Hop Art Studio

December Thoughts

I've been busily decorating the house for Christmas once we got back from our trip up north. I enjoy this time of the year but this year is a bit more stressful. My son leaves soon for boot camp,  the beginning of January. So this month is happy and sad at the same time.

To help me handle some of the stress I'm feeling I've been busy crocheting and knitting. Yes, I'm still working at it. It's very rewarding.

This little bird is a Lion Brand® Wool-Ease® Amigurumi Love Birds Pattern Number: 80015AD I used cotton yarn instead of wool. He turned out a bit larger than I expected. Hence, why one should check gauge! LOL.

This fun scarf is in the new issue of Crochet world - New-Season Scarf designed by Carrie Carpenter for Caron International. It is really easy to make and so soft. I used a Acrylic/rayon blend that I found at JoAnns by Sensations. I have a special friend in mind that I want to give this to.

I found this beautiful Wool blended yarn at JoAnns that was just enough to make this Cowl.  LionBrand® Vanna'sColors Easy-Over Cowl Pattern Number: L10382 I have another friend in mind that may like this cowl.

This adorable little dress is from a pattern  from Linda Permanns book Little Crochet called Swing Set Cardigan. It can be easily lengthened or shortened to fit the size one needs. I used Caron Simple Soft yarn.

I know that I've not been sharing any cards or coloring on my blog. It's been a real challenge for me this year to be in that frame of mind. I think we all get burnt out every once in a while and I just needed a break.  

I needed to step back from things and re-evaluate why I do the things that I do.

Are we doing them for ourselves or for other people? Is what we are doing making us happy or does it add more pressure to our already busy lives? It's important to put things in the right perspective from time to time.

As Christmas looms closer and this year comes to it's end I can honestly say that I'm glad that I committed to sticking to what I needed to do. Something that was more conducive to my well being. 

Next year, well I haven't made any decisions yet about what direction I want to go. I needed the break this year, maybe next year I'll feel a bit different and take baby steps back into the crazy world of paper crafting!

 

Bunny

I found a cute pattern for a bunny on line. Some good resources for knitting and crocheting. if you are interested in them they are Ravelry and Lion Brand.

I've not gotten sick of practicing knitting and crocheting patterns. Although, I have accumulated a bunch of stuff that I've made.

I recently found out our church has a charity that they give baby items to. So off go all of my blankets, hats and booties! I love learning new things and it's nice to have them go to a new home.

I'm excited about this year coming to an end soon. It's been a year of challenges, changes and new found growth for me. I've learned what is truly important to me and I think next year will be even more interesting.

One of the things that will be very different for me is that my oldest son will no longer be at home. I may or may not have mentioned this on my blog but he enlisted in the Army. The new year will find him at basic training and then spending a year in school. I'm excited for him and at the same time sad that he is leaving home. I know that this is part of every parents life, whether their child goes away to college, gets married or just moves out to be on their own.

I know I will adapt to the change and I know that I will always be in contact with him. He's been such an immense blessing in our lives and I know that he is beginning a new chapter in his life. This is all part of being a parent. Letting go.

So, as the old year soon comes to its end and the new year is soon upon us I welcome the changes it will bring.

Identity

I have been under the weather lately. Nothing major just "girl" stuff.

Trying to keep my hands busy knitting and crocheting.

I do feel a bit of an urge to start paper crafting again. I think maybe sometime next year.

I have to stay focused on a few personal goals that I have set for my self and de-stressing my life was the main one.

I'm close....not quite there yet. Peri-menopausal hormonal swings sure are making it difficult. During these fluxes I have panic attacks and identity "crises". I find comfort in isolation, a coping mechanism that I developed growing up.

For me, going to my room was not a form of punishment but something that I found to be very comforting. I would retreat to my room and escape into the wonderful worlds of my imagination. I was a prolific reader, mostly fiction. I loved sci-fi and fantasy. I would spend hours and hours drawing and writing poems. I have a lot of happy memories of that room of mine. 

So I guess that's why I enjoy solitude when I find myself stressed out. For others, they need to be around their friends. I've apoloqized to my close friends for not contacting them more often lately. I do hope they understand my need for space. I treasure my friendships and I hope that they understand that, for me, I'm not trying to be distant but just need to be alone.

So anyways.....I'm looking forward to pressing on....to finding a happy place....to the end of this year and the beginning of the next.

I'm excited for the holidays and for the newness that I find in the changes of the weather.

It's a beautiful time of the year!

 

Sweet Daisy Sundress

Crocheting still comes easier for me. I know it will just take practice and more practice for me to improve on my knitting. I guess it's just that for now, crocheting a project like this little dress takes less time to finish.

I'm sure one day I'll be feel the same way with knitting. 

This pattern is from Little Crochet by Linda Permann. It has 3 cute little buttons on the upper left shoulder. 

I add a couple more Copic Ciao markers on the sale pages and there are plenty of SU! sets left.

 

Mitts

It's been an eventful month. Lots of mishaps and general busyness.  I'm hoping that the end of this year will be more forgiving. I'm pooped!

Yes, I'm still knitting. I'm having fun using double pointed needles. I'm trying my hand at simple hand mitts. These use rib and moss stitches.

Coats and Clark booklet -Knitting made easy -Moss Stitch Mitts by Nazanin S. Fard

Have I made any cards? Nope. Crazy, right?

I got rid of more stuff through our local scrap stores garage sale. What was left over would be donated to local school. My gift certificates, I'm giving them to 2 very special friends. Love you guys!

Then I went to where I keep my SU! sets. I've put them in bags and plan to finally start selling them. I think I've had a hard time letting go. It's like losing a small part of a very memorable part of my life. But it's time. So I'll let you know when they go on sale. Sorry that it's taking so long.

Also, I will be listing some Copic Ciao markers. I know most people like Sketch. But the nibs are exactly the same. These are great for beginners. The markers are used, they were my extra class markers. So if you are looking for extra markers for your students or there are colors you want to try mabye you'll be able to use them. 

I'll go into more detail when I get around to listing everything.

(Of course I'm gonna do this during the last 3 busiest times of the year!)

 

Knit Sack Boy

Not the best picture in the world but you get the idea. I made a Sack Boy!

My youngest (15) after seeing me refreshening my knitting skills decided that I was now good enough to attempt to make him a Sack Boy. Honestly I didn't feel confident enough. But after working with lots of other projects I felt ready to take on the challenge.

This pattern is created by Alan Dart and can be found here - Sack Boy.

Because the directions are written for british knitters I found it hard to create the fingers. I tried twice before I found this link. It was a huge help!

http://www.ehow.com/how_10055594_knit-crochet-sackboy.html

(I found the button satin eyes and a 5 " zipper at JoAnns)

Trusting

I found a wonderful seller on Etsy  http://www.etsy.com/shop/LadyDanio?ref=pr_shop

Perfect amount and variety of yarns for tiny projects that I want to do.

Found some yarn on clearance at JoAnns. You know the really chunky stuff that you just can't live without but then can't figure out what to do with! Well I used  US 15 needles and only 6 stitches to created a fun scarf. 

Crocheted hat for a tiny Blythe doll. Fingerling yarn.

Knitted a fun hat for this little darling.

Again having fun with the tiny yarns and tiny needles. It's addicting!

This one I did using only stockinette stitch so that it would create the rolled bottom.  

I'm opening another Etsy shop soon where I will start selling my knitted and crocheted items. I'm having so much fun making them and am starting to create quite the collection. This is becoming a very additive hobby!

Haven't quite given up on coloring, card making or paper crafting entirely. But I haven't really missed it. I know that's sad to admit, but I think I just got burnt out on it. I'm still attempting to purge all of my supplies. Within reason. 

(I'm listing items as I can get them photographed and itemized. It's a daunting task. Also, other supplies will be sold at Pictures in Time in Orange Park during their garage sale. I started photographing my SU! sets. Again, time seems to be an issue in getting all of it done.)

Tiny nesting bowls made using cotton yarn.

 

I'm still an artist so I do have a hard time getting rid of things that I know I will use in the future. Hence I'm holding on to a few things.

My life right now is full of a lot of changes. And I just can't make any firm commitments to what I can and can not do. It's a very uneasy feeling. Knowing that I miss some of the aspects of paper crafting, especially rubber stamping and coloring in all those beautiful images.

I do miss the people. 

But I also had to come to the realization that it took a lot of my time. It took a lot of planning. And it required a lot of supplies. And I just got overwhelmed.

With knitting and crocheting, which I have been doing on and off since I was 9, I don't need as many supplies. I can work on it while everyone is watching tv. It's repetitive, which calms my anxiety (due to my hormonal swings at the moment.) And with my family dynamic at this time I can't keep some of the commitments that I was able to last year.

So....yes....I miss it....but I feel....looking back on the last few months since I stepped away from teaching, creating rubber stamps and design team commitments....that it was...for now...the right choice.

God only knows the future.

And I put my faith in His hands, that all  will work out for the good. Especially for those that don't worry about what the future brings I'm going to try to trust in Him.

Baby Hats

Just having fun knitting and crocheting different baby hats. I'm trying out different yarns and needle sizes so that I can get better at this new craft. I'm finding certain combinations that I prefer and have found that every yarn is different from company to company. They may all be 4 ply but they sure act different! 

I've found that the only way to learn to knit is by doing it and making lots of mistakes. It's challenging and very rewarding at the same time.

Lately I've been knitting tiny doll hats and I have to say these are really fun to make. Hopefully I'll be able to sell a few in my Etsy store since I don't know what else to do with them. 

Dress

(Knitted dress from Easy baby Knits by Claire Richardson. Yarn -by Naturally Caron "Country")

It has been a very stressful couple of weeks and I have not been able to focus on anything. I found the repetition of doing the same stitches over and over again very calming. I'm still learning the ins and outs of knitting. Very different from crocheting. And it's sparked my interest again in picking up the crochet hook and trying a few new things.

I didn't check the gauge on this dress. I know it's like wayyyyy important to do. But I'm not making it for anyone and I just wanted to immerse myself in learning to follow a pattern and getting my tension right. I made a few mistakes  (some of the seed stitches are wrong) and I lost my way when I was decreasing the armholes (I faked it in a few areas!) But I learned a lot when it was all said and done. 

I also found that I could download saved PDF files to the kindle from my MAC! So very cool. Now I can take some of the free patterns that I want to practice with anywhere. Not having to print them out is a huge money saver.

(Now maybe one day I'll get an IPad where these types of things would be so much easier....oh wouldn't that be sweet!)

Anyways, I'm still sorting through my stuff, trying to figure out when I'll find the time to photograph it all and post it. I think I'm going to start with my SB dies. I don't have a lot. But I don't use them so they must go. 

So keep looking back from time to time to see if I update my stamps for sale page -here on my blog.

(Also, check my Etsy store as I plan on putting some stamps on there also.)

My Journey

(Matinee Jacket  from the book Easy Baby Knits by Claire Montgomerie)

I have been stamping since 2003 when my sons 2nd grade teacher invited me to a Stampin' Up! party. I was hooked. I bought my first SU! set, Vintage Postcards, and a black ink pad. I knew nothing about paper and how it affects the quality of the stamped image so my first couple of attempts were lousy. Now you would think that because I went to college and majored in fine art that I would know all there was to know about papers, inks, stamps etc. Nope. Not the case. But I was quick to fix my mistakes and soon I was hooked. It's hard to believe that I have been stamping for 8 years. Sure doesn't feel that long.

But stamping is not all that occupies my time. Most of my time is spent taking care of my family. And that takes up a ton of time! I try my best to not neglect them and my "addictions" come second to everything else in my world. When my hobbies become a chore or take away from other things that are more important I step back and take a break. I'm not the type of person who likes to give up on something but I'm also not going to keep doing something just because I've been doing it for a long time. Also, once I have achieved certain goals that I have set for myself the challenge of the craft becomes less appealing to me. Sure there's a ton of things that I have still to learn about papercrafting. But the things that I enjoy the most about it, coloring, I know that I can still do without the need to have so much "stuff".

I think what's gotten to me lately is the stuff. OMGosh.....how much stuff do I really need to create a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 card? Seriously? 

And I love to draw, so creating stamp sets fills that need. Not sure I could give that up.

I'm not saying that I'm leaving stamping. But what I am saying is that what the last year in my life has shown me is that I need to re-evaluate what direction I want to go when it comes to my hobbies. I need to feel like the end result of my hobby is something that satisfies my soul and helps better myself, somehow.

Knitting....well....it's a challenge. It's new to me, although I've crocheted for years and years, I have always wanted to learn to knit and do it well. I have found it to be very relaxing. Takes my mind off of my worries. I need that right now.

Coloring....love it....will continue to color in digital and stamped images.

Stamping....will keep making cards...but will be making them because I just colored in an image and need to frame it with a nice card base. I'll make cards for releases and challenges I'm a part of.  Or  make a cards to sell on my Etsy store. 

Buying.... Yep....Not going to try so much to keep up with all the current trends and supplies out there. Can't do it anymore. Will try to use what I "gots". And sell what I don't need anymore.

Life....needs to become more simplified. It's too short. Kids grow up too fast. And I'm getting too OLD!