so hows everyone out there in the big wide world? are you happy today?

i certainly am. I'm having a lazy day at home today after a big library trip yesterday. I hit the millennieum library for the first time ever and had my socks blown off. its four stories of books. its the biggest library i have ever seen, let alone been in. we were there for an hour and i maxed out the number of books i was allowed. (50!) in my haul are some amazing crafty books that i am looking forward to making items out of.

i grabbed a book of sock patterns to look for a basic sock pattern, in addition to some patterns i have saved from online. i'm not quite ready to pick my pattern yet, but i'm happy to start looking.

i requested luxe knits awhile ago and i am so happy to get my hands on it. its a lovely book, with some really cool ideas about using folds to create form that i'm looking forward to trying. its got both knit and crochet patterns, and i'm short listing three of them for my resolutions list. the lacy tank isn't something i had on my list, but i'm adding it because it looks so pretty. the chinched shrug is simple but gorgeous and the butterfly blouse is an amazing idea that i want to transfer in to a wrap.

i'll be making the lacy tunic from positively crochet as my sweater dress. its open and lacy, and lovely looking. i made a set of wrist warmers as a christmas gift for someone from this book so i know the patterns are amazing and work up well. finding the book right away rather than having to wait for it means this pattern is the first on my list to start. i'm excited.

i also grabbed wrapped in gems a book i'm really really in love with. its full of beautiful wire designs for use with gemstones, a subject thats near and dear to my heart lately. i've played with two of the designs and i'm happy to say that they translate well with my materials. i'll have pics soon!

so my new year is off to a great start! my resolutions are underway and i've got lots of items to photograph so i can share them with you.

book love

so i love me some books. if you add up my collection, i have more books than anything in my house but beads. and its a close race for the win there. i just love reading. books make me happy.

and i also love my library. because i sadly can not afford to buy all the books i want (theres just so many) the library lets me get my hands on them to see if i absolutely need need need them.

i also love craftster.org, so you can imagine my glee when i found a new book from craftster at the library. i may have giggled and done a victory dance (this is a totally normal procedure for me at the library). full of glee i took my prize to the counter and headed home

the book is question is the nifty thrifty and kitschy crafts, which contains fifty projects from the fifties and sixties. it looks awesome and i am happy to report that it follows up on the awesome once you start reading.

my fav projects are the tailored dickie, loom knit scarf and the felt flower appliques. i love the loom knit scarf because it walks through building the loom from scratch and then knitting on it. the tailored dickie is an easy sewing project, and the felt flowers look amazing.

my not fav project has got to be the crocheted doll face fridge magnets. various relatives of mine had these on their fridges when i was little and they have always creeped me out. thats the only reason i dislike the project, which is well written and looks well done, if slightly creepy

so one creepy project aside everything in this book looks cool, with varying levels of difficulty, from so easy i'll do it with my 6 year old, to definitly ones to tackle by myself. its a great book, and one i definitly reccomend getting, especially if you like a vintage look and feel.