Halloween Cards!

Halloween Cards!
Originally uploaded by Buckster's Pics

Can you believe it? The last day of September...time is flying by so fast. I have been tied up making cards the past couple of weeks for a craft show on October 10th. YES, I AM A CLOSET PAPER LOVER! And Fall and Halloween let me do my thing with all that bright color! This is just a sampling of what I have done. Whatcha think?

I have been getting so many questions from some of you that I thought I would take a moment to answer them!!!

First Crochet Mom, you had asked about the Flower Power Scarf. It is still around, kinda in hibernation at the moment. But it is lurking in the back of my mind and will resurface soon. I will soon need a granny square fix after all this knitting and paper cutting I have been doing!

R. Morales, yes the Noro Scarf is self striping. I would recommend that any one making this to get two skeins of Noro. My pattern said one is needed...but not for me, I think it needs two! As soon as I can get my fingers on another skein I will get it finished up!

Kristen in Portland, Oregon, you has asked about the ripple scarf pattern and if there were something similar in knitting form. Off the top of my head I would recommend the feather and fan stitch. It is an easy stitch to master. I would suggest googling "feather and fan knit stitch" and you will come up with all kinds of information and how tos on it!

Allison has wanted to know what type of yarn I used on my cardi. Allison, I used Berroco Ultra Alpaca. I did not need to change anything, the guage worked up perfectly. I will say this is a fuzzy yarn, and when wearing with black it leaves its mark of little threads. This really does not bother me, but it may others! I am wanting to do another cardi in a silkier yarn!

I think that answers everyone's questions. I will be posting more pics soon on my scarf progress! I am still reserving my early morning time to my crochet hook and a scarf in the making!



For now I am off...looks like Fall is arriving!

Stitch Diva Endless Knitted Cardi/Shawl

So, whatcha think??
Personally, I like it! It's fun to wear, warm, snuggly...and pretty, too! Actually today is cool enough for me to wear it, which I did, on a trip to Hobby Lobby!
Here is a shot of the side view.

And finally the back, which I think is the prettiest part of the sweater.

Getting some pictures have been challenging. My husband does not like the camera. After trying to have him take my picture I opted for my remote control!

I don't think I shared my scarf with you guys. Unfortunately I have run short of yarn and waiting on my local yarn store to trace me down a skein. It is a ripple crochet done in this gorgeous Noro!
It is going to be so pretty! I cannot wait to get it finished. But in the meantime I have to find something to keep my fingers busy! So I grabbed two skeins of self striping sock yarn at Hobby Lobby to keep my fingers occupied. Of course, it is not as extravagant as the Noro Yarn, but I think it is pretty and am curious how it will work up.

For now, I am going back to some card making, and chili making, too...perfect for this cool rainy Saturday!

Finished!!!

Finished!!!
Originally uploaded by Buckster's Pics

Here is a little teaser sneek-peek of the back of my cardi. As I began to take photos with my remote the batteries on my camera died...so I just got a couple.

They are all charged up now and waiting on me to take some more pictures. I put this cardi on my dress form to take a couple pictures, but it really needs to be on a live model to do it justice.

Life has been busy and hectic these past few days...I am eagerly waiting on Saturday to get here so I can get caught up!

For now, I bid you all a Happy Friday Eve!!

Still Knit'n On My Cardi!

Hello all my blogsters! I bring to you the progress I have made on my Stitch Diva Endless Knit Cardi. I really am lovin this yarn, it's soft, full of color, and really shows off the texture of the sweater. I am now approaching the part of the sweater that is most challenging. Yes, I think I can do it...but my knitting skills are not nearly as sharp as my crocheting. Nevertheless, I feel confident that I can do it!!!

Here is a closeup that shows the texture and color of the yarn.

It's like a chocolate, yarny landscape!

Okay, not to switch gears or anything, but today as I was driving home from work I made an observation about myself. So, I am listening to talk radio...and actually getting into it. No longer do I hop from station to station to listen to the different types of music. It's either talk radio or a CD, which is pretty much exclusively 70s and 80s music, I think this morning it was Anita Baker...great CD by the way! Then I started thinking about music. Which then led me to thinking about the music award clip I saw on television where Taylor Swift won an award (which I hadn't heard of either). And I thought, who the hell is Kanye West? Never heard of the guy! (I could almost hear my parents saying the same thing many years ago when I would talk about some song I had heard on the radio!) (Oh, I still do not know what this Kanye West guy does, other than he has some kind of problem!) The point to this ramble...my observation...I am getting old!! Yikes!!! I can no longer see to do anything without my specs, which I have to wear over top my contacts. The aches and pains have also caught my attention. Staying up late is no longer something I do all the time. I love the old reruns on Nick at Night! This list could go on and on. I am on the back side of 40, and that 50 sign is not too far off, how the heck did I get here! When did my biological clock stop ticking!!?? LOL!

I don't know if there is any point in telling y'all this...it's just interesting to me. I think about my mom, and my grandma...and I have so much so much more appreciation for them!! Maybe this is part of "being my age" and being female. But despite it all, I will carry a crochet hook and some yarn with me as long as I am on this earth! And I have plenty of granny square blankets I can carry to the rest home with me to keep me warm when I go to the rest home. LOL!!!

I know...TMI...so I will stop rambling.

On a crochet note, and idea popped into my head for another granny bag as I was getting ready for work. Maybe I can bring it to you soon, after I finish up these next couple of projects!

I want to leave you with a cute little picture of my Girlie Dog! She absolutely hates the camera, which is so frustrating for me!

Notice she is not looking into the camera! Have I tramatized the poor thing?

Good evening to all of you! I am going to get in some rows on my sweater before time to go to bed!

Night Blooming Cereus

Greetings all! I just had to share with you a picture of my Night Bloom Cereus, which gifted me with this beautiful flower last night!! The fragrance was so
exotic. I have been waiting patiently for this, checking the bud daily, watching it grow...until finally this! It was fully open at about 10:00 p.m. By this morning the flower had completely closed up and wilted!

I am getting ready to pull out my knitting and get some more rows done on my sweater...I hope to soon reveal it to you all!!!

Labor Day!

First and foremost I want to thank Jane who lives in the United Kingdom for the great swap package. THANK YOU JANE! Jane has a great blog called Marigold Jam, it is full of all kinds of fun stuff and some great crochet, pop on over and check her out!!
Just look at what she sent me!! The little ornaments are so cute!! They are going to look great on my tree. I have two trees, one for all my glass and store bought ornaments, and one devoted to handmade ornaments. I promise when the time comes I will put plenty of Christmas tree pictures on here! Jane's package also had two balls of some yummy Patrons yarn, a crocheted flower pin, a magnet she picked up in London, and a cute flag pin cushion!!

Stitch Diva Endless Knit Cardi Progress!

It is coming along nicely, and actually I have done quite a bit more over the last day, so some new pictures will need to be taken in the next day or so! I absolutely am addicted to working on this! So much so, that my elbow is so sore!!! I think I am going to have to keep some Bengay Cream on hand...LOL!

Here are a couple more pics of my progress.

The ribbing on this is my favorite so far. I enjoy knitting and purling...and am fascinated at the way it looks. I remember from the days before I learned how to knit wondering how this was done. And then how amazed I was at how simple it was to do!

I wish I had more to share, but honestly things have been so hectic the past few days, errands, groceries, visiting with family, and some house cleaning and laundry that has been neglected has needed to be done. Where does all the dust come from?!!

And now, it is Monday evening, the end of my long Labor Day weekend, and the reality is setting in that I have to get up early and go to work, probably a long day at that too, when all I really want to do is stay home and knit on my cardi! I think I will sign off and spend these evening hours doing just that!

Everyone have a great week!!

The First of September!

Yes, I got a new knitting bag!! And yes, it is by Namaste and it is Kick Ass! Now, how's that for an endorsement! I had first noticed this bag on Facebook and from the moment I saw it I was coveting the pinkness, the leather, the compartments...everything about it! So Saturday I popped into my local yarn shop, Common Threads, to pick up a couple more skeins of yarn for my Stitch Diva Cardi...and...there it was! I was blinded by its beauty. Before I knew it I was holding it in my hands as if it were a priceless work of art...brilliant beams of light eminated from it, LOL! Okay...so I am sure you can figure out the rest of the story.

The "Yarn Lady" came over to me as I was holding the bag and trying to control the drooling and panting. "It's 20% off for the month of August" she said. How could this be? It was a sign, that little voice inside my head started chanting, "Get it, Get it." So since it was Saturday and the shop was closed on Monday, and today is the first of September, if I didn't leap now it wasn't going to happen. So I did it. And boy, I can honestly say I had no guilt at all!

Isn't it pretty? LOL

So here is a picture of the ribbing I am working on for the Stitch Diva Endless Knit Cardi. This is the reason my laudry is piled up, the house needs vacuumed and dusted, dishes in the sink! I am hooked on this! I took this picture Saturday and have done a good deal more since then. I am anxious to get this done so I can start wearing it.

I am noticing the mornings and evenings are cooler, the days are getting shorter, and there is just that feeling of fall in the air. I am sure we will warm up again, but for now I am loving the cooler weather!

Ta-Ta for now, I am off to ignore the housework and pick up my knitting...hey, the housework will be there later, right?