The Beer Sweater Is Done!

...Not the best picture (sorry). But it's done!!! Yay. :D  With five days to spare. :P  Now I can relax; and work on my other bazillion UFOs.. Lol   Now I have to hide all evidence and get dinner started before my husband gets home from work. :P

Done, and Almost Done (Lol)

I finished the miniature knitting bag ornament; and it has been mailed. :) It is really super easy to do. The most tedious part (for me) is making all the little "yarn balls". Making the little knitting needles was kind of fun. (I hope they don't break in the mail.) I had her write "fragile" on the box, and it should be okay. But..  

And, I am *almost* done with the Beer Sweater, too! YAY!!  I have been trying my best to work on it during the day when my husband is at work. But, he has been getting done early a lot this week (which is nice, but... Not nice.)  Especially when we get the check. :/  I haven't been getting much else done, but..  I also have been sick. So, I kind of have an "excuse". :P  (Now Eon has it too. I don't know but I think it might be the flu. It's a virus, whatever it is..)   Well back to work while my husband still isn't here. (He has tomorrow off, too. So I hope I can get it done today.) 

The Christmas Crunch

...No, I'm not talking about the cereal. :P  I wasn't going to do ANY knitting or crochet projects this year for Christmas. Now, with ten days left til Christmas, I decide to do not just one, but three things..  O.o   I was *only* going to do a beer sweater for my husband. Just something to put in his stocking. He likes a beer every once in a while, and I thought this would be a cute "Gag" gift. Plus he is so hard to shop for, cuz he doesn't ever want anything. I didn't have much in the way of sport weight yarn, so I used a ball I had that looked like sport weight. Plus I thought the fuzziness would add to the the humor of it. (Too bad I don't have pink, lol.)  Someone gave it to me.

Here is the label. It was made in Spain. Nice. :)

And, I decided to do a little ornament for a gift for someone. Someone else I write to was telling me about one she had made for someone, and I looked it up on Ravelry: Miniature Knitting Bag Ornaments  I put this one aside and started my husbands beer sweater, though. So I can work on it while he isn't here, and work on everything else while he is here. :P

I also started a pair of green slippers. I don't know why.....    I might put these aside too. I was thinking "Elf slippers", maybe. But none of my kids want any. Sooo...  I might just make them for the charity pile of stuff I got going. I'm using the Yarn Lover's Room Slipper Sock pattern.

Finished Eli's Pillowcase

I got it done, yay...   Now I can just do pillowcases for fun/to donate. I dug out every single piece of fabric that I own; that I could possibly use for pillowcases, last night.  I almost had.... What's that word that starts with an "F".... Oh yeah, Fun! :P  Making the pillowcases is fun, too. (As long as I don't run out of thread or have any other issues with my sewing machine. Too bad I don't have someone to do all that for me, Lol.)

A Couple Christmas Pillowcases

I finally got a couple pillowcases done this year. I bought the fabric for this one last year, to make for last Christmas- for Eon. He still loves Spongebob.

A close-up of the fabric. :)  I have another one all cut out to make for Eli (different fabric), but my husband came home early and wanted to go out; so it didn't get done today.  I'm hoping to work on it tomorrow. Eon has a play/musical tomorrow in the afternoon, but maybe I can get it done in the morning.

I worked on this one instead. I got this fabric just recently, at Walmart I think. I should have gotten more of this fabric, it is SOOO cute. :( I went today to look and the absolute only Christmas fabric they had left was Hello Kitty. (I got enough to make two pillowcases with it, though; since I am making some of these for charity- this Rudolph one included.)

A close-up of the fabric. I want a pillowcase out of this fabric for myself. I wonder if I could order it online anywhere. I might look (when I have time- HA when is that?)   I used this video tutorial to make the pillowcases with: Easy Tube Pillow Case Tutorial.

Christmas Goodies

I saw some Candy Sleighs on Pinterest. Sooo cute, right?! I loved them and knew I had to make them. Our internet was down the other day, and this is what I did. (And cleaned my craft room, among other things.. :P)  I ran out of candy before I finished all these. But the kids didn't care, they ate them anyway. I didn't even get to finish them, with the bow and ribbons..

I did manage to save three, for Eons' teachers.

I took them up to his school today, with fuzzy socks and some cocoa butter with shea lotion in each gift bag. Just a little something.

And, I fnished another of Mimi's Santa Hats; for a friend I went to high school with. This is my last thing I will be sending out. Now I want to make one or two things for just us. I saw this on Ravelry and thought it might be fun to put in my husbands' stocking. (Knowing me, I will get it done maybe by next Christmas... If I get all my knitting/crochet projects and one other fun thing done, I'm doing good. :P )

Santa Hats

I finished these five Santa Hats for a family of friends. They are the ones who got my husband the job here to begin with. And they (husbands) worked together when we lived in Colorado, too. I never actually met them though; until we moved here. They have invited us over for Thanksgiving dinner every year for the past three years, I think. She saw my Santa hat on facebook, and I don't remember how, but we got on the subject of it once; and she said she wanted to do a family picture with them all wearing Santa hats.  Sooo... This year I crocheted them all hats. Using Mimi's Playful Santa Hat pattern. My favorite. :)  Now I have one more to do for another friend (who I've known since high school) - oh, the crunch... it's killing me..  :(  After that, I am free to make what I want. I was thinking about some slippers, or start Eons knitted Striped Hat. Just like the blue one, with the red stripe. I didn't link to the actual pattern page, but you can get to it from there. He wants one just like that.  I have had the yarn, and I got some 16 inch circulars to do it on. I was just trying to get all the Santa hats done. I've never done a hat (nothing besides a baby afghan) on circulars. So.. We'll see.   Oh, I did the girls' hats in more "blingy" yarn than the boys'. So that's why two of them look different. :)

Books For The Angel Tree

I got all these books (a couple of them are like brand new) for only $13.50 at the used book store in town today. Booyah!! 

I went there to see if they had the 50 Shades of Grey book(s); and to look for some books for gifts, and for the Angel Tree at Eons' school.  Well, I didn't end up getting the 50 Shades books (they did have the whole set, brand new -but for full price and I only had $20 cash on me-plus I kind of decided maybe I will just tell my husband and he can get me them for Christmas).  Anyway.. I did find a few books for gifts. I was looking mostly for the two high school girls I send things to on PR.  I asked the woman if she had any suggestions (having all boys myself, and having liked Stephen King books when I was in high school; I figured I am probably not the best judge of what a high school girl might like to read, lol). She suggested most of these. I got the "Ghostgirl" book, cuz it is Brand New. And I only paid $2.50 for that one. (Booyah, again!!)  And "Angela's Ashes" for an elder I send things to. It is just the best book ever, IMO. I have one but I don't want to give my copy away. Lol.

Here they all are so you can see the covers.  I think I am going to see if my library has the 50 Shades book. I have been hearing about it a lot and thought I might read it. Maybe I will try before I buy, if I can. Lol ;P

Remember Me?.. :P

I have been neglecting my blog lately, I know... RL keeps getting in the way. (Real Life)  Sigh...   I don't actually have any pictures to post, either. I have been taking them, but on my (new) phone, and I don't have them on my computer. (Big sigh...) Anyway, here is another angry birds hat, that I don't think I have posted here yet. I crocheted that red one for my nephew (I don't know if I mentioned this already...). Then someone said "Would you sell this?" So I said yes. (She said she would pay me for it, and she was "Sending the check in the mail"..) That was about a month ago. Still don't have that check she "sent out".  But I did crochet another hat for my nephew. (Turned out that the red one was a little small- I tried it on- and probably wouldn't fit a four year old very well.) So I hope this one will fit/he will like it. Angry Birds Black Bird Hat is the pattern I used. I'm thinking I need to make myself a hat. The Grinch Hat. :/

I have been crocheting some of Mimi's Santa Hats. For a friend. I wasn't going to, because even though she said she liked them, I thought "Oh she's probably just saying that..." You know? But they invited us over for Thanksgiving dinner (this is the third or fourth year in a row we've gone over there for Thanksgiving). And she said again that she loved those; and wanted one. Soooo....  :) I am making one for everyone in the family (five hats), because what she originally said, was that she wanted to do a family picture with all of them wearing Santa hats.    What does any of this have to do with a picture of a Santa kitchen towel and hot pad set, you are probably wondering. Lol.  This is what I made for another friend (who usually goes over their house every Thanksgiving, too. But this year they didn't come because they went to their son's wedding in Indiana).  When we invited them all over to our house for Eon & Steves' birthday, she noticed my towel toppers on my stove and said she really liked those and they reminded her of home. I immediately thought, "Chirstmas present!..." Then I tried finding out what color(s) their kitchen is. But when my husband asked her husband at work, he said "I don't know. I just go in there to get food. I don't pay attention." Lol.  So, I figured I would make a Christmas set for her.  I started with the No Sew Towel Topper, and tweaked it a little to make them more like mine.  I need to sew a button on. I bought some, I just haven't gotten around to it yet...

Yesterday, Eon won two awards in the awards assembly at his school. The Honor Roll award, and Student of the Month award. I'm so proud of him!! I had been meaning to make this dessert for a while. I bought some custard cups a week or two ago, to make it.  But hadn't gotten around to it. Well yesterday I thought, "I should make them tonight, since Eon won those awards.."  :)  

They are Lava Cakes.  See the "molten (chocolate) lava" pouring out? :D  They really weren't all that hard. The hardest thing was you have to grease each cup and dust it with baking cocoa powder. They were so yummy. (I really shouldn't have eaten one. But...)  Here is the recipe: Molten Chocolate Cakes Recipe.  They remind me of Hot Fudge Cakes from Big Boy back home in Michigan.. (We had ours with vanilla ice cream-which I also shouldn't have eaten, but I only had a little..)

Ana's Sweater Shell

I finished this set yesterday, for Knit-A-Square. The November Challenge is "Plain Janes". Supposed to be squares (which I am also making some of), but I wanted to do a little vest. And I made a hat, too. The hat is Teen/Adult Ribbed Cap. I wasn't sure if it was right, as I was making it, because it worked up crooked. But once it is sewn together it all works out. (Cool.) And, like the title of this post says, I used the Ana Sweater Shell pattern for the vest.  I guess I need to sew on a button, too. Forgot about that.

Catching Up...

I haven't posted any crocheted or knitted things in a while on here, besides the booties. It's mostly been about food. (LoL)  I have been crocheting, though.. (And knitting, too.)  These are two hats I finished for the October CAL at EEROP on Ravelry. They are the Maia's Hat pattern. (A free Ravelry download.) I used stash yarn.  I really don't like working with that Baby Clouds yarn. (The light blue hat.) I can't see what I'm doing at all.

And an Angry Birds hat I finished. (Watch out for the pop ups on that site.) I was going to give this to my nephew, but someone wanted it for her nephew. I guess it worked out okay, since I don't think it would fit a four year olds' head as well as it would an 18 month olds' head. (Her nephew is 18 months..)  But now I have to make another hat for my nephew. (Sigh....)

I've also been crocheting squares for KAS. This is the Chain Stitch square (also on Ravelry). I love this pattern. It just is so relaxing to do..

I did four more, for the October Challenge. Which was all about Christmas.



And I knitted a Basketweave square (Ravelry, again). (I have another one of these on my needles, too.)

And, crocheted two "picture" squares. I just chained 31 and did a sc in second chain from hook and sc all the way until it is 8". The Christmas Tree pattern I got here: http://www.crochetme.com/media/p/90053.aspx  The reindeer pattern is here: http://crochet.about.com/library/weekly/aa121899.htm

I thought I would make up some little tags to put on Halloween Goody bags. I didn't have a circle puncher the right size to put inside the black scalloped punch, so I used a tea light candle as a template thingy. :P 

...It didn't come out exactly perfect like a circle puncher would have, so I tried to "hide" that by using a glitter pen all around the edge.  Oh well, just a little something. I thought it would be fun. The kids can hang them on their doorknob or wherever..

The goody bags. These were for three of the kids I send things to on Pine Ridge. Just a little something. Each bag has everything pictured, in it..

Speaking of Halloween...  :P  "Ghould Morning"...   Lol.  This is what Eon dressed up as last night. We went to Trunk & Treat, which was a good thing. Because only six houses had candy. He still had fun, though; and got candy.

All Dressed Up (and Ready To Go..)

.. Booties, that is. I finished them. This is not the greatest picture. I don't know why I can't get a good picture of them. I took about 12 pictures. They just won't come out. And I don't feel good. So..    I am getting the box ready to mail out since the baby shower is this weekend. I don't know if her DIL is flying in for the shower, or what.. I can't keep up. Anyway I thought I would try and get them done in time for the shower. I don't know if you can tell but there are beads on the bottom and top edges.  I was trying to get them to look like the ones my friend posted on facebook, which I posted a picture of in this post. (Third picture down.)  I am also sending the pink booties in that post. And a baby book, since they requested that instead of a card they would like a book for the baby's library.

Pumpkin Coffee

Have  you had a Pumpkin Spiced Latte at Starbucks yet?...   Well now you don't have to go waste your money. You can make one right at home. ;)   I saw this recipe at Crochetville: Pumpkin Coffee. I finally got around to trying it today. I might add more pumpkin spice and more sugar. But it's pretty good. :) 

Dinner's Done..

I think those are the two most favorite words to hear for our family/ in this house.. :P  I have been trying to think of "new", yummy things for the kids, to make for dinner.  I saw this recipe on facebook, for "Back to School Pizza Casserole". It looked, and sounded yummy.  We weren't all that impressed.  It was okay, I guess.  I don't think I'll be making it a lot, though.  

I started the baby booties today for my friend. I had bought some beads, but when I finally went to string them on the thread, it was impossible. So I went and got bigger beads. These will work.

I am in the mood to throw everything away. I just wish I had the energy to do it. (I guess it's a good thing I don't, or I would regret it later.)  :P  That slipper I posted about last time, I don't think it will be having a mate. I don't have enough yarn to do a second one, and when I went to try and find it, I couldn't find it anywhere.. I only looked at two places: Walmart and Michaels. But..  I would think those two places would have it. I guess I'll keep looking.

Crocheted Tweed Slipper (Only One So Far..)

Well I joined another CAL. Or an "Along"... It's a "Slipper Along". :P  I have been thinking about crocheting some slippers, recently. I had ordered a kit for the "Crocheted Tweed Slippers" from Mary Maxim, for my Aunt. She had wrote me and asked if I had any slipper patterns similar to two little pictures she sent me, from the Mary Maxim catalog. One of the them was the Knitted Tweed Slippers. So, I ordered the crochet pattern kit for her. I sent it to her. Then she wrote me back, saying she didn't know if she could do it. (There are FPDD's and the cuff is kind of a pain-now that I've crocheted one..)  And, look how small it came out. With a "J" hook, and holding two strands of yarn together.  ???  And I did not crochet tight. (Sigh.... This is not helping me out of my slump, at all; by the way...) 

I tried it on my foot, (I could barely get it on) to see if it would stretch at all.  A little, but still doesn't fit.  I will make a second slipper, though. I can send them to EEROP. They will fit a child. :)  I used Tan Fleck by Red Heart. That was the "tweediest" looking yarn I have. (Lol.)

Still have a bit of a sore throat.. :(  I don't know if it's allergies, or if I'm getting one/fighting one.  Maybe I should take some allergy stuff and see, huh?  I thought some lemon tea would help though...   (Don't ask me why I took a picture of it. :P) 

Monkey Lovie

This is a Monkey Lovie I finished yesterday (I think).  It's part stuffed animal/part blankie. I didn't have anyone in mind to give this to, but when I saw it I thought it was sooo cute, and maybe it would get me out of this slump I have been in with crocheting and knitting stuff..  It didn't really get me out of my slump. But, I did finish it. I am going to see if my cousin would want it for a little baby girl she is fostering. If they don't want it, I will give it to one of the charities I'm in.  The pattern is from a crochet group I am in on facebook. The designer is Christal Dines Friend.

This morning, after going for my walk (with Jetta) in the wet, muddy dirt; I unloaded the dishwasher, cleaned up the kitchen, washed a pair of socks I knitted for Eon but that he hardly wore (going to send them to EEROP). Did laundry. Then decided to sit down and crochet for a while. I thought, "I'm going to make a cup of tea" since my throat is a little sore (I don't know if it's the rainy weather, or if I'm fighting something or what..) I came to sit back down, and who is laying on the afghan I'm working on? LoL!!..  She cracks me up. Do you think she is trying to tell me something? (She wants me to play with her.. You can't see it in the picture, but her ball was up there, too.)  Poor neglected puppy.   ;P

Brownies

                                                                         =Love

"All Dressed Up" Booties

A friend of mine is expecting her first grand baby (a girl) in February. She had posted a link t a picture of some baby booties on facebook. I started looking on Ravelry for baby booties, done in thread, crocheted. I found some very similar (I think they might be them, just tweaked a little tiny bit..) booties. From the book "Booties by the Dozen" from Leisure Arts.  I ordered a used (but in perfect condition) one from Amazon. I didn't have enough white thread so I started a pair in pink. :P

View from the front..  I want to make a second pair, in white, with beads.

These were the original booties she posted. Very similar don't you think? The only difference I can see is the person who crocheted these only did three straps on the top, and added a lacy round (just like the top part) for the edging on the bottom. (Plus the beads.)  Aren't they beautiful?

Today's Letter of the Day is... "P"..

..for Pie.  I had seven brats leftover from the birthday party this weekend (besides other food).  I was trying to think of something to make with them, since the two boys HATE brats. It's like, their Fear Factor Food. Lol.  I thought, "I haven't made Cheese Sausage Spinach Pie in a long time." They like that. I had enough filling to make two. Making four pie crusts just about did me in (and cleaning up the kitchen afterwards), but... Seven brats were not wasted. Lol.

P is also for "plants"... :P   My husband did some more landscaping. :D  These are Oleander (sp?) bushes.  I didn't know they are poisonous. (I do, now..)  There were two half dead (and ugly) rose bushes there, before. My husband pulled them out with the truck.  Our yard is looking better, little by little..  :) 

One is getting some flowers on it. :D

..P is also for "Poncho". As in, the "Coming Home Poncho".   I crocheted this like, the millisecond the pattern came out; I think. All those years ago. :P  It must have been before we had a computer; or a digital camera, even.  I know for sure I have some pictures of me wearing it, but.. That would take days to find the pictures, then go to Walmart and get them uploaded to a CD..  So, I thought I would just take a picture of it.   Someone I write to asked me if it was an available pattern.So I started looking for the pattern to print out, and realized I don't have a picture of mine at Ravelry. So..   Now I wonder if she needs the knitted version or crocheted version. (Sigh..)  I printed out the crochet version (and used the last piece of printer paper-of course. Lol)  Oh well. I need some more anyway.

I have a sick 10  year old home today from school. :(  (P is also for "p*ke".. Gross, I know. Sorry..)  He has it coming out both ends, poor kid. I'm going to have to go get some Pedialyte. (Oh my god, I did not even plan that one... LOL).  And some jello, and applesauce..  I still have a can of chicken soup from last time his stomach was upset. Poor kid.