A Year of No Yarn?

Shhh, calm down. It's okay, stop shaking. I know that title is scary. A year of no yarn?? But how? How would one breathe? If you are addicted to yarn and crafts like I am, how could I possibly function for a year with no yarn!?

Don't worry, it's not a year of no TOUCHING yarn, it's a year of not BUYING any new yarn!

On my last yarn purchase, I realized it was incredibly difficult to find any place to put any more yarn. It's in a storage bench, boxes, and shelves. I am out of space. I'm considered putting it in an unused suitcase, but we do go out of town every year....it'd be a pain to unpack the yarn just to pack for the trip.

I also thought, "I wonder how long my current stash would last me? A year? Two? More??" I don't knit or crochet every day but just about. Sometimes life gets in the way and I can't pick up a WIP for a week or more. But I always have at least 4-5 current WIP's (works in progress). I have PLENTY of yarn to get me through personal projects and gifts. One of my current WIP's is a blanket made from Knit Picks Chroma worsted yarn that I bought on Black Friday 2012. Or it may have been 2011? Seriously, I hoarded it for over a year before deciding to make it all into a blanket. I'm STILL sewing the squares together. It's November 2014 for crying out loud.

Oh, I know, you long time yarn hoaders, you probably have yarn older than me. You probably have vintage yarn! But I must stop this madness!! Why did I buy it if not to turn it into a pretty and useful creation!??

So, in an effort to calm my addiction, and hopefully make room for NEW yearn when my sabbatical on yarn buying is over, I shall purchase no new yarn for me for one year! What's the fine print, you ask? Of COURSE there is fine print!

1. I may not purchase any new yarn. By new, I mean new from manufacturer OR destashed from another yarn addict.
2. I may be given yarn if someone so chooses to do so. I mean, come on, it's just rude to turn down a gift of yarn!
3. I may purchase yarn for a specific project if someone has requested I make them something AND they paid for the yarn! I must first assure I do not have the yarn they need in my stash.
4. I may not purchase any more yarn unless stipulated by rule 3. I repeat, stop.buying.yarn.

So, can I do it? Could you do it? Will I make a bunch of awesome new stuff or will I cave?

I will start December 1, 2014. You'll note that is after Black Friday where Knit Picks usually has a really good sale. I may have an addiction I need to curb, but I'm not stupid.

I shall report back!! I expect to have the shakes, pangs of jealousy, and nauseated longing to visit the yarn store.
Someone hold my hand.....

~~Amy
#yearofnoyarn

Homeschooling--It's Not Always Pretty

Hello all! I know I'm a sporadic blogger, because, well, life happens. I don't get paid to blog so I squeeze it in when I can! But I noticed something as of late....

With the surge in homeschooling across the nation due to a variety of reasons, I see the growth just in Facebook groups alone. I see a lot of posts from new homeschoolers with a mixture of excitement, fear, and nervousness. I saw this awesome post today from a great lady named Tavia about not throwing in the towel. Check it out on her blog here.

I also wanted to add this...

It's not always pretty. Despite what you see on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites, homeschooling is not always pretty. It's not always awesome field trips, cool projects, and neatly organized binders. Houses are not always (or ever) clean, children are rarely consistently obedient, and moms are rarely as awesome behind the screen as they are on it.

I do not mean to imply homeschooling parents are not amazing creatures who are worthy of our respect. They very, VERY much are. As are ALL parents who get up each day, take care of their children and the gazillion other things they must do.

But it's not always the picturesque, Pinterest worthy scene you may see. Here's what it often may be:

• Stick-to-it-ness. Even the veteran homeschool mom changes her mind on curriculum, classes, and approaches. There's no shame in this, she just realizes something's not right and makes adjustments. It's not wrong, and do not feel shame for it!
• Art? Are you kidding me? Does drawing on a napkin while we wait for dinner count? Glitter? Get thee away from me!!
• The messy house. Look, I know there are some women who can keep a house perfect, be crafty, homeschool the kids, cook from scratch dinner, and volunteer in the community. Well, I have to give up some of that because I cannot do it all. I prefer to volunteer, homeschool, and do crafts like crochet and knitting because really world, it's for your safety that I get yarn time. Clean house? Perfect dinner? Haha!
• Super obedient children. If you figure this one out, you let me know. I've learned to settle for moderately obedient, independent thinkers who can argue with the best of them. I pray their debate skills will pay off one day in adulthood. 
• Being patient all the time. My husband says I am the MOST impatient person he's ever known. So I think I deserve major kudos for being able to handle this for 18 months now. You will not always be patient. No one is.
• Socialization overkill or underkill. Either of these can happen. Don't commit to too many activities and don't become a hermit either, or you will become a cliche'! It's okay to adjust this, I promise we all do.

So, whether you are new on this journey with us, or an old hat...don't worry....it's okay to sing "Frozen" for the one millioneth time and LET IT GO!

Other great blog posts on the subject so you know you are not alone:
http://www.homeschoolroom.com/the-reality-of-homeschooling/
http://www.homeschooldiaries.com/9-homeschooling-stereotypes-that-are-only-a-little-bit-true/
http://whyhomeschool.blogspot.com/2009/02/homeschool-fantasy-versus-reality.html
http://www.parents.com/blogs/homeschool-den/2012/03/14/homeschool-den/the-realities-of-homeschooling/


~~Amy
Being an imperfect parent since 2005