KCiSDE packages

Yesterday I received a wonderful package from my Keepin' Cool in Summer Dishcloth Exchange pal, Darcy! She was very thorough to include so many things that I would like. When I opened the package, this is what I saw:

Everything was wrapped up in these summery bags (which I've saved for future use!). I had to wait a few moments to open everything because Sarah is so excited about her new camera that she insisted on taking several pictures of everything. (Please go to her blog and rave about what wonderful photos she's now taking. Maybe it'll urge her to blog more often. ha!)

First up is the yarn goodies! I don't think kitchen cotton has ever looked so beautiful than in this picture. Do you? And the multiples of cloths that Darcy knit were perfect! At the moment I'm not using knitted cloths in the kitchen but I said that I would love some for the bath. Darcy made two washcloth sized ones for in the shower and three coordinating smaller face scrubs for the sink. They are adorable!!! And the exfoliating soap smells divine. I wish the blogs came with smell-o-vision!

Then there were other goodies. Tons of stuff for relaxing in the bath. There's Awake body wash from B&B Works and some Coconut lotion from there too. A very Feng Shui candle that is already sitting on the stand next to my bed. Another scrubby for the shower and some bath cubes and a tea that I haven't tried yet. Planning on a little of that tomorrow morning with breakfast! And then there was this adorable bee bag that I'm just SO in love with! Inside was packed with more yummies for the tubby. But I think the bag is my favorite item! I'm totally diggin' it!

There was also three great patterns for more bath items and three recipes for summer refreshments. Thanks Darcy for such an awesome package!

My downstream partner, Alana, also received her package and you can check out her goodies here. While you're there, send Alana some good vibes, I'm sure she'd appreciate them.

On my own knitting front, I've finished the Spring Forward socks but they need some blocking to really bring out the beauty of the pattern so you'll all have to wait for photos and details on them. and tonight I've cast on for the Aquaphobia socks in a wild colorway that I received in a contest package. I'll post progress pics of those too, once there's enough to really see the pattern.

Swapping Questions Post week 3

Well now that Summer has OFFICIALLY begun.. what do you do to beat the heat? A nice tall glass of lemonade? Frozen Coffee? A dip in the pool? What's your favorite way to keep cool this summer as things heat up?

There are lots of good ways to beat the heat in the summer around here. Lots of fluids always helps, whether it be ice cold water, lemonade, iced tea, or an iced coffee. On the hottest days I find that I have a hard time wanting to leave the house and will often spend the day lounging on the couch watching movies or TNT Primetime in the Daytime. A nice walk to the local ice cream shop might also be in order in the evening.



What would you consider the perfect amount of stash?

I'm not really sure what the perfect amount of stash is. While I like having yarn on hand for a spur of the moment cast on, I enjoy the hunt for yarn for a new project too. And while I enjoy splurging on yarn I also feel a little guilty about the current unused yarn that I do have. None of this will of course keep me from continuing to build upon my stash when I see yarns that I love. But I think mostly my stash consists of sock yarns because I don't really have to have a particular pattern in mind when I purchase it. I just know that about 400 yard of beautifully spun colors will one day make a pair of toasty socks for my tootsies. I have a hard time stashing up on other yarns when I don't know what I'll want to do with it and how much I'll need.

Week 2 swap questions

In many parts of the US and abroad, school's out. Take a walk down memory lane for Week Two's question: As a kid, what did you look forward to most about summer vacation/break/holiday?
Most people might say that being off of school would be the best childhood memory of the beginning of summer. Well, being a school teacher, I still have that feeling. Summer is for pursuing new things that are just for me. Exploring new areas and neighborhoods around me that I normally don't have time for, taking an interesting class, working around the house, having lunch with a friend at an outdoor cafe, and spending more time with family. As a child, we didn't travel very much but we camped a lot. My middle school summers were spent at the campground where my grandparents had a permanent site for their camping trailer. My high school summers were filled with working at a Girl Scout camp. I loved being outdoors and not having to shower every day. (I know, gross right? But nothing says freedom like not having to shower or at least not having to shower first thing in the morning.)

Living in Atlanta, I know Summer has truly 'arrived' when it begins to get humid. Blech. When I was a kid, I knew Summer was starting the easy way - School was out!! Share with us how you know that summer has truly 'arrived', or something that signifies the start of Summer in your world.

The start of summer is when the flip flops and sandals come out. My feet love to be out and about during the summer months (which explains why I have such difficulty keeping them clean during warmer weather). Even though I'm still working at school and the official summer break hasn't begun, I start getting that summer bug when I can flip off my shoes and work barefoot in my classroom while the kids are at their specials or after school. Another sure sign is when the classroom begins to smell like a locker room. The kids get so excited to be able to be outside in the nice weather again that they really go at it during recess. The smell of 24 sweaty children in one room in the afternoon is enough to knock your socks off if you haven't already given in to airing out the tootsies.

Keepin' Cool Weekly Topic #1 - Favorite Pattern

So for this week's topic, make a post on your own blog sharing YOUR favorite pattern(s) with us! Don't have a favorite site? That's fine! Show us a photo of one of the cloths you have made and really loved, even if it was just a made up pattern!

I don't know if I have a favorite dishcloth pattern. I've only made a few and I've enjoyed them all. Although I'm not a fan of the ones that are REALLY hole-y as my fingers and nails get caught in them. The ones I have made came from Knitting Pattern Central or from one of those small pamphlet pattern books with a baby theme and a garden theme.

Keepin' Cool in Summer Dishcloth Swap

I'm jumping on the bandwagon for this fun summer swap. Wanna join us?

1. Do you Knit or Crochet? For how long? I've been knitting for about 4 or 5 years now.

2. Do you enjoy using metal, wooden, or some other kind of needle\hook? I love my Options needles for most projects. And I use the metal dpns that I find in my local cheap-o craft store for socks. I also have a small collection of Clover wood needles. I've seen some really beautiful needles out there but I haven't tried them yet.

3. What are your favorite types of yarn? Any you just can't stand? I'm really into sock yarns right now and am hoping to experiment with some lace this summer. There are so many great yarns out there that I don't know if I can choose just one or even a few right now.

4. When it comes to cotton, are there any brands you'd love to try and haven't? Don't know. I've only used Sugar N Cream for cloths. But I do have some Lambs Pride cotton in my stash that I'd like to play with this summer. I don't really know a whole lot about the cottons out there. But I'm eager to try something new.

5. When you make Dishcloths, do you use them yourself, or tend to give them as gifts? I haven't done many dishcloths. The cloths that I've done have been baby washcloths or trivit-like cloths for gifts.

6. Do you have a favorite color? Any that you dislike? I like very earthy colors. The majority of my house is earthy looking with browns, beighes, blues, and reds. Although my eyes in a yarn store are drawn to the bright colors (I mean, who's isn't?) but the bright stuff just isn't really me in the house. Although I love the bright pinks and purples in my garden.

7. What color(s) (if any!) are your kitchen and bath decorated in? My kitchen walls are yellow and my dishes are very earthy green, yellow, and red pottery. My bathroom is dark blue and retro blue (the toliet was put in in the 40'2 and is retro blue).

8. What are your favorite scents around the house? Clean fresh smells for summer.

9. What is your very favorite thing about summer? No school!!! I have the freedom to do the things I really want to do suring the summer months. Sometimes I take a class or get a part time job that is completely different from my actual job. It would be nice to take some art like class this summer.

10. What is your least favorite thing about summer? Those days that it gets blistering hot and you can't even stand to be in your own skin and your electric bill goes sky high from the AC going full blast 24/7.

11. Do you use soap or body wash in the shower? I generally use body wah in the shower. At the sink I go back and forth between liquids and natural hand made bars.

12. What scents do you enjoy in the bath? Just about anything but particularly honey, coconut, and lavender.

13. What is your favorite dishcloth pattern? I don't know that I really have one. But I do know that I don't perfer ones that are really lacy or holey. Tecture is good but I get my fingers stuck in holes. Besides I think I would rather have a bathcloth if my swap pal is ok with that. I really enjoy exfoliating in the shower. I find it really relaxing. Washing dishes are not so relaxing if you know what I mean.

14. What sort of treats do you enjoy? Sweet or Salty? I enjoy all sorts of treats. I'm trying to be good this summer and loose some weight from all those treats. I plan on following the Weight Watchers plan and doing lots of walking this summer. But those yummy treats will find their way into my life every now and then.

15. Imagine today is one of the hottest days of the year - what do you do to keep cool? Or are you one of those folks who loves the hot weather? I love the warmer weather. A perfect summer afternoon includes sitting out on the porch with a great glass of iced tea or lemonaid, reading a book or knitting small projects like socks, and admiring the plants around me. Occasionally going over to rub the rosemary or lavender for a little aroma therapy. But if the weather gets too hot, I'm all about hitting the local indoor ice rink for an hour or two of ice skating. What a treat in the summer heat!

16. What sorts of hobbies do you enjoy besides knitting or crocheting? reading, gardening with herbs and greenery, shopping, drinking tea

17. Do you collect anything (besides yarn!) Books. All kinds. I love Jodi Picoult and kids poetry books. I have an Amason wish list with my current book wants. My Amazon wish list

18. Are you on Ravelry? If so, share your ID! knitknucklehead

19. Do you have any allergies? Mushrooms and all foods that live underwater.

20. Do you have any pets? Not allowed to have pets here.