Just a thought...

So sorry I seem to have dropped off the face of the earth. A lot has been going on at the home front, from a basement flood to the dog trashing our living room. Life sure stays interesting around here! ;-)

As the title states, I have a thought for you today, especially for the younger ladies (say, 12-18ish).

Last night, I stopped at Walmart for some staples (i.e. baby food and formula) on my way home from work. After paying for the items, I stopped in the entry area where they keep the carts to cover the baby with her blanket before going outside. I noticed the cart-pusher (for lack of a better title) paused to look at me, so I looked up and gave him a grin as I so often do to random strangers in the store. I figure if they're going to look at me, I might as well give them something nice to look at. Anyway, I gave him a grin and went back to covering the baby, but noted that he had turned and was walking in our direction. When he reached us, he leaned over slightly toward my ear and said in a low voice "it's nice to see a young lady who dresses like she still has some respect for herself" and nodded toward the store. I quickly glanced to see what I was wearing; gray flats, gray pencil skirt, a blue top with lace around the neckline and a black cardigan- appropriate office attire. I laughed and replied 'yes, I'm sure you don't see much of that around here. In fact, we don't see much of that at all anymore, do we?' He grinned and shook his head no, then wished me a good evening and went back to straightening the rows of carts he had just brought in.

As I walked to the car, I thought about the last decade of my life. I've walked on both sides of the proverbial fence and, for a while, tried to walk right on the fence. I wore jeans and cut my hair, and I also dressed and did things with one group of people that I wouldn't dare do with another. It's ironic though, that I always received far more compliments and, to be frank, attention from the opposite sex on the days when I dressed modestly and "appropriately" than I ever did on the days when I wore what society deemed to be fashionable. The kind of attention worth noting, at least. It reminded me of an e-card I found:
 

 

Just something to ponder on this Wednesday afternoon...

 

Until next time,

Cassie

Thrifty Thursday - Cake Tasting Cardigan

Welcome to the first post of the Thrifty Thursday series! I'm really excited about this series.

For our first adventure, I have a cute little cardigan re-work. I found this cute little number at ModCloth (if you haven't checked them out, you should!).

But, priced at $69.99, it's a little out of this momma's budget. Fear not- I have a solution!

I remembered having this cardigan that I purchased at the thrift shop some time ago (cue Macklemore in the background: "I'm gonna pop some tags, only got $20 in my pocket..."). I wore it a handful of times and then stored it away with my 'I'll wear it again after the baby comes' stash. (sorry for the poor photo lighting... the kids were in bed and I was taking advantage of the nighttime quiet!)

 

I also dug out some black yarn from my stash of random crafting paraphernalia and set to work.

 

 



I used a teeny tiny crochet hook to poke through the knit and pull the yarn back through. (I didn't pay attention to size, just that it was small enough to fit through the material, yet big enough to pull all of the yarn back through the cardigan).

 

 

After you poke your hook through, place the yarn over the hook...

 

 

And pull it through. You should have a loop of yarn coming through the front of the cardigan. (see picture below) If you look at the picture above, you can see my orange hook sticking out a bit. I left it in the loop of the stitches and only used the smaller hook for poking holes and pulling the loops. After I pulled a loop through, I took the smaller hook out and inserted the larger hook in the loop, creating the two loops you'll see on the orange hook in a minute.

 

Insert a larger hook (again, size is based on your preference/need) into the loop you just pulled through. I chose to insert my hook front to back. I suppose it wouldn't matter if you did it back to front, but I noticed it caused the loops to have a twist in them. After the loop is around your hook, bring the yarn over the hook in front of the loop (see below). This is known as, quite simply, "yarning over". Who woulda thought of that?? :-D

 

 

 

Pull through both loops on your hook. It should look like this:



 

 

Now, chain 3 (simply yarn over and pull through the loop on your hook 3 times):

 

 

Then repeat! Insert the smaller hook, yarn over it, pull through, insert larger hook, yarn over, pull through both, chain 3, repeat, repeat, repeat until you make your way all the way around! I've finished the waistline and plan to go around the sleeves and collar, as well as tacking down the lace a little bit.

 

 

Some people say this item is "free" since I already had the items, but I did have to buy them at one point in the past so let's say I got the cardigan for $4 at the thrift store, the skein of yarn for $2.88 at Walmart, and the hooks at Joann craft store for $1.99 each. Which means for around $10-11, I have a new look-alike sweater that saved me almost $60! That's a win-win in my book!

 

Until next time,

Cassie

 

Como se dice... Whoops?

Well... how does that saying go? "The best-laid plans of mice and men..."

I told you last week that I'd have the Etsy store up and running on Friday and a new post series starting today. I lied.

I thought I'd be able to post everything before we left to visit my husband's parents in Kentucky, but... I didn't.

I told you I'd have a new post series starting today, but... I don't. After we came home from Kentucky on Sunday, the baby came down with a cold and I spent the first part of the week tending to a sick infant on top of the regular household duties.

Life happens. You get up early, you go to bed late, and sometimes you just have to accept that not everything can get done. Or so the voice in my head tells me (which sounds a lot like my mother, might I add).

I am happy to tell you that the Etsy store is, in fact, up and running as of now. Please remember that all of the items are one of a kind, ready to ship, and not what will be available in the Purple Threads store on a regular basis. I am only clearing out my craft space to make room for what's coming soon. You can view the items here, or by clicking on the "Etsy Shop" page link at the top of the screen.

As for the Thrifty Thursday post, I will try to finish up that project before Sunday and have it posted for you on Monday.

Until next time,
Cassie