Fingerless Mitts</h1> <article> <h1>Fingerless Mitts</h1> <p>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 02:55:00 +0000</p> So, as usual, I'm way behind on trends, but I've been working on some fingerless mitts the last couple of days, and I have to say, they're fun! I don't know that I would wear them, but they're so much fun to make!<br /> <br /> Of course, as I type this, I realize they'd be awesome over my biking gloves in fall and way cuter!<br /> <br /> Ok, so maybe I'll be keeping a pair or two or ten.<br /> <br /> Well anyway, I'm planning on listing them on Etsy, as soon as I can talk someone into modeling them for me so that I can get pics with both hands showing! But in the meantime, here's a couple of snapshots of me wearing them!<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdf_S88ohNUhypYteUvkGi2Hwnq-HbZTRXVlyCAmYxvOCrFSv1QeeiI0Oml7t9WRmROaMUElAyL8BIX2x4UUXU7Lf_okJLnEITNogx91QPoveNmC1NGIuNJQyQ2zjJaZApKdoKnLzS0h17/s1600/DSCF0207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq5NCcNJTk_kCk_RF77IU68KxdtEpRfqgTZM4rYdseHZ2uLqcNy_5gTgxMijcA8BZU5sP65Fg6ndZqt_rmWtHDyQYza9S5DeNRYaIZlCs1QnSnxCs-X3FFUq8YFoxTsnoA7faHlLWGt1AU/s1600/DSCF0208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4reZ0zeboSaayqVjfBgnnOtdKXq7ovwBOli7DYVrdF1u2o-X__a2u8YPJA6at7bFZRc2fLjKuS04XKfrJ7yvuuXfCRNg-iH2073AjbjEiBQXbA8tzrUOENE0zm9F_M-uuBzMknCsQbRAH/s1600/DSCF0209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9gjBtTdprrqOH88mPyAKFVZjXP0dgsmA8u8u4gJCJ6U05qEB1Gr4xmSNJHCRgO21wtI5zIoW5-tSXXWz4WI6GP6qzPqu1KvLthAR75w4_McWp4S_hvt-5GUQcgsTaIvy9YREBeonomCZr/s1600/DSCF0210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> <br /> </article> <article> <h1>Link List Edits</h1> <p>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 12:59:00 +0000</p> Hello and good morning!<br /> <br /> I just wanted to let you know that I've edited "Links You'll Love" and everything is working again! I've deleted the outdated links, or links to sites that no longer have much of any crochet content. I've repaired a few broken links!<br /> <br /> And most importantly, I added 2 new ones!<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.allfreecrochet.com/">All Free Crochet</a><br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.crochetpatternbonanza.com/">Crochet Pattern Bonanza</a><br /> <br /> I also realized just how long it's been since I spent some time playing and find you new links, so I will try to do a little bit more of that in the next week or so! </article> <article> <h1>Photo Journal: Addisyn's Birthday Doll</h1> <p>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 May 2013 00:51:00 +0000</p> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEPQGtIU2DrhIFR6x-Y9631ezCYkO4k9Jcw7umM6pQI9fdQYl5LNI7ZBFZn__q3uyNrXuXkLKkrlaNC7yk9mmUWrCy9Rp1GQsz0S6r1TbiXD2NR5n1r5Ho_9Xa2CmSC4x07qbXG0CYIz6i/s1600/first+wing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a>So, Michael and his painting and all has got me all inspired and motivated, and I needed a gift for my cousin's little girl Addisyn's 1st Birthday. So, perfect timing, right?<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Apparently, it's even better for me than I thought to spend time with fellow artists!</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> DAY 1:</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEPQGtIU2DrhIFR6x-Y9631ezCYkO4k9Jcw7umM6pQI9fdQYl5LNI7ZBFZn__q3uyNrXuXkLKkrlaNC7yk9mmUWrCy9Rp1GQsz0S6r1TbiXD2NR5n1r5Ho_9Xa2CmSC4x07qbXG0CYIz6i/s1600/first+wing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> A good start on the first wing.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> DAY 2, 3:</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkBGRlYXprByI7ufZvtsrWYIcAELv5-iWE1cEQ0mQpOLfKHROjoMs8pBLza7lOO1r5dSDzAXRxWIkAbllhybxpwmYQGEqxm6OVcOsX1a9PegVEygNoQPXz9OV5FVQJeYEZke5zFKhe2SHJ/s1600/finished+wings.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Realized the original wing layout was not going to work and frogged quite a bit of work and redid it for a much better result.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> DAY 4:</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Feet and legs are done, including cuffs on pants which will match shirt!</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> DAY 5:</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHf3AIRGbS6vr7OiTcdh4ADuZ0ElvFILGwXUo2sY-e2V9gcXbXnBWn5cdd1peiBo5sUUCqfqYrxsfvwxOQfHZheN0TZy-5CUdd5OIgmzmLPYqhbSsAHp0XplYHk3ilPqsDoiKUbwMrY1De/s1600/finished+body.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Body is finished, including sleeve and hem ruffles on shirt. Heart design on shirt is simple colorwork rather than embroidery.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> DAY 6:</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD2aBIZFpy0iaZR5ErgFSWHnteR7gAuzOwLHNuAEHV6dkXQUL3K8_aM88bKW3s8kPnMfWnnIAmXn9g1pQepEQp2yKM5iov1Ew23HBDEms0rFf7r14oHOEfoF8Obq0ShERhVUl_TQmlkiAY/s1600/with+wings.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> All crochet work is done, most ends are finished, wings attached. Note shoulder straps. She is not a pixie or a fairy, but a little girl wearing butterfly wings.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> DAY 7:</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQo0nctrjijzyC6RNTDUl-HwAe0PhfBnWSyyZwT6kxX3VwxMC4JTjJInAgG5ZbVQG9AiAePjfk1Nl6Xcx-i-pKmco335JRPFrfE4ssVfp2PbPvd4Z6QZ4uwe7ojQw3848RFgEBssbuhs9Z/s1600/finished+back.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQo0nctrjijzyC6RNTDUl-HwAe0PhfBnWSyyZwT6kxX3VwxMC4JTjJInAgG5ZbVQG9AiAePjfk1Nl6Xcx-i-pKmco335JRPFrfE4ssVfp2PbPvd4Z6QZ4uwe7ojQw3848RFgEBssbuhs9Z/s1600/finished+back.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQo0nctrjijzyC6RNTDUl-HwAe0PhfBnWSyyZwT6kxX3VwxMC4JTjJInAgG5ZbVQG9AiAePjfk1Nl6Xcx-i-pKmco335JRPFrfE4ssVfp2PbPvd4Z6QZ4uwe7ojQw3848RFgEBssbuhs9Z/s1600/finished+back.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQo0nctrjijzyC6RNTDUl-HwAe0PhfBnWSyyZwT6kxX3VwxMC4JTjJInAgG5ZbVQG9AiAePjfk1Nl6Xcx-i-pKmco335JRPFrfE4ssVfp2PbPvd4Z6QZ4uwe7ojQw3848RFgEBssbuhs9Z/s1600/finished+back.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw33y8BNfQuOH1JjED6p5evfJOSNQFKEf-IBFfKUmV0wJXp_j5xRb34m7A2bxor3_DwubLh0u5yDP2ILM0AXwAfEjjWib449g5b_h160fTZur22XoHC5XPv-NShtuJukTLv7_MLn1vN2Ma/s1600/finished+front.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> <br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> Finished doll. Light hair and blue eyes like the recipient! </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> All in all, it was great to be making a doll again, so thank you to Michael for the motivation and Jeremy and Sue for the occasion!</div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> And, BONUS! She was a huge hit!</div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> </article> <article> <h1>A Doll-making State of Mind</h1> <p>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 19 May 2013 11:45:00 +0000</p> So, I have to say, I've not been as slackerly as it looks from my lack of posting. This spring has been pretty rough.<br /> <br /> But, I'm stepping off on the right foot now. I've designed a couple of new patterns for the Etsy shop and with the encouragement of an artist friend that I've been spending a good amount of time with/talking to, I've gotten back into a mindset where I can start creating dolls again!<br /> <br /> Dolls are hard for me when I'm not in an overall happy place. I can do it, don't get me wrong, but especially for projects like the one I'm currently working on, coming from a positive place makes it a lot easier.<br /> <br /> Like the movie, The Cat Returns, I believe that an artist imbues their creations with a lot of heart and a little bit of soul. So, for example, you wouldn't want to work on 1st Birthday Gift for a little girl when you're sad and angry about everything.<br /> <br /> I can't post pictures of my doll yet, because she's still a surprise for the person/family she's for, but as soon as the birthday party is over, I will be posting a photo journal of her at the aforementioned artist friend's request.<br /> <br /> I just need to get her head and details done and she's ready to go, and I'm off and running!<br /> <br /> </article> <article> <h1>Kitty Beanie</h1> <p>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 17:54:00 +0000</p> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir66v1flC95y_rlUwOwwOQFZE4OOQYbxqnkJBH2DVRmB9SowIy94K_xDtSzOiK-cZmKN527-utlZJSW8jl7rVdlAVWzDvPP2MFYgv9c3wzUWn1cPzLk9VxCe8LcYFJbH2zDOfwn9UPM_LL/s1600/cat+in+the+hat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHZ-w-2O-DIG1YUcZ0dPG1A58KNErbnFKpkSEVDmgaCsZHjPbT4E58GWuRCpMK-eW1VEfWwyED3mWVMFei2SYUsQTBYTpt8QBTx4EaLZxvwTyrb91kdIy6rA_AmxcbJEkx8MSjOxU2vTi/s1600/cat+in+the+hat2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <b>materials:</b></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> worsted weight yarn</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> size "I" hook</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <b>notes:</b> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> with no changes, this pattern fits my large orange cat perfectly (he weighs about 15 or so pounds). for a smaller cat (like my black cat, about 10lbs) substitute half double crochet for all double crochet in Rounds 1-3. you may find you want to reduce the beginning chain by 1, also.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <b>pattern:</b></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> ch 4,</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <b>Rnd 1:</b> 11 dc in 4th ch from hook, join with sl st at top of beg ch</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <b>Rnd 2:</b> ch 3, dc in same st, 2 dc in ea st around, join with sl st to 3rd beg ch</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <b>Rnd 3: </b>ch 3, 2 dc in next st, (dc, 2 dc in next st) around, join with sl st to 3rd beg ch</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <b>Rnd 4:</b> ch 3, dc in next st, ch 9, skip 6 sts, dc in next st and next 6, ch 9, skip 6 sts, dc in each remaining st around, join with sl st to 3rd beg ch</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <b>Rnd 5:</b> sl st around beg ch, ch 3, working on opposite side from slip st - work dc around post of next st, 8 dc in ch-sp, working opposite last post stitch - work dc around post of next st, continue alternating front and back post sts, 8 dc in ch-sp, working opposite last post stitch - work dc around post of next st, continute alternating front and back post sts around, join with sl st to 3rd beg ch</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <b>Rnd 6:</b> working on same side as last round - sl st around beg ch, ch 3, working back post double crochet in back post sts, and front post double crochet around front post stitches - alternate front and back post double crochet around, join with sl st to 3rd beg ch.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> finish off and weave in ends.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> By completing this pattern, you acknowledge all responsibility for any and all injuries incurred in the course of trying to make your cat wear a beanie. I cannot be held liable for your bad ideas. LOL.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <br /></div> <br /> </article> <article> <h1>Slacking, again. or What else is new?</h1> <p>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 14:44:00 +0000</p> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh39HeKLPZZkOT_ErNz6GqGlYOq6RiZyHxkyoco42Xkc9vMv8lktZBdWf0i6z8AfCplMgVaSDeynKcdWYlReWPnQngNWn2RcePEwuY875747gvx6PeSCCNPhoKa2G_gphaUGYWVdSx6w-7i/s1600/turn+out+the+lights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> I've been super lazy about posting, so you get a TABBY BELLY! as an apology.<br /> <br /> Forgive me.<br /> <br /> </article> <article> <h1>Video How To: Fat Quarter Roses</h1> <p>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 20:13:00 +0000</p> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <br /> I've never done a video tutorial before, it's only recently I have a half decent webcam. I hope this comes across as clearly as I feel it did, but if you have any questions about the project or hints for the video beginner, feel free to comment!<br /> <br /> Materials for this project:<br /> 1 fat quarter<br /> 1 quilting pin<br /> 2 silk rose leaves (with wire)<br /> 1 9" piece of stem wire<br /> floral tape<br /> yarn or ribbon<br /> <br /> </article> <article> <h1>Happy New Year!</h1> <p>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 02:27:00 +0000</p> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> A few quick updates.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcpG1cDgeYDgquLEo3wPhyphenhyphen7DGuWJku_eOgbskhNIvfTOKffbF9EvSd49r2_bPcF3JRVWXEPyL4knPVbP8ezWHtwwcARv8s8u-fub4tD4NpA79AhW5JiNCMyPxRcAYpd1SpI1C71aYl1hE0/s1600/the+boys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> The new guy stays! Chase has gained a ton of weight since we brought him in and except for an annoying need to try to escape into the backyard, he's fitting in pretty nicely. </div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS2Hyp9V9AwwYNHAm3fEQU8v8f8oB595jeF5gLoVIaQ7kX-298epLdPxMWxc3FYZSbfPFqLXFa4e_OoBSjrI15QMq4muCIMXbXgtI51YUr8FDD3DOaV_YT_sUg4_qDQ134NpksYb7xtM0D/s1600/fat+quarter+roses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> I've been really busy with projects like this in addition to lots of scarves for family Christmas gifts and baby shower presents. Unfortunately, none of is has resulted in much in the way of patterns or designing anything.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://specialolympicspa.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=1035074&supId=374839137">Lehigh Valley Polar Plunge</a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Two weekends from now, I'm participating in the 1st ever Lehigh Valley Polar Plunge to benefit the Special Olympics. If you have an extra $5 click the above link to sponsor my plunge and support a good cause.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Things have finally calmed down at work and I'm looking at having a little bit more time for my yarn, so hopefully some patterns will come down the pike before too much longer.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Happy New Year! I wish you all the best for 2013!</div> <br /> </article> <article> <h1>Christmas Cookies.</h1> <p>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 02:30:00 +0000</p> So, on Sunday, I decided to make some Christmas cookies. But if you know me, you know that A) I try to tailor things very specifically to the people they're for and B) I don't do anything halfway. So there would be NO ORDINARY COOKIES! Well, except one batch, someone's favorite cookie is Sugar Cookies.<br /> <br /> I had 4 cookie gifts to make and this is the criteria I was up against.<br /> 1) Sugar Cookies are Tom's favorite.<br /> 2) Marnie loves Chai Tea.<br /> 3) Dane specifically asked that I make my Chocolate Cherry Cayenne Cookies again.<br /> 4) I needed something Super Special for Eric, who had given me NO HINTS.<br /> <br /> So, grab for the Cooky Book (I have a reprint of the 1963 Betty Crocker Cooky Book) but it's NOWHERE. GONE. Probably packed up in the basement.<br /> <br /> But that's what the internet's for, right?<br /> <br /> <b>Search:</b> Sugar Cookies.<br /> <b>Found: </b> Allrecipes.com Easy Sugar Cookies, that though bookmarked, I can't find again because the bookmark apparently directs to All Recipes Argentina, even though it didn't 2 days ago. And a new search yields the same error. But at any rate, they turned out to be chewy, sweet, perfect sugar cookies.<br /> <b>Result:</b> I'm not sure Tom's kids actually got any of them, because I don't think they survived the day at work.<br /> <br /> <b>Search:</b> Russian Tea Cookies. I'm thinking that these are a pretty bland cookie on their own, but could easily be changed into a Chai Tea Cookie.<br /> <b>Found: </b><a href="http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/russian-tea-cakes/3af8664b-6c3e-4022-b686-cd961521e59b">Betty Crocker's Russian Tea Cakes</a>. We mixed some <a href="http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeysvietnamesecinnamon.html">good cinnamon from Penzey's</a> into the powdered sugar for rolling them in, subbed chopped almonds for the usual walnuts or pecans, and used <a href="http://www.traderjoes.com/">Trader Joe's</a> Spicy Chai Latte Mix instead of most of the powdered sugar in the dough. After accidentally throwing a few on the floor, we discovered an awesome, mild, spice cookie with a hint of black tea.<br /> <b>Result:</b> Marnie loved them! And shared with Carol who agreed!<br /> <br /> <b>Search: </b>Nestle's White Chip Chocolate Cookies. I have it here somewhere! Ah, there's the bag of white chips.<br /> <b>Found:</b> After tearing the kitchen apart, I found the recipe I based my Chocolate Cherry Cayenne Cookies on. I use the same recipe for the dough, but Semi Sweet Chips instead of the White, and then I add Dried Cherries, more of the cinnamon from Penzey's and ground Cayenne. Except this time we had Cherry Flavored Cranberries instead of Cherries. (Oops, grabbed the wrong thing in a hurry)<br /> <b>Result:</b> I already know that Dane loves these cookies.<br /> <br /> <b>Search:</b> Unique Cookie Recipes. I still need something for Eric and I'm out of ideas.<br /> <b>Found:</b> After a few false starts, (I didn't have parchment for Meringues, and so on) I settled on <a href="http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/cookies/thumb-print-cookies-the-ultimate-best.html?p=101">Thumbprint Cookies</a> thinking I had to have some kind of interested thing to add to these. And I found it in the pantry: <a href="http://www.bittersweetherbfarm.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=57">Blueberry Limoncello Jam from Bittersweet Herb Farm</a>. I added a few packets of <a href="http://truelemon.com/">True Lemon</a> to some water to dissolve it and added that, plus a bit of extra flour to the cookie dough and topped them with the Blueberry Jam.<br /> <b>Result:</b> I haven't heard from Eric, but everyone else who's had them loved them!<br /> <br /> So all in all, a successful cookie baking day. I'll get some of the details of the recipes posted over the next few days, but for now, I need to get onto the laundry I've been avoiding.<br /> <br /> </article> <article> <h1>Our New Friend</h1> <p>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 16:52:00 +0000</p> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> While it remains to be seen whether he's staying with us or not, I thought that I'd share this with everyone!</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpRuerTjB3hDmVmzJvlWRDWspMRqFFCxtQfMCS52MC55GIotRklLWPry5X1ikQ0pDvw_hSXgukPwu9R93WcBz2BvSOaijIModiXA3JHjhhUd9zgEP30FewiiNnBVJrjzT4CZatoEiKLEtk/s1600/DSCF0001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJmpZQ7YsLV0gf2Zz3iZWxhkdsUG8KlEPPUBmf5tuadMBZDwhW6Gg1c7HR4tDl0cx50BDKDZy1AUxqp4zmctO7MQS7DzQMG1dqH-lch_fDER4M4-G4HwywXYPBRQcLkxZp_sbbOg2ws9D6/s1600/DSCF0002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKjhyphenhyphenIrGnyNRfIgwPJB9ITtT4cwH1eceCFy0caF09HWGzWW0WReXGXnibQD7VZXgrD_gMNb_THXpXiEcyKGKIMfg_RyJRtJBq0juhI7vTTtuzFXhdRoG19my89culFyE0RkH_C9ZhyphenhyphencPaK/s1600/DSCF0004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Miraculously, we never lost power during hurricane Sandy. A dear friend of ours, Dave Chase did however, along with half of everyone else we know. After a few days of trying to tough it out, Dave decided he was sick of cold showers and not being able to charge his phone, so he decided to stay with us for a night or two. </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> The catch is, Dave doesn't drive right now. (Super long story, don't ask him. Trust me.) So I had to get up at 5am to run him to work on Saturday. And it's a good thing I did! When I got home, this guy was sitting by the neighbor's porch. He cried and ran up to me and I scratched behind his ears a bit and started to walk away. And he followed me. And when I started up our front walk, he ran ahead of me to the door and cried to be let in.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Which presents a minor problem: I know nothing about this cat's temperament or health and we already live with a 12 year old cat. This guy:</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg71wZ-GXmEozBMOUwtE_z7zIk2UViRWriFAshueyhtbil4ToAAY6w9Tslaebtk_RevrquzSp9X0-63GzCFIEFslcNNS9LpYeQzvJ_8RHN8RPDQwRzP9vuwJifnCXzXY98MNRemrwsIQBsW/s1600/mommy+its+cold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Who is used to being the only fuzzbutt in the house.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> So we took the new guy to the vet, and got him checked out to make sure he's as healthy as he is friendly. He's about 3 or so years old, feline leukemia negative, and overall, pretty healthy. No fleas, no ears mites, and neutered. So we got him a rabies shot and snuck him into the 3rd floor so we can introduce the boys to each other gradually. We're thinking of calling him Chase, if we keep him, after Dave, since he's the reason that I was outside in the first place. (Sorry, Dave, I just don't think that "Dave" is a great name for a cat. Or at least not this one.)</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> I'm totally sold on keeping him, Carl's pretty convinced, but Galen gets the deciding vote. I'll keep you posted!</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <br /> </article> <article> <h1>Etsy Success!</h1> <p>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 02:21:00 +0000</p> So the Etsy shop (http://adriennecongdon.etsy.com) might actually be starting to pick up. I sold a brain slug and got a few more favorites!<br /> <br /> In preparation for winter, I've been working on some super cute novelty hats and scarves. I've got a few snake scarves done (well, mostly, they still need eyes) and I'm working on designing a jellyfish hat! I can't wait to get the details wrapped up and get this stuff posted. I hope you love it as much as I do.<br /> <br /> Any specific colorways or critters you'd like to see? Let me know, but please don't suggest anything licensed, I can't sell if I don't own the rights. </article> <article> <h1>Appalachian Trail Adventure, or Abort Mission.</h1> <p>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 16:23:00 +0000</p> <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Let me first say, we did not make the whole 22 miles. We didn't camp out, we didn't go out the second day. There was no way Dave could have done it. We did however, cover approximately 14 miles, in one day.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Since I was a little kid, I've often seen hikers on a particular stretch of PA 248 and thought they must be having an amazing adventure. I love the Appalachian Trail, but have mostly hiked and rehiked the same section and always assumed I'd never hike a big enough piece to brag about it.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">A couple of summers ago, Dave and I decided to change that. We were going to hike 22 miles - from the Smith Gap Crossing out to Bake Over Knob. We planned to take the Winter Trail at Lehigh Gap to avoid the sometimes near vertical descent into the gap, well aware that it would add a bit of distance.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">The first summer we were going to go, I go a jury duty summons. The next year, house fire and dislocated knee for me. The next year, broken elbow and surgery for Dave. This year was it. We're going to do it. Rain or shine, come hell or high water, nothing's going to stop us!</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">We decided to start in Smith Gap and head south for several reasons. It put the longer distance on the first day, but it also put the descent into Lehigh Gap on the first day, and allowed us to leave my car at The Knob, where there's an actual parking lot. Smith Gap Crossing only has 3 parking spaces along the road.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5I9funOnAmzpoCwvS47jriUOEY2ZdoY_ywOfXLtNnOOOa8XoRfZHQ7KV8a_p_5frBSf2954dsopLGdrCKyX2MRTm8UYrf3lfp8LzvTiZWUfwfjAvtCks0LpkwKaGlNY4pXrV-58oF3Lxq/s1600/dropped+at+the+knob.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #993322; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> Friday night we dropped my car at the parking lot near Bake Oven Knob, went out for dinner and headed to Dave's house to pack.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> Saturday morning, up at 5:30 am, we double checked our packs, filled our canteens and Dave's dad dropped us off at the Smith Gap crossing. </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <b>7:38a<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>to All<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>We are officially on our own!</b></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> I sent our first check-in text out when we were about 50 yards down the trail, we didn't want Dave's dad to think we had run into trouble already.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> The morning was pretty uneventful. We hadn't even opened our canteens when we got to Stempa Spring, so we didn't even head down to check if it was running. Same at the Delps Spring. In retrospect, we should have checked anyway, it would have been good information to pass on to hikers passing in the opposite direction.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkL_j7AhpVdrwhMP9WZ-owGFY_f0Ux5188x29YkwvfiLsh_rxhVOjzuAUypOGNJbEdLqlCDPQWi_LonFxY7kQysykW4bgZcSAl3QhzPrKC8ywB8NelY2nUx3dJaXNKa9QjpU3SlkvxAzQs/s1600/tower+line.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; color: #993322; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> Our first good photo op for something we haven't already photographed a zillion times. Crossing under the tower lines always bugs me, you can hear the electricity humming in the wires.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <b>8:53a<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span> to Jesse<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span> Brought my camera, extra batteries, bought a dry pack to keep it in. Forgot my memory card!</b></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> Also, a chance for Jesse to have a laugh at my expense. Out comes the cell. Apparently, there will be sparse photos for this epic adventure. Oops.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGuCQtFjYm9GraOb0LQE3oc2b2ij1LTiftKT_i1VfiEL1dsk1K2U9vFYWlOvROm_k7zgf6Ly6NYDz-rrXvpOac6wQbqfLoo9lmpxbc4ZxmMpxqx5A0kpkfCP8vq9ibmr2o2zTaLBmT-e0o/s1600/resting+a+bit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #993322; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> We've stopped for a bit of a rest, and a joking text to a co-worker.</div> <div class="" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <b>11:40a<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>to Tom<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Passed a girl in a bikini top a while back. Thought you'd want to know.</b></div> <div class="" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <br style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-fICSFVaXlJWCOages4Ifta_tgcjhijXETWb2yDn2tVc8ZqhW9qDa3KVTfurd1MzopbPeHjw8MtsbKklBSXIg9eyBeIWpS6kbWyTm70Gj0LSlkMMFUrY630tUVMQIlyhatalU1ulXJcX/s1600/tired+dave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; color: #993322; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> We're happy with our progress so far. Resting as we need to. Covering a lot of ground. Greeting other hikers who had more information for us that we did for them.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> As we made the final approach to the Little Gap crossing, we see a hand-written sign, promising there is running water just a bit down the road from the crossing.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <b>12:50p to All<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Stopping for lunch at Little Gap crossing. Having a blast, greeting lots of other hikers, making good time. Will check after lunch on a lead for a water source we hadn't counted on!</b></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> The water source lead didn't pan out. This went a long way towards making the day much harder than it would have been. Then we packed up our bags, made sure we had collected all of our trash and started in on the next segment. Only to be greeted by a sign notifying us that due to the Zinc Company Superfund Bioremediation Site, the next 4 miles of trail have been relocated. </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> Oh, well. Off we go. And immediately stop. To allow a 4+ ft black snake to cross the trail. This was the largest animal we encountered the entire day, with the only others worth mentioning being several small toads and a fire newt.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk9ImQCPKied3LFRmVB_TAHPh3gnIos_C2tcoZuk3k34o7MBUYt1K12aqteTKQkXVjNRvJjufX7vNXtAZH7-xqcPBb0AqUPAfbze-0cxBz7YKXvMRRCZnuRrIbqF_bFoDfPt4P0F3F3vwh/s1600/superfund+gate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; color: #993322; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> As we're getting further and further out, we're beginning to realize how short we are on water and how much longer the relocation has made the trip. Instead of crossing through State Game Lands, we're skirting the outside edge, making the trip almost 2 miles longer than we had planned for.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHm-Hk15kzezlFrfAt5aPGukrqaTAnY9StNqIP9hsi2PkMs5uXMHFxmK5cZ7KPQWK8qCDvkNWLmIOBEP6sBnq28r0CHhIiHkvf1WM11lbeIULHfXTwbwQviYl7fRJpF4L7P6bXlC4eH4hyphenhyphen/s1600/palmerton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; color: #993322; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> But we had a great view of Palmerton, even if the photo doesn't show it!</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <b>3:20p<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>to Jesse<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Closing in on Lehigh Gap slowly, but surely. Dave is not having as much fun as I am.</b></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> Dave was getting cranky and the sight of a small but sprawling town slowly panning by was not helping his mood. By this point we were beginning to separate a bit, he was charging ahead ("At this point I only have 2 speeds: stop and go."), while I was chugging along at a comfortable pace for me and my knee and taking rests as needed.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHaEa7owU7iUglJHkzHYsA2w1PLTODUkEndw1KyB-uCk405bZ3cJWkhTv7dMj7q2vGRjeQJe4lcmi5rht-WIfi1XQcUiCpFmBPmCKu8VgdzOrUXtFA0DJO6aEvIxCYr0sryeXO0qdufc-6/s1600/long+way+down.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #993322; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <b><br /></b></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <b>4:45p<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>to All<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Not as close to the shelter as we'd like to be, but I've conquered one of the sections I was afraid of with little difficulty.</b></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> We're overlooking the Lehigh Gap Bridge here, knowing the river is our first access to additional water, and that it will take 30 minutes once we're there to make it potable. Dave is giving in at this point, calls his dad to see about meeting us with water. Not that I'm not suffering to, but I'm not willingly to give in as easily. I know we can be ok, not comfortable, but safe, with what we've got until we can get to the river.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <b>5:14p<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>to Lisa<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I'm beat, Dave's exhaused. We'll get there, but we lost a lot of time, energy and water to the path relocation.</b></div> <div class="separator" separator="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <b>5:16p<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>to Lisa<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Nowhere to camp until the shelter.</b></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> <br /></div> <br style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEe6yLuUSsHPYMGtCgsUQKw8Ugkpvjiw7csAx1Td0uAcuDLXOz_oIZeV7sA9JY_Yk61dF9xt70UyehBb7-qBr9P4ApReg6PhWM7pK99J8k26SSjYy2LHide8qvYvSZeCPXzo_8ik5OpFSp/s1600/lehigh+gap,+east+lot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; color: #993322; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> We finally made it to the East Lot at Lehigh Gap. </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> To me, it's a victory. Just across the bridge and above the tree line is the shelter, lack of water be damned, we'll make it.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> To Dave, this is the chance to give up before we hurt ourselves.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> We dropped down from the lot onto Rt 248, taking those few steps I had so often envied hikers for taking and crossed the bridge to the West lot, just below the spring and shelter. Over the course of crossing the bridge it becomes obvious that Dave will not make it to the shelter. Too tired, too thirsty, too achy. He's got blisters and sore knees, a bruised ego. His parents can't come pick us up until much later, so I call my mom.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPlN0buNJ2mDCuSg2t3exgvjuFKI-W4Viv7vYZ742PZnjj_hOW1e-EccYzEvJpMGCDvatvXNPBEqCGfYATC01WS382RC-1MhWUDlY8wM7E-WMZcjxNcdefc-ht1GSz7qeRFvYqRVZuhiEs/s1600/last+blazes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; color: #993322; float: left; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></a><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /></span><br /> <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> </div> <br style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /> <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> We sit, waiting for my mom, and I'm staring across the road at the last set of blazes we made it to.</div> <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> We've been gifted most of a Gatorade from another hiker, who's just heading out and didn't want to carry the bottle on the trail. I give Dave most of it. He needs it more.</div> <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> I text everyone from my mom's.</div> <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <b> 7:48p<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>to All<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Decided not to camp at the shelter. The trail relocation due to the Superfund Bioremediation Site added unexpected mileage and Dave couldn't make it any further. He's sleeping at home, I'm at my mom's. Depending how he feels in the morning, we may try to finish up anyway.</b></div> <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> In the morning, Dave's not much better off. I feel like I could do it, and my mom is seriously considering coming with me so I can, in spite of having injured her foot last week. After much consideration, it's not worth the risk to my mom's foot, and it feels wrong to finish without Dave somehow.</div> <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> We head out to get my car and take a few minutes to make the short climb up to Bake Oven Knob, which would have been the last vista before the parking lot had we made the second day.</div> <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> I'm a bit disappointed that we couldn't finish, but it was the right choice for both of our safety in the long run. And hey, it's not like 14 miles in one day, in the mountains is anything to sneeze at.</div> <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;"> We'll try again, with more water, and better shoes in spring.</div> </article> <article> <h1>Been getting out.</h1> <p>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 13:12:00 +0000</p> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> These days it's been all about Etsy items and getting out of the house. I am planning a Zombie Brains How-to, but I need to decide how I'm going to handle it.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFtE9pBuPgeXKQnKPB1q7qk_MQYsKI9s7fwr0PZmJp8MrnsLZjJdLUW689G82O0qcXgTTSkDTgRV6A729PKzQQBuTbBcxayyxNsAfbiFttPzZ6LfVZuLTzuUS-JZ_ECyGfVYx3Brc1duDM/s1600/ready+to+go.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> In the meantime, I've been out hiking quite a bit more than usual this year and I couldn't be happier. I know the pic doesn't show it, but that was taken at dawn and I'm not a natural early riser.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> I've been working on some quirky little pieces for the Etsy shop, like Apple Cozies. They seem incredibly silly, but they do actually help prevent your apple from bruising while it's in your bag.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPJdk3taIqmnmLI3Ilzo9h_JQwUuKiLT18h26kMFO_hI44OB8O32zVTJGZG7HTy0uYakbKdf-kFtWKXT1tTn3N1jhRaAqf_p1r6gpzo1Y46aqLDwFwAm3q6rOo4mYYzrLU7tSEJXuGvwi8/s1600/DSCF0119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> And I've been putting together some terrariums with various Tillandsia Ionantha plants in them. They're a great "small space" gardening option for window sills and desk areas and well as being incredibly easy to care for.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Plus, who doesn't love a plant that requires NO DIRT!</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <br /> </article> <article> <h1>Another Custom Request: Roast Turkey!</h1> <p>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 19:35:00 +0000</p> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9JsO3K7Y3Ru94VIxt4kIGJq9AE3PWR4ahhMXYyMyXDyQknK5QiLajyJ-gmD90rMgUtcPnclg0_xVIJ-3png_pzeIaWF_nI_lwXK5aFnYP0b-Sj-dgURLskgNKWb_Ljz5jWKZjJ95lfzoK/s1600/turkey+nook+case.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> A friend's husband has a birthday coming up and he asked for a Nook EReader as his gift. So he needs a case. </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> She and I talked a bit about his interests and things and I told her I would think on it and come back to her with ideas. When I saw her next I suggested a Scooby Doo-esque giant hamburger with the opening under the top of the bun.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> She said "Perfect! Next to turkey, grilled hamburgers is his favorite meal."</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> And another friend said "Why not make the turkey then?"</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> The response comes: *gasp* "Could you?"</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> "Of course I can."</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> ***</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> I delivered this Sunday, and everyone who saw it loved it. His birthday is July 17, so I'll hear his reaction next week. If she manages to keep the secret until then. ;-)</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> ***</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> The turkey has been delivered and it was a HUGE HIT!!!!!</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <br /> </article> <article> <h1>Terrible at this.</h1> <p>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 13:43:00 +0000</p> I'd like to say that I've been excusably busy and that's why I haven't been posting weekly like I promised. I'd like to regale you with tales of adventure on the high seas so you'll know why I haven't been around.<br /> I'd like to share amazing photos of my death defying feats so you'll understand that it's not you, it's me.<br /> <br /> But the truth of the matter is, I'm apparently terrible at blogging on a regular basis. <br /> <br /> I've got quite a bit new posted on <a href="http://adriennecongdon.etsy.com/">my Etsy shop</a>. <br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNbgselOQKjRwZRYpAWUAOL6HpVaa8jw1b6zeVtvd3fLRbND8TOcN_erOuMQbWBYBbEs5ooE7wE8ztUSLD3rjdZ8vns5WE1Avm4EgzTfTRgVVOBevYmydVk2S1CRoG9m0P0LFG-sN5cbDG/s1600/DSCF0080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Oliver Octopus, who actually does have suction cups on his legs, so he can hang out on any smooth surface.</div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTWLAkYh9q9aY5yvbTDqD1l8w1lnYovBT_q6iopMVQGR89Dwfs4rTkZgWz6Db49MQAIcRv0w7vUk9n39QmqwDH2-hJ1fkG2Gte-U4nn4MxnqTzRhXbgqRd8r3y4-z2XdAG2IFOhVZZEgZu/s1600/DSCF0086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Wearable Alien Mind-Control Brain Slugs (alligator clip underneath works with most hair types/lengths) because awesome is even better when you can wear it!</div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTzI7KH_qynLhsUq3t7Loyh4ScnIKbbQplWg0Gpg_f3Zg97TbssQWPzTLQ24PAPwo2Wrl4dfvaSlYDd4MyJB6-2bPqSt7WCEUobeITWLZepLZk7THE45PlCfuqNDkntc-rsgfDnCWAsRr/s1600/DSCF0112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcn0ELh926TGHVtABjlKm4IfZ5lUE7omeCe3Agn2UZhAR_qWvdR68EHlrU3LPVt-fbS7eEkHvnuYkITNFF2vcpqkeGWXHmB44Asel43M7dc4dFbiR9OcFJba7aqS0EPig-C7nGIkpOGY4T/s1600/DSCF0116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Bracelets available in custom sizes and multiple colors.</div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAQaHvQzocSoUe8SnZMpMSof0rVbOIN7nxoOzt0ysGHTOdHtOlErINUPECVKzNd96K22DPeZtGKhcm1kkQHrwfgQoqyHmZBGAZt7ps96agJ2fynVOPWV4qXzdnfp3UH5ojj_qPMt0DNJRI/s1600/DSCF0119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> And for good measure a couple of tiny Tilly terrariums. The glass cube containers are 2.5" on a side with the plant sticking up just a tiny bit past the top.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> None of this is an excuse for not posting anything, but at least you know I've been doing something.</div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <br /> </article> <article> <h1>Stupid Wisdom Teeth and other news.</h1> <p>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 16 May 2012 19:40:00 +0000</p> So I had my post-op check for my wisdom teeth today. I'm healing well, but slowly. We had hoped to do my "annual" cleaning today, but it's going to be about 2 weeks out. Turns out the reason that my lower left is still so sore is because they had to remove a small piece of my jawbone to get the tooth out. OUCH! Good news, I was too busy being a geek about my Xrays to have the usual dental-related panic attack. Not the high point of my vacation, but not as bad as it could be.<br /> <br /> I've gotten my garden basically planted, which is awesome, and if anybody wants to come over and help me get rid of a walnut tree that has miraculously grown 4 feet(!) this year, that would be even more awesome. Seriously, this tree wasn't there in February and I don't have the yard for one or I'd keep it.<br /> <br /> I'm getting quite a bit of needlework down, lots of hardware bracelets, work on a baby afghan and a scarf commission, as well as a few more Kindle/Nook cases.<br /> <br /> I posted 5 new items to the Etsy shop today, which is great. And hopefully, by the time I go back to work, there'll be a few more. I'd like to get a least a couple of the bracelets posted in the next few days.<br /> <br /> By the way, I don't often remember to mention it, but I am willing to do custom/commission work, within reason, just drop me a note.<br /> <br /> Hope your summer is getting off to a great start too!<br /> <br /> </article> <article> <h1>Sorry about that.</h1> <p>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 10 May 2012 14:07:00 +0000</p> So much for a post every week. I've been busting my hump trying to get an Etsy store up and running and I did! It's small, not a whole lot of items yet, but it's up and it's getting traffic. <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/adriennecongdon">http://www.etsy.com/shop/adriennecongdon</a> Go check it out!<br /> <br /> I had my wisdom teeth out this week, all four of them, and if I knew now what I new when I agreed to do all at once, I wouldn't have, that's for sure. I would have done the bad one separately from the other three. On the plus side, time to crochet and to nap with the cat, I've got the crochet work portion done on two more Kindle/Nook cases for my Etsy shop, just need to do the details.<br /> <br /> Also, I have to finish a bracelet for my dear friend Jesse, the first one was too big. Silly me, I assumed he wears a bracelet with the same loose fit that I prefer. I didn't think about the fact that since he does a lot of wood and leather work that he would wear a tighter bracelet for safety reasons. Well, once I have his bracelet done, I'm gonna get the one I need to post them on Etsy finished.<br /> <br /> Will let you know when things get rolling! </article> <article> <h1>Nook/Kindle Covers</h1> <p>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 12:52:00 +0000</p> For those of you who don't know, I recently got a Kindle Fire. And I love it! But I needed a case for it. So of course I made one. And of course, then my mom wanted one for her nook. Then a coworker-friend wanted one. And it seems I may have stumbled on to the flagship line for the Etsy store I'm getting ready to open.<div><br /></div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFTXdvoMTkHCXZyLOc1_omzgvFLIkZfSQt4LHL6rpEXm7-Mi6yGkUH54WCrcQdTocsbxwhVCJKEJ2ZG-bEO7rVI35xTSX9bFedPI-p_VWEiHr8foE9ZUucwk2bWbnkVjWKIPE5fMN0l0sO/s1600/my+blue+monster.jpeg"></a><br />So it all started with the relatively simple blue monster case I made for myself.</div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq5gEl9OK60lQtNTCPYzesoj1-ZrmLIN0wpXCKWatwOiUbUpNa2sL_s4yZ_5aEG_UjFLr1Iun2oHGk0jwrg_N5t0-qgVFaX1hptOjBQpCGAVPj_UqxhWnL0f9UU_30g5hdVWxo4_8mc_oU/s1600/moms+green+monster.jpeg"></a><br />Then my mom wanted one, and I couldn't very well make an identical one. Where's ther creativity in that?<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ6hKghCkkJnGr5U_QfT0WRscukyJ2JTtLN-SL4GHnrYZM-yoWtik9CyXIxdz6FAewjRlFmDlNivfpubTv3sfm99m183tigxMzRwBPELgkcm1_T-rdEhe87obipxPDihde7nyDyA55qDU3/s1600/zombie+fixed+eye.jpeg"></a>Then my coworkers saw the pictures and one that I'm close with said "I want one, but a Zombie and I'm going to pay you for it because it wouldn't be right to not pay for a custom piece!" </div><div><br /></div><div>And I thought 'how am I going to design a zombie, where the opening placement is both hilarious and adorable?' and after a few minutes consideration, I had it! HEAD WOUND! So with this stroke of genius in hand, (um, mind maybe?) I bought some mossy green yarn and got down to business. </div><div><br /></div><div>I deliver this one today, but she's already seen pictures and is completely in love with it!</div> </article> <article> <h1>Tilly Suncatchers and Facebook Timeline</h1> <p>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 13:54:00 +0000</p> So, if you follow me on Facebook, you know that the Crochet Pages page on Facebook is getting the Timeline treatment at some point today. And I have to say, I have mixed feelings. It's a got a really sharp look to it, it really does. I know a lot of people who love it. I know it's meant to make older posts more accessible, but I feel like it does so at the expense of a clear timeline. (No joke intended.) It just seems like after the first few posts, it get hard to tell what order they're in, especially if they include photos/video or are especially long.<div style="font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-style: normal; ">I guess it comes down to this. I don't like not being given a choice. They're taking away something that works and replacing it with something that no one has been able to prove to me is actually better.</div><div style="font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div>But on the plus side, with a little luck, my <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tillandsia">Tillies</a> will be here today! I ordered last Friday via priority mail and was hoping to have them Wednesday, but they didn't ship from Florida until Tuesday. So, today <i>should</i> be the day. Once I've got them and I know they're healthy and will remain so, I can start to design some suncatchers and hanging gardens for them. I'm excited. </div><div><br /></div><div>I've always loved the little tillandsia Ionantha, even though I didn't know what the species actually was, just that it's an "Airplant." These are the little guys that are glued on top of ceramic or plastic jack o'lanterns at Halloween. But I fell in love all over again at this year's Philadelphia Flower Show when I came across a vender selling the giant-sized tillandsia Xerographic. Xerographica is sometimes referred to as "King of Tillies" and can reach up to 12" across.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUa7wL7zXnnK4nloTgrqla72u-ezMpYA-7kxE9YXnV8Ou0cklCunzO-GzyXgSz_nHME1i5IkzoK400KMBSLMLLhHj8bmWaycX8Ou66paa6GQ2fqS_m0b6vtDozuLup2ZQnH1qGuHcgmHCY/s1600/xerographica.jpeg"></a></div><div>It's actually grown somewhat since I snapped this pic, but this is a pretty average Xerographic by all accounts. It's about 8 or 9 inches across and I have it hanging, in a hammock style hanger I made for it, near our bedroom windows. Did I mention I LOVE these plants?!?! Super easy to care for, a little bit of light, a little bit of love and tiny little bit of water! Plus, since they weight next to nothing and don't need soil, you can put them anywhere. I've seen them in seashells glued to bathroom mirrors and in magnets stuck on refrigerators. I'm dying to get started on the suncatchers!</div><div><br /></div> </article> <article> <h1>Short Post/Tendonitis.</h1> <p>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 13:39:00 +0000</p> Not a whole lot happening around the house this week. My tendonitis has flared up, yet again (it's a chronic issue for me) and I've not got a whole lot of use in the "bum paw." Of course, I'm a lefty and it's my left hand.<div><br /></div><div>Gonna take the opportunity to get some web work done (I moved quite a few patterns over from the old site the other night) and catch up on the laundry, since I can still do that with my splint on. I may try to whip up an Epsom soak with peppermint or some such to super charge my soak time, but I don't see much else happening.</div> </article> <article> <h1>Trying to set a routine</h1> <p>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 20:46:00 +0000</p> So I'm posting from my kindle, even thought typing is a total pain in the ass, because I'm feeling like I need to try to establish some kind of posting routine. I feel like it's not enough to only post here when I have a pattern to share. They happen too erratically because, like it or not, I still have a commitment to a fulltime job. One that I can't financially afford to walk away from right now. <br /><br />I need to come up with a posting schedule, so if there isn't a pattern, you all still get at least a laugh or a rant<br /> I'm thinking that montly isn't often enough, and biweekly is going to make it hard for me to remember if I owe you a post or not. Trust me on that one. It's how the newsletter ended up being a blog in the first place. I can't commit to daily, I'm too overextended and too easily distracted to do that, so I'm thinking weekly. If I don't have a pattern, I'm going to post something every week. My day off varies based on whether my department has requests off to schedule around, so I have a hard time committing anything on the same day every week.<br /><br />So that settles it. On my 1st day off every week, I'm posting something, anything. Because even I'm tired of the sporadic nature of my content. </article> <article> <h1>Snowbird Hat! (Infant Size Hat)</h1> <p>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:28:00 +0000</p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkC1t0D0ajmBMzB-S5gDoCLw_RmZw9gAuct8ollD0jg1-isFugKQjUkI65gnoclroL6SAxHng-o34sLYVgSGrTEo3xvP3398ZOMyS-3EXOZxg64frDWrgrBQAfxuB4lhXC50XHQM-alCC_/s1600/snowbird+day+5.jpeg"></a><br /><b>materials</b><div>size "H" hook</div><div>small amount of dark sage and soft white Red Heart Super Saver yarn</div><div>yarn needle</div><div><br /></div><div><b>pattern:</b><br />with green, ch 4,<br /><b>Rnd 1:</b> 8 dc in 4th ch from hook, join w/ sl st<br /><b>Rnd 2: </b>ch 3, dc, 2 dc in next st (2 dc, 2 dc in next st) 2x, join w/ sl st - changing to soft white with last yo<br /><b>Rnd 3:</b> ch 3, 2 dc, 2 dc in next st, (3 dc, 2 dc in next st) 2x, join w/ sl st - changing to green with last yo<br /><b>Rnd 4:</b> ch 3, dc, 2 dc in next st, (2 dc, 2 dc in next st) around, join w/ sl st - changing to soft white with last yo<br /><b>Rnd 5:</b> ch 3, 2 dc, 2 dc in next st, (3 dc, 2 dc in next st) around, join w/ sl st - changing to green with last yo<br /><b>Rnd 6:</b> ch 3, 3 dc, 2 dc in next st, (4 dc, 2 dc in next st) around, join w/ sl st - changing to soft white with last yo<br /><b>Rnd 7: </b>ch 3, 4 dc, 2 dc in next st, (5 dc, 2 dc in next st) around, join w/ sl st - changing to green with last yo<br /><b>Rnd 8:</b> ch 3, 5 dc, 2 dc in next st, (6 dc, 2 dc in next st) around, join w/ sl st - changing to soft white with last yo<br /><b>Rnd 9:</b> ch 3, dc around, join w/ sl st - changing to green with last yo<br /><b>Rnd 10:</b> ch 1, sc in same st and next 3, 14 dc, 7 sc, 14 dc, 3 sc, join w/ sl st<br />finish off<br /><br /><b>earflap:</b><br /><b>Row 1:</b> with soft white, join w/ sc to 2nd dc on either side of hat, sc, 8 dc, 2 sc, finish off<br /><b>Row 2:</b> with green, join w/ dc to 1st dc of Row 1, 2 dc, dc dec, 3 dc, finish off<br /><b>Row 3:</b> with soft white, join w/ dc to 1st st of Row 2, dc across, finish off<br /><b>Row 4: </b>with green, join w/ dc to 1st st of Row 3, dc, dc dec, dc, dc dec, dc, finish off.<br />sew or tie end of Row 4 together to make a "hole" at the end of the earflap<br />repeat on other side<br />with green, join w/ sc and sc around bottom of hat and earflaps, placing 3 sc in the "hole" in the earflap, join w/ sl st and finish off.<br /><br />for braids, cut 9 15" strands for each braid (3 green and 6 soft white), thread through hole in earflap and fold in half, separate into 3 sections and braid. Tie a knot in the end of your braid and trim ends to make even.<br /></div> </article> <article> <h1>Snowbird Pattern</h1> <p>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 22:12:00 +0000</p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimlJ6g0KOcGo66CZ06l5Faxds-BUk2gcAsVnX0w-y4vF2rhSu0lOKwTufZHr3wXJdB62fNA_O3XssuB4PO_0nGi-8BmHQgivfExSRcHnt6koL5VkEMTS0S0uAPSFxigOXvqkB9X4zL-rjU/s1600/snowbird+day+5.jpeg"></a><br />I found my notebook! That was easy. Also, his hat is great for an infant hat!<div><div><br /></div><div><b>materials:</b></div><div>size "J" hook</div><div>size "H" hook</div><div>Red Heart Super Saver White</div><div>Vanna's Choice Worsted in Linen (2 balls)</div><div>a small amount of tan or cornmeal in worsted weight for beak and feet</div><div>Worsted weight in two colors of your choice for hat (I used Red Heart Soft White and Dark Sage)</div><div>one pair 28mm wiggly eyes</div><div>yarn needle</div><div>polyfil</div><div><br /></div><div><b>pattern:</b></div><div><b>body:</b></div><div>with size "J" hook, holding white and linen together, ch 2</div><div><b>Rnd 1:</b> 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook, join w/ sl st </div><div><b>Rnd 2:</b> ch 1, 2 sc in same st and ea sc around, join w/ sl st </div><div><b>Rnd 3:</b> ch 1, sc in same st, 2 sc in next st, (sc, sc in next st) around, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 4:</b> ch 1, sc in same st and next, 2 sc in next st, (2 sc, 2 sc in next st) around, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 5:</b> ch 1, sc in same st, 2 sc, 2 sc in next st, (3 sc, 2 sc in next st) around, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 6:</b> ch 1, sc in same st, 3 sc, 2 sc in next st, (4 sc, 2 sc in next st) around, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 7:</b> ch 1, sc in same st, 4 sc, 2 sc in next st, (5 sc, 2 sc in next st) around, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 8:</b> ch 1, sc in same st, 5 sc, 2 sc in next st, (6 sc, 2 sc in next st) around, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 9:</b> ch 1, sc in same st, 6 sc, 2 sc in next st, (7 sc, 2 sc in next st) around, join/w sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 10:</b> ch 1, sc in same st, 7 sc, 2 sc in next st, (8 sc, 2 sc in next st) around, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 11:</b> ch 1, sc in same st and around, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 12:</b> ch 1, sc in same st, 8 sc, 2 sc in next st, (9 sc, 2 sc in next st) around, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 13, 14:</b> ch 1, sc in same st and around, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 15:</b> ch 1, sc in same st, 9 sc, 2 sc in next st, (10 sc, 2 sc in next st) around, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 16 - 21:</b> ch 1, sc in same st and around, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 22:</b> ch 1, sc in same st, 9 sc, dec, (10 sc, dec) around, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 23,24:</b> ch 1, sc in same st and around, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 25:</b> ch 1, sc in same st, 8 sc, dec, (9 sc, dec) around, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 26:</b> ch 1, sc in same st and around, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 27:</b> ch 1, sc in same st, 7 sc, dec, (8 sc, dec) around, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 28:</b> ch 1, sc in same st, 6 sc, dec, (7 sc, dec) around, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 29: </b>ch 1, sc in same st, 5 sc, dec, (6 sc, dec) around, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 30: </b>ch 1, sc in same st, 4 sc, dec, (5 sc, dec) around, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 31:</b> ch 1, sc in same st, 3 sc, dec, (4 sc, dec) around, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 32:</b> ch 1, sc in same st, 2 sc, dec, (3 sc, dec) around, join w/ sl st</div><div>stuff with polyfil</div><div><b>Rnd 33:</b> ch 1, sc in same st and next, dec, (2 sc, dec) around, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 34: </b>ch 1, sc in same st, dec, (sc, dec) around, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 35:</b> ch 1, starting in same st - dec around, join w/ sl st</div><div>finish off, leaving a long tail for sewing.</div><div>sew body closed</div><div><br /></div><div><b>head:</b></div><div>with size "J" hook, holding white and linen together, ch 2 </div><div><b>Rnd 1:</b> 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 2: </b>ch 1, 2 sc in same st and around, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 3:</b> ch 1, sc in same st, 2 sc in next st, (sc, 2 sc in next st) around, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 4: </b>ch 1, sc in same st and around, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 5,6:</b> ch 1, sc in same st and next, 2 sc in next st, (2 sc, 2 sc in next st) around, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 7:</b> ch 1, sc in same st and next 2, 2 sc in next st, (3 sc, 2 sc in next st) around, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 8 - 12:</b> ch 1, sc in same st and around, join w/ sl st</div><div>finish off, leaving a long tail for sewing</div><div><br /></div><div><b>tail:</b></div><div>with size "J" hook, holding white and linen together, ch 7</div><div><b>Row 1: </b>starting 2nd ch, sc across, ch 1, turn</div><div><b>Row 2:</b> sc across, ch 1, turn</div><div><b>Row 3: </b>2 sc, 2 sc in next st, 2 sc, ch 1, turn</div><div><b>Row 4:</b> sc across, ch 1, turn</div><div><b>Row 5:</b> sc, 2 sc in next st, 2 sc, 2 sc in next st, sc, ch 1, turn</div><div><b>Row 6:</b> sc across, ch 1, turn</div><div><b>Row 7:</b> 2 sc, (2 sc in next st, 2 sc) across, ch 1, turn</div><div><b>Row 8:</b> *(sc, dc) in 1st st, (dc, sc) in next st, rep from * across</div><div>finish off, leaving a long tail for sewing</div><div><br /></div><div><b>left wing:</b> </div><div>with size "J" hook, holding white and linen together, ch 2 </div><div><b>Rnd 1:</b> 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 2:</b> ch 1, 2 sc in same st and around, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 3:</b> ch 1, sc in same st, 2 sc in next st, (sc, 2 sc in next st) around</div><div><b>Rnd 4: </b>ch 1, sc in same st and next, 2 sc in next st, sc, start 1st feather</div><div>(1st feather) 7 no-ch sc, turn and sc back across 'foundation' of no-ch sts, sc in next st in Rnd 3, turn</div><div>(2nd feather) work 6 sc on first feather, turn, sk 1 sc, 5 sc back across, 2 sc in Rnd 3, turn</div><div>(3rd feather) work 4 sc on 2nd feather, turn, sk 1 sc, 3 sc across, 2 sc in Rnd 3, turn</div><div>(4th feather) work 2 sc on 3rd feather, turn, sk 1 sc, 1 sc, </div><div>working on Rnd 3 (2 sc, 2 sc in next st) around, join w/ sl st</div><div>finish off, leaving a long tail for sewing</div><div><br /></div><div><b>right wing:</b></div><div>through Rnd 3, work same as left wing</div><div><b>Rnd 4:</b> ch 1, sc in same st and next, 2 sc in next st, (2 sc, 2 sc in next st) twice, work feathers same as left wing, 3 sc, 2 sc in next st</div><div>finish off, leaving a long tail for sewing</div><div><br /></div><div><b>feet: make 2</b></div><div>using size "H" hook and tan yarn<br /></div><div><b>1st toe:</b></div><div>ch 2,</div><div><b>Rnd 1:</b> 6 sc in second ch from hook, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 2:</b> ch 1, sc in same st, 2 sc in next st, (sc, 2 sc in next st) around</div><div><b>Rnd 3 - 9:</b> ch 1, sc in same st and around, join w/ sl st</div><div>finish off</div><div><br /></div><div><b>2nd toe and foot:</b></div><div>work same as 1st toe through Rnd 9,</div><div><b>Rnd 10:</b> ch 1, sc through 1st st on both toes, sc around 1 st toe, sc around 2nd toe, join w/ sl st to 2nd sc of this row</div><div><b>Rnd 11:</b> ch 1, sc in same st and next 5, dec, 6 sc, dec, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 12:</b> ch 1, sc in same st and next 4, dec, 5 sc, dec, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 13:</b> ch 1, sc in same st and next 3, dec, 4 sc. dec, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 14 - 18:</b> ch 1, sc in same st and around, join w/ sl st</div><div>stuff foot lightly (you may need to use your hook to get the stuffing all the way down the toes</div><div><b>Rnd 19:</b> ch 1, sc in same st, (dec, sc) around</div><div>finish off and sew closed</div><div><br /></div><div><b>beak:</b></div><div>using size "H" hook and tan yarn </div><div><b>top:</b></div><div>ch 2,</div><div><b>Rnd 1:</b> 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 2:</b> ch 1, sc in same st and next, 2 sc in next st, 2 sc, 2 sc in next st, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 3:</b> ch 1, sc in same st and next 2, 2 sc in next st, 3 sc, 2 sc in next st, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 4: </b>ch 1, sc in same st and next 2, 2 sc in next st, (2 sc in next st, 2 sc) around to last st, 2 st in last st, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 5:</b> ch 1, sc in same st and next, 2 sc in next st, sc, 2 sc in next st, 3 sc, 2 sc in next st, 2 sc, 2 sc in next st, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 6:</b> ch 1, sc in same st and next, 2 sc in next st, 2 sc, 2 sc in next st, 3 sc, 2 sc in next st, 2 sc, 2 sc in next st, 2 sc, 2 sc in next st, 2 sc, 2 sc in next st, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 7:</b> ch 1, sc in same st and around, join w/ sl st</div><div>finish off, leaving a long tail for sewing</div><div><br /></div><div><b>bottom:</b></div><div>work same as top, skipping Rnd 6</div><div><br /></div><div>using photo for placement,</div><div>stuff head and sew onto body</div><div>sew tail onto body</div><div>sew wings onto body leaving feathers loose and placing bit of polyfil in the round part of the wing</div><div>sew feet onto body</div><div>glue eyes on</div><div><br /></div><div><b>hat: </b></div><div>with size "H" hook and dark sage yarn,</div><div>ch 4,</div><div><b>Rnd 1: </b>8 dc in 4th ch from hook, join w/ sl st</div><div><b>Rnd 2:</b> ch 3, dc, 2 dc in next st (2 dc, 2 dc in next st) 2x, join w/ sl st - changing to soft white with last yo</div><div><b>Rnd 3</b>: ch 3, 2 dc, 2 dc in next st, (3 dc, 2 dc in next st) 2x, join w/ sl st - changing to green with last yo</div><div><b>Rnd 4:</b> ch 3, dc, 2 dc in next st, (2 dc, 2 dc in next st) around, join w/ sl st - changing to soft white with last yo</div><div><b>Rnd 5:</b> ch 3, 2 dc, 2 dc in next st, (3 dc, 2 dc in next st) around, join w/ sl st - changing to green with last yo</div><div><b>Rnd 6:</b> ch 3, 3 dc, 2 dc in next st, (4 dc, 2 dc in next st) around, join w/ sl st - changing to soft white with last yo</div><div><b>Rnd 7:</b> ch 3, 4 dc, 2 dc in next st, (5 dc, 2 dc in next st) around, join w/ sl st - changing to green with last yo</div><div><b>Rnd 8:</b> ch 3, 5 dc, 2 dc in next st, (6 dc, 2 dc in next st) around, join w/ sl st - changing to soft white with last yo</div><div><b>Rnd 9:</b> ch 3, dc around, join w/ sl st - changing to green with last yo</div><div><b>Rnd 10: </b>ch 1, sc in same st and next 3, 14 dc, 7 sc, 14 dc, 3 sc, join w/ sl st</div><div>finish off</div><div><br /></div><div><b>earflap:</b></div><div>with size "H" hook</div><div><b>Row 1: </b>with soft white, join w/ sc to 2nd dc on either side of hat, sc, 8 dc, 2 sc, finish off</div><div><b>Row 2:</b> with green, join w/ dc to 1st dc of Row 1, 2 dc, dc dec, 3 dc, finish off</div><div><b>Row 3:</b> with soft white, join w/ dc to 1st st of Row 2, dc across, finish off</div><div><b>Row 4:</b> with green, join w/ dc to 1st st of Row 3, dc, dc dec, dc, dc dec, dc, finish off.</div><div>sew or tie end of Row 4 together to make a "hole" at the end of the earflap</div><div>repeat on other side</div><div>with green, join w/ sc and sc around bottom of hat and earflaps, placing 3 sc in the "hole" in the earflap, join w/ sl st and finish off.</div><div><br /></div><div>for braids, cut 9 15" strands for each braid (3 green and 6 soft white), thread through hole in earflap and fold in half, separate into 3 sections and braid. Tie a knot in the end of your braid and trim ends to make even.</div><div><br /></div><div>sew hat on if desired.</div><div><br /></div></div> </article> <article> <h1>Photo Journal: Snowbird</h1> <p>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:07:00 +0000</p> As soon as I figure out where I misplaced my notes too, I'll be typing up the pattern for you all!<div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfEMw37WCIxI9o6J0wxXOaqMJw-bz-OU7FDlcuVuATgvp1D-VvfQ_lGHTxVA0H85QA8XZOC1_VEQhJL888WhtbCXkyq0BuL8m4SqoEwOl8IdchLTS1tOwgxNF7DK6XhvCnq28WSbvCMVJU/s1600/snowbird+day+1.jpeg"></a><br />Day 1: Not a great shot, but the body is basically done. Two strands of worsted held together, white Red Heart and Vanna's Choice Linen. Need to pick up Poly-Fil and some more of the taupe-y colored yarn tomorrow.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaDLtns66wYrrwivgZJOZVt6UqTM3QE7XmXiNDhZRQNdGYrC8TXWDjq2AKMxvibYvR_Xd2MT8b7LeDx-9uQBUBjlc-crFgmyGFPboiPppuiWI7HnMdKu0nOGpiHJCjluuEU2ro3G9VfHbh/s1600/snowbird+day+2.jpeg"></a><br />Day 2: Body is stuffed and finished. A good start on the head.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjvtza4NlcXuKkF3U4lf0dBm3bXXJr_NoAtt22ZfbKZFeE0hELJys7p3itVesuh-mOcS4EzIXo6dcCp_bzf0GcF3PRmtaT2YarR_tCryV-3Qpgje0TqVl9YRROgVq-E1ekBn7As2qX09ZP/s1600/snowbird+day+3.jpeg"></a><br />Day 3. Head is finished and sewn on/stuffed. Added wings and tail. Still a lot to do, but he's taken shape pretty well. Finally convinced my sister that it's not an albino pig.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyv9P-RVMzcEcdAULA7lDMBVMdulgzWrBILRR8ftSp21VZPCJ9UuIrzsFDRtQi3eI2LRUbom-zPCpKY3hYarmAHrrZynUPxEJDm-7Yi9SWfS4FacOp6ZTTeC9qrKS4sejz13nU0A71D_bz/s1600/snowbird+day+4.jpeg"></a><br />Day 4. Nearly finished now. Beak and feet have been added. Hat is done. Need to decide on eyes and whether he gets any hair under that hat. Distinctly NOT A PIG!<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiORiXp7sthGJ4Dj-7N_xaZ9wgcABvm6V_2MjGtehXT9en3YiLUMKCNe0MRNt-L1euVEoi-YGTb_8Ig-P63acnA-l5RUdMSpuKbpjhqpUQyfzRzpLUBthzKyH7n_WX8T3PyC9h28kIFqfxU/s1600/snowbird+day+5.jpeg"></a><br />Finally got some eyes on the chubby little bugger. You wouldn't believe how I agonized over how to do them, especially considering that they're half hidden by the hat. I wanted crocheted eyes so badly, but I couldn't get it to work out. I ended up with 28mm wigglies.<br /><br /><br /></div> </article> <article> <h1>Photo Journal: Basic Teddy Bear</h1> <p>noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:06:00 +0000</p> So a friend posted on Facebook about a week and a half ago about a young woman who had died in childbirth, leaving behind a newborn son and a 3 year old daughter. Even though, I didn't know her, I decided that I wanted to make something for the kids. So I've been working on a couple of small projects for them for about a week now. I finished the last item last night.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq9rim1Ggw1KxOiFtJZvIuhr3JojqTnq_HuSmm4vZIBRSpOjuH9WROJNIzwcCvTxZnvxD-qgXI2uPTXdNv-d50DiexcFCyGkKV8AbmZ2WmMS19IxCmpL7KgTyP_KBlLXjVWsgkhbB4hZQs/s1600/goodies.jpeg"></a><div>Perhaps it was a bit opportunistic of me, but I also took pictures of the teddy bear along the way, so I could share a little bit of the design process.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMzKHNsWJj_Xr_q4x9IKCAfTIyviR8S7Jblx0L7WvXtUVMVG_zDcSzNukc3mzWWvBjL5EGwVH-5bm4TTv3xIfEH6HaspkJr-WDLLyu2HBvkl-bRMM2GsMNsUqqueWq87RVVnNahwK4iNw7/s1600/teddy+bear+day+1.jpeg"></a></div><div>Day 1: two of the legs are done and a start on a third. Mostly when I make bears, I stick with making the legs are arms the same. I'm working the bear in Loops and Threads - Country Loom, Shale. It works up pretty similar to Lion Brand's Homespun, but a bit chunkier.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh0mwYCelp_NwWYOT4M9adIgBFx-iA1VBuDLDYEJJQeXKOpZvRkXtls6ll_85o3htTkWn2FKrCCasVtyjZbu2baXoibofO02j1U1kRHX7mRpqiYUEn_CQQQOuCSk0tDr-ctv9b1nGszjBO/s1600/teddy+bear+day+2.jpeg"></a>Day 2: All the legs/arms are finished. Legs are joined together and body is started. Tail is complete (it's worked right in over the course of 2 rounds). </div><div><br /></div><div>Tail: add ch 7, just before the join of desired row (start a row lower than you'd like the tail to end up. on next row, sc in ea ch, and join on next row, skip tail sts and join to first sc of row. </div><div><br /></div><div>It does leave a very small hole in the bear's bottom, but if it bothers you, you can always sew it closed.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgECCLPH1iP2DKTn-4xexcSQ8Vl9Xlp7B-LJJJze3yarK7gFbvEfD4d8TrsrOwtxtOVrjUiX8iL1ibOpx5Z0O1MKxeHq6GqbihyoMSvOzDsdQeCn7nJSek31uQQPllZdJ-X2OdMlR1PmQTT/s1600/teddy+bear+day+3.jpeg"></a>Day 3: Most of a bear. Body is stuffed, head is started. I'm trying to get this one done as soon as possible for someone, so I've been working like a madwoman. (Also, I was up way to late watching old episodes of a favorite TV show.)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAecfsrRHcQaP6RdK57_HbXvjie46-xEdHLRL0wPAwMFMgTAGvPO_K4_9e7BbFrkxLIYY6WvRW5vTGcrF-YN9GVXh_YZ-QRLPt6Vutzs7SBzqY3YU6rGLPwCJzHiB5pakX2nAbD3LZ2-6y/s1600/teddy+bear+day+4.jpeg"></a>Day 4: Bear is finished. Ears are the only part that required sewing on. Face is embroidered in plain old Red Heart Super Saver in whatever the Dark Brown I had laying around is. Ready to be mailed out!<br /></div></div> </article> </main></body></html>