Resolutions

First let me say that I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas. I had a very nice one, Santa got me my very own laptop ! A few other small things, perfume, clothes, all things that I needed.

Okay, now onto the resolutions............................
In years gone by I've made tons of different resolutions, I'll stop picking my nails, I'll eat better and exercise more, I'll diet. Of course I could go on and on, but needless to say at some point in the year (usually january) those resolutions were broken one by one.

So this year I've decided to make one that really shouldn't be too hard, I resolve to be more caring and nicer, especially to those that are closest to me. That's it, that's my resolution for 2007, just one, but one that I feel should make everyone's life a bit better. And maybe, just maybe by making only one resolution I'll be able to keep it.

Wishing you and all of your loved ones a very happy new year, one that is filled with good health, love and laughter.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all................................

I'm a Tree !

Since I only have a couple of minutes to post, I decided to this would be a good post. Thanks Deneen.

You Are a Tree

You love every part of the holidays, down to the candy canes and stockings. And you're goofy enough to put a Christmas tree ornament on your tree!

What Christmas Ornament Are You?

What Some Walnuts ?

Here's some nuts...................

There's some nuts....................

Everywhere some walnuts................

Trust me there are even more walnuts, all over my kitchen counters. This is how I spent my morning, and mmmmmmmmm,mmmmmmmmmm, my house smells sooo good. But now I have to go package them up, some for the neighbors, some for the mailman, some for people Ralph works with, some more for family and friends. Gotta get it done, 'cause Santa Clause is comin' to town !

A Little Bit of Christmas

I thought I'd share some photos of our little tree. Here it is all 4 feet of it, on top of my sideboard, well out of the way of playing dogs.



Another one of "little tree", this time with the flash off. Isn't it cute ?

A few of Rudolph's friends. Can you name them all ?

Rudolph, his girl friend and the miner. Do you know their names ?

And last but not least Santa and the rest of the gang.

Stay tuned for photos of my even smaller tree that's in the kitchen and also outdoor decorations.

HO HO HO

Happy Monday !

I can't believe it's Monday morning already ! The weekend just flew by. The weather was absolutely beautiful, sunny and warm, warm that is for the Pittsburgh area in December. Saturday my brother and I went to my sister's 'new' house with her and ripped up some orange, wall to wall carpeting. We tried to convince her that the orange was very retro and retro is 'in', she wasn't buying it. After all was said and done, she can't use just the beautiful hardwood floor. The previous owner had nails in every board on every stud, no creaks, but you can't have just the hardwood.

Ralph and I did some power Christmas shopping for each other. A couple years ago we decided instead of each of us going out separately and getting each other clothes, perfume, jewelry and that sort of thing, that we would go shopping together and get things we really want. So Ralph got a new 42" plasma TV for the computer room, which we now have renamed the 'media center'. I got, are you ready, I'm soooooooo excited, a laptop ! No, I'm not using it right now. I just attempted to hook up the wireless router and I need an ethernet cable. We have one here at the house but I don't know where Ralph put, so I have to wait until he gets home. I also got a few comfy, casual, velour pants and jacket sets.

Now all I have to do is crochet a couple more potholders and dishcloths, make my sweet spiced nuts and I'm done with all of my Christmas stuff. Then I'll have more time for crocheting scarves for the Red Scarf Project .

Gotta get to the grocery store..................

I'm Issuing a Challenge

I found out about the Red Scarf Project from the latest Crochetme Newsletter and would like to issue a challenge to everyone that reads my blog. It doesn't start until January, so there's plenty of time to get all of your holiday stuff done. Scarves can be whipped up very quickly, you can get one or even two done in an evening.
You may be wondering if I'm issuing this challenge because I'm adopted, the answer is no, I'm the youngest of 6. However, there are 3 people in my family that were orphaned and were lucky enough to be adopted. The first became part of the family almost 4o years ago (yikes), my oldest brother(#1) married a girl that had been orphaned, fast forward about 20 years and another brother (#2) adopted a little girl that was orphaned, fast forward again about 17 years and the son and wife of brother #1 adopted a little boy(he'll be 3 in may) that was also orphaned. All 3 were lucky enough to be adopted, but there are so many that aren't and with just a few hours of your time and a little yarn you can make them feel loved.
So consider yourself Challenged, I hope you participate.

It Comes In Fours Meme

from: Deneen


Deneen tagged me a few days ago, so here goes........................


Things You May Not Have Known About Me

Four jobs I’ve had in my life:
1. attendant at a "Wash, Dry and Fold" laundromat (one of the grosses things you could ever do, but hey, I needed the money)
2. cashier
3. floral arranging (loved this job, it just didn't pay enough)
4. banking, new accounts and lending

Four movies I would (and do) watch over and over:
1. Brigadoon (an oldie but a goodie)
2. Hook
3. Michael
4. Steel Magnolias

Four places I have lived:
1. Winter Springs, Fl.
2. Longwood, Fl.
3. Sanford, Fl.
4. Glassport, PA

TV shows I love (or would love) to watch:
1. ER ( i've been watching since episode one of season 1)
2. Grey's Anatomy
3. Desperate Housewives
4. Boston Legal

Four Places I have been on Vacation:
1. Daytona Beach
2. St. Augustine
3. Ocean City
4. All of the New England states except Maine (did a driving vacation to see them, too little time to make Maine)

Four of my favorite foods:
1. CHOCOLATE (the darker the better)
2. chicken
3. vanilla ice cream
4. Lays potato chips

Four of my favorite books :
1. Spencerville, by Nelson Demille
2. Upcountry, by Nelson Demille
3. The Notebook, by Nicholas Sparks
4. Message in a Bottle, by Nicholas Sparks

So now you know everything there is to know about me.

Support Our Troops

I'm passing along an email that my sister sent me this morning. I've already done this, it can be done more than once and I'm hoping that you may take a minute of your time and send one too. Thanks.


Something cool that Xerox is doing: If you go to this website, www.letssaythanks.com can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it, and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq. You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to some member of the armed services. How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one!!! This is a great site. Please send a card. It is FREE and it only takes a second. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the soldiers received a bunch

Wow, It's Been Over A Week !!

I know, I've been a bit lax on my blogging this past week, but I've got a lot accomplished. Just scroll down and look at all of the pictures.

My nephew was here for Thanksgiving, (acutually he arrived on Tuesday and left on Sunday), he loves thrift stores and I think I might start to visit them a little more often myself. I got all of this yarn for $6.50 ! All of it is 100% wool, the cream colored is Turbo Swilan from Switzerland and the grey, oops I mean siver birch (10 skeins all of the same dye lot) is Columbia-Minerva Icelandia. So when all of my holiday crocheting is done, some of this is going to be slippers for me.


Okay, then I received these beautiful stitch markers in the mail, they were from the swap at Fiber Freaks . I love, love, love them !

Next, I made these to send to my swap partners, sorry for the bad photo I was in a rush. These took me a bit of time, as they were my first attempt at stitch markers. It was really fun making them and I plan on making more !

Another package arrived in the mail for me and it was my teddy bear from the swap at Crochet Depot

I finished up the bear for my partner and packaged it up with a couple other things and sent him on his way.

I also decided I needed a new purse and I wanted it felted or fulled (whichever term you prefer). All of the patterns I could find didn't have a flap to close the purse, something that I really think is needed. So I messed around and came up with the purse below. It's made using Cascade 220, the color in the photo didn't come out very well, it's one of the tweeds. It reminds me of cinnamon toast, so I guess this is my Cinnamon Toast Bag.

Next, I needed to get a scarf done for my sister-in-law for a gift. Below is a pattern that is in the 2007 Crochet Pattern A Day Calendar, it's the Snuggly Scarf and the pattern is by Deneen . It's done with Lion Brand Homespun and it works up amazingly fast and looks great.

So now that her scarf was done it was time to dig into some of my "yarn haul" stuff and work on a scarf for my sister. Again, I couldn't find a pattern that I really liked, I wanted something that would show the "fuzziness" of the yarn. So I fiddled around and came up with the scarf below. It's "Sis's Scarf"

Here's a little close up , it's difficult to tell, but the "fuzziness factor" remains.

I've also begun a scarf for my brother and should have it done this weekend.

Besides crafting, I made Thanksgiving dinner, including 2 pumpkin pies ( yeah, i know they're quick and easy) , a pumpkin spice cake and a triple chocolate cake.

So you see, even though I haven't been blogging, I've been keeping busy. Now I gotta get back to the laundry........