Yarn Swap
Our Fiber Guild had a yarn swap at tonight’s meeting. I scored big time. I arrived with a bag that was overflowing with yarn that I no long wanted, full balls plus scraps. About 1/2 of it was picked up by other members, the leftovers are being donated to a local school’s art dept. And I managed to score some really good stuff: 2 skeins of Knit Picks Sock Garden, 1 skein of Knit Picks Dancing, 2 skeins of Malabrigo worsted, and 3 skeins of Cascade 220 Quatro.
Woohoo!
Long, long, time ago
Wow! It’s been a long time since I posted anything. I really need to get back to this. I’m at work, so I don’t really have a whole lot of time, but I’m still here. So what’s happened since I last posted?
I lost weight! I lost almost 20 lbs last year. I reached goal in October and have been maintaining since. I’ve gone back up a few lbs, but I am mostly maintaining my original goal of staying under or at 115lbs. It feels great. My clothes fit so much better, and I feel better about myself now. I’m watching what and how much I eat, plus I’m more active now. I’m very glad that spring is finally here. Hopefully the warmer weather will draw us outside more and we can get back to cycling. Last summer, we would go for an hour long bike ride both Sat and Sun mornings if the weather was good. It was awesome! Plus I was running 3 days a week. I even ran my first 5K at Thanksgiving and it was a blast.
I’ve also changed jobs this year. I just started a new job (promotion, no less) with a different state agency and I love it. It was definitely time for a change and this worked out perfectly since we are in the process of getting our house ready for sale and hoping to purchase a bigger house and move by the end of the year.
I’m still knitting like crazy and am now Vice-President of a local fiber guild that myself and some friends started back in November. It’s been fun and we’re definitely getting more and more involved in the community, trying to bring out all those other closet knitters, crocheters, etc that are scattered around our city and surrounding areas.
So that’s what’s been going on in the past year since my last post back in May of 09! Wow! Hmm, maybe I’ll start posting more again. Who knows. At one point, I considered not using this blog and just using Facebook notes as my “blog”, but then I realized most of my FB friends don’t care about the junk I write on my blog. And I like that it’s separate, although, not really anonymous.
I’ve actually considered going anonymous, just making a blog somewhere online where no one knows how I am, and just posting what I think without care of who reads it, but that’s not really me. So I’m back here once again. Surprise!
Enough babbling.
Fashion Upgrade
I’m trying to slowly build up my wardrobe to a more dressy but casual style, rather than all casual. Basically, more dresses (summer-y type), more blouses and less t-shirts. I don’t have many jeans so that’s not an issue.
But since I had Amelia, my hormones are so screwed up that I’m now hot natured. I used to be cold all the time, so I lived in sweaters. Between basic hormone changes and my cholesterol medication, I’m always hot. So I have half a closet full of sweaters and sweatshirts that I’ll never wear again. I much prefer wearing long sleeved cotton shirts and a cardigan rather than a pullover. Easier to have the layers that are removable for when my body temperature changes.
So I’ll be clearing out my closet of winter clothes that will never be worn again and trying to make room for newer more stylish clothing that I can wear to work or just for hanging out. I also want to get more cuter shoes. Surprisingly, I don’t have that many shoes that I wear. I tend to stick to a few staple shoes that will go with most of my outfits and I’m finding that I like the slightly healed slip-on sandals.
I think for too long, I’ve just let the clothing slide in favor of easier shopping items (yarn and books). Or stuff for Amelia. It’s much easier to buy her clothes (it all fits her usually). Where I go to buy clothes for myself and about 2% of what I try on fits. It’s very frustrating, but I think I need to do it for myself.
A wardrobe upgrade. It’s about time. But I know it can’t happen overnight. I’m going to try to get one or two outfits with each paycheck. I know I can afford it, if I don’t waste the money on other junk (like eating out too much or getting knitting/spinning stuff, which I don’t really need anymore of right now). So we’ll see how it goes. And I’m hoping to not shop the discount stores. All the department stores seem to be having sales all the time (at least every time I go in there), so why not take advantage of it and see what they have to offer.
Spunky Wishlist
I’m starting my Spunky wishlist so that I can keep track of what colorways I want to play with. Pretty much all of them really, but the ones that really catch my attention will be documented here so I won’t forget.
- Aspen
- Estuary (BFL)
- Riverwalk
- Castaway
- Dinosaur
- Harvest
- Walkabout
- Neopolitan
- Forecast
- Nova Scotia
- Brain Freeze
- Lichen (BFL)
- Route 66
- Winnepeg
- Toronto
I’ve already purchased BFL in Thin Ice, Shetland in Sangria and Corriedale in the color of the month, Joshua Tree, which I’ve always been fond of. Plus I’m currently spinning Galaxy BFL in Earth.
How Tall??!!
According to one of those growth charts, I put in Amelia’s stats and based on the info I input it says she will be 5’9″ tall at age 18! I seriously doubt she will be that tall. None of the women in my family are that tall. Even Eric’s family that has fairly tall women, none of them are that tall.
It’s craziness!
Spinning Anniversary
Last year in April, I learned to spin on a CD spindle. Shortly thereafter, I bought two new spindles (much lighter and the spinning fever began). A month later, I was gifted with a Mahogany Kromski Prelude by my wonderful husband as a Mother’s Day present. It’s been a year of learning and finally I feel I can say I really am a spinner. It’s been one year since I started spinning and one year since I received my wheel.
I’m celebrating my spinning anniversary by adding a few accessories to my wheel. I ordered a WooLee Winder and extra bobbins today for it. 
I’ve been reading so many raves for the WW and when I’m spinning I get so into the process that I forget to stop and move the yarn from hook to hook. Also, when spinning fine yarns, no matter how often I change hooks, the yarn still doesn’t wind on evenly because of the spacing of the hooks. Sure, I could add more hooks, but then I’m still having to stop. I’m looking forward to learning to use my WW so I can really get into my spinning and not have to worry about losing my rhythm because I’m constantly changing hooks.
Hopefully it won’t take too long for my new toy to arrive. I guess in the meantime I definitely need to finish the yarn I’m working on, so that I’m ready to play when it gets here.
mamaLove is the personal site of Rayne Bair. Happily married since 2001 and proud mama of one adorable little girl. This site details a journey through motherhood and trying to find myself apart from being mommy. 
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