Hang A Star On That One Award

~With all of the awards circling the blogs, I’ve been contemplating designing our own special award. Over the course of this past year, I’ve made many blogger friends. Quite a few of my friends have cost me money ’cause I just HAVE to have: the yarns, the patterns, the books, the magazines, the fibers, the food, the knitting items, the spinning items, etc.; or, join the KAL, or sign up for the Craftsy class,that the various bloggers have shared.  I really wanted to call the award: You Made Me Do It, but I figured it might be misinterpreted. I loved the song, “You made me do it. I didn’t want to do it, I didn’t want to do it. You know you made me love you.” That is a song I’ve always sung to my kids and grandkids. I change the words when I mentally sing it to a blogging friend each time I make a purchase because of their blog, “You made me do it. I didn’t want to do it, I didn’t want to do it. You know you made me buy that.”  The entire idea is my crazy, tongue-in-cheek, sense of humor which is not understood by all. So, as a compromise I’ll tweak a term the great Padre announcer Jerry Coleman always used when the Pads hit a home, “Oh Doctor, you can hang a star on that baby.” Our award is the “Hang A Star On That One” and is to be given to a person who has “made you do it”; has made you spend money for some incredibly fantastic object/item.

The rules are simple:

1. The person receiving the award is someone who has “made” you spend money. It could be that you bought a pattern, a book, a magazine, a item, a yarn, a fiber, etc.; or joined a KAL, or signed up for a class on Craftsy, etc. Remember, this is in good natured fun. A positive expenditure. Explain to the person what they “made”, “enabled”, or “tempted” you to purchase.
2. You may give the award to as many or as few people as you like. We hate it went we’ve been given a set number to dole out an award to.
3. Copy and past the blog award on your blog. Display it with pride. Remember that “Imitation is the best form of flattery“. I’m out here totally imitating you!
4. Let them know they have been chosen by leaving a comment at their blog.
5. Thank the award presenter

Again, I cannot stress enough that this is all in fun. I have been so enamored with everything I’ve spent my $$$ on due to blogger recommendations, it has enriched my life. I hope you feel that way too.

Without further ado these are my nominees:

1. Tina, the Temptress (although I think she prefers “Enabler” which is too gentle a word in this case) from Peacefully Knitting. The top award goes to her! Lovely patterns, yarns, fibers, and a magazine subscription are now in my possession thanks to her. Not to mention the KALs she’s recommended. My wallet tells me to stop reading her blog. NEVER! I’ve warned you!
2. Marjorie from I Dye Everyday. I could have been perfectly happy just dyeing my fiber, but no…. Taking one look at the fabulous fabrics which she dyes, I had to purchase a ton of cotton-dye colors. Although I have yet to make one of her “stained glass” quilts from hand-dyed fabrics it’s on my list.
3. Weekend Knitter. Her knitting blog was delightful, but then she turned into a spinner. Sigh, you can see what’s coming. Items I couldn’t resist: Spinning Wool; Beyond the Basics by Anne Field, a Golding spindle, carnauba and lavender wax from an Etsy shop, and fiber! If you’re a spinner, another site to stay away from!
4. Caity from All She Wants To Do Is Knit. Don’t believe the title anymore. She’s become a spinner too! It’s TNTC the number of patterns I am now the proud owner of because of the marvelous items she has shared. To me, the most amazing was the Rockefeller Shawl by Stephen West. I LOVE Art Nouveau and Art Deco and this shawl screamed to me. Bought the pattern and enrolled in his Craftsy course which I wouldn’t have know about if it weren’t for Caity’s “showing me” the shawl. A word about the course. The shawl pattern is a free one at his Ravelry site and for the most part his class is one big infomercial. Won’t recommend it. I will be purchasing more of his shawl patterns, so thanks Caity! I also had to purchase the Peterson Bird app when she blogged that it was on sale. Is it fair to say that it’s her “fault” that I had to knit a little bag for Curls after she saw the one I knit for Caity for the Knit-It-Forward? Now that Caity has blogged about purchasing her first fleece, I want one too. LOL!
5. Janet from Pixelknit’s Ponderings. How many ways can I say FIBER? First I had to order fiber from Greenwood Fiberworks after seeing their fabulous fiber featured on Janet’s blog. In the same blog she  showed Woolgathering’s 24 Breed Sampler Pack. (BTW: she heard about the sampler pack from Tina, see what I mean? Tina is #1 for making you spend money. Somehow I missed the sample pack at Tina’s, maybe my brain was asleep that day.) Please notice what restraint I’ve used. The Greenwood Fiberworks fiber was ordered on January 5, the day I read about it. I didn’t order the sample pack until last week. It’s called will-power people! Luckily, all of the books she’s recommended I’ve been able to download for free or borrow from libraries. So, she’s off the hook for that.
6. Pia from Colour Cottage. I first visited her site because of her doodles which lead me to purchase even more markers. Then I saw the crazy brushes she had, couldn’t resist buying some. Stayed around for all of the other interesting posts, ended up purchasing all types of mordants for dyeing because of her fiber dyeing experiments. Although she didn’t recommend the book, I purchased  A Weaver’s Garden: Growing Plants for Natural Dyes and Fibers by Rita Buchanan, because of all of the native plant materials with which Pia uses to dye fiber.
7. Opal from Celebrate Life! Everytime I use my Hiya Hiya needles I think of Opal. I LOVE the needles and needed them as I need another hole in my head. They are just so darn sweet to knit with. Because of her bee adventures I keep buying honey. Now, I’m the only one that uses honey at this home, so what the heck? Who really needs six jars of honey?
8. Fibercrush. Due to her blog about building a design wall and our subsequent comments to each other, I purchased a Fons and Porter Wall Design Wall which is easily rolled up and out of the way. I really did need one and appreciate the info from her.

I’ll stop here. Although there are other fabulous blogs I follow and get ideas from, I’ve been able to get the patterns for free or use my stash when I see posts. All of you wonderful ladies mentioned above  have lead me to purchases about which I can say, “Hang a star on that one!” Thank you! You have enriched my life but not my wallet! Please post the award with pride and if there is anyone out there that has “forced” you to open up your wallet let them know. As I said before “Imitation is the best form of flattery”. I hope we’re being imitated!