Ruffled Feathers

Shut Her Down

2010-05-09T11:17:00.002-05:00

Oh, kids. I don't know how to say this, but it's time to say goodbye. Blogging's been real. Blogging's been fun. But lately, it hasn't been real fun. And if it's not fun to write, then it can't be all that fun to read (especially given the lack of posts). Maybe I'll come back in the future when the creativity bug bites me again, but for now I'm going to focus my attention on the bigger picture--whatever that may be.

(From Suz and Roo's Etsy shop.)

Thanks to everyone for visiting, commenting, and playing along. I'll miss you all, but I know I'll see you around on my Web travels. =)

Best to everyone! Love you all!

Chanel Commercial

2010-05-05T18:21:00.005-05:00

Yes. I've been absent. I know. I wish I had a good excuse...vacationing in the south of French, backpacking across Europe, drinking tequila on a beach somewhere...nope. None of those. So no good excuses and no great posts. But, I have done some good ol' fashioned TV watching. That's exciting, right? OK, no. Despite all of this, I do have a Chanel commercial that I've recently fallen in love with, so I've decided (after minimal brain-wracking) that this is the best I can do. I hope it makes you feel romantic...moved...warm and fuzzy...really I just hope it makes you feel something. Enjoy.

Creative with Craigslist

2010-04-29T00:01:00.001-05:00

The living room furniture has been picked up to be returned to the store, and it's now time to start considering a new direction. I'm kind of at a loss for the moment, so instead of looking at new furniture, I've been scanning Craigslist to see what the community has in store. I came across a few decor doozies and now I just need to work on opening my mind.

Barrel furniture...so eco-friendly!

And wait...a matching dining room set. Bonus!

"Excuse me, but is that your hand on my ass?"

And a beautiful side table lamp of a guy licking a woman's stomach.

And the pefect panther artwork.

Done and done.

I'm an Aunt...Again!

2010-04-28T08:19:00.004-05:00

Congrats to my brother Pat and sister-in-law Kelly on their new little girl. She was born yesterday at 8:42 p.m. and came in to the world at 8 lbs 2 oz and 20.5" long. My new niece is still awaiting the perfect name, but she and mama are doing well. I can't wait to meet the newest member of the family.

I saw this onesie in the Babycakes and Decor Etsy shop. This is one of many cute designs.

Lookie What I Won!

2010-04-27T07:41:00.003-05:00

My pal and old co-worker Miss Aubre had a giveaway on her site, and thanks to Google Reader, I won! I just started using Google Reader a few weeks ago, and it has made blog reading so much more fun! If you're unfamiliar with it, you can subscribe to the blogs you like (such as, oh, I don't know--my blog?) and then when that blog is updated, a link to the post shows up in your Google Reader. To win Aubre's contest prize of the cutest and sweetest mini-harmonica necklace (of which I'm wearing now) ever, you had to be the first commenter. Google Reader let me know immediately of her post, and I went right in for the win!

Above is a pic of the necklaces (from Aubre's site). One was for Aubre, and now one is for me. I have multiple meetings today, so I have to tame my urge to break out in harmonic song. We'll see how that goes. Thanks, Aubre!!

Opinion Time: Too Big, Right?

2010-04-23T20:05:00.004-05:00

Furniture came today, and I think it's too big. Shane is sort of feeling the same way, but as the night goes on he said it's growing on him. We have 30 days to return it without any extra cost or loss of money, so I need some help. Should it stay or should it go? And if it goes, what should I do instead? I'm thinking just two chairs and a table or an ottoman now. Something like this. But I don't know. The room is so narrow. Ugh.

(Poor lil Dex. I woke him up from his night nap by turning all the lights on.)

Tiny Art Director

2010-04-22T00:01:00.000-05:00

OMG...this is cracking me up. On the Chronicle Books site, I came across the book Tiny Art Director, which "chronicles toddler Rosie Zeman's efforts to get some decent work out of her artist father, Bill. Rosie may not know much about art, but alas for Bill, she knows what she doesn't like—to her ever-increasing exasperation, that's his hilarious interpretations of her commissions," (Chronicle's description). I haven't seen the book yet, but I went to his blog. I was dying. Go check it out for some laughs!

Dexter Pupdate

2010-04-21T07:40:00.003-05:00

Crafts have been on the backburner thanks to nice weather and a chance to work on the house and yard. Dexter is loving being outside, sitting in the sunshine, and crunching ice cubes on the deck while Shane and I get work done. But the fresh air also makes him a tad more mischieveous. He likes to run figure-eight laps around our very small yard. A few of the growing perennials have taken a beating because of it, but if it helps him expend some energy, I'm all for it.

Good Dog.
This garden statue was something my grandma bought when I was a little because she thought it looked like me. She always kept inside in her dining room bay window. Dex used to only be as tall as the mushroom top, now he's a big dog.

Bad dog!

This is Dex under our deck stairs. He goes under here when he's being really naughty (and knows it) so that he can take in big moutfuls of rocks and dirt. Note his super dirty mouth and chin.

My First Tulips

2010-04-20T07:41:00.002-05:00

This is my first spring in our new house, and last fall I planted my first set of tulip bulbs. I had no clue what I was doing or if Jimmy, our neighborhood chipmunk, would eat the bulbs (he was eyeing me when I was planting). Little buds came up a while ago (remember?), but then I had a family of snooping rabbits to contend with. Despite all of the possible challenges to the future of my tulips, they are up in full bloom and more beautiful than I could've ever imagined. Take a looksy:

While Jimmy and the rabbits (a new band coming to a town near you!) have been kind to the tulips, I can't help but think that they were the culprits behind why my crocuses never came up. I haven't checked yet, but I'm guessing those bulbs are long gone. Oh well, at least I have my pretty pink tulips!

Prepping for the "Brown Room"

2010-04-16T07:29:00.008-05:00

Ah...the living room. How long have I been talking about painting this room? Two months? Four months? Longer? I don't know, I've lost count. But it doesn't matter because the time has come and the living room is getting painted this weekend! Woo hoo!

I'd like to say that I planned to decorate this room monochromatically (is that a word?), but I did not. And somehow, it's now become the brown room.

Here is the couch from the furniture set we just bought (there are two chairs that go with this). We wanted leather, we knew that, but I was leaning more in a contemporary direction. We searched and searched, and we just couldn't find a set we liked. When we saw this traditional set, we knew the search was over. So this brown furniture has led to...

...brown paint. The color is Behr's "Toffee Crunch." We wanted the paint to coordinate with Behr's Gobi Desert in the dining room, which is right next to the living room. And we wanted to keep the room neutral feeling since I often like to change out the decor.

If you recall, I already have the above brown curtains from our apartment, and I'd like to use them again. I'm hoping that from the curtains is where the pops of color will get pulled. The curtains have red, orange, blue, and green in them. The dining room has dark red curtains. I found matching red sheers at a garage sale (brand new from Pottery Barn!) that I'm thinking of using them under the brown curtains above. If that works out and I like the way it looks...

...then maybe I can get an area rug that plays up some of the red and orange in the curtains. I like the above one from Target, but I'm still not positive if it's what I want. However, since everything is so solid, I like the idea of going bold with the rug.

And then some more color can come in throug a couple of pretty pillows. All of the above examples are from Pier 1.

Oh, and here's a quick look at how I'm thinking of laying out of the room. (Here's a link to room planner...lots of fun!) The piece in the bottom right corner is an antique buffet. On the opposite side of the room is the dog crate...not something I'd consider a "design element" but Dex needs to sleep somewhere. He used to sleep where the buffet is going to go, but now he's getting moved. Poor puppy.

So that's that. More pictures to come later once the room starts to come together.

Gift Tags Made for the Handmade

2010-04-15T08:19:00.003-05:00

As someone who makes a lot of gifts, I'm intrigued by the gift tags and other paper goodies that Knitterella has to offer. They seem to say just what you want them to.

This one has to be my favorite. Yarn and fabric are expensive, and I often realize when a gift is finished, that I would've saved time and money if I had just gone with something store bought.

This one has a little too much guilt built in. But I can think of a family member or two who might like this. =)

This one is nice because it saves the recipient a bit of embarassment.

Yes, please, fool me. I don't care if you're lying, so long as I walk away feeling like I didn't waste the time and money mentioned above.

A Date with David Sedaris

2010-04-14T07:47:00.002-05:00

Last night, Shane and I had our first real date night in a long time (beyond just going out for dinner, that is). We spent our night with David Sedaris, who we both find wildly funny. He read material that he is working on for his new book, due out in October. He also read a New Yorker story he did about a Kookaburra and entries from his diary. It was amazing. The only thing that would've made it better would've been if he had read Stadium Pal but understanding that it was his old material, all was forgiven. So instead, I thought I'd include it here to keep the David Sedaris mood going.

Free Flor Contest!

2010-04-12T14:55:00.002-05:00

Shane and I are days aways from painting the living room...finally! Yes, we've been talking about it forever, but we were gun shy because we didn't have furniture. We kept looking for furniture and coming up with nothing. But that all came to an end this weekend, when we finally found a nice leather set that is both pretty and comfortable. Now that the furniture is on its way (coming at the end of next week), we were able to pick some paint. But paint is the point at which my head starts swirling, because it means all the other decor needs to come together. I think I have the curtains ready to go, but I need a rug...and dang are they expensive! So La Dolce Vita's Flor Giveaway couldn't come at a better time! I need to win a 5x7 set of my choice. However, me wanting to win doesn't stop me from sharing the chance at wealth with you. Head on over here and learn all the ways to enter!

Writings by the Talented Miss Therese!

2010-04-09T00:01:00.000-05:00

My gal-paly Miss Therese recently started freelance writing for Re-Nest (part of Apartment Therapy). They always feature some of the coolest houses and spaces on their sites, and now Therese gets to jump in and play in the game. For her first two stories, she's written about houses owned by two of my co-workers. I feel strangely excited that I've been in these houses...I know. It's weird. And there's no good reason for it for those feelings. Still, it is what it is.

First up is Miss Camela's farmhouse. There are a few pics below, but you can see them all and read the great story in the Re-Nest post.

The second is Miss Jennifer's house. And for the rest of the pics and the great story, head over here.

Good job, T!

New Favorite Line

2010-04-08T07:43:00.002-05:00

Warning: This is a very random post, but I've been seriously uncrafty lately and this is alls I gots! So away we go...

I was on Ravelry and in one of the group discussions, someone said, "Maybe they’ll make him sit on the stupid step for a little while." That made me laugh...hard. I can think of a whole lot of people who need to be on that step. Repeat: WHOLE LOT! (I warned you that this was random....but still, sorry!)

I know this isn't a "stupid step," but it's the best I could do to illustrate the line. You get it.

Peepshi--or What to Do with Leftover Peeps

2010-04-07T09:10:00.002-05:00

I'm back...but only sort of. Physically, I'm here. Mentally, I'm still lounging around the house watching bad TV and napping. Anyway, now that Easter's over, maybe you're looking do something crafty with all the Peeps that the bunny left for you and/or the kiddos (that is if you have any left). Serious Eats saves the day with their tutorial for Peepshi. That's Peeps + Sushi = Peepshi! I'm torn...I think they're super cute. But I also think there is something so wrong about hacking into them with knives. Either way, I'm sure they're tasty!

Spring Break!

2010-04-01T00:01:00.002-05:00

You can find this wonderful vintage bunny in Modern Poverty's (cool name, right?) Etsy shop.

Go Bears, Baby!

2010-03-31T07:38:00.003-05:00

My friend and co-worker, Miss Cindy, is pregnant with her second baby. (Are you noticing a trend yet with my friends and family? All pregnant!) Her first child was a girl, and her second will be a boy. Cindy and her husband are huge Chicago Bears fans (like myself), and the other day, Cindy's husband had a minor freakout regarding hospital attire. You see, their son IS going to be a future Chicago Bear (they're 100% sure of it). In years time when Baby M is in the NFL and ESPN calls asking for pictures of him growing up, it would be absurd if his very first picture was in a generic hospital hat instead of in a Bears-inspired hat. I quickly remedied this situation with the following little knit. I hope it fits!

Lolly's Secret Card Drive

2010-03-30T00:01:00.001-05:00

LollyChops is hosting a Secret Card Drive for a friend of hers who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. You can get more details using the above link, but basically you just need to make (or buy) a card for Lolly's friend Crystal, so that Lolly can surprise Crystal each morning of her treatment with something pretty and positive. She has about three months worth of cards (and they're all so amazing!), but she could use about three months more. If you're interested, just let Lolly know you'd like the details by leaving her a comment with your contact info on her Secret Card Drive pos t.

Here's the card I made and sent.

A Puffy Blanket for Little Pea

2010-03-29T00:01:00.001-05:00

Miss Tiffany over at Peanut Blossom is patiently awaiting the May arrival of her "Little Pea." I've known Tiffany for a few years, but I think I have gotten to know her best through her blog. So when I first heard she was pregnant over the winter, I couldn't wait to make a baby gift for her.

While the good thing about blogs is that you can learn a lot about another person, the bad thing is you can't share your projects if you readers are the gift receivers. I've been working on this blanket for the past couple of weeks, but I had to keep a tight lid on it until it was in Tiffany's hands. And now that it is, here we go...

This is the Ribbons Baby Blanket done in three colors: teal, lime, and magenta. I've knit this pattern once before, but for whatever reason, it turned out much puffier this time. The yarn was a little thicker, so maybe that was it. It just made it a little more roly-poly-oly.

And here's a picture of the gift wrapped and a card I made. (Thanks, Tiffany, for taking great pictures...something I forgot to do!)

More Flowers Friday

2010-03-26T00:01:00.000-05:00

If you haven't already, it's a must--no, a moral imperative!--that you head over to LollyChops and check out her Wallflowers Week, which I think is wrapping up today. It was amazing, and not something my crafty friends should forego. She'll teach you how to make all of the following, and so much more! Now go have some flower fun!

Oh, Mrs. O!

2010-03-25T00:01:00.001-05:00

I'm a big fan of Mrs. Obama for both her charisma and her style. I'm obvioulsy not the first person to say it, but she really is our modern day Jackie O. Whenever I need a little dose of style, I head on over to the Mrs. O site, which documents the first lady's current styles, and where to get them. Recently, they've featured Carole Tanenbaum's Mrs. O-inspired 60s-era vintage flower pins collection. Upon seeing these gems, I was transported to my mom's bedroom and a plastic bin full of similar jewelry that she had either picked up at antique stores or had inherited from her mother. I rarely wear pins, but I'm pretty sure if I had these in my personal collection, I'd wear them all the time! Just another hint of spring.

More Happy Spring!

2010-03-24T00:01:00.001-05:00

I just came across this picture hiding away in my files (I think it was hibernating for the winter). I swears I've posted this before, but I can't find it. And crafting is kind of slow at the moment, so this is alls I gots. March has brought some beautiful sunshine. April will probably bring showers. And that means May will bring...you guessed it! Flowers!

I'm pretty sure Dexter would kill me if I did this to him.

Obsessive Consumption

2010-03-22T08:49:00.003-05:00

In my recent online wanderings, I came across Obsessive Consumption. Instead of trying to describing it myself, I did an easy peasy copy and paste job from the About section: "Kate Bingaman-Burt was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin in 1977. She founded Obsessive Consumption in 2002 and has documented her personal consumption in many different mediums. Her first book, Obsessive Consumption: What Did You Buy Today?, will be published by Princeton Architectural Press in March 2010." So to sum that up, Kate's blog is filled with drawings of the items she buys each day. Seems like it wouldn't be that interesting, but it really is. And I wonder how the thought of drawing something affects her purchases? Hmm...

Everyday Facts

2010-03-19T00:01:00.002-05:00

Shane found these illustrated facts and sent them to me for a giggle. Below are a few of my faves, but go here to see them all.

Maybe my parents aren't really my parents. Hmm...life might make more sense. =)

Spring Has Sprung!

2010-03-18T00:01:00.000-05:00

Just when you feel like winter will never end in Wisconsin (and I feel that way starting Jan. 2), little glimpses of spring start to pop up. And it couldn't have come at a better time. Seriously. Like really seriously!

This was the first sign. The tulips and/or crocuses I planted in October were sprouting when the dirt around the tree was still half covered in snow. I think that's the flowers way of saying "enough is enough." Or maybe that was just me saying that.

And then on Sunday, this beautiful Morning Dove came and perched upon my fence. He/she (obviously I know nothing about birds) had a little lover, but I couldn't get the two in the picture together. I just love "its" colors.

Luck O' the Irish

2010-03-17T00:01:00.002-05:00

Happy St. Patty's Day! If you need me, I'll be chasing down leprechauns and hunting down gluten-free green beer. Kiss someone Irish today...or just pretend whoever you're kissing is Irish.

You can get this applique on Etsy here.

Vote for Dex's Mama!

2010-03-16T00:01:00.003-05:00

Bissell (the vacuum cleaner company) is having an MVP Pet Photo Contest, and Dexter's mama Zarah needs some votes! Head on over and show her some puppy love.

Lolly's "What's for Dinner?" Bracelet Giveaway

2010-03-15T08:02:00.004-05:00

Miss LollyChops is having a giveaway here! All you have to do is leave her a comment saying what you're having for dinner tonight, and you could be the lucky winner of this super spring-y Lolly-made bracelet. Head on over and tell her I said, "Hi!" Go on...scoot.

JoJo on the GoGo

2010-03-12T07:49:00.003-06:00

I can't remember if I mentioned it or not, but at one point I was considering walking the 3-Day Breast Cancer Walk with my pal Miss Jodi (aka JoJo). After much thought, I decided this year was not the time to be adding the stress of training and raising the $2300 (I think?) entry requirement on top of fixing up the house and hanging out with the hubs and the pups. However, I still wanted to do as much as I could to help JoJo get the moolah she needed.

I gathered up a bunch of crafty friends, and together we decided to make and donate things that JoJo can sell at a craft show at the end of this month. Since everyone has different talents, there will be an array of different crafts: sock monkeys, scrapbooks, jewelry, magnets, and lots, lots more. Miss Kaia created the following logo, which Miss Stacey took and made into a stamp so that all of the items will have cute hangtags.
Below is the pile I'm donating. It contains the last three shawls I knit ( #2, #3, and #4), two skully camera bags, and two skully pairs of socks. Now fingers crossed that she sells out of everything!

If you'd like to make a donation to help breast cancer and JoJo get on the GoGo, go here!

#4 of 10 for 2010

2010-03-11T08:47:00.002-06:00

As promised, here she is--my Springtime Bandit. This is my #4 shawl toward 10 shawls in 2010. However, I think I need a lace break for a little while. I think my next project will be something that I can just pick up and knit and put down without getting lost in a pattern. I'm not done with patterns for good, I just need a breather.

This picture makes it look huge, but it's not. It's just a little girl model form that it's on. Trick photography. =)

Poor Puppy

2010-03-09T07:42:00.002-06:00

I'm playing nurse today to a sick pup. His little tummy has been bothering him all weekend. We thought he was better on Monday, but alas, we woke up in the middle of the night to another disaster (I'll spare you the details). Dex has always had a sensitive stomach, but this has been the worst. Poor little guy.

This weekend we had him all bundled up and sleeping in the sunshine (his favorite).

We've been giving him handfuls of snow so that he can take in fluids. He loves snow! As Shane filled his water bowl up with snow, it made me think of the Snoopy SnoCone machine from when I was a kid. I can't remember if we had one growing up or if I just wanted one so badly that I believed I had one. Either way, I'm sure Dex would appreciate a Snoopy SnoCone right now (well, when he wakes up, that is).

Meet the Future Tim Burton

2010-03-05T07:11:00.004-06:00

My pal and partner in crime Miss Barbara has a very creative 6-year-old son named Sam. Sam made a Cat in the Hat calendar at school and Barbara shared it with me. As a big Tim Burton fan, I love his amazing creation. I think it's so awesome...OK, maybe a little scary...but creative none the less. And as for scary, at least Sam isn't three and drawing snowmen with blood-dripping fangs, like my husband. (It's still amazing that his parents didn't seek out help...kidding, Shane!).

This is not a far cry from...

... this. We all have to start somewhere.

On My Sticks: Springtime Bandit

2010-03-04T07:49:00.005-06:00

First, let me start out by saying that none of the following shawls and/or pictures belong to me. I swiped them from the good knitters of Ravelry to show you examples of what I'm currently knitting but have been too lazy to take pictures of. So, with that said, I'm working on a new lace shawl (this would be number 4 of my 10 in 2010) called "Springtime Bandit." I've knit the whole body of the shawl already and now have about 25 rows of border left to do. However, the last few nights I haven't had any interest in doing so. I'm hoping to find renewed knitting interest this weekend.

I'm using a color from KnitPicks called "Autumn." The above color is "Sherry," but it's quite close. The Autumn has a little more golden flecks in it.

The Rest of the Baby Gifts

2010-03-02T07:41:00.002-06:00

Well, I'd like to say that I was able to knit all three of the baby items that I had wanted, but alas, time was against me. To make matters even worse, on the last night I had to knit, I cut the tip of my finger with an Xacto. I thought I could knit with a bandage on my finger, but my needles kept getting caught on it. After much swearing, I surrendered.

I did manage to get the matching booties to the baby dress done. Itty bitty beauties!

And to make up for the missing diaper covers, I made this little framed goody for the baby's room (a pink and brown polka dotted nursery...cute!) The little sticker in the middle says "Cutie Pie."

Now it's just time to sit back and wait for the baby to get here.

Crochetdermy

2010-02-28T07:45:00.003-06:00

Shane was concerned about my lack of new posts lately (sorry!), and offered up this set of pictures of craft "taxidermy" (all crocheted...no real animals were actually harmed in the making of this post) from here. Creepy, but kind of cool.

This is Cute...No Lion!

2010-02-24T09:45:00.002-06:00

A co-worker sent me this for it's high cuteness factor. I couldn't agree more! I don't know how to crochet, but seeing this stylin' lion makes me want to learn how! You can learn more about him here.

Bedroom Makeover

2010-02-23T08:10:00.003-06:00

Shane and I are back on the house decorating bandwagon. Woo hoo! We spent this past weekend painting our master bedroom, installing a new ceiling fan, and hanging our TV. Let's take a looksie:

Before
If you recall, this room had one full wall of ugly wallpaper, and then a border that went all the way around the room. The ceiling fan hung down more than 19", which was basically like having a third...very dangerous being..in bed with us. The walls were a dirty ivory color, and the ceiling was an even dirtier white.

After!
The color is Behr's Verdigris (in the Ultra Premium Plus line of colors). The ceiling fan is a low profile, so no more feeling like we'll be decapitated if we accidentally sit up in bed while the fan is on. We still need curtains (since I hate blinds!), a new bed skirt (in white), some lamps for the end tables (I want to do something with a bold color base, like orange, dark coral, or yellow...but we'll see what I can find), and some art for the walls.

Here's another view.

On the bigger dream to-do list, we'd like to change the wood floors to be a darker color and change the trim in the room (and the whole house...ugh!) to be white. For now, I think this is way better than what we had!

I'm an Olympic Medalist!

2010-02-18T00:01:00.001-06:00

I know...you're amazed, right? Me...an Olympian? It's always been a dream, and thanks to the Ravelry, it's a dream come true. Every year, Ravelry does the Ravelympics. I've never entered, but this year, I entered my Fiona's top in to the Junior Olympics event, and by finishing, I made it to the podium. Below is my "medal."

The rules for the Ravelympics are simple: Challenge yourself by starting and finishing projects during the 2010 Winter Olympics. See: simple. I had actually started the Fiona top before the opening games, but during the opening games, I realized I f-ed up the whole thing. So I ripped it out and started over. Since this was done within the Olympics timeframe, I became a Ravelympian. I still have more projects to try and finish in order to enter, but my first medal is most precious. ;)

Shawl 3 of 10

2010-02-17T07:50:00.003-06:00

In my "race" for 10 Shawls in 2010, I completed my third shawl. I actually finished it more than a week ago, but I got lazy on taking photos. Laziness be gone, and here is the finished project. I'll be donating this shawl and my last shawl to a friend who is doing the 3-Day Walk for the Cure. She is going to have it for sale at a craft sale and then use the money made for her $2K+ entry fee.

This is a modified version of the Ulmus shawl pattern. It's modified because I only used on type of yarn instead of two. With the color change, I thought adding a second color would be too much.

To make this shawl, I used my Harmony yarn, but double-stranded. (Sorry for the wrinkles!)

Here's one close up of the bottom.

And here's another.

One Down, Two to Go

2010-02-16T07:51:00.006-06:00

Well, I crossed one thing off of the Knitting To-Do list, and I'm hopeful that it's the biggest of the three things I need to get done. The Fiona top/dress for my yet-to-arrive niece is all done, but I have to say, I'm not a big fan of how the pattern was written. It was OK, but there a few mistakes and it should've been written to knit in the round. I adapted it so that I could knit it in the round, but I didn't do it quite right (I should've eliminated a few stitches on the side since I wasn't seaming it). Still, in the end, I think it turned out pretty sweet....and springy!

Nothing Beats a Baby Model!

2010-02-15T00:01:00.000-06:00

Back in the fall, I made a skully hat for Miss Shannon's soon to be baby boy. She wanted something tough, which turned out to suit Mr. Levi nicely given how tough he had to be during his few months after being born premature. Now he's two-months old and sporting the new hat. Come on...it doesn't get any cuter than this!

I hope that face isn't what he thinks of the hat....hmm.

Two Cheers for Shane's Birthday!

2010-02-12T00:01:00.002-06:00

Hip, Hip...

Hooray!

(Neither one is Dex. I "borrowed" the picture from here.)

Bloom!

2010-02-10T08:46:00.003-06:00

First, sorry that I've been MIA for a few days. I don't know what happened, but I've been super busy lately. Crafting has taken a bit of a back burner, but I promise to have fun things to share very soon.

As I was driving home from work yesterday, I was trying to think of what to post given the absense of all things crafty right now. And then it came to me! The Bloom Bake Shop!

In my little downtown area, a new cupcakery just opened. Given that I can't even eat cupcakes since I'm gluten-free, I don't know why I'm so excited about this place. But I am. For more than a month, there have been these elegant "coming soon" posters in the window of the shop. Starting last weekend, little bits of the window have been unpapered allowing for little peeks inside. I drive by Bloom four times a day (thanks to Dex needing to go out at lunch), and each time I see something new. It's like a little itty bitty present...and it's so pretty. And "Bloom" and baby blue? How can you not think of spring...even despite the fresh 9 inches of snow we just got. As they decorate more and start to display their cupcakes, I can't wait to drive by and see what's new. I really hope the Bloom shop makes it, if for nothing more than daily eye candy. =)

Pupdate

2010-02-05T07:35:00.002-06:00

This week has been a tad insane, so I thought I'd end it with the guy (well, one of the guys), that I plan to snuggle up with this weekend and decompress. He's doesn't look like a puppy as much these days, but he'll always be my puppy. Have a good, relaxing weekend, everyone!

The Veggie Sweater Gets Modeled

2010-02-03T00:01:00.000-06:00

Yay! The veggie sweater fits Miss Penelope! I think she's the perfect little model for it. (Look at those toes. I just want to eat them up!)

Piss Off, Punxsutawney Phil

2010-02-02T07:46:00.003-06:00

Phil says six more weeks of winter, and for that I have one response: "Bite me."

Maybe I should knit me up the Godfrey the Groundhog and then every year MY groundhog will say spring is coming early. Just look at how cute giolou's (on Rav) project turned out (and sorry if I already posted this. I swear I did, but I can't find it.)

Cute, right!

But then her photography total makes this project.

It reminds me of the cartoon with the groundhog from when I was little. What was that? Frosty?

Killing me with cuteness!

Knitting To-Do List

2010-02-01T07:59:00.007-06:00

I'm knee deep in knitting another shawl, so I don't have anything to show right now. However, I may need to put said shawl aside in order to get going on a baby gift for my brother and sis-in-law's baby shower at the end of February. This is their first baby and they are over the moon about the new addition. It's a girl, and I couldn't be happier that they found out since it makes baby knitting a lot easier--and a tad more fun.

Here's what I'm planning for the new little miss:

The Fiona Top, but A LOT smaller--and probably as a dress first.

Either these baby shorts from Debbie Bliss's Essential Baby...

... or these baby bloomers from the Purl Bee.

And last...but never least...shoes! Every girl needs matching footwear, and I think these booties will do the trick.

I just received the yarn from KnitPicks. I bought the Palette Yarn in a fingering weight. The colors are:

Sky

MaiTai Heather

I think I most excited about getting started on these because of the colors. The springy-ness of them is making me happy. The shawl I'm working on is very dark and muted--not that it's not pretty, it's just not happy and sunny like this yarn.

I'll keep you posted as I get the projects done.

No Fair Furniture

2010-01-29T07:11:00.004-06:00

Yes, sorry, I'm on a furniture kick at the moment. That's what happens when you have a fireplace in a room that would be lovely to use in the current crappy single-digit temps, but you have no furniture to sit in front of said fireplace. We've tried pulling out the camping chairs--yes, a tad white trash--but it doesn't offer any sort of comforting effect. Couches and real chairs are needed.

So admist the "affordable" furniture search, Design*Sponge kicks today off with a post about Henry Road, complete with a picture of the most beautiful chair (below). So that leads me to the Henry Road site to check out what other wonderful furniture they have (I obviously like to torture myself), only to be in awe of all the lovely pieces. Luckily (for me), the pieces are all out of my price range or sold, but still, it doesn't make them any less drool-worthy. Going forward, this type of furniture will fall into the "no fair" category.

LOVE. LOVE. LOVE.

This makes me want to buy an antique and reupholster it...oh, wait, I don't know how to do that.

Super cute!

This one may be a tad whackier than my taste, but I still like it. It looks very cozy and makes me want to grab a blanket, my dog, and a book (or knitting).

A Chair to Go with the Couches I Crave

2010-01-28T00:01:00.001-06:00

Yes, I'm still in home decorating mode...unfortunately, the cost of my taste locks me in dream decorating mode. I saw these chairs in the HGTV Dream Home and instantly began drooling. They're from Ethan Allen and way out of my budget for a couch, let alone one chair. But I do love them so. The blue is amazing, but of course you can pick just about any color under the sun. This blue makes me think of spring...I NEED spring. The cold weather is killing me mentally, so I think for now, my dream chairs will remain in blue.

"Dear Chairs, I love you. Love, Carrie"

Even in white, you're alright. (See what I did there...rhyming. Nice.)

Oh, chair, please be mine...but in blue. Soft, warm blue.

Your nailhead detail is so pretty. Please, oh please, be mine...someday.

Yay for Yellena!

2010-01-27T00:01:00.000-06:00

I've been a longtime fan of Yellena James' art. And just recently I learned that she's expanded her medium to the home and to feet!

This is the piece of artwork that I've always found stunning. You can get it here.

Schoolhouse Electric Co. is carrying her light fixtures. So lovely!

And sconces!

She's paired up with Keds to make these cute pairs!

They scream "spring," something I need a little of right now!

Lovey Gifts

2010-01-24T19:41:00.002-06:00

I came across some of the cutest couples' gifts completely by accident. And with Valentine's Day just around the corner, I thought I'd share. You can find all of these lovey gifts over at BoldLoft. Super cute!

Happy Birthday, Mommy Rose!

2010-01-22T07:21:00.003-06:00

It's Shane's mom's birthday today, so I thought I'd share the happy little treats that will greet her in the mail when she gets home.

A handmade card...

...and a makeshift card envelope.

The lace shawl I knit over the summer and have been holding onto for this special day...

...and this beautifully illustrated version of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Mommy Rose loves children's books with great illustrations. I went to Barnes and Noble in search of a different book (a novel), but I passed this book and couldn't resist picking it up. The illustrations are so soft, but have so much energy, too.

Couches I Crave

2010-01-21T00:01:00.001-06:00

So we haven't quite pulled the trigger on painting the living room yet. We had good intentions, but the more we talked about the color, the more we thought we needed furniture first so that we don't "paint ourselves in a corner." I believe in buying quality furniture that you love, because then it should last you a long time. But from a cost perspective, that's not always easy to do. I'm hoping to come across something amazing on Craigslist or in a resale/antique shop, but so far I'm coming up short.

IF (and that's a big, long, faraway, possibly never IF), I had endless supplies of money, one (all?) of these couches would be in my home. I found some of them through Design*Sponge's Living In feature (where room decor is based on popular movie settings). The rest were through links of links from the Living In features.

Ah...to dream.

Neve Designer Collection on ClubFurniture.com

Henning Sofa from in Living In's National Velvet room. Available through Anthropologie.

Chesterfield Sofa from Living In's Fantastic Mr. Fox room. Available through Anthropologie.

Chesterfield Sofa (yes, the same name as above) from Living In's Annie Hall room. Available through Club Furniture.

Gwyneth Tufted Fabric Collection (minus the pillows...not liking those) on ClubFurniture.com

Two of 10 for 2010

2010-01-20T00:01:00.001-06:00

I mentioned that I'm participating in the 10 Shawls in 2010 group on Ravelry, which brings me to my second shawl for the year. The pattern is called Citron (because it looks like a citrus fruit wedge), and the pattern can be found here and on Knitty.com. With the exception of the black yarn, I pretty much just used leftover yarn from my other lace knitting. That means my KnitPicks sampler pack has just about come to an end...sigh.

I've been asked where my shawls are going, and I don't quite have a good answer. Some are going to be set aside as birthday gifts. But I'm also pondering the thought of doing the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk, which is 20 miles a day for 3 days. To participate, you have to raise a minimum of $2300....yikes. I'm sure I can do it, but it does seem a tad daunting. IF I decide to walk, I might use some of these shawls as auction items. If I don't walk, my friend Miss Jodi, is for sure walking, so I could also use the shawls to help her. We'll see. If I do walk, I need a lot more ideas than just shawls...that's for sure!

More New Yarn!

2010-01-19T07:58:00.002-06:00

With my addiction to knitting lace and shawls growing each day (tune in tomorrow to see my latest finished shawl!), I picked up a new skein of yarn at my local yarn shop a few weeks back. It's called Harmony by Jojoland. I wish the colorway had a pretty name, but alas it's just called "HC06"...bleh. It's way to color-changing pretty for such a computer-generated name. Oh well. At least it'll be lovely to look at.

Disclaimer: none of the pictures below were taken by me. I just "borrowed" a few from online. ;)

Isn't she a doll. I love all the colors mixed together. I can't wait to get started on something...not sure what though.

Here is another shot. I only have one skein, since there are 880 yards to work with. Most of the shawls I've done have been under 400 yds. Maybe I can get two shawls out of this!

Here's an example of lace knit with the Harmony. The striping is so gorgeous!

And here's an itty bitty baby sweater that someone did using two strands held together. I'm not sure if the colorway is the same as mine, but I love how it turned out!

Some Clouds Do Have Silver Linings

2010-01-14T09:09:00.003-06:00

Remember the Barbie cake day yesterday? Well, I'm starting to realize that the bad morning I was having was really a warning for the superfantastically craptastic day that was to follow. I should've just gone in search of that GF Barbie Cake to emotionally eat in a corner somewhere, but instead, I stuck it out narrowly escaping the looney bin...or prison for the potential stabbing of another person with a pen.

Ahem...maybe it's just better to say, that is was a day. And not a good one. Until I got home, that was. First, I have a good husband who knows better than ask about said bad day, but let's me vent when I feel good and ready. And then I have a dog who lets me smother him with bad day kisses and hugs to the point where he can barely breathe. And there was the GF brownie...and the ice cream I bought. But the surprise of all bad day surprises was TWO RAKs (random acts of kindness) waiting in my mailbox. WOW....wait til you see them!

From Rav member yarnmagic, I was given a postcard from her home of Norway, Norwegian jelly candy, and the most luxurious lace yarn ever to enter my hands. I'm talking 1312 yards of blended baby alpaca, silk, and cashmere. drool! I pet that yarn almost as much as I did Dexter.

And then, another package from Rav member winemakersister had a copy of Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitter's Almanac. This book is a knitting classic and includes such great patterns. Below are a few of my favorites that I can't wait to someday do.

I think this is proof that the universe can come full circle. All is right with the world...for now, anyway.

It's a Barbie Cake Kind of Day

2010-01-13T08:06:00.002-06:00

Why are some mornings so much harder than others? The same clothes are in my closet. I woke up at the same time...give or take a few minutes. Overall, everything was relatively the same as it was yesterday and the day before that and the day before that, but this morning...the bathroom outlet stops working (which turned out to be an easy fix, but I didn't learn this until I moved all the hair stuff into the bedroom to use), I couldn't find an outfit to save my life (I'm still not happy with what I'm wearing), Dex felt the need to lick my legs everytime I changed (and I was changing a lot!), and then trying to get Dexter downstairs to go out before I left (which by then I was already late) was an impossible task that required Shane booting him down. Why? Why can't life be simpler?

Then I was on a blog and came across a Barbie cake. I wasn't really a doll kid, but I did have multiple Barbie cakes for multiple birthdays--all of which I loved (really, who doesn't love cake?). I don't really want to be a kid again, but there are days when that was simpler than the random morning theatrics of adulthood. As I kid, I wore a uniform to school, my mom did my hair, our dog was old and lazy and did what we told her to do, and I got a hot lunch at school that I didn't have to pack or plan. Nice. When school was done, I could come home and eat cookies and all the sweets I wanted. No worrying about working out or diets. Simpler times...for sure. If I could find me a gluten-free Barbie cake right now, I might just have to take the rest of the day off to return to a temporary child-like state.

For now...random web images of Barbie cakes will have to do:

Miss Jessica's Swap Ishbel

2010-01-12T07:59:00.002-06:00

I told you that I had mad itch to get started on knitting more lace, and I wasn't lying! As soon as I got my new yarn, I got started right away on Jessica's swap shawl (a shawl made in exchange for new blog banner art...and another blog banner surprise coming in the future!). I miscalculated how much yarn I'd need when I ordered, so I had to add another yarn in. I used the alpaca cloud hank from the KnitPicks Sampler I bought last summer (a supply that sometimes seems neverending). I think the gray lace yarn actually helped to make the color-changing yarn pop more. I'm really pleased with how it came together. And as always, the Ishbel pattern is a dream to knit!

The other exciting part of this shawl is that it kicks off my participation in the Ravelry group, 10 shawls in 2010. But the joke with Miss Shelley is that because I knit so quickly and addictively, my group should be 2010 shawls in 2010....maybe if I didn't work. ;)

Book Recommendation: The Well-Dressed Home

2010-01-11T00:01:00.001-06:00

With the house still feeling rather empty and not "done," I've been trying to keep an eye out for inspiration decor books, sites, and blogs. There is so much out there, that it can be a tad daunting and often makes me realize that I like WAY too many things! And not that the following book that I'm going to recommend helped me narrow my likes down (in fact, it seemed to do just the opposite), but The Well-Dressed Home was really fun to look through and takes an interesting approach to interior design.

By looking through your closet and accessories, this book gives you tips on how to take cues from your personal style (which is what you're obviously most comfortable with) and apply them to your home's decor. The categories are broken down to romantic, couture, classic, casual, bohemian, retro, resort, modern, eclectic, vintage, and eco. And since no one really falls into just one category, Annette Tatum (author), combines different categories togehter and then makes mood/story boards and decorates rooms accordingly.

This is vintage casual. I love this one and have been thinking about taking this direction with my craft room (whenever the day may come that I get to that room, that is).

This is eco bohemian. I'd love this feeling for our outdoor space (come on, spring!).

This is retro casual. Another one I love for my craft room.

New Yarn!

2010-01-08T00:01:00.001-06:00

Ever since my three project break knitting ended, I've been antsy for new yarn and to get started on my next project--like, weirdly so. Luckily I have a little (and I do mean little) restraint, or else my big empty craft room (for now) would be filled with boxes of ordered yarn. On top of that, thanks to Ravelry, I've been completely overwhelmed by the number of products I could start. I knew I wanted to do something in lace (I swear, lace for me is like an itch that can't be scratched), but I wasn't sure which pattern. Then Miss Jessica saw Miss Shelley's new Ishbe l and decided that she'd like one of her own to be her swap project for the blog banner she created (and the new fun addition that's coming soon to my banner!). Originally she thought she'd like me to sew pillows to go with her new bedroom quilt (which is gorgeous, by the way), but that was forever go, and lace is now her real request. Even though I've knit this pattern twice, I can't wait to get started on a third one. Why?

...just check out this lovely yarn I get to knit with! It's so pretty. I love how the color changes. It's from Wolle's Yarn Creations on Etsy.

Here it is all bundled up and waiting for me to break out my needles. So excited! I can't wait. Now if only Mr. Pups and the mountains of snow needing shoveling would cooperate to give me some free time. Guess I'll just have to sneak in what I can, when I can. ;)

Break Knitting: Day 3 (last one...I'm not a machine)

2010-01-07T00:01:00.000-06:00

The last of the break knitted pieces is another Shelley exchange/swap piece. I one day mentioned to Shelley that I needed to go on Craigslist and find a food processor. I had an itty bitty one that you had to hold and shake, but it's pretty useless. The next day, Shelley brought me her Cuisinart complete with all its fancy-dancy parts (of which I've still only figured out how to use one...but I'm getting there).

A wonderful gift that has brought me lots of salsa, black bean soup, and butternut squash soup deserves something lovely in return. So I put more of that yummy Honey Bun yarn to use and knit Shelley a "Luxe Neck Warmer" from the Knit 2 Together book.

So there you have it, kids. Three knit pieces. That's what I did with my Christmas vacation. =)

Break Knitting: Day 2

2010-01-06T00:01:00.001-06:00

The next knit was another swap/exchange project. Miss Shelley is going to be doing a portrait of Dexter for me (she's done quite a few and they always turn out sweet). So in exchange for her artsy services, I knit her an Ishbel of her very own. This is the same pattern I used for my SIL's birthday gift, which you'd think would mean it would be super easy. But alas, I still managed to not read the pattern correctly. It was OK, since I was able to do an easy work-around, but it was the figuring out what I did wrong part that took forever. I blame it on the sinus infection. =)

The yarn is Shadow Lace in Basalt from my KnitPicks sampler. (I hope they do another Sampler set, because I have made such great use of all the yarn!)

Here's the back view.

And here it is in all it's pattern glory.

Break Knitting: Day 1

2010-01-05T00:01:00.001-06:00

In addition to a whole lot of sleeping and movie watching over break, I spent a nice bit of time getting some much needed knitting done. Over the next few days, I'll share the three projects I started and finished.

First up: A baby girl sweater. I have a TON of friends who are having babies, so I'm way behind on getting projects started and finished. My best friend Tasha from high school who lives in CO is having a baby girl anyday now. I couldn't help but go to my trusty Quickie Baby Sweater pattern. It knits up fast and turns out sweet.

I love how vintage this pattern turns out. I always end up wanting one in my size.

I used one of the buttons that Miss Jessica brought me back from England.

This is the back. I used the same yarn as I did on Moose's vest (Lion's Brand Cotton Bamboo).

Happy New Year!

2010-01-04T08:31:00.004-06:00

I'm back...sort of. Physically I'm here, mentally I'm still on vacation. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas/holiday break. I was sick through a lot of mine, but that meant a lot of sleeping, watching movies, resting with the pups, and knitting. Really, I couldn't have asked for more (well...except the being healthy part). I need to ease myself back into the blogging brain, so how about a few Dexter pics for today?

Dex spent much of his break sleeping and playing, but it started out kind of rough. He broke his pinky toe on Christmas Eve falling into a window well while trying to find a dry spot under a house overhang to pee. He didn't see the the window well and took a tumble in, catching his little toe on the way down. I called him "Baby Jessica" for the limpy days following. An X-ray showed a broken toe, but luckily it was broken in a "good" spot...one that didn't require any brace or lampshade collars of shame. And he's fine now. But I'm going to break his little legs if he doesn't stop jumping on the couch....but I digress. =)

There was a whole lot of this over break.

Pops was sleeping upstairs, and Dex was licking the gate downstairs. That dog licks everything.

There was some playing, too. (Note: He's standing on Shane.)

And then more of this. Nice. Ah...to be back there now.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T00:01:00.001-06:00

I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe holiday! I'll be back in the new year!

And yes, I did get around to using LollyChops wonderful cookie bag idea. (Cookies were not baked yet when the pics were taken).

Super cute and easy!

The Only Knit for Christmas...

2009-12-24T00:01:00.000-06:00

...goes to my niece Hannah! As you may recall, I started this blanket forever ago using yarn scraps. I then had to go to Ravelry asking for scraps there, and then onto my friends to beg for their scraps. After all that, I still only had what looked like a doll blanket instead of a lap blanket as I was hoping. But Hannah loves her "babies" and since I can't seem to knit her anything that fits right, I thought a dolly blankie would be perfect. (But she's getting other toy loot just in case!)

I love how pictures make blankets look gigantic. This blanket is just the opposite.

And it seems nothing would be complete from me without an owl or a skull applique. She's 3, so the the skulls can come later. =)

When Good Phones Get Washed

2009-12-23T10:52:00.002-06:00

Yep. I'm an idiot. I washed my cell phone. This is not the first time a piece of technology has taken a ride on the spin cycle, but it's the first time that the fault was all mine. I never took it out of my pocket and then never checked my pockets before commencing washing. *sigh

Once the schmuckiness that I felt had dwindeled down, I sucked it up and went in to buy a new phone. Yeah...that did't go so well. Turns out that because I just bought my phone in July that I'm not elgible for any of the discounts for another 6 months or so. But I could get the "free" phone for the low, low price of $150 or get a used "free" phone for $80. Hmm...no.

Perplexed and defeated, I went back to work and told my woes to Miss Therese--WHO just happened to have bought a new phone and had no use for her old one and was happy to give it to me. Now that's luck! But I didn't want to just take it for nothing. So we made a phone/knit goods swap.

In exchange for her cell, I knit her a winter hat and scarf set in raspberry.

The scarf pattern was so fun. It's called Grecian Plait stitch and can be found in Mary Thomas's Book of Knitting Patterns.

Here's the scarf in all it's glory. The scarf is knit on two different needle sizes. One is small and one big.

And here's the raspberry beret...er, beanie. The pattern is called Odessa.

Bring Me Some Twiggy Reindeer

2009-12-21T07:53:00.002-06:00

My snowmen seemed to go over well in the holiday decor exchange. They were stolen quite a few times (that's a good thing). Another item that was stolen a lot was Twiggy Reindeer, who is now living in my home. Twiggy is from Pottery Barn and comes in a set of three. I got the small size, which is actually quite large (about 5-6 inches tall). Here is the set:

Aren't they great? I love how their antlers grow leaves as they get bigger.

Here is a teeny version for the tree. Equally as sweet.

And then the mother of all twiggy reindeer are these bad boys. So cool! I wonder how much they'll go on sale after the holidays. I might have to get me one...or twelve. =)

Holiday Exchange: Sweet Snowmen

2009-12-18T00:01:00.005-06:00

At work we do a holiday "ornament" exchange, which is actually more like holiday ornaments and decor. Last year I knit this little sweater ornament, but this year I couldn't find anything that I wanted to knit. As I was searching online for non-knit inspiration, I came across this funny vintage snowman bottle on Etsy (actually, it was through a blog first, but I can't recall which one...sorry!).

This is from littlethings1's shop.

I just love the vintage quality to this little guy. However, I wasn't about to go out and scour the antique stores for supplies (that's what I call "Christmas laziness"), so I made a slightly more contemporary version using existing supplies.

They're heads are made from paper clay. Once it dried, I painted them white, painted on their face, put spray adhesive on, and sprinkled with glitter. For those of you who know me, you know I went the extra mile when you see I used glitter...I HATE glitter. I always feel like I need to be powerwashed after using that stuff.

I also used a little glitter inside the glass and then filled the jar with polyfil. I used sticker letters for the front of the glass jars, which are from the Dollar Store like 10 years ago! The rest is just pipe cleaners, pom poms and hot glue. I like how they turned out.

I'm a Winner...Again!

2009-12-17T10:55:00.002-06:00

Kelly over at Knit.Frog.Repeat (I love that name...so funny), just inforned that I am the winner of this stunning Brassy Apple Bunchy Scarf (but in teal...not purple). Isn't it great? She won two scarves from Portabellopixie and decided to give one away to a lucky winner. And that was me! Woohoo for contests and giveaways. I have to do more of them!

FujiMama, Come On Down!

2009-12-16T07:50:00.003-06:00

FujiMama, you are the winner of the 2nd annual birthday giveaway! Yay!!! I'm very excited for you. I'll be emailing you separately to get your info so that I can get your prizes in the mail ASAP! Congrats!

And to everyone who played and shared your favorite yummy birthday treats, thank you! Here's a little Dexter reindeer love just for you! I do believe my dog is Forrest Gump when it comes to taking pictures. I have multiple shots with his eyes closed. But I actually find those shots cuter sometimes.

I made the reindeer antlers from felt. He hates them...but loves to chew on them. I think he thinks it's a soft bone.

Dear Santa, I'd Like This Chair

2009-12-15T08:36:00.005-06:00

Through Whip Up, I found a link to an old project on Design*Sponge that I'm now officially in love with. I'm not sure how I missed this project as I'm sure I scoured the the Design*Sponge blog on numerous occassions, but now that we've found one another, I must have it for my craft room (which has not yet been started...but a cute chair is always a good jumping-off point. Sigh...I love you chair. Someday maybe I'll make another one of you to live with me.

Today's the last day to enter the birthday giveaway!

A Blanket-Wrapped Baby

2009-12-14T08:15:00.004-06:00

I'd like to present Miss Penelope--Camela's baby for whom I made the veggie sweater. Isn't she sweet? Once you get over the cuteness, move your eyes down and notice the finely knit blanket she's wrapped in. The work knitters (a group getting seemingly smaller and smaller) made this for Camela and her little girl. And one of the knitters (Miss Shelley) made the recycled sweater elephant just above the little babe. Too cute.

Looking for the birthday contest? Just scroll down to the next post!

My Birthday Giveaway!

2009-12-11T00:01:00.004-06:00

Yep, it's that time of year again, kids! It's my birthday! Woohoo! And while that's good for me, it's even better for you, because it means you have the chance to win three fun little handmade goodies that you can keep and enjoy or use to fill someone else's stocking. It's a win-win for everyone.

Let's start with the prizes:

Here's the sweet little prize pack--three items made just for one lucky winner. Included are:

A pair of Santa Skully knee socks. I didn't make the socks (those striped goodies came from Target), but I made and sewed on the holiday appliques.

One handknit bird named Holly. She stands about 6-8 inches and is decked out with her own personal (and removable) scarf, because, birdie, it's cold outside!

And for those days when you want to dress like your birdie, it's your very own blue/purple scarflette complete with silver polka dot buttons.

How to play:

One winner will be chosen using the Random Number Generator. All entries must include an email address or someway for me to contact you. If you don't, I'll have to draw again. There are lots of ways to enter, and lots of ways to get even more entries. For each thing you do, leave a separate comment to let me know.

Leave a comment letting me know your favorite kind of birthday cake/birthday treat. (one entry)
Subscribe/become a follower of my blog--it's the link at the bottom of all the right side links. (one entry--if you're already a follower, let me know and you still get an extra entry)
Tweet about my contest, and be sure to include @carrieg777 so that I can keep track. (one entry)
Blog about it! (three entries...leave three separate comments each with the URL of the contest posting)

So what are you waiting for! Let's play. The winner will be announced midweek...once my birthday buzz has fizzled out. Good luck!

A Scarf-ish, I'm a Winner, a New Contest, & a Tease

2009-12-10T08:37:00.005-06:00

I suppose this is what you'd call a miscellaneous day. So, in the order set by today's blog title, let's get started. First up, the scarf-ish. I started knitting this "scarf" in October and finished over Thanksgiving. For those of you who know me, you know that is an insane time for such a short scarf. But I'd like to blame it on the dog. He's full of cuteness distractions which makes knitting more and more difficult. Also, this is thin yarn that I decided to knit on small needles. I'm dumb.

I used the same yarn as I did for my SIL's b-day beret last year. So she may be getting this "not-so-long-to-be-a-scarf-but-not-so-short-to-be-a-scarflette" neck warmer as a "just-because" gift.

Up next...I'm a winner! Miss Tiffany over at Peanut Blossom has awarded me this beautiful quilt pattern! I'm the luckiest girl in the world. =)

And I'm going to press that luck by entering the PeanutBlossom Week 2 Stocking Stuffer giveaway! This week's prize is a $10 Shutterfly gift card. Just think of how that could come in handy for the holidays! Entering is easy and you get three chances. My favorite of those three is listing what you asked Santa for. I didn't ask for anything, but it was fun coming up with a dream list.

And now for the great big tease....tomorrow is my birthday (that's not the super exciting part for you), which means it's time for my second annual birthday giveaway! Here's last year's giveaway. And this year's is sure not to disappoint! Come back tomorrow for the big day!

Snow Day!

2009-12-09T09:32:00.005-06:00

Well, kids, today is what we in the Midwest call a "snow day." Almost 18 inches dumped on us since last evening making it difficult to get out of the driveway, let alone drive to work. Technically, my company is still open and I live close, but I'm not up for braving the blizzard (which, by the way, is still in progress). So the day ahead of me includes lots of shoveling (a new joy of home ownership), hot chocolate/tea, sleeping, and some movies. I think I kind of love the snow day. Hope you're warm and safe wherever you are.

Here's the front of our house.

Poor Dex has nowhere to "go."

Down the street.

The first order of shoveling was a path for Dexter and his stubby legs.

Down the other side of the street.

Poor guy. We said "sit," and he had to sit in the cold, white stuff. All that just for a cute pic.

One more white-out view.

A Namaste Giveaway! Oh My!

2009-12-07T07:57:00.004-06:00

OMG...this beautiful brand new Namaste bag is being given away over at Knit Purl Gurl. Seriously. I believe it was last January where I posted about the Namaste Zuma that I loved and adored and yet did not treat myself to for reasons of probably saving for a house. And now that I have said house, it's not like I can run right out and treat myself because rooms need to be painted, furniture needs to be purchased, and well, my dog needs to eat. So all I've got left is luck. Here's hoping being a December baby will work to my advantage and bring this bag home to me.

Oh yeah, and you can enter too...I guess. I mean, the bag is ugly and all. You wouldn't want it. =)

Peanut Blossom's Stocking Stuffer Giveaway Week 1

2009-12-06T00:01:00.000-06:00

Miss Tiffany over at Peanut Blossom is kicking off her Stocking Stuffers Giveaways. This week, you could be the lucky winner of the Thimble Blossoms "late bloomer" pattern. It's easy to enter, which means it could be easy to win!

Special Birthday Wishes for My Brother

2009-12-05T00:01:00.000-06:00

Let It Snow!

2009-12-03T19:05:00.001-06:00

We've had a little flurries here and there, but today was this first day the snow actually stuck (albeit just a dusting). And that means it was Dexter's first snow! I thought I'd share a couple of his first pics in the white stuff.

LollyChops = Christmas Angel!

2009-12-01T07:49:00.003-06:00

OK, aside from being an all around swell gal and Dexter's newly adopted Aunt, LollyChops has again moved up in the ranks to "Christmas angel." The adults in my family don't buy gifts for one another, but I still like to bring a little treat along when we go a wassaling (ok...traveling from house to house). I've made cookies, brownies, and breads in the past, and they're typically a hit. But last year, LollyChops offered up a wonderful hot chocolate recipe and cute bag printables. If you can't remember, here are the ones I made last year:

Super cute, right?

This year, I was planning on going back to cookies, but then the age-old question (for me, anyway) of how to package them created a dilema. Tins are nice, but not that easy to travel with (too bulky). Boxes are pretty, but the cookies slide around. Cellophane (sp?) bags are cute, but I can never find the right size bags...either too big or too small. And just when I'm about to give up, Christmas Angel LollyChops comes up all a glow with these sweet treat carriers, complete with printables. Perfect timing!

Ain't LollyChops great?

I Guess This Means on to Christmas

2009-11-30T13:18:00.003-06:00

The Thanksgiving countdown is over, which means good ol' turkey day came and went (in a flash, mind you). So, I guess that means Christmas is next. sigh. It's not that I hate Christmas, it's just...oh, I don't know. I think I just have a weak Christmas spirit is all. I try to puff it up...listen to some holiday songs, put up some pretty decorations, eat chocolate (OK, technically, that's all year), but there's something inside of me that makes it still all feel a little forced.

But, with that said, I'm hoping that having my own house and getting to decorate it with old and new decorations will help the teeny Scrooge in me to see the light. Whip Up had a link to Sweet Paul's cute idea for an advent calendar. Maybe I'll need to give this a try...then again, I don't think I have that many matchboxes. Hmm...maybe it will be nice just to look at it online. ;)

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T10:56:00.002-06:00

Amazingly...it all got done! I'm so thankful for so many things, and I'm glad there are days like today to remind us all of that. Enjoy this special day! Gobble, gobble!

A made place cards this year. I thought they turned out pretty cute.

The dining room all set for family.

I spy fabric pumpkins! Didn't they turn out sweet?

And something for the boys...a bacon-covered turkey. A first for us. It smells like ham in here, though. =)

Last Day...Lots to Do

2009-11-25T00:01:00.001-06:00

Clean the bathrooms, vacuum the floors, move Dexter's crate, iron the tablecloths and napkins, make the stuffing, make the three-cheese mashed potatoes, make 3 dozen cookies...and the list SERIOUSLY keeps going and going. I'm not freaking kidding. And people are coming tomorrow? What the hell did I get myself into? And yet, despite all those things to do, I'm still considering whipping up these cute little fabric pumpkins to decorate the table with. Yes...cuckoo-cuckoo.

I found the tutorial through a link on Whip Up. And now you too can add one more thing to your Thanksgiving Eve to-do list. Just go here. Ain't crafting life grand?

And now just one more night until the Great Turkey delivers gifts to all the good little boys and girls....oh, wait. That's another month away.

2 Days to Go: That's Entertainment

2009-11-24T00:01:00.000-06:00

TWO DAYS?!?! How the heck did this happen? I'm not ready. Then again, I never feel ready. And then everyone gets here and it all goes off without a hitch. Thanksgiving is all about the meal for most, but once that is all done and semi-digested, that's when the real entertainment begins. Below is a nice pictoral recap of what could and most likely will happen in the Anton household this turkey day.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles: This is one of the only true Thanksgiving movies that I can think of. Most others are more Christmas. Favorite phrase: "Gobble, gobble."

Another classic movie, but one I have to admit that I've watched TOO many times--and not at my choice. I still laugh when I see it, but I sometimes cringe when I see it come out.

Hours...and I do mean HOURS...of entertainment. This game only ends after I have no voice, a splitting headache and a husband who never wants to play another game again.

This game is getting added to the mix this year. I've played it at other places, but never with the family. Should be a good time.

Knitting...of course! It's the only way I can stay awake during the umpteenth showing of Christmas Vacation and my SIL is still learning, so I'll be giving lessons.

3 Days to Go: A Bathroom for the Guests

2009-11-23T00:01:00.001-06:00

As I said before: If it weren't for people coming over for the holidays, pictures would never get hung on the walls. So with 4 days til turkey day, Shane and I spent part of Sunday finishing up the "temporary" makeover of the bathroom. Last weekend we painted the room Behr's Dolphin Fin gray. This weekend we put the finishing touches on by rehanging the roman shade, hanging a new towel bar, and hanging some new pretties on the wall (well, not new, but new from the box they were packed in).

The bads (the medicine cabinet, the counter, the shower doors, etc.) still exist but they won't be replaced until the real makeover, which is about a good year out. In the meantime, this is so much more doable than it was!

My favorite angle of the room.

Notice the new brighter overhead light thanks to the new ceiling exhaust fan light.

Pictures on the back wall and the new towel bar.

4 Days to Go: The Peanuts Tradition

2009-11-22T00:01:00.001-06:00

Another TV tradition for the holiday is "A Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving." I still think the Peanut's Halloween and Christmas movies are better, but this one doesn't disappoint.

Could Woodstock be any cuter?

My favorite part about their meal is the popcorn and how ticked Peppermint Patty is over it, despite the fact that she invited herself.

5 Days to Go: The Parade Tradition

2009-11-21T00:01:00.001-06:00

One of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions is watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. My brother might laugh if he reads this post, because when we were kids, I would pitch the biggest fit about having to watch the parade. In fact, I believe there were years that I flat out refused to watch the parade because I didn't "believe" a parade should ever be watched on TV, but instead only in person. My 6- and 7-year-old self was against the parade if I could not be live on the scene.

I really have no clue where this came from. I can only suspect that it's because most parades give out candy, and I'd assume that a TV-worthy parade would be giving out the mother of all candy. But, yet, I don't recall candy being in the thought process.

My brother, on the other hand, LOVED the parade. He and my mom would watch it together at the kitchen table while mom was preparing the meal and would both cry when Santa came. I don't remember when I jumped on that bandwagon, but I now do the same in my home (minus the TV in the kitchen...damn having to run to the LR while cooking!). Yes, the parade is about the cheesiest thing around--with all it's lip-syncing and what not, but I wouldn't miss it for the world. I also always call my brother during the parade so that we can still watch a little piece together.

One of my favorite "classic" balloons. Snoopy...I love you!

A newer goody!

Did I mention the cheese factor? Oh yeah, and throughout junior high and part of high school, I was convinced I was going to be a Rockette. Then I heard you had to be at least 5'9" At 5'7", I was 2 inches short of my dream. Now I wonder if that height requirement is for real.

Oh, Santa! Bring on the tears. I believe in you!

6 Days to Go: A Thanksgiving Baby

2009-11-20T00:01:00.001-06:00

My friend and co-worker, Miss Camela, is pregnant with her second baby. In addition to her day job, she and her husband also have their own farm. The baby is due November 30. In honor of a Thanksgiving baby and to pay homage to a new addition to the farm, I knit up this little sweater complete with funny felt carrot and tomato. Come to think of it, neither of those veggies will be on my Thanksgiving table, but they were cuter (and easier to make) than green beans and corn.

Here is a link to the Mossy sweater pattern. I changed the sweater so that there is no zigzag pattern. I just wanted something plain to be able to add the felt cuties to. The yarn is Lions Brand Organic Cotton in Olive. It is SOOO soft and cushy!

7 Days to Go...Another Garland--MINE!

2009-11-19T00:01:00.000-06:00

Well kids, we're down to the final week. How did that happen? Fall has been flying by a little too fast for my taste. I think time flies when you dedicate so much energry toward a puppy and painting. But despite those distractions, I buckled down and decided to make a garland of my very own instead of just talking about how much I would like one. It's nothing super fancy, but it helps to dress up the hearth.

Festive, right?

This is in the living room, which is now not going to get painted until December. This room is basically a holding area for furniture and excess decor, so it was nice to have a little nook to make prettier. You can see the fireplace from the dining room table, which will be nice on turkey day.

8 Days to Go: Turkey Hats

2009-11-18T00:01:00.000-06:00

At Christmastime, people wear Santa hats. So I think it is only fitting that on Thanksgiving, people wear turkey hats!

Irina's pattern (for Ravelry members)

Loom Lore's pattern

goingcrafty's pattern

9 Days to Go...Giving Thanks Today

2009-11-17T00:01:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving is about being thankful. So today is decidated to Dexter. He brings Shane and me so much so much laughter and fun...and sometimes stress...but there isn't a day that doesn't go by that we're not super grateful to have him in our lives!

Naptime for Dex and me. Yes, we really were sleeping like this. He started out down by my legs and this is where he eventually wiggled up to and conked out.

Even the moments where we want to kill him, we love him.

10 Days to Go...Let's Talk Garlands

2009-11-16T08:38:00.006-06:00

I've been pretty smitten with garlands lately. Maybe because I have a fireplace now to hang one on, or maybe it's just because they're so festive. Either way, I'd like one for my turkey day festivities...now it's just a matter of making one of my own. Why is there not more time? Why didn't I think about making a garland in the summer? Why do I wait until ten days before the big day to get great ideas?

prettyfickle's shop

bluemoonstudios's shop

craftysweetheart's shop

thebannersisters shop

bekehjenning's shop

mycreativesideKG's shop

cardsncandy's shop

11 Days to Go...Dreamy Dress

2009-11-15T00:01:00.001-06:00

One of the reasons I love Thanksgiving at my house is that you can come to the table in your PJs, and it would be perfectly acceptable. However, as I was driving past Ann Taylor Loft the other day, I saw the Ruffle Shimmer Dress in the window and had daydreams of wearing this to a holiday meal. Kind of a chic version of the Norman Rockwell version of Thanksgiving...or Christmas. I think I love you, dress. But alas, I will resort to something more comfy and something that doesn't require taking the turkey out of the oven in heels. Still, a girl can dream.

12 Days to Go...Table Settings

2009-11-14T00:01:00.000-06:00

A few weeks back, Miss Tiffany over at Peanut Blossom had passed on the recommendation to sign up for Martha Stewart's Everything Thanksgiving e-mail. And like a good Thanksgiving day planner, I did. A weekly (I think?) email comes out with planning tips and ideas. Most of the meal stuff wasn't that helpful since I pretty much have the same menu every year (and every year I question if that is a bad thing). But this week she sent out table decorating ideas. Not sure if I'll use any, but I thought they were super cute none the less.

Pom-pom and felt turkeys.

Thanksgiving finger puppets.

Trivia placecards (there are questions on the front of the feathers and answers on the back).

Go here for more ideas!

13 Days To Go...Chandelier Reveal

2009-11-13T00:01:00.003-06:00

I told you I was painting the dining room this past weekend, and we did. As I mentioned, this is to get ready for Thanksgiving, making this OK to post for my countdown! ;) The full paint pictures aren't that great, so I'll try to get some in better light later. But I was very excited about my lighting makeover though, and wanted to share those now.

Here is the ugly wood and brass chandelier as it was.

Another view.

And here it is after a $13 spray paint makeover! It's a cranberry/burgundy color. (You can kind of see the tannish color of the walls in the back...for what it's worth.)

14 Days...Knitted/Crocheted Pies

2009-11-12T00:01:00.001-06:00

OK, when I said countdown yesterday, I didn't actually mean that I'm going to post something turkey day related every day counting down to Thanksgiving. I'd like to think that I could, but I know myself better. Still...I'll do my best.

As someone who is gluten-free, the Thanksgiving meal can be a tad tricky. Over the past couple of years, I figured my way around most of it, but not so much for pies. Until I do, I will just have to enjoy these slices of little yummies.

15 Days Til Thanksgiving!

2009-11-11T07:48:00.004-06:00

Is it too soon to start a countdown? It's true, after Halloween, Thanksgiving is my next favorite holiday. I like it even better than Christmas (actually, I'm not a huge Christmas fan overall). For me, Thanksgiving is drama-free, mainly because Shane and I have claimed it as our own. We live about 2 hours away from our families (we grew up in the same area), and every year we struggled to squeeze everyone in. After only a short time of that, we threw in the towel and decided we're no longer traveling for Thanksgiving and eating 2-4 turkey meals in 1-2 days. For the past 8 years (9?), we've had Thanksgiving at our place. Sometimes it was just the two of us, but usually Shane's mom, sister, and sister's now fiance come up. We eat, watch movies, play games, and laugh uncontrollably. I usually have no voice by the end of the weekend, but it's so worth it.

So...let the countdown begin with vintage turkey day postcards that I found on Flickr. I love vintage postcards and even used to collect them when I was a kid. I think it started because it was the only thing in the antique shops my mom would frequent that I could afford to buy on my allowance. All of the postcards are now with my mom, so maybe I need to start a new collection of my own.

I love this one! It looks like Halloween, but is really Thanksgiving. And the creepy little elfy guy cracks me up!

Poor turkey. I apologize now to my vegetarian friends/readers. This one is a tad offensive.

This one reminds me of the kinds that I used to collect. I love this style.

Come on...how can you NOT love two turkeys in a corn car?

Not Sick...Would Like to Stay That Way!

2009-11-05T07:40:00.004-06:00

I wish I could be more specific on the exact reason for this post, but alas I can only be vague. The only thing that I'd like to say is that if your sick, stay home. For no reason should you leave the house...go into work...even just to drop things off. Enough said.

I found these on Etsy in Danner's Place shop and they made me laugh. Stay healthy this season!