While November seemed to be a month of stress and chaos, December seems to be the month for losing/misplacing things.

It feels like every time I turn around, I’m looking for something, even though I was sure I knew where I put it.

Case in point…

As you know, with all the December Birthdays on top of Christmas presents, I start gathering things throughout the year to keep the cost and stress down. To keep things organized, all collected/finished presents go in one spot in my studio (top of the bookshelves), and get entered into a spreadsheet (the spread sheet is so I don’t forget that I already have a gift for someone, and go out and get/make something new).

It’s a good process, and it works… most of the time.  Over the last week, I’ve been slowly wrapping things. I did all the stuff for my side of the family first, and took it all up to Mom’s to get it out of the way (she has more storage space than I do). Then a day later, I did all the stuff for friends, and set it in piles, so when we are ready to see them, it’s easy to grab and go.

Monday, all I had left were the things for Dave and his family. His family stuff was easy enough, and even the presents for him weren’t bad – his quilt, a pair of pajama pants… and something else I couldn’t remember…. so I consulted the spreadsheet.

Of course…. our matching skull socks… how could I forget. I climbed back up to the top of the shelf to get them…. but they weren’t there.  How were they not there???? I double checked the shelf, but there wasn’t a present left up there.

I then checked my sock drawer, thinking since I made a pair for myself, maybe I’d tucked both pairs in there. Nope… not a skull in sight!

I then literally spent the next two hours ripping apart every shelf in the studio. Still no skulls (but hey – I got a head start on the cleaning I’d planned to do over the Christmas holidays…)

Defeated, I slumped down at my computer, and was complaining to Mom over messenger, that I couldn’t find the socks anywhere… and all of a sudden it came to me! The last time I remembered seeing them was on their blockers when I took pictures for the pattern! And I don’t think I ever took them off those blockers!!!

Sure enough, both pairs were hanging on their blockers in the coat closet downstairs! Phew! They are now safely wrapped up for Christmas day.

The same can not be said for our next lost item. After finishing the first Knotty glove last week, I set the leftover ball of yarn aside and did some work on the poncho. I’m sure I set the ball in my crafting corner by my couch.

But when I went to cast on the next day, it wasn’t there.

Now, I have searched high and low for it. Like the shelves, my crafting corner got a complete makeover. Not there. Not under the couch or the futon, not under the computer, the fish tank, or the dining room table.

I have a very clear suspect with means, motive and opportunity…

…but so far, he’s not talking.

I was hoping he’d do the right thing, and bring it out of wherever he’s hidden it… or at least I’d stumble across it… but no such luck.

As you may recall, I do at least, have another skein of the same yarn, but I didn’t really want to crack into it yet (saving it for a matching cowl).

But damn…. it’s cold outside and having just one glove isn’t doing me any good.  Last night I cracked and wound up up the new skein…

This was all I could get done before bedtime (at which time, this ball was safely tucked away from fluffy paws). As long as I don’t lose it, I should be able to get the set done in time for Christmas Eve travels.