Time Crunch

I had this pretty good sized baby order placed last week sometime and I've been working on it while I can. I had never made a diaper cover before and had looked at the pattern thinking that it would be a challenge but it has turned out well so far. All I have left on it are the ribbed cuffs on the legs to give it a cleaner looking edge which shouldn't take too long to do. I must admit though that I learned a couple of new things and ended up ripping it out at least once so I could fix my mistakes. I guess that is to be expected as a knitter though. I have yet to meet a knitter who NEVER messes up and resorts to ripping out a couple hrs worth of knitting. Sad but true.

I did some birthday shopping for Saiya last weekend and ended up buying her first pair of needles from my last post. :) I just felt like I could not NOT buy them. They had just come in and were being priced and put out on the shelf and so I grabbed a pair for purchase as well as a knitting pattern for a sweet little shrug that I am hoping to get done before her birthday. There is one thing now that is going to limit my time knitting.

I got a job at KUYO Christian radio station and started it on Tuesday as a part time employee. I guess you could say that I am a receptionist/secretary. I'm there 15 hrs a week which is plenty seeming as how I am use to being with my kiddos all week every week and still have responsibilities at home that can't be done by David while he is working. Not to mention I still like having my time at Dancing Sheep for it gives me my yarn and needle fix. :) I guess you could say going back to work is kind of a bitter sweet thing for me but all and all I am blessed by it. Just in the short time that I have been there I have learned and grown so much. I work with incredible Christian people who are so open about their beliefs and are so encouraging. I felt right at home! It is such a different feeling working for a locally owned business that consists of 5 people compared to a corporation that consists of 300+ people in 1 of 5 locations. I pray that God continues to take care of the details so I can continue to work there because I feel as though I belong there.

David and I will be going to California for the Celebrate Recovery Summit in a little under two weeks. We have been involved in this Christ centered recovery program for nearly 3 years now and our church is funding our trip so that we can go. It's a 5 day trip and the kids aren't coming with which to be honest is a hard thing for me because... well... I'm their momma. But there are guest speakers, awesome praise and worship, and tons of workshops that we can take. I'm hoping to come back a little more educated and spiritually uplifted.

Besides Saiya's b-day, the new job, and California... I'm just scrambling to pay bills, clean house, take care of kiddos, and prepare for David's bday (which i still need to figure out). Just thought I'd give you all an update seeming as how its been a few days since I last posted.

Hope you all have a fun and safe weekend!

Love you ALL!

Caren

A Knitted Birthday

Saiya turned 10 mos old yesterday.
It honestly feels like she just arrived like 3 or 4 mos ago... not 10.
So I've been thinking about her 1st birthday and for the past 4 years I've been planning little boy birthday parties so this should be fun. :)
But what I've been thinking most about is "what can I knit for her?".

Well there is this sweet little Apron dress in "Vintage Knits for Modern Babies" that I have been eyeballing since before Saiya was born. I'm pretty sure I'll have to find the time to make that for her being that she isn't going to be a baby for too much longer!

I also wanted to knit her a new bunny. I made her one before she was born but embellished it with wool which makes it not so machine washable but I don't have the heart to pull out the bows, the eyes, nose, and fluffy pom pom tail so that she may slobber all over it So I think a new one is in order.




Now I thought it would be cool to buy Saiya her first set of knitting needles. Though she wouldn't use them for a little while I just thought it would be fun to tell her how she got her first pair of needles for her first birthday. :) I'm kind of cheesy like that I guess. Someone (I think it was my friend Charlotte) told me that they would make cute cake toppers and I thought that was a cute idea!!! I'd feel kind of selfish throwing a birthday party for my daughter and making it the theme that I'd want for my birthday! lol I could reference Psalm 139:13-14 though being that we are celebrating God knitting her in my womb and how Badawesome she is :) I think I may have just found my loop hole.... HA!
Here's a picture of what I'm looking at getting her though.

I'm in the process of figuring out a more kid friendly kind of knitting needle. Not an actual knitting needle but a soft, stuffed, knitted toy. I know how much Saiya enjoys sticking things in her mouth and how much she has chewed on the bunny that Charlotte made her... why not make her another "chew toy" that looks like a pair of needles? I think that would make for an appropriate "Baby's first pair of knitting needles" that she can play with as opposed to actual pointy sticks that could shank her and cause some serious damage.

So excited to celebrate her on her special day with friends and family. She is such an incredible blessing and it's so crazy to think that we almost didn't have her. I can't imagine my life without her and her sweet cheeks, kisses, giggles, snuggles, and smiles. :) So blessed to be a mommy to both of my kiddos. Love them dearly!

Well I'll stop fawning over my kids via blog and get back to some much needed work!
I hope you all are having a good week so far!

Love you ALL!

Caren

Playin Hooky

I am a self proclaimed knitter.
Knitting entails two needles and lots and lots of patience.
Crocheting on the other hand...
same concept but with a hook!

I bought the book "The Happy Hooker" a while back in attempts to learn how to crochet.
My first project as a "crocheter" I made a lovely set of coasters which was sent to my penpal/cyber friend in Oklahoma City.
Her name is Jami and has in fact been an incredible inspiration in my desire to learn more of this craft.
Even more recent my friend Davita has been whipping out projects like a mad lady and I am loving what she is making!
Especially when she takes notice to a crochet pattern that I've eyeballed out of the Happy Hooker and randomly makes it for me because I'm not brave enough to try it yet :)
Thanks, Davita!
Also, I remember my friend Sabrina (who is an awesome knitter!) crocheting at our old place of employment and she made it look so easy!
I vaguely remember her making a sleeve for her ipad and it looked so stinkin cool!
So here I have three people that have me hook envy for actual projects and I'm stuck on one thing....

FLOWERS
I love these things!
They are so easy to do and make for the perfect embellishment on so many things!
It seems that I always find a use for them.
In my hair,
on my hats,
around my wrist,

or on my neck.
I've been looking for fun things to do with them and ways that I can dress them up and make them more colorful and I thought I would experiment on a friends birthday present.
I came up with this...

(Please excuse the poor quality of photo.
I use my camera phone often and it doesn't make for the best photos)
My sweet friend Charlotte had her birthday yesterday and I try to do something knitting or yarn related for her being that she taught me how to knit and introduced me to the enchanting world yarn.
And though this is not knitting... It does in fact have yarn in it so I WIN!
I would have to say that this is by far my favorite necklace I've made so far and am thinking of new ideas.
Hopefully I'll be making more soon to sell.
And soon I will be going on Youtube for another crochet lesson on some more advanced fiber flowers. I just need to find the time now.

Both Davita and Sabrina have blogs!
Check them out if you get the chance!

Sabrina's Blog!
Davita's Blog!

Well Off I go to lay kids down for naps and maybe, possibly do some house work... if I don't get distracted by knitting... or sleep.
A nap sounds good.

Love you ALL

Caren

Gauge Shmauge

I was super excited to make this 3 in 1 project that I found in
"Knitted Gifts- Irresistible Projects to Make and Give"

It's called the "Neckwarmer Hat" and its super cute.
It is a neckwarmer,
a hat,
and head wrap
All In One!

Check it out on Ravelry here !

This is what mine looks like.

And it is super BIG!
The pattern calls for an outrageous amount of stitches to be cast on and on bigger needles than I had anticipated.
I went a needle size down and figured my yarn weight (or size) would be ok and just started knitting away.
I finished it and thought that maybe washing it and blocking it would help shrink it a smidgen and it didn't work.
Silly Caren did not check gauge (which is how many stitches per inch) and therefore is bummed out that her Neckwarmer Hat is far too big.

Lesson learned.

So I have picked out new yarn and I shall try it again...
and this time I am going to check my gauge.

To learn more about what gauge is and how to figure it out, feel free to click
HERE

So for now...
I have a neckwarmer oversized hat.

Suppose I'll go serve up dinner!

Enjoy the rest of your evening!

Love you ALL!
Caren

"Baby, Baby, Baby Ohhhhhh"

So I was asked by my cousin, Jenni, to knit some baby props for her.
She is a photographer in Gillette, WY and puts a lot of thought and creativity into her work and so I was thrilled when she asked me to knit her a couple of newborn sets.
This is what I came up with for her and though they are more of a 0-3 mos fit, she was able to flip the brim to accommodate a newborn.
I love this picture that she took!
This baby boy is so incredibly precious and is the perfect model for the little boy set!
I thought the basket that she used is a pretty sweet touch if I do say so myself and I think this picture shows off the hat and bunny perfectly.I couldn't help but post this next picture :)
So tiny, so precious, so blessed is his mommy and daddy!
Jenni does have a facebook page for JL Photography so feel free to check it out and show her some love!

Tonight has been quite enjoyable.
Its been drizzling outside and the smell of rain has overtaken my living room.
I've enjoyed a comfort food that dates back to my childhood....Nachos.
And am looking forward to popping in a movie and starting a new project for my friend Davita.
A perfect end to a productive day. :)

Tomorrow has its own agenda so until then... I'm just going to relax.

I hope you all are doing well!

Love you ALL!

Caren

Here fishy fishy....

I've lived in Wyoming my entire life
But it wasn't until 2 years ago that I caught my first fish.
My husband grew up fishing and so a fishing pole to him is like an extra limb that may as well have been attached while in his mothers womb.
For me... not so much.
Though I can thread my own worm on my hook,
Do a fisherman's knot,
cast out quite a ways,
and
reel in a fish without snapping my line...
A fishing pole feels a little awkward to me.
I have hooked myself,
My fishing line gets fairly tangled,
I fumble as I handle and prepare my pole,
and I have not a clue about what piece of tackle is used for what kind of water and what fish.
I will pick my tackle based on what is the prettiest... not what is more conducive to our fishing conditions. (Good thing I have David to keep me level headed there.)
But this last weekend I had a miraculous thing happen...
I CAUGHT 3 FISH!

The fish above is quite little and wouldn't usually have been kept but it died before release. So, we kept it and it found a nice new home in our tummies.
These two I caught within probably 45 mins of each other.
They too were meal destined.
I was pretty proud of myself!

But of course while I fished I thought of knitting.
And I didn't just think of knitting... I thought of a pattern that I came across a couple years ago and contemplated making it for David's birthday next month.
I showed him a picture of it at some point and he actually thought it was pretty cool and so I know it would be a safe thing to make for him.
It would be even more fun if I made one for me and the kids too... kind of like being our own school of fish. :)

This hat actually has its own website.
http://www.deadfishhat.com/
The website provides patterns, tips, pics, and has a little blog that goes with it too.
I read something on there last night about a GIANT fish hat that they had made at a Local Yarn Shop with a cast on of 500 stitches on size 11 needles.
And it looks like they have a scarf that goes with the dead fish hat too.
I'd probably do one or the other.
Both just seem to be a little too much for me personally but who's to say it won't be perfect for someone else!
Who knows?
Maybe I'll just make both for David and leave it up to him to determine if he needs to be covered in "dead fish". :)

I hope you all had an amazing Independence Day!!
Mine was full of good friends, my family, bbq, and fireworks.
Perfect end to a three day weekend.

Love you all!



Caren


Psalm 139:13-14