Yes that is a scrunchie in my hair...

So what if I'm sacrificing personal style for things like knitting and sleeping. It's not like I have anyone to impress (and at this rate I never will). So what have I been up to since my inner fashionista has been MIA? First there was dyeing.

I never showed you the cool aprons my Aunt Becky made me for Christmas. This is one.
There is another with a rather cheeky saying that I'll save to show you later :)

While dyeing I realized how much I love bulky yarn and how much I love this base yarn. It blooms so nicely when it's dyed. Here's my latest batches. I tried to put my hand in there so you could see the size of these balls (That's what she said! Sorry, couldn't resist.)
Top to bottom are : Lilac, Bleeding Hearts, Spring Blooms, and Firebird. All will be in my shop very, very soon.

Another size comparison. This time with the sock yarn.
Huge I tell you. Huge.

My favorite fibers from the dye session:

Spring Blooms roving (makes me wish I knew how to spin)
Firebird bulky (I make a mini skein of this to keep for myself)
Frosted Raspberries (This is all mine. I realized that I haven't dyed anything for myself since opening the shop. The shop was originally set up to just be a little side project to my personal dyeing but it seems that it's the other way around. I plan on changing that.) P.S. If you really like this and want some for yourself you can email me infoATvividcreationfibersDOTcom and I might be convinced to do a custom order :)
And a mini skein of Skittles sock yarn.
Taste the rainbow.

I've also been knitting. My mojo came back in a flurry just in time to start the Mystery Sweater Knit-A-Long for Warm Woolies.
Christiane did a great job designing this sweater and organizing this KAL. I have a good ways more to go before Friday when the next part of the pattern is revealed.

Other projects have taken a back burner to the Mystery Sweater but before I cast on for that I did manage to finish one sleeve of my Turino Bulky Pullover
and this much of a second sleeve.
I'm hoping to have it finished by the end of this month so I may knit on it tonight instead of the miles of stockinette on the Mystery Sweater.

My Mojo is Back

Can't talk, knitting.
Sleeve of Torino Bulky Pullover. All accomplished tonight.

Love Yarn?

Of course you do. Otherwise you wouldn't be reading this blog. Ok, maybe you don't like yarn or knitting but you love me so that's why you read. But if you do love yarn then you should run, not walk, but run over to Knit Purl Gurl's blog and enter her super awesome WEBS yarn goodie giveaway! P.S. How am I just now hearing about Knit Purl Gurl? She has a super fab blog set-up. I know this is just a shameless way to earn me another entry in her contest but, dang it ya'll!, it's about time I won something.

P.P.S. I'm counting this as a "yarn" related blog post because, well, I'm still waiting on yarn, needles, and motivation in order to make any real headway on my knitting. Plus I didn't post on cleaning out my fridge. Oh wait, I just did. Dang.

Second Love

Many of you do not know that my second love is reading (all things knitting being my first of course). In the past few weeks I've had a crazy influx of reading material. I haven't read this much since college, and that was mostly textbooks. I'm trilled because most of what I'm reading is really good stuff. So good, I thought I'd share a little of my second love with you.
I just finished the book Knitting for Good.
Betsy Greer did an awesome job of explaining craftivism-the act of combining craft with activism. I have always thought of my knitting as a way to reach others while making a statement about my beliefs so it was nice to read how crafting really is universally good, both for maker and receiver. I feel like my generation is a generation of change, be it large movements or small, we aren't sitting around on our hunches letting people control us. Certainly not without a really good explanation for their actions. Betsy is of that same era and just further proves to me that we are doing what we can to change the world, and crafting can be one of those ways. I suggest this for anyone who likes to craft, is outraged by the injustices in the world, and wondering how they can help. You can also check out her webpage at www.craftivism.com.

I'm currently enrolled in a book study for the book Real Sex (subtitled: the naked truth about chastity).
This is a religious view on sex. So far I've only read one chapter but it really draws you in. Lauren Winner is great about being unapologetic about her past and her issues with Christianity. The problem, as she sees it (and so do I), is that we are told not to have sex until marriage but we aren't given much guidance beyond that. I'm excited to see where she goes with this topic.

During my quiet time in the morning I had started reading The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning.
It's a look at God's grace in a revolutionary way, especially for people who think religion is about rules and regulations. Manning presents a radical truth that religion is about a relationship. If you are someone on the outside looking into Christianity this is an excellent book. Honestly, I probably won't finish it. I'm not saying that this book doesn't have things I don't need to hear, or that I'm some sort of super Christian who doesn't ever screw up, far from that. I just think there are other things I need to study now.

Before I started The Ragamuffin Gospel I was reading Crossroads: Navigating Your Calling and Career by Colin Creel.
Colin came and spoke at my church about a month ago and I picked up a signed copy of his book afterwards. It was a wonderful, quick read (I could read a chapter a day in less than 30 minutes) and it made me really think about the direction my career and life is going in. It was nice to find that God actually gifts some people with a restless spirit and that there are many people who have 3-5 careers in their life. I will be interested to see how this book continues to affect my life because I see it as one that I may reread in the future and hear something totally different from the pages.

My next pleasure reading will more than likely be Knitting for Peace.
Another take on the craftivism movement. From first glance this book seems to contain an extensive list of charities to knit for and a glance at their history and function. Like Knitting for Good it also has patterns you can use to create items to donate. Very interested to start one since charity knitting is such a big part of my craft.

Another book I may begin reading soon is The Book Thief.
This was given to me by a friend who comes to the Wednesday night knitting group. She's in a book club so I'm sure that she'll be providing me with good and interesting reads for awhile. This on is told from Satan's point of view and tells the story of a girl who steals books during the Holocaust. I can't wait to see how this plays out.

Also up soon is Sin Boldly by Cathleen Falsani.
Cathleen takes a raw look at Christianity and grace (much like Real Sex takes a raw look at Christianity and sex) and puts it into a "real persons" view. I like books that are from "real people"-you know, the ones who have sins and have issues and tell it like it is. It makes the book so much more easy to relate to. Anyways, I haven't started it but it came with a good recommendation.

Looking through these I realize that a lot of the titles are from a religious perspective but I think it's great to have real literature on Christianity. I would recommend these to anybody, not just people I go to church with. I also realize that I read a lot and have a lot more to read. That's kind of exciting for me because it's been awhile since I feel like I've found books I'm really geeked up to read.

Next time there should be some knitting related content and possibly an appearance by the missing yarn I alerted everyone to few weeks ago.

:::Sniff:::

For only the second time in almost 4 years of teaching I find myself laid up on my couch resting from not feeling well. I realized last night that the more I keep dragging myself into work the less good I'm doing myself. Especially at this job. When I taught middle school band I never worked as closely (literally) to the kids. I was a bit emotionally and physically unattached to them. Teaching 1st grade I spend everyday in close proximity to children. They climb on me, squeeze me, and call my name all day long. I'm very much a physical and emotional epicenter for them. When I don't feel well continuing to try and tough it out just doesn't work like it used to. There's no chance for a nap during lunch time any more. I know that I need to take good care of myself. I tell the kids all the time not to come to school if they are sick, why should I? So, here I am, just now waking up from a nice long nap. I can tell I'm getting better: my cough isn't as frequent and I've used some Zycam to dry up my sinuses. I had to go to work for about 4 hours this morning because I had 2 conferences before school and I couldn't find the sub hot line number (note to self: find before next fall). I'll be back tomorrow because it's only a half day and then I have conferences after school. Thursday is another half day with less conferences (thankfully) and Friday is a full day but hey, it's a Friday, and the day before Valentine's Day, I can make it through one more day. Valentine's Day I'd already claimed for myself so I'll be sleeping late and probably dyeing more yarn for the shop.

Sadly, I have no real knitting to show you. The last time I made any significant headway on a project was last Thursday at the Atlanta Guild Meeting when I finished the body of a charity sweater. I've done a few rounds on a secret project that I started in December but other than that I've been looking for Lion Brand Chenille Thick and Quick in antique white to finish the Calla Lily and looking for size 10 DPNs to make sleeves for the sweater. I'm also gearing up for a Mystery Sweater Knit-a-long being held my LISMI on Ravelry. She's designing a sweater for the Warm Woolies 10 for 10 by 2010 contest and revealing parts of it in a knit-a-long. I do a fan girl sqwee! every time I think about. I'm ready to get started, have the yarn and everything, but the official kick off is the 20th.

For now I'm off to pay some bills and read a chapter for a book club that starts tonight.

MYA

Attention Knitters:

We interrupt your regularly scheduled blog reading for an important announcement. An APB has been issued in the form of a Missing Yarn Announcement (MYA). The suspect is pictured below:
Do not be fooled by the artistic and innocent nature of this picture. This yarn is considered frayed and dangerous. Witnesses who have actually knit with this yarn have said that it causes hand cramping and perpetual UFOs. One knitter even claimed that this yarn caused abnormal and unpleasant shedding. Originally thought to be made of chenille, upon closer inspection, it appears the yarn may actually be made of terrycloth washrags torn into extremely thin strips. Approach this yarn with caution and US size 10 needle or larger. The last known whereabouts of the offensive, I mean offending, yarn was Joann's and/or Hobby Lobby. The Yarn Police (because we know there are no Knitting Police) have searched the aforementioned sites to no avail. It seems the yarn absconded from the premises early last week leaving a wake of empty shelves and pointless price tags. If you should see a skein of this bizarre and highly volatile yarn please notify the authorities as this yarn is needed in the finishing of one rather large Calla Lily centerpiece.

Thank you.

Flowers Are Blooming

I blogged awhile back about knitting a Calla Lily for Stitches South. I finally picked it back up tonight hoping that I would finish it. I was trucking along, only about 10 or 15 rows from being finished and then...
the white chenille yarn that I'm supposed to carry through out, ran out. I wanted this to be done by Thursday when I go to the next Atlanta Knitting Guild meeting. I guess I'll be making a stop by Joann's tomorrow after work to see if I can find some more yarn.

On a lighter note, I found this in a box of little toys (usually from McDonalds or some place similar) that I let my students choose from if they've behaved during the week:
It works too! It's about the only thing that's working for Michael Vick these days.