A United Message of Love

...to honor the victims of Virginia Tech

Warning: It's Not Pretty

My SP10 hostess, Shelby, has created another contest. She is looking for organizing ideas and has asked to see our stash. Well... no organizing ideas here. In spite of that, I just can't resist entering a contest, so here is how a small portion of my stash looks.

I have tried different methods of organizing...attempting first to follow Sally Melville's method of organizing by color, as described in her book Sally Melville Styles. It didn't work for me. Next, I decided to try organizing by yarn weight. That seems to work better for me; but, I haven't gotten very far with this method. So, as it is now, some of my stash is organized by color and some is organized by weight, and some is just...not organized.

My attempt at organizing by color started with an idea I saw on a Martha Stewart Show. Martha was organizing kid's toys into these giant Ziploc bags and then hanging them from skirt/pants hangers. That seemed like a good idea; but, my bags kept sliding off the hangers...It looked so easy when Martha did it.

Now, I attempt to put yarn into plastic bins by yarn weight...I just haven't gotten very far with that idea.

Fortunately, most of the mess is behind closet doors...


When you open the doors, you see this...okay, I can't stop thinking of the famous shower scene in Psycho (click the link if you need a reminder) ...can you hear the music? Here we go...































Sheesh...I warned you...it isn't pretty!

Fantastic SP Package!

I have received a fabulous package from my SP10 spoiler...seriously! She sent me a little bit of everything...I have certainly been spoiled.

The package started with the usual assortment of multi-colored tissue-wrapped bundles which, quite honestly, I never grow tired of. Unfortunately, I started ripping things open so quickly that I didn't even think to get the camera out...I guess I was just too excited.


Inside, there was yarn, chocolate, gum, a candle, playing cards, a refrigerator magnet, post-it notes, a key chain, and jewelry...that's right, jewelry...WOW!


To break it down more...the yarn: a skein of Araucania Nature Wool Chunky in a pretty dusty rose color. The Nature Wool is 131 yards and 3.5 stitches to the inch...I'm trying to figure out what to make with it. It would definitely make a pretty felted bowl from Oneskein. Also, I received two balls of Peru DK which is a lovely Alpaca/Silk blend in a beautiful soft blue. Each ball has 124 yards and knits up to a 5.5 st gauge. Ideas, anyone?


The chocolate: Lindt Raspberry Dark Chocolate Truffles; the gum: Orbit; the candle: Malaysian Melon; the playing cards and the Post-it Notes: both have a dog theme making them quite appropriate for me; the keychain: a Sock Blocker with a mini-sock pattern for the blocker/keychain to wear; and the refrigerator magnet: an adorable sheep magnet.




The jewelry is a necklace and I love it. I have already worn it twice and each time, I get compliments on it wherever I go. It is soooo my taste that it is really quite amazing that someone who has never met me, my secret pal, could have picked it out for me.

I recently had my hair (re)colored and it matches my hair...I kid you not.

(Forgive the photos...it is not easy to photograph yourself.)




I already said it privately; but, let me say it again publicly...Secret Pal, thank you so much!!!

Off to NYC

I know...I'm a bad blogger. I have not posted anything for a couple of weeks. I meant to do a nice post showing pictures of the (very few) finished objects from March, and a picture of the beautiful skein of yarn that Kerry sent me when I won the contest for offering some advice on a knitting dilemma she had.

But...I am out of time. I am off to New York City for the weekend. We are leaving early in the morning and I need to finish packing and get to sleep.

So...all I can offer you now is another cute (aren't they all cute?) picture (or two) of my babies.

Miss Skagway

Rumor and Stella

That's all I've got...for now.