Two Stockings, One To Go

Related to the previous post, I have completed the second of three stockings for a friend's grandchildren. This one is for Shelli rather than a random "she" as displayed in the pic.

Although not visible here, the white and green yarns have strands of glitter throughout. The red is Plymouth Encore.All the yarn is from stash and was crocheted with an H hook. The crocheted chain tie is stitched in place with bells on the ends. Additional bells ring-a-ling-ling from the points of the triangular tree, which was crocheted, then appliqued to the stocking.

The free pattern is at http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/cjif-stockingTree.html?noImages=

Are you making any stockings this Christmas?

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I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.   Psalms 69:30

One Stocking, Two To Go!

A friend asked me to knit three Christmas stockings for her grandchildren. After due consideration, I said I could crochet three by the week before Christmas. That is fine with her, so here is the first one done for Riley. This is made from the toe up by starting with a circle, then working the foot from there. Improvising as I worked along, I used sc and dc with an H hook and worsted weight yarn.

The name is crocheted in while carrying the red yarn. I then crocheted a Santa to sew on the stocking and crocheted a chain to weave through the dcs for decoration. Some bells added to Santa's hat, the toe, and the ends of the tie bring some jingle to this project which I made in a day. Quickie!

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Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.   ~ 1Corinthians 13:7

Thankfully Reading Weekend

http://www.bookblogsocialclub.com/2009/11/thankfully-reading-weekend.html

Perfect for our quiet holiday weekend---reading! No rules, no reports, no prizes---simply read, read, read. The kids and grands won't be around, so DH and I are going to help with the local Community Dinner which leaves plenty of reading time over the weekend. Want to join? Click on the above link to join and gobble-gobble-gobble some good books.

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And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows.

~ 1 Thessalonians 3:12

Friday Fill-In #141

http://fridayfillins.blogspot.com/

1. We need smiles, hugs, and happies.

2. The mail arrived and it made me smile.

3. If you want, I can knit a Christmas stocking for you.

4. I am saved because Jesus died for me.

5. Massachusetts has a proposed 5% sales tax on elective cosmetic surgery; I think its an unfair tax.

6. Family makes for a happy holiday.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to dinner and cards with friends, tomorrow my plans include going to a Christmas tree exhibit with a friend and Sunday, I want to knit, crochet, and read!

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No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.
~ 1 John 4:12

Bulls Island---Help Needed

Bulls Island by Dorothea Benton Frank


My rating: 1 of 5 stars
Much to my disappointment, this book read like a hybrid of a Harlequin Romance and a Lifetime TV movie script. I had to skim through parts of it because of the predictable dialogue and linear development. Star-crossed lovers meet again in a business situation. Of course, there's a son that the female lead character had never revealed to the former fiance. Well, it rolls on from there with family entanglements, a death, anger, and forgiveness. Moments of humor brought some relief to the stagnant story line but not enough to make it an enjoyable story for this reader.

View all my reviews >>

Merci, Rainey Sisters!

The Merci Scarf is finished and is now actively--well, passively--blocking. I used Cascade The Heathers 220 in a soft shade of heather gray and size 8s.

The pattern is available here: http://www.theraineysisters.com/ccount/click.php?id=31

The seed stitch rib is a very defined stitch--more so than it appears here. Soon I'll roll it up, tie a bow around it, and save for the Christmas stocking of DS#2. The pattern is easy enough for mindless knitting, yet pretty enough that I didn't get bored with it.

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A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit.
~ Proverbs 15:13

Blue Hat Brigade

Love the shadings in this "Fantasy" colorway from Dark Horse Yarns (www.darkhorseyarn.com). Its a nylon and acrylic blend that is very soft and a good choice for chemo caps. I loved working with it, but found it to be splitty. The knots! Two of three balls had knots. One ball had two knots in it. Not good! It knitted up beautifully on sizes 6 and 7 needles.

After mailing a chemo cap to dear SIL, I decided to make hats using the same yarn for the rest of the family. A Blue Hat Brigade of solidarity and support as he endures his treatments. His hat is stockinette with a roll brim. The hats are based on the "Beanie" pattern on page 17 of Knitting Little Luxuries by Louisa Harding. A few adaptations gave a bit of style to each hat.

This is for youngest DGS.

This hat looks wonky because I didn't get it shaped correctly for the pic. You get the idea, though. A basket weave pattern for eldest DGS.

I covet your prayers for DD, Dear SIL, and the children as their lives have been shaken by the cancer diagnosis.

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God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory.

Phil4:19

Friday Fill-Ins #149

#149


http://fridayfillins.blogspot.com/

And...here we go!


1. Plans and schedules are meant to be adjusted .


2. I'm happy when things fun and exciting .


3. The last thing I drank was Diet Coke, of course!


4. One of the most valuable things in my life is my Christian faith.


5. I like gold jewelry on my pizza. :)


6. Dear November, may we go back to June and start again?


7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to knitting, tomorrow my plans include shopping at Prairie Center, and Sunday, I want to attend Jayden's first birthday party!

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With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation!
~ Isaiah 12:3

Flashier Than Flashy

Visit "Dogs on Thursday" at http://dogsonthursday.blogspot.com/


Lailah is a flashy fawn Boxer because of her white markings. However, when she dons her red velour coat with the reflective stripes, she's...well...flashier than flashy, doncha know? The amount of time she wears the coat is approximately the same amount of time it took to snap this picture. It is a little snug, I must admit. She does like her coat even though she doesn't wear it. I learned this when I was reading and realized there was a rrripping sound that was clearly audible and not my vivid imagination while engrossed in a novel. A novel in which, I must emphasize, there was no ripping of any kind. Little Lailah had gathered her beautiful red coat in her front paws and snuggled into it as she played with the Velcro tabs.

Let 'er rrrrrrrrrip!!

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And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.
~ Eph. 3:18

Friday Fill-Ins #148

And...here we go!

1. It was a dark and stormy night, so I sat near the fireplace and waited for the door bell to chime.

2. She was giving them away, so I offered to take the books myself.

3. Rushing out, the trick-or-treaters ran down the sidewalk.

4. Turn on the light!...I think I heard a howl!

5. Shhhh....they're sneaking up to the door

6. Trick-or-treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to knitting and watching "Monk" on TV, tomorrow my plans include attending a pottery exhibit with a friend, and Sunday, I want to go to church and praise the Lord!

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Stay away from fools, for you won't find knowledge on their lips.
~ Proverbs 14:7

Slow as a .............

Whilst digging in ye old family trunk, I came upon this bit of colorful crochet circa mid 1970s. I crocheted it for my then-young children but fell prey to tired project syndrome. What the heck is that thing you wonder?

All parts of the project are laid on top of the trunk including head, legs, tail. The top and bottom are sewn together on oneside. Now, to assemble, stuff, and finish off.

The completed turtle will be given to the grands since my once young children are well beyond the age of playing with stuffed animals. If this ever happens, I may even post a pic of the completed turtle! Don't hold your breath!

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Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.
~ Proverbs 26:20

Worldless Wednesday Cloudy Day in Boulder

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The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth.
~ Proverbs 12:22

Li'l Punkins

...and the five little pumpkins rolled and rolled away!
Looks like they landed on our table! I've made hundreds of these over the years for all of my kindergarten students. Now in retirement, I'm at it again for my two youngest grands to take to their kindergarten and pre-K classes. I've used a pattern from www.yarncat.com/jackolanternpin.html for this batch.

The brighter yarn is Plymouth Encore. The lighter orange is GGH Samoa. I used a size F crochet hook with both yarns. A mossy color boucle yarn is knotted on top for the stem. In the past I have stitched the facial features or glued felt pieces for the face. This time I used a black Sharpie marker to draw the features on the yarn. Can we say "faster"? I added an adhesive backed magnet and a pin to the back of each to meet the pin/fridgie part of the pattern name. Soon the li'l punkins will roll into the Dallas area for the kiddies to share with their friends.

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God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
~ James 1:12

Box-o-Books

I got one of those boxes delivered the other day. You know, one of those boxes. The kind where you know what's in it. In fact, you ordered the contents...item by item, yet its arrival is exciting and full of delight! A box-o-books! Yaaaaay!!

These are from Book Close-outs---what a deal! The top two items are lovely, little journals. Its a bookie time here as I've received an Amazon order and swap books from Book Mooch and Paperback Swap. Now, if I could just tear myself away from blog reading, I'd enjoy these books and do some knitting!

What books have you gotten lately?

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Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Dogs On Thursday

Mighty Max the Wonder Dog

Lailah learns from Max

My Sweet Boy

October 1997 ~ July 2009

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Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.
~ Psalm 5:3

Wordless Wednesday -- Need a Lift?

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Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.
~ Psalm 25:5

Teaser Tuesday--Town House

From http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/ its Teaser Tuesday!

From Town House by Tish Cohen, page 18:

"Snowden's theory of desensitization involved exposing yourself to your own very special anxiety-provoking, stimuli in bite-sized doses, preferably with a dependable friend or, lacking this, your lanky son. The theory was that if you performed your miniature miracle without wetting yourself, vomiting on your dependable friend, or losing consciousness, you'd achieved a cool level three on the freak-out scale and were all set to try it again with full confidence and clean trousers."

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Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.
~ Colossians 4:2

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

Absolutely enchanted by the beauty of this magical story, the magical family, and magical garden. I truly feel transported to this glorious home with its loving apple tree. I sense the sparkles of contentment within me. This is a story about affect in its characters and certainly within this reader. The story of the Waverly family, their community, and loved ones conveys life lessons common to most readers. The knots and tangles of life come loose. I come away feeling quite serene.

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We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God. John 6:69

Wordless Wednesday Yes, You Can Take It With You

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For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
~ Philippians 2:13

Friday Fill-Ins #141

1. That's a bride to be.

2. Wooooo-h0000; I'm over here!

3. The possibilities include: all or nothing.

4. Nonna's Italian Soup is one of my favorite cool day recipes.

5. How will you know when enough is enough?

6. As we bounced in our boat, we watched the churning water and a stormy sky.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to dinner with DH, tomorrow my plans include going to the lake and Sunday, I want to sing and praise the Lord!

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So why do you keep calling me 'Lord, Lord!' when you don't do what I say?
~ Luke 6:46