Latest Crochet Project

I was dying over Christmas to share a crochet project that I was working on but because the finished products were gifts for my girls, I couldn't. Keeping quiet was very hard. I'm actually quite proud of myself for having kept my own secret, heheh. Anyway, check it out:

Nifty, eh? This is the first time that I've ever crocheted something like this. I couldn't believe that they turned out so well. I'd eventually like to make the whole Angry Birds gang but I didn't have the time to do so before the holidays. The hardest part of this project, for both the bird and the pig, is that the details (eyes, ears, nose, beak, feathers, etc.) all had to be sewn on separately. I can't sew for nothing and the sewing part took the longest time. Crocheting the bodies was pretty simple and fast.

Ahhh. It's a relief to finally share. ;)

And here's the link to the patterns if you want to get them for yourself:  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/5-crochet-patterns-inspired-by-angry-birds-ebook

NaBloPoMo Day 7: Keeping Cozy

It was gloomy and rainy all day yesterday. Normally, I prefer the sunshine but yesterday, the weather suited my mood. The Mister, the Oldest Child, and I stayed in comfy clothes all day and didn't leave the house. The Youngest Child was at a sleepover at a friend's house.

While the Mister watched football all day, I crocheted on the Oldest Child's blanket that I started about ten months ago, heheh. I'm great at starting projects and lousy at finishing them. To be fair to myself, crocheting blankets in the heat of summer isn't really all that much fun. Anyway, after really setting down to the task, I finished up her blanket yesterday evening. I'm really proud of it. It's the first large crochet project that I've completed actually following a pattern. I'm disappointed that the picture below doesn't do the colors justice, but I'm posting it anyway.

I used a free pattern that can be found here:  Block Pattern. The pattern was super easy but I wish it had had more direction when it came to putting the blocks together other than, "Following Assembly Diagram, sew squares together." For a beginner such as myself, I could have used more help there. I used the directions for "Weaving the Sides of Two Crocheted Pieces Together" (p. 78)  in the book Stitch 'N Bitch Crochet:  The Happy Hooker by Debbie Stoller to assemble my blocks. The yarn I used was Manos del Uruguay Peruvian kettle dyed cotton. Probably not the best choice but it's really soft and the Oldest Child really loved the way the colors were variegated. It's a pretty yarn just not practical for a blanket.

That's how I spent my Sunday. How about you?

Keeping Busy

In addition to working two jobs, raising two kids, keeping house, blogging, reading, exercising, wand keeping up with my favorite TV shows, I’ve brought back out one of my old hobbies:  crocheting. Last night I got my sewing bag and decided to make something, namely two scarves. Why scarves?  Because they are easy and I get lost in the repetitiveness of the pattern. I needed something soothing. Sometimes I think I’m developing ADHD. The thought of sitting through a 2 hour movie and not doing anything else makes me feel a little panicky  I seriously have only sat through one entire movie without doing anything else once in the past year or so. Well, it’s been long enough that I don’t remember the movie that I watched before the one to which I’m referring. Even when I’m watching TV I’m checking my e-mail, Twitter, Google reader, FB, etc. I have to be doing at least two things at once. It’s really odd.Is anyone else like that? Cooking is about the only thing I do alone and that’s probably because I’m chopping, sautéing, boiling,  mixing, etc.,  all at the same time.

Speaking of cooking, last night for dinner we have Beef, Cheese, and Noodle Bake. It’s another of our favorite dishes and it was fantastic. I saved the leftovers for lunch today. Last week I baked two loaves of Pineapple Zucchini Bread. We ate one loaf over the course of the week and I froze the other for us to have this week. It’s an awesome bread. The loaf we thawed yesterday was just as moist and tasty as the fresh loaf we ate last week. And it’s not that bad for you. The Mister and I eat it for a snack as do the girls. They also like to have it for breakfast. We’re still going strong on the new eating right lifestyle

This morning, I ran for an hour on the elliptical. I only ran for 4.8 miles today but I still feel good about it. Yesterday I ran 5.1 miles in one hour. I’m sure I’ll be able to get up over five miles again by the end of the week.