A happy mail delivery on a sick day

Yesterday was declared a "sick day" when I woke up with no sense of smell and a voice about three octaves deeper than usual. I stayed home all day, drinking tea, watching movies, and feeling generally miserable until...the yarn fairy arrived! The yarn I ordered for my next project, the fawn poncho/"fawn-cho", finally came in and I'm so excited! After "oohing" and "ahhing" over the pretty colors, and in an attempt to relieve my cabin-fever boredom, I decided to snap a few pictures. See, my gif-making addiction is so intense that not even a cold could keep me from animating a stack of yarn in my hand. ;-)

However, this excitement was cut short when I realized that I don't have the right size circular needles for the pattern. Such a let down. Oh well. Even though I can't play with this pretty yarn yet, I'm just really, really excited about starting a new project! Does anyone else get in moods like this? All I want to do is create something and learn a few new techniques along the way.

I wish this yarn had healing powers though...I'm ready to stop sniffling.

What projects are you excited about right now?

Weekend Baking - Earl Grey Muffins Video

Once again, I'm thankful for a wonderful weekend filled with creativity and baking. I gave the earl grey muffins a try and I have to say...they are probably the best muffins I've ever had. Seriously. Go make some right now. If you need more inspiration to get baking, I broke out the 8mm iPhone app again and made a little video of the muffin-making just for fun. I hope you like it! :)

It was an especially nice treat to have with a cup of earl grey to soothe the unfortunate cold I caught over the weekend. I hope the sniffles go away soon so I can get through the week...or at least make it through my Monday morning classes. ;-)

How was your weekend?

My Week & Weekend Plans in Doodles

At one point this semester, I planned on taking a photo everyday so I could blog more about what happens during the school week. Ha! I foolishly thought that would be an easy or interesting task. When I came home from class this afternoon, I decided to blog something different for the weekend. (Side note: Part of this decision was made purely because I was extremely comfortable on the couch with my sketchbook and didn't feel like moving.) So, I decided to do a little doodle for each day of my week, and a special *doodle edition* of my weekend plans. Haha! These were the highlights of my week:

Monday - That evening, I grabbed dinner with one of my best friends. We splurged and got gelato for dessert. I had salted caramel and it was amazing!

Tuesday - I spent the day clicking and typing away at my internship.

Wednesday - After finally deciding on my next, big knit project, I ordered the yarn and I can't wait for it to arrive!! I keep checking the FedEx tracking info...even though it hasn't changed. Haha. 

Thursday -  Two funny/fun things happened on Thursday. I attempted to take outfit photos by myself with a wireless remote. This attempt failed miserably and I just got really frustrated with myself. Oh well. All of my pictures are funny to look at though, especially the ones when I'm sporting a serious "model face". The fun thing that happened was...I ordered my cap and gown for graduation!! Yippee!!!!!!!

Friday - I turned in an essay this morning with a staple and a smile. I'm so happy that it's the weekend! 

For the weekend I plan to...

- Possibly bake these earl grey muffins? Have I been baking too much on the weekends? Nah...
- Finish two books for class. I'm currently reading Blue Nights by Joan Didion and A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry.
- Write yet another paper...yay.
- Impatiently wait for my yarn to arrive. I want to start my fawn-cho! ;-)
- Watch the Oscars! Wait, you couldn't tell that little guy up there was supposed to be an Oscar? Sorry about that...

How was your week? Do anything exciting? Any big plans for the weekend? I always love to hear!!

A crafty collaboration with Ello Lovey

One of my favorite memories of the Jingle Bash last November was sharing that crazy day with my booth neighbor, Rhianna of Ello Lovey. She was so sweet and helpful during my few panicky, "it's my first craft show and I want to start breathing into a paper bag" moments. ;-)

We kept in touch after the show and she recently proposed an idea for a possible collaboration. Why don't I add a few crochet borders to some of her prints for our Etsy shops? Such a great idea! I was extremely nervous punching holes into her beautiful prints though...haha. I'm so glad she trusts me to do a good job! The prints will be in our shops very soon, so I will keep you posted on the details. 

How cool is it working with other creative people? I never thought I would have the opportunity to create something like this with a fellow Etsian. It's just reason number 1,000,001 why I love this community. :)

A Week of Colorful Sweaters Recap

Last week I decided to push myself outside of my comfort zone and wear my crazy sweaters, back to back, and just see what it did for my confidence. Here's a little recap of each day...

Sunday // I wore this gorgeous and extremely colorful sweater for the first time last Sunday. Since I wore it to church, I guess I expected a few more "oh my's" at the sight of the blinding colors. I got a couple compliments but nothing too exciting happened. I just felt really good wearing it. 

Monday // Oh the dot sweater. I don't know why this one makes me so nervous...but it does. I think it has something to do with the fact that the crochet dots are literally hanging off the shirt. It may not be as bright as the others but it is very "Look at me!". I wore it to class and out of sheer embarrassment, kept my puffy jacket on throughout the day. That was definitely the self-esteem low point of the week. It really showed me how much I let the opinions of others dictate even the smallest parts of my life. I don't want to do that again. 

Tuesday // As promised, I wore my heart patch sweater on Valentine's day and definitely felt the love. I wore this to my internship and got some very sweet comments from my boss. When I told her that I added the hearts on myself she sounded impressed and I probably blushed a little too much. The best part of the day was the elevator ride with a cute and mysterious guy who smiled at me before I got out at the lobby. I'd like to think that he thought my sweater was super cool. ;)

Wednesday // I should give the swan sweater a name...like Gertrude or something. Haha. This is another sweater that makes me especially self conscious. It was really warm that day so I couldn't hide Gertrude under a coat or anything. Why would I want to though? A girl I never expected to compliment my style immediately said, "Aw that's such a cute sweater!" when she came into class. It really showed me that I judge people to fast, assuming they think I'm weird, just like I think they are judging me. 

Thursday // My horse sweater didn't get much love. Who knows why, but it went unnoticed all day at work. However, because of that I actually stopped thinking about what was on my sweater and didn't care that no one said a word. I finally felt like I was wearing something I love for the simple reason that I love it and not worrying about what other people think.

Friday // This sweater is just so cozy! The comfort level of this one supersedes any and all floral-related embarrassment. I could never feel shame when wearing something so snuggly. 

Sunday // This one was meant for Saturday, but I never left the house due to rain and paper writing and I didn't want to cheat. ;) So that meant another happy and colorful Sunday. 

Here are a few Instagrams from the week. (My username is sheepishknitcrochet) 

As the week went on, I noticed how the challenge became less about growing confidence and more about simply wearing my favorite sweaters. I didn't feel particularly daring in my heart sweater (it would be pretty sad if I did) but I did feel more like myself. That's the most important thing, right? To be comfortable enough in your own skin that you can wear what you want without fear. Clothes are such a tiny and insignificant part of who I am, but I know if I can wear a fun sweater or confidently chat with someone in class about my knitting, I'm on my way to a stronger me. 

It just might take me a few more colorful sweaters to get me there. ;)

Sponsor One Sheepish Girl in March!

If only I could knit that fast...haha. ;)

I'm happy to announce that starting in March I am accepting sponsors for One Sheepish Girl! This was a big decision for me to make, but I'm really excited about entering this new phase of my blog. If you are interested, take a look at the "Sponsor" page for all of the details. It would be a great place for advertising your shop or blog. Please email me if you have any questions!

If you want to join the fun, I'll just be here knitting and blogging away in my colorful sweaters. ;-)

Speaking of colorful sweaters...I'm going to post the results of my colorful sweater challenge/extravaganza from last week later this afternoon! Have a great day!

The Blush List - A Tea Party

Here are a few of my favorite finds that happen to be my idea of the perfect tea party. ;)

Knitting // Of course there will be knitting and of course it will all happen while hanging upside down. ;-) Just kidding! I know this adorable vintage print doesn't exactly go with a tea party...but I couldn't leave it out!

Crochet // A lovely crochet tea cosy by Maria Valles.

Etsy // Perfect for sipping, delicate vintage tea cups from Bella Casella. 

Style // I would love to wear any look from the Red Valentino Fall 2012 collection. Each outfit is absolutely beautiful! Found via Honey Kennedy. 

Art // We have to watch Downton Abby. That is a must. I love this illustration by Kelsey Garrity-Riley.

Food // For an extra lady-like finish, we can snack on these ridiculous looking Red Velvet S'mores Bars by How Sweet It Is.

Oh how I wish I could have you all over for a tea party this evening instead of writing papers and reading. How was your weekend? It rained a lot on Saturday so I spent the day inside and tackled a big portion of my paper. Now I just have to see it through. :)

Happy Sunday to you all!

Weekend Plans 2/17 - 2/19

This was one of those unfortunate weeks where I didn't have a minute to knit a stitch between classes and my internship. Those are the times where my countdown to graduation sounds less like a mysterious ticking noise and more like the ball drop on New Year's Eve. I can't wait to be free of required reading and double-spaced essays that the world will never see. Sometimes Most of the time 100% of the time, doing school work is such a struggle when I would rather be blogging and creating. However, all of my time spent studying paid off thanks to some good grades this week. Oh and my happy sweaters kept me smiling through it all. :)

I'm looking forward to another relaxing and crafty weekend...

- ...Even though I have another big paper to work on for Monday. Blah.
- I have a nice stack of spring magazines just waiting to be read. How beautiful is Adele on the cover of Vogue? She is amazing.
- It looks like it might be a little rainy tomorrow, so I think I'll bake some of my favorite bread to have with tea. It is seriously the easiest recipe ever. No yeast or rising and it is super tasty.
- I have lots of Valentine's treats to enjoy too, like my box of Dots. They are way better than the regular kind.
- Oh how I want to knit. I missed it so much this week. I wonder if I still remember how...? ;) I'm looking for a new project to start, like a blanket or sweater, but I haven't found the right pattern yet. If you have any recommendations, I would love to see!

How was your week? Care to share any of your plans for the next few days?

A Sweet Valentine

I hope you all had a great Valentine's Day yesterday! I managed to have my best single lady Valentine yet thanks to some sweet surprises from my mom. She broke in to my apartment while I was at my internship and left me some flowers, yummy macarons, and dinner in the fridge. I am so lucky to have parents who never let me forget that I am loved. :)

I also wore my heart sweater and cozy heart socks with pride. I received compliments throughout the day that warmed my heart. Have I said heart too much? Haha.

How was your day? Did your sweetheart do anything special for you? Or did you do something nice to show yourself a little love?

Blogging for Confidence #10 - A Week of Colorful Sweaters

Outfit details: Sweater - Milk & Honey boutique, Nails - Scallop trim tutorial Skirt - Fossil, Tights - Target, Shoes - Vance c/o Blowfish

Through this Blogging for Confidence series, I've discovered that even when the challenge I set for myself seems so tiny and insignificant, it truly makes a big difference. You all know by now of my affinity for colorful sweaters. I don't think there is any deep reason behind why I love them so much except that they are soft and pretty! Lately, colorful and quirky sweaters have been jumping off the shelves at me and I've gathered a little collection. Even though I cherish each sweater dearly...I have a confession to make. Whenever I reach for one in my closet my thoughts of the joyful and cozy day ahead of me shrink away as I ponder, "Oh gosh. What is that girl who sits next to me in journalism going to think of this one?" or "That cute guy in English is going to think I'm some sort of escaped clown if I wear this polka-dot sweater!" The negative thoughts go on and on until I change my mind and pick a quieter garment. This isn't always the case. Sometimes I tell all those negative voices in my head to pipe down, like the day I wore my swan sweater, and go on with my day without a care. However, if I wear a fun sweater one day there is no way I will wear another one the next day. I've got to spread the quirkiness out and give the world a break from the colors....right? Wrong! I need to stop letting others determine anything about me even if it is something as insignificant as my wardrobe. I hope this doesn't sound too lame to you guys. Sometimes when I ramble on about sweaters I worry that I sound like a weirdo...but then that proves my point, doesn't it? No more holding back! My challenge is to wear one of my colorful sweaters every day this week. One after the other, I'm going to wear my favorite knits and document any reactions and hesitations that I have. I started the challenge on Sunday with that colorful striped sweater and will share a round-up post on what I learned about myself next week. I'll let you know how it turns out! 

Sweater details: Polkadot - Milk & Honey boutique, Heart elbow patches - Sweater from Target, DIY by me!, Swan - Joy the Store, Horse - Aritzia, Blue floral - Milk & Honey, Pink floral - H&M

Bring on the stares and "What a colorful sweater you have there Meredith." comments. I'm wearing what I want! :)


Footnote - I wore the polkadot sweater today and failed one of my goals for the week. I didn't take off my jacket in my last class because I was embarrassed of the dots. I kept my sweater hidden underneath my puffy coat for over an hour, sweating the entire time. Hopefully my confidence will improve as the week goes on...

Weekend Baking - Red Velvet Heart-Shaped Donuts

I think my mom was hinting at something when she got me a heart-shaped donut pan for Valentine's Day. Last time I attempted to make these red velvet donuts, well....they didn't look so red. It was a failed baking attempt that stung especially hard because of my intense love for anything red velvet. So, as a result of the not-so-subtle gift from my mom, I gave it another try this weekend in between studying. We are pretty sure the red didn't work because I used low-fat buttermilk instead of regular. That's what I get for trying to be healthy...

I'm pretty proud that I finally achieved red velvet success. It was the perfect Valentine treat and great study fuel along with a cup of tea. I think I'll have one right now as I get ready for a big test in the morning. Ugh. However, there is the possibility of a "wintry mix" this evening. Am I too old to pray for a snow day?? ;)

How was your weekend? Bake/make/create anything fun?