My Reveal Package Came This Morning!!! :)

Inside it was this beautiful!!! tote messenger bag that my secret pal (who is now revealed- it is Claire!) crocheted. It is a work of art. This picture does not do this bag justice AT all. I hate my camera. It's acting tempermental again. I think it is just a piece of junk. Anyway, there is so much detail on this purse. It is the Bobbling-Along Tote from someone, somewhere in Crochetville. I remember printing the pattern out, a while ago. I have just never gotten around to actually making one. Thank you so much, Claire. It is a beautiful tote. And, inside it was all these goodies!:
A Necco 'Skybar'. I have never had one of these. I don't think I've ever even seen one of these. It was delicious. And, an Almond Joy bar. Boston Baked Beans (I love these!) And Lindt Lindor Truffles!! YUUMMY! Claire also sent a roll of Necco wafers, which the three year old immediately picked up and said, 'These are mine'. I had to take them away after a couple, though. (He hadn't even eaten any breakfast yet..) :) A box of Moroccan Pomegranate Red by Celestial Seasonings!! I have been wanting to try this tea for a long time, but always keep buying the same old tea that I *know* I like. (I also order the same food at the restaurant every time, too. In case you were wondering.) Well I have to break out and try something different don't I? Thank you for helping me to do this. ;p It smells delicious. I am going to make a cup later and sit on the deck and read the 'Yankee' magazine with my tea.
Claire must have read my wish list at Crochetville, because a lot of the things she sent were on my wish list. ;) Like these candy molds! I have never tried making truffles, but Wilton makes it easy. And I love the popsicle molds. Those are my favorite. I think I better go edit my wish list, I think now I have more than enough candy molds. :)
And, last but not least, a skein of Lion 'Baby Soft' yarn. Once again, my camera has messed up. This is not the color of this yarn. It is actually 'Bubble Gum'. Like a hot pink. Just yesterday I almost bought this, for a Hello Kitty doll I am making. But decided to go with the soft pink. Then, you know how it goes, 'Maybe I should have bought the other one...' Well now I have both colors. Even if I don't use it for the Hello Kitty doll, I can use it for something! Thank you so much for everything and for all the hard work you put into the beautiful tote bag. Everything you have sent had a lot of thought put into it, and I love it all. Thank you, Claire! :)

Some Preemie Projects....

April is 'Preemie Protectors' month for the Charity Blitz at Crochetville. So I have been working on things for preemie babies. So far I have finished this preemie afghan. I looked and looked for a soft, simple pattern I could use. Then I remembered one I saw in a magazine I had in Michigan. (Which is still in Michigan.) I tried to remember how to do it. I think I got pretty close. It is a simple sc, ch 1, sc. It turned out 13 inches wide. It used just a little bit of the second skein of yarn.
Then there are these two hats. I can't lie, I've had these done for a while. I just have never sent them in yet. I think I'll do some booties and maybe another afghan. I don't know. I am also working on toys for the small toys swap. Right now I am working on Reecie's turtle. It's amigurumi. But it's little. For some reason crocheting tight like that really hurts my fingers. I'm probably going to end up with arthiritis. Anyway, I'm still kinda just waiting to see who I'll get paired up with so I'll know what to make. I swear I am not joining another swap after this. I don't know why I keep doing it. It's like an addiction with me or something. Speaking of swaps.... I mailed off my last package, my 'Reveal' package, to my secret pal. Even though she knows who I am since about the first week. So it's not really a 'reveal' package. And, I have one more package to mail to one of my elders this month then I will be done. (For April, anyway...) :p

Barbie Paloma's Poncho

Remember Paloma's Poncho? Well I have made up a matching Barbie poncho. You can find the pattern here. Since the poncho pattern was free, the matching Barbie poncho will be free, too. It is not to be sold on ebay or any other way. I am sending this poncho and matching Barbie poncho to the grand daughter of one of my elders on Pine Ridge. She is raising her and another grandson. And the grand daughter likes Barbies, so I thought this would be cute.

Some WIPs...

Well here is some of the things I am still working on, but will take forever, I think. This is the 'Between Meals Centerpiece' doily I am working on for February. (Still) I am on round 38 now.
And this is the scrap granny ghan I was talking about a while back. What do you think? I'm not very good at getting colors that 'go' together. I just try to do colors that don't clash. If the row I'm working on is green, the next color I'll try to 'coordinate'.
I still haven't started the Barbie poncho yet. I got the thread out, and I made one out of paper to see how wide and long, etc to make it... It's just a matter of doing it. I finally have a car again Woo Hoo! Now I can go somewhere during the day. And not be stuck home (unless I *feel* like walking down town with three kids.....) We also signed a lease on a new place, we won't be moving in for another month though. My husbands' mother is coming back here then and I told my husband, I want to be out of here before she even gets here!!!

Paloma's Poncho- A bigger sized one

Here is a poncho I started a couple of days ago. I made a couple of these about a year ago. Then I couldn't find the pattern on my computer (it was from a blog that is no longer active, I guess...) We have since then gotten a new computer, so it might be on the old one. And all of my patterns I printed out are in Michigan in storage, so.... I have been trying to find it on Crochetville hoping someone might still have it from the post about a year ago... Well someone (not anyone from a year ago, someone else) found it for me on 'Way Back Machine'. I tried to find it on there but I must not know what I'm doing.... Yay! Well meanwhile I tried doing one figuring it out from pictures I had. Well I was way off on the starting chain. The original is like ch 45. I chained 78. So, this one turned out to be about a size 8 I'm thinking. I'm trying to get my son to try it on for size for me. ;p If it is about an 8, I'll send it to the grand daughter of one of my elders on Pine Ridge. (She's raising two of her grand children.) I also want to make a matching Barbie poncho. I need to get a Barbie though to see how big to make one. Sigh... I have barbies in Michigan.... Anyway! If you are interested in making one of these, the original pattern is called Paloma's Poncho. It is super easy and fast to make. I also did a tie. With I don't know how many chains. Then used a flower on the end which can be found here. I also did a sc, ch 3, skip next st, around the neck edge for the ties to go through. Oh, also continued with the pattern until I thought it was wide enough. (About three extra 'panels' of the three pattern rows.) I haven't figured out how to do a size 4, or 6 yet... :)

Squares, squares, squares.....

And a little doily! Look what someone sent me in the mail yesterday. It wasn't a secret pal, it was someone from Crafting for a Cause! And a totally unexpected surprise! (Aren't those the best surprises? Well sometimes...) It's a beautiful little doily. I love it! And thank you!!
Here is what I have been working on lately... squares! They're fast, they're fun, and easy. All of these squares (it's only five, but...) are for Crafting for a Cause. The two granny squares above, and the Blue Columbine Square below, are all 6 inches. The Blue Columbine square is actually supposed to be 6.5 inches, but I had been making 6" grannies with a G hook, and the basic square is just a granny square so I continued with a G hook, skipped row 5, and did dc's with the darker blue for the last row. (I changed it a little, to make it equal 6 inches.) I still haven't done the 'stamen' part in the middle. I still haven't sewn the flower on, either, but.... I thought this would be a neat square to send in since Blue Columbine is the Colorado State Flower.
And, here are two 8 inch squares I am sending in as well. The rose one on the right was sent to me by my secret pal at Crochetville. Thank you again, secret pal! I said I would 'match' her 8 inch square with one of my own to send in. And so here it is. I couldn't really find any 8 inch squares I liked online, and since I don't own the 63 squares book (that's what she made hers from)... I just whipped out the old crochet encyclopedia and found a pattern stitch I liked. So that's my square. Not a big deal but it will go into an afghan and make someone warm on Pine Ridge.
Oh and here is a 13" oddball square. I meant it to be 12 inches, but it turned out a tad big. But, someone from CFAC collects all kinds of squares, so I will send her this one. It's the Bobby's Square. I like it. Next time I'll use one size smaller hook. Hopefully it will turn out twelve inches then.
I am also working on a scrap granny afghan pattern I got from Annie's Scrap Crochet Club (or something like that.) I'm all for scraps (that's about all I have.) :) So far I like it. I would like to get some more 'scraps', though. I think I am going to go shopping tonight (by myself-Woo Hoo!). So I'll be able to get more colors. I'll post a picture of that afghan later. Have A Nice Day!

Look What I Got In The Mail Yesterday!

I don't know why my picture came up like that.... Anyway it is 'Berry Blast' loose tea from Adagio Teas. My secret pal sent me a gift certificate to buy whatever I wanted. Yay! Thank you, secret pal!! I went to the store last night to get some honey (milk, and a couple other things too...) so I could have a mug of this tea. I cannot drink tea without honey. Sugar doesn't do it. Anyway, it is delicious! This might be my new favorite tea.... :)
This is a hat I crocheted yesterday (outside, it was gorgeous weather!) You wouldn't know it today, it is snowing and cold. Anyway... My husband said one day, 'I want a crocheted hat'. I said, 'I just knitted you one!' 'I know, but I want a crocheted one...' So, a couple days ago, I got a free pattern of my choice from ordering something from Frugal Knitting Haus. I chose a crocheted hat pattern, just for my hubby.
And here is a vest I finally finished crocheting, for the three year old. I made this one up. I wanted to have a grey turtleneck to go with it, but I guess he doesn't have one. I thought for sure he did. Oh well. Here it is. He likes it. And I'm glad the thing is finally done. I just have to weave in loose ends. That should take forever, but maybe while I'm watching tv or talking on the phone I can do it. Well that's about it for today.

Doilies and Roses.. Well, white chocolate roses...

And hearts. I made some more, with white chocolate chips this time. They turned out fine. (Now I know that I'll have to compare prices....) ;)
This is the doily I am working on for doily of the month club. I am going to rip it out it's making me so mad. See how it is curling up around the edge? And in the center it's curling up, too. I must be doing something wrong. I've been counting stitches at the end of every blasted round, though. I don't know. Maybe it will just have to be blocked really well. I'm on row 31, and there are 60 rounds to this doily. I can't wait until it's finished. I need to stop working on fourteen things at once and finish something! Actually, I did finish something, but it's for my secret pal and I can't post it here until I send it to her/she gets it. And, I haven't even sent it out yet. So... no picture for that. I got an Adagio Tea Gift Certificate from my secret pal! Thank you secret pal! I ordered 'Berry Blast'. I am drinking a lot more tea than I used to. It helps me relax. Well I'm off to see what else I can crochet! Have a Great Day everyone!

THIS was in our basement (The kids' bedroom!)

It's a Scorpion. YUUUUCK!! Our oldest son found it. He HATES spiders/any arachnids... But, he killed it. (Sprayed it with Bug Stop.) I have no idea what kind it is. But, I think I have it right side up. The other side is flat. This side is round and sticks out. Well I don't really care what kind it is, just as long as I don't see any more! Everyone who we've told about it says, 'I have never seen a scorpion. Not here, anyway.' But, our neighbor, who has lived here 30 years next door to us, said there are scorpions here. He thinks the reason we had one is because this house sat empty for so long. Well I just hope I don't see any more. We are bombing the house with and indoor bug fogger this weekend. And I've vacuumed and cleaned off shelves, and shaken out everything and checked shoes.... Yikes!

Chocolate Roses and Hearts

Well I finally got brave enough to try making these. I don't know what I was so afraid of, they are the easiest thing in the world. And so much fun to make! You just melt the chocolate in the microwave, pour it in the molds. Put them in the fridge for 20-30 minutes, and they pop right out. If they don't pop out, you just stick them back in for a few. (I found though, that a 'little' pushing on the back of the mold with your finger helps them out.) They turned out great, too. I took them to a dinner we went to last night and everyone thought they were so amazing. I said 'It was so easy you wouldn't even believe it'. And, the chocolate is Dove quality! I was impressed. I think this is a new hobby I will be sticking with. Next I want to try cream cheese mints or butter mints. I have another mold without the popsicle stick. But first I want to try some Brunkagefigurer! I saw them on Nefermiws' blog at Crochetville. (Scroll down to the December 9th post.) I think they are similar to gingerbread cookies. I don't know. I've never made gingerbread cookies, either. So I won't be able to compare them. But, I still want to make them. And, scroll down to the November 28th post, and check out her Aebleskiver!! Ughh... Those look so good!
Last night my secret pal (secret to her, pal, but she figured me out already!) sent me an ecard. Thank you, Lene! And, this morning I got one from my secret (to me) pal. Thank you, Secret Pal! I think Lene should be getting something in the mail very, very soon here... :) It has been almost a week since I sent it. I am working on getting other things together to send her, too.
This past weekend was crazy down town; there was a Mini- Mardi Gras (a 'Carnivale'). And, we had people come up from Louisiana, too! If that is what Mardi Gras is like, keep it in New Orleans! People were dancing in the middle of the streets, and they didn't block off traffic (otherwise no one would be able to leave their house), sooo... You just had to wait until they got out of your way. People drunk and loud. At least no one took their clothes off. Well, that I saw. And, my husband had to go out later, he said the police had a blockade ? set up, and there were four or five tow trucks lined up. If a person was drunk, or had been drinking, their car was towed, and they didn't drive. So, that was one good thing. I hope it isn't as bad all this week. I do have to live here. And, I might want to go down today, it's going to be 65 degrees here! We could go to the park (maybe.)

Here is a soapsaver I have finished. The February 'thing' to send your elder on Pine Ridge was 'something green', or 'spring'. So, I racked my brain trying to think of something green, spring, and something a person could really use. And, came up with this. I know a lot of people on the PR reservation are really poor (more than us, eve! LOL) and can't afford even basic stuff like soap or toothpaste or food, even. But, not wanting to offend anyone, I thought I would crochet a soapsaver and it wouldn't be as offending as sending a bar of soap. Know what I mean? On the other hand, it might not be offending at all. I would love to get a soapsaver with soap myself. Oh well... The pattern I used is: Soapsaver or Sachet by Priscilla Hewitt. I really liked making this.
And look at what Mimi sent me!!! A bunch of beautiful thread. And, two skeins of 'Carmencita'? It looks like a baby yarn. I haven't decided yet what I am going to make with the yarn, but I don't think I will have any problem at all deciding what to make with all the threads!! Thank you so much, Mimi! What a wonderful surprise!
Finally, here is a hat and mitten set I actually finished. This is one of those frustrating things that makes me want to not crochet any more. The hat is tight on my three year olds' head. (Which is good, because I was making it to send a little boy that is in size 18 months so it will probably fit him) But, the mittens are actually big on my three year olds' hands. I used the smallest size hook for this pattern. I think I am going to have to actaually think here and try to make some about an inch shorter (but the same width). What am I going to do with just a pair of mittens now? I'll have to make another hat to match, that will fit a 3-4 year old head. (It won't go with my three year olds' coat, though, which is red and grey..) Oh well. The hat pattern I used is the Textured Spiral Hat? And, the mitten pattern I think I used was on that page, as well. Nope, it wasn't, it was here. There aren't very many decent free childrens' (crocheted) mitten patterns out there, you know. If you make these mittens, row 8 is wrong. It should be: 'Slip stitch in next 6 single crochet, single crochet in next 12 single crochet' (not, 'next 17 single crochet'). Other than that it is a pretty simple pattern. I finished both mittens yesterday. I will have to make two whole other ones now, but that is something else.... Anyway.

I Think it's Official...

I think I can safely say my three year old is potty trained now. Finally... But, he is having issues with the 'other' stuff. Uh, number two... I think he is poopaphobic or something. I just made that word up do you like it? He completely freaks! out when he has to go. He won't go in the potty chair, I know he has to go (after having two other boys, a mom just knows these things...) Walks around whining, 'My butt hurts' 'Do you have to go poo poo' 'NO!' 'Okay' UGH I swear he is going to drive me crazy! Then he ends up going in his underwear. Well when I try to take his underwear off to put clean clothes on and clean him up, another episode of freaking out begins.... Ugh.... 'It will hurt!...It hurts!... You hurting me!' 'I don't see a rash, how does it hurt?' Calgon, take me away.... Okay I don't have any Calgon, I'll settle for peace and quiet and my crocheting but do I ever get it? NOOOO... Not unless I have insomnia in the middle of the night.
I need to take a picture of the awesome train track and train we bought him after he went poo poo in the potty chair (that was the first and last time, too, by the way...) I'll have to wait until they set it up again and take a picture. Hubby said he was thinking about building a little table to put it up on so it can stay there. You know how that goes though... (You know the saying, 'A mechanics' car is never fixed', 'A carpenters' house is never finished..' 'A carpenters' sons' train table is never done....')
Well anyway, tomorrow is the official start of the SC Secret Pals swap!!! Woo Hoo! I have already gottten an ecard from my secret pal. Thank you secret pal!!! I was going to wait to send mine one, but now I will go try to find a cute one and send it today after all. I am going to send her a package today, too, I have had a little package together for a while to send her. Now that I know what she likes (she likes chocolate, like me :))) so it will be easy to shop for her!) 'One for you, one for me...' Oh, just kidding...
Well I guess no pictures for today. It is going to be almost 60 here today, I told the boys we could walk down to the park and arcade. (And I can mail some packages from the post office.)

Monday, Monday....

" So good to me.... Monday morning, it was all I hoped it would be.. oh monday morning, monday morning couldn't guarantee.. that monday evening ...you would still be here with me ....monday monday can't trust that day. Sometimes it just turns out that way. Oh monday morning ...you gave me no warning... of what was to be....." Like the fact that I would spend all day crocheting a 12" square for the Charity Blitz (for Heartmade Blessings) and it doesn't even come close to 12 inches! Grrrr... Oh well. I don't know what I'll do with that one. Maybe send it to one of the people at CFAC who takes 'oddball' squares. Anyway. I have devoted Mondays in February to crocheting squares for Heartmade Blessings. Today I only got one finished. It doesn't look like I will be getting more than one done any Monday either. This one took me a long time. The pink green and white one on top I finished a long time ago, it is 'Ribbons and Roses'. The yellow/carrot and burnt orange/brown one is 'Pantheon'. I have not seen this square anywhere other than the 2006 Crochet A Day Calendar. I am going to have to do some guage swatching or something to get one to 12". I used the pattern in the Crochet Pattern a Day Calendar and it called for chunky weight yarn, I think and an H hook. I used worsted weight and a G hook. But, I actually haven't measured it yet, but I know it isn't twelve inches. More like ten. Oh well. It is still cool. Hopefully next Monday I will make more progress than I did today.

Doily of the Month Club

Here is a doily I have been working on for the Doily of the Month Club. I am really enjoying crocheting doilies. I don't know why I stopped for so long. This is going to be a very large doily. I am on round 18 ? here. And there are 60 rounds to this doily. It will be worth it though. The only problem is, I need my white thread to finish the very last row of another doily that is almost done! I want to send this to someone real soon. I might just have to go buy a small ball of white thread, since I know the white doily won't be done in a while. The pattern for the red pineapple doily can be found here. I saw someones' at Crochetville and had to make it. And since red thread is about the only thread I have in abundance here (don't ask me why I brought three balls of red, and no white or ecru??) I thought this would be a good doily for it.

Caramel Custard

Well I didn't get any candy made today. But.... I did make some caramel custards. Doesn't it look yummy? It really wasn't that hard. The hardest part was carmelizing the sugar. Then you have to be fast about putting it into the bowls, it cools fast. You can find a recipe for these in any cookbook, really. It's in the Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook (creme caramel). I couldn't find it in the Betty Crocker cookbook. But, it's basically a custard, with caramelized sugar on the bottom of the dish then let it sit for ten minutes before baking. When you invert the dish, the sauce comes out and spills around the custard. Don't be alarmed at what your pan looks like after carmalizing the sugar. I thought it would never come clean. I filled it up with water until I could wash it; and by the time I washed it (1/2 hour, maybe...) it was completely clean already! (I don't know if it's because I put water in it right away, or not, but...) I think I've been reading too many Martha Stewart Living magazines lately. Ah well... It's a good thing... ;)
Next up, we have two more pairs of slippers for Pine Ridge! YAY!! These are childrens' sizes. I hope to make some more. I may be joining a Charity Blitz thingamajiggy at Crochetville. It will be one day a week (or month, I forget- you can read about it though if you want to!) devoted to crocheting only charity items that are at Crochetville. I am in the Preemie Protectors, it is also a Yahoo Group. I'm also in the Crafting for a Cause group. It is a Yahoo group, but I put the link to the Crochetville page where I originally found it, since they are all supposed to be 'Crochetville based'. I also just joined the stashbusters, formed by Drew aka 'The Crochet Dude'. You can link to all these groups somewhere on these pages. Which brings me to my next picture, a 12" comfortghan square I am crocheting for the Stashbuster. It is Ribbons and Roses. The picture will not show up for me, I don't know about you. But.... you can see what it's beginning to look like, here. ;) Until next time... :)

Candy!! Sweet tooths, beware!! ;)

Yesterday I just got this sudden, overwhelming desire to make homemade candy! I don't know why.... I hope I'm not pregnant or anything LOL! So last night I went to WalMart and looked for candy molds. All I saw were some stars, and Easter related which I'm not looking for either one right now. I wanted some hearts. So, I ended up getting these cookie cutters. I did find a recipe for cut out mint wafers that I could use these with. Here are some more recipes I found while googling: All Homemade Cookies (and candies), peppermint crunch and caramels (scroll down for the recipes), Butter Mints (I am making these first as soon as I get some molds!! Yum!), Homemade Mint Candies, and... Irish Potato Candies! No, these aren't made out of potatoes, just made to look like them, I guess. Well if I have time today I might make some cut out mint wafers. If I do, I'll be sure to post a picture of the finished candy! ;)

No-Bake Cookies Picture ;)

No-Bake Cookies

No-Bake Cookies
1 stick butter
1/2 cup milk
4 Tbsp. cocoa
2 cups sugar
Mix in pan. Bring to a boil. Boil one minute. Add 1/2 cup peanut butter. Stir until melted. Add a teaspoon vanilla, 3 cups oatmeal (old-fashioned oats work best). Stir. Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Let sit until 'set'. ;)

Some More FO's and stuff...

Here is a Spiral Flower I crocheted, from some of the yarns Lisa sent me. I like it. I might put a pin on the back (someday, ha ha.) It is from the 2006 Crochet-A-Day Calendar, sometime in September. (There are actually two spiral flowers in this calendar, so I had to differentiate-oooh! Big word, where'd that come from? Hee hee.) And, here is a Tri-Color Cloche. I have actually finished two of these now, both these colors. I am sending them to the Pine Ridge Indian reservation. I still have yarn left to probably make two more. I might keep one for myself. :) Then I might make some in different colors, too. I have to make something(s) to send for the Elders Quarterly, and the Childrens' Quarterly (I am also making some slippers for the childrens' quarterly, in red and 'berry'; out of RH.) These are the same slippers I have already posted; in two different colors. I am just making a childrens' size now. I'd also like to make some hats for the Childrens' Quarterly. And, I want to make a 'matching' scarf to go with the Tri-Color Cloche. So ambitious; but no energy.... (sigh). I also bought two different kinds of red fabric to make String Quilt squares to send to the Crafting for a Cause Group. I don't know if I will ever get to everything I want to do. Oh well I am finishing a few things at a time. I guess that's good. And I got some cleaning done today too. So maybe I can go crochet now for a little while. I think I need some more coffee now, too. ;p

We Just Got a Letter!! We Just Got a Letter!

Okay, okay I didn't get a letter at all. (Too many kids shows in my head, though, eh?) ;) But look at what I did get!!! Yarn!! And I never even ordered any! I know who this is from. Actually it's from two people. The person who sent it is the one who wanted to give it away, and the person who had it sent to me is the one who paid for shipping. She said it wasn't an RAOK, but it sure feels like one!! Thank you, Lisa, and Mimi!!! :))) I love it. I just don't know what I'll make with it all. Probably scrap ghan squares or slippers. Now I'm going to hunt down some cool patterns to use this for. Thank you again!!