Happy Homemaker Monday

This weather is really messing with me:( I have no energy, direction or creativity at all...gone! I meant to make it back last night for the Sunday Night Chit-Chat but didn't then this morning I saw that Carla didn't make it either. 

However, today I made it for Sandra's Happy Homemaker Monday (seems I missed it last week). Be sure to check out Sandra's list at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. Welcome and I hope you enjoy your visit.

The weather outside is::::

The temperature this morning when I got up was 9 degrees (F)...brrr! However, we do have beautiful blue sky and sunshine:) Only the slightest breeze.

On the breakfast plate this morning::::

I had 2 cups of Yerba Mate', a bowl of Cheerios with no milk and a Fuyu Persimmon--yumm!

As I look outside my window:::

The ground is white but the snow is hard and crunchy...not very pretty. I am enjoying the sunshine although we aren't getting much heat from it. 

Right now I am::::

Sitting on the couch typing this post because the corner of the living room where my chair sets is a "dead zone" for our wifi. I can use my iPad in that corner but not the laptop.   

As I look around the house::::

The kitchen really needs some attention as does my desk. The dogs snuggle up to the wood stove as close as they can get without getting burned. Even the cats are staying in more with this nasty cold.   

On today's to do list::::

Laundry....One load of towels in the washer, ready for the dryer and one load that needs to be folded.
Cleaning....
I need to do the dishes, make the bed, pick up dog toys, clean my desk (disaster) and tidy up a bit.
Stampin' Up!....I am preparing for this week's Happy Stampers Club plus need to make a swap card for Margarita's Swap; also birthday cards...all for women so they'll be girly:) Oh, and I want to make place cards for Thanksgiving and have seen some great ideas...just have to pick ONE!
Crocheting....Almost finished with the little girl's scarf and headband I have been working on sporadically...hoping to mail it on Wednesday; working on something special for my SIL for her birthday but I can't tell what because she occasionally checks my blog; chomping at the bit to start the beautiful scarf I showed on Friday; still working on the yellow baby afghan; I bought yarn to make potholders and dishcloths as Christmas gifts.

Currently reading::::

Still reading If I Stay but have been doing more crocheting than reading lately.

On the TV today::::

I watched the season finale of The Paradise last night.

On the menu this week::::

No menu but lots of yummy looking recipes I want to try.

What I am creating at the moment::::

Lots of cards today plus the crocheted items I mentioned above.

New recipe I tried or want to try this week::::

My starter is finally ready and I am going to make a loaf of Artisan bread this week (finally)!

Favorite photo from the camera::::

View from my Livingroom window

Prayers, Inspirational Quotes or Devotionals::::

Well, that's it for this Happy Homemaker Monday! Thank you for visiting and I will be back tomorrow with a recipe for Tasty Tuesday! See you then!

Kat

Baby Boy Crocheted Blanket

For those of you who have been faithful followers of my blog from the beginning, nearly three years ago, this baby afghan might look familiar because I made a few of them right after retiring from work. This is a pattern that my mother taught me before I learned to read a crochet pattern. I was wondering one day how many of these I had made over the years since I learned to make it in 1975 and the total is over 200! My favorite is yellow strips joined together and bordered with white--sooo pretty! I use Bernat Baby Coordinates which is an acrylic yarn that the mommies say washes and dries like a dream! The yarn has a shimmery thread that weaves through it and gives it a little extra pizzazz:)

In the picture above you can see the pattern and the shimmer!

This little blanket will go to a special couple having their first baby and his name will be Zachary! I am trying to come up with the perfect card to go with this gift.

Have a great weekend and I will be back on Sunday night for the Sunday Night Chit Chat!

Kat

Treasure Hunt

When I was a little girl my mom and grandma made doilies and lots of them! They made simple doilies and very fancy doilies. They made table runners and table cloths. All of them were made out of cotton thread! When I turned 20 I asked my mom for the big green Tupperware bowl! Do you remember that super big, super awesome bowl? Of course my mom got it for me but she said she couldn't give it to me empty so she filled it with her hand crocheted doilies! Wow! What a treasure. I still have the bowl AND the doilies:)

Recently I decided I wanted to start collecting some of those old crochet booklets like the ones my mom and grandma used. My mom hasn't crocheted in many years so I asked her if I could have some of hers. She wasn't ready to part with them yet so on to Plan B. 

While we were at the coast last week I went into Rag & Bone Thrift Shop because of the great reviews I read on the internet. I am used to a little classier thrift shops than this one so my shopping experience wasn't as much fun as it could have been. Usually I love to look through every nook and cranny for "treasures" but while there might have been more "treasures", it was very crowded and dirty; dusty. While I was there I found the vintage crochet booklets above and was more than thrilled. And check out the prices! The green tags were 1/2 price so I got all three for $3.50:) The start of my new collection!

Check out this beautiful bread basket doily! My mom and grandma used to make some of these ruffly doilies and then starch and iron them till they stood up so pretty. I am planning to make this little beauty but not sure I will put bread on it!

What do you think of this one? I like the pinwheel and that edge is unique. The pinwheel with the irish roses in the lower right corner is really pretty too. I think my mom made some of those.

Pineapple doilies are my favorite so will have to make this one for sure! Check out the adorable coaster in the upper right of the picture above.

These are my favorite. Not just one row of pineapples but TWO! I am anxious to get started on these but will have to finish the one I'm working on first. I am the Queen of Unfinished Projects so don't want to add another to the pile.

I hope you enjoyed seeing my new thrift store find! 

Have you found any bargains recently? 

Where did you find it?

Kat

Weekly Money Check-Up

It's time again for the Weekly Money Check-up! This post is originated by Ginna at My Pretty Pennies.

1. The most I spent this last week was on groceries! Hubby and I went to Costco yesterday and it was a whopper! Plus I had an eye exam and purchased new glasses--also at Costco. Got a new pair of shoes at Costco too but that will be another post:) My brother says "if you can't buy it at Costco, you don't need it!"
2. Today I am thankful for the fun town day I had with my husband yesterday.
3. Money can't buy happiness. One free thing I did last week that made me happy was blogging! I had a great time blogging last week and "playing" along with Carla's Sunday Night Chit-Chat; Ginna's Weekly Money Check-up and Sandra's Happy Homemaker Monday! Now we need a Wacky Wednesday and a Friday Finish! Anybody game?!!!
4. I will consider this week a success if I finish the doll dress I am crocheting; finish making my new clothes pin bag and get the cards made that need to go out this week.
5. One craft I would like to master is knitting. I knit I have never tried to knit garments. I would love to have a sweater knit with my own two hands.

Well, that's it for today. Have a great Tuesday and I hope it's warm and sunny where you are. We have rain and it's 46 degrees F (brrr!). Kat

Crocheted Flowers & Giveaway!

I love to crochet and recently found a pattern for little crocheted flowers in the spring/summer 2012 issue of Knit Simple magazine. I decided to make some to put on cards and I plan to make a tote bag they would decorate nicely.

The top row shows the crocheted flowers with Stampin' Up! Summer Smooches brads (sorry, no longer available) in the center. The second row shows the flower with a retired Stampin' Up! pink corduroy brad in the center, a single layer flower and the multi-layer flower. The flower at bottom left has a Large Basic Pearl (love these); bottom center has a Designer Printed Brad in Wisteria Wonder; bottom right has a Designer Printed Brad in Pool Party. I also think they would be super cute with a button in the center. So far I have made about 30 of them! Something to keep my hands busy when we are watching a movie or listening to an audio book. 


I would like to give away a package of my little crocheted flowers--3 with the Summer Smooch Brads shown in the top row and 7 plain (shown middle row right)! Just leave a comment telling me which flower you like best. If you have trouble leaving a comment, just email me. I will draw a winner from the entries on May 10. 


I recently discovered a new (to me) blog that I love. Carla at My 1/2 Dozen Daily shares some really fun, crafty and practical information. She makes custom-order tote bags, wallets, camera bags, etc--some really cute stuff. You won't be sorry you took the time to check out her blog.


I will be back tomorrow with a great card! I also have a super yummy East Indian recipe but will probably wait till next week for that one (not nice to tease).


Have a wonderful day! Hug the ones you love and pray for the ones you don't! Kat