New sweater

Finished this baby sweater just in the nick of time for a baby shower. Quick and 5- hour sweaters always take me at least 5 days to do.... so I did not get a cap and booties done, but will give them to mom-to-be's mom tomorrow at Church.

I used Red Heart Baby pompadour in yellow.

OK, OK! An update and more FO's

OK, my bad....Things have been really hectic here. Some good some bad and some horrific and I won't go into that.

I've been doing quite a bit of painting and knitting and sewing and home-schooling and.....raising puppies.

I have a few knitted things finished, like this PL1 sweater set in blue. I have a few finished waiting for the dreaded seaming/weaving in ends. One is a "quicky sweater", another is a sun suit with t-shirt in pink and white.

I also have a sock monkey ready to be stuffed and finished. He sports a blue and red striped t-shirt! E's a monkey headed for eBay.

I've been spending too much time playing with Paint Shop Pro learning animation.

Home-schooling is going well. Charlie procrastinates and hemms and haws. A friend was uncomfortable not knowing when would be a good time to stop by. I said that unlike my painting, we can stop our school time at any moment and resume again at any time during the day. Then I said, "It's sort of a "free range" kind of thing". We don't do the same subject everyday at the same time. If he feels like doing some science work first, fine. It's getting him to do the work.

Gotta get started on a busy busy Monday....maybe get that monkey done? He needs a hat and scarf and off to ebay that baby goes. He is a cutie-patootie.

Puppies, puppies everywhere....

Been pretty busy raising these puppies over the past few months. I've hit a new record of having 3 litters on the ground (14 pups total) ranging in age from 8 weeks to 3 days. The first litter of 3 darlings are being adopted out now, the next litter of 6 is 6 weeks old and due for their first shots. This last litter of 5 is only 3 days old and I need to cut some dew claws.

Then I need to get busy grooming the adults. I had at one time had a goal of letting their hair grow long enough that I could spin what is combed out. Too much work with 5 adults to contend with!

Finished the "Happy Baby" cardigan and pants set. It is soooo cute! We use "Baby George" as Charlie named him as our model for baby things. Pictured above...

Still working on my second knitted sock monkey. Decided he'll have a blue and red striped shirt. Currently working on the bum and mouth areas, then arms, ears and tail! I am going to make buttons from non-toxic epoxy putty for the eyes. I use this stuff on the model horses with wonderful results, so why not??

Getting back into learning how to do the miniature crochet animals. All I have is white thread here, so I plan on airbrushing my first one, then trying dying another one with the food coloring method (works wonderfully on the silk cocoons!).

Knitted Sock Monkey

Finally, a picture of my first knitted sock monkey! I have always wanted a sock monkey. Recently I found a pattern for a knitted sock monkey (no destroying a perfectly good pair of socks!). Oddball Sock MonkeyI decided my first one was going to be strictly for myself and the colors were to go with our master bedroom theme turquoise and brown. I think I might make some clothing for him... looks too nekked.

I have just started on another one, using light brown for feet, hands, bum and face; reddish brown for body and head and then I think he is going to have a blue or blue and green t-shirt and hat to match. We'll see.... stay tuned! These are too much fun to make!!

A day of sledding!

We all took today off and just did something fun (after the hospital visit - I needed an MRI). We had to be there early, I am not allowed to drive, so we had to take Charlie with. Then there was another dr's appt. in the early afternoon.
Once that was all taken care of, we decided to go sledding. The first time for Charlie and he loved it.
During the ride, I brought along a knitting project. I found a really cute pattern for a sockless sock monkey and made one for myself in brown and turquoise. This one is going to be light brown and reddish brown with a blue t-shirt and hat. The pattern is actually quite easy and so adorable...once I get the eyes and nose embroidered on mine, I will get some pix up.
OTN - funky leftover socks for afore mentioned Dental Assistant, slipper socks for the three of us, second sock monkey.
Holly

A funny thing happened....

at the dentist's office.

I assumed that I would be waiting for a short period of time, so I thought I would take a project with me to work on. Knowing the assistant has dogs, I decided not to take the little dog sweater I was working on - not really ready for custom orders. Hmm.. what to take.... I know! The baby blanket! Bad idea. The assistant has ordered 3 complete sets of the same dratted pattern.

I have finished the first set in Red Heart Baby Econo Baby Green and White, delivered it and she loved it. We chose the lavender set as the second to work on. And she mentioned that she knows of 6 more babies on the way. I said, "Ouch! Let's get these first 3 sets out of the way!!" The pattern is getting a little monotonous, but I just love knitting and crocheting baby things, so I am a happy camper. Not looking forward to doing 9 sets of the same pattern....help! LOL!

The lavender set is coming along. Not as quickly as I was hoping. There is so much going on here. Getting settled in our new home, two new litters of puppies (within two weeks of each other....fun fun!) http://www.mountainhighkennel.com/, painting, etc.

Still slow progress on the surprise socks for a friend. I have figured a way to knit while riding my stationery bike! Simple things though like the trusty ole dishcloth! Those buggers sell like hotcakes anyways.

Should I go to the lake and work on the dog sweater??! I think not.

Cheers!

Still waiting, stash growing and too many WIP!

Good morning!

Well, we are still waiting to get the mobile home set up. This has been such a fiasco. We can't call for final inspection and be allowed to move in until this is finished. I have an awesome bunch of ladies coming next weekend to completely furnish and decorate the whole house. We have family arriving on the 10th and nowhere to put them up (at this time). Ok, so I have just vented, I feel better.... onward and upward.... we'll deal with the stress one hour at a time.

The stash is starting to grow again! Yay! Yes, I know.... this gal is nuts...excited her stash is growing?! Yup! Hubby's not too thrilled, but he sees the joy in my eyes as I hold my newest skien of yarn, shrugs, rolls his eyes, smiles and goes back whatever he's doing. I finally found the newest LYS. Very nice yarns!! Not terribly pricey, considering the kinds of yarns offered. I am only just beginning to get "into" the better yarns. I bought some sock yarn in blue and red. Charlie wants me to knit him another pair of socks that are blue with red toes and heels. He gets pretty sad about his "lost" pair.

A dear friend gave me a 100gr ball of GGH Marathon in variegated blue which I am now making pair of socks for another dear friend. I am worried that I won't have enough to complete the pair, so I will be positive... if there isn't enough, I had some wonderful practice, will frog em and try to find some other compatible yarn for toes, heels and cuff band and start over! I am using size 1 dpn's getting 8 st and 11 rows per inch.

Another WIP is a very challenging sock pattern. I joined six-sox-knitalong group and thought I would just dive in (as I do with everything in life!!!) and start on the Aug/Sept project. Ouch, I am in way over my head. The group is so supportive though, encouraging me ... one round at a time. I am certain they won't be done by the end of Sept.

Other WIP - Precious Layette booklet "Precious Blanket"; Rindy's Raglan Baby sweater pattern; and the ever in progress "Easy No Sew Raglan Sweater" for me - I started this one last fall and worked on it while riding my stationary bike. 10 miles seemed to just fly by! Can't wait to start that up again!!

We're headed out meandering the wilderness and forests again today. We see lots of wildlife usually, antelope, elk, some deer. I should post some of my pics, but this is supposed to be my crafting blog. Hmm... another blog in the making? Possibly!! Stay tuned!