Three Happy Things

Getting to work today was a true challenge.  Conditions were really treacherous, and my usual 20-minute walk took over an hour. Fortunately, there were *very* few cars on the road, so that was definitely a plus.  I know it's gonna get worse before it gets better, so I am already not treasuring the idea of making my way home later.  Windy snow in the face is painful, you know?  

Having said that, I will say that I am glad we are not having another wimpy winter.  I don't want people to be killed, etc. as a result of the snow and ridiculously low temperatures, but as a person who was aggravated by temperatures in the 70s during November, I feel like at least things are the way they should be now, if a bit extreme.  What can I say, I'm not a warm/hot weather person ...

In any event, today I am sharing a post for Three on Thursday, and it's about three things that were especially pleasing to me during Christmastime.

I very seldom purchase something myself and then give it to The Tim to wrap up as a Christmas gift, but this year was an exception.  I saw these two yarns and this project bag in two different Etsy stores, and decided that I really wanted to have them.  So I bought them, and then gave them to him to wrap up for me.  The best part was, between then and Christmas, I'd completely forgotten about any of it, so it was a complete surprise when I opened the box he'd put them into together.

The Rudolph project bag is from MollyKleinDesign, and just seeing it makes me so happy.  The yarns pictured are both from SweetSparrowYarns, and I'm sure you will understand why I ordered them when you see the names.  On your left is Rudolph and Clarice, and on the right is Yukon Cornelius.  It's like she got into my brain and made yarn based on one of my most favorite things in the world!  I saw the colorways in her shop after the holidays last year, and sent her a note asking if she made them every year.  She responded yes, and that she was even considering down the road adding more based on "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" - be still my heart!  So this year when I saw the listings, I got them as soon as I got paid.  Right now, I'm thinking that Rudolph and Clarice will become a pair of Christmas socks for me, and I'll make a pair for The Tim in the Yukon Cornelius colorway.  Happy happy happy!

I don't remember where or when I first hear about this book, but once I saw it and read about it, I knew that it was something I wanted to have.  It's a small book in physical size, but oh, the treasures inside!  She writes about books and libraries, and how they helped to inspire the patterns included.  I mean, come on, how could I not love this book?  Even just looking through it makes me feel happy and calm, as the settings for the photographs are gorgeous.  I pre-ordered it, and coming from Europe, it took a while to arrive even once published, but it was well worth it.  Karie Westermann seems like someone who would you could sit and drink tea with while discussing books and knitting - throw in an animal for company, and I would be in nirvana!

The third thing that is happy to me has already been mentioned here, but I'm including it nonetheless.  I had bought some yarn at Loop a few months back with a particular project in mind.  It hadn't been wound into balls, or even taken  out of the bag, since I didn't want to even consider getting started on said project until after the holidays were over, and I'd finished my 2017 knitting.  Last week when I pulled it out to prepare to get started, I realized that although I still liked it well enough, I didn't feel the love, you know?  So I returned it!  I now have a gift card to use for whatever I decide to buy in the future.  This is really exciting to me, because even though I did in fact spend the money already a few months ago, when I want to use the gift card, I'll feel like whatever I am buying is free!  (Yes, that's how my mind works.)  The anticipation is as much fun as eventually using it will probably be.  :-)

Have a good day, everyone, and stay as safe and warm as you can!