Parisian Travel journal {pics}

I wanted to quickly give a big shout of thanks to Mary ann from Dispatch from LA blog, She was so kind and helpful in her email giving me tips on my trip to Paris.
Also my friend Veronica who sent me the most helpful and practical email ever!! So fill of advice , I will be printing it out and taking it with me!
Thanks to Roberta for the tip to contact Mary ann too!

I so appreciate all your help!

Just one thing I had to laugh at you Vee, in your comment you said it might not be a good idea to walk around Paris in the shoes I posted yesterday!! Ha ha, I had to laugh!! I spent 8 grueling hours on a hot summer day walking Paris flat!! And I wore flat shoes and my feet hurt!!!

I did Montmarte too with all the gorgeous cobble stones...

Don't worry...I would not walk around for the sole purpose of sightseeing in those shoes! They are for going out like for lunch or dinner!

The other thing I remember is that to have a wee in Paris cost 1 euro! I just remember thinking "This is the most expensive wee I have ever made!" hee hee.

Here is my travel journal I am taking with. I had a lot of fun putting this together.


Putting my itinerary as a keep-sake in this little envelope.

When I get back, I have space for photographs. This Is a transparent pocket sewn onto the page.

love using paper doilies

more envelopes for all those receipts, tickets and memento's!
I have put journal space on most pages and pockets with tags or envelopes with paper inside to journal on.



Another transparency sewn on, with one side left open to slide a photograph into

Got this wonderful secret window idea from Tara Anderson of The pink Couch.
She inspires me all the time! Going to use them for photographs too.




more secret window envelopes, recycle and reuse! Saving the environment one art journal at at a time!! :)







yes, I am addicted to the secret window envelopes! For a change I look forward to my bills arriving in the mail, so I can use the envelopes!! (who would of thought!)
Well that is it! I want to show you my 2009 Paris album too, but another day!
take care! xx

shoe heaven {+knit leg warmer pattern}

They came today...my shoes.
I bought them on bidorbuy.

I tried them on as well as some "idea" clothing sets of what to wear when we go to Paris.

with the crocheted fingerless mittens I crocheted.

Like walking on clouds... {surprisingly}
It was hot today but I didn't want to take them off...

Oh and I wanted to show these leg warmers I crocheted too. They are super chunky. I used two skeins of yarn 4.5g a chocolate brown and my favorite green.

PATTERN
Cast on 20 stitches with the two skeins.
I used 12mm knitting needles.
Knitted them 1 row knit, 1 row pearl until desired length.
I left the one side loose and the other side I just did a row of single crochet around to make it a bit tighter. (the part that sits under your new)

My blanket is coming on nicely...I managed about 10 squares today.

I have a question in ending this post....

So the cat is out the bag...hubby and I are going on a romantic week-long break to Paris. {Please don't hate me!} I have been before but it was only for about 8 hours! I took the Eurostar from London to Paris for the day with two of my best friends. It was amazing and I really thought it was the first and last time I would ever see Paris...so I am thrilled to be going back for 8 whole days and nights with my hubby!!! {kids will be with a trusted friend of mine}.

We are going to be in Paris for 4 days and nights and then 3 nights in Chennonceau visiting the chateaux {hiring a car and driving there} and then the last night back in Paris.

{images taken from google images}








So my question is....March is pretty cold in Paris this time of year yeah? Do I need like really thick jackets, hats, gloves, scarves, or could I wear what I want to wear like in the above photos?
(those are thick legging type stockings, not just ordinary stockings) I realize I might need a jacket over all of that.

I heard three words for when I go: layer, layer and layer.



{last time I did not get a chance to see any of the main attractions ie up the Eiffel Tower or the Lourve}.

Any suggestions on what clothing to wear would be appreciated and if you have been before, what did you enjoy and what would you skip?

Summer days...

It is so hot here hovering around 38 degrees on a daily basis.
Some days are just too hot to do anything.
Too hot to crochet,
Too hot to blog,
Too hot to do pretty much everything!

But then it passes...the sun goes down and the cool, night air folds her arms around everything and blows gentle breezes filled with relief and promise of a cooler day to follow...





I know before long, these long summer days will pass....so for now I enjoy them with my children.


Today we donned our cozies, and instead of swimming in the pool, put the sprinkler on the lawn like "back in the day" and ran through it. Nothing as exhilarating as just BEING and enjoying the moment. Remembering those carefree, sweet days of childhood and reliving them with your children.


As simple as running through a sprinkler and I feel brand new today.

Why don't you try it? Try something that you haven't done since you were a child....be carefree, be spontaneous, be imaginative.


JUST BE...

Crochet stacks. The begining.

hmmm....I can't seem to just work on one project at a time! I have now started a THIRD blanket...I know...tsk tsk....
I get bored doing the same stitch over and over again and then find myself either falling asleep and waking up to some jumbled mass of stitching in my hands or putting it down and forgetting about it altogether....for days, weeks or months.

So my solution is so switch from one to another -that way it keeps me interested and motivated and i get all three done (albeit a bit slower!)

so here is my current blanket...meet my little stacks...


gotta have a cuppa coffee while I do these...keep the energy levels up!


oh and I joined pinterest.. you can find me here.
I have a board with some of my own crochet projects and other crochet and knitting inspiration here.

crochet: fingerless gloves{+pattern}

Yesterday I made some fingerless mittens, so quick and easy! I started them yesterday and finished them off today! They are so cozy and comfy, almost like you are not wearing them at all. I think these are for me as gloves always make my hands feel claustrophobic and sweaty, even in cold weather. These feel like they will still do the job and allow you to carry on with chores and craft things without feeling like you are all fingers!!


the pattern
I started with a chain of 34 or 35 and then started a half treble stitch(htr) into each chain.
Ch1 at the end of the row,turn and carry on with a htr into each ch.
At the end of each row ch1.


I can't remember how many rows I did, but you can keep trying it on {just wrap it around your hand} to see the length you desire. When you are happy with the length cast off and then wrap it around your hand and use a stitch marker either end of the opening for your thumb. Then all you do is use afgan stitch to stitch along the side, leaving the opening for your thumb.

I also used an afghan stitch all the way around the wrist part and then went and did a shell edge
which is: 3 dcr into one chain, 1 st into the next chain repeated all the way around.
oh and I used a size 4mm hook and a double knit 4ply yarn.

And I did an afghan stitch around the opening for the thumb just for a bit of contrast and to strengthen it.

I like the chunky look and feel, but if you wanted something more subtle, I would suggest a smaller size hook and a thinner yarn.

Crochet inspiration...

Googling crochet over the weekend...can't get enough...


Found some serious crochet inspiration....

Virginia Blue

i crochet {pages and pages of just linked photos to tutorials and projects done by others}
{don't go to this site unless you plan to stay up till about 2 in the morning!}

Emma lamb - I am in love with her beautiful photos and projects.

Sarah London - I didn't think it was possible to make a sweater out of granny squares look cool and wearable, but she did it!

Carina

yarn around hook

I think I have a problem,....at the moment I have 3 blankets in progress...I keep switching from one to the other as all 3 are so different and I get bored...but I am worried how long it is going to take to complete them!! I will post some more pics soon!

Vintage Journal

Hello as I said..the dork would be back so I am! hee hee.

Here is my new little journal for sale. They seem to get snatched up pretty quickly and I so enjoy making them, making sure each journal is unique and special.

Here are some images of what is inside.





A detailed PDF can be downloaded from my shop.