valentines day

yeah ok so we are the biggest lamers of all time. We didn't do anything for valentines day. I got the boi a cute little zombie valentines card from here http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=7260004 If you know us then you know how appropriate it was. And I'm ordering a cute little ninja shirt from etsy. That was it. We were both like ehhh I don't want to go out it's too cold. Yes I know lame, but hey we love each other that's what the holiday is about not overpriced roses that will die in a couple days. We went to walmart & I was like just buy me a book I don't really need/want anything. We do our dinner & movie date night every week so a strict holiday doesn't really mean much to me.

My etsy shop has been rockin, I sold 6 items in the last 3 days.

I have a couple people testing new patterns for me so I may have a few new ones to list in my shop pretty soon. I have one for the market bag & the one I had for the yarn ball holder I'm thinking of listing.

I'm totally peeved I missed the first new episode of Jericho. I was saying all week set it up on your tivo you know you will forget. And what do I do, miss the first 15mins. ARGHH so I'll have to find it online. I made myself not watch it so I can know what's going on.

I didn't post about this before but I thought a few would be interested. I have been getting (ok maybe trying to get) really eco-friendly lately. Chuckles was laying on the couch one night while we were watching a movie & said wow I feel a lot of air coming thru this window. Our house is 110yrs old, but they did put in storm windows. I was like hmmmm lets see. I had some old tab top drapes from an old apt I lived in that had huge windows I was keeping for who knows why. I hung them up. They match ok & one panel is short so I put it over by where the cat like to look out. Then I was thinking about the back porch. we keep the door closed because it isn't heated, the windows out there aren't sealed so it just sucks the heat out of the house. I had put down my old rugs over the wood floor because it basically sits right on the foundation. Then I unhooked the dryer vent from going outside. I put a knee high pantyhose over the vent tube. We all have tried this at one time living in an apt. Anyways we keep the back door open when they dryer is on to keep the moisture on the porch down. Our heat bill has went down by $30 last month & the static electricity is gone with all that moisture. I'll post about it next month to see if the bill stays down or if it was a fluke.

waves wrist warmer pattern

You will need to know how to do the following for this pattern:

chain

slip stitch

half double crochet

work in the back or front of a stitch

change colors (optional)

seam up two pieces

join a new yarn

This pattern is a 1 page .pdf file. The email will be sent to you within 24 hours of purchase. I will send to the email address listed on your paypal account unless another is stated in the note to seller section of your transaction.The pattern includes instructions for the 2 different sizes shown, long and short. It includes instructions if you would like to make it in 2 colors, as well as 2 sizes. This is for an adult size wrist warmer.c

Conditions of use:

you are able to sell the completed items everywhere EXCEPT online

please do not copy and distribute this pattern including via email

please do not resell

please do not try to say that this is your original pattern it is copy written

please do not post it in public forums or places like blogs

If you have an questions feel free to ask.

All pattern sales are final.

$3.50 USD

bottom up shawl w/o point pattern

I really really love shawls/wraps, but I have a big problem with the triangle shaped ones. I love them because they are bottom up so you can make them as big as you want, but for someone like me who is almost 6ft tall by the time the shawl is wide enough for my arms it's point is dragging the floor. So I decided to come up with a shawl w/o a point. It makes a great cowl style scarf also.

yarn & hook size doesnt matter. This is a simple stitch so it is great for a busy yarn.
The picture shown is with a worsted weight recycled boucle & a K hook
Depending on if you want a shawl size or a scarf determines your base number. The below pattern is for a shawl size. Do more chains for a scarf size.
Beginning chain is multiples of 4 + 3

Round 1: ch 31, dc in 4th ch from hook, 1 dc in next 2 st, *ch1, skip next ch, 1 dc in next 3 stitches* repeat across, end with ch1 & 1 tr in last stitch
Round 2: ch4 (counts as dc ch1), turn, 3 dc in same ch1 space, ch1,* 3dc in next ch1 space, ch1* across to last space, tc in last space with last 3dcs
Repeat round 2 till desired length.

Some movie reviews

Work is extremely slow tonight WOOO HOO so I thought I would give some reviews for the movies we saw within the last 2 weeks. I have spoilers so don't read if you don't like that.

Cloverfield
Ok so the big huge monster nobody has seen for millions of years because it lives so far down in the ocean, but miraculously it can breathe air & now feels the need to come ashore. For what? food? uhhh hello how many fish are in the sea to snack on. And his little parasites can breathe air also...Plus all fo them can see in light. Fish that live that far under water are like nocturnal animals their eyes have adapted to the dark. Ok so maybe it's an alien....umm ok where is the HUMONGOUS ship it would have had to take. Ok so I got past the unlikely monster because if I sat there & thought about it I would have a headache. The human characters were great. It had a very 9/11 apocalypse feel to it which I really dig. I think they should have done something like this with zombies. I liked it but I love those neighbor against neighbor end of the world fighting for your life movies. I would wait for video or cheap seat & if you see it in the theatre sit in the back so you wont get motion sickness.

The Eye
Ok totally not scary...ok well the creepy no-face floating guy in the elevator gave me the heebie geebies but otherwise I kept thinking ok what the hell is going on. I like Jessica Alba ever since she did Dark Angel & this was better than the Fan4 but it was kinda cheesie. She did play a good blind girl thought very convincing. Don't go expecting to be scared. I say wait for the video.

Ok lets see if blogger is being nice

It was crazy warm today. I wore flip-flops...yeah in Feb in Ohio. Sometimes global warming has it's perks. But it has been raining pretty heavy tonight & last night, but it's better than snow & it's great for sleeping.

I have a couple of pictures I need to upload of the things I have been working on. One of the previous posts showed all the great goodies I got from my swap partner in the owl themed swap. Here is what I sent her. From top left clockwise. A tea pot cozy inspired by her wists. The bag part is fleece. The body of the owl is a felted sweater & the rest of the fabric is scraps I had laying around. A book pouch w/book. The fabric is actually a hankie I found at Wal-mart for .99cents. Some tea bags (I love sharing different tea flavors). 2 owl pins made from men's ties. There is one in my etsy shop if you like them. An owl hot pad. The stitch pattern for it actually started out as a hat with a different yarn that I messed up & I was like hmmmm I bet this would be cute in owl colors. A set of knitting needles made out of dowels & fimo. I'm not really great with clay so I made them pretty basic & used those cheepie letter beads for the eyes. Some refillable catnip toys & some fabric with owls on it.

Next up the new hat I tried to post last night. Made from recycled yarn in a acrylic wool blend. It is sooooo yummy & soft I kind of want to keep it for myself. Sometimes I wish I could gush about how much I love items on the description section of my etsy listing, but I know it sounds unprofessional. The bad is also recycled yarn 100% wool. This is from the basic cloche pattern I listed & this is how it turns out with 1 strand of bulky.

And last but not least the cool little eco-friendly tote I made from some recycled cotton. I hope these sell. They do take some time to make & I'm selling them dirt cheap compared to the work I put into them but if it helps the environment it's worth it. This is my original pattern so please don't try to copy it for profit, thanks. It fits an entrée size tupperware container & is made so you can carry your lunch & keep it hot/cold.

What I have been working on

So I took my mother to the thrift store last monday because I found out it was .50cent day the week before. She loves going to the thrift store to get old t-shirts to wear while cleaning that have funny comments. I went for the huge amount of good quality sweaters they have. It's one of the few thrift stores I can go to where I don't itch after I leave & doesn't have that musty smell. So I entered into the bargain hunter swap & can only spend $5, Chuckles was like honey that swap is perfect for you, you can probably pimp your partner out for that much.......and I did BUT I can't post pics yet because I haven't sent. I will show you 2 of the things I made from they yarn I got for myself.

This yarn was originally going to be for my swap partner but

1. It took freaking forever to take apart, so far I still have only recycled 1 sleeve

and

2. when I started taking it apart the teal would slip over the white yarn that is in the middle making little bumps, which to me looks like poor quality, so I got her something better.

I also made this really cool lunch carrier out of some cotton yarn I recycled. I've been into a lot of eco-friendly items lately & wanted to come up with a lunch tote that was a little out of the ordinary. It fits around an entree size tupperware container.

OK my computer is acting up I will post the rest later with pics if I can

dread tam

I had made this hat a while back with a knifty knitter & scraps of yarn. It has been at my desk at work for some time. I was sitting there today thinking hmmm I wonder what it would look like with a real brim. Well I had a pair of circular needles with me, thanks to my nifty new needle roll for the previous posts & worked up a brim. I really like it & almost want to keep it for myself but it kinda snug for my big mellon so I listed it on etsy. It was super easy & a great way to use up scraps.

Basic cloche pattern

Working with 2 strands of worsted weight held together or 1 strand of bulky
K hook

join each round with a slip stitch into the top of the ch2

Round 1: Chain 4, join with sl stitch
Row 2: Ch 2, 8 HDC in ring, join to beginning ch2
Row 3: Ch2, work 2 HDC in each stitch around
Row 4: Ch2, work 1 HDC in same stitch, 1 HDC in next stitch, *2 HDC in next stitch, 1 HDC in next stitch* around
Row 5: Ch2, work 1 HDC in same stitch, 1 HDC in next 2 stitches, *2 HDC in next stitch, 1 HDC in next 2 stitches* around
Row 6: Ch2, work 1 HDC in same stitch, 1 HDC in next 3 stitches, *2 HDC in next stitch, 1 HDC in next 3 stitches* around
Row 7: Ch2, work 1 HDC in same stitch, 1 HDC in next 4 stitches, *2 HDC in next stitch, 1 HDC in next 4 stitches* around
Row 8: Ch2, work 1 HDC in same stitch, 1 HDC in next 5 stitches, *2 HDC in next stitch, 1 HDC in next 5 stitches* around
Row 9-15: Work 1 HDC in each stitch
Row 16: ch2, HDC in next stitch, *HDCtog over next 2 stitches, work 1 HDC in next 5 stitches*, repeat
Row 17: ch2, HDC in next stitch, *HDCtog over next 2 stitches, work 1 HDC in next 4 stitches*, repeat
Row 18: ch2, HDC in each stitch around
Row 19: ch2, 2HDC in each stitch around

So in simple words. Work 6 increase rows, 6 regular rows, 2 decrease rows, 1 regular row & 1 increase row

This is a basic formula for a cloche, so you can change it up with different sitches/colors etc.

I try to check this pattern every couple months with fresh eyes to make sure I didn't forget anything. So if you see a problem let me know.

Latest etsy item

I just finished this puffy stitch hat. Its my original pattern, I may play with it a little to get the spaces smaller but I like it. But man did it take a lot of yarn to make. This may turn into a stash buster pattern. After listing it I made another sale on a panta YAY! I really wish I could live off of my etsy shop but I don't see that happening any time soon.

Owl swap

This post is going to be mostly pics. I'm not feeling too chatty lately but I wanted to share the awsomeness I received today from woobie on craftster.

This too cute emboridered pillow & pouch that will be my new eyeglass case.

the back of the pillow. A handcarved stamp (too cool) and a little felt pin.

a needle roll w/needles. I've been getting into knitting a lot more lately so this will be handly & it has little pockets so I can use it for my crochet hooks too. And a cute little pair of earrings that I think will match a bunch of my outfits

This adorable little backpack

And the cute little charm bracelet some fluffy yarn & the little notecard that came with it

Eco-friendly etsy items

I listed 2 new items on etsy within the last 24hrs. I love making earth friendly items, I hope they sell well.

This cute little market bag AKA an alternative to plastic shopping bags was made from a pretty sturdy acrylic. Isn't the color great? Anyways I came up with the pattern & I really like it. It stretches to almost double its size (check out my shop for pix of it packed full).

I also listed some pink wash cloths made from recycled cotton. I thought they would be a great gift for an environmentally friendly mommy to be. The yarn is sooo soft.

Chuckles & I went to see Aliens vs. Predator 2 on new years. It was an ok movie. Noting really great or horrible about it. Although they did one big horror movie no-no. The killed kids & pregnant women. I was totally not happy with that. I would wait for it to hit the $1 theatre or video.

In crafty news. My shop has been doing really well. I thought Jan would be pretty slow but I sold 4 things in the last 48hrs WOO HOO.

I listed these cut little owl pins. I wasn't really sure about the price but 1 is already gone. Maybe I'll make a couple more since I have a couple ties left. I really like them & may make a couple for myself.

Nintendo pillow

So this is one of the things I made for the boi for x-mas. Can I tell you how hard it is to make christmas items for someone who doesn't like anything I make. This did get a huge smile though YAY!! My brother who is also a gamer thought it was pretty cool. It was made from a fabric similar to sweat pant material I found in the dollar bin at Wal-mart. All of the "parts" were made from felt so I wouldn't have to do any hemming. It was pretty easy. I did almost all of it on the machine except for the red buttons & the 2 black middle buttons which I stitched by hand.

I also made a big guy robe. Casual Male sells robes for $80 isn't that ridiculous. So I took a regular men's robe which fits everywhere else just gaps too much in the front and added a flannel trim all around the front. It ended up making a natural hood which chuckles loves during the winter after a hot shower. I've only taken before pics so I will have to post them later.

Christmas with family

There are some naughty pic in this post just to warn you. My christmas was pretty good. I had an almost all envelope x-mas gotta love that. Chuckles got me a Coach purse & my dad got me a mini sewing machine, which unfortunately is a piece of crap. I didn't get any more pics of the items I made but I will take pics of the nintendo controller pillow I made chuckles & was a pretty big hit.

So my mom got a gag gift from my dad, she was joking with him about wanting him to fix her up with one of his friends & kept asking about him in a joking manner. So what does my dad do.....Calls chuckles & I and says lets got to Hustler, yes as in Larry Flint. We have a hustler Hollywood about 20mins away since we are so close to Cincy. My family is pretty open about sex but it was cracking me up when we went to look thru the toys & I would say "Hey dad look at this one" guys kept turning around giving me the weirdest looks hehehe

So anyways this is my mom after she got the box open & realized what it was. That blurriness to the pic is 9 smokers in a living room. I'm the only non-smoker it almost killed me. That is my cousin who is the coolest...he's a vietnam vet that just amazes me.

This is my mom inspecting her new boyfriend. yes that is what you think it is.

This is my dad with his gift of a pussy whistle from chuckles. Just so you know my dad doesn't believe in wearing clothes without holes or stains even though he has a whole closet full. OIY

I will posts some pics of the nintendo pillow when I have more time I have been running ragged this week.

New items & The Mist review

I know most of my posts lately have been about my shop, honestly that's about all I have time for outside of x-mas presents. I won't bore you with all of the x-mas items because they are pretty much the same things over & over just in different colors. I am making something really cool for chuckles but cant post pics until after x-mas. Lets just say it's gamer inspired ;)

I listed this hat tonight that was based on a pattern I found online, but changed up a bunch to fit my needs. It's made with 2 strands, 1 of acrylic & 1 of 100% wool that I recycled. I really like it. These hats have been selling really well most sell within a couple days of listing. I really wish I could make them in a shorter time frame so I can list more but my right arm has been killing me. I can barely move it up & back without any pain. I may take some of my x-mas money & indulge in a massage this year.

I also listed some neckwarmers. My first time making them but they came out very warm. I almost want to keep them for myself.

We went to see The Mist last Tues. I haven't read the story in a good 10-15yrs so I can't remember if it matched the book exactly. I do remember in the book they never really saw the monster just the tentacles & in the movie there is more than 1 monster & you get to see them all. I was actually pleasantly surprised by the movie. The last stephen king movie I saw was 1408 which SUCKED big hairy monkey balls. This time I really enjoyed it. Granted it was really sad because of how realistic they made the crazy religious fanatics. Chuckles & I were both like this is why you never stay with a group of people when the shit hits the fan they either get crazy & start trying to kill people or they do something stupid & get people killed just like in zombie movies. When civilization collapses you always just stay in your own little family. Oh & if you aren't a big fan of creepy crawlies or bugs you won't like it. Even I had the willies from all the mega sized bugs. I would def recommend seeing it just be prepared for being a little sad at how selfish & fucked up society is.

The beginning of a handmade christmas

Here are a few of the handmade items I have made as x-mas presents. So far I've started on gift baskets for the "moms". I've been making crochet washcloths & I may make more just to practice different stitches. I got 8 bartowels for 4.99 and cut them in 1/2 to get more out of it and made towl toppers out of fabric I had in my stash. This was my first time trying button holes, very easy. I'm surprised I havent thought about trying them before. I had bought a bunch of dishcloths that I was going to embroider but decided to make boo boo bunnies out of. My soon to be step-mom has her bathroom done in bunnies so I thought she would like them.

I also got a great deal on casserole dishes at Old Time Pottery for $3.99 & found some fabric in the $1 bin at walmart that looks semi-classy that I'm making casserole dishes out of. I may make hot pads if I have enough time.

I also went to the thrift store this week to get some sweaters to recycle for x-mas presents. My MIL said she would wear a calorimetry & told chuckles she would wear a hat if I made her one. She crochets also so it's weird to make something for someone who can do it also. Chuckles said she doesn't do it as well as I do & thinks she secretly likes my work. This is the first completed item a calorimetry done on 10.5 needles with 70 stitches CO.

Etsy items

I've sold $81+ worth of stuff on etsy over the holiday. Man I love black friday madness. So I had to list a couple new item. A pink panta, a slouchy newsboy cap & a mint chocolate chip colored panta. If you are interested check out my shop.

http://www.missmotleys.etsy.com/

I know my blog has been kinda lame lately. I have been making x-mas items, nothing really interesting enough to talk about. I promise more after the holiday season.

Beowulf

Went to see Beowulf tonight. Kinda cheesie but the 3D action was pretty good. A lot of people in the theatre were laughing at parts I'm sure the writer didn't mean to be funny cause it was just corny. They did show a preview for another 3D movie with Brendan Frasier Journey to the center of the earth. I liked the old version so we may check it out, it looked pretty good.

I listed 2 new hats on etsy before we left for the movies & when I got back I had sold 3 items. WOO HOO maybe I can pay a bill or 2. This is the other hat I listed today. It's really soft & very cute I hope someone buys it.

I weighed myself about 2 weeks ago & I have lost 30lbs. I guess you can tell now because a couple people have commented on it. Chuckles was like it looks like you lost it all in your legs. Probably because all my jeans look like a potato sack on me. But I'm not complaining as long as I don't loose it in my tits.

Today is Chuckles b-day so I am taking him to see Saw IV. I'm not a huge fan because to me the sequels were never as good as the first but he loves it. We are going to the mongolian for dinner since it right across the street from the movie theatre.

I got an e-mail yesterday from someone in my past I haven't talked to in years. Isn't it so weird to hear from someone after so many years it brings back so many memories & feelings you totally forgot about.

No crafty pics but I will have some later I need to list some pillow cases chuckles granny made after I iron them.

tree hugger calorimetry

I have been in a tree mood lately not sure why but they just seem so beautiful to me. No big bushy green ones, but dry willowy ones with thin branches. Anyways I was bored at work yesterday & had some of this acrylic that reminds me of the colors of nature. All I had were some 10.5 needles free so I tried it. I CO 84 or 86 stitches which made it 24in long. and then I did a freehand tree on the side. I really like it. I kinda want to keep it but I listed it on etsy. We need money more right now than I need any more accessories. Although we went to the flea market & the African dudes there had some really great Coach, Prada, D&G & D&B fakes so I may splurge & get one for my x-mas present to myself. I really want a lime green prada I saw a girl carrying at Krogers the other day. Granted it wouldn't match anything in my closet but it was so pretty.

Chuckles & I took my mom to the grocery store. She told us if we take her once a week she will buy us groceries so I was like hey we are short on cash why not we never get that much anyways. We went to the Krogers by our old apartment that basically only hires dykes in the deli dept. They got to know me when we lived there but I always thought it was so funny that when it was just me they were just polite & got my turkey never talking much but when Chuckles is with me they all become chatty cathy. Every one of them does it. It's like what you can't talk to a femme because she might magically turn hetero right in front of you. Only if a butch is with her, it makes her more queer *eye roll*. But I will admit I do enjoy the better service I get & my mom got it too when she ordered her meat. Oh well......