Polka Dot WIP update

Hi there! It's been a few...I've been feeling non-bloggy lately. Mostly due to my back being wonky since last Monday. I also have not done much in the way of playing with sticks and strings, pins and needles, or anything else crafty. 

However, I did manage to make three more polka dot squares. This puts the total up to lucky number thirteen!! Ha! I've got a loooooooooooooong way to go before I have an afghan!!

Oh--I just realized that I lied when I said I hadn't done much of anything crafty lately. I did attempt to make a new tutorial for a camera "case." However--it didn't turn out quite like I had pictured in my mind. So...there will be no tutorial for now!  It was quite the humorous experience.

I also got all the stitches pulled from my koi fin. I think (for now anyway) that I'll just leave the fins and tail as they are. That may change a million times between now and when I get the quilt finished...

Thanks for stopping by. Hope you have a great weekend!

Another Sneak Peek, a WIP, and Some Other Stuff

Another Sneak Peek!

Hi Folks!!  Happy Leap Day! 

I've been working more on my quilt--appliqued another item onto the background. So here's the sneak peek...

it's a lily pad! the detail isn't that great in this pic...

WIP

Now let me share how much of a procrastinator, lazy bum, insert other descriptive words here, that I am. I have, for the past 2 years, been working on a knit afghan. It's a patchwork pattern that I got from LionBrand, and it has three different stitches--garter, moss, and seed (that's my favorite). Why it is taking me so long I have no idea except that I think I just get tired of working on it! So, I put it down and don't go back to it for a few months. So call it what you will...

Here are the three different squares/colors/stitches. It will be GREAT when I get it finished. I'm making it to keep in my living room to cover up with when it's chilly...

red =  garter stitch, oatmeal = moss stitch, grey =  seed stitch (I think!!)

And the Other Stuff...

Over the last couple years I've been fairly crafty...a little of this, a little of that. First up is the Etch-A-Sketch ornament I made for my Christmas tree :)

love it!!  :)

It's felt, with embroidery, and there is a green grosgrain ribbon hanger that is not visible in this pic. (I also do some embroidery every now and then. I can't remember if I'd mentioned that previously...)

...

My sister's BFF had a baby not so long ago, so I decided I'd make her a little Bunny Blanket Buddy :)  I also decorated the craft box that I gave her the bunny in so that she could use that in the nursery as well. She had a little girl...(she looks just like her dad by the way)

bunny blanket buddy

Isn't it the most precious thing?? I have to brag on myself a little bit because I had to tweak the pattern a bit (mostly because I didn't like the way it looked according to pattern)...and here's the box in which I presented the bunny:

...

For Christmas 2010, I made my sister a multi-giant-granny square afghan. (She was all pouty because the Christmas before, I made E and R--my two nieces--knit afghans haha!! just kidding sis...). I can't find the pictures of the girls' afghans, but here is one of the squares of my sister's. I LOVED the colors in this one...

...

One year for Christmas, right after I learned to knit, my sister made me this CUTE ornament for my Christmas tree...I love it. And I have really wanted to make some myself to give to people, but I just haven't made the time! Again--I'm a procrastinator like that...

knit tree ornament by my sister :)

...

Now, the rest of my post is dedicated to the "little bit of life" that I refer to in my blog description. First up is a pic of one of my favorite flowers--the gardenia. This is a picture of the gardenia bush that grows at the corner of my great-grandfather's old house that I rented up until a year and a half ago. It's actually on the corner of the garage, so everyday when I'd get home from work and get out my car, I'd be greeted with the wonderful scent of gardenias :)  LOVED it...

beautiful, yummy smelling gardenia

  ...

In February 2010, my first cat, my sweet Desi, died. She was almost eight. Shortly after that, I went to a workshop on Art Therapy and the Grief Process (I'm a counselor by day, remember). It was there that I picked up chalk! (and it may be then that all this crafty goodness started in earnest, too). 

The following three pictures are irises, done in chalk by me, and they hang above my bed. I'm very proud of them, as I actually consider myself to have NO artistic ability whatsoever. But every now and then, I'll get a spurt of it from somewhere, and this kind of stuff comes out...

irises in chalk

I also did a calla lily triptych, but those aren't framed, and I also cannot find the picture I took of them. Maybe one day I'll find it and post it here, because those are really lovely.

...

And this...this is my sweet, lovey-dovey kitty Jude. Around 6 months old, he loved getting into the trash can in the bathroom. Luckily, he would usually only get in if it was empty...He's now nearly 2 years old, and he is still lovey-dovey and the sweetest cat. And of course he has me wrapped around his little paw--I'm trained very well :)

my Jude

So there you have it--another sneak peek, a WIP, and some other stuff. Hope you enjoyed it!

I'd love to hear from you, so leave some comments!!

Crochet Flower Triptych and Polka Dot Squares Update

First order of business today--I am SO excited!!!  I've just looked at my stats, and I've had EIGHT views from the Ukraine!  How cool is that?!?

Now for an update on the crochet flower triptych. I've primed and painted the frames...

pre-primer

during primer

painted

and allowed time for proper drying. The color doesn't show up well in this picture, but it's a very pretty "satin nickel."

Now as I said before, I got these frames for cheap, and they didn't come with hangers (other than the cut out on the backside of the cardboard backer). So, I bought some hangers and hammered them in. When you do this, just make sure you MEASURE first (as I did NOT) so that you can get them centered the first time! :) These just hammer right in--no nails required.

hammer-in hanger

(These are my "it's between warm and cold outside so I'll wear socks and flip-flops" toe socks :) I promise I do NOT wear these in public--except to my Granny's house. Just thought I'd share a little socky happiness today!)

Now back to the triptych...

Put it all together, and VOILA! Beautiful crochet flower triptych for my guest bedroom!

the triptych

detail--the red flower (sorry about the glare)

I also mentioned yesterday that I've been working on some polka dot squares for a polka dot afghan. I got the idea from yet another wonderful crocheter--Little Woollie.  I'm not sure how big my afghan will be yet--but it will probably be just a lap afghan. 

You can make this with any color combination, and they are REALLY easy and quick. Little Woollie has very good and clear instructions for this pattern. 
Here's what I have completed so far:

multi-color polka squares

 And I just have to say that it (so far) is a BEAUTIFUL Saturday in Mississippi :) 

This is the day that the Lord has made; 

let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Psalm 118:24