More Surprises in My Mail!

I have a tendency to forget to pick up my mail. Thank you, Andrew, for always remembering to do this!!

I found two packages on my dining room table this morning, and look what the mailman brought me:

This is two skeins of Panda Superwash from Crystal Palace Yarns that I won in their Holiday KAL!! The color in Mint Print, and it is so soft!! I can't wait to get my hands on this!! But, it will have to be put on hold for a little while until I finish some other projects. This is a personal goal of mine this year: Start a project, finish a project!!

As you can see, I already have projects on the needles to finish before I begin another. So this will go into the Miles-proof bin for a little bit. I can see my next pair of socks starting to form in this yarn!!

Oh, no, you don't!! Don't even think about it, Beth!! This must wait until the other items are completed!! Don't pick up those DPN's--PUT THEM DOWN!!

Okay, that crisis is over!!

And I also received these two books from Kristen in her Christmas giveaway from Dancing in the Margins!!




WOW!! Two of some of my favorite things arriving in the mail on the same day!! Sure beats receiving only bills!!



Beth

Blessings and Market Bag Completed

I missed yesterday, so I have a lot to share today!!

First, I have completed Lindsay's first market bag!! I am planning on making two--we'll see how far I can progress in other projects before returning to make another one in a slightly different pattern. I love this bag, and I may just have to make one for myself (after Christmas!). And then another problem occurred.

Cara stopped by last night, spied this bag in completion and was carrying it around, trying it out. I think she would like one, too. Her birthday is in January, so maybe that's an idea for then.

So, without further ado, here is the picture of the completed Lacy V Market Bag!!

I was racing against the sun yesterday because I wanted to take a picture outside, but the sun won. So, I thought today I will take a picture outside--it's pouring!! So, we have a picture taken with the bag hanging from one of my kitchen cabinets.

Now, I'll be able to move on to the next project--let's see--one done for Cara, one done for Lindsay--now it's Cara's turn again!!

And, I've decided to progress to what I'm assuming will be the most time consuming of them all--their rugs:

This is a design by Interweave Knits, and it says "surprisingly quick". I certainly hope so because this is the yarn that I have for each of the girls' rugs. If you look at the link, the picture of the completed rug is at the bottom of the pattern instructions.

Cara's box of rug yarn

Lindsay's box of rug yarn

They each picked out their own colors when Lindsay was home for a visit in May. Yes, I've had this in my closet since May and am just now getting started on this!! Hopefully, the designer is correct, and this will be "surprisingly quick"!!

Now on to some Blog Blessings:

Denise at Shortybear's Place has passed on to me two Blog Blessings!! First, the Marie Antoinette. Now, I looked into this a little--about Marie Antoinette--how she became the Queen of France at the age of 14 and was executed by beheading. Oh, I hope that doesn't happen to me!!

I am certainly not a Queen, but I am a Princess!! So, I suppose this blessing to appropriate to me:

Denise also blessed with this award because I am "real" to her. I liked that a lot--coming across as being real to her through my writings.

Thank you, Denise, for thinking of me in this absolutely awesome way--two blessings!!

Now, there are rules attached to these blessings. I'm supposed to pass these on--the first to 5 people and the second to 7 people. I have a very difficult time doing this, so I'm going to change this a little. I hope Denise doesn't mind!!

If you don't have these blessings for your blog already and would like to have them, here's all you have to do:

Go back and look at those boxes of yarn. Leave me a comment telling me who you think would have the most fun with that amount of yarn, and then just snag these blessings for yourself!! I think we all know who would have the most fun, and if you don't--just read back a little bit--you'll soon discover the answer!!

I'm off to start on Cara's rug, then to work and a service project (which is, of course, outside--hope it stops raining!!).


K--that's all for a while!!


Beth

My Weekend--So Far!!

So far, this has been a nice weekend. Friday night, my Small Group had a get-together just for social purposes. We each brought an appetizer-type food, and we sat and talked and laughed and played "Apples to Apples". I love being with them--a great group of people just enjoying each other's company.

I did take some pictures, and I spent some time looking (again) for my UB cable (see, I even know the proper name, now!) so that I could share one in particular. But, it is gone again! I'll be willing to take bets that Miles "The Sock Destroyer" has something to do with this!! It is always sitting right beside my computer, and it is gone!!

When I find it, whether the picture goes with what I'm writing about or not, I'll be sure to share it with you!

Saturday was spent doing household necessities--paying bills (Thank you, God for providing for me--there was enough to cover all the bills plus a little extra!), running to the post office to mail said bills and a book to someone, then on to the grocery store to buy only healthy food.

I'm following the e-mealz plan (point system for two). This is how I lost almost 5 pounds last week! Since I have a lot of the things left over from last week, my bill at the grocery store was only $53!!

This plan is amazing!! Only $5 a month, and you can choose which plan you want to use--regular for 5 or 6 people, low-fat for 5 or 6 people, plans for 2 people, and more. This even comes with a list to take to the store so you know exactly what you need for each recipe. I've had leftovers to take to work for lunch, so this is just wonderful.

I wasn't going to do this--thinking to myself--an extra $5 a month--but then my son who has gone from over 300 pounds to 190 and wants to stay that way--said that we should and he would pay for it! So, off we go!

This plan takes the thinking of "what should I make, what should I eat, how many can I have" right out of the weight loss problem! If you're interested, you should check it out! Just click on the link at the bottom of my blog, and it will take you right to their site!!

Then yesterday afternoon, I almost completed two new items for my etsy store. They should be up by this afternoon.

Then to top it off, I joined the Carefree Holiday-or-Not KAL. I'm going to be knitting for Christmas anyway, so a little added incentive always helps! There are only 100 spots available, so if you're interested in this, please check it out right away because I'm #69! And free yarn for prizes!! Just click on the picture to your left or the link above, and you'll be there!! For those of you who don't knit or crochet, stop by anyway and see all the spectacular items people will be receiving for Christmas presents--one of them might be you!!

Thank you, Aunt Kathy, for posting about this, otherwise I wouldn't have known!

By the way, I know that I've said several times that Aunt Kathy is not really my aunt. But, I have heard from her, and she says that she will be my aunt anyway!! Thanks, Kathy!! You know that I could really use a nice aunt in my family right now!! So, from now on, she really is my aunt!!

I know that a lot of you who read this already know Aunt Kathy, and some don't. If you don't know her, be sure and stop by and visit her. She has been my inspiration to weight loss and healthier living. Drop by and give her some encouragement and cheering on, too!!

Today--preschool class, then church, then home to finish up those etsy projects, start my Holiday KAL (oh, no--I have to find that cable now in order to post pictures there!), and finish the baby blanket for Kristan. The blanket doesn't count in the KAL because I started it before October 1st. Oh, well!!

Make sure to stop by The Power of Your Love! I'll be posting Internet Cafe Chat there!

K--that's all for a while!

Beth