Google is messing with the blogs

Just so you all know, and I am sure many of you have received this notice (I didn't notice it until just now).  They want all the action and no competition so they are screwing us all over by making sure you have to join their system in order to be a member of a blog run by Google.  While all this time I appreciate it being free, I am getting more and more concerned by their insistence of being "the only place to play" on the block.

So, if things do get too complicate and they are going to make me join and jump through hoops, I will be closing down this blog.  Not that big of a deal as I am certainly not an earth shattering designer!

If it all quits working you can blame Google. I am not a believer on non-competition.  This last experience has left me thinking that Google wants to take over the world.  I, for one, am not interested in being one of their lackeys.

An update on Google Friend Connect

December 21, 2015

In 2011, we announced the retirement of Google Friend Connect for all 
non-Blogger sites. We made an exception for Blogger to give 
readers an easy way to follow blogs using a variety of accounts. 
Yet over time, we’ve seen that most people sign into Friend 
Connect with a Google Account. So, in an effort to streamline, 
in the next few weeks we’ll be making some changes that will 
eventually require readers to have a Google Account to sign
into Friend Connect and follow blogs.

As part of this plan, starting the week of January 11, we’ll remove 
the ability for people with Twitter, Yahoo, Orkut or other OpenId 
providers to sign in to Google Friend Connect and follow blogs. 
At the same time, we’ll remove non-Google Account profiles 
so you may see a decrease in your blog follower count.

We encourage you to tell affected readers (perhaps via a blog post), 
that if they use a non-Google Account to follow your blog, they need 
to sign up for a Google Account, and re-follow your blog. With a 
Google Account, they’ll get blogs added to their Reading List, 
making it easier for them to see the latest posts and activity of the 
blogs they follow.

We know how important followers are to all bloggers, 
but we believe this change will improve the experience 
for both you and your readers.

Posted by Michael Goddard, Software Engineer

Cute Pattern For A Small Kiddo, plus a few yarnie goodies!

I was looking around and saw that Bev had posted a pattern she designed.  It is really, really darling!  She has several others on her blog, but this is the one that caught my eye at first.  The Ayasha Baby Cardigan.  Hope you like it as much as I did! Look around and find the rest of what she has posted.

I have finished the hat pattern by RubraC which will be sent to my DSIL Carol.  She lives in Michigan.  Although they have been missed by most of the heavy awful snow blizzard, it is still cold there.  I am hoping this will fit her.  If not I can do another one!

This is in a Mrs. Crosby yarn and although it doesn't show up as such, to me it looks like a soft stone washed light denim color.

My DSD Heidi is sending me the fingerless mittens she made (see below).  I think they are just darling! I especially love that my name is on them. :o)

I am still working on the red cowl for me.  I have used three skeins and am getting ready to start a fourth.  I am hoping that is all that I will need.  It is a lot heavier than I thought it would be, so if I were to do it again I should use a J or K hook instead of the I. The photo below is about half of what is finished.  I will need to put a few rows on each side to get it wider as right now it doesn't quite live up to a "hood look".

Just for kicks…I had a photo I took added to the front of a white sweatshirt.  I like how it looks, but unfortunately the sweatshirt shrunk a tad too much so isn't comfy.  Unfortunately I didn't shrink along with it!  I'm working on that (again), though.

Brodie is now over 90 pounds and just turned 6 months on the 18th.  Maggie is 52 pounds and 10 years old, so she is now tolerating him when before she was enjoying him. He still has some rambunctious behaviors that aren't conducive to the happiness and well being of an older arthritic dog.

Lastly, this is the plant my DSIL Eileen gave me several years ago.  I have left it in this pot for years and it is barely enjoying its time on earth, so have vowed to make it to Walmart today to purchase a bigger pot for it & repot it so the roots can have room to breath!  At least it is peeking out now!

Have a glorious week!

Hood type Cowl for Me!

I am using the same shell type stitch for my cowl that I used in the grey scarf. Love it!

This if being made with Classic Shades Solids in Scarlet, a discontinued yarn.  I really love the way it glides like silk over the hook! It is a worsted weight, but not real heavy, and I am using a 5.5 hook. This is going to be beautiful!

Above and below ar photos of the scarf now finished.  It is 60 inches long and feels really soft. I hope she loves it! You can see my Border Collie's feet in the background in the first photo. So much for careful staging!

I wasn't able to capture a good photo of the scarf as it is night and I have lights that are more yellow that bright.  Grrrrr!  I will be packing up this little delight and sending off to it's intended recipient!

Scarf and Crude Oil!

I am finished with the scarf I was making for my DDIL.  It is about 62" without blocking.  I used Mrs. Crosby's Carpet Bag yarn in Squid Ink.  There is no pattern per se as just used a shell type stitch that wasn't too lacy and would give it some texture. She isn't into "girlie." I haven't taken a photo yet of the entire scarf.

This photo shows it folded in half and measured at not quite 58" at the time.

Now THIS is the start of a catnip toy!  Paula made a long beige one with a tail of fringe and it became the cats favorite toy.  In filling that one back up with catnip I thought I might as well make another one that is a tad bit bigger in width, but not really in length.  I used a wool/polyester combo yarn hoping it would entice him even further! This isn't finished…well, it IS finished, but I didn't take a photo of the finished product as ran and gave it to the cat before I remembered about the photo.  I will get a "finished" photo tonight.

OIL

I have been reading up on oil prices falling again.  It got me to thinking why in the world UPS and Fedex were RAISING their prices?  Did the airplane industry do the same?  If they are saving millions of dollars on the lower gas prices, and having already raised prices to cover the higher costs when they came, why do they need to raise their prices again?

What do you want to bet that when the gas prices start coming UP, they will once gain raise their shipping prices to cover the rising cost of oil and gas!!!  I personally think it is a scam, but what do I know?  

Another thing…streets being paved.  If crude oil is half what it was, why do the streets cost MORE to fix now?  I realize that the gas taxes cover the actual building and repair of the roads, but doesn't that go hand in hand with the falling prices that they have to pay for the road materials?  Or are they getting gouged by the people who make the materials?

Round and round we little people go…in a circle until we get too dizzy to question anything any further.  So look it all up. Send out little missives to your government in charge of your area and find out.  You can bet they will raise the gas taxes but not lower them!  I think Idaho (and can't remember if it was the state or one of the counties) is one of the few places that lowered taxes when they had found a little extra in their pockets.

Would your government do that for you?

January and Crocheting!

….and some knitting was going on. Unfortunately my dog (the 'puppy') grabbed it off the table and took it outside to play with.  He detached the cord from the knitting needle so the cord is no good, but the needles survived!  The yarn was dirty, but he didn't chew it up so I unraveled it all and will wash it before ever trying something new.  

Now to start ANOTHER scarf for my daughter-in-law.  I was originally making this for her birthday but that date has long gone so sent something else.  I still need to make her the scarf, though.  Not a cowl unless it is one of those LONG ones.  I am not sure which she would like the best.

I am using a pattern by RubraC on Ravelry.  Her Dancing Trees pattern.  I am leaving out the pattern, though!  It's pretty but already made a pair for my step-daughter.  I wanted just the really comfy ones made with the post stitches.  I changed the bottom wrist area because I have a spade like hand where the area above the wrist is quite large.  I can't get some gloves to fit over that area, so I did a stretch rib section with a larger hook.  Worked like a charm!  I love these!

This is a sneak peek at a hat I am testing for RubraC.  Can't show it all…but she is using the post stitches again and a lovely pattern.  The yard is actually BLUE but didn't come up that way. Looks grey. It's gorgeous!  When she puts it up for sale, I will post a REAL photo of it.

Last, but not least, is my ADULT coloring book!  I had no clue that they made adult books to color.  I buy kids coloring books all the time and have my whole life. I have always found it relaxing and energizing and never knew others did the same thing. In fact, most of the time when I would tell people about it they kind of laughed at me.

Now I feel vindicated!  I received the gift from the other grandmother and was so excited started coloring right away. Then, not feeling like I had enough pencils, bought a huge set…and of course while looking at them saw MORE adult coloring books! Then bought an electric pencil sharpener so I can use them up!

Now I have enough of both to keep me busy until the Lord calls me upstairs!