I. AM. SO. CLOSE.
I am working on the last of the 74 Christmas gifts that are being sent to family members all over the US. I just thought I would take a little break to share that fact. Once this gift is finished I can focus on the couple of requests that the kids had on their Christmas lists.
And I can take pictures! And wrap them! And tag them! And SHIP them!!
Then, after Christmas Day I can actually post about them all. Whew.
I cannot believe Christmas is18 days away!
I have been knitting & crocheting my little hands to the bone. Tons of gifts, more than a few custom orders with more coming in daily.
Here are some of the custom orders that I have sent out in the last few weeks.
While I love all the custom work, the Adventure Time theme & duplicate stitch were a true test of my commitment ;o) My kids LOVE Adventure Time. They watch it pretty much daily. Josh can play & sing most of the songs on his guitars. I do believe my brain is on AT overload but never will I turn away a chance to design and knit or crochet an AT item.
It’s been fun to get items made for their kids, really one of a kind unique Christmas gifts.
I am just crossing my fingers I have time to make my kids & hubby some unique surprise gifts for Christmas! :oP
Camacho Mohawk Flap Hat
This commission hat was a challenge for sure but now that it’s designed & finished I am pretty darn pleased! I was asked for skulls on the earflaps, ‘Camacho’ on the front, zigzag design around, braided ties, & last but not least a full mohawk. I did it all.
I am designing a flap hat with lots of custom work. Lettering, skulls, zigzag striping. Very fun!
That would be the sound of my knitting needles flying along creating item after item.
Some items are commission work…fun, happy designs for friends, usually a gift for a kid.
Some items are Christmas gifts…yes, I still have more to finish. Last count I had a total of 52 to be ready for Christmas. I think I am only about 1/3 of the way through.
Some items are test knits, also fun & challenging in their own right.
Some items are my designs to either sell as a pattern or sell the finished item.
That means I need somewhere to sell the items & custom orders I am getting before the holidays…
Hello Etsy!!
I have a bit of stock built up but I don’t want to open until I have dozens of items & a lot of variety to list. That means patience on my end of things. My store is technically open on Etsy with just one custom order listing for a friend that’s actually paid for, finished & shipped.
Soon I am hoping to have my stock finished, photos taken, business cards arrived, shipping labels ready, etc to open my Etsy shop…Firebrunette Knits & Wears (yes, wears instead of wares since I knit & wear items as well as sell the items all you cool peeps will be wearing, hinthint).
Any special requests or ideas on what I should sell in the shop just drop me a line or comment!
Thanks!!
For 4 years I had the pleasure of teaching at a knitting shop that a dear friend opened in 2006.
Knit & Pearl Boutique, owned by Julie Rainak, was my home yarn shop for a long time but it’s time has come to an end. So sad that life gets in the way sometimes. Julie has had to close the shop due to family obligations. She will keep the facebook page & blog going, hoping to arrange some meetups and knit-a-longs.
I was lucky enough to teach some of the greatest knit students in all of Santa Barbara! I have missed my classes, students & especially the shop since leaving 2+ years ago.
Julie surprised me with a package that I found on my porch this morning! Wanna see it? Okay!
Oh my goodness! Look at all the vintage buttons!! And the cashmere lace yarn! And the sticker & the Spud & Chloe project bag! Wow. I feel like a very spoiled girl right now.
Julie, thank you so much for being such a great friend for years.
I wish you & your family all the best in life, love & health!
Santa Barbara is really losing a treasure. Your store was an inspiration for local business, women business owners & yarn shops.
Congratulations on the successes you have had the last 6 years!!
I am really loving the texture of lace lately. Tattoos, clothes, household items. Not just knit or crochet, although this apron in the picture is one that is crocheted & wouldn’t be difficult to mimic with half of a doily chart.
I am thinking it may be time to save a few pennies & hit thrift stores & garage sales for some good lace to play with. Tablecloths, doilies, curtains (so much yardage in curtains to play with!)
Just a thought ;o)
For many, many years my friends have warned me I CANNOT watch any of the hoarding shows on TV. Every once in a great while I stop on one as I click past. Tonight I actually watched an entire episode of Hoarding: Buried Alive.
And wow.
WOW.
The sadness that comes with living, if you can call it living, in an environment like that.
It is amazing how obvious it is to me that it’s a way to keep people away from you, the hoarder.
I feel their pain, their anxiety, that comes with the control issues that are being physically manifested in their homes.
I don’t judge them, I deal with my own very real control issues. It makes me want to clean out & get rid of every little thing that I can. And since we lost every thing we owned 2 years ago there isn’t much for me to go through.
Josh brought a lot of belongings to the marriage but he was willing to give up his control and at least let me organize it in a way that pleased both of us. That was a huge worry for me, marrying someone that leans towards collecting things (mostly electronic/ computer bits & pieces). But we’ve done very well compromising. I pat us on the back for that!
I just want to go in & help but having worked as an organizer/ cleaner/ hauler I know how difficult it is for hoarders to see their problem & hand over the control.
I disappeared there for about an hour…reorganized and downsized the bathroom shelves & small cupboard. And scrubbed the toilet. And deep cleaned the kitchen sink, it’s got a paste on soaking for a bit before I go to bed.
And that’s what happens when I watch hoarders. And I feel guilty for not vacuuming, sweeping & mopping today.
I will lay in bed thinking of all the things that could be done…I WILL NOT be watching hoarding shows any longer.
Lesson learned.