artsy-crafty babe

back at it

I thought I was going to take a little break from knitting, but I couldn't help myself.  I'm attempting Ms. Marigold again.  This time I'm using different yarn, different needles, and I checked the guage.  So far, so good, though I'm not very far along. 

It seems kind of weird to be obsessed with knitting when it's a million degrees outside, but that's all I feel like doing.  It's too hot to do anything else!  Unfortunately, it will remain this hot for quite some time.  October, where are you????

rrrrrrip it

Well folks, I think my beginner's luck ran out.  Ms. Marigold has been frogged.  I knew something was terribly wrong when I joined the armholes and they hung below my boobs.  Uh, that's not right!  Yes my friends, checking guage is very important.  Oh well, it was a learning experience.  I feel like I should be a bit upset considering the amount of knitting I had done on it, but I'm not.  That whole project was a flurry of anxious activity because I had to start something that. very. moment.  I got it out my system and plan to be more careful next time.  Oh, I'm sure there will be a Ms. Marigold one day, just not today.

obsessed

As usual, I had a whole list of projects that I wanted to complete over the weekend, I always do.  And, like always, I don't get near as much accomplished as I think I can.  I have a good reason this time - I am OBSESSED with knitting.

This is Ms. Marigold, started on Friday night.  I have to say, I'm enjoying this one more that the other. 

As much as I wanted to knit some more last night, I didn't.  I switched gears to make some bags, one a custom order (the blue one), the other a prototype using my printed pattern.   The pattern seems to go together okay, so now I need to work on the instructions, which, to me, is the hardest part.

Okay, there's a few minutes before Ava's speech therapist arrives, so I had better get to knitting!  I'm obsessed, I tell ya!!

back to yellow

Thank you all for your kind words about my knitting!  Even though it was a little boring in the beginning, as my sweater started to take shape it became way more interesting.  I'm definitely hooked!  In fact, I already have my 2nd sweater project on the needles.

I didn't forget about yellow.  This little challenge has been fun.  I found yellow in way more places than I thought I would.  Lookie here, a three-for - there's Bob, a ripe banana, and a pitcher all on my kitchen butcher block.  Funny how that happens.

In the girls room I've had yellow paint cards taped to the wall for months.  I had totally forgotten they were there until I was on my yellow hunt.  I like how this one describes the color.

Right outside my back door was this little scene.  A scene all too familiar in my backyard - toys strewn about, usually in the dirt.

Last but not least, I caught a glimpse of these adorable boots.  These have been through quite a few kidlets - first my niece, then Lily, then Alex, and now Ava.  I think it's about time I have them a good cleaning, dontcha think?

Have a happy weekend, friends!  If all goes well, I'll have some crafty projects to show at the other end :-)

can I call myself a knitter now?

I'm interrupting this week of yellow to show off my first knitted sweater - the ChicKami.  YAY!  I can hardly believe that I actually made that, the girl who wondered what the big deal was about knitting, the girl who swore that she'd never learn to knit.  It was just about a year ago that I quickly learned how to cast on and do a knit stitch at my lys during my lunch break.  Hmph, imagine that!

This was a fairly easy sweater, much easier than I expected, though it took me much longer than I anticipated.  I made the wide strap, fitted version.  Suprisingly, it fit!  I did make some mistakes, all on the front side (of course), which I thought would be glaring, but I can hardly tell.  I will wear my chickami with pride.

I have to admit, I was kind of sad to finish this sweater, mostly because I don't have another project lined up yet.  I was ready to cast on a new project right then and there!  Don't worry, I'm sure I can come up with something real soon.

yellow around the yard

The weather down here has been kind of funky.  Gray, humid, yuck.  I'm happy that it isn't as hot as it has been, but it's still pretty darned hot.  On my search for yellow, I went outside despite the poor lighting.  I was surprised to find what I did.

I was expecting lots of this - fried, sick looking leaves.  This is from my suffering rose bush.

But then look what I found - a lone daylily.  I'm pretty sure this is one that I cross pollinated a few years ago.  I crossed a regular old yellow one with a red one.  It was a pretty cool experiment, though of all my daylilies, these are the scrawniest.

Then I found this basket of sand toys, left out from our trip to the beach a few weeks ago.  If you look in the bottom left corner you can see the handle of a hand saw.  We're safety conscious like that.

Next to my petered out vegetable garden I expected to find more yellow leaves, but I found this, the kid's sprinkler ball.  Pretty cool.

yellow

I've decided to take part in Tracy's Yellow week.  I fully planned to start yesterday, but it slipped my mind.  I guess a surprise dinner cooked by my MIL and two new books arriving in the mail will do that.  I was so thrilled to have a little extra time on my hands I decided to show off my weekend handiwork instead (though I don't think it was really blog worthy).

Turns out there is a bunch of yellow around my house, but it isn't too interesting.  That will be the challenge, I supppose.

Looks like my boy got the memo.

back in the dining room

This weekend I did a little work in the dining room.  After finishing up the quilt, I pretty much stopped working on that room.  There's still work to be done, but I am making progress, sort of. 

I finally got around to painting this old cedar robe.  I was going for a weathered look, but I think it just looks dirty.  I first painted it white, then went over it with an antiquing glaze.  Eh, it definitely needs some more layers to get the look I was going for, but I'll live with it for now.  Shoot, just being in the vicinity of my kids should add some natural wear and tear.  Now that I see that picture, those bird houses on top have to go.  They're not really my thing anymore.  I just put them back up there because I didn't have a place for them and I didn't have anything else to put up there.  I'd like to eventually put the bird houses outside in the backyard once we get around to doing something back there. *sigh*

I thought I liked the look of the raw selvages on my linen curtains, but it kind of drives me crazy.  I got the bright idea to encase the edges in white quilt binding.  Simple enough.  I then thought it would be nice to use a decorative stitch to attach it.  Needless to say, I don't quite have the most steady hand at using decorative stitches.   This turned out nothing like I envisioned!  I think I'm going to cut that binding off (NO WAY I'm unpicking those stitches!!), then add it back using a simple straight stitch.

One step forward, two steps back.  In case you're wondering - the quilt is there, it's on the back of the love seat.

I should save this for thursday

Aww what the heck, there's no rule that says I can only talk about thirifting finds on Thursday, is there?  These were picked up over the course of a few weeks here and there.   I just got around to getting them all washed this weekend, so here they are.

Ah, the yellows, aren't they lovely?  I happened to find these after Tracy mentioned that this upcoming week will be yellow week.  I love that butterfly one and that dark gold one next to it.  That burnt orange piece on the end is a napkin.  I was bummed that there was only one of them.

Some of the ones above are repeats of what I already have.  I'm pretty sure I have the matching sheet to that pink pillowcase, and those daisies - that's a full set including the flat & fitted sheet.  I plan to use that one on the girls' bed when we get them one.

When we do put the girls together in one bed, I'd like to make them a quilt from these sheets.  It's been on my mind lately.  I think that lovely stack of fat quarters from the Vintage Sheet Patchwork Swap got the wheels turning.  Aren't they yummy?  Thanks for putting together such a great swap, Elizabeth.  I only wish I would have sent in more (but I'm sure you don't -hee hee)!!

Okay, I'm pretty sure I'll be obsessing over quilt patterns for the next week or so...

gratitude friday

Oh boy, this week went by FAST!  I have no idea where the time went.  I'm happy that the weekend is here, but I feel out of sorts, like I'm missing something.  Weird.  Here I am trying to slow down, take it all in, and enjoy the moment while time is flying by faster than I can comprehend.  Really, I feel like I lost a day somewhere.

Oh well, as I reflect back on the past week, I can honestly say that it was a good week.  Perhaps that's why it went by so fast - it was so full of good stuff.  I think the most profound thing to happen this week was my decision to play.  This has affected me more than I could imagine.  Funny how a change in attitude can make such a difference.  I am embracing this!

This week, I am grateful for:

• watercolor paints!  I had no idea that I could love playing with them so much.  Just mixing the colors around gives me such pleasure. (the painting above is my echo for today.  I decided to add the words digitally so that I wouldn't mess it up.  I like this one a lot, I think because I let my guard down and just played with it and accepted it, imperfections and all)
• almost finishing my chickami - hopefully  by tonight it'll be done
• an evening to myself to run errands, knit in a coffee shop, and have dinner with friends
• my MIL, who helped out tremendously around the house this week
• Matt, for giving up his volleyball night so that I could have a night of my own
• my three little monkeys, who were full of love and hugs this week
• a working AC (knock on wood)
• yummy Mexican food!!
• watching my kids immerse themselves in make believe

This weekend I look forward to relaxing, catching up on some sleep, putting in our fall garden, and PLAYING!!  Happy weekend, friends - have a good one!