Moving?

I had grand plans a year or so ago to change cities.  Things were ok at work.  My house was too small.  I’m too far away from my family.  I’m still too far away from family, but work has improved dramatically, and I think I’m going to stay put here in Big City, Ontario.  But I’m going to get a bigger place.  As a result, my house is in a turmoil of “get ready to sell”.  It will be very sad to hand over the keys, but I’m ready. 

Checklist:

• Get a storage unit – complete.  There are about eight bins of stuff there already.
• Box stuff up – in progress.  I boxed up the bookshelves last night.  Nine boxes.  Not all books, but that’s crazy.
• Move it to storage.  (seems obvious, but if you saw the box wall thing I’ve got going on right now, you’d see why I’ve put it on the list)
• Purge.  Also in progress.  But hampered by the fact that I’m looking for a bigger place so I think I’ll have room there…and I might need it. 
• Furniture in storage.  I’ve got a few too many pieces for the space to look appealing to a buyer.  Have to figure out what stays and what doesn’t. 
• Clean.  I’m not the world’s best cleaner (understatement of the world – I’m a horrible housekeeper) so I think I’ll hire some help. 
• Giveaways.  I have a dresser I rescued from the garbage that doesn’t match my stuff.  (but it could go in the new spare room… hrm…
• Stage.  Put more stuff away.
• Paint.  I never really finished painting the kitchen two years ago.  Fine for me.  But I bet a prospective buyer is going to notice.

Christmas List 2011

I’ve been thinking about Christmas for a while (what knitter hasn’t?) and what I’m making for people … but my sister just asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I’m stumped.  I had the same dillemma in 2009 and the list I made then was greatfully received by family, and I was very happy to get things I really wanted.  For 2011, I would prefer things that don’t take up a lot of space. 

Ideas (and I repeat – these are just ideas, not demands for stuff.  I really would rather just spend quality time with family and friends!):

• I have a new job – Mom, did I tell you that?  (this is a test of the does your Mother really read your blog system)  Yesterday it was made official – promoted!  I think I need clothes.  I like Reitmans.  A Reitmans gift certificate would be lovely.
• I love my iPhone and I’ve been stingy and only getting free apps.  An iTunes Gift Certificate would be really nice.
• A nice new thick camping sleeping pad.  But a nice one like this one or this one.  Or someone to fix the broken buckle on the other one.
• I really think these are cool: See Day 10 Here The Pottery Yarn Bowl is beautiful.  And I would really like it.  But I would never buy one for myself. 
• While you’re there… The Yarn Harlot (my favourite knitting blog) has been doing a series called “Gifts for Knitters”.  It is 25 days of things a Non-Knitter who Loves a Knitter can do for their Knitter.  This is day 1.  Day 12 covers stocking stuffers - I’m always needing (losing!) darning needles and measuring tapes.
• Did I tell you I bought myself a Guitar?  At Value Village.  I think I’d like lessons. 
• Cutlery – I am still using the Value Village mishmash of cutlerly that I acquired from 1994 through 2004.  Stuff that is all the same – but with knives that aren’t too heavy – would be cool!
• More printed/framed photos of the kiddos – especially when Niece starts taking Ballet Lessons.  (this is my favourite idea of all!)

I’ll think some more on the thing… but that’ll be a good start.

Merry Christmas

Pink Guitars

Hi Blog (which I have been ignoring – partly because my Mom is reading it and it is tough to be open about the Christmas prezzies I’m making – and partly because I’ve been doing other stuff).

So I was in Value Village last night… and I’ve recently kind of been interested in playing the guitar … and there was this pink one there… and I bought it.  Seriously.  On the advice of another patron who had been playing it, and who said it was a decent beginner instrument, definitely worth the $20 + $8 for new strings.  Hi Mom!

Christopher And Tia: Handmade Yarn Wreath Ornaments- 2010

This looks like an easy craft for kids. Maybe D and I can make some this weekend.

http://christopherandtia.blogspot.com/2010/12/handmade-yarn-wreath-ornaments-2010.html

Cara Hicks

Craft Sale Stuff

I have been asked to participate as a knitter/crochetter in a Craft Sale at work.  I’ve always sold dish cloths from my desk, but now I’m going to try to fill a table.  Hrm.  I have two questions… what to make/sell?  And what do I sell them for?

Here’s my plan:

• Basic Face/Dish cloths that I was taught as a kid.  How does $3 each sound?  Pattern: This is pretty close to what I make.   I have quite a few of these made. 
• Tea Towel Toppers.  $8 each?   This is tough because you have to buy the towels first and put the toppers on.    But I have a stash of Christmas towels that I can make up.   I have no idea where the pattern in my brain came from, but this is kind of like it.  I have a few of these done up, but not many.
• NEW idea, fingerless mittens.  $25 (or maybe $20) per pair?  I’ve been making them out of sock yarn (1 skein of Patons Kroy makes a pair) in a 2 K, 2 P pattern.  I can probably get 10 pairs done by the Sale in early November - if I don’t do other knitty things.  Here’s a photo of one I made (although this one has a thumb gusset – I’ve been making ones with just a straight line for the thumb hole.
• Baby Surprise Jackets – I have about 5 of them done.  Can I sell them (does the copyright on the pattern prohibit it?  I do own the pattern)? If I can sell them, how much should I sell them for??
• NEW idea, Fruit cozies.  Like these.  $3 each?

Gift Ideas: Candy Dish that looks like a zippy bag

Hmmm… if you know Guiders like I do, you’ll know that we use a LOT of ZipLock bags.  They were made with Guiders in mind.  That’s why this “Unzipped Glass Zipper Bag” is a neato gift idea for your Guider (Spark, Brownie, Guide, Pathfinder) or probably teacher. 

Sock on a plane!

Sock one (aka MK) was cast on just before takeoff for my nova scotia adventure. I’ve sort of started calling them Mary Kate and Ashley.

.

Neither sock got to see Halifax. They got left behind by accident.

Then we visited Mccormacks beach.

Peggy’s cove. Ashley was a bit shy for the iPhone. But I did take photos on the camera.

That’s it for now. . Tough to post on iPhone – will clean this up when I get home.

Stumbling

I’ve been Stumbling again.

• No-Bake Chewy Cookies and Cream Bars
• Toilet Paper Lesson – I’m not sure I agree with this guy’s general theme of the site, but he and I agree about this essential life lesson. 
• Cross Body Hobo Bag instructions!

Crochetted Trillium

I’m a Brownie Guider in Ontario and I will be attending a big camp in Nova Scotia this summer.  One of the things you apparently do as a camper is bring something to swap – in Guiding parlance, this is usually a small craft which you have made in mass quantities and which you intend to swap with your new friends.  On my Brownie site, I wrote about deciding what my swap would be.  I have settled on making a crochetted flower in the shape of a trillium (Ontario’s provincial flower). 

Crochetted Trillium pattern
Based on Akua’s Daisy pattern. 

You need:

• White yarn (I used some leftover Bernat Satin)
• Green yarn (mystery yarn – has some wool in it)
• Yellow yarn (Bernat cotton)
• A 4mm crochet hook (or whatever suits you)
• Small scissors for clipping ends (you’ll note that I’ve looped a string through them – you’ll be clipping a lot of ends and handy scissors are very useful)
• And a yarn needle for sewing in those ends.

Flower pattern (make one green, and one white).
Row 1 Chain 5.
Row 2 (copied from Akua’s Daisy) *sl st, ch3, trc, (ch2, sl st: picot), trc, ch3, sl st* three times.  
Fasten off.  
NOTE: I try to crochet over the tail – kind of sewing in the ends as I go.  This also allows me to tighten the string so the center is smaller.

That’s all it is.  Two rows of crochet.  When you’re done, sew in your tails.  Sew a green leaf peice to the white petals piece with yellow yarn.  I make an X and tie it at the back. 

To complete the Swap, I’ll attach a small card with my name and e-mail on it (so my new friends know who I am) with a small safety pin.  Easy peasy. 

Five Minutes

Every now and again an idea so simple, and yet so earth shattering (and so obvious) comes along that you wonder what you were thinking doing things any other way. 

I’ve started leaving the house five minutes early.  That’s the big idea.  Five minutes.

Before you say “Ok Cara, you’re a crazy person”, hear me out.  I’ve tried it.  The idea came from Laurie at Crazy Aunt Purl.  If you look at the blog, you’ll see that she was in  a collision a while back – and the driver who hit her responded with “I was late!” 

From Humans at the Zoo (June 21): This is what happened last month when that lady hit my Jeep. After the crash she sat in her car, writing out her phone number for me, saying, “I was late for work.” I remember looking at her with absolute disbelief, thinking You almost killed me because you were late for work? 

But we all rush around trying to get to the next place.  Laurie says:

  … Five minutes can change your life. I walk almost everywhere now, but there are still days when I have to drive. I leave five minutes early, I take my time, I don’t run red lights. I’m not in a panicked rush.

And she’s right.  If I’m late for an appointment (or work), I’m more likely to drive recklessly, stress out at my lateness, and generally do things that aren’t completely safe.  

Try it.  Leave the house five minutes early. You’ll like it.