Two on Tuesday

Gosh, it's been forever again since I've been able to sit down and write something to share!

I wanted to do [another] recap post before I jumped into all the plans I have for my blog in 2016, but time doesn't seem to allow for such "luxuries" so I'm jumping in!

Any of you who are friends with me on Facebook and/or Instagram know why life has been so busy the for me the past couple of months!

Lilia Louise Weston was born at 2:12 p.m. on Friday, October 9, 2015

So much more to share in future posts about the crocheting and crafting that I've done for her over the past 3 months - not to mention all the future crocheting and crafting that I'll be doing for her.  But that's for another day, when I have time to write more!

I wanted to stop in quickly today to share my first Two on Tuesday of 2016!  I used to love reading these from Debi Y in years past, along with coming up with 2 things once a week that were making me happy so I'm bringing in back!

1. my baby girl, obviously!  She's 110% the love of my life these days.  Hard to believe that she's already almost 15 weeks old.  I'm pretty biased but I think she's the absolute BEST
2. The work I do with the Lucille Ball Little Theatre of Jamestown.  You can click HERE to visit our Facebook page and read a recent article that was published about our history as Jamestown's Community Theatre.  Over the past 30 years my involvement has ranged from going to see shows as a child with my Grannie to joining the Jr. Guilders (a childrens theatre group where I was trained for over 10 years, and am still a choreographer for the group) to being cast in main productions (15 to date including: "Cats", "Boeing Boeing", "Oklahoma", "Annie" and more) to choreographing productions, to becoming a Board Member 18 months ago, to joining the Play Selection Committee to doing all marketing for the theatre for the past 18 months.  To say this is a passion of mine would be an understatement.  Please to do read about our history, it's truly an amazing place!

I hope you are all doing well!  I'm slowly trying to catch up on your blogs after spending my maternity leave with Lilia and not my computer.

Two on Tuesday

Things making me happy as I head to bed this evening:

1.  time to crochet after work this evening, allowing me to catch up on Mood Blanket!

Here's my hexagons from week 5

 Still not fully caught up for January, but here's where I now am!  Totally having some anxiety over the order when it comes time to start connecting these - between similar colors and patterns that I don't want next to each other, I'm not sure what I'll end up doing!

2.  Our puppies are just the BEST

Osa and Copper were both very interested in hanging out with me while I crocheted this evening

Clearly, they were exhausted after a day of playing in the snow

Can't imagine he was chilly when laying that close to the fire, but Copper found himself the warmest location he could! LOL he cracks me up

Wouldn't it be great if there were enough hours in the day that I could work, crochet and still be able to take pictures when it's daylight vs. everything being dark, fuzzy and not quite the right color overall?  #agirlcandream

Two on Tuesday

1. I'm thankful to have working heat and warm clothes on days like today.

This was the weather outside when I woke up this morning:

Naturally, the only thing to do when you can't stay in doors on a day like this:

you wear long johns under your work pants!

2.  Excited to have tried a new pattern and have another custom order quickly "out the door" (techinally this custom order just went downstairs as my Mother-in-law ordered it for a friend!)

Here's the finished product from Sunday's SNEAK PEAK:

The pattern is from Rachel over at Maybe Matilda and can be found HERE.  I did make a few adjustments though:

• starting chain of 100
• Round (Row) 1 - sc in 2nd chain from hook and across (99 stitches), sl st to join loop (making sure to not twist), fasten off
• Round 2 - started following pattern as Rachel wrote it for the V-stitch pattern
• Round 13 (final) - ch 2 into top of dc of V-stitch of previous round.  hdc into each ch and dc of round 12, sl st to join and fasten off

I look forward to making more of these in the future, including ones that are wider and maybe even someday ones that stash bust with ends and scraps vs. starting with  me pulling out new skeins of yarn!

Two on Tuesday

Happy Tuesday everyone!  I hope that your week has been off to a great start!

 Things that are making me happy today:

1.  Hair tutorials, like THESE, from Kate over at The Small Things Blog.  I woke up this morning in no mood to go through the process of doing my hair for work.  Typically I am terrible at any sort of "styling" when it comes to my hair, so I'm usually a bit of a "hot mess" after these types of mornings.  I've kinda, sorta, half-@ssed tried this Mid-Knot style before but it went all kinds of wrong.  Today though?  Well, it must be my lucky day, because I think I [almost] got it!

And yes, after about 10 photos, I've also realized that my "skill" for taking back of my head #selfies in the bathroom mirror rivals my standard inability to style my own hair.  Either way - this was over my late lunch hour so not only did my hair go up on the first try and look decent, it still looks decent this far into my day!  (yeah me!)

This will likely never happen again, and the next time I think I'm going to sleep in the extra 15 min and put my hair up all "cute" I'll show up 15 min late to work, overly frustrated with my hair in a nasty little knot/bun/thing.  So for now, I'll enjoying having hair that looks like I'm capable of doing something with it.

2.  Getting to crochet over my lunch hour.  While my commute to work is about 35 min on dry roads (to go 32 miles - such an improvement over DC traffic!),  my parents live 8ish min from my office so I frequently head over there on my lunch hour.  Always on the days my Mom is off from work, and on the other days (like today) it just depends on my work load, the weather, if I remembered to bring anything to do while I'm there, general mood, if I'm in need of food (and too cheap to buy something), etc.  I headed over today so that I could finish crocheting up my mock-ups of the three patterns I was deciding between yesterday for my 2014 Mood Blanket.  

That's right - WAS deciding between - I've totally made my decision, and I'm so excited to get going on my blanket!

Here are the 2 that I crocheted up last night.  I'd already made my decision by the time I'd finished the 2nd one, but continued on to the third, just to be sure.  I messed up #3 as I was trying to beat the clock to my final Christmas dinner of the holiday season..  I tried #3 again today, and while I was doing it right this go-around, I still didn't like how it looked compared to the one I was already in love with:

That's right.  I shoulda just trusted my gut!  I'm using THIS pattern, and to get three rows of color before my border, I'm adding a 4th row of single crochet.  Each corner space is a sc ch1 sc.  I'm using a G hook and my finished hex is about 3.5" across.  I just love this little "peanut" and they only take me 10 min to crochet, 15 max with weaving in ends!  Perfect for me to get caught up on January, not over look on a busy night, and/or catch up again when life gets too busy!  I also really like the narrow border of sc so that when everything is joined together you'll primarily see my "mood colors" with a little connecting border throughout.

Still a little unsure of my connecting method and how I'm going to lay everything out, but I'm certain that by my next "Moody Monday" post I'll have so much more to share!

So what did I decide to do with my other mock ups?  Well, the one I didn't finish I will frog this evening so I can reuse the yarn on my blanket.  The other one?

I've been in need of a new Spring-time coaster in my office.  This works perfectly! (I'm not a big fan of how this pattern is written, but the finished product definitely makes adorable coasters with ENDLESS color possibilities.  One day when I have some free time (ha-ha) I may have to try and adjust the pattern a bit for my liking)

Two on Tuesday

How do Tuesdays continue to sneak up on me so quickly?  I mean, Mondays always sneak up too quickly, so I suppose it makes sense with Tuesday to follow ;-) 

Things making me happy this week:

1.  Fun adventures on the weekend with Jonathan.  On Sunday night we both found ourselves reflecting on how enjoyable these "quick" trips can be, and we treasure these memories just as much as the bigger vacations.  I owe you all a post with pictures from our weekend trip to Buffalo, which extended into a day trip to the US side of Niagara Falls for my first time in, at least, 2 decades.  I'll try to post pictures before this weekend's "adventures" begin!

2. New crochet projects.  I know right?  Like I need to start something new...

Anyway, I came across this Crochet Mood Blanket 2014 while catching up on some blogs earlier, and as I dug a little deeper, it seems there are thousands who have joined in!!  I've read about and looked at photos for inspirations here, and here, and here, and here, and here.  I'm still toying around with what design I want to use.  Right now I like this and this, but my "research" hasn't been too extensive just yet.  I'm always looking at so many gorgeous square patterns and never know just what to do with them; finally a fun opportunity to use one!!  I, of course, need to pick one that's going to be easy to pick up every night and make a square with.  I don't foresee myself being able to get a good start on this until this weekend as I'll need to brainstorm a bit on colors and dig through the old stash.  I also need to do some math on the final blanket size to see how much "catch up" I have to do (how is it already the middle of January!!?!)

As always, so little time for so many crafty ideas!

Two on Tuesday

Things that are making me happy today:

1.  Finding a new blog that I've never read before while browsing crochet patterns online.  While searching for a football applique yesterday, I clicked on a link for an owl applique (I LOVE owls!!), and I came across Laura's blog at Love the Blue Bird.  I'm in love!  Laura's crochet work is beautiful, and after spending quite a bit of time reading her previous posts, I didn't come across a single photograph that wasn't an outstanding representation of her work.  I may need lessons!!  Thanks for the patterns and ideas you've shared as well Laura, I've definitely added a few more projects to my ever growing to-do list!

***Just had to add in two more new blogs that I came across today***

I haven't had the chance to do much more than read their "about me" and scan the most recent posts, but I've started following both on Bloglovin' and wanted to share with you all as well!

Sarah of Sarahndipities

Chi Wei of One Dog Woof

2.  I think 2014 is really gonna be my year for the blog, ETSY shop and Facebook page!  I've been having so much fun linking them together and coming up with more creative things/ways to blog.  Here's hoping the excitment lasts past January ;-)

Speaking of, I'm asking my Facebook friends to vote on which caption they like best for the photo I posted yesterday.  Hop on over now and be sure to LIKE the photo (not the post) for your favorite caption!  Please spread the news too - little Elsie is toooooo adorable to not share!

Option One:

 Option Two:

The polar vortex has made it's way to WNY.  My jeep said -18 on my way to work this morning and the wind chills were said to be around -34.  I've yet to warm up from my venture from the car to the office, and I'm convinced that it should be illegal to have to leave your house (or jammies!!) on a day like today.  I hope that all of you are safe and warm, and if you're really lucky, crocheting in front of a warm fire!

Two on Tuesday

It's been about 2 days past forever since I was last on here on a Tuesday with the time to stop and think about things that make me happy.  In honor of Thanksgiving week, I'd like to my post 2 things that I'm thankful for:

1.

Snow is gently falling out my office window this afternoon and soon Winter Storm Boreas will be in full force.  Most of yesterday afternoon I would see something about the Holiday Weekend weather and dread the thought of having to drive north in another winter storm......then I'd remember; WE DON'T HAVE TO!  For the first time in more years than I can remember almost a decade, not only will we not be driving home in a blizzard, but we don't have to travel at all!!!!

2.  Thankful for a 4-day holiday weekend.  This ties in with #1 but with no travel involved this year, it's a solid FOUR DAYS off (#thingsIneverget)!  I'm positive that I won't get everything done I want to, and I'll likely still be sleepy when I return to work on Monday, but for now, the thought of 4 whole days of crocheting, my sweet husband, our puppies/kitties, sleeping in, sweats and family is enough to get me through the rest of this short work week!

As promised, my update post is coming....stay tuned!

Two on Tuesday

Things that make me happy this week:

1.  Spending time with friends, laughing at the most ridiculous things (like dinner's sponsored by the letter R) :-)

2.  Sitting here at work knowing that Jonathan doesn't have to go class tonight so I may get a few quality minutes (maybe even an hour!) with him this evening