Weekend Wonderfuls

I finished the prayer shawl, and two more hats over the weekend.  I am now slowing down to finish some larger, unfinished projects.  I still have ornaments and a few other smaller projects, but I am happy with my progress.

I need to can jellies soon, but today is my "all-out" house cleaning day.  I like to start the week off with a spic n' span clean house.  However, I need to exercise first.  I am slowly working back up to a 4:30am wake up call (I do much better when I exercise first thing in the morning).

Homemade Deodorant and Slip-Sliding Down Project Runway....

My first granny square scarf.  I had fun with this and plan to make another one for gifting.   This one went to the same daughter, that this hat (another finished project)....

Husband Funny

Conversation between me and hubby (and a daughter):

".....go show you Dad your scarf and hat I finally finished.."

(she goes and gets them and returns)

"Wow honey!!! You should sell those! That is ....."

"You know I have a blanket over there I have to finish, a shawl over there, and......"

"Well why don't I have a hat like that?"

"You have a hat and a scarf I made you."

"Not like those...."

"What color?"

"Grey."

"So I have your permission to go buy more yarn?  I don't have any leftover in that color."

"Yes............I mean NO! One of these days I'll wake up and find yarn stacked to the ceiling....."

Ha ha ha ha ha!  So, he wants a hat and he wants it in a color I don't have. Hmpf.  Guess I'm buying grey yarn.....adding another "project" to the project list....

I'll be back to post more finished projects. 

Tired and Wired

The kids came home wired up and tired.  Is that combination even normal? Ha ha ha!  The first day back to school was good for all of them.

Today....this post is short.  I MUST attack my filing cabinet and clean it out for a new year.  This year, there is much less paper to file. Thank goodness.

I'll be back when I dig myself out of the mess that piled up when I got sick.  Thankfully, many items in the "pile" belong to other people in the house.  So....they will be treated with a "pile" of their own to sort out.  Phew!  I can't wait to have it all organized again.  I have so many other projects that need finished.

Snow ~ Project Runway ~ Back to School

We finally got snow.  The younger two girls have been playing in it, getting pulled around in sleds, with chasing dogs behind them.


Today the sun is trying to peak out, but the wind is swift enough to dry my larger items outside on the line.  The rest are on drying racks in front of the wood stove.


And if you are wondering if our family motto is really true or not ("Eat it up, Wear it out, Make it do, Or go without.") check out those pink flannel sheets on the line.  Those used to be mine as a kid.  Mom gave them to me several years ago, and now my own kids are using them.  The elastic is giving out on the bottom sheet, but they sure come in handy in this old farm house.

As for the "Project Runway" part of the post, think "projects."

I have a list of more crafting projects that need finished or completed, and I'll post them as I complete them.

Over the school winter break, I finished a set of cup coasters, a few ornaments and dishcloths.  I also crocheted one of the girls a hat.

Classy Cloche Hat Pattern

and a pair of slippers. . .

I didn't really have a pattern for these.  I just kind of "winged" it.  Either way, I managed to finish them and use leftover yarn in my "stash."

I also ironed transfers onto 5 shirts, 2 lunch bags, one bible/book cover, on tote bag (actually two, but will add that in a minute), and one bandanna.

I guess I deleted the photo already, but my advice is to never play a guessing game with five kids while ironing on transfers.  One transfer was ironed on upside down. Ha ha ha ha!

Today, the kids are back in school.  I overheard them this morning, while waiting for the school bus.


".....I know....they'll ask what are your resolutions..."


"....and what did you do over break..."


"...I know....and they go one at a time.....what did you get for Christmas...."


This was all said in high pitched sarcastic mimicking voices.  What used to be fun to share in elementary, is not so fun for middle and high school anymore.  I got a chuckle listening to them imitate teachers.  After they left, I had one more to put on a school bus.  Only her conversation was:


"....I know Tig.....I don't want to go either...."


She was talking to her cat, giving him lots of love, and dreading the return of school.

For the Birds

My son gifted me another trailer.  Isn't it cute?  I will be putting this in the tree just in front of the house.

Happy New Year! It's 2012!

The new year aftermath - indoors. Ha ha ha ha ha!

The new year aftermath - outdoors......I'm sure the barn cats are trying to figure out what that funny string stuff is. Ha ha ha!

Despite one daughter having to work at 4am the morning of New Year's Eve, and my son working New Year's Eve and this morning, I think they all had a good time last night.

We added more healthier foods to our festive night this year - a fruit tray.  

Growing up, Mom always had tables full of snacks she baked for Christmas, Chex mix was a must, and punch in the punch bowl.  As a tradition, we would all sleep underneath and around the Christmas tree.  In the morning it would come down.  It was a real tree every year.  I look forward to putting up a real tree here (once the cats learn not to climb it).

When we took down the tree, and after the ornaments came off and were put away, we would take down (what we called) the tinsel.  You know, those tiny slivers of silver that you can decorate your tree with?

We used something very similar, if not the same brand, as the one above - Icicles.

Not only would we put these on one at a time, but we'd take them off one at a time, and put them back in the box for the next Christmas.  We still laugh about that.

We didn't keep that tradition in my home today, but we do take our tree down January 1st.  It's a struggle to get it all back in the boxes they came out of, but we some how get it all put away.

It's a happy-sad day - January 1st.  It's the start of a new year, the start to start over, and the end of the holidays.  


Here's to a great start with the new year!