A tisket, a tasket a little crocheted basket

I found a crocheted basket pattern and couldn't wait to see how it would turn out. I used a different yarn because it was all I had on hand but it turned out so cute!

The whole basket!

Looking down inside the basket.

There are so many possibilities. So many different colors, you could weave ribbon around the sides, or you could even decorate with fun fur.

Smart Phone, Phone Smart

I am officially a member of society! I finally moved into the smart phone era. My husband has been living with a Smart Phone for the past 2 years. I didn't upgrade mine at the time because I thought it just too expensive. Fast forward to 2 years later and it was time to renew our plan. I couldn't resist it anymore. So we both got our upgraded T-Mobile My Touch 4Gs. It was love at first site!!!

I used to wonder why in the world everywhere you look people are staring down into their phones. No one talks to each other, no one looks at each other. Just eyes straight down staring into a mobile device. Ahhh, now I get it. Even though I'm late to the table in this conversation it's absolutely amazing what this phone can do. I downloaded Anna Karennina last night, I'm able to see my Facebook page all day long, I'm learning how to store images on my phone. I can see what Donald Trump has to say in a moment of insanity again on my Twitter account and last night I started playing Words with Friends. The world is my oyster 24/7. You've all known it and now, so do I!!!

So what does that mean? It means that I am even more connected to other crocheters. I can post my latest project faster. There are a million patterns at my beckon call. so happy.

Here's my problem, I have so many projects that I've collected that I don't know where to start. I have been away from crochet for the past 7 months. It's a good thing though. I got a job finally and have been totally absorbed in it. Plus I've been working on some freelance lately that I've really been enjoying. But something was missing....

I needed to pick up a hook!! I needed to get busy working on a project. I missed the feel of the yarn, the colors, seeing a project come into it's own. So I've started again. I've started small. Really small. I'm not kidding. Smart and small.

Here is my caddy for my new Smart phone!!! I know I can buy a bumper and all that other stuff but I'm a crocheter people!! It fits perfectly and I don't have to worry about scratching it when I throw it in my purse!

Now I just have to move up to an iPad and then let's see what I create!!!

Oh here's another project I did recently fooling around with a circular pattern.

This is a little bowl I created with a thick yarn. I'm inspired by the basket I want to do in a previous post.

A bowl to put stuff in. Just stuff...

I hope you all have projects on your hooks right now. I can rightly say I do too again!!

We're off to spend the day at EPCOT. Whoopie Goldberg is narrating the Candlelight Processional at the American Pavilion tonight.

Back at it!

I've been absent from this blog for many months. I've missed it but was so involved in my new job and the aspect of being a member of society again that I have neglected my crocheting altogether. I have not picked up a crochet hook or even touched yarn for nearly 7 months. It seems unthinkable...

But now I'm back. I saw something on-line a few weeks ago that put a little bug in my head that I need to return to one of my passions. Here's what it was.

http://crochetincolor.blogspot.ca/2012/02/chunky-crocheted-basket-pattern.html

This pattern comes from a blog called Crochet in Color.

I have to make this basket. Not only do I have to make it, but I have to make in funky colors, with funky yarns. I've become obsessed with it.

First things first, I need to buy the yarn. Not only have I not crocheted, my yarn inventory is nil. I have little balls of mismatched colors. So yarn buying is first on my list.

You'll see how this project progresses in future posts.

In the meantime....Here's what I've been up to.

We've been visiting the Food & Wine Festival at EPCOT.

The program for the Food & Wine Festival at EPCOT, Orlando, FL.

This is the triple sampler from the Dessert kiosk. Beautifully presented! YUM!

My husband and I celebrated our 17th wedding anniversary the weekend of Oct. 21st. We stayed at Disney's Vero Beach Resort one of our favorite Disney hotels. The weather was beautiful. It was very relaxing!

The back of the hotel facing the beautiful beach.

The pool view from the window in our hotel room.

The back of the hotel from the lifeguard deck.

Having breakfast at Mulligan's on the beach before we left to come home. A very windy day. A precursor to Hurricane Sandy.

And ofcourse...
I'm always photographing my pug Baron. He's my patron saint of croheting! He always is nearby when mommy is working on a project.

Hi Mommy! What are you up to?

Oh, one more thing, I've baking a lot. My recent project, Snickerdoodles. I'm a cookie fanatic. I love to bake cookies. I've never baked Snickerdoodles so I decided to give it a try. Very easy and very tasty.

Snickerdoodles galore! Yummy!

One more thing, I recently discovered images from a photographer named Seth Casteel. Check this out. He photographs dogs underwater. Too cool.

http://www.littlefriendsphoto.com

Images photographed by Seth Casteel. Dogs underwater!! Too cool!

Well I better start creating my yarn list. I'm so excited. I have many projects to finish a few in mind for Christmas gifts. Better get busy!!

And don't forget...

See ya later April!

As April comes to a close here are some of the images I've collected all month. Looking forward to May!

In the working world!!!

I GOT A JOB!! That's all I can say! I am so excited I get to stay in graphics and the people I will be working with are lovely. I'll be in a small office, casual atmosphere and I get to remain creative and do other types of admin work. It's right up my alley.

So I am posting this picture. I don't look like this but this is how I feel!

New, old books!

My mother-in-law gave me a present today. She loves to shop in thrift stores. She likes finding bargains and finds, if you will. She stumbled across these two books and had to get them for me. She could have handed me diamonds it would have been the same thing. I scurried into my studio and began flipping through the pages! So now I have about 10 new projects to add to my list of about 25 that are already awaiting my hook. Don't care, gotta add these to the list too!

Here are some of my faves from the pages inside....

I love this plaid pattern!

This is quite interesting, it's called Teatime.

Get started!

I'm in a cyan mood today!

I'm trying to work on my wave pattern afghan today. When I went to pick up the project this cyan colored yarn jumped out at me. I believe the Red Heart color is Turquoa or something similar. And I was inspired for the day!

The Turquoa of my wave pattern afghan.

So let the following images inspire you to get into a cyan mood today.....

A cyan swatch of color!

This is one of my favorite colors of nail polish especially when I'm wearing my bathing suit and am in the pool! It matches!

Beautiful!

Awesome!

Hang 10!

Follow me at @crochetingconv!

Hooked!

I cleaned out my workspace last weekend. It was a daunting task and one that I've been putting off. I finally decided to tackle the project. So here are some before pictures with their afters. It's a lot less cluttered and more productive. Let's see how long I can keep it this way!

This is my desk before I completely cleared it and rearranged things.

Now things are more organized and I feel lighter and more productive!!!

Here's the bookshelf side of my workspace. Can we say clutter!!!

Here it is a little more organized!

It's actually quite fun to take a space that you've been thinking of rearranging for awhile and gut it and start over.  I think it brings more energy to the space. I feel relieved after this project. What does your studio or workspace look like?

As I was cleaning up I found this...

I had all of these crocheting needles on my desk at one point! JACKPOT!! Now I have them all in one place and so excited to use each and every one of them. Aren't they lovely!

These are my favorite tools!...

I love the larger hooks and I love my yarn needles! They help to finish up my hats!

And this is my most favorite thing in my workspace. My trusty patron of crochet Baron! He is always by my side when I work. Occasionally he will even try to crawl into my lap from the couch as I am sitting in my desk chair. He has to be close to his mommy! He has finally approval of every piece I make! HA!

What does your hook collection look like?

Patterns and patterns and patterns!

I love the colors of the project I am working on right now.  I'm making the wave pattern afghan from The Crochet Crowd with Mikey.

These colors remind me of the ocean!

This is how far I've gotten so far...

This is only about a third of the total size so I have a ways to go yet!

After I finish this I'd like to start this next project...

This is called Flip Flop Mania by Donna Harelik. I bought the pattern from Annie's Attic. My sister collects flip flop items because of her love of Sanibel Island.

Then after I finish that I want to try this....

This pattern is called Talca Lace Tunic and it comes from Caron. If I can accomplish this pattern I can accomplish anything!!

So I better get busy so that I can move on to the next project...the crocodile stitch!!!