Three beaded bracelets

I fininshed these a couple of weeks ago-I bought a beading magazine at the same time as the knitting magazines, and tried out some weaving techniques.  I added a small section with stretchy cord so they can be a little smaller than my hand could normally take.

Now I need to finish my sweater!!!

Purple bracelet

I finished this bracelet this morning, while I waited for my digestive system to do its thing.  I also wore the bracelet to work and had one of the "stones" fall off before I even got to work.  Fortunately I found it in my coat pocket, so I'll be gluing it back in place after this.  I wish my camera had a half-flash setting, then perhaps I could use it without washing everything out, unlike this photo where the colors are tanned and you can't even appreciate the pale greens and purples.

Charm Necklace

I just finished this few minutes ago.  I gotta find a way to take better photos!  The colors are actually pale green and lavender.  I've had violets (and springtime!) on my mind lately.  There's a robot charm and a lighthouse and a pinecone.  There's a treble clef, although I frequently have to read bass clef, but they don't have those.  (Nice flannel shirt too, eh?)

First attempt at nail paintings

I'm so sure, Emily Prentiss is not really dead!  Oh oh, I didn't see that one coming (visualize eyeroll here)

Not yet dry and not quite as brown as the photo makes them look, but my newest...distraction.  The purple doesn't show up against the grey either.

Briefcase/Computer Bag/Purse

This is a UFO that is functional.  I made it for a meeting last week and it works well.  I'm actually glad it isn't quite done, because now I can fix a few things.  I also made a little bag for my new smart phone, so it can have a little protection when it's bumping around in there.  The back section can expand out to accommodate a computer.  I didn't pad the purse itself, figuring I'll make a padded sleeve for the computer to slip into before putting the whole thing in the purse.  I bought way too much fabric and someone pointed out that the magnetic catch will be bad for the computer (or phone) so I'm going to swap it for a mechanical snap.  I also need to re-work the top-I hate how it caves in.

There is some gorgeous brocade on the inside.

and the little phone-case baby bag

Some older work

These are some things I made a little while back.

This hedgehog was from a library book about english-garden-inspired knits.  One day I'll post a photo of the sweater-coat I knit from it too.  This had a fun stitch to lock the loops in place.  His nose is too big and needs to be tucked in place where it's just pushed in right now.

This was probably another Lions pattern - it knitted up fast with double-strand Homespun.  It has a fun ladybug botton on the top.  Unfortunately it also weighs about 6 pounds and ended up a litle too wide for me.  And since it's acrylic, it is really warm unless the wind is blowing AT ALL and I live too near the Windy City for that to work out!

I love these little bags-they are fast to make, don't take much fabric and are easy-easy to carry, especially if you wear them backpack style.  The most expensive part is the colored cord.  A cheap way to update your "wardrobe".

This was a two-fold project.  I needed a bag for school that could hold file folders.  I was also making a quilt for my grandmother and wanted to test out my color choices.  Both turned out well, although the bag is too floppy for my taste.

Catching Up

So, I have been doing some work.  I wanted to add the photos - these are the recent ones, all in the last year or so.

I just added the closures to this last night - the pattern is from Lion's and the yarn is Vanna's Choice.  This knitted up in no time flat, and I haven't even knitted in a year at least.  I will also say that steam blocking acrylic is my new thing to do every time, now, although VERY carefully, never touching the piece directly!

I made this little book last night.  Paper was 4/$1 at Michael's, so with the ribbon I already had, this book only cost a dollar.  It measures 6 x 6, has a little junk mail glued into the cover for stiffener, and has 12 pages.  (It's for exercise-blech!)  It also only took about 1/2 hour!!

I made this little ditty when I first got my new machine.  It holds all the little feet and wahtnot, and even has the feet letters written in paint marker.  It usually hangs off the right end (I moved it to the front for the photo)

I'm trying to multitask and paint my nails while uploading these photos AND watch (listen to, really) Criminal Minds {I'm so GLAD they're getting rid of Prentiss!!!}  This is the plan for adding pansies over the second layer of grey.

This is, well you can see the label in the background.  I bought a knitting magazine a few weeks ago after the purple sweater success, and they had several gorgeous sweaters.  This one was in gold and brown in the magazine, but I thought the grey might be a little easier to wear.  The lower cable-band took forever to knit!  I also was trying to knit it on circular needles, but I prefer squinching everything onto 14" because I like to tuck one under my arm (or even up a sleeve!)  I'm not certain I love it anymore...  :(

Scanner or ADHD?

I always overthink things.

Ovethinking things keeps me from doing much of anything.  Not that I don't do things, but I don't stretch out, don't reach farther than I have, further than my comfort zone.  Overthinking keeps me from blogging, for example.  I feel I have to focus what I say to a certain range of topics. And then I feel I need to focus my efforts to that topic as well.  It was quilts, then canning, then I got concerned about my topic and stopped blogging, because in real life, I then was knitting and then beading and now I vacillate between knitting and journaling, with a purse/briefcase project thrown in the middle.

I recently got some nice encouragement on my blog, so I intend to drop some of the inhibitions, and just write. 

I also heard recently about people like me who are called scanners.  This isn't so much how I am at work, but in my off-work-life, I tend to try a craft, get decent at it, get bored with it and move on to something else.  What I am drawn to is the learning more than the final product, I think.  I love to learn things.  I also enjoy having the end product, certainly, but I enjoy the thrill of accomplishing something different.  Now, this is not for everything, mind you.  For example, I recently wanted to buy a briefcase/purse/computer bag and could not find anything close to what I wanted, so I spent a bunch of time (and a little bit too much money) over the last few weeks making myself a bag.  It's not quite finished, because I don't think I like the cover or handle situation.  People have thought it was excellent, and even suggested I make them to sell, but that idea horrifies me.  To have to make it again?  And to please someone other than me?  And if it works out, to have to make it again and again and again???  ARGH!!  I used to beat myself up about not having a focus in my off-work-life, but I'm coming to embrace that and find ways to work with it instead of against it.  I now allow myself to buy the tools of the trade pretty freely, but I'm more careful about the materials.  For example, I've got most knitting needle sizes in 14" and a few circulars, and some cable needles, etc.  I haven't knitted in years, but once I came back to it, I was ready to go.  On the other hand, I refuse (well, try really hard to avoid) to buy material for more than one project at a time, because I could get carried away on the buying end and never get finished with the first one, even!  I have a lot of scrapbook paper hanging around from when I was making book-shaped boxes.  And a number of empty scrapbooks from when I was planning to do more scrapbooking.  Those items are pretty hard to store and I hate seeing them, but I haven't found a good way to get rid of them (beyond recycling, that is)...  Overthinking again.