When did it become June?

So, it's June already. How did that happen? Well with June comes the beginning of summer, though its been hot enough here for months.

But June brings other things as well, including the 30 Days of Creativity Challenge.

I have to say I'm intrigued by this, and very tempted to join in on the fun. The problem is I don't always have time every time to create something, and I feel like I can only count "dinner" so many times. The challenge starts today, and its after 6pm and this is the first chance I've had to even blog, let alone craft. Guess that's why they call it a challenge. :P

Well I may be starting late. But in the meantime, I bought a yard of this fabric for $2 over the weekend, but I still don't know what I want to make with it.

I really like it. I'm thinking something beachy or summery would be good, but I still haven't decided. Any one got any suggestions?

Can you guess?

Half of the time, I don't even know what I'm making.

Any guesses?

Here's some additional examples- unfinished of course. These designs don't go together, but they're all the same thing. sortof. Hoping to get them to a more finished product tonight, as I'll be at a special weeknight edition of CCC! (Can't figure it out? Theres an extra hint in the tags!)

I'll be using my awesome groupon at one of the fabric stores in town after work today. I get to pick out $60 of fabric and notions, so you can expect some shopping pictures up this week as well. I'm hoping to not get too distracted though, and I'm actually pretty excited about this current idea!

Here's hoping it all comes together.

Go and make things- W

A couple things

1. Thor was excellent, I highly recommend it. Makes me excited for The Avengers, and I'm already thinking of some great fun things to stitch up from the movie. And Asgard was very pretty.
2. This design from Mr. X Stitch makes me want to try blackwork: (click the photo for a link)

3. Being sick and stuck in bed does not mean you get extra crafting time. (Though my next project is to craft Day of the Dead themed items, and I feel like death. So at least that's appropriate.)

4. I need to learn how to crochet so I can make this: (click the photo for a link)

That's all for now. I'll have a longer post in the week when I'm feeling better, but for now my bed and a cup of tea are calling me.

Button Mania

Lately I have been completely and totally obsessed with buttons.

I don't really have a button collection, but I'm interested in changing that very very soon. There are some seriously amazing things that people are creating/embellishing with buttons.

This is made entirely out of buttons. How cool is that?!

I've been browsing a new blog, Bonkers About Buttons. As the name suggests it is full of amazing button related projects, and even some tutorials, which is always a plus. Now, while I'm dying to make my own incredible button mosaic, some of the other projects on the blog have me inspired for Mother's Day.

My grandmother collected buttons that now my mother collects. This year for Mother's Day I'd love to make her something that honors both her and her own mother using or displaying some of the more special buttons. Here's some ideas that caught my eye from flickr and craftster.



here



here

There were other button shapes I found as well. Hearts and bunnies and a million others, but I think I like the tree the best so far, unless I can think of another image that means something

special to my mom or grandma. The image on the left is part of a button book. I love that idea too!

Got any other creative ideas?

Shopping Trip!

Last Thursday I had a little too much fun. The sale section at Michael's is always a little dangerous for me. Here are a few of the things I found and picked up:

I'm pretty excited about these. Stretched canvas with awesome designs already around the edge. Could easily stitch something in the center, and most of the work is done for you! The designs are the fuzzy felt/velvet similar to what you find on the posters I used to color as a kid. They had a couple different colors and designs, though I'm told these have been here for a while and may not be available anymore. $2 each

Pretty scented soap!

This will be the perfect addition to those washcloths I knitted not too long ago, though I'll probably change the paper to something that matches a little better. $1

Also going in the washcloths will be:

A monogram towel/whatever hook!

The one on the left is the one that actually has the hook and hanging parts already attached, but I like the look of the one on the right so much better. They were only $1 each so I got them both and I'll just move the hanging equipment and hook to the other wooden letter and wrap it in some pretty yarn.

There were countless other cute sale items but I had to show some restraint. Plus I had a baking experiment to work on over the weekend, so I didn't want to get too distracted. Once I get those photos added I'll be detailing my experience with these tasty noms:



What are YOU doing at work today?

Lately I've traded in my teeny tiny stitches for some slightly bigger ones:

I am IN LOVE with this yarn color. Blues and yellows and greens, its the definition of spring! I know New England is still getting snow and a variety of winter mixes weather wise, but down south things are warming up and the pollen is in full force.

Seriously these pictures don't do it justice. The colors are so bright! It's Lily Sugar N Cream- Summer Prints
Work is unusually slow so far this week, and so I'm taking the opportunity to get caught up on some reading (this series is addictive!) and do some knitting/crafting. A friend made us all wash clothes which she gifted with quite possible the most amazing smelling soap I've ever owned as a Christmas gift, and since then I've been itching to give them a go. Then last week another friend showed me ones that she'd been working on, then my swap partner (more about this later) on Craftster said she was making them too, and I simply couldn't take it any more.

I'm not much for following a pattern when knitting, but I decided as long as I stayed in my familiar square or rectangle format I might make it through. I found this pattern on Ravelry (an amazing site, BTW) and so far I can't believe how simple it is! Not to mention I LOVE the practicality of this project. I have a feeling I'll be addicted to these babies for quite some time.

Works in Progress

It's really easy to let yourself relax after you've finished a larger project in a very short time period. Though the Star Wars cross stitch wasn't a complicated pattern, or a huge one by any means, it was still a little ambitious to try to finish it in the three evenings I had leading up to the party. In fact, I spent a good bit of time the day of finishing it up, and found myself pretty exhausted with the whole activity by the end of it.

Needless to say I've been a litte slow to pick up some of my other projects since, taking time to head out of town and relax a little with my family last week was just what I needed to rejuvinate myself and feel like stitching again. Plus another CCC night (Thats Crafts, Cupcakes and Cosmos) helped get some of my creative juices flowing.

 Just a couple random little projects I've been doing on and off for the last month or so. The first two are preivously unblogged but the one on the right should look at least a little familiar. I told you I liked having multiple projects at once!

I spent yesterday at work finishing a pattern for another project as well, and I'm still working on charting our zombie friend, as requested by several Craftster members who want to give him a go. Guess I have been hard at work after all!

 

Early Spring!

In case you haven't heard, dear groundhog did NOT see his shadow, meaning an early spring for all! I couldn't be more happy about this, though it's probably bad news for my crafting. The warmer it gets the less I want to cozy up to a fire with my needle and thread, and the more I want to throw barbeque's, have picnics and wear cute summery dresses. (Hmm, perhaps those dresses could use a little embroidery to spice them up!)

But Groundhogs Day isn't just a silly holiday where local town officials trap and terrify a groundhog into making weather predictions he isn't really qualified for. It's also...

An excellent Bill Murray movie!

Wouldn't it be fun to stitch up one of the movie's quotes with a fun little scene? I'm thinking this one might lend itself best to a little needlepoint:

"I was in the Virgin Islands once. I met a girl. We ate lobster, drank piña coladas. At sunset, we made love like sea otters. That was a pretty good day. Why couldn't I get that day over, and over, and over..."

I'm seeing a couple sea otters lounged out in beach chairs with some frosty drinks in their flippers, watching the sun set! hah! And now if you'll excuse me, I might have to go and get started on that right now.