YOP Week #38

 It's been a great week!  Lots of treasures and St. Patrick's Day with all the trimmings and my Happy Pillow arrived!  Yay!!!!  I am so HAPPY!  Let's cut to the chase on that pillow...........look at those colors!  Yum!

This pillow is huge....it will fit across my bed for sure..........

 It is canvas with wool yarn as any other material would get shredded by the canvas......there are 261.25  10x10 squares which would be 261.25 multiplied by 100 stitches in each of those squares.....big!  But it is already a pleasure to work on..........I am loving it!  It is basically giant cross stitch.....

On to some other projects.  If you haven't noticed, I am taking a break from cross stitch (except for the Happy pillow).  I think I overdosed on it.  I put time into my socks and finished the leg on sock # 2 so now I am back where I was before I messed up.  This week I hope to get the heel flap done on both socks.

I did some more crocheting on the giant granny square blanket.........it's starting to get pretty big!

I'm loving working on it and I'm not sure how big I will let it get before I call it "finished" plus there will be a border too....I might need to get a crochet border book that I've had my eye on.

Since I broke my needle for the fox scarf I hadn't worked on it but then my new Lykke needles arrived so I used them with a cable.........I am loving my new needles for sure. Plus, the wooden needles were so long they would go up my sleeve and were unwieldy at times.  Although I didn't get my 9 inches of the orange color done it won't take me long to catch up..........

This next week the plans are to make the 2021 gift list and start getting supplies and projects lined up for those.   I need to final finish the Luck XS, sew more strips for the crocheted rag rug and another idea for some coasters using the same method.  I have some mending to do, the heel flaps on the socks, the fox scarf and of course......my Happy pillow!  I need to set up some specific weekly goals for each project otherwise I know I would just work on the Happy pillow and nothing else! LOL!

I hope you are all enjoying Spring or Fall depending on where you live.  The Bradford pear trees here are turning white from the blossoms that are getting ready to pop and all the Spring bulbs are blooming right on time! Happy Spring and........

Happy Trails!!!

 

Humdinger of a St. Patty's Day!!!

 It was more like Christmas!  I received some treasures on the days leading up to St. Patty's Day.........my Lykke interchangeable needles arrived.........Lykke means "happiness" and they make me very happy!

This is the small set in gray denim with driftwood needles..............
 

This is the large set with black pleather and driftwood needles....

On St. Patrick's Day eve I received these treasures..............my new Acer Chrome notebook..........I've already installed Zoom on it so I may be looking for a knitting or crocheting group or just a chat with some of you?  How fun!

some stronger reading glasses for my cross stitch.....you had to buy the bunch but they were only $12 for all of them so I'm good to go now!

a ball winder...finally.....I've had the swift for a long time but no ball winder!  I didn't know they sold Knit Picks on Amazon.........

This morning when I went to get the mail there was a package.....guess what it was???  My Happy pillow!!!!  Finally!!!  I was so excited as I had pretty much given up on it.  Wow!!!  Just look at it!  It even came with it's own bag!  I am over the moon excited to start this!!!  As soon as I publish this post! LOL!

 

Last but not least I brought in some daffodils the night before St. Patrick's Day as storms were coming in and I figured they would get beaten down.......they are so sweet!

I hope you all had a wonderful St. Patrick's Day whether you celebrate or not and I hope the rest of your week is wonderful too.

Happy Trails!!!
 

 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

 

 

 

It's been a wonderful day so far!  I woke to a cozy storm with lightening and thunder but nothing severe.   It was cozy to curl up in bed with my journal and my coffee.  I've got my corned beef and cabbage ready..........the corned beef is simmering away.......

and the veggies are all ready to throw in later................

I've been playing some Irish tunes and tonight I might watch an Irish film called Brooklyn.  I hope you are enjoying  this day whatever you are doing!  

Happy Trails!!!
 

 

YOP Week #37

 Slow week as far as progress in anything.  About all I worked on was the giant granny square blanket................it's so easy to pick up and just crochet for a bit.....which I like when I need a break.

It seems I can only stay on my feet for so long and then my back starts hurting and I have to sit down.  Not sure if it's arthritis or bad posture or old age or a combo of all 3 but it is what it is.  After 10 or 15 minutes I feel better and then I can get up and go again.....for awhile at least.  It's about time to weave in some ends again too!  I don't like to get too many before I weave them in.

 I did work on the fox scarf and I did start it over.....it was going along hummingly,,,,,,,,,,

until this happened.................yes, my brand new needles.....let's just say sitting on them is not a good idea!  I'm going to try and glue but I'm not sure that will work but I will try.

I had some other "bad luck" incidences this week too........I was able to contact the company in the UK about my Happy pillow kit.  They apologized and evidently took the money but never sent it.  They said they would and I would get an email with tracking information.  So far..............nothing!  Then yesterday I got a "pink slip" in the mail from the county tax person stating I owed big time with late fees since I had not paid my taxes last October.  I paid my taxes and I have their deposit stamp on the back of my check from early in October!  We got a new county tax person this year after our other one retired and I never had this problem ever before!  That goes along with Amerigas turning me over to a collection agency when I have never missed a payment....ever!  What is up with the incompetence?  It's everywhere, it's everywhere!  Then I have to spend time on the phone and online proving my innocence!  I called the AG on Amerigas and now I have to fill out more paperwork in order to report them.  (I have had Amerigas for 15 years as that is who provides my propane tank so I can't buy gas from anyone else.  But I have had problems with them numerous times on their billing department....they're crazy!).  Anyway.............enough about that!  

On the bright side....I have been putting money away for a Chromebook so I can video chat with my grands and it is supposed to be here Tuesday and they are on Spring break this week!  I can't wait!  I haven't seen them in 2 years.  The other item I've purchased are 2 sets of Lyykee interchangeable needles.  I was only going to get 1 set, the smaller needle sizes.  I couldn't find them....everyone was "out of stock".  I talked to the company and they said they are backlogged in Nepal/India because of the pandemic and they said I should order them from a yarn shop to get first dibs when they do come in.  Well, I found 1 shop up in Michigan that had the set I wanted which were the Driftwood in the gray denim case.  This was the small set.  I asked if they had the larger set and they did but in the black leather only.  I decided that since they were so hard to get that I would go ahead and get them both and that with the different cases I would be able to tell which needles were in which case easier.  Those were the last ones that shop had and they said they hadn't been able to get any more for a long time.  I was blessed!  I also purchased a ball winder and some stronger reading glasses for cross stitch.  Researching all these items took a lot of time this week

Some new food items that I discovered which I will be trying next time I have a Walmart order are Hershey's nuggets which have coffee in them and also M&M's with coffee and nuts!  Caffeine is my saving grace lately! LOL!  

Hopefully, I will have more to show next week!  I hope you are all well and getting a little bit of Spring where you are or Fall?

Happy Trails!!!

Spring has sprung!!!

 Whoa Nellie! I have my work cut out for me!  I am never ready when Spring rolls around  because I'm used to long winters.  But here in the South, winter is short and the summers are long.....and hot!

I went to Walmart the other day for pickup and then to the pharmacy to pickup prescriptions.  I needed a lot of groceries this time so it was an all day event.  I was still putting things away yesterday!  The perishables were all put in the frig right away.....never fear!  

I got some treasures in the mail but still no happy pillow.  I tried emailing  them today and PayPal said I have until August to lodge a complaint.....evidently when you use PayPal there is insurance to cover you  if something happens....PTL!   I got the club XS from Lori Holt............

and my Easter bunny..her name is Primrose and it is a kit so everything I need to make her is included.  Isn't she precious?  May be I should rename her Precious.........
 

I've been so busy that I have been pretty  monogamous working on my giant granny blanket. It's just so easy to pick up and work on it as opposed to other projects. I have still yet to repeat a yarn.....

Today I finally got my chicken in roasting....it smells so good..........this was just a little while ago...it's not done yet..............

I also made red velvet cupcakes........it has been years since I've made these...........

When I was shopping online at Walmart I noticed a new drink......Coca Cola with coffee and vanilla.  It comes in a 4 pack and I thought maybe that's what I need when I start yawning in the afternoon.  I bought a 4 pack and it is just what the doctor ordered!  I have stopped yawning and I am going full speed ahead.  Well, as fast as this old lady can go but at least no more napping!  I get little enough done as it is much less if I start napping.  I drink it over ice and I might be getting addicted to it.........

Happy Trails!!!

YOP Week #36

 Off the rails!  Yep, between the "tiredness", more napping,  and working outside I haven't done much crafting at all and when I did, none of it was  part of "the plan"!  But that's alright.  I'll get back in the groove hopefully, and accomplish some finishes....any minute now! LOL!

I had an itch to crochet and also to make a serious effort to use up my acrylic stash.....so, I started another Giant Granny Square.  The last one I made I really enjoyed making.  Grayson liked it when he visited several years ago so I gave it to him.  It was made with Stylecraft DK.  This one is made with worsted.  I forgot about turning it so that it doesn't look "wonky"......so, it looks wonky.........oh well

My needles arrived from Knit Picks, along with some Felici sock yarn in the Dragon colorway.This won't get started for awhile.  I did start the other sock over and I have the cuff done and I'm working on the leg of sock #2

So with my new needles in hand and the yarns for the fox I started it................her directions for increases said to increase at every other end.  I thought that meant every other row but that was making the tip of the tail curve so then I did an increase on every row and it turned out fine. I enlarged the picture and I was able to count the rows in the tail.  

Then I started on the rust colored portion and everything was fine until this............don't ask me what happened....I haven't a clue........I went on thinking it wouldn't show much but it is bugging me so I know I will start over.  I can try and rip back but I'm not very good at it so.......this is why my projects take so long! LOL!  I end up making 3 of everything by the time I am done!

This afternoon I am going to sit down and get organized for Spring.  I need to balance outside work, inside work and my craft goals/YOP.  I will try and set realistic goals in each area, and hopefully that will keep me on track.  I did sleep a lot this past week but I hope that is the end of that saga!  I have not received my Happy pillow yet and I am praying it will arrive soon and safely from across the pond.  I have some other treasures coming in the mail so next week I should have lots to show you and hopefully progress on my crafty goals!

There was a terrible tragedy in the family of a podcast I have watched...The Kneady Homesteader....she and her husband and 2 of their children were in a terrible car accident on Valentine's Day.  It was ahead on crash by a drunk driver.  Her husband was killed instantly and she almost didn't make it and has a long recovery ahead of her.  The children were also injured with broken bones etc. but are out of the hospital.  She is on You Tube and if she gets more subscribers it will help her channel since she is now the sole bread maker of the family.  No pun intended.  She has excellent videos about making from scratch and canning, etc.  There is also a Go Fund Me page.   She is in rehab as she has 2 broken legs and 2 broken arms and more she is recovering from.   She is worried she will lose her viewers which helps her with her income.  Please say prayers for her and her family and if you want to do more feel free.  The first link is to her first video since the accident and from her rehab hospital room explaining everything and what happened.  The second is the link to the Go Fund Me page if you feel so inclined. 
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7nHl...

  https://gofund.me/400f377f

 Anyway, no pressure.  I just thought I would put it out there. 

That's all for this week.  I hope you are all healthy and safe.  

Happy Trails!!!

Happy March!!!

The daffodils are up and the weeds too!  LOL!  They get a head start on me every year but that's okay.  It keeps me from being bored!  Last month was Black History month and this is Women's History Month!  So I will be posting things all month long relating to Women's History Month.

To get you started,  and me too, here is a book that looked like a good beginning!  I purchased it for my Kindle from Amazon for $2.99.....a good deal in my estimation!  So,  if you'd like to learn more about "badass" women this is a good jumping off place.

Yesterday was pretty productive around the homestead.  I did the usual Monday chores and some "in-depth" cleaning too.  I made a dessert of Vanilla Crack...remember my Christmas Crack?  This recipe was in my last Hannah Swenson mystery but it is not as good as the Christmas Crack recipe.......but still definitely edible!

I also received my yarn for Amy's fox scarf.........

The yarn is very soft and the colors are perfect!  I ordered needles too but I received an email this morning stating that they could not send my needles because they had a inventory discrepancy and  could not order any more either.  So, I placed an order on Knit Picks for needles and a couple skeins of sock yarn that they just happened to be on sale....lol!  A girl's got to take advantage of a sale when she sees one!

Today is more cleaning, clearing and organizing.  I need to defrost some ground beef for a meatloaf tomorrow, change my sheets, wash my quilt and blanket, file receipts, repair my fire pit screen and a zillion other things!  Oh, and make bread too! TTYL!

Happy Trails!!!