Halloween Dotee doll swap!

My Halloween Dotee Doll came in the mail today! She is so beautiful. I just love her. My swap partner did an exceptional job. I thank her so much. She even added in extras. Many hearts to you!

Here's the scoop...

Happy Monday Crafty Friends!

Hi everyone! I haven’t posted in a while. I have been very busy crafting away!

On the Home Front:
Not much progress on the crafting building. Mitch (the husband) has been working in Georgia. I can never say that without singing the song! Lol My only Granddaughter Elle is 2 years old today and we will be celebrating her birthday this weekend. That being said, I doubt much gets done on the building this weekend. I have been crafting items for her birthday! Rip the rescue dog bit Mitch this last weekend. The dog trainer has yet to set up a time for our first meet. I hope this happens soon because Rip’s aggression is getting worse.

Mail for me:

I received a swap from Finland which included native Finland blueberry tea, dried blueberries, some blue variegated fingering weight wool, and beautiful blue stitch markers. It was fantastic. I received some hot chocolate from England. Yummm yummm! My yarn I ordered to create something Outlander inspired came! It is wonderful!

What’s in my ears:
My two favorite podcasts Ross smellgreatguy and Josh swordofaknitter and CHRISTMAS MUSIC! I listen to AccuRadio http://www.accuradio.com/#!/more/accuholidays/

On and Off my Needles:

I haven’t knitted much on the second sock because I completed Kay Jone’s Mrs. Bakery Bear! Well she is still naked because I am working on the clothes right now. This was a fun knit! I still have the hitchhicker shawl cast on and I have knitted some on it. I have am participating in the goatalong in smells like yarn group on Ravelry. I have found a knit pattern of a goat and I need to cast this on.

On my Hook:

No progress here! I still have a chevron Razorback colors baby blanket to complete.

 
Swap Obsessions:

I am hosting a Thankful Thanksgiving Dotee swap on swap-bot and I am hosting a “12 Days of Christmas” Dotee Swap for December which I mentioned to ya’ll in an earlier post. I will be doing an Instagram square swap for September on Ravelry and a scavenger hunt swap. I am just swapping 4 squares with someone in California for the global square exchange. I think that is it.

 

On the Sewing Front:

I have made so many project bags! Finding and buying the cute material is so fun! I love making these along with the cute zipper pulls I put on them. I made a couple along with some stitch markers so my friend could add to a prize for a giveaway on the knit-along. Of course I had to make him a bag to keep and some stitch markers to keep. He can choose what he wants give the other away. I think I forgot to take pictures of the stitch markers. For Elle’s birthday. I have sewn a tutu dance bang with her name embroidered on it. I have sewn a baby doll diaper bag and a bunch of baby doll diapers. I filled the bag with all kinds of stuff for a baby doll.

If I just didn’t have to work for money, I could get so many crafts completed! Until next time…Happy Crafting!

Cindy

 

Oh Friday where did you go…seems like I saw you just a second ago!

Happy Monday Crafty Friends!

Hi everyone! Oh Friday where did you go…seems like I saw you just a second ago! It seems as if I blink and the weekend is gone. However, Monday through Friday pass so slow.

On the Home Front:
We are still working on the crafting building. Not a lot of progress since my last post. It has either rained or been too hot. This weekend holds much promise though for some more work to be done. All I have to say is that Mitch (the husband) better get a movin’ if he is getting this done by my birthday which is October 11^th!

 
What’s in my ears:
My two favorite podcasts Josh on swordofaknitter and Ross smellgreatguy and CHRISTMAS MUSIC! I listen to AccuRadio http://www.accuradio.com/#!/more/accuholidays/

 

On and Off my Needles:

I am still working on the my second sock. I have about 2 inches more and then the toe!. These will look like two different socks because the second is actually done correctly! Oh well, You will still find me with them on  running around the house this winter! I completed the “September 2014 Dishclothalong”  with smellsgreatguy aka funkoboy. I used Sugar and Cream Hot Orange colorway. I cast on the hitchhicker shawl with some fingering weight yarn Loops and Threads Woolike in the Beige colorway.

 

On my Hook:

No progress here! I still have a chevron Razorback colors baby blanket to complete. It is almost done. As Mitch’s (my hubby) Granddad Floyd always use to say “I just need a little time”! I have not crocheted at all since the last post.

 

Swap Obsessions:

I sent my Hot Chocolate swaps. I am hosting a Thankful Thanksgiving Dotee swap on swap-bot and I am hosting a “12 Days of Christmas” Dotee Swap for December which I mentioned to ya’ll in an earlier post. I will be doing an Instagram square swap for September on Ravelry. I have completed my Arkansas squares for a swap and I need to get this sent. I sent my thank you package to funkoboy he should get it today being Monday.

 

On the Sewing Front:

I seem to be project bag crazy! They are turning out so cute and I am getting much better at them. I have been putting fusible fleece in the new ones and that makes them much nicer. I still don’t like the way the zipper is looking. I need to work on the zipper. I just love making the beaded zipper pulls. I have had some people want to buy them, but materials are so high and I just don’t think people will be willing to pay what they are actually worth, but I do think I will make some for Christmas presents.

 

Other Crafting projects:

I made cute zipper pulls for my project bags and a few beaded stitch markers. They were fun and I really enjoy this craft!

 

If I just didn’t have to work for money, I could get so many crafts completed! Until next time…Happy Crafting!

Cindy

500 Subscriber Giveaway Update!!

The day after a long wonderful Labor Day weekend...

Good Morning Crafters!
I hope everyone had a wonderful long Labor Day weekend! I know I did. As always, it seems too short and I never want to go back to work.
 
On the Home Front:
Mitch (the husband), started my 12 X 16 crafting building! My birthday is October 11^th and he tells me it might be complete by then. I sure hope so. I am so excited to get this building complete with air and heat and dish network! I am super excited! Can you tell? I will be transforming the room in the house that I currently use to craft into a grandchildren’s room for when they come to stay with Awpaw and Gran.
 
What’s in my ears:

This week’s podcast that I listened to and really liked is Josh on swordofaknitter and Ross smellgreatguy.

On and Off my Needles:

I am working on the gusset of my second sock and I am pleased to say that I am doing much better. It is pretty and I can’t find any mistakes (not that there aren’t any, because I am sure there are). I have downloaded the “September 2014 Dishclothalong” pattern to knit with smellsgreatguy aka funkoboy. I need to look through my stash and see if I have yarn for this. I am loving my new needles that funkoboy suggested.

 

On my Hook:

I still have a chevron Razorback colors baby blanket to complete. It is almost done. As Mitch’s (my hubby) Granddad Floyd always use to say “I just need a little time”! I have not crocheted at all since the last post.

 

Swap Obsessions:

I completed my Halloween Dotte for my friend D Granfors “Halloween Dotee Dolls” swap on swap-bot. The Deadline to join is August 31^st and the swap sends by September 15^th.  This one was fun! Her name on her birth certificate is Scarella Scarecrow Andrews. I have purchased my Hot Chocolate for a swap that goes this week. I just need to get to mailing envelopes. I guess that is it on the swapping obsessions. I am hosting a “12 Days of Christmas” Dotee Swap for December which I mentioned to ya’ll in an earlier post. I will be doing an Instagram square swap for September on Ravelry. I have completed my Arkansas squares for a swap. I have a thank you package for the help funkoboy gave me with knitting. I am sending him one of the project bags I completed, an Arkansas coffee mug and some coffee’s made in Arknasas.

 

On the Sewing Front:

I completed 2 project bags. They turned out cute, but I need to try to make a bigger size. I think this is as small as I can have them and them work for project bags. I did line them, but I need to put some fusible lining in them to make them stiffer next time. I need to work on the zipper and make deeper pockets, but for a first shot they didn’t turn out too bad and the material is oh so cute!

 

If I just didn’t have to work for money, I could get so many crafts completed! Until next time…Happy Crafting!

Cindy

We have so much time, and so little to do!

Good Morning Crafty Friends!

We have so much time, and so little to do! As  Willy Wonka would say or is that I have so much to do and so little time…the latter I think. So in a nutshell, here it is.

Just so you know:

I am now calling this “Hooks and Chains” which is what I have called my yarn crafts for quite some time.

On the Home Front:

My hubby and I went for a long weekend to Lake Ouachita and the Ouachita National Forest. It was HOT! A tree fell on a power line on Sunday and the electricity was out for many hours! That was not fun. We had the 3 dachshunds with us so we could go nowhere but the deck and sit in the heat. We survived, but I didn’t like it.

On my Mind:

I listen to YouTube while I work. I have found so many many many knitting podcasts. Although I love to listen to all of these, my main craft is crochet and would love to hear some crochet chatter and see more completed crochet projects! So where are all the crocheting podcasts? There is virtually nothing out there for crochet. Well, I should say I have found very little people showing crochet. I am seriously contemplating doing a crochet podcast. I have no idea how to go about it and I have to plan what I would include. I will keep thinking about this. Let me know what you think.

What’s in my ears:

This week’s podcasts that I listened to and really liked are as follows (links in blue):

Smells Like Yarn by smellgreatguy aka funkoboy on Instagram and Ravelry
Bakery Bears by Kay Jones and Dan Jones
HomespunPodcast by Molly
Essence of Me
jennlikesyarn
TheKnitGirllls
in a sKnit
debbie shore

On and Off my Needles:

I completed one sock with my knitting attempt! It is awful and has so many mistakes, The second sock should be better! I do have the second sock cast on and started. Along the knitting lines, I started and have half way completed a dishcloth for my Ravelry group “Smells like Yarn” for the August 2014 Dishclothalong”. I should have it complete tonight. My needles came in and I was very excited.

On my Hook:

I still have a chevron Razorback colors baby blanket to complete. It is almost done. As Mitch’s (my hubby) Granddad Floyd always use to say “I just need a little time”!

Swap Obsessions:

I have many swaps that will go out on Friday. I received a new Dotee Doll and cute tiny knitted mouse and some notions to make a Dotee doll. Gloria in N. Ireland made and sent these to me for a swap. Thank you to her for her kindness. Her work is beautiful. All the ladies that make these are so artistic. I just love the work put in these dolls! My friend D Granfors has a blog and is so very artistic! Go check her out http://debsdollsandquilts.blogspot.com/2014/08/swaps-ive-been-finishing-up-some-things.html! She also is hosting the “Halloween Dotee Dolls” swap on swap-bot. The Deadline to join is August 31^st and the swap sends by September 15^th. I am still trying to decide what to make. I want to do something different from the Dotee’s that I have done so far. I am not very artistic like these two ladies I have mentioned above. My work just can’t even come close to theirs. I have Hot Chocolate to buy for a swap that goes in September. I guess that is it on the swapping obsessions. I am hosting a “12 Days of Christmas” Dotee Swap for December which I mentioned to ya’ll in an earlier post.

On the Sewing Front:

I have dug into my stash of material and found some material to sew some project bags for my crochet and knit projects. I made some cute beaded pulls for these. I think I will start these this weekend. I bought some really cute material from a quilt shop and need to cut out an apron for Elle, my granddaughter. We are buying her a pink retro kitchen for Christmas and I want to make several aprons for her.

“Idea” just popped into my head and could be dangerous:

I will have to crochet and knit some tiny dishcloths for Elle to put with the kitchen set for Christmas!

Kindle love:

I know there is nothing like the feel of a book in your hands, but there are a few good reasons to have and love a Kindle. The first being that I can make the words as large as I like and I am finding that as I get older I need the words larger because I just can’t see anymore! The second, is that I can read in bed without some awkward book light and not keep the other half up! There are many more, but I will stop there for now. I have several books started on the Kindle, but the one I want to mention today is the Annie’s Attic Mystery Series. I am loving this Series of books. This one has a yarn club at the center. They also have several mystery series that have like quilting at the center. They are good. Go check them out.

http://www.anniesfiction.com/ .

 

If I just didn’t have to work for money, I could get so many crafts completed! Until next time…Happy Crafting!

Cindy

In a Rut

Hi Happy Crafters! I feel as if I am in a bit of a rut. I haven’t accomplished much in the past couple of weeks. I posted several swaps in the mail and I did complete my interpretation of “mother nature” Dotee doll for a swap-bot swap. When I think mother nature, the word that comes to mind is pure. I call her “Purity”. I have to work on my Halloween Dotee for a swap. I am still hashing out ideas in my mind on that one. I also have a sock cast on my knitting needles and it should be done this weekend. I just want to get this sock complete no matter how many mistakes I have made. The second sock will be much better! I have had fun knitting this. I enjoy knitting quite a lot. I can’t knit very fast like I do with crochet. I also made a lanyard to attach my small pair of scissors. I have this problem with them always falling into the crack of my chair. I use them quite often when crocheting and changing colors. I made it like a really long necklace and it is all beaded and pretty. I love it and it works just like I thought it would. They hang around my neck and are always there when I need them and no more trying to find them in the crack! Everyone should have a beautiful beaded lanyard for your snips. I have a chevron Razorback colors baby blanket almost complete on my hook for my grandson that is coming around December the first. I have in mind to sew some project bags this weekend. I see so many cute ones out there and I know I can sew and make my own. I picked up some stuff to make cute little beaded pulls for the bags. I need cute material for these so I will be out on the hunt for that. Thank you to my cousin Debbie (the absolute best seamstress/quilter I know!) for introducing me to quilt shops that have the most fabulous material! I have to design a couple of squares for a swap with Arkansas in mind. My swap partner, who is from the UK, for this is putting together a USA blanket with her son who is physically disabled and is getting a bit board on school break. They are collecting squares from people from each state for this blanket along with a post card. I love this idea! I will send as much information of the old “Fort Smith” and hanging Judge Isaac C. Parker (True Grit) and since the trail of tears is literally crosses my front yard, I will put some information and pictures in the package. I think I will create a square with the state shape and name and maybe one with a razorback. That is all I have for now.

Happy Crafting!

Cindy

The twelve days of Christmas Dotee swap

I am hosting a swap on swap-bot. If you don’t know what this is, go check it out http://www.swap-bot.com/

The Twelve Days of Christmas Dotee

Put this image on your site!

Swap Homepage:	http://craftydiycindy.blogspot.com/
Swap Coordinator:	cinandrews04 (contact)
Swap categories:	Dotee Dolls
Number of people in swap:	1
Location:	International
Type:	Type 3: Package or craft
Rating requirement:	4.90
Last day to signup/drop:	November 8, 2014
Date items must be sent by:	December 6, 2014
Number of swap partners:	1
Description:
For this swap you will make one 12 Days of Christmas themed Dotee doll and send to one partner. This Dotee Doll swap must be 4 to 6 inches and stuffed with a BEADED hanger and a BEADED tail. It does not have to be a traditional Dotee body shape. This package should only contain one Dotee and a note or card with your swap-bot name and the swap name. Please no extra's. Use the theme from the Christmas Song the 12 Days of Christmas and let your imagination and creativity run wild! I have included part of the song and a link to the song. On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love sent to me: 12 Drummers Drumming Eleven Pipers Piping Ten Lords a Leaping Nine Ladies Dancing Eight Maids a Milking Seven Swans a Swimming Six Geese a Laying Five Golden Rings Four Calling Birds Three French Hens Two Turtle Doves and a Partridge in a Pear Tree http://www.metrolyrics.com/12-days-of-christmas-lyrics-christmas-song.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyMOaROAz9I/ To participate in this swap, you should have no unexplained ones or threes and have participated in at least one type 3 swap in the past. Please keep in mind that it will be close to Christmas and do not sign up if you don't have the time or postage dollars to participate in this swap.