Come on over to my house - and meet the Winners!

Which Hogwarts house will you be sorted into?

Just recently, I discovered that I would be a Ravenclaw if I were at Hogwarts. Unfortunately, I am not participating in the Hogwarts Sock Swap (it looks like fun but I didn't get there in time to sign up) but if I were - I would so be a Ravenclaw. I've always liked them - they seemed a little more sophisticated and not so into sports. Supposedly, Ravenclaw values intelligence, knowledge and wit. Many are good looking (ah, if only!) and Cho Chang is a Ravenclaw. She always seemed so sensible.

I even like their colors - blue and bronze. Maybe I'll have to come up with a Harry Potter house scarf or some house socks to fill up my time until the next book comes out. Eagle stitch markers, anyone?

As for winners - the Grand Winner of the First Lazy Daisy Peep Diorama Contest!

The Knitting Coxswain from Ariel and Celeste.



Now, Celeste tells me she is actually a coxswain for the Minnesota Boat Club but I don't really know if her scarves get caught in the oars. Note the downtown Saint Paul skyscape in the background! Congratulations girls! I will send out your skein of beautiful Lisa Souza "Violet's Pink Ribbon" sock yarn. I don't know how you will share this but it would be perfect for a simple pair of socks. Perhaps you can rotate wearing them?

The Second Place winner is:

Gymnastic Peep or "Look at me! Look at me!"



Note the clever use of crochet hooks as the uneven bars! This entrant, the Fair Melissa, sent three variations of the Wit-Knit Observer at various sports. I'll send out her second prize - the "Knit your own Mrs. Beeton Wrist Warmers" kit. She'll be able to make her own pair of lovely, ruffly wrist warmers as designed by Brend Dayne. The kit includes a skein of Artful Yarns' "Heavenly" in the Trumpets/1477 colorway, a skein of Rowan's Kidsilk Haze in the Liqueur/595 colorway and a tube of matching size 6 Czech seed beads.

The Third Place winner is from Sonia:



The Little LYS (Local Yarn Store) on the Prarie - Or, "What would Laura knit?"

This one grew on me. It seemed a little plain at first but then I looked at what all the peeps were doing and it made me laugh. There is even a little spinning wheel! Sonia will be receiving a skein of "Malabrigo Chunky" in the burgandy colorway. Perfect for a pair of Voodoo Wrist Warmers from Knitty!

There were two more entries that deserved Honorable Mentions as a tie:

Luke with his "Shauna and her knitted thong" and Mary with her "Mrs. Lavender in the Conservatory" - I am working on getting their pictures posted here but . . . even technology sometimes fails ;)

Both of these dioramas are very witty - the games that people play with their knitting! I'll give them the choice of yarn or chocolate as consolation prizes.

You can see all the entries at the Flickr.com Lazy Daisy Peep Diorama Contest where all the entries, including multiple views of the same subjects are posted.

All the entries were great - some very funny indeed - and many had actual small scale knitting going on. One thing I learned? Toothpicks do not make good knitting needles!

Peeps Extensions give me nightmares.*

"Then to cheer himself up, he took out from its case on the dresser a strange little set of knitting needles which looked as though they were made of straw and began to knit. And the noise he created made Lucy want to cry and laugh and dance and go to sleep all at the same time."
- "The Lion, the Witch and the the Wardrobe" by C.S. Lewis.

Okay, okay - Mr. Tumnas didn't knit, he played a flute for Lucy but he had to know how to knit because he had a cool little scarf. Plagerism aside, I am extending the deadline for Peeps dioramas until tomorrow morning. Like many other people, I put off until tomorrow what was supposed to be done today.

Although, after my kids and I made dioramas last night (I'm not in the running for anything but my Knitting Daughters each made a Peeps creation on their own and entered the contest), we turned the Peeps into S'mores on the grill. After a snowy week here in Minnesota, warm spring evenings after a sunny day are every reason to celebrate!! I'll begin posting the entries on the Peeps Flicker page and I'll name the winner on Wednesday.

Hooray for Spring!!

*I did have nightmares about Peeps last night. Something about not knowing how to post the pictures. Silly but enough to make me wake up worried!!

Calling all peeps!

Just a reminder that the Flicker group for the Lazy Daisy Peep Diorama Contest is now up. Members can comment on photos but I will do the photo posting. All photo entries have to come here first.

Check it out at:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/lazydaisypeepscontest/

Remember, as Criosa says, the contest runs past Easter, so you can get your peeps on sale!

Now, lets get down to the serious business of stalking the Yarn Harlot in the wilds of Minnesota!

It's a Pearl Countdown!

There is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in the proportion.
-Francis Bacon

You know, if you are going to be standing on a bench somewhere, you might as well be standing with Stephanie Pearl McPhee.

The Yarn Harlot is coming to Saint Paul on Wednesday and we are going to be there come hell or high water. Or Snow. Yet again, the snow gods are coming to visit Saint Paul, or so the oracles say, but it won't matter. Stephanie is Canadian and, I am sure, will dress appropriately. I am preparing myself by setting aside extra yarn and needles to donate to the Yarnery's community knitting and crochet efforts.. Contemplating knitting a hat. Setting aside a dollar or two for Tricoteuses Sans Frontières or Knitters Without Borders. Charging the digital camera. Practicing deep breathing excercises . . .

Many thanks to Mary of Snit n' Knit for the use of her photo of SPM. She's one of the lucky NYC knitters who got to go to the "Sock In in the Park."

One last thought - have you been buying your Easter Peeps yet? You know, those gooey marshmallow bunnies and chicks that flock to stores this time of year? We are going to have our first contest here at Chez Daisy - and there will be yarn awarded to the winners.

Just picture this:



only with knitting needles. Stay tuned!