cabled purse

After months of planning, I finally got my stuff together and made this purse. It's everything I've ever wanted in a purse - big pockets for my address book and other junk, a cell phone pocket (so I don't try to answer my sewing kit when my phone's ringing), and a key ring so I don't have to dig around for my keys anymore. I'm not sure why I picked out blue zippers, they don't really go, but I didn't want to go back to the fabric store so I used them anyways.

birds on a wire

I've been busy crafting, but not so busy posting!

Here's a stencil on canvas I made for over the bed. I know birds on a wire are kind of overdone, but they're personal to me because we have a flock that's been hanging around the house for the last couple of months.


Here's my new headband, which is Calorimetry from Knitty. I love it soooo much! The yarn is from Gill from last Christmas, but I'm glad I waited for such a good pattern to use it!


I've been working on tons of little flowers! I still have about 30 to go!


Finally, some gifts that have finally arrived!

Slippers for Gill:

Jewels for Julesia!:


I'm hoping to get my dress mostly done this weekend! Gotta go get sewing!

more for meeee

I finally finished my new mittens! AND the very first time I wore them, someone asked me for the pattern! I think that's the sign of a real knitter, when someone wants to copy you :)
(I also tried to make a light box, which didn't really work but at least I got one pretty good picture!)

I also finally made some Fetchings for myself! This is a great pattern, and I should know since this is my 5th pair!


I also made myself another pair of mary jane slippers since my old pair wore through. I think it was because I used cheap yarn, but Mom thinks it's because I like to run to the end of the hall and slide over to the stairs. Either way, I added some leather footprints to the bottom to prevent it from happening again :)

That's all for now! I have made a couple of other things, but they're for gifts so you'll have to wait!

Christmas, finally!

Gill and Grant's package finally arrived! Now you can all see what each other got and compare and fight!
Gill and Grant and Dad got mosaic house numbers. This is my new plan for sellable goods on Etsy:

Gill and Christine got fingerless mittens (Fetching from knitty.com - I just bought yarn to make myself some!), and Grant got the boy version:


Bonnie and Maureen got bath mitts with handmade soap from Moonsnail Soapworks in Charlottetown:

Chris and Christine each got Wilco stencilled t-shirts, but I forgot to take a picture of Chris's. It's grey and blue and asks "you still love rock and roll?"

The Mom got a knitting bag and matching needle/hook holder:


Everyone with pierced ears got earrings! Unfortunately, I had a really hard time photographing them:
So, another Christmas has come and gone, and it's already February! See you in 10 months!

just for me

Well, I'm still waiting on one Christmas package to arrive at its destination, so I thought I'd post some pictures of things I've made for myself over the last few months.

This is the toque I knit on Christmas and Boxing day out of the yarn Chris got me for Christmas (picked out all by himself?):

This is my new mini-purse and camera bag. I love the camera bag, but I don't like the strap on the mini-purse. Live and learn, I guess:

I had to replace the little tray that came with our bathroom set because it got all warped and weird when it got wet. Like a tray in your bathroom that holds your soap and cup isn't going to get wet. Oh well, we can test my tile design to see how it holds up!
Finally, I made myself this needle holder (as seen on http://www.splityarn.com/). It was really fun picking out a book at Value Village for this project. Since I was only concerned with the size, I didn't even look at the title of it until I got to the cash. As the girl was ringing it in I realized it was called "Political Wives." I didn't read it first.


I have one sock and one mitten done for me too! I have to redo the cast off on the sock since it turned out too tight. I desperately need the mittens as it seems that the leopard print fleece mittens I've been wearing for the last two winters are shoddy merchandise. I wonder where I got them...

trip to ottawa!

Well, I'm home! While it's nice to be back, I seriously wish I could just bring you all back with me. It's so nice to be around people who love you all the time! All together now, awwww!
I've got pictures!

A very Manx brunch:

Lots of shiny hair at Patty Boland's:

Hugs!

More hugs!

Some fake measuring:

Self portraits galore:

Here's the whole set:
ottawa pics

I miss you all!

I can't wait to post all the presents, but someone hasn't recieved them yet, so I'd better wait!
m.

guess who got a scanner!

Now I can post all of the embarrassing photos I've taken of all my friends over the years! Just kidding, if anyone wants me to take any down, just let me know, I don't want to humiliate anyone :)
Here's a preview:


Here are the photosets!

old school
new school
high school
horsin around
animalz

Enjoy!

I sold something!

My first internet sale...the coasters and trivet set. I plan on making more of those since they were pretty popular at the craft sale, and I'm planning a few different styles (different types and thicknesses of wood). But that won't be until I get back on the horse (mitre saw). On the plus side, I can knit again, even with the stiches! I've got lots of gifts in the works, and now I'm only a week behind!

mitre saw 1, fingertip 0

So, now I know that this symbol means DO NOT put your fingers under the blade. I must have misunderstood this before, because that is precisely what I did today. How it happened is kind of a blur, but 45 mins in the emergency room and 3 stitches later, I have learned my lesson. And that lesson is that your index finger is crucial for typing. From now on in this post, I will ignore my typing errors (and you should too!).

If you're keeping the real score, it's:

mitre saw 1
kitchen knife 1
margot's pride -2

I also plan to lose one fingertip for each province, just to check out the emergency room wait times. So far PEI is WAY ahead of Ontario, but that's probably because I actually needed stitches and not just tape and a tetanus shot.

So, on to the real business, and that's that I'm in business, for real this time! The craft sale was a huge success, I sold all but one frame, lots of purses, all but one set of coasters, two trays AND an ottoman! The magnets, while completely unoriginal, were great because everyone leaned in close to see them, thus examining everything on the table on the way back up! Oh, and someone offered to buy my ratty old screen that's been moved, painted and broken more times than I can count! I couldn't in good conscience sell that to someone, but now I know for next time: make screens to sell!
I made a few contacts with shop owners in Charlottetown, as well as ACOA's Women in Business Initiative. I was debating whether to enter another sale next weekend to see if I could sell my remaining items, but I think I'll give it a rest for a while.

Here's my final setup (well, it changed each time I sold something, the table was pretty bare by the last day!):

I'll be putting the remaining items up for sale on Etsy tomorrow, I think I've had enough typing for tonight. Work on Monday's gonna suck :)

Oh, one final funny thing...here's a picture of the truck I was following on my way to Summerside on Saturday:

Three Oaks Craft Sale!

If you've been wondering where I've been for the last 3 months, it's locked in the workshop getting ready for this craft sale! Getting down to the wire I start to get so stressed out about having enough stock that I have to remind myself that I actually LOVE making crafts. Actually, one day last weekend Chris was the one to remind me, that's how stressed out this sale has made me.
Then this Sunday, I realized that I'm pretty much ready! I have a few last minute things to finish, and I'll be bringing some hand-sewing to finish while I'm there, but I actually have a lot done! I set up my display on the dining room table, and it looks so much better than I was expecting. Lise loaned me some tablecloths, so I won't have to use my bedsheet for a table cover. My poor old screen is getting lots of use as a backdrop/hanger, and I fashioned a purse hanger that I'm pretty proud of (that's the empty black thing on the left).

Here's a little preview of the items I'll be selling:
Craft Sale Photoset

Wish me luck!