Keeping Busy

This is how I show my depression to the world. By putting out crafts of all types and keeping myself very busy so that I might not have to think about that which is killing me inside. In the past few days it hasn't been helping but with time I imagine this pain will become as manageable as all the others. In light of my crying myself to sleep and waking up with those horrid crusty eyes I treated myself to a Starbucks Soy Pumpkin Latte and a warmed blueberry muffin after dropping Daniel off at work. He's driving my rental home tonight. Since I'll be heading back to Virginia in the morning with father and cousin Esther. My pumpkin cozy still fits Starbucks cups beautifully!

My quote of the day "You're really spoiling me this morning!" They got a kick out of that. The guy who rung me up said they try or always or something like that ... I can't remember (it's my alzheimer's kicking in).

So yesterday; my day off, I spent the whole time either in front of the stove or my sewing machine. I started by waking up really early (10am ;3), grabbed a backpack, and hopped on my Saoirse and took off for The Andersons. Totally without eating breakfast first. I warn you, don't try that at home! Lucky me they were making things all over the store so I helped myself to some samples ... watermelon, apple slices with honey peanut butter! So yum! Anywho, I filled both my backpack and saddle bag with Pint Ball jars, rolls, grapefruit (because I was freakin' hungry), some liquor, Darjeeling loose tea, half a gallon of apple cider and a large red bell pepper. Then tromped home!

My colors! Don't you love them!

Once there I put everything away, jumped back into my jammies and started cooking. I put the bell peppers in the oven (I had some green ones from mothers garden) and sat down to sew.

I made a lovely knitting/crochet needle scroll that I have been meaning to make for quite some time just never got around to. I realized after I was sewing on all the pockets that the lovely tan fabric with the brown reliefs is reminiscent of fall and the other two are more spring. In the end as long as one doesn't look too closely it still works. I blame the ornery children who were distracting me while shopping for these fabrics!

Once the peppers were scorched I put them into a calonder in a bowl and covered them for 2 hrs (which I continued to sew during).

1hr till time, I put the apples, cider and water on the stove to cook. After about 30 min I had to take them off and puree them then put them back on with spices and sugar. At which point I had to do some juggling. I had to make sure the apples didn't scorch and peal and seed the peppers. I actually was able to do all this with out making too big a mess. Since I was not actually thinking freely but rather concentrating on each task at hand I never thought to take photos so sadly there's no photos of my peppers or apple butter ... sorry! I did get photos of my peaches and Jalapenos from my other jam I made!

I'm sure you can guess what these are!

All in all I finished cooking at about 5pm. I didn't finish my scroll until 10:00pm. Then I had to take a damn shower! Oui! My day off went by super fast!  I clearly slept in too long!

I got 3 and a half pints of apple butter. The half I brought to work this morning for everyone to enjoy. & I got 1 jar of roasted bell peppers with garlic. I'm so getting ready for winter ... can ya tell?! Next up I believe is pumpkin butter. I just love pumpkins! Unless of course mother wants some roasted peppers.

I'm slowly adding to this span but in the mean time it's all paternal.

I found this on my jump. I made it a while ago when I was really board. It's my blood line following my for fathers, going back till I reached the bonny shores of England at which point it gets harder ... for me anyways. They were all listed as farmers which I guess is were I get my desire to have my own land to toil in. Slowly I will be adding their other children and making it look less like a tree branch and more like chaos!

Also without a photo is the blanket I'm knitting for Bare Baby Photography. It's a chunky knit with i-cord edges for her newborn photography and a pair of fingerless gloves I'm making for a friend client. I'm slowly getting a lot of commissions, I think everyone is realizing I need the crafts to stay sane.

Irish Blanket

It's finally complete!

This lovely baby/lap blanket is modeled after the Irish flag and measures about 30"x36". As for the photography: that needs a wee bit more work. Ryan seemed to have known that I needed him for a 'photo shoot' because he actually took a nap for me! :3

Granted it took a car ride to knock him out. I actually thought he was still awake until I opened his door to get him out. It's funny but he didn't even wake up for all my struggles getting him unstrapped and out of the car then trying to get Mallory to come inside when she really didn't want to. She was having such fun playing in the rain: stomping in the puddles! Then laying him down in the crib: this is were he would normally wake up but luck was with me and he stayed out. Didn't even flinch when the shutter went off.

I tried for some artistic shots but without better light of a flash it just wasn't happening. I was very lucky to get what I got.

The blanket even grew on my sister. Initially she didn't like the transition between colors and how it made the purl stitch look funky but after it was all done and washed she's like "I like". Everyone who sees it likes it so I'm very happy about that. If it wasn't already sold I'd keep it!

Now I'm creating a fly veil for my horse. He'll look smashing in it when we go riding this summer. That is IF we go riding this summer. He would have to listen to and trust me for that to work out. Then you have the issue with his hock. (That's the joint on his back leg... the nobblie one) He's missing a lot of fur and his skin looks to be turning black along the edges. I'm a wee bit worried about it. Though Trouper doesn't seem to care at all. Touching it doesn't hurt him and it doesn't look angry or anything.

I'm debating on offering the pattern for sale since there doesn't seem to be more than one out there and I'm definitely going to add the veil to my list of projects I'm willing to make for people.

Right now it's a simple stitch pattern then I'm going to add a bit more. It will have a cloth ear cover ... or none at all (really depends on Trouper :3) with long fringe.

The one I'm working on now is a baby blue acrylic. It was either that or wool and I figure Trouper would have something terrible to say about me putting something so warm on him head in the heat of summer! :3 The reason for the options is due to flammability. Wool when knit puts itself out if it were to catch fire and acrylic's synthetic fibers have a fire retardant property added. I'm none too sure how to do the fringe with acrylic since it unravels.

Knitting

I went to a former co-workers house to learn to knit. She did an awesome job teaching me! So much so that I now can cable!

Now I'm knitting like crazy! I made a cute little headband for my niece with a rose on it. It was per my sister's request of course but I had fun making it. Images will come once my sister decides to take them. Or maybe I'll just take it home and take the images myself!

At this moment in time I'm working on a baby blanket for a little Irish boy. The blanket is turning out nicely considering I've only been knitting for about 3 weeks. :3 It's a basic design with checker board and cables running up the sides and changes colors to match one of the Irish flags. Again I don't have images but then the blanket isn't done. I'm so excited to finish it though! I love doing customs for people!