Award

My pal over at The Quest to be Financially Abundant listed my wee little blog in her list of 10 blogs that she loves. Thanks P! :)

I thought I would join along as it has felt like ages since I've posted. (No need to worry, just life getting busy on us.) So without any further ado, here is me playing along, for the fun of it.



10 Blogs that I love:

1. Gail Vaz-Oxlade. Just like I can't imagine starting my morning without a cuppa, I also can't imagine starting a day without a daily dose of Gail wisdom.
2. My Half Dozen Daily is the second blog I read daily. She's a SAHM who homeschools, and is currently trying to sell a chameleon so her teenaged daughter will come home, lol!
3. Over at When I get to Where I am Going , J udy is an avid knitter, who attends school, is paying off her debt, all while running a household of adult and teenaged kids, a husband, and her mother. Update: Judy has taken down her blog. I'll miss her posts. :(
4. Saving for Travel or SFT for short, keeps us up to date on her travel around the globe (I'm so jealous!) and is our gracious host for The Sealed Pot Challenge 2013. She hosts weekly updates on this for those who are interested.
5. Sharon at MidLifeMomMusings just recently moved to her own domain and Wordpress after deciding to commit to blogging. She always has something good to share.
6. The Warm Hands Network is a charity knitting blog that chronicles the yearly shipments of knitted good to some needy children right here in Canada. Not only do they take knitted items from a specific list, they also accept Canadian Tire money toward the purchase of boots for folks who live in an area where the temp can drop to -40 C (that's the same as -40 F).
7. $lay the Monster  is B-Kat's blog. She paid off her $148,000 mortgage  in ten years. Nowadays, she works diligently to keep out of the clutches of the Debt-Monster.
8. Jolie writes Shaking the Money Tree, and I love reading about her life.
9. I love to read alottastitches where Linda crochets one child sized blanket per week for children entering foster care. That on top of the knitting, sewing and other crochet projects she has going.
10. Sass writes about her life with Princess Penelope (her daughter) and her two pups, Thing 1 and Thing 2 over at Getting Us There. I love her pictures of her shopping trips.

7 Things about me:

1. I love to observe people. By nature, I'm kind of quiet, a little bit shy, and would much rather sit and watch people at a party or gathering than getting involved in conversations.
2. I am a member of the Bear Clan of the Oneida First Nation people. To me, this means that I have a strong connection to family (by birth or by choice) and will do most anything I can for them. It also makes me want to sleep a lot in the winter time.
3. My self-esteem has bipolar disorder, I think. I either have all the confidence in the world in my strengths and abilities, or I have the worst self-esteem in the world. Depends on the day, I guess.
4. I do have a strong personality with some very strong opinions on things. I find that people either really, really like me or they absolutely hate me. I have learned to live with this and not to worry about those who don't like me.
5. I'm learning a lot about myself through knitting. I used to think knitting was all about the end result, the item I made, but it's become more about me just doing the knitting and what occurs in my head while I'm doing so.
6. Some of my favourite music is fairly heavy. Like heavy metal heavy. I don't seem the type at all, lol.
7. I want to get a dog in the worst way, but until we are in an actual house and not an apartment, I won't do it. It wouldn't be fair to the dog.

Rules if you want to play.

1. post awards on blog
2. thank person that nominated you, that would be me, but your blog is thanks enough!
3. List 10 blogs you love
4. list 7 things about you
5. List these rules
6. tell people you nominated by posting on their blog

Knitting Top Ten

Top Ten Ways Knitting has changed my life:

1.      The constant exercise of my fingers and hands while knitting has staved off the effects of arthritis. I have less pain in my hands and therefore can knit more.

2.      I am able to make handmade gifts for loved ones and friends from the practical (dishcloths) to the frivolous (superhero cape).

3.      Recognising that I am a lifelong learner, knitting will provide me with years of education ahead. There are so many stitches to learn, projects to accomplish and yarns to work with that I will still be knitting and learning well into my retirement years.

4.      A project on the needles becomes a conversation starter. I am painfully shy at times, and am usually unable to approach someone I don’t know to begin a conversation. Whatever I am knitting usually attracts attention so that they will ask what I am making.

5.      Knitting has deepened the appreciation I have for my mother and grandmother and their respective fibre arts (Grandma was a quilter).  My love for knitting has opened my eyes to other forms of fibre art and textiles and wanting to learn more about them all.

6.      While I am knitting, I am able to let the continuous movement of the yarn and needles put me in a Zen-like state, giving my mind the freedom to wander and subconsciously tackle problems.

7.      Yarn stores. I love walking into a yarn section or yarn store to marvel at the array of colours, pattern books and needles.

8.      I have made many friends who share similar interests and have been welcomed into a ‘group’ of other yarn/knitting/fibre lovers. Their friendship and guidance means the world to me.

9.      I am a procrastinator by nature. Knitting helps me to avoid housework and other unpleasant tasks and provides me with the quiet time needed to build up my courage to tackle the realities of life.

10.   Through knitting, I am able to give back to my community. Keeping Kids Warm is a local charitable organization that provides handmade outer garments to homeless youth. Working with this group gives me immense satisfaction.

 

Coupon Swap Night

If you listen to BX 93 here in London, you may have heard of Coupon Christine , a local saving guru. Her website is full of freebies, deals, and printable coupons as well as a listing of places you can contact to get coupons for products. She hosts a Facebook group page that swaps coupons and deal info. And she's super nice!

Once per month, the group meets for a coupon swap, and typically a local group becomes their 'charity' for the month, getting donations of whatever it is that group needs.

Tonight is the June 2012 swap (held in the food court of Galleria/Citiplaza mall) and Keeping Kids Warm is the recipient of the generosity of this wonderful group of people.

Here is a compilation of items that I personally am donating to help make up the survivor bags:

gum, razors, hair products, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deoderants, q-tips, combs, lady products, candy, healthy snack bar, shmpoo/conditioner samples.

Keeping Kids Warm is also gearing up to become a collector for Terracycle. We keep garbage out of the landfill, products are recycled or upcycled, and charities get cash! What a win-win-win situation!

I gotta run. Tons to do today. Have a great day everyone!





iCreate

Now that the worst of the cold weather is behind us, I'm finding myself more able to knit when I have some spare time. I've imposed a due date for two items that I have been working on for a bit. One is a blanket for my daughter's 13th birthday, and the other item is a blanket I have been working on for my MIL since August of last year. I want to give it to her for her birthday in June.

So when I'm not working, I'm knitting.  Both of these projects are simply me creating. No pattern to follow, no wrong way to do it. I add yarns that I like the look and feel of, and away I go.

I'm also working on a pair of socks for Hubby (still) and various items for Keeping Kids Warm. I've made some neck warmers, or neck cowls; like a scarf but totally round with no ends to get caught on anything.

This is the blanket I'm working on for DD2. Do you think I can get it done by Friday?

This is sock number 2 of the pair for Hubby.

This is the multi-coloured blanket for my MIL, using worsted weight, 4 ply variegated yarns.

A closer pic so you can see the rainbow of colours.

The sized 6.0 mm bamboo circular needle(s) I'm using to make MIL's blanket. Probably part of the reason why it is taking me forever to finish it!



I'm thinking of starting a collective project of blankets to be made of squares kitted by volunteers, and having them mailed to me from knitters wherever they may be. Are you a knitter? Do you know a knitter? Think you might like to get involved in this project? Email me, and share this idea with others. If I can get 5 knitters to commit to making 2 ten inch squares, I'll do a giveaway. Let me know what you think.



The $100 Challenge, The Second Year

Last year, Hubby & I participated in the $100 Challenge. Don't know what that is? Read the Story that started it all here.  Basically, Andrew, a Londoner, gave a man in need $100. And felt good about it. It got him thinking about how such an amount could do some good for another human being.

I wrote about the $100 Challenge last year, found here. What I didn't tell anyone really was some of the follow-up to what happened that day.

Last year, Keeping Kids Warm collected gently used coats and clothing for those in need. After our giveaway of well over $100 worth of coffee and cookies, the clothing items were gathered and dropped off at various agencies so that folks who needed them could get access to them. At one of the places, a man asked one of the volunteers if we had any dress shirts as he had a job interview the following Monday.

With donated money, and some of her own, that volunteer drove the man to a thrift store, and let him pick out a dress shirt, pants and shoes so that he would look presentable for his interview. He was truly grateful, and it made the volunteer feel wonderful to help someone who truly needed a hand up.

Well, the man in this tale got the job he interviewed for. The agency has since told us that he is now doing well, has an apartment of his own, and has become a volunteer to help others who were once where he was. When he speaks of the events that helped him turn his life around, he always starts the story with a lady who was dropping off coats and how kind she was to him.

It doesn't take $100 to help another fellow Londoner, but imagine what we all could accomplish if we just try to make a little corner of the world a better place?

I urge you to join dozens of other Londoners and give a little something to someone else. You don't even have to be in London! The $100 Challenge has people registered as far away as Australia who will be taking part on Saturday, December 3, 2011.

If you have $100 to give, or only $10, use it to make soneone's day. Buy a coffee for the person in line behind you at Timmie's. Offer to pay for someone's groceries. Approach a stranger, and give them $20. It doesn't matter how you do something, just do it on that day. Please. It can make a world of difference.

Challenge Anyone?

Monday, I stepped out of my comfort zone a little bit and did something I have never done before. I volunteered at The Soup Kitchen. Together with customer service associates and other residents of Boardwalk Properties, we served breakfast and lunch to over 300 people.  I spent over four hours making and serving trays of hot food and beverages for people.

There are many programs that are in need of volunteers to help out. I'd like you all to consider giving some of your time and of yourself to those less fortunate. Call your local Soup Kitchen or Food Bank. They always need volunteers. The Salvation Army also needs volunteers to assist with their Christmas Hamper program, sorting and packing donated items and foodstuffs (although their volunteer program is a little tougher to get into).

How about spending some time with an elder person to assist with household tasks or running errands for them? With winter coming shortly, there will be lots of older folks who will need someone to shovel and salt their sidewalks for them.

Here's my challenge to you.

Give some of your time to give a hand up to someone else. Even for a couple of hours. It will help you keep your life in perspective, I promise.

What other great ideas can you all come up with to give of yourself to those who are in need?



http://www.info.london.on.ca/docs/HardTimes.pdf

Purple Hats and Microloans

I've written posts before about the volunteer work that I do with Keeping Kids Warm , a local charitable organization that knits and crochets items of warmth for homeless teens in our area. I attend knitting classes most Thursdays, and I am pleased to say that my skills have improved over the last year. This month, the charity is assisting in a call for help from the Middlesex London Health Unit.

Please click here to read about the call for purple hats for the month of October, to prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome/Infant Abuse. KKW is assisting by asking all of our members, volunteers, friends and associates to make at least one purple baby cap for this cause.

Yesterday, I was so very pleased to give my first micro loan with Kiva. I finally figured out how to put money from a pre-paid credit card into a Pay pal account, then transfer it over to my Kiva account, so that I can actually lend that money out. I loaned to a group of women in the Dominican Republic who are starting businesses to provide for their families. There are other deserving people who I would like to loan to, but I will have to wait until I can get another pre-paid credit card, or until the outstanding loan is paid back. I have heard many good things about Kiva, and thought I would finally give it a try.

Quiet weekend at home, so I'm knitting and trying to catch up on some sleep.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Putting My Hands to Good Use

As you may remember from previous posts, I am involved with a local charity called Keeping Kids Warm. I've been helping out when I can for almost a year now, and was recently elected to the position of Newsletter Editor. I have absolutely no idea how to make a newsletter, but my good friend *Google* has been kind and provided me with some step-by-step instructional pages on how to create one.

The charity is hosting Knit Out London, a social gathering for for knitters, crocheters, and other fabric crafters in the Forest City and surrounding areas. It's a fantastic opportunity for some much needed community exposure for the charity and our affiliates to talk to people about our respective works. It's a time to gather ideas, make plans for the coming months, all while working on a current project in a great outdoor setting. This event leads up to the largest event of the year for our charity.

A few weeks later, during the Western Fair, Keeping Kids Warm hosts a booth in the Western Fair Farmer's Market, where we give out apples to children, sell apples by the bag, and apple cider as a source of income for our charitable works. There are also knitted, crocheted, and sewn items available for sale. We also take monetary donations, and recruit new people who want to become part of the charity, either as a knitter, crocheter, sewer or to be more involved in the workings of the charity itself.

I'm currently working a couple of projects for this event. A set of Apple Coasters in plastic canvas, and some knitted dishcloths with and Apple design. I'm hoping to have a small stash available for that week.

Yesterday, I got a call from my sister, who I am in business with making personal care products. She told me she needed some votive candles made in a certain scent. When I asked how many, she told me as many as I can produce. We have a retailer who has many events happening this summer, and wants a supply of our products on hand, as she feels they will be a big seller. This is a total turn around from our conversation of 3 weeks ago, where I understood we were putting a hold on product making for several months. I could have been making this stuff for weeks, had I known.

My resolve is to spend at least an hour per evening, making candles, knitting or stitching on plastic canvas while I watch television with my family. I have many projects that I would like to have completed this summer for both the charity and the business. My hands shall not be idle.

Volunteering

I have agreed to volunteer for for the next two Saturday evenings, during the Western Fair, for three hours each evening with a charity call "Keeping Kids Warm". These fine folks knit various items for children of all ages within our community.
http://www.keepingkidswarm.ca/

I wanted to volunteer for a group who has similar interests and ideals as my own, and Keeping Kids Warm seems to be a good fit. I have yet to meet the lady who heads this cause, but I am sure that I will find this experience a good one. I am looking forward to helping out during the fair at the booth, and knitting some things for them.

I used to volunteer a lot of my time with organizations, but lately haven't done so. I would like to improve that.

Do you volunteer, and how much of your time do you devote to the service of others?