Shop update and my birthday

First, for those so inclined, let me just say that the etsy shop will undergo a major update today and tomorrow with lots of scrumptious yarn and fiber. I have a few new colorways included -- Sweet Clover (read about it here)and All Hallow's Eve (pictured in-knit above), as well as some of the standards. LOTS AND LOTS of typing to do! But the pictures are all taken, so I can plug away here on the couch sittin' with hubby. Woolgirl and One Planet will be receiving new yarns by next week as well, so if you don't see what you want here, be sure to check them out. I am also introducing a new line of merino/bamboo/nylon yarn. This stuff rocks! AND I got my copy of No Sheep for You today, and it reports that bamboo is anti-bacterial -- definitely a good thing on socks! I really do love this yarn. It is soft and shiny and the added nylon for strength is a huge plus for me. I personally am very rough on my heels, so I love a little nylon in the blend.
A little more yarn p*rn you say? Well sure! Happy to oblige.





I also cast on a much needed mindless sock while at Revival in the Mystic Mountain colorway (Falkland Superwash). I saved this one skein for myself from the first dye batch and I love it! I am thrilled with the way it is knitting up.

I have been doing much shorter color sections in multiple repeats on a lot of the new colorways to avoid serious pooling and I am very happy with the results. Of course, gauge always plays a big part in how anything will knit up, but the smaller sections do seem to help. I do still like me some big bold pooling and striping on the bright and wild colorways tho. Straight stockinette and let the yarn speak (or scream, as it may be). Oh yeah.
Now, lest my peeps think I am a total ingrate, my awesome, amazing, wonderful, fun, and thoughtful friends of the ManchVegas Knitters threw a little party for myself and Blogless Donna to commemorate our birthdays (mine was the 16th - yup, the big 36). I ended up feeling a bit of a schmuck since I had to leave before the cake came out since hubby had to work that night. :( As I understand it, Donna did me proud, tho. So what did I get? Well, Ericka, in her immense wisdom, peeked into my Ravelry and search out a pattern she "knew I would never buy for myself" and what a great pick it was! I love these little dolls!


I may have to make one for Gracie for Christmas (in my spare time, ya know? Right after I sew up Jacob's dragon. le sigh.) Other birthday goodies included...

a lover-ly pet skein of Artyarns in just my colors, an innovative "basket" from Ikea containing my treats and destined for stashy goodness, more patterns -- Thelonius from Cookie A. and Elves and Elms from Madelinetosh -- oh! and Sox Stix from Lantern Moon, already in my knitting bag, and this...

a cloth knit by Lora that is so sweet and pretty I don't want to use it. Seriously. And it is red. I love red. LOVE. RED.
Aren't I lucky?
From my wonderful hubby (and kiddos) I received a super sentimental gift -- tickets to see James Taylor at the Verizon Wireless Center. (You can read an account of the concert here. Terry said it better than I ever could, and then some.) Sadly, as we walked out the front doors, JT was coming back on stage for one of many encores -- this one Copperline -- but Jim was exhausted from working nights all week and I had been vending at Revival all day, so we just couldn't muster the energy to run back to our seats. Getting personal for a minute... I know it may sound odd that this was a "sentimental" gift, but aside from loving JT for being the man himself, and his amazing music, he was also the favorite artist of my big brother whom I lost 13 years ago, and still so desperately miss. (Someday, maybe I'll tell you more. Not normally the type of info I divulge here -- this is meant to be a happy place.) Scott once told me that, when times got tough and he was sorely stressed out, he would put on some JT and sit back and relax. I have taken this advice often, and now with Scott gone, hearing this music always makes me feel close to him. Jim knows this and could have picked no better gift. Yeah, tearing up now. (I love you, honey. Thank you!) And thank you, Mr. Taylor, for a wonderful, wonderful night.