Knitting Update -- Getting Better At It!

As promised, here's my (improved) knitting skills. Still learning (I guess we all are, aren't we?).

As you can see from the swatch, I'm trying different stitches. Nothing real pretty, but hey...major improvements.

Son No. 2 Sets the Scene with Playmobil

Son No. 2 is not quite ready for crochet, but he's always ready for playing with his Playmobil collection. He has a great imagination and comes up with some really cool scenes. Here's a good example that he asked me to capture and share with you:

Son No. 1 Learns to Crochet!

Yes, the craftiness continues at our house. A couple nights ago, Son No. 1 says, "Teach me how to crochet." To which I reply, "Hey, no problem." So...after about ten minutes, he was off and hooking. Check this out:

[Click for a close-up shot]

I think he did a GREAT job for a first project. WAY better than I did when I first started some 12 years ago. Congratulations, Son!

Crap. Crap. Crap.

I'm telling you it just isn't fair. I cannot get a damned (crafty) thing done these days. Work is extra crazy right now, and by the time I get home, eat dinner, spend a few minutes with the boys and the wife, I am out of energy. It's crazy. I'm too young to poop out like this. Really.

All day long I think and dream of all the cool stuff I want to get done when I get home. And it just ain't happening. It's frustrating to say the VERY least. My mystery project is not a big deal, but damn, I wanted to get it done. I wanted to take a nice picture of it. I wanted to show you what I did. It's all part of my New Year's resolution to be a better crafter. To post daily entries on my blog. To create. To be creative. To turn ideas into finished objects. Is that so wrong?

Grrrrrr. Ok. I guess I'm finished with the whining. Well....maybe. Ok...I'm done. No really, I am. Seriously.

Stay tuned. I swear I will get one or two things done and show you that I can overcome this lazy-butt attitude. And, just to keep you updated, I think I finally figured out how to knit and purl. Amazing, huh? I'm telling you. It's the t.r.u.t.h. I will post a photo of my little swatch to proove it. :-)

In the meantime....get crafty and make something.

P.S. I added a couple new links [Adam Knits, Brooklyn Tweed, Cast-On and Fig and Plum to My Favorite Places. They are all fiber-art related sites and I am pleased to have them as part of the blog. Go look!

Tuesday Teaser

Sorry...the project I had hoped to get completed, didn't quite happen. Life seems to be that way. "The best intentions ..." You know the story. But don't give up on me. I'm planning to spend some time in the spare bedroom/craft room tonight. Son No. 2 needs some pants hemmed so I'll fire up the sewing machine and see what happens.

The 'mystery project' won't take too much time. Oh...there's that four-letter word again. Dang...seems that there's a lack of that commodity right now. Hang in there ... and check back tomorrow for details.

Mystery Monday

I know: It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this one out. Tune in tomorrow for the finished product.

Mystery Monday's Raw Materials (well...most of them)

Have a great day!

Just Checking In

Hey all. Happy Thursday! Hope all is well with you. Things here are good. The weather has turned very cold. Yesterday the thermometer in my truck said 12 degrees. Brrrrrrr. As one of my favorite podcasters (Brenda Dayne) would say, "If you're cold, put on a sweater. That's what they're for." You go Brenda! [NOTE TO SELF: It will be a hundred years before I knit a sweater, so store-bought will have to do for now.]

Speaking of fiber-art....I have a wool scarf on the hook. My son saw it, loves the colors and wants it . So...I guess I'm making a scarf for Son No. 1. I also have a stocking cap on another hook. I made it through about 7 rounds last night before turning in for the night. And the hat is MINE, all mine. Because sometimes, you just need to make something for yourself. Photos soon.

Oh...and on the Science Project scene: Son No. 1 is growing beans in three different soils to see which is best. Stay tuned for pictures.

Garage Band? Nope. Just the Boys Goofing Around

[Mom and Hershey are in charge of lighting.]

[Lead guitar making some minor adjustments, and then...
the show must go on! And it does.]

The boys had a great Christmas break. Here's some fun they had whooping it up as a rock and roll band. I swear, they get their craziness from their mother. It has nothing to do with me. [WINK!].

Let's Get Organized!

[Shoes, shoes and more shoes!]

How embarrassing. I think I have as many shoes as Imelda Marcos. Where did I get all these, anyway? Suffice it to say, some are SOOOOOO old (they have been tossed out), some are too small (they have been given to Goodwill). Others (okay, many others) are just fine and found their way onto a new shoe rack (my wife's idea) in the closet. My wife has a few pairs of shoes too. But...I was nice and did not take a picture of them. Love ya honey!

Cleaning out the walk-in closet was on our To-Do list for months and we finally got around to tackling that project a few weeks ago. Why did it take us so long? It is so nice to be be able to actually walk in the closet and see what you have! Several items were given away or donated to Goodwill. Now that we have just the 'good stuff' in there, there's actually breathing room between garments.

The 'before' photo is too scary to post. So, here's the 'after' photo.

Ahhh. A place for everything and everything in its place.

Look! I Made a Hat!

Here's the hat I crocheted a few weeks ago for Son No. 2. Nothing too fancy. But hey, it's a FINISHED project -- and I guess that makes it very special!


UPDATE: I'm sorry that 99.9% of my photos are taken on the kitchen countertop. But...that's where there is some half-way decent lighting and a nice surface. I'll try to be more stylish in the future. --mike

Episode 1 of the Podcast is Done!

Yes, yes, yes. It's finished. It's a bit rough around the edges, but it's D.O.N.E.

Go take a listen and let me know what you think. You'll find The Craftydad Podcast here. You can also find it on iTunes.

It's 1:14 A.M. I am going to bed. Good night!

Truly: So Many Projects...So Little Time These Days

Always so much to do. And by the time I have time to do the fun stuff, I'm tired. Exhausted. Worn out. The winter blahs? Perhaps. I'm ready for long days and short nights. Daylight is one my best friends. Oh, how I miss it.

The podcast is "under construction", so to speak. I've been working on the outline, the intro, the music, the whole nine yards. Soon I'll be putting it all together and sending it to the web for all of you to laugh at listen to.

Time is ticking away. Gotta run!

What Am I Doing?

"Crafting" these days has consisted of painting the boys' bedrooms and putting together an awesome bunk bed. More on that later, and photos too. We're taking "before and after photos". The transformation is a good thing -- wait 'til you see the pictures.

It's been a busy time...between working all day and then coming home to do fun stuff, like putting all those Christmas decorations away [I enjoy them, but it's really nice to get back to 'normal'], learning all this cool stuff about podcasts, and volunteering to read books on LibriVox. Where will technology take me next? Stay tuned.

My plan (for sometime this weekend) is to put together my first official episode of The Crafty Dad Podcast. We'll see how it goes. It's been approved by iTunes and should appear in their directory of podcasts today. [I'm pretty psyched about that!]

Have a great weekend!

A Podcast? A Podcast!

I'm trying something new. A podcast. Tons of other people are doing them, so ... I'm going to give it the ol' college try. Check it out over at Podcastspot.com.