AND THEN THERE WERE FIVE

I made it past the halfway point in making the gingerbread men.

  I will get out this week to buy the candy canes!

I made the top two dishcloths and then used up the leftovers to make the bottom one and even tried some single crochet around the outside for  a change.  I'm out of cotton yarn again so will have to wait for some more!

 

SOCKS ON SUNDAY

 

I can't remember a pair of socks taking me so long to knit!

  First, I would say the new needles (addi) were too small

 (a size 1 instead of a size 2)

and so took too long to knit the plain socks.  

Secondly, I enjoyed the rabbit hole of amigurumi and quick little projects.  

Thirdly, I enjoyed the sweater project more than the tiny sock needles. 

 I think that is all the excuses I can come up with honestly! lol

I ended up finishing the leg of this sock with my old favorite needles and stuck it out! 

 (I only made a few dishcloths every so often 

to keep me from going cross-eyed!)

To prove I still like making socks, I cast with fun yarn

 (a Jacquard sock yarn)

 and lovely needles and have this much done already! 

  I also tried a new style of toe, a round toe which had to be one for toe-up socks which is what I do. 

It was fun and easy to make and they fit well!

STARTING TO COME THROUGH THE FOG

Two more linen-stitch dishcloths were made.  

And use your imagination and picture candy canes

 instead of crochet hooks

 for some fun Christmas gingerbread men ornaments! 

 I am going to put a hanger on top

 and give these to each of my grands this Christmas!  

I found the instructions here.

 

STILL HERE, SORT OF...

I created a sea turtle--the legs become fins 

and I added a bit of design on his shell.

Another mini-jellyfish.

A new stitch called linen stitch which is a misery in knitting 

but is a delight in crochet! 

 It makes a pretty woven-looking fabric!

Best of all, it works up very quickly and no counting!

 

PITIFUL INDEED

I have made this hat again and again--as in make it, rip it out and make the same one again!  I have  added to the headache  a head cold--which impairs thinking to another whole degree!  

Isn't the construction cool--short rows in crochet is brilliantly used to shape this hat!

The first time I made it and smoothed it out I saw a row like this.  It is supposed to single crochet up and slip stitch down but I didn't remember which was I was going.  I thought to leave it until I turned the hat and there were two more rows that looked like this!!!  Three strikes you're out!  And  so I ripped it back to the halfway mark and made it again only to decide it was WAY TOO BIG!    There is way too much of a variation of yarn even though both skeins were labeled as #4 yarn.  Sigh.

\

I persevered and now have no mistakes and it is the right size!  

For your viewing pleasure-a miniature orange Thunbergia!  I haven't even made it outside the last few days but at the time of this photo, there were several more buds on the vines so I will look forward to many more flowers, at least!

ONE HAT, TWO JELLYFISH

It was a very low-key day, I puttered doing some cleaning but mostly had a down day.  I did make the  tentacles for both jellyfish and enjoyed making some differently.    I then used the rest of the jellyfish skein to start another PerfectCrownCrochetHat!  

 

AN OUTING

I did something I haven't done in a month....

I drove myself to the lab in town (35 mins away) 

and then went to have my nails done!  

This is the only crafting I did yesterday;  two jellyfish bodies!  Today, I will make their tentacles!

I hope you have a very good day!

 

FLOWERS ON FRIDAY

I have missed every single one of the Cereus cactus blooms this year--over 2 dozen of them!  I set my alarm to send me outside at 10:30 last night because they only bloom at night!  And it wasn't open!!!  This morning when I went out to fill the bird feeders-I couldn't believe it!  Not only one but two were open fully 

and still smelling so beautifully fragrant!!!

This is what they usually look like by morning! 

   Today's bloom stayed open until afternoon

 and began to drop then. I enjoyed it almost all day!!!!

It is even incredible from the back view!!!!  

As I walked around the rest of the yard, 

I found several other plants that are in full bloom, too.

  This is the southern version of a 'bleeding heart'. 

 It is a vine but also in a bush shape and loaded with flowers.

And I was so surprised to see the morning glories blooming!  I through the seeds in at the base of the tree months ago!

  They are happy to have the cooler temperatures, too!

And this is how I know it is Fall;  the Camellia bush-

the white one only- is blooming!

Remember these?  Hacky Sacks! 

 I filled the cotton yarn balls with black beans!  I made the first one too big but the other four are just right!

And I took the head off this guy and made a smaller one--

now it looks better to me!

 

CUSHION FASHION

I ordered enough fabric to cover all the cushions

 on the table and lounge chairs.

Two done!

Two to go!

Two chairs done and four to go!  I have all the measuring down, so it is a simple task to sew down one end and the side, turn right side out, stuff the old cushion in the tube

 and then stitch up the other end!!!! 

 (Though it is a bit like stuffing spaghetti uphill 

to get the old cushion in the tube! lol)

And just to prove I do spend some time in the kitchen-here is some French bread I made

to go with the fresh stuffed peppers! 

 I have found a way to work with the headache--I am down for an hour and can be up for an hour, off and on all day with longer down time and shorter up time as the day goes on!

  At least I'm up for a lot more time than last week!!!

 

CROPPED SWEATER BEGINS

I am not a fan of chunky yarn but it was a free pattern, 

I had the yarn in the stash and so it is started!

(my internet keeps going out, then I couldn't upload a picture, then the picture loaded upside down only.....! lol)

                                                                                       

CEMENTED

              

The garden area was dug out to perfection and the cement to fill it in was ready!

This area had some plumbing details to work around but Bill did it nicely.  He even cleaned the whole area up when he was finished!  (That is usually my job but bending over exacerbates my already miseerable headache!)

I did sit on the new couch near him and crocheted some new sea creatures!  I used some cotton thread just to vary the size and texture!  (I will be doing the head of the turtle over again--I'm not liking the size of it in relation to the rest of his body!)

Off to my neurologist today to see if he can offer some help

 in dealing with the 'never-ending-headache'!

TURTLES!

Aren't these very cute fellows?  It is pleasant to see how just a few stitches result in these sweet little critters!

 

AN OUTING!

I was ready to get the furniture all settled in first thing yesterday morning;  Bill patiently worked the muscle for me as I arranged and rearranged to perfection!

The umbrella needs to be bolted to the concrete base so I have to be sure it is just exactly where I want it!  I haven't decided for sure yet! lol  We did end up moving the furniture 18' to the right so the umbrella can go in the back left corner--but we had to leave it for another day because we had a wedding to go to!

I finished an octopus on the way--it was a beautiful country drive for about an hour and then some.  I also started a cropped cardigan--but more on that later.

The happy couple!

The setting was a beautiful southern farm now repurposed to a wedding/celebration venue!

 

SO CLOSE

After moving the table and chair set out of this corner, we decided it needed a good power-washing before situating the rug and furniture!  Another delay was hard but I am glad we did it!  First thing today, we will lay the rug and arrange the sectional!!!!

This is the doorway right to my room so it will be just a few steps to the new 'room' and I can't wait!

The rest of the pieces are built and it is just waiting for me, too!

I managed to build another octopus and one is halfway done!  I will be taking some yarn in the car to crochet a sea turtle on the way to a wedding this afternoon.  It is going to be a challenge physically but it's not like I can go to it another day!  I'm bringing my pillow just in case I need to lay down on the way home!

 

LANAI RENOVATIONS

I added to the furniture....I worked tor twice as long as the day before,  I still have some more units to add to the sectional but I am excited to see it grow!  

I made several little octopi-once you know the method for making these little creatures, there is a lot of room to vary the sizes, etc.  It's a nice way to use up all of the little yarn balls, too! lol

 

TRYING TO BE UPRIGHT

It is hard to build up some stamina after being in bed for so long.  My headache has lessened but not gone away, I am trying to learn to function with it like I had to do with the MS symptoms when  they moved in.  Anyway, I have new furniture for the lanai so I tried to sit and start putting some together yesterday.  Nyki was a lot of help, as usual!

I managed to get the coffee table screwed together before I was done in--45 minutes, a record! lol

Bill is digging up the plants from the open areas and we will be cementing them closed-maybe Friday!

While removing the plants-we saw quite few lizards--and even these baby ones--he is only 1 1/2' long!

I made these two octopi--at first glance they look similar in size but---

when you see them on the shelf, you can see the differences!  (didn't you love to find the 'differences' on the pages in Highlights magazines when you were a kid?!)