Weekend Crafts

So "technically" I should have been spending my weekend packing, since the movers will be at the Promenade in 11 days and some change.....ugh. Well I did pack. 29 boxes to be exact. Unfortunately 29 boxes didn't even get the downstairs packed (minus considering the kitchen) and I REALLY wish it were all done at this point! I had my tap class on Saturday morning and when I got home around 2, I had to first unpack from New Hampshire before we could start packing for the move. I can't even begin to explain how frustrating it is to have to put things "away" that you know you are going to just pack up into boxes in the next 2 weeks. I mean I understand why it had to happen, but it stressed me out none the less. I was basically a basket case before I built my first box, at which point Jon had to step in and calm me down because I was almost at a point of needed sedatives. He was right though, once I started packing it did go a lot quicker than I thought it was going to and by 7:30 on Saturday night when I stopped to call Grannie and had dinner, I was very happy with the progess that was made. I woke up yesterday morning and wanted to do nothing but eat junk food in my sweats and watch movies. Not exactly the same as being motivated to pack! We went to Teeter for weekly groceries cause they were needed pretty badly and when we returned I felt like poo and had NO motivation. It wasn't until about 3 p.m. that I finally got my butt off the couch. I only had 13 boxes left to pack so I just kept telling myself that once those were packed, I could go back to doing nothing! So now 29 boxes are packed. About 99% of the living room and 80% of the dining room is packed. As I sit here at work today, I'd rather be tracking down boxes and working on getting it done, yet I know if I were at home, I would be sitting on my butt, in sweats, doing crafts and mad that I already boxed up all the DVDs!

When I wasn't packing yesterday (afternoon haha), I was working on finishing up the following projects, actually both for Grannie.

This scarf is going to be a birthday present for her (2 months from tomorrow, us Christmas babies Grannie and me!). I used the new Lion Brand Hometown USA yarn (the pink) and while I love the color and it's real soft, I had a hard time crocheting with a super bulky weight. I thought it would just be super fast and fun (like a 3 hour scarf) and it was more of a week long project. Not sure if my hook should have been bigger or if I just need to get more accustomed to the weight of yarn. The black is fun fur, seemed perfect for Grannie who just loves to get "dolled up". Didn't have the best luck with stitching this around the outside either. I'm sure it looks great to anyone who looks at it, but it definitely has a good side and a bad side. Don't know if that's just how it would be for anyone, or if I've done something wrong - thoughts anyone?
Even though I had some struggles with it, I am still thinking they would make a great Christmas present for some people I know (!), just have to decide on colors!

Real quickly too, here is a picture of the finished eyeglass case for last month. I finished stitching the back while in NH, but when I started assembling according to the directions, I didn't really like how they had blank canvas for the inner lining, seemed to me that it would scratch your lenses, so I opted for gluing felt inside and then stitched up last night after dinner. I have wrapped up and it's on it's way to Grannie this afternoon. God willing the USPS gets it to her before Breast Cancer Awareness month is over!

Started packing up craft stuff this weekend and it's gonna start getting boxed quickly, so last night I was scrambling to keep out one or two things to work on up til the move, like for mom's birthday less than a month from now! I'm planning on getting started on her blanket tonight after work I think, Jon's going to a reception after his first day at the new job so it'll be nice and quiet for me to focus on getting this one started, I better have some amazing shows recording on my DVR as I type cause my movies are all gone and I'd hate to have to unpack the top of a box to find something to watch tonight!!

Weekend Projects

So actually, this scarf wasn't so much a "weekend" project, but something that was started like 11 months ago! I distinctly remember having this yarn out and starting to work on it on 11/4/2008 - the night I will never forget sitting in my living room as Barack Obama became President Elect of the United States. After this historical night, I'm sure the skein just got set aside, and eventually as I got out projects that I needed to make for the holiday season, it got bagged, labeled and put away for another day.

I don't exactly remember when I found the yarn again, either late August or sometime last month, but as we starting announcing our move, I realize what a great going away present it would be for Bev (shhhhhhhhhhhhhh she doesn't have it yet, we don't move for another 24 days!) There was probably 6" from November, and I worked on it some before going home last weekend. I had intended to bring it home with me to finish up, but the pillows became such an obsession that I didn't even bother. It was only about half done on Friday and so I spent a couple of hours this weekend finishing up that 1 skein of yarn to finish the scarf! Can't believe it only took 1 of the 2 skeins I had for it, double crochet with a K hook! I almost ALWAYS use 2, or at least 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 skeins for a scarf that's 6 feet long. Oh well, now I have more to make a 2nd purple one someday, and I found some rosy pink upstairs we well while putting something away. I seriously could start a yarn shop out of my bedroom, and yet I buy more yarn almost every Tuesday because I'm there looking at it, or I need a color for something I want to make, or I get some crazy idea while standing there looking at the yarn/I've seen a pattern online that I want to make! I seriously will not have enough hours in my life to make all the things I want to, or have yarn for! Oh well, I love it when I can work on projects, and while I love giving them away, I hope that someday I want to make a 2nd of somethings for myself!

This next picture was almost entirely a Sunday afternoon project. It would have been completed if we hadn't had to go to the grocery store, and then I got involved in watching our movie last night so I have no completed yet, but it will most definitely be finished tonight. It's an eye glass case for those of you who haven't figured that out yet, obviously a Breast Cancer Awareness one. I found the pattern online a while back and finally purchased it on Friday when I got to wear jeans to work after donating to support Breast Cancer research, so it seems appropriate to make these for myself, Mom and Grannie and send to them this month. I think this one is going to be for Grannie, the pink of the ribbon matches her kitchen and the pillow that I just made for her as this pink in it. AC Moore as some Breast Cancer Awareness in stock this month, so I think I'll buy a skein of the cotton tomorrow evening to use in mine and Mom's. It's a very basic patten, stitched up real fast even while sitting on the patio chatting with Bev.

I do love that I've become more experience in both Crocheting and Plastic Canvas, but there are most definitely times that I truly just want something simple that brainless to work on. Things like this glasses case, just double crocheting a basic scarf, or garter stitch in knitting for a scarf. You don't have to do much counting, or have to keep looking back at a pattern etc. Much better for TV and Movie watching projects!