What do you mean it's one week until Halloween.

Two posts in less than a day?  What can I say--I'm feeling motivated.

And good thing, too, because I need to be.  Every year leading up to Halloween--and I do mean every year--it's the same drill.  We decided to travel, I get behind on making costumes, I spend a week in a flurry.  This year is no different.  But as I'm not yet able to divulge this year's costumes (because I am not exactly sure what everyone is going to be, if you can believe it), I thought it would be fun to repost some pics of past Halloweens. 

We've had clone troopers, complete with DIY armor...

A Master Yoda....

gladiator & Grecian goddess/princess/whatever...

sushi...

Clifford and Snoopy and Eeyore...

A Lion and a Wizard...

And then there are the costumes I made before I was blogging.  But I'd have to first find and then scan those photos, so let's not hold our breath.

All of my prior Halloween posts can be found here with details on each costume.  Plus there are tutorials on candy-free favors, a Switch Witch printable, favor bags, and Halloween treats and decor.  I get a lot of blog visits due to my Halloween posts so I really wanted to add a fresh new batch this year.  Oh well.  I'll be lucky to get the costumes done.  I haven't even brought down the Halloween box and decorated, sheesh. 

If you are in the same Good-Grief-Is-It-Really-Halloween time-crunch, please let me know--I could use the solidarity.

Sandra

I'm back! (but not back, back).

So, well, it seems that turning 40 brings quite a bit of celebrating along with it.  I am not complaining--not at all.  I'm extremely grateful for the many things I've experienced these past couple of weeks. 

But that said, as I try to get back into my routine, I'm finding things to be a bit of a moving target around here.  More than usual, that is.  So if the blog has fallen through the cracks, at least it's in the company of many other things dear to my heart, such as a tidy home, meals from scratch, and manageable laundry piles (that last one is killing me).  Because right after I got back from here with my dearest...    

I darted off to here with a fun group to celebrate another's 40th...

More pictures and stories of those memorable trips soon, promise.  But today, it was my knitting guru's 40th birthday.  Happy birthday Jenn!!!  We celebrated over lunch with another knitting buddy (Hi Lynn!).  And we plied each other with yarn and other knitterly goodies. 

I made some simple stitch markers.  They are nothing fancy and just from art supplies we had on hand.  I need to find smaller beads for the next batch (they are a wee addictive to make).  These markers do not fit larger sized needles...

I also whipped up a project bag with her logo.  I was out of ribbon to use for the cinch ties so used cording from my stash.  Does cording come in fun colors I wonder?

I also tucked in some Madelinetosh Vintage in Trodden.  I've not knit with Vintage yet but it feels amazing in the skein...  

Her sweet husband is whisking her away for the weekend to New York city to celebrate.  She promises to report back on visiting Purl Soho and Tender Buttons.  I completely forgot to ask whether she's hitting M & J Trimming.  Can't wait to hear all about it.  Have fun Jenn!  

Sandra

Happy Birthday (no not about me again).

This is to my bestie who has this blog as her homepage:  Happy Birthday Kris!!! 

I made you a little something.  I made you a little something and gave it to my hubs who was suppose to see your hubs at the charity golf tournament on Friday.  But that didn't go as planned, now did it?  It was supposed to be there for you today, on your birthday, to let you know I'm thinking of you on your special day (even as I go about my day sampling pizza from competing Chicago eateries). 

Since I couldn't get this little something to you in time, I decided to bring it with me to Chicago to break it in for you.  Remember when we used to borrow everything from each other?  Can you believe that started in 8th grade?  I think I like Madelinetosh better than Forenza, though.  It should go with your black coat very well (I like it with mine).  I will try to not get pizza sauce on it.

I hope you have the most fabulous day.  And I cannot wait to celebrate with you next weekend.  I am so glad you are 40 now, too.  You know I don't like to do things without you.

Sandra

Birthday yarn.

It is hard to shop for me, I hear.  But it's getting easier and easier because these days I will happily and gleefully accept yarn.  I am slowly photographing and posting my expanding stash on Ravelry--it's a great way to stay organized and is helpful when planning projects.  I am told that I might set a record for the quickest stash attained by a newish knitter.  And to that I say you should see my fabric stash.  But let's stay focused...

Here is my basket o' birthday yarn. 

Contents include three skeins of yummy Madelinetosh DK, one in oak and two in moss.  These will be winter hats.  Charlie claimed the oak and I'm dreaming of a hat and mitt set in the moss.  Then again, I would also like another shawlette.  I've checked this a dozen times but yes, I'm sure:  the oak colorway is the green and the moss colorway is the brown.  Go figure.

I also received Blackstone Tweed in two colors, a beautiful blue (Wharf) and a rustic brown (Quahog).

I may have enough of the blue to eek out a sweater dress.  Maybe.  Can't you just imagine it in this blue?  Actually, imagine it in a less shocking blue because it's not as bright as depicted here, promise.  It's more peacock than turquoise in real life.

There are only four skeins of the Quahog--not sure what those shall turn into just yet, but my guess is another accessory of some sort.

And lastly, there are four skeins of a new-to-me yarn.  Sublime cashmere merino silk dk--it is incredible, velvety and soft.  I am unsure of the name of the colorways but they are a soft blue and a sandy gray.  I see something stripey and definitely next-to-skin.

I am not sure which of these lovelies I will tuck into my carry-on bag tomorrow, though I best decide soon.  I considered simply carrying on the entire basket.  But that would be silly.  I can live without petting my new yarn for a few days. 

Sandra

Chicago Chickadee.

I finished a cowl a bit ago, well before I knew we were heading to Chicago to celebrate my 40th birthday.  I am so happy it's blocked and ready to throw into the suitcase.  I think it'll be perfect for the weather expected.       

This yarn was originally used for another cowl--the popular Honey Cowl.  But it was my Disney knit and lo and behold, I had packed the wrong needles.  I remember staring at my lap on the plane wondering what to do.  

I thought maybe it would work out with some fiddling so I went ahead and cast on.  But after working on it throughout the trip and a few days once we returned, I faced the fact that the resulting fabric was much too loose for my liking.  So I frogged it.     

I wasn't sure if it was going to become another cowl after that experience.  But then I saw several beautiful versions of the Chickadee cowl knit in this exact yarn (Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light) and colorway (Calligraphy), and fell head over heels, leaving little choice.  And I'm so happy I shamelessly followed, not changing a thing from their versions.  I love this cowl (Rav notes here) and have a new affection for the linen stitch.

Sandra

p.s.  I will be away for a bit, unplugged and holding hands with my fella, exploring a wonderful city.  This is after I figure out a suitable traveling knit and double check that I've packed the right sized needles. 

Weekly Crafty Roundup.

It might be a bit bold of me to proclaim this a weekly roundup.  Because that probably indicates another will follow.  In a week.  And let's face it, I can channel the best one-hit-wonders when it comes to blog ideas.  But let's go with it for now, shall we?  Because there are so many lovelies out there and even though I've started pinning ideas on Pinterest, here are some I especially love this week.   

Speaking of Pinterest, have you joined??  You must join!  My boards are here--they are nearly bare as I am just getting started.  It is dangerous, time-wise, so be warned.  But I digress.   

Knits

The Parker sweater by Amanda Keep.  I could see whipping up a stack of these for gifts (if I weren't such a selfish knitter, that is).  The instant gratification of bulky yarn?  The fun color combo potential?  As the boys would say:  winner winner, chicken dinner.         

Catkin by Carina Spencer.  I have read about this shawl on various blogs and folks say it's pretty fast.  I am intrigued by that claim as the FOs look stunning.  And even though I'm not sold that I'd ever wear the shawl as a shawl, I swoon when I see it draped as a scarf.  And besides, I just want to knit it.  As for colors, I'm thinking grellow.  There is not enough gray/yellow in my life and I find that alarming.     

Catkin by Carina spencer

Canaletto Cowl by Megan Goodacre (Rav link).  There is talk that the next KAL on Luvinthemommyhood will be cowls.  I've had this queued since it first came out in the spring.  And I have some Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted cotton in a steely blue that would be, as Chandler Bing might say, perfection.

Other Crafty Pursuits

DIY Clay Necklace 

The absolute last thing I need is to flirt with learning a new craft--agreed?  But if I were...I'd love to give jewelry making a try.  And I'd start with this tutorial by Instructables user CreativeCate.  These necklaces are so feminine and I adore the vintage vibe.  Plus, they look rather spring like to me.  So if I were going to learn about jewelry making, I'd have plenty of time.  Not that I'm planning to, nor covertly buying supplies.  Ahem.

I am contemplating asking Charlie to craft this bed for William.  There are at least five other spaces that desperately need attention before Will's room, but gah!  I love this bed. 

Source: blogs.babble.com via 3pumpkinslittle on Pinterest

More next week.  Or not.  Let's just stick with maybe.

Happy Friday!

Sandra

Button jar.

I just remembered that I have a nearly completed cardigan somewhere amongst my knitterly things.  It has sat, neglected and lonely, in my WIP basket the entire summer.  If cardis could talk, it would no doubt tell me that it is confused and sad.  It would ask me why I abandoned it.  Was it something I did? it might wonder.    

And, well, if I talked to sweaters (and I do not--or at least, not usually), I would tell it that I understand why it's confused.  I worked on it it until it was 95% done and then just walked away.  I need only to pick up stitches for a nice finish on the collar and button bands--twenty, thirty minutes of work, tops.  But you see, I also need to sew on buttons.  And therein reveals why I first tucked it aside--I did not have the right buttons.  But it languished for three months because I forgot about it, plain and simple.   

I remembered it as I was sorting through my various baskets.  And as the weather is finally cooling off, I think it's a fine time to get back to it.  It also helps that I recently added these lovelies to my button stash.  They beg for a more permanent home than my button jar (if buttons could talk, that is).

I think some brown ones, carved from coconut shells, are the winners for this particular cardi.     

 

But I'm excited to have other options in-house and at the ready.  I need to keep the cardi community happy.  I've invited over an ambitious number this fall. 

Sandra

More flowers.

I got to play with flowers over the weekend.

It was for a wedding we attended and we had a lovely time.  To be clear, the lovely time was had after the flooding and power outages were resolved.  Am I dwelling on the natural disasters?  I think I might be.  I know I've already mentioned them.  Twice.  But honestly!  It was a bit much.

Because as you might imagine, having lights, a working refrigerator and, I don't know, air conditioning when it's 90 degrees out, are all fairly important when designing flowers.  Especially wedding flowers, as one likes to manipulate them to peak as if on cue.  And I really would have liked having my basement space  per usual for flower gigs.  But after the flooding, I decided I'd better just work out of the kitchen.  Luckily, everything turned out fine.  I should really try to remember that things usually do have a way of working out.  It would save myself quite a bit of stress.

The bride requested a color scheme of white and blue, which can be a challenge because very few true blue flowers exist--most lean towards violet or lavender.  I decided to work with hydrangea, agapanthus, delphinium, and thistle for the blue.  For the white, roses, freesia, lilies, and more hydrangea. 

I adored how the arrangements turned out.  You really cannot go wrong with white and blue; it will always feel fresh.  And most importantly, the bride loved them.

 

Especially her bouquet...she asked for an organic looking bouquet, not round.  This seems to be a trend and I'm a fan.  A past bride said it best--flowers shouldn't look stressed out.  But I find it amusing (and by amusing I mean curse worthy) how hard it is to make something look "natural" but still refined.  Maybe I just need more practice.  Or maybe I struggle because perfectionism has no place there.    

Sandra

Project bags.

Heavy emotions were with me all day yesterday.  But I ended on a high note by visiting with good friends at knit night.  I also squeezed in some sewing--always a good distraction.

The big news in our knitting group is that one of us (the knitting guru of the group and the very friend who inspired my knitting craze in the first place) started offering knitting lessons this year.  And she and her business partner are doing great!  So great that they asked if I might stitch up some branded project bags to offer their students.  I couldn't say yes fast enough--it seems these days the only way to get me into the sewing room is to commission me to make something.

The name of their business is knitlove Bethesda--if you are in the area and looking for knitterly goodness, you should check them out.  For the bags, I started by taking their adorable logo and making appliques.   

I then made a simple pouch-style bag as a sample and dropped it off last night, completely forgetting to take a picture.  So I reworked another sample, altering it just a bit.  This is the small size; I used one fat quarter for the outer fabric and some heavy twill I had in my stash for the lining.  It is the perfect size for accessories--thinking socks, cowls, hats, etc.  I also boxed the corners this time for some extra room (the first sample was flat) and I added two drawstrings instead of one.  With the boxed corners, it stands up when filled.

The double drawstring allows you to tie it onto something if needed.  This summer, when I took my knitting to the beach or pool, I often wished I had a way to attach my project bag to my chair to keep it off the ground.

Did I mention the pockets?  I love pockets...

And here's a shot of the interior with a cowl in progress and one caked skein--still lots of room...

 

I plan to make a larger size next and incorporate feedback from the owners for the final design of the knitlove Bethesda bags--I'll be sure to show them when they're done.  And since I'll be sewing, I've offered to dive into my fabric stash to make a batch of project bags for my knitting group. 

I also have other crafty endeavors in mind that I hope to tackle soon.  But first things first.  I need to clean out the basement (from the flood after the string of natural disasters), organize Disney pictures, get some work done for my part-time job, and put together an invite for a BIG party we've decided to throw (so excited!!).  Busy, busy.  Happy Monday.

Sandra 

Adventures in tie dye.

Like so many in our area, in the last two weeks we have experienced an earthquake, a hurricane, and flooding.  And for my family, specifically, please add in a trip to the ER (yes for littlest one.  Again!), a trip to Disney, heading back to school, power outages, and a flooded basement.  You can imagine how grateful I am that we were able to weather it all. 

But I am not going to post about any of those things just yet.  Instead, I'm going to recall a fun project that filled one day (and beyond) with color--a tie dye kit by Jacquard. 

Bought for a steal at the local big box chain, it came complete with bottles, primary dyes, rubber bands, gloves, and even an instructional dvd (which was awesome for the kids to preview before getting started).  We've had the kit all summer but finally cracked it open when some friends were over.  I can't believe I've never tie dyed before.  You will see more shirts popping up in future pictures as the boys constantly reach for them.  We made a ton.  And I see more in our future.

Here they are sporting a few creations during a summer day trip in Baltimore.  Yes, they are loud and bright.  The shirts, too.

Here's to colorful days--I think we could all use some right about now.  Happy Friday.

Sandra