purse-ho.com

Hello again my friends.  I’m a bad blogger.  Some of my friends blog every day.  I can’t do it.  I could do it once a week, but for some reason life has gotten in the way.  Why do i even say that?  I sound like I didn’t have any life before.  But I thought I did?  eh.

Thanks again for staying with me, friends.

Work has been keeping me pretty busy.  Busy to the point where I’m thinking I need a real vacation soon.  I’m supposed to take a trip up north w/ the parents and sibling again next month.  But that isn’t a “vacation”.  it’s where I have to take time off work to be tortured by my family.  I love my family.  But I don’t consider going out of town w/ them vacation anymore when my modern conveniences are taken away from me (Internet, cable, cell phone) and I am just there to serve as a chauffeur.   I’d rather be at home doing nothing.  hahaha.  It’s free, i have tv, internet and cell phone.  and my cat. and the boy.  and i can do whatever I want and not have to answer to where I am going when I just want to run up to the store to get a coke!   Sigh.  anyway.  Work has kept me busy.  Boy has kept me busy.  The Chewy has kept me busy.  My house has kept me busy.  hahaha.

I’ve been knitting but not knitting.  Sometimes when I’m home i just dont feel like knitting, esp w/ a crazy cat running around me constantly attacking yarn.   Speaking of…I woke up one morning and found my evil devil cat had savagely attacked a skein (or two) of STR!  right in front of the bathroom.  I had no idea what it was when I got up to pee (I can’t see w/o any glasses or contacts on).  And when I finally put my glasses on..i started screaming.  He just sat there…looking up at me so proud.  I should have taken a picture, but I was too mad to do that.   Sigh.  He might have done it to get me back for what I did to him at Easter

Happy easter, Chewy!

For your ears only

Project:  Pet Costume Bunny Rabbit Hat
Yarn: I Love This Cotton Spark
Amount Used: bits of a skein
Color: White and pink sparkle
Hook Size: G(4.0mm)
Date Started: April 8, 2012
Date Finished: April 8, 2012

So my friend that I made the Yoda hat for?  hehe.   She is addicted to Pinterest too and we’ve been going nuts looking at stuff online.  She showed me  a post where someone made some crochet red eggs for her baby.   So she was kind of hinting around (I think) saying she wished she could crochet and had the time to make a bunch of eggs for her son’s red egg party.  For those of you who aren’t Chinese and don’t know what a red egg party is…here is a GREAT weblink:  http://www.littlebuddhababy.com/TraditionRedEggAndGingerParty.html.   This will tell you all about it.  hahaha.  They are a BIG deal w/ Chinese ppl.  It’s a great party to celebrate your new child…and you get alot of money.  muahaha.   So I took the bait.  I said “How many do you need?” in my defense..i thought she was going to say “oh like 10?  20?”  She told me she was having like 120-150 ppl at the party.  I said no.  I can’t make that many.  So sorry.  :)    Then she said “how about one per family?”  I said “OK”.  she needed 60!  eek! hahahah.

it took me a while…but i got them all done.   all in the nick of time.  I had planned on doing alot of crocheting on a quick business trip that I took to my main office in FL, but i slept the whole flight coming and going. there went 6+ hours of crochet time.  UGH.  then I got a bit slack the week before.  I like to stress myself out

Do you wanna see what 61 (one for mommy and baby) crocheted red eggs looks like?

 

Send forth my minions!!!

As presented at the party

Cute huh?

Project:  Eggs
Yarn: Soft Touch
Amount Used: less than 2 skeins for all 61.
Color: RED – Duh. lol
Hook Size: F (3.75mm)
Date Started: March 8, 2012
Date Finished: March 29, 2012

I made a couple of trivets too for fun:

This is my trivet.

Auntie Pet's trivet

These were cute and fast to crochet.

Project:  Aunt Aggie’s Trivets
Yarn:  Sinfonia (mine) and Grace (Auntie Pet’s)
Amount Used: less than a skein each
Color: purple & creamsicle
Hook Size: D (3.25mm)
Date Started: April 5, 2012
Date Finished:  April 5, 2012

Since I have to go to canada next month, I gotta step it up w/ my cousins’ babies’ gifts.

I’ve decided to simply and just make hats and booties for the 2 most recent additions.

Hat for Lucas

Lucas' hat on Zoe

Hat for Tristan

tristan's hat on Zoe

Project:  my own improvised hat pattern.
Yarn:  Ella Rae Classic Superwash
Amount Used: 1/2 skein of the blue, 1 skein of the grey
Color: grey and blue
Needle Size: US 6 (4.0 mm)
Date Started: Apr 17, 2012
Date Finished: Apr 26, 2012

Super fast, super simple.  Believe it or not, the previous version I made of this hat back in 2008 is one of my most favorited items on Ravelry.  Isn’t that weird?  It’s just a simple baby hat w/ an initial duplicate stitched on the front.

I have to make one more of these w/ a D on the front and I’ll be done w/ the hats.  3 more weeks. hahaha.

Thanks for keeping up w/ me, my friends.  I really do appreciate every single one of you.

I have to apologize for my long absence from the blog world.   it’s been like almost 2 months since I last blogged and I wouldn’t blame you if you dropped me like a hot potato and forgot about me.

On Chinese New Year,  I was all WHOO HOO!!! this year is gonna be awesome!!!  Well, poo.  At the end of January and the entire month of February was a busy hard month for me mainly b/c the boy was really sick and stuck in the hospital for 2 weeks.  I spent alot of time at the hospital (besides work time), and i spent alot of time at home being a nursemaid.   he got a very bad bacterial infection and had alot of problems pop up after that.  his little episodes here could have killed him.   Even though I wasn’t the one that was sick, it was hard on me emotionally.  Why is that?  i’m not the one laid up in a bed w/ iv and O2 and abx and blah blah blah blah.  heheh.  but whatever.  I guess the most upsetting thing is that he could have died and I don’t know how I could have handled such a loss.  I don’t think I could function if something like that happens.  But he’s better now which makes me better now too.  :)

Anyway, if you are still here with me, thank you.   I made a bit of a change on the blog where I installed some fonts.  I noticed everyone was getting all these fancy fonts on their blogs and i felt left out! lol.

With all this, I have managed to be knitting and crocheting. hahaah.   And i’m totally hooked on Pinterest right now.  so lame huh?  I’ve been on there a while, but just in recent months w/ all the buzz, there is more stuff on there to look at and more of my friends are on there, so now it’s more interesting.  bah.  It’s another bad thing to be hooked on on the internet.  Like there aren’t enough distractions already! hahaha.    I’m mainly pinning FOOD and alcoholic drinks and desserts.  I don’t drink…so why the drinks?  b/c i’m stupid and it’s so easy to hit that repin button. LOL

What i got going on here?  I finished that baby hat to w/ the cardigan and the baby shoes.  The baby shower for the mom-to-be was on Feb 4th.  Mommy was so surprised and happy to see she was getting the set.  which is hilarious b/c she saw me knit on all the items and I kept telling her that I was making them for my cousin.  tee-hee!

Project:  Norwegian Sweet Baby Cap / Djevellue
Yarn: Kroy Socks Stripes
Amount Used: 1/2 skeing\
Color: 55617 — or I call it…70′s chic. 
Needle Size: US 2 (2.75 mm)
Date Started: Jan 24, 2012
Date Finished: Jan 26, 2012

Isn’t it CUTE??? I love the little red tip!!  SQUEEEEEEEEE!!!

Are you guys into mason jars?  I frakking love them.  I love drinking out of them, storing things in them, etc.   I especially love drinking out of them.  Botgurl feels the same way I do.  The boy told me on discovery channel, there is some show called Moonshiners where they sell their moonshine in mason jars.   whoo hoo. haahah.  anyway, Bot mentioned she would love a cozy for her mason jar and i whipped one out one night just to see how long it would take me.  it didn’t even take me a few hours.   very cute.  I was going to dup. stitch some cute hilarious little design on the cozy, but it looked jacked up when i got half way thru, so i just took it all out.  never mind.  simple is best.

Project: Yogurt 101
Yarn: Wool Bam Boo
Amount Used: 1/2 a skein
Color: 1672 – dark green
Needle Size: US 4 (3.5 mm)
Date Started: Jan 25, 2012
Date Finished: Jan 25, 2012

I used the pattern above but adjusted the stitch count for the size of the jar and the yarn size.  I could have made it a couple of rows longer, but i figured it was long enough?  Bot said that the cozy got alot of buzz at her office. tee hee.

One of my favorite cousins had a baby back in …. oh geez.  Sept.  His wife asked if I would make a blanket for the new baby and stuff.  I happily agreed.  I made a blanket in time for me to take when i was there in october for my grandfather’s funeral, but i wasn’t happy w/ the blanket.  So I didnt give it to them.  I wasn’t able to see them anyway b/c of some Chinese superstitions… but honestly?   I was unhappy w/ how the turquoise yarn shedded all over the freaking place when i washed the blanket.  I couldn’t give them something that shedded that much.  So i made a whole new blanket with super wash wool (they live in Canada…it’s cold up there)  I finally finished it after deciding on which blanket to make.   It’s late, but baby can always lay on top of it.  :)

Project:  Beth’s Little Star Afghan
Yarn: Classic Superwash
Amount Used: 2-3 skeins of each color
Color: grey / smoke blue
Hook Size: I (5.5mm)
Date Started: Feb 19, 2012
Date Finished: March 6, 2012

It didn’t take too long to make.  i love crochet for blankets!!  Chewy liked the blanket alot.  As I was taking pictures, he had to lay all over it.  Isn’t he adorable?

To go w/ the blanket….a sweater.

Project: Rudyard baby sweater
Yarn: Classic Superwash
Amount Used: one skein of the grey / bits of the blue
Color: grey / smoke blue
Needle Size: US 6 (4.0 mm)
Date Started: Jan 29, 2012
Date Finished: Feb 13, 2012

I love the collar on this sweater.  I made it for a 1 yr old child so that way baby can grow into it.  sigh.

Among all the madness, my baby brother asked me for a batman hat.  :)

I should have posed the ears better whenever I took the pics, but at the time I just didn’t care. My brother sent me a hilarious picture of him wearing the hat, but I’m not going to share it.  He would be mad at me if i did that w/o his permission. hahaah.

Project: Zsa Mask
Yarn: Lion Wool Solids
Amount Used: one skein
Color: black
Needle Size: US 9 (5.5 mm)
Date Started: Jan 30, 2012
Date Finished: Feb 9, 2012

• made an adult size by casting on 80 sts
• also knit in the round and kitchenered on top.
• CO 80, eyes knit 9 BO 8, K 4, BO 8
• also SC two rows ont he bottom to keep it from rolling so much.

I had childhood friend that had her baby back in Nov.  I promised her a Yoda hat and sweater a long time ago and I never really made one for her.  Then she said something in passing one day that made me feel bad that I never delivered on the Yoda hat.  So I decided to start one one night and I was really shocked at the fact that I finished it in one night while catching up on tv shows.  I amaze myself sometimes. LOL.

Project: Bear and Panda Hat and Mitts
Yarn: Soft Yarn Solids
Amount Used: one skein
Color: forest green
Needle Size: US 6 (4.0 mm)
Date Started: Feb 14, 2012
Date Finished: Feb 14, 2012

I made the hat really large b/c baby is huge.  That’s why on Zoe the hat looks ginormous and on the adult head it looks really small.  hahaah.  I did not stiffen the ears b/c I feel that that could possibly be toxic when the parents wash the hat.  so i’d rather have them deal w/ floppy ears.

Another friend had a baby in December and I got the birth announcement the other day.  So what does that mean?  gotta bust out a gift.  This is just one piece of her gift….for Miss Olivia.

Project: Crochet Amigurumi Flower (etsy page)
Yarn: Hushabye Solid
Amount Used: bits of each color
Color: light pink, pink, green
Hook Size: F (3.75mm)
Date Started: Feb 4, 2012
Date Finished: Feb 18, 2012

Cute huh?  Just put a little bell inside and there is the perfect little rattle for a little girl’s hands.

I guess that’s all for now. haahah. Thanks again to all for sticking w/ me.   I’ll be a better blogger this year, I promise.

Hi everyone. Thanks for stopping by  I hope your week has been treating you well so far.

I do have a purse I want to show off…but I haven’t taken pictures of it yet.  So you guys have to wait another week. hahaha  sorry folks.  Slackness rules.

My knitting mojo really has come back w/ a vengeance.  I’ve made up for the last few months when I hardly knit a thing.   So i’ve got some FO’s to show off.

Project:  Skinny Flats for Women and Kids
Yarn:  Encore Worsted / Shimmer
Amount Used: bits of every skein
Color: grey / white ice
Hook Size: H (5.0 mm)
Date Started: Jan 18, 2011
Date Finished: Jan 21, 2011

These were made for my co-worker’s daughter.  She saw them on pinterest and she asked her mom if she knew anyone that crocheted.  Actually, this is the same girl that got the baylor bear headwarmer last week.

Cute shoes eh? I like how the mannequin feet show off the little shoes.

Project:  Yoda Hat
Yarn: I Love This Yarn! Solids
Amount Used: about 1/3 of a skein?  maybe half?
Color: dark Green
Needle Size: US 2.5 (3.0 mm)
Date Started: Jan 14, 2012
Date Finished: Jan 22, 2012

Made to go w/ the Yoda sweater shown last week.  The baby set is complete for grandma to give at her shower.   I did not put stiffner in the ears as directed by the pattern b/c I had none…and i was scared the stiffner would wash out if they washed the hat.  I felt they were stiff enough. (Snort…i said STIFF).

Project:  Puerperium Cardigan
Yarn: Kroy Socks Stripes
Amount Used: 1 full skein.
Color: 55617 — or I call it…70′s chic.
Needle Size: US 6 (4.0 mm)
Date Started: Jan 14, 2012
Date Finished: Jan 22, 2012

This was inspired by Yarn Harlot’s post a few months ago.  I had to make one.  I found some adorable sock yarn and had do make it.  It’s super cute.  People squee when they see it.

Matching booties anyone?

Project:  Baby Boots
Yarn: Kroy Socks Stripes
Amount Used: 2/3 of one skein
Color: 55617 — or I call it…70′s chic.
Needle Size: US 1 (2.25 mm)
Date Started: Jan 22, 2012
Date Finished: Jan 23, 2012

these were made to match the Puerperium Cardigan above.  I did not have to pull any extra yarn to make these booties match.  That was PURE luck.  Awesome luck. hahaha.  Super cute.  These are knit flat and then seamed up.  I started off w/ the ones you do in the round, but I HATE purling in the round.   and I love the ribbed cuff.  So I switched.

And to go w/ the Jughead hat….

Project:  Little Button Loafers (baby booties)
Yarn: I Love This Yarn! Solids
Amount Used: bits of every skein
Color: Turquoise/ lime green
Hook Size: E (3.5 mm)
Date Started: Jan 23, 2011
Date Finished: Jan 23, 2011

That couple’s gift is done.  That monkey is off my back. hahahaha.

I think that’s all for now.  Not much is going on in my life except for work and knitting.  It’s weird..i knit/crochet so much this week that my hands were actually hurting on Tues.  I had to give myself a little break….less intensity.

I’m in the middle of a hat to match the 70′s stripey cardigan and booties.  I hope to give the complete set soon.

I found out that one of my cousin’s had a baby in December and another one is due any day now.  EVERYONE IS HAVING A BABY…or getting married.  ugh.  Everyone needs to slow down on the breeding…for Purse-Ho’s sake please hahaha.

I hope everyone has a good weekend this weekend.  Thanks for stopping by  Take care and be safe!

Hello friends!

happy thursday to you all.   I’m going to try to get back in the swing of posting at least once a week.   “try”.  at least every other week for sure.

No purse today.  I haven’t bought a purse in a while and I don’t feel like digging for one I haven’t shown off yet.  I know i have quite a few…i’m just being a bit lazy.

The new year is going ok so far.  Not fantastic…not bad.  I did have alot of friends that got engaged on New Year’s Eve.  is it me, or is that really cliche?  hahahaha.  i kept getting txt msgs all night long “WE’RE ENGAGED!”  blech!  i’m happy for them, but blech. hahahaha.  Do I sound like a bitter crone yet?

My knitting/crochet mojo has come back with a vengeance.  I’ve been working non-stop on things that i either have a deadline for, or just feel like making RIGHT AT THAT MOMENT.

But anyway, i have some things to show off, so I will.

First off…this is the final Yoda sweater.  Well, final for a while.  I really don’t want to make another one for a while.

Project: seamless baby and toddler wrap
Yarn: Sweet Delight Baby
Amount Used: a little more than half a skein
Color: Teddy
Needle Size: US 4 (3.5 mm)
Date Started: Dec 22, 2011
Date Finished: Jan 7, 2012

On the inside is dup. stitched “Beware of the darkside, Logan”

Baby’s name is going to be Logan.  Parents are HUGE Star Wars fanatics.  I was asked (begged) by the grandma if I could find it in my heart to make a new one.  Grandma is my very special friend Kathy…so I made another one.  I was sick of dup. stitching “May the force be with you”.  i feel like a factory worker sometimes when you do something so often.   I am supposed to make another one, but i’m not feeling the love.  I was really hoping to make a pink one for a girl, but alas…that did not happen.  the stinky baby is a boy. hahah.

Working on a Yoda hat for the outfit as well.  it has to be ready in a few weeks for a baby shower!

Some of my Simpatico friends and I hang out at Barnes and Noble twice a week.  We’ve gotten very friendly w/ the cafe girl and she is pregnant!  Actually, she’s delivering her baby today!  We all decided to make her a bunch of things … washcloths, hats, bibs, etc and give her a big bag of goodies.  Well, I put a pink dress and some pink hats in there.  I did not finish my bib in time.  But i finished it after.  hahaha.  it’s such a cute bib, i’ll just put it in the baby shower stash.

Project:  Crochet Monkey Bib Pattern PDF
Yarn:  I Love This Cotton! Solids
Amount Used: bits of every skein
Color: baby pink, brown, tan,
Hook Size: H (5.0 mm)
Date Started: Jan 7, 2011
Date Finished: Jan 7, 2011

I did this while watching Star Trek Insurrection again. hahahaah.   I had to throw the bib on Chewy b/c he was getting in my way while I was trying to take pictures.  You be a pest?  I throw it on you and take pics!  he sat there for a min and then kind of shrugged off the bib.  and then he kind of jumped on top of it.  I had to take it away at that point.  stupid cute widdle evil cat.

Project: Fit for a King or Queen Crown 3-4 yrs
Yarn:  I Love This Yarn! Solids, Red Heart Shimmer
Amount Used: 2/3 a skein
Color: turquoise, lime green, white sparkle (redheart)
Hook Size: I (5.5 mm)
Date Started: Jan 9, 2011
Date Finished: Jan 9, 2011

I made this for my brother’s friend.  The baby was born in August and apparently he’s a big boy.  So i was asked to make it larger.  I made the baby’s big sister a sweater and shoes when she was born.  I have made nothing for this child and I started to feel guilty.  When my brother and I were discussing hats…he said “JUGHEAD HAT!”   I finished it so fast I amazed even myself. LOL.   working on picking out some shoes to make to match the hat.

I’m really digging the lime green and turquoise + white combination right now.  Which will explain the next project…

Project:  Lace-Edged Cardigan
Yarn: I Love This Yarn! Solids, Cascade Venezia Worsted
Amount Used: eh….some of each skein?
Color: Bright teal (Cascade), Lime green, white (hobby lobby)
Needle Size: US 4 (3.5 mm)
Date Started: Oct 22, 2011
Date Finished: Jan 12, 2011

I made this sweater for my cousin’s baby.  I was going to send it…but I never really finished it.  I finished knitting it, but I needed to weave ends in and block…and I never got around to it until Jan 12.

Instead of the lace as required by the pattern, I did an i-cord edging w/ NO buttonholes.  I did the edging around the neck, front and sleeves.  And instead of two colors, I striped 3 colors (Obviously!).

Project:  Violet Women’s House Slipper
Yarn: Hushabye Solid / Hushabye Ombre
Amount Used: 2/3 a skein
Color: pinkbrown camo / brown
Hook Size: G (4.0 mm)
Date Started: Jan 12, 2011
Date Finished: Jan 12, 2011

I made these for my friend Auntie Pet b/c back in October when my grandpa died, she did me a favor and hooked me up w/ some plane tickets.  she saved me a whole lot a money.  This is just a small token of what I could give her to thank her.   I had tried to make FOUR diff. pairs of slippers I knew she loved! FOUR!  and all of them were a big fail!  UGH!  I was so mad!  then I saw she put these slippers up on her pinterest board as something she wanted, so i grabbed the pattern and whipped them up.  I Hope she likes them.  I made her try them on last week and i told her they were for my mom and she kind of ooh’d and aah’d.  Purse.Ho is pleased.

I made the button that is on the shoes rather than trying to hunt down a 1.5″ button.  (I was stuck at work and trying to finish them up!), so I had this button pattern from another pattern.  It’s super easy and great since the button doesn’t serve a function..just a decorative purpose.

Project: Knit Earwarmer with Crochet flower
Yarn: Soft Yarn Solids / Vanna’s Choice Solids / Red Heart Shimmer
Amount Used: bits of all skeins
Color: Dark Leaf / mustard / white ice
Needle Size: US 8 (5.0mm)
Date Started: Jan 17, 2011
Date Finished: Jan 17, 2011

This was a super fast knit.  My friend at work was asking if I could create something for her daughter to wear while she was riding her scooter around on Campus.  and she’s a Baylor Bear.   So i whipped one up for her!  The flower is a flower I used from a crochet pattern (I cant remember which one at this moment) rather than the flower that is in the pattern.  That one wasnt to my liking and I wanted to make the flower diff. colors.  so ta-da!  i threw in the daisy button b/c i like buttons and i like daisies.

whew.  that’s all folks.  I guess i’ve been busy the last couple of weeks.  :)  I Hope you guys are having a great week/ month so far.  WHile at work today, when i was writing down “1/19/12″ ….i thought…omg…it’s already past the half month mark!   I really wish time didn’t fly by as fast as it did.

have a great weekend everyone

helllo friends.  I hope you all had a happpy happy holiday.  I had a pretty ok one.  I’ve found that the older I get, the grinch-ier I get.  I did manage to go home for a few days and surprise my parents.  They didn’t know i was coming home, so I was successful in scaring the crap out of them.  hahaah.  hilairousss

New Years was uneventful, spent at home working — of all things.  I’ve gotten very paranoid in my old age and I’m scared of all the drunks on the road.  So I happily stayed home. Speaking of New Years day…i saw the movie a few weeks ago.  Do not see it.  it’s awwwwwful.  The only good thing in it is Josh Dumael and that hot little boy Zac Efron.  that’s it.  hahaah. and they could have just sat there and not said a word I would have been very happy.  oh yeah.  they needed to get naked too.  haahah.

anyway, I’m glad the holidays are over.  I hate how everything gets so disrupted b/c of the holidays: work, sleep, eating, weight, my pants not fitting b/c of all the eating I do, all my coverage issues at work, etc.  bah!  I need to take a vacation that isn’t related to family work or holidays.

Usually my first post of the year contains all my resolutions and things I hope to accomplish in the year ahead.  I’m not doing that this year.  Last year I “failed” so miserably at my major goals (lose more weight, eat better, etc).  Actually wait…when I look at my list from last year, it was just of things I wanted to do rather than “resolutions”. hahah

here is the list from last year… i’m going to cross off the things I accomplished:

1. be a better me
2. quit eating junk – candy / froyo / cake i’m talking to you.
3. cook more at home
4. be more creative w/ cooking
5. eat at least 2 servings of vegetables at every meal
6. eat less cow  (UGH..i eat MORE cow than I did before!  WTF?)
7. do more cardio than I have been doing
8. clean out the garage (COMPLETELY) I can fit 2 cars in there now.
9. knit less for people who don’t appreciate
10. knit more for me / loved ones
11. be less catty
12. work smarter, not harder
13. don’t mindlessly shop, shop smart
14. be more thrifty when making purchases
15. be more thankful for what I have
16. think less about all the things I want
17. be a meaner/rigid boss at work
18. scan and reorganize old family photos – I did alot of this, but not completely done…
19. throw away/donate things I don’t need anymore
20. make at least one knit item for an unknown stranger / charity
21. think about remodeling my bathroom DONE!!!  WHEEE!
22. visit my family sometime soon
23. don’t let stupid things piss me off when it’s all beyond my control
24. start eliminating bad obsessive habits
25. be a better friend to my friends

Hmm….11 out of 25.  not  bad!

I think posting a list of things I’m thankful for might do the trick right now.

1. my family .. they drive me nuts but I love them so much.
2. my friends .. my family away from my family.
3. I am employed…hallejuah!
4. I managed to save quite a bit of money this year.  yay!
5. the boy….I think I love him too much.
6. my home … I have a home.
7. I found a new kitty this year…Chewy   he’s been a great sweet little blessing in my life this year.
8. my sanity.  I am surprised it’s still around.  :)

No purse yet for this year.  I’ll post one next time.  I do have some FO’s to show off.

Project: Angel Wings Pinafore
Yarn: Hushabye Solid
Amount Used: 2/3 a skein
Color: baby pink
Hook Size: F (3.75mm)
Date Started: Dec 18, 2011
Date Finished: Dec 19, 2011

this was a really easy and simple little dress.  I can’t wait to make ANOTHER one.

Project: Fisherman’s Rib Gaiter
Yarn: Bernat Roving
Amount Used: eh….some of each skein?
Color: burgundy / Charcoal grey
Needle Size: US 11 (8.0 mm)
Date Started: Dec 24, 2011
Date Finished: Dec 24, 2011

I felt like making a cowl and my brother is fancy enough to be able to wear one of these while wearing his peacoat w/o looking like a dandy.  I didn’t have enough grey (i knew this ahead of time) but he loves it when i put in little stripes here and there in things I make for him, so i knew he would like the burgundy stripings.

that’s all for now folks.  Thanks for stopping by and Happy new year!  I’m waiting for 2012 to be a great awesome year.  May we all give and receive as much love and happiness that we deserve.

Hello everyone.   I have no purse to show off today.  Mainly b/c i’m lazy and don’t want to go thru what i have or take any photos.

I’ve been so stressed out w/ various things here this week.   So stressed out that I just finally kind of broke down to let some of the frustrations out.   It just seemed that everything that could go wrong this week went wrong.    and even though I don’t do the Christmas gift thing…I don’t stress myself out w/ shopping for ppl that can buy their own dang presents… i found that i spent alot of money on myself this month.  I got a little greedy.  and right when I do, I start having other issues that require money:  car, house, etc.  then i start thinking:  Omg. i shouldnt’ have been so greedy w/ the self-shopping earlier in the month.    This is really the only time of year i go nuts buying myself stuff b/c all these Christmas sales and deals and packages..it’s all pretty irresistible and I don’t normally get alot of gifts from other people…so Merry Christmas to me. hahahaah.  but now i’m like eesh.  I should have slowed down at the beginning of the month to see what these few weeks would bring me.

Anyway.  I’ve got some FO’s to show off.

I went to a baby shower on Sat and I was crocheting up to the night before.  tee hee.

I didn’t make that much for this baby like i usually do.  But oh well.  I made some things.  I guess that’s good enough for now.   lucky for me I hit up my baby shower stash (YES! I have a baby shower stash!  i go to alot of freaking baby showers!) and was able to pick out ALOT of cute stuff for the shower w/o me having to do any major shopping.  Wheee!!

Project: Katrina Ribbon Cloche
Yarn: Hushabye Solid
Amount Used: various bits of skeins
Color: pink, brown, cream
Hook Size: H (5.0mm)
Date Started: Dec 8, 2011
Date Finished: Dec 8, 2011

After I took the pics, I retied the bow.  I’m out of practice w/ tying the perfect bow.  But i thought the ribbon was a cute addition to the hat.  So Jaunty!

Project:  Baby Cowboy Boots Pattern “Baby Boot Scoot’n Boots”
Yarn: Hushabye Solid
Amount Used: various bits of skeins
Color: pink, brown, cream
Hook Size: E (3.5 mm)
Date Started: Dec 9, 2011
Date Finished: Dec 9, 2011

Aren’t these CUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTE????  THey were SOOO fun to make!!!  When some of my friends saw these booties, they said “HEY! they match the ones YOU have!”

I guess they do.  I should have made a matching cowboy hat, but no time.  Next time.  heheehe.

I made myself a puffy stitch hat too!

Project:  Puff Stitch Earflap Beanie Hat
Yarn:  Mosaic & Roving
Amount Used: one skein mosaic, bits of Roving
Color: Mosaic – NINJA ; Roving – grey
Hook Size: I (5.5 mm)
Date Started: Dec 14, 2011
Date Finished: Dec 14, 2011

I’m infatuated with HUGE HUGE pompoms on top of hats.  This isn’t really as big of a pompom as I would like, but it’s quite large.  When I put it on my head, i started cracking up.  I crack myself up. haha.

The hat itself is done in Bernat Mosaic in Ninja color (yeahhh…ninja!).  The edging and the pompom was done in the grey Roving.

That’s all for now folks!  SEems like i’m a crochet-state of mind as of late.   hahaha.   have a great weekend everyone!  Thanks for coming back for an update!

It’s been a long long time since I updated.  Sorry, my friends.  :(   I haven’t had much to update with.  I kind of lost my knitting/crochet mojo for about 6-8 weeks.  I was starting so many projects but finishing NOTHING.   This is a knitting blog! hah!  NO knitting…no updates.

So I have to apologize and thank you very much if you are still sticking with me here.

Alot of my momentum has decreased due to having a baby kitty in my house that terrorizes everything I do:  eating, cooking, cleaning, sleeping, knitting, crochet, taking a shower…. I forgot what it’s like to have a kitten around and as much as I love him, he drives me insane!!!  Knitting/crochet is practically impossible at home.  he doesn’t attack still yarn…but once it’s in motion, he’s attacking it.  he attacks my hair as I sit anywhere.  My hair is some evil animal apparently.   He never stops jumping on the counter as I cook (i’ve remedied this situation now…thank you the creators of SSSCat!!!).  I can barely eat at home w/o him being all up in my face… sigh.

plus I can no longer knit at work…so my knitting time has been cut by like 75%!   Sigh.

But the mojo is coming back slowly but surely.

I do have a purse to share.

excuse the photos…i stole them off Macys.com. lol

I am so lucky

the inside

if only this was my silhouette....

I totally love this purse.  I got it on super duper clearance at Dillard’s and it was more than what I normally spend on a bag…but i couldn’t resist.  it looked so cute and felt so nice

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.  I stayed home and worked.  It was nice.  I love holiday pay.  haahah.

I’m in a Christmas rush.  You know what i hate about the holidays?  How ppl will contact me/approach me about doing rush jobs for their gifts.  I admit, i like working under pressure, but not this much pressure.  When I had more knitting time, it was possible for me to do alot of stuff in a short amount of time.  Those days are gone.  I need to be more selective.   Alot of ppl at work have been “suggesting”  I make them Christmas stockings or toys.  I don’t mind if you pay me.  People always says “oh I’ll pay you!” but when I name a price, they act like I was asking for their first born child.   I honestly work for dirt cheap.  Too cheap.  So I’ve been coached by some ppl (Botgurl and Janice and the boy) to just name sky high prices and people will quit asking me.   hehe.  it’s good and valid advice.

Why do I bring this up? No reason. lol.  But I did do a rush job on a unicorn this week that came out really cute.

Project: Luna the Unicorn
Yarn: I Love This Cotton! Solids (Sparkle), various scraps laying around for horn and mane.
Amount Used: one skein
Color: white sparkle, green sparkle,
Hook Size: G (4.0mm)
Date Started: Dec 3, 2011
Date Finished: Dec 5, 2011

Isn’t it cute?  It’s a pretty big unicorn…about 9″ long and 7.5″ tall (including horn).   I’m surprised I finished this as quickly as I did considering my mojo problem, but i was on a deadline.  not bad eh?

As I was taking pics of the unicorn, Chewy wanted to join in all the fun.

He’s so stinkin’ cute!!

I did make Mr. Chewy a Christmas stocking.  I’m working on the boy’s Christmas stocking as well.  I need to hurry up b/c it’s already Dec. 8th.  EEK!

Project: Holly Berry Stocking

Yarn: I Love This Yarn! Solids
Amount Used: eh….some of each skein?
Color: burgundy / forest green / cream
Needle Size: US 8 (5.0 mm)
Date Started: Nov 20, 2011
Date Finished: Nov 30, 2011

If you look at the original pattern, there is hearts instead of paws.  And there is no space on the original pattern for a name at the top.  So I added 10 rows at the top for name and I changed the chart from hearts to paws.   The boy’s stocking has the same modifications, except instead of paws or hearts, he’s going to have a gun chart.  Sue me.  we are gun nuts.  lol.

I have a baby shower this weekend as well and lucky for me, I found a sweater and hat set in my reserve stash.  So i’m crocheting fun hats for baby so mommy can have an arsenal for whenever baby is born and they do a photo shoot.  I’m working on booties too.   I got 2 hats done today, but the 2nd hat was created b/c the first hat was way too small.  I don’t ever check gauge which is so stupid b/c I do twice the work.  woe is me.   Lucky for me these hats are QUICK.

Project: Puff Stitch Earflap Beanie Hat
Yarn: Hushabye Solid
Amount Used: less than one skein for both hats
Color: baby pink
Hook Size: H (5.0mm)
Date Started: Dec 7, 2011
Date Finished: Dec 7, 2011

aren’t they cute?  The original pattern has pompoms at the bottom of the ear flaps.  I wasn’t feeling it, so i just stuck a pompom on top.  i <3 pompoms.

As you can see, the little hat was way too little.  I think it’ll fit a preemie baby.  Maybe I’ll gift it to one of the preemies at work….hmm….

Sorry for the long absence, my friends and thank you for sticking with me.  I appreciate all of you.  gotta get back to work on more hats and booties…sigh.

have a great weekend!

I can’t believe I haven’t posted jack crap in over a month…almost TWO MONTHS!!

Sorry folks!  I’ve had a reallllly busy few weeks apparently!!  Or was it pure laziness?  maybe a bit of both.

I’ll tell you this..i haven’t gotten THAT much knitting done in the last few weeks.  That baby blanket?  It be done, but I am en process on sewing on the fabric backing and i’m having to do it by hand.  BLECH!  I was going to hand deliver it to my cousin up north, but I didn’t have it done in time.   My grandfather passed away on the last day of Sept, so I had to make a very last min trip up north and i just didn’t have the blanket completely ready.  I couldn’t go visit that cousin anyway (opposite side of the family, plus other reasons…), so I didn’t try to rush on finishing it up.  It gives me time to finally do the baby sweater, hat and booties I was going to make to match.  :)  But yes, my family loss took up about 2-3 weeks of the last month.  plus i’ve been working 6-7 days a week since Sept 1st.  I just haven’t had much time to knit/crochet.  I did work on a few slippers that did NOT turn out as I expected.  Honestly, as much as I tried, I should have THREE full pairs of slippers and a ton of FO’s to show off!  but noooooooooooooo……  ok  ok enough.

I did buy a new bag this month.  But there is something really odd about it.  well, it seemed familiar…but i wasnt sure why.

I realized tonight when I was going to take pictures of it that I had this SAME EXACT bag already, except in black.  I guess I never took a pic of it and posted it here b/c I can’t find it.  but oMG!!  the EXACT same bag bought like 8 months apart!  WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME???

Sighh…..

I did get one FO done this month.  I made another Saints Hat for my sweet little friend Quadry.  I finished it and gave it to his mom before I could take a picture.  But honestly? it looks exactly like the last one I did except this was the yarn was doubled and I made it for a toddler.  and I made a HUGE pom pom for it. lol

I’m reposting the original photo, but then I’m posting a pic of the sweet boy wearing the hat that his parents sent to me.

Project:  Fleur de lis beanie
Yarn: Vanna’s Glamour
Amount Used:  half a skein? id ont know  – yarn was doubled.
Color: onyx and gold
Needle Size: US 5 / 3.75 mm
Date Started: Sept 9, 2011
Date Finished: sept 23, 2011

Isn’t he CUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTE???? I just want to squish him and love him!!

Oh I did manage to find a day to hit up the Texas State fair to see my stuff hanging up there.  Here is my entries!

Is it me, or is how the stocking cap hung up totally insane???  I mean I don’t think I would have thought it was  a stocking cap except that i KNEW IT WAS A STOCKING CAP!!!  hmm.   I’m never ever pleased w/ how they display alot of the stuff at the fair and I”m not sure why it bothers me so much.  Not just my stuff…most of the stuff in general.  Alot of the bigger items like afghans and stuff don’t get proper credit to display how beautiful they are when they are kind of heaped up in a corner.  oh well.  that is me.  That’s my problem.

and I have to show the gratuitous Chewy pics.  He’s getting too big.  I miss the tiny baby Chewy.  He’s getting big and he’s getting into so much trouble!!!

Yeah I know.  i’m one of those idiots that loves to dress up their pets.  I found that Tshirt at Ross for $2.  how can I resist.  I thought it was going to be too big, but to my surprise it fit him perfect. ;(  That made me sad.  hahahaha.

Thanks for stickin’ w/ me folks.  I wouldn’t blame you if you left me totally due to my lack of posts…but I promise to be better.

Have a great halloweenie weekend!

hello all.  Happy Thursday!  yes I’m actually posting today.   And yes I am posting a purse today

Another great Sam Moon find!  isn’t it cute cute?  I love the flower!!!!

What’s been going on these last 3-4 weeks?  nada.  just been working like a dog.  And dealing w/ a cat at home.  i can’t do much knitting at home w/ a kitten there.   He goes NUTS whenever I do knit and gets tangled up in all the yarn.  He gets so into it all, i’m scared he’s going to strangle himself while playing w/ all the yarn!  so knitting at home is limited.   Sometimes I just want to leave him outside to go away when he’s biting me. hahaha. but then he throws the kitten eyes at me and I melt.

Ok enough kitty pics!  what else has been up???

I got judged by Big Tex again this year.  here is a break down of how he judged me:

I got 3rd place for this.

combined entry, 4th place (honorable mention)

these items WILL be on display at the state fair this year.

The baby sweater i submitted at the last min did not place.  I did not expect it to.  So no big deal.

I do have a few FO’s to show off:

Project:   Blue Totoro
Yarn:  Vanna white Lion brand Yarn
Amount Used:  half a skein? id ont know
Color: Charcoal grey / White
Hook Size: D hook / 3.25 mm
Date Started: Aug 9, 2011
Date Finished: Sept 3, 2011

Made for Miss Evie.  I was told she loves it. hahaha.  Which makes me all warm inside!!  I made him in charcoal grey b/c that’s what I had available here at home.

Project:  Hoppy Baby Bunny House Slippers
Yarn:  Hushabye Solid
Amount Used:  bits of some skeins
Color:  White
Hook Size: E hook / 3.5 mm
Date Started: Aug 31, 2011
Date Finished: Aug 31, 2011

These were whipped up quickly for no reason other than OMG they are BUNNY slippers for a BEBE!  I could have paid more attention to the detail on the face, but I was in a rush for no reason. hahaha.  but i like how the ears came out. they are perfectly floppy!

I’m still working on my cousin’s blanket.  baby was born on Weds early morning….4 days late.  So I better step it up b/c I heard it’s getting cold up there and my cousins are anxious to see what I”m making them.  I need to quit being so lazy and finish up!

I think that’s all for now folks! Thanks for sticking with me and stopping by!

Ok i have a sad sad photo of a bag I bought recently.   The bag I was recently using was one of my fake Tokidoki bags…but it started to get too heavy!  I had to shove so much in it and it wasn’t sitting balanced.  So I had to make a switch up.  A recent trip to Target found me a temporary solution:

tee hee.  I took a screen shot of the bag on the Target website b/c it’s really hard to photograph bags WELL when they are full of stuffs. Don’t you just love the print???

So with this new kitty in my house I haven’t been able to knit at home much.  that dang cat FLIES at me every time he sees yarn moving and it’s like ATTACK!!!! So i’ve had a hard time finding time to knit b/c i can’t knit at work and now I can’t knit at home (for now).  extremely frustrating! But i did have time to make a bulky weight newborn cardigan.

‘

Project:  Bitty Bump
Yarn: Bernat Felting Natural Wool
Amount Used:  exactly ONE skein
Color: English Rose
Needle Size: US 10.5 / 6.5 mm
Date Started: Aug 15, 2011
Date Finished: Aug 17, 2011

The kitty likes to chew on needles too.  I used a pair of bamboo needles on this and the dang cat went nuts chewing on them when i wasn’t looking.

Fast knit.  This is a very newborn size cardi.  I’m trying to build up the reserves again. lol.

I”m still working on my cousin’s baby blanket and I need to hurry up.  His baby is due in 2 weeks.  I don’t plan on having the blanket done by the time the baby is here.  BUT..i want to have the blanket done at least soon after.  The original pattern I chose to make…i changed my mind.  My gauge was off and the edging ended up being all ruffly. and i can’t be giving a ruffly blanket to a baby BOY.  so i’m doing a log cabin and i love the color combo I picked

this is just 1/3 done.  I have to make 6 more squares before I can stitch them together and do an I-cord edging.  Liek I said…i need to hurry.  at least before it starts getting cold in Canada…which is SOOOON.

So as many of you predicted, I decided to keep the kitty cat.  sigh.  I kept trying to fight his charms, but he wore me down!!!  he’s just so stinkin’ cute and so far he and the boy get along.  the only thing I cannot stand about him is the way he is constantly attacking my feet and biting on my toes.  The boy says he can’t blame the cat b/c my toes look like kibble and bits.  jackass. haahah  he chews on EVERYTHING here!  paper, knitting needles, yarn, my feet, etc.  EVERYTHING!!!  so I’ve decided to call him Chewy Chewbacca.  haaha  not b/c he looks like Chewbacca…just b/c saying “Chewy Chewbacca” is hilarious.   As i type he’s fallen asleep in my lap and i just want to squish him b/c he’s so cute.  Just call me Lenny.  haahah.

I was going to give him away once I got him checked out at the vet and got him some shots and made sure he was healthy before I passed him along to my friend Nanc and family. She told me I was getting attached and I kept saying no no i’m not.  I want to get rid of him!!  she just laughed at me.   And she even emailed me and asked me how the vet visit went.  and I said all went fine.  But i didn’t say “OK TAKE HIM NOW”.  sigh. hahahaha.  I have to admit, i love coming home and seeing this little guy tearing down the hall to greet me.  I love waking up in the morning and finding him snuggled up next to me purring.  I guess i did miss having a kitty cat around.

Anyway…here are some photos I took of him over the last two weeks.  sorry if you’ve seen these on my facebook account this week.  :)

have a great weekend everyone