Wave scarf & Shell scarf [Crochet]

This wave scarf originally started its life as an afghan, however the pattern wasn't a super-enjoyable one for me.  *shrug*  The pattern was found in my "The Complete book of Crochet Stitches - Schapper", number 493.

Red Heart Supersaver yarn was used, with the final size ~ 6"x56".

I find the pattern kinda cool; almost resembling a DNA-strand ;)
Another pattern attempted, however it will be placed on the "probably-won't-do-again" shelf ;)

THIS pattern [Shelly Scarf], however, is working up quickly, specially using Moda Dea Cheerio yarn.  It's so soft and enjoyable to work with!!!  A little tinsel sparkle is present throughout as well, resulting in a fun, lil' decorative scarf (once finished).

Most of Wisconsin received snow over the past 12 hours; school is on a two-hour delay this morning.  Hence, time to update the blog, all the while enjoying a relaxing cup of coffee ;)
Happy Wednesday!

Double Layer Braided Cowl [Crochet]

The morning began with a Soaping Sunday, making up a batch of hot-process yogurt soap, fragranced with Pomegranate, and as I was measuring out the oils, I received a text from a coworker via Facebook....

Is this something you could do? And if so, could you make one for me? I'd pay for the supplies and your time!{Double Layer Braided Cowl}

So, as soon as the soap was in the crockpot cooking, I read over the pattern to determine the difficulty.  Parts of the pattern weren't written using standard crochet terms, so I was confused for a few moments, but realized it was simply asking for Front-Loop HDC and Back-Loop HDC.

A response was sent to my friend, requesting she pick out the yarn and quoting a price.  An hour later, she responded that she was out shopping and found the yarn!  LOL.  

Since she seemed eager, and I really didn't have much going on today, another message was sent letting her know that if she was able to drop off the yarn, I'd be able to get a start on the cowl this afternoon....

The first layer took about 1 1/2 hours; I hadn't anticipated it would work up quite that quick.

And then the second layer just ended up working itself out during the next couple of hours. :D  

I truly had no intentions of finishing this up today, but it felt good to have a bit of motivation in the form of a new, fairly quick, project!

I'm not a big scarf wearer, HOWEVER, I like how this one lays on the neckline with ZERO bulk in the back.   My coworker is also pleasantly surprised that I worked it up so quickly :D

Happy Sunday.  Tomorrow, back to the grind.  Many of my classes have Semester Finals this week, so.... I'm hoping my week should be fairly relaxed (even if the students' week isn't)

Beginnings: school, running, tomatoes, and some crochet

Rather than thinking that the summer has come to an end, I've accepted this time change as "School begins!"

This year we have a Freshman, 6th and 4th graders.  A friend asked what grade I was in, so... after 12HS + 5BS + 5MS + 18 years teaching... I am in 40th grade. ;)

The morale around the 7-12 wing is on the up-n-up; we have new administration, and so far, the change has been for the better!  We are so hopeful and optimistic!!!!  It feels good to be hopeful again!

I've even started running again!!!!

Mind you, PART of that decision came when I organized my closet two weeks ago, trying EVERY item on.  I parted with quite a bit, but also added a lil' bit due to a Goodwill shopping spree.  SOME of my pants are a bit too snuggy-snug right now, so...... back to running to burn that lil' layer of pudgy-pudge!

 

The face on the picture really says most of it so far;  :\.  I really haven't run a training program for the past two years, so I'm 100% back to square-1.  Many walks, and slow pace... perhaps I'll get back down to my 9:30/mile average that I ran in 2013 for one of my half-marathons.
Baby steps for now...

 Last weekend a small collection of tomatoes were ripe for the picking, and I made up a batch of salsa.  After a week of HEAT and HEAT and more HEAT, mixed with loads of HUMIDITY, our tomatoes started taking off.  (um yah, that heat in a classroom with zero AC this past week ---- UGGGERS!)

Caitlyn and I gathered up what was ripe;  it ended up being a decent ~70 pounds, with lots more out on the plants yet!     Since the heat is still barring down on us, I was NOT interested in having the stove/oven on for much of the weekend in order to reduce these babies down to a sauce, so instead... Vegetable juice was the plan!  We'll save the sauce-making for next weekend with our next ripe pickings; it looks like this heat is finally breaking this week.  Whew!

 
I have a few different varieties out there:  Abe Lincoln, Polish Linguisa, Red Oxheart, Viva Italia (my FAVORITE for sauce), and a few IDK heirlooms that we received as seed from our neighbor two years ago.  We've planted a few of the 'mystery seeds' each year since we've had them;  they make LARGE tomatoes.  I didn't weigh any last year, but I want to believe that this is close to the largest we've had.  There have been two others I've weighed as well:  one was 1 lb 10oz, the other was 1 lb 12 oz.    It doesn't take many of those tomatoes to add up to a lot of juice in a little time.  ;)

 
After the morning of processing, we filled two full cases of quarts of Vegetable juice (tomatoes, carrots, onions, celery, parsley, peppers).  We no longer preserve straight tomato juice; we prefer the flavor of the veggie juice.  My in-laws like using the juice in Bloody Marys; I'm not much of a fan, but I LOVE using this juice throughout the year for Chili!

I'm SO thankful for the long holiday weekend;  it's always nice having a slow 4-day week start to the school year;  this year we have TWO 4-day weeks to start since we didn't start until this past Tuesday, Sept. 1.
I've used a bit of the available time to organize a bunch of my recent crochet finishes in order to have them ready for my MIL and some craft fairs she'll be participating in.

 

Lots of 100% USA-grown cotton washcloths;  8" and 10" with a couple 7"x9".

Bath Poufs have been a new addition to my collection: small and large sizes

Hats have also been a new addition this year, in a variety of sizes ranging from youth M to adult S.

A bunch of the frilly yarn was still sitting on my shelves, so I found time to get those made into the frilly scarves, plus I still have some left;  I may just bite the bullet to buckle down and clear this yarn out completely.

However, I really really really am thinking of getting downstairs into the sewing room later today.  It's been a month since I've quilted!  If not even longer!  I've fallen behind in the RSC'15, and I can't let Andee down seeing that we decided to team up in a project together :D  And my Smith Mountain Morning in greens is still sitting, waiting for its 14th hour of progress.

For those in the USA, I hope you are enjoying the holiday weekend!!!  For everyone else, I hope you are enjoying your Sunday afternoon before heading back to the workweek tomorrow.

Happy Sunday!

Afghan-turned-scarf; and Caramel Corn

Well.... so much for the new "afghan."  

LOL.  While sitting in the couple of (CHILLY) gyms today at the basketball tournament, I simply made the decision to turn the afghan project into a new scarf for your's truly.  The photo doesn't really show off the green portions of the yarn that match my lime green jacket perfectly.  I was able to wrap it around my neck by the 2nd game :D

Hey!  Y'all should have known there would be a couple of Basketball pics showing up in the post. 

It's nice being tall, huh?  Cassie is one of the three "tall" girls on the team, and sadly, one of the other girls rolled her ankle during the first game of the day;  1st quarter :\  By the end of the day, the team rallied up 2 rolled ankles (girls benched, icing on-n-off), 1 jammed pinky (girl benched until the final game), 1 bruised hip (that'd be Cassie during the final game of the day;  she got hipchecked and it knocked her down something fierce),  1 injured knee (the other tall girl, BUT she held it together as best she could;  she's aggressive! and tough!), and LOTS of huffing-n-puffing!  That was a lot of ball for these girls who have only had a few short practices before tournament season.

So, after arriving home and getting all snuggled up in warm, comfy PJs, and turing on the Hallmark Channel, Caitlyn and I whipped up a batch of homemade carmel corn (microwave recipe).   I wouldn't say this a Christmas tradition, but I DO remember making this as a kid!  {{YES, microwaves existed back then!!}}   AND, my recipe card is still TYPED up on a 3x5 index card from my mother, white-outted typewriter mistakes-n-all.

16 cups popped popcorn

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

Place 16 cups of popped corn in a large brown paper bag. 

Combine in an 8 cup microwavable bowl: brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt. Microwave on full power until the mixture begins to bubble (1-2 minutes)

Boil for 3 minutes, STIRRING AFTER EACH MINUTE

Add soda and vanilla; stir well as this will foam up! 

Pour mixture over popcorn in the paper bag. Fold bag and shake well. 

Microwave for 1 minute; shake well.

Microwave for 1 more minute; shake well.

Microwave for a final 30 seconds; shake well.

Pour onto 2 cookie sheets. Cooling takes only a few minutes. Store in an air tight container (if it even lasts longer than one evening!)

I hope to get some Celtic Solstice sewing done tomorrow before I need to tackle some AP-Statistics lessons.
Happy Saturday :)

Some late night crochet (headband and scarf)

I've had this cute lil' headband in my Ravelry favorites for a month, so last night I gave it a whirl with some of the left over white from Caitlyn's RWB afghan.  So easy. SO simple.  So quick.  Love it.

Then I grabbed this Moda Dea Lazy Daisy yarn that my MIL gifted me and the girls.  Knowing it would be a bit more difficult to work with, I wanted to use a pattern that used more chains than any other stitch....

This was another quick project;  maybe 1-1.5 hours (I really didn't watch the clock that closely).  It's about 65" long and 3" wide.  

And as I was taking the picture this morning, Paul (who just got home from his night-shift) offered another suggestion for pictures.....

He hauled over the Standard machine and set it up.  It's found a new home :)

And works nicely as a backdrop :)

So, I really don't have much in the line of plans today.  I simply want to relax on this last day of summer vacation.  Maybe...just maybe... I'll head downstairs.  But, no promises.  

Happy Labor Day everyone in the USA.  And Happy Monday to everyone else.

Who to blame.......Bonnie? Or Husband?

This past week, there truly has only been one thing on my mind:

6AM until 10PM -- all day long....school planning, school prepping, school fretting, school meetings, school potlucks, ....... you name it!  If it relates to school.... it's been my life for 5 days straight!

Thank GOODNESS Paul's "off-days" fell this week.  Life would have been much more hectic if they hadn't.  

But now, after spending a final (non-required) few hours at school this morning.....

I feel CALM!  Most of my energy has been dedicated to the updated AP-Statistics vision for the school year, and I feel ready!  ((At least for Day #1)  LOL.

So, at noon, Paul called me to see if I wanted to ride along with him to pick up pig food at a town 20 miles away.  

You Bet'cha!  Cass ended her volleyball practice at noon, I wrapped up a few last minute things for Tuesday's First Day, and we headed out.  {{Of course, I should mention that I read the "Staff Handbook" on the way down to the feed store, but then, I was DONE!}}  I zipped the school bag shut.  And we chatted.

And we stopped for ice cream "for lunch" on the way back.

And we stopped at a garage sale.......

Having NO intentions of really buying anything, we just "looked."  It was a "Paul-style" yard sale;  antiques, carpentry... it was at a huge farm, afterall.

And then.....

"Hey Amy, aren't those sewing machine cases?"

NOW, before I go any further....

I AM NOT starting a collection!  Nope.  Not an interest.

BUT, when each was only priced at $4.00......

come ON!  Who WOULDN'T pass 'em up?!?!!?!?  Even if they don't work....they'll be LOVELY decorations!!!!!!

SO......

Machine #1....

Machine #2:  (HEAVY!!!!)

I have done ZERO research so far.  My first stop was to update the blog when we arrived home.  So, if you have info you'd like to share, Super!  I doubt they run.  I doubt they have all "working" pieces.  But.....that black one is just PURDY!!!!!!

And THEN!

Shortly after turning onto our road, Paul says...."Ya know, we should really stop there at least once."

We have lived at our house for almost 10 years now, and just half a mile down the road is a "Homestead Crafts" ..... umm.....store?  It's a renovated ol' barn, nothing much to look at from the outside.  I've always thought "yeah, I should stop just to see what they have...." but it simply hasn't happened.

So we stopped.

OH!

MY!

WOWNESS!!!!!!

This is truly one of those "it's not much to look at from the outside, but the inside....WOW!" kinda dealios!  Both Paul and I took one step inside and said........WOW.....with our jaw dropping to the floor.

It is FILLLLLLED with crafts! Ceramics, sewing, quilting, crochet, knitting, woodwork, cement-moldings, knickknacks, bead work,  ..... well...... I can't even list it all!

Curious??  Homestead Crafts online, and the website really doesn't do the place justice!  I will definitely be stopping back there sometime soon!

So now.....

I'm going to have "me" time.

First, do some sewing machine research.

Then, do some sewing machine dusting, maintenance, and testing.

Then.....

This box has been waiting patiently since Wednesday for me to dig into!

My collection of scarves has grown with some time dedicated to them last week.  I mass ordered the Green/Gold team spirit yarn in order to whip up some more for the Fall craft shows coming up soon -- MIL is asking for me to "help out any way I can."  

Duh----let's see if GO PACKERS scarves will sell.  If not-----CHRISTMAS PRESENTS!! :)

School work will return, but I really think I'm "good" until Monday.

Then of course.....

the garden is getting red with tomatoes, and green with cucumbers and beans.  But for now...... I think that can wait until tomorrow.

Happy Friday everyone!  

A work day - crochet top towels

Another scarf was finished this morning (my FAVORITE so far).  

Pattern:  Arugula Scarf

Size:  2" x 80"

This is the third of this pattern that I have worked up;  and other than adding more initial chains (due to the lighter weight yarn, I chained 300 to get the length to 80"), I followed the rest of the pattern exact.  

It is SO light and has almost a lacy weight to it, and the colors should blend nicely with any color.  I can totally see this as an accessory to jeans and one of those adorable cutesy T's that are all the hit lately.

I ended up using just a tad more than one skein of some el'chipo yarn from a bargain bin.  

Yarn label info:  "Flamme"  75% cotton, 17% acrylic, 8% polyamide.  50gr / 197 yards.  Made in Turkey.  It doesn't mention any yarn weight, but it has a "2" feel to it.

Then, feeling just a wee bit ambitious, I ACTUALLY ventured downstairs to the sewing room.  LOL. No quilting was in mind though.....  

My MIL sent me on the mission of working up some crochet-top kitchen towels for some craft fairs she has coming up this Fall.  She says they "sell like hotcakes," and last year she was asked over-n-over again by customers if she had any to sell.  She didn't;  this is one craft she doesn't do.  I think she would get some made up from one of her neighbors, but the lady didn't provide any to MIL last year.

So........

My kitchen-towel venture was attempted a couple of weeks ago, but I wasn't liking the unpolished look of my first few.  The crocheting bit was easy-peasy, but it was the attaching-to-towel part that I wasn't satisfied with. 

My first trial was to simply stick the hook through the towel fabric about 1/2" below the cut edge.  Eh.....it was alright, but I was worried the top may eventually fray off from the towel.  [[Can you say 'christmas gift to family' this year? ;) ]]

My second trial was to use the method shown here (tutorial), but after stitching along whole edge, I didn't care for how the front or back looked.  I thought maybe folding the edge over and seaming it with the sewing machine would work.

Well..... it sorta did, but didn't.  The seam was WAAAY too noticeable!  [[Yup, another Christmas gift will be heading to some lucky family member!  LOL]]

So.....REVERSE THE ORDER, Amy!  Seam first!

So, that's what I did.   And then, using a blanket stitch (which I knew how to do after watching this tutorial!), I attached the yarn to the top of the towel, hiding the turned over seam so nicely :)

Then it came time to needing buttons.  I simply FORGOT to look through my MIL's button stash the last time I was at her house!  Duh.  However, one lil' amazing suggestion from the first video tutorial link (here it is again) had me working on my own crochet-buttons!  Genius!  I wouldn't have thought to do that!

And then, through no planning of my own -- it just happened from the way my tails ended up... I simply used those tails to attach/tie the buttons to the towels.  SLICK!  

On my latest towel, I tried tapering off the flap to finish off with a nice "V" edge.    

So NOW, after a bit of trial-n-not-really-liking-all-parts-of-attempts, I think I have this craft licked.  With Paul still snoozing away (he ended his last night of night-shift last night/this morning), I think I'll find a movie to have as background noise, and work on some more towels to actually give to MIL for her craft sales.

I think this qualifies for Kathy's "slow-stitch-Sunday."  Right?

Happy Sunday everyone!

I've been in a blogging funk

For the past few days, from time to time, I would have a sense of guilt come over me when the blog came to mind.  I'm pushing day 10 without a post.    I really don't know how Judy and Bonnie, in addition to so many others, can do it all.  Day after day, two, three, sometimes four posts a day.  

I've been fighting a funk. I think much of it has to do with school starting up right around the corner.  I've felt some minor anxiety attacks come on;  I really don't know what else to call them.  School creeps into my mind, and my heart-rate kicks up; I get a slight feeling of nausea.  **sigh**  I just realllllly want a good year this year.  I'm tired of not liking what my perception has become of our school.  And honestly, when I talk to other teachers around the nation and hear their stories, I really need to accept the realization that the profession has simply changed all OVER our nation;  it's not just isolated to our District.  The PRESSURE I feel ....  when I think of administration evaluations, admin expectations and directives being handed down to us with little inservice training time.... student evaluations and scores affecting my future.... new texts and new lessons with such little precious preparation time during the day.

grrrrr........

I.  WILL.  SUCCEED.  THIS.  YEAR.   I won't be beat down this year.  LOL.

It's quite simple.  I don't like anxiety.  And that's what I feel right now when school comes to mind.  

Guess it's something I need to work on and figure out.

In the meantime, I HAVE been keeping busy behind the lack-of-blogging time.

The "Peaches and Cream" mill-ends baby afghan is complete.  30"x38"

The pattern was a one-row repeat, so very easy.... and quite redundant by the end.  @_@

So, this cute little purse caught my eye next....

The pattern did not specify how much yarn was needed, so I took a guess.

NOPERS!  Three balls of Aunt Lydia's plum crochet thread size 3 was NOT enough.  Therefore, it is being set aside until I get some more.

This is the first time I've used such a small 'yarn.'  And I LOVE it for this purse pattern!  Can't wait to get a finish out of it.

AND THEN.... Scarf City Central baby.  

I have a few more scarfs in the works;  all to improve my wardrobe :)  Heaven knows, I be needin' some style!

 So, there ya have it.  

Of course, the garden has also called my name from time to time.  Peas and cucumbers mostly so far.  However, the past two days, I have avoided the outdoors if/when I could.  **sigh**  Ragweed has reared its ugly face, and is in full bloom.  I picked up my renewed allergy medicine prescription this morning, and I've been reminded this afternoon of the feeling I have during the initial onset of my medicine regimen.    Loopy, druggy, and "out of body" feeling.  

LOL.  I have so many excuses flying around in my head about why I haven't been in the garden as much as I should.  Why I haven't been out running like I should.  Why I haven't been quilting like I could.  Why the house hasn't been cleaned.  Why the girls' closets haven't been sorted.

But really..... I'm just in a funk.  I don't feel like doing much of anything, except sitting, putting my feet up, and crocheting.

How's that for honesty? 

Happy Saturday everyone!