If only there were more hours in a day for...

Crafting!  I've been on a huge craft-blog kick these past few weeks.  I just love seeing what other people come up with and share with the world.  It's so refreshing and inspiring, and honestly it's great to be inspired by objects and projects in an medium other than knitting.  I've been perusing How About Orange's blog all morning.  She has some awesome DIY projects and gorgeous inspiration on her site.  The other blog I've been enjoying this morning is The Purl Bee's blog.  They feature more knitting, crotchet, and sewing projects.

It all makes me wish I had infinitely more time and creative genius at my command.  Check out their blogs, and be inspired!  I know that I am, and can't wait to make a bunch of their projects.

My husband Nick and I have recently bought our first house, and I have begun to look around and see that far too much of what we've used to decorate with has come from ikea.  I mean, a lot of the artwork has come from me, but just about all of the furniture and bigger pieces are not.  All I can think about lately is finding some beautiful, old, and slightly beat up pieces of furniture with tons of character to de-sterilize our home a bit.  My main desire, a Queen Anne style buffet table, which I shall paint and distress... I get excited just thinking about it!  This is the kind of buffet I am talking about.

And then I will paint it a fun color and distress it like this...

And finally, I am going to hang a ton of mis-matching vintage mirrors over it.  It will be perfect.  I can't wait!  If only money grew on trees!  I've found the perfect buffet on craigslist.  Now I just have to come up with the funds to buy it!  I've definitely come to realize that owning a home is the never ending project.

I haven't been blogging, but I've sure been knitting!

OK!  I promised some photos of all my Christmas gift-knitting, and here they are!  I knit these awesome Felted Slippers from French Press Knits for all my sisters and my momma.  I think they were a hit!

They are surprisingly easy to knit up, and the felting isn't that hard either.  They look a bit more challenging than they actually are.  Also, they are SUPER warm since they are just a thick layer of wool when you're done!  Here's a couple more detail shots...

The other fun thing I've been working on is a hat for myself based on the one Hermione wore in the Deathly Hallows.  If you see the movie, keep your eyes out for the knits she wears in the Godrics Hollow scene.  They are gorgeous.  Here's the movie hat...

And the version I made, based on a pattern a fellow Raveler created.  It's not exactly right, and with a little tweaking, I could probably get it to look a lot closer, but here it is.  I'm pretty happy with it even though it is a bit different in shape.  ok, and I just couldn't resist the Harry Potter-inspired wand shot.  I'm feeling a little nerdy tonight.  What can I say?

At any rate, it's 1 am, and I need to get some shut eye.  There's plenty more knitting to be done tomorrow!

A New Year of Knitting

Four posts this last year in as many months really is a sad thing, but thanks to blogging inspiration from my amazing friend Sarah, here I am again, attempting to be better.  For now.  You know how these things go.

Like a lot of knitters, I have had a really busy Christmas with all of my gift knitting (in fact, there is still knitting to do... oi) and I am ready to get back to doing a couple of projects for myself.  When I'm doing tons of gift knitting, I feel it's easier to get burned out... it's best to throw a quick hat for yourself in the mix to keep the motivation going.

I do have some photos that I will post soon of all my gifties, because what I chose to knit for everyone really is a fun pattern and project to try, and maybe you will be inspired to give it a go.  For now I am just surfing the web trying to find some cheap but luxe yarn (because as much as I LOVE high end yarns, the price tag doesn't love me!) to complete some of the 150 projects in my Ravelry que.  So many of my amazing friends are pregnant right now, that I need to find some beautiful yarn for baby blankets!

At any rate, I just wanted to say Happy New Year to those of you who read this, and just let you know that I pray so many blessings on you as we move into 2011.  I know that Jesus has just blessed my husband Nick and I so much throughout 2010, that I'm excited to see what he does in 2011.  I'm stoked to see what He does for all of YOU as well.

Happy new year, and happy knitting!