never enough time and have you wandered over...

sereknity, madeline tosh, wollmeise and sheep shop

Yarn, so intoxicating. I'm not sure when yarn became the stereotypical woman's shoes for me - but I have to have every color. For some reason, I think it's my addiction. That's not new information - more of the same. I used to be a fairly serious quilter - I wasn't so endeared to fabric, loved it but never like this. So, I've decided there is no immediate cure in sight. I must embrace this "disease", use my yarn allowance wisely and figure out how I can insulate my house with yarn.

Above is a collection of my most recent acquisitions - less sock clubs of course, gulp. Wollmeise is the only repeat...the rest are all new things I want to try. I think the Madeline Tosh will be my very own pair of Embossed Leaves socks. The Sheep Shop is earmarked for a vibrant Koolhaas hat for a friend for Christmas. The Wollmeise will go under my pillow - and the Sereknity, sport weight, might make a quick pair of lounge socks. Where on my to do list will all of these fall? God only knows.



Have you wandered over to the Sew, Mama, Sew blog? November is a month of handmade gifts. What a load of great ideas.

They also have a meme posted, so go on over and link up!

Gifts

Do you have a favorite gift that you love to give? Unfortunately I have fallen victim to giving too many giftcards - it's easy and you please the giftee. And quite simply, not everyone loves hand mande and I don't get enough hand made gifts so I must treat myself, right?:) Seriously, I like to make hats and mittens to give - or another fun thing was embellishedpocket warmers for my parents last year - they are avid walkers and enjoy warming their mitts.

If you’re making gifts this year, what are you making? (Post photos if you have some!) Technically I already made and gave my sister this hat. I hope to make another for a special girlfriend. I have handknit clog slippers in mind for a special family member and a novelty hat for another. I would like to make these cute bags for some friends with some silly, fun lipgloss and handmade keyrings. Look at all of the neat things that Lisa Leonard makes...

Do you have any good stories about handcrafted gifts you’ve given or received?
Sadly, no one makes me anything anymore. I think my "reputation" as a crafter scares potential handmade gifts away, people just figure I can make it myself:( But, growing up my grandma made me a beautiful crocheted wedding dress for my barbie, complete with a hat and nosegay - I still have it - a treasured piece. I really need to get it framed as a keepsake.

Do you have any great gift compilation ideas (a grouping of gifts just perfect for certain recipients?) I think so - that "pump it up" lip gloss I mentioned is called "sexy mother pucker", with the little handmade bag and some other little pretty goodies. I like to make theme gifts - like stress reduction kits or silly movies with popcorn and treats. One year I filled a bulletin board with giftcards for the movies, groceries, restaurants for my sister and her then new husband. So fun to put things together.

Name one thing on your personal wish list.
Um, yarn.

Do you make and sell things that would make fantastic gifts?
Not now, but maybe someday? I so missed my calling.

Traditions

What is your favorite family holiday tradition? Food - seriously, watching my husband and his siblings count the "smoky chubbies" to make sure all is fair for the past 20 years is always amusing, and the appetizers we have at my parents house is so good. Otherwise, I love going to church on x-mas eve - so peaceful, except too many people. I'd like to go to a midnight mass, but then I should be Catholic for that, right?

Have you started any new traditions with your family that you didn’t practice growing up? I subsribe to many of the same things I grew up with - why change a good thing? Oh wait, I started having a drink before a certain holiday get together - totally a great tradition! Ah, the power of a buzz.

What do you love most about the holiday season? The music, I have compiled a music CD for several years that I send out to super special people and enjoy hearing kind comments back about how they put their tree up to "my" CD - that makes me feel great - spreading cheer. The day after Thanksgiving my collection of holiday CD's gets rolled out. I start thinking of next years CD right after Christmas - though I missed last year, so we'll see if I can get the tradition up and running again.

What do you like least about the holiday season? The stress and perfectionism of it all. The fact that I do things because I should not because I want to.

Anyone close to your heart that you’ll be missing this year? I think I'll be blessed enough to see or touch base with most everyone I really want to - special friends and family.

What is your favorite holiday food? bacon wrapped cocktail weiners, they give me a tummy ache, but oy, so good!

Do you have a great recipe to share? I surely do have one or two - holiday wassail - let me know if you want the recipe, I'd be happy to e-mail it to you:)