more knitting and a birthday tag

Well, here's some more birthday news. My birthday was on the last day of the fair, at which I actually won Jr. Grand Champion in both knitting and sewing! With that honor came all of these goodies from the local sponsors. And Oh. My. Goodness. That's two complete projects, a case for straight needles, and hand dyed fingering weight yarn. And look, the girl on the needle case looks like me, (kind of) isn't that crazy?

So now, I get to make my first pair of socks, I've already gotten started, the yarn is such a yummy apricot color and the pattern is lovely. The only part of the pattern that I'm nervous about is the grafting at the toe, Kitchener stitch is definitely a weak point for me. Sadly, I don't know where the pattern is from, but the yarn is Debbie Bliss.

It also came with a note book for knitting projects and Brittany DP needles, my hands down favorite kind, unless there's a better wood brand that I haven't tried.

This is what I need to make a lovely cowl, the pattern is from blue sky alpaca so you could probably find it on their website if you're interested. I think the yarn is Aslan trends, I could be wrong, but I know it has Aslan in it.



Now this is really interesting, it's called a "flat" I think, and it's hand dyed, you then knit from it and it makes a cool pattern. I'm looking forward to seeing how this turns out, it's the perfect weight for socks, but we'll see, I might go for something else.

(I found a heart in it!)

As I said before, I started knitting the socks and they're turning out so beautiful, I'm actually done with the first one, (I feel bad for it having come out so quickly) except for the grafting.



And guess what else? I got tagged!!!





Yes, the lovely Katherine tagged me for my birthday, thank you so much! Okay I need to cut back on the exclamation points.

SO, I need to state ten things about myself and then tag ten people

1. I used to want to be an actress in Hollywood, but last year I went to an acting camp in LA and I quickly changed my mind. I still love acting, but I just wasn't willing to live in southern California, too me it was one of the ugliest places I've ever seen (no offence meant). Now, if I decide to act it will be strictly theater.

2. Ballet is a huge passion for me, I'm not very good,(I'm not even on point yet) but this semester I'm taking three ballet classes, two pre-point, and two other classes, a long with the company rehearsal, so I'm hoping that will help me improve a lot.

3. I have this weird thing where I fall for men in old movies, like Gregory Peck and Jimmy Stewart, I also frequently fall in love with the men in the books I read, they're all just so perfect.

4. I've been journaling (apparently that's not a word) for a long time now, I think at least seven years, anyway, I'm currently working on my eleventh. Once, I finished my journal before I had a chance to get my next one and I had to wait over a week, I was a wreck the entire time.

5. Almost every time I read a book, I pick a character to be and I read everything they say out loud. And with fairy tales and other dreamy kind of stories I read the whole thing out loud to myself.

6. I've been home schooled my whole life and I'm really glad of it. I feel like it has really helped me to become my own person and enjoy being myself instead of trying to look and be like everyone else.

7. As far as music goes I can enjoy almost anything as long as it has good lyrics. My favorites though are ones with good lyrics and cute/pretty music like Eisley, Regina Spector, Avett Brothers, and then soundtracks of course give me thrills.

8. The place I want to visit most in the world is Ireland, it's so beautiful and green. I've never been there, but I'm hoping I'll be able to live there someday.

9. I've always lived in town, but I'm sure there's a drop of dryad blood in me because the woods is where I feel the most at home. Someday, I'm going to have my own little cabin in the woods and I'll have goats, chickens, and geese, and a big beautiful garden. I want to keep bees two. I plan to have two big dogs and name them Merit and Ash. (after the hounds in Deerskin and The Princess and the Hound)

10. When my mother first told be about Narnia, (I don't remember how old I was, three or four) I desperately wanted to go there. I asked her what a wardrobe was and she said it was like a closet. I remember (I really do!) hiding in our coat closet (because it was cold there) and waiting for me to get in. I didn't quite, but sitting there in the dark I had the most wonderful imaginings, and I think, in a not quite literal sense, I did find my way into Narnia.

And now I tag:

Un Bella Vita A Beautiful Life (my first blogging friend)

Acrylic and Old Lace (I miss you Rebecca!)

peculiar tallulah (a doll)

Thumbelina (fellow Alaskan blogger, hehe)

Raindrops and Rosepetals (I just found this blog and I love it, also happy birthday Sara!)

A Book of Blair (same as above, and a late happy birthday to this sweet girl too)

So that's only six, but I wasn't sure who else to tag. If anyone else wants to do it feel free, it's a lot of fun. I have a very busy schedule but I'm going to try to do a post every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. I have so much to share so I hope it works out. I must fly now, but I'll be back as soon as I can!

Love, Clara