Weightloss

In keeping with the weightloss challenge scrapping I'm doing at ElementScraps.... I signed up recently for an awesome program by SparkPeople. It seems like a great program after 4 days! :) I've attached a link in the sidebar to the website! :)



Get a Free Online Diet

Nothing like a little Shameless advertising! :)

F&F Soaker Pants with Embelly

I did the Fern & Faerie Soaker pants based on S's measurements.... I got bored on the last leg and decided to see how well a cable would show on variegated yarn. I like them but probably wouldn't do that again.

4th of July 2003

A 4th of July photo from 2003.
Reads:
This is the first dress that I made for you. It was done in time for the
4th of July 2003. You were so pleased wearing it. Everyone thought you were so wearing it. You had an awesome time at the fireworks, so much so that you keep asking when they'll come again! This photo was taken a few days later. Here you are wearing the apron that you and I made!

Kit is Let Freedom Ring by Susan Godfrey available soon at Elemental Scraps.

Lyric Challenge

These two were both done for a lyric challenge at ES....

More from Gulf Shores

A week at the beach can do a family good...

Here are some of our photos from our recent trip! :)

Kit is Catch A Wave by Susan Godfrey
Font is Bradley's Hand

Surf's Up - Catch-a-wave

Kit is Catch A Wave by Susan Godfrey
Font is Bradley's Hand
Tear by Steph Krush
Sketch by Bree at Scrap-maps.com

Sarah and Mummy
Kit: Purple Passion freebie by Jennifer Layden
Fonts: Ma Sexy, and Bradley's Hand
Sketch: from Bree, of http://www.scrap-maps.com/
Tear by Steph Krush


Big Sister
Papers: MamaRose bonus freebie by Eva Kipler
Font: French Script
Rose: from my garden

D is for..... & Doodling Moon

This one was done for 3 challenges.....June's Doodling moon at DigitalFreebies Amanda's Doodle Challenge, D is for at ES Debbie's Alphabet, and Blue Prints by Brenda at Gootapixel....

D is for Daddy Darling and Dreaming
(ain't that the truth with a newborn?!)
My dd (at a couple weeks old.)

Journalling....
Everybody else has closed their eyes
It's quiet as can be
Everyone will sleep until sunrise
Everyone but the moon and me!
Bill Harley as sung by Nicolette Larson

KIT is Doodling Moon - Bannerwoman Designs

A Day of Projects...

So if you scroll down to the 'In Progress' section you can view what I'm working on. I try to keep it up to date with the projects I'm working on this month.... right now I've got.....

Crochet Heartghan (Seam) (Dec) 33%
This is somewhat of a thorn in my side.... I'm not happy with the project but well some day it'll get done!
pic to come

2nd Mint set (hat mitts booties) - (May) 45%
The jacket is done, I just need to work up a hat mitts and booties set to go with it... I'll get back to this one when I'm less distracted.

35 charity items *April* (0 of 35 items) (Apr) 0%
I've adopted the flylady method on this one and will work on the June ones till they're finished then go back and work on these! :)

40 charity items *June* (6 of 40 items) (Jun) 15%
Progressing.

TinyBird Soakers in Sarah (Embellish) (May) 95%
These pants are done and they've been worn a couple times already... I just need to find a good image of a dragonfly to embellish them with.... for some reason Sarah reminds me of a dragon fly and all the things that have been bought for her have a dragonfly on them - so this works.
pic to come

Felted Lunch Bag (Jun) 27%
I'm not into this one so much right now... but it is progressing (this has become my car project!
pic to come

Sew - Knitting Needle Holder (Jun) 100%
Wham bam thank you ma'am.... this works up really quickly.... usually uninterrupted about 20 minutes cutting and 1 hr sewing. So this was an easy knock out.
pic to come

Knit F&F Pants in Rose&Gray (Jun)
This was one of those spur of the moment decisions.... The majority is done, I just have one leg left but this one will be slower than the rest as I'm doing a cable down the leg. Don't know how it will look but hey. I feel I need to make myself a cable needle... so that will probably a quicky project shortly too!
pic to come

You can tell I'm horribly distracted.... because these are the ones I've worked on today!
40 charity items *June* (6 of 40 items) (Jun) 15%
Felted Lunch Bag (Jun) 27%
Sew - Knitting Needle Holder (Jun) 100%
Knit F&F Pants in Rose&Gray (Jun) 80%

Sewing - Knitting Needle Holder

For Christmas last year I made my mum (and myself) a knitting needle and a crochet hook holder, she loved it. Mum's friend has been good to me, and my kids. She's a long time knitter as well and has her needles in the same box/bag that mum had hers in and it about drove me nuts every time I went to look for needles when I'd visit my mum! LOL! So mum wanted to pay for the materials and time for me to make one for her friend as well. I couldn't charge my mum for that... well low and behold mum's friend is having a birthday next month... so its taken me a month or so to drag out my sewing machine and materials... but in an hour (almost to the minute) I'm about 85% done.

I'm not happy with one of the seams and will 'rip-it' but after that I have to get rid of the strings and finish up the needle stripes... and its done. I love fast projects.... but of course in shopping for the ribbon, which I didn't have extra of... I found 3 patterns that I wanted.... and so once this is complete, I have a dress (material already bought) and some jammies to sew for the big kid.

Ah... I miss sewing sometimes... I think after this little spin with the machine though its time to take it in for service.

ESSYS - Weeks 1 and 2

These two were done for Element Scraps - Scrap Yourself Skinny.
both are done on Hunter's Overalls.
Fonts are Bradley's Hand, Tekton Pro and French Script

Stitch Markers

So I stop by various sites and blogs and see all these really nice stitch markers only to discover that I'm using crappy strands of yarn to mark my place and I'm tired of it because my markers ALWAYS fall out and I have to sit down and recount! LOL!


So in surfing I decide.... darn they can't be hard.... so I picked up a few supplies at the Walmart the other day ... and in 15 minutes had one put together... I love my little dragonfly marker.... another 15 minutes and I had a butterfly marker too. So cool! But I'm not thrilled with how they turned out and have decided to research a little more and get better supplies... (I'll redo the markers I made - just because I can! LOL!) and the fact that I need more anyway...


Here is an awesome tut. on how to make them at wormspit.com I've decide that I'm gonna try and make some Crochet markers too.

So I've been making alittle progress on my current soaker... and have fallen head over heals madly in love with my PureWool yarn.... mmmm sumptuous.

Heros and Birthdays

Elemental Scraps Chat the other night requested a photo of your heros.... well here are mine. Most people can't say their kids are their heros but after all that mine have been through I figure they've justified the title! :) They still smile and they truly are my heros! :)


This one is the first in a series of photos of M's 5th birthday. The little cupcake sticker was from Susan Godfrey's Shabby Birthday kit. The rest I customed from the Celebrate sticker (which is a photo from the wall at Pump-it-Up.

An awesome time was had by all that attended. Slides and bouncing for over an hour... followed by a 30 minutes of food and cake... I think all the kids went home tired after that....

Yarn Weenie - Rant

I feel like a yarn weenie today. Its evident I'm not a yarn snob.

I'm on a yahoo group that uses various types of 100% Wool yarn, silk, Alpaca, 100% cottons etc and they talk of acrylic like it is the most evil horrible creation in the world and those who use it are poor excuses for human beings. But there are some I rather like.

Red Heart has its uses - I can't say I love the feel of it but it has its uses, just like anything else... Other acrylics I like because I can toss them no guilt into the washing machine and promptly dry them without worry of shrinkage or other horrible disasters occuring.

I've knit for almost 28 yrs and there is no way in this day that I would make sweet baby outfit in anything that is hand wash or special care... its just not nice. Ya it might be soft, but the way I look at it,... if it is special care how likely is the baby to wear it? and isn't that why I'm making it - for everyday use?? For me I wouldn't use it because I don't want the hassle and don't have the time to stand and wash by hand.... maybe that's just me. Baby S here is a puker and 5 minutes in a cutesy handwash and that's it. What fun is that?? It would be banished to the bottom of her keepsake box just because it was a pain in the butt to use.

I have yards and yards of Sayelle yarn from years ago when Sears.Ca used to do their promotionals. You know that stuff knits up stiff but after its first wash it is so sweetly soft. I was cursing at its roughness as I made S's Baby blanket mere days before she was born, then mum tossed it in the wash and it was super soft... even I would snuggle up with it.

So tell me yarn users... would you shun me if I sent you a beautiful hand knit outfit that you could toss in the wash without a thought? Even if it was soft?

I'm feeling rather sensitive these days about this issue because I've made about 6 different outfits for friends new babies in yarns like Bernat Baby Softee and the like - washed them so they're soft (with no harsh chemicals) and sent them on their way but if you wouldn't wear it on the baby what was the point of my making it?! Maybe I'll resort back to buying cheapo outfits and keep my hand knits to myself... *sniff*

Tell me, I'm curious.....

5 months

Where does the time go?

Journalling
You're almost 5 months old. I can't believe you've grown so quickly. You're definitely a kid who loves her tummy time. You'll play quite a few minutes on your surfboard, but when you've had enough you've had enough and the whole world will know it. You are rarely without a smile these days. Your personality is shining through.... You are curious, cuddly and almost always happy!

Yarn-addiction Post

....aaaahhhhh (read that as a comforting sigh) ....

Dh was talking with a co-worker about my current love of 'higher priced than Walmart acrylic yarns ... if they're over $5.00 a ball he calls them the "Albino - endangered - Rabbit fur yarn" and the guy mentioned that his wife works at a local yarn store..... hmmm he says... where is it, maybe my wife knows it... ha guess what... I didn't, and the sweet dear that he is he came home and told me about the place I haven't yet been too....

Well me being me I says: "So you're taking me there Saturday right? Because I'd love to see it... maybe they have friendlier people that the current Snobby LYS I go to."
DH: "Sure."
Me: "I just want to look you know."
DH: "Ah-ya right!"
Me: "Well... will ya take me."
DH: "Okay"

So I sit the last day or so and think about the yarn store... like I have nothing better to do right?! And then I talk to my (dear sweet child) DSC#2's mom tonight and tell her I'd love to make something for the baby.... because well DSC#1 and DSC#3 receive many of my test projects and she says well... something like this or this or this would be perfect... you know I'd love something you made for the baby because well its from you....

So at midnight I get off the phone with her and think to myself I saw something like this a couple days ago... and hmmmm where could it be.... a quick search and I know what yarn I want to buy at that yarn store tomorrow....

I want to make this...Katja in this yarn..... Well low and behold... this yarn store is supposed to have it....

So now I can sit back and relax,.... know what I want to buy and how much I need - though I might buy a couple extras... as I could make that top into a cute little dress instead... (or I could make a duplicate for DSC#3 as well....)

Mental note.... Best deal I can get on this yarn is $48.75 for 10 balls of this yarn (what would I do with 10 balls?) from http://Discountyarnsale.com/

Hats.... and more Hats.

From May 29th to June 3rd I've completed 20 hats, thus completing my May goal for hats... now I have April (20) and June (40) to work on ... I have 5 hats on the go this morning ... 3 knit, and 2 crochet'd. I should post pics of my hats later this afternoon.... and get my 2 patterns up shortly.

4 months

Kit is Outerbanks (freebie) by Eva Kipler
Fonts are Ma Sexy and Papyrus
Sketch by Nicole White

At four months you smile a lot, but you also have a temper when you want something and can't get it. You're a baby who loves to be moved around since you can't go yourself, but often when you are in the Maya you fall asleep in a wink. I think these 3 pictures show your personality... Sweet and snuggle, Smiling and happy, and a total grump when you want to be though I'm happy to say that doesn't happen often!

An Ad Challenge

An ad challenge done for Elemental Scraps - my entry was late but hey I had to wait for imms to make it work! LOL!




Journalling reads....
When the Pain Bites: We bite it back with a little tylenol. Following your 6 month round of immuniziations you pretty much let us know that there was some serious pain happening there. We were in the car and there was no way we could go anywhere til we got you something. Well just the look of the box was enough to keep you happy til we got home. But like your sister before you - you also let us know that you won't be tolerating this stuff in the future and we better find you something that will work for ya!