Monday, January 14, 2013 at 10:33PM Have you ever done a 365 project, taking one or more pictures a day for a year?
I started one two weeks ago.
These are pics from a talk I gave at a local fiber guild meeting.
These are crazy ice fisherpeople out on Lake Superior.
This is Mrs. Baby at the new studio.
I'd love to have you check out my project. Leave a comment or two, and come back to say hello!
Tuesday, January 8, 2013 at 3:07PM It's tote bag time -- who's in?
Here's what they'll look like:
They have several important features: a slightly longer strap length so it fits over your shoulder. Several exterior pockets for water bottles, keys, and pens. And a zip top to keep dirt, pets, and kids out and the knitting in. I can't tell you how many tote bags I own without a zipper, and I find it quite annoying when my lovely yarn dumps out onto the dirty, wet car floor. Zippers are a must.
This is a pre-order for tote bags. If you order one, they'll be ready in about two weeks, and we'll send it out to you as soon as they arrive. We are only planning on ordering the quantity we need, so if you don't pre-order, chances are good we won't have leftovers.
Bags are $29 with free shipping inside the US and Canada, and $35 elsewhere in the world. They'll be available for preorder through January 13th.
Questions? Let us know!
Thanks, everyone! The tote bag sale has ended!
Yarnista
I've got dimensions and materials for you!
Material: 600 denier polyester. That means it's strong but smooth enough not to snag your projects, and it also washes up more easily than cotton canvas. (It's also less prone to wrinkling out of the wash.)
Dimensions: 20" long x 14" high x 4" deep
Only a few days left!
Saturday, January 5, 2013 at 3:57PM Lots of updates to share today.
The first of which is that KNITTERS ARE AMAZING PEOPLE.
They are right up there with nuns and first responders.
Thanks to knitters all over the world, we were able raise and donate $10,000 in a short time period to the Sandy Hook Family Fund.
I just sent in the second half of our donation today. Here are the screen caps of our two donation amounts:
I post these to demonstrate that the money we raised is not languishing in an account somewhere, it's already in the hand of fund administrators, who can put it to use. And, while I believe that most of you trust me (or you wouldn't have decided to donate through my site), it's important that trust be maintained.
In an era of scammers and absconders, I want to be the opposite. You are more than free to check the Sandy Hook Family Fund site for our donations or contact them for confirmation.
For those of you wondering, the donation amounts say $5200.25, and the site says $5000. That's because of credit card processing fees. The Family Fund does not want to incur any costs, and its administration is made up of professional accountants, attorneys, and social workers donating their time. They ask donors to cover the credit card processing fees, which I personally paid for. So in order to send in $10,000 and not $9599.50, we needed to donate more than $10K.
I'm so grateful to you for making this possible.
THANK YOU. BLESS YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY.
2. The next order of business is about our blanket squares. We've received quite a few already -- it's so fun to get them and see where they're coming from!
I've received a lot of questions about whether or not we're still going to be making the blankets given that the city of Newtown is overrun with toys and gifts.
The answer is yes, for a couple of reasons.
We're not going to randomly send these addressed to "Newtown, CT" and hope they end up in the right hands. I have a contact who has promised to help make sure they're delivered exactly where they need to go -- NOT a warehouse.
And it's going to take knitters (and us) a while to make all of these. By the time we're done, the donations will have stopped, the media attention will have died down, and the families will be left to deal with the quiet of their homes. People who have lost a loved one often find that the hard work of grieving comes months after the actual death occurs -- long after people have stopped receiving cards in the mail and meals on their doorstep, they're still left with the weight of loss. And they often start feeling forgotten.
We're aiming to get these blankets done in time for Mother's Day, and hope that they will bring even a tiny amount of comfort to the families who need them.
We still need a LOT more 8x8 squares. As a reminder, you can send them to:
Three Irish Girls
Attn: Knitters for Newtown
PO Box 161165
Duluth, MN 55816
We don't have a retail location for you to drop them off at yet (I would love it if a local store owner reading this would be willing to help us with this!), but I will be happy to pick them up from your house if you are local and can't mail them for whatever reason.
3. The next thing is unrelated to Newtown, it's about my travel and teaching schedule.
This Monday, January 7th, I'm going to be speaking to the Duluth Fiber and Handcrafters Guild at 6:30. It's free and open to the public -- come by if you like! It's in the Ruth Maney Room at the Duluth Art Institute. More information here.
Sunday, February 10th, I'm going to be teaching Knitting with Hand Dyed Yarn at The Cat and Crow in Mt. Horeb, WI. There is limited space, so you should contact them to register.
Monday, February 11th, I'm going to be the keynote speaker at the Madison Knitters Guild.
Saturday, March 16th, I'm going to be teaching Intro to Yarn Dyeing at the Duluth Art Institute. Space is quite limited in this workshop!
I can't wait to see all of you!
4. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season. Ours was perfect, in part because first Christmases are the bestest.
Rosie Horsedog is very patient and kind to her Bald Puppy. (That's what Rosie believes Shamrock to be.)
Bald Puppy is 5-3/4 months (I refuse to round up! Refuse!) of sweet, snuggly, adorableness.
May your 2013 be filled with nothing but brown paper packages and warm woolen mittens.
-- Sharon
Monday, December 31, 2012 at 4:45PM What you do do is just as important as what you don't do.
That did not come out as intended.
What you don't do matters as much as what you do do.
Oh, forget it.
What you choose not to do is just as important as what you choose to do.
Example?
I choose not to eat cake. Instead, I choose to eat apples.
I choose not to look like a Jersey Shore cast member. Instead, I choose to have the skin color the Good Lord intended.
With that in mind, here is what I will not be doing in the year 2013.
1. Get bited by a shark.
In an effort to make the best of her circumstances, my grandmother used to say, "Well, it's better than a sharp stick in the eye." My sister agreed, in her four year old way. "Yeah, it's better than being bited by a shark." My family continues to use "Well, it's better than being bited by a shark" whenever possible.
People, 2013 is my year to NOT be bited by a shark. Won't happen. I can practically guarantee it.
2. Die while climbing Mount Everest.
And that is because I will not be climbing Mount Everest.
I do not wish to pay tens of thousands of dollars to feel sick and put myself in grave physical danger.
I'd rather buy lattes for all of you.
3. Win American Idol.
Not from lack of trying. I am a very talented vocalist. Anyone who knows me can attest to this fact. I intend to come in second on American Idol. I wouldn't want to crush the dreams of a 16 year old from Middle America.
Second is just like first...except a little later.
Vote for me, OK?
4. Knit anything out of dog hair.
Kendall and Anne? Did you really put "Stop Vacuuming and Start Knitting" on the cover of your book?
There's just no accounting for how some people were raised.
(Me, I was raised by a mother who only has hypoallergenic non-shedding canines, if that sheds any light.)
5. Watch football or eat meatloaf.
Still nope.
With apologies to my husband, son, dad, and nearly everyone else I know.
I'd rather watch paint dry.
What are your (anti) resolutions this year?
Friday, December 28, 2012 at 4:12PM Don't be shy.
Get a little closer
with Arrid Extra Dry.
Why do I still remember a commercial from 20+ years ago?
Who said that advertising doesn't work?
Just now, I exclaimed to Sarah, who's sitting near me in the office, "Wow, they still make Arrid Extra Dry deodorant!"
I know because I googled for the correct spelling and saw that you can order some should you be in need.
Don't you wish YOU shared an office with someone who takes macro pictures of snowflakes and then randomly associates them with vintage deodorant commercials?
Sarah sure is a lucky gal.
I can't say for certain if she agrees or not.
Regardless, it's snowing today.
Pellet-like flakes that look like tiny styrofoam beads, but upon closer inspection...
...are obviously not.
I came away with hundreds of images from outside our new studio, and can affirm that I saw no two snowflakes that were just alike.
Wonders never cease.
