Can I Buy A Vowel?

So as I said in an earlier post - I really wanted to learn to crochet and create some fun stuff.

Last week my friend taught me to crochet and with her help and the land of YouTube I laboured along. Below is a picture of my sad "scarf" that I have been practicing on all week. No it is not supposed to be a "triangular' scarf. Not too sure what I was doing wrong. But ignore the edges and look how pretty the middle looks!

I absolutely LOVE Granny-Square blankets and that was what I truly wanted to create first. It's a great project for the summer time because you only crochet one square at a time - so I can bring it with me wherever I go - camping, travelling, picnics, EVERYWHERE! LOL! :)

I convinced my friend Elizabeth (the one who taught me all I know), to make one as well - so off to Michaels yesterday morning we went after kids drop-off. Well it took us a short 2 hours to FINALLY pick out our yarn and and a pattern. There is just WAY to much selection. This is the pattern that we are following! Isn't it pretty? I showed Jamie the pattern and he said to me "That doesn't look like no Granny to me!". Nice.

I really wanted to make a 'Fun' blanket and not go with my natural inclinations of 'safe' colours like neutrals, etc. I need to expand my horizons! So I have decided to go with a semi-not-safe colourway of Linen/Aqua/Pink. I know - I am so crazy!

The pink will be the center colour, then the aqua, and the border (main) colour will be linen! Anyways, it may not be crazy - but it is going to be really cute!

Who knew that our good friend and highly talented letter turner - VANNA WHITE, is a major crochet-granny in her spare time! She even has her own line of yarn! Beauty, a million fancy dresses, and yarn! She has it all! (sorry that the picture is upside down - I have no idea why that is!)

Elizabeth and I picked up our sons from Kindergarten and knew that we could never go back to our houses and do housework! Not with a pattern and our yarn all picked out! So we decided to head to the park and start our blankets while our kids played! See - we are always thinking of our kids needs first! :)

This was my first attempt at the middle of my 1st square. I know - its sooo sad.

At 3:50 we decided we should go pick up our other children from school and we were talking to a friend and teacher of our kids. Being the great salespeople that we are - we convinced her to join our "Granny-Along"! But because we had already started - we did not want to wait long for her to buy all her stuff. So we decided that after soccer that night - we would drop all the kids off and go back to Michaels to buy all her supplies! Yes...we are dorks.

So after a quick game of soccer - we ran home - dropped the kids off - and drove out to Michaels. Picked up Denise's yarn and then sat in her mini-van to decide what the next plan was. Of course we came to the conclusion that we needed food and somewhere to sit with our crochet. For some reason we thought the "Cheesecake Cafe" was the perfect place.

I am ashamed to say that we sat in a booth at The Cheescake Cafe eating Cheescake, and Cheese Bread - crocheting Granny Squares. There, I said it.

This is what I created. Its my second 'middle'. Getting a bit better!

Anyways, we may be dorky "grannies" - but we are having a blast - and that's the most important thing - right?!

Funny

Weekend Reading Winner

I needed a new book to read as I just finished "Heart and Soul" a few days ago.

I picked up this book "The Hundred Secret Senses" at a thrift store about a month ago for $1 and this is the winner for this week!

It is written by Amy Tan who wrote "The Joy Luck Club" which is one of my favorite books that I have read at least a dozen times.

Amy has such a great way of involving you into the world of the chinese culture and lets you see into the soul of each of her characters.

I definately recommend you pick up one of her novels - I am sure you will be as pleased as I have been! I will let you know how I like this book! Have a great weekend!

Inspiration

For years I have been wanting to learn to crochet, and this week a good friend of mine finally showed me how! So with Elizabeth's help and a little help from on-line You Tube tutorials I can now crochet! Yay!

There are 2 projects I will be taking on immediately. One will be a Granny Square Afghan and the other will be a Ripple Blanket. Here are some pictures I have found that inspire me....I CAN"T WAIT! :)

My First Quilt-Along

I know its been a long time since I last posted - but I'm back!

I was browsing along online a couple of days ago and happened to check out a great blog called the Old Red Barn Co. They are having a Quilt-Along for the next 6 weeks and I am so excited to be a part of it!

Each week there will be instructions of the next step in the process and at the end of 6 weeks - I will have a finished quilt! I am VERY excited.

The pattern is one she created and will look like this:

I have decided to go with the Adriatic Collection by Anna Maria Horner (Good Folks). Here it is here:

Isn't it BEAUTIFUL! I absolutely LOVE it and can't wait to get started! I will keep you updated on my progress as I quilt-along!

Power

It is amazing to me the power that I contain when I push forward. I think we live in an age where when you have the slightest bump in the road - people overreact and chalk it up to some kind of diagnosis. Oh - she is depressed, oh she is suffering from blah blah blah. Its all just excuses.

Now, I am not saying this those things do not exist - because of course they do! But nowadays as a society we tend to panic and create the need to explain everything. It really annoys me, and quite frankly, I think it is VERY dangerous and negative.

I think I am going to live my life day to day, I will take the knocks as they come (and they WILL come), and I will take the amazing Highs as they come (and yes, they WILL come).

When I follow my passions, that is is when I am most alive. That is where I get motivation, and identity, and success. So I am going to follow my passions and listen with one ear to the 'whisperings', and with the other ear I will listen to myself, and to God.