What is this place???

Well, hello! I believe this all may look familiar from a different life.  I feel like its been a lifetime since I last blogged.  (And it probably has.  I honestly don't even remember when I blogged last or what the post would have been about.)  But, here I am with a pretty brief update on my busy boring life.

July - FLEW by between vacation in Atlanta with my family and two weeks of band camp.

August - School started, so yeah, I don't even remember if I had ANY free time in August.

September - And now, September is at a close and I can't even believe I've survived the last two months!  I was doing the budget today, and I just couldn't believe some of the things I was entering into the checkbook happened only 20 days ago!  September has felt like a lifetime.  And October will be just as busy!  (If not more)

Being a teacher is more work than I EVER could have imagined.  The amount of things we are expected to do is absolutely insane!  I am constantly playing a never ending game of catch-up.  And unfortunately, if there's one thing I absolutely hate, its an unfinished to-do list.  And since mine grows every day, it is NEVER done!  Mer.

Anyway, through all of the craziness, I have managed to squeeze in the tiniest bit of weaving.  One project that took me hours and hours and hours over weeks and weeks is still not finished, so I'm going to skip over that one.  But, I do have some (horrible) pics of two scarves I just sent off this morning to their new owners!  (Yay!  A completed project!)

 This one is for my aunt, and its very similar to one of my last projects, but it has the knot tied into it.  Its made out of a green silk/bamboo yarn and a varigated nylon.  Love it!  It's so soft and shiny.

And this one is for her friend.  Its all silk/bamboo yarn.  Brown with coral stripes and a couple of twists put in it.  These are actually the two first pieces that I have made to order, so I was (am) a little nervous about them, but I think they turned out pretty well.

Well, the one thing I have NOT stopped doing in all of the craziness is BAKING!!!  I just cannot get enough baking!  In fact, right now, the kitchen is calling my name.  I found a recipe on Pinterest this morning for homemade bread machine English muffins.  Now, tell me what part of that title does not sound amazing?!  Because seriously, how do you get better than homemade (aka: more delicious and cheaper than store bought), bread machine (minimal effort for me) and English muffins (breakfast made for a week)!!!!!!!!  Hopefully, I won't fall off the face of the Earth again, and I'll be able to blog and let you know how they turn out!

Happy weekend!

Falling Behind

So, it's summer and I'm still falling behind.  There's something about having nothing that *needs* to get done that really makes you get very little done.  I've been weaving, hanging out with the hubby, watching movies, shopping, working on color guard... And yet, I've been meaning to blog for three days, and I'm just now doing it.  Oh well, I guess, more pics for you today!

First off: here's the green/purple/copper scarf.  (I still haven't taken real pics of it yet, so this is all I've got.)  I like it though.  It's softer than my kitty's fur (which is suuuuper soft.  Lol.)

And here's the sneak peek of the latest project.  (By now, its already finished, just needs to be washed and such.)  It's very similar to the one I made my mom for Christmas, but it's pretty skinny and has a lot more leno lace in it.

And here's my delicious granola!!!  It turned out really great, and I can't stop eating it, so this will probably be a regular recipe at my house.  I just love granola cereal, and it makes me feel pretty good about myself because its pretty good for you.  (Maybe not this version though; there's a LOT of sugar in it!)  I found the recipe on pinterest, and it comes from another blog, delia creates.  You can see the original recipe here!  I followed the recipe but only made a half batch this time.  (I hate to waste my ingredients in case I don't like something the first time I make it.)  Though I love the sweet taste, next time I might try it with a little less sugar so its a little healthier.  But it is DELICIOUS!!!!

Also, we went to the beach the other day and found these while we were walking!!!  Yay!  Conch shells are so rare to find around here, I was totally excited.  These are really cool because they look so old, thick, and worn down!  Yay!

Besides all that loveliness, I had to make a presentation for a training seminar I have to go to all next week for teacher stuff.  Whoever decided that teacher training should be smack in the middle of June was dumb.  It's very un-fun.

Also, I have one of the three songs choreographed for the marching band show!  Uniforms are officially ordered!  And flags are all decided!  Yippee!!!  I'm on a roll!

So even though I have been pretty productive this week, there's still no excuse for my poor blogging habits.  :(  I'm hoping to get a new project warped today, so wish me luck.  I have something totally different planned for this one!

Ending Note: Here's my life motto right now: "Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men..." Ephesians 6:7  (Boy is that hard!)

Done and Done

Well, as you can tell, I didn't get around to the photos that I promised yesterday.  I was a little busy... doing nothing in particular!  Let's see, I made stuffed shells for dinner (YUM YUM), I made willy worm (a dessert that my mom's family made when she was a kid that involves home-made pie crust, cinnamon, sugar, and butter - its delish), I watched "A League of Their Own" and cried of course, I went to Jo-Ann's because I was out of the green bamboo/silk that I needed for the latest project.  Yeah, that was about my day.  I LOVE summer!

So, here is the "sneak peek" of my latest project.

And as you know, I'm not so great at taking photos on the loom, so this was the best I could do.  The two yarns are great: a blend with a fabulous colorway from Conjoined Creations and the green bamboo/silk.  So, I combined the two for a subtle Houndstooth pattern.  It's pretty wide, and I'm planning it for a shorter neck cowl.  We'll see what it looks like after its dried.

And here, the previous project and this one are hanging in the bathroom drying after their first bath!

So, I'm excited about both!

Also, Thomas and I just saw "Snow White and the Huntsman" today.  It was really good considering that the main actor is not great at her job.  It was a really cool take on Snow White where she gets to be a hard core princess who takes on the evil queen in her own right.  I like the stories where the princess gets to have a hand in saving herself, but of course, every princess needs her prince; she doesn't have to be so helpless that he gets to have all the fun defeating the baddies!  (There's a British word for you!)

Wait... Now its a New Weekend...

So, yeah...  It might have taken me another week, but I have another post!  Here's a couple of pics of the latest scarf, and by latest, I mean, finished like forever ago!

It's super long, so I wear it doubled.  And its houndstooth: large white squares with small taupe accents.  I like it.  It's cotton though, so I'm still wash-and-wearing it in so it gets softer.

Well, off to go make dinner... blueberry muffins, scrambled eggs, and sausage... We're so not fat at this house!  ;)

So Little Time

Well, my life has been running at about 64 million miles an hour lately.  So I've got some updates!  I'm going to try to spread them out over a couple of shorter blog posts, however, that plan may just turn into me forgetting about them again.  So, stick around and find out!

First of all, I finished the scarf that was on my loom about three weeks ago and have worn it twice since, however, I still haven't taken pictures of it.  Hopefully I can get those today or tomorrow.

Also, my wonderful husband treated me to a wonderful Valentine's Day!  Here's the proof.

 Who wants real flowers when you can have an edible bouquet of strawberries and chocolate?!  Not this girl.  He knows me so well!

And we had a wonderful dinner at one of my favorite restaurants in the world, Sunset Cafe, Where we enjoyed this beautiful view of the Banana River.  And I had the juiciest crab legs I've ever eaten.  Seriously, I had to wash my hands three times during the meal!  They were AWESOME!  And the live musician ended up playing our song while we were there.  He botched it, but it was still our song, lol!  And then we finished the night by going to see "Safe House", and it was really good.  Thanks love for a wonderful Valentine's Day!

Hopefully I will also have an update for you about my next project... if I can figure out what its going to be before the weekend is over!

Lastly, clouds... really?!  It was hot and gorgeous this week, and now that it's Saturday and Thomas and I have outdoor plans, its cloudy, windy, and threatening to rain... BOO!  On that note, have a great Saturday!

Bloggity Dig Diggity

Oh blog.  I am so sorry.  I'm sure you are feeling so very neglected.  Well, let me dust you off and spend some time with you again...

On an upside, my class got cancelled tonight (HALLELUJAH!!!) so I've had some time for fun instead!  Today, I got a present in the mail from myself...  Yay!!!  However, I have a few other things to update you on first.

#1:  I finished my tricolor houndstooth sampler... So here's a pic.  I tried several different patterns and widths with the warp and the weft.  And I remembered why I don't like working with cheap acrylic yarns.  Yuck.  Anyway, I do like that I have a sample to look at when I want to do something with houndstooth.

#2:  I've got a new project already warped and almost finished on the loom.  And... you guessed it: it's houndstooth.  Lol.  My new love.  However, this is a very subtle understated scarf that I will hopefully be able to wear with anything.  Think white and cream... Pics to follow!

#3:  MY NEW TOYS!!!!!  So, I got my first ball winder and swift!!!  Yay!  So, now my skeins will be usable center pull balls of yarn in no time!

From this...

 Through this...

 And this...

To this!!!

 AWESOME!!!  I can't wait to wind some more!  (I'm going to run out of skeins really quick.  And then I'll be sad...)

But, now its time to eat the wonderful dessert that my husband just made me!  Banana pudding with Nilla wafers.  Yummy!

Fruits of my Loom

I am getting caught up tonight!!!  I photographed my last three projects and listed all of them on Etsy.  Yay!  So, here is my latest scarf...

Check out the Purple Petunia Infinity Scarf on Etsy!

AND... Here is something I've been pretty excited about for the last week.  Here are the two firsts in a new line from Project31... HEADBANDS!  Yay!  Both of these are now available on Etsy.

Striped Blue Headband with Decorative Button

Blue Striped Headband - Wide

So... I hope you like the new headbands.  As I said, I'm pretty excited about them.  So, you will certainly be seeing more soon!

But... I've been productive enough tonight, so its off to bed for me!

Random:  My favorite t.v. show is a British car show, "Top Gear".  We're watching it right now.  I LOVE IT! Hehe.

Treasury

Hey guys and gals!  I'm home on my lunch break, and guess what I just discovered?!  I'm in a treasury!!!  Yay!  Thank you to 722mod for including one of my scarves in a treasury!  Check out "All Kinds of Red" on Etsy!

Rio Fantasy Infinity Scarf

Woohoo!  That just made my not so awesome day a little better!

Now if I could only figure out what to eat for lunch...

Rio Fantasy

Hey all!  I just listed this new scarf on Etsy!  The yarn is named "Rio Fantasy", so I thought that was a fitting name for the scarf.

Check it out in my Etsy shop!

Now I'm off to make banana bread and weave some more!  A typical Saturday night for me!  Happy weekend.

Random Note:  I can't think of a random note... that's odd.  Well, I guess that's random enough for me.  Bye!  :)

Finally!

Hello!  I have been pretty absent from social media lately.  I've been too busy hanging out with my husband and weaving that I haven't bothered to update anything!  Well, tonight is the end of that!  Here's a new scarf that I just listed on Etsy:

 

Rustic Red and Gold Infinity Scarf 

Check it out on Etsy!

I've also got another scarf that I hope to get up on Etsy tomorrow.  It's pretty cool, I like it.  Anyway, I have another project on the loom.  I just got it warped last night, and I can't wait to start weaving to see how the colors come together!

That's really all I have to say today.  If you read my last post, you will know that I went to see "Fast Five" Thursday at midnight.  I would like to let you all know that it was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!  (Of course, if you're not into any of the other Fast and Furious movies, you wouldn't like it.)  But I LOVED it!!!!!  Yes, all of those exclamation points are necessary!  I guess that's enough random for tonight...

I LOVE holidays!!!

Hello all!!!  It is officially the holiday weekend for me!  Woohoo!  I took off work tomorrow, and I am so ready for a long weekend!  And to start off, I have A LOT to report!  I've been busy in the fiber world the past couple of days, and blogging has taken a back seat.  So now, I need to catch you all up!

#1:  Just listed this awesome new scarf on Etsy!  It's one of my new faves!  Of course, it is using some of my favorite silk yarn in a new colorway...  I have named it Candy Stripe!

Silk Inifnity Scarf - Candy Stripe

#2:  Here is a pic of the Kool-Aid dyed yarn.  I didn't use quite enough Kool-Aid, so it's kind of blotchy.  I guess I need to have another go at it!  But, it was a pretty successful experiment nonetheless.  Can you guess what flavor I used???

Answer:  Watermelon Cherry!  Yum!

And honestly, I've been so busy the past couple of days that I just had to go back and reread my last post to see what I had told you all last time!  Wow.

#3: Also, I wanted to follow up on a post from a while ago.  Remember when I had those major issues with unwinding my first skein?!  Well, this time around, I took a picture of the pretty skein before I started unwinding it!  Here is the photo walk through of unwinding a skein!  This is the yarn used in the Candy Stripe Infinity Scarf.  Aren't the colors beautiful?!

 Ta-Da!!!  So, there is unwinding in a nutshell.  What you can't see though is that picture #2 should be multiplied by like a thousand for how long it takes to unwind all 500 yards in a skein!

#4:  I am going yarn shopping tomorrow!!!  Yay!  And I'm hoping to pick up a stash of roving too.  So hopefully I will have some handspun yarns for sale on Etsy by the end of next week!  Get excited!

Well, that's all folks!  I should be getting to bed.  For the random note of the day... well, I can't think of one.  Hm... this is odd.  Usually I'm full of random thoughts.  Here's a pic of my favorite place in the whole wide world!  Enjoy!

A Little Bit of Everything

Hello all!  Well, I've been working hard today!  I finished my latest project, dyed my first batch of yarn, and got a new project on the loom and started weaving!  So, first of all...  Here is my newest item for sale on Etsy.

Infinity Scarf in Beige and Purple Hand-spun

This great infinity scarf makes use of several of my favorite things!  It's got purple in it (always a plus).  The beige warp thread is a bamboo and silk yarn which is so, so soft.  And the purple yarn is my very own hand-spun yarn!!!  Yay!  So, I love this item, and I would love to keep it, but I would love it even more if it found a home with a wonderful customer!

So, I dyed my first batch of yarn today with Kool-Aid!  It was certainly interesting.  But its hanging up to dry right now.  And I'm really interested in seeing how it turns out!  So, I will definitely post pics tomorrow when its dry and everything.

And, check out Project31 on Facebook to see what's new on my loom!  If you haven't "liked" my page yet, I'd love it if you would.  (I'm trying to get up past 25 likes so that I can create a real url for the page so its easier to link and stuff.)

Well, if you can't tell, I'm pretty tired, so I've got to get everything cleaned up so I can go to bed.  Talk to everyone tomorrow!

Random:  The area I live in is under a tornado watch until 2:00 am!  We had some pretty wicked storms today, so I'm interested to see what the news has to say tomorrow.  And I live right by the Mississippi River, so I can't wait to got see how flooded it is tomorrow afternoon too!

New on Etsy and Other Random Thoughts

Hey all!  Just listed this new scarf on Etsy.  Run on over to my shop and check it out!

Hot Pink Skinny Infinity Scarf

In other news, I started my project with my purple hand-spun yarn!  Yay!  I still haven't decided what I'm going to use for the weft yet, because I really want to warp to be the focus, but I'll get there.  Oh, and I forgot to mention that I stayed up until midnight last night (which is really, REALLY late for me) to finish the yarn, just because I HAD to know how many yards I got.  And the total is... 28 yards!!!  Yaaaaayyyy!  So, I planned this new project around using it!  Here's a pic:

Well, I'm leaving for the night.  But, before I go, head on over to my facebook page and check it out.  (It's still a little boring, I know, but I'm working on it.)  "Like" it if you like what you see!  Project31 Fiber Arts on Facebook

Ok, well, I'm going to go eat some willy worm.  (Not an insect, its a family dessert recipe involving homemade pie dough, lots of butter, lots of sugar, and lots of cinnamon.  Can you say YUM?!)

Random note of the day:  Last night, I had a dream about Pirates of the Caribbean (yes, the movie).  Only it wasn't a real part of one of the movies, it was made up... and I woke up this morning with the piratey song that they sing at the beginning of the third movie stuck in my head.  And of course, I only know like two lines, so I have been singing/humming/whistling/thinking those lines ALL DAY LONG!  Weirdo!

Creating and Crying

So... not much has happened since last night, but since the hubby got home halfway through last night's post, I didn't have enough time for a full update.  So, here goes!

#1 ~ Ocean Blue Infinity Scarf
So, this was part of the 14 feet of weaving I did yesterday!  This one turned out pretty good!  I think it almost qualifies as more of a necklace than a scarf, and I like it.  I hope you like it too!

And this scarf is now available for purchase in my Etsy shop, and it's ready to ship!

#2 ~ This one's a big one!  Wait for it... I'm going to learn how to SPIN MY OWN YARN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I'm so totally excited!  I ordered a kit on Etsy from La Tea Da Designs, so when it comes in the mail later this week, I will get to learn how to spin my own yarns!  I'm like totally jumping up and down, shrieking like a teenage girl excited about this!  So, we will soon see how it goes!

#3 ~ Last night I had a mini breakdown after watching about six straight hours of "Army Wives" (for some reason, that show makes me emotional about everything!), and I wanted to share the song that always makes me feel better with all of you!  (The video's not important, it's only pictures, but the song is awesome!)  Here is "Stand in the Rain" by Superchick!

Well, I have a lot of other weaving-related things to do.  Mainly, updating my project list... boo.  But it needs to be done.  Have a good night, and don't forget to stand in the rain!

Sea Green Infinity Scarf

Woohoo!!!  The newest project is FINISHED!!!  I'm so excited.  I really like this one!  (As if I haven't said that about my last 14 projects.  ;)  )  Anyway, behold: pictures!

So, here is another infinity scarf (I told you we'd be seeing more of them!).  And this one is made from a yarn that I bought on Etsy (my first and only Etsy purchase so far).  It's a beautifully soft cotton/nylon/angora blend that has a gorgeous texture and color!)  So, after I finished weaving it, I knotted it twice and then sewed it in a circle.  So, it's like halfway between a scarf and a necklace.  So, I think it's pretty cool.  And there most certainly may be other scarves like this out there, but I thought of the idea all on my own, so I'm a little proud of it.  And... this new creation is now for sale in my Etsy shop, and is completely ready to ship!  Run on over and have a look if you like!  Yay!  (Yes, I'm feeling giddy like a child right now!)

Well, I'm off to start another project!

Today's parting randomness:  With this scarf, I actually kept track of how much time it took me to make it from start to finish.  And the total is: 9 hours!!!  But the kicker is that I did it in two days!  And I worked a full day Friday and a half day Saturday!  I think it is safe to say that I am 100% addicted!

Purple, Purple, Purple!!!

Well, since it is no secret that purple is my favorite color, it is probably not surprising that my latest project is PURPLE!  I am currently completely in love with infinity scarves, so my latest scarf combines both of those aspects.  Here are some photos!

It's a really lightweight scarf that is twisted several times to give it a unique look.  The stripes are silver, but they almost look white against the purple.  I just love the color so much that I can't hardly bear to part with it, but nevertheless, it is now available for purchase in my Etsy shop!!!  Yay!  I have this cotton yarn in a TON of colors, so we will probably be seeing more scarves similar to this one in a wide array of colors!

But... I already have my loom warped for my next project, and I'm really excited about this one too!  Isn't it a great feeling when something doesn't cease to excite you!  Love it!

Random Quote:  So, there is a new movie coming out soon called "Arthur."  Starring Russell Brand as a thirty-something man who lives on mommy's money and acts like a child, it's bound to be hilarious.  Anyway, I have had this quote stuck in my head from the trailer.  (Arthur is speacking to a woman he is supposed to marry as a business deal, but he really doesn't want to marry her.)  "We don't have anything in common.  You love horses; I don't trust them.  Their shoes are permanent.  Who makes that kind of commitment to a shoe?!"  And of course, the line is said over-dramatically in that unique accent of his, and it is hilarious!

Anyway... my husband has just informed me that it is past my bedtime, and he is right!  Good night!

Summer Sunset Infinity Scarf

Well... it's been a few days since my last post, and I have been BUSY!  So, my newest creation is an infinity scarf woven from the silk yarn used in my last project.  I'm really excited about this one!  I was a little worried that the fabric was going to be too unstable because it was so light and open, but it turned out great!  Also, I'm trying to get a little more creative with my pictures to spruce them up for etsy.

 

 

 

This is a great length for wearing singled or doubled around the neck.  And the colors are absolutely fabulous!  There will definitely more scarves like this one in the future!

Random Note: I wanted to get married on the beach, but since that wasn't feasible, my wedding was as beach themed as possible.  So, the sea shells are from the decorations at the reception.

Happy Saturday!!!