Christmas Wreath

About 10 years ago my sister made me a Christmas wreath that I have loved.  It has lasted well, even through a neigborhood kid vandal attack.  A couple of weeks ago when I took it out I realized that this was the year it needed to retire.  It was so sad and beat up looking.  There was no way to freshen it up even. 

About this time there was a 50% sale at Michael's on wreaths, but I didn't see anything that said, "Take me home".  I had been in the dollar store a couple of days before and they had a lot of ornaments.  I had also seen a tutorial on Pintrest on how to make an ornament wreath.  I decided to try it.

I bought 6 packages of ornaments at the dollar store and a couple of berry picks at Michael's along with a styrofoam wreath form.  (Boy styrofoam has gotten expensive!)  I started by doing the outside and inner rings.

Unfortunately it stayed this way for about a week and a half.  I quickly realized that I hadn't bought enough ornaments, and I was finishing up my Christmas preperations.  This morning my husband made me promise to finish it so we could have our dining room table back. 

I put all the larger balls on and then filled in with jingle bells and berries.  I wish I had been able to find some ornaments that were about 1".  I think they would have filled in some of my holes nicely.  Oh well!  Here it is after adding the berries and bells.

If I ever do another one I will do it a little differently.  I didn't have enough of the smaller balls.  It needs smaller stuff to fill in the spaces.  If you don't look too close it looks good.  Here it is on my door, where it does look amazing.

Spa Products

I have been playing on Pintrest for the last month looking for Christmas ideas. I found some homemade spa products that I wanted to try. I decided that I wanted to do something fun for my sister in law who has been so ill. She loves going to the spa, but since it is impossible right now I thought I would bring it to her. I also decided to do it for my daughter that loves stuff like this.

Christmas Candy Cane Bath Salt Recipe

Peppermint Salt Soak

You'll need:

• Glass or metal bowl

• 20 drops peppermint essential oil

• 3 tablespoons carrier oil (I used sweet almond oil or jojoba)

• Metal spoon

• 1/2 cup Epsom salt

• 1/2 cup sea salt

• 8 oz jar, tub or tin with lid

• food coloring (optional)

Step 1: Sterilized you materials in a hot-water bath (place in boiling water for 10 minuets, then set on a clean towel to dry).

Step 2: In a glass or metal bowl, add essential oil and carrier oil to dilute it. Add the Epsom salt and sea salt and mix thoroughly. I added one drop of coloring to make the mixture a soft pink. Mix thoroughly.

Step 3: Scoop into a 8 ounce (about 1 cup), wide-mouth container.

To use: Pour or scoop a fourth of the mixture under warn running water. Allow the tub to fill before sinking into the soothing waters. Enjoy!

The recipe is for one 8oz. jar, which is enough for four bath.

I actually made this with green instead of pink. I thought that was a little more Christmasy.

Brown Sugar and Honey Scrub:

Mix together 1 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup mineral oil and 2 T. honey.

This one was so easy. I thought it would be fun for feet and elbows.

Vaseline or Un-Petroleum Jelly

Crystal Light

a small container

a mixing tool

Fill the empty small container with your Un-Petroleum Jelly. Add the Crystal Light. Keep adding and stirring till you have your desired color. If you put it on right away it will be exfoliating. Wait an hour and the granules will dissolve.

I think I had the most fun with this one. It was so fun choosing flavors and colors. It was so easy too.

 

Sweater Update

Well, believe it or not, the pieces for my sweater are all done.  I just have to put it together.  I'm looking at the pockets though and it doesn't look quite like they are going to go together.  They look a little small.  Hopefully a good blocking/steam job will do the trick.  I would hate all of that work and yarn to go to waste.

Sweater For Me

I have been thinking for the last month or two that I would like a fall sweater. I don't have one anymore. I've been looking at patterns, but it has taken me a while to find one I like and can find and afford the yarn for. This morning I finally went through all of the old issues of Creative Knitting that I have. This sweater is from '07. The construction intrigues me.
                                 
Michael's is having a big yarn sale this weekend. Gearing up for Christmas. I got all of this yarn over half price. It only cost me $21. Not bad! I am using a bulky yarn from Loops and Ewes called Charisma in the Northern Lights colorways. It is turquoise, purple and blues.

I started it tonight. Not sure how long it is going to take since Christmas projects take priority at this time of year.

Valentine Placemats

This is something that I have been putting off for a couple of months. Valentine's is the theme for this years placemats for my nieces and nephews. Most of it has been the commitment to stand and cut fabric with a bum knee. I am doing a nine patch. It will go fast I just have to get them cut.

I got all the prints cut this afternoon. Tomorrow I will cut the solids, place setting section, and backs. Then to the sewing machine. Here are the prints.

Christmas Xstitch

CJ's cross stitch came in the mail yesterday. It came a lot faster than I thought it would. I opened up the packaging just to verify and then I put it away. Tonight I couldn't seem to help myself. I went downstairs and put a hem in both ends of the fabric. Mounted it on my frame and started.

I love starting new projects. There is just something about it. Imaging the possibilities and the power of creation. The ladies at work laugh at me all the time. They can't believe how many projects I have going at the same time. I do it so I don't get bored. I can change projects at the drop of a hat. It isn't like I have 50 UFO's. I eventually finish them all.

Cross Stitch Projects

Yesterday when I came home from work my husband greeted me with my Sitchery catalog in his hand.  He has been out of work for 2 1/2 months and is starting to get bored.

When we were first married almost 26 years ago I taught him to cross stich.  He is really good.  He hasn't done any for probably 15.  He had found a cross stitch that he really liked.  The kit was $44.  I looked around on the internet and found the pattern and just the fabric for $21.  I have every color of floss, so that isn't an issue.  He loves wolves and this is what he found.

I have been thinking for a couple of years I would like to do a set of big cats for my oldest son.  He loves them.  His favorite is the tiger.  While I was looking for this wolf I found this tiger and fell in love with it.  I am going to give him the kit for Christmas and then I will make it up for him.

Of course if I have a cross stitch for one son, I almost have to have one for the other.  It took a lot longer to find one for him.  My youngest likes dogs, but all kinds.  There are very few dog patterns out there that have several breeds in them.  They are all one breed.  I finally decided on this one since he loves puppies.

My husband will be doing his, but I will be doing these two.  I figure if I'm lucky I may have them done by next Christmas.  Maybe I can frame them as their gift next year :)

Family Are Forever Cross Stitch

Another huge accomplishment.  I finished the stitching on my Families are Forever sampler that I started in January.  Of course it still needs to be blocked and framed.  I figure that is going to cost me about $100.  It will have to wait until I am working my second job again. 

This sampler is by Krista Hamrick.  She must like to design them.  I plan on doing two more of hers.  I just bought O Holy Night, which of course is a Christmas sampler. 
                                  

In the next week or two I plan on using a 50% coupon in JoAnn's for her handwork sampler to do for my craft room wall.

                   

Halloween Village

I saw the coolest idea on Pintrest today. It was a DIY Halloween village. I've never thought of doing one of those. I don't have many Halloween decorations. I think I am going to do this. I'm hoping my mom and I can go shopping when she is here visiting.

The lady that posted this bought Christmas pieces from the dollar store. She painted them all black and then highlighted roofs and odds and ends with purple and orange. (They are usually not very well painted anyway.). She put them at various levels, surrounded them with spider web, and viola.

Ornaments

Saw a really great idea for Christmas today on Pintrest.  I am going to do these for the women at work and the women I visit teach.  I think they are very elegant, and they shouldn't cost much.

You buy glass ornaments and take off the top.  Pour in clear floor wax and drian.  Then you pour in glitter, twirling it all around to make sure it covers the inside completely.  Put the lid back on, put on some ribbon and mount on an ornament hanger. 

County Fair Results

It was a good year at the fair. I got first place ribbons on all my entries.

This is the afghan. I like the way they displayed it.

My quilt looked so cool hanging up with every one else's this year.

Here is my shawl. This didn't make me very happy. I knew I should have taken something to display it on. Lesson learned!

Picture number one.

Here was the surprise of the year. I got a judges choice on this picture. Wahoo!!!

Fair Entries

This year I entered 5 things in the fair. I went out to the fair grounds for lunch and put them in. I had two photos taken in Virginia, my Tunisian crochet afghan, knitted lace shawl and my first quilt.

They had a raffle going for the home arts department this year. It is for a digital camera. I entered even tough I never win anything.

White Shawl Finished

I finished my white shawl in March. It has been sitting in my craft room since then waiting for me to block it and put the fringe on. It was time to finish it for the fair.

I'm such a procrastinator. I knew the fringe was going to be very tedious It was. It took me 2 1/2 hours to put on 100" of it. It looks great. I'm just glad it is finally done.

Guest Room Afghan

I have been working on my guest room afghan for almost a year. I decided a couple of weeks ago that I wanted to get it finished for the county fair.

I have been diligently working on it when my husband and I watch tv at night. Let me tell you it hasn't been easy. This think is really heavy, and it is 100 degrees outside being summer. The sacrifices we make for our craft! Tonight I finished it. It is a queen size and huge. I love it though.

Second Pink and Black Block

It has taken me a week and a half to get in my craft room again to sew. Time sure flies.

My original idea had 15 original blocks. Then I was going to reverse the colors on each one to make a second block. When that was done I would have 30 blocks for my quilt.

I got my second block done. I realized as I finished it that it was two colors and I couldn't reverse it effectively for the other block. I thought about it all evening. I have 3 more like this. I think I will pair it with another of two colors and switch the fabrics. That way all of the ones that are two toned will look different.

 

Pink and Black Quilt

Around the same time as I started gathering the fabric for Ann's quilt I decided on my next two. I am doing one for me and one for my mom.

I was in one of the quilt stores a couple of months ago and saw one up one the wall that I fell in love with. It was pink, white, black. Right then and there I decided that is what I wanted to do. I have been all over town picking out fabric. The in colors right now are black, white and red, and so it is a little hard to find.

I finally feel like I have enough fabric to start. This is going to be a queen size. I got really lucky and found the backing at JoAnn's on sale for 50% off. Saved me a fortune.

I finally got into my sewing room this afternoon. I was bound and determined to start my quit today since I didn't have to go to work.

It took a little bit of time to decide which colors I was going to use first. One down 14 to go.

 

Finally Finished

I spent about an hour and a half after dinner finishing hand sewing the binding. It is a beautiful quilt. I like it a lot more than I thought I would. I think if Ann doesn't like it I will just keep it ;)

                                       Finished front.

Back

                       

                            Stitch detail with open "C"s.

Redone

I picked up Ann's quilt for the second time. It isn't perfect like I originally expected, but it is much better. I don't think she took it out back as far as she should have. She did the minimum she could. Ann won't care, but I do!

I finished trimming and sewed the binding around the edge with my machine. I pinned and started hand sewing the back, but I have to get up tomorrow for work. It's off to bed I go.

Dropped Off Again

I called the quilter and explained the problem. She said she would try and fix it. I dropped it back over at lunch.

I won't take anything to her again regardless of the price. It isn't so much that it happened, but it was her attitude about it.

She never apologized. She said she would do her best but seemed upset that she was going to have to take so much stitching out. That really irritated me. It was her fault in the first place!

Trimming

I picked Ann's quilt up at lunch today. I was in a hurry and didn't look at it really close.

After work I came home and cleaned off the table. I put the quilt on it and started trimming the sides so I could bind it. I got two sides cut and was starting the third. I noticed the bottom wasn't laying flat on that side. I turned it over and it was really bunched up. It just made me sick. As I examined it, I realized that it was almost a third of the quilt. I felt like crying.

I called Christie and took it over to show her. She suggested that I call the quilter and explain what happened and see if she will fix it.

I guess you get what you pay for. I have learned a good lesson. Unfortunately she is out of town and I will have to wait until she gets back. This is getting down to the wire. Ann comes home next Thursday.

Dropped Off Quilt

I dropped my quilt off at the quilter's tonight before going to work at Cracker Barrell. She said she would charge me $20. I'm so excited.

She threw me a little bit of a curve ball and asked me what kind of design I wanted the stitching to have. I hadn't thought about that. We talked about it and I decided on a large open "c". It looked a lot like waves. I thought that was appropriate for an ocean quilt and the colors. The thread will be an aqua blue.

Ocean Top Done

The top to my daughters Ocean quilt is done. The back is cut and ready to seam tomorrow. I can take it to the quilter Friday.

Found someone local that charges by the hour and not the square inch. My friend took a king to her and it only cost her $40. That included the batting. I'm thinking mine should only be about $15-$20. Definitely worth it verses the time it saves me.

I find I like these colors a lot more than I thought I would. If she doesn't like it, I'll just have to keep it.

Ocean Quilt

I've decided to call my daughter's quilt "the Ocean Quilt". With all the blues, greens and purples it reminds me of looking at the ocean.

I got the middle put together tonight. It was a breeze once the blocks were uniform. I also got both borders and the bias cut. I am hoping to get the borders on tomorrow night. I did special corners for mine. Trying to decide what to do. My corners look nice, but we're a real pain. I'm trying to think of something easier.

I have the backing fabric in the wash now. If I try real hard it might be ready for the quilters this weekend.

Blocks and Rows

Took about half an hour tonight and sewed all the blocks into seven rows. I didn't press them yet. I'll do that tomorrow before I start putting the rows together. It is amazing how well it goes together when they are all the same size. :)

Quilt Redo

A couple of months ago I bucked down and started working on my daughter's quilt. I cut all the strips, sewed them together and made the blocks. Sewed the blocks together and noticed they didn't go together quite as well as they had on the first one. I passed it off as being the variance on the strips. I plowed through and began sewing the strips together. By the time I was sewing the third row to the second I knew something was really wrong. It just wasn't going to work. I set it aside and decided to think about it before I did any more.

I talked to my daughter on the phone this morning and realized she is going to be here in less than a month and it is still sitting at the side on my machine waiting for me. About a week after I put it aside I realized what the problem was. I had cut some of the blocks incorrectly. It wasn't variance.

This afternoon it took the whole thing apart down to the basic block. I individually squared them up. Originally they were to be 10 1/2" blocks. I don't know what to say other than I must have been sleep walking when I cut them. They were anywhere between 10 and 11". Not consistent on the mistake either. I squared them all up to 10". Now it should go together quickly like the other one. Can you say Speedy Gonzales?

It's Open and Done

My Etsy shop opened today with two baby girl sweaters and a boy's pixie hat. I will be adding a few more things this week.

Jostlyn who is doing our photos suggested I make a Face Book page too. I hadn't even thought of that. Per her suggestion I have created one of those too. Need I mention this has taken a lot of time on the computer. I hope this goes somewhere!

First trade items done

I've got the first three items done in trade for my family photo shoot. Here is the chunky blanket that Jostlyn wanted.

The boy pixie hat.



The crown.

Trade for Family Pictures

My daughter is coming home in June for a good friends wedding. She finalized the dates today, and it is time for family pictures again. The young girl that did our pictures two years ago is really good. She is working on her photography business.


I contacted her today and asked her if she was willing to do a trade. I would make her a bunch of things for newborn photo props in exchange for family pictures. I'm so glad. It will help us both out.


The first couple of things that she has ordered is a chunky crocheted blanket, a pixie hat and a crown for a newborn boy shoot in May. Off to work I go...

Contest Winner

The winner of my Etsy shop name was Kellie Bull. Her entry was "Little Ball of Yarn". She has won a baby sweater of her choice.


I will be spending the next couple of weeks getting ready to open.

Stocking Order

A friend of mine at work saw the stockings that I did for my niece last Christmas and fell on love with them. She told me that she wanted me to make some for her this year.


I told her today I would like to get them done now before I open the shop. The order is 4 women's, 2 men's and 1 boy's stripe.


I will be good money, and pretty easy knitting.

Etsy Store

My friends have been telling me for at least a year that I should open an Etsy shop. I have resisted saying I don't have the time. My friend Sydnee at work said something the other day that really made sense to me. She said not to have things on a mass order basis. Just put on what I currently have and call it good. I don't know why I haven't thought of that before. I'm not sure if it will work but I'm going to give it a try.


The dilemma of a name has raised its head. My initial thought was " Wooly Babies". Neither my mom or my daughter liked it.


After racking my brain all day I decided to have a contest. I announced it to my friends at work and on FB. I will announce the winner Friday

Camilla and Jason's Baby Sweaters

I know so many people that are pregnant right now. It's great that I love to make baby sweaters in my spare time. This first one was for a new friend Camilla. They are expecting a baby boy. This actually turned out cuter than I expected. I will make it again.

This next one was for a young man a work, Jason. He and his wife are expecting their first. I really like the pullover. Button bands are not my favorite thing to do, but hard to avoid when making sweaters.

Ann's Quilt Fabrics

I'M SAVED! I picked out 5 fabrics for a quilt for my daughter a couple of weeks ago. I started with the hunter green fabric that I fell in love with.  The splashes are a light green/cream.  I bought it because I loved it, but couldn't find anything to match it at that store with what I wanted to do. 

The next week I went to another store and found the other four fabrics.  I am doing a quilt like my first one for my daughter in her colors.  She wanted green, blue and purple.  The fabric below is what I wanted.  I didn't have the money and so I didn't buy them then. Went back to get them and one of them had sold out. It was the transition between the green above and this purple right below.  (Note to self : If you like it, buy it then, or don't count on seeing it again).

I couldn't find any thing else that day that that would work. I went all over town. I even tried to find it on the Internet to no avail.

Went back today. They had another shipment of fabric. I found one that worked that I think I like even better. Life is good.

Keeley's Shower

At work our Payroll department is right next to the benefits department. We talk a lot over the cubicle walls every day. One of the girls, Keeley had her baby shower today. This is her first child.


Try as I might I couldn't get her gift done in time. I felt horrible, but I just couldn't do it. I didn't want to go empty handed. I packed the remaining skein in a box and the dress on the cable needles and wrapped it.


I have to admit that is was rather comical when she pulled it out. It was about 3/4's of the way done. She looked a little panicked. She thought I meant for her to finish it since she has been learning to knit. I explained I ran out of time and just couldn't get it done. I promised to bring it to work on Monday. She was much happier about that.


Here is the finished dress with matching Mary Janes to go with it.