tangled bliss...

Rest and Relax

Vases of flowers came my way last week -  I had a little minor surgery (everythign is ok, nothing to worry about).

My Dr. thought it best that I stay home for the week to recover.  I was  looking forward to it :) movies, crafting, reading, though by Wednesday I was so bored; I had watched all the movies TMN had to offer, and my hands cramped from all the knitting.  I wasn't allowed to move around so that meant crafting allowed, as I was couch bound.  Thank goodness Ben came for a visit, we watched Charolette's Web (the old one :)), and I watched as he played with Milo...  Running around, and around, and around the house, holding a piece of yarn with a bell tied to the end of it,  laughing so hard as Milo came bounding from behind.  He also dicovered that my coffee table doubles as a box that opens...  He made himself quite comfortable in it and read Curious George.

 

I finished Ben's new stripped hoodie, yipee it fits!  Well...  almost finished. I want to add a flannel lining to it... should be ready to wear this weekend.  I'll post the pics once the lininig is in.  With that aside I have Jonah's to work on.  Insead of doing stripes I decided to do a 'swiss check'.  I'll do the pattern on the front and back, the arms and hood will be solid (darker blue).  It will kind of look like a vest (at least that's the look I am going for).  And thanks to Hubby the trip to Micheal's for the yarn only took 10 min - he picked the colours for Jonah :)  Good Job!

 

Delivery for me!

Friday evening I was quick to rush home, but first we had to make a stop at Jeremy and Tiff's place for a little din din. They made some fantastic tenderloin sandwiches and homemade pizza - OUT OF THIS WORLD!!

Though it was almost bedtime by the time I got home I was still very excited - the mail had come,  and with it more Christmas presents!  With my gift certificates, a $10 off coupon, my 'rewards' card and additional discounts I was able to a shop for a few of the books on my wish list.

From my bedside pile above I got 30 Colourful Quilt & Patchwork Projects, Simple Sewing with a French Twist, Super Crafty (here too) and Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I'm quite excited to try my hand a few of the projects I flipped by - pictures first, reading later.  I think I might try my hand at the apron in Quilts....  I know of a couple people who might appreciate it for a gift.

WIP - when my husband made up my new craft room, I finally had a chance to go through about 3/4 of my yarn to see what exactly I have - LOTS! is what I have.  I've been dying to knit something, but it had to be quick and simply satisfying.  Something I could take on the train, or I could do while watching  my favorite programs...  I remembered this little hoodie from Nursery Knits...  It was perfect and I had just the right amount of yarn in my stash.

 

I got the back and left front done in a week so, I hope to have it complete before we roll into February.  Because,  I'm using an acrylic I thought it would be nice to line is with some cuddly warm flannel.  Perfect for a valentine's gift don't you think - Hugs from Auntie:)

New Room for me

Phew!  What a busy week! TGIF

Hubby finally gave in and admitted that this sewing thing is no passing fancy.  On Saturday he says " Sweetie (me) I want to make something for you."  My husband isn't the handyman kind, so I wasn't quite sure what he had up his sleeves.  Well, don't I hear furniture being moved, the vacuum RRRR'ing...  My sweet hubby emptied out one of our spare rooms, and set it up as a craft room for me.  This means I'm out of the dining room, and that the iron and ironing board will be moved back upstairs to their rightful place - I think this was hubby's driving force.  I have a table for my sewing machine, a large fold out table for cutting material and what ever type of crafting I feel like conquering, new bins for all my 'stuff', and a TV so I can watch movies while I work.  He's even offered to paint it for me, but I'm a little particular about those things, so he'll pay for someone to paint it ;)  I can't wait!  I've chosen Green Blue by Farrow and Ball - I love this colour. 

So my first project completed,  in my new craft room, and my first time sewing zippers are these wonderful Travel Cases from 'Last Minute Fabric Gifts'.   These were so very east to put together, though I was a little intimidated by the zippers,but it was a cinch.

These are part of a gift package going out to a couple of friends who recently got married.  I plan on adding some Lavender drawer sachets, a couple 'eye pillows'.

The holidays have come and gone, and what a wonderful time it was!  Garlic Pork, Jonah's first Chrstimas, much to much turkey, loads of stuffing, taking Ben to the fish store to see sharks, cupcakes, Crazy Santa, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and more cousins, 2/3rds Lord of the Rings Marathon...  What a whirlwind!

Thanks goodness Phil and I take time off, we need the recovery time.  With all the comings and goings I was able to visit my local Quilt shop and stock up on some pretty fabrics.  Here's a sneak peak of what is taking over my dining room table at the moment.

Cowboy Turns 2

Saturday we celebrated Ben's 2nd birthday - Western style of course :)

How wonderful it was that most of the adults who came where dressed up in western fashion; cowboy boots, 10 gallon hats and sheriff badges abound.  Someone on the radio was twanging on a guitar and the menu was TRULY a cowboys dream meal - the best baked beans I've ever had in my life, gourmet sausages, apple fennel coleslaw (made by me),  and some other sides....  That's as far as I got, cause once I glimpsed the cake Grandma Heather made I stopped eating dinner and waited for dessert :) Yummy!!

Present time!  Cars, trains, books and knitted sweaters.  Uncle Phil, Auntie Michelle and I got our little Picasso an easel with chalk and crayons.  And, as a special treat for Adrienne I made a quilt fit for a cowboy.  The front panel i used some cowboy themed fabric with blue and red gingham flannel - very cow-boyish.

 

And on the back panel made from little boy blue corduroy, I stitched in some gingham stars.  Very reminiscent of a cowboy enjoying the night skies.

I enjoyed working on this quilt very much, so much I think it might be time to get some professional pointers so the frustration level will be decreased.  So, now onto half finsihed projects....  like my hubby's sweater, or the mounds of cut baby blanket fabric, or those knitted socks or how about getting back to some housecleaning...  so much to do so little time.  Thank Buddah ;) the Christmas shopping is done :)

 

Blankets for Baby

The days are getting increasingly colder and it reminded me of the baby blankets I had made for my sweet little nephew Jonah. I chose a simply beautiful pattern from Debbie Bliss Special Knits, good for boy or girl.  I used Baby Cashmerino(there's nothing better for baby) in a Butter Cream Yellow.  It turned out amazing!  I am very proud of this blanket, it's perfect for bundling baby on those frosty winter nights.

While out shopping for some drapery fabric I came across this adorable fabric with Elephant Kings on it.  I couldn't resist!  I matched it with blue polka-dots and a striped green flannel.  Put it all together and this is what happened...  Not so bad for my first ever Quilt.  Though I did realize the importance of 1/4 inch seams.  So, with that new knowledge the next Quilting venture (a cowboy theme for Ben) will turn out much better.

 

Winter around the corner

The temperature is slowly dropping...  perfect time to knit up a scarf from one of my very favorite knitting books Scarf Style.  I've been eying 'Falling Leaves' for some time now a perfect project for this time of year as tress are for the most part bare.

I dread knowing that -30 degree wind-chills, and cold wet snow are just around the corner.  :(   But with this scarf knitted up in Berroco Alpaca I'll be able to do some fierce combat. 

Creativ Festival in town

This weekend the Creativ Festival was in town - aka the Creative Sewing and Needlework Festival! And boy what fun I had!  Adrienne and I made our way downtown to the Convention Centre outfitted with our empty back packs, bottles of water, a few snacks and of course our credit cards.  Adrienne bee lined it right to one of many scrap booking stalls ( I think they might want to change the name to the Scrapbooking Festival).   I meandered to Iguana Beads and was struck by two trays of vintage beads!  I love anything vintage.  I wish I could have taken the whole tray of beads home…  but alas I am not one who works with beads or jewelry, but I couldn't help bringing home a sample of some of my favorites.  The holidays are just around the corner, there might be enough for a couple bracelets.

I took us about a two to walk the rest of the show and them we spilt up, each went our own way… I managed to find some nice fabrics for who-knows-what, a quilt kit with Amy Butler fabrics and a few vintage looking papers and, rub ons.

With our credit cards still warm, back packs full and an overwhelming exhaustion creeping in we made our way home.

By the time I got home my second wind had hit and I couldn't sit still. Desperate Housewives was still a couple hours away and I had a craving to be a little "Domestic Diva-ish" so I baked up  some Chewy Chocolate Chip, Skor Oatmeal cookies - FANTABULOUS! I love it when the house smells of home baking.  I find it brings me back to a simpler place in time where mortgagees and, 9 to 5 jobs didn't exist.

For my sniveling sister, a tissue holder.  This fabric reminds me of our childhood... I can't place my finger on the occasion or the object, but this fabric brings me back to the same simple place that the cookies did

Blogging Again :)

Finally a little down time! It's been a crazy summer - thank god no weddings :) This summer was pretty much dedicated to our new recruit Marley. See how pretty he sits :)

We've done a lot of work with him, and are keeping our fingers crossed that when the new couch arrives we won't find him huddled on it late in the night. Dog hair is a drag! Needless to say that my July challenge did not work out for me…. I lost the needles I was using and haven't made it back to the LYS.

Besides I was busy playing with my new sewing machine… This is just one of the blankets I have made. I love the flannel fabric from South Seas Imports - Hungry Animal.

I also created some tags… and am thinking of opening up my very own Esty shop - What do you think??

And last but certainly not least the newest person to our family arrived Sept 11 - His name is Jonah, and he is a little angel.

More WIP's and FO's to come :)

July Challenge - Day One

July 01 - day one of the Finishing Unfinished Projects Challenge....  my challenge is to finish the Viennese Shrug, Interweave Summer 2005...  and what do I have to show for the first day .... NOTHING!  Today, started earlier at 6 with a dog walk...  then off to the nursery for limestone boulders...  we spent the rest of the day arranging almost 2 tons of rock to make a garden bed-thanks Mum.  With that almost done perhaps tomorrow I will have time to work on my Shrug...  How was your day 1?