One Word

Ali Edwards picks a single word to inspire her throughout the year. I selected a word for last year and found it was very inspirational. I have picked a word for 2010!

We went to the beach several times over the last week, so I wanted to share a couple of photos I took :)

Fire damages Titusville church – Florida Today

Fire damages Titusville church – Florida Today

This is our church and it is a sad situation. Please pray for us and for those who perpetrated the act.

Santa's Festive Honeypot Swap

Thanks Julie!

I received the most gorgeous ornament from Julie in the swap through Snickerdoodle Dreams! You can see her stitching is just beautiful! I adore it :) It came all wrapped in a pretty package and with a wonderful card too! Merry Christmas!

Holly Jolly Blog Bingo

Here is a fun little Bingo game being played over at In Stitches go there and join in on the fun! There are great prizes!

Free Crochet Christmas Stocking Ornament Pattern

I wrote this pattern down after I wrote my Busy with Yarn post. I have a complete inability to make the same thing over and over, but I am working on more ornaments with slight variations, I thought there might be someone else out there who would like the pattern :)


MATERIALS: Size H hook, single strand 4 ply or 2 or 3 strands baby yarn.
Made in rounds.
Row 1: Ch 12, sc in 2nd st from hook, sc in next 9 sts, 3 sc in end (toe) st, continue along the other side of the chain, sc in next 10 sts, 3 sc in end (heel) st. Do not join.
Row 2: Sc in each sc, 3 sc at end of each row.
Rows 3, 4, 5: Sc in each sc, do not inc.
Rows 6, 7, 8: Sc in each sc, dec 3 sts at toe, sc in sc to heel.
Row 9: Repeat Row 8, at heel, join with sl st, ch 1.
Rows 10-16: Sc in each sc around.
Row 17: Sc in each sc around. Join with sl st.
Row 18: Change colors for “stocking cuff”. Chain 1 and make 2 Sc in first sc and then 1 sc in each sc around. Join with sl st.
Row 19-23: Chain 2 and make 2 Hdc in first sc/hdc and then 1 hdc in each sc/hdc around. Join each round with sl st.
Row 24: Sc in each hdc around.
Join with sl st and break off. Weave ends into work. Turn cuff down over stocking and add a small piece of yarn in a bow to the top back for hanging.

If you find any errors, please let me know so that I can fix them!
Thanks for reading and have a Happy Thanksgiving (in the United States)!

Free Crochet Webkinz/Stuffie Sweater Pattern

Here is a pattern for the crochet version of my easy stuffie sweater that makes a quick and easy gift :) Thank you for reading :) If you find any problems with the pattern, please let me know so that I can correct it, thanks! I'm working on the stocking ornament pattern too :)

Super Easy Crochet Webkinz/ Stuffie Sweater

Supplies:

Worsted weight yarn (two strands- can be the same or contrasting colors)

Size N and G  hook

Instructions:

With size N hook, chain 18 for a lil’ kinz and 22 for a regular size webkinz.

You may want to leave a 6-8 inch tail for stitching at the end.

Row 1: Sc in second chain from hook. Sc in each sc to end.

Rows 2-7 Sc in each sc.

Row 8: (for regular size webkinz, add 4 rows here): Sc in each sc.

Optional: you may add a few rows here to make it longer

Row 9- 13: At beginning of row, skip one sc (or any decrease) and then sc in each sc to last two, skip another sc (or any decrease) before last sc.

Row 14: Sc in each sc.

Row 15: Chain 14 with the size G hook and break off yarn, leaving a tail for finishing.

Finishing:

Sew sides together (first 8 rows).

For a different look, you may easily change the stitch pattern to all sc, ch, sc and have a lacier look, or use any pattern stitch.

Benefit for Malaria

My 10 year old daughter made a painting to raise money to purchase mosquito nets for families in Africa after learning about the devastating effects of Malaria and how easily it can be prevented. 100% of the proceeds will go to a charity that purchases mosquito nets for families in need.

You can purchase the original or a print at my ETSY shop.

Welcome SITStas!

Hello all my fellow SITStas! I am so excited to have you all over for a visit!

Around here, I like things to be pretty and practical. I believe there is joy in using beauty and art in everyday life and that everyone has creativity of some sort (yes, that means YOU!) I mostly write about my family and all sorts of crafty projects I have going. I like to quilt, knit, crochet, scrapbook, and I'll try just about any crafty thing at least once! I like to make art and craft for good causes and I'd love to get in touch with others who do too! It seems I am always finding a new project :)

I grew up 11 miles down a dusty road from a tiny country town in Colorado. I became a "jane of all trades, master of none" while in the Navy, college, graduate school, and being a high school teacher in the public school system. I am now blessed to be a stay at home mom and wife to a pastor in central Florida. I am in my first year of homeschooling our two elementary age kids (gratuitous photos follow!) Welcome!

Here are a few links to some of my favorite posts:

More About Me

One of My Projects (a quilt)

A Knitting Pattern I Wrote (super easy knit stuffie/webkinz sweater)

 

Busy with Yarn

I have been busy making a few little things for a few friends :) Here are a couple of my latest projects... a baby bib and booties and a pattern I made up for a Christmas tree ornament. Oh, and a really interesting insect we found on the wall of the house...

Happy Veteran's Day!

Today is Veteran's Day in the U.S. I just wanted to say a HUGE Thanks to all my fellow Veterans today for their service! God bless you for your willingness to give! I was blessed to be a part of the United States Navy and I know many people who give so freely of themselves for the preservation of our freedoms :)

Scrappers Give Thanks!

My kids and I are doing a great challenge called "Scrappers Give Thanks"! We are so excited to send cards for soldiers to use to write home to their loved ones ♥
If you have scrapbooking supplies (paper, hybrid, or digital) on hand, consider making a few cards for this cause!

Scrappers Give Thanks

OPAM finish for October

I can hardly believe that I have finished a single project this month, but I have. It is small, but complete! It's a cute little skirt for a friend's daughter :) It's recycled denim (my old jeans) and a piece of the sheet from the girl's little pet shop curtains I made.

OPAM Finish for September

Here is another very small project, an embellished dish towel. Homeschooling has been keeping me from sewing, much to my frustration!  However, the homeschooling is going VERY well. My DS is like a new child and has his happy back :) I really can't ask for more than that!

This is one project that has been on my to do list since July when I found this cute fabric about friendship. The one section says "The journey to a friend's house is never too far to travel". This is just a little gift for a friend :)

Zoo Trip

We went for a little trip to the zoo to kick off the school year (this was a couple of weeks ago and I am just now getting to posting...) We rode the zoo train for the first time and it was fun. It could have been a longer ride for me... I needed to relax! The kids enjoyed the petting zoo tremendously! They even got to pet an armadillo :)

OPAM project for August

Well, I finished a project that has been weighing on me... and it was a simple and quick project, I just had to get motivated! It was a simple pair of curtains for a friend's daughter made from sheets that match her bedding. I know it feels almost like cheating for OPAM, but it is a project, really and I needed to get it done- this is what it's about. I was hoping to do bigger and better, but I am learning that just getting some of these small projects done is very rewarding as well:)

Creative Itch

I have been so busy with getting ready and homeschooling that I haven't been doing any sewing! Yikes! I have a definite creative itch and I can hardly wait to get sewing again. I am hoping that we get into a routine that doesn't require as much of me so that I am able to start sewing again :)

I have been doing a lot of reading for myself as well, at night after the kids go to bed. My son has ADHD and I have been doing a lot of reading on that and related topic (parenting etc.) If anyone has any ideas or tips for coping with the challenges that ADHD presents, do tell!!! I read the best book called "All dogs have ADHD" by Kathy Hoopman. If you have a child or a friend of a child who has ADHD, then you need this book! It helps children to understand themselves and others with ADHD. I got another one by the same author called "All cats have Asperger's" to help my kids understand a little bit more about their cousin and his challenges. It is great too!

I also have a friend who writes fiction and I have been reading her unpublished books. They are really good! I am hoping she will get them published soon!

My DD is taking dance classes (something she was never interested in until now- she's 10). It has been going very well and she is enjoying it a lot. We are looking forward to putting DS in football at the YMCA which will start in another month or so. We are definitely keeping busy :)

New Books!

When we came home from a meeting tonight, there were boxes at our door! OH YEAH! Some of our textbooks were here :) I was excited (and I know I'm a bit of a nerd), but the thing that took me by surprise was that the kids were excited too! One of them said "It's like having a birthday!" My sentiments exactly! It's the little things, for me... that's how to get out of a funk!

what to say?

So here I am, knowing that I need to write a new blog post but without a thing to say. I have been feeling kind of down lately. I'm having some health issues and it has zapped my mojo. I need to get it back! How to do that? I am eating healthy and forcing myself to get out of the house. What do YOU do to get out of a funk?

Front Porch Party

Bre at All Along Life's Path is doing a 'Get to know you' type thing. It's a little 'front porch party'. Everyone is supposed to add ten things about themselves. I decided to give it a try to, let me know in the comments if you do it too, I 'd love to read your 10!

1. I love to sleep in... because I'm a night owl!

2. I grew up in a VERY small country town in Colorado, but since then I have visited and lived in so many places and cities. Yet, I still feel like that small town country girl inside :)

3. I am very focused on my kids during this phase of life, but I do look forward to the time when they grow up...

4. I love rocks and fossils! I am a geologist, after all :)

5. I absolutely detest doing dishes. I will do almost anything to delay having to do the dishes...

6. I am a "shoe person" who loves shoes, but am most comfortable being barefoot- go figure!

7. I'm really not much of a TV or movie watcher. I would rather make something - with fabric, yarn or paper :)

8. My favorite scent is pine trees. It reminds me of camping and fishing trips in Colorado and Wyoming when I was a young girl.

9. If someone had told me earlier where/who I would be today, I would have laughed hysterically. But I am pleased with the journey.

10. Currently, I am addicted to Facebook and catching up with old friends!

Random Challenge

I went to Sweeter Living today and saw an awesome random challenge to make a band album cover :) I love my band name: Nealyda (a type of moth). I decided to do it, here is my cover:


Now join in for some fun!

These are the rules:
1 - Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random The first random wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.
2 - Go to http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3 The last phrase of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.
3 - Click http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days The third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover art.
4 - Use photoshop (elements has a free trial) or similar to put it all together. I used Publisher and saved it as a jpeg.
5- Tag some friends to join in

I tag anyone who reads this and would like to try!

busy busy busy bees

That's us... busy bees... we are trying to get everything in place to start school! We are taking some classes through a homeschool coop and then we are doing some at home. I have finally chosen all of the curricula and am excited to get it all and look through it. It should be a good year.

Here are a couple of pics of the kids fishing with Grandma and Grandpa on our trip :)