Lotion Candles

This weekend proved an interesting change for me. I made Lotion Candles. I do not plan on doing this project ever again, or I might who knows.

• 7 tablespoons of soy wax flakes
• 2-3 tablespoons of coconut oil
• These two items were melted in a plastic pot in the microwave for about two minutes, stirred, then left too cool a bit before adding the essential oils. 
• drops of essential oil
• wooden wicks cut into three

This recipe made enough for 1 of my little Petite Pots, look out for these at a grocery store, it is a new yogurt line being sold in a little glass jar, they are super cute and can then be revamped into so many different things. 

I also decorated the petite pots using twine, masking tape, gold leaf, and copper wire. I think they are so cute, and the fact that they are dual purpose is also awesome. I hope you like them.

What else you could use your Petite Pots for:

1. Candles
2. Sugar scrub
3. Lotion
4. Veggie and dip
5. Chocolate Mousse desserts
6. Mini Shrimp Cocktail
7. Snack pot for: Granola, Muesli, Trail Mix

Do what you want and make it your own, and have fun with your creativity.

Only I could make a candle that cannot burn.....at least I can use them to keep my hands soft. 

-A

April 2016

What has April brought?

Well.... I just looked at my Ravelry account and in both places there are a significant amount of missing pictures, not quite sure how that has gone by the wayside, and it is dreadful of me to keep creating these things and never knowing what they look like. I could also be in denial about the fact that they are finished, as in off the needles, but the ends are not woven in so the term 'finished' is used quite loosely in my world. 

In other news one weekend in April I decided to put aside my knitting for about an hour and I made some stitch markers. I had never thought of making stitch markers before, but beading working, pliers, jump rings, and lobster clasps and I was a stitch marker making fool. So now I have some very pretty gemstone stitch markers, a set of keys, and a tea service set, all tucked away in a round container. I also made 3 progress trackers consisting of a tiara, a lock, and a 'teapot' (I use this term loosely as it does not really look like a tea pot, but it came with cups, saucers, and tea spoons. 

I also used my vintage never before used teapot this month while knitting one Saturday. 

And if you look closely you can see in the background the progress that has been made on the circlet cardigan, well not really, but it was a better backdrop for my tea pot than what I was watching. 






FO's of April:

1. A mist of Glitz
1. Yarn-Crush B box pattern and yarn, this is going surprisingly well, I CO 04/04/2016 and did 8 rows in an evening, but that was of the edging, the rest may not go as quickly or might go faster. 
2. Drop stitch Prayer shawl for Jennifer
1. I am assisting her in knitting two of these in the month of April, not sure how I get myself into these things, and it is the first prayer shawl I will have done....but anything to help a friend as it will come back in spades to me, and make me feel like I have done something for someone. And it has a strict deadline
3. Grammy's Mitts
4. Orthoganal Mitts

             

Knitting I have on the go:

1. Illuminated Lines Blanket: Thank you Knit Picks
1. I have about 22 pieces of 50, so I will keep knitting as though my life depended on it. 
2. Circlet Cardigan: Thank you Knit Picks - so pretty! I cannot wait to see this finished.
1. 60 rows to go on the body
3. Feather and Fan Blanket - This really is if I am desperate for a change.
4. Mitered Square blanket in Parrot...I was crocheting this into something, but I did not like it, I still don't really like it but it will happen. 
1. this was frogged. Good bye kind friend. 
5. Banana Bunches - Eager to finish this sucker! about 50% complete
6. Hue shift in 5 colours not 10 - 35% complete
7. Dragon Stole: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/dragon-stole.

Crocheting:

1. Corner to corner blanket in red, black, and white - 55% complete right now. 

Books:

1. Pride and Prejudice
2. Moll Flanders
3. Moloka'i
4. Soulless Manga part 1
1. Very quick little read, but it is nice to have an accomplishment, so I decided a nice short little easy book was just the ticket to make me feel like I had made some sort of progress. 
5. Soulless Manga part 2

Look over here!

A box of left overs from my various projects. Some may say these are not left overs but  do not keep anything that is much shorter anything less than about 3 feet goes to our friend the garbage bag, as I cannot contemplate why anyone would want to stitch them into something. Who knows I might start, I might not, really just do not encourage me.

Yarn Crush April 2016

If you have not already seen it then here it is:
my finished March Box project. I started and finished it in April, I hope I can say the same for the April box but in May.

So my April Box arrived!

What I am really excited about is I have never knit with beads before, so that should be a learning curve when I get started.







That being said, I am glad I did not get yellow yarn, although it is a stunning colour, it is not the best colour. That being said, the pastel, mint green, is not that great either. I like good strong colours, sorry to the dyer, but we all have our preferences. The silk linen blend although is very intriguing and I am really excited, as this is a blend I have never heard of and therefore never knit with, so again another plus.





So what did I do. I did a dying experiment. This was fascinating, learning about natural fibers and acid, man made fibers and bases. Etc. So my yarn was in a dye bath for about 2 hours, I did not want to over do it, and I wanted to see if I could darken it just slightly, as too dark you would loose the pattern of the leaves in the cape. It went rather well. See:

There is for sure a bit more blue in it, which helps me a lot in getting my head around it. I am really happy with my results, I do not think it will bleed anymore. I might rinse it again, but I have not decided for sure. I might wait until blocking and then just block on a towel.




I keep saying that my yarn surprise box is an experiment for me to get me out of my comfort zone, colour, and pattern wise, but sometimes it does help to inspire oneself if you do like the colour of the yarn you will be knitting with, as we spend a significant amount of time looking at the colour.
Anyway, wish me luck and keep your eyes posted for the results. Have a great weekend!
-A

Yarn Spinning (no bikes here)

So this month, I took a spinning class (yarn spinning).
We used a drop spindle, and fiber (sorry no picture) to create yarn! This was far more fun than I had anticipated, and I feel I made more yarn than I had thought possible using the techniques we learned. Is it a skill I will use again? Who knows, but it is now a skill that I have, so all in all a win for me.

On the left is the drop spindle and the beginnings of a second ball of yarn. The ball on the right is my first spinning attempt all ready to go waiting for class. And at the bottom in the middle, is 39 yards of 2 ply yarn, about 1 yard of 2 ply (plied differently) one ball that was turned into three ply, and a ball left over so that once I finish spinning what I am currently spinning I can have another ball of two ply! What am I going to make? That question is a complete mystery.

March 2016

I have an amazing feeling about March, I think I will succeed at so many things this month and have a great month to look back on without feeling like I have wasted it.
March 10 2016, Above I heralded March as a month where everything was a possibility and I would finish everything. Currently I feel as though if I do accomplish anything it will be a miracle, a very impressive miracle. One that will astound all that surround me. At present I need to focus on remaining calm, and serene and not stressing out over anything/everything. Breath deeply and all will be well.
March 14 2016, Things are better than they were 4 days ago, but it could change, I got a huge amount done this weekend on the Circlet Cardigan, it is fascinating what you can get done when you put your mind to it and when you actually put in stitch markers ;).

FO's:

1. Concentric Squares blanket - 95%
1. And the frustrating news of the entire phenomenon is that i am 5.5 rows away and the yarn has run out, so do I buy more yarn to finish it? or start again with it being something else? Its almost as if they do it on purpose...I will finish something else in the meantime. 
2. Reverie Hat
1. Started this on 03/26/2016 and was finished by 03/27/2016 which is AMAZING, did it in about 4 - 6 hours, so pleased with myself, and it looks stunning and the birthday girl was so pleased. It even matched the colour of the dress she was wearing. Woot. But I forgot to take a picture. 2 projects finished by happenstance in March, I am a happy girl

Knitting I have on the go:

1. Dragon Stole: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/dragon-stole
2. Illuminated Lines Blanket: Thank you Knit Picks
1. I looked the other day and this blanket has been in the works since 2013. So it is my goal to finish this!!! Very soon. 
1. I have about 22 pieces of 50, so I will keep knitting as though my life depended on it. 
3. Circlet Cardigan: Thank you Knit Picks - so pretty! I cannot wait to see this finished. 

1. This seems so much easier than the last time I had it in my hands, please let my motivation and my determination with it grow and continue so that I can finish it this year and wear it this winter!!!
   
4. Feather and Fan Blanket
5. Mitered Square blanket in Parrot...I was crocheting this into something, but I did not like it, I still don't really like it but it will happen. 
6. Banana Bunches - Eager to finish this sucker! about 50% complete
7. Hue shift in 5 colours not 10 - 35% complete.

Crocheting:

1. Corner to corner blanket in red, black, and white - 55% complete right now. 

Books:

1. Wives and Daughters
1. Reading on the treadmill has made a huge difference, the fact that the treadmill now no longer works has been a bit of a crux, but I will get there. 
2. 03/19/2016 my treadmill is broken I require a new circuit board so I am at present waiting for that to come in. I will need to walk outdoors and do weights. 
2. Pride and Prejudice
3. Love, Rosie
4. Moll Flanders

Yarn Crush March 2016

My very first Yarn Crush box arrived, and it was lovely. Super excited about the next 6 months and the yarn that will start to arrive.
I also received my gift for signing up and it was perfect as well.
Now the big question do I cast on and get knitting? Or work on one of the many other WIPs that I have on the go.... oh the dilemmas.






What I do love is you are sent enough yarn to finish the project they have suggest you complete with the yarn you have, which is great. The yarn colour is maybe not in my top picks of yarn colours, and it is for sure not a colour I would have picked out on my own, but that being said, I do have a destination in mind for it (it would suit my mother a treat) and part of the yarn box excitement for me was to get out of a rut of knitting with blues, teals, purples, etc and start working with some colours that I would not usually pick out for myself, so I can live with it.

These were the goodies in my yarn box, so we have Scotch and 777 yarn with a knitting pattern and a crochet pattern. I do think I am quite up to crocheting socks, but I have fingering weight yarn around so I might just give this a go. The yarn itself is GORGEOUS to the touch so I think it will be a great tactile experience while knitting. I do not as yet own a yarn swift, so not sure how I am going to ball that yet, but who knows the world is my oyster. Also fig hand cream, delicious,


And this little beauty to the right was my welcome package. It came with February's pattern for thrummed mittens, which I must admit looks truly intriguing, I will have to find some roving and give that a go. And a little baby skein of blue yarn oh the fun I shall have, then a measuring tape for one handed measuring (that Circlet Cardigan is going to look great, now that I can ) and a little bag for notions and potions.

February 2016

Well February you won. I will admit defeat. I tried so hard to get things completed but alas it was not to be. I am halfway through almost everything but finished nothing. 
I did however this month loose around 4 lbs, maybe more, so I would say that is an accomplishment for celebrating and not something to laugh at. Just keep swimming and maybe some day soon I will finish all the things all at once. Probably not possible, but a girl can dream.

My book list is quite a list. I have 35 books I would be so grateful to finish this year, but alas I do not think it will happen as I have not put the same amount of time into reading as I should. I wonder if I could run and read? Might be something to try. 

I seem to have a need to start a new project whenever I stipulate to myself that I must finish and old project. Silly me. But I will persevere one day I will have nothing on my project list and then I will be a sad girl indeed. 

Knitting I have on the go:

1. Dragon Stole: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/dragon-stole
2. Illuminated Lines Blanket: Thank you Knit Picks
1. I looked the other day and this blanket has been in the works since 2013. So it is my goal to finish this!!! Very soon. 
1. I have about 22 pieces of 50, so I will keep knitting as though my life depended on it. 
3. Circlet Cardigan: Thank you Knit Picks
4. Feather and Fan Blanket
5. Mitered Square blanket in Parrot...I was crocheting this into something, but I did not like it, I still don't really like it but it will happen. 
6. Banana Bunches - Eager to finish this sucker! about 50% complete
7. Hue shift in 5 colours not 10 - 35% complete
8. Concentric Squares blanket - 75% complete right now!

Crocheting:

1. Corner to corner blanket in red, black, and white - 55% complete right now. 

Books:

1. Wives and Daughters
2. Pride and Prejudice
3. The Scarlet Pimpernel
4. Belle
5. Love, Rosie - about 70% complete right now!
6. Moll Flanders
7. Posession