GRACIELYNN'S

learn from me , to save some grief !

2012-02-06T11:25:00.001-06:00

hello,

I am going to make up a new blog.. probably on wordpress. but really still cking .

wow.. will this heavy fog ever lift ??? hubby works about 10 miles away,
on the bottom land ,LOL, & he said the sun is shining here !
well lets hope it comes out here in the hills , soon .

what an experience I had on etsy.
I am done with it now & any thing she writes to me from now on will
go directly to etsy.com.
lessons learned :
1) make sure you have the Correct eml address for your paypal acc. if someone
wants to pay you :_)
2) as the BUYER , MAKE SURE YOU Have the correct Address in YOUR
account if you would like the item sent to you !
3) READ the sellers re-turn policy BEFORE you purchase !
I have never seen a seller offer to return SHIPPING costs !
because most sellers guess on postage price & in MY case it cost MORE then I
charged , not even taking into account packaging $ .
4) Save all correspondence ,so there aren't any questions later :
he said , she said crap.

best run.. have more items to add to etsy.
LOL
Lisa

google going away ! :-)

2012-02-02T08:49:00.002-06:00

As many of you may have heard by now. Google is making some BIG privacy changes starting March 1st..
I am getting away from anything google :-)

one thing Google is deleting is Google Friend..
so , I deleted it off one blog & will soon off the other..

to follow your favorite bloggers , you will have to switch to RSS feed or follow by eml.

just a heads up :-)

Lisa

check my other blog :-)

2012-02-01T15:41:00.001-06:00

please ck my other blog for what I'm working on :-)

it is listed in the tabs as SHOP.. I wonder if I can change that name?

I'll look into that .

Lisa

NEW eml ADDY :-) LIsa

2012-01-30T20:14:00.001-06:00

Hello,

chging eml address.. just getting sick of gmail .. I KNow they say they don't spy .. but if my friend writes to me about having a headache. Google's ad on the side if for meds

new eml address

2012-01-30T19:48:00.000-06:00

Changing back too yahoo.

lisa

ck my knitin' on my other blog

2012-01-28T08:42:00.001-06:00

Hello,

ck out my knittin' on the other page/ blog ..
not the best pics .. but you'll get the idea.

taking a day off knitting too.. my hand hurts ..

lisa

be sure & ck out my other blog

2012-01-24T11:08:00.002-06:00

Hello,

Please ck out my other blog for the latest on knitting patterns.

will post more happenings soon.

Blogs & videocasts I like..

2012-01-13T10:13:00.002-06:00

Hello,

What a wonderful day !! the SUN is making it's beautiful appearance .. YEA !

I am sitting at the kitchen island/ table watching two video casts .. yea.. at the same time :-)
well , K, when one loads a bit I watch the other one.

I wanted to share those with you today.
one is
http://roundthetwistwithcarin.blogspot.com/
great lady, very talented ! I have learned a lot from her show, but I would LOVE for her to actually Spin with one of her Wheels on the show sometime.
as you may or may not know, my goal for 2012 is to make enough 'extra' money' so that I can buy my first spinning wheel :-)

also another show I like is :
http://stockinettezombies.blogspot.com/
this one is a pretty new one to me. I had forgotten about them until today when I ran across a link to their show from : http://www.simplynotable.com/category/simply-inspired/
Simply notable offers some great free patterns & just an all around great blog, ck it out .

And I think I will knit these cute dolls. I have wanted to knit something for YEARS for our local hospital , so they has something to offer kids in the ER .. & or to the African charity also.
I'm sure a similar pattern can be found elsewhere.. but for now I will start with this one..
http://www.heartforafrica.org/files/Knitting_Pattern.pdf
http://www.heartforafrica.org to see a picture. I know.. odd there isn't a pic ON the pattern page..

well enough from me for the day..
off to shower, knit & eat..
Lisa
gracielynns

knock , knock , anybody home ?

2012-01-12T22:55:00.000-06:00

Hello,

Well how is every one ?
We were put back into WINTER yesterday in Our great ole state of Iowa..
after a day of sunning myself on the back deck in 60 degrees the day before.
yesterday was 38 degrees in the AM & upper teens by evening with
a nice snow shower just for good measure.
but hey...........it IS Jan.

We have had a couple of good days playing around inside the house :-) DD Daisha
& the Max have been here since Tuesday after noon.. She teaches Gracie Algebra ..
YEA for me ! so they worked on that over 3 hrs yesterday & I concentrated on
making poly clay buttons.. I was thrilled with the wood-look ones for Gracie's cardi
I knit for her for Christmas. SO ..One good addiction leads to another. right ?
I made hers with a gold & slightly mixed it with a soft brown.. after rolling a folding
I just it into 1 Inch rectangles... TOO Cute ! Pictures to follow ..

I need to get more items listed on Etsy... just SO hard to get the right pics.. none I take seem
to really show them as cute as they are :)(
takes time I guess.
a lady in Israel is becoming a friend thru etsy & is helping me with picture ideas.
SO neat to meet ladys from all around the world .

best run..
hope all is well .
lisa

shop items

2012-01-04T08:17:00.001-06:00

Hello,

What beautiful weather here in Iowa.. :-)
A friend told me she talked to the Native Americans in Montana & they said b/c there is
so little snow on the plains there , their predicting a mild winter for us all :-)
I know the weather man will complain about lack of mosture , but hey, we need
a break after the HIGH snow fall of the past few years :-)

we attended our first ever caucas last night. pretty interesting .. our man won well tied anyway:_)
we saw two of my favorite ladies there with their beautful babies :-)

I have a lot of ideas for sewn items for my shop :) I will be doing some of them today , then get them
up on gracielynns the bothered sheep & my etsy shop.
I would rather knit, but those items take more time :-)
ck my other blog the first of next week for new items .

Did I say that I sold my first item, a half apron , on etsy ? it was a bumby sale. I had
typed in an old eml address for paypal. so had to cancel the sell & relist , thankfully
Sonja still wanted it.. but unfornutely it was too last for Christmas:)(
It was a learning experience !

well off to sew . then do some spelling with Gracie :-)

I hope you all have a great day !
Lisa
http://www.etsy.com/shop/gracielynn

MERRY CHRISTMAS !

2011-12-23T09:18:00.003-06:00

Just a quick note to say I wish for you and yours the most Merriest of Christmases !

God Bless ,

Lisa

Mascot found !L)(

2011-12-17T18:42:00.001-06:00

Hello,

DD Grace & I went shopping today ..course we had to buy house hold stuff like Chicken 'fluff' ( pine shavings for Cken coop ) & cat food.. you know the unfun stuff.
fun stuff was the 5 hens hubby picked up today from a friend at work.
aw.. they are just SO cute.. fat , round & curious ..Our only hen, Somebody, wasn't sure what they were all about ,, LOL. I let her into the coop & kept the 3 roos out.
somebody stopped at the coop door , the 5 new hens walked over to the door & looked her over too..
LOL.. I think SB was thinking, WOW.I hope their not ALL roos ! LOL.. pretty soon , with the door shut, the hens started talking amongst themselves :_) course Somebody's Roo : Troy , was not happy.. he dashed round the coop & jumped in the yard & back out.. poor ole roo..
The other two beautiful roosters will be culled soon. they just fight too much for comfort.
besides.. it will be nice to just have 6 hens & ONE roo for a change.

On to shopping story .
grace & I stopped a semi-local shop that is just SO beautiful ! my goodness ! We felt like queens LOL. Everything sparkled & the owner was SO nice . I told her I had driven by for Years , and today I said We're stopping ! & boy were we glad we did.. she was very , very welcoming & glad we stopped, wished us a MERRY CHRISTMAS !! YEA !! & we even had a small cup of spiced cider.. yum.. YOU know we will shop there again & again :-)

that is the main difference between a small town shop & the local wally world !
there is a place for super stores, but don't make it your ONLY shopping stop.
rather, then teach your kids that shopping is not all about running around & just slamming through a store , teach them neighborly visiting & slow down , enjoy once in a while .

Please , if you can, stop by the little shops. let them know how glad you are that they are there.

Ok.. The Bothered Sheep ! I love that name.. & someday when I have my own shop , I will name it The Bothered sheep.. well today I found my mascot .. it was a fluffy sheep with long wooden legs & tennis shoes ! LOL. I would say he is on my buy-in-Jan. list for sure :-)

well enough blabbing from me.
God Bless ! and MERRY CHRISTMAS..
now go relax & enjoy a cup of cocoa or a glass of wine..
lisalynn

SOLD !

2011-12-17T08:03:00.003-06:00

Good Morning ,

well , Esty notified me yesterday that my first item at the shop has sold
YEA !
the payment is pending with PAYPAL. hope that all works out.

anyway good to have something liked :-)
Hubby & I shopped yesterday while Gracie babysat for the neighbors.
we didn't get a lot done .. :( but will go out again today with a LIST !

I hope you are all enjoying your day !
lisa

Gifts from the Heart

2011-12-12T09:39:00.004-06:00

Good Morning,

It is a warmer day here in Iowa.. :-) when the snow is melting in Iowa in December , I am a happy lady .LOL

I have completed my oldest daughter's gift , my grandson's gift & my hubby's knitted gift ;-)
course the only one that will be a total surprise is my oldest daughters .. the other two had to do 'try ons' as the knitting progressed :-) but the love its there just the same :-)

I don't have a lot of knitted items up on the shop . or on my etsy shop.. you'd think I sew more then I knit . since I pixed up the needles a few yrs back, after a 25 yr hiatus ! I have sewn only a few times a year. mostly to teach my youngest dd . knitting is relaxing , challenging & portable..
when I sewed I was in the back bedroom & away from everyone :-) not that hubby minded me not controlling the Tv :-) I just enjoy being out of the back room.
Course their are days , when hiding back in my sewing/craft room is just what I need :-) LOL.

today we have to wrap a couple gifts. Gracie made a necklace for a friend at Art class, & the three girls in class each drew a part of a puzzle for their teacher. when framed all together it is SO neat . Each girl did something SO different. one drew a beautiful horse in a meadow. my grace did an abstract with lines & circles in black & red & Rya did a brightly colored flower in yellow & red.
I'm sure their teacher will love it :-)

To me , gifts from the heart are the best Christmas gifts. when I knit for a person I often say a prayer for them.. asking God for His Continued blessings in their lives.. I pray it 'shows' in the finished product. :-)

well enough from me ..
Please comment so I know you're out there !!
And God Bless you and yours today .
lisalynn

faith , mom blogs :-)

2011-12-06T07:50:00.001-06:00

some blogs I read :
http://www.keepinitreal-gina.com/
My prayer is that we would remember the Christ of Christmas all year, every day , every second, in every decision, in every word, in every thought. Adoring Him with our lives.

Oh, come let us adore Him! Oh, come let us adore Him! Oh, come let us adore Him! Christ the Lord!

http://time-warp-wife.blogspot.com/
"I'm absolutely in awe of your writing, the way you pulled biblical principles and weaved them into life application. I'm amazed at how you were able to expand upon simple words like action, self discipline, motivation, intention, etc.--and write thought provoking information to actually help one change their mind-set and pursue their goals.

The way you weaved my stories into all these principles leaves me speechless."

- Candace Cameron Bure, Actress, speaker, and author of Reshaping it All: Motivation for Spiritual and Physical Fitness

have a GREAT DAY :-)
lisa

try my etsy shop

2011-12-05T14:05:00.001-06:00

http://www.etsy.com/shop/gracielynn

ck out my etsy shop :-)

Lisa

busy day :_) & shows I watch on Youtube. who needs Cable ?!

2011-11-28T17:53:00.001-06:00

Hello,

Wow , what a busy day.. beautiful sunshine & NO wind. picture perfect..

If you cked it out.. I entered a lot of sewn items to my other blog.
I have had over 100 hits today.. but no sales .
after this is done I may enter them on my etsy page also.. not sure.
doing it this way saves me money , which in turn saves the buyer money, we all love a bargin , don't we?

jena gracie had her hair colored today. looks so good. she always gets a bit of blonde & a bit of red.. she said :here I am all prettied up with no place to go !:)
bummer..

I ordered tickets today .. part of jena's Christmas gift .. so we are going to see the Nut Cracker :-)! yea.. can't wait!! I think the last live show we attended was a high school play :-)

I have been sitting with my mini on my lap while I knit.. I am addicted to BBC shows. I just found two really neat ones. esp if you like the 1940's.
here is a link to them . ck them out .
boy with youtube & netflix we don't need cable :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ngv7EHsChk

Bless me Father : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sI64Nm3mEg&feature=related

Good night sweetheart : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alvZCjMBc9c&feature=related

hope you have a great week.. let me know if you are interested in any items I have listed :-)

until next time.
Lisa

2011-11-28T09:47:00.001-06:00

be sure & ck out my other page ...
http://gracielynnsbotheredsheep.blogspot.com/
i have a shawl.. lace ck it out . plus a few other items..

lisa

prices lower then etsy...

2011-11-22T07:25:00.001-06:00

Hello,

I was cking out etsy for prices . I have a page there but haven't put these items up yet.

prices for baby hats start at 18.00 there..
I have mine listed a lot lower since I am cutting out the middle man :-)

check out my other page & see if there is something you need :-)

I have hand felted hot pads & will be adding aprons today.

Lisa

2011-11-16T18:04:00.001-06:00

I have started a new blog for the items I have for sale. Please stop over there & join if you can.

http://gracielynnsbotheredsheep.blogspot.com/

LOL
Lisa

G-Lynn's Bothered SHeep

2011-11-16T16:31:00.000-06:00

trying to post again. SORRY ;-)

baby Blue tassel hat :-)

2011-11-16T15:12:00.001-06:00

WHOO HOO :-)

For sale :
One BABY HAT

I esp. love this one , it's just too cute with the tassels on it :-)
pale blue , soft , machine wash & dry .

6 inches high.
5 1/2 inches wide at opening UN-stretched ..
stretched at the opening : 9 inches ..
I would say a 3-6 month size :_)

Price ?? $ 6.50 plus shipping. ( Which should be pretty low..)
combine shipping cost on two or more items :-)

any questions ? just ask ..

Lisalynn

SHOP to open soon.

2011-11-16T08:43:00.000-06:00

A great Christian lady is offering her blog as a place for other Christian women to sell their products :-)
I have to make a Page on my blog jsut for that .. so I will hunt around today & see if I can do that..
Plus I will have to post pics.
my biggest items so far are kntted baby hats & dishcloths.

I'll let you know when I have the page set up ;_)

Lisa

2011-11-14T19:33:00.000-06:00

http://nevernotknitting.blogspot.com/2011/10/baby-sophisticate.html
check out this great podcast:)
you can listen on the page or even download it from iTunes..

She knit this beautiful baby sweater for newborn .
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/baby-sophisticate

looks like my next sweater project :_)
we have two babies due in the next 30 days :-) !

lisa

frogin'

2011-11-14T16:24:00.000-06:00

Oops ! well I had jena's sweater worked past the sleeves & had to frog it.. bummer..
but hey, it's such a fast K, so I am 4 " s into it already..

mom is doing some better.. we took her off the really nasty meds.. which is causing her to loose too much weight.. she is down below 110 pounds ! UGH !
So the Pharm. ordered her a powder you mix with whole milk.. she said she had purchased it for a cancer patient & he gained 10 pounds :-)
So certainly should be good for mom.
the Pharm is delivering it to her apartment today. I think at this point she will drink it no matter the taste :_) she wants to gain at least 10 pounds. I agree :-)

I went to ck out my favorite video cast today.. oops too early I guess.
have you cked out Wolfefarms.blogspot.com ? they are so cute & fun. really a day brightener for sure.

well supper/ tea :-) will be hamb gravy over mashed potatoes tonight.. ( tea reference for my NZ friend ))
MUST BuY groc. SOON .......................
funny tho.. my dad ( rest his soul ) always said " when mom's out of groceries she cooks better :-)"
meaning.. if you have to make it ALL homemade with things you have on hand.. you can be pretty creative.
the other night I was not at all sure what we were going to have. Hubby Kim found precooked hamb. & Cheese in the freezer.. he said you have flour don't you ? I said Yea.............. so why not make Pizza ? SO jena & I did.. See.. much better for us then Pizza hut.. & no one had to run to town or anything.. just the smell of pizza baking in the oven.. Yum..............

well enough for now.
take care.. & remember to be Christ to others today :-)
Lisa

do YOU ?

2011-11-05T22:05:00.000-05:00

Hello,
What a beautiful day it was in Iowa.. well , this entire week was wonderful.. even the huge , but short lived blizzard we had on Tuesday. which of course followed a 75 degree day :-) typical for the midwest.

I have some good news.. Mom is doing a lot better.. I ~~think~~, know the prayers have worked wonders.
she may not get fat again. :_) but she is going to live .. live the days God has intended, rather then sit & wait for Him to come calling .. LOL.. not that she was totally down every day , but she has certainly got her spunk back. ( & u wondered where I got mine :)

I have completed the hat & mitts for Daisha's dear friend who is going thru cancer treatment. Sure hate that ..I said a prayer for her as I went along.. so they are 'stuffed' with blessings .

Jena Grace purchased a mini counted cross stitch this past week, her first try at it.
( I gave it up yrs ago.. I hated counting the tiny squares ! UGH !) J-Grace was a bit upset to start with , but after a couple re-starts she cheerfully said ' I think I got it !' :_)

Daisha has been busy crocheting a blanket for Max for Christmas.... which reminds me I need to purchase some sock yarn for his 'football' socks :-)
DO you have your Christmas gifts completed ?
Tonight I bought the Berroco Vintage DK for J-G's cardi ..shh it's a Christmas gift :_)..yea.. like she won't see me knitting it.. She chose the colorway : Chocolate .. I am going to knit it , top down , raglan sleeves. Should go pretty fast & the pattern lends itself to changes. which I love.

I'm also going to try my hand at needle punch embroidery.. have you tried it ? I watched a video on youtube .. seems pretty easy..& looks very pretty when completed.. I purchased a three needle set at Hobby lobby with my 40% off coupon ..:-)

I haven't done a lot of spinning this week. Have you ? I have plenty of roving yet to spin.. but that's ok. I love working with it & so don't want to rush thru it.:-)

off to get mom's dinner I made for her in the freezer....... if a few of us kids would just make an extra meal a couple times a week.. she'd have a freezer full of "real" food in no time :-)

well.. please leave a comment to let me know what u have been working on.
i hate to 'talk' to myself :_)

God Bless..
lisa

free Brit shows

2011-10-31T08:35:00.000-05:00

Hello,

http://acornonline.com/acorntv.aspx?p=D4798E01&currentset=well-meet-again-set&t=f
free Shows to view online : British mysteries .......

LOL I hope this British company is not connected with "ACORN" in the usa .. :-)
(we found out that Progressive Car Insurance was a nasty Liberal co. after we had been with them for years...)
Well if you find out that this ACORN & the other are connected........... let me know .

lisa

wild bill

2011-10-30T22:48:00.000-05:00

http://wildbillforamerica.com/

I have to say I agree wholeheartedly with Bill..
no on nasty needs to be elected to any post , least of all President of the United States of America !

make sure you watch Secret Service #s 1 & 2............. I had heard this before from other sourses when Billy & hillary were in the office. but of course there is an update about the current prez.
lisa

sale

2011-10-14T22:44:00.000-05:00

Hello,

well the house hold sale is Sat.. at 9AM..
frankly I am SO relived. seems it has been going on for ages. sorting with mom took twice as long.
so hard to give up everything as she has had to do the last 4 months.
on the bright side, she has kept a lot too.. WHERE it will go to be stored ? , save those thoughts for another day............

On a knitting note . I finally found a pattern design I had knit on a sampler scarf.......... yea. super easy & yet it looks complicated.. can't wait to knit the Honey Cowl by Ann Maria. I think the pattern would be super cute knit into a baby sweater, or adult one OR a sock ...........hummmmmmmmmmm??LOL

hope you are all doing well.
lisa

podcasts I like

2011-10-11T23:12:00.000-05:00

http://knittingincirclespodcast.blogspot.com/

&

http://wolfefarms.blogspot.com/2011_10_01_archive.html

how is that for short & sweet..

pix of hats & the cutest , easiest baby sweater :-) coming next post ..

lisa

buying bulk ? ck this site out.

2011-10-04T21:19:00.000-05:00

http://www.bulkfoods.com/order.asp

If you have ever wondered about buying in bulk.... & aren't sure where to buy.
I have always liked the company linked above.

over 10 yrs ago I bought yeast in bulk.. I don't remember how many pounds :-) but I was told freezing it would keep it forever. I think I am down to a sandwich /ziploc now... but it still works as good as the day I bought it .

Now I am going to order
Dried Tom. powder ,22 oz for 12.49
tapioca, 1 pound for 5.27
dried / sliced pototoes ,5 Pds for 17.00
& 22 oz of unflavored geletin for $ 12.37. ( a 1/4 tsp. equals ONE packet of the store brand. souns like super savings to me :-)

orders over 75.00 ship for 5.00.

recipes are also listed for many items..

ck the site out & see what you think. I know the site doesn't look all slick & glossy but if their products are what they used to be , it's OK with me :-)

Lisa

review of new catalog & Movie review ( No spoilers :-)

2011-10-02T13:36:00.000-05:00

Hello :_)

I Hope everyone is doing great on this beautiful Sunday , it is just gorgeous here in Iowa today. I have to say after a super HOT summer with almost no relief , it is so nice to have 70's & low 80's.

Mom was doing great Saturday.. really no memory problems at all ,so Jena & I left hubby home to watch the game & we took mom to see The Help downtown. Have you read the book or seen the movie ? I won't give anything away.. just to say , it was a great movie , a true Chick Flick.

Knitting :
I have almost completed another sock.. just working on the ribbing now. I have yet to try out my new Two at a Time Toe up Socks book by Melissa Morgan-Oakes. Have you tried 2 at a time. or used any of her books ? DO you even knit socks ? if you knit , you should give socks a try :_)
of course I have yet to wash the Shawl I knit with the beading :_) so pretty if I do say so myself..LOL
I have to get the pix of all the pink & blue baby hats too.. some how there just wasn't enough time this week..

Catalogs :
I received the www.Herrschners.com catalog Friday . Jammed packed with yarns. Not the Designer yarns , but hard working cottons , wools & acrylics.
They have Simply SO ft Caron in beautiful colors , 330 yd skeins , size 3 @ $199 . if you are looking to make some want super soft toys or blankets Caron is what you need. I knit a little bear for my great nephew with Caron & oh........... so soft & huggable :_)
Cotton in a huge 2,400 yd cone in a 3-ply is $12.99 for size 20 .
Also lots of cottons which are great for Dish Clothes, Sugar & Cream size 4 at $2.49 a ball. Have you seen the Scented Sugar n Cream ? sounds interesting. smells like , chamomile or rose petal, plus 5 other colors & scents .
The catalog offers crochet & Knit kits at reasonable prices too. easy to use. all the guess work is done for you :-)
They offer pom pom makers, Looms the Martha Stewart version with patterns .. Weaving is sure making a come back, have you tried it yet ? On www.yarncraft.lionbrand.com episode 99 liz & Zontee explain different types of weaving looms , along with patterns..
You can really weave other items besides place mats :-) who knew ? LOL

well that is about it from me.. I hope you take a minute to drop me a line.
let me know if there is a K book that you want reviewed or let us know what books You find helpful & why ?

thanks for stopping by.. ( if you got this far :-) & hope to hear from you soon.

"glad you got to see me " :-) lisa

Ww2 & read at your own risk :-)LOL

2011-09-23T20:01:00.001-05:00

Good evening..
I am enjoying all the new features on blogspot , Who knew folks from places like Russia & Brazil were stopping by . LOL ?! cool :-)

Not sure if you read my bio.. am a Christian. I will make NO apoligies for that today or ever.
seems the PC crowd would like that. But to me that would be like standing in front of Christ & as they say.. "showing him my hand" . I would never .. so read my posts at your own risk.. :-)

I am in charge of the kitchen at church.. which means nothing more glamorous then I clean & make sure the pantries are full. :-) the church has an account with SAMS.. aka Wally world 2 :_)
I haven't been a fan of walmart for a very long time. that is a story I won't get into now .

Back to the event today :_) A nice young woman waited on us.. (we had $ 200.00 of paper products , purchaed with donations from Church memebers !! hold that thought ))
As we were chatting she said the other clerk was afraid to wait on that guy over there.
I said Oh. why is that ?
she explained " For some reason he gets really mean to the clerks.throws a fit about waiting in line "
I said " Oh.. that's too bad."
Then , (Forgetting I am NOT in a Christian store. :_) I said.. " You know what ? why don't you say ,. God Bless & have a great day ! when you ck him out. ? "
She looked shocked & said ," OH. NO I don't think we are allowed to say that .! probably what is wrong with the world , being SO PC "
Course my reply was " Yea. I don't go for ANY PC garbage.. "
she went on " I don't think we can even say Merry Christmas at Christmas time."
I said " you know that is really sad.. And I think if the Gov & businesses are so against Christ they shouldn't get the day off paid. Let them work every "Holiday " ( derived for the words Holy Days ) !
She looked a bit shocked.. and afraid that we were even having this conversation.
IMagine.. Afraid to Talk about Christ. or Christmas .. IN AMERICA ? IN the Year 2011 ?
Sinful to say the least.
I doubt the managment would fire her for talking about it w/me. But the PC police would be thrilled to KNOW SHE thought so !

so what would you do ? would you continue to shop there. blow it off : Oh.. well , what is this world coming too ? LOL.. what can we do anyway.. And their Prices are so good.. ( NO they are NOT ))
So does it come back to the Almighty Dollar ? or standing for Christ? does it matter in these situations.. Does God Care about it at all ? OR am I being foolish ?

This all got me to thinking.. WHY on earth IF Sam Walmart was a Christian as reported did his
Privately owned co. gone SO far Left?
& WHY is my church Supporting this behaviour ? Why are the Tithes from our members going to
support it ?

SO I am going to go to a local store & see if I can work a deal with the manager there & get bulk price on paper towels & plates.
I don't really appreciate driving to WW 2 anyway . I am HUGE on Buying local.. so this would fit right in .

OH, I forgot the rest of the story..
As Jena & I were walking out. we had to wait for traffic.. ( yea, they are SUPPOSE to wait for us :)
three young men drove by & yelled F---k YOU ! .. Jena didn't even hear him..
she said something to me . I said did you hear what he said. She said No.. I said GOOD thing..
A man about my age was walking beside us & turned & smiled & shook his head in agreement that she hadn't heard..
Have you seen the video on YouTube of Walmart shoppers .. gross pix But that song sticks in your head !! LOL Thankfully we did NOT see any such thing at Sams :-)

well enough ranting.............. or not.. :-)
GOD BLESS you & yours..
on to knitting , Monk & coffee.

LIsa

2011-09-22T13:14:00.004-05:00

HELLO,
Beautiful day here on the 'west' coast of Iowa.. :-)

jena & I are still battling colds.. but hopefully we can be other this soon .. is there anything more irritating then a nagging cold?

I am knitting the second sock, Toe up..had a bit of what's know as second sock syndrome . but that is passing. I usually hurry & cast on so I have take along , easy knitting, BUT before you know it I am turning the heel & off to the finish line. Bummer.. again, I have sat & knit my TRAVEL knitting ..
ugh ! maybe I need to just leave it in the car.. ? nope.. cuz ............................ I want to knit it !:_)

we are still in the process of getting the pix of the other baby hats I knit. all pink for girls & blue for boys. only variation is the pattern.. yes, if you're asking , they are good travel knitting too. :-) so maybe i could leave one of those in each car. ? a great idea :_)

I have loads of wool to spin. but currently only ONE spindle..( I must buy some more.) the orange mix is so pretty , would make beautiful mittens or gloves.. I've only knit ONE pair of gloves so far , they were actually easier then I thoght they would be.. who knew ?

are you listening or watching any interesting podcasts you would like to share ?
one local lady has a great one called,
roundthetwistwithcarin.blogspot.com

hope you comment with what you're working on. whether it be knitting or crochet. or Home redos.. always love those.
please give me the link to your blog too..

take care and enjoy the day the Lord has provided.
lisa

2011-09-20T13:14:00.001-05:00

I just listed a baby hat on Etsy.com
ck it out :_)

http://www.etsy.com/shop/gracielynn

I have a lot more hats to add.. Plus wash cloths & maybe some hot pads:-)

2011-09-19T17:23:00.002-05:00

http://originateandrenovate.blogspot.com/2011/09/polaroid-banner.html

Great blogger :_)

shame !!

2011-09-18T13:47:00.001-05:00

OK.............. don't throw stones !! I sent too many posts.. feel free to just delete ................. sorry ..
(Bad blogger!!)

sign-in keeps going off !!!!!!!!

2011-09-18T12:50:00.000-05:00

HELLO

I am still having trouble getting Blogspot to KEEP me Signed in.........................
anyone know how I can fix that ? very irritating ..

new blog of a friend

2011-09-18T12:03:00.000-05:00

hello,
My BFF's young married , first time mom , daughter haS a great new blog.
ck it out if you'd like.

http://gabriellella.blogspot.com/

Church times were changed.. so had to be there by 9 am.. weird being home so early :-)
rainy today , but not as cold as yesterday ,, it was down right BURR..

I am finishing up a knitted shrug for my mom. knitting more baby hats. & in the mood to sew again. need to get SIL's blanket & pillow done too.. want to sew some coasters.. have an idea I think will be cute.
I am lousy at posting pixs.. but hope to get into more of a routine this Autumn .

God Bless , & have a Wonderful DAY!
Lisa

Sept. 11th 2011

2011-09-11T15:56:00.000-05:00

Hello,

What a time .. remembering 911 & watching some shows on TV have really brought back the memories. Such a terrible & yet faith affirming time it was and continues to be.
we must never forget............... no more then we have forgotten WW2 or Pearl Harbor.
it is history & from all history we must learn from it.

I had completely forgotten it was officially Patriot day today .......& Grandparents day , until max sent us a card :-) bless him :-)

I pray you are each enjoying family today , that you took time to say Thank You in your prayers. Life is SO fragile.... keep loved ones close to you ...

lisa

what a summer ?!

2011-07-08T09:39:00.000-05:00

Hello,

What a deal here in Iowa.. MANY families have had to move out of their homes either b/c the flooded Missouri has reached their homes OR b/c it Might !
many that have been out of their homes for a month are starting to move back home. not completely , but with the essentials .. I don't blame them. they have either lived with family or small apartments or even their campers ..
& in normal floods , only those that live in the flooded areas would be effected. BUT this one is EPIC & Caused by poor management of the Damns on the MO. , so that means I-29 has been closed in many areas which means many that work over the river , can't get to work unless they drive over an hour & half.
Thankfully Hubby's job provides rooms in the Plaza in Omaha .. he has had to use it a few times cuz the DOT put up HUGE sand/ rock bags along hwy 30 ( Between Mo Vally & Blair NE. ) which is doing a great job of keeping the water off the road.. they only have to close for a couple days at a time to set the bags up.. today the hwy is open again , so he can come home:-)

Mom is living here , straight out of the nursing home. SHe has made lots of improvements in the weeks she has been here.. BUT even if her home wasn't in the flood plain , not sure if she would be going home alone.Course she is getting antsy about driving again. Not sure that would be wise .. :-)

so ..what is happening in your area ? please comment & let me know if you have a blog I can follow :-)

today mom is going out with my brother , so jena & I are heading out too.. we hope to have lunch with hubby .. but he will probably be too busy ..

hope you are all well.. talk to you soon.
lisa

blogs I like

2011-06-13T07:00:00.000-05:00

if u have some free time today..
ck out :
http://aturtleslifeforme.blogspot.com/2011/06/freezer-meals-on-cheap.html

http://ladykatherineteaparlor.blogspot.com/

blog I like

2011-06-13T06:57:00.001-05:00

turles life for me. on Blogspot..
wow did she do the freezer meals..

ck it out :-)
lisa

such a beautiful day

2011-05-31T13:55:00.000-05:00

wow.. just picture perfect weather today.. SO glad I am no locked in an office today ..
70's & No humidity.. perfect for Iowa ..

i am having some trouble with this blog. 'it' lets me post when it feels like it & won't keep me signed in ! UGH @!
if any of you know why this is happening , let me know ..

lisa

UGH

2011-05-30T08:14:00.002-05:00

trying to see if I can get this to post !!

can't post!!! UGH !

2011-05-30T08:11:00.001-05:00

trying to see if posting will finally work !

memorial day

2011-05-30T08:07:00.001-05:00

good day to everyone..

remember the reason for the 'hol(Y) day :-)

thank a soldier !!

lisa

memorial DAY

2011-05-30T07:46:00.002-05:00

Good Day ,

short post.. :-)
I just wanted to say , remember the reason for Memorial Day & be sure your kids understand.

it's not about the first day of "summer' .. stay safe & thank a soldier !

God Bless !

Lisa

NOW the picture

2011-04-29T08:27:00.002-05:00

yesterday I couldn't get the picture of jena to load.

so we'll try again.

LOL

jen's hair

2011-04-28T11:30:00.002-05:00

Daisha put jen's hair in a french braid , so today it is bouncy , just like she likes it . looks like a perm w/o the commitment :-)

podcasts

2011-04-20T09:10:00.002-05:00

Hello,
I AM A HUGE PODCAST FAN.. MY 'PLAYER' GOES WITH ME EVERY WHERE.. i SPEND QUITE A BIT OF TIME IN THE VAN , WAITING FOR JENA.. DANCE, VOICE LESSONS.. AND SO ON.
SO HAVING MY KNITTING & MY PLAYER WITH ME MAKES THE TIME GO & I GET SOMETHING AKCMPLISHED .

CURRENTLY i AM LISTENING TO SHE-KNITS SMALL TALK.
IT IS A KNITTING, LIFE PODCAST. SHE TALKS ABOUT HER 7 KIDS & HER KNIT ALONGS.

OF COURSE , KNITPICKS, HOXTON HANDMADE, & THE OLD SHOWS LIKE : GILDERSLEEVE, FATHER KNOWS BEST & AGATHA CRISTIE.

IF YOU SPEND TIME IN THE VAN/CAR, TRY PODCASTS.

CK ITUNES .. SEARCH UNDER AUDIO PODCASTS, THEN 'KNIT' OR MYSTERIES ..

OUR OLD DUCHESS KITTY IS PRETTY SICK. we HAD HER AT THE VETS A FEW WEEKS AGO & ALL HER BLD WORK CAME BACK GOOD.. SO WHAT TO DO ?? THE OTHER NIGHT JEN & I WERE SEARCHING ON VET SITES & THE only THING THAT SEEMED TO FIT HER SYMPTOMS WAS WORMS !
i CAlled the vet & they said they had a one time treatment . we should actually do it once a year. so both indoor cats received treatment.
The Duchess should improve within 2 weeks .. if not we can do another treatment in a month. But we'll see.. she is 13 yr old.. jena is 14.. so she is sad that Duchess is sick.. I told her we would do this , but there is no guarantee it will work.. we just don't know what is wrong.

anyway.. off to finish up the dishes.. more sewing today.. getting the skirt for jena ready for Easter. She sings her special at both services . she is nervous.. SO please say a prayer for her, that she will glorify God & not just think of her own fears :-)

lisa

some pictures

2011-03-31T09:11:00.005-05:00

Hello,

I have struck up a friendship with a gal from Scotland who does her own podcast..

http://www.caithnesscraftcollective.podbean.com/

it took a bit to get used to her heavy accent.. but she is well worth listening too.. check it out.

ANYWAY.. I was saying.. I took some pics to send to her & thought I might as well post them here too.

some of the chickens: which are hard to get pics of on the mini.

and a couple of the puppy: who is at 112 pounds now.. he 'gets' to spend the days outside.. and evenings & nights inside.. pretty spoilt pup..

currently he is scared to death of momma kitty ! he won't even walk past her.. so the other night he laid by the front door whining & barking. Jena went in after a while to see what was the matter.......... Momma was sitting between puppy & the kitchen.. LOL he wouldn't pass her for anything ! :-) so funny..

I mistakeningly posted two of the same pic.. :-) I made a drop spindle for spinning.. :-) love it..it was made from tonka toys & old cds.. LOL

fun..

well post a comment or a link to your blog. we'd all love to see it !

lisa

knit time

2011-03-15T08:46:00.003-05:00

Hello,

where has the time gone ?

just to let you know I am here . scary picture.. I will do an update soon..

jena has her braces off.. and I have had my hair cut :-)

please put in comments where you are :-) do you have a blog?

post that too ..

lisa

how to make ?!

2011-02-04T08:43:00.002-06:00

Hello,
hope you are all well.

I was cleaning the oak doors on my kitchen cupboards the other day when I came upon a wonderful idea .. light bulb moment.
as I cleaned with regular dish soap in a bit of water , I wished I have some "Murphy's oil soap"..
seeing the veggie oil on the counter I had an idea.. yep, you guessed it..
I poured a bit of oil in the soapy water.. Worked like a charm !!
cleaned the doors & left a nice protective shine ! Yea. another money saving idea ,brought 2 u by me :-) remember the majority of the products on the market are just old ideas brought to many with a needless price tag..

any products in your cup boards that you could make ? look around , you'd be saving money & feeling pretty proud of yourself to boot..

lisa

podcasts

2011-01-25T19:41:00.003-06:00

hello,
do you listen to pod casts ?
I do when I have time. seems no one wants to talk . until I put the deal in my ear !
sometimes I just point to my ears in disgust.. come on people.

she-knitssmallalk is a good one.
ck out iTunes when you get a moment. you will find a lot of information on any subject that interests you. I tried to podcast once.. wasn't too bad.. but not sure where to go with it.
thought maybe jena could join in also .. so we'll see. the site i used is going to paid only.. and I won't pay for it .

I have had a yahoo group for ages.. years really..
but I think that is coming to an end.
just seems so many other ways to communicate out there now-a-days .

please feel free to ask questions or comment on my posts.. just so I know I am NOT the only one reading these.

I am trying something new with my Avon..
I am writing out monthly letters to go along with the books.
and adding a recipe to each. I hope they like them.
only heard from one that she did..

well take care & comment when you can..
Lisa

sunshine

2011-01-24T09:29:00.002-06:00

good morning,

it's sunshine here today, well at least for the morning. it's suppose to be 32 also.
after the snow Saturday night we are ready for some warmer temps.

we plan on doing maths & grammar today. so that pretty much takes care of the morning :-)
Jena is doing all pre-algebra work at the moment. not too bad.
instead if doing each section in each chapter I test her on the review pages of each & then go back a redo the sections she had trouble with. a teacher advised me to do this , she said they did it all the time. sure does save time.. and it's a confidence booster for jena .

I spent an hour before jena got up reading about the UN's crap. ck it out on parentalrights.org.
SO much info there. be sure and ck out your state & see what progress they are making concerning this issue. We are about complete in child rearing.. but our concern is for our grandchildren and adult children that will , possibly, if we're not vigilant now, that will have to deal with it..

I am knitting the "traveling Woman " Shawl.. I have mixed reviews on it.
the lace bit is very pretty.. but how it will work exactly is a bit concerning.
i will have to ck out ravelry.com again & see the finished work. not a lot of finished projects on it that I could find.. it's winder then it is deep.. which is fine with me. but I have yet to really see that. I have no qualms with ripping it out if I'm not happy with the end results either.
which makes hubby & jena g scream ! LOL why they should care is beyond me .

well all take care & have a God Filled day !
Lisa

tooth Post surgery

2011-01-11T15:05:00.002-06:00

well, here we are a week post op.
my neck & face are almost back to normal ! there is still a lump under my cheek bone, so have a call into the dr. to see if we need to keep on the meds a couple more days.
I have to say today I feel more normal then I have in a month .

hope you are all enjoying the day.
we have snow on the ground , today it's sunny but so cold ! 8 degrees I think..
too cold to venture out for anything.
jena is glad she only has to go out to the chicken coop once a day :-)

God Bless, lisa

tooth pulled

2011-01-05T14:21:00.002-06:00

hello,
it has been many many years since I have had a tooth pulled
bad part was I had a pretty bad infection before I went in.
I questioned the surgeon about antib. BEfore surgery, but he just mumbled that he'd write me a prescription after.
well for future reference. NEVER get a tooth pulled w/o taking antib. first.if you have to go to your dentist & get them, do it.
he gave me an antib that was not strong enough, so by the end of the second day the infection was spreading.. last night we went to the late night clinic & she changed by meds to a super powerful one. what I didn't realise is that the infection was spreading to the lymph nodes..

anyway.. with just ONE dose of this med I could see a difference. not even 24 hours on the meds & boy is the swelling going down.

I should have listened to my instincts & chgd the date of the surgery & had my dentist give me the RIGHT antib.

live & learn. thankfully, live :-)

podcasts I love ..

2010-12-30T19:58:00.002-06:00

Hello,

I love podcasts.. one recent one I have started with is
caithnesscraftcollective.podbean.com
She talks about more then just knitting.. so it's one of a kind as it should be.
she is Scottish.. SO the accent is a bit strong , but so worth taking the time to figure it out :-)

She is so sweet.. so interesting.. and the Sandy Laugh is so worth the time :_)

ck her out on iTunes, her blog or ravelry.com .

anyway..
God Bless YOU !!

knitting

2010-12-16T10:38:00.002-06:00

hello,

the top pic is :is my vest 2/3 rd done . I think I am going to love it.. large needles & Bulky yarn.. with a soft rolled down collar. I'll just wear it with a belt for closer. ( Oops. and JEANS of course )

The next pic is of the first gloves I have tried.. I think I love knitting gloves !

the lighter brown/ cream thing is a cape ish thing :_) also made up. I liked a cable stitch I saw that was for napkin rings.. I enlarged the yarn and needles , then garter stitched each side..

joined in the round .. picked up and knit up to make the top of cape & collar..

Never enough time to knit in ONE day ! :-)

pics

2010-12-16T10:25:00.004-06:00

jena , Max, Mom & Mil: Pauline

up & left.. Jessica, Jena & Max

pictures from my Mom's 85th Birthday party..

she is the beautiful lady in red :_)

Daisha , above with mom.. Daiaha made the decorated cake !

Christmas is almost here :_)

2010-12-16T09:40:00.002-06:00

Hello,

Last evening we were showered with ice & snow pellets. makes for a scary drive home for many.
Lots of accidents were reported too, raining Ice is no fun on windshields .
Thankfully Hubby made it home safely.

we had a nice warm supper & then watched "The Christmas story ". Hubby joked , we should wait for Daisha, isn't this her favorite movie ? ( NOT !)

Have you completed all your shopping , how about your decorating & baking ?

I'm afraid I have not. :-) but the last minute rush is fun,, isn't it ?

this year I decided not to put up a lot of my old decorations. yea for me !
But .......... that did limit what I had to put up, so , decorations are a bit sparse.
I also didn't want a lot of non-Christmas stuff up.. I do have a collection of Santas..
they are currently residing on the fire place in the dining room.
I would love to have true Christmas items like a Nativity Set. Can you believe I don't even own
one ? I know! over the years the girls have both been given a set by my mom.. so we put those up.
So that is something to be in search of :-) If I had realized I could have bought a HUGE set at the thrift store.. they wanted a pretty penny for it ..but it certainly was worth the above normal thrift store prices ! 75.00 I think it was. but it was beautiful and HUGE.

today is a day of Schooling.. & cleaning.. a load of jeans sets in the washer.. & the carpets certainly need vacuumed ..
possibly the old bananas will be made into delicious b-bread :_) yummy..

may you all have a Blessed day .
Lisa
PS .. be careful with space heaters. I hung curtains between out dining room and kitchen.. so pretty... well the space heater sets just inside the family room.. and wouldn't you know it.
the dog ran thru the curtains and of course I smelled something funny............ well.. it was the bottom of the curtain ! Thank GOD it just melted & didn't go up in flames.
be careful out there ladies ..

Knit or Crochet ?

2010-11-20T10:16:00.002-06:00

Hello,

well we had our 3rd k & C group. we had a great time..
I was esp. happy to have my friend Cindi show with her granddaughter Addi..
Addi was SO good.. she spent alot of time threading foam beads onto a string.. Very good
hand eye coordination for a 2 yr old.
after about an hour jena took her over to books & kids tables.. she loved that. jena said she had to try every chair & table out too..
Cindi wanted to learn the magic loop so I taught her that.. it all comes naturally to her tho..
so she is easy to teach.

The ladies that help with the Hospital Aux. gave me some yarn & a pattern to knit some wash cloths .. one lady was embroidering tea towel with really cute heart patterns for them also.
so fun to see all the ladies working on so many deverse projects.
the weatehr was a beautiful autumn day too. lots of sunshine & warmish temps.

today is very chilly outside. highs in the low 30's if we're lucky.
only thing we have to go to town for is Jena's Christmas program practice..
so we're glad of that.

talk soon. lisa

Ravelry !

2010-11-12T15:42:00.002-06:00

ravelry !
what more can I say..
yep.. pretty much eats up time.. but on a chilly very damp Friday with NO sunshine at all.. what could be better then a bit of knitting & a search around the wonderful patterns , people & groups on Ravelry..

ck it out if you knit or crochet.. you won't be sorry.. Supper might burn.. but hey.. priorities ladies !

lisa

whatcha knittin' ?

2010-11-02T15:20:00.002-05:00

Hello,
currently I am knitting a cable surrounded by garter stitches.
Not sure exactly what it will become.
I could pick up along the 'top' and close that in & make a hat.
or I could pick up on both sides and make a purse..
or i could pick up on both sides & make a sweater.. um.. what to do ?
I'm using a wool that goes from cream to brown & it's a bit tweedy .
so would work for about anything. that's what is fun about knitting/crochet, you can change your mind in the middle :-)

beautiful day here in Iowa.. 60's & sunny ! yea.. jena & I walked the field , always seems a bit sad to walk through a picked field, everything closed up for winter . speaking of the north field, Kim , jena & I spent sat. putting up snow fence. we have about 400 yards so far & need to add 200 more. we are covering every bit of the north field this year. HOPEFULLY we won't be snowed is as we were last year@!

Pup : Aka Little Ricky , is doing well.. he is still stubborn ! but that is to be expected from a 5 month old pup I guess. He about pulls your arm off when you take him outside ! (he is on a lease)
on nice days he has his own place outside.. Not that he likes being tied up, or that we want him tied up .. but the fields are so tempting to a pup & we certainly don't want him getting to the roads !

I best get around & see how the elections are doing.. Sounds like the libs/dems are having a rough time. lets pray it keeps going . ( The news reporter on my radio just said , Obama has done all he can to help ! ) LOL ! yep.. sounds to me like HE is helping the wrong side :-)
thanks O !

election..

2010-11-02T15:19:00.001-05:00

Did you vote ? if you're a conservative.. you vote today..
if you're a liberal ( then why would you be reading MY blog :-) you vote wed. :_)

Lisa

New Knitting group !

2010-10-24T08:36:00.002-05:00

Mary Hunt & I have started a new knitting /crochet group in our home town..
Mary was unable to come to the first meeting due to family issues.
but we had a nice turn out..
my oldest dd , Daisha & my youngest , Jena were there too.
such a nice group of ladies..

I can post pics once we get them loaded ..

I started a ravelry group for the club too.
have a blessed day :-)
Lisa

school daze.

2010-09-24T11:04:00.005-05:00

Hello,

things are moving along for school.. Jena still loves science & anything to do with reading.. esp history.

we found a new grammar program.. called Grammar made easy.. she likes that better then the ABeka one.. so that works.

also we are into the pre-algebra .. so far so good.

our pup , Lil Ricky is growing by leaps an bounds. he must weigh about 35 pounds by now.. he is almost 4 months old. he's behaving a bit better , at least he minds me :-) something must translate on the Mom level.. when I yell at him to stop biting Jena he sits right down & gives me the sad 'puppy dog' eyes :-)

I have completed most of my Shadow cabled sweater.. I ran out of yarn . so will have to buy another one. but I think I did a good job on it & it will be a super warm winter cardi.. you can see a close up of one piece before I sewed it together.. I'll post updated pics when I get the front edge done.

I bought a Turkish spindle !! I know.. another hobby.. :-) I can't hardly wait for it to arrive.. once it and the roving arrive I won't want to do anything else :_)
I'll keep you posted on it.

Jena is staying alnight with gram & going to see nanny mcfee at our local theatre.. should be fun..

so have a great day !! write comments when you can.

lisa

just the tight siz for a baby hat

2010-09-11T19:30:00.003-05:00

Hello,

I came across this note & thought I would share it with you.
When you knit or crochet a baby hat it helps to have the standard measurements .
3-6 months : 15" Head
6-9 months : 16.5 "
9-12 months: 18"

Now copy that down & keep it for reference :-)

Lisa

puppy !?!

2010-09-11T09:26:00.003-05:00

Hello,

well as you may remember we had to put our beloved Charlie dog down a yr ago.

since then we have been kind-of looking for another , we knew when the right dog/puppy came along we would know it.

Well Daisha lives in Lincoln NE & a cute little puppy came up on her home school group. SO.................of course we took him.

he is a mastiff / lab mix.. so won't be HUGE , but will be a presence for sure.

also the two breeds are good family dogs, which is important too.

So far he minds me better then anyone else. which is SO nice :_)

with Charlie I would yell KIM ! and Charlie would mind , LOL It worked even if Kim was not home ..
now it seems to work with Kim yells LISA !

I love it..

I am more then half way done with my cardi.. so with the cooler weather just round the corner I am excited to complete & wear it :-)

hope you all enjoy your week..

Lisa

sock knitting

2010-08-18T16:57:00.002-05:00

Well I think I have finally figured out this sock thingy ..

I had it once.. & then lost it.. but you know .. the whole bike analogy thing..

yea.. it's true. you do remember.. ( After ripping out 4 times ! searching ALL sock patterns ever invented.. re reading a bazillion times ! yea.. you 'remember'

:-)

knitting away

2010-08-17T10:51:00.002-05:00

Hello,
I am knitting a pair of socks for Jena.. I had intended that this color way be for Daisha.. a bit of purple.. her fav. color.
But after knitting and re knitting Several times.. ( I just couldn't get the size right ) they have been reduced to Jena's size :-)
Daisha's will get done.. but not until I mess with it some more.
I know it can be done !! I'm just not smart enough to get it figured out .

well have a wonderful God Filled Day :-)
Lisa

oh.. lovely floor redo with Paper !

2010-08-17T10:47:00.001-05:00

http://www.anoregoncottage.com/2010/08/video-diy-alternative-to-wood-floors.html
Please ck this blog out .. too many wonderful ideas to mention here.
the brown paper floor in the bedrooms looks like real wood floors :-)

lisa

2010-08-11T10:30:00.003-05:00

is it hot where you are ?
wow.. we have really had the heat & Humidity here in Iowa this year..
we're hoping for a cool down trend starting on Saturday , 80's :-)

we have some family coming tomorrow to swim, that should be fun.
at least the pool has made it this far.. last year we had it tore down by now.

I am knitting on a pair of purple/ beige socks.. had to rip this 1st one out 3 times so far, but I don't mind, I'd rather be happy with them when complete
then give them away knowing there were major mistakes.
at least it is giving me some practice. I had forgotten the ins and outs of sock knitting .. but just like the proverbial bike.. you do remember..

off to finish the kitchen .. and maybe get my brownies in the oven.
MUST HAVE TREATS !!!!!!!!

A day in the Life.. Jena's 14th B-day !

2010-08-02T10:31:00.004-05:00

Hello,

you have probably seen or read about people who take a picture a day for a year?
well I thought how fun it would be to do a picture an hour on Jena's 14Th B-day :-)

I think the day was fun, and having to do the pix every hour was an added bonus.

The Duchess & jena was at 9 pm. I think

her and I in the pool was about 3..

The man with her in the 10 am shot is Duane , he's our music director. Nice guy.

the one of her jumping in the pool was about 4..

today is back to reality.. chores & house cleaning.. But yesterday was a day to celebrate !

have a blessed day !

lisa

flylady !

2010-07-29T13:21:00.001-05:00

you will love the Flylady !
it's about keeping house. but it's SO much more..

blogtalkradio.com/flylady
Lisa

canning relish

2010-07-29T10:47:00.001-05:00

I'm canning zucchini relish today .. YUMMM !

I'll add pics later..

lisa

Hello,

2010-07-20T10:48:00.003-05:00

well it has been awhile.. not worried cuz I don't think anyone reads this :-)
but that's ok..

we had our sweet Owen a couple weeks ago.. the pic of him and jena at lunch time was so cute. He loves to just lay his head down anywhere :-)

Jena took the pic of the sun coming thru the clouds after a storm.. so beautiful.

And a wonderful Apple Pie.. so yummy ,jena & I did that together.. it was quite funny, as you can tell it's not picture perfect. but it's taste perfect :_)

County Fair time is upon us.. Jena has a couple crocheted items to add.

she also has come great pictures she took. we have to run into town & get frames for them as soon as our neighbor returns our car.. Tye rod broke Sunday :-(

our weather has been SO rainy the poor garden has suffered. Veggies are growing.. but so are the weeds .. lol

I have been trying to keep up better with the house work... it's just not a priority as it used to be.. but I do need to improve , that's for sure.

we had a great week end with daisha & Max here.. we laughed so hard in the pool. just had a great time.. except most of us were pretty burnt.. not the kids as much as the adults..

well off to finish up my house.. get thru the shower & hope the neighbor comes by soon. SO nice to have a mechanic close by :-)

pod notes

2010-05-27T08:39:00.002-05:00

planetpurl.com
hulu.com
knitpicks.com
lionbrand.com
yarn.com
knittingdailytv.com
youtube.com search for knitting or crochet. SO many helpful videos from many major companies..

podcasts I like

2010-05-22T14:44:00.001-05:00

CK out sillychickdesigns on iTunes..

she is a hoot ! quilting & sewing info & she's just a FUN time.

Lisa

podcast ?? Yep

2010-05-16T17:28:00.003-05:00

Well I am trying to make a podcast :-) the first one was a bit rough..
but my voice sounds a lot better then I thought it would. you know how your recorded voice never sounds like you..? for me it was IS that ME ? YUK!"
but it seems Ok. on this podcast..
I gave it a shot anyway..
I'll post when I get the next completed so you can take a listen..

off to see my mom.. she just stopped by..
God Bless you all !
Lisa

zoe cardi

2010-05-07T08:22:00.002-05:00

ck out www.cascadeyarns.blogspot.com
she offers some free knit patterns that are very pretty..
the lastest Paid offer is the Zoe Cardi.. very fun for summer..
looks like a quick knit too..

lisa

spring

2010-05-05T09:21:00.002-05:00

Hello,
It has been a long time..

Last Sunday we took mom with to Daisha's in Lincoln..
Max had a soccer game in the afternoon, and it was Daisha's 31st b-day :_)
jena also was staying with them to help D get ready for the garage sale.

So we had a super nice time.. the weather was good & D was happy with her gifts.
Kim sugguested we take Rick's Ribs (Smoked Ribs0 for dinner..
Oh..they were SO good.. plus it gave Dustin a break from doing the grilling / smoking. He does such a fantastic job too.. quite the cook.

Kim and I worked on the drywalling.. we are super close to getting jena's room done.. what a difference it makes when you can't see through a wall :-)

well best run.. hope you are all having a great day !
Lisa

AVON ??

2010-04-25T17:58:00.002-05:00

Hello,

I don't know if I am going to get the hang of this Avon thing or not..
I bought a pair of sandals.. Avon doesn't carry 1/2 sizes in most of their shoes, so they advise you to purchase the next size up.. well .. of course those are TOO Big ! UGH !
then I went though the web pages to send them back. And I found out I am to pay over 4.00 to send them back..
SO , OK. when it's for me. But what if it had been for a customer ? I didn't see anywhere in their ? & answer area describing who foots that bill.. me or the customer.
So.. I don't know..
May keep the shoes.. may see if Daisha wants them. don't want to mess around sending them back.

rainy here today.. cold out too.. so sweater weather.. Church this morning.
a 90 th birthday celebration for a life long member of our church. He had some great pics of church members and him when he was a baby.. SO cute. He was crying in the front row :-)
circa 1921 ..Course Jena LOVED all the lady's dresses and beautiful hats :-)
speaking of old hats. we just bought her a beautiful vibrant blue pillbox hate yesterday to wear to our church's Lady's Day luncheon next Saturday :-)

we're still waiting for Menard's to deliver our drywall .. they must be busy today ..

talk to you all soon.
Lisa

family

2010-04-09T10:19:00.002-05:00

Hello, all,

I talked to my niece Amy yesterday.. her aunt PAID the entire funeral for JoAnn ,
amazing !! some that have a lot of money are very generous. I am thrilled that JoAnn's sister was so loving !

It's sunny here today, which is always welcome in the spring.
jena & I are still doing school work. Working mostly on world history.. something she put off until the last 3 months. She wanted to learn ALL she could about OUR history , but has found out that her World History is kind of interesting too . Course she is up to date on all political stuff happening now. !! UGH !!

A few members of our church are building a 9-12 group.. naturally we are joining..
they offered the books : The 5,000 yr leap & The Constitution Made Easy for us to read & pass on. Also last evening we heard about the books : Original Intent, Wives of the Signers,
Lives of the Signers of the Declaration & The life and morals of Jesus of Nazareth ..
can't wait to read those.. Looks like we have our summer reading ready for us :-)

anyway.. I challenge you to do your part. Become a patriot , Stand for Something !
read all you can. KNOW the constitution !! call your senators and congress out on issues important to you.. be Salt and Light !
(If we are the body , why aren't are hands reaching....?)

a week has passed

2010-04-01T09:06:00.002-05:00

Hello,
jena & I went to visit my sil , Joann , Tuesday.
what can you say ? your words are a comfort.. but nothing can change it.. as much as you want it too. As much as you want to run back in time and take all the pain away.. As much as you want to wake up in the morning & realize it was all a bad, bad nightmare.. you can't..

So?? you go on. you love .. you hug.. you cry.. you listen.. mostly you cry ..

in our worldview it's SO hard to see the answer to WHY GOD ? in our hearts we know God is all powerful.. all loving.. only later will be see the Why.. and be glad.
right now it is pain.. God understands the pain.
esp. now at Easter time. God gave His only Son to die an incredibly painful death.. FOR US !

God Bless !
lisa

sad

2010-03-29T20:11:00.002-05:00

My dear older brother Dan B Smith ,died Tuesday the 23rd.
Suddenly.. quietly.. we think his heart just quit.
He was the same age as my dad when he passed.. 57.. way too young to his grieving family.
he left behind his wife of 38 yrs. Joann.
One son , Adam.. and wife Jennifer.
One daughter , Amy & husband Todd.., grandson Nolan..
One son preceded him .. Rusty in 2003.. grandson , Jaxson.

we are heart broken........... his family night last Friday had well over 800 people .. the visitation ran two hours overtime..
his Funeral was wonderful.. so Dan.. It too had standing room only .
I state this to show the great love many had for him.. Everyone knew him.. and liked him

Lisa
who is missing her dear brother..........

redoin/ the house

2010-02-20T20:40:00.004-06:00

YEA !! Finally we went to the Restore. Habitat for Humanities resale store :-) we have been wanting to stop by there for years ..

well I should say .. we went to the 'old ' store. and found out that the New store was on the OTHER side of town, of course the north side. which is where we came in on :-( UGH !
you'd think someone would change the recording .

But.. our biggest find ............ready !! ??

MARBLE 12 x 12 tiles !~ Yippee ! so pretty .. so shiny. SOOOO MINE !
we are going to put them over the existing counter at the island ..
can you tell I am thrilled ? and you know why ?

They cost just SEVEN DOLLARS! yep..$ 7.00 for 25, which will more then do the island.. with enough left over that we may make serving trays for gifts or something else nice.

Marble folks.. shiny .. smooth. pretty.. did I mention shiny ? Marble for SEVEN DOLLARS !:-)

OK. enough shouting.. but it's so shiny ! It's marble and it' cheap.

then of course we went on to Menard's.. and basically shot the entire budget.
but nothing could damper my spirits. ( marble for 7.00 :-) We bought ceramic tile for the front entry. we're totally redoing it. as it is now there is a 3x3 square of linoleum . NO where to stand .. people feel they have to huddle when they come in the door. ( with the stairs to the basement huddling is required :_) we are extending the area to 7 ft.. and then basically making a walkway to the future coat closet.. and the bath room.
Then tiling the bath room too.

At least after 10 yrs I finally have a plan for that irritating room :-)

well enough..
hope you are having a great evening.
God Bless. one and all :-)

No.. did I hear you right ? SNOW ?

2010-02-17T15:38:00.005-06:00

here are some interesting pics ..

not that you care.. SNOW , SNow and More snow !

PLUS our OWen ! we had him a week

ago sat. Such a big doll :-=)

Avon Calling

2010-02-04T20:27:00.004-06:00

Avon calling ,

Hello ,
I have decided to have an Avon Website.
Not going door to door, but if you are interested in Avon. ck the site out.. and if you are so inclined to purchase.. consider purchasing through my site, IF you don't already have an Avon lady.

I am a bit excited about it.. even tho I am a VERY independent person and I don't like to be told what to do :-) LOL . I am going to try this.. if they are too pushy .. then it won't be for me.
My love is Knitting.......... but currently that doesn't contribute to the family budget , in fact.. it takes away from the budget ! LOL !

My friend , Camilla signed up after me.. so I get paid for her signing up :-) plus my dear daughter Daisha has already set her sights on some items.. so it's going pretty well .

The link is under the title to this eml.
thanks SO much.. !!

yummy Hershey Bar cake !

2010-02-01T19:47:00.000-06:00

snowed in.. now dealing with Lights Out

2010-01-23T10:11:00.003-06:00

Hello,
Well after over a month of snow / blizzards/ sub ZERO Temps. we were blessed with warmer weather.Slightly 'warmer' by Iowa January standards.

Little did I realize that would mean Heavy DAILY ALL DAY fog.. for days on end.
Which of course led to icy roads. Making getting to work for Hubby a bit slow going . But being a man he was determined to get there & back home again. And of course Jen and i were locked at home more days in a row then we care to remember. The only folks that see all this with a touch of nostalgia are the folks who live in the south :-)
I am almost fifty & I can't remember a single winter with so much variety :-)

Last night we had heavy rains, so there's a bit of ground showing.. Not that the 5 to 6 foot drifts are gone by any means ! I bet we have a piece or two of dirty snow hiding around even into May this year.
We have been thankful for our fire place.. I don't want to live anywhere w/o one in future .
our propane got down too 25 % before they made it here.. We conserved what we had by setting the thermostat at 60 & kept the fireplace going ( Jena was Great at keeping firewood stocked).

I also took an old quilt , added small ribbon ties, and hung it on the door way between the family room & the rest of the house :-)

I was able to clean my sewing room, I also made a curtain for the table & a cover for Jena's chair. it looks so much nicer.. all sorted and clean.

Now.. on too the lights being out ! LOL ! we are with a co-op Light company.. so we have fantastic service.. but the think ice on power lines just couldn't be helped.. certainly they did all they could. But in the end we had two days of no lights. The first day they went off at 9 am and didn't return until after 4:30. Jena and I had fun tho.. we heated our spaghetti in a heavy pan in the fire .. I heated my coffee, and we even tried out hand at skillet cookies.. that didn't work as well. but hey , you'll eat anything when you're hungry ;_)

Then !, yesterday as we were waiting for my greatest nephew to come by .. our lights went out again.. Not as much fun this time.. But Owen was none the wiser :-_ we had a wonderful time with him all day. He is such a sweety :-) . Thankfully the lights returned at 4:30 and I was able to slow cook a roast on the stove.

Also I was thankful to have my knitting. as long as I had that.. my MP3 player & my retro battery operated radio.. I was content.
Jena & I listened to old radio shows like Fibber McGee .. and Father Knows Best together.
it's a good thing we are used to being together ( home school ) , so the days locked at home either with blizzards Or ice storms we were able to survive quite nicely :) The talk in town , when we made it in , was all about how long everyone had been snowed in.. how long it took to blade them out and how they made it to work Or not :-)

well it's time to clean a bit. and get ready to head to Co. Bluffs .

I hope you all keep the guys and gals in our military in your prayers , they have your back !

redoin' the site

2010-01-07T22:34:00.001-06:00

Hello,

part of the trouble with getting snowed in ?! you get a bit bored.. LOL

SO I have been messing around with my blog..

ck out the new things if you are also snowed in and bored.
I mean .. come on.. this is the THIRD time in about 5 weeks folks !

saving money on Hamburger?

2009-12-31T09:53:00.002-06:00

Hello,

Last week I when grocery shopping..I noticed the beef roast was on sale for 1.99 a #,
but the Hamburger was priced at 2.69 a #. hum ??

SO............ I had the butcher to grind a roast, no extra cost to me !
YUM!! I used it just like I would hamburger.. Now, since it is roast.. it was a bit dryer then the reg. patties.. but still eatable :-)
Worked SO nice for "hamb." soup. , spaghetti, and meatloaf :[-)

remember to think outside the 'box' when grocery shopping..
Lisa

Merry Christ MAs !!

2009-12-29T12:41:00.004-06:00

What a time it was.. snowed in.. the kids couldn't come home until sunday afternoon.. ( No church cuz the snow drifted back in !)

note the pic of the guy on the skid loader and the man on the tractor. not in this pix is the man wiht the BIG skid loader and the man in his trk with a blade !!

It was a nice to have daisha and max here & my niece Ashley came too.. with her Owen. hope we helped her from being a bit bored while hubby was working.

Daisha gave me so wonderful hand painted yarn.. she told me it was great for socks.
is she nuts.. ? i wouldn't want this yarn to touch a shoe.. let a lone this nasty floor.. Must think of something else to make it.. a shawl perhaps ? Thanks Daisha.

Jena was thrilled with everything she got.. esp. her r-skates.. :-) so that made my day .

max was a bit unhappy with his.. but that's b/c he hasn't really learned to skate.. he'l be a pro once he gets going.

kim was very happy with his new golf balls .. with the Big Ne. N on them.. bet he doesn't shoot those out into the corn field :-)

kim and I are looking forward to the SNOW melting.. but according to the weather guy........ that is a LONG time coming ! rats.
At least there is a bit of sun today.. so we must be thankful for what we have.

kim has been taking the van to work , cuz the car is still in the garage..

God Bless you all in the coming year..

easy knit vest

2009-12-18T10:33:00.003-06:00

so fun and easy to make.. it is called the 6 hour sweater.. LOL
but .. they forgot the sleeves in the pattern.
SO I call it the 6 hour vest .. so soft , made from I LOVE THIS YARN by hobby lobby ..
'
currently I am working on a brown one for Jena.. she will look SO cute in it I'm sure .. I'll post pics later.

great inspiring blogs

2009-12-18T10:00:00.003-06:00

Hello ,
there are some great blogs to inspire you out there..
here are a few I found .

diane1846.blogspot.com
allthingsheartandhome.com
thecharmofhome.blogspot.com
sugarpiefarmhouse.com/blog

enjoy !!
lisa

Oh,,

2009-12-18T09:31:00.003-06:00

Well,

We're almost to Christmas !!

I finally did what I promised myself Years ago..
I put a set amount of money in an envelope for the kids , and when that was gone, they were done.. no ifs ands or butts about it :-)
A lady ahead of us in line seemed to be doing the same thing.. only to make it even MORE doable, she had the clerk ring the items up separately !
genus ! Pay with the cash.. put the change back in said envelope..
Not maybe the most favorable of things to do to the person behind you :_)
but hey, it works !
So I had the clerk ring my items up per their appointed envelope & YEA !! loved it !
So if you have been doing this right along.. Great going !
if you're thinking about this option for next year .. why wait? Try it for birthdays this coming year , you'll be glad you did .. I know I was :-)

Blessings to all !
lisa

can you say Blizzard !?

2009-12-10T10:20:00.003-06:00

Wow.. did it snow.. and Blow and Freeze us out !!
thankfull hubby came home early tuesday.. and then was able to work at home wed.
Plus we are very thankful for our wonderful Neighbors who bladed us out !! talk about snow drifts !!
anyway.. stay warm..
& God Bless !!

snow / blizzard !

2009-12-10T09:51:00.001-06:00

wow. what a midwest storm !! thankfully we have WONDERFUL neighbors who spend a lot of their time blading us out !! God Bless them :-) !

Video is a bit shaky.. but you'll get the idea :-)

Stay warm.. Lisa