As you may know, if you follow my other blog, I’ve been purging my house over the past few months. I’v found a lot of stuff, people. A lot of crafty stuff yet to be made and a fair amount of finished stuff, too. One thing leads to another, and I have uncovered a good deal of things from my wedding. For instance, I made the dress my daughter wore as flower girl. Man, that was forever ago, because Drama now wears that dress. Or at least, it fits her, LOL. I also found the unity candle that I redecorated to match the colors (now trashed), and the ring bearer pillow (saved in case one of the girls want it), and my dress. Well, both my wedding dresses, actually, both saved at Country’s request. (That really surprised me, since she is typically not one given to sentiment. At least on the outside ).

I also found a stack of wedding invitations and wedding napkins. I’d been intending on making a shadow box thingie like the one Grandma and Papa had using those and that pillow for some 15 years. Guess that won’t be happening now, huh?

I think I’d still like to do a shadow box of some sort, just because I think they are neat to look at and would be fun to make, but I definitely need a different focus, ykwim? Perhaps…. well, I do have a lot of remembrances of Grandmother…. I could do that. I’m not sure I have enough flat stuff, though. And I think I passed up on all her costume jewelry that would have made for a cute display. But, I do have her watch and grand-dads, and some old pictures, and a couple of small knickknacks….. yeah, I think that’s do-able. And I think I just added another project to my someday list.

Cause that is about the amount of knitting I have done, and that little bit was on the BSJ that I am making form the last of the rust Encore. I have been making a point of relaxing more often though. I’ve cruised through a couple of Harry Potter novels, and I picked up the last one from the library today.

I also cleaned my desk today and found a 300 page novel I am supposed to review by the 22nd that I have not even started. Oops. So much for relaxing with a good book–I’ll be sweating trying to get it read in time. And then, after those two books, perhaps more knitting. Or beading. Or scrapping. Or other craftiness. Or maybe just a good night’s sleep.

not sitting here at this computer, I would be doing crafty type stuff. I might be working on that 1/3 complete puzzle, or I might be weaving in the ends on Sonnet Redux. I finished the knitting last night, and boys and girls, I think it is hot. Like tankless water heater hot. I doubt someone seeing it for the first time would recognize it as a Sonnet.

So, umm, why am I still sitting here? Why am I not doing crafty stuff?

Because I am a wee bit distracted by the way dh is mumbling in his sleep and also by this. If I had the extra money, I would totally be buy the stuff to make about three of those. Maybe more.

I’m actually kinda stuck here! I don’t know what to knit! I have finished bother the sweaters I showed you in the last Craft Club post, hocks isn’t really a project I plan to “finish” so much as it is one that will just be eventually done, and I am not feeling the sock love. Especially for socks that won’t fit my foot. So? Any ideas what I should do with this?

I have 800 meters/874 yards. It was supposed to be a cardi for my SIL, but it’s been 4 or 5 years now and I still don’t have her measurements. I’m declaring it well-enough-seasoned to use. But for what? I’m not positive that is enough for a sweater for me… I’ll have to consult my yardage card. Of course, there is plenty for Batman a sweater, and the color is right, but I am kinda turned off of kid knitting for a bit, given the lack of care demonstrated toward my hand knits. Ahem.

Of course, Country would rather I give the yarn stash a little break, which might be cause to negotiate lower life insurance rates for it. (Ha, I slay me). She’d much rather I work on this:

And it December. I like for us to do a puzzle each December, so maybe I should concentrate on this:

Thoughts?

No, I am not announcing a new hobby. I know that’s what you think, but seriously, I’m happy for now with what I already do. But that doesn’t mean I don’t gasp in delight when I see some of the awesome things other people create as hobby art. I saw this picture about a month ago, and gasp I did.

Isn’t that the most incredibly delicate thing you have seen in, like, forever? I mean, I have made some pretty stunning things in my time, if I do say so myself (right this minute, I am thinking about the lace baby dress) but seriously, I am humbled looking at that egg!

And look at this one! A tree of life right on the egg! That just amazes me. I hace always liked the tree of life designs, because they remind me of my family. I mean, come on, I have as many children as there are branches in that tree. Practically. For all intents and purposes. Especially if you count the ones that I didn’t give birth to that just hang around here. I should knit me a sweater with that design in it. It could replace the embroidered sweatshirt I got three kids ago and don’t wear anymore because not all my kids are on it. Anyway. I think I might be digressing.

So, where was I? Oh yes, I saw these eggs from L.D Bolton Arts a couple of months ago, and I begged to be able to tell you about them, because I know that my readers love beautiful things, and could appreciate the time and skill that goes into something like that. Go check them out, because the two I have showed you??? Those are just the tip of the iceberg eggshell.

How many hits will I get off that, I wonder? You crafters know exactly what this post is going to be about, but the rest of the perverts don’t. Traffic is traffic, though, isn’t it? Sorry, Mama.

Mama and I squeezed in a trip to A.C. Moore yesterday. She’d been trying to whisk me off to town for several days, but it just didn’t work out, what with this appointment and that meeting and ALL. THAT. FOOTBALL. Oh my word, the football. Let me say that there is beat, and there is beat up, and at our last game, we were the latter. One bloody nose, and TWO possible concussions later, I was kinda glad my scrawny little Stuntman had not made weight! That is a heart in your throat feeling, to be standing there, toe just this side of the field markings, holding the first aid kit, while the player just lays there. And lays there. And still lays there. We all walked away, though, so it was a good day.

Now, back to that S. E. X., which we all know means stash enhancement expedition. Here’s the big picture, and I will be listing the individual shots on the stash page.

Some of this was purchased to go with stuff I already had, and some are complete sets in themselves. Umm, not sure that last sentence was completely necessary, LOL, but there it is. And with this mega purchase, bead buying stops until we get some stuff made. Yes, we. Mama has about this much, too! Her stash is all different black, red, white, clear and frosted beads.

Well, okay then. I did kinda tease you just a little bit yesterday, I know. But it was needful! Today, I will deliver the rest of the goods, ok? OK!

Um, Beads. Black, white, frosted and clear. Not sure what else to say about these. I have what I want, and Mama has what she wants, so, umm. Guess I better get stringing, right?

Pinks. I do have a definite plan for these, and I probably have enough to do two of what I see in my mind. The little tube of seeds and bugles is in the colorway Mardi Gras. Is it still a colorway when applied to beads instead of yarn? I think so. Anyway, I love the colors in that, and I will probably be looking at replicating them in fiber. Have I mentioned how much I enjoy knowing that ten bucks of materials can buy me a few hours of creative fun and years of pleasure in the wearing, PLUS the chance to recoup the original outlay? Well, I do!

Purples. Saw these and just had to have them, including the little spools. I already know what I am going to do with these, too. Sorry about the glare, but the picture I took without flash left the stones looking flat. Bleh.

Some silver beads. not quite sure what I am going to do with these. They are too fancy for spacers, that’s for sure. But not quite enough for a necklace as they are.

Ok, that is all the bead stash except for some spacer balls and findings. Time to quit talking about them and use them. Except not today. Today, I have to find my bare naked yarn so I can post a dye slot or 12.

And this is a biggie. A seriously biggie. And I deriously, finished the last post, and got up and went to put on the face in the jar by the door, and remembered that I FOUND A CRAFT STORE FIVE MINUTES FROM HOME. Seriously. I told you it was a biggie!

Now, she doesn’t have much yarn, but she can order it. But she has beading stuff (oh the beading stuff!!) and she has scrapbook stuff (oh the scrapbook stuff!!) and she has fat quarters (oh the fat quarters!!) and she has balsam wood models for my boys (oh the models!!) AND she has classes five nights a week and the biggest part–she is open until nine p.m. people! NINE PIP EMMA AT NIGHT!

I carefully and meticulously avoided dropping a boatload of money last night when I found her, mostly by the expedient of not having it to drop, but…. I shall return.