Fist and foremost I would like to apologize for not posting in almost two weeks... so sorry!  Now the excuse- I came down with a little cold and then after I got better my site was undergoing a host transfer... I don't really understand what that means except I wasn't allowed to post anything new for a few days.  But I'm back baby! And with a bang!

<a href="http://graceakhrem.com.s158836.gridserver.com/?attachment_id=2697" rel="attachment wp-att-2697"><img class="aligncenter" title="DSC_0039" src="http://graceakhrem.com.s158836.gridserver.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/DSC_0039.jpg" alt="" width="569" height="850" /></a>

Normally this time of year I get a little cranky because of all the Christmas music and mall traffic.... it's always over the top.  For some reason this year we are less one "Bah Humbug!" I'm not saying you'll catch me caroling in the streets... my Jewish mother would kill me, but I'm not grouchy this year :).  I thinks it's because I have been spending a lot more time at home and the holiday season isn't taking over my life the way it usually does.  A friend of mine gave me the little tree you see in the picture above - it's only about 8" tall.  I am feeling so cheery that I even decorated it with garland (crochet chain in some tinsel yarn), ornaments (gold crystal beads with wire), tree skirt (cotton roving sliver), and of course I topped it off with a beautiful star of David (paper colored with a Sharpie and propped up on a toothpick)! Ho Ho Ho! Ha ha ha!

In conjunction with my cheery mood I have organized a series of giveaways over the next two weeks! 12 giveaways! 12 days of KNITMAS!!! All of the giveaways are taking place at the <a href="http://yarnonthehouse.blogspot.com/2012/12/giveaway-100.html">Yarn on the House blog</a> (YOTH). Over the next 12 days, Veronika of YOTH will do a blog post everyday featuring one of my patterns followed the next day by a matching yarn prize for the previous day's pattern selection. At the end of the 12 days, Veronika will randomly choose 7 winners who will each receive a PDF pattern copy from one of the shared patterns and the yarn prize that matches! How fun is that?! The rules stay the same and all you have to do to be entered to win, is leave a comment on Veronika's <a href="http://yarnonthehouse.blogspot.com/2012/12/giveaway-100.html">blog</a> post following the instructions at the bottom.

The patterns that are going to be featured for the 100th post on YOTH are: <a href="http://graceakhrem.com.s158836.gridserver.com/project/bumble-stripes/">Bumble Stripes</a>, <a href="http://graceakhrem.com.s158836.gridserver.com/project/seaweed-scarf/">Seaweed Scarf</a>, <a href="http://graceakhrem.com.s158836.gridserver.com/project/walts-tangled-cables/">Walt's Tangled Cables</a>, <a href="http://graceakhrem.com.s158836.gridserver.com/project/olana-shawl/">Olana Shawl</a>, <a href="http://graceakhrem.com.s158836.gridserver.com/project/rippling-lace/">Rippling Lace</a> and <a href="http://graceakhrem.com.s158836.gridserver.com/project/random-stripes/">Random Stripes</a>!

<a href="http://graceakhrem.com.s158836.gridserver.com/?attachment_id=2707" rel="attachment wp-att-2707"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2707" title="YOTH" src="http://graceakhrem.com.s158836.gridserver.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/YOTH.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="386" /></a>

There is a little sneak peek at the yarns that are included in only some of the prizes....

<a href="http://graceakhrem.com.s158836.gridserver.com/?attachment_id=2706" rel="attachment wp-att-2706"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2706" title="YOTH YARN" src="http://graceakhrem.com.s158836.gridserver.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/YOTH-YARN.jpg" alt="" width="333" height="500" /></a>

If you would like to enter yourself into the giveaway please do the following:
1. Read over <a href="http://yarnonthehouse.blogspot.com/2010/01/house-rules.html">the rules</a> if you have not done so already.

2. Leave a comment on the <a href="http://yarnonthehouse.blogspot.com/2012/12/giveaway-100.html">YOTH #100 blog</a> post by the end of Sunday, 12/30/12. In the spirit of our <strong>Twelve Days of Knitting</strong>, what is on your knitting related wish list this year?

Veronika will randomly pick the winners in 2 weeks and post the results along with the new giveaway, so be sure to check back. Good luck everyone!!!

&nbsp;

OH! And one more thing!!! In the theme of the holiday spirit there is of course a coupon code! The discount is 20% off the 6 patterns we are featuring over the next 12 days: <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/olana-shawl">Olana Shawl</a>, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/walts-tangled-cables">Walt's Tangled Cables</a>, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bumble-stripes">Bumble Stripes</a>, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/seaweed-scarf-5">Seaweed Scarf</a>, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/random-stripes">Random Stripes</a>, &amp; <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/rippling-lace-2">Rippling Lace</a>. Use the following coupon code during checkout on Ravelry: <strong>YOTHSALE!</strong>, it is good through the end of the day on Sunday, January 6th, 2013.