Okay, so from birth I was pretty much a need-to organize sort of person. Okay maybe not from birth. There was that “phase” I went through from third to fifth grade where my mom threatened to pack up my entire room into garbage bags and give it to Goodwill if I didn’t clean my room, but I eventually got over it and by the time I was in junior high I was what you would call an obsessive organizer. I’m still a list person.

I have lists that have bulleted lists that have numbered lists. No really, I’m not kidding.

If you don’t believe me just ask my husband… or anyone who was involved in my wedding. I was the clipboard toting nazi that shouted orders and handed out weekend itinerary to the entire wedding party. I harassed vendors to within an inch of their life and drove fear into the heart of all involved. Demure, and sweet would not have been keywords used to describe me. I was a madwoman… a bridezilla to be sure. Granted I was actually an event planner at that time in my life, but don’t let that blur the image for you.

So life was already going on, and as it carried me from college to my wedding to the birth of my first daughter my perfectly organized life began to take on a life of it’s own. My text book perfect habits began to slip. What with pets and babies and the house and errands and so on I think it’s only natural.

Maybe it’s getting older or maybe it’s the kids turning your world topsy turvy but you slip a little with time. I have relaxed a bit (or unclenched as The Banker would say) but I still am a clipboard toting nazi at heart.

Now don’t let me give you the wrong impression. My house is hardly as spic n’ span clean as it was back in my single days. There is usually always at least one load of laundry that sits on the loveseat in my couch for a few hours (or days) while I while away the hours online with you lovely people or with my needles, and the gourmet meals I used to cook have mysteriously been replaced by lots of convenience-y entrees.

So what am I getting on about, you ask? Well I have a new best friend/nemesis depending on what side of the fence you sit. For the past few days I have gotten up earlier, gone to bed later, forgotten lunch, ignored my husband and disregarded housework and laundry completely so that I might spend my time photographing, uploading, cataloguing, describing, inventory-ing, and documenting every aspect of my knitting life. If you still don’t know what I’m talking about I have one word for you…Ravelry–it’s the devil heaven-sent. (If you haven’t signed up yet go and put your name on the waiting list and start uploading everything to your flickr account so you’ll be ready when your invite arrives.)

So, my projects have all been entered though I can’t resist tweaking to get them just so, My designs are all there, my stash, needles, books and so forth are still in progress, but all this list making has led me to a great realization about my realationship with the needles:

 (See I told you there would be a list)

Realization #1:

I never quite realized how much yarn I’ve let Ladybug choose since I began my affair with knitting. There are quite a few furry, fluffy, ultraviolet, and otherwise muppet looking yarns for projects to be knit just for her. Did I mention that she chose yarn for both of her Hey Mickey’s? Uh huh, y’all thought I was responsible for that blinding pink or that grape and lime business. Those combos are SO NOT ME! I would totally have rocked a black Mickey over footless leopard tights and ballet flats (ooh or maybe fishnets and my knee high combat boots) if I hadn’t been 8 months preggars at the time. And now as fate would have it I’m just about Mickey’d out. So anyway that was then…Ladybug has recently informed me that pink is sooo over. Evidently green is the new pink which is why she has been begging me to re-paint her newly (as of January) painted room. Yeah…not gonna’ happen. So anyway back to the organizing.

Realization #2:

I have misplaced a good number of needles though I would imagine some of them are on loan though where they are I’ll never know. At least I can be happy in the knowledge that they weren’t my favorites (No one touches my Bella Blues!

Realization #3:

I don’t own near as many knitting books as I thought I did though some of those too are in hiding.

And finally, Realization #4:

yarn…I never realized how much grey, tan, brown, creme, and black yarn I owned. Yes, you can never go wrong with the classics (especially with a touch of red or leopard print thrown in for spice), but after entering another yarn in the tan family you begin to wonder when you started to play it safe.

So I’m feeling a shopping excursion coming on. I’m seeing bright lipstick reds. Does anyone make a Ruby Woo colorway of yarn do you know? My fingers itch for thick and thin handspuns, maybe in cidery oranges or fresh greens. Hell I may even throw caution to the wind and pick up a mysterious violety aubergine. I could totally work a little capelet when the temperature finally drops. Can you tell I’m ready for fall? Ooh I know maybe I can run into some delicious Koigu, I could totally get on board with some Malabrigo or I’ve recently been oogling the Handmaiden site. I am fiending to try sea silk, and have you seen Big Sea?  The peridot, blackberry, sangria and origin colorways all cry out, “Pick me, pick me.” and then there’s sock yarn…I’m feeling a need for some real honest to goodness fabulous sock yarn–something delicious that I won’t want to bail on, oh and since I missed out on all the books I really wanted from the annual Interweave press hurt book sale, I think some reading material is in order.

So Honey, can I have the credit card?