New Socks

This round of Project Spectrum focuses on the color red.

While these socks aren't completly red they do have a hint of red in them as well as some pink and purple. They remind me of a summer sunset.

I used the basic rib pattern from Ravelry and they knit up so fast! An easy pattern yet one that wasn't boring.

And the best part about these socks? They're mine! I went into the project knowing that when they were done they'd be for me. They are so comfy and soft and I can't wait for cooler weather to be able to wear them.

Up next: beginning on all the holiday crafting I want to accomplish.

Project Spectrum::Food

This round of Project Spectrum seems to have me cooking! And for me that's out of my comfort zone. But that was Lolly's plan for Project Spectrum: to try something different then what you normally do. And I have been!

I love southern/Mexican food. This past weekend we had a cookout and decided to make something spicy.

I came across a recipe for Seven Layer Taco Dip and knew that that's what I had to make! It was easy and fun and fed a ton of people. And everyone seemed to love it.

It looked too pretty to eat at first but once we dipped into it, it was even better tasting then it looked.

This is the first thing that I've "cooked" that I've actually been as proud of the presentation of how it turned out as well as how good it tasted.

Flower Power

During the month of April, Sew, Mama, Sew! had flower power month. They featured many tutorials on various ways to make flowers.

The ribbon flower tutorial from Hope Studios inspired me to make some.

So I put the link in my favorites and kept thinking "I want to make those". So almost four months later I sat down and made some!!

I think they are so cute! I love the idea (and I love the ribbon she used for hers better then the ribbon I used for mine!)

The only thing different I did was to hot glue the ribbons to the center rather then stitching them. And instead of putting them on wire I'm going to put a magnet on the back to make them refrigerator magnets. I thought I had a stripe of magnets here but can't find it so that'll come later.

They were easy and fun and I have no idea why I waited so long to make them!!

7 Quick Takes

1)

For the third time today I've bent the finger nail on my pinky finger back. THREE times in one day. All I can say is "ouch". (And that's not what I said this last time I did it. Sorry :-( )

2)

Two of my New Year's Resolutions in January are going pretty well. One was to learn to knit on double pointed needles. Got that one down and I love the DPNs. The other was to learn to use my camera more....that's going okay.

3)

I've been spending time on-line looking at various creative blogs such and want to get more creative myself. I figure instead of looking at patterns and other people's finished products I should just get off the computer and start doing my own!

4)

One of those things I want to work on is to make and start using my own visual journal. But I'm afraid it won't "look good". Got to get that out of my head and use my OWN creative juices instead of comparing what I am capable of doing to what others do.

5)

While reading Handmade Homeschool I came across Sarah's page about the 101 things to do in 1001 days. I love that idea. I really think that's something I want to work on for myself. I love so many of the ideas that Sarah posts about. Her posts have really given me great inspiration these past few weeks.

6)

I've tried at three different points this week to begin reading the Harry Potter series. I just cannot get into them. I feel little left out what with everyone else in "real life" and in the blog world loving them.

7)

I learned about the power of prayer today. A truly heartfelt prayer uttered with complete faith and trust "worked". (I know all prayer works). But this time it was in an extremely tangible way that I could see. It didn't come oute exactly the way I had wanted but it gave my faith an extreme boost.

A Peachy Afternoon

This afternoon I turned the peaches above into the peach pie alaska below

The pictures aren't the greatest as the rain is coming down in sheets (again) outside. But the pie will taste delicious I'm sure! This is one of my favorite summer desserts!

Over at Ravelry most us of seem to be doing a food theme for the SOUTHERN Direction. And I seem to be focusing on orange more then red. Although I do have a pair of socks on the knitting needles that have reds and pinks and purples in it....kind of like a summer summer sunset. A post on those soon....just as soon as I get more done!

Project Spectrum::Summer

The other day I needed a little bit of inspiration. So I immediatly thought of "what can I do that's Project Spectrum worthy?"

I thought of knitting but wanted to get outside to enjoy the gorgeous day.

So I caught this cloud sneaking behind the tree

I wanted to bring the red part of this round and thought of a smoothie. I didn't have the stuff to make one so went and bought a strawberry Dunkin Donuts Coolata. It was "okay". But the red worked!

And then took a walk around the yard to check out the orange lilies. I love these flowers. So bright and cheery!

Blog Studio Tour

Thanks to Amy at Park City Girl, I heard about the studio blog tour going on at Sew Domestic. So I decided to play along! It also gave me a chance to clean-up and organize a little bit and hang up a few things that I've been wanting to hang on the walls.

Here's a "wide view" shot of the room taken from the doorway. My area is my sisters old room. When she got married I was able to "move in" and take over the space.

Here's my yarn stash in the baskets and in the stack of drawers is all my fabric...I didn't think about opening drawers to show you the things in them. Maybe another post.

On this bench that my grandfather made years ago I've placed some of my little baskets and containers (I LOVE baskets). From left to right: a basket full of little sewing knick-knacks; a case of bias binding; a basket FULL of ribbons and the pretty box at the end contains little scraps of fabric that I just can't throw away...although I highly doubt that they'll be used for anything as most of them are really tiny.

And lastly this is the wall that I'm calling my "inspiration wall". It doesn't have much on it as of yet as you can see. My inspiration board is naked....I need to start printing out things from on-line that see as my inspiration.

And the pictures hanging on the wire come from a gift my good friend Sarah gave me. She had placed them on notecards but I couldn't part with them and wanted to display them. She has an etsy shop full of her photographs. They really are gorgeous!

Now on to the questions! :-)

a. What do you use your space for? Any kind of crafting supplies I have go in this space. The only crafting that I actually do here is my sewing.
b. What is your favorite thing about your space? It's big enough that I can store tons of stuff in it and yet still have room to move around. I also like the fact that the table in the middle of the room can be moved around so I can have open floor space.
c. What struggles do you have with your space? The lighting. It's in our finished basement so I get NO natural lighting which stinks. I could use some more lamps but that'll have to wait for the moment.
d. When do you use your space? Whenever I have a spare moment to be creative. One of the best things about it is that I can bring out whatever I'm working on and just leave it when I run out of time or need to do other things. I don't have to clean everything up and then take it all out again when I'm ready to work again.
e. Share an organizational technique that works for you. I'm not very organized at all. I drool over everyone's blogs at all the wonderful things they use in their spaces. What I find helps the best for me though, are baskets and boxes. It helps things stay neat; keeps like things together and saves time sifting through buttons/ribbons/pins etc to find the one thing I'm looking for.