.
By now you must know that Carly and I are cousins.  We are 10 months apart in age.
.
This picture was of us on some family trip somewhere.  I’m the blond.

.

We have so many pictures of Carly and me together that we started putting them all on our bulletin board at the shop.  It has become a family joke really.
.

Bulletin Board Beauties

.

Prom 1990 –  I bought my dress…of course Carly made hers:)

.

Halloween UW Madison 1993 maybe?

.

Already gorgeous, gorgeous!

When I decided to open a yarn shop, I told Carly about it.  I remember the moment exactly.  We were in our Nanny Jean’s  apartment visiting and I just blurted it out.  “Hey, I am going to open a yarn shop, what do you think?  Wanna run it with me?” I think her exact words were. “ok, um, sure Aim” .  I was reassured.  She was in!
.
Our Nan said  “well, you’re definitely going to need a comfortable chair.  People like comfortable chairs”.   Words of wisdom certainly.
.

Nanny and the kids in front of the shop before it was a shop:)

.
If you want to be technical, I am the only one who owns the yarn shop.  But Darn Knit Anyway is as much Carly’s as it is mine.  I couldn’t or wouldn’t even want to run the shop without her.   I know that she loves the shop just as much as I do.  I feel that deep down in my belly.
.
Now, Carly isn’t just a great mom, cousin and knitting problem helper.  Nope she is an artist too.  A graduate of the College of Visual Arts.  She is a fashion designer and fiber artist.  Here are a few cool things she has done.  She has made garments out of everything, dollar bills, snow cone cups, rubber bands, vending machine clear container thingies, baby bottle liners…
.

Mr. Smith

Snow Cone Cups

Rubber Bands

vending machine plastic thingies with rubber balls inside?!

Baby Bottle Liners

Now we are lucky enough to have a Carly Stipe original in our shop.  Right in our very own front window.  I am so happy I can hardly stand it.
.

DKA Front Window

A lovely red dress out of duct tape. WHAT?
.

It’s red alright!

.

WHAT? A bow in the back???!!

.

I love my cousin to pieces.  Seriously.  Don’t know what I would do without her.
.
I know that our little shop is better because she is a part of it.  I tell her that a lot.  I just thought maybe you guys should know it too.
.
Love you cuz.