Yarnjeannie's Crochet Cache

Okay - it's been a long time since I posted anything to this blog.  I'm still here and kicking!  I've lost my crochet mojo for a while.  I occasionally pick up my yarn and hook, usually to make things for my grandsons.  I have 2 lovely grandsons who bring joy to my life. I lost my little min pin buddy - my best friend.  I miss him so much.  We did give a home to another min pin and though I love her dearly, she is not the same.   Still married to the same great man - our fortieth anniversary this year.   I came back to the blog because I was in search of a pattern for a hat I made.  I used a YouTube video tutorial to make it and couldn't find it on YouTube myself.  Luckily, I linked to it in an old blog post.  So I think I'll work on a few more of those hats.  The other post was called "Another Grange Fair" from 8/22/17. Well, now that I've checked in again, I think I'll try to keep up with it.

Well, another grange fair has come and gone.  If I'm not confused on my count, I believe this was my 24th year.  Last year I was sick as a dog and thought for sure no entries, but I searched for projects I completed during that year and found an item to enter for judging.  Glad to say it won a ribbon.  Not a first place, but that's okay with me! This year, I had 4 entries.  I have been hoping to beat my all-time high of 12 entries in one year, but my crochet mojo comes and goes.  I have done more crocheting this year than I have in the last several years, but a lot of that has been little crocheted hats for a NICU and not entries for the fair.  It's okay though, as NICU hats are close to my heart.  I love making hats for the smallest and most delicate of God's children.  My older son spent time in the NICU as a newborn.  His bilirubin count was so high that it required 2 complete blood exchange transfusions to try to bring his count down.  He survived it and thrives t

My best friend has 4 legs.  He's going to be 13 years old and in September 2015 at his vet visit, the vet noted that he was developing cataracts.  He's always been a sprightly, lively, brave little miniature pinscher and I was sad to realize that his eyesight was compromised.  I loved looking into those clear brown eyes.  But within 2 months, he was diagnosed with diabetes and his cataracts had robbed him of his sight.  I couldn't believe how quickly it occurred.  Now he maneuvers cautiously through the house and I hope that one day he will become used to his lack of sight and move confidently from room to room. We are working at getting his blood sugar under control with insulin shots.  Most of the time he doesn't mind his shots, but sometimes I might not do it just right and cause him to yelp or flinch.  Same with his glucose meter tests.  He's a trooper though.  Right now, he's having some infection issues in his ears and his urinary tract.  So I hope a cou

This is my first year in over 20 years that I haven't entered a project in the Middletown Grange Fair.  I have been sick as a dog and too sick to take the 30 minute ride to drop off a couple of entries for the needlework competition.  I miss the excitement of taking the trip mid-week to see if I've had any luck and won a prize and to check out all the other wonderful exhibits. But I'm down for the count with an upper respiratory infection, sinus infection, and both ears and both eyes infected.  I'm a mess. Next year...

I bought myself a sewing machine.  What does that have to do with crochet, you ask?  Well, I decided to make some crocheted kitchen towels.  The ones with the crocheted tops that you button around the oven handle.  I'm making some for gifts and decided to buy the sewing machine to sew a seam on the cut tops to keep them from unraveling.  Of course, it's not the only thing I'll use it for.  When I get to be more proficient, I'd like to sew some fleece blankets to add to the crocheted blanket collection for the NICU.  Maybe make some aprons or some other gift items for my relatives for Christmas.  It's a nice little Brother sewing machine that I purchased on Amazon for under $80.  I know I'll never be as good with the sewing machine as my mother - she made the most elaborate and detailed Barbie doll clothes when we were kids.  We didn't know we had it so good.  Our Barbies had lovely handmade clothes when all the other kids had to settle for store-bought.  I o

We did adopt the beagle we went to see on April 14.  She's been with us about 2 weeks now and she is a sweetheart.  I forgot what it was like to have a puppy in the house.  She's 6 months old.  She is a lively, friendly little thing and she makes us laugh.  She is getting along with our 12 year old min pin, keeping him on his toes.  She crouches down and barks at him, wanting to play.  He does play tug of war with her over some of their toys, but he doesn't last long 'til he runs for the safety of my lap. Meet Bella.