Whupped

 

I am absolutely whupped. To go from the relative stop of vacation to warp speed is always tough but I feel as if I have not stopped a second. 

Not much in the way of anything creative but that stops tomorrow because I have to start putting some things together in a serious way for The Creative Connection. I mean, I leave in two weeks. Gulp. There is fabric and notions and jewelry findings and shoes stacked to the ceiling in the creative space. It's a mess in there!!!

I do have a bit of a finished object, the second in the Christmas Pile It's the cowl turned headband I told you about last time. It's really so cute I think I'll make a lot more----- love me some quick gifts!

The photo above? Taken on a day when the weather was hot and the laughter was loud. We had such a good time that day---- friends, family and staffers all gathered to kick up our heels. Oh my. 

The grindstone calls!

Is it Monday? Really?

The weekend flew by, whizzaroo--- as always.

I was watching the hurricane coverage of course, I have two kids living on the East Coast. One ignored mandatory evacuation orders (to which I Facebooked about "some people" being a dumbass)--- and the other "lives in Brooklyn---- nothing happens in Brooklyn Mom!!" Well thankfully, both were safe and sound as were many friends who live up and down the east coast. My hope is that we do not have a Weatherman Cried Wolf scenario, you know how people can be.

While watching the weather coverage I stitched:

It's Pam Garrison's and cute as pie! I'm almost finished designing one of my own, also cute as can be, so check back!

My crocheting of a new cowl using Vickie Howell's Sheep(ish) in a loverly purple shade is going to be a stocking stuffer headband instead of the cowl. Crochet think IS exactly like Knit Think, why did I think differently???? More stitches need to be chained (cast on)--and the cowl will begin again. 


So it's Monday, a fresh new week, gear up and go get 'em!

The Things

Now that I'm back from vacation it seems like studio life (aka work) has amped up about 200%. Good news/bad news. Thank heavens I'm uber organized.

Just in case-- I'm planning to make a partial wall in the sewing room (happy creative hub that it is) a blackboard for notes and lists and happy doodling if the truth be told. With The Creative Connection less than 3 weeks away I have a ton of stuff to do. A TON. I got up super early this morning to start making this:

You can't even tell that it is a knit jersey cardigan, long and drapey with long "arms" in the front to mess with. And the color is a burgundy/wine color not that sicky color in the pic. I have one more sleeve to set in and then decide how to finish the edges. I know the current thing is to just leave 'em raw but I just can't do that somehow. Maybe lace (stretchy) seam tape and a simple turn back and topstitch. My next sewing will occur at 4 a.m. tomorrow so I'll let you know what I decide, although your suggestions are most appreciated!

AND speaking of a ton, balls.. but I gained EIGHT pounds on vacation. Sheesh. Now, I do gain a couple pounds by just driving BY a Krispy Kreme when the hot light is on...........but when my pants were tight this morning and I stepped on the scale the truth could not be denied. I'm okay with it, I mean I hate it but I had a really great time which involved:

Fried green tomatoes with vidalia onion relish at The Lady and Son's in Savannah (so good, really it's all I go for)--- and probably the most wonderful crabcakes ever at Barbara Jeans on SSI. It might have been the housemade ice cream, can you say maple bacon or green tea pear? Of course it could also be the seafood bonanza (a sin not to)---- or just the fact that too many days were spent doing jackshit. Like this:

 Man, I miss the beach like crazy. It was so perfect!

By the end of today I will officially have caught up from vacation (because we all know that is the bitch, the catching up part)---- with work, laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping, picking up the mail at the P.O., and sorting through the mail.

Hope you're caught up too!

Home Again

I'm home again. Instead of stopping en route the car drove straight home and by the time things were unpacked a bit it was 1:30 a.m. I'll be hanging on to that perfect vacation feeling as long as I can while still taking care of work.

What I can report is (as ALWAYS) I super dooper overpack the things I think I will do creatively. More than anything I read (beach time) and I did sketch/watercolor in my art journal. (Not that I don't have plenty to catch up on!) Knitting wise I didn't do too much, embroidery wise I only got the large "tree element" done----- and the only crochet I did was to make the hatband from locally procured yarn. Will I overpack for the next trip? Absolutely.

I missed the trip to the State Fair with knit group but can happily report back that Yo-El and Silvana both entered knitting items and won two blues and a purple! Silvana a blue ribbon in the sweater category for her gorgeous fair isle vest and Yo-El a blue in the shawl category and a purple for best in knitting for her lovely lace shawl. Definitely good stuff, congrats girls!

Back to work for me! Chin up and full steam ahead!

I'm GOING----- The Creative Connection

I'm still taking surf and sun therapy (and it is lovely indeed) but while gone decided that I couldn't pass up The Creative Connection Event. If you're going let me know----- it would be great to meet up!

Okay, back to my regularly scheduled vacation! 

 

I've fallen behind on my art journal----- but how much can you say about spending all day at the beach lazing, swimming, sunning, reading and listening to creative podcasts? Followed up by eating seafood. Not bad. Not bad at all.

Rolling Hills & The Road

 

The road was long, the warrior tired. Good thing there is a beach, a bed and seafood. Not necessarily in that order. 

Lessons (ongoing) learned to date:

• There is always less time to work on "the stuff" than planned for. Never fails.
• A clean car never stays that way for long. 
• I still love Grouper.
• Always contribute to your local yarn shop!
• No, I'm not going to wear a seat belt in my golf cart silly!
• Hot on vacation is completely preferable to hot at work.

Knit on!

Heading Out

I'll be heading out bright and early for a little well deserved vacay. I hope to maybe drop a line or some news from the road.

Count your blessings and pass one on!

First Crochet Project: Excitement over a Techie Cover!

I'm almost embarrassed to share my total GLEE over my first crochet project!  Class Project from the Vickie Howell class on Craftsy (which I totally loved)------ nothing special or fancy about it if you're a crocheter. To me, after YEARS (and I mean a long damn time) of not being able to crochet past a chain........... I can crochet!  Gak, it's pretty fab!

C'mon, a little cozy for my Nook!  Yay!  Yarn is Knit Picks City Tweed in Habanero. Random brown yarn from stash to make the crocheted on little chain detail and finished with a huge wooden button, also from stash.

I'm giddy with it! Giddy I tell you!  Next project, granny squares, then flowers............. I'm on a roll.

Got Summer?

It's no secret I'm a big fan of Amy Powers and Inspire Co...... her e mags are OUTSTANDING. So much inspiration and happiness for such a weensy pricetag.

Do you have the summer issue? If not, run and get it! Fabulous.

Open publication - Free publishing - More crafts

Birth of a Hooker

That doesn't sound good, does it? Birth of a hooker? But no less true.

Continuing in my creative cross training and out to slay a long term dragon with a toe hold---- crochet. More accurately, crochet that eluded me.

LOVING the online class at Craftsy, enjoying Vickie Howell very much------ and after a few really (really) bad attempts and efforts, I think I have myself together with single crochet.

Let the hooking begin. Next: Double Crochet (the extraordinary excitement builds....)

Rolling Hills

Must be time to think about the vacay knitting project because

9 DAYS AWAY!!!!!!!!!  WOO HOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not that I'm anxious or anything.

While I still putter with the Eiffel Shawl I am planning on taking the fabulous Brooke Nico (From Kirkwood Knittery in Kirkwood MO) design, Rolling Hills Shawl. I was in the shop a while back and was blown away with the shawl in the store. It is FABULOUS. And I will further comment that the photo is yuk and phooey and does absolutely nothing for this gloriousness. The beauty is a looooooooooong (over 800 stitches cast on) stretch of lace border onto which you knit triangley shapes in different yarns it all grows together and each unit only requires about 30 yards of a yarn.

 

See? That's the shawl in the shop.. you'd never be tempted to slow down from that would you? The shawl has a great collar (a shawl collar, who knew?)---- that just wraps the whole thing up. 

I'm using my find from The Loopy Ewe, the Madeline Tosh merino light in "Lichen" so my shawl will be deep olives, mid greens, purples from plum to wisteria and a little bit of black and brown in the mix. 

And there with a lap full of cast on stitches (over 800 I like I said) is that very long needle and what will surely be hour long rows. Only the border I tell myself! Isn't the yarn gorgeous? You can see the range of colors that will be MY Rolling Hills. 

Of course I always coordinate my attire with my knitting! Doesn't everybody????

Tisket a Tasket Damson in the Basket

I am SO excited to get Damson not only off the needles (You remember the saga of sorrow and woe)--- and blocked!!!!  Two ends to weave in and it's good to go. Delish!

The edging is pretty fabulous as well!

Nothing like a FO to make a girl happy!

And I almost have TWO!  :)  The other is a wee bit further from finished but I can see the end from here! It's Tisket a Tasket from Bunny Hill. I knew when I saw this quilt (a couple of years ago) I had to have it. And then the plans sat.... and I waited for the perfect fabric. That fabric was from Fig Tree and is "Breakfast at Tiffany's", probably my fave Fig to date.

And doggone if the photo isn't of less than fabulous quality but there you have it!  I promise better photos from the Good Camera when it's done. It needs to be sandwiched with batting and backing---- machine quilted and bound. I'm thinking black for binding since it will sit on the wall it is on above. A little too close in the coral family for me, I'd like a darker frame.

So there you have it. Back to work in the real world for me.