greetingarts

bunny buddy

I love making these Blanket Buddy guys.  This particular pattern I found in the 101 Designer One Skein Wonders book, but there are similar (if not identical) free patterns for both knit or crochet at the Lion Brand website.  So fast and easy and fun and interesting and I can totally imagine a baby/toddler tugging this around everywhere by the ear or a knotted arm.  I used some thick bulky soft yarn (sorry, no ball band), and size 7 and 10.5 needles.  Only took a couple of nights, it's fun.  I used safety eyes and some embroidery for the face.  This is the second one I've made, actually.  The first was donated years ago and what a coincidence, it's the same color!  This one will be another addition to my knitting guild's summer charity challenge.

a crafter's library

Today marks the beginning of the end of my 30's.  I think I'm pretty ok with it, but to take the focus off the past and onto the future, I'm starting a new project (like I don't have enough to keep me busy, but... whatever).

Finally, the blog I've been developing in my mind for over a year, documenting all the craft books and magazines I own and the projects I've created from them.  It's called A Crafter's Library, and is still an evolving blog.  I'm not exactly sure how I'll proceed, and am open to any and all suggestions.  I definitely took some cues from Crafting Japanese, but for now I'm just linking to my own projects that I've made and have written a few lines about each book.  Sort of mini-reviews, I guess.  In the future, I might link to other crafters' projects, but right now I think that's a lot more work than I'm ready to tackle!

Anyway, please go take a look, and if you like it you can sign up to follow or subscribe over in the right sidebar, towards the top.  Thanks, see you over there, and feel free to spread the word!

for comfort

So here's the second item for my knitting guild's challenge.  I'm kinda *eh, whatever* about it.  I modified the Sweet Scallops Shawl pattern by adding more pattern repeats and making it seamless.  I don't like the way the center turned out, it probably would have looked better with all the scallops going the same direction rather than fussing with trying to make it symmetrical, but oh well.  I used Berroco Comfort Chunky in Buttercup, which was generously donated by a yarn shop (and was the impetus for our summer charity challenge).  I used a J hook, so it went super fast.  Hope it's not too lacy.

 
The yarn was lovely to work with, very soft and springy.  I have more, so you'll be seeing it again soon! 

charity Lillie

We have a summer challenge going on in my knitting guild to see how many items we can knit or crochet this summer for charity.  Every month, we donate dozens of baby blankets, sweaters, booties, socks, chemo caps, scarves and other items to various charities, organizations and hospitals, both local and national.  But we wanted to see how many we can amass in three months.

 
This cardigan was my first finished item of the summer, knit using this great pattern.  Seamless, of course, using Lion Brand Pound of Love in Pastel Pink, and size 8 needles.

And secretly I think I should get some kind of reward for putting these buttons on because a) they were sewn on within 3 days of finishing up the knitting (I have a baby sweater that has been waiting for *just* the buttons for over a year, I think!) and b) I actually put these buttons on and am letting them go rather than hoarding them and keeping them for "some day."

May they make some baby and her parents feel loved.

bagalicious bag

A little while ago Helen asked me to test out a pattern for her, and I coincidentally needed a gift for a birthday party the girls were invited to that same weekend, so the timing was perfect.

The original pattern has a little embroidered medallion that goes in the center, but I didn't quite have enough time to do that, and I think it looks fine without the added embellishment.  It's fully reversible, and I used three different fabrics that came from my stash.  The party theme was very girly, all about make up and fancy dresses, and the birthday girl's favorite colors are yellow and pink.

 
Love the super sweet bow made by tying the handles together.  Which also makes the strap adjustible to any size.  The pattern is one of six that were specially designed for the Bagalicious Club, and you can see four of them here (Helen's is the latest one, so scroll down to the bottom and check out the embroidery).  See, it's those amazing Australians, yet again...!

applique adoration

I'm obsessed.  I can't stop thinking about this quilt.   I mean, I love all of Kellie's designs, but... gosh!  I need to make that quilt (the monsters one, too, and then the worry dolls, and the alphabet and...).  My nephew needs one, and my girls are totally into the Punch Buggy game, so they want one, too!

Anyway, I'm making a plea to anyone who has a copy of this issue (the Red Issue, June 2010, Australian Homespun 11.6) and would be willing to part with it (yeah, I know, crazy, right?), or anyone who can purchase it for me, would you like to trade for it?  If you don't know how to knit or crochet, I can make something for you, or we can trade for fabric, or for other magazines that are more readily available in the US, whatever.  Please let me know, you can email me with the link up there in the top right sidebar (right under the Search Box).  Thank you, I've got my fingers crossed!

bathroom banter

It's hard for me to believe, but it's been over six years since we made our first home purchase and have been living in this town house.  When we moved in, there were cosmetic things we immediately wanted to improve.  We didn't plan on staying too long, but like I said, now we're closing in on seven years here, and while we did repaint the upstairs bedrooms, the downstairs areas have been pretty much untouched.  Who knows how much longer we'll be here?  We might as well make the place the way we want it right now, rather than fixing it up just in time to sell it.  I know we'll be happier with just a little paint, a little organization and elbow grease (and ripping out the disgusting carpet, but we won't talk about that just now).

 
One of our biggest projects that we did finish was the small upstairs bathroom.   It was pretty tragic when we moved in. 

 
Two things that don't belong in a bathroom (particularly a tiny one without a window) are wallpaper and wall-to-wall carpeting.  Please, people, when you're building a home, can you rethink the whole wall-to-wall-carpet-in-the-bathroom thing?  And Don't. Do. It.  Just restrain yourself.

I honestly don't remember taking down the wallpaper... maybe my husband did it all while I kept Rebecca (who would have been less than 2 years old) occupied.  We used mildew resistant primer and paint, and the bright yellow and white color scheme does wonders for opening up the tiny bathroom, brightening it up a lot. 

Getting that carpet out (years later) was just the greatest feeling!  Our new floor is made up of small tiles, probably 1" squares and 1" x 2" rectangles, but they came in square foot sheets that are laid down in blocks.  Very neat.  With just paint, we spruced up that yucky little sink and made it look loads better.  New knobs would do wonders, too, I know.

Now, it's time to tackle the downstairs master bath.  It's... bad (thus, no pictures).  Peeling Southwestern-ish wallpaper (though uncarpeted, thankfully!), and it's much bigger than the upstairs bath, so it's much more daunting.  We have no budget to spend on this, so we'll just remove the wallpaper, repaint *everything,* and dream about a new bathroom vanity, like this or this (my husband probably won't vote for that last one).  Wish me luck, but don't hold your breath.  It's been almost seven years.  Can I get this done in the less-than-seven weeks left of summer vacation?