tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233684662012-01-19T18:32:16.976-06:00Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.comBlogger2801100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-42622089229234712882011-11-04T17:01:00.000-05:002011-11-04T17:01:03.092-05:00

First off, I have to admit just how lucky I am to be able to write this review. It's not as easy as just calling for a reservation at Next restaurant. Seats are sold as tickets, like a sports or performance event... And boy, is it a show! Tickets are on the pricey side, especially if you add alcohol pairings. Also, there's no ordering your separate entree and appetizers; everyone eats the same

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0Next Restaurant 953 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607, USA41.8867344 -87.651705641.8852569 -87.6541731 41.8882119 -87.6492381tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-42811013069842469932011-01-20T11:55:00.021-06:002011-01-20T14:16:04.350-06:00

Whenever I get the chance to test knit for Anna of Mochimochiland I jump at it, and this time was no exception! Her patterns are not only simple and easy to knit, but so adorable!!! I just cannot resist the cuteness, what can I say? I really enjoy using leftover yarn for most of my Mochimochiland toys. Both of these yarns were from projects I made my niece, and I'm glad to finally use them again!

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-9577544851105669912010-08-06T19:49:00.001-05:002010-08-06T19:50:15.785-05:00

I decided to make these cute cupcake pops for myself and Dear Sis, and I just happened to find the cutest pastel confetti candy melts for the tops! Aren't they so much fun? This particular batch of cake pops started as a devious idea in my head for these - cake poops!  My DH is going through a rough patch, and my grandmother recently passed away... so it kinda went from just a tongue in cheek

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-27350571006889191872010-07-23T10:22:00.006-05:002010-07-23T10:22:00.577-05:00

When I made Anna's test list, I was so excited. And then, I realized just how fast you have to be, to become one of her testers! LOL So, I was very excited when I made it as an alternate tester of these cute Plucky Mushrooms. Aren't they adorable? They work up super fast, too. (Even though I had to wait to post about them! Hahaha!) Just leftover fingering weight yarn in your color choices,

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-65413959949612279852010-07-09T10:10:00.013-05:002010-07-09T10:10:00.452-05:00

I can hardly believe how fast this project finished up (that is, except for the blocking part!) I was complaining last time, saying it would take forever, and then the edges sucked up all that end yarn! Hehe. Oh, and then it took me forever to block it, because I'm a lazy procrastinator! I wish I'd added the garter ridge on this blanket, but I started it before the other one. Ah well, just

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-79347708491147406052010-05-11T17:14:00.000-05:002010-05-11T19:14:54.913-05:00

I'm back from from my whirlwind trip to Italy, and I must admit it was amazing! My DH and I did some fun tours, and a few ports on our own - which was good because all the power was out in Gibralter when we were there! Talk about bad luck!  Much more to follow, as it stands I'm getting over something buggy (I refuse to believe I'm sick, so please don't even mention it!) and I have a crap-load of

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-53913833486939168532010-04-07T12:55:00.000-05:002010-04-07T12:55:35.652-05:00

I had a great craft post planned for today, but the last 36 hours have been quite a whirlwind for me! My DH found a wonderful repositioning cruise to Italy, that leaves in less than two weeks! So, craft plans must be put on the back-burner as I try and get all of my pre-vacation planning packed into a super short amount of time! We're heading to the Mediterranean on a cruise ship, my favorite way

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-10912405846294117782010-04-05T12:38:00.024-05:002010-04-05T19:17:43.288-05:00

After I'd finished my Solitude scarf, I wanted to work with another single ball of Malabrigo Lace yarn. It's so yummy soft, and very enjoyable to work with - but I wanted to design something for myself, not follow a set pattern. So, I went to my stitch dictionaries and found this pretty Fishtail Lace pattern; and knew instantly that it would be perfect with the yarn colorway I chose, Whale's

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-22671118231220002432010-04-01T08:59:00.000-05:002010-04-01T11:21:54.045-05:00

I've been thinking of using super soft materials for chains well, for a while... I guess basically since the spring fashion shows. I die for these Chanel's temporary tatoo chains, but they're also 75$ - so you know, I have to be content to covet and not own these, I fear. I wish I had the cash, though! So anyhoosals - my brain was kicking around the thought of using soft and otherwise

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-63109317307801593252010-03-31T10:27:00.019-05:002010-03-31T11:35:18.904-05:00

I didn't do a kick off post, which I'd wanted to but couldn't find the time for amongst all the knitting! But, I decided I still wanted to do a wrap up post anyway, so here it is! I love Malabrigo yarn. My favorites are Silky Merino and their Lace yarns, although I also have some Worsted in my stash. I love how soft they are, and how vibrant the colors are.  Finished projects include my Caribenos

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-65499989903503465152010-03-30T12:56:00.003-05:002010-03-30T14:06:01.880-05:00

I was very excited to read this morning the deadline has been extended til April 11th, 2010 for One Yard Wonder's latest book. I do occasionally still sew, and I'm totally interested! I hope to submit this round, but we'll see if I can get my lazy butt into gear! Hehe. I'm especially excited because I'm toying with the thought of using one yard of my own fabric design - yeay! From the authors -

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-36940730983508220712010-03-30T09:54:00.003-05:002010-03-30T09:54:00.152-05:00

This was the most intimidating part for me, as I'm kind of obsessive about keeping the lines all straight and together. I kept telling myself that I'd have to accept some mistakes, as they can't all be perfect; but I still procrastinated this step for days! Consequently, I have to take a week and postpone this one's update! I hope you'll all stay tuned with me, ans I try and work through my fears

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-7900491133716817852010-03-29T14:44:00.000-05:002010-03-29T16:45:57.920-05:00

nother cute project on Craft:'s blog, I knew I had to make one for myself. The only question was, leather or suede? And then, what color??? I have bunches of scraps in some very delicious colors, so the choices were tough. After it was all said and done, the magenta pig suede was the winner. I had a bunch of small pieces of it, and in suede - it was an experiment to see if this would even work!

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-8528657374151787942010-03-27T17:08:00.003-05:002010-03-27T17:50:20.162-05:00

You know when one of these is parked outside your house, it's not good... But, as you can see, from the view outside my backyard... It's ON FIRE!!! Holy Crappers, I hope my local Fire Department can handle this, it's the worst fire I've ever seen!  The entire grass land has ignited, and it licks ever closer to houses!   I have many thanks and gratitude for this guy, the fire fighter closest

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-50754292523202632262010-03-26T17:34:00.000-05:002010-03-26T20:32:17.558-05:00

I can't believe I've got another Hemlock Ring to show off this week, as I wasn't planning on posting this one til next week, but such is life! I really, really enjoyed knitting this blanket, both because I added the traditional garter ridge found in the feather & fan pattern (not found on the original Hemlock pattern,) and because this yarn was like butter to knit with! So soft, and just the

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-51480810027682031262010-03-24T12:52:00.018-05:002010-03-24T14:53:13.115-05:00

I've been wanting to knit a Hemlock Ring blanket for myself, for what seems like forever... It's a pattern I've knit several times, although not for myself until now! I love it to begin with, but in Malabrigo Silky Merino - it's positively delicious! The turquoise color did transfer a bit more color onto my hands than my Clapotis, ok a LOT more, but I hope since I won't be laundering it often

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-90853219146320804642010-03-22T12:45:00.036-05:002010-03-22T17:54:14.915-05:00

"The best laid schemes o' mice an' men / Gang aft agley." (From the Burns' Poem, To a Mouse) Alright, so I really shouldn't be complaining, because I did get a fairly quick start on this project, and it's my very first real quilt (although I'm done a small amount of piecing and patchwork before.) But, I am reluctant to admit that I've only made a bit of progress since last week - putting

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-3963475293675036792010-03-19T10:06:00.002-05:002010-03-19T19:00:26.294-05:00

When I saw this yarn on sale at WEBS, I knew I had to have it. 51/49 silk & merino means it's super soft, and the colors are just gorgeous! It transferred just a bit of blue dye to my fingers while I was knitting it, but not excessively so. So, normally, the yarn this pattern calls for would cost you 120$ (maybe more plus shipping...) I KNEW I didn't want to spend that much, even though I love

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-89208661980572561672010-03-17T12:47:00.001-05:002010-03-17T15:14:55.233-05:00

I've been kicking around the idea of designing a knit pattern for myself lately, and I knew it needed to be made with Malabrigo Lace yarn. I had a single skein of the most gorgeous yarn, in their Whale's Road colorway - a rich mix of blues, greens and indigo (all beautiful jewel tones.) It's enough for a small thing, but not a large garment... So, I went to my stitch dictionaries and found this

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-11650867053105824052010-03-16T14:45:00.026-05:002010-03-16T20:04:50.720-05:00

I wish I had more progress to show off this week (and pics!,) but I've only managed to finish piecing a few more strips (I only have 14 of 20 completed. Bummer!) Next, I'm onto sewing them all up together to form the top; but, I'm starting to wonder just how long that will take me! Haha! It is a fun project, working with my own fabric though! Just not a quickie project, although what decent sized

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-83491695469037145722010-03-15T14:37:00.022-05:002010-03-15T15:22:09.804-05:00

My husband was coming home from a long business trip on Friday, so I thought I'd whip up something quick and tasty we could enjoy, both as desserts and snacks! We both love s'mores, but we don't camp very often anymore, so I thought I'd try these at home, and see how they came out. First, line a sheet pan with aluminum foil, and layer the bottom with graham crackers (approximately 18,) just

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-80016075330082588842010-03-08T10:50:00.049-06:002010-03-08T16:00:06.197-06:00

Wow, what a week! I broke half my craft table last Monday night, unfortunately before I'd cut the corduroy squares (but thankfully after I'd managed to get the yardage ironed!) So yeah, it wasn't looking like the easiest week ever, piecing all the strips together on one half my regular work space... So, I only managed to get 7 strips pieced together so far, but here they are! It's a little

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-15645944884068119842010-03-05T12:36:00.057-06:002010-03-06T17:43:02.555-06:00

... aka Yet Another Malabrigo Montego Bay Scarf, this time with fringe! (Here's the first MalaMontego Bay I made, for my MIL!) For the last bunch of months this yarn was half of a Flutter Scarf, but I just wasn't feeling the ruffle end out of this yarn - 100% merino wool. The ruffles demand a drapier fiber content, something like silk, bamboo or alpaca; and to be truthful, they looked a little

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-57738920561764291832010-03-03T10:11:00.010-06:002010-03-03T10:11:00.064-06:00

Wow. It feels so surreal to type this. I feel like I've traveled so far over the last bunch of years, and I haven't really gone anywhere! Haha! When I first started writing, I had no idea what I wanted to get out of it. No clear picture in my mind, just a hope that I could share my creativity with a community. Even though my ride has had it's ups and downs, I really hope this next year I'll be

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-75954053151717683082010-03-02T12:04:00.001-06:002010-03-02T15:31:29.183-06:00

When I caught the Ravelympic bug, I knew I wanted to pick a large project... and I'd been kicking around this idea for a beach-ey, by-the-sea version of this Bauhaus blanket for a couple of weeks. So, I decided I was going to knit a whole blanket, 4 pieces with seaming and all, in 16 days.  I know, you're sitting there saying to yourself, "Kari, why on Earth would you think of such a thing?"

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-9233256196590490212010-03-01T12:13:00.002-06:002010-03-01T15:29:16.323-06:00

I read Randi's blog regularly, so when I caught in my RSS feed that she was organizing a quilt-along I knew I wanted in. And then, the Ravelympics hit me, and I set super high expectations for myself... I think it was a good lesson in juggling my biggest craft priorities right now, and I'm really pleased to share with you my very first quilt ever - and the first progress pictures of it! Yeay! :)

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-76366574391523748662010-02-28T16:43:00.000-06:002010-02-28T16:43:55.871-06:00

To be blunt folks, I'm a great big loser.  But, I'm alright with it this time... I knew the project I'd picked was a large one, and throwing the dyeing into the mix really messed my game up. This time, I'm just a participant, but I'm still determined to work on, and finish my Bauhaus Throw. (And hopefully, soon!) So, to wrap it all up, I've knitted one square of four, and dyed 2/3 of my contrast

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-2212231597876300842010-02-25T09:12:00.000-06:002010-02-25T11:28:30.039-06:00

I was so set on not joining in this round of the Ravelympics, but of course I got myself sucked in! And naturally, I had to pick a much bigger project, because I finished so much in 08...  This time around it was to be a Bauhaus Throw, from Craft; zine's blog. I didn't have the recommended yarn, but I did have a ton of Elann Silken Kydd hanging around since I let the deadline for my Milkweed

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-23490811387889627682010-02-23T10:07:00.000-06:002010-02-23T10:07:03.332-06:00

I've had to turn on comment moderation, as there's a been a large spat of spam links popping up around here lately... I hate to do it, because I hate those robot foilers with a passion; but I hate going back and deleting spam comments even more! So, I hope you all can bear with me, and still leave comments - I really appreciate them! And sorry for the change, I really didn't want to do it, but I

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-58374945298599279262010-02-18T16:21:00.000-06:002010-02-18T16:21:15.624-06:00

Ever since I found ...love Maegan's blog, I'd been drooling over her designer clothing, purchased discount via Gilt.com. Now, I haven't found that many clothing items that work for me yet... but I happened to snag a set of these moleskine notebooks - one each month for the year, and color coordinated! They're so small, and I find myself actually recording more of my creative thoughts and ideas,

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-3672982572562135992010-02-10T22:43:00.000-06:002010-02-10T22:43:34.265-06:00

Hello ve tüm Türkiye'den yeni okuyucuların hoş geldiniz! Seninle tanışmak memnunluk duyarım. Blog okuma için teşekkür ederiz! I've been featured on 10Marifet before, for my Beach Vase tutorial, but I wanted to take a minute to say thank you to all of my new readers from Turkey! I've always wanted to make more friends, globally - and I hope I get the chance to soon!(I also hope my Turkish above

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-63752382338707787552010-01-27T18:25:00.002-06:002010-01-27T18:27:08.811-06:00

I've been thinking a lot lately about how much our lives can change for the positive, when we open ourselves up to the scary vulnerable state that is change. Especially us women... we want the change alright, but it also scares the crap out of us. There should be a "Crappers, I'm sorry" message for when my brain blanks. Seriously. The reason for all of the thinking, (for all 3 of you who care!

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-10297868947907052902010-01-08T19:08:00.005-06:002010-01-08T19:14:14.879-06:00

My sister was recently kind enough to bring over a bit of her (now famous!) chocolate peanut butter bark. Let me tell you folks, this snack might be the best sweet treat ever - but I'll let you try it out, and then tell me I'm right! LOL Anyhow, it may be one of the easiest food crafts I've ever tried, plus it has the added benefit of being both beautiful and super tasty! It's almost too pretty

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-23448759714442180412009-12-07T08:55:00.001-06:002009-12-07T08:55:00.267-06:00

I had to work a lot of math to size this up to 2-years, but I think it was worth it! I love the simplicity, it shows off the colors beautifully. My niece isn't really 2 yet, but I wanted to ensure this one fit her longer than the first version! Haha! I think it will also work nicely in the coming colder months, as my sis can put her in a long-sleeved jumper/romper underneath. Then, it will

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-44984853082413618212009-11-10T14:26:00.009-06:002009-11-10T16:35:25.798-06:00

knew the instant I saw the Yarn Harlot's Pretty Thing cowl pattern, just which yarn I'd use for it.  I had one skein left of Handmaiden's luscious 4-ply cashmere in Glacier, a wonderful blend of arctic icey blues, beiges and soft greys. Love it! Couldn't help but buy it on a trip out with my sister, a year ago or more! Haha! Anyhoo, I didn't bother swatching for this, and yet miraculously

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-29074065350317775952009-10-15T13:15:00.000-05:002009-10-15T13:51:20.598-05:00

Today's the day, and I can hardly believe it! Spoonflower's opened a shop, so I can sell my fabric designs, along a gazillion others, which I'm sure is why the site's a little slow. Don't worry, if you want Cocoa Squiggly Stripe, my very first ever repeatable fabric design - you can buy it right now! I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am about this, and I can't wait to see how it's used!

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-28948516206283068182009-09-17T09:32:00.000-05:002009-09-17T09:32:00.061-05:00

When I got a chance to test for Anna, I jumped at it, and I was lucky enough to get it this time! Normally, I'm super late to the party! Anyhoo, this one is a cute toy named Baldee. Knit in the round with minimal seaming make him a super quick knit, plus I got to use up a bunch of leftover (worsted) for this, which I love!After I decided I was making him up as Milton, I knew I'd need to add the

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-7543239805833138032009-09-16T13:56:00.000-05:002009-09-16T14:13:21.595-05:00

... my brand new stand mixer!!!My mom was kind enough to send this to my husband and me, for our 4th wedding anniversary. Well... sort of. Hehe. Okay, so the story goes she sent the boysenberry color, and I had DH lug the huge heavy thing back to our local JC Penney; then we ordered the right color off the internet, (and hoped it'd end up the right color, not a single store in my area carries

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-37412804843943060652009-09-02T15:38:00.000-05:002009-09-02T15:42:54.184-05:00

I just had to buy this cashmere yarn on sale from Elann. It's normally about 19$ a ball, and I got them all for less than 50$!!! Woohoo! The only questions were how much to buy, and what to make with it? I was leafing through Scarf Style by Pam Allen, and found this super cute scarf, that just happened to call for the same weight yarn (DK.)Doing the math, the pattern called for 432 yds, which was

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-15662117564538164102009-08-08T16:57:00.000-05:002009-08-08T17:25:00.054-05:00

... and this time it was in the form of a trip to the emergency room, at 11PM (just late enough to not be able to use a walk-in care place, which happens to be closer!) It happened at the end of June, the night of the 22nd.The story goes, I was trying to pit a particularly nasty-tough embedded avocado; and I cut myself, quite badly. I cut my left thumb, about 1/2" wide, but very deep - like I

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-57837211203536608492009-06-12T10:12:00.000-05:002009-06-12T14:36:10.480-05:00

Wowsers! I let this UFO sit so long! No reason, really - except I'm not a huge fan of grafting! Hehehe. I was going to use Lucy Neatby's method, which I found via Ruthless Knitting. This blogger's Clementine pictures helped a ton too, I'm really a visual learner. (Unfortunately I got super lazy, and just used a 3-needle BO.) Before blocking, the two halves measured 26" long by 7 3/4" wide. Post

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-83940500398493642442009-06-07T00:28:00.000-05:002009-06-07T01:39:19.404-05:00

Ooops! I'm late to post this, but i guess better late than never, eh? Hehe.You know, it should be called the "Lazy Ribbon Scarf," because it's so easy - and I've done the repeats so many times now, I could do the 24 row chart in my sleep with one arm tied behind my back… (well, not really! But, you get my point!) It's easy. Really. I promise, once you "get it" - it's like riding a bike. Lace may

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-32998871420282010472009-06-03T22:19:00.000-05:002009-06-03T22:19:58.326-05:00

Wow, I can't believe I missed it. I mean, 3 is my favorite number, and I did start blogging on March 3rd (06.) But somehow, I managed to miss my third bloggiversary this year - and I'm kinda pissed at myself! For more than just that, but that's another story entirely. Don't ask.It's hard to believe it's been so long, because I've let things get so stagnant around here for so long. No new cake

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-74098057775084032892009-06-01T12:23:00.000-05:002009-06-01T12:33:45.739-05:00

Yesterday, I went on a fanatical finishing frenzy on my knitting. Four FO's got their ends woven in; and I took a much more honest inventory of the WIP's I still have going. Some I'll finish knitting, but others need to be ripped back, or out entirely. It's the nature of the universe, I guess - that you can't get everything right all of the time.I wish I could share more pictures today, but so

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-58663946118536601732009-03-02T09:55:00.001-06:002009-03-02T10:15:47.684-06:00

Well, seeing as there were only 5 entries in my New Mommy Box contest, so I decided I should just send boxes to all of them! Plus one (my sis,) makes a nice even half-dozen boxes; so each of you should get 3-4 bath bombs and a smattering of other bath goodies. I'll need your (or the intended recipients,) address, and I'll contact each of you via email for that privately. If I can't get in touch

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-64211716891628698392009-02-10T10:57:00.000-06:002009-02-10T10:57:00.217-06:00

Way back when... I decided to focus on what made me happy, and somwhere in the process I put my focus on everything but that. I focused on the negatives in my personal relationships instead of the positive; I saw only negatives when I looked at myself, small-business wise. I saw myself in the most negative light, and without a gauge to help me realize how bad a rut that was, I fell right smack

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-30231801788527700062009-02-09T12:17:00.000-06:002009-02-09T15:53:08.505-06:00

As soon as I saw it on Brooklyn Tweed's blog, I knew I had to make one. The tricky part is, I wasn't sure whether I should keep it for myself, of give it to my baby niece (as her belated Christmas present. More on that later...) But, as soon as I got through the doily section with the flower petals, I knew it would be better for her than me. It's lilac, and although I love the color, I thought a

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-80123836964766466152009-01-22T16:17:00.000-06:002009-01-22T16:21:15.014-06:00

To confirm that I indeed write this blog, I need at least 8 more friends to verify it for me! So, if you add me as a friend - I'm Kari Kail, (no profile pic, mention CraftyGinger in your "add friend" message please!) I'll be indebted to you forever! Thanks blog buddies!

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-90110528763779546542009-01-20T11:42:00.000-06:002009-01-20T12:16:28.763-06:00

I'm super excited to announce that I received my sneak peek of HandKnit Heroes, and I have to confess that I love it so, so very much, on the geekiest, nerdiest level inside of myself!!!See, I worked at a comic shop when I was 13; putting backing boards and books into bags, and taping them shut... for 5 cents a piece! So naturally, I developed quite the efficiency for this task. In the few years

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-91366307855742854592008-12-30T11:35:00.000-06:002008-12-30T11:53:36.229-06:00

Wow, I've become one of those bloggers... you know, the ones that say they want to write and post more, but who never seem to get around to it??? Yep, that's me. Nail on the head, there. And really, I wish I had more to show for this year. I had such big plans, and I managed to screw up a major portion of the year, somehow. I know that my late vacation this year had something to do with it, but

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-91844661157505810072008-11-28T14:28:00.001-06:002008-11-28T14:33:26.255-06:00

Cocoa Stripe printOriginally uploaded by fortune_32I know a lot of you are probably still in tryptophan-induced comas, but there are only a few days left to buy my custom designed fabric via Spoonflower's Etsy store! Thanks so much to Kim and Stephen for giving us designers this opportunity!Go buy some and make something with it! I'd love you forever if you do! Hahaha! Such a shameless tactic,

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-16654886687000949332008-11-26T11:11:00.000-06:002008-11-28T14:37:11.169-06:00

I was alerted recently by a good friend that a LJ user had plagiarized my book review for Yakuza Moon.(Which I wrote over a year ago!) Not juts bits and pieces, but the whole 3 paragraphs, word for word. You can see it briefly here - as I'm not a LJ member, I cannot comment. But, I will however be asking of you - MY friends who happen to be on LJ to tell this girl what she's done is WRONG with a

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-63958318233902855722008-11-25T14:24:00.001-06:002008-11-25T14:26:59.003-06:00

Cocoa Stripe - winner!Originally uploaded by salutorI'm so happy to report that my fabric design won Spoonflower's first ever Fabric of the Week Contest. That means you'll be able to buy it in their Etsy shop for ONE WEEK ONLY - and that's it. After that, if I sell it myself, it'll be pricier - to cover overhead cost increases (not a lot, but I can't charge the same as them.) I'm thinking of

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-76574899449076850472008-11-17T13:35:00.001-06:002008-11-17T13:56:52.913-06:00

Fabric-of-the-week contest: week 1Originally uploaded by salutorI was so surprised to read this morning that my Cocoa stripe fabric made it into the top 3 for the first week of Spoonflower's exclusive sale contest! It really made me feel awesome, so a great big thanks to June, for spotting it for me, and Stephen and Kim for featuring it. Now it's up to you folks! There's 3 choices, and while I

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-57311149505488159442008-11-15T12:32:00.000-06:002008-11-15T12:49:30.944-06:00

aka - what I'm up to!I wish I'd gotten around to organizing all of my pictures into a pretty blog post, but I just haven't been able to get to it, unfortunately. 2+ weeks of dirty laundry is a lot to get through, not to mention I haven't had a stitch of good food in my house all week. So, why the post? I wanted to update all of you, my good blog buddies, briefly, with what's up with me!Planning a

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-13309424869465855472008-10-24T10:49:00.000-05:002008-10-24T11:02:45.233-05:00

... no feature this Friday - I'm leaving for vacation tomorrow! I was hoping to have a bunch of posts lined up and ready, so I could just schedule them to publish, and not leave the poor blog empty for the next couple weeks. But, it just didn't happen that way... I have a bunch of ideas for posts, and even a few already written, but not a lot of pictures of any of it yet. So, when I do get back

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-85891885460087985162008-10-17T13:54:00.001-05:002008-10-17T14:07:15.422-05:00

I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off the last few days, because I'm going on vacation - a week from tomorrow! I can hardly believe it, because it's been about a year since my last vacation! This time, I'm headed on a cruise through the Panama Canal; and my husband and I somehow snagged a table for two at dinner! Score! I'm so excited, but I also need a little help!So, I

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-50551708855770645732008-10-10T18:57:00.000-05:002008-10-10T18:57:00.833-05:00

When I read about these Baggu bags on Not Martha's blog, I wanted to try them out for myself. I've been wanting to buy a set of reusable bags for quite some time, and the fact that I could pick from such a wide range of colors really sealed it for me. Plus, I got a fun storage sack, too!They really can hold 2-3 times what a regular plastic bag would, and didn't even snap a thread when I stuffed 2

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-2946603463735395972008-10-07T10:27:00.000-05:002008-10-07T11:45:45.958-05:00

I really, really don't like sharing this stuff here, but for lack of a better outlet, here goes nothing...So, it all started a couple years back when my grandmother died. My mom spent a ton of months taking care of her before that, even though my grandma would say the meanest things sometimes. Now, I wonder if that had to do with some sort of pre-frontal cortex damage or issue - that meant she

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-22097872098093896072008-10-03T10:49:00.000-05:002008-10-03T10:49:00.107-05:00

I might be biased, because June's a very good friend of mine... but I just can't help but include her blog & store in my Feature Friday posts. She's a very talented crafter who makes things out of lots of different materials (a crafter after my own heart!) But, her main focus is crochet patterns done in a certain style, called amigurumi. Aren't these guinea pigs adorable?!!!There's lots of

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-45099233429058848222008-10-02T09:59:00.000-05:002008-10-02T09:59:00.168-05:00

These days I find myself needing to rip back large portions of a knitting project, for one reason or another; and I thought I'd share what I've learned (so you don't have to spend hours untangling an unholy mess of one ply lace weight wool. ugh.) I'm not even done ripping yet... I'm going all the way back to the armholes!I use this technique when I'm mid-project, and don't want to rip the whole

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-68608264657291879432008-10-01T10:03:00.000-05:002008-10-01T10:16:07.645-05:00

I can hardly believe it! Partly because I'm going on a cruise in a few weeks, and partly because by the time I get back, it's going to be the holiday season again! Ack!So, does anyone remember my contest? Well, I still haven't heard from one of the winners - Vickie S. who's blog is Red Hot Polka Dots. If you don't email me by the 8th, I'll have to redraw another winner. I want to be able to have

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-81594869612066067092008-09-28T09:26:00.000-05:002008-09-28T11:45:08.619-05:00

Yeah, you're never gonna get it,Who needs sleep?Tell me, what's that for?be happy with what you're gettingThere's a guy who's been awakesince the second world war.One of my most, and least favorite songs by Barenaked Ladies. Favorite because I'm a chronic insomniac, and least - because it keeps me up a lot at night. Literally, my brain will just repeat the chorus over, and over again. I'm not

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-16623254206962115572008-09-24T12:42:00.000-05:002008-09-24T12:42:00.261-05:00

I must admit - I was so hurried to start this project, I actually bought the wrong yarn for it! Haha! For some strange reason (that still escapes me, because I questioned the needle size,) I thought this project called for Lorna's Laces Shepard Worsted, instead of Shepard Sport - which is in fact, the real recommended yarn.So, needless to say I was pretty upset with myself when I realized that

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-60177224798999583972008-09-23T13:25:00.000-05:002008-09-23T14:36:16.175-05:00

Normally, I don't post my crafts gone wrong. They tend to bring my spirits down, and I like to keep that separate from my candy-sweet-coated blog world. So, that being said; I just had to share this one. It went so spectacularly bad, that I just can't keep it to myself! I found the link on Craft:'s blog, and they looked so tasty. I just wish mine had come out so lovely looking!I followed the

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-30853240282536524962008-09-19T18:28:00.000-05:002008-09-19T18:31:36.995-05:00

I first saw this fabric over at True Up (a great fabric & sewing blog!) I knew I wanted it, but I wanted to decide what to make with it before I bought any - so I knew just how much to purchase! That's always tricky when you fall in love with a fabric. For whatever it's worth, I like a quantity of 3 yds. It's enough to make a knee length skirt (even with some pre-shrinking with cotton,) and

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-31627540099813110262008-09-17T16:26:00.000-05:002008-09-17T19:02:57.978-05:00

Originally I thought I'd use a different yarn for this, Skacel Merino Lace, but my gauge was way off and I didn't like the way it was looking at all. So, I put it down for a while, and didn't think too much about it until recently. Then, I started my Lavanda Lace Ribbon Stole - my first wrap using 2 skeins of Malabrigo Lace. I didn't know how the colors would work up, or how carrying the yarn up

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-57750364046022030092008-09-14T14:06:00.000-05:002008-09-14T14:14:21.338-05:00

The creek behind my house has overflowed, and is flooding the basin it sits in. I really hope that the rain stops soon, it's been going nonstop for 3 days now! It's only been a light drizzle for the most part, but because it hasn't let up for even a minute - it's totally flooded. Oy. Oh, this is also the famous Chicago grey I'm always complaining about. It's a bit early, normally it starts closer

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-69622141630342632242008-09-12T10:47:00.000-05:002008-09-12T10:47:00.579-05:00

I didn't really explain my new Feature Friday post last week, I just dove right in! So, I'll take a minute to explain what I'd like to accomplish with this new series. A while ago, I used to spotlight bloggers and Etsy sellers that I found inspiring and awesome, but it was tough to keep up with it every week, as I was doing them separately.So, I thought I'd take the idea and tweak it a bit to fit

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-59691163300570182262008-09-10T12:22:00.000-05:002008-09-10T12:22:01.694-05:00

... and of course it's in Malabrigo lace! Haha!I love this yarn, and all of the fun colors it's available in. I really like the fact that I can make a good sized scarf from one ball; that allows me to play with stitch patterns and how they look with the colors I've chosen. It's all very conducive to designing for myself - something which I've been wanting to do for some time now!This is actually

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-31097533816655679642008-09-08T11:45:00.000-05:002008-09-08T11:58:14.168-05:00

...drumroll, please!... So, after 70 comments, the Random number generator has come up with three winners, and three runners-up (for the pops!)Third prize - Stash giveaway - Sarah Second prize - Tsumami kanzashi flower wristlet or tree branch earrings - Vickie S.First prize - Mystery Flat-Rate box - JennI swear this was a fluke, I had no idea my twin sister was going to win. Seriously, when I

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-47315664162457294182008-09-06T05:30:00.000-05:002008-09-06T23:06:16.509-05:00

Today is the last day to comment on my 200th post and enter my contest! I've been really amazed by the recent comments, so I have to say thanks to Polka Dot Pineapple for referring a bunch of you here! Thanks a bunch, Arlette!Since there's been such a great response, I've decided to add 3 more winners! These will all be for cupcake pops - approximately 1/2 dozen, or as many fit comfortably in the

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-72405140469782957772008-09-05T18:02:00.000-05:002008-09-05T19:15:14.288-05:00

Way back when, I posted about my first purchase from Pearl & Marmalade. I knew I'd be buying from them again, I just didn't have any clue it would take me so long!I absolutely love their letterpress designs, and am so happy to finally have a set of their Honey Bees for myself. Actually, they're probably for you guys, because I love using letterpress notecards in swap and care packages! Haha! I

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-78283223712754910842008-09-01T09:18:00.000-05:002008-09-01T09:18:00.677-05:00

Lately I've been knitting a lot, so my other crafting has been left on the back-burner, so to speak. I've been focusing on smaller projects that take less time, that I can fit in a few minutes. Paper projects are great for this, because they don't take up too much space to work on, and because let's face it, you can get any color & texture paper you want. Those scrap-booking sections in the big

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-74751052256273299012008-08-29T10:39:00.000-05:002008-08-29T10:39:01.024-05:00

Project specs - see it on Ravelry!Pattern - Lace Ribbon Scarf by Veronik Avery, from Spring 08 KnittyYarn - Malabrigo Lace in Lavanda, 470yds 50g (2 skeins)Needles - Knit Picks Interchangeable Circulars, sz6 & 24" cableSize - 14" wide by 60" long, unblockedThis was a super impulsive cast on, and after I started I really wondered to myself why I would knit another lace ribbon project. I was

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-43069538857319112762008-08-28T13:47:00.000-05:002008-08-28T16:28:56.185-05:00

There's only a dozen comments on my 200th post giveaway, so I thought I'd sweeten the deal a bit!You won't be getting ALL tsumami kanzashi, but I didn't have a better box photo! Haha!First prize will be a flat rate priority mail box with goodies either sewing or knitting related (I can do other themes too, like bath & body, if you prefer!) Trust me, this will be worth the

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-50477420547815440022008-08-27T13:39:00.000-05:002008-08-27T19:11:59.428-05:00

When I was in Spain on my honeymoon a few years ago, I had this amazing mint chocolate chip gelato on the pier in Puerto Banus. Amazing almost doesn't describe it properly, it was velvety and sweet, but not super sweet. The chocolate bits were actually shaved chunks, and they blended perfectly with the mint. Plus, it was green! I can't stand it when mint chocolate is white, don't ask me why!So

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-40197518348988782552008-08-24T13:54:00.000-05:002008-08-24T18:05:26.125-05:00

Well, it's all over now. I completed 4 out of my 5 goal projects, and I feel pretty good about it. I won a few medals, lost a few more; but overall I had a great time. I can't believe I knit a sweater in 9 days! (Even if I did make a few mistakes in it! Hehehe!)Elinor's Dress was a WIP Wrestling project, the Dolphin Shorty Shrug qualified for the Sweater Sprint, Glacier Diamonds Scarf was another

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-28898316290163689072008-08-22T17:01:00.000-05:002008-08-27T19:16:20.871-05:00

...or tunic, I'm not really quite sure yet! Haha!I only had a bit of finishing left on this for the Ravelympics, but it was kicking my butt! Thankfully it's all finished now, I just hope my new niece and her mom like it!I used single crochet around just the opening, and for the button loops, but didn't carry it all the way around the edging. I just didn't think it needed it, (plus, it's easier to

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-55942671601792004042008-08-21T14:22:00.000-05:002008-08-22T15:09:18.367-05:00

I love this pattern, even though I didn't get "it" exactly, the first time through! Hehehe, anyway it's pretty easy, and went fairly quickly for the Ravelympics - yeay!Specs. - see it on Ravelry!Pattern: Shetland Shorty Shrug by Gudrun JohnstonYarn: Knit Picks Gloss in DolphinNeedles: sz4 & 5 interchangeable needles, 32" & 60" cables, sz6 dpn (to bind off - all Knit Picks)I picked up the stitches

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-34865589260462866522008-08-18T10:04:00.000-05:002008-09-07T10:32:56.250-05:00

It's hard to believe I've been blogging for more than two years now. It's even harder to believe that this is my 200th post! I didn't start off really thinking too much about the writing, just sharing my crafts and ideas.Now I realize just how much hard work goes into a great blog. It's so much more than what you see on the surface!!! Great writing is part of it, as well as photography, but even

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com71tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-24328696101573057922008-08-15T00:37:00.000-05:002008-08-16T16:21:31.271-05:00

Another Ravelympic entry here, what can I say? (This was supposed to be WIP-Wed post, but oh, well...) I caught the fever! I know now, how Star feels when the Tour de Fleece rolls around. Maybe I'll even be spinning by next summer?!?!Anyhoo, The Shetland Shorty is a cute little shrug/bolero. And, I'm shrug obsessed lately, so there you go. Plus, I love grey for my wardrobe as well, so really how

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-28748640728282235892008-08-11T15:53:00.000-05:002008-08-22T15:13:09.749-05:00

It was fast (and probably not-so dirty,) but here's my Glacier Diamonds Scarf ready to block. (It needs a wet-blocking baaaad!!!) Proof that I've completed my second Ravelympic entry! Can you tell how happy & excited I am! Yeay! Anyhoo, now it's onto the Dophin Shorty Shrug, with lots of garter stitch and a few short rows (eek!) but I'm really looking forward to it.And then there's the Maui

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-1523187119469926842008-08-08T15:14:00.000-05:002008-08-22T18:43:28.339-05:00

Well, there 'ya go. I thought I was going to start with my Glacier Diamonds Scarf, and instead I went with a lilac hand-towel in 100% Bamboo. It's soooo soft! It only took about 3+ hours to knit, and a few more minutes to sew the ends in and photograph it (badly, but for proof!)Specs - see it on Ravelry!Pattern - my own, a simple stockinette body with seed stitch bands at the ends.Yarn - Habu

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-82726663968635640082008-08-07T10:40:00.000-05:002008-08-07T11:12:19.917-05:00

If you haven't heard, there's quite the movement* over at Ravelry coinciding with the Beijing Summer Olympics. Knitters are excited, ready to challenge themselves - myself included!!!This is Adonis Dionysus Bobicus Maximus, mascot of the Games.Illustrated by Guin.(Image used with her permission. Thanks again!)Basically the challenge is this - cast on for a project during the opening ceremony (or

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-62837346679462829252008-07-23T19:21:00.000-05:002008-08-22T15:53:17.063-05:00

When I came across this pattern on Ravelry, I thought it was one of the cutest baby knits I had ever seen. So naturally, I had to make one for my new niece, Elinor. Then I saw that Knit Picks had a new sock yarn that's both superwash and super-soft, super-duper! Hahaha! She's quite the little big'un, so I had to be careful not to make it too small. I'm glad most of the clothes I've given to my

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-78366456242594265072008-07-09T11:12:00.000-05:002008-07-09T11:12:00.383-05:00

I was so surprised how fast I cast on for this after I finished my Smokey Pearl Scarf. Really, really fast! I liked the version I made with Handmaiden's Lady Godiva yarn, and coincidentally the Great Big Sea Silk I had in my stash had the same gauge and exactly the same yardage. (Both are 273yds, just in case you're curious.)Glacier is one my favorite colorways in Handmaiden's lineup, although

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-62633565123671919462008-07-08T10:08:00.000-05:002008-07-08T10:08:01.005-05:00

aka the longest post title ever! (I think it will actually be named the Lavanda Lace Ribbon Stole, because "the I can't believe it's another Lace Ribbon Scarf but it's really a wrap" is just too long.It happened so fast. I had only cast off for my first Lace Ribbon Scarf (aka Smokey Pearl) days earlier, but I just could not get it out of my head. Like that friggen Kylie Minogue song... hehe. Then

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-57442726270068489042008-07-07T10:29:00.000-05:002008-07-07T10:29:00.311-05:00

Oh my word, Bakerella has done it again! As if her totally delicious cake pops weren't cute enough, she's reinvented them in the form of mini-cupcakes! Of course I had to try and make my own, and I think they're actually a bit easier than traditional cake pops. Definitely cuter!I ended up ordering a few molds on Amazon, normally I like to buy locally; but for whatever reason, I could only find

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-5691123818477359602008-06-22T16:08:00.000-05:002008-06-22T16:13:47.267-05:00

I was totally inspired by the latest Decor8 challenge - the Amy Butler Mood Board! Picking one of Amy's newest fabrics to design a room around - what a dream challenge! Admittedly my style is a bit more modern than hers, but I think the bright colors she's used pop wonderfully off interesting textures in neutrals (or pseudo-neutrals,) in both fabrics and wood. I hope you like my entry, and I

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-62818420164330886682008-06-12T14:08:00.000-05:002008-06-12T14:08:00.409-05:00

When I saw this shrug pattern in my RSS feeds (via Craft:'s blog,) I knew instantly I had to make one for myself. Bamboo is one of my favorite fibers, it's super soft and has this wonderful quality of keeping me warm in cool temperatures, and cool in warm temps. The hard part was trying to decide if I wanted to make it with SWTC Bamboo in Intensity, (variegated denim blue, teal and lilac) or Habu

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-62055909887264424212008-06-11T10:42:00.000-05:002008-06-11T10:43:37.497-05:00

Not long after I started my Flutterby scarf, I found myself itching to cast on for something else. This seems to happen a lot when I'm working on one project at a time, so rather than fight it, I used it as an opportunity to de-stash and use yarn I'd already purchased.Somehow or another, I ended up fixating on the Lace Ribbon Scarf from this spring's Knitty. The funny thing was, I decided it

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-3887525881718751492008-06-10T20:07:00.000-05:002008-06-10T20:24:37.819-05:00

I recently purchased some goodies from the Ravelry store, and thought I'd celebrate with another round of cake pops! There would be more here, but I took a bunch* over to my sister who just had her baby a couple weeks ago. Congratulations Jenn & Lance on their new baby, Elinor (all 9+ lbs of her!!!)I was lucky enough to snag a tote (all sold out for now,) as well as a Bob sticker, pins and a

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-30698196268836744802008-06-04T15:20:00.000-05:002008-06-04T15:20:00.690-05:00

I can't wait until I get to the end ruffles! So feminine and lovely, I think.I'd been looking for a pattern to make a scarf out of one skein of Malabrigo lace for kind of a while, when I recently stumbled across Miriam L. Felton's Flutter Scarf. Easy, and yet still an interesting project, I'm really liking the way this is working up. I'm just over halfway on the first half, so about 25% done in

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-30404189842340478502008-06-02T14:29:00.000-05:002008-06-02T14:44:21.593-05:00

Wowsers! That was FAST! My first Spoonflower swatch arrived today! They warned it might take a while, so I wasn't expecting it so soon! I whipped it up the very first night I got the invite. (Actually, I worked up two designs... but couldn't get the repeats right on my other one.) It's a crappy picture, but I just have to share how cool this is!!!Concept and reality - right next to each other!I

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-54036014559656818862008-06-02T14:05:00.000-05:002008-06-02T14:05:01.533-05:00

I was so excited when Bakerella asked if she could include my Martha Stewart themed cake pops! Little did I know, just how many other people were having so much fun with them! All sorts of cupcake pops, from all over the country... seriously, if you love sweets like I do you should click over and watch her video composite (immediately!) I'm at 1:57 into it. Thanks for including me, Bakerella!

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-47005030838493286352008-06-01T16:57:00.000-05:002008-06-01T22:24:37.143-05:00

There was really no reason I put this project off for so long. (It's Patricia's template, available over at A Little Hut.) I bought it back last year, just before January, and only got about half-way through it before I put it down and let it languish. It wasn't hard, but I let it get buried under a few other things on my craft table, and didn't think about it again for a while. Now that it's

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-58083529176259623552008-05-16T12:13:00.000-05:002008-05-17T19:59:50.779-05:00

Knowing that Mother's Day was coming up, I picked up one gorgeous skein of Handmaiden's Lady Godiva yarn in Rose Garden (for my MIL.) I didn't know what I was going to make with that one skein though, and it can be really difficult to figure that out sometimes… especially when it's a gift for someone else! So, I used Ravelry's experimental pattern search to find this lovely pattern - the

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-71953737058213485602008-04-18T18:36:00.000-05:002008-04-18T16:37:47.362-05:00

I'd like to introduce you to some new friends I made recently, Emma and Edmund La Fante. They're simply the sweetest friends anyone could have, and they never forget to bring their host a gift! They're the life of the social scene, both sparkling conversationalists. Themed parties are the current trend; although Edmund prefers more low key get-togethers, but always dresses up when

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23368466.post-87670233669183944712008-04-15T15:27:00.000-05:002008-04-15T13:34:09.738-05:00

After weeks of worth, I must say I'm glad to have my sister's shower over with. I enjoyed working on it, but to be completely truthful, I should've given myself 3 days to prep and I only planned for 2. Two batches of chex mix, 2 1/2 dozen cake pops rolled, lollipopped, dipped, decorated and packaged, a store bought sheet cake (thank god!) and 2 dozen peach roses - it's all over. I even managed to

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359988079753650811noreply@blogger.com10