Mystery Christmas Crochet Project

I've never done one of these before, but it sounds like fun, and I have some white yarn I've been needing to use in something... (All pictures from Sarah London)

Mystery Christmas Crochet Project.

The first installment of instructions just posted. Looks like we're starting with Granny Squares, which I'm especially excited about because I've never made any. I know! They're a crochet staple, but I've just never done one. Getting started tonight!

Installment One.

She has lovely step by step pictures and instructions, and says any shade of green will work, and any white yarn. Anyone else in?

Goodwill love

Last week Matthew took Anna on errands, so I had the chance to go to Goodwill by myself, a rare treat. Anna's pretty good at shopping at Goodwill, we usually fill the cart with kids books and that keeps her entertained, but it's still nice to be able to take as much time as I want, which is a lot of time.

On this particular trip, there was a huge basket full of craft kits. So exciting!

I've never done any counted cross-stitch, but this little Christmas dinosaur was so cute, surely I can manage him. Or Matthew can do it, I think he did cross-stitch in 4-H. (Is that embarrassing? I don't think so)

And, perfectly timed given my new fondness for felt, these sweet dinosaur ornaments.

The felt was all marked, with nice clear instructions and everything I would need, even a new needle!

And some glue...which was long ago past its time, but cute! Glu-bird. Sounds like a good name for a stuffed toy.

BQE

One morning, after months of thinking wistfully, "I wish this new bathroom ipod dock had a radio too" I noticed the button that says "radio".

I'm not too good in the mornings.

So now as I'm getting ready I listen to Morning Edition, and sometimes I learn something about the world, as much as I try to ignore the news.

Last week though, there was a delightful story about Sufjan Stevens and some music about the BQE, the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.

Click on it, listen to it, smile.

My felt food

I've been listening to the old Craftsanity podcasts, and one was an interview with Lily Bean Market, delightful maker of felt food. I went to the website and found kits! I've been thinking about felt food, and thought it would be a great way to get started. It was wonderful fun. The kits came with clear instructions, and lovely wool felt. I would never buy wool felt on my own, because it's more expensive and we don't have any around here, but it was awfully nice to work with.

I started with Christmas Cookies. Anna's been playing with these so much! I made the candy cane myself out of some of the scraps from the other cookies. Anna thinks it needs another stripe.


Next up was donuts. I made the cookies and the donuts all in one afternoon/evening.
Then came the sandwich, including two slices of bread, cheese, ham, lettuce and tomato.

And finally a whole basket full of fruit.

I have some bits of the nice felt left over, and I've been looking at free patterns and plotting what to make next. She's supposed to get all of the rest of the food for Christmas, but I was too excited to only work on them when she was asleep, so she's seen all of the fruit. (Maybe she'll forget?)

U2360

We got to see U2 and The Black Eyed Peas in Norman on Sunday night. Oh my, it was wonderful. Unfortunately all of my pictures are blurry and my videos also include my enthusiastic singing along, which I am NOT going to post. :)

I was sick sick sick, but the adrenaline and excitement pulled me through. (When I got home I made it to the Dr... Two ear infections and a sinus infection. Now that's a fan!)

My friends Sarah and Jenny (I'm linking to facebook here, don't know if it will work) both have lovely pictures from the concert, but I never can manage that demure smile...

OSU homecoming

Once in Oklahoma, we enjoyed the one of the best things about visiting Margaret...doing whatever they do.

So we all dressed up in Orange and went to the OSU homecoming parade. Did you know they say O...S...U...Go pokes!? It was very strange and felt a little odd for this KSU girl.

Anna had a great time, especially because she got to snuggle with Lainey.

Garth Brooks...and two other people (I know, it's terrible I can't even remember who they were! They were also famous) were the Parade Marshalls.

A quest

Remember how a few weeks ago we went to Oklahoma?

At the very last minute (I was actually in the car, all packed, setting up the GPS) Matthew called to say the corn was too wet to cut and he could come too.



So we did a little exploring together for a change.

First we stopped in Cimarron for Ice Cream at Clark Pharmacy. Very fun and tasty.

Then we stopped in Meade for some dinner and some play time. I was not brave enough to walk on the highest of the balance beams, but Matthew was.


The park in Meade is outstanding! Two play areas, one new and neat and one old and neat. It was there that I hit upon Anna's Quest (Kansas Explorers have quests, things that they try to do in every county in KS).

We're going to play on a playground in every county in Kansas.

I'm excited.