That's why they call me Happiknits

I have definetly been in a "colorful" mood as of late. I think it's all this gray/snowy weather we have been having in Jersey. COLD!!! As I sit here typing in my office that feels like there is no heat in here....Last night when I finished my rounds on the computer my fingers were blue! My mom and mother in law always dress extra warm when they come here (lol).. Anyway, so my creating has been on the bright side. I made some fingerless gloves to match the Mantra capelet. I love the blue and orange together. I need to make myself a pair of these... Also I used some more of the pooch in my stash for another cowl. I am loving these cowls and they are definetly limited edition. Michael's has NO pooch left, gone. Sure, just when I figure out something cool to make with it. This is the story of my life. Same with the Monet scarf. Yarn gone. Discontinued. Ugh. and trust me I have looked everywhere. So I have enough for maybe 3 more monet scarfs and that's it. Bummer. I am also working on another cape in pinks and purples. It is coming along quite well, and I am happy with it! Pics coming soon!

Crafting and Coping

Perhaps you have had something happen in your life. We all have, this is part of being human. Challenges in life help to create the beautiful person you are. Life lessons teach us how to deal with hardships, and for some of this we teach these lessons to our friends, loved ones or perhaps that stranger in need of some human compassion and love. So here I will share one of my life lessons. I am actually currently reading a fictional book called The Knitting Circle. This book, although fictional holds several things. One of the things is that knitting (insert your craft here) can carry us through the roughest of times in our life. I am also a certified Yoga teacher. Yoga teaches alot about meditation and non-attatchment. Knitting is meditative and helps with non- attatchment. I cannot tell you how many times I have spent hours knitting something only to have to rip the whole thing apart (us knitters call this frogging) and start over again. Hours of work, gone in minutes~this is what happens when you're self taught~ but it teaches you how to let go, or in the words of the Beetles, Let it be.

So, several years ago when I hit that point in my life where disappointment loomed on a monthly basis and my life was thrown into complete chaos, I turned to my knitting and yoga to help me cope. I will share with you here that I was inducted into what I think of as a "secret society" - I'll spill the beans here, those of us who are, as they say, "fertility challenged". I never understood, and still can't why no one wants to talk about it. But what I have found is that when I tell someone my story usually they will say, "I went through something similar." I then (and still to this day) knit like a fiend. If I'm sitting, I'm knitting. Sometimes I'm standing and knitting. Because when I knit, all I hear in my head is a soft voice saying, knit, knit, knit, pearl, pearl. This my friends, brings comfort, well being, and most importantly, peace. Now don't get me wrong it took me awhile to get to this point, and I credit 2 awesome women and a wonderfully supportive and loving husband with helping me. Most importantly my yoga teacher Jaime. She believed in me when no one else would. She gave me a mantra that I personally feel saved my life and sanity. It lifted me out of the ditch I was in. My point here is that I incorporated all of these things together, collectively, and my craft continues to serve me well. I'm still learning to let it go, ( I can finally take an advil mid cycle and not stress about it affecting my cycle).

Mine is just one story of life, my belief is that we all have something challenging that has happen to us. Find you craft, find your moment of peace and let it go.

Back to Boot camp!

Back to the old boot camp today. It sure was cold and dark at 5:30 am, however nothing compared to what wednesday and friday with zero temps will be like. I still can't believe there is a group of girls an hour earlier than us!!!! CRAZY!!!!! I mean that's commitment for you! So I am sore already. I finished the Faerie knit cape this weekend. I had soooo much fun needlefelting the brooch. Too much fun if you ask me! I was very happy with the way this cape came out. I think it would be lovely for a wedding- wish I would have made myself a bridal cape for when we left the reception, Memorial day was still ccchhhillyyy here in NJ. I am thinking to expand the bridal line this year. On another note, while I was in Pins and Needles in Princeton the other day (my FAVORITE LYS) I decided I would make myself a shrug. huh, what a novel idea. Of course the color Rowan Polar I picked out she did not have enough of, but lucky me my husband's Uncle gave me a gift certificate to yarn market :) Yay! The yarn came super fast via UPS and I am itching to get started so I can wear it!! I also made a funly cowl with the very loved pooch. I am under the impression that this yarn is on it's way out. Oh My! what will all the gals who use this as scarf decoration do?!? Anyhow, it was in my stash along with some funky cascade yarn that I purchased a boat load of a couple of months ago and have finally found a great winter idea for it. Add one of the huge, funky, handmade wooden buttons and you have what I think is a Super Fun and Funky cowl (is that too many funkies in a row??). I almost want to keep it for myself and I love the way the photos came out. I named it the Carribean knit cowl. The colors are so Carribean in nature, I feel like I am back in St Lucia hanging out in the little tents by the ocean....Ahhhhh....can I get another frozen drink?

Why I Buy Handmade

So today I was reminded why I prefer to buy handmade. It's a snowy day here in NJ, and I went out to the bank and I wanted to look at some beads for my charm bracelet, you know the kind that starts with a "P". So I went to this little shop around the corner. They carry all kinds of "Gifty" items. I will not mention the name..Anyhow. I swear I saw an ad in the local paper that they now had some new beads that were Valentine's in nature. I am a huge heart fan. Love em year round I wear hearts. So with cash in hand I walked into the store.. Only to stand there for about 20 minutes while the snow is swirling around outside and the saleswoman is having a discussion with these 2 women about buying things in threes. Ok, I understand, you want to make the sale to them, but , here's a novel idea...why don't you excuse yourself from them while they are deciding what bajillion dollars they are going to spend (not!) and ask me if I need help. Friends, I have worked in retail. Many moons ago before becoming a RPh I sold cosmetics. There is a right way and a wrong way to work in retail. Let me tell you, this is the wrong way. I finally caught her eye and asked, do you have the new heart beads? She looks at me-down her nose I might add- and states "we only get beads in the spring and the fall". O.K. I'm done here. I will take my cash and shop on Etsy now. Or perhaps 1000markets. From someone that hand blows their glass beads. Glass beads that no one else will be sporting on their bracelet. I continually do not understand these places. Am I not a customer also? Do I have to sport diamond earrings and a fur coat to get waited on? Wrong, oh so wrong.

End of rant. I do leave you with a new Faerie cape that I am working on. I still need to put attatchment on front and I am working on a felted brooch for this lovely. I am in love with the Ozark....