Diary of a Mad Crafter

Please Vote for My Friend!

2011-11-17T10:43:00.007-05:00

Yep, I'm a bad blogger. I haven't blogged in a while... just haven't had the Muse. But today I'm inspired to blog on behalf of a dear friend.

I have a friend with a daughter with Celiac Disease. She has entered a cookie contest for gluten free cookies. First prize is $850 dollars worth of gluten-free products and coupons that would really help them out. In addition to her daughter’s issue, she is a recent cancer survivor herself, so I really want to see something great happen for her. If you have Facebook, I would appreciate if you would take the time to click “like” on her cookie photos to vote for her. Here is what I’ve been posting for her on Facebook:

Help out my friend, Lisa Fleckenstein Whitaker, please!! Would you please click the link and hit like? Some of my closer friends and family, how about sharing this link? First prize is $850 dollars worth of gluten free items that she could really use for her baby girl. Many thanks. P.S. If she wins, she’ll make cookies for everyone who wants to try them. See below for links. PLEASE REMEMBER, YOU NEED TO CLICK THE LINKS and "LIKE" THE PICS, not this post.

Roll-Out Shortbread Cookies

AND

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

Voting ends December 30th, so please share with everyone you can. You don’t need to subscribe to anything, you don’t need to like the group/page these are on. Just take 2 seconds to like her two cookie pics/recipes, please. :)

And thank you to all that have already voted. Special thanks to those that went above and beyond and shared the links!

While you are at it, check out her awesome blog http://my-extraordinary-life.blogspot.com/. Lots of awesome recipes and food info, mostly focusing on gluten-free cooking. :)

Try, Try Again

2011-04-22T12:39:00.003-05:00

So, once again I have let my blog lapse into a coma. I'm gonna start small with a Friday Fill-In. :)

1. Pardon me, its not my fault that you have no sense of humor and don't appreciate sarcasm!!

2. Say what you want about Walmart, but I love a good deal.

3. I was surprised to find that I really like hummus. I avoided it for years because it sounded like it might be yucky. LOL

4. Netflix is one of my favorite forms of entertainment.

5. Hi, my name is Dee and I'm a fiber addict.

6. I love summer afternoons that are not too hot & humid.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to visiting my friend Ruthanne, tomorrow my plans include a belated birthday trip to a yarn store with my friend Ashley and Sunday, I want to celebrate Jesus' ressurection with my church family and a nice dinner with my kids and friend Sheila!

A Day in the Park

2009-10-05T19:36:00.002-05:00

A fine day it was, so we went to the park. In the hours before public school lets out, there are usually not many at the park. Add to that the fact that there is construction going on in the front parking lot, it was deserted. Ooh! Perfect for some yarn bombing!!

I've had this little tree sweater in my purse for a while, waiting for an opportune moment to tag a tree. :)

I tried it on one branch first, but it was way too loose around. Took a few fittings, but I found the right spot. Its probably not the best seaming I've ever done, but as luck would have it I couldn't find a yarn needle anywhere in my bags! I usually have one in the change purse of my wallet, but it must have fallen out. :( So, I used an F hook to sew with. LOL! I also had forgotten to pre-embroider my "MCM" logo, so I did that with the hook & some scrap alpaca yarn in my purse.

See? A nice cozy sweater to ward off those Fall chills. :)

Here is the view from just below:

And even from a slight distance the eye can still catch something not quite natural....

So, it will be fun to go back in a few days and see if its still there. :) Actually, don't think I can get back there until Saturday or Sunday, so that is almost a week. :)

First Strike

2009-09-05T15:03:00.001-05:00

So, I finally committed my first act of Yarn Bombing! I tagged a truck in the parking lot of my work. :)

First, the tag.....

This is a trailer hitch ball cover. I made the knit version, too (to be seen at a later date when I strike again), from the "Mutha Earth" pattern in the Yarn Bombing book. I did that one as a head, too, being not really 100% behind the philosophy of the "Mutha Earth" one. As knitted one took a little longer and the tiny dpns hurt my fingers, I made up this crochet version. I did write the pattern down as I went, so I'll make a pdf and put it on Ravelry later.

Anyway, on to the unsuspecting victim..... I had to look around the lot a bit to actually find a truck with the hitch ball. Lots of trucks with receivers, but I guess people take the hitch out to prevent theft. Aside from the fact that his hitch was intact, I also chose this truck because he was backed into his space. Figured there was a greater chance of him not noticing it before leaving the lot. :)

Ignore the date on the picture. Fairly new camera and I forgot to set the date on it. LOL!

With a good target chosen, I attacked!

Ha ha!! I love it! As you can see by the back, its only tied on, so no damage has been done to the vehicle. :)

I tagged him on Wednesday 09/02/09 and he came thru my line on Thursday 09/03/09. After he paid for his parking, I looked at the back of the truck as he was exiting and there was my little guy!! I wonder if he was discovered already. And if so, was he removed? This isn't one of my regular daily customers, but I'm pretty sure he comes in weekly. I'll be sure to be on the lookout for his truck and I'll update on whether the little guy is still there. :)

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Yarn Bombing

2009-08-28T10:37:00.001-05:00

Seriously! Yarn Bombing!! Who knew one could take such delight in this illicit art?? I spotted the book on the store shelf and it practically leaped into my hands.

So, I took a bag of scrap yarn to work with me and started knitting. Right now I have finished my first piece, but have only a cell picture. I'll take one before I find the appropriate place to leave it.

I have decided that my signature will simply be an "MCM" (for MadCrafterMom, obviously) on each piece I make. I'm already making another piece and have several targets in mind. I was trying to casually measure the spacing on the side of a Stop & Shop cart whilst shopping late last night when I caught the odd looks from a couple passing the end of my aisle. LOL!

I shall post more when I a) have pics and b) have tagged something. :)

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Blogger, blogger... wherefore art thou, blogger??

2009-04-21T18:34:00.001-05:00

Yeah, its been a while. Sorry.

So, I'm on a sewing kick again. Here's what I did yesterday.....

American Girl Doll Dress for Melissa (being modeled by Molly's Doll). Melissa chose & bough the fabric for this herself some time ago.

Then I used a little kit that I got on super sale (also some time ago) to make a squishy book for Abby.

Easy panels to cut out (even comes with the batting in the kit)

Just sew the 3 pages and assemble!

Hey, I even got them in the right order!!

However, the important question is whether or not it is Abigail Approved....

......

......

.......

.........

........

I do believe she likes it. Yay!

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Fridays Seem to Be "It" for Now

2009-02-06T14:45:00.001-05:00

1. Please don't tell me that you "know" how I must be feeling. You don't. Just be there.

2. Can you wake up without coffee in the morning? Not me!

3. The color red makes me want to paint it black!

4. I have a craving for ice cream.

5. If my life had a pause button, I'd not pause it at all, that would serve no purpose.

6. Eyes are the first thing to go with age, unless its your hearing......

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to nothing, tomorrow my plans include Game Night @ Borders and Sunday, I want to finally get to church after missing last week with sick kids!

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Friday Rides Again

2009-01-23T19:19:00.001-05:00

1. Oh, I am so upside-down, inside-out and completely gutted!

2. Everything changes, big and little.

3. During crisis, I pray & knit & pray & knit some more.

4. "President Obama"; are you kidding me???

5. Right now I'd like to be far enough in the future for everything to see His plans unfolded.

6. My spinning wheel is my favorite gadget.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to a temporary breather before next week, tomorrow my plans include basement cleaning and Sunday, I want to regroup & gird for the coming week !

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Merry Christmas To All

2008-12-25T14:07:00.001-05:00

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." ~ Isaiah 9:6

Now, onto the continuing saga of the TSG Secret Swap Swag of December:

On the Tenth Day of Christmas my TSG Swap Pal sent to me...........

A cone of Peppermint cocoa!! Mmmmm!! Can't wait to drink this by a toasty fire. :)

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas my TSG Swap Pal sent to me...........

A miniature crystal bell that is now residing on my mantle. :)

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas my TSG Swap Pal sent to me...........

Two skeins of Laines Fonty Velourine yarn (54% cotton, 46% Viscose) in (what else....) red & white! :) You can be sure that I've already been on Ravelry researching what I can make with it! :)

This has to be one of the coolest swap packages I have ever gotten, for sheer creativity alone!! Oh, I also got an envelope labeled "missing swap gift" (or something like that.... its in the other room right now) two days ago. It had the cutest little Christmas stocking key chain in it!! My secret pal said that it was accidentally left out of the original package. I'll snap a pic later. :) So, let me say:

TSG Secret Swap Pal!!!

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Bet You Thought I Forgot Today....

2008-12-21T21:09:00.001-05:00

Nope! Just was a very busy day. I opened my present this morning, before church, but didn't have time to off-load the camera until now. :)

On the Ninth Day of Christmas my TSG Swap Pal sent to me...........

Life-Saver Fruit Tarts. Mmmm... they really are tart! Yummy! I've never seen or had these before. I'm letting the kids have one each, but then they go into hiding! :) Hey, they get Easter & Halloween & Christmas stocking treats. This is MY treat. :)

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Closer and closer....

2008-12-20T19:41:00.001-05:00

On the Eighth Day of Christmas my TSG Swap Pal sent to me...........

A wonderful smelling bar of glycerin soap. :) Hmmm... Colonial Houses - Historic Lodging..... could this be a hint to my Secret Pal's location or just something she picked up in her travels? Ahhh.... quick Google search tells me this is from Colonial Williamsburg!! Ooh! I have always wanted to go there and hope to sometime next year. :)

Wonder what tomorrow will bring......

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The Return of Friday Fill-Ins and More Gifty Goodness

2008-12-19T21:02:00.001-05:00

1. Said the night wind to the little lamb, I'm going to blow your fleece all the way to Cape Cod.
2. The first Noel, the angel did say, "The gold, frankincense & myrrh are great, but I would have brought some heavenly dark chocolate for Mary."
3. The alpaca are running amok, Over the hills and everywhere.
4. It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious feel of wool.
5. Have yourself a knitty little Christmas, Let your ~~heart~~ yarn be light.
6. And the thing that will make them ring is the carol that you sing when your row is done.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to a snowy night of knitting, tomorrow my plans include more yucky house cleaning and Sunday, I want to put up the Christmas tree!

On the Seventh Day of Christmas my TSG Swap Pal sent to me...........

A kit to make my own Jingle Bell Necklace. :) Its a cute little snowman with a hat & lettered necklace and googly eyes!! While I WOULD wear this as a necklace (hey, I'm a mom... I wear macaroni necklaces in public!!), I'll probably use it as an ornament, too. :)

Thank you, again, Secret Pal for making this so much fun!

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Two for One Day...

2008-12-18T11:15:00.001-05:00

Couldn't find my second set of camera batteries yesterday, so I coulnd't take pics. Here is the 5th & 6th day together. :)

On the Fifth Day of Christmas my TSG Swap Pal sent to me...........

Pay no attention to the fact that this is obviously just a piece of wrapping with no gift inside... see the above notation about camera battery location issues. ;)

Dang flash.... A set of 3 Christmas music cds! There is one for Christmas Eve, where there are lyrics and then Christmas morning & Christmas Dinner both are instrumental for nice background music. We will totally be using these!! This is one of my favorites so far because it will bring joy to many. :)

On the Sixth Day of Christmas my TSG Swap Pal sent to me...........

I was actually unsure if this was 6 or 9, so I just guessed. :) Works
out either way since I'll be opening the other one in a few days.

Pardon my bad photography. I can't seem to get good closeups with flash. Especially on shiny, crystal snowman ornaments! :)

I didn't realize right away that it had a little switch on the bottom!! Look what it does!

Stay tuned tomorrow for # 7. :)

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I Have the Most Awesome Traveling Scarves Secret Swap Pal!!

2008-12-16T12:27:00.001-05:00

I came home from bringing Sarah to the orthodontist to find that the mail had come!! There was a big Priority box marked "Secret Swap". At first, I thought it was my final SP 12 package, but then I remembered that my moderator is handling my final package (I got flaked on) and would have no reason to be "secret". My address was the return address, so that wasn't help. Then I realized, "duh!" it is my TSG Swap for December. I was expecting a much smaller package for that!! WOW!

I opened it up to find it full of smaller wrapped gifts with a letter:

The letter explains that it is a "12 Days of Christmas" deal. :) Each present is numbered from 1 - 12 (two #12s) and I am to open one per day until Christmas. :)

Since I was to start on December 13 and today is the 16th, I got to open 4 today. :) So.....

On the First Day of Christmas my TSG Swap Pal sent to me...........

Adorable hand painted (possibly by my pal??) pins! A Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer and a snowman. :)

On the Second Day of Christmas my TSG Swap Pal sent to me...........

I had a very curious, very eager to help 3-year old, so Michael got to open one while Molly looked on.

Fresh Friends air freshener in Winterfresh Pine scent! This is so cute and now resides on my mantle. :)

On the Third Day of Christmas my TSG Swap Pal sent to me...........

A red jingle bell ornament. :) This baby will be going on my tree as soon as we put it up (most likely this weekend). I let Molly (9 years old) open this one since Michael got to open the last one. :)

On the Fourth Day of Christmas my TSG Swap Pal sent to me...........

Teeny glass snowman earrings! These things are just the cutest, teeniest glass items. They must have been very carefully hand crafted because the loop on top of each snowman is a loop of glass, too! I can't wait to wear them. :)

So, thank you so much, TSG Secret Pal!! I will be posting each of the remaining days as I open them. It is taking a lot of restraint not to dig into them all right now. But then I think about the fact that there are bound to be some down days coming and having these little treats to look forward to each day will be such a bright spot. Wow... I'm actually getting teary thinking about that. Thank you again!!!!

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Santa Came Early for Me!!!!

2008-12-14T14:24:00.006-05:00

And I must have been a really, really good girl (or else the old guy's memory is slipping.....)! Look:

My sweet, sweet husband procured this from eBay for me. :) It is a hand built drum carder. There is a small brass plaque engraved "Lorraine Carder #22 Crafted by R.L. Stuntz 1979". I've tried Googling it, but nothing. Even the engraving is done by hand, in handwriting as opposed to professional lettering. I love it!!!

The only issues were the rubber feet were disintegrating and there was no drive band. A quick trip to The Evil Orange Box produced identical rubber feet for $1.95 including tax. The drive band proved a bit tougher. No vacuum cleaner belts were big enough. My Babe drive band, doubled on itself, was the right size, but wouldn't work because it is round. My ever-resourceful husband came to the rescue!! An automotive serpentine belt:

So, of course, I promptly began my own little carding party!! Some time ago I purchased a large lot of dyed fibers from someone on Ravelry. These blue locks are a gorgeous color, but very, very greasy still and with some VM (some thorns even! Ouch!):

I fluffed it out by hand and sent it thru the carder 3 times to get this:

I decided it was still too rough & greasy by itself (yes, I know I could have scoured it before carding, but there's just enough to make some nice, water-resistant yarn). So, I had some bare Corriedale roving that I decided to blend it with. Since it was nice, smooth roving I only put it thru the carder once to get a nice batt:

So.... onto blending it all together! I had already carded half of the fiber before I took a pic, thus the fiber already on the drum.

and stacking.....

And here is my wonderful, FIRST BATT after 3 passes thru the drum carder:

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, now here it is spun up on the drop spindle:

I am so freakin' excited (you couldn't tell, could you??) about this!! "I don't wanna play, I just wanna card on me drum all day...........". :D

Okay, you may stop drooling on your keyboard now! Come over and play fiber artist with me!!

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Hi, My Name is Dee and I'm a WIPaholic

2008-11-11T10:49:00.001-05:00

That's right. And I don't want or need any 12-step program. I have no shame issues with my WIPaholism. Why is it that some people feel the need to look down on those of us who start multiple projects? Or why do some of "us" feel some kind of shame about it that causes them to utter untrue phrases like "Oh, I need to finish a few things before I cast on anything else." ?

I love to cast on new things. I know I'll finish them in my own time. If something gets put into hibernation for too long, I'll admit that its actually headed for the frog pond. But generally, I need a variety of projects to bounce between. Afterall, who can really concentrate on a complicated lace while at knitting group? I know I can't! And who wants to deal with endless rows or rounds of stockinette or garter ALL the time? Gotta have big projects like sweaters and afghans and small ones like socks and gloves. Its just the way I am. If you can do one project at a time from start to finish before casting on another, more power to you. That's not me. So, in the spirit of de-shaming WIPaholism, I will attempt a list of all the current WIPs that I have going (if I can recall them all... some hide from me). They also are in no particular order, just as they come to me:

Flowering Weeds Shawl (my name based on the handspun yarn I'm using for it)
2 Baby Surprise Jackets (Ravelry Link)
Goddess Knits Anniversary Shawl
Titania Sweater
Swallowtail Shawl
Mystery Shawl 10 (Ravelry Link)
Mini Holiday Stockings
9 different Traveling Scarves (which is a whole lotta 4" sections! - another Rav link)
2 Prayer Shawls
A pair of fingerless gloves

And I have everything lined up to cast on for the Halloween 08 Mystery Shawl (Rav Link) and the Winter 08 Mystery Shawl.

So, embrace your inner caster-onner! LOL!

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Well, Umm... Err.......

2008-10-22T23:49:00.001-05:00

Yeah, over a month ago I said I'd get back to weekly blogging. Uh oh, I think my pants are on fire!!

I didn't anticipate how insane things were going to be throughout September and now October. Well, September was crazy-busy. October has been sickness, financial woes (yeah, I know... same for so many) followed by more sickness. Large families can bring so much joy, but they are also disease incubators of enormous proportions! You can't ever have everyone sick at once and then over it. It has to go from one to the other to the other until it gets back to the first kid who had it to start all over. And, of course, Mom is sick from Fall through Spring, always hovering on the brink of "feeling somewhat icky but not quite dead yet" because she doesn't usually get the luxury of laying around getting taken care of. Ahh... I remember childhood days of being sick.... propped on the couch with a pillow and blanket surrounded by crayons and coloring books and stuffed animals while watching cartoons and game shows. "Come on down!".... but I digress... back to knititng....

I am still in the Traveling Scarf loop. I'm now in 8 groups! The real irony is that I don't generally wear a scarf. When I do wear one, I almost always go for my favorite hooded ACRYLIC scarf that I got for Christmas about 15 years ago. LOL! And I'm the yarn snob who doesn't want acrylic in any of her scarves. Go figure. :)

SP12 was mostly an awesome experience. I had a great time spoiling Anita O. It was easy because I knew her from so many other swaps and we have so much in common (large families, Christian, etc). But my spoiler (that I wrote so glowingly of in the post about her one package) ended up dropping of the face of the earth. :( My wonderful moderator, Cecily, is rescuing me with an angel package though, so all is not dark. :) I still would have preferred if my original spoiler hadn't gone AWOL. This hasn't deterred me from Secret Pal swaps though. Unfortunately, SP13 is taking place right away and I can't swing that with Christmas almost upon us. I'll keep my eyes open for SP14 and see what the situation is when that time comes. :)

I've been recently obsessed with knitting lace shawls. I haven't actually completed one (well, I did do a nice Simple Yarn Over Shawl in worsted weight, but I'm talking fingering and lace weight yarn shawls) yet, but I love them. I have the Goddess Knits Anniversary Shawl on the needles along with MS10, HMS08 and the Swallowtail Shawl. I've also signed up for the Winter Mystery Shawl Along.

I'm knitting the Titania sweater for myself, too.

I'll try to get some pics posted soon. I'll also come back soon and put in links to some of the stuff I'm talking about. :)

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Crazy Last Days of Summer

2008-09-08T09:20:00.001-05:00

Sorry for the lack of recent updates. I have been online a-plenty (just check my Raverly posts!!), but never seemed to find the time to sit down and do blog posts. You'd think I would have at least done the Friday Fill-ins, but......

August was full of barbecues, getting ready for back-to-school (and not-back-to-school for my homeschooled ones), a housewarming, etc. And this past week was full of illness, culminating with my little Molly (8 1/2 years) getting a spinal tap on Friday night! OUCH!! It came back clear for viral meningitis (the deadly one is bacterial meningitis, so it would have been treatable anyway) and a couple other tests, but its definitely something viral. I even got what ever it is and was sick Saturday night with a 103 fever and other symptoms. I'm feeling mostly better today, but still "delicate" in the stomach. Eh... now to wait and see who is next..... I'm pretty sure this is the same thing my 3 year old and 13 year old had first. Still have 5 more people in the house who haven't gotten it. Hopefully my 7 month old won't at all. The ER doctor said she's least likely to get it since she's nursing.

So.... craft-wise, I have been busy with my Traveling Scarves groups, several swaps, some personal knitting (wow... knitting for me!! what a concept!), some Christmas knitting and lots of spinning. I got replacement parts for my Babe Fiber Starter and am thrilled with wheel spinning! Lacks the beauty of an Ashford, but it spins. :)

Anyway, I'm back to trying to post weekly. :)

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Yeah, I skipped last week! What of it??

2008-08-08T09:42:00.001-05:00

1. You know you're old when you have to tune into an "oldies" station to hear music you loved in high school.

2. My heart is divided between knitting and spinning.

3. A legitimate work-at-home job is what I need RIGHT NOW!

4. I have felt the power of the Holy Spirit working in my life, I have known the depths of Jesus' love & forgiveness.

5. Gah, won't these people get the heck off MY roads and go back to their own states???28 is the name of the street, NOT the speed limit!! .

6. If you live in Massachusetts, move far away as soon as you can!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to spinning on my wheel, tomorrow my plans include sewing diapers & my Game Night BBQ!!! and Sunday, I want to move furniture around!

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Friday Night I Crashed Your Party....

2008-07-25T11:42:00.001-05:00

1. I believe whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Yeah, its the "standard" answer, but its true!

2. If you're good at something, you should do it if you enjoy it.

3. Why so many people are stupid enough to fall for you-know-who's "I'm for change" BS is beyond me......

4. Something is out there, it's big and scary, with lots of teeth and hiding under YOUR bed.

5. If my life were a sitcom, it would be titled Crazy Eights.

6. Sitting on my back porch [if you don't have one, use your imagination] I see the ugly side of the fence my moron neighbor put up. I miss the old neighbors that were NICE.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to a quiet evening finishing up my final blocks for the NYOBE on Ravelry, tomorrow my plans include Game Night, most likely and Sunday, I want to relax some more and visit with friends!

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Hey... yesterday was Friday!!

2008-07-19T14:02:00.001-05:00

1. If I could be a fly on the wall I would try to avoid flypaper.

2. Jealousy is a very ugly feeling and should be avoided.

3. When I see a shooting star my wish would be that I wouldn't have to worry about money, not be filthy rich, but no worries.

4. I'd rather be Right than Politically Correct any day!

5. Certain songs when I hear them make me wanna shoot out the speakers of the morons thumping that cRap down my street!

6. If time were in a bottle I'd knock back a six pack!

7. And as for the weekend, ~~tonight~~ last night ~~I’m looking forward to~~ I crocheted afghan blocks for a swap, ~~tomorrow~~ today my plans included Village Day in Osterville & Game Night @ Borders and Sunday, I want to have a blast at Tsunami being held @ Dowse's Beach @ 5pm!

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OOOhhh! Yay for Packages!!

2008-07-17T09:24:00.002-05:00

I received my first SP12 package today!! I was so excited!!

I was unable to take a picture of the upopened box due to...umm.. circumstances that were... uhh.... Okay, nevermind!! Couldn't take a pic because I tore into the box like a rabid dog!! :D

First I found a lovely note:

Underneath the note was a mysterious & pretty case!

Under the case was a really cool pattern!! Actually, its 3 patterns in one! The ZigBagZ Mini Collection with patterns for a BottleZig (half liter size), SportZig (large water bottle size) and BabyZig (small purse suitable for wallet, keys & cell)!!!

Inside the case were MORE goodies!!

A skein of Nashua Handknits Creative Focus Worsted yarn (75% wool, 25% alpaca) in Bud Green and a skein of Noro Kureyon (100% wool) in Color 166. There was also a really cool, handmade button to match the yarns, which leads me to believe I would best be suited to making the BabyZig purse!! :) I could also be heard miles away exclaiming gleefully, "My book, my book!!! I really, really wanted this!!!", upon finding Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's Things I Learned from Knitting whether I wanted to or not!!!!!!!!!!! I just love the Yarn Harlot!!

Here is a closer look at the funky, cool button, too:

Thank you so much, Secret Pal!!! This is my first SP, so I'm wicked excited!!! Oh, and she has been sending me the cutest Hallmark e-cards, too! :)

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Boy I Need to Think of Clever Titles for Friday Fill-ins!

2008-07-11T11:28:00.002-05:00

1. Oh, I can't wait until I have a home of my own. Doesn't look like a reality anytime soon unless someone nominates us for one of "those" shows. *sigh*
2. Bob's Black Box Cabernet Sauvignon is the first thing I see when I open my refrigerator.
3. I never leave home without my wallet/clutch and my knitting bag.
4. If I were a condiment, I would be salsa because I'm hot & spicy! LOL! Okay, not really, but it sounded good. But I love the way the word sounds. Come on... say it... SALSA...ahhh! :).
5. "Yo-Boy" or "gangsta" speech and writing, any ignorant writing really (u no wut i meen?) is really high up on my list of pet peeves. Not the innocently ignorant writing of the VERY young, but anyone middle school age and older shouldn't be speaking or writing like a moron.
6. The last thing I thought of before I went to bed was "I'll just get Michael to sleep, then I can do some knitting....zzzzzzzzz".
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to getting back to work on my Goddess Knits Shawl now that I found my beading hook, tomorrow my plans include more laundry now that we replaced the leaking hose and Sunday, I want to enjoy a bbq at Ruthanne's!

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SP 12 QOTW #5

2008-07-10T10:06:00.002-05:00

1) Where is your favorite place to go for vacation/holiday?

Hmmm.... since we vacation so little, its hard to say I have a 'favorite' place. But I do love going almost anywhere camping.

2) Where is one place you’d like to go?

Just one? Tough question.... but I guess I'd love to visit Wisconsin. Yep... Wisconsin. LOL! I'd love to be able to meet and visit with my dear online friend Tracie. We met on a mothers' board while pregnant with our March 2005 babies.While in Wisconsin my family could visit some of the awesome water parks in the Wisconsin Dells that Tracie told me about. THAT would be a blast! :)

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The "Opium Den" of Swapping......

2008-07-08T10:18:00.001-05:00

I found out about Swap-bot! Oh Dear Lord!! I'm giddy with excitement, trembling with anticipation and teetering on dread. It will be a fine line between having a blast and getting in over my head. I'm a bit of a swap addict (as you may have noticed). Swap-bot has swaps for every imaginable item/theme/genre you can think of!! Postcards, thrift store finds, vintage buttons, recipes, KNITTING, YARN!!!! So far I've been very good. I've only joined 2 swaps and I REFUSE to even use the "Find Swaps" button until those two are over. Very simple ones. One is for a handknit/crocheted baby bib and the other is for a kid's August birthday swap. I joined that one to get a nice birthday package for Sarah.

So, if you have a hankering to swap 'whimsy' jars, stickers, Harry Potter stuff, etc......

Join Swap-bot!!

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What is Wrong With People?

2008-07-06T22:31:00.003-05:00

Why would you sign up for a swap that you don't intend on keeping your commitment to? I can understand when people have something come up health or money related. But that's not what I'm talking about.

I'm talking about someone who receives items in a swap, but does not thank anyone or keep up their end and send anything. Specifically what has set my teeth on edge is the Great Bootie Swap I participated in on Ravelry. Participants were split into groups based on how many pairs of baby booties they were willing to make. I ended up in a group with 3 other ladies, so needed to make 3 pairs of booties and mail a pair to each of them. You also included another baby gift, bought or made, worth about $5.00. I selected some cute baby photo albums. Anyway.... I mailed out my 3 packages. I received two great packages from NWKnitterMama and KnitIdiot. Nothing from amandamay83. I have delivery confirmation from all 3, but amandamay83 has not posted a thank you on the Ravelry group, sent a thank you via pm or regular email NOR has she sent any one of us a package in return, as she signed up to do.

At first I thought perhaps something had happened to her, but she appears to be alive, well & thriving according to her blog posts. So, I sent her a pm on Ravelry. No reply. Went to her blog and left the following comment on THIS post:

Hi Amanda,

I just noticed, after sending you a message on Ravelry, that you haven't posted on there in some time. So, I figured I'd comment here instead. I just wanted to check and see that you indeed had my package. Delivery confirmation shows it was delivered on Wed, June 25th. Hope you like the booties.

BTW... regarding ground beef... where do you find 70/30?? I can't find it where I live. I would buy it because after I brown ground beef, I rinse it with hot water in a colander. It takes even more fat away, then you can return it to the pan.
~Dee

No contact in return. I waited a few days. On July 1 I sent the following email to her:

Hi Amanda,

I've sent you a message on Ravelry and posted a comment to your blog about the bootie swap package that I know you received from me. I have delivery confirmation. At first I was concerned that you may have fallen on hard times or were ill, but I see you updating your blog almost daily. I worked hard on making those booties for you and I'm really saddened and disappointed that you haven't bothered to even acknowledge receipt of the package. Heck, if you didn't like what I sent, even an "I got it but didn't like anything" message would be better than total silence. Reading your blog, you seem to be a good person, with strong family values, so I fail to understand this lapse in manners. :(

Thanks for your time,
Dee (madcraftermom on Ravelry)

Once again, no response. Thinking perhaps she doesn't check the email address she used to sign up for this swap, I decided to copy & paste that exact email as another blog comment on THIS post. I looked today and my comment wasn't there. So, she took the time to read & delete it, but STILL has the audacity to ignore her obligation to ALL parties involved in this swap. Honestly, it isn't even about the friggin' booties!! Its about basic human decency. She talks about being frugal on her blog a lot.... perhaps STEALING handmade items from well-intentioned people is her idea of frugality? How can someone like this even look at herself in the mirror everyday?

So, thank you so much,
AMANDA LIMOGES OF YANKTON, SD
for my first EVER (and hopefully last) BAD SWAPPER experience.

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TGIF!

2008-07-04T11:50:00.002-05:00

1. Holidays in the summer are somewhat lacking, aside from July 4th.
2. Teriyaki steak tips are my favorite things to grill.
3. My thoughts are are often jumbled and confused, but I pray for clarity often.
4. Bob having a 3 day weekend is what I'm most looking forward to this weekend!
5. My favorite book so far this summer is the Bible, especially since I haven't read any others recently :).
6. COFFEE is the ~~best~~ ONLY way to begin a day.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to wonderful friends over for a bbq, tomorrow my plans include a dump run and working on my Goddess Knits Anniversary Shawl Along and Sunday, I want to work on Michael's new room and the laundry room!

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SP 12 QOTW #4

2008-07-02T10:44:00.001-05:00

1) What yarn (that you don’t have/haven’t used) would make your stash “complete”?

I'm not sure that its a question of my stash being "complete" with a particular yarn, since I feel it will never be "complete". But I would absolutely LOVE to work with some Handmaiden Sea Silk yarn.

2) What yarn do you never want to be without?

If I had to choose one fiber to never be without, it would have to be 100% wool. Can be used for felted or non-felted projects. Its warm, its insulating, its absorbent (for diaper covers) and the color varieties are endless.

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Friday Happens

2008-06-27T09:50:00.002-05:00

1. Birthdays are usually pretty fun, but fraught with the possibility of disappointment if you don't express your expectations.
2. Winter is my favorite season because there is (the possibility of) snow & Christmas.
3. I feel my best when I have accomplished something for the day AND my kitchen is clean. I have no desire to cook at all if the kitchen is trashed.
4. Well, if I have to pick just one, I'd have to say red meat is my favorite food!
5. First impressions are not always very accurate, but still tend to stick in one's mind.
6. The best piece of advice I ever received was ___________.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to a bit of peace & quiet.... LOL!, yeah...right!, tomorrow my plans include a baby shower and Sunday, I want to go to church and then relax!

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SP 12 QOTW #3

2008-06-25T19:19:00.003-05:00

What would you consider the perfect amount of stash?

I think the perfect amount of stash would be ALL of it!! Okay, maybe not ALL of it.... just the good stuff. ;) I want to be able to see a pattern that I want to make and know that I can start it immediately, even if its 3 am, without worrying if I have the right yarn. That's not too much to ask, is it? :)

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Friday Fill-in...on Saturday!!

2008-06-21T19:05:00.001-05:00

Yeah, I know... its Saturday.... but I was distracted by my other blog post yesterday!

1. A smile is worth a thousand.... bucks these days. Don't get me started on the price of dentistry.....
2. Scrabble is my favorite board or card game.
3. I would love to have more organization (and yarn) in my life and less clutter (which yarn doesn't count as!!).
4. When I think of the Summer Solstice, I think of how hot it is.
5. I just remembered I need to find some stuff to sell on eBay. I'm sick of being broke.
6. One of my favorite song lyrics goes like this: "When you believe He's all you need, that will be your defining moment...".
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to finishing Clue #1 for the Goddess Knits Anniversary Shawl Along, tomorrow my plans include starting on Clue #2 for the shawl and cleaning out the girls' old room and Sunday, I want to stay home, but we are going to sister-in-law's for a big, double graduation party.... so far away, so much gas, so much time driving....blah Not that I don't like the in-laws, I do, just don't like the drive.

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¡Un Paquete de España!

2008-06-20T09:15:00.001-05:00

This past Tuesday, arriving home from a birthday party, I found I had a package waiting for me!! It was from Spain. OH! My Black Yarn Swap package!! *happy dance* Gleefully tear into it and....

....oooh.... yarny goodness!! Lets explore....

For the yarn, Fredja chose Garnstudio's Silke-Tweed. It is 52% silk, 48% lambswool. There are little tiny flecks of color in amongst the black. It is just lovely yarn. :) There were two bamboo crochet hooks ( I & K ) and the pattern for the Moebius Scarf/Shawl by Bonnie Pierce. It looks super easy, yet beautiful. :)

Here is a close up of the yarn (sorry, camera isn't state-of-the-art):

Of course, there was lots more in the box! Let's take a look.....

Let's see if I can give an accurate inventory....

A pretty, sweet note card, complete with crochet flower on it.
A black box with mulit-colored stripes (sorry, lid open in pic) full of delicious teas
A little black organza bag with two sheep magnets
A black tapestry crochet hook holder (THANK YOU!! I REALLY needed this!!)
Two key chains for my collection from her home city of Lleida, Spain. One is of the city's main landmark, the old cathedral, the other is the guardian dragon of the city (or marraco).
A bag of Trolli gummy candies, including gummi bears, sour gummi worms & some gummy burgers. The kids (& I) have already enjoyed some of these. :)
Two bags of hard candies; some mint "pillows" and some fruity hard candies with hearts in the center.
A box of Ferrer Garden candies!! Can't even tell in the picture that there are already 2 gone, huh? LOL! MMmmmmm

I have been thoroughly spoiled in this swap! I enjoyed both the shopping for my partner and the receiving of my package. Thank you again, Fredja, for the wonderful package.

Also, thank you Sabrina for organizing this awesome swap!!

**Cross-posted on Diary of a Mad Crafter & The Black Yarn Swap blogs. :)

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Tag! I'm "it" ?

2008-06-19T10:06:00.002-05:00

1. What were you doing ten years ago? Hmm... 10 years ago had to be the worst/best year of my life. I was in the midst of leaving a bad marriage, my father died, but I met my now husband later in the year, so it evened out. :) I was 26 and had 5 kids. Whew!

2. What are five things on my to-do list?

Get the girls' former room cleaned out
Get my room cleaned out
Get back into strict menu planning
Find a legitimate way to earn money from home
Finish all my swap commitments on time

3. Where have I lived? Milton, MA - Yarmouth Port, MA - S. Yarmouth, MA - Dennis, MA - Hyannis, MA

4. What would I do if I were a billionaire?

Pay of any remaining bills
Buy/build a home/farm (fiber animals) in the Mid-West (FAR from (m)Assachusetts!!)
Buy investment properties
Save
Donate to worthwhile charities

Who to tag? Who to tag? Hmm... off to tag... Jessica!

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SP12 QOTW #2

2008-06-18T07:10:00.003-05:00

As a kid, what did you look forward to most about summer vacation/break/holiday?

Hmm... Good question..... Obviously, the first thing was not being in school. :) I looked forward to the long days out playing with my friends. You know, back when the whole neighborhood was your playground and your mom didn't have to worry about it because if you did something wrong up the street, she knew about it before you got home! And your curfew was "when the street lights come on".

I also used to look forward to our family vacations to Humarock or Cape Cod (go figure... now I hate living on Cape Cod....) or to my cousins' in Virginia. Ahhh... those were the days..... :)

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SP12 QOTW #1

2008-06-13T20:46:00.002-05:00

What is your favorite summertime drink??

Honestly, my favorite summertime drink is good old Bud Light. Really. LOL! Next would have to be the yummy, deliciousness of Parrot Bay coolers!! Mmmmm... Matava Blue flavor! Just can't take too many of them for the sweetness factor.

For non-alcoholic beverages, ice tea made with Nestea's unsweetened mix, Splenda & lemon juice is my summer staple. Ice coffee running a close second, with good old-fashioned water being next.

Nothing too exciting, huh?

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Heeeeeeere's Friday!

2008-06-13T17:52:00.002-05:00

1. Traveling outside the US is high up on my bucket list.
2. My favorite quote is "Someone should stab you in the eye with a really hot french fry!"; it's from Foamy the Squirrel (Neurotically Yours cartoon, illwillpress.com - NOT CHILD FRIENDLY).
3. Wanting to share my knitting inspired me to start blogging.
4. Strawberries are best in strawberry shortcake! But it has to be on fresh drop biscuits, not those nasty little dish sponges!!.
5. Something (I don't remember any details) about my friend Cathy, from high school (whom I haven't seen/spoken to in about 5 years) is the last dream I remember having.
6. The most enjoyable time to go for a walk is in the summer, while it is still light, but the cool of evening has set it a bit.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to relaxing, tomorrow my plans include WWKIP Day!! Cape Cod Mall, Food Court, 11 AM - BE THERE!! Also, Rosie's graduation party and Sunday, I want to relax some more and make sure my husband gets to enjoy Father's Day!

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Cape Cod KIP!!

2008-06-09T19:16:00.002-05:00

United States, Massachusetts, Hyannis
Hosted by: Dee Adams
Location: Cape Cod Mall, Food Court
Time: 11:00 AM
Date: June 14, 2008

How to get there:
Cape Cod Mall is located on Rte. 132 in Hyannis. Food court is at the right-hand end of the mall (with 132 at your back), near Barnes & Noble. From back-side of mall, use entrance near Best Buy. :)

Please bring:
Knitting!! Probably some cash for food/drink if you are so inclined, too.

The backup plan is:
No backup plan. :)

This KIP is not knitting exclusive
There are free bathrooms available nearby

So, tell all your friends in the area!! Crochet is welcome, too. :)

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Big Surprise... Friday rolled around AGAIN!!

2008-06-06T11:18:00.001-05:00

Imagine that.....

1. Idle hands are are a waste of perfectly good knitting time.
2. I love hot water in the shower, not that I get that often in a house with one bathroom and 9 people..... I need a tankless water heater!!
3. My favorite time of the day is when everyone is asleep and I can knit or read in peace.
4. The last tea I drank was Tazo's Passion.
5. I like to hang at home, with friends over for company in the Summer.
6. My mother always said wash your hands after using the bathroom. She was right and now I find myself asking my kids all the time, "Did you wash your hands?".
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to more knitting/crocheting (big surprise!!) and trying to finish getting my room organized/cleaned enough to set up the crib, tomorrow my plans include some quiet time when Bob takes the kids to the beach to fly kites (although I might go with them and....*drumroll*....bring my knitting) and Sunday, I want to enjoy Robyn's Pampered Chef party and the company of friends!

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It's Friday!

2008-05-30T15:50:00.001-05:00

1. For me buying what I can make is the opposite of creativity.
2. Confessor by Terry Goodkind was the last excellent book I read.
3. I like fill-ins because they make me think, make me laugh and guarantee blogging activity for me.
4. In nature I like looking at tidepools.
5. Mitt Romney should win the US elections but I'll have to settle for McCain, the lesser of 3 evils.
6. The last time I laughed with all my belly was recently, while driving with my son Patrick discussing the misfortune of Ted Kennedy (we live in Hyannis) and Monty Python and the Holy Grail and possible activities we could conduct in front of the compound.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to some peace & quiet, tomorrow my plans include Scrabble and Apples to Apples and Sunday, I want to relax, knit & bbq!

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SP 12 Questionnaire

2008-05-29T14:44:00.002-05:00

I am so excited to have gotten into SP 12!! I've been seeing blog buttons since SP9, but always missed sign ups. :) So, here is my questionnaire. Needs to be posted by June 15, but I figured I'd get it going now. There are a couple things I'll be updating before the 15th, but I've stated so in those questions.

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? Wool, wool/silk blends, alpaca, alpaca blends, most natural fibers or blends. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? Fun Fur (or anything like it with a different name), ribbon yarn, most novelty yarns, anything really "plasticy" feeling (like Lion Homespun) or anything that splits a lot.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? My Knit Picks options have a zippered case, but my crochet hooks are scattered near & far. Also have no real case for any of my straight needles. Currently in an old tackle box that my sister gave me about 20 years ago with makeup in it!

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? About 20 years, self-taught. Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? Hmm... advanced in some areas (general knitting knowledge, cables n' such), intermediate in other areas (socks, lace) and beginner in others (intarsia - really suck at stranding, want to get good at it!!).

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? **UPDATED** I added Wishpot to my sidebar. Now I can add things from any place online I find things I like. :)

5. What's your favorite scent? For perfume, its Poison. For other things I like LIGHT florals, pine, fruity scents, spices (like cinnamon, etc.). Heavy perfumey smells and heavy florals make me gag. One of my favorite buttons says "Nice Perfume. Must you marinate in it?"

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Heh... yeah, I do. Guilty as charged. Favorite candy? Dark chocolate anything, red Twizzlers, gummy worms, Ferrer Rocher... hmm.. why hasn't anyone invented dark chocolate covered gummy worms??

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Spinning, sewing, crochet, cross stitch. Do you spin? Yes, with a drop spindle. Have a wheel, but need to get parts to fix it up and learn.

8. What kind of music do you like? Christian Rock (Casting Crowns, Newsboys), Rock (Billy Joel, U2, George Thoroughgood), Charlie Daniels. Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) Yes.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Black, pinks, purples, blues, greens, cranberry Any colors you just can't stand? Home Depot Orange!! Not fond of brown unless paired with a pastel. Heck, even orange works in a sunset blend, just don't like it alone. Not big on neons unless toned down with other colors.

10. What is your family situation? Married to Bob. Eight kids (7 at home). Patrick (17), Justin (14.5), Melissa (13), Sarah (11.5), Molly (8.5), Michael (3) & Abigail (4 months - born 1/20/08). Christopher (19.5) is the one not at home. Do you have any pets? 2 Siberian Huskies - Amaruk (male) & Tikaani (female)

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? Yes to all, but I prefer gloves or fingerless gloves to mittens.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Fingerless gloves, socks (just getting into them), felted bags, baby items (for the instant gratification, not necessarily to keep), shawls (just getting into them), hmm... just about anything!! I knit, therefore I am.

13. What are you knitting right now? Luna Moth Shawl, crocheted star afghan, felted baby booties for a swap, mini purse for a swap, 12 x 12 blocks for a swap (need to do 24 by 7/31), socks for me, side-to-side shawl for a friend, many other wips hiding around my room.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Absolutely!!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? For circular I like my KP Options. Would love some harmony tips! Need some long, small size circulars to do magic loop sock knitting (KP Options only go down to size 4). For straights I prefer bamboo or hardwood. Don't have a lot of those, basically some 8's, 10's & 10.5's.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? Yes to both.

17. How old is your oldest UFO? Wow.... I'm pretty sure I recently spotted a sweater I started for my ex-mil (or do I refer to her a mil since she died before the divorce? Never sure on that one) lurking in one of my many craft totes in the basement. She died in 1996........

18. What is your favorite holiday? Easter for what it means to me (salvation), Christmas for both spiritual and gifty reasons :).

19. Is there anything that you collect? Key chains, especially unusual & state ones. Buttons with fun sayings (I speak sarcasm fluently). Yarn. Kids.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? Oh my!! Loaded question...I'll update this before June 15. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? Only subscription I have is Interweave Knits.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? I'd like to master intarsia so I can do some awesome sweaters, bags, etc.

22. Are you a sock knitter? I am as of recently. What are your foot measurements? Hmm... I'll update this later after I find my tape measure, but I wear a size 8 women's US shoe.

23. When is your birthday? March 1 (1972).

24. Are you on Ravelry? You mean there are knitter's who aren't?? *gasp* Those poor dears... If so, what's your ID? madcraftermom

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Friday Fill-In #73 (for them... #2 for me)

2008-05-23T16:25:00.000-05:00

1. On my laziest day I like to watch movies & knit!
2. Cooking makes me feel like I'm being productive.
3. I love little children and big guns.
4. This summer I want to go camping.
5. My addiction to starting new web pages & blogs made me start my blog.
6. Red rocks and orange sucks.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to a movie at Sheila's, tomorrow my plans include Game Night and Sunday, I want to get most of my Luna Moth Shawl for Ann Cronin's 90th birthday done!

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My First Pattern for Sale!!

2008-05-20T11:21:00.002-05:00

(Link to purchase in the right-side menu)

I've had this pattern on my computer for some time, planning on selling it, but never really sure how to do it. Well, I finally saw some information about PayLoadz on one of my email lists and signed up!

I'm also working on writing up the pattern for a cute, little felted bag that I created for a friend's birthday. I hope to have that up and available for sale in the next couple days.

If you think its worth it, please tell your friends. :)

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Friday Fill-Ins

2008-05-16T20:35:00.002-05:00

1. There is absolutely NO way you can get me to go on a roller coaster !
2. Seeing all the darn out of state plates reminds me that summer is almost here!
3. I cannot live without my yarn.
4. Wheel spinning and white water rafting are two things I'd like to try.
5. When life hands you lemons, squeeze them onto your fried shrimp.
6. Going to the Milton Library is my favorite childhood memory.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to Battlestar Galactica, tomorrow my plans include making a cash deposit from one account to another to avoid bouncing issues and Sunday, I want to survive the 6 hours I'm babysitting at Christ Chapel to earn some money!

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Blog Slacker That I Am

2008-05-15T09:40:00.002-05:00

I know its been a while since my last update. I've just been "flat out like a lizard drinking" with swaps and other projects. I also had some camera issues, which have now been resolved. I'll make a few updates now, then later when I have more time.

I received an adorable kitty named Petunia Purrfect in my April Knitted Kitty Swa p from Deborah:

My Swap on a Budget package from Allison was just chock full of fun & goodies:

I just realized that I posted about my Big Bag Swap package on The Big Bag Knitalong & Swap blog, but not here!! Joe sent me a fabulous bag & goodies:

Hmm... I think there are a few more things to show pics of, but they are still on my camera. Those include the two packages out of 3 from The Great Bootie Swap. Oh, and my April pack from my Monthly Dishcloth Swappers group. :)

As for things I'm working on....

I'm working on 3 pairs of booties for the aforementioned Bootie Swap. I'm also doing Beth's Little Star Afghan for a friend's son. Here's a progress pic at about 12 rounds:

I've also been spinning a lot. Some for swaps, some for myself. I've gotten a little bit into hand painting yarns. I like overall dyeing them first, then painting on the base color. :) Unfortunately, I failed to take pics of the beautiful alpaca skeins I sent in my Swap on a Budget pack. Maybe my recipient will post pics on Ravelry that I can snag afterwards. :)

Okay, that's it for now. I think I'll try my hand at doing "Friday Fill-ins" that I've seen on some blogs. That will insure that I post weekly.

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Black Yarn Swap Questionnaire

2008-04-15T17:02:00.001-05:00

1. Do you knit, crochet, or both? Both
2. What do you prefer to knit or crochet? socks, felted bags, fingerless gloves, almost anything!! What would you like to try to knit or crochet? Again, almost anything!
3. What are your hobbies outside of knitting or crocheting? Scrabble, Sims2, sewing, breeding minions, baking, cross-stitch
4. Do you have any fiber allergies? None :) Fiber preferances? Wool, wool blends, soft cottons
5. Do you have any favourite books, music, or tv shows? If so, what are they? Besides the Bible, I'm into Sci-fi fantasy. For tv, I love Battlestar Galactica, Stargate (any), Star Trek
6. Do you have any pets? Yes, 2 Siberian Huskies
7. Do you prefer salty or sweet snacks? Mmm.... dark chocolate
8. Do you prefer coffee or tea? Like both equally. Prefer fruity herbal teas for tea. Don't like flavored coffee much.
9. Aside black, which colours do you like/dislike? YUCK on Orange (unless blended nicely with something else) Like pretty much all else, esp. pinks, purples & blues
10. What is your favourite time of the year? (season-wise or holiday-wise) I love Winter & Autumn
11. What is your favourite scent? I like light floral scents, spice scents, fruit scents. Nothing perfumey & heavy
12. What do you collect? Besides yarn & kids? heh.... keychains. Unusual & state ones especially.
13. If there's anything else you'd like your swappee to know, list them here: While I'm not allergic to smoke (although my husband is), I really, really dislike the smell. Yeah, I'm one of "them"... an ex-smoker.... :) So please, if you are a smoker, minimize any exposure to anything sent my way. Thanks!

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Baby Goodies!

2008-03-31T10:09:00.001-05:00

A couple days ago I received my Baby-A-Baby Swap package from Holly! Didn't have camera batteries at the time, so it has taken me a few days to get everything set to post about it. :)

So, I opened up my box to find it just full of stuff! (Yes, it was neater, I just put everything back in to take a pic)

Holly knit the most adorable little dress in pretty pink cotton. The buttons are little white hearts with pink flowers on them. I tried to take a close up, but the flash interferes.

There was a Princess hat & bootie set:

Pink Snoopy socks!! I love these:

A cute denim jumper with a onesie shirt

She even included a variety of fun items for my other children!

For me she threw in my favorite snack. When the kids saw it, I had to tell them..... Get Your Own Box! :P

Finally, here is Abigail in her new dress. The onesie shirt from the jumper set is still a little big, but I think the lilac one works, too. :)

Thank you so much, Holly! It was great to read your letter and get to know a bit about you from your blog (now that I know who you are). :)

** Cross-posted on Baby-A-Baby Swap & Diary of a Mad Crafter

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Awesome Package!

2008-03-30T13:29:00.001-05:00

Well, it turns out that my Favorite Color Swap 3 spoiler was my dear friend, Sheila, who lives 5 minutes away! LOL! She did a great job of keeping it a secret, including throwing me off by mentioning that it was difficult to shop for something vanilla scented for her swap partner (she knows I don't like vanilla scent). :)

She stopped by the house one day and asked if I'd gotten my mail for the day. I told her that Molly (my 8-year old) had already brought it in. She said that was odd because there was a package leaning against the post. One of the other kids ran out and got it for me. I didn't even notice the oddities in the label, like the fact that my name and address was taped over the name on the label. It appeared to be from someone in CA and the name didn't look familiar. But it was very heavy!!

Here is the whole shebang:

Now, the breakdown~

3 (really 4 as one more pack of black was sent to her late that she's bringing over soon) packages of luscious wool for needle felting. The camera doesn't do justice to the rich berry colored one in front.

A nice kitchen towel with a crocheted topper.

4 beautiful skeins of sock yarn in the most amazing colors. I love the way each pink/blue set complements each other!

Absolutely adorable stitch markers and earrings that look like miniature drop spindles!! She had no way of knowing that I had only recently been looking at those same earrings and considering them as a swap gift for another swap I'm in!! They are so cool!!

For goodies she included WW drink Mix-ins in Peach Ice Tea flavor, some WW dark chocolate raspberry bars (mmmmm) and a TON of Twizzlers. There are well over a hundred and fifty Twizzlers!! That was what made the box so incredibly heavy. LOL! As you would imagine in a house with seven children, it didn't take long for them to find out about my new stash.......

Hee hee....

So, thank you Sheila for a wonderful package. Also, thank you Nichole for hostessing this fun swap! I'm still working on my package, but it will go out on time. :)

** Cross posted on FC3 & Diary of a Mad Crafter

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Did I mention I love yarn?

2008-03-27T10:55:00.001-05:00

Eek! I am so behind in blogging again. I plead household sickness and dr. appointments. Sorry.

I recently (3 weeks ago) got a big order in from Knit Picks. I was soooo happy to open this box:

So much knitting goodness!!! I had some "bonus" money from a return I made (return from Hell!! But that is another story for another blog....), so I went a bit hog wild. Shhh.... don't tell my husband!! :)

Some new doo-dads: Needle pockets, long cables (for Magic Loop knitting), and some size 13 tips for my Options set. Plus some beautiful Harmony cable needles. Let's get a closer look at those:

Oooh... purty! I wish I could afford to get all the Harmony tips! They are so cool. :) Okay, what other goodies?

2 skeins of Shimmer in the colorway Happy Dance

2 skeins of Gossamer in the colorway Sweet Peas

Bunches of Wool of the Andes Worsted!!

2 skeins in Beryl Heather

2 skeins in Carbon Twist

2 skeins in Mulled Wine

2 skeins in Pidgeon Twist

2 skeins in Iron Ore

There was also 8 skeins of Merino Style in Petal

2 skeins of Palette in Red

2 skeins of Palette in Apricot

8 skeins of Wool of the Andes Bulky in Mauve
Wow, I've got some knitting to do now!! :) Look for more updates right on top of this one. Like I said, I've been way behind. Plus, my camera just got batteries again yesterday. I still have my Favorite Color Swap 3 package to post!! :)

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Favorite Color Swap Questionnaire

2008-03-14T08:47:00.001-05:00

Yay!! A new swap!! Here are my answers. :)

1. What are your top three favorite colors? Pinks, Blues & Black (just not Navy blue or neon colors)

2. What crafts do you really enjoy? Which ones don't I enjoy would be a shorter list! LOL! Tops would be knit, crochet & spinning. Oh, and sewing when I can find the time & room.

3. What products do you really covet? Oh my.... covet? Heh.... lots! I really covet an Ashford spinning wheel, but that is out of the range of this swap... I always like new stitch markers or other little knitting tools. A new drop spindle has been pulling at me, too. I'm really not sure "covet" applies to any of them. :)

4. What other activities do you enjoy besides your favorite crafty things? I enjoy Scrabble, reading (sci-fi/fantasy & Christian), computer games, baking

5. Is there anything you collect? Children. :) Something smaller? Key chains. Unusual and state ones, especially.

6. What is your zodiac sign and/or Chinese zodiac symbol? Not surprisingly, Pisces. Not that I put any stock in horoscopes, though. For Chinese zodiac, I have the privilege of being a Rat. :)

7.What are your favorite…

…scents/smells? Light florals, spice scents, nature (pine, sandalwood, etc.) Nothing very heavy & perfumey... makes me gag. Literally.

…types of music and/or bands? Hmm... big variety there, but mostly rock music. Christian Rock - Casting Crowns is a favorite. I like so much more though... from Billy Joel to the Sex Pistols!

…authors? Terry Brooks, Terry Goodkind, Robert Jordan, Jean Auel, Joyce Meyers, Max Lucado

…animals? Wolves, big cats, ring-tailed lemurs... exotic & cute animals

…places to shop? YARN STORES!! :) Also enjoy "craft stores" like AC Moore, Jo-Ann's. Border's bookstore. Online I like Knit Picks.

…season? Winter (a real one, with snow, not like this year) and Autumn

…yarn/fabric/paper/other craft supplies? I love wool and wool blended with alpaca or silk, sock yarn, basically natural fibers, although acrylic has its uses. I also like new pens/markers/sharpies. Do those count as craft supplies? :) Any new knit, crochet or spinning tools are fun.

…candies or goodies? Oh boy... I"m doing Weight Watchers now, so I'm trying to be good. But if I were to use my weekly points on a treat.... I love dark chocolate, hate white chocolate (its NOT chocolate!! LOL). I like almonds & hazelnuts, but hate walnuts. Ferrer Rocher, M & M's, red Twizzlers... mmmm....

8. Do you have any wish lists? Not an official one, like online. Usually nice yarns are on my lists. I've always wanted to try Malabrigio, after hearing of its wonders. :)

9. Are you allergic to anything? Nope, but my husband is allergic to cigarette smoke.

10. Do you have any pets? What are they? Have 2 dogs, Siberian Huskies. One male (Amaruk) and one female (Tikaani).

11. Please include anything else you would like your secret pal to know about you- anything that would be helpful in finding you little gifts that you will really enjoy. Also, if you have a Ravelry ID, please include it here. My ravelry ID is madcraftermom. I'm not sure what else might be helpful... Hmm.. I just had a baby girl in January, my eighth baby. :)

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My Big Bag Questionnaire

2008-03-04T11:38:00.001-05:00

As the creator/moderator, I guess it is high time I posted my own questionnaire!!

   1. Do you knit, crochet, or do both? Both For how long? For about 20 years each. I prefer the look of knitting most of the time, but love the speed of crochet. Oh, and I love granny squares. :)
   2. What other crafts do you do, if any? Spinning, cross-stitch, sewing, will try almost any craft
   3. What are your favorite colors? Love purples, pinks, blues, most greens. Colors you loathe? Not particularly fond of orange, bright yellows, neon shades.
   4. Favorite yarn brands? Patons, Knit Picks, Debbie Bliss, most others Fiber types? Love wool, especially soft. Alpaca, blends with silk. Even like soft acrylics for wash n wear kids stuff. Yarn you can't stand? Eyelash yarn, most other novelty yarns, anything stiff or weird feeling.
   5. What is your favorite type of item to knit/crochet? Baby items for the instant gratification, socks, dishcloths, cool sweaters (like the Simple Knitted Bodice)
   6. What kind of needles do you like? (i.e. circular, straight, metal, bamboo, etc.) Prefer my Knit Picks options (circular). For straights I like Bamboo, only have 2 or 3 pair (7, 8, 10). DPNs in bamboo.
   7. Any knitting tools you lack but crave? Always wanted one of those pendant cutters, always love new stitch markers (not the plastic rings), just about anything!
   8. Patterns you've been dying to get but haven't yet? YES! Milinda, Heirloom Lace Jacket, Almost any of the dishcloth patterns from DigKnitty Designs
   9. Do you drink coffee, tea, cocoa? All of the above Flavors you love/hate? I prefer fruity herbal teas. Hate french vanilla coffee and white chocolate (its not chocolate!!) cocoa.
10. Favorite sweets & snacks? Sweets: Almost anything dark chocolate!! Twizzlers, too. For savory snacks I love Cheez-its (not the knock-offs!! LOL!), Wheat Thins (really!), macademia nuts and almonds. Mmm... beer nuts!
11. Any pets, kids, spouses? 4 sons, 4 daughters (newest is Abigail, born 1/20/2008) and 2 Siberian Huskies Spouses that act like pets or kids? (j/k) One wonderful husband, Bob
12. Favorite things to knit/crochet for the above, if applicable? Love to knit/crochet baby things, socks & gloves.
13. What kinds of books do you like to read? I like both fiction & non-fiction Favorite authors or genres? Authors: Terry Goodkind, Terry Brooks, Robert Jordan, Joyce Meyers, Max Lucado. Genres: Sci-fi/Fantasy, Christian
14. Do you collect anything? (besides yarn! LOL!) Key chains, especially unusual ones & touristy ones (like state ones). And apparently children.... LOL!
15. What, if any, are your non-craft related hobbies? I love Scrabble, pencil puzzle/word games, Sims2, Christian music (Casting Crowns especially), cooking/baking, motorcycles, guns, reading.
16. Scents you adore? Spicy or fruity scents, light florals, mint Scents that make you gag? Anything too heavy & perfumey
17. What is your idea of a relaxing time? Kicking back with my kntting in front of Stargate (SG-1 or Atlantis). Playing Scrabulous on Facebook. Baking fresh bread (I grind my own wheat, nice and fresh).
18. Oh yeah, are you on Ravelry and if so, care to share your Ravelry ID? Yep. :) My Ravelry ID is madcraftermom.

So, there you have it. If my pal has other questions, feel free to leave them as comments. :)

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Another New Swapping Group!

2008-03-03T09:00:00.000-05:00

Well, with the untimely death of the Getting to Know You Dishcloth Knitters group, I was quite saddened. Then I decided to take a chance and start a similar monthly dishcloth exchange group. So, I bopped on over to Yahoo Groups and started a new group, Monthly Dishcloth Swappers. :)

Now, this isn't the group for you if you are a procrastinator or have frequent medical problems that interfere with your meeting deadlines on a regular basis. The rules are pretty strict and there is a Zero-Tolerance policy for people who fail to meet their obligations. In fact, just to avoid people joining and then quitting when they get a copy of the rules (which you get upon pending membership, accepted membership and the first of every month), I'll post them here, too.

These are the official rules of Monthly Dishcloth Swappers:

In order to ensure happy, successful swaps, month after month, there are strict guidelines. I have no wish to be "the heavy", but I will follow thru with removal of members who do not and cannot meet the guidelines. You receive this file upon pending membership, upon approved membership and every month. I don't think that is overkill. :) That way no one can say they didn't know something was in the rules.

1. Upon membership, new members will be moderated for a period of 30 days, except upon the group start up. Moderation of all members will go until the successful completion of the first swap (April's Swap).

2. All new members will be required to send an "Angel Cloth" (any new dishcloth, to be held by moderator to use in the event that someone doesn't get a package) to the moderator. My address (Dee Adams)can be found in the contact database. You will not be included in any swap until I receive an "Angel Cloth" from you, so send as soon as you are approved, please. This is a one-time requirement, not every month. While not required, other "Angel Care" items would be appreciated, too, such as teas, soaps, etc. The usual stuff that gets included. As the group creator and moderator, I'm willing to take the risk of Angel Packages, but help will not be turned down.

3. Sign-ups for a month's swap close 3 days before the end of the previous month. This means that to sign up for April, you must do so by March 29th and so on every month. A group reminder will go out to the list the day before that.

4. Assignments will be given out on the 1st of the month. You have 24 hours to contact your swap partner OFF-LIST(if they email you first, your reply counts). If you do not hear from your partner at all (don't forget to check your spam folder, just in case), send a message to the moderator OFF-LIST. Posting "I didn't hear from so-and-so" type messages ON THE LIST WILL NOT BE ALLOWED. If you are still on moderated messages, it won't get past me anyway. If you are unmoderated and do this, you will be put back on moderation. 2nd offense means removal from the group.

5. All posts to the group should be to the group. If you have a specific, personal reply to one person, please reply directly to their email address. To have to read thru personal messages not for you is the equivalent of going out to lunch with a group of friends, and then only 1 or 2 of them talk to each other and leave you out. That doesn't mean you can't use someone's name in your reply, just make sure its relevant to the group. We're grown ups with manners, please show it. On the same theme, insults, flaming, etc. will NOT BE TOLERATED. If you have a personal problem with a member, take it up with them POLITELY & RESPECTFULLY, off list. If you cannot resolve your problem in this way, contact the moderator.

6. All swaps are confined to that calendar month. You should mail your package in time for your partner to receive it BEFORE the end of the month. We're talking about a dishcloth & a few other items, not afghans. If 1 month isn't enough time for you to knit a dishcloth, buy a couple treats & mail a package, this isn't the group for you. I know you can't control the postal system, but if you know you live in a rural area or have prior knowledge that packages you send tend to take x amount of days to arrive, then keep that in mind when mailing and mail earlier. You cannot take part in the next month's swap if your previous swap isn't completed.

7. While life sometimes throws curves at us and emergencies arise, how it is handled can make a difference. If you know you will be late getting your package out for unavoidable reasons (that aren't chronic), make sure you let the moderator and your partner know as far in advance as you can. If your "emergency" happens on the 29th of the month, that shouldn't affect your package, as you should have mailed it by then. If you have kept contact with your partner & the moderator AND you fulfill your commitment within 2 weeks of the next month, you may sign up for the FOLLOWING month's swap (example: on April 18th, you break your leg. You let the moderator & your partner know you'll be late. You get your package out late and your partner gets it on May 8th. You may sign up for June's swap. You must miss May's.) If your package isn't received by your partner by the 15th of the month after the swap month, an Angel Package will go out to them and you will be banned from the group. Period.

8. If you do not receive a package from your partner as outlined above, YOU WILL GET AN ANGEL PACK. DO NOT post to the group about it. I will handle it.

9. No posts criticizing your partner or package are allowed on the list. Any and all complaints are to be addressed to the moderator, OFF LIST. Also, any complaints that ARE sent to the moderator should be done so in a respectful manner. IT IS NOT MY FAULT IF YOUR PARTNER DOESN'T FOLLOW THRU OR SENDS YOU JUNK!! I will do my best to rectify any wrongs, but you accept a certain amount of risk when exchanging with strangers. I don't know any of you any better than you know me. I will not tolerated being b**ched at or threatened over something out of my control.

10. There are no minimum or maximum spending limits on swaps, unless otherwise stated. However, don't send a package you wouldn't want to receive. No dirty, smoky, dusty yarns, etc. I know that should be obvious, but I've heard horror stories. I don't wish to hear of hard feelings if you sent out a $15.00 pack and got a $5.00 one in return. You don't know what other people's financial situation is. Send what feels right to you. This is about fun, friendliness & sharing, not one-up-manship. Some months you'll get the $15.00 pack, some the $5.00, but you should enjoy them all. I know I do. :)

11. When you receive your package, make sure you post a thank you to the list. You can, of course, thank your person off-list, too, but a public thanks is required. You may also post a picture of your swag in the photo section, but its not required.

12. You must post your full contact information (name, email & snail mail address) in the Member Contact database. This group is only accessible to its members. If you can't trust the same people you are exchanging with, find another group, please.

I think I've been very clear and outlined every possible rule. If you have any questions or need clarification, please email me off-list. If you disagree with ANY of the above rules, don't join. Your continued membership, not removing yourself from the group or asking me to remove you is considered FULL ACCEPTANCE OF THE RULES.

If you have just received this file for the first time, upon pending membership, please reply to moderator that you have read & understand the rules. Thank you.

So, if this sounds like fun to you and you can live with the rules, please join in the fun! :)

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Something Buffy the Vampire Slayer Could Use

2008-03-01T16:36:00.002-05:00

I got my final item from Christy last Saturday!! It was her "Spoiler's Choice" Category, named in the title of this post. Unfortunately, I had a stomach bug that day and could barely move from the bed. In fact, I felt so awful, I didn't even open the package, knowing it was there, until Sunday! Now THAT is sick. Then it went thru the rest of the household, so I've been busy.

Anyway, without further ado, here is Something Buffy the Vampire Slayer Could Use....

In Christy's words: "Just some cheerful wood knitting needles which also could be used to stake a vampire if needed."

Thanks, Christy! I love them!!

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Bittersweet Package

2008-02-25T15:21:00.000-05:00

I received my January exchange package (the sweet part) from Marti, from our Getting To Know You Dishcloth group. Unfortunately, the group has been disbanded and it will be my last package (thus the bitter part). She went above and beyond in her package to me!!

In addition to the lovely dishcloth (front and center of pic) she sent all kinds of goodies, including gifts for Abigail.

A bib (from Mason-Dixon Knitting), burp cloth & scrubbie (I think its the Tribble pattern).

San Francisco fridge magnet, key chain (I collect key chains) & locally made bookmark.

Delicious smelling orange spice handmade soap, a beautiful picture frame to put my baby's picture in and an adorable note card. The picture isn't very good, but the sheep's body is a fluff of wool. There is a yarn tail leading to a miniature pair of knitting needles with some knitting on them!!

And finally..........

A MEGA HANK O' YARN!! This is 500 yards of hand painted, purpley wool!! My needles are quivering to get at it!!

Thank you again, Marti!!

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New KAL/Swap Open!!

2008-02-22T13:54:00.001-05:00

I have set up a new KAL/Swap involving an awesome felted bag. Head over to The Big Bag Knitalong & Swap blog to check it out. :)

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Double Delights

2008-02-20T22:44:00.000-05:00

I had an awesome mail call yesterday when I received two packages. My first delight came in the form of my February exchange package from Cindy in my Getting to Know You Dishcloth Knitters Group. :) I received two beautiful round dishcloths. One crocheted in Valentine's Day colors, the other knit in bright candy colors. I also received some tasty (I'm sure, I already had a cup!) Strawberry White Tea from Snapple and an adorable Care Bears Valentine.

Thank you again, Cindy. :)

Well, I then turned my attention to the other package awaiting my itchy fingers......

It is my Scavenger Hunt Swap package!!!! It came from Christy in Georgia. :) This box was just chock full of goodies! Here is the lot of it together (minus one item that Christy is sending separately as it was accidentally omitted from the original shipment):

Here is the breakdown by swap category:

Something Local

A 100 gram skein of Toes in the Grass hand painted sock yarn in the colorway "The Candy Shop" made by ChickChickStudio. It is 60% Superwash wool, 30% bamboo, 10% nylon and 100% GORGEOUS!! A good friend of Christy's makes this yarn.

Something Round

Dark Chocolate Almonds!! Wow, this woman has gone above and beyond in choosing things I really like. Dark chocolate is one of my favorites and almonds are my favorite nut. Together they are a dream come true. I've already tried some...... yum!!

Something Green

These green stitch markers are handmade by an artist local to Christy. Love 'em! :)

Something Related to the Letter "T"

Tea, of course! :) This is some delicious smelling Pomegranate Raspberry Green Tea by Stash. I am looking forward to trying it. I love fruit herbal teas.

Something Funny

Wreck This Journal by Keri Smith. This is hilarious! Its a "directed" journal where you follow the instructions on each page (in any order). Some of them include "Tongue Painting" with the directive to eat some colorful candy and then lick the page. Another fun sounding page is the one that says "Collect your pocket lint and glue it here". :) My kids are clamoring for me to do something from the journal. LOL!
Something Hard

A Georgia key chain. Yay!! I collect key chains of all kinds. Back in 2001 I started collecting state key chains from tourist stops when we took a camping trip from here to Colorado. Since then I decided I didn't have to actually visit the state to collect a key chain. I love this choice. :)

For the Spoiler's Choice category Christy decided on "Something Buffy the Vampire Slayer Would Use". Her description is "Just some cheerful wood knitting needles which also could be used to stake a vampire if needed." LMAO! I'll post a pic of them as soon as they arrive. They were accidentally left out of the original shipment. I can relate... BTDT!

Christy was also sweet enough to include a couple extra goodies not on the list.

Bonus #1

Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in Daffodil. Someone really read what I love... :)

Bonus #2

A fragrant bar of handmade lemongrass soap. This smells so good! I can't wait to use it. :)

All in all, I am thrilled with my first "big girl" exchange. Thank you Christy for such wonderful gifts and thank you Carly for setting up this exchange. :)

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The Power of 7

2008-02-09T16:06:00.001-05:00

I was tagged as part of the Baby-A-Baby Swap by Annalea. I'm not always good at coming up with stuff about myself, but I'll give it my best shot. :)

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Okay, #1 is taken care of....

Here goes #2.....

Seven Facts of Dee

I am a craft-a-holic..... In fact, I suffer from OCCD - Obsessive Compulsive Crafting Disorder. I also have the accompanying affliction of PADD - Project Attention Deficit Disorder. This leads to large amounts of yarn and UFO's in my house. You can find my previous post regarding these disorders here.
I homeschool most of my children. I have a 19 year old son who is no longer at home and 16 & 14 year olds in public school. But my 12.5, 11.5 & 8 year old are homeschooled, as will be my almost 3 year old and my 3 week old (Yes, that totals 8 and I do know what causes it). Most of the time its good, but there are days when I look longingly at the passing yellow bus..... ;) Usually on long, long rainy days...
I have a totally irrational fear of moths and butterflies. Spiders? No problem. Rats? Love 'em! Snakes? Bring 'em on! But I have hurt myself in attempts to get away from moths. I have pulled over the car by the side of the road, thrown it in Park and jumped out screaming for my CHILDREN to "kill it! kill it!!". LOL!
I love my computer. I would rather go without television than internet. I'd rather go without phone service than internet. I also love to make computer graphics for fun (yeah, those little "Find me on Ravelry as...." buttons are my work - little self-pat on the back...).
Apparently I have the exact same voice as my 16 1/2 year old son. People calling my home are always mixing us up, and I'm talking close friends and family! My husband has even made this mistake. I'm not sure which one of us should be insulted..... do I sound like a teenage boy or does he sound like a 35-year old woman?
Chat-speak & lazy internet spelling & grammar drive me nuts. I can deal with some abbreviations (KWIM?), but the really atrocious stuff makes my eyes & head hurt. Lyk whin ppl r 2 lazy 2 spel or use punchewashun n stuf.... Now, these people might have wonderful points of view and contributions to discussions, but whenever I see that stuff I just skip right over it.
I'm an odd mix of stuff to most people. I homeschool, I knit, crochet & sew, I grind my own wheat to make my own bread, I cloth diaper (& cloth "moon care") with diapers I sew myself. But I don't do homebirth (until they make a home epidural kit) and I'm extremely right-wing politically. Someone on one of my message boards once coined the perfect name for me.... Crunchy, Earthy Right-Wing Gun Nut. :)

Whew! Okay, made it through all that. Now comes the fun of tagging my 7....muahahahaa!!

Whew! Now I just need to comment on all their blogs to let them know I tagged them.... hang on.... DONE!

Note: Cross-posted on Diary of a Mad Crafter and Baby-A-Baby Swap Blog

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Socks & Swaps

2008-02-09T14:58:00.001-05:00

I'm very excited to have finished the Broken Rib Socks (from the book "101 Designer One-Skein Wonders) I was working on. I made them with Lion Brand Fisherman's wool in Natural Brown. Unfortunately, I made the foot too short on the first one and didn't want to frog it back. So, I made the next one to match and I'll gift them to someone with slightly smaller feet than I. :) Its all good!

I also received my November Dishcloth Exchange Package from Jil in my "Getting To Know You" Dishcloth Knitters group. The theme was Supermarket Checkout, meaning that you needed to include an item from a supermarket (or K-mart, Wal-mart, etc.) checkout line. It could be useful or not, funny, etc. Being from Arkansas, Jil sent me an official Razorback's snout! LOL! As you can see below, it was a big hit at my house. I received a lovely green dishcloth in a classic pattern, too. Additionally, I received two balls of yarn; one Sugar 'N Cream Twists and a Lion Brand Incredible novelty ribbon yarn. My other goodies include various tea, coffee & creamer samples and an entire jar of chicken bullion cubes! Yum! Just the things for cold winter days. :) Here are my goodies:

Thank you, Jil!! :)

In Other News

I'm still in the pattern selection stages of my Baby-A-Baby Swap. I'm very excited to get going on something though. :)

I'm working on one item for my Scavenger Hunt Swap that could fit either of 2 categories. I guess I'll decide where it goes after I fill the other categories. I've got a few ideas for the other categories now, too, after re-reading my spoilee's blog. :)

That's about it for now. I have a fun "thingy" that I was tagged for to post later, too.

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My Baby - A - Baby Swap Questionnaire

2008-01-25T18:17:00.001-05:00

1) What is your favorite yarn? Favorite colors? What is your least favorite?

Favorite Yarn - Currently worsted weight wool, either Patons Classic or Knit Picks Wool of the Andes
Favorite Colors - Pink for baby stuff, most shades. Black, burgundy, jewel tones for other things
Least Favorites - Yarn: Fun Fur/Eyelash yarn!! Blech!! Colors: Mustard yellow, bright orange

2) Knit, crochet, both?

Both

3) How long have you been knitting/crocheting? Who taught you? Why did you want to learn?

Been knitting and crocheting for about 20 years
First mother-in-law taught me granny squares, everything else I self taught, including knitting
Why? I'm not sure! I've always been creatively driven though.

4) What is your favorite snack/sweet?

Just one? Hmm.... well, for sweets, I'm partial to Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and their new whipped candy bar. For snacks, I love, love, love Cheez-Its... regular or white cheddar. Hate the knock-offs, like Cheese NIPS... blech.

5) What did you want to be when you grew up?

You know, I really don't recall. My mother says she doesn't recall any specific things I mentioned either.

6) What names would you NEVER consider for a baby?

As I've seen several people mention, I'm not going to list specific names because I don't want to offend anyone too much. But I'm a fan of traditional, normal, CORRECTLY SPELLED (sorry, that one is a pet peeve) names. I have: Christopher, Patrick, Justin, Melissa, Sarah, Molly, Michael and Abigail.

7) What things did you, as a child, vow to never to do your children, but have since decided that you will? For example, we weren't allowed sugar-coated cereal growing up and I told my parents I'd NEVER do that to my kids. After some life experience, I think my parents were pretty smart in that decision.

Swore I'd never make my kids eat vegetables. LOL! Needless to say, they eat more of them than I do.

8) What is your favorite thing about being a parent/expectant parent?

Snuggles, hugs & kisses

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My Scavenger Hunt Swap Questionnaire

2008-01-19T20:11:00.001-05:00

1) Do you knit, crochet or both? How long have you been doing it?

Both for about 20 years. I call myself "ambicrafterous". :)

2) What is on your needles/hook right now?

This very moment, on this date....

2 Dishcloths
A pair of wool socks, Broken Rib Socks pattern
A to-be-felted purse
The Shawl Collar baby sweater from Debbie Bliss' Essential Baby
A pair of fingerless gloves
A baby sweater of my own pattern to match the baby hat from One Skein

    I think that's it, but you never know what UFO's are lurking in chests or under the bed...

3) What is the most frequently used tool in your knitting bag?

    Another tricky question..... do the needles count? Scissors?

4) What are your 3 favorite yarns (fiber type or brand)? What are your 3 least favorite?

    3 Favorite:

Wool, any brand, worsted weight first, then sock
Paton's Soy Wool Stripes
Sugar N' Cream dishcloth cotton

3 Least Favorites:

Almost any novelty yarn, especially fun fur/eyelash yarns
Anything "plasticy" feeling... does that make sense?
Really stiff, scratchy acrylics

5) What is your favorite color?

    Either black, pinks or purples

6) If you had a 5 minute shopping spree in your LYS, how would you plan your attack?

    Hand-dyed wools, fancier silk blends and alpaca first, then some baby yarns and sock yarns

7) What is your favorite FO and why? (post a pic if you have it!)

    That's also hard to pick as it changes. I'm very fond of my Simple Knitted Bodice sweater and that is posted on this blog. My newest favorite is my blue Pumpkin Purse, also on this blog.

8) What are your favorite things to knit/crochet?

    Currently, dishcloths, socks, wool diaper covers (crochet), most baby items

9) Do you collect anything?

    Besides yarn and children? Keychains. I love keychains. The more unique, the better and touristy ones from different states.

10) What are your five favorite things (not necessarily knitting related)?

Cooking
Books (I enjoy sci-fi fantasy such as Sword of Truth series & Dragonriders of Pern, also Christian books)
Sewing
Computer games (Sims 2 is my favorite)
Board games

11) Are you on Ravelry? What is your ID?

    Yes, my id is madcraftermom. Link in sidebar of this blog.

12) Do you drink tea/coffee/cocoa?

    All of the above!!

13) Favorite Sweets?

    Chocolate Truffles, Red Twizzlers, Peanut and/or Almond M & Ms, Ferrer Roche

14) Any allergies?

    None

15) Do you have pets? kids?

    Yes to both. 2 Siberian Huskies - male: Amaruk, female: Tikaani
    7 children (close to 8..... scheduled induction on 1/23/08):

Christopher, 19 (not at home)
Patrick, 16
Justin, 14
Melissa, 12.5
Sarah, 11.5
Molly, 8
Michael, 2 3/4 (bday 3/31)
Expecting Abigail

So, that's me in a nutshell. I actually found some of these questions difficult! But I'm excited to take part. :)

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Christmas Wrap-up, Part 2

2008-01-17T09:31:00.001-05:00

Finally found the time to catch up again. :)

For Christmas, some of the stuff Bob got me included yarny goodness!! He selected 3 skeins of Patons Classic Wool in "That's Pink!" and even thought to make sure they were all the same dye lot!!

He also, ON HIS OWN, picked out a baby pattern book for me!!

From the book and yarn, I made these cute little felted booties (that I haven't felted yet):

and started the Shawl Collar Sweater:

That's just the back. At this moment I'm actually done with back, front & both sleeves. Just knitting the collar and assembly will take place. :)

I also knit this awesome little bag called The Pumpkin Purse. I got the pattern from a fellow knitter/Raveler that is in my Tuesday night knitting group. Thanks, Donna!!

I also made a cute little crochet blanket for Abigail. I took a pattern for a Mother's Day afghan in a book and adapted it. The pattern called for double stranding worsted weight yarn and using an N hook. I used single strand and I think an H. Then I added the ruffle on my own. That wasn't in the original. I'm very happy with the results.

Right now I've got a few projects going. I'll post more soon. I'm being induced with Abigail (due to gestational diabetes) in only 6 days!!!! Yay for January 23rd!!!

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Christmas Project Wrap-Up

2008-01-04T13:25:00.001-05:00

Once again, I have let my blogging slide. This time there is a semi-legitimate reason. Most of the projects I was working on since my last post were Christmas gifts. To have posted about them would have ruined the surprise! :)

So, what needs updating from the last post? Ahhh... first, the Husbeast Socks. Came out awesome! Unfortunately, they are one of the things I neglected to get a completed picture of. I thought of taking a picture right now, but Bob is wearing them for the first time today. :) They fit him perfectly.

I found a great Fingerless Mitt pattern in the Ravelry database. Loved it so much I've made multiple pairs. Made some for me, some for a Christmas exchange (more on that later), for my friend Sheila for Christmas and for Molly (no pic yet).

Here's mine:

Here's the ones I made for Sheila:

My Christmas exchange momma on SweetPeace was Hawkfeather. She also got a pair of Fingerless Mitts, in colors I thought suited her:

In those same colors I made her a felted purse (my first!!):

Excuse the linty picture. I DID de-lint it and block it into shape before gifting it. LOL! Here it is pre-felting and post-felting shown next to a phone book for size reference:

I also sent some little doilies that I didn't take pics of. They were thread crochet and none more than about 4 inches across. Finally, I sent a cloth with a special meaning:

Sheila's other gift was a Felted Crochet Hook Holder, with hooks. Here are the process pics on that:

Pre felting:

Post felting:

Add the non-felted holder/closure strip:

How about some hooks?

And, finally, closed up:

This post is already getting long. I'm going to post a second one about my Christmas gifts from Bob and what I've done since Christmas. :)

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Sciatica: Cursed Blessing??

2007-11-19T22:02:00.001-05:00

Despite the incredible pain and discomfort of enduring a bout of sciatica, it has increased my crafting productivity. Unable to sit up straight at the computer, frittering away useful hours, I was semi-reclined in bed for most of last week. With no good books to read and nothing good on tv, I spent hours knitting and crocheting.

The Husbeast Socks I am working on for Bob saw some progress. Although I finished the first sock today, I haven't taken a new pic. My last updated pic is just after turning the heel:

Then I got into wool soakers. It was so incredibly easy to whip these out!! I love them!! I made 2 in newborn/small size: plain/pink, skirted and embellished on the butt. I also made one in size medium, just to be prepared. :)
The trim on that last one was done with Patons SWS (Soy Wool Stripes) in Natural Violet. My friend Sheila picked me up a skein as a gift. I loved it so much!! I also made the baby hat from the One Skein book using the same skein:

This pattern is so simple, fast and adorable, that I started another one in Bernat Satin Solids:

I finished that one and will add a finished pic later. I decided to try my hand at making up a baby sweater pattern to match it, incorporating the Umbrella pattern from the One Skein hat. We'll see how that goes. If it comes out right, I'll offer that pattern on Ravelry.

I also decided to whip up a Gary the Gobbler dishcloth to gift to my mother-in-law when we go over there for Thanksgiving. I will have to take the time to block it though, looks very crooked here. LOL!

My final update is that I've decided to frog Juliet. I know, I know.... giving up so quickly after my initial excitement. However, I just don't have the patience to redo it. By the time I got to the row where I would be taking the sleeves off, I had a totally messed up stitch count. I'm not 100% sure how it happened. I'm pretty sure that between the head cold I had, the pregnancy brain and a bad weather week with the kids jumping up and down on my last exposed nerve........ well.... No worries, the yarn will not go to waste. I've decided, now that i have the bulky wool in the house, that one of the projects will be the felted clutch from One Skein. Perhaps a felted bowl, too. I also have a couple baby patterns in mind.... I love Ravelry.... full of patterns crying out to me! LOL!

Happy Knitting!!!!

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Trifecta!!!

2007-11-02T13:01:00.001-05:00

What a day!! So far today I have received my Blogger invite to Sexy Knitter's Club, my Knit Picks order with my yarn for Juliet and the Winter Edition of Interweave Knits Magazine!! Woo hoo!!

On other fronts, my Molly Sweater is coming along. I'm just into the armhole shaping on the back. If it comes out well, I'll figure out the pattern for a couple other sizes and maybe offer it to others.

My Kipling Baby Sweater is also working up nicely. I had some difficulty with getting the sleeve started, but finally figured it out. Only had to frog the sleeve once. LOL!

After some initial difficulties with the Husbeast Socks pattern, I've got them going now. They will be a Christmas or birthday gift for Bob (his bday is 12/24). I'm knitting them in Paton's Classic Wool in New Denim. I love Ravely!! After my initial frustration, I made a comment on the pattern about the missing directions, asking if anyone had it corrected that they contact me. Well, the designer herself messaged me with the correction! And today when I looked at the pattern online, she had corrected the missing info. That part being corrected makes a big difference, but the combination of pregnancy brain and sinus cold also caused me to mess up right from the cast on. All better now, albeit not far in. :)

Finally, both of my prayer shawls are coming along nicely. I need to get one or both done before November 18th. That Sunday another woman and I will be "showcasing" our Prayer Shawl Ministry in the church lobby. Good thing the fall weather lights a fire under my.... productiveness. :)

So, enough with the blogging already, back to the knitting. Time to cast-on the lovely Juliet. :)

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'Tis the Season

2007-10-30T12:03:00.001-05:00

Something about the crisp, cool, autumn weather brings out the crafter in me even more. Getting onto Ravelry has also inspired me to pick up old projects and start new ones. :)

I frogged the Good Guest Dress I was working on for Molly, mainly because I'm pretty sure I was working on a size too small for her. She just turned 8 on October 22, so the 6/7 probably wasn't the best choice. Oops. Anyway, I decided on modifying a basic sweater pattern and came up with my own, appropriately titled : Molly Sweater. Maybe once I see how it works up, I'll work it out for different sizes and offer it to others. Its a half length sleeve, keyhole front with 3 buttons. I was thinking of a simple, single band ribbing collar, but now I'm thinking a longer one might look good, like polo shirt style? We'll see.

Searching Ravelry's pattern database, I found an adorable baby sweater. The Kipling Baby Sweater, in newborn size only, is adorable. Although it called for a "nice" worsted cotton, I decided to go ahead and knit it up with "dishcloth" cotton. I'm using a variegated pink/white yarn. I just cast it on last night and did 4 rows. I'm just now almost at the back armhole shaping. This will be a quick knit. :) I may keep it for the little girl I'm expecting or give it as a gift. Haven't decided yet. Heck, if its that quick a knit, I may make up a few. :)

Not much else going on right now, aside from rampant sickness in the house. Right now I wish I could gouge out my eyes to relieve the sinus pressure. Oh, and moments ago, Molly started vomitting. Thank God she's old enough to get to the bathroom consistently!! I'd rather see my kids bleeding than vomitting. Nice mom, huh?

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Is That a Choir of Angels I Hear??

2007-10-28T10:56:00.001-05:00

I got my Ravelry Invite today!!!! Yay!!!!! There were over 36,000 ahead of me when I signed up. :) I think I've made use of the "Antsy" check your status page every day for a while now. LOL! My chosen username is madcraftermom and I can't wait to get started checking it out. I'm a bit under the weather right now, so if anyone were to actually see this today and go check my profile, you'll only find the most basic stuff. But hopefully I'll learn my way around this week. :)

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What a Slacker I Am!!

2007-10-26T16:15:00.001-05:00

I can't believe I've let my craft blog slide for so long! Of course, it has been a busy time over the summer with all the kids and such, but still..... shame on me.

I'm sure I can't cover everything in one update, but i'll skim everything that comes to mind.

Sahara

I frogged the whole project. Not sure what I'm going to do with the yarn right now. Why did I do this??

Dishcloth KALs

I've done most of them this year, just need to catch up on my photo taking. I'll post them later. I did participate in my first Quarterly Dishcloth Exchange back in August. I was so thrilled to do so!! This is my package I got:

Exciting New Yarns

I won a "Rent-Me" auction for hand dyed wool on eBay. Basically, I won all the yarn that the seller could hand dye in a 4 hour session, minimum of 10 skeins. You don't get to pick the colors, but I was happy with what I got. Here are the skeins I got and 3 of them after I wound them into center-pull balls:

Sewing Project

I took an old, footless pair of Michael's jammies and made him this cute little bear that he promptly named (big surprise here.....) Jammie Bear! :)

Upcoming Project

A friend of mine pointed me back to the Sexy Knitter's Club, telling me that they had a pattern that would work for me to wear while pregnant. Wow! She was right!! The KAL started on October 15th, but I just downloaded the pattern for Juliet last night and ordered the yarn from Knit Picks. I'll be knitting it in Wool of the Andes Bulky in Sky:

So, that's about it for now. Hopefully I'll be making more updates soon. Of course, there'll probably be baby girl projects galore. LOL!

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Mid-April Day 2

2007-04-17T14:06:00.001-05:00

The only project I'm updating today is Day 2 of the Mid-April Dishcloth Knit Along.

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Trekkin' Thru the Sahara

2007-04-16T16:55:00.001-05:00

I am now up to the placement of the waist decrease markers. This sweater is going a bit slower than my Wicked went, but I'm also working on more projects at once. Here is where I am now:

I also completed the Mid-March Monthly Dishcloth KAL. The first picture shows the true color a little bit better. I ajdusted the contrast on the second one to show the stitches better. The color is called "Country Print".

And I started the Mid-April Monthly Dishcloth KAL that just started today. I've adjusted it, too, but sitll have a bit of glare going on in the picture. Here is Day #1:

I am working on the Three Cross design that was the first April KAL dishcloth and I did do the Bunny cloth, but can't seem to find it for a pic. Go figure.

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Another One Down!!

2007-04-08T20:45:00.001-05:00

Happy Easter to Me..... My Simple Knitted Bodice is done! All that is left to do now is block it. This picture shows it unblocked, but I just had to try it on the minute I tucked that last little stray yarn end in. :)

Now I am free to get crack-a-lackin' on my Sahara. I love working with the Shine Worsted. It is incredibly soft to the touch. Not at all the same as working with dishcloth cotton. :)

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Presents and Progress

2007-04-07T10:01:00.001-05:00

After my little skiiing (if you can call what I was doing skiing) accident my knitting was curtailed for a bit. I did figure out how to knit without using my right thumb, but it was more exhausting. Anyway, all is well again.

Presents

I was so excited to get my mail the other day! I finally got my late birthday present (birthday was March 1) from Bob. He got me exactly what I asked for PLUS the yarn for my new SKC KAL. :) I got the Knit Picks Options Needle Set: Tips in sizes 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 10.5 and 11, 2 - 24" cables and 2 - 32" cables, end caps (to use the cables as stitch holders when you need the tips on another cable) and an awesome carrying case.

And for the new KAL I'm doing Sahara using Knit Picks Shine Worsted in Crocus:

Progress

With my SKB I did have a bit of trouble with the dreaded SSS..... Second Sleeve Syndrome. However, I finally finished that sleeve and have started the neckline. Picking up the stitches along the neckline wasn't as bad as I'd been anticipating. I've picked up edge stitches before, just not that many. I've only done it on baby items. LOL! Here is where I stand as of this morning:

As for Sahara, I've casted on and knit a few rows already. I used the provisional cast-on described on Knit and Tonic and I can't believe how amazingly simple it was! Since I have a Bond USM, I'm familiar with their version of the provisional cast-on: waste yarn. But now that I know this, I may end up using it a lot to avoid shoulder seams and such. Here is where Sahara stands at the moment:

So, that is all I have at the moment. I've been a bit behind on my Monthly Dishcloth KALs, but I'll post about them soon. I did make a huge order (1 each of 62 colors!!) of Sugar n Cream yarn during last week's mispricing on Amazon. Apparently they meant to discount the yarn by $ 0.40 per ball. Instead they PRICED them at $ 0.40 each!! I had no clue it was a misprice, just thought I was getting a bargain. They honored all the orders made. :) Anxiously awaiting delivery now.

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Wooly Bully

2007-03-30T21:28:00.001-05:00

What kind of yarn are you?

You are Shetland Wool. You are a traditional sort who can sometimes be a little on the harsh side. Though you look delicate you are tough as nails and prone to intricacies. Despite your acerbic ways you are widely respected and even revered.
Take this quiz!

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Better Late Than Never

2007-03-04T22:23:00.001-05:00

I know that the Sexy Knitters Club did the Simple Knitted Bodice long before I joined, but after seeing it I HAD to make one. As I mentioned in a previous post, I am knitting it in Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in Black Cherry Heather. My picture doesn't do it justice, but here is my progress thus far:

What I am NOT looking forward to is picking up the neckline stitches. I dislike having to pick up large amounts of stitches under the best of circumstances, but having to do the math to figure out HOW MANY I need to pick up is almost unbearable. Almost..... I do want to finsish this soon! At this moment I'm actually about 20 rows further down that first sleeve than in the pic, too.

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Dishcloth-O-Rama

2007-03-04T21:40:00.001-05:00

I joined the Monthly Dishcloth Knitalong (see button in right-hand column) last month, after the February KAL had been posted. I went ahead and did that one and the two for January. Well, the first one for January. I ended up frogging the mid-January one as I didn't like the way it looked at all. I subbed a pattern that I found elsewhere. Anyway, I did the mid-February KAL as it came out and it was so much fun! I abolutely love the pattern and will be using it again and again! :) Now I'm working on the March KAL. Today was Day 4. So, now for some pics...

March KAL progress up to Day 4:

Mid February KAL:

February KAL:

January KAL:

Not the best pictures in the world, but the do look great in person and I'm happy with them. I can't locate the one I did for Mid-January right now. Probably fell behind my dresser. My room is a crafter's haven...... AFTER an explosion! LOL!

So, now I'm caught up on my dishcloth postings. I'll try to update those more regularly now.

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The Package Has Been Delivered!

2007-03-03T18:56:00.001-05:00

My friend called today to let me know that her package arrived. That means I can now post pics of the stuff I sent her! The pink baby sweater is one of my own pattern. It was a yoke down sweater, with cables on the front and a cross-over rib pattern on cuffs and collar.

The afghan was a Mile-A-Minute pattern that I got from a book I purchased. I'm happy with how it came out. The darker green one that I'm still working on is of the same pattern.

I also decide to throw in a few surprises. I sent a little toy to each of her other children. Her oldest little girl got the little knitted teddy bear with crocheted dress. It's from the Knitted Teddy Bear pattern book, Snowflake pattern. The dress is of my own creation.

Her son got the little crocheted caterpillar that came (partially, I shortened the body by 2 sections) from a Crochet Gifts To Go pattern book.

Finally, her youngest daughter got a little crocheted ball. I forgot to take a picture, but its just a small ball, maybe 5 inches around, done in single crochet. I did it with a variegated blue Sugar N Cream cotton.

The only one who was left out was her husband. Poor guy was left wondering where his gift was. He wanted to know why I couldn't have even knit him some boxers or something. LOL! Mabye next time! :)

Update on Projects

2007-02-28T19:23:00.001-05:00

Okay, between being sick, busy and unable to find my camera cord, I've negelcted updates.

Here is my felted bag. I'm a bit disappointed. Way too much shrinkage height-wise, not enough width wise. But it was my first. Its fit to be an eyeglass case. LOL!

Here it is pre-sewing:

And here it is sewn up, two views:

and

Finally, here is the felted product:

Now, I believe I mentioned some beautiful Knit Picks yarn I had received.....

Black Cherry Heather for my Simple Knitted Bodice:

Pretty Hyacinth for ..... whatever:

LMAO!! This is Too Funny!!

2007-02-22T16:20:00.000-05:00

Gotta love the stuff you find on YouTube. Someone posted a link to this on one of my email groups. I forget which one, since I already deleted it. But thanks to whomever for sharing!

Yay for Knit Picks!

2007-02-08T09:51:00.000-05:00

Yesterday's mail brought me my first order from Knit Picks. I got 12 skeins of Wool of the Andes (worsted weight) in Black Cherry Heather to make my Simple Knitted Bodice!! I know that I missed the KAL at Sexy Knitters for it, but after seeing it, I must make one. :)

I also got 2 skeins of Palette (100% wool sock yarn) in Hyacinth (yeah... think light purple). It is beautiful. I'm blown away by their prices on 100% wool. I can't believe I didn't know about Knit Picks before. I think of all the items I've made in acrylic or a 10-20% blend ONLY because of COST!! ARRRGGHH!!! Never again!! :)

I've been sick since around Sunday morning, so I haven't updated or knitted much. I have been diligently working (as you can see by my percentage bars on the right) the crocheted afghan in Sage Green. Its a gift for a friend and I want to be able to send it in one package with her baby gifts, too. Baby is due in late March/early April, so that's nearer the top of my list.

The pink baby sweater is also for the above mentioned friend. I've stalled at 95%. What's left is the front button bands. I hate making separate button bands. *sigh* But it is a pattern I came up with on my own. No pics for it until after it is delivered though. Don't want to ruin the surprise. :)

Guess that's it for now.

Oh, wait, I joined another two KALs. The One Skein KAL and Monthly Dishcloths. I can't decide what to make first from One Skein, although the felted bowls are looking tempting. We'll see. I'm going to dig up some Sugar n' Cream from my stash later today and get cracking on the dishcloth for the first half of February, too. Still sick, so I don't know how much I'll get done.

Wicked Done!!

2007-01-25T15:30:00.000-05:00

I finished my first KAL! Not only that, its my first sweater that I've made for myself! I'm very pleased with the resuts.

As you see by previous posts, I had issues with the dye lots and the sleeves. I was at Jo-Ann's right after they opened at 9am to get the dpns to do the sleeves. As soon as I transferred to those from the two circulars, things flew along.

I ended up deciding on the short sleeve version and on doing some of the crossover cable at the bottom instead of the moss stitch. For the sleeves, I picked up 4 stitches to close the gap in the underarm, which worked great for fitting the crossover cable pattern. I didn't do 2 inches, but rather 2 repeats of the 4 rows, as I did on the bottom. Overall I'm pleased with this sweater and can't wait to show it off. :)

I Think I'm Turning Green

2007-01-24T23:38:00.000-05:00

From all this frogging!! 3 times on the first sleeve!! I just cannot get a handle on using two circulars in place of dpns. I give up for tonight, before I'm forced to rip my hair out. First thing in the morning, as soon as they open, I'm heading over to Jo-Ann's to get a set of #7 dpns. Should be able to finish tomorrow, once I get those. :)

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Set Back....

2007-01-23T17:45:00.000-05:00

Arrrggghhh!!! Stupid, stupid, stupid dye lots!! I didn't notice that ONE of the 6 skeins I bought was of a different dye lot. Of course, that is the one I added in most recently. Grrrrr... I guess it could have been worse. If it had been the first one I used I would have been very frustrated. I have to go back about 10 rows now. At first I though it would be okay, but then I saw it in real daylight, by the window and it really is a much darker shade than the rest. *sigh*

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Holy Cow!!

2007-01-23T13:17:00.000-05:00

I was thinking that my Wicked looked like it was going to be too long with the number of rows I had left..... until I had an "ah-ha" moment..... NEVER do math when its late at night and you are over tired..... I nearly knit myself an extra 4 inches of sweater because my little brain somehow thought that I needed to multiply 26 (rows per 4") by 4 to get the correct number of rows for 12". Yeah... doh! So, I have only 4 more rows until I rib the bottom. :) At least I didn't need to frog anything....

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Hip, Hip, Hooray!!

2007-01-23T08:20:00.000-05:00

I'm down to the hip increases!! In fact, I've actually gone past where this picture is and made my increases. I went back down to 184 stitches (I'm doing the large). I chose that number so that I have the correct number of stitches to do the cable crossover ribbing at the bottom. I've seen so many of them on SKC that I fell in love with that idea. :) I hope to be finished by this weekend. :)

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Wicked Try On

2007-01-16T20:24:00.000-05:00

I finally split the sleeves off today. It seemed like the increases were taking forever! I took the pics of the sweater right after the split, but now I've actually got 17 more rows below the armholes. I'd have even more if it weren't for silly inconveniences like the kids wanting to eat. Sheesh.....

But I press onwards anyway. I'm so into it now that it is going quicker that I don't even want to stop to take a pic right now.

After the try on, I'm thinking that I might go with 3/4 length sleeves instead of full, but I'll decide on that when I get to that point. I suppose the weather at the time I get there might influence my decision. LOL!

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Hi, My Name is Dee and I have OCCD and PADD!!

2007-01-15T16:40:00.000-05:00

That's right, *sob*... Obsessive Compulsive Crafting Disorder!! This is characterized by an inability to refrain from creating things in various mediums, even when buying the items pre-made is often less expensive. My disorder is further exasperated by PADD.... Project Attention Defecit Disorder. This part causes you to continue starting new projects despite the fact that you already have 6 or more going.

I really should find a support group, but there is this yarn sale going on..............

Drive-by Update

2007-01-10T15:32:00.000-05:00

Slow going with Mikey being sick..... but overall I'm happy.

So Far, So Good

2007-01-09T23:13:00.000-05:00

Well, here is the yarn I am using for Wicked:

The cast on:

And here is my progress up until tonight:

Yay!! My first real knitting project that's for ME!!

Started the SKC KAL Last Nigh!! Wicked!!

2007-01-08T19:56:00.000-05:00

So, I decided to do the SKC (Sexy Knitter's Club) KAL (Knit Along) that started yesterday. This time there are two patterns to choose from: Eiffel and Wicked . Since Eiffel is a bit too..... umm.... I don't know.... "baby doll"? I don't like the ribbons on the sleeves at all and the one at the bodice isn't great either. Just not my style. Plus, its knitted in hemp yarn, which is (to po' me) outrageously expensive. :)

So..... I purchased and downloaded Wicked. For some reason beyond my technical expertise, I can't print Adobe pdfs. Blank paper is all that comes out of my printer. I've uninstalled, checked preferences, etc. Maybe I'll contact Adobe one of these days. Anyway.... I pasted it into Word and printed it out. All is well there.

I would have preferred to do it in 100% Merino wool, but that was out of budget right now, too. But the gauge worked out fine to do it in Lion Brand Wool Ease. I picked out a beautiful grey heather. I'm knitting the version without the front pocket. Weight loss or not, the last thing I want or need is to draw attention to my mid-section! LOL!

Last night I cast on and got most of the collar knitted. Today I've made slow progress because my focus has been on Michael. Poor little guy is STILL sick at 8pm. I've placed all my markers and have started my increase rows before the sleeve stitch removal. I took a couple posts last night and today and I'll post them tomorrow when I have the time to off-load the camera.

Pretty Woolen Yarns

2006-09-29T20:16:00.000-05:00

I finally finished my yarns. I set the twist with a method I found online. After soaking in hot water until it went warm, I refilled the sink with water as hot as possible out of the tap. Then I filled a dishpan with water as cold as possible out of the tap. I plunged the skeins into the hot water for a full minute. Then I lifted them (with gloves to withstand the heat), squeezed as much hot water as possible out in a couple squeezes, the plunged into the cold water. Worked great! I think the resulting yarn is much softer in texture than previous ones I've done.

Here's my yarn after drying overnight on a hanger:

Here's a bit closer view:

And here it all is in nice, neat, center-pull balls:

For my first project, I'm working on a little pair of socks for Michael made from the undyed yarn. If they come out good, I might dye them with the Jaquard Acid dyes I have. Just need to get some white vinegar. I also started socks for me out of the "Carribbean Cool" blue yarn, but switched to Michael's first because I'm impatient to see results faster! LOL!

You Spin Me Right Round Baby

2006-09-25T06:44:00.000-05:00

I have no idea why songs seem to pop into my head everytime I title an entry. Oh well.

Right now I have 3 drop spindles. The first one I ever got, I bought on eBay as a kit, with some simple instructions and a bit of wool to start with. It's a fairly unique bottom whorl spindle. The whorl is actually a knot from a tree that was in a forest fire (i.e. eco-friendly harvest of wood). It has a simple geometric design woodburned into the top and a little heard on the bottom. It is not my favorite, preferring a top whorl, but I had no idea when I bought it. The craftsmanship is nice though and I do use it. Here's a pic:

And the top:

Next is a fairly nice top whorl spindle. Its a little more refined in craftsmanship than the previous or next one, but I'm not fond of either the finish or the weight. The pretty stain that was applied to it has left it with a permanent sticky feel. Nothing that transfers to the yarn, but I just don't like how it feels in my hand. It also feels a little too light weight to me. The hook on the top is a cup hood, and just a day ago, the little metal shield part finally came loose and I removed it. Here's a pic:

And finally, here is my favorite. This is the spindle that I made myself. Now, its not my favorite just because I made it. Honest! I like it because it has a bit more heft to it than the others and it is smoother than the "sticky" one. I do have plans to finish it, but I'm going to us a polystain blend, to do both steps in one. I'm also toying with the idea of tapering the bottom to a dull point so it can spin like a top on the floor or in a bowl. If I am satisfied with the final outcome and performance, I'm going to make a few more and try selling them on eBay. I don't expect to get rich, but with 7 kids every little bit helps. Here is my handiwork:

So, there you have it. I have a few yarns waiting to have the twist set right now and kids eating breakfast, so its time to run. Thanks again for joining me today.

Getting to Know Me

2006-09-24T21:36:00.000-05:00

Getting to know all about me........ okay, okay... no more singing...

I figure that before I delve into the whole crafting thing, I'd tell you a little bit more about myself and family. I'm not saying that I imagine that you (whoever "you" may be....) are waiting breathlessly to find out anything about me, but humor me.

I am a mother of 7 (my screen name didn't clue you in, did it?) children. My wonderful husband is Bob. From oldest to youngest I have: Christopher (18yrs. - not at home), Patrick (15 yrs.), Justin (13 yrs. on 10/01), Melissa (11 yrs.), Sarah (10 yrs.), Molly (6.5 yrs. turns 7 on 10/22) and Michael (18 months). To answer a couple of the most frequently asked questions: Yes, its possible I'm crazy. No, I'm not done yet. Yes, I know what causes them. Moving on.....

Patrick is a 10th grader in public high school. Justin, Melissa, Sarah and Molly are all homeschooled. We are using Alpha Omega products. A Life Pac for Molly, in Kindergarten and Switched on Schoolhouse for the others. We go year round and will change grades in February or March. We only started homeschooling in January of 2005.

Currently we live on Cape Cod in Way-Too-Liveral-For-Us Massachusetts. My husband is currently seeking employment in Wisconsin for more money. If you are so inclined to do so, please spare a prayer for that end as his application is being turned in tomorrow via a friend who works for the same company to which he is applying. This would mean a huge but welcomed move and a wonderful blessing on us.

We are now Baptists. Before January of this year, when I came to Jesus after years of denial, we were nothing. I was raising well mannered, moral children who were totally bereft of any information regarding Him. I wouldn't even allow any religious children's books in the house. I believed that I was leaving them the freedom to decide on their own later. Ha! They had nothing on which to base such a decision. But all is well now. :) They jumped right in and like the little sponges they are, they are soaking up everything. I was baptized in August. Patrick will be baptized on October 1. Bob is considering it!! Yay!! Patrick and Justin are in Sr. and Jr. High Youth Group. Melissa and Sarah are T and T Girls in Awana and Molly in now a Sparkie. She is amazing! She started the year late last season (in late January) as a Cubbie. She caught up, finished early thru the whole handbook!!

Hmmm..... what else is there to tell? Probably a lot, but that's all I can come up with for now. Thanks for reading this far!!

First Entry

2006-09-23T13:16:00.000-05:00

Wow! What an exciting title, huh? LOL! Okay, so I have no real idea yet of how I want to utilize this space. Although I do have visions of sharing my crafting projects. I've got blogs coming out of my ears and never really get around to doing what I envisioned when I started them. But I really want this one to work. So, I'm off to look for templates that appeal to me before I do anything else.

Diary of a Mad Crafter

Please Vote for My Friend!

Try, Try Again

A Day in the Park

First Strike

Yarn Bombing

Blogger, blogger... wherefore art thou, blogger??

Fridays Seem to Be "It" for Now

Friday Rides Again

Merry Christmas To All

Bet You Thought I Forgot Today....

Closer and closer....

The Return of Friday Fill-Ins and More Gifty Goodness

Two for One Day...

I Have the Most Awesome Traveling Scarves Secret Swap Pal!!

Santa Came Early for Me!!!!

Hi, My Name is Dee and I'm a WIPaholic

Well, Umm... Err.......

Crazy Last Days of Summer

Yeah, I skipped last week! What of it??

Friday Night I Crashed Your Party....

Hey... yesterday was Friday!!

OOOhhh! Yay for Packages!!

Boy I Need to Think of Clever Titles for Friday Fill-ins!

SP 12 QOTW #5

The "Opium Den" of Swapping......

What is Wrong With People?

TGIF!

SP 12 QOTW #4

Friday Happens

SP 12 QOTW #3

Friday Fill-in...on Saturday!!

¡Un Paquete de España!

Tag! I'm "it" ?

SP12 QOTW #2

SP12 QOTW #1

Heeeeeeere's Friday!

Cape Cod KIP!!

United States, Massachusetts, HyannisHosted by: Dee AdamsLocation: Cape Cod Mall, Food CourtTime: 11:00 AMDate: June 14, 2008

Big Surprise... Friday rolled around AGAIN!!

It's Friday!

SP 12 Questionnaire

Friday Fill-In #73 (for them... #2 for me)

My First Pattern for Sale!!

Friday Fill-Ins

Blog Slacker That I Am

Black Yarn Swap Questionnaire

Baby Goodies!

Awesome Package!

Did I mention I love yarn?

Favorite Color Swap Questionnaire

My Big Bag Questionnaire

Another New Swapping Group!

Something Buffy the Vampire Slayer Could Use

Bittersweet Package

New KAL/Swap Open!!

Double Delights

The Power of 7

Socks & Swaps

My Baby - A - Baby Swap Questionnaire

My Scavenger Hunt Swap Questionnaire

Christmas Wrap-up, Part 2

Christmas Project Wrap-Up

Sciatica: Cursed Blessing??

Trifecta!!!

'Tis the Season

Is That a Choir of Angels I Hear??

What a Slacker I Am!!

Mid-April Day 2

Trekkin' Thru the Sahara

Another One Down!!

Presents and Progress

Wooly Bully

Better Late Than Never

Dishcloth-O-Rama

The Package Has Been Delivered!

Update on Projects

LMAO!! This is Too Funny!!

Yay for Knit Picks!

Wicked Done!!

United States, Massachusetts, Hyannis
Hosted by: Dee Adams
Location: Cape Cod Mall, Food Court
Time: 11:00 AM
Date: June 14, 2008