across the world and around the corner

This week has been filled with many packages coming and going around the world. It is quite fun both to go to the post office to send packages and also to receive them. I guess once you start participating in swaps the mail just starts to come in at the end of the month. Yesterday a package showed up from Australia, Marianne sent me a wonderful little package filled not only with a smock pattern but also a few goodies. There were some of her award-winning crocheted flowers, some hand-made felt, buttons and chocolate along with a postcard she made. Thank you Marianne, a package is in the mail for you and the girls.



I also was able to ship my trim swap package yesterday, nothing like waiting till the day of the deadline to send something. It was a lot of fun putting this gift together I am looking forward to Wendy receiving it. Here is a sneak peek of what was sent.



And then today I received a package from my swap partner. It just happens that she lives within thirty blocks of me, quite funny I would say. Stephanie gave me quite a generous lot of trim and also added one of her amazing pinecone pincushion. I have admired her blog for some time now and it is just so much fun to receive some of her work, to think that we are practically neighbors. We may run into one another at the market some day soon.



On top of all the swapping of packages I have been quite productive in the knitting world. Friday evening I finished two projects one was the Zebra that I wrote about a while back and another was a bird (looks a bit like a pig) for Ms. A. Both projects had been 99% done but I just needed a rainy evening to finish things off. I also picked up and worked on a pair of socks that have been almost done since February, when I intended to give them to my sister for her birthday. Well they are getting there.

::trim run::

Well yesterday afternoon I stopped by a fabric store that I rarely frequent and picked up some wonderful trims and ribbons. I am very excited for the Trim Swap, this is my first official swap and as Applehead said "its like when you were a kid and sending stuff off to penpals you had never met". This says it so well, it is wonderful to know that you are making and sending things for others to enjoy. I think everyone loves getting special packages of goodies and fun. My next task is to pick from these trims along with my stock pile in order to compile the package in time for its sending date.

crewel intentions

this weekend none of my intended projects got worked on and I was quite unproductive as far as crafts are concerned. instead we were busy with soccer games and BBQs with friends but I did attempt a bit of crewel. on Thursday afternoon I picked up a wonderful book of inspiration at the library. so in the very little free time there was I attempted crewel for the first time and loved it.

for now I will keep playing around with this sample but hope to pursue it on some level. it is quite relaxing for me and there are so many great ideas in this book.

life revisited:or the weeks in reverse

For the past few weeks it feels as if so much has happened that I don't want to attempt a new entry. So my solution is to submit photo montages for the first few weeks of May. How else and I going to have time to describe all that has take place?

Derby Day was quite a wonderful event that we happened to squeeze into a weekend of hosting a baby shower, work deadlines and visits from my sister and her family. Today we are off to enjoy viewing the Preakness Stakes race with a few friends.

derby day mosaic

Throughout the past few weeks I have been working on too many projects. I have been so inspired and motivated by different things that it is hard to keep all the ideas straight. There have been freezer paper projects, whip lash challenges, knitting, tie one on smock, sewing shirts for Ms. A, and then my mothers day gift of a Gocco machine showed up. The motivation to keep going is endless but the time to do it all is minimal. I am always bemused by the lack of time there is when you have a little one running around underfoot. I have to remember to take the time I have and use it wisely but also to write ideas and inspiration down so I don't forget them before they are realized.

progress of projects

And here is a quick snippet of life. We have been enjoying the days of wonderful sun and warm weather. They have lent themselves to many walks, dinners out and afternoons at the park. Mothers day was even a sunny one and it made for a perfect day to attempt my first half marathon. I had decided back in January that it would be my gift to myself, inspiration to get back into shape after having Ms. A. To my supurse it went well and I reached all of the goals that I set out for myself.

happenings of life

This weekend I hope to finish a project or two. One being the smock for Tie One On and another being an oilcloth mat to go under the high chair. We will see what the weekend produces.

yarn interrupted

This weekend I decided to challenge myself to make a project for Whiplash. The assignment was yarn and at once my mind was racing. I love to knit and there are many an unfinished project sitting around the house but I knew that I would not have the time to start/finish a knitting project in four days. My next challenge was to think of something quick and fun to do and then I remembered a few wool sweaters I had sitting around ready to go to Goodwill. I decided to try and transform one of them seeing that the sweaters are made of wool/yarn. This is the result.

First I started with a 100% wool pull over and felted it in the washer and dryer.


I then cut the neck and front open to make a cardigan and embellished it with a bit of leftover fabric.


It was a lot of fun and I truly enjoy the end result.

weekend inspiration

weekend inspiration
Originally uploaded by devinemom.

this morning i found a bit of inspiration for projects this weekend. we will see what comes of it but i have been working a bit with embroidery lately and love some of these ideas.
my big project is to work on a design for whip-lash whose theme is yarn. i can't wait to see what the weekend reveals.

mammal reincarnate

mammal tee day
Originally uploaded by devinemom.

It is just so easy. I have been experimenting with freezer paper stencils and found instant gratification from it. The process is quite easy once settled on a design and I have been able to finish a shirt during one of A's naps. This is quite nice seeing that many of the other projects I pick up during her nap time are quite often set aside unfinished. Todays inspiration came from her Mammal, an over stuffed toy that she enjoys playing on at times. After her nap this morning we enjoyed some time 'riding' the mammal in the sun.

Pastime:Buy Time

As little A gets bigger nap times are getting shorter and I am getting very little done. The nice part is that she is finding herself being entertained with the little things in life. Most recently I have introduced her to the plastic drawer and it has bought me some time. This afternoon when A woke up I was in the middle of washing dishes and decided to test out the drawer trick. So for the next twenty minutes she was fully absorbed while I attempted to finished my many tasks. It is a bit of a tight squeeze considering our kitchen is smaller than that of a Brooklyn Brownstone's but for now it is working well for both of us.