Stash Dash 2014

I've found out about something called stash dash, it involves knitting, crocheting, spinning 5000 meters from 23rd May 2014 - 7th August 2014 and is done by The Knit Girllls.
I haven't knit for a few days as been to Stoke to see my lovely friends :) we went to Chester Zoo which was pretty damn cool :) Just a few pics :)

 Elephant!

 Big Tortoises..?

 Cheetahs!

 Super cute baby monkey!

Home today and after finding out about stash dash I've picked up my Blackcurrant Shawl that hasn't been touched since the beginning of April. Only done a few rows, maybe 1 or 2 more then cast off and that'll be my first item to try and dash through some stash lol This would count as approx 850m as think I may have a tiny bit left over, will see and post in the stash dash thread on ravelry.

Not used bigger than 4mm needles for nearly 2 months so my fingers are aching lol and after late nights and early rises I think it must be bed time.
Night all :) Happy Crafting!

365 journal writing ideas +

I ordered a book and it's arrived (365 Journal Writing Ideas: A year of daily journal writing prompts, questions & actions to fill your journal with memories, self-reflection, creativity & direction), rather a long title lol

Already started flicking through it.
I also ordered a journal to use for it. Plain black cover and each double page has the left lined and right blank pages. This makes the combo of writing and doodling easier (I can't write in a straight line at all and my text changes size with lines let alone without them lol)
The book asks you to copy and stick the name label in your new journal...really can't think of a name...any suggestions are welcome.

I'm going to use some of the ideas as a project to do, some as a starting point and sometimes use prompts form other books. I will also use it as a journal about how I'm feeling or what I've been doing.
Some pages may be photographed and shared, others will stay private.
And on that note I'm off to get sorted for a fun filled weekend (I hope) with friends, going to the zoo (probably in the rain lol)...still going to be sleep deprived as my son doesn't really do sleep or lies in lol but I'm hoping to just have fun and relax. It'll also mean no crafting so hope you all get plenty done :)
Happy Crafting!

#MiloMay2014 6

Another 16" chest milo for Milo May (sort of knit along lol)
This is another for charity, done using left overs from my sons blue and orange milo. Had to stop doing the horseshoe cable as yarn rather low and worried about running out.

I was hoping to get a 7th done but don't think that's going to happen as going to the zoo at the weekend :)
Happy Crafting!

Wreck This Journal!

I know I've lost a lot of steam with WTJ but it's still about, just a lot slower lol
These two pages are far from artistic but they are done lol
Firstly, the tape page, I'm not one for shiny tape (I had to buy this as all I own is celotape and masking tape), I use it to be practical not pretty...so I said so lol

Writing with your non dominant hand is really rather a challenge, or it is for me at least...but I did it lol I wasn't brave enough to try drawing lol I'm bad enough at that with my right hand lol

Still on milo number 6...seem to be loosing steam with things lately...little lad being rather demanding at the moment...
I have ordered 365 Journal Writing Ideas and a journal to start some more...I like to have prompts and things so this book will come in handy, I hope! I'm also hoping to make a prompting journal for one of my friends for his bday/xmas (he said he'd rather a made one than  bought then it's more individual).
Happy Crafting!

ATCs

Did a couple of artist trading cards to cheer my friends up.
Both are quite spring/summer themed :)
Card for Lorraine, butterflies and spirals :)

Envelope for Lorraine,sun with flower and butterfly :)

Card for Chloe, bee and flower, on the back it says 'bee happy!' lol

Envelope for Chloe, her name starts with a crescent moon and has a dragon fly at the end :) Love spelt out in the postcode boxes.

Who has a postcode with only 4 characters, in the UK they're usually approx 6 so this seems a silly idea to have boxes on the envelope but I accidentally bought them so they will be used lol
Happy Crafting!

#MiloMay2014 5 + WTJ + ATCs

I've finished my 5th Milo for May :) 16" chest with owl cable in lilac and yellow. Gonna offer it to my step sis and if she doesn't want it, then it'll go to charity with the others :)

My cables seem to be improving, though still not perfect :)

I've done some zentangles on a page in my WTJ. Just gave me chance to doodle a bit. Book page as background so not just blank.

 

I also received a lovely piece of mail art from Otherbuttons who exchanged for my Other Mother Coraline themed card :)
She decorated the envelope too...

The card is really nice, so much better than my own, love it :) the details in the corners really finish it off :)

Her details were on the back:

And she sent a little note that had a lovely drawing on too :)

I've also had to do some last minute 'Spring' themed ATCs to send for the mail art group I'm part of, my son must have found the one I made a while ago and hid it, coz I've gone to write address on the envelope and can't find it. It'll turn up after I post the new ones no doubt lol
The first one is a sun as we finally have some this spring lol

The second one is a crab as me and my sis used to collect crabs down on the rocks (there wasn't a beach lol) when on holiday :)

I've cast on a 6th Milo for May and have no other plans right now as my brain doesn't want to work lol having crazy carrier problems with amazon, which is a shame coz always been so good in the past.
Happy Crafting!

#MiloMay2014 4 finished

This one is 21" chest for my son, with horse shoe cable down the chest.
Felt like it took forever, but just coz although this yarn is classed as DK it's a very fine one.
Used up left overs form previous projects: turquoise, pale blue and orange :) It's rather vibrant so shouldn't lose my son in this one lol

The cable is easier to see without flash :) first time I've done horse shoe, it seems to have turned out ok :) Easy 6 row repeat to remember too :)

It's more fitted (as the pattern calls for) than his others as actually made to fit his chest now rather than slightly bigger. He seemed to like it, only got it off him coz it got dirty.
I've already cast on number 5 for this month :) another 16" baby one, in lilac and yellow, either for charity or my step sisters baby due in September.
Happy Crafting! 

#MiloMay2014 3 finished

Done a little more stash busting, this time with some grey from a past Totoro hat and red from my sons Milo for this May :) I like the colour combo, though may be a little dark for a baby (size 16" chest), but it'll have to do. It's another to hopefully go to a charity :) If poss in the UK, maybe a women's aid charity or homeless help charity, if not it, along with my other baby knits will be going over seas to help babies keep warm :)

Did the giant cable in the panel down the front. Someone else taking part in Milo May did this cable down both sides (under the arms), it looked really nice :)
Want to do another for my son, want to do a lime one (as bought the lime to go with the red but they were diff thicknesses) and maybe stash bust a little too it he likes another colour, but gonna try do some more charity ones too (again stash busting). The baby sizes are good for using left overs from previous projects (like this one).
Happy Crafting!

#MiloMay2014 2 finished

Finished my second Milo of the month :) only size 16" chest so much smaller :) hoping to send it off to a charity.

Used the owl cable, and have managed to tighten the loose purl stitches slightly by wrapping first purl and first purl after cable bit backwards :)

I've also been asked to make some knitted/crocheted  chips, sausage and peas for a local out of school club to stock their chippy area lol been saving pie foils for them too lol
Happy Crafting!

#MiloMay2014 1 finished + 2 started

The 22" Milo for my son is now finished, the dark red makes details hard to see (tried taking pic without flash which helped).
It's a little loose but he could get away with wearing it now (he's 21" chest), but intended for later in year, though the day I finished it he tried it on and refused to take it off lol

The top of the cable section/panel is an owl pattern and below that is 5 rows of garter stitch then a giant cable below it. I'm having a problem with purl stitches going loose in the round on my cable panel :( trying to fix it on a baby one for charity.

The fix seems to be working on the cable so far...much tighter on that left side, I'm wrapping the first purl of each purl two clockwise (backwards) to tighten them. Just need to remember to do it on every round. The Milo is white but darkened it to see better, this is a 16" one, probably for charity.

Happy Crafting!

Non mystery KAL 2 finished + Milo May started

My second non mystery KAL is finished and looks sooo cute :) still had slight problem with picking up stitches under the arms but looks ok :)

I used orange toadstool buttons, which I totally love :)

I also cast on my first Milo for May, it was meant to be red and lime but unfortunately although I bought the same yarn brand and type they are different thicknesses :( so I'm doing a solid red one, and may do a solid lime one too...I'm also hoping to use some scrap to make baby ones for charity :)
I have a lot of plans and not enough time to do them all in lol
I'm having a bit of a problem with my tension changing from knit to purl stitches for the cable section...if anyone has any suggestions please help! As you can see when do purl stitches (in the round so they look like knit stitches) I'm getting a gap where my tension is loosening :(
Hard to see but top of the cable is an owl and goes to a twist lower down.

Wish me luck.
Happy Crafting!