Mundane Mondays: A Mess It Grows

What better time to write my blog post than at 11 o'clock at night? I have wanted to write a Mundane Monday post for a few weeks now, but time and energy have not been working together to create a stable writing environment. Mondays are not fun, but writing is like a "spoonful of sugar"; it can help the "I can't face another week. Please don't let the weekend truly be over," woes seem less IN YOUR FACE. Well, at the very least, less like Monday has won this triumphant battle. Ha ha take that Monday!
New things with me:

Friday Tutorial: Christmas So Soon

This is a for fun post. I'm a list person, if I haven't mentioned that before, and I thought let's show'em how Christmas lists work in my family. It is a very basic concept, one I'm claiming to have invented, but that doesn't mean it hasn't been done before. (insert smile)

Several years ago I was tired of the same ole' same ole' boring Christmas lists. I decided it was time to jazz things up a bit and organize. Lists after all are the epitome of organization (wink, wink) and Santa doesn't just need organization . . . he demands it! I didn't realize my 'new' concept would go over so well with my family, but it did and we still use this method every year.

What you need:

- 1 piece of 8 1/2 x 11 paper, any color (I'm using white this year, though I typically like to have colored paper to be festive. In the past I have even used lined notebook paper.)
- Markers, Colored Pencils, or crayons, etc.


Paper of choice . . .

My camera did not like the idea of focusing on a blank white space.

 Fold paper in half, landscape wise . . .

Camera did like focusing on my woven bracelet. (insert grin)

Unfold paper and take each side (landscape wise) and fold to the creased middle . . .

End result should be three creases/folds equaling four vertical columns . . .

The next part you can get super creative (markers, colored pencils, etc) with or just use your printer. I did both, but I will probably keep the one that I colored with my Zebra gel pens from Staples.

The colored one I left folded accordion style and doodled 'Maddie's Christmas List' using the graphite transfer method. I'm a typography nut and while I have nice printed handwriting, the nut in me likes the use of a font . . . hence the graphite transfer method.

My transfer is a bit wobbled as I have caffeine in my system and didn't pick the easiest font to transfer with shaking hands. (insert grin)

On the printed one I eyeballed where the text would appear on the paper verses the computer screen. You want the font to appear on the outside of your list in the second column. Make sure you load your paper correctly! This one will open like a brochure, but you can print on it so that it will open accordion style as well (in that case you print in the first outer column, instead of the second). I prefer this fold over the accordion style, but I wasn't thinking and began transferring before I realized how it would turn out.

I used the font Broadway.

Now for the inside! 

This next/final step is based largely on personal preference. If you are a list junky, this method can be contained even better within the columns! I like to categorize my Christmas items based on where my passions lie in life and I use that with the columns. Of course Books is one and always the first! (insert grin) You can utilize all of the columns, even the outside ones (which would be seven in total). However, I only use the inside four and it does limit you on space. In the past my Book column has overflowed onto the back and once I even stapled an additional piece of paper to that section (guilty bibliophile here!).

My other columns:

- Music
- Movies
- Misc. - My fourth column is always miscellaneous. This can and does encompass a VERY wide spectrum of items. In the past it has included a bookshelf, a new pillow case, a husband (still waiting Santa), a baby (yeah still waiting for that too) and other odds and ends. (insert big grin)

Your list is finished!

I like to keep my lists from year to year, that way I can add what I didn't get from the previous year onto the new list. I can also see how my tastes changed or stayed the same. There is one thing I've been asking for, for at least 3 years . . . maybe this is finally the year!

You may think it is early for a Christmas list and I do agree with you . . . just a little bit. However, I have siblings and parents who have been demanding a list since October. They are early shoppers. Me? I'm more the last minute shopper . . . I know bad.

This was my first tutorial. If you have suggestions or 'kind' criticism be my guest and comment! Okay if your criticism isn't kind, you can still comment. (insert smile)

Mundane Mondays: Knitting Update

  

I couldn't have said it better than on Twitter:

Blog motivation comes in the form of 4 hour road trip to Ohio. I do my best thinking in the car, albeit that means less focus on the road. :(

Friday I drove to Ohio to pick up my grandmother for Thanksgiving. While certain people always monopolize my thoughts, I did manage to think about other "pressing" items. For one my lack of writing lately and blogging. You may think it is cheesy, but I love blog post series titles. It is the keeping up with the committed serialization of the blog that I have issues with, but I'm willing to try this again.

Of course I did my normal "bite off more than you can chew" and I came up with a title for everyday. (blush) Also keeping in mind I try to participate in Waiting on Wednesdays already and 2 others I came up for Thursdays and Fridays. It remains to be seen weather I can keep with these in addition to the new. I'm willing to try, even I have to write by candlelight.

With that said, welcome to Anything, but Mundane Mondays! These posts will be about books, crafts, everything, an update of sorts or just a post about new things I've come across. Post one is about knitting.

I feel as though knitting is sucking away my very life. Okay so let's not be dramatic, it is only sucking away my time and then in turn my free reading. What's reading? I can't remember because I haven't read more than 2 chapters in one sitting for the past few weeks. Ugh am I sick or something?

I'm complaining I know and I shouldn't be. I'm not 100% upset about all this knitting. I've sold 2 pairs of gloves (last 2 pictures below) to girls at work. I have at least 4 more projects ordered and who knows what else could come up. I've always wanted a chance to make and sell items. Although, I had no clue it would ever be knitted items. The downside of it all is, these projects are eating up my Christmas gift time. I should be working on the huge list of items my family has asked for (ok so not that big) and I have several gifts I want to make for friends. Knitting isn't bad, I just need to strike a deal with Father Time. Do you think he likes scarves?

I've now attempted 2 different patterns for fingerless gloves, click here for pattern A. and click here for pattern B.. I'm working on trying a third pattern now, not so sure about it yet. The count is in though, I really like pattern B (first and fourth picture below). It is simple and the way it works up makes it look more complicated than it really is. Only issues I have with it are: It is for children. If I can figure out how to size it for adults we are gold! The thumbs are a bit tricky and I'm still trying to make them not look strange (at least to my perfectionist eyes). Pattern A (2nd, 5th, and 6th picture below) isn't all that bad. I like it, but I struggle with the final set of rib stitching.

I also took a knitting class for how to make socks. The class is over, but I'm not finished yet. I will say one thing for socks, you can't be sidetracked while making them.

Before I leave to your own explorations, you can click the picture below and it will take you to my flickr page for my finished projects. 

You may also want to checkout this awesome site: Pinterest. Turns out you need an invite to be a member, otherwise you are wait listed (at least that is what my sister told me). If you need or want an invite send or message me your email. I'd be happy for you to join the Pinterest world.