Sunday - Time Change

Well, did everyone change their clocks?  We did, but I do believe that for the first time in...ever...I took advantage of the extra hour of sleep, and then some.  Totally missed church.  Hubby needed hair cut, so I tagged along to pick up a few groceries.  We were there too early for the hair cut, so he said he would go back, he just needed to go to Home Depot to pick up some supplies for his building project.  After we got checked out and headed to the truck, he informs me that he isn't go to Home Depot, he is taking a day off.  As worn out as gets with anything lately, I am worried about his health, worried about how on earth he is going to manage to get through the rest of the house remodel jobs we have planned.

I on the other hand did a lot of work yesterday and this morning so am taking the afternoon and evening off.  Well, have to cook something for supper at some point, but other than that, I am just catching up on the computer, doing a little online shopping, and about to settle in with some project to work on.

I finally tackled my bedroom yesterday, took most of the day, but all the clothes are put up and the boxes are mostly gone.  Still have a box of glassware in there, but I am not about to put them in the storage building. Am hoping that after the first of the year when we redo the kitchen that I will have some storage space for them.  They were mom's and I just can't let go of them yet.  At least not until I can find some one that can tell me a little something about them, and if they are worth anything.  Mom called them her "Fostoria" glasses, but just not sure.  I did meet a lady that knows a lot about such things and am hoping to get her to the house one day soon to look them over.  At any rate, it is AMAZING how big my bedroom looks, and is, when all the stuff is gone.  I rearranged a few pieces of furniture and made room to put my mom's sewing machine cabinet in there.  I know have a card table set up to put my laptop on and to write on.  Was looking at buying a small desk, but am thinking I will just use the table a while and see what works and what doesn't before investing any more in furniture.  I have a recliner that is entirely too big for the space, but have to leave it as is until I get my living room arranged the way I want, the recliner may be going in there.  Our old PC is in the bed room, moving things around I am actually able to use it once again.  I hate typing on my laptop, keeping hitting something that moves the cursor all around.  Anyway, I bought a new mouse for my laptop and put the old one back on the PC.  Now have the printer right next to it and can sit down and still reach everything to do scanning.  The PC monitor is much larger as well, easier to see. I also went and uninstalled a whole bunch of stuff that never use to free up some space, loaded my new Quilt Design Wizard on it as well.  I created the drawing and directions of my first quilt yesterday morning.  It was fun and much easier than I had thought.  I know that EQ 7 would be really fun to work with, as you can scan your fabric in to it and see how it would look in a quilt.  But...at this point, I can keep playing with the Wizard which was so much cheaper.  Like is cost less than $15 and EQ 7 runs about $180.  I did find a place on line that had it about $30 cheaper, but still...at over a hundred dollars more I am content with what I have, which is much more than I had before.   An internet buddy told me that I would know when it was time to upgrade when I started wanting to do more with the design than I could do with the Wizard.  That I understand.

I also bit the dust and purchased PC Stitch 10.  It was less than $40, and have not bought from that site before so am praying that the transaction goes well.  I had a few bugs happen when trying to order, so am really praying that I didn't order three of them and didn't pay three times.  I also found a much cheaper brand of software, it was only $10, but it's capabilities were not really clear.  The PC Stitch describes being able to scan in a photo or image and turn it in to a chart.  Also has built in colors of all the major floss brands as well.  We will see what happens, I went with the more expensive one because I know people that have it and are using it and it stated that it could be used for beading, crocheting and quilting.

Eventually I am sure I will end up getting some type of software to do my own machine embroidery designs as well, but those programs are very expensive and I am just not ready for that yet.  After all, I did just purchase a new embroidery machine.  Granted it is not one of the top of the line fancy named machines, but for the type of work I do it will work perfectly and I am SOOO totally fine with the cost difference. I will see just how much I can do with what I have, how much I can't do that I wish I could, and then go from there.  I loose my head sometimes and start over supplying my needs for my various crafts.  Most people just do one type of craft, but not me.  Oh no, that would be too easy.  My problem is, so many of my crafts just overlap and run in to each other.

Can you tell I am a cheapskate.  Not an extreme one mind you, but if I can get the same item, same quality, some where for cheaper, than so much the better.  Especially since most of my projects are charity offerings.  How did I get started down this path you ask?  Let me tell you.  I first found that I have a passion for quilting.  A true God given talent and passion for it.  As I grew up, I learned the basics of sewing and crocheting.  I used those abilities from time to time as I became a wife and mom.  My oldest daughter as a toddler had a closet full of clothes, then for the boys too.  Hubby used to laugh at me when he would come home to find that I had been dumpster diving for sewing patterns.  Then, hubby's granny would take pity on me and help me advance my crochet abilities.  I also did a little embroidery from time to time as well.  Except for sewing, it just took me way to long to finish an item to suit me so I didn't stay with it long.  Every time I would get a craft area set up in the house, we either added to the family or moved.  I did ceramics for a while, miss it terribly, but the equipment alone takes up much too much space.  All those molds and a kiln.  When we moved to California, I found a church that had a quilt ministry.  I already knew how to sew, had always wanted to learn, and they had child care while we met. So joined in and found that I loved it.

Oh I jumped in that pond with both feet.  Got online and found some groups to join with, did swaps, round robins, even joined the local quilt guild.  They started me making small quilts, 32 x 32 inches called isolets.  They are used in the neonatal units to buffer the sounds and light for the premature and sick babies.  I met a friend, Cara.  In fact, we met online, noticed we were posting about the same speaker, she lived in the next town over but had joined the quilt guild as well.  Her two children were age wise on either side of my youngest.  We made a personal challenge of it, to see how many isolets we could get finished by the next meeting.  Then, she moved.  I really miss her.  In fact, she got me started in machine embroidery, then when I was kind of stale mated, she showed me the things to go with our machines to take it up a level.  Thanks to Cara I learned about free standing lace.

Then a lady asked me if I knew how to crochet. I told her just the very bare basics.  She wanted me to help make some hats to send to some soldiers.  She gave me a pattern, I bought some black yarn, and made a hat. Helmet liners they called them.  Okay...I bought a lot of black yarn...made 250 of those black buggers. Got tire of black so made a pair of slippers.  The soldier that I made them for said he had a bunk buddy that had really big feet, wondered if I could make him a pair.  So...I did, the guy wore like a size 15 boot.  That lead to some more request, they wanted colorful ones. You guessed it, I made like 200 pairs. Then my soldier (I had adopted this small unit, sent them all kinds of food, fun stuff, personal items) asked if I could maybe make a baby blanket and send it to his wife.  I made the crib size quilt, then decided to add a crocheted hat, sweater and booties along with it.  While waiting on my daughter at school one day, one of the teachers saw the baby set I was working on.  She hired me to make sets for her from time to time for shower gifts. That led to some charity sets that went to the army hospital for babies whose dad's were deployed.  A side track to that venture was rubber stamped announcements to be sent with them.  Then, I still don't quite know how it happened, I got lost in my second passion, crazy quilting.  I just fell in love with the embroidery embellishments that went along with it.

 That led me to do a lot of swapping of hearts.  This is one that I did and kept, but is nothing to compare with the ones that the other ladies were doing.  It was a true learning curve as I learned what embellishment were acceptable for cloth. What typed of products used in other crafts worked in this one.  I even bought a special rolling tote case so that I could pack up all my beads, threads, other decorations and take it all with me on a trip to Las Vegas with my hubby.  He went for work, so I had the whole day to myself in the room to work on this stuff.

You guessed it, I found a way to blend my machine embroidery with the crazy quilt blocks, the little car was done with my machine.

On any given block, you can have beads, sequins, ribbon, buttons, even jewelry pieces.

Then...I got stupid and decided I needed to take a full time job outside the home.  Thinking that I would be able to keep doing my crafts, I would cart the plunder back and forth.  It was about this time that I felt sorry for hubby having to listen to the whir of the sewing and embroidery machines all hours of the night and thought that scrapbooking would be the way to go, much quieter, didn't need as much room.  I was wrong, it is way more spread out.  Then there are all different types.  Scrapbook pages, card making, art journal, and so many techniques.  Stamping, ink embossing, texture embossing, ink, pen, markers, embellishments, on and on. Even went so far as try my hand at being a demonstrator for a home based rubber stamp company.  Yes...I was my biggest customer.

Oh, I could go on and on, but you get the picture.  So, I have been down sizing the supplies so to speak in order to put all my efforts in to only a few crafts.  That being quilting and crocheting.  I have a box of my mom's more special clothes, that have embroidery or cut work on them. Also a sack of my dad's ties. Have been saving odd fabrics for over twenty years and will use them with the clothes to make some crazy quilts.  Small one, lap size, for my brother, and then will maybe divide what is left in to four small throws so that each of my children will get one.  A memory thing, but I intend to work in some old photos of family members as well.  Will probably do this with the computer, photo print on fabric, but there may be some other ways as well.  I just ordered some software that will turn any photo or image into a cross stitch design. Much cheaper than the digitize version for machine embroidery and no learning curve either.

Of course, after doing so much hard work yesterday, and since I am still waiting on my AccuQuilt Go cutter to get here, I did do a bit of shopping.  Oh alright, a lot of shopping.  I am going broke getting updated supplies and new ideas.  Still have a couple of "carts" waiting on me to finish checking out.  So...now that I have had a really long break, I need to get back to work so I can spend the evening working on something...anything...just some of the many UFO's I have.  I have a huge stack of paper work and magazines to go through and purge down and then find a home for.

Will post photos of my progress so check back often.  Thanks for stopping in.

Monday Menu...and catch up.

My goodness, it has been a while since I last posted.  That's what happens when I go down ill for few days. I have been working on the house as well.  Have all my craft stuff back in place, except for the fabric.  Still have a ton of fabric to unpack, but can see the end in site.  Am to the point now where I can actually see a time when I can actually craft.  More about that later.

Menu planning...partly working and partly not.  I haven't posted to Organized Junkie Monday's Menu Plan   for a couple of weeks now.  I am actually thinking that it would be easier to post what we have  had the previous week as opposed to posting the plan for the week.  I have the best intentions, really I do, but it just seems that what ever I plan, doesn't happen.  I know what I have on hand, so that makes it a little easier.

This week:
Mon. - Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans
Tue. - Beef Stew and cornbread
Wed. - Chicken enchiladas, pinto beans
Thu. - Talapia, corn, broccoli
Fri. - Chili
Sat. - burgers
Sun. - eating out

My hubby's parents are coming, picking them up on Sat. at LA airport so hubby will grill burgers or steaks, not sure which, haven't gotten that far with planning yet.  Will have the grand baby that day, his dad (oldest son) is taking the state test for an electrician, his mom is running in a mud run...Volkslauf.  The, on Sunday we will all be driving over to Hurst Castle and taking a tour.  We will eat out some where along the way.  Then Monday, hubby is taking his parents up to see the big trees, I will go if we can get back by 4:30, other wise I have to stay behind to get youngest daughter, Miss Zebra, to band practice.  Tues we will just be hanging out at the house, Miss Zebra has ice skating lesson, wants her grandparents to come watch.  I will attending my Wilton Cake Decorating class.  I tried to take this class once before, but due to health issues of myself and family, was unable to complete.  I hope to make it through this time.  I already missed last week, and thought I would have the baby today, not sure if I would be able to attend next Monday due to visitors, so talked to instructor and changed to her evening class.

I bought a bunch of candy molds and decorations to make cupcakes to take to the church festival on Halloween, and alternative fun night for the kids.  They are having a cupcake walk, as opposed to a cake walk, so am donating a few dozen cupcakes for the event.  More kids get to win.  I am actually looking forward to making them, have grand ideas, will see what actually ends up getting done.  Will post photos of course.

Now...about crafting.  I need to get more of the house back in order (still have some boxes of mom's things I have to sort through) before I can actually start taking time to work on any projects.  As for menu planning, I have to rethink how I am going about that.  It seems, I am spending so much time on trying to make up a menu plan, stick to the menu plan, organize the menu plan, that I am just not getting anything else done.  I need to SIMPLIFY my details of life so very much, so that is what I am working on.  I am going to have one day that I plan, simple meals, making more use of the crock pot.  Once I get a little more meat cooked, making room in the freezer, I plan to do a large cooking session over a week end to stock the freezer with cooked meals. That will work better for me I do think.  Then, I am going to designate a couple of days a week for cleaning, a few hours a day for computer time, then spend some evenings actually working on craft projects once again.  Will work during the day some if Mr. M cooperates with napping.

I unpacked three boxes of fabric, finding some quilting UFO's in the process.  I am determined not to start any new projects until I finish up all the UFO (Un Finished Objects) or maybe I should stick to calling them WIP (Works In Progress) which letter wise makes a little more sense for my OCD (you know what that is) mind.  So far, there are quilts, crochet projects, garments and embroidery all in various stages of progress.  That will be my first order of business, to finish up those.  Then, I can get to working on some charity projects and some items to finally stock the Etsy store I have. Maybe make a little pocket change in the process.  I have two boxes so far of items for the store.

Funny thing, in an attempt to get more organized, I had created a blog for just cooking.  Was only going to list recipes on it so I could join in this thing called the Mystery Cooking Club.  Well, I had just gotten it set up, with just a few post.  Went to post a photo that went with one of the recipes only to find that some one, some where, had determined that the blog violated terms or was suspected of being spam, the blog had been deleted.  I wish I had know this would happen so I could have at least copied the story I posted about the recipe.  Oh well, such is life.

This is the Texas Sheath Cake I made. Was the recipe that was determined to be spam.  So...I won't post it.

Got to get moving and get a little something done around here.  Thank you for stopping by and come back often.  Feel free to leave a comment.

Easter Break

Okay, so it isn't politically correct to call the school break Easter Break, but our area's spring break is always scheduled during Holy Week.  At any rate, we are in the middle of the week long break.  We have taken advantage of the time off for Miss Zebra.  The beach was yesterday, just went for the day.  It was a wonderful day.  Perfect day at the beach in fact.  Hardly any wind, just a breeze...not too cold but not too warm.  Very comfortable and very few people.  Wonderful day to just sit on the beach.  I took my tablet to read, but just crocheted instead...and slept.  I hate to admit it, but I took some allergy medicine the evening before, a different kind than I normally take, and it wiped me out.  I just easily dozed off when I didn't need to be alert for anything. It was really heaven to just zone out and doze in and out with the sound of the ocean waves, birds, and light breeze in the trees surrounding me.

On the way home we stopped at our favorite road side fruit stand.

Have you ever seen such HUGE strawberries?  They are so sweet as well.  I tell you, I cut to up and had a little over a serving size.  This morning, I cut up the largest, added a half a banana the sprinkled a bit of Splenda over it and it was the best breakfast I have had in a very long time.

As for crocheting projects.  The green fleck shawl is now finished.

I think it really turned out great.  It was an easy pattern to follow and even though I found a few things questionable about the pattern, I emailed the designer who was very kind about answering all questions.  In fact, the designer really liked my finished project and requested to be allowed to use the photo of my folded shawl be used as a feature photo for the pattern.

Here is a photo of the pointed portion of the shawl, to show the ruffle detail.

I am currently working on a few squares that need to be finished as soon as possible to get in the mail, then it is back to my WIP , of which I have a few.  Tomorrow we will be leaving to go camp out in the desert and ride the dirt bikes, and me on my quad.  The wind is forecast to be blowing very strong so I am taking my ripple afghan to work on as well.  I really don't want to go, but am however looking forward to some much needed down time. However I can get it.

We will be back for Easter services and I will be cooking up a storm since I won't be here to cook ahead as I usually do.  Knowing that this is how it will happen, I am keeping the menu simple, and down sized compared to the past. Will see how this all turns out.

Thanks for stopping by and come back again.

Great Package

So, recently I came across information for a site that sells mill ends of yarn.  This is the end of the mill runs when yarn is being produced.  I have bought fabric for quilting this way, very satisfied with it, but never yarn.

I received my first order today.  A small one, just to see how the process works and what yarn I would get.

The plus side of buying this way, the price is greatly reduced.  I mean like less than a dollar a skein, including the shipping.

The down side to this, you get what you get.  No choice as far as color choice.

This will be a great way to purchase yarn for charity projects.  The lady did a great job of coordinating the colors though.  I received two nice variegated colors - pink camo and bonbon - and a solid pink to match them.  Also a pastel variegated - calliope I think (baby colors) - and a nice light yellow to match up.  I also ordered a bit of cotton thread as well.  I have never used this type of yarn before - or should say size of yarn - it is a #8.  Kind of nice, the package came with a vest pattern - like a kit.

I will definitely be purchasing from there again, later in the year, and larger order.  By the fall I will have a lot of my stash worked down and the mill ends will be great for crocheting some charity projects or maybe some items to put in my Etsy shop.

Monday As Usual

Friday was my birthday.  My 50th birthday. I was having a little trouble...okay, a lot of trouble...with that number.  Thing is, to make it worse I was one two kids short this birthday.  Am use to oldest daughter not being here as she lives in Texas and we don't get to see them much.  However, this is the first year with out youngest son who lives in Riverside now where he attends college.  Now, it wasn't going to well mentally to begin with, but it got a little worse.  Hubby had to have his annual colonoscopy, it was done on Thursday.  Now normally he goes in early in the morning, sleeps a few hours afterwards and is back to normal.  This time...he has been sick as a dog ever since.  It wasn't until Sunday he was actually being able to eat, and keep it down, Friday being the worst of it.  Needless to say, I did not get to go out for my birthday.  It was a really drab day.

On to other things.  I am still don't have an oven, so am winging it as far as the menu plans.  It turned cold today and rainy so I have a nice taco soup simmering in the crock pot.  It smells really good through the whole house and hopefully when hubby gets home today he might can light the stove in the RV and I can bake a pan of cornbread to go with the stew.  If not, we have crackers. LOL  I guess I really should just sit down and plan some menus for the crock pot or stove top.

I am still in hooker mode. Crocheting a little each night.  Lord it takes me along time to crochet a project. I am actually making some head way with the UT afghan.

I am about half way there, maybe a little more. I am learning to make color changes in the middle of rows. Not really liking it though. If there wasn't such a contrast between the two colors I could carry one color along while working the changes.  I did try it and just didn't like the way it looked.  I plan on making another one, with a couple of changes, and may try carrying two yarns on that one.

You can find the UT pattern by Jenny Riddle on Ravelry.  I just love that place.

Now, for a yarn question.

If anyone reads this and knows what the name of the color for this Red Heart yarn is, please...please, please,please...let me know.  This is all I have left of this multicolored yarn and I have lost the wrapper that had the color name on it.  I am not finding a name for it. It is in my Playful Ripples afghan.  I thought it was a color named Mexacali, but it is not.  This partial skein is all I have so if I can't find any more, it will be a small afghan. Which is workable, but the problem is I am kind of falling for the color combo and that means it may be one I end up having to keep for myself. LOL

Thanks for stopping by today, feel free to leave a comment and come back to visit soon.

Tuesday? Thought it was at least Thurs.

This has been a really long few days.  Hubby got home on Friday and I still don't have a working oven. Making it a little hard to prepare the kind of evening meals I would like to.  I am doing very well on my resolution to cook from the pantry.  I will be buying groceries later in the week, shouldn't be a big buy as I don't need much, am hoping it works out that way any way.

On the crochet front, it is positive that the ripple afghan I am working on will only be a large as the multi colored yarn I am using holds out.  I went to the store to try and buy one more skein only to find out two important points.  One, the yarn is not Mexicana and two, that color combo is no longer made.  It really is a shame, wish I knew the color name, beautiful jewel tones colors. At any rate, I have set it aside to work on at the hospital on Thursday while hubby gets his annual colonoscopy.  All the color changes are based on a color and pattern sequence and the color changes all take place at the beginning and ending of the rows.  No counting stitches in other words.

Unlike the new project I am working on.  I found an afghan pattern on Ravlery.com that is perfect for my oldest little grandson, a huge University of Texas fan.  However, since the color changes form the design of a longhorn I am constantly having to count stitches.

Not sure how I am doing, just can't find a way for the orange not to show on the white at places. But so far it is going according to plan.  I have gone through one skein of the orange, the designer that posted the pattern estimated she used three skeins, so guess I am close to being 1/3 of the way to completion. I was further a long but realized that I was two sets of pattern directions behind.  So...played frog with about 10 full rows.  I have however become quite comfortable with changing yarn colors mid row.  At this point, that is really all I am focusing on, learning basics to further my skill level.  Trying to learn something a little new, at least to me, with each project.

Thanks for stopping by and check back to follow my progress.

Need to Learn More

So, I pulled out some yarn from my stash that I just didn't know what I would do with.  I am using Red Heart Super Saver one pound red, Super Saver 7 oz. Amethyst and the Super Saver Economy Mexicana for my colors.  I am extremely pleased with how they are working up.

Although, the photo makes the purple look more blue, it is really a deep royal purple and the Mexicana is more noticeable in person as well.

You can find the free Red Heart pattern here.

I am going to have to learn more about gauge though, this throw is just not coming out the correct size.  It will make a nice lap size though, as it is only a few inches off in the width and I am not sure at this point how long it will get because my Mexicana yarn is two pieces of scraps so will only grow it until the yarn runs out.  Back to the GAUGE subject though.  I am aware that I crochet very tightly, so normally have to go up two sizes in hooks.  This project suggest a size J hook and I wanted to use my new hook with the bamboo handle (am absolutely LOVING them) so I am giving it a whirl.  The gauge states that 3 rows dc = 2 1/2 inches, point to point = 5 3/4 inches, the throw is 55 x 46 (am guessing this is 46 wide).  My actual measurements match for the point to point, but falls about 2 inches short of the 46 width, and am an inch short on the rows.  How does this happen?  The new hook is helping me crochet looser and more even, but am not sure how to correct the gauge problem.  Of course as I said, it really isn't a problem with this project as it is a throw and what ever size it turns out will be fine.  The main thing is, the design is coming out the way it should, ripples are lining up and all, which is a first for me.  The gauge will be very important when I make a hat or sweater.

I am very slow, frustratingly so, with my crochet.  Only averaging about 3-5 rows per hour.  At that rate, it will be a very long time before I can complete it, but complete it I will.  One of the slow downs is the way the pattern has you make the changes.  I do not like this method one bit.  I may try my normal way of fastening off and joining new color tomorrow.  It is late and I am off to bed for now.

As for meal planning, it is on hold, still no oven and hubby has been out of town this week for work.

Organization and cleaning have come to a halt, very hard to do that around the grand baby so will work on that this week end when I don't have him.  On a positive note, about half the books I listed on Amazon have sold.  I am pleasantly shocked at that.  Now to get this place organized so I can get some items made to put in my Etsy shop.  I will post when I actually get it going well.

Thanks for stopping by and come visit again soon.

New Crochet Hook

So, Sunday I dropped by the local JoAnn's store and bought a new crochet hook.

Susan Bates brand, which I had not really used before as I prefer the Boye brand.  However, I was looking for something a little more hand friendly and had seen some one using one of these hooks.  WOW oh WOW what a difference.  I was just shocked at how different the hook felt and the result in my work.  At first the hook was a bit awkward to use, seems I am used to holding my crochet hook up rather high and my hand was barely even on the wood handle part.  Oh and that bamboo wood handle is so nice and smooth.  Once I got started using it and making an effort to position my hand more on the handle part it soon was feeling quite comfortable to use.  I also noticed that my tension in the stitches was not nearly as tight for some reason with this new hook.  That is a wonderful thing for me because I crocheted way to tight.  I only bought two, but will be going back for some additional sizes soon.

A friend of mine requested a green crocheted hat that I pinned to my board on Pinterest.  So, pulling out the green yarn (her color request) I decided to work with the new hook and before I knew it I was finished.

This is called the Easy Peasy Hat and you can find the pattern for free here. Mary has a wonderful blog so stop in and read it sometime.  The pattern for the flower came from somewhere else, I went to Crochet Pattern Central and searched from flower patterns.  There were so many, but am pretty sure it is one of the six petal ones.

Well, on another note, last week I listed a few books to sell on Amazon.com.  I had forgotten that the account was linked to a different email account so it took me a few days to discover that several of the books had sold.  I started getting them ready for the mail, took several to the post office on Friday only to get back home and find that I had put the wrong pre-paid postage label on one of the books.  I am hoping that the book will some how find its way back to me, but have learned that I need to put on my glasses and be very careful with shipping details from now on.  I am going to the store today to get some sticker paper so I can print the labels out and then peel and attach to the packages.

Guess I better get moving, I am driving my mom and one of her sweet little friends to lunch today.  This should be an experience to say the least.  The friend uses a walker to get around and my mom should.  We are going to the new Golden Corral, buffet style service, so am sure I will be making several trips to the food for them. Guess it will help me work off what I eat.

Cleaning - Organizing

So, I have spent three days cleaning out one room, and am still not done.  I had patterns and yarn in every nook and cranny in the room.  Not to mention all the other craft plunder I am hoarding.  Yes I admit it, I am a hoarder.   I have been watching the new hoarding shows, seems that every network has a version of them, and while I am not quite to the extent that the shows view, I am part hoarder to be sure.

At any rate, I am working to figure out just what I have in the way of craft stash supplies and equipment, and more important just where it all is.  As I said, printed crochet patterns were everywhere.  All stuck in different places, some of course still with the UFO that would turn in to it.  I had one binder that I was putting patterns in. The plan was to simple get the binder organized and then put all the patterns in that binder.  The binder was broken and not nearly large enough.

All categorized and divided up between two large binders, I was set.  Nice job I told myself.  Then, I found some more piles of patterns and ended up having to add two more binders.  At last, I think I have it all together as far as the patterns, except the ones I just printed out this morning.  I found some interesting items while cleaning to be sure.  A sweat jacket (meant for surprise gift for youngest daughter Miss Zebra) and two shirts that were supposed to be sent to the grandsons in Texas.  Such fun, cleaning out over stuffed closets. And I barely got started, can't even really tell I even made a dent.  However, I found I have more yarn than I thought.

I found this cool little contraption at the store.  As you can see, it is meant to hold shoes in the outside pockets  which encircle the layers.  The center is open to one side so you can put hand bags, scarves or such in the center.  I didn't buy it for that purpose though.

I bought it for yarn.  The area for the handbags hold exactly four one pounder skeins, the shoe pockets hold two balls of Peaches & Cream thread or one each of a regular skein.  You can see the way the pockets go around from the bottom photo.  I also found the plastic soft zipper bag that my new comforter set came in, it is stiff enough to stand on its own so that has become the catch all for all the scrap bits and pieces of left over skeins.  I may actually get to a point that I can sit down one evening and work on something.

Now, years ago I was gifted a knitting machine, along with 27 plastic bins (all color coded) of yarn for the machine.  I never really figured it out, and it took up an enormous amount of floor space, then I went to work full time and had not time for any type of crafting.  So, I gifted it to a co-worker's wife, along with most of the yarn.  I did however, keep a few interesting cones because I just really liked the color.  It is a finer thread than you I can just go buy at the store but am told that I can still crochet with it.  I am thinking it will make some great socks, doll clothes or baby items.  They are a bit strange and wonderful member of one of my crochet groups is helping me to figure them out.

The variegated pink in the center back is about the size of a soccer ball or basketball.  The one thing I am really not sure of is how much there is on a cone.  I would hate to almost finished with something I had been working a really long time on just to run out of yarn and know that I cannot get more just like it.  One of the cones is a chenille type, still in the plastic wrap, and it has the yarn stores label on it.

It has gone up in price I am sure, that was about 6 years ago when it was all given to me.  The label states that it is 1100 yards per pound, net weight is a little over one pound.  I googled the the store and they are still open in Anaheim.  However, looking over their website, I would need a lot more information before I would be able to order anything.  Their yarns are in photos of swatches.  Oh well, I will do something with them that is for sure.

Well, the baby is just not sleeping today so better go take care of him.  Thanks for stopping in and please feel free to leave a comment.  Come back and visit again.

New Crochet - That is Old Project.

In my recent cleaning burst, I found several UFO projects.  For those of you new to crafting or just wondering about the meaning of certain terms, here is a crash course.

UFO - unfinished object

WIP - work in progress

PIGS - projects in grocery sacks

Frogging - ripping out stitches (crochet, quilt, sewing or embroidery - knitting too though I don't knit)

Stash - all the supplies you buy and store away.

Hooking - crocheting (get your mind out of the gutter)

Guess that is about it for now.  If you find something you don't understand, just ask me.

I have made a resolution that I am not starting any new projects until I finish some of these.  In particular there are 6 projects I want to work on finishing.  Two are crochet, two embroidery, one counted cross stitch and one quilt.  All of these are in various stages of completion.  For example the quilt only needs to be basted and quilted, while the counted cross stitch is started just enough to know it is started.

Now, last night I finally finished the John Deere afghan.

I started this project when my first grand son was about 3 or 4, was in a John Deere tractor phase at the time.  I don't know what it is about these colors, I just can't stand to look at them.  No deep dark past abuse or disappointment is associated with the colors, just really can't stand to look at them, at least not all together.

I hate working with black yarn, it is very hard to see the stitches.  Am finding that same problem with a yarn I recently purchased that is a patterned yarn called Peruvian Print made by Red Heart.

The yarn is colored in such a way as to make a pattern as you crochet the project.  I used it in one of the scarf sets I recently crocheted.  I didn't really get the effect in the scarf or hat, but others are making some rather nice projects, especially sweaters.

NOT MY WORK. This was made by the Pam at In Stitches and she has an interesting story about how she accomplished the striping that is supposed to just happen.  After reading through her blog, I don't feel so bad that I couldn't really see the striping or patterned effect.

Okay, so I started a little sweater vest last night for youngest grandson, or maybe to sell.  Will have to see how it turns out first. LOL I am using the Peruvian Print yarn.

On to the next UFO I found.  This has now taken the top of my "to finish" list.  I think I need to try and find one of those tracker things for my blog that shows my progress.

This is a project I thought was a lost cause.  I started this project in the mid 90's.  I put it away when I had to make room for our youngest child, born in 97.  My craft studio at the time needed to be changed in to a bedroom for oldest daughter (15 at the time) so I could turn her bedroom in to a nursery for the youngest daughter (just born). When I found the project again, the pattern was missing.  I kept the WIP, now a PIGS, because I just couldn't bring myself to play frog with all the work I had done and was hoping that some day I would be able to find the pattern online at some point, or at least a similar enough one that I could just finish it as a doily.  Fast forward to 2011.  In turning son's old room (now off to college) into a sewing/craft room I was able to start going through boxes of craft supplies that had been stored since our move in 2000, miraculously came across the pattern book.  I put the two together and here we are.  As I said, this will now move to the top of my "to finish" list.

Here is the up side of old projects.  You find something you thought was lost, and now it is new.

Here is the down side to a project as old as this one.  I have no idea what size hook I used and will never be able to match dye lots.  However, this was started with Ecru crochet thread so will be pretty easy to match as it is a common color and thread.  The pattern book for this project calls for a size 11 hook.  There is no size 11 hook.  Although I have one, stainless steel, and it is very fine in size.  I think I mentioned this before, but I hold my thread so tight that I have to go up about two hook sizes to get the same gauge so after doing a few sample chain stitches am pretty sure I used a size 9, stainless steel, hook.  Will see what happens as I start working on it this evening.  I really hate working with thread, it is so small and delicate and very hard for me to see, but I will bite the big one and slap on my glasses and get it going.  Thankfully, I had the presents of mind to use a small safety pin to hold the stitches in place.  Also, am amazed that I was clear headed enough to mark the pattern with my progress so I know exactly what row is in progress.  This is not the norm for me I assure you.  At any rate, next week hubby will be gone a few days and meal time will be very simple and quick around here so will be able to spend some constructive time hooking.

You may have also noticed there is no menu plan for this week.  That is on purpose.  I have some meals planned, but am waiting to see if I get my oven working or not.  The part arrived last night by UPS so now to see if sweet hubby gets it installed before his trip.  Hopefully, he will work on it tonight and I will just get us some fast food as I won't be able to use stove or get to microwave while he is working on it.

Guess I better finish up here and head to the store.  Need a few things and the grand baby has had a good nap.  Thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave a comment.  Come back to visit soon.

Hooking Again.

I have been doing a little hooking lately.  Steel hooks and yarn. LOL  I have been crocheting.  I have on and off over the years crocheted a lot of things.  Basic things, as I am mostly self taught and consider myself a beginner.  When I was little, it was necklace's.  Teen years it was granny square afghan's and baby blankets.  When I married, it was baby blankets a few lace collars and attempts at Barbie clothing.  Then it all go packed away and I didn't touch the stuff for many years.  Like about 15 years or so.  Then, I was asked to help make some hats for a couple of soldiers.  Will have to see if I can find those photos.  At any rate, I dug out my hook, bought some black yarn and started hooking again.

Those soldiers wanted more hats for their buddies, I made them up and sent them, 250 of them.  Then I tried my hand at some slippers, sent them.  Received an email from my soldier explaining that one of the guys had really big feet, could I make some for him.  So I did, and for a few of their friends, about 100 pairs when said and done.  Then I made some baby sets, which I sold as a gift set with a hand made quilt.  Then I put the hooking away, with all my quilting supplies, when I took a full time job for a few years.  Now that I am no longer working, some things have a way of working their way back out in the open.  I had intended to take up scrapbooking, card making, stamping and such, along with beading.  I have a room now over flowing with all these supplies.  As I was making the decision, and more importantly acting on that decision, to start paring down the supplies, the allure of hooking, and quilting, and sewing, called to me once again.

This time, it started with a cryptic email from my oldest daughter, the teacher.  She sent me a photo of a crocheted scarf.  Nothing telling me that she wanted it, nothing asking if I could make one, nothing even asking for one.  I did a little research, found out that it is called Queen Anne's Lace. So, I tried it out.

And I made one, gray, just like the photo.  Now, the photo was of one that a woman made and sold on Etsy. That of course put the seed of an idea that maybe I could do the same thing.  I think it looks nice.

Now, while all of this is taking place, our church put a little notice in the bulletin announcing that they are taking donations through January for cold weather items (scarves, hats, gloves, socks, etc.) for the Rescue Mission (a local homeless shelter)  My brain, which gets me in to more trouble than I care to admit, popped in to gear and told me to start hooking again.  So...I spent last week working on some sets in the evenings.

And there you go.  Two sets to take to church, along with some that I bought at the dollar store (that are thin fleece) so feel that I have participated enough.  I have also created/designed my own pattern for a scarf.  It is pretty simple, but I am well pleased with the look of it.  Although, it is taking me way longer than I like to get very far along with it, so have put it up for a few days while I work on something else. However, that little seed of an idea, about Etsy, just kept growing and I took the plunge, I opened an account and will start listing some things there.  You can list hand made goods, vintage items and supplies. I have some one in the family that would love to get some American Girl outfits, feel pretty sure that they would sell well too. I will be spending some time (okay, a lot of time) photographing some vintage shoes, patterns, figures and such to put in my store. Listing some supplies as well that I have found while cleaning.  There will be more I am sure when I hit this Diva Den aka sewing/craft room for a mad cleaning and organizing session.  Also going to move things around a bit to see if I can make a little more working room.

Did I mention that when I head in to a hobby I head in head first with both feet?  I have found a couple of PIGS (projects in grocery sacks) I am going to finish up and then see if I can either sell them or donate them.  And, as if I really have enough time for that kind of thing (taking care of a baby again) I have jumped in and joined some crochet swaps once again.  However, this time I am at least attempting to be more organized about it.  Before I signed up for the swaps I completed my offerings for the swaps then created a detailed spread sheet for swapping.  Oh go ahead and laugh, but when I use to swap, I would mail out 10-12 packets every month.  I also know myself well enough that it won't be long before I am up to that point again.  There are crochet swaps, embroidery swaps, quilt swaps and more.  When I was doing paper crafts, I was mailing off at least that many per month, but I am not letting myself getting back in to the paper crafting on that big of scale.  Only to make a few private cards or lay outs.

On the menu plan front, I have planned out a few weeks worth, for the most part I have been following it.  Not exactly, but close.  My oven is still out and so I am working on trying to make the same dish either in the microwave, on the stove top or in the crock pot.

Well, I have pretty much wasted the day away, just not feeling well and the wind is blowing in a winter storm along with a ton of dust.  Makes my head hurt.  So, I am off to do a little hooking before I have to start our dinner.  Not part of the menu plan, but when hubby offers (with a lot of prodding) to grill steaks, I don't complain, just accept it.  Thanks for stopping by, come and visit again soon.  Feel free to leave a comment.