Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Swaps Received and Haircut Tomorrow

Well, I'm glad to say that the two swap packages that I sent recently have been received. They both said that they love them. The both posted pictures. So now I am swap free for a while. I am trying really hard not to swap for awhile, at least until I can catch up on some of the things I NEED to finish. And get a little house work done, and save up a bit more money (we're a little broke right now.) So I need to try to resist temptation (like this one swap on craftster.... oh it is a scavenger hunt one.... oh I want to so bad.... no, I can't! BUT I WANNA!)

I am getting my hair cut tomorrow. I am a bit nervous. I have pretty much always had really long hair. About the shortest I have really gone is to my shoulders because everytime I go into the hairstylist they always talk me out of cutting it really short. I see so many really cute styles on other people that are really short and I want to try it. Not to mention I HATE doing my hair, 90% of the time it just ends up in some sort of ponytail. So this time I am doing it. I can donate it to Locks-of-Love again (I try to every year.) if I get it REALLY short. I do have a fuller face (I'm a bit on the heavier side too) but I don't care. I want it short!!! So this is what I'm thinking.

Isn't she cute I have no idea who she is, but a friend of mine sent it to me thinking it would be cute on me.
So I'll try to post pictures tomorrow of my before and after.

Monday, May 29, 2006

Shame On Me!

I can't believe I haven't posted in a week. I guess my allergies have made me a touch less productive. And the fact that we got all hot and humid here all of a sudden. One night we had frost advisories, the next day it got to 90 and was humid! Crazy I know, but this is Wisconsin weather for ya!

I have been finishing up my flower baby afghan (yes, it is to the part where I start getting bored and I want to move on to something else.) Which is slower work right now.

We are also working on our end-of-the-school-year-thank-you-teacher-gifts.
My youngest son, Lore (5) has 3 teachers. So he wants to make lined zipper pouches, (he loves to sew on the machine!) Then fill it with a sharpie and some post-it notes. We have the materials cut so far,
but haven't started sewing. That is planned for today.

My middle son, Liam (7) has just one teacher. He wanted to paint her a treasure box and fill it with a wooden gold coin (also painted.) And the sharpies and post-its. He has the box, and he's painted it gold. And right now he is drawing on it with markers.

My oldest, Levi (9), well, he thinks he's pretty darn cool. He has 2 teachers and he really loves them. They all have a lot of fun in class and joke around and such. So his big idea is, he wants to make record bowls. Then he wants to then make circles for the label spot of the record bowls with decorated pics of his teachers. We have no problem with the one teacher, but the other one we're not quite sure since we don't have a pic of her to start off of. So we'll see. Right now, Levi has finished molding the bowls with hot water, and we took the original labels off.

So I will have to post more pics of this when they are finished.

Also I had problems with my order from Fire Mountain (normally I don't have any problems with them.) and things were back ordered, and I didn't get them in time to make my nursing necklace for a swap, so I had to work with what I had. Unfortunately I'm not terribly pleased with it, but I did the best I could with what I had. And I was late the way it is.

horrible pic, but you get the idea, it's amethyst and white catseye with flourite (or something like that, ) pendant.

Monday, May 22, 2006

Striped Rainbow Baby Hat

I finished this and sent it off. I made it for the craftster May unconditional Swap. I really hope she likes it. She asked for a hat like this or this. I dyed all of the yarn myself (except the black.) It is made according to her size specifications, so I hope it fits him! It's all Wool, I believe I used Patons, but don't quote me on it. I have lots of leftover balls of natural colored yarn in my stash, I just looked for balls that had the same thickness and color so it would dye evenly. Took forever to dye it all. I had a few shades that didn't turn out very well.

In the flowers

My gnome was the closest thing to a head that would fit this hat, so he was the happy model.

The profile of the hat.

Saturday, May 20, 2006

ALERGIES SUCK

Well, I see I haven't posted much in a bit, so I thought I should just quick throw something out here. I have been slammed by allergies, like I do every year. I really can't complain, since as far as we can tell I'm only allergic to lilacs, but it is 2-3 weeks of hell. Nothing seems to work. All the horrible meds that doctors try to put me on. All of the natural stuff, nothing helps. So I haven't been terribly productive. Also I'm waiting for a delivery to make one item from a swap I'm in. which the send date is already past. It's never taken this long to get items from this store, but oh well. I'll get it out as soon as it arrives. I did finish the baby hat for another swap. I'll post pics of that soon. That's about all for now.

Monday, May 15, 2006

Crazy Harry Potter Obsession

What is it with this darn series of books? I am a grown adult, I am not supposed to be obsessing over things like this anymore. Ok, I'm an adult by age at least. JK just did too darn good of a job sucking all of us in I guess. Even though I swore off swaps, and my hubby is getting a bit cranky with me since we are a bit low in funds right now, and trying to save for some desperately needed house remodeling. And my complete lack of time. I signed up for the Fav. Character swap on Craftster.org. I am so ashamed, yet SO EXCITED!



Now we had to whittle our favorites down to ONLY 2 characters. However, lucky for me, they were counting Fred & George together as one character. How dare they, but they did!
So my 2 favs of the moment are Fred & George, and my longtime, never wavering favorite of Dobby the house elf.

It seems that most people's favorites (at least of the vocal ones on Craftster) seem to be Snape, Draco, & Cedric. So I'm sort of trying to pre-plan a bit by thinking of different projects for the different characters. Oooh, so much fun, but lots of stress for me too, as I always worry my stuff isn't good enough and such. Oh, well, we don't need me sharing all of my neurosis. So I guess stay tuned to see what types of things I make and receive!

Friday, May 12, 2006

Swap Lovin'

I posted some wishes on the April Unconditional Swap on Craftster.org and I was lucky enough to be picked! I just received my goodies.
The wish she chose to fullfill was crochet stitch markers, but she sent not only some of the most beautiful stitch markers known to humankind, but also a duct tape pouch and some really neat soap. So I thought I needed to post my goodies!

(I do need to appologize, the weather has been HORRIBLE, and I can't take a decent picture in it.)


Here's the soap she sent me. Do you see all the beatiful swirls of white soap in it? If you can't read it says Sunset.

The duct tape pouch, I never really cared for duct tape things, but this is making me reconsider my position. It has a little pocket in the back too that I didn't get a chance to photograph.

Here's the inside of the pouch, you can see the velcro closure, the stitch markers are inside.

And now, what everyone's been waiting for...... the STITCH MARKERS!!!!!!


This horrible picture really doesn't do it any justice at all. They are gorgeous! There are 10 of them, way, way, WAY!!! better than my bobby pins and safety pins I've been using!

THANK YOU SO MUCH Liebschien!

Monday, May 08, 2006

I Burned Yarn!

I was dying my yarn today for a hat that I am making for a swap. I am dying a whole bunch of small pieces a whole bunch of colors. So I don't need a lot of water/dye, and I was keeping a really good eye on everything, until my older boys came home. Now, Wednesdays are really busy at my house, we have to quick get homework done, then rush over to dance class. In between one dance class and another we have 45 minutes to quick get some supper. Not enough time to get home and eat either btw.
Anyway, I was helping with homework, and totally forgot to keep an eye on my simmering yarn, when all of a sudden I smelled something horrible. I look into the kitchen to see that my kitchen is full of smoke......

So long story-short. My house smells like burning wool! It's just horrible. Not to mention I feel really stupid. I never burn things like that.
But I did learn my lesson, so I won't dye anything with out me staying in the room with it!

Rain Rain Go Away!

I do love rain. Really I do. But a cloudy rainy day just isn't very good for taking pictures. I have a few items I was hoping to take pics of, and I know that many of my pictures aren't that great, but if it is sunny they look so much better! So I know the rain needs to flow, otherwise I won't get my yummy produce or pretty flowers, but I am ready for the sunshine anytime now.

Bulk Garbage Day

Have you ever seen the cartoon movie of Charlotte's Web? I recomend it if you haven't, it's cute. The reason I bring it up is when Templeton (the rat) doesn't want to go the fair, the goose talks him into it by singing a song, that he also sings when he goes into the fair and he sees all the different snacks and treats, he sort of goes crazy and there's this song. Well, it really reminds me of Bulk Garbage Day in my town. I know a lot of towns have this, and it's probably the same everywhere, but I love walking through town seeing everyone scatter from one lawn to the next, looking at everyone's garbage. Thinking to themselves;
"wow, I could use that"
"why would someone get rid of that?"
"I can't believe they have one of these!"
or whatever. But you see people hopping from cars and trucks gathering other people's garbage. A crazed look in their eye!

I was good this year. I got rid of many things (all were thankfully taken, so the garbage truck didn't get anything from us.) I also didn't pick anything up. Lots of people would think that isn't the best, because I didn't find a FABULOUS find. But honestly I need to de-clutter my house more than anything, and I just can't be taking in more things or projects until I do that. So for me it was a very good year. Now I'll just have to wait again til next year to see the same excitement, however, I will have that song stuck in my head for a really long time!

"A fair is a veritable smorgasbord orgasbord orgasbord.
After the crowds have ceased.
Each night when the lights go out.
It can be found on the ground all around
Oh, what a ratly feast!
Melon rinds and bits of hotdogs
Cookie crumbs and rotton cotton candy
Melted ice cream, mustard dripplings
Moldy goodies everywhere
Lots of popcorn, apple cores
Bananna peels and soggy sadwiches
And gobs of gorgeous gook to gobble at the fair

A fair is a veritable smorgasbord orgasbord orgasbord
After the gates are shut
Each night when the lights go out
It can be found on the ground all around
That's where a rat can glut, glut, glut, glut!"

Crochet Baby Blanket in Purple Continues

Well, I thought I would just update to show how far I am on the blanket. I love how it is coming along. I do however, really dispise single crochets! They are tedius! But it is beautiful and I get compliments on it everywhere when I'm crocheting, even from fellow crocheters who haven't heard of the puff stitch. So anyway here it is.

Friday, May 05, 2006

ZYX Crochet!

I know, I know, I should finish one thing before I start another. My husband swears I have crafting ADD. I have to have like 10 things going at once and keep flipping through them. Yes, it takes me that much longer to finish a project, but that way I don't get bored with anything. Unfortunately this does sometimes mean that I cast aside ones that I really am bored by. But it hasn't happened much lately. And I swear (hand on heart) as soon as ALL of these baby gifts (just found out about 2 more babies being expected!) I will work on some of my UFO's (un-finished objects) that have been cast off.


Anyway, I have started one of the baby blankets for one of my cousins. She thinks she's having a girl. So it is purple it is an old free pattern from Caron it used to be on the inside of their yarn papers. Here is a site with the pattern on. I of course adjusted it quite a bit, but the graph I am using as a guide.
Here's what I have so far. It took quite awhile. I am using a fairly small hook.

Here's a close up of the z

Now on to W V U T S !!

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

Swap Items Received

I received all of my swap items. I got a really nice bag from Crafterbynite on craftster.org in the Spring bag swap. The other stuff I'll have to post later I don't have the pics taken of it, batteries died. But here's the bag I got.

Modeled by a cute, but not terribly happy Lore.


Here's the inside of the bag with a few of my things thrown in. Pink polka dots!

Guacamole Bear Complete

Well, I've finally finished my bear. He's very cute. He's jointed and the color of guacamole. I think he still needs a bow or something around his neck, but I love him!


yes look at my lovely tulips and my gorgeous dandelions.... we don't have grass, just dandelions! They are only weeds if you want them to be right.