Monday, December 16, 2013

presents

I finished Christmas present number 1 on schedule!  I really liked how it turned out.  At first, I wasn't sure about the yarn (I've been known to be a bit of a yarn snob), but it worked out in the end.  


I made a last minute button change decision.  The original choice was bright red, but this one was bigger and more sophisticated.  I don't regret the decision.  

I went to my local yarn shop to get yarn for some more of my projects and received some surprising deals!  I got enough yarn for two hats and a scarf, PLUS two vintage knitting books for under $20!  Yay!


The yarn I bought for the scarf reminds me of a candy cane.  When I work with it, I use my peppermint lotion, so when the recipient wears it, it will smell like a candy cane too!  


Tuesday, December 10, 2013

funky fresh bedroom

 I'm sick of my bedroom looking like a storage area.  I really want a space where I can relax, either in bed or on furniture.   My bedroom is certainly large enough to have at least two comfortable, separate spaces.  I want sophistication and hidden storage.  Oh yeah, did I mention I need it to be cheep?  I'm going to give myself an initial budget of $200.  I won't be able to do it all at once, but I'll keep track of my budget on here!  My goal is to get as much furniture/decor items secondhand or on sale as possible.  I already have a lot of what I need, so, that's a bonus.  First thing is going to be paint and re-arranging the furniture.  So, here's a quick sketch of what I have in mind (bear in mind that the drawings are not to scale...for example, the room is square!  But, you get the jist of it!):


I like the accent wall to the right of the room.  I'm going with greys on the walls because it's a classic color that goes with just about any decor.  I really like the idea of a grey and pink chevron rug...I hope I can find one.  Of course, I could always make one if I can't find any!  To separate the spaces, I originally had the idea to put a folding screen between them, but decided on a cube shelving unit for the storage.  
I already have a bed, desk, hope chest, bedside tables, a couch, and a bookshelf, so I don't think I'll have to spend to much on the furniture.  I bet I can get a good coffee table second hand!  I will post before pics eventually, but I want to wait until after stage one so you can compare!  

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Christmas is here...

Wow!  This year has gone by fast!  I'm not saying that I can't wait until it's over.  This year can, without a doubt, be considered the worst year of my life.  Those who know me know that I have been through considerable loss this year.  But, it's almost over, and on December 31st, the slate is wiped clean.  

So, instead of dwelling on my circumstances and things that can't be changed, I've issued myself an almost impossible challenge.  I want to start getting my etsy shop up and running, so I'm using this month to get used to utilizing my time to make as many handmade items as I possibly can.  So, the challenge is to make three scarves, two hats, and possibly a couple aprons by the 21st.  I'm really hoping that I surprise myself and I hit my goal so I can surpass it.  Wouldn't it be nice if I could start stocking my etsy?

Here is a sneak peek of project number 1:  


I can't tell you who it's for yet...for obvious reasons.  I decided to go with the Red Heart yarn because of the cheapness factor, but I'm not 100% on it yet.  It's a little on the scratchy side, and I don't care for the sheen cheep acrylic yarn has, but over all, it's nice.  In any event, if I really can't stand it, I can redo it because it's a very quick knit.