Happy Friday from the Knit-Wit

Woo Hoo! It’s Friday. Another week has flown by and absolutely NO crafting to show for it. Pitiful. Down-right pitiful. However…I am experiencing another ‘flavor-of-the-month’ craft idea. My wife will attest to my multi-flavor craft repertoire, trust me. My flavor starts by seeing something on television, or in a book, or on the internet. Then, I log on to eBay and start looking. And then looking quickly turns into buying. But, I digress. BIG TIME.

Actually, it’s Dave Daniel’s fault. I bumped into his really cool blog site some time ago. While I really don’t know him, he seems like a great guy. And this dude knits some really great stuff. Lots of people stop by his site every day – check out the number of comments on his posts. Way to go Dave!

So…it’s time to learn a new skill. And this week it’s KNITTING. Yep, the age-old craft involving two pointy sticks and some string. So, as usual, I popped over to eBay and, since I already have tons of yarn, I clicked on “Buy” and typed in “knitting needles”. And I scrolled down the list and found a nice assortment of 40 needles for less than $5.00. I placed a bid and (wouldn’t you know it) the next day I was the winning bidder. In a few days I’ll have 19 pairs of straight sticks and a circular needle to play with.

I’ve already checked out some knitting ‘how-to’ books/videos from my local library. [I LOVE the library. Best thing since sliced bread. Especially for us attention deficit crafty guys. LOL!] I stayed up late last night and watched an instructional video (I’ll post the title and ISBN soon). It demonstrates all the basic (and not so basic) knitting AND crocheting stitches. It is a well-done video and I highly recommend it. I just wished I had a pair of needles to play along with.

Being the impatient person that I am, I had to run to WalMart today to get a pair of needles. Hardly knowing what I was doing, I bought a pair of 10-1/2’s. (I happened to see a scarf pattern that called for that size, so that’s what I went with.) I like them very much: they are shiny, blue, aluminum. I can’t wait to try them out. Tonight. Tonight.

That’s all for now. Have a great (crafty) weekend!

Warning! Purging Ahead!

The purging process has begun! My wife had the day off and spent a good chunk of time sifting through the cedar closet in the basement. That’s where we’ve accumulated lots of clothes we no longer wear. Some have not been worn in years and they are perfect candidates for the Goodwill bag. Other items belong to my oldest son and are waiting for their turn to be used by his brother (five years younger).

Other items in the closet are: toys (some are going to the trash, some are being saved as “keepsakes” and will be moved to the attic, some may be donated to the pre-school); holiday decorations (most will be kept -- the “worn and torn” will be discarded.)

The closet is also home to my fabric stash. And what can I say about that? “Don’t you touch my fabric stash!” Ahem. I’m sure I can (and will) move some of it out. But where will it go? Into a container to be stored somewhere else? Into the Goodwill bag? (oh, I’m not liking that idea!) Ha! Ha! Ha! Kidding of course. A lot of it could certainly be taken away, moved out, forgotten about. But most of it is good stuff that just needs to be converted from raw material status to WIP to finished goods. All before the Christmas gift-giving season begins. And in case you haven’t looked at the calendar, it will be October in just a few days. Holy cow.

Time. To. Craft.

Such a Beautiful Day!

Fall is in the air, that's for sure. And today is a beautiful day. Sunshine and seventy-something. Perfect. But, honestly, I miss summer. I had hoped to spend lots of summer evenings on the patio. Having dinner on the patio, (hamburgers on the grill, potato chips, lemonade and other summertime faire). I wanted to spend the evening in the hot tub with my wife, soothing music pouring from the outdoor speakers. Tiki torches. Lightning bugs. Clear skies with sparkling stars.

Where did all the time go? Where does it always go? Why do my plans never seem to pan out? Where do all these trivial, have-to-get-done tasks come from? Where is the fun time? Does it all go away when you're a parent? What am I missing? Why are my priorities all screwed up? Why am I asking all these questions?

Help! Call the white coats. I think I've reached the edge.

I'm Baaaaaaack!

Wow. Twenty days since my last (lame) post. But, hey, I gotta tell you: it’s been a busy/crazy/wacky time. My dad was in the hospital for a few days, and then transferred to a nursing home for almost three weeks. I’ll keep the details to myself (thanks for understanding) but suffice it to say, it was a little scary. However…I think we’re on an upward trend. Think positive thoughts, okay?

Crafting? Nope. None of that going on at my house. Although I did give the sewing machine a run for its money a few days ago. The weather in Northern Indiana has turned very Autumn-like (bummer). Wearing shorts to school is no longer an option on most days. So…my wife and I had bought several pairs of pants for the boys awhile back. And of course they are too long. But, hey: that’s why I have that expensive sewing machine (wink, wink). Honestly, it was a bit much, but (as I’ve tried to convince my wife) there are machines out there that cost a whole lot more. And I still scour eBay with ‘sewing machine’ in the search line. Hey! I can look; just can’t touch. Heavy sigh.

Blogging is my therapy and I hope to be able to post every day from now on. The Holidays are rapidly approaching and my wife and I promised ourselves we would hand-make as many gifts as possible this year. We say it every year, but this year we REALLY hope to make it a reality. We are seriously trying to de-clutter the house. I’m the cause of it, and I know it. [Admitting that I have a problem is the first step.] One of our top priorities is to get rid of things. A few things are being packed up and will be put in the attic. But a TON of things will be going to Goodwill or the trash can. And honestly, I’m ready to part with most of the stuff. It will be SO nice to be able to see floor space in the basement. And we’ll be using those big green totes for keeping the stuff that matters.

Ok…enough already. See you tomorrow.

Crazy Times Call For Crazy People - Count Me In!

Life has been more hectic that usual these days.

Both my dad and sister were taken to the hospital (separate situations) on Saturday, August 26^th. So…I’ve been playing the ‘running game’. Run here. Run there. Go here. Go there. Do this. Do that.

I won’t go into details here, but suffice it to say that it has been an eye-opening experience.

I hope to be back to blogging soon. It’s funny how our priorities can change so quickly, isn’t it?

I'm Such a Bad Blogger!

Can't. Type. Now.

• I've been a very bad blogger as I haven't posted in several days.
• I'll be back soon (with pictures too). So please stay tuned.
• Thanks for the comments. I appreciate them. Seriously.

The Playmobil people have taken over our computer desk. We'll need to call in the big guns now.

Did Somebunny Say Rabbit?

Meet Zoe (the grey one) and Sophie. The two newest additions to our family.











The bunnies enjoying some time in the exercise area. They love Timothy hay. And they love being able to hop around outside.











Best friends snuggled together.

First Day of School!

School started today. I have mixed emotions about the day. I'll share them with you soon. Gotta run!

Updated 8-17-06: So...where did the summer go? The boys' last day of school was June 8 and they had to go back today. It just isn't right. I can remember when summer vacation seemed to last forever. Back in the old days, I spent the day playing outside from morning til my dad whistled for me to come home. There were bike rides, games of 'kick the can', playing GI Joe in the neighbor's sandbox. I made tree forts in the woods and over the creek that ran behind our house. I played with the kids next door and ate popcorn and drank kool-aid. There were the overnight trips to my grandparent's house. Sometimes my grandpa would take me to work with him. He was a livestock buyer for a meat processing plant. I won't make you turn green with all the details, but it was really cool -- seriously! There were times that I got to go along with him to livestock auctions. A truly unique experience that I will remember forever.

Ah yes, summer vacation. Can you remember?

Back on task: I am very proud of my boys -- first grade and sixth grade. I wish them a wonderful year. Love ya guys!

WIP Photos from Friday and The Weekend Update

Some WIP photos from Friday.

**Country-time bib. It's looking good. Needs top-stiched and either a snap or some hook-and-loop. I'm thinking snap.








**WeeWonderful bunny. Still needs a face. But wanted to show you how he/she looks so far.

Another whirlwind weekend has whizzed by. Let’s recap the activities:

Friday night - Son No. 1 had a friend over for dinner. After dinner we piled in the mini-van and headed off to Target. Being the pack-rat that I am, I have run out of places to stash my stash. Target had some storage containers on sale and I wanted to get some before the college kids bought them all. I was a little disappointed in the selection, but did find a wide three-drawer model on wheels that will work nicely with the narrow three-drawer model I already have. I also bought a “yarn-tainer”. If you haven’t seen them, you need to take a look. It’s a clear plastic container with a snap-on lid. The lid has a hole in it for your yarn. You pop open the lid, drop in a skein/ball of yarn, thread the yarn through the hole in the top and voila: yarn management for less than five bucks! Get one! Of course I had to it out so I stayed up til midnight and crocheted Son No. 2 a camouflage water bottle cover. (He loves it! And carried it with him all day on Saturday.)

Saturday – spent the morning and part of the afternoon (perfect weather) at the 44^th Annual Amish Acres Arts & Crafts Festival in Nappanee, IN. Lots of crafty things to look at and spend your money on. We munched on kettle corn while we watched a marionette puppet show (Rumpelstilzkin). The boys ended up with PVC bow and arrows and the wife and I bought a cute sign to hang on the patio fence. We also had a nice lunch and a some fun “family-time”. Makes me smile.

Saturday – part two. Oh Lord! There’s a new pet store in town and the boys have been pleading with us to get them a bunny. So…we caved in and bought them each a bunny rabbit (they are cute) and a cage, and a water bottle, and some bedding, and some Timothy hay, and a food dish, and a salt block. (Are you getting the picture?). Average lifespan of these floppy-ear characters is between 7-10 years. Did we make a huge mistake? Stay tuned.

Sunday – breakfast, bunny time and then off to the lake. It was another perfect day and we took advantage of it. We had a great picnic lunch, went swimming, relaxed on the deck, and later on, ran into town for an ice cream treat. Sunday night was carry-out pizza and more bunny time. The boys took the bunnies out on the patio for some exercise. It’s hard not to like the little critters.

So…how was YOUR weekend?

Vacation Memories and ... It's Friday Again

I get sentimental right before the kids go back to school each year. Their summer break is way too short. But we had some great times while they were off. A trip to Disney World in June and a long weekend at Cedar Point in July were two high points of summer. I think the boys had a great time. (I know the wife and I did.) Vacation memories are priceless and I get a little choked up thinking about our good times together. Kids grow up so fast...you need to enjoy all the time you have. (Sniff, sniff).

Oh, the picture? That's a shot I took looking across the swimming pool at Cedar Point's Lighthouse Place campground. Those are cottages in the background and just past the cottages is Lake Erie. It's a great place to visit. I highly recommend it as a family vacation spot.


Wow…it’s Friday again. Let’s see. What have I accomplished this week? The bunny is 80% done (still needs some facial features). Although…I suppose I could skip the eyes, nose and mouth and say it’s an Amish bunny. Okay. Maybe not.

The patriotic bib (new size/shape) is about 80% finished as well. Still needs top-stitched and some famous hook-and-loop. I used a baby flannel for the batting this time and I like the weight and general ‘feel’. I’m using the flannel for the other bibs that are in the WIP pile.

I’m making a list of items to make as Christmas gifts this year. Every year we say we’re going to make 90% of the gifts we give. And we run out of time every year. But, this year is going to be different! Mark my words. Personally, I prefer a handcrafted gift over store-bought gift any day. Can I get an “Amen!”? Alright then.

Not sure if we’re going to the Arts & Crafts Festival at Amish Acres this weekend. It’s a FANTASTIC show and we’ve missed the last two years, so perhaps we’ll venture down to Nappannee and check things out. The weather is supposed to be really nice. The heat wave has moved on – the temperature has been perfect.

I still need to upload some pics. I did set up a Flickr account. I’m not an expert at it, but there’s time for that.

Gosh, It's Been Awhile ...

I know, I know, I haven't posted in a long time. Time just seems to slip by.

Anyhow....my button swap buddy, Betty Bea sent me the nicest selection of vintage buttons. I'm sure I will put them to good use. I'm working on some Wee Wonderful creations and I think some of those buttons just might end up being the eyes for bunnies, bears and kitty cats.

I say it all the time, but I just don't seem to have the time or energy at the end of the day to do any crafting. Maybe it's been the HOT HOT HOT weather we've had. Sound familiar? But seriously, every day on my way to work I'm thinking, "Okay, tonight I'll finish the bunny and the bib I started and cut out the cool country/chicken fabric for another baby bib." But...after I get home, have dinner, spend some time with the wife and kids and do chores, I'm POOPED!

Pictures need to be uploaded from the camera too. There are tons of them on there...many of them need to be posted here.

During my web-surfing, I have seen SO MANY cool crafting blog sites. Wow....there are a ton of creative people out there. It is wonderful. Amazing.

I'm motivated to get some things done. Please leave an encouraging message!

Have a great weekend!

Trying to Catch Up From a Big Weekend!

<--Perry Monument on Put-In Bay Island

Wow. A four-day weekend camping trip at CedarPoint in Sandusky, Ohio; a day-trip to Put-In-Bay Island; and an evening at the 4-H Fair. I'm tired!

Rollercoasters, food, kiddie-rides, food, games of chance, food, golf cart rides around the island, a great live demo of musket loading and firing (War-of-1812-style) muskets, food, t-shirt shopping, food, old-fashioned carousel rides, food, goats, chickens, beef cattle, dairy cattle, goats, llamas, sheep, commercial exhibits, some ice cream and a longer-than-expected ride home.

Good times were had by all. And the weather? PERFECT.

Pictures coming soon. Blogger.com is giving me fits with uploading photos. Stay tuned.

Friday WIP (Work-in-Process)

Vintage-looking kitchen towels that will be transformed into tote bags.

I have all these ideas...but never seem to have time to sit down and bring them to life.

Must. Start. Creating. Things.







More cotton towels. Not sure how these are going to end up. Any ideas? The towels are much nicer than this photo shows. Blues, green, tan, cream. All waiting to become something new and different.







A baby bib in the making. Clean. Classic lines. Functional. Hopefully someone else will feel the same way and buy it once I get it finished and put in the (etsy) shop.









Materials for a bib. Yes, I realize the Fourth of July is over. But I'm trying a new size/shape...so this is going to be a 'trial run' so to speak. Besides, we should practice patriotism all year long, shouldn't we?

Summer is ...

...pots of impatiens on the patio.














...roses in the garden (doing execptionally well this year).



And when the day is done, the soft glow and sweet scent of a candle.

Dishin' and Fishin'

Dishin'












I found these at the thrift store today and could not resist. They have no markings on the bottom, but I thought the pattern was really sweet, so I bought them. Later, on eBay, I found some for sale...supposedly vintage 60's. Not sure if I'm going to sell them or use them as soap dishes for some homemade soap we'll be making as Christmas gifts this year. I'm thinking I'll keep them.





Fishin'













My uncle (on the right) had promised my oldest son (on the left) that he would take him fishing last summer. But like so many things....time got away and well...Nate did not get a chance to fish last year. So...this year, while we were at the cousin's birthday party last weekend, my uncle made good on his promise. Nate was ecstatic. He ended up catching 14 bluegills. Wow....what a great time! They were just baby fish, but still.....14 fish in about an hour. What a hoot!

A Great Weekend at the Lakes !

Another great weekend at the lakes. Yes, that’s the plural form of “lake”. My wife and the boys headed to the lake on Friday afternoon while I slaved away at work. Since I was scheduled to work on Saturday, I intended to go home after work on Friday to clean house and spend some quality “craft time”. However….my wife had a really good idea: I could drive to the lake, and get up a bit earlier than normal and make the 50 minute commute to work on Saturday morning. Since weekend time (any time with the wife and kids) is precious time, I decided it was a great idea.

Saturday afternoon was wonderful: the weather was perfect summertime weather. The boys spent time in the lake on their “hover crafts” (inflatable, motorized water craft toys) while my wife and I kept them from drowning each other. Boys! I don’t remember getting into so much “trouble” when I was their age…but I’m sure I did my share of goofy things. Oh well….

Sunday morning was spent cleaning up the cottage as we had to leave early enough to drop off the dog (Hershey the chocolate lab) at home so we could dash off for another lake-related event: cousin Kelsey’s 10^th Birthday. After lunch, gifts and cake, my uncle took the boys fishing. They have been begging for a chance to fish, and today was their lucky day. And indeed it was very lucky. Nathan caught 12 fish in about an hour and Matt came in second with a total of 4. Both boys wore smiles from ear-to-ear the whole time they were on the boat. (I have pictures to prove it. And will get them posted as soon as I have a chance – I promise!)

Fabric Finds at Lunch Time

A quick lunch-time visit to Wal-Mart today and I end up with some cool soccer-theme fabric for a quilited pillow for Matt and some very nice, very inexpensive print fabric (all from the blue family). Please don't tell my wife. LOL!

The blue prints will be combined with a solid periwinkle and might just end up as a throw pillow for the family room sofa. I'll post a picture of my $5.68 fabric find when I get a chance. Stay tuned.

Happy 4th of July !

The skies were dark and dreary this morning and threatening more rain. So...rather than stay at the lake, we decided to pack up and go home. And, of course, by the time we got home, the sky was turning blue and the sun was shining. We decided to spend the afternoon in Shipshewana. It turned out to be a beautiful day.

The boys decided they wanted to make a quilt (LOL!) so we bought some fat quarters at Lolly's Fabric Store. We've never made a quilt, so this should be a fun project. I told them it would take lots of time to finish a quilt, but they insisted. Perhaps we can make one or two and the boys can give them to their mom for Christmas. (We'll see!)

Here are two more pictures I took this afternoon:





Nothing says "summer" like a hanging basket of petunias.













Everyone was thirsty, so we took a "drink break". This little display was near the bench we sat on. (Birdhouses and pitcher-pumps seem to never go out of style.)

The Newest Member of My (Sewing Machine) Family

Singer Model 185
(Stock Photo)



I am a sucker for vintage sewing machines (much to my wife's dismay). Especially the ones that make their way to the local thrift shop. So when I made my weekly stop yesterday, there it was: a Singer 185J.

He stood proud in his battered cabinet. Dirty from what may have been years of solitude and neglect. But I saw a diamond in the rough. And...when I saw the price was just $10.00, I became even more interested.

If you're a 'dumpster-diver' like me, you know that you get all excited when you see these relics. And many times you just "have to have it" only to find out that, mechanically, it's a money pit! I've been down that path a few times, so now I do all I can to test the machine out before I haul it home.

I (carefully) carried the machine and cabinet to an electric outlet and said a little prayer that it would work. Lo and behold, the light turned on. And a tap on the foot pedal and we were off and running. I took along a spool of thread and a small swatch of fabric this time for a final test. Another pleasant surprise: very nice, even little stiches. Bingo! We've got a winner.

I'm anxious to get it cleaned up and oiled to see what it can really do. I'll take before-and-after pictures and post them soon. The cabinet top is a mess, but I think a good sanding and a refinish job will have it looking like new again.

Bonus: opening the cabinet door revealed a box of shiny attachments: button foot; zipper foot, binder foot; ruffler foot; and a few other goodies including a very old Singer screw driver for the bobbin case!

(My wife is gonna shoot me when I tell her I bought another sewing machine!)

Yes Virginia, there IS a finished project!

I have amazed myself. I actually started and finished a project today. Woo Hoo!!

Here's the Easter baby bib for my cousin's little girl, Faith. I made it tonite in record time. And it turned out very well (if I say so myself).

I've been making baby bibs for over ten years now -- ever since my first son was born. My wife and I were not happy with the plastic/vinyl bibs, so I drafted a pattern and the rest is history. Now I make them for all the other babies in the family. The parents really appreciated them. It's a project that takes 30 minutes or less and you only need about a yard of fabric.

Getting smarter in my old age. I created a template using a thin sheet of plastic I found at Hobby Lobby during our last visit. I traced the (fabric) pattern I've been using for quite some time onto the plastic and, using household shears, cut it out. Since I can see thru the template, I know exactly where the images on the fabric will appear. Smart, huh? (Notice the chick hatching out of the egg in the center of the bib?) Works like a charm.