Tomorrow I have a birthday party for a 16 year old boy and I don't know why, but I immediately thought, beanie... then I thought, camo beanie. So here is what I made.
I was really happy with the result, the camo yarn is 100% cotton... because it is for a 16 year old boy and well.... it needs to be washable. I couldn't find cotton in the hunter's orange, so I settled for acrylic and since it is just the trim I am o.k. with that. I will say that this is the first time that I did a provisional cast on and I LOVED it. It took me a little longer than I think it should have because I was using double points and not circulars (because I didn't have circulars in that size) but it worked out fine.
I didn't think that one hat was quite enough so I made him a fun/silly hat too. This this is an ear flap hat that I found in this book.
I used the same 100% cotton yarn as the beanie but because the pattern called for bulky weight (and I had worsted), I doubled the yarn. Not only did it turn out great but I actually like the color pattern better because it looks more "camo" and less "striped". I also crocheted a trim in the hunter's orange color and added a pompom at the top. I thought that the pompom might be a little too over the top, so I attached it with a safety pin. :-) Hope he likes it. [both hats: camo yarn-Lily Sugar 'n Cream, orange yarn-Caron Wintuk]
I have a baby shower to go to next weekend for my husband's cousin... she is having a boy. Since I knitted these booties and hat last year for my son, it has become my staple baby shower gift. These patterns are from this book: 
and they are sooo easy and quick to make! [blue yarn- Queensland Collection Bebe Cotsoy, beige yarn-Plymouth Earth Oceanside Organic]
One of my first projects when I started back at Urban was this knitted (then felted) bag from this book: 
The pattern was great but it was just a bag with no lining or pockets. So I made my own pattern for the lining with TONS of pockets. I love the bag! [yarn- Plymouth Tweed, fabric- Amy Butler]
We just started carrying Namaste bags at Urban, which of course I had to pick one out before the order was even placed... (this style in this color)
and since I now have a traveling knit bag, I needed a knitting needle case to go inside. I saw a few patterns in knitting books that I checked out from the library, but I wasn't too thrilled about any of them....... so I made my own pattern. I thought that this was a great project to get rid of some of my old scrap yarn so I took the smallest balls of leftover yarn, tied them end to end and wound them into a gigantic ball. This was a great solution so I didn't have to stop at each color change, I just kept on knitting. I made sure to position the knot on the wrong side of the piece so that it wasn't visible and I LOVE how it turned out. At the last minute I decided to add a crocheted trim in a contrasting color and I think that just MADE the needle case! [yarn-random scrap yarn from my stash]
I am also working on a pair of felted sock slippers from this book:
I have one done and had to put it down to make some of these other things. But I think they are going to be really cute when I am done I picked pink and green and I am going to do one foot in each color. I am still toying around with the idea of sewing a lining for the inside, but I think I will just have to see how they felt up first and how they feel when I am wearing them. [yarn-Plymouth Tweed]
I was looking through this month's Country Living magazine and I saw a picture of the cutest Beer Bottle cozy. So I went to the website (Edge of Urge) and they are made by an artist in North Carolina who makes them out of old sweaters. I think these are super cute but I think I might be able to come up with a pattern on how to make one of these.... now I am on a mission!
Aside from all this knitting, I threw my son his 4th birthday party... (invitations on the previous post). Well here is how the thank you cards turned out.
I have also been working on some jewelry. I was at JoAnn's today buying fabric for my son's Halloween costume and I found a set of charms in the jewelry section that I purchased. There were 3 in the package, the first one was a turtle which my son adopted as his new zipper pull for his winter jacket :-). The 2nd one was a slightly folded leaf that I thought would work perfect for a "2 peas in the pod" charm. So I put 2 green Jasper beads on a head pin and attached it to the front. I think it is a little abstract but I think it turned out great!
The 3rd charm that came in that package was this flower. I thought that it would look good on a strand of beads and when I was looking through my jewelry making supplies, I found this strand of beads that I thought that it would look great with.
I also wanted to be able to charge out the strand of beads and wear the pendant with a strand of just about anything so I attached a lobster clasp at the top of the charm so that it was interchangeable.
Something else that I found in my supplies were these green "links" that I bought a while back in the clearance isle at JoAnn's. I think the package only cost me a few dollars and there had to have been 50 different links in there, half were a small size and half were a bigger size. So I picked one of the small sizes and made another "2 peas in a pod" necklace... this pendant is much more abstract. I had these bone beads in my supplies so I used them, although I am pretty sure that they only look like bone and are not actually made of bone. I think it turned out pretty neat. I used a leather cord that I bought for something else. 
Well, I think that sums up the last month. There are a few things that I have on my to do list, like make both of my sons their Halloween costumes. My 4 year old wants to be a tornado this year so I purchased some micro fleece and tulle and I have to get to the drawing board to see exactly how I am going to pull this one off. I was planning on making my little one into a cow, to go a long with the tornado, but my husband suggested making him the tin man or cowardly lion or something from the Wizard of OZ. I don't know if people would really see the 2 linked that closely, especially since there is no Dorothy... and then my husband told me that I should dress up like Dorothy. HA!!! I think I might just stick with the cow idea. :-)
I have also been seriously thinking about taking up quilting (as if I need another hobby). I should probably take a class on it, though.... I know how to sew, hand stitch and applique but I think that there are definitely some shortcuts and tricks to learn that would make the quilt making process a lot easier and tear-free!!
The last thing that I have been thinking about is a long term knitting project, like a sweater. I usually run away from long term projects because I don't seem to have the attention span for them... but since I can knit at work when it is slow, it might give my hands something to do without causing me to inspire myself to do tons of other projects? We will see... I have a constantly revolving to do list, so that isn't anything new :-)
2. So the Theatre is coming along... once I figure out what to do with the TV and its components, I can get the curtain made and it will be officially done. But I did make these 2 signs. One is to be mounted above the stairs leading to the Theatre. I was unsure of which word to use, Theater or Theatre and I found this 
Here is the restroom sign. To add just a little more detail I made this sign for the bathroom. I think I might outline the people in black.
3. I have also started on my Christmas cards. I know, I am crazy... but I am block printing them and I have to make like 100 cards, so I thought I should probably get going early this year. This is just a preview but the actual card is green and there is a going to be a separate "ornament" card hanging on the front that is removable so that the recipients can hang them on their Christmas tree. I know what "font" I want to use for the inside greeting and I plan on carving my own rubber stamp so that it looks exactly the way I want it to. I still have most of my cards to print and the inside stamp to make and stamp but here is what I have so far:
4. My mom told me on the phone this week that "necessity is the mother of invention" and so is true with my next project. We have a gas fireplace and never use it. It adds resale value to the house so I don't want to remove it but meanwhile I have to find something to do with it so that the kids aren't bumping into it and so that it is insulated. The "flue" on it is always open and the fireplace is the source of a constant draft in my house so I decided to make a "blanket" to attach to the front. And because it is a fireplace I wanted it to look like a fireplace so I appliqued and embroidered logs and fire to the front. I LOVE it and now I can't wait to make log bolster pillows to throw in front of it to look like my spare fire wood :-)
6. My niece was over for the 4th and she loves to get into 
7. I moved my monogrammed wall and put all of my Ys above my fire place. I think they look way better in the new location. 
I wanted to also show 1 Y in particular that is actually a shelf. I was talking with my mother-in-law about how most of my Ys weren't hangable and that they needed to sit on a shelf. So she said, "what you need is a printer's tray" and I said, "No, what I need is a printer's tray in the shape of a Y." Well since my Husband's grandfather is a wood worker, she had him make it for me for my birthday. It looks AMAZING and I love it, so I made it the focal point to my collection.
8. I've talked about 
Outside the house:
9. I was going through a bunch of my junk a few months ago to get ready for my yard sale and I found a bunch of frames that I haven't used. Some were just frames and others had small paintings in them, which I took out. I painted them all gold and put fabric covered peg boards in them so that I can use them as an idea "board". I hung them in front of my sewing machine and they look great. I am not sure if I am going to actually use them or if I like them plain.
10. Another thing that I wanted to get done before my son went to pre-kindergarten was his school memory book. I saw one on 
11. I also finished my applique/embroidery of the Libbey House. I actually did 2 but this one turned out the best.
Upcoming projects: I am working on a really special project for a Christmas gift, but because I don't want to give anything away, you are going to have to wait for the pics on that one. I still need to continue working on my lip gloss shelf.... that really should become my priority!!!! I also need to work on the thank you notes for Jasper's party.. so they can be ready to sign and send. I already have the ideas, I just need to buy the card stock and get going on them. What else??? I have really wanted to start painting with watercolor but in an unconventional way. I know that I have seen this on the Internet, but I would like to start painting Batiks out of watercolor on paper. It would be very similar to a cotton batik using wax as a resist and I plan on painting the entire sheet with each of the water colors between waxing. I know that some people that use this technique will just paint sections but I think that there is a certain effect that goes along with the entire page being painted that I just LOVE. Maybe if they go well I can sell them on Etsy or maybe just the prints? That might be a stretch considering I am going to start watching my niece during the day this coming Monday. So my time will be severely limited... we will see what I can actually accomplish. Oh and I want to start making myself some clothes :-) I think I am being a bit ambitious! What's new :-)
The curtain room divider.
My mess of a studio.
The other half of my messy studio.
I am also using this as an opportunity to try something new. It seems that if I am creating in one medium for any length of time, I get super burnt out. So I am going to use the same subject matter and try creating it with different media. Hopefully this will keep my interest and save me from the "boredom" that I cause myself. I have started an applique/embroidery which I am calling a "fabric painting" of the Libbey house. I am also thinking about doing an "artistic embroidery", a block print, a painting and possibly one other medium that I haven't thought of yet :-) Here is what I have so far: 
I am also thinking about selling prints of some of my past paintings and some of my future paintings on Etsy. I still have to figure out the logistics but they might be on my next Etsy update! Here is one that I plan on making prints for:
I recently made an embroidery with one of those $1 frames for my monogrammed wall and I LOVED how it turned out:
So I am toying with the idea of selling those also. Since they sold out of the actual frames, I recently made molds of the frames with this GREAT clay specifically designed to make flexible molds.
Then you put the mold on tin foil, bake it according to the manufacturers instructions and whhaa laaa!! Instant mold. I made silicone molds in a sculpture class in college and let me tell you, this mold clay is sooo much easier and faster... sure it has it limitations, but for what I wanted it for... it was excellent! 
I also made myself a new pendant. I really wanted a mom necklace, but not one that was a really obvious MOM necklace. So I made this:
It is supposed to be a nest with 2 "eggs" each symbolizing each of my kids. I love it and I haven't taken it off since I made it! I have a few other ideas for pendants but my focus right now is to get these block prints made and ready to sell.
Ever since I decided to start block printing my mind will not stop working. I find inspiration EVERYWHERE!!! Which is fabulous... even more fabulous if I could find the time to work on some of my ideas :-) HA! Hopefully sometime soon. I have been making some lino cuts but I have to fine tune the actual printing process to get exactly what I want. Once that happens I plan on making some stuff to put on 
I had to venture out to 
These little frames are sooooo CUTE!!!! (and also very small, the largest at 4" wide). They are made for pictures, of course... but my mind started working and I can't stop thinking about what I can do with these little gems. The first thing I made was a Y for my monogrammed wall. Then, I was thinking of more things that I could embroider for the frames, and what about silhouettes??? I have been wanting to make some silhouettes of my kids.... I would probably want to paint the frames a more "little boy" friendly color, but hey. And why stop there??? You could use these for scrapbooking, jewelry and art projects. I am telling you, I have never been so inspired by little trinkets found in the dollar isle. I hope the inspiration just keeps rolling in. Oh wait.. maybe I can incorporate the frames somehow with my block printing!!! Needles to say, I bought 10 of the frames, and I am sure that the next time I am in the store I will probably buy more! I still have to iron and stretch the monogram embroidery, but this will give a good idea of what it will look like:
This past week I also made a pair of booties and a hat for a friend of mine who just had a little girl last month. Unfortunately, I was so excited to get them sent off, that I neglected to get pics of them. But somehow, I managed to get a picture of the congrats card that I made :-) 
I also made a really cute card for my uncle to go with his painting and I got a picture of the painting but not the card :-) someday I will get it right!! So far that is it. I am really trying to concentrate on my block prints until I get my 