B U S Y

Just like everyone else the Christmas season happened quickly.  My parents are coming to visit so I busy completing tasks that have been on my list for over a year.

The guest bedroom is ready for them!

My daughter picked out the blue paint color.  She did a great job.  It's a calming color.  It looks so much better then black brown molding and closet doors!  With the drapes closed it looks more pale then above.  Either way ~ we are ready for guests!













I have completed several knitting projects for Christmas too.  I made a scarves too, which I forgot to take a picture of before sending them off?!

                                             Cowl- can't wait to see her face!

                                               Headbands/Earmuffs

                                                  Dinosaur hat

                                                    fingerless gloves for me!
On the sewing front:

                                                   Christmas Santa wall hanging.  I LOVE the reds!
Take a breathe now!  I also completed painting the hallway from Ecru to a crisp white.  Ahhh, me and my bright colors! LOVE!  I have yet to tackle Christmas baking....teachers gifts....wrapping....etc.

Take care and may you have a wonderful crisp day!

                                               

Things That Make Me Go...Hmmmmm

I've been busy working on a pair of fingerless gloves.  I made them out of extra sock yarn that I had laying around from when I first started knitting.  I've come a long way on my yarn buying skills.  Though I still make mistakes and tend to over think the buying process.  I also challenged myself with the picot edging.  Thank goodness for Youtube!  I am SUCH a visual gal I couldn't make any sense out of the written directions!  YEA for videos!  I like how they turned out, even worn them a couple of times!  That's saying a lot for me.  My sister, says that she is a process knitter, one who knits and then gives away..... I wonder if I am the same way?  I have very few items that I have knitted, two pair of socks...maybe.  The rest were given away for gifts.  Hmmmmmm, apple..tree... ring a ding ding.

The pattern is: Lace Gloves , (ref=sib_dp_pt ) One Sock Wonders

One thing that I have learned is that there is a HUGE difference in sock yarn. Texture, nylon, fiber!  Live and Learn!  I'm still learning, I don't think that EVER ends, nor do I want it to!

I didn't get too much done this week around the house.  I was at my daughter's school everyday.  WOW!  Then on Friday my little one was down with the flu.  Between taking care of her and other household duties I did manage to go through my stash of yarn and widdle down the 'extras' but still find it hard to take it to Goodwill!?  I keep thinking... I should hold onto that...... hmmmm

I did manage to start and ALMOST finish a Christmas gift.  I can't put it up yet.  I feel proud of myself because I DID use yarn from my 'stash'.  I still have more things to make!!

Finished hats for husband!

Happy Day to you and yours!

Fiber Fair Fun

The Saff Fair was in town. (SaffSite — Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair )  What fun it was to see and TOUCH everything my little heart desired!  I'm a knitter and am always looking for the next project.  It appears that spinning is the current trend.  I don't see myself going that way in the future but let me tell you, I was on sensory overload!  Talk about soft and luxurious! OH ME OH MY!  I can totally see why people love to spin when they get their hands on such wonderful fiber!

 I oogled all the felting project that artists really put their own spin on.  They were fabulous too!  I bought a felting kit of a fairy.  I'm not sure that I have the patience for it.  It seems slow going, but I am a newbie and I'm sure that I am missing the tricks.  I have to see if there is a class somewhere?

BEAUTIFUL!

I spied this beautiful shawl kit. It was such a popular item that I was placed on a list.  Sigh, have to wait 3 weeks, bummer.  I forgot who it was by but I will tell you all about it when I receive it!

All in all I had a fantastic time, stayed on budget, and had a great day out with my family.  Yes, my husband and daughter came along for the ride and the bunnies!

I hope you had a glorious week.  Oh, I finished painting the spare room too!  My daughter picked out the color!  She did a great job.  I will post pics soon as the sun is up and shining!

The start of something new.....

A Painting I will go!

This week I have started on the spare bedroom.  It was painted the same neutral color as the whole house.  I swear they just went through the entire house with a spray painter?!  This room is a basic box.  For some strange reason all the molding in this room was stained really dark brown and then sealed.  Out came my favorite helper~ Kitz!  I should own stock in it for how much I have gone through already.  The trim took one coats of Kiltz and then two of the white.  I am using my favorite Benjamin Moore Simply White color on the trim.  My little peanut picked out the color for the room.  She chose....  (leaving that blank for the big reveal). Hint: very 'spa' like.

  I took down the 70's louvered doors.  I am debating on how to update them too.  Trolling around Pintrest and my fav HGTV sites.  Haven't found anything that makes me want to rush to finish them yet.  I also took out the closet rod and the huge plywood shelf that was above it.  I must say that I am getting better, didn't damage the drywall at all! WHOO YOO!  So now I am thinking that this closet is calling for a organizer of some sort.

I also want to put up crown molding. Then this room will be complete minus floors, doors, and windows! lol

With out further ado here are the pics~

On the knitting front, I am making the Turn the Square Hat for someone special.  The yarn is Madelintosh.  It is so soft.  (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/turn-a-square)

On the sock front I am now on the cuff!  WHOOHOOO!  Two more inches to go and these socks will be done.  This was my fist pair of two at a time and toe up.  It was great learning a new process but challenging too.  I will definitely be trying another pattern soon!

Have a great week!

A little of this and that...

I have finished one more Christmas present and have way too many to go.  I'm ahead this year, last year  I was knitting my dad's hat while I was visiting hime!  This year I have started earlier and hope to be less stressed? So far have a look:

                                                   Almost knee high socks

                                                    Braided Cowl

                                                    Stanhorn Fingerless Mitts
Did you notice something?  They are all purple! HA!  Apparently I have lots of people in my life that love the color purple.  I wish I was there to see their faces when they open their gifts.

I have been taking a knit class~ Toe Up - Two at a Time Socks.  So far I love the fact that I am completing two socks at the same time.  Progress is going well.  The picture makes the socks look like Christmas colors, actually they are watermelon colored socks.  I am almost to the turning of the heel part.

As far as the house this week.  We have decorated for Halloween.  I love how excited my daughter gets.   There is nothing better then living a holiday through the eyes of a child.  She is getting excited about TOTing and the school party that comes with it.  She told me that I could be a witch this year! 

                                                     BATS flying through our foyer

                                                      Frank peeking around.

                                                      Brumhilda

                        Martha Stewart decals, this is our first time using them and we aren't disappointed.

Have a fantastic week!

                                                  

YUCK Wallpaper!

I can say it- I HATE. DESPISE, wallpaper.  This would surprise you if you knew my mom, aka wallpaper lover.  I grew up with it.  Every 4 years I was able to 'pick out' what I wanted on my bedroom wall.  My mom would put it up and then I would have it years.  I can say that I have taken down wallpaper in my life several times and it was a big task, but manageable.  Until now....

Apparently the nice people who put up the wallpaper in our house did not prime the walls.  They glued it directly onto the drywall!  UGH!  I have choice names going through my head but will settle on stupid.  I don't like saying or ever using that word.  But come on people!  Know what your putting up and the correct way in which to do it!

Enter our foyer.  Go ahead and laugh.  I know you want to.  There were three layers of paper. Each one more interesting then the last.  I steamed, I used Dawn, Fabric softener.  Nothing was helping!  So call in the professionals before I did more damage.  I called, they came, and now I have a beautiful foyer!  Ahhhhh.  Life is lovely.  To say nothing less I now know 'how' to do what the professionals did so now I can conquer the bathrooms.  Yes, they too are papered ceiling to floor......

painted and pretty except for the light!

Ever so slowly our 70's house is becoming our home.

Dust! DUST! and ohhhhh!

Our house has been under construction once again.  Last week we had our popcorn ceilings fixed!  YEA!  I LOVE LOVE LOVE looking at my clean, baby butt smooth, freshly painted ceilings!  The wait was worth it, and so was the mess, the dust and the cleaning.  Here is a look at the complete project.  This one I could not do myself, I had to hire out.  What they accomplished in a week was a major hit in my world!

I now look at my cheery bright yellow room and adore it.  Next windows and floors. But like all good things....time!
I hope that your week was great and dust free!

Babies, babies and more

Did you ever notice that once a friend tells you that she is pregnat that suddenly others do to?  Our second grand baby was born last week.  She is healthy, though the mom gave all of us quite a scare - everyone is doing great now.
I've been busy making flannel blankets for our friend that is expecting twins!  BOYS!  That makes four boys in her house under the age 5!  God bless her!  I have one girl- I love her beyond words but four? WOWZA!  I love making these blankets, they are simple, fast with great results.  I also made burp cloths to match.

I want to start making a fall wall hanging but have yet to find one that tickles my fancy.  I am on the hunt for something with lots of leaves.  I found one at Keepsake quilting site but it is for a lap quilt.  I might have to make my own pattern?  The quest will continue!  I have made progress on my spring quilt.  The squares are all pieced.  I have to move that one to the back burner and get started and finished with fall and winter!

This week we are having the popcorn ceiling done on the main level.  Did you know that you can't remove it once it is painted?  I had to hire this one out :(  I hate the way that popcorn ceilings collect dust. I often just stare up and think ewwwwww.  I am looking forward to flat smooth ceilings! I will hate the dust that this will create but the outcome is so worth all the dust!

I will take pictures of all the progress that happens this week!  Have a great week.

Ribbit Ribbit

Do you ever have a week where EVERYTHING you pick up you mess up?  I did, and I ended up taking apart two knit projects!  Grrrr.  After ripping everything out I needed to rebuild my confidence.  I casted on a Christmas present.  I finished one fingerless glove without any issues.  Just one more to make and the person will be done!  Yea me!  Sometimes you have to go back to the 'comfortable' things in life.

I started and almost completed a tag quilt for the new grand baby for Christmas too.  I love my sewing room.  I am playing with the idea of putting up a design wall. I see the value in it - no more crawling around on the floor.   There are a lot of great ideas out there how to achieve it.  I am still playing around with which one I like.  would like to put a border around it but haven't figured that part out yet.

Last week was busy.  S had K camp.  I liked it and hated it at the same time.  My little one is growing up and starting school full time!  Where did the time go?  I sound like every mom out there! ha

I hope your week was fantastic!

It's Been too Long!

The Room of Dark Gloom

Setting up to scrape the popcorn off

Ahhh the completed room  

My daughters creative spot

The other side

This is the hutch orginally

THE FINAL  AHHH BEAUTIOUS!

My family and I are finally settling down in our new house.  We bought a great house on a lake that is so peaceful from the city (Chicago) that I had to put the television on for noise when we first moved in.

Our house will be a work in progress for a while. It was built in the 70's and that WAS the last time that it was updated.  I finished my daughter's room first. But today I am going to be selfish and claim its all about me!  

The extra room in the basement has turned into my craft, sewing, knitting room.  I LOVE how it turned out.  Our entire house has popcorn ceilings! Ewww!  Upon researching I found out that you can scrape the popcorn ceiling off IF it has not been painted.  Who knew?! 

I geared up for my task at hand, put up plastic and started the process. Three steps: wet -scrape, wet - wait scrape, then spackel your boo boos away.   It IS totally due-able!  Don't get me wrong, time consuming and messy are two words that absolutely go with this task.  But the end result?  A fan-tas-tic SMOOOTH as a baby's butt ceiling.  I just stare at it sometimes....

The one thing that this room does lack is storage.  I came upon a hutch through Craig's List.  I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.( http://www.anniesloan.com/acatalog/paints.html)  Can it be true?  YES! Just paint!  NO SANDING! AWESOME!  I love the way it turned out and I will be using her paint in the future again.  The hutch now displays my material and some of my yarn.  ( I have more of both hehe)  There IS nothing better then stepping into my room and start creating along with my daughter.  I hope that you have found your creative spot in your house!