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my newest toy
Well, I’ve finally taken the plunge. I bought a sewing machine. And I fully intend to learn how to use it. No, really ~ I do!
Growing up sewing never held any kind of appeal for me, so I never learned how. And to be honest, until about a month ago I didn’t really have much of an interest in learning how to sew. But for some reason, lately learning to sew has become just slightly less than an obsession for me. Maybe it has something to do with finding out I’m going to be a grandparent in a couple of months ~ oh! the cute little dresses and outfits I’ll be able to make for my granddaughter!
Now I just need to learn how to do more than wind a bobbin. But, I have successfully wound my first bobbin, so I’m on my way. 
flower power blanket
My next fleece blanket will be Classic Winnie the Pooh on one side and plain apple green on the other. I also have a pink and white big granny square blanket in the works.
Attison is certainly going to have enough blankets!
martha’s homemade holidays
martha stewart
Woo hoo! I won! I won!
Barb at A Chelsea Morning participated in the huge bloggy giveaway hosted by Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer. Barb was giving away a copy of Martha’s Homemade Holidays ~ a Martha Stewart DVD ~ and incase you didn’t get the message in my first paragraph, let me reiterate ~ I WON!! 
Thank you, Barb; you’ve totally made my entire week! I can’t wait to watch this DVD ~ I know there will be tons of great projects and information on it!
pocketmod
Check out this nifty little device ~ it’s called PocketMod. It’s ingenious ~ really! Here’s part of the description from the website:
The PocketMod is a new way to keep yourself organized. Lets face it, PDAs are too expensive and cumbersome, and organizers are bulky and hard to carry around. Nothing beats a folded up piece of paper. That is until now. With the PocketMod, you can carry around the days notes, keep them organized in any way you wish, then easily transfer the notes to your PDA, spreadsheet, or planner.
The PocketMod is a small book with guides on each page. These guides or templates, combined with a unique folding style, enable a normal piece of paper to become the ultimate note card. It is hard to describe just how incredibly useful the PocketMod is. It’s best that you just dive in and create one.
For folding instructions and a short instructional video, click on the “older version of PocketMod” link at the bottom of the page.
how i learned to knit
Sherry wrote: I do counted cross-stitch (self taught) and I kind of know how to crochet. My sister taught me when I was a teen. Together we made an afghan for my sister and her husband. This was when I was in high school. It was for a king bed. My parents loved it so much they asked if we’d make one for them. So we started. Unfortunately my sister died of cancer before it was finished and I had to finish it alone. To be honest I haven’t crocheted since then. Just too many sad memories I guess. But I would like to learn to knit. Do you think I can teach myself? I sure hope so I have a book on order! How did you learn to knit? Thanks
I learned to knit when I was 9 years old. My mother’s cousin came to stay with us for a visit, and she was a very experienced knitter and crocheter. She took the time to teach me how to do both. By the end of her visit she had taught me all of the basics and helped me complete a couple of projects. After that I just kept practicing. I would check books out of the library and follow the instructions and patterns for different projects. As I got older, the projects became more advanced. I don’t know that I’ll ever be as good of a knitter and crocheter as my mom’s cousin, but I do enjoy them. I cross stitch as well ~ I have 2 big projects just waiting to be completed. (I’ve got to get the afghan for my niece and her husband done first, though!)
Sherry, since you taught yourself to cross stitch, and you already know how to crochet, I think you can probably teach yourself to knit as well. It would really depend on how well the book you bought explains the process. I wouldn’t go out and buy a bunch of equipment yet ~ wait and see if you like knitting first. Do a couple of basic projects and see how quickly you pick it up. If you enjoy it, then by all means pursue it.
I teach knitting and crochet from my house. I know there are a lot of people who do that as well. You might look into getting someone to show you the basics if you have a hard time learning from the book. Look for elderly ladies in your neighborhood or church ~ there are several elderly ladies I know who love to have the opportunity to teach another lady how to knit. Not only do they get to share something they love, but it also gives them some company and interaction that they might not otherwise receive.
Let me know when you get your book ~ I’m interested to know how it goes for you!
first prayer journal on its way
At the end of my post “prayer journal how-to” I wrote that I would be pleased to make a prayer journal for anyone who would like one. Well, the first prayer journal to be requested is on its way to its new home. Lynn sent me an email and asked about getting a prayer journal ~ she said she liked the journal I made as the example journal in my post (photographs). I sent that journal off to her today.
If you think you would like for me to make a prayer journal for you, just send me an email.
Speaking of prayer ~ how may I pray for you? I would be honored if you would consider sending me an email with your prayer requests. Prayer requests will always be treated with the utmost of privacy ~ I truly do consider praying specific requests for others a privilege never to be taken lightly.
prayer journal how-to
To make a prayer journal, you will need:
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| From Prayer Journa… |
pretty 12×12 patterned cardstock and some embellishments
3-ring binder, loose-leaf paper, self-stick index tabs, and labels (for your journal sections)
a paper cutter, a hole punch, and page reinforcements (if desired)
First, decide what kind of sections you want in your journal. My sections usually include Praise, Confess, Requests, Thanks, Listening, Memorize, Wisdom, Proverbs, Reading and Reminders. You can put as many or as few sections in your journal as you desire.
Print your section labels onto the index tab inserts that came with the tabs, or onto mailing labels you can cut to size to fit the index tab inserts. Put your section labels into the index tabs.
Next, carefully cut your patterned paper to fit in your 3-ring binder. I use 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 loose-leaf paper and the smaller 3-ring binders that paper fits into. Doing this, I can get 2 section divider papers out of each of my 12×12 patterned cardstock sheets.
Using some patterned paper and embellishments, make a title page for your journal (if desired).
Using the hole punch and a piece of your loose-leaf paper as a guide, carefully punch 3 holes into each of your section divider papers.
Apply the self-stick index tab (section labels) to the section divider papers, staggering them so they’re easy to read.
Once you have all of the section labels on their respective section divider papers, place your title page on top and put them into the 3-ring binder.
Place some loose-leaf paper behind each section divider, and you’re done!
You can take this journal with you everywhere. It’s very convenient ~I can pop a piece of loose-leaf paper out, hand it to a friend, and let them write down their prayer requests for the week. Then I place that paper in the Requests section. Every time I open my journal to write down requests, I’ll see the page my friend wrote her requests on ~ it’s a wonderful reminder to pray for others often.
This journal is pretty and easy to make. However, if you don’t have the time to make one for yourself, or you don’t have access to the supplies needed, I would be happy to make one for you. Just send me an email and place “prayer journal” in the subject line ~ we can then communicate about making your prayer journal!
uncle!!!
I’m not just crying uncle, I’m screaming it from the rooftops!!! Remember Angie and Ashley’s wedding afghan (here)? All those beautiful shells and the openwork edges where a ribbon can run through……..have me screaming and pulling my hair out. I’ve made this afghan before, but I don’t remember it taking so blasted long to complete ~ nor do I recall it driving me absolutely batty. I’ve stopped and started on this particular pattern about 15 times ~ I’m finally giving up. The problem is probably mostly the yarn I chose to use for the wedding afghan, and the fact that it’s big enough to cover 2 1/2 people (well, 2 1/2 skinny people like Angie & Ashley, anyway). I’ve decided if I want to have an afghan to give them as a wedding present before they celebrate their first anniversary, I’d better ditch this pattern and choose a different one. One that is beautiful, but will go a little more quickly.
I’m finding that there’s a definite lack of gorgeous wedding afghan-type patterns out there. The really beautiful ones I’m coming across are all knitting patterns. And while I enjoy knitting, I can complete a crochet project in less than half the time it would take me to knit that same project.
I have a baby afghan pattern (crochet) that I like. If I use a heavier weight yarn than the pattern calls for, and a larger needle, I can adjust the pattern to make a nice-size adult afghan with it. And the great part is that not only is it a pretty afghan, but the pattern repeats the same row once you get to row 3 ~ Rows 3-76 are exactly the same! That makes it very easy to memorize and then just whip the project out.
So, I’m off to work on this new afghan pattern. Hopefully I’ll be able to get this one made up before we leave for Colorado!
abbey’s scarf
This is the scarf I made for Meredith’s youngest daughter, Abbey. I think it’s the best one I’ve made so far. It really curls around a lot. I think it has something to do with the yarn ~ this particular yarn is a DK weight. The other yarns I’ve used are all worsted weight. I’m going to play around with different size needles to see if that makes any difference. I’m still crocheting these scarves ~ I haven’t worked on the knitting pattern yet. I think I just have an aversion to knitting right now; I don’t know.
I need to stop making scarves for a while though ~ I’ve GOT to get Angie’s wedding afghan done. She and Ashley will leave for Costa Rica (where they’re getting married) in a few days. I won’t have the afghan finished and mailed to them before they leave, but I would like to have it waiting at their apartment for them when they get home. I imagine after spending some time in Costa Rica they’ll need a nice cozy afghan when they get back to Denver.