WEEK 31 OF YEAR 9

It is Sunday and time for me to once again update my blog.  Even though I update almost everyday, I still look forward to the Sunday updates.  Today's update will include a couple of things from the past week's updates and many new things to look at and talk about.  Let's go!

First up is a finished item

This is the Forest Path Shawl but, it is not a shawl.  This thing is well over 36 inches wide and 48 inches long (it is folded in half in the photo).  Therefore, I turned it into a lapghan.  It will go to the prayer shawl ministry at my church.  So happy to have this off the needles.  It was a great stash buster though.  I used Caron SImply Soft for this.  The yarn was gifted to me a few years ago.  

Another finished piece:

To The Point shawl.  This is my absolute favorite shawl to make for the prayer shawl ministry.  It takes less than 2 days to make this shawl.  Because of the shape of it, it stays very nicely on the shoulders.  I have made this in monotone, two tone, three colors and from the mandala cakes of yarn.  It all works.  

As you all know, I had a bad case of startitis last week.  This week I was focusing on stick- to-it-ness.  I picked one project, already on my needles, and stayed with it for the rest of the week.  Finishing those two projects satisfied my ego enough to not start anything else new.

Here is what I worked on after the I finished the other two projects:

This is Raspberry Field Shawl.  It is going to be LARGE.  There is a total of 5 colors going into this shawl.  It is a lovely and very easy pattern to work.  Garter stitch is the main body with YO's used on each side to increase the width and then there are some K2tg to form the "V" in it.  I am able to watch TV while working on this, which is a big plus.  This has kept my attention quite well and will probably be my next finished project even though it was my last cast on item.  This shawl is going to stay in my possession.

That is all for my crafting this week.  I do have some other things to show you.  Like this:

Did you know Knit Picks puts a free downloadable calendar on their blog each month?  I have been using them for over a year on my phones lock screen.  Then on my home screen I look for something that represents the month we are in.  

Here is this months home screen design.

I use 'Zedge' to find my designs.  I fell in love with this one the minute I saw it.

Hubby and I were given a sweet surprise yesterday morning.  Our son in Texas sent us these:

This is our great grandson, Liam.   He will be 2 in a couple of months.  I am hoping to get a chance to see him when I go down there in April and then again in August.  What a happy little boy.  

While hubby and I were grocery shopping the other day, he asked if I would like to have another plant in the house.  Well, of course I would.  So this lovely came home with us.

Another orchid.  This makes three for me now.  I keep them on the window sill in my kitchen.  They do need a bit of humidity and since the window sill is right above my sink, they get the humidity they need.  I have an LED light directly above them that provides just enough light for them to stay happy. 

Here is the white orchid that had started blooming last week.

It has really opened up this past week and as you can see there are about 5 more buds on this branch.  But wait, there's more!

See where the blue arrow is pointing?  That is another branch coming up and itty bitty nubs are on it that should turn into blossoms also.  I am very excited about all of this.  Never have I been able to keep plants alive for long in my house.  I now have the 3 orchids, a Christmas cactus (it is actually a Thanksgiving cactus because of the leaf shape) and a peace lily.  All of these plants have thrived in the spots I have placed them.  Unfortunately, I have run out of spaces to put anymore plants.  I might be able to squeeze 2 more orchids on my kitchen window sill, but for right now, I will enjoy the ones I have.

Today is Super Bowl Sunday for those of us in the US.  Hubby is a BIG football fan and I do enjoy a good game too.  We will be routing for the Kansas City Chiefs (since I was raised in Kansas).  There is already a brisket in the smoker for our eating pleasure.  With that will be guacamole, sauteed onions, and pasta salad.

I already have laundry going and am getting ready to put in a loaf of bread in the bread machine.  Hopefully, by noon we will be pretty much done with 'daily' chores and I will pick up my knitting.  The Phoenix Open golf tournament is on also.  We love to watch that one since it takes place close to where we live.  It is a perfect day for golf too.  The high today is going to be hovering around 80 and then tomorrow...................down into the 50's.  Welcome to the weather in Arizona in the 'winter'.

I hope all of you are staying warm and healthy!

Until Next Time............................Happy Crafting!