Adventures in 2012!

Well, it's here and one of my resolutions is to keep up with my blog better. Now, that may be difficult because one of the BIG changes for 2012 is that I will now be home schooling my 9 year old daughter! My hope is to get a little blog post in here and there while she is working on school work.

This is going to be a big change for me. I've gotten pretty used to have my days free to do as I want. Now I'll have a kiddo to worry about and take everywhere with me. I'm actually really looking forward to it! I think we are going to have so much fun! The first thing I did was to print out a list of "holidays" for every day this month and I hope to do something fun to correspond to each day. So, today is Soup Day!! Guess what we'll be having for dinner? LOL!! Other fun days this month include Jan8 - Elvis' Birthday, Jan12 - Little Red Riding Hood Day, Jan16 - Nothing Day, and Jan21 - Hat Dy.

As for my crochet designing, well, it looks like 2012 is going to be a good year for publication. My first two designs just came out in the new Crochet World Magazine and I have many, many more to come! I am finishing up another design this week and will be starting yet another one due at the end of the month! I'm really excited about these. This year I hope to submit (and have accepted) a lot more designs and I hope to self-publish at least 3 new patterns to sell online.

Other than that, I am currently working on my knitting skills. Who knows....maybe some knit designs will be showing up soon from Jaybird Designs?? On my needles right now is the Waffle Stitch Scarf from Bernat. Since I only had one skein of Mosaic, I am making the scarf skinnier and in the beautiful shade of Spectrum.

Well, I hope you all have a wonderful 2012 and I am looking forward to staying in touch with you more! Have a great day!

Busy, Busy

Sorry I haven't been posting much lately...been busy around the house and truthfully, not much is happening to blog about.

Currently I am working on Heather's Halloween costume. She finally decided (with a lot of mommy's help) to be a Zebra. So last week I started on the project. After purchasing all the supplies needed, it probably would've been cheaper just to buy a sill costume at Target!!

Well, I started out wanting to make a cute little dress with bloomers. And then add some legwarmers and gauntlets along with a crocheted hat and tail. But when I was just about finished with the dress, daddy started calling it "the little hooker dress"....so that went out the window and I had to start all over again! (But I am still keeping the dress...it was a lot of hard work!! But I think I will shorten it a bit and turn it into a cute little top!)

So this weekend I finished the crocheted hat...and boy is is CUTE!! I can't wait to share finished pictures! I also made a pair of zebra stripe leggings. Now I just need to find the perfect pattern for the top of the set. Wish me luck!

Other than Halloween stuff, I have been making things for the Handmade Holiday Arts & Craft Show (see the red banner on the right?). I even got over my fear of knitting with DPN's and learned how to finally use them! I've been knitting up a few fingerless gloves to sell. Plus a handful of other items. I really hope you all come and see me at the event!! And if you ask me about my Greyhound....you'll get a free gift!!!

OK, back to work I go!

Knitting and Crochet Accessory GIVEAWAY!

OK, it's time for a Jaybird Designs Giveaway!!

I have decided to expand into making knitting and crochet accessories and have made a prototype of a hook/needle case. But now I need some info from all my wonderful readers!! So, wanna win the prototype??? (sorry, hooks and supplies not included...these are MINE! LOL!!)

This case features a large pocket on the right that holds a variety of stuff. I usually keep my calculator, tape measure, and thread hooks in here. There is also a pocket on the left that is perfect for holding scissors. I have also made 11 hook/needle pockets that range in width from 3/4" to 1.5". My favorite part is the small piece of elastic attached to the large pocket! This is where I stick my sewing needles for easy access!! And it all folds up into a nice 7x10 inch rectangle and ties with a ribbon around a matching button.

Here is how to enter!

one (1) entry per *

*answer one or more of these questions in the comments:
1. Would you prefer a case that is for crochet hooks or knitting needles only, or one that can hold both?
2. Should the large pocket on the right have a button flap closure?
3. Would you like to see matching items such as stitch markers and project tote bags?
4. What are your ideal widths for the hook/needle pockets? (be specific on what you would put in these pockets)
5. Ideal number of hook/needle pockets.

*Follow me on Twitter and let me know in the comments.

* Tweet about my contest and let me know in the comments.

*Blog about the contest and link back to this post. Don't forget to let me know in the comments!

*Become a fan of the Jaybird Designs Facebook group and let me know in the comments.

BONUS! Get two (2) entries if you give me a suggestion for my items that I haven't mentioned or thought of yet, LOL!!

OK, so please remember that this is just a prototype! It's not perfect....it's made from scrap fabrics and some of the seams are not perfect. But I think it is cute and it is definitely functional.

Winner will be chosen at random on Tuesday, January 27th at 12noon MST. I'm looking forward to hearing all your thoughts and comments!!

Look Ma!! I'm Knitting!

Look what I picked up today! My knitting needles, LOL!! I've been down with a stomach bug for 24 hours now and needed something simple to work on while laying around on the couch. I decided to make a fuzzy scarf for one of Heather's classmates. Her birthday party is tomorrow and since I know the girl from volunteering in the classroom, I knew she would like a fuzzy scarf! I've seen her wearing one....and asked her about it...and she said it was her mom's. So I thought she could use one of her own!! This week I asked her what her favorite color was and she said dark blue. Luckily I just happened to have some fuzzy dark blue yarn in my stash! And since fuzzy yarn is easier to knit than crochet, plus I only had one skien and knitting uses less yarn, I decided to knit it. Looks like I'll be sitting around on the couch a little longer and working on it.

Keep all the great names coming for my contest and I really hope none of you get this nasty stomach bug!

Fuzzy Wuzzy

So I decided to pick up my knitting needles last night!! I had this one skein of Bernat Alpaca in Indigo and thought it would make a nice scarf for the Challenge. Little did I know that I would be covered in little fuzzies! LOL!! But ohhhhhh!!!!! it is so soft!