My Little Crochet Corner

I've been an absent blogger lately, but that's not to say that I haven't been crocheting or reading my favorite blogs; we've been so busy lately with the holidays and remodeling our home- time is just flying by.  I haven't been crocheting as much lately, not too sure why... kind of in that 'funk' for now.

Jeff and I went for our 21 week ultrasound today and found out that we're having a little GIRL!!  Everything is normal and measuring beautifully; we couldn't be happier!  Maybe this will pull me out of my 'funk' and I'll start whipping up some pretty pink and purple baby stuff!!!!

Until next time... (the picture isn't all that great but hopefully you can make it out!)

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Just a quick post to gloat... we went to our doctor's appointment this morning and had our first ultrasound.  Everything looks good and the baby has a nice strong heartbeat at 10 1/2 weeks.  And it was so amazing to see this little thing moving around so much... just kept dancing!

Okay, now that my husband and I have broken the news to my family and most of the people who read my blog... I can now announce to all my friends in cyber-space that Jeff and I are expecting our first baby!!  We're pregnant and due May 6th, 2006.  I'm excited, nervous, scared, anxious and anything else you can imagine.  We go for our first ultrasound on Oct. 7th and I can't wait to hear the little heartbeat and see my little peanut.  We still have much to do in order to get ready for the baby but we still have plenty of time.

I've already started my first baby blanket (of course it's neutral baby colors since we're not sure what we're having yet) but Jeff has a gut feeling that it'll be a girl - I'm not sure yet what I'm feeling but I think deep down I feel it's a girl too!  Now watch it be a boy!!!  Either one, just healthy and happy is all I care about.

Have a wonderful Sunday ~

So much has happened since the last post!

My husband Jeff got offered a position in Clermont so we moved back home the end of June.  It's a great position with great opportunity to grow; I have a good feeling about where this will lead him in the future.  Jeff just finished his Masters degree in Architecture, YAH!  and is now able to sit and take the licensing exam which is a 9 part test that takes about 6 months to complete.  But I'm so proud of him!

When Jeff and I moved home before starting new jobs and everything we were able to take a 4 week camping trip... YIKES 4 weeks in a pop-up camper, in the outdoors, in the heat; we had a blast!!  I wasn't sure if we'd survive the 4 weeks but we did and loved almost every minute of it.  My brother got married (FINALLY) on July 30th in Michigan so we loaded up our camper and took off for Michigan.  We stopped in a few places, some worth mentioning were Gatlinburg, TN; very beautiful, up in the Smoky Mountains.  Nashville TN and Lexington KY.  After the wedding we left for the hike back home and stopped in Niagara Falls (on the Canadian side), that was the second time I've been there and still as breathtaking as the first.  Then we hit Pennsylvania, Charlottesville VA, Greensboro NC and Savannah GA before making way back home.  What a trip, it'll definitely be something we never forget.  When would we ever have another month to take such a great trip?!  I'm glad we did that.  Here's some pictures from that trip.

Jeff and I at my brother's wedding:

My brother and his new wife (my sister-in-law) Renee!

Here's some camping pictures...

Monticello - Thomas Jefferson's home in Charlottesville VA.

Inside the corridors of Monticello.

Jeff at Fort McAllister in Savannah GA.

The Hermitage - Pres. Andrew Jackson's home in Nashville, TN.

The Forbidden Caverns in Gatlinburg, TN.  It's 52 degrees all year long and 600 ft below sea level.

Our camping set-up in TN.  What a good lil pop-up.

Me and my daddy and his soon-to-be wife!  In Frankenmuth, MI.

Niagara Falls, Canadian side... SO beautiful!

Now, let's see... I went for a job interview today and was offered a great position.  It's here in Clermont which is fantastic, only about a 10 minute drive.  Yah!  It's called Kids R Kids Learning Center, there's children from ages 6 weeks to 12 years old.  I orginially went in for one of the Infant/Toddler teacher positions and they liked my resume so much that they offered me the Office Manager position that will lead up to the Director position.  I was so excited!  But the best part is that when Jeff and I have children we'll get free child-care!!  Now that's awesome... with daycare being so expensive now-a-days I couldn't pass this by.  I'm so thrilled.  My hours are pretty interesting, from 10am - 6:30pm, not bad considering I get to sleep in!  So, I should be starting that next week.  Wish me luck!!

On the crochet front...  I received a beautiful doily from Trish!  I absolutely LOVE it!  If you look closely, you'll see the cats!  Thank you Trish.

I have been crocheting just a bit lately, not as much as I'd like.  But I've picked up my cross-stitch I've been working on FOREVER it seems, and I'm trying to get that done so I can gift it and send it!  It's well overdue.

Don't mind the changes taking place, still trying to update my blog.  :-)

Hello to all of my loyal blog readers... I have kept you hanging with nothing updated for months!  Literally months!!  However, I think I'll be forgiven this time since I have such wonderful pictures to post. :-)

I recently took a trip to Michigan to visit my family; I haven't seen them since my wedding which was almost 2 years ago... we had a terrific time, other than the fact that it was only 50 degrees outside (which this Florida girl is so not used to)  :-)  My (soon-to-be) sister-in-law had a wonderful bridal shower.  My mom even flew in from Arizona to be there.  Here's a picture taken that day:

my mom, older brother and younger sister... can you tell we're related??!!

I was able to visit with my cousins (Danielle & Nicole) while I was in Michigan; boy do I miss being around those girls!!

I had sent both girls a blanket made from Lion Brand Homespun; two strands held together throughout... but unfortunately I had forgotten to take a picture before hand so while I was there I snatch a photo of each;

The pink blanket is Nicole's and the purple one is Danielle's:

A few weeks ago Jeff and I went to a Florida Marlins baseball game... (of course they won!!)  I apologize for the blurriness:

It was my supervisor's birthday back in April and here is what she received... made with Chenille Thick & Quick and it is so luscious:

I have received a few great gifts recently and I'd like to thank Fiona for some beautifully made dishcloths as well as some other kitchen items and a candle... THANK YOU!

And I'd like to thank Kathy as well- she sent me two great dishcloths that have already been put to good use... THANK YOU!!

I also have a few pictures to post of some dishcloths I made... but I haven't sent them out yet and I don't want to spoil the surprise in case the recipients view my blog :-)  You'll have to wait til next week!!

And yes, lastly... I was gifted with some wonderful Patons Sock Yarn (thank you!!).  I can't wait to use it!

So... until next time ~

Spring cleaning around my blog... hopefully that'll keep me coming back much more often than once a month!  I haven't been blogging much lately but that doesn't mean I haven't been crocheting or reading my favorite blogs.

I have a few new crochet projects to post:  first is a blue shawl; made with Lion Brand Suede (love that yarn, not too crazy about the price... so I won't be using that again any time soon)

I had to use my chair as a model since I'm not too keen about myself in a picture!

The second project was yet another shawl... this is made from Red Heart Tweed yarn, and I absolutely love the shawl; I have the Tweed yarn in a blue color as well and definitely will be making another one in the near future.

And lastly, I was on a butterfly bookmark kick lately and couldn't stop myself...

22 days!!?  Has it really been 22 days since I last posted?!

I finished an afghan for a good friend of ours, and shipped it out this week.  I hope he likes it, he has no idea it's coming!  Oops, just got word that he "Really really likes it and it's so soft!"  It's made out of Homespun and I had a heck of a time getting the black Homespun.  I guess that's a very popular one right now.

I've also finished another scarf for my sister, it's made out of Bohemian yarn (I just love the feel of that yarn!)  I made her scarf with the Cooper color.  Her roommate went to Michaels and saw the yarn and will be shipping some to me so that I can make her one too.  :-)

Hubby told me that Pearl Crafts did some remodeling and now they have yarn!  I was so excited, I had to make a trip this morning.  I bought some Magic Stripes yarn and I'm going to try to make my first pair socks... hubby just keeps laughing at me, and he can never guess what I'm going to try to make next!  Hehe

I've been working on a shawl for myself (my first project for myself!) made out of Red Heart Tweed yarn in Red... It's looking sooo good, I can't wait for it to be completed.

And I finished my Hat Swap Pals gift and will be shipping that out on Monday!  Along with my reveal package to my Winter Secret Pal.  :-)

Finally, I've had SO MUCH fun with my new ball winder!  Help - I can't stop winding!

I'll leave you this week with a Florida sunset from our boat on one of the lakes behind our home (in Orlando).

Only 4 more days 'til Christmas.. how's your crocheting coming along??

I pretty much have everything accomplished except for the food shopping and cooking.  I need to run out and pick up one more thing for hubby today and while I'm at it, I may stop at Wal-Mart (just to see what I can find).

I've been finishing alot of projects lately, including my very first thread bookmarks.  I've never worked with thread before so this was definitely something different.  I started by using size 5 thread (that was given to me by my secret pal a month ago)... and I used a size 1 steel hook - yes I know, alot of the patterns call for a size 7 or 8; but have you seen how small those things are.  LoL  Anyways, by the time I got to my last bookmark I tried the size 7 hook and did pretty well.  It is definitely something I'll keep doing.  :-)

Secondly, I finally finished the afghan for hubby.  This was one of the very first crochet projects I ever started and that was back in June... so I figured it was time to really sit down and get that thing done!  He was so happy!!

I used LionBrand Wool-Ease and did DC throughout.  It's nice and toasty warm.

And at last... from blonde to brown -

The color is growing on me, it's a great color for winter time but I'll probably go back to blonde for the summer.

I just LOVE the weekends!  Getting up early (well not too early) on Sunday morning to find hubby already on the couch with the newspaper.  And hearing those few words I always long to hear..."honey, here's the Michael's and Ragshop inserts"  Ahh Life Is Grand!

I ended up only buying some LionBrand Landscape yarn, about 6 skeins so I can do another felted handbag - I can't wait!  But there are a couple other projects I must do first.  Patience my dear, patience!  The Landscapes was on sale 2 for $9, not bad at all considering they usually go for $5.99 a skein.

Also, here is the newest addition to my hook collection; a Q-hook.

Thank you Bill, the hook is WONDERFUL!  I can't wait to use it.  And hopefully Santa will bring me a few more.

Okay okay, enough rambling - how about some pictures of the finished felted bag??!!

  BEFORE

AFTER

The bag is not completely dry yet... so it's having a hard time standing on it's own.

AFTER

SO, nothing else to really report; oh yeah, except that I am no longer blonde... I went BROWN!

Scarves, Scarves, and more Scarves!

I must have the scarf bug or something, that's all I seem to be making these days... if only it got cold in South Florida.

The scarf on the left is made with JoAnn's newer yarn called "Willow" and the pink scarf is made from TLC Amore.

Going from left to right...  Patons Bohemian (very much like Chenille, I LOVE it!)  The middle scarf is made with Jewel, and the last green scarf on the right is also TLC Amore.

I am in absolute heaven with this book!  I bought it from Michael's and I used my 40% off coupon, which saved $$... the book is originally $25 (I think).  So it wasn't too bad.

But I absolutely love the illustrations they give, plus they tell you which blocks/squares are pleasing to the eye when combined together.  As well as certain colors to use.  The back of the book also gives some blocking methods and directions on how to combine squares.
In my opinion, I think it's a must to everyones collection.

Here's a bit of a peek at the illustrations...

Now go on... find your Michael's coupon and go get yourself the book!