A Little Red Fox

We have been seeing this little red fox come by our house every day since school started. (Except today; I haven't seen him/her). Yesterday I went outside to shake the bathroom rug out and there it was, across the street. It had a big ole bird or something in it's mouth, that was almost as big as it was! It stopped for a minute because a squirrel was running by. Then it went up to the neighbors yard and dropped it's breakfast to maybe get the squirrel. It was sitting there for a long time and I thought, duh! I should get my camera! I know this isn't the best picture of it; I tried to get a better one, but my camera was being a pain. (The batteries were going dead.) I knelt down and whistled and made noises, and it came across the street and down the sidewalk. It was within two feet of me! It was SOOO cute! I think if my three year old wasn't standing there it would have come right up to me. (I don't know if I would want it too anyway, being a wild animal I wouldn't trust it...) I tried to get a picture of it then, but that's when my camera was not working. Here is one of it running back across the street.
Here it is across the street. It is just a little bigger than a cat. And skinny. The other night we saw two of them running down the street; they were playing. I don't know where they come from, because we live almost right in town.

Here is an afghan I made years ago for our oldest son. It was in the closet downstairs (I was looking for something else and found it...) I am working on another one right now, too. But it will be edged in black this time, and for Pine Ridge. I thought this must be a good pattern to hold up all these years, so I started another one...

My doily from my doily swap partner came in the mail today! I love it! This photo does not show how it is raised in places, just like the PK doilies. I don't know if it is a PK doily; she said she'd made some of these before, from a book she had. Anyway, it is beautiful. I love it, thank you Theresa! I am now in a tea cozy swap. My tea cozy is almost done; and I have been shopping for other goodies, too. I don't know much about what my tea cozy swap partner likes, since she doesn't have a wish list or even an Amazon wish list. She has a blog, but it doesn't give me very many clues... So hopefully I'll be able to get her something she likes. :)

'Flying Geese' Quilt squares

I found these in the big Rubbermaid tote you see them on top of. (It was in storage.) I'm almost positive I was making this quilt for my cousins' baby (who is now fifteen...) (ahem...) I counted 83 of them so far. I don't think there's any more in there. But there is a bunch of little squares and bigger ones cut out to do more with. I found the book I was using to make this quilt from, too; 'Quilts, Quilts, Quilts', by Diana McClun and Laura Nownes. It says for a crib sized (which is what I was making with these, but it wouldn't have to be a crib quilt necessarily... You need 240 units :0 for a crib quilt. 540 for a twin sized.... Sheesh no wonder I never finished it. I would like to, but I of course need to get my sewing machine tuned up first... Oh well. Just thought I'd share my find. ;)

A Link for the Afghan Motif..

I forgot to put in a link for a similar 6"motif for the afghan I posted about last time. (The anniversary afghan..) I think it is the same exact motif, Wagon Wheel Square. I *think* there were 64 motifs all together. Then the border. Which was basically like a granny 'square' type border. Simple.

A WIP Baby Afghan, and an Oldie But a Goodie...

This baby afghan I am working on for my niece. (My husbands' sisters daughter). Her and her husband are due to have their first child in October. She's the same age as one of my younger sisters. Kind of weird. But she's always liked kids. They're doing the baby's room in Pooh Bear and the walls are painted yellow. So I thought this afghan would work well in there. I have only made two more of these afghans. One for a friend of mine. She actually bought the pattern book for me, and paid for the yarn so I could make her daughter one. (With pink roses.) Actually both the other two were in pink. This is the first one I've done in yellow. I like it, though.
And this is the 'Oldie but Goodie'. I made this afghan for my husband for our second wedding anniversary. It is still holding up very well. No rips or seams coming apart yet. I must have done something right. We just had our fourteenth anniversary, so this afghan is twelve years old... Only one I made like this. For my hubby only. :p

If Your Husband Gave You Ten Dollars...

and said, 'Go to get a coffee somewhere....' Would you get a coffee? Or yarn? :) Hee Hee... I got yarn. Some other day I might have gotten a coffee. But last night I wasn't feeling good still so I went to see if I could find any yarn I liked. This skein is waiting to be made into one of Cupcakes' Koalas. :) I'm waiting for her to post her pattern on Etsy. I am still making toys, you see. Last night I finished another bear. I haven't taken a picture of her because...well, I'm kind of embarrassed. She looks like a body builder or something. I must have overdone it with the stuffing or something. This is the first bear I have done with Crochet_Queens' revised bear pattern. Maybe I should stick with the un-revised pattern... I do like the feet though. I want to make Blossom a Koala friend. I am still not feeling good. Yesterday I was feeling better. I went out and got some yarn. But today I feel worse than I did on Thursday. Must be a thing with only me. Feel yucky one day... the next day I feel pretty good, the third day I feel even worse than I did the first day.... So I am using today as an excuse to crochet and drink tea. Sounds fun (if you're not sick, maybe...)

Doily for a Doily Swap

Let's see if Blogger tries to eat my post today. I posted three times (the same post) yesterday and it ate it. So, I gave up... Anyway. This is the doily I sent to my doily swap partner. I just found out today that she got it. And, she likes it! (That's what I was really worried about.) She said she doesn't think she has the book I got it from. (Whew!) I was worried about that, too... 'What if she already has this book and has made fourteen of this doily?'... So I'm happy that she is happy. This is the first time I ever made this doily. Actually I think it's the first time I've made any doily from that leaflet. (It's 'Elegant Crocheted Doilies', by Leisure Arts.) I'm not feeling so great today. Don't know if I'm worn down or if I have a little bug or what... I feel like I could go to sleep right now and it's only a quarter after 6. Well I hope everyone is having a nice week so far.

A New Button

I've joined a new crochet forum, Simply Crochet. :)
I've put the link in my sidebar, but you know how long Blogger takes things...

Socks 101

I have had the overwhelming urge to knit socks lately. I don't know why. It isn't as if I don't have enough projects going right now. It's ridiculous. I have four doilies not done. (Well, five I guess..) One of which is here.A sweater (knitted) not done. Whew, back in January I said I need to finish it fast before he is too big to wear it.... Well I'll have to see if it will even fit him now. Otherwise some frogging will have to be done. Two afghans (crocheted) not done. A plastic bag (crocheted) not done. Oh, a baby afghan (crocheted) not done. (I am working on it, though...) Ugh... I don't even want to think any more about what I don't have done. Why would I want to start something new? I don't know. But, I thought I would share a sock knitting tutorial with y'all. I liked this one. I suppose you could google and find one you might like more. But this is the one that helped me when I was first learning to knit socks.... Socks 101

Some More Toys I've Finished Recently...

I haven't posted about these since the person I sent them to hadn't recieved them yet. I didn't know if she would visit my blog or at Crochetville, so to be on the safe side and not spoil the surprise I didn't post them.... I made a Mumma Dog and two puppies. :p I crocheted the eyes on since a two year old was getting these. (You know, choking hazard...) And I made a puppy purse for her. She loves puppies, so I stuck with what I know she likes and gave her all puppy stuff. This is the first time I made one of these purses. They work up really quick. It's an Annies Attic Scrap Crochet Club pattern. There's also a (green) bear and a purple monkey.
And this is a monkey that I saw on Crochetville. You can see two here, and two more here. Alisha from ChisCrochetCrazy posted hers on there and I knew right away I was going to make one. It turned out so cute! The little girl I sent it to likes it, too. So that's what counts. I want to make another one for myself. Hee hee. My WIM pile for myself keeps getting bigger and bigger.

Lime-Glazed Cookies

Yummy! I made these this afternoon. Last week I made a key lime pie (sorry, I forgot to take a picture) and I had some lime juice left over. So started looking for 'lime' recipes, and I found this recipe in the Martha Stewart 'Everyday Food' magazine. (July/Aug 2004 issue.) But, folks, don't go ordering a back copy just for this recipe, because you can find it here: Lime-Glazed Cookies :) They are really easy to make. If you decide to make them, I would love to see a picture of yours! Thanks for stopping by!

Teddy Bear Teddy Bear..

Touch the ground. Teddy Bear, teddy bear turn around... Okay I have WAY too many childrens' books in my head... This is a little bear I made for Mimi! I wanted to post about her but had to hold myself back until I heard from Mimi that she got the box I sent her in. I used Crochet_Queens' bear pattern (before she started selling her pattern on Etsy--looks like she needs to reload her patterns there, too...) But, it was really more of a guideline, not a row-by-row pattern. So, I ended up buying the pattern anyway. :p Anyway.... I used Red Heart 'Monet' for Mimi's bear, and an H hook. The dress I crocheted in thread and used a pattern for Crocheted Teddy Bear Clothes or something. A pattern one of my aunts gave me a long time ago. That was the first time I ever used it, actually. Isn't she cute? I actually made two of these. One for Mimi, and one for Lene. The one I made for Lene was exactly the same, but I used Red Heart 'Summer Breeze' (also a variegated). I think I'd like to make one for myself one day, too. When my WIP pile is gone. Hey, did you know you could get any of Starbucks coffees made with soy milk!? I did not. Well last night I went in there (someone gave us a Starbucks card for our anniversary!! Woo Hoo!) and asked the girl. She said 'Yea' (like, 'duh'?) I am doing a happy dance! I took my tall mocha made with soy milk and drove to Garden of the Gods, and sat there and crocheted! Aaaaah.... Peace and quiet, a starbucks coffee (that didn't make my stomach hurt), and crocheting! What could be better? I didn't stay long, because my hubby had to go help his mom at 7, but it was still long enough. I finished two rows on a doily I am making my brother and his wife, for a wedding present. (They are the couple who has everything, so I am making them something they might not have...) Well have a nice week everyone and thanks for stopping by! :)

I Don't Think I Ever Posted About This..

I *may* have posted about the one on top. I don't feel like going to look, though... ;) I messed up on this one. I don't know if you can tell how I messed up. But I can.
I am actually quite pleased with how this one turned out, though. It's just all white WalMart bags. I don't think I will be crocheting with plastic bags for a while anymore, but just thought I'd share what I had finished.

Blossom Has Arrived, All The Way From Australia!!

Here she is, safe and sound. This picture is not the greatest, I have other better pictures, but photobucket is down today. (Grrr) And, I wanted to post everything Cupcake sent me!! First and foremost, Little Blossom. I *won* her in a Koala Kapers contest. The 'objective' was to find little Kimberly and one other Koala on Crochetville somewhere. The winner got a Koala crocheted by Cupcake herself! Well, I looked high and low but I could not find any... But, Cupcake said she would have pity on me and send me a Koala since I tried so hard. (Okay, she didn't say 'have pity', but..) I am so happy she sent me one. I just love this little Koala! Cupcake also sent a Eucalyptus leaf with 'G'day from Australia' written on it. (So little Blossom wouldn't feel so lonely when she got here.) And, an Australia postcard with a real Koala on it!! (It was funny, because my oldest son, when I got the package in the mail, said, 'Is that your Koala?' and I said, 'Yes.' :) When I saw the Koala on the postcard, I said, 'Now this is what a 'real' Koala looks like'.) Not 'funny', LOL funny, but humorous.. Okay maybe not even funny at all. Anyway. She also sent an Australia magnet for the fridge! (Which I forgot to put in the picture.) It's cool. Our fourteen year old said, 'I want one.' :( I told him we could all use this... OH! And just about the coolest thing, she sent some eucalyptus candies!! I've never had candy from Australia. Come to think of it, the only things I have ever gotten from Australia is a postcard, and my Uncle bought me an opal necklace when he went to Australia one year. I'll have to take a picture of it someday when photobucket is deciding to work... Anyway, thank you Cupcake for everything!! I love little Blossom and will take good care of her!

Yay! I Got a Package from Mimi Yesterday!!

Look at all the goodies she sent me! I love them! She sent me some stamps from her collection when she found out I collect stamps with my son. (After seeing the stamps, though, I don't know if I want him to have them.) I might give him a couple and keep the rest. I want to get a nice 'stamp collecting' book to put them in. There are some from Singapore, Filipinas, and a couple I don't know. But they are all really colorful and pretty! Thank you Mimi. :) Mimi also sent me a crocheted necklace she made :0 ~ I love it!! AND, a matching beaded bracelet, too. I have a lavendar sweater I could wear these with. (It's hand wash, though, and I need to wash it...) :p And inside the card, (I felt that it was thick) is a 'T' Mimi crocheted, from her crocheted letter collection! I have been secretly wanting one of these since I saw her post about them! Now I have my very own 'T'- I love it, Mimi, thank you so much! And, she sent a UFO (the black and white and yellow striped bag.) Inside the letter it says, 'can you guess what it is and what pattern I used?' I could not for the life of me. I asked the kids. (Whenever I can't figure something out, they usually can!) And the nine year old said, 'It looks like a bee'. I said, 'Yea, it does kinda.' Some kind of bee purse or pouch... Well it is a bee cellphone purse. I think it's cute, and I might just look the pattern up at CPC and see what else there is to finish it... :) And, last but definitely not least! Mimi sent me my very own copy of her 'Loopy Flowers' pattern!! YAY! I had one via email, but to have my own copy is much cooler! Thank you so much for everything, Mimi. I love it all. I have been getting spoiled this week with the packages. Monday Blossom came, Wednesday I got the toy swap box, Thursday I got Mimi's package, and today I am supposed to get something Priority Mail from my brother! He didn't say what it was, so it will be a surprise. I am truly spoiled this week. I guess 'When it Rains, it Pours' is a true saying... (This time in a good way!) :)

The Toy Swap Toys Are Here!

Here is the first toy we got out. I just kind of knew who this one was for... :p (I think he likes it!)
Karla sent a few Happy Meal Toys, too- Woo Hoo! (Can never go wrong with those!)
This one came out too dark, but he had a huge smile on his face here. Karla made him a snake!!
Here he is ready to go play with all his new toys! He took them outside then put them on the lawn chair so they wouldn't get dirty. :p
And, here is the teenager with his (what he has decided is a) CD holder.
With a couple of his CDs in it already. About ten minutes after I gave it to him and told him who it's from, he came outside and (with it in his hands), said, 'This is cool. I like this.' Karla, coming from a teenager, I think that is a good sign you did a good job deciding what to make him! :)
And, last but certainly not least, Karla also sent me some goodies, too!! Thank you so much, Karla. I have never tried the 'Primo' yarn, but it is wool! I love it! And I of course, always love the Sugar n' Cream to make dishcloths with. And some really pretty ribbon bookmarks with pendants on both ends. Thank you so much for everything, Karla!! The kids all really love what you sent, and so do I.

A New Baby Toy Pattern on CPR!

By Mimi. :) Isn't this adorable? It is called 'Baby 101'. I have been looking for baby things lately (since I know three people in our family who are pregnant right now!)... And I thought to myself... 'There aren't very many crocheted baby toys out there...' There's a lot of stuffed animal patterns, balls, blocks... but not many actual toys. So I thought this was really good. You can find the pattern here. These are actually already in a box to be mailed to Michigan, for a baby shower later this month.

Some Treasures I Found... ;)

Well they are treasures to me, anyway. :) I'd forgotten I did so many of these, so far. This is what is called 'Redwork', for those who are wondering 'What is it?'. Of course, redword doesn't necessarily have to be 'red'. It can be blue, or green, or black... any color, really. As long as it shows up. But traditionally, redwork was red. Because the Turkey Red floss was the only color that didn't bleed. I don't know exactly what it is about redwork that is so appealing to me, but I just love it! Maybe it is taking a piece of fabric and tracing a simple picture and making something so beautiful out of it. (For so little money, too!) You don't need a fancy expensive book to do this. You can trace your childs' artwork, you can trace a simple design out of a magazine, or postcard.. whatever. So these are some squares I have done (and found in my big Rubbermaid Tote brought back from the storage shed in Michigan...) 'Mother and Child', above, done in sage green. I love this one. It came from either a Quiltworks or Miniature Quilt magazine. (The only quilt magazines I have, so it had to be one of the two.)
This sea turtle I traced from a coloring book page of my kids. (With some of it colored.) It turned out pretty well, I think! I was thinking about my Grandma when I made this one. She loves and collects turtles.
"Calla Lily', from 'Learn to do Redwork' book by American School of Needlework. In fact I think the rest of these are also from this book. (It has 77 re-creations of antique blocks, plus instructions to make four quilts, I think.)
A blue rooster (I was going to make something with this to hang in my kitchen, but I no longer want to do the Delft Blue kitchen, so I don't know what to do with him...)
A bird in a nest.
And, aHoot Owl on a tree branch. I KNOW I had a cherry one I was working on, too. I can't find it, or my hoop to do the embroidery with, either. (Wherever they both are, it is probably together... the cherries are probably in the hoop somewhere.) Oh well. I have outlined another square already, that is a tea pot, I was all ready to work on it, and that was when I realized I didn't know where my hoop is... But, I found the tea pot design online. I'll see if I can find it to put the link if anyone is interested. Meanwhile I will post this since it might be a while before I can remember where I saw it... Well I am still looking,but here is a few free patterns I found at Quilt and Sew, by Googling... Some from Pattern Bee, it says they have a new free redwork pattern every month. (Supposed to be vintage, too.) Still looking for those teapots though... I found it! YAY!! It's from a Ladies in Red site, they have about four or five PAGES of redwork designs!! This time I'll put it in my toolbar so I don't lose it... :p

Floppy Dog

Here is a floppy dog I finished today. It worked up pretty fast. I took it to the park with me the other day when we fed the squirrel. I just worked on it that day and finished up the nose, tongue, and collar today. (And sewed her eyes on.) She is expecting a litter of puppies, too! ;p I got the pattern in a magazine that is out of print now, 'Crafting Traditions'. The Jan/Feb 2003 issue, if anyone has anyof those old issues. I have also been working on a plastic bag purse. But ran out of white WalMart bags... So I have to wait until I go shopping again for more 'yarn' ;p....

Pikes Peak

We drove up to the top of Pikes Peak last Saturday. This picture was taken from the top. (That's the Cog Railroad there.)
Here's the Cog train. We could have come up like this but it would have been over a hundred bucks. So we drove. (Less people, more fun anyway!)
I thought this sign was cool. Ooo!
A view from on the way up. None of these pictures can capture how awesome it is going up. I did a lot better going up this time, than I did last time. The first time we went up (a few years ago), I was hyperventilating practically. I was so scared. I thought for sure we were going to fall off the edge, and you can't even see where you are going to fall. This time I was hardly afraid at all. I looked down, and saw the 'bottom'. It wasn't as far as I thought. (I think I'm getting used to mountains now.) Ialso took a bunch of pictures of the wildflowers all over the mountain. You can see them here. (Turn your speakers on to hear the music.) :) Have a Nice Day.