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Friday, December 10, 2010

Finally Friday

Where has this week gone? Just flew by. I spent yesterday knitting a rasta hat for a Christmas gift. I am enclosing the link to  to Tail Spinner's pattern.

Here are the few changes I made:

1) I forgot and did a  K2P2 rib. Don't think it made any difference.
2) I worked to end of Row 45 before I decided it was big enough.
3) At the end, when I had to switch to double points for the crown, I had to use the #5mm/#8US, as I didn't have a small enough #10.5US circular.
4) The ribbing was a bit big so I single crocheted a long cord which was then run every two stitches (K2P2) along the inner edge of the ribbing. The cute bow feminizes the hat and will serve to help keep it on her head if it is too big.

Otherwise I used the pattern as is with Lion Brand Homespun yarn in color 404 Lagoon.


http://www.tail-spinner.com/Mango-Moon_Rasta_Hat.pdf


The left side with bow about eyebrow height.

The right side.


Detail of cord around ribbing. You can't even see it. Just looks like a bow was placed there. 
I am very happy with the outcome of this project and I hope the recipient likes it too.

Wednesday, December 08, 2010

Wow! It's Wednesday

Once in a while something extra special flies by your eyes. That's what just happened as I was looking at a blog that a blogger friend had posted on FaceBook.


It's called 'The Toy Society Christmas Drop.' People all around the world make toys and secretly hide them in easy to find places with a tag that says "Take me home. I'm yours." How cool is that. Here's a link to their blog so you can read all about them.

thetoysociety.blogspot.com/p/christmas-drop.html

This is the best Christmas present I've had so far. Now I'm thinking what can I make all year long so I can do a drop next Christmas too. Hmmmm...

Tuesday, December 07, 2010

You Gotta See This...

In an earlier blog (April 14, 2010) I showed pictures of a red/white Waldo sweater I knit for my brother to give as an office gift to a co-worker who was about to go on maternity leave. Here are pictures of the actual baby in the sweater and hat; bootees too small now. Enjoy!







Here are  a couple other great creative blogs



and



kittycatsandairplanes.blogspot.com/2010/11/holiday-gift-ideas.html

Monday, December 06, 2010

Monday Magic

Red nose! Blue fingers! Gulfpole! What's this??


Tonight in Gulfport (alias Gulfpole) the town Christmas tree was lit in typical small town fashion. Not to think that I'm going to bash this custom! I walked nearly a mile in coooold weather just to go see it. The Pre-K sang but were unused to microphones and laughed and giggled and yelled into them while the teacher was trying to get everything ready. Priceless! An after-school group sang a jazzy version of "Run, Run Rudolph" and did pantomime to it. Nice job! The mayor spoke. A lady led the community singing of "Jingle Bell Rock" and "Here Comes Santa Claus" which she pitched so high no one else could hit the high notes. We all sang "Jingle Bells" to welcome in Santa who arrived in the fire truck with lights and sirens blazing.

It doesn't get any better than this. 

=^.^=

Friday, December 03, 2010

Finally Friday

Just finished sewing and decorating the cutest little jeans purse, for a young girl who is just starting to carry purses. This is a custom piece which I thoroughly enjoyed doing, collaborating with her grandmother all the way through. It's about 9" x 7" just big enough to still be sweet.
 


 The lining is two small hankies sewn together to make a pocket, then hand stitched around the top. 
                                          


 There was just enough hankie left to hem along the
one side and tie to the back belt loop in a bow.
Sweetness , don't you think?

The back pockets are functional as are the ones in front. This pair of baby jeans is about a 1 yr old size.

                                                               



Here are a couple of detail shots: 

Left front pocket. She has a black cat and the flowers
are from the lining material. A bit of glitter around the
cat. 


 The pink teardrop beads are upcycled from an old necklace. Some beads are clear and some are not.
They are so delicate and add a bit of femininity.                                                                                  

                                                                                   
Hope you enjoy, Pussyfoots =^.^=





Thursday, December 02, 2010

Technorati Challenge

I have to enclose the following code:   K5D2FADRFBAD  so Technorati can verify that this account is mine. Please be patient.

Wednesday, December 01, 2010

Wow! It's Wednesday

I'm scurrying to get a few new things ready for Art Walk on Friday. Art Walk is a twice-a-month art show here in Gulfport FL. Vendors set up between the street and the sidewalk all along Beach Boulevard from 6 PM to 10 PM the first Friday and the third Saturday. It's an awesome gathering of artists, art lovers, diners, tourists, locals, and kids and dogs. Little blue lights strung in all the trees along the boulevard give it a festive feel.

It seems like this Friday crept up too fast; I thought I had one more week. I'm thinking sweatshirts will sell well this week as it is quite chilly here for the rest of the week. Two white, one gray, one red, and one pink. Two have holly decorations, on has a snow scene, one has a string of tree lights and the pink one is getting painted tomorrow.

Art Walk here I come.

Pussyfoots =^.^=

 my display table

new display racks
another view
   







                           

Monday, November 29, 2010

Where have I been?

I can't believe it's been so long since I posted. Let's see---May was a drizzler of a month; 25+ days of rain and coolish weather. I decided then and there to relocate to the USA - Florida to be exact. Once that decision was made, lots of details had to be taken care of. My good friend Silvia helped me with paperwork and contract cancellation, etc. I had to give 3 months notice to everyone to avoid penalties. OK, that done I then had to sort through 5 years accumulation to give away or throw away.

In the middle of the summer, I had company for two weeks. I worked hard before and after but relaxed and enjoyed the time they were there. Did a lot of visiting and eating out. It was the only two weeks of hot weather we had. Just after the company left it turned cool and rainy. Not every day but...

August was really busy. It was like tilting a line of dominoes. One thing right after another. It had to be this way so that I could still cook and have a place to sleep. All went well and then on Aug 30 three different agencies came and took it all away. I spent the next 3 nights with Silvia and on Sept 2, she and her husband took me to Frankfurt to board the plane.

I stayed with my brother for 5 weeks until I could find an apartment. Now I live in the middle of the Art District in Gulfport Florida. I can show my art twice a month or more. It is a fun, touristy area with a great Senior Center. I can be as busy as I want, there are so many interesting things to do.

Now I'm caught up and can get back to posting about creating.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Where Is Waldo?? Remember him...

Do you remember the "Where's Waldo?" books? I sort of do. They are newer than my kids read and way older than my g'kids read. This past week, though, I got involved with Waldo in a curious sort of way. My brother from the states wanted me to knit a baby sweater like the one Waldo wears. A strange request you might say.  It seems there's a woman in his office who has been nicknamed 'Waldo' and who is pregnant. He thought it would be a fun idea to gift her a 'Waldo' baby sweater and hat 'a la Waldo.' There was plenty of time but the idea got my creative juices going and I started to work. It's all done now; about 3 weeks after the initial request.

                                                                  Remember now?



Now comes the baby look-alike:


 

                                                       

                       This is about a 3-6 month size, with snaps on the left shoulder for easy on and off.





The hat would go easily over a grapefruit. There are no ear-flaps as this is going to a southern state.


And now the really cute things. I have no idea what kind of socks Waldo wears but I had to go with the stripes. See below.



  
                                                     Aren't they cute?  Just like mom and dad's.


Since these are gifts they will not be listed in my Etsy store. I prefer to do custom knitting anyway. So if you have need of a baby layette, baby sweater, bootees, or whatever for a baby, I can knit it. I will design something especially for you based on your ideas. Then I'll send you a drawing. When you approve it and we agree on a price, I'll begin. The above project took 3 weeks from the time I was asked until the finish.  It can be shorter or longer depending on the design. Pricing is also flexible. International shipping at about $8-10. You would pay only the exact shipping amount. (Within Europe, a bit less.)

Please let me know if I can design and knit something for you. Not just baby clothes. I knit personal items also. You tell me your idea and I'll tell you whether or not I can knit it.

Contact me at: purring42@yahoo.com.

Tuesday, April 06, 2010

Spring Shopping Spree

 Well it's time for the first major shopping spree of Spring. If you need a special shopping bag to put those purchases in, you've come to the right place. Just relisted the Poppy Collection natural cotton shopping bag. 18" x 40". Washable in cool water; should be air dried; can be ironed. Rolls up small enough to store in your purse. Click here to find this bag: www.pussyfoots.etsy.com



This interesting bag is the same bag as above. BUT... in the middle there is room for a name, a slogan, a poem, your own personalization. You can make this bag really special for a unique graduation or bridal shower gift. You pick the occasion, you tell me what to put in the middle, you have a one-of-a-kind gift or personal shopping bag. Click here to see this bag in my Etsy shop:  www.pussyfoots.etsy.com


While you are there, browse around the other parts of  P*U*S*S*Y*F*O*O*T*S  to see what you can find.

Thank you for stopping by. Hope you had a good time.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Relistings today

Hey, I just found a couple items to relist in my Etsy store:

a large tulip shopping bag
a fanny pack with poppies and
a folding backpack
                                                                                       
You can get the full descriptions at: www.pussyfoots.etsy.com.

If you just love really large and roomy shopping bags, then the large tulip shopping bag was made just for you. It measures 45 x 50cm (18" x 20"). It holds everything. Yet it rolls up quite small and fits in your purse, just ready to go shopping.

If big bags aren't your thing then consider the fanny pack (hip bag) decorated with the popular poppies motif. It fits around your waist with a comfortable webbed band and has a roomy pouch of 10x20cm (4"x8"). Take a look. You'll like it.

Just let me say that the folding backpack is a wonderful invention. You can carry it in your hand as a pouch with a roomy pocket and a wrist strap or you can unzip it and have a medium sized backpack in which to store all your purchases. Very convenient. For sure a conversation starter. And to top it off, a really cute cat stares right back at you.


All items are hand-painted on natural cotton or natural cotton canvas. They are washable on low temp.

Shipping in one or two days and takes about 10 days to the US.

Stop on by and have a look. I bet you'll see something you'll like.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

P*U*S*S*Y*F*O*O*T*S Craft Project #1 - Corner Bookmark


CORNER BOOKMARK

Materials needed:

construction paper, any color, scraps work too
old envelope
markers or watercolors, crayons
decorative stamps (optional)
stamp pad (optional)
glue
scissors
your favorite decorations

                                                                                                  CORNER BOOKMARKS


 DIRECTIONS:
                                                                                                                                





Pix #1.  On an old envelope, in a corner that doesn't have
printing,  measure 8, 9, or 10 cm (3-4") from a corner(1)
along a side and then along the other side(2). Connect the
two dots making a triangle. Cut on the dotted line.(3)







                                                                                                                                  


Pix #2. Carefully open the corner of the envelope (1a) to use
as a pattern (2) or use the corner as is (1) adding
decorations to it.




                                                                                                                               












Pix #3 and 4. Transfer your design or pattern to the front of the triangle of the opened bookmark. Paint and decorate it to your heart's content.

                               
                                                                                                  




Pix #5 and 6.   Fold the decorated bookmark into a triangle and glue the overlapping pieces together. Hold for a bit or slide under a book for a few minutes. That's it. You're  done!!                                                                      
                                                                             










                                                

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Getting Ready to Create or Just pussyfootin' around

 My Studio

Today, just thinking about what to blog about as I was getting my little studio ready to start painting and crafting again. And it occurred to me that you might think you have to have a whole room to work in. Alas, if I used a whole room, I wouldn't have any room left. I have carved out of a corner a little space for a summer garden fold-up table. It measures 62 x 115 cm. (Sorry I can't tell you in inches as I do not have a yardstick only a meter stick.) I found a plastic tablecloth that fits nicely. That's it! That's my studio.

When I work I want to know exactly where everything is so I have an established place on the table for brushes, paint, tools, etc. Not everyone is like this. When I am working, I don't want to stop and look for some needed item.Supplies not being used are kept in various drawers and cubby holes in the apartment.  

So think of where you might create a small 'studio' for yourself. It doesn't have to be permanent. My table is cleared for holidays and used, with an elegant tablecloth, for family dinners. It is also folded and taken with me to Art Shows. Part of developing and using creativity is working with what you have, but in new ways.

Friday, March 05, 2010

Purring or Meowing

Spent a lot of time working on my blog. I have been back and forth between Etsy and the blog trying to get a slide show embedded. I have the strip for the slide show but it doesn't slide. Yet!!  That was a meowing time, aaarrrgh! Total frustration.  I guess my computer skills will improve out of necessity.

Relisted the Bamboo/Yin Yang cosmetic bag.  28 x 18 cm (11" x 7"), natural cotton canvas;  zippered top, washable.  Just click on any picture to the right or on the link itself to go to the shop.

Visit often and by the way, thanks for visiting today.

Thursday, March 04, 2010

When creativity takes a powder...

It's been a long dry spell here. Productivity/creativity has been at a minimum for several months. My source for Art Shows and Exhibitions no longer exists. It has put me in a slump. As much as the online shop is wonderful, so is live exhibiting. I really enjoy meeting the public and showing my creations. For several months now I have been thinking about new sources for exhibiting here in Heilbronn, Germany.

So now it's almost Spring. Time for a new start. Since I will be renewing my visa in the next few days, I will ask my advisor how to get a Gewerbeschein (license) to set up a little exhibition table downtown in the Fußgängerzone (pedestrian walkway) when there are also other things going on that bring more people in to town. Getting things done here, in the bureaucracy, is like playing chess or jumping through hoops. It can be done but it takes perseverance. So off to the Rathaus tomorrow.

Wednesday, March 03, 2010

New Beginnings or Purring again

After five years, it is time to blog again. This time with a different slant. After a bit of catching up from then til now on this site and some redecorating, it will be devoted to creative arts. Mine and others. There is a lot to learn  and it will take a bit of time but it will happen. Come back again to see what new things have been added. And, by the way, thanks for visiting this site.