We're outta here....

OFF TO THE BEACH.......SEE YINZ GUYS ON THE 7TH !

(don't miss me too much!)

I'm creative but clueless...in Dublin!

Hey, yinz guys, since I'm busy getting ready for vacation, I thought I would entertain you with these cool quizzes I got from The World Accordig to Ollie (check her out) Actually I think they are not telling me anything I didn't already know...Creative but Clueless (I'm blonde...what did ya expect!) Enjoy!

Your Observation Skills Get A D+

You know that you remembered to put on underwear today... But really, that's about it!

How Observant Are You?

Your Hidden Talent

You are both very knowledgeable and creative. You tend to be full of new ideas and potential - big potential. Ideas like yours could change the world, if you build them. As long as you don't stop working on your dreams, you'll get there.

What's Your Hidden Talent?

You Belong in Dublin

Friendly and down to earth, you want to enjoy Europe without snobbery or pretensions. You're the perfect person to go wild on a pub crawl... or enjoy a quiet bike ride through the old part of town.

What European City Do You Belong In?

You Are Indigo

Of all the shades of blue, you are the most funky, unique, and independent. Expressing yourself and taking a leap of faith has always been easy for you.

What Color Blue Are You?

Felt THIS!

Hey...remember when Sweetie Man went to Mexico and brought me back all of that awesome handspun wool that was also hand dyed. Well, look what I made with it.

It's a bowl. And...get this....I made up the pattern.....GO FIGURE...me and no pattern!!! I was really proud of myself. I crocheted it then felted it! To be honest with you it didn't felt as well as I had hoped and since I wanted it a tad stiffer than it was, I did use a little bit of stiffener on the inside. Sweetie Man wanted me to make it for a lady at work who had been to Oaxaca Mexico and felt bad that she didn't get to see the handspun yarn demonstration nor purchase any. I don't know if he gave it to her yet, so I'm excited to hear.
Not too much to say tonight since I'm thinking "vacation"...making a list and checking it twice if you know what I'm talkin' about. But I like to think of things I will do on vacation and I came up with the "100 things about me". I've seen this on the sidebar of others blogs but I never really clicked on any. Sarah, from Ramblings In A Little Black Dress posted hers on her blog today and I read through it and thought what a cool thing to write on vacation then post it when I return. So, I'm gonna do that, in addtion to crocheting, reading, relaxing poolside, etc...etc....
So, keep an eye out when I return....and think about doing one yourself. You'll be surprised what you forgot about YOU!
Okay....that's all for tonight......Oh, yeah, Happy 81 month Anniversay, Sweetie Man (gotcha) Only 48 more months till I'm Mrs. Sweetie Man (give or take a year...or two...or three!)

T-shirt Titles!

Okay.....one of my blog buddies Karen, aka Ticcatacca, aka Roxy, aka Shabby Chic.....put a T-shirt saying on her blog the same day that I got one of THOSE magazines in the mail giving you a ton of T-shirt sayings (ya know what I'm talkin' about?). Well, I decided to go through the mag and give you my top T-shirt sayings...keep in mind there are certain people that I would love to wear some of them in front of whose names shall remain in the depths of my brain (what there is left of it!) So enjoy the read and think "T-shirts"....(these are in no particular order)

1. Is it me or is this place a festival of idiots
2. My Indian name is Runs with Beer
3. With luck and planning, I'll retire at 149
4. Doesn't expecting the unexpected make the unexpected the expected?
5. Things you say are called "opinions". Things I say are called "facts".
6. Everyone has the right to be stupid, but you're abusing the privilege
7. I drive way to fast to worry about cholesterol
8. If idiots grew on trees, this place would be an orchard
9. Instant Human....Just add Coffee
10. I'm sick of being my wife's arm candy
11. You bet your pierogi I'm Polish!
12. If you don't talk to your cat about catnip, who will?
13. You complete me with Beer
14. Any minute now I'll jump in with pointless observations
15. Keep talking. Don't let my snoring stop you
16. If I had feelings, you'd be hurting them right now
17. I get your point...and it's stupid
18. Looks like your airbag didn't deploy in time
19. Just keep talking like I was here
20. So...when did you get out?
21. First the good news...I made bail.
22. I'm an artist....what's your excuse
23. I have no idea what I'm doing out of bed
24. My inner child thinks you're a big poopy face
25. I don't skinny dip, I chunky dunk
26. It's better to have loved & lost than to live with the psycho the rest of your life
27. Karma means, you owe me big time
28. What part of MOOOOOOOAHAHAHAHAHA don't you understand?
29. Most of the people who drive me nuts are in my family
30. Et Tu Dufus?
31. Now it can be told...Red Wine & White Wine taste the same to me
32. This IS my warm and sensitive side
33. If what I say makes sense, we both have a problem
34. Who needs a Therapist? I have my Sister!
35. Please don't genuflect...it embarrasses me
36. CAUTION: You are in the "Whatever" Zone
37. As a pathological liar, I resent that
38. My other children are well-behaved!
39. I had a nice day and I didn't like it
40. So life has a hill. Get over it!
41. No need to yell. I still won't listen.
42. King Toot
43. Embarrassing my children; Just one more service I offer
44. Things to do today: 1. Get Up 2. Survive 3. Go Back To Bed
45. Home of the FREE....Because of the Brave
46. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!
47. Age doesn't matter if you have money. (oh, crap)
48. I'm just friggin PEACHY!
49. With a body like this, who needs hair?
50. Am I getting older or is the supermarket playing great music?
51. Mess with me and you mess with the whole trailer park
52. You should slip into something comfortable...like your car and leave
53. Well butter my butt and call me biscuit...look whose here
54. Careful, or you'll end up in my novel
55. Shut up Voices...or I'll poke you with a Q-tip again!

.....and last but not least, my favorite:
56. Don't make me poison your Dinner!

Okay, that's it for tonight! Hope you enjoyed those sayings. If you want to read more or order a T-shirt, the website for the catalog is www.whatonearthcatalog.com

Till tomorrow.....

Where to begin?

I guess I will begin with surprises I got in the mail. First of course there are all the wonderful granny squares from a Cal Pal I belong to....but we'll go into detail on that with pics when I've got all the squares where they should be.
Second.....my secret one skein pal sent me this awesome chunky alpaca yarn.....it is sooooooooo soft and look at that luscious color....
I'm going to start checking out my pattern stash for this gem. I really don't have that much chunky yarn and this will definately be used. Thank you, Pal!!!
Next, The Great Bookmark Exchange pal, Esta from Australia, sent me this GREAT GREAT package!

I was so thrilled with it. I've already drank some of the tea,(which was delicious), read a chapter from the book (which is right up my alley being a avid Court TV fan!), the little Koala Beer is hanging by my computer, and ....ohhhhhhhh.....I just loved this package!!!! (The coffee is going to work with me for when I cannot stay awake...which is alot!) All she had to send was a book and bookmark but she sent all of this! She made the bookmark I admired in one of my two favorite colors...purple....and it's a Butterfly...and we all know how much I LOVE Butterflies! And of course, who wouldn't want the fluffy soft yarn as well as stickers (which I'm starting to scrapbook again) and a postcard from Melbourne. Esta, you were waaaaaayy to generous......thank you so much!
My weekend was filled with alot of different things so I think I'm going to spread it out over the week but I will give you a "taste" of what we had for dinner one night....a favorite of mine made by none other than Chef Sweetie Man.....Beer Can Chicken!

If you never had it.....oh, man, are you missin' out! The juiciest chicken ever!!!! You can buy those holders at Walmart and just do what it says adding your own touches! Google "Beer Can Chicken Recipes" for a start! There is probably a way to do it with a homemade holder too.
Okay...that's it for tonight. Update on Chloe.....well, I let her and Katie (our 7 year old dog) run loose together in the yard. They did pretty good. Chloe of course wanted to play alot and Katie played a little. They chased each other, they sniffed each other......Katie made it known that she is the boss and Chloe was okay with that. It was fun watching them. I'll have to take some pics soon. As for the newborns next door....there were officially 11 born but the mom accidentally laid on one....so now there are 10. I saw one......they are actually too cute to take a picture of.....go figure.....OMG!!!! But not to worry, I will soon enough.
Okay, gonna head on up to bed. Four more days till vacation (yes, again!) so my mind is sorta on what needs to go with us. So till tomorrow.........tootaly-lu! (I just made that up!)

Don't PANIC!

Don't panic...I'm still alive! With the weather cooling down this weekend, we've just been enjoying the outside so I really wasn't nor did I want to be inside on the computer! I'll post later this evening with some pics.....stay tuned!!!

It's Animal Planet.....

Well, first, thank you for all the wonderful comments about our new little addition to the family....Miss Chloe. And Karen...enjoy the wallpaper! I haven't been around puppies for a long time so I really didn't know what to expect. I figured there would be alot of whinning through the night. But I was wrong. Miss Chloe did wonderful. When we put her in her wire crate and even leaving the door open, she slept there comfortably all night. The crate is in my son's room with his door closed, but she did really good and just whined a little in the morning. She's also been pooping outside pretty regularly....so far. Only one accident in the house. It's like she knows where to go. She really is a sweetie pie. I'll post pics here and there so you can see her growing.
Okay, next, I went to my first Creative Keepsakes Party. I usually try to get out of these hostess party things (candles, tupperware, etc....), but this one, being the crafter that I am, I went to. It was fun....a bunch of gals sitting around a table scrapbooking a page with pictures they brought along. My hostess failed to tell me to bring pics (of which I harassed her endlessly through the evening...jokingly) so I did a Christmas pic scrap page of her cats. Of course, I bought something....it's a picture organizer which was really sturdy and nice....I'm sorta an organization freak....or as we say in Pittsburgh...a "redder upper". Then of course the evening ended with us eating a piece of this chocolate on chocolate cake with this peanut butter icing trim and peanut butter cup candies as decoration. I feel like I should go to church and confess eating this thing.....OMG!!!! It was soooooooooooooo delicious!!!
And last and acually most important.......I wish to announce the birth of 10 Mastador puppies born to Lily the Mastif who lives next door to us. (Are you excited, Ed????) That's right, I witnessed (not by choice, mind you) the conception of these puppies in my neighbor's backyard one evening. Which also means I (Ed and myself) get pick of the litter. (that's right...another pup in eight weeks) When I saw my neighbor, I said, "Did you know that Brutus (The Black Lab) and Lily (The Mastif) just made out in your back yard?" I can't tell you what she said, but needless to say, eight weeks (give or take a few days) later, Lily gave birth to (so far) 10 chocolate or black Mastador puppies between the hours of 5:30 pm and 9:30 pm today. Five girls and five boys. Now if you never saw a Matiff, check out this site for a little info : http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/mastiff.htm Huge awesome beautiful lovable dogs. Now keep in mind, being that the pups are 1/2 Mastiff and 1/2 Lab, they will be smaller but as far as we know they have the father's coloring and the mother's face.
So that 's about all the excitement for tonight. That's actually all I can handle. So..... till tomorrow......Animal Planet, here we come!!!

Hey...it's me...Chloe!

" Hey....hey....where are you? I know you're in there somewhere. "

"Maybe you're under here somewhere......mmmmm....smells good down there......."

"I know....you're under the grass.....I'll find you......ohhhhhh, it's dark down there....."

"I'll just lay low here and maybe you'll show up...."




"Okay....I give up.....you win......it's time for my nap anyway."




Shhhhhhhh.....Good night sweet little, Chloe......and welcome to our family!

What I WON'T tell you...

I've decided that this is an upbeat blog and I refuse to tell you about the lousy stinking day I had yesterday and today. I most certainly won't tell you about the fact that yesterday I spilled milk twice and didn't cry over it at least not until after the scooter returned home after the $109 tire was replaced that had gone flat before the Sweetie Man ever even got to ride the dang thing ONLY to discover that now there is something wrong with the brake light (and we don't even have the title from Ohio yet...never buy a scooter online!). I won't depress you with those details.
And I certainly won't tell you about the fact that no sooner had I arrived home today from work walking up the back steps with a bee stinger in my foot (yeowwww) only to hear the phone ring and my son telling me the car broke down in a Walgreens parking lot and may have to be towed. No sireee...I won't tell you those depressing facts of my life....I'm going to keep my blog upbeat and show you the cool door decoration I made yesterday (somewhere between the spilled milk and the broken brake light).....It's a watermelon for your door.

It's made from a 14 inch straw hat (any craft store find) and plain old acrylic paints and black buttons for seeds. I saw one of these on vacation once and always liked the straw hat thing. As a matter of fact, I'm on a search for an old crochet pattern that is made to look like a hat but is actually crocheted and placed over a upside down cool whip container on a 14 inch flat straw mat. (hint-hint) It's an old pattern and I probably could figure it out on my own from what I remember 30 some years ago. (I can remember patterns but don't worry about me ever remembering your phone number). I also managed to get some of my swaps ready for the mail tomorrow....and that is an accomplishment since my face is in the dictionary under the word "procrastinator"!
The bottom line here, yinz guys, is that I work much better when I'm extremely stressed and angry.....but I won't tell you that since this is an upbeat blog....got it? Okay...there will be a quiz tomorrow...just kidding.
Gonna go have a cup of java and take the cat to his regularly scheduled yearly vet appointment.....wish me luck! Till tomorrow gang....and another happy happy day!!! (riiiight!)

Click....

Wow...what a weekend....busy and fun. Starting back actually on Wednesday when I went to the Library book sale and came up with these finds.


The books were $1.00 a pound and the magazines were $.20 a piece. I ended up going back the next day to get the Mermaid Chair and Vanishing Acts by Jodi Pocult...both of which would have cost me had I even got them used on Amazon. I ended up paying $3.00 a piece for the hardbacks.
Next we went to the big neighborhood sale about a mile from my house. That was nice but really didn't find too much. People were selling all sorts of things but mostly kids toys and clothes. Alot of folks actually set up their own food stands and sold hot dogs and baked goods. Then on Sunday we went to the monthly Fleatique which we really like. I think I told you about it last month and took pics. Between the two (both of which we did in the morning due to the 90 degree temps) we came of with this, though we did buy a couple of extra things.


The stamps I got at the neighborhood sale and the barrettes at the Fleatique. The crochet hooks the lady told me she thought were old due to the little plastic thingys on the end and the one which may be very old with a little metal cap as you can see. All in all these things were about $1.00 a piece. Not bad.
And of course we couldn't leave with our find of some Kensington Ware, which I also posted about last month. The pieces we got this time were about $5.00 a piece....which is a real find. We also got some Kensington Ware trays (not pictured).

Also, went to a graduation party today for my boss's daughter....it was nice and the food was good...mostly finger foods and such...but really good.
Oh...and you are probably wondering about the title of my post..."Click". That was because we decided to hit the movie theatre cause it was too hot to do anything else on Saturday evening. We don't go to the movies often, but Sweetie Man is a fan of Adam Sandler, and I like him too, so we went. Definately worth seeing...not much of a comedy....more of a life lesson. One of those movies that sorta stay with you.....makes ya think about your life.
Ended that evening with a Hot Carmel Sundae at the local custard stand watching people play mini golf.
Whew...what a weekend....hardly had time to breath. We also wanted to go swimming at a friend's house, but we never made it. It was a great Summer weekend, but now it's back to the old grind.....but that's okay, there are plenty more weekends where this one came from...I love Summertime! So till tomorrow.....stay cool, yinz guys!

Too fun to pass up...

You Are A: Duckling!

The cutest of the cute, these baby ducks are often spotted in the spring following closely behind their mother. As a duckling you will grow up quickly, becoming one of the adult ducks seen commonly in ponds and streams. Playful and timid, charming and vulnerable, ducklings are nature's very definition of innocence.

You were almost a: Lamb or a Pony
You are least like a: Mouse or a FrogWhat Cute Animal Are You?

Saw this over at someone's blog. I thought it was so cute. I actually took the test and saved it for a later time which is why I forgot where I got it. I just loved this though...who thinks these things up anyway.

I wanted to do a short post since I'm heading to bed. The Sweetie Man and I are getting up early Saturday for a trip to an area of town that does a big yard sale in the whole neighborhood. It's really fun cause people sell hot dogs on grills to eat on the way and pop (that's soda in Pittsburgh-eze) and lots of stuff. It's loads of fun. You park your car and just walk up and down the streets. We also just had our big library book sale of which I spent about $20 on books and magazines. I'll post all of the finds tomorrow for your enjoyment.

Hey the Sweetie Man posted on his blog after a long absence.....go check it out at The Funny Peppers. So till tomorrow.....and the WEEKEND....... Tootle-Lu!

2 words...Hobby Lobby!

Okay...to all of you who are within 1,000 miles of Oklahoma City, consider yourself blessed! You are within the miles that Hobby Lobby's are built in the United States and I am seriously considering moving! (Just kidding!) I went to my first Hobby Lobby in Holland Mighigan....I am sooooooo jealous! Those stores are fabulous! At least the one I was in. They had everything plus more!!! I didn't get to spend the amount of time I would have liked to (which was about a week give or take a few hours) but it was enough time for me to email the Hobby Lobby customer service center when I came home and ask them if they plan on building one in Pennsylvania...that's where the 1,000 mile radius thing came in. There weren't a whole lot of people in there for some reason but maybe I just didn't notice. The store actually looked fairly new....and boy was it stocked. Great great store...you guys are lucky!!!
Now onto some crochet business. While I was away I told you all I was on a bookmark kick....small projects that work up fairly quick. Here are some of my accomplishments. (which by the way half have been given away already)


Aren't they cute. The love sign hand was actually done in blue but the pic looks white. And I tried my hand at filet crochet with the heart one. These all came from a book I may have mentioned before called "3 Dozen and One Bookmarks" by Annies Attic. Great little book and everything was super easy using #10 crochet cotton....actually they are addicting. Anyway, that's about all I did on vacation aside from lots of reading. Check out what I'm reading now on the sidebar (or at the bottom of my blog) Pretty good book if you like Hepburn.
That's it for tonight....Sweetie Man is on his way home with some Chinese....and Plum wine to go with it....mmmmmm!
Oh, and a side note to those of you who live in Canada.......they just passed a law prohibiting the consumption of tic tacs in tanning salons. Sorry, Karen!
Till tomorrow....

A side note...

Before reading the below post....this in no way is about any of yinz guys.....I'm not mad or angry at anyone or anything...really! I love ya all....you are great friends and truly are people who see "inside the cup". It was just something to think about as we go about our daily lives.
Thank you from the bottom of "MY CUP!" Enjoy!

Enjoy the Coffee...

I realize that this is a crafty sorta blog, but sometimes someone sends me something that is just way to enlightening not to share with everyone....and this one of those times. If you knew me as well Sweetie Man, you would know that I have a REAL issue with people who don't accept me JUST the way I am....almost 50, long blonde a hair down to my behind (most say I should cut it for my age which makes me want to grow it longer!) probably a little too loud and corny at times, three piercings in my ear lobe (just got my third on vacation) and probably a butterfly tatoo on my 50th birthday. (if I don't chicken out in the meantime) I have an over-loving anxiety ridden cat, a neurotic dog, and am thinking about getting a Mastador pup from my neighbor (cross between a Mastiff and Lab)! My house is old, carpets need replaced as well as the furniture which my dog insists on humping when no one is around. But you know what...it doesn't make me a bad or lazy or a whatever person. I think I'm doin okay...I'm incredibly happy (give or take a few episodes with the teenage son) and I can make people laugh....and I love my life....and I love to share my thoughts and crafts and talents! Don't look at my clothes, my hair, my house....LOOK AT WHO I AM....and as the following story says...Don't look at my "CUP"...look at what's IN it........you may be surprised!!!

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life. Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the coffee. When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand,the professor said: "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is but normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself, adds no quality to the coffee in most cases, just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups... and then began eying each other's cups. Now consider this: Life is the coffee, and the jobs, money, clothes we wear, houses we live in and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of Life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us." God brews the coffee, not the cups"..........enjoy your coffee!

Home Sweet Home....

Hello all! I'm back from a wonderful vacation in the wonderful state of Michigan. (for those of you from Michigan....I love your state!!!) It was a fun week of relaxing and smelling the fresh country air mixed in with a little cow manure...oh, well!
The weather for the week was marvelous.....70's and sunny skies with cool nights making for some great bonfires and fireworks with a dash of toasted marshmallows and something tasty to wash them down with! (ahem!) We got into Michigan late Monday night but not without narrowly missing some tornadoes...literally. Ed's son-in-law called us as we were on the road asking us where we were and it just so happened we with within miles of some tonadoes touching down in Indiana. As we were going through a toll booth, we didn't even have to pay as the toll booth guy just wanted everyone to get through before the really bad weather hit. The weather was a few miles west of us and we were heading north.....whew!!!! Close call to say the least. Then the GPS on my son's phone (trial month of it) decided to quit as we headed closer to the country (we never can find our way on the back roads of Michigan for some reason) so we had to make a call at midnight to get directions. Once we got in, we hit the bed and woke up to the beginning of a great vacation. We had great food and cookouts, fishing, a visit to our favorite winery for some taste testing, shopping, eating out, bonfires, fireworks, relaxing on the deck listening to nothing but the birds and mooing of the cows in the distance, and much more! And best of all the fun of being around family....laughing and enjoying each other's company! I'm still trying to catch up on things at home but I have three weeks before the next vacation at the beach, so I'm just taking my time. Oh, and of course I read alot and did some crocheting. (pictures of my accomplishments in the next few days) For some pics of the vacation, just click on the Flicker box in the sidebar for Michigan. When you get to the site, right below the word "Tag", click "Michigan" and you'll get those pics only. Enjoy!
In the meantime, I'm off to bed. After all those sleeping-in mornings, it's hard to get up for work....ya know what I mean? So, till tomorrow.....I'm off to the country in my dreams!!!

Not to worry...

Hey yinz guys...We're going on vacation for a few days to the great state of Michigan....I'll try to post but don't worry if I don't....I'll be having fun in the sun in the country!!! Oh, yeah!!!
Enjoy the fourth everyone and for those of you in Canada.....hope you guys had a great holiday too!!! Talk to ya Sunday...if not sooner!!! (I'll be takin some yarn with me....don't worry!)

God works in mysterious ways....

Well, it's a beautiful day here where I live. Our town fireworks are tonight and the sweetie man and I will be heading on to town (3 blocks away) for a little jaunt through the festivities and a car cruise.
But I did want to tell you all something that happened in the past few days. If you read my blog a day ago, you knew the story of my son's grandpap passing away. (my ex's dad) Well, thanks to all your prayers to the "Man Upstairs", there has been a reconciliation of sorts between my ex MIL and myself. My son came home from the first viewing at the funeral home (which I hadn't planned on going at all too due to circumstances from the divorce so to speak), and he said the his grandmother was asking when I would be coming up to the funeral home. I really had not thought she would have wanted me there at all. I did end up going yesterday. When I walked in, I hugged my ex (no problem) and then I hugged my ex MIL. I told her let's let the past be the past. She nodded, we talked....I told her that anything she needs, I'm there for her....rides, grocery shopping, whatever. She wanted me to sit and talk with her and we did. Just nice talking. It was....really a good moment. I went to the funeral mass today which I was told by my son who was a pallbearer that she was appreciative of it. And today, sweetie man and spaghetti for dinner making alot extra so that my son could take an entire meal of salad, bread, homemade spaghetti, and dessert for my ex and my son't grandmother (aka my ex MIL).
So, even tho my blog today had no pictures and I didn't talk about what I'm working on, I just wanted to thank you all again for your prayers and your thoughts.....because miracles do happen and God does work in mysterious ways. Till tomorrow.....