Recent Crafing Pics

Mental note....never ask the parents to take pictures of my projects....for this is the result...

Actually its rather cute with the face design! I'm planning to make some more of the bottom wafer cookies in "vanilla" and "strawberry" as well as a bunch of fruit and veggies.

Here is the Granny blanket in its finished glory:


I spent the night organizing the garage - still lots of boxes and papers in it to deal with. I then watched the Olympics some as well as did some laundry and dishes. Not a totally productive night, but a sinus cold is slowing me down some this week!

Two posts in one day...wonders never cease!

Happy President's Day!

Happy President's Day! I just love these public holidays where the kids all have off from school but of course my company does not give us the day off as well. There are all these great holidays here in the US that us office slaves have to...well....slave away during them....Martin Luther King Day, President's Day, Columbus Day, Veteran's Day...if we were a more religious based country, we could have more of those holidays like many European countries have as well - Good Friday, Holy Monday, Ascension, Assumption, Pentecost, All Saint's Day...the way I figure it, I am being cheated of 10 nice days off of work...okay, so if you don't want to take the Religious holidays we could do like the UK and Ireland and have "Bank Holiday Mondays"

 

Ah well...such is life in the Land of the free and the overworked, overstressed overeverything!

 

Crocheting and Knitting continue. I've been busy working on a new play yarn food collection for my youngest niece. I finished up several tarts and cookies this weekend, along with 2 of her requested blueberries. I asked her what she wanted and as if she knew what I hated to make, she smirked at me and goes "Blueberries" Do y'all realize how tiny blueberries are??? So, I suffered through making up two small blueberries and the rest of the blueberries were "made" into a blueberry tart! Hopefully that will work for her! lol

 

Of course I forgot to take pictures of them all...they are still at my parent's house so I will see if my Mom can grab a picture before she gives them to Abby. If not, more are still on the way for her as I need to make her as big of a collection as my other niece has!

 

No progress has been made on the Star Afghan....I am still trying to mentally pep myself up to take on the task of all of those little granny squares and all of those pesky little ends that need to be weaved in!

 

I am feeling the urge to start crocheting with thread again as well. I might try another of my foreign language patterns - I always find those an interesting challenge, especially those in languages I do not speak at all, like Flemish or German! Thankfully a chart is a chart in any language and aside from deciphering exactly what the symbols represent the only challenge is in the special note sections.

 

Have a great week everyone!

Finally Finished!

With the never ending Baby Blanket!  I did not really think that I would ever finish it, and yet let night I weaved in the last of the ends.

 

Overall, the project was really really easy - each motif was fairly simple....the only downside was the number of ends to weave in...which we all know that I despise doing. So of course I kept putting this project into a bag and shoving it in a corner - out of sight, out of mind! Occasionally guilt would get to me and I would start to work on it....only to be easily side tracked so back into the bag in the corner it would go!

 

I love the colors.....if I did it again I would probably make it larger by using more motifs.

 

Pictures you ask? Well, I am having slight technical difficulties in finding my camera cord - once it is found, picture will be uploaded.

 

I bought recently yarn to make a new Star Afghan in colors which match my family room. The first Star Afghan I made goes well with my living room chairs, so it has been moved out there permanently, so I am in need of another afghan for the family room to cuddle under. I hope that this time around the afghan goes much more smoothly for several reason. First of all is that I actually know now what I am doing - as a reminder the Star Afghan was my first Crochet Project that I started. Second is that I have the errata report which should help prevent me from going crazy wondering why the directions would not work correctly. Third and final reason I have written all out a graph with the color directions for using 3 colors like I did for the first afghan which should allow me to go faster since I will not have to think about color patterns this time!

 

I really want to do some thread work, so I might start a project there - perhaps some snowflakes and a doily.

 

I've also been busy on the house - putting up some pictures and rearranging furniture and plants. I need to go out and buy more hangings for the walls - I need at least a few more pictures in the living room / family room along with some thing for my bedroom....once I decide on what the color is going to be in the bedroom. The walls are a tan color, so I've been thinking about either going with a white or perhaps red and black accents.

As promised....

I finally fulfill a promise...pictures!

Where to begin right?

Well, let s start with the house for today.....more picture will be coming once I find more time - this weekend was rather filled with taking down all the lights and decorations.

First, from the outside - during the day and then all decorated for Christmas....

While I have been living in the new house almost 3 months, I am still getting it put together and looking like a home. Furniture has slowly been added, so I now have the majority of what I needed.

My dining room set came from my Grandparents - after my Grandmother died my Grandfather gave to me her formal dining room set as seen here....

Although I went to Michigan for the holidays I felt that I had to have a Christmas tree....here I am decorating it:

I spent some time this weekend finally crafting again. I finally got all the pieces of the baby blanket I am working on put together and started on the border - hopefully it will be done real soon! I also picked up some yarn last night.....I have decided to once again do the Star Afghan, but this time in colors to match my family room furniture.....hopefully this time will go a lot smoother since I have the error corrections which I did not have last time....talk about frustrating and wanting to pull my hair out!

Okay, have a great week everyone! Happy Crafting!

Howdy Ho Good Neighbors!

Howdy Ho Good Neighbors...ummm...do I have any neighbors left after my self imposed sporadic year + of non-blogging?  I hope so!  For those of you needing a more than sporadic input from me, I can be found on Facebook where you can stalk me to your hearts content...once you friend me that is!  The e-mail address I use on Facebook is kaml19****at**** yahoo*****dot***** com  hopefully that is not picked up by the spammers and I end up with a slew of spam  mails now!

 

I had a reason for blogging today...and of course I got side tracked and have lost what I wanted to say...don't cha hate when that happens?  It's like going to the fridge opening it up and then forgetting what you wanted to take out.  Oh well, if I ramble long enough it is sure to come back to me right???  Or else I'll wake up at 3 am and remember then!

 

Snow season is in full force here in the Chicago-land area.....I blew out the driveway last night after work of a few inches of snow....only to be met this morning with what looked like 10 more inches of it...according to the weather guy we got over 6, but they must be using an oversized ruler because that snow came over the top of my poor little snowblower which was chugging and coughing as it struggled to deal with that much snow!  I've been afraid to look out the window while here at work in case it is still snowing...I might cry as I know that I need to still blow my sidewalks off when I get home.

 

I got my new glass finally!  After a year of broken glasses which entailed my only wearing contact for 15.5 of he 16 hours I was awake I saw the eye doctor and got some new ones.  They have a funky retro rectangle shape and I love them!!!  I'll have to get some picture of me wearing them.....its been a while since I have posted pics...this weekend....pinky swear promise! 

 

Still can not remember what I wanted to blog......perhaps tomorrow I will remember!

 

Happy Crafting!!

Kimberly

 

 

 

Roll on 2010!!!

The year has started and its off to a roaring start!

 

After some last minute Christmas "play yarn food" knitting and crocheting I am ready to see what 2010 brings me in regards to creative urges.

 

Top on the list is to start an afghan to match the colors in my family room.......just as soon as I finish that pesky Baby Blanket I've been working on for ages....that is on my list for this weekend since I am taking it easy!

 

I am going to be sad to take down my Christmas tree.  I had several snowflakes I had made decorating the tree...hopefully next year I will be able to have even more ready.....assuming I don't give them all away like I tried to do this year!

 

What is on your 2010 Creative To Do list?

 

Aside from the afghan and snowflakes, I foresee lots of play yarn food for my youngest niece, along with scarves and hats and several doilies and household decorations for the new house.

 

Happy Crafting!

Another year has ended......

Okay, I'm jumping the gun on the whole end of the year by 3 whole days, but since I've remembered my poor neglected blog I figured I had best write a year end summary BEFORE I blinked and it was already mid-January.

 

It has been a busy year for me....from the hectic travelling around Europe, organizing the move back to the US, finally moving back and then the subsequent house hunting and move in madness while trying to settle into the new job...chaos! 

 

Crafting has taken a back seat for obvious reasons, but that has not stopped me totally!  I did find the time to work on a few doilies, snowflakes and of course play yarn food! 

 

2010 looks like it will be a fairly busy year for me as well.  Aside from the job stress, I will be doing some personal travel around the US to visit old friends which I have been unable to do the past few years. 

 

I also have decided that I will be taking a retreat of some sorts to figure out where my next steps in life are going to take me now that I have settled back into the US.  A feeling that all was not right with my life has slowly been growing the past few months since I have been back in the US.  As if something was misplaced that I could not find.  A rather strange feeling to be having with all of the changes going on in my life.

 

Okay, I must be off....here is hoping that everyone had a great Christmas and wishing everyone a very Happy and Joyous New Year!

 

See you in 2010!

 

 

 

 

Christmas approaches....

And as it does I really must take a step back and wonder where on earth the year has gone.  I've been in my new house for just under 2 months now, and I am still not fully unpacked.  I have slowly decreased the boxes in my bedroom from 20 to 3, but the boxes are still piled high in the office and still a few in my craft room. 

 

Things have gone missing - for the life of me I can not find where my crochet hooks are stashed.  I have located a few and bought a few new ones, but the storage box that I kept them in is AWOL.  I have found the storage box with my knitting needles so hopefully the hooks are not too far behind! 

 

I did a quick put up job for the holidays in regards to indoor and outdoor decorations - just not enough time to get what I wanted done before the bad weather hit!  I also need to have an electrician come out and do some work adding an addition breaker box and some outdoor outlets and a few outlets in the kitchen that I want for my Dept 59 houses which I plan next year to have up on top of the cupboards in the kitchen if I can get power outlets installed up there to avoi having extension cords dangling down the walls. 

 

My Christmas tree is up - it stands about 9 feet tall and is gorgeous!  I have put up all of my ornaments, including all of the handmade ones I received in years past!  I can not wait for next years tree - I hope to have some more snowflakes and hand ornaments for it.....along with it being bigger and potentially artifical - I love the smell of the real tree, but I fear if I go too much taller it would become a problem guaranteeing that it will stand up and not fall over.  With all of the glass ornaments from around the world that I have collected I would not want this to happen!  

 

Take care and enjoy the holidays!!

 

Happy Veteran's Day!

Happy Veterans Day to all of those who have served our country in honor.  A thank you too all who came home and a thank you to all who sacrificed everything and never made it home.  You are not forgotten.

Right down the drain.....

My resolution to blog more once back in the US that is!  I can not believe that 3 months has passed by so quickly!  My first few weeks were filled with car shopping (I am the proud owner of a 2010 Chevy Equinox) and house shopping which lasted more than a few weeks!

 

I finally found my dream house up in Gurnee Illinois, and moved in my furniture and belongings finally 2 weeks ago.  It was a crazy and hectic period but the house is finally getting into shape.  I plan on taking pictures this weekend of the finished rooms for everyone to see.  I still have several rooms that are teeming with boxes, but the main floor is mostly done and the guest bedroom is completed and currently occupied by my best friends from Argentina who is up visiting for 10 days!

 

The new job is going good - it keeps me busy and fully occupied.  Its a big change from the job I did in Europe which I sorely miss.  I am already trying to plan some trips back to Europe to visit friends and places I did not see while I lived there!  Its a good thing I hit my 10 year work anniversary this year and will have 4 weeks of vacation in the US finally....although it is still 2 weeks less than I had in Europe!

 

Crafting has been on hold once again during the moving chaos.  I am trying to work on a Swifter Cover for my Mom, as well as working on those unfinished blankets that are lying around hidden from view and thus hidden from my getting a guilty conscious when I see them!

 

With the new house, I am planning on having a craft room upstairs with the hopes of keeping all the yarn clutter contained within those 4 walls with the exception of 2 projects which I have decided can go in a basket next to the couch in the family room.  My goal is to finish those 2 before bringing anything else out of the craft room....will see how long that lasts right? 

 

I've been slowly collecting bead kits for jewelry....will try my hand on a few projects to see if I have something new to work on or not!

Invasion!!!!

Halloween has invaded this place that I work!

 

The hallways are crawling with all sorts of folk!

 

Monsters.....skunks....spidermen galore

 

Princesses and dragons and fairy tale lore

 

Raggedy Ann, but no sign of Andy

 

Muscle men, zombies, even a toad

 

A robot, a sorceror, a Witch and a Lion!

 

Wonder Woman and BatMan with Robin the Hood!

 

To inifinity and beyond!!!  Screamed Buzz as he passed

 

In rolled a pumpkin, followed by Pooh,

 

Dorthy from Oz and a Ninja Turtle too!

 

The halls were a burtsting with giggles and more,

 

Spooky sounding spiders and streamers a fly

 

The treating has ended, the chaos is done,

 

Now back to work, a spreadsheet awaits!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have arrived.

 

And that is about all I have to say =)

 

No, honestly its been a busy 9 days since I have arrived here in the Chicago-land area. Its been very busy as I got off the plance on Sunday, managed to get my car and apartment located, and then started work on Monday morning! Talk about no rest for the weary!

 

I am living right now in Glenview Illinois on an old Naval Air Base. My parents came to help me house hunt (more on this later) and while walking around the shopping area my Dad got to talking about how he could not believe that he was on the Glenview Base. I guess several of his old military budies had either been stationed at Glenview before shipping overseas or had gone to Glenview when they returned stateside. So for him it was really cool where I am living.

 

My parents drove over from Michigan last Thursday and we spent all day Friday looking at 13 different houses. Several issues popped up during the day - i.e. an electronic key not working, another key not turning the lock, but we were able in the end to see all but 1 of the houses on the list and then narrowed the list down to 4 possibilities. I am going back to re-visit the 4 houses today after work with a colleague to try to finalize my decision in my mind. I think I have it narrowed to 2 but I want to make sure about that as I can honestly see myself living in all 4 of the houses.

 

While I was still in Europe on my last trip to Zurich I picked up a magazine from a stand off the motorway in France. it showed a techinique called Hardanger - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardanger_embroidery Whqt gorgeous patterns qnd designs! I can not wait to try my hand at this - has anyone ever done this?

 

I have not had much time to knit and crochet since being back, but I did pick up some yarn. One of my new colleagues is pregnant so I thought to make up a quick baby blanket for her upcoming new arrival.

 

This is all for now! Enjoy the rest of the week!

The end of the road......

The end of the road......and the turn onto another has begun! 

 

Lots has been happening here lately and my apologies for again the long gaps in blogging.  The e-mails and other avenues of communication that I have been able to share with everyone has been great!

 

So, what is going on?

 

After 14 months of searching and waiting and worrying and stressing and every other "ing" possible my move back to the US becomes reality in 4, thats right FOUR days!!!  I will be moving back to Chicago where I will start the process to buy a house and settle down.  I am very excited about the opportunities that are being given to me and can not wait to jump on in to the new job.  I will be doing a special project implementing new accounting and reporting software which is something totally different than I have been doing - lots of changes!

 

All of my belongings, including almost ALL of my yarn was shipped back last Friday, and I'll receive it in 6-8 weeks in Chicago.  I kept out a few smaller projects and the one baby blanket that I am STILL working on - it is getting there though!  If I totally go into withdrawl there will be all of the lovely yarn shops in the Chicago-land area waiting for me.  Although I expect that I will be too busy at first house and car shopping and settling into a new routine.

 

Project wise I finished a few Swifter covers to use in my new house along with a few dishcloths.  I am working on several doilies and recently picked up multple new french doily pattern magazines which have everything graphed so I do not really need to speak french that well - I've also recieved similar mags in Flemish and Spanish from friends.

 

Once I am in my new house I am sure to be working on lots of new home type projects - I really would like to try my hand at crocheting some curtains, depending of course if I have the right type of window for curtains.  I also want to make some dishcloths to color coordinate the kitchen as well as some doilies and runners for my tables and china hutch.  I have a ceramic figurine for my dining room table named Minnie.  Minnie is a mermaid and came to me when I received the dining room table from my Grandfather after Grandma passed away last year.  Minnie was a fixture on the table at my Grandma's and when I was given the table, hutch and chairs, the first thing that I asked was if I could have Minnie too lol!  My Grandpa said yes and went running to get her lol  I must make something for her to sit on!

 

Okay, this will probably be the last posting from Europe - will "see" you all when I reach America!!!

 

 

Where is the time going?????

I can not believe that it is already mid-June! Seriously, it was just yesterday that it was new years right????

So I'm sure you want to know whats been on at the Casa de Kimberly. Well.......I've been trying like mad to find what appears to be an elusive job back in the US. I am seriously stressed and depressed and pulling my hair out in frustration here. I really do not want to leave my company since I seriously enjoy both the people and what we do in the world to help others have better lives.

And now for the real reason that you read my blog......crafting!

While I have been busy i have been working my fingers off whenever possible. I am almost finished with a baby afghan and I've finished a few thread projects here and there. Here are a couple of the things I've finished recently:

First up is a Jean Greenhowe design from her Little Men and Monsters Collection - a T-Rex which is sitting on my Dad's bookshelf currently back in the US. he was made using Wibra acrylic and took forever since I was too lazy to take the 10 minutes to sew him all together.


When I was in Spain back in April, I bought a Thread Doily magazine. It is in Spanish, but thankfully the designs are charted so I can just read the charts and figure things out from there along with my very basic Spanish skills I possess for reading the instructions. The first is a small design that I made as a starter Spanish Project using Size 10 Coats Eldorado White thread:



The second doily is way more advanced and ovaly! I loved the look of it as being something different. I first crocheted the round middle section and then added on the two ends before crocheting around the entire project for a few rows...novel concept eh?



I did hit a stumbling block on another small project I am working on. I've never seen this stitch pattern charted before and I can not for the life of me figure out how in the world it can be done based on what is written in the chart! And of course there are no descriptions anywhere on how to do it! I'll have to see if I can write out a portion of the chart and see if anyone knows how it can be done!

What else is on the hooks and needles you ask?

Why another doily, but this one is from a FRENCH pattern book with a Flemish pattern waiting right behind it! Also a few scarves (its summer I know, but I need these for gifts) and some dishcloths and patterns I am testing for others and creating for myself!

What is going on in your corner of the world?

Spring is here!!!!

And with the arrival of spring comes allergy season and of course, spring cleaning!  Or at least that is the plan for the weekend at the Maison de Kimberly!

 

My apartment has next to nothing when it comes to storage.  I have 2 closets, one filled with coats, and the other filled with suitcases, ironing board and the vacuum cleaner.  I have 2 wardrobes for my clothes, and one small little dresser.  That is it.

 

Hence the reason the bookshelves are over flowing, clothes are piled up on top of boxes, crafting supplies litter the living room, and overall general chaos exists in my apartment.

 

I hate it.

 

I really do.

 

I can exist and live happily in it, but at the same time it annoys me when I actually stop moving at a 100 miles an hour and actually take a look around.

 

So I have decided that this weekend will be a cleaning weekend.  Ruthlessness will come out and things will be thrown away.  Those papers I've had for the 6 years I've lived here?  Gone!  Out the door.  The miscellaneous odds and ends I've kept just in case.....binned!

 

We will see if I succeed or not.....but away I go to dive into the deep end...cluttered bookshelf number one your minutes are numbered!

 

And within that cleaning spree is the decision to finish the gazillion unfinished projects i have lying around or else frog them.  

Travels galore.....and some crafting!

First up the travels! I am done for a few weeks now. Lisbon was great fun - I really enjoyed it - had a fab time at the Hard Rock Cafe which was most conveniently located across the street from our hotel - bonus!

First up, me and 2 co-workers I travelled to Lisbon with - Karl and Jon. There was 5 of us in all there celebrating my friend Te-Keisha's birthday.

We spent one day out at the beach - lovely time - nice and sunny and I enjoyed splashing in the water, even if it was FREEZING!!!!

Here are some pictures from Rome - first up me outside of Saint Peter's in the Vatican:
And next, a group shot of us with two Roman Soldiers we found outside the Colliseum!
Last but not least the dishcloth - rather springy is it not? I also have finished almost a second doily - will get it finished and then block both of them at the same time along with some snowflakes I have done recently - nothing like putting it off huh?
I am slowly getting back into the swing of things for crafting. I need to pick up the needles again, which should happen soon hopefully!

My neice has requested more Play Yarn Food - this time she only needs 5 pieces of bacon, 2 doughtnuts and just a few grapes. She was so cute while asking that I could not say no!

I was touched by my nephew the other day. They got a new puppy and we were talking about how he was taking his stuffed animals. I said "oh no thats not good that hes chewing on your animals" to which Andrew replied most seriously "Don't worry Aunt Kim. Super Turtle and Charzon are up on my shelf where he can not get to them. The others were bought at a store, but yours you made for me which makes them super special!"

I did not think he really respected the fact that I made him something, but he does! I made him the little turtle probably 4 years ago, and with all his toys and junk I am surprised he has not lost it in the mess of his room / closet!

Okay, I am off for bed - have a great week everyone!!

Crafting returns!!

I am finally getting back into the swinging of crafting....about time I know! I've finished finally the dishcloth along with a quick Spanish Doily....my skills in foreign language crocheting are quickly increasing!

Now pictures. Ummm...sure....tomorrow perhaps since my camera batteries died right as I snapped the last picture. Typical right?

I had a great time the past two weekends in Madrid and then in Rome - I just love visiting different cities. I did find a yarn shop in Madrid where I bought some hooks, a hook case and a booklet of Spanish doily patterns. The shop is El Gato Negro and is right in the Plaza Mayor - easy peasy to find!

Wanderlust strikes again....

Or at least thanks to some really great air plane flights I am going to be travelling a lot the next few weeks!

I spent the past weekend in Nice France and Monte Carlo Monacco - had a great time and really enjoyed seeing the sun for 2 days - I think that living in Belgium I sometimes forget what the sun looks like!

I have found time to update my places I've visited map.

• Create your own travel map or travel blog


• Travel Info at TripAdvisor

I still have a large number of places that I would like to see! One day and one city at a time I guess!

I am off to Madrid this upcoming weekend, followed by trips to Rome and Lisbon with tentative plans to go to Morocco in the upcoming months!

Crafting? Ummm....I have finished a couple of snowflakes along with starting progress on a dishcloth.....but have not blocked the flakes yet so pics will be coming soon as I find some spare time to get them blocked and starched.

I want to make something.....

Honest.  I really do want to knit or crochet something.....I just don't know what.  I am itching to dig into my stash and start churning out projects again.....but I just can not get over some weird subconscious thingy that is drawing me away from the yarn.  I stare at my yarn, look at patterns and others finished items and yet there is no great big epiphany on what I will create. 

 

I guess I gots me the crafters blues.

 

*sigh*

 

Soon, I promise I will overcome this malady that has me unconsciously turning away from my beloved yarn and reaching instead for solace at the bottom of the nearest pint of Ben & Jerry's.......

 

Taking it easy....

This week will hopefully be a quiet one for me.  I spent the weekend near Ramstein Germany and I really need to recover.  From the 3 hour drive there and back plus a night of dancing - my feet feel like they want to seriously fall off my body!

 

I have a TON of upcoming travel planned.  I will spend this upcoming weekend in Brussels, and then the weekends after that are as follows:

 

Normandy - near Caen, spening time visiting the beaches & Mont St. Michel

Nice - Sightseeing - first time visiting

Madrid - visiting my old co-workers

Rome - Sightseeing

TBD - For my friend Te-Keisha's birthday

 

Plus there are tentative trips planned for Dublin and Amsterdam, along with the necessary work trips to Zurich.....crazy!!!!!

 

This is all in hopes of seeing everything possible before both myself and TeKeisha move back to the US.  I still do not have an exact date planned, but it is going to be in the next 6 months as my final Visa is ending June 30th.  If I choose to stay longer than this, I will switch to a permanent European contract which I have not wanted to do for various reasons.

 

I am off to lunch and then hopefully to get a TON done this afternoon rather quickly so that I can have an early night at home to catch up on some laundry and of course sleep!