Wonderful Wednesday!

The sun is shining and it got up to 44 F today!  But the best part of this day is that I got treasures in the mail!!!!  I really didn't get much done at all.  I spent the day printing off patterns that I have downloaded over the last who knows how long and had to stop as I ran out of paper.
But  here are my treasures.......I can't wait to try these Tombow brush pens.  They have a brush tip and the other end has a fine tip.  Almost every bullet journal You Tube video person uses these.

I also got my favorite paint and primer as before long spray paint season will be here and I must be ready!

I've had this book on my Thrift Book wish list for awhile now.....it came highly recommended by someone, I just can't remember who..........

and of course I had to order the next Harry Potter book!

Since doilies were on my YOP list I thought I would get a book on them which is a modern take and uses all different types of yarn not just the tiny thread.........

and here is my Anne of Green Gables fabric!!!!!!  Isn't it beautiful?  I am going to line my green picnic basket with it so I can store my WIPs in it and they will be out of reach of Miss Peeps little claws!  You really need to line baskets if you are putting yarn in them as they tend to snag it.  I took the measurements according to a You Tube video for lining baskets....any kind or size so I hope it works out!  I'll be sure and show you the results when I'm done.

I really didn't get anything of consequence done except a few bills and some business calls.  I started a new color on the Beatrix Potter blanket which I think will take up most of the middle of the blanket.

That's all for today...tomorrow may be Walmart and then Friday is St. Patrick's Day so I will probably watch QVC as they always have the people from Ireland there selling beautiful Irish items.  Plus, I'll have my corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, carrots and turnips boiling away all afternoon and maybe I'll bake up some Irish Soda Bread too......I hope my Irish ancestors stop by, if only in spirit.
Happy Trails!

Toasty Tuesday!

It's snowing again but just snow showers that aren't sticking.  It hasn't gotten out of the 30's today. Evidently, we're getting the Winter we never had.  I had a lot of calls and visitors today....that's strange because I never get either but it was all business.
Yesterday I made cookies from this..........it's cookie butter made from Biscoff cookies

I used my peanut butter cookie recipe and replaced the peanut butter with the Biscoff butter instead...no nuts and although I rolled them into balls I did not use a fork to crisscross them like I do with my pb cookies....instead I used a flat bottomed glass dipped in sugar.........they are yummy and taste like Biscoff cookies I can no longer get at Walmart but they had the butter.....go figure............

 This afternoon I spent all afternoon making breakfast potatoes and then the filling for breakfast burritos.....they had better be good as it was a lot of work!  Here's the filling.....a whole bunch of it!
Where are those ranch hands?

I hope you had a great day and stay warm unless you're in Miami or Tucson and then it's a mute point!
Happy Trails!

YOP Week #37

Big snow here yesterday and this is what I woke up to this morning.........beautiful!

and this afternoon............adios!

But it was a gift as it was our one and only snow this Winter so I truly appreciated it!
Meanwhile back at the ranch, I've been 'crafting' ...................the first bunny head is taking shape......of Alicia Paulson's Honey Bunny kits I ordered............

the Alicia Paulson Beatrix Potter blanket is coming along great.....how I love a mindless project! LOL!

 I need to finish up this 2nd square of 5 for the 'birthday' basket...........

and I actually got some sewing done finally...................

started my project bag............ready to put the zip in!

I hope you all  had a wonderful and crafty week!
Happy Trails!

It's Snowing!!!! Yippee!!!

This will probably be the first and last snow of this season for sure...........

but I have loved every minute of it!  And so did Nitty....she loves the snow like I do.....

I think we can say "in like a lion" at least...........

So glad I didn't plant anything outside yet.........but I have a bit of Spring inside that bloomed and my Christmas/Easter? cactus is blooming too!  I forgot to take a picture of it.

I know many of you don't like to iron but I have never minded it.  Have you ever  ironed tissue paper?  I do! LOL!  You might even find it among my clothes in my ironing basket.  Whenever I get tissue paper I iron it and reuse it...........
Before:

After:
It doesn't get all the wrinkles out but it is definitely reusable afterward......just a little frugal tip

I keep them all in a plastic Ziploc bag............

Now I think I'll sit by the fire and enjoy my one and only snow storm this Winter.........

Happy Trails!

Fun Friday!

Another big storm last night but no trips to the basement and no power loss just a good old cozy stormy night to cuddle up in the covers and read a good book which I did!
Yesterday I shopped all day!  I went grocery shopping at the local grocery store up town and got some real bargains.  I also shopped online and finally ordered a bunch of things I needed and wanted.
Shopping takes time though no matter how you do it....online or in person.
I did make a menu this time to coordinate with the items on sale before I ever stepped foot in the store.  I utilized one of favorite cookbooks.............

  The menu, which I can't quite put my hands on right at the moment...I hope I didn't throw it out....you should never write  your menu on the same piece of paper as your grocery list...
includes breakfast burritos which I will make and freeze some, toad in the hole which I made this morning.......

and cinnamon rolls, sour cream pancakes and marmalade muffins.
For suppers/lunches there's chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy with a vegetable, pork chops, olive cheese bread and oatmeal crispies...of what I can remember.  Last night I had fish sticks with fresh oven roasted asparagus and a baked potato with some leftover bacon and sour cream on it.  I try not to plan anything that requires much cooking on the day I shop as I know I will be tired.
My yarn and kits came in the mail from Alicia Paulson!  So excited!!!!

This is the start of something but I can't say what as these are presents............Sunday on YOP...(my family knows they cannot read that post as it might contain future gifts)...I will share more..........

I was thinking of ordering some new crochet hooks with cushions and Betsy of The Simple Life of a Queen (she's on my sidebar) mentioned she got some polymer clay and made her own cushioned crochet hooks.  I googled how to do it and knew I would need to order the clay and then do it.....while I really needed the 'cushioning' now.  Well, there was a gal on You Tube who took the pencil cushions and used those instead.  But before that she wrapped 1 or 2 rubber bands around her hook so it wouldn't slide off.  Voila!  It works and is very cushiony and you can slide it back and forth if need be.  I already had the pencil cushions from a long time ago and rubber bands too!  This is a small D hook and it is staying put!  A free cushioned crochet hook!

Another color on my blanket.  I love this stitch but be sure not to start with a dark color.  I can tell what I'm doing now but if I had started with that dark green I'm sure I would have goofed up just because I wasn't sure what to look for in the stitches....now I know and could probably do it blindfolded.  This makes a fabric that is similar to a woven fabric and will make a nice warm blanket.  I was thinking it would also make good rugs, place mats, table runners etc.  I'm thinking way ahead but this pattern would make a great Hudson Bay colored blanket.....hmmmm.....I think that's going on my list for next YOP year!

I'm excited to show you some of the things I bought....mostly things to add to my journaling, a new crochet book for doilies, some fabric and of course, books!  There's a few skeins of yarn I need also to finish up some WIP's but I feel good that I will have the supplies to move forward on some projects and who doesn't love things to look forward to coming in the mail?  I hope you are enjoying your Friday night.
Happy Trails!

Stormy night......

Last night we had tornado warnings starting at about 2:00 a.m. which kept me up until about 5:00 then I slept until about 7:30......pretty tuckered today!  But we never lost power and although there were downed trees and power lines in surrounding towns we were very fortunate. 
Sunday I made Stefanie's recipe for shrimp fried rice.  It was delicious!  Thanks Stefanie!
I prepped for it earlier in the day and then it was easy to throw together at supper time.

The other day there was an offer from The Grove recommended by another FB user I knew and you could get a bunch of Mrs. Meyers products if you bought $20.00 worth of other products.  Since I use some of Mrs. Meyers I took them up on the  offer.  It arrived yesterday...........

I ended up spending $24.00 for $46.00 worth of products!  Good deal in my book since they are things I needed or already use.  They have a new scent....Bluebell which is now my favorite!
I've gotten a little farther with my blanket............the newest color is gray as I didn't have a tan that Alicia used.  Not crazy about gray but it's what I have so I'll go with it for now.

After the storm last night the sun came out today and it was gorgeous.  I hung laundry outside, it was garbage day, I went to the pharmacy and picked up my prescriptions, filled water bottles, unloaded and loaded the dishwasher and cleaned up the kitchen.  I ordered some books for my tablet that were good Kindle deals and now I'm ready to crash.  Oh, I did work on the dining room a bit also when I felt myself getting groggy! LOL!  I'll try to stay up as long as possible so I don't wake up at 2:00 a.m.! 
I hope the sun shone on you today and that all is right in your world!
Happy Trails!
P.S.  I'll catch up with you all tomorrow.....

It's Monday...what are you reading, listening to and/or watching?

I finished a couple books since we last had our 'book date'. Excellent Harry Potter #3.........I'm out now so I need to order more!

 I also finished this one which was a bit boring in parts but still worthwhile.  In fact, at the end he wrote about each animal and Indian tribe and their characteristics and lifestyle and personalities which was very interesting.  He even mentioned Multnomah which was the shawl I just frogged but I will make it again with thoughts of Osborne Russell when I do! 

I am now reading a book that I own (from a library sale) and it is a Pulitzer Prize winner and Oprah liked it.....right there tells it all.....I am not liking this book......depressing......why does Oprah love books that are depressing?   And why do depressing books always win awards?  I'll finish it and maybe I'll feel differently then but I doubt it.  The one good thing is, if I don't like it, I can sell it in the garage sale this Spring! LOL!  I hope to have lots of books to sell!

 On my tablet (Kindle app) I am just starting Fatal Grace, book #2 in the Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny.  I loved her first book, Still Life so I am hoping I enjoy this one just as much.

 And for a non-fiction I am just starting this book which I really got for my son when he comes down here but I thought I could stand to read it too. 

I'm not really 'reading' any magazines although I perused the ones I bought the other day.  I am listening to I Make audio podcasts, Brooklyn Knitfolk, Inside Number 23 and Hue Loco video podcasts and as for t.v............I found my old favorite series When Calls the Heart on Netflix.....all 31 episodes so I started over.  I  missed out on them when I canceled my satellite but now I can binge watch which is even better!  Love this series!  I'm on Episode #9 so far so I have at least a week, if not more, of pure joy!  And I can work on my Beatrix Potter blanket while I watch!  Heaven!
Happy Trails!

 

YOP Week #36

Well, since I frogged like 3 knitting projects last week I have sworn off knitting for awhile.  I have turned to my old standby, crochet and that is probably all you will be seeing for the foreseeable future.  I was feeling lost without some handwork so I turned to one of favorite inspirational bloggers, Alicia Paulson from Posie Gets Cozy.  There's a link on my sidebar to her wonderful blog.  It just so happened she had started a new crochet project inspired by one of my favorites......Beatrix Potter!  She included the simple pattern on her blog and so I gathered my Stylecraft DK colored yarns that most closely resembled hers and off I went!  Here's what I have so far and what a simple and enjoyable pattern it is.  I can even watch T.V.!  Ahhhhhhh......I have found peace in the wilderness.

Here are my colors  in Stylecraft DK using a size F hook.  She called for an E but I didn't have one so F it was!

Here's Alicia' so far.............I love her muted colors and I may have to go to wool yarn eventually in future projects because that's what she always uses and the colors are just more vintage it seems and that is what I am going for.  I want everything I make to look old from the get go! LOL!

I also need to order some cushioned crochet hooks as the metal ones bother me after a while.  All I have are the old aluminum ones from years ago.....antiques by now!
In that same vein, I ordered 2 bunny kits and pattern and a lamb pattern (there were no kits) and the yarn for the lamb.  Easter is coming and it inspired me to make these cute "stuffies" for the grands.  It won't be long until they will be too old to want grandma's handmade toys but so far so good!  I ordered 2 different color schemes for the rabbit so they each will have a unique item and then the lamb.

 Aren't they adorable?  I'm excited and feeling much better after a horrible knitting week.....

So, crochet is the name of the game for me.....at least for awhile.....I hope you had a wonderful , inspiring, productive and crafty week!
Happy Trails!

Better than it was before............

I made up a song (I do that all the time) and it was while I was cleaning.  I had finished the project and although it wasn't perfect by any means it was "better than it was before" so that's my story and I'm sticking it to it! 
I had some appointments and one was over the telephone but the gal was supposed to call me at 10:00 a.m but she was a 'no-show'.  I did get a call back from Terminix though and they have agreed to lower my monthly pest control and my annual termite inspection significantly but then I have been down this road with them before and they never follow through so we shall see.
I don't seem to get as much done when my day is interrupted like that but I did manage to shampoo the dining room carpet but only where I could reach.  I need to do the rest after moving the furniture but like I said "it's better than it was before".  I used some old generic carpet cleaner and I don't think it did very well.  I am going to make my own once I use up the generic and there's going to be Oxiclean in it too!

 I also got the 2nd and final coat on the ceiling in the "used to be a closet but is now an alcove".  I got one coat on the side walls about half way down.  I used a brush as I didn't want to mess with the roller and tray it is such a small space.

That's all for today worth mentioning........leftovers for supper and some vegging out with the t.v.  No knitting podcasts though!  Maybe I'll watch Harry Potter.....the 2nd movie.  What are you up to this Friday night?