February Project Class - Double Sided Banner Kit

This beautiful banner pulls double duty - celebrating both Valentines Day and Easter!
We will be making this project on Friday, February 25th from 7-11 pm.
Not a local?  You can get a kit too - just click on the "buy now" button below.

Purchase a pre-stamped kit for just $22 - and that even includes shipping!
Kit includes all papers, pre-stamped embellishments, buttons, hemp (for hanging),and the sturdy chipboard banner.  Kit also includes an emailed PDF color instruction sheet to aid in assembly.  You only need to provide adhesive, scissors, a hole punch, and glue dots.

Kit also counts toward budget club!  Don't know about budget club?  Email me for more information!  Start earning points toward FREE CTMH products!
nonapearl@myctmh.com

Click on the photo to more clearly see all the fantastic details in the project.

Drool...

I saw this pattern last night...

  

...and I can't stop thinking about it.  I'm literally drooling over the scrumptiousness of it, and how badly I want to knit it.

However, I currently have 6" of the back of a tank top on needles, using the yarn that I originally bought to make a different sweater, that I gave up on before I tried.  Add to that an additional $75 in sweater patterns purchased that I never got around to starting (thankfully didn't buy the yarn).  Ultimately, I don't think I'm cut out to knit adult sized sweaters.  I'm too much of a "knit it today, wear it tomorrow" instant gratification knitter.

This one is begging me to knit though...

Pleading...

Crying out...

Oh heck.  What's another $8 for a sweater pattern.  I do have a Knit Picks order going in.  What's another $40 in yarn.  ;)

Did I mention will power isn't one of my strengths.

I'll let you know how it goes.

February Kit of the Month

It's that time again!  Check out my awesome kit for February featuring the *new* Sweetheart papers from Close To My Heart's Spring/Summer Idea Book.  Make a darling chipboard card box with magnetic closure, and 8 super cute valentines with this "no stamping" kit.  Order early and have a fantastic Valentine gift for someone special in your life, or a treasured keepsake for yourself.

Note: offer available to U.S. residents only.  This kit is not in the catalog or available through any other consultant.  It is something I created using Close To My Heart supplies and offer to you.  

What's On My Needles

Nothing too exciting to share these days.  :)  I did add a few new listings to my etsy shop yesterday, including:

This little infant sized beaded cupcake hat in orange...

and this child size cupcake hat in light purple..

I've got sock club tomorrow night (Friday), and I'll confess that I just started the first in the pair last night.  At my club, we knit one sock a month, and this meeting was the month where we are supposed to be starting the second sock.  OOPS!  

It's always bad when the "students" outknit their "teacher".  I use those terms loosely because some of the ladies have more knitting experience than I do.  But to my credit I've whipped up about 12 pairs of mittens, 2 Christmas Stockings, a pair of socks, 3 hats, and started a few more projects since our last meeting.  :)  So I get a little grace, right?

Anywhoo...  this is my progress last night. We are knitting "Chouwa" from Judy Sumner's book "Knitted Socks East and West".

At around midnight this morning, I had just finished the cuff...  I'm using Knit Picks Stroll Sock Yarn, in a now retired color...

I quit at 1 am and went to bed, and had completed a few rounds of "pattern B"  This sock is actually pretty fun to knit.  A bit mindless in a good way.  If you've never knit socks before, this would be a great one to start with...

I picked it back up today, while Ruby was napping.  I was also watching Miami Ink at got a little too into the storyline... Made a few errors.  Ripped back a few rows.  Knit for another hour.  Then it looked like this.

At around 4 pm, I decided I couldn't stand all the mistakes, and ripped back about 30 rows.

Now... 9 pm or so, I'm finally back to where I was at around 3 pm.  Hoping to get to the heel tonight.  It's looking good.  As long as Bones or the Office isn't too interesting.  :)

Oh!  And if you are interested, I finished the first of my newest pair of Lilly Gloves.  These ones are unclaimed as of yet.  $42 plus tax/shipping.  I'm thinking my next pair will be black with RED beads!!!  Ooooh.

What's On My Needles

Just a quick recap!

1.23.11 - cupcake gloves in pink right


1.24.11 - cupcake glove in pink left sitting atop my pattern notes.  I just love the process of design!  It's awesome to see an idea that has been rattling around in my brain come to fruition...


1.25.11 - Group shot. They still need cherries!  Debating on pompoms vs. felt circles.
y

1.26.11 (12:30 pm) - New pair of Lilly Gloves.  This time I'm using a graphite color for the beading instead of white.  They look pretty rad...


1.26.11 (2:00 pm) - progression...

Mommy/Daughter Date Day

Samantha and I hadn't gone out on a special "Girls Day Out" in a while, so on Sunday we rectified that.  We started our afternoon off with Blue C Sushi.  Samantha was so sweet. She asked to go there, "because I know it's your favorite place to eat mom, and I like it too."

I tried the new "Snapdragon Roll".  I can't remember everything in it, but it does include spicy tuna and tempura green beans wrapped in white seaweed?, served on a dollop of sweet mango? relish.    It was pretty tasty, but I'm still more partial to my fave - the "Godzilla Roll".  Sam wasn't too adventurous - sticking to her California and cucumber rolls.  I did get her to taste a tiny bite of Unagi Nigiri (eel) and she said she liked it "a little bit".  

Next we were off to the stores.  The Princess Ball Valentine Dance is coming up at our church, and it is the highlight of little Samantha's year.  So we went dress shopping.

First we stopped at Macy's...

Next it was Justice (oh Heaven help me... how is my baby old enough/big enough to shop here?!?!)

Then on the way to J.C. Penny's we deicded to make a pit stop at Nordstroms and look at their sale section.

Check out her socks.  She does this on purpose don't you know.  I think she's going to be an artist like her momma.  ;)

This one was $78.  Ack!

This one was just a smidge too small.  But it was sooooo cute that I bought it for Ruby (in her size of course). For $25, how could i not?

As soon as she started calling it her "wedding dress" this one was out.

And finally, we have a winner!  (At $23 it was a steal!)

Since we got such a great deal, we went and got shoes to match.  Then we picked up Ruby and went to Ikea with my mom.  We had an awesome time shopping, ate some fantastic meatballs, then stopped for ice cream on the way home.  All in all - it was a fabulous girls day out.  :)

Etsy Updated! (finally)

I was able to get 3 new listings up in my ETSY store yesterday.  YAY!  And i'll work on getting a few more up this weekend too.  It feels great to finally have an etsy site that isn't totally lame.  :)

I started by posting a few Ollie Owl Hats...

To get the photos, I set up a little photography tent thing (I honestly don't know the correct word for it - LOL) but thought I'd share a picture for you all to see.  My pictures aren't insanely spectacular or anything, but it might help some of you out who take photos of cards, or knits or whatever.  The only thing that works better is going outside to take those shots!  :)

What's On My Needles

1.19.11 - This was the project I was teasing you all about last post.  I found this pattern on the Purl Bee blog, and fell in love.  However, I didn't want a huge, bulky, infinity scarf, so I adjusted the pattern into a cowl instead.


I'm using Malabrigo in worsted weight (Love that stuff!) and size 15 needles since I don't have 17s.  The gauge is close enough.

Here's a shot of what the reverse (inside) looks like.  This herringbone stitch is too cool!


1.20.11 - I began test knitting a new pattern!  :)  They aren't done yet.  I still need to add a cherry on top and finish the thumbs.


These are the infant size.  Look how tiny the thumb is!


1.21.11 - Test knitting the Toddler size...



Also, some of you may be happy to know that I set up a little photography shoot in my kitchen this morning.  I took pictures of what little remained in my "for sale" knitting stash, and will try and get 1-2 new items up each day through next week in my etsy store.  My goals is to get totally caught up by the end of next week, and then start knitting in earnest and adding new items each week to the store.  It has been neglected for FAR too long!

What's On My Needles

I have posted about "What's On My Needles" lately... so here we go!

1.17.11 - I finished my socks - and they FIT!  :)  I was worried there for a few days of knitting on them, but a nice thing about rows with purling mixed in is that it adds instant stretch!



Just as a reminder, the pattern is the October Mystery Pattern from Andrea of the "Through the Loops" blog.  I stopped the "tiny trowell" pattern 3 repeats into the foot because I was getting bored and just wanted to be done with them.  I knit them in Mini Mochi sock weight yarn.  Even though these skeins were from the same dye lot, they didn't change colors in the same way.  So they weren't totally symmetrical with color.  Normally this would bother me.  But since it's been close to 2 years since I made a pair of socks for myself, it's perfectly fine!  They feel great and I love them.

1.18.11 - Been working on a pair of Lily Beaded gloves for Trish.  Finally finished them (minus the thumbs) last night.  I started watching Miami Ink while I was finishing the first thumb, and became so engrossed in the show that I had to put my knitting down.  Hehe.. I love me so good tattoos.  ;)



(terrible phone pic...sorry!)


Today I have something truly wonderful cast on... but I'm going to hold off on posting about that until tomorrow.  Ya, I'm a tease... but you know you love it!

Busy Weekend and Upcoming Party

We had a lovely, but busy weekend.  It was birthday party central around here for several days.  Samantha turned six last week, so we had dinner at Red Robin...

And then on Saturday we had her "Friend" party at a local gymnastics club...

...followed by a "Family" party that evening.

On Sunday, Dave cooked both breakfast AND dinner at the church, and I taught my Wings 15 card workshop to a wonderful group of ladies.  I also have been working hard planning a Spring/Summer CTMH 2011 Catalog Release Party.  (Which is why I haven't been knitting much.).  Here is the flyer:

nonapearlparty.blogspot.com

At this point the party and specials are just for locals.  Most of the kits will be offered to everyone at regular price come February and March.

sick!

No big post today.  I'm sick (head cold), and trying to get ready for Sammie's big "friend" birthday party tomorrow, followed by the "family" party.

Wish me luck!  :)  I'm gonna need it - and more Day-quill.

Chubbie Wubbies (Pt. 2)

I have a "new" pattern up on Knit Picks today!  It's my "Chubbie Wubbie Baby Leg Warmers" pattern, which I originally released last year on Ravelry and in my Etsy shop.  Since KP didn't have this one (and it's one of my best sellers on the other website) I decided to knit a pair up in the new Chroma yarn and submit it to KP.

They loved it, and so you can find it HERE on their website!

If you already have the older version of the pattern, no need to repurchase.  It's the same.

And if you are wondering what I've been knitting lately, I'm still working on those silly socks!  I forgot to take a picture yesterday and haven't had a chance today.  Maybe I can snap a shot tonight after Sam's birthday dinner and my dance class.  :)

Valentine's Day Pillow Project

At Samantha's school all the parents take turns planning the class parties.  I was lucky enough to get Valentine's day and I'm really excited because my brain is just swimming with ideas!

I spent some time browsing for ideas on the Oriental Trading Company website, and found the cutest no sew fleece pillows.  They are much like the no sew blankets, and I thought the Kindergarteners would love them (especially with the popularity of pillow pets).  Only thing is the OTC ones got bad reviews for cheap (and missing) materials.  So I thought I'd make up my own kits!

I went to Joann's and picked up 12"x12" pillows (50% off this week!).  I priced the bolts of fleece, but discovered that I could get 9 pillows from one 72"x60" no sew blanket kit (also 50% off this week), so went that route instead.

Last night I cut out the girls' pillow kits (the boys are getting the same polka dots but in blues and greens).  The pictures are from my cell phone so pretty crummy, but enough to get the idea across.  :)

First I laid out the print and solid fleece on the floor, one on top of the other.  It's best to cut both pieces at the same time.  I measured out 20"x20" squares and cut them out.  

The polka dot design made it easy to cut straight.

Once I had the 20"x20" pieces (one pattern, one solid), I cut 4"x4" squares out of the corners.

Then I cut 1.5"x4" strips along each edge.  Although you can't see the dark pink fleece below I continued cutting both pieces at the same time.  Make sure you use nice fabric scissors!

Finally, with the polka dot side up, I tied a patterned strip and its corresponding solid strip together in a square knot (right over left, left over right) on EVERY OTHER strip, on 3 sides of the pillow.  Then I flipped it over so the pink side was facing up, and tied the remaining strips on the 3 pillow sides.

I slipped the pillow inside, then tied the strips on the last side (1/2 with polka dot side up, 1/2 with the pink side up).  Tying them this way helps the knots to look even.  Finally, I gave the knots a quick fluff!

From start to finish (including cutting the fabric for 1 pillow) the whole project took me 10 minutes.  The project ended up being just over $5 per kid (and I covered the cost for the class).  I get so tired of the class projects that go immediately in the garbage, so even though it might be a little bit more money, at least these will be projects the kids (and parents) will enjoy having around for a while.

And look who immediately fell in love!  

I don't know if I'll be getting this one back.  :)