Some FO's and Antique-ing

I have finished a couple of things... I was trying to find a "fake" cinnamon stick to use for the pumpkin stem on this pumpkin. But I couldn't find one anywhere. And I'm getting fed up with ordering things online and them taking forever to get here, and the shipping is ridiculous. So, I found a pattern with a crocheted stem. This is actually two different patterns. The pumpkin was a reel on Facebook, and she didn't write out or have typed how many chains or anything. So I stopped the video and counted a bunch of different times...   It looked like chain 20, with 2 sc in the beginning and end of each row, with hdc in every other chain. 32 rows total back loops only.  I will have to look if I saved the pattern I used for the stem. I am almost positive it was claireabellemakes.com pumpkin amigurumi. But my husband put a new antivirus thing on our computer and it won't let me go to that site... 

~Anyway~

I initially put it here but I have since moved it to a different location. 

I thought the way it worked up was really cool. But after I sewed it up you couldn't tell, it didn't look like that any more. I used some yarn in my stash, Bernat tan and brown or something. I think I used a G hook.

These are a Geocaching thing. They're supposed to be "Geocoins". For the pen pal who got me into Geocaching. I used this tutorial to get it started. I don't remember how many rows I did. (sigh.... I've been trying to keep track of things better, sorry.) I just did the "embroidery" by trying to copy the picture of the ones I saw on Pinterest.

My husband and I went to Frankenmuth (again???) over Labor Day weekend. We went "antique-ing". I had been saying (almost every time we went up), "I want to go to that antique store"...  So he drove there but it looks permanently closed. Then we went to "Thrifty Treasures (building one and two)".  I found these little snowmen. ⛄ Actually I think my husband found them (he likes snowmen). I don't even know how or where or when I even started collecting salt and pepper shakers. Now I have: Snowmen, 4th of July Gnomes, strawberries, Santa and Mrs. Claus, Easter Bunnies. That's it. I actually have two different snowmen sets. Maybe I should do a blog post on all my salt and pepper shakers. The antique stores had SO many of them. 

I've been working on my poncho. I was doing good. Just working on the poncho... Then my husband said (last night) "Can you crochet me a Q-tip holder for my bathroom?" Um..... Yeah. I couldn't decide what color to make it because the shower curtain is blue and white (like this one-). All the shower curtains were the same when we moved in, but I put my shower curtain in my bathroom.  Anyway~ The towels are light grey, and the soap dish and toothbrush holders are white. So, I decided to do it in white. I'm working on that right now. Realistically, we should just get a grey and white shower curtain in that bathroom. I want a new shower curtain in mine, too.   Anyway...   Last night I was watching a Facebook Reel. I keep seeing more reels about "Chaos Blankets". I thought "I don't know if I would want to do that". But, last night I saw one someone was doing a "CHRISTMAS Chaos Blanket" (She didn't put it in all caps, I did that just now... LoL) Because I love Christmas.... 🎄🎅🤶⛄I might have to do one now. (Sigh...)  Then, this morning when I was trying to find the pattern for the Q-tip holder, I was going through all my magazines and patterns, and now I want to crochet about 20 different things again. (sigh...)  I have things I need to do but all I want to do is crochet and drink tea!! 😭  Today IS International Crochet Day, though...  👀  That's like the #1 holiday for crocheters!! 

New Poncho Project

 

I should have rotated this picture before uploading it here.... Oh well. We went to Walmart for a few things yesterday and I went to see if they had anymore of the Bitty Stripes in the color I had gotten.....  (What a pain in the *ss)..  Well, they did. Thank the Yarn Gods. They actually had four skeins of it. So I now have enough to crochet the poncho. 

I started it last night. I am going to see how long it takes me to finish it. I have a lot to blog about but I need more time to do it...  I just wanted to post this real quick.

Hello September

We got a new virus software on our computer. And it wouldn't let me upload any pictures to my blog. Well I turned off the Anti-Tracker option, so I could upload these pictures. Everything is a pain...  Anyway Happy First Day of September.... I can't believe summer is going to be over. It's depressing. I don't want winter to be here...  

I did start a new crochet project yesterday. A little pumpkin. It's a reel on Facebook, and no written instructions. But I stopped the reel and tried to count how many she chained, and I think it's 20. And she did 2 sc in the beginning, hdc all alon until two are left then 2 sc in end. So, I chained 21 because I like to skip the first chain and sc in the next one. I never could sc in the first chain..  I don't know why I'm using brown variegated yarn for it. I do have some orange, I want to use the orange for a pumpkin bear though. Oh, and work in the back loops only and 32 rows total. I need to get some fake "cinnamon sticks" for it. 

Rainy Sunday, What To Crochet?

I'm a poet and I didn't even know it...  😎I'm just posting this picture of some yarn I bought a little while ago, to post a picture...  It's "Artic Ice". I keep seeing people on Facebook posting "Chaos Blankets" they are crocheting. You put a few different stitches in a bowl on different pieces of paper, then in another bowl you put up to seven (or however many you chose) colors, and then you have a dice you roll to see how many rows you do. I haven't done one (I don't think I would like it..) But ANYWAY, my point is, one of the reels had this color as one of their colors and I really liked it. Even though it is not very spectacular.  

I also do not know what to crochet... I have two projects that are UFO's. My strawberry tea cozy (which I was going to finish this summer, early-but Ididn't...) And, my Granny Hexie t-shirt.  But, I don't want to work on either one of those. 

I was trying to think of something maybe to crochet as another "gag gift" for my husband for his birthday. I crocheted him a potato for Christmas. Well, every time we go grocery shopping he wants M&M's. He likes the peanut butter flavor. I was thinking this morning, "I should see if I can find an M&M crochet pattern" (I did find a bunch, the M&M guys...)  I don't know if I will crochet one. I cannot believe it's almost September already. 

It's almost September, it might as well be Fall already. 😞 I used to love Fall, but now I don't because it just means winter is right around the corner. The only good thing about winter is Christmas, and staying inside making snowman crafts.   

Well, maybe I'll go look through my crochet magazines and see if I can find something new to crochet..

A New Card and Granola

I have been in the mood to make cards lately. And I have been liking blue lately, too. And, I have been wanting to make a card with this stamp. I was searching for "Vertical" "hello" cards on Pinterest... (Sigh.....) Nothing would come up vertical! All horizontally...   I got the stamp at the Goodwill, or at a thrift store by my hospital. I'm almost positive I got it at the thrift store. I love that place, because they always have three or four big tubs filled with rubber stamps. And they always seem to have some different kinds of punches, too. The Salvation Army near us now doesn't ever have anything like that. They have one little stand with three tubs (like a cat tower, but with mesh containers???) with yarn in them and it's not ever good yarn. Nothing ever for card making. ~Anyway~

I had one big blue envelope I found in one of my drawers of craft stuff/cards and envelopes...  So, I made the base the same color as the envelope. I know I got a box of those envelopes (light pink, light green, light blue, and lavender) at Walmart. I can't find them there any more. Anyway...

This is the stamp. (A picture from a post when I first got it..)  I tried googling "Vertical hello rubber stamp".... All that came up was a couple of Etsy or Ebay pages, selling the stamp. But it didn't say anything about it. So, I did a reverse google image search and asked who made this stamp?  It is a Kolette Studio G "Hello" stamp. Made in 2006. Then, I tried to search handmade cards, Kolette Studio G hello stamp....  I still could not find any ideas for cards made with it. Soooooo, I just started looking for "Hello" handmade cards again... 🙄

This was a sponsored thing... But I kind of liked it. I thought, 

"What if I just turned it on it's side?" That might work...  So, that's what I did. 🤷

I also made some more granola. Those little bags do not last long. And, I am the only one who eats granola...  I had a big canister of oatmeal (not the one in the picture, I just opened that one to make this     granola...) So I have been making a lot of granola lately. Before baking..

After baking...

You add the raisins after it's cooled. Cinnamon Raisin Granola Recipe. I do not have pure maple syrup, I used honey instead. I told my husband, "I need a better container for granola".

So, we went and got one last night. 

I washed it and put the granola in it.... I was thinking "I am going to have to make a lot more granola!" I just made that, and the container was a lot emptier this morning.....👀 My husband ate some last night!! Ughhh....  Well, I guess I do have to make some more now. Sheesh.. I guess I'm not the only one who eats granola.. 

I don't know if I ever mentioned it before on my blog, but you can use peanut butter to take off the sticky leftover paper (the "Rubbermaid" sticker) on containers...  I just put some on and let it sit there for a few minutes. I had to do it a couple times, but 99% of it came off. I used my plastic scraper, too. So I don't scratch the plastic....  I've been trying to do better at posting the links for things: Recipes, patterns, etc....  I noticed that I posted about the Open Shoulder Poncho I finished. There was a link to the pattern, but that is not the place I got the pattern from. Also, that link does not work anymore. (If you type Open shoulder poncho in that search engine, it does come up though...) It was from the "Crochet!" Autumn 2020 magazine. (It was in my Facebook memories, and someone asked if I knew where the pattern was...  I said "Hmmm... Where did I get that pattern from....")

Soup

This is a recipe I've had forever, written down. The paper I wrote it on is fraying around the edges and some of the ingredients you can barely make out ("How many tbsps?"...) So I thought I would type it up. I remember getting it from (what I thought was) a pregnancy magazine? Maybe it was "Parents" magazine? I don't even remember. But I have been in the mood for soups lately. And I remembered this one... I haven't made it in forever.

Lentil Barley Soup

2 onions, chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

4 carrots, chopped

4 celery stalks, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 tsps dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper (cracked red pepper)

5 14 oz cans fat-free chicken broth (a little over 8 1/2 cups broth-can use vegetable broth if vegetarian)

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

1 cup dried lentils

1 cup pearl barley

2 Tbsps tomato paste

Spray a 4 quart saucepan or big pot w/ nonstick spray. Add onions, garlic, cook til translucent. Add carrots, celery, bell pepper, basil, oregano, and red pepper. Cook until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.

Mix in crushed tomatoes and chicken broth. Bring mixture to a boil. Stir in lentils and barley. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Stir in tomato paste. Serve.

Per serving: 249 calories, 0.6 gm fat, 1 mg cholesterol

I don't know how much a serving size is, I never wrote that down.

 

Sunflower Season

 

I took all my strawberry kitchen decorations down. I don't know... August seems like "late summer". Early Pre-Fall. Augtober. LoL  I was thinking what else could I do until Fall.... DUHHH Sunflowers... I have a couple sunflower things (a kitchen towel, a little vase with sunflowers in it)...  I had been wanting to do a sunflower basket like one I saw online.

This is the one I liked the best... 

I mean it's not exactly like it... But. I kind of like it! I felt like it needed more of the tall yellow flowers in the back, though... 

So I went back to Walmart and I got two more. I think it looks better. I don't even want to add up how much money it actually cost to make this. 

I also got this little sunflower decoration at Hobby Lobby. I put my little sunflower gnome next to it.

Then, we went to the Salvation Army on Saturday afternoon. I saw this little mushroom and I thought it was cute. My husband asked "What are you going to put inside it?" I said "I don't know, I'll figure it out later though." 😁 I decided the gnome wanted to be by the mushroom. 

I had bought some Red Heart Bitty Stripes yarn a while ago (the two skeins on the left). I know I posted about it.. But when we went to Walmart yesterday, I saw they had two more skeins in the "same" color. Well, it's not the same....  This is SOOOOOOO irritating!!!! Same dye lot, exact same numbers across the board. It's not the same. I wanted to crochet a poncho with this. No other place (except online) has Red Heart anymore, except for Walmart. And my Walmart hardly ever has this yarn. It's so irritating. And, it's not "cheap" either!! $9+ for one skein. Of Red Heart. 

We went to Target last night (don't get me started again....) There was NOTHING either my husband or I liked there. I did see these strawberry Crocs. But 1. I don't have anything that would go with them clothes-wise 2. They're $45.  So we left empty handed.  I'm getting so fed up with the quality of things and how expensive they are. Like the Bitty Stripes yarn...   I ordered some tea off of the Celestial Seasonings website, two weeks ago. It still has not shipped. I emailed them this morning and I got a reply from "Lisa- AI Customer Service Representative". WHAT? My enquiry is being handed over to a Human agent. WHAAATT????   It's the Twilight Zone. I do not want AI I think we need to get rid of it right now. Maybe AI is making Red Heart Bitty Stripes yarn, too. 😡