GAL block one

Caffeine Molecule

Too Long

Life has a way of speeding up, it seems.  I absolutely cannot believe it is 2014. Things that have happened recently?

1. Cooper turned 1.

Wait, what???

Yes, indeed. My sweet little boy is now one year old!! Walking, playing, blabbing, the whole she-bang!

2. I have officially worked at Arkansas Children's Hospital as a Respiratory Therapist for two years.

I am so blessed for the job that I get to do. It brings me so much joy to help children feel better. It is wonderful to have a job that you are passionate about.

After returning from maternity leave in March, I became very involved with the research committee in my department.  I began my first research project, and at the very last second before the deadline, I submitted my abstract to the American Association for Respiratory Care's 2013 National Congress meeting. I wasn't sure what to expect, so I just kept my fingers crossed!!  At the end of august, I received confirmation that my abstract had been accepted for presentation in an Open Forum, and that my project would be published in October!!  This was wonderful news, and I had an amazing time in November presenting and attending meetings in Anaheim, California.

Also, during this time, I applied for a new position that came open in the Department of Pediatric Emergency Medicine.  This position was for a respiratory therapist who was interested in participating in clinical trial research. Well, this wounded like a great opportunity, so I applied!,

I get to begin my new journey as a Clinical Research Associate on February 3rd.

I will miss direct patient care, but I am so excited about this next step in my career.  I will also work in direct patient care one day a month, to keep up all of my clinical skills, and to play with all the kiddos!

3. Last but not least, one of my good friends has finally convinced me to open up shop.  This is an idea that I have toyed with ever since I started college.  I have sold various items that I have knitted or crocheted over the years.  At one point, I even worked for a clothing designer, working like a mad woman to crochet about 18 hats a week!

So, when my friend approached me about selling a couple items, the idea resurfaced! With her, and many others support, my shop should be up and running soon!! I will announce more details as they arise.

4. (Okay, okay, I know I said number three was last, but this one is really important!)

I got bangs.


I will leave you with this cute picture....to prove Cooper didn't fall far from the tree, here is a side by side comparison of Cooper and I at approximately the same age.  I'm the one rocking the hat!

Happy crafting, y'all!!

Hallway makeover

It's been a while since I've been on my blog, and there's a good reason! My handsome husband and I were both on vacation from work, so we got to spend lots of quality time together over the past couple weeks! It is so fun to be home with Cooper, and watch all of the new things he is learning every day! 

I've been working on a few projects around the house, and one that I've had on my list for a while is to paint the hallway going to Coopers nursery and my craft room. I used a color that I've used throughout my living room, Burnt Tile, and I added Websters chalk paint powder to the mix. The powder not only extends the paint, but in the future if I want, I can make the whole wall in to a chalkboard. I'm thinking lots of fun for Coop and I! I used just under a quart of Valspar Signature paint to do this project. 

Here is a before and after picture of the wall! 

We are in love with how it looks!! 

Until next time, happy crafting!! 

Overtime Cancelled

Well, I slept all day, got up and ready for work, drank a whole lotta Dr Pepper, drove all the way to work, parked in my parking spot.  And right on queue, my supervisor called to tell me that since I was the over time person tonight, they didn't need me and I was cancelled.


Man, oh man.  Great timing.  That moment when you REALLY need that extra income!!!

Oh well.

I went on home, picked up handsome husband and cute baby, and we went and had dinner at our favorite restaurant.  Then we watched Big Brother, gave cute baby a bath, clipped some doggy fingernails, and I tucked everyone in to bed!

Now I'm in the craft room!!

Messy Room!!

I've got a couple things to finish up for a swap I'm doing right now.


And then I'm going to start on some new curtains for the bedroom!!


I've had the fabric for quite a while, but I've just been too busy!!


Hope everyone has a great night!


Suzanne.

Beach Swap!

The Going to the Beach Swap on Craftster is just finishing up!  I had a fantastic partner!  After reading what she wanted, and looking at her pinterest, I decided to go with a couple crocheted pieces.  I made her a bikini top (following Sara's Pattern, except not making the bottoms), and I made her some sandals using Julie's Pattern.  Check out the pictures!

In return, my partner sent me an awesome package!!  She made me a kindle cover, a matching tote bag, a cute zipper bag that she embroidered by hand (love!! can't wait to put my sunglasses and other essentials in!), and she made an amazing necklace!!!  I am headed to the beach next week, and all of these items will be coming with me!!!

Another successful craftster swap for the books!

Happy crafting, y'all!!

Tags!!

They're here! They're here!

My tags are here!!

Check out Jennifer's Jewels on Etsy to get your very own!

WIP Wednesday!

Alright, y'all.  Its the middle of [most people's] the week! I'm currently in the middle of my weekend, but hey, if you aren't cool enough to only work Friday, Saturday, and Sunday like me, then you can just envy my 5 AM Wednesday craft morning.

When I woke up this morning at four am (starting to see a pattern emerging on my days off...) I started thinking about knitting.  Know why? Because I checked the temperature outside and here in lovely Central Arkansas it is a balmy 68 degrees at this time of morning.  LOVE IT.  No, seriously, I do.  But for some reason the warmth made me think about all of my fancy-shmancy knitting projects that are halfway (or not quite even) done just sitting in my craft room taking up space.

So, for this WIP (work in progress) Wednesday, I decided to photograph all of the projects that were out in the open and share with you!  I say that because I have no doubt that I'm hiding some more.  Actually, I just looked down and saw another basket with a blanket in it that didn't get it's picture taken this morning.

So, without further ado, lets get this show on the road!

I bought this wonderful Jewel Hand Dyed yarn at the Cascade Trunk Show at The Yarn Mart during the fall.  The pattern is a free download from the Cascade website.

Last summer, at The Yarn Mart, I took a sock knitting class!  I have always wanted to learn how to make socks.  We used the book Toe-Up 2 At A Time book.  I had so much fun learning how to make them!  I am using Shibui sock yarn.  I actually would pay to take the class again because I'm pretty sure I've forgotten how to do it...and I want to finish these socks off!

This is a random, not baby-friendly-at-all baby blanket that I started when I found out I was pregnant. I'm using Bamboucle (which is actually 45% cotton, 30% bamboo, 17% linen, and 8% nylon, so it actually is fairly baby friendly).  I didn't have a pattern, I just started winging it.  It was all B1G1 free in the adoption center at The Yarn Mart, so without having a plan...I bought it ALL!

This is actually is a baby blanket pattern that I've used for baby shower gifts in the past.  This particular blanket is adult-sized that I made for one of my very best friends, Sara, when she suffered from two strokes last January.  She is fully recovered a year and a half later, and I still am hoarding her blanket!  Only thing left to do on this one is to sew the fabric on one side. 

I am SO bound and determined to pick this bag back up.  It is from Sara over at Sans Limites Crochet and it is something called "Tapestry crochet" where you work the yarn just a little bit differently to create some awesome patterns.  She has lots of different ideas and tips over on her blog on how to accomplish.  I bought this pattern at her Ravelry store.

Here is another unfriendly-baby baby blanket.  I got the yarn (Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool) from the adoption center at The Yarn Mart.  It is beautiful yarn, but is 45% wool, 35% silk, and 20% nylon.  Not the most comfy cozy, or spitup-proof yarn out there, that is for sure.  I have no clue what the pattern is called...I actually have a random orange sticky note in the bag with the yarn that has the basic premise to the blanket scribbled on it.  I started it when I first got pregnant, and it hasn't gotten very far!!

This yummy cowl has been in the works for two years.  I got it to make something nice and warm to make on those cold football talegate mornings (Go Hogs!).  I got the yarn from The Yarn Mart, and it is Berrocco Vintage Chunky, and Shibui Staccato.  The pattern is free from the Shibui Knits website, and is called Array

Here is a random little football-themed hat for the little bug-a-boo.  Only thing left to do on this one is weave in the ends (I HATE doing that! So many hates just hanging around with loose ends) and sew on the "laces." Didn't follow a pattern on this one, just did a basic crochet hat with some color changes to mimic a football! The yarn is Caron Simply Soft.

Another hat from Sara over at Sans Limites Crochet.  I bought the Encore yarn at The Yarn Mart and the pattern can be found on her Ravelry page.  

Wow....this blanket has been in the works since....must I say it.....December of 2006!!!  Holy cow.  I don't think I'll ever finish is. I'm using Caron Simply Soft and the pattern is called the Alexi Throw.  The problem with this is the cabling takes forever!  It takes me about 30 minutes to do one row.  I get bored, it gets put back in it's basket.  

Here is another beauty from Sara over at Sans Limites Crochet.  I have made this checkerboard beanie more times than I can count.  Definitely one of my favorite hat patterns.  Yarn is Caron Simply Soft.  

This beautiful shawlette is named Trillian.  It is named after a character in Douglass Adams' wonderful book The Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy which happens to be one of my favorite books.  I am making it with some type of sock yarn...not quite sure what. I know that I got in on sale in the adoption center at The Yarn Mart.  I have been wanting to learn how to do continental knitting, and this is my first attempt.  However, I didn't decide to learn until about halfway through what you see pictured, so the tension in the yarn is WAY off.  

This is a pattern by Anna and Heidi Pickles and is called the baggy-weave sweater.  I got the yarn at The Yarn Mart and it is one of my favorites, Vintage Chunky by Berrocco.  Such soft, yummy yarn!  I think the problem with this is I have no clue where I left off, and don't know where in the pattern to pick back up!

Well, that is about it. I never did go back and photograph the other blanket that is in progress (it is a peach and brown checkerboard blanket that I am crocheting).  I figured it would be pretty pathetic to have FOURTEEN works in progress.  Like 13 isn't embarrassing....but I'm going with it.

I hope that you do not have as many WIP as I do!

I think my problem is that I get SOO excited about new yarn, and new patterns, that I just jump right in without thinking.  I get board, find a new pattern, and the cycle starts over.

I suppose I should use this energy to go pick something up and start knitting!!!  Although, it is now time to get the baby up and feed him!

Happy Wednesday, y'all!

-Suzanne