Confetti Evening Bag Revealed

In the March 2011 issue of Crochet! Magazine... here's the link to the Ravelry page for all the details!  It's made of Premier yarns, Spangle Light.  The button on this one is a vintage one found in my button box probably from a Great Aunt.  :) 

Chickee

Chickee got a pottery wheel for Christmas, she is having fun with the gooey mess. We are doing more Christmas today, and I have a luncheon tomorrow, and a dinner tomorrow night... I guess we are still celebrating.  I'm looking forward to getting back in a routine, especially since the deadlines aren't waiting. 

Holiday Traditions

 Every year we go to the Krohn Conservatory.  Inside one very big greenhouse building are all sorts of tropical and exotic plants bonsai trees, cacti, orchids, etc.  In the front vestibule is a huge Christmas tree with ornaments all handmade of natural materials.

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Of course, we had to make wishes in the waterfall.  I didn't even bother, I have everything I could ever want.

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Chickee is carrying her Go-to Scarf made of Stitch Nation Bamboo Ewe...

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Love this iron Butterfly bench.  Every year the Conservatory houses a butterfly show in the Spring.  Amazing butterflies flit around, land all over you.  They are really spectacular.

Outside is a Nativity with statues for the people but live animals for the animals.  The sheep sit so happily munching on grass while all us city-folk take photos.  I've picked up my hook again after a 3 day absence and I'm looking to be productive!  

Merry Christmas!

I made a little Amigurumi Christmas Tree ornament last night... for FUN!  whoohoo.

Merry Christmas to all!

Holiday Hope!

Ok, there are still leaves on the trees in this photo... it seems it has already been winter here for a very long time.  But I feel light at the end of the tunnel as I finished another project last night!  WooHoo, chocolate milkshake time!  Still, I can't even remember off the top of my head how many projects I have waiting for me.  I have them all written on a to-do list in chronological order... check it once, checking it twice. 

Also, hoping I can get just one Christmas crochet project squeezed in... it's going to have to be little.

Sneak Peek!

Will you be the first person to find this booklet?  Published by Coats & Clark, Princesses and Heroes is a collection of 5 costume/outfits for boys and girls!  Chickee wrote the introduction to the book!

I received my copy on Saturday. Chickee proudly took a copy to her friend's house to share...and left it there...

Goals! 2010 review

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It's that time again!  Goals review for 2010 that will lead to goals for 2011....

First, 2010 has been a very good year.  I am so grateful for the continued work.  Obviously, finishing the book is the biggest accomplishment of the year for me.  Still, we won't see the results until next year.  That is oh so typical of publishing... the work you see published today was stitched months earlier. 

(Today I'm working on a project for Spring!)

One of my favorite projects of the year is the Lake House Hat & Scarf set.  It's a free pattern offered by Coats & Clark. I actually have the hat in lavender and yellow that I wear. 

One of my goals of the year was to increase my learning.  I made strides with Excel and some other technical design and pattern grading issues.  I took several classes thanks to the CGOA conference in Manchester, New Hampshire. 

Now, I'll formally go through my written goals and answer them... and write in... did I accomplish the goal? If I didn't, why not? is it a good goal for 2011? 

Also on the agenda the financial year-end stuff.    Luckily, since I keep up with my receipts and ledger all year round, this is going to be a breeze... just a matter of printing it out and closing the envelope!  

I'd love to hear how you did on your 2010 goals!  What were the crochet highlights for you?

Snow Day!

We woke up to an additional 3" of snow... which as a friend pointed out... isn't very much... but in hilly Ohio, it's enough to shut down schools.  So here is Captain shoveling... he gave himself a snow day too...
Above, Chickee in her red Driftwood Cap with brim and our neighbor friend, prepare to rides sleds down our back hill. I... am inside crocheting in front of the fire with a sleeping cat next to me and a crockpot full of BBQ pulled pork cooking away for dinner.

Isn't this still Fall?

You'd never know it by the below average temperatures around here... At least the sunshine helps.  I think our pond is even frozen. The pond is on the right in the photo behind the trees.

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I must be getting used to the frigid temperatures because this morning it was 7 degrees, but it felt about 20. LOL

Buckeyes

Buckeyes!  Buckeye nuts from the State tree of Ohio.  Of course, being Michigan fans, we have to at least wear Michigan garb while making the buckeyes.  Chief also refuses to call them 'Buckeyes' and instead calls them 'Wolverines'.  Yes, it's hard to be a Michigan fan living (and from) Ohio, but that's where the Captain went to Grad School.  Buckeyes are peanut butter mixed with butter and powdered sugar and dipped in chocolate... Yum. Let me add, you can't actually eat the nut from the Buckeye tree as they are harmful.

Lace Knitting

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This swatch represents about 8 hours of work!  You see that it is bound off.... of course I made a mistake while watching Chickee's volleyball game... I worked the wrong side row on the right side. I didn't know how to un-knit lace, so I just bound off in frustration and started over.  I'm doing better on the second, third, fourth try.  I have put in a life line and have moved my instructions to a card where I can mark rows off as they are completed.  Still, I've been so busy with crochet deadlines that this little project has sat untouched for about a month!

On my hooks though, are a couple great projects with Spud & Chloe Fine, and a few projects using Red Heart products, several other projects on the schedule behind those! 

We're on a 2-hour delay this morning, and I just heard a plow go by. I'm looking forward to some happily-stuck-in-the-house crocheting today!

Year end approaching

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The year is quickly coming to an end! It always makes me think of... you guessed it... GOALS!  It's time to look back at my goals for the year and see how I did.  It's time to look at my goals list and see if I can sneak in any more effort toward the goals in the last few weeks.  It's almost time to look ahead.  Whatever didn't get accomplished, does it need to be put on next year's to-do list? or was the goal unreasonable? or was there little interest in the goal anyway? 

My goal of publishing a book isn't done, but it's getting closer!  TODAY I turn in my final edit.  So scary. So exciting.

Into the Woods Chevron Blanket Revealed!

 The Into the Woods blanket is in the new Crochet Today! Worked up in the Super Bulky, Light & Lofty with a really big hook!  It's easy to memorize and a really quick to stitch.  I have 2 huge deadlines on Friday, so I can't guarantee that I will be able to write tomorrow and Friday.... wish me luck.

Cozy Baby Sweater Revealed

Cozy Baby Sweater revealed! Crochet Today
It's a fun little beginner project.  Using a color-changing variegated yarn with Loooonnnnngggg color changes.  I did take care to start both sleeves in the same spot in the color sequence so that they would match.  It's made of Red Heart Sweet Baby Yarn. You can whip this up in little time.

My Favorite Ornament...

I'll show you the back side of my favorite ornament...

You can see it says, "Ellen, 1976".  A crocheted pocket that used to have candy in it, crocheted for me, by my Mom when I was 4.  Show me or tell me about your favorite crocheted ornament!

Giveaway Winner

Maren M, Albuquerque, NM

You are the winner of the copy of Robyn Chachula's latest book, Baby Blueprint Crochet!

Maren, please email me or Ravelry message me with your mailing address and I'll ship out your book!  You're going to love it!

To see more of Robyn's fun projects, go visit Susan Anderson's Blog, she is hosting Robyn today and shows even more projects that I didn't show.  

 

Christmas Card Making

Cutting, stamping, coloring, gluing, we're making our own Christmas Cards this year!  The kids are having fun with it, but wow, does it take so much longer. Hopefully we'll have them mailed out by New Year's!

I'm pondering crocheting a few Christmas Ornaments this year... I'm hoping that I'll have time to sneak them in after my 12/17 deadline and before the actual Holiday.

Book Review: Baby Blueprint Crochet and GIVEAWAY!

As the natural follow-up to her smashing success with her first book, Blueprint Crochet, Robyn Chachula gives us more symbol crochet an innovative techniques in Baby Blueprint Crochet.  In stores this month, allow me to show you a few of my favorite features.

If you are a frequent reader of GoCrochet, you know I love Tunisian Crochet... you might ask, "What does that have to do with Robyn Chachula, she doesn't do Tunisian Crochet?".  SHE DOES NOW!  WhooHoo!  With this lovely Froggie Blanket, Robyn joins the ranks of designers who do Tunisian!  Traditionalists, never fear, this is the only Tunisian project in the book, but isn't it great!  LOVE it.

Lately there are many crocheters who are loving top-down construction....The Leah Pullover is for you!

But wait... isn't Robyn known for her fabulous motifs? Yes, and here's a few projects that will satisfy your need for more of Robyn's motif magic:  Kyla Stroller Blanket and the Rosa Car Coat

I think, though, the first thing I will have to make is the Pea Pod Slider Slippers... can I hear a collective, "Awwww!" Too cute.

Ok, one more thing... well, a couple more things... there is a tutorial on how to make the frog closures shown on the cover, (yay) and so many of the designs can be altered slightly to move them from girl to boy or boy to girl (yay) and there are several great designs for BOYS (so rare) that any mom of a little boy will be thrilled by the selection.  There are many stitches you thought you knew in the book but Robyn teaches you a new way to do them (and very easily too).

It's a great book and one lucky winner will get it!  To enter to win the free copy of Baby Blueprint Crochet, leave a comment on this post between now and Thursday, December 2 at 10:00 pm/EST.  You must enter with your first name, last initial, and city.  You must be a US or Canada resident to enter (sorry, shipping costs).  On Friday, Dec 3, I'll announce the winner here on the blog.  The winner should email me at my address in the right side bar (Ellen at sign GoCrochet dot com) get it?  Good Luck!

Also, go to Robyn's blog, Crochet by Faye, for more information about blog book tour stops all month long.

Just a reminder... the winner of Jilly Hanratty's book... has never emailed me with her mailing address.... Roberta B, from Belleville, NJ... if you are out there.... you're running out of time.