A few Friday links!

I don't know about you, but I'm ready for 5:00 to get here. It's been a hectic work week, and I'm ready for some crafty time!
I wanted to share a few links to kick off the weekend.

I'm pretty sure these cupcakes will be a part of my near future...

I just entered Kaelin's mini quilt in Jennifer's massive mini contest. You should enter, too!

I'm kind of digging these earrings, maybe for the rehearsal dinner?

This looks like hours of nostalgic fun!

March is my month in the Wonky Bee, and we're making Polaroid blocks! I can't wait to see the blocks made!

Happy Friday to you. After a much needed catch-up on sleep and crafting this weekend, I'll have several things to share with you, including my very first sewing tutorial!

I'll leave you with mustached Jacey and Jill. We went to see Anchorman at the Alamo Drafthouse in January.

Linky loos for you

Happy Friday to you! Thanks to you all for the comments on "My Word".

So, I'm excited for the weekend. Tomorrow, there will be (cup)cake tasting and flower picking (or selection, rather. I'm not actually going out in the fields to pick flowers...). Here's a random collection of links for you. I'll be back soon with several knitting FOs, and some sewing, too!

I want to knit this so badly.

I love these hoops by Lucky Jackson. She does one each day. Such a fun project!

I want to make this soup. Yum!

Speaking of food, this is one of my new favorite food blogs.

Still speaking of food, I highly recommend this cookbook. I've already tried a couple of the recipes, and I've always enjoyed her blog. Tasty stuff!

I'm going to be stitching this soon!

I'm in love with Shapemoth's latest creation, for the FTLOS swap. She was my partner last round and made me this:

She's so talented!

Lastly, enjoy this by The Staves (only audio). They opened for the Civil Wars last Friday, and they are fabulous.

Have a great weekend, crafty peeps! I hope you get to do fun things!

Flashback Friday and some links

I liked posting the picture of my dad and I, so here's another one of little Jacey. I loved wearing my dad's giant cowboy boots when I was little. You can see my sister Jill in the crib.

Onto the links!

My aunt Mary gave me a sackful of butternut squash this weekend, so I think I'll be making this soon.
I have so much love for Chawne's Composting. I am going to start cutting some scraps this weekend, in fact!
Did you see this beautiful Retro Flowers quilt pattern?
These make me happy.
I'm kind of obsessed with making Etsy treasuries. Here's one I made yesterday.
I'm loving the new Colette patterns. Cute!
Jeni's Single Girl is awesome!
After seeing this, I immediately wanted to go camping. Incredible shot!

Have a great weekend, peeps! I'll have some FOs to share with you next week. xo.

Flashback Friday and some links

My sister has been going through old photos and scanning some favorites.

She came across this one of my dad and I. Look at that little belly. Oh, goodness. Things are difficult with him, so this picture makes me a feel a mixture of things.
Cute, though.

As I was driving into work this morning, I realized that my air conditioner has gone out. Not cool, literally. So, I guess part of my Saturday will involve getting that checked out. My little Civic is ten years old, so I really can't complain too much.

I can't end this post on such a unhappy note, so here are some links!

Tilt-shift Machu Picchu

I love this incredible hand-crafted bird!

Look! Knitting Narwhals!

I just bought this lovely pattern by The Sometimes Crafter.

I love this foxy hoop made for the Solids Swap. So cute!

Oh, and have you heard about Celebrate Color? I'm interested to see what Rachel has in store!

Have a great Friday, peeps!

P.S. If you're looking for the giveaway, it's here until Sunday night.

Fabric Friday and some linkies

Recent stash enhancement involving some elephants:

From L to R: Violet Craft Peacock Lane Menagerie Yellow and Falling Flowers Gray, Melody Miller Ruby Star Spring Bloom Tomato Vine, Daiwabo Elephant Walk in Orange and Melody Miller Ruby Star Spring Bloom Nightlite

And a scrappy purchase from Starlit Nest:

Lots of lovelies here!

I've got Swoon on the brain. Hardcore. I already bought the pattern and I've picked out my fabrics. I blame Nicke. I also blame this and this and this.

This kitty cracks me up.

I heart this Pouty cloud.

I hope you all have lots of fun this weekend!
And you've got until Sunday to enter the giveaway, if you haven't already!

Stashy Stash and some links

I've been bad about posting stash pictures, so here's a few recent enhancements.

I picked up a FQ stack of Denyse Schmidt's Hope Valley line. It wasn't a line that grabbed me right away, but now I love it! Perhaps it's all the amazing finished quilts that made me think twice!

I also picked up these three AMH prints last week. The two on the right are from Good Folks, an out of print line, and the left is a favorite from Innocent Crush.

I love the whimsical It's a Hoot! line by Momo for Moda. Rumor has it, my one and only sister likes it too, so this might become a quilt for her someday soon!

And a few random flickr faves for you:
Laff cat
Amazing quilt by Summersville with her hand-printed fabrics
I love this birdie mug rug
Lindsay's finished Bottled Rainbows quilt is beautiful!
The ever-inspiring Chawne is spinning some beautiful handspun lately!
I love this zig zag solids quilt

Have a great weekend, all!

A huge thank you

I recently had a string of good luck with winning some blog contests. I still can't believe it!

First up, (and I must admit, I'm painfully late in getting around to posting this first one), I won a beautiful knitting pattern book from the lovely Nova!

As part of her annual Novakkah celebration, she gave away this Rowan Purelife pattern book. I just love Nova's blog, and she's so generous to turn her birthday into an event of giving!
Thanks, Nova!

More recently, I won a fun new pouch from McIntyre Girl.

She let me pick any pouch I wanted from her shop, and I chose this Aviary 2 version. I love the pleats, and Aviary 2 is definitely a favorite!

Thanks, Caitlin!

Finally, I won a new photography book from the Sometimes Crafter!

I cannot wait to peruse this, although I'm going to have to prevent my sister from stealing it! You can read Christina's review of the book here if you'd like more information.

Thank you again to Nova, Caitlin and Christina!

Friday Favorites and a few links

Please click the image to see photo credits

I was inspired by Sara to put together a few links and a favorite mosaic this morning.

I'm thinking of making this for dinner tonight.
I'd also love to try this delicious concoction.
I think Mr. Olias would look so dapper in this.
This other cat-related pin cracks me up!
An embroidered pillow case a la AMH is on my to-do list. I bought this exact fabric. I couldn't resist!
I LOVE this yellow quilt
I'd really like to get one of these for my desk at work

Happy Friday, peeps!

FO: Buttercup for Jenny

I've been wanting to try the Buttercup pattern for ages. I thought I might give it a go for the Goodie Bag Swap, but I ended up going in a different direction.

Then, my friend Jenny said she was headed to Seattle for a month-long course, and I thought that was perfect excuse to make her a gift.
Of course, she's already left, and is only two weeks from returning. I finished Saturday and gave it to her husband (also my dear friend), and now she'll have a gift when she returns.

Timing doesn't always cooperate with intentions, does it?

I knew Jenny would love the Ruby Star Rising View Finder fabric, and Michael Miller's love birds just called out to be used. This bag came together in just a few hours. There is a tiny bit of curve sewing, so be prepared for that!

Also, there are two options to obtain the pattern. You can download it for free (this is what I did), or you can purchase the pattern with two sizes, and a license to sell your finished bags.

Last night

Jill and I went to see Glen Hansard. The Swell Season. If you don't know, now you know. Check it out if you are unfamiliar. It was one of the four best shows I've ever been to.

The best part was when he pulled this girl on stage to sing backup (she was singing out from the crowd, and it was obvious she had a voice), so she ended up belting out, and it was an amazing goosebump-inducing song moment.
Ah, I wish we were still there.

Planning again

After finishing my Boston cardigan, I've been trying to think about my next big project. I know I need to finish my CPH, which has now been on the needles for over a year, but even though I know I'll wear the hell out of it, I just don't feel like picking up all those stitches just yet. Soon, though. I've been working on my second Cherry Blossom Sock, and I should be finished with that in a week or so. I've been looking at patterns and thinking about a new wardrobe piece, and I've narrowed it down to three patterns, to be used with this yarn:
This is RYC Cashsoft DK in Kingfisher, which is difficult to photograph, but it's a lovely teal, and the yarn is super soft.

My three pattern choices are: Arbor, Cherry, which I've started before (picture below), or the Wallis Cardigan.

Here's how far I got on Cherry when I started it sometime earlier this year (or maybe even last):
.

Thoughts? Votes? I think these are all work-friendly patterns, which is the goal.

By the way, I've still got some Boston pics to share, and a shawl FO. I just haven't had as much to time to blog as I'd like. Soon, though!

Freakin Good Food Friday

Seriously. Stop what you're doing. Go buy blueberries. Before they go out of season.

Make this dessert on the double. And be quick about it. If you can't buy or don't enjoy blueberries, make it with strawberries, blackberries or raspberries. Make it fast. Enjoy the delicious smell that comes out of your oven and then try not to eat all of them in one sitting. Just try.

I would probably be a skinnier gal if I didn't read Smitten Kitchen. I mean that as a compliment.

Boston Sweater Thoughts

I've narrowed down the list of potential sweaters a bit, but of course, I then added a couple as well. I'm now trying to pick between four sweater designs.

The new list of possibilities are:

Vine Yoke Cardigan (linked in post below)

Emerald Isle Cardigan (linked in post below)

Buttony Sweater

Favorite Cardigan (link to Feministy's version, which I love)

I ruled out Ms. Darcy, because it has a decent amount of seaming and finishing, and I'm looking for quick and easy on this one.

I ruled out the Garter Yoke Cardigan, because I don't feel confident that I could finish in time. Finally, I ruled out Lush and Lacy, because I'm not sure that it will look good on me, after looking at several Ravelry FOs.

I'm leaning towards the Favorite Cardigan in Malabrigo Marine

or the Emerald Isle Cardigan in Wool of the Andes Onyx Heather
.

Help me choose my new project

My sister and I are going to Boston next month. We've never been, so we decided it would be a fun vacation to take together. I've decided (because I'm crazy) to try knit up a cardigan in celebration of this, in hopes that the fall weather (this seems like a safe bet, yes?) will allow me to wear one while I'm there.

The problem is, I can't decide which of the following four five patterns to start:

You can click on each link to see a picture of the potential project

Garter Yoke Cardigan

Ms. Darcy Cardigan

Lush and Lacy

Vine Yoke Cardigan

Emerald Isle Cardigan

Alternatively, I could try to finish my Central Park Hoodie.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Am I crazy for thinking I could knit one of these in five weeks?

No Food Friday

It doesn't mean I'm not cooking, or eating, for that matter, but I have no food to share with you today. I do have two Smitten Kitchen links to share. I'm planning to make one or both of these in the morning. They both sound amazing, and all of the Smitten recipes I've tried have been wonderful.

Smitten's White Bean Roasted Red Pepper Dip
Feta Salsa

Enjoy the rest of your Friday!!

Monster Mash

I bought this shirt on Threadless back in December. I wear it often. I love looking at all the little characters, but the best part is that it glows in the dark. Really. How cool is that?

Hat Trick KAL

Although I don't watch much hockey (nothing against it, but come on, I live in Houston), I found a knit-along I think I can actually complete. Over on Lolly's blog, one I enjoy reading thoroughly, I found mention of a Puck This! KAL for the month of January, in which you knit three hats.
I can knit hats like there's no tomorrow. I haven't officially signed up, especially since, like I said, I'm not at all knowledgeable about hockey. But unofficially, I'm in.

My first hat is the Slouch for All Seasons, by Knitting School Dropout. I printed this pattern as soon as it came out last summer, and I've been trying to figure out what yarn to use.

I had this gorgeous, vibrant skein of Malabrigo in Vermillion staring at me, and you don't really have to twist my arm to get me to use Malabrigo. I worked on it a bit more last night at my knitting group (which actually only consisted of me and Amanda!), so I imagine I can have it finished this weekend. Then, on to hat #2!

Currently enjoying:

I just found this site: Dark Roasted Blend, which is full of unusual and interesting stories and photos.

Check it out-it just went into my blog reader.

Coming up, a new pet has joined my little family, and I finally have a new FO to share.

Techniques, Helpful Links

While perusing Fitted Knits at lunch today, I came across a few things that I've read about or seen, but require a little more study before actual practice is done.
Links to improve my knitting ability: -KFB information
I know this probably isn't too difficult, because watching the video on The Knitting Help video seemed fairly straightforward, but I want to check out these other links to make sure I understand it.
KFB Bar Increase

Another KFB explanation

Third example

TechKnitting misc. links:
Increases here
and here
Flat knitting on circs
Efficiency
Pattern reading

Correcting Errors

Here
also here
another and here
Article on gauge
One of my knitting resolutions is to learn how to correct mistakes. I already have one book of knitting tips, but there are a couple of books I'm thinking of adding to my library on this subject.