-Christmas Bunny-

I finished up Samantha's Christmas bunny.  I have been working on this project on and off for several weeks, and it was really enjoyable.  I ordered the kit because I wanted the felt colors to be just right, and I love the Liberty print for the dress.  Doesn't she look like such a respectable and well groomed bunny?

There are such lovely little details- like the cute little knitted cape.

The boots were the most fiddly part to put together.  I have to be careful with hand sewing because I seem to get tendonitis in my thumb of all places if I do too much.  I made one boot and had to wait a week to make the other since my thumb started bugging me again!  Who knew crafting could be so dangerous? ;0)

I dipped the whiskers in liquid starch to help them stand up better, and I put a little bit of creamy blush on her cheeks.

Now, of course, my older girls are asking for their own bunny.  Maybe for Easter...

I hope you all have a very merry Christmas and have finished your own Christmas crafting! xoxo

-last week-

Finishing up some school work.  Ah...math.

Jesse Tree Ornaments (from this etsy shop). I purchased the multi color set, and they are so lovely!

Ornament crafting.  I found this cute little ornament craft at Target for $3. My kids loved it, and we attached them to our cookie gifts for neighbors.

Lots and lots of cookie baking.  I think I gained three pounds over the past three days.  Shouldn't Christmas baking be calorie free? *sigh*

Special Christmas toy playing.

This has inevitably all led up to the annual Christmas sickies.  We all have horrible coughs.  Pooh.

-shawls-

I thought I would share a few things I have completed this year- starting with these shawls.  My crafting time is mostly spent knitting vs. sewing now.  It is easier to pick up here and there.  I knit while we do school and while watching T.V. at night.  I find knitting a good way for me to slow down.  I am always looking to the next project, but I do also enjoy the slower pace it takes to finish.

The first shawl is a pattern called "Windward".  I started this back in May while on a trip, and I was plugging away at it until I came to a point where I kept miscounting and making mistakes.  Ripping and re-ripping.  So frustrated- I put it aside.  Then I picked it back up in November and finished it in no time.  Funny how projects go like that.  Sometimes you need a little breathing space.  This was a fun pattern overall because it keeps changing and gives a lot of variety instead of the same six rows over and over again like the project I am working on now. ;0)  I  used Knit Picks Gloss Fingering in a pretty teal color.  I liked this yarn.  It has a nice sheen to it because of the silk, and I would definitely use it again.

The second shawl is "Ellison Bay".  This was the first shawl that I attempted, and I wanted a beginner pattern.  I loved the mock cable edging on this shawl, and it was a simple and easy construction.  I used Andean Treasure (an alpaca yarn) in a kind of orangey gold color, and I like how soft this shawl turned out.  However, the joins in the yarn kind of made some awkward lumps, so eh...the yarn was kind of a disappointment. 

Yarn Along

I am joining in on Ginny's Yarn Along.  It was actually seeing all of her beautiful knitting that finally clinched it for me that I needed to learn.  I love all the lovely things she makes for her kids especially.  Now if only I didn't live in sunny California where winter is definitely the shortest season.

Right now I am working on a shawl that I hope to gift this Christmas.  Hope is the key word.  This pattern is And So Are You.  It is an easy pattern to memorize, but I have gotten to point in the shawl where every row seems so very, very long.  Why should that matter?  I don't know, but it does.  I guess I really do have the attention span of a gnat sometimes.  I am using Knit Picks Capretta yarn in Platinum.  It is a soft, barely gray color that I really like.  I love all things gray though.  I would probably choose some sort of gray or blue for all my projects if I could.  

Currently, the only thing I am consistently reading is this book for Advent, "Come, Lord Jesus". I found this book via Jessica's blog, and I am so glad that I did.  I was really looking for something inspiring for this Advent season, and this definitely hits the mark.  Her writing is uplifting and yet spurs you on to love a little more and try a little harder.

"Let these precious hours of Advent be given to wonder.  When we feel depressed by our faults, let us wonder that God can forgive us so much: let us be filled with wonder and praise that God goes on believing in us, hoping in us, and trusting that we will somehow yet realize his dream of us."

-tap, tap-

Hi. *waves sheepishly*  It has been awhile since I have checked in here.  I am still sewing, knitting, etc.  Once you stop blogging for a bit it is so much harder to get back into posting again.  So much was going on and it made sense to drop this, but I miss sharing projects and just being in this more personal space.  Plus, I fear I am boring people on Facebook with my crafty shares. ;0)

I always seem to have like twenty projects going on at once.  I am so easily distracted.  One of the things I am working on is this little bunny for Samantha for Christmas.  This was my first time making a hand sewn toy, and it wasn't as difficult as I thought.  Now I am just working on Miss Maggie's accessories.  I love that you can buy other little patterns to accessorize her further.  I definitely want to knit her the little coat.  I love everything Alicia Paulson.  She has such a lovely aesthetic.