My lovely scarf!

I finished my scarf!!!!Just in time for the first snow:) I'm so excited to be able to show it off. I finally learned to use stitch holders at the end of the turning chain, so it looks much nicer than the first one I tried and unraveled. I will be making one for Michael and Geoff (if he wants one). This weekend my Mother in Law will be teaching me to make hats, so I'll have a hat to match! Pray for a safe trip for us, it will be a snowy slushy mess by the time we get out of here, so we'll need it!

Turkey Day

Thursday is turkey day. I can't wait for all the food and family! I'm taking my crochet and knitting stuff down to St. Louis so my MIL can help me learn to crochet on the round and maybe help me knit that way too!. I want to make a hat, and since she makes hat for babies in the hospital, she will be able to help me with this.
When I see Christina in December, she'll be able to help me too! What I really need is for all my Sisters to live with me so I can use all of their talents!!! Christina for her sewing and crochet, Theresa for her scrap booking, Alison for her willingness to try anything and to help other people. I also need my Mother in Law here, she knows how to do EVERYTHING!!!
I'm almost finished with my crochet scarf, It looks pretty good. I learned I need to use a stitch marker when turning rows. That way I end up with a straight line instead of a trapezoid looking thing!I'll take pics when I finish, probably won't be until after the little Holiday we're taking though. I won't have access to a computer while in St. Louis, but I'll take lots of pictures of the action:)
I'm using the ProvoCraft Ergonomic handles Crochet hook set and it works wonderfully! When I used the regular hooks, my hands got very stiff and swollen very quickly. With these hooks, that doesn't happen as quickly, so if anyone is thinking about them, get them. Most craft stores have them now and you can get a 50% off coupon and then they're only about 10 bucks, and totally worth it. I just wish they made other hook sizes for them.....Here's the link: http://www.provocraft.com/products/detail.php?cl=knifty%20knitter&scl=needlecrafts&cat=&item=21-0246

Sick again, knitting again, travelling again

So, Michael is sick, again. It seems he's been sick for the past three months and I might just go crazy because of it. My normally independent little boy turns into a clingy, emotional(well he IS two) little boy whenever he runs a fever or gets a boo boo. These boo boos are bad. He's got blisters in his mouth and on his hands and on his feet. It's called hand, foot and mouth disease. No, it's not the same as hoof and mouth disease (mad cow). It's highly contagious and he probably got it from swimming lessons, so we've been pretty much quarantined this week. I've run a few errands, but haven't had contact with other people all week long (I did go to scrap booking on Tuesday, so I guess that's something). More importantly is that he hasn't eaten all week. I suppose if I had jelly bean sized blisters on my tongue, I wouldn't have much of a desire to eat either! Things are looking up though, yesterday he ate five bananas, a couple of cheese sticks, two bowls of applesauce and some Mac and Cheese. That's the most he's eaten since Saturday. So keep praying, hopefully we won't be going to the doctor again anytime soon:)

I knitted another washcloth. This one turned out very well. It's just a red washcloth with a Christmas Stocking Pattern, but it's very nice. I might keep this one for myself:) I also got the Stitch n Bitch book from the Library, I think I'm putting it on my Christmas List. I can't wait till I get better, I don't think I'll get faster, but I will get better! The picture doesn't show the stocking very well, but I'm sure you can see it a little:)

For those of you who are wondering, I will be doing Thanksgiving in St. Louis this year. Most of the the family will be there (Minus two SILs and one BIL, who will be missed). It will be an eating, gabbing, love extravaganza. I'm very excited about it. Once again, I am so very blessed to have a set of in laws that I actually get excited to see! I think everyone should try it.

I cut my hair again, soooooooooooo short. It's so much easier and I don't think I will ever go back. I don't like my long hair, I have to do to much to it. So I took that ten inches and shipped it off to some organization to make a wig out of it. Now I've got about an inch of hair all over my head. Everyone should try this once too!

My very first washcloth!!!!

If you look closely, theres a skull and crossbones on the washcloth. I counted wrong a few times, but I blame Michael and Geoff for that:) Most exciting about it? My hands didn't get horrible on me. Don't get me wrong. They hurt a little more today, but my shoulder hurts just as bad. I think this may work!!!!!!!!

A Stitch, or knit, in Time

Well, I think I've done it!
First, I learned how to use a sewing machine (Thank You Shannon!!!!). I will definitely continue to get better with that. I'm working on a couple of projects for Christmas presents right now.
Then, my truly wonderful mother in law, got me started on yet another craft. Most of you know by now that I have Rheumatoid Arthritis. I've had it since I was five. Well, my MIL calls me up. Tells me she just saw an article about how knitting is good therapy for arthritic hands. I, of course, had already heard this well over a hundred times. The more we discuss it, however, the more I start to think I may be able to do it.My Grandma tried to teach me crochet when I was around ten, but between my hands starting to hurt and me not being the most patient girl in the world, I stopped by the time I was 12.
I did a little searching on Craftster.org. If you don't know about this site, and you like to do lots of different crafts, go there, join, make friends. It's wonderful!!!!!I found a couple people who had arthritis who knit and I asked for some advice. Both people e-mailed me with great tips. One of them posted on another board she belongs to and came up with lots of advice from other people:)(THANK YOU!!!!).
Once I got all these positive remarks, I decided I should at least try again. Whats the worst that could happen? I would be out a few bucks for knitting needles. I got a couple books from the library,a couple needles from Wal-Mart and a nice warm cup of Chai and sat down on the couch with a pillow in my lap (that was one of the suggestions, so your arms and hands don't have to hold themselves up). After about and hour, I had my first cast on row done. After two hours I had about 10 knit rows done. Mind you, it's not very pretty, but I did do it. I think I will get better. After two hours, my hands were a little achie, so I decided to call it a night. I woke up this morning feeling great! Thank God for Enbrel and for people to give me tips!!!!!!!!I will post pictures after I have gotten something actually completed. I'm gonna go try the purl stitch next.
The reason I really want to learn to knit and/or crochet it to be able to give back a little. When Mom was in the Hospital last December, one of the nurses came up to me and gave me a Prayer Shawl. She said that she was a member of the Prayer Shawl Ministry at her church and, after seeing me there with my Mother in the ICU for a week, she thought I would benefit from it. It touched me deeper than I ever thought possible. She let me know that the women in the group pray over the yarn, and pray the entire time their making the shawls. They pray that God will bring peace to the person who receives the shawl. I want to do that. I want to help people who are suffering and struggling. So often, while Mom was in the hospital and after she died, I picked up that shawl and remembered that God brought that nurse to me in my time of need to remind me that He was still there. It really is a wonderful feeling:)
The nurse in the hospital is why I started making the no-sew fleece blankets for the kids in the hospital too! She really did a lot for me. I can't believe I can't even remember her name. She wasn't one of Mom's nurses, she was just one of the many nurses in the ICU. I do remember her face and her actions though.
OK. End of my ramble. I must go learn the purl now......