Craft Room Chaos getting managed.

So I don't get here often but, I am getting organized so I can get here more often with tips and tricks. 
Today I have a project that I have been working on for a while. 
You will need:
A frame
Pegboard bigger than your frame
A dark sharpie
Dowels that fit into the holes of pegboard
Jigsaw
Glue gun
Glue sticks
Spray paint

I purchased this old mirror from a person on 5 mile. If you don't know about this app, it is an online yard sale. I have found so many wonderful items here. This frame came from a Disney dresser and the mirror was broken. I paid $8 for this precious item. I wanted a way to hang threads and tools right over my sewing table so they would be handy. I wanted it to have peg board. The crafty wheels started to turn. 

I love green and this is my favorite color of all time. I removed the cardboard from the back of the frame with a Phillips screwdriver. I used the cardboard to to trace out my circle. I used a a jigsaw to cut my pegboard to size. I cut my dowels in different lengths but big enough to hold spools of thread. I then hot glue the pieces of dowel into holes of pegboard. (turn over and put glue on the back too) 

I then spray painted the pegboard,  dowels and frame. I used one color but you can use as many colors as possible. Match your style/craft room. 

After everything was dry, I moved back to the craft room and placed where I wanted it and loaded it up. I need more pegs but that is an easy fix. I also want pegboard accessories. 

You can screw the pegboard to your frame or afix however the mirror was secured. I did not secure mine down for my own reasons. Do not overlook ugly frames at a thrift store. Make your board for other purposes too. 

Key rack

Mitten holder

Scarves or belts

Jewelry

What can you think of for this project? 

Make several in several sizes. Share! 

Hair story continues

The construction continues this week inside my home. Yesterday the ceilings were replaced. Today the painter is here. The kitchen is getting a new white coat of paint and I will be able to put the new colors in there. 
Now my hair. I am so happy with how healthy it is looking. Getting to the blog, has been a challenge. 

This is all with no shampoo. I am planning to visit the shampoo isle and read the ingredients in the new L'Oreal oil shampoo. If it is natural, I may use tiny amounts 1nc a week. 😱😱 yes I have thought about the sudsy. I miss that. What do you think about the look of my hair? I love it. 

The color is back to its sassiness. The look is less frizzy, more bouncy & easy to style. The redness is back!! I love that because it had started to look dull and lifeless. 

One other honorable mention:

My latest baby quilt : 

No pattern, just made up from a picture I saw. The little baby girl came way to early but is doing so good. She is a doll. 

Welcome to the world 

Hannah Ruth Horn

The mommy will see it tomorrow so it 8s OK to post today. She won't see this. LOL I am finishing up the finger work and top quilting. OK back to it. Have a great day!! 

Baby quilts and other projects that can't wait!

When you are making baby quilts, it is something that just won't wait. I have had 2 baby items lately that I was asked to make (both boys)  and the babies didn't wait on me. 

Baby Carter's quilt was finished 2 days before he was born but is still here at my house waiting on my daughter to arrange a visit. Sigh. The strings in the middle are for tying it to a stroller or carrier.  It was supposed to be a nautical theme. This was fun and challenging. Character quilts are fun yet challenging to make. 

Baby Heath got here 2 days before it was finished but the top was done. That counts right?? The fabric in this one is what really counts. It is so cute. 

I hope both quilts are loved to pieces; not treated like museum art. Quilts are made to be loved, used slept under, rolled around on the floor with, sat on, used as a roof on a fort and LOVED!!! 

My third quilt is still coming together and I will post more soon. Know that I am getting to make a girl quilt this time! 😀😀😀

TTFN stay tuned!! 

DAY TWO OF HAIR EXPERIMENT!!!

It isn't easy to take pictures of the back of your head. Just FYI. These pictures are rolling out of bed and just running my fingers through my hair. Still no brush or comb at all!! I am on day 2 of the first shampoo and planning on "washing" it again tonight. You can see that some of the curling isn't as bouncy as day One but folks this is using NO PRODUCT at all!!! My hair doesn't look greasy but shiny and healthy in just one "wash". I am using quotes because I don't use any shampoo or soap. It all strips my hair and makes it frizzy and dry. Even taking out all of the bad stuff, sulfates and other chemicals, it still didn't look healthy. 
Stay tuned. Tomorrow I will post more updates. In the meantime, I need to post my quilts I have been working so hard on. 
Tata for now! TTFN 😝😝😝

My New Curly Hair Experiment

Here I am again trying something new. My hair is thick, course and naturally curly. I kept hearing people talking about shampoo stripping the hair. My issue was frizzy and dry looking hay. When my niece posted to facebook that she would never use shampoo again, I was skeptical. Then, I got brave and now here I am blogging. 

I stopped using shampoo today & I mixed up my new concoction. These pictures are post treatment because I am an idiot and didn't think to take before. *SIGH*

take my word it was dry and fuzzy. 

What did I use?? OK here goes:

Liquid coconut oil (found in cooking oil section 😮😮)

A bottle of tea tree oil

A bottle of grapefruit oil

I mixed these together and after I wet my hair, I massaged it into my scalp and into thevends of the hair. I used about 2 tablespoons for my hair length/thickness.

Then, I let it sit while I finished my shower 🚿. I then rinsed my air thoroughly. I wrapped my hair up in a towel and got dressed. I did not brush nor comb my hair. I ran my fingers through my hair and kinda scrunched through it. I then let it dry naturally. 

For day 1, I think it looks pretty good. Tomorrow will be the biggest test. I will snap what it looks like rolling out & finger combing it out. 

Stay tuned....... 👍👍👍

PINTEREST EPIC SUCCESS!!!

Search Pinterest for "boiled, egg & oven". You won't regret this little nugget! I read through several sites but when you see this picture:

You can follow their directions for successfully making hard "boiled" eggs. I will never boil water again.
NEVER!!!
One egg broke but I think I did it before the cooking. I got a little rough on the rowdy eggs.
PINTEREST EPIC SUCCESS!!!

Help for crochet counting sc rows

I frequently see hookers getting confused about sc row counts. Yes it it confusing but you can get help seeing it and learning how to read it from now on.

As you can see, I made a square using the sc grit stitch. The shape of the stitches is a little bit different from straight sc but the row count would be the same and how you figure it out is the same. I personally think the grit stitch shows it off a little bit and I use this when I teach this method. How many rows do you think you see here? You can leave a comment if you choose. Is it clear in this shot that sc makes ridges?  My next post will show the ridges because for now I cannot upload the next photo to this post. Ah the internet. Makes life so much easier. SIGH

OTHER NEWS

I have several WIPs. Spring cleaning Is going slowly but going. I will get right on the next post tomorrow. 
Thanks

Yesterday, I tried to finish up this post about counting rows of sc. My tablet must have been angry because it would not let me post my second picture. WTHDD?? (What the Hey Diddle Diddle...what was your dirty mind thinking?)

Ok. I finally got the picture to load. Seems you have to be aware of what you have open when loading pictures. 
Ok now to finish my attempt to teach you something awesome about crochet. (Some days need rum!) The above picture has the red arrow pointing out a "ridge" between 2 rows. Back and forth sc patterns cause this ridge. Working in the round is not so easy to see. This ridge is important because it tells you how many rows you have finished. Each ridge means 2 rows.
NOW: How many rows do you see in this swatch? Hint: the bottom is the foundation and 1 row. The top is the end of 2 rows. In this case, the foundation sc counts as a row. I did not make a chain. ( I may never make another )
There are 20 rows. This not a guess. There are actually 20 rows. Keep looking and counting until you see 20 rows. 0:)
If you have questions, let me know. I will help.

Pinterest Epic Success!

I am starting a new route for my creative self. As I find a pattern, I am going to work it out and review it here. Maybe, I can help some one before they try it. I may also review recipes too if I ever learn to love cooking. LOL

This square was easy for me, but I am advanced in my craft. I have not blocked yet but will be. I do not recommend this for a beginner. Because there were a lot of things that could frustrate them. Outside of that I say it was fun, pretty, and could be used in several different projects.

★★★★ of 5 stars simply because the beginners get left out.

Caramel Apple Spice Cake

I seldom cook. I think I blog more. Now no funny comments. I have gotten away from my blog lately. I don't know what is wrong with me. I have been crafting and creating. 
Tonight I sit here and want to share a cake recipe with you. I have a wonderful boyfriend who was born on Halloween. Yes it does speak volumes about his personality and let me say I knew it 7 years ago when I fell in love with him. You can assure yourself, that I do adore him as I had an incidence this summer which tested our love. Today I still live with him and I love him even more. 
I made this cake for him because he loves cooked apples. I purchased a Pillsbury apple caramel cake mix from JoAnn Fabrics. I also picked up two caramel frosting tubs. I had no real plans but I that it would become something wonderful. Next stop was a grocery store. There I grabbed 4 apples. I had just spent a month taking care of my Mother and she had a neat gadget for cutting up apples. I bought one of those too. It cores and slices the apple all at once. I cut up all 4 apples and layered them on the bottom of the oval french cookware bowl. Since my brown sugar seemed to be missing, I used a lot of cinnamon sugar and some nutmeg over the top of the apples. 
I searched Pinterest how to make a cake mix taste like home made. Of course there was a method. You add an egg and use milk instead of water. Too easy right? I thought so too. I also saw a recipe that added a can of frosting into the mix to make a glaze. Your wheels are rolling too right? I used all of these methods and added a box of vanilla pudding plus 1/2 c extra almond milk. So 1 1/2 cup almond milk. Sounds yummy right?  So 4 eggs, 1 box of pudding, 1 1/2 c of almond milk and a can of caramel frosting added to the cake mix. I cooked it of an hour because after 45 mins, it was still jigglie in the middle. After it cooled, I put the second can of frosting on top of the cake.
Now I will warn you this cake is dense and moist with more sweetness than the law allows. It was wonderful when still a bit warm and just as good when cooled completely.There is no photo before it was cut, no one thought of photos. 

Yes it is over half gone. This is a testament to how fabulous it was!!! Try this recipe. It is wonderful!!

My New Mexican Cornbread

I have used my mother's cornbread recipe for many years. A standard in my home. My kids loved it and my husband begged for it. Tonight I am changing it up a bit for my boyfriend Ed. I thought I would change it up a bit and share it with you.

I got out my under used iron skillet coated with enamel.  I combined 1 lb ground sirloin, 1 package of Johnsonville pork chorizo and lightly browned them as they combined. I added about 1/4 c of frozen chopped onion and peppers, stirring well.
This smelled up my kitchen beautifully!!! I was excited. I have never been drawn to chorizo. I didn't really know what it taste like.
In a mixing bowl, I combined 2 cornbread mixes. One was regular and one was Mexican style. In that mix, I added 2 cans of whole kernel corn that had poblano chilies and peppers in it. What a find!!! I mixed in 3/4 of a bag of shredded Mexican blend cheese. I followed the instructions for the cornbread. This mixture was then poured into pan over the top of the hot meat mixture. The rest of the cheese was spread over the top.
The pan went into a 450 degree oven for 20 mins. It was brown on top when done but it was cooked for 5 more mins. We could eat from the edges but not in the middle. Live and learn!!!!!! After we got our plates fixed, it went back in the oven for 10 more mins.

Let me describe the taste. It was mildly spicy with a rich savory flavor.
I topped my plate with shredded cheese and sour cream with chives.

Yummy. 

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS

I worry about the outside kitties. It has been below freezing most of the day. My daughter sent me a great idea to help them survive.

This is a nighttime photo with a flashlight but I am impressed with my attempt to help the babies. This cost me about $5.00 per box. I think it is pretty indestructible and safe.

Materials:

Cheap Styrofoam cooler  WalMart has them for less than $3.00.

Dust Tape I purchased a small roll for around $2.50

Pet Bedding I used about half of a bag for these 2 beds and so the cost was about $1.50

The most important thing is the holes of the boxes face the south. During the day, The sun is very bright in this part of the yard. 

I may never attract the 2 little kitties that hang around my yard, but they have this as an option. I named one of them Lucy. I am working on a name for the tuxie. I think they are both girls. Either way, I feel like a good person for helping keep the babies from freezing.

Many blessing to you and yours!! 

New idea from Pinterest Pin

Ok so I have been working my fingers off making curly scarves for sale. It is how I make my Christmas money. I am posting this picture because I pinned an idea from Pinterest and put it to work. The yarn for curly scarves gets twisted like no other. This way, it rolls off easily and doesn't get twisted. Quickly is what I call my winding method. My man sits on the ottoman and I separate the yarn while he winds it on the toilet paper rolls. It makes my scarf making faster and easier. Give it a try for any yarn. This may never mak it back to the bathroom!!!! Enjoy!!

Many Blessings to you & yours!!!

SEARCH WITH CARE

I was searching for dishcloth patterns. I saw a lot of porn. MY GOD!!! WTH is going on when you cannot safely search for yarn crafts?????
I decided to post this lady's beautiful blog post because the picture of her work has been hacked and connected to porn. THIS IS NOT PORN, but the REAL pattern site!!! Click on the picture!!

Enjoy this beautiful pattern and do not click on this picture on a LOT of search results!!!

Cantaloupe Smoothie!!!

This is just wonderful and good for you!!!

Cantaloupe Smoothie

1/2 cantaloupe seeded and cut into chunks
1 bottle Atkins Vanilla Protein shake (all I had on hand)
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/8 cup watermelon lemon juice (sold at Kroger for sure) You could use any lemon juice
pinch salt & about 1/4 t black pepper
about 1/4 c agave
crushed ice (wish I'd had Sonic ice)

Place about half of all ingredients in blender. Blend to smooth. Pour into cups.
Place remainder in Blender & blend til smooth.
Enjoy!!!

This made 3 large glasses (abt 36 ozs each).

WEEK 18

This has to be my favorite cloth. I am so proud of me and my new found perfections with knitting. I know how to correct my mistakes, how to correctly make the stitches the way I knit and I learn every time I knit. If you have not yet joined this Dishcloth challenge, join in now. You can catch up. It is a small, portable craft you can learn something new and finish anywhere. 

I am working on a way to knit in the pool and then life will be perfect!!!

This is so much prettier in person but I love it!! The stitch pattern is easy to follow and it works up quick. It would make a pretty scarf. You can find the free pattern HERE.

I am on the colonoscopy diet again. UGH. I am not sure if I will lose weight, but I will surely lose water weight!!! I know it is better to have a procedure than to die of cancer, but it sucks to go through all of this.

I am ready to hit the pool. Relaxing in the water really does make me feel more human. It is 103 degrees here and I need a dip. If I could knit in the pool, I would never leave!!!

Many blessing in your life and keep on believing!!!

LET'S GO TO IRELAND!!!!!

https://www.dreamplango.com/ireland/189332  I have entered and desire a trip to this beautiful place...Lets go!!!

WEEK 17 & OTHER STUFF

Whoa Nellie it has been a weird few days. Getting over my sickness was tougher than I thought it would be. The antibiotic I received was usually prescribed for anthrax and the plague. I bet anything in me was killed. However, the day after my meds and for 2 days, I sorta felt worse. WTH? Today, I am trying to stay up and alert. 
Now to the dishcloth challenge. I am devoted. I am trying to work on things that I can finish and feel like I am changing my ways. I have a lot of WIPs. Sad state of affairs.
Here is my attempt of Week 17:

This is tiny and just right for a cute young lady for a face scrubber or bath scrubbie with a pretty handmade soap. That may be something I need to learn...soap making. If only I could make money at my passion. You can find the pattern HERE: Give it a try. So easy & you will include it in many gifts you may be making!!!

Many Blessings your way!!!

WEEK 16

This is the week 16 dishcloth. It is called The Hive Knit Dishcloth. I enjoyed this pattern all the time I was working on it. It is always interesting to see how a new pattern "works out". The only thing I will go back and do (maybe) is a better edging on the sides. I slipped stitched around with a crochet hook. I may go around and do a single crochet. We shall see. 

My sickness sent me to the doctor. Yep I finally gave in and now glad I did. I had an upper respiratory infection, ear infections and sinus/throat infections. The antibiotic is commonly used to fight the plague and anthrax. Think it will cure what ails me? I hope so. Sick of being sick!!

Going to try and cast on a sock later.

This is what I faced last night after the kitties got in my yarn. I finally got it all sorted out after hours of cursing. It was very pretty after I had it all rolled up. Now I think it will be a pretty sock. 

Many Blessings. Time for some supper. Food sounds good tonight. We shall see!!  O:)

I do more than you think, I learn proper Wrapping!

I have been sick for 2 weeks now. Some days were good, some not so good. Today is not so good. Last night was a getting not so good night and I hurried through finishing a gift for my beautiful daughter. Now let me say she won't mind but I am sick (pun intended) that I screwed up the end of it and didn't notice til I bound off and was taking my proud pictures. *SIGH* I won't fix it and my kid won't mind.  I will be embarrassed forever though. I guess I got off count of the rows I was on somehow. 

The top picture shows how I totally screwed up. UGH It is a Tiger Paw for her beloved Clemson Tigers. I am so mad at me but to my sanity, I have been very sick!! OH well. It will be OK.  The next picture shows how I learned I was twisting stitches when I was purling the stockinette row. I called my Mother and together we figured it out. Now I make pretty uniform stitches. I never noticed it until I did this pattern and it is very obvious here.  Now I need to focus on purling in a new direction. Wrapping the yarn makes all the difference. in the arrow picture, every other row is the one with the legs twisted. It was simply the way I wrapped the yarn over the needle. 

Just when you think you know it all, you are not too old to learn new things. Notice your stitches and their general construction. It really does matter. Half of this project is twisted and the other half is not but still screwed up. 

I don't just craft dishcloths, but living in Texas, I have no use for sweaters, scarves or hats. Being Menopausal doesn't help either. I do some of those things for charity but not for self or for people I know live here. 

I think my calling will be socks. Since I cannot wear pretty shoes, I opt for wearing pretty socks. I will be casting on very soon. I am ready for some pretty socks.

Many Blessings to you all.

WEEK 15

OK I went rogue again. I loved this pattern and added a few touches of my own. I used "Americana" colors. It just seemed like a good fit. I love how the colors worked together.  This was fun and since I made it bigger, I think it will be a centerpiece in gift basket I am making.
You can find the pattern HERE.
Follow the pattern the first time around and then play with it!!
Many Blessings to you as you hook your masterpiece!!!