Manic Monday (I finally got the day right!)

Manic Monday #136

What is the most useful gift you’ve ever been given?

The year Santa Claus brought me a piccolo was certainly the highlight of my gift-getting. Useful? I guess so. If I were to pick a gift solely on the "useful" criteria, I would probably pick knitting needles. Completely useful!

Name the most terrifying moment of your life so far.

This is difficult because I tend to forget unpleasant things once they're behind me.

1) The day Bob and I found our next-door apartment neighbor in a drug/alcohol-induced coma. Calling 911 was just like in a dream -- my voice didn't work well and it all seemed to be in slow motion. The trickiest part was the blizzard raging outside. It took 6 people to raise the stretcher above the 18 inches or so of snow on the ground.

2) Ok, I'm a wuss. Millennium Force at Cedar Point. This roller coaster goes 310 feet in the air with speeds up to 92 mph. 92mph in a little car with no protection! The teenagers I was with wanted everyone to ride it together. I figured I'd be a good sport.

I though perhaps I might die of a heart attack while riding...

One hot summer afternoon, while walking through a parking lot at a large shopping center, you notice a dog suffering badly from the heat inside a locked car. What would you do?

1) See if the car was locked.

2) Stay with the car while someone else alerted mall officials to get them to page the owner over the loudspeaker.

3) Call 911 if the owner wasn't found quickly.

New on the Catwalk

Yesterday I received a very fun package for the "Golden Lovers" swap. Gorgeous yarn, lots fun little pampering items, knitting magazines, treats for Winston and the kitties.... and this fun shrug for Winston.

It's his first clothing item ever. And it's lovely -- a blue, cabled sweater to keep him warm this winter.

Now he loves the cold, and doesn't really need the extra warmth very often. But he likes to have long walks in the snow. We'll have to get him some insulated booties -- his feet are always the first things to get cold. But armed with those and this sweater -- he'll be Winston of the Arctic!

After Another Birthday

Like all other babies born on September 11, my birthday will never be the same.

Lately I've awoken on my birthday morning with a sense of melancholy and tears just waiting to flow. Yesterday was no exception.

What do you do when your birthday is a national day of mourning? You feel like you can't fully celebrate without also remembering that horrible day in 2001. All day long you hear sad stories on the radio.

Should I celebrate on a different day? Somehow it doesn't seem right to arbitrarily pick another birth date.

As I get older, I find myself less and less of a party girl. I'm just such a homebody. Yesterday I told Bob that I was thinking of taking my birthday off work from now on and booking myself into a spa. I seem to need to do something soothing. But the more that I think about it, the more I think I'd just like to stay home. Turn off the phones. Brew myself a pot of good tea. Put on my soft slippers. And knit. Yep, that would be my perfect day.

Remind me next year to do that on my birthday, ok?

Catching Up

When I returned from vacation last month, several wonderful packages were waiting for me. One was this wonderful package o' goodies from my SP12 spoiler.

I posted a photo to the Ravelry SP12 discussion group but never managed to post it here.

Many of the goodies were accumulated by my spoiler while she was on vacation in Portland, Oregon. I just love how she thought about everything she picked. And you can tell she had fun shopping!

I am always touched the most when someone really takes the time to get to know me and send things they know I'd like. What an amazing gift that is.

One of the highlights is two cones of yarn she "made" herself. She picked colors I love and plied them together for me at yarnia in Portland. There's about 1,000 yards between the two skeins -- enough for a pretty ambitious project. What should I make, do you think?

What else was in the package? Tea, chocolate, sheepy soap, gingerbread mix, Honey Mead.... and more. All sorts of wonderful treasures.

Thanks so much, Secret Pal!

Show & Tell

It's been a while since I posted photos of some of the things I've been making. So I guess it's time for a little Show & Tell.

As you can see, my love affair with sewing on paper continues. The new paper patchwork cards are themed: tea, knitting (made from recycled yarn/knitting catalogs), and Halloween/autumn. I made prototypes of them for various swaps and extras to sell in the shop.

What else? Several little rubber stamps with a Snail Mail theme. I'm hoping to do more stamps to sell as I have time.

I made a sister of the bag pictured for my swap partner in the "Starbucks and Yarn" swap. The fabric is coffee cups and coffee beans. This one's up for sale. Great for small knitting projects (like socks) or as a handbag!

Brilliante Blog

A few days ago, Frances at homemadeoriginals nominated this blog for the Brilliante Blog award! I'm especially pleased because she has over 60 blogs listed as her favorites. I read her blog often -- she does a wonderful job of posting on a regular basis and making gorgeous knitted and sewn items for her Etsy shop.

Now it's my turn to nominate (tag) some of my favorites. This is a fun way to get recommendations of new blogs to watch....

Willowdale - visit Kelli's farm in Tasmania, complete with Billy the Goat, their new pig Juliet, and two cherubic toddlers

CoyoteCraft - Bean's wonderfully creative blog filled with sewing and such. Check out her recent tutorial on making kitchen hot pads.

Funky Finds - Jess has incredible taste. Let her help you find new places to spend your $$!

APL Creations - Amy is so talented and creative...

Polka Dot Cottage - Lisa is one of the most gifted colorists I've ever seen!

Orangette - Don't read this while hungry...

Planting and Purling - Country girl, Pamela, was my amazing "spoiler" for the SP11 swap. I love checking in with her blog to see what she's baking and what's currently on the needles.

So, if I listed your blog and you'd like to pass the award along to some of your favorites, here's what you need to do:

1) Add the logo of the award to your blog
2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs
4) Add links to those blogs on your blog
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs

Thanks, everyone!

Manic, And Belated, Monday

If you could choose only two movies to watch ever again, what would they be?
Difficult question. "Love Actually," for sure. Charming, funny, sad... great actors. A second one, hmmmmm.... it's hard to pin down the last movie I'll ever see. Will I get tired of it? "Young Frankenstein," perhaps?

What have you found to be the best way to relieve tension?
Time alone. Hot tea. A hot bath. Knitting. Sitting with a cat on my lap. Hugging Winston.

If you went to a beach and it turned out to be a nude beach, would you stay and go swimming? Would you swim nude?
I would stay. I don't always swim when I go to the beach, but might. But, no, I would not go nude. Eeeek!

Manic Monday #132

I know it's Wednesday... but isn't it better that I post than not? :)

If you were to name the one thing you have the most compassion for, what would it be?
Animals. Just to let you know, it's really hard to pick just one thing.

It's been said that, "The best things in life are free." Do you think this is true?
Yes. It certainly helps to have some money for basics and a few luxuries, but love, friendship, nature... all those things are free.

What is the most valuable thing you own?
My home.