flower work

I've been working on some new flower techniques lately.  I made the flower above out of piping.  My sister wears a lot of olive green and couldn't find ric-rac to match so I tried my hand with this.  For the most part I like it.  I think it has a more modern look to it.  I'm not thrilled that you can see the stitching that came on the piping.  On my next one I may try pulling that out once the flower is sewn in place.  In my head it will work...we'll see how it works in real life :)

The flower below is a completely new technique for me.  I made a few similar to it for a halloween wreath hanging in our apartment.  At first I thought it looked too childish.  I played around with some button combos and fell in love with the orange and aqua.  The flower still didn't seem complete.  I remembered I had all these tulle circles cut out from making my wedding bouquets.  I snipped 2 down to size and sewed them on with the buttons.  I think it gives the flower just enough sparkle!  This one actually isn't a hair pin either, it's more a brioche. I put a pin back on instead of a clip and wore it with a sweater on Sunday.  Will definitely be making more pins!

I've started making Christmas flowers for a craft fair I'm going to be selling at called Budafest.  It will be my first one!  One of my best friend's sister, Jess will be sharing a booth with me.  I've been to tons of craft shows with my mom but I've never actually sold my stuff in person.  I'm a little nervous but mostly excited! 

I plan to sell my flowers mostly.  I've already made 6 sparkly Christmas ones and have 2 more ready to sew when I get home today.  I will also be making some everyday color combos.  Aside from my flowers I plan to make some felt covered mini notebooks, maybe some reindeer nuggets (based of these cuties), and hopefully some other cute accessories.  I made some super cute garland for halloween out of yarn and store bought pom poms (glittery and plain) that I plan to reproduce in Christmas colors.  I might make some to sell as well.

Of course, anything I don't sell at the fair will be put in my etsy shop.  I hope to post some sneak peak pics of my progress during the next 2 months.  Here's hoping I don't lose steam and show up with 8 flowers and nothing else :)

just give me Jesus

In the morning, when I rise

In the morning, when I rise
Give me Jesus
You can have all this world
Just give me Jesus

When I am alone
Oh, when I am alone
Give me Jesus
You can have all this world
Just give me Jesus

When I come to die
Oh, when I come to die
Give me Jesus
You can have all this world
Just give me Jesus

Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus
You can have all this world
Just give me Jesus

The hubs and I are playing around with some songs we want to record very soon.  This is one of my faves, so simple but very powerful.  No matter what, just give me Jesus, that's all I need.  It's looking like our recording might be themed around the name of Jesus.  I'm a fan :)

pair o' pears

pair of pears

I can finally show you the awesome little pears I made about 3 months ago!  My sweet Aussie friend Sophie had a birthday back in June and I decided she needed some knit pears in her life.  I made them pretty quickly, then they just sat...and sat.......were moved but still sat...and sat some more.  THEN I finally mailed them out about 2 weeks ago.  Mailing gifts is just not my forte. 

Anyways, they finally made it to her so I can show you.  They fit so perfectly in my hand, I just wanted to hold them all day.  I can't remember where I found the pattern for the life of me.  I bet I have it at home on my laptop. 

Now that you've read this, go read Sophie's blog and enjoy her cheery thoughts :)

halloweeeeeeeeeen

boo!

 I've been itching to decorate for Christmas, honestly...since I moved into our apartment back in January.  I've been able to hold off because I knew it was too early in January, then I was busy with wedding planning.  As Christmas draws closer the only thing keeping me from covering the place in red and green is decorating for other holidays first.  Oh, and David would disown me.  I've had some of these decorations for over a month but I knew it was too early for even Halloween.  I didn't even mean to put everything up yesterday, it just sort of happened.

The above ghost is from Target and I just couldn't pass him up.  I'm not into creepy decor but I love cute.  Plus, I grew up with snowmen made of the same clear rubbery stuff and he made me feel all nostalgic :)

The below spider has been painted and ready to hang for at least a month.

handpainted spider

 Here's a basic shot of our mantle.  The lighting in the morning is weird so all you get right now is an instagram pic from my phone.  There are also orange, purple, and green lights above this that go down each side of our mantle.  The lower garland is made of felt polka dots I cut out and sewed together.  The garland above the wreath is just glittery purple pom poms strung on black yarn.  The wreath is covered with more of the same purple glitz and some orange and black ornaments.

mantle decor

Finally having my own mantle to decorate should keep my holiday whims from barfing all over the apartment, ha.  I hope to get some better pics later, but we'll see. :)

My little Chu

his new morning spot

 Chuy is almost a year and a half he's still such a little puppy to me.  I may be partial but I think he's the cutest thing on the planet.  For a long time he wasn't snuggly at all but now he is and it just makes him that much more lovable.  He curls up close to me on the couch, while I'm sleeping, and especially in the morning before I get out of bed.  I tend to get up late almost every morning now because of his absurd cuteness!

Aside from Chuy's puppy-like looks, he's also crazy smart.  I'm convinced he knows the entire english language.  David doesn't agree, but I know my Chu.  Here's a list of commands that he knows instantly:

• time to get up = time to jump out of bed instantly
• want to go outside? = ready for David to take you out? :)
• out! = go sit outside the door to whatever room we are in
• where's your ____? = go get that toy and bring it to me!
• do you want a treat Chuy? = yummy snausage!!
• bedtime! = go sit by the bedroom door then jump on our bed when we open said door
• come here now! = hang your head and slowly walk to me after doing something bad
• get down = get off couch/bed/me

He also knows most of his toys by name, and learned them within a day.  His favorite is this blue hollow rubber ball I found at Target...it's awesome.  He also really loves these Sonic tot characters I have.  We have several: fishy, flamingo (pinky), bat, scuba diver...we don't have a name for this one, ha.  We also call his rawhides twists.  If I say "where's your twist?" he goes crazy looking for one.

he likes to watch all the birds

Ok I'll stop gushing about my super cute, super smart pup.  I just realized most of my chuy posts were just pics and I hadn't talked about him on here.  I love him and he makes our little family complete.  David likes to call him names but I know he loves him too...except when Chuy pounces on him :)

I can never find what I want at a store..

hot pink linen stitch...love

We have a wedding we're going to Friday and I always struggle with what to wear.  I have a black dress that I love but it's a bit short looking on my tall stature and the belt that came with it is basically broken, and hard for this asthmatic to breathe in.  I decided on Monday night I could wear the dress if I could find a stretchy belt with a pop of color and some type of black leggings to lengthen the appearance of the dress.

Tuesday after work I headed to Target.  I found myself with lots of legging choices, and almost bought purple ones, but settled on some opaque black tights.  The belt section left me wanting, all too thin and not stretchy or way too wide and in ugly neutrals.  I proceeded to wander to the shoe department, even though I was planning to wear some gold sparkly heals.  I found some awesome grey shiny mary jane heals for only $20!  They fit perfectly and are so comfy!  I know pointy shoes were popular there for a while, and still are, but they just aren't comfy on my feet and honestly my feet are long enough without that added point :)  I decided the more neutral grey of these shoes would be easier to pair with a colorful belt and hair flower than sparkly gold.

Came home and tried the tights on with the dress and heals and took a look in the mirror.  I saw something awful from the early 90s...not a look I'm willing to sport.  I dug through my drawers and found some mid calf-length leggings in black and put them on.  They looked SO much better with the dress...think ballerina in heals, I can do that look any day!

In the belt department I was still lacking.  I tied a pink fabric belt around my waist from another dress and liked the bit of color but not the look of the ties, and David agreed.  So I did what any sane girl would do...I found some hot pink wool yarn in my huge yarn stash and looked up belt patterns on ravelry.  After a while I ended up just casting on 8 stitches and knit in linen stitch on size US 6 needles.  As of last night I'm about half way done and I plan to finish it tonight.

I don't have a buckle so I'm thinking a simple button closure will be fine.  I also intend on making a new flower for my hair.  Black vinyl ric-rac with a fun shimmery button.  I'll post pics of the flower and possibly the whole look after the wedding.

I don't dress up often but when I do I love to have handmade accessories!  I may even use my knit handbag I made for the last wedding I went to :)

sneaky

sneaky peak of something I will post very soon!

the pup

my cute little Chuy

halloween knits!

Here are those pumpkin pics I promised...and I think someone else snuck in there as well. 

 

plumpy pumpkin

who is that hiding back there??

shy little thing

a bat!

love this new little friend

bat hug :)

yesterday, today, tomorrow

Yesterday I knit 2 adorable pumpkins while relaxing at home.  I intend to get some pictoral proof this afternoon.

Today, I'm sending some special knits on a voyage to another continent.  Those pics will be posted once they meet their new mom :)  They were made to be mailed over 2 months ago and that just never happened.  I must confess I wasn't particularly motivated to get them out of our apartment considering how cute they are!  I guess I'll have to make my own now.

In some more ric-racky news, I bought some interesting ric rac this weekend.  Think vinyl, sparkle, and glitz!  All these things are too obnoxious for an entire piece of clothing, but for a flower, perfect!

This weekend I hope to knit a bat, make a wreath for our door, sew a new flower for my hair and...oh yeah, clean our dining room table.  It might look like a small yarn/felt/crafting mountain.  The hubs has this crazy idea that dining tables are meant for dining...pfffft!