Welcome Monday

Blah, but oh well off we go into a new week.  Not a whole lot to post about but I'm trying to get into the habit of both posting and photos, so these small posts will be the stepping stone to that habit! 

Onward to the weekend update.  I started bright and early on Saturday so I could get this turkey square done.  Didn't finish it, because I did lots of things on Saturday.  I worked on it in the morning until Katlyn got up around noonish and wanted to go to breakfast.  So off we went to our favorite diner and then ran to Target to pickup a few things for the house.  Came home and played catch up on my temperature blanket.

Saturday's view

Sunday was much more productive for the turkey as you can see.   I worked all day and right up until bedtime to get this one completed!  Going to start the next square tonight, well get my yarn box filled with the proper colors and get the bobbins ready anyway.  

I went to Joann's after work on Friday and picked up the balance of colors I needed for this blanket since they were on sale, so unless I run out of a particular color I should be good to go to the end. 

Ta-da! (The hat is actually burgundy

I love this photo, I love the colors and the organization of it and I think I will have to have a craft room such as this!  Now I need to find those baskets! 

NOT MY PICTURE

Short and sweet today!  I'm off to find clothes pins!

Caught up....mostly

 Back again with the rest of yesterdays catch up post.  We are now up to April 2017! 

I belong to a couple of crochet groups on Facebook and at the end of March a post popped up that was a Friends CAL, WHAT?!  How did I miss that!  Anyway, I jumped right on that bandwagon and bought the pattern from Chaos & Chop Suey on Ravelry.  Started as soon as I had the yarn for the first panel.  I'm doing a mini c2c which is hdc instead of dc.  I'm also using Red Heart Super Saver instead of Hobby Lobby's I Love This Yarn as Angela does.  With this panel I used Vanna's Choice Brick for the rust color because I couldn't find anything close in RHSS

4/9/2017

4/16/2017

 And ta-da!  Panel #1 complete

4/28/2017

 I love the couch and have the next one started.   I joined the CAL very late into it, so officially it's over, but there are still many working on it in the FB group so I'm not bothered.  

 My 2017 Temperature blanket is coming along as well, I love these colors, they all play nice together.  

Done through March

Done through April

It's getting hot, so May should be interesting!

Now on to the WIPS.  I have several going (of course) so I took a photo last night of these 4.  They are more Eater of Yarn blankets.  The top 2 are similar with their random colors, the difference is the size, left is queen size and right is toddler.  The bottom 2 are less random, left is twin sized in girlier colors and the right is only 3 colors, black, gray and red.  These will be set aside for a bit since it's getting so hot out.  They are too big and heavy to work on in the Summer!

top L for Steven, top R for Kasyn, bottom L for Brooke, bottom R for Chris

I also have some other WIPS that I will get photographed and posted so I can keep track and hopefully get them finished up.  I started a Bullet Journal this month so they will go in that as a collection.

Next up.....#2 in the Friends CAL.

4/30/17

 And the halfway point, this has more bobbins!  Of course more bobbins means more ends to weave in.  I am keeping up on the ends as I go though so I don't have to do them all at the end.

5/2/17

 Last but not least for the day is just a little thing to use up all those small leftover bits that I seem to accumulate.  It's tiny right now and sits in a shallow bowl on my nightstand.  I'm doing a regular c2c and dang it's not pretty, but the dogs will love it if no one else does.

1.19

Back again with more updates.  I am crocheting like crazy at the moment.  I have a few ongoing projects plus things in between.  Let's get on with it shall we... 

First up my temperature blanket.  I'm not sure what everyone else has done on this as far as a temperature reading, but I check the temp 3 times daily.  Mostly around the same times.  Basically morning, afternoon and when I walk the dogs.  I have been using the temp when I walk the dogs for my color choices.  I've kept track of these temps and found that I would have had far less color variations if just using the days high.  I guess as the weather changes and warms up (as it does in So Cal) I will be pretty bored of orange and red, so I shall just enjoy my blues for the time being.

Day 4

My other ongoing project is my Eater of Yarns blanket.  As it grow, my stash shrinks.  Since I have such a large stash this is a very good thing.  Plus I'm using up all those single skeins that I have no idea where they came from and also using up partial skeins.  It's making for a very fun blanket that Katlyn is already trying to claim as her own.

It's growing

So while waiting for the timer to go off I sat to have a quick read.  Stella decided to make herself at home on my back and Katlyn was quite amused by this.

Animals are weird!

Both blankets in one photo.  The Eater of Yarns is huge and very hard to get all in a photo, same really for the Temperature but I since I'm just updating the daily rows right now, it's easy enough.

Day 9

So another project I started and finished in a day. Kid needed a sweater, I looked online and found a simple enough sweater and took his measurements and set off.  All was fine until the putting it together.  since the collar is a bit smaller (so I thought) There was a tricky bit to getting it to fit together properly.  Finally get it done and put on Kid and alas...I messed up! 

dog sweater parts

I made the chest piece too big.  I measured him at 6 inches and for some reason I made the piece 9 inches!  Ugh!  So I am going to have to figure something out for him, he's less then amused with my skills!

Kid in his new sweater

Added the yarn samples to my color chart just for visual effects really, I only have 9 colors plus white if the temp ever gets below 25 degrees (hahaha) 

Day 11 with color chart

Just a photo to show the progress of Eater of Yarns

Jan 13th

My bag of temperature yarn, it's a very tight fit at the moment.

Day 14

I decided my Grandson needs more geeky hats, so a Pokeball hat was in order along with a Ninja Turtle set. 

Pokeball

Ninja Turtle

I started a new cowl with my lovely Malabrigo yarn.  It's going to be a triple wrap cowl and I am very excited to get to wearing this!

Saturday coffee and crochet

Brooke likes to facetime me, usually daily (I am a lucky Grandma!)  We chat about everything and I crochet and she colors or watches tv, basically we just hangout.. Saturday Alysha and Christopher went to a wedding expo and Alysha got a tiara for being the bride which of course Brooke later commandeered so I was able to get pictures of my girl in a tiara. 

Brooke in a tiara

Here's a shot of all 3 projects I worked on over the weekend.  This was Sunday evening.

weekend wrap up

Monday my boss let me go home a few hours early, so I played with yarn.  I wound loose skeins into cakes and tried hard to get a decent shot of the eater of yarns blanket, but holy hell it's huge!  Like too big for my bed huge, I spread out a white sheet to show it off better, but between the overcast day outside and Katlyn's puppy, who would not stay off my bed....this is the best I got for now.  I guess the stripes are going to be running vertical instead of horizontal on the bed.  Oopsy.   

Harley wanted to be in the picture

Ok that about wraps everything up.  I will end with another temperature blanket photo and sign off for now with day 18.

Day 18

Listening to: Cure by Metallica

February things

Of course most of the photos posted here today are not even taken in February, but on we go anyway.

I started Groot in the previous post and here now he has limbs and leaves, still no mouth yet nor is he anchored into his pot, but he's mostly finished.  No really sure why he's not done yet, I guess I feel like he's missing something.  I do know he's fatter then the pictures on Twinkie Chan's blog where the pattern is posted.  I'm sure he'll get done soon.

Groot progressing

So the mystery yarn I started playing with in the last post turned into a bracelet.  I worked up a wrist sized swatch and added some embellishments and a button closure.  Simple enough.

bracelet made with mystery yarn

Friends of mine sent me a gorgeous yarn bowl of which the below picture does not do it justice at all!  It is stunning and makes me happy. 

yarn bowl with heart yarns

I started a baby blanket for the same friends who are expecting a little girl this month.  Had a lovely idea to do a simple pink and black blanket, wide rows of pink with 1 or 2 rows of black in between and then border in black and add a pink bow.  Easy and quick....or so I thought.  It has turned into a major undertaking.  I bought what I thought based on past blankets, enough yarn.  I was wrong.  Since the only pink I really liked was Simply Soft, I switched to an H hook.  Smaller hook equals the need for a longer starting chain....again wrong.  Now at 4 rows into this I felt the need to rip it out and start over.  Maybe a bigger hook and a shorter starting chain, but I persevered even though I really didn't feel it.  

new blanket

February brings hearts and I ran across an adorable and easy little crocheted heart in my Facebook feed on day.  (Flamingo Toe's on FB)  I thought that they would look cute strung across the fireplace since it's been looking so empty since removing the Christmas decor.  Made about a dozen or so in different pinks and strung them on white yarn, and done!  Below is my yarn bowl that I used to toss in the hearts as I finished them.  I have also made some for Katlyn to wear in her hair at work since she normally wears the flowers I make.

bowl of hearts

Oh here's an updated shot of the pink blanket, this was before I knew I was going to run out of pink yarn.  I do like the blanket, I know it sounds like I don't...it's just not how I saw it in my head, well it sort of is.

growing blanket

So we finally were able to take a road trip to see Brooke and the boys.  Really hard trying to get the days off coordinated with Katlyn's schedule over Christmas and Valentine's is going to have her working long hours as well, so when she had a scheduled weekend off, she was able to extend it and off we went.  The fog was heavy and thick nearly the entire drive, that's what we get for leaving at 3 am.  Katlyn drove and she didn't mind the fog as much as I did.  

a foggy drive

With Katlyn driving so I read while it was dark out and started crocheting once it got light enough outside.

hooking on the road

Now we've done this trip up to the Bay area a lot.  We know the exits for gas and where the rest areas are pretty nearly by heart.  We also know that the Richmond-San Rafael bridge has a $5 toll in the North direction...guess who had no cash!  Yikes, I forgot to get cash!!  I always carry a bit of cash on our road trips and for some reason I forgot to get some.  So my plan, since Katlyn had no cash either, was to gather change.  She was not keen on this idea at all.  I managed to get the $5 together, in mostly quarters even but the girl was not happy still.  Ok neither was the booth attendant, me I was hysterical, I mean seriously people, it's not like I did it intentionally nor will she have to see the booth attendant again and we had the $5!  New rule, emergency $5 bill in the car at all times!

Richmond-San Rafael Bridge

Arrived to a lovely Saturday in Windsor.  Everybody happy we're there and I got presents!  Christopher got me a crochet hook charm.  How cute is this!  I forgot my necklace at home, but it's flippin' adorable and on my necklace now.

tiny hook charm

I really wanted to go to the yarn store in Santa Rosa.  I hadn't been to the new location and was looking for red yarn. Christopher was not amused, but he went anyway.

Christopher not looking forward to the yarn store

So the red yarn....yeah the problem is that they carry so many lovely yarns and so many different reds that I didn't get any red at all, but I of course got some delicious Malabrigo. They will be a cowl as soon as the pink blanket is complete.

yarn purchases

I got to meet my Niece Danielle's son Titus.  What a sweet baby he is!  He had no problem with me holding him and even fell asleep for me.  We took selfies too!

Titus and I

The trip home started later then usual, since there was baby holding involved but it was a pleasant ride and I do love a good looking sunset!

Sunset on the way home

Superbowl Sunday, Katlyn worked, I went to my Sister's.  I found these little foam fingers at Target and had to get them as they were cute.  Made entirely too much food and worked on the pink blanket throughout the entire game.  

Tiny Foam Finger

Made these tasty treats with salsa and shredded lettuce on the side also did deviled eggs and brownie bites.  Much food was consumed by all and still had loads of leftovers!

taco cups

Car shopping is up next.  Katlyn has been using her Aunt's extra vehicle to get back and forth to work but of course being as she is 20, she really wanted her own car.  After a few false leads with other cars I called my Brother who I forgot actually works a car dealership.  Found out that he works for a Chevy dealer and that was that for Katlyn.  He ran numbers on different cars for her and found that with the down payment she had saved and a rebate, she could get a new car.  Monday morning we headed to Cerritos.  She test drove 2 models of the Cruze and they let her drive a Camaro (out of her price range but her dream car) and picked the Cruze she wanted.  2015 Chevy Cruze with 8 miles on it.  My girl is a very happy girl.  She paid for it all herself, I'm so proud. 

I took my yarn bag with me and hooked along while waiting.  My Brother laughed at me, thinking that I was silly for bringing yarn out but I got a lot done in all of that time sitting around.

while waiting

Here she is learning the radio and On Star before driving it home.  She is still ridiculously happy and can't believe she has her own car. 

girl's first car

So on now to a cat picture, because that's what we do.  Stein loves Katlyn, he will climb onto her lap no matter how she sitting or what else she happens to have on her lap, and plop himself down and get comfy.  

he loves her lap

I bought some orange cotton yarn to go with the red.  I'm thinking of making a Fire Demon...just have to work it out.  I'm trying not to crochet anything other then the pink blanket so I can get it finished up and shipped before the baby is born!  Katlyn just laughs and makes fun because according to her the pink blanket is still a rectangle.  It's now a running joke.  No matter how much I work on it, it is always a rectangle instead of becoming a square.  One day...one day!

something of an idea

And that's it for now, I'd really like to get a decent picture of the pink blanket, but it's kind of large for photos I think, though spreading it out on my bed would work if I could keep the dogs from traipsing all over it!  I'll try on Saturday.  I'm going to get new tires on my car Saturday morning so I will take the blanket to work on while waiting, maybe I can get it finished this weekend!

Listening to:  Love in the Midnight by Styx

  

Long time no see!

A couple of things going on.  Decided I wanted a slip case for my iPad and had a large skein of lime green cotton hanging around....

The beginning of an idea

I liked that the color was so bright and cheery and really reminded me of spring, so I came up with the idea of a flower on the front.  A bright white daisy and went to JoAnn's to hunt down a couple of ladybug buttons.

Adding the flower

I was pleased with the results!

All done 

Stein however had other opinions!  I got home the next day and my iPad was on the floor!  Fortunately the iPad was still inside and undamaged, though I couldn't say the same about my new cover!  Damn cat wanted those buttons really bad, glad he didn't get them off though!  They are now reattached sporting tiny teeth marks!

Stein chewed the buttons!

Found a cute scoodie pattern that was originally meant to be an Yub Nub, but Katlyn requested it become a fox.  So fox it shall be.  She was out of town for 2 weeks so it has been sitting earless until I can get the proper placement for them.  I will work on them this evening since we will be parked in front of the TV watching the 2nd Hobbit movie which was released today.

fox scoodie

Got Katlyn's Nilesy pillow all completed as well.  I found the perfect sized pillow form at JaAnn's when I was hunting buttons so I got it done up and had it sitting on her bed when she got home.

Nilesy complete

Started 2 new projects, Brandon requested a scarf and I am making a Honeydew pillow to go along side Nilesy.

New projects

I need 3 different oranges for Honeydew's pillow so while gathering yarns for Brandon's scarf I came across a couple and worked up the tiny squares since I only need a few of them and I could have the orange to use for Brandon's scarf, since his request was it should be a "frankenstein" scarf.  Made of whatever yarns I pulled out.

I had to make a trip up north to pick up Katlyn and of course enjoyed time with my gorgeous Granddaughter!

Dinnertime with Brooke

we don't take enough pictures together

The drive home was easier because Katlyn was doing the driving and I was able to crochet which as makes for an enjoyable passing of time!

working the scarf on the road

With Katlyn being gone for 2 weeks the animals missed her!  this is Stein's new favorite spot to sleep!

Stein likes to sleep on Katlyn

There we go visual update.  I have new requests for hats from Brooke and from a Cousin who is expecting so I will be getting more yarn gathered for projects.  Of course all this is being done in between reading, so many books!  And to top it off, the month of March had so many books go on sale or release that I blew not only March's book budget, but April's and half of May's....sigh.  Good thing I have a large unread collection on my Kindle and there are so many free ones available.  I dread if any on my wish list have price drops, May's budget is not all that big and there are books releasing!  Only 23 more days!

Listening to: Drift & Die by Puddle of Mudd