Have I got some great tips for you!

I am SO excited to share these with you!   I found these 2 wonderful tips and tried them out and they WORK!!!!  I've been copying things from blogs, Facebook and Pinterest to use when I need to do that particular task.  Well, last week Karen from GraphicsFairy  
had a post about cleaning her "dingy" vinyl floors.  My ears perked up as I have old, "dingy", used to be white floors.  She used  Scrubbing Bubbles bathroom cleaner on her floors and it was miraculous!
I haven't done my entire floor yet but I happened to have a can of Scrubbing Bubbles and I couldn't wait to try it.........

 Will you look at that?  I clean my floor and that "dingy" look never comes off no matter how hard I scrub but I sprayed the Scrubbing Bubbles, left it for a few minutes as Karen suggested and came back and just swiped it with a rag and that rag was black with dirt!  I am so excited!  Karen said she used 3-4 cans to do her whole floor but it's not something you need to do every time you wash your floor.  I would say probably twice a year maybe.  Isn't that just the coolest?  I love it when something actually works! 
I had some blackberries I needed to use up so I decided to make a cobbler.  I followed a new recipe that used Bisquick and it said to put it in a pie dish........

                                                                         NOT!!!!!!!

 Now, my oven needed to be cleaned but now I HAD to clean it before using it again or it would just bake on.   But like Scarlett O'Hara....I would deal with that tomorrow.  Meanwhile, I had some cobbler to enjoy!  BTW it was great cobbler and I will share the recipe later but I will use a deep dish casserole next time!

Tomorrow arrived for Scarlett and me and so today was all about cleaning that oven!
 I had seen some articles about not using strong oven chemicals and decided to try the baking soda and water paste method....the application is a bit messy but certainly easy.  Let it sit for awhile...I think I left it for an hour.

 I wiped it out but there were still some spots that needed work.  I had also heard that hydrogen peroxide worked well with it so I mixed up a spray bottle of it and sprayed the remaining spots and left it sit again for about 30 minutes.

                                                                     Ta Dah!!!                                  

 There's a little haze that I could have kept rinsing and washing off but it was time for supper so I figured it will burn off when I use the oven next.  I have to say that this worked better and without scrubbing than any store bought oven cleaner I've ever used!  I have rheumatoid arthritis so my "elbow grease" is minimal anymore.  This worked great considering my oven is over 40 years old and I am too! LOL!
I hope you can use these tips and pass them on.  Anything that can safe time and drudgery is a win-win in my book!  TTYL!

Out of commission but not out of the game!

There's an old Abbot and Costello (?) line that goes..."I've got a weak back" and the other guy says "When did you get that?"......."Oh, about a week back".   That's ME!  I did something to my back last week and I don't have a clue what it was but I was in pain and could barely walk and if I did I was bent over staring at the floor!  I have a strong back and back muscles.  The last time I ever had a back issue was about 30 years ago after I delivered one of my children.  But I am slowly recovering and every day gets better and better.  That is the reason I haven't blogged or done much of anything for that matter.  I couldn't even knit for awhile as everything I did seemed to aggravate it.  I was beginning to think I broke it but I guess I'm just getting old and things don't heal very fast.
Last week,  before I hurt my back, I had dug through my active projects and organized them
and this is what I am currently working on....
There's this chair pad which I'm sewing together and underneath is that Ball Band Washcloth with all the ends to sew in.  I know it's hard to see but I've actually worked on them both a bit but they are both so tedious that I will probably never do either again. LOL!

 I forgot I had my DPN sample socks to finish and I thought I was on the 2nd sock but I was only on the first (boy, have I been living in a dream world!) anyway I discovered that the most critical time in my knitting is when I first pick it up and start in like I know what I'm doing.....you guessed it...the sock below got frogged but never fear, I'm almost back to that exact point again.  You see now why it never looks like I get anywhere?  Because I DON'T!  10 steps forward and 20 steps back....the story of my life....sad but true.  But look what I  found on some needles that only needs to be bound off, I think. A checkerboard pattern scarf in some gorgeous Noro yarn that was one of my first projects!  Yes, there is a higher power!  I think the pattern is in my copy of Drunk, Divorced and Covered in Cat Hair wherever that is.  It's a great book by the way too!  Funnier than heck and includes patterns.

 Here's 2 more pillowcases to make for the grandboys but no crocheted edging on these.

 And yes, still working on my wool applique quilt....I've traced the last block and now need to find the wool to use for the applique.  This is block #12 of 12 but there is a border to applique after that which goes all the way around the quilt.

I can't forget my Rubber Ducky washcloth which I am finally doing correctly but WHAT IS THIS?????
See the gaping stitches?  I counted the stitches for all those rows and they are correct....no dropped stitches so what the heck are the droopy stitches from?  I swear I am going to give up knitting for Lent!  This is a washcloth....how hard can it be and I was doing great UNTIL.  I think there must be knitting gremlins that do this to me.  I may try and continue and see if some kind of miracle happens and it mends itself somehow.  I don't mind making mistakes but not when I don't have a clue what I did wrong...there's no learning in those types of mistakes unless I keep making it and maybe I'm just thick headed and don't "get it" until the 3rd or 4th time.  That could very well be! LOL!  And to think it was just starting to look like a real duck too!

 I dug out my Blackberry Salad blanket again and discovered a half done potholder too.  I need to start back working on this.

And there's Maggie rabbit that needs to be paid some attention although I did do some hand sewing on her this week.

 

And then there's my cross stitch which is my back up when I'm too frustrated to work on those other projects! LOL!

 I hope your week was better than mine and that you got to work successfully on your projects.  I'm still organizing mine for the year!  I'll be around later to check on everyone but I'm so far behind in everything here that it may take me all week! LOL!  Have a great week and I am so thankful to be back on my feet again!
P.S.  I also have to finish up the grandboy's quilt as I think he's coming to visit over Labor Day!  Now there's some great news!

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! 

It's Monday!

I'm not reading too much lately but I have gone to an audio book so I can work and read at the same time! LOL!
I finally finished this wretched, wretched book!  This was the worst book I've read since I accidently got a hold of that self-published book.  So, I will never read a book that's a Pulitzer winner ever again, I will never read a book written by a professor of English or anyone who teaches writing.  Hopefully that way I will avoid wasting my precious reading time!  It was like a dying man's stream of consciousness who wasn't all there or else a REALLY long sermon.  I kept thinking it would get better but it never did.  There were a few sentences that were quotable but that was about it.  I still have no idea what she was trying to convey other than truly simplistic values.  I hate to say it but I couldn't wait to be done with it!
But just in case anyone is curious...."it is a story about fathers and sons and the spiritual battles that still rage in America's heart.  In the luminous and unforgettable voice of Congregationalist minister John Ames, Gilead reveals the human condition and manages to convey the miracle of existence itself".  This book was a National Bestseller and won all kinds of awards.  What's wrong with me?  The miracle of existence?  Really? I must have missed that part. LOL!

 I just started Little, Big last evening and after Gilead it has to be better!  So far it's intriguing as it seems to be part fantasy and part reality....."Little, Big is the epic story of Smoky Barnable, an anonymous young man who travels by foot from the City to a place called Edgewood - not found on any map -to marry Daily Alice Drinkwater, as was prophesied.  It is the story of 4 generations of a singular family, living in a house that is many houses on the magical border of an otherworld.  It is the story of fantastic love and heartrending loss;  of impossible things and unshakable destinies; and of the great Tale that envelopes us all.  It is a wonder."

I'm on the second cd of 4 of Sam's Letters to Jennifer and it is really good and also strangely similar to part of my life.   My nickname is Sam and I am Grandma Sam like Jennifer's grandmother.  It takes place in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin,  where I spent quite a few summers in my young adulthood and took my children there when they were young.  There were a few other similarities that I won't go into but it was almost creepy similar like the author knew me but of course that can't be true .....or can it?  
Sam's Letters to Jennifer is the story of a woman summoned back to the town where she grew up.  And in the house where she spent her most magical years she finds a series of letters addressed to her.  Each of those letters is a piece of a story that will completely upend the world she thought she knew----and throw her into a love more powerful than she ever imagined could be possible.  Two extraordinary love stories are entwined here,full of hope and pain and emotions that never die down."
So far, I have already had to reach for the kleenix and it definitely has a great storyline and keeps you wanting more but then I have to shut it off and go get SOMETHING done!  Dang it!  I highly recommend this audio book and I'm not even half way through it! LOL!

 I'm still reading this but I don't pick it up every night....it depends how late it is and how tired I am.  But it is just "chock full" of information and I know it will never leave me as it is such a great reference book.  Again, even though I am not done reading it, I highly recommend it!
I love Mollie Makes magazine.  Unfortunately this is the only one I have.  It came with those vintage buttons too!  But it is from the U.K. and expensive to ship over.  But if I ever spot one and have the greenbacks I indulge myself.  It is a publication devoted to "making, thrifting, collecting and crafting".  It is a feast for my senses with that U.K.,  across the pond creativity and color sense that I can't seem to get enough of.  I think I could go to there and live in the country or a small village and live happily ever after.  But since I'm not there, Mollie Makes brings me closer!  Plus, it has all sorts of web addresses in there of interesting shops and places and people.  I'm all for importing everything from there!  Along with Green Gate items. LOL!

Well....that's all now.  I will also add movies if I ever watch any but that is rare.  I'm always doing handwork and don't want to get too involved in the "silver screen" if it's good because that's when I mess up! LOL!  Mindless, boring t.v. is good for me....I make less mistakes.  Toodles!  Thanks for stopping and commenting....I always appreciate it!

YOP1314 Week #2

I'm still "refining my projects for this coming year but I have a new page up for this Year of Projects on the left side of my blog and last year is there too.  For now though I'm trying to finish up a couple of WIP's from last year.  I started sewing the I-cord into a spiral for my chair pad last night.  I am using DMC #8 perle cotton.  This is the same thread I use for my wool applique and it is easy to work with and strong.  You use a whip stitch to stitch it together.   I didn't get too far as Summer leaves me exhausted by the end of the day! LOL!  Like I've said before......it's double the work load in the summertime around here and trying to get the house "real estate ready" and keep it that way is going to be a whole other challenge.

 I finally got the pillowcase done with the blanket stitch which is the foundation for the crocheted edging that I hope to get to this evening.  It took me about 3 tries before I got the gist of it and this is a stitch I am very familiar with!  Heaven help me! LOL!

This is my first knitting instruction book that I bought a few years ago.  It sat there for awhile before I started using it but it's a great book for a beginner and I still refer to it.  I was thinking of doing all the patterns in it but not this year.  I really would like to join or start a group to knit or crochet through a book some day.  I think that would be fun to knit the same things with a group of friends at the same time.

I also promised you a "quick and easy" recipe so you could have more stitching time.  I have a sweet tooth....not a bad one but a sweet tooth none the less.  I always have to have a little something in the evening with a cup of tea.  Usually it's a cookie of some sort but when I'm short of time I make a Dump Cake.  Some of you are probably already familiar with this quick dessert but just in case you're not here's my favorite version of it.
Also, since I live alone, I make mine in an 8 X 8 inch pan but you could double for a 9 X 13.

Dump Cake
_____________

Put 1 can of unsweetened cherries with the juice into the pan.  Add 1/2 of a box of yellow cake mix, lay 16 pats of butter (using an entire stick of butter) on top (4 X 4 works for me) and sprinkle on 1/2 cup of chopped pecans.  Bake in a 350 degree, pre-heated oven for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream!
This recipe takes like 5 minutes to put together and you are back to stitching!  I refrigerate but you can always heat up a piece in the microwave as it is so good warm out of the oven with that ice cream!  I did not say this was healthy or low in calories....I just said it was quick, easy and yummy! LOL!  Enjoy! 

YOP Year 3 - Week #1

Well, here we are...Year 3!  I couldn't wait for it to get here and then all heck broke loose around here and I barely made it under the wire!  I decided after going "crazy" last year with my list and not taking cost into consideration that I would try and be a little more practical and non-committal.  I have so many "wishes" for projects and they're all over the place....Ravelry "favs", WIP's of course, Pinterest, books, magazines and Facebook.  Did I leave anything out?  Probably!  So, I'm going to start with categories and go from there...oh, and then there are skills I want/need to learn this year.
I did manage to finish my I-cord for one chair pad and it measures 14" in diameter and I only used 2 skeins instead of 3 that the pattern required.  Yay!!!!  It needs to be sewed together using a whip stitch and it may be awhile before I do another one!  Hard on the hands this was.

 I also finished sewing one pillowcase and now need to blanket stitch the edge for the crochet foundation.

 Here are some of the many books and magazines I have filled with projects.  I get these books and look at then and then never make anything out of them so I am committed to utilizing what I have this year.

The categories I have come up with are the following:

1.  Socks - I learned both MAgic Loop and DPNs last year and plan on doing LOTS of socks in different patterns.  I have one pair to finish in my "learning DPN's" but after that I have several different patterns in the queue. 

2.  Pet items- I have a cat bed, dog bed and some toys for "the girls" to make and a sweater/coat for Annie who gets cold.  Some will be for Christmas.

3.  Hats, mittens, scarves for gifts and myself as I'm hoping to move where it's colder.

4.  Pillowcases with crocheted edging.  I'm just getting started on these but once I get the hang of it I am hoping to make more.

5.  WIP's which you can view at the top where the label is YOP 2012 -2013 which I may change to YOP 1213 and YOP 1314 to save space.

6.  Bee Blanket -  A kit I ordered and then discovered it has cables and chart reading....there's some new skills to learn! Oh my!

7.  Washcloths for sure....LOVE!!!!!

8.  Toys -  I've decided to go small this year too.  I made a little chicken last year and it was fast and fun!  I think I want to get Susan Anderson's Spud and Chloe book and  maybe her Itty Bitty Toy book and if I get brave her new Inside Out toy book but we may be talking YOP1415 for that! LOL!  

9.  Rugs - I have one from last years list and I want more.  I'm going to try knitted and crocheted and see what I prefer.

10.  Purses and/or totes -  Ruth made one not to long ago that I just adore so that one for sure is on the list.

11.  Holidays and Gifts  - I need to get this area planned out as it's time to start on those!

12. Household - items for me that I need here in the house...could be anything! LOL!

13.  Miscellaneous - for everything else! LOL

Skills I want to learn this year:

1.  How to read charts

2.  Knit Cables

3.  Crochet edgings

4.  Toy making and maybe amiguri?

I also plan on including a "quick" recipe each week so we can have more time for stitching and also any "yarn" or craft related books that I have reviewed.  I know...BIG plans.....we'll see how well it goes but actually last year I did lots more than I really thought I would considering my "learning curve".  Thank you to all of you who inspired me and encouraged me every Sunday.  I am so looking forward to this year although selling my house and moving may put a little hitch in my stitch but hopefully not much.  I will have a page up top for the new YOP year.  Now, to go back and catch up with all of you! (It will undoubtedly add to my list! LOL!)

P.S.  As I refine my list I will add specific projects so you can hold me accountable! LOL!