Linking up today with Five Minute Friday where you write for 5 minutes about the word for today and then publish without editing or perfecting.

Today’s word:
PERSPECTIVE

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Wind blowing through the trees. Leaves are swaying to and fro. A bird’s nest on the windowsill. And every so often, a bird dances on the sill. A glimpse of sunlight streams in the window. That’s my perspective of the outside world.

Pager chirping. Code Blue. Code Red. Doctors and nurses scramble to help the patient. So many people standing around the bed that I cannot even see the patient. The family arrives. I pray. I listen. I hold hands. I comfort. That’s my former perspective, a day and night in my life.

But no longer.

I miss it.

So busy, so emotional, so needed.

Am I still?

No, I’m not busy.

I sit, I rest, I read, I knit, I watch tv and movies.

I’m emotional – pain, longing, forgotten, distraught, wanting.

Am I needed? I want to be. But most of the time, I’m the one needing, not the one needed.

Stop

What about you? What do you have to say about perspective in 5 minutes? If you link up, let me know. I’d love to read your post.

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Knitting Projects
1 – chemo cap
2 – Dr. Seuss hat
3 – square 1 of kid’s afghan I’m knitting as a sample for the yarn shop
4 – Dr. Seuss hat
5 – Dr. Seuss hat

6 – my nephew Wyatt is 5 months old
7 – isn’t he just a doll!!!!!
8 – my niece Lola trying out the new playset at my parents’ house
9 – can you see how excited Lola is to play!
10 – had to laugh when I realized this is the same vacuum my parents had when I was young
11 – a bird was strutting it’s stuff on the windowsill but was moving so quickly, Damaris could only get a picture of it’s tailfeathers

Hope you enjoyed this peek into my life. You can always visit my Picasa if you want to see more pics. See yall again next week for more pics!

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I’m super excited to be reviewing (and giving away) the Dayspring Dena Designs Good Things Teacup & Tote. I am a big purse fan and I’ve been drooling over these Oil Cloth Totes from Dayspring since they came out. I was thrilled when I got the email notification that I was getting one and getting to give away one.

I’ve been carrying this beautiful tote for about a week now and have had numerous women stop me to ask about it and where they can get one. I love that it has great pockets inside, that I can carry my knitting along with my regular purse items, and that the colors are so varied that I can mix and match it with so many different outfits. The teacup is gorgeous! I look forward to many cups of amazing tea in it (when the weather is a bit cooler that is!).

Dayspring and (in)courage are offering a chance for one of you to win a Dena Designs Good Things Teacup & Tote. Instructions to enter are below. Good luck to each of you!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received these products to review on my site and products to give away were donated as well. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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The giveaway is over and I have used Rafflecopter to choose the winner. The winner is:

Congrats Sacha S.! I have contacted Sacha via email and she has until Friday to respond to claim her prize of a six piece Stress Less prize package including the Stress Less Safety Can Opener, Stress Less Garlic Press, Stress Less Easy Grind Pepper Mill, Stress Less Easy Grind Salt Mill, Stress Less Pizza Cutter, and Stress Less Rotary Cheese Grater ($143 retail value). If she doesn’t respond by then, I’ll choose a new winner.

Thanks everyone for participating in this giveaway! Keep reading and commenting. I’ll be posting a new giveaway soon.

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Sharing Our Spoons is a weekly link-up for those of us with chronic illnesses where we support and encourage each other in a holistic way by focusing on five goals each week. The five goal areas are: Physical, Mental/Emotional, Spiritual, Something fun, and BONUS: One thing to get you out of your comfort zone each week. We’ll be linking up on Tuesdays. We’d love to have you join us.

My Goals From Week 1:
1. Physical: Work on reincreasing my water intake. I was doing quite well and then in the last couple of months, I have really slacked off.
5 out of 7 days I increased my water intake by 20 ounces. 1 day I was at my previous norm. 1 day I was below normal.

2. Mental/Emotional: Knit at least one NICU hat, one chemo cap, and one little hat to donate this week. Knitting is calming and relaxing for me.
Done!

3. Spiritual: Read/journal the remainder of One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are and start on You’re Already Amazing: Embracing Who You Are, Becoming All God Created You to Be.
Finished One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are. Did not start on You’re Already Amazing: Embracing Who You Are, Becoming All God Created You to Be though.

4. Something fun: Paint my fingernails and toenails.
Done! Painted them yesterday and yes, they are pink, one of my favorite pinks called Tough Chick.

5. BONUS: One thing to get you out of your comfort zone a week: Write an article for possible publication as a guest post.
I’ve done lots of brainstorming for this article, but haven’t started writing it yet.

My Week 2 Goals:
1. Physical: Continue to work on reincreasing my water intake. At least 20 ounces more than my norm every day is my goal.
2. Mental/Emotional: Knit at least one NICU hat, one chemo cap, and one little hat to donate this week plus complete the square I’m working on plus another square for the afghan I’m knitting as a sample for the yarn shop. Knitting is calming and relaxing for me and I’m feeling very empowered and proud of my work after being asked to knit a sample for the shop.
3. Spiritual: Start reading/journaling You’re Already Amazing: Embracing Who You Are, Becoming All God Created You to Be – at least 2 chapters this week.
4. Something fun: Go on a date with Russ – even if it’s just to get coffee.
5. BONUS: One thing to get you out of your comfort zone a week: Actually write an article for possible publication as a guest post.

Your turn! Come link up with us as we Share Our Spoons.

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To read all my gratitudes so far, you can visit my gratitude page for a running list.

910. (382) a comfortable chair to rest in
911. (383) a bed to snuggle in
912. (384) windows to look out and see the world even when I can’t step out into it
913. (385) hidden birthday presents
914. (386) fun purses to alternate through
915. (387) clothes I’ve been saving for Damaris that fit now
916. (388) calm and quiet
917. (389) rest
918. (390) glimmers of light
919. (391) the rain coming down nourishing the dry land
920. (392) being able to curl up in my chair inside to watch the rain outside
921. (393) Damaris’ face as she stands behind my chair and leans over to give me a hug
922. (394) parents with faith
923. (395) love for music
924. (396) love for all things crafty
925. (397) holding my knitting in my hands and how natural and comforting and peaceful it is
926. (398) yummy smelling Hippie Chick Happy Hands lotion
927. (399) fresh fruit and veggies
928. (400) her creativity
929. (401) her organization
930. (402) her love of music and singing

Are you up for the challenge? Will you participate in the Joy Dare? Let me know because I’d love to read the gifts you are seeing in your life!

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Referenced in the slideshow above:
Damaris’ Blog Post – A Tribute to my Mom on Mother’s Day
and
Russ’ Blog Post – A Tribute to My (Courageous) Wife on Mother’s Day (2012)

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Prayer & Photo Credit

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This invisible illness affects many people and is life altering. Please be supportive and encouraging to those you know who have this disease (Top 10 Things NOT to Say to Someone With Chronic Illness).

Navigating Fibromyalgia Image Credit

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Linking up today with Five Minute Friday where you write for 5 minutes about the word for today and then publish without editing or perfecting.

Today’s word:
IDENTITY

Start

The first thing to enter my mind when I saw the word identity was that song from several years ago called “Who I Am”. You know the one where she talks about being someone’s granddaughter, being the image of her father, and her mama being her biggest fan.

For me, my identity has shifted quite a bit in the last year. A year ago at this time, I was a hospital chaplain. I was involved in ministry. I loved working with patients and families. I hated the long hours and lost sleep involved in being a resident, but I loved my work. But my health was going downhill fast. I was in a wheelchair unable to walk the short distances between patient rooms. My last day as a hospital chaplain was August 31.

Now, my days center around trying to get rest and distracting myself from the chronic pain. While I am still all of the things mentioned in my tagline, a Christ follower, wife, Mamma, and fibromyalgia fighter, the fighter has had to really step up as I try to figure out a new normal.

But, you know what? I miss being a chaplain. I miss ministering! I miss saying prayers over the cribs of sick newborns and sitting with families as they awaited the news of their loved ones. I miss preaching and leading worship services. I miss having colleagues that cared about their work as much as I did.

I miss what I thought my life was going to look like. I’m grieving and wondering if and how I am going to be able to minister in the future. The blink of an eye and everything changes!

Stop

What about you? What do you have to say about identity in 5 minutes? If you link up, let me know. I’d love to read your post.

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1 – another NICU hat to donate
2 – Baby Wyatt (my nephew) sleeping in B-Ma’s (my Momma) lap (and eating his arm in the process)
3 – another Dr. Seuss hat
4 – Russ and Damaris at his birthday dinner (Damaris with a “mustache” like her Daddy’s)
5 – Wyatt (my nephew) all wrapped up in the clean sheet while washing laundry
6 – Lola (my niece) modeling her new bathing suit

Hope you enjoyed this peek into my life. You can always visit my Picasa if you want to see more pics. See yall again next week for more pics!

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From Ann’s blog:
The 1000 Moms Project is about 1000 people standing up and thanking their mom publicly (what mom doesn’t want a gift like this for Mother’s Day?) – and we’ll match your honoring of mothers by funding a Maternity/Child Survival Program in Haiti for a whole year. (You can read all about it here)

Thank your mother publicly — & we’ll join you in honoring her by helping a Haitian mother in need!

It’s a way of passing on the loving legacy of your Mama — her sacrificial love going on and on and on.

Just share the most important gift your Mom gave you — on either Twitter (use the #1000gifts #moms hashtag) or in the Facebook Gratitude Community, or write a letter of thanks to your Mom on your own blog (link up with your thanks here).

And we’ll join you in honoring her by giving a much-needed gift to a Mom and baby in Haiti.

My mom Beckey has given me many things: her love of music, her love of crafting (which she got from her mom, my Nana, Bertha), her organizational perfectionism…but the most important thing my mom has given me is in sharing her faith. Her love for and relationship with Jesus have been an example for me that I now share with my own daughter. Love you Momma!

Mommas/Mammas/Moms and Daughters and Granddaughters
1 – My Momma Beckey, my Momma’s mom (my Nana) Bertha, and my Momma’s grandmother (my great Grannie) Jewell
2 – My sister Carrie, my daughter Damaris, me, and my Momma Beckey (at my college graduation)
3 – Me and my Momma Beckey (on my “birth”-day)
4 – My Momma’s mom (my Nana) Bertha and my Momma Beckey (on my Momma’s wedding day)
5 – Me and my Momma’s mom (my Nana) Bertha
6 – Me and my Momma’s mom (my Nana) Bertha
7 – Me and my daughter Damaris (and Winnie the Pooh X2) (at Damaris’ 2nd Christmas – she was 14 months old)

I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to read and write about this beautiful book Mother Letters: Sharing the Mess and Glory. In its pages, mothers write letters to other mothers to encourage, support, and share the journey of motherhood. As I read each letter and looked at the amazing art, my heart was touched. I wish I had this book when Damaris was so very little and I was questioning whether I was mothering her right or not. Tears streamed down my face as I read and then on the next page, I was doubled over in laughter. Beautiful, beautiful words from the beautiful, beautiful hearts of mothers. If you haven’t gotten that special woman in your life a Mother’s Day gift yet (or even if you have), I highly recommend this amazing book!

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I am quite literally giddy with excitement about this review and giveaway. You may or may not know that May is National Fibromyalgia Month with this coming Saturday, May 12th, being Fibromyalgia Awareness Day (Yes, I’m aware that I just used the word may/May several times in that sentence. LOL! Moving on, I’ll be posting more about Fibromyalgia Awareness Day on Saturday). In conjunction with National Fibromyalgia Month, Trudeau Corporation invited me to review (and give away!!!!!) some food preparation products from their Stress Less line. These kitchen tools are designed to reduce the strain on hands and joints and are ideal for those with fibromyalgia, arthritis or those with limited hand dexterity. I knew my blog readers would be interested in these products so I readily agreed.

And then, the package of products arrived!

And I was in awe!!!!! The handles move so smoothly and easily. The handles are ergonomic and so comfortable. My first thought was, “Where have these products been all my life!” Russ and Damaris were impressed with them as well.

Let’s start with the Stress Less Can Opener. It has a rotating crank arm that requires 50% less effort than a traditional can opener. The safety cutting mechanism cuts on the side of the can (while never contacting food), leaving safe smooth edges. It also has pliers incorporated on the side of the can opener for hygienic, safe lid removal. I think my favorite part is how small and compact it is when closed for storage.

Next up is the Stress Less Garlic Press. It is uniquely designed to rest on the counter for maximum leverage allowing users to press without the stress! The stress reducing design allows for the use of body weight to press the garlic. Pivot chamber allows for easy cleaning. Dishwasher safe.

Then we have the Stress Less Easy Grind Pepper and Salt Mills. Grind salt and pepper effortlessly with the simple turn of a crank. The mills feature a stay-sharp carbon steel grinder that has four times more power for effortless grinding. Ergonomic design and soft touch handle make these mills a pleasure to handle.

Next, the Stress Less Pizza Cutter. The unique, ergonomic handle can be used in one of two ways: either pushed with the handle or held from over the top. Handle features an integrated finger guard and the large diameter stainless steel cutting wheel removes easily for cleaning in the dishwasher.

Finally, the Stress Less Rotary Cheese Grater. It requires minimal effort to grate cheeses and chocolates. Ergonomically designed to reduce pressure on fingertips and eliminate wrist torsion, the cast iron handle rotates easily which activates the stainless steel grating drum to turn. The vertical design allows cheese to fall directly on food.

If I had to pick a favorite, I think it would be the Stress Less Pizza Cutter. It is so easy to grasp with my hand and I feel like I have much more control using it versus a traditional pizza cutter. I also love that the blade is easy to remove in order to clean it because it’s just gross to have pizza sauce get caked inside a pizza cutter.

These products make me feel like I can do some things in the kitchen again that I had stopped doing because of the pain associated with them. This line of products is simply amazing and I highly recommend them!

Find out more about Trudeau Corporation: Website | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

Trudeau Corporation is offering a chance for one of you to win a six piece Stress Less prize package including the Stress Less Safety Can Opener, Stress Less Garlic Press, Stress Less Easy Grind Pepper Mill, Stress Less Easy Grind Salt Mill, Stress Less Pizza Cutter, and Stress Less Rotary Cheese Grater ($143 retail value). Instructions to enter are below. Good luck to each of you!

Edit: I apologize for any confusion for those who saw my initial information of two prize packages. There was a miscommunication and there is actually only one prize package available. There were no entries into the giveaway before I updated this blog post and the Rafflecopter giveaway widget. Thanks for your understanding.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received these products to review on my site and products to give away were donated as well. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Sharing Our Spoons is a weekly link-up for those of us with chronic illnesses where we support and encourage each other in a holistic way by focusing on five goals each week. The five goal areas are: Physical, Mental/Emotional, Spiritual, Something fun, and BONUS: One thing to get you out of your comfort zone each week. We’ll be linking up on Tuesdays. We’d love to have you join us.

My Goals:
1. Physical: Work on reincreasing my water intake. I was doing quite well and then in the last couple of months, I have really slacked off.
2. Mental/Emotional: Knit at least one NICU hat, one chemo cap, and one little hat to donate this week. Knitting is calming and relaxing for me.
3. Spiritual: Read/journal the remainder of One Thousand Gifts and start on You’re Already Amazing.
4. Something fun: Paint my fingernails and toenails.
5. BONUS: One thing to get you out of your comfort zone a week: Write an article for possible publication as a guest post.

Your turn! Come link up with us as we Share Our Spoons.

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Russ and Damaris at his birthday dinner on Saturday. She said she needed a mustache like his and this picture was born.

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To read all my gratitudes so far, you can visit my gratitude page for a running list.

889. (361) a gift certificate to the local yarn store
890. (362) shirts crafted with Damaris
891. (363) my beloved working all day at work and then coming home and taking care of me

892. (364) dark chocolate candy bar
893. (365) morning cuppa coffee
894. (366) refreshing glass of water
895. (367) a package of freebies in the mail
896. (368) a great book that drew me in
897. (369) seeing Russ’ work schedule on the calendar be better for us as a family
898. (370) the never-ending need for grace and peace
899. (371) love beyond circumstances
900. (372) compassion
901. (373) actually sleeping
902. (374) clean carpet
903. (375) Russ off to work before two days in a row off
904. (376) discount sign for something I had a coupon for
905. (377) celebrating Russ’ 38th birthday
906. (378) ice cream after Russ’ birthday dinner
907. (379) understanding
908. (380) patience
909. (381) grace

Are you up for the challenge? Will you participate in the Joy Dare? Let me know because I’d love to read the gifts you are seeing in your life!

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Prayer & Photo Credit

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Pics from Momma
1 – my niece Lola & brother-in-law J.R. planting some seeds
2 – my nephew Wyatt’s first time eating cereal
3 – isn’t he just precious!
4 – I love how his feet are touching sole to sole. So sweet!

Crafting
5 – Our Pinterest freezer paper stencil shirts project
6 – Damaris and I modeling our shirts
7 – another NICU hat
8 – a chemo cap to donate

Hope you enjoyed this peek into my life. You can always visit my Picasa if you want to see more pics. See yall again next week for more pics!

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Linking up today with Five Minute Friday where you write for 5 minutes about the word for today and then publish without editing or perfecting.

Today’s word:
REAL

Start

Real? What is real? I’m sure that people looking in on my life aren’t sure what is real about it or not.

See, I have this fear. Probably stems from low self-esteem and such, but I get so afraid sometimes that people think that all I do is lay around watching tv and being lazy.

The real truth, well, yes, I do watch a lot of tv, more than I should. You see, it’s a way that I try to distract myself. I can only pin so many things on Pinterest or play so many games of solitaire or whatever else I might try to do before I end up curled up in my recliner just wishing the pain away.

As part of the disability process I am going through, I had to meet with a psychologist this week. He met with me for all of 20 minutes and I keep asking myself, and others who know this process, how in the world he can provide an assessment when he doesn’t know who I really am.
He doesn’t see me fighting to sleep.
He doesn’t see me unable to prepare meals.
He doesn’t see me having to rest up for days in order to be out of the house for a few hours.
He doesn’t see me relying more than I should have to on my daughter and husband because there are so many things I can’t do for myself.
He doesn’t see the pain in me because I’ve learned to put on a mask that others cannot see behind because of my fear, my fear of being judged lazy.

Stop

Looks like I have lots to say about being real. Five minutes just wasn’t enough time. What about you? What do you have to say about real in 5 minutes? If you link up, let me know. I’d love to read your post.

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The giveaway is over and I have used Rafflecopter to choose the winners. The winners are:

Congrats Cheryl A. and Jennifer C.! I have contacted Cheryl and Jennifer via email and they have until Saturday to respond to claim their prize of 1 coupon good for a free Farm Rich product ($5.99 value). If they don’t respond by then, I’ll choose a new winner(s).

Thanks everyone for participating in this giveaway! Keep reading and commenting. I’ll be posting a new giveaway soon.

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Damaris and I both decided to make shirts. We began by printing out the text/design we wanted. We then put the printout underneath the freezer paper and traced it in sharpie.

Next, we used an X-Acto knife to cut out the places on the freezer paper where we wanted to paint to be on the shirts.

Here is mine all cut out.

Then we ironed the freezer paper to the shirts.

Then the painting began (after putting a piece of cardboard inside the shirt so that the paint wouldn’t seep through onto the back of the shirt).

After two coats of paint and allowing it to dry to the touch, we began pulling the freezer paper off the shirt.

Then we let the paint dry more overnight before we heat set the paint by ironing on the wrong side of the shirt.

Here’s my finished product (computer keyboard with the words “i blog” underneath):

Here’s Damaris’ finished product (a Doctor Who inspired shirt with checkmark boxes next to the words “single”, “taken”, and the one which is checkmarked “waiting for a mad man with a box”; we also did a bit of improvising on her shirt because a spot got on it while we were ironing the freezer paper on so she had me paint tally marks over it and in two other spots which is something Doctor Who related that I don’t totally understand but that she loved, so it worked out):

Happy crafters!

I love my Maris!

This was a fun project even if it was labor intensive to cut out the stencils. We both really love our shirts. I can’t wait to start on my next project for the link up in June. Don’t forget to link up your Pinterest project!

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If you’ve never heard of or used Pinterest, what rock have you been hiding under??? I’m just kidding! Pinterest is a website where you have virtual bulletin boards on which you pin interesting things (get it? pin interesting things = Pinterest). You can also look at the things other people pin and repin them on your own boards. If you don’t have a Pinterest account, let me know and I’ll send you an invite.

Now, if you’re like me, you’ve pinned a gazillion things with great intentions of making that craft project or baking that recipe or trying to put together an outfit like the one you pinned. Well, no longer will I be just a pinner!!!! And I want you to join me!!!! Welcome to the “I’m Not Just a Pinner” Pinterest Challenge!

For the challenge, chose something you have pinned, make it, do it, wear it, etc., take pictures, and then blog about it. Then link up below. Make sure you include the “I’m Not Just A Pinner” Pinterest Challenge button in your post!

<center><a href="http://www.thealmons.com/ccblog/?p=5635"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7026/6803377681_c9109b04e0.jpg" width="400" height="237"></a></center>

And if something happens and you can’t participate this time, don’t worry! This link up will be a monthly challenge!!! Our next link up will occur on Wednesday, June 6th.

If you have any questions, comment below. Otherwise, link up!

---

1.	C.C. @ I'm On My Way ~ Pinterest Challenge Project #3 – Freezer Paper Stencil Shirts
2.	Pinterest Challenge #3- Paleo Granola

URL*	(URL of your blog post)
Name*
Email

( Submissions will close in 17d 9h 29m )
Link tool by Inlinkz

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Sharing Our Spoons is a weekly link-up for those of us with chronic illnesses where we support and encourage each other in a holistic way by focusing on five goals each week. The five goal areas are: Physical, Mental/Emotional, Spiritual, Something fun, and BONUS: One thing to get you out of your comfort zone each week. We’ll be linking up on Tuesdays. We’d love to have you join us.

As a bonus, there are three giveaways you can enter on the kickoff page. If you ever wanted to own something that I knit, this is your chance because one of the giveaways is for a pair of handknit fingerless gloves.

So come join us in Sharing Our Spoons! I think this is an amazing way to find community especially for those of us who aren’t able to be out and about that much. I’m looking forward to the first link-up next week.

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