Friday, January 22, 2010

Moving On

I've been meaning to do this for some time now, but I've been too lazy to do all the work associated with it. However, I took a few days off from the office and decided to get it done.

When I created this blog it was because I hated WordPress. I thought about keeping the same name (How Sweet It Is) but for some reason decided against it. At that point in my life I wasn't in the best state of mind, I suppose, so out came a name that gave the impression of being dark and alone. I'm stepping away from that, and it all starts with making changes.

A few months back I created a blog specifically for digital scrapbooking. I found that I really didn't want to keep up two blogs. One is plenty to keep on top of, so I let it fall by the wayside. I loved the name of it because it's cute, and cheery, and it makes me smile. I've decided to move my blog there. I'm not starting over, because I am transferring everything over to it (thank you Blogger for making this as easy as a few clicks), I just need a new niche. A happy niche. I hope you will come and visit me sometime :)

My new little niche---> Freckled Whimsy

Much Love!!

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Beautiful Ice

I, begrudgingly, woke up this morning and began toodling around the house getting things done when I looked outside. The trees were covered in, what I thought to be, ice. I thought maybe it rained in the night and then dropped so cold to freeze it. I wanted to capture a photo of it for my 365 days of photos. I was so surprised when I got close enough to see what was really on the trees. I have never in my life saw anything like it in person. I can't even figure out how it happened but it was beautiful. Mother Nature amazes me yet again.

Day 17 - Beautiful Ice

Beautiful Ice

Beautiful Backyard

After I was done admiring, I snapped a few photos of the quilt I had been working on and completed. I had worked on it a good part of the day yesterday so I wanted to finish it. I was up till 2 am sewing on the binding but the movie I Love You Man, kept me company..lol. I personally thought the movie was funny, despite reviews I had heard. Every now and again you need to watch a nonsensical movie like that. :)

Scruffy Quilt

Scruffy Quilt 3

Much Love!!

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Cozy and Warm

The weekend of Thanksgiving we went to my dad's and he keeps things a bit...um...chilly. Thankfully they also keep blankets handy, a few of them being crocheted. There was one in particular that I really liked because the stitches were dense instead of full of holes so it was warmer. This silly blanket piqued my interest back into crochet again. (Now I can't seem to stop!) I've known how since I was 10 or 11 but I've never really worked in it much. I did make my son a blanket that he's used for the last 7 years, but that's it for me and crochet.

Once I was back home I went on a hunt for the pattern (since the blanket had been a gift, a pattern was not known). It took me a week but I did find it. I was also thankful that it was an easy pattern and I knew it wouldn't take forever to complete.

December 04, 2009 this project was begun. January 10, 2010 it was completed using approximately 50 ounces of worsted weight yarn and a size I crochet hook! In just over a month I have my very own warm, soft and yummy blanket to keep me toasty! Yay!

Day 10 - Pleasantries
**This was me earlier this afternoon working on the last skein to complete it :)

Afghan-1
**This is after it's finished, just a close up

Afghan-2
**Even closer. You can really see the "tweedy" look of the yarn here

Want one for yourself? HERE is the pattern :) I didn't use Red Heart yarn because I think it's too scratchy, but I did use "I Love This Yarn" which you can only find at Hobby Lobby. It is soooo soft! I can't stop touching it..hee hee!

Much Love!!

Saturday, January 9, 2010

What The French Toast!?

My kids were watching Holes today and this commercial came on. I had forgotten how funny it was...



Lint licker?! LOL..

Much Love!!

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Fun Times!! Oh Yeah!!

I can't believe I am going to post this but I can't stop laughing at it so I'm going to share it with you.

Remember when I said I was going to be happier this year and I was going to spend more time with my kids? Well, we had a bit of fun tonight playing with Photo Booth on my Mac for well over an hour. I don't know how many pictures we took, and we even did one movie. No, I'm not sharing that, however there was a reference to the guy in Goonies who loved Baby Ruth candy bars... LOL. This was the photo that we got the biggest kick out of and each time I see it, I start laughing all over again. Fun times!!

Have a giggle at my expense. We sure did. Notice my kids in this picture, if you can look away from my "toothy" grin... :D

















There are a few more that we took HERE. They aren't quite as funny, but I thought they were cute :)

Much Love!!

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Put Your Happy On

I get an email each day from Daily Motion of "must watch" videos. I have to say, most of them are not really worth watching. Todays email was pretty much the same but it led me to this video which I thought was pretty neat. I can only imagine how long it actually took to put this together.


*If you like that one, here is a miniature version --> Click Me

Then I stumbled on this video. I was hesitant to click on anything that said "Whack-A-Kitty" but I braved it, ready to call the ASPCA....then found myself giggling :)



I hope you enjoyed these as much as I did :)

Much Love!!

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Three's A Company? No Way!

I know I said that I would try really hard to complete projects before starting new ones, but with all these yummy yarn colours I have, I can't help but to play with all of them. Clearly that means I've started another crocheting project. I know...what was I thinking?! This one is really fun and works up fast so it shouldn't take me too long. :)

I'm making a giant granny square blanket for my daughter. I began working on it last night and have worked on it today some and have 20 rows already!! She loves it and I have from now until I complete it to figure out how I am going to part with it... lol.

Giant Granny

What do you think?

Now, honestly, no more crochet projects until I complete one of the 3 I have going. Which means I am going to have to stop looking at Flickr! Ack! One can lose themselves there if not careful :)

Much Love!!

****Edited to add pattern instructions:

I've never written up pattern instructions before and I didn't use a pattern to create this afghan but I'll give it a whirl in writing it out :) Please let me know if you have any questions!

Begin by chaining 4, then join with first loop of chain to form a ring.
Ch 3 (this will count as your first DC)
DC 11 more times in ring for a total of 12 DC.
Join with a slip stitch at top of first DC

At this point I am using two rounds of each colour, but if you want each row to be a different colour, change your colour here.

Ch 4, this will count as your first DC and Ch1 space. DC 3 more times in the same space below your Ch3. (You will have 4 DC in this space)
Ch1
*Skip 3 DC and 3 DC in the next space
Ch 1
3 DC in same space
Ch 1*
Repeat between ** twice more
In first corner space, DC 2 more times, then join with slip stitch in top of your first DC and finish off
Each of your corners should consist of 3DC, ch 1, 3DC for a total of 24 DC.

Join new colour (method of your choice) in one of the Ch 1 space corners and Ch 4 (first DC and Ch 1 space).
DC 3 more times in same space, Ch 1, 3 DC in next Ch 1 space along the side, Ch 1, 3 DC in Ch 1 corner space, Ch 1, 3 DC in same space, Ch 1 and repeat around, making sure each corner consists of 3DC, ch 1, 3DC and each ch1 space on the sides consist of 3DC.

When you get to the last corner, after your ch1, 2DC in first corner and then join with a slip stitch in the top of first DC.

If you do 2 or more rounds of the same colour, after your final slip stitch to complete that row, ch 4. This will aways be your first DC + ch 1 space, whether you change colours or not.

Each round increases one ch1 space on each side.

Repeat until size desired is reached :)



Friday, January 1, 2010

A New Beginning.........Again

Just a quick post to say HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! I must say, so far so good too...lol. Actually it has because for the first time in weeks there is nothing I *have* to do. It's nearly 4 pm and I am still in my pa-gee-jays and have done absolutely nothing except for cook lunch and crochet all day. Oh, I did snap some photos along the way too. It has been soooooooo nice. Today, the couch is my bestest of bestest friends! :)

I've found that avid crocheters commonly refer to this art as "hooking" and say things like "time for a little hookey" or "happy hooking". It makes me laugh every time. It is a literal term for the art but I think our creative minds got away with it and made it even more fun for us. With that being said (man, I started this sentence with "so"....pshew. Glad I caught that..lol) if you ever see me refer to "hooking" I am in no way speaking of the illegal act of selling my body. Just to be clear... lol.

Now for show and tell of my newest hookey project. Remember when I said that I am drawn to colour this time of year.....yeah...well...ummm....let's just say I can't help it. Colour! Colour! Colour!! This project is full of it!

This....
Yummy Yarn!!

Will turn into these.....
Granny Circles

Which will turn into these....
Close up! Say cheese Granny ;)

Stay tuned for its progress. Today is it's official "start date". Lets see how long before I can say it's completed!

One last thing to share today. I found this video and was immediately drawn to it. Very unique. Creative. Amazing. Have a look...


Emilie Simon - Desert (french version)