Monday, August 13, 2018

First Day Back To School

Where did summer vacation go??? :(  Well, what can you do? 
Since it's back to school, I guess that means back to school baking...  I made some Butterscotch Cookies this morning. A double batch.  

I really liked them with butterscotch chips, but we don't have any. And no money and I'm not going to the store just for that. So, I just made regular ones.  

Made four dozen. (Not all here.)  

And, besides laundry and dishes I managed to get this done so far.  I have had this pattern leaflet (?) forever! I don't think I have ever made anything from it, either. I am getting a birthday box together for a pen pal of mine. This is going to go in it with some other stuff I got, but haven't taken a picture of yet.

I've been watching a lot of YouTube videos on making tags lately. First I watched this one, then I don't remember how but I found this one and thought it is SO cool!! I immediately started going through our stack of bills.  

These were the first tags I made, from the first video. I haven't done anything else with them yet. 

After I watched the second video, I immediately started making flowers. I have one finished here. But I have done two more. Oh I finished a tag too. But I am not super happy with it. I still have to finish decorating it, though.

I don't know if I posted about the Mini-Stocking Challenge/Drive I signed up for. Well I signed up for one. :P  I pledged to do ten. And, here are my ten. I think I will do more. I have one more almost done. But I am not committing to more. Just whatever I get done will be what I do. 

I had big hopes and plans about things I was going to do on Eon's first day back to school. Sigh...  I did get cookies made and a dishcloth started though.  (And some housework, and wrote a letter to someone.)  I can't believe my baby is a Sophomore already!

Tuesday, July 17, 2018

Two More Birthday Boxes

Now that I've sent them both, I feel like I can post about them.. (The chances of her reading my blog are probably zero.)  I crocheted this "Playnket". Play mat + blanket. I wish they had stuff like this when my guys were little. 

Four outfits.

The only actual thing I sent from this picture was the Hot Wheels track builder. I was going to send the truck, but.... 1. I didn't have a big enough box/enough money to send a bigger box, and 2. I had already spent more on his gifts than I did his sister. So, I wanted everything to be "equal". I sent three hot wheels instead. Which make more sense. With the hot wheels track and track rug/blanket..

This was "Moms'" box. I re-used the Victoria's Secret bag... (My husband bought me a pair of sweats for Christmas.)  I got her a pair of pants, two shirts and earrings. Plus oddball stuff.... I was going to send more (but, money.... Lack of...)  I just tried to fit what I could in there. One of the things was a popsicle mold. And Kool-Aid mix to make them with..

Along with this; because I spent more on her big brother... Now I feel like he will feel left out...  Sigh... Lol. I got this at the Salvation Army! I just thought it was cute. It looks old.

This is something else I have been doing, it's a "drive" in a group I am in on Ravelry. They are trying to make 300 mini-stockings for an elementary school on Pine Ridge.  I "signed up" for 10. So far I have five done. This was the first one I finished. It's my night time TV watching project. It is too hot to do much else than small things.  

Saturday, July 07, 2018

Birthday Box

Well, I did get some things for Dominica's birthday. I got this doll to begin with. Because I ended up deciding to just use a pattern I have had forever, Baby Syndee's Layette (from Annie's Attic). I used to love making doll clothes. And I haven't made any (that I can remember), since we lived in Michigan. :0  (We left Michigan in 2005.)  

I first crocheted the party dress.

Then I crocheted a pajama outfit. I wasn't going to do any more.

But then I thought, it HAS to have a blankie...   And then I did a pillow, too. (The pattern does not have the pillow, I just chained however many until I thought it was big enough.)

Shoebox bed. (I didn't send this.)

This was everything else. I got a cup/dish/bottle set. A dress, and a princess coloring book. She said they like to color.

Aaaand.... I got three more outfits.  I think that was more than enough.

Everything wrapped. 

Now I am working on getting Tokala's package together. I finished his crochet thing.  I will post that when it's done. I still wanted to buy a couple more things (clothes).  I wanted to sponsor a child or family on the Okini One Spirit site. But, we are still so broke..  So, I decided to "sponsor" them. At least for their birthdays.  I haven't said anything to her. But, I did sponsor her before. She won't answer any of my questions except what size the kids wear. So, I got them some clothes. :)

Thursday, May 31, 2018

Cookie Fail/Save, and a Handmade Birthday Card

I made a batch of Snickerdoodle Cookies today. But, the dough wouldn't stick together very well. So, after trying for the (only) second time to get one ball to stick together, I said I'm just going to put all the dough in a pan...  So that's what I did. I greased it really good. Sprinkled the cinnamon sugar on top...  And guess what? It turned out pretty good.

So I saved the cookies...   Eon cut them. :)

Well this is a long story behind a card I made. I used to sponsor a girl named Tia through a group (I think Crafting for a Cause, I don't know..)  Well the group closed. And after we moved to Oregon, I lost touch because every time I sent her a card with my new address, it was returned to me. And when we moved here, same thing. So, I went on Facebook to see if I could find her. (I did.)  I eventually sent her a friend request, and she accepted it.  Long story short, she has two kids and their birthdays are in June and July. The girl is turning 3.   So, another long story, we have no money so I made a card.  It ended up being two cards.  I saw this online to decorate the front. Not that exact card, but there isn't a link to the actual card I used.  

This was how I started the card. It's actually a Christmas Card. But, it's a present. So...  I don't know. I just wanted to do something fun for the little girl.  Now I have to try and think of something for a present...  Since we are broke.  I saw a really cute doll/backpack pattern and am entering a contest to try and win a free copy of the pattern: Dress Me Dolls Set. That would be a lot of work, though..  And right on the heels of making that, I would have to do something for her brother. (He is turning four.) And Tia is turning 23.  So, that's three birthdays...

Sunday, May 13, 2018

A Really Old WIP...

I was so happy after finishing the Tomten Jacket, I got enough courage to get the Central Park Hoodie out to try and finish it.  I should change my username to The Cowardly Knitter. I don't have very much confidence in myself to knit. I made some mistakes on the Tomten, and there are mistakes on this...   But, maybe no one will notice them unless they have knitted one themselves. :P   I finished the hood, and seamed it. Now I am knitting the edging on one side.   I started this sweater in January of 2008.  :0   I didn't plan the matching outfit.

Something is wrong with Cosmo's paw...  I kept noticing he smells. Really bad. We (Eon) gave him a bath right after we brought him home. Then yesterday I asked him to give him another one, because he smells so bad. Eon said one of his claws is bent and won't go back in. I looked at it, and smelled his paw. It's that paw.  SIGH....    I don't know what to do. Hopefully the shelter may be able to help.    Problems just keep piling up...   Nothing is working... Stress levels are super high..   At least my knitting needles still work. 

Saturday, May 12, 2018

The Tomten Jacket Is Finished

Yay!! I am so proud of myself. I might even have enough courage to get my Central Park Hoodie out and finish it, now. :D

Friday, May 11, 2018

The Cookie Jar


                                                    The Cookie Jar
                                                    by Edgar Guest


You can rig up a house with all manner of things,
The prayer rugs of sultans and princes and kings;
You can hang on its wall the old tapestries rare
Which some dead Egyptian once treasured with care;
But though costly and gorgeous its furnishings are,
It must have, to be homelike, an old cookie jar.

There are just a few things that a home must possess,
Besides all your money and all your success—
A few good old books which some loved one has read,
Some trinkets of those whose sweet spirits have fled,
And then in the pantry, not shoved back too far
For the hungry to get to, that old cookie jar.

Let the house be a mansion, I care not at all!
Let the finest of pictures be hung on each wall,
Let the carpets be made of the richest velour,
And the chairs only those which great wealth
     can procure,
I'd still want to keep for the joy of my flock
That homey, old fashioned, well-filled cookie crock.

Like the love of the Mother it shines through our years;
It has soothed all our hurts and dried away tears;
It has paid us for toiling; in sorrow or joy,
It has always shown kindness to each girl and boy;
And I'm sorry for people, whoever they are,
Who live in a house where there's no cookie jar.

Wednesday, May 09, 2018

Quick Post

I finished the edging (and all the knitting) on the Tomten Jacket. I have since this picture, sewn up one sleeve as well. :) I am so glad I stuck with it, I really love it now. (I did not love it while I was working on it, sometimes..)  

We got a new kitty. It was "Maddie's Pet Adoption Day" at the shelter here. I was just going to go look...  (Famous last words.) I wanted a kitten. But all the kittens they had wouldn't be available for another couple weeks.  So, after (driving the volunteer nuts) staying for about an hour and looking at and holding each cat, and leaving, and coming back, we got this kitty. :D His name was Hippo. But, we re-named him Cosmo. There is a story behind his name.   I was looking at the papers, to see what all it said. Well, his birthday is the EXACT same day and year as Bagheera!! That just blew me away.  I couldn't believe it. I started googling words for "meant to be".  The only things that came up that I would consider naming my cat were maybe Kismet. But then another word came up, that I knew was going to be it. Cosmos. Which I shortened to Cosmo. Because 1. My husband worked on the Cosmopolitan hotel when we first lived here. 2. It used to be my favorite drink and 3. I could not think of any other names I liked...  :D  He is VERY lovable. And him and Bagheera seem to get along good. Bagheera has been wrestling with Cosmo, which I don't know if Cosmo really likes... Steve says they're just playing. But I will break it up if it seems like Cosmo doesn't like it.

Every time I come in the door now, this is what I see.  :P

Cosmo on our bed.

Both of them on the counter when we first brought Cosmo home.

I crocheted them both mice, since I cannot find the one Natasha sent for Bagheera, anywhere. I think he has a secret hiding place. They don't really seem to like these. Bagheera will play with them if I show them (one) to him  Anyway, that's it for today. I have to go get Eon from school.

Oh, one more thing. Las Vegas broke a record yesterday for 100* first time in 2018.

Sunday, April 22, 2018

Tomten Jacket Progress

I finished the hood on the Tomten Jacket...  I started picking up stitches for the border. But... I am going to need a longer circular needle. (SIGH.....)   I was looking at buttons, trying to think what kind of buttons I should get. I king of want some "wooden" (or fake wood) toggle buttons..  Or similar to that. I have about three hundred ends to weave in on this, too. I did weave a bunch in already.  I just want it to be done.

Today is my husband's company picnic, or "Family Day"... What is it called, anyway? Whenever my Dad had something like this, it was called a company picnic. They have a semi-truck load full of things to give away as raffle prizes. TV's, bikes... I don't know what else.  I think it will be fun for Eon. We're trying to talk Eli into going too. He doesn't want to.  I will try to get pictures.  

Thursday, April 19, 2018

Some Really Old Projects

I was laying in bed last night, trying to go to sleep. I was thinking about some of the old projects I used to crochet. And so this morning, I went through some old pictures (one box, lol-- I still have a lot more).  This was pre-digital camera, and pre-computer days (at least for us).  Also, pre-Amigurumi days. :)  I crocheted the two older boys some "Floppy Dogs" from an old "Crafting Traditions" magazine. They wanted puppies, too. :D  They actually wanted a whole litter. Each. O.o  But I did make them each a puppy. :)

I also used to crochet "Bed Dolls". From Annie's Attic. I used to crochet these, before our oldest son was even born. But I didn't have a camera, even to take a picture of them then. I crocheted two for my younger sisters. One I know was "Miss February, 1992." I don't remember what the other one was..   This one I gave to one of my nieces.  Steve's late Great Aunt Steffie had given me three or more big skeins/balls of gold polyester thread. I used some of it (I still had more when this was done, that's how much she gave me) to crochet this dress.  I don't even have the patterns for these bed dolls, any more. They took a long time to finish. I think I made three all together. I used to love crocheting doll clothes; which was unfortunate for me since we had three boys. :) But I would make them for other people..  I still have a bunch of clothes, and doll patterns. But none of the bed dolls.

And this was the picture I kept thinking about, for some reason... I don't know why. We had that ugly old couch... (Ugh!!) That was when I let a stray cat into our house, and he peed on everything, our bed, our couch!... We had to get a new mattress, and throw our couch away- and get this ugly one from the Salvation Army/Goodwill.  Anyway.  I was crocheting Eli an afghan. And he was sticking his tongue out. :P

These were the Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies I was talking about in my last post, I think.  And this is the recipe. I got more chocolate chips, and caramel pieces to make more, this morning. They're yummy.

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

A Pattern I Tested and Cookies I Baked...

I tested a sleepsack pattern for someone in a group I am in on Facebook. I made it to the pattern instructions.  It does measure 22 inches from top to bottom. But, the front panel only measures 15 inches.  So... I think it is too small. The next one I make, I will make the front panel 22 inches long.  I asked about it on the Bundles of Joy group. (Where I would be sending it..)  I still need to get buttons and sew them on the sides. The only place to get buttons here is Walmart (which, I am glad we have-but, they don't have a huge selection of buttons.) So I will have to either order online or drive 67 miles to the nearest craft store, Michaels or Hobby Lobby..   I do like this sleepsack. The back part of the front panel is not bumpy like the front, it's soft.   I saw a sleepsack that I really liked in a magazine recently (I can't remember what the magazine was). The style was like this one though.   All you basically would do is crochet a straight piece, put a border on it, then sew it up. Sew buttons on the sides... 

I made more cookies today. It hasn't even been one week. I baked Snickerdoodles last Wednesday.  These are Butterscotch Cookies. I added what was left in the bag of salted caramel chips from some cookies I made a while back. I don't think I posted them, I will try and upload a picture of those and post it. They were yummy. Anyways, these were even yummier with the chips in them.  I doubled the recipe, because usually it only makes one or two dozen.  This made four dozen exactly. 

Close up.. 

I always put some in baggies and stick them in the freezer, for lunches. Otherwise they all get eaten, it seems- before I even pack a lunch the next morning. 

So you can see how big I roll the balls.  I like doing this while I am waiting for the cookies in the oven. Then I just have to put them on the cookie sheet, for the next batch..


Sunday, April 08, 2018

Spring Break...

Eon has been on Spring Break all week (well, last week, since today is Sunday). And, we have been completely broke. So... What do you do on Spring Break when you are broke?  Well, my plans were to do nothing. Except, sleep, knit, eat. Bake, read...  Eon had other plans. He wanted to have a friend over. Soooo.... I had to clean. And bake (which I was going to do anyway. But it isn't as fun when you HAVE to do it..)  I made some Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells for dinner. And baked Snickerdoodles. That was two days of cleaning/cooking.  I did get to relax and do all the things I wanted to do, too...   I made a card for one of my pen pals..  It didn't turn out as cute as I thought it would.  A bee, and "Happy Bee~ Lated Birthday".  I put a flower on it and what is supposed to be a honeycomb..    I won't be able to send it out until this week. So it will "bee" late.. I also baked banana bread. I was mashing the bananas, and started singing "mashed banana, mashed banana" to the dogs... (From The Wiggles, kids' show...) LOL. I think I am losing my mind..

I tested a sleepsack pattern. It's done, I just need to get buttons for it, sew them on and take a picture.  Then I got the Tomten Jacket out, to try and work on it. I didn't want to. But once I started working on it (after I got everything out and figured out where I was on the sleeve...)  I did enjoy it.  I also found the yarn skein wrapper for the green yarn. So if I need more (which I think I will), I can get more.  I thought I couldn't remember so I was glad I found it. I also did write it down in my notebook. Which I am glad I kept. I think I will just use that whole notebook for all my projects. I always try to go in to my Ravelry projects to see if I kept notes ("Oh, what did I do here last time?"...)  and only half the time do I "write it down"... 

I crocheted a cross bookmark for another pen pal who wrote me she just got confirmed (?? is that what it's called ??) as a Catholic. She converted.  So, even though I am NOT religious, I like crosses (even though I don't have any), angels...  (I do have those.)   So I got her a confirmation greeting card and am sending this with it. Nothing big, but like I said, we are broke.

Then I got this in the mail yesterday. :D  It totally made my day.  Another one of my pen pals, Barbara, sent them to me. She said "Since we are both kitchen towel junkies".  I love that. And, I am one..   When Eon had his friend over, I was cleaning like mad and trying to make everything look perfect. (We even hung pictures up -- I took a picture, I should upload it..)

We hung pictures in the living room. So the house looks more lived in. :)  I think that is a record for us, hanging pictures in two and a half months! It took a year and a half to hang them in our old house. And I didn't even hang any in the apartment before that..  It feels more like "home" with pictures up. :)  We might add to that wall, but I like it for now.

A recent picture of Jaxson... :)  He is taller than Jetta now (slightly), and weighs 47.5 lbs! Jetta weighs 30 lbs. Always has..