A Truly Awe-Summm Award!

I have to tell you that the very AWE-SUMMM Karie of One Fish, Two Fish, Three, Four, Five Fish is the one who bestowed this amazing award on me. I have just recently 'met' her through Twitter. I sent her a tweet telling her that I HAD to meet her because I have seen her all over the same social groups I'm involved in and I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE that her username is 'Karie with a K.' I can so relate - I have to tell EVERYONE that my name is Karrie with a 'K." And then usually I have to spell it out. Her name is just slightly different than mine - but we're two peas in a pod. Anywho.. She tweeted me back and voila.. here we are.

To accept this AWE - SUM award and pass the award onto others I must list 7 awesome things about myself and then list 7 awesome people that I would like to pass the award on to. So here goes, I am AWE-SUM:

1.) I moved my family and put my (newly built) house up for sale so that my autistic son could get the medical support he needs/deserves.
2.) I've devoted my career (before becoming a SAHM recently) to helping others: as a health care practitioner and then a teacher.
3.) I host 3 blogs, a social network, a talk radio show, and a craft column and still manage to wash the laundry, buy the groceries, eradicate my house of dust bunnies, and cook some dinner.
4.) I can knit socks! I mean really - how AWE-SUMMM is that?
5.) I name all of my pets after literary characters. So AWE-SUMMM. I even named my daughter after a literary character, Madeline.
6.) MY hubby and I are HS sweethearts. We have known each other since we were 13 and started dating when we were 15. We've been married nearly 12 years and together for a total of 20 years. And we STILL can't wait to see each other every day! That's not just AWE-SUMMM, that's amazing!
7.) I always forgive and give the benefit of the doubt. I believe everyone deserves a second chance.

I wish I could give it to ALL of the AWE-SUMMM bloggers I know - but here are my 7:

1. The Ohio Girl
2. Average Jane Crafter
3. Bloggin' it From the 'Burbs
4. The Pink Toque
5. Knitnut, Karen
6. Aunt Kathy's Place
7. Pink Vanilla Cupcakes
   

A Truly Awe-Summm Award!

I Got to Guest Blog

* Don't forget to enter my giveaways: 'Curbing' Knitted Bag Kit (ends 5/4) & Fused Glass Pendant (ends 5/6)*


I was invited by the well-informed and awesome Angela of KnitLuck to do a guest blog spot. It's a linky list of just a few of my fave crafty bloggers. Be sure to go and check it out & leave some comment lovin'!! :)

I Got to Guest Blog

A Little Ditty For Those Who Enjoy The Knitty..

* Don't forget to enter my giveaways: 'Curbing' Knitted Bag Kit (ends 5/4) & Fused Glass Pendant (ends 5/6)*

Click on 'play' below to listen!

A Little Ditty For Those Who Enjoy The Knitty..

New Project - Colorful Breeze Anklets

* Don't forget to enter my giveaways: 'Curbing' Knitted Bag Kit (ends 5/4) & Fused Glass Pendant (ends 5/6)*

So I picked up some gorgeous Koigu KPPPM sock yarn whilst visiting my peeps in Wooster and COULD. NOT. WAIT. TO. CO. I decided to give 'Breeze' a try. The anklet knits up so darned quickly. I knit this one in 2 days in my spare time. It gave me headaches at the end when I dropped a stitch and had to TINK 3 rows of the lace pattern back.. but I got it all worked out.

These are NOT terrific pics because my camera was low on battery so I had to use my crummy camera phone.. But after I finish the 2nd in the pair, I'll take a better pic with my REAL camera. I LOVE this pattern but made a few changes to it. I opted for a straight ss toe in place of the patterned toe. I just didn't like the look of the patterned toe and saw another knitter had done a plain toe on Ravelry and decided to do that. I used basic Magic Loop sock construction for the gusset and the toe - since I was not about to knit these puppies on DPNs. No thanks! Anyway.. great pattern and easy to knit. It was interesting enough to keep my attention which is hard to do given my chronic knitting ADD.

I think if I knit these again, I'll knit them in a solid yarn to better show off the cable and lace detail of the sock. The pattern gets lost in the color of the striped yarn.

Side Note: Here's how you know a yarn shop is worth their salt (and your hard-earned money) - I walked into a yarn shop in Wooster (the one where I bought the Koigu) after shopping at another yarn shop just across the street. They watched me cross the street and shop in their shop with a bag of yarn from the other shop. They were courteous and helpful. They ASKED me immediately if I'd like any of my yarn wound (free) and they offered me a sales flier. They did not judge that I hadn't been there in 1 year or that I bought yarn across the street. They had oodles of customers in their shop and did not hesitate to ask if I wanted them to wind my yarn. They served me courteously, with a smile and without hesitation. I've not been to a yarn shop like that in a while. KUDOS to their shop! THIS is the definition of customer service. Those of you who've followed my 'Advice to LYS' post - I guess I could give NO better advice than to emulate this local yarn shop.

New Project - Colorful Breeze Anklets

ADHD Knitting's Curbing Bag Kit Giveaway!

*Be sure to pop on over to my Mommatudes Blog to enter the Fused Glass Pendant Giveaway 4/22 -5/6!*

The very generous Gail of ADHD Knitting/Straight Jacket Knitting is giving away an awesome bag kit! She is giving away her 'Curbing Bag Kit' to one lucky KnitPurlGurl reader!!!

The winner will receive:

1. THE PATTERN
2. ASSORTED SKEINS OF YARN TO MAKE A SMALL BAG. WINNER GETS TO PICK THE COLOR SCHEME.
3. 1 YARD OF COORDINATING FABRIC. (I WILL CHOOSE THE FABRIC, DEPENDING ON THE WINNERS CHOICE OF COLORS.
4. PACKET OF MAGNETIC SNAPS

Here are the rules (Remember - the comments on this blog are moderated. Please allow 24 hours for your comments to post.):

• The contest is open April 20 - May 4th
  
• The winner will be chosen via random number generator and announced on May 5th
• Visit Gail's Etsy Shop, ADHD Knitting, and browse her items. Come back to KnitPurlGurl and comment on what your fave item in her shop is.
• Be sure to include an email address if your profile does not link to your email address so that we can contact you should you win. If I cannot contact you, I'll have to choose another winner.

Want EXTRA entries? (Be sure that each entry is in it's own comment so that the random number generator counts them all.) :

• Become a follower of KnitPurlGurl and leave me a comment that you are for another entry. Already a follower - just leave me a comment for another entry.
• Visit Gail's blog, Straight Jacket Knitting, and become a follower. Come back and let me know for another entry.
• Visit Gail's blog and leave her a comment. Come back and let me know for yet another entry!
• Make Gail's Etsy Shop, ADHD Knitting, a favorite of yours on Etsy. Come back and let me know for still another entry!
• Blog all about it! Come back and comment and leave a link to your blog post for another entry.
• Tweet about it with a link to this post. Come back and let me know along with your Twitter name for another entry!

Are you a Raveler? Be sure to check out Gail's Ravelry group, ADHD Knitting on Ravelry!

Good luck, yarnies!

*** Do you have your own business or know of someone who does? Why not sponsor a giveaway on KnitPurlGurl and drive traffic to your site?! Contact me at knitpurlgurl[at]gmail[dot]com for details!!***

ADHD Knitting's Curbing Bag Kit Giveaway!

What I've Been Up To

I've been doing alot of everything recently.

As some of you know, I've started writing a column for Frugal WAHMs Mag - The Thrifty Crafter. I'm getting ready to publish my next article!

I've launched a new mommy social network, Mommatudes, to tie in with my Mommatudes Blog. It's a social network for moms of all ages (grandmas too) - a place for moms to socialize with moms who have like interests.

Along with 3 other moms and crafters, I'm launching the Mommatudes Weekly Radio Show, which will start airing in May. (It will also be available as a podcast on iTunes.)

Hopefully - I'll get a little knitting in soon!

What I've Been Up To

Launching New Mommy Network

I'm launching a new social network - Mommatudes. (I currently have a blog by the same name.) Mommatudes is a social network for moms of all ages and experiences to come and socialize with other moms. You'll be able to edit your own page - adding pictures, video, and a background theme as well as joining or creating your own groups on the network. You can add friends and keep your account as private or public as you wish.

Mommatudes - Where's it's not just an attitude, It's a Momma 'Tude! So get your 'tudes on over to Mommatudes and join today. The more members, the more fun!

Launching New Mommy Network

And the Winner is...

The winner of the Oriri Draco Design Yarn Giveaway is.....

CDZiuba

Congrats! Thanks to all who participated and a special thanks to Abby from Oriri Draco Design for sponsoring this amazing giveaway!

Be sure to check out Oriri Draco Design and pick up some GAWGEOUS yarn!!!

And the Winner is...

Product Review: Playskool Spring Characters Play-Doh

Moms - are you looking for something fun to put in your kiddo's Easter Basket? Look no further. The Spring Characters Play-Doh set from Playskool is pretty darned cute. Included in the set are two plastic spring characters: a chick and a bunny, each containing Play-Doh. So right off the bat, your kids will love the cute characters instead of the usual jar-like containers Play-Doh comes in. My 4 year old daughter was enamored with these plastic containers. When I revealed that there was actually Play-Doh inside, she went bananas! The bunny container comes with a brightly orange colored Play-Doh and a carrot shaped cookie-cutter bottom (or stamp design) that can be used to stamp the playdough into fun shapes. The chick came with a pretty robin's-egg blue Play-Doh with a chick design on the bottom for stamping onto the dough.


My daughter and her 4 year old friends played and played with this. They stamped every inch of Play-Doh we had. They even played with the containers. (My daughter actually named them Quacky and Hoppy.)

Product Name: Playskool Spring Characters Play-Doh
Number of pieces: 6 (2- 2 ounce containers with lids and 2 balls of Play-Dough)
Age Appropriateness: 3+ or for children older than 3 years that can be trusted NOT to ingest Play-Doh
Personal Rating: Going to give it 5 out of 5 stars as I had 4 little 4 year olds completely occupied with this toy!
Approx. Retail Price: $1.99 - SO affordable!

Run out and get them!

Product Review: Playskool Spring Characters Play-Doh