Distraction II

I now have something new to avoid the UFO challenge/pillow project with. A friend just ordered a Chicago Bears poncho, which she really wants to wear for the Superbowl. And she paid in advance, in full. I can't let her down! I'm going to have to bust arse to finish in 9 days (8, really), but I can do it. Now I just have to get started. The yarn will be here any minute, so I'm going to jump right in. Sorry, Boyfriend's pillow! You will just have to wait.

Distraction

I've been procrastinating on my UFO challenge project. Here's why:

I'm calling it the Fire Blanket, and I'm absolutely in love with it.

I'm a Joiner

I've joined another KAL, the UFO challenge. The basic concept is, you pick a UFO out of your pile each month, and then try your hardest to finish it by the end of the month. I have a whole Rubbermaid tub full of things that I got tired of working on, so this one is perfect for me. And I'm getting so good at these KAL things, I already picked out my challenge project for January:

It's the pillow that I started for the Boyfriend for a Christmas gift. Obviously, I didn't finish in time. It's basically a bunch of little granny squares sewn into an "E", and I made enough to put E's on both sides, but I only got one side even close to done. I have about 6 or 7 spots to sew up on side 1, and the squares in the pic will become side 2. After the sewing of the squares is done, I'll crochet a border around each side, sew the two sides together, and pop a pillow form in. I'm pretty sure that I won't be able to finish by January 31. I'm starting a little late, but it gives me a goal to shoot for.

I think that it will be easy to incorporate the UFO challenge with Lolly's Project Spectrum throughout the year. I'm sure I have plenty of different-colored UFO's in that Rubbermaid tub, and I plan on busting through that whole tub this year. For now, I'm off to work on Boyfriend's pillow.

We're Alive (but Not Quite Kicking)

It's been a while since I posted but I have plenty of excuses:

• I am STILL sick, as are both of the Munchkins. This stuffy head/chest cold stuff really sucks!
• I think my new digital camera is broke, or maybe just possessed. It keeps eating my pictures!
• The computer was also being a little crazy for a couple of days, so I am completely behind on blogs, and especially this blog.
• Sometimes I'm just a little lazy. Hey, it happens.

I've been working on lots of little projects in the absence of the computer. I've made several more preemie hats and a couple of can coozies. I'm finishing up a purse for a friend, too, and last night I started mile-a-minute afghan, which I may continue or I may rip back on. I have a couple of gift projects planned that need to be finished by the end of the month, but they are small so it should be no problem.

There is plenty going on under the surface here at Chez Busy, but I don't know if I'll be able to show pics for a while or not. I'll do my best to whip that possessed camera into submission, so we'll just see how it goes.

Uuuggghhhhh.......

It's another day off from work due to car trouble. I'm stuck at home, losing out on good money. I hate that. And to top it off, I've caught a chest cold from the Munchkins and feel just plain awful. Breathing takes effort, and that's not cool at all.

There's not much going on around here except a lot of coughing, whining, and being tired while waiting on the car to get fixed. Exciting, huh?

(Maybe tomorrow I'll have something good to post about.)

DPN Practice

(Something about that title just sounded funny to me. OH! We're off to DPN practice! Anyway.)

Lolly posted today about Someday Projects, which got me to thinking all over again about how I want to be able to knit socks for Socktoberfest 2007. (Let's not talk about 2006's unfinished crochet socks. I still need more yarn, people!) I've practiced knitting a little on the DPN's, but it's been a while and I really should pick them up again.

Right now I'm obsessed with making the little preemie hats. I can't seem to put them down. I think I've made at least one a day for the past week now, and I've almost filled a gallon-size zipper baggie. Yay, me! But I need some variation, something to mix it up a little before I get bored. So, I want to knit some preemie hats. This will serve double-duty: I'll be practicing on the DPN's, and making more hats. Perfect. Now I just need to find a pattern. Anyone have any suggestions?

A Little Down Time

I'm smackdab in the middle of a much-needed three day break from work, and I couldn't be happier about it. Last night was our "company" Christmas party, which was a great way to kick off my mini-vacation. Where I work, we all work very hard, but we know how to party when it's time. I'm not posting pics, because "What happens at the Christmas party, stays at the Christmas party!" (Te hee hee!) It was a good time.

Today and tomorrow I'm just hanging out with the Munchkins, cleaning the house a little, and trying to squeeze in some crocheting. So far, I think I'm doing pretty well on my list. I hope that's an indicator that the rest of the year will be just as good!

An Add-On

I've thought of another resolution to add to my 2007 list: Crochet and knit more for charity. I know what you're thinking. What did she make for charity in 2006? Well, I have photographic evidence that I did spend a small amount of time making charity items.

These are some of the hats I made over the last several months of the year, with the intent of sending them to a preemie unit at Memorial Hospital of Carbondale. I'm not sure if that is where the hats will actually end up, but they most definitely won't fit anyone but preemie babies. Some of the hats are so small! Unfortunately, I'm sure there are babies out there who are the perfect size for those tiny little hats.

The pattern comes from somewhere on the God's Tiny Angels site via a link from Sue at Good Yarns. They are so quick and easy, and can be varied in several different ways to make them each unique. A perfect little to project to work on in between other projects for a break. I've already made a few more since the start of the New Year, in different yarn.

I also plan to donate items to a few larger movements, such as the Red Scarf Project or the Dulaan Project. I'm just not sure which ones or when, but it will definitely happen this year. It makes me feel so good to create for others, so why not spread that love all over the country, or even the world?

Everything is Coming Up Roses

2007 is off to a wonderful start. I spent all of New Years Day with the Munchkins, and then Boyfriend suprised me with these yesterday:

He sent them to work, but I got off early yesterday, so one of my friends brought them by when she got off work. They are soooo pretty, and they make me smile every time I walk by them. :)

My creativity has come back full force in the last couple of days. (I always lose enthusiam directly after Christmas. I need a break after all of the gift-knitting.) I've made a couple of coozies (is that how you spell that?) and I have an idea floating around in my head that I plan to translate to yarn very, very soon. I have several projects lined up, some with gift-y deadlines, so I better get my butt in gear.

I also have a long, warm bubble bath planned for, well, right now. I'm off to soak in some bubbly goodness!

Help!

OK, someone help me, please. Ever since I switched to the new beta version of Blogger, I've been trying to figure out how to put the buttons back in my sidebar. I just can't figure it out. Isn't this new template thingie supposed to be easier? Help!!!!!


*Edited* I really want to start the year off with my blog looking pretty and fresh. I can't get buttons to show in my link list, just the name. How do I switch from the name to the button? I just think the buttons look so much nicer over there, they dress up the whole blog somehow.