This is what boredom will get you

I have a problem. The first step is admitting it, right?

I can't seem to rid myself of leftover bits of yarn - no matter how small the bit - when I'm finished with a project. So I wind it into a ball, stuff it into a ziploc bag, and send it off to the yarn graveyard...that part of my stash that hasn't seen the light of day in ages, mostly occupied by acrylic yarns that I bought before I knew any better.

I was doing a bit of tidying up the other day when I found the dreaded bag of leftovers. I got that feeling I get when I find something tucked away in the back of the fridge and open it to find some sort of science experiment in which I wasn't aware I was participating. Still, I couldn't bear the thought of throwing it out. Rest assured, that is not the case with the aforementioned fridge goo. So what did I do? Enter the pompom! I sat at the computer watching online episodes of Dexter and wrapping little circles with yarn, then cutting and fluffing the little balls of yarn until my hands hurt.

Now, what to do with them? I mean, they're not particularly useful but they are kind of fun to look at, though not just piled up in on the table. I had a cute little bowl that was just sitting around, well, doing nothing but looking cute. It has now become the new home for my outlet for moments of jadedness and looks rather interesting as a decorative piece on my desk. At least the guilt I felt for being a bit of a hoarder has subsided...for now.

My name is Alex and I'm a stashaholic.

Charity Shop Finds

I found these six hanks of yummy green, 100% wool at the charity shop for 2.50 GBP. There's no information - no ball bands...nothing! - but for that price, I'm not terribly picky. I've been winding them into balls and have run into many little snarls and quite a few knots in the first hank but overall, I'm very happy with my purchase. I'm not sure what the wool wants to be yet but that's never stopped my from buying yarn.

Behind the yarn, you may also notice the bowl that the fruit is hanging out in. That's from the same shop and has 2 other siblings (3.75 GBP, all up), both tucked away in the cabinet. I was absolutely thrilled to find them as they are nearly identical to a set of mixing bowls that my grandmother used to have. I always wanted them but I'm certain my lunatic, kleptomaniac aunt took them and stashed them away in her overstuffed basement. If you've ever met her and subsequently found something has gone missing, chances are it's in her basement, along with anything not nailed down in hospital rooms (she's also quite the hypochondriac), hotels, and restaurants. That place is the size of a one bedroom apartment and is jam-packed with junk, with only a path from the stairs to the freezer; even the stairs have boxes stacked along the sides. When she dies, it will take a manned expedition and a few archaeologists to unearth what lies beneath. It's a scary place. The last time I went into that dungeon, I swear something hissed my name and tried to bite me.