I’m enjoying keeping warm with a stack of knitting at my side. I think it leaves Dan rather bemused that despite the new baskets he brought into our life as a means to tame the wool beast* I still end up with multiple projects circling my feet, taking over the couch, and undoubtedly, getting kicked across the floor by a small person.

* To be clear, I am not the wool beast. I am it’s mistress…but just barely. It threatens to spin out of my control at any moment.

This week I’ve mostly focused on the cowls I wanted to finish up (seen here). I still have four sleeves, button bands, a secret hat, and an ear to finish…but as a reward for finishing both cowls I cast on another project. It feels like a reward but after reviewing that long list of unfinished knits I’m starting to think I should change my reward system.

Either way, I started a pair of leg warmers for the littlest girlie’s chubby baby legs. She’s been wearing leg warmers under her clothes often. They are so nice and easy for diaper changes and give her that extra warmth she needs. I decided cozy handknit leggies were a must have for an Alberta January. I do proudly admit that seeing Corrie’s wee babe modelling her pair pushed me over the edge on this decision. Since my need to squeeze her little sweetie is going unrealized  (thank goodness I have Mira to snuggle on this end of the country) I’m outfitting Mira in a sweet pair of her own.I’m knitting them in the same alpaca I used here and here. They will be cozy warm!

My book pile has grown significantly after a hold placing spree I took last week. They seem to come it for me at the library all at once so now I have a lovely stack to poke through. The only one I’ve had a chance to look through is The Home Creamery. We started making yogurt before Christmas and we can’t get enough of it. I’m making 6 L a week and everyone is devouring it. Yum! Now that we’ve realized how easy yogurt is we’re excited to try more dairy making.

I also finished The Red Pyramid this week. I did really enjoy it and will look for the second book. It was a bit more intense than I’d expected when I began – my kids would be freaked right out by it and aren’t old enough for it yet. I found the premise of Ancient Egyptian mythology and religion as truth a little creepy but it would be very interesting for youth studying the topic. Has anyone else read this series?

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joining Ginny for yarn along

We had a great weekend in this house of jays. I love how a wonderful weekend sets us up so nicely for the new week.

We shared fun times with special friends, I tested out a couple of new recipes (forcing me, ahem, to eat a lot of chocolate), and we kept watching those birds (like many of you correctly assumed here). We polished off a giant stack of waffles while test-driving this loan from a friend (amazing!!). There was snuggling, reading, listening,  and watching.

Of course there was knitting. While I didn’t get loads done, I did finish off the gaptastic and darkside cowls, finished up the body on the ongoing saga that is the tiny tea leaves and nearly completed the last ear on this poor neglected friend (you can view my notes for all these projects here). I even braved myself to snap some self-potraits modelling the cowls (ta da, photos of me).

Now our Monday is almost over and we’re rushing out the door for skating lessons.

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How about you all? Hope you had a great weekend and a great start to your week!

Happy Monday, lovely people!

I’ve got a winner to announce!

It’s been lots of fun to receive your comments and suggestions of things you’d like to see more of here. Thanks so much for picking your brains for me. I must admit the photo challenges (more photos of me?!) are something I didn’t except – you guys sure know how to name a challenge. I’ve taken them all to heart and I’ve had fun planning some recipes (I’ve been itching to share some more favourites), crafty posts and I’m even willing to step in front of the camera (I will also kindly request that Dan leave at least one of my extra chins out of the shots – none of us wants to see those).

But the suspense is killing me, so without further ado, with the help of the random number generator, our winner is :

Angie!!

Yay, Angie! I think this is quite suiting as Angie was my very first blogging buddy. We started blogging, I think, the same week and found each other shortly after. Angie blogs about her homeschooling, mothering and crafting adventures over at wonderfully crazy.

I’ll send out your bags and their few surprise goodies this week!

Hooray! This has been fun. Thanks to everyone who entered! I will definitely be doing another giveaway – before my second year has passed. 🙂

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I’ll be back in a little bit to share some fun from our weekend!