Sunday, July 30, 2017

Summer Ends?

Schools start back in a week here;  completely unacceptable to me.  Whatever happened to waiting until after Labor Day?

If that's our reality, though, we must go on.  And in these last days of summer vacation, your Contest Countdown question is this:
Which would you rather play with on a summer day


A) Kaleidoscope


B) Pinwheel


C) Bubbles

D) Dandelions

If your answer is chosen, you'll win this:

Mrs. Crosby Steamer Trunk yarn in Tiger Lily (again, HUGE thanks to Camille), a coloring book, twistable crayons, 
gummi bears, and a stitcher's "GPS" --- a way to keep up with where you are in a pattern.

Your turn --- answer away!


Saturday, July 29, 2017

Greenery

I was raised by two people who believed in signs.  Symbols.  They believed in them for different reasons, and they didn't always agree on their origins, but signs, symbols, senses --- all these were to be seen as telling.  Insightful.  Inspired.  Indicative.

Therefore, it is of little surprise to me that the winner of this week's green-themed gifts is the bonny Irish lass Bridget.  Congratulations, my dear.  Keep watch on your mailbox. . .

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Still With The Questions

I say again today, and will say it over again until proven otherwise, that knitters are the most thoughtful and generous and nicest people on the planet.  Take what came to me in the mail a couple of days ago:
Kathy, I've already thanked you privately, but you deserve public appreciation, too.  Is that the prettiest little felted bag you've ever seen?

I do not carry a purse.  When Briton was born, and I began carrying a diaper bag, it was simply too unwieldy to have to keep up with a purse, too.  Then, I suppose, I got used to not carrying one, and still don't.  Like my lack of interest in shoes, I've got no fever for purses.  My daughter LOVES them, and when we go shopping together we always wind up in the purse department.  But knitting bags / tote bags?  Can't get enough.  Are you like that?  Can a knitter have too many bags?

And another question;  have any of you tried arm knitting?  I made an attempt this afternooon, to no avail.  It may have been the yarn I used, so I'll give it another go another day.  








Sunday, July 23, 2017

Qs

"Q" as in "curly-q," as one of this week's prizes is
this pattern book.  There are some beautiful wraps here.

Too, there is
hunter green yarn (3 skeins)
and
a set of stitch markers made by my wonderful friend, Laurie.

You'll note that Laurie's tag line for her markers is "Jewelry for your fiber arts."  The second "Q" is for this question waiting for an answer from you:

What is the jewelry that you feel naked without?

As for me, I have a necklace that my father gave me when I was pregnant with Briton, and a bracelet he gave me when I was pregnant with Hannah. and I never take either one of them off.  I can't imagine not having them on.






Saturday, July 22, 2017

Prizes and Gifts

Evidently, the Random Number Generator has a sense of humor.  After admonishing you all earlier about accepting your winnings with "grace," the Generator gave me Grace as this week's winner.  Congratulations to you!

Most of us would like to be sketchers, it seems.  Kathy, understandably, as she is quite an accomplished one already, chose photography.  This is one of her pictures:
Also, Kathy gave birth to a terrific picture-taker.

Camille and Vicki both chose sculpting, which was my initial choice as well.  What a remarkable group of artists and visionaries you all are.

As I search and shop for KH and KC prizes, I sometimes get things for myself.  Like these labels, which you can all no doubt relate to:

Have a wonderful weekend!

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

In Order

FIRST.  You're all being quite kind and selfless by "disqualifying" yourselves from Countdown Contest prizes once you've won.  And that is much appreciated, truly.  HowEVER, there are only about 7 of you who answer each week, so someone  (actually, several someones) is going to win more than once.  So accept your presents with grace and gratitude,
dammit!

SECOND.  I got a haircut this morning (soooper short, or, at least as short as my thick, springy hair* will allow), treated myself to a couple of hot Krispy Kremes on the way back home, then got home to find that the garage door was malfunctioning.  Wonderful.

I shouldn't complain, chiefly because it serves no purpose, but also because this door has been there at least 15 years.  Turns out the motor has burned out and everything has to be replaced and when you've been unemployed forever, any amount of money in and past three digits is a stretch.  Fortunately, it can't be replaced until next week, so I've got time to tap dance around in the bank accounts.

THIRD.  Six weeks from tomorrow, nominations for Knitters' Hunk and Knitters' Chick will open!  I'm quite settled on my three women but just can't get my three men in a row.  One is in for sure.  The second is a strong "probably."  The third is anyone's guess right now.  When we get there, I'll let you know who you don't have to nominate.  Plus, there'll be a little surprise announcement.  Gather up all your woolly and knitty friends, and let's make the 10th Anniversary year a fantastic one!




*The beautician's term, not mine.


Monday, July 17, 2017

If

If you leave me an answer to this week's question (by Friday), you could win this:

That's a hank of Sweet Georgia Superwash Worsted in Coastal,
the 2014 Comfy Collection from KnitPicks, and

There are 200 yards of the yarn.  Even though the pattern book is the "2014 Collection," rest assured that I bought it very recently.  There are 32 pages to color with 12 colored pencils.

The Question:
If you could become adept at one of the visual arts, which would you choose?
Photography
Painting
Sketching
Sculpting



*Subsequent weeks will further indulge my love of coloring. . .


Saturday, July 15, 2017

I'm Up, I'm Up

This is the first day of the week that I haven't had somewhere to be, or something to do, at a very specific time, so sleeping late today was my reward and celebration.

The Random Number Generator is still doing right by everyone;  no repeat winners yet.  This week, Twinnie Kim emerges victorious.  (See how I used orange ink there, Twinster?  Aren't you proud?  And that my gif is a duck?)

I believe I've covered all my bases with Professor Kim.  I hope all of you continue to play along.  New stuff Monday!

Friday, July 14, 2017

Heads Up

It's sort of funny that I posted that picture of Briton yesterday, because this is how he looks as of this morning:
I know, right?

I envy him so, being able to shed his hair in this heat.  He says he's having "phantom pains" --- reaching up to push his hair back.  He was sort of terrified for a while, but then realized how comfortable and easy it was going to be.

Latest Countdown Contest winner tomorrow. . .

Thursday, July 13, 2017

Thumbs Up

Having an actor in the family means paying much more attention to actors and their craft.  That, in turn, means wanting deserving actors to be rewarded for excellence.  So, award shows are a big deal around here.  The Emmy nominations came out today, and I am really happy about 
Hugh Laurie
Ron Cephas Jones
David Harbour
Anthony Hopkins
Jeffrey Wright
Sterling K. Brown
all being selected.  If you've never seen any of these men at work, I highly recommend your hunting them out.  They're each so brilliant that my son had to wear shades:

It is, very suddenly, very hot here.  It's been quite warm here on other days, but, the slamming heat landed this week.  And intense heat means bad headaches for me, no matter how much I try to stay ahead of it with hydration. 

Thank all of you for your wonderful replies to this week's question.  Every time such a round of good answers comes in, I plan to respond to each of you individually, then fail spectacularly.  What is particularly special about these replies is how they prompted us all to look up new patterns.  And new patterns are never a bad thing, right?


Monday, July 10, 2017

Next Up

This week, you can win
two skeins of Navajo (Color 04) from Tahki Select, 
and
one hank of Cascade Heritage sock yarn in color 5632 (dark plum)
and
if
you answer this question before week's end:

If a portfolio were made of your finished knitting projects, which would you want on the cover?

Sunday, July 9, 2017

Change-Up

A while back, I ordered a kit to make this throw.  Somewhere along the way, it dawned on me that I didn't want to sew a bunch of strips together, then pick up stitches all the way around for a border.

So it became stripes.  Why in the world the palest, palest blue photographed as pink is a mystery.  I'm just winging the width of the colors.  It's an easy, pretty mindless project, and it's easy to see progress.




Saturday, July 8, 2017

Whew

What a week.  Emergencies, arguments, falling ill, anger, griping, heat, pain, crises, finances, pets, not being able to get gauge. . .

But that isn't why you tuned in, is it?

This week's winner is TEABIRD!  

Package to follow, my dear.

Her response to the "pink" question?

Monday brings new prizes and a new question;  see you then!

Tuesday, July 4, 2017

Hey kayT Again!

I deleted the e-mail with your address thinking it was the one with your blog comment.

Could you please re-send your address?

Boy, is my face red.  Or, pink, if we wanted to stay in-theme.

Sunday, July 2, 2017

If You Look At "Pink" Long Enough, It Just Looks Ridiculous

While the prevailing color scheme right now is red, white, and blue, we are going with pink today.  Namely, the pink of this week's yarn prize.

This is from Mrs. Crosby, and, once again, was donated by Camille.  ðŸ’—  Along with the yarn are stitch markers, travel-size toiletries, butterfly magnets, and a sweater stone.  You'll have a chance to win all of it by answering this question by midnight Friday.

Which "pink" idiom do you like best?
Pink slip
In the pink
Tickled pink
Pink collar
Pink elephants

Saturday, July 1, 2017

Hey kayT!

You've won this week's prizes!  Send me your address (*handeyecrafts*at*hotmaildotcom*), and I'll get them out to you.


48

If you've ever rented a movie on Amazon Prime, you know you have 48 hours in which to watch it.  (By the way, why do we "watch"...