Something to be Thankful for...

Beyond my health and well being:

Family, friends, creativity, and freedom to express that creativity.

Speaking of expressing...

Here is a set of thanksgiving cards that I designed and put together in the hopes that they'd get sent out before thanksgiving week...guess not.......

This is made using a green pre-cut rectangle of green from the Joann's "Stack of Scraps". This stamped with a random stamp I picked up from Goodwill (You can find it on ebay here)

The center is stamped with a Joann's Dollar stamp picked up from our local store, as well at the Thank You from the Fiskars Baby Shower stamp set. The red strip is a scarp from a card-stock set from Wal-mart. The blue and yellow toned squares are also from the "stack of scraps".

Another moment of creative expression is my holiday cards, these will only be sent out to family who will be out of town, or not close enough to visit on Christmas...

This is created with some plain white cardstock from Wal-mart (found in the office section) The dark red, dark blue and light blue cardstock is from Joann's, Core-dinations textured cardstock. The stripe paper in the ornament is from a patterned paper pack from Walmart, a Colorbok set.

The ornament is cut at 2 in from the "tag" setting on New Arrivals Cartridge.

The inside is mostly blank, with the word "Celebrate" stamped in simple black.

I am also working out a set of knitted, crocheted, and woven coffee cozies. These are all Christmas gifts.

Also, I am in the process of knitting up another simple loomed cowl.

Last year, I made this one:

this is made on the large yellow loom from the Knifty Knitter set, just a simple e-wrap knit tube. I knit until it is either 2 ft, or I run out of yarn.

Will put up pics of the cowl in a couple of days. When I finish it.

Also, I found a scarf at a local grocery store, it was a large gauge crochet scarf in Velvetspun lavender. I unravled it, and am making a garter stitch scarflet...


Again, picks when it is finished.

A moment to reflect...

While I have been on blog hiatus, I have come to some rather alarming conclusions, and a question.

I am running out of steam on this blog, I feel no one is following and am starting to get discouraged. If you find the information I write about useful, or have a friend who would enjoy this blog, please let them know about it. There is no sense in writing if no one is reading, I have a diary for that writing and a husband for that whining.

Please leave comments, I love to hear advice, opinions, and ideas...it helps me stay on track. It has been nearly 3 months since I seriously blogged, and I fear it is because of the lack of correspondence.

Secondly, the concerns:

1. I am crazy to have taken a summer term at school.
2. I lose track of time WAY too easy when the weather is hot...
3. I have 2 baby shower gifts to make, and shower is in 1 1/2 weeks...
4. The economy is way too far in the hole to make ANY money at local craft markets...
5. I really want to knit, but the feeling of yarn in my hands with this humidity is making it really unpleasant.
6. I have finally gotten a decent start on my book.
7. I miss blogging, and having time for inspiration
8. A glass...or 3... of wine makes getting things done nearly impossible.
9. Putting together a desk when it is so hot out you can see heat wave coming off your car is miserable.
10. A hail storm with 93*F temps makes floating the river to cool down all but impossible...

Now that I have put those thoughts down...on to the fun stuff.

I have figured out how to repackage my stitch markers to protect them better when they ship out. They are now nice and neat in these cool little tins, great for gift giving! (You can find them on my Etsy, link to the left)


Also, the baby shower gifts...about those...

First, I am crocheting a park blanket, this will not get immediate attention or use, as I know that it will be a short while before baby can go to the park, but eventually. It is designed as a granny hexagon, and will have blue ribbon strung around the edges to that it can be pulled like a drawstring, and used to carry toys. Since this is Jamie's 3rd little boy, there are plenty of toys.

Here is what I have so far!



The second gift is another blanket, but a crib or stroller blanket. Jamie hasn't got a theme, so I went with something that every little boy is sure to love, for years...turtles, frogs, and lizards!

Not so far on the construction side yet...working on that soon, need to get my studio sorted so I have table space...


This is the layout I plan on using. The green tone is the fabric with the animals, and blue is the fabric with the swirls...


As for my spinning, I planned on doing Tour de Fleece, but with classes, and Saturday market, I barely had time to keep up with my homework, let alone spend any time spinning, but this week I will MAKE time.

As for my previous post about Beau, he is still parked...but we figured out what was wrong with him! YAY...just need a mechanic we can afford, and he will be ready to hit the road!

Also, I am working on a diet, not any special diet, just replacing some of my cooking ingredients with healthier ones, and replacing at least 2 dinners a week with vegetarian meals. While I have not been working on this diet long enough to see results, I will try to keep you updated. I am starting at 185 lbs. I have not been this heavy since middle school, and hope to never be this big again.

WIP Wednesday

So I am finally getting back into the groove of things. My health has been a roller-coaster ride, and with school so close to finals week, I have let a lot of things slip.

On the bright side, Health issues gives plenty of time to knit and crochet. (Mostly knit). I have been reading Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's Yarn Harlot, and it has gotten me inspired to work more on the craft. To explore more. I am hoping to get my toes wet in that big bad world of lace with this Tam (Raveled)

(Note: not my picture, instead it is the pattern picture by Ravler "lv2knit"

I have not yet cast it on, as I haven't got the needles for it, nor have I got a set that is larger that I can alter the pattern for with...They currently have another project on them.

I am sure most of you have seen, and maybe even knit up a few pinwheel baby blankets, am I right?

Beauties like this one by Ravler "YanTanTethra"?
Well I took inspiration of this flat, ever expanding, and evenly smooth pattern to make a smaller version of it as a hat....a baby hat....a baby beret.

I have done this without pattern, so if it doesn't fit anyone...I will give it to Brooklin to use with her dolls. And I will alter the pattern and try again. It is top down from the center of the 4 chunk spiral. I used the "Magic Cast-on" on by Judy Becker of Portland, Oregon

I have 4 more increase rounds, then I will decrease and work a 2x2 ribbing into it for the band. There will be an eyelet row just above the band, so I may add a pastel green or maybe a bright pink ribbon to it... loosely strung and tied into a bow.

Another project that is getting me in the mood for summer is my orange cream car-seat blanket... I am taking the idea from Ravlery, Garter Stitch Baby Blanket with Braided Edge. The pattern calls for you to stitch until there are 160 stitches on your needle before you start a decrease. I am doing a smaller blanket, and so I am doing 4 squares with 50 stitches on each, in 2 different colors. A variegated orange, and a Cream white, both in machine washable acrylic.



What are you working on in this sneezy spring?

WIP Wednesday..a day late

I am working on getting over a cold. So I have had a lot of time to work on my crafting.

I have worked up a design for a simple crocheted round purse using 2 metal dream catcher rings, I will post a pattern for the finished project tomorrow, before the inspirations post.



I am also working on some handspun, it is koolaid dyed and I call it my Cherry Limeade. This picture is 1 of the single I spun, it will be plied with a thick and thin single in the same colors for a finky pastel art yarn.


I spun Cherry Lime-Aid on my new Pioneer spinning wheel named "Kaylee"



I blogged about Kaylee here

Another big thing to add to my stash of cool gadgets, is my new Bond Brand Ultimate Sweater Machine. While I get so frustrated with it sometimes, when it actually works as it should it is wonderful!


This is Combat Baby, she is partially finished...I need to add a scalloped edge to it, and then "kill" the acrylic yarn so it lays flatter. (Tutorial on Killing Acrylic is available over at Sarah's blog, here.)


I may be starting a Tam for myself, but I haven't decided on a pattern, I might pick and choose what I like from several different patterns. And accommodate them to fit what yarn and needles I have on hand.

Knitting and Crocheting Charity Challenge

To all of my local knitting and crochet groups, I extend a challenge.

Details can be read on this page regarding the challenge and the charity group involved: Loving Hearts and Helping Hands

I am working in close relation to Grandma's House of Bend, OR to help the teen mothers who have found themselves abused or homeless do to or during their pregnancy.

I am giving 3 weeks, to knit or crochet as many baby hats as you can, at the end of the 3 weeks, whoever has the most hats finished and ready to go to Grandma's House will win a large basket filled with yarn and fiber goodies, and even some other neat little trinkets.

Please let me know ASAP if you will be participating. My email is Shadedfears@gmail.com

I look forward to your participation, and am very excited about this project!

WIP Wednesday

So, not much to report. Finished off my biggest project, Brooklin's dress.

Right now I am mainly working on spinning the fiber I picked up last week, also, putting together a spindle, just need a rubber grommet and we will have a second spindle to use. 1 spindle is full, at least as full as I am comfortable with, so we will have to pull the yarn off and save it for plying.

This is 'Magic"



when it is finished, I think it might make a great stole, or maybe a fancy beret.

I could see using "Magic" in this:


Or maybe this?


What do you think?

Early Weekend Finish Offs!

In an effort to not be late for class tomorrow, I am going to do the update post tonight, before I go to bed.



Previously blogged, but I am too tired to link, so fee free to look through my archives. The little mass of red color on the collar is a bow that it laced through the eyelets in the first row of increases. it is a crochet chain in the same tone as the main color of the dress, the bottom edge is a band that has red dots in it, but I have not ironed it flat yet. Thanks for checking it out!

Fun Finds Friday

I have been on a bit of a hat kick lately. It is spring here in Central Oregon, and is the perfect weather for a nice cute hat. Also, I am seeing a ton of new shops opening up that cater to all things baby!

I just finished Brooklin's Berry hat, and want to make many more of these hats for other babies I know...and even some that I don't know.

Here is some inspiration, no, these are not my creation, and the links to find them are at the bottom of the pictures.

Found here

Found here

Found here

And last but not least...

Found here

WIP Wednesday!

So, not much to show you, only have 2 projects going right now.

The first project is the dress for my baby sister's baby girl. Her birthday falls on Easter, and so I am making her a super cute Easter outfit. I already showed you the hat here, and now I am working on a Maxi Dress. This is a top down sweater dress, so no seaming, which is cool. I took the pattern and used the top have, the shoulders then too some 'advice' from the mom, and tweaked it a little bit to make the dress more "twirly and swirly". Instead of doing an increase on either side of the markers, I am doing a YO before each marker, creating a visible "Swirl" down the shirt section of the dress. (Raveled Here)


Brooklin liked one of my tank tops last summer, so it will flow and fall like that one, tight around the bust to keep it in place, then flowy from the tummy down. She will love it (I hope)!
Need to go by the "dollar Tree" today, they have this yarn in stick, only a buck a piece, and in more than just these 2 colors, I need to pick more up for this dress and some for a few hats too.

***

Secondly, the scarf I showed you last week is well on its way and just over 1/3 done...



Again, this is done on the Knifty Knitter long blue loom, with 1 strand black acrylic (not sure the brand, but it is very soft) and 1 strand of the Sensations Rainbow Boucle in Red/black. the 2 strands are used as 1 throughout, wrapping around every-other peg zig-zagging down the board. I will be knitting this out to 300 rows, I am just past 100. That will make this scarf roughly 6.5 ft long. (Raveled Here) There is no official pattern, but if you would like to use this reference, please feel free.

Weekend Finish Offs

I was working diligently on my Lavender Dreams handbag from Angela's Blog, but I miscalculated the amount of yarn I would need, and am debating frogging it for a different, self created design, so I don't have that to show you. But with this decision, I did have the chance to work on some other projects with the needles that the bag were on.

I bring to you Brooklin, my baby niece, here she is shown at 14 months at my wedding.

Now, she is almost 2, and Easter falls on her birthday. So I have made her a cute birthday and Easter hat.

This adorable hat was my first needle hat, ever. It called for dpns, but not having any, I opted for the magic loop method, worked out great, a little frustrating at the part where the leaves start and the berry ends, but overall, a fun little hat. I am making her a dress to match, but I can't show you that until Wednesday...I this was so much fun, I may have to make her some others, maybe in eggplant, and a brighter red for strawberry, and a blue for blueberry, the possibilities are endless, and it doesn't just have to be a berry, I am going to try carrots, and maybe even do some Easter eggs, and leave off the stem. But before I move on to those, I only have 1 set of needles for this, so I need to do one project at ta time. Here is the blog with the pattern: Randomstitches
Raveled here

In the world of Crochet, I used up some of the wonderful yarns from the Phat Fiber Sampler Box to make a couple of flower pins. Only 1 of them was satisfactory, so I frogged the other one.

This was crocheted with a size 7 hook, using "Ore" colorway from the Light Brown Hair.

I am now working on spinning some fibers, and making up some felt beads to make light weight stitch markers for lace work. Join me again on Wednesday for all of those projects in motion!

Chao!

WIP Wednesday! and Happy St. Patty's Day!

Here are my WIPs for this week!


This is my elegant spring wrap, it stays chilly here in Central Oregon until about mid May, and even then, the evenings can get down to around 40* f in the middle of the summer. So I have decided to pull out my looms again, and make up this shawl. It is knit with 1 strand of Red Heart in black, and 1 strand of Tonal Rainbow Boucle in Red Pattern by Sensations. It is knit zigzaging between every other peg on the KK 22 in long loom. Raveled here.


This is another of Angela's Fab Felted bags. The pattern is on Half-Assed Housewife, and also on Ravlery. You can find the information on my previous post about my Cherry Garcia Bag here. Knit on size 7 needles, with tan and lavender in Deluxe Chunky 100% Wool (found at Enchanted Yarns in Redmond, OR) Raveled here.

AS for St Patty's Day, we made a great homemade Guinness beef stew (my recipe, message me if you want the recipe) and Irish Boxty (potato pancakes) and some beer. It was a great, though we made enough for about 10 people, and had invited just as many (I hate it when people don't RSVP) and no one, I mean NO ONE showed up. Guess hubby and I have plenty of leftovers for the week.

Here was dinner!
MMM Good hearty Irish food. Probably not the most healthy, but still damn good.

Also, proud to announce the passing of all my classes this term with a B+ or higher. On to next term with momentum.

WIP Wednesday!

A good start to my new goal of organization, it is time to show you what I am working on!

Here is my main project:

This is my progress on March 7:

Here is it when I got home from my knitting group tonight, March 10:

By the way, that JM cigar box was inside the bag both times to show comparison and shape.





After I hand felted the whole thing after casting it off. Tomorrow, after it has blocked out a bit, I may do another felting job, to tighten up the fabric. I plan on threading the i-cord pictured through the front of each long side, and tying it on the short sides.

Original pattern is found on Angela's blog, The Half-Assed Housewife, and is called Felt Me Up, or Angela's Fabulous Felted Bag! This pattern is also Raveled. I was working on it in a solid Rosewood colorway, from Patons Classic Wool, but ran out of the yarn, my Michaels is really low on wool right now, something about "Felting coming back into style faster than they figured it would"...or something to that effect. Anyways, I decided that the top half of that bag would look nice with a rich brown tone to match the brown woven through the pinks of the rosewood. I decided to go with Chestnut brown in Patons Classic Wool. The colors blend seamlessly... they are such a great match. I saved out enough of the rosewood to do about 2 ft of icord, I will felt the icords and do tied in handles instead of the purl bind off handles in the pattern.


My other WIP of the week is a scarf that I have designed, blogged, and raveled. Crooked Little Paths - A Scarf of Dreams is crafted using a granny square style cluster stitch, and it made up of several pentagonal shapes. I do not have enough of this done to warrant pictures, but it will be done in Caron Simply Soft in jade and silver, and Caron Rhapsody in Cranberry Mist. I will put up pics later in the week, when I post the pattern.

It's been a while...

since I last had anything crafty to talk about. My personal life has kind of taken over for the moment. Admittedly, I have had some stressful situation come into view, but through it all, I have been trying to craft.

As for the moment, I am "homeless", living with family in a guest room while we find a new place to call home. In thanks to my Aunt-in-law, Hollie, I am knitting her a wide fuzzy scarf.

This isn't just any knitting...no this is the first project I am doing...ever on knitting needles instead of the looms. I am using size 15's. I picked them up today while shopping. I am doing it is a color called Barley from the LionBrand Homespun line.

The sweaters from the previous post were put on hold when we lost our house.

We are trying to get into a new place this week, looking at an apartment tomorrow, can not wait to get back into my own room.

As for right now, I need to go get some water, and some artificial light. I have had a migraine all day, just getting to where I can work in artificial light. I'll post pictures of the scarf later.