It looks like J and I have been horrible bloggers this week. I have been away for 6 days! But I promise I have loads to share. By proxy, I have things for Crochet Wednesday, Thrift Store Thursday AND Share it Saturday, because I've been busy.
I spent all night Tuesday starting and making a pretty good dent in my first cowl:
It's done, and adorable, and ready to wear in this (getting) colder weather. I added a little yarn button in order to keep it as close to my neck as possible (Check out my ravelry page here to see the pattern I used). It also happens to go very well with my next up item:
My dress. Oh my dress. I had forgotten how frustrating only have one pair of hands nearby to complete this can be. Carl has been caught up with Skyrim (yes, Carl and Chris are both video game nerds) so even if I asked him for help, I would most likely be ignored or babbled to about dragons, which I'll skip, thanks!
Friday night, I finished the lining (after ripping out no less than 6 seams. SIX SEAMS!) and got it stitched into the bodice of the dress. I'm really really proud of how it came out and with the exception of one oops, which will be hidden, it looks amazing.
The fit is pretty darn good. I also managed to complete EVERYTHING else for this dress yesterday, with the exception of a quick bow that needs to be added to the belt (today's list, no joke!), and hemming the darn thing (but that, thank goodness, is waiting until I have J to help me!). It was an extremely frustrating completion to a project, but a satisfying one (I seriously kept having to rip out seams and redo things, hrmph).
Also, a few weeks ago, at my local thrift store, I managed to find an amazing vintage coat (I'm pretty sure it's from the 70s, it's a Wellington Kashmiracle coat, and it's wonderful) that I'm going to wear with my beautiful dress! I'm so excited and it only cost me $5 (see what you can find if you really look!)
I also whipped up these adorable earrings this weekend in preparation for the Thanksgiving Extravaganza as well! Thrifted earrings attached to old wooden plugs I happened to have lying around (it's amazing how much I just have lying around!).
Another check off my list this week was spending a good amount of time on my craft room. It's not even close to done, because my craft table has not been put together (again, NO HANDS!), but my dresser is completely painted in a super pale blue-green called Opal Essence by Benjamin Moore. It's so pale it's almost white, but it's gorgeous.
My side table is completely done and the knobs have been re-added. I also plan on priming and painting a terrible looking bookshelf that I use to store all my frivolous books (my good ones have a special new home, on top of the dress I just completed painting!) so my painting of furniture will be done, come Monday (or Tuesday) (Yay. Even if this paint is super low VOC, painting in a 8' x 5' space with no ventilation or windows or LIGHT gets on my nerves).
I spent a little time rearranging and organizing my space (but it still needs 2 bigger pieces of furniture moved, and as I have no helpers today, that will have to wait until tomorrow when my parents get back into town) so in two weeks when I have another weekend to actually do something at home, I can knock out my craft table and hopefully finish my other 2 carpentry projects so my craft space will be useable (again, YAY, because I'm currently sewing in my bedroom, much to the dismay of Carl).
Finally, I spent roughly 2 hours yesterday making Raspberry-Blackberry jam, and Pumpkin butter for our Thanksgiving Extravaganza today.
Canning for the first time was completely nerve-wracking. The jam made up quickly, it was the processing that scared me half to death. But I believe everything turned out wonderfully. I just used the recipe on the pectin box (because it was so darn simple) and the butter recipe I used can be located here. It cooked up so quickly and easily and I poured it into cute little quilted jars to give as gifts (if you follow the recipe, I was able to fill 6 4oz. Ball jars, plus a pint size jar for my house, so it makes up quite a bit). I believe Carl and my parents will be taste testing these items all week long. (Next up on my canning/preserving list is making homemade pizza sauce and dough!)
I also somehow managed to fit in completing an apron for a dear friend (finally!). Next up is starting (and completing) a crocheted clutch for next weekend (eep!), finishing that darn bow, a few random projects to catch up on, and the usual packing and preparing for an almost four day trip. Mind you, I got all of this done this week while working a full time job. I think I only slept about 4 hours a night which means I'm looking forward to the trip and a good long break.
Side note: I already have a project to start (and complete, if I have my way) on the drive to and from J's hometown. And I've got it in my mind that when I get back from our Thanksgiving Extravaganza, I'm taking the plunge and signing up for my first Knitting 101 class.
WISH ME LUCK! (World's longest post, I do apologize... But I felt a need to list all my accomplishments this week in one place, cause well darn it, it's been a long time since I got this push to create and it feels darn good.)
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