JessaLu Knits (and Spins!)

A year ago, on February 18^th, I posted my first post on blogger. I didn’t have high expectations regarding blogging, I figured it would mostly just be an online written record of the path I have followed since 2/18/2005. However, so far blogging has become more than that to me. I’ve learned new techniques, found new yarn I otherwise would not have known existed, patterns I otherwise would have been afraid to try on my own and best of all, made new friends.

In my opinion, blogfriends are the best part of blogging. I love checking my in-box after I’ve posted and reading your comments. I love exchanging gifts with you and most importantly, I love getting to know you all and look forward to becoming closer to the blogfriends I have made already and getting to know new ones. (yes I mean you - lurkers!). My first step in doing this is the little contest I’m going to have in celebration of my blogiversary. Well, it’s actually two contests ;o)

The first way you can win is by answering the following question:

I have a certain quirky phobia - what is it?

You can find the answer to this in either my Typepad blog, my Blogspirit blog or possibly even this one. Please send your answers by clicking on the ‘contact me’ link below my avatar on the left sidebar over there *pointing*. Any answers to this left in the comments will be removed. The winner will be drawn from all of the correct answers sent to me prior to midnight on Monday, February 20th. This means that even if you don’t see this post until 11:59pm on Monday you still have a chance to win - isn’t that genius?! ;o) What are you going to win? Well, I don’t like to post the prizes because I like to personalize them. Let’s just say I’ll make it worth your while to do the research and get the right answer ;o)

The second way you can win is by leaving a comment. That’s all! I will draw the winner from all comments left to this entry prior to midnight on Monday. The prize for this portion of the contest won’t be as big as the prize for answering the question but it’ll still be pretty darned cool ;o) So, leave a comment! Come on, you lurkers, show me what you’ve got!

Edited to add: You can enter both ways to win - you don’t have to choose one and not do the other :o) Oh, and I probably should have mentioned that the prizes will involve yarn. I just didn’t want to say what kind or how much ;o) Call it ‘buying comments’ if you want but it’s actually self-preservation. If I don’t pare down the stash Rog is going to set fire to the whole lot - it *is* burning season in Western Mass, you know.

That lovely ‘panic counter’ has appeared on my sidebar - cuz Lord knows I need the reminder.

You can get yours here.

Or you can just stare at mine…like I do ;o)

The hi-light of my Saturday was getting a haircut - with a new stylist. I think I’ve mentioned that I have curly hair. I’ve only recently (over the past year or so) become comfortable with my hair in its ‘natural state’ but I had yet to get a haircut that was made for curly hair. A friend of mine also has curls and she mentioned that her stylist has a certain method of cutting curlies so I decided I had to give it a try.

Here I am before and after:

Before…

And after…

It’s a little flattened from sitting on the couch but I think her cutting method released more of the curl - which, in the right hands (namely mine) can look pretty good!

That’s it for now - I’m up to the armholes on the sweater and was contemplating steeking to save time but I think I’m going to do knit/purl just to give my wrists a break. They’re pretty sore at this point.

G’nite!

Not sure if I’ve ever mentioned this, but I have the worst luck in the world. I never win anything. Ever. Wasn’t getting smacked with a mud flap on I-90 proof enough that I should never leave the house without several good luck charms hanging about my person? I mean, what are the odds?

Earlier this month I participated in Karen’s FO - along. I admit I killed two birds with one stone with my FO - not only did I complete the FO-along but I got my ‘F’ for the sock-a-month-along ;o) The best part, though? I WON something! I know! Holy Crap! Karen had a drawing from all the participants and the Goddess was smiling upon me that day ;o) I received my loot today - and trust me, I needed the pick-me-up. Wanna see what I won? (I WON! hee!)

I love the colors! There’s two skeins of Noro Silk Garden (not sure the color number, and I’m in bed, they’re in the kitchen. Sorry but I’m not getting up, not even for you guys), two skeins of KnitPicks Shadow in Grape Jelly, the CUTEST little tin of mints and chocolate! Here’s the whole pile all together:

There was five minutes of sunlight left when I got home from work today so I decided to do some yarn photography. ;o) I can’t wait to make something with this! I think I might do a multi-directional scarf with the Noro and something lacy with the laceweight…oh and the chocolate’s gone. Didn’t have a chance.

I’m not sure how Karen and I started being blogfriends - I think she might have stumbled upon me…? Anyway, we seem to have some kind of cosmic connection. Witness:

That’s the Lorna’s Laces I bought at The Point on Monday. Colors look familiar? ;o)

Thank you, Karen! You made a semi-crappy week a helluva lot brighter!

Oh and my car is fixed. It’s going to have to be a story for another day, though because it’s a freaking epic. Last week’s loveliness trickled into this week. Gah.