Tuesday - cleaning and organizing with some decorating thrown in...........

I can't help but redecorate when I clean as it is that time of year to 'switch things up' to Fall and all things Halloweeny!  I spent my cleaning energy on the North side of the family room.  I dusted polished and brought out the Halloween decorations..............

I refilled the batteries for my lights and candles except for the 2 on the right....I need some C size batteries.  I have to look for my crocheted leaf garland that I made a few years ago too.  Here's a closer look....... a Dollar store pumpkin box, a glass mosaic pumpkin candle holder that I've had for years and a cute Halloween bag/card my daughter gave me a few years ago.

This wreath I got a long time ago at a Cracker Barrel restaurant...they always have the neatest things in their gift shop.........

The big orange pumpkin is a 3 wick candle and it is BIG!  I only burn it on Halloween.......and the 3 cats I  made several years back out of old black nylons....it was a craft in a Leisure Arts book I have....

and finally..........one of my favorites...........a soft sculpture of MOI!!!!   LOL!

I think I mentioned I'm triying to clean, cook and do something financial each day.......so I made my jar salads again today...I think I'm addicted to them!  This time it was spinach, ranch dressing, radishes, pumpkin seeds and tomatoes.........

As for financial.....I need to make out my bill list tonight.........I hope I don't 'cave' and not do it....I really don't like financial stuff but it's a necessary evil.
I hope you had a good day today...it cooled off this afternoon and I have all the windows open...it was 89 earlier and now it's dropped at least 20 degrees!  Maybe Fall is finally here in the Ozarks!  Yay!
Happy Trails!!!

It's Monday! What are you reading, watching, and/or listening to?

 I finished this book which was excellent!!!  For once Oprah's pick did not disappoint.  I couldn't put it down as it was fascinating.  There were some 'ugly' parts but it was written with sensitivity and the facts that were part of being 'owned' by someone else....she may have woven fiction into it but it read like a memoir about 6 generations of her family with photograph's and family trees spread throughout the book.  I highly recommend this book and give it 5 stars! 

I'm still reading this one...just a gentle story each night until I finish..........no rush....I want it to last

For my next fiction book I found this one at Walmart last week on sale..........I thought I had read all her books but somehow I missed this one.........you can't go wrong with this author....she's marvelous!
Although, I must admit my favorites were her first three books...which were Big Stone Gap, Cherry Hollar and Milk Glass Moon.  I bought her first book when I was in the Appalachian's at a small local store where they were selling her book.  At that time she lived in that area and was a local.  She had not 'made it big' yet.  Do I know how to pick them or what? LOL!

I also picked up this little gem.  I don't often buy magazines anymore and I have no subscriptions but it had me at 'vintage'!  Be still my beating heart!

As for watching.......I buckled and subscribed to Brit Box for $7.00 a month...........I had watched Season 1 of Cranford and went to watch Season 2 and I could only get it if I subscribed to Brit Box on Amazon.....I couldn't help it....I so enjoyed that show.  In my defense, I did wait 24 hours before deciding...so now I am watching season 2.  I'm still watching Father Brown also on Netflix and I'm on Season 3 of it.  That's all for this week.  I hope you have been enjoying whatever you have been reading, watching and/or listening too.  BTW, I am almost finished with chapter 3 in the Bible...Leviticus and I'm still listening to Daily Hope podcast of Pastor Rick Warren which I highly recommend! 
Happy Trails!!!

YOP Week #15

 One of three I Spy quilts is done except for washing and drying which makes it so nice and 'quilty' looking.  I never pre-wash my quilting fabrics as I like that little bit of shrinkage.

I just finished the heel flap on sock #2 and hope to do the heel turn this afternoon.....

I finally got the giraffe legs stuffed with poly pellets in the 'hooves' to give it a little weight and fiberfill in the rest of the legs.  They're stitched closed and ready to sew onto the body....I need to wrap this project up!  There's one more giraffe after this....the most time consuming part is the sewing it all together.

  Did I tell you I wanted to make a sweater?  Did I also mention I had tried to make one awhile ago but ended up frogging it?  Well, I am a better knitter now then when I tried before so I am giving it another go especially since I have all the yarn for it!  It is a Mary Maxim pattern but I bought my own yarn for it....I am using Paton's Classic Worsted Wool in the color Black Tweed.  I was going to wait until after the Christmas gifts were done but I was chomping at the bit and a little tired of knitting only socks for myself.  So far so good!  But I better be careful and not jinx myself!

That is the collar and it is all top down, no buttons....I may get a shawl pin for it but I wanted it easy for my first sweater and another gal recommended it.   She made it as her first sweater and said she enjoyed the making and the finished product.  I just separated for the sleeves, left and right front and the back which is the middle portion.  I am really enjoying it so far and the bigger needles give you lots to show for your knitting time!  Last time I used a lifeline and it still messed me up so I am not using one....what are your experiences with life lines?  Do you use them or not and if you do, do you use floss or yarn or what? 
I got my snowflake buttons for my cross stitch in the mail and the frame so I need to work on finishing that project up.
I've been toying with the idea of some little felt Halloween ornies for the grands and already have some 'pretzel ghosts' chosen as a sweet treat to make for them.  Probably a book for each of them and a card and that should do it!  We love Halloween in our family.
Sam and Grayson sent me the cutest postcards, that they colored, in the mail.  Sam's letter was very nice and he asked how I was and told me what he had been doing.........Grayson's just said "Grandma can you please get me some Legos?"  He didn't sign it so legally I don't think I'm obligated because I don't really know it came from him....lol!  That's my story and I'm sticking to it!
I hope you had a great week and that all your fiber dreams come true!
Happy Trails!!!