Latest Weather Forecast

Folks around here are getting a bit disenchanted

 with the accuracy (or lack thereof)

 of the local weather forecasts.  

So I figure my dog, Schatten, and I

 would take a stab at it.

Armed with our own meteorology equipment,

we went out back to take a reading.

No doubt about it...

it's fixin to warm up for the summer.

Spring is over.

Y'all can put away your winter clothes.

Yarn Wreath - My Version

People keep showing me pictures from Pintrest of yarn ball wreaths.

They are very cute and very color coordinated.

However, it bothers me that I might need a dab of just that color and regret having it hanging on the wall, unusable.

So I came up with this version.

I happened to use a heart shaped wire base,

which I wrapped with some velcro I had laying around.

(the sticky side)

Then wrapped up leftover scraps of yarn,

which I spent too much time unraveling from tangled piles.

Yep, they just stick to the velcro.

So if I need one I can grab it.

If I want to change out the colors for the seasons

or the decor it is very easy to do so.

I just could not bring myself to wrap around styrofoam balls

as directed in the others I had seen

when I have so much stash and might want to use it again!

Now if I can just find those wire wreath hangers

so I can hang it up!

Styling for Mother's Day

For Mother's Day this year I got my mom a couple of outfits.

Then crocheted a pair of matching flowers which went onto bobby pins for her hair.

And lastly crocheted her a shrug as she is always cold.

I got them all wrapped and boxed and ready to mail today but last night got an email from my brother who informs me that in the last three weeks mom has lost a full size!

I am so jealous!

That meant a trip to the mall to exchange the clothes.

Lucky me, I found the same and nearly the same so the things I crocheted still matched!

At least I found out before I mailed them!

And this gave me a chance to take photos that I forgot to take before.

Now to get them boxed up - again.

Blocking

I recently finished a sweater for myself but it needed blocking.  The pattern had directions for blocking that I had not seen before but since this was a kit with a mercerized cotton yarn that I do not generally use I felt I should give it a try.

"Lay it out as desired and place a damp towel on top.  Press down firmly and leave until towel is dry.  Then remove towel and leave until the sweater is dry."

Sounded easy enough.  And it was...  after I spent the entire afternoon cleaning the garage so I could set up the card table to lay this out.

But the weather was perfect for doing this much needed project and I feel so much better having  it finished.  Well, almost finished.  I have a few things for a top shelf that are waiting for my tall grandson to help me with.

It sure feels good to have things sorted and organized again.  And I just might have this new sweater finished in time for cooler weather!  

Getting in the Halloween Spirit

Working on a little surprise for the new granddaughter.

While Delilah, the other granddaughter's Chihuahua watches as my daughter works on the skirt.

I was glueing on eyes.

Check back later to see how this works out.

Distracted

I just saw a plaque for sale in a catalog (Potpourri) that says:

"I can't clean because....

I get distracted by all the Cool stuff I find."

Oh that sooooo describes me!  

Not to mention the condition of my house!

Every time I start to put something away or organize or sort

I start finding stashes  

of all kinds of things

And patterns or instructions for wonderful projects

that I plan to try  -  someday.

And instantly I forget all about what I came in with or for

and want to begin work on:

a flamingo quilt

or a new blouse

a knotted bracelet

or a crocheted sweater

a card for mom

or some tatting for a challenge (how long ago?)

Sprang that I still don't have the hang of

or Broomstick Lace that looks so neat

Christmas ornaments

or grapevine wreaths

weaving a shallow basket for picking blueberries

or maybe knitting a cap for my grandson

A new recipe to try

or that painting of the squirrel I photographed on the fence.

I could go on and on and on and on.

How about you?

What distracts you from cleaning?

Found it!

I found it!  I finally had a few minutes to relax and think about where I put that purse pattern.  Guess what?  I have been so busy that I realized I had not PUT it anywhere.  It was still in the bag with the leftover yarn from making the purse.  HA  Yeah, I know ya'll have a different bag for different projects with more than one full at a time.  I know I sure do.  More project bags than I care to admit, truth be told.

Anyway, when I looked there it was, right where I left it.  It is a free pattern from Bernat called Mermaid Tears Purse.  You can find it here.  Enjoy!  And thanks for your patience.  It is worth waiting for.

100

Wow, this is my 100th post for this blog.  It is also my comeback after an almost 5 month absence.  I knew I would be gone awhile but had no idea it would take so long.  Family matters.  They aren't finished.  Not by a long shot but I am home again.

I wish it felt as good to be back as I thought it would.  I am still spending hours every day on paperwork and sorting.  It is beginning to take a toll on my wrists/hands and my Carpal Tunnel is complaining.  All of which explains why I have not done much fun stuff for the past few months and still am not finding myself able to enjoy life as much as I would like but it is getting better.

In the meantime, as I come across the few items I did work on and finish I will post photos, beginning today with this alligator stitch purse.  I had been seeing this stitch everywhere and wanted to try it out but when I saw this purse I could not resist.  The colors are not what I would have bought or even dug out of my stash at home but I considered myself lucky to find these neutral colors laying around my room in California and personalized it with the teal blue flower.

I have to say it was fun and the top band has a neat stitch effect as well which was also new to me.  While we are at it the handles were totally new techniques that I still am not certain I did correctly.  Some detailed drawings would have been helpful but regardless it produced nice softly padded handles that unlike most crocheted handles do not seem to stretch out!  I haven't had a chance to try it out yet so can't be certain.

I would love to give credit for the pattern and if/when I run across it in one of my boxes I will post it.  I do know I got it off the internet.  I know that isn't a huge help but there it is.

Anyway, I have SO many things I want to do that I don't know where to begin but first I have to finish sorting out all this stuff and organizing it and catch up on two months worth of mail.  Yikes!

They Matched

I finally had a few minutes to go out and find the tea cozies I made last August and I think they match this set of place mats and coasters well enough. They are a nice change from Christmas.

Working ahead

I was still waiting for the yarn I ordered to arrive so I went ahead and made these two tea cozies that will be for Valentine's Day.

And guess what? The zebra yarn arrived while I was working on these so now I am ready to go back and finish that afghan. What great timing.

I still need to go out and look for the pansy tea cozies. I am just trying not to do too much bending until I get this tooth taken care of. Soon though I will be back to myself and will go looking for those. I sure hope they match!

While I wait

I have been slowly working on an afghan for weeks now. Even though I bought the amount of yarn called for I ran out of the zebra half way through! Of course that was the color I had to order because no one around here carries it.

So while I am waiting for that to arrive I went back to the teapot patterns. I made three more coasters and this time used the washing machine to felt them. It came out much closer to the size and texture I had envisioned. I also made three more of the place mats from the pattern I wrote based on the coasters. Since I did not want to felt the place mats but do want them to be washable I had to use different yarn and the colors did not match up as well as I had hoped but actually better in person than they look in this photo.

Now I need to dig out the tea cosy and see if those pansies will match...

Back to sewing fun

Remember the fun sun dresses I was making last summer? Well I confess I did go back for the black and white print fabric because it was haunting me, even though I did not have time to even finish the flamingo one.

So I finally had some time after hemming some new pants and pulled it back out and started to play around. I actually had pictured it with red/orange or red accents since the flowers are poppies but after several tries I ended up with this combo since it is more my color.

Of course this is only pinned together in the back and not hemmed... needs straps - you know - I still have to actually MAKE the dress. But now that I have a vision I am ready to sew!

Oh yeah, the flamingos? Well, I started sewing that one but decided I really did not like that rainbow rick rack for straps after all so have to get back to the fabric store to see what I can find.

Spiders and webs

Here is a photo of the projects we have been working on lately. We all crocheted spider napkin rings and decoupaged plates. Kristy and I made these candle sleeves but Stacy did not make it over today to do hers.

The spider web is one I crocheted a few years back and I am helping my daughter make one. Quite a project for a new crocheter but she is almost 1/3 finished already. Stacy settled for coaster size webs. LOL

It is fun to have a themed table setting!

Felted Teapot Coaster

This is the teapot coaster that I crocheted and then felted. Not particularly pleased with it. I think I need practice with this. Suggestions or advice anyone?

A bargain price

I started a table runner using some Perle Cotton Thread and looked over to see the price tag from the thread stuck to the bottom of my dear friend's foot. He wasn't too impressed with my interest in the bottom of his foot. Does this mean he is only worth $2.49?

The baby blanket in use

My number one granddaughter took this photo of me with her new cousin. Isn't she just as sweet as liquid sugar? Yeah, I am a bit prejudiced.

Oh yes, this is the baby blanket I made while I was gone.

That's my story

I believe that cookies, homemade cookies, make you feel better. Comfort food at it's best. After hurricane Ike we would sit in the evening and munch on homemade cookies that I had baked right before it hit and it made us feel better. It felt like things would be fine. So today I baked a big batch of chocolate oatmeal cookies so that if the power does go out from tonight's ice storm I can huddle under the blankets and eat cookies and know that everything will be alright. Yeah, that's my story and I am sticking to it. You can accuse me of just wanting an excuse to indulge if you want but I am sticking to my story!

Oh, and there are only half a dozen on the platter as I promised Darlene I would take a photo of the flamingo platter that I found in the back of the pie safe as I was digging out recipes. Ha, that is a whole 'nuther story. I am in the throes of sorting and organizing all of those recipes I have 'saved to try one day'!

Cherry Snowmen

These little snowmen looked so cute in the pictures.

But when I made them they look like they have been sitting in the sun too long!

But even if they look more like the ghosts of Snowmen past,

they were still really good to eat!

Finished in time for Christmas Giving

I just finished the last afghan to be given for Christmas.

This is the one from the Bernat CAL.

It will be going to my daughter as the colors should compliment her house.

And this one is going to my granddaughter for her bedroom.

She however, knows I was working on it as I wanted her approval on the colors.

More holiday crafting

Today my daughter was back to work on more plates.

She made real progress and hopes to finish next time she comes over.

While she did that I worked on making some 'natural' ornaments for her tree using walnuts and glitter. This was another easy project!

I look forward to seeing her tree.