Easy Bookmark

Back about a millennia ago, when I was in high school I kinda had a thing for collages. Odd. I know! Would you expect anything else from me? I don't know why, but I really enjoyed finding a way to mix different pictures/ads to make something new. I made a few posters (yes. random.), but more often than not I covered folders for school.

This is one of the favourite folder covers I did:

I don't remember where I got picture for "Do you hunger for something more?", but I thought it was a great launching point because it had so many answers. I don't know how long it took me to find all the words around it (Recognize the "maybe" as part of the maybeline font? Oh, I thought I was so clever.)

Well, I was going through an old box on the wknd, when I found that folder. At the same time I found some other old ads I'd saved. So, I figured, why not do another paper craft. Enter the bookmark idea and a confessions.

Yes. I get a lot of books out of the library. (That is not the confession.) Yes. I am one of those people who turn books, leaving them propped open and breaking the spine in the process. (That is the confession.) Sorry to all of you out there who hate this. But I never have bookmarks around when I need them! (I guess this is the good thing about having a kindle or the like?)

So with an old heavy piece of cardboard, a few pic on thin yet glossy paper (taken from a free NZ map I got on my trip there last year), two pieces of double sided tape, and an exacto-knife I made this:

Not as pretty as one of my old collages, but it also took way less time. And now I won't break the spine of a book. Well, that is until I lose this book mark too.

(PS - isn't my old copy of Heidi the cutest book ever?)

Fishtails

When it comes to braids, I used to think that I was a master. If not a master, at least a well ranked intermediate. Seriously. Braid? Yawn. French braid? I can do it in my sleep. Inside out? I lived in 'em for years. Still do when camping!

(See. Me at Yosemite in a inside out french braid! eating the best muffin in the world.)

So why did I never learn how to fishtail?

I remember back in grade school when this girl on the bus tried to explain the difference between a normal braid and a fishtail. I was soooo confused! My little eight-year old brain couldn't understand! Oh the horrors of living in the days before youtube! Now clarity is just a click away!

So for more than twenty years I've stayed oblivious to the world of fishtails. That is, until I saw this post. So pretty! Now I love 'em! (but still can't do it like in those pics)

A week or two later, I saw another post and I immediately loved the simplicity of the necklace. I wanted to make some, but obviously I had to put my own spin on it. And since I've got more yarn hangin' 'round than I know what to do with, why not make a fishtail necklace out of that!?

Here are the results:

Simple how to:

1) Tie a knot and divide strands in half.

2) Take left most strand of left half and move to right half.

(see I'm going to move the pink one on the outside.)

3. Move right most strand from right half to the left half. In this case I would move the blue strand to the left.

4. Repeat until done! Here's the final result:

Wear. Enjoy!

Keegan

Back in December, I went to Vancouver for a week. During that time, I lent my car to my bro and SIL since they only have one. At that time, my SIL's mom (Mrs. C) came to town via the train. I figured - "I'm not going to be using my car. Someone might as well." Plus, my SIL's mom and I go way back. It's not like we have weekly phone chats, but I've known her since I was about 14, and she's a crafter, (She used to take me to craft fairs and out to dinner when I was in University) so I'd say we're friends. :)

Anyways... when I got back from the Vancouver trip and opened up the trunk of my car I found a whole bunch of yarn. Now, that in and of itself might not be weird, but I didn't recognize this yarn at all. And yes. I have *a lot* of yarn in my stash... but not that much!

Turns out Mrs. C. was kindly giving me some yarn she didn't know what to do with. I gladly brought that yarn into the fold, and when deciding to use it, I figured I would keep it in the family. Thus, I made my niece this:

My gage was a little bit off from what is recommended in the pattern, so I scaled down the number of stitches to 102, but otherwise I pretty much followed the directions to a T. (Or an N if you will.)

It is an okay pattern. I do wish I'd followed my gut and added more stitches after the cabled top. The skirt part doesn't have enough flow/room for my liking... But oh well. Still cute. Ish.

I'm still debating about the buttons. (I've been having button choosing trouble lately, haven't I?) And then done.

When skunks attack!

This is Moxie, my brother's Weimaraner, who I have the pleasure of dog sitting this weekend.

I bet y'all are thinking: 'man this dog is cute'. Yeah... well, that's cause you can't SMELL him. Seriously people. When skunks attack it's a scary thing. It is nothing warner brothers would have us believe! A noxious smelling spray was exchanged rather than hugs and kisses. And I certainly hope that's not what it smells like when love is in the air!

That is what happened to us this morning when we went on a short little walk. If only we'd gone earlier, before my bike ride. If only I'd thrown the ball the other way. If only Moxie knew not to chase after black and white rodents! Let me tell you, that skunk was no scaredy cat! Amid my yells of "No Moxie! No. No. NO!" the skunk charged one last time, doing a pretty darn agressive donkey kick. And that was that. Poor puppy.

So let this be a warning. This is what you look like after you've been washed in vinegar and then later in a hydrogen peroxide/baking soda mix. Not so happy anymore.

Skunks do not make for a fun Sunday morning.

Pink Pearls

A few weeks ago I went dress shopping with my younger brother's gf A. (Love her!) I'm going to a wedding this summer, and I refuse to have the dress fiasco happen twice! So off we went to the mall. After finding a really cute dress, I mentioned to another friend that I thought a string of pearls would make the dress perfect! Not that I'm going to buy myself pearls. Maybe fake pearls. Maybe.

But when I saw a necklace named "knit your pearls" mentioned here just a few days later, I figured it was kinda fate. Not that I'm going to wear them with my new dress... And, come to think of it, not that I actually believe in fate...

But why not make them anyways?

As I was making them I had some serious doubt whether or not this was going to be yet another thing that I knit that just sits around, unworn. Let me tell you, I've got a lot of those. But this isn't one of them. I wore it to work last week.

Sure I took it off at about lunch, but that's only cause it was kinda itchy.

I made a few mods to the pattern because if I can avoid sewing I will do so.

What I did:

CO 9 sts

K 6 rows

Separate the 9 sts into 3 groups of 3. For each group of 3 do the following

kbf, k, kbf

make I-cord for desired length

k2tog, k, ssk put onto waste yarn

When all three I-cords are done, put the live sts onto a needle and K8 rows, putting in the button row.

Try it! It's a great way to use up left over from other projects.

(PS - this might remind you of another one of my projects. I like both the finished product and the construction, much better for this one!)

And... I'm back!

Hello y'all! I'm back! I can't believe how a month has flown by. Thank you for sticking with me through my blog-cation. Did I go anywhere? Nope. Not really. But it was a nice break. Not that I was bored. Oh no. In fact, I've been busy, busy, busy.

So what have I been up to? There's been soccer. Lots of it! And I ran a 10km race with my SIL last weekend. It goes without saying, there's been some knitting. (You'll have to wait for the next post for that.) I've even started up a new project that I thought looked fun. But the biggest thing that has been taking up my time (other than soccer. Oi!) is the family garden. And when I say garden, I really mean GARDEN.

No seriously. My parents and brother and SIL don't take the garden seriously, they take it SERIOUSLY. You name a vegetable, I bet we planted it!

If you don't believe me, look at the garden map I made:

Yes. We've planted all that. To give you some scale we planted, 42 (count 'em. 42.) roma tomato plants at last count.

Things are already up! But the only thing really useable so far are chives and rhubarb. Let me tell you, I've been baking with rhubarb at least twice a week. It is fab-u-lous. Other things are starting to poke their head up. Like, my onions!

I am so very excited about what this summer will bring. Produce-wise and other-wise.

Hope everyone else had as nice a May as I did! What did you get up to?