WIP Friday: Bubble Gum, Bubble Yum

Lookie here…I'm back to making hats. I have three left to make (two are redos). It would be great if I could finish them up in time for Thanksgiving, but I'm not sure that's going to happen. I'd be happy with two out of three.

Now it's time to sit cuddled in my robe, watch some hulu, knit and relax, making up for the last few weeks of stress and uncertainty.

I think a mug of hot cocoa with whipped cream is in store.

1st Annual Small Fox Ornament Swap: The Goods

Project #37 in '50 in 2009 Challenge'

Approximately 1360 white ab 10mm sequins, 1360 white ball headed pins, 900 red 10mm sequins, 600 gold sequins and 1500 straight pins later, I am through with my part of the 1st Annual Small Fox Ornament Swap.

My right thumb and forefinger scream in pain at the slightest touch, but I am done. And I am happy with the results.

It sure did help sleeping on it because last night when I was painting little white moustaches on 12 little faces, I was seriously doubting my idea and more importantly, my execution.

But with whiten-downed pink for rosy little noses and cheeks, I am much happier than I was when I finally climbed into bed last night. Now that I look at them, they are very The Small Object-esque, though unintended is not a bad thing.

My Santas and Father Christmases, here, are simple, but cute…and sparkly.

Project #37 in '50 in 2009 Challenge'

I never thought I'd use sequins, but I've got to say I like the look. Kinda like fish gills. And when you look at the little box of multi-color jewel tones I had to buy because no store in town had any more 10mm red ones left for me to finish my half finished ornament they are even more enticing. I'm trying to figure out a way to use all my extras…if only pins weren't so expensive. I have an idea for something a bit out there, but I'm definitely going to have to find a source for cheaper bulk pins.

I started off strong a few weeks ago, working diligently as a knitting break, pushing sharp little pins. Sure, I tried to use a thimble, but those only really worked for the straight pins as the ball headed pins had more of a tendency to bend, therefore requiring a more nimble touch.

I was on a roll and then disaster struck. I was mid way through my sixth head and I ran out of red sequins. Quickly I headed to the store, only to find they were out of the larger 10mm red and using smaller reds was not an option as I was already going through a boatload of pins to begin with, I didn't need to double or triple that number. So I sped off to another store…no luck, and another…no luck, both stores' sequin sections were meager, so back to store #1 to pick up a multi-pack and some gold sequins. I figured I could pick enough reds out of the multi-pack to finish the ornament I had started and then the gold would help me create the remainder of my requirement as Father Christmas instead of Santa. Hats of to Jake for thinking of that one.

And soon, ok not so soon, I was left with 11 and 1/2 ornament heads. I had hopes of finishing 12, but I lost my last handful of ball headed pins somewhere between my living room and Panera on Craft Night. Go figure.

After staying up late to paint faces and then tagging & photographing each ornament as lunch today, I was able to box them up and send them on their merry way Priority (nothing but the best for my little creations). Now I wait a week or so for a magical box full of Christmas spirit to arrive on my doorstep. There are about 3 times as many participants as there are required ornaments, so despite being able to see what others have made in the Flickr pool, I really have NO idea what I'll end up with. Exciting, right?!

Unclutterer: A Beginning

A few weeks ago I discovered the blog, unclutterer.com, an inspirational source for leading a more simplified life. Like all new blogs I discover and enjoy, I dive way back into the archives to the very beginning and work my way to the present.

Along the way I became more and more inspired to actually get rid of some of the junk in our house. And I think my first successful sale of an item on Craigslist helped fuel the fire. There are tons of things that I've just been hanging on to for no real reason…guilt, thinking I might need it some day, etc. But I'm beginning to see that it's ok to pare down.

I wanted to jump in right away. To start sorting through and purging the boxes & boxes of stuff that hand been accumulated throughout my life and then neatly deposited to me by my parents (whether it was sending a box home when we visited them or my mom bringing the last of the boxes when she came to down in August). The boxes have been sitting under the bed in our guest room and when that area was taken, they were stacked in the basement, and Mike was actually getting ready to start prepping our attic to be more accessible, so we could store them up there. That's when I decided to put my foot down, I needed to end the cycle, so I convinced Mike to let us tackle it all as a winter project.

And though I wanted to jump in right away, I stopped myself. With baby gifts and ornament swaps and parties and commissioned hats to knit, I knew I wouldn't get any of the stuff that NEEDED to be done done if I started a new exciting project.

So I held off…until today, when I finally cracked (after weeks!) and needed to get some unclutterer action. So at lunch today I jimmied open our junk drawers, dumped it all out and started sorting/purging/organizing.

I couldn't finish on my lunch break, so I'm not done yet but I can tell you, it's awesome to be able to open the drawer easily.

That's A Lot of Sequins…

My right thumb & fore finger may never be the same again.

Deadline is quickly approaching and these babies still need faces.

Please send good thoughts my way that I don't mess up the faces. I don't have time for a mistake like that.

Masochistic Mondays: week 16

The Stats (as of November 16, 2009)
Starting Weight: 188 lbs
Current Weight: 181.4 lbs


I thought it was about time that I do a visual update of any progress I made, so I had Mike take some pictures of me Saturday morning (as you can see my weight fluctuated up a bit just in time for my "official" weigh-in).

I see a slight difference. It would be nice to have something more noticeable after four months, but since I'm not on some miracle diet any progress is good.

My goal is to learn moderation when it comes to food and to make physical activity a regular part of my life. I'm not to the point where my body craves exercise but it's getting easier and easier to make time to do it. I did have a nice revelation today regarding food - my body is used to those measured portions I've been sticking to. Tonight Mike made us dinner (mushroom, onion & black bean quesadillas) as I had just finished a workout (& was starving) and was trying to finish my 30 minutes of cleaning before dinner, I neglected to remind him to only use one tortilla and a measured serving of cheese on mine. My story would be better if I was able to say I didn't finish my quesadilla, but I can't. What I can say is, I've learned my body is getting used to not stuffing massive portions down my throat because I am FULL and have been for about 2 hours. Note to self: stick to the measured portions because it really is enouh food.

Ok enough about food.

I should also probably let you know that I have decided not to run in my first 5k next weekend. The past couple weeks (since the time change) I have found it very difficult to go running after work when it's already dark. So my runs have only been happening on Saturdays and the past two runs have been awful. Like can't run more than a mile (if I make it that far) awful. I have decided I will get back on the C25k wagon once the days start to get longer and hopefully run my first 5k in the spring. In the meantime, I'm shifting exercise gears to my Wii Active game. Hopefully it will help start to tone some muscles because despite strengthen my lungs and calves while running, gosh my arms are quite weak and got quite a workout from using that resistance band this weekend. And don't even get me started about my thighs and the lunges!

I want to thank everyone for their encouraging words regarding the 5k last week, but this Saturday's attempt at running really cemented the fact that I am just not ready.

What I Read

Original Photo by Made by Girl. Print available on etsy.

As it's been awhile since I updated the ole blog roll and I've noticed as time goes on old favorites are dropping out of the blogosphere and new favorites are coming in. I thought I'd take a chance to maybe introduce you to a few new reads, you know, in case you need to kill some time.

Knitting
A Friend to Knit With
Pickles
Susan B Anderson

Life
Corgipants
Crafty Intentions
Disdressed
Dispatches from the Island
One More Moore
Soule Mama
Thompson Family-Life
Unclutterer

General Crafting
A Small Fox in a Big World
Allsorts
Angry Chicken
Betz White
Craft Sanity
Cupcakes for Clara
Mmm Crafts
Posie Gets Cozy
Steno Pad
Wee Wonderfuls

Sewing
Anna Maria Horner
Hello My Name is Heather
Hop Skip Jump
Pink Chalk Studio

Food
Bakerella
Baking and Books
Joy the Baker
Not Without Salt
Pro Bono Baker

Design/Inspiration
Creature Comforts
Hostess with the Mostess
How About Orange
I Do It Yourself
Leo on the Loose
Making It Lovely
Paper Crave
Twig & Thistle

Weight Loss
Amanda, Another Prior Fat Girl
Live, Smile, Run
Prior Fat Girl
Secrets to Losing 100 Lbs

Money
Daily Deals

Hard to Categorize
Not Martha

Sweet Pea

Project #36 in '50 in 2009 Challenge' - Emelyn's Baby Peapod Sweater

No luck in finishing this in less time that it took me to knit the last baby hat, not that I really expected to, but a girl can dream, right?

I've been wanting to knit up the Baby Peapod sweater since it made the free pattern rounds a couple years ago. Luckily I was smart that time, downloaded the pattern and filed it away because it is no longer available, not even in the magazine it originally appeared in (weird situation, it was pictured in the printed magazine but you had to go online to obtain the pattern, so you can't even buy an archive edition to get it).

Almost with every project I undertake, I realize more and more what an inexperienced knitter I really am. I had more hiccups than I'd like to admit on this one, especially since I was working on a tight deadline - but being the open person I am, I'll share them.

First kudos to me for actually doing gauge swatches. My first one was off, so I started a second. Upon realizing I modified my needles in the wrong direction, I ripped out and did a third (and got it right!).

Then the trouble begins.

After trying to do the bottom ribbing chart a few times and being completely unsuccessful, I gave up and did a simple 3x3 rib. My inexperience with charts must be evident, but how was I supposed to know that I needed to pick up where I left off in the row before instead of starting for the beginning of the second row.

All went pretty well from that point on…until I started to near the end and said, "where do the buttonholes go?!" Pulled out the pattern (since I was working on straight stockinette for a long time) and started to reread from the beginning. Oh crap, the buttonholes were supposed to be worked in at the very beginning.

No way was I going to start over especially as the countdown to baby was days as opposed to weeks. Instead I resolved to make snaps work…no matter what. I've only used snaps a couple times and never on a knitted garment so I was apprehensive, but I am happy to report that all is well. It was a bit difficult to get the pieces of each snap side aligned, but in the end all 6 are strongly in place.

So all that remains is to present the gift to new little Emelyn. She won't be able to wear it until next year (I decided to make 12mo size because the smallest size in the pattern is 3mo and there is a possibility that the weather would start to turn before she could even wear it), but hopefully it still get an Aww or two.