For all the Arkansas fans out there

A few weeks ago I was feeling really home sick.  So, I thought I would make something that reminded me of Arkansas.  One clearance TV tray ($6), a pack of nails ($1), crochet thread (already had), and a hammer.  Here is what I ended up with.

Cinderella

I also needed something for the bedroom above my bed.  I have alwasy loved plaques with sayings on them, but have never loved the price that it would cost to get one that I like.  So, I looked up how to make one.  Turns out it is super easy.  I started to look for wood to use.  That was the hardest part. 

I went to IKEA one day and was looking through their As Is section and found  acabinet door that was perfect.  Already edged and painted the perfect color.  Best part, it was only $2.99.  The only thing that I had left to do was to buy the paint.  So, for less that $4 I was able to make this.

Peg Board and Golf Tees

Moving to DC meant that I had a whole new apartment to decorate.  Sigh...  I am not a decorater and really needed to get inspiration from somewhere.  It is great that ther eis now a website that helps me to see what others have done.  Pinterest.com is perfect for me. 

The living room had the biggest space which needed to be filled.  So, Tyler was willing to help me out with my little project.  We went to Home Deport and got an 8x4 ft piece of peg board, pink insulation, and crown molding.  Along with 1000 golf tees which I ordered from overstock.com, this is the finished product.  Best part, I can change the design as often as I would like.

Bead Project #6.7

I have had a lot of time this weekend to work on my bead project.  That is what happens when you get the honor of staying in a hotel all weekend waiting to see if you need to go in to work. 

With all the work I have gotten to do on this project, you will now get to see half the nose.  Very cool to look at as it starts to come together.

Bead Stats:

Row:  120/236

Percentage finished:  51%

Number of beads placed:  21600

Number of beads left to place:  20880

Bead Project #6.6

It has been a few days since I have updated on my beading project.  It is coming along great and I am loving every minute of it.  I think I have already put in close to 100 hrs on it and still have about another 200 hrs left.  I can't wait to see it until it is complete and I can see Zeke's full face!  My favorite part so far, is his eye. 

I brought it in to work with me today to show one of my co-workers.  Another one saw it and sad, "That looks like Zeke's eye."  He didn't even know what it was that I was working on.  That shows you how much it looks like the actual picture.

I just love beading and all the possibilities that you can do.  I am already trying to pick out my next project.  I am thinking about one of the Hubble Telescope pictures.

Bead Stats:

Row:  80/236

Percentage finished:  34%

Number of beads placed:  14400

Number of beads left to place:  28080

Bead Project #6.5

Tomorrow I need to print off more pages of the pattern.  I have reached the end of the pages which I have.  Which might be a good thing, because I am super tired.  I am going to be early tonight.  And when I say early I mean 11:30 pm. 

Here is the updated picture and stats (as a side note, right now it looks like Zeke has a black eye.  Waiting to get some more color on that side of his face!):

Bead Stats:

Row:  52/236

Percentage finished:  22%

Number of beads placed:  9360

Number of beads left to place:  33120

Bead Project #6.4

Ok, it has been a few days since my last update.  Since then I have made a trip to KY for work.  I am going to be stuck in a hotel for the next 15 days, so I should have time to work on Bead Project #6.  Here is the most current picture.

I think that you can really start seeing what the picture is.  If you haven't guessed yet, it is off one of my favorite subjects!  Zeke!!!  I am getting more excited as more beads are placed. 

Bead Stats:

Row:  45/236

Percentage finished:  19%

Number of beads placed: 8100

Number of beads left to place:  34380

Bead Project #6.3

Updated picture of the big bead project.  I have finished 35 rows!!!  Yeah for me.  I will have to give you the stats after the picture.  The funny thing is, after I took the picture I realized I was beading from the top down!  Hahaha!  Because I thought it was from the bottom up!  I don't know why I find that so hilarious!

I started to realize it when I saw a certain part of the picture!  If you know what this bead project is, you will know what I am talking about!  I love how it is looking.  It looks awesome in the picture!

Bead Stats:

Row:  35/236

Percentage finished:  15%

Number of beads placed:  6300

Number of beads left to place:  36180

Remember, each bead has to be placed individually.  That is a lot of work.  Slow but steady.  Today I finished 10 rows.  Hopefully I will be able to make a lot of progress while I am in KY!

Bead project #6.2

I have finally started on my BIG bead project.  It is going to be HUGE!  I can't wait until it is finished.  I had to restart it twice in order to get it correct.  The first time, I have one extra bead.  Sigh...  That means I might have to order some more beads to replace the ones I threw away.  No way was I going to be able to sort out the different bead colors.  There are way to many that are very similar.  Here is a picture of what my bead set up looks like.  As you can see, a lot of different piles of bead.  Except is should be turned sideways.

So, I have gotten 15 rows finished out of hundreds.  Here is what the project looks like to date.

I have a lot more to do on this project and it will take me a long time.  But I figure it will give me something to work on during all the hotel stays that I will be having in the near future!!!  More to come on that later!!!  This project is however going to be going with me to Ashland, KY for work for the next two and half weeks.  I am definitely going to be missing my Zekey while I am gone.  I hope that Tyler takes good care of him.

Bead Project #5.2

I have completed my third bracelet and I love how it turned out.  Take a look!!!  I am starting to get a start on Christmas gifts.  I just have to figure out who is getting what for Christmas. 

Here is a link to the pattern if anyone is interested:  http://www.etsy.com/listing/66406997/sugar-skull-3-beaded-peyote-cuff-pattern?ref=sr_gallery_6&ga_search_submit=&ga_ref=auto&ga_search_query=peyote+bracelet+sugar+skull&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade

Zeke and Caylee

Caylee loves to play Peek-A-Boo and though she would teach Zeke how to.  Check out this video.  It is super cute!

It is a first!!

I finished my first spool of beading thread last night...  I have three more.  I am pretty sure those will last me for awhile!

Bead Project #6.1

I am so happy!!!  The last color of beads that I was waiting for finally arrived!!!  Yippee!!!!  Can't wait to start working on this project.  Now to finish Bead Project #5.  Should be finished tonight....

Bead Project #5.1

I started a new bracelet pattern while I am waiting form y bead order to come in for my major project.  I really want to start on the massive project, but have to be patient until my beads come in.  So, in the mean time, I am working on a Sugar Skull pattern.  It is done in an even count peyote, which I have never done before.  I have decided that I HATE even count peyote.  But, it is what it is and the only pattern that I had beads for was the sugar skull. 

Here is the first picture of the bracelet.  The picture doesn't really do the colors justice, but you get the idea.

Bead project #4.2

I finished the Swallow bead project.  I love how it turned out and the colors are perfect!  I just love it!!!  Here is the picture of the completed project.  I am not sure if I am going to turn it into a bracelet or possible just frame it.  Either way, it will be amazing!

Here is the link to the Etsy pattern site in case you are interested in purchasing the pattern:  http://www.etsy.com/listing/74844842/swallow-peyote-cuff-pattern-saving-buy-2?ref=sr_gallery_1&ga_search_submit=&ga_search_query=peyote+swallow&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade

This is the same person that I bought the skull and knife pattern from.  I just love here patterns!  I will definitely buy more from her in the future.

Crochet project #1.1

While I am waiting for my bead order to come in, I needed a new project to work on.  I have been in the mood to crochet lately, and have had a bag of yarn staring at me for the past two years.  I never could come up with a project or a pattern which I liked enough to use.  Probably started about four and scrapped all of them.  I have finally found one that I like.  It will be nice and lite.  Here is a picture and a link to the blog which I found it on.

Link to the blog:  http://yarnchick.blogspot.com/2011/01/crocheting-into-new-year.html

Bead Project 4.1

I was very happy today when I got a package in the mail.  It contains the beads that I need for my next three projects.  Or at least, what I thought would be all the beads I need.  Turns out, that the project that was going to be my 4th will probably be my 6th.  I ordered one of the beads in the wrong color.  Sigh...  So, I placed an order to get the correct color.  In the mean time.  I am working on one of the smaller projects.  It is another bracelet.  Not sure who is going to get this one.  But here it is...

Sewing project #1.1

So, Zeke and I are having our birthday party this weekend.  For the party, I decided to have a Murder Mystery Party.  It should be a lot of fun.  The theme uses literary characters from several different stories as the characters in the party.  I am going to play Snow White.  So it would only make sense that Zeke was one of the Seven Dwarfs.  Here are pictures of part of his costume.  Enjoy!

Filet crochet project #1.1

Ok, I have been working on this project for about a month now.  However, I was not blogging religiously when I started it or was primarily working on it.  I have a niece, Kiannah, who LOVES pandas.  And when I say that she loves pandas, I mean LOVES.  She carries them with here everywhere and sleeps with no less than three at a time.

So, I saw this pattern and just knew I had to make it for her.  She is one of the cutest girls ever and definitely takes after my best friend, Sherry!  Don't know where the two of them get it from!  But they are classy ladies!

http://stylish-crochet.blogspot.com/2010/09/filet-crochet-panda.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+FiletCrochetByTeresa+%28Filet+Crochet+by+Teresa%29

Like I said, I have been working on it for about a month.  I literally had one and a half columns left to finish today.  I told Zeke that he had to make sure that I finished it today and he did.  He sat there the entire time looking at me to make sure I didn't stop.  The bad thing is, when I started, I didn't think about getting black thread.  So, I did the entire piece in white.  Which means that I had to dye the piece black after I was finished.

The black dye did not take on the entire piece, so I am going to have to do some touch up with either a pernament marker (my opinion) or black spray paint (Charity's).  We will see which I end up doing.  Right now it is stretching and drying on some cardboard so that it will hold its shape (Sherry, please never wash it.  You will never getting it to the correct shape again.  It took me 45 mins to get it stretch correctly).

So, with no further ado, here it is.......

Do you think she will like it?

Bead project #3.2 Cancelled

I hate to do this, but I am canceling bead project #3.  I am convinced that there are two colors that are incorrect on the pattern.  I hate to do something that is not correct.  So, because of this, I have cut up the piece that I was working on and resorted the beads.  Now, I don't have a pattern to work on.  So, I am going to be working on just a simple bracelet.  Maybe I will use it for a Christmas gift.  Who knows.  I will post a picture of it when I get a chance.

I promise you Kiki, I will make you something.  But, I want to make sure it is the correct colors.