YOP Week #22

Things are not going very smoothly here on the homestead.  Nothing terrible just leprechaun's playing tricks I think.  I went to paint and couldn't find my brush.  I went to sand and couldn't find sandpaper or my sander.  I started 3 times on the 2nd mitt and finally gave up.  I think in my heart of hearts I couldn't make another one knowing it would be too small anyway.  I spent time looking for backing material for my Christmas quilt and it has disappeared into the ethers and I could go on and on!  Now, in all honesty, it could have something to do with my being disorganized but I'm not going there right now. 

So, I moved on to the annual collectible ornaments for the grands.  I couldn't find the pattern book but I finally found it.  I  cut all the fabric and zigzagged  the edges so they wouldn't unravel.  I didn't have all the required colors of floss but I substituted.......last year I did the Santa Claus and this year I'm doing the reindeer...........this is a Lori Holt XS pattern available at Fat Quarter Shop

I wanted a mindless project so I started a granny square pillow..........I think I have one side finished but I am going to get a 12" pillow form and then measure.  I tend to crochet tightly so I'd best measure and ensure I have enough rows.  I haven't decided if I'm going to make both sides the same or just wing it.  What do you think?

I did finish row 9 on the Winter Wonderland CAL blanket but it keeps curling up so it's hard to see.  I probably won't have time to work on it until after the ornaments are done.........I am enjoying it.  I just hope I am doing it right.

We had a visitor on Thanksgiving Day.  I'm pretty sure it was Miss Peeps father or brother.  I've seen a short haired cat colored just like Miss Peeps and I'm sure it was her mother or sister.  This cat had the exact same markings but it was bigger and long haired.  It looked very healthy.  It stayed all afternoon and I picked up Miss Peeps and took her to the window but she had no interest.....she was abandoned so she might have some issues with her relations.  Or, it could be Grace's relation since she is a long haired gray cat...hmmm.

That's all for this week.  I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving if you celebrate it.  Mine was wonderful...I prepped everything the day before so on Thanksgiving Day I just threw it all together and relaxed the day away!  I listened to the Bear's game on the radio and they won!!!   One of the best Thanksgivings ever!

Here's a thought to ponder.........

Happy Trails!!!
 

Happy Thanksgiving to those in the U.S.!

I spent yesterday prepping my meal for today......here' s my menu:

Roasted turkey breast with bone in

mashed potatoes and gravy

sweet potato casserole (with marshmallows on top)

plain old green beans

cranberry sauce out of the can

raspberry pretzel salad which I am calling dessert

 

I wanted to get everything ready yesterday as the Chicago Bears play at 11:30 and I listen to the game on the radio .  

I'll be starting work on the 2021 Annual Christmas ornaments for the grands.  I gave up on trying to make gifts for Christmas.  I'll make things throughout the year and surprise people when they least expect it! LOL!  I needed something mindless to work on so I decided to make a granny square pillow. 

Lori Holt has a crochet series on You Tube and the 2nd episode shows you how to make a pillow so that is what I am doing.  I can do this and watch t.v. ,while the mosaic crochet project I have to focus on with no interruptions! LOL!  I'm  using Stylecraft Special DK yarn that I have laying around and a G hook.

Happy Trails and I hope you have a wonderful day!!!
 

  

YOP Week #21

This is Week #21 on the 21st of the year 2021....coincidence?  I don't think so.  There must be something special about this day!  It's certainly not my post as it is short and sweet.  I have been monogamous in order to finish Christmas presents although it looks like it will only be one present.  Why do I always think I can get more done than is humanly possible?  At least for this human.

I have one mitt done of the finger-less mitts for my daughter.  Remember I was going to make a matching hat?  Not gonna happen!  I have to ship the Advent gifts to her soon because we open the first one on the 13th of December  I still have to make the 2021 annual Collectible ornaments for the grands and I can't find the pattern book!  Geez Louise!  Plus although the mitt fits my hand the bind off is a bit snug and my daughters hands are bigger than mine so I'm pretty sure they won't fit.  No more handmade clothing gifts!  They look nice though.  I was able to follow the directions pretty much but Tin Can Knits tutorial leaves a lot to be desired and for a "beginner" I thought the pattern was a bit much plus lots of purling.  It was not an enjoyable knit and now I have to do another one.....woe is me.

I worked very little on my Winter Wonderland CAL and I'm already behind but I am on row #9.  I thought I wasn't doing it right but then I looked at the picture of the entire blanket and realized I'm okay....whew!  That's a big relief! You can't see much because it tends to curl up.......sorry for the blurry picture......what is neat about the color changes and all the ends....you don't need to weave them in!  You cut them to about 2 or 3 inches and tie 2 together (I think) and when the blanket is done you do a border that incorporates all the ends and you don't see them!  Brilliant! 

That's all for this week except for a few projects I can't show and then I went down a few rabbit holes with some free cross stitch links from Pumpkin Hollow on You Tube (just go to her latest podcast and look at her show notes and all the links are there).....she does quilting too....here's one she did that I love..........the pattern is on Primitive Quilts and Projects website..........This is PQ and P's version.  Olivia did hers in Civil War Reproduction fabrics and it is stunning!

 

and then there was this one I stumbled upon............Laundry Basket Quilts design.......supposedly easy applique with a separate template.......

Why is it when I am doing one craft I'm always dreaming of another?  But the dreaming is fun so I won't berate myself too much until I need to buy the materials for all these projects! LOL!

Happy Thanksgiving to those of you in the U.S.A. and I'm sorry if I missed yours.....

Happy Trails!!!

 
   
 

Throw back Thursday among other things............

 I've been getting a lot done around here despite the tiredness the other day but I must admit I went to bed at 6:00 p.m. last night....I could not keep my eyes open any longer!  Well rested today for sure!

I made a yummy dinner last night....by Chef John who has a lot of recipes on www.AllRecipes.com.  His recipes are always good but this one was out of the park!  Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes...here's the link

Not only is it good but it makes the whole house smell wonderful!   Basically you put chicken and potatoes in a roasting pan and mix the marinade right in the pan and bake....the only real work is peeling the potatoes.  You can make a gravy from the drippings but I didn't.  It called for chicken thighs but I had a cut up chicken (that I personally cut up when I get it home from the store.  I like bones and skin...it adds way more flavor to your cooking) so I used that and it worked fine.  Easy, delicious dinner.

I've been working on the pantry still....I'm slow but I'm persistent!  I started this in the Spring or was it last year?  I have one shelf I can't remove so I will have to paint it "in place".

Before: this is what is left to paint..........besides the doors which I have decided will be gray......

After:  I think it's the cutest little pantry this side of the Mississippi!  Plus, I can see in  there now!

In addition to the chicken dinner.........I am now making an old recipe of mine from way back when recipes called for #2 cans and such.  This is the "throwback" part of the post.  BTW, a #2 can is 20 ounces or about 2 1/2 cups.  I just used 2 14 oz cans of pears....remember when they used to be 15 ounces?

I am waiting for the jello to gel......I've had a craving for Jello salads lately.............and yes, they still make Dream Whip!

 

During the night we had a rain storm with wind and an earthquake too.....Of course, I slept through the whole thing but when I looked out this morning my trees had lost a lot of their leaves!  Evidently, Mother Nature was blowing and shaking them to get the leaves off! LOL!  It has been a beautiful, long, and lingering fall here.   One of the nicest I can remember and it's still nice!

I finally got the last of my Christmas orders in so I am done except for making things.  Sunday you'll see what I've been working on.

Happy Trails!!!

Tired Tuesday

 I couldn't sleep last night.  I had a coke during the day and I wasn't thinking...the caffeine kept me awake until 2:30!  I did get a lot of reading done though.  I'm reading a National Geographic magazine....per usual and for my fiction I am re-reading the Mitford series of books by Jan Karon...so good!  As for my non-fiction  I am reading The Boys in the Boat about the rowing team from Washington state that went to the Olympics when it was hosted by Hitler's Germany.  It is very good.

Today was grocery pickup and there were no substitutions which was great as they were my Thanksgiving groceries.  I did forget to get cherries for pie although I do have a pie pumpkin I should use.  The bird is in the freezer and I am all set for next week.  I did change up a few things from my usual and I have cut out things over the years as I am always by myself.  This year  there will be turkey breast with bone in, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potato casserole, green beans and raspberry pretzel salad (which looks more like desert to me)....lol!  I always make pumpkin pie but this year I thought I would make cherry.  Years ago I would make 3 different pies; apple, pumpkin , mincemeat or raisin pie depending on who was coming.  Of course, a big turkey like 21 lbs, with mashed potatoes and gravy!  There would be at least 3 different vegetable casseroles, dressing, and a tray filled with olives, pickles, baby corn, crab meat, salami, proscuitto (Italian ham) and spiced apple slices.....a real feast!  Those days were wonderful but they were also a lot of work!  At least on Thanksgiving there weren't presents to wrap and give but my problem was that I worked the day before so Thanksgiving Eve was always a late night!  So, I really don't mind not having company.  After all those Thanksgiving dinners I deserve a rest! LOL!

I had a little bird at the feeder that is new to me unless it's a goldfinch  that doesn't have much color or a female?  Some birds do change color in the winter, I think.  Maybe it's a baby from this past Spring.  It seems to have a baby face...so cute.

My youngest grandson got his first Covid shot today! PTL!  I am so happy...maybe Grandma Sam will sleep better now! LOL!  He is the last one to get vaccinated.  I pray for all those who cannot or will not get vaccinated.  

Happy Trails!!!
 

YOP Week #20

 What a great week this has been....progress in all areas.   Now, if I could just keep it up.

Remember last week when I said I was just grabbing a bag out of my crap crafts room and finishing it whatever it was?  Well, the first bag I grabbed was the Tiramisu baby blanket by Alicia Paulson.  The yarn was there and the pattern.  On closer inspection, I had not nearly enough yarn.  I was using some yarn I had and had used the yardage of one skein instead of multiplying it by the number of skeins....duh!  It would take lots more yarn and since I really don't need a baby blanket and it had not been started....I canceled that one.  It wasn't really a WIP anyway.  So, the next bag proved very fruitful as it was my Multnomah shawl from years ago.  I had started this shawl over many times.  Hopefully this time I will finish it!  Last time I got all the way to the Fan and Feather border and had no idea what I was doing so I found a Fan and Feather dishcloth and I did that with no problem but then I didn't go back to the shawl.  I'll have to do another dishcloth when I get to that section.  Here's my progress so far..........the yarn is Malibrigo fingering weight in the color Dachshund...this was when my little Annie girl (miniature dachshund) was still alive.....

  As for what I worked on this past week, in addition to the Multnomah, there is my Fall cross stitch.........

Well............I did join the Winter Wonderland CAL and although I had a rough start, it seems to be going fine now (I hope I didn't just jinx myself!)  I learned to place markers every 20 stitches to keep track because the total number of stitches at the end of each row must be exact.  The pattern photo is black because I ran out of colored ink but it is a combination of 2 different greens and a cream.  You can make it any colors you want.  I am doing red, green and cream.  This is mosaic crochet which I have never done but so far it is not difficult and the designer gives you lots of photos and excellent instructions plus there is a FB group for the CAL which helped me a lot when I started out. The pattern for Winter Wonderland is on Ravelry and it is half price during the CAL..........

That's all for this week except...........my yarns came in for the Christmas knitting!  This will be cast on  this afternoon!  This is the yarn for the Cemetery Drive cowl (pattern on Ravelry)  Stroll fingering weight yarn from Knitpicks

This yarn is from Hobbi in Denmark as I was looking for an orange tweed and they had the perfect one!  I ordered from them a few days after I ordered from Knitpicks and they arrived the same day!  The yarn is lovely and it wasn't too pricey either.  They gave a me a free needle for weaving in ends and a piece of candy....I love those little touches and I will be ordering from them again!

This tweed yarn will be for a hat and either mitts or mittens to match.........probably mitts as my daughter has "bus duty" helping get the kids onto their buses and it is cold up North!  I think the mitts will be the best option for her.  I printed off 3 free patterns with tutorials from Tin Can Knits...at least I think they were free  You can also email them with any questions you might have.  This will be my first time trying them.  They have lots of patterns and all their patterns have sizes from baby to Adult and every size in between.............

Here's the last of our beautiful Fall here....we are on the other side of "peak colors" now but it was and still is pretty.  There are still lots of leaves on the trees so...I like to stretch it out as long as I can.  This weekend has been chilly but this next week will be in the high 60's low 70's so I need to finish up painting and hopefully get some windows washed.........

 These are the woods behind my house...........

Besides my cast ons this week there is also the Thanksgiving (here in the U.S.) menu and grocery list!  I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!  I make all the recipes I remember from my childhood that were cooked by all my relatives who are no longer here.  I hope when they smell those smells they will come and sit with me at the Thanksgiving table.  

I hope you had a good week and have plans for a great one coming up!  

Happy Trails!!!

Thank you to all our veterans!

It's a beautiful day here and the colors just get prettier and prettier...........this is a gorgeous weed!

This week is definitely "peak" colors.  We had a nice storm last night which woke me up but no warnings just thunder and lightening and rain.....a cozy storm.

I dragged another WIP out to finish and it is the Multnomah shawl that I have started now for the 3rd time.  I started it several years ago.  Hopefully this will be the last time.  It has a fan and feather border that I messed up last time so then I found a fan and feather dishcloth to practice on.  I had no trouble with the dishcloth but then I didn't go back and do the shawl!  I'll probably have to do another dishcloth.

Yesterday I scraped and cleaned the mirror I painted and got it back up on the wall in my bathroom...

  I also baked cookies, made egg salad, and cooked up the last of the banana peppers from the garden.  I hauled in the softener salt from the car and 38 pounds of cat litter.  Now, today I'm tuckered out.  I did a load of laundry and wrote a letter and that's about it.  I better get up and go do something! LOL!

Far Side of Fifty mentioned a CAL (crochet along) that is starting today.....Winter Wonderland.  It's on Ravelry.....I'm considering it.  It is really pretty!

I hope you are having a good Veterans Day.

Happy Trails!!!

 

Aventures in Aging - Episode #1

 Yes, the aging process is a laugh a minute at my house!  This morning I  made my coffee and I've been putting a little cinnamon in it lately.  Imagine my surprise when I took that first sip and it was hot...not temperature-wise but spicy!  My throat was burning and I realized I hadn't grabbed the cinnamon but the cayenne pepper which looks exactly the same except for the label which I obviously paid no attention to!  Gracious sakes alive....what's next?  I don't even want to know!  Although, I remember my husband's grandmother accidently brushed her teeth once with Preparation H...lol!  If you're aging...be aware and be careful! 

Monday was busy with garbage to take out and I made a chicken stew from a recipe that was similar, or so I thought, to a recipe I used to love....but I don't think it was the same one.  It's tasty but it was an awful lot of work.  I like easier recipes that taste great without a lot of fuss or exotic ingredients.  I made Jasmine rice to go with it. I cleaned litter boxes and ordered some yarn.  

Today, I filled prescriptions up town and taped up my bathroom mirror to paint.  I've painted it and it is outside drying.  It has warmed up this week so I need to get my painting done.

Before:  It is gold which actually is all the rage now but not my style.  It was my parents French Provincial and Italian Renaissance decorating.....not for me!  So, I painted the other one in the guest bathroom cream and antiqued it.

After:

I painted it the same jade green that I painted the little table in my bathroom.  I'll show you again once I have it back on the wall.

The colors are really peak, I guess....there's some that are green, some colorful but not dropping leaves yet and some that are almost bare..........it's really a strange fall............this is a big oak tree in my neighbors yard............

this is across the road........

 

This is across the road in the direction of the lake...........

This next picture is a miracle photo as these 2 do not get along!   Miss Peeps is on the back of the chair and Miss Grace is below. I had to take a picture or no one would believe me! LOL!

That's all folks!

Happy Trails!!!

YOP Week #19

 I have 2 finishes this week!  I even surprised myself!  There was a suggestion, by someone awhile back, that you should take your WIPs and put each in a lunch bag, staple them closed and mix them up and put numbers on them (or not).....then you pick one and work on it until finished and so on and so forth.  The concept sounded good to me but I didn't follow through.  Presently though, I am trying to organize my crafts and supplies.  There are many "bags" of projects.  I always have a cross stitch project going or several in a rotation.  I needed a crochet project so I am starting a regular granny square blanket to continue to go through my acrylic worsted stash.  I needed a knitting WIP so, I picked a project bag that I thought was socks but it was mittens!  I had totally forgotten about them!  One was done and the other one just need the thumb.  I was able to pick them back up and finish them even weaving in all the ends! This is my first pair of mittens.  I think I tried once before but the pattern wasn't detailed enough for my first pair so I found another pattern and it worked great.  Here they are!  Another use for my acrylic stash.  I thought I would give them to my daughter as one of her advent gifts but then I didn't think she would really go for the colors as she is an orange girl.  I did make these for myself originally so I will order her Knitpicks orange Donegal Tweed and  enough for a matching hat. Plus, I need to order a shorter pair of DPNs as the ones I used were a bit long and fiddly. I've never given my daughter wool items before so I will get her some scented wool soak for washing them too.  It will count as 3 Advent gifts!  Only 22 left to go!  Now I need to go dig up another knitting "mystery bag WIP" without looking inside of it first, of course.

I also finished the Give Thanks cross stitch which will probably get made into a little pillow..........it was a free pattern but I can't remember the designer.  I used some 14 count Aida that I hand dyed.....

I found my other Fall xs that I had started.........Autumn Alphabet by The Scarlett House.......

I had started the granny square blanket with DK yarn but realized I wanted to use my acrylic stash again and a larger hook so I will be gathering up the yarns and hook today.  I will be following Patchwork Hearts method of assembly line crocheting where you make all the centers and then the next round etc. on all of the squares.  I need to calculate how many squares to make and then choose my colors and get started!

 Last week, Alissa Head (another YOPer) posted a gorgeous cowl that she made called Cemetery Drive....I loved it and knew my daughter would especially!  She had even asked if some of her Advent gifts this year could be Halloween related.  She will love this cowl!  Unfortunately, I have not done color work before except in crochet but I've been wanting to give it a go so now's the perfect time.  Thank you Alissa for sharing your beautiful cowl.  Alissa's cowl was in black and orange which I will be doing also since my daughter loves orange.  The yarn is already ordered!  This a a paid for pattern and the reviews were great.

 

As for treasures......I only received one this week...........a pattern for a summer quilt.........material is so expensive that it will take me time to gather it all anyway......

This week we have a had a frost almost every night.  I was able to gather the last of the veggies.............

but there were some baby eggplant and squash that definitely weren't going to get a chance to mature.  It's always sad to say goodbye but my water bill will decrease at least.
 

The hummers left around the 10th of October so I have replaced their feeder with one for the birds and filled it with seed and suet..............it didn't take them anytime at all to find it! LOL!  As you can see in the window reflection we still have color here.  There is still a lot of green and although some leaves have fallen there are lots more to fall.  It's been a strange Fall and very slow for the leaves but early for the frost.....

I hope you had a great week and have wonderful plans for the week ahead.  There is no football for me this weekend.....the Iowa Hawkeyes beat Northwestern yesterday but the game wasn't until 6 p.m. and I have to sit by my PC to listen to it.....the Bear's play Monday night which again will be too late for me to listen to it.  I am reclined by then in my bed watching t.v.! LOL!

Happy Trails!!!

  

Rain tonight and maybe snow!?!

 Love this time of year.....it 's just one weather adventure after another!  Today I worked on Health Care Directive and POA and more "arrangements" so my family won't be burdened when I die....I best hurry up!

I got my pneumonia shot and met the new pharmacist; Molly.  She's a great shot giver but I was sad to find out that Jennifer left to start her own pharmacy in Cave City.  I will miss her!

I'm making Penzey's Beer and Cheese soup...here's the recipe....it's the perfect Fall soup!  You won't regret it!  If you click on the photo it will enlarge it.

Happy Trails!!!