New Year Round Up!

Hey Y'all!

Happy 2014! I found myself on New Year's Eve in my regular doc's office in more pain! It turns out I never really got over the sinus/ear stuff that hit me right Christmas. I left his office with a big antibiotic and another round of steroids. Pitty Pat and I rang in the new year in bed, trying to feel better! I am still not feeling great, but much better than I was. The insomnia from the steroids has hit me pretty hard this go round. In fact, I was wide awake last night with sinus pressure and insomnia. So I did what any normal person would do, I crocheted a scarf!  Here's this year's first finished object! Of course it is a ruffle scarf! The colors are so happy.

I used Bernat's Twist and Twirl yarn on this project. This was a quick an inexpensive project because the yarn is on sale for $1.99 this week at AC Moore. Plus my teacher discount, this came out to a great project! This yarn is mesh like and it was easier to use the "no crochet" method on this one. Do you want to make one of your own? Check out the video below!

That is not all I have been up to! Yesterday to get out of the house a bit, because you know if I don't Paddington will have a really hard time when I go back to school, I went and walked around Market Common. I actually went to see if Barnes and Noble had the Knitting Pattern a Day calendar, which they didn't. I can't imagine why, there shouldn't be a run on a knitting calendar! Anyhoo, many of the stores were open and it was nice to walk through. I stumbled into one of my favorite stores, Bijuju and they were having a SALE. One of the things that I have gotten really bad about lately is not wearing my jewelry. I love to wear bracelets and I have just gotten out of the habit. I bought myself some pretty arm candy yesteday... for all of $4. I love these bracelets! They also had a deal with their clearance stuff... buy one get one free and I loaded up on bangles too. I am so glad I did, I have missed my bracelets! 

Today has been COLD and rainy, so Pitty Pat and I have stayed in. I have tried to catnap through the day since I didn't sleep any last night. Also, our heat it out downstairs again.. so we will be sleeping upstairs tonight. My HVAC guy can't make it until tomorrow. So here's hoping for a full night's sleep and some rest for us. At least we will be warm upstairs! 

Tootles!
:) JKP 

A Belated Merry, Merry and Almost New Year!

Hey Y'all!

Well, the last time I hopped on the ol' blog it was right before Thanksgiving. And. What I like to call the 2013 time warp. It seemed like right after Turkey Day everything was on warped speed and things had to be done, done, done! Before I knew it, Girls Weekend Christmas Palooza was over and Christmas was a mere 14 days away. Whew. I was busy with school and then right before we got out for winter break, I was hit with the good old sinus infection, plus double ear infection. So. That is how I spent my time through Christmas, getting better! I have also had to go back on some prednisone for various issues, so that has added to the fun too. One of the things that triggered from my sinus infection was a tooth issue that I have been dealing with for a few months. It really hasn't been that bad over the months, but with my sinuses going crazy it has kicked my tooth "issue" and pain into high gear. I am hoping the dentist can fit me in sometime this week because this has not been fun. Tummy pain I can handle any day, tooth pain NOT!

Anyhoo. I am still enjoying my Christmas decorations. Y'all know how I just love the lights! I guess I will take everything down around the first. One nice thing about winter break this year is that we don't have to go back to school until January 6th! So I am able to really enjoy this next week. Except for being in pain, I have quite enjoyed the past few days of watching tv, napping (when I can) and piddling around the house. Here's a pic of the entertainment center with this year's decorations!

I also have a new addiction... no crochet/crochet scarves!

This year was a "pinching the pennies" Christmas. I have had a few expensive months! Mitzi Mazda had to have some service and then my heat went out over Girls Weekend Christmas Palooza. So I had to be really creative with my gifts this year. Since I am a "maker" I came across some really neat crafts on You Tube! I am sure you are well aware of the "ruffle scarves" that have been very popular with knitters and crocheter's over the past year. I think they are so cute, but LAWDY it takes forever and a day to knit one. One night while on Pinterest, I came across an easy way to make them and y'all... I had some great gifts!

I made a silver, gold and white one for my Mom...

This one for my Mom's friend Jean.... She hosted a great Christmas Day Brunch and I had to take something to her!

And a red sparkly one for my Mom's friend Pat... She loves the red and the sparkly!

I have some more colorways to work on this week. Would you like to make one for yourself or someone else? I promise, if you can hold a crochet hook, you can make this scarf! I started out by watching this tutorial on You Tube. I vary the stitches I pick up just a bit, depending on how flouncy I want the scarf to be. If I want it really flouncy I will pick up 12 stitches, less flouncy and I will do 9. I can make a scarf in about 20 minutes. Not bad for a new accessory. The yarn runs about $4.99.. but AC Moore and Michael's usually have it on sale for $3.99. Check out the video to get going on your own scarf!

This is a second video that I watched that really helped with beginning and ending the scarves. This video is very thorough with the demonstration and shows you what the scarves look like with different loops added.

I'll be back tomorrow with hopefully a tooth update (keep your fingers REALLY crossed) and another easy craft and recipe for New Year's!
Tootles y'all!
:) JKP

Summer Saturday!

Hey Y’all!

Well, we are winding down the school year. As of Monday I have 13 days left with this year’s class. I don’t know who is more ready for the summer, me or my kiddies!This week was better than last week. I think it has kind of sunk in that Aunt Alice is no longer with us. Last weekend was rough and very sad.

Y’all know that one of the things that I have been working on is learning to crochet. Aunt Alice could crochet and knit and I kind of wanted to make sure that someone in the family carried on that tradition. I have wanted to learn to crochet for a few years, but every time I tried to learn, my brain did not want to cooperate. The interesting thing is, my hands and fingers know exactly what to do with crochet. But my brain gets in the way. Finally after watching several videos on YouTube and Creative Bug, crochet clicked with  me. Last night I crocheted up a quick dishcloth.

Which I promptly frogged this morning when I looked at it. Here is take two, which I did in about 40 minutes this morning.

 

I have started on a second dishcloth using double crochet. It is turning out great! I have to keep reminding myself that I didn’t learn to knit over night. So I am trying to pace myself. What I love about crochet is that it is so stinking fast! I have found a baby blanket pattern that I want to crochet up for Pitty Pat. I knitted Zorro a blanket, so I think Pitty Pat needs his own too! I also have a friend who expecting a baby girl in September. When she had her first child, a boy, I knitted him a teddy bear hat for his newborn photo. Well, another teddy bear hat is needed, but the one my friend likes is crochet. So that kind of encouraged me to step up my game too! If you are interested in learning to crochet, check out  YouTube. There are several videos that are very helpful. And, start with a dishcloth as your first project. It works up in a flash!

I have also been spending some time at my favorite place. This was a photo I snapped last weekend. I thought about heading there today, but we are in the middle of a biker weekend here at the beach and I am not quite sure I want to fight the traffic. I think I may just hang at home on the back patio today. Ahh…. and next weekend is a three day weekend. Plenty of time for beach and sun!

On the way to school yesterday, I saw another cross in the sky. I stopped and took a picture of it. I am not sure why I am seeing all of these things in the sky. But, I try to take pictures of them as I see them!

Alrighty. I am off to eat some lunch and hang with Pitty Pat. Then I have to go and buy a Powerball ticket. A girl’s gotta dream!

I hope y’all are having a great weekend!

Tootles!

JKP