My Pretties!

I made myself a scarf with Pomp-a-doodle yarn.  The colour is called African Violet.  I used 2 balls to make it the length I wanted.

Some of the yarn I picked up on Boxing Day at Michaels. 

Boxing Day Shopping Made Easy

I am not a Boxing Day shopper; I am not a shopper at the best of times.  But, I received my flyers and went through them to see if there was anything worth my time and money.  And I did find one thing.

Michaels Flyer

As you may know, I recently learnt how to knit, and I have picked up my crochet needles again.  And while I have not gotten through much of my stash, a girl can never have too much yarn stash, can she?  (I think some of the threads on Ravelry are getting to me!).   

Michael’s was kind enough to have several different types of yarn on sales, and generously included a coupon that was good for 25% off everything you purchased, including those items that were already on sale!  This coupon cinched the deal for me, and I headed out at 11:30 this morning to go shopping.

I got some great deals; at least, I think they were, as much of the yarn I bought was 50% off, and then another 25% off.  I ultimately spent 100 bucks; although, I did buy a hook for 10 dollars, a photo box for 2 bucks and probably about 10 dollars worth of scrap booking materials.  The great thing is, I already have projects in mind for some of the yarn, and as a result, I had to buy 4 or 5 skeins of most yarns to make sure if I changed which yarn I was going to use, I would still have enough.  :)

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Different Storage Option

Well, i decided that the cedar chest just is not going to work for me.  But, in the meantime, I have received a dresser which I am now able to use to store my clothing in my bedroom, instead of in the spare room.  Therefore, the yarn can now live in the dresser and I can sort it in some sort of method.  Now, I have to decide on a good method to store it.   Now I can use the cedar cabinet for its proper purpose, to store quilts and blankets.  :)

Not sure about this Yarn Storage Option

Dad called me today to say he had claimed the cedar chest from my grandma's home (it was sold), and he was bringing it to me after work.  I immediately imagined it as a place for my yarn to live-in instead of in various boxes. 

Cedar chest, the room isn't truly that yellow though

Once I got the chest in place, I went to put yarn in it and immediately decided this plan would not work.

It is just one large box, so the yarn would have to live on top of itself to get it all in there.  As a result, it would be impossible to sort it or to dig in and get the exact ball you want.  So I think the filing cabinet may still be the solution.

Was I Productive?

My to do list had 2 things on it today:

Order a fruit tray
Cook a Turkey

Both of these got finished.  The turkey was cooked, pulled apart, and put away. 

I managed a little bit more too
Crochet headband - learnt a new stitch too
Much reading on Ravelry

While it still doesn't sound that productive, I am proud of myself.  It was my first time cooking a turkey and I learnt a new crochet stitch.

I also started on some research for a new blog that I am looking at creating.  It will be utilized more than this one, but I am also going to try to post here more too.

I think I figured it out

Lately I just have not been inspired to work on knitting.  I go to a group every week, and the project I picked out wasn't thrilled me so I have continued with the two scarves I have on the needles.

I figured it out.  Knitting is not my thing, so it doesn't thrill me.

So I have a plan... I am going to tackle knitted socks, as they still entice me.  But, I am going to do other projects I want to do in crochet.  For instance, I want to change my blue pillows to brown, and I already bought yarn for it. So I am going to make covers with crochet.  :)

I am feeling excited again!

I'm going on a Holiday!

but I'm not sure when.. :)

Airmiles sent me an email recently telling me that I was coming close to meeting Gold Collector.  I didn't think much of it until I decided to look up what this actually gets me.  And it gets me 25% off the flight points required!  Next, I decided to see if that would give me enough points to get me to one of the two destinations that I want to get to.  And it does! 

I have done the math, and I can easily make the last points I need before the end of the year, so I am starting to think about my holiday.  But it is a long ways off, as I need to save some cash too and find a time that works for me to take 2 to 3 weeks off work, as it is a long haul destination. 

An Update of my Life

I know, I haven’t been updating.  I think I start out all my posts like this.  But then, no one complains, which means likely no one is reading, so the lack of updates don’t really matter.

So here is what is going on in my life:

Work

We are coming up on our yearend, so life is about to get hectic.  While my job doesn’t have a lot of extra duties associated with it at yearend, there is prep work to be done as things that have been ignored for a while have to be dealt with.  I foresee overtime in my future, which is okay by me as the brakes in my car need to be dealt with.

Candles

Tis the season that people start to buy candles and things are starting to pick up in that regard for me.  Of course, some of my bookings are corresponding with my busy time at work, so I foresee a bit of a crazy and busy two weeks in November.  Hopefully it will be worth it!

Reading

I’ve been spending a lot of time reading and then writing reviews on my friend’s book blog at http://amasgetbooked.blogspot.com/ so come check it out!  

Knitting

I re-joined my wednesday night group and have started working with double pointed needles.  I am getting close to ready to attempt a pair of socks!

Travelling Differences

I recently travelled to Ontario to meet up with my great friend Amanda.    She is actually from Ohio, but we decided to meet up in Southern Ontario.

It’s funny how little things you don’t even notice jump out at others when you are travelling.  For instance, Amanda likes to drink iced tea but here is it sweetened, whereas in the States is it not.   We made a stop at Costco and she had to check out all the different types of candy that we have here that she can’t get in the States.  I made her try poutine and wanted to feed her ketchup chips, but apparently they don’t make Old Dutch out east.

I enjoyed the fact that I was actually travelling in my own country and I did not have to change money, go through customs, or any of the other hassles of going to another country.

That being said, my next trip will likely be out of country.

Life is Interesting

Life can be very interesting.  I am kind of in a crossroads in my life, not sure what I want to do, not sure if I am happy, just coasting along with the status quo.

But a friend recently asked me if I was interested in going into business with her.  It has its pluses and minuses, just like anything else in life.  One of the biggest of these would be moving and leaving Saskatoon.  This could be a good or a bad thing, as I do not have a lot going on in Toon Town, and maybe in a new place, this could be remedied.

This being said, I have a lot of thinking to do.

You are Invited - Saskatoon Craft Guild

The craft guild gets back together this Wednesday, September 15.

If you are looking to get out once a week to work on your craft, you may want to consider checking out the group.  There is knitting, crochet, needlepoint, quilting, smocking, hardanger and a few others that I cannot recall.

Details:
September 15. 2010
7 to 9 pm
1021 Sask Cres W  Masonic Temple

I will not be there this wednesday, but if you choose to attend, you can say that Sharon from Knitting invited you.  If you decide you like the group, there is a yearly fee and the group goes until April.  The fee is $50, which covers the rental cost and other expenses for the group.

Kitty Cuddles

Every once in a while a kitty decides that it is cuddle time. Of course, with the right incentives (petting) they will stick around a bit longer. I always try to get a picture, and this time I actually got a decent one. :)

Crafting for Charity

When it comes to crafting, sometimes there are things you make that you just have no use for, or you choose to make them due to odds and ends you have.  These are great to donate to a charity near you. 

Every Christmas, different departments at my work make donations to a variety of charities.  One of the departments adopts a family, where they collect food and gifts for a family that is in need.  I asked them last year if they would be interested in some scarves, as I have many single balls of yarn, and they are not good for many projects as one ball cannot go very far.  They said they would love them, so I created half a dozen or so crocheted scarves for them to give away. 

I have continued this year as I still have much yarn that has no real good use other than a scrap blanket or for making scarves.  With the way the temperatures get up here, everyone could use a nice scarf to keep their ears warm.  I may branch out and try to make a hat or two as well, if I can find a pattern that does not look too difficult, but it feels great to get rid of this yarn, and to give something that can be truly appreciated.  I must say, it is amazing the appreciation I get just from my co-workers for these scarves that only take an hour or two to whip up.

Of course, if you want to craft for charity, there are a lot of great places that you can craft and donate to.  Many of them are right in your backyard and you may not even be aware of it.  Hospitals appreciate donations of little hats and booties for babies (my girl friend got a set of these when her baby was born, which she was able to take home) or you can Google for charities around home and contact them to see if they need any items donated.

Kitty's Favorite Place

When it comes to the kitties, I can almost guarantee I will find them in one specific place, my bed.

Willow is always at the head by the pillow, but Rosco does move around.  Sometimes at the head, sometimes at the foot, wherever is comfortable.  And he stretches out, and Willow curls up in a ball

So very true!

My Crafting History

Crafting is something that I have always done, but I tend to go more in bursts and spurts with it. I learnt how to do needlepoint when I was young from my grandpa, I did china painting with my grandma, and mom taught me how to crochet. As I got older, I did not work on the crafts my grandparents taught me, but would occasionally pick up some crocheting to work on, but never tended to complete anything.

Back in 2000, I learnt how to scrapbook. I went gungho with that for a few years, but then ran out of pictures and did not really have much to work on. The group that I would scrapbook with also did not meet as much due to various family commitments, and my scrapbooking fell to the side.

Knitting is something I always wanted to learn. My mom tried to teach me once, but because it was not a craft that she favoured, she really was not able to, and I forgot about. I heard about a craft group through a co-worker and decided this would be a great idea to join and learn how to knit. I actually did figure out the knit stitch in advance, but did learn from the group how to purl, and due to the group I spent some time every week working on a knit project.

Stemming from this, I decided to get back into crochet, which I much prefer for a variety of reasons, but mainly because it goes quicker than knitting does, at least for me. I likely will try some other crafts as well, as there are some I still want to try out, but first I need to find some more time in the day!

Matching Hat

I made a hat to match the blanket, but due to some pattern changes, it ended up being too large. But, that said, it should fit him when winter arrives, which should be great!  :)

Crocheting a Blanket

Before finding out my girl friend was pregnant, I had decided to start knitting a baby blanket, knowing it would take me a while to finish it, and this way I knew I would have it done before baby arrived. Unfortunately, this first blanket did not turn out in a way that made me happy, but it only took me three months to do it.

I embarked on a second quest to create a different pattern, but it was taking me way too long to do it. I had already been working on it a month and had only completed about 4 inches. Time was ticking away, so I needed to find something else.


In searching Ravelry, I found this great blanket that was a single crochet, but with a larger needle. With a modification of using a smaller needle, I made this blanket over the course of a week. It ended up heavier than I would have liked, so I ended up making a fourth blanket, and gave my friend both once her baby was born. This fourth blanket turned out perfectly, as it was lighter due to only using 3 strands instead of 2, and because I used a larger needle than the other. My friend assured me she would use both, and she was thrilled with the gift.

Winding Yarn

Lately I have gone on a bit of a yarn buying spree through Ebay.  All this yarn has come in lovely hanks or in the round, which is not very conducive to knitting or crocheting with.  So I have endeavored to turn these into balls which can be worked with more easily.

The first hank, well, I didn’t pre-think how to do it, I just dove in.  That is a huge mess which I may just end up tossing.  Thankfully I didn’t spend a lot of money on it, but I still hate the thought of tossing something out.

After the first failed experiment, I decided to do a little bit of reading to find a better way to accomplish this task.  Here is how I started it out, as the suggestion was to put it around a chair or something else, but my chairs were not wide enough.

Once I got down to about ¼ left, it kept falling off and I missed catching it the one time and it completely tangled.  It took me 3 hours to sort that tangle out.  :(  I still need to improve my methods, but at least I got it wound.

Earn Money for Sharing Opinions!

For those of you in Saskatchewan, you can earn money by completing some survey's. All it takes is 100 points, and you earn $10, and you can request a cheque. I have already received $13.50 and have deposited it into my account.

Sign up here:
http://surveys.insightrix.com/wix/p125557301.aspx?ref=39901

(Note: I do make money when you signup)

Crochet Projects that are Interesting

Some very interesting crochet designs here.

http://www.foundshit.com/tag/crochet/

Organizing Your Stash

I read a great article the other day, but apparently I deleted it.  It was about how to organize your stash of yarn.  Come on, you can't deny that you have one, but is it well organized so that if you need something you can easily find it?

This article suggested putting all like colours together within a ziploc bag.  It was recommended to use the largest bags you can find and put them all in there.  So all the greens in one bag, all the purples in another, etc.  That way, when you need that colour, it will be easy for you to locate.

If you are someone that likes to keep your scraps and then make something with them, the scraps could easily be sorted into its own bag to be kept for embellishments on other projects, or for a multi-colour scrap blanket or other project.

Book Review - My Guest Post

My girlfriend invited me to post a book review on her book blog.  Come check it out here!

The Immortal Highlander - Karen Marie Moning

Swagbucks!

Earn money searching the web!  :)  You can search using Swagbucks, earn points, and redeem them for a variety of things.  I seem to be earning approx $10 a month to use on Amazon.  There are other places to redeem as well.  If you want to earn free stuff for searching, please sign up through my link (I earn up to 1000 points from your searching)

http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/chattersharon

Recycling T-Shirts into Yarn

As recycling and upcycling become increasingly relevant in our daily lives, it's only natural that we would look around to see if our favorite material -- yarn -- could be made from cast-offs. Designers have made yarn from plastic bags, old newspapers, scrap fabrics, the inner tubes of tires and more!
One of the most usable recycled yarns can be made from T-shirts. The resulting yarn is generally quite soft and a bit heavier than worsted weight. Here's how to make T-shirt yarn:
Here are some very good tutorials for making T-shirt yarn.
T-shirt yarn tutorial
T-shirt yarn video


 http://www.crochetmagazine.com/newsletters.php?mode=issue&issue_id=153&department_id=5

Projects, Posting and Time!

I see I'm a bit behind in posting.  And I know it.

Due to a change in my work schedule, my evenings have become busier, and I am not finding the time I used to have.  As a result, some of my blogs are a bit behind, this being one.  I have finished a few projects, and taken pictures, but need to get them posted.

I need to start scheduling my life again.  Anyone who wants to come clean or cook for me would be greatly appreciated!  :)

Help Canadians Stay Warm with Knitting

http://www.knittingforcharity.org/knitting_charities_keep_canadians_warm.html

A charity to donate squares or full blankets to help Canadians stay warm.  Goodness knows those who live in Saskatchewan can use it!

Of course, there are lots of charities at home that would appreciate the donations if you don't want to send them away.

The hospitals take little bonnets and shoes for babies (my gf got a set for her little guy, so small and cute!).  These go home with the babies as the hospitals are not able to wash them due to them being yarn, and they are a cute momento.

Do you knit/crochet and donate your finished products somewhere?  Please share!

Rosco and the Yarn

Rosco likes to help me with my yarn.  :)

Saskatoon Craft Guild Tea - April 2010 Continued

And the Quilts!

I wanted to take this one home, but it was a wedding present

Saskatoon Craft Guild Tea - April 2010 Continued

Crocheted edge on a blanket

Crochet Display 

Saskatoon Craft Guild Tea - April 2010 Continued

Our greeters, never ones to put down their crafting

Hardanger

Saskatoon Craft Guild Tea - April 2010

This blog is sorely neglected.  I will be putting some posts up in the next few days, so pay attention!  :)

First of all, some of you may know that I joined a craft guild last fall.  I joined the knitting group and learnt how to knit.  In April, they put on a tea, and all the crafters share what they did.  The public is invited to come and check it out, and they can enter to win prizes made by the various craft groups.  Here are some pictures from the event this year.

And time for a Kitty Picture

As this blog is Cats and Crafts, here is a kitty picture that combines both.

Willow hanging out on my scrapbooking tote.  I have caught Rosco there too, just have not taken his picture.

Another 3 strand blanket

Due to the enjoyment I had crocheting the 3 strand baby blanket, I decided to make it again, different yarns, and different size needle.  This time I found a 15.00 mm needle from Zellers.  The pattern actually calls for a 19.00 needle, but things can easily be adjusted.

I decided to try the yucky yarn that I took under my care back in the fall, and I quite like how it is turning out.  Unfortunately, I will run out of Yucky Yarn

Baby Blanket Has Been Completed

And a completed baby blanket.  It measures 23" x 36".  It was crocheted with 3 strands of baby sport yarn, on an 8 mm crochet needle.  I have not decided if I will give it to the intended recipient though due to weight.

My newest project

This is my newest project.  I haven't decided if it will be a gift or if I will donate it, due to weight.  The pattern called for a much larger hook, which I did not have, and I still used the three strands that it called for.  It is a pretty solid blanket, but for a July baby, it may be too heavy.  Granted, it can still be used in the winter.

It is currently 22 inches by 28 inches, and I would like to get it to 36 inches.  It is in crochet

My latest Craft Project

After my first knit baby blanket did not turn out so well, I decided to create a second one.  I am only about 6 inches into it, and the baby is due in just over 70 days.  Last night I took a look to see if it is going well, or if it needs to be frogged, and well, it needs to be frogged.  I managed to turn the pattern around, which isn't that huge of a deal, and I see that the pattern is leaning a bit.

I am going to switch to a crochet blanket.  I have already found a nice simple pattern that I should be able to get done in a relatively short time.

Totally Slacking

I've been busy working on writing work and my Gold Canyon business, not to mention my day job, that I just keep forgetting to come post here!  Also doesn't help that I have been out two evenings this week, a union meeting and a birthday supper for my dad.

First, I must say happy 1 year Adoption Anniversary to Willow!  I can't imagine life without her!

I need to get to updating more on here, so if you come by here and don't see any recent posts, write a comment and let me know!

Kitty Love

This is an older picture, as you can tell by how little Rosco is.  It was approximately in July 2009.  I haven't caught them cuddling together for quite a while.

Oops!

I create this blog, and promptly ignore it!  My apologies!

How about a picture of some cute kitty cats?

This is Rosco, he is the trouble maker of the house.  If you ever hear me complaining about one of the cats, it is likely him.  He is just over a year old, and I have had him since he was approximately 2.5 months old.

This is Willow.  She is the Queen of the house.  She is approximately 2.5 years old, and she was about a year and a half when I adopted her.  She is a sweet heart and a lap cat, and is starting to cuddle at bedtime.

Welcome!

I decided to split up my one blog into two, so this is the beginning of this one.  I likely will move the posts from the other one over here.

This blog is more about my life, which seems to revolve around my cats and some of the crafts that I like to work on.  Along the side you will see a few links - WAH Sharon is about my quest to earn money online and The Scentsationals is about my Gold Canyon Candles business.

Sharon