New Projects for a New Year!

Okay... the 'Name That Painting - Win An Art Book' Competition has been figured out, finished and I've posted off the book! I just haven't told anyone who the winner is. Yep, I'm leaving everyone except the postal service in suspense! Nice touch isn't it?

So, you may be wondering what I'm getting up to now. Well, I've been knitting away in the lounge lately on my new project of a blanket for Winter. This year, I'm not doing scarves. This year, I'm knitting big squares from 100g of 8ply wool and stitching them together into a massive blanket to use in Winter. So, I thought to start early. It ought to be good once I've finished it and gotten it all done. I'm onto the last bit of the second square and I'll be starting the third one (of a different colour) soon. Each square will be in a different stitch each time. So, they'll all feel different from each other... pretty cool, eh?

And The Painting's Finished!

Yay! The painting has been completed! With two weeks or so to spare too! I put on the finishing touches yesterday afternoon and signed it! So, how's that for getting it before the deadline. I have seen it change a lot since I put it back up on the easel and with fresher and new colours introduced as well, it's looking lovely.
Now, all I need to do is pick out a name from the list of 17 that have been offered up by all of you who have entered this competition. And from those 17, I've found two that I love. The two are:

'Canyon of the Giants'
'On the Edge of Forever'

Now, the two who put in those titles know who they are. And I'm going to keep my decision a secret until the last day. You can make up your own mind about who is going to win. And until 31st, January, 2010, here's the photos of what the painting looked like before and after I finished it below.

Name That Painting Competition - An Update!

I just thought to give you guys an update on this little competition I started last year; and let you know that I haven't forgotten about the painting or that there's that lovely prize of that brilliant 12 Lesson drawing book up for grabs if I choose the name you've entered as the suggested title of this painting.

Now, I haven't got an up-to-date photo of it; and have done this on purpose, so that you can all have a look at the finished product once I've drawn the name and the winner from the list of 17 people who jumped in and had a look, gave in their title and then have been wondering if they're going to win.

I have been working on the un-named painting over the last month or so and it has improved markedly. So, when I do put the photo of it up when it's finished, it will look complete and fresh. And I will put up a photo of what it looked like before and after its completion so you can see what I did to improve it.
Well, we have around 20 days left of the competition to go until I put the finishing touches on the painting and sign it with its chosen name written on the back. I wish you all luck in whoever is the winner.

A New Year ! A New Project!

Hello to all you crafty people again! And welcome to a new year of knitting, craft and anything you can make, paint and construct with your hands. So... what have you all been up to? Me? I've been to Brunswick Heads, NSW. It's just south of the border (it sounds like I've been to Mexico, but really, I've been to the ocean) and had a great time reading, blogging my holidays, getting sunburnt (nope that wasn't planned... normally isn't is it?) and eating mudcrab sandwiches.

I've also been planning a massive project that may take up a good part of my year. Last year, I knitted four scarves. And I gave them all to wonderful people. One of them went to my Birthday Buddy, one went to my Mum, then my niece got one and finally my brother's girlfriend, Katrina received one for Christmas.
This year, I'm planning to knit a large blanket to cover the back of the lounge. You see, I have a lounge cover that's seen better days. It's got huge holes in it where I normally sit. Now, I'll be keeping the cover, and putting a thick blanket that I'm using on the back now to cover the seats. However, I thought to cover the back, it would look just lovely to fold a hand-knitted checkered blanket. I've started on the first square and am 3/4 through it with a Moss Stitch; after casting on 61 stitches. Once I have enough squares done up in different colours and stitches (but the same ply 8 wool), I'll be stitching them all into a big square/rectangle and then doing a blanket stitch around the outside of it. I'll keep you guys up-to-date with how it's doing from time to time as it'll take a while to finish it.

So, what project - big or small - are you planning this year? Until my next post, keep knitting and keep creating.