A Rose is a Rose

A friend's birthday is coming up rather quickly so I got to work and made this smaller version of the same rose pattern I have hanging in my bathroom window. Finished it early last evening and really wanted to take the picture when the sun was shining because the bright sunlight really causes the colors to be much more brilliant. But we're in for a few cloudy days here and her birthday is tomorrow!

Finally Finished

It sure feels like this afghan took a long time to complete - maybe because I was on a crocheting marathon yesterday with the goal of getting it done and my hands are really feeling it this morning. Or maybe it's because I did not take breaks to work on different projects along the way - like stained glass as I did with the previous afghan. At any rate, I finished this latest one around 10:00 last night and am glad since there are a few more gifts to make in the next 20 or so days.

The Next Project

It's been a busy week with appointments and what not so I haven't taken the time to post here. The weather up until late yesterday has been unseasonably warm and gorgeous. Then...the rain started and it's much cooler today. The dogs and I have been taking daily walks in the pasture (not today in the rain) but we will take a hiatus from that - at least in the pasture - for the next week since gun deer hunting season opens this weekend and I don't want to be too close to the woods. Yesterday I still spotted the Eastern bluebirds!

I began working on this latest afghan late last week and am now half done with the motifs. This one will be a Christmas gift.

Ta Daaaaaaaa!

It was really late last night by the time I turned out the lights but...the afghan is finally done (well, there are still some yarn ends to weave in on the back side)! I think I could have finished it sooner had I not taken breaks to make other things - stained glass and a few other crochet projects. I even have the dog's Christmas gifts finished: croched coats that will be sure to help keep them warm come those cold winter days (and nights). When I have more time, I'll do an updated project slide show.


I couldn't believe my eyes this morning when I looked out the window. There, perched on the clothesline posts were...Eastern bluebirds! SEVEN of them! They fluttered around the back yard for a while, even checking out the bird houses. The last time I saw them was three weeks ago and I figured that was their last stop here before heading south. Don't they know it's November and this is Wisconsin??? The weather has been really mild of late. Gosh, on Saturday the high was 68 degrees! I hope these are signs of a mild winter this year. Well, one can always hope, right?

Still Crocheting...Honest!!!

Well, it's the day of the big game. But we have to wait until 3:15 (CST) for it to start. It was originally scheduled for noon but that stupid baseball world series caused the time change. Anyway, I'm ready - have my green shirt on and it appears to be helping the Eagles beat the Giants big time so far (not that I'm all that interested in who wins that game buy hey, it is football day and it would feel really strange not to be watching a game while I wait for THE game to start). Hope the "good luck" of the wearing of the green continues into the Packer game...especially today.

Okay, so it's football day and that means I must be crocheting....and I AM! Work on the afghan continues and I just finished attaching the fourth row of squares. Only three more rows (33 squares) to go until I can work on the border.

And Another...

Am continuing to work on that afghan but have to admit I can crochet the squares only so long and then have to find something else to do for a day or two. So...on Tuesday I started work on another stained glass piece. Yep...another rectangular one and I finished it this morning. It's just about the same size as the last one.

I sure wish it were a sunny day today because the purple in it looks so much darker than it did when I held it up to bright sun light. Oh well... When I attach the chain at the top corners this one too will hang in one of our windows. And again, I haven't decided which one yet.

Another Stained Glass

I've had this pattern sitting on my craft table for over a year mostly trying to decide if I really like it and whether to make it a much larger piece. Well...a couple of days ago I finally did decide to make it as is and set about working on it. Even with it being a cloudy and rainy day today I think the colors show up pretty nicely in this purple heart. Unfortunately the tree in the background outside dulls the yellow glass I used for the floweri it really is a much brighter color. Oh well...


It measures 15" x 10" and is the largest piece I've done - in size not in number of glass pieces. After I attach the chain at each top corner it will hang in one of the windows just haven't decided which one yet.

I'm really liking working on square and rectangular pieces. And the mini power miter saw really works slick for cutting the metal edging.

The Next Project

After finishing Simon's sweater I began yet another afghan. I keep finding cute, free patterns in the yarn aisles. When finished it will have seven rows of eleven motifs surrounded by nine border rows. I'm not sure if this one will be a gift or if I'll keep it. I like the color combinations and how it's looking as I put it together. Have another stained glass pattern ready to go and will probably work on marking and cutting the glass later today.


The other day I was traveling to a friend's house and spotted this eagle's nest (always nice to have the camera handy). It's about 6 or 7 miles from our house and near the Branch river so we don't usually see eagles flying around home. But Dan said on Sunday afternoon he saw two eagles soaring above the barn.

The Packers Must Be Playing because I'm Crocheting

One thing I can do while the football game is on is crochet. And... if I crochet while the Packers are playing, they do well (not that I'm superstitious or anything). Anyway, they shut out the Lions - YEAH! - and I got Simon's sweater done.

Back to Stained Glass

Yesterday I got a little tired of seeing the pattern and glass laid out for a project I've been meaning to get to for months. Getting a sale postcard in the mail from the stained glass studio was just the push I needed to get back to making some pieces. I headed to the studio and came home with several interesting pieces of glass.

Before supper I cut out the glass and later in the evening I ground them into shape. This morning I wrapped them with foil and soldered it all together. It was a bit tricky to get a good picture because I had already hung the rose bud in the bathroom window - it's secured to the window frame, the window is above the shower surround and the darn shower curtain kept getting in the way! Anyway, here it is:

Finally Finished

Last evening I finally finished the sandy print colored afghan. It was a huge project and did get somewhat boring as the pattern of shells repeated the same two rows for 121 rows! I do like how it turned out though. It's also quite a large piece at 72" X 56".

Keepin' Busy

That afghan in the sandy shades yarn is coming along nicely. There are about 24 or so rows left to crochet before the border can be worked on. If I have the whole evening to crochet, I can get about 10 rows done. So...the finished product will take a while yet.

Meanwhile, for a change of pace, I made (and just finished, except for her apron, this afternoon) another of those cat plastic bag holders. Just have to make her apron yet and will get that done this evening. This one will be a gift for a friend who has three house cats.

Interim Project

I didn't want to take the afghan I've been working on along camping over the weekend because it's getting quite large, so I packed up some yarn left over from other projects and started on an interim project: a cat that holds those plastic bags you get at the grocery store. Because it rained at times during the weekend, I got most of it done and finished it up today. When plastic bags are added they fill up and poof our the skirt. Not sure if I'll hang it in the kitchen in the house or in the camper. Right now it's in the kitchen...

And here's a picture of the cat with her skirt full of bags:

Another Done and One in Progress

A while back I bought some variegated yarn without a project in mind, just because I liked the colors. It's called painted desert. A week or so ago I came across a rather unique pattern for a lap throw and set about making it, using "Aran" color for the boarder. The size is true to it's name as this is definitely not a large throw. By the way, all three of those watermelon placemats are done too!

Then the other day, as I was scanning the yarn display at the store (again), I was drawn to a lovely color of worsted weight yarn called "Sandy Print" and of course just had to buy some. Here's a picture of the beginning of the full-sized afghan I'm currently crocheting:

We finally, after a whole three weeks of dry weather, got some rain last night. It wasn't much, but enough to perk up the garden and lawn again. The tomatoes in the garden are abundant this year and I've been making lots and lots of juice with more to come. I think by the time the frost decides to hit this area I'll have enough juice to last till next year's harvest is ready for processing.

A few years ago we built a raised flower bed along the west side of the deck and talked about building another one to surround the rest of the deck. Well, that project will get done this fall as all the materials for it were gotten yesterday. Just when it will get done is up for grabs but it will definitely be before the snow flies!

This weekend we'll be going camping again. The campground where we'll be is holding "Halloween Weekend" complete with trick-or-treating. Simon is sure to have fun and...it will be so good to get away for a couple of days after this very busy week.

Today's Project

Been a rather quiet day on the homefront. Ran into town to pick up yarn for another project and to have my picture taken. Now...why on earth would I have my picture taken? Well...some of my articles from my Awakenings blog are going to be published in our local newspaper at times and the editor wants to put my picture along side them.

I found a pattern for some cute watermelon placemats on the web yesterday and decided they might look nice in the camper. So today I started and completed one. Think I'll make two more since it's usually only me, Dan and Simon who go camping. Then there will be one for each of us.

The Next Project Completed

Over the past week with sitting in the hospital and then staying home to be close by in case dear mother-in-law needed anything or started feeling poorly again (which did happen again last Thursday requiring another trip to the ER), I've had a whole lot of time for crocheting.

I started this afghan early last week while she was in the hospital for the second time and we were waiting for the doctor to make rounds. Working on it was definitely something that filled up the "lag time". Last evening the last stitch was crocheted.

Still Have Busy Fingers

Been a busy and hectic couple of weeks but... I have finished another project: A baby afghan for a friend's daughter.


The "stuff" that has been the source of the hectic and busy couple of weeks was the hospitalization (twice) of my mother-in-law with heart difficulties. We spent lots and lots of time (hours and hours each day) with her at the hospital (at her request) and finally today she was discharged home. Life sure deals a whole lot of twists and turns at times...

Finally Finished!

Last evening I finally finished crocheting the motifs for the Christmas Star afghan, sewing them in place and crocheting the border all around. Then...I stayed up pretty darn late to work in all the loose ends on the back. I do like how it turned out and it will make a nice, festive addition to the holiday decorations this year.

Concurrently I've been working on a baby afghan to give as a gift to the daughter of a friend. It's not far enough along to make taking a picture worth it yet.

Progressing

Still making progress on the Star afghan. Last evening I was able to complete the entire first row of red stars and the left border. Only one green and two and a half red stars left and, of course, the rest of the right side border and the couple of green rows that will go around the whole thing.

The star afghan is coming along nicely. By my estimation, without actually counting, I think I'm over half done now. Here's the latest picture.


The exciting news of late is I got notification this morning that one of the articles from my Awakenings blog got published on the Watershed web site. Watershed is based in Winnipeg, Manitoba (yeah, Canada), dedicated to integrating Spirit and Learning and contains many good articles and book and movie reviews. Their url is: http://www.watershedonline.ca/whatsnew/whatsnew.html
(After clicking on the above link, scroll down to see the link to my article "Blind Spots".)