Endings

Well, I'm done working for the year.  Hooray.  Always take New Year's Eve off - the anniversary of the day the world stopped.  Tomorrow it will be eight long years since Anna left us.  Still hurts.

I'm happy with all my 2013 crafting.  I've been quite prolific, with little here to show for it.  Much was given as gifts or to charity.  That makes me feel satisfied.  I've tried to explain how I feel about it.  I would rather give away something I've made, hoping the recipient will be glad to get it - rather than giving it to someone tired of handmade gifts, or selling it. Putting a reasonable price on things makes me feel greedy.  Can't make me happy.  I  am glad to give my things away to make someone else happy.  That makes me most happy & satisfied of all!

What's coming up for 2014?  More crochet. A bit more knitting.  Some weaving too on my new Martha Stewart knit & loom kit!  More giving.  More Ravelry challenges!  I have at least three afghans planned, with one in progress.  Maybe socks - knit and crochet.

Time with Jes & Elisha.  Time with Lucky & Bella.  Time with Chuck - Mom & Dad when they fly North again.  Wish I could spend more time with Sherry & Beth.  More time spent at work - yuck!!  What a waste of my time.  Time.  More time and less time,  Why does it take so long to realize mistakes, but so long to live with my constant companions, Guilt and Regret...

At any rate, I've found a good use of my time with my crochet, my movies & books.  And naps.  Don't forget the naps.  

Running out of 2013

Wow!  What a lot of thing I've made this year.  Good for me!  It's December 21st, and I'm done with holiday crafting, done with all my big projects, done!  I'm mainly planning 2014 now!

First November - 

Two dog sweaters for the babies. :). I made a Divine hat & a baby elf hat, and a big washcloth fir Chuck.  Easily my favorite is the Artfully a Simple Scarf by Moogly. I used one skein of Bernat Mosaic & I think it's beautiful (and it WAS easy!).

I took a trip with Jes & Elisha to Virginia Beach so she could do a physical assessment assessment! Fun trip. Listened to Wrinkle in Time on the way home.  Played with Elisha. Ate at Moe's & ice cream. 

I've been listening to Stephen King's Dark Tower series.  What is it with me and Quests?  I love The Lord of the Rings, and I loved the a Dark Tower back when I read it years ago.  I don't know any other people who've read the series, and I'm halfway through my second reading.  Roland & his Ka-tet seek the Tower...

Of course, my Transfiguration OWL was due by Nov 31.  The challenge was to use a lot of yarn. So I made a granny square Babette with a few alterations.  I love it!

Also in November, chuck & I took the dogs to Myrtle Beach for our 2nd anniversary.  It was cold.  Sunny, but cold. We didn't like the hotel at all.  Oh well...

And December.  Only Nerd Wars challenges. 

I tried to work everything for Xmas giving. I gave little stars with my work cards.  Hopefully the things I've made will be received happily.  I finished the mittens just last night using the luscious Malabrigo yarn I bought in New York!!  The squares are for an on-going afghan. 

Not much 2013 left...

Spooky!

CIT Danville celebrated Halloween by having a contest for which department could stress Breast Cancer Awareness best in a theme. We were the Chain Gangstas against BC.  Fun!

Almost November

Oh my word!  I haven’t posted since August 2nd?!  What the hell happened to me?  I was doing so good posting my monthly crafting results.  Now, here it is, the end of October.  I have no excuse.  I’ve made some lovely crochet goodies!

 

Our food drive was finally over September 30th.  Our initial committee meeting decided not to set a goal – that way, we wouldn’t be disappointed with a meager 5 lb of sugar donated.  Fear not.  Final total was $7,510 donated and 51,152 pounds (25 TONS) of food donated.  No kidding.  An overwhelming success!  Unbelievably outstanding!  And I’m so damn glad it’s over!  The food and $ was divided pretty equally between the Salvation Army and God’s Storehouse.  YAY us!

 

The snow birds have flown back to Florida for the winter.  I’m always so conflicted about them leaving.  I want them to have as much fun as possible – so go.  I miss knowing they are only 45 minutes away – so stay.  Mom and Dad have friends down there that they really enjoy spending time with – so go.  They don’t like the cold – so go.  I miss them – so GO anyway– HAVE A GOOD TIME!!

 

Let’s see… August crafts.  Refinanced mortgage to escrow in the taxes & insurance and reduce interest rate and loan period!  September crafts.  NEW YORK CITY trip.  October crafts.  Looking ahead – there’s a trip to Norfolk coming up with Jes & E in November – and Chuck and the dogs and I will celebrate our anniversary at Myrtle Beach again.  Then hopefully xmas will be painlessly over.   Is it March yet? 

Okay - crochet review!!  Drum roll, please!!  Ta-dah!!

August - blocks for the Pine Ridge Reservation, scarves for the Silent Auction (food drive), and finished my combo Tunisian pink blanket!

September - I discovered a pattern called Calorimetry & made two of these wide head scarves, washcloths, MadEye Moody eye patch for E.

We went to NYC the weekend before my birthday.  Great times!!

Then, October!!  Scarves for craft bazaar, washcloths, a one skein scarf Crobaktus, and my first knit mitten.  I'm making a pair of knit mittens for my Nerd Wars Dissertation, and a nice big granny square Babette for my HPKCHC OWL.

And Noah & Elisha made the first page of the Star Tribune!!

Knock out Hunger with Tons of Food

So CIT-Danville's food drive has begun.  And of course, I had to be all up in the middle of it!  Kickoff was fun and exciting and funny!  Here's to a busy two months ahead!

Julyarn 2

July has been a long rainy & hot month.  I've had enough. Here are projects that I made for extra points or for no points. Clockwise from top left:  sweet Lorraine was the third of three scarves/shawls for my HPKCHC OWL.  Very happy with it.  The next is a quick scarf made from fancy ribbon yarn,  manly gray granite stitch scarf, washcloths for Alisa's  daughter Holly in her new home.  A hat. The long strip of Tunisian crochet steeked into four rectangles. My Nerd Wars dissertation veered off track & I'm trying to get it back to a happy place.

Hurry up August!

Blueberry day

OWLs, Phoenix, & Dissertations

HPKCHC & Nerd Wars (Ravelry's competition groups) have big challenges that should take the crafter from two to three months.  I made these pages to celebrate my completed "Advanced Studies" and I want to share them here.  Yes, I am proud.  No doubt I would not have undertaken or completed these projects without the reward of imaginary points & glory.

Julyarn Stuff

My yarn post so far for July... These are my smaller projects.  The big stuff will get its own post!

Yarny goodness in June

I finished two BIG projects in June:  Pax (the long colorful shawlette) and Simple Scallops (the blue green shawl).  I am thrilled with both of them. The designer of Pax, Irish Aiobhe Ni, even complimented it.  SQUEEE!!  I also dyed some sunshiny summery yarn.

Since I was working on the two big projects, I made 6" squares for most of my other Ravelry challenges for Nerd Wars & HPKCHC.  After posting them, I sent nine squares to Afghans for Pine Ridge Reservation.  My big project for July is a motif scarf, Sweet Lorraine.  My crafting is making me very happy lately.

May Yarns

My May challenges for Ravelry are mostly done - just big projects still in progress.  Happy yarn fun!

Below there is a Tunisian crochet  cloth - my second bunny buddy - five squares 6" to be sent to Pine Ridge Reservation - some lovely yarn I dyed (it started blue & gray -- but ended purple & pink) -- the scarf I made tunisian crochet fir my mom on Mothers Day - an entrelac Tunisian sleeve for my Kindle - a paracord macramé bracelet -- AND a set of jeweled stitch markers.  Lovely lovelies!

Since May is the start of a new three-moth term for HPKCHC, so I've undertaken three shawl/scarves for my big OWL project.  The biggest is Pax, a Tunisian lace shawlette - a long curved scarf.  Ive worked sbout 1/3 of it so far.  Then a crochet shell stitch shawl, Simple Scallops.  That one is easy to do & has been my lunchtime project.  That is about 3/4 done.  Also the Sweet Lorraine which is a repeat lace motif scarf - not started yet.  

April Yarns

I can tell a big difference in the way I've been crafting lately. I haven't made an afghan square in a while. I've been using different yarns to make more usual pieces. Like April so far.

A purple "bunny buddy" blankie for a child - a square with arms & a stuffed head. I liked it & need to make more to sell @ xmas. The green scarf is from dock I overdyed, then made into a Tunisian crochet scarf. Very pleased with it.

The scarf in the middle is made with the keftovers of a skein of yarn from my Hoodie I made last year.

The washcloth with the brick pattern is a new technique in Tunisian crochet. Yes, I'm loving all the ways Tunisian is fun.

And my favorite piece I've made so far in April is this chunky "hooded cowl." Very luxurious! Now I need one for myself!

I also finished my Tunisian Spiral Afghan which is lovely & soft!

I've been planning my OWL for HPKCHC on Ravelry, starting in May. The OWL is a big 3-month project. I'll be making three scarves/shawlettes. I hope. More on that later.

On the hook now? Started a little something for Momma & Mothers Day. Chuck has given me dimensions to make a cover for the backrest on his bike. I got the yarn for it - just need to start & work out the pattern as I go. Geez. Is that it? WTF?? Good grief! I better start some more stuff so there will be more to report for April!!

More March (and we're barely half way!)

Had to share how much I loved OZ - my favorite in a long time - more than Jack/Giant & that was great! This had the feel of an old MGM classic! I was mesmerized. E & I went to the 3D & it was worth the $21.

And must share my most recent dyeing project. Started with sock yarn, purchased in this icky yellow-green-blue-ick colorway. Two packets of lemon-lime Koolaid later, it's beautiful.

I'm continuing with my Tunisian Spiral blanket for my Nerd Wars Dissertation project. Love working on it still! It is officially 60% done (3 of 5 skeins of yarn done).

Also in March...

Boy - big deal! New car! A 2007 Hyundai Tiburon. Awfully cute & sporty & sexy! Hope it's not a dud! Was a repo from URW.

Jessica & Melanie ran the Green Legs & Ham 5K trail race 3/9. They were red fish, blue fish. Silly Elisha decided to take off after the runners! James went after him. Good grief! After the race, me &Jes &Elisha & 3dogs went out to mom & Dad's & visited with them & Sherry for a little bit. 'twas fun! Sherry had Felix too, so we had a houseful!

After a string of PG13 & worse movies, E & I went to see Jack the Giant Slayer. Yum! Ewan McGregor is really hot!

And of course, its not March without Jessica in a sombrero! 28 years old. How the hell did I get so old to have my baby grown?

It's been a busy month & we're not even half way done. Wonder what's next?

Marching FAST!

I'm taking a vacation day today & I've been very productive. I even submitted my last challenge for Nerd Was & HPKCHC for the month! Speedy. Here's March so far...

From top left:

Progress on the Tunisian Spiral - about 50% on 3/1

My first Tunisian Colorwork heart - 2 colors in one row = tricksy

I tried an afghan pattern called Wooleater. I like it but not enough for a blanket.

Adventures in yarn dyeing: I took a skein of white wool, knit & crocheted it into a long strip. Then I dyed that in three sections lengthwise with Koolaid - then I crocheted that into a Baktus with sideways stripes. Yay! Love it!!

My first try at "Stitch Diva's three color tunisian technique." Loved it! Neat effect, fast & easy!

Nineteen more yoyos to add to the big Yoyo Amoeba.

Also made a Tunisian washcloth.

In other news, February...

We've had a string of bad-weather Fridays and/or Saturdays. I had the great pleasure of hanging out with Elisha this past Saturday. We went to see "Escape from Planet Earth" after basketball, then came back home in snow. He reminded me of the importance of catching snowflakes.

Chuck gave me flowers for Valentines Day. Very pretty! They make me smile inside & out.

I've been crafting & working.  Not doing much of anything else.  Listening to the last book out of "Game of Thrones."

Lost the crown from one of my teeth - had to have the remaining pieces of tooth pulled last week. My jaw is still sore. It's hard to believe that the snowbirds will be home in less than two weeks. Hope they bring sunshine with them. I hope to teach Mom how to do Tunisan crochet - I think she'd like it.

February Rolling along

Thankfully, the rotten little month of February is on its way out. I have finished all my challenges for Nerd Wars & HPKCHC. I also have baby blankets to give to Amanda and Courtney. Yay me! Now I can work on a neat Tunisian crochet spiral blanket, make some yoyos to add to my growing yoyo amoeba of color, and figure out some projects to make for WIPs in March.

So far this month, I made (clockwise from top left):
* baby cowboy booties for Amanda's Willow
* a partial blanket motif that I decided I don't want to finish (it will be a doily)
* a second visor cozy for the ratty sun visor in my car (now I have two!)
* a frilly scarf/cowl/necklace
* a Tunisian short row cloth (fun, new pattern)
* a knitted hat in Super Bowl winner, Baltimore Ravens colors

And here's the extremely complicated, difficult crocheted cabled baby blanket for Courtney's baby. The pattern called for another five repeats, but I did six and decided that was enough. Hs was my OWL project for HPKCHC, so it's going to be a non-finisher for that, but I've had enough of this blanket.