2011 Quickly coming to a close.....

Holy Schnikies!!!! WHERE did the year go? Lots of creating, lots of reading, lots of things to do....OH MY!!! All of it finished? my goodness, no! As I look back on this chronicle, I am proud that I blogged a little more often than before. I am going to strive to blog at least once a week in 2012....not just about crafting, but about life in general. It has been a tough end of the year...I've been covering Thanksgiving and Christmas. But for the first time in a LONG time, I am off for New Year's Eve.....not sure if I can make it to midnight, but I will try!!
I really do have to run, but I want to thank you for reading. May 2012 be the best year yet!!! I fully intend on making it mine!!!
Happy New Year!!!
Beth

Another doily!!

Finished this doily for an October birthstone exchange.....color was pink. This pattern is called 'White poinsettia" and is supposed to have 12 little flowers around the outer edge. This is 10.5" across now. And I didn't have time to do little flowers....my own fault. I always start these things too late! I do plan on making one for me in white/silver and red flowers on the edges....All in all, I love this pattern. It's quick and easy. I just didn't like the fact that it ruffled really bad. I had to pull like the dickens to get it to lay flat when I blocked it. But I did it!!! Hope Ms. Mary likes it.....

EPCOT's Food and Wine Festival

Oh yes, we hit it for the second year in a row. Planning on going back as we were there with my sister and her hubby from Buffalo. Yes, the whole crew....all three boys and Nicole and Barbara, too. Had a great time wandering around the parks, riding a few rides. My sister has never been to Disney before. She loves Johnny Depp, so the first order of business was to get her to the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. She liked it, but it could use more Cap'n Jack Sparrow...duh!!!

While at the parks, Bob and I sampled a few things from France. I had to have my fix of escargot......baked in little loves of bread with garlic....yummmyyyy!!! Bob had the coq au vin sur gratin de macaroni......oh yes, chicken in red wine over gourmet mac and cheese.....here's my version:

Here's a picture of all of us at Mexico, The Inn at San Miguel (?) after dinner:
Back row: Tim, Joe Pixie, Steven, Me, Teresa, Bob, Rick
Kneeling: Jeff and Barbara
Rick and Teresa were kind enough to join us for dinner. We had a blast!!!! After that, the boys put on their "Three Amigos" pose:
Tim and Jeff always mess with Steven, so he doesn't know which way to look.......therefore, he's never looking in the same direction as his brothers. Always. Priceless.....
Stevie's 20th b-day was the 25th.....his brother bought him pirate ears with "Shredder" embroidered on it....
Steven put on his hat and was jumping up and down on the balcony as we returned from breakfast, screaming..."It's my birthday...it's my birthday..." To which passersby wished the silly boy a happy birthday..... I even got to surprise him with birthday ice cream at dinner. Somehow, he knew it was me that told.....

I also was working on a candy corn outfit for my newest cousin, Landon. He was born on Sept 21 to my 2nd cousin Lisa and hubby Kelly. Finished it yesterday

And last but not least, what would a first visit to Disney be without a commemorative t-shirt? Nicole (who took most of the pics and is in very few......LOL...I think she plans it that way....)


All the girls had them.....it was fun, but we were never in the same place at the same time on Saturday to get a pic......you will have to suffice with just me.......
Ok, back to the grind and my crocheting.....doilies, blankets, and oh yes, work is thrown in there at some point!!!!! Til next time...happy crafting!!!

New design

Hello out there!! Yes, I realize it's been over a month since I have been here. Time is just passing much to quickly for me these days. Work, trying to get my house in order....and it's a tall order. Twenty five years of accumulated stuff (mostly craft stuff and clothes) to try and sort out. I have finally taken the plunge and begun selling some of my patterns, that I know I'll NEVER use, but just had to have, on E-bay. So far, 5 of the 35 I've posted have found new homes.....yeah!!!Not a lot, but at least it's a start.
Cleaning out my closet is another story. I hate to throw anything away. But, I am slowly getting there, too. Washing whatever is still good and going to donate them to Goodwill. A gargantuan task, but I feel good giving it away, especially knowing I'll never wear some of the stuff again.
On the crafting note, I have a cousin who just had her first son at age 38. Little Landon Hamilton Walters is an adorable bundle of joy born to my cousin Lisa and hubby Kelly. The live in NYC; Kelly posted a picture from their balcony one night. The are really close to the Empire State building. Anyhow, I have been trying and trying to find a special blanket for this special little guy. Thought I finally found it in this:
Trouble is, I cannot find the pattern book it's in. So, I was going to work off the picture. Not too hard, as it appears to be grannies with alternating colors every other row and a checkerboard of colors between the grannies. I can do that!!! Sooo, I looked for the colors I thought I had in my stash room. Wanted turqua, mint green and off white. Welllll, don't have the turqua I thought I had, the mint green didn't go so well with the aruba sea, and I have about 3 shades of off white. Not going to work. But then I remembered I had Aruba Sea, coffee brown and Earth and sky. The varigated yarn for the granny squares and the blue and brown for the checkerboard. Even a little latte for the bands between the checks and squares. Loved that I didn't have to change colors every round on the squares.....varigated yarn is great for that! Finished the first row of 5 squares, put a latte border on top.....and found another stitch pattern for a cross over stitch instead of the checkerboard. Decided to try that. Here's the result:
I know it's a little dark, but it's a cell phone photo without the flash. I really like this much better than the other one, and it's more special because it's a mix of designs I put together. Something special for a special cousin!!!
I have also been making fall leaf dishcloths
The pattern is found here: http://www.bellacrochet.com/index.php?main_page=document_product_info&cPath=5&products_id=40&zenid=c38g8rfp7aned7vi7957l45fp0

Love the ease, quickness and beauty of these leaves!
I have a few of these to send out to my cousin/bff Linda in RI......have to get cracking, or it's gonna be Christmas!!!!
Ok, guess I better get back to Landon's blanket. Will make every effort to be here again very soon!!!!!! Until then, stay warm, dry, and enjoy the fall!!!!!!

More doilies!!

Yes!!! Two more doilie finished! The top one is called Little white.....sent away for an exchange. The bottom one is what was SUPPOSED to be mailed. The chart was weird, it worked tedious, but when it was done, I loved the color(s) (ran out of one and had to go to another). It also reminded me of the leaves of a Catalpa tree growing up. HAVE to keep it! The replacement was made in a 24 hour period, much easier and fun. I will have to make one for me, but in a different color........
Been working all the OT I can. Bob turns 50 on Sept. 19. After months of trying to plan a surprise party...being told repeated he didn't want one, today, he finally relented. Luckily, his oldest brother and wife offered up their house. It's closer to everyone in the family and his folks won't have to travel so far. Not to mention my house is in such disarray with trying to renovate, lay flooring and get rid of years worth of CRAP!!! My problem is no time with working OT. Oh, the reason for the OT is my sister is coming from Buffalo, NY in October. The boys, gf's and Bob and I are going to Disney World for three days. My sister has never been.....oh, she's getting Minnie ears with her name on it, you can count on that! So, we've been funneling all extra funds into this 3 day vaca. We are all uber-excited and can't wait!!! Pixie is worried about dinner reservations (already made); the boys are trying to figure out what rides they want to take their aunt on.........bob and I are planning our trip around the World showcase as it's during the Food and Wine fest....Oh yeah..........In the mean time, I have baby blankets for cousins, Christmas,, and NOT TO MENTION that wedding tablecloth that I am STILL working on.........

Sea Aster

I've had this pattern sitting in my e-mail box for two years........it's the first in a series of 100 or more charted patterns. I really like it, but ran out of pink before I finished. Debated using sage green or this yellow. I really like, and have received quite a few compliments on my color choices. funny thing, I only had about 2 1/2 feet of the yellow left when I finished! Hate it when I cut it that close, but love the end product. ...Can't help but wonder what the green would have looked like!
Do you like the marble walls and nice wooden table in a corner? Believe it or not, this is the set up at the VA laboratory's female outpatient bathroom. I love the marble and the wood, so I set up the shot and took it!
Now it's back to the tablecloth and testing patterns for my friend Aurora.....
The boys had a good first week at college. Tim only has 9 credit hours, but that's because we waited until late to get him registered. Steven also has 9 credit hours. All their classes are at the same dates and times.....wooohooo...'here they are on their way off to orientation last week....

Two handsome young men, if I do say so myself!!! So proud of them!
We also had fun with our air conditioner freezing up. Two hours out in the heat and wet vacuuming the water out of it, propping up the ductwork under the house where the water was pooling and not draining; and then snaking out the drain. Oh yeah, that was fun. But it's working like a charm and hopefully won't freeze up again!
To all of our New England friends in Irene's path.....I do believe the reason it's headed your way is because I went out on Monday and bought a plastic storage tote of hurricane supplies....batteris, canned goods, bottled water, flashlights and laterns. I knew if I did all that, the storm would turn away from us. Our thoughts and prayers are with y'all in the path of this 409-mile wide storm. Stay safe!
That's all for now. Must get back to my crocheting....well, untangling the two balls of crochet cotton that my sweet dog, Fiona, had wound all around the living room this week.
But just look at that face....how can I be angry when I left out my crystal palace bamboo hook (that was chewed to smithereens) and my kitchen cotton. Yeah, I know better. Isn't she just adorable? She knows it too..........LOL
Until next time.....keep those crafting fingers flying!!!!!

Busy time!!!

I have been running around like a lunatic for the past week, trying to get my two youngest boys enrolled in the local college. Classes start tomorrow.....yeah, like everything else, we DiBi's like to wait til the last freakin' minute to get it done......
Good news, I am the proud mother of two college students!!! Hard to believe, but it is so....Seems like only a couple of weeks ago I was getting ready for my college foray. I say that because I recently found the paperwork my dad had for paying my room and board. VERY hard to believe that I now have two kids in college. Steven is studying music, once he finishes stuff he SHOULD have done in high school. Tim is going for computer science, as he acquired a few things, unbeknownst to us, during high school. Seems Tim's A+ certified in computers and almost a Microsoft master. He only needs to pass the Outlook part. Oh, but can he fix his moms' computer.....Ummmmm, no. I'm on my own. LOL
Have been crocheting sporadically. Started up again on the wedding tablecloth. Hope to be finished by the holidays. Also doing some small doilies. In the meantime, I finished a baby blanket...the lady wants two more by Christmas for the baby's sisters. Thank goodness no puff stitches required!!!! They are too heavy and hot for Florida this time of year!
And yes, I must admit, I have fallen prey to the Angry Birds craze. Fun little game...neat to blow things up!!! I didn't want to do that, but it is a different time waster when I don't feel like reading, crocheting or watching tv.....
Ok, off to fold laundry,......yay...I just love that...........