Saturday, April 19, 2014

Just a Little Something (I threw together)

Miss K spotted an adorable dress on her way home from the grocery store one day and since Easter is tomorrow, we bought it.  It screams her name if you want the truth and I'm thrilled we were able to get it.
The downside? Said dress is clearly made for summer and spring has barely arrived in this corner of eastern Oregon.  Just 3 short weeks ago there were still roads closed with snow blockades.
The upside?  Mama knows how to crochet!  Here's that little something I threw together yesterday afternoon, and finished this morning.  Its on the kitchen table being blocked to help smooth out any imperfections and make the corners nice and square.  Button closure will be added when its dry.  (That's not my fingers drumming you hear, honest!)



 Its a variation on the BRIGHT PINK shawl made earlier this spring.   For this one, I used a K hook, and on the edges instead of clusters of 3 DCs, I used 2 DCs.  It makes for a bit lacier look, and there's still plenty of warmth for springtime here.  The border is one row of a simple single crochet.  Why work harder than I have to?

Tomorrow I'll get her to model it and photos will be shared.  Because I can.

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Worship practice

When Michael and Stephen were younger, I longed for the day when they'd be interested in joining in on the worship team at church.  Michael chose instead to run the sound system, and the closest Stephen got was playing drums for youth group when he was in high school.  So I've settled in to a nice comfy place at the piano, with Lee doing most of the leading and only occasionally playing guitar.  It works, but its so much better when others join in.

Saturday afternoon Kimberly asked if her and Anthony could lead on Sunday and I was more than happy to say yes!  They chose 2 songs and I chose 2, and then we went over to the church and practiced for about an hour.  It was amazing!  Anthony played guitar, I played piano, and we all 3 sang.  At times it was like it wasn't practice at all - it was just us 3 singing to the Lord.  If Lee had been there, that would've been the cherry on top.
I'm thankful for this time with my kids.

Happy Sunday!

Thursday, April 10, 2014

SO Excited!

Just got off the phone with son #1.  He's finishing up his time in the US Army on May 1st and will be driving from Ft. Drum, NY to PC, OR the next week.  I offered to fly out and drive home with him and he said YES!
So now I just have to find some extra cash (lol) and a flight.

Can we say "ROAD TRIP"?!!!!!!!!



Friday, April 4, 2014

DETERMINED!

This picture is my 2nd attempt at a "mood blanket".  I like the pattern just fine, but I didn't put it on the bed (oops) to see how wide it needed to be, and its barely wide enough for a lapghan.   Where's a rolling eyeball when you need one?  Oh, and btw - MB1 (moodblanket1) was made into a scarf.  It just wasn't flowing right for me.

The basket has all the larger balls of leftovers from various projects, the plastic bin has bits and pieces I intended to use in loom-knit hats, but decided to incorporate into the new blanket instead, and MB2 is in the metal bucket.  If you look closely at the plastic bin you can see my hook on the beginnings of MB3.  The pattern is called "Granny Scrap Blanket" and I got it off of Ravelry.  Super easy!
And now I'm off to crochet!  Determined to GET IT DONE.  Smile.

Thursday, April 3, 2014

When hubby is gone.....

Spring break ended on a good note - we bought a car, finally.  A 2006 Kia Sorento in black and gold.  Must admit, the gold wouldn't be my first choice, but its a classy looking rig, and had the one thing I really wanted (heated seats!), so I'll overlook the gold.  Besides, it took a full month to find, so I'm glad to have that marked off the to-do list.
We came home Friday and on Monday hubby left for his annual IMS (Incident Medical Specialist) conference in Hood River.  Usually when he's gone, we stock up on chick-flicks and spend the evenings catching up on all those he'd never be interested in.  This year though, there's still much unpacking and organizing to do, so I spent Day 1 cleaning out the hall closet.  Fun, right?
Said closet is now a happy place.  The top shelf houses the musical instruments plus all the pictures that will be hung on the walls, someday.  Shelf number 2 has all the quilts and blankets neatly folded, for once.  Shelf number 3 has a mix of finished scrapbooks, folded sheet sets, and Michael's mail that is waiting till he is discharged from the Army in May.  On the bottom I've put the fans that will come in handy with warm summer temps, but are so in the way the rest of the year, plus my finished yarn creations in one of those Rubbermaid totes that we all love to have.  (Right?)
I was left with the question of what to do with the yarn stash.  There just doesn't seem to be a place where it isn't in the way.  I am working through it, honest.  Still, I don't think I'll ever be completely stash-less.  I'm not even sure I want to be.  Smaller stash, good.  No stash?  Not-so-much.  For now, the two 3-drawer plastic containers are side by side against the wall in the closet.  I'm thankful they fit even if it makes the closet look a bit crowded.   Michael will be home soon and his space reassigned, but that's only enough room for one of the containers.  Eventually the pictures will make it to the walls and then there will be plenty of room.
One can dream.