Rearranging again

It's almost 6pm and I should think about going home soon.

Cathy volunteered to help me today getting the store back in order. We almost finished-tomorrow I should be done. While we were unpacking boxes we moved things around-what did you expect?

In the midst of my mess the mail man showed up with five boxes. HELP!! Namaste, Blue Sky Alpacas, Fiesta La Boheme, the summer Interweave Knits and another box that I haven't looked at.

The cover garment of the new spring/summer Vogue is knit in Blue Sky Alpacas Skinny Cotton. We were out of this colour but it's here again.

It's now 9pm and I have finished the families tax returns and can continue with my post.

There is a problem with my outgoing email server so I couldn't email the pictures to myself and finish the post at the store. These have been downloaded to my Mac.

Part of the mess after I emptied my truck on Monday.

This is more of the mess.

Dream in Color Classy lived at the front door for some time but now we have some scarves and scarf yarn. One of the many changes we made today.

Procrastination

When I was at the conference in March we were told to write a blog post and then wait 24 hours before posting. I should do this- I get a post done and then remember something.

I want to thank Jane and Lynn for their help at the Frolic. This was Lynn's first experience selling yarn and she did a great job.

There are many boxes lying around the store and I should be putting the yarn away but I chose to write a post. Can you say procrastination?

The weather outside is gross. A bit of rain is okay but it is pouring here.

The boxes are yelling at me so I should go.

Busy Weekend

Once I get through this week then life might be back to normal. Unpacking from Frolic, GST and the families tax returns.

The Frolic was great on Saturday. Dad, Beth and I went Friday afternoon to set up. We arrived in Toronto around 3:30 and I sent them on their way at 6. I stayed until 9 to get as much done as possible. Saturday morning I was up at 5 and on the road by 6. The doors of the show opened at 9 and we were busy until closing time at 4.

It was great seeing all the knitters who came out on a beautiful day. If you were in the booth and I didn't get a chance to say 'hi', I am sorry.

We just got everything in the trucks and started driving when the weather turned NASTY. The wind was blowing so hard I thought it was going to overturn our vehicles. We were sitting at a stop light and my truck was rocking back and forth. Then the torrential rains started and continued all the way home. Beth and I changed quickly and were off to a 40th birthday party.

Yesterday was spent laying on the couch watching TV. The Nascar race could have been one of the best of the past few years. Amazing Race is really boring me but there are only a few episodes left so I might as well finish the season. Then there was Celebrity Apprentice. Could Melissa Rivers be any more of a suck? Grow up. This is a game. It will be interesting to see if Joan shows up next week.

Mom and dad left yesterday morning for Myrtle Beach and Beth had a busy day at work so the unpacking was left to me. I went to the store and unpacked what needed to be there and then took the items for storage to the warehouse. Then I got my dad's truck, went to the store and unloaded more. Unfortunately I couldn't get everything from the back of the truck. Off to the warehouse again to unload more and then we could get the rest from the back. Back to the parent's, moved what was left back to my truck and then home. I will unload the last bit in the morning. The store looks like a bomb went off.

Now I am going to try and fix my iPhone. I can receive messages but any messages I send out are lost in space. If you sent me an email over the last week and didn't get a reply, please let me know.

There are two hockey games on tonight and they both start late. Maybe a quick nap is in order so I can stay up late.

Break Time

I'm taking a small break from packing and typing away on my phone. My truck is almost full and then we will fill dad's truck. I have way to much. The weather is amazing but it is supposed to rain this afternoon. Big surprise. It rains every year on Frolic weekend.

People have asked about my parents house in Myrtle Beach. The fires aren't close this time. Myrtle Beach is located in Horry County, SC which is the largest county east of the Mississippi-your trivia for the day.

Survivor last night was great. I can't believe that actually voted Tyson out. Usually they talk about a blind side but don't have the guts to pull it off. He was definitely the strongest and who knows when they would the chance to vote him out again.

Hell's Kitchen was okay. Ben's gone-Andrea next.

I'd better get back to work-jamming more yarn in the truck.

Two sleeps until the Frolic

I'm still getting ready for the Frolic. If you don't know about the show it is a one day knitting show in Toronto on Saturday. There are lots of vendors selling knitting related products as well as workshops being taught. Check out the Downtown Knit Collective website.

Beth returned home from BC very early this morning and is sleeping right now. I might have to wake her up to watch Survivor and Hell's Kitchen. Idol is taped for Sunday afternoon.

I have to run now. Oliver is NZ is expecting my phone call and if I don't call tonight I can't ask my questions until Monday.

There probably won't be a post now until Sunday. Enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend.

Important if you are going to the Frolic

I just read on Ravelry that the DVP is going to be closed on Saturday. Since I am not familiar with the area this caused a moment of distress. However, Joan who coordinates the Frolic wrote

Exit 401 at Leslie St
Go south to Lawrence and turn left so you are going east
Go east to Don Mills Rd and turn right so you are going south
Go south to Wynford Drive and turn left ie east (there is an Esso station on the corner)
Go along Wynford to Garamond Drive and turn left. We will have signs at this corner.
The Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre is a very short bit along Garamond.

There are 3 parking lots you can use. As you are coming along Wynford Drive, on your left hand side before you reach Garamond, there is Oxford Press. You can park in this lot and walk across the parking lot to the Japanese Cultural Centre. There is a lot at the Japanese Cultural centre itself and this is the one I expect will fill up quickly. There is a 3rd lot further along Garamond, past the Japanese Cultural Centre and on your left. It is a 2 minute walk back to the Japanese Cultural Centre.

This is the actual address of the Japanese Cultural Centre.

6 Garamond Court
North York, ON M3C 1Z5
(416) 441-2345

See you Saturday.

Boxes of yarn

It seems like all I have done for the past few days is pack boxes. Everything is set for the Frolic (I think) and I have started on the tent sale. Last night I brought home boxes of yarn and there are more tonight.

A full truck. Some of this is my personal stash. I took a peak in the boxes and I have some good stuff put away.

Tomorrow morning dad and I are meeting with the cabinet maker who will be doing my shelves. He has a lot of work ahead of him!!

We will definitely need to close the store for a few days-dad is thinking the week after the tent sale but I will confirm. There is one wall that needs to come down, another needs a doorway and another needs a hole for the cash desk. The really ugly kitchen cabinets need to come out as well.

Unfortunately I haven't accomplished any knitting this week. My Noro cardigan won't be done for the Frolic-I should figure out what I am going to wear.

Sitting beside me is the list of things I need to get done tonight which means it is time to go.

Have a good night-hopefully the weather will be nicer tomorrow-I don't mind cold weather in January but not the end of April.

Scarves

We keep hearing that scarves are out but everyday customers are buying yarn to knit scarves and the pattern companies keep bringing out scarf patterns. A package arrived today from Lynda (one of my knitters) and these two scarves were in the box.

This is Classic Elite's Silky Alpaca Lace and two balls will make the scarf.  The books and yarn are packed for the Frolic-they will be in the store next week.  

You might be wondering why I am already packing.  I have some anxiety about the show-I don't want to take too much but I don't want to set up the booth and have it empty.  I have been doing shows for over 15 years but figuring out the amount to take never gets easier. 

Lorna's Laces Pearl. I keep talking about this yarn and now that I see it knit I love it more. This is a close up of the scarf (I tweeted the full scarf earlier today). This yarn is also packed.

I spent yesterday working in the store-cleaning. I spent most of the day in the 'kitchen'. I then started on the cash desk-this is going and we are getting a smaller one. There were phone books under the counter from 1997. What?? After work tonight I started on the back room. There are lots of great yarns put away for the tent sale. I found some Rowan Chunky Chenille and four pairs of shoes.  

I have been working on the computer since I got home finishing the brochure to hand out at the Frolic and making the price cards for the booth.  This is finally done and I am going to package up some yarn to ship out in the morning.  I was going to wind more yarn for Tulip kits but that will be tomorrow nights job.

Tent Sale and Renovations

Today has been very productive and it isn't over yet.
I was up early so I washed my Edie cardigan (in Soak of course) before I went to church. I laid it out on the deck and it was almost dry by the time I got home.
I watched the Blue Jays win and worked on my Silk Garden Lite cardigan. The back and both fronts are done and the first sleeve is half done.
I went to my parents for dinner-they felt sorry for me because I am by myself.
There is a load of clothes in the washing machine. These are the clothes our mannequins wear at the knitting shows. You wouldn't believe the looks I get when I go into a clothing store wanting to buy size 3 clothes. After explaining that they are for mannequins I get just as many strange looks.
When this post is done I am going to continue knitting and watch hockey. The Amazing Race and Celebrity Apprentice are taping.

Dad is home and we are going to start working on the renovations tomorrow. This door is behind the cash desk and leads into a secret space. It was the kitchen when we bought the house and we didn't think we needed the space so it was kept for storage. Really it is the door I open and throw things in and then close the door. Cathy has cleaned out that area once and I get to go at it again tomorrow-think of the closet on the Flintstones that Fred goes digging in to find something and everything falls out on him.

The wall behind the cash desk is going to be knocked out. There will be a hole punched in the side wall as well. You might not know that there is another storage area at the back of the house (it was a screened in porch when we bought the house). The cash desk will be turned by 90 degrees and will sit in part of the porch.

There are more renovations happening as well but I am going to keep these for a day when I have nothing to write.

Customers have asked if we are going to close during this. We will need to close for a few days but I don't have the dates right now-watch the blog, newsletter and tweets. Mom and dad are back to Myrtle Beach on Sunday for a week. When they come home the real work begins.

I have the Tent Sale dates and times now. We will be in the same location as last year-the hall behind St. John's Church located on Halson Street.

Thursday June 4 7-11pm
Friday June 5 noon-7pm
Saturday June 6 10-1pm

The pricing of yarn will be different this year. We will be charging per ball. $3 for a 50gram ball and $6 for a 100gram ball.

Yesterday I promised pictures of Sarah (and her daughter Clara) modelling Sarah's finished work. Sarah-I lost the piece of paper with the names of the garments-can you email to me? Sorry.

Great Sports Night

The weather was beautiful today, the store was busy and I have no complaints.

Rhonda came in with a shawl she knit for the store. My picture didn't turn out but Rhonda's are great.

Sarah brought in two finished objects today-I will post the pictures tomorrow.

Beth arrived in Vancouver leaving me to a quiet house. I am watching hockey and knitting. I am almost at the neck shaping on the front of my Noro cardigan. If I don't get too engrossed in the TV I should make some headway on this tonight.

This post will be short because another hockey game, a basketball game and the Nascar race are starting in 2 minutes.

Mom and dad returned home from Myrtle Beach last night. For the past few weeks I have had shipments from US suppliers sent to them to make sure that I had them in time for the Frolic. There were four boxes to open today. Lorna's Laces, KnitWhits, Moving Mud and Noni.

Noni's new pattern-Clematis Shopping Bag. This pattern is just for the bag and there is a separate pattern for the flowers. I love the photography of these patterns-bright happy colours.

A neat pattern for a laptop case. There is a pattern for the ribbed sweater as well. 

If you come in the store during the next week-sorry for the mess. My 'to take' lists keep growing and I started to fear that we wouldn't get it all in the trucks. Now that the yarn is boxed I am a bit more relaxed but won't be totally calm until Thursday when I pack my truck.

I am working on the price signs for the Frolic upstairs on my Mac.  The slingbox is on and I am flipping between two hockey games and the baseball game.

Why didn't they vote Coach off of Survivor last night?  Is it possible for a human being to be more annoying???  His stories are so unbelievable-it must have been hard for everyone to sit and listen to him and not laugh.

Hell's Kitchen-can we just get rid of Andrea?  And then Ben?

Beth is off to Vancouver tomorrow to meet with her new sales rep and will return on Wednesday.  The dogs are staying with mom and dad-they aren't used to being alone during the day and I can't take them to work with me.  All you would hear me saying is "ROKO NO!!"  It will be lonely but I have a lot of work to do.  Dad wants to start working on the renovations on Monday-what about the Frolic and finishing my taxes??

I'm going to knit now.  I don't think my cardigan will be done for the Frolic but I am going to try.

Hiding Place

Did you know that we have a university in Ancaster?  Redeemer University College will be hosting an interesting evening on May 1.  The Ballet 'Hiding Place' will be presented.  This is the story of Corrie ten Boom who was imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp.  The ballet company will be doing four appearances in Canada before traveling to Europe.
There is more information on the Redeemer website.

The last few hours have been spent in front of the computer doing more accounting.  Unfortunately the light in my office has burnt out so it is dark and reading numbers is hard. Maybe it isn't so unfortunate!!

This is my new electric wool winder.  My arm is no longer tired from winding yarn.  I finished seven kits last night and am on my way downstairs to make more. Luckily the hockey playoffs start tonight so I can listen while winding.

I love purple

The great ladies at Namaste sent me an email letting me know that a box has left California. The new eggplant bags are in that box. Hopefully it will make it here in time for the Frolic.

My dilemma-which bag? I was partial to the Malibu (left) but now I have a Laguna (above) and really like it as well.

I didn't talk about the Amazing Race yesterday. What were they thinking? Cara and Jaime get on their boat and realize they don't have their bags. They ran for them and then off they went. Mark and Mike, Lakisha and Jen and Tammy and Victor were all completing their task. They watched Cara and Jaime get off the boat and run for their bags but did they do anything about it? NO!! If you saw a team run back to the cab, wouldn't you do it? I was yelling at the TV. Tammy and Victor did get their bags but Tammy could have been running while Victor was working. The other donkeys didn't get their bags and it cost them many hours of time. I was so angry with them. If you aren't smart then you won't win the game. Now I'm mad again.

Have a good evening-I'm going home to make Tulip kits.

Busy Weekend

Another post with no pictures. Sorry. I am working away on my Noro cardigan. The back is almost done and I have started the second front. We were busy watching important TV last night and I didn't want to have to count for the shoulder shaping.

Yesterday afternoon was spent at my parent's best friends. We spend all holidays with their large, friendly, very loud family. Okay, Beth and I are loud as well. We watched the Masters while eating dinner-no complaints about that.

On Saturday I had a visit from a young lady who is thinking of opening a yarn shop. We talked for a while and I gave her some questions to think about. Some of the questions I asked her were things that were discussed while I was at the conference in Chicago last month. This got me thinking about opening my shop 22 years ago.

Did you know that when I opened
-there was no Internet (the commercial use started in 1988)
-most people didn't have personal computers
-no Debit cards
-we manually imprinted Visa and MasterCard slips

We have come a long way.

If you noticed my Tweets today, I spent all day working on the computer. Beth needed some work done which I finished and then worked on my year end. Almost done that and then I need to finish my GST. I'm thinking about quitting for the night and catching up on the Y&R.

Questions. Questions.

For the past two days the only words out of Beth's mouth have been questions.

How do I get sound on my new laptop?
My fax machine doesn't work. Can you help me?

She started knitting a scarf today. I cast on the stitches and then she can knit. I was watching the golf and she would cry out "What have I done? There are supposed to be 10 stitches and now I have 11." A while later I hear "I have 11 stitches again."

Now she is booking a plane ticket with her credit card and it is asking for her Verified by Visa password. "What is my password?"

I'm going upstairs to watch this weeks episodes of Y&R. She is going to stay downstairs and play poker. How long do you think it will be before she yells at me again?

I am typing away and just she blurted out "I have finished my ball of yarn, can you attach a new one?"

Who do you think is going to make it through the weekend?

Pearl

I downloaded a new iPhone app last night called Photogene. While watching Idol there was a commercial for it and it looked great. I played a bit today-now I can add nice words to pictures.

These are three new colours of Pearl-the bamboo/silk blend from Lorna's Laces. We also have Amy's Vintage Office, Mixed Berries and Ashburn. I can't wait to see the finished scarf.

Okay, back to Idol. We tape the show and start watching about half an hour in so we can fast forward through Paula and the commercials. The show is going on and we look at the time-it isn't going to finish during the hour time slot-What?? We saw all the performances except for Adam. Now we have to tape the show (and the next show) on the west coast feed to catch him sing-which meant staying up until midnight because we couldn't wait until tonight. Here are Beth's questions. What would happen if Adam was voted off because people missed his performance? Can he sue Fox?

We received many boxes again today. I can't wait for dad to get home next week-he has many, many truck loads of empty boxes to clean up for me.

Five colours of Silk Garden came in. Did you see my Tweet? Do you follow my Tweets? The website has been updated with these colours. There are some new yarns on the site as well including Berroco Sox Metallic.

I am almost done ball four on my cardigan. After writing this I am going upstairs to watch Lie to Me and knit.

After work I went to have my nails done. It is supposed to be a relaxing experience. My time away from the computer and phone. There is a lady in there who talked non stop on her cell phone at the top of her lungs. Is that necessary? Do I need to hear her yelling at her husband? Some days I really wish that cell phones hadn't been invented!!

Rowan Garments

I received a special little box today that had Rowan garments in it for the Frolic. These will be in the store until April 24, at the Frolic on April 25 and then returned to the supplier.

From the cover of Rowan #45. This amazing cardigan is a combination of knit and crochet in Rowan's Fine Milk Cotton. I have this yarn in stock and it will be up on the website soon.

From the Classic Romance magazine, this cardigan is knit in Sienna 4ply cotton (lots of colours of this yarn in stock as well.)

A great men's pattern from The Organic Cotton Collection magazine knit out of Rowan's Organic Cotton. The picture in the magazine doesn't show the amazing cable pattern.

When I pulled this out of the bag it reminded me how much I love Cotton Jeans and that I really need to knit with it. This is from the magazine Summer Delight.

I did get a bit of time to knit today on my short sleeved cardigan. Ball 4 was started and I think it will take 11 or 12 for the whole garment. It should be done in time-gotta knit faster.

Unfortunately while searching on Ravelry last night I found something else that I want to get knit for the Frolic as well. Type in Reclamation Scarf under patterns-there is a great scarf that can be knit with one skein of Pearl (silk/bamboo blend) from Lorna's Laces. The hardest part will be choosing the colour. Darn Ravelry!!

In my post last night I commented on the fact that it was snowing here. Take a look at Brenda's blog-they had way more snow last night.

Snowy day in Ancaster

Mom and Dad are still in Myrtle Beach so I want to send them some pictures of home.

It is the beginning of April and snowing like crazy.

This is our neighbours flower garden. I am standing above looking down (just to explain why the picture looks weird).

Did anyone watch Celebrity Apprentice last night? I was so mad that I couldn't sleep. Trump was a total jerk. He fired Khloe because she was charged with DUI last year. I do not condone drinking and driving (I won't drive after one drink because I am so anal about it) but she didn't deserve to be fired because of it-it has nothing to do with the show. She was honest about it and it seems like she is trying to make amends for her mistake. Apparently Donald needs to keep the more known stars (Clint Black-who in my opinion is a complete donkey) for ratings.

Now that I have that off my chest I am going to go back to work-I have a newsletter to finish. The Blue Jays season opener is one TV and then the basketball final at 9.

Knitting for the Frolic

Since I finished a project I let myself start something new. This is a really important project-I need something to wear to the Frolic. I am using Silk Garden Lite-a new colour 2048. This is the first front of a cardigan that I started on Friday night. Now I am working on the ribbing for the back.

I am using a Sirdar leaflet-9164. My cardigan will have short sleeves.

There isn't much news here. Just watching NASCAR and waiting for tonight-Amazing Race and Celebrity Apprentice.

The store is now closed on Mondays until the end of August but I will be going in tomorrow. I have a feeling a few customers will forget that we are closed. There will probably be some quiet time to get a few newsletters written.

There are now a number of boxes on the way to Myrtle Beach. Lorna's Laces, Noni patterns (new patterns for spring) and Moving Mud glass shawl pins.

I am just about to hit 'publish' and Beth yells from upstairs "We don't have Amazing Race on tonight-Country Music Awards". This doesn't make me happy!!

Two more SO your FO

The weather outside this morning is crappy. I know, not a good word but when I look out the window this is one of the nicer words that came to mind. The rain is pouring down and I hear it is going to keep raining all day.

Justin just finished Alvin from Jane Ellison's book Queensland Collection Book 9. He combined Jo Sharp Silk Road DK with Noro Silk Garden Lite. The vest came about because he knit a cardigan from the book and had leftover yarn.

This is the Favourite Cardigan by Wendy Bernard from the book Custom Knits. Claire used Cascade 220 Heathers.

I am trying to get the last few yarns and patterns we need for the Frolic. I called Lorna's Laces yesterday and Amanda was very helpful getting me some patterns and more Helen's Lace. It is being sent to my parents in Myrtle Beach and they will bring it home after Easter-much quicker than sending it directly to Canada. You never know if the customs people are going to hold and box and if they for how long.

I need to get some boxes packed and then off to work. It would be a great day to stay at home and nap.

Showing off my FO

My Noro cardigan is done except for the blocking. The front bands appear too short but with some pulling and stretching all will be good. The pattern is from Sirdar book 336 and I used Noro Silk Garden Lite (the DK version).

Two customers came in with FOs today and I will post them tomorrow. I just walked in from knitting class and Beth is upstairs yelling at me to hurry up so we can watch Survivor.

Shawl Pins

As many of you know I love shawl pins. Today a shipment arrived from British Columbia.

These are hand made by a wood artist named Dale.

I call and request colours-we aren't always on the same page but we were this shipment. I want every single one of them!!

This is the Dream in Color Classy-kind of overflowing. We will have lots of stock at the Frolic. We even have a special colour just for 2009 called Plum Paisley (in Baby and Groovy as well).

Boy is American Idol boring me. Luckily we had it taped and could fast forward to the people worth listening to. Too bad we can't declare Adam the winner and get onto something else.

I thought I would have pictures of a finished cardigan to show you tonight. Unfortunately I couldn't get the collar to sit right. After taking it off twice I finally got it right. I sewed across the back first and then down the sides. (You will understand tomorrow when the finished picture is up.) The last two days of Y&R are taped and I am going to watch and finish the sewing. Most of the ends are sewn in so there should be pictures coming soon.