December GIVEAWAY!



No, it's not December already is it? Well, no. Not for another 2 hours but close enough. So it's the monthly giveaway time. Seeing as it's supposed to be a merry, joyous sort of month for a lot of folk, I've decided to give away a large print of "Birdland." I know I just blogged about it recently but it's the one that got me thinking about home and it might just be on television at some point in the nearish future and that's all I'm saying...

Leave me a little commenty goodness and win yourself some feathered goodness! Draw date: 15th December

Best wishes everyone!


Thank you again for supporting my work and by extension the amazing work done by the folks at Amnesty International.


No, not the frame too! Just the print, yeah.

I'm pretty happy.

I now get to put my knitting in this styling knitting bag from Sew Bendy instead of ye olde crumbling plastic bag. Melissa and Jenn at Sew Bendy are exceptionally friendly and professional and my bag, a "knit tuck," (I think they might be fans of the show) has a little pocket for DPNs and a snap loop for the yarn to feed through. The design of the handle means you can slip it over your wrist and knit in a department store while swaying to muzak and feigning interest in the toy section. I truly think this bag is improving my knitting maybe even my life!


I hereby dedicate these socks to Raina from Raining Sheep. If it weren't for you, Raina, I'd still be on the other side of the fence, the side without wool, where you think knitting is for people that don't get out enough.

And as promised, some socks. They're my second and third borns. Yes, they're pretty rugged looking but it's winter so they can be 'boot socks'! I can hear you wondering what my problem is, c'mon, admit it you're thinking 'life's too short, why would I knit a sock?' but I'll have you know it's pretty satisfying. They knit up quickly, self striping yarn is AMAZING and you can think about all those knitters from da olden days knitting up socks through necessity in front of the fire or wherever it was they did a spot of knitting.


Old Breton woman knitting - Image from a vintage postcard
Check out those knitting hands!



This yarn, "Holly" is a bit festive but in retrospect maybe not quite bright enough. I promised Rosemoo fuggly sock pictures if she would show me her great hat knitted up in some of Rivulettecraft's beautiful, popping bright yarn. So Rosemoo, ta daa!



I really had better get some of this. It is too beautiful.

And speaking of Rivulettecraft, I received my delectable glass bead from her the other day. It's wonderful and I'm very pleased but I had to laugh when I saw the size of the box that it arrived in...





Lovely, lovely handmade glass bead from Rivulettecraft.

Snow. It's pretty neat stuff. Snowflakes? Amazing!

I was 26 when I first saw it snow. I had just arrived in Canada (a lot of snow comes here) and my need to frolic and dance in the snow was very strong; terribly amusing for the people I was with at the time.

One of my favourite things is still a nice walk at night in fresh snow. The insulating effect of snow makes for an enchanting, quiet walk and when there's a bit of light around and the snow's all sparkly I feel like I'm adrift in a sea of tiny jewels.


Baby Snow Bears - limited edition print

For those of you in the north, stay warm!

This is not what it looked like today. This is last week. Today looked all grey like THIS. Now all these trees are, according to my son, "naked" and they've gone and left their fricking clothes all over my everywhere!! Grrrr.


eeeeeeEEEEK! I missed my own GIVEAWAY! For shame. Is it the 16th today? Yes, I think it is.

Oh well, without further ado: is there an Elizabeth Sullivan out there in the audience? Would Elizabeth please come up to the stage? We have some wee bears and YOU are their new mummy!

Thank you all for participating in the monthly giveaway and thank you to those who sent me emails. As always, I wish we could have an Oprah moment where they'd be bears under everyone's chairs!



Here are some new bears in the works. Yep, it's all gone to bear around here! All bears, all the time.

In other news, I have been strutting around feeling very powerful of late and the reason? I have birthed my first sock!

I'm going to have to show you a picture of it soon, just as soon as I can figure out a flattering way to photograph it... I know, I know, the anticipation is... is... Not there. But I'm going to show you anyway.

Beautiful people, have a wonderful week!