A few crafty things to show you.

So, I wish I would be more on top of my projects and share them with you while they are in progress.  I'll try to be better about that.  It's tough when they are gifts though.  I've made a bunch of things over the past few months and am finally sitting down with a little time to organize the pictures and put them here.

I'll start with two projects that are currently on the needles.

If you know me, you know that I don't like spending a lot of money.  That's the nice way of calling myself cheap.  But let's face it - if it takes a little more effort to get something for 1/10th of the cost, I'm all over it.  It's kind of tricky being so cheap when you love to be crafty.  Sometimes you have to get creative with where and how you find your supplies.  Here is one of my favorite ways to get awesome yarn for 1/10th the price I'd get it if I were to buy it brand new.  I love my Savers store.  LOVE it.  Sometimes they are a bit overpriced (the other day I found six idividual Fiestaware pieces for $19.99 EACH! That's more expensive than if you were to buy them brand new!) but sometimes they have sales, and if you don't mind buying gently used merchandise, and have the time to dig a little, you can really find some treasures.

The other day I found this little gem on 1/2 price day.  It is an Old Navy brand cotton/wool blend sweater in a rosy pink color.

In case you needed help calculating, 1/2 of $2.99 is $1.495.  I paid $1.50 for this sweater.  I brought it home, took it apart at the seams, found the end of the yarn and started ripping.  Have you ever ripped out an entire sweater before?  No?  You should.  It's very therapudic.  It's a great stress reliever.  I love the little pops of each stitch coming unraveled.  The kids help me wind it on the ball winder that Nate got me for Christmas last year.  Sooo much fun.

So now, this yarn is becoming a gorgeous scarf that I discovered through my friend Melissa at our last knit night.

The pattern is called And So Are You by Rose Beck. (click the link to see pictures of what the finished product is supposed to look like)  I am in love with this pattern.  There are A. Lot. of stitches in this scarf.  It's going to take me a long time to finish it.  I have made a few mistakes.  They are strategically hidden in these photos.  I cannot come to terms with the fact that I should rip it out back to the mistakes.  So I did what most knitters I know would do.  It's in the knitting bag, and I started on something new.  :)

This project is also using recycled yarn from a sweater purchased at Savers and torn apart.  I got this one a while ago and unfortunately don't have a before picture.  Do you know what fiber is in this yarn?  Do you?  Angora.  Yesssssss.  It is like knitting with a cloud.  Sooo soft!  These pictures make the yarn look light blue, but it's actually more of an aqua.  Do you know how much this much angora yarn would cost at a yarn shop?  Me neither.  I wouldn't even look at it for fear that I might faint dead away if I looked at the price tag. 

So I am taking this dreamy yarn, and creating what I want out of it.  It's becoming a Lucia Tee by Helene Rush.  I can't wait to finish it.  I think it's going to be worn a lot.

This is a hat I made for myself to wear to hockey games.  It's nice and warm, and I'm very happy with how it turned out.  The problem with making something super cute?  You email your sister a picture of it, and then she wants one.  Love you, Kel!

So, I made another one for my sissy.  It is currently in transit to her, and I'm hoping she receives it tomorrow.  I hope she also wears it to hockey games, and it brings her son's team some good luck!  The pattern for this one is the Newsy Cabled Cap by Linda Cyr.

These are some hats that I made for my homie Trish, who looks rather delish in her brown one.  Her daughter Lauren is the recipient of the multi colored party hat.

I called in the professional for help modeling Trisha's hat before it was sent off to her.

I love knitting stuff for myself, but honestly the whole process of knitting for a specific recipient is so incredibly rewarding to me.  I think about them with every single stitch.  I wonder what they will think when they receive it.  I wish I could be there to see them open it.  Sometimes I can, sometimes I can't.  I picture Miss Lauren wearing this hat to school, or shopping with her mom, or over to a friend's house to play in the snow.  It is an awesome feeling to know that I played a part in keeping her sweet little head warm.  The pattern for these hats is To Slouch or Not To Slouch by Linda Fisher.  A great pattern!

These were a Christmas gift for my other sissy, Erin.  She is the Dean of Students at South Ridge School, so I made her some things in her school colors.  I believe she has made 3 of these scarves for others at her school since Christmas, so I think they were a hit.  I'm glad you liked them Erin.  I hope they keep you warm at football games.

So, here's a little funny story for you.  Do you remember back to THIS blog post in December when I told you that I'd made the biggest, idiotic mistake in knitting that I had ever made?  Well, that idiotic mistake happened to be on these mittens.  I can't believe I'm about to show you what I did.  But I will.

Brilliant, I know.  You are seeing that right.  Yep.  Two right handed mittens.  I was sick.  You will notice that I didn't even weave in the ends of the second one I made.  Seriously.  Who does that?!?!

So, this is what she opened on Christmas.  I gave her all three in case she loses one.  Let's just hope it isn't the left one.

 And finally, moving away from the knitting for a bit, I wanted to show you what I made for the awesome ladies in my Hockey Mom Club that meets monthly for dinner and drinks.

Who wouldn't love a Hockey Mom ornament in turquoise with black glitter, pink fur, and leopard print ribbon??

So, that's it for this time.  There are pictures of the quilt that Morgan and I made for my mom for Christmas too, but I can't find them right now.  They must be on a flash drive somewhere.  But this post has taken FAR too long.  The quilt is something pretty dang special though, so be assured I will blog about it sometime soon.

Since yesterday was Valentine's Day and I didn't post anything, I thought I'd share this one valentine photo with you.  Messages on candy hearts have certainly changed with the times, huh?  This made me LOL at my desk at work yesterday.  Which is always a good thing.

YEeeeaaaah boooi!

Hope you enjoyed your Valentine's day with your honey!

XOXOX

NH