Listed yet another bag on my etsy shop! -- Stride sweet peppermint gum. My friend must have thought I was nuts while I eyed this wrapper that was once in her possession. It was as if she was holding GOLD! hahaha! You know that coined phrase - I see dead people? well, ... I see bags, people!!! That's me. Eternal bag lady. Spying out those wrappers. Saving the landfill (for the time being) by scoffing up these little gems!

City of Bones

Just finished reading the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. There is a part of the storyline that is near the end of the first book that has the potential to turn off the readers, my high school-aged son refers to that part as being "redneck." However it is presented in a manner that plants a tiny seed of doubt and therefore encourages further exploration to disprove the concept!

Each book in the series feeds off the one before and I had a difficult time putting down the last book about midway through. Three books have been released to date with the promise of more to come, even a prequel is scheduled.

Now I have read J.R. Ward's series - black dagger brotherhood - and this is NOT spicy as such, City of Bones can be found in the YOUNG ADULT section of the library! It is a definite STEP UP from the TWILIGHT series in the romantic department. In the fantasy aspect, it is similar to the Harry Potter series - but I found it to be even a bit more entertaining with lovely tidbits of sarcastic humor weaved into the story.

If you have had serious overload with this newfound embracing of the whole vampire world and think that you could not possibly stomach even ONE more book on them- well, let me just say -- this book is about a whole different kind of "animal"... Sure there is a vampire in the mix, but the storyline is not centered upon that "theme". However, if the Harry Potter magic thing wigged you a teensy bit, then take heed and be forewarned that this goes beyond that fluffy good natured: ACCIO WAND and full-out into pentagrams, runes, and tarot cards. (to be read in the tone of "lions, and tigers, and bears...oh my! hee hee.) In addition to all of that, there are even biblical quotes weaved within the storyline and as a matter of fact, the main characters do converse about a belief in God.

FYI: I did borrow the audio book from my library and I was disappointed. I couldn't even get through the first chapter! If you are a reading knitter than I suggest the hardcovers - they are much more compliant to stay propped open! As a matter of fact, I was able to crank out a plain vanilla sock during my reading of this series --now that is multi-tasking, right?

These bags are really fun to make! Got two more listed at my etsy shop!

A moment of BLISS -SOLD- thank you

Air Heads! Batman edition!-SOLD- thanks!

Now I when I go shopping, I am perusing the candy aisle for exciting bags! Yep, it has become quite addictive. In addition to the sewing, I have set a personal goal of knitting a pair of socks to mark each dance competition that my girl attends! Thanks to the knitmore girls for posting their vanilla sock pattern. I have been using that faithfully, however for the next pair I am contemplating a 64 st cast. Guess I will have to do some digging to find out how to turn the heel on that.

This yarn is from the TWILIGHT kit that woolgirl sold. It is vampire kiss colorway. Paca Peds. I dont care for the pooling around the gusset, but I dont know of anyway to avoid that from happening! My dancer snatched these up! I cant help but wonder if she did so because she wanted to be sure that I wouldnt WEAR them out in public! One never knows these days, teenagers! I am hoping to be proved wrong on this theory!

Hey Dig that BAG!

Pepsi Max...

Cracker Jack!- sold-

Cheetos!- gifted -

Hall of fame!

I love making these bags! They are so much fun to create! I have about 13 more waiting to be listed on my etsy shop! But, I think I shall post a bag a day! My goal is make 100 bags! Yes, I know, I am wacky! But it keeps me busy! Now I just have to decide which bag to post for today... dunkin donuts, almond joy, bliss, doritos.... hmmm..... so hard to decide!

Aside from the sewing, I have also been knitting:

These are plain vanilla socks from the Knitmore girls pattern. I used a berroco sock yarn that is a bit on the scratchy side..... but once on my tootsies - they will feel fine?!

I intend to knit up a pair for each dance competition that my daughter is in this year!

Toasty Alpacas...

Whipped up a pair of TOASTY mitts... in ultra alpaca - maybe I should type - Ultra Itchpaca? heeeee... Hopefully My sister doesnt agree(1) with that! They are for her! I shall wait and see. They worked up real super fast! A day or two of on-off knitting shall do it!

Now I have nothing on those needles again. I think i enjoy the HuNt for the next project almost as much as I enjoy the knitting/finishing! It's the CASTING-ON department that is not particularly fun for me! I start to think about how long it will take, and if I am doing the gauge... I think that I am "wasting" time -- when I could be knitting on the project..etc.. I am desperate to just get going with the darn project!

--Need to browse thru my faves on rav and see what I will tackle next!

If only my Woolgirl kit from DECEMBER! would arrive! Perhaps that will scratch the itch I have going on right about now? Who knows!

At a standstill...

Nothing on the needles. Grrr.... This is highly unusual for me. Finished off the midge mittens with a modified texty thumb just before the ball dropped on New Years! Then I did try to whip up a "halvsie" sock - toe up version on Kollage DPNS... but the yarn jumped off the needle after a second repeat of the twisted rib... and I was too mega frustrated to bother with it! Frogged it!

I have to get back into the habit.

In the meantime, my ears have been getting a treat with the audio book I borrowed from the library. THE HELP, by Stockett. (Cant remember the first name of author). A pretty good book throughout, however the ending was a tad lackluster.

Bags have not been in production lately. I will eventually get back to that, but for now there are a handful still listed at my etsy shop.

Time to get combing through the patterns and find something to knit! I even have a gift certificate for a lys and it is BEGGING to be used!! I just have to assign it to something real great! hmmm... what shall it be?

More BAGS!
Got some more done last night. Fun!!! I love creating these! There is one in particular that is a wacky shape -- BUT, perfect for circular knitting needles!!!!! Love it! Let's see... there were Charms blow pops, mr. goodbar, pop rocks, and pecan sandies wrappers that were among the transformed. Eventually I will get to some pictures and listing on my shop:
http://heydigthatbag.etsy.com/

on the needles...
The birch mitt is coming along s-l-o-w-l-y. It may be difficult to muster up enough motivation for the left mitt!! At least the fact that they are FINGERLESS is on my side!

Birch Mitts
Lovely kit from woolgirl.com - sock club 09. This kit was the best one yet! I am currently knitting the right mitt. It's interesting, as the pattern calls for a ribbed palm? Uh, unless I READ it uncorrectly - which is ALWAYS a possibility for me! But the yarn is gorgeous from Pigeonroof studios. It's a fingering weight with 435 yds per skein and the best part: Superwash merino. Super fabulous. The bag is gorgeous from The Silver Pumpkin http://www.thesilverpumpkin.etsy.com/ One can NEVER have too many bags!!

Speaking of which, I took some time last night to get six more bags sewn up for my etsy shop: http://heydigthatbag.etsy.com/ - I will be listing them at some point soon. There are a couple New Moon bags in the mix.

Now listed --

(SOLD- thank you)

(SOLD- thank you)

Still available:

I almost didn't list the Jolly Rancher Lollipops because of my own selfishness!!! hahah! I am really liking that one! But - then again - I tend to think that about way too many of these bags! That's why I make them! It's FUN!!

uNbeknownst to me...

That the day after my last post, my family dynamics would drastically change. I know that I tend to use this blog as a KNIT or CrOCheT account; however I kind of NEeD to talk about the "elephant" in the room.

So... Please excuse this interuption of the yarny kind to update on what has become of my tribe. WE are nO longer a family of siX. We had to make an impromptu and most difficult decision to disrupt one of our long term foster placements after SEVEN years. It was an abrupt move on our part, but oddly enough it was also long overdue! Does that even make sense? Actually, does anything make sense anymore? Who knows! Eventually everything will fall into place and we will begin to see more clearly as to why this all had to occur? Until then, I guess I will pour myself into my distractions - aka knitting - crochet - sewing.

Got another Wallaby off the needles. This one is made with the clearance wool from Yarn Basket, Branford- CT. I believe it only cost a mere $6. or so? Yep! GReAT! The color happens to be my girl's fave!! Orange in nature, like the TaNG drink. YuM! heeee! She wore it immediately after I weaved in the last dangling piece of thread. Yeah!!

Now I have NOTHING, yes I did type NOTHING, on the needles or hooks! Yikes! there are plenty of woolgirl kits to dive into! AS a matter of fact, I did finish up the Hello Kitty yarn by stitching it up into the Very Plain Vanilla Socks. Let me be the first to tell you, that those socks are anything BUT very PlaIN! right? yikes! quite honestly, nothing about them screams hello kitty to me? NOTHING! Go figure.

I have been contemplating startin up a podcast again. But my confidence level has taken a toll. Not overly sure why? It's odd. Plus I have the equivalent of writer's block but in the podcasty sense. As much as I LOVE listening to others, not so sure that I have enough to say anymore! Plus they seemed to have brought some kind of jinx along with them...haha! I would start up as a way to combat my alone time.... and then for some reason or other... I would lack in my solitude by either layoffs of the darling hubby or suspension of a tribe member, or whatever! It was a wierdness. Yes.

The running habit is no longer a habit of mine. Sad to say. I was walking and now I am not even doing that. I need to get back into a more healthful mindset. As I know that I can do the HOUR LONG RUN... or at least at one point of my life, I could. HOwever I dont know if I want to revisit that particular quest again. The one hour was a little much for me. I didn't like how emmanciated (?is that even the right spelling/word?)that I started to appear. For someone who was trying to be more healthy, I gave off the appearance of someone malnourished. I needed more balance? Who knows! Too much information, right? I believe so. All I know is when I go from my mother "MOOOOOin" at my size, to her calling me "Annie"-short for anorexia... then I knew i had a problem. Or wait, perhaps she had the problem? Who knows. For what it's worth, I am going to have to seek once more that ~land of balance~ between proper nutrition and healthful exercise. Perhaps one day I will find what works best for me. Afterall, I am a work in progress.

Ok--- Remember my last post? I was TRYING to convince myself of something.... a mantra that I was proclaiming... It's not itchy... well, I confess:
It IS itchy!!!!!! Hahah! Drat! Turtle necky goodness will have to be revisited BEFORE attempting to wear the Lacy Baktus! Grrrr... Live and learn. But it sure is pretty! ahahaah!
---
Converted my youngest back into the knitting scene. She is knitting up a scarf with Lamb's Pride -BULKY-. We both went to Stitches East - and I guess the wool fumes got to her. She picked a zauberball in purples and orange and had every intention of knitting that baby into a luscious scarf. But that idea became quite a flop when we took out the number 3 needles! Yep, time out for that - and on to the bigger needles for now - double digit needle size, please. I didnt want to burst her bubble right off the bat, plus I did fancy that colorway of the zauberball, so I knew it wouldn't really go to waste!
---

Abandoned blog??
Hey, yeah- that what it seems like, right? Where did that Crochetlocket person go? Hmmm... well, I have been around. Just been distracted! Knitstracted? hahah! Maybe. I finished up a Lacy Baktus - made with the zauberball that I purchased from Madison Wool. This was a great way to use up (almost) the entire ball! Evidently the key must be to purchase a Kitchen, ehem YARN, scale BEFORE beginning the project! Not like I did, which was to buy the scale in a last minute scramble as I neared what I thought would be considered the half-way point of my yarn. Knit, knit, knit - til 50 grams then start up on the decreasing goodness. well, I was left with a little spot of yarn to treasure? toss? or use for instant stitch markers, etc. At any rate, now I am trying my best to convince myself that it is NOT itchy. . NOt ITCHY... how am I doing?
Yep-

Starting up again in bloggy land...

Where has the time gone? I got real lazy in the blog department! Geesh!

Been knitting- and sewing!!

Love the sewing lately! got myself an etsy shop: http://heydigthatbag.etsy.com check it out!!!

Handhuggers modified

IMAG0036.jpg
Originally uploaded by Crochetlocket

These are "taken in' by omitting four stitches. Reclaimed yarn! (lousy cell phone pic!)

Crochet bun covers....

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Originally uploaded by Crochetlocket

Bucket of Valentine-ish inspired bun covers! Just a few are knitted.
A couple have sequins glued onto them. Pinks, Reds, and White.....

Time to Knit the Donuts!

Yes you read correctly I wrote, KNIT and DONUTS. Uh huh. That's what I did. Now I think I might have a knitting problem? What do you think? Hmmm... Why on earth does anyone (such as myself) need a knitted donut? If I had a little one to play with them... yes, definitely Knit them.. Knit a whole Army of them! But then... wait.. I got a brainstorm... what if they could be used for dancers? Uh, no... NOT some sick taunt.. hahah you can't eat a donut or you wont fit in your costume.... NO! NOt that ... BUT some dancers use what is called a donut ring... to bun up the hair! hmmm... So, yeah, now I have a REASON for knitting these crazy donuts! yep! Problem solved! ahahah! But mine are stuffed with some dump-cloggin grocery bags! Yes, i am sorta kinda being GREEN? Right?

Speaking of green, lately I have been using my reuseable bags at the grocery store! So, my house is not really sporting those plastic bags from the grocery store... rather they are from WALMART and such. Now if I could have the nerve to pop one of those bags into my already-jam-packed-purse.... I would be golden on my impulse shopping sprees! But then what I would i use to stuff my donuts? hmmm..

Since I am on the topic of greennneee.... I have been trying to utilize the whole baking soda and vinegar funarama in my clean festivities around my homestead. Let me tell you, I am still NOT fond of the aroma! Not really diggin that! Plus it just doesnt clean as well as my heavy duty bleachy bleach! But I haven't given up on it yet! I shall persevere! I will continue with this little green thang for a bit longer. Although I MUST confess - today I broke down and did have to resort to using a tad bit of the bleach (gasp) on the tough spots! I couldn't help it, I am a creature of habit. I feel so much better after confessing! I repent... Now I can move on... hee hee.

Any howzers! hope you are having a spectacular day/night whatever!

thanks for reading!

**** wait, I forgot! More knitting.... geesh... silly me. I almost forgot to tell you that I knit up a pair of hand huggers(?) I think that is what they were called. The infamous blue reclaimed yarn has yet another new repurpose in this lifetime! A nice pair of cabled fingerless mitts! I had to take down the pattern by eliminating 4sts. But that was quite easy to do! All in all i knit three, frogged one.. and woo-lah a pair for my dd to sport to school. A matchin set... hat, scarf, mitts... so far! All from one reclaimed - repurposed - yarn sweater! Yeah! Pictures will have to be at a later date, as those loverly mitts are at school with the child! Whoa! Child is WEARING the items and they are NOT on said child's bedroom floor! Now -that- is an accomplishment, right there!

FABRIC SOFTENER SHEET idea- a flop!
Had to be sure to post this, as I was so adamant about expressing my newfound love for the fabric softener sheet which was too eliminate the flyaway static on my lovely locks. Well... after taking out GREEN GOES WITH EVERYTHING by sloan barnett from the local library... I have reconsidered my decision. I dont know if it is purely coincidence... because many tribe members in my household have colds/congestion these days... but I was dealing with some major congestion.. and the information in the book states that these chemical laden sheets can cause such irritations, etc. Yep.. whatever the case, I am not going to be taking that chance anymore. So, look for me on the streets... I wont be hard to find, the one with the flyaway hair- BUT unstuffed nasal passages! ahahhaha!!!
I have begun the venture into this green-ness.... but not totally committed at this point. Just testing the waters. Trying to make a small difference. I am a BLEACH fanatic. Love to clean with it, and apparently that is not overall safe for the environment either. Just bought myself a handy dandy bottle of vinegar... and have begun to sample clean with it! My hubby automatically reported that it smelled like stinky feet! I was trying to sell my youngest tribe member by attributing the smell to Easter eggs? no luck! I dont know if I can sell the members of the household on this? But I shall give it a whirl. Roll with it for a while and see what unfolds.
Still haven't found another knitting project to dive into. I did try my hands at porphyria? Something like that. But now I am reconsidering knitting or attempting to knit anything that I can NOT actually pronounce? That might be a good idea? Who knows! All I know if that I must knit too tight because i could not finagle that knit into 3tog and then yo and do it again before removing from needle .. Yeah, right! Not happening! No such luck! So... I frogged it! Plus it was painstakingly hard to get involved in a fingering weight -sized 1 or 2 needle- project AFTER working on two speedy quick bulky weight -size 11 needle- project!!!!!!!! Gosh! I sunk myself. Sowed my own poison!

...Interrupt this lull in bloggin to bring you:
a random sample of what has been keepin me busy...

aside from having the honor of touring special education schools in the hopes of finding just the right match for my middle d...(definitely NOT as easy as it sounds, but doable), plurking about random thoughts / actions (which makes this bloggin SEEM redundant and leaves me with this strange inkling that I am inadvertently repeating myself !- hence the hush hush of this here blogging arena)

uh, yeah,... anyhow...

take that and mix it up with the daily demands of raising the tribe - and tackling those intermittent- fantastic snow days/delay and the transportation issues that arise from such--- plus the "running habit" that I have been TRYING my darndest to get reorientated with and regimented about - again -... yep-- running toward the same darn spot on my wall for over a year now! wooo ! hee heee... Hey dont let my lack of enthusiasm fool you! I joke, but please know that I am grateful to be in good health to run - and - to have my very own treadmill!! - I should NeVER take that for granted.


I have been tracking over at http://www.dailymile.com/ feel free to join me... it's not as laborious as http://www.sparkpeople.com/ therefore, if you are more interested in the exercise regime and NOT necessarily the diet aspect of the whole deal, then I say to venture on over to the daily mile for a while. Give it a whirl! What do you have to lose? See if it is something that will give you a NEW outlook toward your running agenda. Hey, anything to keep it new/fresh! That works for me!

Speaking of NEw/Fresh... that WAVE i mentioned briefly is a heck of a lot of fun, but requires such a tremendous amount of skill and coordination.. it will take quite some time before i am able to master that contraption. But I sure am having a lot of FUN trying! It's like a toy you find at a playground! NO lie!

Ahem, er, yes... knitting.... knitting... what have i been knittting? I was combing through the patterns... and as I was looking, I was SHREDDING up a sweater or two. I am gettin much better at this acquired skill. The whole zip the crochet chain was a big mystery to me... and now it seems to make more sense. After a few mishaps, it seems to be settling better in the brain!
I even took the liberty of actually KNITTING SOMETHING with that yarn.... yep, that reclaimed yarn. REcycled yarn.
A loverrrrly cabled hat: http://web.archive.org/web/20080131214353/http://stitchcafe.com/freepatterns.html

And a very EASY SMEASY scarf:

BULKY YARN... size 11 needles...

co 16--
1st row: (rs) p3 --k4/p2/k4- p3
2nd row: k3 -- purl 4/k2/p4 -- k3
3rd row: rep the last 2 rows once more....

5th row: p3--c4f- p2- c4b--p3
6th row: k3--p4-k2-p4--k3

repeat until the length = the height of recipient!

Naked Knitter - well sorta! -
It's snowing in my neck of the woods. This was NOT a sneak attack, this was a planned-for event. We all knew it was coming around. The little weather bug thing that warns us of upcoming precipation kept me in the know! But here's the strange part... yes, I am getting to the sorta kinda naked knitter part. Why - yes, why --- why then do I head to the grocery store in the brunt of this brutal winter attack and then realize as I am loading up all my commodities- that I have NOT one stitched item adorning my frigid body? NO friggen hat! Ok, so I dont really wear hats cuz I dont want to ruin my hair. Dumb, I know. But I grew up in the 80's with the ol' big hair scene and maybe it stems back to that. Of course, no my hair is not big now but it does suffer greatly from static electricity at times... (although I have recently been given some very handy info in re: to this dilemna... carry around FABRIC SOFTENER SHEETS to rub on your hair! Heeeeee.. NOT LYING - hmmm.. maybe I should sew one to the palms of the MITTENS or fingerless gloves?) Hmmmm... yes, back to this naked Knitter stuff.. since i mentioned MITTENS, or fingerless gloves.. NOT EVEN any of those were on my hands! What is the deal with that? PLUS come to think of it... I dont even OWN a scarf? AND I have made hand knit socks... woooool in fact... BUT I was wearing my older UGGS without SOCKS... cuz that's what I do. Now I tell you, in all honesty. This is NOT RIGHT! Do NOT follow my example. I have probably broken some unsaid rule/law in regards to this shameful act of not even wearing at least one piece of knitting/crochet during the wintery bliss! I repent! Perhaps I should go make myself a scarf... cast on the second sock of the Koigu pair.. AND consider buying those little mitten clips for children - so I have absolutely NO excuse NOT to be preparred for the next outing! hmmm...

One Sock on Two Circs..
two socks on one circ... sounds like the beginning of a Dr. Seuss Book. Why NOT, right? There is a Foot book.. But I am not sure that is an actual Dr. Seuss book? Hmm... But I do know that back in the day, when you signed up for the Dr. Seuss Book club deal thing... that the Foot Book was one of those books that were shipped to your door. Hmmm.. That was many moons ago - when my oldest was little and embarking upon story time. Enough of that intro. What's the deal? Where am I going with this? Well, finished up the Koigu one sock on two circulars....
what an incredibly BUSY looking sock! Whoa! I bought it cuz the colors stood out! But after balling it up, I was really questioning my decision. It's such a mass of color.. with no real rhyme or reason? Fortunately they shall be "hidden" within the depths of my outer footwear! There was NO option for a fingerless mitt with this colorway. Whoa!

I have been contemplating the TWO SOCKS on ONE. I have the book somewhere in this house? But I think I recall reading somewhere that there was an erratta for the book? Not quite sure? Maybe I dreamed it? Who knows, I guess I will have to investigate that further. For now, it's just a thought.


The Wonderful Wallaby-- my second venture into this pattern -- is done as well! Woo hOOO!!! SIZE FOUR - and I went with the rounded hood modifications. Plus I also joined the pocket with the kfb modifications. Turned out great, BUT not sure how it fits. Haven't handed it over yet.


Keep your needles crossed that it fits the recipient!!!
Hmm... time to comb through more patterns, ball up the other Koigu and cast-on that second sock!

Same dye lot... different town!
Yes! I am soo excited. Finished the lil' wallaby. That's number two for me! Got lucky and scored the same dye lot in a different town. Only two skeins of the yarn were in the store and ONE was my lucky number! wooo hooo!!! HOPEFULLY-- this will fit! That would be grand!

Now I have my sites on socks. Got to get a pattern that suits me... something that sparks my interest. Something that can distract me from the chaoticness of this homestead. Have I mentioned that a child with special needs can be rather distracting? Yes, I think I have. Oh well.. Such is life as a foster mom!

Joined Woolgirl's Sock Club... and I am most enthused about this! Can't wait, cant wait!!! Too exciting!!! Also ordered up a few sock yarns from her site... Waiting for them to arrive as well! Got to get my STASH up to par with the rest of the "jones'" right? heeeeeeee! Seriously, it is lacking. But I wont go too crazy in that department and my limited finances will help me to keep it under control.

This is a monumental year for me... a big *-0 age is coming around the bend...... and I want to make some spectacular resolutions. Haven't had too much alone time to sit and ponder. When the tribe goes back to their respective schools, then perhaps I will have a moment or two. We shall see.

One thing I do NOT want to forget is my youngest... on New Years eve... she was cleaning because I mentioned if the house is messy on the eve of the New Year.. it will be messy ALL YEAR.. So... as she hops to work and is cleaning up the kitchen... She blurts out... that this will be her New Year's REVOLUTION!!!!!!!! ahahhaha!!!!

on that note... I shall close this entry.
PEACE!