Everything Is Completely Under Control

Things that look scary at my house this morning include (but may not be limited to):

It's a slipper.  I swear.  Don't panic; it's actually the easiest slipper you've ever made, and killer cute.  Just looks kinda squirrely at the mo.  This is what it looks like when I break a whole bunch of eggs, only to realize I've invented The Omelette.

Remember when I mentioned the Exploding Christmas Toilet?  Well, this is the aftermath: My children's bathroom is Out of Order.  No floor, no cabinetry, no commode.  I'm thinking it might make a swell clubhouse for me.  I could hide in here for days before anybody came looking.  Not much for ambience, though. Contractors are allegedly arriving next week.  Super Exciting.  I'm totally not stressed out about it.  Not even a little bit.    

And here we observe the North American Teenager in its native habitat.  Danger!  It has the flu and should not be approached.  Leave chicken soup at the opening to its lair and Back Away Slowly. 

See?  Nothing to worry about at all.  I got this.

Sum It Up

One of my newly-minted goals for 2014 is to solidify my online persona.  Or, more succinctly, I'd like make it more clear to those who haven't met me yet, what sort of character I am.  I've been feeling that my digital presence might not reflect the real me as well as it might.

To that end, I've decided to formulate a Tagline.  Motto, slogan, warning label, call it what you will.  I need a few well-chosen words to sum up my product, my manifesto, my Mary-ness.

I've been soul-searching, and spit-balling, and random-slogan-generating.  I got Nuthin.

Everything I come up with sounds contrived, or pretentious, or just plain weird.  But of course, how else could it be?  I'm my own worst critic.  What's wanted here is a better perspective. 

Which is where You, Gentle Readers, come in.  I need a hand here, and I'm gonna make it worth your while.  Here's what I propose:

You:  Come up with your best Mary Scott Huff Hand Knitter tagline.  Something you think really distills the whole Mary experience.  You've knitted my patterns, you've read my writing, you've spent days with me in class:  Share with me how you might sum that up.  Post your slogan in the comments between now and next Monday, January 20, 2014.  Feel free to remain anonymous, if you wish, but do put an e-mail address of some kind on your comment, so that

I:  Can send you a free digital pattern!  It's going to be a surprise which one, and I'll send it to you on Monday, after all the comments are in. 

Do check back for what others have said too.  And if you wouldn't mind, let me know whether you've met me in person or not.

I know I can count on your creativity and imagination, Friends.  After all, who knows me and what I stand for better than you?

Life Offline

Didja miss me?  I had to go sub-level there for a bit while I buttoned up the final patterns for my new book.  Which, by the way, now has a real live title!  Unless it changes!  Again!  It's called "Fun Fantastical Hats to Knit", which I think pretty much sums it up.  Fun? But of course!  Fantastical?  Um, have we MET?  You're gonna love this one - My inner March Hare got complete creative freedom.  I don't know the official publication date, but I'll keep you posted.  Spring, 2014, we think.

What else?  Well, I'm working on a special project for the Madrona Winter Retreat, which will be available for FREE to you, my Gentle Readers, regardless of whether or not you can make it to the retreat this year.  And there's going to be a knitalong!  I'm so excited I can hardly stand it.  Tune in later this week for the big debut.

Bummer: I'm getting a needle poked in my eye again later today. 
Less-Bummer: Good chance this will be the last time. Yay!  Needle-poking is not enjoyable.  But neither is blindness, so, you know.

I'm so excited for autumn to finally be here.  It's been a long summer.  I don't know about you, but I start to twitch if it's too hot to wear a sweater.  Probably my Pacific Northwest upbringing:  I have to keep the moss on my back damp.

What's everybody knitting?  Chime in and let us know!