It's Christmas In August

I don't believe this, but I was wrapping Christmas presents this morning! They were presents I have had for a couple of years... Long story. Really long story. But it felt weird wrapping Christmas presents in August. Eri was "helping" me. 😂 See her paw? "That one is my favorite. It needs a bow."  And, I found a stocking stuffer I forgot to put in with our middle sons' presents last Christmas. So, technically, I am started on this Christmas. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I kind of missed Christmas in July, except for making one card. So... It's Christmas in August. 😝

Scrunchies

This is actually a three year old project. It was in my memories today. But I don't think I've ever posted about it..  And, quite frankly, I don't know why I even crocheted these. My hair has not been long in years...  😐  I don't know. Maybe I was going to send them to Pine Ridge. But, I am also not on Ravelry any more. I am sick of their BS. So, I guess I'm not in the group to send things there. I could still send them, if I can find the address. Or I can sell them at a garage sale.  

My nine month "Survivorship" appointment yesterday: My doctor said all my tests (CT scan, blood work, and colonoscopy) all came back normal, no signs of anything to be worried about and I am "cancer free".

Tea Time

Look at what my pen pal from the UK sent me!!!😱😱😱 I could not, and I still can't, believe it.  I almost started to cry. Two boxes of tea (but the Cumbrian Tea is two boxes by itself, so it's more like three boxes!), wool yarn, fabric with black crows (or Ravens?) on it, a beer coaster, all kind of little papers about the UK, and a geocaching "swag". I have not geocached, ever. But I have been on the website for four years. I just have never done it. I didn't really know how/what you're supposed to do. (I've been watching videos about it, though.) I am blown away by this package. 

The cats were so excited, too. 😻  It cost 19 pounds to send the whole package, here. I tried to send her four tea bags, in a manilla envelope, earlier;  and they wanted to charge me $22!!! I HATE the post office here. I said, "Do you know how many BOXES of tea I could buy, for $22??" Ugh...  Anyway, I love this package! She has been my pen pal for ten years and she is such a good pal. I could almost buy a plane ticket to the UK for what they want to charge me to ship something there. 

I went to World Market yesterday with my husband, and I got this mug for my tea. They say on TikTok to "get your favorite tea mug", when you are making a cup of tea. So this will be my tea mug. This holds two "cups". I measured the water this morning..   So far, my favorite tea is Yorkshire Tea. I like Tetley too. I like the Cumbrian Tea, but Yorkshire is my fave. I think I have enough tea for a Boston Tea Party. 😝   

Today is the nine month anniversary (?) of my surgery. I have an appointment tomorrow morning with the doctor (surgeon). For "Survivorship Care".  I had a bunch of other appointments earlier this month. So far (as far as I can see?) everything looks normal...  I am still a little worried, though. 

Strawberry Summer Still Going.....

Yesterday, I just was fed up with this tea cozy sitting there, not done...  I've been trying to finish projects I have started. Sigh...  This one is the biggest pain, too. The tea cozy part was actually easy. Once I figured out how to do it, and wrote it all down. The eighty flowers, and now the strawberries...  🥴 I have probably five more of the strawberries to crochet. I have all the flowers done.

Theres' just eight million ends to weave in, and sew two flowers together (three times)...  Which, I did all of that too. I took a picture of the two flowers sewn together but it is such a pain trying to upload pictures..  And, technically (I did the math while I was taking a shower this morning 😂) there was only 36 ends to weave in. But, it felt like 8 million.

I had been going through pictures on my phone, and found this. I don't even remember where I found this. Either Instagram or Pinterest.  That's the strawberry pattern I'm using. And I just chained 14 and didn't make a loop with it... Ugh.. Maybe someday I will get it all together. I can't remember what flower pattern I used. I need to get them all together for future reference. Even though I doubt I will ever make another one of these. It's too much of a pain! This is where I found the original tea cozy, although I just used the chart to get started. I had to basically wing the rest. I cannot find, or remember what the flower pattern I used was. ETA: I looked on Pinterest, and found one that looked like the one I crocheted (which is on Instagram 🙄): Crochet Daisy Pattern.  ETA: I am almost positive this is the actual flower pattern I used. It was in my emails (I send myself patterns so I can find them later...)

I just wanted to crochet one day, and I don't even know...  I just grabbed a ball of red cotton and green cotton out of the bag I have down here, and crocheted a strawberry hot pad for my kitchen. I used this YouTube pattern.  I crocheted a small strawberry keychain once that looks like this. I didn't take a picture of it though, I don't think.  I also don't know if I am going to do a strawberry chair cozy...  I hardly ever sit outside. And if I do, there's a place to put my drink and my phone.

I took a picture of how much this plant has grown since I repotted it. It just took off! And, a piece broke off so you know I couldn't throw it away... It's rooting with another piece of a different plant. 

More Cards, and Chair Caddies

I have been making more cards. I wanted to make a "Christmas In July" card to send someone. But, all the ones I saw on Pinterest, that I liked; I don't have the stamps for. Sooo... I tried to think of what I have that would work. (Ughhhh my brain hurts..) I was thinking of a pelican with a santa hat on. (None of these have santa hats on, but I did put the same sticker and a santa hat on it, on the envelope of this card..) Back to my card. I kept looking and looking. And, I thought "Oh yeah! I have that palm tree stamp!" I've had that forever. So, long story short, this is what I came up with. I printed out "Fa-La-La-La-La-La-La-Mingo". (The stupid printer wouldn't work, OF COURSE! I had to unplug the whole thing and plug it back in...) And, OF COURSE, I ran out of double sided tape runner. 😡 So I had to go get some more. And of course the store we go to NEVER has any. So, I had to go to Hobby Lobby. Then, since I was over there, I went to the Dollar Store to get more soap to put in my soap dispensers... Then I went to Target. Ughhh...  (I got some dog food, toilet paper and food to make Sticky Finger Salad for dinner..) $40 later, I got back home to finish my stinking card!  UGH!!   This "Making your own cards to save money in the long run" thing is not really saving money in the long run, any more. 😏 I had just bought some paper at the Dollar General, because of one piece in the whole pack that has strawberries on it. I thought "This pelican paper would work for this card!"  Cut it all out to put on the card, and I noticed that letters on the bottom. (Circled in red). UGGGGHHHH...

So, I cut out a piece with some old Fiskar scissors my Grandma gave to the boys when they were little. And then I remembered my little palm tree punch I have.   😁🌴 So, that's what I came up with.

Then I was trying to finish another card that I had already started... I had everything all cut out perfect... Finally have some more double sided tape... I put it on the card but it stuck down crooked....😭 Well, here we go again...

So, I was trying to think what I could put to camouflage it, and not make it too bulky so it won't cost extra to send in the mail. 😡 I found some green lace that matches... And this is what I came up with. I was trying to make a "Polaroid" and "Hello Summer" in the polaroid..  I should have used the light blue for the polaroid, and the summer themed paper for the card base. I think that was the only piece I had left of the summer paper, though. And I stamped some beach stamps. Shell and seaweed..  🤷  I have a couple more little squares "Hello Summer" I had printed out, to do some more with.  

I don't think I ever posted this.. I just grabbed something to do on a road trip on the 4th of July weekend. My husband had a four day weekend. This was on Monday (the 5th?). We went "antique-ing". I posted about my antique store finds. But not my knitting I brought. I wanted to do something for my "strawberry" kitchen..   I thought this would work. Chocolate covered strawberries? 🤷🍓

And, I got this pineapple chair cozy out that I had started... (Another "UGH)..)  I had run out of the yellow for it. (OF COURSE...)  I looked everywhere, but I couldn't find the exact same yellow cotton. So I said "Screw it, I'll pull an Aunt Steffie" (My husbands' late Great Aunt who crocheted, she was notorious for crocheting things but running out of yarn and using a different shade to finish it.. "It's not the same dye lot"... )  Anyway. 🙄  Whatever!! 

Then, I crocheted another one, using the yellow I bought to finish the first one. So now I have two pineapple chair cozies. And I don't even like pineapple stuff... Sigh.🙄  I will probably send them both to the woman I send things to on Pine Ridge.. I had gotten her two kitchen towels and hot pads from Dollar General with fruit on them.   I think these are a good idea, if you don't have any lawn furniture (or, if you're camping?...) to put your drink and your phone on..    I still haven't done my "strawberry" version I wanted to do. I can't keep up.   I try to finish things I start, and it turns out being a major pain...  I just want to make a card, or just sit and crochet!    

I still have my dinosaur to finish.  I'm so close... I just have to stuff the legs and sew them on, and sew the eyes on. And crochet the spots and sew those on.  And, my strawberry tea cozy.🍓 I have to figure out what strawberries I could crochet for it. And my Purple People Eater. 💜

Our middle son and his fiance are getting married! (This is a long story...) They are getting married through the courthouse, BUT, it's online. So, a Zoom Call Wedding? Sigh...  And their wedding is less than two weeks away. And there's no way we would be able to go to the wedding... 😭😭😭  I mean, it's not a traditional wedding. I could technically "go", if I was in on the Zoom call. But, I texted him and asked (because our oldest son and my mom asked if they could be in on the call), and I could tell he didn't want anyone else to be on the call. Which, I don't blame him..  If he's anything like me, he doesn't want a bunch of people there, making a big deal about everything. He just wants to get married.  I am sad we can't be there. But, I am happy they are going to get married. How can you be both sad and happy about the same thing...  

Anatomy of Cards, and Cat Talk

I got a new stamp when we went "antique-ing" 4th of July weekend. I don't know if I posted a picture of the stamp I got. I don't think I did. But you can see it stamped, here. I was sitting here, stamping a bunch of them on some card stock, one day. And then the other day I was thinking of what punches I could use with it... I liked this punch. It has little ~ type things on the top and bottom of the punch. But I just used the basic middle part. I went on Pinterest and tried to find some more inspiration..  I am really liking "Hello" and "banners" lately. Well I have always liked the banners. I found one I liked and tried to copy it. 

I didn't have a flower punch. But I remembered a card I had made a long time ago, that I had an outline I used for a flower... The dictionary flower card. So, I went through my drawer with all my different envelopes for making cards. (Do I sound so organized? I'm so not!) 

For the center of the flower, I had written, "Trace around a quarter for the middle of the flower". Well, I since then have gotten a circle punch that is the exact size I need.

This is the finished card. 

This was the Pinterest inspiration. I made mine without any bulky 3D or gems, because the last time I sent a handmade card (literally, just the card) it cost over $5 to send and I got SOOOOOOO irritated with post office!! (I am still irritated with the post office).  This is the card I sent (first picture), that cost over $5). 😡😡😡  ~Anyway~ Moving on..

I had another card I pinned that I wanted to try. But (of course) since I don't have any Mason Jar punches or die cuts or whatever they used (it was just a picture, it didn't link to a tutorial to make the card or anything), I got another envelope out of my drawer with some mason jars and I put one together to trace.

Paper and pen, people....

These are two I have done so far. I didn't upload the screenshot of the pin for this card I am copying. But, the center scalloped circle part had a "straw" in it, then the "straw" comes out the top of the jar. I am improvising. The whole reason I got into card making was because I wanted to save money on buying store bought cards.... Well... I am not going to go spend $80 to get supplies to make cards so I can save money. LoL. So I have been trying to use what I have. 

I did actually finish crocheting a project. This mouse. I have had it laying here undone, forever. Because I was trying to find the catnip bag I used to have... I couldn't find it anywhere. And I this morning said, "Screw it I'm just going to stuff it."  

Cosmo could care less!!! He was sleeping in my chair for my card making table. Right next to me. Because he wants to sleep in the computer chair. I shouldn't have woken him up! Because he has been driving me NUTS for the past half hour, meowing! He keeps walking around doing his little trill noise (meowing), and pawing at whatever he can find to paw at, because he wants food. (The cat food is in the computer room now in a bin, off the top of the dishwasher- it did not take him long to figure out we moved it, either!). I keep ignoring him (even though he is driving me nuts!!). I tried to play with him. I didn't upload a picture of it (did I?) but I made a "toy" for him out of yarn pieces. I had a bunch of smaller pieces and one long one and I made a tassle for him. He doesn't like the mouse, but he will play with a long piece of yarn dangled in front of him.  He needs to lose weight!! I don't even know how much he weighs now. But I know just by looking at him he needs to lose weight. I could take him outside, but I don't have flea stuff to give him, other than a spray I have. And he gets all stressed out if I spray him. I will have to spray it on my hands and rub it all over him. Then wrap the leash, so it's a harness.... Then take him outside and walk around with him for an hour, while he eats grass and rolls around. Then clean up his puke later, when he pukes up the grass...   Maybe I just won't take him out.   😂 I'm getting too old for all that. It's too much of a pain.  He finally fell asleep on the chair again. I am not waking him up again this time! 😂

I went to the hospital yesterday for a colonoscopy (I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO glad that's over with!). I HATE the prep! And starving myself all day. (Last year when I did a colonoscopy, the prep made me throw up.) And yellow jello is so gross...  Well, (if you care about a cancer update on me), the colonoscopy was clean. He did not find anything to biopsy, and didn't see any polyps. So, I don't have to have another colonoscopy for three years. And the discharge nurse who was rolling me out, her cousin has the same kind of cancer, same thing happen to her as me!! How weird of a coincidence is that? Her cousin is only 34 though. 😢 She has a 7 year old little boy.  Anyway, that was a relief (besides the prep and all of the pain it was), I was worried about what they might find, too.

~Until Next Time~

💜💜💜

Dinosaur and Antique Store Finds

I have still been crocheting the Purple People Eater. Slowly, but still crocheting it. These pictures are a little older. I took them for future reference, if I ever decide to crochet another one of these dinosaurs. The first and probably only one I ever crocheted was about 19 years ago. So..  This is the mouth part..

And after finishing the head.

Then you crochet the pink mouth area, and sew it onto the hole. Stuffing as you go.. (What a pain that was.) But I did it. I also crocheted the eyes. 

And the legs. I just have to stuff them and sew them on. That will also be nerve wracking. I still have to crochet the "spots". That will be easy. I just need to decide on what color to make them. 

My husband andI went antique-ing, I think I mentioned in my last post. These are some of my buys. A strawberry (obviously painted on) sifter.  

A strawberry jam jar. I don't really like jam jars or collect them, but it's strawberries, so... My husband found this for me, too. 

And another strawberry jam jar.  My husband "built"? me some shelves for the kitchen wall. I put all these things on there. 

There are holes in the wall from the previous tenants, and it looked horrible and I hate it. I hate this whole kitchen to be honest. (This house is an antique. LoL.) But... 🤷  I wanted to try and decorate. It looks like an old person lives here. One who doesn't know how to decorate. LoL. Sigh...   The picture in between (was hanging up before, but my husband moved it. There is a lot more holes in that wall, now.) is a poem- the "dirty dishes" poem. My husbands' late Aunt typed it out and drew the artwork on it. I just finally got a frame for it, in a lame attempt to try and decorate the kitchen more. (Sigh..) The plastic it was in was ripped and starting to get bent.   

Eri killed her first mouse this morning.😳 She woke me up, thrashing around. I sat up a little and said, "What are you doing, Eri?" My dog Jaxson was in there, too. He was looking down and then looking at me... I leaned over and saw the mouse. UGH!! Then I don't know what I was doing... I laid back down for a second, thinking "Ugh here we go..." (I didn't know it was dead, usually she chases them around and it goes on for days... Again, this house is an antique... and a stone/dirt basement...) Well my ear plug must have fallen out or something, I felt something on my neck and I let out a little scream. I thought it was the mouse, up on the bed trying to get away from Eri. LoL (Funny, NOT funny...) I sat up fast and saw it was my ear plug... Then I looked over the side of the bed again and the mouse was still there. Meanwhile my husband was coming up (because I screamed probably)... I pointed down. He got it and took it outside.  What a lovely way to wake up in the morning...     🙄  And, I feel like I have a bladder infection... 😭 I don't know if I can take anything for it, because I have a colonoscopy appointment this coming up week and I'm not supposed to take any vitamins, any ibuprofen, anything except tylenol. And of course it's Saturday, so the doctor office isn't open for me to call them...  Ughhh...    I think I'm just going to try and crochet and not think about anything.