Been Busy Hookin'

That's right!  I've been crocheting my butt off, that kind of hookin'.  I found a great website offering free crochet patterns am working on my first crocheted sweater.

I want to use the funky yarn
as a scalloped trim for this super
square neckline

I've stuck to hats, flowers, scarves and fingerless gloves until now, but I'm feeling brave and going for it.  If it looks horrible, I'll just unravel it and make some more hats.

We took the weekend off from thrifting because we had scheduled a college tour for our high school senior - road trip to Long Island!  We toured SUNY Stony Brook - Tyler is undecided as far as majors go, so we're looking at schools that offer a broad base of majors/minors.  I'm not crazy about the drive into Long Island from Northwestern CT.  It ended up being an all day thing - especially once I used the smartphone after the tour and used a GPS to find us the closest "Guitar Center".  The boys like to go in and try out all different kinds of amps and guitars even though they have PLENTY of their own at home.  I like to go into the acoustic room, but this time I sat in the car crocheting and listening to the horrible Yankees/Red Sox game.  Horrible because I'm a Sox fan. I also did a GPS search for a bead store, but other than an AC Moore, there wasn't anything nearby.

I prefer to go to independent bead shops when I look for beads - I find the most unusual beads that way and I have a Michael's near me, and any Michael's you go to is exactly the same.

I keep hoping I'll run into another Off The Beaded Path.  Off The Beaded Path is a great little store in Great Barrington, MA.  I also like Beadworks in Norwalk, CT and A Bead of Roses in Newtown, CT.

Whenever we strike out to check out a college, I will be looking for local bead stores, thrift stores and Guitar Center/Sam Ashes.

Last weekend I met up with my dear friend Jon and his partner Gib in Niantic, CT.  They are the KINGS of the Flea Market and always find the greatest stuff which they then make even greater.  I am in love with their patio.

Note the vintage metal chairs/tables that they painted in
super bright colors

I could literally live back here, this hammock was a total motivational
suckage unit, I had the hardest time ripping myself out of it so I
could join everyone for dinner, despite the awesomness of dinner!

They have all kinds of magic hanging from their trees

I am hoping to go to a few fleas with Jon before the season ends down in his neck of the woods.

The big news is I've signed up for MY VERY FIRST CRAFT FAIR in November.  I immediately panicked thinking I certainly don't have enough product and need to start making stuff pronto!  The burns on my fingers from the new glue gun notwithstanding.