I finished up some cute, and fun things.

It's that time again over in the IBK group on ravelry.  Time for the Advent Swap.  I think it's been going about 5 years now?  I almost didn't join in the fun this year.  It's a time commitment and I always seem to be late and you can choose to spend a bit.  After the sign ups were closed I lamented in the group that I'd missed them and Mel, the hostess with the mostess, offered to squeeze me in.  I couldn't refuse.  It's a secret swap and I don't think my swap partner reads my blog anyway so I'm sharing a few things I've made for it.  There are 25 things to be included and a list.  Some are must includes and some are open to interpretation.  For example, on one day you must include something red.  I haven't decided if these are for the red day, the "include something Christmasy" day, or even the white day.

 We had to include a project bag, made or bought.  I'm going with almost all made from stash this year since finances are tight.  I've had this fabric for about 8 years.  I bought it in a quilt shop in Joseph when we were camping at Wallowa Lake.  I originally made a granddaughter an outfit out of it but it was not well received.  It was too bright in the opinion of the parents.  So it's been sitting.  I loved it and it was an "aha" moment when I pulled it out and decided to make it into a project bag for me so I could look at it often.  There was enough for two project bags.  I  hope my swap partner likes it.

 A washcloth was a requirement.  I've wanted to knit this pattern for some time.  It screams home for Christmas to me.

 Another requirement was a dish towel.  I saw this gingerbread towel some time ago on pininterest.  It fit the bill!   I think I need to make another for my house.

 In the nick of time I finished up some baby gifts for an upcoming shower.  The shower is Saturday and I can't go but I still wanted to send some gifts.  Send being the operative word.  I stayed up until well after midnight last night finishing the sweater and was up at 6 this morning to put my go to gift for baby showers together..bibs.  Bibs that slip over the head and cover well.  They were born out of necessity 7 years ago when our grandchildren were born and there were 3 of them.  Three littles wanting to be fed and time was a wastin' tying or velcroing bibs.  Eventually the velcro wore out.  We were using towels anyway to cover what the bibs didn't.  Ta Da!  An idea for bibs was born and I've been making them for every baby shower since.

 One of my favorite baby girl sweater patterns:  the Tulip sweater from Dream in Color.  I haven't knit one in awhile but it sure made me remember why I have a stash of Dream in Color yarn.  The colors!  The softness!  I didn't do the seed stitch border along the front  or the i cord along the hem since I ran out of time but it's still cute.  And washable, and warm, and I hope Mommy is as pleased with it as I am.

I may have to make another.  My granddaughter wants one.

I was spoiled, throughly.

The latest swap package arrived today.  Along with two boxes from Creative Memories but that's another post.  I am addicted.  To swaps in the Itty Bitty Group.  Those ladies know how to spoil each other and they've taught me a thing or two about how to put together a swap package.

 This is the entire Hedgehop and Hippo package I recieved from Plynn.  My goodness! 

 It was right before nap time when it arrived so I enlisted help for the treasure chest.  And a treasure chest it was!  There were buttons, and yarn, and scrapbook stickers, and games, and coloring projects, and a knitting pattern, and chocolate, and a new knitting bag.  And I haven't even got to the Hedgehogs and Hippos part yet!

 There were not only 2 hedgehogs, but there was a hedgehog cross stitch kit that I am going to do...now!

 Meet Bubbles.  She was the star of the box.  Little R picked her right up and promptly hugged her and squished her and proclaimed she was wonderful.  She is well knit, soft, cuddly, and a beautiful color variation. 

 I have trained them well...they know chocolate when they see it!  And dark chocolate as well!  I had to hide this. 

 Games to play!  This was one and there is a magnetic hangman.  How fun will that be!

Yarn!  Delicious yarn!  I already have a project in mind!

 This last weekend was Mother's Day.  For years, my request for Mother's Day was a day, for me.  To read, knit, maybe stay in my jammies.   And since my children now have children, I prefer they spend Mother's Day with their spouses and children.  Someday, they'll want that for their children so lap it up now while they can.  Let them be the Mommies and Daddies getting the glittery cards and kisses and hugs because it's fleeting and their children will have someone in their lives to pay attention to. 
There has usually been a tea at the church that I attend with my daughters, mother, mother in law.  This year, the weekend before, there was a tea and I went with my daughters and granddaughter.        

 But this year, instead of staying home and just being left alone, I asked to go to the beach.  To get away.  Mother's Day is hard.  Period.  Sure, I am very blessed to have 3 children, numerous grandchildren, but there is a hole that is felt everyday but a bit more on Mother's Day.  So we went.

 To the beach.  I'm not sure why, but at the beach, it's hard to focus on problems. Perhaps it's knowing the Creator that restrains all that power and keeps the rhythm going.  And that same Creator that controls the powerful ocean, is in control of all the problems life throws at me.  I do know that I focus on God when I'm at the beach.  Whatever, it was good medicine.   The focus on God, the smell, the sights, the sounds, it all drowned out the hard places for a bit. 

But since it was Mother's Day weekend, I got to pick the movies we watched at night.  6 hours of Pride and Prejudice. 

We're knitting in 2012.

Before I show you my first completed knit for 2012...let me entice you with a cutie. This week there was a break in the rain and we had a little one. Hmmm, nice weather, albeit cold, cute little one, what to do? Head to the playground to expound on the newly acquired "whhhheeeee" skills. Translated: sliding skills.

Cute no?

And here it is: first knit of 2012. A test knit for an Australian designer. It's a bit long, a bit big, but I still like it. And more importantly, so did she. It's in the closet for next fall however. Definitely would/will make another. Quick knit, cute for fall and winter. Made a few modifications that are outlined on my ravelry page.

She got a bit giggly. She was wearing her aunt's turtle neck to offset the vest, which is also a bit big. But a fun photo shoot anyway.

The Itty Bitty group is at it again. Another swap being sent out as I type this. I was one of the first to receive my "Frogs and Fairies" package. My swap partner was headed for surgery right as these were supposed to be sent out and she still managed to put together a wonderful package for me as well as prep for surgery and get her family ready for her to be out of commission for a few weeks. I was throughly spoiled! Loved the books, the Smarties (a Canadian treat I shared willingly with the grandmunchkins), the bookmark, a Laura Storey CD with the song "Blessings" on it. (a powerful song that makes me cry everytime), a project bag with yarn to make the frog from the Spud and Chloe blog, and a craft kit and...did I forget something?

Oh yes....The Fairy!!! She is adorable!

And another Itty Bitty member has been sending out Valentine RAK's (random acts of kindness) by the score. I was the lucky receipient of such a kind act. An adorable turtle valentine and a cute little bunny named Zara. Julie knits these cute little bunnies and sends them out. So cute and such a fun reminder of a friend I've never met in person.

You know it's fall when...

The grapes are ready for picking and juicing. That's what my husband is doing today. He actually likes picking the grapes and making the juice while he's watching football. A win win for him and a huge win for me! Because I am.... finishing up a Halloween costume. Her Daddy calls her "soup", as in chunky soup so he asked for a soup can for her Halloween costume. It took me some time to wrap my brain around it. How could I make it work. The one's that have been done that are on the internet gave a stepping off point but didn't look the way I wanted. So here we have, (insert drumroll here), a soup in a soup can! She's thrilled with her costume. Everytime she sees it she is so overjoyed she cries. After the time and the work, that's how I am choosing to interpret it. Still have to knit the pumpkin hat but it went home with her today to get her used to it.

Here is is minus the enthusiastic trick or treater. I used a wreath form for the top of the can. Then, basically, made a wind sock. I ironed on the letters.

I don't know if there is such a thing as spicy pumpkin soup but it is Halloween and she is a bit of a spicy little one. Just try and take something she thinks is hers!

The nutrition label on the back. My machine, despite being 17 years old, was a top of the line model when I bought it and it came with the capacity to "write".

I eased the torment over the costume by letting her help me pick tomatoes. The last of the garden. It had to be the shortest summer ever but the tomatoes are lasting awhile.

This week my swap package arrived from Canada! In this box of all things. It was perfect, a Nike box! I knew it was going to be good. And it was!

Leanne, from Canada and one of the mainstays of the Itty Bitty Group was my swap partner. She included some great things for the grandmunchkins. Little did she know that she got perfect gel bracelets for the 4 youngest. I'm saving them for their trick or treating. There is a princess one, a fairy one, Spiderman, and Cars. Perfect!

The goody part of the package. I have been hearing about Smarties in the group for awhile and I finally got to try them. They aren't available in the US. I was nice. I shared with the kids, all of them. They truly are yummy!

Here is the entire swap package when I opened the box. The bag is now holding my "to do" supplies for Christmas. I shudder when I see it because it is about full! And I just ordered some yarn for a couple more gifts!

The swap was titled: E is for Elephant and here are the elephant goodies. The puppet is a huge hit! As are the other little ones. I gave one of the elephants to Shega and one is now on my key chain.

And finally! The best part! My little knit elephante! So cute and her knitting is so wonderful. This little gal is by my chair in the living room. Although she did take a nap with one of my granddaughters when she first arrived. Her name, I am told, is Penelope Candace. Penny Candy for short. Now that's cute!

Delightful Dolly swap!

Swap time again in the Itty Bitty group! This one was called Delightful Dolly. You had a choice to sew a doll or knit the one from Itty Bitty toys or knit one of your choice. You were to provide clothes for dolly and whatever else deemed neccessary to make dolly a joy to a child.
I received my package today! This is indeed the dolly from Itty Bitty toys and she brought along Chloe from Spud and Chloe on the Farm. I have a start now on the farm set! The dolly and Chloe were knit by my swap partner, Pat, and the blanket was knit by her friend Janie, also in the Itty Bitty group. The dolls are truly a work of art. The stitching is so perfect and they are soft and cuddly. The sweater, booties, hat, and panties she knit for the doll are beautiful! This is the whole swap package. Oh my goodness. Can you spell spoiled? There is a nightie for the doll, Spud and Chloe yarn to knit the pigs from the farm set, Jordan almonds (which I will share with my Mom since she loves them), stickers, a fairyland activity set, and colored pencil set for the grandmunchkins, a rubber ducky and baby bottles for the doll, a tablet in the shape of a dress, flower buttons, a Raggedy Ann and Andy pattern (that I almost bought last week!), and stitch markers shaped like the nesting dolls. Did I forget anything? I wouldn't be surprised if I did since there was so much!

Here is another glimpse of the blanket. It is so soft and squishy. The little girls are going to have so much fun with these things.

I sent my package out today. I tried knitting the doll and suffice to say, she didn't get finished. I would show you more of the package but I'll wait until my swap partner receives it. Here are a few glimpses of the actual doll. I ended up making three of them since I had the fabric. And then...I threw the pattern away. Horrible pattern. Hard to sew up. Spent more time ripping than I did sewing just to get the seams right. Perhaps I'm a perfectionist but sewing a doll shouldn't be that hard. She did turn out cute though and I am pleased with her. I included her bed and my daughter made her blanket. There were other things in the package so I'll post more later.

Just a close up of her face.

I have another knitting project finished but the pattern is being published and until it is, I can't show it. Hopefully next week. I loved it.

A shout out for swaps!

Swaps with the Itty Bitty Group on ravelry are THE.BEST! It's a great group of women outside of the swaps. Genuinely caring about others in the group, open arms to new people, prayers for those in the group hurting, lots of virtual hugs, and wonderful knitters/crocheters. But add the swap dimension and you add fun to the group as well as lots of chatter. I went to church and came home to find 86 posts in the new swap thread! Our latest swap just finishing up was an Easter swap. My swap partner packed a box with my grandmunchkins in mind so there was candy and bubbles and a toy and bunny ears to name a few things. The package had to include one hand made element but not neccesarily knitting since it was a fast swap. My partner included a hand made hand towel. But it is so cute I think I'm going to use it for a table runner on Easter. She had stitched the facial elements. Beautifully done!

Hard to beat this little bunny for cuteness.

Here is the whole package. A kit to make a bunny or chick also had to be included and there was Spud and Chloe to make the hen and chicks in the new Spud and Chloe farm book. I love Spud and Chloe yarn and the book is adorable. Hmmmm, might squeeze that in knitting bag for something fun to knit on the plane.

My package went out yesterday. Included was this bunny hat from Itty Bitty Hats for my swap partner's new granddaughter. That would be knit number 7. Doesn't sound like much for 4 months but there are 4 projects on the needles that will bump up the number. As well there was a lot of sewing and scrapbooking the first of the year so there was little knitting time. More details on the hat on my ravelry page.

Putting life on hold....

Well, as much as possible. But with adorable and active little ones around, there is only so much you can put on hold. She's on the move....which means keeping carpets vacumed, doors closed, floors mopped, coffee tables cleaned off.

We couldn't let Dr. Seuss' birthday pass without some fun. So there were Cat in the Hat hats to create.

And a birthday cake to blow out the candles.

But when I wasn't busy with grandmunchkins I was addressing the New Year's resolution 2011- catch up the grandmunchkin's scrapbooks. New Year's resolution 2011-done! I didn't exercise, except for a few walks, didn't eat, much, didn't do anything the last couple of weekends, except...scrapbook! 2010 is all in the books! There are a few more pictures coming today for January and February 2011 which should take an evening to scrapbook and then I am caught up. It just wasn't getting it down to do a few pages a day. With adorable grandmunchkins changing rapidly I was taking pictures faster than I was scrapbooking them and getting further behind. Now, the next resolution...stay caught up and enjoy scrapbooking again!

There was another swap in the Itty Bitty group in the midst of all that scrapbooking.
The theme was, "Let's start at the very beginning" or, in other words, "A" is for apple. It was an apple swap.

Three more knits for my 2011 tally. These were the requirements for the swap package. The rest was left up to our discretion, choice, and creativity.

This is the hat I received in my swap package. It is adorable on the youngest grandmunchkin.

And talk about creativity! This is the swap package I received from my swap partner...all the way from Ireland!

Here's to hoping the blog stays caught up with the scrapbooking. There are some sewing and knitting projects in the works!