Scallop Palette

A friend of our's who is a fisherman brought by a huge bucket full of scallop shells! They will make the perfect canvas for painting! Although first we got to do all the gross work first. 

© 2012 Heidi Chouinard 

They still have a little of scallop meat on them. You can imagine how stinky they are! :P

We have them scattered on the black pavement out back so that they can dry out. Then we will fill a large bucket with water and bleach to finish cleaning them. Hopefully we won't have to boil them!

© 2012 Heidi Chouinard 

Along with the shells was this ancient sea coke bottle covered in barnacles and sea growth. 

© 2012 Heidi Chouinard 

Thank you George for your contribution! :)

'To Knit' List--Selfish Knits

Every knitter/crocheter needs some time for selfish projects. I have a list of some things I would like to knit for myself, especially for this coming winter, given It will be my first winter living in Canada!

I am in love with the herringbone stitch(I am still working on the baby blanket that I am in no rush to finish), which brings me to this beautiful 6.Big Herringbone Cowl by Whit's Knits from the Purl bee:

(Free pattern)

There is also this 7. 'All the way around cowl' by Pickles:

(Free pattern)

I am thinking of knitting up this one first and for most, just because it will be a quicker knit and I already have all the materials for this. I am actually going to frog this stockinette scarf(below) I had knitted last year and turn into the one above, OR maybe I should knit it into a seed stitch cowl??? Please, any advice? Would be greatly appreciated!

© 2012 Heidi Chouinard

Another one of my favorite stitches is the seed stitch. I think the seed stitch makes a perfect warm chunky infinity scarf/cowl. So, here is the GAP inspired 8. GAP-tastic cowl by Jen Giegley:

(Free ravelry pattern)

9. Hello New York Winter Accessories by Pickles:

(Free patterns)

I especially love the striped mittens and think to start of with I am only going to make the mittens for me to wear next winter.

For a hat I am really liking 10. Rooty by Alexandra Tinsley:

(Purchase ravelry pattern here)

I like everything about it, the pattern design, the way it sits on the head, although I would probably knit it using a different color(s). 

Please feel free to share your input!:) 

Knit Craze

If you are a follower on my Pinterest, you know well that I have been in the midst of a knitting craze! I love finding awesome patterns, especially free ones, so I end up pinning them all, that way I have plenty of options for my future projects. As you may assume then, I have a loooong 'To Knit' list! I have so many ideas and want to share them all. So, I have decided that this week I will be sharing my list, although I have to admit it may take longer than a week to blog about, hehe. 

First up are these super cute 1. 'Rolled Cuff Booties by Nickie Alexander:

(Free ravelry pattern)

I love this variegated colorway.

While I am on the knitted baby booties kick, there are also 2. these  little sneaker booties that I am in love with! 

There seems to not be a pattern available for these guys, but the blog I got these from seems to have a good pictorial. 

Also these 3. Love Bug Booties by Madder:

(Pattern for purchase here)

 Out of all the baby bottom patterns I have, the 4. Kanoko Pants has to be my favorite! 

(Free pattern available here)

I really like the texture and use of different stitches through out it. I also like them in that tone of gray. Yah, know, it's funny, I read somewhere that the majority of people knit/crochet using the same color they saw in the pattern. I never really thought about it, but I think that is totally true! Now that I have been aware of that, I have seen it in myself, and find that the color of a project is what will first draw me in. This isn't always the case, but pretty darn close. 

This 5. Leafy Baby Blanket by Leyla Alieva ...'gasp', just gorgeous!

(Free ravelry pattern)

That's all the sharing for today. :) 

Weeble On A Slate

Now that the mural is finished we(my sister and I) have been back at the store for some laid back creativity, from getting creative with paints on hanging slates to birdhouses. It is June and we are already beginning to paint things geared towards halloween. Living in Salem for a good chunk of my life, I have successfully avoided the total ciaos that takes place downtown every year during the whole month of October(don't get me wrong, it can be a lot of fun, it is just not my thing)...but this year it is going to be unavoidable. We are going to be setting up a booth down town in October with some halloween things as well as some regular items that are sold at Nightingale. We are going to be in the midst of it all! Ahhhhh! 

On a positive note, I think it is going to be good exposure for Nightingale. 

Below is one of my halloween creations on a slate. As most of you have guessed, I like to create cutesy characters with unique, simple, designs/patterns. Weeble, is a ghost who is dressed up as a sort of bunny, who dwells gaurdian over the pumpkin patch during the night. 

© 2012 Heidi Chouinard 

© 2012 Heidi Chouinard 

© 2012 Heidi Chouinard 

Completed Charlie Brown Romper

While spending some time off here in Ottawa, I have been able to finish the romper! Oh, how I have loved knitting up this sweet garment! 

© 2012 Heidi Chouinard 

I decided along with the buttons to add snaps on the inside of the bottom, so to make it easier for mommy to change the little guy in. 

© 2012 Heidi Chouinard 

Weaving in ends is my least favorite part of a knitting project. It is tedious and can be time consuming. I read this tutorial from The Purl Bee(one of my favorite sites for free patterns) on some better ways to weaving in your ends. I found it very useful and feel confident that the ends will be fairly secure after many washes. 

© 2012 Heidi Chouinard 

© 2012 Heidi Chouinard 

The yarn that I chose for this romper made it very easy to block. I put it on low in the washer machine and  didn't put it in the dryer so that I could block it while it was still damp. I blocked using this method, which worked out perfectly! The romper is now ready to await the new Schoonbaert bundle of joy in just a few months! Well, he will I am sure still have to grow into it a bit first. :)

Gourmet Inspired

Oh, how I depend on inspiration. I really do not like the times that I am not feeling inspired, it always feels like when that happens my passion and creative energy is sucked right out of me. Sometimes the I do not find inspiration, but instead IT has finds me! Beth Doherty's Amigurumi creations is one of those. She has taken the Art of Amigurumi to another level.

I love when I see someones work and am utterly fascinated by their talent.  I have never seen plushys like this before. They are truly unique and striking. I like the sweet melancholic look that her creations have. I find her work to be flawless. She takes great care to all the details in her sweet little plushy's. I also love her use of color, especially in this little lamb above. I could so see this sitting on a dresser in a baby's nursery. 

On her blog, 'GourmetAmigurumi', she shares tips and techniques for Crocheting your own Amigurumi, as well as sharing the creative process in her construction of these little characters.

You can purchase patterns and completed plush toys at Beth's Etsy shop, here.

Tenticlese

So, my fiance and I did some planting today. We re-potted his 'Bird of Paradise' plant, which is so tall that it reaches the ceiling. When we removed it from it's pot this is what we found!!!

© 2012 Heidi Chouinard 

Haha. Check out the roots on this guy, a beast!

© 2012 Heidi Chouinard 

I am not sure if you can notice, but in the picture above there is the bottom of a plastic bag trapped from the roots growing around it. 

I just had to share this with you guys. It's kind of gross, huh? Yet amazing at the same time! I think they look like alien fingers. My fiance mentioned how they remind him of something you'd see on 'Predators'. 

As of now, this guy will be forever known as Tenticlese(named by my fiances room mate). :)

Romper Update

I got through the confusion on the Rhino Romper! I just finished the K2P2 rib trim on the little legs. :) I love how itty bitty it is! 

© 2012 Heidi Chouinard 

© 2012 Heidi Chouinard 

As you can see in the photo above there is a a couple of jagged stitches where I changed my color and began a new stripe. Ooooof course, I found a tutorial on how to avoid that after I had gotten too far on the romper. I am going to pull in the ends(they are hidden;on the inside of the garment) so that it closes up those small holes on either side of the stripes. New lessons learned from every project!

© 2012 Heidi Chouinard 

I'd say I am about 85% done. All I have left is to knit the trim on the sleeves, knit the trim for the button band in between the legs, weave in all my ends, and then button hunting for the perfect finishing touch!

My future home

Hello! I am so sorry for the lack of posts lately! 

My sister and I have been working on a mural at the new Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt shop that just opened up in town. Although it has been quite the challenge I have enjoyed painting on a wall at such a large scale. Of course, I have been thoroughly enjoying the delicious frozen yogurt as well! ;)

 Painting this mural has taken more out of me than I thought it would. I haven't been able to do any sketching lately. I hoping to get my creative juices flowing back soon, so that I can create so more illustrations. 

This past Sunday I flew out to Ottawa, ON, Canada, to visit my Fiance for a couple of weeks, where I will soon be making my home. Can I just make a sigh of relief, 'sigh'. It is so nice to be spending time with my favorite person! Yesterday we took a walk down the the beach,(a river with some sand). Definitely not your New England beach with the ocean, but still is very nice.

© 2012 Heidi Chouinard 

© 2012 Heidi Chouinard 

Though my creativity with illustrating has been blocked, I am able to be creative with my camera, which I love!

© 2012 Heidi Chouinard 

© 2012 Heidi Chouinard 

© 2012 Heidi Chouinard 

© 2012 Heidi Chouinard 

© 2012 Heidi Chouinard 

I must say that it is truly a wonderful feeling to be going out and about taking pictures with my fiance! I will share more soon! 

:)