Commissioned and feeling sea-sick....

What's on the agenda for today, you're wondering? This extra cute, extra-extra soft little set for a 3 month old, on the verge of 4 month old girl-baby that I do not know...


I had the good fortune of being approached at the Mom to Mom sale on Saturday by a mom looking for a cute little winter set for her new baby girl... and being the nice lady I am, I gladly accepted the commission... originally it was just for the hat, but after a few e-mails, the nice mom also asked if I would be so kind as to whip up a scarf to match.... of course, I would LOVE to! I feel very honoured and humbled that someone thinks that my handiwork is nice enough to adorn their precious little babe :D

And as for me, sea-sick.... that's how I describe the upset tummy feeling that I'm experiencing right now.... don't jump to any conclusions, the baby ship has sailed for me and my honey... this is totally self-inflicted... one word... marshmallow fluff... okay, I know that's two words but you get the point. Bleck! My beautiful skinny-mini boy LOVES marshmallows, and being the ever-doting mommy that I am, I told him I would try to make him some homemade marshmallows.... what was I thinking?! Seriously, do I need all of that extra work? Yes. Yes, I do. I have this need to make all of my children's' dreams a reality. And if one of those dreams is to have mommy-made marshmallows, then wish granted. And seriously, they were as easy as pie, okay, maybe not pie, because lets face it, makin' pie is not easy either... aaaanyway... that marshmallow fluff was so ooey-gooey-good, yum-yum :P that I don't even mind the sea-sick feeling... I hope they turn out... will let you know tomorrow, apparently they take 12 hours to set... fingers crossed...

Have a great evening ;)

There is a story....

My wonderful Gramma-in-law, and I am serious, she is wonderful... is a crocheter... WHAT!! I know, SURPRISE, an old lady that crochets?!

Aaaaanyway, she is a sweet lady who thinks of me often when she is doing her craft, and I do not mean that in a conceited sort of way at all, what I mean is that she knows I enjoy the craft just as much as she does.... I guess we are "kindred-spirits" when it comes to the yarny stuff....

Again, aaaaanway.... she bought this yarn intending on making herself a sweater... she started it, then as all yarn-crafters do, took a look at what she had purchased and took a look at what she had begun and said, "What the !?*$!.... who buys scratchy, red acrylic yarn?!" .... Okay, okay, so she didn't swear.... in fact she didn't even say that AT ALL (that's something I would say); for one, she's just too proper for that kind of expletive typing language; and second, I just think she's to the point in her life where she just wants to live-it-up in her new retirement community and shed the stereotypical knitting-granny persona... and I say, "Live it up G! Shake your 83 year young groove thang!"

This is the story of how I came to inherit the scratchy, red acrylic yarn... and being the nice granddaughter-in-law that I am... I accept the gift, like the many other crafty-type gifts before it... I smile and vehemently thank her for thinking of me and insist that I will find a use for it...

And so, keeping to my word, this is what I've come up with....


Red pot scrubbers. Ummmm. It'll work. I've got LOTS of said yarn left... if anyone is in need of red pot scrubbers, please, let me know, I'd be more than happy to hook you up... HA! Hook you up! Get it? I crochet.... yeah.

Have a good one all ;)

In training....

I'm starting a walking diary today.... an in-training manual, I guess.... I have just less than a year to get ready for the Weekend Walk to End Women's Cancers.... Seems like a lot of time, but in reality, it's not.... 60km is a very, VERY LOOOOOONG distance to hike. I know I can do it.... mentally I am pumped, proud, and ready.... physically, you ask? I think I'm gonna need a little help ;) Maybe a walking buddy every now and then, people to help keep me on track and motivated.... anyone willing to be my cheering section, my pat-you-on-the-back friend who's gonna say it's ok that I only walked 2km today instead of 10???

Seriously, just a phone call, text message or e-mail every now and again to remind me that even though my journey is gonna be tough, it's nothing compared to the road that the people I'm walking for have to travel, and that in the end, my small role in this 2-day event is going to help not just Becky, but so many other women, including myself.

I'm ready.... me and my little lady have our walking shoes on and after we say good-bye to the big boys this morning, we'll be hiking, and plodding and trodding through the streets of our pretty little town.... It's raining now, but that can't stop us.... we're determined....

Hope you have a day filled with sun-shiney day-dreams ;)

Up in the shop....

Just listed these four extra cool, extra warm skull and crossbones toques for boys in the shop... check it out!!!

It's weird... I get this really uneasy-queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach whenever I list something in the shop... hopefully that will go away when I actually make a sale...

Will be listing some other things tomorrow as well... check back!

Have a nice and dreamy sleep ;)

Closing day....

Last day of Kids Clothes Week Challenge... and lets just say, it has been a challenge for me... I'm hoping today to get to some kinda sewing project... hope-hope-hoping!

Yesterday's Mom to Mom went well... I managed to get rid of a great deal of stuff that was cluttering up mine and my girlfriend's house; unfortunately, I didn't fare so well in the hat department... sniff, sniff. I had so many people say they loved the hats and really wanted to buy, but didn't have enough money... I sold 3. I am quite happy with that number... and really, I can just stock my Etsy shop, and that makes me happy, see :D, that's me smiling ;)

I've taken the pictures, and will have them up in the Esty shop sometime today... please feel free to pop by the shop later to see the great colour range I am offering.

I'm hoping to pick some pumpkins today, no-no, not just me, of course the family too.... Halloween, it's just the best holiday EVER!!! Hope everyone has a warm and snuggly, pumpkin-pickin' day ;)

In need of a good mechanic....

So the wheels fell off the cart... I really, really tried to keep up with the KCWC... unfortunately, bad timing prevailed and my Mom to Mom sale took over... and I needed to devote a great majority of my time to getting my inventory done for the sale... in my defense, my inventory is for children and it is of a clothing nature... does that count toward Kids Clothes Week???

Aaaaanyway.... I still have Sunday to try and whip up some actual articles of clothing.... but please, please, don't hold your breath.

Wish me luck that my cool little skull and crossbone-y guys will be a huge hit tomorrow... feeling a little nervous that people will pass them by... keeping my fingers crossed regardless.

Have a great weekend all ;)

Mommy-wear to Baby-wear...

Take one shirt that you no longer wear, but can't get rid of because it is just so-so soft...


Cut it apart very methodically... without a real plan in place of course... first it was going to be a cute pair of leggings... then it was going to be a nice twirly skirt... but in the end, this is what I came away with...


An almost complete replica of what I started with... the exception being lettuced edges... And in this picture, one arm looks longer than the other, but truly it isn't, it's just the way I laid it on the table :)

Phew! Day three of KCWC has been a productive one... this is going up in the Elsie Marley Flickr Group...

Have a great evening all... back to work for me ;)

Time Warp.... Day 3....

So, as with all busy families... life decided to take over for day 2 of the kids clothes week challenge... I did get to finish off a few more hats late last night for the Mom to Mom sale... and that's about it... I do plan on getting to something other than crocheting this week... but... that still remains to be seen...

I'm hoping to post something a little more exciting and in the realm of kids clothes later today... stay tuned...

Have a cozy, stay-out-of-the-rain kinda day ;)

Kids Clothes Week Challenge... Day One...

Day One... Kids Clothes Week Challenge hosted by Elsie Marley... I worked for about an hour today, finishing off a crocheted hat for a Mom to Mom sale I'm in this Saturday... it's about a size 2-4 and made with chunky orange and light brown yarn... and I'd say it would probably be best suited for a girl as my middle guy (one of my hat testers) tried it on and said "It's for a girl, get it off me!"

Hopefully it'll sell... if not, my little Hammy-girl has already staked a claim to it... and here's where I'm in trouble; she seems to be a hat girl, and so every hat I make she wants... and to be honest, I have a really hard time not making her hats because she loves them so... Quite a pickle I tell ya!

Here it is... the hat...


It does look extra cute on my little girl-baby's head... so I won't be that sad if it doesn't sell :)

Have a great Monday evening all ;)

Oh! Apples....

Every year, the second weekend in September, is the Apple Harvest Festival in the little village of St. George.... We picked up my BFF Tasha and her two little men and headed to the festival in our family bus... it always amazes me how excited kids get when they get to travel in the same vehicle with their friends... it's one of those little pleasures that makes my heart smile...

Every year I make a point of taking the monkeys to this event just to get an apple donut, so yummy and cinnamon-y, this time Tasha treated us to this delectable small wonder... I myself did not indulge in one... but did have a nibble of my Hammy's... just a little taste, that's all I needed ;)

So we walked the festival and checked out all that was there, the boys all crammed into the hydro truck bucket and headed for a ride in the sky, hot dogs and pop were had, and cider and apples were bought... then we headed for a cup of tea at Tasha's Mom and Dad's place...

Such a fun morning with friends, the only downfall was that Daddy had to work... and was pretty upset that we didn't bring him home a candy apple... but in our defense, we didn't have one either... I opted for treating the boys to a hot dog lunch (I know, the nutritional value of that lunch was somewhat lacking, but every now and then as a treat it's worth it)...

As I said earlier, I did buy apples... a big bag, and this is what has become of a great number of them...


...apple butter, actually canned properly and not just being thrown in the freezer... and a huge jar of applesauce, I could eat that whole jar in one sitting :O

I'll still take the kids to pick apples in a week or so and we'll make more applesauce to store for winter... I really like the idea of preserving food... it's very satisfying and I feel like I'm doing something good for my family... the only drawback for me, is the lack of storage space for preserves, I don't have a cold cellar and every square inch of our basement has been planned for already...

Anyway, enough, time to go enjoy this beautiful day... have a fantastically sunny Sunday everyone ;)

Buzzzzzz.... busy little bee...

I've been sooo busy... getting ready for an upcoming Mom to Mom sale where I will debut my 3 monkeys inc original skull toques... I know, sounds exciting, but not really... I actually designed the hat about 2 years ago for my two dashingly handsome boys (yes, yes, get on with it... rolling eyes)... and had so many compliments that I decided to take it mainstream (official lingo, you know)... I opened my ETSY shop last year and listed. one. item. (again, I'm cautious in all of my endeavours and so didn't want to overwhelm myself with the influx of people clamouring for my product... snicker, snicker)... my poor little hat, although not my skull design, sat and sat and sat for four whole months with nary a nibble. But I'm ok with that... my heart, at that point, really wasn't in the shop... I gave it only a half-hearted try... This time around, though, I'm hitting it full force. I have more time to devote, more energy to invest and have finally started to believe in my work enough that I think someone may actually be interested in owning a 3 monkeys inc original...

So here's a sneak peak at what's been goin' on 'round here...



Look at all of those colours! Truly, crocheting is my most favouritest! Will get back to you after the 25th (the day of the sale) to dish about how well or not-so-well my little hats faired... But! But! Will for sure be posting next week to show you my Kids Clothes Week projects!

Have a fabulous day ;)

Life changing...

Tonight I made a big decision. I registered for the 2011 Weekend to End Women's Cancers. A 2-day, 60km journey to raise funds for cancer research.

I walk for my friend Becky... her husband, and her children. I am determined to do whatever I can to help the cause... help the fight... and WIN the battle. For Becky... and for all of the countless others who are fighting the same fight.

Lets find a cure... care to join me?

Kids Clothes Week Challenge...

Now that the boys are back at school and it's just me and my little ham at home (when Daddy's working, that is)... I've decided to take the Kids Clothes Week Challenge, September 20 - 26, hosted by Elsie Marley... Check out this fantastic blog... there is so much inspiration spewing from every post... from the great crafty ideas to the beautiful photography, it's everything you want in a great blog...

I'm hoping to use this challenge to get a jump start on my Christmas sewing projects for my three little monkeys... and some crocheted hats for my Etsy shop...

I can't wait to get started... I think I'll need to write up a calendar for the week detailing the projects I'd like to finish... of course, I'll make it realistic... I know sometimes (okay, maybe all of the time) my excitement for projects can get too much, and I think I can accomplish far more than humanly possible, all the while taking care of a family of five... maybe just 3 to 5 sewing projects and aim for 1 crocheted hat a day... sounds doable, right? Fingers (and toes) crossed that I can follow through...

Check back to see if I'm keeping on track... have a fantastic Thursday ;)

Feeling fallish...

Less than a week to go til school starts... we enjoyed a busy, busy summer full of family, fun and perfect weather... and now, back to routine. As much as I love having my children with me all of the time, there are definite signs that it's time for the older boys to get back to school, friends and predictability. Does anyone else feel the same? Am I bad for wanting to get them back at it? Maybe I need to explain myself a little better... lately, around here, there's been a whole heap of "I'm telling", "Mooooommmmm! He's (insert your choice of whatever someone is or isn't doing here)", and "Stop following me" going on... I believe my big guys just need a break from one another... Don't get me wrong, this isn't a constant thing... 99% of the time these guys are the very best of friends and play very well together... it's just been in the past two weeks as our summer activities have been less and less organized... When you hear experts say that children thrive on structure... believe it... these last two weeks have been concrete proof of that for me. The fall routine is exactly what my guys need to quell their boredom.

As for me... driving down country roads seeing all of the green turning to yellow, leaves beginning to fall, and the corn stalks reaching their highest heights is making me feel very, well, fallish... I even feel funny wearing summery colours... and find I'm fighting the urge to pull out the knits, wraps and earthy tones... Not that I find this bothersome... of all the seasons, and I love them all, fall is my very favourite. Halloween is the best "holiday" ever invented; and pumpkin pie is, by far, the tastiest food known to man... what's not to love about fall???

And the best thing for me about fall is the anticipation of celebrating (I should say, going out for dinner for) our anniversary... tomorrow is our 10th anniversary... WOW! Ten years of marriage, three kids, two cats and what seems like a lifetime of wonderful memories... I married my best friend... I think I was in love with the thought of someone like Craig before I even met him (or as he would say, stalked him)... And in the words of George McFly, "You are my density, I mean, my destiny"... Cheesy, I know, but hey, love can be like that ;)

Craig, I love you so much... thanks for taking a chance on the new, doc martin wearing girl in grade 13 homeroom...

Have a great day everyone ;)