Carry On - Results from 2 weeks

It's been about 2 weeks since I decided to start the Carry On Campaign and donate a portion of my sales to the American Cancer Society. I've had 2 sales since then so the grand total of my donation as of today is:

$9.61

It seem like I'm well on my way! I have another bud vase order that will go into this in the next week or two and another possible bud vase order on the horizon so yay!! I have had a great response from members of the Woman's Club and I have a few orders pending there as well.

I'm back into the groove of working on projects so as soon as I have some time to take pictures I should have a lot more coming into the store! My mom and I took a few card classes when she was in town last weekend so expect more stationary coming soon - some very cute spring cards! I know I have at least 2 hats, 2 pairs of mittens, 2 scarves and 2 pairs of socks that are just ready and waiting to have their pictures taken. Reading that I feel a bit like Noah ...

So stay tuned! I'll try to keep you posted on new items as they get up there! New life decisions are on the way as well as my husband finishes up law school and takes the leap in to the working world. More on that as it happens!

Until the next time...
the girl behind the lama
~LMM

Spring Scavenger Hunt!!

Who doesn't love to win contests!! Today marks the beginning of the EtsyKnitters Team Spring Scavenger Hunt!

We have a total of 31 Etsy shops participating, each offering a variety of discounts in their stores!

The hunt clues on the official Hunt page are well worth viewing. It's a great team full of wonderful knitters that I'm proud to be part of.

Here are the Spring Scavenger Hunt official rules:
Find any 10 items in the EtsyKnitters’ stores, using the gallery of photo clues we’ve provided.

Send us the 10 item numbers matched with the Etsy store where you found them, using our easy online Entry Form.

You’ll get the “magic word” back by email!

Use that magic word with any order you place with these participating EtsyKnitters, and voila!

31 stores = 31 great deals!!

The Spring Scavenger Hunt promotion begins today, Friday April 3. Deadline for entries is Sunday, April 12.

Your special discounts will be good for shopping throughout the Hunt, plus an additional week – until April 19. Click here for complete details.

Game on! Let me know if you win!!

Until the next time ...

The girl behind the lama

~LMM

New Spring Leaves Hat!

While I continue my obsession with all yarn from KnitPicks, I just tried out their Superwash Merino Wool in the Bulky variety and definitely am not disappointed. I had the most trouble actually picking out a pattern I wanted to use that would show this beautiful yarn! I finally settled on a leaf pattern. Love the pattern, love the yarn!






I've got some matching scarves and mittens in the works as well, but I can't seem to settle on a design that I like, so more to come on that!


What do you think??

Until next time ...
The girl behind the lama
~LMM

Carry On Campaign

No matter who we are, what we do, where we live or who we know, we are all going to face challenges in our life. It is during those difficult times that we are challenged to carry on -- to continue fighting the fight with the hope that things will continue to get better.

We're also going to face times in our life when making the extra effort to make the world a better place just seems like too much -- times when it seems easier to just say, "Well, someone else will do it."

The Carry On Campaign encourages all of us to make the fight against cancer a year-round effort, to continue to make the world a better place and to continue to strive to overcome the daily obstacles we face in our own lives.

"I may be weak, but I'm still strong. The love of God helps me carry on today. I may be scared, but I'll go on. My love for life helps me carry on today" (God's Chosen One)

For more information and to listen to God's Chosen One please go to http://www.mattwesselmusic.com/

The Carry On Campaign is Official!

I am officially a registered participant of the Carry On Campaign! I am pledging that by the Concert for Life next March I will raise at least $100 through my Lamaworks sales. Throughout the next 12 months I'd like to focus some of my posts on campaign and some of the great things that the American Cancer Society is doing for our community. I'll also keep you updated on my sales and my progress towards my goal!

The website is still under construction, but you can track the project at:
Carry on Campaign

To help the cause check out my store for new products!! I will be teaming up with my good friend Melissa in the upcoming weeks to come up with some stationary and bracelets for the ACS! Stay tuned!

Until the next time ...
The girl behind the lama
~LMM

For a good cause ... coming soon!

Last evening I had the joy of attending a concert up in Gurnee by my good friend Matt Wessel. Matt's father passed away from a brain tumor when he was in high school. He worked through his grief by writing music. A large portion of his music is liturgical and has become music that we sang with our church groups in college and is now officially being published by GIA in hymnals across the country.

9 years ago Kate, a girl from his high school, was also battling cancer. Students and staff of Warren Township High School decided that they wanted to support Kate and not only raise money for the American Cancer Society, but also to show her that she wasn't alone in this. The Concert for Life was born. While Matt does other concerts throughout the year, this annual Concert for Life is by far his biggest fundraiser. While Kate and his father are no longer with us, our fight for everyone with cancer still goes on. At this concert we honor those that we've lost, those that have won, and those that are still fighting with cancer. I was so touched last night as I sat next to my dear friend Melissa, as she stood to be recognized as a cancer fighter, and a high school student came over and brought her a daffodil.

I have become good friends with Matt and his musicians over the years. We have played in many church groups together, weddings and other events at Marquette. They still do a few concerts every year including a rally in DC for the ACS in 2006. They never take any money for the shows, but donate all of the proceeds to the American Cancer Society. Together they have raised over $230,000 over the last 9 years and that number keeps on growing.

Last night Matt announced a new project - The Carry On Campaign. He challenged each one of us to come back to the show next year having raised $100 over the year. Just $100. If each of us brought back $100, we could raise over $100,000. It's not about our own money though. He wanted us to find creative ways to encourage those around us to help the ACS.

So I've decided to take that challenge, to stand up and make a difference. As soon as I get the paperwork and logistics set up, I will have my very own Carry On Campaign website which will be linked to my sales in Lamaworks. I will be donating a portion of every sale to this great cause. I haven't decided yet if this will be a percentage of each sale or just a flat rate per sale so details will be coming over the next few weeks.

For more information about the Campaign you can go to the website:
Carry On Campaign

For more information about Matt, his music and his cause you can go to:
Matt Wessel Music
Take a listen to his music, buy a CD, look for a concert near you!

For more information about the wonderful things the American Cancer Society is doing:
ACS

Thank you to everyone for your support!! Take the challenge and make a difference!
Until the next time,
The girl behind the lama ...
~LMM

New Twilight Set

As I have had a lot of down time in rehearsals lately, you should start to see a lot of new items coming into Lamaworks in the next few weeks. Let me tell you how much knitting can get done when you have a 10 hour tech rehearsal ...


The first set that I'd like to introduce you to was inspired by a pattern I found for Bella's mittens. If you aren't familiar with who Bella is, she is the star of the book series and movie Twilight. They are these fantastic elbow length mittens that are super warm and super cute either slouched down or pulled up high with a long sleeve shirt and vest.


I found a great pattern for them, but decided to add my own twist to it. I replaced the suggested inward cable pattern below with my own cable pattern that happens to match a hat I was knitting at the time. Not a huge difference, but enough to make it my own and make it match one of my favorite hats.


Here are the old and new versions:

Old

New

To go along with that I am going to pair it with the cable knit hat and one of my short curly scarflettes, for what I think is a very elegant set. The mittens are on sale now! The rest of the set is coming in the next few days so stay tuned!!

What do you think?


Until next time,
the girl behind the lama

~LMM

Welcome to March Madness!!

I am a HUGE fan of March Madness (maybe because I really just like filling in all of the brackets and trying to beat my husband every year ...)

I've got today and tomorrow off of work to do nothing but sit at home and watch basketball! YAY! I do also have to go to a wine tasting for an event that I am planning for the WCE, but that happens to be scheduled during the dinner time break :)

GO MARQUETTE!!!

~LMM

New Sock Plan!

So needless to say I haven't exactly put a lot of time into promoting the shop much since Christmas, but things are slow but moving if that makes any sense! I’ve had 12 sales since Christmas which is huge! 7 of those have been sock orders so instead of making new things for the store I’ve been making tons of custom socks! Because of that I’m starting a new sock policy.


Since I’d like to do a craft show this fall, I should be stocking up on things right? So on that note, I am going to offer two types of socks – custom socks that will be priced a little higher, and ready made socks priced a bit lower. I’m going to make standard S, M, L sized socks. If I have it already made and in stock you get it cheaper. If you absolutely have to have it fit for you specifically or I don’t have something in stock, the custom order will cost a bit more. I think this is a great way for me to both have products that are ready for me to ship and to give me more time to create new things and not always feel behind.

Through all the sock orders I’ve also found a great new sock yarn that I will be switching to, probably exclusively! It’s one of my favorite knitting websites: KnitPicks. I got their modular needle set awhile back and got the smallest DPN set for socks for Christmas. I needed black sock yarn for a custom order so decided to try theirs out and I loved it so much! It’s a merino wool/nylon blend and it comes in such great colors, even really fun striped patterns! I also picked up a sampler of their other wools and have really enjoyed those as well. They are very reasonably priced and all orders over $50 have free shipping!


Here are some of the new additions to my collection:


What do you think??

Until the next time. ...
The girl behind the lama
~LMM

I'm still here I swear!!!

Oh my gosh, it's been well over a month since my last blog ... horrible I know

But I'm back! I just finished up with the Woman's Club Benefit Show and I had a fantastic time! Even my husband had a great time backstage on stage crew! I spent the last 2 and a half months singing and dancing with late nights at the club. I think there was one week where I was at the Club for some rehearsal, social function or meeting 6 days straight!

But we did it! We just finished our 6th show on Saturday and yes it was sad to see things end. I was kind of getting used to someone doing my makeup every day! I had a few friends come along to see the show and they absolutely loved it. There's nothing better than silly musical comedy that actually includes not only some very talented singers and dancers, but also great musicians, writers and directors. I can't tell you how proud I am to be part of such a talented group of women who band together to raise so much money for a great cause.

So here are some snippets from what I've been up to!

I'm definitely going to miss getting glammed out in leather for a spin off of the Lion King in "I Just Can't Wait to Wear Bling!"

Bring on all the diamonds!
Bring on all the feathers!
Bring on all the bright gowns!
Bring on all the leather!

Oh I just can't wait to wear bling!!

It's been quite some time since I've been a dancer of any kind, but being in a hip hop number was definitely new to me. I've grown up a lot since my dancing days so I had no problem just letting lose and letting my dance club side out in "Flossing" ... yes a song about how women are always hogging the bathrooms at the club Brushing and Flossing to look hot for the men at the club. It was by far one of my favorite numbers.

How about some "Swimming at the Y" to the Beach Boys tune "Surfing' USA"?? We all got together for this all cast number to celebrate our beneficiary the Evanston YWCA Flying Fish Swim Team!

Last but certainly not least ... what girl doesn't love to be a Disney Princess?? I got to dress up in Cinderella (sadly I don't have any pictures with my wig ...) in the number "Disney Chicks" to the Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend from the Moulin Rouge soundtrack ... a number where we lament about how Disney is turning to tween queens and we are all feeling old and neglected.

You must understand that we’re . . . not temperamental
But Brit and Lindsay aren’t your friends
We were your first loves and feel sentimental
‘Bout those Halloweens before you all were sassy tweens.

Truth be told, we’re getting old
And we just can’t keep track of the trends.
Hanna Montana, we’re not a big fan-of
She’s a ho and not your friend.

So that's where I've been! Congrats to all WCE cast and crew!

Until the next time,
The girl behind the lama...
~LMM