Giraffe!

I was working at my mom's antique shop yesterday, where she has this great 6 ft wood carved giraffe that she has lovingly named "Slim" and another made from paper Mache she calls "Stretch". A woman and her husband came is, and they ADORED them...but they weren't for sale. (I thought I had a pic of Slim, but I don't)

Their grand daughter is 1 month old, and her nursery is done in Giraffes. I told them I could make stuff that was in a giraffe theme, they just needed to contact me about it, and I'd figure something out. Well, they haven't contacted me, but I couldn't get my mind away from giraffes last night. So in the process of watching Stargate SG1, I searched ravlery, and I searched Google, and I couldn't find anything I liked. Too animated, too cutesy, too something...

So I made "Poke" The Giraffe...

Ignore the mess in the background...

He is doing an odd sort of twist.. must be really stretching to get those leaves... but that's what I get for sewing him up at approximately 2:15 am...

Stats: 12 in tall (standing on own), 4 in wide, 6 in long.

Materials used:
Vintage Sayelle Ombre Safeway Brand Yarn in a chocolate and caramel variegated
Polyfill

Crocheted using an I hook, and sewn together with a yarn needle.

I totally improved the design, so I don't have a link, but I will try to recreate him with a few tweaks and then post the design for you.

Let me know if you have ever made fun animals in your crafting?


 

Web stumbling yields simple, mindless treasure knitting

I was ravlery surfing... when I stumbled across this:

And I got to thinking, I get to spend the whole day with my family... who tend to get loud, rambuncious, and sorta redneck... so I think it goes without saying, I need a simple non intense project to work on while we enjoy a classy family get together...

I have a bit of spare wool from last summer Saturday Market is a great deep ocean blue with sparkle. I think this will make a darling new born slipper for ... I don't who for.. but for someone.

By the way, here is the link to the site, and the ravlery page. You may want to pull up google translate, because it is in French.
 

Book Review: The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club by Gil McNeil

This book is a fun read. Easy, and very speech orientated. By that I mean it is written as the author might talk.

There is a bit of British language that you must wade through, but as it is based in the UK and written by an English woman, it is understandable.

Strong characters, that hold their own were a pleasure to read into. There is a considerable number of structural similarities to the "cast" of Friday Night Knitting Club but enough difference for it to be safely assumed that there was just a great bit of inspiration.

This holds a great story of a woman starting over, fresh, after tragedy. 

The book descriptor reads:

"Jo Mackenzie needs a fresh start. Newly widowed with two young sons, she leave London to take over her grandmother's wool shop, and finds unexpected friendships and romance. The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club is a warm and witty novel about the way one woman learns to deal with whatever life throws at her."

I was laughing by page 6, and had to reread several bits out loud to my husband who joined me in a good chuckle.

I look forward to reading through the sequel: Needles and Pearls by Gil McNeil

 

Great sweater deconstruction: Take 2

About this time last year, I took an old olive toned shetland wool sweater and tore it apart. I over-dyed the skeins I got from it giving me 2 skeins of the original olive tone, 1 skein of a deep rich forest green, and 1 skein of a rustic brick tone.

These skeins of yarn have been picked up here or there to make everything from tea pockets to coffee mug wraps, but always small projects.

I wanna try again. This time I have a sweater that has wonderful color, and soft texture, but not such great execution. I can't ever see myself wearing this color as a major part of my wardrobe. maybe a headband, or a flower brooch, but not as a sweater...

But, you know what I could see this being? A baby blanket.

And so! I want to turn this:

into this:

What do you think?

  

Movie review

Movie Review!

Hanna....Hanna Hanna Hanna. What can I tell you about Hanna? Absolutely nothing. After sitting in this film for over 2 hours, I have no idea what Hanna was about. This movie is musically and visually dynamic...if you were not sober. There are few movies that I can honestly say would be better viewed on a small screen. This is one of them.

Young girl, trained in the wilderness to gut an animal, get in a fight, win, and speak several languages. She can shoot, and she is adaptive. Other than this, I have no idea.

There is some humor, at the expense of idiocy and cultural abnormalities. It is suspenseful, in the sense that you are left waiting for SOMETHING, really ANYTHING to happen.

A government agent 15 years before the events of the movie belonged in a research team that was trying to create a super soldier, through genetic manipulation, they succeeded. Then proceeded to terminate the research, and those involved. Hanna survived. You wait the entire movie to find this out. It is not involved, it is not hard to understand, but don't watch this movie if you are likely to get motion sick, or drunk, you will get ill.

The director made a film that was based, entirely, on a one liner. “I just missed your heart.”

If you have the $10 bucks to see this movie... don't. Spend it on beer, you'll save yourself the numb rear-end.

 

Several finishes this week

So I have been working my way through some great projects. Nearly finished my whole list.

Got all of the 9 square blanket finished, photos will be added tonight. Worked on it between classes and waiting for the doc at my chiropractors. Just need to finish up the hat to match.

Finished the purple sand dollar today waiting for hubby to get out of his chiropractic adjustment appointment.

Now I am finishing up the cotton sand dollar, I have about 5 small balls of cotton left before I'm done with that.

Now, I am heading out to work on homework. Skipping class to deal with a panic attack, and I can't wait to get home and hide in my room.

Great giveaway from Mommy Moment and Naptime Nanny!

This is a brilliant idea! Rather than sitting awake with your little one fighting with them to go to sleep, you can pop in a CD and your little one will fall fast asleep to the soothing sounds of a gentle voice reading aloud the best of the classic fairy tales.

Seriously though, check it out!

Today is the last day for this givaway!

Some great cards from the last few weeks

Check these out, Baby shower cards and thank you's that have made their way out of my mind and onto paper in the last few weeks

Made with Walmart and DCWV papers and a Fiskars (I think) Clear Stamp, and an oval Cricut cutout in 2 sizes (Don't remember the size of cut) from Plantin Schoolbook. (set of 10)

This is the baby onesie cut from New Arrivals Cricut Cart, on Circle Cute in accent paper. This paper was purchased at Joann, in the looseleaf paper selection, and had 1 pattern on one side and 1 pattern on the other. The striped paper is an accent paper from the same set. The boarder punch is a Martha Stewart Punch. (set of 10, 5 of each pattern)

The Circle was cut from Plantin School Book, on a patterned paper from DCWV, stamped in black with an elephant from a Fiskars stamp set. He is colored in with Prisma Color Colored Pencil. The Baby Shower stamp is also from the same stamp set. The dot paper is from a "Back To School" pattern pack from Walmart. (Set of 10)

This is a single layer (front back, instead of fold style) Thank You card. Circle cut from Plantin Schoolbook, Stamped in green with a onesie from a Fishkars set. Thank You stamp is a StampCraft stamp from Joanns. The dots are a Fiskars roller stamp used on a flat acrylic block. each of the medium sized circle have been filled with aqua colored glitter. (set of 10)

This is created with scrap orange cardstock from the Joann Stack O' Scraps. The stripes are from a paper set found in the large stack from DCWV. The Elephant and the "join us" is stamped from the Fiskars set. (set of 10)

Purple back mat is from Joann Stack O' Scraps, the dots paper is from a pattern pack from Walmart, the stamp is from the Fiskars set, and is colored with 2 tones of Prisma Color purple. (set of 10)

Finally got the chance to share these, so now I need to go sell them so I have room for more!

New Adventures Start NOW!

Here it is, a new start to a new adventure.

Before, I was bogged down by the crafting constraints of my other blog, so I have expanded.

You can still find the posts and tutorials from In-skein over here: InSkein Designs

But from here on out, you will read about my life, and the chaos that ensues from this life.

From struggles with keeping my school life balanced, to that weird dream I had last night that inspired a new project, it will all be here. You will learn about my family, and about my dreams.

Hope you're ready for a ride... cause you never know what you will find here.