Monday, November 26, 2018

Seasonal Lights and Specials

Lacombe is celebrating Light Up the Night THIS week!  Presented by Lacombe Tourism and Stantec.
Events run from Wednesday, Nov. 28 to Sunday, Dec. 2 this year. For a complete listing of events, check out the Lacombe Tourism website.
Image result for moonlight madness lacombe 2018

Moonlight Madness is Thursday, Nov. 29!! 
Join The Crafty Lady staff from 6- 10 p.m. for 
"In-Store Deep Discounts!!"

I am sorry, I cannot tell you what will be on sale, or how deep the discounts will be. 
The Crafty Lady will not even tell her staff what will be discounted.
The only rumour we have heard is: there will be discounts up to 75% off! 

We would really appreciate everyone stopping in to say "Merry Christmas", "Happy Hanukkah", "Seasons Greetings", "Compliments of the Season" or "Hello". The sentiment is the caring and cherishing each other. 

I don't know about you - I am starting to feel slightly stressed and my home calendar is starting to have many notes on each date, as we have a largish family, and many to celebrate the season with. 

There was an emergency call on Facebook the other day for hand crafted blankets and toques for Red Deer Inn from the Cold. If you are looking for a way to give to others, anything you could donate would be really appreciate. (Which for someone like me, who would love to donate adds to the stress as I try to make for my family.) 

Never fear, in addition to Moonlight Madness, we are still featuring one yarn each week at 75% off. This week's special is very appropriate, as I seem to be consuming more coffee than usual to be able to knit more/longer. Coffee is a morning staple but so very essential to a self-admitted addict. I admit I have 2 additions - coffee and knitting. I have spilled coffee on my knitting, but as I drink it black, it washes out. 

Mmmmm....Espresso...rich, colourful, classy...and a little can go a long way -- just like this week's Super Special Sale Yarn offering!


150 grams = 135 metres (148 yards)
50% Cotton; 50% Acrylic

Regular Price: $28.00

Sale Price: $7.00

You only need one of these delicious skeins to make a fabulous decorative loopy cowl...  



A slouchy market bag



Or a handsome crocheted collar
(add beads for a bit of 'bling'!)



Coffee, tea or yarn: it's all here for you at The Crafty Lady!


Written by Anne, happy to be able to knit at work, and drink coffee. Please purchase so I do not add to my stash. 




Monday, November 19, 2018

Seeing Red

Red is the colour at one the end of the visible spectrum, opposite that of violet.  (See the "R" at the right of the spectrum range (below)?  And the "V" on the left?)


Source: Wikipedia


Add Some Red, She Said
- art quilt, M. Blank, 2015
I'm guessing though, that most textile afficionados who are fond of red aren't concerned with how it's seen with the eye, but rather how it makes us feel.  Most of us are familiar with the old adage about not waving a red flag in front of a bull, as it could cause the bull to charge -- and then we'd be in deep trouble!

Whether or not the adage is true in real life, the colour red has long been recognized as a colour that stimulates, excites and invigorates us.  It's known as a colour that denotes power, confidence and strength -- to whit, the British red coats, or advice to women in business to wear red, so as to be successful when doing battle, whether on the field or around a board room table.

Red is also associated with good luck, joy, energy, creativity, beauty, fire, heat, blood, martyrdom, passion and sexuality -- across a wide range of countries, cultures and religions.  Red, red wine is said to be good for you (all those anti-oxidants), with a glass a day acting as a boost to one's immune system, increasing bone density, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke, lowering cholesterol -- and more.  All that and it aids relaxation and digestion (as St. Paul advised his young protege, Timothy, "...take a little wine for thy stomach's sake." - 1 Timothy 5:23)

As far as fashion goes, not everyone feels able to wear red well, but take heart!  There are so many shades and tints of the colour; it simply takes some experimenting to find out what's right for you.

Of course, not all reds need be worn near the face.  One can still enjoy red accents in one's wardrobe: a bit of trim on a jacket, a touch of red jewelry, a red tie or mittens, gloves or hat.  Perhaps a flash of red socks peeking out from the cuffs of black pants?

And reds can be combined with other colours to make a stunning check, plaid, or stripe!


At this time of year, reds are used as cheerful accents in Christmas and other holiday ornaments -- wreaths, floral arrangements, gift packaging.  The colour livens up the season -- a counterpoint to our cold weather and days filled with grey skies, snow and slush.

So this week for our Super Special, we're offering you a touch of red -- in a super-wash wool just right for those accents to a wintry wardrobe.


Diamond Luxury Collection
Pure Wool Superwash

 100 grams = 183 metres (200 yards)
100 % wool
Regular Price: $11.00 per ball

Sale Price: $2.75

Two shades available!


Colour #925 - Burgundy

AND


Colour #926 - Garnet


So...gather your needles or your hook, dig out a pattern for a simple hat or mittens or...whatever!...and gather up a ball of red yarn for some cheerful holiday yarn-crafting.  What a delight it will be for someone you love to find something red peeking out from his or her stocking on Christmas morning!  Maybe you could even knit or crochet that stocking...?

Anyway you slice it, I hope you'll come to agree with me...and with my daughter (who's getting a red hooded knit jacket for Christmas)...

Red is Best!







In other news...
Black Friday?  No way!
Stay tuned because...
Moonlight Madness is coming!  Moonlight Madness is coming!
Thursday, November 29th
6:00 - 10:00 p.m.
Specials throughout the store
as we help the City of Lacombe
Light Up the Night



**Written by Margaret, happy TCL employee who loves to wear -- and knit with -- RED!

Monday, November 12, 2018

Whatcha Doin'?

I have no little folks in my life at the moment, but I work with people who do, and have customers who do and friends who do.

They all seem to know how to talk to them, too.  To have fun with them.  Me?  Not so much!  Anyone under the age of eight or ten makes me nervous; I guess I'm just not good at relating -- and I'm not good at all with noise and bounce.  Give me a young person who can carry on a conversation and actually listen -- I'm all over that!

Clearly I'm a Grouchy Old Lady in the making!  😉

That doesn't mean I don't remember some fun stuff from when I was a Little Person.  I remember my first book -- a story about a little girl who got chickens for a gift and with help, took care of them and watched them grow up to produce more chickens!  I had Mummy read it to me so often that eventually I'd memorized the text and thought I was really reading!

I also remember the games my mother played with me -- like bouncing up and down to "Rub-a-dub-dub" when swimming (I later did this with my own kids), or "I Spy with My Own Little Eye..." (ditto with my kids) or this old favourite that I can still reprise when I'm at a loss for words with a small child: "Peek-a-boo! I see you!"

All of these were designed to subtly introduce a child to a new experience, or to teach something.  "Rub-a-dub" was a fun way to experience water and 'swimming' while safely in the arms of an adult.  "I Spy" can be used to teach a child the names of objects, or colours.  And "Peek-a-boo" teaches a very young child that just because you can't see something or someone, doesn't mean it's disappeared forever.  Hidden objects can be found; Mummy and Daddy can go away and come back: it's the concept of 'object permanence'.  Who knew?!

That said, I'm really not sure why Sirdar Yarns named this yarn -- one from it's Snuggly line of acrylic and nylon blends -- "Peekaboo".  Maybe it's because it's designed as a double-knit for baby garments.  Maybe it's  the way it's dyed, with colours that come and go.  Maybe they just thought it was a cute name.

Whatever their reasoning, we're not hiding it from you this week!  Instead, it's front-and-centre as our Super Special of the Week!



Sirdar Snuggly Peekaboo




50 grams = 164 metres (179 yards)
55% Nylon
45% Acrylic

Machine wash on "low"; tumble dry "cool"

Regular Price: $7.50

Sale Price: $1.88!


Now here's the thing.  It's come to our attention that November is NaKniSweMo (National Knit a Sweater Month).  Aaargh! You might be thinking, "The month's almost half over!" or "I don't have enough yarn in my stash to knit a whole sweater!"

Well...with this week's special, you do -- especially if you a have (or are expecting to have, or know someone who's expecting to have) a Little Person in your life!  If you get to it quickly enough, I can tell you with certainty that there's enough on offer for a small sweater, like this one:

Knitter: LakeEdge on Ravelry
Pattern: "Design G: Boys' Sweaters and Slipover Vest"available on patternfish.com

The maker knit a size to fit a 5 or 6-year old -- and used only four of the five skeins she'd purchased.  There now!  

And yes, we are open on Monday, November 12, for your shopping pleasure.  (The Crafty Lady takes no days 'in lieu' when a holiday falls on a Sunday, a day when were closed anyway.)

So...see you in the shop!  
Or maybe not!  
Peek-a-boo!



Monday, November 5, 2018

Is it here to stay?

Image result for nOVEMBER SNOW
After the really heavy snow fall late last week - is it here to stay? Last week Mother Nature dumped wet, heavy snow from east of the Rockies to the Saskatchewan/Manitoba border. As of this writing (early Monday) there are still icy spots on some of the side roads, please take care.

 If you are planning on not shoveling, and waiting for the snow to melt, you may be in for a longish wait. The 7-day forecast predicts it will be here for awhile as temperatures are going to be hovering around the Zero mark for the next week or so.

Thanks to the ONE customer who came in costume on Halloween and received her 10% off her entire purchase. It is great to remember Halloween can be fun for almost everyone! It is not about the candy, it is about having one night of the year where you are allowed/encouraged to dress-up, pretend and be a little crazy - safely!

Did you remember to change your clocks over the weekend? November is the last month of autumn, which stresses out those of us trying to get our Christmas hand-made gifts completed.

To help with your projects, The Crafty Lady is participating in Moonlight Madness on Nov. 29, 2018 from 6-10 p.m. with In-store specials (as of this writing - we do not know what The Crafty Lady is planning). Please mark on your calendar, to come in to find out! Dec. 1 to 21, we will be open Monday - Friday 9-9 and 9-6 on Saturdays. As always, closed on Sundays 😉.

Just a quick reminder: when you are going through your stash of yarns, please remember we have several seniors who will knit or crochet your odds and end (acrylics - please) into items for Ronald McDonald house, the hospice and the homeless. If you have 100% cotton - many cottons can be knit into "Knitted Knockers" and we have people who will knit them. We also have people who knit slippers and/or hats for needy people both locally and overseas. Please consider these options before throwing out yarn, or continuing to store something which is no longer your favourite colour, or yarns you will not be able to  'get around to working with'.

If you have unopened crewel, embroidery or cross-stitch projects (or partially worked) the volunteers at both Building Blocks and Cast-a-Ways will accept them. There are a number of people looking for projects and they are getting hard to find at reasonable prices.

So, enough of my ramblings, on to the serious subject of The Crafty Lady's 75 % special of the week . . .



             NOVA Yarns
CARINA

52% Wool
48% Acrylic

"Chainette"** construction





Regular Price:  $7.00

Sale Price: $1.75


**"Chainette Yarns have a chained ply that provides a hollow core. This increases the weight of the yarn without increasing the heft of the fabric knit or crocheted with it. Chainette Yarns also have a great stretch and elasticity to them that make these yarns a great choice for ribbing and garments or accessories that need to have negative ease built in. And if that’s not enough to entice you Chainettes also give great stitch definition and make cables stand out!" 



Written by Anne, happy TCL employee, who loves fall and winter 'cause my husband loves to shovel and I get to walk in the snow