What is on your hook?

 It is almost impossible to put myself in crochet timeout!  I hate having more than one project going at a time.  I usually have to be strategic in whatever I choose to make because I tend to get bored. Thats why the Stitch Sampler is perfect, until the end that it is due to the rows being so long. 

I do not know whether I should start with the newest project started or the one I just finished.  Okay, okay, okay the one I finished first wins!  I started my Granny Ripple (project #1) I believe back in April.  I have struggled with it as I got very bored.  I pushed and pushed to get it done.  So last week I finished the body of the blanket and then busted out the border yesterday.  Yay shes done and shes the first completed Christmas present!!!
         

I also started an Infinity Scarf for myself about two weeks ago. I ran out of yarn and just picked up some more the other day.  I am using RedHearts Boutique Treasure color:Abstract Lot: 68000
I am loving this! I am even more excited to wear something I made.  I will not give it away or sell it, I do not care how much someone else loves or likes it.  I will not do it this time!


I am also working on something for my swap partner.  I am out of yarn at the moment, so it is at a stand still until I make it to the store.  I am sure that some of you can feel my pain!  I have three stores I could get yarn from.  A.C. Moore (it seems to be my favorite and closest), Michaels ( I do not live super close to one anymore) and Wal-Mart( I would rather die).  A.C. Moore has the RedHeart Soft that I am using for my Swap, but does not have the Boutique Treasure...GRRRR!

The newest project and the third(#3) Christmas present I started yesterday! I know its only July, but I wanna make sure I get the four items that I want done are completed.
       

If you noticed I said third.  The second project I started, I liked it in the beginning.  Twice now I have come up with another way to work with what I have and to give it to its intended new owner.  I have yet to play with it and work on it.  I did come up with another idea this morning and I will see what I can do.  Project #3 will be done before #2.  I still have no idea what I will be doing for #4.



   

Home...

I am so excited right now that I think someone else's  A.D.D. has set into my body.  Some of you know that I am originally from Oregon, was born and raised there.  I left when I was 18 and have gone back for visits on occasion and a family emergency that had me there for three years.  My family is all over the place and the circumstances for my last couple of visits were not for pleasure.  Its been a year and a half since I was last home.  I set my trip up this morning, cheap flight + cheap car rental= happy me!!!

As I have grown older I have a new respect for my home state.  I miss the rain, the green trees, camping, swimming in the lakes, the embrace of the mountains and my family/friends.  Each time I go home I am the one always running around trying to see people.  It is so hard and this time I am going to try and have it not be that way.  I plan on spending a couple nights with my nieces and nephew.  I am thinking of taking them to Multnomah falls or Astoria.  I plan on seeing my twin nephews while home and not sure what my options are there.  The majority of my cousins are in and around my home town, as well as my grandfather and a couple uncles.  See where this is going? 

While I am there I would like to as I mentioned above visit Multnomah Falls, visit the Coast, take a drive up to the mountains where I use to camp, check on the Carousel that is being built in my hometown.  I cannot forget Voo-DooDonuts! They are out of this world and they have my favorite maple bar with bacon as the special topping.  I already feel rushed...Grrr!  I got the best fair for only seven days.  I wanted to go for 9 and it was not happening.  Most importantly I get to see my family.

Where is the Sandman???

     I love a good nights rest....who doesn't?  Lately I have  not been able to sleep and I really want to.  I need the Sandman to come back!  Have you heard of the Sandman?  If you have not let me try and explain the folklorish character from my childhood.  When I was a child my parents were either really creative or just typical parents who tell you stuff (lies) and then you grow and realize everything you thought was true was not so.  I like to think of it as them being creative and I am lucky to have those fond memories. 

     When I was little I remember waking up at some point and my mom brushing the crusty grit sand sand like grain out of the corner of my eye.  I remember asking her what it was and why I had it in my eye each morning.  She told me it was because the Sandman had visited me as he does each night.  I remember being old enough to know that it was not okay to let some stranger into the house at night and why would my parents let him put sand in my eyes.  I always pictured the Sandman as an old man, grandfatherish.  She said the sand was to put me to sleep and I remember waking up each morning to see if he had been to visit and he had.  I wish he would come and visit me. 

     I am not sleeping probably because I have too many things running through my mind.  As I have gotten older I have noticed that I get excited over anything new and fun in my life.  I know, I know you are thinking there is nothing wrong with being excited.  I use to think so as well, but now I cannot shut things down at night.  I am constantly thinking about all the things I want to do, make and the places I want to visit.  I have been crocheting like crazy, my list is endless.  I wish I had eight sets of arms and then maybe, just maybe I could complete more. 

     Lastnight I was working on my swap project and it finally is starting to look like I am making progress. I figure if I keep doing at least two rows a night for  maybe a week if that I will be done!  I dropped off my application lastnight to become a Notary Public at my local Senators office.  This is not a big deal but a little exciting.  Then of course there is my car issue.  My car is in the shop today and hopefully does not cost too much.  It could possibly be the flex pipe.  You are probably thinking what is a flex pipe? Well its the piece underneath in the front that gives your car that give when you bottom out, hit a pot hole or something hard.  Nothing like unexpected repairs!  I am just happy to know that when things seem to be low and not good, someone else has it worse unfortunately.  I am grateful for what I do have and for those that I can control. 

Being Productive...

I love to crochet more than anything in the world.  It relaxes me and it is all I wanna do.  It is constantly on my mind. I am always thinking about what I wanna make, the yarn I will use, how fast can  I get it done and most importantly who should I give it to?  I like most of you, always have a project that I can take with me.  I have such a big stash, I can actually say I have a big stash.  I honestly did not think it was so big, until  my mom came to visit and did her motherly cleaning and organizing because she didn't know how to relax.  So now all of my yarn is sorted by color!  I know I know you are thinking great! By color is great right?  Well not always, but I can deal!  It is nice because if I want pink I can go up to my personal store, open a drawer and its all right there. 

I have been trying like crazy to make blankets or anything to reduce the yarn.  I have made two in less than two months.  It barely made a dent.  I now have more small balls and am not throwing them out.  I have a special tin that I plan to put them all in.  We all love small balls of yarn.  Don't you hear it?  SCRAPGHAN!!!!!  Not now, but one day. 

I did mention being productive...I have been finishing up my granny stripe. I feel like it has taken me forever and a day.  I am not done with it persay, but the end is near.  I am done building the blanket itself.  I am now running in the endless ends and then will be able to do the border.  I am currently taking a break, because I hate ends. Unless someone would like a job, I will hire you to run in the ends!  No joke, I am dead serious! Since I do not have enough of the left over yarn for the border I have started making these squares from Heathers site.  I have loved those since I first laid eyes on them.  I was also thinking of doing this.  I think the Elmer may win this round!

 This past saturday I decided that I was going to make something for myself and chose to make an infinityscarf.  I found some new to me yarn.  Red Hearts Boutique Treasure, color is Abstract and dye lot 68000.  I love it. I have to buy more so I can finish it.  I am also a part of a scarf swap on Ravelry.  I just found the pattern and yarn for that project yesterday!  This time I am not sending internationally and it is stateside.  My person is actually maybe an hour tops away from me.  Whats nice is that I am making something that I have never made before, for her and myself. 

Its done!

Dontcha just love the feeling of accomplishment? I sure do, with all the crocheting I do it seems like I never finish anything.  I shouldn't day I never do cause I don't have too many wips around here at all.  Its hard to remember what I made, when I finished and sometimes who I gave it to. 

This beauty is for someone close to me, I don't dare say as I am not sure if she has stumbled onto my blog yet.  Today I get to teach the art of crochet to a group of 12 girls.  I started on Tuesday and it was a lot of fun.  The idea of teaching someone to crochet is kind of nerve racking.  I have done it before...it has been awhile since I have attempted a group.  I would say maybe between 4 and 6 of the 12 girls have the hang of it.  I am afraid of failing...I really shouldn't be so hard on myself, but I think we all are.  I will keep ya posted!

Busy, busy, busy

I have been working on another sampler and as of this morning I officially have 5 more rows to go and I am done!  I am so excited to give her away! The best part is that her new owner has no idea.  Don'tcha just love surprises?  I know I do, I live for them!  This is the second sampler I have made, the first one was done in 2weeks and 2days.  I started the new one within minutes of finishing the first one.  This one has taken me a little longer, 1 month and 8 days!  I love playing with colors and even more how they play out in a blanket.  I could potentially finish this girl up tonight and once I do I am back to working on my granny stripe.  

I have neglected her for sometime, I am sure I will have to do some sweet talking and I hope she comes around.  She is more than half way done and is a Christmas present!  Again I love surprises!  It seems as though everyone around me wants a blanket.  I cannot make them fast enough. Does this happen to you?  Of course I have two no-no three other blankets going aside from the granny stripe.  I have my ripple that is 3/4 of the way done (this is for me), another present possibly started and I do not like it as much as I thought. Or rather I decided it is WAY too boring for the person it was intended for.  The last is another also for me. In all the years I have been crocheting I have never made anything for myself.   Is this the same for you?  Needless to say I have to get these WIPS done!

A few years ago I had the opportunity to volunteer at an after school program. This school was in an undesirable area and the kids were off the wall crazy!  I guess I would be too if I felt like I was being locked in a cage.  The schools in Newark, NJ are very strict on who comes into the schools and they are serious about the safety of their children.  So in most cases there are some sort of bars or grated like panels on the windows.  So anyhoo, I went once or twice a week and taught a group of third to fifth graders.  They were a lot like me in the sense that they were looking for instant gratification!  They wanted that yarn to VOILA into dishrag or something!  I think one or two really got something out of it.  I then realized that even though I was there to teach them how to do something new, I got more out of the experience than they did.  I learned more about patience & listening.  

With that I was asked last night if I would like to teach an older group of girls how to crochet at a summer camp. Even though she is my bestfriend(Kelly), she still asked me if I would like to do this.  I love to crochet and think I do an okay job, but never really think that I am good enough to teach, but I was so excited!    

Kelly works for a company called PCCI, and I have also done many things with her as a volunteer and as the best friend.  I was a tutor and a coordinator of my own program.  I cannot wait and will definitely be posting pictures!

Hello...hello...hellooooo! I cannot believe it has been over two months since my last post.  Let's see that was back on May 1st and oh wow I was quite busy!  I had just finished up a visit with my mom, I was getting ready to graduate( surprise to me, I graduated Magna Cum Laude) and about to leave for my cruise.  I cannot believe I have not updated!  

My boyfriend A and I cruised to Bermuda, St. Maarten, San Juan and Labadee.  I had never cruised before and cannot believe that a year or so prior I was actually considering working on one of these monsters!  For those who have never been on a cruise, it is basically a city on water!  We ate everything in site and whenever we wanted basically.  My favorite thing to eat for breakfast was the tator-tots, an ok version of biscuits and gravy, eggs and bacon.  I was in heaven.  Every night you have the option to eat in the formal dining room or the Wind Jammer Cafe which is where you eat throughout the day and is very casual.  A and I ate in the formal dining room maybe 3x.  We did not care for the people we sat with, we tried but did not work.  I had an amazing tan as the sun out there is much stronger.  

Bermuda- The water was sooo cold, let me clarify, colder than I had anticipated.  I later found out because it is further north.  The beach was beautiful. A was reluctant to get off the ship, he was in a new place and watches too much Locked-up Abroad.  So he would have been happy to stay on the ship or be tied to it like a dog.  You see I am very adventurous, I want to see everything, be everywhere and just do it.  He knew this before we left, as a matter of fact he knew this as soon as I booked the cruise. I laid down the law and he said he was cool.  Hmph... : /  So yes, yes back to Bermuda, she was beautiful.  We did not partake in any of the excursions that the cruise line offered.  We winged it everywhere we went.  Here we bought day passes for the local bus and made our way to Horseshoe Bay.   They drive on the other side of the street here so that was great to experience.  Bermudas beaches are known for their pink sand.  This is due to the coral being tossed all over the place over the years and presto! I did bring a little home, inexpensive souvenir.  We went to the Maritime Museum and spent a couple of hours there.  The water is absolutely beautiful.   Since my favorite color is turquoise I was in heaven.  

Of course while I was on my cruise I did a lot of gazing out to sea and the water is this amazing blue.  When you are out at sea it is this deep navy blue at times, and this other color that I am sure has a name.  So while I am taking in all the colors, I am planning my vacation blanket!  I see it being a ripple or the catherines wheel stitch.  So that is a possibility here in the future.  I took countless pictures of the water and its different shades and I have the sand.  Yes I did crochet on the boat and yes I did get some looks!  

Okay, okay, okay...St. Maarten was our second stop and we did some shopping here, saw "The Yoda Guy," and ended it by getting a couple loungers, an umbrella and some beers on the beach!  $1.50 beers made A extremely happy and I just kept encouraging him to drink, especially since the alcohol was super expensive on the boat.  The Yoda Guy know as Nick Maley lives there now and has a small shop/museum.  

 He was Yodas creator.  We walked in and he was the only one in there and never even looked up and said hello or anything.  On the beach here the locals walk up and down selling their goods.  It was hot and somewhat humid there and trust me wearing jeans or carrying lots of stuff was not in the cards for me! 

Here was my view once we made camp!

 

Did not matter where we were or what new and fun food was around...this is the only thing that made A happy!

I have so much to show still and other things to talk about.  I will come back later and talk about the next two ports.  However since I have been back I have been crocheting a lot and even started sewing again.  

I made a sampler afghan for a dear old friend.  Not only was it a great feeling making something new, but the joy you get when you give a gift like that to someone who is not expecting it and hearing their reaction.  We all get so busy in our daily lives that we forget that people about those who really care about us.  So she called me screaming with JOY!!!  It is not the greatest picture but here she is...still waiting for a picture of her with her new owner! I have even started another one for someone else.  I cannot wait to be done, almost there.  I swear I have ADHD when it comes to my crafts.  I am constantly seeing butterflies.  As I mentioned prior, I started sewing again.  I love to sew and it has been years.  I use to make clothes and what nots all the time.  I got into crocheting and sadly never looked back.  I am sure that some of you have seen the handmade pillowcases with the crochet edging like this 

These are made by a wonderfully talented woman named Beata at http://www.rosehip.typepad.com/

I have been watching these for awhile and then stumbled across Cassie at http://www.yougogirl.typepad.com/.  Now both of these women are phenomenal sewers like my grandmother.  I wish I could be as good.  So anyhoo...I go to craft fairs all the time and never buy anything because I ALWAYS say "I can make that!"  I never do, as I have not sewn in over 10 years.  So I could have easily made a set of these pillow cases, but I ended up having Cassie make a custom set for me.  She is so amazing to work with and she is all about  making you happy and nothing is final until you are happy.  Let me tell you I am sooooo happy!  Here is the picture Cassie took 

Here she is in her new home and not such good light 

She is one of two and just meeting her other life long partner! I thought they looked nice together!  I asked Cassie to do this because I did not think I would ever break out my machine since I crochet ALL the time.  I felt it was my duty to support my crafty sisters out there!  I got them and I had the sudden urge to sew.  I went and bought fabric and a few tools since all of it is at my Grams house.  I am very slow and so it took me a few hours, yes I said a few maybe more to sew one complete pillowcase.  I did it and it looks great, even has a pocket so the pillow does not show and so it will not fall out.  I still have to make the other one and crochet the edges.  I have multiple patterns for these cases and Cassie even has a tutorial here where she shows you over 4 wks.  

http://yougogirl.typepad.com/you_go_girl/2010/03/lets-get-ready-to-rumble.html

Luckily you do not have to wait.  You can find the pattern for the pillowcase with the flap on the web in a few places, but she has it all set for ya!  For those of you who do not sew, just do it! Contact her or Beata!  

Til next time, I promise promise promise to post sooner than soon!