Let Eryka know whether or not you attend craft shows and you could win a $25 KnitPicks gift card on December 31.
Thanks (?!??) to Van for alerting me to these fugly holiday sweaters… Swallow all coffee and cereal and brace yourselves before you click, ok?
Office a little quiet before the holiday? Make an origami reindeer from a box to keep yourself entertained.
You can blame all shopping malls on Minnesota. Sorry ’bout that.
Ever wondered what happens to those socks that vanish in the washing machine? Wonder no longer.
Here’s a clever trick to keep that poor right index finger from getting maimed by sharp needle tips.
Smart Bitches, Trashy Books is having eight days of giveaways. The first giveaway (not romances!) will probably be over by the time you read this, but there are still seven more on the way.
Apparently “business is booming” at Minnesota’s public libraries due to the recession.
Reading Update
Ghost Moon (The Moon Series, Book 7) by Rebecca York. Enough with the excursions to the parallel universe, please. Thank you.
How To Knit a Wild Bikini by Christie Ridgway. This is the first book in a chick lit knitting series set in Malibu. I’m looking forward to reading the next book!
Backup: A Story of the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. Although published as a small hardcover, this is really a short story told by Thomas, not Harry.
“A Jaguar’s Kiss” by Lora Leigh, from Shifter. Yes, there were three other stories in this collection of paranormal romance, but I couldn’t get into them. Leigh’s story was ok, but definitely not one of her best.
Playing Easy To Get by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Jaid Black, and Kresley Cole. Steamy. Very steamy. I liked the Kresley Cole vampire’n’Valkyrie story the best. The Sherrilyn Kenyon story wasn’t a Dark-Hunter story – it was from her B.A.D. series.
50 Ways To Hex Your Lover by Linda Wisdom. Vampires and witches and evil bunny slippers, oh my! This was a fun’n’fluffy paranormal romance – the next book is already in my to-read pile. (But please note – it’s really cheating to name a book based on a throwaway line in said book…)
I Want You To Want Me by Kathy Love. Apparently this is the most recent book in a series. Or it might just be the second book in a series. Not exactly easy to figure out. Anyway, this is a story about a sculptor and a lhampir (somehow derived from dhampir?!), set in New Orleans.
Still completely loving MaryLou’s sock pattern and am surviving my first top-down sock experience… mostly.
“But Mom, that’s my favorite bit because it matches me! I don’t understand why you’re cursing at it. And really, I’m not sure I’m old enough to hear language like that.” -Mayhem
And for a little color/preview of coming attractions… (I told May to watch out so MamaTulip doesn’t steal her toy!)Â 😉
*my toy my toy my toy my toy MY toy MINE MINE MINE* -Mayhem
OMG, I love the sweaters!!!!
Oh Mayhem, that toy is a little too bright for you isn’t it?
So, how WAS the top-down sock experience?!
May looks…dazzled…by the colour.
LMFAO – those sweaters are HILARIOUS!!
I really dislike top down socks.. they never seem to fit me.
BTW.. my box from the contest arrived, thank you!
That sweater link is awesome! Great find, Van. My favorite is the one that looks like the dude puked down the front of his shirt.
Wwhoa – I didn’t see that coming! Sunglasses please!
Just not getting the cat and feather thing…
Or maybe I do: God created mice to be perfect dinner packets for cats. Perhaps He created birds to be the cat version of a Happy Meal: food with toy enclosed?
Chris- it must be instinct with the feathers.
I was buying fish food and when you go in the freezer at the pet store they have little frozen mice (fuzzies) and babies (pinkies) to feed the reptiles and snakes.
I kid you not.
What festive kitty toys! I can’t knit socks from the toe up… it’s a mental block. Kudos to you for overcoming your aversion to the top down aversion. Keep warm!
Hot Pink Feathery toys! May’s favorite color.
Have How to Knit a Wild Bikini in my bag upstairs – am supposed to read it after I finish what I’m working on now……shouldn’t be a problem 😉
Oooh, thanks for the link to the article about the library. I’m a bit surprised they’re remodeling Roseville.
Glad you survived the horror of toe ups. They look good with a black toe.
Congrats on the first mall. Salt Lake City had the first incorporated department store in America. It finally got sold to the May corporation about 10 years ago. Did you know May had her own corporation? They probably give out lots of brightly-colored feathered things for Christmas bonuses.
Love the sweater link. And proud to say that I own nothing that looks like those things…at least I don’t think so.
Hi Chris,
I commend you on the socks. I have yet to take on that mantle myself. It would end up being a leg warmer because I would abandon it before turning the heel and let’s not discuss the kitchner stitch please!
Those sweaters are stunners. Real stunner, all right. I used to have a relatively mild Christmas sweatshirt; long gone now.
I could do with a knitting book set in Malibu right now (freezing cold outside, 8″ of snow this weekend). Will be off to check it out!
I think May is glad to have matching paws with you — sort of. 🙂
Christmas & Porn. It is a combination I hadn’t thought of! Remind me not to knit Christmas sweaters.
Aww. Mayhem loves her toy.
Your book list reminds me….what did I do w/that Rebecca York book? It’s a library book! Argh.
What a wonderful spot of cheer this season! I love that public library use is up.
My father remembers going on his senior class trip to Southdale back in 1958. It was a huge deal! His whole class came up from Jasper, MN (near Pipestone) to see the mall.
May better be a sharing Kitty or Santa will bring her a lump of coal!
I wish I could find a centralized list of all your books! (I never could find you on that book website you sent me to – no search by member name.)
Oh somewhere I saw a link to an ugly Christmas sweater party. Unfortunately I lost it.
Katie loves her feathers too.
love the socks–that deep green is luscious. and yay for twisty lil’ stitches!
i think those sweaters are going to give me nightmares. eeek!
The funny thing about more people using the libraries, is that I started doing that a few years ago. I figured I could save myself some money from buying so many books, by using the public library. If it’s something I really want, I have no problems with buying it.