Christmas in May?!

It's the beginning of May.  The cold of winter has finally retreated for another year, and the songs of spring perfume the air.  Winter coats, scarves, hats and ice scrapers are all packed away for another season of hibernation.

So what am I working on? Christmas stuff!

Why?!  Because for me - Christmas is a huge time of the year, and on that I am never, ever prepared for.  I mean really - who thinks about Christmas when you're sitting on the beach?

Then September rolls around, and the stores start putting out their Christmas decorations and I think:
     1)  Are they crazy?!?!  It's too early for Christmas stuff
and
     2)  Hmmmm - I wonder if I should start making a few Christmas items?

But then it's Halloween, and then Thanksgiving and before I know it Christmas just came out of nowhere! No warnings!  Can you believe it?!

So this year, I invite you to do what I'm doing.
- I'm gathering up Christmas ideas
- I'm taking stock of what I have already made, and plan what I need to make.
- I'm prepping the little 'take along' projects, so if I'm sitting somewhere with nothing to do, I can work on them.
- And I'm not waiting until the last minute this year!

What plans/ideas do y'all have?

Time to Organize!

I know that most people try to do their organizing in January. New year - a new start on things. I'm a bit behind in that area, but I'm doing what I can do when I can do it. I figure - the goal is to be organized. The time line isn't quite as important as long as I'm not saying 'Gee - I need to get organized' but procrastinate about it.

So I decided to go and organize all the pairs of fingerless gloves/mittens that I made over the

past few weeks. It's not a difficult thing to do - just a bit time consuming. I have to write down all of the different pairs, photograph them (at least 3 photos per pair), download them, change them over to jpeg (which I never really understood why you needed to do that, just that if you don't it's bad!), then load them up to my Etsy shop. Oh - then put them in my storage containers and then note which pair are in which container so when I sell a pair I'm not opening up every container and searching through all of them for a particular pair.

I have to say I forgot the different patterns and pairs that I made, and it's kinda fun doing this. My Mother makes knitted sweaters (from the Guidepost magazine) and she makes them and then sends them out for children who don't have anyone to make them things. When she is finished with the sweaters she sometimes has little balls of leftover yarn. She gives my those, and then I use them for my fingerless mittens! We make a good partnership!

A Quick Chance to Breathe!

I don't know about you, but latley my life has been anything but calm! My job has been more and more responsibility (without adding any pay!), Difficulties in the health of one family member and a winter that has left no doubt in anyone's mind that it is here to stay!

So I haven't had as much time to blog as I would have liked. Ok - I haven't had anytime to blog, but that is going to change! This is my way to express myself - to show off a bit of creativity and of course - to read other people's blogs!

So - even though I have been very busy - it doesn't mean that I have been idle. Crafting and making things is my way to calm. And - I hate just sitting and not doing anything. So - I have done a bit of crafting and I would like to show off one of my favorite things if I may...

This is a pair of fingerless mittens (or gloves as some call them) that is inspired by the Harry Potter Movies. It is green and grey (because the house colours are green and silver, but I couldn't find a nice silver yarn). I also can make matching scarves (which I have made, but they sold so I didn't want to post a photo of until I make more).

I'm also exploring options to make hats as well!

Well - must go for now, but I will return with more updates, and I'd love to hear what you have been up to!