A Slacking Blogger's Shameless Promotion!

WHOA! It has been forever since I have posted and I didn't even realize it!

Not to make excuses, but I have been really busy. I just started my credit bearing classes with the University of Phoenix last Monday. I had a mild panic attack and had to stop what I was doing to cover my face and start bawling once, but all in all, it was a good experience. I have my first week under my belt. In starting my second week, I have discovered that I am not very good at sitting at my computer for more than an hour or two doing school work. I only have two subjects at once, but I do so much reading and discussion for each class, I'm burnt out after one. So I have to do things that rejuvenate my mind in between classes. Like, blog (and look out the window at the ever present rain).. :-/

In the afternoons, when I am done with my school work, I have been keeping myself very busy with projects. I'm going backwards with my pictures today because I loaded them wrong, and frankly, I'm too lazy to move them around. LOL!

First up is the prayer shawl that I am currently knitting. It comes from a little hard cover Leisure Arts Prayer Shawl book that I found at Joann's for $10 a while ago. I have gotten kind of sassy in my thinking when it comes to projects lately. I know it should just be a given that a person would work on what 'they' want to do, but I was always doing what I thought I 'needed' to do. That left me very unhappy and unfulfilled. So I do what I want and wanted to knit a prayer shawl out of that book! I dug through my stash and found the appropriate amounts of yarn. I am using Linen & Ranch Red by Red Heart and Teal Heather by Bernat. It has a bit of a Patriotic flair to it, I guess. Although, that was completely unintended. The first picture is of the strips of color that break up the main pattern. The second is of the 27" I put on over the weekend.



Here we have a 'boredom buster' project, a toddler poncho. It was put out by Dot...anyone remember Dot? I'm not sure what ever happened to her, but I haven't seen her around for a long, long time. When I went to look up the pattern to give you the correct link to the poncho, it wasn't there anymore. So, if anyone knows what happened to Dot....let me know!

Here we have what I call my "Salsa Purse" (another boredom buster project). Here is the link to the original purse. I, of course, didn't read the directions completely and "screwed it up"...although, I prefer the way mine turned out to the original. So I guess its all in how you look at it. When I started my second purse in Packer colors (not pictured), I thought about you, Jimmie Earl!...I know you like the smaller, less intense patterns, but this one would be GREAT for the daughters, daughters-in-law, granddaughters, etc. It would give you a little challenge, but not be too hard!

I finally finished the Retroghan. I was actually shy 9 rectangles because I ran out of retro yarn. But, I'm glad that I did cuz I was sick to death of working on it! I finished it off with a row of sc, a row of hdc and then a row of shell stitch much like the Perdido Key inspired blanket.
I'm very happy with the way it turned out and I gave it to my Mother In Law as a welcome to Florida gift and as a keepsake. The retro yarn all came from her mom. Grandma Brigowatz passed away in 2005.




Up next is another 'boredom buster' project. Santa Coasters! They are super cute! I have made a total of 4 so far. These are very easy. A little putzy with the color changes, but very fun when they are completed. I think these would be a brilliant Christmas gift for someone. Even if you only made one and matched it up with an awesome Christmas mug and some hot chocolate or a specialty coffee.....Cute gift, indeed. He finishes out at about 7-ish inches (I'm guessing) across his beard.


Last, but definitely not least, is my current purse. That's right...I use this baby out in PUBLIC! LOL. I even had someone ask me "so did some little old lady sit and make this for you?"...I looked at her and said "I'm the old lady!" lol. It was a good laugh. Ok, so, pattern....it is very easy to make. I would make a few modifications on the next one for body height and I would maybe use the method from the foundation chain of the "Salsa Purse" ^^^ from before, but otherwise, I highly recommend this pattern.

Link for the purse. Link for the flower.

Now, I'm going to shamelessly tell you that if you haven't already liked Bizzy Crochet on Facebook...there's a link to it over there----->>>>....you NEED to! I have started posting daily free patterns. Most of the time they aren't mine, they are just free patterns from online. I do a daily "National Day of" pattern, a daily "Christmas" project pattern and a daily "Back To School" project pattern. And then anything else that strikes my fancy, gets a link on there too. Maybe my page would be too busy for you? Maybe not....?? But, if you like free patterns, I'm always linking to something different! The best part is that the work is cut out for you, cuz I do all the research!

As the months march along, my project themes will change, so you just never know.....

Slutty Brownies

Ok, I must admit, the name is silly, provocative and kinda wrong. LOL But Ohhhhhhh are they good! In reality, they are just a super easy triple layer brownie. BIG on chocolate!!!

Layer 1 is a 24 pack of preformed cookie dough rounds OR a full tube of cookie dough. I used the "Brownie Pan" from Pampered Chef, but I think you could adapt this to a regular pan easily enough.

If using the Brownie Pan, put 2 rounds per space. Otherwise layer the bottom of an 11x7 pan with the cookie dough and press down to cover the bottom. It doesn't have to be pushed hard.

Layer 2 is simply 12 Oreos. Now, in the Brownie Pan you only use one Oreo per space, so I would do the same thing in an 11x7 pan. Evenly place your Oreos for 12 brownies. You might want to lightly press them into the cookie dough to keep them from shifting during the next layer.

Layer 3 is a box of brownie mix...whatever flavor you like...mixed up according to package directions. We used the uber chunky with the Hershey's syrup etc. In the Brownie Pan just use 2 Tbl per space. In an 11x7 pan, carefully pour over or spoon over the top of your Oreo layer.

Here comes the tricky part. The Brownie Pan was 20 minutes in a 350 oven. But, I know that a brownie mix in a regular pan, all by itself, is around 25-27 minutes. You will want to feel this out. If you are doing the 11x7 pan, you may need to bake these according to the box directions for a fudgy or cake like brownie. (yes, I've made a few boxes of brownies in my life)

Good Luck!! And I hope you enjoy!!

This Week in Bizzy's World...

We'll start with my "Retro-ghan". Remember the three boxes of yarn my mother-in-law sent down with my parents in May? Well, even if you don't, one of the boxes came about half full of ancient yarn....as far as yarn is concerned. I had no idea what I was going to do with all that old yarn and I knew I didn't want to waste it. So, I thought I would make a retro afghan with retro yarn. Be all authentic and stuff. When I started it, I was stoked. Totally loving it. Colors turning out great. Rectangles going relatively fast. Now, that I have been working on it for a week solid and I'm not even half way through the blanket, it has quickly gone from "Woohoo, this rocks!" to "Omg. What did I do?" Don't get me wrong, I still love the colors and the way it's turning out. And I have completed another 3 rows since this picture was taken. But, I'm tired of it and I want it to end. *stomps foot and pouts lip*

When I grow tired of working on the eternal retro-ghan, I find little "boredom buster" projects to work on. This happens to be the one I found this week and I pretty much went ape on it. I've made another 4 of these in a variety of colors since I took this picture 2 days ago. lol. This is a free pattern from Red Heart. It's part of their 12 Patterns of Christmas promo. Trust me, this one is totally worth making. It's a Snowman Mug Cozy for a standard mug size. It closes with a button on the side. Total cuteness. It's going to be part of my Christmas gifting this year. Ok, off with you...Go craft something!

Little Charlie and Link