Friday Show & Tell - It's a Yarn Extravaganza!

A Delightful SurPrize!

I am not a winner. Lady luck does not shine graciously upon me. I can't even remember the last time I won anything. And while I avoid gambling like the plague (no scratch tickets for me!) I do enjoy casting my name into the pot when it comes to entering blog give aways. I don't go out of the way to find them, but if one of my regular reads happens to be running a contest I'll gladly leave my comment and take a chance.  Once I've moved on to the next blog, it slips my mind and I don't give it a second thought.

Imagine my surprise when Danielle from A Stash Addict dropped me a line to let me know I'd won her recent give away! How cool is that?! I've been reading her blog for some time and coveting the brilliant hand dyed colors she produces in her studio. Danielle further rewarded me by posting my prize straight away. It arrived within a week from West Susex, UK to Massachusetts, USA! I've had mail sent from the same state take longer to reach me!

It was so exciting to open the plain gray package and find this beautiful  100g / 400m skein of sport/sock weight super washed BFL in a rich teal. According to the product description "the Bluefaced Leicester breed is unique to the UK and produces stunning lustre wool; this is because there are only a few surface scales on the fibre." A coordinating button and stitch marker were an added bonus.  Now I need to find a project worthy of such special prize. After all, because of this yarn I'm a winner!

A Preview of Things to Come...

Granny fever is sweeping the nation! Okay, maybe not the nation, but it has taken over my corner of the world. I could not be happier with the response to the Granny Square Project.  Reveling in the enthusiasm, I'm anxious to keep up the momentum. I was only going to use yarn from my stash, after all that is where granny got her start.  But my colors seemed lack luster and didn't have the variety I was looking for.  I found Herrschners was having a sale and I was able to buy this rainbow of colors for $12.70!! A special email  promotion gave me a discount plus free shipping and I was unable to resist!

I did dabble a bit with some cotton I had for washcloths (the brightest colors in my stash before the new order arrived!).  The big square on the bottom is my version of the Granny Corner Dishcloth. I added a few rounds as I like my cloths a bit more generous. It was a good way to get my hooking into the granny groove.

This weekend I'll be dividing my time between Granny and Sweet Eleanor.  Can you imagine all the color combinations my new yarn has to offer? My first "project" is a study of the basic granny pattern and how small stitch variations create big changes. I can't wait to see what happens!

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In addition to my fiber offerings, I like to participate in Five Minute Friday over at Lisa-Jo Baker's place. It's writing in the raw and if you've never done it, why don't you give it a try? It's really easy - you just:
1. Write for 5 minutes flat on this week's prompt with no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking - then post it just as it is!
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community..

Here's what happened when I spent five minutes writing on the prompt "Connect"

Writing a craft blog has allowed me to connect with the most diverse group of people.  Although I knew that the internet was a conduit to the world, I had no idea that I would interact regularly with women from England, Australia, Greece, Korea and South Africa.

This exploration has created connections that I never imagined. I have met so many wonderful, funny, smart creative people.  And we share and encourage and support each other.  Often these connections that occur while sitting in front of my computer are more personal than the relationships I have with people that live in my community.

I am amazed at the different ways we connect. We blog and tweet and share status updates.  We pin things to our boards.  We participate in group activities like CALs where we cheer each other on and help each other with the intricacies of complex patterns.  The possibilities seem endless when new ways to connect are just a click away!

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Well my friends, another week has come and gone.  As I consider all that has happened I can't help but smile. The "new temporary" library is officially open, and it's working out better than we could have hoped! I have plenty of yarn, plenty of projects, a well stocked pantry and an encouraging (tolerant!) family. The air conditioner is humming along and the Olympics are on the TV. What more could I ask for? I guess I really am a winner! 

Today I'll be linking in with these wonderfully creative blogs. Before I settle down with my yarn I'll be seeing what you've been up to this week. I hope you'll visit along with me.

This week I'm also joining in with Tricia and her Stash Bash. Click over for a look!

Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me.
Until next time friends,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!