We had to have a mini photo shoot for something today, so I thought I’d include a photo of the Loopy Elves for you to see! (Do you like how I’m knitting them all together from above? I had fun tangling the all up in yarn.) So the middle row – Sue, Kathy, Wendi and Diana, and sitting down – Susan and Vicki. Wendi has taken over doing the photos for us (although WH still does alllll of the color correcting on the computer every week) and Diana does the bookkeeping. (My least favorite thing in the entire world.) Aren’t they wonderful? 🙂
Today is our weekly RAK Reporting Day! Have you done any RAKs that you can comment on and inspire us with? Remember, although we all love doing them secretly, when you share it on the blog, it gives others some good ideas about things that they can go out and do, too. I’ll do the weekly Loopy Gift Package drawing on Wednesday before I blog that day. I did the “pay for the Starbucks in the car behind you” a couple more times this week. Although I’ll keep doing that, I want to come up with something else for this week, just to keep it fun. So I’ll be interested in all of your new ideas! I loved the ideas that people had about giving out knitted items. Back in my “just getting back into knitting after 20 years” days, I knit sooooo many scarves. Many have been worn once (or …. not at all) and I thought I should wash them all and then be on a mission to give them away this month.
I also wanted to give you a Sneak Peak at the new Dream in Color colorways – their 400 series! (And a special thanks to Veronica at Dream in Color for sending the photo so that I could share it with all of you on the blog!) We’ve had these on order forever (it seems like) and they’ll be here this month, as soon as they can get them labeled and shipped. (It will be a fun Dream in Color month with more Smooshy, more Classy, all the new Lace, and all of the new colors!) The colors, starting with the orange/peach and going counter clockwise: Flamingo Pie, Butter Peeps, Go Go Grassy, Lunar Zazzle, Pansy Golightly, Punky Fuschia, Into the Mystic, and Midnight Derby. YUM!
Sheri hadmylastspinningclass&nownotspinningalickuntilsomeknittinggetsdone
Don’t know if it counts as a RAK, but I baked brownies on Friday night for a Saturday function and spent yesterday (Sunday) walking around giving the leftovers to anybody who would take them. The parking lot attendants on a rainy cold night, the security people doing the bag checks and pat-downs, the security guy manning the door to the press box, my co-workers, etc.
I also gave a pair of Jaywalker socks to my mom, but it’s her birthday today, so I don’t think that counts 🙂 It’s been a little slow around here between traveling most of last week and weather keeping me inside
Ohhhh pretty!
I love Joan’s RAK idea of leaving some money in the pocket of a donated coat or other clothing item. I love finding a couple dollars I stuffed in the pocket and then forgot about-how much better for someone who needs it worse to find those couple dollars.
My RAK was inspired by my father. He used to get up early to shovel the drive and sidewalk and would usually do a hit-and-run of a couple neighbors’ too but would never admit when they asked. I was at a function this weekend in the middle of a pretty good snowstorm. When I left to go scrape my car windows, I did a couple other cars’ too and then got out of there before I got caught.
While at a local holiday craft fair this weekend I noticed a rather chilly looking Salvation Army worker outside the building. Before we left the fair I bought a large cup of hot chocolate from the concession stand, and in addition to putting something in the kettle I gave the Salvation Army worker something to warm her up. She was very appreciative and couldn’t believe someone would do that. As good as it made me feel to do this, it also sadden me to think that such a small kindness as this could be so “unbelievable” to others. Thanks for promoting such simple goodness – apparently we need a whole lot more of it!
The weather has taken a turn and it is cooooooold! outside. Early Saturday morning as I sat in my nice warm car while the young kid shivered out in the cold pumping my gas ( I live in NJ and we don’t pump gas in NJ) I decided to give him a couple bucks tip for a coffee or hot chocolate.
Recently a lady where I work (she is in her early fifties, a hard worker trying to get by on $8.24/hourly, recently separated from a bad husband) came to me to ask if we could give her an advance on her pay. Through no fault of her own (bad husband) she was out of money with several days to go until payday and she was out of dog food. She said her little dog is old and doesn’t do well with changing food, she had given him cat food for a day and it upset his stomach. I unhappily told her that the facility can not give advances on pay. I couldn’t give her cash because I didn’t have any. She gets off earlier than me, I asked her if she could wait until my quitting time. She said she could. So I told her that I would take her to the store after work and we would get what she needed and then I would take her home (she uses public transportation, can’t afford a car). When we got to the store she got the dog food she needed, I asked if she needed cat food too, she said no she had enough at home. I then asked if she needed anything for herself and she insisted the she had stuff for herself. So all we bought was the dog food. She thanked me several times, before during and after. I have already decided to anonymously send her a Christmas card with a gift card in it. I wish I could do more, but I’m not overflowing with money, and she’s very proud and wouldn’t want charity.
It is very refreshing to see that so many people are trying to revive the old habit of just being courteous! Our busy technological world has certainly had an impact on common courtesy. Keep up the good work!
one of several, but this was a good week for RAK. It was Christmas Fest here (12,000 + people visiting) and so I sent a while hanging out in the center of campus looking helpful and pointing people in the right direction when they looked lost.
two of several and another Christmas fest one, I voulenteered to usher for one of the nights, because I’d given my real ticket to a friend’s grandparent and that way I could still go, and though my job was mostly “don’t let anyone trip over this dangerous object” I made sure everyone who found their seats alright. Hopefully they enjoyed the Festival all the more for being able to get to their seats.
Love the pic and the yarn. While I was in the pet store buying food for various (sp) pets, a young couple came in with little one in the stroller. They were trying to find a replacement pet for a friend’s son, and were having a tough time deciding what to buy for Ten dollars. When I paid for my purchases, I popped for a pound of food for the couple.
No special RAK, but I did buy my annual Toys For Tots donation this week. I enjoy looking through the toys and choosing one for a child in need.
Guess I’ll have to post here. I posted on the other comment day..duh…I was praying on what to do since I had no idea. I work at an Assisted Living facility & the ladies play various card games. They have trouble shuffling the cards…so IDEA…go buy them a card shuffler…so I bought them one…they were happy as bees making honey!!! So now they can play all the cards they want…hope you all had a great weekend…
My RAK came along with a plug for my favorite yarn store! 🙂 I mailed the leftovers from a skein of Jitterbug Velvet Plum to a fellow Raveler so she could complete a toe of a sock without purchasing another skein. I pointed out that, in the future, if she bought her Jitterbug from The Loopy Ewe, she could purchase a full skein and a half skein, have plenty for her socks and not break the bank!
I went out of my way to hold the door open for a lady who was exiting a department store with a cart. I frequently have to push a stroller out of those heave double doors, so I know how welcome a helping hand can be.
RAK of the week:
I just recently changed my working hours…so now I get to work at 7:30. I normally park in the parking garage, but if I just need to pick up something and head back out to an appointment, I park in the front. I noticed that our communications lady has to get the newspapers from the front of the building….when I park in the front, I get the newspapers for her so she doesn’t have to go back out in the cold to get the papers.
NIce picture……Keep knitting them together……
I live, and drive public transportation for a living, in Seattle, and we are currently experiencing quite a bit of rain around here. I’m always very careful, both in my personal car, but especially when I’m driving the bus, to avoid all the standing water on the side of the road as pedestrians are walking down the side walk. It seems like simple courtesy, not to mention I think about how I would feel if I got drenched while walking down the side walk. I wouldn’t normally call this a RAK, however at the same time I almost never see anyone one else do this, and constantly see people being drenched by other drivers.
You guys are the best elves ever!!!!!
Now, for RAK.
Last Wednesday I was at our local Michael’s. The clerk (who really looked like she needed to eat a sandwich, she was that thin!) was saying how starved she was. Being a mom, I had a quaker chewy granola bar in my bag. I pulled it out and offered it to her. She said that those were her favorite and ate it on the spot. 🙂
Oh, and I love the DIC – can’t wait to get me hands on some!!!!
Here’s my not-so-random act of kindness. I’m taking all the acrylic yarn in my stash and knitting it up into varying size squares. I’m giving those to my local humane society as blanket pads for the doggies and kitties needing to be adopted.
I also had a suggestion for the Spring Loopy Sock Retreat. Our Guild goes to an actual retreat center for our annual getaway. I googled and found a couple in the St. Louis area. Just a thought…
Can’t wait for the new DIC to be posted. Love the colorways.
I love the pic and the colors!!! super!!! I routinely let others with less items go through the grocery lane when I have a lot, but my favorite RAK (besides knitty board) was when I was managing a restaurant. As it was in a major city, we had several homeless wander in during the day and ask for food or to get warm. I couldnt help myself!! Soon it was policy to give the extra specials of the day and mistakes to the homeless for free and of
course free coffee. Before long, I had people sweeping the outside and watching the store (and employees going to their cars) for free. Now, when I have the money to spare (I’m on disability) I go into local restaurants and purchase $5 GCs and ask the bartender or manager to use them for when anyone in need comes in. A few managers and owners have taken my stance through this and now our local homeless dont go hungry. This year, I am giving out coats as well. Several friends have given me old leather and heavey coats and when I see someone in need of a coat, I stop my car and let them try them on till we get a good fit!!
Someone gave me a punch card that had all the punches on it punched, so that I could get a free hot beverage of my choice at the local cafe.
NOTE FOR BETH: Can I please leave this note for BETH, who posted last night that she helped the coworker who needed dog food? I dont know what kind of dog or cat food the lady buys, but I’d love to mail you some coupons for her for the future. I work at a large newspaper and every Monday I go thru all the leftover Sunday coupon inserts, collect and sort the pet food/cat litter/treats coupons that I then donate to various rescue groups–these add up as some are $1-3 a bag of food. There is always a variety of brands, probably something her dog and cat would like, and I hate seeing them wasted when the papers just go to recyclng. So if you would like to share some with her, I’d be very glad to send them your way. Please email me at terpkat@aol.com and let me know. Thanks.
I rescued Scout, the little Yorkshire Terrier from across the street this early morning. The high winds had blown his backyard gate open and he was a wanderin, as they say, near the street and whizzing SUV’s. I saw him from the window, grabbed some tiny dog treats to use as a lure (and I also must say so that if I could pick him up I might not be bitten). Upon my approach the little fellow rolled over on his back, sniffed a treat and allowed me to pick him up. We rang his doorbell, (no answer) and then went around the back of the house to the open gate where his sleepy owner came to meet us. She was teary eyed when she knew that Scout had been an escapee. A happy reunion for all!
My husband and I had our public wedding ceremony this weekend. We had three Christmas trees set up for the wedding and were able to give one to a single father in our church of four children who couldn’t afford one. We were also able to give one to a friend of mine who has three kids and her husband is a pastor so money is really tight. I’ve been there has a single mom and didn’t think I’d get a Christmas tree and then someone from our church gave me one and I remembered how wonderful it felt. We also gave 11 boxes of three feet of sub to the local mission to help feed the homeless.
Sherri,
I saw this today – http://www.da.wvu.edu/new/print_edition/pdf/2007-12-04Page1.pdf – scroll down to the bottom of the page. A student at the University that my parents teach at was standing out in the snow yesterday giving out hugs to anyone who wants them. It’s the week before finals and there were probably a few students who could use a hug. Anyway I immediately thought of the RAK.
Love the picture! I don’t know how you can actually get any work done there, though, with all that fantabulous yarn just calling out to be petted!
My RAK for this past week was that when I went to the store to return a doggie sweater that was too big for my dog, I ended up donating it to a pet rescue/adoption group that happened to be there, instead.
What a great picture of you and the Loopy Elves! And what cool new Dream in Color goodies we have to look forward to! And what generous, wonderful RAKs everyone is coming up with! All I’ve done is let people with fewer items than I have ahead of me in the grocery store line—not very exciting. Must be more creative….
Oooh, I hope I’m not to late to throw my RAK in! Well, it’s not really random, but anyway…my mom broke her arm a few weeks ago, and it’s making things sorta tricky for her. She doesn’t knit, but we’re in a secret pal swap together, and her downstream knits. I’ve done all the legwork for her pal, buying pretty needles & yarn & packing it all up to mail off, so that Mom doesn’t have to. 🙂 It doesn’t really sound like much to type it out, but Mom’s really grateful, and I’m glad to help. Like I said, it’s hardly random, seeing as it’s my own mom, but still…I feel good for doing it, and my mom feels good to have one less thing to worry about. Yay all around! 😀
I’ve been practicing keeping this one to myself, which in itself is a challenge. So okay, I’ll spill. I helped out at Serenity House (a local shelter) over Thanksgiving (no, that’s not the RAK) and noticed that the thin, inexpensive dishwashing gloves had a hole in one finger. So I went out and bought a top-of-the-line thick pair (the water in the kitchen is HOT HOT) and brought them over there. I hope they’re enjoying the new gloves!
Somebody at work brought in brownies to share today, and I decided that I would clean the pan for them to thank THEM for thinking of us. Small and perhaps not so random, but it felt good doing it.
I work at my LYS a couple hours a week in addition to my “real job.” An elderly lady called on Saturday to check if we had a certain type/color of yarn so she could make a hat for someone. She asked me to hold the yarn since we were supposed to have bad weather in the coming days. I looked her up in the computer and saw that she lived fairly close to me so I offered to drop the yarn off to her at her retirement community so she could go ahead and cast on (I know what that is like!). When I dropped the yarn off after my shift, she had left me a thank you note at the front desk saying the hat was for one of her friends who wasn’t feeling well.
I nearly cried on the way home thinking about this woman, who lived alone and no doubt had her own problems, knitting a hat for someone else to cheer them up. We all could learn a lot from the previous generations. They knew the value of neighbors and caring for people around you. We get so lost in our own world with our own problems, but rarely look outside and think what we can do for others- even without immediate rewards.
The lines at Michael’s were crazy and among all the women, there was one very uncomfortable looking man checking out. I gave him a 25% off everything coupon. Also, at Costco I let a woman check out before me. She thanked me and said that she was late picking up her kids from school. Since I’ve had similar experiences, I know that desperate mom look.
I am collecting gift/gas/grocery cards for a single mom in our church to bless her this holiday season. People did that for me when my first husband left me and I remember getting a huge envelope filled and just being overwhelmed that someone would do that for me. I hope to pay that forward over and over again.
My RAOKs . . .
My neighbor Yvonne had knee replacement surgery a few months ago and has been suffering setbacks in her recovery. She won’t let me do too much for her because she’s afraid of “imposing” but one of the things I can do is take out her trash for her. I tell her I am the Trash Fairy because that makes her laugh.
Lucy does some RAOKs too — I take her over to see Yvonne from time to time because she loves Lucy. Lucy always purrs her prettiest for Yvonne! 🙂
I bought two knitting magazines at our local mom and pop newsstand, browsed through, nothing hit me, so I took them back to the store the next day and asked them to give them away to someone else who might want them. They said they would put them in their free box. Cool. Spreading some knitting cheer.
I also took a stack of magazines to our local library free box–Travel, Architectural Digest, Dwell–some pretty fun magazines to browse. Hopefully someone will get some enjoyment from them. This probably was more of a gift to me though–not sure I can even claim it as a RAK because it cleaned up a corner of one of my bookshelves. 🙂
Once again, more work to do in this area for me!!
Love the Knitting Together picture!
My RAK: I bought my sister a skein of Malabrigo that she had been eyeing, just because. She’s barely scraping by right now and I wanted to surprise her, especially since we see each other so rarely, living on opposite sides of the country and all.
Such a cute photo! I like being able to see my enablers faces :o)
Today’s RAK: at the eye doctor this morning, the girl who did the preliminary check-up saw me knitting when she called me to the room. She fondled the red yarn and the knit fabric a little. She told me that she had always wished for something handmade so she would have ‘something with a story’, but that she didn’t know any one who knit or crocheted. I sat in my car afterward to finish up the red chenille scarf I was working on and left it with the receptionist to give to her when she gets off works today. I’d love to be there to see her reaction!
Happy Holidays to everyone, I have tried three times to get my comment on and every time AOL shut down…so I am crossing my fingers that this works. I have been having a lot of fun with doing the RAK at work with my teachers co-workers. A lot have really hip-hoppy classes and by the end of the day, the teachers are ready to GO HOME and need a pick-me-up, believe me. I teach elementary art, and am the FUN LADY, so I know where it’s at…see why I knit…to relax ans unwind. But I have been doing this everyday. So far no one knows who I am and they love their special treats. I gave one a hand-knitted scarf, another hand cream, another shea butter for chapped hands, another $ for coffee, another a relaxing CD. Today I gave a male teacher a book he really wanted to read, so I am enjoying this a lot. Thanks To Sheri for thinking of this. By the way, I love seeing the photo…and of course, the yarn is to die for:). Take care, y’all, and keep safe while driving. This snow is not the greatest. love, joanne
I tried to do a RAK last night. I was asked to bring a copy of the pattern for the beaded ball I’d done for Guild ornament exchange to our next Guild meeting. I brought the pattern, but I also brought all my beads and yarns, and a couple of kits I had (to get new ideas). I was hoping I might be able to share with others.
Unfortunately, I was stuck in a corner and not feeling well, so didn’t make my way out, and they didn’t make their way to me, and I couldn’t even get their attention!
My youngest goddaughter had a great idea of what to do with her birthday gift card from me — “Oh, cool! I can buy a present for Daddy’s birthday!”
Today my kindness was so simple, I told the nurse at the Doctors office how sweet and caring she was. I usually don’t say much, but I thought how easy to tell someone what a great job they are doing, Plus it didn’t cost anything.
Yesterday I did a completely Random Act: my pregnant neighbor was trying to clear the ice off her car, so I grabbed my scraper and went out (without mittens, ’cause I’m dumb) and cleared it for her. My more planned Act of Kindness is that I’m covering the 8 am class for a teaching colleague whose wife just had their baby 7 weeks early.
Love the new series from Dream in Color!
I had a bunch of grocery store coupons that were all with-in a couple weeks of their expiry date. So off to the grocery store I went, leaving the coupons on the shelves with the items they were for.
Saw one lady pick one up, look at it then smile as she put the item and coupon in her cart.
She should make a “Dream in Loopy” exclusive colorway! LOL or “Drowning in Loopy”?
Lovely elven group shot!
i held the door for an elderly lady at my son’s doctor appointment yesterday! how more random can you get, lol
I’ve been doing little things this week. Picking up my student’s papers/pencils/pens/brains! when they drop them on the floor, holding doors for people, and encouraging my students in the halls this week as we go about testing. And the most kind act this week, my 9th graders got to watch a movie today after taking a major test for me yesterday, or at least that’s how they saw it!
One of my best friends just came back last Thursday from Thanksgiving and I found out his mom was diagnosed with cancer. So I dropped all my work and spent the night hanging out with him and letting him talk. I don’t know if that counts as an act of kindness or not since it’s just being a decent friend, but he needed it.
My RAK was to induce the gentleman tailgating me on the interstate to go around me at a high rate of speed so he could meet the nice state trooper at the next exit.
Trust me — the way he was driving, this was a good deed for everyone else out there. And I did get a sick chuckle out of it.
(Ok… I know that wasn’t quite in the spirit of things.)
But did you ever notice that just smiling at someone who isn’t expecting it works wonders? It sure seemed to help out the young girl working the counter at Hardees’ this morning. Hey — food service can be a nasty job sometimes. A kind word and a laugh doesn’t cost me anything.
Christmas is a great time of year to think of other people! I just hope that I continue this throughout the rest of the year. I’m currently coordinating an adopt-a-family event in our office. We have about 30 people that will all purchase gifts for one family so that they may have a joyful Christmas! I can’t wait to see their smiling faces when we deliver the goodies to them!
I tried the Starbucks trick for the first time – it was a blast! I had forgotten how doing something so easy could turn a bad day into a good one so quickly; makes me want to use the drive thru more often! Then, I (still secretly) saw a table full of servicemen at a local restaraunt (we have a reserve base here), and got my waiter to give me their bill. So, I got to see their reactions, but they never found out who did it. Now I’m looking for more ways to be sneaky – it’s almost as good as a Christmas present!
I took over morning duty for one of the teachers at my school. She’s in her 20s and has been diagnosed with cancer. On top of that, her daycare was charging her an extra $50 a week to drop her child off 10 min. early when she had duty. Giving up an extra 10 min of my day, to make her smile, priceless.
We had this sweet old woman that we used to rent land from. She had never been married and was well into her 80’s. I used to make soup and breads and cookies for her and just drop them off unexpectedly. It was so sweet how thrilled she was each and every time. She would brag up my baking and cooking skills to my hubby all the time. Ya gotta love that!
buying $5.00 starbucks gift cards and handing them out to some of the busy sales clerks this time of year… Merry Christmas!
Yesterday, while driving in the mall parking lot, I noticed a little old lady parked in front of Target, wrestling with a HUGE Christmas tree box. People kept walking past, even though it was pretty obvious that she was having difficulty. So I pulled over and parked behind her, jumped out, and helped her get the box into her car. She almost cried, she was so happy that someone stopped to give her a hand!