Mom's Ruby Wrap: done for Christmas

Opening it up...



Modeling it...



How great does that look?! I can't believe I finished it in time, but I did. I ended up using only 7 of the 8 skeins (100 yds. each) of Berroco Softwist (the color is "cool red") since mom is only 5'4" and I didn't want the thing to eat her up. It fits perfectly and is the perfect length to be worn just evenly draped over the shoulders, or with one end wrapped around.



A little blurry but shows off the pattern well...



I love the drape of this yarn and the slight sheen from the one nylon thread that runs through it. So yeah, it turned out great. I left it on a scrap yarn holder just in case she did want it longer, but she doesn't...so all I have left to do is bind off. I didn't even block it b/c I didn't have the right stuff...so I just pulled on it a lot and that worked! Below is a picture of mom wearing the shawl as well as about 5 other scarves that Gabby got her. Sara insisted on putting them all on her at once and I got a few good pics of it.

Debbie's Crocheted Arm Cast Cozy

So, Debbie broke her hand a few weeks ago. She has no idea how, but she broke it on the side and it has greatly hindered her knitting. She was obviously bummed and I wanted to do something special for her, but with funds being what they are (i.e. LOW), I decided to make her an arm cast cozy. I found the pattern on Ravelry but it's online HERE. SO quick and SO easy (crochet)! I used RHSS in pink camo, love it! :)



The note attached says:

I know that you've been feeling down.
And things don't look to rosey.
But cheer up, smile, check this out!
Your very own arm cast cozy!

Cafe con Thanks

On occasion, I’ll stop at a little Cuban cafeteria right by the university on my way there in the mornings. I just walk up to the outdoor window to order my cafe con leche. I’ve been going there for a while and become friendly with Ani, the young girl who is the barista. She is so cute and has taken to starting to make my coffee when she sees me get out of my car. Man, I love that and she is always so cute and nice and asks me how I am, etc.

So for a while, I’d been wanting to do something/gift something nice for her since she told me a couple of months ago that she didn’t have any break over the summer, no vacation or down time, b/c she needed to work. Throughout our conversation, I learned that she works there at the cafe from 6:00am - 3:00pm, then she goes to school every night from 6:00 - 9:00. She can’t be more than 25 years old and I just wanted to give her a little something. I know her situation isn’t unique, but she is always a smiling face despite her situation and I really appreciate that/her. Simple pleasures, ya know?

My first thoughts were to get her a massage/spa gift certificate but of course I can’t afford that right now, so that brought me to option #2: make her a little spa something. Since it was the week before Thanksgiving, it seemed like the perfect time to do it. I put together this little token of my appreciation, a mini spa package. Here is how it was packaged (how much do I LOVE that I had a spa-themed bag and cute matching paper?!):



And here are the contents:



Cloth is Elvish Leaves (my fave)!