The latest Rag Doll and yoga

Yay! First order of the year is finished. 

So the client told me a little bit about what was going on with her friend that she wanted to send Patti Cakes here too. Her friend whose nick name is stitched on this doll, was diagnosed with stomach cancer. I did some googling to double check that the dress color was the right one for that kind of cancers ribbon. Periwinkle blue is the color for stomach cancer. So Sandra (the woman who ordered this doll) wanted something for her friend to hold during chemo/radiation. She asked for her dress to match the ribbon color with lavender mixed in, because it was a nice color combination. She also asked that I make her soft and squishy, and I tried my very best to do a light stuff on this one. This doll ships out tomorrow and I really do hope that Sandra, and also Patti, are pleased with her. And I hope for the best for Patti on her journey and that this gives her at least a little bit of comfort during this hardest of times. 

I also added a sea-foam/teal to her for added color. I liked the three combined.

On another note I started to do some yoga this weekend to help out my back. Since I've been feeling so much better, I'd say around 75% of how I used to be, I wanted to start something that would be beneficial in the short and long run. Plus it would get me moving and less stiff. The cold weather has been hard on me this year and making me super stiff. I'm focusing on sequences that are to help lower back/sciatica pain since thats where I need the most help at the moment. Once I'm feeling more like my old self I think I'll get into the basic yoga stuff.

Around new years I went out and picked up my yoga mat. Mostly I wanted a mat to make doing my back stretches easier and so I could move from the bed to the floor to get more out of them. Then this weekend I decided to search youtube for routines that were geared toward the back. And now that I've started this stuff, I've realize how not flexible I am and need to stretch out my hamstrings. Just another thing to work on I guess.

 

Along with the new routine of yoga I found a quicky(ish) pattern to go along with my new activity. Made myself some yoga socks yesterday. Making these is kinda like doing a scarf or hat in that they are easy make, but take more time then you think they might. Hopeful they can keep my feet a little warmer while I start doing yoga. My toes are generally cold so I know my feet won't be toasty by any means but these can help a bit. 

This is a no frills pattern and that is the reason I picked it out. I didn't want some frilly looking socks I wouldn't like wearing. I picked this basic pattern and once you do one sock the other is simpler to hammer out. Of course my first one some how is a little baggier then the second but who knows how that happened. LOL.

The only adjustment I had to make with this was because of size difference. The pattern is written for a size 7.5-8 and I'm more of a 9.5-10 size foot. And the adjustments weren't even difficult and the writer even addressed making adjustments which was very nice. 

Review Time

▪ Pattern Readability - 5 Yarn Balls... Love that this is for all skill sets.
▪ Ease of Pattern - 5 Yarn Balls.... Easy to follow and has notes, plus pictures throughout for advice and help.
▪ Adjustments - 5 Yarn Balls... can't knock this one for adjustments when its a fit issue.
▪ Final Product - 5 Yarn Balls... They're customizable which makes them awesome.
▪ Personal - 5 Yarn Balls.... Other than the fact that my first one came out a little funny this is a great pattern. I might make these again.
▪Overall Score - A perfect 5 Yarn Balls. This really is an excellent and simple pattern. 

So I checked one more order off my list and made something for myself *gasp*. Next order is a green Yoshi. So thats what I've got this week. Maybe I'll have time for a new pattern, maybe I won't. Have a good one everyone.

As always you guys can find me on Etsy 
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Happy Crafting!

HAPPY 2016 EVERYONE!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 

I know I've been M.I.A. (missing in action) for the last few weeks and off and on again for the last few months. I want to get back to things this year. So since I failed at the weekly posing in 2015, I want to try it again here in 2016. Wish me luck! But I'm not going to do the new pattern a week. Instead to keep things fresh while I work on orders or inventory, I will do at least one new pattern a month with a review like always. I think I can manage that commitment. Balance is important, and as great as last years challenge was, at times it was a bit impractical. 

On to a holiday mega post, in 3... 2... 1.....

In my last post I promised pictures of the handsome Rocco. And here they are. I just love his little mohawk. Best part about it is that its natural. They don't do anything to give him that. He was a born rocker. 

As I mentioned last time, I got to spend two weeks with this awesome pup. He was a great sport with me having to be gone most days running back into town for one reason or the other.

Like Sheldon Cooper (Big Bang Theory), he had his spot. Here he could chill or bark at anyone who went by the house.

After a little home rest I had the delight of spending a weekend, the weekend before Chirstmas in fact, with Nolan (in white) and Burtie (the brunette beauty). Great pair of pups. Along with them was their house mate Gus. He's a cuddle bug when he isn't asking to go outside. All three loved their cuddles and love.  

My first morning wake up.

GUS! First night there, cuddling on the couch.

Before I left them. Such great pups.

So glad to see such a happy face. Got this picture from Bowser's new home a few days before Christmas. YAY! I love seeing happy faces with my stuff. Makes you feel all warm and fuzzy. Or at least thats me. On Christmas my niece couldn't put down her cowgirl rag doll. She loves all the stuff I've made her. She was even playing with her new baby sisters little lamb. Love those girls. 

For me, Christmas isn't just family, food, and gifts. It also means the last new Doctor Who episode of the year, their Christmas special. If you've watched the show you might understand why I'm wearing two pairs of antlers. If you don't or do and can't figure it out, this is my nod to Wilfred Mott. He is one of the great non-companions and grand dad to Donna Noble. He's an awesome guy that loves the doctor for himself and Donna. And even better the Doctor was wearing antlers for at least a second in the special. 

I wore them most of the day before they started to bug me. They didn't fit well on my head together and the brown ones are a bit heavy. I took them off for a bit and slipped them back on for the special. 

 Speaking of food... this is the biggest tradition my family has. I don't consider it Christmas morning without it. My favorite treat of the WHOLE year... Monkey Bread or cinnamon pull a part. I've helped my dad make this every Christmas morning since I can remember. Now he helps me or my sisters and I do it together. And we only make it once a year so its always a special treat for us. YUMMMM!

Our New Years was off to an interesting start. The house got a wake up call at 4am to a drunk messing with the door. He even stole our door nob. We have an old door with an old nob set that has stripped screws. So if you don't handle it correctly, or even when you do, it brakes apart. We're used to it and laugh when new people freak when it comes apart. Best house gag ever. But now we have to search out a new set that fits perfect. Still haven't gone since we got a lovely winter snow the last few days. But its cleared up now and me and dad will be on the hunt in the next few days. Damn door nob stealing drunks!!

I also finally found something that could fix my laptop charger cord. I read about this little company thats been gaining followers the last few years. They make a mouldable glue that drys into a rubber. They're name's Sugru (Sue-groo) and I've got to say I'm liking their product. After exploring their website you can find a ton of uses for this stuff. 

 

 

 

Poor cord has seen better days.

My poor cord. I've had this laptop since the summer of 2008. Its been around a long time in computer terms and has traveled with me to Idaho and back. Plus to every house gig I have. I've replaced the battery and I thought I was gonna have to do the same to my charger. The casing around the cords had completely come away from the head and I was trying to keep it together/from getting worse with some electrical tape. It helped but the tape would slide around and just make things a bit sticky. Cleaning the cord off before I used Sugru was a messy pain. 

Possibly the only thing saving my cord.

 So Sugru is pretty much like play-doh when you open it up. And best part is you can mix colors. My hardware store only had the tri-color pack (once it finally came in). So I decided to make green. Purple was a close second choice. And like play-doh its easy to use. I do suggest if you decide to get this product to go to their site and watch a few of the short videos on how to use it. It helps when your working with it later. 

Playing with Sugru.

Mix it (or not), mold it, and let it dry. Very important to make sure it isn't touching anything you don't want bonded to what you're fixing or improving. I did this up yesterday and let it sit a full 24+ hours and I'm happy with it. I'm not worried about my charger anymore. And instead of spending $50 or more on a new charger I spent $12 on Sugru and have more to play with. I call it a good buy.

All done.... Now to dry.

 

Got the idea to fix the cracking body of my laptop. Looks kinda cool.

I also did a little cosmetic improvement on my laptops body. I guess I'm not the only Macbook owner with cracks on the edge of the case. Really, go look at all the types of stuff people have done with this stuff. I give this product 5 Yarn balls. Its awesome stuff!

And finally we get to crochet news. With all the holiday crazy I wasn't able to finish this order yet. I may have finished the Christmas orders early but I lacked energy with the holiday hub-bub to work on the next set of orders on my to-do list.

I did start this one though.  I'll do more on the story of this order once she's done next week. But this is the first of the next five (5) or so orders. Never ending and I love it.

Well that all, until next week. 

As always you guys can find me on Etsy 
and don't forget to like me on Facebook
 

Happy Crafting!