Yarn Acquisitions (and a little bit of knitting ^_^)

I seriously have an addiction to those Mary Jane Slippers and have run out of buttons. Now, I think I already mentioned my idea about crocheting some in purple and adding little hippo buttons? They sell them at Joanns, so that's where I headed yesterday.
Keep in mind: I went there for buttons. Hippo buttons. Two of 'em.

Yep. That's 10 buttons and a crochet hook.

Then, of course, I hit up the yarn isle.

My favorite big box sock yarn.
Colorway "Slate Jacquard"

My favorite big box wool.
Colorways: Wisteria, Taupe

 The best part is that I don't even have plans for this yarn. I bought that whole skein of light purple to do a complimenting line of single crochet around the dark purple yarn I already have. I stand by it though: Those slippers are going to be friggin' cute. And then I bought the brown skein just because it was 2 skeins of Patons for $9 and.... it's a sale.
As for the Patons Kroy? I'm thinking about doing the self-striping KAL with the Stockinette Zombies
and it is also my brother's birthday on Sunday. Why not kill 2 birds with one stone and make a pair of socks for his b-day? Actually it's more like 3 birds, because I'm also in a 12 socks in 12 months group. Not that I condone killing birds. ..erm yeah.
And, no, I don't expect the socks to be done by his birthday. Like at all.

Especially since I've been working on this:

...
What are those weird sticks at the top?
OH!!! Straights. Yeah. I have those.

 That's right. High on shawl-blocking, I decided to start I Heart Aran (again). I actually have come to believe that this yarn I am using is cursed, but I am going to go through with it anyways and see if I can't get something cute out of it.

I have knit the first sleeve and most of the second with no peril. I actually had an issue with the sleeve cap and freaked out for 20 minutes before realizing I could just email Tanis and find out if I'm bad at math or if the pattern is wrong. Turns out one number was off in the pattern, so she sent me the most recent copy and I'm back at work. Luckily only a bit of frogging is required.

So I'm hoping it will be smooth sailing from now. Fingers crossed with all the cabling in the front, of course.


Is that all??
No! It isn't! I also got a lovely package from a friend in Sweden today.

When she heard of some personal troubles I've been going through, she stepped right in and sent me a lovely note and some pretty mini-skeins. Thank God for Ravelry. I mean it. I have met so many loving and amazing people through Rav and it is so much more than just a website to me. I wish I could give a big ((hug)) to Britta for bringing a touch of cheer to my day. I feel like if I had been having a bad day and gotten it that would have been brightened me up, but since I was already having a good day it made me feel like I'm on top of the world! And then when my Beekeeper's Quilt is actually done, I will always have these few special hexipuffs reminding me of her friendship *^v^*

I feel like I could melt into a puddle I'm so happy right now. And the little one is asleep, leaving me to my guilty pleasure: knitting while watching Ruby Gloom on Netflix. (I know, I'm so lame!!!)
Happy knitting everyone. ^_^