YoP Week 48

I missed posting last week because hubby and I took a little road trip to Las Vegas.  We went to visit his mom and also to enter into a bingo tournament.  (hey, we are retired ya know)  It was a grand trip and we had a great time.

I did deliver the purple baby sweater/hat set to the expectant mother.  She loved it and actually asked if I would make a pair of booties to go with it.  Seems she LOVES home made items.  So not only is she going to get booties, I am making a corner 2 corner blanket to match it too.  Seems the colors I picked out are the same as the colors they painted the babies room.  

I did do a bit of knitting while on the road.

Hubby's socks were the item I took with me to work on while traveling and also while sitting in the bingo hall for 7 hours.  This is Saucony yarn and is the first time I have worked with it. The jury is still out as to whether I like this yarn or not.  It feels scratchy to me but hubby doesn't think it feels that way at all.  Guess that is good, since they are for him.

We did not win anything at the tournament, but had such a great time, we signed up to attend another one in September.  It is so nice to be retired and able to take off when we want to.

I most of you have never been to Arizona, so I took some scenic photos on the way home.  (I drove on the up)  

That is not a man made wall.  That is what happens when you have natural water erosion and shifting of earthen plates.

Love these little clouds above the mountains.  Come June, we won't be seeing many clouds, unless it is clouds of dust called a haboob.  We will have nothing but blue skies until the end of October.

Most people don't realize, Arizona is 65% mountains.  But the large cities are all located in the desert................go figure.

No, this is not man made either.  You can find rock formations like this in several places though out our state.  I find them fascinating.

Those strange looking 'trees' are actually part of the Joshua Tree National Parkway.  Yup, that is hundreds of Joshua trees.  Do you know how hard it is to take photos when the driver is doing 75 MPH?

More Joshua Trees.

It was good to be home again and I have been busier than a bee this week.  Still doing the declutter and now getting the backyard and pool ready for swimming season.  That starts tomorrow on Memorial Day.  Can't promise the pool will be extremely warm, but can promise the chemicals will be perfect and it will be very clean too.

I am off to feed my Son's cats.......They are taking a little mini vacation to the mountains this weekend.

Until next time...........................Happy Crafting!

YoP 46

Another week, another blog post, and it is so close to the end of year 5, I can almost feel year 6 creeping into my thoughts.

I did not do a lot of knitting this week.  We are getting ready for a road trip this coming weekend and I am trying to get all the loose ends around our remodel taken care of.  It still is a work in progress, but we have been able to get to the point where we are going to paint the new wall.

I did start a pair of socks for my hubby.

I bought this yarn almost a year ago while I was in Seattle.  Are those not the strangest looking toes you have ever seen?  But, I have slid them on a foot and they actually fit perfectly.  This pair of socks will be done with the fish kiss heel.  It will be my first attempt at it and I am looking forward to trying something new.  They will be my road trip knit.  

I am still journaling daily and it really has helped me keep my to do lists together and completed.  If anyone would look at it, they would get a chuckle.  You see, I even put KNIT on my daily to do list.  If I don't make a point of listing it, I will get so involved in other activities, I won't do it.  Sounds crazy, right?  After all.......fiber running through my fingers is the next best thing next to puppies and babies.

I realized today, I had not looked at my Year 5 list since the beginning of the year.  So let us take a look and ponder upon my progress:

2015-2016 YoP list

Socks

Once again I can not tell you how many I will do.  But these are my favorite items to do during the hot summer months here in the desert.  I do know that I need to have 2 pair completed before Christmas as they are gifts.  I already have 1/2 of one pair done and have started on the other pair this week, just to get them on the needles for the road trip.

7 pair completed so far

Shawls

Diving In  (this is already cast on, also for the road trip)

Clapo-ktus

Diving in is in my UFO pile and Clapo-ktus is still in the thinking process

SWEATER

Cancun Boxy Lace Top

After I frog the sweater I started, this is what it is going to turn into.  It even asks for the fiber that I already have in my stash.  But I will be making this longer, as at my age, no one wants to see my tummy.

It has been worked on and the front panel is 7/8 done.  

Sewing items

Tea Bag Holder

Another gift for Christmas this year

Finished a few days before Christmas and it is loved and being used

Crochet

Mermaid Tail Afghan

I have had a request for at least 2 of these for Christmas.  Now that I am not on yarn restriction, I can purchase the fiber for this and get going on them.

She loves her tail, although it took her a few minutes to realize what it was.

Wood Work

Staining and decorating treasure box for Wedding in October

Done and done..................the box and the wedding.

Other Items completed not originally listed

2 baby sweaters and hats

Pair of fingerless gloves

3 blouses sewn

American Flag Afghan

Not too badly done this past year....................and there are still 6 more weeks to go!  I am thinking about what to put on the list for next year.  This list was probably the best one I have done.  It did not 'put me in a corner', but allowed me freedom to work on what I wanted.  

I don't now if I will post next week, as I will be at the mercy of hotel internet.  Posting should resume in a couple of weeks though.

Until next time..................Happy Crafting!

YoP45

I missed last week.  Darn it.  I read everyone else's post, did not comment on any of them with the intention, of getting to the desk top computer to do so and then life happened.  It has been a productive two weeks and I will start off with my craft items that have been worked on and completed.

The sweater set is completed for Baby Kaidence.  I am in love with this sweet little number.

This little devil, took me forever to complete, thanks to life happenings.  But I am totally pleased with the outcome.  The ribbon and button flower was my idea.  Otherwise the hat is so plain and boring.

There will be one very warm little baby in Las Vegas this winter.  I hope mommy sends me pictures when she wears it.

After this was complete, I cast on a pair of two at a time, toe up socks and plan on doing the fish kiss heels on them.  I need to at least try it and see if it is as great as everyone claims it is.  The heel is one of the main reasons I stopped doing toe up.  I hate wrap and turns.  I knew you wanted to know that little tidbit.

So, today in America, it is Mother's Day.  I know other countries have mother's day too.  I have read about them on other people's blog.

Today, all of the family that lives here, got together and we had a picnic at my mom's assisted living facility.  It was the perfect day for it.  Partly cloudy and only in the low 70's while we were there.  We had fried chicken, homemade baked beans, cole slaw and home made oreo cheesecake.  So yummy.  My mom really enjoys it when the family is all together too.

I  did not take any pictures of the picnic.  I was just enjoying the time with the family and didn't even think of my phone laying right beside me.  

I got a beautiful planted flower from my daughter in an adorable owl planter.  I didn't take a picture of that either.  I know.......I am slacking here.  But the flower will be around for a while.  I did take a picture of the gift from my son and DIL that live in town.

It's a Glassy Baby candle.  If you have never heard of them, you really need to go and read their story here.  I love this candle holder and the color it gives off while burning.

The actual glass is a purple color but when the candle is lit, colors of blue and red come out too.

Also, this past week, my brother came into town for Mother's day.  He will be here for a week which is one of the reasons I did not post last week.  We were trying to get everything together for his visit. 

So what else is going on?  I am so glad you asked.

Hubby and I have been busy with the remodel of our home.  Two weeks ago we went shopping for new furniture to go with the style we are trying to obtain for our home.  We purchased new living room and dining room furniture and it will be delivered this Tuesday. The old furniture will be removed by a local charity on Monday.  Good thing we have patio chairs and TV tables.

This weekend, hubby and I also purchased a new used car.  It is a 2015 Prius Four Hatchback.  We love it.  We traded in our 9 year old car for this one.  It only had 9000 miles on this used car so that really sweetened the deal.

There is other stuff going on with Doctor appointments to get my blood pressure under control and finding the right medicine to do it with.  My arthritis medicines make it a challenge to find a blood pressure medicine that does not have interactions with them.  I think might have the right one after only 2 tries.  I will know more in a month when I go back for a recheck.  In the meantime, I take my own blood pressure each day.  It is so much fun to age.

Time for me to get out of here and try to sneak in a nap before dinner time.

Until next time......happy crafting.