Well, it’s Spring Break around these parts. My kidlet has been home all week and has gone buckwild. I have even conceded to *gasp!* video games on a weekday, some afternoons! He’s usually only allowed to play Friday evening & Saturday afternoons. Alas, I need a break from wrangling and the never-ending “mama. [...]]]> That’s me! Hello!

Well, it’s Spring Break around these parts. My kidlet has been home all week and has gone buckwild. I have even conceded to *gasp!* video games on a weekday, some afternoons! He’s usually only allowed to play Friday evening & Saturday afternoons. Alas, I need a break from wrangling and the never-ending “mama. mommy. ma. mom. mom. mommy…” parade. Who knew those 3 hours he goes to school every weekday were so coveted? Not I.

Another excuse for my lack of blog posts is that house-hunting consumes about 95% of my internet-time. That endeavor is just FRUSTRATING, to say the least. I’m getting discouraged. Really, really! It’s a seemingly never-ending cycle of find a house we like, get more info, walk through it, hate it, look some more, find another house we like, get more info, walk through it, hate it….and so on! That is such a first-world problem, but GAH! Make it stop, already. I want it to be July. I want to have a patio and get sun burned in my own backyard. Thankyouverymuch.

I did get a chance to take my weekly self-portrait, today. Little victories.

The owls were a thrift store find. I thought it was kind of perfect, because I have two babies, one slightly bigger than the other. it was 3 bucks and an awful, dirty, reflective, and chipped gold. Jason [...]]]> For my 25 before 26 list: my first self-portrait and TtV photo of the year.

The owls were a thrift store find. I thought it was kind of perfect, because I have two babies, one slightly bigger than the other. it was 3 bucks and an awful, dirty, reflective, and chipped gold. Jason thought it was ugly, but I told him with a coat of spray paint it would be perfect. And though the color is slightly different than I thought it’d be (true blue, though I wanted it a little greenish-blue), I really like it. I’m contemplating putting some buttons on the eyes, but am not sure if that would be too kitschy. What do you think?

I was running a little bit late, this morning, and I didn’t have a chance to close the contest [...]]]> THANK YOU ALL for your birthday wishes, yesterday. I was so excited every time I opened my inbox to see a new entry into the giveaway. No one wised me an un-happy birthday, so that’s good!

I was running a little bit late, this morning, and I didn’t have a chance to close the contest when my birthday ended (I went to bed and it was still my birthday, so I count all entries throughout the night), so I counted all entries until just a few minutes ago.

Now, the good news: a winner has been chosen!!

comment #5 is from Queta of Queta Knits! How awesome is it that a fellow knitter won?!

Queta, I sent you an email a little bit ago. Reply with your info and I’ll get right on mailing them out. CONGRATS, again!

Stick around, newcomers! I will be offering more giveaways throughout the year. One of my goals for my 26th year of life is to have one at least every other month. Perhaps Mother’s Day will behoove another slipper prize. Any other ideas are greatly welcomed! This was fun. Thanks again, everyone.

I have seen this sort of list on a few blogs I frequent. A list comprised of “goals” to complete before the next birthday. I’ve been adding to this list for the [...]]]>

So. As you may very well know, I turn 25, today. I’m still a baby, yes. A baby with babies, if you will.

I have seen this sort of list on a few blogs I frequent. A list comprised of “goals” to complete before the next birthday. I’ve been adding to this list for the better part of two months. I don’t know what this says about me, but IT WAS TOUGH! If I do this every year, I have no idea what the heck I’ll be listing. I’d *like* to imagine this means I feel fulfilled, but maybe it just means I’m unimaginative and not daring enough. Either way, I hope to come back to this post through-out the year to strike some off. I’ll let you know when I do. A few will have to wait until next March to meet their fate.

In no particular order, here is my list of 25 things to do before I turn 26:

1. buy a house
2. take a photo of myself every week
3. 25 handmade gifts
4. 12 cupcakes from scratch (1 recipe a month from my “500 cupcakes” book)
5. 52 TtV shots (1 every week, or all in one day)
6. learn to drive (*shame*)
7. take a road trip
8. make a big-people quilt
9. make a granny square blanket
10. sew something at least once a month
11. lose 25 lbs
12. kiss on a bridge
13. end the engagement
14. paint something
15. frame something
16. make a new friend
17. walk on a beach
18. make a wreath
19. make a piece of furniture
20. have a giveaway every other month (starting today!)
21. throw a party
22. establish date night
23. spend a night without Andrew
24. get the goodknits shop going
25. blog more consistently (at least twice a week)

Wish me a happy birthday (or an unhappy birthday, if that’s your thang; I don’t want to make you do anything you don’t want to) and you could win a lovely pair of Mary Jane slippers, crocheted by me! Choose between the two above*, -OR- if you absolutely loathe those colors, don’t have a mom/wife/friend [...]]]>

Wish me a happy birthday (or an unhappy birthday, if that’s your thang; I don’t want to make you do anything you don’t want to) and you could win a lovely pair of Mary Jane slippers, crocheted by me! Choose between the two above*, -OR- if you absolutely loathe those colors, don’t have a mom/wife/friend who would like them, have tiny feet, and/or want to mess with me, I’ll crochet a custom pair. I’m a nice person and I kinda love you blog readers/random clickers.

(can you tell I really like these? see more photos of flickr.)

Go forth and comment! 1 entry per person, pretty please. You can tweet about it, post it to your wall, talk about it in your blog, etc. The more the merrier! Contest ends when my birthday ends. I’ll post the winner on Monday morning.

*Slipper details: both are 100% acrylic. The yellow pair is made with some vintage yarn that has been in my stash for what feels like years. They should fit up to a size 9.5 (my size thanks to two awesome pregnancies), but are only about 9.5″ long, which is equivalent to a 7.5 in women’s shoes. What I’m trying to say is: they’re stretchy!

Today’s color(s): hot pinks, fuschias, raspberry.

Living in a house of boys, those colors just aren’t the norm. I thought about going outside, but there aren’t many pretty flowers around here. So…I turned to my yarn stash. I started a pair of Mary [...]]]>

I’m participating in a group on flickr–for the LOVE of COLOR week.

Today’s color(s): hot pinks, fuschias, raspberry.

Living in a house of boys, those colors just aren’t the norm. I thought about going outside, but there aren’t many pretty flowers around here. So…I turned to my yarn stash. I started a pair of Mary Jane slippers, using the [photo!]tutorial here on this very blog (link at the top). I was undecided on the buttons until I remembered these plastic flower buttons that look like they’re crocheted. Could it get any better? I found them at Wal-Mart of all places. They were in a clearance bin!

I think this pair is destined for the shop.

Yesterday’s color was GREEN. You can see my green submission here. Andrew was rocking the green, too:

A lovely friend of mine requested some slouchy hats for her girls. She wanted me to name my price, but I one-upped her and just asked for some modeling shots for me to use in my [future] shop.

When I first got her message, I started a hat (crochet) [...]]]> to a goodknits shop near you! ;)

A lovely friend of mine requested some slouchy hats for her girls. She wanted me to name my price, but I one-upped her and just asked for some modeling shots for me to use in my [future] shop.

When I first got her message, I started a hat (crochet) immediately. I didn’t really feel like searching Ravelry for a little girls slouchy hat pattern, so I thought I’d wing it. Afterall, I have made MANY knit berets and those are almost the same, right?

RIGHT?!

Well, no. They aren’t. There were three differences between what I had made before and what was being asked of me: 1. Size (I had made berets for myself, my sister, and my cousins. Adults.); 2. Technique. (I KNIT all the berets I had made. She specified crochet); and 3. Slouch not beret (there’s a difference). So, I crocheted and frogged. Crocheted and frogged. Crocheted to the brim, tried it on one of my kids….then frogged. I eventually decided I’d just adjust the pattern for the eyelet beret I’ve been making a lot to fit a girl’s head. I cast-on and got to the increases and realized it took me as long as crocheting a whole hat had. I’m just a really slow knitter.

I started crocheting again and kept notes, adjusting increases and trying it on my baby (her girls are 2 and 4, like mine!) almost every round. I ended up with a lovely slouch hat that fits BOTH of my kids. Huh-ZZAH!

I’m sending her the two hats, tomorrow. I am excited to see the photos of them modeled on kids with hair (aka girls)!

I’ll let you know when I open shop.