A THRILLING MOMENT!!!

I have always felt there was great value in handwork, be it knitting my personal passion or what ever. Now I know for sure this is true. In the small town where I live where the recession has really arrived here is what happened on Thursday evening. It was suggested to me by a woman on the Elf Fund committee that I should donate something hand knit for the charity auction. This charity helps our elderly and needy children year round. Called "The Elf Fund" 2008 is the 25th anniversary year. They choose special items for the live auction, those they feel will bring the higher prices. Also there was Chinese auction and a silent auction.

Many of us have spent hours and hours working on an item only to find that when we give it to charity they don't even receive the price of the yarn. I found this not to be true. After being reviewed by the committee I was told this would do very well. This is a gala affair in this small town and my husband and I love to attend. I did not feel I had a lot of money to donate this year so I did what I thought would help them. I donated a Shetland Shawl. The pattern is from Gemma Ord. A very old and traditional one.

This item brought $500.00 at the auction. I can not tell you how thrilled I was. I now have started something and been warned that they want another shawl next year. I shall be pleased to answer this request. This event certainly will be the highlight of my holiday season. To be able to help those less fortunate with my most favorite thing to do.

When you receive a request such as this take the time to ask what you should do and how it will be sold, then knit accordingly. It is to me the act of giving of ones self.

MYSTERY IS SOLVED!

Today I learned why I was so blessed with the glorious box of yarn. It is all due to "Dish Rag Tag The Sequel". Emily posted me that I was a winner from the contest. Old lady never at a loss for words is, I received for Congeniality. I am just so thrilled I can't think of anything to say except a big thank you for those who submitted my name. To all of you, I really do appreciate this and what it means.

Looking forward to knitting up this glorious stash and next years dish rag tag.

Joan

WOW WOW & DOUBLE WOW

This morning the mail lady left me the most exciting package. Hubby said "What did you buy this time?" My response was nothing. There is this giant box. With my name on it. OK so here I go. The first thing I come to is the darling card that says Congratulations, Beth. I am at a loss as to what this is all about. I start unwrapping all these wonderful tissue wrapped packages. Well what do I find? Amazing Christmas cards with a knitted mitten on the front. One of these I shall frame for the knitting wall pictures. Then as I delve deeper I find yarn, yarn and more yarn. Each package more exciting than I can imagine. I have soft blue kid merino,( a special scarf?), then a glorious huge skein from Interlacements hand dyed in my favorite colors (I feel a shawl coming on here), 2 balls of Creative Focus, alpaca and wool in of all things the color PINK. My most favorite color of all. Some scrumptious soft grey tencel and alpaca (oh the mind is racing now). If this were not enough 2 more skeins of Frog Tree Alpaca. My knitting mind is now on over load. There is also a skein of Bartlett natural wool in super chunky. I can't quite believe my good fortune.

Now I have no idea the reason for this glorious package, the card said "CONGRATULATIONS, BETH" You can be sure there will be a note off to the aforementioned Beth today. I have no idea why I am so blessed but let me tell all of you that I treasure this great gift box. I don't know what I did to be on the receiving end of something a knitter would dream about.

I can only hope that Beth reads this and sends me an email to tell me why I am so lucky, I never ever win anything so now this arrives in my mail. Knitters are the very best I have always known this and now all this to make my needles very happy.

I must first finish up the Christmas projects then watch out here come some wonderful things from this special stash. Thank goodness I don't have a ton of things waiting to be finished. I thought last night as I embarked on one of those gifts that I can get it all done. At least I think so.

I have a big smile on my face as I write this, and now to get on with the projects on the needles so I can start some wonderful new things, I always have "startitis" but right now just in my little old brain.

Many thanks Beth who ever you are.

Tis The Season To Be Hunting!

Another parallel in our little lives???? The engineer hunting husbands! Are we bothered by the hunting thing??? No we are not. For every minute our husbands spend hunting it's a free minute for us to knit or sew. Do we mind the money spent hunting? No we do not. It's like this, OKAY Mister! I'll See your Deer tag and I'll raise you a set of Signature double point needles! When we want to stop in a knitting shop while traveling, we do. If there's any static we say, "Hey, how many times have we been to Gander Mountain, Cabela's ......add any store you like????? It all evens out and they know it. Bring on the season. We're happy to have the time!

Emmy Sends her Love

Are Vera and Sammy not the cutest little things you ever saw???? Emmy would love to have a freind around the house but her Daddy is not ready for two canines. So here she is either waiting for a friend or waiting for Sammy and Vera to visit.

Joan and I are once again on parallel plains. She emailed me about Lillie and Barbie, as I was reading it I thought OH, I have that Barbie and Me book....Two lines later in the email she says she has the same book.

I live for the day I can retire and knit as much as Joan does. I'm pretty sure I'll never reach the knit as WELL as Joan does but there's a plus side to that too. I can email her at any time and say "what the heck is this and how do I do it?" She responds so fast and lets me know what to do or not do. The world is so confused right now. I really think if everyone knitted....we could straighten out a lot of problems! Let's work on that!

SOMEONE NEW!

Last time I updated all of you it was not about knitting and the knitting still is in the back seat. The little puppy left here and went to a wonderful new home and has a new name Bandit. Still there is a happy animal rescue story around here. I now have a friend for Sammy her name is Vera and OH so sweet. She is part of the rescue plan as well. I felt that a puppy should be in a home with young people and so he is with children, to romp and play and sleep and cuddle with. He is one happy little guy. Now for my happy story. I have Miss Vera, a sweet 2 year old and how lovely she is. We have signed all the adoption papers with the rescue people and I have had her vet checked. All is happy, happy, happy here. She and Sam are doing very well together, we have a few issues at feeding time on Sam's part I might add. I am working on this and each day it is better. They snuggle up together and follow me every where. Now I can return to my knitting. I did manage to complete 6 dish cloths and deliver those to the person making the request. Another hat and mittens for the library charity sale. Next on the list is a sweater I am finishing. It was brought to me and the knitter unknown. It will also be donated to a charity auction. When I am finished I shall post a picture of this one. I think clothes for Barbie dolls will follow. My grand daughter 4 is really smitten with Barbie so that is what is on my schedule at present. Where does the time go, I thought I had a lot of time before Christmas to knit, well it came and went and I have little to show. So enjoy the picture of Sam and Vera and I am off to knit.

SOMEONE NEW