Casting On

To occupy my abundance of free time*, I’ve been doing a lot of blog hopping recently.  I’ve found really good tips for organizing and saving money.  But I’ve also found card making challenges.   Who knew they existed?  I’ve been wanting to  become a better stamper for awhile and thought this would be a good  opportunity  to learn some new skills.  Here’s my first attempt at a card making challenge.

I will be entering this in the Just Us Girls Challenge #15.  The requirement was to use stitching in your card.  The flower is a paper piercing template from Bazzill In Stitch’z and hand sewn with DMC floss.   Basically it’s a similar process to those sewing cards you may have had as a child.  There is also a machine sewn border around the striped paper squares.  I tried using a Provo Craft sewing machine that is meant for sewing  paper, but it was a massive  fail.  My regular sewing machine did the job much neater and quicker.  The template for this card is from Truly Scrumptious Challenge #23.  While I would enter this card in their challenge too, they seem to concentrate more on the stamp that the technique.  But I did learn that there are digi stamps.  So maybe I’ll be entering their next challenge too.

The most important things I learned from making this card are:

1.  Condition your clear stamps with an eraser.  This will hold the ink better.

2.  YouTube has tutorials for scrapbooking supplies that you never really learned how to use properly.

3.  The Fiskars Stamp Press sucks.  I ended up going and buying acrylic blocks and with the conditioning your stamps they make a world of difference.

*sarcasm at it’s finest.

Tags: jugs

Recently I’ve been enthralled with aprons.  I don’t know why.   Maybe because I cannot cook something without getting something on me.  Who knows.  Anyway I’ve stumbled over 2 different apron posts that interest me.  There subliminally telling me it’s time for me to make my first apron.

Angry Chicken hosts a bi-monthly apron theme challenge at Tie One On.  This month’s the theme is black and white.  As soon as I read the post, an idea came to my head.  It also helps that I have 2 Jo-ann’s gift cards burning a hole in my pocket.  Hopefully this weekend I will get to peruse Jo-ann’s for some neat fabric.

For those of you not into sewing, Vanilla Joy is hosting a contest to win an apron from Flirty Aprons.   These are some of the cutest aprons I’ve seen for sale.  Plus the prices are very reasonable.  I’m seeing aprons for $25 and $30.  There’s also a child size aprons if you want that mother/daughter look.  Vanilla Joy’s contest only runs until midnight Thursday, January 7 so get moving if you want to enter.

Tags: aprons

I know I’ve been slacking in the blogging and knitting departments.  Not much knitting has been done the last half of last year.  Hopefully this year I can get back on track.   There’s lots in my Ravelry queue and new patterns are always available.

I did do some crafting for this past Christmas.

Christmas Tree Garland

The inspiration for this came  from  Scraps in Progress No Sew Valentine Garland.   The tree template came from an old wooden Christmas decoration.  I’m still thinking of ideas to dress this up a little more for next year.

German Star Wreath

The inspiration for the came from Linaloo Fru-cool Recycled Christmas Wreath.  I used a Styrofoam wreath and wrapped in red ribbon.  The stars are the basic German star pattern except I did not do the back points.  I spray painted each star and used a floral pin to attach to the wreath.  I was worried that the spray paint would be too heavy for the newspaper, but it worked out just fine.

I really can’t say I liked the movie. I left the theater feeling disappointed. So did my friend and her son who went with me. The movie did have its moments and the cinematography you would expect from a Harry Potter film was there. I think the best part of the movie was watching the trio go through all the emotions of growing up and coming to terms with life and love. I am not annoyed with the actors or director. My gripes mostly lie with the screenwriter. I have put my gripes and likes behind a spoiler tag. So my warning is that clicking on the link below will give you spoilers for this movie and there are cases were I reference the Deathly Hallows book. Consider yourself warned.

Tags: harry potter

Since we couldn’t do any much needed yard work, Chris and I took a ride over to The Space for the CT Etsy Team’s Spring Craft Fair.   A bunch of  great vendors were there.  I wish I had the budget for jewelry, but I didn’t.  And mitsel8’s light switch plates and draw knobs were absolutely adorable.  I  want to  keep her card for future reference.  I ended up picking up a bath bomb from Morgan Street and something for the cat that no one loves.  Well, that’s how he acts sometimes.

It’s a Cat Mat filled with cat nip from the Crafty Scientist.  He took to it right away.  It’s a funny comic strip print on catisms.   Here’s a better shot of the print, but it’s still a little blurry because he wouldn’t let me get a clear shot.

He seems pretty happy with it.

Tags: craft fairs are cool

A few weeks ago I picked up some organic seeds and organic soil.  Though I was a little late getting started, I figured I take my chances and see how they grew.  I  was pleasantly surprised at how quickly the seedlings started.

I have to give them a few more  weeks before I plant them in the ground.  And our garden is no way ready for them.  We still need to till the plot.   It’s still a little cold at night for them outside, but our porch gives them enough protection from the elements.

Last weekend was also spent getting the outside of  our house  ready for the summer.   Chris borrowed a power washer and gave the house a good spray down.  The siding still  needs some help in places, but it looks a lot better than it did.  I’m trying to research grants to get the siding replaced.  They’re out there, I just need to find them.

After he was finished power washing, he moved  some hosta from the front yard to the back and grouped together what was left in the front.  Don’t ask me why, hosta is not one of my favorite plants.   The previous owners had planted  a line of hosta in the front, and I couldn’t stand looking at it.  So  while he dug up the  hosta, I weeded a patch that we had  along the  garage where grass doesn’t grow that well.  We had planted  some hosta there last year, but it needed more.

Hopefully I won’t mind it here.  Plus it will keep the dog from trying to sniff out what ever is living under the garage.  We think it’s a possum.  Our take on the situation is, if it doesn’t bother us, than we won’t bother it.

Tags: garden

is not like the others.  Can you guess which one?

Saturday BabyBeth and I took a drive up to the CT Sheep & Wool Festival.  We had great weather, saw lots of sheep and petted lots of yarn and roving.  SnB New Haven was wall represented.  I liked the feel of a smaller festival much better than the big hubbub of Rhinebeck.  I enjoyed talking to different vendors and not feeling rushed.  I definely will make the effort to go next year.

The first booth we stopped at had something I have wanted to try since my trip to  Rhinebeck in 2006.  Rug Hooking.  Phyllis Poor was demonstrating and showing off some of her creations.

I bought a kit that will  make a small purse that will  be great for a camera case.  Phyllis was so nice.  She gave Beth and I a personal demonstration and  she made sure I had  all her contact info in case I need help.  I  gave it a go later that evening, but I had the wrong size hoop.  I need to get back to Joanne’s to exchange it for a smaller size.

And the best purchase of all, a bead that fits my <insert brand name> bracelet.

The glass sheep bead was made by Glastonbury Glassworks.  Their beads, stitch  markers and buttons are simply awesome.  I almost want to knit a sweater specificly to use their some of their buttons.

Tags: i love sheep, rug hooking

A bowl, 2 containers of rice and an iPod.  Yep that can’t be good.

I go to sleep every night listening to a book on my iPod.  Most nights it’s for 15 to 30 minutes, but there’s the occasional night that it’s an hour or longer.  It was one of those nights last night.  I also use my iPod as a light to get to the bathroom.  You  see where I’m going  here.  Let’s just say the water was  clean when I  heard  the  slash.

So it’s 1 am and I’m wide awake.  I want to contiue to listen to the Bill Bryson book.  I was on CD 7 of 8.  I  drag myself downstairs to charge my mini when I realize it’s out in my car.  Doh!  So I put the mp3s of the 2 cds on my phone.  Note to  self, do not take the phone to the bathroom.  While the files are uploading to the phone, I google wet iPod and come up with putting it in a bowl of  rice.  What the heck, I have nothing to loose.

The article says to  leave  it be for 24 hours.  I covered the iPod up and stuck it in a cabinet so cats would not mess with it.  We’ll see what happens.  A few years ago I dropped  my cell phone into a pool.  I let it dry out for 3 days and the phone still works today.  I’ll think good thoughts.

Tags: ipod

In my house it’s  not just Super Bowl Sunday, the activities start on Saturday.  The Joiner Inners had a reunion choogle.  There was a keg.  We made it to Cafe Nine to watch one of Tom’s bands play.  We ordered a crap load of food from one of the few pizza places open at midnight and the food sucked.  And all the boys (minus Tom) crashed at my house.

So to  get away before more  testosterone fill my house, I took advantage of the Yarn Garden’s Super Bowl Sale.  40% off of yarn is always a good draw.  Stitch and Bitch New Haven was well represented.

I hadn’t bought yarn since my trip to Webs in October.  I felt I could  splurge a little.  I went with a list and bought for 2 of the 3 projects I had intended to buy for.  Since I  didn’t buy for the third, I picked up the Knitcol and the shawl pin.  The Eucalan was to replace the bottle that is currently MIA.  Afterwords, I went to lunch with Sunflowerfairy and Baby Beth.  It was nice to get away for a few hours before I had to return home to the band playing, again and frying vast quantities of  chicken for buffalo bites.   The rest of the night went really well, minus the Cardinals losing.  My house i s  not as trashed as I thought it would be.  Chris took the day off  to get things back in order.  But my porch still looks like it belongs in a frat house.  I really want to post a picture, but it’s probably not the most appropriate thing to do.

Tags: stash

This episode was rated the highest among the viewers who saw a 5 episode preview.  None of the Oceanic 6 are in it.

Tags: Lost