Bizzy Crochet

Good Morning, Saturday!

2012-01-21T08:58:00.003-06:00

Saturday morning yummies. :)

I finally broke down and bought myself a new waffle iron. I did this back around New Year's, but I searched the world over.....well, ok, Pensacola.....and could not find a waffle iron at a decent price. It was getting to the point where I thought I was going to have to sell an organ on the black market in order to afford a new one. I just could not see the point in paying more than $30-$40 for an occasional use item. I had already been to several stores and I was exhausted. Walmart had the best price, but there are 4 or 5 in the city and I had no energy to keep looking to see if any of them had the waffle iron I wanted. The first one definitely did not. Out of desperation, I finally broke down and looked online.

Apparently, Walmart has this convenient thing online where you can either order it and have it sent to your house for .97 or you can order it and pick it up at the store for free. If its an in-stock item, you can sometimes pick it up the same day. If you have more than one Walmart in your area, like I do, then you can choose which Walmart's stock you want to look at and that saves you all that running around, wasting gas, parking 3 miles away and hiking to the store. I have had a complete success and a complete failure using this site-to-store type of ordering. The waffle iron was a great success.....we won't talk about the failure thing...I just know which Walmart I'm going to avoid like the plague.

Not sure why I felt compelled to blog about this...lol. Maybe you'll find a time saving, happy success using their online option like I did?

Have a Happy Saturday everyone!!

May I Have Your Permission?

2012-01-19T11:08:00.005-06:00

I've had quite a few people asking me lately if they could have my permission to sell items they have made from my patterns. Here's what I'm thinking (and is my policy):

I don't have a problem with people selling items they make from my patterns as long as they don't try and tell people that they are the designer. I give my permission to sell items made from my patterns at local craft fairs and local boutiques, etc. The only exception I take to this is that I have an Etsy store and being that these are my original creations, I ask that you not sell items you make from my patterns online in any fashion or on any platform. That puts you in direct competition with me and my store and I don't want to have to compete with you for sales on MY designs. Does that make sense?

I am all for the entrepreneurial spirit of America to rise up and be successful. I am all for helping to provide for your families needs. Heck, that's what I'm doing. I feel like it would be remiss of me to tell you that you cannot charge someone for the time you put into something and the material it took you to make it. Ok, so the 'idea' or the 'pattern' didn't come from you.....whoopety doo! Not everyone can write down a pattern. Those of us that are blessed enough to be able to or have the time to do it...should. And if you have to sell it to feel like you are getting something out of it...then do that too.

I know that I've been outspoken about sharing patterns before. I know that I may have ruffled some feathers concerning the fact that I am proud of the fact that I give my patterns away for free. It's not because I somehow feel like I'm better than someone else because I do. Everyone has their own personal reasons for doing what they do. What I find irritating, both as a free pattern user and a free pattern creator, is when someone puts the stipulation that this item is for your personal use only and that you cannot sell any product made from that pattern. Here's why I don't like that. With that stipulation you are telling people that they cannot recuperate any of the costs that it took them to make it. I am all for donating. I am all for giving gifts away. Believe me, that's how all of my patterns came about. But, for me to tell you that in your private life when someone wants to purchase an item that you have the ability to create and they don't; and they want to bless you by purchasing it from you instead of just expecting you to do all that work for nothing.....and you CAN'T?? To me, that is wrong. There should be intellectual rights for a pattern, you bet. No one should be able to claim a pattern that is not theirs. And no one should be able to take a pattern and mass produce an item to create an empire out of it. But, there is no harm in someone having the ability to work a craft fair or two. Or sell to a local boutique or two. If the designer asks you not to sell in a certain place, then by all means respect that, but to say that NOTHING you make from that pattern is saleable.....yeah, well, you know what I think.

And when I come across patterns I like that cost money or they tell me I can't sell what I make from it.....I respect their intellectual rights and/or free pattern and I don't even copy it off or look at their instructions. I look at the picture and make it up for myself. Then it is mine and I can sell it if I want to.

So, tell me what you think. I'm not looking for people to necessarily agree with me, I want to know what you really think. Be advised, all of your posts get reviewed by me before they show up so if you get nasty, your comment won't be posted. I know intellectual rights, copyrights, etc can be a hot button topic for designers. Let's have a talk about this!

Found my inspiration

2012-01-10T08:50:00.003-06:00

Apparently, making more toys right now was just more than I could handle, so I was avoiding my yarn. *gasp* That is a NO-NO!!

So I looked at my yarn and said, "You need to be an afghan!" And it is happily becoming one.

A Girl With Issues

2012-01-06T07:52:00.002-06:00

I am that girl. A girl with issues.

I have been thrown into another tailspin of introspection. As this new year starts I feel a falling off of old things and old ways and it has caused me to be a little sad. I know that I should never look back. I should always be looking forward and encouraged by what is coming instead of looking back and basically becoming Lot's wife; turning into a pillar of salt that is forever sealed in the backwards looking position, never to move from that spot again.

The sadness that I feel is not for the things that are falling away; it is for the way that I suddenly see myself and realize who I was. I have discovered unsavory pieces of my personality that, I believe, have driven people away from me over the years. With that sudden realization comes the embarrassment from feeling like a fool and sometimes the blaming of those around me that love me because they didn't say anything to me. Or did they and I didn't want to hear it?

I believe we are on a countdown to the last days of life as we know it. I don't necessarily believe that the world is ending in 2012. I, also, don't believe in the whole global warming thing. But, there is something inside me that has been building for the last few years and this year it feels almost like a desperation. I can't stay who I was. I have to change. I have to help others. Kind of like a "no man left behind" scenario. There are so many hurting people and it just keeps getting worse. This world's depravity is getting worse instead of better. Too many people worrying about lining their pockets and less about helping those in need. Do not get me wrong. I do not support the Occupiers. Their behavior is foolish. I believe in an America that is free to succeed. I am sad that people have gotten so jealous of the success of others that they feel the need to tear them down to their level. This is so "Atlas Shrugged" it's not even funny. I just wish I was one of the tycoons that could shut down their business and go live in the secret valley with John Gault. However, I am not called to that. I am called to help people, not to hand them what they want and need, but help them help themselves. I am called to grow people and encourage people and help people succeed.

But I must start with me, as selfish as that feels and sometimes sounds. I have to get rid of the thoughts that attack my mind and tell me that I'm no good, I'm too fat, I'm too ugly, I'm too much of this and not enough of that. Lately, that's all I've been thinking about. In reality, I know all of that is a lie. I know that I am good, I know that I have talents, my husband tells me that I'm pretty and he says he doesn't care about my extra lbs. I am a child of God. Nothing else should really matter in light of that.

The changing process does not always go easily. I feel distant from everyone and everything. I feel rejected a lot. I'm probably looking for it and projecting it onto people. They probably don't even think about me and I'm all "they hate me!" It's pathetic victim mentality. I need to slap my hands and say "Stop It!!" I would say head, but ya know, that hurts and I'm not into self inflicted physical pain unless we are talking about muscling through a yarn project that is causing me to cramp up and make my muscles burn! :) What I need to do is stop being moved by my feelings. I know what the truth of God's Word has said about me. THAT is what I need to think on.

I have come to at least two decisions. One, I am going to start volunteering. The kids and I have chosen Ronald McDonald House. It has personal meaning for us. My husband and son spent a week at Ronald McDonald House when Stefani was first diagnosed with Leukemia and she had to stay in the hospital for her first round of chemo. I stayed in the hospital room with her, so I was only able to visit the House when Tony and Teo took us through it. It is a neat facility. What a blessing it was to us. We've never lived close enough to be able to volunteer before. I'm finding that all of the places and things that I've wanted to be involved with, i.e. volunteering at a cancer center or a children's ward, but never lived close enough to, are all right here. I have spent the last year so completely wrapped up in my stress and my needs and my unfulfilled dreams that I forgot that it really is NOT about me. Two, I am going to read through the entire bible this year.

I am slowly pulling up my bootstraps and putting one foot in front of the other. Saying that always makes me sing the song from claymation classic "Santa Claus is Coming to Town"

.....Put one foot in front of the other, soon you'll be walking cross the floor...just put one foot in front of the other, soon you'll be walking out the door......

Truer words have never been spoken.

Christmas Beanies ~ Knit Pattern

2011-12-22T08:21:00.005-06:00

I decided to share with you my Christmas beanies. I looked and looked and looked for a pattern that spoke to me and was something that I really wanted to make over and over and over again. I never found one, so I made up my own pattern.

My original idea was just to have something to share as gifts with my cousins kids because they had invited us to go over for Christmas Eve and I didn't want to walk in empty handed. Well, the idea grew. There will be a total of 10 teenagers (including family and girlfriends), an 8 year old and a new born there...all of them cousins (except the girlfriends, of course). So, I decided to make a beanie for ALL of the kids. I finished the last one yesterday. I loved making every single one of them because they were all a blank canvas for my creativity. Endless possibilities for color combinations and stripes. lol. BUT...I was so very glad when the last one was complete.

This is the biggest group of kids. We have an 18 yo w/a gf, 16 yo w/a gf, a 14 yo and an 8 yo. The 8 yo's hat turned out a little larger because I went by rows instead of measurements on a couple of hats. I figured out what went wrong and corrected myself for the rest of them, but hers is a little longer than the rest.

Used: hat 1: Wool Ease, hat 2: RH Soft & HL Love, hat 3: Wool Ease, hat 4: LB Jiffy & HL Love, hat 5: Wool Ease & HL Love, hat 6: RHSS

This is a brother/sister duo. Blue/gray is his, purple/black is hers. I was struggling with what colors to make for them, so I asked their mom. They were the only ones besides my kids that actually got to choose colors.

Used: hat 1: L&T Impeccable & RHSS, hat 2: RHSS & HL Love

These are for my kids. I am actually going to wrap them up and hand them out with the other kids' hats, even though my daughter has modeled hers a few times. I always have to snatch it back and say "you can't have that now!"

Used: hat 1: L&T Impeccable & RHSS, hat 2: Wool Ease & Caron SS

Last, but not least, we have the last set of brothers. The oldest was born 8 hours after my daughter and the youngest was born 2 days ago. I just couldn't leave the baby out, so I modified the pattern by a few stitches and rows and went to town. I actually love both of these hats. :)

Used: hat 1: RHSS, hat 2: TLC Amore

I am going to share with you the very basic pattern. Soooooper simple. And I'll share my "straight lines" method for my color changes.

Christmas Beanies (very stretchy, great for scraps)

by Elizabeth Mareno 2011

Materials:

About 2 ozs Main color, less for Contrast color, Worsted Weight!! :)

(Yarns Used: LB Wool-Ease, LB Jiffy, RHSS, HL I Love This Yarn, Caron Simply Soft, RH Soft, TLC Amore (discontinued?)& Loops n Threads-Impeccable)

size 8 dpns or circular needles

place marker (optional)

end stoppers (optional)

large eye needle for tucking ends in

ADULT SIZE: fits an average head up to 23".

co 85 stitches. I cast on 30-needle 1, 30-needle 2, 25-needle 3. I also used end stoppers to keep my stitches from sliding off. Join without twisting to make a circle, if you need a place marker, put it at the beginning of the join.

k3, p2 around.
You may stripe whenever you like, the pattern stays the same until you reach 6" in length from the beginning. When I stripe, I will slip the first stitch purlwise when I am beginning my second row of that color, this helps to pull the row "up" and hide the color change. If you are doing single rows, I am still a novice at that, so this method may not work if you are striping single rows.

I, also, do not cut my yarns between row changes, I just carry the yarn up the inside of the hat. Makes for less work in the finishing process. If you do this, remember not to pull too tight when you are bringing your yarn up for a color change or you will cause the hat to "crinkle".

top decrease rows: After you have completed 6", knit 1 row around.

next row: k5, k2tog,(repeat around) k1

next : knit

next : k4, k2tog,(repeat around) k1

next : knit

next : k3, k2tog, (repeat around) k1

next : k2, k2tog, (repeat) k1

next : k1, k2tog, (repeat) k1

next : k2tog

next: k2tog (you should have 7 loops remaining. if not, don't worry, just use what you have and close it up.)

Cut, leaving a long end for closing the top. Weave needle through the remaining loops and pull tight. I usually weave them through one more time for security, then weave your end in to make sure the top doesn't come undone and finish off.

Weave in the remaining and you are done!

NEW BORN/INFANT VERSION:

CO 55, work pattern for 4 inches,

decrease rows: k3, k2tog

next: k2, k2tog

next: k1, k2tog

next: k2tog

Finish off.

To make larger versions, cast on in multiples of five. I do not have a scientific approach to knitting for babies. I sort of fly by the seat of my pants. If someone has a tried and true method...please...do tell. I haven't had a baby in my house in so long, I have forgotten how small they really are.

Here is my non-scientific method:

for infants, if using WW, cast on 55, knit until 4", then decrease.

for babies, cast on 65, knit until 4-1/2"(3-6mo), 5" (6-9mo) & 5-1/2" (9-12 mo). (Some babies have really big heads and may need more length to have the hat fit properly. Use your judgement.)

toddlers, cast on 75, Stay at 5-1/2" (but you be the judge here!)

kids & older, cast on 85, and depending on how big of a melon they have, knit till 6".

Hope you enjoy!! :)

Hi All! Merry Christmas!

2011-12-20T08:18:00.004-06:00

I haven't forgotten about the blog! I promise...but it's been a BUSY couple of weeks here.

Last weekend we went to Orlando and visited some friends that had travelled from Wisconsin to go to Disney for a week. I remember when her "countdown" still said something like "Only 538 days till Disney!!!"....OY! And just like that, they were on their way home from Florida on Monday.

We had the opportunity to spend a day with them at Disney on Sunday. It was the perfect day. We visited Magic Kingdom. There were almost no lines, so we rode all the rides we wanted to and then some. Walked a million miles. Ate some really good burgers and fries. We took pictures with characters. Some of them repeats from when we were there for Stefani's Make-A-Wish trip in 2005, some of them new characters that we didn't have the opportunity to take pictures with last time. The only ones that we missed that were the "heartbreak of the day" were Jessie and Woody. Saw them in two places and missed pictures both times. :-/

One thing we realized as we were driving back home after an extremely full day was that we don't necessarily have to wait years to go back to Disney anymore. For heaven's sake, we can take a 4 day weekend and go over there if we want to. It's amazing the 'world' that gets opened up to you when you leave the boondocks.

We are excited about Christmas. I just finished my Christmas shopping yesterday. Every single thing I wanted was on sale. It's was a blessed, blessed shopping trip. Only thing I can definitely do without is the traffic. I got to the mall at 10 and it was already filling up. By the time I left at 11 something, it was a MAD-HOUSE!! I think every single person in Pensacola decided yesterday was the day to go shopping! Getting anywhere was a nightmare, but I was a woman on a mission. I was so glad when I was able to say "Mission Accomplished" and go have some lunch with my husband, the major babe.

I have been knitting my little arms off of my body. All the nieces and nephews got slippers this year. There are 10 of them. We are going to my cousin's house for Christmas Eve festivities, so I decided..."hey, I'll knit all the kids a beanie".... and there are 10 of them (including 2 girlfriends and the new little dude being born today. Congrats Brad and Anna!!!).

I haven't mailed the boxes of slippers off yet. They are going in the mail today, so they won't get there till after Christmas. Even though I was a poky puppy about all of this, there is a silver lining to this cloud. Neither of the "families" are getting together with "our side" until after Christmas, so they can open our gifts when "our side" is together and it will be almost like we are there for "family" time. Ok, maybe not. But, it makes me feel better about mailing things out late.

Well, I have a child patiently waiting to use this laptop to get her school work done for the day, so I must skeedaddle.

Have a great day. And if I neglect to post before..Have a wonderful Christmas!! Celebrate the love of Jesus and family!

Mini-Hat #4 - Decoration/Gift Bag Knit Pattern

2011-12-04T16:07:00.004-06:00

KNIT (and tiny bit of crochet for the hanging loop) VERSION by Elizabeth Mareno

Needed:

sz 9 straight needles

G crochet hook

Lg eye needles for sewing seam

Small amounts of WW yarn (Used RHSS Turqua and Lavender)

Stitches Used:

Purl, Knit, Slip Purlwise, (crochet chain)

*wyib- with yarn in back

*sl2p- slip 2 purlwise

RIBBING:

with ribbing color, CO 34

1- k1, p1 across

repeat row 1 for 4 rows or 3/4"

DO NOT CUT

BODY:

run yarn along side of work

1- knit row

2- purl ro2

3- sl first 2 st purlwise, join second color, (k2, wyib sl2p,) repeat across

4- (p2, wyib sl2p) repeat across

5 & 6: repeat rows 1 & 2

7- w/second color (k2, sl2p), repeat across

8- (sl2p, p2) repeat

9-24- Repeat rows 1-8 two more times

should be 4-ish inches after row 24

25- k2, (k3, k2tog) 6 times, k2 (28)

26- k2, (k2, k2tog) 6 times, k2 (22)

27- k2, (k1, k2tog) 6 times, k2 (16)

28- (k2tog) across (8)

Cut yarn, leave a long end for sewing. Cinch up the top and sew seam.

*Make a pom-pom for the top.

*Hanger- Keep the seam on the fold- attach hanging yarn color to a post dcon
the inner edge of the hat brim with a sl st. Chain 18-25 (your
preference),sl st to a post on opposite side of the hat brim. Cut and weave
ends

Mini-Hat #4- Decoration/Gift Bag Crochet Pattern

2011-12-04T15:35:00.006-06:00

CROCHET VERSION by Elizabeth Mareno
**Great for beginners to practice stitches and color changes**

Needed:
Small amounts of WW yarn. (Used RHSS Turqua and Lavender)
G hook
Large eye needle for assembly

Stitches Used:
sl st, ch, sc, dc, sc dec, fpdc, bpdc
*fpdc- yo,insert hook from front to back around the post of the stitch
below, yo, pull through, finish like dc
*bpdc- yo, keeping RS facing you, insert hook from back to front around the
post of the stitch below, yo, pull through, finish like dc.

RIBBING:
with G hook and "Ribbing" color- in this case Turqua
1- Ch 36, dc in 3rd ch from hook and each of remaining ch's.
2- (RS) ch2, turn, (fpdc around next dc, bpdc around next dc) repeat to end
of row. Yes, bpdc around the chains at the very end of the row. Cut ribbing
color and tie off.

BODY:
with G hook and first color- in this case Turqua
1- with RS facing you, join with a sc to the top of the ch 2 from previous
row, sc in each dc across.
2- ch1, turn, sc in each sc across.
**drop first color DO NOT CUT Join second color.
3- ch1, turn, (sc in 2sc, ch2, sk 2sc) repeat 4 times, ch2, sk 2sc, sc in 3sc, (ch2, sk 2sc, sc in 2sc) repeat to end (19sc, 8-ch2 spc)
4- repeat row 3.
drop second color DO NOT CUT pick up first color from the side and join.
5- ch1, turn, (sc in 2sc, dc in next open sc 3 rows below) repeat across putting a sc in each sc and dc in open sc 3 rows below.
6- ch1, turn, sc in each sc and dc across.**
drop first color, pick up second color from the side and join.
7- ch3, turn, sk first 2sc, sc in next 2sc, (ch2, sk 2sc, sc in 2sc) repeat 3 times, ch3, sk 3, sc in 2sc, Repeat () 3 times, leave rem 2 sc undone. (16sc, 2 ch3 spc, 6 ch2 spc)
8- ch1, turn, (sc in 2sc, ch2, sk 2sc) 3 times, sc in 2, ch3, sk3, (sc in 2sc, ch2, sk2) 3 times, sc in 2, ch2, sl hook into 1st ch of original ch3 of row 7.
drop second color, pick up first color
9- ch2, turn, (dc in open sc from 3 rows below, sc in each sc) repeat across, dc in unworked sc from 3 rows below.
10- ch1, turn, sc in each dc and sc across.
11-14 Repeat from ** to ** once.
Cut second color, do not cut first color, should be 4-ish inches in length.

TOP DECREASE:
1- ch1, turn, (sc in 3 sc, sc dec over next 2sc) repeat across (28sc)
2- ch1, turn, (sc in 2sc, sc dec) repeat across (21sc)
3- ch1, turn, (sc in 1sc, sc dec) repeat across (14sc)
4- ch1, turn, (sc dec) repeat across (7sc). Cut, leave a long end for
sewing the seam.
Cinch the top closed by weaving your needle in and out of the remaining sc
of row 4. Then fold the hat putting the Right Sides together and whipstitch your
seam together from top to ribbing.
*Make pom-pom and attach
*Hanger- Keep the seam on the fold- attach hanging yarn color to a post dc
on the inner edge of the hat brim with a sl st. Chain 18-25 (your preference),
sl st to a post on opposite side of the hat brim. Cut and weave ends.

Mini-Hat Decoration/Gift Bag Pattern- Hat #3

2011-12-04T15:22:00.002-06:00

Original Knit Pattern: http://www.redheart.com/files/patterns/pdf/LW2658.pdf

This one reminds me of hunting season in the Northwoods. :)

CROCHET VERSION by Elizabeth Mareno

**Great for beginners to practice stitches and color changes**

Needed:
Small amounts of WW yarn. (Used RHSS Brite Yellow, Pumpkin & Tea Leaf)
G hook
Large eye needle for assembly

Stitches Used:
sl st, ch, sc, dc, sc dec, fpdc, bpdc
*fpdc- yo,insert hook from front to back around the post of the stitch
below, yo, pull through, finish like dc
*bpdc- yo, keeping RS facing you, insert hook from back to front around the
post of the stitch below, yo, pull through, finish like dc.

RIBBING:
with G hook and "Ribbing" color- in this case Brite Yellow
1- Ch 36, dc in 3rd ch from hook and each of remaining ch's.
2- (RS) ch2, turn, (fpdc around next dc, bpdc around next dc) repeat to end
of row. Yes, bpdc around the chains at the very end of the row. Cut ribbing
color and tie off.

BODY:
with G hook and first stripe color- in this case Pumpkin
1- with RS facing you, join with a sc to the top of the ch 2 from previous
row, sc in each dc across.
2- ch1, turn, sc in each sc across.

drop first color CUT leaving a long enough end to weave in, Join second color (tea leaf).
3-14- ch1, turn, sc in each sc across.
**Should be 4-ish inches long. DO NOT CUT.

TOP DECREASE:
1- ch1, turn, (sc in 3 sc, sc dec over next 2sc) repeat across (28sc)
2- ch1, turn, (sc in 2sc, sc dec) repeat across (21sc)
3- ch1, turn, (sc in 1sc, sc dec) repeat across (14sc)
4- ch1, turn, (sc dec) repeat across (7sc).

Cut, leave a long end for sewing the seam.
Cinch the top closed by weaving your needle in and out of the remaining sc
of row 4. Then fold the hat putting the Right Sides together and whipstitch your
seam together from top to ribbing.
*Make pom-pom and attach
*Hanger- Keep the seam on the fold- attach hanging yarn color to a post dc
on the inner edge of the hat brim with a sl st. Chain 18-25 (your preference),
sl st to a post on opposite side of the hat brim. Cut and weave ends.

Mini Hat Decoration/Gift Bag- Pattern Hat #2

2011-12-04T15:03:00.003-06:00

Original Knit Pattern: http://www.redheart.com/files/patterns/pdf/LW2658.pdf

I made the knit version of this hat with size 9 dpns. I prefer working in the round, as opposed to working straight and sewing seams. I will be making the rest of my knit hats in the round.

CROCHET VERSION by Elizabeth Mareno
**Great for beginners to practice stitches and color changes**
Needed:
Small amounts of WW yarn. (Used RHSS Cherry Red and Bright Blue)
G hook
Large eye needle for assembly

Stitches Used:
sl st, ch, sc, sc dec, fpdc, bpdc

*fpdc- yo,insert hook from front to back around the post of the stitch
below, yo, pull through, finish like dc
*bpdc- yo, keeping RS facing you, insert hook from back to front around the
post of the stitch below, yo, pull through, finish like dc.

RIBBING:
with G hook and "Ribbing" color- in this case Bright Blue
1- Ch 36, dc in 3rd ch from hook and each of remaining ch's.
2- (RS) ch2, turn, (fpdc around next dc, bpdc around next dc) repeat to end
of row. Yes, bpdc around the chains at the very end of the row. Cut ribbing
color and tie off.

BODY:

with G hook and first body color- in this case Cherry Red

1- with RS facing you, join 1st body color with a sc to the ch 2, sc in each dc across. (35sc)

2- ch1, turn, sc in each sc across.

**drop 1st color DO NOT CUT, join with 2nd color

3- ch1, turn, sc in each sc across

4- repeat row 3. CUT 2nd color leaving a long enough end to weave in.

**pick up 1st color and join

5-14- ch1, turn, sc in each sc.

**should be 4-ish inches long. CUT 1st color, rejoin 2nd color for top decrease.

TOP DECREASE:

1- ch1, turn, (sc in 3sc, sc dec over next 2sc) repeat across (28sc)

2- ch1, turn, (sc in 2sc, sc dec) repeat across (21sc)

3- ch1, turn, (sc in 1sc, sc dec) repeat across (14sc)

4- ch1, turn, (sc dec) across (7sc)

Mini-Hat Decoration/Gift Bag Pattern- Hat #1

2011-12-04T08:18:00.004-06:00

Original Knit Pattern Here: http://www.redheart.com/files/patterns/pdf/LW2658.pdf

CROCHET VERSION by Elizabeth Mareno

**Great for beginners to practice stitches and color changes**

Needed:

Small amounts of WW yarn. (Used RHSS Brite Yellow and Turqua)

G hook

Large eye needle for assembly

Stitches Used:

sl st, ch, sc, dc, sc dec, fpdc, bpdc

*fpdc- yo,insert hook from front to back around the post of the stitch below, yo, pull through, finish like dc

*bpdc- yo, keeping RS facing you, insert hook from back to front around the post of the stitch below, yo, pull through, finish like dc.

RIBBING:

with G hook and "Ribbing" color- in this case Turqua

1- Ch 36, dc in 3rd ch from hook and each of remaining ch's.

2- (RS) ch2, turn, (fpdc around next dc, bpdc around next dc) repeat to end of row. Yes, bpdc around the chains at the very end of the row. Cut ribbing color and tie off.

BODY:

with G hook and first stripe color- in this case Brite Yellow

1- with RS facing you, join with a sc to the top of the ch 2 from previous row, sc in each dc across.

2- ch1, turn, sc in each sc across.

**drop first color DO NOT CUT Join second color.

3- ch1, turn, sc in each sc across.

4- repeat row 3.

drop second color DO NOT CUT pick up first color from the side and join.

5- ch1, turn, sc in each sc across.

6- repeat row 5**

Repeat from ** to ** until you reach 4-ish inches (roughly 14 rows), finishing with 1st color.

Drop 1st color and cut, leave a long enough end to weave in, pick up second color.

TOP DECREASE:

1- ch1, turn, (sc in 3 sc, sc dec over next 2sc) repeat across (28sc)

2- ch1, turn, (sc in 2sc, sc dec) repeat across (21sc)

3- ch1, turn, (sc in 1sc, sc dec) repeat across (14sc)

4- ch1, turn, (sc dec) repeat across (7sc). Cut, leave a long end for sewing the seam.

Cinch the top closed by weaving your needle in and out of the remaining sc of row 4. Then fold the hat putting the Right Sides together and whipstitch your seam together from top to ribbing.

*Make pom-pom and attach

*Hanger- Keep the seam on the fold- attach hanging yarn color to a post dc on the inner edge of the hat brim with a sl st. Chain 18-25 (your preference), sl st to a post on opposite side of the hat brim. Cut and weave ends.

Decorating for Christmas

2011-11-28T08:55:00.003-06:00

We didn't get to decorate at all for Christmas because we literally moved out of our house on Christmas Eve. So this year, I decided that we were going to decorate right after Thanksgiving and get to enjoy the decorations for as long as possible. My husband will be clamoring to have them packed up shortly after the New Year...so, gotta get it in while I can. Besides, we are still struggling to find that "Christmas Feel" down here. Hard to think Christmas when it's 70's and 80's in November! LOL

Some of the fun of decorating is finding all of the old ornaments that have been passed down for years! This teddy bear ornament was made by an Aunt or Grandma. My Dad says that Aunt Margaret made it, but I think this one came with my husband..... I think I remember the one Aunt Margaret made and it was a smaller bear. Anyway, when we picked this one up we all got a little freaked out. When you hold him in the light just right, he has a bit of a "Chuckie" look to him. Last thing we need are possessed toy ornaments stalking us in the night....LOL But really, he looks like he's seen better years. He reminds me of "Big Baby" from Toy Story 3.

So we got the Charlie Brown tree all decorated and put the snowman tree topper on and the top leaned over. Actually, the top section was already leaning because some of the ornaments were to heavy. As you can see, this is a bottom of the line Pamida special picked up in "emergency mode" two years ago because our old tree's lights decided to die. Nevertheless, it is the tree we have and we've all begun to think of it affectionately. The bottom sections lights almost didn't turn on and only half of the middle section. But then somebody moved a branch and Voila! we had lights. LOL...

Eh...it's all about being grateful for what you DO have instead of worrying about what you don't.

Later, my son thought he saw the tree swaying in the breeze from the ceiling fan. :)

I enlisted the help of the tall hubby to hang up the traditional Indian Toran that my friend Sandhya made for me a few years ago. It is in my front hallway as a greeting to my guests. Tall hubby kept fussing at me about how dangerous it is for him to stand on anything but a ladder. Did he get a ladder? No. He got a kitchen chair, placed it at least a foot out of "reach" and said "see? this is really unsafe". Oh yes, this is the humor I deal with on a daily basis, people. I'm a girl who loves a good laugh, trust me. But, this man thinks he's brilliant. Gotta love him.

If I was more than JUST over 5' tall, I would do a whole lotta things for myself.

After putting up the Charlie Brown tree I realized that I didn't have a tree skirt. As a matter of fact, in all 18-1/2 years of marriage, I've had one tree skirt and it disappeared.....somewhere...??...or wait, did I? I don't think I've ever had a tree skirt! *GASP*

Holy cats. No tree skirt, and I had a whole tote of sparkly Christmas yarn that was beggging to be used!

I went hunting for the perfect skirt. I really like the pattern I settled on. There really weren't that many rows to the whole thing, but with all the increases the last row was 432 stitches and took me over an hour to crochet. I had really had enough at that point. I couldn't stand the thought of 3 more rows, so I cut it short and low and behold it fit perfect. Any longer and it would have been a tripping hazard. Free Pattern Link: http://smoothfoxlover.blogspot.com/2009/10/smoothfoxs-christmas-tree-skirt-free.html

Side Note: Today I decided to start eating better. I cut up an apple and had a yogurt. And a chocolate chip cookie.

There is no sense rushing into these things. Rushed is always wrong. :)

A Day (or Two) Late

2011-11-26T17:40:00.003-06:00

I hope all my American readers had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I'm a day or two late as usual. I enjoyed my Thanksgiving quite a bit. It was nice and peaceful. No family drama, just lots of good food and good conversation! :) Missed my loved ones from back home, but I was very grateful to have extended family to share the day with down here in Florida.

I pray blessings on you all!

-

2011-11-22T15:53:00.001-06:00

I have no special days.

Weekend at Biz's

2011-11-21T10:29:00.003-06:00

Little People

More felted slippers. These are my nephew, Sam's. I used Patons 100% Wool in "Forest".

It has sort of a camo look to it

Liz's slippers. Used Stitch Nation-Full o' Sheep (a Red Heart yarn) in "Orange" (can't remember actual name) and "Passionfruit". Great color palette. Knits and felts wonderfully.

Don't look at my sloppy bathroom counter in the background. or better yet, as Obe Wan says...."these are not the droids you are looking for". Ok, nevermind, I'm being a dork. LOL

You probably wouldn't have even noticed if I hadn't said something.....

The Mareno Men dipping chocolate pretzels.....them that works, eats!

Peppermint Patties: http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Perfect-Peppermint-Patties

Yes, you DO want to make these....and YES, they are worth the effort!! :) We make them every year for the Holidays. They never seem to make it all the way to Christmas. Haha!

Coffee Bonbons- another perennial favorite. :)

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Coffee-Bonbons

I enjoy a couple of these every morning with my cuppa jo.

Go.......Off with you....Bake something...... ;-)

Acorn Bag~ Etsy Exclusive

2011-11-17T10:13:00.005-06:00

I'm going to have a greedy moment and keep this set and it's patterns for myself and my Etsy business. It started out as a custom "character" order and morphed its way into a full-fledged toy bag set. It was a lot of fun to design. I love every character, but I especially love the way the bag came out. It was a God-design, because I just hooked and hooked and out popped this bag with absolutely no forethought.

Hope you enjoy the pictures and don't hold it against me too hard for not sharing.

The gang

Mr. Bunnykins

Gibby the Hedgehog

Gibby's little feet

Henry Hoppsalot

Steve the Squirrel

Winston the Owl

Impending Doom

2011-11-10T11:58:00.006-06:00

Hello all you happy people....*droopy voice*

In exactly 12 days....I turn 40. Oh yes, I have finally reached that number. I got to thinking, what is waiting for me? I'm about to start the second half of my life. The first half has been really busy. Full of being born, growing up, maturing, marrying, birthing, rearing, schooling.....

I thought once I turned 40, I would be 'ready'...I would 'feel' my age...I wouldn't feel so "UN" put together! LOL So I went looking for a picture to represent...well...me where I'm at now. Maybe those of you with some experience beyond the big 4-oh can help me figure out what's coming next?

I have one question, though. Why were there so many pictures of LeAnn Rimes under "crazy"? LOL

Moving right along....

Right now, this is what I look like many days. Blissfully tripping along without a care in the world...trying to figure out what the heck it was that I had just gotten up to do...

a little edgy...a little crazy...

But, is this what I'm destined for if I don't come out of that crazy stupor?

Does it get better or worse?

Some mornings are better than others. I have been having a touch of insomnia lately. Staying up late, late, late....sleeping until all hours of the morning and still managing to look this cheerful...

Then, I have my coffee and this girl returns.

I get to deal with homeschooling teenagers on a daily basis. I know that I can't really complain because I chose it. But, I'm pretty sure that this sign should be posted somewhere in my house.

The children get up and all the bickering, fighting, whining, poking, prodding, crabbing, instigating, mouthing off, back sassing and constant yammering turn me into this woman in about 5 minutes.

And has me praying for this:

The day finally comes to an end and my amazing hubby comes home from work.

Just his presence in the house feels like this.

Ironically enough, he would probably want to wrestle me for a chocolate bar that big.

Of course, I would "put up a fight"....pssshtt..

Thinking of my husband gets me thinking about how over the last 40 years I have not done my best to take care of my young, girlish figure and I certainly don't represent the girl that I "was". Does turning 40 justify plastic surgery?

Hmm. I think I'll just start eating salads and get on the treadmill....

VistaPrint Specials!!

2011-11-09T16:28:00.002-06:00

http://www.vistaprint.com/vp/ns/my_sales.aspx?xnav=top

Click on the link if you are looking for awesome prices on business cards and marketing products!!

Vistaprint is running a great sale!

Busy Weekend

2011-11-07T10:51:00.004-06:00

I was like a woman obsessed this weekend. I was up late every night because I just had to do one more row, one more section, one more body part....it was insanity, I'm telling you. I feel like I got a lot accomplished. And it was a "chill out" weekend for us...snuggling in the house, watching Christmas movies and football. Perfect time to knit and crochet your little fingers to the bone.

I am S.T.R.U.G.G.L.I.N.G. to get into the Christmas mood. It is 60-70 degrees here every day. The only thing that has turned a color other than green is my yard. And that's only brown because it hasn't rained in a month! lol. Then I talk with family back home and its 21 and snowy there. BUT...regardless of my psychological inability to wrap my head around the impending holidays...I really do know Christmas is coming and I had better get to knitting if I'm going to get those felted slippers done for my nieces and nephews in time!

Here is the 'before' of my niece Emily's slippers. She likes purple and lime green this year. I used Patons 100% Wool. I called them the "elephantitis" slippers. They were just massive. Here's the pattern link: http://www.knittingatnoon.com/slipperpatt.html (pattern has directions for adults/kids/toddlers and two different sized cuffs)

I learned a couple of things. I will cast on less for the ankles of the ones for the kids. I am going to have to weave some ribbon at the base of the cuff so she can snug them up when she is wearing them. Her feet are 9" and I cast on the adult pair so that it would be long enough. You learn by your mistakes, though.

The other thing I learned was that I need to make sure I watch them REALLY close when they are felting. At first they weren't shrinking, but I only had one pair of old jeans in there. I threw two more pairs of Tony's work jeans in there and walked away thinking...eh...this will take a while. Oh Em Gee.....by the time I got back in there, 1 or 2 more minutes and these would have fit a 3 year old. I caught them when they were just a tad under where they needed to be so I spent some time stretching them to the length they needed to be. I stuffed them with balled up plastic bags to hold their shape. Then they dried for a day like that. I took the bags out and let them finish drying another day. They still feel slightly cool to the touch on the soles....man that wool takes a long time to dry. They are wonderful all except for the cuffs. I know what I'm going to change on the other kids slippers. The oldest is always the guinea pig...poor thing.

Then, I made some charity toys. I am helping a friend in Georgia, who is dealing with her own cancer, but is determined to bless needy families in her area. I started writing this blog after Stefani completed chemo, but for those of you that were around in the beginning, you may remember that the reason I even started a blog was because I wanted to share the patterns that I wrote for toys for kids. It was my way of paying back all that we were blessed with when Stefani was going through chemotherapy for ALL (Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia) from 2004-2006. I didn't have money to give, but I did have a talent...and that's what I used. :)

Plus, we are doing a Christmas box for our church and I was thinking of popping a chubby toy in there with the other goodies.

The upcoming pics are Lion Brand free patterns for amigurumi's. They are so cute and so easy to make.....I just can't tell you how fun they are. First up are Pig: http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/70589AD.html?noImages= and Frog: http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/70595AD.html?noImages=

I didn't use Wool Ease for these. I used what I had on hand and I think they turned out every bit as cute as the original patterns. Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a stickler for toys that I make being "baby safe", so I didn't use buttons for the eyes like they suggested. I just embroidered their little eyes on. My frogs have a tendency to look cross-eyed for some reason. :-/

Next up is Octopus: http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/70588AD.html?noImages=

I used a blue instead of a purple. I like him better like this. Stefani named him "Beaver". Don't ask me what goes through that child's head....just don't.

I am developing a few new pieces to add to my toys in my Etsy store. Up first is Mr. Bunnykins. My daughter just can't get over how big his butt is.....

Next up is Henry Hoppsalot, who strangely resembles P.T. Flea from Disney's "A Bug's Life". Once again, cross-eyed.

Cheesy Bacon Potato Chowder~ Original Recipe

2011-11-02T11:45:00.003-05:00

Not a great picture....but super hearty and very filling! A wonderful Fall Supper!

Came up with this recipe this week. Was such a huge hit with my family I decided to share it with you. This can very easily be turned gluten free (use a gluten free cream soup). I haven't tried, but I think this could also be altered into a lacto-vegetarian recipe using meat substitutes.

Cheesy Bacon Potato Chowder ~ Original Recipe

Serves about 6-8, 1-1/2 cup servings.

Elizabeth Mareno 2011

1/2 lb bacon- cut into bits

1 cup onion- chopped

2 cups carrots- chopped

3 lbs potatoes- chopped (I didn't peel mine. Use your preference)

4 cups chicken or veggie broth

1 can crm of mushroom or crm of chicken

8oz cream cheese

2 cups shredded cheddar

salt, pepper, granulated garlic(use sparingly) for seasoning

Cook bacon in soup pot until fat is rendered and pieces are crispy. Remove some for garnish.

Add onion and cook till translucent.

Add chicken broth (a little at first to deglase the pan, beware of the steam).

Add carrots and cream soup, mix well.

Add potato, cook until tender.

Using a manual potato masher, slightly mash carrots and potatoes to thicken soup.

Add cheeses, stir until completely melted.

Garnish with crispy bacon and chives (optional).

Hats and Shawls

2011-11-02T10:07:00.004-05:00

Hi all. More finished objects today. I updated my computer, so of course it didn't work right anymore. I glitches have apparently fixed themselves, so we are back to our regularly scheduled programming.

We will start with shawls today.

My Mommy turns 64 on Friday. (I was supposed to be born on her birthday, but I decided to come 2-1/2 weeks late. I was born to disrupt the status quo.) I decided my mumsy needed some shawls. I wanted to make her three, but only had time to make her two before I had to get the box mailed in time for her birthday. I knit one and I crocheted one. I don't love the crocheted one for two reasons. I think I picked a bad colorway and it is too short for true "shawl-ness". Nevertheless, I sent it to her.

First up: Flying Geese Shawl http://www.knittingdaily.com/media/p/47244/showcontent.aspx

That is the link. I can't get my laptop to work with me today. Maybe the glitches aren't fixed?

I made mine with Lion Brand "Jiffy" in #189 Wine. It is an acrylic bulky weight yarn, with a bit of a "fuzz" to it. The technical term eludes me today . I used a size 15 needle. I also added an extra "V" because I wanted to make sure this would be long enough to wrap around her. Thanks Stef for being my model.

This is the crocheted shawl I made. I want to try it again with a different color and adding a repeat or two.

Fabulous Shawl. http://www.favecrafts.com/Crochet-Sweaters/Fabulous-Shawl-from-Red-Heart I used, "I Love That Yarn" from Hobby Lobby. Don't know the colorway. It looks prettier in the skein.

Here we have a new baby hat pattern I have come up with. I will be adding a pom-pom to the top. This is something I will be selling in my Etsy shop. http://www.etsy.com/shop/originalbiz This particular hat is a custom request from a patron, but I will be making more for the shop soon.

Last week I made some hats for my Mom. She is in the frozen tundra and she needs some cute hats. I sent her some links to hats I was interested in making and these are the ones she approved of.

Greentrelac hat: knit http://www.allcrafts.net/fjs.htm?url=rms-ravelingmysensibility.blogspot.com/2008/11/entre-nous-entrelac.html

I learned Entrelac, people!! Exciting to say the least. I feel so accomplished! It is a slow moving pattern for sure, but such cute results. It makes you look brilliant. I will admit, I struggled with it at first. My brain almost imploded, but then Shazam! I caught it and we were off to the races.

This particular pattern gives a very sketchy explanation of how many stitches to cast on for the ribbing. I did the whole measurement thing and did the first hat with a cast on of 104. Turned out big. Not "turn it over, add handles and call it a purse" big, but definitely requiring bobby pins to hold it on big. Or big hair, big. The second one I took it down and cast on 96. Still feels a little roomy to me. The next one I will either cast on 90 or 84. We'll see. Btw, I have a 23" head circumference.

This one is: Patons 100% Wool, not sure of colorway. It's a blue, teal, brown, tan mixture.

This one is Debbie Norville "Everyday". It is my NEW acrylic worsted weight favorite. Soft, really great spring and pill-free. Definitely not the "plastic, scratchy" feel of Red Heart SS. JoAnn's had it on sale 2 for $5, so I thought I'd give it a try. It is spendy if you are looking to do an afghan. I believe it sells for $3.99, or something close to that, for a 3.5 oz skein. But it's GREAT for hats and other small projects like that.

The last hat I made Mom was a take on the Brattleboro Hat from Knitting Daily. http://www.knittingdaily.com/media/p/47263.aspx It is a pattern that is for sale in a book. I wasn't willing to pay $25.00 for a book for one pattern that I was interested in, so I sorta figured it out for myself. This is a terrible picture of me, but I wanted to show you the hat.

I made it from Lion Brand Wool-Ease with size 7 dpns. I, also, had to research how to make decreases while doing a seed stitch in the round. Oy...the things I do for my mother. I did write down the pattern so I could repeat it. However I don't feel right putting it on here because I just copied somebody else's design. Besides, mine is not nearly as "polished" looking as the original. My Mama appreciated it, though. :)

Last, but certainly not least, is the newest 'hat addition' to our house. My love needed to get a second job to take care of this family. He was hired by Domino's to be a rush driver. He went through several weeks of feeling embarrassed about the fact that he had to get a job at Domino's. I, being the tender sweetheart that I am, just could not wrap my brain around what the big deal was. A job is a job. But, for him, it really mattered. He was ashamed. Something clicked last week. He noticed he was not the only late 30's man working there that worked a day job and delivered pizza's at night to make ends meet. God has touched his heart and now he is grateful for this job. *whew* I must say, I thoroughly enjoy his employee discount. :)

Be grateful....Be blessed. :)

Let's Talk About A Sweater....

2011-10-28T17:20:00.004-05:00

My daughter fell in love with this sweater. I probably shared it in my last post...? Maybe? Not? So I'm sharing it again. It's called the Trendy Top Overlay by Double Stitch Twins. A free Red Heart pattern.

This is the first one I made. Caron Simply Soft "Grape". Stefani wanted to step out of her color comfort zone and spice up her wardrobe. I think it turned out pretty cool. It looks great on her. :)

I posted Stefani's finished sweater on Facebook and got a great response. My girlfriend, Sam, wanted one in red. Red Heart Soft "Wine".

Then, another friend, Gillian, wanted one in Hot Pink! I haven't gotten her "model" picture, so you only get to see a closeup. Caron Simply Soft "Watermelon".

My Mother-in-law wanted one made in red too. But, she wanted a bright red. Not quite University of Wisconsin Badgers red, but something just under that. Red Heart Soft "Really Red". This red looks like wine in the picture, but in person its a lovely warm red with just a hint of gold. Quite beautiful for fall. Stefani was kind enough to model the sweater so I could send a picture to my mom in law. She came down the stairs anouncing to the house "Dang, this one looks good on me too!" Ahhh. Teenage modesty. ;)

Super easy pattern. Lots of fun to make....and it literally looks great on everyone. :) I'll post pics of Gillian and Ann when they send them to me.

Tah!

Some Pooh for You

2011-10-14T22:44:00.002-05:00

Sharing my Pooh with you is a special thing....really. This Pooh, however, was made specifically for my cousin's wife's baby shower. They are having a little boy in December.

My daughter thought it best to strap Pooh into the seat for the ride over to the shower. Makes for a cute picture. :)

Oh My Gosh. Lotsa Pictures.

2011-10-06T11:19:00.009-05:00

It's been another month and I haven't been any better at posting than I was before. :/ I decided to show you what I've been up to in the last month or two. Pictures are so much more fun than words sometimes.

I learned to knit I-cords. Honest and for true, I could make socks..but I couldn't knit an I-cord. I googled and found a couple of really nice video tutorials on youtube. Worked like a charm. This is the lady that I ended up liking the best.

I was also looking to make some baby hats. I found a bunch of patterns and didn't really like any of them. So taking the basic premise, I made my own. Here's what I came up with. They look like a few of the patterns out there already so that's why I'm not planning on posting them on here as an "original" pattern.

Caron Simply Soft baby hats with an I cord loop.

In my baby hat quest, I found a really cool pattern for a baby cabled baby slouchy hat. Love the baby cables or cheater cables, cuz you don't actually use a cable needle....hallelujah. Its just a twisted stitch. To this I say...bring on the cables baby!

As I stated in my last post, I have been busy getting a business going of my original designs. It is a SLOW process. I decided to just start building some stock up. Here is my Big Girl Backpack pattern with a few twists thrown in for fun.

Big "BOY" Backpacks

I have been emptying out some boxes looking for various things and finding others. For instance, all of my beading and jewelry making supplies! Yay, me! Except that I went in to sensory overload and had to pack it all away in the spare bedroom (craft room) because I couldn't settle on one thing to make with all those supplies. Argh.

A little bit of randomness here. My daughter has been wracking her brains to figure out a way to curl her hair. She tried so many different products and was ready to start getting into the pricey tools and curlers, etc. Then one day, she took her hair out of the towel and came downstairs without brushing it. I looked at her and said "Oh my gosh, Stefani, your hair is curly!!" Apparently, if the child doesn't brush her hair it curls. So she has a whole new regimen now. This picture shows a little bit of curl, but ever since she stopped "processing" her hair it's starting to make ringlets. I remember when she was just getting her hair back after chemotherapy and it was coming back in curly, she was so upset. She did NOT want curly hair. HAHAHA! Oh how the priorities change!!

Notice my son buried in the pillows on the couch in the background? LOL

We've gotten on a baking, sugar, weight gain jag around here. I think I've put on 20-25 lbs since moving here....but, by God, I've got my dessert!!

Basic chocolate cupcake with basic canned frosting.

Yes, it was as good as it looks. :)

Discovered a recipe for "Jewish" coffee cake on AllRecipes.com

Not entirely sure what makes it Jewish.

All I know is that we gained a few pounds after I made it two or three times. :)

Quite delish warmed up and slathered with butter....oh and a cup of joe on the side. Yum.

I decided to sell some of the pattern books I wasn't using as a way to generate some much needed funds. That pile is barely a 1/3 of my craft library. I felt ridiculous when I was going through them. WHY have I been hanging onto some of these books? I kept them just because they were craft books. I didn't necessarily like the patterns...but they were mine and I was keeping them. Well, not anymore. A large chunk of them have sold on Ebay. Some of the ones that haven't sold on Ebay, I have placed on my Bizzy Crochet Facebook page for those that don't like using Ebay.

I knit a log cabin afghan to give as a gift to our new Pastors for Pastor Appreciation Month. Which is October, in case you didn't know. Made with Homespun and a size 15 needle.

I made my very first African American Princess Castle. It's my Fantasy Castle with Characters pattern. Had lots of fun with this one!

I just like the way the steed turned out for this one.

Finally, my business cards came. I got them through VistaPrint online. They were super reasonable and they are really nice. Full color, nice heavy cardstock. I paid $17 and change for 500 cards including shipping. And I think the shipping was $9 something. Right now it looks like they are not running the same promotion, but if you are looking for a reasonable place to get custom printing done, I would give these guys a look and bookmark them. Just watch, they run promotions all the time.

Pizza. The nectar of heaven. Just needed to pause for a second here.

Got my wedding album scrapbooked, at last. Only took me 18 years and a few days. I'm so glad it's done. And for the record...yes, that's really how my husband proposed to me. He's never lived it down (even though I'm the boob that said yes instead of making him do it right). It ranks right up there with his faux pas when I was pregnant (8-1/2 months!)and he told me I didn't a chocolate shake...(yes, he really did)... and proceeded to drive by at least 5 Dairy Queens on a 5 hour trip..... We use both of these as training tools for young couples. LOL

I will leave you with this moment of precious innocence. My sweet, 8-1/2 year old baby dog (Mack) says.....Hello!

What God is doing in my life.....

2011-09-08T08:48:00.006-05:00

Hey all.

I just need to talk. I am freshly amped with caffeine, so I think my fingers will keep up with my mind. However, this might become disjointed in spots, please forgive my rambling.

Have you ever done something and then when it's not this amazing, exciting new thing anymore you start to question the heck did I just do? Yes, me too. But, we pick up our boot straps and pull up our big girl panties and MARCH!

I love Florida. I really do. It is the antithesis of Wisconsin in almost every conceivable way. Oh wait, they do have cows...and roosters. This I know because a couple of streets over there is a cow pasture in the middle of a residential neighborhood. I'm thinking they were there first...? lol And there is a rooster a neighborhood or two over that crows every morning. When I have my windows open, I can hear him.

Moving here has been the hardest thing I have ever done. Some of this I may have whined to you already but, to top the list, the emotional aspect has been heart wrenching. I miss my parents so much some days I could just lay in bed, in a pool of my tears and snot, until I crust over. Thank God my parents learned how to text before we moved or I don't know what I would do. I hate sitting on the phone. I miss my friends. I miss my scrapbook Saturdays. I miss going to the drive-in. I miss card night at our house. I miss cooking in a kitchen that's big enough and having people over. I miss canning salsa with my best friend...... You don't realize how comfortable you are in your life until you have to start over from scratch for everything. Even down to the basic need of friendships. I don't need a lot of people close to me, but when you have no one.......it gets lonely. In the last month or two we have begun to forge friendships with people in our church. Not that we necessarily do things outside of church right now, but it's nice to know that there are people that are happy to see you. Really, the only thing hard after that would be the financial aspect. I don't think we have recovered yet. But BOY!!!! has my faith in God's ability to take care of me grown. Leaps and Bounds!! We are never without what we need.

I am greatful that God has placed me here, in this place, in this time. It would have taken me years to reach the faith level I have gotten to just by moving away from everything I've ever known.

The bible says that if you will give up mothers and fathers and sisters and brothers and properties for His sake, you will be blessed a hundredfold (Matt 19:29)....I am expecting that. We did not move only because we wanted to live somewhere warm. We moved because we felt like God placed us here for a reason. Couldn't tell you what it is right now. We see things developing and are excited about the possibilities. But, no matter what, we are in training for the next season of our lives and we are going to learn all that we need to know. One thing we are certain of is that we are to finish getting our kids through high school. We will not be released to move on until that has happened. They are loving Florida Virtual School so far. It's a great program. Teo actually likes school this year.

We have begun to have devotion time with our kids every night. I know that it is assumed that if you homeschool and you are Christians that you have devotions with your kids. I was never one of those "do it all right" kind of moms. There are lots of things I've fallen down on. Devotions was one of them. We noticed a really bad pattern of bad behavior coming out of our kids. God showed me that is because I neglected my first mission field. So, every night we have family prayer with prayer requests and issues we know of that we pray for others, as well as, ourselves. And we read a book out of Proverbs every night. I want to branch out from that and start adding a chapter from other books. The kids are disappointed if they only get to read once and there are all kinds of things to learn in the bible, so why not? I see the change in programming working. My kids are more pleasant to be around. They are becoming kinder to each other and they are getting the Word in them. Even if its in small doses, it will change their lives. I'm expecting great things.

I received an invitation from a gentleman at church to come and sing with his personal ministry group. He talked with both Tony and I about it and I am going to start going to practices on the 19th. He told Tony the first time he heard me sing, he knew instantly that I had to come sing with him and that God has given me a gift and I need to stop hiding it. Wow. That is humbling. Tony told him that I have been singing in church since I was 12 and he asked "And she's never done anything with it?" It floors me that this man, who performs for and with great talent, loves my voice. I honestly don't look at myself as stacking up to other people's talent even though I've been asked most of my life when I was going to start recording. Fear and insecurity have always held me back. But no more. I know that God has created my voice for His glory and for such a time as this. I think nothing has happened with my voice up till now because it wasn't the right timing. In my life and in my walk with God.

Ok. Time for me to end my rambling. I pray you have a blessed and prosperous day. That you have favor with everyone you come in contact with and you are able to touch someone in a positive way! Shine on, Cities on a Hill!!

Thank You Tuesday!

2011-09-06T11:00:00.003-05:00

Yay...more pictures! Tuesdays are all about showing off the pictures of my patterns that my readers have been gracious enough to share with me. :) I love seeing what everyone is doing!

First up we have a couple of pictures by Nanette of Nanette Crochet on Blogspot! She's got a nice supply of her own Pokemon patterns, so you should check her out! Nanette used my Azurill pattern and created this first little guy...isn't he just cute??

Then, she modified the Azurill pattern and came up with a Marill pattern....Great Job, Nanette! He's so chubby...I love him!

A big shout out to Marie-France for making Charizard...*whew*....he's a lot of work!! She said she had some technical difficulties, but that she is hoping her son likes him. He's gonna LOVE him!! You did a GREAT job! Congrats on completing that monumental task!!

If you want me to showcase your amazingness...send me pics! I'll be happy to post them and give you all the credit for the finished product!! Yay, you!

Labor Day Howdy!

2011-09-02T09:19:00.003-05:00

Hello all. Summer is over and Labor Day is upon us again. How did it get here so fast?

On one hand I almost can't remember the beginning of the year. So much happened with the move and being separated from Tony for 2 months while he lived in Florida and the kids and I stayed in Wisconsin. Then, we got to Florida and it's been month after month of surviving. I haven't been able to find a job except one that I couldn't physically handle and had to quit. It has been a very long time since we have lived on one income, so it's been a LOT of transition. We have learned to detest peanut butter sandwiches and pancakes.

I think school has started basically everywhere in the states now. My kids have gone back to school and are actually liking it. They attend Florida Virtual School online. It's free to Florida residents, thank you Jesus, and so far it's been great. My son, the one I have wanted to throttle in years past because of his grades, is getting B's!! :) High B's. Not just squeaking in the door B's! Yay, him! I have, also, obtained tutors for the kids in math and english. I'm so glad I did, because Stefani is already having trouble understanding beginning algebra and I want her to succeed. Mr. Stan, their math tutor is super nice and goes the extra mile for them. Thank you, Mr. Stan! They haven't started with their English tutor yet, but he's another great guy. I think they will have a blast with him.

I am currently working on getting my Florida Seller's Permit to open a cottage industry business out of my home. (I know, I just can't seem to stay away from owning my own business!)
Oh. My. God. Can you say hoops, people?? They have them. A lot of them. Gotta get an FEIN...ok, easy enough. Then you have to register your DBA name for $50. Just so your name is registered in the state and you can do business. Just for a name....that's not even the seller's permit. I'm not even sure if that's the business license you have to have in order to apply for the seller's permit. Then you apply for your seller's permit. I haven't gotten that far. I'm currently hung up on the DBA for $50. I need to have my seller's permit, though. So...it will be accomplished. In Wisconsin, it was simple. Get an EIN and then apply for your Seller's Permit..pay your fee and voila...you're in business. *sigh* I miss the good ole days. ;)

Ok all. I hope you have a productive weekend off. I plan to work on some stock for Christmas sales. I have shown my work to some ladies in the church and they have already put in orders. Praise God. :)

Be blessed, be safe and have a GREAT weekend!!

OOps...

2011-08-31T11:18:00.003-05:00

Nobody sent me pictures...so no Thank You Tuesday. LOL

Thank You Tuesday!

2011-08-23T17:50:00.004-05:00

I am in need of a gimmick or two to get me blogging on a regular basis again. Too bad none of the days of the week start with C, because there would have to be a Coffee something or another. So I am going to start with hosting "Thank You Tuesday!" for all of my readers that would like to share a picture or two of my patterns that you have made with your very own fingers! :)

This week I have received pictures from Patty T. who did a great job on the AG doll backpack pattern. I love her color choice. It could go one of two ways...either super cute, serene and sweet or GO PACK!! :) Either way...Great Job Patty!!

If you would like to share your pictures with me so I can show the world how awesome you guys are...then please email them to me. You will find my email address in the bar on the right --->

And thank you for making my patterns!

Fantasy Tree w/Elves & Animals Pattern

2011-08-20T13:34:00.007-05:00

*Picture Heavy*

Fantasy Tree with Elves & Animals Pattern
By Elizabeth Mareno 2011

Supplies: (all yarn amts are approx)
F & H hooks
Large eye needle for assembly
fiberfill
5/8-1"button, washable
For Tree:
1 skein Warm Brown RHSS
3-4 oz Kelly Green RHSS
1 oz Black RHSS
small amt of tan for tree hole, if wanted
For Elves:
1 0z skin tone each. Used Off White and Bone Caron Simply Soft
1 oz clothing. Used Blue Mint SS, Navy SS, Random purple wool for pants.
1 oz hair. Used warm brown RHSS and random stash white.
small bits of lip and eye colors
tiny bits of accent colors for head bands and Gwinnet's belt.
For Bluejay:
1 oz off white soft ww yarn
1 oz blue soft ww yarn
small bit of soft black ww yarn
For Fox:
1 oz rust colored soft ww yarn
small bit off white and black soft ww yarns
For Unicorn:
2-3 oz white ww yarn. used white RHSS
small bit bone soft ww yarn
small bit black

TREE: with larger hook

Start with Warm Brown: Bottom
Row 1- ch2, 6sc in 2nd ch. (6) do not join.
Row 2- 2sc in each sc (12)
Row 3- (1sc, 2sc in next) around. (18)
Row 4- (1sc in 2, 2sc in next) around (24)
Row 5- (1sc in 3, 2sc in next) around (30)
Row 6-10- continue increasing 1 sc per stitch series until you have (1sc in 8sc, 2sc in next). (60)
Row 11- BLO (back loops only) sc in each sc (60)
Row 12- in Both Loops, sc in each (60)
Row 13-20- repeat row 12 (60)
Row 21- BLO- (sc in 8, sc dec) around (54)
Row 22- in Both Loops(sc in 7, sc dec) around (48)
Row 23-28- continue decreasing 1sc per stitch series until you have (sc in 1, sc dec) (12)
**Begin to stuff firmly at about row 25, placing the piece of plastic canvas on the bottom before filling- Make sure your open loops are to the outside or right side.
Row 29- (sc dec) around. (6)
Finish off leaving a long end.
Using needle sew top closed and weave ends.

Body: Use Warm Brown
Attach to open loops from row 20 of the bottom with a slip stitch.
Row 1: ch1, sc in join, sc in each open loop. (60sc) join.
Row 2: ch1, sc in join and each sc around. (60) join
Row 3-8: Repeat row 2
Row 9: ch1, sc in 57sc. Leave rem unworked. (57)
Row 10: ch1, turn, sc dec, sc in 53sc, sc dec (55)
Row 11: ch1, turn, sc dec, sc in 51, sc dec (53)
Row 12: ch1, turn, sc dec, sc in 49, sc dec (51)
Row 13: ch1, turn, sc in each (51)
Row 14: ch1, 2sc in first sc, sc in each sc to last sc, 2sc in last sc (53)
Row 15-16: repeat row 14 (57 on row 16)
Row 17: (RS) ch1, turn, sc in each sc, ch3, join with first sc (57sc, 3chs)
Row 18: ch1, sc in each sc and ch around. (60) join.
Row 19: ch1, sc in join and each sc around. (60) join.
Row 20-25: Repeat row 19. Finish off after row 25 and weave ends.

"Knot" Door: with Black
with larger hook
Rows 1-6: Repeat Tree bottom Rows 1-6 ending with 36sc.
Create a loop on one side by putting a ch6 on the last row, reconnect with a slip stitch if its the last thing you do.
Stitch whatever "decorations" you want to knot to make it look more tree knottish.
Sew the opposite side of the loop to the tree to create a "door".

Tree Top: With green, do not join.
Work rows 1-10 of bottom, (60 sc)
Row 11: BLO, (sc in 9, 2sc in next) (66)
Row 12: (hdc in 10sc, 2 hdc in next sc) (72)
Row 13: (hdc in 11hdc, 2hdc in next hdc) (78)
Row 14: hdc in each around.
Row 15: (hdc in 12, 2hdc in next) (84)
Row 16: (hdc in 6, 2hdc in next) (96)
Row 17-18: hdc in each
Row 19: (hdc in 6, hdc dec over next 2) around (84)
Row 20: (hdc in 12, hdc dec) (78)
Row 21: switch to sc, (sc in 11hdc, sc dec) (72)
Row 22: (sc in 4sc, sc dec) (;60)
Row 23: (sc in 3sc, sc dec) (48)
Row 24: (sc in 2, sc dec) (36)
Row 25: (sc in 1, sc dec) (24) Start Stuffing!
Row 26: (sc dec) (12)
Row 27: (sc dec) (6)
Cut, leaving a long end for closing up the top. Weave through open ends to close up holes.
Attach open loops from row 11 to top of body with whipstitch.

Branch: Use warm brown.
Row 1: ch2, 6sc in 2nd ch (6)
Row 2: 2sc in each (12)
Row 3: BLO, sc in each (12)
Row 4: Both loops, sc in each (12)
Row 5: Repeat row 4
Row 6: (sc in 3sc, 2sc in next) (15)
Row 7: sc in each. cut, leaving longer end to sew with.
Slip stitch in the open loops from row 3.
Stuff lightly and sew on.

Strap: with warm brown
Row1: ch5, sc in 2nd ch from hook and next 3 (4)
Row 2: ch1, turn, sc in each sc
Row 3-50: repeat row 2, do not cut.
turn on side, sc in each row end down the side. Cut leaving a long end.
Reattach to the other side and repeat. Sew handle ends to the bag.

Gwinnet & Riven

Riven, in his natural habitat

Riven, showing off his awesome ears

Gwinnet

Elves: with F hook, and flesh tone
Row 1: ch2, 6sc in 2nd ch from hook (6)
Row 2: 2sc in each sc (12)
Row 3: (1sc in next, 2sc in next) repeat (18)
Row 4-8: sc in each
Row 9: (sc dec) repeat (9) Stuff Head!
Row 10: (1sc in next, sc dec) (6)
Row 11: (2sc in each) (12)
Row 12: (for boy, change to tunic color) (sc in 1sc, 2sc in next) (18)
Row 13: (for girl, change to tunic color), sc in each around
Row 14-17: sc in each
Row 18: BLO, sc in each
Row 19: (for boy, change to pant color, for girl, keep tunic color) Both loops, Sc in each (18)
Row 20: sc in each

Row 21: (sc in 1sc, sc dec) (12) Stuff
Row 22: (sc dec around) (6) Cut, sew closed

Tunic: with tunic color
1 side:
Row 1: in open loops on row 18, attach w/sl st to 1st loop of that row w/tunic color. sc in 8 more loops (9sc)
Row 2: ch1, turn, sc in each sc
Row 3-5: Repeat row 2. cut and weave ends

2nd side:
In remaining open loops, repeat 1st side.

Skirt: with tunic color

Row 1: join with open loops, ch4, trc in each loop (18)
Row 2: ch3, (2trc in next, 1trc in next) (27trc)
Row 3: ch4, trc in each (27 trc)
Row 4: repeat row 3.
Row 5: ch1, sc in each trc . cut and weave ends.

Legs: start with flesh tone- do not stuff
Row 1: ch2, 6sc in 2nd ch from hook. (6)
Row 2: 2sc in each (12)
Row 3: sc in 4, sc dec twice, sc in 4 (10)
Row 4: sc in 4, sc dec, sc in 4 (9) change to pants color for boy, leave flesh tone for girl
Row 5-13: sc in each.

leave long end, sew to bottom, evenly spaced.

Arms: with flesh tone- do not stuff
Row 1: ch2, 6sc in 2nd ch (6)
Row 2: sc in each. (12) change to tunic color for both
Row 3-10: sc in each. cut off, leave long end for sewing, sew to sides.

Ears: with flesh tone

ch2
4sc in 2nd ch from hook

ch2, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and next sc (created point to ear)
cut, sew to side of head. you will have to flip one to make sure the ear lobes are both pointing the right direction.

Embroider faces
Hair, cut 3" pieces and latch hook to head. Unravel strands to create "curly" hair.

Headband: ch20 out of coordinating color.
Girl belt: straight stitch belt on waist leaving long ends. tie at the waist and knot the ends.

Cristata, the Bluejay

Cristata, from the side

Bluejay: with blue, white and small amt of black

Head: start with blue
Row 1: ch2, 6sc in 2nd ch (6)
Row 2: 2sc in each (12)
Row 3: sc in 6, switch to white, sc in 6, swith to blue
Row 4: sc in 7, switch to white, sc in 5, switch to blue
Row 5: sc dec 4 times, Stuff, switch to white, sc dec 2 times, switch to blue. (6)

Body: with white
Row 1: ch2, 6sc in 2nd ch (6)
Row 2: (2sc in 2, 1sc in next) (10)
Row 3: sc in 1, 2sc in 2sc, sc in 3, 2sc in 2, sc in 2 (14)
Row 4: sc in each
Row 5: sc in 2, 2sc in 2sc, sc in 5, 2sc in 2, sc in 3 (18)
Row 6: sc in 3, sc dec, sc in 7, sc dec, sc in 4 (16)
Row 7: sc in 2, sc dec, sc in 6, sc dec, sc in 4 ((14)
Row 8: sc in 9, dec, sc in 3 (13)
Row 9: sc in 9, dec, sc in 2 (12) stuff lightly
Row 10: sc in 9, dec, sc in 1 (11)
Row 11: sc in 9, dec (10)
Row 12: sc in 7, dec, sc in 1 (9)
Row 13: sc dec once, leave rem undone, cut leave long end and sew flat
Tail Feathers: w/blue
Row 1: in tail end, sl to to one end, ch2, 2hdc in sm sp, 2hdc in next 2 spaces, 3 hdc in last space (10hdc)
Row 2: ch2, turn, hdc in each across (10hdc)

Wings, with blue:
Row 1: ch2, 3sc in 2nd ch (3)
Row 2-3: ch1, turn, 2sc in 1st and last sc, sc in each sc between. (7 sc by row 3)
Row 4: ch1, turn, sc in 5sc, dec (6)
Row 5: ch1, turn, sc dec, sc in each (5)
Row 6: ch1, turn, sc, sc dec twice (3)
Row 7: ch1, turn, sc dec, sc in 1sc (2)
Row 8: ch1, turn, sc dec.

Make 2, attach to side with curved edge down. Embroider black accents

Attach head.

Beak: with black
ch4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and next 2, attach to face.

Feet: cut 3" pieces, latch hook 1 piece per leg to bottom. tie a knot at the bottom and cut close to make "feet"

Vulpini, the fox

Vulpini, from the side

Fox: with rust and Fhook

Body:

Row 1: ch2, 6sc in 2nd ch (6)
Row 2: 2sc in each (12)
Row 3: (sc in 1, 2sc in next) (18)
Row 4-10: sc in each
Row 11: (sc in 1sc, sc dec) (12) Stuff
Row 12: sc dec around (6)

Cut and sew closed

Legs: make 4- do not stuff
Row 1: repeat row 1 of body
Row 2-6: sc in each sc

cut and sew onto the bottom of the body

Tail:

Row 1: repeat as for body
Row 2: (sc in 1sc, 2sc in next) (9)
Row 3-6: sc in each
Row 7: (sc in 1sc, sc dec) (6)
Row 8: sc in each. Cut and sew to butt.

Head:

Row 1: ch10, join to make circle, sc in each ch, join.
Row 2: ch1, sc in each sc
Row 3: ch1, sc in 2sc, hdc in 5, sc in 3 (10)
Row 4: ch1, sc in 2, 2hdc in 2, sc in 1, 2hdc in 2, sc in 3 (14)
Row 5: ch1, sc in 2, sc dec in 2, sc in 1, sc dec in 2, sc in remaining
Row 6: sc

Row 7: sc in 4, sc dec, sc in 4 (9)
Row 8: (sc in 1, sc dec) (6)
Row 9: (sc dec) (3), cut, stuff, sew head on.

Ears: make 2

Row 1: ch3, sc in 2nd ch from hook and next ch (2)
Row 2: ch1, turn, sc dec (1)
Row 3: ch1, turn, sc in each, cut and sew on.

Bib: with off white
Row 1: ch4, sc in 2nd ch and each (3)
Row 2-4: ch1, turn, sc in each
Row 5: sc dec, sc in 1 (2)
Row 6-8: sc in each
Row 9: sc dec (1)

cut, leave long end for sewing. with a whipstitch attach to the front between nose and front legs.

embroider eyes, nose and ears with black

Seata, the unicorn

Seata's Hair

Seata, from the side

Unicorn: starting at the nose with white, ch2.
1- 5sc in 2nd ch from hook. (5)
2- 2sc in each (10)
3-5- sc in each
6- (sc in 1, 2sc in next) 3 times, sc in 4 (13)
7-10- sc in each
11- (sc in 1, dec) 4 times, sc in last (9) Stuff
12- (dec) 4 times, sc in last (5)
Cut and sew closed, set aside.
Embroider eyes and nostrils with black.

NECK: with white, ch9, join to make a circle, don't twist it.
1- ch1, sc in each ch, join (9)
2-5- ch1, sc in each sc, join
Cut, sew to head with eyes on top @ rows 10-12.

HORN:
ch4, join for circle
Row 1: 5sc in circle, join
Row 2-3: sc
Row 4: sc dec twice, 1sc in last (3), join, cut leave long end for sewing.
sew to forehead.

EARS: with white, ch3
1- sc in 2nd ch from hook and next (2)
2- ch1, turn, sc in 1st sc, 2 sc in next. (3)
Cut and sew to head with a slight curve.

BODY: with white ch2
1- 6sc in 2nd ch from hook. (6)
2- 2sc in each. (12)
3- (sc in 1, 2sc in next) around (18)
4- (sc in 2, 2sc in next) around (24)
5-17- sc in each
18- (sc in 2, dec) around (18)
19- (sc in 1, dec) around (12) STUFF
20- (dec) around (6)
Cut, leave long end, Weave ends pulling closed like the prince and princess.

**Sew head and neck to body on begin side of body, leave the closing end for the tail.

LEGS: Do not stuff, make 4
with tan or brown, ch2
1- 6sc in 2nd ch (6)
2-3- sc in each, change to white at end of row 3
4-10- sc in each
11- 2sc in each,
Cut and sew on to the body at the 'shoulder' areas of the body. It's ok if the fluted pieces of the legs overlap a little. The horse will stand on its own.

MANE & TAIL: Cut 4" pcs and latch hook them around sc posts on the neck. Put as much or as little as you like. Cut 4-5/6" pcs for the tail and fold over and latch hook to the butt.
Use same method for making hair curly as done for the elves.

Officially Published!!

2011-08-20T13:18:00.003-05:00

And I didn't even have to ask for it! :)

Thanks to Christine over at AllFreeCrochet.com, who features my free patterns quite a bit in her newsletters (*SHOUT OUT to all my fellow free crochet pattern junkies*), I am now a published crochet designer.

Best thing? It's free. That's right baby, I prefer to keep my patterns free! Believe it or not, there are some of us out there that don't look at our talent, gifts or ideas as a way to make a buck. I'm not slamming anyone who does, but I don't feel like charging you would bring me any joy.

Don't get me wrong, I will be starting an etsy store here pretty quick, but not as a way to sell my paper ideas. It will be a way for me to sell my personally handmade items. Some of my etsy items will be patterns I already have, some of them will be new, original and exclusive to my etsy shop. Patterns that I will not make available to the public. Ya gotta give me that much. ;)

So, without further ado....17 Popular Free Crochet Patterns E-Book....Go get it!

Introducing the Woodland Elves Bag~Pattern Coming Soon!!

2011-07-17T07:29:00.004-05:00

I sat here this morning with my cup of coffee and my freshly warmed lemon glaze donut from Krispy Kreme going over my Facebook stuff and realized...I have not told you about the Woodland Elves Bag that I have completed! Without the use of a computer on a regular basis, I forget to do things....like blog.

I have been ever busy in the toy bag department again. I knew I wanted to do a tree, but I wasn't sure what I wanted to put into it. My son wanted elves with pointy ears and cookies. Think Nabisco. I was leaning toward gnomes and animals. As it turns out, we both got a little something out of the deal. He got his elves, I got my animals. As always, all of the toys are perfectly sized for little fists. :) Thank you to everyone who put their two cents in when I asked for advice. It helped! I, actually, love the way the bag turned out. It's got a great deal of personality and whimsy....in my humble estimation.

I will post the pattern within the next week or so. Just have to clean up my scribbles and then get them on here. Until then, enjoy the pictures.

Woodland Elves and their Friends!

Gwinnet and Riven, the elves (complete with pointy ears!)

Seata, the unicorn

Vulpini, the fox

Cristata, the blue jay

How did I come up with the blue jay and foxes names, you ask? I used foxes "tribe" and blue jay's "genus". I was a little worried that Pokemon might have beaten me to the name Vulpini for the fox. Their Vulpix, etc is a little fox based Pokemon. Thankfully, Vulpini (sounds like an Italian acrobat or magician, doesn't it? lol) is not used as a Pokemon character. Bluejay is loosely based on a bluejay. It's hard to get all of the beautiful and amazing intricacy of God into a 2" toy. Really hard. So, he's as close as I could get him. ;)

My son, ever the story weaver, will be coming up with a story to go along with this bag. He loved the names and personalities I gave the Barnyard Gang and thinks that every bag I create from now on needs to have the same treatment. He is busy enjoying a few weeks with family back in Wisconsin, so it will have to wait until his return. However, I am quite sure the story will be chock full of inspired ideas! Can't wait!

Morphing Patterns....

2011-06-29T08:54:00.003-05:00

I started a tree bag yesterday and I thought I would try to make "bark". As I worked along I got the distinct impression of a basket instead. The more rows I put on it, the more it wanted to BE a basket. The basic bag pattern really lent itself to this shape. SO....it became a basket. With a lacy napkin and a button-top closure. I will fill it with little things. I haven't decided on bears w/sleeping bags, pretend picnic food or bunnies w/dress up clothes. Still thinking. In the meanwhile, enjoy the pictures of the finished basket while I go back to work on creating a tree this time!

Basket, etc Pattern coming soon!!

Input Needed!!!

2011-06-28T08:42:00.004-05:00

Howdy all.

I am in the process of trying to design some new patterns. Everything I start is so uninspired and I end up hating it and ripping it out before I'm 10 rows into it. Argh!

My son has been wanting me to make another "toy bag" to go with my other bags. I have a couple of ideas floating around like "Solar System" or "Picnic Basket w/Food". My son is thinking a "Tree Bag w/Elves" (think Nabisco)....hmmm. If I make a tree I am thinking animals with a gnome or something like that.

I need some input people. What patterns (all ideas welcome) would you like to see?

Sunburst!! (A Sun Hat Pattern for Adults)

2011-06-15T12:31:00.005-05:00

I have had quite a few requests for an adult sun hat. I hope this is what ya'll are looking for. :) It's only 26 rows and works up in an afternoon or less, depending on speedy you are.
Thanks to my model, Riley.

Cotton Sun Hat
by Elizabeth Mareno, 2011

Supplies needed:
1 ball 4 ply WW cotton kitchen yarn
I hook
Large eye needle for finishing
this awesome pattern!! :)

View from the front.
Finished brim with reverse single crochet.

Lots of breathing room for your head.

Pretty sunburst on top.

Row 1: ch2, 8sc in 2nd ch from hook, do not join. (8sc)
Row 2: 2sc in each sc around (16sc)
Row 3: ch1, sc in join sp, (ch3, sk next sc, sc in next sc) 7times, ch3, sk next sc, sl st to 1st sc of row. (8sc, 8-ch3 sp)
Row 4: ch1, sc in join, (3sc in ch3 sp, sc in next sc) 7 times, 3sc in ch3, join to 1st sc (32sc)
Row 5: ch1, sc in join, sc in 2sc, 2sc in next, (sc in 3sc, 2sc in next) 7times, sl st to 1st sc. (40sc)
Row 6: ch1, sc in join, sc in 3sc, 2sc in next, (sc in 4sc, 2sc in next) 7 times, sl st to join (48sc)
Row 7: ch1, sc in join, (ch3, sk next 2sc, sc in next) 15 times, ch3, sk last 2sc, sl st to 1st sc to join. (16sc, 16-ch3 sp)
Row 8: ch1, sc in join, (3sc in ch3 sp, sc in next sc) 15 times, 3sc in last ch3 sp, join to 1st sc. (64sc)
Row 9: ch1, sc in join, sc in 6sc, 2sc in next, (sc in 7sc, 2sc in next) 7 times, join to 1st sc. (72sc)
Row 10: ch1, sc in join, sc in 7sc, 2sc in next, (sc in 8sc, 2sc in next) 7 times, join. (80sc)
Row 11: ch1, sc in join, sc in each sc around. (80sc)
Row 12: ch1, sc in join, (ch3, sk 3sc, sc in next) 19 times, ch3, join. (20sc, 20-ch3sp)
Row 13: sl st in first ch3 sp, ch1, sc in ch3 sp, (ch3, sc in next ch3 sp) 19 times, ch3, join to 1st sc. (20 ch3 sp)
Row 14-20: Repeat Row 13
Row 21: ch1, sc in join, (3sc in ch3 sp, sc in next sc) 19 times, 3sc in last ch3 sp. join. (80 sc)
Row 22: in Front Loops Only, ch1, sc in join, sc in next 8sc, 2sc in next, (sc in 9sc, 2sc in next) 7times, join. (88sc)
Row 23: in both loops, ch1, sc in join, sc in each sc around. (88sc)
Row 24: ch1, sc in join, sc in 9sc, 2sc in next, (sc in 10sc, 2sc in next) 7 times, join. (96sc)
Row 25: ch1, sc in join, sc in each sc. (96sc)
Row 26: ch1, reverse crochet in each around. Finish off.

Visitors

2011-06-15T08:55:00.003-05:00

I know that I mentioned this before, but I have a nephew and a future niece visiting till this Friday. It has been an intensely fun time! We have spent much time at the beach. I have just a few more pictures to share.

Riley and Stefani. BFF's sittin in the surf.

(essentially filling their suits to capacity with sand)

The sand castle. An ambitious bunch aren't they?

Kyle and Teo decided to save it and create a moat. Or wall.

Either way, it was a complete act of futility. The surf kept wiping it out.

We are planning one more trip to Arlene Williams BBQ on Pace Street in Pensacola. Oh yeah, baby! Best BBQ on the planet, bar none. (**What does bar none actually mean and where did it come from?) The kids and I are taking one more trip to the Naval Air Museum on the base today. We went there Monday and didn't make it to the second level. It's free, so why not go back? We are, also, going to be visiting the Pensacola Lighthouse today. It's apparently haunted. LOL...yeah, ok. It's going to be fun no matter what. The kids are stoked about going so that's all that matters.

It's breaking my heart that I have to send Kyle and Riley back. I cry when I think about it. I love those kids so much. BUT, they have people that are depending on them and they are going to be a man and a woman of God and fulfill their duties and expectations. I thank God for them and know that they will be blessings to everyone they come in contact with.

My kids are going to be going back to Wisconsin for a nice long visit with Grandparents and friends this Summer. They are excited about ditching their mommy for a few weeks. *sniff* My husband keeps talking about "oh, lets do this when the kids are gone"....and..."let's do that when the kids are gone"...and..."three weeks without kids, baby...." Really?!? I keep thinking..."oh my gosh, what am i going to do without my kids for three weeks?"...and...."my babies....they are going to be gone for THREE WEEKS!!!!!"....and..."i'm going to be so bored, i need to volunteer somewhere"-Obviously Mom's and Dad's run down two totally opposite thought paths. LOL

One thing I know I am looking forward to in their absence is the lack of mess. My house will actually be clean for three whole weeks! LOL

Missing In Action

2011-06-10T10:04:00.006-05:00

I, once again, apologize for my recent disappearance. Apparently moving 1200 miles from home and starting your life over is harder than it looks. I had to get a job. I worked at Pier 1 Imports for 3 weeks. Yeah...not as exciting or amazing as it sounds. I will spare you all of the details. Just suffice to say,"It was not the job for me".

I am currently applying to everything I can find that has anything to do with an office setting where my skills won't be wasted. Wish me luck...I'm claiming favor!

Onto the picture show. Want to catch you up on some of the stuff that has been consuming my life thus far.

new house

I appreciate my new house. It has lots of space for visitors. This has been tested and proven. Mom and Dad came to visit in May for about 4 days. Loved it! We currently have our recently graduated nephew and his girlfriend down for two weeks as a graduation present. Then, my in-laws will be here with my niece in about 3 weeks. We are Hotel Pensacola for a good chunk of the Summer. I love having that little piece of familiarity. We will finish off the Summer with a week visit from Mom again in August. Then, we won't see anyone for a long time. :/

scrap squares afghan

Please forgive the poor quality on some of these pictures. I have to use my iPhone right now because the super old (but HUGE blessing) computer that my father gave to us because the really old one died, doesn't allow me to use my SD card.

knitted scrap afghan made with only bulky and chunky yarns & 15 needles
so soft and luxurious!

new "chair". wonder if Tony could find a smaller piece of furniture to nap on?

Johnson's Beach, Perdido Key

chubby toes, cute pedicure

finally found the much desired popcorn pan!! looks rough, but makes great popcorn!
it's been getting 'seasoned' for about 10-12 years now

Wisconsin on the Beach! Teo, Brandon, Kyle, Riley and Stefani!
The Mareno kids are some natural tanners

We are starting on week two of the graduates vacation. Feels like it's going way too fast. We had the privilege of having Kyle's best friend Brandon with us for the first 4 days of the vacation. He is with his Aunt, who lives in Pensacola, now.

I have, also, been knitting dishcloths like crazy. I need to get back to designing. It has been too long, but life has been too hectic to be able to set aside that much brain power. Thanks for sticking with me, though. Hope you keep enjoying the designs I do have done.

Log Cabin Lapghan finished

2011-04-26T15:55:00.002-05:00

The Log Cabin inspired lap afghan that I've been working on I completed last night. I was SO happy! My hands have been aching because I couldn't find my circulars and have had to work on 14" needles. Boy did that get heavy towards the end!

I finished off with a crocheted border, which completed the look nicely and I am planning on giving this to Miss Dorothy at church tomorrow night as a late Easter present. :)

Cotton/Acrylic Log Cabin Afghan- WIP

2011-04-21T09:34:00.003-05:00

Thought I'd share what I'm working on. I was making dish cloths. Thought cotton would be a good yarn to use in the new 80 degree, Florida weather I'm not yet accustomed to. I got Dish Clothed Out!! In the bottom of the box of cotton cones I found the beginnings of a cotton log cabin blanket that I had started at least 2 years ago. It was just the middle square and one round of "logs" made from left over stash yarns. I thought to myself "Yes. This is exactly what I need to be working on!"

So, I have embarked on another afghan. I found as I went along that I didn't have enough cotton colors, so I have had to throw about three acrylic logs in there. I know, I know....Integrity of the Project!! I'm just not stressing out over it. It is a scrappish afghan and I refuse to become bogged down with "rules". I needed coordinating colors and I was only going to get them from my acrylic bins, so that's what I did.

I don't know what is to become of this blanket. I know that I love how light and airy it feels, yet it keeps you so nice and toasty. As I started working on it a little, elderly woman from church named Miss Dorothy came to mind. I think I will give it to her. She wears a hat every service and she crochet's all of them. :) I asked her about her creations last Sunday and we got to talking about being cold. She said she is cold all of the time. lol. She is just a tiny thing. I know she likes bright colors based on her hats, so hopefully she will find a use for this blanket. I just want it to be a blessing to her.

Do you really want to know?

2011-04-05T12:05:00.004-05:00

Where have I been for the last month and a half? Moving. Not just a "Hey, I'm moving!"..."Really? Where to?"..."This great new apartment across town! Ya wanna help?"..."Sure! That's what friends are for!"..."Gee thanks! And we can make as many trips as we need to!" No. This is the kind of moving where you pack your belongings into a trailer and pile it three feet higher than the vehicle you are driving (that will take 3 times the amount of gas previously planned for because it will develop a leak in the gas tank before it ever leaves your original state causing the trip to take twice as long and cost twice as much as it should have) and cover it all with blue tarps, stapled to every conceivable flat surface available (that will wear through in strategic spots allowing the torrential snow and rain that you will drive in for three states and 20 hours to seep in and soak the box spring sitting on the top of the pile) topping it all off with several tie down straps that will eventually wiggle loose and fall off somewhere in Kentucky. (That was the mother of all run on sentences!! LOL) There is no "going back" if you forgot something strategic and necessary. No, now you wait for someone on the other end to mail a box. Or you keep waiting...cuz heck they are coming down in a month....Whoops! Now we need to postpone for another 3 weeks... :/ So, you may never get that thing you need!! When we crossed the state line into Florida, the rain stopped....causing me to view Florida as the new promise land, a land flowing with milk and honey. :) We opened the windows on the car and let the fresh air in. Florida has a certain smell..I don't know what it is, but I have smelled it every time I've ever come to Florida. It's like ocean, sun-baked sand and fresh oxygen.... I LOVE Florida so far. I LOVE the warmth, the sun, the humidity, the city we live in, the house God has provided for us, the new church we have started attending, the Krispy Kreme shop 15 minutes away from my house, lol...I am very happy here. I miss my family a lot, but I am so thankful for where I am. I know it is only a matter of time before I am resurrounded by those I love and hold dear. I can say this...I do not EVER want to move to a place 1200 miles away from me again.

Jar Covers Pattern (For Home Canned Gifts)

2011-04-05T11:21:00.003-05:00

I made quite a few baskets of home-canned goodies for friends and family as Christmas presents this last year. The baskets desperately needed some "dressing up", so one afternoon I sat down and came up with this pattern. It's a 10 row from start to finish, easy-peasy, fast pattern. Color coordinate with the goodies being given or use holiday colors to complete your basket of blessings. Hope you enjoy!

Shown on a Wide Mouth Jar w/silver ring removed.

Jar Covers Pattern

by Elizabeth Mareno 2011

Supplies:

#3 Yarn or Sport-Weight Yarn in 2-3 colors (Patons Astra used)

F & G hooks

yarn needle for finishing off

Scissors

With F Hook-(stripe as much or as little as you like)

R1- ch4, 16dc in 4th ch from hook, sl st to 1st dc skipping beg ch 3 (16dc)

R2- ch3 (counts as dc), dc in sm sp as join, 2dc in each rem dc, sl st to 1st dc. (32dc)

R3- ch3, dc in sm sp as join, (1dc in next dc, 2dc in next dc) around to last dc, 1dc in last dc, sl st in 1st dc. (48dc)

R4- ch2 (does not ct as hdc), working in BLO, hdc in sm sp as join, hdc in each dc around, sk ch2 & join w/sl st to 1st hdc. (48hdc)

R5-6- Repeat R4-Work 5&6 in both loops!

R7- (Loops) ch4 (counts as dc & ch1), *sk next hdc, (dc, ch1 in next hdc)*, repeat from * to * 23 more times, sl st to 3rd ch of ch4. (24ch1 sp, 24dc)

R8- ch1, sc in sm sp as join, sc in each rem ch1 space and dc around. sl st to 1st sc. (48sc)

R9- (Ruffle) join new color if you like, ch1, sc in sm sp as join, (ch3, sk next sc, sc in next sc) around, finish with sl st to first sc of row. (24ch3 sp, 24sc) Finish off, weave ends

R10- (Tie) using 2-3 strands(colors) and Ghook, ch 100, finish off and weave into the loop row.

Elmore-Pisgah bought out by SpinRite. :-(

2011-02-08T13:50:00.002-06:00

Had to share this link with you. Apparently Elmore-Pisgah, the wonderful company that produces Peaches N Cream kitchen cotton is going out of business. They were bought out by SpinRite in Canada. I'll let you read the article for all of the info.

I am completely bummed.

Knit Goods In Action

2011-02-04T08:58:00.005-06:00

Here we have an action shot of my daughters slippers. They are currently working hard at keeping her feet warm. I didn't realize she wore them to bed (plus 4 blankets)! Me? I'd be sweating....just sayin'.

Even though my forearm muscles are so overworked they are starting to shake...no lie...lol...I started on the knee socks for my nephew. It took me no less than 20 minutes to figure out the toe up cast on. And then once I got it figured out, I hated the way it looked. So I scrapped that pattern and I am sort of modifying their pattern, working from the top down and figuring out my decreases on the calf...

Wish me luck...

Knit Picks "Stroll" Handpainted Fingering Weight in "Tiger"

KnitPicks Booty

2011-02-02T11:20:00.003-06:00

I FINALLY got to shop at Knit Picks! To my great joy! I was on the prowl for some handpainted sock yarn in oranges and black. I was hoping against hope that Knit Picks would be the one place on the planet that had it. I was becoming discouraged....and then I found their Stroll handpainted sock yarn. Hallelujah, brothers and sisters....I found it! The color is called "Tiger".

Why orange and black you ask? Because my nephew noticed my handpainted socks in red at Christmas and said "boy I would sure like some knee socks like that in orange and black for wrestling".... Figuring that I would never be able to find orange and black together, I told him I didn't think I'd be able to do them. Well, lo and behold...here we are...:)

Needless to say, I'm a little bit stoked to get started on these. I will be using a free pattern from Knitting Daily They have free e-books that you can download by signing up. They happen to have a 7 pattern sock book. There is a pair of 2x2 ribbing, toe up knee socks that I want to use for my nephew (daughter wants a pair too for powerlifting...of course). That way I don't have to try and shape the calf for him. This will be my first time making toe up socks, though. That makes me a little nervous. Any suggestions, pointers and/or tips that you have for toe up or knee high socks....please feel free to send them my way! :)

While shopping on KnitPicks, I opted to buy myself some of their very nicely priced (read: discounted) books. This book has some of the darn cutest sock patterns ever in it. There are some felted baby booties and adult slippers I'm just waiting to make until I get this latest pile of "orders" done.

AND, a garment book. I know what the heck was I thinking? But, it says top down with minimal seaming. I hate seaming more than anything so we shall see. Boy do I ever want to make the dress on the cover. It's just super cute.

Bizzy Beaver!

2011-02-01T15:02:00.002-06:00

Howdy folks. I have been a busy girl. I cracked out Teo's new socks in 5(?) days...something like that. He put them on and modeled them for me last night. I tried so hard to get my color repeats to line up just right and it still didn't happen. I can only blame it on the fact that it's two different skeins of yarn and sometimes....they just don't match. You don't really see it too badly until you get to the toes, where there is a cute littl boop of a new color on one of them.

T proceeded to pull them off a few minutes later stating they made his feet itch. (Nice) Did he take them off neatly by the cuff? Ha!... No, he yanked each one by the toes and kept pulling them off of his sweaty feet until they were completely removed.

Makes me proud to be a knitting mom. Really.

So, after I finished T's socks, I promptly started on Stefani's slippers. I think around 9-ish last night. I was able to get through the cuff of the first one before bed. And I finished the rest of it at work today. Now, before you start thinking I'm *all that* and a bag of chips....I used double stranded worsted weight Wool-Ease and size 7 dpn's. lol

So soft, so fun to make, soooooo easy!!

Socks and Tears

2011-01-27T08:55:00.003-06:00

I started Teo's socks Tuesday night after work. I managed to get through the cuff watching tv. Thank goodness he likes a short cuff. Then yesterday at work, I got through the heel flap. And I worked through the turn heel and started on the foot watching tv, talking with Tony and snuggling in bed last night. I am determined to get these buggers done before the weekend is up. Stefani has declared she needs another pair of slippers. These are my favorites to make and they are the sturdiest little sock slippers! I just add a few stitches and use a bigger needle if I'm making them for a man. Otherwise they can be a little skinny for slipping on and off.

Bubba's Socks in Toasted Almond by Red Heart "Heart & Sole"

I have one thing to say about the next picture. You people humble me.

I can only attribute this to the free pattern sites that have picked up on my patterns...but all I can say is Thank You to those of you who have stayed and continue to come back time and time again. I received an email from a reader this morning that brought me to tears. Thank you for allowing me to talk and for giving me a voice. I hope that this blog helps your day in some way.

Be Blessed!!

New Socks

2011-01-26T13:10:00.005-06:00

Ok be very proud of me...I have started a new pair of socks for my boy. He wore a hole in his favorite pair of wool ones he wears around the house. So I went to the LYS yesterday and hemmed and hawed for about 15 minutes trying to find the least girlie colored ball of yarn in their selection without it being a solid color. Found a lovely one. Basic Red Heart "Heart & Sole" in Toasted Almond. The predominant colors are dark brown, tan, navy, and purpley mauve color. Thankfully the purpley color doesn't overwhelm, so I am very happy with the progress so far. Couldn't find my metal #2's...had to use Bamboo #2's. Hate them..just putting that out there. Was able to get up to the heel flap last night. He likes a short cuff, so it makes it easy to get socks done for him quickly. lol

Hopefully this is the start of me coming out of my crafting funk.

Month of January

2011-01-24T12:52:00.005-06:00

The month of January seems to have gone by in a blur, now that I am sitting here on the 24th thinking backwards. Yet, I remember good chunks of it going so slow it almost seemed like time stopped.

What have I done this month?

First up, I read the newest post on my favorite funny blog. Just click on the picture to go read Allie's latest post @ Hyperbole and a Half. If it doesn't have you peeing yourself or getting a charlie horse in your stomach because you are laughing so hard, then I am going to seriously question the presence of your funny bone!

Next, My daughter competed at the Osceola Powerlifting meet. She busted her butt to get down to the weight class she needed to be in and found out, in the end, that she went too extreme and lost her strength. She ended up scratching out of the meet because she bombed on her squats.

The gang rolling knee wraps.

Stefani - 280lb squat. Just couldn't get it back up.

120lb bench

Rockin' the 320lb deadlift. A personal meet best for her.

Then, the love of my life moved away. He has been in Florida for a full week now. Most of the time, I'm ok. I'm living for the weekends because I have things going on and it helps me "tick off" the dates on the calendar until he comes back. I just keep reminding myself that this is all for a reason and that I can do this. I am very good at being strong in the face of adversity.

On a really good note, the closing date on our house is officially the 18th of February. :)

And last, but certainly not least, I had the pleasure of taking my daughter to Bloomington, MN to the Mall of America to celebrate her 16th Birthday! :) She actually turned 16 on January 10th, but there was too much going on to fit in a trip to MOA. She got to bring a couple of friends with her, so she brought her BFF, Riley and her cousin, Bekah.

The girls ready to go shopping, eat chinese and get an ice cream cake!

Some time spent in the hot tub!

The girls went shopping for dresses for the "Snow Ball" happening at the beginning of February. Stefani's was easy, but Riley had a hard time finding one. We were finally able to locate a nice stash of special occasion dresses at Macy's and then we were having fun! :) MOA was so packed with people and the shops we wanted to go to were so far apart that it pretty much sucked all of the fun out of the day. The girls were exhausted and cranky by the end. They came to the determination that "small malls are better!" I would have to agree.

The Aftermath.....

2011-01-07T13:06:00.006-06:00

All of a sudden, today I felt this overwhelming need to reconnect with people. I feel as though I not only fell off the wagon, but that the wagon picked up speed as I was running to catch up with it. Frankly people, I am not in good enough shape to work that hard!

My holidays were as good as they could be considering I was literally moving out of my house on Christmas Eve morning. In a foot of snow, no less.

My inlaws came to help out. That was a great blessing to us. We just seemed to get so much more accomplished when it wasn't just us, standing in the middle of the room, totally overwhelmed by the amount of "crap" we seem to have and saying "What next?" We will be going back this weekend to get the last of the mess done. Our upstairs is emptied and cleaned. Now all that is left is the few things that remain in the downstairs. As much as I would like to just throw a bomb on it and call it good...I can't.

I can't even begin to explain the amount of junk I purged out of that house. It was ridiculous and I experienced a sense of shame at the multiple garbage bags full of completely unnecessary items that were removed on a daily basis. I never had a house like you would see on "Hoarders", but there were times I looked at what I was keeping compared to what I was throwing away and wondered "What is WRONG with me?? How did I have all of that in this little house?" I endeavor that the next place will be totally organized and void of "junk". If I am not going to use it right away, it just needs to go, cuz I will never get back to it.

So, once we got ourselves moved into my parents' one bedroom apt in their basement, we were able to slow down for a few days and enjoy Christmas. We never did get a Christmas tree put up at the apt. I hung two stockings from two leftover nails on the wall and we called it good. I was just greatful we had someplace quiet, warm and homey to be. It wasn't about the decorations, it was totally about US being together. We had a lovely Christmas Eve with my parents. My dad made a beautiful Prime Rib Roast for supper and we exchanged gifts. My kids got items they loved and appreciated. One of the funnier gifts was this tshirt that my parents bought for my husband. I was gifted with a One Year Bible to help me read through it. Like the complete slacker that I have a tendency to be, here it is the 7th of January and I haven't even started it.

Christmas morning we had our family time together. Kids opened our gifts to them and my parents opened their gifts to each other. I got to listen to my dad say "Why would you get this?" to my mom while opening one of his gifts from her. They are special. I'll just leave it at that.

We went to my inlaws for the rest of Christmas Day. There we had lasagna and spaghetti and lots and lots and LOTS of junk food. I was so huge and bloated....oy ve! This side of the family kept saying "It's the last Mareno Christmas with us all together!"...like we were dying, not moving away. Like any good family Christmas, there were lots of offenses taken and tense moments, but all in all it was a good day. My kids were blessed hugely by the gparents. PS3 for my gamer and an iPod touch for trendy one. The PS3 was quite unexpected.

The princess knew what she was getting because it's the only thing she asked for from them.

It was a good day for hanging out with the cousins and BFF's (Stef's best friend is her cousins girlfriend) and making memories. Like this one.....here we have grandma rocking out to the new Band Hero game one of the kids got for Christmas....

I can't complain. It was a wonderful holiday time with the families. It will probably be a long time till we are able to all be together like that again. Especially now that a couple of the nephews are getting married and/or have serious relationships. (Omg..am I old enough to have nephews that old??)

Now that life has calmed down some, I pray that I feel the desire to pick up crafting again. Right now, I just don't.

In the apt I have about 3 feet of space that is just mine.....*sigh* I suppose that will increase some because Tony is leaving for Florida next week. I won't see him again till February, when he comes home for a weekend filled with powerlifting.......then I will move down a month later.

How am I going to do this? I feel like a chunk of me is dying and breaking off. How do these military wives handle this? I'm having a rough time right now. Just pray for me.

Let's Talk Yarn ~n~ Stuff!

2010-12-08T08:44:00.004-06:00

I've been busy slobbering over yarns and patterns online. Let's take a look at some of them, shall we?

KnitPicks is my very favorite yarn website to slobber over. All the colors, all the yarns, all the knitting paraphenalia, all the books and patterns.....argh. I am totally in love with the miniature sweater ornaments kit that is on their home page. You can click on the picture below to go right to the KnitPicks website. Look at the adorable knit Christmas lights and popcorn string! Too much cute!

*click on picture to go to Knit Picks*

I have never had the opportunity to shop from Knit Picks. I am such a stickler for using up what I have before I buy more. I've never been very good at being a hoarder. If I can't justify the purpose, I can be a real cheapskate! lol So, needless to say, there have been several kits that Knit Picks have put out that I have loved from a distance. I couldn't commit to making it right away, so it just stayed as a picture in a catalog. I frustrate my kids cuz I can talk myself out of buying almost anything, which in their estimation, never bodes well for them. :) I may have to pull myself out of some of that though. I don't know how many yarn stores there are in Florida.

Next up would be WEBS. They have the very cool website address of http://www.yarn.com/ ! Although you can click on the picture below to go to WEBS too. Look at the lovelies! They are highlighting yarns that sparkle and shimmer on their Knitting and Crocheting page. Some of them have sequins, some of them have beads, etc. All I have to say about this AWESOME! Now, when I make that beaded shawl for my mom...I don't have to string all those miserable beads!!

*click the picture to go to WEBS*

Some of the yarns are uber expensive, some of them are very reasonably priced. WEBS is famous of having bargain yarns and clearance yarns, so who knows? If this piques your interest, you may be able to find a fancy in the bargain bin! :)

Last on the list for today would be Lion Brand Yarns, etc. Click on the picture to go to their site. I love Lion Brand Yarns for a few reasons. Their yarns are always reasonable priced and you can find them in any good craft store. I adore the Wool-Ease brand in particular. The warmth of wool, the washability of acrylic...and soft? Oh man... I use it for all my hats, mittens and slippers. Good stuff, baby.

*click on picture to go to Lion Brand*

Another thing I love about Lion Brand? All the free patterns. The picture here says 3600+ free patterns. I can believe it. They are endless and you can find almost anything you could possibly need to make in their pattern stash.

Happy Christmas Slobbering and May the Yarn Force Be With You!

100 Followers!!

2010-12-02T11:37:00.003-06:00

Holy Smokavitch!!

100 people following my blog? That, to me, is so cool.

I'm sure you only love me for the free patterns *wink*, but I thank you all the same for reading my meanderings.

I promise this blog will return to it's regularly scheduled programming soon. I just need my world to stop spinning long enough to land next to a hook and/or a pair of needles and yarn.

Blessings on you all!!!

~B

Top 10 for last week.

2010-11-29T13:31:00.006-06:00

Last week:

1) I turned 39. My husband and kids gave me an awesome new camera. :)
2) I had a week long family-fest with the holidays.
3) Told church family we are moving to Florida. Lots of blank faces and tears.
4) I ate lots of turkey, stuffing and gravy....mmmm :)
5) I dealt with some sad days....still haven't totally shaken them off, but they are getting better.
6) Organized my yarn....starting working on Tony's lap blanket again. Need it finished before he moves.
7) Got my cra(p)ft room almost completely packed up. Taking it one box at a time. When I get overwhelmed, I leave the room.
8) Mom decided to help me pack. I'm not sure how much cooking I'll be able to do in the next few weeks. lol
9) Things with house sale are progressing. Slow and steady wins the race.
10) Christmas is right around the corner. Finished my brother's kids, still have Tony's brother's kids to do, almost finished with Stefani and haven't even started for Teo....argh.

Other than that, I am pretty much feeling overwhelmed. It might be a combination of the never-ending gray coldness and the fact that I keep forgetting to take my Vitamin D pills. Don't know. I need to find my happy place. Soon.

And the Saga Continues....

2010-11-19T22:35:00.002-06:00

Ready for another twist?

Tony got an offer for a job in Pensacola, Fl. He has accepted it. We have spent the last two days with each of the families crying. My eyes ache and I'm pretty sure I'm dehydrated from all the tears.

We know this is right. Too many things are falling into place for this to be wrong.

Tony will be moving in January and the kids and I will be moving in April after Stefani competes at Nationals.

Update on the House Situation

2010-11-17T14:03:00.004-06:00

Ok. I have just a minute to write, so this will be kind of short.

In talking with the mortgage company, we found out that there is something called a "Short Sale" which they would be in agreement with for us to basically liquidate the house. The guy was SO nice. Talked me through everything I needed to do and take to a realtor, etc. He really calmed me down.

So Monday, I talked with our local REMAX girl and she said she would love to take on the project. She stopped by Tuesday to look at the house to get a listing going and promptly brought some buyers by that night. Apparently they were ready to put an offer in on a different house. The buyer lady brought her dad with and the showing went so well that she brought her mom by today @ 12:30 pm and tonight she is bringing her husband by @ 6:00 pm. I talked with REMAX girl and she said that it went so well, she thinks they are going to switch their offer to our house. *Squeee*

Ok, so now, if you are like me, you would be saying "Well, that's great, but what about you? Where are you going to live?" Fear not, my friends. God is busy providing, once again.

I felt this 'need' to contact REMAX girl and find out if she rented homes that were not for sale. I'm in no mood to have my rental sold out from underneath me. She didn't but she gave me two names of people who do have rentals. Called them, no luck. I sat there for a while banging away on my computer games and looking up real estate ads in the local newsrag, I felt this 'need', again, to call the other umpteen realtors in town and ask the same question. I hopped on the phone and found out that realtor number two shows great promise. There is a 3 bdrm, 1 bath, 2-1/2 car garage w/ an out building ON the lake (hot property around here) for $550.00/mo. The only drawback is that it has electric heat (and no cell service). In this area, that can be costly (for both). It is available January 1, which is right in our timeline, AND they are perfectly fine with the fact that we have a dog. We drove out by the property to see how far out of town it is and its 6 miles out from the main road. From what we saw, it is a beautiful setting and I am dying to see the inside. I am currently waiting for Realtor #2 to call me back so we can set a time to peruse!

God is good. :)

Things That Just Don't Go Right

2010-11-11T09:30:00.004-06:00

Ever have something go really, really wrong?

I am in the middle of one right now. We received a "Summons to Civil Court for Foreclosure" last night from one of our local Sherriff's Deputies. A very nice man named Dave.

We have been in contact with our mortgage company repeatedly. I have spent much time on the phone with them trying to work this out. Nope. They want what they want and they want it all now.

So, this is being chalked up to one of those things that 'Did not go the way I intended for it to go'.

We know we will not be able to come up the funds they are asking us to put up and so we will lose the house. Not sure if this is a blessing in disguise, since this house has been nothing but a money pit. And for them it's always the question "How did you end up behind on your payments?" and I have to go back over a year ago when Tony was laid off for more than four months and what that did to our finances. Then, tell them how we never really recovered from that and had to go through a bankruptcy. And then in the middle of all that we got behind on our house payment. Plus, I didn't go to work full-time until July....(unbeknownst to us) way past where we were ever going to be able to catch up on our behind payments to the satisfaction of our mortgage company. They just finally started sending our payments back and refused to accept them so they could foreclose on us.

Do I blame them? No. They are doing what they were designed to do. They are not some big, evil entity.

Do I agree with their lack of willingness to work with me when I am MORE than willing to rectify this with extra payments? No. I can't say that I do.

We will move on and rebuild our lives. But, I do have to wish them luck in finding a buyer for this house in our little town and it's struggling economy. Good luck, indeed. There have been many a home on the market for years here.

My Favorite Color....

2010-11-03T13:19:00.007-05:00

Red is, probably, nature's most beautiful color.

At the risk of alienating any of my fellow crafters who might lean to the left in their political beliefs, I need to share with you my favorite color.

It. Is. Red.

Do I think Red's can do it all? No.

Do I think Red's have all the answers? No.

Do I think that having more Red in government is good? Yes.

The Blue made a pretty strong statement while they were there and in complete control.

They said "We are going to do it our way and we don't care what you think. You are just the elecorate, you don't really have brains. You certainly aren't able to think for yourselves or know what is good for you. We should really own everything and dole out to you what we think you should have."

Well, to that I say this: No.

And I am so glad so many other American's (including my beloved Wisconsinites) agreed.

The leader of the Blue team has behaved in a horribly arrogant and caustic manner that will do nothing but tear my Country down and continue to tear it apart. His words are a poison in the ears of any person that hears them. He speaks poorly about the Country he is supposed to be the Commander-in-Chief of, he talks as though his ideas are the only ideas worthy of consideration, he says things like "I" and "me" and "my"-not "us" and "we" and "our", and he is terribly arrogant in his demeanor and treatment of others.

America is the greatest Country on Earth. Shame on him for thinking, talking or behaving otherwise while standing in the role of Leader of said Country. Shame on him.

Frog Pond Pattern

2010-11-01T15:46:00.002-05:00

First, the purpose of the bag: It is a Frog Pond that houses 10, rainbow colored frogs.
Why ten?: To learn counting. This toy reinforces the 1-10 counting ability.
Why rainbow colors?: For color matching. 2 of each rainbow color affords little ones and their 'teachers' the ability to work on basic colors: Red, Yellow, Orange, Blue & Green and matching those colors into pairs.

The New & Improved Frog Pond Bag

Froggy Friends to Fill the Bag- Get the Pattern Here.

Snug as Bugs in a Rug. :-)

Frog Pond Bag Pattern

by Elizabeth Mareno 2010

Supplies:

Frogs/Flowers:1 skein each of Patons Astra (1.75 oz) Red, Green, Blue, White, Black & Yellow.

Frogs: 1 skein of Caron Simply Soft Mango (orange-only because Astra doesn't make an orange)

OR Any colors you want in a #3 light weight yarn or DK weight.

Bag: 1 skein of Red Heart Spring Green

Bag: 1 skein Blue-ish boucle (used a random WalMart brand for the project)

OR Any colors you want in 4ply worsted weight.

Water Lily: Tiny amount of Dark Sage Green WW yarn

Tiny amount of warm brown for "grass accents"

E hook

F hook

H hook

Large eye needle for assembly and 'cleaning up'

Fiberfill

BOTTOM: w/green & H hook

R1- ch2, 6sc in 2nd ch from hook (6sc) do not join

R2- 2sc in each sc around (12sc)

R3- (sc in 1sc, 2sc in next sc) repeat around (18sc)

R4- (sc in 2sc, 2sc in next sc) repeat around (24sc)

R5- (sc in 3sc, 2sc in next sc) repeat around (30sc)

R6- (sc in 4sc, 2sc in next sc) repeat around (36sc)

R7- (sc in 5sc, 2sc in next sc) repeat around (42sc)

R8- (sc in 6sc, 2sc in next sc) repeat around (48sc)

R9- (sc in 7sc, 2sc in next sc) repeat around (54sc)

R10- (sc in 8sc, 2sc in next sc) repeat around (60sc)

R11-20- Sc in each sc around.

Cut off, leaving an end to weave in.

WATER: w/blue

with inside of green bottom facing you. working in the open loops of sc from row 20.

Large Wave R1: sl st in any outside loop of open sc on row 20. ch3, 2dc in next loop, (dc in 1sc, 2dc in next sc) around (90dc)join with sl st to first ch 3(which counts as dc)

Large Wave R2: ch1, sc in sm sp, (hdc in next dc, dc in next dc, trc in next dc, dtrc in next dc, trc in next dc, dc in next dc, hdc in next dc, sc in next dc) repeat around. join with sl st to first sc. (11 waves)

Small Wave: sl st in any inside loop of open sc on row 20. ch1, sc in sm sp, (hdc in next loop, dc in next loop, trc in next loop, dc in next loop, hdc in next loop, sc in next loop) repeat pattern. join with sl st to first sc. (10 waves)

Main Water R1: with outside of bag facing you, but working on the 'inside' of the bag, sl st around the post of a sc of row 20. Sc around the post you have sl st'd around and sc around each post of row 20. (Essentially, you will be putting a row of sc around the posts of row 20 scs, creating the "building" row of your main water.) join with sl st to first sc.

R2: ch2, hdc in sm sp, hdc in each sc around. join with sl st to first hdc (not ch2). (60hdc)

R3-R10: ch2, hdc in sm sp, hdc in each hdc around. join with sl st to first hdc (not ch2). (60hdc)

R11: ch4 (cts as dc, ch1), (skip next hdc, dc in next hdc, ch1) repeat around. join with sl st to 3rd chain of original chain 4. (24dc)

R12: ch1, sc in each dc and ch1 around. join with sl st to first sc.

R13: ch1, sc in sm sp as join, (ch3, sk sc, sc in next sc) repeat around. join with sl st to sc. (24-ch3 sp) cut off.

Tie: Chain 101. sl st in 2nd chain from hook and each chain. Cut off, tuck ends and weave through the open spaces from R11.

WATERLILLIES: F hook

w/yellow

R1: ch2, 6sc in 2nd ch from hook (6sc) do not join

R2: 2sc in each, cut off.

**w/petal color: attach w/ sl st to BLO of any sc. ch4, sc in 3ch(petal made), sl st in back loop of next sc, repeat petal all the way around. (12 back petals) do not attach to 1st petal

**sl st in the front loop of 1st sc, repeat petals in all open front loops of sc's. (12 front petals)

Secure, cut and weave in all ends. Then thread the tip of one side of Tie through the hole in the middle of the flower and put an overhand knot on the end of the tie to keep the flower from sliding off. Repeat this one more time with flower #2.

LILY PAD: w/WW yarn and H hook

R1: ch2, 6sc in 2nd ch from hook (6sc)

R2: 2sc in each (12sc)

R3: (RS) (sc in 1sc, 2sc in next) 3 times (9) leave rem 3 sc unworked

R4: ch1, turn, (sc in 2sc, 2sc in next) repeat to the end. do not join. (20sc) Finish off. Leave a long end for sewing on. Place where you want on the bag.

Cut several 3" pieces of Light green/Dark green and Brown. Latchook these onto the waves area to give the "idea" of pond grasses, etc.

*Disclaimer: I have done my best to make sure that all of the instructions are here. If you have any questions about the pattern, email me.**

The Meaning of November

2010-11-01T13:24:00.003-05:00

Canibals?

November.

The month of my birth. (I'll be 39 this year...eek)

The month that causes me to catch my breath and try to remember where the rest of the year went and did I have fun?

The month that suddenly has me thinking "What do the kids want for Christmas?" and "Are we going to be able to afford it?" lol.

The month where I start planning out my Christmas baking and candy making.

The month where it seriously turns cold, hunters come to town and bloody deer get strapped to the roofs, trunks and hoods of vehicles.

The month of Thanksgiving, where we get together with family and enjoy each other while eating copious amounts of turkey, stuffing, potatoes and pie. Then we all need naps.

The month where I realize it will be better to just try to maintain the weight I am at than to try and lose weight for the next couple of months. lol

The month where I usually say "Oh! I should make socks for everyone in the family this year!!!"
Well, that only happened once....it won't ever happen again. :)

What does November mean to you?

What Have You Been Up To?

2010-10-28T13:32:00.004-05:00

Moi? I have been totally focused, enveloped and up to my proverbial eyeballs in all things "Christmas Program". It appears I have this talent for writing Christmas Programs, skits, plays, etc.

This is the third Christmas Program I have put together for our church. This year's theme is "The Glory of God"....which is us, His creation. In all of this we have speaking skits and music skits that we 'act' out or pantomime to. There is always a "story" that is narrated or acted out throughout the program, essentially introducing the individual skits. Needless to say, since this is all coming from my brain I have to be there to choreograph and oversee everything. Sometimes it is overwhelming, most times it's just good old fashioned fun.

We are hot and heavy into practices and rehearsals. There are so many elements to pull together. Thankfully, this year we created a "Creative Team" that will help with props and costumes so that it doesn't all fall on me and the Children's Church Director. I am so greatful for all of them. They have such great ideas. :) I have finally assembled all of the music. I have all of my principal characters assigned and I am sooooo stoked! This year is going to be GREAT!! :)

Somehow I will figure out how to video it and then we will figure out how to put it on youtube so that you all can see it. :) Right now with just the basics and not running through the program from beginning to end without stops, we are at about an hour and a half with a ten minute Intermission.

I have also been crocheting. I am almost done with my Grandmother's shawl (the Sweet & Simple Shawl Pattern by me) that she requested and I am almost done with all my little froggies. Just have to assemble the one that is done and make one more and we are good to go. I am using the Mango Simply Soft for the orange froggies. Bad choice. Just sayin. Not the color...it's just soooooper hard to work with for this project and my left arm aches. So the last two frogs are taking longer than planned. Frog Pond pattern coming soon....I promise!

Now, if I can just stop trying to live on chocolate.

Finding My Center

2010-10-19T14:07:00.003-05:00

Today, I crochet for the sake of therapy and sanity.

My mind is unsettled. I am not mad, sad or unhappy....just unsettled. For two reasons, the first being that I made a mistake at work that could have been potentially disastrous, financially. I paid some bills (...big bills) and neglected to post them to the checkbook on the computer....bad, bad, bad.... And now, the money that is coming in from large sales this week has to go to cover my mistakes instead of going for other things. *facepalm*

The second being that my son is having a hard time in school right now. My kids attend an online high school that is proving to be a great school for them. My son, for lack of a better word, pretended he was doing his school while letting his mind wander and doing nothing. Then, he would take his regular breaks and the like....just wouldn't turn in any of his work.

Well, I decided to see how they were doing through the parent controls and discovered all of this late work. I told him to catch himself up. He was only a day or two behind. He ignored me. I told him then that he had one week to get caught up or deal with loss of beloved gaming systems, etc.....should have been easy...nope. While I was 'grilling' him about why wasn't he getting anything done and what the heck was he doing all day??, he said to me "Mom, your little grilling sessions aren't making me move any faster." I almost killed the boy. So, instead of murder, I chose to have a 'punishment' day.

Last Saturday he had to do school and chores all day. No free time. No TV. No computer time. I made him take his favorite stuff from his room and put it in my room (all purely symbolic, this was only one day). Then he would do school for a 1/2 hour, we'd do a chore for a 1/2 hour...just to keep the day broken up. It went fast. It wasn't as miserable as he thought it would be, but decided that he didn't want to give up another whole Saturday like that. He got every thing caught up except Spanish.

So, I thought he was cured. I thought he'd get caught up in Spanish on Monday and then quick catch himself up on the rest of the things he might have gotten behind on today. Apparently not. Once again, I checked his work. It took him two days to complete and hand in about 4 things. He is continually getting further and further behind in Spanish, as well as, all of his other classes, which he is now behind in AGAIN. And then come to find out he has 0's on a few assignments in various classes because he didn't follow directions. When I tell my kids "redo this assignment because the teacher has suggested that you do that so you can get a higher grade", they all but thumb their nose at me and say "no". I am at my absolute wits end. I have nothing left in me. I'm so overwhelmed by his (and sometimes her) absolute lack of desire/will to do well that I just want to cry.

Just get the *&^%&*!@ work done!!! How hard is this???

My time is so limited right now. My schedule is so full. But, if I have to sit next to him and force him to complete every assignment, I will. Thank you, God, for the strength I need not to strangle him.

Froggy Friends

2010-10-12T10:28:00.003-05:00

I want you to meet my new froggy friends and their future buddies.

I got the pattern for them here.

They were too adorable to not make.

Since I've redesigned the Frog Pond Bag (pictures and pattern coming soon!) and I totally love it this time....I decided it was time to make the little rainbow froggies to go inside.

I, also, decided that it would be entirely redundant to design little frogs of my own when there are a bazillion different frog patterns already available, most of them for free.

I decided, instead, to support another fiber artist and promote her pattern with my bag. :)

I have altered the pattern only in the application of eyes. I have sewn mine on with yarn. I am a terrible embroider-er-er(?)...I am not good at embroidery. Mine is always choppy and sloppy and sorta ugly. Beauty thing? Babies don't care. Mama's typically don't either. Most of them can't make it themselves and are just happy their kids can't chew it off and choke on them. I'm pretty psycho about making all toys teeny-tiny-child friendly.

So, if you don't look too closely at the eyes of my frogs, which are all crooked...every one... and look at them as a whole, you will realize they are way to cute to not have a home!

Hello Fall

2010-10-08T11:33:00.003-05:00

I know I'm a little late, at least for my area, to post about saying 'hi' to Fall.

Most of our trees have already shed their color, but a few are hanging on. Like the gorgeous Oak in my back yard that is flame red right now. Every morning I go into my second floor laundry room to look out the window at it. The sun is hitting it at just the right angle at that time and it looks like a huge fire. Morning sun is different than any other time of the day. It's gorgeous and Fall is my absolute favorite time of year.

One year, we had particularly good color that hung on for a long time. It was an abnormally warm fall without a lot of rain and it was just gorgeous. Every where that I went I took pictures of the fall colors. I still have all of those pictures and some day I am going to put them on the wall of my house in a collage. Some day.....when my house isn't in a perpetual state of reconstruction.

My husband is a wonderful starter. He really is.

A Bit Tired & Crabby

2010-10-04T14:58:00.004-05:00

The first of the striped mittens is completed. Almost everyone in my circle of people has tried it on. And almost every one, to a person, has said "Oh! It fits!"...like there was some question that it would...? Come on, people!

My daughter, being the high-maintenance gift receiver that she is, was irritated that the thumb was not black. When we talked about the order of the finger/thumb color repeats, we had discussed the thumb being black. Well, in all of my finger knitting...I forgot. I was going to do them blue when I had originally started them, and when it came time to do them..I just picked up the blue without another thought. By the time she realized the thumb was blue, I was about 5 or 6 rows into the thumb and I was not knitting them back. There is much disappointment in that blue thumb. It's an unexplainable disappointment. I have, yet again, failed her somehow.

Me and my ever-present pattern book just keep plugging along. I will finish her second mitten (which I offered to alter the color progression of the fingers and have the thumb be black...but no...they won't match, then) and wipe my hands of her neediness for a bit. It will be good to be done with this pair.

Then, it is on to my husband's black pair. They will be a wool blend to keep his previously frost bitten fingers warm.

And now, a personal moment: I have hit a whole new level of fatigue. I decided last Friday night, while my husband and daughter were at football games and my son was busy playing video games, that I would can. I started around 6 something and quit around 11. I was able to get cranberry sauce, spicy cranberry salsa, traditional salsa and caramel-apple jam canned. However, by the time I was done canning, I was keyed up. Couldn't even think about going to bed. All I wanted to do was knit and relax. Then A Few Good Men came on TBS and I just had to watch it! I mean, it was almost language free! I love that movie. So, I was up till 2am. yay. My plans for Saturday were to get up and go scrapbooking. I thought "I'll just sleep in and go when I wake up". Lucky me, I was up at 7:15. Plenty of time to get ready for scrapbooking! Saturday went fast, but I was up late again. Sunday dawned bright and EARLY....and I hauled my cookies out of bed for church. But, no nap for me during football cuz we had friends come over for the day. It was a nice time, but I spent alot of time yawning. Now, I am at the end of an extremely busy day at work. The phone rang non-stop with the temps in the 30's first thing in the morning. Now, I face an hour trip out of town to go grocery shopping and i. am. tired.

Tonight, I go to bed early. No excuses. Well, after Dancing with the Stars......

And So Another Pair Begins....

2010-10-01T12:31:00.003-05:00

*sung to the tune of Onward Christian Soldiers*

Onward Knitting Soldiers,
marching as to war,
with our knitting needles,
wielded as a sword.
Daunted not by boredom,
or repetitiousness,
We will be the conquerors,
and make a matching set.

:)

I'm pretty sure I have too much time on my hands.

Second Mitten Syndrome

2010-09-30T13:20:00.003-05:00

Second Mitten Syndrome is much like Second Sock Syndrome, only less eclectic and fun. When you have second sock syndrome you can still get away with wearing mismatched socks. It's all the rage...or at least it was a year or two ago. You could even get see through shoes to show off your funky sockness. But, second mitten syndrome is less charming. You don't look fun and funky...you look like some lamo who lost their mitten and should really have a string sewn on so you don't do that again!

The second mitten is much less exciting to make, cuz you've been there, done that. Just like the second sock. Anything you have to make two of.....well, pretty much drains all joy out of me.

So why do I do it? A) It's a sickness. B) It's a compulsion. C) There is a satisfaction derived from completing something that you dread doing. Almost like feeling that sense of inner accomplishment for eating that yogurt...when you really wanted a donut. And then you go back and eat the donut anyway cuz the yogurt really wasn't satisfying...but who's counting? You get 'points' for eating something healthy.

Has anyone ever added up their 'points'? If so, what do you get to use your 'points' for? That's a brain twister there.

Gloves I finished a week or so ago. I think I actually love making gloves way more than mittens. Don't know why. Maybe it's the fact that I feel like a freaking knitting goddess when they are done. They fit, they are functional AND they are pretty. :)

My macho, macho man was too cool for knitted gloves when I showed him the pattern I intended to make. "Nah...I don't need any gloves" he said. After I got the first one done, all of a sudden.."Yeah, these are pretty cool. I could use a black pair." Oh can you, now? And daughter pipes up..."Ooooo, Mom, I want these.....the ones with 1800 color changes and 50,000 ends that you'll have to weave in when you're done! Those are sweet!" *You really don't care if I ever work on another project, do you?*

So, onward, I knit. Loving and hating it all at the same time. While I know my family will "appreciate" the gloves. They will never "appreciate" what goes into them. I make it look way too easy. Sort of like watching my husband play any sport with a ball involved. How does anyone play that good all the time?? Or watching my daughter powerlift. How does anyone get that strong?? Or listening to my son tell me his latest ideas for books he wants to write. Where does he come up with this stuff???

I guess we all have our own gifts. World would be pretty boring if we were all the same, huh?

Mittens for the Finished Hat

2010-09-28T10:44:00.005-05:00

I started the mittens that will go with the hat. I do have a pattern for the mittens. It comes out of the Patons: Next Steps Seven, Mittens & Gloves book. It's the basic 4 needle mitten. I just added a few stripes of color to have it coordinate with the hat. Working on the second mitten now.

I'm sort of loving the way the two skeins I bought are pooling their colors so differently. The hat and top portion of the finished mitten are the

same skein. Bottom of mitten and the next mitten are the other ball. If I were going to be super anal about it, the differences would be driving me batty about now. But, seeing as how I'm the super laid back broad that I am, I am looking at this as sort of fun. I like the differences. I mean, that is why I bought hand-dyed, right?

Finished Hat

2010-09-26T17:23:00.006-05:00

We'll start off with a scary self portrait.
This is me, not at my best, but me all the same.

The hat is a bit short. Of course, this is the first time I've made a hat without a pattern to follow. I'm sure the next one will be better.

I figured I would give taking a picture of myself a try. I mean, my daughter takes about 50 pictures of herself a week....so how hard could it be, right? It's a lot harder than it looks. That is, if you want it straight.

Here we have the back of the hat.

I love the way that it turned out. I love the colors together. I even love the way the cables turned out. They were meant to be subtle and they certainly are that.

I don't know that I'm the neatest knitter. I can see lots of chunkiness in my decreases, etc. Of course, that may be the weight of the yarn. The mystery wool from Bayfield is chunky and rough, but boy is it warm.

Currently working on mittens to match.

Hat Turned Swatch

2010-09-24T10:11:00.003-05:00

I finally came out of my funk this week and decided I was going to try my hand at working with the hand-dyed mystery wool I picked up in Bayfield at the beginning of the month.

I broke out the size 6 bamboo dpn's (they are the only ones that I own that have 5 to a pkg) and cast on 80 stitches, 20 per needle. I thought...gads...80 stitches should be plenty for an adult size hat. Um, no. Try, small child.

As I knit right along I was falling in love with it. I even got all crazy and threw in a few segments of leftover llama/mix/handspun that I had picked up at a different craft fair about 4 years ago. I even made some baby cables in there. Ya know, just me being all awesome and stuff and showing off my crazy knitting skills. *rolling eyes* I don't have crazy knitting skills, folks. You have no idea how I struggle through cables. I love, love, love the way they look...I do not love, love, love making them. I either have the wrong size cable needle, hence the 'slipping' that occurs frequently causing me to "Ahhh!! Nobody MOVE! I dropped a needle!!"....(my family loves it) OR I just suck at making cables and end up making them out to be WAY harder than they need to be. Either way, it's a handicap for me.

So anywho, I noticed that the hat just did not seem to be of adult proportions right about the beginning of the gray llama yarn. But, I thought to myself, "oh I'll just make this a child's cap", until I got done with the gray and went a little on the green and wanted to start decreasing. My inner knitter cried out, "NO!! This is all wrong! This is supposed to be an adult hat!" I could not continue. I would be living a lie. Lord knows I have more than enough yarn to make this adult hat. (how many stitches???) This little hat became a practice swatch that will be taken apart.

****
Frogging commenced and I have neat little balls of yarn waiting to be re-knit into my happy little wool hat. I'm making it up as I go, so who knows what it's gonna look like..??

Fun & Funky Witch Costume-AG Dolls Pattern

2010-09-20T14:25:00.005-05:00

I was finally able to find my pictures!!

So without further ado...The Fun & Funky Witch Costume for AG Dolls!!

Fun & Funky Witch Costume Pattern for AG Dolls

by Elizabeth Mareno 2010

Items Needed:
Caron Simply Soft Black
Small amts- Lime Grn, Purple & Orange
F hook, Lg Eye Yarn Needle for finishing.
Gauge:
18 sc/20 rows = 4"x4" square using Caron SS

Bodice:
ch 50- join to make a ring- don't twist.
Row 1- ch1, sc in sm sp as join and each ch around. sl st to first sc. (50)
Row 2-10- ch1, sc in each sc, join. (50)
Row 11-15- ch1, turn, sc in each sc.
Left Back: (RS)
Row 16-24- ch1, turn, sc in 10
Row 25- ch1, turn, sc in 5, lv rem st undone.
Row 26-27- ch1, turn, sc in 5. Cut
Right Back: (RS) sk 30 from left back. reattach with black in next sc.
Row 16- ch1, sc in sm sp as join and next 9 sc.
Row 17-24- ch1, turn, sc in each sc.
Row 25- do not ch1, turn, sl st in 6sc, ch1, sc in sm st and next 4 sc. (5)
Row 26-27- Ch1, turn, sc in 5. Cut.
Front: (RS) from left back, sk 9, reattach w/sl st.
Row 16- ch1, sc in sm sp and next 15sc. (16)
Row 17-19- ch1, turn, sc in each.
**Left Front
Row 20- ch1, turn, sc in 8.
Row 21- ch1, turn, sc dec, sc in rem sc (7)
Row 22- ch1, turn, sc in 5, sc dec (6)
Row 23- ch1, turn, sc dec, sc in 4 (5)
Row 24- ch1, turn, sc in each.
Row 25-27- ch1, turn, sc in each. Cut.
**Right Front-(RS) reattach w/ sl st to 1st open sc,
Row 20- ch1, sc in sm sp and next 7 (8)
Row 21- ch1, turn, sc in 6, sc dec. (7)
Row 22- ch1, turn, sc dec, sc in 5 (6)
Row 23- ch1, turn, sc in 4, sc dec (5)
Row 24-27- ch1, turn, sc in each. Cut

**Sew shoulder seams with right sides together.

Skirt: (RS) working on opposite side of starting chain, attach with black to sc at back seam.
Row 1- ch1, sc in sm st and each ch around. join. (50)
Row 2- ch2, hdc in sm sp, hdc in next 4sc, (2hdc in next, hdc in 4) around, join to ch2. (60)
Row 3- ch2, hdc around.
Row 4- ch2, hdc in sm sp, hdc in 4, (2hdc in next, hdc in 4) around (72)
Row 5- ch2, hdc around. Cut off.
Row 6- Change to Orange, attach orange in sm st as join, ch1, sc in join and each sc around. (72)
Cut off.
Row 7- Change to black, attach orange in sm sp as join, ch2, hdc in join, hdc in 5 (2hdc in next, hdc in 5) around. Join. (84)
Row 8- 9- ch2, hdc in each hdc. join.
Row 10- Change to Green. Repeat row 6 (84)
Row 11-13- Change to black, ch2, hdc in each.
Row 14- Change to Purple, repeat row 6 . Cut off, weave in ends.

Sleeves: with black, join to round 15 of bodice.
Row 1- ch2, hdc in each sc and row end. (31)
Row 2- ch2, hdc in each, cut.
Row 3- Change to Orange, ch1, sc in each. Cut.
Row 4- Change to black, ch2, hdc in sm sp as join, hdc in 4, (2hdc in next, hdc in 4)5times, hdc in last hdc. (37)
Row 5- ch2, hdc in each.
Row 6- Change to Green, ch1, sc in each.
Row 7- Change to Black, ch2, hdc around. (37)
Row 8- ch2, hdc in sm sp as join, hdc in next 2, (2hdc, hdc in next 2) around, hdc in last hdc. Cut
Row 9- Change to Purple, ch1, sc around. Cut.

**Back trim- with black, join with sl st to bottom of back opening, sc in each row end up to corner. Cut. Join with sl st to opposite corner, ch1, sc in join and each row end to bottom of back.Finish.
**With Green- ch30, attach with sl st to back trim row end, ch1, sc in sm sp and each sc across to inner corner, sc dec, sc across row ends of shoulder to front "V", sc up other side to opp. inner corner, sc dec, sc across rem sc and back trim row end. ch31, Cut.

Collar: Optional
Row 1- ch7, sc in 2nd ch and each sc (6)
Row 2- ch1, turn, sc dec, sc in 2, sc dec (4)
Row 3- ch1, turn, sc in each.
Row 4- ch1, turn, sc dec twice (2)
Row 5- ch1, turn, sc
Row 6- ch1, turn, sc dec once.
Row 7- turn on edge, sc in each row end, 3 sc in each corner.
**Sew to neckline on ch7 edge, can tack tip down or leave free.

Belt: Optional
Row 1- With Green- ch80, sc in 2nd ch from hook and each, 3sc in last ch, working on opp side of ch, sc in each ch. (159)
Row 2- ch1, turn, sc in 78, 2sc in next 3sc, sc in 78sc. (162)
Row 3- ch1, turn, sc in 78, 2sc in next 2sc, 3sc in 2sc, 2sc in next 2sc, sc in 78. Cut leaving a long end for sewing buckle on.

Buckle:
ch25, sc in 2nd ch from hook and next, 2sc in next, (sc in 2, 2sc) across, sc in last.
Put RS to RS on end and sc together, ch7, sl st to sc on opp side of circle. Finish off.
**Attach to belt by weaving onto flat end of belt, fold belt end over and sew in
place.

Hat: Starting at top with black
Row 1- ch2, 5sc in 2nd ch, do not join.
Row 2- sc in each sc
Row 3- (sc in 1, 2sc) twice, sc in last (7)
Row 4-5- sc in each
Row 6- (2sc in 1, 1sc in 1) around, sc in last(10)
Row 7- sc in each
Row 8- (sc in 2, 2sc) around , sc in last(13)
Row 9- sc in each
Row 10- (sc in 1, 2sc) around, sc in last (19)
Row 11- sc in each
Row 12- repeat row 10 (28)
Row 13- sc in each, join and cut.
Row 14- Change to Orange, after attaching, repeat row 10, join and cut. (42)
Row 15- Change to Black, after attach, sc in each, join.
Row 16-17- ch1, sc around, join.
Row 18- Change to gree, after attach, ch1, (sc in 5, 2sc in next) 7 times (49)
Row 19- Change to Black, after attach, ch1, sc in each. (49)
Row 20- ch1, (sc in 6, 2sc) around. (56)
Row 21- ch1, sc (56)
Row 22- Change to Purple, after attach, ch1, sc in each (56) join.
Row 23- ch1, FLO (sc, 2sc) around (84)
Row 24- ch1,both loops (sc in 5, 2sc) around.(98)
Row 25- ch1,( sc in 31, 2sc in next) 3 times, sc in last 2, join (101) Cut and weave ends.

Spider:
With green, ch2, 6 sc in 2nd ch. Join. Cut leaving long end. Sew to hat and use long end to embroider legs.

Trick or Treat/Evening Bag: with black, ch7
Row 1- 3sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 4 ch, 3 sc in last ch. working on opp side of ch, sc in next 4 ch, join with 1st sc.
Row 2- ch1, 3sc in join, 1sc in next, 3 sc in next, sc in next 4, (3sc, 1sc, 3sc) in next 3 sc, sc in last 4, join.
Row 3- ch1, sc in join, 3sc in next, sc in 3, 3 sc in next, sc in 6, (3sc, sc in 3, 3 sc) sc in last 6, join.
Row 4- ch1, BLO, sc in join and each sc around. join.
Row 5- ch1, both loops, sc in each.
Row 6-11- ch1, sc in each, join, cut
Row 12- Change to Green, ch1, sc in sm sp as join, sc in each sc around. cut and weave in ends.
On Sides- attach with green and sl st on one end, ch14, sk 8sc, sl st in next, sl st in 7sc, ch14, sk 8sc, sl st in next. (handles made)

Low Gluten-Dairy Free Waffles- Recipe

2010-09-20T13:01:00.007-05:00

Hello all you wonderful people! I figured its time for a recipe. I haven't posted one in just forever! This time it is WAFFLES!! Yum, every Saturday morning should be filled up with waffles! I call these low-gluten because they are made with Spelt, which can usually be consumed by people who have an irritation to traditional wheat products. Not celiac's! They still need to avoid, because Spelt is part of the wheat family and does contain a certain amount of gluten. Go here to read up on Spelt to see if it will work for you. I am not celiac, but I do not tolerate wheat well. You should be able to find it at any well-stocked health food store.
Now to the recipe.
This recipe is adapted from Better Homes New Cook Book copyright dated 1989. It is actually their pancake recipe that ended up working out better as a waffle batter after I made all the substitutions for our dietary needs. I double or triple this recipe for Saturday morning feeds depending on how many of us are home. They are very light, but very filling.

Saturday Morning Waffles (Low-Gluten, Dairy-Free)

1 Cup White Spelt Flour
1 Tblsp Turbinado (aka Raw) Sugar
2 tsps Aluminum Free Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1 Beaten Egg (use egg substitute if you need)
1 Cup Rice Milk (or any non-dairy milk substitute)
2 Tblsp Oil (we use walnut oil)

In a mixing bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking pwdr and salt. In another mixing bowl combine egg, milk and oil. Add to flour mixture all at once. Stir mixture till blended but still slightly lumpy.

Pour about 1/3 cup batter onto waffle iron. For whatever reason, I find that it doesn't matter if I put just less than 1/3 cup or a full 1/3 cup...so I use the same amount with each waffle. It either doesn't reach the edge of the waffle iron and I have anemic looking waffles or this happens:

The same 1/3 cup that I put on the waffle iron...every time....

Served with Pure Wisconsin Maple Syrup.

I need to buy some from the local farms for this winter.

Some of us like to dunk.

Others of us are less...civilized...and drown our waffles.

Still, yet, some of us are a little more creative and use peach preserves made with honey.
Hubby doesn't eat Maple Syrup.

He did not feel as though his presentation was complete without

showing you the waffles with their

turkey breakfast sausage companions.

Don't you love my 70's Corelle? LOL

HOPE YOU ENJOY!

Crafter's Block

2010-09-16T11:23:00.002-05:00

Ever since proclaiming I am going back to the drawing board with the Frog Pond Bag I have been in a perpetual state of "Crafter's Block".

**I want to knit gloves and mittens. Can't decide where to start (even though I have the yarn I want to use and the bag of dpn needles sitting right there with the new book I picked up last week). No ambition.

**I want to make socks....pretty socks....warm, wool socks....I have the supplies! Not happening.

**I want to remake the bag. No desire to even dig it out.

What is wrong with me? Maybe I have too much going on?

School, Homework, Real work-which is getting busy with the heating season starting, Obsessive canning every few nights (salsa's, apple butter, jams, etc), Baking pitas and granola on the weekends........the ever-present free online mahjongg game (lol), facebook, emailing....

What is getting in the way??

Ok. Nevermind. My whole darn life is getting in the way! LOL!! This must stop!

Lawd, help me!

Ever Do This?

2010-09-14T09:59:00.003-05:00

I shop on Amazon alot. I always use the "take it right out of your checkbook" feature. It's worked well for me and it's super convenient. Been doing it for years.

Recently my husband made an adding error in our checkbook by $40...it caused a check that we wrote to Sam's Club to be "sent back". So now TransWorld something or another won't let me use my checkbook anywhere. Good times, baby!

I ordered my son's birthday present from Amazon on the 10th. His birthday is the 26th. Well, when I ordered it, I didn't know TransWorld was stopping all my checks till I received a sweet little letter in my email telling me that "we are having trouble processing your form of payment" . In other words "Hey Loser! Put some money in your checking account!!". Except that there IS money in there! Plenty! They just won't let you have any of it!

So, ok, moving right along. I don't have any credit cards of my own. Credit cards are the devil's playground in my hands...so I don't keep them. I borrowed one of my dad's....well, got another sweet little letter in my email this morning stating "we are having trouble processing your form of payment". In my mind I added, "again". And then they were kind enough to inform me that "maybe you typed a number wrong?". No, I didn't. The card just didn't have enough available credit on it. Now, I'm a double lame-o.

I am on payment source #3. Mom's credit card. I really, really hope that this one works. Otherwise, I will be forced to go to a retail shop and pay more for the same things. Grrr. The check is at home all ready for the lucking recipient to cash, so it's not like I am mooching off them. But, at times like this I feel so....what's the word....uncool? needy? dependent? Almost like back in the day when we really had no money and couldn't afford anything and had to rely on parents, etc, even though we were 'adults' (haha) and were supposed to be 'on our own' (double haha). **short side track: looking back, if we were 'on our own' and had made a conscious choice to reproduce, we should have been able to pay our bills. just sayin'.**

I hope I'm not the only who has ever found themselves in a messed up little pinch caused by an accidental miscalculation. My poor husband. He felt so bad when he saw that he had made an adding error. He's such a perfectionist.

**9-15-10** Update: All is well on the birthday gift front. It's on its way. Should be here Monday. Third time was a charm. LOL!

Poopy Thoughts

2010-09-10T10:50:00.002-05:00

I have been thrown into a tailspin of foolish, poopy thinking.

My little award that I had received out of the kindness of someone else that thought my little blog was worthy of note brought me joy. So I passed it on to a few other blogs that I thoroughly enjoy reading.

One of my recipients didn't care for it. Instead of just saying no thanks, he basically made fun of it on his blog, without naming names. Now I feel like a boob. He called it a "chain letter for bloggers". And it may very well be that, but I didn't view it or pass it along as such. Anyone that knows me, knows that I do not FWD anything. Usually if it says FWD in the name...I skip it and delete it almost immediately, no matter who its from. I have to be in a special mood to open it. So, for what I thought was a neat little gift to be called a chain letter....Gahhh!

So, thank you, person I love to read, you have made me a neurotic mess over this. I feel like an idiot and wish that I could take it back. I don't think I will ever make the mistake of giving of myself like that on the internet again. I don't like feeling like I've just been made an ass of.

Pokemon Designer Extraordinaire!!

2010-09-10T10:11:00.002-05:00

I don't believe in duplicating designs if it can be helped. So, I have come on here to share with you a Pokemon designer that has forever released me from designing another Pokemon! Her work is incredible and clean and neat. I love every one of her designs and I am actually wanting to make a few of them for my son who claims to be over Pokemon at the ripe old age of 13...but still talks about them and the new games coming out obsessively.

She does several other popular toy designs, too. She has Mario Brothers Patterns, Sonic Hedgehog Patterns and a Despicable Me Minion Pattern. She has several other patterns for various objects, as well. I encourage you to visit her site, she is an awesome Amigurumi Fiber Artist!!

Just follow this link to Wolfdreamer-Off The Hook's blog.

Labor Day Stuff

2010-09-08T12:55:00.006-05:00

Labor Day weekend was a very full weekend for us.

Saturday we started it off by heading to Bayfield for the day. Isn't it weird how there really isn't a convenient time to plan a day trip? You just have to slam it into your schedule and not apologize for its invasion of your routine. That's what the trip to Bayfield was like for us. Not convenient, but Oh, such a necessity. This year we got to take some good friends of ours. The Bushman's. Sam had never been before. Her husband and kids had gone the year before with his parents, but this still seemed like a new experience for them. We showed them our once-a-year haunts and favorite stores. We walked the cobblestone streets down to the used book store and perused the overpriced handmade pieces of art in the various shops that line the road. We, finally, after much nagging and grumbling by children, made it to the candy shop where much fudge and salt water taffy was purchased by all. Not to mention the rock candy and various caramels.... We ate our lunch @ Maggie's, as usual, and enjoyed a quick walk through of the local farmer's market where I acquired some lovely hand dyed wool (the picture beneath the group). And walked along the pier before heading out into the country to visit an orchard we like. They have a wonderful blueberry wine that we bought a bottle of for a Christmas present. We also bought some early apples( "Wealthy's" to be exact) that I plan to turn into applesauce and can this weekend. (Find out more about Bayfield @ their official Blog, it's a lovely place.)

The wind, she was a-blowin' hard!!

Lake Superior & the Apostle Islands behind us.

Hand-dyed wool.

Sunday we hung out at my parents for lunch and then went home and did NOTHING! Hallelujah!:)

Monday dawned bright and frisky. We decided to take another day trip, this time to Wausau. We had some grocery shopping that needed to be done and we figured we would do some other shopping while we were there, as well. As we were getting read to walk out the door I grabbed my crocheted market bags and realized that I didn't have enough of one particular kind. It's nice and roomy and has a much better handle than the tall, skinny ones I made (sorry no pics of those). So, I quick grabbed a J hook and a cone of cotton and away we went. I decided to make another bag on the way to Wausau (hour and a half trip, one way). I got about 1/2 done on the way down. Here I have pics of the start:

Nearly full cone of Americana colored Peaches n Creme (can't remember the real name).

The start of my bag.

The pattern....lol

Finished her up last night.

My teeny-weeny cone of leftovers. lol.

This will probably get me one or two more dishcloths.

Now, I just need to remember to take them into the store and use them. :)

Oh My Gosh!

2010-09-03T12:26:00.003-05:00

Did I even tell you?

I'm a college student again!!

*Gasp*

I know, can you even believe it?

I'm in a Web Development class with aspirations to get my degree in IT for Web Development and Media Design.

I would love to turn this little blog into a website with some way cooler features! Like patterns separated from blog and a place for pictures...you know...way cooler than this....

Besides, it's something I can use in ministry. :-) If for nothing else, that makes it all worth it.

Thank You!

2010-09-03T12:12:00.003-05:00

Just want to send a shout out to all my good friends (cuz you know the good ones will be honest with you regardless of how much it might hurt in the end..lol)! I appreciate all of the comments on the frog pond, so far.

Please, feel free to keep commenting! I've gained some wonderful ideas and revamps for my little Frog Pond Bag. I would love to hear some more ideas!!

I Need Your Opinion

2010-09-02T13:18:00.003-05:00

I have created a bag. Except when I look at it, I don't love it.

I will explain what it represents and then I want your honest opinion. No matter how harsh or cruel or judgemental....I KID!! I KID!! Really, I want your opinion on this bag.

It is supposed to represent a little frog pond. The blue represents the water. The varied green "leaves" represent the long grasses you find in a pond and then there is a lily pad and some water lillies on the side. It is all held together with a draw string. My family says that it is adorable. I am afraid that they are just being nice.

So you, crafting community...tell me the truth and don't hold back! What do you really think of this bag?

I've Been Given An Award!!! Cool!!

2010-09-02T09:43:00.004-05:00

Kristine @ www.kristine-creativecrochet.blogspot.com has bestowed a most lovely award upon my blog! It is actually the very first award I've ever received, and how fun!! Thanks Kristine! So now, the program says I am to name 7 random things about myself. Gads, what haven't I told you?

1) My eyes are deep, hunter green.

2) After I sold my yarn store, it took me almost 6 months to pick up a hook or needle again.

3) The sound of thunderstorms relaxes me.

4) I love the smell of my dog right after a bath.

5) My greatest want in life is to live in the country again and have a small farm where we raise our own meat. I miss the quiet and solitude of the country.

6) I am an impulsive person. I have had to learn through many hard lessons to be more conscious and think things through.

7) I realized the other day that I am a perfectionist. While there are many things in life that I just let go, there are just as many things that I hold to an extremely high standard. Punctuality being one of them.

I am passing this award along to these people who should grab it, post it and pass it on (to steal some of Kristine's words)....

Wolfdreamer Off The Hook

Char's Crafty Days

The Straight Male Knitter

The Yarn Project of Michael Leach

Un Vase Fragile

Visit these blogs and enjoy!

New Pattern Project

2010-08-30T10:28:00.002-05:00

Here's a preview of the colors. The yarns are Red Heart Super Saver "Spring Green" and some No Boundaries WalMart brand boucle yarn I picked up about 5 years ago and it just keeps hanging around my stash. I'm sure that it could be substituted with another Red Heart yarn. The product label on the WalMart yarn calls for a size K, so I'm sure another worsted weight will be more than sufficient.

I am starting the pattern today and will post pictures as I get some things done. :)

This is going to be another Learning Baby Toy.

A Little Bit of This and A Little Bit of That

2010-08-26T11:32:00.006-05:00

As I sit here scarfing my lunch (soooper hungry) of leftover sauteed peppers, onions, garlic and zucchini with feta cheese and a homemade spelt pita....I remember the pictures of Toby that I promised to share with you featuring the Barnyard Gang.

There is only one picture of the carnage that I won't be able to show you. It is on my phone and although I carry a small media center around in my purse, the one cable I don't have is the one for my phone to connect to the computer. I will, however, describe the picture to you. It's a little blurry. Lola is dangling from my mother's cupboard by her tail, upside down, udder facing out. No one is quite sure how Toby, who is 13 months old, was able to coordinate such an effort. But, it made for a hilarious picture. One I really, really wanted to show you. :) It's a testament to the hardy structure of the toy itself. From the moment Lola came out of the bag, she was one of his favorites (the other was Jedediah's hat). He tried to behead her, de-tail her and rip most of the rest of her limbs off as well. Watching him play with the Barnyard Gang reaffirmed for me why I double sew everything on. It needs to last and not be a choking hazard. And Toby would have found a way to make it a choking hazard, if he could. LOL

Without further ado...here's Toby.

Notice that Bob is almost flat? He's gotten crawled over a few times...

So that was the Tobinator.

Next up: Baby Socks.

When I was looking through my yarn stash a day or so ago I came across little balls of leftover sock yarn. So, yesterday, I got a wild hair and decided that I needed to make some baby socks out of those little balls. The balls looked so small to me I thought, "I won't be able to get more than one baby sock out of each of those balls. This'll be a great way to stash bust some of this mess out of here, baby socks work up fast AND I'll be able to work my way back into sock making (I haven't touched them in almost 2 years)." Well. Let me share a little secret. Little balls of sock yarn make many baby socks. Because the little balls of yarn sit in my bag and reproduce...so they never end. Ever.

I did have a grand time surfing the web for baby sock patterns, though, and I printed off a pile of them to make. I am going to do with these what I did with the dishcloth patterns I printed off. I want to make at least one pair of every pattern I printed. I am 1 sock done on the first pattern. lol I know I made it sound like I had knitted 15 socks off of one ball, but I didn't. Only one sock...but I was so sure that darn thing would've taken up alot more yarn than it did.

Here's the picture and pattern of my fat, little baby socks.

Here is the extra yarn I brought with me today. Although if I don't get off this computer, I won't even finish the second sock to the first pair....

Here's the list of patterns I will be tackling in the next few days in an effort to **Bust the Stash** (insert loud, echo-ey announcers voice here):

1. Bamboozle Bambini Socks
2. Hunca Munca- Baby Socks
3. Just Your Basic Baby Socks (and hat)
4. Matthew's Leftover Baby Socks
5. Froggy Socks - I may have to go buy some yarn for this...darnit....

and some Just for Fun items from Lion Brand Yarn Company:

*You will have to sign up for free membership to view these patterns*

1. Norwegian Wristers

2. Foyle's Cabled Leg Warmers

Thought Stefani might enjoy a pair of the leg warmers. We'll see if I have enough ambition to get them done. lol

Tah!

Barnyard Gang Pattern- Picture Heavy

2010-08-25T08:06:00.012-05:00

Alright, folks, here it is. The pattern for the much displayed Barnyard Gang pattern. I have some more pictures to share with you concerning this particular bag and characters. I gave it to my cousins baby boy Toby and he enjoyed them. But, that is for another post. Now, it is pattern time!

BARNYARD GANG
by Elizabeth Mareno

Skill: Intermediate or Advanced Beginner (due to color changes and assembly)

Supplies:
(all amounts are approx, you may need more or less depending on how tightly you stitch)
FOR BARN:
4oz Red (used RHSS Cherry Red)
2oz Black (used RHSS Black)
Small amt Brown (used RHSS Warm Brown)
Small amt White (used RHSS White)
Small amt Gold (used RHSS Gold) for straw in window (optional)
FOR ANIMALS: Approx an ounce of each
Horse: Dk Brown (used Patons Astra Dark Tan)
Lt Brown (used Patons Astra Med Tan)
Black- for hooves (used Caron SS Black)
Tiny amt of eye color
Farmer: Skin color (used Caron SS Off White)
Pants Color (used Patons Astra Hot Blue)
Shirt Color (used Patons Astra School Bus Yellow)
Boot Color (used Patons Astra Dark Tan)
Hat Color (used Patons Astra Med Tan)
Tiny amt for hair, eye, smile
Chicken: White (used Patons Astra White)
Red (used Patons Astra Hot Red)
Yellow (used Patons Astra School Bus Yellow)
Tiny amt black for eyes
Pig: Pink (used Patons Astra Bright Pink)
Tiny amt of black for eyes
Cow: Black (used Caron SS Black)
White (used Patons Astra White)
Pink (used Patons Astra Bright Pink)
Tiny amt of brown for eyes

F Hook and H or G Hook
Polyester Fiberfill, Needle for assembly & embroidery, Scissors, Stitch marker
2- 5/8" Buttons, preferrably shank
Small piece of plastic canvas, about 3" circle

Front, door closed

Front, door open

Back with 'fence'

BARN BAG: with larger hook

Start with Warm Brown: Bottom
Row 1- ch2, 6sc in 2nd ch. (6) do not join.
Row 2- 2sc in each sc (12)
Row 3- (1sc, 2sc in next) around. (18)
Row 4- (1sc in 2, 2sc in next) around (24)
Row 5- (1sc in 3, 2sc in next) around (30)
Row 6-10- continue increasing 1 sc per stitch series until you have (1sc in 8sc, 2sc in next). (60)Row 11- BLO (back loops only) sc in each sc (60)
Row 12- in Both Loops, sc in each (60) Cut Brown, Attach Red and continue
Row 13-20- repeat row 12 (60)
Row 21- BLO- (sc in 8, sc dec) around (54)
Row 22- in Both Loops(sc in 7, sc dec) around (48)
Row 23-28- continue decreasing 1sc per stitch series until you have (sc in 1, sc dec) (12)
**Begin to stuff firmly at about row 25, placing the piece of plastic canvas on the bottom before filling- Make sure your open loops are to the outside or right side.
Row 29- (sc dec) around. (6)
Finish off leaving a long end.
Using needle sew top closed and weave ends.

Continue with Red: Body
Row 1- Attach with sc to any open loops from row 21 of bottom. Sc in each open loop around. (60 ) *I did this so my jagged color changes were to the back of the bag.
Row 2- sc in 50sc, ch 1, turn. (50)
Row 3-14- Repeat row 2
Row 15- sc in 50, ch 10, join to 1st sc across opening w/sl st. (50sc, 10ch)
Row 16- sc in each sc and ch around. (60)
Row 17-27- sc in each sc around (60) Finish off.

With Black: Top **do not join unless noted**
Row 1- Ch2, 6sc in 2nd ch from hook. (6)
Row 2- sc in each sc (6)
Row 3- (sc in 1sc, 2sc in next) around. (9)
Row 4- sc in each (9)
Row 5- (sc in 2sc, 2sc in next) around (12)
Row 6- sc in each (12)
Row 7- (sc in 3sc, 2sc in next) around (15)
Row 8- (sc in 4sc, 2sc in next) around (18)
Row 9- (sc in 2sc, 2sc in next) around (24)
Row 10- Repeat row 9 (32)
Row 11- (sc in 3sc, 2sc in next) around (40)
Row 12- Repeat row 11 (50)
Row 13-14- sc in each (50)
Row 15- (sc in 4sc, 2sc in next) around (60) Mark this row
Row 16- (sc in 5sc, 2sc in next) around (70)
Row 17-18- sc in each (70)
Row 19- (sc in 6sc, 2sc) around (80). Finish off.
Row 20-From bottom side of roof attach black around post from row 15 (marked row), ch1, sc in same space. Sc around post of each sc of row 15 (60) join.
Row 21-24- ch1, sc in sm sp as join, sc in each sc, join.
Finish off. Leave long piece for sewing to barn body. *Don't put on yet!*

With Red: Door
Row 1- ch12, sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across. (11)
Row 2-14- ch1, turn, sc in each. Do not cut @ the end of row 14
Row 15- working on the outside, evenly space sc on the ends of each row, in each sc and open loop from starting ch, put 3sc in each corner. Cut.
**Slip stitch decoration on outside of door with white.
**Loops for door closure: attach w/red and a sl st to side of door, ch5, sl st in sm sp. Tie off. Do this twice, evenly spaced.
Attach door & Buttons to front of Barn

With White: Fence Posts- Make 4 total
-Ch 19, sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across (18) Cut off.
**Sew on evenly space with bottom of fence post touching the brown(dirt).
**Sl St "fencing" between fence posts.

*Attach Roof Now!*

Handle: with red
R1- ch8, sc in 2nd ch and each (7)
R2-50- ch1, turn, sc in each
Cut off, attach to side of barn with buttons on it.

Chuck, The Horse, Front View

Chuck, The Horse, Side View

HORSE: with smaller hook

With Dark Brown: Body
R1- ch2, 6sc in 2nd ch from hook (6) do not join
R2- 2sc in each (12)
R3- (sc in 1sc, 2sc in next) around (18)
R4- (sc in 2sc, 2sc in next) around (24)
R5-15- sc in each sc (24)
R16- (sc in 2sc, dec) around (18) Stuff
R17- (sc in 1sc, dec) around (12)
R18- (sc dec) around (6)
Finish off, weave end and pull tight.

With Dark Brown: Head
R1- Ch2, 6sc in 2nd ch from hook (6)
R2- (sc in 1sc, 2sc in next) (9)
R3-4- Sc in each
R5- 2sc in 3sc, sc in rem (12)
R6-7- Sc in each
R8- sc in 2sc, 2sc in 2sc, sc in rem sc (14)
R9- Sc in each
R10- Sc dec around (7)
R11- sc dec around, sc in last sc (4)
Finish off, weave end and pull tight.

With Dark Brown: Neck
R1- ch14, join, ch1, sc in each ch (14) join
R2-4- ch1, sc in sm sp as join, sc in each sc, join (14)
R5- ch1, (sc dec, sc in 2) 3 times, sc dec, join(10)
R6-7- ch1, sc in each sc.
Sew on to head, making sure "bump" from head is facing up.
**EARS** Join w/ sl st around post of sc on top of one side of the head, 4sc in sm sp, sl st to other side of head, 4sc in a spot an equal distance from the other. Finish off.
**Stuff neck and sew to body, making sure the head stays "straight"**

With Black & Dark Brown: Legs (make 4)
Start w/black
R1- ch2, 6sc in 2nd ch from hook, do not join (6)
R2- (sc in 1sc, 2sc in next) around (9)
R3- sc in each (9) Cut black, join dark brown
R4- with dk brwn, sc in each (9)
R5-13- sc in each.
Finish off. Flatten edges, sew to the underside of the body, 2 on each side.

**For Mane and Tail**- Cut pieces of Lt Brown 3-4" long. Attach to the neck & butt area with a "latch hook style" attachment. Do as many or as few pieces as you like.

Jedediah, The Farmer, with Chuck, The Horse

Jedediah, The Farmer, Taking A Break

THE FARMER: with smaller hook

With Skin Color: Farmer
R1- ch2, 6sc in 2nd ch from hook (6) do not join
R2- 2sc in each sc around (12)
R3- (sc in 1sc, 2sc in next) (18)
R4-8- sc in each (18)
R9- sc dec around (9) Stuff
R10- (sc in 1sc, dec) around (6)
R11- sc in each sc (6)
R12- 2sc in each sc (12) Mark Row, Change to shirt color
R13- (sc in1sc, 2sc in next ) around (18)
R14-16- sc in each sc (18)
Change to bib color
R17-21- Sc in each (18)
R22- (sc in 1sc, dec) around (12) Stuff
R23- (dec) around (6) sl st tojoin, finish off, weave ends tightening up bottom.

With Shoe color & Pants Color: Legs (make 2, don't stuff)
Start with shoe color
R1- ch2, 6sc in 2nd ch from hook, do not join (6)
R2- 2sc in each sc (12)
R3- sc in 4sc, sc dec twice, sc in 4sc (10)
R4- sc in 4sc, sc dec once, sc in 4sc (9) Change to pants/bib color
R5-13- sc in each
Finish off. Flatten edge and sew on to bottom part of body, evenly spaced

With Skin Color & Shirt Color: Arms (make 2, don't stuff)
start with skin color
R1- ch2, 6sc in 2nd ch from hook, do not join (6)
R2-3- sc in each (6)
Change to shirt color
R4-10- sc in each sc.
Finish off, sew to body @ row 12 (marked row)

**Straps for Pants** Attach with blue with a sl st to post of sc from first row of pants color. ch15, attach to backside of pants with sl st around post of first row of pants color. Make 2
Finish off. Weave ends.

**Embroider hair, eyes & mouth**

With Hat Color: Hat
Repeat rows 1-3 of farmer body
R4- (sc in 2sc, 2sc in next) around (24)
R5- sc in each (24) join with FLO of 1st sc
Working in FLO for the next round
R6- ch2, hdc in sm sp and next 3sc, (2hdc in next sc, hdc in 3sc) to ch2, sl st and cut off. (30)
Sl st "hat band" in complementary color.

Bob, The Chicken, Side View

Bob, The Chicken, Front View

Bob, The Chicken, Tail Feather View

CHICKEN: with smaller hook

With White: Body
R1- ch2, 6sc in 2nd ch from hook, do not join(6)
R2- 2sc in each sc (12)
R3- (sc in 1sc, 2sc in next) around (18)
R4- (sc in 2sc, 2sc in next) around (24)
R5- (sc in 3sc, 2sc in next) around (30)
R6-7- sc in each
R8- (sc in 3sc, dec) around (24)
R9- (sc in 2sc, dec) around (18)
R10- (sc in 1sc, dec) around (12) Stuff
R11- (sc dec) around (6).
Cut off, weave and pull tight. Weave ends.

With White: Tail
R1- ch2, 6sc in 2nd ch from hook (6)
R2- (sc in 1sc, 2sc in next) around (9)
R3-4- sc in each
R5- (sc in 2sc, 2sc in each) around (12)
R6- (sc in 3sc, 2sc in each) around (15) sl st to join.
Cut off, leaving a long end for attachment. Lightly stuff. Sew to one edge of top of body. Follow picture for placement.

With White: Tail Feathers
Attach yarn around sc post from chickens body just below tail's end with a slip stitch.
R1- ch3, sl st around post of next row up- repeat, working @ an angle towards the tip of the tail, then work down the opposit side finishing at the same row as beginning sl st.
R2- w/o chaining, turn, sl st in 1st ch3 loop from previous row, ch3, sl st in next ch3 loop. repeat this until you reach the last loop. Cut off yarn and weave in ends.
Follow picture for guidance on placement.

With White: Head
Repeat Tail through Row 6
R 7-8 Sc in each sc
Sl st to join, Cut

With Yellow: Beak
R1- ch2, 2sc in 2nd ch from hook (2)
R2- ch1, turn, 2sc in each sc (4)
R3- ch1, turn, 1 sc in each (4)
Cut. Fold row 3 in 1/2. Sew to face

With Red: Wattle
R1- ch3, 6sc in 2nd ch from hook, sl st in last ch. (6)
*Sew under beak
*Embroider eyes with black

With Red: Comb
Attach w/ sl st around post of sc from row 4 of head. Repeat 1st row of tail feathers for 4 loops. Comb should end "between" the eyes.

With Yellow: Legs (make 2)
R1- Ch5, sc in 2nd ch and each ch across. (4)
Cut. Sew to bottom.

Paco, The Pig, Front View

Paco, The Pig, Side View

PIG: with smaller hook

With Pink: Body

Repeat Horse Body

With Pink: Head

R1- ch2, 6sc in 2nd ch from hook (6)
R2- 2sc in each sc (12)

R3- (sc in 1sc, 2sc in next) around (18)
R4- (sc in 2sc, 2sc in next) around (24)

R5-6- sc in each

R7- (sc in 2sc, sc dec) around (18)

R8- (sc in 1sc, sc dec) around (12) Stuff

R9- (sc dec) around (6)

Cut, Leave opening. Sew to body

With Pink: Ears (make 2)

Repeat chicken beak and place on head equal distance apart.

With Pink: Nose

R1- ch2, 6sc in 2nd ch from hook (6)

R2- in BLO, sc in each (6)

R3- in both loops, sc in each

Do not stuff. If you will be giving your pig nostrils, embroider them on before you attach the nose to the face. Sew nose into place.

**Embroider eyes and mouth**

With Pink: Legs (make 4)

Repeat for snout through row 3

R4- Sc in each.

Cut, and sew on.

With Pink: Tail

Ch7, 3sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across.

Sew on to butt.

Lola, The Cow, Front View

Lola, The Cow, Side View

Lola, The Cow, Udder View

DUTCH-BELTED or "OREO" COW: with smaller hook

Body:

With Black- Repeat horse body to row 7, change to white

With White- Repeat horse body rows 8-13, change to black

With Black- Repeat horse body for rows 14-18.

Finish off.

With Pink & Black: Head

start with pink/nose

R1-ch3, 2sc in 2nd ch from hook, 2sc in last ch, (work opp side of ch), 2sc in sm st, 2sc in last ch. (8sc)

R2- sc in 1, 2sc in 2, sc in 5sc. (10) join.

R3- ch1, sc in join, sc dec twice, sc in 5 (8) join. change to black

R4- ch1, sc in join and each sc around (8) do not join, work in rounds again.

R5- 2sc in 5sc, sc in rem 3 sc (13)

R6- sc in 2, 2sc in 6sc, sc in 5sc. (19)

R7-8- sc in each

R9- sc in 5sc, sc dec 5 times, sc in 4sc (14)

R10- (sc in 1sc, sc dec) 4 times, sc in last 2sc (10) Stuff

R11- sc dec around (5).

Cut and close.

With Black: Ears (make 2)

R1- Ch4, sc in 2nd ch and next, 3sc in last ch, (working opposite side of chain) sc in last 2 ch. (7)

Apply to side of head

With Black: Neck

R1- ch11, join w/o twisting to make a circle. sc in join and each chain. (11) join with sl st, ch1.

R2-4- sc in each sc, join.

Cut, sew head to neck, making sure the head is straight, stuff neck and sew to body.

With Pink: Udder

R1- ch2, 6sc in 2nd ch from hook (6)

R2- *(sc in 1sc, ch4-sl st in 1st ch (teet), sc in sm st) 2times, 2sc in next sc, repeat from * once. (12sc-4teets)

R3- skipping teets- (sc in 1sc, 2sc in next) around (18)

R4- sc in each (18)

Cut, sew to under belly, leaving a small opening for stuffing. Stuff and sew shut.

With Black: Legs (make 4-don't stuff)

R1- ch2, 7sc in 2nd ch from hook (7)

R2-10- sc in each.

Cut, sew to body.

With Black: Tail

ch10- attach to butt with a sl st. Cut some 3" pieces of black yarn and tie to tail end.

Hey, Hey, The Gang's All Here!!

**Any technical difficulties or questions, don't hesitate to email me and I'll try to help!**

Hope you have as much fun making this as I did. :)

Biz

Bizzy Crochet Has A Facebook Page!!

2010-08-22T15:03:00.002-05:00

Bizzy Crochet now has a place to hold discussions about patterns, etc. on Facebook. Come visit, pull up a cuppa Java and tell me what you think!

Meet the Gang!! pattern coming soon

2010-08-19T15:40:00.005-05:00

I couldn't wait until I had the pattern ready to post for you to meet the "Barnyard Gang".

Here they are all together with their little barn bag. This bag has similar construction to the others that I have here on my blog, but this one has a hollow roof to allow for more space for critters to be stored. And if you'll notice, we have 5 characters this time instead of the usual four. I just couldn't leave out the chicken or the cow.

Meet Jedediah. The steady-handed, faithful farmer. (Thanks for the name, Michael!)

Jedediah, farmer, with removeable hat.

Here is Bob the Chicken. He is attitude on wheels! And don't you dare ask him for an egg! He can't help it that he has frilly girl feathers on his butt!
Bob, the Chicken

Can you say, Moo? Lola, the cow, is the anatomically correct Dutch Belted Cow, otherwise known as the "Oreo" cow. :) If crocheting teets on an udder make you uncomfortable...just leave them off...she can be the Ken doll of the Amigurumi world.

Lola, the cow

Neigh, neigh baby! Chuck, the horse, is ready for action! His legs and his neck are a little long, but he makes up for it with blue eyes and a great mane. You should see him swish it in the wind!

Chuck, the horse

Paco, the pig. The cutest munchkin on the whole farm. He's friendly and helpful and likes to have a good time. He's a little wary of large holes containing wood and buildings with lots of smoke.
Paco, the pig

So make sure you come back and visit us here on the farm! We can't wait to be made by you for your little critter!

Just Need To Talk

2010-08-18T12:01:00.002-05:00

I need to talk. Vent. Spew. Purge.

I am watching a person that I know (not closely) destroy things around her. I used to have her on Facebook. I removed her today because I cannot deal with the victim mentality anymore. Everything is everyone else's fault. She takes no blame and refuses that there are consequences for her behaviors. Her latest was about "We will stand. We will not back down. We will fight to protect those being hurt by these people." I knew right away what it was about...even as cryptic as the message may seem. She feels like a certain group of people are destroying the lives of others. She doesn't see the part she played/plays in any of it. She doesn't see the things that happen behind the scenes to correct past wrongs. She hasn't seen the price the other people have paid for the mistakes that were made and there hasn't been any public humiliation of these people, so she feels like nothing has been done. She says she is 'trying to forgive'. Except that everything out of her mouth is laced with bitterness, anger and grudge. Watching her reminds me to daily forgive people, immediately. Thankfully, this person is not a person that is even in my same town. Nor do I have to deal with her on a daily basis for any reason. So her negativity should be very easy to avoid without having her on Facebook. However, I know she is out there spreading slander about these other people. *disturbed*

I have watched so many things happen in ministry. I have been on the butt-end of alot of ticked off people holding a grudge over something that is easily corrected. The latent removal of all things 'moral' in this country has led to a generation of people that walk into a church setting with the attitude of "you have no right to tell me what morality or values should be" and go on about living the life they choose. My question is this: Why did you come to church if you had already decided that you were not going to take on the morals and values of the Word of God? Is church just something you think you need to do to feel better about yourself? Whose values and morals are you going to live by, if not by God's? Don't get me wrong, it is your choice whose morals you live by.....but if you are coming to a God-centered church and have no intention of living by God's morals and values....why are you there?!?

I feel very introspective. I'm tired of the bull crap surrounding me. I just want to look these people in the eyes and yell at the top of my lungs: GROW UP!!!

/off rant

It's been 11 days.

2010-08-13T12:48:00.002-05:00

I opened up another blog about weight loss and it seems like ever since I did that I haven't been here. When I feel like saying something random...I go there. I'm feeling neglectful! And I'm so sorry for that!

I have been working steadily on the "coming soon" pattern. I'm about 5/8 done. (5/8 is such a random number). I have two or three little things to make to complete it and then it will be ready to post. I have been working on it here at my desk. So some days I am up to my eyeballs in tiny hooks, large eye needles and polyester fiberfill. And now that a few of them have been completed they sit on my desk and look at me every day, reminding me to keep going. I think you guys have figured it out by now...I made a barn. But, not just any barn....it's a new toy bag with characters!! :) Currently, I have completed a little farmer who, through my less-than-stellar embroidery skills, looks like a cross-eyed Amish boy. And a very tall, brown horse named Chuck. He got a little long in the making. lol I still love them, they are adorable! I am next making a chicken and a pig for sure. I still haven't decided if I want to tackle a cow...I think I may, but she's not going to be a Holstein...too many color changes! We do have some interesting cows locally that have a wide white stripe through the middle of them. Apparently they are called Dutch Belted Cow or the "Oreo Cow". (I just learned that through Google. lol) Maybe I'll make one of those!

I'm going to stop rambling about my maybe's...and get back to work!
Tah!

Coming Soon....

2010-08-02T09:23:00.003-05:00

Here's a sneak peek of a pattern that I will be posting soon (my flash washed it out a bit)....

Wonder if you can figure out what it is or is going to be??

New Patterns

2010-07-26T13:44:00.002-05:00

I put up a buttload of new patterns today. I'm exhausted from all of the uploading, back and forth, click this, click that...lol But, I'm so excited that all of my American Girl patterns are available to everyone now.

I have also made a 'quickie' American Girl poncho, but I haven't had the chance to photograph it yet, so I will post that pattern soon.

Blessings on you all & Happy Crocheting!
biz