January 26, 2012

Playing Hooky

I needed a break from my Granny marathon so I decided to 'play hooky' and whip up this cute cowl!  It was super quick to make - it literally only took 1 hour and I think it turned out pretty cute!

I got the pattern from the website Sew She Sews.  It uses the techniques of front post and back post crochet and I love the ribbed look this technique gives!
On the Granny Square front - I have sent out 36 squares so far.  It's been a very busy week so I haven't been able to devote as much time as I would like - but I am still plugging along!

I have been checking out some wet felting projects and I may try this felted flower this weekend with my daughter!  I'll let you know how it turns out!



January 20, 2012

Granny Stashbuster

I am super excited about my current project.  After Christmas I was trying to decide what my next big project should be and I thought I would finally tackle the amazing and gorgeous BABETTE.  
Gorgeous isn't it?!  It has been on my "To Do" list for a couple of years now!  The babette uses up to 17 different colours and you assemble it in 10 different sections. 
It is definately a large project to take on.

I really felt I needed a small break before I took on the Babette so I decided to start a really really fun and somewhat mindless project.  So here comes the GRANNIES!!!

I absolutely LOVE Granny Squares!  They hold a nostalgic feeling to me and are very vintage!  Just what I love!  The amazing thing about granny squares is that depending on their placement and colour choice they take on such different looks!
Here are some amazing granny blankets that are very insipiring to me.
On a group I am in on Ravelry called the Vanna`s Choice Group, I joined a Granny Stashbuster Swap.  How this works is we crochet 4 round grannies and send 6 different ones to each of the 14 participants using only Vanna`s Choice Yarn.  The key is to only use what you have in your `stash`, we shouldn`t be going out and buying any new yarn!

Here is my Vanna Stash:
Once we receive our grannies we can join them any way we would like.  I have decided to join mine with black because I really like the vintage look to it and it is very simple. 
I took my final inspiration for my blanket from this picture.
I have completed 24 blocks so far (only 60 to go!).  Take a look at these that I have sent out!

I have Granny Fever!

January 11, 2012

Happy New Year!

Happy 2012!  It feels so great to begin a new year with exciting prospects on the horizon, and a fresh view on things to come!

I promised that I would post finished pictures of the afghans I made for each of my kids! 
So here you go!

This one I made for my oldest (and so very handsome son)! 
I made this next one for my lovely daughter!



And last but not least - this fun one for my baby!!

We had a wonderful Christmas back home with our family and friends, but it is nice to be back to our normal schedule and get some fresh and new things started!

I also have a new project on the go, and completing some unfinished projects that have been on hold!  It will feel good to get them done and crossed off my 'To-do' List.  I will post about it next time!




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December 7, 2011

Fear of Avatar?

I have been hearing a lot lately about this book "What Women Fear: Walking in Faith That Transforms" by Angie Smith.
I just ordered it because I think it is a book I need to read.  My life is directed a lot by what I fear.  Before I do anything I overthink it by 1000 percent.  This has always driven my friends and family crazy!

Does this look good?  Should I take this road?  Will that shoe match better than this one?  How does my hair look?  Is my makeup too dark?  Does this taste allright?  Which colour yarn matches with all these others?  Should I go now or later? And on and on it goes!! 

It gets really old, really fast.

I just don't know how to trust in myself and not worry about what the consequences will be.  What is the worse that can happen?

In my mind - the worse is that I will be judged and rejected.  I have had my fair share of rejection in my life.  I have let it define who I am for most of my life.  I have to say - I am better than what I was years ago - but I still live EVERY DAY with that FEAR. 
Somedays that fear grinds me into the ground.

I have long been trying to pinpoint what my exact fear is and I think I may have figured it out - at least part of it.  I think my biggest fear is that people will "see" me (think Avatar).
What if someone "sees" who I really am - and decides that I am just not worth their time.  Or not good enough for them, and then rejects me.  Throws me out.

This leads me to an even better question: Why do I care? 

But I do. 

I try to cover up that I don't, and say to myself  "Well, if they don't like who I am - they aren't worth having in my life!".  But the truth is - I truly, to the depth of my soul,  care. 

And that is where the seed of my FEAR lies burried.

I try and hold fast to God's promise in Isaiah 41:13 that says:

"For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you,
DO NOT FEAR; I WILL HELP YOU."

God sees me competely and he thinks I am AMAZING!  He sees all my fun and special things, and he also sees my weird and horrible things.  Yet he thinks I am wonderful and calls me "HIS"!

He knows all my fears and holds my hand to help me walk through that fear to the other side. 

What do you fear?  Will you let God hold your hand?

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December 2, 2011

Link Party

Just over a week ago I was asked to join a "Link Party" on a fellow crocheter's blog.  AnneMarie asked me to submit the picture of the Missoni Blanket I made for my oldest son.  She had seen it on Flikr and really loved it.  (I will post pics of that blanket soon!).

Every week AnneMarie has a "Link Party" for people to submit their creations, and then on the Sunday she opens up voting and there is a winner for that week. 

I was asked to join again this week and have decided to enter in my "Sassy Monkey" hat that I made for my friend's little girl a couple of weeks ago.


This hat has been a huge hit.  I made a similar one for my other friend's little boy in the traditional colours of Red, White and Tan.  They look adorable on them and I wish I had some pictures of them wearing them so that you could "Ooooh" and "Ahhhhh" over them too!

So if you want - head over to AnneMarie's Blog AnneMarie's Crochet Blog on Sunday and vote for me and my Sassy Monkey Hat!  I am number 40 in the link submissions.  I appreciate the support!

On unrelated business, I went to my LYS (local yarn store) yesterday and picked up some gorgeous goodies!  I'm sooooo excited to get started on this little Christmas Gift project with my daughter!  Here is a sneak peak of the heavenly fibres!  Bet you can't guess what we are going to do with them!  Stay tuned to see the final product!  It's going to be great!  Have a wonderful weekend with your families!


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December 1, 2011

On a side needle

I am still working on the border for the blanket I showed you yesterday.  I have about 1 1/2 more rows to go until freedom!!

A few weeks ago I was in a blanket overload and needed to do something different.  So I decided to teach myself something I have been dying to try FOREVER!  Knitting on double pointed needles. 
This has intimidated me for years and I have been putting it off, so I finally decided that enough was enough.  I know how to knit on 2 needles, how difficult can it be if millions of other knitters can do it?  Haha - famous last words.

I pulled up some YouTube videos, checked out tutorials all over the web, and even read some knitting forums to guide me through this black hole.  I decided my first project on dpn would be this Thermis Cowl by Kris Knits.
Isn't it GORGEOUS!  So after a couple sips of my Pinot Grigio, and some deep breaths, I tackled this challenge.  Now don't get me wrong, I may be clever, but there is something about 5 tiny, sharp, demon possessed needles that almost drove me over the edge.  This is the reason I put learning this off for so long, haha.

Well, after a day or so(ok 4!), I finally mastered those needles.  Ok not quite - but I actually managed to knit up about 1 inch on those bad boys!  Yay!  This is the picture of what I completed!
At this point I am prancing around my house giggling and showing off to my kids and hubbie my masterpiece, and then I take a closer look when I stretch it out......and on EVERY pattern for dpn it tells you to MAKE SURE YOUR STITCHES ARE NOT TWISTED.  Easy right?????? Not so much.  Ya, you got it....my stitches are twisted.  YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! 

That is when I gently, and gracefully (with no frustration, or beeping words of any kind), set aside my beautiful dpn Thermis Cowl to work on another day.  It will be ripped apart and I will begin again.  Patience is a virtue right?!  ARGH!


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November 30, 2011

It's been awhile

I guess its been more than a little while......I kind of go through cycles with this blog.  I am really going to try to stay consistant...we will see.

I want this to be more of an outlet for me to say what's on my mind and what I am going through at this moment.  I try to be "real" and "transparent" in my daily life.  But those are words that are so over-used and is anyone ever that real?  Does anyone really want to know people's "real" actions, thoughts, or feelings?  Maybe that is just TOO MUCH INFORMATION haha.

Well I will be as real as I can and see where that takes me!


Trying to finish off a Christmas gift at the moment.  In June I had the great idea of making a blanket for each of my kids for Christmas.  Great idea, maybe I should have thought about it in January instead of June!!!

I have been crocheting NON STOP now for 5 months!  Don't get me wrong - I do love it...but under a time constraint it does get a little bit panicky sometimes!!!  But I am on the last blanket and its ALMOST done!  Yayayayaya!  I am just on the border - it's the home stretch!

I will post pictures of each of the blankets at some point - but here is a picture of the one I am finishing up now.  Its called "BullsEye".  It is in my son's favorite colours and I love the pattern and the colour combination.  I have to say I am not thrilled about how I joined the blocks.  They are raised slightly from the Slip Stitch Join that I did.  Next time I will try a Slip Stitch, Chain 1 join. I still love it though and I know my little guy will love it too!!



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October 7, 2010

So many Pies...So little time!

Yay!  I remembered to take out my turkey today!!  When hubbie came home from work this morning at 4am - he even wrote me a "Take out the Turkey" note and put it on the kitchen counter so that I would see it when I got up.  I guess my reputation precedes me!  HaHa!

So now that the turkey is taken care of, we need to move on to more important things - DESSERT!!!  I am truthfully not a huge dessert person - but I LOVE pies!! 

I've been scouring the internet for some new and yummy pie recipies and have narrowed my search down to these three (click on the titles to see the recipies):







We definately will be needing all three I think!!  I usually have my daughter help with the pie making - it's a tradition we have made the last couple of years!

Can't wait to eat!!! 

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October 6, 2010

Don't forget to take out the Turkey!!!!

That is what I have written on 3 post-it notes around my house!!!  For the size turkey that I have bought for Turkey Day - it requires me to take it out of the freezer and put it in the fridge for 3 full days.  That means I cannot forget tomorrow to take it out!  I have SUCH a bad memory and while on the go with daily Mommy busyness - I KNOW I will forget!!


This makes me think things in my life that I have forgotten to "take out" in my life and transfer it to a 'holding place' until it is ready to be used?

Insecurity, doubt, defensiveness, are just a few things that I retain in me that I have to remember to take out of my heart and place them into God's hands for them to be softened and turned from the ugliness that they are into Beauty and Freedom and especially Peace!!

That is what I will be taking out during this Turkey Season!!  What about you?

May 14, 2010

Granny McPhee


Its been a while - but I wanted to show you the inspiration for my latest project! A blanket inspired by the Nanny McPhee movie.

It is a Granny Square blanket and it makes my heart flutter!!!
SIGH...................................................................................


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June 4, 2009

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?!

May 29, 2009

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!

May 26, 2009

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! :)


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May 24, 2009

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!

March 2, 2009

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.

December 28, 2008

As we are coming to the end of 2008 and entering into the new and unknown 2009, here are some resolutions that will make us contemplate the resolutions we need to create for ourselves!
I wish you all the best in the year 2009!
Happy New Year!


A Mother's Resolutions
1. When I forget to go to the grocery store, I will not boil the macaroni necklaces my children made for me in preschool.
2. When I hear one of my children wake in the middle of the night, I will run upstairs to supervise before he relieves himself in the sink and then creeps into the bathtub to return to sleep.
3. I will pack the kids' lunch boxes the night before so I don't throw in a slab of frozen lasagna as they're running for the bus. "It'll defrost by lunch. If not, you can suck it like an ice pop."
4. I will resist the urge to explain to strangers why my son is wearing winter boots, a bathing suit bottom, and an inside-out and backward pajama top. I will be grateful that he is able to dress himself.
5. I will not tell my children that the Play-Doh dried up just because I don't feel like cleaning up after they use it, even though I know it means I'll spend the evening harvesting the colored stuff from the carpet fibers, chair cushions and the dog's fur.
6. I will always protect the rights of my children, especially their right to remain silent.
7. I will learn to accept the outbursts and tantrums as a part of life. After all, I promised to love my husband for better or worse.
8. When my husband and I go to a restaurant without the kids, I will not roll up his sleeves or move the knives from his reach. I will not accompany him to the bathroom and remind him to wash his hands with soap. If my husband wants dessert at the end of the meal, I will not tell him it depends on his behavior.
9. When I'm tired of hearing "mommieeeeee!" a thousand times each day, I will resist changing my name to "Please pass the spinach" or "TV is boring, I'd rather read."
10. I will develop an ability to have a conversation with an adult that doesn't revolve around labor pains or children's toilet habits. I will feel comfortable in the silence that ensues when neither of us can think of any other topic to discuss or remember we can always discuss the weather.
11. I will be more flexible about children's nutritional requirements by counting the ketchup and green crayon as vegetables.
12. When my children beg for a pet, I will buy them each a hutch for the dust bunnies that have multiplied under their beds. I will let them name each dust bunny.
13. I will count how often I repeat the phrase "You'd better listen because I will not repeat myself", until my children actually notice that I have spoken. I will not raise my voice until I have said it at least that many times.
14. When my kids are older (at least 50), I will explain why they never have any chocolate candy left after Mommy and Daddy "check" their Halloween bags.
15. I will be a good, fair and loving parent to my children. I will provide them with enriching experiences and opportunities. I will give them a solid foundation on which to build a useful life. After all, they may eventually be responsible for choosing a nursing home for me to live out my final days.

December 10, 2008

Aussie Owl

I wanted to show you all the Owl I received from the 'Ogling Owl Swap' on Swap-Bot. I received it from Leah (MadeinMonty). It came all the way from Australia! Very Cool!

There is a Mommy Owl and a baby Owl. The baby owl fits into the pouch on the tummy of the mommy! So Australian (kangaroos!) :) Leah made the whole thing from recycled materials which is so inventive! She also included a pretty handerchief and some yummy Australian tea!
Thank you again Leah for the great package!


Since our family has moved here to the Calgary area - I have noticed that we have the most AMAZING sunrises and sunsets! I am a sucker for beautiful skies and keep taking a million pictures almost every day! Here is one taken about 2 weeks ago from my front yard! I love it and love that I captured the birds flying by!

December 9, 2008

Two Handfulls of Owls!

I have been stitching up a storm trying to get these ornaments done so I can get them in the mail! They are for the Cake & Pie Holiday Ornament Swap on Swap-Bot. I love how they turned out - I think they are too cute! I hope my partners love them as much as I do!

All lined up in a row!

Wrapped and ready to be put in their envelopes and in the mailbox!

I am so glad that I finally finished them! Now I can concentrate my evenings making my meal plan for Christmas!