Working around the problem

I spent a good deal of time on the computer this morning trying to fix whatever is wrong with it and making it difficult to upload pictures. In the meantime, I emailed pictures to myself and am going to post them here from Mom's laptop! Not just a pretty face, you see!

Okay, first picture... the new items added to my stash yesterday. A woo hoo! The "Things" basket will be next to my favorite rocking chair and will hold my current projects. :) I love the bright colors that will be a little girl's blanket. With all the babies due in church in the next 6 months, surely one of them will be a girl!

Second picture... the adorable crochet baby set that I'm going to try my hand at. It'll be my first attempt at clothing and I'm excited about it, if a bit nervous as well.

Third picture... my attempts at painting at Clay 'n Latte. I'm definately not comfortable with painting. The whole time I'm painting I find that I'm holding my breath. The plate in back was from a couple of weeks ago and says, "You Are Special!" The light switch faceplate has Owen's name on it and is painted to match his room. The cup and saucer seem to have jumped out of Central Perk and the inside of the cup says, "Relax".

Final picture... more of my family! This picture was taken on July 4th of this year at the Oceanside pier. From left to right: Heather (sister), Bryan (husband), Owen (son), Spencer (future brother-in-law). What you don't know from looking at this picture is that Spencer is reaching behind and pinching Bryan's butt. We have a few pictures with this happening and Bryan is getting better and better at making no reaction to it until after the picture is taken.


Last night I left my crochet bag at Mom and Dad's thinking that I'd be back in the morning, but it did not happen! So, while Owen napped I started on the hat and bootie set. The hat needs one more row of sc and will be finished! I've been working on the blanket tonight and it is nearing completion. I'm very pleased with it! YAY!

Okay, enough for now. Bryan's getting our stuff piled up and ready to go... he's the master of subtleties! lol

Clay 'n Latte

Mom was really hoping to get in another session at Clay 'n Latte before they leave on the 19th. We tried to figure out a day when the four of us could go again, and thought that yesterday would work for everyone, but apparently Heather chose to do stuff with Spencer instead. (Methinks this is how life will be like.) So Isaac and Owen stayed with Dad while Mom, Jared and I went to paint stuff!

Mom had a harder time finding something to paint. She searched the store for about 35 minutes before settling on a bowl. I guess there was a cake stand she saw last time that caught her eye, but it had sold and there wasn't a replacement in the back. Then she eyed a serving platter, but that was reserved for someone and there wasn't a second one. I could tell that she was really disappointed, but painted happily. Jared found a small square plate and copied a design from a model plate painted with a snowman. He's really a very talented painter! Mom says that Jared will go into her room and watch cartoons on it. When a cool picture will come up, he stops it with Tivo and then draws the picture. A very cool idea if you think about it.

Jared did great on his plate and Mom totally wants to steal it. :)This time around I wasn't as pleased with how I did. I found a faceplate for Owen's light switch in his room. (The book one that was in my room in high school doesn't quite fit a kid's room.) I painted it yellow and wrote in blue words "Owen Edward". There are red and green dots on it. Honestly, it looks cuter than it sounds. I'm a little concerned about how the words will turn out. That project took about 10 minutes. Then I found a cup and saucer that looks like it belonged on the Friends set. (Love it!) I painted that in muted green, blue and gold tones. I'm very happy with it, up until it came to the more intricate line work in puffy paint. That I'm not happy with at all. I wish I had drawn in on the cup before painting, but that always etches the paint off and that I don't like either. I'm hoping it turns out well and that it won't be a big deal.

I've taken a couple of days off of crocheting. My hands needed a break and I had other things that needed to get done. I seem to be a person who, once a project is started, I have a drive to get it done to... sometimes... the exclusion of other things. That's how it is with other things too, not just crafts. fanihi posted a great pattern for a hat she made and I think that may be the next project I start on. :) After that I'll tackle an afghan. I got some great tips for them at one of the communities here and now I have the afghan itch!

Clay 'n Latte Adventures

At Chuck E. Cheese on Monday, Mom decided to make a voyage to Cafe & Latte in Vista, next to Krikorian Theater. We hadn't been, but had talked about it for almost a year. Mom figured that with Dad in Branson this week it would be a great activity for the gang.

Catie Joy came over to babysit Owen (I love her!) and I was off. They don't open until 11, but having Catie over early gave me a chance to weigh in, grab a Starbucks, and read in the car for 15 minutes before going inside. It was so nice. No running around like a mad woman. I looked composed! ;)

Mom, Heather, Jared & Isaac were at the door promptly at 11am and I met them there after seeing the doors open. Jared & Isaac both picked out dogs to paint, Heather chose a very cute mug, Mom found a large oval serving bowl she loved and I decided on a charger plate.

Isaac was having "a day" and after 15 minutes he was "all done" and "ready to go". Jared worked on his for almost 2 hours and ended up turning a rose on the dog's belly into a wound that made the dog shed a tear. It was the saddest looking dog I've ever seen, and I'm not quite sure why you'd want to paint that, but whatever. Heather found a hydrangea stamp that didn't quite turn out how she thought it would, and improvised after that. Her mug turned out beautiful, though I think she will have wished she put more color on it once she sees it. Mom found inspiration in a demo bowl that the owner painted. She changed the bright palatte to more muted tones and did a great job on it! I also found inspiration, but in a 3/4" cut out from a catalog. The plate is very Mary Englebreight and so cute. The outside is yellow background with flowers, bordered on the inside by blue check with black words saying, "You are Special!"

These things took forever for Heather, Mom and me to make. We didn't end up leaving for lunch until 3pm. Good gracious! My hands were a little shaky at the end due to the late lunch, and I was wishing I had brought an LA Lite to snack on.We get our booty back on Tuesday after 5pm (so Wednesday) and I really hope they turn out! :D We all agreed that when the fam comes out at Thanksgiving that we'll have to do it again... but minus Isaac.