Day 31 – Overwhelmed

        As I have previously mentioned I have a lot going on right now. Between the appointments and my work schedule I am feeling pretty overwhelmed. I haven't called anybody, hung out with anyone, pretty much nothing else is going on except for my appointments. Being sick hasn't helped. I feel very behind on my projects, even though I have been crafting up a storm. Even though I finished the nesting penguins yesterday. Even though I painted a penguin bobble head today. (Yes I am aware I keep repeating myself.) So now I have 16 projects finished, One more and I will be at 25% of my goal, but I still feel overwhelmed with a long way to go. I think I am getting a bit discouraged, which is actually pretty typical of me. I start to doubt myself, my abilities, my talents when I feel I have taken on too much and then I get discouraged. I just need to stay focused . I have really set myself a lofty goal, but I know I can finish it if I work hard.

        Anyways, here are some pictures of my newly painted bobble head. Surprise, surprise it is a penguin! He is super cute. And I love him. 

 

 

Day 30 – Finito

        So I finally finished the penguin nesting dolls. And here they are. That means I now have 15 projects completed.

        I didn't finish the baby hat in time. She was gone by Thursday, the baby wanted to come early I guess. I now have a bit of time, she is going to visit when the little boy is big enough to travel, maybe the hat will still fit.

Day 29 - Penguins penguins penguins!

        Just pictures tonight guys. I have spent several hours painting my nesting dolls and here is my progress. 

Hope you like them!

Day 28 - And feeling great.

        Okay not really. I had the afternoon off work today. That made me extremely happy. I love any extra time off of work to focus on my projects. I am almost finished the penguin nesting dolls. I put off finishing them while I was sick for two reasons. First off the smell, even acrylic paint smells awfully and made my face ache. Second off, I was coughing so much I couldn't have painted a straight line if I wanted to. But now that I am feeling better I hope that I will finish the nesting penguins this weekend. If I do I will post pictures of the completed product. Have a great night.

Day 27 - Ka-Boom

        So my life has exploded. I have a few medical issues, besides insomnia, that I have decided to finally get corrected. But it means I have like 5 appointments a week. At lunch, after work and during work. It is getting insane and tiring. I still only get to go to sleep at 1am. I have been crazy busy this week just trying to get better. I have been napping but it is against the rules so I have to stop that. Since I have been napping I haven't been feeling as tired but at the same time my nights are not as restful. Hopefully if I am not napping and getting to bed on time I will have a great night's sleep. My doctors have a concrete plan to correct my issues. It should take 3-6 months. So if my posts are a little short, I apologize.

Day 26 - Baby Booties!

        As promised here are picture of the baby booties and hat I made for my co-worker. As I mentioned before the hat was too small so I have also included a picture of the new hat I am trying to finish before Friday. I do not know if it will happen but we will see. I will have a longer post tomorrow but you can't always write a book.

 

Day 25 - Updated project list 3

          I found out today that the hat I made is too small. I am kinda disappointed. So I am going to try to whip one out before my co-worker leaves on Friday. Wish me luck. Here is an updated project list.

3 pairs black socks (1 of 6 finished)

1 pair red socks (I wanted a pair too!) (completed January 26th)

1 Wicket Ewok doll (my husband bought that pattern)(completed April 5th)
1 Grey Ewok doll(added April 6, 2012)(completed April 10th)

1 Gir doll, from Invader Zim (completed January 15th)

1 double-sided knitted star scarf in red and black

1 deer hat with antlers

1 pair penguin mittens

1 tote bag

1 sweater coat

2 crochet star pillows (completed January 15th)

1 scrap material star pillow

1 Jack Skellington jacket

1 basket weave crocheted scarf in black(completed April 1st)

1 penguin doll

1 cross stitch Christmas stocking

1 swoop shirt in blue knit

1 Edgar Allan Poe Raven corset

1 Edgar Allan Poe Raven handkerchief

1 wedding scrap book

1 penguin painting abstract

1 bake and decorate a bear cake with a piping bag ( maybe added January 14, 2012)

1 painted penguin nesting dolls, set of 5, (added January 19, 2012)(Completed April 29)

1 crochet an Alternate Zoidberg (added January 21, 2012) (completed March 22nd)

1 luma (star) from Super Mario Galaxy (added January 24, 2012)

1 red skull henley (added January 25, 2012)

1 yellow long sleeve to go with poe shirt (added January 25, 2012)

1 vines henley (added January 25, 2012)

1 roller derby hoodie (added January 25, 2012)

1 Gir's companion pig Bacon in crochet (added January 30, 2012) 

1 pair Owl mittens knitted (added January 31, 2012) (completed March 11th )

1 pair Owl mittens knitted (added January 31, 2012) 

1 pair Penguin mittens knitted (added January 31, 2012) (completed March 4th)

1 pair birds of paradise mittens knitted(added January 31, 2012)(completed February 16th)

1 pair squirrel mittens knitted (added January 31, 2012) 
1 pair squirrel mittens knitted (added March 21, 2012)

1 patchwork inspired coat (added February 14, 2012)

1 crocheted lion doll (added March 3, 2012)

1 fondant bunny cake bonanza (added March 10, 2012)

1 top hat (added March 13, 2012)

1 broken & stitched crocheted heart (added March 14, 2012) (completed April 4th)

1 pair knitted rainbow armwarmers (added March 14, 2012)

1 pair heart print pants (added April 8, 2012)

1 wookie doll (added April 1o, 2012)
1 pair baby booties (added April 12, 2012) (completed April 20th)
1 baby hat (added April 20, 2012) (completed April 23rd)
1 pair dragonfly earrings (added May 9, 2012)(completed May 9th) 

        14/52 (gets me to the weekend of April 14th) I am really catching up, but I am a little short of my goal of one project a week. But what is promising is that I have completed the same amount of projects this month than the last two and a half combined.

Day 24 - Snow day

         For those of you unfamiliar with Canadian weather, we do have defined seasons. Despite beliefs otherwise. We are in our spring, which usually means temperature about freezing (0 degrees) and rain, occasionally freezing rain but not snow. Here we are, almost in the month of May and it snowed last night. We enthusiastic Canadians have already changed out of snow tires. So happy the bitter weather finally broke. Well actually, winter was quite mild this year to tell the truth. Not too much to complain about really. But the land can still be bleak, white and devoid of vegetation and seemingly animals as well. But leaving us a little less equipped than we should be. But worry not, we get a lot of rain and most people have tires to accommodate. I just can't believe it snowing. Honestly I shouldn't be surprised. We are the country that constructs Hallowe'en to fit over a snowsuit after all. 

         My day was super busy so this is all I've got for today.  

Day 23- After my initial disappointment

      So after my initial realization and disappointment that I did not post yesterday, it has just cemented my resolve to not have this happen again.

     So onward and upward.

      I noticed that I forgot, how forgetful these antibiotics make me, to post an actual post for today. I do not have much to report. The booties are done and the hat is over half done. As i said before pictures to come. I want to pose them together. I am not sure if I will have time for the mitts, they are needed by Tuesday, but we will just have to wait and see.

      Have a great night.

What should have been Day 22 - Holy crap!

        Oh my God. I was so hopped up on medication yesterday I forgot to post. I can't believe that. I just woke up as it has knocked me out at night and the sleep clinic stuff is out the window. I still go to bed late but I just can't seem to get up. I am so disappointed in myself. There was no reason I couldn't have posted. Just because I was so out of it because of the medication, Damn it! I have had no gaps and have been trying my best, even on days when i have hardly been able to see straight. I didn't take a picture either, which I have been doing. I was thinking of messing with my time stamp and that will not make me feel better. It will take away the gap but I will know I cheated. Damn, I am so disappointed. Well I missed several days at the beginning of the year and have made those up so maybe we can call this my mulligan and I can try harder next year. Let's blame it on the medicine.

     

Day 21 – Baby booties.

        I finally felt up to doing some work on my projects today and I am almost finished the baby booties. (pictures to come) They are for a girl in my office. My cousin also just has a new baby, she has a baptism coming up and I was thinking I could maybe knit her a little pair too. I found the pattern on ravelry.  (cabled-preemie-hat)It is for a preemie but I am going to use a larger needle so it should be good. Instead of using 2.5mm I will be using a 3.25mm and in the same wool as the booties. If I have time I will also make some little mittens. Thumb-less, like all newborns get. I think the full set will be a nice gift if I can get it done.

Day 20 – Are you kidding me?

     I went back to the clinic today. It a very different experience that on Tuesday. No wait to get into an examination room. No wait in the examination room. Doctor took one look, well one touch of my glands and as she hastily pulled her hands away (as I was burning hot) she declared I had a sinus infection. A quick tapping onto my sinuses, which almost sent me to the floor, confirmed it. I hit the jackpot! I have the flu, the fever has dehydrated me and to top it off sinuses infection. Awesome! So I have no idea when I will feel better. Hope to up up and running again soon. Wish me luck.

   

Day 19- I'll just tell them I have nothing to say.

        Guys, I have the flu. Bad. I have no real update today. Sorry. I tried my best but between the advil making me feel fuzzy, not being able to sleep and feeling like complete garbage, I really have nothing to say. Hopefully I will be up and running tomorrow but we will see. Thank-you for your understanding.

Day 18 – The God Damn Flu.

        I have the god damn flu. I know I am not suppose to sleep extra right now but I figured that since normally when you are sick you sleep as much as possible that a few extra hours now would be acceptable. And you'd think that after all this time sleeping three extra hours would be glorious. Well it's not, it wasn't very sound and I still feel retched. Worse than retched. My body aches, my head aches, I am sure I have a fever. And I am whiny. Blah.

        I finished the baby bootie last night, well the knitting anyways. I still have to do the kitchener stitch to close the heel but otherwise finished. It's so cute. But then again isn't miniature always cuter? I think there is some kind of universal law, the smaller and chubbier an object is, is in direct proportion to how cute it is. Simplified small +chubby = cute. You can't argue with the math. It is sound. I feel I am repeating myself. Hmmmm.

        I went to the clinic and they forgot about me. I was waiting in the examination room for 40 minutes. When I complained they thought I was crazy, but finally the doctor came and told me they could do nothing. Awesome. So here I am feeling like garbage, new development, sore throat. Advil and gingerale are my new best friends. Hopefully tomorrow is better.

  

Day 17 – The flu is getting me down, I think,

     I might be getting the flu. Either that or sleep deprivation. I have a feeling I might be down in a few days. I am sorry this post isn't more interesting. I just been trying my best to keep it together with all this lack of sleep. So I think I have bit off more that I can chew with trying to paint the nesting penguins right now. I can only work on them for about an hour before my eyes and hands start to ache. And now I sound like a complainer. Sorry. Anyways I have made some head way and here are the pictures. 

 

   

        On the baby bootie front. I learned how to cable knit, (C6F & C6B to be exact). It was way easier Than I thought. I am almost done the first bootie. I just have the bottom to do. I should have it finished tonight if I work hard and focus. Which might be hard. So here is an update pic. I am using US3 dpns and Partons Beehive Baby Sport in Baby Grey. 

 

Day 16 – So very tired of being tired.

        Not much to report today. I worked on the nesting penguins, here are some pictures, but I am finding them very time consuming. Maybe I am being a perfectionist. 

 

 

         I also started the baby booties. I have the cuff done and I am about to start the cable knit. I am going to read up on it before I start so I don't screw it up to bad. 

 

         I think I am getting the flu so I am super, super tired. And I am tired of being tired. I didn't get to add any time this week. I was disappointed. But I am sleeping pretty better the hours I do get.

 

Day 15- Nesting Penguins

        I have been looking for a store that sold nesting dolls for months, with no luck what-so-ever. I have tried craft stores, hobby shops, and on the internet of course. Obviously some online stores had some great examples but they were super expensive(About 40$ or more for a set of 3) and that was even before shipping. Then yesterday, I was in DeSeeres and just happened to walk by the wooden craft section and bam!, there they were, out of nowhere a 5 set, 7 inches tall, 25$. No shipping. Awesome. So I obviously bought them took them home and started priming them with white paint right away. I am going with a penguin theme, of course. But I am not sure what type, fictionaly white face or go with a traditional, grey faced humboldt? Bow ties or scarves?Decisions, decisions. Bow ties or scarves?

       Well after much thought, I decided that I will be going with a grey face humboldt and both bow ties and scarves. Rainbow scarves. I am also painting a star on the back , my signature. I am painting one colour at a time. It is very time-consuming but I think it will be worth it. They are starting to look really great. Here are some pictures. I will post more as I go. I have a feeling it may take a while. 

The little guy.

The Not so little guy.

The Medium guy.

The Second biggest guy.

The Big guy.

Day 14 – Cable Knit

     A girl at my work is pregnant. Her fourth child I believe. We are having a baby shower for her and since I am the resident knitter they would like me to complete a pair of booties ASAP. They mentioned this to me yesterday and the baby shower is about two weeks away. I looked all over the internet and finally found a lovely grey pair on craftsy that would be perfect, ( http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/epipa-baby-booties) problem is they are a cable knit, which I have never done before. But all the other patterns I have seen thus far are either too girly (she is having a boy) or just plain ugly. I was reading over the pattern and I am having some trouble. So I am looking for a good tutorial online. Any suggestions?

  

Day 13 – The making of a Wookie!

        If you have been reading my blog , you know I have completed two Ewoks. I decided that my next Star Wars project will be a Wookie. Mostly so I can do a photo resulting in South Park quoting. (You know what I am talking about.) I have this nice brown fuzzy alpaca wool I will be working in continuous rounds of crochet. I make a Muno from Yo Gabba Gabba the same way. I will modify the way the pattern head looks and I am sure it will make it look more Wookie like. I will also going to try using a cat brush to make it even fuzzier. Fuzzy Wookie-style. I just have to do a little more research. Proportions and the like. Also what am I going to make his sash out of? Questions like that need to be answered. And when they are, I will take this ball and I will make a Wookie. 

Day 12- Wicket thinks he owns the place

        So the littlest Ewok around thinks he is in charge at my place now.

Borrowing my phone.

Attacking Mr. PiBs.

Then he is snuggling with the enemy.

Here he is using my laptop to write the great Endorian novel.

Here is he is riding a pig for some reason.