You know what they say (whoever “they” are), It’s either everything or nothing, all at once. Kind of like the tomatoes in my dwindling garden, which must have all conspired to be ripe at the same time. They’re also about the only thing that our 100+ temps didn’t kill…sigh.

Right now, for me, it’s everything– lots of projects here and there cluttering up my mind. Which is a good thing, of course! Sometimes I have to remind myself that even though I’m slated for X number of projects, they aren’t all due at the same time. Breathe! But since I know I’ll be busy in coming weeks, I wanted to show you the sock yarn that I dyed at TNNA before it slips into the black hole of my stash.

These were dyed the way you see them- one in a hank and one as a knitted sock blank (2 strands knit together, so if you make socks, they’ll be identical). After I took this photo, I spent some time unraveling the sock blank into balls and then center pull balls,which was fun.  And which clearly should not have been a priority, but sometimes it just feels good to ….unwind. Pun gold, I didn’t even plan it.

Also before I forget, I wanted to review this excellent Namaste bag, the Monroe, that was generously given to me at Marly Bird’s Designer Dinner. I switched to using it at TNNA and have not switched back! Now, I’m very picky when it comes to purses, and my usual purse is about 1/8th of the size of this one. Because usually the bigger the bag, the more I put in it. But what I love about the Monroe is that it has several easy-reach compartments, some close with a magnet and some with zippers (some both). I keep my necessities in one side and the things that relate to the place I’m going  (for instance, crochet project,  or water bottle, towel and ipod) on the other side.  It’s really easy to get them out of their separate compartment, because they aren’t all mixed in with my other stuff. Which means I can still find my phone, and I don’t end up carrying my life with me (personal goal!). I also love this bag for travel, because it’s quite roomy and I can fit my laptop inside, and look like a professional instead of a student.  It’s got nice long handles that are easy to slide over your arm and purse feet (so the bottom won’t touch icky floors at restaurants, in train stations, etc) and there’s even a mostly hidden center compartment in case I decide to throw even more things inside.  Oh, and that pocket? Perfectly sized for my book–makes a nice billboard, don’t you think? I’m not giving my Monroe away–sorry! But I will be doing a goodie giveaway in the next couple of weeks, when I get it together, so stay tuned.

Of course, I didn’t sneak my book in the pic for no reason. You probably already know this if you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, but I also wanted to let out a self congratulatory woo-hoo. I got word from my publisher that Little Crochet will be translated to Finnish! I’m excited to see it in another language, wheee!