The Weekend

This weekend is the big bazaar at the local high school....the one I was going to be prepared for this year.  Yeah right!  I may have about 6 books, 3 necklaces and a dozen hair clip bows.  Why is it that something always comes up when I am trying to achieve this goal.  I really want to make crafting a small source of income for myself, but somehow it always gets pushed to the waste side because life happens. 

Luckily, the friend I shared a booth with last year doesn't mind if she has the booth all to herself this year, but has offered if I have a few things to put in, I am welcome to.  Unfortunately, these days I go to bed at around 9pm.  Just enough time to get home, relax for a few, make dinner, eat dinner, clean up after dinner, play with my dog Kane, relax for a little while and then to bed...no time for crafting.

Maybe someone is trying to tell me to give up?

Hello! Hello!

Where o where have I been?  Sleeping and working.  That seems to be life these days.  I have been so exhausted the past month that I haven't done a whole lot of anything.  It is really frustrating, since I am the type of person that always has my hands busy.  Even when lounging on the couch, I will have a crochet hook in my hand.

Big changes are coming in my life.  Although I am keeping it a secret for now, I assure you everything is good, and this change is wonderful. 

Jelly

The Salmonberries were not as abundant this year, as they have been. It seems that the effects of the non-existent summer, two years ago, when we barely reached 50 degrees and hardly saw the sun, is still showing. I miss seeing berries the size of walnuts, over taking the bushes. At least there were some berries, compared to the non-existent summer, where there were no berries, no flowers, and no sun.


Yesterday I took the day off, a much needed 3 day weekend.  (The last tax deadline, October 15th, has past and I have survived...barely)  Sunday I pulled out my three small bags of berries to de-thaw.  I was able to get about 2 gallons of berries, a small amount for me.

Thru smashing and adding a small amount of water I was able to squeeze enough juice for two batches.  Not a lot but at least some. 

One Month To Go

 With one month till the holiday bazaars begin, I am furiously working on increasing my inventory.  I am bound and determined that this year will be better.  I will be more prepared with a better focus.  Not sure if I have enough time to pull it off but I am going to give it my best effort.  My only worry right now is having enough variety as well as product.

Here is my newest item:
The Mushroom Stash Necklace
Will fit a lighter or lipstick, a roll of cash or whatever you wish.

And here are some new earrings.....

Tell me what you think.  I welcome all and any comments!!

Come on now I know you want to order some..wink wink.

Beach Treasures

I received a phone call mid afternoon yesterday asking if I would like to go beach combing.  I LOVE BEACH COMBING!  So of course I went.  I packed the necessities, my camera and a Ziploc bag, and traveled to a beach I haven't explored before not knowing what I would find.

After about a 15 minute walk, we approached the beach. I was at first amazed with the view (I never get tired of pretty landscapes), then I looked down....

Look closely at the beach, (click on the picture to enlarge) yes that is beach glass!  And lots of it.  Most were fairly small pieces, but I was able to find some big pieces.  There were lots of Amber, Clear and Green.  I also found some blue, yellow, a small red and some other neat things out there.

Here is all my loot...

I'd say it was a good day at the beach!

End of Road 1000 Feet

The island is receiving some beautiful fall days and I am trying to take advantage of each and every one of them.  Winter will be here soon and with that comes lots of rain, some snow, cold days and little daylight.  I always giggle on these nice days because it seems like everyone ventures outside to enjoy them.  We all get so couped up staying out of the bad weather that any amount of good weather brings out the masses.

My red nose pitt bull, Kane, and I drove all the way out the road, literally to the end of the road.  We were lucky to find only a few people out there and no other dogs.  (Kane is not too friendly towards other dogs)  We spent our time walking the beach, playing Frisbee, collecting fossils and just relaxing.

Crafting:

In crafting news, I am working on a couple skirt designs.  I have become obsessed with the show Project Runway and it has really sparked some great ideas for me.  Even as a kid I wanted to be a fashion designer and if that dream never comes true, I can at least design some really great clothes for myself, right?

Long Weekends

With one deadline behind me and another one steering closer, I decided to take last Friday off from work.  With a "To Do" list the size of the Titanic I was surprisingly feeling really energetic about the day.  Unfortunately, I was not as productive as I wanted to be...but I did finished this....

This lovely rug was crocheted using 7 different sheets and a size Q hook. 

You'll Have to Excuse Me

It is that time...AGAIN!  Taxes are due.  If you or your accountant, filed an extension for 2009 taxes, the time is upon you.  Corporate Return's deadline is September 15th and Personal Return's are October 15th.  Get them done!

Please forgive my absence, I will have an exciting new post after September15th.

Adventures in Crochet

The hooks are hot, my hands are sore and some great things are starting to come together.  I started a rag rug a long time ago and put it down because I wasn't getting the increases correct in the corners.  The rug just would not lay flat.  While looking around in the craft room for a project to work on, I came across this so called half complete wavy rug and the strips of fabric already cut for more torture of fighting this thing and thought...."I really should just crochet the rug."  So I put the wavy thing aside, grabbed the strips and the largest crochet hook I have and went to work.

I am very happy with the difference between the crochet and "rag rug" knots.  The crochet rug is soft and airy.  I am only about a third finished with the rug, if that.  I would like it to be large enough to fill the floor to the craft room.  I would also like there to be at least 4 or 5 more colors.

Craft Fair Item.

Hair accessories never go out of style, right?  Below is the first, of many, crochet head bands.  It is crocheted with cotton yarn so it is soft and won't be too hot.  It has a crochet button to join the ends at the back of the neck, making it easy to put on.  A great way to get your hair out of your face.

Something New.

A good friend gave me a crochet book a while back with all sorts of different stitches, motifs and techniques.  I am learning everything from Irish Lace to Broomstick Lace to three dimensional crochet and everything in between.  One thing that caught my eye was a "woven" flat pattern.  Used mainly for place mats and table runners, for its flat, even surface.  I can see many possibilities with this...a skirt maybe, or scarf, or maybe a bag....hmmm...

The Review

The Gnome House and Gnome Family made it to their new home with my niece last week.  And does she like them???  SHE LOVES THEM!!  I am happy to report that she is having lots of fun playing with them.  The other night, on her way to bed she grabbed them suddenly and held on tight, so my sister would let her take them with her.  How sweet is that?

Up on top of my to do list....make more Gnome Families!

Afraid? Me?

"I think you are afraid to finish anything", my husband tells me regarding all of my unfinished projects.
"No I am not!"

Now I think he may be right.  The Gnome house for my niece was 95% done a week and a half ago.  I just needed to make one more little kid, and give the first kid arms.  That is only an hour (or two) worth's of work.  An hour, and it took me a week and a half.  I did finish it and mailed it off last Saturday.

I finally started taking in some of my pants, which are all to big now.  Total weight lost so far? 23 pounds.  (The last 10 is hanging on.)  BUT I just couldn't finish all of them.  It is really easy and I have all of them marked, which is the time consuming part of the job.  So why did I leave pants undone?

The vest/shirt I picked back up, sitting on the bottom shelf of the coffee table.  Little progress has been made.  I would love to make an inventory of all my unfinished projects, maybe seeing them lined out on paper would give me incentive to either finish them or scrap them.

So, am I afraid to finish things?  Or is my attention span really that short?

Can I live in there?

What little girl would not want her very own Gnome family and house? 

As soon as I saw these little Gnome people I knew I had to make my niece her own little family to play with.  This has been a really fun project and unlike anything I have knitted or crocheted before.  The Gnome people I used a pattern I found online and the home...well I just winged it.

Don't you just want to curl up in there?  Maybe get a bean bag...and a bottle of wine...peanut butter and crackers.........

Kids these days...no respect!

I get up Saturday morning, make coffee and turn on the TV.  My husband opens the front window curtains and....we were egged.  Just one, but you would be amazed at the amount of goo an egg produces when splattered on your window.  The husband was in quite the fit over this, although I was the one who cleaned up the mess.

Why did they decide to throw an egg at my house?  Well, my poor kitty was sitting in the window, taking in the night.  It was about 2 or 3 in the morning.  Some kids walking by see him sitting there and aim their egg at his poor little head!  This scares the geebies out of him, and wakes the husband sleeping on the couch.  (The couch is right next to the window, which was open.)  He assumes the cat just had a normal cat freak out moment and falls back asleep.

I understand kids don't have any respect for other's property, but a poor little kitty, minding his own business...uncalled for!

I Can Count

When working on knitting projects, I always have a hard time keeping count of my rows.  Someone will start talking to me, and my multi-tasking goes to the waste side...I will almost always forget my count.  I am sure more experienced knitters have no problem looking at their work and are able to just count the rows.  Not me.

I now present to you....the counting stick...(or very simple Abacus)

Every fifth bead is the same, so I can count in fives.  After each row, I slide one bead from one side to the next.  Simple, right?  The charm is to mark my place, when I need to put the project down.

Here is how I made it:

Materials:

Metal Hanger

Wire Cutters

Pliers

Beads

Hot Glue Gun/Glue Sticks

Yarn

Directions:

The straight bottom of the hanger is your "stick".  Using the wire cutters cut where indicated in the picture below.

"String" beads on the wire.  You can make a pattern, or make it random like I did.  I would suggest every 5th bead using the same beads to make it easy to keep your count.  Also, leave enough room to be able to slide the beads over from one side to the next, and have the definition to see the division between the two.

Using the pliers, bend the ends into a circle.  The main purpose is to create a stopper at each end so the beads don't fall off.  At this point you could call it done.  I decided that the ends needed a little more decoration so I crocheted around the wire, and added a couple beads.  I also used hot glue to adhere the sharp end of the wire to where it meets to form the circle. 

I Think I Can...I Think I Can

Remember this post... "Now What" ...I picked it up again!  I found the yarn by looking around online and now have enough yarn to finish the project.  The shirt/vest I am making is completely an "on the fly" design.  I am just making it up as I go along and so far it is looking great.  I am noticing that with my weight loss it may be a little big, but plan to adjust when it is complete.  Maybe with a little sewing I can take it in a little...but I will just have to wait and see when the piece is complete.

How sweet it will be to finish something!