Finished, but oh so disappointed!

 BEANIE

I finished the beanie for my niece, but unfortunately she spaced out on our meeting, I developed a migraine because of it (waiting and waiting causing me to be tense) and took a nap…so didn't wake up until in the mid evening. Went back to bed! Still had the headache this morning or else would have driven over there to give her the gift…but…she was leaving for her flight to Colorado.

I hated the beanie. I started out loving the yarn, Uptown Worsted, but by the time I finished, the hat looked like it had been worn for a year. The yarn not only got rather fuzzy, it wasn't really aran weight or even worsted weight. The beanie turned out to be too small…so frustrating.

The first one above is with the brim where it is basically supposed to be…looks like it is for an elementary school student

.

This one above in my lap is just a hair different…but still looks small.  I guess I will have her try it on first before I ship it off to one of the youngsters.

My brother sent me these to affix to my windows as a gentle reminder that I have large dogs in the house! I don't have Rottweilers, though. Mine are Mastiff/Labrador mixes. Not quite that ferocious looking.  Maybe the boys might live up to that look if riled, but the girls look like Lab's. Big Labs, but Labs nonetheless. Seems like the stickers may ward off a person or two intent on coming in uninvited.

There was a sticker with Mastiffs on it that said "You might get in, but you won't get out."  Now I thought that one would be a great deterrent, especially with my quartet of barking dogs.

Looking forward to a nice quiet week at home with my furry friends. My friend Paula lost her dog Indy earlier this month and I didn't know it…when I found out I could not stop crying. I have never met either one in person, but over the years on Ravelry I have come to know them both…Indy through Paula's eyes…and my heart breaks for her pain and loss.  

It makes you want to hold those furry ones a little closer.

On another note...

Cut off my TV service and just joined one more internet streaming channel, so now I have all I want. I get the TV shows I love (if I can't watch live) just a week later and can watch all the movies and mystery shows that please me, so am good. Right now catching up on Death in Paradise…I didn't realize I had missed so many seasons! And Vera!!!! And Shetland! Oh what fun!

And some football…when you can only watch two channels that carry the game at the same time….

What can I say…I'm a fan. Works well when you are a speed reader and you silence one and put up CC! You never miss a beat. And even better, the half-time breaks are exactly the same so you only need one on sound. Guess I will have to get my iPad up if there are ever three I could watch! LOL!

Merry Christmas to all...

🎄🎄🎄

CHANGE OF PLANS!

 Backcountry Beanie

My niece is flying out early next week to Colorado for a week or two. No way I would be finished in time to give the afghan to her, so I put that on the back burner & started a hat/beanie instead. One that she can take with her on the skiing trip. Iwill give her the afghan when she returns  

It is very hard to crochet with black! It is taking me longer because I’m having to rip out so much to start over on the row. I decided to mark the first and last stitch in each row because that’s where I’m dropping stitches the most. It should be done by the end of the day tomorrow and time for her to take it with her. 

I have such a sinus headache today!  So humid!

Sandra's Afghan Still Not finished

 Time flying by!

It seems that I keep letting life getting the way. My dogs need attention quite a lot, and in reality I don't give them enough.

I found a lovely girl that has played with them and walking one. She comes tomorrow to walk the same one and then the other male. I like her a lot. I sure hope she can get them to calm down. I have noticed that with the many activities around the house them seem to be less and less excited to see someone close by. Maybe living in a neighborhood with lots of activity will help rather than hinder their progress.

I'm further along that what you see.  I finished two rows of burgundy, two rows of tan, one of red two ow white and getting ready to do a light green. Not nearly as long as it should be, but considering all else that has gone on, I guess I am lucky to have as much finished as I have. Will try and take a photo tomorrow or the next day.

In my defense, I spent a day with friends moving boxes out of the storage unit into the garage. Kenny was kind enough to make sure that I could get my car in the garage and open the door. As I brought in a few more boxes into the house I found I could walk around the car and get to the entry door in back. MOST of that is yarn, not to mention what is on the wall.

TEXAS DAFFODILS

Seems I have flowers that think it is spring. I will have to cover them if we have a freeze before they die back. So weird! These came over from Holland.

Then my friend Jimmy, who brought Kenny with him, gave me this rock. I think the sand was washed out of it, as I have seen rock from Texas that is similar, but they were little. This one is huge!

Once I finish the afghan I am planning on doing a beanie for my little niece, and then start putting together a granny square afghan from a swap. Granny McPhee or something like that. I will be so glad to get that one off to one of my adult nieces.

I hope you have a great week! I'll be spending the holidays cleaning out the boxes in my garage and finishing up crochet projects!

THAT'S ALL FOLKS!

For Sandra

 Mountainous Chevron Stripes

I decided to use up the yarn that I bought to finish up the other two afghans, and make my sweet niece Sandra an afghan.  I made one for her daughter, but not her. Mainly because she crocheted, but guess she has given up the hobby. Would have been fun to sit with her and crochet some in an afternoon!

You can tell by the light cream on the left of the photo how it looks like the top of a mountain, or rolling hills. Something a little different.  I started with the Beige to make the stripes larger for awhile just to change it up a little.

I finally put one of the Crochet Carts back together. It is the first model so not as refined. I hope I find the later one in the storage unit this week! They are a bit big, but maybe when things are finally in some order I can have someone build one for me that is about half this size.

Tilly Square

I may have posted about this square several years ago.  I don't believe I ever wrote it up, but have decided I will add that need to my "To Do" list.  Will have to figure it out again! LOL!

Obviously it REALLY needs refinement!

Borders are finished…I think

 ANDY'S AFGHAN

I think the border is plenty plain. I am tempted to add one more row of the green and/or beige to give it a more festive look. Something simple  It is one row of squares larger than the one for his brother but I divided them by the red color and there were more of the burgundy. I had to add a square of the smaller one to make it at least even with squares.

STEVE'S AFGHAN

When you click on them you can see them better. I think this one looks a bit more Christmasy, and is plenty big really. I put a couple more rows on it to extend it a few inches. I'll as the mom but I think it would be more appropriate to have the afghans switched. Either way they are both basically finished!

NEW AFGHAN

I started another afghan last night for my niece. I had so much yarn left over that I decided to go ahead and maker her one, too. Different family. Her dad is my brother. Steve and Andy are the children of my "brother -in-law" … he is the brother of my husbands first wife.  Her whole family welcomed me with open arms. Sometimes I think that her dad put up with me more than enjoyed my company, but I persevered visiting him!

ANYONE HAVE ANY FEELINGS ABOUT THE BORDER ON THE TOP AFGHAN FOR ANDY?

⁉️

 BELATED HALLOWEEN GREETINGS!

Last year there were 6 kids I think. This year closer to 20, but still not as many as I expected given the children in the neighborhood and in the area. I suppose people are sticking close to home.

I remember when I lived in Hemet, CA people trucked kids in to collect candy. I often thought they had a candy store and that was the way they collected inventory for the coming year! Lines and lines of cars caravanning up and down the streets.

RANDOM PHOTOS

My grandniece with a beanie I made. Still too big for her! She is so dang cute!

My DSS in his pirate outfit and the ship he made for his front porch. They put a pirates trunk at the bottom of the stairs and filled it with candy in zip lock bags. No contact Halloween! You have to look close to see the skeletons of the birds!

My charming biggest girl, Ginger. She only weighs in at about 125 to 130, but is as tall as Brodie the 150 pound boy. She is 2.5 years and he is 6.

The photo I could not resist…Riley yawning! He is just 3 now (10/30) and weighs about 111. He is the shortest of the group. I had high hopes he was going to be taller. Instead he has a Napoleon complex and picks on all the other dogs. Such a jealous soul. 

It has been raining today. Only second time in several weeks. My yard floods. About 1 inch of water stays on the ground for several days. At least there is more grass and it isn't as muddy as it was last year….so far!

Tommy Socks sat for his photo session! I moved his cat trees around to give him a leg up on making a jump to the cat climbing "things" on the wall.  He did get in the big round one right away and climbed down in the inside and peeked out at me. I didn't get the phone up and ready in time. I like to move things around to keep him interested and not depressed from lack of stimulation.

My third cantaloup that was the ONLY one which tasted good! I was so pleased that I finally had one I could eat. I picked one too late and the other just wasn't sweet. Maybe next year.

This is my husband and I when we first met in 2004. He flew in from Idaho to Southern California where we met after corresponding on eHarmony for six weeks. Two weeks later we were married in Las Vegas, two weeks later I moved to Idaho and we were happy for almost 8 years. He passed away in December of 2011. I miss him terribly. Perhaps that is why I have moved so much lately…trying to get my bearings again. I feel adrift.

CROCHET?

I have knitted a wash cloth. I have started joining squares for the other nephew. Had to order some Burgundy yarn. I hate that with all the yarn I have on hand….TONS of it….I didn't have the right three colors for this project! At least I didn't know if I did since I still have about 12 big boxes still in the storage unit. 

That's about it. OH…I have crocheted a couple more rows on the beautiful shawl my friend designed. It's with a size 3.0 hook and the yarn is a tiny bit splitty. Taking more time than I would like. I promise to take photos soon.

I hope you have a great weekend!!

👍

Finished!!

 OVER THE MISTY MOUNTAINS

I found out when I finally read the intro to the shawl pattern that the name is a reference to the Hobbit I think it is. I should check that. I might be wrong…it was a week or two ago when I checked! LOL!

I rounded the bottom and didn’t do the very last of the pattern. I used worsted weight and it called for sport weight.  I don’t do well with thinner yarns. I am now making another shawl (finishing one I already started earlier this summer) and it is sport weight or lighter.  Makes for a long process for me.

Made with Malabrigo Rios. It is a lovely light worsted weight yarn, and so scrumptious! The shawl hangs to just above my waist so I don’t sit on it while watching TV.

I opened a box today that was full of shawls and scarves. I found a rectangular shawl/scarf that I had forgotten about, so I will add it to my evening collection when the fan is going round and round! I have to have the a/c blaring due to the high humidity. The dogs don’t like the heat and humidity, but my eldest dog doesn’t like the humidity period, whether it is cold or hot….like his mom.

I don’t know why the shells often call to me in various patterns.  It is like my heart skips a beat when I see them.  I have a fingerless glove pattern I want to make for this winter. It is actually cold enough here to warrant them. I’m glad I did this CAL and the shawl had shells!!!

I’m thinking hard about whether or not I want to stay here.  I didn’t realize. How hard it would be to breath, nor did I realize the oldest dog would have a hard time, too.  At least it turned out he did not have a heart problem as first thought. That was scary.

Enjoy the week!

Back to CROCHET!! Making a shawl….

 OVER THE MISTY MOUNTAIN

I joined a CAL on Ravelry.  I wanted something to toss over my shoulders when it is chilly in the house.  The yarn is Malabrigo's Rios, which is a light worsted weight (to me). The shawl was created with a sport weight, and I am using the same crochet hook as in the pattern….G.  It isn't as tight as I would like as I want a dense shawl.  A little miffed at myself for not noticing how pointed it is. Don't like getting caught on my back when I sit and then can't move. Yarn is GORGEOUS!

This beauty is one I am very very slowly working on. Formal Garden by Elitza Chernaeva.

I decided to bring some of the decorations in the house! LOL! Just a tad of the spider web. It isn't fairing well outside in the wind. Double sided tape, spray adhesive. Doesn't matter…this Texas wind can be never ending and strong!

Gave my niece some ugly faces over the years but her young kidlings don't like they as they are too scary! LOL! So she doesn't use them. Bottom is a spice or salt shaker, in the middle is the egg separator and a candy dish under the pumpkin. Maybe some day she will use them, but I think she might be just as turned off by the faces as the children are!

Enjoy the rest of the week and the upcoming weekend!

HALLOWEEN'S COMING!!!!

Decorated outdoors for the first time ever! My niece helped.

We didn't do much on the right side. You can barely see the little spider on the corner. I'll add more decorations later.

I particularly like the skelton!  The Raven is on the pole but fell over. I need to get out there and fix him. Sandra hung one of the large spiders from the gutter.

This is the afghan that Donna from Donna's Crochet Shoppe made for my niece in Spokane. A comfortghan as she is doing chemo again. Wanted her to see it every day and know she is special and loved.

Thi is the layout of the second Va Va Victorian afghan with the darker burgundy instead of the bright red. I that more squares. I plan to actually get started on it before the weekend is up! Being lazy.

Have a great weekend!

😎

 

 VA VA VICTORIAN AFGHAN 

Finished!!

I have the one for his brother laid out, so will get to work on it tomorrow.  Want to get it finished before the end of October.

👎

SEARS

 I am waiting once again for Sears to show up to fix my treadmill.  They have cancelled on me twice now, so this is becoming a nightmare. The first time they extended the wait time for the new appointment two weeks. This time one day. I have not real confidence they will show up, and IF they do I would bet they walk in and say they can't fix it and walk out after charging me $95.

We shall see.

🧶

GHOSTIE IS FINISHED, SENT, AND RECEIVED

 HAPPY  HALLOWEEN  DOILY!

I really do love this doily, but loved more that my DSD loved it, too! I like making her and my nieces things, but my timing is generally off and my sizing seems to be off, too.  Sticking to smaller items might be the trick, but here again you can only have so many scarves and hats or fingerless gloves!

VA  VA  VICTORIAN  AFGHAN

 A sneak peek at what I am finishing.  There are 12 squares ALL from a 2009 swap, so it is more of a lapghan than a large afghan.  I should have used more bordering on each square to make it larger.  I am trying to add about 4" each side now instead since I messed up the other.  

This will be for my nephew and his family this Christmas. One for Steve and one for Andy.

🎄

For myself, I have started using smaller afghans/lapghans because of the weight and clumsiness when seated and too lazy to get up and move around!  Generally my legs are what get chilled from the overhead fan, so they seem to be all that need to be covered.

SWEATER 

I thought I would try my hand at making another sweater for a child. This time not making it for any in particular, but making a medium size so it will fit one of four! LOL! Patriot colors assuming they still love the Patriots with you-know-who gone.

This is a great little pattern in my favorite stitch! Single Crochet and Chain One. Easy!! The pattern is called Noah.

Happy Crafting!

🧶

ALMOST A GHOSTIE or TWO!!

 Only Two More Rows!

I am finally nearly finished. I have been dragging my feet but not on purpose. Too much to do around the house and taking care of my wayward dogs. Right now we are all inside and they have NO outside privileges until the watered-in bug control has dried. 

I did read up on the poison, Fipronil, and it is what they use in many dog and cat flea meds, so the safest of all the bug control you can use. Nothing toxic is good, however, so am being super cautious.

Tra la!!  I think this is super cute and when I put the finishing touches on it I think it will be great! Can’t wait to send it to my DSD for her Halloween Extravaganza!

I changed the Scottish flag to my Texas flag. After having the American Flag at half staff until the 30th, I thought it would be easier to go ahead and put the other one up. Quite a bright showing!

THIS IS A GARDEN SPIDER! They do seem to grow them big in Texas! Below the photo shows him further away from the camera, and in perspective to the fence board as he was climbing. Gigantic by any standards. I let him/her get over the fence safely.

My grandniece Zoe. By bro’, her granddad, sent me this…with her shoes on the wrong feet! LOL1 All little ones do this and they are so proud to get them on their feet. You just can do anything but smile! And she IS so beautiful, like her siblings, it makes you smile even more!

My sunrise in Texas. Was happy my phone actually captured the orange this time! I never know why sometimes it won’t come in, but this is not a “messed with” photo….and this is the way it looked. Once over the trees it wasn’t as red and definitely looked really washed out in a photo.

Brought in six more containers of yarn from the storage unit…and I really have no place to put it all.  I will have to get some help and start putting some up in the attic.  I’d prefer to put it in the air conditioned area that is up there so it won’t melt in 140 degree heat! Or hotter. But there isn’t enough plywood down yet….which I plan to remedy someday.

Happy Crafting!!

🧶