Writing some letters tonight............

 I worked outside all day. I've had supper and taken a nice bath and I am going to retire early and write some letters on some pretty stationary.  Do any of you write letters? 

I have always loved beautiful stationary.....

This is the back side but the other side is "writable"............

Beauty is inspiring and maybe it will help me to write beautifully too..........

Some things are just worth spoiling yourself for........

Good night, sleep tight!

YOP Update

I had my post all written but tried copying in my Ravelry projects from there and it messed it up so I will just show you what's changed.  I've been spending time outside so not a lot of progress but some..........
This isn't knitting or crocheting but I have to show it to you anyway as I have other "loves".........I finally sewed my little Cath Kidson purse together and was really pleased that the zipper went in so easily!  I haven't sewn a zipper for over 40 years! LOL!

 I made very little progress on the Blackberry Salad blanket as I kept starting over because the bobbles were every other one until I would get to the end of a row and then they were right on top of each other.  Did anyone else have this problem when they made it?  I MUST be making a mistake but I keep counting  my stitches and there's 3 in between each bobble stitch so I have no idea what I'm doing wrong.  Should I start over or just ignore it?

I finally ordered the chair pad supplies (Sit Upons), at least for one.  The yarn and needles are on their way and hopefully I'll have something to show next week.  I'm still knitting socks as time permits and there will be LOTS on my list come July.
I am also going to be crocheting this blanket.......(YOP 2014)

It's in a book I bought by Nicki Trench (English designer,crocheter and teacher). This blanket will allow me to order yarn a little at a time since there are about 7 colors and they're not next to each other so dye lots will not be a problem.  They are individual squares that are crocheted together later.  I am looking to start or join a group for this book, for the first Mason-Dixon knitting book or any suggestions you all might have.  I think it would be a challenge to crochet and or knit an entire book!  Or we could all do different books.  Let me know what you think.
That's all folks!  I'll stop by later! 

Rain plans and sun plans...................

When my children were little I used to make rain plans and sun plans.  For example, if we planned a picnic for outside on a sunny day we would also plan something fun to do if it happened to rain.  It alleviated any disappointment and since I was a systems programmer I was a big proponent of "backups".  LOL!  I've done this all my life and it has served me well.  Now that Spring has arrived (in fits and starts) I am doing the same thing again.  If it's a nice day I am outside landscaping and gardening.  This is ongoing until next Winter as any homeowner will tell you.  But if the weather prevents me from being outside I have plenty of other projects to keep me off the streets and out of trouble!  Such as............cleaning the grout in my bathrooms! Ha! Ha!  Nothing gets done in one day around here....it is ongoing...remember the bedroom painting....it's still there where I left it but I cleaned my bathroom and was getting ready to wash the floor and just couldn't stand the dirty grout anymore.  Look at this and you'll see why.......... 
BEFORE:

 AFTER:

Since I try very hard not to use any chemicals anymore for cleaning (when you know better you do better, hopefully) I looked on Pinterest as I had seen a couple recipes and pinned them to my "cleaning" board.  One was to use Bartender's Keeper, a cleanser.  I tried it and it worked pretty good with lots of scrubbing and the other recipe was 1/4 cup of bleach to 3/4 cup baking soda.  Again, it worked pretty good with lots of scrubbing.  But there is no way around the fact that it is hard work!  Some people used it on moldy grout around their bathtub wall tiles and evidently it took it off easily and bleach will do that to mold.  But mine was on a floor and just plain old years of ground in dirt.  It is still not done and every day I go in and scrub a bit on my hands and knees and it's a like a paste and you leave it sit on there for about 20 minutes and come back and wipe it up.  I've had to do each area about 3 times before it's really clean looking and of course, some areas are worse than others.  It's hard on the knees so I have a towel I kneel on.

On a more fun note, I got some goodies in the mail!  For me, from me! LOL!
There isn't one project in this book by Nicki Trench that I don't absolutely love!  Her style and projects are right up my alley!  There is something about the style and creativity and color sense of my gal pals across the pond that I just LOVE!  I also have resorted to buying my yarn from Deramores in the U.K. in order to get the same colors.  I must admit their prices are great, free shipping over $50.00 (which usually isn't hard for me! Ha! Ha! ) and same day dispatch.  I have received packages from them faster than I have companies here in the States!   So, yes, Nicki Trench is a U.K. crocheter, teacher and designer and has other books out also.  I think I'm going to crochet the whole book!  In fact I was wondering if anyone else loves her work and would want to join a crochet group to do just that?  We could either do it from my blog or on Ravelry.  Let me know if you're interested.

 I also got this sweet vintage looking kit of personal products related to the sewing mistress of the home.  I heard about it from Alicia Paulson 
on her blog when she carried it in her retail shop.  Imagine my surprise when I found it on Amazon!  I thought it was so precious.  This is the front.......

and here's the back............

 

It's so cute I may just use it as a decoration in my sewing room or not.

I hope you had a wonderful day today and thank you so much for your comments  they mean so much to me. TTYS!

Happy Mother's Day to Me!

 I got a surprise visit from one of my sons and he was here for a week to help me get the house ready to sell!  What a Godsend he was...literally!  I've missed all of you and I'm sorry I didn't blog but as you can see.....we were pretty busy and focused!  Plus, I hadn't seen my son for several years so I wanted to spend every minute with him that I could.
  Below is my landscaping project gone awry!  I started this project using landscaping fabric and 6" of mulch but that didn't stop the Bermuda Grass....one of the Top Ten most noxious weeds,

but down here they call it "grass".  I had started back using cardboard and newspaper but had only gotten a little ways when my son showed up.  After a week of he and I working on it (he doing the heavy lifting and toting) .........

This is what we created..........

 

This is where I had gotten to before he came down.......plus I hadn't mowed yet this Spring.  

My lawn mower started but wouldn't move.....he fixed it!  So, I mowed and he trimmed trees and brush.

Then we removed all the rocks I had laid and started over, laying cardboard and news paper I had been saving.

We had also taken the lawn trailer and gone off and collected bigger rocks in the woods....yes, they grow out there in the woods.  Sometimes I see people throwing rock seeds out there too and fertilizer so they grow bigger.  My son did all the rock collecting while I kept the trailer moving.  LOL! 

 

 Here's our assistants who guarded us while we worked...

....

 Then it was off to Wally World for mulch, flowers and not much else as you can see the Tahoe was pretty full! LOL!

 There I am in all my glory with a beautiful path FINISHED FINALLY.....thanks to my son!  I've only been trying to finish this project for a few years now!  That's the only thing I don't like about getting older is I don't have the energy or the strength I used to have and that makes me mad, dang it!  Benjamin was always my "gardening" sidekick when he was little and we always worked well together and still do.  It was a true joy to have him here.

 Then we started landscaping from the corner where I had started........

 We moved the octagonal raised bed to around the tree......and he reinstalled the edging better than I was able to do with a rubber mallet!  We put in another raised bed I had for my veggies.

 I planted 3 types of tomatoes here and 3 types of peppers and mulched with straw.

 Snce we had to fill in the raised bed with dirt but didn't want the dirt on the bark of the tree my son took a plastic pot and cut a slit in the side and cut out the bottom and slid it around the trunk to keep the dirt away from it.  Brilliant!!!  I planted marigolds around the tree and placed a little leprechaun there to protect them!

 And what's a tree without a birdhouse?

 I had 2 old sinks I had gotten for free.  The one here I planted with snapdragons.

 I have old tools and paraphernalia from the farm I used to have.......and I utilize it whenever I can.  There are my Rosemary and Oregano in the old washtub and an old pick axe, a hand pump and some watering cans.

Over the course of the week we did this little bed also with my solar fountain and some "odds and ends".  Unfortunately we had a frost and it took it's toll on my plants so I'll have to see what needs replacing.  Who knew at this time of year!?!?!  The orange pot had a nice healthy zuchini that was going to trail over the pot and leave nice squash throughout the mulch.  The old sink had Gerbera daisies I had overwintered from last year and some geraniums too.

Not only did we do all this but my son cleaned and fixed all my gutters, trimmed my trees, flipped my mattresses for me and cleaned up my garage so I could get the  mower and the SUV in there at the same time.  He took me out to dinner several times and wouldn't let me pay for anything and we laughed and had such a great time together.  It was THE best Mother's Day present I could have ever asked for and it was all a total surprise!
  I have missed you all so much and it's like I've been on vacation but it's always nice to come home too!  Bless you all and I'll be stopping by to see what you've all been up to while I was "away"!  TTYL!
P.S.  Here's a picture of my son, Benjamin.  This was taken up North last Fall I think.  A lot of the men grow beards in the Winter to stay warm and then shave them in the Spring.  I didn't get a picture of him while he was here as he was taking all the pictures!  Duh!  I should have taken pictures of him but I think I was in shock most of the week and thought I would wake  up and it would all have been a dream! LOL!

Spring has sprung around here!

I'm running around like a chicken without it's head lately.  I'm so sorry I haven't been  blogging or visiting regularly as Spring is just the busiest time for me.  I got  a little more landscaping done but it's a "slow boat to China" as they say.  It's hot now too and humid.....88 yesterday and 86 today and I just can't handle being out there in it that long but I made some progress...........this is where I left off the other day

Moving right along............I put in the black edging, more newspaper and more mulch.  I got the edging at a garage sale....cheap but effective.

This area runs along the side of my driveway...........there's my tub of Rosemary and Oregano

This is what I'm dealing with below.....and there's a whole lot more where that  came from!
So, you'll probably be seeing a soap opera of landscaping here all Spring and Summer as it keeps me going to take pictures and see my progress, albeit baby steps.   I am thanking you ahead of time for your patience with this project! LOL!

This is my neighbor's beautiful "established" bed of phlox.....gorgeous!  Just once I'd like to live somewhere where someone had already done the work.....

The red buds and everything else are blooming in the woods....

The oaks are popping open and spreading their pollen everywhere but thank goodness I'm not too allergic.  Many have problems this time of year. 

This is a burr oak (I think) in my front yard.  It has those round seeds that drop in the Fall that look like sputniks (if you're old enough to remember those Russian spacecraft) as opposed to acorns.

I have 3 of these trees and this one is really old and suffered a lot of damage in the ice storm a few years back so I'm always so happy when it comes back in the Spring....tough old tree!  I respect that.
Well, I had to call the lawnmower guy as it started but there was lots of black smoke and it wouldn't go anywhere...forward or reverse.  My hands are all beat up already and it's just the beginning of the warm weather!  Severe weather predicted for tomorrow afternoon and evening so if you don't hear from me you'll know what happened! LOL!  I hope you're enjoying your Spring....it sure is nice to fling open the windows and hear those songbirds!  Take care....... 

YOP Update

My last post's pictures disappeared off my blog....hmmm....don't know why but I apologize if some of you went there.  It's been a crazy week but taxes are taken care of....well, some of them.  There's a  few more throughout the year but I'm good for now!
I have some great news too....I LOVE DPN's (double pointed needles) in knitting!  My first foray into socks was with Magic Loop as I had heard DPN's were "difficult" but then I was a novice so they might have been for me at that time.  Since I've made several pair using Magic Loop I wanted to learn DPN's and to me they are much easier and do a better job and the result looks better, on mine anyway.  But again, is it because this is my 3rd pair of socks or is it the DPN's?  I don't know the answer to that but right now I am pretty certain that any future socks will be knitted using DPN"s.  AND...there will be beautiful, wild and crazy sock yarn too.....none of this solid color yarn for awhile.  Ahhh...the joyful, peaceful art of knitting!  BTW, I saw some cute socks where the cuff was one color and the sock another and also where the heel and toe were a different color....I liked it!  Something to think about and a way to use up scraps if you don't have enough for 2 socks.  "BRILLIANT I tell you"!

   Between taxes and the storms that were running across the South this past week I didn't get much more than this done in my YOP and really I only had 1 pair of socks on that list.  I am wishing for my next YOP list which I am already starting! LOL!  The project below will be on it as it is the "carrot" that I dangled in front of me to urge myself to learn to knit.  "You have learned well Grasshopper and you are ready".....

DRUMROLL....please..........

 You might have seen this over on the Purl Bee

which is Purl Soho's craft blog and it is a free pattern.  They have all kinds of wonderful photos, projects, and inspiration.  It's like a Pinterest for crafters! LOL!  It's so fun to just browse and several of my projects on this years's YOP list came from there.   So, I'm looking to make this as my first project for YOP 2013/2014....if I can wait that long!
Have any of you made this?  One gal on the Purl Bee commented that she made it for people for Christmas and it was THE present that year!  Everyone loved them!  I've seen one made and they are even prettier in person and soft and squishy.....GORGEOUS!  
I'm having a hard time looking at my "blanket" projects since it's 73 here and I have the windows open.  Plus, right now is my Summer actually since  when it gets to be the REAL Summer here it is way too hot to be outside much.  So please excuse me if I seem "spotty" out there in blog land for a bit but this is a short window of opportunity to do gardening, landscaping and painting outdoors before it gets too hot.  It's just me since I haven't been able to talk "the girls" into giving me hand, or should I say "paw"! LOL!  I know, bad, sad humor.  I hope you are all safe and well and having nice weather!  I WILL stop by later!  I have some catching up to do!

Taxes, Tornado and lucky me!

I tried to blog on Monday and the pc evidently overheated and crashed, then the next day I was dealing with taxes, then yesterday taxes again and storm coming so I was trying to get things done in case we lost power.  But here I am today and glad of it!
 We got hit last night, not me personally but the town I live in, and I was darn lucky as it was close!   I was down in the basement as there were tornado warnings but they never mentioned the town where I live but the towns they did mention received no damage but take a look at what touched down here!

Horseshoe Bend Arkansas, Tornado 4/10/2013 (18 photos)

 
 










 

 

 
  Thank goodness  no one was killed and only one person was injured with a broken leg that I know of.  It could've been worse....much worse!  I hope you are safe where ever you are! 

YOP Update

Projects Finished:
1.  Crocheted potholders -  I've made about 4 or 5 of these and I had just one on my list but they're so nice and thick that I continually make them in between other projects.
2.  Crocheted Granny Stripe table runner 
3.  2 Crocheted Rock Covers
4.  1 pair of knitted socks but I've made 2 now.  This will be ongoing as I want to learn different types and styles.  There will be lots of socks on next year's YOP list!
5.  Knitted Cotton Bath Mat
6.  Set of 3 Knitted Dish Towels

WIP's
1.  Blackberry Salad Crocheted blanket
2.  Everyday Crocheted Edgings -  Okay, I've decided I'm doing edgings for pillowcases but I have to make the pillowcases first.  I found this great tutorial for the cases and the edgings and I can't wait now!  But this week is all about TAXES so as soon as that's done I'll be off and running with these but then again there's painting inside and out now that the weather's nice and gardening and landscaping.....oh this is a busy time of year!  Here's a picture of what I'm referring too and a tutorial for both the pillowcases and the crocheted edging .  The tutorials are on the right hand side of her blog.



I know some of you are saying..."you just had that picture out there the other day"....I know but some of my readers only come over on Sunday's when I link up to our YOP pages on Ravelry....confusing I know but I thought my Ravelry friends might like to see it.
3.  Another pair of socks!  I only had one pair listed on my YOP but I am trying to learn different techniques so this time it is DPN's!  Ta Da!  Another tutorial by Stacy over at Very Pink only this time instead of her Magic Loop Sock Knitting tutorial I got her plain old sock knitting tutorial using DPN's.  Both are cuff down, one at a time.  I'd like to join a sock knitting group that is "never-ending" to match my projects! LOL!  If anyone has any suggestions I'd appreciate it.  I was out there looking but there are SO many it was mind boggling.  Even just a knitting or  knitting and crochet.  I was sad when the Sock KAL ended....especially when I didn't even know it!  Never did get to post my finished socks...boo hoo!  I just managed to cast on but there's those dang taxes as soon as I get this posted.

I also have the pattern for the Hudson Valley Winter Socks which I purchased on Ravelry thus the reason for the DPN's tutorial.  Those will come after my "practice socks".

Not started yet:
1.  Pinata Bag - I haven't even downloaded the pattern on this one yet.
2.   Cherry Jam - This pattern is in a book I have to order still.  I want to use it for shelf edging eventually.  I LOVE cherries!
3.  Seeing Stars Blanket  I love this Spud and Chloe pattern.  Thanks to all of you for your suggestions for "less expensive" alternatives in yarns!  It was a big help and then I studied up a bit on weights of yarns and types and I'm starting to get the jist of it now.  Thanks again so much. 
4.  Stripey Spring Crocheted Rug - I should be doing this one now as it is the "season"!
5.  Babette Blanket - LOVE!!!!! (Sung in an operatic voice by a true alto).  I adore this blanket and it would be a great stash-buster but I don't really have one yet but I'm working on it!  In fact, looking around I have baskets of yarn everywhere!  What was I thinking?  I have STASH!!!!!  Yay!!!!   Yippee!!!!!
6.   Tornado Twist Crocheted Cowl - no progress yet but now with yarn "options"....cost won't be an issue at least.
7.Situpons  -  I have the pattern but I don't have any Super Bulky yarn yet.   I wanted to make one to see if they would make good chair pads and if so I would make them for my kitchen chairs.  They could also be used for place mats or candle mats.  I just got a KnitPick catalogue in the mail.....how timely for a reasonably priced yarn catalog to arrive! LOL!
That's all for this week...little progress in all areas but so many areas right now~!  Have a great week ahead and enjoy this day of R n' R unless, like me, you're doing taxes! LOL!