I've got it! I've got it!

Recently I've had my best weekend so far this year and been lucky with my craft shopping! About two weeks ago (yes, I've fallen a little behind with my posts :-/ ) I finally received through the post a book I had been looking for for months! Arne & Carlos Adventskalender - something I really, really, really wanted to have in my collection and something, which is not so easily available on the book market in the UK. Not available on British Ebay or Amazon or any online bookstores either.

The book is a sort of thematic addition to the well-known book of Arne and Carlos "55 Christmas Balls to knit" and includes another 24 knitted balls in a form of a lovely advent calendar. As a big fan of A&C's woolly balls I simply must have had it! And finally my dream came true thanks to the Kidsknits shop and its lovely owner Mary Ann Stephens (hope she's reading it now! ;-)) I have finally managed to lay my hands on this long-awaited and now highly-treasured book. 

The book is a spiral bound calendar, standing on its own and you can count down to Christmas with it by turning page a day and making one knitted bauble. It also includes Scandinavian recipes!!! I shall be starting it sooner than December, I think as knitting one ball per day (not to mention steaming it and stuffing, sewing up and attaching a chain) is going to be a bit too intense as I usually take at least a couple of days to complete one. However I simply can't wait to start this project! In the meantime I shall be completing my 55 knitted balls :)

Just look at those gorgeous pictures full of festive flair plus the coloured patterns and all technical details of yarn you need.

Oh, and the recipes!

The only drawback of this book (apart from its unavailability) is that it exists only in Norwegian and it requires translation but since I'm a language lover and in love with the Nordic culture I'm looking forward to decoding its instructions and recipes :)

Well, this is not the end - recently I've also managed to obtain these books, another lovely addition to my knitting book collection:

Paskestrikk - a booklet with knitted Easter decoration including Easter balls and Easter eggs (another future project to look forward too!)

Aren't they lovely?

And how about those quirky vases? :)

I'm sooo in love with these hanging knitted eggs! I'm definitely knitting them! 

Could you resist these? :)

And finally this booklet (also from Kidsknits) with a gorgeous Advent Calendar in a form of a wreath with hanging numbered Nordic style mittens 

... and some other Scandinavian decorations:

 Simply, gorgeous!!!

I also love to see my Heilo yarn collection to grow. I've purchased some more colours in preparations for the next knitted balls and eggs.

And some more wool to try out: Baby Ull, also from DaleGarn :)

The cherry on the cake that wonderful weekend turn out to be a parcel with these lovely wooden crochet hooks Symphonie from KnitPro - a subscription present from Mollie makes magazine. 

So pretty they are! And also a good quality wood and decorated edges too!

Isn't life good? :)