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!!

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.







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. :)





Much Love!!

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!


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


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


**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!!

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!!

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!!

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!!

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.



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 :)

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....


Will turn into these.....


Which will turn into these....


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)

La Fin

So comes the end of another year. Three hundred and sixty five more days under our belts. Why does it seem that each year that goes by, moves along faster than the last? Time slips away so quickly as of late, it's a bit scary. I remember being a child and not being able to wait until I was older and grown up so I could do whatever I wanted to. Now I can only wish that I could stop time or at least slow it down a bit. Mom was right. She always said don't wish your childhood away. One day you'll wish you hadn't.

Looking back, I have learned a lot of things that I will take with me into the new year. One of the most prevalent is to trust my instincts more. They are usually right and even if they are wrong, you learn from those mistakes. Bad things happen and we make the wrong choices sometimes. Along with that comes the reality that that is how we grow. It's what helps make us who we are and builds on the mold of who we will become. I am also trying to grasp the ability to stop holding onto those dark days. Nothing good becomes of that and after a while, you realize it's a lonely world when you are sad all the time. 2010 will be a much happier year, *that* I am going to count on.

Resolutions are big this time of year. I'm not for them nor am I against them, really. Although it seems that they are made only to be broken. I am not trying to be cynical as I know that there are people out there who actually follow through, it just seems, more often than not, they are broken. I don't establish a resolution per se, but I do make a wish list of the things that I'd like to accomplish. I suppose it's sort of the same thing. It's only a degree of seperation by saying "these are the things I'd like to do" versus "these are the things I am going to do". Less room for that feeling of failure, I suppose.

So with out further babbling (well not much anyway..hee hee), here is the start of my incomplete "wish list" for 2010:

• Be happier and smile LOTS more :)
• Spend more time with my kids.
  
• Complain less. What good does it do anyway?
  
• Finish projects that I begin!!!
  
• I have two quilts in the making already that I want to finish in 2010
• This may be far fetched, however I would love to begin to learn French. It's a beautiful language....
  
• I've seen a lot of people take on the "photo a day for 365 days". I'd like to do this. Have a peek at my Flickr along the way. (that sounds a bit dirty...lol)
  
• Oh....! Stop starting sentences with "so" or "ok"...stupid bad habit and poor grammar. I see I've done it twice in this post alone... lol

Well that's just a few of the things that have been swimming around in my head for a spell. I'm sure the list will grow. Do me a favour? Keep me in check with these things, will you? ;)

I hope all of you had a great 2009. Thank you for tagging along with me on this journey. I wish you well in the year to come and may it be filled with many happy memories. Just remember to live life to the fullest, love much, and laugh often. Remember to be good to your friends and keep them close, they are a part of your foundation. Most importantly, remember to be happy!

Alright, time to put on my pa-gee-jays and curl up with my hook and yarn and slide in a good movie. Ahhhh...the little things in life that make me smile :)

Before I go, I will leave you with this video. It's not your typical Pearl Jam song, but I love it so.....

Pearl Jam - Just Breathe


Talk to you next year. Ya'll be good now, ya hear? ;)

Much Love!!

In The Works

I haven't done a post in a while for anything crafty so I thought I would take a minute and share a few of the things I've been working on. I've been so busy lately but somehow I've found the time to keep my hands busy. I guess it's one of the things that keeps me sane. It's my yoga, so to speak :)

First is a photo of a quilt I've been working on. I actually put the top together in one day but now I need to actually quilt it, then bind it, and then to complete the look, it must be washed to fray the edges. I'm hoping to finish it this week. I will post a photo of the finished product to see the difference.


Fabric is called Cotton Blossoms made by Moda. Blocks are 10" with 5" squares on top of that, then a 2.5" square on top of that. I used two Layer Cakes which is enough for the top and binding! Easy peasy :)

While browsing Flickr I ran across a photo of a crochet block of a daisy and thought it was cute. After some research I learned that the woman who designed it, Krystal, has people mail her completed blocks in exchange for the pattern. She then takes the blocks and completes afghans and gives them away to charities. What a wonderful idea! I joined her Yahoo group, received the pattern and made one up today. I don't see myself making my own afghan with it but I will definitely send her some blocks for her to use! If you want to do one yourself, check out her blog HERE to get the details.


It's in the blocking stage right now, hence all the pins, but you get the idea :)

Last but not least is a preview of what I am working on now and a project that will be next. The preview of what I am working on now is actually what the bright colored yarn is sitting on top of. You can't really see it (that is on purpose) but once it's done, I'll post a picture. It's been in the making for about a month and I'm almost done! Yay!



I am drawn to bright colours in the winter time. Winter here is very colourless. It's all white. Not that there is anything wrong with white, it just gets boring after a while. These yarns will be used to crochet a bag and then it will be felted. I can't wait to start it but I have to finish my other project first. It's going to be sooo cute! :)

I know you noticed the turtle!! I was at my local yarn shop last week and when I was checking out I happened to glance towards a basket on the counter and squealed. Yes, literally. The owner was giggling at me when I asked her if those were turtles....lol. He is actually a tape measure. I'm not too keen about pulling his wee tail to make the tape come out but then I get to push his belly to retract the tape....lol. I just couldn't resist!

Much Love!

Winning Isn't Everything

"Four out of five dentists surveyed recommended playing hockey." ~Author Unknown

I went to my first hockey game of this season tonight and I had so much fun. I had forgotten how exciting and intense those games were. I missed it.

The best part was that I finally got to see the Ice Hogs beat Milwaukee while I was at a game. Every other time I've been to a game where Milwaukee was our opponent, we lost. I was beginning to think I was bad luck for them...lol! No, not really. Milwaukee is a great team who is freaking fast and they play awesome defense. Even though we won 4-2, they had twice as many shots on goal than we did. Yikes!

There was only one fight though because the refs kept breaking them up before they could really begin. Then all of a sudden Rabbit and Hobson dropped gloves and went to it. Hobson got a few good punches into Rabbit but it looked more like a hugging match than a fight...lol.

Another interesting thing I noticed tonight was while I was watching the fans. It was kind of along the same lines of what I noticed while at the Shinedown concert as well. I am what you would consider a "people watcher" I guess. People are fascinating because everyone does their own thing. Everyone participates differently. Like at the game. There were people there that cheered full on and held nothing back, yet there were those that even though they were decked out in team garb, they only sat and watched. Not a clap, or a cheer or a high five. Just sitting quietly to take it all in. I don't quite understand those kind of fans because I'm one of the ones screaming and cheering and yelling at the refs, but just the same, I find it interesting. Just like I'll never understand why people go to a concert and just sit there. They don't sing or dance or even stand up. I suppose it's their way to be "in the moment". Everyone appreciates things in their own way and I can respect that. It was just something I noticed that always seems to pique my interest...

Much Love!

Eve Of Tomorrow

I cannot believe that Christmas is tomorrow. This year flew by so fast that it seems like we just celebrated last years. It's odd because even my daughter commented that this year went by so fast. I never ever remember being a child and thinking that time went fast. Time is supposed to go slow for kids. She's not the only child that I've heard that from either. I'm not really sure what to make of that.

Even though it came upon us extremely fast, I'm ready for it. The ground is covered with snow, my home is all spiffed up and smelling like cinnamon and apples. The presents are all wrapped and under the tree filling the kids with wonder on which gifts are theirs. I always choose two different papers and wrap each kids in a different one but do not tell them which wrapping is on their gifts. It keeps them guessing...hee hee! I also realized this year that either I need to buy bigger stockings or smaller gifts for the stockings because they never fit..lol. My kids know about the secret of Santa but still enjoy the surprises left in the stocking. I think it is because its the one thing they can open before I get out of bed...lol.

I hope all of you are ready for the big day tomorrow, and if you don't celebrate, take a day off and put up your feet and enjoy the day :)

I will leave you with a bit of music that I've enjoyed very much. I heard these guys on the radio this morning and made a note to look them up. I'm glad I did because they are amazing and entertaining too :)

Straight No Chaser - 12 Days of Christmas

Better Than Fruitcake?

I can't say that I'd want any of these things on my Christmas list, but its a fun jingle just the same. Who knew you could mold Spam (ew ew ew) into a car and that Jeff would look so hot in those striped tights?! Hee hee!

<

Cold beer and pickled eggs?! No wonder Santa only comes around once a year!

The Past Is Your Future

"What you need to know about the past is that no matter what has happened, it has all worked together to bring you to this very moment. And this is the moment you can choose to make everything new. Right now." ~Author Unknown

Well, we all survived the snow storm. All in all there was about 12 inches or so that fell overnight and the kids got their wish. School was closed. I would have taken some more pictures, however with the wind blowing and the kids footprints all over, it was just a mess..lol.

I ended up staying home with the kids, which made them happy so they could play outdoors ALL DAY LONG. I can't believe how quiet the house is when they are not in it..lol.

The quiet time was nice. I was able to finish up a few tasks and also finish the book that Zee has been begging me to read. She insisted that I would love it. She was actually right.

The book is called The Invention of Hugo Cabret, written by Brian Selznick. He was awarded the Caldecott Medal in 2008. This was up for dispute during nominations if I remember correctly because the Caldecott is an award for illustration in a picture book. However, it's quite clear that this book, with a total of 533 pages, is not only a picture book. Yes it has many pages with illustration, 284 to be exact, but it also carries a wonderful story, set in Paris, about a pioneer film-maker and how Hugo changes not only his own life, but the life of that film-maker. I feel they did right by this author in awarding the Caldecott because the pictures are just as important as the words that were written. Without one or the other, it would not have been the amazing book it is.

It is a children's book, but if you get the chance, I encourage you to read it. It really only takes a couple of hours. I'm glad my daughter was such a pest about me reading it..hee hee!

Much Love!!

Snow, You Say?

"Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather." ~John Ruskin

I never really pay attention to the weather. Well, I should say the weather channel. I get the weather by going out doors and looking up! That's one thing I didn't get from my mom. She used to watch that silly channel hours at a time. Why, I will never know, but it was one of her quirks and we always teased her for it. She would just laugh it off and go right back to it. It makes me smile to remember....

So all day yesterday and today the "weather guys" were saying that we were going to get a bunch of snow dumped on us this afternoon, and tonight, especially. They say 12-15 inches, which is a hefty amount of snow..in one night! I was like..blah blah blah...I'll believe it when I see it.

Well, um..I'm starting to see it!! I took Bug to his Boy Scout meeting that lasted an hour and a half. My car was clean when we went in, as was the pavement. When we came out, I had at least 2 inches of snow on my car!! Ack!

I tried to take a picture of a tree in my front yard, but with it snowing so hard I took it from in the garage so as not to get my camera wet, so it's not a great pic, but you get the idea...

Note: Click image for larger view :)

I always love the first snowfall of the year, despite the horrible roads and the cold. It's a beautiful sight when your world is covered in a white blanket. You can see it in a million pictures and oohhh and ahhhh and appreciate the image, but until you see it for yourself, in real life, you are missing out on an amazing act of mother nature.

If it continues to snow through the night I will take more pictures and post them. I'm actually kind of excited to see how much we really get, or if it will just taper off. As of right now, it's still coming down quite hard and the kids are really hoping for a snow day tomorrow. They even got a text message that said to wear your pajamas inside out to help the schools to be closed tomorrow. Superstitious or not, they went to bed with inside out p.j.'s... lol.

Much Love!

That's My Secret

I was emailed this video today. Lots of mixed emotions with this. Some are cute. Some funny. Some of these are sadly pathetic and some are just plain sad. It also portrays how men and women are so different. One man admits to (I assume) his girlfriend that he ran over her cat, and she admits that she won't let him read certain books because they are full of love poems about him...?? Yikes. Mars and Venus I guess....



The one that hit home was the woman who said, "I'm a lot better before you really know me". I stopped breathing for a moment because it's like she stole the words from my own lips.....then again, that's my own fault and I'm working on that.

I Won't Cry For Yesterday

Well, this is it, my last post of 2009 NaBloPoMo, but I made it. The badge is kinda cute, but I thought the "I blew it" badge would have been much funnier..heh. =P

Congratulations to anyone who completed the challenge of posting each day for a month and especially to anyone who met the goal for NaNoWriMo!!! It's not always easy, then again, if it was, what would be the point? It's nice to have a goal, even if it is just a small one because when you do fulfill it, it still gives you a sense of accomplishment and perhaps the push to shoot for something bigger next time. (It's all about the size, right?)

I would still love to do NaNoWriMo....and I keep saying, "maybe next year". Man...do I sound like a Cubs fan or what? Yeah yeah.....now shursh! =P

Anyways, I may even miss this just a little bit because it was a constant and with all the changes, a constant is reassuring sometimes. However, I assure you, I will not continue to post everyday. I will save you from that boredom.

So I will say goodbye to November, to NaBloPoMo, and a few other things, and carry on with a smile on my face and an extra one in my pocket. I hope to see you along the way...

Duran Duran - Ordinary World

Something New

They say you learn something new every day. I agree with that and now there's a source to guarantee it. A Twitter friend posted this link today and the first thing I saw was a pair of turtles....and a very interesting fact that I did not know about them to go along with it.

This was yesterdays "something new"... hee hee :)

Want to follow along with me and pack your brain with "interesting" information? Go HERE. I know you wanna :D

Hush My Darling

"One step short of crazy, what do you get? Passionate." ~Ben Gates - National Treasure

Just a little something short and sweet today. I thought this was cute. That silly little dog keeps stealing Hippos thunder...




Can you pat your head and rub your tummy at the same time? ;)

Protect Your Blindside

"In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing." ~Theodore Roosevelt

I hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving and has recovered from the over-stuffage!! Or perhaps it's a weekend long process for some of you..hee hee :)

I know that I ate at least three times of what I should have but it was soooo good!! I love Thanksgiving food!

After we were all stuffed to the gills and beyond, someone suggested going to a movie. At first I didn't think I wanted to go because I thought I would fall asleep from being so full, but about 20 or so of us decided to go see The Blind Side. I am so glad I went. What an amazing movie of courage and selflessness. This is a movie that I will be watching over and over....

If you get a chance, go on and watch it. You won't regret it.



What are the odds...Chances played at the ending credits of this movie! :D