A Blog By Any Other Name

... I didn't really need a new pattern ...

2012-02-18T13:50:00.000-08:00

... but it was a kit ... with a pretty scarf pattern ... and a new yarn.

The yarn is Aunt Lydia's Bamboo Size 3 Thread. It is so soft and silky.
I loved it.
I also hated it.
It splits very easily .... makes doing the picots a bitch.
... and I never liked doing picots to begin with.

Oh, the picture is misleading,
The yarn is a lovely blue.

I Love Yarn Day!

2011-10-14T08:31:00.000-07:00

It's the first annual "I Love Yarn Day!"

I Love Yarn Day

How will you celebrate?

... it looked more like Ohio .....

2011-10-04T13:53:00.000-07:00

This morning's sky reminded me of where I grew up in Ohio. It's 2 in the afternoon and the sun has finally decided to push its way past the clouds.

I just put a new page on my website: "What's in Your Crochet Corner?"

It's some odds & ends I've picked up from the crochet sites I've been a member of over the last few years.

Avast, me hearties!

2011-09-14T12:11:00.000-07:00

It be only 5 days to "Talk Like a Pirate Day"

Spring is in the air ...

2011-06-07T08:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday it was rainy and cool (kinda late in the year for rain here) but today the sky is clear and it looks like it will be a nice spring day.

Speaking of Spring, we ended up with three bird’s nest on our back porch. I think the first one yielded three little birds. The second one, I’m not so sure about. While it appeared mama spent time in the nest, I don’t know if there were no eggs or something got to them.

A third set of birds had built a nest and I had to chase away a big blue bird that appeared to be trying to get at the nest. There were no eggs yet in that one but I wonder if the attacker maybe got to the eggs in the second nest because a day or so later, the second nest was on the ground and empty.

The third nest had three, maybe four, baby birds. They would set up quick a racket when mama came to feed them. So far, it’s quiet today and I haven’t checked to see if, maybe, the babies have flown away. I don’t have any idea how long it takes for them to be big enough to fly.

It's a doily...It's a coaster...it's...

2011-06-04T20:07:00.000-07:00

Since my lamp table sits next to a nice chair, it's a good place to read. Sitting in a comfy chair, reading a good book requires something warm or cold to drink. The table is small, I figured a coaster would never stay on the table. So, I started with a Christmas Tree Skirt pattern and Size 10 thread and improvised from there. Voila! A coaster that doesn't fall off the table.

Trombone Christmas - December, 2010

2011-04-10T10:56:00.000-07:00

My husband is a member of BonesWest - a trombone choir.
Many of the members participated in Trombone Christmas.
This was a first time event.
For several years, tuba players from all over have participated in
Tuba Christmas.
My husband also plays baritone and has enjoyed Tuba Christmas.
But, the trombone is his first love, so this was special.

Trombone Christmas

... the sun is hiding

2011-03-17T09:47:00.000-07:00

I think ...
... the sun is hiding today
.......... a million tears have chased it away

2011-03-10T08:39:00.000-08:00

It's a not so exciting 75° on my back porch and it's only 8:30 a.m. but there are two little birds busy building a nest right outside my back door.

I still haven't finished the Christmas rug I started in November. I only have to weave in the ends but there are a LOT of ends. (sigh) I also have stalled on a sweater I've been working on for my daughter for a long time. I can't get the sleeves to look the way I want. (sigh, again)

We had some electrical work done yesterday. I'm happy with what was done ... some repair work, some new ... but I'm like my dog ... don't like people touching my stuff. (big sigh)

Mardi Gras came and went without me. I've heard about it all my life. I know it's a big deal in many places, like New Orleans, but I hear about it and forget about it. So, what are you giving up for Lent? That we did participate in when I was growing up; I usually gave up something like spinach. I tried to do homework once but you can imagine how that went over. I know, giving up something you don't like sort of defeats the purpose. What can I say? I was a kid.

... in like a lion ....

2011-02-27T09:32:00.000-08:00

In the last hour, the thermometer on my back porch has gone from 42° to 52°. It’s 38° in Akron, 72° in Houston and 44° in New York. Yahoo Weather says it will get up to 56° here in SoCal. Everything’s still wet from Friday’s rain. I think we only have two seasons here … Rainy and Hot. Except when it doesn’t rain, then we just have Hot. I’m not actually complaining, mind you. I hate cold weather. I don’t miss snow. I don’t miss ice. If I find myself getting nostalgic at Christmas, I pull out my DVD of White Christmas and watch the end of the movie where they open the back of the barn and there’s falling snow behind the brightly lit Christmas tree. The End. Perfect.

I’m not really all that fond of the rain either. It’s just that we could turn into desert real fast without the rain. My back yard hasn’t been green for about two years. It’s green now and it doesn’t crunch when you walk on it. It’s weeds, but it is green.

I’m also susceptible to the “winter blues.” A long time ago I spent a week here and fell in love with the warmth and the unbelievably clear, blue sky. A year later, I got in my little yellow Volkswagen and drove a lot of miles to get here. I’m still glad I did.

Last week’s earthquake in New Zealand is a frightening reminder that, even in paradise, hell is just around the corner. I guess we just have to pick our poison.

Happy Halloween ....

2010-10-31T10:57:00.000-07:00

The scariest thing about Halloween is that it means Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner. You know what corner I mean. The one you're always trying to look around in spooky movies so you can see what's coming before the clueless character.

So, for all us clueless characters ..... BOO!

Oh, and here's a good article for Halloween ...

Bela Lugosi's Grave

Just a thought ...

2010-09-18T10:24:00.000-07:00

It has always seemed strange to me that in our endless discussions about education so little stress is laid on the pleasure of becoming an educated person, the enormous interest it adds to life. To be able to be caught up into the world of thought -- that is to be educated.

* Edit Hamilton, educator and writer (1867-1963)

Last but not least ....

2010-01-05T18:51:00.000-08:00

I was on a roll and I still had yarn left so I did a couple more. Both are crocheted with Christmas yarn and stuffed. They looked a little dull so I added a bit of ribbon.

For the green and white one I used a pattern from a book by Gourmet Crochet called "Happy Holidays Crochet Amigurumi."

For the multi-colored one I used a pattern by Beverly Casey. It was a GeoCities site and I don't know if she moved it when GeoCities closed.

One more ...

2009-12-28T15:21:00.000-08:00

This is a Lion Brand pattern.
It's Vanna's Glamour Fancy Ornament.

Number Eleven ....

2009-12-20T09:25:00.000-08:00

Even though Beansprout Creations stopped at week ten of it's twelve week crochet-along, I decided to plunge ahead. This is Crocheted Chirper Ornament from the Red Heart Twelve Weeks of Christmas. Mine just barely resembles a bird, sorry to say. I'm just not good at putting the pieces together. Besides, it's not supposed to be an exact replica; it's supposed to be a representation. Right?

Week Ten ...

2009-12-13T19:23:00.000-08:00

Week 10 - Christmas Package

Unfortunately, this will be the last of the set.

She has decided to stop designing patterns so she can have more time to spend with her family. Good for them ... Bad for us. She has done some nice things.

So, this is the last one.

It's a beautiful morning .....

2009-11-28T09:49:00.000-08:00

I'm sitting here in Coast Mesa (about 60 miles from my home) in a really cute little room at the Marriott Hotel. My husband has treked off to band practice. He belongs to an all trombone group called Bones West and he'll be there about four hours. While he practices, I get to play on the computer. The group is performing at a mall nearby for their official welcoming of Santa Claus. Since he was going to have to come down for practice today and then back again on Sunday for the performance, we decided to make it a weekend away for just the two of us.

As much as I love the beautiful morning, it was supposed to rain. It's a California blue sky with just a hint of whispy, white clouds. We really need the rain, however, so the perfect day is a mixed blessing.

So, I have some time to myself with no leftover laundry because of the holiday or leftover dishes to be done because of the holiday. Not that some of those things might exist, I'm just 60 miles away.

Hope everyone has an equally relaxing weekend.

Happy Thanksgiving !

2009-11-25T06:47:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday.

Happy Thanksgiving

Over the river and through the woods ....

2009-11-18T08:18:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is just days away.
Have you stocked the larder,
Planned the menu,
and retrieved the best linen from the back of the closet?

Me neither.

Today is ...

2009-11-11T15:16:00.000-08:00

Veterans Day

If you know a vet,
tell him or her "Thank you."

Only 43 days until ......

2009-11-11T15:05:00.000-08:00

Week 9
Christmas Stocking Ornament

I wasn't going to do this one since
I'd just finished the pattern at
Suzie's Stuff ....
but ....
I promised myself I would actually do all twelve of the ornaments and ...
I would finish BEFORE Christmas.
Besides,
it is a slightly different pattern ...
and ... it's cute.

Deja vu ....

2009-11-07T15:22:00.000-08:00

While doing the Christmas Candy ornament,
I thought about my set of Peppermint People.
It seemed logical to make a Peppermint ornament.

12 weeks of Christmas progressing nicely ....

2009-11-07T15:11:00.000-08:00

Week 8
Christmas Candy

This one takes a very small amount of yarn.
So, far I've hardly made a dent in my Christmas stash.

Just a note ....

2009-11-02T06:41:00.000-08:00

Geo-Cities is closed as of October 26. They said I could just transfer to the new ... whatever. Not exactly true. I am working on updating my site, but it may take a while.

On a roll ....

2009-11-01T16:09:00.000-08:00

Been enjoying doing ornaments so much
I've pulled out a pattern from my "to do" list.

This one is by Suzetta Williams.
If you haven't been there,
take a look at her site.

http://suzies-yarnie-stuff.blogspot.com/2007/11/my-stocking-ornament.html

http://suzies-yarnie-stuff.blogspot.com/

Week Seven ....

2009-10-30T14:50:00.000-07:00

Week 7
Poinsettia

I used regular yarn on this one
instead of Christmas yarn

Halfway through ....

2009-10-26T11:40:00.000-07:00

Week 6
Wreath

I used a larger hook for this one and I also used ribbon instead of yarn to embellish.

I liked this one so much ... I made two!

Only 60 day 'til Christmas ....

2009-10-25T18:44:00.000-07:00

Week 5
Snowman Ornament

I didn't follow this one exactly.
He has beads for eyes
because I'm terrible at French Knots
and
I gave him a hat instead of arms.

Week Four ...

2009-10-20T21:14:00.000-07:00

Week 4
Christmas Bulb

I'm not sure mine looks so much like a light bulb,
maybe when it's hanging on a tree

And Week 3 is ...

2009-10-19T07:59:00.000-07:00

Week 3
Mittens

So far I've done the patterns without
making any changes.
I'm using bits of Christmas yarn from previous projects.

Week Two ....

2009-10-18T20:18:00.001-07:00

Well, week 2 really was September 14th......

I've done all the ornaments so far,
I just haven't taken the pictures

Week 2
Gingerbread

93 Days and counting

2009-09-22T15:22:00.000-07:00

Beansprout Creations is hosting a 12-week Christmas crochet-along and I've decided to join in.

Here's my first ornament:

So far, the ornaments seem pretty easy.
Maybe I'll actually finish them all .....

And the walls came tumbling down ...

2009-02-13T13:29:00.000-08:00

Well, our wishes and hopes for the New Year seem to have been dashed. And to make matters worse, Puxitawny Phil predicted six more weeks of winter. It's even gloomy and cold here in sunny California.

I recently learned that a lady who was a monthly staple in "Crochet World" magazine passed away last February. She was on the cover of the very first issue in 1978 and, I believe, her last article appeared in the August 2008 issue. She wrote several columns for the magazine and was also a consultant for House of White Birches (another needlecraft publication.) She was a crocheter and crafter all her life. She won awards for her hand-made collector's dolls. Dawn Thompson was a very busy lady with her crochet, cross-stitch and dolls as well as activities with her church. In addition, she was an award-winning author of gothic romance novels.

I find it interesting that creative people tend to find more than one way to explore their creativity.

2008-12-22T19:26:00.000-08:00

Well, here it is, the end of another year.

Here's wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and
a Safe and Happy New Year.

Merry Christmas !!

Just a little bit of thread ....

2008-06-06T14:12:00.000-07:00

Just finished this the other day. It's actually a motif to be used to make a tablecloth but I didn't want to make 332 of them. So I just made one.

It's made with Size 10 thread and it's 7 3/4" from point to point.

If you think you'd like to make the tablecloth, the pattern is here:
http://www.angelfire.com/folk/celtwich/MidnightStar.html

Oh, yeah, I'll tell you somethin'.....

2008-05-28T09:42:00.000-07:00

I really miss these guys. Not just the ones who are gone. I miss the guys they were when I first heard them. I know, means I'm getting old. But I don't miss the person I was then. I don't want to go back. I've loved them in all their phases, for better or worse.

I miss the swelling of emotion at hearing something new. Something that seemed to speak to a part of me I didn't know I had. I miss the wonder of youth, I guess.

It seems I've heard that song before ...

2008-02-03T11:48:00.000-08:00

Puxitawny Phil has decreed that there is to be six more weeks of winter. According to the calendar, spring begins on March 20, which is about six weeks away. Now, as to the weather .... well .... we shall see. But, then, I live in California and our seasons are rainy, sunny and too darn hot (the order and frequency of which can vary.)

So, Happy Valentine's Day and here's hoping the snow is gone by St. Patrick's Day. Don't laugh. Growing up in Ohio, our new black patent leather shoes and pretty straw hats with the flowers on them were usually covered up with snowsuits when we went to church on Easter morning.

Bah! Humbug!

2007-11-24T19:33:00.000-08:00

Yes, it’s true. As soon as we put away the Thanksgiving dishes, we find ourselves shamelessly unprepared for Christmas.

And what’s with Black Friday? Is this some new appellation? Does it spell doom for the Christmas revelers? Or is a prayer of hope whispered by retailers hoping for a plump bottom line?

No matter. Up on your feet you well-fed consumers. Out to the highways and byways you go. Suffer the long lines, fight for the parking spaces, grab the best deal and deplete your checkbooks and credit lines. Then drag yourself home and get some rest for you’ll soon remember you’ve forgotten the scarf for Aunt Sue and the star for the top of the tree. There’s your boss you need to impress and your neighbor you need to outshine. Get the last X-box or laptop or whatever is the toy to have this year. And remember Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men, Feed the hungry and give Toys for Tots.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good-night.

Another party heard from ....

2007-10-26T10:49:00.000-07:00

My daughter has informed me that if one is going to have a Blog one must also update said Blog and that once every four or five months doesn’t count. As if she needs to read my Blog to know what is happening…I talk to her every day. Maybe she’s hoping for some deep dark revelations. Guess what, my dear, I don’t have any. At least I don’t think I do.

In June, my son and his wife visited Peru. She wanted to see her grandmother who is not well. This was quite an accomplishment for my son since he doesn’t like to fly. All went well except that my son has decided he may never be able to keep track of who’s who in her family.

Harry Potter survived and I’ve decided to try to learn Spanish.

I finished a couple of old crochet projects and we’ve started to make a dent in the stacks of boxes invading our home space. We’re turning my son’s bedroom into an office/guest room. It’s a quiet place for my husband when he works at home and it could be a place for someone to stay overnight. My husband has been trying to go through the boxes filled with his mother’s things. It’s hard. He gets rid of a little here and there but some it he puts aside for later.

My son celebrated another birthday as well as his first wedding anniversary. Congratulations, Mr. B.

My daughter is still trying to juggle work and school while trying to decide what to do with the rest of her life. Wish I had some magic answers. It’s all well and good to say you can do whatever you want but what she needs is a clue as to where to begin looking. I hate to tell her, but sometimes you don’t know until you look back and think, “That’s what I’ve done with my life.”

They say they’re making progress on the fires. If the high winds had continued, I’m afraid all of Southern California would be on fire now.

So, on that happy note, Happy Halloween!

Time flies when you're having fun ...

2007-05-22T11:06:00.001-07:00

Well, April seems to have rushed by in a hurry.

I attended a wedding in Las Vegas. Yes, it was in a Vegas Wedding Chapel but it wasn't tiny or tacky; it was short and sweet.

I am still trying to sort out the shambles created by the death of my mother-in-law in 2005 and the wedding of my son in 2006. Unfortunately, sorting through the remnants of a person's life is not an easy thing to do. We gave things to people who wanted them, we disposed of things that had no further use but we are still left with boxes of things we are not yet able to sort through. After my son got married it took about two months for him to find a place to live. It is small. The things that he managed to accumulate have now spilled out of his former bedroom. Some has gone with him but both he and his wife have managed to acquire more than what will fit into their tiny apartment. So there are boxes still in his room. Some have moved to our living room awaiting further disposition. My house looks like "Storage R Us." I did manage to clean the shelves in the garage. My cans of peas and swifter dusters look very nice on my nice clean shelves. My next ghastly project is the hallway linen closet.

My crochet resolutions have not progressed as well as I hoped. But I'm working on all those unfinished projects. Slowly, but surely.

I have been working on my web-page. I changed its location and it has taken a while to re-do all the pages. I do have quite a few.

So, here it is the end of May and life goes on. Are we having fun yet?

Order has been restored to the galaxy ......

2007-03-16T20:34:00.000-07:00

Yes, we can all breathe a little easier.
All is as it should be.

The buzzards have returned to Hinckley.

Okay, I admit it.
I'm from Ohio.
I guess there's nothing else to say.

Another February ....

2007-02-24T22:02:00.001-08:00

Another year has come and gone. Punxsutawney Phil says Winter is on its way out. (Could'a fooled me.) My daughter has celebrated another birthday. Time marches on.

Once again, I've resolved to finish all my unfinished crochet projects...several of which were on my last year's list. I feel like Sarah Winchester.

My house still looks like a storeroom. There's furniture in places I don't want it to be. There's boxes everywhere. Some are things we have yet to go through that belonged to my MIL. Some are things that belong to my son who is still in transition from here to his very small apartment he shares with his new wife.

We lost our cat who was was 18 years old last November and have just filled the empty spot with a puppy. His name is Rascal and he has brought a lot of joy into our household. My husband is convinced he has helped reduce his blood pressure. My daughter, who was devastated by the loss of her cat, is smiling again. And me, well, the house no longer feels empty when everyone is away at work or school. Now, instead of talking to myself, I'm talking to the dog.

Here's hoping that this winter is on the downside and 2007 is on the upside.

Rip Van Winkle syndrome ....

2007-01-29T10:25:00.000-08:00

Well, look at that! Nod off for a while and the world changes around you or without you.

Google, huh? Don't know if that's good or bad. I did hear some discouraging words about Blogger, but I never had a problem; other than I haven't been able to figure out how to add a counter. I'm not exactly computer savy. I know enough to be curious but not enough to do anything about it. I'm only up to chapter two in my "Learning Web Design" (copyright 2001) book . Maybe I should have bought "HTML for Dummies" instead.

Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans...

2006-08-07T21:00:00.001-07:00

No, I haven't been there but I just spent four days at a Classic Jazz Festival and it was full of the music and memories of New Orleans. While we have moved on, many are still without homes yet they sing with hope and belief that New Orleans will return.

I have been through tornados in Ohio and earthquakes in California and I have lost very little. At best, all I can identify with is the fear of Mother Nature's fury. The wind and the rain can destroy everything we've built in a few fleeting moments. How insignificant we are in the universe.

What kind of soul are you .....

2006-03-24T18:02:00.000-08:00

You Are a Newborn Soul

You are tolerant, accepting, and willing to give anyone a chance.
On the flip side, you're easy to read and easily influenced by others.
You have a fresh perspective on life, and you can be very creative.
Noconformist and nontraditional, you've never met anyone who's like you.

Inventive and artistic, you like to be a trendsetter.
You have an upbeat spirit and you like almost everything.
You make friends easily and often have long standing friendships.
Implusive and trusting, you fall in love a little too easily.

Souls you are most compatible with: Bright Star Soul and Dreaming Soul

What Kind of Soul Are You?

One down ....

2006-03-18T05:53:00.000-08:00

... and about a dozen to go. I finally finished this pattern I started in November. The pattern is from Needlecraft University. It was fairly easy and it's the first time I tried to crochet socks. The pattern called for Patons Grace cotton sport weight yarn. I had never used it before and it's always nice to get a chance to use a new yarn. It is a very soft cotton and was so nice to work with. Since the pattern called for two skeins of yarn and I used about two and a half, I think my socks came out a little larger than they should have. I thought my gauge was right but I guess I thought wrong. Also, as much as I like the yarn, I think it may be a little thick for a sock ... but then, I'm not fond of thick socks. Anyway, this is number one of my many WIP's to be finished. I'm on a roll!

March comes in like a lion ....

2006-03-04T07:13:00.000-08:00

Well, not really. Actually here the change of seasons is not particularly dramatic. Cooler temperatures. A little rain. Looks clear and sunny today.

I just finished a cover for my little used bread machine. I did not have any kind of pattern; I just started crocheting. It's nothing fancy but it should serve my purpose. I did the same thing for the Black & Decker jar opener I have. It's a lot easier to throw the cover in the washer than try to keep the appliance clean.

I am making a concerted effort to complete the many projects I have in progress before starting something new. I hope to be more successful at it than I have been in the past.

Well, folks, it's official...

2006-02-24T19:46:00.000-08:00

...Punxsutawney Phil says "Six more weeks of winter." It has been a little on the cool side here in Sunny Southern California. No, no snow, but we've had rain....and frost on the car windows in the morning. I just hate cold weather. I drove 2000 miles to get away from snow and have not missed it one little bit.

Haven't kept up with my crochet or my writing. How I used to spend my time was pretty much dictated by my mother-in-law. Her health was fading and I had become her main care-giver. Now that she is gone, I just don't seem to be able to decide what to do or when. I'm sure that feeling will pass eventually.

I have several crochet projects in various states of completion and almost as many projects in my mind to do next.

I did manage to complete a story I had been working on for some time. It is a fan-fiction story and it is posted on my Knight Vision page. Like crochet, I have several stories I'm working on, but have lost most of my inspiration (or maybe motivation.)

- ta ta for now -

A New Year ...

2006-01-07T08:30:00.000-08:00

Well, Christmas trudged by and then we rushed through the new year.

Thanks to my son and daughter, my husband and I spent the New Year in San Francisco. It is my husband's favorite city and we lived there for a year just after my son was born. It is a wonderful and unique city. There was quite a bit of rain but it was still a wonderful weekend.

Hope everyone's New Year was as wonderful.

Christmas Eve

2005-12-24T11:47:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to one and all.

Crochet and writing have been put on hold while I prepare for Christmas. We will be celebrating with famly and I look forward to a warm and lovely day. Hubby and I will be cooking with a little help from our daughter and his sister. Tomorrow's forecast says it will either be 68° or 83° depending on which newscast you’ve looked at and when.

I hope the season brings joy and peace to everyone with the wish that it last into next year and beyond.

Progress .....

2005-11-18T08:08:00.000-08:00

I am making progress. I've actually finished the Summer Breeze cardigan for my daughter. Right now I'm trying to decide how to take a picture.

I also finished one sock of a pattern from Needlecraft University. My first try at making socks. The pattern is pretty easy to follow but it called for a cotton sport weight thread called Patons Grace. It's a really nice, soft thread but it feels a little thick for a sock... but then, I don't like thick socks.

I just have to put the edging on a baby afghan. I used the Jaimie Blanket pattern. Love this pattern! It works up fast and makes a nice soft afghan. I am using Bernat Softee Baby. I think I love this yarn, too. It is SO soft.

That's all for now,
hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

...holidays

2005-11-10T22:01:00.000-08:00

Halloween has passed;
Thanksgiving is just around the corner.
But the holidays will be shadowed this year.
My mother-in-law passed away.
She was a strong personality
(that's always been sort of the good news and the bad news).
She leaves a void that will be hard to fill.

I do crochet

2005-10-25T08:03:00.000-07:00

This is a project I finished not too long ago. It is actually a combination of two patterns. The skirt is from "Pretty Princess" by Fujiko Takagi and the bodice is from "Golden Glitter" by Bella Blauberg. I tried something else. The skirt is separate and I attached the lining to the bodice. It worked pretty well.

A Beginning

2005-10-23T22:42:00.000-07:00

Just a beginning ....
nothing more.

It's a gloomy day in sunny California. I just finished a crochet project but I still have several more in progress. I've been updating my webpage for Halloween. I'm doing some final editing on a fan-fiction story I've written. And now, I'm playing with this blog. Have always had some sort of jounal going, so this is fun. Not sure how to get pics/graphics posted; working on it.