Let's Talk About C.E.X., Baby!

That would be Craftular Enhancement eXcursion, and that's what my day off yesterday consisted of. The adorable fabric you see pictured here is for a baby blanket I'm making for one of Ray's co-workers. Oh, and it was 50% off! So I got more than enough and I may make some burp cloths or something as well. The pattern (for said blanket) is via my friend Maura. The lucky recipient of this blanket is also going to receive an adorable knitted bear bonnet and most likely some booties as well. The yarn for that will be coming next week and I'll be posting progress pictures on those.

I also used the gift card I got from Ray's sister for christmas to buy some decoupage supplies and a plain box to decorate. I purchased this page-a-day pin-up calendar and I'm going to use the pictures from it decorate this box. It should be fun.
While we were out I also exchanged the Domiknitrix book I got from Jesse for the Knitting Nature book by Norah Gaughan. I thought a lot about it before I decided to exchange it, but the Dom book is more of a "starter" or "how-to" book and I already know "how-to". There are some great patterns in it, but I don't know how many of them I would actually make. I've been drooling over Knitting Nature ever since I saw it back in Sept.(?) I want to make almost every pattern (out of 35!) in it.
While I'm on the subject of books and using gift cards, I also received my order from Barnes & Noble yesterday. My brother gave me a $30 gift card and I decided to make the most of it by shopping their christmas clearance. I'm so glad I did! For $30 (plus $3 of my own money, but
free shipping!) I got How to Seduce a Ghost by Hope McIntyre, Khai of Khem by Brian Lumley, Wolfblade: Book One of the Wolfblade Trilogy by Jennifer Fallon, Dedication by Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus, The Paths of Darkness Collection by R.A. Salvatore, and The Antichrist: A Criticism of Christianity by Friedrich Nietzsche. Wow, dats a lots a books! Some of the authors I've read other things by, others I have heard of but have never sampled, and others were judged by their cover. But all (but one) were less than $4 each, so it's totally worth the gamble. I have no idea when I'm going to be able to read all of these, I've already got a pile on my shelf waiting to be read, but that is why I love owning books. I can read them or put them aside whenever or as often as I want.

On a knitting related note, I have one of my Dad's socks done and am almost halfway through the second. For those not aware, this was one of the secret holiday projects I had going on and am obviously a little late with completion. It's ok, he doesn't mind. The pattern I used is the uncomfortably-titled Boyfriend Socks and is knit up in Knit Picks Risata in Navy on size 1 dpns. I ended up having to use 3 balls instead of the two I had initially ordered because I didn't pay attention to the yardage in the pattern. Go figure. Never fear, however, more is on the way! Hopefully these will be done next week.

So there you have it. I still need to get some plain brown flannel for the other side of the blanket, Hancock doesn't carry brown flannel. That seems weird to me. I'd like to work on that on Monday though, so that means shopping again this weekend.
That could be dangerous. ;)