greetingarts

sticky jam

This month's Pincushion Challenge theme was "Recycle!"  Finally, an opportunity to use one of the many little jars I can't bear to throw away and make something out of it.  With a sampler jar of Knott's jam as the base, I turned the lid into a no-brainer pincushion, making sure that it could still be screwed on and off.  That way, the jar is still useable, and I can store little bits of things in the bottom.  My daughter helped me pick out the fabric and ribbon, and she picked some buttons and thread out of my stash that she deemed worthy enough to be stored away.

It stands about 3 inches tall, the fabric is a scrap of a 30's reproduction.  Like last time, this was another really fast one.  I'm quite happy with the way it turned out, even though it's uh, a little primitive, shall we say?  But I think it fits the theme and looks very appropriate somehow.

spinning, spinning

Does anyone else ever feel like they're just spinning, spinning, finishing one thing only to turn around and realize you have six others on the back burner?  Or is it just me?



Socks of Doom (follow the link for the pattern, a really fast knit) sent to my victim.  They should have arrived at his doorstep yesterday...



The last ColorSwap package is on its way to Virgina at this moment.  I'm a little sad to see this end, it was a fun thing to do every month.  Thanks so much, Lynne, for being a fantastic swap mama.

I did stumble upon a photo that I took of the little bundle we sent out for the Teeny Tiny Swap. I guess I wasn't as forgetful as I'd thought.

I'm also test knitting some patterns for Chrissy, and working on one of many baby gifts, and can't forget about the New Stamp Swap, or the Pincushion Challenge, and what else?  Oh yeah, my kids and my poor coughing, sneezing husband.  Meanwhile, I've been working, touring preschools (we've narrowed it down to two), preparing for my knitting classes that I'll be teaching starting next week (gasp!) and getting even less sleep than usual.

Excuse me now, we're off to get some free ice cream.  Who wouldn't feel refreshed after that?

pine green WIP weapon is pending

Double whammy tonight.  My picture of the week for A Year of Color and my WIP are one and the same.  The Sock Wars have begun, and here's my weapon. 



I don't think I'll last too long, some of the participants are a bit too um, obsessed, and seem to be able to knit all day long, without other obligations.  Even on a good day, I think I only get two or three hours of possible knitting time, and now my husband and both kiddies are sick, so I'll have to squeeze this in between nursing duties.  But I think it will be fun anyway, and maybe I'll be able to get at least one pair in the mail before I'm out of the game. 

teeny tiny mail

I'm lamer than lame to be posting about this so late, but the girls have gotten very fun mail lately, from Amanda's Teeny Tiny Swap.




First up, these two-sided puppets from Cynthia, with some stickers stuffed inside.  These little guys have already been used for over-the-sofa puppet shows, oh, and slippers for the feet.



Then, from another Amanda, some CDs, a little tin full of homemade dominoes, and a "boredom kit" for when we're in the car, or waiting somewhere.  Complete with tape, glue stick, miniature crayons/coloring book, and some collage elements.



And from Sasha (whose kids happened to be the recipients of two of my packages), a too cute teeny tote filled with little project kits for shrink plastic, beaded necklaces, sponge art, and greeting cards.  Each came with little instructions, and did I mention that my the teeny tote is so cute?  Has little duckies all over.

Thanks so much, all of you.  The girls love everything, though I must admit that I haven't pulled out the paint yet.  Just not that brave, especially not after the Marker Incident.  Oh, and I don't feel quite so lame anymore, since the people I sent packages to haven't blogged about it yet, either.  But there is a Flickr Group, of course, and I hope someone does show what they got from us,  because as usual, I forgot to take photos of the stuff that was outgoing.  Why do I always do that?

i just wanted a diet coke

Becca was coloring.  Jess was playing with some blocks on the floor next to her.  I just went into the kitchen (which is still basically the living room, separated only by a counter) to get a Diet Coke.





Missed a spot.  Let me just get that there...



Masterpiece.

Thank you, Crayola, for your truly washable, non-toxic markers.  My carpet thanks you.  Jessie's clothes thank you.  Her digestive system thanks you.



Whatcha lookin' at?

I wasn't really that thirsty, was I?

silver

Sometimes I don't get to shower or wash my hair every day.  Sometimes I wear clothes that have been slimed by two pairs of grimy hands.  Sometimes I look down at my dishpan hands and don't even recognize them.  But whenever I put on this bracelet, or even just glimpse it on the shelf, I feel pretty and loved.  My husband bought it for me on my birthday last year, when I needed it most.  He'd included the birthstone and charms on either side of it, then added the happy home as another gift at a later holiday.  He and the girls will add to it slowly as the years go by, and it will change and evolve with our lives.  But I expect I'll always feel that little thrill whenever I slip it on.

mini santa hat

Wow, taking pictures of small things is really hard. 

As usual, the two weeks for Whiplash went by altogether too quickly.  I had a lot of ideas, like a crocheted flowerpot hat overflowing with blooms, or how about a bowl of fruit?  Finally, though, I settled on a miniature Santa hat, since making Christmas gifts has been on my mind lately.  I suppose this fits best in the skill category, since it doesn't qualify for either of the other two.

This is knitted in the round on size 0000 (yes, that's four zeros) double pointed needles, starting with a cast on of 10 stitches.  I didn't write down my pattern (sorry!), but used some black and white variegated eyelash yarn that I had (I just used the white section, obviously), and some fingering weight red acrylic, then topped it with a white bead.  Haven't figured out how to make a pom pom quite that small, yet.  It's a little larger than a seed bead, I think they call it an E bead.  The penny is there for reference, basically it's 1¼ inches from the furry bottom to the tippy top.  Probably took about a half hour to make, but I'm not sure since I knit two stitches, made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, knit three stitches, changed a diaper, knit six stitches, tried (for half and hour) to put someone down for a nap (which lasted exactly twenty two minutes), you get the idea.  But it didn't feel like it took much time at all.  Photographing it, on the other hand, took about one hour, two adults, four batteries, and a half dozen lamps...  Did I mention it was hard to take photos of small things?

another pair

I've been quiet but productive lately.  Not many new projects started, and at least one finished:



This pair was fun to make, easy for late at night, when my brain is numb.  I got the pattern from the Six Sox Knitalong group that I belong to.  Called Scales Skin Socks, it has a picot edge.  I used a Knit Picks sock yarn, Sock Memories, and the color was Paper Dolls.  Even though they started out exactly the same, no matter what I do with variegated yarn, I guess my tension is so irregular that I can never get two socks with the stripes completely matching.   I think I'm going to have to give up being compulsive on that front, and just learn to deal with it.  Everyone knows they're supposed to be a pair.  And, really, is anyone going to look that closely at my feet?  I think not.  At least, I certainly hope not.  I seriously need some new pairs of shoes.

I took the kids to visit my family for a few days, and managed to stop by a yarn shop that I'd been wanting to visit for ages.  Only, I guess my first time there was meant to be my last, because it was having a closing sale.  Everything 55% off. 



So I got 11 skeins of Regia Jacquard for $3 each, and some Fiber Trends patterns for felted slippers.  Fun stuff.  Gotta get cracking on a baby gift for a friend.  Come to think of it, I've got lots of baby gifts to make...

no willpower

I tried to resist.  Really, I did.  But socks are my thing, and it sounds like so much fun.

wisteria

"Mommy, mommy, pillow.  I did it all by myself."  She's so ready for preschool.