Sunday Update and Two Ta Dahs

Hello everyone,
 We have had a super busy week. We went to an amusement park on Tuesday, there was hardly anyone there. I couldn't believe how uncrowded it was. It was great, we didn't have to wait more than 10 minutes for even the busiest rides. Autumn had a little friend come with us and we had the best time.

We had already been on two water rides and were looking a little worse for wear. Lots of fun though. By the way, his nose is not that big. Lol. This is my untalented photo taking. Here is a photo of the girls.

Aren't they cute! We were there the whole day. It was so hot, we have been having 95 degree days for a few weeks now. Perfect for a day at Adventureland.
 When we got home it was back to packing. Our house is a complete disaster right now. There is no other way to do it though.

When had a few minutes at the end of each day I worked on some projects. My friend, Tracy, sent me some really nice hand-dyed cotton. I have been trying to figure out what to make with it. I wanted something that was just to show how pretty the yarn is. I came up with a pattern for a bowl for the first hank of yarn.

I filled it with candy and gave it to my boss. I take care of her baby all day and she takes care of Autumn all day. They are doing a really nice summer program and they take the older kids at the daycare on field trips every day of the work week. It is really fun for Autumn.  I love taking care of Heather's baby too.

For Autumn's other teacher I made this little bag. Tracy sent me this yarn too.

I lined it with some leftover batik fabric and I put a zipper in it.

I will put some candy in this too and give it to her tomorrow morning. I also worked on my Japanese Flower Scarf. I can't wait to wear this in the Fall.

I still have a lot of flowers to make, but it is really fun project. I love this one because the balls of yarn are really small and I have the entire project in a small bag that goes with me everywhere.
 I don't know what is wrong with my camera. The last few photos were all taken this morning and there are lines going through everything. I changed the batteries, but it didn't matter. I just got this at Christmas time. It shouldn't be malfunctioning already.
 That is about all for this week. I am working on a new blanket and working on edging my Granny Ripple. I will post those on Tuesday's Tallies. Have a great Sunday!

P.S. If anyone wants to know how to make the bowl or little bag, let me know and I will post a tutorial for them.

One-A-Day is Back

Hello,
 I am so happy! The One-A-Day group is back and I am starting a new project to celebrate. My Grandala Blanket, that I worked on for 6 months, was my first One-A-Day project. Unfortunately that blanket was destroyed the first week that it was finished and on my bed. I tried to repair it but it is too damaged. I have been thinking of making something new to replace it. My bed needs a blanket. So in honor of my favorite group returning, here is the first square.

Carole hosts this group on Ravelry and has a link page on here blog called Tuesday's Tallies. I have met so many people and gotten such great ideas from this group. Go check out Carole's blog, you won't be sorry.
 We are off to Adventureland today. Some family fun time. It is in the 90's again, but that is ok. I will talk to everyone soon.

Sunshine Award

Hello,
 I have to say I am surprised and very happy that three wonderful bloggers have given me the Sunshine Award. I think one of the best things about these getting this award is that I always find new blogs to read. There are some really creative people out there and I love reading about their art and lives.

Barbina, Eileen, and Laura have all given me this award in the last couple of days.  Thank you very much. You are all very talented creative ladies.
Here are the rules for the award.
Thank the blogger who nominated you.
Answer the ten questions about yourself.
Nominate ten blogs for the award and let them know they have been nominated.
Here are the ten questions.
Favorite animal: dogs
Favorite drink: Mochas
Favorite number: 12 (don't know why)
Facebook or Twitter: I don't have a Twitter account and people get mad at me for not posting on FB.
My passion: my daughter and my husband
Giving or getting: Giving, it makes me crazy happy to give someone something that they really like.
Favorite pattern: I have too many to choose one.
Favorite day of the week: Sunday, my chores are done. It is the day we relax and do family things.
Favorite flower: Gerbera Daisy
Favorite country: USA

My ten favorite blogs.
This is really hard, and the three who nominated me are definitely on the list. Here goes.
1. Barbina
2. Eileen
3. Laura
4. Lucy In the Sky
5. Deb
6. Alice   
7. Lisa
8. Helen
9. Sue   
10. Teresa
So hard to pick only 10. I love all the blogs I read. I really do. I find some of the best ideas ever from all of you wonderful bloggers. If you haven't read these blogs, go check them out.Some of these bloggers have already gotten this award and I don't expect them to post about it again. I just had to mention them though.
 I will try to post again tomorrow with some of my projects. Talk to everyone soon.                                                           

Wednesday Update

Hello,
 How is everyone tonight? On Sunday I went to the library and was super excited to find a book I had seen in magazines and really wanted. Since I didn't know if I would like the rest of the book I couldn't justify the expense for maybe one pattern. I would see it from time to time and wish that I could find it in a library. Well, I found it. I have to say I am really happy that I did not buy the book. The pattern for the hat that is on the cover is the only one I like and the pattern has so many mistakes in it that I had to re-do most of it on my own. I should have known when it said I would need 657 yards of yarn. What? I read that over and over. Most hats are well under 200 yards. Not only was the yardage wrong, I used maybe 125 yards, but I had to change hook size. It is an adult sized hat and I checked the gauge. No problem. Started making it and realized it wouldn't fit even my daughter. I went up two hook sizes and it just fits my 6 year old. Now, my gauge matched with the book and using the hook called for in the pattern. So I changed the hook size and made the hat. Then I got to the ruffle. I followed the pattern and it looked nothing at all like the photo in the book. Nothing at all. Again, I went back and re-did the ruffle using my own design. The hat that I wanted is now finished and fits my daughter not me. So glad I didn't buy the book. Here is Autumn in 'my' hat. Lol.

Turned out kind of cute, here is the book.

This is another photo of the finished hat.

Sorry for the blur. I could not get a good shot of it. Too bad the pattern was a mess. I don't think the body of the hat looks like the photo either and I did follow the pattern until the ruffle. Oh well. Like I said, glad I didn't buy the book.
 I also got my hair cut last on Saturday. I used to have really long hair. I gave 18 inches of it to Locks of Love when I first got it cut.

Here it is now.

I liked my long hair, but it was so much work I decided on a change. I always ended up putting it up on top of my head anyway. For the last 6 months or so I realized I was always wearing it up again. So I went and got it cut off.  I forgot how curly my hair can be. Love the hair cut though, don't do anything but let it dry after my shower. I think I had better start to wear some make-up or something though. 44 is not 24. Lol.
 My last little ramble for the day. If you read my blog you know I have been super frustrated with the postal system here. Packages sent by me and not delivered. Packages sent to me and opened and things missing, etc. I could go on. I went to the post office to send a package. I decided to give it one more try since UPS and FedEx are not too close to where I live and I don't really drive anywhere during the week. My car is a gas hog and Will uses his to get to work. I got to the post office and all the regular people are gone. Maybe things will change now. I sent my friend Tracy another package (third try) on Monday. Lets hope it gets to England sometime next week.
 I did get some nice news yesterday. Two very kind bloggers have given me the Sunshine Award. I will do a post about that tomorrow. I always feel honored that anyone is even reading my blog. Thank you to Barbina and Eileen. I really love both of these blogs.

Ta Dah Sunday

Hello,
 My little family is really excited to be moving in a few weeks. We are going to turn the basement at the new house into a family room and so I have been mentally designing and arranging all kinds of things. We will need to buy a new sofa set once we get moved in, but it may take a little time to find what we want and we want the space to be comfortable. I have an easy chair and my rocking chair that will go down there for now. I wanted a big floor pillow too. I couldn't find anything that I remotely liked anywhere so I decided to make my own. I bought a huge pillow form. 45"x35". I also bought some really pretty batik fabric. I woke early this morning and cut the fabric and made the pillow cover.

This is the back before I sewed it together, here is the front.

I guess I am the only one who will know which side is the front and which is the back, lol. I then spent a happy couple of hours sewing it all together.

Yes, it was still dark outside when I was doing this. If you read my blog you know most of my crafting is done before the sun comes up. Here is the pillow.

It is very comfy. Autumn is already using it. When I finished I pulled out my Granny Ripple to work on the border. The whole time I have been making it I have been wondering what the heck I would do with it. It doesn't match our living room or either of the bedrooms. So imagine how happy I was when I realized it goes perfectly with the pillow that is going to be in the family room. When I started the blanket we had no idea we would move this summer.

Yippee! Cause I love this blanket. Not quite done yet. That will be another post soon. Please excuse the mess. We have boxes everywhere all over our house.
  Just one more thing to show before we go down into town to have some fun. I made this plastic bag holder for work. We go through an unbelievable amount of plastic bags. We use them to send dirty clothes home. I take care of babies in a nursery.

It is hanging from my kitchen cabinet at the moment. Turned out well. If anyone wants to make one let me know and I will post a tutorial. It only took about an hour and a half to make. You can't see what a mess our kitchen is right now either. The whole house is. But instead of frustrating me, we are so excited to be moving out of this tiny place that having boxes everywhere is a small thing to deal with.
 Now we are off. We are going to buy my husband some new shoes then we are going downtown to the big library and the pedestrian mall. There is always something fun to do there and it is going to be in the 90's again today. Have a fabulous Sunday! Talk to everyone soon.

P.S. I forgot to take photos of the things I made for Sue in the Jubilee swap. Duh. She was lovely and posted pics. Hope over to see her blog. She is amazing with needle and thread. Really amazing.

Japanese Flower Scarf

Hello,
 I am excited to be starting a Japanese Flower Scarf. I got the yarn in the middle of April and told myself I could start it when I finished a few projects. I finished a bag today and will post photos of it as soon as I line it and I have finished a few other projects too. I started the scarf today. Just one flower to start with. Here it is.

I love the yarn a lot. It is Debbie Bliss Andes. It is dk wt. but it is very thin, almost like sock yarn. It is by far the softest yarn I have ever felt though and this scarf is going to be for me. Not giving this one away to anyone. For the pattern I suggest doing a Ravelry search or even a google search. I have looked at several patterns and they are all basically the same. Most say to use fingerling yarn, but I have seen these flowers made with everything from sock yarn to worsted wt. I think it is whatever you prefer. My friend Teresa has helped with coloring a chart to show where to change colors. It is fun to make and the flowers work up pretty quickly. That is all I have today, just wanted to share this lovely yarn and the fun flower. :)

Rose Wreath Ta Dah

Hello,
 What a beautiful day it was today. We went to the Iowa City Festival of Arts this afternoon and it was a perfect day. Autumn and I got up early and went to our local park and had a picnic for breakfast. Then when Will woke up we got ready and went down to the Festival. I love it. They close the streets and artisans have stalls lining several streets. There was also a lot of things for the children to do and it was all free. Unfortunately I forgot to take my camera and my phone was dead. Story of my life. Lol.
 When we got home Autumn and Will took a nap and I finished this little thing I have been working on this week. It is straight from Lucy of Attic24. I love the roses she designed.  The wreath is for my daughter's bedroom door when we move in a few weeks.

 The roses are really addictive and I have made around 20 of them so far for different things. That is about it for me today. I am really tired and I think I may have gotten a little too much sun today. I was smart though and made lunches for tomorrow and have our clothes set out. Now all I have to do is finish my Stylin Ripple and relax in my favorite spot on the couch in the living room. I wonder where my favorite spot is going to be when we move. Can you tell I am excited to move on from this little place and back into a house with room to breathe. Yippee. I am feeling super creative and have so many ideas for things to make for our new home. Not all crochet either. Talk to you all soon. :)