ways to waste time

Wow, have the days since Thanksgiving just flown by!  Jr should be here any time and until then I’ve been craftin-it-up with some easy projects that can be completed in just a few hours for obvious reasons.

First up are these adorable crocheted loafers.  The pattern is by Hook Candy.  They work up really fast and make a great holiday gift for any new mom or mom-to-be.  The yarn I used is Red Heart’s new Eco-ways and the little buttons are genunie leather for an added dapper look!

For my niece, I whipped up this cute little reversible apron to go with some Easy Bake Oven accessories I purchased for her this Christmas. The fabric is part of the Wild Thyme fabric line by Carolyn Gavin.  Since my niece is only 8 I’m pretty sure she’s not reading this (I hope) so I thought I would share a pic before it gets wrapped.  The classic apron pattern is free and can be found here.  I made the child’s size but there’s also measurements for an adult size.  It was another quick and easy project.  The “B” monogram was made with felt and hand-stitched to the front before sewing.

My current and probably final craft project for a while is this knitted basketweave blanket.  Also a free pattern found on Lionbrand.com its being made with Vanna’s Choice in Silver Blue and Linen.  I chose to alternate the colors to make it a little more interesting. It’s only 18 by 24 and will make for a nice small car seat blanket.  Which given the impending winter will come in handy.

What are some of your favorite quick and easy craft projects this holiday season?

This past weekend we headed down to Table Rock Lake just outside Branson, MO.  It’s been an annual event for quite a few years now (maybe 6) and I look forward to it every year.  The first few years it was an organized camping trip but in the past couple of years we have graduated to a lake house.  There were eleven of us this year and we couldn’t have asked for better weather.  The house had 6 bedrooms, 2 outside patios and access to the lake. The only down side was that it didn’t have a boat dock so we had to drive to the nearby marina.

All the girls at the marina waiting for the boys & the boats to arrive

We rented a pontoon boat (aka party barge) as well as a little speed boat.  The speed boat was a great addition this year.  It was nice to go zipping around the lake and to allow others to go tubing and wakeboarding.  Jason made several successful attempts at wakeboarding which seems very hard and he’s still aching.  Granted getting yanked out of the water at full speed has to take its toll!  I remembered just about everything for this trip except for the camera!  So documenting this trip was a little tough.

Scarf close-up

I was able to take some pics of a project I worked on during the commute to and from the lake.  I finished up my version of the simple scarf tutorial over at Pretty Ditty which came in handy at dusk when the sun started to go down and the wind kicked up on the lake.

I used a lightweight wrinkled linen fabric purchased on Etsy.com

All in all, it was a really fun weekend even if I wasn’t able to drink or participate in any action sports but there’s always next year!

I’ve been doing some research on the latest cell phones and although I do think that the iPhone

is an outstanding piece of technology I really don’t feel as thought I need one.  I like my simple clam shell and even though it has a camera and access to the internet I rarely use it.

My current phone is only two years old but in the cell phone world that’s the equivalent of our AARP card showing up in the mail.  The manufacturer doesn’t even make the model anymore.  So, when seeing all the latest features on today’s phones it got me thinking about my very first cell phone and oh, how times have change. 

The Motorola 2900 bag phone

That’s right!  I had the “bag phone.”  I think I was in high school at the time and working at a grocery store.  Sometimes I would have to work late so my Dad thought it would be a good idea to have a cell phone, you know in case of emergencies.  It used to be my Dad’s but even he had upgraded to a console model.  Pretty sweet, right?  It was huge by today’s standards and pretty heavy.   There was no camera or GPS and you definitely couldn’t clip this to any belt. 

Do you remember your first cell phone and what do you like about your current phone?

I’ve been a fan of Lush products for years!  I can’t even remember how I first got introduced to them.  It could have been a recommendation from a good friend or a trip to the UK where the company originated.  Either way, the company slowly made its way across the pond several years ago.

Special edition bath bomb!  Nothing says Happy St. Patrick’s Day like a nice green bath!   

As they advertise, Lush is a line of fresh handmade cosmetics.  Their bath bombs are the best but when it comes to facial mosturier I don’t use anything else.  They even make one for boys skin too!  Sure, its a little pricey but it last for 6 months. I’ve been using Imperialis

for a couple of years now and with changes in my skin and the weather I was ready to try something else.  This is my new favorite. 

Lush Vanishing Cream

It’s currently out of stock online

but can be purchased at your local store.  Many of their products are vegan and made with natural ingredients.  They often smell good enough to eat but I don’t reccomend you try it. 

The initial smells coming from the store can knock you out like a one-two punch but it’s worth stepping in and giving it a try.  So, treat yourself to a five dollar Butterball

bath bomb.  Your skin will thank you!

Step aside Snuggie!  The Slanket has hit the market.  Gotta love this promo photo from their website!  It made me laugh so hard I almost farted! 

Thank you Jamie for sharing this one!

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey’s Great Clubhouse Hunt dvd

A couple of weeks ago I received the Urban Outfitters Holdiay catalog.  It has a simple design and I love the photography.  Through Dec. 1st they’re offering free shipping on any order over $75.  So, if you’d rather sleep than shop at 4 am this Friday morning then online shopping is the way to go! 

Here are a few fun finds. (Mom, I hope you’re reading this). 

(L to R; Top to bottom) cowlneck sweater dress, red frill heels, mini digital camera, Charlie Brown Tree, Deery Lou ornament, and dressage saddle bag.

Man, I can’t stop playing with this awesome little tool called Poladroid.  It turns all your digital pics into Polaroids! It’s so simple to use.

The coolest part is watching it develop before your eyes just like the old Polaroid. It’s so RAD!  Even though the Polaroid has virtually disappeared, much like the cassette tape, this little gem reminds us of how fun it was to have one.

Face/Off buy

To give it a try, click here.  Or to see others images check out the Poladroid Flickr Group.

Oscar movie

Well, after many appeals from friends I finally joined Facebook! 

Do you remember the commericals for Trix Cereal?  They used to say…silly rabbit, Trix are for kids! 

Well, that’s what I thought about Facebook, but it turns out a lot of my family in the UK are already signed-up including my grandad (Way to go, Grandad)!  That is a compliment as you’re clearly way more hip than me! Anyway, its a fun way to stay connected, share photos and find old friends.  It’s a little addictive though and really should come with a warning label.