it's a New Year and all.....

so happy new year.....

This is so often a time for Resolutions. I don't have any. I have hopes, but these last few years have been so full of injuries and deaths and surgeries I know that I am going to leave them at hopes and be thankful for whatever IS and not bummed at what IS NOT.

That said. I did finish my afghan. Except for the weavings of ends. I've been using it on my bed and it is SO warm and toasty. I usually don't make things for myself but you know, I'm worth it too. LOL

So even though the year was crazy and half my time was spent with my parents, sitting by hospital beds--and I don't do well knitting or crocheting while sitting there-- I finished all but 2 of my UFO's and started and finished quite a few small projects as well as The Afghan. And I've decided that if I don't find my sock pattern by the end of January, they will be repurposed into maybe some mittens or something.

I did start a doll sweater that isn't finished. It is challenging to say the least. I ended up having to order needles online because I couldn't find them. We no longer have a yarn shop here, and the only place you can get yarn, fabric or notions is WalMart. When I get to go to a JoAnn or Michael's it's great. I think it's probably better that way since I am indeed a Fabriholic, not so much with yarn, but texture and color just suck me in.

So my hopes for the year.

I liked this from Petals to Picots.... for me it's for all crafty stuff, not only yarn. (parentheses for my added thoughts)

1. Only buy yarn (fabric, paper, or whatever!) when I have a pattern (or project) picked for it and I know nothing in my stash will work
2. Finish one project before beginning another (actually I have two categories. One for the In The Car project and one for those requiring more focus)
3. Find a project to use up all my orphan yarn (I love crocheted afghans for this-- I can do them in the car)
4. Learn a new skill... perhaps hairpin lace (for me, choose a little bit more challenging pattern-- or a new printmaking/painting/stamping/journaling skill)
5. Organize my stash (for me, my stash is pretty organized, except fabric. GO ME!)
6. Experiment with new color combinations (for me, in my painting and printmaking)

All in all, I'm pretty satisfied with my crafting this last year, since there were so many stress making situations. I tried some new things, made several knit and crochet items, did some art journaling, and got myself a coloring book. My hope for the new year is to be able to spend more sewing time. I wanted to make more doll clothes for K. in Kentucky but didn't end up being able to. Well it doesn't have to be for Christmas, right?

So I'm taking a big deep breath and 2016 here I come.... even though I know that one of the first things I am going to be doing is spending a few weeks with my mom while she recovers from surgery. Maybe I can fix her sewing machine... or take mine.

I can do this.

Grandma Evelyn's birthday

Remembering my mother in law today. She would have been 100 today! She was pretty amazing. She had a garden until well into her nineties, complete with a 30 foot row of berries, a fig tree, 4 peach trees, a persimmon tree and a big old plum tree that was planted when they moved into the house in the 40's. She loved to hang her clothes on the line and did her dishes by hand.

 One of the things she loved doing was canning things. These were the last cherries she ever canned. They got eaten of course, they don't last forever, but she sure was proud of them. Berries, peaches and figs were mainly eaten raw or frozen. But the biggest majority of produce was given away. She told me that's the main reason to have a garden, to be able to share it. She and my dad had that in common. Always sharing.

Her yard was huge for a city yard. That last year, we grew tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans (several varieties) potatoes, zucchini and sunflowers. It wasn't a big garden that year, She knew she was "fading" and didn't want me to be doing a lot of work. But we had a lot of fun that summer, tending our little part of heaven.

I met my mother in law when I was about nine years old. Her son was the first boy I ever "liked" and I "carried a torch" for him for a lot of years. We dated awhile in high school, but ended up going our separate ways and marrying others. Thirty years later, we both ended up divorced and married each other.

She was way ahead of her time. As liberal as they come, we had some very interesting political discussions which were quite a challenge to this lifelong Republican. I could never be anything other than Pro LIFE.... but she helped change my mind about gay marriage. Her attitude was let them be whoever they are and don't try to dictate what they do. When you put it that way it doesn't make sense to try and oppose it. She had a gay cousin and was glad he was happy with his partner after he initially married and raised a family.

The last couple years were not pretty ones, as she had a dead hip bone and didn't want surgery. Eventually dementia claimed her, She was always wanting to help others though. She never thought of herself as old. Even after she was in a facility she wanted to make sure I gave away the persimmons and didn't let them rot.

Rest in peace, dear one. Thank you for a lot of great memories, and for loving me.

Just something silly.

Something silly today. This is especially for Karen. Have fun.... it's from jigzone.com.

single crochet afghan progress....

Today I crocheted a lot. I was just sitting here like a lump, so I figured I should get something done in the process.

I'm still kind of stumped by that Middle Bedroom.

So hopefully I can tackle it tomorrow with some boxes and a car to take whatever I can stand to over to Goodwill. I'm pretty discouraged about it... but.... My goal is to fill the car and the garbage can. More likely I will be able to tackle a couple boxes. Such pessimistic attitude...again hopefully, tomorrow will be better. Sigh.

Anyway here's a better shot of the afghan and I hope you can see the effect. It kind of looks like watercolor shades to me. I hope I still like it when I am done. One thing I did was stop rolling the yarn into big balls, I just attached a new skein when the old ran out. That way I don't have three changing colors at the same time.

another new project? yup.

Haven't found those sock directions.... sigh I think I should rip them out and add them to this project. Then start over. Seriously.

This is a scrappy afghan. I went through all my scrappy yarn and tied it together, and rolled it up into big 3-strand balls. Then I chained a bunch (I estimated how much it would be on a twin size bed) and then single crocheted. I've done these before, they would be a good cozy donation afghan or maybe a grandchild might love it. Or I might love it.  Looking at the picture, you can tell I have really put myself into this project. My hair!!

Last time I made an afghan it got claimed by Max. He loves it. It now has a good home.

Introvert!

Sometimes I wish I still worked at the quilt shop. Or even if it was still there! Not that I need any more fabric, I don't. I won't for YEARS except then there's that project...

Somehow I have lost my social life. Since I moved here, any social life was connected to work. Now that I am not working, I rarely see anyone other than hubby! I enjoyed staying at my mom's and being around people. It made my return home harder. I love my hubby, but I need people-- and have to push myself OUT more.

I started a huge project, another big granny afghan. This time, its rectangular. It goes really quickly, and I've been taking it in the car so working on it in big blocks of time. I imagine it will still take me awhile. Still haven't found that sock pattern.

I downloaded a pattern for an American Girl doll, a sweater made of fingering yarn. All I could find was baby colors, so it's going to be pale green. I also had trouble finding size 2 needles. Haven't started it yet but it's all bagged up and ready to go.

Today I am going to get out all my yarn and make some decisions. There's not a ton of it, but downsizing has to continue.

Just rambling today.

Sidetracked......

well. Life sidetracks us all the time, I guess. My mom has been in the hospital for a couple weeks... therefore, I am not creating much. I did make another infinity scarf and a potholder. Both are made out of cotton yarn that I bought because I liked the colors. With the potholder, I couldn't really remember the pattern, so  I started by chaining 35 and then it was too big so I ripped it out and did 25 and it was too small so I ripped it again.. I settled on 30 and then when it came time to fold it the other way I didn't like the way it looked so I just made it bigger and into a square. I thought it looked interesting this way. I don't really need another potholder but there it is. I made the other into an infinity scarf because I was wearing a shirt this yarn will match well. LOL.... I didn't know what I wanted to do but I wanted to have something to do when just sitting there either waiting for the doctor to come in or watching my mom sleeping. I couldn't concentrate much though. I kept thinking about how I lost my father just four months ago. and how often when couples are together so long the second one often dies just after the first one. I know my mom is grieving intensely... but I am not ready to lose her yet.

But Mom's better, she'll be out of the hospital on Friday, I will stay with her a few days and then hopefully home. It's crazy because time goes so slowly at the hospital but *poof* a whole month is just gone. And in the end, it is not in my power to keep my mom... she is after all 90. and we will just see what happens from here. Always I return to "one day at a time" because that is indeed all we have... and leave the rest to God.