Gardens and Ami's

Ok, it's been a REALLY long time since I posted. Let's just leave it at "the month of May is an extremely busy time at work" as the excuse and move on. Because it's the truth.

That's not to say I haven't had any time to crochet or garden. I have. Just no time to sit down and write about it. And I don't have a ton of time right now, so this will be short.

First off, my garden. It's growing! We're getting our first strawberries now. The tomato plants are growing and starting to put on blossoms. The herbs look great. My husband is going to harvest our first basil for our pizza tonight. (Made with sourdough crust!) The only issues are as follows:
1) There is a blue jay eating my strawberries. He yells at me every time I go out there to pick. Little a**hole.
2) Something is eating my cucumber and bean plants as soon as they pop up. I think it might be ants. I'm not sure, though. Will head to the nursery this week and ask if they have any ideas.

Sweet Pea is eating the strawberries as fast as I can harvest them. I'm thinking that between her and the jay I might have to actually buy strawberries for jam this year.

I haven't had a ton of time to crochet, but when I have I've mostly made more kitchen scrubbies or amigurumi. I love making ami. They're quick, fun, and so ding-dang cute I can't stand it.

Behold:

 An adorable dragon!!

 An equally adorable manatee!!

Today I started a princess. Yes, a particular one with icy powers. And her sister is soon to follow. I'll post pictures when they're done.

I'll write a longer post soon, I promise. More about how our summer is going with allowing Sweet Pea to run around the yard and play. (I'm there in my lawn chair with my iced tea....) And I'll also write about my new found ambition: Rock Climbing! That'll be a post all to itself. My reasons and what I'm doing to try and get in shape to try it!!!

Spring has Sprung...

So it's been awhile. I've been on Spring Break this week. And Sweet Pea had her birthday. All week-long festivities of it. I swear she was able to spread it out for what felt like forever!! But it was a happy birthday for her. Busy for Mommy and family, but it's worth it.

Because of the festivities, some travel, and a hectic work schedule crochet and everything else has been on hold.

George has been hibernating. I fed him and put him directly back in the refrigerator last week. This seems to have done him some good, though, as he is very happy and active this weekend. I'll make our normal batch of bread this weekend and call it good.

I've been crocheting very little. With the exception of the drive to my hubby's parents' house last week. I took that time to make some kitchen scrubbies. I hate sponges. I think they are dirty, smelly, and hard to keep clean. So I made these little scrubbies that work really, really well!! This is the pattern. I made it with some cotton yarn I purchased years and years ago and never knew what to do with it. The bumps on the scrubbie seem to work really well to get stuck on gunk off of the dishes and you can just throw them in the wash. So much better than sponges. And the pattern is super easy and fast. I've memorized it so well that I can make a scrubbie in about 20 minutes. I've made about 4 for our kitchen and 2 for my Mother-in-law. I'll keep making them until I run out of yarn. :)

The other big project I tackled while I was on Spring Break (my "break" was basically one day after the traveling, working... during break, and getting Sweet Pea's birthday stuff done) was to clean and organize the playroom. UGH! two and half hours later and it was finished. I can safely say that the child does NOT need anymore toys. Does NOT need any more art supplies, and the next person who gives us play-doh is going to get an earful from me. (Of play-doh that is....) It looks wonderful, though. So much better. And we're working on the kid to get in the habit of picking up her toys and putting them away as she finishes playing with them. (yeah....right.)

Yesterday was so nice out that we even got to go outside and play. Sweet Pea's swing-set and playhouse are open and ready for the summer. My dad got her a new glider swing for the set and we got her some plastic drums that attach to the swing-set. We will attach those today. With the nice weather I got to get out in the yard. I got the puppy-poop cleaned up, the sticks picked up, and my strawberry patch raked out. Everything seems to have survived this horrible winter. My apple tree is budding and both my blueberry bushes survived. The raspberries are....well I don't think you can kill raspberries.  As soon as it is a little nicer we will dig up the suckers from the raspberry patch and transplant them along our other fence. They are Sweet Pea's favorite food, so we can't have too many. (Famous last words.) Last summer we found some wild black raspberries in our yard and we are really hoping we can encourage those to spread, too. I think I was most surprised to see that my rhubarb lived. I really thought I killed it last year. 

I really can't wait to get out and clean up my garden and start planting. On the list to grow this year:

Tomatoes (Heirloom varieties.)

Cucumbers

Red Bell Peppers

Black Beans

Artichokes

I'm going to have to go get some nitrogen rich fertilizer this year. I try and rotate my tomatoes every year, but with the black beans and cucumbers needing the fence to climb on, I'll need to plant the tomatoes where they were last year. I'll find some good fertilizer and it'll be fine. I hope. We have friends with pet bunnies, so I can get some bunny poop. Best fertilizer in the world.

The artichokes will go in pots as will any herbs we plant. So excited! I got canning supplies for Christmas so we are planning on canning jellies and pickles for sure. I also want to buy peaches, pears, and apples from the farmers markets to can fruit for Sweet Pea's lunches next year. She is a fruit bat, and I'm so tired of buying fruit cups for her.

We always freeze tomato sauce, and my hubby likes that better than canning so we'll continue to handle the tomatoes that way. I also want to try canning roasted red peppers. And maybe invest in a food dehydrator for sun-dried tomatoes and dried fruit.

Well, the sunlight and my back yard is calling me. I'm sure I have more puppy poop to pick up and my lavender plant needs to be uncovered before it smothers. So happy to be able to get outside!!

Glitter, glitter everywhere...

I apologize in advance for the large post. Lots of pictures to come!

First off, last week I got an email from a major online retailer that had just settled a lawsuit with some publishers. The result was a $13 book credit. At first I thought it was only valid for e-books, but discovered it was good for a print book, too! So exciting! I truly prefer print books when I order pattern books, so I was really happy. I ordered this book. I LOVE this book. The borders are amazing. I really want to find all sorts of projects that require fancy borders just to use them. But instead of using them as borders this week, I realized that some of those borders could be put to a different use.

CROWNS for Sweet Pea's 3rd birthday party!! I simply cast on my stitches over a headband and then worked the patterns back and forth. In case you're wondering, my favorite to use from the book is #22 as it looks like a snowflake crown in honor of Elsa.

As you can see, I crocheted beads into the pattern to create jewels. And the best part? One crown takes me approximately 10 minutes to make. So I have 5 crowns made as of this weekend. I think I'll make one more in purple. I was pretty surprised that when I gave Sweet Pea her choice of them, she chose the white one. I also mentioned that I can make her one in any color she wants later. 

But alas, there is one problem with my crown plan. We have one little boy who is attending the party. Sooooo... TADA:

Mouse ears! Again, an easy-peasy project. I just cast on stitches on the headband and then made two circles of the size I wanted. (You can find tutorials for circles all over online.) I then whip-stitched them onto my base row, and voila!

With both the ears and the crowns, I sprayed them heavily with spray starch and pinned them into the shape I was happy with to dry. I let them dry over night, sprayed them again on the other side and let them dry thoroughly. We will see how they hold up! I'm thinking about selling them as I get better at making them.

In other projects, my snowdrop shawl is turning out amazing! I am about half-way done. I'm hoping to have it finished and blocked in two weeks. Totally doable, I think.

I also made Sweet Pea a headband holder yesterday. I was so sick of them falling all over the place and getting stepped on and lost. So I took an empty oats canister, strung a ribbon through it, and hot-glued some fabric over it. I need to make a decorative something for the ends to cover up my half-assed glue job, but it's functional right now.

(pardon the stray sock in the background...)

Now onto the project you've all been waiting for. I made the tutu...

YIKES!! There is glitter everywhere in my house from this thing. I didn't even bother hiding it from her once it was made because, to be honest, I didn't want to put it in a closet and get glitter all over my clothes, coats, or anything else stored IN those closets. It turned out beautiful, though, and I think Sweet Pea will LOVE it. I just need to sew the elastic and it'll be all done. But I'm not feeling it today. I don't want to hand sew it today. It can wait.

I think it looks a bit like a skirt a snow queen would wear!

Just a small sample of how much glitter is in my house right now. Even after vacuuming!!

So that's what I've been up to this week. Busy, busy, busy. But all fun projects! And I promised Sweet Pea an afternoon of movie watching. We are going to make the couch into a bed, cover it with soft pillows and fluffy blankets, and cuddle while we watch a certain movie that is set in a snow storm. Oddly enough, it'll only be the 3rd time I've seen it since we bought it. Only....

Odds and Ends

So it's been a busy week. And not in a "oh, look how much crocheting, baking, or fun projects I got done!" sort of way.

Work was crazy. Really crazy. Exhaustingly crazy. 'Nuff said.

Also, the movie, you know THE MOVIE, came out this week on DVD. My daughter loves it. We've already watched it twice. Which is really very few times considering. I have to admit, though, that when we put it on, I drop everything and watch it, too. With the movie, though, comes the desire for toys based upon the movie. My daughter wants a specific doll. A specific doll that is incredibly rare right now. Sweet Pea wants it for her birthday and we had to start the conversation this week of, "Honey, we might not be able to get one for your birthday. They just don't have any, ok?" I refuse, flat out refuse, to follow the crazies and shop ebay for one. Not. Going. To. Happen. So I'll find it when I find it. It doesn't help that we are being very picky as to which version of this doll we are willing to buy, too. I am also refusing to buy one just for the sake of buying. I will wait and get the nice one. The one that actually looks like the character from the movie. In the mean time one of my very dear friends is making Sweet Pea an Elsa costume. Well, the cape at least. I'll be creating the skirt in the form of a tutu. Trust me, when I start this project I will photo-document it and post here. Me... making a tutu. NEVER thought that'd happen.

Anyways, on to an update about George.

Today was a day that all sourdough owners have to face. A day (or two) where the starter bubbles, but does not double. Active, but not doing what it should. George had grown too large. So we took two cups out to make bread sticks. (I'll post the recipe if we like it.) I then took a scant 1/2 cup out to keep. Then I ended up throwing away almost 3 cups of starter. It wasn't active enough to even give away at this point, so we're basically starting over. I'll give it a feeding of whole wheat before storing it for the week and George should be back to normal next week. Still, even knowing it had to be done doesn't take the sting out of the process. Maybe I'm too attached??

In crochet-land, I've succumbed to my inevitable ADD when it comes to projects. I always have 2 or three going at a time to keep myself from growing bored.

Yesterday I started the Snowdrop Shawl. I'm making it for my mother-in-law. (For some reason, I truly prefer making gifts to making things for myself.) I'm using the Red Heart Boutique Unforgettable yarn in "Echo." So far I'm loving the pattern and how it's turning out.

The picture isn't doing the colors justice at all. It's quite lovely.

I was very nervous to use this yarn as the reviews I'd read complained of it actually just falling apart as people were working with it. I have to say that now I'm more concerned with how much tension the reviewers use while crocheting!! So far I am not having a single problem with it. I love the feel of it and can't wait to see how the whole shawl looks when I'm done. In fact, I've already ordered two more skeins in "Tidal" to make another shawl for my niece, E. 

The pattern itself is very easy to do. In fact I would highly recommend it as a first or second project. It just uses basic stitches and yet ends up looking really fancy and beautiful!!

So stay tuned for my attempt at making an Elsa tutu in the near future. Anyone want to take a vote as to how much glitter I end up with all over my house??

D's Afghan

This past February I decided to make afghans for my nieces and nephews for Christmas. For my niece, D, I ordered a Stylecraft Special DK Colour Pack and decided that I'd look at the colors and decide what inspiration hit me. 

After trying several stitch patterns, I ended up choosing an old stand by, the crazy stitch. 

I love this stitch pattern. I love how it looks. It's easily memorized and I find it easy to do. It was the pattern that my mom used to make the one and only afghan she made just for me. And I used it when I made my daughter's baby blanket before she was born. The one she drags everywhere with her. 

I wrote out the pattern, including the stripe order for the colors. I'll post it here, just because I'm really loving how it's turning out.

D's Afghan

For a blanket approximately 48 inches wide.

Size F (4.0 mm) hook
Stylecraft Special DK Colour Pack
Abbreviations: dc = double crochet, sc = single crochet

My color order:
pomegranate
wisteria
aster
saffron
plum
sherbet
shrimp
spring green
lipstick
aspen
lavender
fondant
magenta
turquoise
clematis
meadow
cloud blue

Chain 240 or length desired. (Multiples of 3)
Row 1
3 dc in 4th chain from hook, * skip 3 chains, sc in next chain, chain 3, 3 dc in same chain. Repeat from * across row. End with sc in next chain.

Row 2
Chain 3 to turn. 3 dc in sc of previous row. * sc in next chain-3 space of previous row, chain 3, 3 dc in same chain-3 space. Repeat from * across row. End with sc in last chain-3 of previous row.

Repeat row 2, until desired length is reached.

Change colors every two rows.

When afghan is the desired length, bind off and then take the last color listed above (cloud blue) and stitch two rows of the pattern along the bottom of the afghan, then sc the side edges in a color of your choice following his pattern:

Sc in each sc and 3 sc in each ch 3



Here's how it looks so far:

I will keep posting updates and any changes/corrections to the pattern, but it's going along very well!

I'm happy with it. I love the colors even more than I expected. I thought it might be too much, but I think it'll be perfect!

First One

Ok, So I keep saying to myself, "I should join all the cool people and write a blog!" And that's usually as far as it goes. I won't mention how many times I've tried this, but I never seem to find the time or inclination to continue. I, as usual, am hoping this one will be different. Primarily because I intend to use it for the storage of all my crazy hobbies, and the storage of my thoughts, recipes, and musings on them.

So this will be, as the title of the blog suggests, an unfocused project. My goal is to keep my personal information out of the equation and just focus on the stuff I do to keep myself entertained in my barely there down-times.

What can you expect to see here?

1. Crochet. Patterns, yarn reviews, pattern reviews, hook reviews, etc. My thoughts on being a self-taught crafter and hopefully ideas on how to improve. Might be helpful for those who want to take part in this wonderful hobby.

2. Sourdough. I have a sourdough starter. I've named it George. Two days a week it governs my household's life and schedule with its demands for feedings and then baking. I love it.

3. Gardening and plants. In the summer months I love to garden. Primarily vegetables, but I think I'll branch out into flowers this year for the sake of my daughter. She wants to help the Lorax.

4. To a lesser extent, Motherhood. I'm still fairly new to this. She'll be 3 soon and I have never laughed so much in my life. I won't post personal information about her. I won't post pictures. I WILL post the funny things she says or the things I'm experimenting with as I try and find my way in this strange journey of raising her to be an intelligent, moral, kind, loving, and productive member of our society. We do plan on raising her Buddhist, so I may touch on that, too.

Things you can NOT expect to see here?

1. Information or stories about my husband and my marriage. That is stuff that is best left in my house. And private.

2. Information or stories about my job. I spend enough time at work and thinking about work. And talking about work. Not here.

3. Politics. I've got my opinion and you have yours. I respect your opinion and I'm going to assume that you respect mine.

4. Discussions on religion. I will be talking about trying to raise our daughter as a Buddhist, but only as the process. Not about beliefs and any thoughts that could indicate that my way, beliefs, faith, etc is the right/only way to live. Again you have yours I have mine. Respect.

So here we go again. Wish me luck. I've got lots of ideas for posts right now, but my sourdough is calling me. Today is baking day and the bread will not bake itself.