Jerry Delivered!

  This has been one exciting week. So exciting, that I did not have much time to write. There wasn't as many blog posts as last month, but I want each post to be good and full of interesting content, you see.
    This story begins the day before yesterday. I was in my bedroom in the middle of the afternoon. My sister Zaira comes up and hands me a manila envelope. I look down,  I only see my address. It is my handwriting in green marker. Slightly confused and almost disheartened, I think that it is the letter I sent out to Jerry Lewis, coming back to me, unopened. Return to sender.
   But realization kicks in. I remember, I decorated the letters envelope in multicolored marker stars! The envelope I was holding was the return envelope that I had enclosed with the letter, that is what you do if you want to get anything. The post Mark is Las Vegas.
   I jet downstairs in a flurry of excitement, getting my Mother. I tear open the back of the envelope-"Be Careful!" My mother tells me, I am so bad at opening envelopes. I see a flash of thin card board and glossy paper. I carefully pull out a photo, a signed photo from Jerry Lewis!!!
  The inscription was: "To Raven, My best wishes, Jerry Lewis. 15." It made me so happy, I had written so many others, who never wrote back. I sent my letter out, not expecting anything to happen, but still nursing the flames of hope and counting the days. Of course, earlier this month, I did stop counting the days, but I never lost hope or let myself get disappointed.
    And finally, it all paid off. I am so happy about this. I knew he wouldn't let me down, Jerry is from the old school of Hollywood, he knows the importance of letters and such. What a fantastic fella he is. I was crying and laughing at the same time, it was very unexpected.
   This week has been one for the books.

Hats, Headbands And Scarves.

A few projects to share! Sorry I haven't been on, hectic week getting my sister off to camp.
   First project, an infinity scarf for my Aunt Debbie!! This was fun tomake, a Ravelry pattern. I used Red Heart yarn in the color of Jade. This was my first infinity scarf. You can find this lovely and easy pattern at this link http://www.mooglyblog.com/artfully-simple-infinity-scarf/ I used my father's mannequin to model, she did a wonderful job. You can do the scarf in one skein and still have a little left over.
   Second, headbands for my sister's!! I used Bernat Baby Blanket yarn in Pitter Patter color. I can not stress how amazing this yarn is. So soft. The flowers were made with a rose pattern, you can see the video on one of my last posts. These were the first things I made after my day break, I haven't taken another one yet.
   The last one is a hat my sister Dee did, her first hat, I am so proud!! The back came out a little pointy, but being the improviser she is, she flipped the brim in Fedora fashion! This is going to Project Linus, I am so proud. You can find the initial pattern here: http://www.crochetspot.com/free-crochet-pattern-newborn-baby-hat/
  Sorry my post was a little short, I am just getting back into the swing of things, long trips do that to me, but I love road trip immensely!

Morning Routine.

   This blog post is in response to a video by MissJudyBeauty on YouTube! Here is her video. First off, Judy, totally enjoying your videos! It is really neat to meet such a cool person, who went through things similar to what I went through. You rock, Warrior Queen! Ok, so here is my morning routine.
   I am homeschooled, so things are a little different. I set my alarm for 9:20, when school starts in September, I vow to get up earlier! Like you, I make the bed (because seriously, who wants to come into the room and see a messy bed?) I brush my teeth. I wash my face with these little green face scrubbies. I put on Equate skin cream, (smells so good) and wash that off. Leaves your face feeling Tingley. Then I put on Palmer's Cocoa Butter, because I have really dry skin after washing my face! This stuff is really nice.
   After getting dressed (it could be anything, except pajama pants and sweat pants, which I don't like too much, more of a jeans and leggings kind of gal, skirts and dresses too) I throw on some chapstick. I used to use EOS until it ran out now I am using Chap Ice. Deodorant is Dove. Powder scent, really love that. My usual perfume is "Loves Baby Soft" which is kind of powdery/floral. My favorite.
   I put on purple eyeshadow every day. I'm only wearing purple eyeshadow until my cousin Wyatt gets better, he has Neuroblastoma. Purple is the cancer color. I also pin a cross to my chest every day in support of him also.
   If I am up early enough, I make a basted egg and Spam. Usually I just eat some Krave or a cereal bar. I don't like to eat a lot for breakfast for some reason.
   I only put on lipstick when I am going out, I am vowing to wear more makeup, I just want to find my make up style first!!
   By the way, Happy 17th Birthday Judy!!

Day Off?

   This is going to be an interesting day. My day off. You heard it. I hate the sound of it. MY DAY OFF FROM CROCHETING!! The last few weeks have been a little rough for me, but not to the point where I couldn't function. It all started on that day where I tried to empty the pool. It's been back and arm pain since then. And then, every day, it's something new. If it's not the back, it's the head, if it's not the head, it's the arms....but then, it's always the arms.
   Plus, this week, I got one of my allergy shots. I get two every week. This time, my arms got quite swollen and on one day, so painful I thought I was going to throw up. There was a prop mistress on "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" who accidentally injected herself with formaldehyde while getting a prop ready.... I imagine this is what it had to feel like. Called the doctor. Told me to take a Benadryl. I did. Pretty much knocked me out there. Fell asleep with a numb face for a half hour. This was quite distressing as I had not done the mornings dishes and I had a blanket to finish. Then on top of that my anxiety has been bothering me for no apparent reason.
  But oddly enough, even through this stupid pain, I have been churning out blankets, headbands and hats like some kind of creative machine. I'm on every day, production never quits. So my Dad said I should take a break because he sees how crazy intense it is! At first I thought it was a crazy idea, but he is talking sense. I'm probably wrecking my arms. So today, I am going to give it a break, and it is going be hard, I pretty much live and breath yarn. But what to do, what to do in its place, besides the chores I usually do?
  Well Monday is laundry day, I always do that. I could read. There's dishes. Thank you notes to deliver.....
   WHY DO I HAVE TO LOVE CROCHETING SO MUCH AND WHY DOES IT HAVE TO HURT?

Star Wars, At Last.

Well, finally got to see the epic motion picture that is STAR WARS!! My little brother is a big Star Wars fan. So he was watching the first movie. I've never really had an ultimate desire to watch it, thinking it may possibly be boring. Last night I thought, what the heck? Give it a shot!
   Of course I missed the beginning of the movie (I was in the shower) but I saw the most part of it! Well I was quite entertained! They have the cool 70s special effects and space, Harrison Ford in the younger years, Carrie Fisher before' the Burbs' (and one must wonder, how did they do her hair?)
  So now, I have to see the beginning some time, it's no good to come in on a movie in the middle, you miss the plot, so I ended up asking Jesse some questions! This song here, also explains the plot of Star Wars. "Star Wars Cantina" by Richard Cheese, to the tune of Barry Manilow's "Copacabana". I've listened to this twice today, makes me crack up!
  I hear they are making a new Star Wars, so we had better watch all of the old movies first!!
  How about you? Did you see Star Wars? What is your favorite part of the first movie, your favorite character? Comment below!
 

Days Of Blankets And Roses (Hats Too)

New projects from the last few weeks!! These were a lot of fun to make, I assure you that.
  Number one. This is a slouchy beanie, very popular hat these days, and I am crazy about making them. This is my second one. This one is very special, I made it for a nurse I know at the doctors office! I took a photo of it before I went to the doctors! It was made with Red Heart Perfect Pink yarn. I got the pattern from this website, it is a really fun pattern to try out! http://www.jennlikesyarn.com/blog/2012/03/free-crochet-pattern-really-easy On top of that, you will be in style, darlings.
   Photo the second. Tiny crochet rose hair clips! Also made these on my nurse appreciation spree, making them for all of the ladies at the office! They looked mighty fine, some pinned them on their shirts, some in their hair! I got the initial rose pattern from a YouTube video by Yolanda Soto Lopez. The video is here if you want to learn how to Do this, you can knock one out in fifteen minutes.
   Third photo is the back of the flower. We have a Bobby pin, woven into the back loops. The pins were my mother's idea. I was going to sew the pin on, but there was no way a sewing needle was going to fit in the clasp of that pin, no adequate sewing to be done in such a tight space! The Bobby pin will hold...keep the faith!
  Last, another Project Linus blanket! Of course using my favorite Lion Brand pattern. Lion Brand, Woolco and Sayelle yarn used here. 32x32. I only had problems near the end, was experiencing arm pain. I was emptying a kiddie pool with a pot and somehow hurt my arms and back. Just pain, no doctors or hospital needed! But thanks to that stupid pot, it has been slow going, as far as blanket making is concerned. But I was not going to let it stop me! Babies need blankets, darn it, I'm gonna deliver. Finished the blanket this morning. Ready for the next meeting, the week after next!
  What's on your project agenda? Let me know!

The Merman Of Duomo.

This fantastic yard sale find led me to a history lesson! I was not content just to have this picture, I wanted the back story. After typing in "screaming choking gargoyle fish man statue" and having no luck, my Dad had an idea. He took the photo out of the frame and the location of this guy was written right on the back! "Mermen Cathedral Of Santa Maria, Milan". Dad was so right in thinking Italy! So I decided to take this new found info and get more facts!
  I found the photo at this link! http://www.swide.com/art-culture/history/milan-duomo-puts-gargoyles-up-for-adoption/2012/11/30
  Apparently, he is a Merman! Very fascinating, wouldn't you say?
  According to Wikipedia, this cathedral has a lot of names, Most commonly, Milan Cathedral, aka, Duomo Di Milano, in Italian. The Duomo has many fascinating facts, which I found here at this site. https://www.walksofitaly.com/blog/milan/milan-duomo-facts I will put some of the notable ones that caught my eye, here.
   There are 3,400 statues, 135 gargoyles and 700 figures!
  It is the 5th largest Christian church in the world!
 Construction started in the year 1386. Could you imagine this? They really knew how to make things beautiful, such an amazing, lovely, yet scary structure. Kind of like the building definition of God!
  Lovely
  Magniftcent
   Powerful
  Scary.
    The builders were definitely thinking of God when they made this church. That is a lot of church right there!
  One day, I'd like to see this Duomo in the flesh. But for now, I will hang up my anguished merman and figure out what to name him.
   Lots of thanks to Mom's friend Rhiannon for donating my merman to the yard sale!!

Yard Sale Pickins.

  Yesterday, we had a benefit yard sale for Wyatt! There was a lot of stuff, so we decided to buy some things too! So I went yard sale picking. There was no Slim Pickins here. Some Wonderful Gut stuff (if you wanna talk Dutch!!)

   Ok, first item. Item of my dreams. I've wanted a peacock chair since I was a little girl. I mean, this chair was EVERYWHERE. Morticia Addams had one. I saw it in a Partrdige Family promo photo. Marc Bolan was even seen with one. I've only seen a few in my life, always too expensive. Then we got a bargain! I hope to crochet some flowers to stick on parts of the chair, very garden like.

   Second, this is a weird photo, odd angle. I was taking photos with my Mother's Kindle. These are actually really small, little Delft figurites. Our family always dug the Delft!

  Third, a little Avon boxy thing. It might have been lip balm, but it's powdery at the same time. I can barely read the back label. It smells nice though.

   Fourth, a Hello Kitty Messenger bag! I love Snoopy and Hello Kitty. Snoopy especially. The only dog I tolerate!

   Five, an I Like Boys pin. Because seriously, I like boys and why not have a pin that states it so plainly?

   Six, I love this. I really do. It's a photo of a stone gargoyle, fish, screaming man. Whatever it is. I saw it and I thought it was so funny. It's been a day and I am still laughing. Why not have something interesting in your room, to go with your peacock chair and Blues Brothers poster? That's right, none of those things match, it's just fun!

   Been to any good yard sales as of late?

HE'S HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN!

    A new oldie but goodie movie! I watched this one after "Easter Parade" and meant to review "Easter Parade", but I was so tired when I watched it, forgot most of it! Good thing it was so good, I'd see it again.
   But today, we do "Hans Christian Andersen." This was released in 1952, this time period was fantastic for musicals, the 40s and 50s. It clearly states that this is not a biopic: "Once upon a time there lived in Denmark a great storyteller named Hans Christian Andersen. This is not the story of his life, but a fairy tale about this great spinner of fairy tales". Let me tell you, this movie is AMAZING! And colorful too!
  Danny Kaye plays Hans, who is a shoemaker and teller of fairy tales. He tells stories to all of the neighborhood children, which usually keeps them late for school, and the teacher and some townspeople have had it. Before they can tell Hans to leave town, Peter (Joseph Walsh) a young apprentice to Hans, convinces him to leave the village for the city of Copenhagen.
  So off he goes down the road and on the boat to the capital of Denmark. He ends he ends up meeting a beautiful ballerina who needs new ballet shoes (played by Zizi Jeanmaire) and Hans is smitten. He is also upset to find that she is married and has a husband with a bad temper.
  So what does the Hans do? What happens to the ballerina? How does Hans Christian Andersen get to be famous near the end? All answers shall be revealed on DVD! Go get it from the library!
  There are some killer tunes here including the title track. There is "Inchworm", "Thumbelina" and "The Ugly Duckling", etc. "Thumbelina" might be my favorite. It would be impossible for me to go on a Danny Kaye quest, as there is not much of his at the library. I still would like to see "The Court Jester" and "The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty."
   Yes. Before Ben Stiller, Danny Kaye was the Mitty. Ben Stiller is really funny, wonder if the old one is just as good! The trailer looks GREAT! Danny Kaye is second on my list of old time guys who throw me into hysterics. So funny! Of course, Jerry Lewis is first on my list. This movie is not exactly funny, but it is amazing!
   There is a ballet near the end with Zizi and the a bunch of other ballerinas dancing the "Little Mermaid". It was pretty cool, but I am more of a tap girl! This was good, my brother, sister and I dug it.
  Ok, about the real Hans. His stories were great, a lot of them made me cry. "The Steadfast Tin Soldier", "The Little Mermaid" (the story one, not Disney) and "The Little Match Girl."
  Oh My God.
    The fest of tears had I reading this stuff. Can't decide which is sadder.
    Got this photo from Eil.com. It's the soundtrack cover. I've actually seen this in my lice. How dumb I am to not have picked it up! Back in the Days before Kaye.
How about you? Ever see this? What Hans story made you cry the most? If you are not prone to calling yourself a human faucet, which is your favorite? Let me know!

Bernat Baby Yarn Fun.

  A little bit of late posting going on here! I'd be a lot faster if I did not have to rely on my sister to take my photos. This is a follow up to the yarn haul post!
   This yarn is Bernat Baby Blanket Yarn. Thank you, Diane! Really appreciate it! I went to a crocheting group on Facebook asking, what does one do with this yarn? What type of yarn is this? So Laura from Over The Head Threads hooked me up with her delicious pattern for a baby hat. The hat was hers,  the pom pom was my own! Thank you Laura!
  So I finally got to use my size N hook for this, which was a lot of fun, since the hook is big and chunky. This yarn is a little hard to work with, but as long as you use your fingers to feel along the stitches, you should be fine. I crocheted this in around an hour, listening to some John Denver, which I haven't done in a while. Must say, John Denver has perfect yarny music.
  Instead of using a fork as usual, I just wrapped the  yarn around my hand 35 times for the pom pom. Like they sang in "Here Comes Peter Cottontail": "If You can't get it all together, improvise"! Wise 1970s wisdom.
  Next, a knitted head band. I can't remember which book had it, but it was a children's knitting book. Lots of fun to make, the one knitting pattern I know by heart! This yarn knits up really quickly! I was at 16 inches in no time.
   Highly recommend this yarn, so soft and perfect for those babies!

YARN HAUL!

Had quite the yarn haul yesterday! Yes indeedy. Dee took these photos, she's the one with the phone, always depending on my sister for photos!! 

    So, the top and bottom ones. I am not sure what type of yarn the top one is, but it is very soft and thick. I imagine it would require a big hook. My N hook is up for the challenge. Will have to ask some crochet ladies what type of yarn it is. The yarn was given to me by a nice lady named Diane, who brought some things over for the benefit yard sale!

    She also gave me the yarn in the bottom photo. Never in my life did I think I'd get to see "Aunt Lydia's Heavy Rug Yarn" in the flesh! Or in the Rayon/Cotton. Many cool colors like National Blue, Tangerine, Burnt Orange, Yellow, Antique Gold, Blue, Wood Brown and Rust. Lovely!

    Yesterday morning, my awesome Mother surprised me with three skeins of Red Heart!! Soft White, Perfect Pink and Jade. Absolutely gorgeous.

   Also featured in the photos is my bed and Aunt Lois blanket, as always!! There are no words for how much I love my Aunt and the blanket she made me!

    What is your favorite type of yarn? Let me know!

Blankets and Hats!

Here are some new projects to write about! First, we have a blanket that I made using a label pattern from "Lion Brand", called Jonah's Baby Throw. I used this pattern on Wyatt's blanket, I really enjoy using a new technique on my blanket. They call this an endless granny square. The blanket is for "Project Linus".
   I used a few types of yarn for this. "Lion Brand", "Red Heart" and "Caron". I think they blend very well together. Behind that blanket on the bed, is the blanket Aunt Lois made for me. She makes the greatest stuff.
  The second item is a hat for Wyatt. Project Linus also makes baby hats. I figured that hospitals are cold and he could use a hat! Even though there are a million hats in the state that he lives in, I wanted to give him one that was made special for him, with all the love and prayers sewed into it.
  I found the pattern on the internet and will post the pattern here, credit where credit is due. I only modified it just a little. I must have been doing the brim wrong, was looking very girly! Won't have any girly hats for Wyatt, so I took it off and continued in pattern.
  This hat incorporated a new stitch for me, the back post double crochet (Bpdc) which was a little hard to learn, but possible, makes a nice textured look to it. The hat was made with "Caron" yarn.
And by the way, Wyatt has been home for a few days!! Yes!
http://www.mooglyblog.com/sweet-striped-crochet-hat/ What projects are you working on?