Crafty Loot

Bloggy peeps, there are some DEALS to be had out there!

I am positively stocked with crafty bits post-Christmas!

Thank you Hubby! How did you know EXACTLY what I wanted?

*snort*

Not pictured is the sterling wire I ordered on Etsy, the wire rounder from Art Beads, and the cookie cutters from Michael's that were insanely discounted.

And thanks to some generous relatives who are familiar with my B&N addiction, I scored 200 Crochet Tips, Techniques & Trade Secrets, and a very cool calligraphy starter kit. Bonus, I still have room on my gift cards! I've requested a few crafty books from the library so I can test drive them before buying. Love that inter-library lending!

Yes, I did get things that were not craft-related. I am nothing if balanced when it comes to shopping. So among other things there may or may not be two new pairs of shoes in my closet. And if there are, they were most certainly on sale. Possibly even clearanced down to 1/3 their original price. And left there by elves under the cover of night.

Ahem.

I'm going back to Michael's and Joann's this week to check out their fab end of the year clearance deals. If you're crafty or know someone who is, it is VERY worth it to sign up for their email notices. I am getting % off coupons from both places at least once a week.

Before I drag Monkey back to the store with the "Beads!" I should share a story.

A teeny tiny little old lady* stopped me in Michael's this weekend to ask if I wanted one of her coupons. She wasn't getting anything that wasn't already on sale, so she couldn't use them. Sadly, neither was I, but how sweet was that of her to offer?

*If I, at 5'6" AFTER YOGA, thought she was teeny tiny, how tall could she have been?

My New Scarf, Or:

Why the girl with two astigmatisms should not "just eyeball it."

As I washed and sorted our winter gear, I couldn't help but notice that almost all of my handmade scarves are skinny, as was the edict sent down from on high last year.

This simply will not do for Winter '08!

So I set out to make a chunky but cozy neck warmer that would go with the majority of my wardrobe. Rather than measure my current scarves and make one that was bigger, I decided to wing it.

Not bad, if I do say so myself. Chunky, soft, and ALMOST A FOOT WIDE.

I have to fold it in half just to see.

If my neck is cold this year, it is my own dang fault!

Work(s) in Progress (And Completed) Wednesday

Thank you all for your great comments on my summary. It was informative, empowering, and I'm psyched to be able to share it all with you. There's more to come!

Before I forget, a few announcements:

Thanks, I love my new look too! It's like having a new pair of shoes for your blog. I found Aqua Poppy through Maranda Marie, who has just redecorated her blog too! If you like what you see, hop on over to:



Also, Friday is the last day to sign up for:

When last I checked, there were over 100 bloggers signed up. This is going to be so much fun!

And don't forget about the CraftStylish Make It Pink Challenge! It's open until the end of October.

And now, my finished WIP!

Working in variegated colors was fun. I liked watching the pattern emerge and change. I also noticed a big difference in the feel of 100% cotton.
But the best surprise was by far what happened when I took it out of the dryer.The cotton tassels puffed up in the cutest way!

It's big and smooshy and soft, and I think it will be the first crochet listing in the shop.

Off to work on my current WIP - the next summary!

Work In Progress Wednesday

With BlogHer Boston just 3 days away, there are many WIP flying around my office right now, but I thought I'd show you all this one. Nothing special, just a scarf and some multi-colored cotton yarn. Peaches & Cream 4-ply 100% cotton yarn in Sea Mist, to be exact.

Except...

I have never worked with multi-colored yard before. I have always used patterns and solids.

And I don't think I've ever used 100% Cotton either.

No, really.

I learned on Red Heart acrylic and most if not all of the baby yarns I've used have been blends.

Crazy, right?

I can't wait to see how it turns out!

Speaking of cotton yarns, Coats and Clark has come out with a new Eco-Friendly line. Eco-Ways is an acrylic-poly blend with 30% recycled plastic content, and Eco-Cotton is a cotton-acrylic blend made from recycled t-shirt manufacturer remnants.

Is it wrong to be this excited about yarn?

Is it even more wrong that as Monkey's balloon drifted in to the clouds last week, my first thought was, "OMG, not good! What if it gets stuck in a tree? Or in a lake? That can't be bio-degradable!"

I'm guessing it was the wrong-i-est that I bought the Mylar balloon in the first place...

Work In Progress Wednesday

The blanket for my friend, the mama-to-be, is well under way. I decided to edit the colors down to the two more primary highlight colors in the baby's bedding, primary colors and high contrast being great for eye development being a bonus!

It's a good thing it's working up faster than I thought it would, because I am also in charge of the cake for the shower.

The shower which is 3 days after my October 1 deadline for the first listings to hit the Etsy shop.

That hook may be melted the next time you see it!

Work In Progress Wednesday

There are actually several works in progress hanging around my office, but this one is both a "rush order" and a "handle with care."

A very special delivery is due in December and the Auntie-to-be is throwing the Mommy-to-be a shower in 3 short weeks.

I intend to use a similar pattern to the one used for the blanket in the background, which I made for my own son, but with colors lifted from the layette the expecting parents have chosen.

Unfortunately, in the midst of all of the WIPs, a very sad event in our family, and the tornado that is my 18 month old, this happened: And it's not even the fault of the aforementioned tornado!

I did it!

My husband was quick to point out that it wasn't dropped. The technical term for it is Sudden Deceleration Syndrome. Thanks, hon.

So while my laptop is in the "Your Owner is a Klutz" ward of Computer Hospital, I will be forced to post from one of the many Franken-laptops that inhabit my husband's office.

It's a good thing I have the WIPs to keep me company.