Button Jar to the Rescue!

For as long as I can remember our niece Keeta (Duplin's name for her) has been dancing. She takes ballet, jazz, tap, point, and modern (I'm sure there are more in there, but I can't remember!) this time of year it is recital time which means for me.... sewing costume time. I have sewn Keeta's costumes for years and while it's not something I particularly enjoy, I do get to go to the recital with my sister-in-law as a gift. Every single time I go to the recital I cry.... to see someone you love dance (and be one of the best) gives me goosebumps - I am also in terror most of the time worrying that her costume is going to have a malfunction!!! 

Yesterday Dumplin' and I were in Michael's looking for snaps (for the costume) and I had....... let's say...... a bathroom emergency!(I know, classy, but this IS real life) While I did not have accident, I did forget the snaps! Keeta needs her costume for tomorrow, so this morning I started sewing, and guess what? I needed 1 more snap, a crucial snap, one that I'm sure no one else will have, but my Keeta will not have to fuss with her belt. Dumplin' and I set to work looking through my button jars, and lo and behold! the perfect snap. It was the last jar we checked and it was my very first jar. I am so lucky to have my jars!

Here is the shawl in Sheep 3 for the shop. The pattern will be available there and on Ravelry soon. Notice how the shawl opened up with blocking (go to Wednesday's post and look at it there)  It is a beauty.... can't wait to make my own!

Lots of Stuff

Happy Wednesday! We had a great long weekend, lots of  bbq'd meat and baseball (4 games in 2 days). We watched the parade... and it was great to see that the Brennan's still watch the parade on our lawn (they have been doing that for 30+ years!)

I received my Mother's day gifts in the mail from Mr. Fantastic..... lots of pattern books (2 from Japan!)

I,  just this morning, finished the store sample for my latest shawl.... It is unblocked next to it's cousin who is blocked - see what blocking does for your knits/crochet?!

I also received my copy of Crochet! magazine and in it is my Clamshawl pattern. This pattern looks super great in sock yarn!!!! The sample for the magazine is done in Caron's Spa - a cool summer weight.

I am busy with finishing up end of the year gifts for some special teachers on my list.... after that it is time to design a knit sweater for the Decadent Fibers ladies!!!

Memorial Day

We are getting ready to go outside and watch the parade, a huge benefit of living on the street that runs through town. We are setting up some breakfast and drinks outside and a few friends are going to be here to watch it with us.

My children are giddy with excitement, they can't wait to see how much candy gets thrown to them! I also am giddy with excitement - I love parades, but now I really love watching my children watch a parade.

Today, we give thanks to all the Veteran's that served our country...... As an American, daughter, and daughter-in-law, I am proud to thank my Father David C. Kellogg and my Father-in-law Stephen J. McAlindin for fighting for this country I love. My family, my children live the wonderful life they do because of you..... Thank you.

Blonde and PDF

They don't mix - blonde and PDF's! I'm in a fight! Yep that's right, I am so mad I had to go for a walk. I wanted to post a rockin' tutorial on the Wrap with Slits, but I can't for the life of me and all things electronic.... figure it out. It seems that my camera makes my pictures so big that I can't put together a PDF without it being like a gagillion MB's which I can't seem to download to the thingy I need to in order to slap it on the sidebar of my blog. Whew!!! I need a drink. I promise I have it done, but I can't get it to load on the blog... 

I will show you something I did do this weekend. It is for the teacher appreciation luncheon at Dumplin's school. It is the Seraphina Shawl and is made of out Dream in Color Baby and an H hook. This wrap is the perfect warm weather crochet, it is quick and mindless. I have made about ten of these wraps and given them away. I love to make it in sock yarn and lace weight yarns. I will try again with the PDF thing, I think I may try to re-take the pictures and use my smaller digital camera..... Onward.

It's so easy being green

Do you remember when Kermit the frog sang that song "it isn't easy being green"? Well, green as many of you know, is my favorite (and for my Northern friends favourite) color. I love any and all shades of it except for envy.... This morning I took photos of my latest finished item and as I was downloading them, I noticed a theme... Green. I. LOVE. IT.

Mother's Day, I had a great day- here I am getting my 'makeover' by Dumplin' and our neighbor

My latest is the shop sample for Slit Wrap it is crocheted in blue sky cotton and is so soft and wonderful, the color was picked by the fabulous Meera.... (I do believe she buys all green yarn for me and tend to get a little annoyed when someone else buys it - how dare they!) 

Another way to wear the wrap

This morning, after dropping off the cherubs at school I noticed a box on my front porch - in it was this super delicious treat from the Decadent Fiber ladies! I'm going to make my Salt Water Taffy in the green (or maybe design something else for them.... see how these people work?!!!)

Study in green

Have a great weekend.... I am going to put together a tutorial on the Slit Wrap... I have been getting some questions about it on Ravelry. I hope to have it done this weekend and will post on Monday.

Bonita Dia!

Hola! Today Son#2's class gave a demonstration of what they are learning in Spanish. Son #2 is in 2nd grade, and I was impressed with his bilingual skills and reminded that he is in desperate need of a haircut! I love to see him talk in any language with that smile of his!

On Friday I will show you some crochet and knitting!

Mom

This Mother's Day I decided to ask my family what their favorite thing about their "Bobbie" is, so this morning during breakfast I asked and here is what they said:

Son #1: I love going down to the beach every summer.

Son #2: I love that Bobbie takes us to Toys 'R Us for our birthday and lets us pick out our presents.

Dumplin": I love snuggling with Bobbie in her bed.

Mr. Fantastic: I love that she made Mommy!

I thought those were some great things, and then I thought maybe my siblings would get in on the fun.... Here are their responses:

Katherine: Whenever I picture Mom, she is always smiling and laughing.

Me: I refer you to this post

Adam: Even though I am a 37 year old man that is 6'3" and over 200 lbs, she still hugs me like I am 6 years old.

Gus: No matter how sad or mad I may be, Mom's always my silver lining with a quick and witty response of "you know honey, it could always be worse" then we laugh it off.... I love you Mom.

On Friday was Dumplin's Mother's Day Tea (my last one, ever) and here is a sampling of her singing. The song was so important because it had been raining for 7 days straight.... I cried - I am a puddle! I am so emotional this Mother's Day, and so tomorrow we are going to a baseball game at 8:30, then to a diner for brunch (NJ diners rock!) and then we are going to be home. I am going to sit and knit on the patio and watch my flock playing outside and then watch the Yankee game and think of my Mom. I am going to be thankful that I get to call my mother and hear her voice and her laugh. I will close my eyes and smell her smell and feel her hugs and I will cry again. I love you Mom, I love you more.

36

Let's play a game. In the title is the number 36..... What do you think that means to me today???

-36 days since we last were together? (I know it's been a long time, we will catch up later when I have time)

-36 errands to run? (maybe I have been in deadline He double hockey sticks for the past week or 3!)

-36 years old? (Nope, been there done that)

-36 project on the hooks/needles? (nope, not that either)

-36, what, what could it be?

36 hours is the length of time I can go without taking a shower. That's it, that's all I can stand of myself. In high school my sister had an ugly contest with her friends, they wanted to see how long they could stand it before they had to shower (we went to an all girls school, so it was totally doable.) I do believe my sister won (chime in here Katherine, if you did - also how many days did you or the winner go) 

That's it, that's all I have for you. I will be back on Friday after I send off my latest 2 designs and will be freed of the dreaded deadline.... oh, and also will be back to regularly scheduled showers! I know, Stay Classy!