Blogmas Day 21 - The Winter Solstice edition!

 I could live in this photo!!!

How did you enjoy the shortest day of the year?  I tried to pack in as much as possible.  I was up before dawn and wrote out my Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day menus plus all the baking I want to do for gifting and eating.  I got my grocery list all made and went off to Wally World and were they ever packed today!  I went today because I don't want to go on the weekend plus it is supposed to rain tomorrow and Saturday and maybe Sunday.  I filled up my tank with gas and got everything on my list and didn't break the bank!  Yay!  I even got a few things that weren't on the list...I know....shame on me! LOL!  I got a Christmas mug and a Pioneer Woman Christmas dish that looks so old fashioned but unfortunately they are in the dishwasher being washed so I will have to show you tomorrow.  I did get these.......110 of them!  There were no smaller packages.....that's Walmart for you but I like these little ones for hot cocoa and sometimes for my coffee or tea. Plus, they're just the right size for hanging on my little tree.  I had to really look for the regular peppermint ones as they have every flavor under the rainbow now.

I also got some Clementines.....I always got an orange at Christmas and Santa always put one in my children's stockings too. 

This is for Christmas Eve along with some artichoke dip and triscuits and some shrimp cocktail and hot eggnog with rum...the girls love this too (the summer sausage not the rum)...........not too much for them but it is a treat they love and a little cheddar cheese too!  After all...it's Christmas!

For Christmas breakfast I am making French toast casserole that you put together the night before and let it sit in the frig overnight.  On Christmas Day I am making prime rib (I found a small one just for me) with a loaded baked potato and brussel sprouts which is my favorite vegetable of all I think.
For New Year's Eve I am making Zuppa Tuscana soup which is the copycat from Olive Garden if I'm not mistaken.  I've made it before and it is so good!  I'll make some crusty bread and that will last me through my birthday too.  So there is my holiday menu along with some Christmas Crack, Salted Caramels,  Santa Crunch, Christmas cookies and maybe some biscotti.  I think I was hungry when I made out the menu!  But like I said.....Christmas comes but once each year!
I hope you had a wonderful Winter Solstice and tonight I am going to curl up and watch all the Vlogmas's and do some knitting.  I hope you are doing whatever brings you joy!
Happy Trails!!!
P.S.  The girl that checked out my groceries....it was her birthday today!!!

Blogmas Day #20

Well, It wasn't real Christmasy here today as I took a nice hot bath with my new heating element in my hot water heater and I washed my hair. I cleaned up the house and got a few bills out to the mailbox and cleaned the litter boxes.   But I did work on my Cozy Memories Blanket and was almost done with a navy square when I ran out of yarn so I ripped it out and grabbed another color and started it again.   Instead of the navy I am using that green yarn..........I love this blanket as I can pick it up and just start knitting....no fuss, no muss!

I did sit down this afternoon and work on some little gifts for my cat girls and one for my cat grandson...........

 They're little catnip mice that you crochet and I think I got the pattern on Ravelry.  It was free, I know that, and it is called the Easy Peasy Catnip Mouse.  You crochet most of it and then fill it with fiberfill, a bell and some catnip and then more fiberfil.  Unfortunately,  I had no bells but I did have the catnip and that's the most important thing....to my cats anyway.  I'm almost done and will finish them tonight.  I'll show you a better picture when they're finished.  Then there's the annual ornaments for 2017!  Oh my! 

 Today is also menu and grocery list for the holidays and although the rain never showed up now they are predicting ice and snow for the 26th and 27th so I had better ensure the larders are full!  Tomorrow is the last trip to the grocery store for 2017....hopefully!  I definitely can't forget the eggnog either!  Do you have any special foods or drinks during the holidays that you always fix?  We usually had snacks and hor' deurves on Christmas Eve because I was cooking for the next day and still wrapping presents after the kids went to bed! 
Here's a bit of Christmas that just came my way..........my grandson Uriah just called me to remind me to logon to the Santa Tracker on Christmas Eve.  He calls me and we spend time tracking Santa online.  That guy covers a lot of ground on Christmas Eve!
Oh, I almost forgot...........I cast on for my 21 color slouch hat kit that I got last year..........it called for a cable cast on which I had never done.  It was slow going but I got it cast on!

 Happy Trails!!!

Let the good times roll!!!!

Okay, the presents are all sent off....all the ones for now anyway and the bills are paid and laundry is done and I can take a little breath for now....yay!!!  Such a great feeling!  Oh, and get this...the plumber came yesterday and it was just an element and he fixed it very reasonably and said I am good to go for at least 5 more years!  That should give me enough time to save up for a new water heater don't you think?  LOL!
I am SO happy and now I can start MY little Christmas.  Today I got presents from my daughter and her family in the mail.  She is such a great shopper on a budget and look at how lovely she wraps everything.

so pretty.....and she gives the best gifts!  They don't have to cost a lot but she puts a lot of thought into each gift she gives.......and she shops all year long...........

She also had these in the box for filler I imagine.....lol!  I don't buy candy except at Halloween but I certainly won't let these go stale!  A sweet treat each night leading up to Christmas......

I was watching Little Bobbin's Vlogmas's and in one of them she made a London Fog (tea drink) from Earl Grey tea.  I Googled the recipe and although I did not have Earl Grey, I did have some Irish breakfast tea.
You make your cup of tea, put in a splash of vanilla and some honey and froth some milk.  I don't have a frother but you can put a bit of milk in a mason jar and with the lid on, shake it for 30 seconds and then take the lid off and heat it up in the microwave for 30-45 seconds and tada!  It worked for me and was really tasty!  Well worth the extra effort.

 I was able to sit and have my tea and knit a bit on my CMB using my favorite stitch marker from Maker's Haven...........she makes the prettiest stitch markers and project keepers.

 Tonight I'll be starting some presents for "the girls" and making my menu and grocery list for the holidays.  There's still decorating but if it doesn't get done it will be alright....I still have my Fall decorations up and some lights and baubles.  I'm just so happy I'm feeling better and I have hot water! LOL!   Plus, it is going to rain and rain for the next couple days and then when I go to the store on Thursday the sun will be out and 65!  Oh yeah!  Great shopping weather.  But come Christmas Eve it is supposed to go down to the low 30's and teens at night and snow is coming!!!!!  Oh be still my beating heart!  I am so excited and need to get the fireplace ready!  I've been playing Christmas music on my pc all day.  There's so many great playlists for Christmas music and it really puts you in the spirit and sometimes brings a tear to my eyes as I think of all the relatives that are no longer here that I have so many sweet memories of.  I'm sure they'll stop by over the holidays though!
Happy Trails!!! 
P.S.  What are you doing for the lead up to the big day?  What are your traditions?  Foods that you always fix?  Movies you watch or books you read?  I'm late this year but I think I will try and Blogmas from now until after the holidays.....just letting you know what I'm up to each day.  I love the Vlogmas's so why not a Blogmas?   Whatever you celebrate, I hope you are enjoying each moment!

YOP Week #25

The giraffes are done!!!!  Ta Da!!!!  There was a moment when I wasn't sure I would make it when I got sick but all's well that ends well.  The pictures aren't the greatest because it is a rainy day (so happy about that too!) and it is really dark out so I had to use artificial lighting.  This picture is blurry but it's the only one where you can tell they are different colors................

Grayson's is orange and yellow........

and Uriah's is gold and rust colored...............

I'm so glad I ordered the pom pom maker from Clover...it was a godsend!
They'll be getting wrapped and packaged up today to go in the mail tomorrow..........
There's still the annual ornaments and baked goodies but I will send those later.
For sanity I have been working on my soothing Cozy Memory Blanket.  This project is so relaxing that I can't work on it too long or I start dozing off......but I do love this project.............plus it is all stash!  I did 9 squares since I last posted and working on number 10.  I measured it and decided after consulting with you all that I would not tuck it in but I would have it go down the side of the bed a bit.

 So, I figure I have about 4 or 5 more rows to get it wide enough and then I will start doing the length part.

I need to wind up my yarn for the Christmas Eve sock cast on.......I got this last year for this year's socks...........I love the colors and also the name...."You'll Shoot Your Eye Out" from The Christmas Story movie?.........she also included a cute Christmas pencil............

I need to get my Christmas socks that I made last year for the Christmas Eve cast on to wear for this Christmas.  Today is wrapping and packaging, hopefully some cards written and mailed too tomorrow.  There's the grocery list for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and of course, there's still cleaning and decorating and baking plus...I still want to make my soap!  Will I be able to squeeze it all in?  Probably not but the fun is in the journey....no rush........I'm already planning my handwork for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day if there is no company. 
The Bakery Bears podcast and Ravelry group have 2 KALS starting January 1st so check those out and please let me know of any others as I am free to join them now!  I've already started a list of projects for the second half of YOP.  It seems I have been tied to the gift making for so long that I can't wait to work on some of my projects and ,of course, cast on a bunch of new ones! LOL!  Don't forget Little Bobbin's Christmas Eve Sock cast on....she is having it again I hope?  Also, is Yarngasm having her Box of Socks for 2018?  I  have yet to get 12 pair made but maybe this will be the year?
So much to enjoy and look forward too if I can only afford the yarn for all of it! LOL!  Also, definitely enjoying all the Vlogmas's...they really put you in the Christmas spirit.
Our next posting for YOP will be Christmas Eve...I'll be there and I hope you will too.  I'm getting excited for Christmas and just so Santa knows.....I was a VERY good girl this year so bring it on!!!
Happy Trails!!!

Back in the saddle again!

I feel great again!  Whew!  And I am done with the Christmas present making except for a teeny tiny bit of embroidery which I will do tomorrow and then it is wrap and package and get ready to mail.
Last week I received my first Christmas card in the mail (I don't get very many so they are truly appreciated!)  from Betsy...such a  lovely card.....thank you, Betsy....mine will be going out soon I hope!

Then today I got this hand painted card from Rain.........isn't it gorgeous?  I've never had a hand painted card before and I love it!  It is frame worthy!  Thank you, Rain...and Alex too for the sweet wishes....what an awesome gift......that girl is talented with a capital "T"!

I also received this from Diane from Lavender Dreamer...........do you believe it? Right up my alley.....
she knows me so well............I can't wait to go through it and try some of her recipes.  I had no idea one of my favorite authors had a cookbook out!  Thank you so much, Diane!

I am blessed to have so many good friends here in blog land.....truly blessed.  I feel so close to so many of you even though we've never met.....it is one of the highlights of my life and I thank you all!
I did manage to work on my CMB a bit today..........I have a couple more rows done and tonight I'll be weaving in ends as I can only stand so many of them for so long.

I did get the tree up but I can't find the colored bulbs that go on it......they're here someplace!  I was going to get a real tree but they were $38 at Walmart.  I just wanted a little one but they don't seem to sell little ones.  I could go out in the woods and cut one but they are cedar and I'm afraid I would bring in all the ticks that live in them.

  I did pay some bills and do some laundry and I even made a batch of cookies (slice and bake from the refrigerator cookie dough I made last week).  It's really nice for me to have it on hand in the freezer as I can just do a pan at a time.  I'm definitely going to be making more of that type of thing.

We have high fire danger again but hopefully Sunday it is supposed to rain which will make me very happy!

Happy Trails!!!

P.S.  Today is my youngest son's 36th birthday!  I cannot believe it.....I must really be old, I guess, but it seems like it was just yesterday that they were all little.......Happy Birthday Jim!

I think I'll live!!!

This is the first day I have felt decent in over a week.  Plus, get this, I have been napping for 2-3 hours every afternoon!  But it did me well as I feel like I am back among the living finally.  So, today I am trying to catch up as usual..........even when I haven't been sick I am behind so you can imagine how far behind I am now! LOL!
I had thrown together some refrigerator cinnamon rolls yesterday morning.....here's the recipe 
I was watching Maker's Haven podcast and she made some.  I am loving refrigerator recipes like refrigerator cookies etc.  Martha Stewart has a whole bunch of them here  which I will be trying out.  Great for Christmas baking too.
Anyway.......I baked the cinnamon rolls this morning..........

  Once in the pan you let them rise again...........

and then bake them off..............you can make frosting for them but they were fine without which I prefer..........I just have a small sweet tooth..........

then I put together the Andy Paulson chicken soup for sick people...lol!  I figured it would boost my immune system a bit and it is also adding humidity into the air....a little side benefit of making soup in the colder months....this pot full will simmer for several hours and then be drained off, cooked pasta added and the chicken cut up and added back in..........there's a whole chicken at the bottom of that pot!

So, now back to finishing those Christmas presents!  How is your Christmas shopping, making, cooking, baking and decorating going?  Thank you for all your good wishes too!  I think it helped!
Happy Trails!!!

I'm still around but barely!

I am so sorry I haven't blogged or replied or visited but evidently the planet Mercury is in retrograde and although I didn't know it at the time it explains a lot! I have been sick and it is the first time in 8 years!  So, how can I complain, right?  But I have so much to do and I am dragging around.  I keep thinking every day I will feel better but every night I have terrible sinus drainage that makes me gag and cough and not sleep until nigh onto morning.  I am eating chicken noodle soup, I have throat lozenges and I make myself hot honey and lemon tea to drink but it is not working as well as I would like.  It makes me feel a little better but once I lie down I'm toast again and I don't feel that great during the day either. 

I was going to make Andy Paulson's chicken soup but I don't feel well enough to expend the effort so Campbells has been my go to chicken noodle soup.
The reason I mentioned Mercury Retrograde is that this isn't the only thing going down around here.  My printer has been failing but at least it would print in gray scale but no more.....then my tablet stopped taking a charge so there went my books and patterns.  Then I got sick and I have a 6 month doctor appointment tomorrow.....timely probably so I thought I would take a nice hot bath and hit the sack early after some more chicken soup but alas there is no hot water!  I took a cold bath and decided NOT to wash my hair.  I then called the plumber to see how much a new water heater would cost (after all it is over 40 years old)  and he is out of town!  I've been trying to still work on presents but then today I ran out of some material needed to finish.  But I am going to Mountain Home tomorrow for blood work and doctor so I guess I will stop at Hobby Lobby (not really what I wanted to do but hey.....it's Christmas!)  I hope your lead up to the season is going better than mine! LOL! 
Again, I apologize for being absent but I am just barely keeping my head above water here. 
Take care and Happy Trails!!!

YOP Week #23

To say this has been a rough week would be an overstatement considering what is going on around the world but it hasn't been a walk in the park either.  Suffice it to say I have been physically and emotionally drained by a lot of it....nothing terrible just a buildup of tiny things that by the end of the week you want to tear your hair out....briefly...I burned myself twice, I had a doctor appointment where I had to argue with the doctor about my new glasses being too strong, ( I did end up getting  another exam and a no charge new prescription, finally), plus he told me I had cataracts and I said since when?  He said he told me last time....trust me, he did not!  I would have remembered that little tidbit!  And people wonder why I like staying to myself?  It seems every time I interact with society and I don't accept their 'trust me' comments (like I am old and senile...okay I am old) they want to argue with me.  BTW...who's the paying customer here?  Anyway, there were other things but I won't bore you with them. 
As for the making of the Christmas presents...I am still waiting for my pop pom maker..........so Grayson's giraffe sits here waiting and waiting to get his spots and his pom poms attached.......

but on a brighter note.........he now has company...........Uriah's giraffe has a body and a head and as of this writing 2 1/2 of 4 legs!  Uriah's is gold with rust colored feet and spots...or will have.  After the legs I will knit the spots, the horns and the tail. 

I have finally realized something that you all have hinted at various times.....it's too much pressure to make gifts for people especially at Christmas and especially for people that do not make handmade gifts themselves.  If I was better organized maybe but that's not really the point...........I use my crafts to relax and it is my hobby and where I get my 'reward' at the end of the day or whenever I need one.  Doing any of it under the pressure of a deadline takes the joy out of making.....for me anyway.  I love making things for my grandchildren and others but not with a special date in mind.  From now on, I will purchase presents or send them at various times during the year when I finish them on my timeline.  I've always thought Christmas should be every day and that is how I am going to roll!  From now on, people on my gift list will get Christmas presents from me when I am done with them! LOL!  They will be wrapped in holiday paper, Christmas wishes will be included in a card and they will be more surprised than if it arrived on Christmas!  It might be July or March....just think of the anticipation! LOL!
That's my story and I'm sticking to it but for this year I will try and make the deadline.  Part of the reason I am not going to be 'making' gifts anymore other than when I 'feel' like it in a 'relaxed no-deadline' or special occasion mode, is because I am missing out and not doing what I want to do or even getting things done that I need to get done around here.  Plus, my Christmas joys get left by the wayside like decorating, playing Christmas music and watching Christmas movies and reading Christmas books....etc.  I haven't baked a Christmas cookie or planned my Christmas  at all.  I was going to make myself an Advent Calendar since I couldn't afford those yarny ones that are so awesome and I wanted to write out cards while sipping hot cocoa and so much more!  But instead, I am forced to knit and knit and hurry it up and forget that it's been in the 60's and I had wanted to be outside and even washing my windows etc. and taking walks by the lake....this is my summer in reality.  So, I rest my case and I thank you all for your input last week.  It became quite clear that although the sentiment is wonderful it just isn't working for me.  So, that's my first 2018 resolution and by gum, I'm sticking to it!  You are all my witnesses!  I am looking forward to wrapping up these giraffes and working on the projects I truly love with no pressure and no deadline.  I have no one to blame but myself!  My second resolution will be to open a Christmas Club account in 2018! LOL!  Becki, you helped make it so clear and also Stefanie.....I feel a great burden has been lifted even though I am still not done with those giraffes.  I will get them done and then it will be about my Christmas which I always spend alone anyway so it should be a priority to make it the best Christmas I can!  Who knows how many more I'll have! LOL!
Meanwhile, I did get my needles in the mail.............getting ready for some WIPs and some new cast ons!  Yay!!!!

Happy Trails!!!

YOP Week #22

I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving if you celebrate it.  My company couldn't come so I made good use of the time although I still cooked my traditional Thanksgiving feast.  The thought of company coming got me cleaning and organizing which I am still doing.....on a roll here!  But what's great is the balance I seem to have achieved (and I hope it lasts) in taking care of maintaining the regular chores plus cleaning and going through things and clearing out.  On top of that I have the strongest urge to finish things.  All of a sudden it bothers me to have so much on the needles but despite that fact I managed to cast on another and ordered supplies for more!  LOL!
First, I am STILL working on giraffe....I took a few You Tube video's on pom pom making and I made one decent one but it was too large so then I tried the fork method for smaller ones but it fell apart so after messing around for way too much time I ordered a small pom pom maker which should be here this coming week.  This method worked good but it was too large for my project.

 Meanwhile I knitted the ears and linings and sewed them together and attached the horns and the tail..............

I had literally forgotten these socks!  I finished them finally..............

In going through things I also discovered the 2 kits I bought for myself last year for my birthday and Christmas which I never worked on!  So, I decided to get started.............these are the yarns for the hat below............I gathered everything together but realized I needed some needles I didn't have for several projects including my sweater..........so I placed an order for those..........the hat cannot be started yet for that reason..........

 This is the pattern....I may have shown it to you when I got it last year..............

 The other kit was this cutie pie...........and I was able to get started on it.........

One of the reasons I bought it was 1) I fell in love with it and 2) I thought it was a good foray into color work which is a goal this year in learning new techniques and increasing my skills..........
 I had the needles for this part which was simple................

 I knit the top and underneath of the head and then the ears and their linings.............

Now comes the challenging part...........the color work and there's a chart!  I have never read a chart nor have I done any color work in knitting.  I think I will be looking at some You Tube videos before starting this section!  Feel free to give me any tips or techniques if you have done this before as I think I may need them! LOL!
What I am loving about both these projects is that they use really nice yarn.....no acrylics here! 
I still haven't found the other 50 gram ball of this sock yarn....I know it's here somewhere as I remember buying them.  Do I dare start them with just one ball and pray I find the other?  Or maybe I should just wait as I also ordered a 'bare' skein of sock yarn to dye myself and I know once I dye it I will want to cast on socks with it right away!

  The CMB (Cozy Memory Blanket) did not get much attention this week.........but it got a little........
and I found more yarn for it in organizing my 'crafts room'..........I probably have enough for several of these CMB's!  Excuse the lighting as the sun was shining brightly and the weather has been gorgeous here which is great for putting up outside Christmas decorations which I have yet to do plus I still have windows to wash too!  But Christmas presents first! 

Are you making presents this year?  If so how is it going?  Every year I swear I won't do as much handmade but each year I must forget and I do it all over again!  I think that is the definition of insanity if I'm not mistaken! LOL!  But it will all work out and with all the Thanksgiving leftovers I haven't had to cook so things are getting done slowly but surely!
Please stop by our Year of Projects group on Ravelry
and see what these talented friends are doing!  Plus, feel free to join us and show us your creations if you so desire.  We'd love to have you!
Happy Trails!!!
P.S. I did try on my sweater again and I'm going for a few more inches in length before I do the bottom edging.  Which reminds me I still need to weave ends in my daughter's shawl!  There's so much to remember at this time of year!  And only a few more weeks before I need to get it all in the mail!  YIKES BATMAN!!!