resting...

Today has been a day of resting. I've been inspired by others' creativity... I like to blog hop. I go to one of those listed on the side and then visit someone else's-- either one they mention or someone who has visited them. I found crocheted flowers that way today. I've been knitting in miniature so I might as well try miniature flowers!!

I am thankful for creativity. Something to plan, dream about, do, and give. thankful that God has given me the thoughts and the abilities to do that.

There's a pass it on project that I am working on-- it is still in my head mostly but I have some of the parts done. there are a few people that will be getting something-- they don't know what yet. As I work on them, I pray for the recipient, whether they like that or not I don't know, but oh well.

Country swap...

Finally I am caught up on swaps. It seemed like when I signed up all was good. Not counting on the chaos of life and how it tossed me around there for a bit.

This is a really simple card, inspired by Gina K Designs clean and simple cards. I used the Swiss Dots cuttlebug embossing folder, spellbinders' fancy tags and ovals, and the graphics from pccrafter.com's "By the Sea" collection. Clean is simple is good for today.

I watched a video on mixed media backgrounds from Michael's on facebook for paintings. I still have some acrylic paints from a few years ago (hopefully still good!!) and some mod podge from YEARS ago (my spare bottle from decoupage days, never opened, so hopefully good) alcohol inks, and plenty of paper... and if I can figure out a background, I just might do something. I have a large children's board book-- 8 pages-- that I got at the dollar store, so I might use that...

I have the book of children's poems that I loved as a child and am thinking of illustrating something. One of them is this:

Mud

Mud is very nice to feel

All squishing out between the toes.

I'd rather squish around in mud

Than smell a yellow rose.

Nobody else but the rosebush knows

How nice mud feels between the toes.

-Polly Chase Boyden

or maybe this...

I'm Glad

I'm glad the sky is painted blue,

and the earth is painted green,

With such a lot of nice fresh air

All sandwiched in between

-Anonymous

And of course there are all the unfinished projects-- mostly not started but just imagined--

I am the Idea Person. LOL but they do eventually get finished.

Usually. My goal originally a card a day... but I think a finished project a day would be good. Or at least PROGRESS on something every day...Go with the flow, I say. :)

Vellum card swap

This isn't the card I started out to make. Almost everything is different than I expected. Monochromatic is the only thing the same, LOL...

The butterfly is dry embossed on vellum with a brass stencil from long ago. I was going to put it straight on the flowered paper because it has butterflies on it. However, the butterfly didn't turn out white enough. So I stenciled it with white paint on the back. Still not enough contrast. So added the inner green frame. I like it.

So Gueck finally gets her vellum card!!!

finished!

Even though today was a very hectic day, I managed to finish my little sweater while my hubby was watching Die Hard; I have less than no interest in those kind of movies, so it is nice to be able to work on something and still sit next to him ignoring the movie he is watching. Not bad for a first try knitting with itty bitty needles. Since I didn't have the doll with me when I started, I didn't know that it would be so short on her! Should have checked my gauge more thoroughly, I did a 1 inch square and it SEEMED okay... but... So I decided to make it short sleeved as well so it is more of a top than a sweater. Next time I'll take the doll... and make it longer with long sleeves.

If I do this again. I have LOTS of other projects to finish. Tomorrow, TWO CARDS.... I am behind due to the hospital adventures, and need to get them out to Gueck and Chris. I didn't sign up for any other swaps because I just must catch up on other things.

So one project FINISHED. Hooray!! The pattern for the sweater, although MY sweater doesn't look a lot like the pattern because I changed things a bit (as I usually end up doing!!) The sweater wasn't on a doll so I didn't think about how short it might be. I shortened the sleeves because I think a good sweater should actually cover you to be warm :)

http://knitting.craftgossip.com/free-pattern-barbie-doll-sweater/2010/12/12/

and she has an etsy shop, and that green cabled turtleneck is sure tempting me...

Niki Jin Crafts etsy shop

knitting...

while my dad was in the hospital, I took some knitting during the inevitable waiting and sleepless times. It is the beginnings of a sweater. Some of these projects I start have little hope of getting finished because I am doing them when I am forced to just sit, and I don't do that often! Now it isn't great knitting, it's uneven and there are boo boos. Oh well, I'm NOT ripping it out. Why, you ask, would I just leave boo boos and be satisfied with uneven knitting? Well....

The picture on the right shows the scale of this knitting...

I had never done this on such a small scale... they are size 0 needles and crochet thread! If I ever finish this I will post the picture. So far I have done the front and back and only have the sleeves left to do.

My mom has been busy too. I bought a copy of Lorna Miser's book, Faith, Hope, Love, Knitting and my mom immediately made a hat and started on this afghan with her scraps. Of

course, Mom's scraps are not the same as Lorna's yarn choices but I think it turned out kind of cute. She makes hats and small blankets for lap robes and donates them to a charity where she lives. I think it is pretty cool.

So today I am going to try to carve out an hour or so and finish that teensy sweater. If I write it here then I have to, don't I? It is after all President's Day and my dear hubby is home and can spend time with his mother instead of me... now will he?

:)

creating....

I keep hoping to create every day... lately haven't. BUT have been working on my space, so more creating can take place. Do cheater cookies count, LOL??

I was at a thrift store the other day, and a few things caught my eye. I love old clothes for making doll clothes, and I also used to make purses to sell, and ran across an interesting technique, made from old jeans. Found some really interesting jeans... as well as a couple blouses for making doll dresses. So my challenge to me is to get with it... I am going to take my sewing machine over to my mother in law's so I can sew while caring for her... I think that will really help, because over there we end up just chatting and I feel like I am not really doing much for her either, but someone needs to be there... so we will see on Tuesday... as long as my mom and dad stay out of the hospital. That's where I was last week. :)

So here's the pile... and hope in a couple weeks to have some finished projects to show off. I don't know if you can see the shiny sparkly stuff, and the jeans are embroidered with butterflies and beads... and yes there's a silk necktie there, and a strange pair of socks. Hmmm.... what to do.... I am full of ideas, we will see what really happens....

donate to help a family in need...

Katie has been diagnosed with stomach cancer... she has three small children. Think about giving a donation to help. Jak Heath is hosting an amazing fund raiser; others have donated digi stamps to help. You get a wide assortment of digi stamps for your donation.

Praying, too, for Katie and her family.

http://www.jakheath.com/2011/01/help-for-katie.html