Say Amen

This started out kinda of strange. I wanted to make a simple hat for someone and I wanted to use yarn from the stash I already have. I went through my bins and decided to try something with Lion Brand Incredible and Vanna's Choice. I absolutely love the way these two work together. This is the perfect marriage, I couldn't have chose two better yarns to blend. The Incredible has beautiful shades of brown, pink and gold. The Vanna's Choice being rust blended perfectly. The Incredible, because it's a ribbon/tape has a bit of sheen that just catches the light and shines. The way the light it the yarn every now I was able to see a special speck of light which guided me in a different direction. I was 'inspired' to create this hat for a totally different person and I couldn't convince myself to do otherwise so I went with it and came up with the 'Say Amen' hat.

With a completed hat I thought something is still missing...a purse! So I dug in my bag of tricks and didn't have anymore of the Vanna's Choice in rust, oh no!!! Since I have had this yarn for some time I was worried I wouldn't be able to find anymore of it. So I went to Jo-Ann's with my fingers crossed and was supposed to find plenty of it! So I came home and made the 'Say Amen' clutch. I used the same yarns to make a crocheted button rather than trying to find a button to go with it.

This set, though winter is almost over, YIPPEE!!!!! I think the colors are perfect fall/winter colors. The photo of the hat almost reminds me of pumpkin pie. It could be that I'm hungry, it's past noon and I haven't eaten a thing today.

The set will end up going to a pastors wife that I really like. She already wears just lovely fashions including hats and purses that match. To me, this is a good set to add to her collection. hope she likes it.

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Sunday Best hat

I finally came up with a hat that I think works with the Sunday Best Coat I made. Because I don't have any dolls to use I keep looking up meaurements on the Internet and I think I finally found something that works. It still looks too big to me and if I change the hook size it looks too small so I guess I have to wait until Fall 2010 to see it fits. I think I'll be able to adjust it a bit if it doesn't fit. All in all, very cute outfit.

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Express Script...What a joke

Whose bright idea was express script? So what I'm saving money on my prescription, not if I can't get it delivered so I can take it...HELLO!!!!! What a joke! The csp's talk to you like you're 6 yrs old and never have answers to your questions.
I went to the doctor Saturday, watched the doctor fill out the info and fax my prescription over before I left. Five days later, I didn't even count Sunday, I'm expecting an email saying my script has at least been processed and is on the way...nothing. I go to the website to check my order status and there is no indication that a prescription has been ordered so I call. I'm told that the pharmacist has questions about the prescription and it can't be processed until then. What is there to question? It's the same prescription, no dosage change or anything. Why not indicate in an email that there is an issue?
Eventually I'll get a three-month supply...one day before I have a stroke. I thought pressure pills were supposed to control your blood pressure!!! Ohhhhh, that's right, they do but only if you TAKE THEM!!! What should I do, order every month so that I have a year's worth and never have to run out. That won’t work why, because then they'd say, "It's too soon to order another supply".
GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE IS SO HARD TO FIND.
If you work for express script, TOO BAD!!!! Your service stinks!!!! Let me give you all my info and you can handle me personally every time. Then maybe my opinion will change! What's that? Can't do that can you? FREAKING WASTE OF MY TIME AND LIFE! Thanks a lot Goodwill!!


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Sometimes I feel like a nut

Yeah, those goofy mary-jane slippers that I messed, they are complete with pompoms added and I love them! So, when I feel like a nut, my feet will look nutty too.

Some mistakes are worth it!

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Sides does matter

After taking a huge break from my craft and finally finding my way back, I am learning/discovering more and more about the craft. I have wondered if sides really, really matter, particularly in crochet. I would crochet something and just be glad to be done and have a garment that fits. Now that I am taking the craft more serious, I want that reflected in my hard work.

The Mary-Jane slippers that I just made definitely show that sides do matter.
Exhibit A, my completed Mary Jane slippers…yeah!!

If you look at the contrasting color in the left and right slippers (top is left, bottom right) you can clearly see that sides do matter. I'm showing a close-up shot of where I had to sc2tog. The top (left) has a much smoother look because the new color was added with the garment facing in the right direction. I am not real clear on exactly where I went wrong but being able to see the problem will make me more aware as I make future garments. The problem, most likely is not practicing what I preach (see previous post).
Even with this issue, I have finished the Mary-Janes. I know I will be making more in the near future. Only thing left is finding cute little buttons to put on them. It's definitely easy to make 3-4 pair in a day, depending on your schedule.

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Practice what you preach!!

A lesson hard learnt for so many of us. I teach and constantly have to say things like: Follow instructions, Attention to detail, Read the entire sentence. But many times when I am working on a project, following someone else’s instructions, I need someone over my shoulder telling me the same thing. Yesterday I started on a, what is supposed to be, simple pair of Mary-Jane slippers. A one-day project for most people but not me. Why? Because I don't practice what I preach. I had to ripped this simple little slipper sole two times and then switch to a smaller hook because I could see the sole was way to long. It was looking more like a skinny scarf than the sole of a slipper. So I finally got the sole where I was comfortable and continued. Even though my slipper was arched like a boat and pointed at the toe and the heel, I pressed on. The whole time I'm thinking to myself, hmmm this would probably work better as single crochet but I pressed on. When I got to the very last row I decided, what the heck, I'm shaking things up and doing a row of single crochet. DONE!!!!

Hmmmm, I'm scratching my head. Something ain't right! My slipper looks like an elf shoe! I went back on ravelry and took a look. No one else’s look like elf shoes So I decided to have a good look at the directions again. Maybe I worked too many rows of dc…nope that wasn't it. And then, bam!!! Right in front of my eyes! I feel like Homer Simpson. Duh, the English version, I do believe I am American, says that I should be doing SINGLE CROCHET!!! It really does pay to practice what you preach.

So here you can see the entire episode of starting with the sole, working up the sides, adding the border and there you have it...Keebler Elf! What to do now? I decided to make the best of it. I'm going to make another one exactly the same way and put pom-poms on the toes. What fun!!
Then I'll get back to business and make them the way they are supposed to be made. And this time, I'll practice what I preach.

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Just Plain Frilly

Enough of this darn snow, right? My last posting I spoke about 3hrs of digging snow and how smart it was. Having the whole week off of work made it easy for me to relax and recoup since I couldn't even get to the doctor for pain pills. Thankfully, I worked as a Physical Therapy Aide for seven and half years so I know how to apply heat/ice and stretch out my muscles.

There was also time to work out a new project. I wanted to make a blankie for our new family member and I wanted it to be something a little different. I've never done the diagonal stitch so I figured this would be a good time to try. I'm not sure if I started it right because I just ripped until I was happy with the way it was coming out. Remember, I hurt my back so running back and forth to the computer wasn't an option. Once I got a size that I liked, may not be right because I didn't have any measurement to go by, I needed a border. I wanted something with lots of lacing and maybe some ruffling. I did search for that and found Kim Guzman's friendship squares with a really nice border. It had pretty much everything I wanted and some so I tweaked it a bit to get the look I wanted; basically adding more chains did the trick. All the extra chains and the way I changed my colors gave me enough of the ruffle effect that I wanted. It's just plain frilly.

Since the baby is due in May this blanket is more useful for bedding decor rather than for wrapping baby but I love it anyway and I'm sure Mommy will love it too, right Kiana? I'm glad we have a break from the snow because now I can get out and get a look at the spring/summer yarns for something that the baby wont have to wait to wear.

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We got a little snow

Just a little bit of a snowfall, don't you agree. The snow is so high in my window sills I could hardly see out. This is a shot from my kitchen window. I think it was actually a bit higher but the wind probably blew it down.

I took a shot from the front door as well. Look how preeeeetty!! There is actually a step down to the sidewalk which you can't even see. The walk to my car will be about knee deep. That's my baby right in front of the door shivering. The door on the passenger side is just about up to the door handles. On the driver's side it's higher due to wind drifts; digging out is going to be a bear.

My balcony, on the other hand, reminds me of a beach scene for some reason. I pulled the blinds all the way and sat watching, wishing I was in my hotel room looking over the balcony.

Across the way the neighbors have begun to dig out. Looks like the plows have gotten to the street behind me but not the street in front of my house. I live on a circle so I'm trying not to shoot arrows. I have to remember today is only Saturday, they'll get to us tomorrow. There was one single guy out digging out his car as you can see but I missed him. Notice what's happening though. The snow is being piled into the middle of the parking lot. There are cars on the other right side as well. I already know what's going to happen, the snow plow is going to come through and push a lot of this snow off the sides and block this car right back in unless it's leaving right away.

I choose to stay in and stay warm today since I feel like I'm coming down with a cold. I did make so snow ice cream though!!! I cut back on the vanilla and added green tea to mine. It was yummy and made my teeth chatter. LOL The best part of a weekend like this is sleeping and knitting and sleeping and eating and sleeping and sleeping. Oh, did I forget to mention sleeping.

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