It's only water..........

Like everyone else in America - I have been glued to the TV watching the aftermath of Katrina. It is horrific. It makes me think about the few things that really matter - God, my family, my health, water, food, the basics.

We have friends, that are now homeless and jobless. Their children will remember their early years as ones where they moved to a new town & home. However, they are so upbeat. They are just thankful to be alive.

I don't have any profound thoughts to share. I don't feel like talking about much at all. It is a time of reflection and prayer for me. It's a time of sadness - as I pray that those stranded are able to safely leave the city. It is a time of sadness because it also appears that some of the worse traits of humanity are making life even more miserable for others as looting and fear are unleased in the Big Easy. However, we also see the best of people in those who are tireless working to save others. I just wish I could do something, I feel so helpless to do anything except donate what we can and pray for the people of the Gulf coast.

How many more do I need to make?

I'll be more than ready to stop making purses after December of this year!! I've enjoyed making bags and felting, but I can tell I need some more challenges. These bags sat for a while before I got the energy to felt them. So much boiling of water, checking to see the felting, etc. Especially since I have a front-load washing machine which I love for everything except felting.

The first phots are the bags before felting - the smaller SnB bag is in Painter's Palette - a very nice chuncky merino. The 2nd SnB bag - is in Galaway, a green color, and BaaBaajoes - the varigated that is created the stripes. The gift bag is in BaaBaajoes. I love the NZ Woolpak BaaBaajoes and how it felts and stripes. I have to make a sweater in it for me once I get done with these gifts.

I miss crochet so much. I have been knitting these bags - but I was jones for crochet so I have started 3 shawls!! I guess I need to add shawls to my gift list to justify it :) But I really needed to crochet again. It is so much faster for me, and I love the way the stitches look. Crochet will always me my first love.

This second photo are the bags after felting - and stuffed with towels so they keep their shape. The gift bag actually felted together - front to back :(, and the cotton yarn I put in to keep the eyelets open also felted into the wool! That BaaBaajoes is a strong, strong felting yarn!

On Vacation

We just got back from a week - yes, a week - away on vacation. We signed up earlier this year with bluegreen vacations and took full advantage of it! This was our second trip where we combined 2 free days in Charleston with using our 'points' in Myrtle Beach for 5 days. It was our first time in Charleston with the kids, and fun but don't think we will take the kids back. It is not as kid friendly as Tennesse or Myrtle Beach is. But it still was nice, very nice place that Lodge Valley Inn was.

In Myrtle Beach - Colin and kids was able to go to the beach. I'm not really a beach person, so I shopped for Colin's Birthday during the time.

I also completed a shawl - I like this pattern it is knitted from side to side instead of from top to bottom so there are few stiches to cast on or cast off. Very neat! I used eco wool, and it is so soft. Doesn't feel itchy at all - I really like this wool. Shaina is the model!

A bubble bag for me!

I decided to take a break from making Christmas bags and make a bag for me. I love the bubble bag, thought it would make a great project bag. So that is what I made! I mixed Eco wool in black and Noro brown/gray/cream mix. I love the results. Here is bag before and after felting.

Felted Peppermint Bag

I call this little beauty peppermint, because she looked like a peppermint before I felted her. But she blended nicely once felted. I'm happy and hope my friend likes her!

More Presents

I have been busy making Christmas presents!

One super cute project is felted gift bags. I found the pattern on http://knittingpatterncentral, here is the link: http://www.y2knit.net/felted%20pouch.pdf.

Here are some of them felted and before felting. The blue and white thread is to keep the eylets open.

I love this pattern - very very easy, but very pretty. And practical. You can use as a gift bag, but someone can then use later on for a sachet, or to carry jewelry or any small item. So it is a bag and gift in one!

And I love the colors in the Noro yarn, it was my first project using Kuryeon.

My other project is another bag for one of my friends - she likes red - so I made this one especially for her. This is it pre-felted:

I'm felting it and the gift bags now - I'll update once completed!