Love ya!
A new stage
Ok folks, today is my last regular full day of work. I'm still gonna work two jobs a day, but now I'll get off at 4:00 pm so that means I'll be more time with my girls and my hubbie. Hopefully it also means I'll have more craft time too! so, here's to new beginings and hope for the future, and now I'll leave you cause Ive got a lot of end of the month stuff waiting in the office...
Creative Minority
Now I just found out I'm creative by decree of the Pope! YAAAY!!!
Jokes aside, I was having so much fun reading the posts on Creative Minority Report and so little fun with the going on in my crafting that I decided to post links to funny blogs...
Well, I'm gonna fess up... I screwed up with scarf no. 2. that's right, I have a first customer! now, I'm unashamedly going to admit my first customer is my Mom, but still, she liked what I did (she can crochet better than I) and wants a scarf for a birthday present. So, I told her she could have the scarf I listed in Etsy and I'd make a duplicate so I could send it when I sell that one.
Mistake No. 1. I casted on the scarf in the car. While on motion. Through a mountain range. That's right, folks! curves, scares everytime we encountered a trailer on a curve (gosh I hate that! I was once almost pumpkin puree on that road too!!!!), two overly excited little girls and one almost tragic project bag throwing to the front seat (brother stopped it from flying out the window, oy!) when Lil J threw up all over me (project bag sans vomit, mommy, backseat, said girl covered in the stuff) . You can tell that my mind was not exactly focused right then.
We got to our destination, washed up (people were looking at my wet jeans and blouse with a funny expression, but I did my best to ignore them... I smiled when they saw I had caught them staring and that made THEM more uncomfortable than I was. Well, ces't la vie!), bought Lil J a fresh change of clothes... and then another, just in case. Washed the back seat, left a window a crack open so it wouldn't stink of moisture and went off to our errands. I carried the project bag with me if only to prevent it from getting stinked up!
Then Big J fell asleep, so we three girls went back to the vehicle and got inside (it was so hot that day that the seat was completely dry!) opened all windows and sat there waiting for the others to finish their stuff. I pulled out my scarf with one rep already done, wondered why the color repeats in the new skeins were shorter, a bit cocky with the knowledge that by now I knew the pattern by heart... which accounts for my extreme surprise when by the row repeat number five or so I noticed a funny thing: the scarf was fanning out. Not sligthly flaring, not ruffling a little. It was fanning. Which brings me to this:
Mistake No. 2. Never assume that because you made ONE single item with a new stitch pattern, that will be enough to dismiss checking the pattern again. READ IT TWICE, THREE TIMES.
Ok, so I frogged it down to the first repeat which I stubbornly deemed to be correct. I put my scarf away for the trip back (good thinking for the first time in the day, because Lil J was carsick again!) and at night, after the girls were clean and fed and asleep, I crocheted happily away, having now checked the pattern and even having the book open at that page should I have any doubts. I had gone maybe some ten inches when I noticed yet ANOTHER funny thing...
I was running out of yarn from the first skein. And I was nowhere halfway through the scarf! I pulled out the original and compared them, which was a late remedy for my
Mistake no. 3. If you are copying a garment, even one you designed, for cripes sake, keep the garment at hand for comparison!!!! I was making the new scarf a full two inches wider than the original!!! it was a freaking mini shawl!!!!! I took a pillow, put it to my face and howled!!!!!!! I would have bitten it but I didn't want filling flying all over my -now thrice- unraveling scarf...
I frogged it all, wound the ball of yarn and put it away. Enough was enough.
Here it is! The Amazing Technicolor Dream Scarf!
LOL! After many days, I finally got my SIL to pose with my scarf so you could see it properly, so here it is, a photo of it. The rest of the photos you can see it on my Etsy shop!!! Yaay! I'm so excited! next (as soon as I take photos, too) I'll show you the capelet I'm making
see ya!
And the winner is....
The Random Number Generator has picked it's favourite, and out of 15 comments to the post (thanks for the response, dear friends!)
The winner chosen is ....Drum roll, please....
Libby!!!! from My Krafty Kreations!!! please send me an e-mail (when you have your computer back) so we can work it out!! thanks all of you for your support!!!!
Libby said...Congrats on the 100th post! (and yes, I will give Alhana a nice pat if she wins since it's too hot for yarn in her country!)
I'll be back soon....
Quick post
In which I remind you to post a comment to the 100th post for a chance to win the giveaway! entries close today, and tomorrow I'll let you know who the winner is!!!!! Cmon! tell your friends about it!
Oh, and I finished my Amazing Technicolor Dream Scarf! (lol! ok, one too many musicals, I know) And as soon as I can take a nice photo I'll show it to you, and then it goes to my Etsy shop!
See you around!
Oh, and I finished my Amazing Technicolor Dream Scarf! (lol! ok, one too many musicals, I know) And as soon as I can take a nice photo I'll show it to you, and then it goes to my Etsy shop!
See you around!
I'm inspired!!
Oh how good it feels! Yesterday I was supposed to clean my kitchen, but to tell the truth, I was too tired. I didn't feel like coming home from work and do a very necesary but very uninspiring job.
So instead, I took out my rotary cutter, my rulers and mat and began cutting away! Oh it felt so good! I even put a -very much needed- new blade in my cutter (my last spare one! yikes!). I just grabbed the fabrics, selected the combination I had in my mind and started cutting away...
And cutting away....
Lovely strips of my favourite fabrics from my stash.... Mmmmm.. I gues pink is quite the predominant color in my stash... will have to do something about it as soon as I have some spare money.
After I cut all the strips, I called it a day and today I got up in the wee-smalls and began joning, ironing, piecing this project... Can you guess what it is? I think not! lol!
My trusted little Singer Tica. The first sewing machine I bought myself. It is really simple, a bit small for quilting (very short arm) but it has not let me down yet! There it is, my little pet, next to the folded fabric that is now something more than just fabric, however simple it may be still...
Oh, and last night I also began teaching myself how to do a new crochet stitch... I had to to the first knot at least five or six times before I got it right!!! but I'm proud of my effort!
Isn't it great how it feels when you challenge yourself to learn something new/do something and you acomplish it???
Looky looky!
See what I got!!! This bag(basket?) belonged to my mom. When I was in college, she bought it to store the yarn she was using to crochet some curtains. Well, since she finished those (and they are sooo nice!) and I am crocheting my girls blankets, she gave it to me to store the squares and the yarn!!! how cool is that!!!!
It is made of woven petate (something widely used in Mexico. Petates was used as bedding, because they were cool when the weather was warm, and warm when it was cold. Now they are often used as sort of rugs and in some places, still to sleep in them)
If you want to have an idea of the size, those tiles are about a foot long on each side... and it is almost one tile wide and maybe a foot and a half tall... aren't you impressed at how technical and precise I am!? oh, and that slim little foot is BH's... she wanted to be in the photo too!
Love it, love it! love my new project basket!!!!!!
hey, have you posted your comments on the post below?? don't forget to do it!!!! I'm SO EXCITED about the giveaway!!! yaaay!!!
100th post!!!
Sewing was my first yarn/fabric love
Hello there! yaay! this is my 100th post, and I wanted to celebrate it with a giveaway... I must tell you, I had delayed my writting of this post because I really, really wanted to give something to celebrate the blog that has led me to meet so many wonderful women, who have become my friends.
The trouble is, I'm by no means overwhelmed with wordly possesions, and I didn't want to give away just anything. Talking with my friend Ale I had a moment of inspiration... and a duh!-slap-your-forehead, why-didn't-I-think-of-it-before moment too!
(this is not an actual image of mine, but it was very much like this one)
It was so much fun sewing my doll's clothes! Mom cut out the fabric and instructed me on how to sew it. When I was 12 or so I helped her trace patterns from Burda and other publications for her clothes and mine, even a wool capelet for me (I had very few chances to wear it here with the weather we have! talk about hot! but I digress...)
Then when I was studying at college in a city two and a half hours away from home, I hated having so much free time (yeah, kick me, tie me and send me to the Funny Farm!) so I took a SECOND career study... Fashion Design. It was a lot of work, and very fun, but sadly, I soon realized I had bitten more than I could chew so I had to quit one of the two, and since I was only one year away from graduating from my first career, I had to leave Fashion Design... I SOOO regret it, because I left when there was only eight months till I finished, and I missed lingerie making, screen printing, collections, ACCESORIES (oh, the bags! the bags!!!!) and fantasy customes. I still dream of going back and finishing it. sigh!
What I did learn is how to make patterns. As in, really make a skirt work (made one the first week of class, pencil skirt, and I was hooked!) I even got to make my Sister in Law's wedding dress -more on that later on!.
So, the giveaway will be---drumroll, please---- a skirt pattern. An a-line, flirty, easy to make skirt. What's more, it will be a personalized pattern for the winner! Once I have randomly selected who gets the pattern, I'll ask for some measures and/or you can send me the size you want it (I'll email you a sizing chart) and you'll get a pattern that is ready to be cut and sewn... or sent to your seamstress friend/relative/slave to make for you! How do you like it?
All you have to do is:
1.- Post a comment in this blog post.
2.- Become a follower
3.- Post ANOTHER comment letting me know you've become a follower (if you already are, please do post a second comment)
4.- Tell about the giveaway on YOUR blog and link back to mine, and...
5.- Post YET ANOTHER comment letting me know you've blogged it and linked back!
See? you get to have THREE chances of winning! in a couple of days I'll let you know when the comments will be closed and the winner selected, and will ask for the winner to contact me so we can discuss all about the pattern.
And don't you think the image at the beggining of the post is so idylic? sigh!
EDIT: Silly me, I didn't tell you when the winner would be chosen right? entries close Friday afternoon, and on Saturday Morning I'll let you know who the winner is!
The trouble is, I'm by no means overwhelmed with wordly possesions, and I didn't want to give away just anything. Talking with my friend Ale I had a moment of inspiration... and a duh!-slap-your-forehead, why-didn't-I-think-of-it-before moment too!
First, some flashback. My first yarn/fabric love came very early. Mom used to sew tons of our clothes, and one Christmas, under the tree there was a tiny, pink and white toy sewing machine for me! I was so excited! And it really did work!!!! never mind the loose seams, it was a sewing machine "just like mom's". How I loved sewing on that little machine!
(this is not an actual image of mine, but it was very much like this one)It was so much fun sewing my doll's clothes! Mom cut out the fabric and instructed me on how to sew it. When I was 12 or so I helped her trace patterns from Burda and other publications for her clothes and mine, even a wool capelet for me (I had very few chances to wear it here with the weather we have! talk about hot! but I digress...)
Then when I was studying at college in a city two and a half hours away from home, I hated having so much free time (yeah, kick me, tie me and send me to the Funny Farm!) so I took a SECOND career study... Fashion Design. It was a lot of work, and very fun, but sadly, I soon realized I had bitten more than I could chew so I had to quit one of the two, and since I was only one year away from graduating from my first career, I had to leave Fashion Design... I SOOO regret it, because I left when there was only eight months till I finished, and I missed lingerie making, screen printing, collections, ACCESORIES (oh, the bags! the bags!!!!) and fantasy customes. I still dream of going back and finishing it. sigh!
What I did learn is how to make patterns. As in, really make a skirt work (made one the first week of class, pencil skirt, and I was hooked!) I even got to make my Sister in Law's wedding dress -more on that later on!.
So, the giveaway will be---drumroll, please---- a skirt pattern. An a-line, flirty, easy to make skirt. What's more, it will be a personalized pattern for the winner! Once I have randomly selected who gets the pattern, I'll ask for some measures and/or you can send me the size you want it (I'll email you a sizing chart) and you'll get a pattern that is ready to be cut and sewn... or sent to your seamstress friend/relative/slave to make for you! How do you like it?
All you have to do is:
1.- Post a comment in this blog post.
2.- Become a follower
3.- Post ANOTHER comment letting me know you've become a follower (if you already are, please do post a second comment)
4.- Tell about the giveaway on YOUR blog and link back to mine, and...
5.- Post YET ANOTHER comment letting me know you've blogged it and linked back!
See? you get to have THREE chances of winning! in a couple of days I'll let you know when the comments will be closed and the winner selected, and will ask for the winner to contact me so we can discuss all about the pattern.
And don't you think the image at the beggining of the post is so idylic? sigh!
EDIT: Silly me, I didn't tell you when the winner would be chosen right? entries close Friday afternoon, and on Saturday Morning I'll let you know who the winner is!
99th post here!!!!
And I want to show you the progress in the starghan CAL. I must say, it has been SOOO dificult not to stop everything I'm doing and sell a kidney perhaps to buy some yarn and try my hand at some of Ysolda's incredibly beautiful knitted lace.
Which reminds me... have you met a crochet/knit snob? you know the kind, that when watches a knitted/crocheted item almost "humph!"s in disdain? Worse, oh horror of horrors...
ARE YOU ONE?
I was given that haughty, patronizing look by one of my customers... She had seen me crocheting the squares for my daughters' blankies (that was about a week ago) and the very same afternoon she showed up with her knitting, a little sweater for her boy, who is about a forthnight older than my BH. She waited, looked at me, I pretended not to notice her superiority pose. Finally she must have gotten tired because she asked me "Don't you know how to KNIT?"
In the tone some other would ask "Dont you love your Savior?"
I couldn't help laughing! But I did not answer, I'm sad to say... I just laughed and left. Afterwards I thought of so many things I could have answered. I just thought it was so funny!
EDIT: oh! the snobbery! just now I had an incident! and it involved talking about you, my friends!!!!! I was writting the post and some customers arrived. I had my phone connected to my laptop because I was downloading some new photos, and while I ducked to retrieve the glass to give them their drink....
... when I popped up, they had my phone. My phone. And they had unplugged it from my laptop. And were playing with it.
Can you say "rude"? and these two women (mother and daughter) always give themselves airs of great dames. There they were, nosing around. I asked them for the phone in as polite a tone as I could muster. It is a peeve of mine, that I really resent people who don't know me take my things without asking first. If I don't know you personally, only as a customer, please, ASK BEFORE you just unplug and take someone else's phone!
Just when they were giving it back, a message from my friend (you know who you are, girl!) rang. They almost threw it to me and said in an angry tone" Answer!" WTF???????
ok, keep cool. Then they asked me who it was... WHAT??????
-A friend.
-A friend? why don't you answer?
-I did
-I didn't hear you (I really swore internally. Where's a punching bag when you need it?)
- I texted her
-Why doesn't she call you? (none of your business!!!!!!)
- because she is far away
- That's what phones are for
-She is in another country
- I don't believe you (WHAAAAAT?)
- well, she is
-how did you meet her? (none of your business! order and begone!!!!!)
- (sigh) the internet
- the internet? you know how to use it? (I mentally slapped my forehead, really)
-yes, I know a little
- I don't believe you (gosh! please go! I just shrugged)
- Well...
-Where do you know people from?(c'mon! give me a break! I don't even like you! sigh)
- All over the world
-All over Mexico?
-Nope, all over the world
-As in....? (did parents stop teaching manners? did I miss a proclaim abolishing decorum and good form?)
- (sigh!) US, Spain, Australia, Scotland, Japan, India...
- I DON'T BELIEVE YOU
- Listen, I don't care if you do. (yes, I was goaded into saying that!!! would you believe she was unfazed? and she didn't even say 'I don't believe you' in a 'shut up!!!' or 'no way' nice sort of way. She really believed I was lying to her. So you see, you, all of you are a figment of my imagination)
- Well, if it is true, how come you are not afraid?
WHAAAATTTTTT???????
- I am not dumb, I know what people I choose to make friends with, (not you, peacock-nosy-rude- lady!) and I don't fool around where I shouldn't.
Then I took my phone, hid my laptop and hid my seething self in the kitchen.
THE NERVE OF SOME PEOPLE!!!!!!
ARE YOU ONE?
I was given that haughty, patronizing look by one of my customers... She had seen me crocheting the squares for my daughters' blankies (that was about a week ago) and the very same afternoon she showed up with her knitting, a little sweater for her boy, who is about a forthnight older than my BH. She waited, looked at me, I pretended not to notice her superiority pose. Finally she must have gotten tired because she asked me "Don't you know how to KNIT?"
In the tone some other would ask "Dont you love your Savior?"
I couldn't help laughing! But I did not answer, I'm sad to say... I just laughed and left. Afterwards I thought of so many things I could have answered. I just thought it was so funny!
EDIT: oh! the snobbery! just now I had an incident! and it involved talking about you, my friends!!!!! I was writting the post and some customers arrived. I had my phone connected to my laptop because I was downloading some new photos, and while I ducked to retrieve the glass to give them their drink....
... when I popped up, they had my phone. My phone. And they had unplugged it from my laptop. And were playing with it.
Can you say "rude"? and these two women (mother and daughter) always give themselves airs of great dames. There they were, nosing around. I asked them for the phone in as polite a tone as I could muster. It is a peeve of mine, that I really resent people who don't know me take my things without asking first. If I don't know you personally, only as a customer, please, ASK BEFORE you just unplug and take someone else's phone!
Just when they were giving it back, a message from my friend (you know who you are, girl!) rang. They almost threw it to me and said in an angry tone" Answer!" WTF???????
ok, keep cool. Then they asked me who it was... WHAT??????
-A friend.
-A friend? why don't you answer?
-I did
-I didn't hear you (I really swore internally. Where's a punching bag when you need it?)
- I texted her
-Why doesn't she call you? (none of your business!!!!!!)
- because she is far away
- That's what phones are for
-She is in another country
- I don't believe you (WHAAAAAT?)
- well, she is
-how did you meet her? (none of your business! order and begone!!!!!)
- (sigh) the internet
- the internet? you know how to use it? (I mentally slapped my forehead, really)
-yes, I know a little
- I don't believe you (gosh! please go! I just shrugged)
- Well...
-Where do you know people from?(c'mon! give me a break! I don't even like you! sigh)
- All over the world
-All over Mexico?
-Nope, all over the world
-As in....? (did parents stop teaching manners? did I miss a proclaim abolishing decorum and good form?)
- (sigh!) US, Spain, Australia, Scotland, Japan, India...
- I DON'T BELIEVE YOU
- Listen, I don't care if you do. (yes, I was goaded into saying that!!! would you believe she was unfazed? and she didn't even say 'I don't believe you' in a 'shut up!!!' or 'no way' nice sort of way. She really believed I was lying to her. So you see, you, all of you are a figment of my imagination)
- Well, if it is true, how come you are not afraid?
WHAAAATTTTTT???????
- I am not dumb, I know what people I choose to make friends with, (not you, peacock-nosy-rude- lady!) and I don't fool around where I shouldn't.
Then I took my phone, hid my laptop and hid my seething self in the kitchen.
THE NERVE OF SOME PEOPLE!!!!!!
Public Crocheting too!
Following Libby's lead, here's a photo of me crocheting in public! I'm behind the bar at work, making progress in the starghan... who else crochets in public? c'mon, I wanna see you! knit, crochet, whatever!!!!!
Oh, and about the CAL, how about aiming to finish it by the end of June? and we will post images in our post and/or in Ravelry... what do you think?
Thanks for all your kind comments, and my love goes right back at you. Please, keep remembering me in your prayers.
Here I am still!
Hello there! Did you think I'd abandoned you? well I did, sorta. I've been crazy busy, with major changes and major challenges in my life... life's never been as good and as bad as it is right now. I won't bore you with the bad things, because I don't want to cry all over my keyboard and it would be extremely embarasing if a customer came in while I'm sobbing my woes over to all of you. This will have to wait for a more auspicious moment. But I do ask of you, my friends, to pray for me. I really need it and I'm feeling very very baffled and lost.
Ok, on merrier things... My littlest one, LH saw her daddy and me cleaning the house and decided she wanted to help out. This is her version of sweeping the floors. The broom must be about four inches above the floor, but gosh does she move it in earnest! Luv her!!!
And the patron of BH school is none other than the Holy Trinity. So this past weekend being their day and all, they had Mass at the school among other activities... this is my big little girl, the second from last! She looks so tiny doesn't she? even when I realized the "big" boys are only five years old!!!!!! that's her teacher in the back, and the one in the front teaches first grade of preeschool. The building they are in is not the one my girl goes to school at, but the junior High, that gray door in the back used to be my taquimechanography classroom... brr! I still get chills from remembering that assignment! lol!!!
Ok, on merrier things... My littlest one, LH saw her daddy and me cleaning the house and decided she wanted to help out. This is her version of sweeping the floors. The broom must be about four inches above the floor, but gosh does she move it in earnest! Luv her!!!
And the patron of BH school is none other than the Holy Trinity. So this past weekend being their day and all, they had Mass at the school among other activities... this is my big little girl, the second from last! She looks so tiny doesn't she? even when I realized the "big" boys are only five years old!!!!!! that's her teacher in the back, and the one in the front teaches first grade of preeschool. The building they are in is not the one my girl goes to school at, but the junior High, that gray door in the back used to be my taquimechanography classroom... brr! I still get chills from remembering that assignment! lol!!!
You wanna know what they were lining up to? they were the "choir"! how cool is that? well, they actually only sang the entrance song, because being so litte they don't have the hability to stay still the whole mass. After that song, the "big" choir took over. That's my girl again, front row, second from right.
And while my talented and hard working daugthers have been doing all this, do you think I've been slacking? no siree! Here's a sneak peek to what I've started... :) how do you like it? the silvery gray and white are acrylic, and the pink is chenille. I tried knitting with chenille before but I could never see my stitches properly and dropped them more often than I was comfortable with, so I frogged the little sweater and it is becoming this. I think I might crochet the same sweater, it was so easy crocheting with it, and my girls love the softness of it.
Well, that's it so far. Really, remember me in your prayers, cause I'm desperately in need of them. Luv ya!
EDIT
I just realized... I'm about to have my 100th post! yup, in a couple of posts more I'm gonna reach the 100 mark! yaay! now, I have to see how are we going to celebrate....
EDIT
I just realized... I'm about to have my 100th post! yup, in a couple of posts more I'm gonna reach the 100 mark! yaay! now, I have to see how are we going to celebrate....
Enough to be inspired
Yesterday I posted links to some of my friend's blogs. I love meeting new people, and I love it even better when I can make friends with them, distance notwithstanding.
And I LUUUUV finding work that is eyecandy and pulls at my craft side of the brain! lol! I just "found" this blog...
...today and I spent more than my share of free time perusing... I got really inspired by some things I saw in her blog, plus a conversation I had a few nights ago with my friend Alessandra...
... But I'm not gonna tell you about it until I have time to make it real!!! I still owe that hotpad to Libby and the gang!!!! shame shame shame!!!!!
I think Alessandra already guessed what I'm up to.... hehehehehe!
(lol! and I also learned how to do a screenshot! I didn't know how to do that! did you know? I'm such a klutz!)
And I LUUUUV finding work that is eyecandy and pulls at my craft side of the brain! lol! I just "found" this blog...
...today and I spent more than my share of free time perusing... I got really inspired by some things I saw in her blog, plus a conversation I had a few nights ago with my friend Alessandra...
... But I'm not gonna tell you about it until I have time to make it real!!! I still owe that hotpad to Libby and the gang!!!! shame shame shame!!!!!
I think Alessandra already guessed what I'm up to.... hehehehehe!
(lol! and I also learned how to do a screenshot! I didn't know how to do that! did you know? I'm such a klutz!)
FA-BU-LOUS!
My friend Alessandra has just listed in her Etsy shop the pattern for her Oh-so-gorgeous wreath!!!!
I can tell you, that girl has talent! And the wreath can be customized! so, go check her out. She has also listed her button necklace pattern, and that necklace is just SO COOL!
Also, for some yarn envy, see what Libby just scored! lucky girl!
And while you are it, a funny post by Jane about swatches... and check Jane's lacework!!!!!
Ok, in for a penny, in for a pound! This awesome, crazy, wonderful thing by Dawn has me drooling!
Sigh! I think I'll stop now or I'll go insane with all the wonderful, delish things going on in the blogosphere! see ya!
I can tell you, that girl has talent! And the wreath can be customized! so, go check her out. She has also listed her button necklace pattern, and that necklace is just SO COOL!
Also, for some yarn envy, see what Libby just scored! lucky girl!
And while you are it, a funny post by Jane about swatches... and check Jane's lacework!!!!!
Ok, in for a penny, in for a pound! This awesome, crazy, wonderful thing by Dawn has me drooling!
Sigh! I think I'll stop now or I'll go insane with all the wonderful, delish things going on in the blogosphere! see ya!
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