Inspired!

TGIF! And no not because I have the weekend off (cause I don't), or that its payday this friday, (unlike some.) but because even among my busy early morninng of errands I had the perfect to-go mug of tea, some hot oatmeal and even time to catch up on my hooky reading: http://attic24.typepad.com/ and it has me so excited to fit in my own hooky time this weekend to work on a couple baby blankets for a couple friends.  Look at those adorable little baby toes with those blankets! <3 Simple Bliss!




Via Attic24



A Very Big Thank You

It has been some time now since I’ve updated. My crochet and attempted knitting was put on hold.

What I really want to share with this post is the small acts of kindness some people take the time to do.

  It started after I moved, and I had a few rough personal things going on at the same time. I desperately needed my crochet and knitting to keep me focused on something else so I didn’t spend the little free time I had worrying about something I couldn’t change. Thing was, I didn’t have enough yarn to start even a small project nor, did I have the funds, after this move, to buy yarn.

“Ask and you shall receive.”

    I don’t like asking for help, don’t like asking for anything. I got a thing about not wanting to burden others with my issues, but I really felt I needed some yarn, my hooks and needles. I needed my form of therapy, I needed what I knew would pull me through anything. I’ve learned crochet and knitting can do that.

 Thing was, I didn’t have any ideas as to where to start looking for free or really cheap yarn. So I went to the Ravelry forums. I normally just read through the ones I follow, I’m not big on the interaction because my internet access is so sporadic that it isn’t for long  enough to keep up with posting in conversations.

   I explained my situation and wondered if I could get some help in finding free or cheap yarn. I knew, from reading many other blogs and knowing how most of us feel about yarn stashes that someone would have an idea about how to start one on no and/or a very tight budget.

Sure enough the ideas and helpfulness poured in. It truly made me love fellow knitters and crocheters.

Here’s some I wrote down incase anyone finds themselves wondering:

-Unravel old sweaters or buy them at The Goodwill for cheap and unravel. (same can be done with a cut up t-shirt.)

-Believe it or not I’ve been told sometimes The Goodwill has yarn and the 99 cent store occasionally carries it.

-EBay and Craig’s List as well as Free Cycle

-Ravelry Groups:

    Yarn Cycle

    Will work for yarn swap

     Yarn Storming

     Un-ravelers

“Small acts of Kindness”

After a reading a few unkind, well very unkind posts I suddenly felt horrible for having asked. Then I received a couple messages from a few different women who had some yarn in their stashes they wouldn’t mind sending my way, for free. I couldn’t believe it; I really couldn’t believe the absolute kindness being offered from complete strangers. I would come to realize in the next few weeks though that what tied us together was a love for a craft.

 Over those few weeks, 3 women sent me packages of yarn. Beautiful yarns, a variety I never thought I’d have the chance to own. Some skeins being brand new, still with tags and wrappers. My heart burst with joy coming home to find a package or an envelope waiting for me. The endless project possibilities that lay with each new yarn I’d pull out. The kindness I knew that went into the time taken to gather, pack, and ship the yarn always amazed me. That something like this was done for me.

Another small act of kindness I received was done for my by two co-workers. Being as amazed and excited as I was at receiving the yarn, I shared what was going on with them and one, brought me a bag of yarn from her mom, who also crocheted. The other brought me a box she had bought at the Goodwill of knitting needles, from when she had attempted to learn to knit. Up until then I was knitting with one pair of bamboo needles given to me by someone else. Now, I had variety, which has now opened up my ability to work on my knitting skills.

“Pay it Forward”

The kindness that has been shown to me with this experience has truly warmed my heart. There have been many other kindnesses that have been given to me in the last few years; this will be added to the list of things done for me that I will always be deeply grateful for. It will serve, as do they all, as a reminder to always be kind, to help when and how I can and if I ever have the ability to send out Yarn Care Packages I will. I’ll remember to Pay it Forward.

                                                                    

                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

 

Moostaches and An Octopus

                                                                     

TA-DAH!

  Need I say more?

Okay, I will, just a little. I loved making these little appliques. They were quick and simple with little yarn needed. I might be on a roll with appliques for a bit. We'll see.

    Credit for the patterns I used:  

michelle clement for the adorable octopus. I couldn't get an actual pattern, so I went off the photo on her site to create mine.

lauren frank for the "Moostache" found via Ravelry.

Happy Things

I've really been into a Nautical theme lately, I guess I'm feeling summer coming on. :) So to share I've decided to make my own version of  Meredith's (One Sheepish Girl) Blush List.

Happy Things

  
Knitting//Medano Beach

Crochet//Crochet Nautical iPhone Case

Style//Nautical Nails, Sweet Outfit, Octopus Ring,

 

Art//Knitting Narwhals

Update.....

Okay okay. Things have been crazy busy, so much so I haven't much had time to crochet, practice knitting or even keep up with reading my favorite Kitty/Crochet blogs.

Things going on:
  1. Work, work, more work and no play
           This is good though, I need the hours that bring the pay, and I really do love where I work and the people I work with.
   2. Catching up on my reading.
  I really need to finish Gone With the Wind already. If you remember I mentioned I was starting it back in December

  3.  Good news: I got a new Camera! 
 Bought it used at a rummage sale, it works, I just need to figure out how to make sure its charging.

4. And I've been getting a few personal things getting dealt with/done/organized
  
  

Cowl Ta-Dah!

 Cowl Ta-Da!

Pretty huh? Wish I could get better pictures but I only have my trusty camera phone.

As I mentioned here, in my W.I.Ps post I was working on  a project for me.

 

I'm so excited to have it now that its done. I've worn it a few times to work already and its almost like having a cozy blanket snuggled up by my chin all day. Its been a perfect substitute for days where I just haven't wanted to leave the warmth of my bed blankets. I feel quite stylish in it too, if I do say so myself. Its super soft too! I'm so glad I splurged and used the cashmere "scary-expensive" yarn for my first self project. 

This is my camera-phone attempt to show the texture from the stitches but, not so good. 

Since I used a stitch I saw over at the Attic, I'm sure Lucy wouldn't mind if I borrowed one of her lovely photos to show the texture. 

via Attic 24// Crochet Tin Covers

 I crocheted a 100 ch stitches and crocheting hdc in the back loops only around. Nice, simple, pretty!

I'll try to get a picture of me in it soon. :D

Crafty Ink

Well... I've always wanted a tattoo. So, in my looking around the web at tattoo designs I might want, I looked and found some pretty neat Crafty Tattoos. Not sure if I'll ever get one like these but they are all really neat.

    

                                 

1. flickr 2. pocket full of pretty  3. unforgettable
4. not your average hooker//tumblr  5. flickr
6. f yeah tattoos//tumblr   7. pintrest   8. pintrest

 

So, this is the one I'm thinking of getting as a first tattoo. Start small. I love that it's on the back of the neck and I think it would be super cute with my short hair. 

 Via pintrest//someday my tattoo

Possible Future Tattoos: