Sitting in the Hospital.....waiting....have Hook n Needles will Create!!

Last week my oldest daughter was admitted to the hospital for what we though was her gall bladder and then to two other diagnoses but she is still with the same pain even with being on antibiotics and having 3 tests performed already and another test just ordered this am. She is so upset about still being in what she says is level 10+ stabbing pain. In addition to this my youngest daughter is trying to get use to all the things that she has to deal with with Lupus which I have to say the biggest one has been suffering with blurred vision and severe headaches. She was told that she won't be able to drive and I can't imagine being 19yrs old and being told you can never drive as your eyes are bad and you can have points of loss of vision due the pressure that builds in her eyes. I will say this I know that the God I serve is able to do exceedingly and abundantly more than I could ever hope for as he has been so good to me already in what he has done for them.

I did however bring yarn, hook and needle with me and created the following caps and cast on a Beanie. These caps are a loosely replicated version of Afaya Iboumo's book



I love this project as it is very quick adn adaptable for adding embellishments and other bling as your spirit feels so inclined.

There is also a green one just like it that I will have to upload once I'm at home.

Here is the Beanie I'm working on for someone. I made up this pattern last year for Carmen and a lady saw it on my FB page and and ordered two so I'm busy getting that done.

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Also being in the hospital has not been conducive to staying on my diet although the upside is all the walking I've done since then has been really great I need to get a pedometer. Well there is much more to share but I will save that for a later post. I have been looking into pulling out the serger and sewing machine and completing some of my sewing UFO's and there will be some Circuit news in there also. So until next time Be Creative!!!!

A Pictureless Post.......Becuase It's Needed

Hello all I just want to take some time to share something with you. I really have not been one to share personal things with you but in an effort to expand my reader base. After 2 years we finally know that my youngest has Lupus and suffers from Migraines really bad. This explains why she lost my grandson and almost lost her life Christmas Eve of 2009. It has been a hard road but the worse part has been watching her with her best girlfriends who are getting married and having babies and now she is talking about her baby like he is still here. This is a hard thing to watch and try to support her in. The biggest issue for me has been trying to keep up with the cost of her medical expenses ie. tests, medications, and Dr. visits. I work in healthcare and can't afford the family plan as it would take mostly half of my income which would leave us in a space of nothing to take care of anything else.

She has tried to work but has lost both jobs due to complications of the illness so we have prayed and now are looking to God making a way to provide for her needs. For some you would say that you need to get the insurance for others you can understand my plight and for others you are indifferent and that is okay. I have dealt with my oldest daughter having JRA Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis since she was 12 yrs old and finding that none of the medications did anything for her but kept her sleepy and unable to function to make it through a school day. I look at her now in college active and still in pain with bad flare ups but God gives her strength to make it through.

As I am writing more I am wondering why am I sharing all of this? But as a Mom who has been a single lady most of there growing up years I have had to be strong and give them courage to make it through even when it was dark and gloomy for me. Life doesn't always give us what we want but it definitely gives us a chance daily to make the best of what we do have and for my family I strive to provide that daily. There may not be money all the time but there is love and encouragement, we may not be able to go on that trip we had talked about last year but we are still here and can enjoy our time in some other way. It's not the big things it's the small things that will make long lasting memories for us. With that being said I have to end this to get us to church. So be blessed and not stressed make it through this day and God will take care of the rest.

Pics of the GWT Languages of Love Banquet.......well just pics of us looking cute

This past weekend my church had a Languages of Love Banquet as a way of celebrating Valentines Day in the Spirit. Who knew?
I was a bit apprehensive about my table favors but they were a big success which made all my efforts worth it.

My baby girl Camille was classic in cream. When I look at her I thank God for her still being here as a year ago she was in recovery from almost loosing her life from complications from what we now know to be Lupus.

My oldest Carmen is in the black and royal blue that her and her date wore which I will have to get those pics up soon.

Then my choice or should I say my daughter's choice of what I should wear was from Torrid a nice black skirt, red top and black shrug with classice black suede pumps.

We enjoyed dinner, live band, poetry, and my oldest daughter was serenaded by her young man, a fashion show and laughter. Overall it was a great night except my honey was on the road working but God is good and my home is happy. I know that we have so much to be thankful for.

Working on UFO's and making something Sweet

Hello so I'm keeping my promise to blog more often. I have been preparing for our Church's Valentines' Day Banquet on tomorrow and these will be the favors for those who celebrate with us.

At first I was upset because I wanted to use the clear favor boxes but OMG it's so hard to find things locally anymore but Hobby Lobby came through for me. and I ended up with this. What do you think? I feel this turned out okay but finding gold organza ribbon 1/2in wide to tie 100 boxes just wasn't working for me but I think this are turning out fine.

The next project I encountered was my Cherry Bomb hat and cowl set from a few month back and was looking for a button as a closure for the cowl. I got these two which one do you think would look the best I was thinking the white one as there is some white variation in the yarn and it picks up on that pretty well.

As I mentioned in my last post I purchased Cowlgirls and there are some really nice patterns in there and since I got on a Cowl Kick last year that
seems to be my new interest in knitting anyway. Oh before I forget I did make this cap for a lady at my church who kept trying to take mine.

My oldest daughter asked for one in blue so I guess that is what will be getting done in the next week along with a decision of my next big project. I have some sewing I want to do.

A Few New Things

Trying to keep my promise for blogging this year and I wanted to share a few new things with you. First thing is I haven't talked about my fiance'......yes my fiance'. The old saying it will come when you're not looking for it is so true. Needless to say at this point in my life I am very happy and giving God thanks for all that he has and is doing for me and my family. I look at my family a year ago and things were so different. My youngest daughter's health was touch and go only to be diagnosed this year with Lupus but through it all our faith is very strong.

My new things include this little baby that I'm blogging on right now.

I am so loving this little toy and getting familiar with and back in touch with my crafting world. I love my Android phone but it's nothing like a computer to sit down and be able to type out what you want to share and have the ability to put it in a nice layout. Well now I have been making hats or should I say more like getting requests to make hats for people but with work and church and trying to get the house organized and get myself and my youngest enrolled in school there has just not been enough hours in the day. I did however manage to complete this hat. Yes if you have been following me over the past 2 years you have heard me mention Afya Iboumu author of Get Your Crochet On! Hip Hats and Cool Caps. This one is called Soldier. This was made for one of the ladies in the church that talks about my hats all the time.




The only modificatio I made was adding the crocheted braid with the silver buttons for a different twist. I have a request from my oldest daughter after seeing this one is to make her one in blue to match her coat so I have the yarn now just need to get some buttons to finish it off.

I was at Barnes and Nobles and found this book Cowlgirls as I have loved cowls and the ease in which you can experiment on new stitches as you complete a quick and rewarding project and although sweaters, blankets and socks are rewarding you just have to have the element of instant gratification in there at some point.



The last new thing I wanted to share with you is the other book I wanted so much as I want to make shawls with all the pretty lace yarn I have.




My other new venture is Weight Watchers Points Plus program. I look forward to sharing the new me with all of you. So stay tuned for my journey in all of my new things. have a great day and please leave a comment.

Hair update my continuing Saga

So on Sunday morning I decided to shampoo my hair before going to church and thought I would share my new found hair care regimen with you.

When I cut my locs the other month I was looking on Youtube and found alot of talk about Shea Moisture especially the Hair Smoothie. So after more research I discovered they carry this product line at Target. So I purchased the Shampoo, Hair Masque, Curl enhancing Hair Smoothie and the Reconstructive Elixir that adds shine and after using this product for the past month and a half I love this line.

I have to say that starting with a TWA is way different than caring for locs completely but I am learning how to care for this new style but anxiously anticipating my growth into a afro I can wear a headband or pull into a puff. One thing I have learn to love and embrace is the process of watching my hair grow. So if you are looking for a good truly organic hair product go Target and give Shea Moisture a try.

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It's Saturday Morning and I have something on my needles

Good morning all, its Saturday and I wanted to share what I have on my needles. Last week I was looking through Leigh Radford's OneSkein 30 quick Projects and rediscovered the Candy Wrapper Sachets. I am using some Malabrigo Silky merino leftovers and finding this quick little project fullfilling and helping up the anty on gift giving in 2011. Now I have to go shopping to get the ingredients to fill them with.

Hope you are finding you creative kniche and meeting some of your goals.

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New Hair color

Okay so I colored my hair last night with Creme of Nature in Golden Bronze. What do you think? This takes some getting used to but I really like it.

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Let's Talk Hair

I decided that my blog this year will emcompass all and every aspect of my life. I began with locs 6 years ago and ended up with them halfway down my back when I started experiencing traction breakage from the weight of them.

This was my beautiful locs



I do have to say that I really loved them but was getting to the place where it was getting more and more time consuming to maintain them. Contrary to many peoples belief locs take as much if not more time to manage and style than permed hair. So after 6 months of thinking and talking about to my girls and Michael I finally did it and this is the result



It was longer than this by about 3 inches but I wanted to have the experience of having my hair grow evenly and it's also a process getting to know my real hair texture and boy what an experience. it's soft on top and in the back at my hairline and the rest is everything else.....hahahhaaaaaa

I will share my journey as I discover styling and the like with the new Do. It has been very liberating and at the same time I heard the same thing as I did when I stopped getting perms. So I wait for beauty of this journey as I did with my locs.

Starting Anew 2010 in Review

First let me start by say Happy New Year to all of you. This post is my new start to coming back to the things which make me happy. This includes being connected to all of you here in blogging land. I discovered that life has a way of getting in the way if you let it and I refuse to stop doing the things that I love.

So first things first we moved into a house and I'm still unpacking and trying to get things together. What a blessing this has been even though the first 2 months have been a challenge I'm still very grateful for what we have.

Second, I pledged with 2 coworkers to start WW Weight WAtchers as of today and my weight loss goal is no less than 50lbs but pushing for 65lbs. This is long over due but this needs to be permanent as being over 40 and post hysterectomy things change in your body when you're not taking care of yourself. So I signed up with an online group so I'm really excited about my road to success. I will try to post bout my progress bi-weekly as I also want to start blogging again on a regular basis.

For those of you reading my blog for the first time let me share my interest with you I love knitting, crocheting, scrapbooking, cardmaking, sewing and quilting. This year started out productive but by the summer dwendled into nothing but a few knitted projects. No quilting, sewing of any kind a few attempts at scrapbooking but nothing realloy to show for it.

Here is my year of Productivity in review. I got caught up in Cowls and did these as a way of having a quick and rewarding project but challenging myself because of the lacework. Lace was to be my kniche for 2010 with a lace shawl to show for it but that didn't work out at all.


This is the Nocturnal Cowl Made from Malabrigo Silky Merino



I called this one Fire Bird Cowl and Hat




Lacie Cowl was fun to knit



So as you can see and if you check my previous post regarding the Drawer Challenge I really didn't make any progress this year. Didn't sew one thing and nothing quilted either and that just makes me sad. What happened to my MOJO?

The other wonderful thing that was brought my way is my new church family. I discovered that it was a great part of me missing and I found it when I went to this particular church. It wasn't the people but it was the man of God speaking directly to my life speaking life that enriched my life. I am reflectively thankful for what God has done since this time last year when I thought my youngest daughter wasn't going to make it. I have made some decisions and have decided that God is placing me exactly where I need to be to step into the next phase of my life.

Take time out to smell the roses and invite others to do the same. You lose nothing by sharing your gifts with others it truly enriches your life and plants a seed of giving in theirs.

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