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!