Yarnjeannie's Crochet Cache

Feeling Human Again...

2012-01-28T14:51:00.003-05:00

Oh, how I hate cold and flu season. I haven't suffered from a cold or flu for at least 5 years, and so far I've been hit by a virus in August and cold/viral symptoms again during the last 2 weeks. The illness in August last year really knocked me on my butt, keeping me out of work for just short of 3 months. I didn't believe it when my doctor told me it might take that long to recover, but it did. I'm happy to say that this wasn't nearly so severe, even though it started out with the same symptoms. Chills, extremely sore throat, and cough.

Justin is back today. I've really missed him, but I asked the kids not to bring him by while I was sick. I hate to see children not feeling well, and I was so afraid I'd give him something, since it ran totally through the house. Husband and son are feeling a little better as well. We are watching the Polar Express. Justin loves this movie. He looks like he really needs a nap though.

I did find a project for my yarn. I love the look of the Red Heart Fleck yarns and had some Aran Fleck and a solid cocoa brown. I made a ripple scarf and ended up adding a fringe to it. I wasn't sure if I wanted to, but decided to do it for a little extra length. I have it finished, with the exception of trimming the fringe. I'm going to wash it first.

My next project may be to pick up the Sweetheart Ripple Afghan again, since it's been in limbo for over a year now. I sure would like to get it finished. It's just so beautiful, but all those single crochets {{groan}}.
I took hamburger out for dinner and now I don't know what to make with it. We had split pea with ham soup yesterday and it hit the spot. I'm glad I found that bag of dried peas in the pantry.

A Confession...

2012-01-24T17:38:00.005-05:00

Okay – I’ll admit it. I am a pen fanatic. I’ve always been pleased to receive a Staples or Office Max gift card for Christmas or for Mother’s Day. That ranks right up there with an AC Moore or Joann’s gift card. I have 27,456 pens. Alright, I'm exaggerating. But it does seem that way. Right now, on my desk at work, I have 3 mugs full of pens. One mug is filled with pens that I let other people use. Stick pens from Bic, and other nondescript pens that I won’t mind losing if they "sprout legs" and walk off. Then I keep a mug full of novelty pens. I have a shark, Buzz Lightyear and Woody, a deer carved out of wood with a pen insert, and a snowman topper on a pen. I have a lipstick pen that I received from a kind Crochetville member (thanks!) and a floating pen and an ergonomic pen and a pen disguised as an airplane. That one is a memento of my introductory flying lesson a couple of years ago. What fun that was! The third mug is filled with the pens that only I use. I keep them pushed waaaaaaay back out of the way where a visitor to my cubicle can't reach them. They are my favorites and I love the way they write.

I’ve recently rediscovered fountain pens. I last used them in elementary school. They were a requirement for penmanship classes. I recently purchased some Varsity Pilot disposable fountain pens. Surprisingly, they write quite smoothly for a disposable. I then ventured out into some fancier pens (priced at about $8 each – I haven’t gone totally crazy yet). Believe it or not – there are pens out there that, if someone were to walk away with it, you would have cause to charge them with grand larceny.

The pen pictured above? Over $3,000. I'm not kidding. The pen is offered for sale on a website that has pens that cost over 5 grand! The website asks you to e-mail for the prices on those pens, but I have their catalog and have seen it with my own eyes.

Writing with a fountain pen brings back the memories of my childhood, and trying my best to write as neatly as possible. People have always said “You must have gone to Catholic school". And it's true. The sisters were sticklers for neat homework. It's a shame that good penmanship isn't important these days. Trust me - I've seen job applications and handwritten resumes that are nearly illegible.

It seems that writing with a fountain pen now has brought back the aspiration to make my written words just as lovely as the pen I’m writing with.

On a crochet note – I’ve finished up the Blue Skies and Sunshine afghan. I put my signature border on it and it turned out great! I’m searching feverishly for my next project. I already have the yarn I want to work with – just need a project to match it. Isn’t that weird? Most people pick a project and then find the yarn.

January Blahs...

2012-01-21T10:35:00.003-05:00

Another birthday has come and gone. UGH! We got some wet snow last night and DH is outside shoveling. Double UGH! I'm sitting here with a stuffed up head that is making me wish the winter was already over. UGH!

Enough carping. At least we all woke up this morning. Something to smile about.

I'm working on a trusty round ripple afghan. I do love making these. I'm going to call it Blue Skies and Sunshine. It's white, blue and yellow. A nice cheery combination.

It was sweet Justin's third birthday last weekend. His parents had a fun party for him at a place called "Bouncing Off the Walls". His little friends from the baby sitter's all attended. A GREAT time was had by all. Oh, to be a kid again! No worries, no cares, no responsibilities. Aren't we all jealous? Or is it just me? LOL!

Goodbye to 2011 - A Few Thoughts

2011-12-31T12:13:00.002-05:00

No New Year's resolutions for me save one: To maintain all of my close and wonderful relationships with friends and family, and to heal those relationships that are damaged. Life is too short to carry emotional baggage. Better to be free to enjoy life and love.

Happy New Year to all!

Justin Claus

2011-12-17T18:32:00.002-05:00

Merry Christmas! Justin trying on
the Santa Hat with beard.

Angry Bird Ornament

2011-12-10T21:12:00.002-05:00

We attended the Christmas party at the dive shop today and I made an ornament to take along to add to the shop's Christmas tree. A lot of the shop folks are addicted to Angry Birds, so I made an ornament fashioned after the red bird. I hope that it's recognizable.

2011-11-30T18:01:00.000-05:00

Here is a quick photo we snapped of my dear grandson wearing the Santa cap and beard. We had to take it quick and so did not have time to adjust it. He wasn't totally in the mood for posing. So a little straightening would have had the beard and mustache positioned correctly. But he's cute as a button anyway! I just love him so.

Santa Hat with Beard

2011-11-27T17:40:00.004-05:00

I really must see if I can get my grandson to model this one for me. If so, I'll post another photo.
I've listed this for sale on my Etsy website.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T11:18:00.001-05:00

Wishing all of my friends and family a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. Be thankful for all of our blessings, large and small.

Update

2011-11-09T20:05:00.003-05:00

Got my return to work date - still working on hats. I sent for a pattern book to make items using the crocodile stitch. I have seen in showing up in one of the ads on my blog, and I'm anxious to try it. Looks interesting.

Meanwhile, here is my newest hat, soon to be listed on Etsy.

10 Petal Wraparound Flower for Embellishment

2011-11-03T17:03:00.003-04:00

I have been making a lot of hats lately, and like to use buttons to attach the flowers or bows. I had a very large decorative button to use and wondered if I could use a method similar to a wrap style rose to make a flower to wrap around the button. Here is my method and photos of the finished products.

Chain 22. In the 4th ch from the hook, sl st. Ch 3, skip the next ch and sl st into the following ch across to the end. You should have 10 ch 3 spaces. Turn and into each ch 3 space, you will hdc, 3 dc and ch 2, sl st back into the ch 3 space. You can choose to sl st into each consecutive ch 3 space or hdc directly into the next space. I've done it both ways. You will end up with 10 petals. Finish off and leave a longish end for sewing. You may also crochet leaves onto this petal chain if you choose.

For the leaves, with wrong side facing, slip stitch with green yarn into the back of the base of the petal chain, ch 7 , and slip stitch into 2nd chain from the hook, sc into next ch, hdc into next ch, dc into next 2 ch. Turn the piece keeping the right side of the leaf facing you and work your way back up the other side of the original ch 7 in the reverse order - dc, dc, hdc, hdc, sc, and then sl st at the top to join. You can make your starting chain as long as you like, as long as you use sl st, sc, hdc, dc and even trc if you like - keeping a leaf-shape, working in reverse on the opposite side of the ch.

Sew your button onto your crocheted piece, and then wrap the petal chain around the button, arranging the petal and leaf(ves) to your liking. Once you have them arranged, you can use the long end of the petal chain to stitch the chain securely into place.

Please contact me if you have any questions.

2 More Hats

2011-11-02T21:22:00.005-04:00

I enjoy making hats. Hopefully, I can list a few on Etsy. The woman who ordered 5 toddler hats from me was pleased with her items. I'm glad.
Here is one I made for my grandson:

Here is a hat I made for a friend fighting cancer:

Back in the Loop Again

2011-10-29T01:10:00.002-04:00

Back to crochet again and hopefully, back to work soon. Never thought I'd say that, but it will be nice to have a regular paycheck coming in.

I messed around with some yellow and pink yarn, to try to fulfill an order for a child's hat in those colors and I made a "cupcake" hat. I took it to show my daughter-in-law and my grandson grabbed it up. My DIL promises not to take him outside in that hat. I don't want anyone laughing at my sweetheart because he's wearing a girl's hat! But I left it there for him to play with, since he loves cupcakes so much. I've already started another since that one was somewhat large for the child it's intended for.

Here's a photo:

Hats I've Made

2011-10-27T23:48:00.012-04:00

I've been working on some hats by special request: Here are a few.

Posts Are Few and Far Between

2011-10-04T19:20:00.004-04:00

Sorry I haven't been keeping up the blog or doing new patterns, but I'm still not feeling well. Hopefully these next two tests go well and I'll finally be able to get this monster of a virus out of my system once and for all.

In the meantime please enjoy this little gem I found on you tube. Love Simon's Cat!

Under The Weather

2011-09-17T22:35:00.002-04:00

Haven't been feeling well with the upper respiratory infection from hell. 4 rounds of antibiotics, inhalers, steroids, and no work for almost a month. I still feel like I've had a truck parked on my chest, my voice is hoarse, and I'm coughing nonstop. And that's showing some improvement. I don't know what this is, but once it's gone, I hope never to see it again!

I haven't even had the strength - not even the inclination - to pick up yarn and hook. I would have loved to have taken advantage of the time off, but exhaustion has left me sleeping away most of the day.

Yuck...

A WelcomeTo The Family - To Nicole

2011-08-29T08:07:00.003-04:00

Below is the welcome speech I made at the wedding - I'm so happy to have Nicole as a daughter-in-law.

I would like to say a few words on behalf of the family.
Wayne and I did as every other parent does – we tried to raise our sons to be the best that they can be. We have loved and supported them, tried to guide them onto right paths, and hoped that they would grow to be kind, honest and caring men, capable of making the right decisions throughout their lives. I think that we’ve succeeded. We have a couple of great sons, and we are very proud of them both. On this, Dan’s wedding day, I hope that he can see how very proud we are .
To my husband - I look back across the years and I remember what a good father you’ve been, Wayne. I see the benefits the boys have reaped from your love and affection. In fact, I see all your great qualities in Dan today. He has become the same wonderful person you are. I thank you for giving me these wonderful sons.
I cannot tell you how pleased we are that Dan found someone to love and spend his life with – someone who shares the same wonderful qualities as Dan. Nicole is a beautiful young woman, with a sweet, generous and loving nature. We have come to love her and we welcome her into our family. I am so moved when I see her with Dan and Justin – what a beautiful family they are. I thank her for our darling grandson, the sunshine in our lives. And we bless her for bringing along such a delightful extended family. Jeanann, Nick, June, Michele, Chris, aunts, uncles and cousins – all of you are welcomed into our family. But be forewarned – our family tree does have a few nuts on it.
Jeanann and Nick – you’ve obviously done a terrific job as parents – we can see it reflected in your children. I sincerely hope that you don’t mind if I call Nicole my daughter as well as my daughter-in-law. I love my boys but I’ve always wanted a girl!
Dan and Nicole We certainly wish you a long and happy marriage. As much as we would like it to be perfect for you, be prepared for a rough spot or two. Just have the wisdom to lean on one another for strength, and trust that all will work out for the best. Believe in God and know that he will take care of you. Believe in each other. Always remember the things that made you fall in love with each other. Continue to be the wonderful parents you are to Justin – you are already off to a great start. You are lucky to have him and he is lucky to have you!
Please raise a glass to Dan and Nicole and let us wish them a long happy life, filled with love, happiness, health and success!

It's Official!

2011-08-28T19:51:00.007-04:00

Hurricane Irene be damned! We had a wedding in spite of her. What a wonderful day. Yes, we had rain, we had wind, and we had a fine time. I am so happy for my son and his wife. What a lovely couple they are. I wish them a long happy marriage filled with love, health and success!

Tomorrow's The Big Day

2011-08-26T23:09:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow is my son's wedding day. He's marrying a beautiful young woman, mother to my grandson and we can't be happier. We may have a hurricane to deal with, but it won't ruin our day.

Just a Short Note...

2011-08-19T21:12:00.003-04:00

I've been under the weather. Bronchitis and asthma has me feeling pretty low right now. I finished 4 projects for the grange fair, which is running right now. I think this is the first year I won't be able to make it there to see how my projects fared. I'll have to wait until Sunday when I pick them up.

One week until my dear son and his fiancee are hitched - yippee! I sure hope I'm over this "bug" by then.

Long Time

2011-07-22T19:45:00.003-04:00

My goodness, it's been a while since I posted. There's been a lot going on. I'm gearing up for the needlework competition at Grange Fair in August, as well as DS's wedding (not listed in order of importance, but in chronological order). My fair projects are coming along nicely.

I can't believe how time is flying by. I wish I had back some of the time I wished away as a kid - "Gee, I wish summer would get here already" and "I wish it was Christmas".

I've been thinking about my parents - both of them gone now. I'm sad that my mom never got to meet my dear little grandson. How she would have enjoyed his antics. I remember how she loved my two boys when they were small. She left us when they were 5 and 8. I wonder if they still remember her.

I spent time with my grandson today, sitting with him until his mom got home from work. What a boy! He played with his trucks and tractors, we played catch, and then he curled up on the couch next to me and we read "Green Eggs and Ham". He sure loves Sam-I-Am. After that, he took a nap.

A little bit of sunshine...

One Grange Fair Project Ready

2011-07-04T21:10:00.002-04:00

It isn't the best photo. It could have been a little straighter when I snapped it. It's the "baby shower" dress done in a different yarn and different colors.

Time to move onto the next project.

Happy Birthday, America!

2011-07-04T01:48:00.006-04:00

Justin and PopPop enjoying the fireworks on July 3. In one of the videos below, you can hear Justin shouting "Purple! Purple!" He wanted purple fireworks!

Baby Shower

2011-06-20T17:38:00.000-04:00

The baby shower was today and my boss loved the dress! I'm very happy that she did. I really enjoyed making this style dress and I think I might try making it in a finer yarn to make a smaller size. I think I'd like to send a few to the NICU unit along with the hats and blankets I have here to send.

Dress is Finished!

2011-06-19T16:54:00.001-04:00

I also purchased the gift bag and tissue wrap today too.

It's finished and I'm very happy with the way it turned out. I think I'll be making another as a grange fair project, and then list it for sale on etsy.

The color isn't quite right on my monitor, so I'm not sure how it looks on yours. The yarn used is Cotton Tots Terracotta.
I also fashioned a headband for it - not part of the pattern, but I tried to match the stitches as well as I could. I hope she likes it!

What a Great Pre-Summer Day!

2011-06-19T00:24:00.001-04:00

I went out to run errands this morning. Driving with the windows down, I passed Sesame Place and could hear the squeals of laughter from the kids inside. Sounds like they were having a great time! Weather wasn't the best - the sky was gray and overcast, but no rain.

I'm thinking that I'm going to have to call the dress shop next week. I ordered a dress for my son's wedding and thought it would be in by now. I haven't received a call from them telling me that is. Maybe they couldn't get that style anymore? I hope so. It really was a nice dress.

I am almost finished with the baby dress. I have 5 more rows to do and buttons to sew on it. I'll need to go out looking for a gift bag and tissue paper. The shower is on Monday. Nothing like waiting until the last minute, huh?

Have I told you how much I love my Kindle? Best invention ever. I have read more books on the e-reader than I've read since I got out of school (and that's been quite a while!). I just splurged and bought the most fantastic cover for it. It's from Oberon Design - carved leather cover in Marigold. The design is called Hollyhocks. Only the best for my "baby"! LOL!

Wedding Weekend

2011-06-12T19:48:00.000-04:00

We attended a wedding this weekend. My dear son was the best man and my grandson was a ring bearer. Both were extremely good looking in their tuxedos!

Weather was chilly and sprinkly off and on, but it was a nice outdoor ceremony and all had a good time.

I finished crocheting two hats and I have two more to finish. These were special requests for 2 girls, and I'm working on 2 adult hats in the same style, one in olive green and one in brown. I'll post photos of those when finished.

Memorial Day Weekend

2011-05-28T13:18:00.000-04:00

Taking a moment to remember all the armed forces servicemen and women who have given their lives for our country. And sending blessings to those fortunate enough to return, and prayers to those currently serving. Thank you, all.

Tomorrow will be a big day. My future daughter-in-law and I will be going shopping for a mother-of-the-groom dress for me. I heard from Nicole's mom and she just purchased her dress, in an almost-navy blue color.

Trying to figure out what to make for dinner tonight. Maybe meat loaf.

It's quiet right now, so I think I'll get back to work on the baby dress I'm making. Photos of my version will follow when it's finished. Photo shown is from the free pattern - link above.

Why I Love Amazon

2011-05-25T23:59:00.000-04:00

I've been looking for a long time for a pattern I had a long time ago, but misplaced somewhere. It may be in my attic in a bag of yarn, or I may have left it where it ended up mixed with newspapers and ended up with the recycling. I've looked high and low for it, and even posted on a crochet forum board asking if someone might have it and be willing to trade for it. No luck. Until Monday...

On a lark, I searched Amazon for the pattern I was looking for - Charming Cherubs and Angel Pets. I found it! An out-of-print pattern, and it was $3.95! Hallelujah! I received it today, it's in very good condition and once I finish my current projects, I plan on making a doll or two.

I also scored another out-of-print pattern in high demand - Crochet the Birth of Christ. It's the pattern I used to make my prized Nativity set. I can now make another so that one day, each of my sons will have a set of their own.

SHUT UP! I’M COUNTING STITCHES! (Or Why I’m Socially Challenged…)

2011-05-14T20:12:00.005-04:00

Due to the fact that I need to drop dear son off at work so early, I often arrive at work 45 minutes before the start of my work day. I call this my spare time and I like to crochet. Sometimes employees will wander through the cafeteria and stop and ask me questions about what I’m doing. I know – I should be glad that people find my work interesting. I don’t mind when someone stops and asks a question or two, and I can share my enjoyment of crochet. But then, there are those OTHER inquisitive folks. Not satisfied with just a couple of short questions or comments, but they’ll continue to ask questions or give me a rundown of everyone they’ve ever known who “knits”. (People!! one hook – crochet: two needles – knitting!) I guess my level of annoyance is in proportion to the complexity of the pattern I’m working on at the time.

I remember one of my most distressing encounters with a curious passer-by. I was trying to crochet a Piglet – it was a difficult pattern with lots of increases, decreases, slip stitches and working beyond the end of rounds and moving markers to start your counts over again. I took a seat in the cafeteria far away from all distractions, sitting alone at a table by the window. I was repeatedly interrupted for 30 minutes by the same co-worker passing back and forth asking questions. Mind you – this woman was supposed to be sitting at her desk answering the telephone! Woman: “Oooh, what are you making?” Me: “Piglet” and shows picture from the pattern book. Woman walks away but comes back 5 minutes later – “Oh, did you make any of those other things in that book?” “Yes – Pooh, Eeyore and Tigger”. A few more questions and she leaves again – I start frogging back to where I was before I lost my place. What seems like 10 seconds later – she’s baaaaack – “How long will it take to make one of those?” Thinking to myself “The rest of my friggin’ life if you keep asking questions!” Saying out loud “Depends on how much time I get to work on it – anywhere from 1 to 2 weeks in my spare time”. Woman walks away – frog, frog, frog. She makes a few more passes and comments and I frog a few more times. By now, I’m holding my work in a death grip and gritting my teeth. But I stick with it and I think I finally have it – oh wait! Here she comes again! At that point, I stuffed the project in my carry bag and gave it up as a lost cause. At least while at work.

Would the average person walk up to someone sitting at an easel, painting in the park, and keep asking them questions?? I don’t think so. If I sit next to someone reading a book, I wouldn’t expect them to tell me what they are reading and what other books they’ve read and how long it takes them to finish a book. If I see someone wearing headphones and listening to music, I leave them alone. Is it just me? Am I so anti-social?

My good friends in my previous work location knew that I shared a table with them at lunch, but I didn’t take an active part in the conversation. I was listening, but I was busy counting stitches while crocheting. My friends knew that and they understood it. Maybe it’s rude to crochet while with other people – I don’t know. My friends were always aware that crochet is my passion and they never thought it was wrong for me to keep working on my project.

I don’t want to sound like a misanthrope. I really don’t mind a short interruption now and then. I do enjoy telling people about crochet and have even taught a few people how to crochet after they’ve seen me work. But when “Sorry to bother you” leads to a lengthy work-related conversation – well, there goes my crochet time and I’m not a happy camper. I can tell them that I don’t start work until 8 a.m., but does it matter? Noooooooooo…

I’ve had employees approach saying “I know you’re at lunch but…” and off they go, requesting job letters and vacation totals and asking if their uncle’s best friend’s cousin’s next door neighbor can come in to fill out a job application. I’ve tried eating lunch and/or crocheting in my car. They’ll knock on the window. I’ve had people stop me in Walmart’s yarn department at 8:30 in the evening and ask me benefits questions. Why do people think I’m on call 24/7?

Does anyone else have this problem? Am I just being a grumpy old woman? I guess I need to learn to be more tolerant. Or find a better place to hide.

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T22:08:00.002-04:00

Wishing all moms a Happy Day! I had a nice visit with my grandson. He stayed overnight here with us. He's such a sweet and happy child. No trouble at all. We really enjoyed his visit.

His lovely mom just lost her grandmother and I offered to take Justin to give her some time to rest.

My younger son treated me to dinner and my older son and his fiancee - Justin's parents - gave me a framed picture of Justin and a lovely pair of topaz earrings!

What a wonderful day it was!

I finished up a couple of projects that have been sitting in limbo lately. One was a pink tam hat that needed a finishing touch. I crocheted a flower accent for it. I also crocheted some flowers for a baby hat that I am sending to a new mom for her little one. It's my "Dreaded Spiral Seam Hat" - I've made interchangeable flowers for it so that it can be worn with many different outfits. And I finished a little lavender hat that I've been working on. I improvised a scalloped brim for it, having done the hat all in half-double crochet. I really like the way it turned out. Justin was kind enough to model it for me. Thank God he's so small! I won't get this kind of cooperation when he gets older, I'm sure! That hat is finished. At the point I took the photo, I had a loose end that needed to be woven in. This hat will be listed on my Etsy website.

Hope you all had a wonderful day!

Donation Weekend

2011-05-04T13:42:00.002-04:00

The company I work for recently had a sale of empty cosmetic bags for employees. I was able to purchase about 50 or so and I'm going to mail them this weekend to Hope Lodge in Hershey Pennsylvania. I called ahead to verify that these bags are something that they can use. The staff at the lodge said that they will be happy to give a bag to their patients upon receipt, and 50 bags will be enough to make sure that each current patient has one and that future patients will also be able to receive one. I thought the bags might be useful for patients to keep their personal items in - if not makeup, perhaps toothbrush and toothpaste, deodorant, mouthwash, etc.

I also hope to have some crocheting time this weekend to do some hats as well.

I just need to draft a letter explaining that these donations are in the name of my late sister-in-law, who was a patient at Hope Lodge. She often told us how nice they were to her at the lodge, and in fact, the staff remembers her too. They told me how much they loved her and how sad they were to hear that she passed away.

It's good to know that my sister-in-law was so well-loved and will remain in the hearts and minds of so many people.

I miss her.

Weekend At Grammy's

2011-05-02T00:29:00.002-04:00

Justin spent 2 nights with us. He loves the football I picked up for him recently. He sure is a blessing in our lives. He learned to play catch too. He'll pick something up, say "Catch!" and look out if you aren't ready yet! LOL!

A Blessed Good Friday and Happy Earth Day

2011-04-22T15:59:00.002-04:00

There is an argument on-going on Facebook that started when the Amazon Kindle people wished everyone a Happy Earth Day. Some took great exception to that and declared that they would honor Good Friday instead.

Why can't we do both? I can thank my God for the sacrifice He made, sending His only Son to die for my salvation. And I think that one way we can show that gratitude is to show respect for the home given to us by our Father by conserving earth's resources and cleaning up our oceans.

A Labor of Love

2011-04-18T20:00:00.002-04:00

I was honored to be asked to crochet a hat for Gloria - her last hat. Her family sent me a photo of the dress they selected for her viewing and funeral, and so I went out to find some lilac yarn to try to match the dress as closely as possible. I'm not sure if I came close or not, but I am very happy with the hat itself.

I got the pattern from an Annie's Attic booklet - Chemo Caps and Wraps. It is called the Spiral Cap and it turned out just lovely! I express-mailed it to the family so that it will arrive before the viewing tomorrow night. We will be attending both services, but this way they will have it so that she will look lovely.

I love the look of the finished hat but I don't know if I'll ever make another. Not that it was a difficult hat to make - it wasn't. But that will forever be "Gloria's hat".

Maybe sometime in the future I will make that style again and donate them to an oncology center.

What Can I Say About Gloria?

2011-04-16T17:26:00.000-04:00

I have a sister-in-law named Gloria. I liked her when I met her and grew to love her as time went on.
She is a sweet person, childlike in innocence. She is funny. A kind and thoughtful person, and a gentle soul - she reached out to those around her who needed her help. She had some hard times earlier on in her life, but was blessed with a loving family – parents and siblings to support her and provide comfort when she needed it. She found what she was looking for though – someone to love her and a family of her own.
Gloria left us on Friday night. She withstood 3 bone marrow transplants and 4 chemotherapy sessions. She was about to be prepared for another marrow transplant when she succumbed to pneumonia. She passed peacefully with her loved ones around her, her husband kneeling at her bedside. That gentle soul is now in the hands of Jesus.

I say that I have a sister-in-law, not that I had a sister-in-law. Gloria will remain in all our hearts, until we meet again. We will miss her – she’s a truly lovely lady.

A Visit With Justin

2011-04-06T13:49:00.002-04:00

I had a very nice visit with my little grandson on Tuesday. He's such a hoot! He can identify all of the alphabet letters and tell you what they are, and if you ask him to find a particular letter, he will find it for you! He's only 27 months old so I am amazed! My younger son Tom was also an alphabet virtuoso when he was the same age.

A Good Monday For a Change

2011-04-04T21:48:00.002-04:00

Ordinarily, I don't like Mondays. But for the start of the work week, today wasn't bad. The day passed by quickly. So quickly, in fact, that I looked at the clock on my computer and realized it was past the end of the work day and I was still at my desk. I like days like this.

I'm hoping to be able to enroll in a class this summer. I am working on a degree a little at a time. It may take me 10 years to get a two-year degree, but I intend to do it. It's just a matter of getting the bucks together to pay the tuition.

Not much to do tonight. I copied a lot of my PDF patterns from my computer to my Kindle.

I think I'll take yarn and hook to work tomorrow and make something.

Red Hats

2011-04-02T21:13:00.003-04:00

I posted a photo of the infant hat on my facebook page and I got a message from my cousin who asked if I could make one in an adult size. And in red...with a purple flower. As you may have guessed, she belongs to the Red Hat Society. She would like to take the hat to an event that she's attending next weekend. I was happy to stitch up a hat for her. She even offered to show off the hat and see if she could sell any for me. I stitched another cloche/fedora hat in red and purple to take with her.

Posting photos:

Skype?

2011-03-28T23:53:00.003-04:00

Anyone use it? I signed up for the free account. I'd like to get on the computer and talk to Justin some evenings. He's such a sweet little guy. He's smart, too! He's been reading letters to me. Moved my hand from the front of my computer and spelled "T-O-S-H-I-B-A". What a boy! We had such fun last Tuesday with him at the Aquarium in Camden. My brother and I took him on the train to see the "fish" - he loves fish. When we left one exhibit and went to the next, he would wave and say "Bye!" to the fish.

I hope this isn't going to be a late night tonight. I am so tired and I hate it when I can't sleep.

A Few of My Favorite Photos

2011-03-24T20:50:00.010-04:00

Justin and his dad at the car show

Our beagle wants to play!

Crocheted Eeyore - one of my favorite projects

Wayne - with our buddies

Tigger - another fun project!

The Sweater Fits!

2011-03-19T20:25:00.002-04:00

The blue sweater I made for Justin should fit him just right! I tried putting it on him the other day, but since it was only a try-on and not an outdoor excursion, he wasn't in the mood to model. But once it went over his head, I could see that he would be able to wear the sweater. I'm glad - I hope he gets to use it this spring.

Getting Closer to Spring

2011-03-14T20:51:00.009-04:00

On Saturday, we rolled the clocks ahead - taking us that much closer to spring. I cannot wait!
Today was a pretty good day for a Monday. I had a really great weekend, too. I finished Justin's sweater, although I'm not so sure not that it will fit him. I crocheted the sweater following the instructions for a size 4 toddler, and even went up two hook sizes to make it a little roomier. I haven't tried it on Justin yet, but I'm really afraid it won't fit him, and he only wears a size 3 in everything else. I think it's the stitch pattern - it's not very forgiving (It's a single crochet, ch 1 stitch combination, with all single crochets worked into the ch 1 space on subsequent rows). There's no stretch to it when it's finished. Well, if it doesn't fit him, I'll make another! I'll shoot for a size 6, and donate the other sweater.
I also finished a toddler hat for a co-worker and she loved it! It's my spiral seam hat pattern. I made it in a soft yellow color and finished it with a button atop the stem. Then I worked some interchangeable flowers that will just button into place on the top of the hat. Everyone at work loved it! In fact, I posted a photo on my facebook page, and I even heard from a cousin who wants one in an adult size.
Anyway, here are photos of Justin's sweater, and the hat with the flowers.

One of the Fortunate Ones

2011-03-05T17:33:00.004-05:00

That would be me. I'm counting my blessings today. Starting with the most kind-hearted, caring husband ever. He's stuck with me through thick and thin and I love him for it. He saw a woman who's been living in her car - she was scrounging for pennies in her pockets to make a purchase at Wawa, and he left the store and slipped a $10 bill under her windshield wiper. Sat there to make sure she got it and that no one else helped themselves to it.

My sons - both are good kids and have never been in any trouble. The oldest has a sweet fiancee and they are getting married in August. My youngest is a gamer, but he works every day and there's never a nasty word out of his mouth. I've heard kids cuss their parents out and it makes me sad. My boys aren't like that. My dear grandson the J-Man was here today and he's a joy. I'm making a sweater for him. I hope he likes it. It will have a nice roomy front pocket to carry his little cars in. He's a car nut - he'll push his little matchbox cars around for the longest time. He chatters like a magpie. I just wish I could understand what he's saying. I pick up a few words here and there - shoe, sock, fish, cat, snack, drink.

I've been feeling better lately, too. The acid reflux that keeps me awake at night has been easing. I changed my medication and it seems to be working. Spring is on its way and my outlook is a little sunnier too. Work is going well and I feel appreciated, much more than I ever did when I worked in the other building I was assigned to.

My little buddy is here at my side. He's a good little dog, even if he is a little annoying at times.

I found a home for the hat I made, pictured in an earlier post. My dear son's fiancee stopped in and asked if I could make a hat for her grandmother, who is currently undergoing chemotherapy and has lost her hair. I was more than happy to give her the hat. I do hope that she likes it.

Times are tough right now, but we have a roof over our heads, food on the table and enough money to keep gas in the car, even if we have to cut back our weekend travels.

A Short Weekend - Too Short

2011-02-27T19:42:00.002-05:00

Of course, all weekends are too short. The workweek should be 2 days and our weekend 5 days long. Someone got it back-asswards.

I did get to spend time with sweet Justin today. He is just the cutest little guy and I love him to pieces. He sure loves his fruit snacks. We had pizza and some pretzels and juice. He enjoys looking out the window at the traffic passing by. Not that we live on a busy street, he just likes to wave at the cars and trucks.

Back to work tomorrow. First thing on the agenda for tomorrow is to call the gastroenterologist and make an appointment for an endoscopy of my throat. The GERD is awful lately. I hope that everything is still okay, and I seriously want to have my medications reevaluated. I've had some really bad nights recently.

Time to pick up the hook and yarn again. I set it aside for a while and I need to dive back in before I lose the resolve to crochet.

Special Thanks To My Sister

2011-02-23T14:41:00.003-05:00

I asked my sister to make a couple of chemo caps for my sister-in-law. I received them in the mail today and I will mail them to my SIL tomorrow. They are cute - reversible in a soft flannel fabric.

I had offered to pay my sister for her supplies and time, but she refused any money for them. So thank you very much, Dear Sister.

I also decided to change my blog background again. I'm sick of winter and holly berries weren't cutting it anymore. I've been down lately, so maybe some blue skies and green grass will lift my spirits.

A loaf of peanut butter bread is baking at the moment. I have to take a look at it. It smells delicious.

Homemade Pretzels Today

2011-02-20T19:08:00.005-05:00

Before:

After:

Another post today - whew!

I pulled the bread machine off the shelf today and made a loaf of honey wheat bread for my sister-in-law to take home with her. She was visiting for a few days. We took a ride to the Lancaster/Lebanon area to visit a farmer's market and do some sightseeing. After finishing the wheat bread, I mixed a batch of dough for soft pretzels. I never tried making them before. They definitely were not what I expected. Philly soft pretzels are indescribably good - definitely doughy on the inside and with a slight crust on the outside.

I turned the finished dough out onto a pastry sheet and divided it into 16 equal parts. Each part would have to be rolled into a snake-like rope, then twisted into a pretzel shape. Rolling these things are great exercise for the arms - believe me. After shaping the pretzels, they go onto a greased baking sheet and you brush them with a wash of egg white and water. They rise again for about another 30 minutes, and then bake for 15-20 minutes - I checked several times and judged them by their color. They rose into something that vaguely resembled a pretzel, but were they ever delicious! The outside was a tender crust and the inside texture is more like a bread than a pretzel, but it definitely has a great pretzel taste. My family raved about them. I will definitely be making them again.

Wishful Thinking

2011-02-13T18:50:00.002-05:00

I wish that:

Spring would hurry up and get here. The snow is finally leaving, but everything is now so brown and ugly. Not that I want more snow to cover it up...

I had more time to spend with grandson Justin. He is a true rainbow in a world that sometimes seems only shades of gray.

My husband and I were able to afford an early retirement. So many things that we'd like to do together.

I could afford to take those flying lessons before it's too late.

The world could be at peace, of course.

I could give my kids their dreams.

Miracles were more plentiful - but then I guess they wouldn't be miracles, would they? I just know of so many people in need of one right now.

Almost Halfway Through the Hope Afghan

2011-02-06T22:53:00.002-05:00

On Row 42 of 87 - got off to a slow start when I reached row 14 and realized I was using a G hook instead of a J. I was wondering why it seemed so small. Lots of frogging - made me sad.

But we're on a roll now. It's a nice pattern - repetitive from side to side so I really don't have to keep referring back to the directions.

Pictures to follow when I finish it.

Crocheted Hat

2011-02-05T19:00:00.003-05:00

This isn't the best photo of the crocheted cloche I made last week. I have to find my "model" - one of those styrofoam heads from the beauty supply store. But it will give you an idea of what it looks like.

I'm working now on a pink ribbon "Hope" afghan to donate to our Pink Ribbon committee at work. They can chance it off to raise money. I ordered the kit from Mary Maxim. I love the pattern, but I hate the yarn they chose to send with the kit. I only got 2 rows into the afghan, and came across one of those small knots. You know the ones I'm talking about - the yarn breaks at the factory and they tie a knot and trim it off close. You know that if you crocheted leaving that knot as is, it would come apart for sure and unravel your work. Not to mention - who likes having knots in their work? I remember my Aunt Anna crocheting a pair of slippers and our cat chewed the yarn off. Boy, was she miffed when she came to the break in the yarn! I can still hear her yelling about having to have a knot in the slipper! I thought it was funny then - not so much any more. Anyhoo - I ended up substituting Red Heart Super Saver in pink, and I will use the kit yarn for small projects like infant and preemie hats. I have a couple of other projects I'll have to finish soon.

A Quiet Sunday Morning

2011-01-30T08:39:00.005-05:00

I was up early this morning. DS Tom signed up to work overtime today - 5 hours at double-time pay for him. So here I am, with a dog snoring on my lap, updating my little piece of cyberspace.

I'm still making hats and blankets for the NICU. I've been having some fun with the hats. I've got an idea or two floating around in my brain, so I'll have to see if I can make my ideas into an actual hat this week.

I made a cute cloche-style hat in an adult size, and already have an order from someone I work with to make another in her choice of colors! What a surprise!

I hope to get over to see my sweet grandson today - his mom said that he's discovered that he loves bananas (nanas) and that he reads books to his mom. Of course, we don't understand everything he is saying, but who cares.

And apparently, there is ANOTHER storm on it's way to use early this week. The piles of plowed snow are starting to resemble Mount Everest and it may not all melt until June. I am SICK of snow! Oh, to be on a cruise ship bound for the Caribbean!

Photos of some of my newest hats to follow.

And Yet More Snow - Where Are You, Spring?

2011-01-27T10:17:00.001-05:00

Looks nice, but enough is enough. About 12 inches of snow again. What a long strange trip it's been. Surprise snowfall yesterday morning, when they didn't expect it, a lull in the weather in the afternoon to allow the smart ones to escape work and head home, and then the back of the storm blew through, dropping 2-3 inches of snow per hour. Thundersnow - flashes of lightning and low rolling thunder that really gave the Christmas card landscape a distinctly spooky feel. Now it's over and folks are digging, plowing and scraping their way back to the real world.

I took the day off from work again. I'm sure I'll find something to do today.

Oh yarrrrn???? Where are you??????? Come out to play!

A Day of Baking

2011-01-23T22:10:00.003-05:00

I don't bake often, but when I do, I go all out! 2 loaves of bread today - although they were bread machine loaves, so not as labor intensive. The first one that came out of the machine today was magnificent. Really, the nicest, tallest, and most evenly colored loaf I've ever made. It was Sunflower Sesame Seed bread. Since I got my breadmaker, this recipe has been calling out to me. Today was the first day I tried it. Tasty, but I think I'd leave out the cumin seeds next time. The second loaf is in the machine now. Depending on what it looks like, it may be a birthday present for my boss. If it looks sad, then I'll be putting another loaf together to start baking early in the morning.

My oven is still working - I have two pans of brownies in there now. Also, for the birthday celebration tomorrow.

Someone Doesn't Like the Winter Chill...

2011-01-22T18:52:00.001-05:00

There really is a whole doggie in this photo. He's just hunkered in for the evening. Miniature pinschers seem to love burrowing in blankets, and he finds this giraffe patterned fleece to be very comfortable.

Another New Baby Hat

2011-01-18T03:48:00.002-05:00

I worked on another baby hat yesterday. It was my birthday and it was a nice quiet day - a real lazy day where I didn't get out of my jammies until after noon! I had a very nice dinner out with DS, his fiancee and my grandson, as well as DH. My younger DS was feeling a little under the weather.

I crocheted a baby hat, but it's not suitable for charity purposes. It wouldn't be comfortable for a NICU baby. Instead I've decided to list it on Etsy.

It's back to work tomorrow after a nice 3 day weekend. I might be going in late, if I don't take another day off. We are currently getting some freezing rain. I checked the front door and it's a sheet of ice.

I need to go through my stash and see what other yarn I have to continue making baby hats for the NICU. It's 3 am right now, and I am hoping to be able to get back to sleep...

Infant Hat with a Solution to the Dreaded "Spiral Seam"

2011-01-12T22:57:00.009-05:00

This is a pattern for an infant hat. The hat measures approximately 14.5 inches in circumference. When working in joined rounds, you may have a problem with a visible spiral seam. The embellishment on this hat disguises it nicely!

I used worsted weight yarn and a G hook.

Work in rounds, join at the end of each round, do not turn

Rd 1 - Ch 2, 6 hdc in second chain from hook, join with sl st in first st
Rd. 2 - Ch 2, hdc in same st, 2 hdc in each st around and join (12 st)
Rd. 3 - Ch 2, hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next st around and join – 24 st
Rd. 4 - Ch 2, 2 hdc in next, , (hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next st) around and join - 36 st
Rd. 5 - Ch 2, hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next st, (hdc in next 2 st, 2 hdc in next st) around and join – 48 st
Rd. 6 - Ch 2, hdc in next 6 st, 2 hdc in next st, (hdc in next 7 st, 2 hdc in next st) around and join – 54 st.
Rd. 7 - Ch 2, hdc in each st around and join – 54 st
Rd. 8 – 11 - Repeat round 6 for 6 more rows – 54 st
Rd. 12 - Ch 1,sc in same st, sc in each st around, join – 54 st
Rd. 13 - Ch 1, sc in same st,, ch 1 and skip next st, sc in the next st, ct 1 and skip the next st, sc in next 2 st, (ch 1, skip next st, sc in next st, ch 1, skip next st, 2 sc in next st) around, ending with ch 1 and skip st, join
Rd. 14 - Ch 1, sc in same st, sc in each st and in each ch 1 space around and join – 54 st.
Rd. 15 - IN FRONT LOOP ONLY - Ch 3, dc in same st, 2 dc in next st, 3 dc in next st, (2 dc in next 2 st, 3 dc in next st) around, join and finish off. 126 st

You will notice a spiral “seam” on the hat. Using a length of green yarn, fasten the yarn at the seam on row 12 and, working upward, chain stitch into each “space”. You can also do this by threading a yarn needle with a doubled length of yarn and stitching a chain from round 12 up to round 2. Fasten off and weave in ends.
Flower – with yellow, ch 2, 6 sc in second chain from hook and join
IN FRONT LOOP ONLY -, slip st , ch 2, ( sl st in next st, ch 2) around and join. Finish off, weave in ends.
IN BACK LOOP ONLY – join white with sc, ch 2, sl st in same st, (sc, ch 2, sl st) in each st around, join
Sl st in first ch 2 space, 3 hdc, sl in next ch 2 space, 3 hdc, (sl in next ch 2 space, 3 hdc) around, join and finish off, leaving a long end for sewing.
Sew the flower to the hat at the top of the “stem”.

With green, ch 75 loosely and finish off. You will weave this chain in and out through round 15, using the ch 1 spaces. You will start weaving at the bottom of the stem and end at the bottom of the stem. I left more yarn showing on the outside of the hat than on the inside - see photo. Tie the chain into a small bow at the bottom of the stem and tack the two loops into place to make leaves.

This pattern is not to be sold or posted on any other website. Items made from the pattern can be sold at craft shows, or may be given as gifts or made for charity purposes. You may not sell the finished items on any online venue.

If you have any questions regarding the instructions, please let me know.

Snow Day - 2011

2011-01-12T09:29:00.003-05:00

Home from work today - it snowed overnight. In my old age (ahem!)I'm not as adventurous when it comes to driving on winter roads. In fact, on a trip to my sister's house on the weekend, my brother almost threw me out of his car because I reacted to the slip-sliding at the stop light. Yikes! I promised I wouldn't scream again and he put it in full time 4-wheel drive and I was quiet for the rest of the trip. Pretended I was sleeping all the while we drove through heavy snowfall to reach our destination. I was praying instead. LOL! We arrived safely. But it's not the kind of driving I relish anymore.

Instead of going to work, I'm going to make a few more baby items for the hospital and bake a loaf or two of bread. I have a recipe I want to try.

Attaching a photo of the finished baby items which are intended for a NICU in California.

Is It Too Late For Another Ornament Pattern?

2010-12-31T08:43:00.006-05:00

Hope it's not too late for another ornament pattern. I've been making these and having a lot of fun with them - different color combinations, etc. I'm getting a jump on next year - I love handmade ornaments.

This one is easy. You can use worsted weight yarn, and it doesn't take much at all to make one. The finished ornament will be 4-5 inches tall, depending on the number of starting chains and the size hook that you use. I used a G hook and chained 31. You will work into the chain on the opposite side, instead of inserting your hook under the top two strands of the chain. Work into the third strand on the back. Sc into the second chain from the hook and in each chain across, for a total of 30 sc. Finish off, leaving a loose end (you'll work this into the fringe). This is the right side of the work, and you'll keep the right side facing you. Attach your second color with a sc in the first sc, leaving an end that you'll work into the fringe. Sc in each sc across, and finish off, again leaving a loose end. Use your first color again, or you can use a third color if you wish, and attach with a sc in the first sc, right side facing. Sc in each stitch across. Finish off at the end of the third row. You can attach fringe in any way you wish, picking up your loose ends and adding them into the fringe. I used two strands and added them to the end of each row, pulling the loose ends through with the strands, on the yellow and white scarf. On the blue and white scarf, I used 5 strands, tied them in the center, and using a yarn needle, pulled the long strand used to tie the other strands through the end of the scarf from side to side and scrunching it up a bit. Tie the strands to the end of the scarf, pull the long strands down into the fringe, tie another short strand around the fringe to make a puffy "ball", and trim all ends to the same size. I hope this makes sense. You can cross the scarf in the center and tie it with a small bow, or you may wish to attach a flower or some other decorative item to hold the scarf together in the center. Add a hanger at the top of the scarf.

It's Tuesday, Isn't It?

2010-12-28T20:41:00.002-05:00

Today is Tuesday, according to the calendar. However, it's my Monday and my Thursday. HUH? I didn't go in to work yesterday because of the snow. And it's a short week because of the holiday, so having worked today as the first day of my week, it's my Monday. And because tomorrow is the last day of the work week because of the upcoming holidays, it's also my Thursday today. So it's Montuethursday. Have I confused you? Welcome to the club!

This past weekend, because of the snow, my brothers and sisters weren't able to get together for our Christmas celebration. We have to set another date. In the meantime, I'm still making ornaments! I'm having so much fun crocheting ornaments that I want to be sure I have enough for myself. They are really cute and I wish that I could show you, but my family hasn't received theirs yet and I want them to be a surprise. So I will definitely post photos after we exchange gifts with each other.

Now that we've had our snow, I would like to see it go away now.

Merry Christmas To All

2010-12-25T13:09:00.001-05:00

Hoping that everyone has a wonderful Christmas with many blessings. Here is a photo of our blessing, grandson Justin, on Christmas morning.

It's a "Red Coat" Day

2010-12-23T09:22:00.002-05:00

Let me explain the title. Last year at Kohls, I went coat shopping. Searched the racks until I came across a certain coat. It fit well, it was very warm and comfy and I had my choice of colors. Could have purchased a blue one, might have selected a green one, even had the option of choosing a tan one. But nooooooooo - my hand was drawn to the red one. I had second and third thoughts as I made my way to the counter with it. Too late - whipped out the charge card and this red beauty was mine!

The red coat has been on standby ever since the winter cold arrived. Instead I duck out the door in a homemade sweater coat, or a quilted lightweight jacket and head to work or the store. I tell myself that it isn't that far from the door to the car and I can stand the shivering and shaking until the car warms up to make the trip. Then it's just a little fast shuffle to the store, or work, or wherever.

But today it is blustery. The winds are whipping and I can hear garbage cans rolling down the road. Empty garbage cans, which is sad because the trash hasn't been collected yet. I'm not sure where the contents of the cans are at this moment. Not on my lawn, I hope. It's so cold out that the min pin pretty much did his business as he ran out, turned and ran back in again. My business, however, is to head to the post office with a box of gifts for my sister and her children. So I will don my warmest and most unflattering coat - makes me look like Santa (OK - I said it).

It reminds me of the episode years ago when a coworker offered me a lovely sweatsuit her daughter purchased. It was never worn and her daughter decided she didn't want it. It was purchased from Roamans and I had seen it in the catalog. It was very pretty. Not a sweatsuit meant for jogging or lifting weights. This one was ivory with gold embroidery trim, and perfect for a day at the mall or a trip about town. It looked beautiful in the catalog. I accepted it, took it home and couldn't wait to try it on. Once on, I couldn't wait to take it off! I looked like Elvis - the fat Elvis! Yikes! This was one outfit never meant to be made in anything over a size 4. No wonder Roaman's uses skinny models to show off their clothes. If they used plus size women to sell their plus size clothes, that outfit never would have left the warehouse - I'm sure of it. Anyway, the outfit was sent to a charity. I hope it's found a home somewhere. If Elvis is still around - tell him to search the thrift stores. If he finds it, he'll love it!

My goal today is to pack up the gift bags for my brothers and sisters. I'd better get started.

Still Working On Christmas Gifts

2010-12-12T09:46:00.006-05:00

I have been busy - I came up with an idea in my dreams last night. I dreamed I was making more Christmas ornaments. I guess that means I've been making too many, huh?
Anyway, this morning I sat down with red, yellow and white worsted weight yarn, and based on the sushi roll design, I fashioned a Christmas drum ornament. Here is the pattern:

You will need worsted weight yarn, as I mentioned earlier, and a size G crochet hook. You can use any three colors you wish. Gauge isn't really that important, because you can make adjustments to the number of rows as needed.

Start with white yarn and make 6 chains, single crochet into the second chain from the hook and in each chain across to make 5 stitches, ch 1 and turn. SC into each ch across, ch 1 and turn - make a total of 22 rows, changing to red yarn in the last st, ch 1 and turn. Repeat with the red yarn to make a total of 14 rows of red. Weave in the loose ends of yarn as you go along. (Please be aware that you may need to adjust your row counts - you will be forming the drum by rolling up the piece fairly tightly, starting with row 1. You may need to make more or fewer rows of red, based on how tightly you roll the drum.) Finish off the red, leaving a long end for sewing and for part of the cord for hanging the ornament. Sew together so that the ends blend smoothly, once you roll the piece and see that your red section touches but doesn't overlap. If the end is long enough, you can run a stitch or two loosely in one side of the drum and out the other side, and back again. Make sure that these stitches are not tight enough to cause a "dimple" in either side of the drum.) This will help to hold the drum together. I rolled the drum fairly tight, so I personally did not run stitches in and out.

Starting at the place where you finished off sewing and leaving a long starting end, join with a single crochet, and sc around the top of the drum, evenly spaced. On my example piece, I had used 16 stitches. You may have more or less, again based on how tightly you've rolled the drum. Do the same on the other end of the drum. Tie a knot in the two loose ends at the top of the drum, and you have your loop for hanging the drum on the tree. Weave in the remaining loose ends.

Using a long piece of yellow yarn and starting at the top of the drum directly across from the loop you made to hang the ornament, weave the yellow through the front bar in your sc at the top of the drum and then through the front bar of a sc at the bottom of the drum, staggering the weaving as shown in the photo. End the weaving where you started and tie the two ends into a bow, trimming to size needed.
Your ornament is now finished and ready for hanging on the tree! Enjoy!

You may make these ornaments for your own use, make as gifts or sell at Christmas bazaars or craft shows. I just ask that you not sell these ornaments on any online venue. Please do not post the pattern anywhere else, or sell this pattern in any way, shape or form.

Copyright Jeanne Stewart 2010

Sunday - 20 Days 'Til Christmas

2010-12-05T09:29:00.002-05:00

I have 6 gifts completed and one nearly finished. I have lots of time (???) to keep going. Here is the latest finished project - for my boss. She is very sweet and introduced me to sushi for lunch by sharing her lunch with me one day. So I made these for her. I hope she doesn't mind hanging sushi on the tree. If she thinks they are too weird for the Christmas tree, she can set them on a knick-knack shelf, if she has one. I'm the kind of person who likes all kinds of handmade ornaments, so I would like these. I hope she does too. I think I will also make one of my personal designs - a Christmas mouse - just in case she doesn't want sushi on her tree. What do you think? A back-up gift just in case?

The Wool Shawl No One Wants

2010-11-30T22:12:00.002-05:00

I made a shawl intending to give it as a Christmas gift, but no one seems to be able to use it. I've asked everyone and everyone I've asked said that wool is too itchy.

I'm going to try to soften it with hair conditioner following the instructions here and if it works, I'll give it to my sister-in-law. She doesn't read my blog, so it's safe to post a photo.

Crocheting Christmas Gifts

2010-11-28T09:23:00.002-05:00

I am waiting for our Christmas bonus at work to be paid - I wish they would give it to us in time for the big sales after Thanksgiving, but beggars can't be choosers. I'm just appreciative of the fact that the company I work for gives us a Christmas bonus. So while I'm waiting for the funds to do some Christmas shopping, I am spending the time crocheting Christmas gifts. I made a pair of fingerless gloves for a friend who types but says her hands are cold at work. I used the pattern found here at the Crochet Spot. It's a beginner pattern, but it looked like the best choice for making this item for someone when you're not sure what size to make. These are stretchy, so they should be okay.

I'm not sure if that friend reads my blog, so I'm not sure if I'll post a photo of them yet. But if you are looking for a simple pattern for these gloves, check out the link.

Now on to look for another pattern for a Christmas gift.

Long Time, No Blog

2010-11-19T18:33:00.005-05:00

I've been away from blogging for a while, but the good news is that I've been crocheting.

I've finished a shawl for a sister-in-law who is ill. I've started another one, too. I also finished a sushi scarf, but I'm not real thrilled with it. It has a giant center, and not much white surrounding it. I wish I could unravel it from the starting end, to make the pink center smaller. Does anyone know if this is possible?

I am starting a hat for my grandson too. It's wool, so it should be warm. I found some lovely autumn colors at Joann's, and if you purchased 5 skeins of yarn, you got a free Paton's tote bag. It's a real cool bag, canvas with pockets.

Thanksgiving is coming up. I still don't know for sure what my plans are. Do I stay home and cook for 3 people, because my husband has to work that day, or do I travel to my sister's house, where she is hosting Thanksgiving dinner for most of my family? It's cheesy to leave my husband home with a Thanksgiving platter from Boston Market, I guess. But my son, future daughter-in-law and my grandson want to go to my sister's house for dinner.

This is going to be a busy weekend. I'm gathering up some unused yarn (got to clean up the stash) and I want to donate it to a nursing home for the residents to use. I think I have some hooks, pattern books and magazines to send as well.

Here is a photo of the completed shawl:

By the way, does anyone know how to use whole nutmeg? Is the nutmeg in a protective shell that you need to crack open? I've never bought it before, but I brought some home from vacation and I'm not sure how to use it. I've checked the internet, and I find some people say you need to crack it open and the nutmeg is inside, and some people say you don't need to do that - the whole thing is the nutmeg and you just grate it to use it. HELP! I have relatives asking me how to use what I gave them, and I don't know what to tell them. Anyone who has ever used fresh nutmeg before - your advice would be greatly appreciated. Here is a photo:

These are packaged in a cellophane bag, so it's not a great photo. But to me, they look like they have a hard shell and that they should be cracked open to use them. Is the shell to be discarded?

A Week to Get Back Into the Rat Race

2010-10-31T09:16:00.002-04:00

Well, it was back to work this week. A lot of e-mails to catch up on. I think that our trip was truly the best vacation we've had. I would book that trip again in a heartbeat! Time to start saving my pennies again!

I did pick up a hook and some yarn and I'm making another half-granny shawl in autumn colors. I'll post photos as I go along.

Little Justin stopped by in his "mall" Halloween costume last night. He was a tiger, and cute as a button. Here is a video of Justin dancing to the music of a toy I brought home for him:

Day 10, Day 11 and Home Again

2010-10-23T20:27:00.002-04:00

Day 10 was a lovely port in Aruba - Orangestad. What a colorful and peaceful looking harbor. There are lots of shops visible from the ship. Wayne went scuba diving on this island, but wasn't at all happy with his excursion. He went with a shop called Mermaid Diving. They did everything that he was taught not to do! They were very careless with their divers' safety (one of the divemasters would not do a safety stop on the way to the surface). Wayne did a safety stop in spite of the divemaster. The excursion leaders also touched and broke off pieces of coral! You never touch living coral in the sea - a touch can kill it! One of the divemasters also reached into a hole in the coral and pulled an octopus from its lair. You should never bother the animals you find either, especially not for the entertainment of your tour group! Wayne was so angry when he returned.

Day 11 was another quiet day at sea - sobering to think it was our last full day on the cruise. We sunned, attended some shows and said our goodbyes to our stateroom attendants and our dinner companions.

Day 12 - we left the ship at approximately 10:00 am and headed for the airport. We didn't arrive home until 8:30 at night, due to a delay in our flight out of San Juan.

I don't want to call this a trip of a lifetime, because that implies that we won't make a trip like that again. I would certainly love to make another trip like this, but I was glad to arrive at home to see my kids and grandson again. I missed them all.

Days 8 and 9

2010-10-20T11:48:00.000-04:00

Day 8 is a quiet day at sea. Time to rest and relax after visiting 6 islands. I’ll take a few minutes to tell you about our dinner companions. We were fortunate with our seating assignment this time. We have 2 ladies traveling independently – Susan from Alabama and Mel from Alberta, Canada. Mel has been having fun participating in a lot of the ship activities, especially scrapbooking. Susan takes the adventurous excursions, like zip-lining.
Chris and Peter are a married couple from the UK, together for 46 years. They are a delightful pair and have been trading grandchildren stories with Wayne and me.
The food on the cruise has been great. I think Wayne has had escargots for appetizers every night. The few times we’ve eaten at the buffet for lunch or breakfast has been fine as well.
Day 9
Curacao is just beautiful! Bright colored houses everywhere. Wayne had a diving excursion planned here with the Dive Bus. I went along for the ride, and intended to hang out on the public beach across the street from the dive shop. It really wasn’t much of a beach. I’m wishing now that I had taken an excursion with the ship instead. I thought it was going to be a relaxing beach, but the ground was so hard and rocky, you couldn’t lie down on it on a towel to get some sun. I sat for a while reading my Kindle until a local kid stopped and asked me what the Kindle was. I explained about e-readers and then he asked me to find Jesus on the Kindle. He went on to tell me that he had Jesus inside him, and I agreed that we all have Jesus inside us. He gave me a blessing and then showed me the “national plant” tattooed on his chest. Marijuana. OOOOOooo-kay…
Headed across the road to await Wayne’s return there.
Curacao is certainly a place I would like to visit again, and Wayne said the diving there was spectacular.

I'll be back with photos as soon as I can.

Days 5,6 and 7

2010-10-18T10:13:00.001-04:00

Day 5
St. Lucia is a lovely island. We did the beach excursion here. I was a little disappointed. I thought we should have gotten more beach time here. I did a little snorkeling here and saw a few fish and some spiny urchins. The water was calm and clear. Lots of residents wandering the beach trying to sell jewelry and fresh fruit to the tourists. Wayne had to ask one man to move on when he sat down on my beach chair! All told, I think we were less than 2 hours on the beach. There were a few complaints from some of the group of passengers on this trip. The water was very refreshing and I’m glad we got to see the beach.
Day 6
Our day at Barbados was good and bad. They have a real set up here. The cruise ship passengers don’t get to the tour buses until they pass entirely through the terminal with all their shops. On the way back after your tour – same thing. They have doors blocked off so that you have to walk all the way through the shopping area, past every single store. At least it was fixed up some since we were here last. They don’t have the open-air vendors anymore.
Our excursion was the turtle snorkel, shipwreck and beach tour. What a frightening day! I headed into the water with my snorkel gear and started viewing fish and a couple of turtles that were drawn by the chum the crew members were tossing into the water. When I looked up to see where I was, I was so far from our boat that it shocked me. We were caught in 3-4 knot currents there and just swept away from the boat. In the meantime, as I’m trying to make my way back to the boat against the current, the crew members were calling us back to the boat (I’m trying! I’m trying!). There were two other boats there getting ready to leave and I was afraid of getting run over. My husband had to tow me back to the boat, also swimming against the current. The last 75 feet or so, one of the crew members towed my sorry behind back to the boat. I am not a good swimmer to begin with, but my husband said that we never should have been put into the water at all. I did see 3 sea turtles, but I’m not sure it was worth it. At the second stop over the shipwreck and reef, I decided not to get into the water again. My husband snorkeled but said the current was just as bad there, and he was glad I didn’t join him in the water. It would have been too much for me. It wasn’t just me having problems – the crew actually had to launch the dinghy to bring some of the swimmers back to the boat. They were also caught up in the current and tired themselves out trying to swim out of it. At the third stop, a beach stop, we weren’t allowed to swim to the beach, again because of the current. I think the captain decided against it because of all the trouble they had earlier. I decided to enter the water, intending to hang around the back of the boat and the ladder. It was an effort to hold onto the ladder, as the water kept trying to sweep me away around the port side of the boat. All in all I do think it was a mistake to drop all of those passengers into a current like that, but I’m thankful that there weren’t any mishaps.
Tomorrow is Grenada and I’m looking forward to that stop.
Day 7
Grenada was fantastic! I love the island – what I saw of it anyway. The people were fantastic. We took another catamaran tour here and loved every minute of it. There was snorkeling at one stop over some underwater sculptures and a reef. Wayne said the reef was a dead reef. It’s sad – the locals told us the reef was destroyed by a hurricane some time back. I wonder why they don’t take their passengers to view another reef instead. Anyway, after the snorkeling there (which I chose not to do again – I was afraid I’d having trouble getting back onto the boat), we traveled to Grand Anse beach. It was nice there and we did a little snorkeling there. Not many fish to view, but we did travel over one area with sea life, and spotted some sort of eel. I’ll have to remember to look it up to see what kind it was.
The hosts on the boat couldn’t have been nicer. I have heard of swim-up bars, but this was the first time I saw the bartender swim out to the customers. Okay – he waded out, carrying a tray of water, a various selection of sodas, and “holiday juice” (rum punch). They made us all feel so welcome, and it made the day a lot of fun.
After returning our snorkeling equipment to the ship, we ventured out into the shopping area. I was intent on purchasing some spices, since Grenada is known as the Spice Island. I am sitting here now, next to my purchases, and the cabin smells heavenly. Nutmeg, cinnamon, mace, curry, ginger, bay leaves, lemon pepper, red pepper and cocoa all combined into a sensory delight. I’ll be sharing some of these goodies with family members.This has been a wonderful trip so far, and I’m enjoying it immensely. No photos today - they are still on my canera.

Days 2,3 and 4 in the Southern Caribbean

2010-10-15T17:45:00.008-04:00

Day 2 - St. Croix DH has gone scuba diving this morning, leaving me to get into trouble on my own! I attended the Cruise Critic meet and greet at 10:00 am and I was impressed that the ship’s officers went out of their way to attend. There was coffee, tea, orange juice and pastries set out for the meeting and the officers took the time to speak to us about their duties. One of the gentlemen was in charge of food services, and I was impressed. Over half of the ship’s crew was under his direction. There are about 500 employees working in the food sector. Each of the officers then spent time talking to all of us individually or in groups, answering any questions we might have had. After the get-together I headed for the Aqua Spa for a facial and massage. Heaven! When Wayne returned from his excursion, we took a walk around the small vendor tents along the end of the pier and found a T-shirt for Justin. Not much else going on there, so we returned to the ship. I wish I was braver and felt comfortable taking trips by myself. I’m sorry to say that the highlight of visiting St Croix for me was seeing a dolphin swimming in the harbor. If I’m ever here again, I will sign up for one of the ship’s excursions to tour the island and not be such a big baby.

Day 3 - St. Kitts St. Kitts was wonderful. Such a beautiful island. I accompanied Wayne on his scuba tour, and was a passenger on the boat. It was perfect just relaxing with the waves rocking you gently and the breezes keeping you cool. A welcome breeze, I might add, as it was very hot when we left the ship to meet the tour operators.

Day 4 - Dominica My favorite stop so far! I absolutely loved it! I took a whale-watching trip while Wayne was diving. We spotted sperm whales about 30 minutes after leaving the pier. Captain Jerry stopped and dropped the hydrophone into the water, listened for a few minutes and announced that there were whales in the vicinity. He gave a courtesy call to the whale-watch operator of the ship's tour (this one was booked independently), so that they could ensure that the ship's passengers on that boat also were able to see the whales. Soon enough, we spotted 2 whales in the distance, moving toward us. We worked our way closer and I have to tell you that I was awed by the sight. Eventually, they were joined by three more, and then they moved themselves toward 3 or 4 more animals and formed a small group where they socialized for a while. There were 6 adults and 2 calves! I took some video, and apologize for the shakiness. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The whales were so close to the boat, they actually swam up underneath us and surfaced behind us. Then they swam along side the boat, no farther than 15 feet away. One whale gave us the eye as he (or she) swam by. One of them had to be at least 30 feet long. This day has been my highlight so far. I can't believe the wonders of our earth and sea.

Day 1 and 2 - Southern Caribbean

2010-10-12T08:47:00.003-04:00

Hi from the ocean blue!
The first and second day of vacation are over – but there’s still plenty to look forward to!
We decided to fly to San Juan a day early, so that there would be a mad rush to the cruise ship pier on Monday afternoon. At the airport we were able to upgrade to first class seats for DH and I – what luxury! I was always one of those folks who said “First class – what’s the point? Economy class gets there at the same time.” Well, let me tell you that there is quite a difference. You aren’t squashed next to your neighbors like sardines, no one climbing over you every time they need to use the restroom, no one jostling you on their travels up and down the aisle. The seats reclined until you could lie flat and sleep as though you were home in your own bed! Well, you probably have a much better mattress, but you get the idea. Flight attendants really do bring you hot towels in first class – I thought that was a movie thing! Snacks and meals you don’t see in economy (I had 3 cheese quiche with turkey sausage for breakfast) were a very pleasant surprise. My husband is really spoiling me! Upon landing and claiming our baggage we were taken by taxi to the Caribe Hilton hotel in Old San Juan. What a beautiful place! The grounds are fantastic, there is a beach and at least 3 pools that I saw. Our room had the most comfortable bed I’ve ever slept in and a comforter type blanket to die for! There was a wedding reception held there during our stay on Sunday, and the bride and groom have to have the loveliest photos ever. I can’t imagine a wedding held in a tropical setting like this. One caveat – food is expensive (VERY EXPENSIVE!). I did leave there with the idea that I might like to visit again. The room did have a refrigerator, and staying for a week might involve doing your own shopping and eating sandwiches! LOL!
On Monday, after checking out, we were taxied to the pier. The Celebrity Millenium is beautiful! Luck was with us when we made our reservations. We have become spoiled cruisers and prefer to book a balcony cabin now. A month or so before the cruise, we were notified that we had been upgraded to what Celebrity calls their concierge class. It’s still a balcony cabin and has extra perks like fresh fruit every day, robes to use on your vacation and priority check-in. About a week before the cruise our travel agent called us to say that we were asked if we wanted to upgrade again, at no cost, to a sky suite! That made check-in a breeze. With our documentation in hand, we were sent to the representative at the desk who took a few minutes to process the paperwork and then escorted us to a gentleman who welcomed us personally and offered us a free dinner in the specialty restaurant, the Olympic. We booked our dinner reservation and then boarded the ship. While waiting for access to the stateroom, we wandered the ship from top to bottom, and had lunch at the buffet. There were mimosas offered to the boarding passengers, and everywhere we went, employees welcomed us aboard with a smile.
Our stateroom is marvelous. When we were offered the suite the cruise line advised us that the suite was handicapped accessible. It had remained unsold, which was the reason it was available for upgrade. The stateroom is huge, compared to previous staterooms we’ve had. We settled in, and our butler appeared to introduce himself and see if we needed any assistance unpacking! Yes, our butler! In addition to the stateroom attendant, we have a butler!

Our dinner was fantastic. We had a waiter named Made (Mar-day) from Bali and he was so helpful to us, a couple of hicks from Pennsylvania. I’m afraid I had to ask him which forks to use at dinner (I’m not too proud to ask for help). We really liked him a lot. DH had the duck for dinner and raved about it. I chose seafood risotto. It was delicious, but whereas I was expecting jumbo shrimp and scallops, the dish also included oysters – EWWWWWW! I shoved them to the side of the plate and ate the rest, Overall each and every course of the meal was great, and I would eat there again.
The ship departed San Juan at approximately 8:45 and I have to tell you that it is as smooth as can be. It is now 6:55 am on Tuesday and I was up early to watch the sunrise from my veranda. The ocean is so calm – you can hardly tell the ship is moving. I’m looking forward to a good day in St. Croix.

Getting Ready for Vacation

2010-10-08T19:27:00.004-04:00

On Sunday morning, we head for the airport. I've been looking forward to this cruise. I don't know if I'll want to come home. 11 nights - 8 ports. We will be visiting Aruba, Barbados, Curacao, Dominica, Grenada, St. Croix, St. Kitts and St. Lucia. Tomorrow will be a "last minute, running around, repacking" kind of day.

I have finished a shawl in autumn colors. I am making shawls - one for a SIL fighting Non-Hodgkins lymphoma, and I will make one for my son's fiancee's aunt, valiantly fighting breast cancer. The shawl I finished is a half-granny shawl. I've only ever made these in solid colors, but I alternated rows of light tan, light sage green, carrot and a lighter shade of green (I don't remember what it's called). I do like the way it turned out - what do you think?

Countdown - 7 Days...

2010-10-02T11:48:00.003-04:00

We're already packing for our trip! Are we anxious and excited? YES!
Gathering items as we think of them and adding them to a single bag. Watch us forget and leave the whole bag at home! LOL!
I still need to pick up some yarn. I intend to work on a shawl for my sister-in-law. I thought the half-granny shawl is a nice warm one. I made one for myself and one for a friend already.

All The Animals In the Zoo...

2010-09-26T19:13:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I accompanied my son, his fiancee and my grandson on a trip to the Philadelphia Zoo. What a great day! My grandson was thrilled with the animals there. My personal favorite are the giraffes. I took a lot of photos, including a few (ha-ha!) of my favorite grandson. Okay, more than a few.

It's only 13 more days until our vacation. I really can't wait, but I'm going to miss the kids so much.

I'm attaching some of the photos I took at the zoo.

17 Days and Counting...

2010-09-22T21:43:00.004-04:00

Vacation! I am so looking forward to doing NOTHING! DH and I are going on a cruise to celebrate our 30th anniversary (a late celebration) and I'm planning on some quality time by the pool. Breakfast from room service, coffee on the balcony and checking out the islands we haven't been to yet. I'll be posting photos and notes about our trip whenever I can.

I will miss my kids and my sweet little grandson, who is such a source of joy in my life!

DH took me to the pool this evening and I had a refresher course in snorkeling in preparation for our trip. I'm not comfortable in the water so teaching me to swim or snorkel is a difficult proposition. I did okay though, but definitely need a few more lessons. We got chased out of the pool early though - lightning storm.

I will keep this short - I'm tired and will be turning in early. Tomorrow I'll have to visit a yarn store or two in search of a suitable yarn for a shawl. I'd like to take one with me on the cruise.

Sweaters on a Roll...

2010-09-12T18:01:00.004-04:00

Having finished a sweater for myself, I whipped up a sweater for my grandson Justin. I hope his mom will send me a photo of my little guy wearing it. I figured that since the weather is cooling off, a nice toasty sweater would come in handy.

I didn't intend it to look so much like mine, but I love the look of Red Heart Fleck yarns. Mine is Buff and the baby's is Aran fleck. And here is my little ray of sunshine!

Sweater/Coat Made Without a Pattern!

2010-09-04T15:21:00.004-04:00

I crocheted myself a present! I don't often make things for myself, but it gets cold at work sometimes. I thought it would be nice to have a something handy. I started one day to crochet a rectangular wrap using Red Heart Buff Fleck yarn, but then wondered if I could make a sweater instead. So I crocheted until I had a back piece, measuring it on myself as I went. Then made two front pieces, again measuring as I went along. Once I thought it would work, I sewed (crocheted) all the pieces together. Next, starting from the armhole, I crocheted the sleeves from top to bottom. The border is gray and brown, to accent the flecks in the yarn. I am debating making pockets for it. I tried it on and I like it! It's a keeper!

Maybe someday soon I can sit down and write the pattern. It was all made in half-double crochet and single crochet. I think that I should be able to determine the number of stitches and write down the directions, just in case I want to make another one.

L'il Buster and the Grange Fair

2010-08-23T21:31:00.005-04:00

The grange fair has come and gone again, and I'm glad to say that I was able to submit 3 items for judging in the needlework competition. My favorite was the L'il Buster doll, a Kathleen Early design. I won a blue ribbon with him, and was thrilled to find out at the end of the fair that the doll was also selected by the judges to compete for Best of Show! The Best of Show award went to a lovely quilt, but I'm happy nonetheless that my work was chosen as one of 5 items considered in the BOS contest.

I also submitted a baby afghan. It was a simple round ripple blanket, in a combination of melon and a creamy buttery color. It was awarded a fourth place ribbon. I'm very happy with placing fourth, because I honestly did not expect it to place for a ribbon at all.

The third item was a dishcloth which I thought had a very interesting pooling pattern. It didn't finish with a ribbon, but I did see some very lovely dishcloths in competition with it and totally agreed with the ribbon awards in that category.

I'm looking forward to next year's fair and I'm already searching my pattern stash for new items to crochet.

Yaaaaaayyyy! Spam Filters on Blogger!

2010-08-17T16:42:00.002-04:00

I see that Blogger has initiated spam filters! It's about time! Is it a coincidence that my last post was a rant about spammers on my blog? I think not! Just kidding - I know that I haven't single-handedly saved Blogger-land from spammers. I'm sure glad to see spam filters, though!

I finished my doll and delivered him to the Grange Fair yesterday for judging in the needlework competition. I am hoping he wins a ribbon. I don't have a nice photo of him right now, but will take a picture when I get him back on Sunday and post it. I like the way it turned out. Thank you, Kathleen Early, for your design and your help with the problem I had with the instructions. It was a minor setback, but once I passed the bottleneck, the project finished up nicely.

I also entered a small round ripple baby afghan and an unusually patterned dishcloth. The afghan I don't expect to win a ribbon, as it's just a simple little blanket. I am hoping to place with the dishcloth, since it was worked with a variegated yarn, and the design turned out to be so attractive.

DH and I also got some good news about our upcoming cruise. The travel agent was able to get us a free upgrade to a concierge class cabin with a few more amenities for us. It's less than 2 months until we leave. I am looking forward to going!

Rant!

2010-08-08T09:32:00.003-04:00

My husband, my sister-in-law and I spent a pleasant 4 days/3 nights in Nags Head in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I returned with the thoughts of BLTs and plain tomato sandwiches in my mind, and went to pick some tomatoes from my garden. There were 4 just starting to ripen when we left. Imagine my surprise to find them gone. Not just the ripe ones, but someone stripped the entire plant of tomatoes, even the green ones! A friend suggested that it might have been an animal, but I believe it was a 2-legged tomato thief. The plant was picked clean – nothing broken and no half-eaten fruit in the area.

As if that’s not bad enough – I have another rant! What’s with all the spam comments on my blog lately? They come through in foreign Asian characters, a new comment every day. Thankfully, I had the foresight to set up my comments to be pre-approved before publishing, so I don’t have to go in to delete comments all the time, and my readers aren't subjected to this trash. I welcome comments on my blog, but not like this. Junk mail, spam in our e-mail boxes, and now this! Don’t these people have lives? I wish there was a way to direct this garbage right back into their mailboxes!

To turn this to a crochet-related discussion – the doll I’m working on is coming along nicely. I started a second doll, because I made a mistake attaching the arm on the first doll. He’s lopsided. I’ve learned from the first attempt that there is a better way to attach the legs and hopefully, when it’s time to attach the arms, that will work out better too. I’m running short of time, so I’ve got to get down to business and finish this doll. The Grange Fair is in 9 days - can I finish in time?

Work is going so much better for me. I can't believe that I worried so much about making the change (it helps that my overall outlook on life has greatly improved as well) but I'm so much happier in the new environment. My bosses seem to really appreciate my efforts and I enjoy helping them out. My last boss - let's face it. He was a jerk. Not a bad guy - just a jerk. I never pictured him as an HR manager. I thought his element was a cruise ship, and envisioned him trying to get overweight men to sign up poolside to take part in the bellyflop contest! Yes, cruise director would have been his ideal career choice. He was too casual and nonchalant about everything, even referring to his teammates as "Dude". I wish him luck in his new position (he's left the company).

Curse You, Mickey D! Damn You, Dunkin Donuts!

2010-07-26T18:06:00.004-04:00

My eyes were opened in a shocking way last week. I was looking forward to a new haircut and color and made an appointment with my favorite stylist. She has her own shop and recently moved to a new location. As part of the change, she now styles hair in front of a full-length mirror. OMG! I discovered (well, I acknowledged…) that I have enough middle-age spread for 2 middle-aged women! What a buzz-kill.

I’m blaming the above-named parties for their Mocha Frappes and Coffee Coolattas and Iced Lattes. I finally wised up to the fact that I’m not really drinking coffee, but actually an ice-cream mixture with maybe a drop of coffee thrown in the mix. I became addicted to these since the Frappes were introduced (that being my drug of choice). The large size has well over 600 calories.

I will be going through frappe-withdrawal, as I’ve made up my mind that I’ve got to stop before it’s too late. My pants are getting tighter and Dunlap’s disease is evident – as in my tummy dun-lapped over my waistband. I’ve got less than 80 days before my husband and I go on our celebration cruise. Time to get back in shape. Mickey D, you won’t be seeing me. Dunkin Donuts – your stock prices will be dipping, not your donuts. My morning coffee will now be a cup of the office brew. And my drink during the day will be a wonderful tea blend I bought this weekend – it’s called Trade Winds and has a wonderful coconut and mango flavor.

Speaking of this weekend – what a wonderful weekend it was. We visited my dear sister and her husband. My son and (future) DIL were also able to join us, with our grandson. We spent Saturday afternoon with my younger sister and her family. We swam in the pool and sat in the shade and shared some wonderful food. It was a great time and I was sorry to see the weekend come to an end.

Tomato Daze

2010-07-18T11:13:00.002-04:00

My first home-grown tomato sandwich of the season was fantastic! It was worth the wait. There are about 4 more just on the edge of ripening. My Swiss chard has improved immensely. I was throwing away every stalk when it first came in. It looks nice now and I should have enough for a sidedish soon.

The kids are home this weekend, so I want to stop by to see them today. I sure miss little Justin. He's a cutie and a sweetheart.

I didn't get any crocheting done yesterday, but I'm back to work on it again today. Yesterday was a tough day for me. I had a very hard time getting up and moving around, and wasted half the day away.

I'll be starting dinner soon. I'm making stuffed cabbage. Well, not really stuffed. I couldn't find a head of cabbage large enough for me to find leaves that could wrap around the meat mixture. So I'll put full leaves on the bottom of the pan along with shredded cabbage, form the meat mixture into meatballs, and then cover with more full leaves and then bake. I was so disappointed. Even took a ride out to the local farm to check their produce and found it lacking. I saw nicer heads of cabbage in the grocery store.

Well, I am going to pick up the yarn for a bit before I get started with dinner.

Raining and Chaining

2010-07-14T18:45:00.001-04:00

Rain! Just in time, as the landscape around here has really turned brown. Our gardens and flower beds need watering every night. We got a good soaking downpour last night, with two more thunderstorms earlier in the day.

My garden is looking good again. My tomato plants must be 5 feet tall, with at least a dozen green tomatoes on it so far. I can’t wait for them to ripen. I really look forward to the first tomato/mayonnaise sandwich of the year! And BLTs – yummmmmm.

The doll I’m crocheting is coming along nicely. After having some trouble crocheting the first hand and arm, the second one went easily after receiving the detailed instructions from the designer. At this point, I’ve finished as much as I can and I’m waiting for an order to come in from Joann’s. I decided to order plastic doll joints to connect the arms to the body. There are instructions to attach the arms using a homemade assembly with wire and plastic lids, or a professional assembly using a stove bolt. I’m going to give these plastic pieces a try to see how it works. In the meantime, I’ve started a second doll! It’s really a fun pattern to work and I’m really enjoying my crochet time. I’m looking forward to my lunch breaks and my return home so that I can spend time with my hook and yarn again.

My Hook Has Been Busy!

2010-07-10T21:15:00.003-04:00

I've finally gotten into the groove - picked up the pattern for a doll I've been wanting to make for a long time now. I love the Kathleen Early dolls, with lifelike features. I'm making "Lil Buster" to enter into the Grange Fair in August.

The legs and body were a breeze, but I've been hung up on crafting the right arm. I must have been out of touch with crochet for too long, because I frogged this arm so many times, I could have pulled my hair out! But then I would have had to crochet myself a wig! Anyway, try as I might, I just couldn't get the stitch count to come out right. I've been reading patterns for years now, and this pattern is well-written but I was just so confused. I finally e-mailed the designer and asked her for help. She was kind enough to reply with a more detailed set of instructions, and this was just what I needed. I now have the arm completed to the point where it is almost ready to be attached to the body. I'll start the left arm tomorrow, leaving the right unfinished until both are ready to attach. I'm really thrilled with the way it's turning out so far. Pictures will definitely be posted when Buster is finished.

Tomorrow my DH is going river diving, so the kids, the grandson and I will be joining him. Not in the river, but we'll have a little picnic and enjoy a little sun while the divers are doing their thing. It should be a nice day.

I brought my first potatoes in from "my second garden". Actually, these are potatoes that grew from some that must have been left underground last year. We didn't plant any potatoes at the side of the house this year, but a few came up anyway. They are pretty nice.

Hot, Hot, Hot!

2010-07-05T22:06:00.005-04:00

Well, this is going to be one hot summer! We must have hit 100 degrees today. I went out to the grocery store this afternoon, and couldn't wait to get home. The AC in the car just couldn't kick in fast enough for me.

I started a new crochet project. My sweetheart ripple afghan is going on the back burner again for a while. I took a close look at it, and it's not going to be suitable for the grange fair. In all the time I haven't been working on it, it's been sitting on the back of my loveseat. My min pin has been pulling it down, mushing it into a comfortable bed and the afghan looks beat up already. It's okay. I will finish it and it's going to be a "keeper" afghan. My new project will be for the grange fair. I'm starting a Kathleen Early doll - L'il Buster. It's a fine project to carry back and forth to work with me - I can work on it at lunch time. So much easier to pack than a full size afghan. I'll post photos when I'm finished with it. I always have loved making dolls and animals. It's good to get back to crocheting something close to my heart again.

Stopped to see the kids this evening too. They are thinking of setting their wedding date for August or September next year. Grandson Justin, as always, was cute as a button tonight.

The nice thing about a long holiday weekend is the short workweek that follows.

It's The Little Things That Count

2010-07-01T17:13:00.009-04:00

Today I saw something that touched my heart. It was the sight of my husband, standing on a ladder, putting a baby bird back in its nest. My son discovered the bird under the tree and came inside to tell us that it was injured and the dogs were barking at it. I went out to see it, and realized it was a baby who, although unhurt, wasn’t able to fly yet. It had fallen out of the nest. I moved the baby away from the dogs’ line of vision, but worried about leaving it on the ground where a neighborhood cat might get it. The poor thing must have been hungry because he opened his beak wide as could be when I picked him up. My DH was getting ready for a trip to NY, but took the time to ease my fears by putting the baby back where it belonged, with Mama Bird harassing him to no end in the process! What a guy! I count my blessings.

The heat wave has broken for a few days anyway. It’s not so humid and “melty” outside. I hate days when the humidity makes the air as thick as soup, and I feel like a wax candle left out in the sun. Yes, I know I said I like the tropics...

To finally bring some crochet into my blog, here is a photo of some items I've worked on. They are round ripple baby afghans going to California as soon as I can get a box together.

Welcoming a Daughter

2010-06-29T22:22:00.002-04:00

I got a call from my DS's girlfriend on Saturday. She was so excited! My son proposed to her on Saturday. I'm so happy for them both! She is a sweet and loving girl and a wonderful mother to my grandson. My husband and I are proud to welcome her into our family - she is the daughter we've always wanted. No wedding date has been set yet, but the kids are talking about sometime next summer.

I spent the weekend with my nose buried in a Kindle, reading a book called "Tender Graces". I loved this book and recommend it highly. The author is Kathryn Magendie. It struck a chord with me, being a child of the 60's - candy cigarettes, plaid pedal pushers, bikes with cards in the spokes or streamers on the handlebars.

Looking forward to finishing the week, and enjoying the upcoming 3-day weekend. I hope we have nice weather. We came out of one heatwave only to be caught up in another, with only 2 days in between to cool off. It's going to be a hot hot summer!

WOW!!!!

2010-06-12T22:29:00.012-04:00

At the controls

Justin in the pilot's seat - boy, I need a haircut!

I did it! I can't believe I did it! I actually flew a plane today!

What a trip~ I was on the controls once the instructor taxied into position and took us down the runway. He told me when to pull back on the yoke to gain altitude - I did and - AMAZINGLY! - we were in the air. He let me make the turns and bring the plane lower or take it higher. I kept finding myself with a death grip on the controls until about 2/3 of the way through the lesson, when I became a little more relaxed and the flying seemed easier. We encountered a bit of turbulence when we approached the clouds (it was an overcast day today) but the turbulence didn't bother me at all. The instructor took over once we made the approach to the airport at the end of the lesson. I had a wonderful time, and the instructor assured me that I didn't frighten him into changing professions, so I guess everything went okay. That's little Justin sitting in the pilot's seat.

Wow! I have to do this again!

To make the day absolutely perfect, DS Dan dropped Justin off to stay with me this afternoon while "Daddy" went fishing. We had a wonderful time together.

Dedicated to Husband, Sons, Brothers and Sisters...

2010-06-11T12:48:00.002-04:00

Certain aspects of my life handed me a lot of lemons over the past 5 years and I lost my recipe for lemonade. I sank to depths I don’t want to see again. But this is going to be a big year for me – I’m feeling so much better.

Tomorrow I will be taking my first flying lesson. It’s an introductory lesson, and if I like it, I hope to pursue a private pilot certificate. I am looking forward to it and hope to have some pictures, or even video footage of my adventure. Check back on Sunday to see how it all went! Wish me luck!

This is also my 30th wedding anniversary year – the actual anniversary doesn’t come until later this year. My husband and I are splurging and celebrating with an 11-night cruise in the Caribbean. I love cruising and we’ve done a 4 night (our first cruise) and some 7-night trips since then. This will be our longest cruise to date and the acid test of our relationship. Will we still be able to stand one another after 11 nights at sea? LOL! I don’t see why not – DH will be scuba diving some days and I’ll be free to go to the spa or spend time on a beach. Will a 7-night cruise ever be long enough for us again? Seriously, I have to say that my DH is the most wonderful person and has stuck with me through thick and thin. I thank God for him.

I have also decided to go back to school. I am a high school graduate who decided at the ripe old age of – well, you don’t really need the gory details, do you? Anyway, 5 years or so ago I made up my mind to pursue at least an associates degree, and to see where I could go from there. I attended 1 class per semester for exactly 4 semesters. Then bad times set in and everything good in my life seemed to disappear from view. It’s been a long haul, but with family and friends supporting me, and excellent medical treatment, I feel I’m back on track. So it’s off to school we go. The last class I took was an online class, which I really enjoyed. No running back and forth to the campus – the ease of studying in my own home and at my own pace really worked for me. So I’m picking up where I left off, and taking advantage of tuition reimbursement through my job to try to finish this degree with as many online sessions as I can manage. I know I’ve only got 4 classes in so far, but my GPA is a 3.875! Wish me luck again!

Life is good!

Sunday - It's a Beautiful Morning!

2010-06-05T09:15:00.005-04:00

No special plans today except to catch up on laundry and to catch up on crochet as well. I have been making progress with the sweetheart ripple afghan. It's slow going for me as most of it is in single crochet. I went up to check the garden this morning. We've had a lot of rain and the tomato plants have grown quite tall. My pepper plants are still quite small, but they have peppers on them the size of large gumballs! My swiss chard didn't do well this year. Most of the leaves are turning brown. My potatoes have taken off this year and I hope to have a crop like last year's.

We've had such hot muggy weather - feels more like late July and August than it does June.

This will be an exciting week for me. This coming Saturday will be my flying lesson! I am really looking forward to it! I'll have to ask the pilot to take photos for me so that I can post them here!

Back To Work Today

2010-06-01T06:15:00.002-04:00

It's early and I'm about to get ready to return to work this morning, after a very enjoyable 3 day weekend. I did crochet a bit - worked on the ripple afghan. And I got to spend most of the day with my favorite (and only) grandson. What a pleasure he is! My husband and I had such fun with him - he is so full of joy and is such a good little boy. He spent some time taking piano lessons from his Uncle Tom yesterday - check out the video! We had a cookout yesterday, interrupted by a serious storm, with thunderclaps and hail! Of course, that's when my dinner needed to come off the grill. After retrieving the meal, I looked like a drowned rat! It gave me an excuse to climb into my jammies early and relax until the kids came by to fetch Justin. What a great weekend!

Memorial Day Weekend

2010-05-30T09:34:00.003-04:00

Take time to remember those who died in service of their country, and the veterans who were fortunate enough to return to us. Bless them all!

We are in the middle of a 3 day weekend. It's been lovely so far - hamburgers on the grill, baked potatoes and macaroni salad! Yum! This evening, it will be shrimp and scallop kabobs. Staying home this holiday weekend was a good choice. I have family at the Jersey shore, and would love to have spent time with them, but I haven't had much time with DH lately, and it's nice to have him home for a change.

I have plans to take DS to fill out a job application today. I sure hope he gets full time work soon! I also want to take time to crochet - I have that sweetheart ripple afghan to finish. It would really make a great grange fair entry. And I just received 3 new patterns in the mail. I've been wanting to make some Kathleen Early dolls for a long time now. I ordered the patterns and will be digging through my stash soon, looking for the yarn I need. I'm sure I have some stockpiled, left over from my doll-making days.

Time to get going here. Hope that you all have a great holiday weekend!

Sunny Saturday - Sunnier Disposition

2010-05-22T09:44:00.004-04:00

Good morning!

I just retrieved the lavender and white round ripple from the washing machine and the coffee stains are gone! It's in the dryer now and will come out soft and clean and will be able to find a new home with a patient in a NICU in California. I'm so happy!

I've started a new baby blanket, a blanket that is just one big granny square. That will also travel with its lavender buddy to CA when it's finished.

It's a sunny morning and I'm feeling so good today! Anyone who follows this blog knows that things haven't always been sunny for me, and at times seemed downright dark. But things are so much better now - seeking medical treatment was definitely the thing to do. Depression doesn't have to beat us.

I'm searching my stash of projects for something to make for the upcoming Grange Fair in August. I haven't missed a year since I first entered a project in 1993. I wasn't a winner that year, even though I was so very proud of the doll in a ballerina tutu that I made (entirely crocheted). As it turned out, someone else made the exact same doll that year - hers had black hair and mine had reddish gold hair. What are the chances? LOL! Neither of us won, but it was the start of a tradition.

I have some household chores here to do today, and some painting that I hope to finish this weekend. But more crochet is definitely on my list.

I'm enjoying the bright sunshine this morning, the windows are all open, and I can hear the birds singing. My family is healthy, my garden is growing, and my doggies are at my side. All is right with the world...

Finished Baby Afghan

2010-05-16T22:33:00.002-04:00

I'm happy to say that I finished the little lavender and white round ripple I started a while back. I've picked it up here and there and only accomplished a few stitches before putting it down. But I stayed with it and here it is - in all its coffee-stained glory. You may remember an earlier post in which I described a miserable day involving spilled coffee and my little blanket. I decided to finish it and wash it afterward - I'm hoping the stains come out. I think they will. Once it's cleaned up and nice and soft, I'm going to find a good home for it.

Good Morning! It's the Weekend!

2010-05-15T08:46:00.002-04:00

Hi, everyone. I've been away from blogging for a while - my apologies. I've been working through some issues since moving from one job site to another. I'm starting to feel better about things, feeling a little more comfortable each day. I work for 2 bosses now, and both say they are glad to have me there. My poor self-esteem at this time keeps me from believing that fully. But I hope to work through that issue as well.

My son, his girlfriend (hereafter referred to as DIL)and my beautiful grandson will be leaving on a cruise vacation tomorrow! They are going to Bermuda. Dear DIL"s family will be sailing as well. I'm not sure how big the group is, but I'm guessing at least 15 people. I hope they have a fantastic time. I wish I could have gone as well - my DH and I were invited. But my heart was set on a special 30th anniversary cruise later this year.

I'm going to be missing them all for the week they will be gone. I hope they send lots and lots of photos!

Last night I had dinner with dear DIL and baby Justin. He was so cute! He put his sunglasses on and ate dinner with them on. Every waitress came by and oohed and aahed at him - he sure is a handsome little man. The kids are lucky - he is a very good little baby and has been from the time he was born. I told DIL that the baby just lights up my heart and he has since the day I first held him in my arms.

My garden has been planted. We put in more potatoes this year, along with two tomato plants, some corn, string beans, peppers and swiss chard. I need to take a walk up to see if there are more potatoes showing yet. I only saw one the other day.

My two SILs are coming down today. I hope to have a nice visit, some lunch and then a chance to stop by to visit the kids one more time before they leave tomorrow.

It's a beautiful day outside, so I think I'll take a walk to the garden. I find my mind turns more and more to wanting to pick up yarn and hook again. I hope that means my recovery is right around the corner.

I've Been Absent - Sorry...

2010-04-27T23:22:00.002-04:00

I have to say - what a beautiful weekend I had on the 24th and 25th. On Saturday I started out the morning just sleeping it away. I don't like to do that. I used to like to get up early and enjoy the day. At lunch time, DS came out to ask if I would get something for him for lunch - we decided on Taco Bell. I got my shoes on and headed out the door, only to encounter the most beautiful sunny day I've seen in a while. I ran my errand and decided to stop by my dear friend's home to visit. She has been a rock during my recent difficult times, just as I supported her during her times of trial. We had a very nice visit and I suggested heading to Shadybrook Farm to see if they had any seed potatoes available. We both planted potatoes last year and got bumper crops of the best potatoes I've ever had.

We took a ride, and I ended up buying some more flowers for the front flower beds, along with some vegetable plants. We did buy the seed potatoes - just need hubby to till the garden. We had some homemade ice cream and really enjoyed the afternoon sun and conversation.

On Sunday, DH and I stopped by to visit with our other DS and his family. Little Justin was a little cranky - his mom Nicole said she thinks he's teething. We spent about an hour there, and before I left Justin came to me and put his arms up for me to pick him up. What an adorable little boy.

A very nice weekend, indeed.

My Day Off

2010-04-12T18:48:00.004-04:00

What a busy day - a dentist appointment, an eye doctor appointment and I decided to paint my kitchen. I'm painting if for the second time in six months or so. I don't know what I was thinking last time, as in my mind's eye it would have been beautiful. On the walls - UGH! This time, I think I'll be happy with it. I've made good progress with the painting too. I promised my husband he didn't have to paint this time, as it's his least favorite chore. I've got almost half the kitchen done, and will have my son here to help me move the fridge and other pieces of furniture.

Here is a cute video of my grandson called "The Binky Game". No explanation needed, I think.

Misadventures in Breadmaking

2010-04-11T15:20:00.002-04:00

Taste = good; Presentation = abominable.

In turning over the container the bread baked in, the handle flopped down into the middle of the opening and the bread slid loose, with the handle breaking the loaf in half. It does taste good with a bit of cream cheese on it! I'll wrap it to keep it fresh, as it would make a good breakfast. It's cranberry walnut.

I made it through my first week in my new assignment. It's lonely there so I sit out in the sun or read. I'll be sure to take my yarn and hook with me. I would have crocheted last week, but forgot my crochet hook.

To those of you who bake bread, please don't weep for this loaf. It will certainly not go to waste!

First Day in New Assignment

2010-04-06T00:44:00.003-04:00

It was a "fish out of water" day at work today. I didn't sleep well on Sunday night and spent 10 minutes running around the house looking for my keys, cursing under my breath. They were in my hand all along. I don't know what to say. The day consisted of doing attendance and getting my workspace in order. I know it will take time to get used to all the new names and faces and I'll be missing the familiar faces. We'll see how it goes..