Getting started...again

 I can't believe how long it has been since I've written something for my blogs. I have been crafting, crafting, crafting and living my crazy life. I've realized I like to write about what I make, so I'm going to try this again. If you want to read and chat about crafting please give this space a shot. Can't wait to start again. Welcome one and all!

Kid Crafting

EEEK!!! Really? More than a month since my last post?

Well, I've been thinking of posting! I've been writing them in my head. I've been disappointed when I had no pictures so decided it wasn't a good idea.

What have I been doing? Well, I've been working. Working, working, working, then working some more to be truthful. Then, in between all that I've been crashing pretty hard to sleep.

I've been crafting for kids...including my newest one, a thirteen week old kitten.

Here is the bed I crocheted for Troy (the kitten):


  I let my kids each pick a skein of yarn and I picked one so most of the bed is done using all three at once. There was no pattern, just did what was in my mind. It's durable, which is a good thing as more often than not he runs at it then drags it across the room using it as a scratching spot. It's actually quite comical.


 Doll sweaters are flying off the needles...or were for a couple weeks. Here are four new ones set to go off to a friend. The peach one needs buttons as does the back of the mint one. There are hats to go with all but the lime one. Thankfully my friend who buys these also sent me a stack of new patterns. They are so well written and taught me the raglan construction really well. I'm grateful!

Well that's about it for now. I've got a baby blanket on the needles and another doll sweater and a ton of items in hibernation. I've been too tired and too weary of the cat to get much done these days. It will change soon enough I'm sure.

Multi-tasking

We all do it, don't we? Crafters in particular and women most likely.

We multi-task!

I remember hearing, and witnessing to some extent, that my one Grandmother never stayed still. Well, she was the mama to nine children...no wonder!

It's like that for me. Full-time mama, full-time admin assistant, and part-time entrepreneur. On the side of all that is a little knitting to keep me sane. I went too many days without it recently and it wasn't until I forced myself to take a few minutes for a few stitches that I realized the tension almost immediately melted from my shoulders and neck. Yep, I do need it.

So, tucked in beside me at my day job is this little project.

I don't get to do many stitches, but I can place my hand on it from time to time and know it's all going to be fine.

What are your multiple tasks for today?

Hanging

Yes, I admit I'm hanging my head in shame.

I LOVE to read crafting blogs. There are some I click on daily (not an RSS kind of person). Still, when it comes to this (or my other) blog...I just can't seem to schedule time to write.

Well, that's probably not true. I love to do the writing, and think of it often. What I've been delinquent about is taking photos of what I'm working on. I have completed many projects already this year, but no pics have been posted here.

I am hanging other things however. I am launching a business in my community. June 8th is our grand opening. We'll sell crafts and offer classes and generally just revel in the joy of being who we are and being appreciated for it. I'm excited to have hung up my sign (figuratively) and to be hanging up merchandise:

 

This is what my space looks like so far. I don't know about you, but it makes me what to sit a spell and knit and chat. Off to the right is going to be the class area and off to the left is another peg board with tons of t-shirt necklaces hung where my girls wanted them to be.

 

 

Last night I arrived home to a package on my doorstep...the decals above. I have been sporting a knitting nerd decal from that shop for many years. Those things are almost indestructible. I've scraped ice off and not chipped the vinyl. So, I thought I'd share with my soon-to-be customers. I ordered a bunch of the Geek and Nerd designs. I do hope others will love adopting these girls as much as I do.

 

So, as you see, I've been crafting just not writing. I'll try to do better at both.

Ho Hum...mitts, mitts, and more mitts

Yes, I'm still around and yes, I'm still working on countless pair of fingerless mitts. I finally found the perfect pink...Lion Brand Homespun Tulips. I think my youngest would approve.

I'm also knitting a scarf for a friend. 350 stitches each row, five colors. I needed to change things up a bit so I'm knitting it lengthwise instead of widthwise.

I also have a hat for a different friend on the needles. It is also made from Homespun in shades of purple and pink.

It's cold around  here these days. The high for today is expected to be 10 degrees Fahrenheit. BRRR!!!

I hope you're staying warm wherever you are!

Addiction

Hi! My name is Melissa and I think I'm addicted to knitting fingerless mitts! YIKES!!

Yes, it's happened again. I started last year with these and then got off the kick for a long time. Then a few weeks ago I was cleaning out my project basket and found some I hadn't seamed. I did a quick seaming and it felt good. I asked my Mom if she'd model them so I could put them on Etsy for sale and that's when everything went downhill...fast.

Mom liked them...a lot. She wants some for Christmas presents...four...six...eight pair. Any colors she said. Well that's like giving a kid a credit card in a candy store and unlimited time. I'm in over my head!!!

I've got most of the original batch done and am working on round two...for choices, of course. What if she didn't like what I picked for the first color choices? It didn't help that one of the variegated yarns put out two very non-matching mitts so I made four mitts to see if I could get two that might look better together. I got close but I still have two non-matches so I know I'll "have to" knit at least two from that skein.

Ok, well that's me for now. Pics to come sometime.

WIP Wednesday

YIKES! I had good intentions...really, I did! I actually have two finished objects to post about. But...I do not have pictures yet. I do have a bag with three lovely skeins of yarn peeking out at me begging for me to finish another doll sweater and start the next. I have a circular needle sitting on the round glass table with nothing on it (looking sad, oh so sad). As for me, I'm sitting with my feet up for the first time in days and well, I'm going to play Words With Friends with my bf. Silly, I know, but I need a break and tonight that's what I need even more than knitting (can you believe it?). Cheers!