The day after Xmas...

I have made my next years resolutions. Not on New Years Eve. Not on NewYears Day. On the day after Christmas.

I WILL start making my presents in January. Making, mind you. Not buying. And I WILL finish the teddy bears I was supposed to give my nephews and the dolls I was going to make for my nieces. And judging from the eyes my nieces made at the play kitchen my parents gave my girls, I will throw some small aprons, chef hats and mits. I am alreay picturing them! so cute!!!!!

I WILL work out, at least three times a week. And watch what I eat.

I WILL learn how to knit socks. I am terrified of them, and since I got a set of dpn's this Christmas, I have no excuses.

I WILL pay my debts. Maybe i should move this to the top of the list. I simply have no peace of mind knowing I owe such a big ammount.

I WILL fulfill that childhood dream of mine. Gosh, I feel so ashamed of myself for not living acording to it. It is this:

"I WILL LIVE SO THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE AROUND ME
ARE BETTER BECAUSE I LIVED, BECAUSE
I WORKED TO MAKE THEM BETTER"

Can you believe I found a New Years resolution letter that I wrote when I was 9, andTHAT was the only item on it? why were we wiser then than now?

Merry Christmas and Happy New year!

The year is almost gone...

This year has passed flying by, for me. I seem to have an altered time-space continium (sic... is it spelled right?) because by little J.E. was born just last week, and yesterday she was one year old! sigh!And J.A! where does she get all those ideas? She amazes me daily with the things she asks and says and does!!!!! Gosh, those two girls are going to be quite a handfull! I seriously think in stopping here, because I don't know how could I handle even ONE more baby! lol!

December is the happiest and the saddest month of all for me. It is a month of merriment and goodbyes, of joy and endings. Want an example? on the 25th, I'm attending a Golden wedding. My great aunt and her husband celebrate 50 years together. Well, last week he got diagnosed cancer. LAST december, my daugther was born and my grandaunt Margherita got sent home from the hospital cause they could do nothing more for her, and she said she wanted to die in her home. See what I mean?

Until maybe two or three years ago, I really did not feel grownup at all. I felt just like I did when I was 18 or so. I think the difference between being young and grownup is not age related at all but rather in what you perceive. The world holds more joys and more pain as you get more aware of it. When I was younger, I was only aware of what I felt, what I needed, what I wanted. Suddenly I find myself devoid of the bubble wrapping that kept me appart from the rest of the world, and thus I am directly exposed to all of it's glory, it's fury, it's... humanity.

And yet, I would not change it for anything! because I am beggining to suspect that I owe all of this to the little girls I was talking about earlier. It is because of them that I realize how frail life is, how precious. I love my husband, but I LIVE for my daugthers.

So... I think now would be a time to start preparing myself for the time when they will leave the nest (thanks, Anna Maria, for the reference to birds/family that got all this going on within my brain! I don't know wether to thank you or resent you! lol!) It will take me ages to be ready, so I really must start now! lol!

Can you believe that when I started to type, the theme of this post was to be a New Year's Resolution?

Maybe some other time. ta-tah!

I am at wits end!!!

I ran out of bobbin thread for my PE 700II!!!!!

Halfway through a project!

And the thread I ordered from Guadalajara STILL has not arrived (it has been two weeks since they should have sent it!!!!)

As you can see, this post is just to vent. Moving on. Ta-da!

Today is the Virgin Maria of Guadalupe's holiday!

VIVA CRISTO REY!!!! VIVA!
VIVA LA VIRGEN DE GUADALUPE!!!! VIVA!

Merry Christmas!!!!!!

My kind of thing!

Guess what I found?!?!?!?! Heather, you are going to love this one if you have not yet found it on your own...

A blog. Dedicated to Anne of Green Gables.

Wait, that's not all. A READ and KNIT along blog. An Anne of Green Gables knit and read along blog!!!!!!!!...

(dances around her laptop while her daughters laugh at her a wee nerviously... poor things, I think I scare them sometimes)

HORAAAAY! more kindred spirits!

Have you read the books? was anyone else in love with either Gilbert or Walter Blythe? sigh! don't tell my husband! lol!

Anyhow.... it made me itch to start a knit and read along... or a sew and read along...

HERE'S THE THING

I would like you to suggest a book or books you would like to read and a project. Then I'll put up one of those "vote" thingamagigs and we will decide which book and which project we'll start. I do think it will be fun, because here's the catch: Needles and Thimbles will have to do the same thing. Like, if a scarf is the item chosen, then those who knit (Needles) will knit a scarf and those who favour sewing (Thimbles) will have to make a scarf... wether in patchwork or any other means. That means that if we choose to do say... a bedspread, Thimbles will sew it but Needles will have to work double knitting it, in a smaller scale if you like... how do you like it? it is open to suggestions. :)

I would like to read " A Tangled Web". And I ache to start a knitted beret from "Custom Knits"

Today is St. Nicholas Day!!!

He is the Patron of... well, nearly everyone! Happy Saint Nicholas day!!! remember those less fortunate than you in this day.

Love the weatherl.... well, not so much.

Weather has been really cold down here, and I usually like cold weather... but my girls are coughing all night long and don't get enough rest. Hence,neither do mommy or daddy. Pardon me if my ramblings make no sense at all...

Yesterday I played around with my embroidery machine and came up with some ideas that I can't wait to try out! I was about to grab my rotary cutter when my baby woke up and I spent the rest of the morning dancing and playing with her and .... well, doing more important stuff than earning money. Yup, I mean to put my PE700 to work. Enough of sitting pretty, just working for fun. I am going in earnest.

I promise I will post photos of all the scarves that I finished knitting/am knitting/am about to have finished knitting/will start knitting.... Right now my days are too hectic! FUN!

One of the things I've been up to...

Is knitting this scarf. For my brother. My FIRST atempt at instarcia. LOVE the thing! ssh! don't tell him! it is for Xmas!!!!

hehehe! the thing is already over 5 feet long... love the colors, love the lenght, love the way it is comming out...... but my wee hands are TIRED! LOL!

Not MIA!

I have not posted or read my favourite blogs in ever so long, so I am catching up on my reading today!!!

I just finished two scarves, one of them my first try at color change in knitting (yaay!) resulting in a super pretty scarf in dark grey, ligth gray and red (the colors of my little girl's school) with a very very simple color block pattern (different widths at the beginning and end, same width blocks in between) that resulted in my hubbie and some of my friends asking for scarves in the same color combo!

plus, I am halfway through scarf no. 3 in earth tones. Also beginning scarf no. 4 in pinks and purples (one for moi!). Plus half way through a cabled toddler sweater....


Phew!!!! made me tired only putting it in writting! gotta go!

My first blogland award!!!!

Thank you, Hester, for sending me this award!!!!!


Here are the questions:

1. Do you have the same friends since childhood?
I have some friends that while I don't see them too often, we still run to each other for whatever reason, some dating from Kindergarden (hey Paulina!) some from first grade (Paula!) some from fifth (Lupita!), some from High School (Rufino, Sophie, Mary) and my two great buddys, from college, Felipe and Barbara.

2. What do you value most about your friends?
that no matter what, no matter the hour or how long we haven't spoken, the moment we need each other, we can count on having a shoulder to weep on, a hug, or maybe only a phone call... or a slap on the back of the head when needed!

3. Are your friends sounding boards?

you betcha!

4. What is your favorite activity to share with friends?
Having some coffee!!! Never mind the spoons... (Barby, Felipe... remember? LOL!)

On its way!!!!!

From skein...

To WIP...



To finished scarf...

To pretty little package!

The scarf is finally finished... And tonight, it changes owner. The recepient is my 9 years old niece. She is a very ladylike little girl, and I hope I can pass on to her the knitting/sewing/quilting bug!

Happy Birthday Fanny!

Hello to my friend Hester!

Hey there! Thanks for the friendship blog! :) hehe!

The caps are incredibly easy to do, and super fast! I am waiting for some new t-shirts that my dad is getting me from Guadalajara, I'll let you know if I find a way to make it easier so you can try your hand at them!

About the home, ANYTHING could help. From making it known to your friends and community, to donating stuff. We have received donations in the form of art (painting, photography, drawings, sculptures -gorgeous ones by Laye Kuyaté, from Africa-); an outfit donated by a famous mexican singer, to raffle proceeds, to computers, clothing... we find a way to make everything count (my father was president of the building sponsors so we all got pretty much involved in it. Anything helps, and every day more kids arrive to the home. Thanks again, Hester, for your concern!

I was going to reply to a comment by my friend Hester but decided instead to post it here, so it was easier to read... :) and for all of you who are wondering if there is a way to help. Thank you so much!

Craftivism: If you like working for a cause...

Photo by Amanda Blake "SouleMama"

Have I got a treat for you! Amanda Blake, of Soule Mama fame and writer of "Creative family" has started this neat project called Mama to Mama. You really only have to donate a t-shirt, some of your time, and postage! Please, read this and this... guaranteed, you'll be inspired!



And while we are doing this... in my little corner of the world there's my own pet cause. It was started over a decade ago by Father Isidro Ramirez (may he rest in peace), a close friend of our family. It is a home for kids who are homeless or whose family situation makes it impossible for them to live with their families for the time being. Sort of like foster care, but all in one facility that provides them with housing, schooling and such. This days, they have finished the first of six stages of construction for the home, but the kids need clothes and blankets and sweaters and... you get the idea. This area has warm weather almost year round, but winters can be quite cold, and with no buildings around their home, it is very very windy!!!! the Hogar del Niño Desprotegido needs donations in whatever form possible, so I am appealing to your generous hearts!!! I am toying with the idea of a quilt to auction in benefit of the Hogar, but I am but a single quilter...

There was an art auction on 2005 and there will be another one this December. Sadly, Father Isidro passed away two weeks before the first auction, from pancreatic Cancer. This is what I was thinking about: Will you help me make a Round Robin (or several!) quilt to auction? maybe we won't finish it in time for December's, but if we gather a few we could conduct another one specially for the quilt (s). I know there are a lot of supporters in the US, mainly in California (where some of the people working at the Hogar have families) and they have held benefit dances, concerts and raffles. There are some wonderful people in Kent also that have worked a lot to help us (hi there Florence, Edna, Mr. Mayor, the whole gang!!!! And of course, the wonderful guys and their families from the Kent Fire Department!!!!!) Could we spread that across America?

I'm praying we can.

did I tell you my project fell through?

well, after a dozen or so times starting that lace cap and frogging it right back, I decided to switch to another project and THEN give that cap another try... the scarf that you have been seeing on my last posts is a present for my niece (shhhh! don`t tell her!). Her birthday is on the eleventh... so by-by, gone knitting... will show it to you when I finish it!!!!

This keeps untangling!!!!!

The little ball of yarn keeps making an escape to freedom. Too bad. It is it's destiny to end up in knots. This is her sister, awaiting her turn as well....

Coming up roses...

Another two in a day....

Do you detect a trend here?????

I told you that yesterday I received a bunch of books from Amazon, didn't I?

Well, I browsed them and am deligthed with my purchases (kinda reminds me of a post by The Waiter... yup, the same one from Waiter Rant- the blog AND the book).

I have already selected the projects from each book that I want to make for my family this Christmas.

From "Last minute patchwork and quilted gifts" I'll make the birds (only in blues) for my sister in law, four of them in blue and a couple a bit bigger. They lost two babies, and they have two sons, so I'll make the whole family for her to have in her room.

I'm making another set for my other sister in law, with one blue birdie, two pink ones and two big ones.

For the kids: I have already started a Teddy bear for each of the boys, and for the girls I am making a cloth doll.

For the babies: All the critters from Aranzi Aronzo are jumping up and down at me to make them! I still have to select which ones (I wanna make them all!) and switch the colors to bright ones, like the lizard in a very bright... pink!

I am also treating myself with Jennifer Chiaverini's novels. hehehehe! And making a pencil roll for myself. And finishing the scarves... and making matching scarves for bears and dolls...


i think I better leave the computer and get working! See ya!

A new stash!

My husband is a bit wary now when I ask if I can come along when he does his errands in a city two hours away...

That usually means he'll end up spending HALF the day on MY errands, that will most likely be scavenger hunts for fabric, needles and yarn. Such was the way on Thursday. I am getting quite annoyed at the fact that yarn here is scarce, expensive and you cannot get natural fibers if your life depended on it, other than cotton. No wool, no alpaca, forget about any other more fancy stuff. And if you want to get circular needles, there's only ONE size. #6. 32". That's it. No dpn's, either

So I got my acrylic, poliester and cotton yarn, a new set of bamboo needles and some beads and started a scarf for my niece in pretty girly colors (beige, lavender, pink and peony) with pink beads that is comming out quite nice. The little lace gloves I was dreaming of will have to wait until I find a way to get needles from US, and maybe someday I'll be able to knit something soft, an alpaca sweater or something. One can always dream, right?

Meanwhile, I am drooling with the new books I got from amazon. Wanna know which ones?

Well, the latest shipment included:

Items:

1 of: Crafting Cloth Dolls Sold by: Amazon.com, LLC 1 of: The Quilter's Kitchen: An Elm Creek Quilts Novel with Recipes Sold by: Amazon.com, LLC 1 of: Last-Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts Sold by: Amazon.com, LLC 1 of: Aranzi Cute Stuff Sold by: Amazon.com, LLC 1 of: Aranzi Aronzo Cute Dolls (Let's Make Cute Stuff) Sold by: Amazon.com, LLC 1 of: The Winding Ways Quilt (Elm Creek Quilts Series #12) Sold by: Amazon.com, LLC

---

But they won't send needles to México!!! sob! sob!!!

I think I will start making a dent in my fabric stash, for birthdays and Christmas presents have to be made, regardless of dpn's and yarn (and time!) shortage.

It was sew good to let this out of my system!!!! see you around!

Mommy REALLY wants!

The bicycle.... I love the wicker(willow?) basket!!! I love the thin wheels! I love the color, the light, the handlebars... everything!!!! If I could look THAT good riding it too... sigh!, and in ITALY!!!!!!!

Thanks to The Sartorialist for posting this incredible photo, by the way...

If anyone knows where in the US they sell that kind of baskets and wether they ship internationally, please let me know!!!!!

Did I mention I love the bicycle?

Enough is enough!!!!!

Do you like my lace?

I only started it oh... say... twenty times...

Actually, about twelve times. Seriously. In three different yarns and needle sizes. I started and frogged them. ALL of them.

Maybe the yarn is wrong.... nope, not the yarn. Tried different materials as well as different weights.

And then, when I was frogging it for the twelft time, it struck me.

It is not the yarn. It is not the needles. It is not even the pattern.


It is the people!!!!!! all day long, people have engaged me in conversation when i am halfway the first repetition of the pattern, causing me to be distracted and lose my focus... The needless int

Sorry, it happened again while I was

AND AGAIN!!!!!


I had never realized how many times

I'm making this experiment of stopping writting as soon as someone

AAARGGH!!!!!!

Maybe tonight I can make that lace. I'll finish this post BEFORE anyone else

there you go.

I give up.

It ended up becoming a vest...

For my first knit item, it turned out quite nice! I coldn't wait to show it ot you, so I put it on to model it... good thing this things stretch! I now have to block it (I know, I should have done that prior to joining the pieces, but it was not doable where I was today (I finished the "sleeve" this afternoon") so I went for it and sewed it together... it still needs a little something... perhaps some ribbon going up the "lace" in the middle (it sounds funny to call that lace when the thread is so thick!)

Anyway... I am about to start another, more ambitious project. If it turns out well, I'll post it , and if it doesnt... well, my kids need another washcloth!

Mommy wants!

I just met this gorgeous bag! it is by Jordana Paige, and it is not only beautiful but functional!!! (yeah, like I need to convince myself I want it!)

Now, about my absense... my girls have been quite ill lately, so I have not had the chance to log on, nor wake up early enough to proceed with my UFOs. I cannot do it when I (and their daddy) spend the nigth awake... so, needing an outlet to my creativity, I've taken to


Knitting


Boy, was that a mistake. It is addictive. My grandmother (may she rest in peace) once tried to teach me, but I was little... so I had to dig up from my memory what little I learned then. I'm making a sweater for myself, which is rather a sampler, a place to practice all the stitches I can remember before I tackle anything too serious, or for others... hehehehe! I'll show you a photo when I am done...


That's my Judy calling... see you around!

A nice corner...

seating, originalmente cargada por artsy-crafty.

Artsy-crafty has this photo in her album... I love it! I would like to have a little corner like this in my home so I could relax and embroider the day away!!! mmmm... no such luck! and with two little girls (adorable but too curious like all little ones are) I cannot have corners like this in my home yet!

Oh well!

The mighty one is here!

Ok, the software package is here. I am currently studying the tutorials, so don't expect anything resembling a coherent post today (I'm comming and going from this post to the tutorial and back... and so on and so forth)

I can't wait to start using it... although...


(shame, shame!) my Brother PE 700II is STILL inside her box!!!!! Gotta make more time!

At least I have all the new fabric washed and pressed now.... phew!

And why the old sewing machine? I'm aiming to get one that looks just like this, I have my eye on one here in my town... Just in case I can't buy my grandmother's !

make that three...

Ok, what started as a good day, then turned blue has now made yet another turn. I'm two breaths past an anxiety attack. That means I had the anxiety a bit ago and now I am in attack mode.

You see, I bought an embroidery machine, a Brother PE 700 II (yup, that one in the photo). Ok, that is not anxiety provoquing. Not even the fact that I'm gonna be VERY VERY pressed to make the bill payments with this new credit.

The thing is that I bought it with one thing in mind: take a leap and try to make money with stuff that I love to do. I already embroider by hand (and I am not too bad at it) but since a lot of people have asked to buy little things I make for my girls, and I don't have the time to do them, I decided to invest in that thingie and help myself.

If you are reading this blog, you already are in love with all things fabric, but, could you please help me out? I have some ideas, but I need more! more! more!!!!!!! (remember I told you I was in attack mode?)

So please, feel free to help a girl out.

Two entries in a day.

I am trying to distract myself. And I HAD to let it all out .... I'm blue! a deep shade of blue.

So maybe I need cheerful stuff to inspire me. Today I cooked on a deep dish, a thing of beauty that I save for special ocasions, great for baking bread and maybe vegetables, or a souflé.. you know the kind. It was a wedding pressent.

Well, today I made a dish in it, a vegetable dish that is very simple but that my kids and I love (hubbie is still thinking about it) and after we had eaten, we had company. Well, said company went into the kitchen to have a glass of water and opened the fridge looking for a jug of lemonade...

... and in getting the said jug....


... pushed my beautifull dish... that went all Humpty Dumpty. Vegetables and all.

It was all I could do not to sit down and cry. Perhaps it is not that important. Then again, I'm a bit weepy because bad stuff happened in my family. My cousin, well she started the year single, married five months ago, and as of the day before yesterday, she is a widow. She and her husband (may he rest in peace) dated for almost ten years before marrying. He was 25 years old, and she is 24.

Yeah. It sucks. Big time. I think I'll have my cry now that I am alone.

Wash time!

I recently bought a few goodies, cotton printed cloth to make stuff for my girls, and I must admit, to have some scraps for quilts! So this morning they went ALL into the washer.

I have a ligth denim that I plan to make some jumpers and skirts, combined with a pretty floral in pink and another in blue. (As soon as I have them ironed and folded I will post a photo). Then there are two ligth wools that will make pretty gray coats (with pink lining, of course!) for this winter. A creamy yellow with small pink and white flowers, a red, gold and green roses tiny print that makes my mouth water. And for momma (moi) a sturdy denim that I plan to make into a bag. I'll soften it with a clear, sweet cotton print for a lining.

This thursday is my day off, so I want to make sure I can make the most of what time I have. I really want to try that new embroidery machine!!!!!!

Plus, I'm thinking up projects that are easy to sew and good enough to sell. That Brother is going to pay for herself! LOL!

This is me

I've been flirting with crafts ever since I can remember. For some years, I agonized because I could not find anyone who taugth me how to quilt (my mother had taught me to sew and embroider, my grandmother to knit... although i am not patient enough to knit well).

Finally, I decided to take the matter into my own hands and teach myself how to make quilts. And then I realized there was SOO much into it! The design! the cutting! the piecing! the quilting! I LOVE IT!

My love for all kinds of fabric was reborn. With a vengeance.

You see, I am a mother of two who works about ten hours a day, with a day off a week and every other weekend off. That doesn't leave too much time for crafts! I'm not exactly on the wealthy... scratch that, I'm in deep debt, my hubbie has hit a mean slim streak at work and money is tight, so quitting my job is out of the question. Thus, I have to grab whatever is possible in matters of time.

That means exactly what you are thinking. During the day I belong to my work, at dusk I belong to my daugthers and husband, night has me for dreams but the wee hours of the morning... THOSE are the ones I can have an orgy of planning, designing, cutting and sewing.

This is a journey that only now I start to blog. Join me. Be my companion. Share a bit of my soul in our love of crafts, lovely things and anything fabric.