Brainstorming

Just had to jot down a few ideas for the upcoming themes in the Phat Fiber box...April is "All Creatures Great and Small" and May is "Blossoms and Bark". So far, Im thinking..."all creatures great and small; all things wise and wonderful" So, maybe a "Wise and Wonderful" batt series? hmmm, on paper is just doesnt sound as great. Does anyone read this thing? I'll take any ideas in the comment section that I can get!

Blossoms and Bark: really wanting to do "all bark", and "a little bite" batts. Hmmm...okay, brain is sufficiently smoking!

Also, if anyone cares to comment: I am officially a Global Mamas wholesaler! Take a look at the site and let me know what you would like to see me carry (on a future website...not too far in the future, for sure!) I need ideas!

Oops

Okay, so I realized that I have been on the "epic fail" end of the whole blogging consistently thing! Here I go! Probably very briefly today, but I figure it is better than nothing!

It has been quite a whirlwind here, and I can finally post about it! I was offerred a job at another social service agency here in town: wow. WOW! I literally had between 4 and 6 interviews for this position, so naturally, I didnt think I would get the position. Then, after weeks of deliberation, I get a phone call with a job offer. Okay...so, they wanted an immediate answer, which I was completely unprepared to give. I accepted after some deliberation. After more deliberation and a healthy serving of drama, I am scheduled to start on April 5th. Holy shit.

More news: I am officiallly a registered business in the county of Kent and have received my Michigan tax ID! Huge step. It was definitely something I wanted to do this year and Im really proud of myself and super excited. I am now awaiting approval to become an official Global Mamas retailer. That would be beyond awesome. Working on getting my March samples all finished up and carding up some batts for the shop. Did a major update with fibers last weekend, which was also exciting. It seems to be a year for progress, in some ways, and a year for personal challenges, in many other ways. That leaves something for another post, however...

OBO has been baking bread up a storm and I cant wait to get some pictures here. I thought I had uploaded them to Flickr, but I suppose I will have to wait till I get home! I feel better for making this commitment to blogging (look at me, being all responsible and proactive and shit!)

A post of its own

Finally finished up my samples for the Phat Fiber box this month. It was a rough one, mostly because I really wanted to do my signature stitch markers, but my finger nails had other plans. It hurt. My thumbs were swollen for about three days, but it was well worth it! This month's theme was "Master Painters". I went for inspiration by Warhol. I love Andy; he's a genius with color and inspiration. So, I give you: DK weight wool in "Warhol's Marilyn" and stitch markers inspired by his "Butterflies". I sure hope they get there in time for the box!

More sewing!

As mentioned in my previous post, we have babies and lots of 'em! So, I wanted to make something for Amber's Wedding/Baby shower. They are pretty sure it's a boy (after this blankie, I sure hope so!) So, OBO really wants to keep this one, too. Really? He's a packrat! This is super-cute, though! An alien blankie with the soft minky dots on one side. Also, a burp cloth and bib set (well, two of them in the mix-and-match prints. I will keep the other set for more babies). I'm having a lot of fun with my sewing machine, but there will be some bribing going on soon. I have a cute pattern for a diaper bag, but I think it may be a little beyond my ability at this point. I tried interfacing once; it didnt work out so hot. I am in the process of trading spinning for sewing. My cousin is a fabulous seemstress (sp?), as is my "bestie" (hehehe, sorry, Im a little punchy). Haley, however, lives in NYC, so not so practical at this point.

Sew Cute!

An appropriately cheesy title to an applicably cheesy and slightly pathetic post! Okay, so we have babies coming out our, well, you know where they come out of...but there are lots of 'em coming out! Our family was just blessed with a new addition on January 26th. Evan Stampfler was 7lbs 9.5 oz and is super-cute! His sister Addie is a happy girl, so far! Also in the works, my cousin Keely is due to have Riley Aislinn any day now (Im hoping she holds out for my birthday...but since Keely was born on Jackie's birthday, it would be pretty sweet if Riley was born on Jackie's daughter, Rachelle's, birthday, on the 3rd!). My cousin Jake and his wife are pregnant, my great friend Jacks and her husband, Casey, are pregnant, my other cousin John and his fiance Amber are pregnant, my other cousin Jim and his partner are pregant...wow! So many babies. So, in the spirit and in my restless craftiness, I started sewing some yesterday! A blankie for Evan (even though OBO wants us to keep it...no, we're not expecting!) and a bib and burpcloth set! It was fun and the blanket turned out super-cute, especially.

A great end to a rough...month

I got my swap package from Naomi in the Bohoknitterchic swap! It was a great package (hehehe, we are immature, yes...packagepackagepackage!) It included some great sock yarn, an awesome Care Bear Batt from Bohoknitterchic, herself! I have been lusting after this particular batt for some time now. It spoke to me! It's the Cheer Bear colorway, and I just love it!

I also got a mug, some pendants, cute stitch markers, chocolate that was YUMMY! (and now it's gone), conversation hearts, a bookmark, a pampering package, a sheepy bank, and a sexy crocheted outfit for Valentine's day!

The day after Fiber Friday...Sheepy Saturday?

Okay, as promised: pics of my samples for the January Phat Fiber box! I think I mentioned before, that this month's theme was For the Love of Books. As an avid reader, this very much excited me! I spent alot of time with my grandma growing up, therefore, was itroduced early to "grandma books" as OBO calls them. Also, as he so lovingly points out every time I make him read a book out of one of the series' that I am enveloped in: I am a sucker for a well-developed character. Hence, the affinity with series books. So, one that I love and have loved and will continue to love: the "Cat Who" series by Lillian Jackson Braun. I love the mysteries, I love the mindlessness, I love the characters. Inspiration.

So, here's my samples for this month (as per the tardy nature of my postal contact...aka...I didnt move my ass to the PO fast enough, I hope they got there in time for the box drop tomorrow!)

Yellow (cormo/corrie cross, pin drafted roving): Mildred Riker

Shades of Blue (sw corrie/bamboo batts): Polly Duncan

Salt and Pepper (corrie batts, corrie/shetland batts): Qwilleran

Shades of Brown (Polwarth combed top/roving): KoKo

Brown and Violet (Polwarth combed top/roving): Yum Yum

It was pretty great and Im pretty proud of those contributions this month; it is my first month contributing batts, after all! Im loving my Fancy Kitty Kitten drum carder that I got for Christmas! Good job, OBO! (oh, and the in-laws, too) Hopefully next month will include another new pattern. Im trying to get this designing off the ground, this year. Im thinking a man's hat in greys...sophisticated, classy, versatile, sexy. Now, to convert the vision to finished product!

On another note: in the spirit of fiber and Phat Fiber in particular, I have been looking at lots of yummy goodness for my BohoKnitterChic swap. Just wanted to post some of the lovelies that I have been lusting after: this particular beauty in Tropical Storm from Beesybee Fibers; yum!