Spring Has Sprung...

Maybe not in Michigan. Or New York. Or Pennsylvania... But it has, here. It's kind of weird to think it is spring here.... I took a picture of the flowering trees behind the 'fence'...

Here, I tried to zoom in...

And here are some flowering cactuses... (well, only one.) I took this a while ago, actually. By the library. I am still a dorky tourist.... :P

The whole cactus. Well if it isn't Spring where you are, maybe it will be soon. :) Have a Great Day!

The finished girls set...

Here it is, all done. I first had to go get more of the dark pink yarn, to finish the hat and scarf.. Well, then I ran out of the baby pink about half way through my LAST row on the scarf! Isn't that how it always works? You're on your last motif, or last round of the afghan... Anyway. I got her done. And with two days left to mail. I am going to get it all together (all my scarves, not my life LOL though I wish...) and mail them out today... I have a few other things to mail, too. Yesterday it was SOOOO awesome out! I sat outside on the bench and finished up the scarf, while the kids played in the sand box. (We don't really have much of a yard... Just rocks....) It was supposed to be 70 but it felt like 90 where I was sitting... I don't know if I will survive a summer here or not... :P Have a Great Day Everyone...

Some More FO's/WIPs...

I have been trying to get one last set done before I have to ship out all my scarves for the scarf challenge. I wanted to do a girls' set. Well... after reading the Mountains of Mittens CAL thread, I remembered the mittens I made a long time ago. (The link for the mittens isn't working, they are similar to the Bev's Country Cottage link in the cal thread...) I don't know if I made a hat just like it because the one I made before, was like that? Or if it was a coincidence... Oh well. The hat here is not actually done, I ran out of the darker pink. I went and got some more today. Anyway, I thought I'd post it...

Clearer shot of the ribbing on the mittens...

And, I finished a pair of mittens to go with the Rat Race Set I posted earlier... I was looking for something little to put in the mittens, for a 'surprise'... like a Hot Wheel... ? I looked at Hot Wheels at WalMart though and the package they are in is too wide, and it says, '3 yrs' and up... So I guess that blows that idea. I couldn't really find anything in the Barbie aisle, either... Oh well. Maybe I'll just buy a couple chapsticks? Well this is what I've been working on lately... I have one more inch to go on the back of the Central Park Hoodie. Woo Hoo!

Scarves... and one hat

Well here is my Rat Race scarf, finished. I didn't put the bead/eyes on, as it is for a 2 or 3 year old. (They might take them off and put them in their mouth? Or have little brothers or sisters who would... ?) I made a Garter Stitch Cloche (from 'Knitting for Babies') to go with it. I even got another skein of yarn at WalMart. Knitted a whole mitten. Then tore it all apart. :( I did something terribly wrong. Or else I am having another stupid knitting moment... I don't know. I was so disgusted I ripped it all out. I will just have to send this like it is. Maybe if I start ahead of time I won't be so rushed for the next scarf challenge. I also started a baby bunnies hat, scarf, mittens set from another book I just got. That one will have to go into the next challenge, as well...

Here are four scarves I did manage to get done for the challenge. These are all online patterns, free. The two on the left are the Shelly Scarf. The off-white/grey stripe: Cluster Scarf, and the one on the right: Mosaic Scarf

I think it looks like a rose, all rolled up. :P

Crayon Cakes

I get a newsletter email from Frugal Living every ?... I don't know, now and then. Well the last one had an idea to recycle all your little crayon bits into "new" crayons. I had read about it before, in a 'Tightwad Gazette' book I have. (It was the first one. If you scroll down, you can see what the books look like. This one has no image for some reason...) I was going to call them crayon muffins, but they look more like little cakes. I had been thinking about doing it for years, but today seemed like a good Arts & Crafts kind of day. So we made some... :P We took all the pieces of crayons (no new ones allowed) and I cut them up into small pieces.

Then we put them into the muffin pan, and a soap mold I have. I wasn't sure about putting the soap mold into the oven, but it was fine. (At 170*.)

Here is the five year olds' crayon muffin, all melted....

And the eleven year olds'. His heart did break when his heart broke. :P (Maybe I should not even try, huh...) He put it back in the mold and remelted it... They are still doing that. It took a lot longer than the directions said, for the crayon pieces to melt. We also weren't sure how they were going to come out of the pan. But we turned the pans over (once the crayons had set up some), and put ice cubes on the bottoms of the tin. The heart popped right out. The muffin one had to be pushed a little from the bottom.... The heart:

The one from the muffin pan:

The kids were really excited when they were done. When you color with them, it is like a variegated crayon. Pretty cool. :D

Edited to add: The soap mold did totally melt. I don't know if it would have, doing it just once. But he put it back in the stove and it melted that time... (In case you were wanting to use a soap mold to make some?) :P

Ungrateful People

Now I usually don't talk about much other than knitting crocheting or baking... But this is something that really bugs me (okay, one of the things that really bug me...) It's ungrateful people. Have you ever knitted or crocheted something for someone, and you don't even get an acknowledgement of your gift, let alone thank you? My Sister in Law is like that. I knitted a vest once for her daughter (our niece). I didn't hear one single word of acknowledgement, or thank you, or anything. When I saw her next I asked her about it, and she said something to the effect of, 'It is kind of stretchy around the neck so I didn't want her to wear it.' :O I wanted to say, 'Well give it back then. I'll find someone else who might appreciate it.' Forget 'thank you for thinking of us, and taking the time to knit her a vest', but complain about it?! Ever heard the saying 'Never look a gift horse in the mouth'? I have always tried to thank someone when they have given me something, even if it is something I know I will never wear. I teach my children to write thank you letters. If someone takes time out of their busy lives to give you something, it should be acknowledged- A simple thank you goes a long way.

Well, I have been sending things to people on an Indian Reservation for about two years now. One person in particular. I have been thinking about all the things I have made (and bought!) for her grandchildren and her. At first I was 'excited' that she wrote me back. (A lot of the people on the reservation cannot speak or write English, I guess.) Well after a while, it got to be 'can you send this', or 'someones' birthday is coming up'... ??? Not: 'thank you for the sweater you sent for my grandson. I gave it to them and it fits him good' no word of the box I just sent. A SIMPLE THANK YOU goes a long way. Well I just sent a box recently with a bunch of clothes for her grandson, a winter coat, some socks... a few food items. I just got a letter back.... and she wants cupcake liners, and her grandson and granddaughters birthdays are both this month... ???? Hello. Did you get the box I sent? I mean I know it isn't *much* (actually, I thought it was a lot...) but.... It cost a lot of money to send the box. (My husband wasn't really happy about that, either. We have three kids to take care of, and spending money on someone else is just not his 'cup of tea'.) Is it just me? I mean, I am not doing this for a thank you. I am doing it to try to help out; but when it gets to be 'can you send this, and so and so's birthday is coming up, and whatever you can send would be great', but no word of thanks for what I HAVE done.... I kind of feel totally unappreciated. It isn't as if we have money coming out of our ears, either. Does this person sound ungrateful to you? Is it just me? Sigh.... (Don't get me started on liars...) :P

I'm Still Here...

Barely; I feel like, sometimes... lol I just recently got my Rat Race Scarf kit in the mail (WOW that was the fastest I have ever gotten a package, I think!) I started one yesterday. (Not with the yarn in the kit though.) This is Red Heart, and it is 'turqua'. It looks light blue to me in the picture. I thought I knew all there was to know about knitting (well except garterlac and intarsia! Which... I don't know if I will ever get intarsia...) But anyway I was completely stumped here as to how to join the new rat to the old rat. ;) I asked online and got the answer. I tend to overcomplicate knitting for myself, I guess. It was actually very simple. (It didn't sound simple though...) So anyway this is what I have so far. Actually, I am on rat #3, so I am farther.

And here is love bug #3 that I have finished. I did it in variegated like Chrisdfriend made hers. I think it is really cute.

Progress on my Central Park Hoodie. I'm actually farther than this, too. I completely missed a cable~ RIGHT where I did the armhole decrease. I got done with them and thought, whew, now I just knit straight... AAAAARGGGHHH!!! If you heard screaming like a pirate a few days ago, it was probably me. ;P (I didn't actually scream at all, folks.) I was SOOOO disgusted though, I put it away and didn't work on it for a while. But then I picked it up and said "I have to fix this or it will bug me to no end..." So I did. Now I am back to where I was, and more. Almost done with the back. I'll post a picture when it is done. :D

And last but not least, here is my first square for the Square A Month Swap from Crochet Mania. I think my month isn't even until May. This is from JazzRizz. Thank you, JazzRizz~ I love it. (It's the Bobby Square.) I have made many of these myself and love this pattern. In fact I was thinking about making this same square for someone else in the swap, myself. And thank you for the card, too. I love getting 'mail'. The butterfly is so pretty.

Guess what?.... :D I finally got in to Ravelry! WOOOO HOOOO! I am slowly (and I do mean slow) getting to find my way around. I need to set up a Flickr account. Which I may or may not have already done, knowing me... Well have a nice week everyone.

Rats....

Not in my house, lol.... I would never have thought I would "like" rats... But.... Have you seen Ratatouille? We bought it on demand the other night. I didn't particularly want to see it, but I was in the room with the kids. Well.... guess what I found while Googling? (Not really looking for it, either... I'll tell you what I was looking for, in a minute.) A free pattern for Remy! Well you know I am going to have to make at least two, now... One for the five year old, one for the eleven year old...

What I was looking for, was a rat pattern that lays flat. See, I just got my Interweave Knits magazine. And, folks, this is why I stopped getting magazine subscriptions! I want to buy every book, magazine, or pattern they advertise! Okay, not every one. But I saw this Rat Race scarf and I want it so bad! I am in this 'animal'/kid type/fun scarves mode lately. It is a wholekit, though. Not just the pattern. They have a whole page of cute 'Critter Kits': scarves, mittens, hats... I love the alligator, the cat, the dragon... The crab/lobster claw mittens are so cute. (Sigh...) Anyway, so I was trying to find just a flat rat motif pattern... and I found Remy. Well, that should keep me busy for a while... :P

House Plants

I am such a boring person... Talking about house plants. Well the Question of the Day on one of the yahoo groups I am on was, 'Do you have a green thumb?' and everyone started saying how many house plants they had... So I took a picture of some of mine... This one (I think) is a purple wandering jew. My friend gave me a cutting of one of hers.. (I still have two more cuttings of this in a jar. I also have a cutting from her, of a really pretty one that gets white flowers on it. Need to get potting soil, though...)

She also gave me this one, a Swedish Ivy (I think). These two plants survived the trip to our new house and the freeze overnight. (All my plants were in my car, and half of them died..) :( I'm glad these two made it, though.

My Jade plant (one of my FAVORITES) didn't do so good. This is whatis left of it... :( I cut off what still looked good and re"planted" it. You can see how well it was doing in this post. Well you can see part of it, anyway.

This is another one that is barely hanging on... My 'Christmas' Cactus. I had been looking through one of my cookbooks one day (it's an Amish cookbook) and it had recipes for things like cough syrup, furniture polish, stuff like that. Well one of them was for plant food. It had ammonia in it and I thought, 'That can't be right. It would kill the plant!' Don't you think? I can barely stand the smell of ammonia. But I googled some other homemade plant food recipes in case anyone is interested:Readers suggestions I don't know if I will use any of these or just go buy some plant food. I need to get potting soil, anyway... Recipezaar ~Here's another one. Have a Great Day everyone.

More Squares

This is a dishcloth I finished for the February dishcloth KAL. Which I hosted this month. It wasn't all that hard. Just had to remember to do it every day. I can see how one person would get tired of doing it every month... It was a pattern I found at knitting pattern central. Piece of my Heart.

Here are two of six afghan squares I made for someone at Crochetville. I have recieved word that she (finally) got them. So I can post them here. (Not that I think she even reads my blog...) Photobucket was down yesterday. So I couldn't post anything... I finished my dishcloth since then, though... so it worked out okay. ;) I got the pattern for the red and black squares somewhere online...

Here are blue ones.... I got the pattern for these from my '200 crochet blocks' book.... My squares NEVER turn out six inches like the book says... (They are all done in sport weight yarn, in the book; though....)

More red ones. (Also from the 200 blocks book.) I call these 'bubble wrap' squares. Our youngest son loves bubble wrap. One time we were at the post office, and he saw some red and blue bubble wrap. We got the red. (I needed it anyway.... I did let him have a little piece, though...) So these reminded me of the red bubble wrap... (Of course every time after that, he wanted to get some more, but.... that's a whole different story...)

I guess there is a CAL going on for my love bug, over at Ravelry. I STILL have not been able to get in!! :(( I think I figured out, that I forgot what my username and password is... (sigh) I thought I wrote it down somewhere, but I can't find it anywhere!! Waaaaa! Chrisdfriend has made a couple of my ami love bugs, though. Aren't they cute?! I never thought to make one in variegated yarn. But I have one done (almost) in 'Monet' now... It turned out really cute. I'll post a picture when it's done. (Still have two legs to do...)

Well I suppose I should get to work and start cleaning today.... (sigh) I hope everyone else has a great day!

Some of my recent things...

I have been testing a pattern for KristieMN. The Sea Monster.

A side view. It is supposed to be 'Lily' the sea monster, but... I made this one for a boy. (Being surrounded by boys sometimes it is hard to think pink...)

And a different angle. I am saving this one for her toy drive this year.

I just recently bought the Crazy Casserole Toppers from Cupcakes' Etsy store. I made the duck. I made it in acrylic. I was reading about acrylic hot pads melting (as opposed to cotton). But, if you are just using it for a lid, it might not be so bad... The next one I make I will probably use cotton for the bottom piece. I don't have that much cotton.

And, I recently ordered this online, too. In it is the Cardigan that Lisa tested for the Crochet Dude. I really want to make one. The actual sweater you see in the book and on the model is the exact one she made. It was the one that was sent to the publisher for photos etc. How cool is that!? I'm so happy for you, Lisa! Now to hurry up and finish my Central Park Hoodie, so I can start one of these!

Ha! The Pattern of the Day

... Is the Love Bug! After February 1st, it will be something else. But... I knew (or hoped!) it would be posted again this year. Yay!

Squares

This one is in the form of a dishcloth, but.... it's still a square. ;) This is the dishcloth for the January dishcloth Knit A Long. (Shrek.) Yes, I know it should have been green... but... it is a 'secret' until the dishcloth is done. (That's half the 'fun' of the KAL.) So I have a cornflower blue Shrek. ;P I am going to be hosting the KAL for February, though. So I know what color to use. ;)

I have had these squares done for quite a while, but... they were going into this comfortghan for someone. And I didn't want to ruin the surprise... even though I don't think she reads my blog. Still. This is the whole afghan. It's huge!

These are four of the squares I did. I just made a granny square and sewed a duck motif I found somewhere online... I think it was on a baby's bubble outfit, or something... I wanted to buy Cupcakes' duck square but didn't have the money at the time so I had to use my peabrain. ;)

And regular granny squares... I have some more squares that I have had done for a while but I want to wait until I send them (sigh...) I have the box all ready to go. Just need to get to the post office when I get some time/money.

Mr & Mrs Love Bug & Friends...

Here are a few of the toys I am sending to the UC Davis. For kids who have cancer or other problems.... :( I took this picture before Mr. Love Bug got here....

Now he and the Mrs. are together... :D Here they are having a spot of tea, this morning... Hey, I never had a tea set when I was little. So I am making up for it now... I got those little cups at the WalMart where we used to live. Every time we went I would try and remember to bring some extra quarters for the 'game room' and so I could get myself a toy, too. :P I'm just an overgrown kid at heart...

I hate to split them up (although I know they will be when they get there, probably.) Oh well. I can make another set for myself. :P

I forgot to add: The turtle is Yarncat's Turtle. I made another one for our middle son. Just haven't taken a picture of that one yet.

Ami Love Bug and Swap Package

Well this is what I came up with. :D I think she's kinda cute. I have written up the pattern and posted it on my pattern blog.

I also recieved my Winter Blues Swap Package. I let the kids open it in the car. (They kind of destroyed the paper, but isn't it cute?!)

This is what IndigoSkye sent. A set of bamboo size four dpns. THE thing I wanted most. I love these needles. She sent a set of notecards inside a see through plastic envelope (?)~~ I love them. And a set of sticky notes. They're so cute. And, it says a 'dishcloth', but... it is so soft, I might just use it as a facecloth! It smells so lovely, too. Thank you, SnL (that's 'Stich n Locks)! I have your package ready to go I just need to find a suitable box to send it in. ;)

An RAOK (One I sent) :)

This was a while ago. Before we moved here, in fact. :P I just found out that the person I sent it to was away and didn't get her mail. It wasn't much of an RAOK, but.... I made her a card. (She likes piggies.) I looked and looked online for a free homemade card 'recipe' of a pig... I found a picture of one that I tried to copy. (Above.) And made up my own nerdy saying 'This Little Piggy~....

... Sent you and RAOK!' I'm a dork. I know it though. And I'm okay with it. ;P

I sent her one of my critter keychains (the pig, of course...)

And this square for her Crochetville Friendship Afghan. It also is pink, and a ribbon.... I read on her blog that she is keeping her blog pink for Breast Cancer Awareness month. So I thought it would be perfect!! I sent an RAOK out three days ago, too. One of my peppermint bears, and stripey bears..... It's heading north. (Well I guess most everything is north of here, but....)

I have started (trying) to crochet my own (ami) version of a Love Bug. I am not real good at ami~ and especially making up my own, so we'll see how it goes.... this should be pretty easy though, as it isn't any arms/legs, ears, etc.... just mainly a body and wings. It should be pretty straightforward. I'll keep you posted.

I have also put a new button in my sidebar, as you may have already seen. It is to donate squares for afghans for kids with cancer. :( This really breaks my heart, kids with cancer. So I am going to try and make some squares to donate to her.

Thank you everyone for your well wishes for my insomnia. I hope it will go away eventually. Lisa, I don't know if you saw my comment on your new tea cozies at Crochet Mania.... (I said I was going to make some green tea and use the apple tea cozy I made...) Well I did, and DU-UH!! Green tea has caffeine! I had two cups (big ones) of it. That *might* have contributed to my insomnia last night, too. I have a big problem with drinking too much caffeine/not being able to sleep... Today I am going to venture out and go to Whole Foods and see if I can't find some echinacea tea... (I think it's caffeine free~ if not, I'll get decaf!) Sheesh...

UGH!!!! Insomnia!!

I hate this.... I don't feel good at all, and you would think all I would want to do would be sleep! Well... I do, but I can't. It's really bugging me. This is a vicious cycle that has to be stopped.

One of the things I was thinking about is the love bug (speaking of 'bugs' lol) that I made about two years ago (or more?) Who knows... I thought I saved the pattern to my computer but I can't find it.... Waaaaa! Maybe Annie's Attic will post it again this year? Maybe I printed it out and just have to dig through my messy folder of printed patterns... (Actually it isn't even a folder anymore, it's two sides ripped apart on top of a big pile.... I should take a picture of it.) :P

Knitting progress....

....on the Central Park Hoodie. The color is a little off. It is Frosty Green. I'm excited with the way it is coming along.

Not much other news. I did get a hair cut. At least six inches cut off. My hair is short again. About chin length. I can flip it up or under. Today it is kind of both. Our water is so hard here that my hair was beginning to feel (and look) like straw. I asked the girl cutting my hair about it; and she said to use a clarifying shampoo once a week, and that should help. (If anyone else has this problem, too...) We are just renting, and no water softener (we aren't going to pay for one when it isn't even our house, you know?)... We drink the water from the fridge; which has a filter. I have never had water harder than this. If you put some in a glass and stuck a fork in it, it would stand up straight. (Not really, but...) At least it isn't all rusty, too. We had water like that in Michigan (every time the power went out.) It still wasn't as hard though. I didn't drink the water there, either; without a Brita water pitcher.

I've ordered two retractable tape measures recently. One is for the swap at Crochet Mania that I am in. I can't find any tape measures anywhere here. :( You'd think they would have everything here, but it seems just the opposite. Oh well. I prefer ordering online anyway. Don't have to deal with traffic, long lines, rude people...

Have a great Tuesday everyone. What's left of it. ;)

"L.A." Shrug is Finally Done!

I don't believe it myself, still. This thing has taken me almost two years to finish. (Not that it is the shrugs' fault.... :P It's my fault...) But, it feels good to finish it! I started this back in May of '06; I think. Although now that I think about it, I am almost positive I started it in April. Because this is what I took with me as a project to Michigan. And I got a lot of it done on the way there and on the way back. Anywho.... here it is! (Bad, BAD hair day.... I didn't even do anything with it, I was not feeling good AT all....) :(

I have been working on my Central Park Hoodie. It's ten and a half inches along so far. :D

And..... it didn't last long... Remember how I said 'I want to finish things' before I start anything else? Ha. Well I do recall also saying 'I don't know how long it will last...', too. It didn't last long. :P I have started and finished one of Yarncat's turtles. They are SOOOO cute! Especially the pink ones. I have a second one in the works. (And a third, fourth, fifth six... one in mind...) In fact, I bought some pink camo yarn by Red Heart to make one with. And I have started a scarf for the Scarf Challenge at CFAC. Remember my 'Scarf with no name'? Well I am making a modified version of that, created by Patty (merlot) of Crochetville: Cluster Scarf (I like hers better.) I may or may not make a Tri-Color Cloche to go with this one. I was going to, but I don't know if I'll have enough of the accent (stripe) color I am using. Unless I go buy some more. Not having a label though it will be hard to match it. We'll see.

What else? I'm working on a square for the Square a Month Swap at Crochetmania. I have to send one out (yikes!) by tomorrow. I keep forgetting.... My brain is not working lately. I have been sick. (Again.) My husband got some kind of flu. Probably from work. (And sleeping for only five hours a night and working ten-twelve hour days doesn't help with the immune system, either....) Fortunately mine is stronger than his, and I only got a mild version of what he has. Thank goodness~~ he is barking like a seal. :( Anyway I thought I'd keep you posted.

Knitting Progress.... On Central Park Hoodie...

I got two cables done last night (thanks to insomnia.... sigh... I need AmbienCR-- lol....) I am love, love, loving this sweater!! I hope I am making the right size. I'm making the size for my bust measurement. Well I was reading on the Interweave site about this, and read a couple of comments about 'bust measurement' and 'finished bust measurement'? Well what's the difference? I hope it is the right size, anyway... This will be the first sweater I have ever knitted for myself. :D

Close-up of the cables (blurry....) I was going to finish my LA Shrug first, before I even worked on the Central Park Hoodie at all... But, yesterday I sewed the sleeve on and got to the halfway point (with much sweat and holding my breath lol) and I realized I had sewn it on with the wrong side out!!!! AAAAAAAAAARRRGHHHH!!! So.... I 'un'sewed the whole thing and put it away. That really made me mad. I hope I can sew it on the right way, as good as I did the wrong way.... sheesh... So I worked on the hoodie and a square (which I also had to rip one row out of... yesterday was just not my day to crochet I guess...) :P I am hoping to wear my shrug next weekend, though. So I will definitely finish it soon!