Panic Attacks

Oh man, I am trying trying to figure out why I have been having panic attacks. For the last 3 days I have been battling that horrible feeling. I can be doing just fine and then here it comes, it feels like my throat is closing up, my mind starts racing and I feel like I'm going to come out of my skin. Yuck!!! It is so scary, which doesn't help the anxiety. I had this problem years ago but was able to work through it. I'm hoping that I can figure out what has triggered the problem and get a handle on it. Wish me luck.

Now on to happier things....

Hey, where did you come from. What a ham!!!

We went to some garage sales yesterday and I found a beautiful red wool sweater (25 cents) that I came home and felted it so that I could use it for a project that I have been thinking of. I'll show you when I get it finished. Also sewing patterns from the 50's and 60's ( a cute apron pattern), vintage wrapping paper, and some cute note cards (all for 25 cents) how cool is that!!

I love this gift wrap

Also, I just finished a felted purse, I still need to come up with an embellishment for the front, maybe a felted flower or a needle felted design. I might need to ponder that for a while. Also, started a purse with the yarn sent to me by Tasha from the virtual vacation swap. It is the softest wool yarn it almost seems a shame to felt it, you did hear me say ALMOST. Oh yeah, that baby is going to be felted I just can't stop myself.

A little hair cut

A work in progress

Warm thoughts to all...

Cool days ahead.

I love this weather!!! It's about 70 degrees outside, a beautiful blue sky with a few puffy clouds. Did I say clouds we never have clouds in the summertime.



Apples, pumpkins, mums, apple cider, sunflowers, scarecrows, hay bales, corn stalks, raw apple cake, leaves changing color, vineyard harvest this is what makes this time of year a favorite of mine. Where is my camera??


Busy, Busy Busy. Does anyone else out there knit for holiday shows. I love it but it is a bit time consuming and no matter how early I start I always feel a little behind. Here are a few of my hats. The skateboarders and snowboarders love these....

Talk to you later...

Where is the time going?

I can't believe how fast the time is going. I am still trying to get the house in order from the move and knowing in the back of my head that the holiday shows are right around the corner. I have been knitting but have not felted anything, so nothing much to show except for this pile that will hopefully turn into beautiful purses, credit card holders, washcloths and knitting

needle holders

If all turns out well (the joy of felting, never quite knowing for sure what you might get) the chocolate brown becomes a felted messenger bag

Washcloths

I also need to work on my mosaics but it is icky hot outside and I have NO desire to go out in 100 degree weather.

Look at the pictures my daughter took of the hot air balloons that take off every morning from the valley. Pretty cool. Nice pictures Jennifer.

I was also very lucky and tied for first in blackout bingo from the Virtual Vacation Swap

www.virtualvacationswap.blogspot.com/ I just received four skeins of Knit Picks Crayon in red and two wonderful bars of Lime Margarita handmade soap (smells wonderful) from Sharon at http://www.soaps-n-stuff.com/ . Go by and check out her wonderful soaps. How very lucky I am! Thank you, Anne, Jessica and Sharon.

Take care everyone and enjoy your weekend

Swap spoiler!!

Well, my daughter and I started cleaning out the garage today preparing for the move, we had a garage sale on Monday, Memorial Day with all the things that we had cleaned out from inside the house. We thought it would be a great day for a sale, but everyone must have had other plans, it was a little slow. So we will try again this Saturday with all the goodies left from the last sale and the new goodies from the garage. I don't think anyone cares about my old craft supplies like I do. Well wish us luck!!

I sent away both of my swaps yesterday so I thought I would share some pictures of what I sent to one of my buddies, I need to make sure my other buddy receives her package before I post pictures. (She comes here to visit and I don't won't to ruin the surprise). The first swap is a Bees. Butterflies and Birdhouse Swap. All items needed to be handmade. First I knitted a blue butterfly wash cloth (I've never tried that before, it was fun knitting from a graph)

I also sent along some bath salts,





then I embroidered a pair of napkins with bees buzzing




and last I made a mini mosaic birdhouse (about 3 inches) on a stick (something everyone
needs, LOL).










Hope Mooki99 enjoys!

Maybe tomorrow I will be able to show the other swap. The first of 2 packages (full of all kinds of goodies) for Lia at the Spring Felted Bag Exchange, the second package is a felted purse and that needs to be shipped by the end of June. Then I have one more swap (embroidered pincushion) and then I done with swaps for awhile.

It was fun to share. Talk to you in a couple of days.

Look at the peaches! Yummmmmmy. I'm a true southern girl who just happens to live in California. And lucky that peaches like both locations just like me. I'm thinking peach cobbler, peach ice cream and peaches just right off the tree. Juice running down your arm and dripping off your elbow. Now that's summertime!!!

Anyone interested in learning how to crochet? The Crafty Daisies are going to start lessons next Tuesday. http://craftydaisies.com/ it is a 12 week course, the itinerary is posted on their site. I am looking forward to learning all the ins and outs of crochet. Come by and take a peek and see all that they are offering. There is even a contest!!!




Thought I would share the new knit baby hat that I finished, instructions in Susan B. Andersons book, Itty Bitty Hats. This is the upside down daisy. Very cute.

Peace,

Jane

Television

My heart is broken the guys didn't win. Oh whats a girl to do. Now all my money (not really) is on Charla and Mirna. show us your stuff girls.

OK, my favorite TV shows are The Amazing Race and Medium I think Joe is a doll is he too sweet or what. Doesn't he and Allison make a great couple and The Amazing Race, we are getting down to the finish line. I know who I want ot win but almost more importantly is who I don't want to win--The Beauty Queens--They run a good race, I just don't care for them. Then Eric and Danielle and the girls Charla and Mirna and of coarse the winners Danny and Oswald. Who are your favorites? Oh yeah , we can't forget Phil but who would forget him!

Pictures: a hat that I recently knitted, and a beautiful rose, it smells better then it looks.

Jane

Time flies

Well tomorrow my youngest kids are going to be 28. Wow, where did the time go. It seems that it was not too long ago that I was getting the news that I was having twins. A sweet boy and girl. I already had 2 kids, a 4 year old boy and a 18 month old girl. Life was quickly going to change and I was in for a whirlwind of motherhood. I was quickly left on my own to do this and even though I was very scared I never ever regretted a bit of it. Now jump forward 28 years I have 4 adult kids (and their mates) that I love with all my heart and have been blessed with 3 wonderful grandsons. Isn't life grand.

First, a picture of the lilacs (love the smell) and then the mosaic cross that I made. It's one of my favorites.

Peace

Jane

Today

So what are you doing today? Me, it's 2 pm and I'm sitting here looking through my photos to see what I'm going to post. It's gloomy outside, suppose to rain all day and I'm still in my pj's drinking coffee and multi-tasking: watching Crossing Jordon on the DVR, checking e-mails, and message boards and writing this blog. What a great day!!

The pictures, the flower is what I see when I look out my window and the purse, I named it Santa Fe. That's what I was thinking about when I picked the yarn for the project.

Hope your enjoying you day, too.

Peace,
Jane

Knitting Anyone

I thought I would post a couple of pictures
of a new hat that I just knitted from
a pattern in Susan B. Andersons book
Itty-Bitty Hats (very cute book) lots of
great patterns and well worth the price.

Yes, that's OLIVE YOU on the hat is that too sweet, or what.

I also have been working out in the yard, trying to beat the rain that's on its way and I took a couple of pictures of the clematis that has gone crazy. I got a couple of beautiful close ups, you can even see the pollen on the petals.

Enjoy and peace to all,

Jane

Spring Felted Bag Exchange



1. How long have you been knitting or crocheting? How did you learn?

My Mom taught me when I was 8 years old and I knitted scarves, Barbie clothes and even my nieces christening dress when I was 13. I tool a 35 year break and started up again 2 years ago and have been going strong since.

2. What are your favorite yarns to knit\crochet felted bags with?

Prefer Lambs Pride, Cascade 220 and Patons Wool

3. What are your favorite needles to knit\crochet with?

Bamboo, don't care for metal needles at all.

4. What are the last 3 bags you knitted\crocheted (include URL for Yahoo! or flickr album or your blog if you have them!)? You can also link to patterns if you don't have pictures of your finished objects!

Check my blog for pictures, I design my bags but have used Noni Patterns.

5. Do you carry the bags that you make, give them as gifts, or both?

I sell, carry and gift my handbags.

6. What is your favorite felted bag that you have made for yourself?

A bag that I revamped from someone elses pattern that I found in a magazine, green with pink flowers.

7. What are your favorite colors? Do you like bags in these colors or choose other colors?

I love color, all combos but not too crazy for purple.

8. Chocolate: White, Milk, Dark, or not so much?

Milk!!

9. Coffee, Tea, or Milk?

Coffee!!

10. Do you prefer sweet or salty treats? What kinds?

Brownies, ice cream and chocolate candy

11. If you went into Bath and Body Works and could only come out with one item, what would it be and what would it smell like?

Candle, lemongrass

12. Do you enjoy any other crafts or hobbies? Do you collect anything?

Sewing, embroidery and mosaics, whimsical home decorations

13. Are there any bag patterns you have not yet knit, but hope to someday?

Oh yea, list is always being added t0

14. What is currently OTN (on the needles) for you?

Felted purse that I am going to needle felt afterwards

15. What is your most recent finished object before that?

Been going crazy for hats!!

16. What's cutest: Puppies, Piggies or Pixies?

How about a pudgy pixie puppy?

17. Do you enjoy reading? Books, Magazines, or both?

More magazines then books but enjoy both.

18. Do you have any children? (kid-kind or pet-kind apply!)

4 kids and 3 grandsons

19. What are some of your favorite yarns for other projects?

I like yarn that shows stitch definition. Though fuzzy is cute. Maybe now that I think of it I love all yarn

20. And for the final question, one I see debated all over: Novelty Yarn: Love it! Hate it! or It depends!

I think it definitely has its place.

Has this ever happened to you

OK, so you knit and knit and then you knit some more. then you felt and felt and felt some more and what do you get for all that hard work? Something really UGLY. So now what do you do. Couldn't give it away and even the cat doesn't want it. So you think and think and then think some more and then out of the blue you say to yourself --cut it up and make a flower. A flower you say, well how about a flower pincushion. OK, lets give it a try. And here it is:

Just keep trying what else can you do.

Take care,

Jane

Friday the 13th

, barter

First off, I wanted to say thank you to all those that have visited. It's a lot of fun to share and hope that you think so, too.

I thought I would share some of my original handmade felted handbags that I sell. They are all hand knitted and then felted and stretched over a frame. As you can see I LOVE color. I am always trying new combinations.

Again, thanks for stopping by, I will try to add pictures at least every other day.

Jane