What I am working on

I am working on this blanket to sell.

The colors are cream, pink, & brown...think neopolitan ice cream...not the best picture with my phone.

I am also working on another secret project but I can't wait to share!!!

Tiny Giants

I had a request to make some beanies for twin preemies in the San Francisco Giants colors.  Well they do not make baby yarn in black, so I went with Red Heart Soft Yarn.  I didn't really follow a pattern but I came up with this

When I posted on my facebook page that I was currently working on some tiny Giants hats, I got a request to make a baby boy hat as well.

Well the baby boy hat (top--duh--ha ha ha) didn't fit the 3 week old I made it for--ugh (luckily it was for a family member).

So if that one didn't fit, I had a feeling the preemie hats would be too small (plus the order wasn't going to be given to the preemies until they were 2-3 weeks old and they grow fast!)

Here was round two.  Not much difference in the boy hat

But on the girl hats, I tried to use a scalloped edge to give it a more girly look.  I hope the Giants fans love it as much as I do!  (and I hope these one fit)

Hoarder

I have a problem...I am a hoarder. I also love bargains. I had found this yarn on clearance--actually I had found 2 skeins on clearance. Problem I had nothing to do with it and I really didn't care for the color.

I am really trying to use the yarn I have on hand and I really wanted to use this yarn. It hit me to use them with other yarns. I had a beige on hand as well, so I hit Michaels when Vanna's Choice was on sale (which is most weeks) and picked up a third color--brown.

I loved the color combo

I found this scarf pattern at Lion Brand Yarn. It is called "crochet 2 hours or less scarf" (you need to sign up to see the pattern). I did alter it a bit. I used a 11.5mm instead of the Q-19 and I added 100 to the chain to make up for the change and only did 5 rows instead of 6.

Walking the dog and trying to take pictures...Redo

I learned 3 things last week, which I corrected this week.

1.  Take someone with me to walk the dog

2.  Shoot early morning or late afternoon (yeah, I know it says it in every book I have read).  This time we were out about 1 hour before sunset.

3.  and take my 50mm f/1.8 lens for better focus on the foreground

We have lived in our house for nearly 10 years and this is the first time I have walked this trail.  We walked up and down the hill for over an hour (we weren't sure we would make it home in time for an appointment!)

I took my D50 (because it is much lighter and if I fell and broken it, I wouldn't be as devastated) and my AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D.  All the pictures are taken in Aperture Priority (and at f/1.8) and are SOOC except for the fact that I have converted from RAW to JPG.  I know I could brighten them up in PaintShopPro, but that is a whole other lesson I need to take. 

I am not sure what I was focusing on, but I like that you can see the yellow behind.  I will have to revisit this spot and focus correctly next time.

Behind were these yellow mustard flowers

old fence post along the trail

Some ferns along the ground

You can see our house from up here!

An old stable (yeah the coloring is off!)

A rusty tractor (with some graffitti)

I had a bunch of other pictures in portrait mode, but blogger post them sideways--oh well.  Someday when we have more time, I plan on going back.  There is also a pond in our neighborhood and an old farmhouse you can walk around that I didn't even know about. 

Not a good combo...walking a dog and trying to take pictures

The other day, I decided to take my "niece" Lucy for a walk and I thought it would be a good idea to bring my D50 along with my AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED lens.

I learned 3 things:

1.  It is not easy to take pictures when you are trying to train a dog to walk correctly.

2.  Noon gives off harsh light.

3.  My AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D lens would have been better to take with me.

All photos are SOOC except for converting from RAW to JPG (& Lucy was cropped).

Apron Challenge

This year, our company holiday party was a team-building party.  We cooked our own meal at a local restaurant.  To go with the theme, the Secret Santa this year was to make your person an apron.  We all started with the same plain apron.

(ugly color to match anything with!)

Before we picked names, I totally had an idea for some of my co-workers...but of course I didn't get anyone that I had an idea for.  I picked our receptionist and I was having a hard time thinking of what to do.  I really didn't want to do a football theme--her son plays Pop Warner Football.  I knew I wanted something girly and cute for the apron.  Then I was inspired by these aprons I seen at Scrapbook.com

And then it came to me.  Earlier this year, she was diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer--she went through treatments and was out for a few months.  She got the call that she was free from cancer!  YAY!  So I googled the ribbon for Thyroid Cancer to see the colors.  The colors are turquoise, pink, and blue--not a very good color combination, but I would somehow get it to work.

I had the idea of going to Joann's buying some cute material (they have to have something with turquoise and pink, right?) and borrowing my mom's sewing machine.  Then I remembered, I don't know how to sew!  ha ha ha.  I went to Joann's and was so clueless about how I was going to pull it off and they didn't have anything that had turquoise and pink together.

Instead, I bought some really pretty turquoise ribbon,

 some brown ruffly ribbon,

 and a few hot pink flowers.

  I then ordered a survivor ribbon pin from Choose Hope to tie it all together. 

 I thought I was a shoe in to win!

But the plan look took over the thoughtfulness of the apron.  Oh well.  I know that of all the aprons that were made, I think she will actually be able to wear hers to cook :D

Here is the one I was given (with a hat)

She photo shopped my face into a picture with Guy from the Food Network Channel.  We watch that channel at lunch sometimes and he is always on.

I had fun making it and we all had fun looking at how creative everyone was and what they came up with for their person.

Pompom Hat

I got a request from my godson to make a striped red/black/white hat with a pompom on top and on the side braids.


It took me about a week to complete because of this

I really don't change colors so often because of the weaving that has to be done afterward.  I even decided on a double crochet instead of a single crochet so it would be about 1/2 the rows to switch.  But the outcome was worth it (even though I was injured--ha ha ha).

My mannequin also got a "head" and some hair--ha ha ha.

First Christmas Card of the Season

Supply List: 

Kraft Paper-The Paper Company 25 pack

Cream/Green paper-Making Memories Mistletoe sprial journaling book

Chipboard tree & star-Fancy Pants Designs Happy Holidays Printed Chipboard Shapes

White Pen-Gelly Roll

Background Blue/snowflakes-Love Elsie Noel recipe book

All these products have been sitting in my stash for a while, so they are hard to find online--I had to substitude the kraft paper brand.

Now I have to figure out if I am going to try to sell it or send it to someone.

Happy Birthday to my BESTIES!!

It took me years to find, but I am very lucky to have found the best friends a girl could have.  They accept my dorkiness--ha ha ha.  I find it kinda cool that they even share the same birthday.

Happy Birthday Liz and Meredith!!! 

Liz & I at a Wedding.

Meredith & I at a SuperBowl Party.

Here Liz & I are at the Renegade Fair this past summer having fun!



Here Meredith & I are with our Husbands on our First Date :D

Getting Cozy with Coffee

I know I have mentioned it before, but I am going to say it again.  Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick yarn is my favorite!!

My latest creation is this Coffee Cup Cozy.

It looks a little big on this "Tall" cup, but I know I usually have a "Grande" or "Venti". 

Unfortunately, it kinda clashes with the Red Holiday cups.

I have had a few attempts at crocheting a coffee cozy for sometime.  Here is a failed attempt

Not only was the flower way too big but the sleeve was too big as well. 

mmmm.....Starbucks "season" :D