Birthday gifts from my downstream pal in the UK!

I had a lovely time this past round of Secret Pal! My pal live in the UK and was very very very patient with me! We got along very well and she decided to send me a birthday gift as well! She included some beautiful yarn ( from Colinette I believe), some great blue sock yarn, & some alpaca from Debbie Bliss. Last but not least is the great vintage book she also sent along.
I also recently received my newest Interweave knits magazine. On page 66 is a sweater titled the "Placed Cabled Aran". I just love it. I will have this sweater done by the end of September to wear in the office during the Fall/Winter. I've never knit with this yarn, and am anxious to knit the sweater exactly as it appears. The only modification I may make is if I can find organic yarn that is soft enough on my neck I'll choose that instead.
At the top of the first image is one of my wpi. It's a Blue Moon Fiber Arts Twisted yarn I'm using to make a vesty like thing. In my previous posts, around January - February '07 you'll see the inspiration for it. I've been working on it here and there.. not really adding much to it as it doesn't excite me anylonger. However, I am determined to see it through. Hopefully by the end of August I'll have the main piece worked and can pick up the stitches to work the back of it.

Birthday goodies, working on a friends house and Harry Potter

So, where to begin. Well, I had a birthday this past weekend and had a load of fun. We had many people over for an early dinner then I went over to my best friends home. I went there to assist her husband with a tiling project. Once we get this done we can begin on laying the Bamboo flooring.

On to presents..... I received many knitting books and the latest Harry Potter. I actually just finished it and I have to say that I'm a bit sad. I would like to have had it remained open so other stories could have been written, but hey, that's just how it goes.Much to my surprise my husband actually bought exactly what I'd suggested to him ( as a gift for me). I was the very happy recipient of 9 skeins of Beaverslide wool in a lovely brown shade and 2 skeins in a wonderful shade of blue. I just had to include a close up of the yarn! It's a bit tweedy!
And this isn't the whole lot of them! I can't find a few of them! I have to search a bit more.. I may have left one at Martha's!
I did go through my stash and better organize it yesterday. There are now fewer bagged items and some things visited the frog pile, all in all I'm happy with the organization. Now I can shop in my stash for projects a little easier.

Have you seen the latest posts by brooklyntweed? The adult tomten was the inspiration for the my Beaverslide purchase. I can't start that until I finish at least 2 other projects that are on the needles. The ones I'm rooting for are the baby surprise jacket & a small shrug for a friend.

On the back burner are a few baby items for an expecting friend and at least two shawls.