Been a while

It's been quite some time since I've posted to this blog. I have been a but crazy here for the last few months, but I thought I would post some pictures of the things I've made.

Worms

So, I really don't think anybody follows my most random blog, but I blog away anyways.

Last night I was checking the progress my worms were making in the watermelon rind I put I'm with them...they were loving it!!! In one of my tubs, my numbers at so great, that I could hear them moving when I take of the lid...looks like I know what I'm doing this weekend...that tub is getting divided!!!! Yay!!!! I'm also going to start putting stickers on my tubs with the dates on them so I know when I started them so that I can start timing them.  I really.do want to see how fast I can get them to turn over.

In other news...well really there us no news...lol...guess that's it..enjoy the pictures.

Chickens!!!!

So, I've decided!!! I'm going to start raising chickens. Maybe I need to rename my blog, from crochet love to farm girl...lol

I think what got me started for sure on this, other than the price of eggs, is the fact that eggs are something that we eat a lot of, and as expensive as gas is, it will save me money on a couple of different levels. I must say, I'm ready for this adventure...plus, I may be able to use the chicken poo in my worm bins. Yay!!!! Now, just as long as the garden does well this summer, I see things going well.

Tick Tock Tick Tock

These days I feel like time is just working against me...I have stuff piled up here, and there, waiting on me to get back to it...plans for this and that, Crochet projects that are sitting in their bags awaiting me to come back and finish them...just lots of things to do and keep up with. It looks like things will slow back down and get back to normal in July, but for now I run around like a crazy woman trying to keep up and catch up.

I've been working on getting Christmas gift projects planned and together. I've had some family gift requests. It would appear that I have 4 adult male sweaters to make, and 2 adult women sweaters to make...can I do it??? Of course I can!!! Its just a matter of getting them started, and I will...probably in July...when time is on my side again...lol

We had to replace the vacuum cleaner last night...I knew it was coming, I just didn't realize it was going to come so soon...is it sad that I was so attached to a household appliance??? Its probably because Frank picked it out for me...I'm not bragging or anything, but I truly think I have one of the best husbands in the world...sure he frustrates me from time to time, but what man isn't frustrating!!!

Well...laundry, and Saturday duties call me...I'm off to get stuff done!!!!

Last Night

Last night was not the best night of my life ever. All I can say is thank goodness for Jasper's vicious bark, the fact that I'm a light sleeper, and having lights situated in all the right places. Somebody tried breaking into the house last night...I really didn't sleep all that great after that either...I don't think Jasper or Sam did either, but when I woke up to my alarm clock this morning, Sam was practically sleeping on my head.

This morning, poor Nikki tried jumping up on the couch, which she was quite unsuccessful in doing. Another thankful thing is, she didn't seem to hurt herself. I told my husband he needs to keep a very close eye on her today just to make sure. Her time with us on this side of the rainbow bridge is getting shorter. It does indeed sadden me, but I know that once she crosses that rainbow bridge wearing that golden harness, she will be able to see well again, she wont have Alzheimer's, and her joints will work again. She will be young and happy.

Unfortunately I have not been able to work on anything crochet, knit, or quilted. Its just been to busy. I think though that when I do get back to it, it will be with a renewed sense of creativity...or at least I hope it is..lol

Well that's about all from here...promise it wont be so long between blog postings, and that hopefully the next one will be a bit happier!!! :D

Happy Easter

Its Easter weekend and I hope everybody is happy, and will be with family this Sunday. My husband and I will be with his family on Easter Sunday enjoying time well spent!!!

I've been working diligently on patterns for my doll book. I've also started patterns for a second book, but they aren't dolls, more or less big floppy stuffed animals. Yes, I'm slightly crazy for working on two different books at once, but in a way I think its easier than thinking about the patterns I want to make for this second book which come into my head and distract me so that I can barely work on the doll patterns. Although after this first sweet stuffed animal is done, I have another doll pattern that's coming in loud and clear in my head which is crammed full of yarn colors, crochet hooks, single crochets, double crochets, and in the rounds. Seeing as I'm closing in on the finish line of the doll book, I believe that its alright that these other patterns are calling out my name. :D I can't walk through the yarn isle of my local Walmart without seeing the bright wonderful colors of the red hearts and the Caron, and the lion brand without something popping into my head and wanting to come to life. Ahhh if only I had all the time in the world to work all of these wonderful creatures up. If only I was a lot faster at working these wonderful creatures up, but one day I will.

I know I promised you all a pony pattern, but unfortunately I had to give in and use a pattern somebody else has written. Its a good pattern, and I'll post the link on here this weekend.  I tried and tried, but I just couldn't hack it. Maybe one of these days I'll sit down, with no dogs, no TV, no husband just me, the yarn, the hook and some paper and pens/pencils, and I'll get it!!! But for now...its just not going to happen. Who knew that a pony could cause me so much grief???

ANYWAYS...guess I had better leave this alone for now, and try to get something accomplished today!!!
Happy Eater from my family to yours.

cross eyed

So, after scouring the Internet for a decent pattern for a my little pony that I agreed to make, I finally came up with what I consider to be the least of all the evils out there. Now I'm not saying they are bad patterns, not at all, to me there is no such thing as a bad pattern. Its all in what stitch one likes to use, and how they do it...So, I did a little copying and pasting because it wouldn't print out from its web site...unfortunately they used some funny color that wouldn't show up with the back ground they chose to have it all typed up on...those are the joys of the Internet world as well.

Anyways...so I print this pattern out, sit down, really look at it closely...its a good pattern...BUT its done in double crochet...that's not a bad stitch..not at all, I like that stitch, it makes things work up faster in a way, but when you are making a stuffed animal, that's the last stitch that you want to use. So, what I'm doing is I'm rewriting the whole pattern as I go...I'm basically using it as a simple guide so to speak. Generally I would attack something like this with complete and utter abandonment without even a pattern, but I feel after having gone through the trouble to find this pattern, that I must write this pattern better, and share it with the world. SO my plan for all of you wonder people out there in Brandi Land is this...I'm going to get this pattern re-written, worked up and I'm going to share it with all of you out there!!!! Yup...I'm going to share my creative genius with you all!!! (wow, do I sound like I have a big head or what???)(I think its all the coffee and chocolate I have consumed)

So stay tuned, and within about a week, week and a half, I'll have a pattern for you wonderful people!!!!

somethings always breaking!

If its not one thing, its another!!! This time, my car has decided to start acting up!!! I was going to go and pick up a movie at walmart last night that was just being released, well, lets just say, I didn't get to get it...big fat frownie face, my car has decided to act like its crazy, lost power, started doing this strange engine thing where the car kind of shook, but not in a shaking kind of way, but kind of like a strange power surge kind of way. My dear hubby thinks I have water in the tank, which it very well could be the way we have a bad habit of letting the tanks get low, so I'll go and pick up some of that alcohol stuff they sell for cars, and dump that in there and see what happens.

On the upside, I've been working on my mermaid doll pattern, and she is looking great! I'm on the second work up of her now, aka second draft...lol that's how I work my patterns, like I'm writing a paper, first draft, second draft, final draft...all that good stuff. I must say, I'm kind of proud of myself. I hope that this book of crochet patterns gets published, because that would rock!!! I've always wanted to be a writer, I just never knew I would be a writer of crochet patterns.

I'm hoping today ends up being a not so nasty day outside.  I have lots of things I need to do this morning, none of them which are overly fun. I'm taking some flowers to my husbands Uncle's grave this morning. He passed away on Frank's birthday, and I don't think people realize just how hard Frank took that. My biggest thing this morning is going to be making sure I find the cemetery on my own!!! EEEK!!! Its kind of back on all those twisty turny side roads, and this will be my first time going back there by myself...now lets just hope that the zombies don't decide to invade today!!!

I've been trying to be a better house keeper. I'm not saying I'm bad at it, its just really hard keeping up with the cleaning when one has so much stuff to have to work around!!!  I have this dream of someday having a house with a basement...ahhh yes, a basement, one in which I can let my dear husband have, and he can turn it into his own personal man cave, for all of his manly stuff!!! LOL..I know that sounds bad...but I guess it is what it is.

ramblings

I don't always blog as often as I should, mostly because I think I ramble about stuff that doesn't matter much..but I guess its good that I can get it out of my system.  I'm a rambler, what can I say?

I went to a quilting class today. This one was on the lone star quilt. I think its going to be really pretty once I get it done. I picked all pinks, not because I like a lot of pink, but mostly because of the fact that they were the color of the month fabrics at the quilt shop, and were 25% off. Its all different shades and prints, so I think it will turn out kind of neat. The neat part about this class, is its beyond my skill level, so I'm really stepping out there with this, and trying something new. Its nice to have something challenging I would say.

I'm still working on my crochet book of dolls I'm writing. Its a slow process, but I think it will be worth it, knowing that I put all of that hard work into it, even if it doesn't get published. But I'm going to try as hard as I can to find somebody to publish it.

So now you may ask, why am I taking quilting classes, while writing a crochet book??? Well, because in all honesty, sometimes I just need to clear my brain, because it gets too muddled. Once I get my brain all cleaned up from the tangles of the pattern writing process, I can step back into it, with a fresh mind, and have better results.

With spring coming around the corner, I've had thoughts of gardening. I'm going to have to thin out some of my bulbs. They are over grown in some spots, and aren't blooming out the way I know they can. SO my plan is this. I have this area of rocks in the yard, that is over grown with berry briers that I am so going to get cleaned out of there. I started planting flowers in it a few years ago, some peach colored Iris, and they are beautiful, BUT unfortunately my husband decided to let the briers grow up because he wanted the berries off of them. Well they look like crap, and I want my flowers to be able to keep growing. So I'm going to have to get some good leather gloves, and get in there and pull all of those things out of there. My plan is to spread out different bulbs in there so that it has a bunch of different flowers growing up at different times.  Then we have this one hill that I cant keep up with, when it comes to the grass and weeds, so I'm going to move some of my tiger Lilly's there and just let them take over...and they will!!! I think it will look a whole lot better. Those things multiply like fire!!! So I guess my head is wrapped in spring flowers.


So that's me, a quilter, crocheting, flower minded woman this month.

Pattern Frustration...so...so...so frustrated!!!

So, I've been working on a new crochet pattern, or at least trying to start a new crochet pattern. I've been working on a crochet princess doll...OMG!!! I'm having the darnedest time with this poor princess....I can't seem to get her started. I figure I'll just stop for the night, and let it linger. Maybe start on a diff doll pattern, and work the details out in my head a little more....gah..its so weird to have crochet creation block!!!

that time of the year

Well, its that time of the year!!! Frank and I went out last night to Harrisonburg and had dinner, and did a little bit of shopping. We picked up the stuff to start our seeds for our garden. We are hoping that by starting our tomatoes this early, that maybe we will be able to get some early tomatoes. We are hoping to be able to get more canned this year than we did last year. Of course we are also hoping for a bit more rain this summer for the garden as well.  No, were not trying to be survivalists or anything like that, it just tastes better, saves money, and will get us through most of the winter.

I've been back in design mode for my crochet patterns. I'm finishing up a pattern now for my craftsy shop. Its a ballerina. She is so adorable!!! I'm about to start the step by step process where I take pictures to go with the pattern. It will be the third one I've made!!! I hope that this one does just as good, if not better than the Amish couple pattern I wrote.

I did get the quilt topper finished for last month. I just didn't finish making the quilt itself. I need to put it with batting and backing, and get it quilted. The next quilt I'm going to be working on is going to be a two month quilt. It has a lot of pieces to it. I knew from the beginning that there would possibly be a two month quilt topper to make. This one has over a thousand pieces.

My worm farms are going quite well!!! I'm seeing lots of babies in all totes, which is what we want. The other day I got in there and did the big turn. It was a little gross, but it had to be done. For the love of those worms and what they represent...it had to be done!!! LOL

Well that's about all from here for today!!! time to get back to Etsy shop work, and then onto that pattern for craftsy, and then to start planning out the next pattern I'm going to write for my shop.

Ta ta!

Everything

Ever have one of those days where Everything just seems to get to you? Where it seems like the world is just not going the way you want it to?

I had made plans to do some movie watching with a friend of mine, well I got over there, had a cup of coffee, and we started watching a movie...my phone rings, its my mother, she tells me, I'm sorry you decided you needed to spend the day with your friend when I want you over here. Its like, every time I make plans to hang out with friends, my phone just rings and rings and rings, its crazy!!! (of course its always my mom) Once again, this is one of those times when I freaking hate her husband for isolating us from family that could help me out with this, because he is just to good to be around her side of the family, that he's so much further up...at this point, I cry bull shit. As much as I love my husband, and the life he and I have here in Va...I wish she had never met that man, so that we would still be in california, so that I could have help with her from cousins, and aunts, and uncles. I'm just highly frustrated is all you know.

Of course this is also one of those days when I feel like I'm just being nit picked at, I'm probably not, but it feels that way...I'll get over it I'm sure, I guess its just because of my mom.

Well I guess I had better close this up and get some laundry put away!!!

Busy Busy Fun!

I've been a bit busy here lately, and its all been crafty!!! I've been working on lots of crochet, and lots of quilting. the quilting has been for me, the crochet has been for my Etsy store...I still have only sold 1 item on there, but I'm optomistic that once I get a wider variety of crochet items on there, and work on my FB page for it a little bit more it will get better. Its just a matter of promoting, and working and lots of word of mouth. I still haven't gotten my dolls posted on there, which is totally my fault I guess. I took them outside to get pics of them in good light, well, I forgot to check the battery in the digital camera, and the darn thing died after 1 pic..lol. I'll try again tomorrow. Not today...today is the day I take dinner back to grandpa, and I'm listening for the oven timer to go off. I'm baking a pound cake. Betty Crocker to the rescue! LOL

I've been working on writing some new crochet patterns. I'm writing some 18 inch doll clothe patterns. Some of them are going to be free patterns, and some of them are going to be for my Craftsy store. Either way, its fun!!! :D

Cold night

Its a cold wet rainy night...I'm just glad for lots of blankets, and warm doggies. Yes, we have heat, but the sound of the rain hitting the roof just doesn't make me feel warm.

Well, our worm farm has got me thinking about how much we waste, and what kind of a foot print we leave on earth. I've decided to start small, were already keeping a lot of paper and cardboard out of the trash, but what about all the plastic and glass...???? I've decided that its time to start recycling to begin with, and I think I'm going to look into making our own laundry soap, deodorant, and maybe tooth paste. That alone would take a good deal out of the trash...and maybe save us some green...maybe

We have started composting which had been neat, I never realized how much coffee we really do drink...its almost startling.

Crochet designs

Well, I sold another pattern today, bringing it up to a grand total of 4...and they were all the same pattern. The Amish doll pattern.

So, I'm working on some new patterns now. I'm designing some doll clothes. I have some of those Springfield dolls. I love them. I have a blonde and a redhead. I want to get the whole collection, I think there are 3 more to get. I love designing doll clothes, it's so fun. That's probably why I love those dolls. Right now I'm working on a whole collection. I'm thinking if I design about 10 items of doll clothing that will give me a good start, and let me post them a couple at a time while I design more, or work on some other crochet patterns. I want to try my hand at another doll. I'm not quite sure what I'm after yet on that line. I dint know if I can top the amish dolls. I can try though. Maybe a giant stuffed frog...anyways...well see. For now I'm thinking it's nap time.

oh no! I'm addicted

I've been cutting up squares to make my scrap fabric work better as you all know...well, in going through the internet, which seems to be full of everything, I found tons of free quilt patterns!!! So far I've printed out my favorites. I'm planning on starting on a quilt for us thats going to use up a good deal of scrap fabric this weekend. It pays to have something to do while the hubby is working. he's on night shift so I have to keep quiet during day light hours...thats kind of hard sometimes...I'm going to be making a pinwheel quilt. 

My worms came in the mail, which was completely awesome! They are all alive, well and eating! (of course I want them to eat...that means they will poop...breed, and poop and breed...when I checked on them earlier, there was a clump of them that looked like a giant orgy...lol

Well thats about it from here for tonight! Ta Ta