Wednesday, October 27, 2010

A Productive Week


I'm happy to say that I have a FO (finished object) with pictures and a couple more projects that almost done.

While at Jo Anns I had a little falling down, yarn was on sale and they had just restocked their free projects sheets. So I picked up a couple skeins of Bernat Satin to make a Satin Prayer Shawl it's a beautiful pink color and supports breast cancer. It will be given away as a Christmas present but I don't know to whom. That is done and completed. I also bought a couple of skeins of Lion Brand Fisherman's wool to do a Speckled Shrug.

While shopping the yarn section the Red Heart Holiday yarn was discounted too. I'm usually a Red Heart snob but this yarn was very pretty (white with a metallic yarn plied together) and soft. I'm making their Mobius Shawl and am about half way through. Also while at Jo Anns I picked up some black fleece (the fabric kind) to back my mother-in-laws frog quilt. That has yet to be sandwiched and quilted, I plan on just stitching in the ditch.


I have one of my fathers socks finished and just turned the heel of the other one. Once I finish that one I plan on knitting my moms other sock (I'm using the same neeldles to do both).

Sunday, October 24, 2010

A Sad Goodbye

To the owners and employees at the Quilt Cottage in East Jordan, Michigan:

You will be sorely missed and I wish you guys all the best. I'm sorry to see the doors to your beautiful quilt shop close but look forward to seeing you all at quilt guild. I wish that all your future endeavors are fruitful and bring you joy. In next years shop hop there will definitely be a void without your shop participating.

I thank you for all the friendship, great advice, superb support and wonderful inspiration.

Your Sincerely,
Shannon

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Michigan State 26 - 6 (Illinois)




As you can tell by the title Michigan won the game against Illinois. Little man made it through three quarters and the first play of the fourth. Here are pictures from his very first football game.

Friday, October 15, 2010

The Holiday Start Up


I don't know if you're anything like me but when Halloween comes around that's when I gear up for the holidays. For those of you counting there's only 10 weeks until Christmas. The good new is I have already started making gifts, bad news I'm maybe only half way done!

Now that the weather has turned cooler and the leaves have changed color and falling I'm really in the mood to get my projects done. Projects include socks for my dad,mom and sister. (They don't read my blog so I'm not worried about them finding out.) I find that after little man is in bed I sit on the couch and listen to my knitting and crafting podcast and get in the groove.

Podcast that I have been listening to are:

Anatomy of knitting
Stash and Burn
Cloudy with a Chance of Fiber
Getting Loopy
Yarncraft by Lion Brand Yarn Company
Sticks and String
Creative Mojo
LibiVox Audiobooks
Stitch It!

This weekend I have a chance for some quality knitting time too! My mom, little man and I are headed down to Lansing for the Michigan State game. A three hour car ride there and back! I love football so I will probably be too engrossed in the game to even think about knitting, plus it's little mans first football game. Picture to follow.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Back to School or New Begginings



Well it's that time of year again. Back to school time! Little man is going to preschool three times a week this year. He is now in the 4 year old program. It's hard to believe that next year he goes to Kindergarten! The thought is both terrifying and exhilarating. With little man in preschool this year that means three days a week I have about a 3 1/2 hour time block all to myself.

With that said I have made some back-to-school resolutions for myself. Due in part because my UFO's are calling to me, mocking me. I have UFO's (unfinished objects) in crochet and knitting but especially in my quilting realm. I'm not setting deadlines for finishing my UFO's but I do plan to work on them and eventually finish them. Now that the temperature is no longer the surface of the sun I have the inclination to once again start quilting.

What is it about the fall weather that makes you think of doing nothing but curling up on a comfy chair and doing what you love? Which is definately a motivator for finishing my UFO's I have a quilters retreat at the end of this month in the UP. (That's upper pennisula of Michigan for all those not from the area.) I will definately show pictures once I have them.

UFO's I'm getting back to include:
Little Man's Socks
Over the River and Through the Woods by Crab apple Hill
Frog Cross Stitch Blocks
Little Man's Sweater out of Lion Brand Homespun

I also want to do better with my blogging. I plan to be more consistant and provide pictures. Again I'm not setting any specific deadlines. That's my homework I will be working on.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

And the race is on!

Last weekend started the Northern Michigan shop hop. We went to seven different quilt shops over two days. Mom, Dad and I went to five on Saturday then took little man with us on Sunday to the remaining two. I will post pictures of the shops and their quilts as soon as I can. Right now I'm charging my camera, it died. Bought some souvenirs at each of the shops and had a wonderful time. The shop hop ends this Saturday. I will be working.

Hubby is over in Wisconsin picking up his units equipment from Iraq. He will be back Friday. Little man really misses his daddy.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Ready, get set, go! (But not yet)

It's almost go time for our areas local shop hop and I can't wait.

Updates include my dad visiting for a while and just in time for the Amazing Quilt Race 2010. The Amazing Quilt Race starts this weekend, August 14, and lasts one week. There are seven shops involved and include: the Quilt Cottage, Hearts to Holly, Renee's House of Quilting, Interquilten and Liberty Bell Quilts. If you are in the area this coming weekend or this upcoming week you can stop by any store and pick up a passport and participate in the shop hop. You get a stamp on your passport at each shop and each shop comes up with a block to sell for about $5.00. The blocks arrange into a possible quilt top. Each shop also has their own way of arranging and finishing the quilt. All the shops sell their finishing kits as well.

Pictures to follow of course.

On the craft front still crocheting, knitting and quilting

In the past the fabrics have been correlated so that all fabrics from each shop goes well together. Each shop hands out door prizes and their is a drawing for a grand prize

Little man will be spending the day with grandma and papa while mom, dad and I go quilting. So I anticipate everybody having a good time.

On the crafting home front I am still working on the same damn projects. I either need more hours in the day or less sleep. (Although I'm sure my family wouldn't appreciate the side affects of sleep deprivation.)

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Turning a corner (or a heel)




Today was my day off, which was absolutely lovely. I got to spend the morning with little man and we did some crafts and he discovered temporary tattoos. We got our ice maker fixed finally and just in time. It's been hot as hades here in northern Michigan.

This afternoon I went to a sock knitting class at Imagiknits in Gaylord, MI. I learned how to turn a heel and do the gusset. Afterwards I came home and made dinner. Mushroom risotto and braised chicken.

The reason for the gap in blogging is due to life getting in the way as well a military function. This past weekend my hubby's unit had a "mandatory fun" weekend at the Great Wolf Lodge in Traverse City, MI. We all had a great time despite the mandatory briefings we had to attend. Yes we as in my husband and I. (Did I mention I am no longer a member of the armed forces?)

My plans for this upcoming weekend are going to be spent working at my hospital. Hopefully all goes well and everyone stays healthy and uninjured.


Completed Projects
Finished craft projects include:
* A couple of dishcloths that will be given out as Christmas gifts. (Yes I am one of those odd ducks who makes and buys gifts year round.)
*I also finished a crochet vest made out of Lion Brand organic cotton.


Works In Progress
*My first pair of socks
*Crochet top in the round using Shepard's Wool in a gorgeous salmon color
*Hand embroidery Christmas scene from Crab Apple Hill. (No guarantee it's going to be finished in time for this Christmas.)
*Civil War BOM (block of the month) from Hearts to Holly quilt shop in Charlevoix, MI.

If I have a slow weekend maybe I'll get to try and catch up on some of my UFO's (Unfinished objects). Otherwise I have Monday off.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Some help is not always better than no help


Last night I heard what sounded like a battle going on our computer room/ my craft room. To my utter horror the picture above is what I found my craft room looking like. There have been times when I have referred to my craft room as my crap room, but nothing prepared me for what met me at the door. What started out as my husband innocently saying he was going to tidy up the computer desk ended up nothing short of a catastrophic disaster. Basket were turned over, nothing was where I left it. My craft table was in a completely different part of the room. Total shelves were now on the floor along with things he just wanted to "sort through".

I am here to report that my husband is alive and unharmed. Believe me the thought to kill him or do bodily harm seriously crossed my mind. In the state of Michigan if you kill your husband after he completely destroys your craft room it is not considered a crime of passion. (Bastards!)

He did "clean" the room as best as he could. I still do have to re-organize my craft room again but I am able to walk around the room without being fearful of being buried alive and having to be pulled from the wreckage.

Although to be honest know is the time to clean and de-stash in just about all my crafting areas. Perhaps I can do that in my "free time". LOL!

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Bunnies and Llamas and Sheep Oh My!



Today my mom, little man and I all went to the Fiber Arts Festival in Charlevoix, MI. I'm proud to announce that I merely window shopped and none of the very lovely yarn, kits, books, roving or fleeces came home with me. (Although at the end my mother did have to practically drag me out.)

Little man loved the animals and at times would pet them only after sending Noni in first. (Noni means little grandmother in Italian and is what little man calls my mom.) I have a few pictures of him with the animals.

There were many vendors from all around Michigan selling wonderful things and doing spectacular demonstrations. Everything from felting to spinning to sheep hearding. This has been a family tradition of the three of us going since my son was 1 and could barely walk. (He's four now.)

My hsuband is not into that sort of thing and was just happy that I didn't bring anything home.



Friday, July 23, 2010

It's all about me

I'm back again and I figured I'd give you a little more back round about me and my life. I'm an Army brat so I moved around a lot when I was younger. I have a younger sister who is two years younger than me and we are polar opposites. We also have many other "siblings" but more on that later. We lived in Germany until I was four. Picture this if you will, me as a toddler with a speech impediment (think Elmer Fudd) and a southern drawl trying to speak German. Hilarious I know.

After my dad retired from the military we stayed put in Tacoma, Washington. I didn't know it then but apparently our family wasn't "normal". OK so that's not really a surprise to me. Our house was the house where everybody came to hang out. During the summer our friends would stay for days, my mom would feed them and do wash their laundry so they could stay longer. My mom was the one to go pick up my friends after they snuck out of their house. My mom would be the one to take us to Denny's at 3 am in the morning just because. Did I mention my mom also worked full time for the local sheriff department.

My mom was also "mom" or "shorty" to a lot of kids she didn't even give birth to. Whole hockey teams in fact because my sister played hockey (both co-ed and girls teams). If any of our friends got kicked out their house my house would be where they would come to. It was very common for my mom to call home before leaving work to find out how many of her "kids" were at the house. There were times when the number would be well into the double digits. Did I mention we only had a 3 bedroom 2 bathroom house. When it came to sleeping we became very creative.

As teenagers my house would be the house where our friends bands would come to practice. Not in the garage but in the house, again did I mention we had an open floor plan. In other words no doors to shut if the phone rang. Although who am I kidding between the amps and the sub woofers there was no chance of hearing a SWAT team breaking down the door let alone the phone. And I wouldn't change it for the world.

Even as an adult my mom never really got a house to herself. I joined the Army Reserves out of high school, where I recieved my schooling and training as an X-Ray Technician. I met my husband while in training. My sister was dating a guy from his unit. My mom and sister actually picked out my husband but had the good sense not to tell me. What 19 year old listens to their mom. What started out as one little date turned into a three year serious relationship. My husband and his Army buddies would come over and invade the house for the weekend (or week). Why go to the Army chow hall when you have a mom to cook for you.

During any holidays our house was filled with people. I thought everybody had 20 - 30 people over for Christmas and Thanksgiving. I mean who doesn't cook two 15 lbs turkeys for Thanksgiving? Everyone has both turkey and ham for Christmas right? My mom had holiday feasts (and I do mean feasts) down to an art form. She knew the exact timing of when to do what. The biggest fear in our house was that someone would go home hungry and if they did it was their own fault. That's the Italian and Portuguese side coming out.

Now as an adult I still take great joy in holiday cooking, although I have had to learn how to downsize. Cooking for 6 is a lot easier. Our holidays are still spent with family. My mom moved to Michigan to be closer to her grandson about four years ago. Both my in-laws and my mom only live 10 miles from us. Talk about a great support system, not to mention I have on call babysitters.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Hello There

Hello, my name is Shannon. I'm a 28 years old army wife and working mother of one. My husband, Chris just returned from his second tour in Iraq. My son Austin got to have daddy home for his fourth birthday. We live here in beautiful northern Michigan and moved here from the Tacoma/Seattle area 6 years ago. I'm an X-Ray Technician at a small local hospital.

I came up with my blog name because I mainly crochet, knit and quilt. I also scrapbook, cross stitch, embroider, cook, bake, read and garden (and I use that term very loosely). I knit/crochet/quilt so I don't kill people. I find it as a way to relax and I love gifting my things to other people. I am also very blessed to have such wonderful family members and friends that truly appreciate what I make for them.

I have been wanting to start a blog for a while, but have always said "someday". Someday has become today. My expectations for the blog is to chronicle my crafting life as well as my life "in the real world". While I hope people will read this blog I don't really think that I'm that interesting. Time will tell.

Upcoming Events In My Life

1) Fiber Arts Festival at Castle Farms in Charlevoix, MI
July 24th and 25th



2) Chris's 30th birthday on July 26th


Projects in Progress

1) My first pair of socks - I took my first sock class at Imagiknits in Gaylord, MI and will be returning soon to learn how to turn the heel and do the gusset..

2) Basic Washcloth - I mad up my own stitch pattern with left over 100% cotton

3) Kids Stripped Yolk Sweater - for Austin, I got the pattern from lion brand.

4) Civil War Block of the Month (BOM)done through my local quilt shop, Hearts to Holly.


5) Over the River and Through the Woods embroidery / quilting panels from Crab Apple Hill. This is another BOM from Hearts to Holly


Fortunately for me I just finished a few things so I don't have quite as many things going on. But obviously there is quite a bit to get finished.

Well so long for now. It's late and my bed time. Awful isn't it? I remember when I would get off work on a Friday and go clubbing Friday, Saturday and Sunday night then go to work on Monday and be productive and brighteyed. Now I can't keep my eyes open past 11 pm. So it's bed time and I look forward to doing this again soon