My New Year's Resolutions

Well I am almost finished with my capelet, but it came out much larger than I planned so I need to weave in some ribbon to tiggten it up a bit. I think that will make it much smaller, or I could double up the front ??? I need to think on this one. Anyone else have any ideas???

And here is my progress on my floor length hooded cape, almost time to start the hood. It is sideways on the chair to show how long it is

Now for my resolutions:

1. To Lose 20 lbs by this summer
2. to finish 1/2 my WIP I have so many and so many great patterns to finish.
3. to line the rest of my finished purses, I must have 10 finished and unlined. I have all the material just not completed.
4. to finish my website and get my prices and bag patterns all listed so that people can see and buy them? Geeze.. it is going to be so cool if I can master the new website formats.
5. to go to teh Stitches West in Feb
6. to catch up on my pen pal letters, I am always writing too late. :(
7. to clean up my sewing area it is so so but needs more clean up so I have more sewing space to work with
8. to use more of my stash to make new projects so I can buy more new yarn
9. to finish sorting out my knit and crochet books that are all over the upstairs
10. to learn how to make socks, knit ones, I really want to make socks and not talk about them, I have started several times to not finish them, and I have apair of crochet ones I need to finish too, the loopy loop ones.
11. to make something with the Intarsia I learned at the CGOA
12. To finish reading some of my newly purchased novels so I can make room on my bookshelves!
13. to ride my bike more starting a daily exercise program that I will stick with. I really procrastinate! But I need to start one this year for sure.

Happy New Year!

Too Cute

These are the coolest stitch markers I have ever seen! I saw them on Shut-up I'm Counting and they are sold over on Etsy.... Too cute....and this acorn key chain is adorable.

Merry Christmas to all my Friends

Merry Christmas

to all

and

Happy New Year!!!

God Bless!

Check Out My Other Blogs

Go over to one of my other blogs and you might be pleasently surprised to find your "niche" there? I have one where I am joining in on the "Pay it Forward" gift sending idea. It is fun and catching on in blogland. Just post a comment and be one of the first 3 and you could win a handmade item. What are you waiting for click on over there!

Then I have one that is for all you reading nuts like me. It talks about books and articles concerning my opinions on books I've read or information I have found on books and other interesting topics.

I also have a blog on recipes and food thoughts and a new contest there as well be sure to hop on over there as it can be very informative and fun too!

And for the animal lover I have my favorite Kitty blog for info and "cat" talks about feline topics.

All of my blogs are a little different and I try to keep them informative and fun, this is my crochet and knitting blog and those of you that know me that if you want to swap crochet I host that and if you want to swap books I host that one too! Wow.... I am a busy lady, and of course I have my family and friends blog if you care to see my life in photo layout!! Join me and hop my blogs!!!

My Bag I Received from Bag o' holic Swap

Dari sent me the prettiest bag she made for me in the 2007 Christmas Bag o Holic Swap. And she also included a wonderful cookbook, yummy chocolate, and a pretty book file. What a great swap! Don't cha just love the button on the bag? Thank you sooo Much Dari for this fantastic swap!!! And Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Sad News and Good News!!

Our youngest son was in an awful motorcycle accident 9 days ago. He was on life support for the whole time and the good news is that they have just taken him off...and he is breathing on his own...thank you so much to all for your prayers....he has a long way to full recovery, but he will recover....it is just a rough time for our home so I will not be blogging a lot for next few weeks.

Merry Christmas
and
Happy New Year
to all of my blogging friends old and new!!!

My New Project

I saw this cape and hood and couldn't resist making it. Now my daughter has seen it and wants me to make her one. So when I finish this it will probaly go to her. I am using black and gold flecked Red Heart Fiesta and Trimming it with Festive Fur in Black Sparkle. Ohhh it is coming along sooo nicely. It is much easier than I thought it might be....

Swaps Rceived

I received this package from someone??? With the daily trips to the hospital it was joy to receive a package and put a smile on face. I just love the Apron it is so pretty and also love the hot pads....Thank you sooo much!!! But who is it from? There was no note or first name on the package, so if you are the one who sent it to me let me know, as it was not my SP11 partner..














Then I got my Nov Fantasy Brown Fat 1/4 Swap Bot package..Yummy Fat !/4 I love the gold flecked one and cannot wait to make a purse with it...and I also got some pretty notecards and and terrific brown trim and ribbon too. Loved it all...

Some Cool Links

I was on my friend's blog and she had a link to a granny square room, here's a picture of a "granny square rec room" Wow now that is a lot of granny squares....

Robin has the coolest links so be sure to hop on over there...

Some of those hooks can be used for other things rather than crocheting ladies????

Oh I found a wonderful tutorial for a round Rope Rug that is easy and fun.

I also found a terrific "Cut out + Keep" blog that has all kinds of weird hints and tips!!!

Want to crochet a clock?

Monster blog has a most unique scarf???

And last but not least for this Thanksgiving why not adopt?

Come Swap with Me????

Ok now I am addicted to swaps and even run 2 of my own, but I saw a fun theme for a terrific swap and thought wow, that would be great to do but how??? So then I got this idea to put up a post here and ask my blogging friends if they would like to swap with me, no big swap, just would be you and me...the theme will be "Movie Night Out with our Yarn" [I may use this theme on my crochet swap too] anyways, what we would swap:

• a terrific "Chick" flick movie [ an older movie like Sabina, or An Affair to Remember]
• a pattern to go along with the movie theme
• the yarn and notions
• A mug and tea or cocoa

That's it, of course any other goodies is ok too, but not necessary. So if your interested in swapping with me just leave a post here and email me your addy and I will email you mine. ohhh this will be fun!!!

Contests are Fun! Who Wants to Swap?

I was checking out some of my fav blogs to surf through and ran across a few contests that are worthy of noting..the first one is at The Bag Lady and a Pros blog, Anne is having a contest to gather favorite patterns. So be sure to hop on over and enter - just make sure to note that you heard about it here and I will get another entry! Cass is also having a contest. You can brag about your favorite knit gifts or patterns! And please do tell Cass that I sent you over! Another fun one is at Meagan's blog. Just choose 1-100 of her comments and relate it to you in your comment and you might win...yes and again be sure to mention I sent you over...
NOW BE SURE TO MENTION I SENT YOU THERE

Ohhh alos check out Miz Allie Cat's Show n' Tails Weekend Game...its fun and simple...hop on over and join in on the fun and you could win a surprise gift!

Swaps Received from DaBookLady BABES

I got another swapping package from DaBookLady's BABEs swap in September and also I got my October package!!! Wow....double surprises...

Shawnee sent me not 1 not 2 not 3 , but 4 books...WOWOWOWOW!!!! I got one from my Amazon wish list, see it really does work to wish, and a terrific looking culinary mystery, a new one by my one of my favorite authors Koontz, and another intriguing looking one. They are murder, mystery thrillers for the "thriller" theme of October. Then I got a beautiful cup, Reeses, that my hubby already grabbed, cute Turkey bookmark, yum yum tea, a notepad, and a fall yummy smelling candle..thank you sooo much!!!



Next I got my Sept swap from Judy B. I got yummy yarn that I love to crochet with, a cute horsee key chain. and of course I love horses, great book on friendship, whixh was the theme that month, and cute Christmas candles and wonderful tea in a can, a nice bookmark, and a pretty ceramic cat candle holder, and of course I love cats too!!! Oh yeah and a notepad...
I was spolied this month!!!

Some Pictures from my CGOA Trip and Crochet Pattern a Day Calendar Publishings

Here are a few of pictures from my CGOA trip in September. The first one is the scarf kit I bought with beads, it is really beautiful once made and then there is one of me on the bed with the yarn I bought, I know I went a bit overboard! Next is the one with the yarn that CGOA gave me for free.. :) and then there is the other one of the bag I won from the Silent Auction, it is so pretty. and lastly is a picture of Carol Ventura and me from the dinner, Carol is the author of Tapestry Crochet.

Here is my Sunshine "On the Go" bag

And then I got the new Crochet a Pattern a Day 2008 calendar and there were my 3 designs published.. Yeah!!! and then I must show you my ribbons I won too!! It has been a great year for me..

Some Halloween Fun

Halloween Bag Done, And Look My Yard Has Grass and A New Visitor???

My Crochetoholic Swap partner sent me the pattern and yarn to make this bag, and I finished it last night. Couldn't wait to complete it as it is so cute. It was really easy and fun to make. I just have to line it and its complete! Yeah....thanks again Christine it was a great swap package.

Isn't it just the cutest?

I also wanted to share the new grass coming up in my yard. I am so proud of it. I planted a shade grass to grow under our big pepper tree and wasn't sure how it would work, but low and behold it took!!! Isn't it looking good? And check out the fish...they are starting to get really friendly and growing....

And look what flew in??? A huge Macaw....naw....just josting you, but he does look pretty good huh? My hubby got him for me to hang up near the falls along with the Tiki ....its coming along...

Wordless Wednesday NY Trip

Wordless Wednesday Fantastic Tea Package Received!!!

My Trip to the CGOA Knit and Crochet Convention

My trip to the CGOA Knit and Crochet Convention from Thursday the 27th - Sunday the 30th...It was a great trip and I got to "touchy feely" some wonderful new yarns, meet some designers, mingle with the greats, made new stitching friends, laughed a lot, and crocheted with others in the 24/7 crochet and knit lounge. [a dream come true]

I was really excited to meet Carol Ventura who has written several books on Tapestry Crochet. I had been emailing her about designing and was happy to see her at the convention.
The weather was cooler than So. CA but then I didn't venture out much I mostly ate, chated, shopped in the marketplace, and crocheted in the lounge.

Oh... and I was even more surprised when I went to the last booth and found out that they were selling all their wonderful yarns for $4 a skein!!! Wow!!! I bought too much of course, but then I found out an even bigger surprise, they were from Newton's Yarn store in Anaheim. A store that my knit group was to go to on our field trip but they were not open. I talked to the owner a little and found out all their yarn was in the back and they are now moving the yarn to the front of their store. And they have TONS!!!!

Now the fashion show was fantastic! There were so many beautiful items that all you heard were "ohs and ahs" from the audience. I especially loved the intricate designs of one designer's skirt and top set in light green and also a really beautiful reversible "Marilyn Monroe" look white fur coat that was soooo soft with a matching hat. Too many to mention...

And I was lucky enough to win a door prize and It was a whole cape kit with yarn included at a value of $237.00 from one of the booths. Then I bid on one of the purses at the silent auction and won it too!!!

So I came home with lots of goodies!! Including the new HP pattern book!
Any who...I met a lady that lives in San Jose area and wants me to stay at her house for the Stitches West convention. So I will be going to that one now too!!!

Here are some of my pics from the show:

Winning a Ribbon on Wordless Wednesday