A thankful heart...and a huge THANK YOU!!!

I can't begin to express how overwhelmed i am at the outpouring of love for little children you don't even know.  this is the 2nd year i've organized this hat drive and i have no words (which is RARE, so enjoy it!) for how fulfilling this is for me.  i can't believe the generous giving and the generous making of hats, upon hats upon hats (and even wash cloths this year!).  this is VERY picture heavy...VERY! there was no way i could leave anyone out, so enjoy!

 OH MY GOSH!!!!! Can you believe it?

and this doesn't include all the cash donations!  to each and every one of you that was kind enough to donate money, thank you!!!  i've still got to get that all added up too!

to all the gals at ravelry, my mom, and friends:  

a HUGE HUGE HUGE 

"thank you!!"

photo of Darlings costume will have to wait... i don't even have time to type what all i MUST accomplish today, including a flight to Washington, DC!!!!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Mad Hatter, or something like that!

Do you remember this adorable hat I was working on?

You know, this one found at www.redheart.com ? Go check this site for a TON of awesome *FREE* patterns (knit and crochet). Isn't this girl CUTE?! One of the Double Stitch Twins, (their etsy shop is here: DoubleStitch ) can you imagine 2 of these beautiful girls? Oh, their poor Papa!!

Cute, hun??

But then again...

 I could hardly quit laughing to get pictures....

 and you thought wings were just for maxi pads!

 Yo, Yo... Snoop Dogg, double G.... G as in Gansta'

DANG, all that adorable turquoise yarn...I don't know what went wrong. I followed the pattern to a T. Think how lucky my someday grandchildren will be: photo albums of their famous blogger Granny in her awesome sexy poses and a trash bag full of crochet oopsie's!

Yarn, and sweaters and cupcakes, OH MY!

So much yarny, sweatery goodness!!  Seriously these 2 ladies come up with THE BEST DIY Projects!!!

1st: Some wrist warmers made out of an old sweater....

the link is below the picture, go check it out

and don't her nails look GREAT for a crafter? Seriously!

diary of a craftaholic

and then this....

Pillows from sweaters!!! 

SHUT UP!!

You seriously need to check out her blog (the link is below the picture).

brassy apple

  I think even I can do this! Don't judge if I use a glue gun instead of a zipper though...you know who you are!

and you know me...not so crafty with a sewing machine, much better at "hookin'" it... that's the word on the street anyway!

Here's what I'm up to:

Darling Daughter wanted a cupcake scarf.  I'm using the Twinkie Chan pattern from her new book:

Ok, I'm off and running for the day...I've got a major re-do of my lower level! I started going thru my pictures yesterday and had a mini panic attack...SO many pictures....so, so many!  I decided I have to move my photo stuff OUT of my studio and set up an area for JUST scrapbooking...wish me LUCK!

and...if you see an old Volvo wagon loaded down like the Beverly Hillbillies...it's just ME headed to Goodwill!

Anyone else doing the New Year cleanse? 

Baby Hat Drive for children in China...

a little plug about my 

❉ ❉BABY HAT DRIVE ❉ ❉

As most of you know, my daughter was adopted from China

 and I left a little piece of my ❤heart❤ there.  There are so many wonderful children that will live their entire lives in orphanages (well, until they are teens and no longer available for adoption or care...).  I'm collecting hats to send to an orphanage in China to keep the children and babies warm in the winter.  Many live in orphanages that are without heat.

1. make a baby hat, toddler hat, or kid sized hat ➺you can take the non-crafty way out and buy one (or more) if you must

2. email me at: chinamommy_04@yahoo.com for my address.

3. I'll take care of shipping them to CHINA next fall.  I must have them in my hands NO later than Oct 31, 2010!!

any questions- please feel free to email me!!

ㄅㄆㄇㄈㄉㄊㄋㄌㄍㄎㄏㄓㄔㄕㄜㄞㄢ

Wanna wrap?

me either...

But I'm living in the land of snow, 

so soon or later I'm going to have to wrap up...oh crap, I just puked thinking about it.  Someone please tell me why I didn't move to Hawaii when I was 19?

Anyway the other day the Mister said "it smells like fall" which made me instantly hate him.  Yeah, I know: every one's all like "Oh, I love fall! The apples, the falling leaves, the cool weather, the UGG boots, the sweaters....".  I'll admit I do like the fall fashions, BUT I would throw it away in a heartbeat,  right after I shoved my UGG's up the bum of a winter lover!!

OK, deep breath, deep breath...

What was I talking about?

Oh yeah...

Remember last winter when I took my 1st crochet class and after about 19 hours and a spankin' by the teacher I had this:

Oh, I was sooooo proud and we can all see why!

Then there was this:

please forgive it's wonky-ness!

That's right.... I've come a LONG way baby!

I just finished my 2nd scarf!

This 1st one is by the crocheting/knitting goddess Debbie Stoller

I used her wool yards from Joann's.  IF you want color names, let me know.  The pattern is free and usually right by her yarn in the store.

The 2nd one I made is a nice thick chunky neck wrap.

You remember Roberta, yes?!

This pattern is from a GREAT seller on etsy!

I'll be Yarned

http://www.etsy.com/shop/illbeyarned

If you're a photographer, she has all kinds of patterns for props!

Hats, cocoons, diaper covers....

Check her out!!

Oh yeah, remember the bag I was headed to Tuesday Mornings for?  The big quilted weekender bag?

They didn't get that size!!  Of course!   I guess it's ok, because let me say Marie Osmond has some ugly butt fabric for her bags!  (you know, they're kind of like those Vera Bradley quilted bags, but ugly!).  The other ladies were grabbing up the purses like crazy, guess someones getting an ugly purse for Christmas!

Have a great day!!

***after MUCH concern, I want to assure you, the WINTER PICTURE at the top is from LAST YEAR*** Don't worry, you'll hear me complaining again once the snow starts for this year!!***

Have you met my weird-o friends?

No, not really!  Or maybe... I mean, I never take the term "weird-o" in a negative way, do you? I like quirks, I like unusual people, I like funny, I like creative, I like mischievous!  I like people that can laugh at themselves and I like people that don't have a lot of secrets- hey, I tell mine!!  I don't like boring, I feel the need to fill the space with chatter, wait- I always feel that need, but still, boring people BORE me!!

  Wouldn't you rather hang out with this... guy?

or maybe this one?

or...this cutie?!

maybe all these men would make your husband jealous?!

Perhaps this gal would be better

You could talk about your stuffed animal collection, as long as you don't mind the SMOKE!

I love how the Internet has connected like-minded people...  

Anyway, check out the links below and see 7 things about each of my very interesting pals!!

http://bundlesofblossoms.blogspot.com/2010/08/7-things-about-me-im-sure-you-didnt.html

and

http://inmyminditisfunny.blogspot.com/2010/08/award.html

and

http://melisthepositivepessimist.blogspot.com/2010/08/award-for-me.html

If I didn't include you in this award (AWARD-doesn't that sound prestigious?), don't be insulted, chalk it up to the fact I had a brain fart and just couldn't think of anyone else as I was typing out my list!  If you want to play along, grab the list, add to your blog and type in your own answers... or use mine if you're lame :)

No, I still don't know how to use my camera, I spent the weekend hiding in my studio (the pollen is about to take me down!) catching up on darlings scrapbooks, crocheting, and cutting the fabric for my camera strap re-do!

Baby Hat drive

A Little Plug about my: BABY HAT DRIVE 

As most of you know, my daughter was adopted from China 

and I left a little piece of my heart there.  I'm collecting hats to keep the children and babies warm in the winter.  Many live in orphanages that are without heat.

1. make a baby hat, toddler hat, or kid sized hat (you can take the non-crafty way out and buy one if you must)

2. Send to:

David Shellenbarger 

Attn: chinamommy

46 East Main St.

Caledonia, MI 49316

(this is my husbands work address, you know, so I'm not putting my personal address on the INTERNET!!!)

3. I'll take care of shipping them to CHINA next fall.

any questions- please feel free to email me!!

Crochet skirts!!

I have some images from my childhood that are burnt into my memory... the time we went camping in a pimp van, and my 6'1" dad slept down the middle of the floor while my mom drove around the campground so she could run the A/C at 3 in the morning... the time we went to a 7-11in California and saw a microwave for the 1st time... the time I smashed my finger in the hatchback of a Pinto... but perhaps one of the most memorable memories is a pair of baby blue crochet pants.  I'm happy to report that I was NOT the one wearing them, nor was anyone in my family.  My best friend and I were in girl scouts, it was an eclectic bunch to say the least (and be the nicest).  I don't want to be cruel, so I'll go easy on my story.  Our leader, though wonderfully nice, really was quite tacky.  We made quilts of old polyester pants, no lie!  One evening as we were wrapping up another night in the moldy basement of the local library, our moms started filing in to pick us up.  Now, we had 2 of the sweetest girls ever in our troop, sisters in fact, and they were 2 of the 3 kids from a local family.  Let's just leave it at - they were the family everyone in town knew, perhaps missing a couple sandwiches from their picnic, if you know what i'm sayin'?!... So their mom shows up and is sporting some BABY BLUE crocheted pants.  Now remember gals, I was born in 1969 and was in 5th grade at this time- WAY before Madonna, Brittany and Christina were shakin' their money makers and showin everyone what their Mama gave 'em.  Sooooo, when this Mom shows up in her baby blue's and her big ol' white granny panty's are showing between the stitches, I thought I was gonna DIE!  That mental picture is stamped so strongly in my brain it's like it was yesterday!  The granny pantie's scarred me and that's why I will only be wearing a thong under my crocheted skirt when I pick Darling up from social activities!!

This is from: Stitch'n Bitch Crochet The Happy Hooker  by Debbie Stoller.

When I saw this skirt, "Violet Beauregard" by Heather Dixon;  I knew I HAD to make it!!  

When she mentioned it was only the 3rd project she had attempted, I KNEW I could do it too!

I started searching for this exact yarn, but wasn't having any luck.  It's cotton and I could only find these colors in acrylic....Ewww!  I'm somewhat of a fiber snob- the thought of wearing a plastic/acrylic skirt gave me the creeps!

I found some cotton yarn at Hobby Lobby, not the exact colors, which makes me sad, but if you know me at all, you know I want to dive straight in and am not going to look for months.

I know it looks black in my picture, but the main part of the skirt is going to be deep plum.

The accent colors are the light plum and lavender.

Last night I got the 1st round down, which was a beast!  I know, I know... my life is so hard working on this skirt... but speaking crochet, it WAS a rough round.  Now that I have that 1st row, the rest will go easy (thankfully, because I probably would just give up if it was all that hard, sad, but true.).

THEN, I got online to check out the "Crochet Today" site (cause I'm officially a crochet nerd!).

http://www.crochettoday.com/patterns/

Oh, who is in ❤LOVE❤ with this "Boardwalk Skirt?!?

So now I am stalking Joann's till the magazine comes in!!  The Mister was nice enough to sign me up for 2 years of this magazine, after I sold him on the benefits of subscribing instead of paying rack price for magazines!!

Any other crochet or knit geeks out there? (and I say that in the NICEST way possible!)  I'd love to hear what you're working on!!

I haven't forgotten about the chandelier, but this is the week before the last week of school and it's full of game days and picnics and field days and stuff that cuts into my craft time, so... it's in the studio and it's being worked on, but, of course, it's not done...

Happy Day gals! and don't forget....

a little plug about my BABY HAT DRIVE 

As most of you know, my daughter was adopted from China and I left a little piece of my heart there.  I'm collecting hats to keep the children and babies warm in the winter.  Many live in orphanages that are without heat.

1. make a baby hat, toddler hat, or kid sized hat (you can take the non-crafty way out and buy one if you must)

2. email me at: chinamommy_04@yahoo.com for my address.

3. I'll take care of shipping them to CHINA next fall.

any questions- please feel free to email me!!

*NEW* stuff

I finished my 1st hat for my baby hat drive and am almost finished with the 2nd.

Geesh, could someone brush this poor dog please?  Yorkie's lick constantly, his poor little face is always slicked back with his own spit...

 I don't know why I feel so lazy when I crochet but have no problem wasting 1/2 my day online.  I have SO many projects I want to work on from my

HAPPY HOOKER book!

Even though I've kind of taken a break from etsy, I think I'm ready to jump back in a bit.

 I did make 2 new packets of paper cuts for my etsy store:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/papercutsarecute/

dragonflies with hologram wings

and

Down-on-the-Farm embellishment set.

Great for scrapbooks or card making!

Ok, I have to get groceries, learn to make a mobile, bug the Mister to get Eddie the Electrician to hook up my kiln, make my bed, put laundry away, and do all the things I've been putting off this week! 

Happy Thursday!!