Sunday, December 30, 2007

Blog site updates and a Bit of a rant

Here is a bit of my blog site updates.I have joined a blog rating site.There is a button located on my blog that says Crafty Crafters.If you would be so kind as to click on that button and when it takes you to the website,please just click on enter then scroll down to where you see my website.click to the right of my website name where it says vote for this site.(you can also leave comments if you want) This is for the top 100 craft sites.I am hoping this will bring more "traffic" not only to my blog but hopefully once people come here they will more importantly take the time to check out my various charity groups that i belong to and perhaps want to help them too.
Also to any one who would like to have their craft or Charity blog links added to my site.You can simply email me the link to your blog at crochet4charity@gmail.com

I was going through the crochet a day calendar i received for Christmas.I must say i was a bit disappointed.For two reason's first of all while going though each day to look at the patterns i discovered that there are several dates are missing! When i tried to call the book store to find out if they have any more so i can exchange it they said oh no you can't bring it back once it's open we have no way of knowing if YOU took the pages.Can you believe that? why the heck would i be trying to get an exchange then? duh! lol

Then as i am going through the calendar to "pick" out patterns i like to put on my list of things to make this year i discover that there are not only allot of patterns that take up several days (instead of a pattern a day )but there are allot of just plain silly patterns in there that i thought to my self , who would actually wear/use this ?!It almost felt like these were filler patterns or something.

I'm not saying the whole thing is a waste of money or anything.There are some nice patterns in there.And i do plan to make some of them.I just think next year if i decide to get one of these pattern calendars i will either take my chances and see if they go on sale after Christmas or i will buy one on eBay.

Inspired by Crochetville CAL's

As some of you know already i am a member of Crochetville.org a website dedicated to crochet and other fiber crafts.It's a message board, a place to find patterns, help etc.Any ways They have these things called CAL's which basically means they may pick a certain pattern, or theme etc and people who may already be working on something in the "Cal" or may want to do what every it is the cal is for all "signs" up for it the whole objective is to not only get support,help,and show there weekly progress, but to stay motivated by the help of the other's in the cal.

Well anyways, while i was surfing through the various cal's two of them stuck out to me as good ideas.The first is the "Me " cal . You guest it ,in a nut shell the whole idea of this one is to simply set aside some time each week and make a project for YOUR SELF.It doesn't have to be a big deal,doesn't have to be an afghan or a complicated project.Just something for YOU.Now I must say at first i read the post and started to move on to the next CAL.
But then i thought about what other's have said to me lately about it being O.K. to make things for me too and pamper myself a little too.

So I while rolling that thought around in my head a little , i went on to check out another cal i had been hearing so much about.The famous washcloth Mondays.It's pretty self explanatory .They dedicate some time each Mondays to making wash cloth,dish cloths etc every Monday.

well the more i thought about the two cals i thought well i could dedicate some time each week to me and i could make things for my self such as pretty dainty wash cloths for a bubble bath (ooooh a bubble bath sounds sooo good right about now!) I could make other things for me for the bath too like loofahs hand towels.I
also started thinking about things i NEED too like a winter hat , mittens,etc.so i have been inspired to give it a try.I plan to set aside some time each week (may not be a whole day though LOL) to making something just for me.

I am currently working on a loofah and will then make a few matching wash cloths and see if i can find a pattern for a hand towel to match the set too.Now that i have finished the loofahs for my sisters and niece.

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Feeling blaah

I finished The shells Baby blanket this afternoon.I wasn't feeling so well yesterday so i didn't get as much done yesterday as i would have liked,but some progress is better than none at all right?Feeling pretty blah and yucky today too.It's a combination of being in pain,and now i think i may be coming down with something to.Yuck.
I Looked at the pattern for the baby blanket i had intended to start after finishing the shell's one.Upon looking at it in detail, the instructions are a bit more confusing than i had originally thought.The stitches are all very basic, Single crochet and Double with a few Trebles all of which i know how to do, but the placement instructions seem a bit off.I have a lady that helps me with learning the different techniques and i think I'm going to show this pattern to her first before i start it to make sure i understand the instructions.I figure this may save me some work.

I made a loofah for my niece ,but i also need to make my sister one.I wouldn't mind making one for myself for that matter.LOL I have a hard time making things for myself.I keep saying I'm going to make Myself an afghan but never do.

I need to find a "guy" afghan pattern for my son's camouflage blanket i still need to make for his Christmas gift.I had one picked out and even started it, but he lives in West Virginia and though i know they do get some cold weather it's definitely not like here in Chicago and i thought that the pattern was making it way to warm.

My boyfriends camera hasn't been taking the best pictures lately so i need to take pictures of the finished projects from today with mine , but it hasn't been used in a very long time so it needs to be charged up.so i will get Pictures taken as soon as i can then i will post them.

With Still not feeling so well today I'm not sure if i will get much done tonight i will have to see.I may just spend the night sorting through pattern books, catching up on e-mails and watching a movie or two .(haven't done that in awhile) I would like to thank all of you who have not only taken the time to look through my blog, but those who have signed my guest book and have left so many nice comments.How sweet! It's greatly appreciated! Well I'm off now to get some much needed rest and thumb through some patterns.Have a good night all!Dawn

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

What's On My hook for 12-26_07

Good morning ,
well I finished one of my baby blanket projects i put on hold for the holidays.Its a simple pastels variegated yarn.I am working this morning on finishing the shells baby ghan i have pictured already.If i can get that finished today , i hope to start a new pattern i have in a book i received from a very generous lady from crafting for a cause.She sent me TON'S of craft books and magazines to keep me busy while i recovered at home after being in the hospital for three weeks over Thanksgiving.I can't wait to get it started.I also plan to work On a loofah for my niece C.C.Who will be turning 15 on new years eve. Gosh how time flies!

she is definitely all girl! She loves to dress in the latest "style" and has started really getting into all of the "girly" soaps,lotions,etc.and has GASP started to turn into a lovely young WOMAN.God i feel OLD.LOL I can't believe how big and grown up her and her brother Cody are starting to look.I about fell over when i saw them yesterday for Christmas.I still can't get over how much they are growing up.It has been awhile since i saw them last.

Well i guess if I'm going to get all of this done , i better get going for now!



Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Merry Christmas

Just wanted to take a moment and wish everyone a Merry Christmas.I hope everyone had a wonderful day.I spent the day with family and though i wasn't feeling so well today it was still a nice day over all.I got some nice gifts including an Ipod from my boyfriend that i had really been wanting for awhile now.
It will be nice to have all of my music on there so i can listen to it while i crochet and for my trips to the hospital to help pass the time.I also got a crochet a day calendar that i had really been wanting for awhile now.I haven't had a chance to go through all of the patterns yet , but I did look at quite a few and it looks like there are allot of great patterns int there.I was afraid not being able to really see from the outside of the package what kind of patterns were in it ,that i might get stuck with allot of patterns i couldn't do as a beginner.I don't think that will be the case.He also is going to be getting me a few crochet magazine subscriptions.which I'm excited about.It's so hard to find crochet magazines around here for some reason.You can always find allot of scrap booking, and knitting mags but only Crochet! magazine.

Hopefully he will have some time this week while he's off to upload some of my c.d's on to it as i would have no idea how to do it.I wasn't kidding when i said I'm not the techy kinda gal.LOL I didn't get to finish a couple of the blankets that i was hoping to for gifts for my sister and my niece , but i took a suggestion i was given and wrapped them anyways and gave them to them anyways so they could at least see what they were getting.They were happy with that anyways, and i was relieved.I was worried that my other sister and my brother in law wouldn't like there gifts.But they were both really happy.I made my brother in law a scarf.(my first one) and a colorful blanket for my sister made with two strands of yarn held together using a P size hook.This was also my first time making a blanket like that.

I plan to make my boyfriends blanket soon too.He told me way before Christmas not to worry about trying to get his done in time for Christmas since he would like his big enough to fit his bed which is a queen size :0 and he knows that will take awhile to make.He said just do a little at a time.I plan to go back to working on my baby blankets over the next couple of weeks as i have a few unfinished ones to complete for pine ridge.It will be a nice break after the holiday hustle and bustle.plus i don't seem to get as bored with them as i do the bigger ones.I guess maybe that's because for one they are much smaller and work up faster.Plus it seems like i can find allot more variety of "easy " pattern's for them compared to the full sized ones.well that's all for today.
God bless and happy new year.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Christmas Gifts From My Ville Swap partner




Ok You can all drool now.LOL These are all the wonderful gifts i received from my sweet crochetville Holiday swap partner Sherri.It was allot of fun doing this swap.It was my first one.I am trying to get my package out to her by tomorrow at the latest as i am already almost a week late.I was very ill with blood poisioning and went into the hospital the week before thanks giving.I was in for about 3 weeks and fell behind on getting my projects done.she has been very understanding.I'm glad that we have become friends through this swap.Here are all the wonderful things she sent: A beautiful bed doll,several skeins of white baby yarn,crocheted scarf,hot pad,angel dish towel,dish scrubbie,and a cute doily,magnets lotion,bodywash set,stickers,pencils,hook set,note pads,store bought magnets,candle, tick tacs,croceted ornaments.Hmmm i know it seems like i am forgetting something.I can't tell you how over whelmed i was with her generosity! Thanks again sher!

What's on My Hook For The Day?




Well I'm trying to get my box's all filled and ready to ship for crafting for a cause as well as my Holiday swap partner at crochetville.org. I'm a bit behind,but hoping to be ready to ship by tomorrow.Here's what I made already for my swap partner and need to make some more this afternoon for CFAC.This is a matching washcloth and bath puff set.I plan on making a bunch more for gifts this year too.They worked up nicely.even for a beginner like me.The hardest part of the puff was squeezing all those loops in LOL.I got the pattern from Priscilla Hewitt
Here is here link to the pattern ,she also has a matching back scrubber pattern too,but i wasn't that brave, lol Bath puff
I'm also working on finishing this baby afghan.It's the first time i have used the "shell" stitch and allthough it took me awhile to get the hang of it,i really enjoy it now.I'm mayber half way done with it and i may just have to go ahead and ship what i have done already and finish this afghan and ship it at a later time.

My first baby afghans





I have Finally finished my first couple of baby afghans for the Pine ridge O.b.unit.I must say for first time crochet projects i don't think they came out too bad.The first one is a quilt that has noahs ark on one side and a colorful design on the other.The second one was used with a verigated yarn I love the way it came out with the self striping type pattern.I also finished one more afghan but haven't had a chance to take pictures yet.I will have to get around to doing that soon.

My new blog

Well I never thought I of all people would have a blog,but then again i never would have thought i could learn a wonderful craft such as crocheting either! I just wanted to have a little place to share my love of crochet and my desire to help others in need.I have been crocheting now for about 5 months.Thanks to my wonderful son Dan who was patient enough to teach me the basics.I have been scouring self teaching books,videos and the ladies and gentlemen from crochetville.org and crafting for a cause (one of the great charity groups on yahoo) have been trying to help me learn the rest.

I have been crocheting afghans for crafting for a cause
(click on the link to learn more about this wonderful cause!) Which donates to several different charities.such as pine ridge Indian reservation,Uc Davis infusion center and more.I love the feeling of giving to others.Especially during this time of year.

Crafting for a cause is a great group of ladies and they always welcome new members.If you are interested in joining the group you can click on the link and learn how you can become a member too.The link will also take you to our little online store which sells all kinds of things from member made items ,to patterns,hooks,and so much more.You don't have to just crochet to join the group we have people who do all sorts of crafts!