P.O.D (Plan of the Day)

It's that time of the year again--tomato sauce making season. This year, I am using roma tomatoes (and other misc tomatoes from the garden too). I do have a gripe about this years tomato crop. I ended up with 6 cherry tomato plants and I expected them to be "big boys." Seems like the wrong name was put in the planters for my tomatoes. We'll see how this years batch of sauce turns out. Sauce making is about to commence very soon now.

After our evening meal, when we usually kick back and watch a little television, I will be finishing up the baby blanket I have been working on. I only have a few ends to weave in (mostly kept up with them), a quick wash and then a bit of blocking on the spare bed.

I hope to have a "reveal" of this blanket within the next few days. I'm loving this pattern. I had a hard time deciding on how I wanted to join the squares; I've developed a fondness of single crocheting on the right side and that's the route I went. You've probably guessed from this picture that the blanket is for a little boy. Must be my age or something but I really like the traditional "pink for girls and blue for boys" colors and was pleased that the friend I'm making this for requested blue.

Stay tuned for the reveal and link to pattern.

Have a great weekend!

Sharon

More Canning Supplies

Definitely Needs Blocking!

DSCN0169, a photo by Ms Sharon Marie on Flickr.

This is going to be a baby blanket soon. These squares are wonky and I'll be blocking them.

What's for Supper???

.

I'm trying a new recipe for supper tonight. I had bought a large package of skinless-boneless chicken breast at Sam's Club and spaced out breaking down the package for more than one meal. So, for Sunday dinner,  I defrosted them and set aside 2 pieces to go on the grill the next day. The rest I found a new recipe to try in my crock pot. Seems like I've been stuck in a rut with my cooking so I decided to try something different. There will be enough for a few meals out of this for dh and me. Here's the recipe:

Slow Cooker Pineapple Glazed Chicken 
Ingredients:
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (20 oz) can pineapple slices, juice reserved
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup cornstarch (could add less if you want sauce to be thinner)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, more or less depending on heat level you like)

Directions:
Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Place chicken breasts inside slow cooker and place pineapple rings on top of chicken. In a separate bowl, mix together remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Cook on low for 5-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
Serve over rice and garnish with green onions (optional).

I doubled the sauce recipe so that we would have plenty to spoon over the rice. I did put in the optional red pepper but I used ground and did not double it. 
I found the recipe on this site and there are plenty more delicious looking things there for us to try.

Ray wasn't too impressed with this. I like it but this probably won't be a regular feature on our dinner table because I have to please the hubby too.

Have a great week everyone.

PS--I'm working at uploading my photos from flickr instead of picasa because I'm over my limit for free storage there; so please forgive any "goofs" related to formatting and picture postings. I'll work on getting better.

  Paula Deen Cookbooks

Monday's Link to Free Crochet Pattern (22 July 2013)

Probably the finished crochet projects I used the most beside potholders and dishcloths are slippers. I find that I can always use another pair.  Here is a sweet looking pair of slippers for the ladies.

More Patterns for Slippers

Monday's Link to Free Crochet Pattern (15 July 2013)

Here's a pattern for another hat for the men in your lives. It's a small project that is nice to work on during hot summer days. Hope you enjoy!

Hugs, 

Sharon

Monday's Link to Free Crochet Pattern (08 July 2013)

Hope everyone had a fun 4th of July weekend. We cooked out with some of the neighbors and had so many leftovers, we got together the next day to finish them off.

For this week's pattern, we have a beanie for men. The pattern comes with the option of making it with or without a cuff. Seems rather difficult to find many nice patterns for men so I'm going to try and dig up a few this month to share with you.

Have a great week everyone!

Sharon

 

Smile...

I got a new camera and I was playing around with it. Love the zoom lens . The text is from fotoflexer. 

Monday's Link to Free Crochet Pattern (01 July 2013)

Today's link takes us to a free pattern for a toilet seat cover. It is done in a pretty shell design. A project this size is nice to crochet on these hot summer days. Hope you enjoy.

Sharon

Monday's Link for Free Crochet Pattern (1 day late)

Is your Barbie nekkid and in desperate need of clothes? Here's a page with many different outfits and accessory patterns for your Barbie.

I haven't been on here much lately and now I'm trying to catch up on reading your blogs.

Have fun everyone!

Sharon

More Collectible Barbies

Life is like Coffee Movie

Life is like Coffee Movie: Do you know people that just seem to be happier in general? Do you say to yourself, "I want to be more like them"? Often, the happiest people in the world don't have the best of everything...they just make the best of everything!

Thanks to my friend Beth for sending this to me.

Monday's Link to Free Crochet Pattern (17 June 2013)

I'm off season here, but today's link is for bells. They make great decorations for Christmas and you can use up the odds and ends of yarn you have leftover from other projects you make this summer. These bells would look great on your Christmas tree or as an embellishment for gifts or maybe for wedding decorations.

Have a great week!

Sharon

Just Piddling Along with Crocheting...

I'm just piddling along with the projects I'm working on. Lately I haven't finished much--I've been working a little here and there with a baby blanket. Tonight I finished a dishcloth. I worked a row every now and then when I didn't feel like working on the baby blanket. The pattern (#5) is from The Big Book of Dishcloths from Leisure Arts. The yarn I used is reminiscent of the 1970s and it has a warm, cozy look to it. I've used this yarn before, it's cotton on a cone and the label has been gone for sometime now so I don't know the name of it. I've been chatting away for a bit much now so I'll "be quiet" and show you the picture.

Wishing everyone a wonderful week!

Sharon

Changing Times...

I saw this on facebook and I thought that it was so relevant that I wanted to share it with you. When I see things like this I sometimes wonder if it is possible that I am becoming a member of my parents generation; you know the phrase, "I remember when I was a kid we (fill in the blank)" that we heard growing up. Anyway, enjoy the video.

 

Hugs,
Sharon

Current Project--

I'm working on another baby blanket. Seems that there are lot of babies going to be born lately. I have 2 more to go after this one. So far this is what I have finished--

There are some granny squares that get worked with this too. This will be for a little boy. His grandmother has been a friend since high school so of course I have to make a blanket for this this guy's grand entrance.

Pattern is from an Annie's Attic publication called Best-in-Show Baby Blankets, edited by Brenda Brinneman, published by DRG in 2005.

Stay tuned for more...

Have a great day everyone,

Sharon

Monday's Link to Free Crochet Pattern (10 June 2013)

Today's free pattern is for bunny slippers for a 0-3 month old. They're really cute and not only would they're nice anytime but would be especially nice at Easter-time (I'm a bit late for that this year though  ).

Hope everyone has a wonderful week!

Hugs,
Sharon

Crocheted Spiderman-Like Baby Blanket

This week I finished a baby blanket reminiscent of Spiderman's web. This is going to the soon to be born grandson of my neighbors. Their daughter and son in law are decorating the baby's room with a super hero theme. The basic round ripple pattern is by Aggie May of Crochetville. I finished it up by using bits and pieces from other similar "web like" patterns others had done. Hope the new parents like it.  Oh, if anyone is interested in the basic round ripple pattern I used, Aggie May has generously shared her pattern to Crochetville members who have pm'd her at Crochetville.

Take care everyone.

  Other Spiderman clothing

I've Been AWOL from Here

I've been missing in action here again. I did go to Illinois to visit family and friends. It was a whirl-wind trip. Son Matthew went with me and we were constantly on the go. Even though we saw everyone we set out to see, I felt like our visits were too short. I brought some crochet items as gifts but spacey me forgot to give the slippers I crocheted to 2 people I had them for. I'll make it up to them the next time I see them. I got carried away talking and visiting and forgot about taking pictures. My son took a couple but he's not familiar with my camera and  they turned out blurry. Anyway, here's what we did.

Met up with an old high school friend and we went to Aurelio's  in Frankfurt, IL for pizza and chat. The pizza was great and the chat was even better. Beth is a great friend and I miss her dearly. Here's a blurry picture   of us--

Our room wasn't ready when we checked into the hotel so we went to the cemetery and put out flowers for my mom. It was between Mothers' Day and  Memorial Day so I decided to go with a patriotic theme for the decorations.

Mom

Grandma and Grandpa

For the first time since I graduated high school back in '75, I saw the lady who taught me to crochet. I thanked her several times for teaching me. Crocheting is a great stress reliever for me and I feel like when I give someone something I've crocheted it comes from the heart because of all the hours it takes to make a project and the happy thoughts about the person I'm making the item for. Anyway, she's in her 80s now and no longer crochets because no matter how she sits, her back hurts. She told me to stop in and visit any time I'm back in the area. To be honest, I'm not sure she remembered me.

After not making a trip up there the last 4 or 5 years, I was rather surprised at how much a couple of older relatives have slowed down. I need to make an effort to make a trip more frequently.

My aunt is taking care of my cousin's twins who were born last fall. They're the cutest little things. The little girl has longer hair and very feminine eyebrows. She's definitely the alpha child (is there such a thing?) and she has a very dominant personality. She wasn't happy when I tried to hold her. Her brother on the other hand, not only was I able to hold him but I was able to feed him a bottle too. His hair is shorter and his eyebrows are thicker and he just looks like a little boy already. I took the blankets up there that I've procrastinated about mailing. It was such a long time since I held a baby and I was amazed at how heavy the little ones were! Got me wishing that there were more little ones around us. .

I visited with my cousin and it was very nice. We met at Jameson's Pub and dined outside. Food is delicious there and service is great too. I had a hamburger that was too big to finish at one sitting. I had a small cooler with me so I put my leftovers in it and had the rest for breakfast. I often eat crazy things like that for breakfast, I hate to waste food. Her mother is my aunt who passed away last Thanksgiving. I put some flowers out for her at the cemetery too.

Before I made the drive, Ray had the tires and oil changed in the truck. I'll be darned if my uncle didn't notice a strange sound when he rode with me and after getting it checked out, I had a bad wheel bearing. I'm pretty happy that he noticed it because I could have had a bad accident driving home. So, I extended my stay and had it fixed. My son ended up missing a day at work. Even though he called the day before, he was given a point, or as I call it, a demerit for missing work. He works at Wal-Mart and they're really mean about those things. I've been contemplating boycotting them but then again, my son still works there and is getting a check so I should be less quick about the boycott thing.

We made it home safely and my "babies" were happy to see me.

Nellie Belle

Opi

I have a few ends to weave in on my latest project then I'll post a picture for you.

Take care everyone and hugs,

Sharon

Have You Seen One of These?

My Nellie Belle loves this stuffed animal. She takes it to bed with us every night and it is the only toy she brings in from outside. She has just about loved it to death. I've mended it several times and the fabric is starting to rot. I've been looking for a replacement in stores and online but no luck. I've tried substituting similar stuffed animals but once again, no luck. The manufacturer's tag is no longer legible so that's a dead-end. I got it several years ago at Big Lots.  Have you seen one of these anywhere? Please let me know if you have so I can get her a new one.

Monday's Link to Free Crochet Pattern (13 May 2013)

graphic from here

Today's Link is for a sporty looking tote with a pocket for an umbrella. I'm not one for crocheted bags but this one is right up my alley. Check it out, I think you'll like it too.

Have a great week everyone!


   All kinds of umbrellas here

Monday's Link to Free Crochet Pattern (06 May 2013)

Next month is June and many weddings take place in this month. Here's a pattern for a wedding related afghan. There's still time to make one if you plan to gift some newlyweds with an afghan.

Have a great week everyone!




More Wedding Cake Toppers

I'm Baaack!

Yep, I've been gone from here for much of the time lately. Need to catch up with my blog reading and all that. Today I'm sharing my latest finished object. Ta Dah--it's an afghan made of granny squares! I've been piddling around with this one for quite a while now. Sometimes I suffer from lack of motivation when it comes to working with squares although, granny square afghans are some of my favorites to have and see. This goes to a high school chum now living in Florida. I wanted to get it to her in time for her birthday but that's Tuesday and I don't think the post office is fast enough. Anyway, she's also been in the hospital lately too so I need to be sure and get to the post office first thing tomorrow. Afghan's in the wash now and tomorrow it's off to the post office.

Time to start my next project--a Spiderman Baby/Toddler 'Ghan.

Have a great week everyone.

Hugs, Sharon

Thank You

Thank you for all your prayers. They helped locate my friend's granddaughter. She's been found--alive but a bit battered. I won't go into details because she's only 14. Again, thank you so very much for your prayers.

Missing Girl

Found!

My friend's granddaughter is missing. Please, if you see her, or know where she is then please call the Hemet, California Police Departmet at Phone: (951) 765-2400 .

"My daughter Angelisa Whisnant ran away from homeland CA last night at 12:30...she may be in Hemet....she is mentally handicapped and requires meds...ANGELISA MOMMY LOVES YOU SO VERY MUCH..PLEASE PLEASE COME HOME!!" (from facebook)

She takes medications that she needs.

Please share this if you know someone in the Hemet, California area.

Thank you very much.

Monday's Link to Free Crochet Pattern (29 April 2013)

Today's featured free pattern would be great for a musician. It's a scarf that resembles a musical keyboard.

Hope everyone is doing ok. I've been absent from blogland lately. Seems like life has gotten a bit busy lately. I hope to have something to share with you soon.

Hugs,
Sharon

Shower Curtains

Monday's Link to Free Crochet Pattern (22 April 2013)

Tired of scrubbing those pots and pans that have food literally stuck to them? Here's a pattern that will help you with that chore.

Wishing everyone a great week.

Hugs,
Sharon

Monday's Link to Free Crochet Pattern (15 April 2013)

It's a Spiderman afghan! I love these afghan's and have already made a baby one and one for a child. Soon, I'm going to be making another one because our neighbor's daughter is expecting a baby and she's decorating the nursery in super heroes. The picture is of one I made a few years ago (not sure if I used this exact pattern or not).

Hugs,
Sharon

Let's Pause Our Lives for a Moment--

It's time to take a moment and pray for the people in Boston. I can not imagine anyone having so much anger that they would destroy innocent lives. People of Boston, America and much of the world is praying for you. 

As I was reading the news about this horrific event, I actually cried. I am flabbergasted at the amount of hatred in some people and groups to do this. 

For up-to-date information, CNN's blog has the latest news.

Spring Is in the Air

Spring is in the air in our neck of the woods.

I almost wish that dandelions were more "controllable." They're a pretty, cheerful yellow and it would be nice to contain them in flower beds. Unfortunately, they're uncontrollable and plant themselves wherever they darn well please. The tiny violets that grow wild everywhere around here are very pretty too and I don't have any problem with them planting themselves wherever they please since they don't stand-out as much as the dandelions do.

Yesterday, the weather was beautiful--about 80 degrees and sunny with a little bit of a breeze. Hubby brought home some petunias and I put together our hanging baskets and outdoor planters.

I know, they look kind of puny right now but, in a couple weeks they'll fill out and I paid a fraction of the price that pre-planted baskets cost. You can see my neighbor in the first picture tilling up our garden for us. Hubby asked to borrow his tiller but our nice neighbor came over and did it himself. Hubby is going to aerate the neighbors yard for him so it's a win-win situation.

We have a small tiller--a mantis. You may have seen them on television. Our soil isn't the best and it is better to use the big tiller to break ground in the spring. Hubby went to the store and came back with some manure this morning.

He's taking it out to the garden and will be working it in the soil with our mantis tiller.

Opi has been enjoying our weather too. A normally lazy boy, he's outdoors frolicking in the yard for long periods during the sun shiny times.

I've been working on my afghan some more. After my fiasco with using the wrong hook for about 1/2 of the squares I made I'm not sure if I'm going to meet my dead-line with this. Get motivated Sharon!

That's it for now. Y'all have a great day...

Hugs,

Sharon