That Ravelry Account

I went on Ravelry today with the intent of updating and adding some projects that have been done for a while.  I added one.  One.  I had about 15 (at least) to add.  Instead, I wound up playing around, looking at other people's finished objects, works in progress, seeing how many people had made the patterns that I had posted...

On that note, congrats to Ravelry, which was voted best social media site... at this point, over a million fiber freaks can't be wrong!  Although there are many different types of social media that I belong to, both personally as well as through my Kusala venture (Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Blogs, Etsypreneur - which is new, and really cool), the reason that I enjoy Ravelry is that it is basically one stop shopping.  Yes, while there are links to blogs, Etsy sites, etc., everything is conveniently located in one spot.

I will do more later about social media in general, but for now... off to work on those slippers... you know, that pattern that I also bought while on Ravelry.com today.  :)

The Blue Moon Fiber Arts Sale (a.k.a Where I spent WAY too much money today!)

Waiting, Shopping and Pretty Pretty Yarn

Thanks (or not ;)) to my Twitter pal - @knitluck - I spent money today, and I could have spent a LOT more.  As in I spent just over $70 and I could have easily spent about $500.  Easily.  And been stocked up with yarn for the next two years. 

Where on earth did I spend so much money on YARN?  Well, at a good LYS, that would have been easy.  Really easy, and I would have probably walked out of there with enough yarn for two projects.  I walked out of the Blue Moon Fiber Arts sale today with enough for a sweater for me, a sweater for my oldest son, and about 4 hats - if not more. 



What I Got! 



Located at a super cute B&B (The Scappoose Creek Inn) in Scappoose, OR. (about 20 minutes outside of Portland), the "Barn Sale" started at 10 and lasted just a few short hours.  We arrived at 9:45, and there were already over a dozen people in line, and they had been there for a while.  Rumor had it that at one point, they were throwing out freebies.  Too bad it took forever to get coffee this morning - that could have been me!

Overall, the sale was well organized for what it was - lots of various colored yarns in tons of different weights, textures, as well as some spinning wool.  We only got a few things, but I saw a number of people with what had to have been piles totalling close to two and three hundred dollars.  The people were friendly and let me take pictures, which was really nice of them - not everyone would!



Ethan, his new sweater, and Ibrahim - our awesome Zipcar



We thoroughly enjoyed our drive out in our Zipcar and it was a nice way to spend a rainy morning!  (And now, to finish all of this Christmas nonsense so I can get started on my new sweater!!)

Sugar Me: A Holiday Shopping Affair



A collage of armwarmers!



As some of you know, I've been working really hard the past two weeks on a custom order... and the kids haven't been exactly what you'd call "cooperative".  So I was really nervous about getting everything done in time for the Holiday shopping event at Sugar Me.

 I got the vast majority of stuff done... minus one pair of armwarmers and the freebie candle holders I was going to do as well.  (It will be done and delivered on Monday...) I am happy to report that there were a LOT of people that came by and had a good time shopping from a great selection of local merchants and artisans! (I personally got a pair of socks for Xavier's speech teacher, and a pair of socks for me - from Santa)

Sugar Me - Holiday Shopping Affair

Pictured to the right are some of the photos I took, including jewlery from LiuLiu Designs (You can see more of her work here) and be sure to check out the design and staging abilities of the ladies from This & That Design, who made the awesome table displays, as well as the windows and the yummmmmmy cupcakes!  It was really nice to meet with some of Kate's clients as well as some of the other gals who work with her!

Not Holiday Projects... but perhaps something better.

Alright, since the ladies at The Bitter Baking Co. were kind enough to give me a vanity post... I thought I would do the same - I like to share the love.  :)

Not long ago, I was making an Etsy treasury for the zillion pregnant people that I know... okay, maybe not a zillion, but if you look at my feed on Facebook, it certainly seems that way.  I came across these fantastically awesome cookies with fun (and raunchy, and some oh-so-wrong) little sayings on them.  Things about baby daddies, and Twilight halloween costumes, and some others that, well, I'll let you take a look, which I highly recommend, because they're AWESOME - like I said.

Not only do they have the fun and raunchy ones, but they also have their "Sweet Sayings" collection which would be more appropriate for say, your stuffy boss that you know you should get something for, but somehow the "Everyone knows what you do in the Break Room" cookie isn't going to quite work.  AND, they also have partnered with the Camaraderie Foundation  through True Blue Treats which helps troops transition (I really wanted to use re-assimilate, but that sounds like their rejoining society after being a part of the Borg) back into civilian life.  Coming from a military family, I can certainly understand the importance of this particular organization.

Anyhooo, long story short, now we're Twitter friendsies. I can't believe the number of really cool people I have met using Twitter... there will be another post about that next week - and social media in general.  For now, I HIGHLY encourage you to go - NOW (okay, finish reading this first) to their site: http://www.bitterbakingco.com/ and check them out - you can also find them on Twitter, as well as on Etsy.  And just in case you need this one after Holiday break for that really classy girl at the end of the dorm room hall... it's available.  ;)

Something New!

I was ready for a change!  I love the deep greens and reds and twinkling lights of this time of year, but I don't need Santas, Snowmen, and Rudolph.  Check out the new look, and I will have a longer post up this weekend featuring some of the things that I'm working on for the holidays!

Drowning in Custom Orders!

And I like it!  Even though my hands are killing me, I have no time to clean my house, and I'm starting to stress about getting new items up on Etsy... custom orders means that money is coming in!  I got a cool new book the other day with a bunch of patterns for cute little stuffed animals and some AWESOME slippers!

Right now, I'm working on an order for a friend in New York - you'd recognize her from the Kusala logo box on the right.  She was my model from last fall/winter season.  There's a hat, a cowl, a set of foldover mittens, and a viking hat and foldover mittens for her pre-schooler... almost done! I just have the horns left to work on and the linings for the mittens.  I'm thinking these mittens are going to be great Christmas presents for the guys in our families!

Next up: another viking hat for Xavier's speech therapy supervisor and some adorable little doggie jackets!