Friday, October 31, 2008

Mystery Bird


Mystery Bird
Originally uploaded by catscluttercrafts
Look at this cute little birdie that was eating my raspberries. I don't know what it is. I almost think it's related to a cardinal because of the mask it has around it's eyes but see the bright yellow on the tail, I'm clueless. There was a whole flock of them and unfortunately my back kitchen window is extremely dirty. So the shots look kind of hazy. I took lots of pictures before they saw me and scattered. Only 3 came out and the 3rd one has a bird in motion but I thought it was cool.
So I know today is Halloween, Happy Halloween to all. I have to work which is okay because we only get 4 trick or treats. I also didn't decorate because of the puppy. I'm afraid his tail would take out my really nice decorations I put in the windows by the front door. A puppy's tail can seriously do some damage, without having a clue that the tail is the cause of the damage.
I'm working on the Village Frock right now and hope to be done Sunday evening. I'm probably being way optimistic considering I have to work 8 hour shifts between now and Sunday. It's good to have goals.
I'm wondering what other people are working on for winter. This fall, have you started Holiday projects yet?

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Stubbypencil.com


Stubbypencil.com
Originally uploaded by catscluttercrafts
Here's the abridged version of what I bought for Christmas. I'll work clockwise and start at the top. The bird notebook I bought for my girls and my niece. It's made from 100% recycled paper. The smaller Les Chiens notebook is for my brothers and my SIL also 100% recycled paper. The large triangular pencils in the package are for my youngest. The Plan City shape pencils were a freebie (the 4 individual pencils hanging out there)! Woohoo! In the center are holiday Smencils. They smell delicious! I also bought everyone a pencil sharpener that has 3 sizes for different their sharpening needs. Last but the yummiest is the Colored Smencils for all. These smell so good, I want to lick them but that would be wrong.  My brother and SIL I figured can share them. At least I hope so! I also received a free tote bag because I spent over $100. I really am super duper pleased with my purchases. They are definitely on my must buy from again list. Maybe for me and the hubby next year!
I was just links items from their store and it seems they don't offer the Plan City shape pencils as a freebie anymore.  It is now a keychain.  

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Woohoo, I'm Not Totally Imcompatent!

Look at my side link.  I finally linked it to my mini etsy shop.   It only took forever and I didn't know it was called a mini etsy shop.  I thought it was an rss feed.  Don't ask why, I did a search and it made me believe that how you advertise.  Yes I know I'm a bloody moron but I try not to assume things.  So that means I end up running all over the web to do things.  I was getting desperate.  Desperate enough to offer free chocolate for a clue!  But I found the answer so the chocolate is all mine!  Actually there was no chocolate, I was going to  have to buy it!
So some of my kits are up and bookmarks.  I'm trying to clean the house out, so I will be adding yarn from Japan.  Plus who knows what else I have made around here. 

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

I Want A Kitten!


Dog Toy Love
Originally uploaded by catscluttercrafts
I've been meaning to blog about this for a while but I've been a tiny bit busy. I have had it with the puppy. He's not bad or anything, well naughty would be more like it. He gets into everything, eats my jade plant. Steals the sticks and then eats them out of the kindle box. Plus he's stinky. We have had a zap collar on him for a while now. He is very mouthy and when he hear's my youngest voice, it would set him off barking. No one wants to be awoken by loud barking. He has calmed the barking down and now we use it because my youngest voice also makes him hyper. He would hear the shrill over her voice when she was upset because he was nipping her or standing on top of her, etc... A few zaps when he gets out of line when he touches her the wrong way, works great.
He is a very good puppy but I like independent creatures. Ones I don't have to take out in the freezing cold and wait for them to finish their business. Animals who won't jump on me or pop my knee (I really do not like that) because they like to head butt. Creatures who I don't have to count the hours or minutes for when they need to be let out. Sounds like a child almost doesn't it!?!? 
He is a very good puppy for a 4 month old my SIL is very impressed with what we've done with him. He will not eat until you tell him to. I know you are questioning why would a dog need this control? For hunting, there are times when patience is need for getting a bird. It's for the dog's safety. You do not want a dog who can't wait because it could be jumping into a dangerous situation. Dogs have been so determined to go after a duck in the swamp and have been carried away by the current, to never come back. So it's really important for the owner to have control and the dog have the ability to wait.
This is day #2 for my youngest being gone! Woohoo. I've been straightening and taking pictures left and right. Wrapping Christmas gifts and folding fabric. Making lists, trying to catch up on sleep(hasn't happened yet), getting kits together, tried to teach my SIL how to knit on metal needles (she wants to make socks) and started the fireplace.
The trying not to heat the house didn't last, it snowed last week. It will snow again today and tomorrow. I can't keep myself warm enough in a 50 degree house. Thankfully it will be almost 60 for Halloween.
I just got this awesome pattern in the mail! The link says it's sold out but it's not yet as of today.  I can't wait to make a birthday dress for my youngest. She's turning 4 on Nov 10 and I think on the 11 or 12 is my 1 year blogiversary! I'm trying to think of give aways. Did I mention I'm trying to get rid of the clutter?
I hope everyone is staying warm. I finished my daughter's hat, it needs to be washed and stretched.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Mermaid Skirt


Mermaid Skirt
Originally uploaded by catscluttercrafts
This skirt been done for a little while. I have been soooo busy that I just haven't had time to blog about. Seriously. While I'm blogging, I'm listening to the new episode of Grey's Anatomy. So please forgive the grammatical errors or sentences that make no sense.
The fabric came from the huge stash that my friend Leah gave to me. The girls fought over it and the youngest won out. Because she wears what I make her and loves it. Once the skirt was made I thought it needed something. So I went through the scrap stash from my neighbor and came up with the beautiful mermaid It worked out so perfectly, it's freaky!
I finally have a day off tomorrow! Woohoo! Today I'm making laundry detergent, so I can start doing lots of laundry. Working in the cheese shop was very very messy. I have been working everyday and haven't had time to even look at laundry. Did you know that Gorgonzola cheese is super messy! I didn't until I was cutting it up. If you want info on how to make your own laundry detergent the link is here! (I couldn't open site the where I got my original recipe.  This link has 10 recipes.  I use #2 on the list)  It's easy, super cheap and I really haven't noticed a difference in washing. I've probably been spending $1.50 per batch of detergent.
I'm knitting a hat while working on socks for Christmas. I'm using the pattern from Soule Mama but reversing it because I'm not a big fan of purl. Also I received my order from Stubby Pencil! I'll take pictures later once the kids are in bed or gone. My MIL is taking my youngest on Sunday. So I hope to have bookmarks up in etsy and her outgrown clothes on eBay!

Monday, October 20, 2008

Stacking Wood


Stacked Wood
Originally uploaded by catscluttercrafts
Stacking wood seems so hard when you look at it as a bunch of puzzle pieces needing to make a wall. There's no right or wrong way to do it. It just may fall down if mis-stacked. I love stacking though because once you get into the groove of it, it looks like this. All the pieces are fitting together perfectly in the wall puzzle you are trying to make. We did this probably the last warm day we had in October. A week ago? My husband has been looking to get 5 more cords of wood but the prices are outrageous. We are taking the 10 cord of wood challenge this winter. Can we make it? We shall see. So the heat has yet to go on.
My youngest said the oddest thing today when I handed her her scrambled eggs with lots of cheese on it. "OH look, it looks like an ice cream puzzle." I'm assuming an ice cream cone that has been melted and run over a few times.
This week is going to be busy. I work everyday except Saturday. I originally had 3 days off but then a woman from the cheese shop had a stroke. At least that's what the cheese shop manager thinks happened. She hasn't heard anything from the family since they called in to say they were taking the woman to the hospital. I hope she's alright and my thoughts and prayers go out to her and her family!
Since the manager is a good friend of mine she asked me to help her out in the evenings. I will grating cheese today and packaging it up. Tomorrow I get to unload the shipment and put it out! I get to work by myself! Woohoo! It was a rough weekend. The teenagers have been awfully hormonal lately! Playing lets hide my water bottle! Seriously I have much better things to do than try to figure out where it is! Thankfully I keep another one in the break room!
Hope all the pieces of the puzzle of life fit together for you this week!

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Fall Gardens


McCoy Planter
Originally uploaded by catscluttercrafts
With the gardening season coming to an end, I bought this cute planter over the summer to help it continue. The little sprouts in it are lettuce and they seem to love where they are. They sprouted in a few days, unlike when they are outside where it takes a week.
I love salads with my meals, everyday if I had it my way. Once winter hits and the prices start to rise, well it's hard to stay in love with paying so much for lettuce. Doing research this summer on gardening led to an article on winter gardening. I wish I remembered what I was looking up so I could link it. It talked about bringing cool weather plants inside and raising them. Lettuce being one of those.
So I went on search for the perfect planter. I realized after searching for weeks that I wasn't going to be happy with anything new. So I went searching for antique planters and found this cutie. It's small but I think it's perfect for lettuce. It's by McCoy #2406, I think. I would have loved another one and will keep my eye out for one. It wasn't terribly expensive. I hear antique and think woah too much!
It's in the apartment kitchen and will get light from the left and behind. I think it's in the perfect spot and I hope to have pictures in the future of my indoor garden!

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Kimono


Kimono
Originally uploaded by catscluttercrafts
Here it is the kimono top I made without a pattern. The shirt has 2 full front panels and has a hidden tie inside on the right. The fabric I used for the ties is still from the huge scrap pile my neighbor gave me. I cut many of the pieces to size myself! It was a little tricky since I don't quilt but I don't think you can tell. The sleeves are in 2 parts. The first time I made the shoulder it was too small. So I remade the upper portion and just added the quilted strip to hide the seam.
Now that I know what I'm doing. I'm going to do some alterations mainly at the neck and shoulders. I wanted it to b e more fitted and it's sort of too wide for her. Plus the hidden tie, I may add button instead!

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Kimono Tie Top


kimono
Originally uploaded by catscluttercrafts
I know I haven't posted anything lately that I've made. I really haven't had time to do anything. I finished this yesterday and couldn't get M to try it on. So I took a picture of it without her in it. I have pictures now but my camera is on the verge of dying. So details about this will come later. The only thing I will tell you is, I did this without a pattern!

When You Give A Ten Year Old A Camera...


dogshow19
Originally uploaded by catscluttercrafts
This is what may happen. See this picture of my butt? This is how almost all of the pictures my daughter took from the dog show look like! Seriously! If it's not my butt, it's my SIL's butt or crotch shots. You would think that she was a teenage boy with raging hormones. I don't think she realized what was in frame and how it was going to look. All the close up shots are of behinds or headless people. I got a good laugh out of this! I'm going to show her when she gets home. There is a puppy in the picture, really. You just see the stinky end!
I will be updating my etsy shop in a week or two. I'm going to be stocking it with recycled sweater book mark kits and wee folk doll kits. I know that people are hurting for $$$ and I thought I can keep my prices lower if I make kits. Plus it's more enjoyable when the boring stuff like cutting and wrapping of the doll body is done for you!
In awesome news I have 2 days off this week. More like 3 because I worked Sunday at midnight till 4am Monday morning! So I'm working on getting the kits and instructions together and I'm having testers line up. I've been making both of these for a while. So I want to get a fresh look at what problems might come up!