While working on a puzzle..

While working on a puzzle one day, I had some help.





This is Sophie! She is full of mischief! She has knocked this puzzle off the table 5 times now!

I got mail, Prayer Shawl FO and YARRRN PrOn!!!

I received my 1st set of stitch markers in the Stitch Marker Swap from Michelle! THANK YOU! They are LOVELY!


I haven't gotten around to starting my stitch markers yet. I blame the heat 107' today. 107' I guess we shouldn't complain, it's 117' in Baghdad!
I'll start markers tomorrow so I don't sweat on them! We can't get the inside any cooler than 87' today! It's supposed to rain and be about 86'. That I can take!





The mailman brought another wonderful package today. It contained this:


It's from Kelly who destashed some Homespun and increased my prayer shawl yarn stash!
The peachy is coral gables. SO PRETTY! The partial is destined for a scrap shawl!
THANK YOU KELLY! YOU ARE THE BEST! =)



I finally finshed a prayer shawl! It is for my husbands grandmother. She is cold in the summer;)

I used Homespun, "Baroque" I love the colorway. It really is pretty.

Closeup
















NOW FOR THE YARRRN PrOn!


I went to Cottage Fiber in Mission, KS a few weeks ago. DH had the camera in Colorado. ANYWAY... here are the pictures:
First we have the lovely large skein of Sari Silk, destined for "UNBIASED" from knitty.com
I think the colors in this skein are so pretty!



The wonderful owner of Cottage Fiber showed me how to spin roving on a spindle!
WHAT A WONDERFUL LADY, wish I knew her name!
She had already spun a hank using this roving:




It was so pretty! Like rainbow sherbert.... wish I had a big bowl of that right now!
Isn't it lovely!








I tested my LYS one day I won't say their name... Rhymes with DARN DARN! I went to the spindle section and picked up every spindle book and looked at it, practically read one! Then I picked up every spindle and looked at them. I was the only customer in the whole store for 15 minutes and the sales lady kept looking at me, and I her...
She NEVER offered to see if I needed advice, help or tried to sell me anything!
So, I left the store without anything! YES I DIDN'T BUY ANYTHING, imagine that!
SO.... COTTAGE FIBER, YOU ROCK!!! If I ever can afford a spinning wheel, you are the first place I'll go, FREE LESSONS TOO!

I started my first kitty pi a few days ago (DH had camera in Colorado!) so I couldn't take pictures. I have two to make, we have had an addition to our zoo!


My progress so far...

I stopped knitting with the solid blue Reynolds Lopi at row 30 and switched to the varigated blue. I love the striping effect!



Here is the reason I'm making the kitty pi's...
Spoox the white 1 yr old kitty-cat and Sophie is the brown kitten and is 3 months old. They are becoming great friends and have so much fun playing (at least Sophie thinks so!) Sophie tackles Spoox and Spoox will grab her with her paws and then does a WWF SMAK DOWN* move and slams Sophie on her back (*no animal was injured in this post)


DH and DS's have returned from Colorado and all I got was a pile of laundry!
A Boy Scout vacation for them. I stayed home to be a slave to the zoo! I deserve a vacation that doesn't require sleeping on the ground. SOMEDAY....
Oh and DH took some beautiful photos but I'm just going to post a few.
This is RED on a rock!


They had a ton of rain in the Rockies and the streams were running fast and COLD!


And here they are on the trail, stopped because DS's horse (in the center of the picture) had to go!

Here are two of my boys, the third is camera shy!

~~~~~~Snake update~~~~~~

WARNING.....YARN PORN!* (if your yarn is not in the pictures, I probably have it, I'm just slow taking pictures, I'll be taking more tomorrow!)

Loads of baby yarn! I'll use it in the tail and for baby snakes.

Aren't these cute, looks like a "LINE-UP"!

Some sparkling yarns!

Cascade, striped sock yarn and wooly yarn!

Our kitty, SPOOX (see the ghost face on her head) had to see if any of it is wool! (no kidding, she knows the difference............ another yarn snob! ^-^)

Look at these awesome cards! The one on the Right is HAND-MADE! Beautiful, watch out Hallmark!

Yarnit was sooooo generous!


Here's a picture of the snake, that is.... what it looked like last week!



I listened to my DH and started increasing too soon...
I have so much sock yarn to knit into it that I took it apart at the purple and I am knitting sock yarns into it. So I'm adding to the tail. I'll attach the middle when I've knitted at least 3 feet! I'm trying to do about 2 color changes everyday.
"TRYING", is the keyword here! I have until the end of MAY! YEA they extended the date! So if I put my mind to it, I should have plenty of time! But I can't knit and blog!
SO...... I'm off to knit!
AND.....
THANK YOU ALL FOR THE YARN! I get weepy everytime I get some in the mail. YOU ARE THE BEST, SWEETEST and KINDEST PEOPLE IN THE WHOLE WORLD! THANK YOU! And if you haven't received your SM'S yet..... I'm Knitting AND Beading as fast as my fingers can go!
I also sprained my ankle at ****'s and it seems as if the representative from ****'s is playing me for a FOOL! SOOOOO my lawyer buddy to the rescue! He'll set them straight, INDEED!

*More yarn porn to come!, if you don't see your yarn in the pix it doesn't mean I haven't received it! I'm taking more pictures tomorrow... THANK'S Y'ALL!

Ask and you shall receive...

Recently I asked my wonderful friends at Knitty.com for some help. I needed leftover plain and patterned yarns to knit this snake. (see pix)
I googled knitted snake (disclaimer: this is not my design and I am not pretending it is!) and found this snake! The mfr. was out of stock and it was way too small for the tree so I decided to make one! Wait, this requires special yarn and I don't have many odds and ends.
SOOOOO.... THE AWESOME KNITTY PEEPS TO THE RESCUE! Knitty friend, habsgirl, helped me figure out how to knit it. XOXOXO thank you habsgirl!

It is for our Pre-K Sunday school room. Our church is remodeling the Children's classrooms and our Sunday school class gets to decorate that room. The theme is Genesis - GARDEN OF EDEN! It will have a tree for the children to sit under and of course apples in the tree and this snake! Since it is for Pre-K ages
I wanted a child friendly SERPENT!

I want to thank EVERYONE who sent me yarn for the snake! THANK YOU EVERYONE,
including: quickeye, Akknitter, momquilts_1, BadAmy, Sadie, raeKnits!, knitter1967, mainiax, maddogknitting, MBT, mamieknits, rabbits and alicec! (and those of you wishing to be anon.) You are so sweet and generous! (if I haven't received your yarn yet I will update with another pix in a week or so)
KEEP IT COMING~LADIES!

Here is my assortment of yarn received as of today, Wednesday the 8th.



I will post pictures as I knit the snake. I will begin this week.
Keep checking for updates!

My Biz...

I know, it's been a long time. I'm sorry. The flu has been passed among us. Hopefully things will remain stable... (knocking on wood!)

I have started a home business called, "Merry Designs"!!!

I create:
Handmade beaded jewelry: bracelets, earrings & necklaces
AND knitting/crochet stitch markers.
I make quality jewelry using quality beads and sterling silver findings in pieces that are affordable and unique.
I use glass (no plastic or metallic) beads, such as Czech beads, lampwork beads and genuine Swarovski crystals.

I use sterling silver beads such as Bali or Hill tribe hand made beads.


I make:
Christian bracelets- Psalm 23, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want..." using Swarovski crystals in colors relating to the psalm text.
See picture below.

Mother/Daughter, Grandmother and Family bracelets
using Swarovski crystals in birthstone colors.



Seasonal/Holiday bracelets such as Autumn, Spring, Christmas, Easter and Fourth-of-July/patriotic.


I also make jewelry to suit your favorite colors/outfits!





Stitch Markers:
I can make markers to fit any size needles, any length or create to your ideas!
I use beads and/or pewter charms. I use quality wire and findings and glass beads, no plastic here unless I use alphabet beads (which are so CUTE saying knit and purl!)






I make them for Secret Pals and Random Acts of Kindness!

I create designs from my heart to yours.
Thus, Merry Heart Designs has been born.

Proverbs 15:13, "A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance..."

PICTURES TO COME, CAMERA ON FRITZ...

WOOHOO My Holiday Secret Pal Is THE BESTEST!

WOO HOO! I GOT A PACKAGE!!!
Lux2night...
YOU ARE THE BESTEST SECRET PAL!
OMGosh the goodies.... Where do I begin? You are so generous! Chocolate Chip Panettone....
THAT BREAD, I didn't know it even existed! The aroma was wafting and driving me mad so I had to have a piece. I am in heaven! Is this liquor I am savoring? It is delicious! Can I get it around KANSAS? Seriously, I have to have more, I'm addicted...

I love the red yarn and the grey yarn and the sock yarn! I can't wait to start a project with them! The stitch markers are beautiful! That soap smells divine! The mug, which I need a new one, filled with delicious chocolates...... They are delicious to just let melt in the mouth!
Can you tell I love chocolate?
AND last but not least... (I just want to eat them up!) the darling teddy bear needle huggers!!They had to come out of the package and play in the goodies! See them sitting around?
They look like GIANT GUMMY BEARS!
I have to sit back and take it all in!!! This was the most fun I've had in a long time!
I really want to thank you for everything, THANK YOU! It was really sweet of you!

Halloween Has Come and Gone

Well it has come and gone and I finally got that picture out of my digital camera!
Here is Z-boy as Ron Weasley. Complete with Scabbers and a handcarved (by his big brother)wooden wizard wand! (say that fast 3 times)

I made the scarf, my first attempt at color changes. I didn't know about the rolling problem with stockinette until it was too late. At least it is loved by someone and finished!

Here I go...

Ok! Got past the first steps. Now to figure out how this works. I am a work in progress...
Check back for further updates.