Fall Has Sprung (Kinda)

Good glorious fall day! The weather is wonderful (to me, E wishes it were summer again). Its supposed to warm back up tomorrow I think, but today Little A and I are in jeans and sweatshirts and her little diaper butt looks so cute in jeans! And guess what else came out of hiding today?

The Chucks! This particular pair has been with me since birthday '08. They haven't had much wear time in the last few years because of my first pregnancy and birthday '10 I got a pair of Justin gypsy boots that saved me 2-3 minutes of shoe-putting-on time. But I have missed my chucks.

I finished my first knit project thanks to the inspiration of Attic24's Little Lady. Lucy's daughter was making one of these and I thought it was perfect to be a first knit project. Thanks to technical advances (YouTube) I was able to re-teach myself what a friend of mine already taught me about knitting.

Thank you Little Lady for inspiring me! And I finished it in the same day too.

It was very well recieved by Little A!

Haha, but it was short lived. After this picture she kicked him to the curb and decided other things like slides and rocks were better. Oh well!

Today was grocery day. Whenever we buy new eggs E marks the old ones so we eat them first. I got to mark them today! I love drawing on food (those that can be drawn on) and ziplock bags with food in them. I'm quarky like that.

E likes it though. I ask him if it embarrasses him at work when he has cartoons on his bags and others see it. He says no and I believe him, but I also like to believe that the other guys are jealous their wives don't do stuff like that for them.

Little A and I spent some time outside after we got back from the grocery.

Sometimes I get lucky and she stays where I can see her and sneak out a few rows, rounds, stitches on any given project. Other times the project is flung aside because being outside causes deafness in children (along with corgis) and the threat of punishment quickly turns into reality. But thank goodness it's nap time, for a little bit, which mostly equals quiet time for mommy. I know this time will more than likely be coming to a very sudden stop when #2 comes in March. Wouldn't trade it for anything though!

Especially the sharing of snacks that follows nap.

Yesterday, we took a ride around the country and E cut down some Brown-eyed Susans (I don't know if that's the technical term, but that's what I call them). When we got home they were all wilted and didn't look too good, but E put them on water anyway. I'm glad he did because they all came back! They have a nice country/dusty smell that swallows up the whole kitchen. What a nice way to brighten a kitchen.

Well, I've abadoned my mission to get the hexie blanket by my birthday, which is ok! But, I realized that I have so much other stuff that needs to be done. I'm ok with putting my blanket aside for a little bit.

I'm crossing my fingers and hoping I get two very important projects get done by this weekend. My nephew's quilt, because he literally could be here anytime though his not due until the 5th of October. And a granny rectangle baby blanket for the lady down the street, who is due soon I think. We have not met them, but a baby gift is the prefect ice breaker! Right? I hope you all have a great week!

Until next time!

147 BPM

Good morning! I know it's been far too long since my last post, a few of my more outspoken readers have told me so! And more than once. But there was reasons for my absences. I haven't quite been feeling like myself and for good reason too! I've been feeling worn down and very tired along with two physical ailments that had to be treated with antibotics and OTC ointments. Well anyway, I have SOOO much to tell you, so take a deep breath because we're diving in!

The weather has been more on the pleasant side lately and Little A and I have been spending more time out back. The other morning I drug our old comforter out with us and I laid on that as she ran around picking up rocks and chasing Mabel and Tonka.

Then she came over and crawled all over me and bounced on me. At least it was fun for her.

We've been playing with friends.

And cousins too! So overall, Little A has been pretty busy!

The fair was last month and this year I entered in a little baby afghan. It's my own pattern, which I'm still writting up the pattern for, but it's great in my head and looks great made up in yarn! And would you guess what? Your's truly recieved a blue ribbon! I'm very excited about it!

Then, a few weeks ago, I was letting the dogs back inside and a wasp followed us in! Luckily, Little A was sleeping but I was a little freaked out. It flew to the window above the sink and hid behind the curtains. I tried to get it out the window, it doesn't have a screen on it so it could have just flown out the open window. But NOOO! I chased it around for a good half an hour and with each passing minute my blood pressure and anger was moving upward. No longer did I care whether or not he live or die! So it was game on now. I grabbed some glass cleaner to get on his wings so he couldn't fly and my flip-flop. Spraying blinding up the curtain and swatting at the buzzing, he finally fell to the window sill disoriented and afraid. No, I did not feel powerful mastering the fate of this little creature, and no I did not feel triumphant at my killing. But I was glad the whole ordeal was done. He did suffer, I should say, I had to squash him at least 3-5 times before he expired. It was not a happy time. Afterward, I sat down and ate my lunch just in the nick of time, because Little A woke up pomptly after the last bite. *sigh* What a crazy afternoon.

The Sprinkle (which is a downsized version of a baby shower) was perfect! I finished and iced all 48 (minus a few) cupcakes and baked two batches of brownies, showered, dressed, and wrapped my present just in time to leave on time for the sprinkle. Well, in time to set up for it.

It all happened so fast, I didn't get a picture of the feast before it was dug into, plus I'm bad at remembering to take "before" pictures anyway. But it was a lot of fun and everyone enjoyed the goodies and good company. Little A stayed home with Grandpa and Uncle Tom because she seriously needed the nap she got, no party likes a cranky baby.

This is the crochet blanket I made for my nephew to be, if you recall. It was one of many crochet blankies recieved. How different each crochet style is, but each still so beautiful. There was a blue one that was my favorite, so soft and lush. I'll have to find out what kind of yarn she used. I also have a quilt I still have to finish quilting before my nephew arrives in early October! I don't want yo show you until it's done.

We've made a few trips to Quick Trip in the last few weeks because their goodies are well recieved with everyone in the family. Mostly Little A.

Who is always wet from tipping her drink by the time we get home.

And who doesn't love a trip to the ice cream truck? My neighbor and I were granted a business card with a direct line to the man himself. So when we hear him ringing his bell we can call him and tell him he better come down our street! Which is a rare for him to do.

I've also been up to my crafty ways again! I started working on my hexie blanket again and I'm hoping to give it to myself for my birthday! September 21! I have 10 more rows before it's done so we'll see. Plus I still have the granny stripe for E to finish, and the quilt... But what do I do instead?

Start ANOTHER project! This is my first knit project and it's going to be for Little A. I'm hoping to finish it today or tomorrow. It'll be so cute! She'll love it, I know! She's just like her dad in that they both love home made gifties. Well, I do believe this is a most random post, but I hope you enjoyed it. Now that I'm finally feeling better I hope to get back to regular posting. Since there wasn't many people who requested to be entered into the star drawing, I'm going to make a garland for each of you! You know who you are! (Daffny A., I still have your's!) Before I go, I have to show you the latest project I'm working on. I had some help from E on this one...


Wait for it...








It should be completed come March 2012. :-)

Crochet Goodies + Easter Stories

Easter was pretty good this year. E had to work but my dad and brother came out to keep little A and I busy until he did get home, then we went to E's parents for dinner.



E took little A on a tractor ride that she loves last year but this year wasn't so sure. She didn't cry just fussed like she didn't know what was going on, and we told her we were going bu-bye. She looked around and said, "bu-bye" in a said little voice as if she was really saying, "can I leave this place for something better?" The tractor ride didn't last very long, E was disappointed, but there is always next time!


The dress that almost wasn't... I waited until the night before Easter to wash little A's dress, because I was worried about washing it anyway. I had good reason to worry. The seams in the skirt of the dress fell out! The fabric frayed and unraveled (which I didn't sew to closely to the edges) and parts of the arm holes came undone (only two spots were I did sew to closely to the edges). I was understandably upset, it made my stomach tighten up and tears well up in my eyes. I wasn't altogether upset because the dress had fallen apart, I was upset because if I couldn't fix the dress little A didn't have a back up dress to wear because I didn't buy one! If I couldn't fix it she wouldn't have a dress to wear for Easter! But thank goodness, I was able to fix everything! And of course, she was adorable in it.



Oh, here it what I made for all the littles in my life! I made 5 of these babies. Of course, I was so excited to give them away I didt get pictures of all of them. *Sigh* I seem to be doing that a lot lately. But they were so much fun to make and that much more fun to give away. The two in the picture are Mario and Luigi, both belong to little A.


The other day I got a wild hair, or is it hare? Anyway, I'm working on that hexagon blanket (I'll post a link as soon as I can/have permission) and it's a join-as-you-go process, meaning you join the pieces together as you're working on them instead of piecing them together when every piece is finished.


I thought to myself when I first saw this method how lazy and unprofessional it was. Boy was I wrong! Big time! It's so much fun and it looks better in a way, I think, plus I was able to finally do something with all the granny squares I had made and wasn't doing anything with because I dreaded the sewing together.


Look how beautiful it is! I'm so happy I found the join as you go! This is actually the first traditional granny square anything I've done. It's only a little afghan but I'm so in love with the whole granny experience now that I want to so everything granny! But I must fulfill my other crafty obligations before I get to play around.


Look how big they're getting! No buds on the sunflower but it as the basil smell amazing!

But anyway, next week I'm going to have more crafty goodies to show to you! And I'm thinking of a crafty give away because I'm nearing 200 views on my blog. Yes, yes! I'll have to think of something fantastical that you'll enjoy.

Until next time!

New Friends and Old Friends

Good morning! Sorry to have taken an unscheduled, untold break from blogging last week. I forgot what the days were and when it dawned on me it was blogday Monday it was too late by Tuesday I didn't have enough energy to write out something I wasn't feeling. So instead of halving it, I wholly didn't do it! I hope you understand!

So much has happened this passed week! I saw a lot of people this week and a half, last Saturday Little A, grandma and I met our second cousin and her mom from Oregon, this Thursday was a playdate with my friend down the street, Friday was an old friend I haven't seen in over a year with her new little one, Saturday was a visit with Grandpa (Little A's), Sunday I went to visit a friend in the next town over, who I missed her baby shower and finally got to formally meet. Then Sunday evening was a family get together. *Deep breathe, sigh* What a busy time, no wonder as I write this (9am) Little A is busy sawing logs still! 7:30a is our normal wake up. But having seen those good friends, old and new, I can reveal to you what I've been waiting to show you! Wait for it...


Here it is! The other quilt I made!


Tonka likes quilts, what can I say?


And crochet blankies! Little A's sweet hand too. That's a pattern of my own making.


And just a recap, though you've seen this one. I unfortunately did not get a picture of the other crochet blanket. But that's ok.


The outside tells us that spring has left us behind for more winter (it snowed again last night!) we've been pretending it's spring. My allergies are running wild and there's a lingering pressure in my head, but if the sun is shining and little A is smiling, it's spring inside at least!


That's a photo I pulled off Google images.
As Easter draws ever closer, I have some big crafty plans! Oh yes! Maybe too big you might ask? Ha! Nah! I've decided to make Little A's Easter dress! I have the fabric and the excitement for it. Have my own pattern in mind and am ready to go for it. I just hope it turns out as good as it looks in my head. But the picture above is what I have in mind but with different fabrics and such. I'm also making something special for Easter baskets, I can't show you! So don't try to make me spill the beans! It has to be a complete surprise! But I'm making two additional ones for my niece and Little A's friend. You're gonna love it too!


Speaking of old friends, Mabel and Little A playing in the shower. So cute! But that tutorial I've been saying is coming, is coming today! It was much harder than I imagined it would be, I had a hard time finding the words to explain what was going on! That and little A kept running off with my yarn! But it's finally done! Next time I won't tell you anything is coming until it's almost done!


Little A and Virginia in the car.
But anyway, I have one more picture to snap for the tutorial and it is all yours!

Until next time!

Please Hurry!...

(Pictured above: Little A enjoying the spring like weather Kansas teased us with) This morning all I could think about was the phrase, "please hurry up spring!" Mostly because I woke up with a scratchy throat and stuffy ears and little A has had a snotty nose the passed three days and coughs every morning due to drainage. E, has had a rough winter too and is sick about every other week with some kind of cold. So, Spring, you're only 13 days away an your good buddy The Groundhog told us you were on your way, please don't be late!



Speaking of please hurry... Voilà! Here it is! One of the boxy pouches I'm making as a gift to you guys for following my blog! Let me tell you, they're cute but they're not perfect, I'm not a professional seamstress! But they are handmade! Just send me an email (tabbysorangemarbles@hotmail.com) or send me a message on FB and let me know where you want me to send your gifty! And also, thank you for following! :-)


Another Voilà! This is a baby quilt I made at the last minute before a baby shower. It took me 7 1/2- 8 hours to make! It is only 25"x25". We were planning to go to the shower at 2 but little A took her nap from 11:30-1:45 and woke up with a snotty nose, so we didn't want to risk going and giving whatever this might be to anyone else. But it is finished, laundered, and ready to be giving away!



March is national craft month! I do some kind of at least once a day anyway but now I have an extra excuse to give E when he asks me what I'm doing. It's for National Craft Month! Duh! Silly husband! But it also doesn't give me any excuse not to finish my brother's Christmas present. That's Christmas '10 not '11. So that's my goal for this month. Seeing as how there only 50 more rows until it's finished it's a very achievable goal.


I've been quilting a lot more than crocheting recently and I've been missing it. Another of my goals for this craft month is to do some cleaning of my yarn stash, the upstairs closet is full of half used and new skeins of yarn and it's a little embarassing because there is SO MUCH YARN! Everywhere! It's a yarn-catastrophe! You may think I'm joking or exaggerating, but I'm really not. So keep me accountable!


But anyway, I know, I really know!, I've been promising a tutorial for crochet so look for that in the next few days. Because it's really coming! Pinky swear! Until then, enjoy a photo of little A enjoying her first dum-dum sucker.

Until next time!