Tough Decisions Call for a Vote

I'm trying my hand a quilting but can't decide on a block pattern... vote for the one you like best !

1:

2:
3:
4:
5:

What do you do while watching a Harry Potter Marathon? Sew of course!

In preparation for seeing Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince on Monday evening, I'm watching Harry Potter 1-5 today! Now I can't just sit and watch movies- I have to be doing something creative!
I've been coveting the box bags that have been floating around on blogs and Etsy recently and decided to make a few for myself. I had purchased the materials over a month ago but the arrival of the spinning wheel put the box bags to the back of the closet! Sadly, the wheel has been returned and now I have time to try my hand at making some pouches for the numerous knitting projects I have on needles! So my apartment was turned over to sewing this afternoon:

Here are pics of the first bag:

I made three bags in all: I also made a needle case for my double-pointed needles. I have so many of them now and they are spread all over the apartment so I can't find the ones I want!

While I was digging around for sewing things I realized just how big my needle craft stashes are! I have 5 half finished cross-stitch/embroidery projects going plus materials for 9 others! Then there are 4 knitting projects on needles and yarn for another 50-but all neatly (and compactly stored!) Someday soon I'll dig it all out and take pictures.
I'll have pics up later in the week of my first skein of wheel spun yarn and another finished baby sweater with the cutest buttons!

PS. I have tried to post this several times... apparently this program does not like word... blagh...hopefully it works this time as I've retyped the whole thing!

I'm on a Busy Bee Crafting Spree

My latest projects have been gifts...

The weather is warming up here in MN and the trees are green!!! Hurray for summer!!! Now I just have to get my summer clothes out and put away the winter sweaters- hmmm... when was the last time I said that?

Misc. Happenings

I've been plugging along on a few knitting projects lately- the orders for baby sweaters keep coming in so I'm trying to get those done. Here is a pic of the latest one for Sam's friends...

I'm also working on some socks (as always) and a hat.

I've been up to my usual baking and cooking- I made mini cupcakes- dangerous to just pop in the mouth!

I've also been inspired to take another Wilton Cake decorating class. I've already taken Course 1 and taught myself Course 2 so I thought Fondant would be interesting... Plus it is at a reasonable hour on Saturdays in March. Now, I've heard that the Wilton Fondant is both expensive and tastes absolutely horrible. I've decided to make my own... there are some very easy recipes on the web for "Marshmallow Fondant". It is basically adding two pounds of sugar to melted marshmallows. It tastes great and seems to be quite malleable from my playing around- Hopefully it will work fine for the class. Here are some pics of the process- imagine powdered sugar everywhere!

Finally, while I believe I've weathered the worst of the winter, it is still cold. Here are some pics of cars frozen to the ground with icicles from the parking lot...Burrrr....

My First Afghan!

While I was home for Christmas Gram taught me how to crochet- I know, you say to yourself, how could I not already know how.... but there it is- I admit my deficiencies... Anyway, I just finished my first crocheted afghan- Smokey likes it too!

Not without some Craftiness...

I thought I'd put some pics of my recent domestic crafts...

Here is a necklace I put together from some beads I had from other projects...
And here is an apple strudel made with the first apples of the season from the farmers market!

Descending into the Depths of the Knitting Obsessed

It is official- I have gone off the deep end with the knitting.... There is a knitting group of young women who meet at a coffee shop just a block from my house on Wednesday evenings called the Knittinkittens. I went this past week and everyone is quite nice. I have also found a yarn store that is dangerous beyond belief for my checking account- Needlework Unlimited. In addition I have signed up for Ravelry- it's like Facebook for knitters. I'm currently on my third baby gift and watch out for those Christmas presents! There are great yarns and patterns for socks, hats and scarves (I'm not up for whole sweaters yet)!

Weekend Domestic Diva

I spent the weekend in a flurry of domestic fury. After a nice happy hour with my labmates on Friday evening at The Newsroom downtown I went into full crafty mode.

I picked strawberries on Saturday morning at the Bauer Berry Farm- I got 12 lbs.!

They were delicious- and particularly good this year due to a cool wet spring! I crushed lots of them sugar with lemon juice and froze them and the others I am eating- well, I'm eating the ones I didn't turn into strawberry daiquiris with a recipe from Big R. I'm planning on cooking the heck out of one of the frozen batches tomorrow so I can put them in a cake for Wednesday (one of my labmates is defending on Tuesday and we are having a lab celebration on Wednesday).

I also found some of my old beads and made myself a black and white necklace and earrings- it is cheaper than buying them that's for sure! The beading isn't as hard as I thought it might be and I love the jewelry.

I ALSO finished the first of the baby projects- no pics of it yet as I'm not giving away sneak peeks until they are given...

Hope you are all well- I love reading comments or emails!

Settling In

I'm really starting to settle in- I have MN plates for my car (it is really strange to see- I feel a bit like a Winter Texan every time I see my car!).

I also got my diploma! I didn't expect it so soon but there it was on my doorstep on Thursday evening!

I've survived my first week of work. Monday and Tuesday were hard with all of the paperwork and online training- staring at a computer screen all day is exhausting.

I finally got a handle on my project and had a good meeting with my boss, Carol, on Friday to plan some simple experiments for the coming week to get me into the swing of things.

I even have some semblance of a morning routine! I almost had it all together on Friday morning- the only thing I forgot was a fork for my lunch- my goal is to get the coffee, breakfast and complete lunch accomplished at some point this week...

I even had some time for a craft this weekend!! I wanted a summer wreath (the shell one I made in TX grew mold) and I couldn't find one that I liked so I gave myself $20 at Michael's and made my own- I'm not allowed to hang anything outside my door so it is on the inside.... At least I get to enjoy it every morning.

I hope you are all well- I'm sending out change of address post cards this week- I hope to hear from you all!

PS. Smokey says Hi!