I can share a picture now :)

I did the exchange thing again.... I can share a picture of what I made, 'cause the other lady got hers...

I like to play around with different colours when I make this, my favourite coaster pattern. I make them either all solid colours, or using the variegated thread, like I did for that purple one last month, or I have fun with changing colours.... :)

I'm finished the baby blankie - it will be having it's bath today - the baby was born on Saturday, two weeks early!! But that's fine, 'cause she can't come home just yet, 'cause she's so tiny. So the blankie will be ready and waiting for her.

I'm going to be doing something completely different.... I bought, some time ago, then misplaced in the craft room (no, you can't see pictures of the craft room, until I clean it up, but let's just say, you know those jokes/cartoons/sitcoms where someone opens a closet door, and the floor-to-ceiling pile falls on them? Well, then, you don't need to see a picture) a set of those "Knifty Knitter Looms". Why? Well.... See.....

Back when I was a little little kid, I used to get these cool gifts for Christmas. It seemed like, every year, I got a new one of the same thing (back then, it seemed like every year, but maybe only two or three in a row....) - I got "refill" kits of cake mixes etc. for those old "Easy Bake Oven" sets - don't recall ever getting an oven, but there are pictures of me with one.... but I know I got the mixes and stuff, and got to use the "real" oven to bake them.... I also got a "needlework basket" thing.... Came with some yarn, crochet hook (cheap plastic), knitting needles, yarn needle (again, cheap plastic), sometimes there was a weaving loom (step up from cardboard with slits cut in it) and almost always, a "cork". You might call it a "knitting knobby", or a "spool knitter" or an "icord maker" or - I know there are about a dozen names for it. But, I was taught it was a "cork" or sometimes "spool knitter" because back in those days, spools for holding sewing thread were made of wood, and you could put nails in one end, and have a spool knitter.... Anyway, I always got one of these things, but don't recall every using it, or even figuring out how to use it. I have vague recollections of being shown, but since I had learned needle knitting, didn't quite see the point in making this thin tube.....

Anyway - When I was attempting to show my oldest grand daughter a little about crafting, I bought her one of these "knitting knobby" things.... and realized, I didn't have a clue how to make it work..... Very embarrassing.... So, I had to buy myself one, so I could learn... After all, I pretty much have a good idea of the basics, of what is *supposed* to happen with one....

Enter the "Knifty Knitter Looms"....

I bought a set. Figured, Ok, so maybe if I go larger, I can figure this corking business out. I bought them, but of course, had/have so many other projects on the go, that I put them into the craft room, planning to get around to it later.....

Then, of course, there was the part where I went looking for patterns of what to make on the looms.......

What I found, well, amounted to patterns for hats. Baby hats. Preemie hats. Adult hats. Hats with fur. Hats without fur. Hats with pompoms. Kid's hats. Then, of course, was the other hats - purse (hat turned upside down). Teacozy - hat for a teapot. Socks - hats for feet. Really - think about it.... I could turn almost anything into a hat, lol.... Finally, though, some people began to figure out how to do scarves or blankets, and there are some non-round looms (aka knitting boards) that help....

So. Yesterday, someone shared a link, intending it to go to a crochet pattern, but it got me to a website for looming - and a kitty pattern. Not a hat at all!!!! So, that renewed my interest and earnest at spending some time sorting out the craft room - and I found my looms!!!!!!!!

Guess what my next project will be?

By the way - I have nothing against hats, or people who make hats, but it just isnt' something that I'm likely to do more than once or twice - I mean, I only got one head, first of all. Second, I don't wear hats - almost never. I did finally find one crocheted hat pattern that I like. But I wear earmuffs. I like to needle knit hats for DH. He has one that I made him, that he really likes. And he only has one head, as well. The grandkids - well, besides the fact that they are growing, they only got one head each, and they are still young enough to lose hats - I could never keep up. So, when they are older, I'll make them each a hat if they want one.... But it will likely be needle knit.

I just wanted to try out the KK looms for fun... and because I'm just obsessive enough that I *need* to learn how to use a tool that should be so simple a child can use it (the original cork thing) but I can't seem to!! I won't be beaten!!!!

Tomorrow, I'll post again.... I'll be taking a pic of the baby blanket, for one thing, and I want to tell you all what else I found....

Progress - I'm making it... LOL....

I have been working on just a couple things. I didn't want to end up being rushed, so I've been working hard on the baby blanket. I now have only the borders to do - one round sc, one dc, two rounds of post stitches, finish off with one round sc.

When I've gotten tired of working on it, or when the kitties look like they might be spoiling it... I work on the February snowflakes. I've got five of eight done....

You can see that I haven't woven in the tails yet, or blocked them.... :) But, I've made them... When I get all eight done, I'll do the tails, and block....

What else have I been up to? Not a lot.... Dh took time off this weekend. We went out for supper on Saturday, for his birthday... he didn't enjoy it at all. Sadly....

I mailed some stuff that I'd made on Friday - can't post pics just yet... gotta wait until they've arrived, so I don't spoil any surprises ;). BUT - I was surprised.... I had to fill out customs forms for the stuff heading south. Used to be, that I only had to do that if the envelope or "puffy" was too puffy, and went parcel post instead of regular. Now, though, the rules have changed... any non-paper item has to be claimed....

Well.... Can't think of much else.... today is errand day, because I didn't get out yesterday with DH underfoot and all...

Snowflakes....

A few people have commented about those snowflakes that I did... :) I appreciate all the compliments.... Also, people are asking where I got the patterns - so.... here is how I got them:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/snowflakes88

This year, the list mom decided to post 8 patterns a month, for 11 months.... then, if we all keep up, we will have 88 snowflakes by the end of November. I thought that was a cool idea - it is a crochet along, so I know I have encouragement if I need it; 8 snowflakes is easy enough to do at a time - there are usually four weeks to a month, so 2 a week, they are small, fairly easy, quick, portable - very doable; and 88 is a LOT of snowflakes, so, if for some reason I choose to opt out for a month or so, I'll still have a lot of flakes for my tree :)

I have a question for some of you reading this, who are more experienced bloggers... When one of you posts a comment, and asks a question, if I answer it in the comments section, do you get notified? Or should I keep answering in totally new posts like this?

Well, DH is home today and Monday, since it is his BD tomorrow (and he has six weeks of holiday time a year, plus two weeks of holiday time leftover from last year!) so I'm going to be limited on my 'puter time.... So, I'll leave you all with the picture that I couldn't load the other day - - - -

Pics, Projects, and Piss-offs....

In reverse order: I'm pissed off. At Yahoo. Photos.

I have an album site. I like the way they've set it up now. The new version. Much nicer looking. Easier to navigate. Easier to arrange photos. I like drag-and-drop stuff.

What I didn't like, was uploading a bunch of pictures, telling people I uploaded a bunch of pictures, then finding out accidently that no one could see any of the pictures I uploaded recently, or that any of the albums I made for better organization of my pictures could be seen. So, even the "older" pictures, that *used to be* public, became invisible as soon as I put them in nice neat organized new albums....

Snarl.....

I found it out by accident, because normally, I am either already signed in with Yahoo for group maintenance, or I sign in right away to upload pictures.... Somehow, though, I noticed something didn't seem right before I signed in..... Took me two days to figure out how to make everything public.... So... If you've been looking at my Yahoo album, 'cause I've said I updated it, and you didn't see anything good - well, try again.... It should all be fixed now. You'll find the link over on the side ----- >>>

Projects: I'm almost finished a square for a comfort ghan. I just have a few more rows to do.... I am finished coasters for an exchange - except for weaving in ends. But that will be done today, no problem. I am over the half-way mark for the baby afghan. And I completed a tote bag....










This is my first ever crocheted aran pattern. I've seen a lot of them out there, but I like knit aran patterns. I was shying away from the crochet variety.... Now that I've made one, I like it :) I might even make more!!

So - I know it is old news... but want to see pictures of the poor ol' truck? Back when it was injured? And how it looked after it came home from the "doctor"?












So, you can see - that really, it wasn't a "big" accident - and no one obviously would be injured - but it *did* push that fender back so that the passenger door couldn't be opened - too much pressure at the hinge. Not to mention, the headlight pointing in the air....

Now, the poor truck - been working "overtime" this winter - having its share of troubles.... mostly cold related.... ended up with a flat tire while sitting in the yard.... then one morning, the clutch pedal froze up - stuck in..... probably all the hydraulic fluid was near frozen....

Both of those problems have been settled... new tire.... topped up fresh fluid.... plus the fact that even though the miserable cold weather is still with us, it isn't as bad as that one morning.....

Now...it has been a while since I did kitty pictures - you've seen recent pics of the puppies.... I bought this thing, some years ago, a "kitty hammock".... I was hoping that Roxy would use it, instead of stealing my chair. I do have a photograph of her using it once (though she did use it more than once) but sadly, once the novelty wore off, she went back to sleeping in whatever chair I wanted to sit in.... Well, after a while, it was just "in the way", so I had dismantled it for a while. I recently brought it out again, and the girls use it a lot.... There seems to be some competition between them for the "best" sleeping spots.... Where ever one is, the other one needs to be..... Usually, it is Ashleigh who ends up turfing Mica out of a sound, comfortable, sleep..... But, sometimes.....



They actually get along......

And they will share. :)

Ahh, shoot..... I hate it when I am tooting right along, uploading photos, then suddenly ..... NOTHING!!!!

So, to pass the time.... Ashleigh lost her collar. Haven't found it in any of the usual places - so it either got lost in the basement while on a bug hunt (or mouse hunt), or it fell off in the craft room. Either way - it was far easier to buy a new one for her. So, she has a new blue collar - same colour as her old one. I figured, since I was getting a collar for Ash, that I might as well replace Mica's collar, too... Her old one is two years old, and is somewhat stretched out.... So.... Mica now has one in a much nicer colour than her old one. When I bought her first collar, The stock on the shelves was low, and I could either get really dumb looking decorated ones, or the greenish turquoise one that she had.... you can kind of see it up there - right hand side.... Anyway, her new one is pink - the colour I would have got in the first place for her if I could have :)

I'm going to give one more shot at trying to load the last picture I wanted to share... of both girls together..... Guess you have to wait until next time.....Sorry..... I think there must be some sort of limit on how many bits or bytes or whatever you can upload.....

Bank phoned me yesterday.....

But first, let me try..... YES!!!!! I made these items for a gift exchange way back in December.... LOL....I also made a dishcloth for one of the groups....let's see if it loads....

Hurray.... :) LOL....

Ok, now... about that phone call....it wasn't good news. But I guess, in some ways, it was. But it was upsetting - disturbing, I guess.

They were cancelling my bank card.

Not because I shop too much - though that wouldn't surprise me!! But for my own safety.

Seems there is this scam - crooks have made some sort of device that they attach to a debit machine or automated teller, that copies the information coded on the magnetic strip on your card. I've seen those on the news - along with all the other identity theft stuff. Anyway - crooks have been using these card reader things, to copy info, then they either watch or video tape you coding in your information, and then they create "new" cards and gain access to your hard earned money. Well, to other peoples' hard earned money.....

'pparently, the police recovered one of these devices, and notified the banks of the cards to be pirated.... The banks notified the card owners.... Thankfully, the theives either weren't able to get my code (I've always been careful) or they just hadn't gotten around to using it - either way, none of our money was taken, and the card is now useless.

I am quite grateful to the police for doing their job, and to the bank for their quick response and action in this matter. However, I'm left with a creepy feeling - I mean, most places now - you swipe your own card, and I would definitely notice if the device looked different. And, I rarely if ever use an ATM anymore. And, the bank couldn't tell me exactly where or when my card was pirated, only that it could have happened any time in the past two to three months. So - now I'm wracking my brain, trying to think where it could have been - not that it matters, I mean, the cops have the device, but still - most places I shop at, I swipe the card...the few that I don't - gas station for one - I don't swipe, but the machine they swipe is usually in full view - besides, I am a regular, and so are the employees there.... There is only one place I can think of as a possible..... where they have been hiring recently - - - not to mention, the part about "recently" - do you remember where you shopped three months ago?? And, that involves Christmas shopping - though once I settled down some, I realized that I didn't do any "unusual" stores then, either.....

Well, like I said - things are OK - no damage has been done, the police are on top of things, so is the bank - they've already checked our account for unusual activity - they did that first!! I'm impressed with the way it was handled.... But I'm still a little creeped out. This is something you hear about on the news, that happens to someone else.... this time it hit way too close to home for my liking................

Boy, am I glad I invested in a paper shredder - and glad that some of my mother's paranoia rubbed off on me.... She was careful with her garbage long before technology made identity theft a household word..... I not only shred stuff, but I split the shredded stuff between garbage bags.... never empty the whole thing at once.... mix it up..... you might think I'm weird (could I go back and add that to the list?) or even paranoid - but this incident is just too close to home.....

And that is why I try to be sketchy with too much personal info here.

Now - don't know about this being too personal, but....

I once knitted a draft stopper thing. I followed the directions from a little booklet. I read, re-read, studied the picture.... it is supposed to be a cat. It doesn't look a lot like a cat. I will try a re-make one of these days. In the meantime, it hangs out at our front door, doing its job through the winter, and just being part of the kitty collection (despite not looking at all like it) in the nicer weather. Now, though - we've been trapped in a cold snap (which seems to be hitting just about everyone this year - I've even heard of snow and colder than normal temps in Texas) and really need a draft stopper at the back door - - - - so, since there is a cat at the front, I should have a dog at the back, right? :)

Can I do it today????

I've had a rather boring week - - bloggable wise. Am working on two projects mostly, which I haven't taken pictures of yet. A baby blanket due for March, and a tote bag. Like I need more tote bags.... But this was for the crochet along group. Aran tote. Pattern over at freepatterns.com site - which has recently been revamped, so I don't know if I have a working direct link. Anyway, it is the "Aran Sampler Tote". I love knitted aran patterns, but have never gotten around to trying the crochet aran. I think I like it.... :) The tote bag is supposed to be lined - which would make it a very nice purse. BUT - it doesn't close on top, which makes it not purselike. I'm thinking of not bothering with the fabric liner, and just making it a tote for projects or shopping or something. Which means - I'm not sure if I should just do the top edging as written (which is to be folded over the fabric liner on the inside - so I'd just fold it over anyway for shaping??? or something) or not, and I'm not clear on what they want for the handle. It seems that you start it on the side, work to the middle, then start the second side, work to the middle, then join the handle. But, they also say, fold the long edges (of each half) together, then join the end - so, do they mean, four thicknesses? Or is it a typo? Or what do they want? Do you sew the long edges together? If so, the strap then becomes awfully thin.... if you sew the end of the strap to the base of the strap (where it joins the bag) then you have very short strap.....

So, I think I'll do the top edging as written, then crochet the first half of the strap, and see what it looks like before I decide what to do with the strap.

Now - I'm going to try to load some pictures.....










Yes!!!!! Finally - these are the snowflakes I did for January. Now I need to get started doing my February ones.... I hadn't started just yet, since Friday was my birthday, and Saturday I did a Mexican dinner :) Last night, I had a Mica on my lap for over an hour - which really cut into the crocheting baby blanket time..... Since that is the deadline project, I wanted to spend a lot of time on that.

So.... My plan for this month: I need to do some more coasters for an exchange again, I want to get the next batch of snowflakes made, finish the tote, finish the baby blanket, I need to do a comfort 'ghan square, and after that - I'm going to start some quilting, and some serious UFO control.... As well as I'm finally getting my house back in order. I've been decluttering a little at a time - now it is time to clean and organize the "junk" I'm keeping :) I did a major messy area last week, and I've started on my kitchen cupboards.

And I don't seem to be able to post any more pictures this morning....dont' know why - must be blogger, not me.... But at least I finally got the snowflakes up :)