Crafty or Thrifty?

Either way, I'm going to tell you how I saved myself $105 in about two hours.

Last night I was working on my latest knitting project and I hit a wall. Not a knitting wall, but a tolerance-for-my-cheap-plastic-ring-markers kind of wall. I had just sent one of them flying, again. This time right down through the cushions and all the way to the floor. While I was rummaging around for another I decided right then and there I was going to get myself some of those fancy beaded blingy type markers that have a little weight to them. I went on Etsy and looked around. Saw quite a few that I almost bought, too. Instead, when I was out getting some essentials, I got myself the materials to make my own. So here are my new $3.00 stitch markers that took me all of 30 minutes to make, and I couldn't be happier with them. (And there are tons more beads, so if I make more then they would become even cheaper!) Money saved? I'm figuring about $10.00.

Yesterday I was at the thrift store. I'd been keeping an eye open for winter boots for Kidster #1 since the summer. Because you know, it's October up here in New England, which means the snow is imminent. This trip I found a pair of L.L. Bean kids boots that look like they have never been worn. Normal retail $49.50, I paid $5. Add another $44.50 to the tally.

During the same trip my eye was drawn to this green handbag. I was not in the hunting for a new bag, but you know when you see something you like...? Ya, you do. As you may remember I am a fan of green. And I like the idea of a green handbag that can go with tan, brown, black, or just about any other color of shoe! See, I have this problem that I inherited from my mother. It is the black shoes must have a black purse, brown shoes must have a brown purse, and heaven forbid, never ever wear white shoes after Labor Day syndrome!

But I digress...my "new" bag $6. Estimated savings? Hard to tell, but I'll say $34 only because I wouldn't spend more than $40 on a purse. Which I don't because I can get them for $6. Ha!

While I love this new purse, it does have one problem that needed addressing. The interior is one large compartment with only a tiny zipper on the side for keys. I had to figure out how to adjust from my current bag that has a nice big zipper divider in the middle that makes a nice compartment on either side. I remembered seeing those purse inserts online and dug a little deeper. Found a great tutorial here on how to make your own. I made mine a little smaller, at 20" instead of 26" because I only want to fold mine in half instead of rolling it all up. I also added a loop to attach my keys. Start to finish, including waiting for the iron to heat up it took an hour. Cost $3.50, online (Etsy) it would cost about $20. Savings of $16.50.

Isn't she so cute?

There it is. I managed to save myself $105 in less than two hours. If only that money would appear in my wallet like magic.

Oh well. The kidsters are finally quiet and I'm headed downstairs to fill my new organizer! Yeah, with a beer. Happy Saturday!

I do nothing but eat bon-bons all day.

And if you believe that I have a bridge to sell you. Yeah, nice and cheap!

I realize I've been a little quiet this summer, but that's how it goes. I thought it best to let the blog get a little rest rather than slipping away to write posts and let world war 3 erupt in my living room. Besides, I only really had two projects for the whole summer. Snoopy, which you saw last post. And my bathroom. No, I didn't knit a bathroom (although that gives me an idea...). But I did manage to rip our old one apart and put in a new one!

I took advantage of some of the days the kidsters were at Grandma & Papa's and proceeded to bang, smash, rip, and tear the old ugly beige tile off the walls.

Next I ripped out the nasty floor followed by a little more demolition of the built-when-the-house-was-built vanity and medicine cabinet. Then I put in a new floor. A nice fresh new-fangled fiberglass backed sheet of vinyl. My bathroom is only about six feet by 12 feet, so it couldn't be that hard, right? And I've ceramic tiled my 20' x 10' kitchen, which wasn't too bad.

Yeah right.

I have to say it was the hardest thing I have ever done IN MY LIFE. It took me 8 straight hours of hard sweaty labor (the kind without an epidural). And with all that bending, squatting, and kneeling I could barely move the next day and was sore for a week! Now I know why floor installers get $350.00 to put one in.
Come on, scroll back up and compare the before and after again, will ya?

There was a little more work putting the other new stuff back in, but that was a piece of cake (other than the not being able to move part). There is one more thing left to do-a new shower door. But I will save that one for a rainy day when the kids are in school. Soon. Can't be too hard, right?
So when someone asks me what I did all summer with a raised eyebrow (expecting me to say "oh, just swam in the pool with the kids") they better watch out that they don't get a smack. :)

Summertime is the best time for...

new cool haircuts...

vacation... (yes, that is my MIL and no, there's not a Freudian message here. The kids? Well that depends on the day.)

trying something new...(tons of fun, btw)

A 4th of July parade that was just too hot to be any fun...

well, for the grownups...

a birthday complete with a trash truck cake and lots of garbage bags...

plenty of pool time...

And I'm right in the middle of a very serious project, more to come on that.

So can you see why I haven't been able to keep up lately?

Underwater on a rainy day

The Under the Sea birthday party was a success. Well, as much of a success as having 14 kids between the ages of 4-6 stuck inside on a rainy day can be!

Luckily I had spent some time decorating our family room. I just didn't trust the weather folk who kept telling us it would clear (which it did, 20 minutes after everyone left). The bottom half of the walls were covered in craft paper so the kids could draw fishy things and sign their names.With kids everywhere, getting a good picture was hard. And since I didn't get parental permissions to plaster their kids' faces all over the internet, you'll have to make do with backside shots and the occasional mug from kidster #1, the birthday boy.

We made fishing poles out of shovels, went fishing, and used the fish we caught to "stick the fish in the ocean".

I made flippers for each of them (how do you like the fish on my head? Ha!)and then goggles and snorkels rounded out the attire. It was supposed to be a scavenger hunt, but I didn't want kids all over the house so I sort of just handed everything out. (Bummer.) We swam like our favorite fish and had a few other swimmingly fun games before cake and presents.

The birthday boy was happy and that made me happy.

Top 5 reasons

...why I haven't posted in two weeks.

1. School vacation week. Everyone home. Enough said.

2. My mother broke her ankle in two places and had to have surgery to put in pins and screws and the whole nine yards. So I took a rather unexpected trip to OH to help her figure out new ways to get around. She lives alone in a split level house, and of course it's her right foot (no driving!). But don't feel too bad for her, she broke it rollerblading!

3. My sweater has turned out to be an UGH and I haven't moved forward since. Pattern errors (of which the company who sent out the pattern still hasn't responded to my inquiries-bad, bad, bad customer service!) and just general ughedness have me at a stalemate. I'll have to make another post about it because I could keep going on...

4. Kidster #1 just turned 6. I am in party planning mode for an Under the Sea theme. Suggestions gladly accepted!

5. Construction in the house kept me away from the computer on the one day a month when the planets aligned and both kidsters were gone for a significant amount of time. Major bummer.

During my mini blogcation, a few new friends hopped in the sandbox. Welcome, and say hi!

We survived it.

Since my last post, we had the flood of the century. For those of you in the states, you may have seen the news coverage of Rhode Island under water. The town I live in borders RI. We received 8+ inches of rain in one day. Everyone on our street had water in their basements, and most had sump pump failures because the water was coming in so much faster than the pumps could get it out. One neighbor had to move into a hotel so they could work on ripping out all their damaged walls and floors. A road nearby got washed out completely. On our street, the far end has a pond that flooded and completely covered the road. Our end looked like this:

I took the kids out so they could see some of what was happening around them. Don't ask me why they have shovels! Our house is just behind that gray one in the background. We were lucky. I guess there is one good thing about a 1970's curb-appeal-challenged raised ranch. No basement. I have a new found love for my ugly house.

Selfishness and RAK's

I was perusing the projects I've completed this year and it seems I am on a bit of a selfish knitting jag. So far this year I've made myself a scarf, mittens, socks and a sweater. If I knit some pants I'd have a new outfit. Ok, just kidding! My newest project is this:

The Cables and Eyelet Hooded Cardi

I've been taking it everywhere with me trying to get a row in here, there, and where ever possible! I'm hoping I will finish it by the end of the month.

I was searching on Ravelry for something, I don't even remember what now, and came across the group Random Acts of Kindness; actually it was a particular post within that forum that touched me. I sent my hearts off to a fellow Raveler who is having a tough time right now. If you have knitted the hearts and want to offer yours in support, I know a fellow Raveler who would be very comforted by them.

Since then I have offered up two more parcels to members of the group. It has made me feel a little warm and fuzzy inside. Maybe a little voice inside my head is trying to even out the knitting karma :)

My first time

I wanted to share a little bit about my first time:

I did it in the middle of the summer in 1993.

It was the first time I ever did it, and I didn't do it again for 13 years.

Everything was supposed to be big.

I was in college, and I'm sure I had more important things to do.

It is the most amazing color of purple, blue and green.

Huh?

Yes we are talking about knitting! Get your mind out of the gutter, will ya!

It has been hibernating in my cedar chest for an eternity. I took it out so I could show you a modeled shot. Like I said, everything was supposed to be big back then. It is rather unflattering, isn't it? Although, sporting extra pounds makes me wish sweaters like this were back in style!

What are your resolutions?

Ok Friends we're a month into 2010, long enough to have given up on the resolutions that wouldn't work and make the ones you are really going to try to keep. Let's keep the lists short since having too many goals that don't get met can only lead to disappointment. I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours?

1. Lose 10 pounds.
Last year I wanted to lose 10 pounds. At my physical last month I discovered I had actually gained 10 lbs since the previous visit the year earlier. Ugh. Well, the appointment was the Monday following Thanksgiving, so not all of those 10 lbs are permanent! Right? This year I am not saying that I will lose 20 lbs because let's face it, that will never happen. But I would like to lose those 10 lbs!

2. Do not let my kids' fighting drive me crazy.
They are boys. They interact like boys. They are rough and fight with each other. And I am ok with that. Repeat, I am ok with that. (OK, I'm going to need a lot of meditational breathing to get through this one).

3. No new yarn purchases unless specifically intended for a project that will begin imminently!
I think we all make these kind of resolutions at one point or another. But I have a lot of one and two skeins of wool that I will be working on using up. Purse designs are churning up above. One exception from this resolution will be recycling yarn from sweaters. I was warned that I would become addicted. While not (yet) addicted, recycling has benefits! It is lots of fun, I can do it with the kidsters in the room (they like to help!), and I seem to find very nice stuff at amazing prices lately! I wonder if I will make a new "business" out of it (smirk).

The bean head hat search

Remember my scarf I just finished? And remember that thing I have about wanting matchy things? Anyway...I am on a search for a hat pattern. And maybe some gloves, mitts, or fingerless somethings, too. But I am having a time of it, even with the help of Ravelry. I'm hoping you can help me.

Here's the issues:

I want to use the Atacama in my stash to keep things all matchy.

I do not like the way Atacama knits up in stockinette since the color repeats are so short. I love the way it looks in the scarf lace pattern though!

I have a ridiculously small head. A bean head. Yes, it's true. OK, well, maybe not that bad, but I am tall (5'9"), have broad shoulders, and a long thin neck, all of which emphasize the slimness of my head.

I'll wait for you to stop chuckling...

I do not look good in caps. If you don't believe me then look at this. (I can't believe I'm showing you these!)

And I have bangs. Been cursed with them ever since my mother gave me my first haircut. Except for a little feathering stint back in the 80's, I can't seem to shake them even after 37 years. Jeez, I need a new look! But I digress...

So I have been thinking that something with texture or a beret of some sort. Give some dimension to my head and puff it out a bit. But not too puffy or we'll be in the same "look-how-small-her-head-is" situation. I've only been able to come up with these three possibilities:

Ripple by Wendy Bernard

Ruche by Susan B. Anderson

Fountain Hat by Phoe M. White

So I need your help! Do you have a hat pattern in mind that might solve my head problem? Should I keep the Atacama for mitts and go with another yarn for the hat?

HELP!!!

About the big ticket items

I've had two "big ticket" items in my immediate mental queue for a while now. The first (you might remember from this post) is the Heather Hoodie, but in a regular person size. I've been wanting to make it for a while now. I bought the Fall 2009 Knitscene magazine and even bought yarn for it, too.

The second is Mayer. I loved it immediately when I saw this picture on the Berroco website. I loved it even more when I saw this picture on the Webs Yarn Store blog. I have eight balls of this yarn perfect for it. Shhh, I've even done the S word for this project! Yes way! So this has been in the top position for when I am done with Holiday knitting, kidster knitting, and the other small projects I want to finish first. I figured it was about time I made something big again. And for myself. I even thought about returning the bulky yarn I bought for the Hoodie.

Then it happened.

I was out gift shopping and with an arm full of stuff when I saw this. It's not exactly the same but it has a lot of similar elements, the most obvious being the wide collar and the similar (not exact) stitch pattern. It has snaps that can turn that wide collar into a turtleneck (which at first I didn't think I'd like, but once I tried it I did). I tried it on in off-white because it was close to what I was going to make. But because of the snaps being a darker color it looked a little odd and they stood out too much. There was a black marl that I liked but three quarters of my sweaters are black or gray and I couldn't justify it. This brown one was a nice color and those big snaps blended in a lot better.

I hemmed and hawed, a lot.

1. This one is longer than Mayer.
2. I'm tall and can manage a long sweater.
3. If I did try to make Mayer it would probably take me until next winter, at least!
4. With a 30% off sale and a coupon in my pocket it would cost less than the yarn I had at home.
5. If I buy it then I wouldn't have the pleasure of making it.
6. The brown blends in with my hair color and I might look too washed out.
7. It's still not the same as Mayer and I might still want to make it and then where would I be?
8. Buy it for $20 and you can wear it right away.

Get it, or not? What do you think happened?

Multitasking...it's not really for me

A few weeks ago I had three wips going at once. I was working on the turkey, a kidster hat, and the big cable bag. I have to say it was a little strange. Me, your ever faithful monogamous knitter was cheating again. At first, I said to myself, "so this is what all the other knitters are like". Then it dawned on me that having multiple projects was not for me.

One reason was that I was trying to knit at times I don't normally knit. It was getting in the way of keeping up with the other non-knitting things that needed to get done around here. I guess having more projects going made me feel pressured to get something, anything finished. The other reason that struck me is that I spend the whole day multitasking between kidsters, school schedules, and basically keeping everyone (ok, mostly me) sane. It wasn't working for me to try to multitask in my knitting. It was stressing me out! Now I am thankfully back to one project. I hope to keep it that way for a while since I could use a little relaxation. I'm off now to go sit and knit on my one project for a while.

Friday Fill-Ins

Due to a lack of sleep and antibiotics, I am doing an easy post. Have a great weekend everyone!

1. Plans and schedules are an absolute must with the kidsters.
2. I'm happy when things go according to the plan.
3. The last thing I drank was orange juice.
4. One of the most valuable things in my life is Hubster. He doesn't exactly know what to do when I'm sick but he knows when things get too crazy it's time to take over.
5. I like bacon on my pizza.
6. Dear November, if you want to be windy, that's fine. If you want to be cold, that's fine too. But keep the germs away from here will ya?
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to sleep, tomorrow my plans include sleep, and Sunday, I want to sleep!

Get your Friday Fill-Ins here.

Calling in Dead

With two kidsters and one Hubster in school there is no way to avoid the inevitable. But I have actually avoided the inevitable for two months now. Each of them has gone through at least two, maybe three by now. My hands are raw from all the washing and hand sanitizer. But it finally wore me down. Yes, you guessed it, I'm sick. I couldn't even talk this morning when I got up. And don't think the kidsters didn't take advantage of that, let me tell you!

Before you ask, let's have a little conversation. What ever happened to just being good old sick? You know, go through a box of tissues (or two in my case), get the red under your nose, cough for a few days, hack up a little mucus (sorry for the graphics) and then you are on your merry way. But now, everything has changed. Forget about going to the store to buy some cold medicine. One cough and people go running from you or get that fear in their eyes like you just started the next plague. No, it's not swine flu! I'm not the epicenter of a national disaster! I'M JUST SICK! It happens you know.

Thanks, I feel better now knowing that you understand.

Fashionable, cheap.

Spending time with the kidsters is great, terrifically funny, and very rewarding (see, I'm grinning, really I am). But one thing it is not is fashionable. The cooler weather has meant transitioning from shorts to jeans, but the t-shirts and sweatshirts remain. It's all about easy, comfortable, and cleanable! I've always wanted a winter wardrobe full of handmade sweaters but let's face it...it's not going to happen with an hour of knitting time a day.

This morning I happened to stumble upon a 50% off sale at the local thrift store. I check in every now and then for pants for the kidsters, to replace the blown-out knees that we have or are about to have. (I take advantage of it while they are too young to care. Once they want to have Abercrombie they can get a job and pay for it themselves!) And since I was there, and since I had time, and since it was a sale, I looked around. I was specifically looking for a large stockpot to start experimenting with dying yarn. Didn't find one. But I did find some very nice sweaters. Right up my alley in terms of simple comfort but with some real style. And in my favorite earthy neutral colors! Here's my take, for about $20.The brown one is very soft cotton and the ivory one is linen and gorgeous. Both are new with tags! How great is that? I can see myself wearing the black t-shirt sweater all the time. I'm a sucker for a v-neck. The green one caught my eye because it is a hoodie (love it) and it has those mini cables that are quite popular this fall. But my favorite is the gray cabled shawl collar sweater. I wish it was colder out today so I could wear it right now! My winter wardrobe is complete.

Maybe now I can be comfortable and fashionable!

Delivered!

Last night was ladies night again. After two weeks of in-laws away and Hubster busy on the weekends it was nice to get away for a few hours. But I digress!

I finished up the sized-to-order purses and brought them to the ladies. After making five of these I think I am finally ready to take all my notes and scribbles and write out the pattern! It is my next major undertaking, I promise. Well, that and getting rid of the baby gear, getting a dresser in kidster #2's bedroom, painting the kitchen...ok, ok!

Here are my latest cable bags. In "medium" and "small". And here are all three sizes!

He did it!

He has been so excited about going to Preschool.
No tears. Not even a look back. I'm proud of my little man!

Two down, one to go

Kidster #1 started Kindergarten last week. We waited for the bus to come. And waited...and waited. Apparently the bus driver determined that there was no where on the road for her to turn around, so she decided she wouldn't pick him up. And didn't call anyone either. Not me, the school, the town's transportation department, or the bus company. It's straightened out now. All it took was one very firm mother, a father being an administrator in the town's school system, and the fact that you can fit three tanks in our driveway!

So here he is, on the second day of school.

Is it Friday already?

I'm starting to get grouchy without my computer fix. All week long I've barely made it here before some major catastrophe erupts. I think they secretly wired an alarm in the computer chair so that they know the instant I sit. By "they" I mean the boys, kidsters and Hubster too. They are all in cahoots I tell you.

So fine friends I'll have more knitting for you soon. Once I've had some time to take pictures, download them, and share them with you! But for today I will make the easy post.

Friday Fill-Ins:

1. He was a Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy From Company B.
2. Allergy medication is what I look forward to most this time of year.
3. My best friend is Hubster.
4. I can't wait for the kids to be in school, to be honest with you.
5. Appearances can be scary.
6. The last person I gave a hug to was Kidster #1, tucking him into bed, right as he said I was the best Mom he ever had (yes, I know I'm the only Mom he ever had).
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to beer, tomorrow my plans include keeping sane while stuck inside all day during Tropical Storm Danny, and Sunday, I want to steal a few minutes (hours) at the computer!

In case you're interested, you can get your Friday Fill-ins right here at http://fridayfillins.blogspot.com/

Trying to find some time...

to do anything! I have to post about my latest projects but have been busy cramming in every ounce of fun possible. The summer is winding down and school starts soon. Hubster is back to work already. Kidster #1 has one more week before he starts Kindergarten. Then Kidster #2 will start Preschool two weeks after that. They are on opposite schedules (afternoon/morning) so I think I'll buy stock in gasoline. And remember to bring my knitting in the car with me!