I agree with not starting with a scarf.  It gets so boring.  When I teach people to knit I have them just knit a strip long enough to seam together for a cowl.  If you make mistakes it hides them pretty well too. 

You will also want to check out www.ravelry.com.  It's a free site with lots of patterns, forums and other good stuff.

Even though the mink is so soft and luxurious the fibers are really short, so the mink yarn tends to break a lot from my experience.  The yak will be easier to work with because of that alone.  I'm not sure on the warmness part, but I do know that yak is very warm. 

I love that yarn!!!  Do you have something else you could use with it like another more basic super bulky?  You could make this hat and just use the pixie at the top

http://www.paradisefibers.com/dull-roar-space-case-hat-pattern.html

Or you could do this cowl and just make it a little smaller

http://darnknitanyway.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/DKA_Pattern-Pixie-Cowl.pdf

I think purses and bags are the best projects to make out of the sari yarn.  It's really heavy and sturdy, so it's kind of hard to wear it.  That's what makes it a great bag though. Colorful, funky and sturdy!