Weekly happenings

Hello all, I have had a busy week and there is more to follow. Took a class with Lily Chin last weekend. Tips and tricks for crocheters, if you have a chance take it or the one for knitters, it is great and she is great. I did learn quite a few tricks and tips. Here's a picture of my daughter (on the right) and me with Lily Chin!


As you all know by now, I've tried my first felted bag, and if do say so myself, it turned out great!!

Here's some shots before felting:



And here's how it felted up:


My family is doing great. Clara my little 2 year old is on vacation with her parents, Avrey, my little one is turning 4 month this week and is growing like a weed. Katie, my granddaughter is loving school and they will be singing German songs at the October Fest this weekend. Tomorrow is last practice and the family is looking forward to going and enjoy them singing and the October Fest.

Tomorrow night we are all going out to dinner to celebrate my son-in-law's birthday. This is an annual happening,lol, and we are all looking forward to it.

Have another crocheting class tonight and I want to say, thank you again Jessi for my wonderful angel VVS package. Have a wonderful week everyone and I'll be back next week.

Oh, I almost forgot, check out Anne's Winter Wonderland Coffee Swap site. Join it cause it sounds like lots of fun. Bye now

I've been on vacation!

I received a great package from Jessi, my VVS angel.

Jessi, thank you so very much for the package. I loved everything in it. I am already using the great mouse pad and I can certainly use the planner. The pouch you sent for my crochet hook is great. You wont believe it but I have a purse with the same pattern.

The pattern book is wonderful. I love the purses in there and will try to make one soon.

The little carrier bag with yarn is great. I'll love carrying my crocheting around in it. The pad, cards and sticky notes are great also and I will enjoy nibbling on my treat which is just up my alley. The stationary and your letter are wonderful. Everyone who has seen the stitch markers oohing and aahing over them as I am.

And last but certainly not least, I love the yarn. I am taking it to my class on Wednesday to ask my teacher to recommend something special I can make with it.

Thank you so much again. You were truly an angel for me!

I've finished my felted bag - I'll post pictures of that and talk about my class with Lily Chin tomorrow!

Topic of the week

I love to cook, pea and lentil soup, beef stew, chili and taco soup.

Taco soup:

1# hamburger meat
1 medium onion, chopped finely
1 16 oz can each navy, kidney and pinto beans (or beans of your choice)
1 can of Rotel tomatoes
Taco seasoning

Brown hamburger meat and onions.
Add beans undrained with rotel tomatoes. Stir. Add taco seasoning to your taste.
Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese or chopped onions and Tostido chips.

this weeks happenings

Hope everyone is doing as well as I am doing. It is raining hard outside and I just had to clean up my blog. Thank you Tina for your help.

I am crocheting on my bag for tomorrow's class and I am preparing and doing my homework for a class I am attending this weekend.

Yarn Expo is in Anchorage this weekend and will attend a class taught by Lily Chin "shortcuts and tricks for crocheters". I will let everyone how it went next week. I am real exited about going.

Other than that everything is still the same. Everyone have a wonderful week. Talk to you next week.

picture of my bag--the beginning

Here are finally some pictures of my crochet felted bag (not felted yet). Will post more after my next class. The top photo (the darker one) is more true to the actual color. I'll be using some other colors too.

Fall into..............dishcloth topic of the week

Hello, here are a few of the many reasons why I like fall. I love fall colors, I love that we are getting closer to Halloween and Thanksgiving and most of all we are getting closer to Christmas and my daughter will come and visit so she can have a white Christmas which we usually have and she certainly does not. This coming weekend I will get my few Halloween decorations out of storage and put up my summer clothes and get my fall and winter clothes in order and wearable condition. I love it when seasons change because it seems like I have a brand new wardrobe.

Thank you hostesses for all the work you do.

Great fall

I'm late with my blog this week. Had a sick granddaughter who for the first time is fever free today. She was sent home from school last Monday and has been sick ever since and as I said today is the first fever free day.

Didn't go to crocheting class on Wednesday. I had car trouble and a man from church came by to check it out--result I'll need a new radiator.

Our fall has been wonderful. Lots of rain but also some sunshine. And turning of the leaves is great. No snow yet and temps are not too bad.

I hope every one has a wonderful week. I am planning to.

Topic of the week

I prefer to use metal crocheting hooks. They feel better than plastic (never tried wood). Plastic hooks feel unsubstantial to me whereas the metal ones feel like I have something in my hand.. I will use them (plastic hooks) when I have no choice. The brand I usually use is Boye. I checked all my hooks and they are all Boye. No other brand; now I have to go its lunchtime for my little munchkins.

Crocheting Class

Hello everyone. Just a short note. I went to a crocheting class last Wednesday to learn how to crochet a felted bag. I learned and I have the bag about 1/3 done and will post a picture soon. I really enjoy the class and making the bag. Now I have to go as my little charge Avrey has arrived and she will be wanting a bottle soon. Have a wonderful weekend all.

dishcloth exchange and odds and ends

Hello, just my very short answer to the topic of the week. No, I don't change yarns when the cooler season comes. I mostly crochet and use cotton. I do try to change colors. Kinda stay away from the very pastels.

Now to the odds and ends. I've been crocheting dishcloth and today a small blanket for my granddaughter's small, plush puppy. Dishcloth are easy to do for me while I'm babysitting. My little charges are Avrey who is 3 months old and Clara who will be 2 years on the 1st of October.

All of us, baby, toddler and I have been having a cold. But thank goodness , we're at the tail end. In the afternoon I pick up my sweet granddaughter Katie from school. This is her first year and I miss her a lot being gone during the day.

Tomorrow night I am going to a crocheting class to learn how to crochet a felted bag. It might take me awhile.

I will go for tonight and make myself a cup of hot lemonade and then go to bed with a good book. Pictures might be posted later. Ingrid

Fall Into Autumn Dishcloth Swap Questionnaire

1. Do you knit or crochet? How long have you been doing it?

I crochet and have been crocheting for over 50 years.

2. Have you made dischloths before? Do you use them yourself, give them as gifts, or both?

Yes, I have made them before, and I use them and give them as gifts.

3. What's your favorite cotton to make cloths from? What cotton would you like to try that you haven't before ?

I like Sugar N Creme yarn - I don't really know a lot of other ones much. I've crochet with some before, but don't know their names. I'm not really sure of others, I have heard a lot about Cotton Ease, it might be neat to try that.

4. If you knit, do you prefer circular or straight needles? For all, do you prefer wooden, metal, or plastic needles?

I always use plastic and metal needles. I've never tried wooden before.

5. What are your favorite colors? Any colors you don't like much?

I like all colors; there aren't really any that I don't like. Gray, I like it mostly with other colors rather than alone, and purple and lavender are my favorite colors.

6. What do you like best about Autumn?

I like the change of colors in the trees and looking forward to Thanksgiving.

7. Pies: Pumpkin? Apple? Pecan? All of em? or No Thanks!

I like Apple and Pecan, but my very favorite is Mincemeat pie!

8. When you were a kid, were you the one who couldn't wait to get started with school , or the one who overslept on the 1st day?

I couldn't wait for school to get started, usually.

9. Do you celebrate Halloween? (The real key here guys is especially knowing if you have an aversion to the holiday or little goodies/decorations associated with it, given the timeframe of the swap)

I don't celebrate it, per se, but I do decorate for it and hand out candy to the kids.

10. If you had to choose just 3 edible 'goodies' to eat for a full year, what 3 would you choose?

Macadamia nuts, cashews and bread n butter pickles LOL. Hey, it counts as a goodie! I love em!

11. Do you have any pets? Kids? Husbands who seem like kids? ;)

I have grandkids and kids - my kids are grown, but I live with 3 of my grandkids and my daughter and her husband.

12. If you were to describe a particular yarn that shares traits of your personality, what would it be and why?

I don't think there is a yarn that describes my personality unless there's something scratchy ;)

13. Do you use your cloths mostly for dishcloths, or as facecloths?

I've used them for both, but mostly for dishcloths.

14. Favorite Fall Holiday: Halloween or Thanksgiving and why? (Feel free to share another fall memory if you do not celebrate either of these holidays)

Thanksgiving, because it's a family holiday. Everyone gets together and you can eat lots of good food!

15. Do you have any allergies or aversions your pal should know about?

Nope, none that I can think of!

I Got My Dishcloth Swap Package!

Hi, my pal is Diane; I loved your package. All the yarn, I better get
busy. I love the pattern; I will think about you every time I make a cup
of tea for a long time. The dishcloth you made for me is beautiful, and
I love the goodies as well as the lotion, the soap and body spray. What
can I say, I loved everything in my package and you were a great pal
throughout the swap.

Stephanie's Package from Dishcloth Swap

You saw previews of this recently, but mom had asked me to get a picture of the entire package in all its goodness! I'm slow, but here it is! - Your loving daughter :D

My answers to contest/Dishcloth

1. Ingrid M.

2. Risa J.

3. Madonna B.

4. Mary B.

5. Stephanie B.

The end nears--my vacation

Hello everybody, this will probably be the last time you will hear about my vacation. I have spent the last week here at Annie's, going swimming and just hanging out. On Friday (the 29th) was one of the highlights of my trip. A coworker (Mike) gave Annie tickets to attend the RUMC (Roswell United Methodist Church) 26th Annual Patriotic Celebration. What a treat. The Atlanta Wind Symphony (Mike's Band) was playing and the RUMC Sanctuary Choir was singing. The playing and singing of Patriotic songs was heartwarming. The Twentiana Dancers entertained us with a dance. All services were recognized and veterans were asked to stand when their anthem was played. Various little films were shown to let us know how far our country has come over the years. All I can say, what a truly inspiring evening. Thank you Mike for the tickets.

On Saturday we drove to Helen, which a friend, Alisa, had recommended I see. A small Bavarian town in the middle of Georgia. Very nice but oh so hot. This was the first time felt hot since coming to Georgia and during all my travels. We bought an ice cream cone and it melted faster than I could lick it.

On our way to Helen we found a couple of treasures, One, an outlet mall with a Coldwater Creek, Big Dog, Dressbarn and many more stores to browse thru. Oh, what fun. Annie bought me two very pretty and a black cardigan like sweater. Thank you Annie.

A bit farther down the road we came upon a roadside stand "The Tomato House". We bought fresh Georgia peaches, huge, delicious tomatoes (I'm still eating them), fresh white corn and okra. peaches, corn and okra are gone. We ate them ALL up!!

On Sunday we went downtown Atlanta to Annie's favorite yarnshop. She had fun browsing and I had fun watching her.

For the 4th of July we have planned a quite day st home. We'll eat some BBQ'd ribs, deviled eggs and potato salad together with a glass of wine to salute our country.

Thank you all for reading my blog and letting me come to your home to share my wonderful vacation with you.

I will blog about the VVS and the Dog Days of Summer swap. Until then,

Auf Wiedersehn and Good Bye.

Dishcloth Swap Received! And more of my vacation

Hello everybody. I'm doing great and my visit to Dallas, Texas was great, just a little short. My sister-in-law and brother-in-law came to the airport to pick me up. They had my nieces two daughters, Celeste and Caroline, with them. I had never met either of them. They are two beautiful young ladies.

From the airport we went to Fuddruckers (a first for me) to eat lunch. Then we went on home and talked trying to catch up with 13 years of not seeing each other. That afternoon my niece Maria came by and I had not seen her in 13 years either. My, my where did the time go. After talking awhile we realized that she deals a lot with my daughter Annemarie without knowing about each other. Dinner was a delicious baked ham, green beans, corn, deviled eggs, and my favorite green jello mold. I felt like a stuffed turkey when I was done. Thanks again Maxine.

The next day we drove to Oklahoma and did some gambling in a casino there. Driving there, gambling, and driving home took pretty much care of Thursday. Again we spent the rest of the evening watching a movie and talking, trying to catch up. Also, not to forget, my nephew Marty came over to say hello. It was wonderful to see him. He and his wife were getting ready to go to an archery competition. I believe they both took 3rd place. Way to go guys.

On Friday we went down town Dallas, Went to the J.F.Kennedy memorial, visited the old court house and just looked around down town. Then we had a yummy lunch and went on home. In the afternoon Mitch and Darren (Marty's boys) came over to visit. Mitch is an accomplished Saxophone player and he is going to college to get hist masters so he can teach music in college.
Darren is in the Army National Guard. He served in Afghanistan and various other places. Presently he is going to Paramedic school. Both are fine young man.

In the evening Maxine and I went to have some great Texas BBQ and then went to a Dollar Tree store. We don't have those in Alaska.

The next day it was time for me to leave. On the way to the airport Maxine called her brother J.L. and we sang happy birthday to him over the phone. In the Dallas airport I had to throw my water and my toothpaste away.

Maxine, Morris and extended family, thank you so much for making my trip a memorable and fun one. I will post pictures as soon as I can.

Now I need to thank Stephanie for my dishcloth package. Thank you so very much. All kinds of Milka chocolate (my favorite), various soaps, cremes. candles (tea lights) and two holders for same. Great dishcloth patterns and a beautiful dishcloth and some of the softest cotton ever. You truly spoiled me a lot. Thanks again for your thoughtfulness.

[Daughterly Edit: Can you tell that she's on vacation and had just woken up when I brought Mom her package on my LUNCH BREAK??? :D Here's the shots I got of her opening her package - Mom was so excited :)]

[Second Daughterly Edit: I thought I'd taken the photo of all items together - but apparently not (as mom was just more than happy to say "I told you so" about - it's forthcoming. Here, however, is the yarn goodness]

I am now back with Annie and we've been going to the pool, sitting in the sun and waiting for the weekend for some more short trips in and around Atlanta.

Dog Days of Summer Questionnaire

1. Do you knit, or crochet, or do both? How long have you been knitting\crocheting? I have been crocheting since I was in first grade - since 1949. I know how to knit, but I don't like it, so I never really knit.
   
2. Have you knit dishcloths or dishtowels before? I have crocheted dishcloths before. I haven't crocheted a full dishtowel, but I have made and sold towels where I add a bib up top to hang it on the fridge.
3. What are your favorite cotton yarns? Is there a cotton or linen you’ve been dying to try but have not? I've only really used Peaches N Creme and Sugar N Cream, along with a nice cotton my daughter Martina picked up that I used to crochet for my pal in the last swap.
4. Are there any cotton yarns you don’t enjoy knitting with? Not that I've found yet!
5. What type of needle do you prefer using? (Metal/Wood/Plastic) I prefer metal needles. I've never tried bamboo.
6. What other projects do you enjoy knitting or crocheting? I like to make baby blankets - I also crochet squares for Warm Up America.
7. Do you have other hobbies or enjoy other kinds of crafting? Reading - Reading - Reading. And I also play games on Pogo.com and earn badges. I also like planting herbs.
8. What kind of treats do you like? Chocolate? Candies? Nuts? I like nuts (Macadamia and Cashew are favorites, but I eat others too) most of those. I enjoy chocolate now and then, but should limit it as I'm diabetic.
9. What colors are your kitchen and bath decorated in, if any? The kitchen has black appliances, and the bathroom I use is decorated in Sage and Beige.
10. What are your favorite colors and what colors do you dislike? I like all colors, but my favorite is lavender\purple. I even like yellow.
11. Do you drink coffee? Tea? Other beverages? I drink coffee and tea. I enjoy Chai Tea, and Cinnamon Hazlenut Coffee.
12. Do you have any kids (human or pet variety!)? Yes, but they're all grown. I also have grandchildren.I live with my oldest daughter and 3 of my grandchildren now, and they have a beagle named Dash.
13. Do you have any allergies? Not unless you're sending penicillin!
14. Please share 3 tidbits about yourself that you think your pal and other swappers might find odd or interesting.
1. I live in Alaska.
2. I didn't become a US Citizen until 1985. (I was born in Germany and lived there until 1979)
3. I am Kidney Transplant Recipient, and my Kidney will be 5 years old in August.
   

My vacation continues

Hello everybody. I am back in Georgia. We came in last night and slept late this morning. I am doing great and we had a wonderful time in Virginia. Thank you so much again Channon and Mark. You were great hosts and taught me a lot about Virginia during my visit. Thank you again.

We left on Tuesday and went to Alexandria to visit various yarn shops including one in D.C.. It was fun for me even though I'm not a knitter. I "just" crochet. Here are some photos from the yarn shops - of me, and Annie, as well as Chan and Amy, who was Annie's spoiler in an exchange. They were all really great, and it was fun meeting them.




Channon and I


Amy

On Wednesday Annemarie and I went to Washington D.C.. We parked the car across from the Old Post Office, which is a beautiful building:


From there we went on a tour bus down Constitution Avenue to the Capitol Building.



We continued to all major buildings all over town, as well as the various memorials from the World War 2 to the Vietnam memorial. We also went to the Thomas Jefferson. Lincoln and FDR memorials.

The Jefferson Memorial:


Lincoln Memorial



Annie at the FDR memorial



The Washington Monument



We drove by the "Watergate" hotel, embassy row, the IRS building, the Supreme court, the National Archives (this is a place I'd like to go in sometime), the various Smithsonian museums, the Pentagon and we ate at the Pentagon mall. The last stop was on Pennsylvania Avenue at the White House. President Bush did not come out to invite me in for a cup of coffee.



What I saw of Washington D.C. is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen. After the tour we drove back to Charlottesville, to Channon and Mark's house. Here's the view from their back porch:



Thursday was a trip to Richmond for a leisurely lunch and more yarn shop visits and on Friday we went to various stores (surprise, surprise - you can see all the shops and yarn on Annie's blog) and visited Monticello. Wonderful gardens, great park and a great hose. Did not go inside because we would have had to wait for almost an hour before our tour would begin, it was raining and I was sleeveless and in shorts. I did buy a book and hope this will suffice.

Monticello Gardens:


More gardens:


As close as we could get to the house (without waiting even MORE time in the rain for our tour):

Friday night dinner out and Saturday morning one more yarn shop....


and homeward bound we were.

The next few days will be relaxing and then it goes on to Dallas for three days and I will have more to report then.

Vacation continued

Hello family and friends. Hope this finds you all well. I am doing great. Am in Virginia near Charlottsville and what a beautiful countryside. Channon and Mark are great hosts and I feel truly pampered. The weather is great sunny and warm, but not hot.

The trip up here was great for me. I think Anne got kind a tired as it was a long drive and I am no help driving. South Carolina as well as North Carolina are wonderful looking States. I had not been to either. As you can see on some of the pictures North Carolina has fields and fields of yellow lilies and even though we traveled on the interstate it still looked so pretty.

















Martina, guess what, yesterday on our way to shopping , we drove through Abermarle county and passed the city of Cozet. Yes, Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown live right here, a country side we are quite familiar with from the books.





We went shopping in Waynesboro and there are quite a few historic sides all around. Tomorrow it goes on to Alexandria and Washington D.C.. I am so exited to to go there and see sights that I know from history books. We have booked a sight seeing tour and will meet our bus at the old post office and go from there to see a lot of the various monuments and catch a glimpse of the White House.

Jacob and Martin, I hope the Ina K soccer tournament went good for you, and Katie how do you like soccer and your dance classes? Martina, congratulation again on your new job and Kirk, I hope all is well for you . I love and miss you all, mom.