The Difference $1.19 Makes

After finally buckling down (and gluing for what seemed like days), I finished the Great Grey Owl costume. Just in time for the Halloween party last Saturday night. Well, actually, we were an hour late. We would have been even later, but I 'edited' the costume and saved myself loads of time and burnt fingers by cutting off the sleeves. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. :)

I probably would have had more time if I hadn't made the hat twice. Why twice? The first version was 'ok'....

but to me, it wasn't 'owly' enough. So I dug through my stash and discovered this lost treasure:

 It's a super-thin fuzzy yarn that added the perfect amount of texture to the original yarn. Not bad for $1.19!

Here's the finished beanie with the owl's facial features:

And my inspiration, a truly gorgeous creature:

I have to reshoot photos of the entire costume. My model has already gone to bed.

Catching Up, Part II

Looking back at past posts, I have realized that I never shared the finished Domo hat in action. So here it is (as modeled by DS4):

And who doesn't love Domo, anyway!

Right now I'm creating another sock monkey hat -- this one for DS4's Halloween costume. If there's enough time, I'll make one for me also, since he has requested that I be his "sock monkey mama" and who can resist a request like that! Not me!

DS3 has challenged me to make him an owl costume for Halloween, and not just any ol' owl either, specifically a Great Grey Owl. I'm not exactly sure how I will pull this off, but here's the base for the owl hat (Vanna's Choice yarn in Grey Marble):

After the Halloween costumes, I hope to finish this scarf:

It's a Missoni-inspired long chevron scarf in many, many shades of blues and greens (Sugar 'n Cream cotton yarn). I'm not positive but I think there are about a dozen different colors in this.

And just for fun, here's a little pennant flag banner in beautiful autumn colors (Heart & Sole yarn in Tequila Sunrise):

 As soon as I block this, I'll use it to decorate a mirror in our entryway. I'm considering making another one in winter holiday colors for a tiny tree. If. There's. Time. :)

Catching Up, Part I

I really can't believe how neglected my blog is. I'm pretty sure that earlier this year, time stomped on the gas pedal and is now hurling by at light speed.

It's October, and we've just begun the 7th week of school. DS4 has started kindergarten, which you think would mean that I have loads of extra time, but in fact, it seems the exact opposite is true. Our two youngest are both at the neighborhood elementary school, and our oldest two are in high school, but they attend different schools. They were both accepted into magnet schools, just not the same one. The sad realization came to me the other day that this is the last year that any of my boys will be at the same school at the same time. Next school year, I'll have 4 sons at 4 different campuses (and I'll be pulling my hair out, I'm sure!).

Here are my guys on the first day of school:

DS4 was beyond excited as we walked to school on the first day. (His backpack got heavy though, so Dad carried it most of the way.)

Now we're full swing into our school schedule. DS1 just finished a production of Arsenic and Old Lace with his high school theatre department. He also had theatre camp before school started that ended with a showcase featuring skits written and performed by the students. He has a thespian convention in December, and the theatre department has chosen the musical for the Spring performance with auditions coming this month. Oh yeah, and he's going to China for Spring Break.

DS2 is busy getting used to his new high school schedule. He's a freshman at the science/engineering magnet school in our district. The curriculum is rigorous to say the least.

DS3 has been keeping up with a crazy schedule. He's taking violin lessons twice a week before school, and he sings in the choir every Wednesday. Plus he and DS4 have started weekly gymnastics lessons. They love it! Me? I'm surrounded by lots of leotard-clad girls. It's a little bit of culture shock. :)

This ends part one of the update. Next time, I'll fill you in on the news of the crafty sort.