Things I Love

I have so many things that I want to share with you and I hardly ever get around to it! But the other day I had a HUGE, MASSIVE mess on my desk of EVERYTHING that I've been doing.. here's a sneek peek at the things I love!

Sock Yarn for Robin's socks. I was so upset this week because I had to frog the entire cuff of the sock. The pattern called for 65 foundation stitches.. when I got to the end and counted I had 42. I am a horrible pattern follower! LOL!

I love my mason jar of crochet hooks. I love the colors and the way they clink around inside.

I love Flickr for telling me hello in German and various other languages. But most espically German. Guten Tag.

I love this yarn. Yes. I do love it! Thank you Hobby Lobby!

I love Ravelry! Countless hours spent browsing patterns and pretty things!

I love my new ergonomic crochet hook. It has taken me a couple of days to get adjusted to it, but my hand feels better already! And this is how I hold my took 25% of the time. The other 75% I hold it like a knife.. (more to come on this subject later!)

And I love my followers! 3 days ago I had 50 followers!! Today I have 56!! WOOT! I am shocked you guys are finding this place something to follow! But I am so honored and so thankful for all of you! I'd love to hear from you too! ;)

Other things that I love right now:

*My b.f.f, Natalie is coming down tonight!!!!

*Tomorrow Natalie, Destiny and I are going for TEA at August Moon Tea Room. Lovely!

* Call of Duty.. killing people virtually is quite fun. :}

*TODAY IS FRIDAY!

This is the first friday in a long time that I've been super excited about! I hope we can go get some more sushi tonight or something else fun!

What are your plans for this weekend? What are the things you love?

Emmhmm

Just a little bit of silliness for ya! I love love LOVE Exploding Dog cartoons! They've been my favorite since I was in highschool!

I have been a crochet storm lately! I am working on my Valentine's Day Swap items, a pair of socks for the hubster and a Fox hat for an etsy customer! YEA! I sold another Fox Hat on Etsy. It's so exciting to have regular business on there! I love it! Well, peeps, I gotta get back to work.. but I just wanted you to know I was thinking about you & I can't express how thankful I am for my blog friends.. I talk about to guys all the time! My husband knows you all by name! LOL! ;) Anyways, you all make me so happy and I'm very, very thankful for that. *HUGS*

Stay Awesome!

My Birthday Wishlist

I know times are tough, but if I could have anything I wanted for my Birthday this year, I would want these things....

*oh, how badly i want an iphone now that verizon is a carrier. if you would like to contribute, I'll happily take birthday donations! ;) ROFL! I seriously hope I can get one for my birthday/valentines/anniversary. *crosses fingers*

* another c.d. from the lovely Brooke Fraser. Or perhaps tickets to see her live. In case you didn't know Brooke is my all time favorite! If I could have dinner with anyone famous, it would be her. ;) Not creepy, right?

*Easy A on Blue Ray. This movie was SO FUNNY! I want to watch it over and over again!

If you have a PS3, then you NEED to have Little Big Planet! The newest one just came out TWO days ago! It's such a fun & cute & crafty kind of game!

Ha, a fairly simple list, wouldn't you agree!? This birthday would be awesome if I only got an iPhone! Seriously, I want one so much it's kind of sad! I can't believe my birthday is MONDAY though! I am totally going to do a 25 before 25 for next year! BUT this year is my GOLDEN birthday. I will be 24 on the 24th! I've always looked forward to this birthday since I was a little girl. Sad thing is, I'm sure nothing special will happen. I'd like to get all my girlfriends together and go the August Moon Tea Room. (The ABSOLUTE best place to eat and have tea in Georgia!). This weekend we're goin to Auburn to see my brother and very pregant sister in law! I can't wait to see them! Other than that, this birthday will be very chill. And will involve no fast food. ;)

ONE WEEK OF NO FAST FOOD.

Guys, we need to celebrate this.. it's a HUGE milestone in my life. Granted I've been having really bad headaches this week.. could it be from withdrawls?! LOL.. probably.

What does your weekend look like!?

Has anyone tried out my pattern yet? I'd love to hear how it's going if you do!!

Working On...

A quick glance into what I'm doing today!! How cute are these little lovebots?! I'm using my one year old Crochet Today magazine to make something special! ;)

What are you working on today?

Crochet Hat Tutorial/Pattern

Hello crafty friends! I've been hinting around at this post for a little while now, and I am so happy to share with you my very own...DOUBLE CROCHET HAT TUTORIAL and PATTERN!!

So what you will need is a skein of worsted weight yarn of your choice. I really like Hobby Lobby's I Love This Yarn because its affordable and super crazy soft!

For this tutorial, I am using Red Heart Super Saver.. it's stash yarn that I really need to work through! ;) Super Saver is a little bit more stiff than the I Love This Yarn, which is really good for amigurumi!

I will be using a size K hook! Most cases, I used a J hook or K hook. Finding your tension is key to knowing what size hook you need to use for a project. A good place to start is by using what the yarn label recommends. Worseted weight yarn normally requires a g or h hook.

SO, on to the tutorial/pattern!

Using your K hook, create a slip knot and chain 3.

Insert your hook into the chain 1 space. ^Look at the photo. Once you see the two loops on your hook, pull the yarn over your hook and pull through the two loops. Inside the small round you just made you will need to chain 3 then work in 12 Double Crochet Stitches.
Here is that chain 3 and the first double crochet stitch. Do you see that small white space mixed with all that yarn goodness? That is the hole you should be working out of.
When you've double crocheted your last stitch, you will need to join with a slip stitch. To join with a slip stitch, what you need to do is insert your hook in the chain three space (as seen in the photo) I've aready pulled the yarn over the hook. Then you will pull the yarn through the chain 3 space and the last loop on the hook. In this photo you can see at the top that I just finished the slip stitch(sl st) and there is only one loop on the hook. So what you see here is your first "round." At the end of all the photos I'll post the acutal patter, and you will see that each section of the hat is worked in rounds!

ROUND TWO!

Chain 3! In the same chain(ch) 3 space (see where my finger is pointing? Thats where you want to be.) work 1 double crochet(dc)

Can you see the chain 3 space and the 1 dc? You will repeat this step in every single round, so familarize yourself with it! ;)

In each space make 2 dc all the way around. You should be able to count 24 double crochet stitches. Then join with a sl. st.

ROUND THREE

Chain 3. In the same space as ch.3 work one dc. In the next stitch work 1 dc. In the next stitch work 1 dc. In the next stitch work 2 dc. I like to think of it like this: 1, 1, 2. You will repeat this pattern all the way around. You will work two stiches with only one double crochet, then the thrid stitch with 2 double crochet. This is called increasing. Your circle will start expanding here and stay flat too. If you notice it curling up already, then you will need to frog it (unravel it) and try again. Make sure you are making the 1, 1, 2 pattern. At the end of round three join with a sl. st.

ROUND FOUR: Chain 3. 1 dc in the ch.3. space. 1 dc in the first three stitches. 2 dc in the next stitch. Think of it as 1, 1, 1, 2. Repeat that pattern around and join with a sl. st.

ROUND FIVE: Ch 3. 1dc in the ch.3. space. 1 dc in the next four stitches. 2 dc in the fifth stitich. 1, 1, 1, 1, 2. At this point put the crochet circle on your head like you would a hat. If it reaches the widest point of your skull (crown) then you will want to skip down to ROUND SEVEN. For my head and most adult heads, in my opinion you need to add one more round for a good fit.

ROUND SIX:Ch. 3. 1 dc in the ch. 2 space. 1 dc in the next five stitches. 2dc in the sixth stitch. 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2.

ROUND SEVEN: Ch. 3. 1dc in the ch. 3 space and each stitch around! (No more tricky increases!) This will bring your hat down like a bucket. From here on out you will repeat this step until your hat is long enough! Once I've reached my desired lenght, which generally is just over my ears, I like to finish the hat with one row of single crochet. It give the hat a nice polished look! ;) Your finished product will look something like this:

Ok, well not EXACTLY like this, but the basic bone structure! ;)

I am planning on writing up a full Fox Hat pattern for my etsy & for ravelry! I've received really good response from my etsy store from customers buying fox hats! It makes me super excited that I'm getting orders often!!

Here is the written hat pattern!


Using a K hook. Make a slip knot and chain 3. Join with sl. st.
Round 1: Chain 3. Work 12 dc in the sl. st. round. Join with a sl. st. in the ch. 3 space

Round 2: Ch 3. Dc 1 in the same ch.3 space. Dc 2 in each stitch around. Join with a sl. st. to the chain 3 space.

Round 3: Chain 3. Dc 1 in the same space. *Dc 1 in the next two stitches. Dc 2 in the next (third) stitch. (1, 1, 2)*. Repeat **Join with sl. st

Round 4: Ch 3. Dc 1 in the same space. *Dc 1 in the next three stitches. Dc 2 in the next (fourth) stitch. (1, 1, 1, 2)*. Repeat ** around and join with sl. st. to the chain 3 space.

Round 5: Chain 3. Dc 1 in the same space. *Dc 1 in the next four stitches. Dc 2 in the next (fifth stitch (1, 1, 1, 1, 2)*. Repeat ** around. Join with sl. st. to the chain 3 space.

Round 6: Chain 3. Dc 1 in the same space. *Dc 1 in the next five stitches. Dc 2 in the next (sixth) stitch (1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2)*. Repeat ** around. Join with sl st. to the chain 3 space.

Round 7-14: Chain 3. Dc in each stitch around. Join with a sl st to the chain 3 space.

Round 15: Chain 1. SC in each stitch around. Join with a sl. st. to the chain 1 space. Cut the yarn and leave about 4" for finishing. Yarn over and pull yarn through the sl. st. loop. Weave in the ends.

There you have it!! If you find any problems with the pattern or if you run into some difficulty, shoot me an email.. I'll be happy to help you out! You can send those emails to heatherxdawn@gmail.com

I hope it's easy enough to understand! If you don't know how to crochet but want to begin... you can totally do it! There are a ton of GREAT tutorials online and great books out there that you can research! If I could teach myself to crochet, then you can too!! Best Luck!

Monumental Expierences

The past few days have been very interesting. I have vowed never to eat fast food again. And after tonight, I am pretty sure I am going on an ALL organic lifestyle. My dad and I have been watching documentaries on Netflix lately and I am blown away by how much I've learned and how I've been inspired to make some personal changes in my eating and my health.

First we watched Super Size Me. Which I will now call OHMIGODISMCDONALDSKILLINGMESLOWLY. We eat out, alot. Okay, more than alot. Probably about 50% or more of our meals. Hey, don't grab out the pitchfork, I can explain! We are busy, more busy than I would like to be. Even though I'm a part time employee, we live in a completely different city than where we work, shop, do business and socalize. Our "home" is 30 minutes away from our "city". We are involved in our Church a great deal, so we are there about 3 days out of the week. (Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday..) We get out of church late... we grab a bite to eat with friends, then go home. We like to indulge ourselves on the weekends too... Friday date night, Saturday outings. That only leaves Monday and Thursday... and if you know us, you know that those are our "free stay at home nights to watch movies and be generally awesome" and you also know that I always stay up really late to get things done. So, needless to say our lifestyle is not very condusive to eating meals at home or being at home for the most part. We kinda live out of the car. It's a shrine to where we've been in the past week (or even more.). You know, soda cups sitting in the cup holder by the dozen; forgotten receipes sprinkled across the floorboard.. this is all sad, but this is all true. (I did warn you that I was going to be personal on this blog...)

After watching Super Size Me (read:OHMYGODISMCDONALDSKILLINGMESLOWLY) I was disgusted. Absolutely sick to my stomach and I really wanted to cry. I kinda still want to cry just thinking about the horrible things I have subjected myself too.. the countless dollars I have given over just to eat something cheap and fast. Not to mention at how sick it has probably made me. I am over weight. I am depressed a lot. I am at risk for being a dibetic and having heart problems. So, McDonalds is something that I should stay away from at all costs. WHY? Because not only does it use genetically altered food, the caloric and fat intake in ONE hamburger is what I should be eating in A WHOLE FREAKING DAY! NO wonder I'm over weight! I eat there at least four times a week (not just McDonald's, but other fast food places too.)

I think the most shocking thing for me in the Super Size Me film was to see him become addicted to McDonalds. Morgan was starting to get headaches and started experiencing severe mood swings... if he ate McDonalds he felt better. Unfortunetly, about 30 minutes later he was back to feeling like crap. I know exactly what that feels like. I can see where that has happened to me COUNTless times. I would not be suprised to find out that I am addicted to fast food. But how can I change that?

It's a simple question really.. and the solution is simple too. Quit. One word. Just stop eating fast food. I've been wanting to loose weight and I've been wanting to cut back the amount of fast food that we eat for a long time, but finiancial and social situations have kept me from doing that. I've also kept me from quitting. But now I am resolved. IF I eat fast food.. I will pick the HEALTHIEST thing possible and I will drink WATER. I'm not going to say no fast food period (although I would like to, I am that extreme!) because I know a situation will arise and I will have to eat fast food.. (long trips, blah blah blah) . So there is Monumental Expierence #1. On to #2

Tonight my Dad and I watched Food Inc, after we each talked to different people about watching Super Size Me and they said we needed to see Food Inc too. We were blown away. I can't believe the politics that are involved with the foods that we eat. The cut throat way that laws and "law makers" make farmers and other organizations bide by their ways. I really am so deeply saddned by this movie. What have I been eating? They mix ammonia treated ground beef with regular ground beef to kill samonila. AMMONIA! Our grocery stores are packed full of meats from animals who are mutant lab creations. Those animals live in the nastiest environments and are killed in processed covered in mud and feces. Yea. That! And this is what I support with my money? This is the future that I am paving for Autumn? A world where the fastest, biggest way to make money will kill everything in its path to have its way? Just so it can make more and more money? Hell. No. No. No. NO!. This isn't right. You seriously need to go watch both of these movies if you haven't seen them... I... I just can't believe it.

Needless to say I am spending tonight and tomorrow to research really good organic labels and where I can shop local produces and how to shop what's in "season". I've got a ton of things that I need to re-learn. The first thing I need to re-learn is how to live. Cause the way that is now can't be right. I'm not healthy, I'm not happy and I'm sure not wealthy. But I've got a God who cares about me enough that gave me the sense to not be robbed of the simple joys in life.. eating well and taking care of myself and my family.

So, I don't know how far this new knowledge is going to take me, but I took my lunch to work today and I cooked a meal at home. With store bought chicken :(. I will promise and commit myself to one thing.. what ever I do, I am going to document it here on my blog. Hopefully, from changing my food lifestyle, I will see an improvement in all the areas in my life that I need work. I want to be healthy, happy and fit.. I really do.

What are your thoughts? Have you seen either of these films? What is your Food Lifestyle like and are you happy with it?

I guess I'm on some sort of life mission now to be healthy and earth friendly... I can't believe it's taken me this long.

SNOW DAY!!

Today has been so amazing! Last night when I went to bed, I hoped and prayed that when I woke up everything would be white AND IT WAS! YAY! We have totally vegged out today! Layed around and played CODBlack Ops, journaled, finished an order from etsy, took a walk, and went on an adventure! We decided to get out and drive a little bit, Robin is an excellent driver so I'm not scared in the snow and ice! We went to Wendy's and got a frosty! It was perfect! Then we went to the grocery store and got some Pizza. Now, we are about to watch the College game and vegg out some more! I hope everyone is having an amazing monday!

Just A little Journaling

A wee journal update for you so I don't have a million pictures to post!

The Shape of Things to Come

I finished Matched by Ally Condie this week! I have to say I love futureific stories and the whole concept! It seems like a world so foreign to our own, but really we are only a few short years away. I read THIS article on yahoo today. GO read it really quick! While I think the world that our kids will become adults in is fasinating, I NEVER, EVER want to see the written word or HANDWRITING to fade away! That is one thing from the book that I couldn't stand! Everyone in Condie's world wrote on "tablets" a small portable computer. (Sound strangely familiar?) Except there was ONLY a keyboard. There were no pens. There was no paper. There was no library. There was no CREATION, nothing new. No one knew how to write, or how to do more than their "vocation." (No one crocheted or did a journal or even knew how to do two jobs!!!) A limited world that gave the illusion of offering you everything you ever wanted. Scary. I don't want Autumn to be in that world. After reading that article, it puts technology advancements in a proper prospective. How close are we to a paperless society? How close are we to blogs BEING OUR ONLY journal?! How close are we to the future that people have dreamed up for so long? Technology always scares me like this! We can invent ANYTHING! *sigh*

Please tell me you feel the same way! Or that you think I've completely lost all my marbles. It's just so scary to think that our future will be like that article or even like the world in Matched.

*sigh* END rant. ;) thank you have a nice day! lol.