Monday, September 27, 2010

Regarding Vintage Dresses...

Vintage dresses: they are wonderful, right? Who doesn't love the feeling of pawing carefully through a pile of historical garments only to find the most amazing, most lovely, most stunningly-awesome dress...

And have it fit you like a glove...

And find the perfect shoes...

And find a vintage slip to wear under it...

And have a cardigan and belt in your dorm room that will match it perfectly...

And then find out that not only is it a vintage dress, but also a vintage dress made of hand-crocheted lace...

And have a boyfriend who will be graduating from Navy Basic Training on Friday October 1st which presents you with the perfect opportunity to wear aforementioned dress, shoes, cardigan, belt, and slip...



Yeah. I love that feeling.

Dress, shoes, and slip from Moxie in DeKalb, IL

In other news: I got a DeviantArt account (the-carolyn-michelle) which means I have yet another place to list my creations (in addition to flickr and Ravelry and Facebook and here and Etsy...) Yay!

Also, in case you didn't get it, Caleb graduates on Friday!!! I leave with his mother and father on Thursday night to head out to the hotel and meet up with Josh (Caleb's brother) and his wife Linda. It's gonna be an awesome time!!!!!!

YAY!

That's all there is to say: yay!

All my love,
Carolyn Michelle


Photo: Carolyn Michelle's cell phone 25th September 2010

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

More stitchery and a Pec Thing recap

Music to suit this post: "Dog Days Are Over" by Florence + The Machine



My hooks sure have been flying since I've been here at The Ni-U: Monday night I made this festive hat for Jen's (our R.A. for the StubStub end of the floor) birthday which was Sunday. She was out at a staff meeting when it was finished, so I hung it on her door with a note and went off to bed.

Later that night, I honestly don't know what time, Jen knocked on my door. Awoke and opened the door all bleary-eyed. I was met with a huge hug and a thank you. I went back to bed smiling.

I must say, it was one of the better wake-ups I've had in a while.

In other news, this past weekend was the Fall Pec Thing and Propaganda Candy was there. Of course! The weather was chilly, rainy, and cloudy at best. We sustained a thunderstorm early Saturday morning (before the gates opened, luckily). Despite these setbacks, we came out ahead! Hoorah for making money, not losing it!

I would like to make a quick shout out to three very special ladies...Becca, Sarah, and Trisha:


These girls took a leap of faith, journeyed with Samantha and me to Durand, and helped out with the Pec Thing. It was AWESOME to have them with us. Their company and assistance will not soon be forgotten. Thank you girls!!!!

In other, other news, last night I crocheted what I think is one of my crowning achievements in plushie cuteness. I'll have to wait for a few days to post it since it is my dear sister Tara's 16th Birthday present.

OHMYGOODNESS MY SISTER IS SIXTEEN!!!!!

That's all I have to say.

Have a blessed week,
Carolyn Michelle

PS: NINE DAYS (!!) until I get to see Caleb!!!!

For more on the Fall Pec Thing, read the Propaganda Candy blog and check out the Facebook album.

Photos: (from top to bottom) Jen Marie and her spiffy hat. Becca at the Propaganda Candy booth. Sarah with her spiffy mustache. Trisha helping cook homemade pizza at my house Saturday night.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

A New Disease: Scarf-Mania


It started simply: a pattern I found on Ravelry. It was a gorgeous scarf with double-crochet cluster mesh sections...I was smitten.

I rendered the beauty in a silky yet economical medium: Caron's Simply Soft in a shimmering grey/silver. Visions of myself wearing a darling Little Black Dress and this scarf to Caleb's graduation began to dance in my head...oh the romance! Oh the love! Oh the awesomeness of wearing a beautiful scarf and being the most beautiful princess at the ball!!!!!

Reality check: I am not a princess. Nor is there a ball in my future.

I awoke from my double-crochet mesh cluster (DCMC) stupor to discover the aftermath of my episode into Crochet-Lala-Land:

  1. A semi-well made grey mini shawl. The reality of my ability to follow a pattern without changing it to my own mash-up.
  2. The beginnings of a salmon-pink DCMC scarf made lengthwise. This was born with watching America's Got Talent last night. I suppose in my insanity I decided Prince Poppycock should have worn one while he sang Nessum Dorma (watch me swoon).
  3. A green, teal, and blue DCMC scarf also worked long-ways...but with three skeins at once. I was drawing "perfect cubes" for my Drawing 100 class. What do you expect?
I do not think health services here at NIU will know how to treat my newly acquired disease: scarf-mania. Hopefully these scarves will sell well in the Propaganda Candy Booth at the Pec Thing. If only I had some Fiber Freaks here at The Ni-You to share my woes with.

We could make a support group!!!!!


All my love,
Carolyn Michelle


Monday, September 13, 2010

Where my stitches at?

Oh...
...here they are:






Photos: 1) Kristi's Slytherin Scarf WIP;
2) The Great Granny Bag WIP; 3&4)
Sammi's Amigurumi Mudkip Plushie.


I'm loving Ravelry.
Who says you don't have time for crocheting in college?!

Anybody else having a crafty Renaissance, or is it just me?

Love,
Carolyn Michelle

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

We are LIVE on Etsy!


As of 12:14 PM on September 6th, 2010, Propaganda Candy went live on Etsy.com.

It is one of the biggest moments in Propaganda Candy-dom.


There's not much more to say.


Sunday, September 5, 2010

Another Sale and the Saga of a Hard Fail


Well. Isn't that spiffy, hmm? Miss Zombie Deer will be headed off to her new home on Tuesday.

I was quite fond of the Zombie deer couple, as were many of my friends. If I can get some felt here to the dorm room, perhaps I'll have to make a whole woodland zombie set!

What an idea. i just need to get all my gear together...

Side Note About my Gear: The other day, I was asked by a girl down the hall to d a favor. Well, I guess it wasn't really a favor favor since she offered to pay me in food. But, anyways, Julie handed me her new ballet slippers and asked if I could stitch the straps in place for her. Apparently when you buy new ballet slippers, the elastic cross-straps arrive unattached. Who knew? So I consented, thinking, "this will take two seconds on my awesome-tastic wonder machine!" Yeah. Well, it would take two seconds on my awesome-tastic wonder machine if I had the cords with which to plug it in!!

Fail. Hard fail.

So, there I sat, stitching thick elastic ballet slipper straps by hand. It took a little longer that two seconds, let me tell you, but by the power of my calloused thumbs I got it done. Hoorah! And subsequently got money for food in return! Double hoorah!

I just noticed that this post title rhymes.
Hehe.

In other news: The crocheting-teaching party went well. Very well. I successfully taught two people (one was a boy!) to crochet twith confidence. The others who joined us (there ended up being about five or six in total) did well, but still needed some assistance from time to time.

As it is getting colder here, I am feeling the push to make hats, scarves, and mittens. College kids need them!! I need food!!

On that note, I shall tell you the moral of this post: never blog when you are hungry.

Ta-ta!
Off to the dining hall for brunch.
Love,
Carolyn Michelle

Ps: I'm on Ravelry now!! CreativeCooby