Before I was a knitter…

I did counted cross stitch. Lots of it. I’ve always been crafty, but cross stitch was my thing. I’ve given away almost all of it and since it was pre-digital camera and flickr, I don’t have pictures of it. I’m hoping over the next year to so to get pictures of everything when I visit various family members who have the majority of it.

First up, 2 things that belong to my Grandma.

One of the bridges of Madison County from Better Homes and Gardens Cross Stitch Magazine, I’m not even sure it’s published any more. They did a series of 4 of them. I’ve made 3. The fourth has been a WiP for almost 10 year, but my goal is to finish it. My mom, my grandma and I each have one, the 4th is for my sister, Chicabean. eeek. I don’t know if you can see the detail but it’s amazing.

My grandma collections Santa Clauses so I made this for her.

Now what?

I finished Harry Potter on Thursday. It was my day off and I put the time to good use. Right now I’m considering audio books the best invention since AC. No spoilers, but I will say I loved the end. Please don’t leave spoilers in the comments either, as someone who was desperately avoiding them I respect anyone who’s still finishing it. But if you wanna email directly we can talk about it. Since I listened to all the books straight through, that’s really all I’ve been doing for the last 6 weeks, so I feel rather bereft, I’m not sure what I should be doing with myself. *sigh*

In the continuing effort to make the house look so fabulous that it will sell tomorrow I’ve been doing some things I’ve planned to work for, oh I don’t know, the last year. I love odds and ends furniture not the matching stuff, so my parents are always picking stuff up for me at swap meets, estate sales etc. Sometimes it doesn’t work out but sometimes it’s love as first sight. The kind of love that needs a little coaching and some patient understanding because after all these are second hand pieces. I give you project one, I’ll call it an end table because that’s what I use it for, but I”m not sure it’s original use. Half of the top opens up and makes a great place to stash yarn. After some sanding, some primer and some paint ta da! It actually needs another coat of paint, but I love that blue color, it’s called Paris Blue.

I also painted this kitchen table, it was in bad shape and it really should have been done long ago. It was much more time consuming. What I love about it is that it has a removable leaf and the leaves on each end that fold down. Perfect for a small kitchen or dining room space, but it can seat 6 or 8 if you want to get really close. I coudlnt’ really decide on a color, I considered just plain white, but I’m really pleased with this yellow (officially Lemon Ice) It will look great with all my red and blue dishes.

She’s a crafty girl

Sometimes I just can not believe the kindness of other bloggers. From all the encouraging words on my knitting to the unbelievable support a couple of months ago with the creepy guy. Here’s yet another example, Kate tried soap making and didn’t like it, so she offered up her supplied to the first person who claimed them. Lucky me! Not only did she send them without even charing shipping she send them priority mail! It was on my doorstep when I got home last night after then end of a rather long day. Look at all that stuff! Two soap molds (both of them are ones I don’t have), scent, colors, additives! This is going in my tubs of soap making stuff, which I think means I’ll need a bigger tub. Oh yeah, tubs – not just for yarn! Thanks Kate, I’ll put this to good use! Go check out her blog she knits and sews and she’s super nice! I won her blog contest earlier this year and she sent me an autographed copy of the Harlot’s latest book.

Another Farmer’s Market Bag

and proof I’m still a live. I’ve been super busy and most of it isn’t very exciting. I did finally finish my farmer’s market bag. My as in the one I’m keeping for myself. There has been a lot of interest in these and I’m considering writing a pattern, which I’ve never done before. Can anyone who has give me some tips or suggestions?

Here it is with some potatoes and a apple in it. It looks pretty small over all, but it’s so stretchy I think it’s the perfect size. If it were bigger and I filled it I wouldn’t be able to carry it.

Of course I wasn’t on the photo shoot along. I managed to get one half decent picture of Oscar (right). He’s soooo anti picture you’d think he was famous.

Simon (below) on the other hand is a complete ham for the camera. Its hot and humid here, see the little pink tongues at 10 am? They didn’t even play outside but demanded to be let back into the air conditioning!

My tomato plants are just starting to get tomatoes on them. Oscar LOVES tomatoes. He will eat all the green ones off the vine if I let him. Last summer I was sitting in the living room and I could hear scratching I looked in the kitchen and he had gotten the chair pushed away from the table and was standing on it with one paw on the table and the other trying to get a tomato. He never tries to get on the table! I know I should have been mad, but it was just too funny. I’ve never head of a dog loving tomatoes that much!

Show me your WiPs!

Ever notice those projects on the side bar? Wonder why the heck the Drop Stitch Lace Tank is still there? Has she bothered to picked up Mentionable this month? Does she even still knit? Well nows your chance to find out! Turtlegirl suggested a show me your WiPs Wednesday, I’m not saying I’ll do it every Wednesday becuase we all know I’m can’t commit, but I’ll do it occasionally

• Remember the Dollar n Half Cardigan? It’s on hiatus. I put it aside for several reasons, I needed something portable to take on the train, I think I’m going to frog so I can have stockinette vs reverse stockinette. Yeah, yeah that was 2 months ago, whatever. I think I’ll start working again soon, but don’t hold your breath.

• Yes, it’s the Drop Stitch Lace Tank I still haven’t fixed it. But I will. I swear!

• Mentionable , I am working on this a little every evening. I’m getting close to finishing the body.

• What’s that? More crochet? Yep! It’s the start of a Farmer’s Market Bag for me. In pink, cuz pink rocks and I rock.

• Scarf w/edging 21 & insertion 25 pg 100 from Victorian Lace Today. Love it! Love knitting lace. Plus easier than I thought. This is my first real lace project Look out lace here I come! Soon I be swathed in lace knit shawls, hankies, collars you name it! Ok not really because we all know I don’t actually knit that fast.

btw – I made a major error and you can see it in this picture if you’re really looking. Rather than frog I’ve opted to call it a design signature and keep going because it’s a scarf and I don’t think it will be obvious.

Happy Knitting!