I'm back!

I know I haven't written since a couple of years ago but have been real busy. I turned the big F. 50 years old Nov. of 2016. My niece Jessica and sisters threw me a big Day of the Dead party. It was very fun with all the DOD decorations.

They even got me a street taco cart for my friends to enjoy. My husband treated me to a trip to New York for my 50th and our 30th Anniversary. Our friends Joyce and Randy joined us.

Joyce was celebrating her 65th birthday. We had a great time and want to go back again in spring.  I worked at Kirklands home store until we got back on our feet after my husbands surgery. I love that store but with all the lifting and standing it was killing my bad back. I am a housewife once again. But don't think for one minute I sit on the couch eating Bon Bons. I have been taking care of my Dad which had a stroke shortly after my husbands heart surgery. So I have been doing Dr. appointments with him, managing his meds. and bills. My husband had another surgery on his shoulder and was out of work for that one 6 months. I have been watching my granddaughter alot these days and that's always fun. I love taking photos of her in all the cute outfits and costumes she wears. We like to go to Starbucks together and play board games. My daughter-in-law graduated from GCU with a degree in Music.

My son graduated from Massage therapy school also and doing it as a side job. working out of town on a gold rigg. My daughter-in-law is now a Music teacher for the elementary school that Erin attends. Yes she started Kindergarten this year! Time flew!

My other son Sam is working at a gun making shop and now Coaching Dive for a nearby high school.

I would love to go back to work in an office but can't find work yet. I still sell Avon which I have for 27 years! I have my etsy shop and that does great in winter but not too much in the summertime since it is mostly winter accessories. I started scrapbooking my granddaughters photos and I still make cards. We got the boat running again and that has been fun taking it out on the lake.

 So that's about covers the past 2 years. I hope to keep up the blog now that I have some      extra time these days. Ciao for now!   

Approaching the big F word! (50 years old).

This year has been an eventful one. Our youngest graduated from high school and can't decide what he really wants to do. His only goal has been to be the Best Diver in the World. But due to no Scholarship at this time he will be

attending community college in the fall with hopes to bring up his GPA. My oldest son is going to school for Massage therapy and very excited to see where it takes him. He had did a tour in the Army has a daughter that is 3. His wife is also in College to go for a teaching career. They live in a beautiful home with 2 dogs. My husband turned 50 this year and has been a fire fighter for over 20 years and this year he had to have a Quintuple bypass. It was such a surprise to all of us, especially since he just was on a health study team for firefighters. He had lost about 12 pounds and was in top physical shape then in about in  a month he went from running 2 miles to half a mile. He has heart disease in his family. The Drs. say if he didn't have a physical job the outcome would have been way different. The good thing about this all is now they are going to perform and extra test during fire fighters and law enforcement  yearly physicals to detect blockage in the heart. Firefighters are always taking care of the outside of their bodies but not the internal. With all the stress, adrenaline rush, sleep deprivation it put's a lot of wear on their bodies. Needless to say it was very scary to almost think I could've been widowed at the yound age of 49. lol. My parents are aging faster nowadays and need much more care. It's always hard to see your parents age. If I knew then what I know now I would have had my kids sooner. Seems like I just got the kids all grown up and now time to care for the parents. I guess they call that the sandwich effect. lol. I was working for a Dentist for the past 5 years and he finally retired and I did as well. It was such a change but it did make it nice to be able to care for my hubby while he was recovering from heart surgery. Maybe it was meant to be for that matter. I am now looking for a new job with now much too much time on my hands. I just thought I would update my blog since I haven't been on forever. I will try to keep up with it now. Happy Blogging!

Ravelry mini Hat swap.

I got my package yesterday! Loved everything in it. In fact two things I was gonna buy for myself just yesterday but I didn't then went to my mailbox and they were in my package! So Happy already starting a hat out of the women's beanie book. I had a very generous swapper. Our limit was exchange a hat and send yarn and a pattern and a few goodies. It's always fun to trade and make someones day with gifts.  ;)

My halloween mini-swap package has arrived!

I joined a Halloween mini-swap on Ravelry.com. It is a knit and crochet website that gives you ideas for projects, let's you show off your finished projects and make friends. I received my package today and it included a pumpkin spatula, spider bead bracelet, trick or treat bag, candy bar, box of candy, a sign that say's A bewitching welcome and TY cute little bat. It's always fun to get a surprise in the mail. Happy Halloween!

Garden getaway

I love a rainy night in Arizona. I decided to go sit in the garden (my sanctuary) listen to some music on the ipod or watch a chick flick on my laptop. I decided on this nice evening to set up a campsite in my little garden. It started to sprinkle and I had Michael Buble on the ipod. My husband and I love to take pictures so we  clicked away. First we had to remove the bully from the tent she wanted to be in it. lol. We decided to leave the tent up for a couple days hoping for some more beautiful weather so we can go lay inside it and watch a movie. 

Everything is coming up rosses!

I was entered in a spring time swap on ravelry.com. We all had to exchange (swap) items off a list of our favorites to each other. the limit was 20? But I think we all go way over because it is so fun to buy things that we know we like for each other. I got my package today and the theme was Roses! I got a cool treasure chest box with butterflies and roses all over it. Then inside I received a beautiful pinkish rose shawl with a skein of yarn that it was made out of. I also received a godiva chocolate bar (who doesnt love chocolate!) with a floral pen, note pad for the fridge a pencil tote, rose covered clothes pins and scrapbooking/journal stickers of roses. I loved it all my partner in the swap spoiled me!

Always fun to be in a Mini-Swap through Ravelry

I recently joined a favorite color mini-swap on the web-site Ravelry. It is a knitting-crocheting community web-site. This is a swap where you exchange lists of your favorite color and things that you like. Then they assign you a partner and you have to get them or make them stuff to put in a package by a deadline.The limit was $15.00 can be homemade or store bought and doesn't have to be all related to knitting or crochet. I got my package today and my favorite color is green so it was perfect timing since today is St. Patricks Day. I'm posting a picture of what I got and what I sent my partner. It is such a cool idea and you get to know people from around the world.

Spring is in the Air!

I love this time of year. The weather is perfect to hang out on the patio or to go watch sporting events. I'm enjoying watching my son play softball and sitting out back watching our dogs play. I just finished a favorite mini color-swap on raverly. I have been cleaning out our closets and buying new spring and summer clothes. Our etsy shop is doing good too! I just finished an order of 8 Market/beach bags. Hubby's birthday is coming up this weekend so need to start on plans for him. I just planted some cilantro, basil and pineapple sage in the garden. This month is full of birthdays so I shall be seeing alot of family and friends this month. I'm hoping to get to see my friend Steph more this month for some knitting or coffee shop conversation. Happy Spring everyone! Well at least in Arizone for now. haha.

My favorite subjects to photograph my dogs.

I really think my dogs are loving the photo shoots since they get a treat afterwards. This is my Papi the chihuahua in the leaves in my front yard with his adorable sweater on. This is my Bully just chillin in the tv room with her toys and bone. I just like the black and white affect with the blurred edges. Just wanted to share. :)

My Reggae Sock Monkey Hat

I couldn't decide what to give my little niece for Christmas and her mom told me she likes the character beanies. So I thought I would make her an original one. The top is knitted and finished the face with crochet. There is not another one like it in the world unless someone copies me and that is fine totally! Just wanted to do show and tell! :)

The incredible Mr. Limpet

My sons birthday was the 12th of december and we had already given his gift earlier so on his birthday it seemed weird not to hand him something so I had started this fish beanie that you can either make X's over the eyes like dead fish or alive. I decided to make him alive and I know I wanted his eyes to be blue. Once I put the eyes together it reminded me of the Incredible Mr. Limpet with Don Knotts wishing to be a fish. I didn't put glasses on mine though. Samuels favorite book when he was little was A fish out of water also. So it was kind of a theme birthday. I knitted the hat then later found out there was also a crochet pattern for it! I could've finished it way sooner if I would have known that but it came out pretty cute knitted and all. Sam wore it to school the next day so I guess he liked it. The animal and character hats are big this year so it fit right in.

Ten things that I am thankful for...

I am thankful for a healthy family, my pets, pretty yarn,craft magaizines, cookies, soups on a cold day, ingrid michaelson cds, the fall colors, salted carmel mocha lattes at starbucks, coach purses, a fun job, wine and cheese fest that bring family and friends together, watching tv on dvds, Elf the movie (especially right now). Crocheting with friends and family, game nights, face book to keep in touch with my friends and getting to see their great pictures, thoughtful people in my life that truly care to make others happy in their life, my laptop, a good book to cuddle with on a cold evening in front of the fire, true blood books to read while waiting for the next season premiere, breaking dawn part 1 soon but not soon enough, christmas music and decorations, my husbands and mine 24th Wedding anniversary 111411, my garden and all it's plants, and all the sweet and goodness in the world! Peace!

In the Halloween Spirit

My favorite time of the year and my favorite photogenic furry friends. My bully Tonka and my chihuahua Papi. I tried to get him to stay in the kettle to pose but he doesn't quite have the photo shoot attitude. I try to take a holiday picture of my pets.

Scram!

Just got done making an order from my sweet little niece Jillian! She had requested me to make her an Oscar the Grouch hat a few months back. I am sure she thinks I forgot but not me! It just took me time to plan it out. I found the perfect fun fur color for her hat. It is called Riot Eyelash by Yarn Bee.I used Chocolate fun fur by Lion Brand yarn for the eyebrows and two large white plastic buttons and two smaller size black plastic buttons for the eyes. I really like the way it came out and will make another one someday soon. I hope she likes it but I hope she is happy when she wears this Oscar hat.

Another gift finished!

A friend told me about this pattern and it was so adorable I had to make one myself. I had my little niece in mind when making this. It is a 3 to 6 months baby shrug. I think she would look look so cute with this over a summer dress. I had to make a matching headband too. I know she will look fabulous in them both!

My latest project for the store.. Apple Jackets

Yes, I know it sounds silly and may even look silly but I love the look of a juicy red or green apple with a jacket/cozy on! All the possibilities of designing these cute cozies. I think it is a great momento to give to a new teacher, past teacher or friends and family that are teachers. Plus there are alot of people who love Apple decor. Here are a couple that I have made out of the twelve. Some I already sold! This cute ladybug on leaf and anyone who is my friend knows I love Jack Skellington!