Luck is what you have left over after you give 100 percent. -Langston Coleman

Well, it's been a crazy few weeks! Birthdays and parties galore - including my Alex's 30th (I got him a fly tying kit and he's already made about seven flies!) - sewing and knitting, and, rather unfortunately, I found out this week that I am losing my job at the end of the month. It is a contract position and since the CBC is partially publicly funded, the federal budget isn't coming down until the day before my contract is up, and because we're expecting large cuts since the Conservative government doesn't seem to like us too much, my contract isn't being renewed. I know that I'm not being let go because I've done anything wrong, or because people don't like my work, but really, that maybe makes it harder. Okay, anyway, I'm sure I'll figure it out. Actually that's one of the little mottoes my Mum and I share - we'll figure it out - we always do!

Enough about that, let's get to the good stuff! Remember in a recent post when I shared my first sock? Well...

I finished the second one the next day! This photo was taken about five minutes after I finished them at 10:30pm - I love them! I've been wearing them almost everyday around the house, as I think I've mentioned before I prefer slipper socks to standard slippers because I like my ankles to be covered so these are just perfect! These are the Cottage Slipper Socks and the pattern can be downloaded for free from Lion Brand (I believe there is also a crochet version); I used Lion Brand Thick and Quick in Oatmeal so they knit up super-fast since the yarn is very bulky. I may just need to make another pair! You can find these beauties on my Ravelry here!

Oh, another thing that happened this past week is that I came down with either food poisoning or some sort of stomach flu and spent four days in bed. This was really not all bad because it was actually quite nice to stay in bed and watch movies and knit *wink*! I finished knitting a hat (which is of no use right now because the weather is being crazy and it is seriously warm here) and I wrote my first knitting pattern! Eeeek! I'll share the hat when I take pictures and the knitting pattern when...well, you know, when the sample is actually finished and stuff!

I did receive ridiculous amounts of yarn in the mail week before last - which was actually quite funny because both boxes showed up on Alex's birthday and he thought for a minute that they might be presents for him, hehe!

I took this picture after I opened up the boxes and lordy was I excited! This is a combination of a Craftsy Knitting Mystery Box and an order from Eat Sleep Knit.

The Craftsy Knitting Mystery Box is available at a limited quantity near the beginning of each month through the deals section of the website - it is $25 USD and guaranteed to include at least $50 worth of supplies (mine ended up being worth about $75 or so). I'm not in love with the colours that I received (except maybe the yellow) but it was really fun nevertheless - I received one skein of Malabrigo Silky Merino in Camote, one skein of Cascade Epiphany in #1308, two balls of di.Ve Autunno, and a pair of rosewood Lantern Moon straight needles (which are absolutely gorgeous by the way).

The order from Eat Sleep Knit included one skein of Madelinetosh Tosh DK in Terrarium and two skeins of Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in Calligraphy. The skein of Terrarium is being paired with another skein that I already have for the pattern I wrote that I mentioned earlier, and the Calligraphy is being matched with some Tosh Merino Light in Tern for Sothia by Robin Ulrich.

These were also in my ESK order and are for more socks! I got one skein of Malabrigo Sock in Ochre and two skeins of Shibui Knits Sock in Sand - oh so very pretty!

And as if all that lovely yarn weren't enough this awesome little owl needle gauge was included with the March issue of Simply Knitting magazine - eeep! I love cute little notions like these - they just make everything prettier and so much more fun!

Now I know there has been a whole lot of knitting and yarn and knitting related stuffs in this post, but don't worry I'm still sewing! I've finished three bags in as many weeks and some other little secret projects - the bags I'll share just as soon as I take pictures (and after two of them make it to their recipients) and I'll share the other projects as soon as I'm able!