250th Post

I have soooo much to share!  Go ahead and get comfy!

First, we had Hubby's birthday 2 weeks ago.  I was so happy with myself that for the first time in years I was able to pick presents for him that didn't include a DVD.  Hubby is VERY difficult to shop for, so I felt good that I truly surprised him.  I got him flight simulator equipment that he wanted, and Little Man picked out a Transformers set.  We watched Princess and the Frog, and then made it a New Orleans theme day by heading to one of our favorite restaurants for a yummy Cajun dinner.  It was worth taking a one day break from the South Beach Diet to have that yummy Bourbon Fried Chicken over Gumbo Ya-Ya (with gator bites and andouille wrapped in puff pastry for appetizers) .  And then, instead of making a birthday cake, I bought carrot cupcakes so we would only indulge a little bit.  They were so yummy, and we ended the day with Hubby smiling broadly with a full tummy.

Only six days later, we were headed to Atlanta for the birthday party of our friends' son.  He turned 5 with a Spider-Man themed birthday party, and Little Man had a great time playing outside, eating,

dancing, looking at the fountain the birthday boy's mom decorated, and hitting a pinata for the first time.

Sunday, April 17th came, and my mind was miles away, thinking of my Pop, and how it didn't seem possible that he was gone 3 years that day.  It feels like it's been forever, and hardly a day all at the same time.  Rebecca, our hostess, didn't have anything she wanted to do that day, so she was open for getting out of the house so I could indulge in some fiber therapy.  It was a great opportunity to head to Stitches South.  I've never been to such an event before, and I doubt I would make the trip just for it, but, being less than half an hour away, we headed to The Market.  I had in my mind two brands of yarn that I wanted to look into there...yarn that I wanted to touch and see in person before ordering.    Yarn that I had specific projects I wanted it for so I wouldn't randomly purchase pretty yarn.

There were beautiful projects and yarns everywhere.  It would have been overwhelming if I hadn't gone in with an idea of what I was looking for.  I admit I did get engulfed in beautiful buttons at one point (I'm still looking for perfect buttons to finish my felted slippers).  But I stayed strong....pretty much ;)

Since Rebecca doesn't knit or crochet, she kept pointing to things she liked and asking if I could make it.  Well, obviously I could...but did I want to? I mean, I have plenty I want to knit/crochet that I worry I'll never get around to doing. Eventually we saw a project that was not only very cute, but was more doable (I do work after all).  We came across driving gloves with a beaded ruffle at the cuff and she oohed and aahed until I decided right there that I would buy the yarn, get the pattern and they will be her Christmas/birthday present.  She buys everything she likes, but these will be something she can't buy.  She chose her yarn, and this was the only "impulse" purchase I made.  But I don't feel too bad, since it's a present sort of taken care of!

The yarn and pattern below was a freebie from Skacel.  Taking Rebecca along came in handy... the natural shopper in her saw every deal and freebie in the place!

One of the yarns on my wish list was this ochre color Malabrigo sock yarn.  I have not yet knit with Malabrigo, so I look forward to savoring it after hearing so many wonderful things about it for years now.  It's the kind of yarn that you rub against your face...I look forward to the shawl that will be made from it!

And, Becky's shopping skills came in handy again when we headed to the Habu booth for me to pick out yarn for the Kusha Kusha scarf.  I've seen it made, and it's really a work of art when finished, primarily because of the yarn.  Becky helped me choose the following combination, that will be knitted together...the sand color on the right has touches of teal that coordinate with the yarn on the left...the colors reminded us of the beach.  Both yarns are actually more like thread than a traditional yarn, and the teal is actually a combination of silk and...STAINLESS STEEL!  The yarn therefore holds its shape beautifully!  The yarn on the right is 100% silk.  They really are true works of art, and I feel fortunate that I will be able to make my Kusha Kusha with such beautiful materials.



As I left Stitches I felt glad that we went, and was proud of myself that I stuck to my budget. It was a positive experience. Then, just as I was telling Hubby about our time, I learned via email that I had won a flapper hat kit from Halos of Hope. It was a drawing I had registered for at Stitches! I'll be sure to share a photo of the kit when I get it...but until then, check out their website. They collect hats for people of all ages who are undergoing chemo and have lost their hair. They are currently collecting hats for a children's camp and really would love donations of fun medieval-themed hats (think crown, wizard, etc.) The children are all battling cancer, and the camp is an opportunity for them to have some fun.  So, I'm thinking I'll have to whip one up by their July deadline. I'll try to keep you posted on that!


The rest of Sunday was spent socializing and eating...and then we went to sleep to get ready for the next leg of our journey...next post...CHARLESTON!