Monday, December 31, 2012

WIP New Blanket

The last post for the year 2012,
 now don't fall off of your chair.
Yeah, you are seeing me posting 2 days in a row.
I wanted to show you what I have been working on 
during all those days my hubby was in the hospital.


 It's called Granny's Puzzle Pieces.
I found the pattern in a magazine called 
BEST-EVER AFGHANS the December 2, 2011 issue.
  Basically it is just another simple granny square laid out 
in a design to resemble inter-locking puzzle pieces.
I still have oodles of Vanna yarn and that is mainly 
what I have been using here. My couch is ox blood 
in color and it wasn't the best choice for the photo since 
there is a sort of border row that I am doing in a rust color. 
If you look closely you can see it. The one in the magazine 
has the same border only a white color.


I took one shot with flash, the second without.
It's just another project to keep me out of trouble 
and to keep me sane during this trying time. 
I do not know what I plan to do with this one 
when it is finished. Making blankets is the best 
thing to do when the winter weather hits.  
Brrrrrr.....it is sure cold outside! 
As far as New Year's resolutions  
 I have not made any, that way I won't 
be disappointed in myself if I fail.
 
Wishing all my good blogging friends the 
         best in the New Year with health and happiness.          

Sunday, December 30, 2012

Snowy Ohio

We got the blizzard on Wednesday morning.
Right here in NW Ohio, our county right smack 
dab in the middle of it. Level 2 emergency and 
wouldn't ya know it, it was an evening when my 
husband had to have dialysis. Yes, we were forced  
to be traveling out in that after dark. 
If you have never driven in blowing snow at night 
then you don't know what it feels like when you 
arrive home and have to pry your fingers off of the 
steering wheel, your shoulders in knots.


Oh yeah, look at my little guy, he loves snow,
but I think he has had enough and wants in.

  
These are just some random photos of what is outside
in the back yard. The snow on the upper deck rail is 
the second assault that came in the wee hours of 
Saturday morning.

 
    On the right side of the deck rail is the first 
snowfall on Wednesday and the second one on 
top of that. Right below the top deck rail is the lower 
rail with all the snow intact.

    
Hubby's wood shop.


 Ahhhh, I opened the doors and braved the cold.
It looks like a black and white photo, but isn't, lol.

 
  There now, a better snapshot.


A view of the neighbor's house, now empty.
They moved and used it as a rental. Now it is 
for sale and belongs to the bank. 


 The front walk.


Our house. I had to get to the mailbox across the road,
so I shoveled my way there. I did get the snow blower 
going and got most of it cleaned off the driveway
then finished up with the shovel.   


 A view of the side yard and the Norway Spruces we planted 
on the property line over 30 years ago.
  

Looking down the road.


Looking up the road from the end of our driveway. 


Another view of our Norway Spruce pines on 
the property line.

  
I don't think this truck is going anywhere for 
quite some time. I cleaned most of the snow off of it 
the other day. Couldn't reach the very top or the center 
of the windshield.

We got another inch or so yesterday, and once again 
we were out traveling in it, not by choice. 
I have cleaned the driveway 2 times.
The snow has been wet and if you drive over it 
and it freezes you have an icy mess.
 I have another 1-2 inches to shovel again today. 
I am already sick of snow.

Before I wrap up this post I just wanted to touch on 
something that saddens me. A few of my blogger 
friends are no longer interested in some 
of the things that they once enjoyed.
Each one is unique in their own way and 
I love their blogs because of it.
In a way I miss them, and yet I know they 
have to do what is right for them.
I hope they find some happiness and peace 
in this new year.

        ♥God Bless Us All        

Monday, December 24, 2012

My Christmas Present

He spent another 8 days in the hospital.
I brought him home this evening.
We sat and ate our supper 
and he turned to me and quietly said,
"Merry Christmas babe." 
And I took his hand and kissed him on the cheek,
"Merry Christmas to you too babe. Welcome home."
♥ ♥ ♥
The ones you love are life's most precious gifts.
There is nothing sweeter or of more value 
than family & friends. 
♥ ♥ ♥ 
Wishing you all the best for the Christmas holiday, 
and a Happy and Healthy New Year.
Peace!

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Rachael Is Back At It

Just a heads up for anyone who likes to scrapbook or would like to buy scrap booking supplies for someone as a gift. My daughter Rachael here is back to blogging mainly about her goods for sale on her Etsy shop. You can check out some of her stuff on her blog where  she has a link to her store. If you don't see something you would like, she does try and fill custom orders. She makes banners for special occasions and also does cute cup cake toppers. I don't think you will find anyone who has more reasonably priced items.

~♥~

Sunday, December 16, 2012

OSU Baby Blanket & Gift, Thoughts


On Friday evening I finished up the Ohio State baby hat and blanket for Amy who is expecting her first grandchild in 2013.
 




I think they turned out pretty good and I hope she likes them.

 Yesterday my good friend Debbie came over for a few hours and we played cards. She brought me this beautiful tree ornament. The photo does not show all the sparkle.


I guess it is fitting, this pair of angel wings because for the past few days I have had constant thoughts of all those little angels in Connecticut who never harmed anyone and how their short lives are now over and how their families are now suffering a loss that is so horrific it can not be put into words. 

As a parent of 2 daughters it brings me back to a time when my children were small and so full of life. I recall how they could not wait to go to kindergarten and play with all their new friends.


To have lost either one of them would have ripped my heart out. We live in a small rural community where farming is a big deal and where you believe it is a safe place to raise your kids and send them off on the bus to school. The most you had to worry about was some nicks and scrapes acquired on the playground. 

People claim God is no longer in the schools, maybe not in prayer, but think again, God is everywhere and so is the devil. The picture I posted was a week before our youngest started school. She was our kindergartener. Our oldest was going to start 2nd grade. Like I said, to have lost either one would have ripped my heart out. My thoughts and prayers are for the parents and friends of the lost.
I truly believe God has taken back his angels.
I just wish it all made sense to understand why in such a tragic way.

~♥~ 

Monday, December 10, 2012

Killing The Snake


One hour this weekend of listening to a steady squeaking while Miss Trixie attempted to kill the snake. There are 2 identical snake toys but since Chewy thinks both belong to him we have to lock him up in his crate. Oh, by the way, she never did kill it. I had to finally take it away from her and into the closet it went. I had had enough of it even if she didn't. I took a picture of her because that toy is as big as she is and seeing her carry it around is one of the cutest and funniest sites. Please ignore any dust you see. Sometimes the camera takes too good of a picture, lol.
~♥~

Friday, December 7, 2012

New Project, 2 WIP Finished

The newest project started last evening is this, a scarlet & gray baby ripple for a friend whose son & dil are expecting their first baby this Spring. They are huge Ohio State fans.

 
This is a simple pattern that I have done many times in the past. It makes up fairly quickly. I am using Hobby Lobby's "I Love This Yarn. It is nice and soft and so much better than the scratchy RH. 

I did finish up 2 of the WIP I was doing. The first is the scrappy granny using the join as you go method. Just like a picture, a blanket needs a border to frame it and I did a couple rows of black and then a shell stitch in gold Vanna yarn. I was going to make it bigger, but my supply of yarn was growing smaller with less color choices. I refused to buy more yarn. 

 
I am all about using up scraps, and this was an excellent way to do just that.

 

Would I do this pattern again, why certainly! It is super fun and another fast project. 


I have to apologize for this photo. Even with the flash on and the lights it looks kinda yellow, when in fact the blanket is snow white. Had it not been cold and rainy outside I would have gotten a better quality picture. 


Now for the real beauty, one of 4 Christmas Cacti I bought this past week. Our Kroger store was a blaze of color with the display in their floral section. I just couldn't resist. I hope it hasn't come to my house to wither and die. I seem to have a heavy hand when it comes to the watering can
~♥~

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

My Little Jenny Wren Dolly

For weeks now I have been wanting to post about my new toy. She came all the way from Australia. Her name is Corey and she was made by the master doll maker Jenny Marshall here. I fell in love with Jenny's dolls many moons ago. She fashions her dolls from the Waldorf design and also has tweaked a pattern of her own style. 

'

This doll will actually stand on her own without support. It could be those darling little black shoes she wears. I posed her next to a wooden chair I bought years ago. It suits her just fine.


 Isn't she just adorable! I love her wild red hair, and her handmade clothes.


 I had made these sweaters earlier in the year, now they have someone to wear them.





They say redheads should not wear orange, well I think she looks just spiffy in that one, lol.


I love my doll. Thank you Jenny ♥

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Posting, But NOT Happy!

I think that kinda says it all, Blogger and their hand in my pocket, now monthly. There has to be a better solution. I do thank anyone who offered up suggestions, but this was going to happen sooner or later, might as well just grit my teeth and be done with it. This Sunday morning we woke to a gloomy, rainy day. The day I took these pics was a sunny one about a week ago, so let's see what we have here.....


The city where we travel to 3 times a week for his dialysis is also the city where our 2 daughters went to college, Bowling Green State University, aka BGSU. They are alumni and known as FALCONS. I do not recall this statue of the bird, back when we would make weekend trips back and forth to fetch or deliver the kids.


It sits outside the Stroh Center where the basket ball games are played. President Obama came here the last month of his campaigning.


I think that bird is awesome. It looks like it is swooping down to snatch something to eat, maybe the gal standing there to get her photo taken?


Then later that week we stopped here to get a bite to eat and I looked across the road and saw another photo opportunity, this time another angle of the bird.  




This last photo I managed to get part of the stadium in the right hand side. Now if I had that wide angle lens I have chattered about in past postings.....well Santa might think of me, well maybe.


I know I showed you snippets of this project weeks ago. It was the blanket "wanna be" that turned out to be a lap blanket for a little lady who saw me working on it and wanted to buy it. Here it is all finished up.

 
A closer look. She loves it, and it did turn out nice and colorful.


So, guess what I am making again......yeah! There is still that yarn stash and now it is looking rather skimpy, but I do NOT want to buy anymore RH yarn. I do love Hobby Lobby ILTY and plan to buy it in the future for other projects.


Here is mine and I am just holding my breath on whether I will have enough to finish it. I did decide that I would give it a border if needed because I have plenty of Vanna yarn left over from other projects. So if I run out of scraps and can't make more blocks I will just add a nice wide border of whatever color I have the most of.


A closer look of my blanket. I'm sorry the lightening was not better. I absolutely hate this time change. It gets dark around 4:30pm and it is no wonder people get depressed during the winter months. 


No, no, this is not the same large granny I showed you weeks ago, this is a second one I just whipped up during the waiting hours while hubby gets his treatments. Four hours is a long time to wait and I just need to keep busy.


Last but not least, this baby granny I have been working on when the mood hits. Once again I apologize for the picture quality. See that tangled mess of yarn, well that is me right now......when I don't keep busy, my mind is often in a tangled mess.

Thank you for patiently waiting on these promised pictures. I just say this, when your life is in some sort of chaos, stay busy and pray. It doesn't leave room for much else. Peace.

~♥~
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~WRITE IT ON YOUR HEART................
THAT THE ONES YOU LOVE ARE LIFE'S MOST PRECIOUS GIFTS~