"L" is for the way you look at me ...

That's it! I'm in love with my newest crocheted giraffes! How could you not be?!

 All this cuteness is almost too much to handle. It's almost a shame
I'll be mailing them out soon. Thankfully, I have enough yarn
to crank out a couple more. Both boys have been angry at me, because I wasn't allowing them to play with the giraffes.
What a mean Mommy I am. How dare I not let them play with toys. Curses!

Most people know I've been in a funk. It's a lot of the impending doom of Christmas. Which really, is an odd new feeling for me. Usually, I love this time of year.
I've also been struggling to find a sense of identity when it comes to the things that I make and sell. Any bum with a few dollars can do what I do, but I want the things I make to be mine. I want the pleasure of knowing that the stuff I create, came from the chocolate waterfall that makes my brain churn. I see the Etsy shops of people I know, and their things are AH-MAZING. I think

to myself, "I wish I could do that".
I CAN! I can do it.
I know I can. I've been lacking  self confidence. A good friend today told me, "chin up sweetie! the confidence is key... you'll find it."


Yesterday, I think I hit a turning point. I've been trying to brainstorm at any chance I get, to come up with a good idea of a thing or things I can sell in my Etsy shop year round. I don't think knit and crochet hats will fly in the dead heat of late July-Early August.
Amazingly, while doing the dishes, my muse woke from whatever nap she was taking, and threw 4 great ideas at me.
Got online and did a bit of research to see how many other people were making the things I'd come up with. Out of the four ideas, only one was being made by other people.
I really do with I could share these things with you right now, because they are pretty awesome ideas. For my own sake, I'm keeping these secret until I post them on Etsy. So, sit tight and keep your eyes peeled for some awesomeness!!

Since you took the time to read this blog post, I'm going to do something a  little special for you. During this month of December, I'm having a sale in my Etsy shop for 25% off everything.
You, being the dedicated reader you are, can take an extra 10% off!!  That's right. 35% off everything in the store. Just make sure you use the coupon BLOG35 at checkout.

Thanks for reading, and Happy Crafting!

It's a Hoot - Part deux!

Attempt #2 at making an owl ornament turned out my much better. It's closer to bulb size than the other grapefruit sized monster.

It's a Hoot

I wanted to crochet several Christmas ornaments. You know, for family members and a few other people. I got started one, and come to find out, my gauge was WAAAAAY off.

                                                     The first one came out nice, but....

                      ...It's HUGE! Here it is next to a roll of toilet paper. You get the idea of the magnitude
                        of this beast. Hopefully next time, it will come out closer to the intended size.

Well, That's all for now. Back to the grind stone!

Down With The Sickness

There's been a nasty cold going around, one in particular that's been floating around our house for the last couple of weeks. Yesterday, however, I came down with was apparently a 24-hour stomach flu.
                Today... I feel like i've been hit by a bus. It hurts to move, breathe, laugh, cough and think. I was foolish enough to think, "Hey, This would be a great time to get some work done, seeing as how I don't feel like doing anything that would require me to do much more than sitting". The boys went down for their afternoon nap, and I decided to make a 1 skein scarf for the craft fair. I'm about 95% done, the boys wake up from their nap, and I run off to the bathroom for no more than 2 minutes. I come back to the living room, and find that the boys had completely unraveled the scarf. 

Why? Why today? Why that scarf? I'm already so unbelievably behind on my work. I know this must seem so petty to complain about.

Ugh. I'm even annoying myself. Lol That can't be good. 


I need to stop setting unrealistic expectations for myself. It's like I subconsciously set myself up for failure. Why can't I just be happy being me? Why can't I just be happy ?

Off to watch Dancing With The Stars and do the dishes.
Talk you soon, My lovelies.

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and TIME...

    Quick! Someone get some time! Figure out how to make the day about 6 hours longer!

Pfft. I wish.

I am swamped, trying to get ready for my craft fair. 9 days to go and I still have loads to do. Also, I suck at time management. A lot of my time is devoted to changing diapers, chasing after Rugrats and picking up all of their messes. I still have a list, chock full of stuff to make. My hands won't move fast enough!!
   I'm starting to wonder how other people with kids knit & crochet, and then put out these amazing pieces. Part of me was beginning to question my own abilities. Sometimes, I think it would just be easier for me to put all of this stuff on hiatus until the boys get a little older . I've toyed around with the idea, but I came to this conclusion: Knitting and crocheting is no longer something I just DO. It's who I am and, in a lot of ways, It's who I have always been. I've always loved making things, but no "hobby" ever stuck. If it wasn't for my boys, I wouldn't be doing what I do I owe it to them to keep on truckin' right?
     Recently, I just turned 30. I know it's one of those milestones that people dread. I've embraced it.  I'm at a place in my life I never imagined I would be. If somehow, You could track me down 10 years ago and tell me that at 30 I'd have 2 kids and spend my creative time knitting and crocheting, I probably would have laughed in your face.  
     
Where does time go, and why does it slip away so quickly? I was thinking about it yesterday.

I heard on the radio, they've given the green light to discontinue the distribution of the White Pages. Since people use the internet for practically everything these days, and we as consumers are trying to become "Green", it doesn't make sense to keep them cluttering our rapidly emptying bookshelves. I don't know about you, but I still use the White and Yellow Pages.
-I read the paper.
-I listen to talk radio.
-I lived in houses with land-lines and phones with cords.
-My parents STILL don't have Caller ID on their house phone (Craziness, right? )
-I miss back in the day when you could buy a toy, tear it open and start playing. Now, you have to sit there with scissors, a box cutter, a knife, 2 hammers, a screwdriver... and then 45 minutes later you're too tired to play.
- Every now & again, I miss the days before cell phone. As great and convenient as they are, they can be a total nuisance. There is a whole generation of people that have probably never used a phone with a twisty cord. There's also the lack of etiquette (Which I will be the first to admit, I'm guilty of usage of cell phone during dinner and conversation)  . Also. It's always with you. Mine is usually within reaching distance when I go to sleep, and when I wake up. It's become such a part of me, that I feel lost without it. That kind of dependency can't be good. 

                        I need a phone like this to give myself a bit of nostalgic therapy. It's also bulky enough to

double as a weapon against intruders.

What bits of nostalgia do you miss? 

( Big thanks to hopeandjoyhome for letting me use this great rotary phone pic. Check out their Etsy Shop for some really nifty vintage stuff! http://www.etsy.com/shop/hopeandjoyhome )

This is Halloween, This is Halloween... (Late, I know)

The eternal procrastinator. That's me. I am she.

Anyhoo, Here a few pictures from our Halloween evening.
(Note: There are no pics of the Hubz. He doesn't care for being in photos. I feel like such a dummy. I forgot to bring my camera that night, so all of our Halloween pics are on her camera. These are the few I shot on my phone)

We have Young Frankenstein here. He had been playing with the glow sticks, and just got busted! 

You're not as innocent as you look, Kiddo ;-)  

Where does Captain America feel the safest? Apparently, It's Nana's lap that is the place. He 

flat-out-refused to wear his mask. I guess he felt the need to reveal his true, messy head identity.

 I was sitting down on the floor, talking to my sister when she took this pic of me. I was just 

clowning around that night. I wish the shot was a little higher so you could see the tiny red bowler I crocheted.

 This is the really cool pumpkin my sister carved, 

Recognize him  :oD

This is the pumpkin I carved. Gross, Isn't it?! I love it!!! The Hubz found a picture of one of these 

last year right after Halloween. Wishing we had seen it earlier, he said "Let's remember to do this

next year."  Thankfully, He reminded me before I hacked it to bits.

❤

☠ Yaaaaarn, Matey ☠

Being Mom and working with yarn. It's what I do. Right now I have a plethora of projects in the works. Yes, a plethora. 

Took a second stab at crocheted fingerless gloves. The first one made, I was lovingly told it  "feels like I"m wearing a cast"  :/

So much for that one. Back to square one I went. Found a pattern on etsy. Suprisingly, it was a pattern that actually allowed the buyer of the pattern to sell the products made from that pattern. I just can't sell the pattern. Good deal to me.  I still have to make the second glove. I've made two, but I didn't like the first one. I used a yarn that ended up being scratchy, and I didn't like certain things the pattern told me to do. So, I went back and edited what I didn't care for. Huzzah!

 

♡  Still working (slowly) on my first pair of knit socks. 

♡  Knitting beanies and crocheting bunnies ( all of which need to be finished by weeks end). Eeek!

Other works not pictured: 

♡ Giant crochet unicorn 

♡ Crochet giraffe (but you can see the yarn that will be the giraffe :D )

 

Here is something that I HAVE finished!   Black N' Pink 'Skully Bones' Beanie (Adult Size). There is a second Skully on the opposite side of the beanie & she is just as sweet :D

 Well...

I've spent enough time blogging. Back to work!