Busy Busy

First an update. The bead company did send more beads...of the same kind. exactly same.  I have decided though to keep them, and use them in free wrap bracelets.  These bracelets are just a string of random beads, all sizes, all kinds, one one long string.  you wrap them around your wrist, or can wear them as a necklace too.

Mid January we find out hubby's mom is turning 80 soon. and I wanted to do something for her.  I decided an afghan was a good idea, because she reclines on her sofa watching tv, covered up with an afghan.  Wonderful Idea right? ummm yeah ...except birthday March 10th. And i needed the afghan done, washed and dried and ready to gift on the 7th of March.
So I started hunting for an elegant yet not flashy afghan.
I asked on crochet groups on facebook.
I asked in some crochet groups i still belong to.
One day a lady posted a link to one. and I loved it. it was PERFECT!
January 16th i acquired the pattern and bought the yarn.
Afghan started. center was easy.

 this one was no flash

this one taken with flash

pretty, and easy.
The border was a different story. Looked easy. Was NOT

 Finished afghan

all packaged up.
The lady that received it loved it. I was not real happy with it, as i could not figure out the pattern corners, so I did the best i could, and it puckered up at the corners. Very unhappy with it, but she loved it. and i will never tell that it was not done perfectly.

I have also joined a dishcloth exchange. Worried terribly about this one. will my work be good enough for these ladies? I have seen their works, they are all good, very good.   can only cross fingers and hope.

My sister contacted me less than 7 days before Christmas. said she knew of a young lady who had no hat/scarf/mittens, and it was cold out, could I help. Well, I will never turn down one in need. So I got out my hooks, got some yarn and  sat down to make this:

I love her smile. Sis said she had a tear in her eye when she was given the set.  I am so glad she liked it.

As a surprise for my sister, I made her a crocheted scarf as well, and a beaded crochet bracelet.

Beads...I am so frustrated over Beads!! I love working with them....till you buy boxes of 11/0 seed beads for a project and they end up like this:

i bought 18 boxes of these, all from the same company. 18 different colors and ALL of the boxes are like this.  nothing consistent at all.  cannot use for the loom projects which i bought them for.
A visit to the company website and many emails back and forth to customer service, they told me what i bought are CRAFT BEADS not jewelry beads, they are all going to be like this, and if i wanted consistency, i should buy more expensive beads. but to compensate me they will send me more vials of what I bought.  Now what sense does that make??  oh well, i guess let them send...i'll put them on Listia.

just a few photos of Jewelry I have made.

Another year:

wow a year has passed,  time got away from me again. Guess I should close this blog.  maybe.
or maybe I should just use it.

Lets see...in the last year, much has happened.
Was in and out of hospital, first because i took a bad fall, emergency guys thought i hurt my neck, but luckily no damage. Leg, knee and neck hurt like the devil for a while.
Then went to ER because my chest hurt so bad, felt like a knife stabbing me. but after many tests, they found nothing wrong. weird.

We put a new deck on the front of the house. it has a handicap ramp, so now I can easily leave without steps. so nice.  My power chair can easily go up and down, right into the house on bad days.

Hubby's father got very ill, and passed away. was very hard on us both. I loved him like my own dad.


On the crafting side, I still crochet. Market bags, dishcloths, potholders, beaded bracelets.
Have also started making jewelry. will post photos of one set i am so happy with.

Hubby bought me a portable scanner. it is a wand like item, can slide it down a page and it keeps the scan as a photo. will be so nice to have when i am out and see a recipe i want, or when at family to get copies of photos, etc.  I am thrilled.

Son and his wife are finally moving out. 6 months turned into over 5 years, but they found a place they are goign to rent to own. I am happy for them, and thrilled that the room they are in hubby has decided to turn into my craft room, with custom storage, desk for sewing machine, tables for crafting on etc!!. am so looking forward to it!! Everything organized, sorted so I know what is where. and can get rid of things like the plastic canvas i probably will never use.

Why is it....

That if someone says "hey I have this idea for something, can you make it?" I can usually make what they want, without a pattern.
When it comes to something I want for me, I cannot do it. no matter how I try. makes no sense to me.
No matter how hard I try, I just can't do it.
Rarely do I keep things just for me. I make tons of market bags, take them to the stores and end up selling or giving them away.

This time I wanted to make me a lightweight sweater. jacket, whatever you want to call it. So I tried. I can see it in my mind. but I cannot make my hands do the same thing. Start, rip out, start again, change hook, change stitches, try again, still not right. Draw it out. sketch over and over. show family, yes it looks great they say. so stitch away, rip it out ..giving up.

Hate crochet block.
anyone need a market bag?

Times fly...

Time flies when you are having fun. that's the old saying.
But time flies faster it seems when things are not so fun. or at least to me they do..
Shall I post what all i have done since my last post? or shall i just say "much has happened, some good, some not so good" and just move on.
I think thats what I shall do. Move on.

I have taken my love of crocheting back.
For christmas money was tight, so i went through the yarn, and my imagination, and came up with an item both the gals here seemed to love.
I made them something to hang on a wall that they could put their hair ties, and clips on. it hangs on the wall using one of the Command type hooks, no nails in the walls. and they both seem to like it and use it.
For my son, i made him an item to hang on the wall, that he could store his game controllers, phone, glasses etc in at night when he heads to bed. it too hangs on the wall with the Command type hooks. looks similar to a remote control holder only more pockets.

Steven and I did not do anything for each other. we have all we need. We decided it was easier of us to just go to the store or wherever if we need it then, instead of buy it for a gift for each other later. Makes sense to me. hard to buy a surprise for each other when we shop together anyway.

My current project is a granny sweater. for once I am making something just for me. when it is done will post a photo. hopefully it will turn out as pretty as the one i am following the pattern for.

well guess thats all for now.
missing the crochet friends i knew. and hope they are all well.

Been forever

Seems like forever ago..

a long time ago..

Seems like?

No it was...that i have logged into my blog.

Much has happened, too much to post about.

my home is full, 2 of my kids live with me, and one is married.

keeps the house busy.

My D.A. had gotten to the point i am using the handicap parking spots when shopping, and the motorized chairs in the stores. We have bought me a walker too, to help me get around.

and a dear friend has given us a Rascal scooter so i can go on "walks" with hubby.

over the last 60 days life took a bad turn. First a good friend passed away. then 24 hours later my Aunt. then not even 2 weeks later my Mother. its been a hard month since then.

Doc put me on antidepressants and sleeping pills. and more pain pills.

We drove to Nebraska for moms Memorial service. so hard. The drive itself was hard on me, sitting for so long. but to see my dad cry was the worst.

Did get to see many of the family i have not seen in 20 plus years, my brother, cousins, aunts and uncles. Wasn't a good time but was good to see them all even if it was just for an evening. 3 day drive out, one week visiting etc, then 2 hard days drive home.

Dad sent all mom's houseplants home with me, no one else wanted them. they have been badly neglected, some barely alive, but I am determined to help them grow and be healthy again. I do not want to fail.

While in Nebraska I got to see my grandkids. they are wonderful. it was the first time seeing my granddaughter. she is beautiful, and her older brother is just fantastic, and fun to play games with.

As for crochet, my heart really isn't into it right now.

I did buy some beads today, i want to learn to make friendship bracelets that are beaded.

Time will tell if I succeed or not. we shall see.