My Latest Crochet Work

I was finally able to take pics....YaY!

Add to that the relief that I've had from the migraines and I am a happy woman, lol.  

Ahhh, simple pleasures!

In Monday's post I told you about some of the things I had been working on and I now I get to show you!

First, here's the newest dolly...

I call her my Lil' Country Girl.  I just love the pigtail braids and the freckles!

Next I mentioned the really big dishcloth I made...

I also told you about a new amigurumi design and I finished it!

I present to you my bookworm....

What d'ya think?  Do you think it's a pattern I should offer?

The little apple was my son's idea & I think it really gave it that extra somethin' that pulled it all together.  

Finally, I told you about my new found creative outlet, art journaling.  Here's my very first page...

Considering I had limited supplies/materials and just used what I had on hand around the house, I really like it!

Thank you my friends for allowing me to share my creativity with you.

I sure do love you guys!

The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.  Zephania 3:17 NIV

Wordless Wednesday: Snail Mail

Just a little post...

I wanted to let you guys know I'm still alive, lol.

The migraines are keepin' me down physically which is starting to take a toll on me emotionally and I've got a bad case of the "blahs".  I have finished a couple of things, one is a new doll (hehehe, love her!) the other is supposed to be a dishcloth but it's so big I'd be more apt to use it as a small square doily.  It's a pattern from "Big Book of Dishcloths, Pot Holders & Scrubbies," an Annie's Attic crochet book that I borrowed from the library.  I tried to take pics, but my memory card is messed up so I'm afraid it's all talk and no eye candy today. I've also been working on a new amigurumi design.  I can't wait to show it to you!

In other news, we've started our lessons for the new school year & both boys are in high school grades now so we're going to have a busy year.  It's quite an adjustment from our previous years of laid-back learning.  I don't know if any of my followers are homeschoolers, but I found a terrific site for FREE American Government/Constitution lessons. The Center for Civic Education website has a whole page of free lesson plans for all grades!  They have them broken down in Elementary School, Middle School and High School sections and each lesson comes with teacher's notes too!  I went through the ones for middle and high schoolers and they're really good.

I've also started exploring and trying my hand at art journaling.  I've kept so many journals over the years (though not all that consistently) and last year I started decorating each of my pages in one journal with a cut out or two from various magazines just to pretty them up a bit. Last week one of the sites I get feed updates from (sorry, can't remember which one) linked to Belzer Designs' Art Journaling Week and I was totally inspired! From that point on I have been scouring the net for anything I can find...technique tutorials, art journaling bloggers, inspirations...I've found loads too, and I'm really enjoying this creative release.  Maybe at some point I'll share some of my journaling with you.  But for now, I've rambled enough for the day so I'll let you go.

Have a wonderful and blessed week my friends, I love ya's!

Don't forget about those in prison. Suffer with them as though you were there yourself. Share the sorrow of those being mistreated, as though you feel their pain in your own bodies.

Hebrews 13:3 NLT

Favorites Friday

This week I want to tell you about one awesome crochet blogger.

My wonderful friend Glor is a wonderful Christian lady who blogs all about her adventures in crochet and shares about her life along with sharing her original patterns on her blog Crochet Galore. 

 Glor is so incredibly talented, blogs very regularly and she is such a thoughtful person.

I absolutely love the whimsical feel of her blog and even though, as a Google Friend Follower, I get her posts in my Google Reader I always click through so that I can read them from her blog just because I love the way visiting her at her little corner of the web makes my heart smile.  

And since we're on the subject of favorites...

YaY!!  You gotta go check it out!

Have a great evening my friends, I love ya's!

For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. 

2 Corinthians 5:21 NLT

Under the Weather

Hello friends,

Just a little note tonight to let ya know that my migraines have hit again with full force and have me down and out.  If you don't hear from me for a day or two don't think I've forgotten ya.  I'd appreciate all prayers and good thoughts you can spare for me.

Have a wonderful and blessed rest of your week friends.

Much Love,

♥Anita

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4:16 KJV

The Amplified Version says it this way-

Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace, the throne of God's unmerited favor to us sinners, that we may receive mercy for our failures and find grace to help in good time for every need, appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it.

Wordless Wednesday: Tons of Cute

Tuesday's Tip - Make Taking Your Knitting and Crochet Projects Easy

I got this one from the Lion Brand Yarn 08-13-2010 email newsletter and thought it was a really good tip to pass on....

I often have several small knitting projects in the works (hats, mittens, baby things) and have several six-pack size fabric lunch bags in different colors for my various projects so I can just grab and go with whatever project catches my fancy that day. The bags are large enough for a skein or two of yarn and a set of both circular/double-point needles, a retractable tape measure and small scissors in each. And they are small enough to fit in a tote bag with my real lunch bag when I go to work. 

- Diane

For my own 2¢ on this tip....

Those who crochet could do the same thing but with crochet hooks instead of needles.  Craft stores like Hobby Lobby, Michael's, JoAnn's and A.C. Moore usually have a store/value brand of the tame measures and small scissors for 99¢. 

Also...

If you don't subscribe to the Lion Brand weekly email newsletter, you really should! 

Of course, they tell you about new yarns, sales, etc, but they also feature a washcloth pattern and a new reader tip each week.

Well now, y'all got three tips for the price of one this week!

Have a great day my friends!

I love ya's

I say to myself, 'The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.

Lamentations 3:24 NIV

Sunday's Squares

Hello there!

I tried two new squares this week.

First one is the Grandma All Square from The Royal Sisters.

Michelle's tutorials are always great and this is a very easy pattern to work up.

Second one is Huggin the Stars from One Crochet Day at a Time.

This is another very easy pattern to follow that I'll definitely make again.

The pattern is for a 12" square, but I modified it to make it 6” working as written through Row 6, then for row 7- ch1, sc in ea st and ch1 sp, and 2sc, ch2, 2sc in ea corner, then join w/sl st to beg ch1

Hope y'all enjoy the links and are having a great start to the new week!

Much love,

How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.

Psalm 36:7 NIV

Favorites Friday

This week I really want to share with you someone who has been one of my ultimate favorites for years now. 

Ms Mary Anne of Miss Woolly Knits

is a lovely lady that I guess I have been following since shortly after I first learned to knit in 2007.  It is always a pleasure to receive Mary Anne's posts in my Google Reader.  Hers are always among the ones that I never skim or skip over no matter what.  There's just something about the way she blogs...

the pics she shares of her yarn works...

and the nature that surrounds her...

it's like you're visiting with a dear ol' friend.

She's most definitely a wonderfully gifted knitter and crocheter who has a wonderful way about her. I just love Mary Anne to pieces!  If you've not "met" Mary Anne yet or visited her site I highly recommend you do so now.  I'm sure you'll love her as much as I do!

Have a great weekend my friends!

I love ya's,

But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

1 Samuel 16:7 NIV

Wordless Wednesday: Love

Tuesday's Tip - Knitting Toys

When I'm working on a project, I occasionally get an A-HA! moment and think how I really need to share that with all of my yarn-y friends.  Couple that with the great tips that I come across online and I got the idea for Tuesday's Tip!  

This week I want to share a tip for those who are interested in knitting toys.

Really, about the trickiest thing about it is getting the hang of stuffing your toy enough, but not too much. How you stuff makes the biggest impact on how your toy turns out. 

Just how do you know how much to stuff?

When stuffing knit items, the goal is to stuff the piece(s) as much as possible without over-stretching the stitches. You want to really fill up the pieces to give them the right form and not leave any "loose" fabric, but you don't want the stitches of the knit fabric to separate causing noticeable stretch lines.

Feel free to ask questions anytime you need help or more clarity and I'll do my best to help you make the most of and enjoy your craft!

Now, a question for you...

Do you feel that Tuesday's Tip will be a helpful addition to have here on a regular weekly basis?

I'd love to hear your feedback!

I love ya's!

One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple 

Psalm 27:4 NIV

Crochet Bunny With Free Pattern Link

Hey guys!

This is my niece Kylee with my oldest son Jeremy.

We've been watching her for the last couple of weeks and she has been such a breath of fresh air around here. Last week she told me she wanted me to make her a white bunny and Thursday is the last day she'll be stayin' with her Auntie Ni-Ni because she starts Kindergarten this week, so I wanted to fill her request since she has been such a very good girl while we've been watching her.

This is the bunny I made...

I really am pleased with how it turned out.  Of course, the real test will be to see what Little Miss Fancy Pants thinks about it when I give it to her Thursday, LoL.  

I used Darncat Crochet's free Baby Snow Bunny pattern, with a modified tail.

I added a fluffier tail by joining yarn w/sl st then *ch 10, sl st in next st on body/bunny rear* repeating from *to* until tail was as fluffy as I wanted.  I also embroidered the eyes, nose and mouth and colored the ears, cheeks & “toes” with cosmetic blush.

Thanks for visiting my friends!

I love ya's,

He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind.

1 Samuel 15:29 NIV

VM7V73YE6C3K

Three More Fairies

I have been absolutely dying to show you the newest fairies I've made!

A very wonderful and inspiring fellow crocheter and blogger, Pammy Sue of Scotty's Place, ordered three of my fairies.  I didn't want to post pics of them before they made it to their new home so it wouldn't spoil the surprise of seeing them for the first time when Pammy Sue opened her package. 

I'm happy to say that the fairies made it to their new home today!

Pammy Sue sent me an email to let me know that they arrived and I have to tell you, she was so happy and so sweet, she absolutely made my day! 

Now, without further ado, Pammy's fairies....

...with the original fairie...

...the three posing pretty...

For more pics visit my Flickr page.

Be sure to order your own little cutie 

or make your own with this free pattern!

Love ya's!

But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40:31 NIV

Sunday's Square(s)

I thought Sunday would be a great day to show you the square(s) that I make through the week.
This week I made squares for the Ravelry group Lets make a gift of a healing blanket that I had mentioned before and also for the August Square Exchange at At My House Yahoo group.
First one is the Ring in the Middle 6" Afghan Square

Round 4 was a little hard for me to understand.
To get the results of the pic on the pattern, you’re basically working like this:

(2dc, ch2, 2dc) in ea corner and on the sides, you are working in front of the sts of Round 3 and making 2dc into the last st before the ch2 space of Round 2 and also the first st after the ch2 space of Round 2 From to around

Once I got my mind wrapped around that the rest of the pattern went smoothly.

The next square is from the Amish Print Afghan found at FreePatterns.com.

I finished a few rounds early so that it would be 6", but it's a great pattern and I really love the way it turned out!  I will definitely be making more of this one!

I hope you enjoyed the pics and the links.  

Have a wonderfully blessed Sunday my friends.

I love ya's!

My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure.
Psalm 71:15 NIV

Favorites Friday

Ok, so for a while now I have been thinking alot about having a day where I share with you someone that I have found throughout the week that I think is pretty darn groovy.  Now not always, but most of the time this person will probably have a love affair with yarn, but ALL of the time they are going to be someone awesome! 

I have decided that today Favorites Friday here at my place!

This week I want to direct your attention to Tee, of The Compendium of Cute.  Tee is a lover of lists and all things cute so she combines those loves and makes lists, complete with pics, of cute things she finds and shares them on her blog.  Tee also crochets!  Woo-hoo! You go girl!  

How cute are these little monsteys?

Yep, they are Tee's creations!

Cey-freaking-ute!

Bein' as how I'm tellin' ya all about her, I feel it's only fair to mention that she is having a giveaway for a monstey over at her blog too. Go tell her how adorable they are and she'll put ya in the drawing for a medium one in colors that YOU choose!  How cool is that?!?  So leave me a comment here and tell me how much you love me for directing you to awesome people and then scoot your booty on over & visit Tee!

I love ya's!

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. 

Hebrews 12:28 NIV

Silhouettes Everywhere!

I am blown away by all the great bloggers hosting this giveaway! 

Most of them give you another entry if you blog about their giveaway, so instead of blowing up your reader with a bunch of separate blog posts, here's "the big list" of all the awesome Silhouette giveaways!
(Clicking will take you directly to the giveaway post)

Good luck my friends!

SugarDoodle

Craft Gossip (dot) com