Make Me

Belated Valentine

I made all these hearts after visiting a link from Erika at Red Shirt Knitting on Valentine's Day.  Then I forgot about them.  Since I'm in a grumpy mood today I thought I'd post em now.

 

Make your own cranky hearts here.

I don't know why I'm cranky.  Probably because I'm I have so much work to do.  Ugh! 

I've been working on my purse for the International Tote Exchange.  I'm almost done.  Just need to stitch in the lining and sew down the straps.  Been putting it off because its gotta be done by hand.  No fun, but it's too thick to fit in my sewing machine and I've already lost a needle.  No pictures until after cuz it's supposed to be a surprise.  I think it looks pretty good, if I do say so myself.

Mushrooms

I don't know if I've shared this, but I feel we've gotten to know each other pretty well and it's probably time.  I'm fascinated by wild mushrooms.  In fact, my owning a camera at all is probably mostly due to this fascination.  Many is the time I've seen a groovy looking mushroom and have longed to take a photo.

I mean, mushrooms are like magic.  It rains a little and *BOOM*! There they are.  And there's so many different varieties!  And isn't it curious how some are tasty and some are deadly?  I wonder if the deadly ones are tasty too.

So anyway, I was out today with my friend Cathy and we were peeping in the window of this empty condo (don't ask) when I saw the mushrooms.  She was all, "look! a stainless steel fridge!" and I was all, "mushrooms!"  She was all, "stackable washer dryer?" and I was all "mushrooms!"  She was all, "don't like the carpet though." And I was all...well you get the idea.

Luckily I had the camera with me and took lotsa photos!

    

   

I'm getting better at the outdoor photos.  Now if I can manage the indoors!

Five for Friday

Belgian Waffle Earrings

Shamrock Baby Hat

Itty Bitty Rice Bowl Pincushion from Linda at Craft Apple - I just ordered mine and can't wait to get it.  Where'd those adorable little bowls come from?

Cherry Blossom Ring

Loch Ness Monster pattern

Totes n Hats

I started my hat for the Green Hat Along.  At first I was gonna do something kinda complicated but then I remembered I don't really like green, so what would be the point.  I like this Dive yarn though.  It feels so soft and the colors are so perfectly vibrant.  What's funny is I'm knitting on wooden circs and it feels awkward.  Not just the wooden circs, but 16" wooden circs.  I've grown accustomed to my lovely 12" Addis.  I know I'm the only one who likes them, but give 'em a try!  I'm desperately afraid that no one will use them and production will stop. 

This was the best color I could get - it looks awfully blue, but truly, there is green in there.  I'm just winging the pattern.

I also finally got my act together to start on my tote for the International Tote Exchange.

I don't know if it will all get used, but I have great plans for completing the purse this weekend.  I like the combo of textures: felted sweater, thick corduroy, heathery wool felt and gold shot stripes.

The photo process is coming along a little better.  I got a library book on digital photography but since it is lauding the appearance of the NEW 2MP digital camera, I don't think it's quite up to date. 

I'm planning on rising early on Saturday and getting in some good garage sales.  I did okay last weekend, but I'm hoping to find some cool storage furniture. 

Lenten season has robbed me of what few wits I have left and prodded me to give up indiscriminate purchasing for 40 days.  I can still buy yarn, but only for Sophie's gift (that's the only project I've not got yarn for).  Maybe I'll save that purchase for when I'm feeling desperate for retail therapy.

BFF Sock

I'm really dropping the learning curve on the camera.  Sorry kids - apparently mama's not too bright with the technology. 

There has been knitting.  No, really.

This was at the Whistlestop on Sunday.  It's a good pic cuz Wendy took it.  Nice composition, huh?  And the light coming in from the background and the colors in the yarn (which is Trekking, BTW) - it all looks great.  And it's proof positive that my camera can take a nice photo.

Finished the BFF sock on Monday.  Not too thrilled about knitting the second.  This one might be on hold for a while.

   
In my world you can have a photo that shows the stitch, or a photo that shows the yarn.  Don't be getting pushy and wanting both at the same time. 

This is the first different heel I've done.  It's a plain stockinette stitch one.  Previously I've only done the slip 1, knit 1 kind.  This sock feels baggy on the heel, so I don't think I'll be doing it this way again.  We'll re-evaluate next year when I get the second sock done.  Wendy suggested putting ribbing in on the instep for a better fit, but I wasn't sure where to start.  I'll have to look into that for the next sock.

I made it a slightly shorter sock than the pattern calls for.  I prefer an ankle-y type sock.  The trekking yarn is soft and fairly easy to work with although kind of splitty cuz it's 4 ply (is that the correct term?) and it's kinda loosely spun.  Still, ya gotta love that color.  I'm glad the gal at Knitting in La Jolla recommended it.

I've been on a quest to find something else to knit.  I'm frogging a sweater that is just too difficult to understand the directions for.  So I'm looking for something else to do with the yarn.  If I don't find a project soon, I will have to *gasp* finish something in the UFO pile!!!  Has it come to that?

 

 

Let the Back Fat Roll

In honor of Fat Tuesday I tried on all the clothes that no longer fit.  Laissez les bons temps rouler.  Fat Tuesday, indeed.  Somebody pass me a hurricane.

Aqua Woman

Went to the Birch Aquarium on Saturday night and took some photos.  They've been turning out better lately, but   mostly cuz I just keep changing settings and trying over and over again. 

This bit of blur was the octopus tank.  He's that darkly shadowed shape in the upper left corner. He was really active when I went it, but slunk off to the edge of the tank when the camera came out.

Here are some better photos

   
Jellyfish!  Love the jellyfish!  The left is the Black Jellyfish and the right are the Upside Down Jellyfish.
 

The floaty thing in the center is a seahorse.  This was the best photo I could nab.

 
Same tank, different lighting.  Baby sharks and shark,uh, sacks?

Here's something special (depending on your definition of "special") - my first video.  Gotta love those jellyfish!

Five for Friday

Actually there are 6 today!

Shabby Chic Scarf

Hand Turned Wood Pens - okay, I picked this cuz the category is "My Husband's Wood".  Face it, you woulda looked too!

Mixed Media Collage Purse

The Cloisters - such a great deal!

Oooh Cashmere!

Nesting Doll Beanies!

And I made my first Etsy purchase!  I've been obsessing on these plates for about 3 weeks now.  Finally bought them on yesterday.  Aren't they lovely?!!!

Olympus Adventures

Still working with the camera.  Now every photo I take is out of focus!  Going to the library today to get a book on digital photography.  This is driving me crazy.

Here's some crack-is-whack photos of the latest:

First, yarn porn:

Stuff bought at Knitting in La Jolla and at the The Grove.  Don't know what most of it is, except the big pink is Rowan, the blue is the Elsebeth Lavold, the brown and tan are Rowan cotton wool.  The sock yarn in the upper right is Trekking and is what is slowly turning into the BFF socks.  The grey was on sale at Knitting in La Jolla and I hope I can get a nice cami out of it - there are about 730 yards to that pile. I bought all that was left for $4.50/skein. Schweeet!

This here's the chintzy little headband I made when I had no project with me one night.  A simple little thing that took about a couple of hours from start to finish.  Sorry it's out of focus.  The flower is one of Nicky Epstein's.  I'm not sure I like it on this band, but it was a pretty easy one to make.  I wonder if it's worth posting the pattern?  Maybe just to break the monotony of all the hats....

Finally, the cupcakes.  If you saw how many out of focus shots I took, you'd be amazed.  This is the best of the bunch.

Even though they are from the box - (see the Pillsbury box in the background?) and I didn't doctor them up any, they still turned out pretty tasty. 

Stamps, Cupcakes, Socks & VD

Happy Valentines!

Nothing much going on here for VD at the old Make Me Factories.  Meant to post some goodies up on Etsy, but didn't get 'round to it.  Having trouble taking photos of reflective objects.  Any tips?   I did make cupcakes last  night, but haven't frosted them yet so no pictures until they're done!  They're awfully cute cupcakes though.  I haven't used the small muffin tin in so long, I forgot what regular cupcakes look like.

Speaking of cupcakes.  I went to Starbucks yesterday and they had these yummy looking cupcakes in the display case.  I mean yummy looking.  So yummy you'd knock over your best friend just for a single bite.  Vanilla cupcakes and chocolate cupcakes.  Mmmmm.  The gal tells me the vanilla ones are the best, so I order one. 

"We can't sell them until tomorrow."

What?!!  Okay, I'm there, my money is there, the cupcakes are there.  Why can't I buy one?  Why bother putting them in the case if you can't buy them?  That happened at Coffee Bean one time too, but my impression was they had found something wrong with the muffins or whatever and hadn't removed them from the case yet.  What kind of business tactic is this?  I'm not SOOO cupcake mad that I'm going to go running to Starbucks just to get one today.  And chances are, since I only popped into SB because I was walking the strip mall waiting for my Thai dinner to get done, that all yummy cupcakes will be gone by 5pm today.  And that CAN'T be fun as an employee having to say  "oh we can't sell those until tomorrow" all dang day long.

Sigh.  There are more important things that should be occupying time and space in my brain.

I forgot to tell you all about my busy Saturday.  Started out in the AM with a trip to my favorite store where I found some great l.e.i. shoes for 5 bucks and a really cool sweater made from the prettiest midnight blue ribbon yarn.  I'm planning to take it apart and make a nicer sweater for myself. Also got a really pretty pale blue shell with a beaded neckline.

I ran into Edna from Coronado Island Stamps.  It's been a long time since I've seen her.  She told me they had some new stamps and sent me photos that are really cool of African images.

  Got me all excited about stamping again.  Check out the rest of the images.  And y'all cat lovers have to see these.

Edna also gave me the scoop on CHA and promised to hook me up next year! Yay!  I love CHA even if it is overwhelming and crazy and filled with way too much goodness to take in properly.

After Amvets I went to The Grove and did a little too much shopping.  Actually, we can blame Crissy on that one.  I went the first time and bought a skein of something or other, but then Cristina said there was a sale going on!  I hadn't even noticed!  Bought some Rowan and Elsebeth Lavold.  Photos of the yarn porn to come in a later post.

In knitting news, yesterday at lunch I started a pair of BFF socks in Trekking.  My next pair of socks after the Broken Cable Ribs were supposed to be toe up.  Wendy has a nifty tute on her site I was planning to follow, but next thing you know I'm casting on a cuff!  Oh well, next pair, I guess.  Curse you sock knitters!  You and your sock posts, socktoberfests, socks that rock, and sock yarn!  I'm well and truly hooked now!