12 sleeps 'til Christmas!

I seriously cannot believe it is December 13th already.  I'm *so* running out of time with my holiday presents.  I've already told my mom that I'm going to have to give them to her after Christmas because they are just not going to be done in time.  I'm really trying to quickly prioritize my list and make things as quick as I can, but sometimes that just doesn't work so well.

My mom's blanket is coming along....I've almost gone through an entire skein of one color....I hope this is long enough for the final project.  We will see I guess....or I will buy more yarn.  Good thing is that I think Red Heart Soft Yarn is a "no dye lot" yarn so I won't have to worry about matching lots....and the way the colors alternate it shouldn't matter too much if the color isn't matched exactly.

My mom's punch needle is also coming along.  Unfortunately I didn't have much time to work on it this past week because I had final projects looming over my head.  I missed the deadline for Michaels to get it framed.  Perhaps I can make the deadline for A.C. Moore.  Or maybe frame it myself?  Hmmm, idk.  I need to think of a creative way to present the unfinished project as a Christmas gift.

I'm happy that I did decide to purchase gifts online this year.  I have a nice little bag of growing gifts that I will just have to wrap up!! :)

Hopefully after today it will be better for me.  My one class definitely ends this week and my independent might (I'm not sure how those things work anyway...).  I created the cutest book (in my opinion) for my Development of Mathematical Thinking class...I'm tempted to try and post it!!!!

Oh well, best go meet with my advisor now!!!

Christmas decorating 2010

I love the holidays, some years more than others, but overall I love the holidays.  I like to decorate my apartment and just make it as festive as possible!  Right now it smells like pine because I have all different sorts of pine smelling things!!

This year, I decided to make myself a wreath for my door.  I went to Michaels and got a wreath (artificial), two packs of decorative balls on wire, and a nice purple sparkling bow.

After about 30 minutes of careful placing of balls and twisting wires this was the result.  I'm quite happy with it and it now lives on my front door :).

I usually get a bunch of new ornaments each year.  Here are some from this year.

Found these cute bulb looking ornaments at Target along with the candy cane and the wooden owl :).

My Aunt Cathy knows I love owls and picked this up for me.  It is soooo cute!

At the NJ Sheep and Wool Festival in September I picked up this little guy.  It is made from actual fleece :)!

Everyone needs a bear in a scarf :).

Just a pretty colored metal snow flake with bells!  I like the jingling sound!

For Thanksgiving, my Aunt Cathy set each place setting with an angel ornament.  I love it and she is living happily on my tree.

Then I decorate the top of my book cases with various Christmas-ness.  The white bear with the pink hat and scarf is actually dipped in wax that smells like pine.  My mom bought it for me and it smells very good!!

Here is my tree...much better pictures coming soon!  (When I get some time to properly take them).  Even though it is hard to see, I made the bow on top of my tree!

 This is the Nativity under my tree.  It is all crocheted, but I didn't make this.  My mom bought it for me a few years ago at a craft fair before I ever had made amigurumi :).

Once I finish school for the semester, I will post better pictures (aka hopefully more artistic) photos of my decorations!! :)

I'm ok!

So my last update was about a month ago, right before my surgery.  Well my surgery went well and I'm basically all recovered!  When I was recovering I had a lot of time to be crafty!


I finished a baby blanket for one of the teachers at my mom's school....

Made a hat just "because"....it looks a bit odd on my head however, but c'est la vie.

 My friend really likes the game Starcraft and she asked me to make her plushies that looked (as close as I could get to the "Zergling")....these are two of them.

Also made this hat for Chris's birthday.

My other friend asked me to make her a "Sackboy" from the game Little Big Planet, this is the one I made using Alan Dart's pattern for sackboy.

Here is a hat and scarf set made for one of my mom's friend's daughters for Hanukkah.

 Made this scarf as a present for one of my friends.  It is a combination of the "Amy" pattern found on Ravelry and the "Mega Cabled Scarf" also found on Ravelry.

And this is the beginning of my mom's blanket for Christmas :).  She got a lovely new comforter and I'm making something to match.  Her comforter is green with white, cream, and a bronzey brown running through it, so I figured these colors would match nicely!  Hopefully I finish it in time.....and if not, it will be a present for Orthodox Christmas (which is our *real* holiday).

Long over due update!

Hello all you wonderful people in cyberland :).  It has been quite a while since I last posted!  I was really busy studying for my PhD comprehensive examination!  Now that I'm done with that (hopefully I passed *fingers crossed*) I'm not as crazy busy.  I was able to finish a bunch of projects however when I was taking breaks here and there!

I finished a baby blanket for one of my friends:

Finished my purple chunky braided scarf:

 Knit a cowl and a large button hat (even though I look kinda weird in hats....)

Finished my fall floaty scarf:

I also knit my interpretation of a gallbladder because on Monday I have to have mine removed :( and I want one to keep forever!  It probably isn't real size, but I'm going to bring it with me to the hospital, hopefully it will make the doctor laugh!

I also went pumpkin picking and to a corn maze!  You can see the pumpkin picking photos on my flickr :)!

Oh, and I participated in my first 5K on 10/30/10!  I ran/walked and did the whole thing in 40 minutes and 6 seconds.  I know it isn't a really fantastic time, but I'm proud of it on my first try!

Also, I dressed up as Hermione for Halloween :) I made the costume a few years ago and figured it would be fun to answer the door in costume :)

http://www.zappos.com/hunter-hunter-original-iris

http://www.zappos.com/hunter-hunter-original-iris

After getting completely drenched today in the lovely rain that NJ/NY is getting, I decided to get myself a pair of rain boots. I have pretty large feet for a girl (size 12), but after discussing with other women who have these boots, we came to the conclusion that they run large--about 1 size large. SOOOOOOO, I ordered an 11 AND they are purple!

:) Hopefully they work out so I can go splashing in puddles!

Duct-Tape Dress Form #1 - Threads

Duct-Tape Dress Form #1 - Threads

This is a pretty cool idea!

Beauty is all around!

Every rainy day has bright cheery moments. This little rose was sticking out from behind a fence. I must return with my camera. I love the raindrops on it!

Craftini has been at it again!!

Sooooooo, I'm taking the big exams associated with getting my PhD on October 22--you get two chances to pass, and if you don't, you can't get your PhD.  No stress there, right? Well, of course being a "good graduate student" I've been studying for them and taking breaks to crochet/knit/sew and clean!

Some recent sewing projects include a purse that I made from an old pair of jeans and a little stuffed owl!

I also taught myself how to cable when knitting.  I started two scarves--the greenish one I started first (night before purple one) because the purple one required size 19 needles which I didn't think I had.  (Side note, I bought them and then found I had a pair hiding at home...oh well :)).  The purple scarf--Mega Cabled Scarf from Stitch DC blog--is made from Cascade Magnum which is a super bulky yarn and went super fast!  I think it supposedly takes like 4-6 hours to complete if you just work continuously, but since I've been studying/working/etc it took me two days :).  I don't have a finished picture at the moment, but that will come!!  The green scarf is the Amy scarf and is being knitted in Berroco Vintage.

I also completed a very special blanket, but I'll post about that later after I give it to the intended person :).

I've started compiling my holiday 2010 gift list--I really just want to work on projects now and not study.....not such a good plan I know.  No worries, I won't be doing that--I'm a good student! :)  In fact, I've tried to convince myself not to do any sort of crafting starting October 1st until the 22nd when my test is done.  That might not work, but I will definitely keep it to a minimum!

Champagne Fizz Hat - Knitting Daily

Champagne Fizz Hat - Knitting Daily

This is a pattern that I do not think I will ever be knitting. Just came across it, just had to share it!

NJ Sheep and Wool Festival

Today Chris, my friend and fellow knitter/crocheter/sewer/etc Lindsey, and I went to the NJ Sheep and Wool Festival.  This was the first time any of us went, and wow was it fun!  There were sheep everywhere!  There were sheep sheering events, judging competitions, spinning and knitting classes, food, music, and YARN!!!!  We all took a class to teach us how to spin our own yarn on a drop spindle.  The spindle was made from a dowel rod, 2 CDs, a hook, and a rubber piece to keep it all together--so simple, but so cool!

I did get a bunch of nice yarn!  Some beautiful Alpaca that I plan on making into the "Fetching" fingerless gloves, some hand painted wool boucle, and two kinds of roving (one for mittens and one to try and spin myself!).

I loved the sheep (even though they were pooping and peeing everywhere lol).  I wish I could have taken photos of them all day :).

Definitely looking forward to going back next year! (And maybe I'll come home with a sheep!)

Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Sunset

We've had some very beautiful sunsets lately in New Jersey.  I was lucky enough to capture a few shots of one of the last ones (from my bathroom window).

And in a side note, driving back up from Florida, we drove into a LOT of storms.  Here's a few of the coolest pictures!