Organized!

I had a busy day off yesterday. My crafting/sewing area was just out of control. It needed help. I went to a couple of estate sales in search of some kind of storage. I found a very tall narrow shelving unit for $3!! What a steal. Lugged that heavy thing home and into the house. That got me started. Before the calm, there was the storm.

Aaaaaak!!! Where do I put everything! You don't realize how much you have until you go to organize it and clean it up. But then again, this is years and years of buying stuff, it didn't just appear over night. Finally, I was done. All neat and tidy.

I did reward myself for a job well done with more calico and a little piece of homespun. Just little pieces. I can't stop buying calico. It's an addiction, but a good one.

That will be used for future ornies. I'm hoping to get started on them today.

Since my sewing area was so nice and neat I decided to try it out and see what it was like. I loved it! I made this little bunny out of patriotic calico. So cute! Not sure if I like the eyes. They are French knots. I may have to switch them out for little buttons.

I also knit up a red, white and blue cupcake. I love making these little cupcakes. Pretty soon I'll have a whole plate full of them.

I've also been working on a dishcloth for my nephew. He loved "scary guys" when he was a little boy. My sister forwarded me this pattern and I just HAD to knit it up for him. He's all grown up now and away at college. He should get a kick out of it.

And that's how I spent my day off. It's going to be another humid day in the neighborhood today. I think I will make the best of it and just stay indoors and work on my crafts. Sounds like a plan to me!

What are your plans for the weekend?

The last Friday in June

Wow, time is flying! It's the last Friday in June. Next Friday is the 4th of July. Where has the time gone? Here time is flying away while I work on projects. I finally got the laptop bag done. I like how it turned out, except for the zipper. That was really hard to get in. I goofed up and just left the goof ups in. It was just too frustrating to rip and rip. I'm the only one who will know it's there.

And here is the inside. Lots of room for the laptop and the cord, and even other supplies if I need them. There is a pocket in there too, but the laptop is on top of it.

That's enough bags for a while. It's time to work on little things. Still waiting for my ornies pattern to come. While I wait I bought some more calico. I want to be ready!

My sewing and craft area is out of control at the moment! I found some estate sales in the area today. I think I'll check them out. See if I can find some kind of storage item for some of this stuff. An old dresser, chest, shelving unit. You never know what you'll find. Lots of fun!

Five Years Old!

Five years ago today I became a grandmother! What a moment! My own child now had a child. I can't even put into words what a feeling that was.

Well today is that little baby's birthday. He's five years old. In the fall those little legs will step onto the school bus. Where did the years go? How can he already be that old? Before you know it, he'll be all grown up. Gotta enjoy every moment when they are little. And I do get to enjoy him. It's wonderful to be a gramma, you get to have fun with them without any of the responsibility.

Notice any family resemblence?

Happy Birthday Little Boy!

Let's run some tests

My poor kitty has a skin condition. Some fur has fallen out and there's bare skin. The skin is all scaley, like dandruff. So I took her to a new to me vet. In her cat carrier. She doesn't like going in that thing, but she was cooperative this time.

The vet couldn't figure it out. I know it's some kind of allergy, she's had it before, just give her a steroid shot and she'll be fine. No the vet says, we need to run tests to figure it out. In comes the estimate. $390 in tests! Hello, I don't have that kind of money. This is a cat. I agreed to a blood test and the steroid shot and some antibiotics and some kind of vitamin for her old arthritic hips. That made the total $190. Good-bye almost paid off credit card balance. So we waited for test results before the shot.

When you're bored at the vet, just take pics with your cell phone, lol!

Whatever happened to the old days where you took your pet to the vet and the pet got a shot or a different food? All this technology stuff has gone overboard at times. Health/dental/vet costs are out of control. Take for instance going to the dentist. I needed to find a new dentist last year. Found one and went. Oh, they wanted to do this and that and scrape under the gums and replace fillings and drill and file teeth and whiten them and how about taking each tooth out and cleaning it and putting it back in, ok, they didn't say that part. But whatever happened to the dentist down the street? You went in, they cleaned your teeth; you got a cavity, they filled it. Now it seems like it's an all day procedure to get x-rays, and fancy panoramic x-rays, cleaning, plan of treatment, etc. And not cheap if you don't have dental insurance. My teeth are probably going to have to fall out of my head.

I think I need to go sew. At least I can do that and afford it. The laptop bag/carrier has made some progress. Hopefully it will soon be done.

I need to go on line and look at puffins or something pretty.

Gaze into my . . .

. . . new gazing ball! It's so shiny! My other one got damaged and I finally got around to replacing it. You can see me reflected in it taking the picture, lol!

I finally got the laptop bag cut out. And what a dummy I was. I cut out the wrong one. But it's good. This one will work as a laptop bag too. I've never cut out the wrong pattern in almost 35 years of sewing. There's a first for everything.

I made a quick trip to Joann's yesterday. I just can't stay out of there lately. Got some fabric for my ornies. I'm waiting (im)patiently for the pattern to arrive in the mail. Can't wait to get started on them!

Well, I'm off to take one of the cats to the vet. She's got some kind of skin thing going on. I hope it's easily treatable. And we just got ANOTHER severe thunderstorm warning. That just seems to be the trend lately, one after the other. Or does the media just hype up every storm?

Estate Sailing

I went to a couple of estate sales with my sister yesterday. What a fun time! I love going to those. There was some nice stuff and some junk. I ended up buying this old sewing basket. It's very unique. I have no idea how old it is or who made it, there are no markings on it at all. I am so in love with it.

It's even portable! I can carry it around the house by its handle, or take it out on the patio with me. It was only $5, well worth the investment. Here is how it looks on the inside.

I ordered a snowman ornie pattern yesterday on line. I think this basket may be used exclusively for orpies. The stuff will all be in one spot. Then I can close it up and put it away neatly at the end of the crafting session.

I've been wanting to make a rag quilt but haven't gotten around to buying a pattern yet. For some reason I looked through all those patterns that my Aunt gave me recently and lo and behold there was a rag quilt pattern in there! So exciting! My sister and I are each going to make one in the fall, that gives us all summer to buy fabrics and supplies. It would be quite expensive to buy the calico or fabric all at once.

I finished the monthly knit-along dishcloth and the red white and blue stripes dishcloth I was making. So pretty and colorful. I just love these dishcloths. Today I'm hoping to start on the one with the skull on it for my nephew.

I also finished the square I was knitting for the Boy Scout blanket. When it's sewed into a blanket, I hope it gives comfort to a family member.

That's about it for now. I have so much to keep me busy and entertained for hours. Very relaxing stuff.

ornie

Summer begins later today

I finally got back to the sewing machine and finished my daughter's purse last night. I'm really pleased with how it turned out and she loves it! I made a few mistakes along the way and I did learn from them. Next time I'll know what not to do. Here is the finished project:

And a peek at the inside:

I just love the fabric. The lining is a really cute calico and the outside is a broadcloth. Now onto the next sewing project! Hopefully I can get to the laptop case over the weekend.

I was sitting outside knitting in the back yard last night and noticed some dark clouds to the north. Someone was getting rain, but not where I was, it was sunny. I looked back up and saw a rainbow! Then I noticed it was a double rainbow! It's had to see the second one in the picture (it's on the left, very faint), but it was there and really awesome to see.

Lots to keep me busy!

Now that the sock is done, I've been having a ball working on all kinds of stuff! I'm in a Yahoo group that does two monthly dishcloth knit-alongs. I haven't done one in a long time, so I decided to do the mid month knit-along. Here it is so far:

Just moving right along. I haven't finished my rows for today yet. So once I get the rows done for the day, I've been working on a Sugar & Cream Red, White and Blue Stripes dishcloth. Real easy knitting. I love making these!

I did start sewing my daughter's purse, but just haven't had time to get back to it. That's on tap for tomorrow. I'll have the house to myself after work and I can sew to my heart's content with no interruptions. This is the mess so far:

I need to sew the lining then attach it and it will be done. It went pretty quick and she loves it so far.

In the meantime some sock yarn I bought from an etsy shop came in the mail. I LOVE ETSY! So many things that I want to buy there.

The color is called "Confetti". Isn't it pretty? I just love it!

Then, in addition to all this madness I went and bought more yarn last night. I couldn't help it. Sugar & Cream is on sale at Joann for $2, they have a real good sized ball of the Sugar & Cream. My knitting group is making squares for a blanket for one of the Boy Scout family members who lost a loved one in that tornado last week. So, I needed to get the yarn for that. The Vanna's Choice will be used for my square. If I have time, I'll make two squares. The bright green is going to be a dishcloth for a very special nephew. A bright green dishcloth with a skull on it!

My daughter has been bitten by the crafting bug lately too! Yay! She is enjoying working with beads. She's made some necklaces and an ankle bracelet and is working on some other projects. Here is a necklace she made with a moose button I bought for her. I love it! She's very proud of it and well she should be.

So tell me, what are you working on?

Who wants cake?

Mmmmmmmmm, a cupcake! It looks so delicious. This was so fun to make.

Every time I look at it I crave a cupcake.

Big People Socks

I did it! I finished my first pair of big people socks. I made baby socks to learn the process. Then I made worsted weight house socks to improve the process and make an adult sized sock with thicker yarn that wouldn't take five years to knit. Now, I've completed my first pair of adult sized socks made with sock yarn. Yay me!

Here they are . . .

The second sock went much faster than the first. Thankfully I did not experience Second Sock Syndrome. I just kept plugging away. I get a lot more knitting done when I stay off the computer, lol!

Time to move on to something quick and easy. But that can wait until tomorrow. Enough knitting for today. I also bought some fabric today to make something.

I'm going to make my daughter a purse, and I'm winging it. No pattern. We just drew it up and I did the measurements and hopefully it will turn out and she will love it!

Things Are Growing

It sure feels like summer is here, but it's still officially spring. We've had some pretty good storms go through here lately, but at least nothing as bad as some parts of the country or even in the state. With all that rain, things are growing! Here are my tomatoes. My sock is growing too, yay! I've turned the heel on the second sock.

Hopefully just a few more days and it will be done.

I haven't been sewing lately and I'm in the mood to sew again. I got out all the fabric and notions that I had bought to make a laptop case. Just looking at the fabric is making me so antsy to sew. Hopefully over the weekend I'll get it cut out and can work on it next week.

I'm off work tomorrow until Monday. Gas prices are killing me so I will be taking Fridays off during the summer. I'm not going anywhere this year, so my vacation days will be broke up into long weekends.

I can feel the humidity moving back in. More rain coming tomorrow sometime. When I get real hot, I like looking at this. It cools me down:

I collect snowmen and he's one of my favorites. He stays out year round. And he's special. My daughter got him for me for my birthday last year.

Those Three Little Words I Hate

"What's for dinner?"

I just hate those words.

One Down, One to Go

I finished my first sock using sock yarn! A real sock! I'm very proud of myself. So I immediately cast on for the second sock so I don't get Second Sock Syndrome. Here is the finished first sock.

I really love the colors of this yarn. I can't get a good enough picture of the colors. I love how it's striping too.

So to reward myself for finishing one sock I bought some more cotton. I'm addicted to it. I got Sugar & Cream Stripes.

Once I finished the socks I'm making some little things, some dishcloths and cupcakes, stuff I can get done quickly. And then I'll probably make another pair of socks, different pattern, and use that beautiful yarn I posted a few days ago.

I had to go to Target today to buy some household items. While there I found this little scrubbie. OMG, I had to have it! It's so cute! It reminds me of a sock monkey. So for 99 cents I bought some happiness. I don't know if I'll use it, it's too cute, but if I set it on my sink it will make me smile when I look at it.

I hope you're staying cool wherever you are. It's hot as hell here and we have a severe thunderstorm watch until 10:00 p.m.

Toe Decreases

I'm still plugging away on the Ravelry colors socks. I've finally made it to the toe decreases after almost two weeks of working on this sock. See how it's coming along:

I'm still loving it! Here's a close-up of the heel. It's the best picture I could get without totally blurring it.

I was going to take a break after this sock before starting the second and work on a pair of Fingerless Mitts in a Ravelry group. But it's become so clique-y with pattern test knitting that I've lost interest. Maybe I'll do them on my own another time.

It's very hot and steamy outside again today. I'll just stay inside in the AC and knit. It seems so early to have the AC on so much. I am glad I have it though!

It's Steamy Outside

Whoa, it's so steamy outside. It feels like the middle of August. Supposed to be even hotter tomorrow. I'm not ready for this so early in the season. The AC is all ready to go though. The fans have been brought up and are being used along with the ceiling fans.

When it's this steamy I don't feel like doing much so I sit and knit. I've been working on the sock. I'll show a progress picture next post. For now, I have some yarn to show off. First off, is Dream in Color Smooshy. Real nice!

I think the color is called Jade.

Then we have some WhimzyPinzy Tippy Toes. See that little skein in the middle? That came with it. That's for the heel and toes. The yarn is already divided up, one skein for each foot, and then the little skein for heels and toes. How cute is that!

I don't know what patterns I'm going to use for these yet. I got both of these yarns at a sale at Sonny & Shear (link over at the right). Such a nice on line store to do business with!

In the meantime, my tomatoes have been growing! I think I see little buds starting to form. Within the next couple of days I should have little flowers on there. Future tomatoes!

Can't wait to eat one!

A Piece of My Childhood

I was going through some stuff in the basement the other day and I came across this:

The remainder of my Barbies!

Oh what fun to look through it. The memories! I had so much fun playing with these, my sister and I would play for hours on end. We didn't have 50 Barbies each like kids do nowadays, we just had a few. We played the heck out of them. Here is the case opened up:

I still have Skipper and Skooter and Ken. Ken has lost his pants somewhere along the line, but he still has shirts and some mismatched shoes. And Barbie is nowhere to be found. I don't know what ever happened to her. Look at all those wonderful clothes for them! My Mom made us coats for Barbie and a nightgown, they are in that collection somewhere. What treasures! I used to save my allowance and go to Korvette's to buy Barbie clothes. They had the best selection.

It was so fun to take a trip down memory lane!

Wow, it's June already!

I'm just moving right along on my Ravelry colors socks. I've got the six inches of cuff done and I'm ready to start on the heel. That's not the scary part. The scary part is picking up those stitches along the side to form the gusset. But I'm getting better at it. Here's how it looks so far:

I've worked on it a little since I took the picture and it's now up to six inches. Do you like that cushion in the background of the picture? I got new patio chair pads. Finally! My old ones wore out and I never got around to replacing them last summer so all we had to sit on on the patio were those plastic resin chairs. Now I have real patio chairs again. Yay! I can knit outside in comfort.

I bought more Cottontots yarn. I. Can't. Stop. Right now I'm just in a craze/phase where I keep buying this yarn.

As you can see from this bin I do not need any more cotton yarn.

For some reason I just love cotton yarn.

Well, I'm off to make some eggs or something to eat. It's nice to have time to make stuff like that on a Sunday. Later I'm making hamburgers on the grill. YUM!