When will the warmth begin???

Yeah I went there... the weather usually reserved for "small talk" when running into acquaintances we are polite to but really don't want to get into anything "serious" when "asking" them how things are etc.

So anyway it's been cold, damp & just to tease us we get a really nice day sandwiched inbetween. Today however was yet another rainy day ~ can you even picture it? I mean afterall it is April ... you remember the lovely little saying "April Showers bring May Flowers" don't you? Well I think they really mean it ~ Literally!!!
I rarely bother to listen to the weather reports (after all I can easily look out my window or open the door & actually go outside to determine if the weather requires a jacket or heavy coat or whathaveyou... but I had the tv on while in another room & over heard these words "80 degrees on the weekend" ... now I dare to hope that we will actually have such lovely warmth this weekend. Of course I only heard those words & had not been watching so have no idea if I misheard or if it will be as lovely as they stated.

OOhhh I'll get off the wet, damp, cold weather that has been here on & off most of this month thus far.

In turn I will mention that I still haven't begun a sweater for Carter (yes, he's arrived in March and I still failed to get a simple sweater ready for his arrival) ... the dress I decided on for Abigail will take a bit longer since I haven't just sat down to "work" on it... and I started the Charity Challenge for April project... I only pledged one item this month since I saw how far behind I was with my other projects! I belong to a wonderful yahoo group of crocheters and we have a charity challenge each month from Jan. to Oct.

Ahh the sleep apnea saga continues ... although the machine seems great I've now noticed (20 nights after getting the second mask) that I have a pressure point at the bottom of my right nostril. Pressure points are not good things. Also when I called to ask about it & my dry mouth the tech who ususally deals with me was not in so I spoke with someone else & she really did not address the pressure point issue at all but she said she'd send me a chin strap to help keep my mouth closed while I sleep so that I won't have a dry mouth. That arrived today & I just don't see how that will help since it didn't seem to fit me at all.

So I am off to have some fun with my darling lovebugs (yes all 3 of them) they've already requested I bring the discovery toys I have. I must say I absolutely love that they will ask for the "cuppies" (that's from Kamryn the 2 yr. old requesting the Measure Up Cups) and then from Kyla "bring the math game please" and then Adriana requested the "Busy Bugs" (another math concepts activity) ... just go ck it out and if you have any questions call Sarah (her contact info is on the website) Tell her that her mother sent you!!!! (not that that will save you anything but it will please her no end to know I sent you her way)

Okay off I go to play & hopefully get some crocheting time in (yeah I know it's a lost cause LOL) but I've got a new "camera phone" ~ yes you read that right ~ and I'll try to get some cool pics to share :) you never know! It is just possible???
Frog free projects are wished for all of you :) And nice restful sleep!!!!

Random thoughts

Today was an odd day for me. I woke up with plenty of time to be 'productive' however I also woke up feeling dazed & wishing I had more time to sleep. (True that isn't odd at all for me!!!) With the OSA (obstructive sleep apnea) being treated I guess I thought it would be a change for the positive & that I would feel great almost instantly and all things would be put to 'rights' almost as fast. Since beginning treatment on March 7th (yes that's all it's been) I have had a roller coaster of mild ups & downs. And now when I believe the machine & the mask may be the 'right fit' for me I have been dealing with a feeling of congestion & as if a sinus infection is ready to be taking over my head & sinus cavity. Now that would not be so bad but it's like waiting for the 'other shoe to drop' in that I have no idea if this will actually become a full blown sinus infection rendering me to lay about in my bed until the worst of it passes or if it will remain a nagging thought in the background just out of reach but enough of a presence to annoy the ever lovin' daylights out of me... ummm I honestly just wish it would go away completely & never bother me again. But so far it's been about a week of this feeling non-stop.

So that being the case this morning I decided to have a "pajama day" ... I worked on the baby dress (still have a long way to go!!) and caught up on some shows I had recorded. Managed to prepared veggies for dinner yet wonder what the rest of our meal might be... if anything?

Caught up on some blogs I like to read. All in all a rather easy going day.

Just wish I had managed to get up & head to the pool as I love to do and get some other things accomplished today.

Wishing you a great day & frog free projects ... (okay evening, night, morning whatever time it is where you are hope it's great.)

Happy Resurrection Sunday (or if you prefer... Happy Easter)

Happy Easter Sunday .... a day to remind us that our sins have been forgiven ~ if you don't understand it's so simple that it sounds complicated... in an "egg shell" LOL ...
God created us (humans) for fellowship (relationship) but the first man & woman disobeyed God bringing punishment to all humans their disobedience is called sin (which every human being is born with) and the punishment that we were to have was forgiven when His Son Jesus Christ died on the cross. Jesus took our sins upon himself so that we could be restored to a right relationship with God, His Father. So if anyone believes that Jesus is their Savior they will be saved. That's right anyone who believes will have their relationship with God restored so they can have eternal life with HIM. For those who don't believe they will have eternity without HIM which is called "hell".

Wishing you all a happy wonderful Easter.

Project underway

I've decided to make a dress instead of a sweater for the upcoming baby shower. Yeah I know I have been saying for months now that I wanted to make a sweater for Heather's baby but I came across the cutest baby dress and just couldn't resist wanting to make that instead. With the baby afghan finished & a cute outfit already selected and the last piece to complete the gift about to be started I went on a pattern search. Yes I was looking for baby sweaters but you may understand what it's like to go on a pattern search & be distracted by all the possiblities.

Anyway I was doing my pattern search in the usual places I started with Lion Brand's pattern finder and although I loved a lot of the options most of the ones that I wanted to make were knitted & we all know I'm toooooooooo Slooooowwwwwwwww when it comes to my knitting hence the crochet passion I have come to know & love. I will eventually knit some of these adorable baby sweaters but for who I just have no idea!

Then I moved on to Ravelry's pattern base and oh my pattern heaven! So if you haven't joined head on over & get your self an invite to join ~ it is an incredible online community of fiber artists, if you crochet, knit or weave or spin or just love fiber you really should ck it out!

http://www.ravelry.com/

So here I was strolling through the baby patterns (crocheted ones although some of the knitted ones could definitely tempt me!!!) and came across this pattern Hip Dress for Baby.
I've completed the first three rounds and although I am making it larger than the pattern calls for I believe it will be perfect for when the baby is bigger. Pictures to follow (next week some time as it is Easter weekend and all).

Wishing you all a very Blessed & Happy Easter ... may the Lord Bless you & Keep you.
And may all your projects be frog free!!!!

Crochet Update... yay :)

Finished the items Kathleen requested. However I did "change" something. I have made the scarflet that she has requested each time basically the same with very minor differences based on the "personality of the yarn". And don't tell me you haven't noticed that some natural fibers have a "personality of their own" because I know most of you if you've worked with any natural fibers you've seen this for yourself! Anyhoo ... I really took Kathleen's concern about the amount of yarn required to make both the beret & the scarf into consideration. I really have no control over how much yarn is used for the beret.
I made the first one and just did not trim it the way I ususally do (which I think it looks fine but I don't know how she will react to no scalloped edging) as it turned out I had so little yarn left that I did not think I would manage to make a flower that she also prefers. So now I had both berets finished and was looking at the yarn to make the second scarflet (scarflet by the way is a short scarf that you wear close around your neck either held together with a button or the "button hole" is large enough for you to pull the other end of the scarf through) ... ~ I decided what did I have to lose? I would design a new one that hopefully used less yarn to complete while hopefully still being "cute" enough to please Kathleen. (after all it is her yarn & she asked for the other scarflet) .... so I hope to see her soon in order to give her these items & see how she reacts to the changes I've made. As for the flowers to adorn her scarflets ... I did manage to have just enough of the dark brown left to make two small loopy style flowers and on the second one I added the last of the first yarn and worked a very small round to make that flower "match" the scarflet it was being sewn onto. I am not sure how she will react but I hope it pleases her in the end.

With these projects finished I can now concentrate on the baby sweaters I need to make and also see if I can write out the pattern for the one I want to design. I still need to write out the pattern for the scarflet & flower I made today.

I need to get back to some of my other long term projects like my shrug and Angie's sweater!!!! I want them to be finished soon before I get all distracted and the shawl/wrap I want to make for my sil ... I will see if it's possible for me to get these finished and off my "to do" list sometime soon. :)

Wishing you all frog free days!!

What a Day today has been ....

Today is Palm Sunday. One week from now Christians will celebrate Easter Sunday ... the Resurrection of Christ ... which is our Hope! For since He came, died & Rose again we now have the Hope of His return.

Church service this morning was incredible. The presence of the Holy Spirit was so strong. I know that God's word states that He inhabits the praises of His people and this morning was not unusual for our body of believers. But there was a difference this morning. For this morning I felt a weight of love for the lost like I've rarely felt before. I know I've "felt this way" before but not at the level of intensity that came upon me this morning. I also felt as if God wanted to challenge each one of us to Trust HIM and to step out in faith to believe for our needs. He will increase our faith if we lack the faith to trust HIM for all we may need from HIM. So here is a challenge to you. If you are new in your faith or perhaps the zest of your faith has been fading ask God to increase your faith. Ask Him to prove Himself to you again. Allow yourself to seek His Face yet again, and don't be shy about waiting on His reply!

Now I'll get off my soap box and tell you I've made some limited progress on my crochet projects. I've completed the snuggle sq. for my granddaughter. I've finished one of the two scarves (minus the decorative flower that usually adorns it) but I'm really doing my best not to start the 3rd hank of yarn she gave me ... but I don't think I will be able to manage a decent flower with the very small amount of yarn left from the first two hanks. Time will tell.

I am working on a design for a baby sweater. I have an idea I just need to see if I can execute it properly, and write the pattern on time!!!
Also I need to get the second scarf done and the baby sweaters that I should have finished already. So how do you like that for being late??? Oh yeah it happens.

So I wish you all a great week as Easter approaches take my challenge seriously. I know that God will meet you where you are.

Wishing you all frog free projects :)

PS ... I almost forgot to share with you ... one of my patterns has been published in the online e-zine Crochet Uncut ... it's called Toddler Scarf. (I made one for each of my granddaughters.) I hope you'll ck it out & let me know if you like it.

April Fool's ??

So today is April 1st. Also referred to as April Fools Day as long as I can recall. Personally I do not go in for all the April Fool's day gags, jokes, and pranks however if you can think of a really clever one & manage to pull it off then I can appreciate it.

I am not all that clever, nor would my execution of any of the pranks, gags or jokes be smooth enough to pull it off without a hitch! Instead of making lame jokes or a miscalculated prank I'm better off just ignoring the whole "April Fool's Day stuff" and concentrate on the important things happening around me. For example I have completed the second hat for Kathleen & need to get the scarves finished. I have one made without it's trim or flower and the second one is not even on the hook yet. So I must get to work on that. Then there is the charity challenge for this month ~ Blankets for Deployed Daddies... the idea is you make a specific sized baby blanket using a specific yarn & pattern they send your blanket to a daddy who is deployed to sleep with for a week so that their scent is now in the blanket he sends it to his wife so their baby can sleep with it & learn his scent. I think that this is sooooo cool!!! So I have this project waiting for my attention. Then there is the ever desired snuggle requested by my lovely granddaughter & she has been waiting for about a year now... I finally purchased the correct yarn for this and have actually started it but set it aside as there are more pressing projects to work on (see above mentioned scarves for Kathleen!!!) Not to mention I still have 2 outstanding baby projects to begin since they were expected (by me) to be completed long before today!!!

Oh so many things & yet I am so behind on their progress. But today I am really excited because I will be visiting my niece & nephew & their newborn my "great nephew" this morning. I am so happy for them & can't wait to hold this beautiful boy.

So I'm off to get ready for my visit and to get my projects lined up for working on when I return home.

Wishing you all a prank free & frog free day :)