Playing Catch-up

Sorry I haven't posted in so long. I was going to post a little over a week ago and then ended up going out of town at the last minute for my grandma's funeral. I was gone for a week and am hoping to get my head screwed on straight and get caught up on some things. When I came home last night I had a package waiting for me from a Valentine's Swap that I'm in on Ravelry. Claudia (a.k.a. delights on Rav) did a great job of putting it all together and the things she made for me are just wonderful. It all put a much needed smile on my face.






The potholders match my kitchen perfectly. Also what you can't see in the pic are the beautiful cards she made for me. One of the heart pouches has cards in it and then there is the one that can be seen....it's a pouch with a see through window and holds a package of pea seeds and has a tag that says "peas be mine". So clever! The top of the cupcake opens up is a great place to hold little trinkets. I'll share pics hopefully next week of what I am sending her for the swap (after she receives it of course). Meanwhile, stay tuned and I'm sure I'll get caught up on posts eventually.

Carl's Scarf

Yep, another Christmas project that I completed. I meant to post this ages ago (like when I finished it), and was too busy knitting away and doing other holiday things and never posted it. I suppose better late than never although I seem to be saying that WAY too much here lately! It took me about a month to complete this working on it a bit here and a bit there and working on some other projects in between. I really love how the yarn striped itself. It turned out super soft and warm. I used Loops & Threads (Michael's brand) Charisma yarn in Deep Forest. It was made using a simple basketweave pattern. You can find the pattern here.

My Aunt Josie said that she is totally in love with the color and that Carl (her fiancee) not only loves the color but also how warm & soft it is. She said he started wearing it right away & loves it. I love it when a handknit gift turns out the way I hoped it would - well loved and worn by the recipient. :)

Knitting Notebook

I really like it when I can combine two of my loves. In this instance, I was able to make an altered notebook with a knitting theme. I made this notebook for a sweet woman in Switzerland who recently sent me some yarn. I tucked it into the package of yarn I sent to her as a little something extra, because hey we all love surprises. :)

I used the same paper pack as on my Aunt's gift set. I found myself wondering if anyone was really paying attention to the supplies I listed. I was looking back through the current SU catalog after I posted that project and realized the paper is called "blueberry crisp" not "blueberry buckle" as I listed. That is what sleep deprivation will do to you!




Supplies Used:
Paper: SU Blueberry Crisp DSP, CTMH Pacifica & White Daisy Cardstock
Stamps" SU Hand Knit
Inks: CTMH Pacifica, Memento Tuxedo Black
Misc: Ribbon, Making Memories Pin, Ribbon, Stickles, Notebook from $1 spot at Michael's

Now all SU needs to do is to come up with a companion stamp set to this that is crochet themed!

Connor's Hat

I found this most wonderfully scrumptious yarn at Michael's in November when they were having a huge yarn sale. Even better was they had put out a 20% off your entire purchase (including sale items) coupon. Anyway, the yarn is made by Loops & Threads (Michael's brand) and is called Charisma. It is a chunky acrylic yarn and super soft and warm. It's the kind of yarn that makes you want to snuggle up with it before you've even knit anything with it. I fell in love with the color and decided that Connor (nephew) really needed a new hat. :) I measured his head while we were visiting over Thanksgiving and started on it. I didn't really have a pattern and was just winging it and was really worried that it wouldn't fit. So then I borrowed my neighbor's 4 year old to try it on him. It fit perfectly. Whew!



My daughter's teddy bear was the only available model at picture time. He looks rather good in this hat I think. :) DH talked to his brother on Christmas Day and found out that Connor loves the hat and that Connor's mommy and daddy love it even more because it stays on him! Apparently it's a bit snug (it's a beanie style hat....just doesn't look like it on the bear), but snug is good. He has a storebought hat that is forever sliding off so they are quite pleased that this fits snug and stays put.

I'm such a bad blogger...

I haven't updated in forever....somehow real life just gets in the way dang it. I've only completed 3 paper crafting projects in the past month, but I've completed 12 knitted/crocheted projects. I'm going to jump back into blogging with one of the three paper projects. :) It's actually a complete gift set that I made for my Aunt Josie for Christmas. She is so fun to make things for because she not only always LOVES what I make her, but she APPRECIATES it too. I had originally intended to make a lace scarf for her but I had trouble with the pattern and just couldn't get it done before her package had to be mailed. So she got her birthday present for Christmas and will get her Christmas lace scarf in February for her birthday. LOL




The tin was one that came with cookies or treats of some kind in it last Christmas and yup, I saved it thinking that surely it would come in handy for something. LOL I'm a little bummed that I dinged the edge of it as you can see in the pic...but otherwise I'm happy with how it turned out. The projects below are what's IN the tin. :)




Supplies Used:
Papers: SU Blueberry Buckle DSP, CTMH Pacifica, Outdoor Denim, and White Daisy Cardstock
Inks: CTMH Pacifica & Outdoor Denim
Stamps: Cannot for the life of me remember the name of it. I think it's an Inkadinkadoo set.
Misc: Post-it note pad, inkpen, magnet, tin, ribbon, self adhesive gems, flowers, and SU border punch.