Much Crochet!

So, I guess my crafty passions change with the seasons. I was beading most of the summer. Now, I am just crocheting away! Pics later in the post.

I participated in my first Craft Fair 2 weeks ago. It was fun. My guild has a table. I had not really made much so I did not try to sell any of my own stuff, but it was fun to man the table and help everyone else. Look at all the stuff we had on our table:



Last weekend, I attended the Harvest Festival at the school where my husband is the assistant principal. He judged the chili cook-off:



See the lady judge in the Pebbles costume? Her husband won the cook-off. The fix was in! I did not enter because my husband was a judge. Go figure.

I did enter the pie baking contest. Take a look at the entries.



See the 3rd one from the left? Thats mine! It was a Sweet Potato Pumpkin Pie. It was awesome! But did I win? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

Close up of my pie:



Looks good right? Well it tasted even better than it looked!
So, once the contest was over, they sold the slices for $1.00. Look at the pics of the pies after the contest.



The pie on the far right in the red plate was the winner. It was some sort of chocolate cheesecake creation. Is that even a pie? The second one from the left, the green one with whipped cream, was the runner up. Now, take a gander at the nearly empty pie plate to the right of the key lime pie. The one that pretty much only has crumbs left. Thats whats left of my pie!!! The NON WINNER! I think the fix was in again. Because the lady behind the table won the contest! I was robbed! But I am not bitter.

No news on the adoption front. We have had a few calls here and there but no match so far. Keep praying!

I will finish up with more works FO's and WIPs




Special Olympics Scarves:




Special Project. More on that later:

Finally Finished Scrap Sensation!

Well, almost. I still need to weave in about 4 ends. But other than that, its fantastic. I finished it on Tuesday. I like it so much, I don't want to give it away. I am a mess that way. Once I put a lot of work into something, I want to keep it and enjoy it. I started this in April, right after our failed adoption placement. I think it was my therapy. Maybe thats why I don't want to give it away. Anyway, here it is:










The pattern is in this book:





My hubby and I spent a few days in beautiful Santa Barbara:



Look at the background! Santa Barbara is gorgeous.



Me, about 17 pounds lighter!



More Santa Barbara Scenery. Breathtaking!

Disappointed Cubs Fans and some Crochet

Well, my hubby and I dared to go to the division playoff game on Saturday night at Dodger Stadium because they were playing our home team, the Chicago Cubs. Unfortunately our hearts were broken once again by this team. But, we actually enjoyed being at the game because unlike these people:



We did not wear any cubs gear. You might say we were chickens and we would say we were! The Dodger Fans were brutal and those poor people did not even stay to the end of the game. They were given grief the whole time. Dodger fans in the cheap seats can be brutal, especially once the beer starts flowing. It was crazy.

But, even though the cubs lost, the atmosphere at this game was amazing. The place was charged. That part was cool. Would have been better if we were dodger fans! If so we would have felt like these folks:



At any rate, there were some nice Dodger fans. One even took this picture for us:



Then again, we were incognito, so he did not really know we were Cubs fans.

Anyway, I did get some crocheting done. I am making progress on my Granny Square afghan. I am determined to finish soon. I want to get started on some projects for the child that we know God will bless us with soon. We are hoping for a placement soon! But I cannot start a new afghan until this one is finished. I have been working on it for months and months. This week, its done! I mean it!

Look at this determined look on my face:



This will be an FO post by the weekend!

A week Late, But Finally Some Pix!

Well, I have been so into facebook that I have not been really keeping up over here. But I like my blog and I have some things to say and to show, finally!

Yesterday, two of my co-workers and I participated in the American Heart Association's Heart Walk 2008 here in LA. We walk at least 3 times per week on our lunch break in an effort to lose weight and get healthy. We have all lost weight so we are very proud of ourselves. One of my walking buddies cajoled the rest of us to sign up for the heart walk. I signed up and then wanted to back out. But I am so glad I did it! I helped raise money for heart research and burned some calories at the same time! We had a great time. My husband is going to join us next year!





Before We Started:


After We finished:




It was only a 5k route, but we were happy to be finished!

Adoption Update:

We are finally back in the swing of things. We are hoping to get matched soon, and I am still decorating the nursery, so pix soon, maybe even next weekend! Keep us in your prayers.

Finally, some pictures of some pretty things I have made.

Up first: Crochet Hats

My own Designs:

This is my floppy hippy hat with the 70's vibe. I was just messing around with this one.



Side View:



My Tam:





Tam from the Side View:



Boy Beanie 1 from S& B Nation's The Happy Hooker





Boy Beanie 2





I have also been making Jewelry:

I am in love with Lariats! These pix are not doing the pieces justice. People have been so complementary that I am now going to start selling on Etsy. I need to get a better camera though. I will keep you posted on that!



This will be one of my first pieces that I will sell. I wish the pictures were better. These look really pretty!



This is another piece that will go into the Etsy Shop eventually:





I am very proud of this one. My best friend's mom gave her some of her own old jewelry. Unfortunately the necklace broke. My friend asked me to fashion the beads into something pretty. This is what I have come up with:



I think it turned out great! I like it so much that I told her I want to keep it.

One last thing, I have been back on the south beach diet for about a month and have managed to drop 11 pounds! I am so determined to stick with it and reach my goal!


Sorry for this very long post. I guess thats what happens when you blogg once every 3 months! I am going to keep posting more often to avoid this!

Thanks for stopping by.

bad blogger!

I have been so busy studying for my final that blogging has taken a back seat. I have been crafting. I will be updating the blog this weekend with pix. I did pass the final! I have also decided to squeeze in another class this term. I only have to write one final paper, so I think I can manage it. I have also been spending time on facebook. I love it. I have reconnected with lots of old friends. Its great to see pictures of their children and to catch up.

Anyway, I will be updating soon!

longtime no blog.....busy busy busy

Well the summer is just going by way too fast. I have been so busy that I have not taken time to update my blog. So here goes!

Things have been going well. Still decorating the nursery ( pics to come later in another post), crocheting, beading, traveling and trying to study. Whew! No wonder I have not been blogging!

July was a great month for us. I blogged about our trip to Laughlin, NV in my last post. But we also went to an incredible church conference in Phoenix. You know it was HOT! And so, I decided to make a light weight dress to wear to one of the evening events. I bought the fabric a while ago from the $2.00/yard table at Michael Levine's in downtown LA. (Fabric Mecca if you ask me!) I still buy cheap errr....I mean...um...economically priced fabric, since I am a novice. When I grow up in my sewing, I will buy the more expensive stuff. Anyway, I cannot remember at this moment what pattern this is but I think its McCalls. So, it looks like a nightgown and it felt like one but it was oooh soooooooo perfect for that HOT HOT Phoenix evening. It was about the least amount of clothing that I could wear and remain tasteful and not get thrown out of the christian conference:



Even though it was hot and I felt awful by the last morning there, I thoroughly enjoyed the conference and was moved and inspired to do more for God. So, it was totally worth it!

I got a surprise at the end of the month. My BFF from Chicago came to visit me and we painted the town for 3 days! Our very subdued version of painting the town included shopping in Downtown LA, people watching on Venice Beach, a ride up the PCH to Malibu and dinner at Neptune's Net, and of course strolling down the Hollywood walk of fame. We stopped at the Disney Soda fountain and had some cool refreshments:



It was so good for my soul to have her here in LA. Just a little piece of Chicago to tide me over until I can go home again. We have her dear mother to thank for that wonderful weekend. It was her first visit to my place but it will not be the last!

Of course I was supper tired afterward because we basically did all that in 2 days. I never run like that but we had to make the most of her short visit.

So, as life got back to normal, I tried to get some studying in, but summer is just hard on a student! I just want to play! So, I did. I made a few things. Check it out:


This bag is inspired by Drew Emborsky's Chic on the Half Shell. Check it out on Ravelry. I changed it a bit to make the shape more to my liking and Drew (That Crochet Dude) even left me a message saying that he liked it!



I also made the Fat Bottom bag from S&B Nation's The Happy Hooker:



I like it. It turned out nicely. I carried it one Sunday to Church with a red dress that I made. I received a ton of compliments on both. It was a DIY Sunday that day!


In addition, I have been beading. All my own designs. Lots a stuff but here are just a few:

This one is a favorite!



matching earrings:



This one I like because its girly and it will go perfectly with one of my dresses:




I really enjoy the beading a lot. I think because its almost instant gratification. It takes no time to make a cute necklace and a nice pair of earrings. Plus, its a great summer craft alternative to knitting and crocheting.

So, as you can see I have been super busy and having lots of fun. Unfortunately, I ended up getting sick and have been in the bed for since Wednesday. Today was my first day back out in civilization and I still was not 100%. But I am feeling better by the minute. In fact, I think I hear my beads calling me........or , maybe thats my books calling me.......hmmmmmm. Nah, I think its the beads.

Caio!