My Smoke-Free Anniversary!

Today marks my ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY since I've been smoke-free!!

No more, will I be making ANY of these little messes around my house!!

I don't mind setting one out for a guest, and I will never judge him for how he can or cannot quit; but you will never see me lighting up a cigarette ever again! I have kicked this habit to the curb!.. Now.. Do I think I've saved money by quitting? I can't imagine paying for them at what they cost now; but I can't say I'm saving any money either! The way the economy has been going, I am still just paying more, and more, and more for everything ELSE!

Do I FEEL better since I quit smoking?.. I have to say yes to this. To just climb a set of stairs, I do think my breathing has gotten better!.. And this is the first winter season I've gotten through WITHOUT a knock-down, weeks-long, doozy of a chest-congested, cough my head off, cold-n-flu condition of some sort! This alone did surprise me this year! Now I'm wondering how much I saved, not having to purchase all the cold and cough medications and doctor visits!

My advice to anyone who hasn't quit yet?.. Well, as a former smoker, there really are no magic words that are going to sway someone into quitting. My father would talk till he was blue in the face, trying to get me to quit, and it never swayed me an inch! Funny thing is, it seems to me that the ones who bark the loudest about the issue of smoking, suddenly don't have ANYTHING to say once I've actually QUIT!!

To all the friends and loved ones who are truly concerned about this, I understand, and truly appreciate the concern. Keep on caring! Some people need your love, friendship, an support much more than you might think! To all the big mouths out there, who think they can simply nag, bully, or shame someone into kicking the habit.. BACK OFF! Either support a person when (s)he is READY to quit, or find some other issue or crisis to wring your hands over!

If somebody is going to quit smoking, it has to come from within themselves! Something inside of them has to be strong, tough, and determined enough to get through this horrible addiction. For me, meds helped! The first few days are the hardest. A good deal of bed rest helped. Withdrawl is no different than being sick! Stay in bed, drink plenty of water, and just sleep as much of it off as you can till you feel a little better. I did this for the first few days; but you gotta get up sometime! So after those first few days, I found things to do, and just kept busy! This is what worked for ME. I won't pretend that it was easy! Everybody is different. No one method works for everybody. One thing is certain. It is just too hard to do alone. I don't care what anybody else thinks about that! Don't be afraid or embarassed to seek help! There are plenty of support groups and associations out there ready to help you in more ways than you might even think!.. no matter who you are, or where you come from! Just know that, when the time is right for you, you CAN do it!

I really am so proud of me! How will I celebrate my big milestone today?.. Hmm.. I think I may need to bake a cake!.. with LOTS of chocolate frosting! That sounds good to me!

I love her just the way she is!

I recently found a doll dress pattern that I thought was just perfect for a doll I've had since I was a young little girl! I remember my vinyl 19-inch "Goody Two Shoes" , battery operated, walking doll coming with a blue dress and two pairs of shoes. Apparently, I have lost the original dress she came in and one of the pairs of shoes. She is also missing the little ring finger on her left hand. Despite my effort to take good care of her, it seems the beautiful blue color in her left eye is even starting to fade. But I still love her, and I still think she is as beautiful as she must have looked when I got her brand new from out of the box. Well, I gathered up my yarn and hook, even some little pink silk flowers, and I was ready to start crocheting this very pretty little dress for my doll. I brought her out, so that I could try it on her as I went along with the project. But even with everything ready to go, I held my doll and I looked at her, and I paused..

She is pretty, isn't she? Look at the sweet little blouse and overalls she's wearing. My Dear Daughter wore this when she was a baby; and when she outgrew it, I wondered if it would fit my Goody Two Shoes. Sure, I had to tuck a little something in here, and roll a little something up there. I was happy to see how cute it looked on her, despite the slightly loose fit!.. and it still matched the one pair of original shoes she's wearing.. Now I should take this little outfit off her, for what?.. No.. I don't think so. I changed my mind. I just can't do it! The little crocheted dress will never mean as much to me as the little overalls I dressed my baby girl in. So it's not a frilly new dress. It may be a hand-me-down, but I think my dolly looks absolutely adorable just the way she is, wearing exactly what I see her in now! It seems to me she's happy just riding around and playing in her little wagon! I'll make a dress for her, or some other doll, some other time maybe. I'll just find some other project to work on today.

I recently read a poem, written by Diana Wieler, at a new blog I just came across HERE. I love this poem, and as National Poetry Month comes to an end, I really wanted to share it here too.

So-oooo, what DID I end up crocheting today? Butterflies! I'll show you those another day!

Mmmm.. Crochet and Coffee

Today I worked on a couple of small projects, which perhaps I should feel happy with, but...

I finished an apron made with a Strawberry Shortcake printed fabric. I made it for fun, and because I thought it would be cute. I also made it because I splashed chili sauce on a beautiful white blouse I was wearing recently! I swore I was going to start using the aprons I have, and then, if I want, maybe make a few more. The red ruffle you see here gave me a fair amount of trouble today, so I am very pleased that it's finished, and I'm on to other things! I guess I'm a real glutton for punishment though, because I'm STILL actually thinking I would LIKE to make ANOTHER apron! No, I haven't gone mad.. I'll just make one WITHOUT the ruffle this time!

Next, I finished a Flower Dishcloth, which I crocheted following a 2007 Coats and Clark pattern. I just thought this was pretty for Spring. It certainly was easy enough to make, as I was once again, quite comfortable and content, back in my crochet comfort zone! There were no problems with THIS project!... EXCEPT, that when it was done, I wasn't so sure now if I wanted to use it as a dishcloth or as a doily! I kinda like how it looks here! What do you think?

Notice the little lady bug too?.. This little cutie is made with a pattern by Kristie, which can be found HERE. I decided to make him into a plant poke!.. Hmm.. Now I'm thinking I should make some butterfly plant pokes too! Hey, with all the trouble I have TRYING to keep a plant alive, I might as well keep my little window garden full of vibrantly colored PLANT POKES, right?! Well, actually, I suppose I should give myself a little more credit than that! I do have some tomato plants and some Scarlett O'Hara morning glories that are looking pretty good so far! I have one African Violet that is doing well also. I went to Walmart the other day to maybe pick up another one.. You know.. because the one just looked so lonely! Well, Walmart didn't have any. I don't know why, but I hope they'll get some more in sometime soon.

Well, it was another warm day for us today, and Mary, at "My New 30", could not have picked a better time to share her recipe for the BEST Iced Coffee I've ever had! I LOVE coffee, but I've never really cared for Iced Coffee. I decided to try it out Mary's way.. and now I'm HOOKED! Dear Daughter and I are already going through a second pitcher!

Oh, by the way, Mary mentions you can add whatever little dash of flavor you want to yours. We like Creme Brulee, by Coffee-mate. If I'm drinking a hot coffee, I like it black, no cream, no sugar; but with iced coffee, I prefer that flavor, with just a little sugar. In fact, Creme Brulee is a favorite with the majority of our visitors too! If you haven't done so yet, pick some up and try it!.. Many thanks to Mary for sharing this new Summer favorite with everybody! Gee.. Now if I could just keep stocked up on ice cubes!

Pink, Pink.. Yellow?

As I was wandering around Blogland today, I came across an intriguing activity called "Pink Saturday". Beverly, at "How Sweet the Sound" started the idea, and it seems to have caught on, by the looks of the number of participants! So even though I'm still in the process of signing up, I think I'll post some pink today anyways.

First up, is a pair of pink flip flops! It seems we were just thrilling over the first signs of Spring, and then TODAY felt more like the middle of SUMMER!

You just never know what kind of weather we're going to see from day to day in "The Great Northeast"!.. But I know I'm am only too happy to pack away all the hats, mittens, scarves, and boots for the year!! I've had ENOUGH of those things! My bedroom may be a complete disaster, sorting all the cold weather and warm weather wardrobes again. Still, that's ok with me! I don't mind doing this at all!.. But gosh, it's getting warm with all this work, and the temperatures up like they are today. I'm already tempted to get out the fans! I suppose that's not necessary yet. This ice-cold pink lemonade seems to be hitting the spot just fine!

Later today, I thought I would sit out on my front porch, with one of my crochet projects. I did not last more than 10 minutes out there, much to my disappointment. It was just TOO hot to feel comfortable; and the sun was in my eyes. I could hardly see what I was working on! BACK into the house I went, to work on the granny squares you see here! My 7" squares, from the ATCT exchanges I have been in, are starting to pile up, so NOW I am working on THREE afghans all at once! That's pretty ambitious for me, but I don't feel overly worried or pressured. I can be patient enough to work a little bit at a time on each one. The bigger challenge for me, when I take on this many projects, along with all the smaller and quicker projects I may be doing, is keeping them all organized, and in their proper places! How quickly it can start piling up all over the house! I think I'm doing ok with it all for now, though. Each WIP is in its own tote bag.. So far, so good!

Oh.. now.. For Pete's sakes! WHO went and slipped this yellow stuff into my PINK POST?! Well, fine.. Alright.. We'll just work with it, I guess. I suppose I can show the lemon cake I made today. Maybe somebody would like to see it...

I did my own thing with the frosting and decorating on this, but the recipe for the cake itself can be found here, at "Mennonite Girls Can Cook". It is the first cake I've made in a while that didn't come from a mix in a box!! Now typically, for me, there should have been at least some form of chocolate on this cake; but since we have so much Easter chocolate candy all over our house at the moment, I guess it felt o.k. to go on this lemony detour! I find it to be a nice little cake. The recipe was easy to follow. I LOVE the flavor! Unfortunately, the kids haven't touched it yet. I suspect this is probably because Dear Daughter is watching her calories intake, while Dear Son is too full of either Easter candy or whatever leftover snacks he's found in the 'fridge. I'm sure they'll try some tomorrow!

All Fired Up 4 Earth Day!

Well, I may have gotten to bed "A Little Too Late" last night. I guess "I Need A Lover" to tell me when to put the craft projects down, and get some sleep!.. But today is Earth Day, and I'm "All Fired Up" to show you the recycle project I was working on!

I've said it before. I LOVE purses; and if you ask me, a girl can never have too many of them! I have always wanted to make a record album purse! There was always the "Temptation" as I saw a multitude of them all over the internet, but I just never seemed to find the "Precious Time" to make one. Well, I FINALLY got around to it! I mentioned yesterday, how I was gathering up my materials. I had most everything except one item. With the weather as it was, I did indeed "Run Between The Raindrops" to pick it up at my local Walmarts. Having gotten that out of the way, I was ready to start my project! I did some research on the internet for tutorials and ideas, but isn't it "Just Like Me" to go on some "Helter Skelter" tangent to make it in just a certain way that I specifically want it to be! Well, if you're interested, "Don't Walk Away"! I'll tell you how I did mine!

First, I had to pick out two vinyl "33" record albums.. Ones which I could muster up the courage to poke holes into! I can't deny that I did "Get Nervous" about it! Finally, I decided to go with two of my Pat Benatar albums. I just LOVED her during my High School days! There she was , from the very first days of MTV. She was pretty. She was cool. She's an awsome singer who helped to bring this shy teenage girl out of her shell, with a little bit of attitude to boot! With her music blaring from my little turntable, I was definitely starting to feel "Invincible"!

Anyways, I still have several other albums by her, and a best-of CD too.. And it wasn't like I was tossing them away. Heaven KNOWS I never could master "The Art of Letting Go"! I just said "I'll Do It", as I reassured myself that Pat would probably LOVE that I was making something like this!.. Well, I certainly HOPE so at least! The next step in this project was to make holes around the edges of these albums. While I read that other crafters have used thick metal nails, I felt much safer using a plastic-handled awl to work best for me! I held the point over a lit candle then poked the holes, each spaced about 1/4" apart. It doesn't take long for the awl to heat up. If you're feeling any "Anxiety", and you find you have an urge to grab a hammer to tap the hole in easier, then DON'T! If the awl is hot enough, it will go through the vinyl album like melting butter! I would advise that you put your phone on speaker.. or put on a good movie.. "In A Crazy World Like This", Take the time to sit back and relax.. Just get comfortable, because this step will take between approximately 30 to 45 minutes, each album. Next I found a fabric I thought would be nice for a lining, and then I got out some scrap quilt batting. I traced an album on to each so that I had two circular pieces on lining, and two circular pieces of batting. Now I layered one fabric circle (right side down on the table), then the one circular piece of batting, then an album, and I hand sewed the three layers together, using a thick, heavy-duty black thread. I did the same with the remaining pieces for the other side of my purse. It is here, where I hand sewed a second time around, to also layer a piece of table cloth clear vinyl on top of each album, as I know how rough I can be on a purse! While I'm sure some girls are very graceful and careful.. I can only imagine all the scratches MY purse would have if I had skipped this step!

I decided to recycle a pair of jeans for the side piece and handles. I first cut a piece approximately 30"x 6". Now we have fraying edges on the two shorter sides of this piece, but "Don't Let It Show". Just neatly iron and machine sew these edges down, same as you might to hem a skirt or pants. (*Note: I chose not to line this piece, but that IS an option.) I then folded and ironed down, I'd say almost 1/2", the long edges of this piece; I did NOT machine sew this part. I eyed the center of this fabric with the bottom-center of one of the record albums, and began to hand sew the two together, this time using clear fishing line. Hand sew the other album to the other side of the fabric, the same way, but this time taking more care to be sure that placement is accurately well-fit together. I'm sure there are a few readers saying "MORE hand sewing?!" I'm sure it may be "Hard To Believe", but once you've gotten beyond melting holes into the vinyl, the hand sewing really shouldn't bother you, and it goes pretty quickly! Finally, I cut two 3" x 19"strips of my denim jeans, and I sewed up the handles/straps of my purse. You, of course can adjust that lengthen or shorten these to your own preference. From here, it's all up to you! Make a closure of some sort if that's what you prefer. Embellish to your heart's desire! And you're done! Take your purses, "Lift 'Em On Up", and sing the "Ooh Ooh Song" while doing a little happy dance! Look at what you just made!

Enjoy!.. And Happy Earth Day!

A Little Rain Must Fall

In recognition of National Poetry Month, this just seemed perfect for a day like today...

The Rainy Day
By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The day is cold, and dark and dreary;
It rains, and the wind is never weary;
The vine still clings to the mouldering wall,
But at every gust the dead leaves fall,
And the day is dark and dreary.

My life is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains, and the wind is never weary;
My thoughts still cling to the mouldering Past,
But the hopes of youth fall thick in the blast,
And the days are dark and dreary.

Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.

As poor as I can find my hearing to be sometimes, I have no doubts that I could hear a pin drop today. The pets lie around as if a damp and dreary day can depress even them. But I have always thought the sound of rain was beautiful to listen to. So rather than watch a dreary, drippy scene out my window, I light a candle. I have no desire to hear a t.v. or radio in the background. I find a great sense of peace and tranquility this morning, just to take in the sounds of the drip-drip-drop of our little April showers. "What can compare to your beautiful sound".

In this rare moment of undisturbed peace, I planned for a project I might want to make, and perhaps share here, as we observe Earth Day tomorrow. I did finally come up with an idea for something I have always wanted to try, but just never made the time to. Now feeling inspired, I did a little research for a basic "how-to", gathered my materials, and I am about ready to start!

In closing today, if it is raining where you are as well, try to remember... "Life is like a rainbow. You need both the sun and the rain to make its colors appear."

Take Me Out To The Ballgame

Beansie At The Bat

What a beautiful week we've had! We were mindful to get chores and responsibilities done where we had to, but we knew we wanted to make the most of what was left of the kids' Spring Recess vacation! On Friday, I packed up a picnic lunch, loaded my family into the car, including the dog, and we headed to the park! It was a little windy that day, but we didn't mind! The sun was shining, and Dear Daughter's boyfriend brought the baseballs, bats, and gloves! He's a far more experienced ball player than the rest of us, but I was pretty proud of my kids, and even myself! We were ALL looking good at batting practice! I was never very athletic. My favorite sport is badminton, if that's any indication! You never have to work yourself TOO hard to hit a little birdie as it comes your way!.. In a game of baseball, I've always said it like it was, "I may not be able to CATCH a ball, but I can definitely HIT one!" Check out "Beansie At The Bat" on the baseball trading card above! Yup, that's me!.. wearing my NY Giants hat, pretending to be a Boston Red Sox player! I don't know how authentic my trading card necessarily looks, but I had fun making it! You can go HERE, if you like, to learn how to make one too!

Come Saturday, Dear Son thought he would like to go to the mall, to use a gift card he still had from Christmas. While he found and purchased just what he was looking for, I found something I wasn't looking for! Sitting on a store shelf, was a Precious Moments Porcelain Anniversary Clock, that was marked down from $27.99 to $3.00! It stands 9 inches tall, with a glass dome, and a revolving pendulum. Printed just above the face of the clock, it says "Make a joyful Noise". Yes, to have found this very pretty piece for the price that it was, I did indeed "make a joyful noise"! In my living room, I have a knick-knack shelf on which I display my Precious Moments collection of figurines. I remember getting my very first one, from one of my dear aunts, when I graduated high school. Just below this collection, is a shelf where I've now set my new clock. See the crocheted Amish doll sitting next to it? I made her a couple of years ago. Now she is busy crocheting a little afghan of her own!

Well, here it was now Sunday, and I asked Dear Son if there was anything he would like to do for his last day of vacation. He said he wanted to go to the pet store. So we all got in the car, and went together. We saw all the cats, dogs, chinchillas, and so on! We even picked up some cat food while we were there, and then we checked out a couple of stores nearby. On the way home, we saw a sign for an "estate sale", and we of course HAD to stop the car! I thought they were a bit over-priced on at least some of their things; but Dear Daughter found a few pieces of jewelry for a fair price, and then I found this. The woman mentioned that it was old, but was only asking $2.00. The age and value of this piece, however, did not mean so much to me. I just thought it was beautiful! It is approximately 5"x7" in size, and the dusty-rose color is actually a velvet background. It now beautifully adorns a small space on my bedroom wall!

After the estate sale, we dropped Dear Daughter home, so that she could go her separate way to run her own errands and do her own thing. But feeling there was still valuable time left, before calling it a day, Dear Son and I decided to go to his favorite place for soft ice cream cones! He got strawberry, and I got a chocolate-vanilla twist, loaded with chocolate sprinkles! DELICIOUS!

As the week draws to a close, I look at this past weekend, and at all the things my family did together... Simple things, such as they were I suppose; but my heart fills with such joy, and I find myself smiling from ear to ear. It does look as though the spring weather is here to stay! I thank God for this time with my kids, and for all my blessings!

Look Who Came to My House!

Previously, I posted about the Annie Doll I just made for Aunt Pitty Pat's Sugar and Spice Annie Swap, to send to my swap partner Jenni H. Well, she told me to watch the mail, because she was sending a doll she made back this way, to my house! Oh, I was very busy today, cooking a big batch of chili, then cleaning house; but I didn't forget to watch for that mailman! Finally, I spotted the package on my front porch! She was here! I dropped EVERYTHING I was doing, of course! I opened her up, with all the excitement of a child on Christmas morning, and she was absolutely DARLING!! I LOVE her! Just look at this cute little face on her! I love the bow in her hair, and the little heart button at the neckline of her dress! Here she is, along with the very pretty stationery goodies that Jenni sent with her! Jenni, you did a BEAUTIFUL job on this doll, and I thank you! I promise you I'll love her always, and I will take very good care of her!

Now I think I've already mentioned that I was making a second Annie doll, the same as I had made the one for Jenni. I just couldn't resist. I had to make TWO! So, you see, as this turns out, the Annie that I made and the Annie that Jenni made seem to be getting along splendidly! Why, I'd say it wasn't long at all before they were sitting together, having tea and cookies, and chatting like "BFF"s! Now, I like that.. because that is what these swaps are all about, yes? You meet new people, make new friends, and share your artistic interests and talents! I really loved participating in this swap, and I hear there might be a second one soon?! I'm heading right over to Aunt Pitty Pat's, to sign up again! Count me in! In the meantime, I hope my visitors here will do the same!!.. THEN, head over to see Jenni's blogs! See "My World of Whimsy" first, then hop over to her "Thrifty Is Nifty" blog. She has made an awsome Treasure Chest birthday cake; and then she's got a post there about homemade dishwasher detergent! I will definitely be trying that out!

Four Done, Eight to Go

I just finished working on the March and April granny squares for my Calendar 'Ghan! I am really liking the colors I've chosen, as I go along; even though I still don't have a definite image or plan for how it will look when it's all done yet!

Because I am Irish, I just knew that my "Lion's Mane" should be made in greens!.. And why not? Haven't you ever seen a green lion before? I did have a little trouble with the tension/gauge on this square, though, finding it was too small when I was done; so I added an extra round. For my April "Spring Fling" square, I just used a larger hook. I thought purples would be pretty! I kept it to only two shades though. I think purples can be so hard to match/coordinate in just the way I want them to sometimes, and I'm getting very discouraged with the minimal selection I have to choose from at the stores anymore.

Well, four squares now done for this "ghan", and only eight more to go!
I have a good many 7" granny squares that are starting to accumulate. I am beginning to think I should start pulling those together for another afghan! Hmm.. which would mean I'd now be working on THREE different afghans at the same time? I have never been THAT ambitious before, but I may just try that anyway. Each afghan can be stored in a separate tote bag, and I can just grab which ever one I feel like working on, whenever I feel like working on it! That sounds o.k. to me, and I think I can handle that!

Well, it looks like Spring is here to stay! It has been absolutely beautiful out! I am already carting my favorite books and crochet projects out with me, along with a hot cup of coffee, onto my little front porch in the evenings; usually after dinner and a walk around the block with the kids and our dog. It's one of my favorite times of day! Hmm.. I think the only thing that could make this evening any more perfect would be the sound of the Ice Cream truck making his way towards our house!

The Bunny Loves Furbabies too!

Having just seen the movie "Marley and Me" brought to mind how I haven't yet introduced our family pets to you!

Well, the Easter Bunny doesn't just stop by for us, of course. He never forgets the furbabies! They each have their own Easter basket, just like the rest of us.. And as best as I could catch them sitting still long enough, I tried to capture their best moments on camera, as we all celebrated the holiday together!

The first photo shows our 5 year old cocker spaniel. He is very active, and he is just one of the happiest, most friendly dogs you'll ever meet. Having just bought THREE new dogs, his previous owners decided there just wasn't room for this little guy anymore, so they offered him to us. We had already seen and heard enough of the questionable treatment he was subject to there, so we were very happy to take him in, and make him a part of our family! "Ubu" had already been answering to his name for two years. While we still have a good many nicknames for him, we still felt for all the changes this boy was going through at the time. We decided that perhaps it was best not to change his name too. We occasionally get some strange looks when we mention his name; but we figure if you want to go picking out pet names, then by all means, GO GET YOUR OWN PET!.. Anyways, it wasn't long when we THEN found out he had a history of seizures. Somebody forgot to tell us that minor detail! We soon had to take him to a vet, and since have placed him on a proper and very specific diet. He is doing very well now, and any recurrences of seizures are very rare. He LOVES all the attention he can get, and he finds most of that from Dear Daughter!.. But he also loves the outdoors and going for walks! The photo you see, taken this Easter by his basket, was not an easy one to take. He's generally far too active! It took a snack to get him pose like this, and to date, this is THE most BEAUTIFUL picture we now have of him!

Next, come the family felines! In the second photo down, I'd like you to meet Skyler. We took her in when she was only about 6 months old, and hiding in the engine of my car, TWICE, in the brutal cold of February 2002. That time in our lives was somewhat of a rough spot for my family, and I have always believed God sent her to us. He meant for us to take her in, because we needed her, as much as she needed us. She tends to be a bit nervous at times, but I think she gradually gets better and better about that. I still have to warn the vets, when they handle her. She can be like a panther, if she thinks she has to be! These professionals have either listened to me, or not listened to me; but they ALL find out just what I'm talking about, either the easy way or the hard way! Nicknames for her?.. Queen Bee? Miss Congeniality? She takes to Dear Son the very best, and anyone can see she just adores him. Skyler is o.k. with Dear Daughter and myself; but to see the boy and his cat together, you'd never guess there was a mean bone in her body. They bonded right from the start, and for that, I thank God with all my heart for sending her to him. She is now 6 years old.

The last photo down is of the newest member in our family. We were out camping in August of 2007, when my kids found this little guy. He was only about 5 weeks old, cold and wet, hiding in some rocks near to the water there. My son heard him first. My daughter ran to grab him next. How much more do I need to say? He was starving. He was just a baby. We looked for any possible owners, but no one would claim him or take him in. I must say I was not too happy about taking in this THIRD pet at the time, but guess who's very special and spoiled baby this guy is now? Ha! Ha! He's a "Mama's Boy"! The kids won't let me forget it either! Only a couple of days since bringing him home with us, he needed an emergency trip to the vet. Lying in my lap that Sunday morning, he looked like his time was almost up, but the vet took my little "Tuffy" right in and saved him! He's been growing strong ever since! He clearly possesses a great appreciation for food.. and plenty of it! Now nearing two years old, his favorite pastimes, besides eating, are playing with the dog, watching for squirrels out our front window, or watching Mommy play with her yarns!

Well, ALL the members in MY family hope YOU and ALL the members of YOUR families had a wonderful Easter weekend!

'Twas the Night Before Easter

Well, going into the final hour of Easter Eve, I'd say it was a good one. I have no "Beansie Balladry" up my sleeve for my "Night before Easter", but certainly I can babble on a bit with you about some of the fun, and some of the stress, as each can typically go hand in hand when getting ready for a big holiday.

First, I did a little cleaning. Then, I finally finished my holiday decorating. In the first photo, you can see I do occasionally dabble with plastic canvas. The little bunnies in this picture are actually refrigerator magnets! In the second and third photos down, you can see some of my crochet bunnies of Easter Past. The brown bunny, in her yellow Easter dress and bonnet, stands about 20" tall. I can't even remember how many years ago I made her, but she's a favorite of mine, and still receives a good many compliments every year I set her out! I remember making at least a few of the Bunny Dolls. She's a favorite of mine also, but I'm wondering if I even still have the pattern or not for her anymore! I hope so! The little blue crochet basket that is in the photo with both of them, is my own doing.. no pattern. I remember making several of these crochet baskets, years ago. Though you can't see it well in the photo, they really are very pretty, for being made out of recycled milk jugs!

Anyways, once I got the decorations all out, I then ran to the store for a few groceries. I came home, ready to tackle what was next on my list of Easter preparations, when Dear Daughter says, "Why don't you watch this movie, before I have to return it". She headed off to have lunch with a friend.. Dear son felt like playing electronic games of some sort instead.. So, I watched the movie, "Marley And Me" alone with the dog and one of the cats.

This movie was much better than I ever expected it to be. I loved the story. I loved the actors and actresses in it. But should I have watched it on Easter Eve? Oh sure the movie was great, but it was so-ooo well done, that I was mourning and crying over Marley's death well into the next couple hours of the busy day that was still ahead of me!.. and I certainly didn't WANT to feel this way TODAY! Would I buy the DVD? Yes.. but I think I could handle the tragic ending of "Turner and Hooch" much better, when at least there was a little Hooch Jr. in the end!! Sigh.. We can't have everything our own way, can we?

Well, wouldn't you know it, my cat is constantly getting into one thing or the other during the last few days. If he isn't sneaking a taste of Easter grass, he's knocking around a plastic Easter egg all over the hardwood floors of this house! But ya know?.. I'm goin' easy on him today, and am feeling more forgiving about it. Why? Because it must be that MOVIE is still in my head! My cat could probably knock the house down today, and I couldn't possibly get mad at him for it.. No, not after watching THAT!

Moving on, as I'm still trying to convince myself "It was just a movie!", I began making our traditional Easter Bunny Cake! Don't ya just love big blue eyes?! Maybe we should have used peanut M&Ms, or jelly beans? Of course, it would have been nice if I could FIND jelly beans this year! What happened to all the jelly beans? I couldn't find them in stores ANYWHERE! Was there some drought or hurricane conditions this year that ruined all the jelly bean crops out there? Oh, so it's a candy, not a vegetable, you say? Well, did Willy Wonka's factory shut down?.. Are the Oompa Loompas on strike or something? I just want some JELLYBEANS!.. I never did find them. This is the first year ever that my kids baskets weren't filled with jellybeans. I don't typically like having a chip on my shoulder, but SOMEBODY out there had better be hanging their head about this.

Oh well, after baking our cake, I still had to run to another store.. you know, just for "one more thing". I am feeling quite sure, at this point, that it might have helped immensely, if I had only thought to WRITE A LIST! Well, this errand ran me a bit longer than I would have liked it to, but at least it's done. Dinner tonight was basically "Pick your leftover and heat it in the microwave. Mommy is very BUSY tonight."

Finally, we all found time to sit down together, at the kitchen table, to color eggs. I usually buy one color kit for each kid, but this year I fell short with only one kit. I feared, despite their older ages, their ability, or DIS-abilitly, to SHARE only FIVE cups of dye! Much to my amazement, they displayed mature, kind-hearted, cooperative qualities tonight! Hmm.. No matter how old they get, they still KNOW how they had better act before the Easter Bunny comes!!

Sigh... At this point, I'm tired. My cold is feeling worse as the night progresses. But I am so very happy to see both my kids sitting together at my kitchen table, coloring eggs!.. And it is not the first time I find myself hoping and wishing that they will always stay close, and this young at heart for as long as they possibly can.

Well, I have a couple more things to do, before the Easter Bunny gets here! I better get going on them, then get to bed, before he passes us by! To my friends, family, and visitors here at Beansie Babbles, God bless, and my best wishes to you and yours for a very Happy Easter!

Golly, A Dolly & A Give-Away!!

My gosh, I'm as busy as a bee around here lately! Easter is almost HERE, and I will undoubtedly be buzzing and rushing around cleaning, baking, shopping, crocheting and sewing in preparation as the day gets closer and closer! My only biggest concern as I go is the cold I feel coming on. All I can think, as I do all that needs to be done, is "Oh no!.. not for Easter! There's too much to do, and all the fun I won't want to miss!" So I'm taking my cough medicine, and trying to get to bed by a reasonable time. I'm dragging out the vaporizer. I am absolutely incapable of taking naps, unless I am running a fever, and/or feeling that run down; so as far as rest goes, I'll just get some of that in, hopefully, while I'm sitting quietly on my computer!

As I was doing some exploring around "Blogland" this morning, I came across an awsome give-away! Be sure to visit "Blessings Shelia" to see the beautiful item she is sharing with a lucky visitor! You know what I always say.. You can never have enough purses! Why, she's even including a makeup bag with other surprises too! I didn't waste any time signing up, so head over and make sure you do the same! (Click link, or see button to the right!)

Now this was my first visit to Shelia's blog, because I saw the sweet rag doll she made for Aunt Pitty Pat's Sugar and Spice Annie Swap! All FORTY-TWO participants signed up to make an Annie doll for a swap! What a great turnout for THIS event, huh?! Much like the doll event at Blithe and Blonde, everyone used the same pattern for the basic body of the doll, but could artistically do whatever they wanted to do from there! So it's always exciting to see where everyone's creativity and imagination took them, to make their own Sugar and Spice Annie! I just finished my doll yesterday, and made it to the post office, just in time, to mail her out to Jenni in Idaho. The postman told me she should get my "Anniebean" by the weekend! As I have already posted her into the Flicker group photo showing through Aunt Pitty Pat's, (Hmmm, I thought today was the deadline, and only two dolls are shown there so far?) I am going to show my dolly here as well, and hopefully Jenni is not peeking at my blog yet. I'm hoping she is surprised at the mailbox first!

As you can see in the photo above, I was hoping to make my rag doll look a little bit more like an actual "Raggedy Ann" doll than I have ever made before. I chose not to add my typical crochet element, because I wanted to dabble in sewing cloth only this time. I wanted to create a more authentic Annie-look, while still creating a little bit of a look all my own! I am very happy with how she came out, and am missing her already as she travels to her new home. To ease my pain from the separation, I am already making another "Anniebean" for myself! (So Jenni, if you read this, really, I'm just being a ham! and I'm still hoping you like your new dolly! I enjoyed this swap, and can't wait for Aunt Pitty Pat to host another one sometime!)

Well, much to do around here... so till next time!

Eyeglass Lenses

Here's a little project I have using old eyeglass lenses. Personally, I prefer to donate old prescription lenses; but I love to recycle the cheaper lenses from dollar-store eyeglasses I've dropped or sat on!

To make a necklace, like the ones above, first I take a picture from a greeting card, an advertisement, postcard.. anything like that. I position the lens onto my picture, then trace with a pencil around it. I cut out, then decoupage the picture to the lens. When that dries, I then clip a paper clip into a piece that now looks like just a "U", with a small wire cutter. Using E6000 glue, I glue the "U" onto the back of my pendant, so that I then can add any chain or cord of my choosing through it. Now for the back, you may decoupage another picture, or you may brush a coat of paint in any choice of color. Metallic silver is available in an inexpensive craft paint, so that is an option. Finally, with the patience of Job, I glued, again with E6000, a silver cord around the entire pendant to give it what I thought was a more finely finished look. I am still, myself, trying to think up a better, easier way to achieve that "finished look" I prefer. Somewhere, I have heard of car-detailing tape of some kind? I have not yet found this product, nor do I know what this would now bring my cost up to; but it may be worth the investment. For now, I'm happy enough with how it all comes together!

I would certainly not classify this as "fine jewelry"; but just for fun, the sky's the limit on designs and projects you could run with from here! I slap these together fairly easily. What takes the most time is waiting for the decoupage and glue to dry properly, before moving to the next step. How many things can you think of to make from this little recycling project? Maybe key chains, pins, refrigerator magnets, barrettes?.. maybe Christmas or Easter tree decorations?

In the photo, as best as I could get without a glare, you see the two bunny necklaces for Easter! I am still working on a third Easter one. I don't know if I'm keeping them, or giving them away yet; but the necklace, with Rhett and Scarlett, is mine.. ALL MINE! Oh, how I would LOVE to make more necklaces with movie themes! I just don't know if someone can make a jewelry box BIG enough!!

Three Little Bunnies, etc.

My weekend went by much too quickly, of course, but here's a little bit on how it went...

Friday night I missed my show "Ghost Whisperer" AGAIN! Grrr! My daughter and I love to watch that one together; but we just can't catch ANY of the episodes lately, for some reason or other! Thank God for the dvd seasonal sets you can purchase! I don't catch House anymore, either, and I LOVE that show! At least once in a while, I still manage to catch 24 with Dear Son!


Come Saturday, I was very happy to see several seedlings appearing in my little kitchen-window garden! In the photo, you will see two Scarlett O'Hara Morning Glories have sprouted! I'm so very excited!.. and so VERY hopeful if I can just keep them ALIVE, and actually flowering during the summer season! My sister came over that day too, so I was happy to visit with her. Each having families of our own, time together over so much as a cup of coffee is hard to find sometimes, unfortunately.

We did not have as beautiful weather this weekend, as we did our previous one, unfortunately. Still we were appreciative that we did not get the snow that some forcasts were suggesting we might get! No, we did NOT want ANY of THAT! We got some rain, and we COULD have complained; but as long as there was no snow, I wouldn't DARE whine about a little drizzle, and a couple of puddles!

Coming home from church on Palm Sunday, I ran across a couple who was holding the last day of their garage sale, "half off everything"!! Of course, I had to stop the car! Trying to stick to my holiday budget, I still couldn't resist bringing home some blue canning jars! I love them, and already have a few in my kitchen; but the little one is a size I did not have in blue, and the colored-glass canning jars are getting slightly harder to find now. So, I felt very happy to drive home with my new-found treasure!

For some reason, I came down with a terrible headache soon thereafter; but I was very happy to find that just a couple of pain tablets soon cleared that up! Dear Son helped me bring up some Easter decorations. Some are out, and some are still in boxes, but I'll get some more out tonight. Decorating here is not an easy task. I have a good many Easter decorations, second only, in number, to Christmas decorations! I even change the curtains to Easter ones, which I made myself, a few years or so ago, from clearance Easter fabric! I have those up already, and will just see how much I can manage to set out tonight. There's a good chance, I'd say, that I can get it done!

As Sunday drew to a close, I thought I'd squeeze in this little project. I took that dusty, dirty little frock off my one Barbie doll for a good wash, and set down to make her an Easter dress! You may remember her from my Barbie's 50th Birthday post. Apparently I did not have my glasses on, and the camera told no lies! Recently, I found a pattern at Yarnjeannie's Crochet Cache. It looked simple. It looked quick. It looked ADORABLE! The small amount of materials needed were already within my reach, so NOW was the time! I used a small amount of trimming, which I had left over from making my little Alliebean doll, for just a pretty little added touch of embellishment! I had fun crocheting this little outfit, and I am sure Barbie is feeling MUCH better in a brand new outfit for the holiday!

Just before bedtime, as I was catching up on some emails, and visiting some of my favorite blogs, I worked on some more Juicy-Jammin' Easter Baskets. I wanted to make some in boys' colors, while also getting rid of that girly ruffle, which I'm sure just did not tie in. I envisioned a tube sock type of edging, to go with the skater-boy theme of the baskets, and I think I achieved that look satisfactorily. I am just finishing up on a green basket now, and then I'll be about done with those, for the moment at least. I never know for sure until the holiday has come and gone! Remember those three chocolate bunnies I crocheted? Ha, ha, ha! I had the three set out on a small table in my dining room, and here's what happened to those! (Remember, it's National Poetry Month! Here's my little.. VERY little.. creative contribution in celebration!)

Three little bunnies sitting on display,
Beansie's sister came over,
and "Awwwwwwww!", she did say.
"Oh you like that?", says Beansie,
"Take one on your way!"
TWO little bunnies sitting on display.

Two little bunnies sitting on display,
My friend, Sue's kindness,
Could I ever repay?
I bring one to church,
to give her that day.
ONE little bunny sitting on display!

One little bunny sitting on display,
Dear Daughter grabs one,
she says,"If I may?"
"Why of course, Baby Girl,
who lights up my day!"
NO more bunnies sitting on display!

Yes, I think I predicted this, didn't I? I pretty much knew I'd have to make MORE crocheted chocolate bunnies! Well, that's o.k.! These were fun to make, and don't take terribly long to do! I'm just going to have to pick up some more 1" ribbon, when I find the time to! I've got another Easter project up my sleeve now. Well, actually, it's on my dining room table at the moment. If I'm happy with the outcome, then hopefully I'll be sharing that with you before Easter gets here!

One Juicy Post!

Many of us have surely heard of the Kool-Aid Jammer purses, yes? I've made them myself, but my own spin to them is NOT to sew them. I crochet AROUND them! From there, I basically use them like granny squares! I have made purses and a tote bag. For fun, I've even made Kool-Aid Jammer Christmas stockings! They were fun! They were cute!.. And they definitely struck up a great deal of conversation! So, why stop there?

As Easter approaches, and as I plan out a gift list, I thought, how about some Easter baskets? So off I went to my craft stash to find what empty packets I had saved, or should I say, still had left. I don't just save Kool-Aid. I also save Capri Sun packets or other brands, if there's a color or design on them I like! As soon as the kids drink them up, they know to save the packets for Mom's crafts! "Don't throw those out!" They are pretty good about it. They know not to throw away even the straws. I use them too! And no, I don't stop there!

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Juicy-Jammin' Easter Basket:
(c) As designed and written by Beansieleigh (TS), April 2, 2009

Skill Level: Easy!
Finished Size: Approximately 12" tall, and 4" wide.

Materials Needed:
4 empty juice packets, washed, rinsed, and dried.
1/2 gallon cardboard milk container, washed, rinsed, and dried.
4-ply acrylic yarn, in main color, then ruffled-edging color (white in this case).
Size G crochet hook.
2 (7 hole x 90 hole) pieces of 7-mesh plastic canvas.
Yarn needle for weaving in ends.
Hole puncher

To start, you cut away a slim strip off the top of each packet, just enough to open them, wash and rinse them. There is that hole at the top, but leave that there, don't trim that far down. I find a spot where I can drip-dry them upside down on a dowel rack, with some clothes pins. Now, remember, rinse those straws and save those for another project. Waste not! You will also need to wash, rinse, and dry a half-gallon cardboard milk carton. Now take a hole punch, and refer to photo. Punch holes around each packet as shown. What works for me, is to evenly space, as best I can, punching 9 holes across the top and bottom of each, and then 14 holes down each longer side. I try to make holes approximately 1/8" apart, but am careful not to make them any closer than that. Take a small snip at the upper corners of your juice packet, just to be rid of any sharp protrusion. By the way, as you're punching the holes, don't throw the punched-out dots you're now accumulating out! Empty your hole puncher into a jar or bowl, and we'll talk more about that later! Now, holding packet upside down, but right side facing you, attach yarn to a bottom corner of your packet. With a size G crochet 4 sc in each corner hole, and 2 sc in each hole on sides, all the way around. Join with a sl st to the first stitch to complete this one round. Fasten, leaving a long yarn tail for sewing packets together.

When done crocheting around all 4 packets, then sew your four sides together, in the same way you would sew granny squares together, now forming the sides of your basket. So as to next fit around your milk carton, take a pen to mark where the top edge of your squares are on that carton. This is where you will know how far down, to next cut away the top. (Now THIS, the top, you can throw away!) Take your hole punch, and like the packets, punch holes around the top edge, where you just cut. You may toss all those little milk carton dots AWAY! I cannot yet find any appreciation or creative vision for any use of THOSE!

O.K.. Set that all aside for the moment, and take your yarn to make a basic 3 -round granny square, with a 4th round of single crochet stitches for proper fitting. See this video for granny square tutorial, if you need to; but I started my own square with a ch. 3, and I used a G hook throughout this entire project. Remember, stop at 3 rounds, then just crochet a round of single crochets. Fasten, leaving a yarn tail to sew the square to the bottoms of the packets, thus forming the bottom of your basket. Fasten off and weave in any ends.

With milk carton inserted into basket, attach white yarn through any hole of carton AND through any st of croceted-packet square.

Rnd 1: Through both layers around, sc around to form an even row of stitches, which will now make the 2 edges into ONE. Join round with a sl st. Ch 1, to start a second round.

Rnd 2: *5 hdc in first st, sc in the next st* around, to form a ruffle. Fasten off weave in end.

For a handle, I took 2 layers of 7-mesh plastic canvas, 90 holes x 7 holes, then basically satin stitched to cover canvas with main color yarn of my basket, then stitched the edges in white. With white yarn, I then sewed the handle to the top-inside edge of my basket. Fill with Easter grass, and whatever goodies you may choose, and there you have your Juicy-Jammin' Easter Basket! Enjoy!

*Updated note 4/4: If you are interested in making a basket that's cute for a boy, Capri Sun makes grape flavor packets with a rollerblading-skaterboy on them! I'm making one of these right now! I'll post it when it's done!

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Now you remember I would use the straws later. Don't throw those out! See the photo, where I used them to make "God's Eyes", or "Ojo de Dios"!! Another more practical use, I suppose, that I have found for these little straws, is to mix small amounts of acrylic paints with them, for various craft projects!

Finally, I'm sure you did not think I threw all those shiny, sparkly Kool-Aid Jammer dots from the hole punch away! No way! Don't throw those out either! As you see in the photo, displayed in a little milk glass bowl, I'm saving my moolah, while I'm saving these hole-punching leftovers for either confetti or sequins that may be needed for future crochet, sewing, or craft projects ahead!

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Here's one more little project that was fun, quick, and can be just right for tucking into an Easter card, or for using as a gift-wrapping topper!...

Juicy-Jammin' Carrot Bookmark:
(c) Written and designed by Beansieleigh (TS), April 2, 2009

Skill level: EASY!
Gauge: Not important

Materials Needed:
One orange juice packet, washed, rinsed, and dried.
One small piece of posterboard, cardboard, or cardstock; or maybe a piece still leftover from that milk carton you used for the Juicy-Jammin' Easter Basket!
A Hole Puncher.
Small amounts of orange and green, 4-ply acrylic yarn.
Size G crochet hook.
Yarn needle for weaving ends.
Beads, or charms, if desired, for embellishment.

I took an orange Kool-Aid Jammer packet and layered it with a same-sized piece of poster board. All layers together, I then cut out a carrot shape, approximately 4 1/4" long, and 1 7/8" across at the widest top edge of the carrot. Still holding all layers aligned and together, I punched holes, spacing them as evenly as I could around the entire edge. Again, holes should be spaced about 1/8" apart, but no closer. Now with a bright shade of orange, and still holding all layers aligned and together, I crocheted 2 sc in each hole along the sides, 3 sc in in any corner holes. Sl st to join the round. Fasten off and weave in end.

Now take a shade of green (mine was sage), and attach it to a stitch just RIGHT of the center top orange crochet stitch of the carrot. Chain 7, sl st in sec ch from hook, and in next 2 chains. Sc in next 3 chains, then sc in next (center top) st of the carrot. Chain 10, sl st in same st. Chain 10 again, sl st in same st AGAIN. Sl st into the next st of carrot top, ch 7, sl st in second ch from hook, and in next 2 chains. Sc in the next 3 chains; sl st in same st where you began this chain. Fasten off and weave in end. You now have four leaves. Now attach green yarn to center of your 4 leaves, and then ch 50, or to your own preferred length for bookmark. Add tassel, pom-pom, beads, or charms in whatever way(s) you choose to embellish, and you're done!

Well, I hope you liked my little recycling, "Go Green" Easter projects! Waste not! Save money!.. But most importantly, have fun!

Meanie-pausal What?

Have you seen Beansie? You better watch out! I think she's having one of her meanie-pausal mood-things again! She's got a funny look in her eye. She's running around looking for things... And have you heard her? She's yelling at me every time I try to throw something away in the garbage! I thought that's what she WANTED me to do! Now she doesn't, and she's even keeping count! What do you suppose she's up to NOW?!!