Let There Be Light!

I won the coolest prize from Kelly at I Have A Notion and it arrived today!    A little back story -- this week I was with my sister while she recovered from knee surgery.  

I was there to help for a few days with food and meds and ice and the usual oddments that a person who is supposed to rest might need.    But I had a lot of time to sit quietly, too.    So I kept busy with a variety of things, including search and rescue research, letter writing, and crafts.   I made some adorable catnip mice with rick rack or feather tails.

I also worked on the endless scarf I am knitting.      I kept the lights low to avoid disturbing my sister and as evening fell, I had a hard time stitching and knitting.    More than once, I dropped stitches and had to huddle under a lamp trying to salvage my work so that I wouldn't have to frog the whole thing.

Which leads to the prize I won on I Have A Notion and received today.  A Beam n Read light from ASF Lightware Solutions.       I love flashlights, but this light is especially cool.  It has a choice of 3 or 6 LEDs, depending on how much light is needed, it has a strap that I can put around my neck so it's HANDS FREE.   If that weren't enough, it also has a built in magnifier and two filters, one for softer light and one for night vision!   And all this coolness runs on four ordinary AA batteries.    

My Beam n Read would also have been great for working in dim light so that I wouldn't disturb my sister, and at home in my own less-than-ideal lighting it will help me avoid dropped stitches and wonky catnip mice in the future!   And it will be perfect for stitching or knitting on long car rides, if only I had someone to drive me.  :)  

So I couldn't wait to try it.   I got out my knitting, and of course I always have AA batteries in the house . . . . except for today.    I seem to have used the last ones in my flameless candles.    I was SO disappointed, but I'll light it up tomorrow.    I have so much hand-sewing and knitting that I put down later in the evening when it gets too hard to see.   I can't wait to put this little helper to use!

If you haven't already, I hope you will check out Kelly's blog and her ihan shop.   I've followed her blog for some time, and it's been a great help to me.    Kelly has GREAT giveaways, but besides winning this cool prize, I've  gotten lots of ideas from her and have enjoyed her free tutorials.    I've also purchased fabric and notions from her store and I've been very satisfied with the quick delivery and super customer service.     Besides having a really useful blog and shop, Kelly herself is friendly and unfailingly supportive and helpful.    Thanks so much Kelly, I am going to love my new Beam n Read!  :)