Crafting

I spent nearly two hours "organizing" (more playing than organizing probably) my old crafting supplies today with my little guy..  I had a big bin of this and that from my childhood crafting days.  I know there's at least a little bit more coming my way the next time my parent's visit so it was motivation to go through my unorganized bin and see what I had that I didn't remember.  Gimp, plastic beads, part of my beading loom (I hope the second part comes with the stuff from my parent's house), a bunch of shaped sponges for stamping with paint (those went into the kiddos' crafting supplies), a few styrofoam balls, 3 or 4 tiny little ribbon flowers (SCORE), a few wooden crafting pieces, some antique drawing pencils, potholder loops (but no loom :-( ) and more seashells than I'll probably ever use.  I'm thinking about using the styrofoam balls and shells to make some more shell covered balls, but after they're done I'm hoping to pare down my shells to only my favorite ones.  The ribbon flowers went into my crafting hutch along with a few googley eyes, wooden pieces and some teeny pom poms...  The gimp and plastic beads.... back in the bin for now.  I should really set up a crafting supply swap with my mom's group. 

I pulled out a Christmas ornament making kit that looked simple.  I'm not sure if it's something that I'll want to keep or not.. but it's something to keep my hands busy.  I haven't been able to really get into a project since all of my knitting and crocheting for the Knit for Japan project.  I still have to finish my hat but I think everything else is just about ready to go.  I really need to rewatch that youtube video on pulling the top together.  My husband has been monopolizing the computer struggling to make the decision of whether or not it would be better for him to just get his masters or if he really wants his phd.  He knows how much it is to ask us all to continue living in our current circumstances for 7-8 more years feeling like we're never going forward, and then winding up having to pay off school loans for 2 years (more or less.)  I'm ready to support him in whatever he decides but part of me would take a sigh of relief for him to be done sooner rather than later.  Of course on the other hand calling him Dr. Daddy would make all of us happy and I'd love to know that he went as far as he wanted with his schooling and not just stopped part way to make it easier on us. 

Anyway, back to my crafting... I've been crocheting tiny little embroidery floss circles and hoping to add some beads into them (I've been inspired by http://beadknitter.blogspot.com and some of her beautiful knitted beadwork) for a birthday gift for my mom (though I still can't find any in my stash that quite work yet...how that's possible I'm not sure) but I can't finish it until I pick up some chain and little jump rings.

Still trying to get them just right.. there are also some flowers in this shot

I also picked up the never ending blanket again but I didn't manage to get even through one row before I had to put it down to do my mommy duties.  It's so much more rewarding to do small projects where I can see my progress.  Those silly little circles whip out in about 3 minutes, if that.  Dishcloths/washcloths 3 days max.  Scarves a week and a half max.  I was going to start a swiffer cover but decided since I don't own a swiffer I should probably see if I can borrow one from someone to make sure I keep it to the right scale.  I tend to knit and crochet way too tightly and I'm afraid I'll make a few of them for my mom and they wont even fit her swiffer.  Ohh, I want a new project to work on that I can be successful with (that it will be possible for me to finish this year!)