Goodbye to a great year! Here's to an even better one in 2011

While there were definitely up and downs, overall 2010 was a great year. I started it with the man of my dreams and a new business venture. And while the business isn't going where we want it, it has lead to discover what it is we really want to do with out lives and careers. 

By spring time my little man was turning 3 and on the same day we discovered that he would have a brother or sister by the end of the year.

Summer was great, full of day trips to the river and park and walks around the neighborhood. Plus I got to spend it with my baby girl (although if you ask her being 7 means she's not a baby).

The fall came and we learned the baby brewing in my belly was going to be a girl, my poor little man is going to grow up in the middle of an estrogen sandwich :) Soon after came our wedding, which while not exactly what I pictured, was amazing and wonderful.

And with the onset of winter we finally got to move into a house with enough room and even better, heat that wasn't provided by a space heater. Soon after that, just days ago really, our baby girl came into this world.

So life has been good to us this last year, I hope it was for you as well.

And here's to everyone having  a great year in 2011!!

Oh and I almost forgot I'm planning on taking a photo and digi-scrapping them for everyday of baby Willow's first year (and also my son and oldest daughter starting on their birthdays).Above is number one and below is number two.

Great Days!

So the past couple of days have been fantastic! Yesterday I logged on to Deviant Art and found the my Fluttering Butterfly had received a Daily Deviation. I was floored and so happy. Then today I go to check my Etsy shop (like I do about 100 times a day) and my Dragon pattern was right there on the front page!!  I can't help but feel like things are looking up for us, nothing like a spirit boost when times are a little rough. :)

And in other news; My wonderful husband has decided he too would like to open an Etsy shop. He'll be making mancala and other wooden board games (in fact he's knee deep in sawdust right now working on them). As soon as his store is up and going I'll leave a link. They look great (and I'm not just saying that because I married him:)

Oh the last little bit of happy from my universe, I'm done with all the crocheting for my book! All I have left to do is take the photos and place them in the patterns and send the whole lot off to my publisher. (And it looks like I may have a chance to take a deep breath or two before the baby arrives).

Well thanks for listening, and have a good night!!

A New venture and a two week count down

So as if I did have enough on my plate with the book, the baby, my etsy shop, and setting up my new house; I've coerced my mother and sister into starting a new shop on etsy!
We're going to be selling scrapbook goodies, some digital some not. Plenty of cut outs and embellishments with custom orders always welcome. My sister and I will be designing digital scraps and I'm thinking about trying my hand and digital papers again. My mom will be putting her cricut and massive paper stash to good use and cutting fun shapes and words and such for adding a little kick to your paper layout. And my sister's going to make some cute felt embellishments.

Here's just one of my digi stamps (it's the only one I've got a completed example for that's ready for viewing, but there are more on the way)

The frame (minus the words) is my first ready to go digi stamp.

So what's the verdict, do you like it?

We'll also be setting up a blog (where I will be posting from time to time). Both the Shop and the Blog are under the same name : Those Crafty Girls. We look forward to seeing you at our new venture!


And just two weeks till the new baby arrives!!

Starting a circle without the dreaded 'Magic Ring'

I have a quickie tutorial for anyone else who hates (or doesn't get) the 'magic ring' method of starting a circle for amigurumi. This is how I do it.

Step One: Ch 2

Step Two: SC however many your pattern calls for into the first chain made (or second chain from hook as my patterns are written)  I used six for this example

With one stitch finished, second started

  With two finished, third started

With three finished, fourth started

With four finished, fifth started

 











With five finished, sixth started

 

All six stitches, finished with a slip stitch

Continuing to Row 1 without finishing off




Depending on how you prefer to work, you can finish the row with a slip stitch into the first SC made (which will leave a visible seam when finished. Or you can just keep going in a continous loop as most amigurumi patterns call for

And Viola! you have a base circle upon which to build your amigurumi.

You can make hacky-sacks for practice. Here's a quick pattern to try:

I used Vanna's choice yarn and an F hook

Foundation: Ch 2   SC 6 in second Ch from hook (as shown above)

Row 1. *2SC in each* across

Row 2. *SC 1   2SC in next* across

Row 3. *SC 2   2SC in next* across

  Row 4. *SC 3   2SC in next* across

Row 5. *SC 4   2SC in next* across

Row 6. SC across

Row 7. *SC 4   2SCtog* across

Row 8. *SC 3   2SCtog* across

Row 9. *SC 2   2SCtog* across

Row 10. *SC 1   2SCtog* across

Row 11. *2SCtog* across

Fill loosely with rice or soy beans

Row 12. SC all together 

Finish off

How to tell when you've blog surfing too much

Last night and the night before I had the weirdest dreams abouts various non-existent but very pretty blogs. Must be all the surfing I've been doing lately :) Not that I should be, considering how much I have on my plate right now, but every now and then I just need a break. Especially considering that we just moved into a house that needs a lot of TLC, the baby is scheduled to arrive on the 21st of December and my book is due by February. Anyone want to trade places for a while?

Thankfully I have most of the book done, I just have to clean up a few patterns and crochet/photograph about a dozen or so plushies. A major setback to it all was Wal-Mart's inconsiderate discontinuation of Morning Glory stuffing. (I was able to find it for double the price at amazon, plus if you buy two at time it's free shipping) But all in all it's coming along nicely, though I was delusionaly thinking I could finish everything before the baby's arrival. Somehow I just don't think that's going to happen :)

On the house front I'm thrilled about our move, it's only a rental but we're hoping to someday talk our awesome landlords into selling it to us. It's the perfect size (though a second bathroom would be nice) and it's warm, unlike our last house which was so cold we had to have space heaters on directly in front of us while burrowing under blankets. The new house was treated a bit rough by the previous tenants, but the elbow grease is so worth it.

Oh and before I forget the gorgeous new (to me) blog that's got me spending most of my free time surfing it;

A Fanciful Twist
So many amazing photos and artsy projects, worth a look (or several days perusing the archives in my case)



And be sure to check out her list of favorite blogs for even more inspiring prettiness.

For now I'll be getting back to work,
pictures of my progress coming soon.

Finally married!!! Now back to the grindstone :)

So this weekend went great, not 100% what I pictured and agonized over but I wouldn't trade it for the world. I spent the two days prior to the big day with most of my family getting all the hoopla and froofery in order.

The whole thing was steampunk themed (or as close as we could get on a limited budget :)



















my bouquet





my belt









We had Devil's food cupcakes with the most delicious Pumpkin pie frosting, and red velvet cupcakes with cocoa frosting.

 my Gramms helping making cupcakes

 handmade cupcake stands made with copper plates and vintage glass

 these were my favorites, sooooo tasty and pretty :)

My sister painted our lovely cake toppers.
 working hard
  they turned out great.

My chitlins looked fantastic
 posing with our toppers
  practicing her leaf tossing
  investigating his ring bearing contraption (it lit up so we could see the rings at night )

As did the rest of the wedding party.

We had the reception first, and the wedding followed at midnight.

 our fancy bits table, since the wedding was outside at night I wanted to show off all the pretty things I made for it, like the lanterns the girls used instead of bouquets and my husbands awesome top hat

 said awesome top hat, with the games we had set out for people to play

 my bouquet, sadly you can't how sparkly it was :)

 the lanterns/baskets/ and such with more games

  my cousin sporting an awesome chocolate mustache
  one of many jars holding said awesome mustaches
  some pretty bits


My family was amazing, without them the wedding would never have happened let alone gone so well. So thanks to them!! I love you all.

Oh and I plan on making a wedding album out of the bits of pretty that would otherwise have no other use, including parts of my outfit.

Until then back to work on the book, so nose back to the grindstone for me.


and and few more wedding shots...