How did that hole get there?

I put it there of course! This is the scarf I made for my mom's birthday. That's my delightful lampshade modeling for your viewing pleasure. The scarf's designed so the end without the hole can pass through the end with hole. That way a strong gust of wind can't blow your scarf halfway off! I saw one like this made on a episode of Knitty Gritty once and always wanted to try it. I was a little nervous about putting a hole in the middle of my scarf, but once I figured out how to add the stitches back on to a row after binding some of them off in the previous row, I was in good shape. Presto, magico! A hole-y scarf!

A whole week!

I can't believe it's been a week since my last post. Things have been so hectic! Thursday and Friday were filled with family and food, with a little stamping on the side. I finished a page for a recipe swap in which I participated, and worked on a top-secret knitted item for a Christmas present. Saturday was my mom's birthday, so we celebrated with her in the morning over breakfast. Sunday was a stay at home day with the dogs and Monday back to work. I've been sick the past two days, missing work and everything, but I did finish the scarf I started or my mom's birthday present. I gave it to her tonight and she really liked it. I will post a pic tomorrow, but for today I will share my swap page and my mom's birthday cards (I was enlisted to make one for my sister to give her as well).



All images Copyright Stampin' Up! 1990-2006.

Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you enjoy a relaxing, blessed day with the ones you care about. I am looking forward to spending time with my family, chowing down on turkey and mashies (mashed potatoes), and overall being grateful for all I have in this world.

I was thinking about just how grateful I am while I was working on my sister's purse this evening. While hand-sewing (yes, I said hand!) the seams of the lining, I reflected back on the things we faced growing up, as well as the things that forced us to truly grow up. As I whipstitched the lining into the bag, I remembered the actual stitches she had to get when she cut the bridge of her nose while learning to walk. She still has a faint scar there. As I tied the satin bow, I thought of the beautiful niece she gave me, and how I once noticed she too had a line across the bridge of her nose, her mother's mark so to speak.

Have you ever felt so full of emotion you could burst? That's how I felt tonight, thinking about my sister and the amazing woman she's become. I held her as a baby, and I was lucky enough to be in the room as she had hers. Maybe I will tuck a copy of this post into her purse for Christmas so she can know that it's no ordinary purse she's getting, that it's all the love I have for her wrapped up in black yarn and tied with a red ribbon.

Could I tell her all this when I see her tomorrow? Sure I could, but it would ruin my tough big sister act.

Knitting fiend

I just made the most adorable cable knit clutch! I found the pattern here. It was my first foray into cable knitting, and I think it went quite well. I still need to put the finishing touches on it and then I'll post a photo. It's going to be a Christmas gift for my sister, so I hope she likes it. Many thanks to the designer, Ruth, who gave me a few helpful hints! BTW, it didn't take long to work this up--a couple of nights while watching tv.

Sunday Afternoon

Miss me? I know it's been a while, but I've been busy. I was preparing for last night's stamp club meeting, which went quite well. In addition to the normal six of us, we had four guests, one of whom signed up to be a demonstrator! We did four projects and everyone finished in record time. My thanks to all who came and stamped with me!

I was so tired this morning, but after I got moving F-bomb and I went to Starbucks where I had a most delicious gingerbread latte. Then we went to the driving range, where I had a surprisingly good day shooting his cavity clubs. I'm a blade shooter myself. Then we had our usual putting match, which I lost this week, but I have what I think is a good excuse...I was wearing my glasses! Now this might sound odd, but I normally don't wear them to hit balls. I wear bi-focals, so the transition in the lens had me all jacked up on the putting green today. Oh well...

Anyway, I should head off to do some stamping for some other projects I've got in the pipeline. Surf's up, lol. Check ya later...

You Are Ock?

I made this for my co-worker who completed a marathon on Sunday. I got to work early to hang it in her doorway before she arrived, which I managed to do with about 5 minutes to spare. So anyway, she walks in to her little surprise (I brought donuts to celebrate) and was really excited. She started reading her sign..."You are Ock?" looking sort of puzzled. Then the light came on..."Oh, you rock!" We laughed so hard! Until our other co-worker said "I couldn't figure out the sign. Your name's not Urock." I think she's going be Ock for a while...

All images Stampin' Up! Copyright 1990-2006.

As promised...

Here's a picture of a non-card item we are making at my workshop this weekend. It's a note pad holder with sheets of paper I cut down to size and stamped along the bottom. It's just needs a matching pen or something and then it's ready to be a holiday "to do" list! The photo's a little washed out, the colors are much richer in person.

I still need to design the recipe page, but at least I have the recipe typed and formatted. I just need to run it onto card stock and cut them to size. I have images swirling around in my head as far as what I want the page to look like, so tomorrow I will have to make it all happen.

All images Stampin' Up! Copyright 1990-2006.

I'll admit it...

I've actually stamped something in the past two days! I know I've been threatening to do it, and now the deed is done. I started working on my workshop projects so I wouldn't be up half the night all this week putting them together. So far, I've put together two holiday-themed items, my technique page, and I still need to design my recipe page. This is different from the recipe swap page I mentioned in a previous post. However, I'm really tired tonight so I will wait to post a picture of something until tomorrow. So, if you clubbers are out there lurking around you'll get a sneak peek!

I worked on my camo hat last night while my friend was visiting and we watched a movie, and it seems to be coming along nicely. I think it *may* be too small for my BIL, but I can't tell yet. Plus I have a large head, so that always skews my perception of hats. Thank goodness I bought an extra ball of that yarn, lol.

Okay, I need to clean up this mess in the middle of the living room before I can go to bed. I'd leave it out if I knew I could avoid curious paws and noses from poking through it. Alas, my kids are very interested in their momma's toys. My Westie especially--he loves to sit in my lap while I stamp! Here he is in all his shaggy cuteness: I love this boy!! He is my #1 puppy love!

Until next time peeps...and probably not until after yoga class. I was bad and didn't go today. I will pay the price in that 90-minute sweatbox tomorrow!

Crazy for camo

I just finished the camouflage wristbands for my BIL's Christmas gift. I really like how they turned out and can't wait to see how the matching cap looks when it's done. I knit 34 stitches in K2, P2 for 24 rows using size 6 needles. If I have enough yarn left over I just might make some for myself!

Hooray, now I can stamp in peace! I just couldn't move on until I'd completed them. Now, I can get to work on my recipe swaps and prep for my workshop next weekend. Hopefully I'll have some paper pretties so show off tomorrow...

Aaargh!

I'm having a Charlie Brown moment. I am trying desperately to knit in the round on double-pointed needles and it's not going well. Why, oh why, did I decide that this was how I wanted to make some camo wristbands for a holiday gift? I think I'm fine on circulars for a larger project, but I don't have a short pair for these little pups. I am just going to have to knit a couple of rectangles and stitch them up on one side. Good grief. I'm ready to do some stamping this weekend!

Nothin' but net!

I didn't do anything crafty today. I was just too busy watching the San Antonio Spurs beat the Phoenix Suns in overtime, baby! Now I don't want any hatemail posts or anything because you too would probably be supercharged after going to a game where your home team won. (Especially nothing out of you Milk Toast--our niece will still occasionally chant bas-ket-ball, lol).

I can report, however, that the project I've been commissioned to do is halfway complete. It would be done by now if I didn't spend so much time on the net! Thank goodness garter stitch is so stretchy because I'm concerned about not having enough yarn and I might have to block the work to make it longer.

Sleep tight, don't let the paper snips bite.

No Messages in a Bottle Here!

All images Stampin' Up! Copyright 1990-2006.

They're right where they belong--on my fridge! Found this dry erase board and painted the edges a color very similar to my kitchen walls. I cut the cork board down to 6"x6" and stamped on it using craft ink. For lack of small post-its, I cut some of those down to size too. I made some pushpins using clear glass stones and glued a stamped image to show through the stone, then glued a tack on the back. I still have to add some magnets to the back so I can mount it to my fridge, but that shouldn't take long. A pretty quick project, I'd say.

Tea Anyone?

I made this jar to donate to a fundraiser, along with the snowflake votive and one of the planners mentioned in previous posts. The finished product contained Tazo tea bags, a gift card, and a really cute tag hanging around the neck of the jar. You only get to see the jar however...

The funny part is that my slightly snockered male companion to the fundraiser ended up winning the bid on this item! The question I posed was "Why did you bid on it? I could have just made another one!" It was sweet of him though. I turned around and sold it to my boss for ten bucks, so it all worked out in the end.

All images Stampin' Up! Copyright 1990-2006.

Glassy-Eyed for Glass Etching

All images Copyright Stampin' Up! 1990-2006.

I have recently discovered the joys of glass etching, and thanks to a wonderful tutorial on www.splitcoaststampers.com, and now I look for reasons to etch my little heart out. Here are a few votives I recently etched, all of which cost a mere 97 cents at Wal-Mart.

I also did a jar for tea, which I plan on re-creating as a holiday gift for my niece's teacher. I will post it tomorrow, I think. Now, back to that knitting I mentioned in the previous post...

Holy True-Lite Batman!

I got my very first Ott-Lite today and boy is it bright! I decided to knit while watching Pride and Prejudice, so I turned off the lights in the living room and this little light really brightens up the area in which I'm sitting. I just know it will come in handy when I'm working on cards and other stamping projects. This was a very good use of my 50% off Michael's coupon.

Knitting in the Dark

It's a really good thing I can knit without looking! I went to the movies tonight and decided to start working on a project I've been "commissioned" to do. It's working up pretty quickly considering I decided to start over about 10x6 inches into it. Then, the yarn came undone where it been tied in a small knot during the joining process by the manufacturer. My fault, really. I thought I had somehow managed to work my yarn into a knot and started messing with it to get it undone. I undid it alright, and that was my working in the dark lesson--don't undo a knot if you can't see to redo it, lol! Luckily, I managed to re-join the yarn without too much trouble. Oh well, it will be finished soon anyway.

I went to see The Departed by the way, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It had drama, a bit of intrigue, and some pretty base-level Bostonian humor, which I always enjoy. I must say I would've enjoyed it more if a couple hadn't decided to sit right next to me, the wife thereby invading my personal space, and the lady in front of me hadn't taken a perfume bath.

Here's a few tidbits about me when it comes to the movies:
1. I like to sit in the dead center of the row at the theater. I get there early just I can pick out my row and seat. I did not arrive early tonight by more than 15 minutes, but still managed to get a good seat.
2. I do not like to sit next to anyone other than my movie companion, who really should be sitting to my right. I like being able to raise up the armrest to my left so I can sit cross-legged while knitting. Tonight it was very uncomfortable for me being stuck in between two people trying the navigate my arms and the needles without elbowing anyone!
3. I do not think that people who overdose on perfume/cologne should be allowed in spaces where they will be in close proximity to others. (This goes for church too--it's almost a joke now that I end up sitting downwind of a smelly person). Each time I took a drink of my pink lemonade this evening I could taste that lady's perfume--gross!!

Well, better go and work on that knitting...and maybe sleep eventually!

Planning for the New Year

All images Stampin' Up! Copyright 1990-2006

I made these planners to use as door prizes at a the North Texas shoebox swap. I took the sunflower one to work and three people want to order them. I am charging $10 for each one, including a matching RSVP pen. Not bad for a Dollar Tree invesment!


I made this and donated it to a fundraiser my neighborhood was having. I've really enjoyed making these and I think they would make great gifts for just about anyone!

I thought about making these for my stamp club, but I did the same thing for them last year, only using the purse-sized calendars. I don't think anyone really used them, so I will try something different this holiday season.

In case you're wondering, the size on these is approx 8" x 10." Really a nice size, even to use at work or school.


All images Stampin' Up! Copyright 1990-2006.

Here I am!

I guess I've finally made it into the land of the cyber-savvy! At least now I have something to do when I can't sleep. So for now, let me introduce myself: My name is Michelle, but you can call me Michi (rhymes with kitschy). My grandmother has called me that since I was a girl--sooo glad Petunia didn't stick, lol!

By day I'm an auditor for a financial instituion, by night a project fiend. I have two main outlets for all the right-brain stress I'm caused during the day: stamping and knitting. Being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator provides me with all the tools I need to stamp or alter anything that doesn't move. Knitting provides me with a way to feel productive while I stare at the boob tube, and the cute accessories are a great bennie!

Anyway, welcome to my blog. I hope to have pictures of my various projects up here soon, but first I need to figure out why my enter button doesn't seem to move my cursor down to the next line! Guess I should've taken more computer classes in college.