*sigh*

I know I haven't posted in a long time, and I know the toy site is really out of date. I'm not sure what I'm going to do about that, actually. I'm graduated and have a real job now, and don't really have time for it - and it feels like a chore now. Someone could take it over if they want. They'd have to move it to their own web domain, as it couldn't stay on mine, but let me know if you're interested and we can work something out. I'm just so tired... And my time is so full of so many other things now. I barely even have time to knit and crochet, much less make a website about it!

I'm on Ravelry now!! My username is Aglaranna; add me to your friends list if you're on there, too! I hate that I finally got my invite DURING the first week of my new job, tho, lol, so now I don't have much time for it! I'm slowly getting stuff in there. I've got my past projects all put in now. Slowly working on my needle/hook list, and planning on doing my stash at some point.

I am working on some things. I've started my Christmas projects this week.

I HAVE been knitting/crocheting once a week, tho. I started a new knitting & crochet group! I'd been trying to find a good one down here so I could meet new people (I can't remember if I mentioned it in past posts - we moved to Indy in June), and I got so frustrated with finding stuff on my side of town that I just made my own.

Hope you're all having a good weekend!!

Creative Limits (or Horizons)

Stole this from Ladylinolem's blog. I won't tag anybody, but you can steal it, too, if you like!

1. I have no interest in the following activities:
basketry (I had a bit of interest as a kid, but not anymore), participating in choirs (horrible stage fright), pottery (have done it, but it's just not my thing; I like to look at it, tho; this and this guys' works are awesome!), ice sculpture, spinning, hand-felting, lace making, wood carving/woodworking (again, not my thing, but neat to see other peoples' work!), leather working, marquetry, doll-making, play writing, acting, public speaking, welding/steel sculpture (hated doing this stuff in school...), large sculpture making of any kind, upholstery, flower arranging, mask making (tho this artist's masks are amazing!), digital collage, video game design, beading (did some as a kid, tho)

2. Would love to try these things:
tapestry weaving (have done some basic weaving), artistic/applique quilting, glassblowing (maybe, but it looks pretty scary to me), stained-glass, Precious Metal Clay, dying, batiking, carved candles, making my own cabachons (too scared to try faceted stones, tho!), Flash animation (if only I could figure out the stupid program, argh!), photography

3. I do or have dabbled in these things:
embroidery (I stink at it), weaving (floor loom), tatting (failed miserably), stamping & scrapbooking, sewing, painting (oil, acrylic, watercolor), serigraphy (artistic screenprinting), lithography, other printmaking techniques (intaglio, woodcut, monoprinting, etc.), chainmaille, felting (the kind where you make something out of wool yarn and throw it in the washing machine), latch hooking, origami, bookmaking, baking, cake decorating (would love to do more), graphic design, writing, Scherenschnitte, Celtic knotwork (at one point this would have been under #4; still up there, but I had to cut it off somewhere, and I don't do it much anymore), digital painting, one-stroke decorative painting (yes, I know... in highschool I had a connection with a basketmaker, where I painted on the baskets they made and sold)

4. Love it! These are my things:
jewelry making and metalsmithing (fabrication, lost wax casting, enameling, wire-working, chain making, etc.; not beaded jewelry - that isn't my thing), drawing, crochet, knitting, cross-stitch

I'm sure I forgot something. I'm always on the lookout for something new to try! :-) Sometimes I discover I hate it, sometimes I find something new that I love! But hopefully this tells you a little bit more about me!

Another Sock Monkey!!

I made this bag to go with the sock monkey set:



I got the idea from a bag I saw on the internet, and modified this pattern to make it: Jewel Box Drawstring Bag

If I made another drawstring bag, tho, I would do the drawstrings a different way; to close this one you can't just pull it shut - you have to fiddle with it until it closes... Oh well!

The baby shower was today, so I got to give my sis-in-law the set! She loved it!! :-D

Charity Items

I've been making some things for preemies; there's a woman collecting knit & crochet blankets, hats, & booties for preemies for the March of Dimes - they're for care packages they give to the mothers. Here are a few things I've made so far:

One blankets, some hats, and a couple pairs of booties.



Close-up of one of the hats and the white booties.



I thought that hat pattern was just adorable when I found it online! The first pair of booties I made (the pink ones) I think are too big for preemies; I had to change yarn and hook size to make them small enough. I'm going to be making more; I've started a second blanket (it's granny-square style this time). It's a great use for the massive amount of yarn I have sitting around that I don't know what to do with.

Patterns I Used:

• Baby's Round Ripple Afghan
  
• Loving Hugs Preemie Booties (this link is to a PDF file)
  
• Sweetheart Roses Preemie Cap
  

Sock Monkeys!!

I made the sock monkey set from the Happy Hooker book for my sister-in-law as a baby shower gift. Her and my brother-in-law are obsessed with monkeys :-)



Close-up:






For the matching sweater I used this pattern.

Also, I'm working on re-doing the toy archive website so it's easier for me to update. The new format will also allow you guys to search it!! Not sure how much longer it will be until it's up and running, but wanted to give you all a heads up! :-D

Crocheting Again!

Well I got back into crochet this week!!! I've been crazy bored. A couple of weeks ago we moved to Indy. Donovan started his "real" job, I switched jobs within the transcription company I work for at home, and I'm stuck home all day. I've been trying to find a knitting/crochet group in the area, and found a couple of possibilities that I'm going to check out. I need to meet people!!!

So anyways, I finally finished my dad's Chicago Bears pillow as a late Father's Day present for him!!





The flash kind of washed out the blue, but yeah. I think it turned out pretty nice!! :-D

Oh, and I made myself a new username over at deviantArt just for my craft stuff!! Click HERE to see it. :-)

I am also making the sock monkey inspired baby blanket & hat set from Happy Hooker!!! I also found a baby sweater pattern online and made one to match the set! I'm going to be an AUNT this fall!! My brother & sister-in-law like monkeys, so I thought it would be a perfect present. :-D

Jewelry Blog!!

I decided to set up a jewelry blog, to post about my pieces I am working on, and show in-progress photos and info. Check it out; I did some sketches today and posted them up:

Jen's Jewelry Blog

Websites!!!

First, I have a new jewelry portfolio website:

JMW Jewelry

I will be graduating in less than a month, and then it's off into the real world where I have to try to make money selling my work!!

Also, Jen's Stuffed Toy Archive has a new web address:

Jen's Stuffed Toy Archive

For now it's a sub-folder of my portfolio; I had to move it because, since I'll be graduating, the site it's on now will be erased!!

I also added lots of new crochet patterns, as well as a few knit ones, today!!

Updated Site, Etc.

Hey guys, I updated Jen's Stuffed Toy Archive over the weekend and added TONS of new links to patterns, plus went through and took out all of the broken links and fixed some things. PLEASE do not e-mail me asking what happened to a pattern and if I can give it to you; I only archive links, I don't keep copies of everything that I link to, so I can't help if it's gone.

Found this adorable pattern while I was updating the site and am going to have to make some cuz they're just so darn cute:



Miniature Bear Rugs!!!

I'm almost finished with the Exchange Bag I posted about in my last post, and I'm onto my second piece for the cabled blanket!!!

Scarf Finished & Other Projects!!

I finished my cabled scarf last week, and I love it! I've been wearing it every day :-)



I was taking quick pictures, so please excuse the sucky focus, but here's a close-up of the cabling:



I've started working on a cabled blanket that is on the cover of the book Cables Untangled:



Who knows how long it will take me to finish it, but I think it's gorgeous :-) I'm doing it in a kind of dusky green color:



I'm also working on the Exchange Bag from the book Happy Hooker:



I pretty much just have to do the handles now! :-)

What do you guys think of my new blog layout? I'm gonna try to put some of the extra info stuff that was on here before up somewhere, but I have to have time to fiddle with it first, lol...