The Truth About Hats

The Truth About Hats

or

Another Reason to Send Him With a Yarn Sample

The truth about hats is that they are an excellent way to use up the random-and-totally-unmatchable skein of yarn. Hats are infinitely variable in pattern, color, shape, and size. You can whip one up in your morning classes and be wearing it by homeroom at the end of the day. Hats are basically the most practical, instant-gratification project in the history of instant-gratification projects.

The truth about this hat is that it was made with yarn. And not just any yarn, mind you: it was made with yarn that Caleb willingly offered to go to the craft store and picked up for me.

Yes ladies. I am gloating. My man went to the craft store for me.

However, the yarn I sent him off to find was not intended to end up as a hat. I was in desperate need of more yarn for Emma's Backpack and thus attempted to leave home early for Bible Study on the 21st. Keyword, attempted. Since I was late and still in need of yarn from the craft store that would be closed by the time Bible Study was over, my darling Caleb offered to go get the yarn for me. I even brought a scrap of the stuff so that an exact match was possible.

Best laid plans of mice and men: I forgot to give him the piece of yarn.

After describing the brand and color of yarn to him via text message, I had little hope of him finding the right kind. It's a very obscure shade of orange Red Heart that I'm using.

When Caleb arrived to give me a ride home, he proudly presented me with the Michael's bag containing the yarn. I peered inside and was amazed at what I saw:

The exact shade of orange I needed...

...except it was Red Heart Soft, not Super Saver.

Snap.

I smiled and said, "I think this is right! Thank you so much!"

Life lesson applied here: Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. He went into No-Man's-Land for me and that's enough. Besides, this hat is pretty darn fly, right?

That's the truth about hats.

Who could ask for more?

(left to right)

Top: Ducks hiding in the bathroom, Find the Ducks note from Tara, Mac & Cheese

Middle: Conversation Hearts picked out for me from Caleb, Valentine's date in the living room
Bottom: Adventures in screenprinting, Progress on Emma's backpack, my new dress

What a wonderful weekend.

To the AM Michael's Shoppers:

To all the other ladies sitting in the parking lot of Michael's at 8:45 AM this morning: thank you.

Perhaps I did not share any conversation in those awkward moments before the store opened, but what I experienced was something far more special. I shared my unspoken presence with other dedicated and time-constrained crafters like me. I showed up to shop for crafty goods fifteen minutes before the store even opened and found that I was not alone. Ladies, I commend you; you reminded me that I'm not a loser, even if I show up to get some geeky supplies before the craft store opens.

Well, if I am a loser, at least I'm not alone. And seriously, why don't they just open at 8 on Saturdays?! Every crafty chick knows that the early morning hours are the prime moments for yarn, screenprinting emmulsion, and glitter glue purchases.

Perhaps I'll write to the CEO.

Can I Get a Rawr?

Now, that's what I'm talking about! (Fantastic picture, no?) It's time for some seriously stripey action around here: I'm in the tiger-making business. My friend Miss Emma the Animal Lover, has commissioned a particularly interesting creation: Emma wants a crocheted tiger backpack. You know, like the cute teddy bear backpacks little kids have? Yeah, Emma wants a tiger.

At first, I was a little wary of taking on this project when the third-quarter-mass-assignment-of-papers-and-essays is about to begin. But sweet Emma was so enthusiastic about it that there was no way I could refuse.



She even drew up various patterns and possible construction ideas for the thing. Quite helpful, if you ask me.

So, here I sit, crocheting a tiger's foot while the world outside is being coated in yet another quote-on-quote snowstorm of the century.

Yeah.

Tell me it's the snowstorm of the century when I wake up for school tomorrow.


In all honesty, school should have been canceled today. The school bus that runs our route got stuck in the ditch of one of our poorly-groomed country roads. But then again, who am I to speculate? I just drive to school everyday.

In other, more lighthearted news: there were adorable mini snowmen on the roofs of several cars in the parking lot after school today, mine included. Someone must have been feeling extra festive, or something. Regardless the motive, that gesture of frosty kindness was a nice reminder that my friends are awesome.

Hehe.

Try to survive this horrrid winter storm, will you?

Yours,
Carolyn Michelle

Never cook alone

"In December, drinking horchata

I'd look psychotic in a balaclava

Winter's cold is too much to handle

Pincher crabs that pinch at your sandals"

-Horchata by Vampire Weekend

Since I have lost my voice so completely that it would be an utter waste of time to even attempt to go to school, I embarked on a culinary journey of sorts today in leu of class. Ever since the release of Vampire Weekend's new CD, I've been dying to try my hand at making homemade horchata, which is what the first track of the album is about.


"Horchata (or-CHA-tah) is a milky white, sweet beverage that was introduced to Spain by the Moors. The original Spanish version is made with ground tiger nuts and is especially popular in Valencia. In Latin America, where the tiger nut is not commonly available, pulverized rice is used. In Mexico, horchata is one of the most common aguas frescas and is ladled from large glass jars set in ice." -whats4eats.com


So, after the decision was made that I would stay home, I immediately began to make preparations for my horchata adventure. I had previously done research on how horchata is made, but had never printed out an actual recipe. No problem, I'll just look it up again, right?


Wrong.


It was snowing this morning, which means the satelite dish that connects me to the rest of the universe is dusted in just enough of the flakey, white stuff that the connection is ka-put. In other words, no internet.


But I didn't let this little fact hinder me at all. I remembered most of the recipe and, honestly, how hard could it be? Horchata is made of rice and water, for Pete's sake! Famous last words.


With a quick prayer that none would be harmed in the process about to ensue, I dove in. After about three hours of boiling rice, steaming rice, soaking rice, and blending rice, the horchata was ready. I, in my joy of coming this far without assistance from modern, internet-type technology, was ready to behold the glory. And after looking at my creation that had congealed into a substance that resembled Southern-style grits....


...I'd rather not talk about my horchata.









Photos (top to bottom): Horchata and Jamacia drinks (e-how.com)
Horchata in a Mexican cafe (bakingbits.com)
Horchata ala Carolyn Michelle

Snow of the decade?

Soldiers in a snowball fight at Camp Grant, Rockford, IL

1918

"A storm is developing...Tonight it will move across Missouri and west central Illinois to near Chicago by daybreak on Wednesday. This will be the most intense winter storm to affect the Stateline area in at least 10 years. Snow is expected to become very heavy tonight and possibly become convective with thunder and lightning." (mystateline.com 12/8/2009)

So, snow day for me? Or just another hyped-up case of the flurries? I'm hoping for the first option. I've already got grand plans for cleaning and Christmas decorating tomorrow.

Go bundle up!

-Carolyn Michelle

Festivity

First, to kick off the festivity, a few quick pictures of the highly successful Beat Black Friday event:

Since Thanksgiving, the Christmas spirit has been in the air here, even though our local farmers, my father included, are trying to discourage such things. It's been a hard fall: the unharvested corn stands in the fields as relentless reminders of that. December and stuff still isn't harvested?? Nevertheless, I'm patiently waiting for our first major snowfall, which is scheduled to hit on Wednesday. They are talking 6-10 inches. Now, that doesn't sound like much, but out here in the boonies it's not easy to drive some of the roads when they are clean. So, if this storm comes, we're in for a snow day.

YAY!

I'm so ready for the festivities to begin: my extended family is coming in to town on the 20th to celebrate Christmas with us and my beloved Caleb gets home from college, for good, on the 18th.

Above all, I'm only eleven days plus nine final exams away from glorious Christmas-Break freedom. Glorious!

As the day of Christ's birth is fast approaching, I'm filled with a sort of, child-like glee: I love this time of year. Despite the biting cold that nearly drives me to become a hermit, despite the crabby-pants politicians who tell me I can't say Merry Christmas and still be socially acceptable, despite the shopping frenzy and the late-night finals cramming and the terribly icy roads...I still love this time of year. For me it's a time of togetherness and fellowship that just doesn't happen often enough. Wonder and mystery still play into my Christmas season. It's nothing short of magical.

All this goodwillishness is making me want to go hug someone...

In other news: There is a tentative Fiber Freaks event in the mix over this lovely Christmas break. Keep your ears open for more details as they come.

Hope you all are having as good of a week as I am.
-Carolyn Michelle

Not another...

Not another blog post starting with the phrase: "Wow it's been a while." It seems to be the trend this time of year. I can't tell you how many blog posts I've just got done reading that began the same way. It just seems that nobody has been keeping up anymore! Oh well....if you can't beat 'em...

Here we go:

Wow, it's been a while!

Some quick updates before I start any new banter:

The Bethesda Alley Walk was a success for me, but not so much for my mother and sister. It's a shame that it turned out that way, because that means I probably will not be able to show there next year. A solo show just is not in the books right now.

School has started and now is in full swing. Between all the play practices and homework I finally managed to finish my first (and only) afghan. In down time during my Journalism class, I've been teaching some of my classmates how to crochet.

The college search has wound down to a close. I have my sights set on NIU's Art program. Now all that's left is to get accepted and get a billion scholarships.

Easy?

I'd rather tat a bedspread then burn it than have this crazy anticipation. (If you know how to tat, I think you appreciate that allusion)

In new-er news:

There is another Fiber Freaks Event on the horizon....

Presenting:

BEAT BLACK FRIDAY!!

When? On November 27th, 2009 (Aka, Black Friday)

What Time? 10AM-10PM (Aka, Open House)

Where? At 16027 Campbell Road (Aka, The Glenny Farm)

Who? Awesome crafty people who'd rather make some Christmas presents (Aka, YOU!!)

Are you excited by the prospect of waking up at the crack of dawn on November 27th just so that you can stand in long, boring lines and fight with some half-crazed soccer mom about who saw the Tickle-Me-Elmo first? I didn’t think so.

This year, take matters into your own hands: join your favorite Fiber Freaks for the first ever Beat Black Friday craft-a-thon. There's no limit to what you can make: be it a potential gift for a loved one, or just something experimental. So, come on over, bring your projects, and kick-off the Christmas season by doing something that’s low on stress and nice to the wallet. Because, seriously, who wants to spend more time and money on those exhausting shopping trips?

Now, I am aware that my readers (if I have any left) are probably not going to be in the Rockford, IL area during the Thanksgiving season. So why am I posting all the info about the Fiber Freak's Beat Black Friday event? Because I want to inspire my readers to try and organize their own Black Friday event in order to spread the crafty love and save some moolah. So, bust out your yarn stash and snag Santa's list on November 27th. Make this Christmas a handmade holiday! Oh, yah, and don't forget to post a blog about it and tell me how it went!!!

So there you have it folks: this post is proof that the insanity continues, even when I fail to document it on this lovely blog! I'm making an effort to stay back online, just because I miss you all so darn much.

All my love,

Carolyn Michelle

Coming This Fall...

Wow, a whole month of summer...gone, in an instant. From July to August, so much has happened: I've been home from School of the Art Institute since the 24th of July, Tara and Bubba's trip to New York, New York has come and gone, the days are fast approaching when I will have to once again pay my dues at the educational institution. I can't believe it. Spain and France seems like ages ago, when really it was meerly weeks. My summer, my perfect summer, is slipping away from me. Hopefully, there will be one last hurrah before the golden age fades away.

*sigh*

The trials of time moving faster than you planned it to...

In other news...there's a Luck, Love, and Hedgehogs event on the horizon!!!! I'll be showing with the newly formed Glenny Collective at the Bethesda Alley Walk in Rockford on the 19th of September. Now, I know what you are wondering: What the heck is the Glenny Collective??? Well, allow me to ellaborate: The Glenny Collective is a collaboration between Luck, Love, and Hedgehogs Design and two other Etsy shops that are run by two lovely Glenny ladies: Bubba and Tara. Yes, my sister and my mother. Neither of their shops are totally up-and-running, but in case you want to start snooping, Bubba's shop at least has a name:

Dear Lady Bubs

Tara's shop is TBA, so yeah. I'll keep you posted.

I'm pretty excited about doing a show with my family. It's a good way to start out, I guess. Plus, the booth is 10'x18' and I have no clue how I'd fill it alone!!!!!!

Alrighty...I really need to go and do some work. These college applications won't fill themselves out!!!

Yikes, college. There's a six-year-old version of myself inside me that's screaming "You are OLD" right now.

Eheh.

All my love,

Carolyn Michelle

Staying Inside Today

Today was the day that I had slated for finishing all my papers about my Spain and France trip. Lucky for me when I woke up at ten this morning, I discovered it was a terribly icky, rainy day. That meant that there would be not temptation whatsoever to go and run around and not do my work.

So I did my work...and after eight hours of good, hard work with only one long break: I'M DONE!!!!!!

And at an estimated sixty pages total, my assignments are all printed off and ready to be delivered to Ms. Webb, my dear art teacher, who will be grading them all for me while I galavant about in Chicago. This is a huge sigh of relief.

Now all that's left to do is clean the house. Ugggggggg cleaning.

But today was a very productive "staying-inside-today" day. I got my papers done and updated the shop (thanks to the hat-modeling talent of Tara, which you see above). What a good girl I am! Now, if only there were some ice cream in this household with which to celebrate my goodness. But alas, we are ice cream deprived.


Good night everybody!

Carolyn Michelle

Five Days

Five days. Five days left until I take off again, this time for Chicago. Okay, so I suppose it's not quite as far from home as Spain and Frace were...but I'm leaving again and this time it's even bigger to me. Yes, I loved Europe. It was wonderful and amazing in every way. I learned more than I thought possible, but this trip is a little longer and a lot more future oriented. I'm going to be learning the trade that I intend to use to make my career.



It's scary.



Really really scary.



I'm going to be doing the things I've been doing my whole life but this time, I'll be doing them with the intention to learn how to be perfect at them. I'm going to a school specifically for art and I'm going to learn how my heros and role models do what they do. This is not summer camp, this is HUGE to me. This is the first step on my path to where I want to go in life. I want to run my business, and make it soar. I want to spend the rest of my life doing terribly crafty, creative things that challenge me and keep my brain working until my body finally falls to pieces. Even then, I hope there's a hook in my hand and some yarn by my side.



Haha, I can just see it.



In other news, my mother is awesome. Yesterday I had to go and get all my supplies for School of the Art Institiute and let me tell you...my piggy bank is in no shape to do that.



So, Bubba, if you are reading this, thank you again for making this happen for me. I only hope that someday when my kids come up to me and say they want to chase their dreams and it requires a LOT of my money that I am able to smile, congradulate them on taking innitiative, and help them get where they need to go. How do you do it? Really, Bubs, I don't say it enough. You amaze me. It's moment's like this that make me realize it even more.



In other news, I'm almost done with the course work that accompanied my trip to Spain and France. I am the only student on the trip that is doing the work and let me tell you, I'm really glad that I'm doing all this. Sure I'm sacrificing my summer lazy time, but I'm learning so much more than if I had just gone on the trip.



And on the other hand, once I'm done with the work there will be so much time to do stuff!! Like...crochet.



I've been typing papers all day. I think I'll take a break for a bit.



Hope you all are having fabulous weeks.
Much Love,
Carolyn Michelle

Update

Just some teaser pics because, guess what? The shop was updated today!!!! Go and check out the goodies.

Enjoy the coldest July 1st on record! Darn that global warming :P

Heehee,

Yours,

Carolyn Michelle

Home, Sweet Home

Read about my adventures in Spain and France here.

Man it's good to be home! I had a blast on the trip, but alas, my aformentioned "crocheter's block" has only gotten worse. I bought some yarn that was made in Barcelona, Spain only to be asked by many people, "Que vas a hacer con lo?" "What are you going to make with it?"

Uhhhhhhhhhhh......

I think I'm in need of some serious crafty interventions. My shop hasn't been updated in MONTHS, I haven't made any new patterns since...since.....oh man.

So, in stride with that, I think it's time once again to have a Fiber Freaks event. Yes, an event. I just have to make some all-important phone calls and arrange a date, time, and food-provider.

I have a few tricks up my sleeve, so....be ready!

I plan on hosting the event BEFORE I go to Chicago on July 12th. By the time I get back from Chicago and School of the Art Institute, all my frineds will have had fantastic tans and wonderful parties without me. And with my luck, everybody will be on Vacation in August, the only month I'm actually HOME.

But, yes. An event. Tell me what you guys think?

Missed you all!
-Carolyn Michelle

Did you find a card on the street?

If so, congradulations: you now have a chance to win some fabulous free goodies from the Luck, Love, And Hedgehogs Design Shop!!! Here's what you do:

1. Find a card. These cards have been dropped by me and my team of tourists while we were out-and-about in Spain and France.

2. Take a picture of the card.

3. E-mail the picture of the card to me at luckloveandhedgehogs@hotmail.com

The rest is up to me! On June 30th (if I have gotten any e-mails!!!) I will draw at random one lucky winner to receive a package of goodies (valued at $30 USD) from the Luck, Love, and Hedgehogs Design Shop! Fantastic, no?

-Carolyn Michelle

24 Hours 'Til Take-Off...

...yeah I'm ready.

Be back in ten days!!!!!

Yours,

Carolyn Michelle

Postal Services

Air Mail Travel Journal by Paperama

Postal Love Necklace by prettypeonies

Embroidered love note by dashofmagic

...and I couldn't resist:

some passport stamps from Mondayne's flickr...

Feeling a little postal today. :) Doing my last few "getting ready" things today before we all take off on Sunday. Very excited. Have a fabulous weekend.

Yours,

Carolyn Michelle

Summer

I'd like to offer my very hearty welcome to Summer 2009, and boy, does it ever promise to be crafty!! I've got loads to do in these next three months including attending School of the Art Institute Chicago for two weeks and registering Luck, Love, and Hedgehogs Design to get a Federal ID Number. How exciting is that??? I know I mentioned that I was planning on registering MONTHS ago...but, well....yeah. Not even going to TRY and find an excuse for that one.

In other less...procrastination-oriented news, I've discovered a new craft: Bookbinding. Now, I can already hear you all shouting, "CAROLYN MICHELLE!!! Bookbinding is not a NEW craft!!!! It's practically the oldest one there is, spare making loincloths out of animal fur!!! Are you daft??"

I know, I know, but it's new to me! In two days I have perfected the art of Coptic binding. Okay, maybe not perfected, but let's just say I accomplished binding three books with minimal outbursts of obscenities-not-to-be-named. That's quite an accomplishment when it comes to me learning new crafts. Let's not re-live the time I tried to teach myself to knit. Yikes. Nobody ever said I was a fast, non-violent learner.

But yes, bookbinding is definitely up there on my "new favorite passions" list. I've been obsessively hoarding scrap paper with which to practice new binding stitches on.

On a completely different note, SPAIN AND FRANCE IN THREE DAYS AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not that I'm excited out of my mind, or anything like that. No, certainly not. I'm going to be nabbing paper at every chance I get while I'm abroad to feed my new-found bookbinding love/obsession. Pouvez-vous nous dire l'amour du papier? Can you say, paper love?

I'll be back in the States on Wednesday, June 24th with lots and lots of loot to share. Hopefully, my new camera will cooperate much better than my old one, which would make it far easier to upload loverly pics for you all to see!

Have a lovely week, and do share your all your adventures. I can't wait to read all about them when I get back. :3

Yours,
Carolyn Michelle

Just a quick post

Ahem. We've all heard it before but, "Oh my gosh how time sho' do fly!"

My sister is going to be a Freshman next school year.

A FRESHMAN!!!!!!

She's old!! And that means I'M old!!!! What am I going to do?!

In other news:

I survived my first day of finals. Three tests down, five to go. Uggg, will this year just get OVER already?? I'm just dying to crochet. Honestly. My fingers are literally twitching like mad. I think I have withdrawls and crocheter's block all at once. I was going to throw some yarn in my purse so that I'd have something to work on after I finished my tests today, and I couldn't think of anything to make. Not. One. Thing. I just stood and gaped at my stash of yarn this morning going: "Uhhhhhhh......" like some sort of loser. What's my DEAL???

Anybody else get like this? Anybody? I know I've gotten writer's block...but crocheter's block?? What's with that??

Okay, Tara is begging me to get off the computer, so I must surrender. Silly girl. She's all done for the year. No finals for the Junior High. Psht.

Unfair.

Okay.

I'm done.
-Carolyn Michelle

Yes, Crazy

I believe I have mentioned in the past that my life is crazy.

Yes, crazy.

I'm down to two weeks of school for this school year and let me tell you, the teachers are piling on the work like there's no tomorrow. Now, it's not difficult work, it's just tedious work. Final exams are May 29th, June 1st, and June 2nd. My last day is the 3rd. Can you say: PARTY?!! So many of my friends are graduating this year! Including my boyfriend. Did I mention him before? Heh. Like I said, crazy life lately.

So, as you can see from the hat picture above, I am.......behind on posting stuff to the shop. So, my loving Grandmother took my hats to the infamous "Pec Thing" and tried to sell them for me. I actually don't know how well it went, considering I hadn't even priced the darn things. Oh dear.

In other news:

The article in Rockford Woman's Magazine about my mother, sister, and I was a HUGE success. Sales have not been skyrocketing exactly, but tons of people have been coming up to me and asking me about my shop. The article is here if you are interested in reading it. I am still majorly excited about the nice little slice of publicity the shop is getting from the article. Very very exciting. Who'da thunk?

In other other news....my schedule for Summer 2009:

June 3rd: last day of school

June 14th-23rd: In Spain and France with the Durand Art Boosters

July 12th-26th: In Chicago at School of the Art Institute studying fashion construction

Other than that, I'm taking lots of naps outside, crocheting up a storm, hopefully reserving a booth for the Fall 2009 Pec Thing, playing hillarious pranks on my friends, breathing in and out....you know, the normal stuff we all do in the summer time.

Hope you all are enjoying this FANTASTIC weather today. 85 degrees and sunny, now that's what I'm talkin' 'bout. No more of the snow-cold-winter routine. I'm DONE!

Okay.

Lots of love,

Carolyn Michelle

Crazy Fast Update

There's been a case of The Crazys around here. My stack of crocheted hats has reached dangerously close to the overflowing point. Where are they coming from?! I swear, I don't remember making half of them. :P

Tomorrow is the ACT. Need I say, YIKES?!! For those who don't know, the ACT is a HUGE-MASSIVE standardized test that all juniors in high school take, nationwide. It's only what colleges now base most of their entrances on. No pressure. Psht. None at all.

*Faints from the pressure*

At least we get the rest of the day off afterwards.

Then on Thursday there is the PSAE, another state standardized test, and on Friday I leave to go down state for the state competition of Science Olympiad. More thinking. Ugggg, I'm going to be so braindead!!!!!! At least it's a nice long bus ride, so I'll be able to nap a whole bunch. And the hotel we are staying in has a pool. Bonus! Haha.

So this week is insane and maybe, eventually, I will update the shop. *sigh* I've been renewing my items weekly in order to pretend like I'm keeping on top of things. Key word, pretend.

Okay, study time.
Have fantabulous weeks all of you. I'll try to post after my head stops spinning.
-Carolyn Michelle