School's Out for Summer!

As a teacher, I sometimes think we look forward to the summer more than the kids do! It has been lovely spending time with family, working on projects and being care-free! I've been meaning to make some sock monkey hats for a long time. They are so easy to make, and I finally took the time to do them. They are in the shop- one hat and diaper cover set and a seperate listing just for the hat. I would LOVE to get some professional photos done of adorable babies wearing these items as photo props. How does one go about doing this?

I also made a cutey pie sock monkey doll for my mom. She loves it! I've had so many people ask me to make them one. Well, I'm off to work on my OWL for my Harry Potter Knitting group!

My First Sweater!

I've been knitting for about 5 years now? I know I needed to make a sweater to become a real knitter (next up, socks!). I had all the pieces knitted up and blocked since January and just now got the courage to sew all the pieces together to make my very first sweater. It is a baby Yoda sweater. It goes with my baby Yoda felted hat (both patterns on Ravelry). I have to say, it doesn't look too bad for my first sweater! The peace is knowing that I will only get better =) I only wish I had a little Jedi to try this out on!

New Day, New Week!

Whenever I get anxious, my husband always tells me "Today is one day closer to being done". My observation went well, tomorrow I talk about it with my principal. The weather here has been extremely nice for February! All weekend we had about 60 degrees- that's May weather for us in the Northwest! We bought our first lawn mower and that really made us feel like real home owners now!

Here is a picture of my latest hat: The Mad Hatter. Up for sale on my Etsy site. I have to say, I love making the animal hats the most. I first learned how to crochet, and I don't know if it's because this hat took 2 skiens to make or what, but crochet really makes my hands and wrists hurt. Of course I know I can't blame it all on crochet- knitting does the same, but I think I can go longer with knitting...maybe, maybe not. Either way, I've got my hands wrapped today and I'm sad I can't work on things too much today because I need to let my hands rest. Guess I'll have to do laundry =)

lots o', Lots o' On My Mind

My mind is always going with continuous thoughts. It's something I've struggled with because it causes anxiety and it's hard for me to turn off.

Tomorrow I have my last formal observation for the year. I teach 4th grade and twice a year our principal does a formal observation. It's supposed to be for 30 minutes, but my principal always stays for an hour because she says likes my teaching so much that she wants to see it all. It's wonderful to get such great reviews but the pressure is always there for me. Yes, every observation has gone wonderful and successful. Yes, I still get nervous and want to be perfect. This is another fault I have- perfectionism. It's hard trying to always be so even when I know that NO one is and ever will be. We all have our faults, etc. and that's what makes us human.

So, on Etsy there is a "Feedback" part for each seller and buyer. I often look at mine and it is all positive. But then I see that some people haven't responded and I start to worry. I begin to think "This person should have received there order by now. Did they not like it? Was it the wrong size? Did I send it to the right address??" The more I dwell on it, the crazier my ideas become. I need to get over it. So what if they didn't like it? They were kind enough not to be rude and tell me, I guess. Horray for all the other people that loved their hats and left feedback! I looked at other sellers I like and some have sold over 500 items and have only 175 feedback. I guess people just don't leave it and it's not a big deal. So, I need to make it not a big deal, right? I wish I could not dwell on things so much, especially when they are so small compared to the big picture of lie. Do any of you do this?

So Many Ideas, So Little Time

I have so many ideas that I dream up each day to make! For example, my Luna Lovegood Lion Hat was an idea that just came to me and I decided to make for myself. As a "what the heck" moment, I put it on my Etsy site and today I sold my 5th Lion hat! It's awesome. I want to make other Hogwarts House Hats, want to make Alice in Wonderland hats due to the long awaited new movie and want to make Quatchi and Miga inspired hats from the Olympics. When, when, when??? I can see them in my mind's eye...they are waiting to be made. =)

Mr. Groundhog, Please Don't See Your Shadow and Hide

The past two days the sun has been out. Well, not shinning bright and warm. Just no rain. I went on a walk yesterday and took the trail that goes along the green space across from our house. We moved into our new house in December. With all the rain and cold weather, I have not had a chance to explore the trails around our neighborhood. I discovered there is a small creek with a cute little bridge going over it. There were birds starting to flutter about and with all the trees bare of leaves, I saw many nicely built nests. I also stumbled across a neighborhood playground! One of the trails leads out into another neighborhood and low and behold, down the street was a nice playground. Someday I will take my kids there (when I have them!).

Today I want to go the opposite way on the trail and see what I discover! What is around your neighborhood that you might not know about or have discovered?

...And It Continues!

Who knew that my OWN pattern of Luna Lovegood's Lion Hat would be such a hit? This really inspires me to create my own things even more than following a pattern. This will be my fourth time making it now, and the last time I think I perfected the pattern (3rd times a charm!) and wrote it all down to follow for the future. I'm so excited! This new year is looking great so far! I will be re-working my Etsy site this week to have listings for the same hats but in infant-child as one listing and teen/adult as the other listing of the same hat. This is what seems to be working with the Luna Hat, let's see if it works for the others!

First Official Etsy Item SOLD!

Well, I've been selling my hats pretty steady October through December to people I'm friends with on Facebook and at school (I'm a teacher, teachers are always having babies and like to buy cute hats). Oh- the Facebook friends. I have 300 "Friends", but in real life, like 2. Counting my husband =) Anyway, orders have been steady. I've gotten a lot of people looking at my hats on my Etsy site, and today I got my first order through Etsy! Someone bought my Luna Lovegood's Gryffindor Quidditch Lion Hat!! It's for her teenage daughter who loves Luna. Tomorrow I go to the yarn shop to get the wool (it was closed today which was driving me up a wall! I wanted to start!). This is a great sign of starting of the new year! Thank you!

Knitters Are Nice

So, I don't think I mentioned that I am a part of the Harry Potter Knits and Crochets House Cup on Ravelry...or did I? Anyway, I am a first year Hufflepuff! I have only turned in one assignment for this month for this term. I turned in my Luna Lovegood Gryffindor Lion Hat for Charms. The assignment was to make something funny or ticklish. Well, who wouldn't laugh seeing someone wear this lion hat? And I'm pretty sure when you give someone wearing a hug while wearing this hat, the mane will tickle the other person's nose.



Anyway, to get to my post title, Knitters are nice. Not only on Ravelry, but in real life, too! Today the husband and I went to the movie theater, but had to go an hour early to get good seats even though we already had our tickets days before. So, I took my knitting. I happened to sit next to a lady who is also a knitter! She didnt have her knitting with her, but we talked knitting and soon became friends! She also works in an elementary school. I gave her my card so that we could keep in touch. I hope that we keep in contact, she was so nice!



I don't think of myself as outgoing. I tend to be shy- it took me a long time in our conversation to even tell her I sell myself online and give her my card! Knitting has helped me to be more social- what can seem like a very solitary thing, is actually very social. I go to knitting nights not only to knit, but mostly to socialize and talk about knitting AND everything else with others! I used to go to Yarn Yoga at a local craft store, but it stopped about a year ago. I haven't been to another group and I really miss it. So, one of my goals (resolutions) is to find another knitting group where I belong and feel a part of. I think I'm going to try my LYS this week. I'll let you know if I make it =)

New Finished Projects!

I made my own pattern for Luna Lovegood's Gryfinndor Spirit Quidditch Lion Hat (wow, what a mouthful of a title!). I made it way too big. How did I do that? I thought I had tried it one before I added the ears and mane...but something happened! hhhmmm...

Anyway, I just flipped up the brim. It's not like I'll be wearing it everyday, ha. Probably just for school when we have crazy hat day or favorite book spirit days. However, if I make this again for any special orders, know that it will be made to size correctly! Infant through child sizes $30 and teenage through adult $35. This hat costs a little more because it has more details and materials.

Another hat I finished was my Baby Yoda Hat. It was my first felted project. I think it came out so cute! I got the pattern from ravelry. I am currently making a baby Yoda sweater/robe. I only have the sleeves to make and then sew it all together.

I need to add stiffener to the ears to make then stick out on their own.

Ravelry Harry Potter Knits and Crochets

I am a first year, first term (winter)...Hufflepuff!!! Yay! This is the house I wanted to be sorted into. So, all the professors say not to do too much your first term. This month I think I will do potions class. The assignment for January is to make something scary. I think I will make a Dark Mark messenger bag. But I'm thinking I may do crochet and felt it. Even if I don't do crochet, I am going to felt it I think. The only thing...I don't have these colors in my stash, and I don't want to buy more yarn because it goes against my "Make Do and Mend" new year resolution...so...I don't know what to do. I will have to think about it, but I can't wait too long because I only have January to come up with something for class and to turn in and earn house points. You should check this great idea out on Ravelry!