Saturday, August 7, 2010

Weekends Are For Playing... And Brainstorming.

Now Playing:
Bigger Than My Body
by John Mayer
on slacker.com

Good afternoon, lovely readers! I'm feeling quite good right now... hopeful even. As you may or may not know, we are struggling financially right now. At my last temp job, they had to send us home early for lack of work at least a couple days a week for about a month. We never recovered from that. We're struggling enough that we are cutting back on things in our regular bills and spending NO money on extras (eating out, things we want, etc. Thank gawd I have a hefty yarn stash!!!). Stu hasn't been able to get a job yet (effin economy!!!) I'm working a temp job that barely pays enough and will end (they estimate) early Semptember.

Tiny Amigurumi Cthulhu
This little cthulhu that I decided to crochet for Stu on a whim... he is what gives me hope. Once Stu saw it, he expressed that I could sell these (and other amigurumis). Especially considering that he knows a few people who would buy these little cthulhus... and they have friends that would buy little cthulhus, etc. I have thought of selling my handmade items before, but never figured that it would be worth it.

For instance, making an afghan while working a full time job would take me a month to three months... and that's when I was single. Even if a charge a couple hundred dollars, doesn't seem that would be enough to really make a living off of it. Granted, if selling handmade items was my full time job, it might work. BUT, I can't just quit a job hoping my things would sell. Gotta transistion, you know.

Anyhow, since amigurumis can be quick, this might be the ticket I need to start a career doing what I love and take better care of my family. Stu is totally behind this, supportive and very encouraging. He's been asking all his facebook/gaming friends for input and is pushing for this to happen more than I am doing anything, lol. He even mentioned that maybe he could learn to crochet to help with production. And of course, he would be a part of the business end of things, he's too smart for me to not take advantage of his wisdom, knowledge and ideas in a business endeavor. I've had and Etsy shop for a couple years, just haven't used it or set it all up yet. Just been waiting for the right time... and this might be it.

I have even wanted to sell patterns I write and am working on my first purchase pattern now. I just have never gotten around to it. Seems now is a good a time as any to jump into all this. When talking with Stu about it, I asked him, "Wouldn't it be a God send if this could support our family someday?" Indeed it would. Cross your fingers, eyes, nose and toes and say a little prayer for our success, please? =)

Also, lately I've been cutting some squares to make a rag quilt out of a sheet and some pink themed quilt fabric I bought a LOOOONG time ago. I'm thinking maybe rag quilts will be faster (than knit or crochet) baby blankets for those I know having babies. The only challenge right now will be getting material while being broke. I could buy plenty of sheets from thrift stores and wash them in hot water with a bleach degergent, but I can't even afford that right now. So, I've begging everyone I know for non-stretchy clothing and sheets (even flannel, makes a good replacement for batting and provides warmth). I'm kinda bummed that I can't find my Pixie sewing machine. Stu and I both have basically torn apart the garage and can't find it. But, I did find my cheap-o "Mighty Mender" machine. That should do for these rag quilts so long as the layers and fabrics don't get too thick... and if I can get/keep the tension right... damn cheap machine. Hopefully I can get some more squares cut tonight.

Moving along... The baby is doing good. And there's some movement that I can feel now. How exciting!!! We have our next ultrasound to check the baby's development and find out the gender at the end of this month. Do you think it will be a boy or a girl? Stu has become accustomed to saying, "My son", "He", "Him" and "Logan" whenever referring to the baby. I'm anxious to see if his prediction is right!

Ryn starts school at the Salt Lake School of Perfoming Arts (SLSPA) at the end of the month! We're really excited for her to start this journey. She wants to be an actress and/or a writer. So, we're really glad she can go to this school. They don't enroll by lottery like other charter schools here, you just enroll as long as they have room. It's really great. It's a ways across the valley though, so we must all prepare for getting up earlier and tweaking our schedules if she ever has early morning rehersals and such. Hope it goes smoothly as possible for us all.

Pinky Preggie Toes!
I painted my toes a couple/few weeks ago. Thank goodness my pedicures last much longer than my manicures considering that my toes are going to get harder (if not impossible) to reach in the coming months! Oh, like my piggie bling? It's been soooo long since I've worn toe pretties, I figured it was time. The last time we were at the OB's office waiting for a blood draw, Stu saw the toe ring and knowing how a pregnant woman's everything can swell, he asked, "You gonna be able to get that off?" I replied, "Uh-huh, it's open underneath and bendable." What a sweet hubby/daddy. He's always checking on me (and the baby).

Naked Nails!
Well, I was going to paint my nails last night with hot pink tips to match my hot pink toes, but didn't, so you get naked nails today. Have I mentioned that I love taking prenatal vitamins? My nails already grew fast, but now they're growing like weeds! I cut them (only when I break one or two) and two weeks later they're getting long again. Please excuse the lack of white near my nail beds, I had just washed dishes and long exposure to water does that for some weird reason.

Changing Table/Dresser
My grandma bought this changing table/dresser for me at a church yard sale. My dad brought it over today. Boy, this baby not having it's own room is gonna make things quite cozy! =P

Well, I'm gonna go see if hubby's ready for me to make dinner yet. I know me and the baby are!

Until next time!

Sunday, August 1, 2010

I've Got Jungle (Monkey) Fever

Now Playing:
Chicken Run
on Windows Media Player

So, I've found a new something to love...


SOCK MONKEYS!!!

Sock Monkey
I made this sock monkey a couple years ago for my cousin Peachy's birthday. It was really fun.

I've also come across a flickr account of a girl who makes sock monkeys with knit sweaters and they are so adorable and inspiring!


Here's a screen shot of her flickr page. You can visit it here. Her Etsy shop for these monkeys can be found here.

She even makes baby sock monkeys!!! Out of baby socks!!! Oh! For cryin' out loud! What a cute idea! I'll definitely have to try that! Baby Claudia is my favorite!

And speaking of babies...

16 Weeks Pregnant
Here I am at 16 weeks.

I haven't quite "popped" yet. I'm really anxious to look more pregnant and less chubby. But, I'm sure that the baby is pushing out my already fluffy belly as my OB pointed out where the top of my uterus is and it's almost to my belly button. The baby pokes out more when I wake up in the morning.

We get another ultrasound to check the baby's development and find out the gender late this month!

This Is Why...
Totally off topic, but this is why hubby calls me the Sammich Queen. Turkey with all the fixins. Lettuce, tomato, cheese, mayo and mustard... and don't forget the pickle on the side! This sandwich was delicious and so beautiful that I just had to take a picture before eating it!

In needlework news...

I'm still working on my sister's baby's purple and blue ripple blanket. I'm also writing a pattern for this...

Mystery Crochet
Can you guess what it is?

Until next time!

Friday, July 23, 2010

Bluetooth Purse - Free Knit Pattern


Bluetooth Purse

Bluetooth Purse


Materials:
worsted weight yarn
size 5 needles
extra cable needle or dpn to hold live stitches
yarn needle
embelishments

CO 20

Rows 1-25 (add more rows if you wish): (k1, sl as if to purl while holding yarn to front) to end of row.

Slip the odd sts onto the right needle and slip the even stitches onto spare needle/cable needle. Bind off all stitches and weave in end.

Either knit 2 i-cords or crochet 2 chains in desired length for straps. (I used an F hook.)

Thread ends of straps through top edge of purse as shown and tie a knot at the end of the strap to secure. Thread a length of yarn around the top edge of the purse as a tie closure if desired.

Embelish any way you like!

Bluetooth Purse
I threaded my straps through a loop on my purse before tying the strap knots.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Yay For Babies!... Again!

Now Playing:
Dirty Jobs
on Discovery Channel

Our friends Bruce and Marrissa are having a baby this month. Ryn and I went to her baby shower today and I made this...

Ice Cream Sundae Bath Gift Set
Here's the ice cream sundae bath set I was telling you about.

Ice Cream Sundae Bath Gift Set
It has a bath puff and washcloth.

Baby Bath Mitt
I also made this bath mitt.

And... this morning I woke up and thought, "I wanna make something to put it all in!!!" So, I busted my butt all morning cutting fabric and crocheting this...

Fabric Gift Bag
A lovely handmade gift bag.

Everything was a hit. When my giftbag was handed to Marissa, I heard, "Did someone make that?!" Marissa beamed, "Yes, Amber did." It made her feel special that I made her all this stuff by hand. =)

Marissa's Baby Shower 7/10/10
Here she is opening my gift.

Marissa's Baby Shower 7/10/10
And here are the balloons that kept bopping me on the head from behind and trying to sneak into my pictures.

When we first got there and Marissa greeted me she said, "How are you feeling? You look great!" Ah, that always makes a pregnant lady feel good, no matter how far along she is. I only wish I had repayed her the favor. *blush*

Well, it's a short post this week. Crafting, baby showering, folding towels and blogging have filled every minute of my day so far... and I now need to (quickly) crochet a something for our friend Jimmy to put on his hat at his birthday party tonight. It's a yearly tradition that his birthday guests all bring something for him to put on his head. Then I want to paint my nails with a french manicure before we have to go if I have time.

Until next time!

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

For Reader Paula

One of my readers, Paula, asked where I got the pattern for the ice cream sundae bath set. It's written by Priscilla Hewitt. And if you don't know who that is, you probably don't call yourself a crocheter, lol.

Here's the link, Paula! It's the third from the bottom labeled "Gifts & Miscellaneous Patterns $7.00".

(But, I'm kind of cheating and just making the puff and washcloth from this free bath set pattern and can find some kind of little ball pattern for the cherry on Ravelry, I'm sure... cuz I'm po'.)

Thanks for reading Paula!

Monday, July 5, 2010

I Like Making Things

Now Playing:
Eddie Izzard
Dress to Kill


Happy (late) 4th of July, kids!

So, yeah, I'm making a few thing right now...

Ice Cream Sundae Bath Gift Set
I'm crocheting lovely ice cream sundae bath gift set. This is the (in progress) bath puff that will sit at the top of the sundae glass as whip cream. I will do a washcloth in brown to tuck into the glass that will be the chocolate ice cream. Then I will crochet a little ball to go on top as a cherry.

Ice Cream Sundae Bath Gift Set

Crochet Ripple
Here is the ripple blanket that I'm doing for my sister's baby. This is the one that I mentioned before, started over in crochet and random stripes.

12 Weeks Pregnant
Oh yes, and the baby I'm making is coming along nicely. Don't get too excited. I'm barely getting a baby bump, most of what you're seeing here is my belly fat. *blush* I'm starting to feel some stretching in my pelvic area and have a small, rigid baby bump below my belly fat, lol. It's exciting!

Stu and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary last Sunday. We just stayed home and watched Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland and some Deep Space 9 episodes because we're really low on money right now. I made us a big breakfast and Stu made us a very delicious pork chop dinner.

How's Ryn? Ryn? Who is that?

She's been home one day in the last week and a half, lol. She's been staying with an old friend of ours in the city we used to live since she's close to her and her kids. Since it's summer time, she deverves to get out of the house. Plus, I would never insist Ryn be gone, but since she is, I'm really enjoying some time alone with Stu... and the baby, lol.

On a sad note, I lost the stone in my wedding ring in the shower today. =( It's a flat band with a bezel set (glued, no actual setting to hold it in, geez!) Diamonique heart-shaped stone. I guess that's what we get for skimping on wedding rings, lol. But, I didn't care if my ring was inexpensive, I just love that ring... because it was the ring my husband put on my finger when he married me. So, I'll be wearing my engagement ring until we can afford to fix/replace the other one. But, I looked and QVC doesn't have the same ring anymore. Boo!

Well, that's all I have this week... I think, lol.

Until next time!

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Whoa! Where Did I Go?!?!

Now Playing:
I Won
by The Sundays
on slacker.com

Hi, um. Did you miss me? *blush* I apologize to all my faithful readers for being gone for so long... especially those who have voiced thier desperate need for more Pixie blogginess more than once *cough*Michelle*cough*
And yes, the blog has a new look, I got bored, lol.

Okay! *claps* Here we go! Here is what I've been working on lately...

Abagail Sweater
I made this sweater for my youngest sister's newest baby, born in late May. Sorry, I have no pictures of her, I haven't been carrying my camera with me as much anymore. Anyhow, since she's still way too tiny for it, my sister said it would be cool for me to hang onto it until September and enter it in the State Fair! Hope I win... even though first prize is like, 10 bucks or something... I just want the ribbon and bragging rights.

Ripple Blanket
I'm also doing this blanket for the same baby. My sister requested this one in blue and purple. It's a knit ripple, although, I've been knitting a lot and miss crocheting. So, tonight I'm going to start it over as a crochet ripple. (My sister wanted a crochet ripple, then I talked her into a knit ripple because I've never done one, then tonight I asked her if I could do crochet instead. She was very accomodating to this stinker of a sister.)

And the last thing I've been working on that has kept me very tired and kept me from blogging lately...























10 Week Ultrasound
Our little peanut!!! This is our 10 week ultrasound. The doctor ordered this ultrasound early since we miscarried the first time. We wanted to wait until we could see everything was okay before telling everyone, but Stu told my mom (stinker, lol) and a couple other people, then we outed it to my dad at the family renunion for my mom's family and we had him announce it then.

My first thought when I got to see the baby was, "Oh, thank God!" I can't tell you how freaking awesome it is to see a little bean you've created jumping and moving around inside you... especially your first one. And this one is a little acrobat already! Too bad they only got one little jump on the DVD, cuz he/she did a lot more before that. =( I'm due January 12, 2011 and Stu thinks it's a boy. He's never incorrectly predicted the gender of a baby that I know of, lol. He predicted both my nieces, his own daughter and our friends' son... So, we might be having a boy, we'll see.

If I ever figure out how to post the ultrasound video, I will.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand...

Stu graduated!!! Yay!!!
Sorry this post is so short, I just really wanted to let you all know that I'm still around (albeit always sleepy cuz I'm making a life, lol) and wanted to share our fantastic news!
Until next time!