Gonna Start a New Blog

I've decided to start a new blog dedicated to crafting projects. I'll still follow a 'sorta frugal' lifestyle, but lately I notice I don't write much on that topic. I want a blog that is more clearly focused.

Meantime, one last little "Sorta Frugal" tip:

Save your $5 bills! Ones don't add up fast enough and tens and twenties are needed for life, like groceries and school supplies. But Fives, well...if you keep stuffing them into a piggy bank from now until Christmas you won't miss them. And won't you be surprised how much cash you'll have on hand for Christmas Shopping!

You just have to solemnly vow not to break into the piggy bank (or, in my case, a pink Owl) until at least mid-November. Not even to count how much you've saved so far!

See you at my new blog!

http://1000pointsofcreativity.blogspot.com/

Patrick and his Snail

Here is a picture of my grand nephew, Patrick, and the blanket and snail I made for him. My sister says my niece loves the blanket, and Patrick loves the snail! I'm glad to have given him one of his first 'lovies.'

Knitting Needle Holder

I had these black gingham curtains in my kitchen but recently got new ones. So I cut the bottom half into dish towels (it's a nice, heavy cotton), and was left with the top half where the casing is for the curtain rod.

So I'm cleaning out my office the other day and thinking of new projects and I suddenly realized the casing was just the right size for knitting needles!

I cut along the casing in increments big enough to hold two pairs of needles--one goes in the casing and one goes where the ruffle would have been. I actually have enough to make a second holder if I want to.

When I cut this, I left enough 'extra' along the edge so I could sew two of the pieces together. Then I cut a flat piece big enough to fold over the tops of the knitting needles. (I had made a crochet hook case with no top and the stupid things are always sliding out.)

I sewed the two pieces right sides together. If I make another, I will finish the edges of the outside piece before I do this, but I just folded in the raw edge and did a zig-zag over it.

If I get really ambitious I might put an elastic loop and button on it. But I like it as it is, for now. I'm only just getting back into knitting again so I treated myself to a set of needles!

I'm linking up to "Just Something I Whipped Up" over at The Girl Creative. Check out all the cute things over there!

http://thegirlcreative.blogspot.com/2010/08/just-something-i-whipped-up.html

Things I've Learned Recently

1. Don't buy kirby cucumbers for refrigerator pickles if you don't know where the recipe is. I had to throw them out because they got all icky. I have made fridge pickles before, but this time I tweaked the recipe and actually measured things. I wrote it all down and came up with a really, really good recipe and damn if I didn't lose the stupid thing.

2. Don't peel peaches 3 days before you're going to can them unless you have lemon juice in the house. Who knew the stupid things turn brown, like apples do? They don't last that long in this house. I ended up cutting all the brown off and now I have pretty peaches, which I am canning right now.

3. It takes a heck of a lot of peaches, tomatoes or whatevers to fill a jar.

4. I wish I had a pot that was about 10 inches across by about a foot high.

Oh, well, it's all a learning experience!

Home!

We got home last night after 12 hours of driving. We made it over the bridges in record time, unlike my poor sister who came to Long Island for a wedding a few weeks ago and was stuck for over 2 hours! (In good traffic, you should be over both the George Washington and whatever the other bridge is in about a half hour.) Driving-wise it was uneventful, thank goodness!

Oh, except for Columbus itself, which had a bunch of detours due to either roadwork or the State Fair.

Okay, I had a nice time at the reunion. It was amazing to see cousins I haven't seen in probably 30 years. It was better, though, seeing my siblings. We have not been together as a family since before my brother Patrick died, which was back in 2000. I'll post a picture soon.

Meantime, speaking of Patricks, here is the blanket and toy (finally finished!) I made little Patrick Warren! Everyone went wild over it. My sister (Patrick's Grandma) and my mother (Great-grandma) will bring it to the baby when they visit this week. They live in Pennsylvania.

I'm not kidding when I say I literally finished it on Friday. It took some finagling to make the applique but I think it looks cute. Mike did the safety eyes for me, as I was not strong enough to force them together. So Great Uncle had a hand in the gift, too!

PS--to give you some perspective, the snail is about 4 inches across the shell, give or take.

As I said before, the blanket is my own design, including the snail, but it was inspired by the snail amigurumi (sp?) designed by Shena Lee Hicks. Here is the link to the blog where you will find the snail pattern, plus the most adorable amigurumi ever!

http://amigurumibyknotty.blogspot.com/

I am so glad to be home. Life seems easier outside of Long Island, but this is still my home and ya know there's no place like it.

Editing to link to "Spotlight Yourself" over at "It's So Very Cheri":

http://itssoverycheri.com/2010/07/27/spotlight-yourself-14/

Hi from Ohio

Visiting my mom in Ohio this week. Mike and I drove here with Nicky (the only kid who was free from work) and it took 11 hours!
Tonight we had dinner with my 2 sisters and brother. I think it has to be more than 10 years since we were last together. We're pretty spread around the map--Georgia, New York, Michigan and Ohio.
Everyone loves the baby blanket--which is finished! I have no means to put a photo on it here because I'm using my mother's desktop. Alas, she does not have wi-fi so my laptop is good only for games. I'll post a photo after I get back to New York.
All-in-all, a nice family trip. Tomorrow is the big Family Reunion with cousins and other relatives. I think my mother (87) and my aunt (89) will be the oldest people there.
Hope everyone has a nice weekend!