It's going to be ridiculously cold here tomorrow. It snowed for a good chunk of today, but we didn't get very much accumulation, and our high was somewhere in the low 20s. Cold, but not too bad.
Tomorrow? We will struggle to reach zero degrees. As our HIGH. Holy Moly.
The school district, in all their wisdom, has elected to cancel school for tomorrow because of the temperature. Pretend you don't see me doing my happy dance, kay?
Monday, January 31, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
just breathe
January is always a busy month for me... in addition to cleaning up from Christmas and celebrating my birthday, it's also my wedding anniversary and a huge testing month at school. I've only just stopped to breathe!
Only in the last couple of days have I gotten back into sewing and crocheting. I (FINALLY) started quilting my quilt along quilt... only six months late. I was so scared about quilting into the quilt top that I didn't do anything for a long time. I sort of punked out... I'm not doing free motion stippling (I still suck at that and need more practice), I'm stitching in the ditch with my walking foot.
I dove into my project list and started this baby quilt for a friend who has a sweet baby girl due in just one week!
I've also amassed quite the collection of vintage pillowcases... I see a vintage quilt in my future!
These two are my favorites:
Only in the last couple of days have I gotten back into sewing and crocheting. I (FINALLY) started quilting my quilt along quilt... only six months late. I was so scared about quilting into the quilt top that I didn't do anything for a long time. I sort of punked out... I'm not doing free motion stippling (I still suck at that and need more practice), I'm stitching in the ditch with my walking foot.
I dove into my project list and started this baby quilt for a friend who has a sweet baby girl due in just one week!
I'm hoping to complete several quilts in 2011. Notice I said "hoping". Gotta leave myself some wiggle room. :)
Thursday, January 6, 2011
2011 is definitely getting better...
Happy birthday to me! Hubby is taking me out to Melting Pot tonight for dinner. YUM!
It was a pretty typical day at school but things perked up immensely when I got home. Lovely presents from Hubby (he really spoiled me!) and a fun dinner to look forward to.
Maybe we can hit Barnes and Noble after dinner for some book browsing... one of my favorite activities at one of my favorite stores. It really doesn't take much to keep me happy. :)
I hope your day is just as wonderful!
It was a pretty typical day at school but things perked up immensely when I got home. Lovely presents from Hubby (he really spoiled me!) and a fun dinner to look forward to.
Maybe we can hit Barnes and Noble after dinner for some book browsing... one of my favorite activities at one of my favorite stores. It really doesn't take much to keep me happy. :)
I hope your day is just as wonderful!
Saturday, January 1, 2011
2011? where did 2010 go?
Happy New Year, friends. The last month has been filled with all sorts of craziness, and I'm not even talking about Christmas...
Hubby and I just got home last night after 7 days with his family in Massachussetts. Before that I spent about a week in Florida with my own family. I love to see our families, but it's a relief to be home, sleeping in our own bed, sitting on our own couch, just me and Hubby.
Sadly, we also came home to a very sick goldfish. Superfish has been part of our family for over two years. He was a tiny feeder goldfish that came as part of an animal unit that I teach to my kindergartners every year. My whole class voted to name him Superfish and at the end of the school year in 2008 he was the only goldfish that survived, so I brought him home.
While we were gone he got some sort of icky infection... he was still breathing when we got home around 9:30 after traveling all day but he didn't make it through the night.
My sweet husband dug a hole in our snowy frozen tundra of a backyard so we could bury him properly. It was really sad... we loved that crazy fish.
I'm really hoping 2011 gets better...
Hubby and I just got home last night after 7 days with his family in Massachussetts. Before that I spent about a week in Florida with my own family. I love to see our families, but it's a relief to be home, sleeping in our own bed, sitting on our own couch, just me and Hubby.
Sadly, we also came home to a very sick goldfish. Superfish has been part of our family for over two years. He was a tiny feeder goldfish that came as part of an animal unit that I teach to my kindergartners every year. My whole class voted to name him Superfish and at the end of the school year in 2008 he was the only goldfish that survived, so I brought him home.
While we were gone he got some sort of icky infection... he was still breathing when we got home around 9:30 after traveling all day but he didn't make it through the night.
My sweet husband dug a hole in our snowy frozen tundra of a backyard so we could bury him properly. It was really sad... we loved that crazy fish.
I'm really hoping 2011 gets better...
Saturday, December 11, 2010
baby gifts
My friend Nancy just had a baby boy (okay, he was born September 3rd) and he's just too cute! I sent Nancy and Ruffin a package recently and wanted to show you what I made...
I crocheted trim around fleece and added a monkey motif. It's a pretty small blanket, meant to be used in a carseat or stroller.
I made another changing pad using the Bernina pattern. This one was fun because I used my free motion presser foot for the very first time to quilt it! It was pretty cool to be able to make all kinds of wavy lines.
I picked this lovey up at Target to continue the monkey theme of the gift. I read somewhere that if Mom sleeps with the lovey and then gives it to her child, it will hold her scent and comfort Baby. Interesting concept.
No present is complete without something for the new mom! I sent Nancy one of my zippered pouches and a crocheted headband.
I put together a cute little card to tie it all together.
I crocheted trim around fleece and added a monkey motif. It's a pretty small blanket, meant to be used in a carseat or stroller.
I made another changing pad using the Bernina pattern. This one was fun because I used my free motion presser foot for the very first time to quilt it! It was pretty cool to be able to make all kinds of wavy lines.
I picked this lovey up at Target to continue the monkey theme of the gift. I read somewhere that if Mom sleeps with the lovey and then gives it to her child, it will hold her scent and comfort Baby. Interesting concept.
No present is complete without something for the new mom! I sent Nancy one of my zippered pouches and a crocheted headband.
I put together a cute little card to tie it all together.
Congratulations on the birth of your beautiful baby boy, Nancy! I hope you liked your package. :)
Thursday, December 9, 2010
headbands
Since headbands have become so popular the last few years, I jumped on the bandwagon and crocheted a headband modeled after my daisy chain scarf pattern. I love regular headbands, but they squeeze my head in all the wrong places and give me a giant headache. This one is nice because it doesn't make me feel like my head is in a vise. (This one is Nancy's, but mine looks the same. Don't worry, Nancy, I didn't send you a used headband, lol!)
When I wore it to work, a friend saw it and asked me to make some for her two elementary school daughters. This is what I came up with...
I decided to get a little fancier than my original headband. The simple one works well for me but I figured the girls needed a little more pizzazz than that.
Sorry about the bad second photo. I still suck at photographing purple.
When I wore it to work, a friend saw it and asked me to make some for her two elementary school daughters. This is what I came up with...
I decided to get a little fancier than my original headband. The simple one works well for me but I figured the girls needed a little more pizzazz than that.
Sorry about the bad second photo. I still suck at photographing purple.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
knuffle bunny
Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, by Mo Willems, has long been one of my favorite picture books for kids. My favorite part is when Trixie is trying to tell her dad that Knuffle Bunny is missing, and she says "Aggle flaggle klabble! Blaggle plabble! Wumby flappy?! Snurp.". So sweet!
When I saw this pattern for a Knuffle Bunny on emilie handmade, I knew I had to make one! One of my very dear friends is having a baby early next year, and since she's also a teacher I thought it would make a nice Christmas gift for her.
Knuffle Bunny will be accompanied by a copy of the original book. There is also a Knuffle Bunny Too and a Knuffle Bunny Free! Mo Willems is a great writer. Have you ever seen Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus?
I do have one question that I'd like to pose to you: Is it bad to give my pregnant friend a baby gift for Christmas? I'm also giving her a baby quilt closer to when the baby is born, but I really wanted to do this for her. Is it considered bad etiquette? Discuss. :)
When I saw this pattern for a Knuffle Bunny on emilie handmade, I knew I had to make one! One of my very dear friends is having a baby early next year, and since she's also a teacher I thought it would make a nice Christmas gift for her.
Knuffle Bunny will be accompanied by a copy of the original book. There is also a Knuffle Bunny Too and a Knuffle Bunny Free! Mo Willems is a great writer. Have you ever seen Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus?
I do have one question that I'd like to pose to you: Is it bad to give my pregnant friend a baby gift for Christmas? I'm also giving her a baby quilt closer to when the baby is born, but I really wanted to do this for her. Is it considered bad etiquette? Discuss. :)
Sunday, December 5, 2010
homeless shelter hat
Every Tuesday night I go to a knit/crochet group at a local yarn store. A bunch of ladies from all ages and walks of life gather together for a couple of hours to knit, crochet, and talk. I started going in August, right before school started, and I really enjoy it!
One of the women who knits was watching a movie with her boyfriend and he caught sight of a crocheted hat in blue and white... she thinks it's terribly ugly and dubbed it the "homeless shelter hat" but he LOVED it. She wanted to make it for him for Christmas but doesn't crochet.
We decided to do a swap... I'd make the hat and she'll make me a knitted cowl. She decided on blue and gray, and here is the finished hat!
I actually like how it turned out. The color changes on every row meant lots of ends to weave in, but the end resut was worth it.
One of the women who knits was watching a movie with her boyfriend and he caught sight of a crocheted hat in blue and white... she thinks it's terribly ugly and dubbed it the "homeless shelter hat" but he LOVED it. She wanted to make it for him for Christmas but doesn't crochet.
We decided to do a swap... I'd make the hat and she'll make me a knitted cowl. She decided on blue and gray, and here is the finished hat!
I actually like how it turned out. The color changes on every row meant lots of ends to weave in, but the end resut was worth it.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
skinny daisy chain scarf
I am so excited about this... it's my very first tutorial/pattern!
I love scarves in the fall and winter. I'm a scarf-a-holic... my husband is currently researching scarf rehab options for me. He's asked me several times to stop buying/making/otherwise acquiring scarves, but I just can't help myself.
So. Here we go with a scarf pattern, yay!
Skinny Daisy Chain Scarf
This scarf is a great accessory! (totally useless to keep you warm!)
Notes: I used Lion Brand Wool Ease and an H/5mm hook, but you can use any yarn and hook. Gague is not important for this project. I'm assuming you have a basic knowledge of crochet, but if you need help, you can find it here and here.
Ch 4, join to first ch with sl st.
Ch 3, 11 dc into ring, sl st to top of beginning ch 3.
Ch 1, *[sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc] in next st
sl st in next st.
repeat from * around to create six "petals".
ch 15, and make the loop on your hook big so that you don't pull out any stitches. Cut a long tail for connecting later.
Make 16 of these daisy and chain combinations, and one daisy without the chain. Use the loop you left to slip stitch them together.
Weave in all ends.
I also made a headband using this same method... make the flower and crochet the chain as long as you need to go around your head. Slip stitch back to the other side of the flower and there you go!
If you try this pattern out and find any errors, please let me know so I can correct them. Also, I wrote the pattern so that it makes sense to me but may seem to be complete gibberish to you. Let me know if you need clarification. Thank you!
I love scarves in the fall and winter. I'm a scarf-a-holic... my husband is currently researching scarf rehab options for me. He's asked me several times to stop buying/making/otherwise acquiring scarves, but I just can't help myself.
So. Here we go with a scarf pattern, yay!
Skinny Daisy Chain Scarf
This scarf is a great accessory! (totally useless to keep you warm!)
Notes: I used Lion Brand Wool Ease and an H/5mm hook, but you can use any yarn and hook. Gague is not important for this project. I'm assuming you have a basic knowledge of crochet, but if you need help, you can find it here and here.
Ch 4, join to first ch with sl st.
Ch 3, 11 dc into ring, sl st to top of beginning ch 3.
Ch 1, *[sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc] in next st
sl st in next st.
repeat from * around to create six "petals".
ch 15, and make the loop on your hook big so that you don't pull out any stitches. Cut a long tail for connecting later.
Make 16 of these daisy and chain combinations, and one daisy without the chain. Use the loop you left to slip stitch them together.
Weave in all ends.
I also made a headband using this same method... make the flower and crochet the chain as long as you need to go around your head. Slip stitch back to the other side of the flower and there you go!
If you try this pattern out and find any errors, please let me know so I can correct them. Also, I wrote the pattern so that it makes sense to me but may seem to be complete gibberish to you. Let me know if you need clarification. Thank you!
Saturday, November 27, 2010
giving thanks
Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you had a lovely holiday. I'm thankful for lots of things this year... my husband, my family and friends, being able to make stuff, and for you, dear reader.
Right now I'm nursing a war wound from cooking Thanksgiving dinner. Don't try to peel your finger with a vegetable peeler. It hurts.
Right now I'm nursing a war wound from cooking Thanksgiving dinner. Don't try to peel your finger with a vegetable peeler. It hurts.
Come back tomorrow for something exciting and new! (No, it's not the Love Boat.)
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