I have been spoilt!

And in the oh so very truest sense of the word.
My swappartner jacqui has been incredibly attentive and generous.

It all started with receiving this big box.

Getting the big box to the house wasn't that easy, but thankfully a friend with a motorbike popped by, and the two of us, and the box made a nice trip from the post office.







Back home, i barely found the time to search the entire house for batteries for my camera. and i ended up raiding the remote controls :D

Ok, then i opened the huuuuge box. and found many layers of lovely tissue paper.
The bounty was then put on our couchtable- but it barely fit.

I then unwrapped frantically. I hope i don't forget anything.
First of all there are three (!!!) bags, because i complained how i can't decide what to keep my knitting in. One of them (Dark blue) is a proper knitting bag with several little pockets on the inside, i suspect it might be handsewn (well i can't see any label, this is not to indicate quality!!!), and it is exactly the right size to take a medium-sized project (great for my bolero atm!).
The second and third bag are simpler in design, bt especially the purple one absolutely hits the spot, and will be my new uni bag!

The edibles: I received two absolutely delicious looking packs of cookies- brazil nut (my favourite nut!) and stem ginger (another all time favourite). These will be fantastic with the two varieties of looseleaf tea i received. One delicious black tea (have already got it in the cup...) flavoured with natural vanilla, and a rooiboos variety with orange and cinnamon, which smells amazing. These will come in so handy during my essay sessions of the next weeks! Thank you so much!

I also received a lot to spoil my body, including lovely almond hand cream and a matching soap. I also received little nail files- very useful! It is funny, because i have received the same hand cream three years ago as a gift- and i love the smell. It has long run out, and i really enjoy having it again.

in crafty stuff: I got fimo (I am a big fan!), and looooots of knitting goodies. I got two skeins of natural sockwool, and koolaid, to dye it. This is just perfect, because i have been toying with this idea for a while, and I cannot wait to try it out. Thank you so much!
I also got two sets of lovely stitch markers (again, much needed) - sorry, there are no photos, the camera gave up on the cheap alkaline batteries. I also got (i laughed tears, and i really really love it!) little labels, to sew into my handknits. They are really cute, and say "hand wash only" "wool wash 40°C" and "handknit with love".
I also got little rubber sweaters that are designed to hold your DPNs together. Made for a messie like me! The final lovely thing is a cellphone charm with a knitting theme. LOVE IT ALL!


Thank you Jacqui, i feel so spoilt! You met my tastes brilliantly and have introduced me to a lot of new treats. Online hugs all around!

weekly topic no.6

Have you done a swap before (doesn't have to be a knitting swap)? What do you like best about swapping? Are there any personal "requirements" that a swap has to have before you join?

Well, as trusting as I am (see previous post), I still like to be safe rather than sorry. So I like swaps with good organization, some kind of safety net. This could be that there are angels in the swap, or that everything has to be dispatched by a certain date, and a postal tracking number needs to be sent on by email.
It can also just be a general awareness by the hostess(es), that things happen, and not everything might work out perfectly.
Another good thing is easy contact with the host- do they answer emails quickly, and adequately?

I have done swaps before, but not knitting swaps. Also usually these swaps were not blogbased, but with people i knew from a forum. There was an initial questionnaire, but you just bought things based on that, no further stalking needed. I have sent out (and sometimes also received, sigh) chocolate, books, audio books and music cds before.
Generally, my experiences are good. But my piece of advice: trust your gut. If someone is really evasive (sort of " the cat ate your parcel"), it is never a good sign. Neither is, if contact just stops.

Anticipation

I am a very trustful person, and it will take me a long time to acknowledge that no, my swap partner has not moved to japan and customs are holding up my swap parcel, but yes, i have been left out. I believe in the good in everybody, and will therefore not get too anxious if nothing arrives for a while.
That said, i like being in contact, and i like knowing that there is someone for me.
I like expecting, and certainlydon't mind waiting, but i love little teasers.

due to my cold this weekend, and classic procrastination at the same time, i decided to make myself some slippers.
our kitchen floor is notoriously cold, and so are my feet when i indulge in cooking sessions.
so i knitted these huge socks from yarn leftover from two sweaters i knit for other people and felted them in the washing machine. Careful: they get teenytiny once felted...







ich hab mir spontan noch aus Restewolle (Achtung: Farbe ist strikt aus Schmutzunempfindlichkeit gewählt, außerdem hatte ich die noch von anderen Pullis da) Hausschuhe gestrickt. Außerdem mein erster Filzversuch. Die werden ja winzig...

Valentine's Day (weekly topic no. 4)

I have to say, being european, and having been single for a considerable amount of time, i have stopped thinking about valentine's day as a legitimate "occasion". Too often have i sarcastically thrashed it, too often have i read cynical columns about blind consumerism and the cut flower industry.
Now, that i am actually part of a couple, and beyond that "we are celebrating every day" stage, i should probably take refuge in valentine's day. Claim my gifts, knit my loved one a scarf, and well, get on with it.

But somehow, it never happened. We are in a long distance relationship, but we are also in for the long haul. A combination that does indeed make us treasure every day that we have together. the 14th of february won't be part of those days, and so i don't see a celebration coming up. but maybe a long phone call ;-)

the FOs of January/FOs im Januar

Although i am still fighting with my bolero, thanks to amyknits i have continued knitting, and have now arrived at the sleeves.

Bin endlich bei den Ärmeln angelangt, nachdem das Projekt erstmal ein Jahr "reifen musste" ;)







my red mittens (red variegated regia yarn) are lined with unspun red wool- see the little dots?

die roten Fäustlinge haben meinen Polentrip an Neujahr gerettet, weil sie dank ihres Wollfutters kuschelig warm sind.







also, i had plenty left, to do Saartje's Bootees. My friend will have her babygirl this month, and has promised to take them with her to the hospital.

außerdem hatte ich viel übrig, und hab damit Saartje's Bootees gestrickt. Ein tolles Muster, ganz schnell gestrickt, aber sehr filigran und mädchenhaft.
Meine Freundin will sie schon gleich ins Krankenhaus mitnehmen!

Fragebogen „Socks & Drugs & Rock’n’Roll“Socks

Schuhgröße:
39
Woll-Vorlieben bzgl. Material, Garnstärke, Farbe(n), Muster…:
am liebsten ganz normale 4fädige Sockenwolle. Möglichst maschinenwaschbar ;-)
Ich liebe die Wollmeise, und auch sonst gemusterte Wollen, einige Regias zum Beispiel Ringel, oder Canyon oder so. Alles geringelte ist toll.
Farblich liebe ich Grün, Rot, dunkles Lila, und auch sonst kräftige Farben. Gut finde ich auch noch klare Blautöne, Grau. Ich bin das, was man einen "Wintertyp" nennt.

Das geht gar nicht (Material, Form, Farbe):
Orange und Gelb nur minimal (also gelb mit Grün, Orange mit Rot...), Erdfarben stehen mir überhaupt nicht, und Tweedmuster finde ich nicht so prickelnd.
Hast Du einen Ravelry-Account?
missfriday
Rauch/Tierhaarunverträglichkeit?
also meine Socken sollten lieber weder nach Rauch riechen , noch sichtbar Tierhaare anhaften haben. Allergisch bin ich allerdings nicht.
Drugs
Ohne folgende Leckerei(en) kann/mag/soll ich nicht leben:
Ich liebe Schokolade mit hohem Kakaogehalt (70-85), außerdem Lindor. An anderen Dingen mag ich getrocknete Mangos und Äpfel. Ich bin absolut teesüchtig.
Gar nicht leiden kann ich:
Weiße Schokolade
Allergien/Nahrungsmittelunverträglichkeiten etc.:
Milch

Rock’n’Roll
Lieblingsmusikrichtung:
Klassik, Renaissance, Barock, Singer/Songwriter-Pop, 60erJahre Twist etc.
Lieblingsband:
-
LieblingssängerIn:
Bodo Wartke, Katie Melua, Tori Amos
Lieblingslied:
Winter- Tori Amos
Lieblingsmusikvideo:
-
Lieblingsmusikfilm:
Sound of Music
Lieblingssongtextzitat:
Father says bow your head like the good book says
Well I think the good book is missing some pages
Gonna lay down
Gonna lay down
Lieblingsinstrument:
Cello
Hast Du ein Instrument erlernt?
Ja, Klavier, Geige und Klarinette
Spielst Du es regelmässig?
Hm, nur Klavier
Welchen Namen trüge die Band, in welcher Du spielen würdest, wenn Du nicht bereits in einer spielst?

Erste gekaufte Platte/CD:
Die Prinzen, alles nur geklaut
Erstes besuchtes Konzert:
Mozarts Zauberflöte
Bestes besuchtes Konzert:
Tori Amos
„Leiche im Keller“/ Musikalische Ausrutscher:
Die Kelly Family ( ich war jung)
Momentan läuft in meinem Player ständig:
Hörst Du Radio? Wenn ja, welchen Sender?
nein, ich höre nur manchmal Deutschlandfunk
Last-FM-Profil vorhanden? Unter welchem Namen?
-
Möchtest Du lieber etwas, was zu Deinem Geschmack passt, oder würde es Dir auch gefallen, etwa die spezielle Lieblingsplatte/-band vom Pal zu hören?
ich bin da offen ;-)