Saturday, March 8, 2008

Snow and Other Happenings

It snowed in Mississippi last night!  It almost never snows here, so when it does everyone is so excited!  What a beautiful phenomenon.  It was almost midnight when I realized we were actually getting snow, and I sat out on our deck alone and watched the snowflakes fall.  There's something about it that's just magical.   

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I've been spinning too.  I'm not very good at it but I love spinning.  I went to Pretty Impressive Stuff at ARTichoke , and Rissa offered to give a lesson and didn't even charge me!  Talk about southern hospitality.  I bought a top whorl spindle and some roving while there.  After I got home, I was trying out my new spindle and the hook came out!  I was so aggravated.  But Rissa told me to bring it back to her shop and switch it out for a beautiful cherry and walnut Kundert.  It was love at first sight!  sigh

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That's some corriedale I purchased from Rissa too.  She hand dyed it and named it Hydrangea Dreams.  This is my third attempt at spinning, and it's getting better.  I read on a Ravelry forum that beginners should spin 15 minutes a day, every day, and then the process will just click one day.  It's good advice;   I still have to park and draft, park and draft, and when I start getting tired, my spinning starts getting thicker and thicker.  I can't wait for the day to come when I'll be able to draft as the spindle keeps turning.  But even so, I love spinning!  It's the most relaxing process, almost like I can feel all of the frustrations and tension I have pent up inside of me comes flowing out as I spin.  (Maybe that's why the yarn is so thick sometimes, hehe).  I got this book to help me learn:  A Handspindle Treasury, by Spin Off magazine.  And yesterday the book I ordered from Amazon, Natural Dying by Jackie Crook, came in.  That is my next endeavor, to learn to dye my wool.  (As if I need another hobby, hehe).

And last week, I received my 1st package of swap goodness from Amy Jo!  Wow, she is so talented.  Here are some piccies.

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How cute is that?!!  And she also included these:

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She handpainted the little box which is a perfect storage place for the beautiful stitch markers she made.  And what a beautiful bookmark!  Amy Jo knows me so well already, yes she does.  She sent really pretty stationary in my favorite colors, postcards, and 3 of her favorite recipes too.  Not to mention some yarn, yay!  We have both decided we're addicted to swapping.  In the package that she received, I sent this:

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Indeed, swapping is so much fun!

I bought a bellydancing DVD that was on sale this weekend and also got out all of my yoga DVD which I plan to start doing every morning before work.  So far this year, I've lost about 15 pounds since Christmas, yay!  I had been jogging 2 or 3 times a week, but not lately.  It's just too cold and the cold air just hurts my lungs too much...so I haven't jogged in awhile.  I know, excuses, excuses.  Hopefully the yoga DVD's will stop collecting dust and be put to good use.