So, while I am trying to be sleepy enough to go to sleep and stay there until 6 a.m., I’ve added two sub-pages for my pleasure. Maybe you will enjoy as well.

First – Crafty Moose: I want to track the amount of knitting I do in 2012, and this seems like a good way to do it. So far this year I have completed several hats and two scarves. On the needles I have another hat and a gift for one of my friends whose birthday is next week.

Second – Moose Browse: the names of books I have read in 2012. I read a lot . . . but I would like to slog my way through (and pass on) the huge pile of books collecting dust. So I am challenging myself to read – and list the books. So far, 4 for the year and I am reading a 5th.

Next week I am taking annual leave to celebrate my birthday. I hope to sleep in at least on Monday (best laid plans and that). I really should clean my house (nahhhhhh) one day. On Wednesday I am volunteering for Homeless Connect (where I will donate the hats I’ve made). The rest of the time? Yarn and books are crying out my name. I intend to answer.

So, go on over there to the right and click on the two new sub-pages and let me know your fave books or knits. Enjoy with me.

These are some funky scarves knitted up for a domestic violence shelter in Pennsylvania.

These button cuffs were quick and fun to make. There is a buttonhole in one end that hooks with one of the buttons at the other.

These are called Tribbles – after Star Trek’s The Trouble with Tribbles, of course. They are quick to make and multiply like crazy. (thus the name) They are great exfoliators.

The cuffs and tribbles are going to Annie’s Gifts in Pennsylvania to a group of women who receive chemo treatments weekly for cancers.

And, if you have any alpaca roving or have knit with alpaca, she is interested in seeing pics of that.

There are three ways to win her contest – so go on over and check it out and, ENTER!!!

I’ll write about this over at the Knitting Passion blog, too – but, I have had some trouble getting into the site to updat so want to make sure I get it done here. (note: the site has been open the last few times I’ve gone over, so am hoping that the problems have been solved. Now if they could just solve the Big Brother Craze problems, Lessa would be a happy girl, too!)

This is crocheted (here’s the pattern at Mother Fury’s request – anything for you, Mom!) – I’ve also been doing quite a bit of knitting – working on some dish cloths now for a swap on one of the groups over on Ravelry. I’ll show pictures of the dishcloths before I send them off to my swap partners. Those haven’t been chosen yet.

451 Press is having some overload issues – so, the knitting blog hasn’t been updated in over a week. They are working on that – installing new equipment, etc. Whoot! Thanks, 451!

And, the grandkiddos just keep on getting bigger – took the oldest out for dinner Sunday evening. He missed his “shopping day” the previous week because he was (gaso!) working! So, we took the youngest of Ladybug’s kiddos for HIS day – and took the Boy this week.

Mortified him in the checkout line – where we were buying him some ice cream and cookies. He told his Mama all about it – made her laugh at him and threaten to come along the next time to chaperone. He said that wasn’t necessary – because he knew she would just gang up on him WITH us. lol. Yup, I love it.

Busy week ahead at work – the last day of the year was today – fiscal year, of course. So that means I have to not only prepare the monthly report, but the fiscal year report as well. Monthly deadline is the 5th. Annual deadline is the 15th. I hope the rest of my numbers come in tomorrow.

soooooo you all be good now, you hear?

So many times we get caught up in our lives – caught up in the lives of other people – caught up in projects (some good and some not so good – you all know the types) – and we put our hearts and souls into all these things . . . .

. . . . and then they come to an end – or at least the end of our part in them. Such is the Share-A-Square project and the offshoot Bag Project. Yesterday I received the last 5 bags needed (from Japan, no less!) to make up the 70 bags I had promised Shelly I could gather together.

Tomorrow I will box them up and ship them off to Shelly in time for her to take them, along with 140 precious afghans, to the children at Camp Sanguinity. Yes, friends, they are precious – they represent hours of love and work YOU have put into them – and, THAT is precious.

From the bottom of my heart – THANK YOU for helping Shelly reach her goal – thank you for your support in so many ways.

You are each very precious to me!

Here’s a very nice article about the entire project.

Sadly I won’t be able to join Shelly and Sherry and others to deliver the afghans – I had hoped to be able to go along – but, someday I trust and hope that I will get to meet these two dynamic ladies. You’ll all be the first to know when that happens!