October 29, 2011

I forgot about my blog until today... I am not exactly sure why none of my photo's are showing any longer... Not exactly sure how to go about fixing that.

I am sitting here this wonderful Saturday evening being very thankful that the snow that people in other parts of the east coast are getting, hasn't reached here. Well not yet that is. Don't know if it will but if it does, I hope we don't get much. From the damage that I have seen from posts friends have put on line, we don't need the heavy snow here. Many of my trees still have their leaves and I don't want to see the trees damaged.

So I sit here all snug and warm in my kitchen, being thankful for such a good day, drinking what has to be the best hot chocolate in the world. There may be something better, but I haven't found it yet. The container states "there is a big difference between hot chocolate and hot cocoa"... They are so right! This hot chocolate was a Christmas gift from my sister in law two Christmases ago. I only have it every so often as a special treat to myself. I'm almost ashamed to say that I haven't really shared it. A sip or two maybe.... I have about one cup left and will have to make the trip to the store that sells it!

The weekend goes by so quickly. I feel like I never get enough done. But today I didn't feel like I had to do much. I went grocery shopping and made dinner. I did manage to get a couple loads of laundry done, well almost done. One needs to be folded and one needs to be dried.
As I am drinking my hot chocolate, I am nibbling on pop corn that we popped from a cob of corn. The kids got a kick out of watching it pop off the cob. I am actually surprised that it worked. We picked it up over the summer at a little produce stand that is near by. We purchased two since if it did work, I wanted to be able to do it again with the boys. Next time I need to add way more butter than I did this time. They are complaining that there wasn't enough butter.... trying to be healthy with little kids doesn't work sometimes.

Thanksgiving is right around the corner! I love that holiday... It has been my favorite for many, many years. Not sure what we will be doing this year. I have had it here at our home for the past few years. Invited family and shared the day. Then comes what the kids are ready for... Christmas! We had a bit of snow the other day and my youngest came home from school excited for the snow since to him, snow ='s Christmas... He was laughing and yelling that it is Christmas.... Not quite there buddy! I have Thanksgiving and 3 birthdays before Christmas arrives. And lets not rush it, I don't have the few things that I am making for a few people finished just yet. I have gotten two things done though! I am ahead of the game this year. Have even started shopping.

Well I guess I should share the computer, my husband has been very patient with me. I have been a slight computer hog this evening. So until next time....

The knitting bug

If I had been asked a few years ago if I thought I would ever enjoy knitting, my answer would have been no. I crocheted and liked it. I really didn't have any desire to knit. But a few years ago I got the urge to knit. Don't really know where the urge came from and I had no idea how to go about knitting. I bought a couple of needles, yarn and a book showing me how to cast on and to do basic stitches.

Since then I have made several things and really enjoy it. Currently I am working on three different sweaters. One for myself, one for my #4 child and one for my #5 child. Mine is really on hold since I think it will be too small when I finish it. The one for #4 is at a stand still because I have no idea what the instructions are telling me to do. So that leaves me with #5's sweater. he had to have a dark blue sweater. I tried to explain to him that it is hard to see the stitches when I knit at night. He didn't really care about that, he just likes dark blue and that is what he wants. So me being the mom that I am, am making him a dark blue sweater. It will take some time though since by the time I get to knit at the end of the day, the light is fading and I have a hard time seeing the stitches. I think I may have to get my craft light from my husband so I can work on the sweater.

While at work I am working on a wash cloth with hearts knit into it for a wedding shower for a young woman at church. I will also be giving her some of my home made soap. I am not quite sure I will give her this particular wash cloth though. Something is telling me that the pattern wasn't written quite right, at least that is the way it is looking at the moment. Maybe it will be fine and I can give it to her. If not, it will end up in the drawer in the bathroom and my #5 child will claim it for his own. He has claimed the other 2 that I have made and doesn't like it when someone else uses it. He hasn't quite grasped the sharing concept I think.

Anyway, once I am done with all the projects that I am currently working on, I will get a snap shot of them and post the pic's!
Until then, I hope you all have a wonderful day. Enjoy to gift that God has given us.

Fun times

I've found yet another thing that I really like to do....

Soap making!

I have made 2 batches of goat milk soap in the past few days. An English Rose and Honeysuckle scent. They are both beautiful soaps! While making them I was really longing for summer. I love the summer air when it is heavy with flower scents. It is safe to say that I like playing around with making soap. Right now I am doing a melt and pour bar but once I am comfortable with learning how to do a cold process bar, I will be moving on to that. I find that the whole "lye" thing is a bit scary right now. I know that if I am careful, all will be fine. It's just getting to that comfort level. I also need a place in which to make it without being in the kitchen. I don't want the chance of lye getting on anything that could hurt my family. Looks like the basement is the only place for that but right now I have a lot of work in front of me before that happens.

I also found on the web site that I order my supplies from there is a this thing called "rebatch" soap making. Interesting..... I may look into that as well. It is made from cold process soap but I don't have to worry about lye. Hmmm, may be a possibility. Unlike the melt and pour bar that only takes a little time before I can use it, the rebatch requires 3 to 5 days to cure. The cold process takes 4 to 6 weeks before it can be cut and used.

I also tried my hand at making lip balm yesterday. That is also a pretty cool little project. I made 13 little slidey tins of root beer flavor lip balm. I kept one for myself and I have to say that I like it. Not waxy, goes on smooth. I think I need to add just a tad more root beer flavor oil the next time though. I just ordered more supplies to make some more. I have a passionfruit rose flavor to do next time!

I keep finding more and more things I like to do. The challenging thing for me is to find the time to do all that I like to do!

Listed new items

After what feels like forever, I am finally back open on Etsy. I listed a few things that I had made but didn't get listed back in December for the fire. I also worked over the weekend and created a few new coin purses. I'm not entirely thrilled with the pattern that I made but it is getting closer to what I have in mind.

The wool felted coin purses that I made over the weekend were made from a sweater that I found almost 2 years ago at a clothing give away. I loved the sweater that had Alpaca's on the front and back. I didn't have anyone that could wear it, but I took it anyway. I knew that I would make something from it. I still have the entire back piece left and will probably make a bag out of it. I just need to design one first. I think I may use bamboo handles on it. The wood from the handles would look lovely against the felted wool.

Ideas galore

I have so many ideas floating around my head these days on things I would like to do. I finally took out my notebook and began writing them all down. Maybe if I get them written down, I will be able to sleep. I just lay in bed and think about how to make things. Since we own a cigar store and have empty boxes quite often, I think I would like to use them. I have a few ideas on things to make with them. I need to research the ideas a bit first though. I'm also not sure how to get the cigar smell out of the box. Maybe I don't need to??

I am also thinking about printing some of my photo's and try to sell them. I am told by many people that I should sell them so I am tossing that idea around. Not sure how to figure the selling price for them though. Probably based on size of the photo but still have no idea.... Maybe I will check out ETSY and see what people sell theirs for.

I had an idea for a doll that I want to make as well. I remember having one as a child and am trying to come up with a pattern. I checked out ETSY and I didn't see any on there. Maybe I'm not calling it the right name.... Would be nice if there were no others selling it. Coming up with an original idea is tough. Not that it is original but ......

What to do....

With the holiday's over I am finding myself with time on my hands and not liking it. I like to be busy and have projects going. I am going to make something with a cable stitch. Not really sure what I will make just yet. I found a scarf pattern that I liked the looks of but I have misplaced it. I'm sure that it is in the house some place, just need to find it and go through the yarn stash and see what I have the most of before I start it.

I made a scarf for my secret sister at church and she loved it. She had it on today which gave me a little smile. I like to see people use the things that I make for them. I made a sweater for my youngest son several years ago and he can still wear it. Although it is a tad short in the arms now. It took me a long time to make so I'm not sure I wish to make another one. Especially since he is much bigger now!

I made my mother a granny square afghan for Christmas. She liked it. I also made her the bag that was in the post before this one. I didn't get to see her open it so not sure if she liked it or not. Sure hope so. I was excited about it. I am going to go purchase some handles and make myself one from the same pattern. Not sure what type of fabric I will use but it will be extremely girly!

I would like to find a v neck vest for baby boys and make a few of them. There are so many great patterns for baby girls but I haven't found many for baby boys. They have to be out there some place. I will just keep searching until I find the one that I like. I have found several vest patterns but they just don't do it for me. They look too bulky. I like a dresser vest, the search is on! If anyone has one that you would be willing to share with me, that would be great.

I bought my sister a knitting guide and needles for Christmas. Maybe I will have enough people to have a knitting party one of these days. What a lovely thought. Wish my girls took an interest in knitting or crocheting. Maybe when they get a bit older?? I can hope and dream.

I forgot to get a photo of the afghan that I made for my mother. I sent her an email asking for a pic of it. Once she sends it to me, I will add it to this blog.
Guess I'm off to search the internet for patterns. Have a happy day!

Christmas gifts

I love it when I find a great deal at a lawn sale and snatch it up. I found this fabric (a very large bolt I might add) at a lawn sale several years ago. It has been sitting in my closet ever since. I knew that it would come in handy at some point. I found a pattern that I wanted to try and thought that this fabric would work very nicely. So I made this for my mom for Christmas. I sure hope she likes it. The pattern was pretty easy and can't wait until after life settles down so I can make one for myself. I may even make a few for my ETSY shop.