Quick, someone lend me a baby!

or better yet, if you have a baby laying around give this a try and be sure to report back!

Look Ma..I'm not ALL thumbs!

Awhile back I had bought some Wool of the Andes from Knit Picks and had planned to crochet a bag to felt. I had started it and decided that it was taking way too much yarn, so I frogged it. I'm not sure what happened, but about a week ago I had this idea that I was going to knit it instead. For those of you that know me you probably remember many of my failed attempts with the knitting process. It was just something I never thought I really enjoyed, until now. It's weird, like a 'knitting lightbulb' finally went on in my head. So far it's relaxing and I can actually say that i'm loving it. Wow.

Here is a picture of the bag progress thus far. No pattern for it. Just tailoring it to my wants and needs. We'll see how it goes.

An AMAZINGLY useful skill...

I was mezmerized.

"I think i'm turning Japanese, I think i'm turning Japanese, I really think so..."

I asked for advice and opinions on crocheted bookmarks and then I disappeared from blogland. I did end up making some for mothers day out of a bulky Red Heart Yarn with gigantic flowers crocheted to them. KIDDING. I actually made book thongs out of a size 10 thread with a hook that was so small I could have removed a splinter from my finger with it. Oy.

I got the initial pattern for it from Crochet Me and took some creative license. They were super fast, worked up in way less then an hour, easy and pretty darn fun. A nice brainless, not too thinky project. The cool thing was that I only had to buy the thread for it, everything else I already possessed.

Can you say i-n-e-x-p-e-n-s-i-v-e... I love that.

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For Mother's Day Carlin created one of her Amigurumi for me. So cute. She is a bleached blonde, bubblegum snapping, japanese pop star. I just love her. She reminds me of those japanese girls that dance backup for Gwen Stefani.

Continuing the Japanese theme....(try and have sound for this) So sweet.

WTF?

You've undoubtedly heard of the blogs "You Knit What?" and "What Not To Crochet". Both of which I think are very humorous and useful. Along those lines I'm thinking of starting a new blog (as an aside to this one) called :

"You Made Your Poor Defenseless Pet Wear What?"

Here is my very first official unofficial entry.



Comments about this puppy's dilemma can be directed to KAREN

"Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl..."

Happy Hump Day.

It seems like many of my favorite people have officially or unofficially taken their blogs on hiatus. You know who you are. Just about every morning I plant myself in front of the computer with a huge steaming bowl o' joe in anticipation of combing through the many blogs I read (some are listed to the right and some are not)
When the posts aren't new it totally bums me out dude.

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I need your opinion, please feel free to comment at will.

Are crocheted bookmarks lame? I know they can be, but are there exceptions?

(If I ever ask this question of doilies feel free to just kill me.)

Mother's Day is coming. Personally, I love Mother's Day. It's the one day of the year when my child makes an actual attempt at being nice to me ;-)

Enjoy the clip it's a classic (and for the love of...have your sound up!)

Please Note: This IS actual pictoral proof that my brain has finally exploded.

Stress sucks.

Things should be calming down though. We finally got Carlin's acceptance letter for the Magnet High School that she applied to...but not before representatives from said school came to her current school and freaked she and her high acheiving friends out by telling them that there were only 90 spaces available to the entire gifted student population of the LAUSD and that chances were somewhat slim that any of them would be getting in. Great. Thanks for making my kid even MORE panic stricken. You know the old saying "shit rolls downhill" I'm smack dab at the bottom of that hill.

Chocolate Bobbles is almost due and progressing...slowly. Ugh, I just want that thing to be done.

Finally got a very preliminary phase one version of the Baby Intelligence Agency Ebay store open for business. The button is to the right if you feel like visiting. Currently, we are only offering Brainy Baby DVDs but as a search for more product continues that will change. We also have plans for much bigger and better things off of Ebay. Although this is all very exciting it is also a major source of stress for me right now.

I just have to remember to breathe and crochet of course!

Shameless promotion and other blathering.

The daughter has started a blog that ties in with her Etsy Shop. Please visit if you have a few spare moments. Carlin's Kisses.

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I'm still working on the chocolate bobble-licious afghan. I'm dragging my feet with it. Let's just say it isn't the most fun thing to work on. It's actually downright boring. It's so large and cumbersome, because i'm desperately trying to keep it pet hair free that it's become a chore. It's definitely no longer portable so I have had to start some other peripheral projects that can be toted around.

I started the "Cupcake" top for Carlin. It's a cute little top from the Happy Hooker book. The only other person that I know that could wear it is Clare. Cap sleeves are not for everyone. Like Tevana says,"Just because they make it in your size doesn't mean you should wear it."

I've also made a couple of pairs of Moroccan slippers, from Fabulous and Flirty Crochet. They were super easy and hopefully make great Mother's Day gifts. Hopefully.

Speaking of Tevana, congratulations on the new job, I don't know what it is but it has to be better then the dreck you were slogging to before. Can't wait to hear about it and how you left "The Fund".

I want one of these...(not the guy, I have one.) (not even the dog really, I have two.) but I still think it's great...



Have a fabulous day!

It's a good thing.

Glad I cleaned off my desk.

Tax Trouble?

I have the solution if you are having trouble with your taxes.
(Please make sure you have sound.)

It's all about not doing my taxes.

Yeah, but does your Gnome barbecue Tofurky and look like the guy on Lost that used to be a Hobbit? I didn't think so.

In case you were wondering, mine does!

Maybe Karen can create a "what type of Gnome are you test."

And now, a message for our sponsor...

I just received the book “SweaterBabe.Com’s Fabulous and Flirty Crochet by Katherine Lee.” I love the fact that crochet is finally beginning to get the credit and validation it deserves. This book is no exception. It is spiral bound so it lays flat; it starts off with all of the obligatory crochet basics which any beginner would find an invaluable resource. From hook sizing and pattern reading to yarn weights, abbreviations and international crochet symbols (which are so useful for deciphering pattern stitch diagrams).

The projects are conveniently arranged throughout the book by level of difficulty: beginner, intermediate and advanced. The pieces are very clearly photographed on models in a section of the book separate from the patterns, which makes for a very lovely presentation. The actual patterns themselves are clearly and concisely written and are easy to follow. I only wish that the patterns included plus sizing.

The last section in the book contains a detailed stitch glossary; complete with easy to follow diagrams of all the required stitches mentioned in the book. There is also a page dedicated to the yarns used in all the projects. The yarns are photographed at their actual size so that substituting is easy.

Katherine Lee does a magnificent job with pattern creation. She truly has an eye for contemporary design elements. From the Tortoise Handled Purse, which is beautiful (I want to make it right now!) to the Shawl Collared Wrap Cardigan which is amazingly gorgeous. The book is a wonderful resource for those of us that are hungry to create more then toilet paper covers and doilies

Betcha can't guess what we did with our Sunday night.

We learned to...


Fun, fun, fun around the Ol' Davis House I tell ya!

Bobble-licious

I started the wedding present afghan. Easy pattern. Taken from the book that Tevana lent to me (Thanks Tevana!) Birthstone afghans. I actually wound up picking my birthday month afghan, not because it was my month, but because it seemed easy and I have already memorized the ultra-simple pattern repeat. For those of you that actually know me, the memorization thing may serve to impress. I chose to do it in the ever economical "Perfect Match" in espresso and I think it's turning out nicely and that yarn, particularly in the espresso, is way softer then I remember.

"Getting old ain't for sissies." ~Bette Davis

Today is Carlin's birthday. She is 14 years old. My teeny weeny baby girl (who was NEVER that teeny weeny) is growing up.

She was born on Monday, March 16, 1992 @8:49pm.

She weighed 9 pounds 4.5 ounces and was 21.5 inches long.

Her Father and Mother's life hasn't been the same since and I mean that in the most wonderful way possible.

xoxoxoxo

"Whip it good"

I think I may finally have a new crochet assignment. I haven’t felt all that inspired since the completion of holiday gifts from last year. I do much better with a purpose.
Thomas’ friend/coworker is getting married in May and I thought I would make them an afghan. At this rate I need to do what my friend Tevana does and “whip one up.” I think it may be acceptable to give newlyweds their gift up to several months after the wedding so I may not be as pressed for time as I think. Any ideas for a pretty and not so complicated afghan pattern are graciously welcomed! If I’m not careful the choosing of the pattern might take longer then the afghan itself.

I’m still working on my green bag that I want to felt. I didn’t like where it was going so I ripped it out on Sunday. All that single crochet gone in a matter of minutes. I think I was making it too big, crochet felts differently, like in not as much as knitting and that bag was just too ginormous. At the rate I was going I would’ve had to order more yarn and that would not jive with the cheapskate in me. I already have enough of the stuff. I must avoid ordering any more yarn for that particular project at all costs.

I missed the SnB on Sunday and I really wanted to go. I woke up feeling pretty crappy. This cold weather we've been having makes all normal aches and pains feel about 10 times worse.

WTF?

I love when pictures say a 1000 words so I don't have to.

Am I what?

More of Carlin's Amigurumi. So cute.

To annoy or pester; vex.

In response to Toni's comment about my last post. Yes, I am aware of what happens to teases.

"I am a tease."