First Dye Job

Well, I decided to take the plunge and dye up the skein of yarn I have had sitting around meaning to dye for a couple months. Here's what I ended up with:














I grabbed "tropical punch" because the package is blue (I was in a hurry) but uh... it's really red. So I had 2 red colors and one yellow. I wanted rainbow yarn so I used blue food coloring and then after I microwaved it the first time I was unimpressed with the yellow...














...so I added some yellow food coloring.














Because of that the yellow is a little uneven, I had transferred it from wax paper on the counter to a Pyrex dish for microwaving so I didn't get the yellow uniformly through the yarn. Oh well, live and learn right? I was going for a rainbow and would say that's pretty much what I got. A little uneven, but that's ok with me. I don't like color pooling so I guess unevenness should help, right?











Skeined up... Mini-Swatch

Now I just need to figure out what to make with it, it's about 4 oz. Suggestions?

After the Weekend

Well, I made it home. I was up in Grand Marais for the North Shore Dragon Boat Festival in Grand Marais. It was fun, but our team didn't do so well. Anyway, it created a bit of a pinch to get things done, but I did it! I had a few orders last week that I got off and I'm so proud of myself for it!

While I was gone I made a new drawstring for dd's Turtle Butt (it actually ties now), started one for ds, and plugged away a bit on the Shetland Shorty I'm working on for SIL. So now I've spent all morning on the computer reading about the Ravelympics and figuring out what projects I'm going to make, which means figuring out what I'm making everyone for Christmas. I've also got to work on some web development stuff here. I'm working on my diaper and wool pages on my computer and will wait until they contain most of what they need to before I put them up live. Stay tuned!

Victory

La la la! I figured out how to post a photo!

Anyway, here is Turtle Butt all done. It's on my babe at this very moment, and oh how I love 100Purewool. The only problem is my drawstring was too short... imagine that. I always make my drawstrings too short because I don't want to "waste yarn". Customers' drawstrings are always fine, it's just my own. Anyway, isn't it cool? I have to make another now for my toddler. I think I'm going to do it with the same brown and a blues/browns variegated yarn (Patons "Wedgewood" colorway) only switch up the pieces so the inside of the turtle squares will be brown instead of variegated.

Anyway, I have to get the kids to bed. Dh is gone until probably after 10 so I get to do all the fun stuff tonight. :)

Website Update

I have been toying with switching up my website. I have been doing the coding on my website myself and find it hard to learn html while taking care of young children - I just don't have the time. So I was considering changing from a dotcom (well, dotnet) site to using either HyenaCart or Etsy to sell my wares. Well I was messing around with my files on my hosting account and found out I can do some editing there, and can put in pictures. That was one thing I was really having a hard time with, getting pictures to link properly. So after discussing cost with my husband I've decided to give it a little work and see if I can't get OneBigHappy.net up and functioning, at least a little better than it has been. I feel like once I have a relatively decent website set up I can really start promoting myself a little better and might actually make a bit of a profit once in awhile on it.

So, keep your eyes peeled... diapers and woolies will be making their way onto my website soon!

Pattern *Swooning*

There is something wrong with me, it must be a serious disease. I saw a picture of a Danish Tie Shawl and I'm in love. I should blame it on SpiffyKnits, but I don't even know her. I think I got to her blog from MVFF because she donated a raffle prize. But seriously, I HAVE to make one! It's so cute... and extremely functional. See, I live in the frigid north... Minnesota, USA... and it gets cold here. And in case no one has noticed, all things living-related are costing more and more and more (ie natural gas to heat my house). That said, we keep our house at a balmy 68 degrees Farenheit during the daytime, and 65 at night. With that information one can see the practicality of having a shawl around the house, and with two kids, a shawl that stays put is even better.



On to other news, I got a couple of things done on Friday! I got a batch of lip balm made, but not enough to fill the order I have at the Color Wheel Salon. Bah. I didn't have enough containers on hand... which reminds me I should run and go pick some more up tonight. I also got the lotion made for the raffle, but she didn't give it away... so I don't know if I needed to do that or not, but it's done. I was kind of proud of myself for that one! And I got a picture taken. The bath bag and facial bag both come with a hand knit washcloth and I got two of those knit over the weekend. I made a Vine Lace Washcloth for both of them, I am pretty happy with how they turned out. The pattern was a little putsy at first, and required paying attention to what row you are on, but they're cute. I "blocked" one a little and was disappointed to see that it looks like the color in the yarn ran a little. I used a natural colored yarn that has little sections kind of "painted" in light blue, purple, and pink. (Note to self: Figure out how in the WORLD to post photos.) I do still need to make some cold cream because I have an order for that. Seriously, it's some great stuff. I have a friend who can hardly use anything to clean her face because she breaks out or gets a rash, and my cold cream works for her. It makes me proud. :)

Progress... Or lack thereof

It seems things never get done as they should. I have yet to make the lip balms for the shop, the kids keep getting "in the way". I have a toddler and an infant and getting anything accomplished can sometimes be a real challenge.

I also need to get a picture of some stuff over to Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farm. Her uncle was injured terribly and she is raffling off her entire fiber stash to raise money for his new wheelchair. It's amazing. You can read about it on her blog. Anyway, I'm donating a bath bag (bath salt, almond lotion, lip balm, and hand-knit washcloth) as a raffle prize. It's not much, but I really want to help them out, it's an amazing story. I'm also going to buy a ticket and secretly hope with all my being that I'm the grand prize winner! I don't know what I'd ever do with all that yarn, but I might just stroke it and build shelves to admire it.

I am also testing a pattern for Melanie of Adorabubble Knits, her "Turtle Butt" pattern. It's a soaker and has kind of a turtle shell design on it. It's knitting up pretty quickly. Now that I'm about to divide for the leg holes we'll really see. :) As soon as I figure out how to upload a picture into the text space I'll post a couple pictures.

About OBH

One Big Happy was started in the fall of 2006 selling soft baby carriers (wraps and slings) and natural(ish) bath products. I have since moved into diapers and knitting wool covers - knitting has become my love. I could spend hours on Ravelry drooling over yarns and patterns, it's really pathetic. I make diapers using the Rita's Rump Pockets pattern and knit using the Adorabubble Britches pattern and I really like them both. The diaper I can put on both my infant and my toddler with no probems. The britches have a fantastic fit, and Melanie provides stellar support.

As far as my bath products go, I love making them and feel so much better about using them than the commercial products out there. Someone contacted me with concerns about using borax as the emulsifier, but the information I find about it's safety is conflicting (imagine that!). I'm looking for a different emulsifier and might try Dr. Bronner's Castile soap, but I'm not sure how to find the correct ratios except by trial and error, and it gets expensive to use that much oil if you're gonna just throw it away.

Anyway, my lip balm rocks and I really need to make some. A local beauty shop buys it from me (her son loves it for his exema) and she needs some. With everything that has been going on lately I just haven't had the time to make more. I do have the tubs and I *think* all the ingredients, so we're just waiting on a spare hour when the kiddos aren't in the way. :)