Whew!

I made it! The busiest time of the year in my house is over!! We had Christmas preparations, Christmas day at our new house (which still needs a lot of work!), friends visiting from out of state, Conor's birthday, and to top it all of... we got a new kitten. Things weren't crazy enough, I thought I'd throw a new animal into the mix!! This is Lyra (named after the little girl in the Golden Compass).

The poodles were not quite sure what to make of her at first, but this morning Bucky and Lyra were laying on my bed nose to nose! Very Cute!

Conor turned 8 on 12/27... I wrote him about it on my myspace blog. He got the Nintendo Wii for xmas and a whole bunch of games for his birthday. I have to say, I think I'm enjoying it as much as he is!! Does Wii Sports count as a good substitute for the Gym?? I'd be getting into fantastic shape if it did!

Bring on the stress... I'm ready!

It's that time of year... when we're supposed to be full of joy and merriment. Ummm... OK.... but... what about all the stress that comes along with it?!?! I'm talking about the SNOW, shopping, whining children, baking, cleaning, financial issues, wrapping, volunteering.... now throw on top of that running a store that is seasonal (and this is the busy time!).... I'm getting ready to scream!! Instead, I'm going to try to breathe, knit something I enjoy and relax. There may be a little bit of denial involved, but hey, at least I'm still breathing!




Here was our first big snow storm around here. This is my son outside of the store. Now... this was the 1st storm... followed up by another one a couple days later... which added on another 7-8"! I didn't get any pics of that... I was too busy shoveling!

On the Christmas knitting front... I finished Conor's present... the Sleepy Snake & Mischievous Mouse. This is one of my favorite things I knit this year... sooo cute! I think he's going to love it! Shhhh... don't tell him about it.. I've managed to keep this a secret!

Can I Knit for Me Yet???

I know... that sounds pretty selfish, and I like to think I'm not a selfish person (most of the time!). However... I hate knitting with a deadline.. and Christmas is the only time of year I have that deadline looming over me. So let's see... I have 8 projects I should finish. I have 4 completely done... 2 sets off fingerless gloves and 2 hats. I have literally 2 rows left on a shawl ( not counting the finishing). I finished a snake for my son... now I just have to do the mouse, I'll take pics when I'm done... so cute!

With all those presents in the works I should NOT have started something for me or the store... but I just couldn't help it! This yarn, Superior, came in and it's cashmere and silk... and oh my goodness it feels just amazing... so I had to start something!!! One ball will make a 72" scarf!! Obviously I have a ways to go... but I love it!!!

I Knew I'd Find It!

It's a good thing I know myself well and didn't go run out and get a new camera. Guess where I found it? All knitters out there will understand this.... in a knitting bag! One of my many many knitting bags that are all in use. I went to go grab a project in a bag and... there it was!! And I found it just in time to show off my new hair cut!! I know.. The pictures kind of dark you really can't see my hair that well, believe me... it's much shorter (about 6 inches!)

I also thought I'd throw in some pic of some finished projects while I had the camera up and running.

Here's the devil hat I made for halloween using plymouth encore worsted.


Here's the baby blanket made with Crystal Palace's Puffin . I still need to make 4 tassels for the corners. For some reason I have a really hard time getting myself to make tassels... so I now have 2 projects that are waiting for them!

Me... Lose something??

Anyone who know me will understand and laugh. I lose EVERYTHING! My college roommate used to laugh hysterically every time I said "Where is my......", she thought I should have my keys surgically attached to my hand.

Any way, I haven't posted a blog in such a long time because I lost my digital camera. I still have the memory card because that was in the printer... but the camera... who knows! I'm hoping it will turn up... which is the case with most of the things I misplace!

So...

Knitting News.....

• I just got the call today that the Dream In Color yarn I ordered is being shipped tomorrow!!! YAY!!! I can't wait to get my hands on it!
• I finished knitting myself a devil hat for Halloween (how I would love to show you a picture!)
• I finished knitting Coronet for the second time. I loved this pattern even more the second time. I did modify a little though. I used 2 colors, one for the band one for the rest of the hat. I also added in some beads in the cable band portion.
• I started some xmas knitting... I know... I know... I'm a little late on this one
• I've started meeting with sales reps to order SPRING yarn... can you stand it

Other News

• I'm almost done painting my new apartment... only half a room to go (if you don't count the bathroom... which I'm not)
• The carpet measurer ( I know, not a real word) people are coming today to measure for my new carpets
• I should be ready to move in within 3 weeks... yay!

Who's going to buy me an Alpaca??

So....Me, Conor and my Dad went to Topsfield Fair the other day... and I've decided... I need an Alpaca (or 2)... isn't he just the cutest thing. They remind me an awful lot of my poodle, I'm not sure why though, must be the hair do!

So, I drag my son and Dad into the craftsy building (there are quilts, knitting, art and more) and what do I see... but a first place ribbon on one of my customers sweaters! Good job Amy!! It's not the best picture... they had it all fenced off so I couldn't display it how I thought it shoud be displayed... tight security at the fair! It is the fair isle sweater from Stitch and Bitch Nation.

Go Red Sox!

So... not everyone knows this about me... I'm a huge Red Sox fan! I love to go to games at Fenway and watch every game on TV... and I have to say this gives me a lot of great knitting time! So Conor and I went to the Rally on Monday in Government Square in Boston. This was definitely more for me than for Conor! I definitely hear alot of "When are we leaving?" "Is it over yet?" But you know what... I had a great time! And when he gets older he'll remember that we went and it will be a great mother son bonding memory... I hope.

Let's see... for knitting news... While watching games and attending rally's I've been working on the Clapotis using Alpaca Sox in Hot Pink. This is the perfect traveling project... I think I'm about 75% done (I did mine a little narrower than the pattern called for), I'll have to get a picture up of it soon!

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to the crazy Butterfly Yarns Twins!!

I just want to take a minute to say thank you to my mom (on the left) and my aunt (on the right). I just love this picture of the two of you... so very cute!

You have both been an inspiration to be in different ways. I love that we've been able to do something we love together for the last 2 1/2 years ( I can't believe it's been that long!). Some people have said they don't understand how I can work so closely with my family everyday... but I bet those people haven't met you two! We've always been a close family and I believe opening the yarn store has brought us even closer. Thanks for being the best two moms any girl could have.

Happy Birthday!

Did I say I wasn't going to start a new project?!?!

A big giant Thanks to everyone who helped us get the fall yarns ticketed and on the shelves!!! You guys are great! Take a look... the store looks MUCH better!!

And Bucky is much happier now that he has the floor all to himself!!

And what did I do immediatly after the last skein of yarn was put in its place? I had to start a new project with some of the new yarns I had just spent hours touching. I said I was NOT going to start a new project... I had to finish at least one or two of my WIP... but no... everyone in the store convinved me to start something new! I'm using a new yarn by GGH called Cumba. I'm making the hooded scarf that is on the cover of the new issue of Rebecca. It is so much fun to knit... I can't put it down!! Thank goodness for long Red Sox games... I get a whole lot of knitting done!!

Buried in boxes of yarn!

I just love this time of year! The weather is getting cooler (well, except that it's supposed to be almost 90 degrees out tomorrow!), school started (yay!!) and all my fall yarns that I ordered months ago are being delivered!! I've just been putting all the boxes in our (little) backroom waiting until I had enough to get a wow factor when it was put on the floor. I think I'm there... considering I can't move in the backroom anymore!!


Not only are the boxes in the backroom... they are migrating out into the shop! I'm not sure Bucky is real happy having to share the floor with the boxes.

I'm rushing now to finish all my WIP becuase everytime I open a new box I want to start like 5 new projects... someone stop me!!!

Me... and the Women Around Me

It's so funny, growing up most of my friends were men. For some reason I always had trouble having friendships with women. Isn't it ironic now that I work in a business that is almost entirely women... I spend my entire day chatting with, teaching, and helping other women. And who would have thought that I would love every minute of it!!

The reason I'm writing about this randomness is because I just finished teaching a class on the Noni Felted Lattice Bag. The class was all women... different ages, different backgrounds, different all around... but we all love to knit. The conversation in 2 hours covered

• dogs
• cooking (or lack of)
• cables
• boobs
• sock yarn

and so much more! On top of it all... we get to make a beautiful bag!

My life is good... I love what I do.

OK.. I've been sucked in!

Alright... I've been told by many people that I need to start a blog... so.. here goes!



To start off with I will introduce myselt to those who may not know me. I'm Kim... I own a LYS (Local Yarn Store) in Wakefield, MA. Butterfly Yarns has been open for about 2 and a half years now. I love my job because I get to do what I love, bring my dog and my son to work, and meet some really great people!



So... I think having a blog I'll be able to write about my adventures as a single mom, business owner, and crazy knitter. Should be fun!!