Riding Pinks

This is the bag I made for Hawaii. I know it isn't very tropical but I wanted to make a bag that I could use all year round.

I made it without a pattern. I took apart a gift bag for rough dimensions. Adding the zippered pocket to the middle was a bit tricky as was inserting the cardboard bottom. I am very, very pleased with this. It is gigantic. It can hold books, knitting, wallets (a purse even) kids stuff, a spare pair of flip flops and a swimming suit!

I made a little place to clip on my keys. Bought the handles at Joann's.

My only disappointment is the red tabs that attach the handles. There were just too many layers of (10-14) of drapery fabric and even Violet couldn't handle that very well.

Seraphim Shawl

The Seraphim shawl. I finished this last month. I needed something to keep warm. You know those days when the evenings are cold but a sweatshirt is too warm? I forced my perfectionist tendencies aside for this one, I was not going to frog any of it so if I made a mistake I just had to try to fix it without frogging or deal with it. It looks pretty good and only knitters could notice the imperfections.

Happy Biarrrrrrthday!

I like making fun birthday cakes. Usually I have an order about 6 months before the birthday and that is all I hear about until the birthday. Osito has his next 2 cakes ordered already. This year Roo said he wanted a plain chocolate cake with chocolate icing. A little dissapointing, but he is growing up so that is what I planned. Well 6 days before his birthday he decides he wants a Pirates of the Carribean cake. First, I already made him a pirate cake for his 5th birthday. Second, I have no idea how to make a (cheap) PoC cake. Third, the 3rd PoC installment was just as bad if not worse than the second, I did not want to pay tribute to that. Then family fun saved me for the second year in a row. With instructions for making a pirate ship. I added black tattered sails, a Princess Leia figurehead, a white sand beach, and one rock/crab. I found a rejected imitation Lego sailor and turned him into Captain Jack Sparrow. Voila! It was a hit.

Below is a picture of last years 8 bit Mario cake. Again Family Fun saved my bacon with the inspiration of Jelly Beans for making designs on a cake.

Mossy Green Stash

I frogged a sweater I found at Goodwill. Not sure what this will be but since it is my favorite color, probably a cute cardigan. The sweater was enormous so there should be enough. Cost $6. Goodwill is SO overpriced!

Coolest scripture case ever invented progress report

I have been planning on getting new scriptures for quite a while. Part of new scriptures was designing "the coolest scripture case ever invented." I received new scriptures for Christmas, and since then I have been rejecting ideas right and left. Last week I saw a post on Craftster that delivered the answer to my dilemma "Plastic canvas!"
And so construction began. Technically this will be a tote not a case, but I had decided about a month ago that I would make an embroidered, zippered book cover for the scriptures and a tote of the carrying thereof. I hope to be able to show it off at church next Sunday. Take that Kiera and your clever and perfectly sized basket/tote.

Cute leotard on the cheap

I can't find an affordable leotard for my little prima ballerina. So I snagged this remnant of raspberry knit for a buck and borrowed this pattern that is the general idea. Last night I pulled out my handy pattern making book and altered the pattern to be tight like a leotard. Worked pretty well. Forgot to adjust the sleeve pattern to be puffy so I have to draft that and re-cut it. Also when fitting I cut the leg holes right where I wanted them and forgot to allow for casing - woops. We will see how it turns out. I think I will call it Raspberry Plié

Favorite ski sweater transformation

I bought this fabulous 60's ski sweater from Tree on the Roof back before thrifting was cool. It shrunk a few years later. I have kept it for years because I loved it so. Finally I cut it up and made a cool scripture tote to give to Roo at his baptism. I still have a lot of sweater left, I see more projects in its future.