FO Friday 27/05/2011

I have four finished objects to show you tonight. The first is an item I finished for Sue (that is, she knitted it and I sewed it up).

Child's pink beanie

I don't know why Sue doesn't like finishing her creations.

I now have 6 shopping bags ready for markets tomorrow.

Shopping Bag #6 in pouch

Shopping Bag #6

And a matinée jacket.

Matinée Jacket in purple

As well as the robot that I featured on Wednesday.

Blue Robot.

I do hope this one sells as I'm quite looking forward to making more.

Richard.

WIP Wednesday 25/05/2011

My hooks and pointy sticks have been quite busy again this week with 3 items for FO Friday and I'm hoping to get one more finished before Saturday.

Robot in Blue

This is to replace the owl that I sold at the last markets. I'm hoping it will ready for the next which will be this Saturday.

Rose Dress Tartan

Just because I was too lazy to get up and get what I needed for my next project, I did a few more rows on this. I hope to start adding more rows to it once I've caught up with the items I want for the market stall.

Friday crochet class has seen a bit more progress on a couple of blankets.

Tunisian Mitred Squares

Crochetknit Blanket Coloured Side

Crochetknit Blanket Cream Side

 I've actually started doing the squares for this while in bed instead of doing puzzles.

Today it was time for craft group at church and I managed to do a few more rows on the knitted beanie.

Knitted Beanie in Red Heart Boutique

And the toddlers jacket.

Toddlers Jacket in Tunisian Crochet

I also spent a little time in a waiting room working on my scarf.

Two For The Road Scarf

I ended up frogging it back to the start of the first Lacy Grit Stitch section. It still looks a bit narrower than the rest but it now has the correct number of stitches.

That's it for the WIPs. I'll be back on Friday to show off the finished objects.

Richard.

The end of the world is near

I know, it's very cliche, but with all the predictions floating around I thought I might put in my 2 cents worth.

Harold Camping predicted that judgement day would happen on May 21 this year (http://www.smh.com.au/world/cult-claims-end-of-world-is-nigh--go-figure-20110519-1euzb.html) based on dates of certain events in the Bible, but he got it wrong. When I first heard of this prediction I was confident that he was wrong.

A guy in Queensland, who says that he is the son of God and his wife is Mary Magdalene, tells us that the world will end next year and happen just as the movie portrayed. I don't believe him either.

In Matthew 24:36 Jesus says “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

The Book of Revelation tells us that there will be 1000 years after Jesus' return so the end of the world is quite a way off yet, however, I believe that Jesus' return is quite close and, according to The Book of Revelation, most of us won't be alive to see it as we will die in the seven years of tribulation. I have reason to believe that the tribulation will start within the next 25 years and we need to be prepared for what lies ahead.

Richard.

Kingdom Attitude #1

The reading this morning came from Psalm 32 (although the message was based around Matthew 5:3)

Blessed are the poor in spirit.

We need to be poor in spirit in order to embrace the rest of the beatitudes.

This passage is not about money or about putting yourself down!

To be poor in spirit is to admit our utter bankruptcy and dependence on God.

Most of us won't admit that we can't do something (unless it's something we don't want to do), that we are helpless. Aussies, especially, are hardworking, not helpless in anyway.

The first step toward a kingdom attitude is to admit that we are totally helpless and dependent on God. You are blessed when you are at the end of your rope. Less of you leaves more room for God.

The second step is to humble ourselves. Humility is like underwear, we all wear it but we shouldn't let it show. Pride looks at other people and how much better we are than them, but humility compares ourselves with God and sees our lack.

Joy - Jesus first, yourselves last and others in between.

The third step is to hand over control to God.Blessed are we when we become kingdom people and accept God's will for our lives. This is something we all have trouble with because we want to be in control (or at least think we are).

Richard.

PS I might be back tomorrow to give my take on all the "end of the world" prophecies that seem to be floating about right now.

The week that was 21/05/2011

If your reading this then the prophecy about the rapture was wrong (or that you and I missed out). In any case, I plan on carrying on as if it was a false prophecy and keep preparing for the real thing.

This week hasn't been particularly eventful. Sue went to aqua on Monday while I went to the gym. We've had a look at a few more properties and while we have found a couple that were suitable it seems we we weren't. We still have a couple of applications in so there's still a chance. Crochet class on Friday morning was a bit of a flop as there was only two of us there and we were both there to teach.

We didn't have any markets today and there haven't been any sale at either my Madeit (http://www.madeit.com.au/storecatalog.asp?userid=41667) or Artfire (http://www.artfire.com/users/RosesCrafts) shops. The only positive is that one of my toys featured on Madeit's blog (http://madeitdotcomdotau.blogspot.com/2011/05/dolls-softies-toys-love.html).

That's about it for this week.

Richard.

FO Friday 20/05/2011

I have managed to finish a few projects this week, including a couple that were only WIPs a couple of days ago.

First off, a couple of bags.

Bag #4 in pouch

Bag #4 hanging

Bag #5 in pouch

Bag #5 hanging

I ran out of on shade of blue, so I finish #4 in a darker shade. I think #5 is going to be the final size for any other bags I make.

The other item is one I kinda made as a spur of the moment type thing. I had an idea for a reversible teapot cosy and thought I would make it as my entry into a LYS's teapot cosy competition.

Teapot Cosy - Black with white

Teapot Cosy - White with black

I don't know that others will be impressed with this design but I quite like it.

See you tomorrow with my weekly round-up.

Richard.

WIP Wednesday 18/05/2011

Welcome to another round-up of what's on my hooks and pointy sticks this week. I have decided that I'm not blogging enough and will therefore be introducing an FO Friday post with all my finished objects.

This week I decided I would enter a competition run by my LYS for WWKIP Day. She wants people to make a Teapot Cosy but she has a rule that any yarn used must be bought at her shop. Even though I have plenty of yarn in the cupboard I've never bought any from her shop so I went and bought some wool to make a cosy.

As you can see I'm doing this one in crochetknit (or crochet on the double if you prefer) which will make it reversible. I don't know if this will win the major prize ($50) but I hoping it will get some votes.

I started the teapot cosy because I was getting a little bored with shopping bags.

Shopping Bag #5

I think I've almost perfected the design although #4 (which you will see on Friday) was a little big for its pouch. I'm hoping to have 6 of these ready for the next market, which shouldn't be a problem unless I get sidetracked again.

I have managed to finish a couple more patches for the crochetknit blanket that I'm doing.

And add another square to the tunisian crochet blanket.

But my progress on the "2 For The Road Scarf" is going backwards.

I think I'm going to have to frog this back to the beginning of the first "Lacey Grit Stitch" section (the really narrow bit) as I think I messed up the start of it and this caused me to lose a couple of stiches (hence the narrowness).

That's it for the WIPs. See you on Friday for the FOs.

Richard.