YOP Roundup Week #52

 July 2015 - Finished quilt for my grandson Uriah's birthday

, 52 hats to the University of Iowa NICU, started my Hudson Bay sock, Miss Peeps taking up a lot of "project time"....she was a project all by herself!

 Organized fabrics............

 Uriah and his quilt.............

 Giraffe for grandson Sam's birthday

August 2015............this is the month of shame as everything you see here is STILL a WIP (work in progress!)

September 2015............again...lots of WIP's

  but there was a lot of organizing which I was hoping would help me...........

 but what it did was "unearth projects I wanted to make and hadn't started! LOL!

1 FO but still needs to be framed or mounted...........punch needle.............actually "unearthed" this one when organizing.............

October 2015............. more blanket squares but still a WIP

but look at these....some FO's???  Coffee or tea coasters

2015 Annual Collectible Halloween ornaments.............

and a set of washcloths......gifts.....

November 2015............working on still secret project...............

 more washcloths.........

 more blanket squares

 fingerless mitts for my son, Benjamin, finished for his birthday in January not sure I got a finished picture but maybe.........?

2 of these got finished for Christmas for Grayson and a blue one for Sam but  not sure I ever got pictures of them finished..Christmas time can be hectic!

coasters for Ben for Christmas........

Cowl for Amy for Christmas...............finished by Christmas.....

December 2015.................the month of FO's............

and a blue one just like it............GRayson's is the green and Sam got a blue one

This is for Uriah....the shark lover................... a crocheted zippered pencil case (filled with colored markers, of course)

finished the coasters for Ben.........

and the cowl for Amy...............

January 2016...............

Back to fingerless mitts for Ben whose birthday is in January.........

 and a larger Hawkeye hat for my SIL who also has a January birthday........

Plus, there is still work going on with a secret gift.............you won't see that until next August probably.......
February 2016.........starting some house blocks (quilting)...color planning stage

actually sewing!

 block pattern but I am not making a quilt....only 3 houses..........

Found my children's clothing quilt top from when they were little.......I need to quilt it up!

more projects will be comin gout of this book............

more patterns that I need to utilize...........

old WIP that needs finishing..........worked on it some

Finished the fingerless mitts for Ben

the Hawkeye hat for my SIL is still a WIP..........

another WIP (secret project)

a doll for me.............

the middle one...........by Susan B. Anderson

March 2016...........

Worked on cross stitch........

old WIP

 secret project winding down.............I see a FO in my future!

 more washcloths...................

 a small blanket..............

 a BIG blanket...need yarns first...............

 painted roses pillow squares..............

 I really need to sew for myself..............

 more cloths.............I designed these myself...............

April 2016..................all 6 painted roses crocheted for pillow.........

first set of 3 self designed washcloths done........

Happy Hooky pillow all crocheted..............

working on 2nd sock...Kristin Nicholas for Regia self-striping yarn

Start of a new little blankie...........

a gift project ......secret............

Japanese knot bag for socks..............

May 2016.............

finished socks............

pillow finished, blocked and sewn together.....need pillow form

Maybelle flowers for small blanket...........

2nd sock for Hudson Bay socks............

June 2016..............
Prepping for YOP 2016-17

Finished Hudson Bay socks.....

and of course I had to cast on another pair!

That's my year in review and it was not a very organized or committed one and I apologize.  This coming year will be better....did I say that last year?
Happy Trails!

Not quite as hot today...........

 I got out early this morning before it got too hot and did some more planting.  German thyme on the right and chocolate mint on the left.......

 I decided to plant up my washtub that I painted................

 The hibiscus tree is blooming..............I planted this tree several years ago....I think it's also called Rose of Sharon...........

 I hung clothes out, went to the store and got more potting soil and to the bank and then came home and started cooking up some ground beef, onion and cabbage.......for "cabbage burgers"

 This really should be done the day before not when you're tired and hot and hungry! LOL!  Oh well....I just made up 4 of them and left the other 4 for tomorrow.  They're rising for 20 minutes and then they bake for 20 minutes.  I'll let you know....probably more of a fall or winter dish but it sounded good at the time. I'll have more pictures tomorrow too of the finished product.

 Here's my wonderful Serenity ("Nitty") who hates to have her picture taken............she's 14 and I wish she would live forever but then not really because who would take care of her after me?  I'm pretty sure my children would or they know I would come back and haunt them! LOL!

and then there's Annie...the huntress, off in the weeds...................also 14.....they love being outside and when I'm outside they're always close by...........

I have some books to share tomorrow....one I finished and 3 I started!  I hope you had a wonderful day. Happy Trails!

Hot and tired..............

This will be a short post...."yeah right"  you're saying.  Well, yesterday was Walmart and laundry and today was mowing, spraying deer repellent and watering everything as it has been HOT!  I got out there earlier in the day although the grass was still wet but it wasn't in the 90's yet so that's all that counted!
This deer repellent is not harmful to animals and uses taste and smell to deter them.  It's by the Havahart company who also makes those humane traps for "re-settling" animals in a better place when they become a nuisance in your yard or property.  I hope it works because I like that it is thoughtful of the environment and the animals.  It was also at Walmart and it was the cheapest of what they had.

Just finished supper and I fried hot dogs in butter and had a sandwich with the last of the backed beans and some chips.  Tomorrow I'm cooking cabbage burgers for supper.

Have you ever had hotdogs or bolgna fried in butter?  Yum!!!

This is what we did before grills were invented! LOL!  My mother used to make these.  I use my cast iron skillet. Cut them in half and fry both sides.

  I also made some cookies but forgot to take a picture.  It was a new recipe that Ikea evidently sells and/or makes.  Swedish Oat Crisps.   I haven't really tested them out thoroughly yet so I'll let you know.

I did knit a bit with my new needles and love them!  When I started out knitting socks, I started using  circulars and Magic Loop but then went to dpn's.  I'm liking the  Magic Loop method much better this time around as compared to when I had no idea what I was doing.  At least now I have a little idea! LOL!  This is another Regia Kristen Nicholas self-striping yarn.

I hope you are cool where you are!  Happy Trails!

Treasures in the mail!!!!

What a way to start the week!  It seems I just ordered this and there it was.....a package in my mailbox on Monday morning!

It was from The Loopy Ewe...no, not YOU but EWE! LOL!  It was wrapped so nicely........and treasures indeed....

and they have all kinds of services too..........

I hope I got some Loopy credits because I didn't realize you only get 1 sock blocker.....oh my........it's lovely but I really thought I was getting 2......I need to wash and block 2 at a time not 1..........so they are not so inexpensive as I thought!  I'll need to order another one.

I guess I won't be using my Soak right away...I don't want to waste it on 1 sock.......

This sounded better than it was............it's based on gauge but how do you know what your gauge is until you use the yarn and this is for buying yarn based on your gauge...huh?  I have much to learn...still.........

I got my "sock rockets"....Addi Lace circular 40" cable for sock knitting.....these were  Sandra Paul's favorite from her sock knitting needle review and who am I to argue?  Not sure how fast I want to go though as speed has never been my friend.

I've also ordered Knit-Pro Karbonz in DPN's as I have wanted them for quite a while now but they aren't here yet.   They also sent me a little gift....a Loopy Ewe magnifying ruler that's see through...very nice but I would have preferred a "pair" of sock blockers! Ha! Ha! 
I found my last bit of sock yarn and I'll be casting on tonight as I feel naked without a pair of socks on the needles.  The difference in the skeins below is the one on the left has never been touched by Miss Peeps, the one on the right was not so lucky!

Today was a slow day....and I didn't seem to get much done....a slow crawl into the work week.  I hope you had a great day and a great weekend!
Happy Trails!

YOP Week #51

Well, next week will be the last week of this YOP season and a round up of accomplishments???  Not sure I accomplished much this year....each year I get slower and slower...like an old clock that someone forgot to wind! LOL!  But I'm happy and healthy and have everything I need and more so I certainly am blessed indeed!
So, what have I been doing besides not being on my pc?  Lots actually and here's what I got done fiber wise.....

  Yes, my Hudson Bay socks are finished although not washed or blocked and the stripes match exactly.....it's a knitting miracle!
Mostly, I was working on a birthday present and was 10 rows from the end when it went horribly wrong and I had to frog it.  Here's the yarn all wrapped  up again............

You know how busy I get this time of year.....January starting for YOP would be better for me but I'll manage...I have 4 birthdays in July, 6 house guests coming in July, remodeling by said house guests in July so I  am a litle busy with the prep work! LOL!
But I have decided that I'm taking weekends off to focus on what I want to do so yesterday I finished my socks and went to the library.  I also ordered some supplies........
Addi Sock Rockets (Lace) circulars 40" for Sandra Paul's new sock pattern and tutorial here and also an excellent video and needle review exclusively on needles for knitting socks.  She is very meticulous in everything she does so her reviews and patterns are top notch in my book!  Thank you, Sandra!
I also ordered some sample packets of Soak so I could find out which scent I prefer, some red plastic sock blockers and a little book on organizing your stash.  I got all this on The Loopy Ewe
which also sells fabric but I held back on that....for now!
I've organized all those notebooks I showed you 2 weeks ago and I'm all set for YOP 2016-17.  I also went through Pinterest and Ravelry favorites and this week I need to narrow them down.  What I am going to do is share my categories and the current project in each and maybe the next project.  Just so I can ensure I have the materials.  I have gotten down to nothing for stash and it's an expensive time of year....more like Christmas but I have to have materials for gifts, the repair of my porch and company coming. I am not going to plan for much more than that.  My "project eyes" are always bigger than my budget and my time.
I have been printing off some patterns and putting them in plastic sleeves and I pretty much have my socks chosen for this year and some yarns ordered for those as I will ALWAYS have at least one pair of socks going at all times.  I'd like to do 12 pair a year but that's probably not going to happen...not this year anyway.
Today, I ordered supplies from Deramores for my next crochet project, yarn needed to finish my Maybelle Blanket and a set of Knit-Pro carbon DPN's.  I also ordered  some sock yarn and was able to get some reasonable prices and free shipping.   It is in my plans to make a pair of Christmas socks each year also and Dani over at Little Bobbins always has a Christmas Eve cast on for socks which will be nice too!
I came across something on Inside Number 23 podcasts called The Wardrobe Architect
where you craft a wardrobe based on who you are rather than what's in style at the moment.  I have printed off the first few episodes and the exercises and there is a chatter group on the Ravelry Inside Number 23 group specifically devoted to the process and progress of The Wardrobe Architect.  I have been wanting to fashion a new wardrobe for myself given my new body type and lifestyle since I've retired.   Remember "the retirement uniform" I talked about?  If you're a sewist you might be interested in this methodology and Katie, at Inside Number 23, is utilizing it to also coordinate not only what she sews but what yarns and patterns she buys to coordinate or compliment her wardrobe.
I have some other "projects" going but they are all presents at the moment so until my other supplies arrive I won't have much to show you but just wait!!!!  I'm so excited to get some supplies!  It is like Christmas around here!  I should put up a tree!
BTW...June 20 is the summer solstice and also a strawberry moon!  It only happens every 70 years when there is a full moon on the date of the solstice. It will be the first and last time I ever see it! LOL!
Have a great week!  Don't forget to "round up" all your projects from this past YOP season to publish next week!  Mine will be small but that's okay....I love this group! 
Happy Trails!

Storms, heat, humidity......I think summer is making an early appearance!

But I have managed to get laundry done and inside before the storms.  I do have to keep an eye on the weather down here though.  I finally got my grill together and actually grilled on it!  I think it's pretty cute.  

  I bought some (pre-cooked in beer) Johnsonville brats and they only took about 5-7 minutes on the grill and they were delicious!

 I made a BLT potato salad that was delicious and it was from this recipe over at GMA
the funny thing is the winner of the potato salad contest was from Cedar Rapids, Iowa where my daughter lives and the 2nd place winner was from Arkansas!  I might have to try all of the top 5 before the summer is over! LOL!

Tonight I'm finally making the baked beans and I made my peach cream pie for dessert.  I'll share those recipes another time.
I told you it was spray painting season and I finished another project...this old wash tub I had on the farm.  I was going to plant in it but if I move I want to take it with so I think I will bring it inside and put it in my crafts room to hold yarn and then I can put a basket for more yarn on the bottom too. Oh, and I could line it with a pretty fabric and maybe a ruffle to hang over the top or a skirt to hide the legs? See how carried away I get with my projects?

Here's my replacement for my humming bird feeder......... impatience......outside my kitchen window.

Here's my bench that I painted with some flowering plants and succulents sitting on it.  I have a few weeds I have to chop and spray under the bench and maybe add some more rock underneath.  

Here's my succulents...a stone crop plant, purslane, hen and chicks and I forget what the one is with the teeny tiny blooms. 

a rudbeckia  (sp?)with a butterfly on it and more blooms coming............

I got the chickens on closeout several years back but thought they were too pretty to put outside although that is what they were meant for but now I'm okay with it. 

There's also a lavender plant in the smallest pot and right next to it is a Hibiscus.......no flowers yet but plenty of buds!

My dahlia started blooming in the trough out back.....this is the first dahlia, I ever remember buying.....stunning bloom isn't it?

  I had a little friend visit me today....for some reason they always seem to come over from the lake and bury their eggs in my yard and then of course, the armadillos dig them up but don't tell them that!

According to the Native Americans, turtles are a good sign, I just can't remember what but this one was a very special one............

 

 see the little white heart on her shell towards her rear?  Now that's a REALLY good sign!

Oh, 2 new things that I got at Walmart the other day..........this tasty, summery beer..........Heavy Melon...get it?  Like Heavy Metal....it is delicious and refreshing at the end of a hot day outside!

I also added another dish to my Pioneer Woman dish collection.............a small salad plate.......love these dishes as they go with anything and everything!

Happy Trails!