Little Snowman Hat

One of my customers just sent me the finished portrait of her sweet baby with my snowman tophat - it turned out very good don't you think?

I'm thrilled to pieces to be able to see one of my items "out there" in the world - just wait, my friends, one day I'll have something in a TV show or movie!!!

Camera Ouch

While taking some photos outside, I had my camera hanging around my neck, mid photo my prop started to fall, so I reached forward so it wouldn't break, and although I thought I was mindful about my camera, I was not -

I broke the lens. Now it won't focus. This really, really sucks.

Anyone got $100 they're not doing anything with? 

Returning home

Today I will be flying home from  a week long visit with family in Alberta. It's been an animal filled week with several dogs, two skunks and lots of deer. Although it's been colder than what I am used to and even snowed a couple of times, it's been sunnier and brighter than a week of Vancouver rain and so I am grateful for that.

I hope my flights aren't delayed as I would like to be home tonight. Jp didn't walk Eco at all this week but tells me they played frisbee with her, so that would give her some exercise and outdoor time.

My mom provide a nice place to stay and I appreciate the many yummy meals planned just for me. It wasn't without drama but I'm not going to dwell on the events and just look forward to one last morning and afternoon before I return to my little house and family. Hope you had a good week, I hope to catch up on your blogs this week as well.

Looking for a Little Mermaid

I just finished this little mermaid set which includes the tail, shell bra and starfish headband - now I just need a little mermaid to bring it to life!

The whole set

Closer view of the tail

Fin Detail

You need to see it in person because I think the yarn is absolutely perfect - it's a smooth strand, not really twisted, giving it a soft underwater effect and the blue/green transition is lovely. I just need to get some photographers to see it. And so making the items is only 1/2 of the work, the other half is the marketing and emailing it to potential buyers and getting exposure. And it really is about 1/2 the job.

Oh and if you're interested in making one for yourself, pattern credit goes to: www.BizeeB.etsy.com

A warm Thanksgiving

We had the most amazing Thanksgiving weekend weather - I can't remember when it was so sunny and so warm and so many of us were so happy - 25 degrees in October for us is practically unheard of. Loved it! But sadly, it's the end of "Augtober" as they called in on the TV News and back to our regularly scheduled programing - going between 5 and 12 degrees. And yesterday it was a foggy day which barely cleared in the afternoon, just enough to see the sun before it set around 6:30. Time to pull out our warm socks and winter bed covers!

And it's getting close to that really fun time if year - Halloween. I love to decorate the yard  - but not too early! Maybe next weekend, two weeks early will be fine. I don't like all the gory decorations - no monsters in cages but I do have skulls and spiders and that kind of stuff. And to also get in the mood, I made two little baby beanies for the season:

I was getting frustrated with embroidering the spider web on the hat as it just wasn't turning out the way I wanted it to, so I decided to pull out my old needlefelting box and felted it right on the hat. The wispiness of the wool roving adds dimension to the spider web. The needle felting also made it easier to get a better face on the ghostie. I might just have to conjure up a hat for myself!

Have you seen my monkey?

Just finished two hats for the shop - green and grey sock money hats - I think they turned out well, do you like them?

One for newborns

(smaller size with sewn on yarn eyes) 

and one for babies 

(sewn bigger with sewn on button  eyes) 

Some Finished Projects

I switched it up a bit and made some baby headbands for the shop:

This one is my absolute favorite! Skunk or Kitty Ears. Do you know any newborns who would like an easy Halloween costume?

These don't have to be just for photography props, they can be worn anytime! Why not? 

Babies have personalities too, no? 

 I wonder if I can get them to stay on Eco's head? Would it be wrong for dogs to wear headbands? 

Two weeks ago Eco and I walked by a care facility which had some people sitting outside. A woman came over to us and asked to pet Eco  - which she did, and Eco exuberantly accepted all her attention with a wagging tail and attempts to lick her face.

Well it just so happened that we ended up walking by that building again this weekend but this time there were about 20 people all sitting outside - well wouldn't you know it, little Eco scanned the crowd and picked out that lady again who immediately called out "Hi Eco" and then came over to pet her again. Wow, pretty impressive that the woman remembered Eco's name a week later, and pretty impressive that Eco remembered her. Maybe I should reconsider getting her into some service work training - even though she's so very excitable.

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I made these two little top hats this past weekend for baby or pet portraits:

One for boys:

and one for girls: 

Maybe even a cute prop for New Year's pictures? 

Panda Baby

I couldn't resist making this adorable panda hat for babies for the next newborn photoshoot:

I think it's adorable.

My brother's going to get mad at me for saying this (too negative, he says) but I never like putting on ears or other parts like this as  I never seem to get them straight no matter how hard I try, but I think I finally got this one  - I only had to pick and resew an eye patch once, and remake the nose (it wasn't salvageable after I tried to unpick it). Now I can't wait to see it on a little baby's head!

And, if you'd like to see how to do it yourself, or compare what it should look like, then head on over the to the designer's blog KnitProCro (I just love that name!)

Finished piece is for sale in my Etsy shop, see sidebar at right for link and photo.

Red and White Munchkin

Remember the little hat I was struggling to complete the other day? Well I finished it, here it is:

It was a little slow going, the motivation just wasn't there, but it's done - and in my Etsty shop for sale. Now on  to the next project, which I hope will go much better!

We've had a rough couple of weeks around here topped off with a cold for both of us. For me it was strange - the first 4 days it was without the sinus-y stuff. Then I felt better for two days, then WHAM-O head cold! Yuck! I won't go into all the details but it was definitely energy draining. In fact on Tuesday I was so very tired that I wanted to just go to bed but I had to go to dance class as it was our last group rehearsal before our show on the weekend.

Oh didn't I mention I was in a show? Yes, me. I will be on stage. It's freaky scary. Isn't that what you're supposed to do? Look fear in the face and do things that scare you? Well I did just that. I agreed to perform. I have never performed in my whole life. I was always so painfully shy that I was the kid that moved the curtains or looked after the lighting in all the elementary school plays or the one that did the research so someone else could present the information in all the business courses I took. Oh sure I can sit at the boardroom table and talk, but I'm not at the front of the room with a PowerPoint presentation. 

Anyway, I went to that class. I figured I'd have to sit down when I got too tired. I figured I'd be too tired to drive home. But I made it. I gave it my all and I made it through the class. Today, I still have a cold but I'm feeling much better. I'm sure it will be all gone for the show this weekend.

There were a couple days when I was too tired to move my hands but I have been working on several projects - I am doing some hand quilting, I have an embroidery project on the go and I just finished knitting two hats for my Etsy shop - which may be going to the baby photographer soon.

Here's a cute little grape hat for summer: 

And here's one for fall - a pumpkin hat:

We can rebuild him

This weekend I took a break from my baby photography prop making and decided to do some needle felting. First up was a remake of a past project. And of course with the mention of the past, there is always a story - isn't there? The bear was first made in 2008 - and in order to show you what he started out to be, I went searching through my blog to find the picture. I didn't count on coming across the sad story of my dog Jazz (just skip past that part about her) but it was interesting to see how much better I am at needle felting, at least I think I'm better.

Anyway.... back to the original story. I made the little blue bear for my mom and she had been using him daily as a reminder to take her pills, she'd move him on top of her pill container at night so the next day she could easily remember  if she took them or not  - you know how days can sometimes blend together when you're not working, that's why so many people use those little plastic containers with the days of the week on them (I bet you have one in your house right now).  One day the little blue bear fell off the table where a curious schnauzer investigated it, and next thing you know the little blue bear only had 1 leg. My mom mailed him back to me and asked me if I could give him some new limbs, however when I went through my felting box, I no longer had the dark blue wool. Now what? Well I decided I could rebuild him in an new colour so I covered him with a lighter blue and gave him new legs and an arm. It worked! But I also decided that since his job was to remind my mom to take her pills, he should also hold one, so I made her a little capsule as well:

And a new little tail too: 

And then I decided to make a dog, inspired by the latest issue of Mollie Makes
which just arrived a couple of days ago
 (I love this magazine, I'm so excited every time a new issue comes in!)
 -  here's my new pal with his favourite bone and ball: 

Oh yes, and I taught him to do tricks - hold that bone on your nose little guy! 

Earlier in the week I did finish a baby bee set just in time for spring! There are two sizes of soaker covers since diapers can be deceptively large, so I  made two size options: 

And that's it for now! Not bad - good thing the weather was crappy and I didn't do any yard work.  What did you do this weekend? 

Mares Eat Oats, and Does Eat Oats* and Little Lamb Hats for Baby

We didn't have many family obligations this Easter weekend, but even though we had an extra day, I still didn't get as much done as I would have liked. I did finish a couple of the baby photography prop hats that I'm going to be putting in an Etsy store soon.

First up - a little lamb bonnet: 

Then there is this bee hat  - which needs a ribbon in it and I'm working on making a matching diaper cover. I think it will be adorable! 

How about a Hershey's Kiss? 

And then finally a baseball hat - which I'm still deciding how I'll embellish - maybe some letters?  

I need a baby model! It's not so much fun when they're not on a little head are they?

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I also finished this scarf (I think I started it a year ago - scarves should not take a year to complete should they?) - Eco modeled this one for me:

**do you remember this song?

More Hats! More Hats!!

Two more hats finished - one adult sized and one baby sized.

This one is for my mom- she sent me the yarn and so I knitted this beanie*: 

And this is another newborn hat (crocheted) that is to be a photography prop: 

I don't know what I like more - the little ear flap hat, or the photo I took of it!
I can't wait to see a little baby wearing it.
I hope the photographerlikes it and uses it soon. 

If you're on Ravelry, my username is 'wayoutwear'  - all the pattern and yarn details are there. 

*  Every time I look at this styrofoam head I kinda chuckle because one day it fell and banged it's nose and it's almost identical to where my scar is from cracking my nose about 4 years ago. Isn't that kind of odd? 

Finished Projects

It was a busy week and there wasn't much time for crafting but I did manage to finish two projects.

First up, a knit pair of socks for my mom : 

I know it's hard to tell in the photo, but this yarn reminded me of cookies and cream ice cream.

And next was a prototype for the baby photographer's prop box, sized for a newborn:

A little crocheted zebra hat! 

I think it's so cute, I just HAD to make it!! 

Today it's "patch day"  - that means I get to sew patches on The Kid's clothes today.  My mom used to always tell me it was bad luck to sew on a Sunday - but it's the only day I can do it , so wish me luck!