On pins and needles

December 23rd and I am anxiously waiting for my children to get here.  Of course, they have not even left Napa yet but they’ll be leaving soon.  I try not to look at the weather reports showing snow and promising a couple feet of snow.  We’re not really used to the snow but I am quickly getting there.  However, the kids don’t do much driving in it in fair weather Napa Valley. As you can imagine there is a stark difference between there and here in Reno, NV.

Napa Valley Winter

Reno, NV winter

I think you get the idea.

So I wait…..and worry….

I will be so happy when they are here.

Finished Projects

I am pretty stoked about my recent activity in stitching. I have finished two projects. The first one is a knitted in Caron Cakes  in purple hues.  I found out about Caron Cakes through The Crochet Crowd. The pattern is on the site as well but I found it on the band of the Caron Cakes I bought. Two skeins is all it took and it was really enjoyable to make.  If you would like to give it a try you can find the pattern here Triangle Shawl. Very easy even if you are a beginning knitter.

 

Another project I finished was a crochet Corner to Corner throw. I used some Red Heart yarn that was my mom’s. She had an abundance of it so I thought that it would be great for this.  It was a little more advanced but not by much.  If you know how to chain, single crochet and double crochet you’ll do well with this.

As you can see I had a “shades of purple” thing going on.  Something I discovered about my unfinished (now finished) projects.  Both were at the halfway point when I put them down.  Hmmm….. a pattern I see here.  Pun intended!  What was nice though is that because they both were basically corner to corner when I picked them up to finish them I was on the decreasing end of things so they finished up pretty quick. I’m pretty please with the end result and with myself for actually finishing some things up.

However, in a previous post I talked about Crafter’s Math  which if you have read that you know I’m not very good at math.  So…I have started a new project. Of course!  I won’t say what it is but will post a picture or two after Christmas as it is a gift.

Time to sign off and go to the window to check for the kids again. Safe travels to all who are traveling this holiday and to those who moms are waiting on.

With love from your stitching friend ~Tracy

 

 

 

Gift of a Craft Room

If you’ve been been following for a while you know that I moved from Napa, California to Reno, Nevada.  Huge move!  Most wonderful move!

So, we’re all settled and that is good.  Job is going well and things are just the way they should be.  One of the biggest things that has happened since being here is that I was gifted with a craft room.  My partner has a pool house that doesn’t get used anymore (although the pool does!) and gave that room to me so I could turn it into a craft room.  What a fantastic gift.  Turning the pool house into a craft room has not been without it’s challenges though.  It had become a catch-all of sorts.  So, working among boxes of craft supplies we first worked to clear the stuff out that wouldn’t be staying.  Here are some before photos:

Yes, quite a mess. And overwhelming.  Much of what I have as far as craft supplies go is what came from mom’s house when she passed away.  It got boxed up a little over a year ago and I just haven’t had the space to get it all out and use it. It’s been a mixed bag of emotions seeing all the stuff that mom and I used to use together.  I’m very excited to have it accessible and hopefully mom will be proud of the things I create.

My method for organizing my craft room was to have it in sections.  I have a corner for sewing machines and fabric.  Another corner holds yarn, patterns, hooks and needles.  There is a counter that I’m using for my large format printer (hopefully I can find the power cord for it), my standard printer and the Cricket. I bought some drawers for rubber stamps, ink pads, embellishments etc. A table where it all happens and because every crafter needs sustenance and music, I set up a table with a Kurig and room for snacks and a record player my mom got me for my birthday a few years back. I topped the whole thing off with some wall art and I can tell you I’m so excited to have some time to go out there and create!

This is how it turned out:

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I’m so very happy with it.  There are a few more things I would like to do to it but I can go out there, make a cup of coffee, turn on the music and make some magic happen.

A funny thing…..got everything unpacked and put away and then found a rubbermaid tub and a couple bags of…..wait for it…….more craft supplies.  Of course!!!  My mom used to tell me if I needed craft supplies come to her house first because if she didn’t have it, the craft store probably didn’t have it either.

Well, time for bed and dreams about yarn, fabric, ink and paper.

Stitch on my friends wherever you may!

Nighty-night!