GrueneTree

Moving!

2007-01-09T15:07:00.000-05:00

Due to continued frustrations (like today: forbidden to view my site and then denied access to post) I am moving to Typepad. So besure to check me out over there from now on.
Well what are you waiting for? Here

Books

2007-01-08T10:11:00.000-05:00

I met my pal, Hannah and her lovely daughter Riley this weekend at Barnes and Noble and among the baby oogling I found some really good books that are now on my wish list. Check them out:
Classic Knits (Erika Knight)
Glamour Knits (Erika Knight)
Simple Sewing with a French Twist (Celine Dupuy)
New Complete Guide to Sewing (Readers Digest)

they all look like so much fun and the reader digest one even had a chapter about tailoring. Now, I have never found jeans that fit perfect (waist too big and hem too long) so I have always wanted to know how to tailor my own stuff. I mean I can sew so why am I paying some else to do what I can do.
so I can't wait to get these books!
al
so I got an e-mail from a friend from Australia (we have been friend since we were 6) and she sent pictures of her vacations and they are so great I had to share! She, her son, hunter, and her husband wet to Monkey Mia. Her husband took these pictures. He is really good.

Knit Pick Options

2007-01-06T15:12:00.000-05:00

I got my Options! Thank you to my loving husband, Garrett. What a great christmas present! I am so excited to use them i am giving myself a much deserved break from he weekender to break them in.
there are all kinds of great pocket that come with the case. I put most of my needles in the triple pockets. 2 sets in one of the double and my 11's and the end caps and keys in the second double pouch. I put my cords in the single pouches. I def have room for some scissors and a tapestry needle in the front pocket and zipper area. The back looks like a great place to keep my pattern and pen. i can make my self a smaller notions bag now because most will fit in the case. So great and clever.The fastening is very cool. You screw on the needle then stick the key in there and, i find, only need to lightly tighten it. maybe a slight turn. Not much. I then tested it with gentle pressure and it didn't budge. You def. do notwant to over tighten, but the threads are so long anyway, only a light key tghtening is called for. sometimes (but rare) my denise come undone at the join, i don't think that will be an issue with these.
Now on a different front. I see the needles are not marked for size so you have to keep your sizer with you. No big deal until you need the needle for a different project. I have divised a clever marker plan. They do sell some at knitpicks but i want to make my own. I have a really good idea but i will have more on that later. it is a secret. Maybe even an etsy secret.

Red Baron and his pal, Babe (the blue Pig)

2007-01-05T21:18:00.000-05:00

So when I went to hobby Lobby the other day for lining for my Weekender bag, I, of course, checked out some of the buttons (yes, it is a problem and no I am not in denial. I CAN quit anytime I want). I went to peruse the tubes o' buttons and I spotted the best button. At the top of the tube all nice and shiny was a white button with a red plane and the words "Red Baron" embellished on it. I snatched it up right then and there. Looked over my shoulder to make sure I wasn't followed and ran full out to the cash register. Once home I discovered even more buttons to my greatest delight that were hidden among the plethora of black buttons used as filler. Some I have taken pictures of some I have not. But all will be used! How can such a small object bring such giddiness!
oh and check out my lining fabric too.

Changes

2007-01-04T17:04:00.000-05:00

I am changing my blog. I got real tired of the font never working. So i tried to change to the new blogger but even though the link is up in my dashboard, it will not switch me. So i am slowly making changes and bringing back oldies but goodies. so bear with me

Grand Plan Capelet and Homemade goodies

2007-01-04T16:03:00.000-05:00

Here, as promised, is a view of my Grand Plan Cabled Capelet. I am so excited for it to be done. I have been working on it since before the wedding so almost a month now. It looks so good and it is almost cold out so i can wear it soon. It is really fun to make and i recommend it over the plain one (which i made a cardi version for the wedding, but didn't end up wearing) the cables through in some fun so it is not monotonous. plus i love this color; it is my favorite! i did use a KF&B increase instead of the bar because i could not get it to work out without a hole. Knittinghelp.com here i come. Oh and i made these stitch markers. I am thinking of putting them on etsy.

The Month of the Weekender!

2007-01-04T10:08:00.000-05:00

In Feb there will be a joint Miller/Krisher Family cruise and if you have never been on a cruise. It goes like this. You board around noon and don't get your luggage till shortly before dinner. So I am making my weekender, finally, so I will have fresh clothes to wear on board. Garrett and I are driving from Atlanta to Valdosta to Miami, picking up his folks in Valdosta. With that long of a drive, I will want to at least change. So I am very excited but I see what everyone else is complaining about now...SO MUCH CUTTING. I know it is worth it. As you can see I know have a cutting wheel, self healing boards and a clear fabric tsquare, all christmas presents from my new husband. He said that is only part one, too, so stay tuned for part 2 I am very excited about it. I love that he learned enough about my crafts to get me good stuff but to also anticipate what I need. So back to the weekender. The green geometric fabric is the exterior and I bought a very girly pinky-green floral for the lining and accents. I think it will flatter the harshness of the geometric. I was toying with a denim because I love blue and green together but when I saw the floral and the price ($4/yd) I could not pass it up. But I have a dilemma with the green exterior. The fabric is reversible and I am not sure which side I like better. You can see the other side below:

So I will keep working on it. And please bare with the pictures. I squeezed these off before rushing to work and this is the best light I had at 7am.

here is my Hooray for Headbands. I am wearing it now. It is my fave already. Headbands typically give me headaches from the squeezing at the temples and cloth ones usually slide slowly off my head but this is comfy and stays put. it was fast and easy. So if you ever come to Atlanta and you see a girl wearing one of these every day, it is prob me.

here is a lovely Key Fob made by Kris and I was lucky enough to receive it with my order of the Velma Bag by Amy Butler. It is so great. Unfortunately I lose my keys alot so I am going to put it on one of the bags I am making right now. So awesome!

I am also hoping to take some pictures of my grand plan cable capelet today at lunch. So I will be back. Also I started a center square hat for a pal last night. Once I get further along I will take some pictures of that too. So much to do, I love it.

2007

2007-01-03T10:38:00.000-05:00

Now that everything is over (holidays and that silly little wedding) life is getting back to normal. Garrett and I had our reception over the weekend (pictures will appear some time today) and it was great. I saw friends and family that 1) had never met before 2) haven't seen in a while 3) hadn't seen in days. 2 of the guest I started babysitting over 10 years ago. While I don't sit for them anymore, it was great to see them. They live over an hour away and are in middle and high (or almost highschool). I met some of garrets family. Their family is huge and very close. My MIL's friends are family to her and I it was great to met some of them. The party was a great success. It did ran but we rented some tents and ever had valet parking (my parents live in the country so valet consists of kids of friends riding an 4 wheeler to run cars. Everyone thought that was so funny and it was a surprise for me. We also had a margarita machine (more fun for me), keg, BBQ, appetizers out the wazoo and 8 cakes (I made them all myself), half peanut butter and half chocolate. My friend Brandi (and boss) planned the party and she did great!
of course I don't think the reception helped the marriage start off well. I spent most of the time kissing another boy. Brandi's son brought his pal, 6 year old Matthew, and his mom (friend of mine and Brandi's) and he kept asking me the whole time if I wanted to kiss him. Of course I said yes (how do you turn that down!) and he even kissed me right in front of Garrett! Garrett of course was too busy fixing something to care. plus I don't think he considers 6 year olds competition or cheating, lucky for me.
I have not completed anything lately and even if I did, there is no opportunity to take pictures. I wake up and leave just as it gets light outside and get home after dark. I have been working on a Grand Plan Capelet in Cascade Pastaza in Sprout. I am making the version with the cables. It is about 1/2 done and I made a Hooray for headbands last night and then forgot to wear it today. Pictures tomorrow when I remember my camera.

Mrs. Miller

2006-12-21T12:00:00.000-05:00

And no I am not referring to my new mother in law. That is me, now and it is weird. I had better hurry up with the doctorate. I had decided many years ago around the age of 10 that I never wanted to be Mrs. Anyone, but Doctor so-and-so. I am running a bit behind because I find myself now with a different last name but the same prefix. Garrett and I married on Dec 13th in Red Rock Canyon outside Vegas. I highly recommend it; it was so easy. However be forewarned, you must tip EVERYONE. As soon as the ceremony was finished the minister came up to us to make sure we understood what his usually "fee" was and that he would be taking that now. I thought "how tacky" but really we are in Vegas. Tacky has a different meaning here. All in all it was great and I could not have envisioned it any better, nor could my bank account.

As soon as I got back I got the flu. I haven't had it in a while and it hit me hard. Since my boss (single mom and friend) will not let me step foot in the office until my fever breaks, I am stuck at home under orders to lay on the couch and drink tea. I am easily bored and can only stand so much holiday cook shows before I get the urge to create something of my own. I would not dream of cooking while sick so I figure sewing is not very active maybe that is allowed. So in my days stuck at home I have made a apron (In Stitches by Amy Butler) and a patchwork bag and matching flower pin. I also made a few more recipe gift bags but they are already wrapped. I hope to get a few more things made before Christmas. I am really looking forward to Monday. I have never given this many, if any, handmade gifts before.

One side of outer

Other side of outer

Lining with my Tag!

PhotoShoptastic

2006-12-06T15:51:00.000-05:00

My new Glamour Mag cam in today and one of the advice article said putting -tastic on the ends of your words was out. Well considering I only do that to my dogs names (they deserve the self esteem boost!) I figure I would put it out there for laughs. And to raise awareness. So- Don't do it, ya'll.

I have begun experimenting with PhotoShop. Here are some pictures I took this morning and then worked some magic on.

I did a Blur effect on the head and a paint stroke effect.

These 2 are the same picture expect I cropped the lower one. I highlighted the pitcher in one and made everything else sort of blurry. I did the same for the cake plate, made it sharp and everything else blurry. The pitcher was a wedding present from Crate and Barrel. The cake plate is from TJ Maxx. So is the head. I go there for all my special kitchen stuff and 'artifacts'. I have a variation of Lao-Tzu from there. I also saw a Vishnu but one hand was broken off so I will wait for another. My sister does some archeology, so I get all her Christmas presents from there. All kinds of busts and nuvo-religious/mythological figures there. And great cake plates! oh and great coffee. I bought real Kona and Blue Mt Coffee, 1 lb whole bean for 6.99 bag last week. It is really good. One of my fave stores, next to Target and IKEA.

This one is just a picture of our amaryllis from the living room. I just cropped it. But I love the white with the red on the bloom. Hope you can see it.

p.s. i have no idea what the hell is going on with my font. It looks fine on preview and the HTMl looks perfect. I am seriously consdiering switching to Typepad if Blogger can't get its butt in gear.

19 inches

2006-12-04T16:39:00.000-05:00

I have been busy but not busy. I have not felt like knitting or sewing at all lately (thus the lack of posting). With the wedding coming and my parents moving, if I am not working on something, I am vegged out. Usually in front of 1)History channel (none of the military stuff, though) 2)discovery channel 3) foodnetwork or 4)Scrubs.

I did, last week, make some little presents for loved ones. Tissue holders found on MonkeyFoot Designs' Blog. More info here.

And I finally took pictures of the legwamers. I settled on 19 inches because I didn't think I would have enough Kid Seta for 20 inches for both. Boy, I will tell ya, that kid seta is a bitch to work with once you get to the endish of it. It has knotted more times that I can repress. I had to make a haphazard bobbin to keep it clean and knot free. I am not sure if I will work with it again, but is sure makes everything SOFT. So maybe I will

Legwarmers inching along and an affair with fabric

2006-11-29T14:31:00.000-05:00

I am definitely on a fabric sewing kick right now. But my finances are tight with the up coming wedding/Vegas trip and Christmas. That is why my window shopping has reached an all time high. Check out my Hancock finds. I have a Hancocks in the next town over but Joann's is always on the way home from work but traffic is a little tough getting there. there is a construction bridge/Walmart intersection of hell to contend with where the left turn lane toward walmart is about 5 feet long so eveyone going there waits in one of the 2 straight lane. gets backed up for miles. Joann's is not next to walmart but I must go over that bridge and then turn left. but since Garrett and I carpool, I must cross the traffic of doom to pick him up after shopping. However, since my mind is everworking, I have devised the I recently noticed the much "hipper" fabric selection at Hobby Lobby. Stopping there on my way home does not help me to avoid Traffic hell but it is on the correct side of road on which traffic lives so I can pop in to happy lobby, take my time and then in 2 min be at Garrett's work. Much easier and more shopping (I mean window shopping, unless it is for Christmas and I do want to make some stockings...umm. no must finish knitting leg warmers).
Speaking of leg warmers, I am not sure if I have yet blogged about my master plan. If not, let me enlighten you. but if I have, well then let me repeat myself. The pattern calls for approx 26 inches of legwamer. but said pattern also calls for total project time of 2-4 hours (not happening even if this time is per leg). so I have stopped leg 1 at 15 inches and will continue with leg 2 (at 10 in + as of press time) and will then judge how much more I can add to each in time. Now these are for under my wedding dress. I am getting hitched outside and in 50 deg and do not want to think about how cold I am. I would rather think about how cool this is and how pretty I feel. So I feel that 15 inches will adequately enable my legs to not add to an coldness. Anything more than that is to add to my happiness.
right now I am in the middle of RSVP hell. No one does it anymore. But I have a plan. Whoever put the name on the list, must call the person and get a commitment the day after the deadline, which is the 1st. So if MIL requested the invite, she must track down the offender, same for groom, me and my mom. it will work great for me and hopefully will serve as a tackful reminder of how they rudely did not RSVP. I hate that.

One for you, One for me, One for you, Two for me

2006-11-27T13:46:00.000-05:00

Well really it is 2 for loved ones and one for me. I made 2 recipe gift bags this weekend from a pattern in Amy Butler In Stitches. The blue bag is the large size and made from dishtowels (They are really thick and gave me all kinds of trouble) and the pinkish one is the smaller size and made from cotton (super easy to work with, as usual). They are really fun to make and I have plans to make 2 more.
I also made another In Town handbag by Amy Butler. I love it and i think this is now my go-to pattern. There is a full picture on my flickr site. I really love this bag. It is, as i am sure i have already said, very fun, quick and very fulfilling. Plus this purse is the right size for me and the set up that i usually look for. Plus it can be very simple looking or dramatic. I like how much room there is to customize. I can make this pattern while watching a movie. P.S. i love my rearranged sewing room! Sewing is so much more fun when you have room to work and are not crowded. Plus, with my new heater, i can work without hand warmers and my dogs and Scout are more inclined to visit and nap while i work. Their snores are very soothing and motivating.

Sewing and Knitting

2006-11-21T10:14:00.000-05:00

I finished my Amy Butler In Town Handbag this weekend and I love it. It was fun, easy but a little challenging. Enough ease for me to enjoy it and enough Challenge to keep me at it. I will use stiffer interfacing next time but hopefully the picture will deceive all into thinking that I did, indeed, use the correct stiffness.
I also was able to start and finish Womb from Knitty.com. it was a fun knit and I recommend it, but just not in this yarn. I don't remember which yarn it was but I am sure once you see it you will remember to steer clear.
I finished a pincushion I had started some time ago and got frustrated when my circle turned in to flat tire. So last night I ripped the stitching and closed up the opening a little (3 in is a little too big for a 6 in diameter circle) then I re-did the closing stitch and it turned out great. I used this pattern and the instructions are very clear and easy.
And finally I sewed up my felted pumpkin. I think it is super cute and I don't care if the other pumpkins call him pinocchio. They can kiss it because I love him. Next time, though, he will be a shorted, um, nose.

Finished objects and some that are close

2006-11-16T11:17:00.000-05:00

We will start with an close to finished project (above) a small felted pumpkin from Knitty.com. This is a relatively quick knit and kinda fun. I would have enjoyed it more but I am feeling a lot of pressure right now to finished my wedding knits. But I did finish my Handwarmers (below), my brother's sock monkey hat and start my legwarmers (Vegas in Dec is around 50 degrees!). I also updated my flickr site with some extra pictures. Tomorrow is 5 years for Garrett and I. I have no idea what we are doing but I am sure it will be fun. I do dislike going out on Friday nights, though.

Happy Birthday, Shaun!

2006-11-14T14:56:00.000-05:00

My Brother, Shaun, has always loved Calvin and Hobbes and in honor of his birthday, I present this clip representing the great comic! Click the pic and Enjoy

Coupon and no monkey

2006-11-14T08:49:00.000-05:00

The monkey hat will be finished tonite for it's intended victim is coming for dinner tomorrow night. All I have left are the ears, eyes, mouth and earring. The ends have weaved themselves (after some angered fist shaking and a few "why, I oughta").
And I have a coupon for 50% off one item at Joann's. Good until Sat! So go forth and spend. Let me know what you bought so I can live vicariously. I am saving for the wedding!

I hate blogger and diets

2006-11-13T09:40:00.000-05:00

I am trying to keep my frilly font but up the font size. But it seems in blogger world there is only really really big and just big enough to read but gives you a headache from squinting. So bare with me.
Also, i had to add this. I have a pal I walk with at work. I sent her an e-mail asking if she brough her walking clothes today and this is her response:
Yes and I started my diet on Saturday. Since Saturday afternoon, I’ve been eating chicken, lettuce with no dressing, broccoli, hard boiled eggs & one orange a day. I’ve had nothing to drink but water, one diet sprite and this morning I am drinking black f’ing coffee.
I forgot, I get to eat one of their protein bars once a day and it is tastes like shit that is being masked by peanut butter.

Fashion for your convenience!

2006-11-13T08:53:00.000-05:00

Hot off the presses! The latest trend off the fall runways, dangling ends. Knitters everywhere are cheering their new independence; freed from encumbered weaving and thumbing their noses at oppressive tapestry needles everywhere. "I no longer have to dye my hair" roused one knitted wearing a new and very fashionable fair isle hat, giving her hair the looked of a glamorous rainbow. "I have time to eat!" remarked one very thin knitter on her way to the local pizza place. Yes, it seems knitters everywhere are joyous over this new trend and are embracing it like a long lost cousin (a very rich cousin). While the 'finished' look, according to stubborn minority, will never die, it seems in this case they are wrong and appear to be very jealous that they did not jump on the band wagon in time. Non weavers, as they have taken to calling themselves, are spreading the word and giving raspberries to all non- converts. So the next time you are done knitting your project, don't pick up your tapestry needle and take a deep breathe in anticipation of the excruciatingly long nights ahead of you; throw your project on and consider yourself done. Not only will you have more time, but you are now the height of fashion!

this was spurred by 2 things:
1) I just finished my wedding shawl (bows to audience) and with 6 balls and three picked up edges, there were many ends to be carefully woven in (this is a wedding shawl people)
2) helping a fellow blogger justify wearing her new sweater now. She didn't buy it.

Edgy and soft

2006-11-09T13:15:00.000-05:00

So I have started the bottom edge of my wedding shawl and even though i am not done, i can't wait to show it off. So i took some picture during lunch to make it look like i am done. I am so pleased and the edge while it takes longer is SOOO much fun. Here is just one pic. There are more on my flickr site. Here is a link for the bind off and here is where i learned how to do cable cast-on needed for this bind off. Super easy and with video goodness.

Behold: glorious Cotton! No, i didn't not steal it from the subject of my shameful previous post. I bought this all by myself. The shipping was SUPER fast and i am very happy with the color match. I highly recommend ordering from Elmore Pisgah. I might like yarn/knitting a little too much.

Attack or Befriend?

2006-11-09T08:52:00.000-05:00

This is our new hero or worst enemy. I am either very jealous or plotting quietly in the corner. I am not sure but when i figure it out, I will have a lot of cotton. The only real question is will it have been had by legal or nefarious means. I probably won't tell that either. Behold, all that is good! I have advised her to keep her address secret and lock her doors just in case. However, if I can somehow amass a secret, small, but highly trained army perhaps her secret keeping won't protect her. Wait! What am I saying. I am a nice person, who would never steal yarn. I love yarn and would never inflict the pain of no yarn on anyone. However, if she were to give it to me, that would be a different story. Ok, new plan. Now I need to amass a small, still secret, highly trained army of negotiators. Whose with me?! (any yarn gotten will be split according to the time honored: 2 for me, 1 for you, 3 for me, Hey you already have 1, 4 for me...)

New Banner!

2006-11-08T16:38:00.000-05:00

My brother, Shaun, created a set of 3 size logos for me a while ago when i orginally set up my website (www.gruenetree.com) since it was put on hold, i had forgotten about these great logos. I decided i was not as pleased as i could be with my new banner so i made the one you see now. Here is the set of logos created by my Brother. If you are interested click on his link to left. He is the best and so creative!
Big

Medium

Teeny

Buttons For ALL

2006-11-08T16:12:00.000-05:00

Button? Button? May I offer you a button? button for you Ma'am and you sir? Help yourself to a handmade button, courtesy of your friendly GrueneTree! Lookee what I made!

K-Fed Pity Party

2006-11-08T12:01:00.000-05:00

Poor Kevin, Britney kept him down. As proof read this article entitled: Blame K-Fed's Soaring Success for Britney Split. Maybe we should start a fund or buy his record.

Coupon and Monkey!

2006-11-07T13:42:00.000-05:00

So i made the sock monkey hat from Knitty.com. (picture tonite) but it was WAY TOO BIG. So i went to Hobby lobby last night (yarn bee is on sale, BTW) and bought some Bernet Denim in black (much more sock monkeyish) and cast on again. I intended to use the pattern as is but with the smaller yarn. No, it didn't work. So i cast on 88 stitches and worked it back and forth for the intarsia but did not make it a foldup brim. I brought the hat together to work in the round 1 row after i finished the intarsia so it would not be a turn up brim. I like it much better. I am not very far, but i like it as is.
Oh here is a coupon for Joann's for this weekend. If anyone has a world market around, i have 25% off coupon for that, too. Enjoy