Mission...Possible???

I am really hoping this "Mission" is possible, at least!  Some time ago, I am guessing a few weeks at this point, I started this:

Then, I got into some other things....and then my "Creative Block" happened...and then I looked at my calendar, and BLAM!  I just have a week to finish this gift!!!  This blanket is just a small portion of what I have planned in total!  And to make things a little more complicated.... I also have to conjure up some birthday gifts for my twin brother & sister's birthday coming up this next weekend too!!!  CRAZY!

Now, I have this:

My apologies on the terrible picture quality! 

This is meant to be a smaller blanket accompanied by a cardigan, hat, booties, a larger blanket, and a little amigurumi something or another.  UHHHHM... yeap.  But now?  I have No Idea!  (wiggles with discomfort)  I am looking at this, and thinking that I might go bald and lose a wrist in this endeavor.  But you know what?  I can't show up with a hand made gift and it not be adequate.  If I am going to make something, I have to bring on the WOW-factor, especially because I won't know anyone there.....  Oh goodness!  Why the hell am I even making a post??  Gah!  I should have my hook in hand, working even now!

I don't know how Agent Ethan does it without sweating bullets.....

Photo from: Here


This post will self-destruct.

Sneak Peak of the Week

I am sure this is crazy to make a "Sneak Peak"....on a Thursday night, less than an hour away from being Friday.  It makes much more sense for me to do this Sundays/Mondays like I planned.  But nooooooo, my internet has this thing where it keeps cutting in and out whenever it wants, leaving me with a load of ideas to post, but no means of doing such!
So anyway, I have some things that I have started to work on.  After the depressing, whiny post I made the other day, I decided to pull my shit together and DO SOMETHING!  I often come to the realization that, when you are not motivated and don't know what to do, it is best to do something.... anything!  It's the sitting around waiting for something big to slap you in the face that eats away at you and your motivation.  So, I picked up this huge granny that I have been working on for the past two weeks, off and on.

Yea, buddy!  This sucker is getting huge!!!  I am excited about it.  I have never even thought to make a single granny this large before.  It's a little awkward, trying to hold all that blankie in my lap and I continue the rounds.  I always make smaller squares/motifs and then put them together.

I love the way this came along so fast and simple.  I needed an "easy win", considering my little creativity slump.  But, I am BACK and I am happy with what I have done :)  This Mega Granny is about 41 inches so far, bigger than my Little Darling!!!  I am almost done.  I have about 3-5 more rounds, plus something I dreamed up for a border.  And you know how it goes when I start dreaming about things......  I make them happen!

With all this success, I just had to add something else to the mix... a new project.  You ever have that happen to you???  You're working on something and then suddenly inspiration hits...and you start asking, "Well, if this worked out so well, what about....?"  And then your brain starts ticking and you start itching because you just gotta get it out of your system, this new project???  Know what I mean!? 

Well, that's what happened here.  This chemical/creative chain reaction of sorts.

Meet Big Boy Granny...and say Hello to his sister...

Big Girl Granny

 Ok, I get it. I need to put some effort into coming up with better names for these projects.  What can I say?  I'm a no bullshit kinda girl.  I call it like I see it.  This is a big granny for a girl...Big Girl Granny, right???  No?   Ok, fine.  I'll work on the name thing, LOL.  Maybe another chain reaction will come out of the "Name Game".

So there ya have it.  My next Mega Granny!!!!  The same thing in precious girly colors.  When the sun comes up and I get some more rounds on this cutie, I will make another post to update!

And just when you thought your mind couldn't process anymore-- I have another sneak peak coming up later this weekend..pending internet connection!  I need to work on it some more over the next few days.  Although I am excited about it, if I made a post with just a few rounds on it, I am sure everyone would be scratching their heads thinking, "This girl has either lost it .... or her ego is so big, she thinks she can show us 3 rounds of some random project and we are impressed with it!" 

Yeap....so.... until then!!!

Frustrated....

I finally got my internet back!  Something keeps happening with our router, and the internet "blacks out" for 5-7 days and then comes back.  It doesn't bother me too much.  Aside from some research online and planning my Little Darling's homeschool for the coming year, I don't need the web much.  I can always find other things to do.....

But lately here, I have been REALLY unmotivated :(  Really. Really. Unmotivated!  I keep thinking of all these great projects, but they are always WAY beyond my crochet skill level.  And then I keep trying to sew.  Luckily these patterns and fabric don't cost much because I have blown through a lot of both lately.

I have about 5-8 crochet projects that are incomplete.... But I have no interest in finishing them.  I want to do something new.  Something different.  Something more interesting.  I am tired of granny-this, and motif-that.  I want to make Clothing!  I want to make Jewelry!  I want to make Accessories!  I want to make something Unique!

But for now, I am just going to sit and sketch out my frustrations in my journal and continue my search for something that will satisfy this hunger I have more something Bigger...that is on my skill level.

Frustrated. Bored. Searching. Until next time.

High Fashion...Right?

Ok, so I am all about fashion.  I will admit that I always choose comfort over something that looks amazing.  I also must admit that I have "collections" of awesome things that I will never wear: shoes, clothes, jewelry.  Just because I love fashion...interesting things.

And because I have always been into fashion, since I was about 11 or so, I have always been into high fashion magazines.  Man, I would rip out all the pages and put the trends together in these Lisa Frank folders.  I would draw and sketch and try to predict trends on my own.  I applied (and was accepted) into a bunch of art schools because I was sure that the fashion industry was for me.  Needless to say, that is not the path that I pursued.  I am happy with my life now, and I am happy that I chose this life instead of life in the fast lane. 

But then I saw something amazing!!!  No, really, I am not being dramatic at all.  I have to be honest, I always dream and think about all the "what-ifs".  But I guess I don't really have to dream anymore.

Check this out...

Sorry about the wrinkled paper.  I ripped this out of the July 2011 of ELLE magazine.... I had to do it on the low... I was waiting on my gynecologist.  When I heard her coming, I ripped out the page and shoved it into my purse.  I just had to take it right then and there.  I was so excited.  I admit, I am a loser and I hate being dishonest.  So for everyone who is worried I stole this page and ran out of my gynecologist office..... I didn't  I pulled it out and showed it to her and asked if I could leave with the ripped page.  She told me it didn't matter to her whether I took the whole magazine.  I didn't want to do that.  Who knows what other woman might come in and leave with a pap smear and a new take on fashion :)

So  JUST LOOK!!!!!!  This "High Fashion" ensemble is totally all about this skirt.... and this skirt is a what??  GRANNY SQUAAAAARE!!!!  Ok, I might be a little over-excited.  But this is where I am coming from.....  We, crochet lovers, make all grannies ALL the time!  It's so simple!

But seriously....This is what took my breath away:

This little skirt ... is $1300!!!!  Wh-what?!  Crazy, right.  This is a skirt by Christopher Kane by Johnstons of Elgin.  I rushed to tell The Hubs about it.  I was like, "Babe, I have one of those in my closet!" 

Remember this?

Well, almost...  I am pretty positive that the designer one was made of all silk cashmere... Hell, for $1300, it better have some gold & silver threading woven into the yarn.  Anyway, I googled and searched all over to find more details about the skirt, but I couldn't. 

The point here is that Something as small and simple as a granny square can still totally work in a the world of overly-sophisticated, overly priced High Fashion. I love this!

It reminds me that....
Anything is Possible!  Never Forget the Simple Things in Life!....

And of course, my new objective is to make one toooooo!

Shopping Spree

Today has totally been one of those days.  My mind has been scattered.  I am completely and utterly unmotivated and uninspired.  Typically, when I get into one of these funks, I can still pick up my latest crochet project and put a few rows/rounds on it.  I haven't even felt like doing any of that today.  I know, right.  It goes against the laws of creative nature, or something.

So I decided that, since I can't do this in real life, I am going to go shopping.... well, sorta :)

And since it is coming up on the Fall 2011 season, I figured, why not get a head start?

Like, this beautiful coat by Jason Wu

Jason Wu Genuine Ostrich Feather Dégradé Coat $4,595

And then, since I am wearing something fancy on the outside, I should probably put on something classy on the inside and head on out to a fancy place to eat.... alone.  Just a little "me time" to decompress at a nice restaurant with great wine...

I could wear this

Ports 1961 Pleated Jacquard Dress $1,850

With these

Brian Atwood Swarovski Crystal Embellished Silk Pump $4,970

And let's not forget these accessories!

Bracelet:  Pamela Love Fall 2011 Collection

Bag:  VBH Fall 2011 Collection 

Ring: Flutter Fall 2011 Collection

Earrings:  Kimberly McDonald Fall 2011 Collection

I am not really big on accessories at all.... but I guess it wouldn't hurt to also add....

This ring from Kimberly McDonald Fall 2011 Collection....

and...

These necklaces from Flutter Fall 2011 Collection ... which I am sure I can't wear at the same time, but why not?  This is a fantasy, right :)














Well, I don't know about you, but I always feel better after I go shopping.   There is no way in a fiery hell that I would be able to spend $50,000 on an ensemble and some dinner... But a girl can dream right?  I always think like this: 

Dream BIG or Go Home!

Sneak Peak of the Week

I have always wanted to post things that I am working on and give a little "sneak peak".  So I think I will start to do that from now on :)
This is a little something I am working on for a baby girl who is set to debut in this world a few months from now.  I am really excited.  I love her Mama already, so I am sure this little girl is gonna be awesome as well!

The lighting in my apartment is terrible!  No wonder I am nearly blind and have headaches all the time.  LOL.  Since it was long after dark that I took this photos today, I couldn't run outside and do the sidewalk trick.

So I raised the flash.  I made some squares using a mix of a puff stitch hexagon pattern I learned some time last year.... and the granny square pattern I recently learned...

I can't wait to finish it and find some fantastically precious edging to put around it.  You will have to wait until next month to see everything put together.  I don't want to spoil things for Mama.  This is, after all, part of her baby shower gift set.

Nighty-Night!

MEGA GRANNY - Update

Hey, hey!  I guess I should have made this post yesterday, or something.  If you have read any two posts of mine in a row, you should know by now that I just do what I want each day-- no real plan, no real commitments other than being a good person and doing right by my family & community.  With that said, sometimes I make a post when I should...and other times, like yesterday, I watch Heroes.
Ooooh, which makes me think of an Amazeballs post to make one day!  I am obsessed with super heroes and vampires and things like that.  I know, I know.... how could just a cool/savvy woman who is capable of making such cute creations just be a *GEEK* in reality?  Ha!  I fooled you!

But more on that later...

For now, I am all about this mega granny group that I joined.  I can't remember what the group's real name is.  In all reality, I have so many different projects at any given time, I usually forget that I joined something or that I am working on something specific.

While losing brain cells on watching prime time television on DVD, I sat and spent the day working on this.  I am not a zombie, by any means.  I totally took breaks in between to play with my Little Darling and to eat.

This is my "sidewalk" view.  I can't tell which I like better, but I guess both shots of the blanket are valuable. 

Here is my plan for the pattern.  I wanted it to be for a baby.  So I think the colors should be light & bright.  However, at some point in the future, I do want to experiment with darker colors for baby items as well. 

I am really on a mission to change the look of baby items.  I am tired of the pinks for girls and blues for boys.  It's such a boring way to think about things.  And really, it's such an "American" way to think about things, being all locked away in gender-specific stereotypes and all.   But I am also tired of all the "baby colors".... the "baby" blue and the "soft" greens, and the "baby precious" pinks.  Babies are just mini people. Would you want to be washed out in pastels all the time?  Uhm-- NOOOOO!!!  "Big People" usually like to live wild and live in vivid, living color.  Free to wear whatever suits them.  There is no "Grown Man" navy or "Adult working woman" brown....  so why not grant the same colortastic liberties to babies?

I am on a mission to liven it up.  Change up the norm.  Every time someone sees a project that I am working on, someone sooner or later always mentions, "Hmm.  I would have never thought of those colors for a baby" or "I would have never come up with such a color combination". 

While I would love to, I can't say that I take all the credit for this.  It's just inspiration that I reinterpret into what I think works and fits.  I read sooooo many craft blogs (Holla @ Google Translate!!!) and I am always on etsy and always on flickr just to see what the possibilities are.  And although I usually can't figure out how to do the vast majority of what I see out there myself, all these creations that people pull out of their amazing imaginations, I can still use this...even if in the end it's just a reminder that:

there are no limits when it comes to creativity, only the ones we place on ourselves.

So thanks, all my fellow crafters worldwide.  Thanks for being an inspiration :)