WIP Wednesday

Not much going on reading or handwork wise since summer is busy here but I don't think I'm alone.  I needed to take advantage of the cool weather we were having but now it's heating up so.....the Southern Winter has arrived where I close the shades and stay indoors with the AC. LOL!
I'll be reading this book for awhile as it is small print and lots of pages and I just started it.  Little, Big by John Crowley....I'm only on page 46 and so far it is a strange book.  But it came highly recommended by many people so I'll forge ahead!  Anything is better than my last read, Gilead.

  The knitting is a "rubber ducky" washcloth which I have frogged...let's see...8 times!  But that's because I did not know how to read a chart properly but Minding My Own Stitches set me straight on Sunday and now I'm knitting along and it really DOES look like the pattern picture!  Yippee!  And thanks to Ruth, I have written out the pattern which helps immensely!  Thanks to both of you!
I have to go now and get some work done around here as I have been really tired and sluggish and I have to keep "pushing on"!  I'll be by to get a big dose of inspiration from all of you later.

A little decorating and cleaning is good for a gal!

I didn't post my What Are You Reading today because I'm reading the same stuff as last week except for a magazine maybe.  But I did get a visit from my Book Fairy and look what she brought me........

 Magazines!!!!  Specifically fiber magazines!  I need them like I need a hole in my head but oh how joyful I was!  There are knitting ones  and quilting ones and crocheting too and also a Piecework magazine which is really fascinating and I will share more on that one on another day.  It was like Christmas!!!  And still is!
Yesterday I got the cleaning/decorating bug and spent the day in the guest/hallway bathroom.  I only enjoy cleaning if I can "gussie" things up at the same time and I did.

I had a lamp kit I found that you use a mason jar with so I got some soaps I had that were Mary Engelbreit, filled the mason jar and put the lid on and VOILA I had a new lamp!  It needed some height so I took a ceramic pot and flipped it over, topped it with a doily my Grandmother made and now I have a cozy light in the bathroom.  I've had that lampshade a long time too. It's one of my favorites with cats on it playing with balls of yarn.  It may eventually have to go on a lamp where I sit to do handwork.  I like to keep with the theme. LOL!

 I put this old box, I've had for forever, on the back of the commode and loaded up toilet paper on an old laundry plunger since I have no toilet paper holder.

 Of course there had to be a scented candle going for ultra coziness.........

 I hung a wicker magazine holder from the window crank....finally found a use for those dang things as usually they get in the way of everything.

 This is a metal plant stand that was down in the basement and I put it to use in this little corner with a plant and hand towels on the bottom. 

I had some wooden fish I hung from the towel bar..........

And I hung a shutter shelf over the tub........

I also put a battery operated candle up there that's on a timer and comes on at night for 8 hours and then shuts off until the same time the next night....LOVE!!!!  It allows me to put candles where ordinarily I'd never be able to.  Here's the view at night when it comes on.........

I have a child's sand bucket up there, a yellow star candle propped up against it,  a black crow you can barely see, a pot of fake flowers and a Mary Engelbreit cherry mug.  I was pleased with it as I think decorating bathrooms to look cozy and cute can be difficult.  I have more to do but that was plenty for yesterday!  I hope you enjoyed your Sunday in whatever makes you happy too!

YOP Week #3

I'm not sure if it's week #2 or week #3 but here I am! LOL!  Another week to blog about!  This will be quick as I am in the throes of decorating and cleaning.  I have some finished objects which I never seem to get blogged on Friday's so they'll be here instead.
 I finally finished one pillowcase.  I had material for 2 until I cut it wrong so there's only one now.  I used several different directions and was not too pleased with the blanket stitch part.  Next time I will make a smaller blanket stitch or a slip stitch foundation for the crocheted edging as it pulls the material and makes it roll under.  But I've got the hang of it now but the blanket stitch is the hardest part.

I also managed to knit another Grandmother's Favorite washcloth...love this pattern and yarn which is Dishie from Knitpicks.  I still have ends to weave on the red and white one (I'll never make one of those again...too many ends to weave in just for a washcloth)....it's the ball band pattern that everyone raves about except for me.  I do like it and it was fun to knit but for the dang "ends" to weave.
  And of course, I still have the chair pad staring me in the face!

I was so motivated last week and got started right away on my list!  I started a washcloth of a solid color with a rubber ducky pattern.  Not hard, right?  Here's the pattern........it was free on Ravelry and I thought, "no problem, I'm officially a knitter now"!
WRONG!!!!  I frogged this puppy 6 times!!!  So, I still cannot watch t.v. for even a washcloth!  7th time I was on a roll and humbled.  I paid close attention to what I was doing and it's going along well, I think......

Except.........

I'm not seeing the pattern looking like the picture....and I dropped a stitch which I have the stitch marker holding it because I think I saw somewhere where these can be fixed so I have to look that up.  I'm knitting back and forth like normal and knitting the white spaces and purling the dark ones.  Am I doing something wrong with the pattern?  Does anyone know?  Why is everything so difficult for me?  I'm thinking this weeds out the knitters from the "wanna-bees".  This was supposed to be a gift, in fact, I  was so confident I was planning on  making 3 of these!  I think knitters are saints....they have more patience than I might be capable of.  Meanwhile, I picked up my cross stitch for a bit........

Now I'm going to go take my frustration out on cleaning house and maybe tonight I'll be able to do some handwork again without tearing up (as in crying) or tearing up (as in ripping out)!  LOL!  I hope you all are having better luck on your new projects.  I'll be by later to catch up with all of you!