A solution for second sock syndrome

    Your new puppy will enjoy the taste of superwash merino sock yarn!  Believe me!        

The criminal, as seen last month.  Dirty from a swim in the pond at Aunt Dianna's.

Depth cowl

Finished up my Depth cowl this week with Russian grafting to close up the tube.  Worked really well!

Fiber Seeds yarn, US 6 and 7 16" circulars changed intermittently for the intentional pooling.


Fun knit!

Stockings for Christmas, 2018

I wanted to make some Fair Isle-type Christmas stockings in December, so I found a Drops pattern, and found additional Christmas charts for color knitting.  I picked up some Nature Spun from Yarn Bar, and this is the result:

They're large: Nature Spun is worsted and I used a US No. 8 needle.  The red, white and grey one was following the Drops pattern exactly.  The other two are more free-lance.


Original pattern is Sweet Treasure.

CS Boot Camp -- Week Three

This week's assignment was to use a die cut in a project.  Done!

This scan is terrible; you can't see the background paper's lovely texture.  All this is from Paisley, and believe me, cutting that stinking tree from Club scrap paper was challenging!  The die is colored with alcohol markers, and the sentiment is from Aurora Borealis.

Next card is from a couple unidentified pounds o' paper.  The tree die was a delight to cut from the text weight parchement; the dark blue is actually a dark forest green, also from the same package.  The avocado layer is from a pound o' paper with hot pink; it has a lovely texture.  The brad actually matches the avocado layer.  The brad is old, from the stash.

I will post the die manufacturer in comments.

Metallic Elements

Club Scrap's ASLB Boot Camp challenge for week one was "Metallic Elements."  Here's my entry:

Lock and Key paper, including copper metallic photo mats and copper embossed trees.  I can't remember the name of the kit that stamp is from, but it is one of my favorites.

Page Two:

Same metallic copper embossed stamp from the Aspen kit.

MANta Claus gift to Billings

http://www.on-a-horse.com/commercial-about-billings-target-of-old-spice-holiday-campaign-ktvq-billings-news

More scarves

Here's the second entrelac scarf:


I test knit two patterns for a local knit designer. Here's "Seeded Stripes":


The second is "Reversibility":


Details on these are posted on Ravelry; my user name is Slipstitch.

Asian Inspired

Made for an office birthday, new Stampin' Up set:

Because I'm too lazy to photo and scan instead, the colors are wonky. Imagine this card with all the blues in the same color family. Here's the inside:

I've started adding an image or some other decorative element to the insides of cards. I like how it finishes them.

Entrelac Scarf

Inspired by Laurie Perry (Crazy Aunt Purl), I located an entrelac scarf pattern, bought some Noro Taiyo yarn, and went to work:



The Taiyo is a blend of cotton, wool, silk and nylon. It is listed as "dry clean only," but I blocked this lightly with a spray bottle.

It will probably be donated for a silent auction. I am strangely attracted to rainbow yarn, every since I saw my first skein of Red Heart "Mexicana." I'm not sure I'd ever wear this, but I love the way it looks. I made a second scarf in browns, olive, greys and pinks that is blocking now. That won't match any coat I have either. I guess I'm a process knitter!

Masked Tags

The Tuesday Tag challenge at Kard Krazy was to use a mask on the tag. Coincidentally, there was a series of Distress Ink tutorials at 2 Peas in a Bucket, including one using masks. I haven't found the Tim Holtz masks locally, but I did have some frisket film and a big shot. I figured that I could cut my own masks. Unfortunately, the "low tack" film was still too tacky for a manilla shipping tag, so I ended up die cutting my Sizzlet flourish on a yellow sticky:

I started with dtp'ing Worn Lipstick Distress Ink to the tag, then applied the mask. Because there is only a narrow area of sticky, it's hard to hold the mask down. I added another layer of ink, Fired Brick, so the masked area shows up pink-ish (in real life; this looks orange on the computer). I darkened the edges with Aged Mahogany, and also used it to stamp the flourish (Studio G Stamps. I dpt'ed another tag with Worn Lipstick for the frame and sentiment. The lady is from a panel of the four by Tin Can Mail; the sentiment is a Just Rite self-stamper. Punched flower with pearl brad.

I wanted to try again, and this time I hand cut some primitive hearts from my yellow sticky:

I added the flourishes again, cut the image from an repro post card and added the scalloped mat. Sentiment from Katie & Co. Stamps, a little bling, it's finished.

I did try some Peeled Paint and Broken China Distress inks on my third tag. The mask is hand cut leaves and stem:

Same flourish stamp. The waterlily and sentiment are Flourishes. I ran out of steam with this one, so ended up using the Copic Spica pens on the flower and the sentiment. They sparkle in real life, but not so much on the screen.

Flourishes 10-Minute Card

The Flourishes blog issued a challenge for a 10-minute card. Here's my offering, from the Iris/Mother's Day set:

I stamped the topiary image with Club Scrap hybrid ink in Earth, and colored with Copics. I die-cut and embossed the image with Nestabilities, and then used the die as a mask for a quick application of Tea Dye with a stippling brush.

I matted that in green, and then glued the image to a card. With Club Scrap hybrid ink in Moss, I stamped "Just Because" from the stamp set, and added stick-on pearls.

Finally, I put a little glue on the topiary top, and sprinkled on some Flower Soft in Summer. Disclaimer: I did NOT count the time it took to open the Flower Soft container!

This really was a quick, fun card to make.

Travel Tag

I made this tag for the challenge this week at Kard Krazy. The challenge was to make a tag with a travel theme. This tag features a bicylist riding off a French map:

The bicylist and the sentiment are Hero Arts, and the printed paper is some old 7 Gypsies stuff. I finished with two pearl brads, and some dotted ribbon. Thanks for the challenge!

Tuesday Tag

Since Weekend Taggers stopped their challenges, I haven't posted anything. A blogger I've read for a long time at "Kard Krazy" issued a Tuesday Tag challenge. The challenge was to use a directional theme. She suggested using arrows, and I remembered the arrow brads I've had for a long time. The image of the kids is Stampington; the sentiment is Inkadinkado.

I've Been to Hell

in Grand Cayman:



I even saw the devil, before he had to rush off:


The action of water on the limestone rock of the island led to the naming of the town. The formation is described as being "about the size of half a soccer field."

Grand Cayman

Cayman Islands Turtle Farm

Green turtles at Cayman Turtle Farm. Turtles are a delicacy enjoyed by the Camanites.




Turtles of all sizes.

Labadee, Haiti

The inlet, from the boat.

Relaxation awaits. . .

The windward side of the island, with the Dragon's Flight zip line over the water.

Joyce taking one last photo.

Happy Birthday, Cupcake!

The Weekend Tagger's blog turns one year old, and the challenge is to make a happy birthday tag.

I used the Cuttlebug "Happy Birthday" embossing folder, and chalked the embossed edges slightly to improve the readability. The cupcake is paper pieced, and blinged with some crystals.

"Cute and Cuddly"?

I thought you said "rude and crabby!"

For the Weekend Taggers, it's a bit of a cheat. I may have some "cute and cuddly" stamps some where, but this is the old dearie that appeared in my hand for this week's challenge.

Stamp is Art Impressions; printed paper is BG's Euphoria, from the 6 x 6 pad, so the patterns are sized just right. Her robe is pieced with Euphoria also. Love this stamp, but couldn't think of just the right sentiment. She'll likely end up on a birthday card for a friend.

It's Officially Spring

I saw the first robin of spring today, sitting in my driveway. He looked cold and grumpy, but he was here.

Here in my part of Montana, the robins migrate in the fall to warmer places. When they show up in the spring, it's the first sure sign that winter is done. Oh, we may have some snow, but it won't last long, nor be as cold as winter's snow.