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Did you see my new banner? DH has been busy. He created a new summer one that I can't wait to show you...however with the current weather conditions outside (crazy big snowflakes) it will be a few more months!

My secret project is coming along. I measured the yarn ball and I'm down about a 1/2 inch in diameter. I call that making progress. I'm having a tough time with the way the needles are gripping the yarn (way too much!). I can only work on it for a hour and then my fingers start to ache. I'm torn with continuing to work on it an hour at a time or buying new needles that would slide the yarn a bit.

I never showed you the lepidolite stone necklace I made. It has become my favorite! Each time I wear it someone new comments on it.I also was able to complete this one as well. It is made from ivory potato pearls, green Swarovski pearls with sterling silver accents. These clearly are not the best pictures, as I need to come up with a permanent solution for my jewelry pictures. I have the light tent and that works out really well for my knitting, however I do not have anything that would hold up a necklace, bracelet or earrings. Must talk to DH about constructing something! :-)

I have a pair of bunnies to show you today. I saw these at my Aunt's beach house. I made a comment to her that I loved them...later that day they showed up in my take home bag. They fit tea lights in them, however I only use them for display!

Handmade Christmas

As is my normal custom, I made a couple of people handmade items for Christmas. One of the items I was very proud of this year was this necklace:Sorry for the awful photo! As is also my custom, the gift was not ready until the last minute and I had to take a photo without the light tent, so it could be wrapped and handed off for delivery in mere minutes.

I bought the SS box chain, the SS pendants and I used my stamping die kit (see the blog here). It took me a few practice tries to get the actual stamping to come out correctly. I highly recommend the 1lb hammer that she sells on her website.

I did not use the liver of sulfur she recommends to produce the black effect within the stamped letters. I went instead with a Sharpie pen and sterling silver cloth cleaner. It works quite well...although it will need to be repeated with excessive wearing.

The Swarovski crystals are the kids birthstones. I do hope the recipient enjoys it!

My DH and I had quite a quiet Christmas this year. We opened gifts when we got up and spent the rest of the day watching some movies that Santa had left.

I did receive a couple of items that were on my list. I loved this mug when I saw it from Rohanknitter. DH was able to purchase one from our local Starbucks.He also purchase a couple of items from one of my favorite stores:I've also taken another photo of my bunnies around the house. I'm staying with ones from the tree, as it will be taken down shortly. This is a hand sewn rabbit. Her dress is crocheted.

Be sure to come back, as I'll be showing off more handmade Christmas gifts as the recipients receive them!

New hobby

Well sort of, as I'm calling it a take off of my jewelry/bead making.

You see DH and I made a pact that we were not going to purchase gifts for each other on our anniversary.

Someone stayed true to this pact, while someone did not.

Now, please do not get me wrong, I LOVE receiving presents! However, if you make a pact, it should be agreed to with no deviations...especially when I am the person that did stick to the pact.

So, needless to say my DH scored some major points this year with this:
It is a Say It On Your Wrist Kit from Beaducation. I had found the kit a couple of months back and suggested that I would love to try die punching on sterling silver. Who knew that I would actually end up with the kit! I am just thrilled!!!

I have to say my DH is AWESOME! THANK YOU!!!! :-) This weekend I should have pictures to show you, once I get my first bracelet completed.

In the knitting department I have my first official frogged project. I was waiting for my eye doctor the other day and while sitting there knitting I realized I made a very noticeable mistake. There is a part of me that is like 'let it go and just finish it', 'these are only just for you, so it isn't a big deal'...while the other part of me is like "a mistake is going to drive you nuts', 'it will be the only thing you will be able to concentrate on', and you will not be happy with them.

SO....a frogging of the left mitt we go. (and no there will be no photos of this)

Still working on it...

that would be how to make web ready photos from our new camera. It can't be as difficult as I'm making it, I mean come on my nickname at work is "computer geek". They call me when they have computer troubles, so why in the world is this hanging me up??

One word: time. I haven't had the time to full ready the manual and software. So...for the time being this is a picture-less blog.

I'm still working on my Cascade Fixation Summer Socks. I got the heels turned, gussets are complete and I'm working on the decreases on the foot sides. WOO HOO! These are going so fast I love it!

I've also completed three new necklaces. I've worn two of them at work and received many compliments on them. One is a top drilled peacock pearl necklace. I made it only 16 1/2 inches so it lies flat yet up close to the neck area. The other is a lepidolite stone in a teardrop shape. I used crimps to hold it and put a few crystals in a complementary color on each side, however I used crimps to hold them in place. It looks like a delicate piece since I do not have beads all around the wire, however I know it will stand up to most anything. I love the look of it. The last one is light green pearls with off white pearls, very simple and will go well with a green shirt I have.

Our neighbors have officially moved. It is just so sad. They are ultimately moving down south however, they didn't expect their house to sell so quickly (within a week of going on the market!) they are moving into an apartment a town over. I miss them already!

I also got in my 3rd Rockin Sock Club Yarn. This month's colorway is The Incredible Shrinking Violet. It is many different colors of purple and is my favorite so far.

Well that is about all the happenings around here. I promise pictures of all the above next time with the vacation photos I promised last blog post!

Stitch Marker Exchange

The stitch markers are in the mail (or will be tomorrow) to my partners.

I hope you enjoy them! For a sneak peek here is a photo:

Off to do the final preparations for the big party tomorrow. DH has a big"zero-ending" birthday and his wife is throwing him a party!

Must match

Big thanks to DH, did you see the new logo he designed? I love it!!

The beads were actually taken from my bead "stash"! Yes, you can, like in knitting, have a bead stash! DH created a light under a piece of glass with paper on it to take the snapshot that filled in the word BEAD. I took full opportunity of the set up to get a couple of my recently made jewelry photographed:
This is the first piece I've made that doesn't have a design to it...just beads picked up as needed on the wire. It probably took me 30 minutes from start to finish - thank goodness for that, as I wanted to wear it with the shirt I was wearing at the time and we had to leave!

DH and I have been quite busy today. We painted one wall of our bedroom. We used the Ralph Lauren, River Rock paint. It has sand in it, so it creates a nice texture. I wanted an accent wall and well we now have it! We also took down the molding around the front and back doors and put up the new molding that matches the rest of the doors.

Now it is movie time as we are ready to relax.

Year End Wrap Up - December 2006

It has been quite the busy year from me. Here is the knitting recap:
I learned how to knit scarves
I started 6 scarves
I completed 5 this year
4 of them had Fun Fur in them
2 were completely Fun Fur

I decided a few months ago that I wanted to give everyone (well that I could) something home made for Christmas. I was able to make snowman bracelets for all the ladies on my list. Here is my side of the family showing off their bracelets. Unfortunately, I don't have any photos of the other side of the family as we were not there when they opened them :-(

I made my Mom & Sister amethyst necklaces:

I also made my sister a collage. She went to Paris and brought us back a package of chocolates. From the picture above the middle picture is the front of the chocolate package, the little orange pictures were the wrappers and the backround sheets of both sides are from my MIL’s scrapbook collection that she was nice enough to donate to my project.

My Grammie's scarf w/her checking out my stitches!

For a really good friend, I made her a pendant. It is reversible, purple on one side and black on the other. While her special young girl made her a floor cloth (with a little help from me):

Here are the pictures of the Fun Fur scarves. I made the one on the left for my sister and the one on the right is mine. My sister has much darker hair than I do so it looks great!