Follow Your Dreams...

Hello! 

I have a small confession, as I assume it's best to be honest upfront...  This post is more so for my personal reference than anything else.  I'm ashamed, but it's the truth!

Normally, I have this sketch book full of sketches, notes about ideas, printed images from online and magazine images.  I also have 100+ photos on my phone of ideas that I have seen while out doing errands in addition to tons of voice notes and sticky pad memos about things that inspire me.  So, here I am working on research for my latest idea, and I thought, "Wa-hao wait a minute!  I should put this on my blog so I can just check it anytime!  Then my poor old phone won't blow up against my brain while I am in the middle of an important phone call and I wont have to lug around my huge sketchbook and my 4,000 bags full of potential projects".  I guess I'll be a tech-savvy lil' lady after all.

I have to explain something.... When I come up with an idea, it usually manifests as a dream first.  Maybe I caught a glimpse of something random...let's say some dead flowers (I love dead flowers!) and next thing I know, I am dreaming of this vampire photo shoot in which the women are wearing these silk, chiffon and organza dresses that literally resemble the dead flowers in regards to the colors, the folds and the overall feel of the garment.  Yes, I am bonkers.  I know.  I have always had the mind and thought process of an artist.... But I will say this.  In the words of Erykah Badu, "I'm a artist.  And I'm sensitive about my shit." 

My latest dreams have been about cupcakes. 

One afternoon, I woke up from a nap.  I have no clue where it came from, but I immediately text messaged my husband at work that I was craving the hell out of cupcakes and ice cream.  He is so used to my insanity, after 5 1/2 years of marriage that he wasn't taken aback in the slightest.  His response: "Ur sexy. <3 U."  That night, I baked some cupcakes.  They were...meh, mediocre.  I've baked much better.  And then BLAM!  Just like that I realized that my craving wasn't that I wanted to eat the cupcakes!  I wanted to crochet/create something using the shape of a cupcake!!!

And so it begins.... Once I have dreamt of something, I usually can't let it go.  I will be thinking of how to accomplish this task until I have completed it....

So here are some ideas/research I've done so far.

This is my original inspiration/obsession!  Gotta love Lily and this ADORABLE lil' bag!

This precious lil yummalicious masterpiece is only about $4,295... Pfft!  Chump change!

Another variation... Equally as desirable!

But let's be clear.  Even if I was magical and could pull something this fantastic out of my armpit or something, I wouldn't because (A) It's not my idea and (B) No Normal Parent in the Real World would give this to their toddler and they wouldn't prance around sporting one of these themselves because they would be beaten and robbed or just plain stared at for being gaudy and ridiculous.  BUT!!!  I can crochet an interpretation of this precious delight.... Or at least I think I can. 

So here are some ideas I found on the web... Ideas for crocheted sugary cuteness...

You can get this here:  Designs by Lily

I grabbed the image from here, but the pattern can be found here.

You can get these cuties at Treaclezoo, on Etsy.  These are a great idea to combine felting, embroidery, buttons AND crochet!  This shop actually has all sorts of goodies. I really love it.
So that is what I have in mind so far.  In my dream, what I designed and created was just as adorable as Judith Leiber's purse.  It was, however crochet/fabric and more kid friendly and affordable.  BUT!!!  Most importantly, it was just a blinged out, although not with sparkly crystals, precious stones, and gold-plated whatevers is on Ms. Judith's masterpiece!  Like, the cheaper, easier to manage, and more practical crystal or seed beads that can be found easily at craft stores.

I'm still in the dream...research....sketch...dream...think....plan...design phase of it all, which means it might be a few more days until I drive myself crazy enough to TRY it out... Until then, I will be hitting up my local bakery for some baked goodies.  LOL!  Thinking of this damn purse has me craving sweets like a fat kid!

Have a great week!

Feeling the Rainbow

Wellps, it's been 4-5 weeks since I have been staying home.  Time really flies.  Aside from some small accomplishments, I haven't done much at all.  In fact, I get more done when I am working and trying to maintain a social life. Ha!  Knowing I will be home all day makes me think, "Why work so hard right here and now?  I have tomorrow and the next day and the next day...."
The funny thing about all this is that at one point, I used to think to myself: "All these beautiful blogs that I love!  Who's writing them all?  Oh, wait.  Stay at home moms and single women and college students.  That's what makes them so great!  These people have so much time on their hands!!!"  Well, here I am now, with just as much time....and well, the truth is the amazing authors of the blogs I enjoy are just plain phenomenal, interesting, and inspiring individuals, despite their situations.  So!  That is what I have learned in the past 4 weeks or so.  Now, we can talk about what I have DONE!'

I finally finished the 48 squares I needed for the baby rainbow blanket...but now, I am constantly pep talking myself into putting them together.  This blanket is HUGE!  It nearly takes over my dining room table.  Ha!  I have to learn to gauge my measurements better.  One square always seems so small, so I feel like I need a lot....but then I get a lil' crazy! 

It's like Crochet Gone Wild on my dining room table!  I will be so pumped when I finish it!

I have only finished connecting two and a half rows.  But now that I can see the layout, and I stopped fretting about what order to lie the squares, the connection just got a lil easier.  These squares are so colorful, it's nearly impossible to make sure that each row and column just has one color or one order... So, I am letting go and just putting the damned things together already!

In the mean time, so that I don't go bananas with square placements, I started a project inspired by a glimpse of something I saw in a booklet, while shopping for yarn.

I saw this in a book for baby accessories.  It wasn't this color, but it was a huge hexagon blanket.  I loved it.  Since I am really obsessed with working with LOTS & LOTS of color right now, I made it a rainbow blankie.  Mine also won't be gargantuan.  Ha!  Definitely not after the rainbow monster blanket on my dining room table.  I am having thoughts of serving dinner on my balcony at the moment.  I pity the fool who DARES move those squares from the table! 

I started this last Sunday.  I am almost finished with it.  There are 12 colors in it.  It's for a boy... I have so much blue and green in this lil blankie.  I have an idea about the edging.  I am so excited about it.  I hope what I have in my mind is something I can re-create.  I have this crazy habit of dreaming up sensational ideas that are waaaay beyond my skill level!  This is the first large Hexagon blanket I have ever made.  I'm so happy about all the colors!!!  I am going to make one in the girlie colors too, with the pinks and the purples.  And I am terrified of this reality.... but I am also going to make a Rainbow Monster blanket for a little boy too.  I'm seeing nothing but pretty rainbows ....  It's really great not to be tied to one color scheme!

And I hit a wall with my dining room design.  My table cloth is finished.  I need to go to the fabric store for a plastic cover.  Now, I am concerned with the walls.  I want to add some art!  I was all about the pears & eggplants.  Then, my husband brought me this calendar full of flowers in bloom and bouquets.  I really love flowers and birds, so now, I am thinking of changing things.

This would be the logical choice.  It has the purples and the greens from the table cloth.  But, I have no idea what those flowers are.  It's an interesting composition, but I dunno.... It seems uninviting somehow.  Like the flowers are some version of Venus fly traps with hidden teeth.  Ok, that's my crazy imagination taking over, but I'm just sayin....

I love lilies!  This is really pinkish though.  I could always paint it to have more of a purple hue.  This is so much more beautiful and inviting than the other, I think.

This one is my favorite.  I don't know why, but I am really drawn to it. I am not interested in the roses particularly, but I just love the composition and the color pallet.  Since I was born without that "Make A Homey Space" gene, I have no clue if it will go well with the eggplant and green table cloth that I have.  It's just so warm and inviting.  I love to cook and entertain, and I feel like this would encourage people to sit, eat, and kick back a while....Maybe I can infuse some yellows in the seat cushions that I make.  Hmmm.... And maybe some yellow table runners and a yellow vase with some green, purple, and yellow fake flowers....  Thoughts, thoughts...decisions, decisions....

All righty!  It's nap time for me and my Little Darling!  Have a great weekend!  I know I will!!



One Word: PROGRESS

This is coming right along.....  2 cardigans, girl & boy and what will be two blankets, girl & boy :)

Oooh La La -- TA DAH!

I am really excited to be revealing a finished product!  I think this is the second project I have finished this year.  Seriously, that's a LOT for me!

The other day/night, depending on how you look at things, I mentioned that I had made some blankies for my Little Darling.   Well, this is the story behind that....

I call it:

The Special Request

One day, I was tackling my least favorite chore, laundry. I hate doing it because I am the only one who puts my dirty items where they belong. The Hubs and my Little Darling, on the other hand, lead me on this wild goose chase as I try to recover all items to be washed for the day.  I walk into my Little Darling's room and I see something like THIS!  The above photo.  She had been taking off her dirty clothes each day and dressing her animals in them!  The animals/ people thingies were crocheted by my mom (who ROCKS my socks off in creative needle talents!!!)  So in an effort to not lose my cool on  my four year old, I explain to her that First, dirty clothes aren't toys.  They are nasty and need to be in the basket to be washed.  Second, if she needs clothes and blankies for her "Babies", I can make them for her.  She just has to tell me what she wants.

So I unclothe her "Babies" and do my laundry.  As you can see in the picture above, I am not finished with the project because she is still using her dirty clothes for wardrobe ensembles and her actual blankies for her "Babies". 

I was diligently working on my Little Boy Blue hexagon blanket, when my Little Darling comes to ask me to make her some blankies and some pajamas for her "Babies".  What kind of mother would I be if I didnt' feel honored to accept that request?  My Little Darling almost never asks me to create anything for her.  I never make anything for myself or my household, just gifts for friends & family.  For my kiddo to rely on me was really touching and special.  I had no choice but to drop what I was doing, bag it up, and start on her projects.  She made the request of 4 blankies:  A Rainbow Blankie, a Purple Blankie, a Green Blankie, and a Pink & Green Blankie.  I am not sure whether I will find more creative names for these lil projects, but I am pumped to have a more heart-felt purpose in my work!

About a week ago, I finished her rainbow blankie.  I chose only the cute colors, but then, my Little Darling walks in, puts her hands on her hips, and asks, "Well, Mom.  That's gweat, but what about the bwack and the bwown?  And dis color, and dat color?"  She was right, a rainbow isn't just the "pretty colors", it's ALL colors.  So I added black, a dark blue, and two shades of brown.

I was trying to make the Picot stitch for the border, but (hahahaha!!!) I really couldn't figure it out.  I've got it now, after viewing SEVERAL tutorials and looking at MANY charts!  But it was too late for this blankie.  On here, I just used a popcorn stitch around the border.  I am not sure if I like it yet.  But it is interesting.  That I can admit.

The little Blessing in Disguise in regards to working on these projects for my daughter is that I am getting to learn and to practice techniques and designs I otherwise would never allow myself to attempt.  This is going to help me a lot with my little secret!  I need all the versatility I can imagine!  These blankies will serve as prototypes and test-runs for something bigger, better, and more serious...... but for now, it's all about the fun of being creative for my Little Darling.

And this blankie was so much fun to make that I completely breezed through it......but then again, I have been a machine lately in the crochet department. 

Nothing like making something special for SOMEONE SPECIAL to motivate you to finish :)

Happy Summer Day to ya!

WIP it GOOD!

Well, Well.... Here I am again, after so many days...weeks...

I planned on having all these glorious TA-DAHHH moments, but that's clearly not what happened.  What did happen was I became overwhelmed with work and then lost my job.  Gotta love how that works out, huh?  I guess God could tell that I was really overworked after having spent 2 years working all night and staying up all day to do some combo of  school, a second job, housework, and child rearing.  I was tired.  But losing my new job was a bit much!

At any rate, my husband and I decided that I should just kick back and do the "Mom Thing".  I am excited about that!  Though, I don't think I will be very good at it.... The amazing thing is that I will be able to make more posts and finish more projects with all the time I will have!  The scary thing is that I will have so much time, and Bri + Bored = A Hot Mess!!!  I get crazy, when bored.

So what have I worked on in the week or so since I lost my job?  Quite a bit, actually... it's rather frightening!

 Ha!  It has been a long time, since I have had one of these pictures.  I picked up a third shift at my old job, working with Demons, err, I mean Lovely Little Angels at a childrens' home.  I totally couldn't resist the picture of the insanity.  I have movies, snacks, and yarn to keep me up all night.  Surprisingly, tonight has gone rather quickly and rather easily!  I am impressed with myself.  The last night shift I worked was Mothers' Day.  I seem to have a knack for picking up shifts on holidays, while super exhausted!

This little purple thing is a lil' project for my daughter.  I haven't decided if I should post everything at thing one time to show all 4 requests made by my Little Darling...or if I should do it in a 4 part series.  I have finished one of the requests she put in, but I have this one (89% done) and 2 other blankies to make.

The cardi is for this one-armed gremlin I know.... Just kidding!  I don't know any one-armed gremlins, but it is for something special.  Usually, I reveal too much too soon and I lose interest.  Can't do that this time.  I have to keep it all secret, but I will show little snibbly bits of what I am doing.  When I fully get my shizz together, I am going to tell everyone what exactly I am doing.......ooooh, and that will be one HAPPY DAY!

This is going to be a blankie made of the same colors that were in the one-armed cardi up above.  Oh, by the way.... two things:  (1) These pictures were all snapped with my phone, so I could post from work.  and (2) The cardi will have another sleeve put on!  The blanket is made from the same colors used on the cardi and it is also for my super-secret fantasmal amaze-tastic project that will be explained in due course.

Since I will be blogging MUCH more often, I should probably explain something......
1-- I curse.  I do.  I have a potty mouth that makes most grown men blush like little nuns.  For the most part, I don't curse much in posts.  But an F* Bomb or two may be dropped, pending an appropriate topic!
2--  I will never be MeMe Rose (awesome!!) CreJJetion (phenomenal!!) or Attic24 (superb!!)  Most of my pictures will be quick snibbets because I am impatient.  I am also not anywhere near as chirpy.  I will never blog about pretty tea pots that I found in some corner shop, my awesome bagel-muffie and latte from my fave coffee shop....or pets of any sort.  While I freaking LOVE LOVE LOVE these blogs to life, I am just not that ... happy, patient, and/or enamored with the small things in life

If I am lucky, I will inspire some odd-humored, eccentric, indie-rock loving, kitschy quirkball like myself to come up with a creative blog where s/he can also express him/herself happily in her/his own way, free of judgement.  That's what I hope for!

Now, that we have that sorted, I have to do some work.  It's over halfway into my shift, and I have just been watching movies, walking around, and passing gas all night.  Time to get serious!  Depending on what sort of exhausted stupor I end up in after work, I may make another post later today to show some more things I have finished and that I am working on.  I know what you are thinking.... "You finished 2-3 things, you have shown us 3 WIPs and there is still MORE????"  My answer is a sweet, simple, "Yes".  No kidding, I have been a crochet BEAST!

Too-Da-Looooo for now!

Just Checking In....

I am secretly sneaking in this post from work!  Even though I have my own office and no one micro-manages me.... I am always looking over my shoulder and sneaking a quick read through all my favorite blogs. 

I now work in a transitional housing program for homeless single mothers.  There are moments in which I am completely frustrated and totally stressed.  I would be a freakshow if I did what I felt like doing at times...which is crawling under my desk, hiding and rocking out to some music on my phone until I felt like interacting with another case. 

Rather, I have learned to start each day with a few moments to skim through and read my favorites.  Man, Oh MAN!  It makes the whole day better to see such beautiful, sweet, wonderfully written and photo'd blogs out there.  There are days where I am banging my head on my desk and having vivid visions of jumping out my window (which is small and ground level--don't worry.  No suicide attempts here!  I can't blog about life if I'm not living!!!) and making a fast break for the elementary school park across the street so I can swing all day and pretend to be a child, relishing the glory days of a life minus any responsibilities whatsoever.

So I  just wanted to take a moment to say: 

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH AND SO VERY KINDLY to all the beautiful women all over the world who post these wonderful posts to keep my days full and light with literary and visual delights, temptations, inspiration and ideas.... THANK. YOU.  SO. MUCH!

Project update???  I am all over this little boy blanket!  The bigger hexies that I started would have made a blanket in 80 hexagons.  The smaller ones, especially with no border is going to take more like 120-150.  So, I had a little breakdown at the comittment I was going to have to make....and then I took a deep breath and got my hook on!

As of right now, I have 96 hexies of various color combos and I have not repeated one color combo yet!  I am really proud of this because normally I am super boring and I have to plan & draw everything out.  It makes for very "manufactured" looking finished project, but it is lacking this creative adventurism, which is likely not even a word. 

What I mean is I am on a mission to create Creatively Sponateous pieces that are full of interesting color combinations.... and this is all in an effort to move closer and closer to my big surprise.  This time last year, this surprise wouldn't have been possible because I couldn't commit to anything whatsoever, but I finally found my knack!!!

Hint:  I LOVE making things for children :)

So, stay tuned for a more picture-filled post so I can show an update of my progress on this little boy blanket and a preview of the colors to be used for the girlie version...and a little TA-DAHH! 

Have a Tremendous Day!

Little Boy Hexies

I have been seriously thinking about these little boy hexagons. I always do granny something. Granny squares, puffy granny hexagons, granny hexagons, granny smith apples.... oh wait, that was food. But at any rate, 90% of my crochet items are some how related to GRANNIES!


In my last post, I mentioned that I didn't like the hexies I had finished, and this is what they looked like. The more of them I made, the more irritated I became with the outcome.
So then I decided to use a smaller hook, take out one of the double crochets in the clusters, so it's more like a V-stitch, and I added a color...

These are the same color combinations and everything, but I like the smaller one much better!


I guess I should have made another one, but I was so excited about how cute they were that I had to stop and share!

So now, I just have to decide if I want to connect them with the navy border, or without it. I am really feeling like I might try to connect them without the border. That will give me more color options.... let's see what happens!