HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Okay, so it's, like, the end of the 2nd week of January already, but still, it's my first post of the year. I'm sorry it's taken so long!!! We've been busy here with the holidays, church, and I've also been madly hooking away (crocheting, that is! *wink*). I've finished off the Sock Monkey Hats, and now I need to make and finish just one more and make a scarf to go with it for a friend's daughter...that's what I'm working on this weekend.

Also on my hook this week are the two sweaters for my Sisters-in-law, a table runner for my dining room table (adapted from a pattern at Celt's site), a secret project for my aunt which she asked me to design (shhh!! don't tell anyone!!), some doilies for a CAL at Crochetville (my goal is to make all 18 from PK's "Absolutely Gorgeous Doilies"), a yellow thread dress for my bff who's expecting a girl!! (Yay, Meron!! Gotta know some name ideas soon! ), among a myriad other things. I'm also trying to get a head start on this year's Christmas gifts, like some dishcloths, bath cloths, etc., some really nifty scarves I found at Garnstudios.com, and I also want to design some matching mittens for the scarf-recipients. . . Among other things, I also want to join the Secret Pal Exchange at the 'Ville next month, so I'm working on some special gifts to send to whomever I'm assigned, as well as some random RAOK's I'm delighted to fulfill...

One major goal this year is to start a ministry at my church to 1) teach people to crochet, and 2) make things from newly-discovered talents for charity and for those who need a little extra comfort. I'm hoping that a prayer shawl ministry springs up out of this, and I might be able to get some donations of yarn and hooks for the people participating...the yarn needed can be expensive. Still working with the church leadership on this one...in fact, that reminds me, gotta call Brenda...

The Sock Monkey Hat challenge at the 'Ville is still going strong!! I originally set the deadline as Christmas Eve, but folks are still coming up with ideas...Come check it out if you can...

Some more ideas I'm working on...and still playing with in my head...

• Irish Crochet fairy wings for the Renaissance Festival coming this fall...wondering if yarn would be better, and a giant butterfly motif would be good...(If anyone has any ideas on how I can make this happen, please let me know--the wings either need to stand out as in real life, or I can just make them into a shawl...)
  
• mittens and a sweater to match the Sock Monkey Crochet-Along...*wiggles eyebrows*
• modifications to my aunt's idea...
• exploring more with the felting/fulling process...
• learning how to spin...I have some raw huacaya alpaca fleece in several different colors (brown, white, gray, mottled, lilac, maybe some black), and I'd like to learn how to make my own yarn and save some cash...maybe earn a little extra, too...

I think those are what I have to work with so far...as you can tell, I'm already very busy taking care of my 1-year-old!! I also hope to open an etsy store soon, perhaps next month, to help de-stash (yeah, right! don't tell dh, but the more I sell, the more yarn I get to buy! *wink*) and earn a little extra cash to help us out a bit...

Well, readers, I should go. Today is going to be a busy one, and dd and I have to get on the ball and go. Hope to hear from you!