Life Update!!

It has been so long since the last time I posted in this forum! I have been living my life through Instagram lately. My sister got my hooked up when she was in town last month. I am still getting the hang of things, but it is nice to be able to snap a pic with my phone and upload it right then and there.

I am still working on the one Granny Burst Square afghan that I started last year. My hands become so sore from the lingering onset of arthritis that I have to put it down for a few months. Getting old really sucks!! I really only have a few squares left to make and then I begin joining. I will try and complete this project this month and will post the finish result!

My sister visited in May and we took a quick trip down to Moab, UT. We hiked Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. It was a great trip and we picked the perfect time of year. It wasn't too, too hot or crowded at the parks. Only time it was pretty busy was our first day at Arches, but it was a Sunday. We were honked and fussed at a few times while waiting on places to park. Luckily it did not ruin our hikes and all the glorious views we encountered. Not to mention the town itself was pretty empty so no long waits at restaurants. All and all it was a great trip and my sister loved the hikes and views. She wants to make it an annual adventure!! I am down for it since it is only a 4 hour drive from my home. 

I have so many pictures that I am still editing just from my camera. This little collage was created with pics I took with my phone. So not as great, but I know how long it takes me to edit pics. I figured I would snap a few with my phone as well so I could post on FaceBook. We had family members that were concerned that us little ladies went on a hiking trip alone. Really find it funny how old fashion some people are still. But we posted pics to show that we were doing great and having lots of fun.

One thing I have been doing a lot of is yard work. Now that the snow has melted and the hours of raining have lessened, I have spent many hours in the yard. The years we have been in this new home I have not really put much work into the backyard. The front yard flowerbeds needed so much work that I really spent the past couple of years getting them manageable. Now that I feel they are, I started working on the back area.

This is right off the back stoop. I had been depositing plants in the corner that did not survive the constant sunlight and heat from the front beds. This little spot stays shaded most of the day, so I decided to make a small shade garden. I must say it is hard to find plants that require more shade than sun in this area of Utah. I guess we do have so many sunny days in the summer that the garden centers sell more Full Sun plants.

I am also lucky (I guess) that my yard has plenty of large rocks to use as border. All of these rocks were gathered from the land around me. There has been a lot of utility construction and we had a septic issue this winter, so the ground has been dug up and lots of rocks are available. I did find some really cool looking rocks that look petrified on the land parcel further behind me. Plus some that look like they have their own little ecosystem growing upon them. I was able to use plenty of these rocks as filler and decor in the bed.

I plan on extending this bed all the way to the end of the house. I just wanted to get something completely done this weekend and I did. I started cleaning the area up on Saturday morning and then bought all the plants on Sunday. The bed was planted and fully decorated by the end of the day on Sunday!! This shows I can finish a project!!

Finished Project - and no it isn't an Old WIP Sadly to Say

I am still working away on my Granny Sunburst Square afghan. I have a few more squares to make up and then will decide on just how I want to join.

I did whip up a quick Beanie Project. I call it the Knit Look-a-Like Beanie and completely made it up as I went along.

I used the rib stitch for the brim and then used the Herringbone stitch for the body. I crocheted it flat and then seamed it up the back with a whip stitch. After closing it up at the top I added a little pompom that I made using the pompom maker I purchased a year ago. It was still in its package and after making it, I should have made it a little puffier. But all and all I am pleased with it.

For the yarn, I used Cascade 220 Superwash in Colonial Blue. Nearly 2 full skeins. That is why I should have made the pompom puffier, I have only a small amount left that I will not be able to use for anything unless I decide to use it as a small accent color in another Beanie. Which just might have to happen.

Current Projects

I am currently working up a new afghan. I am using the Granny Sunburst Square pattern by Priscilla Hewitt with some very nice cotton yarn by Sprightly Yarns.

The colors are Caribbean Blue, Magenta and Ecru.

After starting this project I realized I have more than one project using this pattern. I completed one blanket years ago that I gave to my sister. The other one, Rosie Posie afghan, is still in a project bin. I started this project back in 2014. Man time really flies!! All the squares are complete I just need to join them. I began joining them a few years back, but didn't like the pattern I was choosing with the join. I need to pull out the bin and undo the few I have joined and really figure out how I would like it to flow.

Another project I picked back up recently is the Ventura Swing Crochet Top pattern by Stacey Tallman. I started this one up back in the summer of 2016. I am currently at a stand still because the yarn I am using, Cascade Sateen,  is now discontinued and I have yet to find a comparable yarn in a color that I feel will match nicely. So the hunt is on to find a yarn that will complete this project. 

On a cute note, we have a new family member.

Her name is Dixie and Rango loves being with her. I was so surprised in him. He warmed up to her immediately!! We let them meet at the adoption center and took them on a nice long walk prior to bringing her home. We are currently just fostering but I cannot see giving her up after only 5 days of having her!! So I will make it official this weekend.

Evening Walks

The days are long and hot, but we still find time to go out and have some nice evening walks. The landowner cut the meadow so Rango and I can now take walks there. I sit and let Rango chase as many field mice as he possibly can before the sun begins to dip down and the real critters begin to adventure out. I am trying my best to keep him out of the tall grass along the river. I don't want him encountering another porcupine like he did a few weeks ago. He had around 50 quills in his muzzle and paws. I just could not bear for him to go through that much pain again. So I keep him close and make sure he doesn't stick his big nose in where he doesn't belong.

Completed Project - Couch Throw!!

I am happy to report that I finished the afghan I began in March of this year!! Yes, I finished a project in the same year of beginning it for a change, especially an afghan.

I used the pattern Henry's Blanket by Little Monkey's Crochet aka Yarn & Chai. I added an extra section compared to the pattern. The center accent color, I ended up adding an extra section to make the blanket a throw. The colors are very fall inspired and this throw will be perfect for that time of year.

I can also add that this is a very non-thinking pattern. Once you have the stitches memorized you really do not need to go back and forth to the pattern. I love patterns that are very memorable. I could walk away from this project and go back to it easily without needing to refer back to the pattern. Another big plus in my book. The only portion of the pattern that I really needed to read back over was the last portion of ribbing. This part I had to read over because you are chaining 9 stitches and crocheting back to the last row and slip stitching back into the row to connect the ribbing portion. Other than that, it is a very easy pattern to follow and I am tempted to make a pillow to go with the throw.

Completed Project - Walnut Shawl

I have had this project in the works since 2015. And it isn't that it is a difficult pattern, it is just that life sometimes gets in the way. I was at first going to go with the solid Hazel Walnut color way. I ended up having this great blue color way in the same yarn and just had to add it to this pattern.

The beginnings of this project back in 2015

Adding the pop of blue really began bringing this shawl to life. Then my cat got a hold of my project and messed it up a bit. I cleaned up the unraveling and snags that the cat so proudly worked into my project and then put it away for awhile because I was really mad at this point.

This poor project sat under my bed for a year before I came across it again. I had just enough blue left to add a few more rows.

I finished up the blue and decided to add about 10 more solid rows of the hazel walnut color way before I started cleaning up the edges. I added a couple of single crochet rows to the border. I really wish I had some of the blue left to add a row of stitches as well, but I think it turned out great.

Now on to the next WIP!! I have been working on the last section of my afghan.  Hope to have that one completed this week!!

Summer Time Bliss

Summer is definitely upon us now here in the Wasatch Mountains. We have a plethora of wildflowers blooming everywhere with lots of butterflies fluttering here and there. I finally was able to catch a picture of a Monarch butterfly this weekend. It isn't the best pic since I only had my phone to capture it. But it was nice to finally capture one. Plus the mountain thistle is beginning to bloom. This little guy found a cool spot next to the creek to have a midday snack.

Upon our walk we decided to cross through the meadow and man is that grass tall!! I believe the land owner will bail it soon. I can say that the walk through the meadow had my allergies killing me afterwards, but it was worth it with Rango romping through the tall grass. There were some points when I could not see him at all until he bounced up chasing after I am sure were some field mice.

My roses are blooming so vibrantly right now. I'm sure in another week they will all be gone, but I am enjoying them while they last for now. Top left is of my miniature snap dragon plant.

I was able to relax this weekend and work on a crochet project. I found this old project under my bed. Really?! So I pulled out my Walnut Shawl that I have been working on for years now. Yes, I have been working on this shawl for a couple of years now. I guess it doesn't help that I had misplaced it for so long.

I am done adding the blue since I am completely out of this color way. I have looked all through my stash and cannot believe I do not have another skein. But I do not and now it is time to finish up a few more rows of the walnut color way and begin a simple border. I do have a pretty good bit to weave in as well. I do love the way the blue just pops in this shawl. I hope to have completed project done by end of week and post a full collage of it for you.