I'm doing this in stages, because I need to get some photos taken of the remaining items. In the shop now: "Hello my name is John" patches and Lucky Red Parcels.

Coming: Needle rolls (3 done, 2 more cut and ready. Done ones are: bees, bright stripes & skulls/flames)
Stitch Markers
A couple other things.

We're on our way out to have dinner and see Sarah for her birthday. 19 today. Gosh, I feel old!

Planned:
2 or 3 Red “Lucky Parcels”*
"Hello My Name is John" Yoyodyne name tag iron on patches
Stitch markers
Needle cases (no, really)
Needle Sheaths (hold 2-4 pairs, depending on size)

*Lucky Parcels are little packages of crafty goodness. The ones I’ll be putting in the shop are almost identical to these, but have a hand-sewn felt strawberry instead of a cherry. I make 3 for every Lucky Parcel Swap (the only swap I’m planning to stick with on a regular basis) and started making a couple of extra this time around.

Happy Sunday! I made a mini shop update this morning. Baby and children themed items. click here to see.

I finally got around to playing a little with the set of stamps I showed off a while back. These sets of gift tags are in my shop as a trial run.

I punched out the tags from new kraft lightweight cardstock and added red & white baker's twine ties.

ETA: If I make more, I either need slightly thinner paper or pre-made tags, because punching those out was a pain. But since the stamps are very old and don't release the images reliably, I'd hate to think of wasting so many purchased tags.

A. The George Foreman grill makes perfect bacon.
I know I could have done some research, but I decided to wing it and threw some on. Yes! No more buying pre-cooked bacon at twice the price. (I really can't fry bacon correctly. It's very sad.) The grill was a Christmas present to me, but has been mostly claimed by the gift-giver as "his" grill; however, I've been attempting to cook things on it, and am very happy with it. I'm okay with it being "our" grill.

B. I may not be collecting as many links for the occasional Crafty Fun Friday posts, but the old posts still come in handy.
Niece K has a pair of those knock-off Crocs. When we were out on Thursday, her mom gave her $ to buy us dinner. She declared that she wanted to save at least $5 so she could buy two of those little charms that fit in the holes. I promised her she could make tons of them for $5 and sent her mom this link. She's made several - for herself and her brother - although she'll probably still want some storebought ones.

C. Did a tiny bit of online shopping today at The Paper Princess
I ordered this cute pencil and red & white baker's twine, which I've wanted for ages. I also found rocket pens for a future gift package (but didn't order yet, but added to the gift ideas journal). If you're doing theme gifts, you might want to take a quick tour.

Hope everyone is well. My big task today is laundry. A taco attacked my new white shirt, and my brother's dog peed on my new pink-stiped one (it was just a drop, but it's in the super-extended wash cycle anyway). Otherwise, it's watching old horror movies and filling Etsy orders.

Speaking of Etsy: If you got this far, a top-secret, blog-reader only sale: (1) Order any of the monster products (there are 2 tees and a tote at the moment), and get free shipping. When you get your invoice, don't pay it - wait for me to send a revised invoice without the shipping (unless it will let you edit the amounts). (2) Order any of the remaining sleep masks (there aren't many), and I'll add a free pair of ear plugs (individually wrapped).

Sleeping masks & ribbon sheaths added to the shop just now.

I'm in the process of adding six sets of button stitch markers to the shop.

Sorry I can't post more, but it's been a long day (migraine). Doing somewhat better now (hence the shop update). Dad is also improving, as of yesterday anyway. I talked to him today, but didn't get any news.

...so I've posted a couple more Valentine Garland kits in the shop. The paper patterns will vary - except for the XOXO stuff, still have enough of that - but will be in the same pink & red scheme. I think these will be the last for V-day, because of my paper supplies. Other holidays may be forthcoming.

I spent part of my evening working on a secret project. You all know how good I am at keeping (crafty) secrets, so you must know I'm DYING to tell. But I won't. Oh wait, there are TWO secrets I'm keeping right now*. This sucks. ;-)

One, I'll be able to share tomorrow afternoon. The other isn't crafty, but is still top-secret and will have to wait until Sunday night or Monday.

*Much easier to keep when I forget about it.

I slept until almost noon (!) today. I never, ever do that, unless I wake up with a headache earlier, take a pain reliever and go back to bed. Now, as the headache is tapping on the door, I wanted to post a quick update and then go collapse! It's been a busy day - I was able to get through most of the items I had in mind for this round.

So, without further delay, here is a listing of items that I loaded into my shop this evening:
Totebags: Sock Monkey, Cthulu, Jr. & How to Knit
Tshirts: 2 Exclamation Points & 2 Cthulu, Jr. (1 kid's med & large per design)
Pillowcase: 1 robot (with free robot claw toy)
Knitting Needle Sheaths: 1 "I Wonder Who's Knitting for Me?" & 1 "How to Knit"

Wow, it seemed like so much more when I was working on it...

I just plugged this into my Etsy shop page:

"Some kind of freebie is always included. For example, knitting-related purchases (except for single stitch markers) will receive a free stitch marker. For purchases $5 & up (pre-shipping), and while supplies last (5), if you let me know your preference, an available stitch marker freebie is the "bashful, nekkid guy" (hands covering any naughty bits). You'll have to let me know you want this one, though - I don't want to offend anyone! (If your purchase isn't knitting-related, but you want a knitting freebie, just say the word.)"

I got 40 more needle inventory cards printed, plus my goody bag closure (left). Tomorrow, I'll get a couple of T's done, and a tote bag or two. I also have plans for just a couple more knitting needle sheaths, using my "I wonder who's knitting for me" and knitting instruction ribbon (misplaced until last night).

Besides the bashful guy stitch marker, the other freebies will be (if they turn out) Eunice or acorn stitch markers.

Note: I've lost this stamp and think the company that made it went out of business. I'd love to find another copy, if anyone has any ideas.

I promise that there will be content besides shop updates!

Oh! Here's one: I made the cutest little photo album today to accompany Red Scarf #4. I had pics from the skein of yarn, through cast on, the Ren Faire, zombie movie, guest knitters, and the completion. I'll try to scan it all before I mail the scarves to the Red Scarf Project.

Dad seems to be doing better. He also appears to be getting decent care this time. Thank goodness! One of his cousins is on staff there, and has been checking in. Extra people in white lab coats going into a room have to help.

I added a couple of Valentine's garland kits to my shop. Hope to get a couple of t-shirts up by Friday. I went to get shirts today, and the store had a much more limited selection in terms of both sizes and colors. I got four shirts - all kids sizes, two black and two green - and will do two Cthulu Jr. shirts and two exclamation point shirts. If they sell, I'll get more shirts. If they don't, then they'll be gifts for someone.

Like my new avatar? John and I decided that we'd have a traditional movie to watch on NYE, and I picked Buckaroo Banzai*. He also advised me to NOT break the seal on my BB comics.

*He says he knew I was the "girl" for him when he found out I owned this on DVD (and VHS, if you want to get technical). It's a favorite movie of some of my favorite people... not too common, so when I find someone that knows it and likes it, it's a little bit of joy.