Sunday, July 24, 2011

Heidi Hedge Hog

I did it...finally...but not so sure I like the finished product.......check for yourself, what do you think? Now, now, I know everyone will say the hedge hog turned out just fine, but I'm not quite satisfied and thinking there is some things I would do differently should I take on this project again.                             
        


This was a fast and easy pattern. I tried the eye lash yarn and did not like it one bit. All of these fuzzy and strange specialty yarns are not always the most cooperative to work with. The good thing though is that they hide a multitude of errors and are quite forgiving. I prefer to knit the stuff up rater than crochet with it.                         


I am my own worst enemy when it comes to picking apart my work and finding fault, it is like a curse....Heidi Hedge Hog's nose just seems too big....so I guess I hurt her feelings and she tried to hide among the totes in my sewing room....


and then I found her snuggled up on the pile of my most recent knitting and crochet projects.....I guess I thought if I moved her around her nose would get smaller, ha, ha, ha, I was just fighting with myself about reasons NOT to get the seam ripper out and remove that nose!


 the more I looked at her the more that nose seemed to grow on me, well not literally mind you, but I was thinking it wasn't so bad now was it? Anyways, I will have to hide her from the doggies because this is my toy not theirs. I just want to thank Kate over at the Garden Bell for her tip on this pattern. You can find her here and it would be her Tuesday, July 19th post (of this past week) where you will see her darling little hedge hog and her link to the pattern at Tangled Happy. And just a note to Kate, I feel like such a copy cat, but that is what ya get when you go and post such cute stuff.......lol......I can't wait to steal your next idea, but in the meantime I will keep on knitting more fancy scarves for the holidays.....♥

Friday, July 22, 2011

Good News!!

Me and the girls about 32 years ago   (Busch Gardens, Florida)

  See that little girl in the top picture, the child to my left.......that is my oldest daughter Rachael. She is older now of course and the little pic in the center is a more recent photo of her and her husband Chris. The bottom pic is a bit older, but one of my favorites of them. Anyways, WE ARE PREGNANT with a first baby and it will be our first grandchild. God does answer prayers. They have been trying for about 2 years now and the road has been a bit bumpy, but the trip worthwhile. Baby will be born next March if all goes well. So what will I be doing........no need to ponder over that question cause I am working like crazy to finish a few things and then it will be baby this and baby that, and all things "for baby".....My friend Jeanie over at Getting Started blog posted awhile back on making burp cloths. You can find her here and if you go there check out her March archives for them. She has another link to the instructions and pics to guide you along the way. I will keep you posted on all the baby stuff to come and what is going on here. I am also wanting to do that tutorial I mentioned on the crocheted oval rag rugs and also want to surprise everyone with a giveaway at least by the end of Summer. I just need to get my head on straight and work out the details. In the mean time stop by anytime. I enjoy all of your comments and love visiting  your blogs. No matter what you are up to I love reading about it and viewing glimpses of your lives. I consider myself lucky to have found all of you. Hope everyone is keeping cool. It has been so hot here that I think we are all done and extra crispy by now. God Bless You All! ♥

Friday, July 15, 2011

Dishrags & Garden Goodies

1.) A just for fun crocheted watermelon novelty pot holder. Need to sew on the buttons for seeds.
 Good Friday afternoon to all my followers and friends here in blogland. I am managing to stay busy crocheting and knitting. Below are a collection of pics showing the whole lot of the items I have been cranking out this past week or so. I want to thank my friend Kate @ The Garden Bell for waking me up to doing some kind of watermelon thingy. You can find her here. She has a lovely blog and I swear that girl should be a photographer because she is quite proficient with her camera. I use to think my camera took pretty pics, well mine can't hold a candle to what she posts. So, thanks again Kate for making me green with envy, lol.
2.) Dishrags, dishrags and more dishrags.

3.) Lovely variegated green and white. My own pattern.

4). Lovely variegated blue, yellow and white. My own pattern.

5.) Lovely multi-colored variegated. My own pattern.

6.) Lovely lime green. My pattern and the traditional knitted pattern from skein wrapper.

7.) Lovely beige with color flecks. My own pattern.

8.) More lovelies.

8.) Wash cloths with fancy edging. Made from holding 3 strands of doily thread.

9.) Same wash cloths, just another look. These will be very soft when laundered.


And in between all the clicking and clacking of knitting needles and crochet hook, I took a break and walked out to the veggie garden and look what healthy treats I found.



The water drops look like diamonds sparkling.

10.) The stack is growing..
I have about 3 more dishrags to make and I will be done with that. I have enough scraps of cotton to combine them to make a patchwork potholder, nothing fancy, but usable and practical. After that I move on to doing a tutorial for you on making your own crocheted rag rugs which is a fun and useful project where you can use up all sorts of materials including old t-shirts. It may take me a bit of time to get that posting done, but you can look for it in the next 3-4 weeks. I also need to do 1-2 more UFO's. I have fallen behind with that promise to myself, lord knows I have plenty to still keep me busy. Hope you all have a great weekend. Stay safe. ♥

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

All Things Country ; My Kitchen


Give me country any day, I simply love it. I never get tired of my home. Some days it seems way too small, and other days (cleaning days) it seems way too big. I will start out today with the heart of my home and that is my kitchen. We built this house 21 years ago and I was one lucky woman to be married to a man who gave me complete control over decorating everything from ceiling to floor. I love oak, and so it only seemed natural that I would pick oak cupboards and cabinets. There is just something warm and cozy about wood, especially a honey oak. (Please forgive any dust bunnies that may be hiding, lol).
                               

I do have scatter rugs for on the floor, but since my dogs like them way too much, I do not put them down. When decorating I got frustrated shopping for something that would look good with the light blue gingham curtains and ended up crocheting my own rag rugs. I will share them with you on another day.

Yes, that is a mop bucket you see, lol.

The large spice rack my husband made. I found the bottles at Pier 1. The small spice rack I bought when I was 18 years old. It was the first thing I bought for when I would have my own home. I have been married 41 years now and that spice rack is 42 years old.


My house doesn't have a dining room. I use to have a house with one, but it was a room that I found I could do without. I wanted a large eat-in kitchen. My table seats 6 comfortably. The absence of a dining room means one less room to clean and to heat, besides, how often does one really use a dining room? If we need more eating space then I pull out the very best, and that would be the card table and chairs. Nothing but the best for my guests, lol. Our family is small and we manage.




     The kids go on a trip they bring me a magnet. Yes, there is a fridge under all the magnets, pics and stuff.

Keeping it simple.

The old black baking pan on the wall belonged to my mil. She baked buttermilk biscuits in it every morning for her family for over 60 years. I may have the antique pan, but I sure can't bake biscuits like she did.



My husband made 2 dry sinks. One was given to our oldest daughter. This one sure has come in handy for storing things and used as a space for a small tv and a few cookbooks.



I love my butcher block table. It is hollow inside and I have tons of cookbooks stored inside. My husband did not make this particular one, but he has made 8 and sold them.


The butcher block table is a handy work surface. It makes a great cutting and chopping surface as well as a place to put hot pans right off the stove.


On this particular day I was doing a bit of re-arranging so I had a bit of a mess. Some people have a house, I have a home....yes, we live in our house and it does look lived in. I have had 3 Pampered Chef parties in my kitchen and a couple of my friends always comment on how they "love" my kitchen. My bil says, "You can sit in Sue's kitchen and never be bored, there is always something to read on the walls".


A look out to the deck, back yard and my husband's wood shop. We get the evening sun through the French door.


Last fall I got some apples from a friend and made apple pie filling and some apple jelly. I snapped a pic of them before I started doing them up. I think this pic would be pretty enough to use for a calendar. What do you think? I just had to throw this photo in this posting because I want people to see that my kitchen does get a workout pretty much on a daily basis.


From our garden, a good old southern White Half Runner Bean. My husband planted and tended then while in the garden, then he passed them off to me and I canned them for our pantry. More healthy eating from the garden. My kitchen works for me.

I ♥ old signs.
Another snap shot of the spice racks and old signs that decorate my walls.

More canned goodies, German Red Cabbage.
The ♥ of my country home.
 Well friends, that was a tour of my country kitchen. I hope you enjoyed visiting with me. If I could greet you at my door I would have you sit a spell and share a cup of coffee or tea with me, or better yet, I would cook you up a meal. I am sure most of you feel the heart of your home is your kitchen. ♥

Monday, July 11, 2011

The Bug Is Gone :)


Chewy & Trixie Belle.

 Thanks to all of you who gave suggestions and supportive thoughts about my little Trixie. She is much improved and finishing up her medicine. The peanut butter worked fine and so did little hunks of meat. She is a cheese lover and that is also an alternative to getting the medication into her. She is pretty much back to normal and I can sleep better knowing that. It is funny how much we get attached to our pets, especially once our children have flown from the nest. They are truly the best example of God's meaning of unconditional love. We could all learn a thing or two from the animals we care for and who love us. ♥

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Sick Doggie :(

Miss Trixie Belle, aka Duchess of Yorkie

 Today was a trip to the vet. Our little baby Trixie Belle has been sick on and off for a week. Just when I thought she was better, she had another bout with what ails her. Let the weekend roll around and that is when kids and pets get sick. It never fails. Luckily I found someone (woman vet) who realizes that pets don't just get sick Monday through Friday, lol. We came home with pills and some liquid medicine. Now the real fun begins because my little Duchess of Yorkie (we call her that when she acts prissy) hates medicine. It is a 2-man job, one to hold her, the other to open her mouth and insert the meds....OOPS! she ate the little bit of cheese, but there is still a pill stuck to the side of her mouth......okay, another bit of cheese wrapped around that same pill, let's try again.......this has been known to go on for a good 10 minutes. I ♥ my little doggies!

Friday, July 8, 2011

Question??????

Hi there friends. In the past a few of you have helped me out with questions and once again I am turning to you for answers. I have noticed that several of the blogs I visit post their photos with cute sayings on the photos, or at least they identify that photo as their own. I was wondering how do they manage to do that? I am clueless and hoping someone, anyone will enlighten me. I can add captions and change photo sizes and positioning, but that is about the extent of my skills. I did ask another blogger awhile back, but never got a reply, so I thought maybe if I post the question here someone will stop by and solve my mystery.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Knitted Dishrags

Good morning. Once again it is a hot and dry day in Northwest Ohio and what have I been doing, well knitting of course. As long as the ac doesn't leave me down, I won't put down my knitting needles and yarn. I'm sure a lot of you make your own dishrags (aka dishcloths) and I have made a few in the past myself.


The nice thing about them is they are heavier than the store bought counterpart and usually last a lot longer. In other words, they are the tough guy and hard to beat.


 I made several using the old standby pattern found on the label of Lily Brand crochet cotton which you can purchase most anywhere, JoAnn's, Michael's, Walmart just to name a few (you might even find some on Ebay just in case someone is cleaning out their stash of yarns). I made another strictly as an experiment using a basket weave pattern from one of my books that had knitting designs. I think this pattern will be a good choice for hand washing dishes because of the texture of the design.


Here is a close up of that pattern which is basically knit 4, purl 4 across the row and repeat this for a total of 4 rows, then you change to a purl 4, knit 4 for another 4 rows. You keep alternating these till you get your dishcloth the size you want. The foundation row is just to cast on how ever many you want for the width, using multiple of 4. I cast on 28 and worked across those 28 stitches until I had 11 rows of the alternating pattern. Does this make sense???? There will be 44 rows, but 11 rows of the basket weave pattern for the length. The best thing about this pattern is that it is on the reverse side as well :)


Okay, so I need to show you this because I am proud as a peacock to have finally been determined enough to try a pattern that I found here . Ronda K. White was so sweet to share her lovely pattern with all of us, but please note she does have a copyright. I balked at trying it for fear it was just too difficult, and because I didn't want to sit and be frustrated. But how do you learn something new if you don't at least try, right? And face it, this is not rocket science or brain surgery.


Isn't it just so neat??????? I do think it is turning out quite pretty. It is definitely NOT your run-of-the-mill, everyday, boring square or rectangular dishrag. It will be a lacy edged circle!! I am lucky enough to have a dishwasher, but we still need the ole dishcloth to whip off the table and counter tops......and there is always that one item or two that can't be put in a dishwasher and needs to be hand washed. I know, I know, knitters/crocheters have been making their own dishrags for years, and I am probably not telling you anything new......but some of us are late bloomers when it comes to our knitting skills and------> this gal (me) is one of them, ah ha  .........I don't like to hand wash dishes, but I do like pretty dishcloths. ♥

Monday, July 4, 2011

Rachael & Chris's July 4th Pig Roast

I would like to say we had a great time today at our daughter Rachael and her husband Chris's pig roast. Our girls just want to have some fun, as always one of them has to clown around and act silly........


And personally, I wouldn't have it any other way. Meghan added some goofy glasses and a fake gold tooth, lol. There was plenty of good food, some of the gang in the pool and a lot of the guys having a corn hole tournament. The weather was perfect. Good family, friends, food and weather made it a perfect day. Hope everyone made it home safely and they are tucked into bed by now. I would have loved to have shared more photos of this day but after I down loaded the first one, my internet connection was not cooperating for further pictures. Hope all of my followers and friends had a great 4th of July and those of you out there who do not celebrate our holiday, I hope you are enjoying a safe and happy weekend. I end this post with a prayer of blessing and safety for our wonderful troops who so unselfishly serve our country to keep us free to enjoy this kind of freedom and many more. God Bless you all and keep you safe. We ♥ you all!                 

Friday, July 1, 2011

Creamy Chicken & Chile Enchiladas


Every once in awhile we get hungry for something different from the usual routine. One dish we love in this house is Old El Paso Creamy Chicken & Chile Enchiladas. I found the recipe years ago on a can of  their Green Chile Enchilada Sauce. If you like a change of pace, and like Mexican food (yummy tacos, lol) then this recipe will soon become a favorite. Not only is it great tasting, but it is relatively easy and fast to throw together. Left overs heat up quickly in the microwave and taste just as good as the day the dish was made. Another plus is that you can either freeze it once assembled, or after it is baked and cooled. Making a double batch saves time when you freeze half for another meal. You can thaw it over night in the fridge and bake in pre-heated oven for about 30 minutes, or stick frozen pan in oven, make sure you allow extra baking time.                                   


CREAMY CHICKEN & CHILE ENCHILADAS

1 lb. uncooked chicken breast strips
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, cut into cubes
1 can (4.5 oz.) Old El Paso chopped green chiles
12 Old El Paso flour tortillas for soft tacos & Fijitas (6 inch; from two 8.2 oz. packages)
2 cans (10 oz. each) Old El Paso green chile enchilada sauce
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (3 oz.)

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In a 10-inch non-stick skillet cook chicken over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink in center. Stir in cream cheese and chiles; reduce heat to medium. Cook and stir until blended and cream cheese is melted.
Spoon chicken filling onto tortillas; roll up and place seam sides down in baking dish. Pour enchilada sauce over top; sprinkle with Cheddar cheese. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until hot and cheese is melted.
Yield: 12 enchiladas


I have used Schwan's seasoned chicken strips as a substitute. I have also bought boneless, skinned chicken breasts and sliced them into strips. Instead of the smaller flour tortillas I have used the larger ones (10 inch) and you will be able to get about 8 of them in the 13x9 inch pan. Top it off with a bit of sour cream, or taco sauce if you desire. Enjoy ♥
















Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
~WRITE IT ON YOUR HEART................
THAT THE ONES YOU LOVE ARE LIFE'S MOST PRECIOUS GIFTS~