Hitting the recording studio

Members of my oldest son's bagpipe band is going into the recording studio tomorrow, including him.

I don't know who is more excited, the kids playing for the CD or the parents who want to buy one, or more.

Not sure if this is the final permutation, but I'm designing this pre-sale flyer (click on image for a better view).

Need to get some photos take for the actual CD wrapper.

My little artists

Since I don't seem to be doing too much that is creative lately, I thought I'd share two drawings my boys did -- found at the bottom of a pile of school papers I just sorted through.

This is my recently-turned 7yo riding his scooter. The accompanying written paper said he was going 100 miles. (Yesterday was his 100th day of school!)

My 10yo is a wannabe cartoonist. When signing up for an afterschool enrichment class, the fantasy drawing one was his least preferred selection. I'm really glad he got into it though. It's right up his alley, even if he doesn't realize it.

Here birdie birdie

We hung this birdseed bell about a month ago, after we spotted some of our fine feathered friends noshing on a frozen waffle they had carried to the wisteria vines that encircle our front porch posts. It took this long for me to get pictures of a bird actually eating it, though there is evidence they had been enjoying it all along.

Mean ol' mom

This is going to embarrass him, but I just have to boast about my oldest son. Today, I was going through 600-some-odd photos from the last bagpipe season to put on a digital frame and came across quite a few of him.

He looks like such a little boy. It is amazing how much puberty changes them once it hits, lol. (If the photos don't embarrass him, that comment sure will.)

Besides doing very well in his freshman year of high school, he belongs to two bagpipe bands. He is a player/instructor for the adult band and was named lead drummer for the kids' band this year. With that band, we will be heading to the World Bagpipe Championships in Glasgow, Scotland this coming August.

What I'm working on today

As we go into spring, I end up doing more graphic design work.
First up are the pieces for my oldest son's band concert
coming up in a few weeks. My plan
is to basically reuse what I did last year.

Next up is the case for a CD they are recording in a few weeks too. That means I have to go through all the photos I took last season.

Perfect time to also organize them for a digital photo frame. I bought two 2GB photo cards at about $12 each. Much better than the $50 we paid for one in Scotland just a few years ago. Isn't technology amazing?

After the band work is done, I have to get a move on the elementary school yearbook. I've already been the editor of it for years and since my youngest is not yet 3, I get the feeling I'll be doing it for many more to come.

Maybe after that I'll be inspired to actually redesign Red Hen Studios like I had planned at the beginning of the year.....

Blanket is done

I spent Valentine's Day, fighting a head cold,
sitting on the couch, watching sappy movies
and finishing up the afghan.
Everyone is fighting over it now.

Guess I'll just have to start another one.
Wonder if I can beat my mom's record.
Talking to her on the phone yesterday she said
"I used to crochet afghans. One year, I made eight."

Geek crocheting mom

My oldest son called me a geek when I drove him
to bagpipe band practice this week. It wasn't because
normally the super-cool dad (tic) usually drives him.

I think walking into the school carrying this picnic basket did it.
Maybe if it was filled with homebaked cookies or something,
he wouldn't have been so red-faced.

Instead I was carrying the afghan I'm working on.
It's gotten too big to carry in a bag and since the picnic basket
was sitting there empty, I went with it. Why not?

Little does he know I embrace my crochet geekiness.
Wait until he sees this decal on the van window --
once it is warm enough to bring it through the carwash first.

Progress is going a lot faster than I thought it would.
I started it only 10 days ago now.
Should be done by early next week.

I already know who is going to get the most use out of it.
Alice loves to lie on it or crawl under it every time I crochet.

Neat knitting needles

My sister-in-law requested a knitting needle case months ago and I finally got around to it this week. As I explained to my dh, it is easier to cut out fabric for multiples of projects like this, so I made three.

I used complementary vintage fabrics bought last spring. I knew I wanted to use them together and I really love the results. (Sorry the color quality is so bad, but I couldn't wait for a sunny day to photograph them.

Each one has three rows of pockets to keep your needles separated and neat.

Fold the top down, roll it up and tie with the ribbon to keep your needles safe (from prying little hands if your house is anything like mine).

This one with coordinating pink and blue pinstripes and a delicate floral trim has a solid blue exterior.

Four different fabrics on the inside of this one with solid blue trim and the pink floral exterior.

Candy stripes for the outside and trim on this one with pockets in a variety of blues.

I used this tutorial as a starting point, mainly for the dimensions. Before cutting the fabric though, I remembered I bought bias tape makers months ago. They were perfect for making the trims -- and a lot of fun.

I have plans for the rest of those fabrics and my new favorite tools -- crochet needle cases, clothespin bags on wooden hangers, crayon barriers..... Be sure to check back.

Wardrobe refashion

A true wardrobe refashion, unlike the ones here.

Over the course of two weekends, with the help of my boys particularly the oldest one, this relatively unused space at the top of our stairs transformed form this...

...to this. All for under $100 in materials, we now have room to neatly store all of the boys' out-of-season and out-of-sizes clothing.

My life will be much easier now. No more digging through plastic bins or garbage bags to find the next up size. If you want to see more of the process, go here.

Linkety link link links

I haven't had time to properly devote to everyone on my blogroll to the right, but at least now I may visit these folks again.

At some point, I added them to one of my many screennames' bookmarks. Now they have a home with my other favorites. I hope you can take the time to enjoy them too.

Memories and Dreams
Our Quiver is Full
Memaw's Stuff
Columbia Lily Designs
The No-End-in-Sight Ripple-Along
Learn to Crochet
adventures in baby-sewing
Librarian-in-Training
Babbling Brook
Le Petite Garage
My Life in Pictures
So Chic and Vintage
Miesmama
Foundling
WhipUp
Pretty Jane
Thompson Designs
the purl bee
HenHouse

My blankie

I'm still rippling, much to my family's chagrin. I had to go out and buy 4 more skeins of yarn to be able to continue. The boys think it is big enough because with the waves going length-wise, it covers their whole bodies, lol.

Next afghan project -- has to be granny squares so I can take them with me wherever I go. This blanket is too big and cumbersome to carry around anymore.

Rippling

Little does he know, but my husband has a new job --
selecting yarn-color combinations.

He bought me these four for Christmas --
celery, evergreen, cranberry and mixed berries.

I've always wanted to make a ripple blanket, and
after three false starts, I'm well on my way.

It is so easy to do, increasing by threes at the peak,
and decreasing by threes at the valleys.
It is also addicting, as is evident
by how far I've gotten in a few short days.

I had planned on keeping the finished afghan
in our living room, but while working on it in bed,
I realized it will work well with our comforters too.

No time to blog

We are the house of the stomach bug so I'm not much into writing here. It's been through 3 of us so far. Waiting to see how the other 3 fare in the coming days.

I was happy to see this about the CPSIA one year stay of testing and certification requirements. At least we don't need to panic in the next week.

Can't wait to take pictures of the ripple blanket I am making. It took me 3 tries to get to where I was actually following the directions accurately -- and I was using directions for an "easy ripple afghan." Laughing at myself about how easy -- and logical -- it actually is.

I'm using yarns my dh got me for Christmas. He did such a good job selecting a maroons and greens that match our living room.

Be back soon.