The Little Things

There are little things in my life that make me smile no matter what. Of course my husband and my children. Our 2 little doggies, the neighbor's cat that adopted us and the things I'm going to show y0u. First is this beautiful African Violet. I got two one day while visiting my husband at his job. A pink one which didn't survive and this purple one. It sits on my kitchen table in the sunshine and blooms itself silly.

Next is this aloe plant. My hubby and son are both red-headed and tend to sunburn easily. I decided to buy an aloe plant to help them recover if they did get sunburned. This poor plant was discounted and on the verge of death. Now it has outgrown its pot and is taking over this corner of my kitchen counter

I love keeping all sorts of fresh fruits and vegetables around. Here is another area of my counter top..This basket rarely sees an empty day. My kids love to eat apples and bananas. So I keep plenty on hand for snacks.

Outside, this time of year, the trees around my neighborhood look amazing. I love to look out my windows and see the beautiful orange, red, yellow leaves. The best part is that my little town is surrounded by tree covered hills. I love to take drives and look at the vibrant show of fall.



There is a story behind my next picture. These hens and chicks have been passed down through my family. Some were my grandmas. Then they were my moms. Now some of the origionals are mine. Also, some of these came from our last house. They were in these huge pots unattended. They looked horrible. I would go out and spread them out and weed them. By the time we moved, the pots were overflowing. The owners of the home couldn't believe the difference. Since I tended to them, I brought some to my new home.



Walking through my yard I spotted these little red berries. They are such beautiful red I couldn't resist taking a picture.



An ornamental strawberry flower. My yard is covered with these little strawberry plants. The strawberries that form can be eaten only they do not have a taste. They look pretty with their little yellow flowers............




......little red strawberries.



The next is a little indulgence for myself..Other than yarn and crochet hooks. I had had my nose pierced once before and had to remove it for awhile and just couldn't get it to go back through. Luckily, over the weekend my husband and I stopped in at a nice little tattoo and piercing shop and they helped me! I am happy to have it back.



Last but not least...my husband loves tattoos. He had 4 and wanted another but held off for about 8 years. This year his brother sent him some birthday money and he was able to get the tattoo he wanted which would represent our two girls. It is an ambigram tattoo..so if you look at it this way it says Hope..which is our oldest daughter's name........





And if you look at it from the opposite way, the tattoo reads Faith, which is our other daughter's name.


Well my lovely readers, that is all of my little things for today. I plan on attending the Fall Festival of Leaves this weekend. It is located in a little neighboring town called Bainbridge. It is a festival full of arts and craft type exhibits. I am hoping to see wonderful crochet, knit, and quilted goodies. However, I am supposed to have more dental surgery this Wednesday so I may not feel up to going. But, if I do go, I will take plenty of pictures.

Be blessed.

Remembering the Lazy days of Summer

Isn't that a beautiful picture? I was going through some pictures on my computer and came across these pictures from the lazy days of summer. My family loves to be outdoors. We love to go on nature hikes, to go fishing, take walks, bike rides. We are a very active young family. This is just one picture from our favorite fishing hole. Personally, I feel at peace when I am around water. Maybe it is because of the sounds, maybe it is because I am an aquarius. I don't know. I just love to be outside and close to water.

Another great picture huh? This is the picnic area right above our favorite fishing hole. We have had many picnics, some using the grill, some just sammies and chips. The view of the water is amazing..the best thing, there is a playground and restrooms close by..With 4 little ones you can never be too safe.

The above picture is directly across the water from our favorite fishing spot. On this particular day we watched several of these big water birds fish. They actually caught more fish than we did.

This picture was taken my my 2nd daughter. Quite the photographer isn't she. She followed this poor butterfly around the area, snapping many many pictures until she finally got one that showed the beautiful blue color on its wings.

The trees above our favorite fishin place was full of these wonderful caterpillars munching away on the leaves (and pooing on our heads :) ) I saw this guy on the ground and loved it's hair do...I just had to snap a photo.

That is all for today friends. I hope you enjoyed these pictures. They were taken with a Nikon D40 camera. It is a little pricey but it does take wonderful pictures (it was a gift from my wonderful hubby)

Hope you all have a wonderful day and until next time. Be Blessed!

WIPs and Chromium Star Baby Blanket Ta-Dah

Ta-Dah!!! I finished one of my many wips....This is the Chromium Star Blanket found on Ravelry. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/chromium-star-blanket When I started the blanket I had no idea who I was making it for. I just knew this star blanket needed to be made for a baby boy...I am pleased to announce that this blanket has found it's new home and the mommy-to- be loved it! YAY!
Now for more pressing matters. I had a serious case of startitis. If you knew me, you would know I hate things that are left undone. When I start something I must finish asap. Except for in crochet. I can start something, work on it for awhile. Something else catches my eye and them BAM!!!!!!! I am starting something else. I have several works in hibernation. Wanna see?

This is a blanket that I have has laying around for years. YES! Years! *GASP* The pattern for this blanket came from a Leisure Arts book called "Our Best Afghans A to Z. 26 "X" cellent Crochet Designs". It was origionally worked up by my mom. I loved the way it looked and begged her for it and so It was mine! YAY! It was so perty lovely I loved it UNTIL it started coming unraveled. The yarn used is a slippery yarn so the ends keep backing out of it. I made it my mission to repair it while trying to keep as much of my mom's origional work intact..

This project I started last winter. I had a thing for Happy Yellow House's wonderful crocheted quilts.

http://www.happyyellowhouse.com

I came up with the idea I would make a frog blanket..I love frogs.. using her wonderful little squares. I drew up the design and this is how far I got. After working on this a while, I got bored so I put it in hibernation and began something else.

Ahhh yes...thanks to Attic24

http://attic24.typepad.com
I began this wonderful granny stripe blanket. This blanket has wonderful rhythms. 1, 2, 3..1,2,3...My blanket isn't as colorful as those on my ravelry group but I love it just the same.

http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/we-love-lucy/1168159/1-25

And yet another Attic24 wip. The wonderful, colorful, amazing, gorgeous, hexigon blanket. I love this pattern. However, I got bored with making the hexigons so I put it on the back burner to make some other things. I can't wait to see it all finished. Guess I can since it is on the back burner huh?

This blanket is for a sweet little baby girl. No I don't have anyone in mind yet but if I did, it would probably be done by now. This pattern also came from a Leisure Arts book. I love this pattern. I love the way the pattern makes little heart shapes all over the blanket. I hope to finish and find this cute and cuddly blanket a new home soon. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/heartwarming-wrap

This is my current WIP. This is what I am working on now..It is a University of Michigan blanket. A friend of ours just found out he is having baby #4 and he wanted me to make this blanket. I think it is gonna go in his Michigan room instead of being used for the baby. I have enjoyed drawing and writting up this pattern.

So what do you think? Too many WIPs right? Well I have things I want to make like more hats, scarves, and mittens for my kiddos and hubby; a wrap for me; and some Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas decorations. However, I am going to do my best NOT to start any more crochet projects until I get most of these projects finished.

I truly hope you have enjoyed looking at all my crochet projects in progress. This post has made me realize I need to get crocheting on these and not look at any new patterns. Is that even possible? We will find out! Until next time, be blessed and I hope you have a wonderful day!

Such is life.

Hello y'all. I haven't wrote in a while because my children are all taking turns with a nasty upper respiratory infection. It makes them spike fevers to 104. Scares the crap out of me but they seem to come out of it just fine. I am happy they can cope with it well even if I cannot.

Life seems to be getting me down lately. The warm, sunny weather has gone and the cold, grey rainy days of fall are upon us here in Ohio. My mood seems to shift with the weather. My wonderful husband tells me I am a solar panel, I just don't work right without sunshine. It really is true. If it is sunny outside, I feel energized, can move about my day. If it is grey out there I just feel pooped (the lovely words of my 5 year old).

It's not just the weather though. It is money as well. I know a lot of people can relate to having money troubles. Just seems like there isn't enough to go around. Especially when you have sick little ones around. One needs money for extra medicine, extra foods. Then there is car repairs. Our poor vehicles are both over ten years old and have served us well. They are getting to the point to be put out of their misery. Especially the hubby's truck. Just in September we have spent hundreds of dollars fixing this and that on his truck. Seems when one thing goes wrong, it all goes wrong.

I hope those of you who are reading my rather gloomy post are not having the same types of problems that seem to troubling us as of late. I know this will pass just as the seasons do. Thank you for reading my rant and...Hope you all have a great, wonderful, sublime day!

Crochet La-la-land

Wow! Two days in a row. Pat myself on the back a bit. Well actually I cheated just a little. My computer has a gadget that allows me to post virtual post-it notes on my desktop. So I posted one telling me to blog. Honestly, these days I would forget my head if it wasn't attached to my shoulders.

Anywho...to all my fellow "yarn artists" out there...Have you visited Crochet or Knitting la-la-land? I am sure you all have. I know I have. I have my yarn stash in one of those plastic bin type things that have the drawers. Mine has 3 drawers in it.. Well here you can see for yourself....

Ahhh..there you go. Now you all know what I am talking about. My yarn stash is in this corner in my living room. It hangs out there with a few finished projects, works-in-progress and some sewing supplies. It looks so colorful, so pretty, so messy. I often find myself looking..ok well staring at the yarny goodness in my crochet corner. I will be watching television or crocheting and next thing I know..BAM I am in Crochet la-la-land. I am looking at the colorful yarn through those see through drawers. My mind is imagining all of the possibilities. All of the wonderful blankets, ornaments, accessories. Ahhh..such bliss...The wonderfulness of all of these thoughts puts a great big smile on my face. Then once I snap out of my yarny trance, I continue working on my project or realizing my television show is over.

Speaking of stashes. This topic in this Ravelry group is amazing. http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/yarn/1004579/1-25

My yarn stash looks pitiful next to some of these photos on this forum topic. I was looking through these pictures not too long ago and showing them to my darling husband and he said, "Wow! I guess we need to take you yarn shopping." Can you believe this? We did end up going shopping for yarn that weekend! I love that man!!!!! Now, with all of that said..guess what...My sister-in-law who lives all the way in Jacksonville, Florida sends me yarn. So far she has sent 7 skeins of yarn. Some baby, some thick wintery yarn..all in brilliant colors. Oh yes I love my family. Thank you for the yarny goodness.

That is all for now my friends. I still have to get the hang of this blogging thing. I promise more sane ramblings and wonderful pictures and links will be coming in the meanderings to come.

Have a wonderful day! Hope to see you again soon.

Hello Again.

Things have been super busy around here the past few weeks. We have had many more appointments, get togethers, all the usual summery things but now school is back in session. Summer is turning to fall. The green leaves of summer are turning into the beautiful orange, red, and yellow leaves of fall. Flowers are trying to keep blooming even though the days and nights are getting shorter. I love the changing of the seasons. It's like the end of specific moments in life..at least for this year.

During this past summer I was dreading the comming of the cooler months. I know once the leaves start turning colors, winter will be following soon. Ohio gets dreadfully grey, brown, dull during the winters. But then, a glimmer of hope came from following the posts on the Ravelry group "We Love Lucy" http://www.ravelry.com/groups/we-love-lucy There are so many wonderful, beautiful, cheerful, colorful projects in this group. There are so many kind, considerate, informative, knowledgeable yarn artists there as well. They have inspired me to a point where I know I will not feel dull, grey, down, blue this fall and winter. I will have a lap full of crochet projects from buntings to blankets to whatever this wonderful group of people come up with. Not to mention the projects from the inspiration of the group. The wonderful blogger Lucy. http://www.attic24.typepad.com/ She is an inspiration to all of us who need those "heart-skippy moments" in life.

Speaking of crochet..Here are two projects I am currently working on.

First is a University of Michigan blanket for a friend of ours who is expecting their 4th bundle of joy.

I am also working on this star baby blanket.

So that is all for today. I hope you all have a wonderful day.

updated.

Wow am I slacking..I guess I need to post more..Here lately things have been very hectic. School is out and we are packing all our doctor/dentist/eye doc/ appointments into these short months. We have had some visitors, some drama, some fun..Typical summer.

Honestly, I love being a mom. I stay at home with my lovely children. My hubby works his hiney off to pay bills and get us the things we need. I take care of out home, our children, and then when I get time for me..I crochet.

I love, love, love, watching a ball of yarn turn into something like say a pumpkin. (see image above)...Right now I am working on a round ripple afghan..It is nearly finished...

I can't wait to see it finished...guess I will go work on it now...Until next time.....