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Blatant product promotions.....

For months, brat number one drove me crazy about buying this new sweeper.
She had bought one and absolutely loved it! But I am old fashioned, a broom and a dust pan (preferably a straw broom, if you could find them anymore) was the way to go. You could get up in those corners, swirl all that dust around! It's great!
After months, and months of nagging from my 26 year old daughter, (yeah, the same one who would sit in a room full of books and toys and clothes flung around everywhere, yeah, that one) I finally broke down and bought this
Swiffer Sweeper
Ok, don't ever, ever tell Brat #1 this, BUT, that is the best thing since inside plumbing! It gets up the dog hair, the cat hair, the cat food, cat litter, (yes the cat is way messier than the dog!) everything, with very little effort. I can't say enough about how good this little gadget is. I love the fact that it has a vacuum on it too. It gets in the corners like a pro, plus, it sucks all the dust off of the baseboards without all that scrubbing with a toothbrush that that crazy lady does.
You gotta get one!

Second item, it you have one of these ↑ little monsters, another great, awesome, why didn't they think about this sooner product...Indoor Cat Food! That may even be better than the sweeper, it's a debate I am having with myself!
We had our house built in 2005 the year of Katrina, we moved in in Feb.
I love cats, have had them all my life, but I just never wanted one in the new house, even now you can walk in my front door and still smell the new, (like a new car, the new house smell) We never smoked in our house and the thought of a little box made me cringe! About five months ago, I started thinking I would like to have a cat again. Don't know why, I guess it was just time.
BFF had two little kittens, brother and sister, that she couldn't keep anymore, and lord knows how over crowded the shelters already are, so when she talked to Brat #1 about taking them until she could find them a good home, I decided it was time.
Jule was a tiny little thing when I first got her, but even then, her evil smell was always circling! Her gaseous state had me just about in tears.
One day I was talking to a lady at wally world who told me to put her on the kitten formula for a few months and that should help straighten her little tummy out. So I did, and it worked to an extent. Now you could only "smell" her when she used the little box, just as horrible!
I scooped the little box out, sometimes, four times a day. It was driving me crazy.
Last week I decided to go ahead and try the indoor formula, even tho she was supposed to be on the kitten formula for a year. Piiishaaa!! It has made a HUGE difference! I can actually use my bathroom without scooping the litter box out first.
Who would have thought that a cat food could make such a difference! You gotta try it!!
Ok, blatant product promotions over.........resume your regular............

This weeks patterns

Well, one day we are wearing shorts and it's so hot I didn't even want to think about summer time. Then, there are days like today, three grandbrats, 45 degree weather and a Mardi Gras parade to go to! WTH!
But we are all troopers, we will pack 'em all up and go catch us some beads and bears and colds! LOL!
I have been knitting, just not on the GBP2011. I spent a whole day cleaning up tangled yarn, Jule's playground behind the couch, and one of those tangled up messed just happened to be the ball that was connected to my blanket.
No big deal, just broke it off and untangled it and re-attached it, just took me half a day!
Started another cool project to wear under an unbuttoned, button up, shirt.
It's a cute little spaghetti strap tank, that for the life of me, I can't figure out where the pattern came from.
Between that and the Twilight series books, I have been keeping pretty busy, that and the crazy woman who keeps showing up at my house to do all the spring cleaning, she wears me out, just gets in a mood and all the nooks and crannies have to be cleaned.Crazy woman!
This weeks patterns
Knitting: Pomatomus Fingerless Gloves
Socks:Magic Mirror
Crochet: Bookbag Backpack
I hope everyone has a great weekend!
God bless

This weeks patterns

It's finally getting warmer, the green is coming back, and the pollen is filling the air again! Yeah spring is here!
This weeks patterns made me think of garden parties, cool evening picnics and clothes hanging on the line.
Knitting: Heart Party Shrug
Socks: Donyale
Crochet: Clothespin sack
Have a great week everyone!
God Bless

Wow....waaayyy to looonggg..

I didn't realize how long it has been since I posted on the blog!
You can blame Facebook for that. Been chatting and posting away over at the Knittinfun facebook page.
The GBP2011 has finally gotten too big to be portable, 40 rows blue, 20 rows brown, now back on the next 40 blue, all this on 400 sts! You do the math, that's a lot of knitting! It is going to be an awesome blanket! I will get some progress pics posted later today.
PB and I went to the hunting camp this weekend and WOW! for me, it was a great weekend, no cooking, no cleaning, just knitting, and watching my first Knitting and Crochet show. My cable company doesn't carry it, so I have never seen it before. I really enjoyed it!
I made a hand towel, a house warming gift for a friend, and half a pair of ankle socks for myself, made from the Alabama Crimson Tide yarn BFF picked up for me on our first visit to our LYS.
I was so excited to finally have a yarn store so close by that I could afford, and guess what?!?! Yup! They are closing their storefront!!
BFF and I have seriously thought about getting a SBL and buying it ourselves. I just don't see how we could accomplish it with no back ground in running a business. But it would be sooo awesome.
It was a great little store, friendly people and great prices! It's a shame to see them close, I loved being able to actually see the yarn, touch it, rub it against my cheek, before I bought it. Something you can not do when you're ordering online.
I am going to try my best to get pics of all this for you today.
I also want to show you how I 'jazzed up' the new journals. Very crafty if I do say so myself!
It has been awesome  having my BFF finally get back into knitting. Until her, I think I was the only knitter in south Mobile County. Where I live, crochet is the thing to do. And I can do it, been doing it since I was like 10 years old, but I like knitting much, much better. Now I use my crochet talents for borders and embellishments only. And until BFF jumped on the band wagon, all my knitting coversations were online. It's so nice to have a face in front of me that doesn't think I am speaking a foreign language when I say LYS or p3, k4.
We've had a few knit days together and I have just really enjoying spending time with her and knitting.
Pics coming up.......

This weeks patterns

Ok, so it's COLD outside, everywhere, all the time, even down here where our winter lasts a total of three months, and even then we only drop below freezing about five times a year. Damn global warming!
This weeks patterns are all about keeping warm, from your neck to your knees.
Knit: Quick and Easy Caps and Herringbone Hat
Sockpattern: Abyss Leg-warmers
Crochet: Baby, it's Cowled Outside
Stay warm everybody!

GBP2011 More yarn and some knitting journals

Got more yarn in, I think this will be enough to keep me occupied for a little while, the sad thing is, this will only get me a little less than half way there. But it's going to be AWESOME when it's finished!

Picked up some more journals too, on Ebay. I love the Moleskine journals, picked up a few for me and the 'new' knitter, my BFF.
If you would like some of your own, the website is Moleskine once you get one and use it, you GET it!

The small blanket is finished!!

It didn't take near as long to finish this as I thought it would, I think it came out really cute.
160 sts on size 7 needles with KnitPicks Swish, WW yarn. I really like how it turned out. I was going to crochet a border around it, but then decided I like how it looks without it. I wove in the ends two nights ago, but haven't cut them off yet, it still needs to be washed. But otherwise, she is done!!

Knitting.... a Partiotic Duty!

Had to share this with you....
98 year old woman knits for the troops
Knitting, a Patriotic Duty

The Great Blanket Project of 2011: Yarn has finally arrived!

A couple of weeks ago I had written that the yarn I ordered came in and I was starting a blanket. That was this. I got the idea from this pattern: Easy Baby Blanket

It is an awesome easy pattern that makes a great blanket. I love garter stitch, on top of being the easiest thing in the world to knit while watching t.v., the color changes are smooth and neat, and easy peasy to do!

From all of this was born the idea for The Great Blanket Project of 2011.
I want a nice warm, comfy, nice looking, easy, wool blanket for my bed. This pattern fits the bill perfectly.
Then an idea gave way to a project, that blossomed into an order at KnitPicks and my BFF beating me to the cast on!
We are chatting away about it on facebook at: Knittinfun. Come check it out, let me know if you would like to join the Knittinfun group on facebook, since that is where all the chatting is going on and I will add you.
I think it's going to be loads of fun, especially since this is the Bff's first big project. We already have plans to get together for "knit" days.
I am hopefully going to get my 300 stitches cast on this evening or tomorrow after work.
We are not going to try and finish this project as soon as possible, therefore, the name, I am just hoping to have mine done before the last day of this year and I will be happy.
I am not going to lie and say this will be my only project until it is finished, OMG, that would drive me insane and I would throw it in a corner and never finish it. There will be many projects in and amongst this one.

The yarn is ordered.....The Great Blanket Project of 2011

I have decided that is high time I knit something for me, soft, squishy, warm and cuddley.
Since I am getting rid of the queen sized bed and going up to a king, this is going to be one BIG project.
I ordered my yarn from KnitPicks Swish WW
When the yarn arrives, I will let you all in on the plan. It's going to be awesome!!

This weeks patterns

Not much knitting time left! I have five more hats to make, and in very bad knitty form, I ordered the wool yarn I wanted to make myself a garter stitch blanket, and, unfortunately, it came in the mail yesterday. Soooo, as my mind kept telling me "YOU HAVE FIVE MORE HATS TO MAKE!!!" my hands were happily knitting away on my new blanket, while I watched the Wizard of Oz. I think a garter stitch blanket is more "Oz" knitting than a stinking ole hat anyway ;0)
Back to the patterns for this week.
Knitting: Legwarmers
Crochet: Lanyard
Socks: Fancy
Have a great weekend everyone! And stay warm!
God Bless

This weeks patterns

The Holidays are coming.... the holidays are coming. Bring out your craftiness!!! the holidays are coming.
Great gifts and cute decorations are in store....
Knitting: Scrooge/Kratchit Nightcap
Crochet: Christmas Tree Skirt
Socks: Cable and Seed Socks
Have a great week everyone!! I have to get all those hats done!!
God Bless

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This weeks patterns

I have finally finished the scarf, and, no camera! DD had to take my camera yesterday when Isaac went to the 100th anniversary celebration of the Boy Scouts. When I get the thing back from her, I will take pictures and post the pattern. In a way it worked out well this way, I have now turned it into two different patterns for you to make. I hope to have it posted by week's end.
On to the patterns for this week:
Knit: Ash
Crochet: Easy Peasy Circle Shrug
Socks: Bamboo Waves Socks
Have a great week everyone!

Another Knitter at Mobile Renaissance Fair

Last weeknd was the Renaissance Fair in Mobile. The grandbrats love to go and see all the knights and ladies, but OMG the belly dancers! As soon as we get there, and right before we leave, gotta go see the belly dancers.
We had a great time walking around and dreaming of all the stuff I would love to buy, Hand made jewelry, hand crafted swords, I was literally in crafty heaven. Then I met a lady who had scarves and shawls hanging all around her tent.
Well, you know you have to stop and touch and feel, and examine patterns. She had long skinny fuzzy scarves, beautiful warm fluffy scarves, shawls made with bulky, soft yarn, and some made with fur yarn that was almost too soft for me to touch. She was an interesting lady to talk to and I am really glad I got to meet her.
Of course dragging the rest of the family behind me, we really didn't have time to chat, for some reason they don't see it the same way. They were ready to move on. Though they do benifit well from my own craftiness!

How to wear a scarf

I am no good at wearing a scarf, I wrap it around my neck till I feel like I am suffocating or, I let it just hang there. This sight Crochet Me shows a few good ways to wrap yourself looking good and showing off. I, for one needed this.

New scarf pattern...soon

I know, me, the hater of the scarf knitting, have come up with a cute, basic, simple, no cable needle, cabled scarf. The test knit is almost finished. Then I will get the pics and post the pattern.
Now don't go getting too excited, it's very basic, nothing all twisty,curvey, gorgeous, just an easy cable pattern that anyone can do.
Will be posting soon. Keep your eyes peeled!

This weeks patterns

This has been a long and harried week and I am sooo glad it is almost over.
The boy totaled his truck and Thank God! walked away, him and the other guy. When I saw the truck, I cried, I don't know how in the world neither one of them got hurt. From there it has just been one thing after another going wrong. I won't bore you with the details, your head might pop off like mine was ready to yesterday!
Needless to say, I am glad the weekend is finally here, and the patterns.
Knitting: Lexi
Crochet: Plarn Soap Dish
Sockpatterns: Family of Slippers

This weeks patterns

It is getting to be that time of year again, cooking, baking, visiting friends, bringing food and gifts. I am glad we finally have some cooler weather, tho in about a month I will be ready for summer again.
This has gotten me in the mood for some gift knitting though. This weeks patterns are all gifting.
Knitting: Apron
Crochet: Loaf Pan Tote
Socks: Knee High Socks
So we can bake, carry our goodies to friends and family, and keep our toes and legs warm doing it. Yep, it's time for the Holiday Season!