The Fastest Socks in The West!

... Or North, South, or East. :P I tried a new sock pattern today. I made two pairs. These are actually the second pair I made, for our six year old. He saw the other ones I made-- I asked him to try one on, so I could see about what size it was, and he wanted a pair. "In dark blue". I said "I don't think I have any dark blue. Do you want to pick out another color?" So I showed him some light blue I had, and he said yes. He LOVES them! We went grocery shopping after dinner, and he took his new socks with him. :P Not to put on his feet, he already had his shoes on... What a monkey. I guess he really likes them.

I made this pair to send to PR. (Pine Ridge) February is the Sock or Slipper CAL (and KAL). I had started a pair of Ruby's Slippers (I finished them tonight, too~ I'll have to take a picture tomorrow...). But made two of these in between. I have to decide if I want to crochet some more of them, or do a pair like I made before. I don't have any Wool-Ease out here; which I really like to do them in. But I could try some RH, I guess... Decisions, decisions... I also have a pair of socks on dpns with yarn that Miss Kitty sent me for a swap. I think I will keep those for myself, though. But I have tons of Wool-Ease in burgundy sprinkles that I have had forever. I have a feeling quite a few socks will be made in burgundy... Well off to start another pattern I shouldn't be.... :-D

I Made Another One....

In a different color combo. My husband said 'What are you making now?' I said 'Another toilet paper cover' He said 'How many of those are you going to make?' :p I said 'A hundred.' Hee Hee.... This one I am sending to one of the 'elders' I send things to on Pine Ridge. She had asked me to send towels so I sent some lavender bath towels and was planning on sending some light sage green ones, too. So hopefully she will like this. I'll probably send a package of toilet paper, too. Something anyone can always use; esp when you are on a tight fixed income- every little thing helps... Now that I finished this, I am making some slippers for the February CAL/KAL at CFAC. My fave crochet pattern: Ruby's Slippers, of course. I have one slipper almost done. I wonder how many pairs of these I have made. :P

I went back to the dentist yesterday. I didn't want to. But I had to. They put in my permanent crowns. Without any numbing whatsoever. It was quite intense. :( The worst part was when they put all the permanent crowns in. All four: Bam, bam, bam, bam! The last one was the worst. (That is the tooth that was most sensitive.) I thought I was going to jump out of my skin. But in other (GOOD!!) news, I *think* (I hope!!!) my TMJ is going away!! Of course, now that my ENT appointment is next Monday. (Isn't that Murphy's Law?) I will need to get fitted for a night guard, anyway. The dentist said he thinks I am grinding my teeth at night. I don't think I am; but I have heard other people say they didn't know they were, until they got a night guard and then they could tell they were. And, maybe he could tell me what the big bump is on my six year old's inside upper lip. I made an appointment for him at his pediatrician, but that isn't until February 11th!! Sheesh! You can't get in anywhere around here. He has had it since his last dentist appointment, and it isn't going away. Maybe they will have to cut it off. :( Poor little guy. It doesn't hurt him, but it is freaking him out. He's been through quite a bit lately with his arm breaking. Well have a great day everyone! I think I am making today a 'free day'. I need a break to just crochet. (I have been cleaning all week, so I feel entitled :-D)

Another TP Cover

I think I like Kitsch-y stuff!! :-D Ever since I joined the Kitsch CAL, I had been thinking about that tp cover I made when my husband and I got our first apartment together. Technically we weren't married yet (we got married when our first son was about four and a half months old). So this was about 17 years ago, Fall of 1991 sometime?.... I had decorated our bathroom in hunter green and burgundy. Our shower curtain was 'Victorian Rose' (Or that's what I liked to call it, anyway--hence the name 'Victorian Rose TP Cover'....). I had the toilet tank and seat cover, the bathroom rug that went around the toilet.... :P And I crocheted a toilet paper cover to match. The only thing I have left of it, is a picture of it on the back of the toilet, laying flat. All I could see was the bottom ruffle. But I remember I had some kind of rose on the top of it (I was really into making rose doilies at the time). So last night I finally finished re-creating one. I had to do it to get it out of my system. :P It doesn't go in any of our bathrooms, or anywhere in my house, matter of fact. I just made it up. Whatchya think? I posted the pattern on my pattern blog, if anyone is interested. I wanted to do one up in colors for my bathroom (that would freak my husband out LOL!!). I need to get some off-white though instead of the white....

Pattern Testing

I was asked to test a pattern for Alisha (Chiscrochetcrazy), the cutest little mouse couple. Here is Mr. Sonny.

And here is Mamacita. I love these mice. I was going to keep them for myself. But my Grandma has been feeling depressed lately (she has been really sick, in the hospital again, and other things....) Since she LOVES Mickey Mouse and Minnie, I thought she would like these. I know they aren't Mickey & Minnie, but they could be distantly related, no? :P

I have also been testing a pattern for RoseRed at Crochetville. It is the prettiest TP cover I have yet to see. This is what I have so far.

I want to make several more of these. One for my own bathroom, too. I am having a hard time deciding what colors to do the flower. Probably a burgundy and mauve color. This one would go in my Grandma's bathroom, too.

I'll probably send this one (when it is finished, that is) to an elder I send things to, though. With a package of toilet paper. She asked me to send some bath towels and so far I have sent her lavender ones. So this will 'match'. ;P

My pain is lessening a little each day. I hope this is a good sign it will go away soon. The last two nights I have been able to sleep through the whole night without waking up. My husband informed me this morning that I coughed so loud in my sleep, that I woke him up. He said it was so loud, it echoed. And that didn't even wake me up (that I remember)!! LOL I must have been choking in my dream or something. ;)

TMJ

Well after going back to the dentists twice, going to Urgent Care here (who said it isn't my ear, and referred me to an ENT--I think the medical system in this town is HORRIBLE). The ENT couldn't get me in until who knows when, so I called my regular doctor to see if I could get in there today. Nope, but a nurse would call me back within 24 hours. After I got back from the original Urgent Care (I was going to go back in and tell them 'I am not leaving til you find out what is wrong with me', but the parking lot was packed and I couldn't even find a spot to park in...) Well the nurse from my primary doctor called me right after I got back. She said 'don't go back there. Go to an Urgent Care in H**.) So I did. He could tell right away it was TMJ, before he even examined me. That's the good news. The bad news: It will just have to go away on it's own. :( I googled it and it said it can take several weeks to months!!!!!!!!!!!!! :( Looks like I will be Motrins' best friend for a while....

KAL Scarf done

This is my scarf for the KAL at CFAC. I think I am only doing this one. I was doing another garter stitch one, but it was taking FOREVER to do. I pulled it off the needle, and threw it away. :( Now to mail them all. (That's the hard part for me..... no money.) I still haven't mailed out my afghans for the blanket challenge, or my two boxes for my elders this month (sigh....) (One of the afghans is going to one of the elders, so that was cool how that worked out.)

My ear is still hurting today. Yesterday after the tylenol wore off, it didn't hurt for like six hours!! Then it started hurting at night. So I took two more. Woke up at 2:30; took some more. :( Had to take some more at 11, I think. Sat down and cried. I am not a crier. I will get mad and yell or stew for days (months, or years LOL) before I cry. It takes a lot to make me cry. I don't know if I said in my last post, but the dentist said the pain should be less each day. Well it is *less* but it still hurts pretty bad. If it doesn't go away, I will have to see an Ear Nose Throat specialist. He said three or four days. So we'll see. Today is only the first day. Sigh....

Well I need to work on my testing *thing* now. Now that the tylenol has kicked in and my tea is done maybe I can calm my nerves...

Progress and Update

Well for lack of anything else to post I will post a picture of my Noah's Ark Afghan progress. It is coming along. I have also been working on the spideyghan. In between starting new things. Well technically I actually haven't started anything new; except for something I am testing for Chiscrochetcrazy over at Crochetville. I have joined three CALs lately, though; maybe that is what is causing my stress. :P I joined the Scarf CAL and KAL (done with the CAL and almost done with the KAL) at CFAC, the Fridgies CAL (I made one already, the updated version of the snowman picture frame). Then the Kitsch as Kitsch Can CAL. I love TP covers. I was thinking, the very first thing I made by myself with no pattern was a TP cover; to go in our Hunter Green and Burgundy/Mauve, 'Victorian Rose' bathroom. :P I was looking for a picture I had of the back of our toilet with that on there. I found it, though; and it is all flat and you can't see hardly any of it. :( I was going to try and re-create it. Maybe I will try anyway. I LOVE RoseRed's Rose basket TP cover she made.

I have not been sleeping well at all, lately... I've been having to get up every four hours to take more tylenol. Since I've had my teeth worked on (two weeks ago today), I have gone through one whole bottle of tylenol, almost all the prescription Motrin he prescribed me, a bottle of NyQuil, and a bottle of DayQuil. :0 And, I'm on my second bottle of tylenol. Last night was horrible. I took tylenol at 11 pm. Woke up at 1 (two hours later), my ear was KILLING!!! Took three tylenol this time. Went back to sleep at 2:30 when the pain was gone/I was tired again. Woke up at 6:30 sharp with pain. :( I looked for our insurance book to see where doctors are here in this new town. (Only one Urgent Care, guess that was easy...) They open at 7 am so I get in the shower, get ready, get the kids up.... Go to the doctor so he can check my ear out. 'Looks fine' "WHAT? It is NOT fine!!" (Of course I didn't say that; but I was thinking it...) Refers me to an ENT, and gives me two prescriptions which I doubt I will get filled. Ear drops and narcotics. I call the dentist back. "Can you come in at eleven?" "Yes" Get the kids back in the truck, go back there (AGAIN). They re-did both of the temporary crowns on the right side (side that hurts). Besides being really sore from the shots/being worked on AGAIN, it does feel better. No pain when I close my jaw. We'll see if my ear pain goes away. He also said he thinks I may be grinding my teeth in my sleep and to get a bite guard. If my pain still doesn't go away, he said to make an appointment with that ENT (I told him all about going to the doctor and the referral)... (He had told me to go to the doctor to see if that was causing my ear pain the SECOND time I went back in...) Ugh. I think my blood pressure was up after this day was done. I don't usually have high blood pressure, but I can tell when I do because my face and nose get all red and puffy looking. Kinda scary. I really hope this takes care of the ear pain because I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!! :( I think my liver is going to be shot if I take one more tylenol. I've gone WAY past the 10 day point taking them. I need a nap.

100 Things

I saw this on Paula's blog and thought it would be fun to do. (Keep my mind off my pain, anyway; for a while...)
The rules state: Below are 100 statements. Bold or change the color of the ones you have done.

1.Started your own blog.
2.Slept under the stars.
3. Played in a band.
4. Visited Hawaii .
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford budgeted to charity
7. Been to Disneyland or Disney World World.
8. Climbed a mountain (Small ones/foothills, but yes)
9. Held a praying mantis yes, a couple/three times
10. Sang a solo
11. Had stitches yes~ My chin fell off porch when I was a baby/toddler
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself art from scratch Taught myself to knit and do embroidery
15. Adopted a child.
16. Had food poisoning. ? Does violent lactose intolerant reactions count?
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty Back when they still let you.
18. Grown your own vegetables yup
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept in an overnight train.
21. Had a pillow fight.
22. Hitchhiked Yes, stupidly with one of my ex-boyfriends
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill.
24. Built a snow fort Yes, we used to love making them when we were little
25. Held a lamb.
26.Gone skinny dipping Yes and I was skinny too.
27. Run a marathon.
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice. No, but I have seen some in the Venetian in Vegas I might go on someday (does that count?)
29. Seen a total eclipse. Fourth grade
30. Watch a sunrise or sunset. Yes
31. Hit a home run.
32. Been on a cruise. Nope and I don't ever want to.
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors. I went to Kentucky where my Grandma and Grandpa were both born; and visited relatives/saw the place where my Grandma and Grandpa lived when they were first married~ does that count?
35. Seen an Amish community. Yes, Holmes County, Ohio.
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied. Right now, finally.
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person.
39. Gone rock climbing. When we lived in Colorado, all the time.
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David.
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful, in Yellowstone Park, erupt .
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant. I didn't, but my stepdad did when we were with him. A homeless man. And I have given a Homeless WW2 Vet outside of WalMart stuff. I want to buy him a meal but my husband would never. :(
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight.
46. Been transported by ambulance. I think I must have, when I was hit by a car?
47. Had your portrait painted.
48. Gone deep sea fishing.
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person.
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling.
52. Kissed in the rain.
53. Played in the mud. Heck yes! I was a tomboy if there ever was one. I used to make mud pies and get filthy dirty.
54. Gotten a speeding ticket.
55. Been in a movie. Does a home movie count?
56. Visited the Great Wall of China.
57. Started a business. Yes, I had my cleaning business for 8 years (?), and I had my 'craft business' which never really went anywhere...
58. Taken a martial arts class.
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen.
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies.
62. Gone whale watching.
63. Got flowers for no reason/special occassion Yes my husband does this a lot for me
64. Stayed the night in jail.
65. Cried so hard you threw up.
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp.
67. Bounced a check. Yes
68. Flown in a helicopter. No, but I flew in a private plane once.
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial.
71.Eaten caviar. Yes and yuck.
72. Pieced a quilt. Yes I have made a couple of them.
73. Stood in Times Square.
74. Toured the Everglades .
75. Been fired from a job. Yes, I think I was fired from a gas station cashier job once.
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London.
77. Broken a bone. Yes :( Nose, left collarbone, three vertabrae in back.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle. Yes.
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person. Drove by it, but didn't go to see it. (?)
80. Published a book.
81. Visited the Vatican .
82. Bought a brand new car. Yes, Chevy Cavalier. My Chrysler Sebring, our Dodge Ram truck.
83. Walked in Jerusalem.
84. Had your picture in the newspaper.
85. Read the entire Bible. Um, no. But I should.
86. Visited the White House.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating. Does a fish count? I didn't prepare it though. Or kill it, for that matter.
88. Had Chicken Pox. Yes, and Shingles, too.
89. Saved someones' life. Saved my brother from drowning in a pool when we were kids.
90. Sat on a jury. Almost did, but didn't go to trial/settled out of court. Hope I don't ever have to.
91. Met someone famous. Does my brother count? (Works for Kat Von D on the tv show "LA Ink", and has been on the show a few times...) I also saw Kenny Loggins at work one time (Footloose); he was the entertainment for the function. He's really good live. I saw Bon Jovi in concert, too. Do they count?
92. Joined a book club. Yes. Crafter's Choice, and Doubleday Book Club.
93. Lost a loved one. Yes, my Grandma (Mom's mom) and my Grandpa (Dad's dad). My cousin.
94. Had a baby. Yes, three huge ones!
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit.
98. Owned a cell phone. Yes.
99. Been stung by a bee. Yes. I stepped in a bee hive when I was at a slumber party once. Everyone got stung and was mad at me forever. :(
100. Read an entire book in one day. Oh yeah, I love to read!

Can I Complain Some More? :(

I have been in pain for the last week. My ear is KILLING me, ever since Friday night. I woke up in the middle of the night, it hurt so bad. I thought/hoped it would go away but it hasn't. I have been taking tylenol for one whole week now. That is probably going to do in my liver. But the pain in my ear is going to make my head explode. I can't take it any more. I don't know if it is a virus, or if it is because of my teeth being worked on. My husband has had a virus the same time as my ear thing, and my sinuses on the right side hurt, too. (Only my right ear thank goodness-if it was both, I would be in the ER I think..) So I don't know. I called the dentist and made another appointment to go in the day after tomorrow. (I don't know if I can wait that long!!!!....) :( It was feeling a little bit better today, and it had been six hours (usually it starts hurting before even three hours after I take something). I was almost getting happy. But then it started to hurt again and so I took something.

Well, I finished this set. Although the hat, I don't know what I am going to do with. I measured it and it is about a newborn size. LOL (It's supposed to be a 2-5 year old size, and I used the hook and same yarn the pattern said.) Oh well. I will either buy a hat or buy some yarn and make a new one.... I used rsislands' Cupcake Scarf pattern. You could probably contact her at her Etsy store to find the pattern. Cute scarf!

Some Purses I Have Made....

.... Like ten years ago!! I used to do the Farmer's Market. I tried to sell all my purses (before I knew about copyright/permission to sell) at the Farmer's Market.... (you can see I didn't do too well... I still have them all!) I don't think I have ever taken pictures of them/uploaded them to the computer. They are all from 'Trendsetting Totes' by American School of Needlework. (Except the little tan one w/ beads, I made that one up.) This lime green one is mine, I used it a couple times.... Made in cotton.

The lining.

A brown one in Red Heart WW, probably. (Sorry that one came out blurry.) I thought this was the same pattern as the lime green one, but it might not be.... If it is anything, it's from an FCEC magazine I have. The lining is brown in this one.

Orange one, in cotton. Orange lining.

Here is the little drawstring bag I made up. I put little beads in the middle of the flowers. I am almost positive I never wrote down how I did it, but I could probably re-create one and write it down....

Heres' the lining. This really shows how long ago I did this!! I used this same fabric to re-do a little kids' rocking chair for our 16 year old when he was a baby!! Man that makes me feel old. :(

I also did a lavender one, which I am sending to someone on PR. I will probably take a picture before I send it. It's packed away somewhere...

Muddins!

(What is a muddin... you are thinking?...) :-D It's what one of our kids used to call muffins. :P It's all he used to eat. I used to make muffins a lot. Now that I don't pack lunches anymore, I don't really have to make snack type foods to pack... But, THESE are almost completely fat-free, and they are awesome. Chocolate banana muffins. I use applesauce instead of oil, and they turn out great. I tried it with other kinds of muffins but it didn't turn out so great. But this recipe really works with it. I have been trying to watch what I eat. Lately that isn't so hard, since I can't chew anything. (Another reason I made these, since they aren't so hard to chew...)

I went to take some movies back today. It is SO nice out!! It said it was 64 in the truck. I had to take my hoodie off, it was so warm. Sure doesn't feel like January. I don't know if I will ever get used to this (nice) weather. ;P (Sure, ask me this summer and it will be a different story... But I can get used to no winter.)

A New and Improved Snowman Picture Frame

I recently joined the Fridgies CAL. I had been wanting to re-do the snowman picture frame I made; since I wasn't really happy with the way it turned out. I wanted it smaller, for one. I sat down today, and just started messing around with it. This is the result. I like it a LOT better. I used the plastic rings from my husbands' Gatorade bottle. :P Way to recycle.. yay.

I don't know what I will do with the orange ones.... I got a whole bunch of them, in all sizes and colors. I posted it over on my pattern blog. :)

I Had Four More :(

Now I am not talking about WIPs here (although I probably do have four more, or more than four... lol). I am talking about teeth that needed to be fixed. I already had three done, last time. Or was it four? Well I had three more that I knew needed to be fixed. Well make that four, they found one more. :( All four needed crowns. They were only going to do two on the left side, first. I said 'Do them all and get them over with.' (I HATE going to the dentist...) :( I was at the dentist FIVE hours last night. By the time I got out (7:45 pm) I didn't even want dinner. I couldn't chew it if I wanted to. Besides I was in pain. Maybe I will lose weight now! lol I have a dentist phobia, if there is such a thing. Maybe I had a horrible dentist experience when I was a child, that I am blocking out.... I had three C-sections, you would think going to the dentist would be nothing. But something about the needles, and the drilling. I was literally shaking from being such a nervous wreck. I am so glad it is over. But I am afraid to go back. They keep finding more, each time. :( All my lovely metal fillings are cracking all my teeth, is basically what I think he said. I guess I need to brush even more, and floss every day. I got some prescription strength Motrin (which I do not want to take! I've heard all kinds of bad things about Motrin...) which I am supposed to take with two Tylenol for three days as prescribed whether I feel like I need it or not. Guess I should go eat some pureed oatmeal, so I can take them. :P I hope everyone is having a good day. :-D

Bear Hug Scarf

Is it just me, or do you think this scarf would scare the daylights out of a little girl who is two or three years old? The one on the pattern page was so cute! I think it is the 'eyes', and the skinny neck. It looked crooked after I did the mouth, so I re-did the neck and it is a little bit skinnier. I want to get a pink hat and mittens set to send with this. But I thought I'd post a picture now anyway. Since it helps with my mental state somehow... (to know one more project is DONE!)... :P I was deathly afraid of clowns when I was little; and for some reason this reminds me of a clownish type thing (so maybe it is just me...) Well hopefully the little girl who gets it will like it. :-)

Afghan(s) Progress....

I got to work on the Noah's Ark Afghan for my nephew a lot yesterday. We took a long drive to the Hoover Dam. I worked on it on the way (and on the way back, until it got too dark). I got a lot done. :-D I measured it width wise. It is exactly 36 inches wide. For some reason that makes me so happy. I frogged it in the beginning because 29" wide just didn't seem big enough. I would like it to be big enough that he can use it well into his toddler years. So I added a few reps (after some major brainwork that gave me a headache... lol just kidding. I had a headache anyway...) and it turned out perfect.

I also worked on the Spiderman afghan a little bit yesterday. Got the red section done, the black row, and started the blue section. I think after these last two blue sections, it might be done! So, 17 more rows to go. Yay.

Don't know why the photo is blurry here. Hmmm.... It wasn't blurry on my camera, or when I uploaded it to my computer or to Ravelry. It is one of those weird things, I guess.... Maybe it is blogger. Anyway. I hope you are all having a great day. Gotta go, he keeps coming around the corner and I'm gonna blow it!!

One FO--And My Last Project of 2008

This wasn't even on my WIP list. It is a One Skein Scarf. The color is off, it is amethyst. (Purple) There was a hat (beret) that went with it. But I think I am sticking to just the scarf. Or I will never finish anything.... Maybe I can find a cheap (I mean, inexpensive) hat and gloves to go with them all. Especially for the little kids sets... I started and finished this last night. Yay... (Unlike the garter stitch scarf I started, which is taking forever....)

Roll it up; it is a rose. :P I did this last night to mine (I have one just like this in dk orchid or plum, that Jana sent me last year-- or was it the year before?) for a giftie. The kids were fascinated with it. 'What is it?' 'My scarf. I just rolled it up so it looks like a rose.' 'Can I see it?' :P Funny how they like to play with the simplest things. Kinda like how when you buy them a new toy, and they play with the box...

I am secretly working on the Spiderman RR for our youngest son. It is slow going, since I can only do it when my husband is home. I go in our room and lock the door... I would have it finished in no time if I could work on it out here. I am on the last row of red, and then I have two more blocks of blue. Hopefully it will be big enough by then. I want to do a huge scrap one of them. We'll see.... I will probably have at least two more spiderman (or one spidey, one batman) to do after this one is done....

Can you believe it is 2009 already? :( Where did 2008 go? Where did 2007, 06, 05, 04 go.... I remember when it turned 2000, and everyone was freaking out. (Y2K....) Well hopefully everyone is doing well~~ til next time :)