I won!!!

A few weeks ago Shannon of Minerva Turkey had a contest in honor of her new hedgehog Oy. I won!!!

What did I win you ask? A cool fiber trends pattern plus all the goodies needed to put the little hedgehog together!

Cute little hedgehog pattern from Fiber Trends. I haven't tried anything from fiber trends before so this is a good time to see if I like their patterns!

Yarn for body and spikes. Louet Riverstone for the body. In a champagne color. Shannon says she likes this better then cascade for felting so I can't wait to try it out and see. And fun fur in chocolate for the spikes. The two colors go really well together too.

Some solid black eyes that screw on. Not safe for dogs so this guy will have to sit up on a shelf away from jumpy dogs that like to steal toys! Not sad about that at all.

Its a really wonderful prize. Thank you so much Shannon!!! Also everyone go say hi to Oy because he is incredibly cute. (At the bottom of that post.)

Postage

I've spent quite a bit of this evening getting stuff ready to go out tomorrow. Knowing I actually need to walk into a post office (customs forms can't be filled out online!) makes me want to have it all ready before I leave for the office tomorrow so I can do it on the way home before it gets busy.

There are 8 packages. Some shop sales. A swap package for Carla (sorry I am so much later then I said!!! I hope you like it!!!). A calorimetry winner's package. And some pay it forward. Other pay it forward went out on Tuesday.

So who won the Calorimetry. Was it Gus??

No sadly knitwear makes him hot. Especially as the weather is heating up. (To answer a comment question, this is why Gus doesn't get one!)

No our winner was Robyn, of Robyn's Nest (nice shop!) and Knit & Purl Mama. Robyn I hope you like it!

Two

Happy Birthday to you...
Happy Birthday to you...
Happy birthday my girlie....
Happy Birthday to YOU!!!!!

My Abigail is two today. I can't believe that she's been in the family for nearly two years. Just 7 short weeks from now that happens.

When I got home from work today she wanted to go play soccer. Here she is ready to attack the ball (and my foot). She's always been the sporty one.

She's my sweetheart. A crazy soul. A group hugger (runner over). Never shy. Rarely afraid. Always looking for action. She's a happy-go-lucky, go-with-the-flow, everything is a good time, type girlie. She stole our hearts at first sight, even before we "met" her and once we had met we couldn't let her go and we big time rearranged our lives (mostly mine as Chris was working quite far away) so that we could bring her home. She is stubborn, eccentric, loving, and over-the-top. She is a BIG personality in a compact body. She is the embodiment of love. I think a dog is always in investment in love. (Cats too!) No matter what you paid/donated they are always worth more. And always bring you so much more.

For Abby's birthday she wanted to give you a gift. I've knit two Calorimetry head wraps in the last week. I didn't have enough of this yarn for a zeebee (Schmeebot if you don't do ravelry.) like I planned and I didn't think I had enough for a long enough hat either, but I did for two calorimetry. One for me and, instead of giving the second to Abby like I might have, I've knit one for you! (Don't worry Abby will steal mine. She won't go without.)

These both need blocking but I'm calling them finished or I'll just put off this post (can anyone say Lizard Ridge finished project??) They've also already been Gus approved as he tried to eat mine.

Pattern: Calorimetry from Knitty (my ravelry project)
Materials: Each one took exactly half a skein of handspun yarn. The batt was from Loop yarns and it was spun by StonyCreek. I traded one skien of Sundara Sock in Rust over Chestnut for this skein of yarn through Ravelry. This yarn was very rope like to knit with but in the skein, the ball, and in the finished project its soft, comfy and oh so pretty. Its a brighter green then the photo here. Think more Kermit and less lettuce.
Needle: US7 Addi Turbo Circular 32"
Start Date: 9 May 2008
Completion Date: 12 May 2008
Size: Smaller then the pattern. I only cast on 88 and its plenty big enough. Also on the one I am giving away I've knit some cables on one side so it is reversible. They are random cables. Whenever I felt like making one I did. So there isn't a pattern to them and they don't occur even in every knit rib.
Project Spectrum 3: Earth (green, brown, metalics)

All the second one needs is a bind off, weaving in and a set of buttons (needs two since it is reversible!) This won't have the leaf button because it wouldn't feel good against your head when you reverse this and its not openable with the awkward button. I've permanently sealed mine, but then mine also isn't reversible.

Are you interested in a handknit head wrap you can't use for another few months (most likely)? If so leave a comment before Thursday night 6PM Central (15 May) and I will draw a name for the recipient. If no one wants it I will give it to Abby, since it is a little silly for me to have two as I only have one head.

Mojo

We are currently on intermission from the soccer game while the doggies catch their breaths. They don't sound so hot breathing so hard (so maybe the game is actually over?) I thought I would come inside and post while they cool off.

It seems I haven't lost my sock mojo. I was starting to wonder. Because of those green socks and my lack of motivation to knit them. But today, today I knit this.

I pulled out yesterday's garter swatch and decided it was going to be socks after all. That is about 1/3 of the way up my foot. See?

I love love love these stripes. Each one makes me happy. I'm pretty sure its the colors and not the stripes themselves :) I'm so ready to keep going on this too. I guess that says something for my mojo. I'm NOT going to frog the green socks yet. I say yet because who really knows what I will do a week from now or whenever.

More mojo? CPurl needs your help. So how about sending some good mojo her way? There is a contest involved too. For some Wollmeise Sockenwolle Superwash in the "Red Hot Chili" colorway. She actually needs two things.

1. For you to go comment on that post and give her some much needed support. She's signed up for the 3-day 60 mile breast cancer walk and she's feeling out of shape and unsure if she can go the distance. If you go over and comment giving her encouragement she'll enter you in the contest.

2. She's looking for donations to help meet her fundraising goals. She's already 20% there from knitters like us. You can go to her personal walk page to donate by either clicking this link or the donation link above.

She's got 20 weeks to train so each month until the big day she is going to have a contest to give away yarn. So check back there often!

I'm off to go finish that soccer game.

Cheers!

Augustus and Abigail's Favorite Things (Contest Results!!)

Today we announce the winners, but for those of you that want to get to know Abby and Gus a little better here are a list of the top 10 things they love to do. Quite a number of people got Abby's favorite, but no one guessed either of Gus' top two. I knew he'd be harder and I'm glad I said you didn't have to get it right!

Augustus' top 10
10. Ride in the car with the windows up but the sunroof open.
9. Walk - He likes to take his time and smell the flowers. Nice, easy, slow is the way to go.
8. Chew on his toys - not that interested in stuff that isn't his
7. Tug, Abby is his favorite to play with. If I'm sitting on the floor he'll climb into my lap and try to get Abby to tug the other end of his toy because my legs hold him in place and he gets more leverage. Usually this results in Gus and Abby growling and Gus getting pulled off my lap by Abby and dumped unceremoniously onto the floor. (Her strength is superior)
6. Get petted. He really loves a good scratch just above his tail.
5. Chase Abby. This usually accompanies soccer or wild puppy energy.
4. Stealing Abby's toys, since they are his too I can see where the concept of sharing could be hard to get through to him. Especially the squeeking ones.
3. Run around with a bottle banging it on things. After a good 10 minutes of running around he'll settle down to chew it. He will do this with boxes too and then tear them apart rather then chew them.
2. Bite Abby, particularly on the ankle.
1. Wiggle - This is and the bite Abby is probably interchangeable but I put wiggle first because he wiggles while he's not biting her, but won't bite her without wiggling.

He usually does most this stuff with a big silly grin on his face.

Abigail's top 10
10. Ride in the car with the windows up and the sunroof open. Neither likes the wind in their faces but they love to smell the air, especially as we drive over the lake.
9. Play word games and cock her head whenever she recognizes a word. This doesn't mean she knows what they are but if she's heard them before her head goes left and if she hasn't it goes right.
8. Lick her foot (especially if her mouth hurts)
7. Tug. She loves to play with us more then with Gus but he's a good and demanding substitute.
6. Play Fetch. Anything and everything is good for throwing!
5. Squeek anything.
4. Chew. This is right at the top of the list but she's always hesitant because of the pain from her jaw issues in the past. Once she is coerced into it she'll chew for a long time. She'll chew her puppy for hours for comfort though.

3. Chase the light. This is a game that Gus doesn't get at all. Abby will chase any sort of light reflection, flash light beam, laser pointer, etc...
2. Soccer - If we can't walk soccer is an OK substitute but she would MUCH rather walk. Gus doesn't really get soccer either, he just chases after her and gets happy when I say good boy.
1. Walk - She is not a sniffer either she is all business with the walks. As far and as fast as I will let her go. We really really should be at a running pace, but Gus can't keep up and he's a sniffer. This fast walk loving trait is NOT a typical bulldog thing. Not at all.

Now that you know my bulldogs better I can announce those winners you've been waiting for.

I am very sad to report that despite last minute efforts we did not get to 100 entries. We still had a really excellent turnout. But, the tally stands at 98 entries. 1 of the 98 was a late entry but I let them in anyway. 96 of the 98 were valid. Contact information made the entry valid. So there are only two winners today. Sorry about that, I really thought I'd be giving away 3 prizes today, but perhaps next time we will make it to the goal number and I can give out more stuff.

Our first winner is...

KNITTING PANDA

Our second winner is...

ELLEN (toppingoff55)[no link for her, just email which I won't share obviously]

Ladies, if you would email or ravel PM me your addresses I will get a package sent out to you probably on Wednesday.

Thank you everyone for playing with me and celebrating 313 posts, Isidore's birthday and my own. Now the big question is whether I will get to 2162 comments or 500 posts first. Which do you think?

:: :: ::

Just in case you think I've been spending all day petting new yarns or playing with new toys. I'll let you know I got NO crafting stuff for my birthday! NONE, ZERO, ZIP. I even tried to go get the Harlot's new book yesterday but the store didn't have it. Not only didn't they have it available they hadn't actually ordered it either! Can you believe that??!? Apparently that North Texas city is too hip for knitting. (It wasn't my local store.)

I have gotten some crafting done this weekend. Yesterday we drove a long way to have dinner with my MIL and SIL and to go shopping (see above about Stephanie's new book), so I got a LOT of knitting time. I have finished one front for the project that jumped on my needles on Thursday late and now am working on the second front (no this isn't a sweater.)

I also finished about 20 new bags today. Here is a picture of all my hard work. Some of these still need pieces and parts (drawstring, bead, or cord stopper) because I ran out of those pieces and parts. Its a pretty pile though!

Chugging Along

If you are looking for the contest it is under this link, but do stay around a while and read. We don't bite at this blog even though there are two dogs here.

We've had some really good entries for the contest. So far there are 55 entries and some people have gotten one right, but I'm not saying if anyone has gotten them both. It took me all afternoon to respond to the comments and say hello to people. Only one person didn't leave me contact information. So Melissa who likes teal, if you are out there please drop another comment on that post with info so I can contact you and won't have to disqualify you! So with 55 (or 56) entries we have a bit of a way to go before I up the prizes to three!

I have about 4 more inches to do on the socks. I thought that I would get more done today but I spent the afternoon saying hi to all of you! So 4 inches or so and Zombies are done. Might that be a finished object for Sunday?? Or tomorrow even?? That would be nice. There are no pictures of that today though.

I bring you spring in North Texas...

These are of course from our woodland area behind the house. I went looking for future butterflies, either larvae or cocoons, but didn't find either. Drat. I know they are lurking here somewhere!

I thought those up north might enjoy this coming of spring! It will get up there to you soon I hope!!

Moving along swiftly...sorta...

If you are looking for the contest it is under this link, but do stay around a while and read. We don't bite at this blog even though there are two dogs here.

SOCK!!!!

Well not a whole sock yet, obviously, but I've managed to accomplish a bit more of the sock. Well on my way to finishing before the next pattern comes out and within my own two week thoughts. It usually takes two weeks for a pair and this sock is right on target.

I've about 8 rows left of the gusset and then onto the "foot". Yay! Tomorrow is my very short day so I *should* have some knitting time in the afternoon so there may be real progress tomorrow. I think the heel came out really really well.

I have to show this last even though it doesn't pertain to the sock in progress because this is the part that wiggles.

where the sock is at

If you are looking for the contest it is under this link, but do stay around a while and read. We don't bite at this blog even though there are two dogs here.

Before I talk about the sock I need to send a thank you to Mari. She had a contest to win some Malabrigo and I WON!!! Yay!

She let me pick from two Malabrigo yarns and I choose a lace weight one as I don't have any lace weight around here. Plus I've so been wanting to try this stuff. Its sort of a greenish gray. I can't remember what it is called, its not in front of me to just look and there are a MILLION skeins of this on Ravelry. So I'm just going to call it pretty for now.

Along with this fantastic yarn she sent some chocolates (which sadly didn't do well on the short trip from Austin), some yummy sounding tea, and a cute card!

It all arrived on my doorstep this evening and is so much appreciated! Thank you ever so much Mari!

Ok for those that are just here for the knitting. This is where the socks are at.

That is halfway down the heel. Its actually just a bit farther then this now. (When I say that think in terms of 2 or 3 rows not down to the toe ok?) This was the best I could do photo wise of that heel flap, what with fading light, because I of course took the photos after our afternoon soccer match. Gus won because he actually played along today. Normally he chases Abby and doesn't understand her single minded devotion to getting the ball. Oops off topic. I love these eye of partridges. Oh and it seems like even though this is sock two and I already knit the toe and heel of Chris' socks with this yarn, I still have almost 2 ounces?? I must have had a very fat skein. I haven't exactly got small feet!

Tomorrow I will hopefully finish the flap and get going on the gusset!

Speaking of Gus, I took this one just as we were coming in from the soccer game. This is more how he usually looks...

313 and a CONTEST!!!!

Today is my sister's birthday. Happy Birthday Isidore!!! Hopefully 24 will be a good year for you!!! We are celebrating her birthday.

"Not mine??!?"

Today is my 313th post. We are celebrating 313. It adds up to seven after all.

"No presents for us then..."

How are we celebrating?? With a CONTEST of course. A Gus and Abby Contest of course... What other topic would I choose?

So here are the details... (PLEASE READ ALL THE WAY THROUGH!)

The chubby Gussy likes to do one thing more then anything else in the whole world. It isn’t eating (which he has to be coerced into) and it definitely isn’t sleeping (which he has to be forced to do).

"A contest? Can I play? I like to play!!"

The inquisitive Abby likes to do one thing more then anything else in the whole world. It isn’t eating (which she has to be coerced into to), it isn’t sleeping (she’s not as bad as Gussy about that though), and it isn’t what Gussy likes to do best. (Wouldn’t that make life easier??)

"I'm ready! Say the word go and I'm off! Where is the contest anyway?"

Your task is to determine what are their favorite things to do.

I realize this could be hard for some (or even all). Gus I think is more hard then Abby. So I’ve devised a plan to get around this burden of having correct answers.

For each entry, also known as you leave a comment with an answer to the question, whether right or wrong, you get your name in the proverbial hat.

For each correct entry, you get your name once more in the hat. So if you get Gus correct and Abby incorrect (or Gus incorrect and Abby correct), you get your name one extra time in the hat. If you get both Gus and Abby correct you get your name THREE extra times in the hat. (I'm feeling generous.)

If you post this to your blog, and let me know (this is key – if you don’t tell me I’ll assume you didn’t), you get your name one extra time in the hat.

If someone enters and says they were sent by you, you get your name one extra time in the hat.

Therefore, you could be entered any number of times WITHOUT getting the answers right.

Only one entry per person. Contest ends on my birthday in 11 days (5 April) at 8PM Central.

"I might rest a bit. What was that about thinking?? At least my answers don't have to be right..."

What do you win? Well that is sorta up for grabs. There will be sock yarn, a cool little sock bag, some sock markers, and maybe some other cool stuff. If you aren't a knitter (I know some of my readers aren't!) you can still enter - just be sure to say so in your comments so I can put together another prize for you!! There will be at least two winners. If we get over 100 comments I will pick a third winner!

Why is the prize up for grabs? Because it depends on you! Obviously if you aren't a knitter this is an easy thing to see. If you are a knitter I will base the prize on the winners' favorite colors. (As best I can!)

There are three steps to entering. All three are essential for prize getting!

1. Answer the Abby and Gus question in your comment.
2. Let me know your favorite color in your comment.
3. Leave me some method to contact you. If I know and correspond with you regularly then you are covered. If this isn’t the case, then please leave me some trail to follow. It doesn’t have to be email, this could be your ravelry id or your blog address as well. Entries with no contact information will be void. (I'm sorry about that, really, but my winners ALWAYS turn out to be without contact information.)

That's it! Easy as pie.

"We're busy now, go away!"

Good News! (blatant advertising for my shop and a 1000 comment winner!)

There is good news all around...

First we've hit 1000 comments.

"Hedgerow Project Bag"

Second I've updated some of my new yarns into the shop, though I still have 7 or 8 colorways to go. I also added a pretty new bag that for some unknown reason didn't make it into the last update. Etsy is slow tonight so I won't get this finished. Most of the blues are still to go. I'll try to get a couple more each night (or every other depending on how busy my evening is) until they are all up! If you see something you want today, but want to wait until I have all the colors up, you can always send me an email (rlyn4579 [!@] yahoo [.] com, convo with me through Etsy, Convo me through Ravelry (I'm YarnPig) or post a comment here and I will reserve it for you if I can (that is if I get your message before someone else gets it!). Then you can continue browsing as I get things (slowly) posted. The images are from what I managed to load into Etsy tonight.

Third is that I am working on a very exciting project involving my YarnPig yarns, my Bea Binney bags and some cute, teeny, tiny stitch markers...stay tuned in the next few weeks for that!

"Swamp Thing"

Fourth is that my friend Jessica is now working with me (in my everyday job - not dyeing yet, but maybe that later too??) Super excited to have her on board.

"Swamp Monster"

Fifth is that I am just this close to finishing Tuscan Sunrise socks. I have to have them finished by Thursday because I have the whole day available for knitting and I want to have a new pair to start that day so I don't get bored in my meeting (or have to pay too much attention to the socks that I can't pay attention to the meeting).

Well thats it... Have a great night everyone!

"Latex Gloves"

Oh, you're still here?? I bet you wanted to know who the 1000th commenter was? Will the Anonymous commenter Annabel please step forward. Please contact me in any of the ways listed in the Second section above. (No really, I mean it, do step forward, you didn't leave me any contact information other then your name...) In the event that I don't hear from Annabel by say, um, hmmm, let's give her until Friday late shall we?? (i.e. when I wake up on Saturday morning I'll announce that there is a new winner), I'll draw a name from all the people that left comments on the last post as of tonight and that person will win the little prize. Sound fair??

For those of you that didn't win this time around I'm going to announce an actual contest on 25 March. It was going to be earlier, but...this number was the correct post number I was wanting to celebrate, it is my sister's birthday and it is nicely spaced with my birthday (11 days apart). So there you go. I'm having my contest announced the 25th...its practically perfect (plus it means I give away yarn for her birthday and mine...how cool is that???!!!?)

Weighing In - Results Two!

For those of you who haven't been following the saga, Holly has never gotten in touch with me and I've done my best to find her. I've contacted numerous people who also haven't necessarily responded back (though Adrienne did. Thanks Adrienne!). Its been a week and the prizes need to go out! I think we can say that she is forfeiting her spot? So that means that Suzy and Stephie move up in the ranks and Stephie now gets her choice of the yarns too.

What to do with that third skein??

Well pick a new winner of course!

Since Holly was our guess correctly winner we picked a new name from all those that guessed correctly. When I say we, I mean Gus and me. Its his game so I'm letting him play. I wrote the names on bits of paper and then crumpled the paper and threw it on the floor. The winner is the one that Gus tried to eat. Gus wanted to eat them all but since I don't have yarn for them all I got them off the floor fast. There were only three entries, Turtle, Scott, and Angeluna. Thankfully whoever wins I can get in contact with.

YEAH!

YEAH!

YEAH!

Oh, you wanted to know who that was???

Congrats Angeluna! !

Stephie hasn't gotten back with me, but I'll let you know which skein you win once she does! I can either snail mail it to you or you can use it as incentive to lure me out of my cave and get me to knitting group.

And just for good knitting mojo, for those that like that sort of thing, I have NOT finished a square today. YET. I am only 1/4 the way and it is all purple. I'm knitting from both ends of the skien as well. Crazy. No picture because purple is hard to photograph when it is dark outside. In my defense we went shopping today and I also worked on fixing bags so not much knitting time. We can fix that tonight though!

Weighing in - Results!

Gus, Abby, and I would like to thank everyone who played in our contest. They were very happy to hear every comment, especially if the word cute was mentioned. The tails were wagging, bodies wiggling, and heads held high. We have very large egos around here and they may even be getting bigger.

They would thank you themselves but they spent too much time doing this...

And this...

And now they are doing this...

But you aren't here to look at pictures of Gus and Abby are you? You want to know how much a puppy weighs and who won some prizes.

First there has been a little change in the giveaway. I had three skeins of yarn so I think I am going to give out three skeins of yarn. One to someone who guessed correctly and two from the random number pot, which included everyone, except the winner of the first skein. I hope no one objects?

Mr Augustus Van Widderhausen weighed in at a hefty (but not overly so) 43 pounds at exactly 5 months old, the day the contest began. He weighs more now I can tell! Four people got the number right. The winner from the correct guesses was...

HOLLY!
(who didn't leave contact information?)

Holly if you will email me your yarn preference and your snail mail address I will send out your prize early next week. I guess if I don't hear from Holly in the next few days I will select another winner from the correct guesses since I can't get in contact with her myself. I hope she's comes back and looks!

The first random drawing winner is....

SUZY GIRL!

Suzy Girl, if you would kindly email me your preference order for all three skeins, I'll give you the highest pick that Holly doesn't take. Oh and your snail mail address of course.

The second random drawing winner is...

STEPHIEKNITS!

Stephie if you will send me your snail mail address I'll send you the yarn and goodies that Holly and Suzy didn't select.

My e-mail is rlyn4579 AT yahoo DOT com. Suzy and Stephie would you like to know which skein you are getting before it arrives or would you like a surprise? Just let me know in your email.