Crochet Book Blanket ~ End of Year Update

I started a crochet book blanket at the beginning of this year (2025).  I crocheted a granny square for every book I finished, and crocheted the square with matching colors of the actual book.  The plan was to get back into reading, be motivated by the crocheted blanket, and use up scrap balls of yarn.  An overall fun, and positive project for myself.  The blanket is a join-as-you-crochet type of blanket, making it less intimidating to start, work on, and eventually finish. 

How many books did I manage to read?

43 books, with one last book that will be finished on the 31st, will make that final year end number a whopping 44 books!

Not the amount I had hoped for, but I really did not have a number goal in mind.

It's not a bad number either.  

In the past 5 years, I was lucky to even read 1 to 5 books within the years.  There were all sorts of reasons reading didn't happen.

On the bright side, the blanket is coming along very nicely, and it is such an inspiration to other book lovers who crochet.  I have shared my progress with so many book store owners, especially used book stores.

I finished a pair of blue baby booties for the next grandson to be born next year (crocheted).

First puzzle to finish this winter.  What can I say?  It's winter, and not much is going on.  Besides the crazy weather.  Snow, up to 60's, then really bad wind, followed by more snow and cold again.....it's winter.

The dehydrator is out (thanks to my husband's help) and ready for some winter time making.

I have learned a lot in 2025, and overall tried new adventures, and loved every minute of each one.  I have learned a lot about people, as I had time to sit and reflect much more at the end of the year than ever.  I've learned the good, the bad, and the ugly.  

Like I said, it's been a year of learning, and making changes.  Social media has really changed some people, and not in a good way, as life was before social media.

I've learned to grow new foods, dehydrate new concoctions, and learned new ways to either utilize or use herbs, medicinal herbs, and garden goods.  

We discovered many new-to-us or "first time" try-its.  

I've ventured back into my writing, and boy am I rusty.  It's been fun however. It's been a positive spin to this winter.

Plans for 2026?  Yes and yes. 

So many people we have talked to are sick right now.  Thankfully I am home another 3 weeks of recovery, so I've been staying away from people.  My husband has had to work outside a lot more than inside this winter (he's not happy about that).  We do have homemade ginger-ale syrup in the freezer, and I'm about to write my recipe to mail out for another person this week.

I'm putting together a list of items to create "get well" baskets for those who I can bless.  

As of this post, my rosemary plant is still alive, but barely (sigh).  I am babying it, but man these plants take such specific winter indoor care.  I'm learning anyway.

Happy New Year!  

Crochet Book Blanket ~ End of Year Update  ©  December 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Happy Homemaker Monday

 It's been a long time since I participated in Happy Homemaker Monday.  I apologize for the length of it.  I tend to get a bit chatty and blabber on a bit with these posts.

Today I am joining Sandra with Happy  Homemaker Monday. 

The weather . . .

Cold!  Sunday we got down to 27 degrees, our first hard freeze, and rain.  

It's 18 degrees and snow arrived.

Right now I am . . . 

Brewing coffee, and writing this post.

Thinking and pondering . . .

Spring home projects/repairs, chicken brooders, volunteering...fun winter activities.

How I am feeling . . . 

Overall, good, but frustrated with those who cannot "listen" and I have to repeat myself over and over and over (not my husband ha ha! He's a great listener).  I have really learned from this, to be a much better listener.

On the breakfast plate . . .

Have no idea yet.

On the menu . . .

-(new recipes to try), crock pot mac n' cheese

-crockpot flank steak tacos (new recipe to try)

-Salmon, stuffed acorn squash (new recipe)

On my reading pile . . .

1.  A lot of crockpot and sheet pan dinner cookbooks from the library (working on new, easy dinners for the next few months).  I have never had the "need" for a crockpot breakfast, but I'm looking into those as well.

2.  Non-fiction (trying to get a few pages in a day).  Interesting, but the authors continuous references to war or military are monotonous (hence 2 pages a day, ha ha!).

3. Fiction

(forgot to take a photo).

On my TV this week . . .

Anything that brings laughter.

Looking around the house . . .

Looking good, and I managed to clean up a pile of paperwork, but found about two dozen printed new recipes to try.  How does that happen?  Sheesh.  I thought I found them all.  I now use my phone to try the recipe first anymore.  If it's a keeper I then either write it down or print it (no more recipe piles for me).  I do have a pile of free magazines from the library to read.

To-do list for the week . . .

-make a new breakfast

-sweep and mop floors

-dust

-one doctor appointment this week

-return books to the library

What I am creating . . . 

Finished this lap afghan for a future donation.

I was given some yarn recently, and there are at least 21 skeins of Red Heart aran yarn in the mix.  Yes, 21 of them.

I started a new lap afghan pattern with the aran colored yarn, and should use up 4 skeins to make it.  It is my "travel" or "on the go" project for now.  It's one color of yarn, and the pattern is very easy to memorize, so "on the go" is perfect for this blanket.

From the camera . . .

Updated photo of my crocheted "Book Blanket" I am making.  If you haven't seen my first posts on this, you can see it HERE and another post HERE.  I crochet a granny square, with scrap yarn, with my best ability to match the colors of the book cover.  The granny squares are crocheted onto the blanket (a join as I go project).  The photo is 40 completed books with 40 matching granny squares.  We'll see what I get attached by the end of 2025.

Devotional, Prayers, Bible Verses . . .

A few prayer requests:  

Abby, a daughter to folks we know, who was in a car accident and in the hospital unconscious.  They cut some of her skull to relieve pressure, and have plans to slowly remove her from sedation and eventually move her to acute long term facility.

Larry, adult friend of a family member who recently suffered serious seizures.  We are told he takes medication for seizures, and the cause is not known. He had a seizure recently, while driving to work, which put him in the hospital.

Myself.  God knows the details.

Happy Homemaker Monday  ©  November 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart