All Hail the MIghty Cow Hat and why I'm in a snit

You know what I hate? I hate when my friend whose upstairs apartment I live in comes up and says "Oh you didn't work today?" Uhm I made an awesome cow hat- why isn't that work? I think a better way to put it would be to say "Oh you didn't go to Champaign today?" I am always working when I am home. If you could see the piles/mounds/mountains of art I produce you would most likely nod in agreement. But I do believe in her mind if I do not physically leave the house and travel somewhere I am not working. Why do I let this bother me? Good question Rebecca, good question.

Cow hat pattern by RepeatCrafterMe- I also adapted the owl hat from her pattern-  Headbands/Warmers pattern by TheVelvetAcorn

The Pressure is on for January (Dang you Pressure)

Wednesday, January 1, 2014Do you work well under pressure?

Actually, I do! Lot's of times if there's no pressure I can't motivate myself to get things done. It's sad when even money won't motivate me. Sad, sad, sad.

Right now I need to finish two sweaters and a fox cowl. That's knitting pressure folks! I have to help my boss get her 8a application finished and I have to get someone's QuickBooks finished so they can do their taxes. That's money pressure. And the ever present pressure to CLEAN MY ROOM! OMG will it never end??????????????

I'll get these things done. Maybe not cleaning my room but hey, no one is perfect.

Here's a little insight into dealing with pressure. Find a mindless video game. Use it to dispel pressure when needed.

Or take a trip back to the 80's, kick back and enjoy Queen and David Bowie signing about pressure. Even Better!

Why I was at The Fancy Hotel

Whoops I guess I forgot to explain about the fancy hotel. I was up there working the registration desk at a NetZero conference. Too much fun and money in the bank!

In Praise of Getting Things Done 148/365

Wow what a day! I swept and mopped, cleaned the bathroom, did some laundry, sewed down the last two sides of binding on the quilt, knit a few squares for the new scarf project., watered my seeds, plants and seedlings (twice it's hot and dry here), played my guitar, walked to the dollars store for fake flowers (pictures tomorrow) and that's about it. I'm headed to bed tired but happy.

This picture is almost irrelevant but I will post it anyway.

The Curtains That Sold the House 229/365

Remember back when I helped Vickie get ready for her yard sale and then I made her some chicken curtains? Well guess what? My curtains helped her sell her house. True story. The people that bought it even asked for the curtains to stay so I may have another job making more.

I helped her clean today in anticipation of closing on the deal tomorrow. I need to teach her how to take pictures of me lol!

This is Stuart. He was a pain in my butt all day hahahahaha!

My Next BIG Job 185/365

Leslie hooked me up with someone on Facebook whose Mom needed a lace tablecloth finished . Turns out the lady lives right down the road (Kentucky reference for Laura lol). She brought the piece over today. I think I can do it or at least write out the pattern so she can finish it herself. Maybe a little of both?

The Good, The Bad and the Downright Painful 100/365

Wow 100 days of posting pictures of myself...that's GOOD.

Not being able to do a giveaway because of an excruciating earache...that's BAD.

Can you guess what the PAINFUL is?

I will do a giveaway at 150 if I haven't driven a double pointed knitting needle through my skull first. (It's that bad I swear kinda like a toothache but in a different spot)

Oh yeah! The really really GOOD new is Jack got called back to work!  Whew. Hopefully I can enjoy my alone time during the day now and not late at night.

Crazy Hat Lady 41/365

I had so much fun with the snow dance animation I decided to do it again with the hats.

Very tired today. I went with Pam and Cristell to Sunflower Market, Guitar Center for a new capo (I fully expect to find my red one now) and to Village Inn for pie and coffee. Then I met with another older lady in my neighborhood whom I might become a dog walker for. We'll see. I have to research a bit before quoting a price.

Jack got some work thrown his way finally. The landlord hired him to trim bushes and clean gutters and so on and then Vickie stopped by and told him about a moving job. He's happy to have something to do. (and he might be moving big African drums...how cool is that?)

I am patiently waiting for the Illini game to start. I can't watch it or listen to it but I can keep checking the score online. I didn't know Jeff Jordan re-joined the team! YAY!

Dead Bushes and Boys Actually Working

I deleted a couple of songs so I could show the bush project. Once the rocks are sifted (another major undertaking) I'll plant flowers like I did last year. It was spectacular and several have reseeded for this season YAY!

A Work Scarf for Jack

I have a great husband, Jack. He can cook, clean, fix cars and stuff around the house. He works hard for his money and love him to pieces!

Last Friday he got snowed out of work. I had asked him before to go to the yarn shop, Knitter's Kove, (omg one of my most favorite places on earth!!) to pick out yarn for a cabled riding jacket I want to make. He really didn't want to but since he wasn't doing anything else, he agreed.

Once we got inside he was MOVED by all the yarn...he turned around in a circle looking at it, touched different skeins to see what they felt like and basically got caught up in the beauty of it all. (I know how he felt. That happenes to me all the time) Finally he said, "I need a scarf."


Huh? You're actually asking me to make you something?!?

He really did want a a scarf! He's asked me to make things before but for other people, not him.

We talked about color, size and feel and I asked him if we could shop my stash for yarn because we weren't finding what he wanted there in the store . (I promise to buy the yarn for the cabled riding jacket there...we both agreed on a greyish blue wool mohair blend for that)

When we got home I grabbed a couple of yarns I had stashed, let him feel them (they had to be SOFT), got measurements and did my swatch. He fely it and decided it was a good weight and feel and gave me the go-ahead.

After I knit a few rows I realized I probably wouldn't have enough to finish it so when we went to Hobby Lobby I grabbed a couple of things on sale to add to it. I ended up not using one of them...too GIRLY!! But all in all I am very pleased with the results...It's gonna be spectacular AND warm!!!!

PS I took it to knitting group with me and got their nod of approval...I told Jack his scarf had woman knitter cooties on it from all the fondling :)