Wants, grannies, and Bigfoot

Today I woke up with the strong urge to go to Hobby Lobby.  There are days I'd like nothing more than to go to the craft store and buy something fun and frivolous.  It's kind of exciting to buy a little something.  I want to try crocheting with t-shirt yarn.  I ask my self: wouldn't it be fun to make a catch-all basket?  The problem is I don't NEED anything!  I DO NOT need to start any new projects. I have my current projects.  I have other projects waiting to be started.  But I still have this pull to go get more!!!  I am rather frustrated with myself about this fact.  I won't even attempt to analyze why. I'm sure I have too many issues to bother with making that list.  What I did do to stay out of Hobby Lobby was to clean up my craft room and find a few things to give to charity.  I didn't find a lot of stuff but I have a few things ready to go out the door.  I now know the next area I will be focusing on to purge.  Like everything else I'm slow but steadily working on it.

The red and brown shopping bag have the items to go to charity.  The baskets and totes are what I need to go through and clean up next.  The basket to the left has a large amount of Sugar and Cream yarn.  I'm not sure I will keep all of it.  When I first started to crochet I loved using it.  Most of it was bought on sale for a dollar a skein.  I haven't used much in the past year.  I will look online for ideas of ways to use it.  If I can't find anything I'm interested in making then out the door it goes.  It is odd the acquire and purge that I do.  I am trying VERY hard to be aware of this issue and to curb the behavior.

I have been working on granny squares.  I am making progress.  Seeing them all together helps me stay motivated and keeps me from starting any new projects.  Sorry if it looks like the same photo every time.  It really isn't.  I'll try and find a different way of photographing them next time.

The roads have been plowed and we have made good use of them today.  Driving home from one of our many appointments we had a Bigfoot/Sasquatch sighting!  I thought this was too funny.

It isn't the best photo of Bigfoot/Sasquatch but he does tend to be elusive.  Shame he's not holding a snow shovel.  There's still plenty of snow that needs to be moved.  I think we will have snow piles till March.

Boots and beach towels

Our beach towels get a second life come snow time.  I place them around all the doors. They make such great snow catchers.  It makes me smile to remember the sunny beaches we have used them on as I stomp snow onto them in the winter.  It's nice to have multipurpose uses for things.  We have made very good use of these towels during this storm.  We have shoveled and shoveled and then went back to shovel some more.  This is the first storm I've wished we had a snowblower.  A visit to Home Depot may be in our future if we can ever get out of our neighborhood.  I'm positive we will never see snow again but after all the shoveling I think I may be willing to take that chance.

This is a picture of the last time we shoveled on Saturday night.  I'm wearing my daughter's soccer stadium jacket.  It is soooo warm!  This was not the last time we shoveled.  We were back at it Sunday morning.  I'm not really complaining.  I do like snow.  We didn't lose our electricity and we have plenty of food.  I'd say we rode out the storm very well.

I don't think we will see the mailperson anytime soon : )

I went for a walk this morning.  This is the view from the entrance of our street, so far no snowplow.

There weren't many snowmen to be seen.  The snow cat was too cute.  I guess it's hard to build a snowman when the snow is up to most kids waists.  There has been some sledding.

Our kitties have been snuggled up on my chair.  Bru found a little sun to warm up his paws.

I haven't crafted as much as I though I would.  The shoveling has been rather exhausting.  I have my next row of granny squares ready to stitch together.  I'll post a picture next time. I have been slowly working on the felt snowmen.  I am getting better with the blanket stitch.  I watched a tutorial and it was a huge help.  Sometimes I feel like the slowest crafter ever but I am making progress.

We will be making some chocolate chip cookies this afternoon.  It will be interesting to see when the snowplow arrives.

Careful what you wish for and smile_bam

So they say snow is eminent, that is is coming in great quantities.  I think we are ready, as ready as we can be.  The hope is that we don't lose power.  That would not be fun.  We have our shovels and snow boots ready.  We have coffee and chocolate.  The schools have already announced they will be closed.  Now we wait.

provisions for the blizzard

I have my craft projects ready for the blizzard.  Of course I will be crocheting granny squares and maybe a few other things.  My sisters enjoy working with wool felt.  They sent me a kit for my birthday last year.  I cut it out and stitched a little but never finished it. It's a nice break from the granny squares and the snowmen couldn't be more perfect.  I like working on it.  I definitely need the practice on my blanket stitch.

Before I craft I must clear off the dining room table.  It is a vicious cycle.  It starts small with one item.  Then before I know it I have a pile.  It's all me, you'd think I would learn, but I never do.  

My Instagram name is smile_bam.  The bam is for the first letter in the names of our pets, Binxy, Avi, and Mario. We didn't have Bru and I forgot to include Hermie, the hermit crab.   Mario the guinea pig had to be euthanized yesterday.  He was a geriatric pig.  He lived a full and I hope happy life.  He was the sweetest pig.  We adopted him shortly after our very much loved cat died.  The kids were young but old enough for the responsibility of a pet.  He was the perfect pet.  My daughter did a wonderful job taking care of him.  I didn't expect him to have such a sweet personality.  It was truly amazing to have him in our home.  He was loved and he will be missed.

Mario

I hope everyone in the blizzard zone stays safe and warm!

From single parent week to relaxing weekend

What a Week!  I can say I do not like being a single parent.  It didn't help matter knowing that my husband was in sunny tropical Maui.  It was for business but still it was Hawaii.  I wasn't as grumpy about the situation as you might think.  We had talked about me going with him and even had my airline ticket.  I was the one who decided not to go.  The kids are in school and with sports, and tests, and countless other things it made more sense for me to stay home.  We have been to Hawaii as a couple and once with the kids.  That made the decision easier.  It is such a beautiful state.  I have hopes to visit again one day.

Where I was not : (

Avi warming her toes on the heat vent, so not Hawaii!

I spent the week constantly thinking about the next thing that needed to be done.  That is not a fun way to live. By Friday I was exhausted.  Dan returned on Saturday morning.  Lucky for me he took charge of the few sports obligations. Past that we did nothing.  Well, not exactly nothing, I crocheted and of course laundry.  It was wonderful to sit and relax and crochet.  The granny squares are coming along nicely.

I did get a souvenir from Hawaii.  Dan brought me two Starbucks mugs.  He tries to get one of these style mugs from the different places he travels.  They are pretty.  I don't know what we will do when he slowly makes his way to all fifty states.  Of course not all the states have a mug.  Arkansas does not have one and I am very disappointed in Starbucks about this fact.

I am off to crochet a few more granny squares before the weekend is finished.

Typical Thursday

It's another typical Thursday.  Get up, rouse Miss 16 awake.  She had to be up early to go help at a local elementary school.   While waiting on her to get ready I do my usual pick up of the kitchen, feed animals, and drink that wonderful first cup of coffee.  Wake up Mr. 13 before leaving for elementary school.  Luckily she can walk to her school once her volunteer time is complete.  Take Mr. 13 to school, grab a breakfast sandwich from Roy Rogers, and head home.  Now the fun begins. I want to finish my chores so I can spend the afternoon crocheting granny squares.

Chore number one

I have started to gather another pile of things that can leave the house.  We will have a charity pick up next week.  I will sort through this stuff to see what might can be donated.  

Chore number two, appointments

It is hard to schedule doctor appointments when someone sits on the needed forms.

She was patient.  She got what she wanted, my lap.  She is nice and toasty.  I won't bore you with anymore of the chores list (more laundry.)  Crafty things are so much more exciting. 

I haven't worked on the granny squares since the weekend.  I could list a million excuses but I won't. I did get a little sidetracked with some pretty Valentine's Day colors of yarn.

These are some Sugar and Cream brand cottons.  I love Valentine's colors.  I wanted to make something quick and fun.  One of my favorite patterns is The Starry Flower Coaster by The Lazy Hobby Hopper.  The pattern can be found on ravelry.  

I have made this coaster in fall and Christmas colors.  The plan is to make one for each of my sisters and mail it to the for Valentine's Day.  It's a quick pattern to work.  I should be able to get them mailed on time.  

I am off to find my basket of granny squares.  I'll hopefully have a progress picture to post this weekend, if I don't get sidetracked.  

Weekending

The washer and dryer seem to be working overtime.  I'm not sure why this weekend the loads of clothes are never ending.  The cats and dog must be having dress up parties once I fall asleep at night. I will spare you a picture of the piles of dirty clothes.  Between loads of laundry I have been stitching granny squares together.  I will admit to a lull of crocheting during the week.  I was afraid I'd already given up my resolve to work on this project for the month of January.  I'm glad I was able to pick it back up this weekend.

The stack of granny squares slowly became a line of granny squares.  Then...

She makes it a little difficult.  I did manage to get all the squares attached.
She's sooo helpful :-)

Snow???

We have had no snow this season.  I have yet to see one flake.  The kids are a little snow hungry.  They crave that sweet surprise of waking up to no school.  After putting away the Christmas decorations I left out a few wintery reminders.  I say reminders because it was such a warm December.  I think I've unknowingly made a snow alter!  Maybe if I add a few ice cubes to the snowman plate and burn a candle the snow gods will smile on us.  A manageable amount of powder would be fun at least once this winter.

My sister sent me some lovely paper snowflakes she made.  I think she was inspired by the December Martha Stewart magazine.  They are a perfect greeting for our entry.

I'm sure drinking coffee from my snowflake mug will bring on the blizzard.  Well maybe not a blizzard.

I'm still posting pictures from my iphone.  I did check out two books from the library about digital photography.  There is one more I have requested.   I know once I've read through them we will see a vast improvement.  The funny thing is I have a Bachelors of Arts and my major field of study was photography.  That was 20 some years ago.  Digital wasn't an option at that time.  Yes, the snowman blanket was purposely used as a backdrop.  Too perfect for today's theme :-)

Well I'm off to read some books or maybe crochet a snowflake.

Things I want to do, Things I need to do

Today is one of those days were I feel like I'm walking in thick gooey mud.  I'm trying to organize my thoughts and the things I want to do today.  I need to mail a late Christmas gift to my sister.  I need to get a few photos ready to mail to my dad.  I'd like to find a few things to gather for the next charity pick up.  I need to clean up the pantry.  I want to work on granny squares or make a crochet snowflake.  I want to organize another quilty project. This one would be my take-a-long project.  The one I grab for waiting rooms and sports practices.   It's only 10:00 a.m. and I think I could take a nap but I won't.   I have been slowly moving things forward.  I have my next row of granny squares ready to stitch together.  I have the package for my sister down stairs.  It was in my no longer tidy craft room.  There's no reason to put craft room clean up on the To-Do list today.  It will have to wait for another day.   I may be moving slow but I'm moving and that makes me happy.  I know I will get a few things done today.

I better get busy, lots to do!

Hello 2016

I'm not a big party goer.  Our New Year's Eve was just the way I like it - low key.  We went to a local pizza parlor and then to the movie "Concussion."  I really enjoyed the movie. After the movie we came home, walked the dog, and put on our P.J.'s.  We watched the ball drop and then off to bed.  I know we are the den of excitement.

Saturday was granny square day.  I stitched the white boarder around some of the finished squares.  I made more squares.  It was so nice to have a crochet day.  I listened to a podcast and watched the movie "Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl."  I had read the book.  Both movie and book were fine. There were parts of the movie I thought were better than the book.

This may take longer than the month of January 

Where I spent most of Saturday

I will be working with my camera this week.  The above photos are not the best.

We made a quick trip to Ikea today.  I've been changing a once playroom back into a guest bedroom. I wanted to check out the futons/full size beds.  My daughter asked for a new nightstand.  My husband wanted to look at storage baskets.  He has been cleaning up his office.  He works from home.  Before the holidays it looked like he worked in a storage unit.  It is looking like an office again.

Avi approves of the storage baskets

I didn't find a bed but I have a few ideas.  We are in no hurry.  I have some time to pick what will go in that room.

Tomorrow is back to the normal routine.  Work, school, music lessons, basketball, doctor appointments are all on the calendar for next week.  Tonight I am going to make sure we are ready for tomorrow.  I will find a few minutes to make a granny square or two.

My big purchase from Ikea.  They are rather yummy!

Have a happy beginning of your week.