Can you 'Hold on' for one more day?

Just one more day!  Shelby Allaho and I have been waiting, mostly patiently, for the release of our new book Crocheting Clothes Kids Love.

It is so exciting to have the book released. COME BACK tomorrow for a GIVEAWAY of the new book. I will give one away (to a US resident... sorry, shipping is so expensive outside of the USA).

Of course, this is "Hold On" by Wilson Phillips. I was reminded of this song by special stand-in Mom, Glenda. She mentioned that this song was meaningful to her during a tough time.  I heard a new song the other day that might just become my new theme song... I'll try to share it with you next week.

What PolarVortex?

Mind over matter? It's actually sunny out the window, wickedly deceiving... Here's a memory from summer, when it was so hot that you could sweat just sitting still... 

Today I'm continuing on my Universal Uptown DK project and thinking seriously about starting over on another project that I finished 3 days ago... I'm just not happy enough with it.

Universal Uptown DK

I'm playing with a new yarn today. The lovely Universal Uptown DK in a very springy and glorious lilac color.  It's just what I need with this frigid weather. Of course, you can guess that I love smooth yarns, and a love a great solid, and a DK weight in a user-friendly anti-pilling  acrylic is an attractive combination.  I think it's going to become a go-to yarn for me! Read more about the yarn and see all the colors, solid and multis, here.

Nice to "Meet" you

It was a good thing Chickee was home yesterday on a snow day so that she could help me use FaceTime. (I'm a video-chat newbie). Together we got to meet Shelby Allaho.  It is absolutely amazing that Shelby and I wrote Crocheting Clothes Kids Love without ever having met or even talking on the phone. All our correspondence was done by email as we collaborated on designs, yarn choices, and the written text all through the process.

Now that the book is a mere 9 days from being released we have finally "met".  Not exactly in person, but so close! 

Shelby still has not received her author copy of our book thinking that perhaps that it has gotten lost in en route across the ocean. We had decided that I would not look at my copy until she got hers and we could open them together. Since hers went missing we decided to Face Time and I opened my package and we looked at my copy together.

It's not spiral bound but it has a really interesting binding that does IN FACT lay flat when open without "breaking" the binding.

The photography is really, really good!  Thank you Nancy Langdon for the beautiful photography.

Here's another peek of a project....

Including a Tunisian boy's tee. It did evolve from the original sketch but I think you'll be happy with the subtle texture, cotton comfort, and easy drape.

Another Snow Day!

It's days like this that I'm grateful I work from home.

I don't have the anxiety of white knuckle driving into work in my skirt and heels.

I don't have to worry about the kids being home alone all day. (They'd be fine, but I don't prefer it...)

I'm grateful I have a treadmill, so I don't have to derail my run training because of the dangerous road conditions.

Still, today's snow day means that our kids are "out" of allotted calamity days... 5.  So any more days used and they'll have to go to school extra days either during Easter Break or before dismissal at the end of the school year (boo!)

But the Captain just bought a tractor with a snow plow that arrived on Saturday, so he is loving using his new toy.

It's a good day to hunker down with some yarn.

Above is a photo of last year's snow creature. It is still dark here this morning, too dark to take a photo. We have had so much snow this year that I haven't taken any new photos. I'm kinda over it.  The novelty is gone. We'll see if I can convince the kids to sled ride on our back hill today... again. 

Crocheting Clothes Kids Love on Goodreads

Are you on the social media site, Goodreads?

My books, Go Crochet! Afghan Design Workbook, and Learn Bruges Lace are both listed on there. Now Crocheting Clothes Kids Love is up! 

Go check it out! Then go order one for yourself :)  hee hee, only a couple more days until the book's official release on February 1.  Also, save your pennies because Shelby Allaho, my co-author will be in the USA, and we will be TOGETHER signing books at the Knit and Crochet Show in Manchester, NH in July.  More details later at the date approaches, but this gives you time to make your plans to visit with us.

Ok, I can't wait!  Here is a favorite piece of mine from the book. A simple tank with a great edging and optional corsage. I can't wait for you to see it on a child in the book. Too cute.  Need a reminder of the other peeks that I have posted?  Check them out here.

Sneak Peek

Has it totally been forever since I shared a sneak peek?
I realized that this might be an interesting one...

Makes you say, "Hmmm, interesting" Doesn't it?

2014 Goals

By now, you probably know that I'm big on GOALS. You have to have a goal in mind so you know where you are going.  Each year, I make goals for myself. In the past, I have spent a little time envisioning what I wanted my typical day to look like:

Get the kids off to school
Run.
design and send proposals
check the mail and pull in checks. (Seeing zeroes in my mind's eye).
stitch and ship off projects and signed contracts
Receive emails of acceptances
Receive the kids home from school
Dinner/family time
Bed.

I haven't had time to come up with my 2014 goals yet, but I have had time to think of a few key words.

Last year one of my motto words was "Dynamic".  I wanted to be Dynamic in my creativity, in business, in life. I wanted to be an active agent in my life, not so much letting things happen to me, but creating opportunity in an active way.

My first Key word is "THRIVE".

Well, abundance has come pretty close to overwhelming me, so in 2014 I'm going to remember not just to survive but to THRIVE. I keep hearing my pal Marly Bird saying, "Just keep swimming".  And that's what I'm trying to do! Not just keep my head above water but propel myself forward.

I admit, I had started prioritizing projects in 2013, saying "No, thank you" strategically and I'll have to continue that trend in 2014.  I just can't do it all, so I'll do what I can to the best of my ability.


My second Key word for 2014 is "HALF".
And I mean 'half' in a really wonderful way.  One aspect of 'half' I can't really tell you about, but it pertains to one of my book projects and I'll try to remember to tell you about it when it is revealed. The other aspect of 'half' is that I'm going to train for a Half Marathon.  The goal is to run 13.1 miles on Mother's Day Weekend. The crazy thing is that I'm not even sure that I WANT to do it. HAHAHA. It does seem like the next thing to do. I'm scheduled to run a 9 mile race (for the first time) in March, then the 13.1 in May.  Training starts today. We'll find out how bad I want this goal... because really, the determining factor of whether or not you reach a goal is how badly you want it. BTW, I need to qualify and say that I use the term "run" very loosely. I don't really run anything straight through, I usually take walk breaks.

So "Thrive" and "Half".  Those key words will run through my mind over and over again through the year. Likely 'Dynamic' will still run through my mind as it has become a habit from last year.

Specific goals and filing those darn receipts from 2013 will have to happen asap, but not until I go run 3 miles.

Minnie likes Cotton Fair

In my post this morning, I told you I was trying Premier Cotton Fair...
while I was at the grocery, Minnie got a hold of my swatch, unraveled it, and ran through the house with the ball....

This is Minnie resting after being cut out of the ball by Chickee...

New Yarn Day

Today I'm trying a new yarn...

Premier Cotton Fair

It's 52% cotton, 48% acrylic, 317 yds, 290m and comes in a 3.5 oz/100g ball
$4.99 a ball at  AnniesCatalog.com
It's a size "2" yarn, but I'm going to try an "F" hook because the bigger the hook I can get away with the faster the project will go.

Have you tried this yarn yet? What did you think?