Friday, September 21, 2007

I've Been Crafty Baby. I've Been a Craftin' Mama!























Joy to the World, All the Boys and Girls! Joy to the Fishes in
the Deep Blue SEAAAAAA.
Joy to YOU and ME!!!

Each night I stare at the yarns in all their glory staring back at me. Bouclés, Wools, Loopies, I don't know their names, I just know like to pet them and feel their textures, absorb their colors and dream the dreams they put into my head.
Yes, I am that bad about fabric too.
I've got some roving that I just can't decide what project is worthy of its use too!

I've stopped thinking in my box and have let myself figure it all out as I go. Lots of FROGGING, but I've been more pleased than ever with the end result. (Is that redundant? END RESULT??)
First we began with our local yarn shop going out of business. I am very disappointed but I did completely make a fool out of myself when she threw the 50% off closing party. If I had been able to drink, someone might have needed to drive me home!
One night, the TV wasn't keeping my attention over the screams from the skeins couped up in a bag under the bed. I had chosen a blue, orange and pink set of skeins that I thought were lovely together in the store, then I realized the orange was a different type, same brand. I had never seen its kind before; it was cotton, BUT STRETCHY!! NO lycra or nylon! Yipes, I had to do something! The puffy blue convinced me from its ball that it needed a tango with this stretchy fox. I began with a new method I got from my cheeky book, Happy Hooker, where you do a loop and then make your stitches on that loop rather than a chain. It allows one to suck up that annoying little hole that comes from chaining! SO COOL! Page 52, BTW. Eventually I came around to some ancient Asian looking hat with ear flaps. I actually chuckled out loud, saying, "I've found it! Eureka- Attila's lost baby hat! But secretly I loved it! Was going for a newborn size but I think it rather fits 3-6mths. I really like it and maybe if it doesn't sell, I'll keep it for my own newborn in a couple of months. That's right ya'll heard me, don't buy it! HAH!

After that glee flinging episode I decided to do something a bit more stable minded and ended up with what my son kindly refers to as the Sheep Herder hat. Creamy velour yarn mixed with a darn brown brushed mohair mix yarn. Its more subdued but still different. I love the popcorns with the brown waves! I love the contrast of the velour with the hairyness. (By the way, that hairy model in my Attila hat is indeed the mohair skein, just in case you were wondering.)





I then had a custom request for a hat to match a customer's ready made jacket. It was such a great jacket too! SO, I had to come up with something I felt matched it. For her style and the jacket's I decided a bohemian, pageboy style hair was in order. The jacket was brown knit with fuschia embroidery on back so I tried to mimic the style of embroidery and the result was really cute. I can't wait to see her in it!




The final "hat" turned out to not really be a hat at all! I had a rich, red yarn that I absolutely am smitten with. I hat made a GINORMOUS pompom with it a few weeks ago for another project but it just didn't jive. Anyway, this red skein fell off my bed and into the arms of a loopy autumn-like yarn that was being flirted with by a natural organic wool. I played with some afghan hooking on the red and it curled nicely but I had to put the others in and my brain was fire-ing off faster than that long hook could bust a move. Before the end of the evening I had the beginnings of what looked like a triangular "kerchief" my mother used to wear in cotton. What was I thinking??? BUT I didn't stop. The next day I trimmed it all out and thought will it be floppy in the back?? What will hold it down??? ELEPHANT POM to the rescue! Excellent! It really was the candle on the cake. I took a ton of strands of all three yarns and then made two braided ties on each corner. The whole thing is my absolute favorite, as well as my eldest DD's. She wants this one if it doesn't sell, so she says, "So, really DON'T buy it!" too. What are we to do with ourselves???


Saturday, September 15, 2007

Looking for new group members! Calling all Indie Home Schooling Moms!!


OK, so I am feeling a bit isolated in my craftworld endeavors but being the Internet savvy person that I am, I KNOW I am indeed not alone out here! Sooooo, here goes my attempt at organizational skill practice- I started a group at Indiepublic last night for any indiecraft driven, home educating mom out here to join for inspiration, motivation and all around comaraderie!
Our link is currently: http://www.indiepublic.com/group/indiehomeschoolmoms

This is not exclusively for ETSY members but it would be nice to be able to share our ETSY, or other store, experiences with each other and how to juggle that with the home school life's journey! Holler at me for group info and suggestions of how to get this going! When you join the group, introduce yourself and let us know what makes you tick!

Monday, September 3, 2007

Where'd the Funky Monkeys go?

We've been going a bit crazy around here: new fridge, no AC (STILL), and several hat orders.


Really, did you think these guys were fun or what? Well, truthfully, I was in love with mine. He spent many a sleepless night wrapped up next to my little neck. We shared a few bike rides with his tail knotted around my handlebars too.


A customer of mine decided, having been a sock monkey owner once herself, she should spread the love and asked for a blanket and bib set.


OK, so I should have used the same white fabric for the bib as I did the blanket but I just thought the fluffy fleece was SO comfy for a blanket and the chenille, so... washable for the drools.

I had fun with this set.
The weather is still amazingly hot, I am still pregnant and I am still wearing water balloons around the ankles to entertain my other children.
I am very disappointed I haven't received any snow balls in the over night delivery from any of you! LOL !