I'm Still Here...

I was having problems signing in to my blogger account. (Sigh....)  Besides all my other,Real Life problems. 😔 But I am back. I haven't stopped crafting, or crocheting. I am still trying to find (and upload-- SIGH!!) all my pictures of everything I have been doing. But this is a start. I've been making a lot of cards. This bear was for a pen pal friend of mine who likes bears. I printed out the sentiment on word, or notepad or something. The bear stamp is really old- might have been one of my very first stamps ever that I have. 

A Halloween card I made, trying to use up some bright colored index cards and envelopes I had. 

I had made these two little notepads out of the five packs of notepads you get at Dollar Tree. (Dollar Twenty-Five Tree). I sent one of these in Happy Mail to another one of my pen pals.

This is a baby card I made for the same pen pals son and DIL, who are expecting a baby girl. I actually crocheted a baby afghan and a whole sweater/hat/booties/mittens set, too. (And I got a couple outfits).  That's another picture I need to find and upload.

Okay, another Halloween card.

               I didn't have any polka dot paper, so I made my own for the little circle...

And another background paper I made up of my own, with another really old stamp I have. This card, I used a Trick or Treat bag I got from DT as one of the background papers, too.

                     And this is a more recent card I finished (yesterday, as a matter of fact.). 

I was trying to find a picture of the stamp set I had bought that I used for this card. I had been wanting it forever. And they had all their stamps on sale one week, so I got the set finally. It's called the Tea Lovers stamp set.  

I watched one of her video tutorials to make some tea pockets, using that stamp set. I made this one yesterday, too. I made the tea pocket and above card for the same person I crocheted the baby set for (well, for her grandbaby).  She has been here for me a lot lately. 

These are some I made the same day I originally had watched her video tutorial. I went a little crazy making the pockets. 😜 I don't know what I was thinking. Who am I going to even give all of those to? LoL.... I will have a lot of little gifties to give to unexpected people. 

 This is the very first batch I made, with two that I actually decorated. 

So, the "other Real Life problems" I have been going through is: I was diagnosed with cancer last month. It was and still is a shock to me. Even though I have a family history of cancer; I am not an alcoholic, and I actually took care of myself, ate healthy, took vitamins, tried to exercise....  (The people in my family who had cancer did none of the above and were alcoholics). I went to a new doctor this week. And I was talking to one of the nurses before seeing the doctor. And she said it sounds like I just got some bad genes. And maybe I should get genetic testing. She said all of our boys should get screened for cancer young. 😢   I had been not feeling well, and had a busy summer with our two older boys coming to visit. I will try to update my blog, now that I finally got back in. I have been going crazy with stuff online, all my doctors and stuff I have to do online... 😖 I should be starting treatment(s) in a couple weeks. If you all can keep me in your prayers.  

A Few Things I've Finished

I wanted to crochet a "bunny" doily for a friend for an Easter package. I couldn't find any free patterns, but then I saw one on YouTube. (Yay!) I haven't crocheted a doily in a long time. And I hadn't ever crocheted one from a YouTube pattern. It was pretty easy, though. I didn't think it would turn out, because it was all bunched up like it wouldn't block right. But, it did. 

A close up of one of the "bunnies". This is the link to the pattern I used.

And, I finished a little "bear" sweater. I had started one in 2018, but I couldn't find it anywhere in my yarn bins. I remember that I realized I was using Caron worsted weight yarn, and the pattern calls for baby yarn. I vaguely remember ripping it out. But. I now have one finished. I've been trying to make things up for if I ever get a grandbaby..  :P So far I have three sweaters done, and a couple toys. Here is a direct link to the sweater pattern on Yarnspirations.

When I was looking for the bear sweater I had started, I found this mouse. The body was done, I just stuffed it and sewed it up, and added the tail. I have no idea what pattern I used for this.

And I finished a little turtle. This was in the latest Crochet World issue; and the whole reason I even bought the magazine. I couldn't find my yarn needle to finish it, so it took me longer to finish this.

It's hard to get a good picture of it. You can see a photo bomber in this picture. :P
 

We Moved...

....Again. I hope this will be the last move for a long, long time. But we had to get out of the house we were in. We could not take it anymore.  It's been a lot of work, but we're trying to make it here. The sunrises are beautiful. And you can see thousands of stars in the sky at night here. Living in the city, we couldn't. 

We had a "historic" ice storm not long after we moved here. Our power was out for three days and nights. It was not fun. We are on a well, so we didn't even have water. The ice was thick. Online it said it was equivalent to the weight of a piano on the electric wires. 

Tree limbs were down (and power lines in some places) everywhere. 

I decided to start another quilt. (I need another project like I need a hole in my head). None of our things really match the color of the walls in this house. And, I really want  a new bedspread anyway. I dug through my fabric to see what I could find to match the walls in our bedroom. I found some green fabric that I've had forever. It pays to hold on to fabric from the early 90's. 😝

                I am doing one quilt block at a time. Probably will take me forever.

This is the first block done. It's called the Sawtooth Star. Only 67 more squares to go. 👀

And this is a sweater I had started in 2018. (Well, not this sweater. But the same pattern.) I couldn't find it anywhere. I know I had started it then realized I was using worsted weight yarn and it was coming out really huge. So maybe I frogged it. This one is coming out more to the right size. I have actually finished the neck edging, and sewn the ears on since I took this picture. I just need to sew buttons on for the eyes, and do the nose/mouth embroidery. I'm doing the bear. It's the Character Sweater pattern, by Yarnspirations.  I used to love crocheting baby things. But the group I was in (which, I will admit I did get burned out from it now and then) doesn't send baby things any more. So I don't really have anyone to make baby items for. But I decided to start making a stockpile of them, for if we ever have any grandbabies. 
 

Balaclava

I finished the balaclava for my son, after Christmas. But it was during a particularly cold spell. I used a pattern from the book Homespun Handknit.   I always forget how to do the face opening. So this time I took pictures. I honestly don't know if that will even help me next time. LoL.

You knit a contrasting color yarn for a specific amount of stitches. Then the next row you knit as usual. 

Then when the top of the hat is finished, you pull (carefully) the contrasting color out, catching each stitch on a needle. I had to rearrange the needles afterward, so they would be facing the correct way to just crochet the edge on.

I think he liked it. I asked him if I could take a picture of him with it on. He said "Hold on I have to get a prop." 😄 He had bought a fabric on online before Christmas. I said "Why did you buy one? I can knit you one!" And I started one that day, I think.   

 

Napkin Cards and a Christmas Sweater Ornament

I don't know if I posted this, yet. I have really been getting into making cards from napkins.  A friend of mine posted a video about it and I went straight to the Dollar (I should say, the dollar twenty-five) Store and looked for some cute napkins. This was around Fall/Thanksgiving time. I made an envelope, too. For these I used the saran wrap/wax paper method. And my iron. It was time consuming and kind of a pain. This isn't the video my friend posted, but it's a similar method. (Except I used wax paper).

Then, I was watching a You Tube video of someone I get so many good ideas from, and love watching her videos. And she was doing napkin cards. Her way was soooo much easier!! So, I went on the hunt for some cute Christmas napkins. 😁  These gnome ones were sooo cute.

And these poinsettias I got from the Dollar Twenty-Five Store, too. 

Side view so you can see the 3-D view. I glued two napkins and used the present to make the card have more dimension. And added some little gems to the snowflakes.

The poinsettia card.  I added some gems to the middle of the poinsettia, too. I want to send this one to my aunt. (Ughhh... I still haven't done that. Sigh...) She is super crafty. 

 This is a Christmas Sweater Ornament I "customized" for the friend who I mentioned earlier. She loves monkeys. This is the only one of these I've made (so far). You can find the pattern for these on Yarnspirations.     

I actually have done some other crafts, too. And I made some Christmas Crack yesterday. I just haven't gotten the pictures up. I don't know if I will make any more Christmas goodies. I bought ingredients to make some, but... (Sigh) I forgot some of the ingredients. So, stay tuned... 

The Christmas Spirit

Well, I am *trying* to get into the Christmas spirit... I put the tree up and decorated the house. My husband put all our light up outside yesterday; and decorations outside. We didn't decorate outside last year; because my husband wasn't here, he was still working where we used to live..   This little accordian book was from a tutorial. It was actually for a "Fall Accordian Book". But I did mine Christmas.  

I started it with what I had. Then my husband said "Do you want to go to Hobby Lobby?" 🤯 When would I not want to go there?..  And I didn't know, but they had a big sale 40-60% off everything. (Which explains why there were so many people there...)  I got some more Christmas card stock, and stickers, and ribbon.. The front of the book and the Santa sticker were from HL.

The inside. These were all paper, punch-outs and the Christmas tree sticker I already had.

Inside the little "notebook" (which I made also). The tutorial shows you how to do everything in the book.

                                                             Each little page has a sticker.

And this I guess is the "Accordian" part of the book. You make these little slot/envelopes to put little goodies in. The Rudolph and Santa stickers I got at Hobby Lobby. 

Need to get more stuff to put inside. I don't know what I will do with this little book/who I will give it to. I was trying to think of things to make for gifts to send people this year. Since money is so tight.. 

 I also started a hat (a balaclava) for a Christmas present for our youngest son. He had ordered a balaclava online, to wear for work. He put it on and was showing me this "new" thing he got.😝  "Because it's too cold outside." I said, "I could have knitted you one! I've knitted a couple of those for your Dad for work." He said mine was probably not warm as this one is. I am going to knit him one anyway. I couldn't remember how I did these, though from the instructions/pattern in this book. There is a balaclava free pattern online that is more detailed that I might look at for help when I get to the face part. I've had this book forever. 

Gnomes, And Scones

I have been into gnomes again lately. I made this gnome card for someone I write to. She had sent me the little gnome "fall" sticker. It was around Halloween time. Which is why I made it purple and orange. 

She sent me these super cute gnome shelf sitters for my birthday. I love them so much! I had to put them up high so the cats (or, Eri.. to be specific) wouldn't get them and break them.

I made some pumpkin scones one day. I had a big can of pumpkin I was trying to use up. I wish I had written down where I got the recipe for these.  Ooo! I did. Soft Pumpkin Scones with Spiced Glaze. They were yummy!

I had enough pumpkin to make cookies, too. These were Old Fashioned Soft Pumpkin Cookies.

And, another card I made. This was from a YouTube video, I think? For the same person I made the gnome card for. This is the You Tube video I made this card from.

It has a little pocket in the front to put things in.

I put this tag in (which I made a long time ago), plus the little card insert with a bunch of "Happy Mail" in it (stickers, labels, little things..). Weird coincidence, the paper I made the tag from looks a lot like the paper I made the card with. Maybe I grabbed the tag because of it? I just noticed that.  I have another card I made with a pocket in it (for the same person, too) but I never uploaded the picture yet. 
 

Socks... And, Christmas Is Coming!!!

I finished a pair of socks in October. They are the same pattern I've done for years, I don't think it's available online.  These are for me. I still haven't worn them yet. I only have one top that goes with them. The pattern I used was Ann Norling. This is the closest pattern I could find to it: Ravelry: Basic 4ply socks pattern by Cindy Edmonds

And, I don't remember where I saw this (probably Pinterest). But I HAD to make one. I'm not sure if this is the exact pattern I used, but it looks like it: Hook, Yarn, and Pattern: Granny Square Christmas Tree (hookyarnpattern.blogspot.com)

 And I did one in white with green and red trim, a lighter color tree trunk.  I found the little bows at Dollar Tree, I think I got pom poms there, too.  I have been craving Christmas Cookies lately... Too bad I haven't been in the mood to bake. 

Halloween Crochet

I managed to finish a couple Halloween things this year. I did a "Halloween Tree", using this pattern with only one strand of yarn and an H hook. I used a cone from some crochet cotton I had and it fit perfectly. The hat, spiders bats and skulls are those plastic rings from the Dollar Store. The hat, too.

 And I was thinking of what else I could make. I wanted to do a ghost but I wanted something "more". I thought "I should just crochet a ghost and add a spinner to the bottom." So that's what I did. I used this ghost pattern. You could probably use any spinner pattern, there's free ones out there. I don't even remember what one I used.  I hung the ghost up on our front porch (I took this picture upstairs). I wanted to another spinner Halloween thing but... Maybe next year. 

RIP Jetta :(

 Our beloved Jetta passed away a week ago today. 😭  It was sudden. She had never been sick; then on Thursday morning she started vomiting all day. Friday she didn't vomit as much; I thought she was going to get better. Then Saturday morning she woke me up at 5 vomiting very bad. And she couldn't even walk. I took her to the Urgent Care veterinarian (her vet). They couldn't see anything wrong with her externally. But they did a blood test; she had kidney failure. 😭💔  I didn't want to see her suffer any longer. I didn't want to put her down, either. 😭 But it was the most humane thing to do for her. We all miss her a lot. She was a good dog. We had her since she was 14 weeks old; for ten years.