This weekend

Friday morning Summer and Jeff leave for Jeff's brothers wedding in the Bahamas. That means Ray and I have the 3 little darlings until Monday night. What to do all weekend is the question. Friday is Lucy's 7th birthday, we need to celebrate early because I am showing/selling my necklaces at the local yarn shop. Here is what Pam (the owner) sent out in an email:
And, we are most excited to unveil Naughty and Nice Knitting Necklaces by Susan Hall (nailedinny in Ravelry).  These sassy handcrafted necklaces have sterling charms with a naughty or nice knitting message -- such as 'Purl Girl', or Pam's customized charm of 'yarn-love' and many more.  Each silver charm is on a stretchy black cord (which can also be wrapped around your wrist and worn as a bracelet) and is hugged in place by two sterling silver beads.  These make terrific gifts for your knitting friends, and the charm can also be added to your favorite charm bracelet.  Susan will offer a $40 special price for her yarn-love friends (regular price $45).  Susan will be at yarn-love at 7 pm on Friday, and is also happy to customize a charm with your own knitting message.

I am so very excited. Lucy is going to be my little helper.  After Friday we have no plans. This can't be good.

Babs is coming for a visit Monday. We are taking a class at a nursery to make a bird bath. Should be a lot of fun. She is here until Thurs and so are Ray and I. Then it is off to Florida for 10 days to visit the older darlings, recover from the little darlings and firm up wedding plans. 

Today's project

I forgot that yesterday was my mom's birthday. Happy Birthday Rita. She will be gone 4 years Labor Day weekend.
I was awake and out of bed this morning at 3am. Ray is out of town and the tv was still on. Why 3, why not 5. So I started the coffee, checked email, said good morning to a high school friend who was on FB (she doesn't sleep either) and then headed to the basement to start sewing. That has been my newest love. I made to strapless tops/dresses for under $6. I can't decide whether or not to hem them into sun dresses or tops. Maybe one of each. I found the fabric at Joann's and bought a yard of each. Last week I found a pattern online, I modified it and made Lucy a bathing suit cover up out of an old Hershey's tee shirt. The top is rooshed with the top thread being thread and the bobbin being elastic thread. After you sew as many lines of it as you want you take the steam from the iron (don't let it touch the elastic) and it puckers right up.
Check it out...

Biking it

So a few weeks ago my sister in law Alon and her family came to my nephew Jared's 4th annual suicide prevention walk. With her she brought a bike for Lucy. (Lucy's bike broke last summer) Has anyone ever had a bike break?? Exactly! Anyway it was a great bike that Alon sent for Lucy. A mountain bike. There was only one problem, not for me but for Lucy, it was a boy's bike.  There was no way that I could take the bike apart and paint it. Well, I could do that but would NEVER be able to get it back together. So I had a brain storm. See for yourself...............Look what Duck tape can do.

June Already??

Where does all the time go? How does one work full time and get anything done? I guess we find the time. I have been retired for over a year and a half and I wonder where that time went to. I find myself busy doing something or other each day. I started sewing again and found a new love for my machine. I took a rag quilt class and the teacher was awesome, showing me hints and tricks about sewing and cutting out material. I made another quilt for Lucy after the classroom quilt and when it wasn't big enough (I thought I was making a lap quilt) for the bottom of Lucy's bed I made another one and sewed them together. It was really a lot of fun and picking out fabric is fun too. My problem is a little ADD maybe. Everything I see I want to make. My supplies are mounting.
My basement looks like work stations and a craft store. Yarn, knitting needles, crochet hooks and books in one section. A table that doubles as a polymer clay station and glass painting. The other side of the table is where Babs sits when she visits or where I sit to glue gems onto bowls, silverware etc. Hooked onto that table is the sewing table which also doubles as a yarn winder. Then there is the counter top that houses the tee shirt press, silver hammering and texturing and the material cutting. In front of the window is my newest soldering station. You can just imagine the heaven I am in when I walk down the stairs. Not sure which project I will be working on. I have been listening to books on my ipod while I work. Have listened to some really good ones! I will post pictures of the basement mess and some of my projects when I return home. I am sitting on the boat in a little creek with friends from Sodus. We meet up with them whenever they are on the Chesapeake Bay. They are on their way to NY now. (they live aboard their boat and have for the past 2 years) It is a raining cool day but tomorrow is suppose to be a beautiful, hot, 89 degrees, so that is when I will work on my dark, dark tan.
Well that about wraps it up for now.
Susan

My new found love

Wow, January 12th was the last time I wrote. What is happening to me?? I know, gardening, painting, polymer claying, t-shirting, jewelry making, knitting, crocheting, gluing, ebay, and my new love hand stamping jewelry. Just in time for mothers day. I am making this short but wanted to show you my new creation with Sterling silver blanks. I am selling these, customized with whatever you want on them. Grandchildren, children, pets, quotes etc. I only have a sample of 2 of them so far. Right now I am working on 10 grandchildren on 2 circles. A large one in the back and smaller circle in the front so you can read all the names. They come on a 16 1/2" black rubber cord but I can put them on a sterling ball chain. The base price is $30. That includes One charm with as many names as I can fit on, the black cord, fresh water pearl and 2 beads. Just email me with your order details and I will be in touch. My sister wears a single heart charm with her son Jared's name on it. I bought it for her from Margaret Sullivan (the jeweler I did business with in New Mexico) for a lot more than $30 and it was for just the charm. They make a great gift for a new mother, pet lover, grandmother, a special date to remember.

Hope you are all doing well after a long winter. Keep in touch!! Miss you girlies and all of our chats! It just isn't the same here in good old PA.

love Susan

Rate My Space

Sometime ago I posted that link on rate my space. I think it was right after I did the dining room. See what happens when you don't have a job and nothing to do. 

Wait till you see my craft videos. I'll be adding those soon

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year!! I can't believe I have been in my house over a year already. Which also means I have been unemployed (retired) just as long. I really thought I would be bored out of my mind but that has not been an issue at all. I start my day off the same everyday, rising way to early and skyping (video chat) with Barbara, sometimes starting as early as 4am. Why are we both up at the same time?? We have done all of our Christmas projects together over the computer. We both have to carry our computers to the basement (craft area) so we don't wake anyone up with the laughter and our BIG mouths. Hard to believe, I know. We did get tons of things done during these early hours. We even baked cookies together. After several hours of that, I go to the gym for various different classes, where the instructor kicks my a**. I drag myself home and whine about it. After the shower the day belongs to me.........................

I have been knitting and crocheting like a crazy person. Little Harrison has 4 pair of new booties and a couple hats. I knitted Jackson a wrist band with a beaded skull on it, which Jeff thinks is toooo girly. Next up is an American Girl Doll Sweater. Lucy loves her AG dolls.

I babysit Harrison on Wednesdays while Summer works for a couple of hours. She just started back to work last week. I will try to remember to take some pics of this very happy baby and post them.

Kyle and Kelly bought me a Macbook for Christmas and I have taken 2 workshops to try to find my way around. The classes are held at the Apple store in Lancaster, which is about 40 minutes away. I don't mind the drive and the mall is beautiful. You all know I just love these workshops and will

be teaching them soon. lol

I would love to hear from you with what you have been up to.

ps: My dad and KitKat are doing great.