was working on a scarf?

Cause I know I was totally working on my So-Called Scarf while standing in line for an hour. I got quite a bit done.