people webs

pattern: zig zag blanket

2012-03-01T16:17:00.000-08:00

i made this custom queen sized mint and cream blanket for Devon, and i was so pleased with how it came out! i'd love to make one for myself one of these days.

pattern: zig zag blanket

i used:

5.5 mm crochet hook

caron simply soft yarn in soft green and off white (about 18 skeins for this queen sized blanket)

scissors

yarn needle to weave in ends

chain a multiple of 28 stitches (for this queen size blanket, i chained 336)

row 1: turn. ch 2. 2 dcs in 3rd ch from hook, *10 dcs, dc3together 2 times, 10 dcs, (3 dcs in next stitch) 2 times* ; repeat from * to * across, ending with 3 dcs in last ch.

row 2: turn. ch 2. 2 dcs in first dc, *10 dcs, dc3together 2 times, 10 dcs, (3 dcs in next stitch) 2 times* ; repeat from * to * across, ending with 3 dcs in turning chain.

repeat row 2.

for this 2 color blanket,i switched colors after every seven rows.

macarons

2012-02-25T20:09:00.001-08:00

today we stopped by a french cafe in savannah called Papillote to get some macarons. we were running all over doing errands and grocery shopping(which i do not love to do) and the delicious macarons gave me the will to make it through. plus then at the grocery store, the produce man gave us samples of this grapefruit/orange mixed thing called ugly fruit, and it was very delicious and juicy. so the grocery store is not all bad..i suppose.

and i will be going back to get more rons soon. i tried lavender with apricot filling, lemon custard, white chocolate raspberry ganache, and pistachio.yum. my other plans are to practice up on making them at home, because i'm hoping to sell some at the farmers market again this summer.

valentine

2012-02-14T19:07:00.000-08:00

happy valentine's day!

fig in her valentine crown

toast on pink dishes

heart pins

card making

this week

2012-02-08T22:13:00.000-08:00

envelopes

knee patches

valentine decorations

baby moleskine notebooks

bead crochet

mint scarf

winter walk

2012-01-30T16:10:00.000-08:00

today we went on a walk around our new neighborhood. and it was cool enough out to wear the blue furry coat i got over christmas at my favorite thrift store in mn. it has a peter pan collar, gold buttons, and even only smells a little bit like an attic!

picture an hour

2012-01-23T19:25:00.000-08:00

i love picture an hour posts! and i finally remembered to try it out on saturday. it was a staying home and working on orders kind of day, and it was fun to have the assignment of taking a picture every hour. next time i want to try an out-and-about picture an hour day too.

10:00 am

eating honey-o's with extra honey

11:00 am

getting ready for a run

12:00 pm

oh she glows detox salad for lunch

1:00 pm

working

2:00 pm

organizing some supplies

3:00 pm

dark chocolate break

4:00 pm

working on some valentine ideas

5:00 pm

more crochet

6:00 pm

leftover mexican rice bowl for supper

7:00 pm

folding laundry

8:00 pm

planning some new dresses

9:00 pm

looking at blogs and working on a grocery list

10:00 pm

fig sitting by me while we watch i love lucy..and crochet some more

11:00 pm

reading in bed

crowns

2012-01-18T17:01:00.000-08:00

i thought, a sparkly party crown sounds just right..

so when i re-opened my shop this week, i added some crowns in silver and gold . because, who doesn't want to wear a crown on a special day?

this week

2012-01-14T14:20:00.000-08:00

new year moving

2012-01-05T15:03:00.000-08:00

we moved again! to savannah again! we just got here yesterday and i've been working on unpacking in our bright tiny apartment. which has stairs, which fig really likes.

i've also been working on crochet ideas for the new year, and one of them is baby and throw blankets. these two are for my friend Corrine, but i'll be adding some blankets when i re-open my shop soon!

minnesota christmas pictures mostly stolen from my sister

2012-01-05T14:47:00.000-08:00

here are a bunch of phone pictures from our holiday that i stole from Stacia!

my favorite cookies

searching for our tree

about to see the nutcracker

merriweather being discovered on top of the table eating people's presents

christmas party

christmas fig and her christmas extra big neck chub

one of my pretty presents from mike

and new year's eve bowling

books

2011-12-31T10:21:00.000-08:00

for christmas some of my favorite presents were a kindle reader and also some pretty books to add to my real bookshelf too. i can't wait to read and read and read.

do you have any favorite christmas presents?

merry christmas!

2011-12-26T21:00:00.000-08:00

spritz cookie making,

christmas partying,

and mike liking to blink in every picture of us together except this one!

tree

2011-12-11T11:05:00.000-08:00

yesterday we found our perfect family tree. huge and blue and a little bit wild. now it is living in our house, (and hopefully won't fall over the day after christmas and crush everything like last year.)

tonight we decorate!

december

2011-12-01T11:54:00.000-08:00

happy december!

this month is already a good one.

i woke up to a dusting of snow,

my sister and friend are flying in on saturday,

my cousin is expecting her little baby anyday now,

and my collection of trees has grown to 4... 2 still to be put up.

the jensen yearly ornament this year is.. a burger! we really like going out for a good burger.

pictures

2011-11-25T23:42:00.000-08:00

november pictures:

things i do

2011-11-14T00:22:00.000-08:00

crocheting like crazy. (thanks to some new customers!)

starting a new collection

wanting to make this mini pumpkin garland from my sister's pattern. (things in miniature form are just the best.)

from here

and enjoying november in MN. we are back! or at least i am..after quite a series of unfortunate events we decided to move back, and mike is working in Savannah until Christmas..which is not fun. but i do really love being back home again, and next week is already thanksgiving!

shop update: bows

2011-11-05T16:11:00.000-07:00

november means time for headbands! i just posted a few bow headbands in my shop in raw honey, mint, black, peach, and cream.

eloise and weenie

2011-10-31T16:39:00.000-07:00

happy halloween from eloise and weenie!

(fig says dressing up as a pug is the best costume she ever thought of)

shop update: t strap slippers

2011-10-14T15:51:00.000-07:00

i just put these slippers up in my shop, in oatmeal and mustard. just in time for some chilly fall evenings ahead.

ps,

speaking of fall and shops: my friend vanessa of the velvet bird has a beautiful fall dress collection that came out recently, and if you need a pretty new dress you need to go look here!

pumpkin patch

2011-10-13T00:54:00.000-07:00

finding the right pumpkin is important

it was a tough decision, but i think we did the right thing.

then, we celebrated with some head cut out pictures:

the happiest crow.

lindsipumpkin.

slippers

2011-10-08T22:33:00.000-07:00

i have had a couple of crazy under the weather weeks lately. but i'm finally starting to feel good again, and have been working on some fall/winter things for my shop! these cozy t-strap slippers will be up for sale in a couple days. and other new things coming soon!

crafts

2011-09-26T18:41:00.000-07:00

this weekend i stayed home. fabric was sewn. and yarn was crocheted.

blackberry picking

2011-09-17T14:11:00.000-07:00

yesterday we went blackberry picking just outside of town. it was the first time i'd ever been berry picking, and it was fun and delicious work! and also painful! blackberry bushes are very viney with lots and lots of thorns, that are always trying to grab you and scratch you all over.

we picked approximately a million berries, and plan to make a couple pies and some scones from this recipe, and just eat some plain and as toppings for yogurt and icecream too.

on a sewing sidenote: i took in this old dress for the occasion. it's a vintage dress i've had for quite a while, (and i didn't get a before picture), but i just took up the waist, and the hem. so now i have the blackberry dress to add to my list of sewing accomplishments!

fig trying to keep still, so as not to get stabbed by all the thorns everywhere.

mike and his favorite georgia bucket full of berries. ready to go home.

what i put on my skin

2011-09-14T13:34:00.000-07:00

i've been so inspired by other blog ladies posting about the skin care products and makeup they use, so i thought i would do a post about the things i like to use for my skin. (and maybe a part 2 for makeup, soon)
i try to use as many natural homemade (and cheap!) products as i can.

honey soap: i love natural soaps for face and body wash, and honey is amazing! it has antibacterial, antioxidant, and moisturizing properties. (price: free! made by my sister)
apple cider vinegar: i started using this as toner, after reading this post by vanessa, of the velvet bird. i like using either this vinegar, or witch hazel. (price: $4.45 from here)
coconut oil: i use this as a moisturizer. it's really good for your skin, not to mention your whole body. and it smells very delicious. (price: $12.76 from here, and one jar will last forever)
boots brand expert anti-blemish night moisturizer: at night i like to add on some of this moisturizer along with my regular coconut oil. the boots expert line isn't all natural, but has some natural ingredients and is a good price. this moisturizer has willow bark and aloe in it. (price: $5 from target)
boots brand expert sensitive hydrating eye cream: i also use this eye cream, the skin around my eyes gets super dry, and it works well for me. (price: $7 from target)

baking soda: as a facial scrub! it works really great, and is so so cheap. (price: around $1-$2 from the grocery store)

what skin care products do you use? i love finding out about any new beauty secrets!

moving in

2011-09-10T19:41:00.000-07:00

things i like about getting moved in:

fresh painted side table, and bed on the floor for now.

getting to use my dishes again.

setting up shelves for my craft room.

starting to work on new projects.

unpacking books. in rainbow coordination of course.

3 years

2011-09-07T23:24:00.000-07:00

xo.

mt shasta

2011-09-06T13:59:00.000-07:00

we are here! last night we took a break from unpacking and went on a supper picnic. and i wore my crochet top! the sun goes down so fast behind the mountains, so it was a quick picnic. i can feel fall coming already.and i like it.

mmm.

summer phone pictures

2011-09-05T16:47:00.000-07:00

happy end of the summer! i'm a bit sad that it's over..

the fair

sewing

the thrift store added a 'wedding patterns' section

june peonies from my grandma's garden

veggie sandwich on thrift store plate

fig helping sew

making cake pops every week for the farmers market

the pizza train!

ps, we are now moved into our apartment here in northern california, and have been busy unpacking. i'm looking forward to posting pictures of our new life in the mountains!

grand marais

2011-08-28T23:06:00.000-07:00

we went on our annual family trip to duluth last week! we also took a day trip up to grand marais, which is all the way up the north shore near canada. and is the cutest town..i think i want to live there someday.

the harbor

picnic

hummus avacado tomato sandwhich, and photo bomber

italian cream soda

donuts

piggy back rides

the fair

2011-08-18T23:27:00.000-07:00

well, it's been four months, and now we are back together! mike flew in a couple days ago, and i'm so glad he's back! i really like this guy.

tonight we went to the county fair. i had been waiting all summer for all the junk food! and it was so good.

stacia and her first love, cotton candy.

minnesota cheese curds!

we got to see our preggy cousin miranda!

and take a creepy maternity picture.

it was so fun to be home for the fair! i hope i get to come back again next year.

purple top

2011-08-09T20:36:00.000-07:00

here is my purple fringy crop top that i crocheted. tucked in.

and out.

farmers market

2011-08-08T16:07:00.000-07:00

my mom and i decided to do the farmers market in our town this year, and here are some pictures from our table last week. people are really loving their baked goods these past few weeks, which makes for a really fun market time, but then also for no monster cookies to bring back home and eat time!

blue sailboat dress

2011-08-03T23:39:00.000-07:00

well, i decided that i love sewing now. this is my favorite dress! sailboats, airy cotton, and as comfortable as pajamas..what more do you need. i have been working on learning how to sew my own wardrobe and this one turned out so well i think i'll make a few. i'm already planning one in white.

i used McCall's pattern m6275, which is a child's dress pattern (i have very mature tastes) and made it in one of the larger sizes. then i just added 2 inches to the length of both the bodice and skirt. and also took in the sides of the bodice a little so it wasn't quite so boxy,but still roomy. and bam, a dress for a grownup.

we took a bike ride down to the bridge over the lakes by the house to take pictures. i love minnesota in the summer, but i haven't done too many summery things so far this year. so busy.. but now that i'm done at my job, and mike is coming, (in less than two weeks yayyy!) we have lots of things on our summer list. more biking, the fair where i will eat cheese curds for the first time since the old days! , boating and swimming, and a duluth trip.
my sewing education time is short, but i'm hoping to fit in a few more dresses, next up is some cute vintage girls fabric i got for my birthday!

dress: made by me! fabric from joann's, basket bag: thrifted, shoes: target, bike: i think walmart!

colors

2011-07-29T19:09:00.000-07:00

pink melmac plastic dishes i found at a garage sale, yay!

blue sailboat fabric for my next dress,

purple braid,

purple fringe top i'm working on. to match my hair, you know.

summer lace shop update

2011-07-25T23:42:00.000-07:00

i've been working really hard lately on some new things for my shop! sort of a mini collection of all cotton lacy summer things to wear.

this dress:

(eating a cookie pop)

a new lace collar:

and this top:

oh! and i dyed my hair lilac! it came out a little pinkish, but i like it.

(fig just had to blink right then)

heart dress and humidity

2011-07-17T19:33:00.000-07:00

i have graduated to dress making! well, one dress so far.

with help from my mom, who's teaching me.

it's super extra crazy humid out today, so the pictures got all foggy, but i think it looks pretty neat.

and fig says hi! but is mostly interested in something in the grass and having her bootie facing the camera.

fairy lake

2011-07-08T23:09:00.000-07:00

tonight we went to fairy lake and ate and read and listened to some loons sing.

5 things

2011-07-05T13:06:00.000-07:00

white lace:

red hearts:

blue sandals:

baking:
i started making things to sell at the farmer's market with my mom and sister

found:
a free little table by the side of the road!

crochet lace top

2011-06-25T16:01:00.000-07:00

i finally got to take pictures of this lace top i made. lately has been all work and no fun, and pretty rainy. but now i have a couple days off, and it's nice out. and i didn't even get poison ivy from sitting among all of these questionable plants. so that's good.

i used this pattern, which is translated to english and mostly just a chart, but once i actually tried to figure it out it wasn't hard at all, except i added sleeves instead of just the edging around the arm holes.

summer whites

2011-06-12T19:50:00.000-07:00

flowers

brownie pop!

crochet

picnic

i like birthday presents

2011-06-07T10:15:00.000-07:00

i got some sandals from my parents,and fabric from my sister, along with other nice things. including a plaid shirt in the mail from mike! he loves plaid shirts so much, of course i needed one so now we can be matchers. birthdays are the best.

26

2011-06-05T10:46:00.000-07:00

today i am 26!
here are some pictures from my party the other night.
i love june. it's a good month to be born in i think.

before and after: skirt

2011-05-23T20:43:00.000-07:00

i found this floral skirt in our old dress up clothes box from when stacia and i were little. and thought, i would wear this for reals if it wasn't almost floor length! so i decided to hem it.

here it is before:

and after! :

this was a really easy project. good for a beginner at sewing, which i am. just measure, pin, cut, fold over and iron the seam, sew, and bam,you have a new twirly skirt.

picnics every day

2011-05-17T20:29:00.000-07:00

i think i want to go on a picnic every single day. today we went to a country park and brought a cookstove and ate mexican pizza/quesadilla type things. and they were so good! plus eating outside is always better.

it's true

2011-05-16T22:31:00.000-07:00

i live in the birthplace of America.
it's finally spring and today we took a bike ride up to Big Ole.
i even got a little sunburned!

5 things

2011-05-14T16:33:00.000-07:00

1. thrifted. and garage saled. i think i will have to repack and get rid of all mike's stuff to make everything fit for the move to california. (jkjkjk kindof)

dishes

pop up sewing desk

table and chairs

why didn't i get this pattern!

2. ate.

cranberry orange scones made by my mom.

3. picnicked. for a friend's birthday at our favorite spot on inspiration peak.

4. read. L.M. Montgomery books

5. made a feathery hat. and had a kentucky derby party, and ate kentucky food.

mint julep

pecan pie

sewing

2011-05-02T19:56:00.000-07:00

look, i made a tote bag!

with help from my mom, i am learning to sew a few things. next on the list is a dress.

i really like this sail boat map fabric.

this is my cat gargoyle. she came over to say hi while we were taking pictures today.
i think she's starved for affection, since i've been gone for a few years.

she wanted to be in every picture.

easter bunny

2011-04-25T18:21:00.000-07:00

here are pictures of me in my easter dress and fig in her bunny ears. she was pretty patient with wearing them, but once the pictures were over she rampaged around the yard for awhile and dug a hole, and then grabbed stacia's hair from behind while she was finishing taking pictures for me.

easter

2011-04-24T17:48:00.000-07:00

He is risen!

first week

2011-04-22T22:52:00.000-07:00

things i've done this week,

saw lots of friends and family: the best part of being home. and also our friend richell, and my brother in law isaiah just got here yesterday! we just keep packing on into this house.

started on some projects: a couple of blankets. one for my cousins baby bump! and this one for me, which will eventually be zig zag mint and cream.

made things homey: looked around and found things i didn't remember i had like this clock! and colored lights were hung everywhere. and i put up lots of our pictures so i remember what my husband looks like.

read: my april book.

went on a day trip: i got to go along to trader joe's and the mall of america yesterday where i bought an easter dress from h&m. and then took pictures of it to send to mike since he was probably dying to see it..and in front of stacks of laundry.

duluth and north shore goodbye to mike

2011-04-15T19:14:00.000-07:00

we went on a little vacation to the north shore of lake superior as a goodbye to mike trip.

he's leaving tomorrow for california, and me and fig will be staying in mn for a while..we'll see how this goes!

it was a really fun trip, the first vacation together since our honeymoon.

and it was pretty!

and it was cold!

we saw gooseberry falls,

ate at burrito union,

went to amazing grace bakery,

walked around the shore and saw some waves,

and got some pie!

moving pictures

2011-04-12T13:40:00.000-07:00

last day in savannah
driving driving driving

looking really orange.
and ghosty.

friends reunited.
here at last!

i wanted to look like a cupcake

2011-04-07T17:21:00.000-07:00

we are in minnesota now!

and i decided to pink my hair!

we've been busy setting up my old room, and getting ready for mike to leave for california.
and also going thrifting and out to eat with my besties.

and jumping.

i don't know how this face happened. but i'm glad it did.

happenings

2011-03-24T11:46:00.000-07:00

made some tiny russian nesting dolls.

playing with stamp making.

which looks like big pieces of bubblegum.

shelves getting emptier.

book for march, mrs. miniver

back in the day bakery

2011-03-19T16:55:00.000-07:00

since we're moving soon, today we went to my favorite back in the day bakery in savannah for one last cupcake and lavender shortbread and a chocolate chip cookie..

..except then we decided we might go back again one last first time for lunch too, since that just sounds so fun. and the sandwiches sound very delicious.

i love the lavender shortbread. and i love to shove it in my face.

peter pan crochet collar shop update

2011-03-14T19:34:00.000-07:00

i just added some peter pan collars to my shop! in navy and cream.

i'm really excited about these, i like the idea of making and wearing something that's so traditionally ladylike.

(fig is happy about these too.)

mint

2011-03-08T19:38:00.000-08:00

here is a minty springy sweater i just finished! it's from the same pattern as a yellow one i made last summer. but on this one i added a peter pan collar and buttons all the way down.

we walked down to the thrift store by our apartment, which is in an old pretty southern house, to take pictures.

and the roses on the bush in their yard were just falling off everywhere, so i saved one.

in our apartment

2011-03-08T11:01:00.000-08:00

i hang out in our living room, with my finished blanket on the couch and the horse paint by number i did when i was 12.

i work on some new sweaters and chevron patterns, also a lace dress and a cape

i eat roasted sweet potatoes which are my favorite

i write return letters to some of my besties

and i start to pack. we found out that things are going to be moving faster than we planned, mike got an internship at a studio in northern california, and me and fig will be living in minnesota for the next little while. starting in three and a half weeks!

bike riding

2011-03-02T20:07:00.000-08:00

today we rode our bikes. it was my first time getting to ride the bike i got for my birthday. something about summer being way too hot, and then the bikes getting locked up all winter and the key getting lost..and mike finally giving up looking for it and cutting them apart with bolt cutters today.. and then us going on our first ride.

so i'm glad we now get to pedal around and enjoy the nice weather and buddy trees,

because this will be our last spring in georgia!

yes, it's true.. we are moving by summer. and i can't wait! time to move on to new things.

now if only fig would be good and sit still in a bike basket! then everything would be perfect.

pretty tree

bike ride happy faces

and some action shots:

me pushing myself through mud,

and mike being an intense bike rider.

micro pug and more owls

2011-02-25T20:34:00.000-08:00

i am putting a few new things in my shop in the next couple weeks, and today i listed some tiny crochet pugs and owls!

for sale here.

owlet

2011-02-22T18:35:00.000-08:00

i am trying out crocheting some mini animals, and today i made this little owl.

she is so small that right now she's being like thumbelina and sitting on top of a flower in a vase on my table.

and here is my coffee table earlier, while i was doing lots of crafts. i'm working on new ideas to put in my etsy shop for springtime!

valentine

2011-02-15T12:22:00.000-08:00

cupcakes from abi's recipe

fig in her valentine crochet peter pan collar

getting ready for our date

lindsi mike apple pie

hope you had a nice day with your valentines!

sweets

2011-02-12T16:10:00.000-08:00

mike left for some man camping yesterday morning. i have been a little under the weather this week, and it's strange for him to be gone. i miss him alot..even though it's only for a few days. and so far i have watched a whole bunch of tv, and eaten valentine candy that my parents sent. and fig has become evil without her playmate and tried to eat my new grey nail polish while i wasn't looking. i think she mostly went after chewing the cap, but it spilled everywhere and on her. she's such a peach.

some of the candy my mom sent in one of the leftover jam jars that were favors at our wedding. still has the label and everything.

today i decided i should do some things, so i finally took pictures of a turban headband i made awhile back,

started my february book club book,

and am roasting sweet potatoes instead of eating valentine sweets for supper.
-l

heart garland

2011-02-06T16:04:00.000-08:00

this heart garland is so so cute. i found the pattern here, and made it last night. it was really quick and easy. i think i'll probably make a few hundred more.

also on my valentine list,

to make and send cards,

bake these cupcakes,

and make something valentiny for fig to wear. she will love that so much.

weekend

2011-01-31T14:23:00.000-08:00

some things i do

last week i decided i need to finally crochet a blanket. right now it's just the size of a throw blanket, but i am planning to keep going until it's nice and big. so that is what i worked on a lot this weekend, just using mostly yarn i already had. and the best part is that i can cover up in it as i work now that it's getting real blanket sized. here is the catherine's wheel stitch i've been using:

using colors A and B

with color A, ch a multiple of 10 stitches, plus one

row 1: turn. ch 1, 2 sc, *skip 3 chs, 7 dcs in next st, sk 3 chs, 3 scs* ; repeat from * to * ending with 2 scs.

row 2: turn. change to color b, ch 2. dc4together over (sc, sc, dc, dc), *ch 3, 3 scs, ch 3, dc7tog over (dc, dc, sc, sc, sc, dc, dc)*; repeat from * to * across, ending with dc4tog over (dc, dc, sc, sc), sk tch.

row 3: turn. ch 2. 4 dcs in dc4tog, *sk ch-3, 3 scs, sk ch-3, 7 dcs in dc7tog*; repeat from * to * across, ending with 4 dcs in dc4tog, sk turning ch.

row 4: turn. change to color a, ch 1. 2 scs, *ch 3, dc7tog (over dc, dc, sc, sc, sc, dc, dc), ch 3, 3 scs*; repeat from * to * across, ending with 2 scs, sk turning ch.

repeat rows 1-4

also this weekend was really nice outside, so we took our pig to the park

and i got some packages ready to send

and i acquired this owl bank i had been wanting. pale green is one of my faves.

-l

friday date

2011-01-29T20:50:00.000-08:00

we are happy about our first official date night this year!

we usually try to go out every friday, but we haven't been since before christmas. so to begin again, yesterday we went walking around to the river in savannah and then to t-rex mex to eat burritos.

this week

2011-01-20T20:00:00.000-08:00

this week was mostly spent watching new in town and veronica mars a lot, reading and picking up all the many books i ordered from the library (thanks for the recommendations!),

and working on crafts.

i made a bow belt,

some book plates, i saw these in martha stewart while looking through valentine issues.

and i put some cream and grey circle scarves in my shop.

pattern: chunky circle scarf

2011-01-16T20:01:00.000-08:00

i said to myself, i need a big chunky circular scarf to wear all the time.. and this is what came of it.

i am putting this grey one in my etsy shop, and also, here is the pattern:

( this pattern is intended for personal use only, thank you! )

chunky circle scarf

you will need:

2 skeins of worsted weight yarn (i used caron simply soft) using both strands at once throughout, otherwise you could use bulky weight yarn

10 mm crochet hook , or any large hook (i crochet quite loosely, so if you don't, a hook larger than the one i used will work better)

large needle for weaving in ends

stitches used:

ch: chain

sc: single crochet

dc: double crochet

dc4tog: double crochet 4 stitches together: yarn over once, insert the hook into the stitch, draw up 1 loop (3 loops on hook), yarn over, draw through 2 loops (2 loops remaining)

now leave those 2 remaining loops on the hook and yarn over once, insert hook into the next stitch, draw up 1 loop (4 loops on hook), yarn over, draw through 2 loops (3 loops remaining)
leave the 3 loops on hook, yarn over once, insert hook into the next stitch, draw up 1 loop (5 loops on hook), yarn over, draw through 2 loops (4 loops remaining)
leave the 4 loops on hook, yarn over once, insert hook into the next stitch, draw up 1 loop (6 loops on hook), yarn over, draw through 2 loops (5 loops remaining)
to finish the dc4together, yarn over once, and draw through all 5 loops at once.

dc7tog: double crochet 7 stitches together: same as dc4tog, but instead of finishing off by drawing through all 5 loops, keep going over next 3 stitches: leave the 5 loops on hook, yarn over once, insert hook into the next stitch, draw up 1 loop (7 loops on hook), yarn over, draw through 2 loops (6 loops remaining)

leave the 6 loops on hook, yarn over once, insert hook into the next stitch, draw up 1 loop (8 loops on hook), yarn over, draw through 2 loops (7 loops remaining) leave the 7 loops on hook, yarn over once, insert hook into the next stitch, draw up 1 loop (9 loops on hook), yarn over, draw through 2 loops (8 loops remaining)

to finish the dc7together, yarn over once, and draw through all 8 loops at once.

gauge:

4 rows are a little over three inches tall,

and one pattern repeat (10 stitches, the stitch patterns between the *'s) are about 4 and a quarter inches long

finished size:

about 60 inches around, and 10 inches wide

using both strands of yarn at once, chain 131

(NOTE: i crochet quite loosely, so if your scarf is coming out too short, just add multiples of ten chains to the original 131 chains)

row 1: turn. ch 1, 2 sc, *skip 3 chs, 7 dcs in next stitch, skip 3 chs, 3 scs* ; repeat from * to * ending with 2 scs.

row 2: turn. ch 2. dc4together over (sc, sc, dc, dc), *ch 3, 3 scs, ch 3, dc7tog over (dc, dc, sc, sc, sc, dc, dc)*; repeat from * to * across, ending with dc4tog over (dc, dc, sc, sc), skip turning ch.

row 3: turn. ch 2. 4 dcs in dc4tog, *skip ch-3, 3 scs, skip ch-3, 7 dcs in dc7tog*; repeat from * to * across, ending with 4 dcs in dc4tog, skip turning ch.

row 4: turn. ch 1. 2 scs, *ch 3, dc7tog (over dc, dc, sc, sc, sc, dc, dc), ch 3, 3 scs*; repeat from * to * across, ending with 2 scs, skip turning ch.

repeat rows 1-4, 2 more times. do not bind off.

connect the two ends of the scarf to create a circle and slip stitch them together. bind off and weave in ends.

book club

2011-01-13T14:04:00.000-08:00

a new year is a good time for a new reading list. my sister stacia and i have our own little book club and our list for the year is made up of cassic books all written by women. half are by authors we already love, and half are by authors we haven't read before.

:::sister book club list:::

january: sense and sensibility, by jane austen

february: my life in france, by julia child

march: mrs. miniver, by jan struther

april: betsy and the great world, by maud hart lovelace

may: miss pettigrew lives for a day, by winifred watson

june: emily of new moon, by l.m. montgomery

july: the tenant of wildfell hall, by anne bronte

august: a little princess, by frances hodgson burnett

september: a tree grows in brooklyn, by betty smith

october: rebecca, by daphne de maurier

november: cold comfort farm, by stella gibbons

december: jo's boys, by louisa may alcott

what books do you love?

lace collar and cozy and scarf and bread

2011-01-09T15:55:00.000-08:00

here i am!

happy new year!

after christmas we drove down from minnesota to florida to spend new year's with mike's family, and then his parents stayed with us for a bit and spoiled us a whole lot.

but all good fun holidays must end and now it is back to real life..and making food for my own self again. among other things.

i have been without my camera for a little while, since i forgot my charger up in mn. but it came back to me in the mail from my mom yesterday, so i have been taking a whole bunch of pictures of the things i've been working on:

crochet lace collar

more phone cozies

chunky circle scarf

and here are a few pictures of what mike has been working on:

while we were in minnesota mike learned under my mom's tutelage how to make homemade wheat bread, garlic naan, and chicken curry.(which i didn't get a picture of)

i usually cook all of our meals, so this is a big deal!

they were all really really good, and now i want him to make them all the time.

mmmmm.

merry christmas!

2010-12-24T22:45:00.000-08:00

we are happy that it's christmas!

i hope you have a very merry christmas.
(til He appeared, and the soul felt its worth)

christmas week

2010-12-20T23:52:00.000-08:00

we are on vacation at home in minnesota! we drove all the way, through rain, fog, ice and snow. it took a long long time, but we finally made it. and now it's time for christmas fun.

such as eating lots of christmas treats,

fig's first time in the christmas snow,

working on homemade christmas presents,

and doing christmasy crafts with my sister and cousin.

happy christmas week!

-l

tiny winter scenes

2010-12-10T09:04:00.000-08:00

little winter scenes! they are so easy and cute. and this year i made some teeny tiny ones.

i used small tumbler and shot glasses from the thrift store, (or no glass at all), little toys, felt, fluff, yarn, and pipe cleaners wound around my finger to make the trees. put them all together with hot glue, and bam. little christmas scene that i wish i was small enough to live in.
-l

phones want to be cozy too

2010-12-07T10:23:00.000-08:00

i made this hedgehog cozy last week so my phone will keep warm.
i've been working on lots of little things like this cozy, and christmasy crafts. and i got a cookie press that i'm excited to try on some spritz cookies. so i will be taking lots of pictures this week i'm sure. and watching lots of christmas movies! last night it was the santa clause and the shop around the corner, which i think i will watch again today. i love the feather snow and tinselly decorations in black and white. and rudy of course. he's my fave.
-l

december

2010-12-01T10:49:00.000-08:00

happy december!

kentucky thanksgiving

2010-11-28T13:28:00.000-08:00

happy thanksgiving! our week in kentucky was very relaxing. i love being with my family, and the puppies loved eachother.(mostly) fig got nipped at a few times because she's overly obsessive with juniper, but they mostly played and played.

besties.

the beginning of the week was really warm, and we went into lexington to look around.

on thanksgiving we made apple star and pumpkin pies! and our first time at cooking thanksgiving dinner turned out really well too, the hardest part was making sure everything was done and hot at the same time. mike made his green bean casserole, isaiah put tons of butter in the potatoes, and we congratulated ourselves and each other a lot. because we deserved it.

on the last day it was really chilly out, and we went for a walk around the farm.

stacia's famous mittens!

thankful,

-l

this week

2010-11-20T15:15:00.000-08:00

this week was fig's 1st birthday! she got a bone and a harness that she thinks she can't even move in for some reason, so we have to bring it back.

i started learning tunisian crochet,which is sort of half knitting half crocheting. and made some book cozies for my sister and mom.

and we got some ceramic travel mugs, because we are getting all ready to drive to kentucky tomorrow for kentucky thanksgiving 2010! i can't wait to see my sister and brother in law and for the puppies to meet again. and we are all going to cook together, and play some music, and watch some movies. and eat lots of pie.

-l

greens

2010-11-14T19:13:00.000-08:00

pretty homemade cake stand diy. i really like this idea! now i need to make lots of cupcakes to put on it.

pretty green shoes i found at the thrift store! i like when that happens.

-l

bow cozy

2010-11-09T14:04:00.000-08:00

i think bows are in my brain now.

first hot tea of the fall!

i also made chili for tonight, and i'm planning to watch some shows, eat, and wear my leopard.print.snuggie.

-l

bow headband tutorial

2010-11-04T20:36:00.000-07:00

my first tutorial!

it's getting chilly, and i thought a headband would be nice to keep my ears warm this winter.

and it has a bow, so that's even better!

it was pretty simple to make, and i like it so much, i thought i would share. it would be a nice afternoon project for a novembery day.

(note: this pattern is intended for personal use only, thank you!)

made in three pieces. the headband, bow, and middle. all worked in single crochet.

supplies:

worsted weight yarn (i used caron simply soft in peach)

5.5 mm crochet hook (or size to fit gauge: 10 sc = 3 inches; 13 rows = 3 inches )

scissors

three buttons

bigger needle (for weaving in yarn ends)

smaller needle (for sewing buttons)

thread or yarn (for sewing buttons,depending on button size used)

stitches used:

chain (ch)

single crochet (sc)

slip stitch (sl st)

finished size: 22 inches long, 4 inches wide

headband:

first make 71 chains (note: i crochet fairly loosely, so if 71 chains is not long enough to fit around your head, just make as you need here)

row 1: sc into 2rd ch from the hook,

sc in each ch across (70 sc).

row 2: ch 1, and turn,

sc into first sc from previous row, and in each across. (70 sc)

rows 3-17: repeat row 2, 15 more times. (or until desired width) fasten off.

headband will measure 22 inches long, and 4 inches wide.

(don't worry if it's not quite the length, it stretches once you wear it)

bow:

(note: bow is worked back and forth in joined rows, not in the round.

so at the end of each row, you will join the last sc to the first sc with a sl st, and then turn around and go back the way you came for the next row)

make 30 chains, and connect to first chain with a slip stitch to form a circle.

row 1: ch 1, turn and sc into each chain around (30 sc),

slip stitch into 1st sc to join.

row 2: ch 1, turn, and sc into slip stich just made, and in next 29 scs from previous row. (30 scs) and sl st to 1st sc to join.

repeat row 2, 7 times. (or to desired size) fasten off.

the middle:

make 4 chains.

row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook, and each ch across. (3 sc)

row 2: ch 1, turn, and sc in each sc from previous row. (3 sc)

rows 3-10: repeat row 2, 8 more times.

bow will measure 4 inches long and 3 inches wide. and the middle will measure 4 inches long and 1/2 inch wide.

assembly:
lay headband out, and place bow and the middle on top. (more to one side)

tighten the middle around both the bow and headband until it connects in the back,

and sew tightly in the back with the bigger needle. (put a few stitches through the headband and bow, so it doesn't slide around)

sew the buttons on one end of the headband. if your buttons are smaller, use thread and the smaller needle. otherwise use yarn and weave in the ends.

(now you can button to the opposite end of the headband using the spaces between the scs as button holes, wherever it fits you best)

weave in all the yarn ends.

be cozy!

-l

animals

2010-10-31T21:35:00.000-07:00

halloween! this year i spent it as a koala with a brown bear and a fig frog. we ate candy, and watched movies and waited for tricker treaters.( we got 2!)

being a frog made fig very tired.

we also went to a pumpkin farm with a corn maze, where it was very sunny in my eyes.

it was my first time in a corn maze ever, and i think we did pretty well. no panicking or giving up hope!

it was a beary good halloween.

-l

yellow

2010-10-28T21:50:00.000-07:00

here is my newest sweater. it's been so rainy and humidy, it's been hard to get out to take some pictures. tonight it's supposed to cool off again. good idea.

lately i have been watching some octobery movies i usually watch with my mom and sister. dial m for murder,psycho, arsenic and old lace, and some rita hayworth movies. and working on halloween costumes. including one for fig, which i hope she will wear.and love. but more likely rip off and eat.

indian

2010-10-23T21:31:00.000-07:00

date night at one of my favorites.

-l