04 October 2009
Pineapple Coasters
This is a work-in progress. It will be a set of pineapple coasters when finished. I still have to add little criss-cross stitching on the body of the pineapple.
This is my own creation, and when I get this set finished, I will be adding the pattern on my website. One of many gifts I will be crocheting this year for Christmas. :O)
God Bless,
12 May 2009
Ballerina Puppet progress
I think it's going to be so cute! It's a little smaller puppet than I had pictured, but it will be perfect for my granddaughter's little hands. :O)
11 May 2009
Ballerina Puppet - Beginning
This picture is similar to the pattern I'm testing for Laura.
10 May 2009
My 'Happy Tears' Mother's Day!
First, here's what was ordered for me for my garden. A Chinese Empress Tree and a Sungold Butterfly Bush, I can't wait for them to arrive!
Next, here's a lovely Azalea from my oldest son. Azaleas don't seem to like the spot I picked near my driveway, so I'm going to find a better spot to plant this one.
The card from my Granddaughter. And my oldest son's CRAZY card to me. LOL! We both know what this card means and we had a good laugh with it. :O) Oh, the challenges of parenthood. Ha ha!
Next, this is a really big card made by our two teenagers (13 & 14.5), with a little help from Dad. :O)
The smaller picture (from the top center of the big card) is a note from my younger son (the 14 year old). It says, "You are a cool Mom! Keep doing that ASL ~ Love Chris" (I love being called a "cool mom") I've been learning American Sign Language. I didn't even realize he was paying that much attention! Ha ha!
God has surely blessed me with a Wonderful family! And I had a blessed Mother's Day, with happy tears!
29 April 2009
ASL "You Raise Me Up"
This is my first try at recording myself doing a song in American Sign Language. I just love the language. It's so beautiful and expressive.
And I absolutely love this song! I hope you like it.
Here's the lyrics:
When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.
There is no life - no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.
You raise me up... To more than I can be.
24 April 2009
A Contest for My Daughter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FHb3-PCIJw
A big thanks to the wonderful firefighters at the Margate City, NJ fire house who graciously let us video in the firehouse and helped with moving trucks out and holding the ladder. (I think they thought we were crazy. Ha ha!)
Please take a look and then pass it along.
Thanks!
17 April 2009
Cheeseburger Casserole Recipe
No, that's not me in the video. Ha ha! But, this is my recipe! :O)
This is so cool. Amy is such a sweetheart and she was so kind to feature my recipe on her YouTube channel, USAFireAndRescue. She has such great, easy recipes, too! Be sure to check it out!
Ya gotta try this one. It's so simple and I remember my Mom making this often when I was growing up. It was also a favorite of my Dad's. And now my kids love it too. :O) My mom calls it "Goulash" but I like my name better. *grin* She used to make Hamburger Stew, and with the leftover hamburger, she would make this casserole the next night.
Thanks Amy for the little plug to my YouTube channel (which has very little on it yet. Ha ha!) God Bless!
12 April 2009
Bunny Blanket Buddy Completed!
It's finally finished! And just in time to give to my grandaughter for Easter! Yeah!
Now, I have to tell ya what happened with the eyes (things happen for a reason)... I mis-read the bottle of fabric glue (which I was going to use to attach the googly eyes) and would not have had enough time to glue them on and have it dry to give to her. No problem, I figured I would simply crochet some eyes.... Nope! My case of crochet hooks was nowhere to be found (it was hiding from me, I just know it! Ha ha!) So my daughter Taylor came to my rescue and said, "Mom, how about if I make you eyes with my plastic canvas?" "Yes!" I said very excitedly. (Can ya picture it?)
So we cut it to size and she got to work on them. I figured I would just whip stitch them on and add tiny eyelashes. Mind you, this was all happening on Easter morning. I would see my grandaughter early that afternoon! Yikes!
Anyway, all things worked out and here's the finished blanket. I'm so pleased with this one! And I like these eyes so much better. :O)
Notice how I attached the ears? I used really big buttons! I saw in a magazine an amigurumi bunny and the ears were attached like that. I thought it looked so cute, so I decided to do these ears the same way. Like a lop-eared bunny.
Here she is trying it on! I think she really liked it. She didn't say much though... I think she didn't quite know what to do with it. Ha ha! That's her daddy (our oldest son) with her. :O)
Okay.... maybe not? Ha ha! Don't ya just love that face? LOL! I'm sure though that she'll get plenty of joy out of it. Nothing like snuggling up in a comfy play blanket. Ooooh, I just wanna kiss those cheeks!
The hand pockets were my own addition, and were not in the original pattern from Vanna's Afghans A to Z. Also, changing the ears and using the stitched eyes instead of the googly eyes was a change from the pattern. Finally, instead of 38 rows around the blanket, I stopped with 35 rows, and it was still plenty big enough for her! I'm so happy with how it turned out. :O)
10 April 2009
Bunny Blanket Progress
Here's both ears as they will lay when attached. Also, I changed the ears slightly from the pattern. I thought the pattern's ears were too straight, so since I'm making these ears lay more like a lop-eared bunny, I widened them a bit towards the bottom, which you can see with the ear on the left. I like them much better. :O)
I've also added hand pockets to the two side points of the blanket. I plan to make it so my grandaughter can pretend to be a bunny with this blanket! I'll post pictures tomorrow (hopefully) of the finished blanket. This blanket pattern was from the book Vanna's Afghans A to Z.
I've got a few more surprise details to add. What are they? Well.... you'll just have to wait till my next post to find out! Ha ha!
09 April 2009
A Little Miracle from God
Wow, I haven't shared this one in a long time! It's been nearly 6 years since this happened and I love reading it again and again...
_________________________________________
This letter was sent by my husband to our pastor on July 30, 2003, the day before our 10th Anniversary, relating a couple of very special days in our lives in late July, 2003.
-----
I have a remarkable story I wish to share with your congregation. Under normal circumstances, I might have come in and shared it personally, but as you know I recently had major surgery and am still recovering. I would like to thank you and your church members for all your heartfelt prayers and support, particularly for the children who have needed it at this time. Since Laurie would simply turn beet red and nearly pass out at the thought of relating this in public before the church membership, I ask that you read this email in my stead. For while I doubt this epistle will be worthy of being canonized, I do certainly think it is worth sharing.
No day beats a day when you know God is in your life. This past Tuesday, Laurie and I and our family had just such a day. Prior to my going into the hospital, we knew that the transmission in our car was slowly going. However, with all the medical bills and the extra insurance we had to purchase, acquiring the new vehicle seemed out of the question. So, we hoped and prayed that God would preserve our transmission or see us through in another way. The weekend before my operation, my mother saw a car for sale locally. We called and found out that the owner was an old friend of my father's he had gone to high school with. And since I was my father's son, he practically cut the cost in half making the car affordable to us in cash.
Now, the car is a 1988, and if you can just picture your "father's station wagon", you have the image perfectly. Not exactly the sexiest vehicle on the lot, however it had a sturdy V8 engine, a good transmission, and it would serve in an emergency if I were in the hospital and our car broke. Laurie and I discussed it and prayed, and felt that this was too visibly a gift from God to be turned down in our time of need. It was certainly a relief to my mind going into surgery knowing that my wife and children would not be stranded somewhere without means of transportation.
Being so close to surgery, I asked Billy, my father's friend if he wouldn't mind driving the car over to my mom and dad's and settling the paperwork with them, as I would be going to the hospital the next day. He did so gladly and as I drove up to the hospital the next day I noticed the car in my parent's driveway and was comforted to know that it was there for the day when our transmission went. And who knew what day that would be.
Well, apparently God knew... and Tuesday we found out also. Laurie and I went down our street heading toward her parent's house to pick up our children. As we approached the White Horse Pike, we both noticed how heavy all 4 lanes of traffic seemed to be. Now, understand, in 12 years we almost never go the back road way to Laurie's parents. It was only 5 minutes by the Pike, and though we might come back home using the back roads, again, we almost always use the Pike to get there. But looking at the traffic, and then at each other, we agreed we were in no particular hurry and felt we should just turn around and go the back way. So Laurie made a u-turn and drove another 20 feet and an invisible hand touched the hood and said, "stop now". And it did. If we had pulled out onto the Pike, we would have been across 4 lanes of heavy traffic, a woman and her husband only a week out of surgery, stranded out in the middle of South Jersey summer traffic on the White Horse Pike. As it was, the car broke down about 5 yards from where we wanted to park it and put a "for sale" sign on it anyway. And to prove that God is a God of detail, [our street] slopes upwards from the White Horse Pike, so all that needed to be done, was to let go of the brake and coast it into the parking spot, saving me the trouble of rupturing my incision trying to push it off the road. Laurie and I got out and walked the 100 yards or so back home smiling. Certainly, the happiest people to have ever dropped a transmission you have ever seen.
And lest you think this morning of minor miracles ends here, let me continue with all haste. When last we tuned in, our station wagon "ace in the hole" was parked at my mom and dad's. So when we got home, I called my mom. I caught her just as she was going out the door. She was heading to her bank to do her weekly banking. When she heard our story, she said it would be no problem, her banking could wait till the next morning, and she would run the paperwork for the car down to us. She happily agreed to watch over me while Laurie set out on her adventure to the DMV. About 5 minutes later mom arrived. Using her dad's car, Laurie set out on her way, and mom and I started driving back to her house. On our way, we met 2 cop cars screaming from the direction of her bank, followed by a third, then a fourth and a fifth. I joked to my mother that either there was one heck of a "blue light special" at Dunkin Donuts, or those were men on a mission with a purpose.
When we got to my mom's, we flicked on the police scanner to find out what all the hubbub was about. A bank had just been robbed ... my mom's bank. If the car had not broken down, and she had not come down to get me, my 62 year old mother, with a heart condition would have been in the lobby of that very bank when a desperate man pulled a gun, forced everyone to the floor, and demanded the bank's deposits. My mom looked at me and though visibly shaken, we were all relieved and thankful that again, God was watching over us.
I wondered what God would do in the afternoon for an encore. I was sure there were some ponds and streams in South Jersey that hadn't been parted if he wanted to do an oldie but goodie. But I personally, was extremely thankful for the little miracles he had worked in my family's life that morning. It is comforting to think that two weeks ago, God knew exactly what our needs would be that Tuesday. It is humbling to reflect further, that since time eternal past, since before the first star burned in the sky, God knew John and Lauren would need him that day, and God planned accordingly. All we had to do was listen.
I ask that your church say a prayer of thanksgiving for me and my family, and encourage them to keep the faith. No day beats a day when you know God is in your life.
Your brother in Christ,
John
ps.. if anyone needs a grey '93 Oldmobile without a transmission, please see Laurie. She knows where you can find one cheap.
____________________________________________
MY God is an Awesome God!
(I've GOT to learn the sign language for that! Ha ha!)
25 March 2009
My Daughter and Her Flute
Now here she is just being random with her flute teacher Bethany. Bethany is wonderful, very talented on the flute (you'll hear her play solo in the video) and is just a fabulous teacher for Taylor. Taylor just loves her! They were being goofy in this video, dressing up and playing their flutes. They played together and separate, and Taylor played Lovebug by the Jonas Brothers on her flute as well. (See? I told ya she loves that song! Ha ha!) The first song they play together is what they call the "Awesome Sauce Song". Ha ha!
See? They're crazy, right? Ha ha! But we just love Bethany!
24 March 2009
Our Little Ewok!
I thought I'd update ya on our little Shih-Tzu, Beans that came to us on Christmas Eve. I posted about him when he first arrived, when his hair was really short. Well, this is now, 3 months later. :O)
Now look at him next to a picture of an Ewok...
23 March 2009
Bunny Blanket Buddy started
I think I'm on the 24th row here and I need to do 38 rows before starting the hood. Darn, those rows take forever to get to the corner as the blanket gets bigger! LOL! I know it looks like the start of a pinwheel! Ugh! But I will block it when it's done and that will fix it.
Closeup of the stitches
Jonas Concert Tickets!!
Going to the concert is her birthday present and she is thrilled! Here's her random video she made showing her excitement. Ha ha!
We're going on July 24th and it'll be a blast! The website for the venue even showed us a virtual panoramic view from where we'll be sitting. So cool!! Although since the Jonas Brothers have designed a cool new stage, the view will be different, but Hey! With seats 5 rows from the stage, we can't go wrong! Ha ha!
10 March 2009
Free Highlighted Bible on CD
Okay, I'm going to add a shameless plug here. Ha ha!
My husband's ministry, Eternal Answers Ministry (EAM) is releasing our King James Highlighted Bible in PDF format on CD for FREE (with just $3.00 shipping.) We have had it available for download, but the file size was a bit large so we're now offering it for free on CD. Those of you who have a slower internet connection will love this!
Here's the little blurb from our shopping cart:
"Our Highlighted Bible is an annotated King James Bible with notes and commentary from our own Christian scholars as well as other contemporary and historical commentators on a vast variety of subjects, such as Science in the Bible, Spiritual Truth in the Bible, Biblical History, and much more! We've even included some photos! Currently produced in PDF format."
It's color coded and cross-referenced, and it even explains where we get the Bible and which translation is the most reliable and why... (and yes, there is a difference!)
Here's a link so you can view a sample PDF of the first few pages. You will need the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the Highlighted Bible. It's a free download and you can find it HERE.
To find out more about our ministry and order the CD, click HERE or click on the link in the right hand panel. For right now, our cart is only set up to ship within the continental USA. (If you live outside the 48 states, email us to find out about shipping costs.)
We now return you to your regularly scheduled blog... *wink*
06 March 2009
Comfort Shawl
You can find the pattern for this shawl at LionBrand.com. I just love it! It's so warm and cozy. The pattern called for Chenille Thick & Quick, but I used Jiffy Mohair-like yarn and a size P hook (I think), and I also made the starting chain a little longer. I had been gifted a couple of skeins and it felt so soft I wanted to use it. I didn't have quite enough, and the color was no longer available, BUT, I found someone on Ebay who had some so I was able to finish the shawl! Yea!
You can barely see it in the pictures but I'm using a crochet hook as a shawl pin to hold it in place on my shoulder. I saw that on the internet somewhere and I thought it was such a cool thing. Ha ha!
03 March 2009
Winter Love Afghan - changes/progress
Here's an update on my Winter Love Afghan. I've changed how I was connecting the squares together, by using the Flat Braid method. You can find a video tutorial HERE. I love this method!
I'm using Vanna's Choice yarn in Cranberry, White & Dusty Green. The cranberry & green match my Living Room colors. I've got two full rows done and I need to have 8 rows for the full blanket (8 rows of 5 squares = 40 squares; 20 of each pattern)
I am anxious to get it done, but I will have to put it aside (again) for a bit to crochet my grandaughter's Easter gift - a Bunny Blanket. More on that later.... lol
These patterns are from SmoothFox's Etsy Shop. I used the 7x7 Easy Snowflake Square pattern, and the Revised Heart of a Child pattern (which I 'revised' just a little for my needs. lol)
24 February 2009
Lattice Rose Rug
I finally finished the rug for my Mom's birthday! The pictures are when I blocked it and had it drying, but you can see how I did. I had it blocked on a foam board with towels over it, and this was the first time I tried to block anything. I'm really happy with how it came out! I can't wait to give it to her. Her birthday is Feb 25th, but we're celebrating on Sat, so I'll give it to her then.
It wasn't as hard as I thought it might be, but it was a bit of a challenge doing the 2 strands together through the whole thing... a little hard on my hands. lol
With the pattern was an identical pattern for a matching doily, done with cotton thread instead of worsted weight yarn, so I'm going to give my Mom the pattern since she crochets with thread and I don't. She makes beautiful doilies! So this way she can make a matching one for her bedroom. :O)
22 February 2009
Jonas 3D Movie Promotion!
This was SO much fun! I can't wait to take her to see the movie. I may make me a T-shirt with "Moms 4 Jonas" on it. LOL!
15 February 2009
Surprise Tickets!
She was VERY excited! Since we are picking up the tickets at the theater when we go, I did a video of the confirmation screen on my PC, and I also printed it out to show her. I'm looking forward to going with her. It should be a Blast!
13 February 2009
Winter Love Afghan... beginnings
Heart Afghan progress
I had posted about this afghan before (I called it the Heart Afghan), but at that time I was doing grey squares between the red heart squares. I changed my mind. :O) Those grey squares just weren't working. The top 2 squares on the left are stitches together, but the other two are just laying kind of in place. I used Vanna's Choice (love that yarn!) in White and Cranberry.
So, I got another pattern from SmoothFox which was the snowflake square you see here. I thought it looked so cool with the red hearts! Both squares are from SmoothFox and they can be found in her Etsy Store. I used the 7x7 Easy Snowflake, and the Revised Heart of a Child (which I revised again for my needs. *wink*) patterns.
So this afghan will be great during Winter, from Thanksgiving straight thru till Valentine's Day! Sort of a Winter Love thing. LOL! Yeah! That's what I'll call it...
Winter Love Afghan
Yeah, I like it. LOL! I'll keep you posted on the progress, but I had to put it aside for a bit to do my mother's birthday gift, and start on an Easter gift for my grandaughter.
06 February 2009
Jonas Bros 3D Movie!
Soooo......
Oooh, and we get points for this one too! LOL!
There ya go! LOL
It's gonna be fun and I can't wait to see it with my daughter. :O)
13 January 2009
Crimson Ice Flower Granny
Crimson Ice Flower 5-sided Granny
I had fun doing this one. It just popped into my head (yet, again lol) when I was trying to figure out what to do with my Heart Afghan that I'm working on. I can't use this 5-sided one with that afghan, but I will make one sometime using this pattern.
I have the pattern available for free. You can click HERE. The pattern also has an option to add another row of white if you so choose.12 January 2009
Recent Hats & Scarves
Sunshiny Day Hat & Casual Scarf
Brown Hat with Red Trim
This is a hat my husband asked me to make. This one wasn't a Christmas gift, it was just because he wanted to keep his head warm. :O) I basically did this one on the fly, from memory with a pattern from Mikeyssmail on YouTube. I just used the basic increases that I've used before with his pattern for beanies and just periodically tried it on my husband's head! This one of course, has the extra fold up rim, so it's not really a beanie. :O)
Camo Hat
You're being watched!! :O LOL! And, last but not least, is the Camo set I made for my younger son. I can't remember which pattern I used for this one. I'll have to look it up and add it here later. This has a basic scarf to match but it's not in the pic. He's always got this hat on his head! LOL
Now to get a pic of the black hat I made for my older son, the scarf I made for my granbaby's mommy, and the scarf I made for my best friend, and the hat & scarf set I made for another friend... More pics to come (I hope) LOL!