3 Fast Little Projects

I am SO excited. For the past 7 years, I have spent the week before Halloween making my granddaughter, Luiza's,  costume. From a mermaid with all the shells, beads, glitz and glitter, to Pocahontas, to princessess, to a black cat. This year, she had a list a mile long of characters she wanted to be. So, as usual, my daughter Sarah, Luiza, and I headed to the fabric store on Tuesday, less than a week before Halloween, to pick out the pattern and fabric. We walked in and I immediately found some great fabric. I turned to ask Sarah and Luiza what they thought of it and they were nowhere in sight. I was heading for the cutting table, with about 30 people in line, when they came around the corner carrying a gorgeous pair of wings. Luiza was squealing that she was going to be a butterfly and wear the wings with a black leotard and tights. It took everything for me to not SCREAM with joy. I can't imagine, the week before Halloween and all I have to do is decide what kind of soup and bread to make for Halloween dinner.


While I was at the fabric store, I picked up some fabric to make some stuffed pumpkins. I am making them for Thanksgiving, so I have a little bit of time.

I also picked up these 2 skeins of Patons Beehive Baby Chunky yarn. I had the hardest time trying to find a natural yarn that is soft enough for a baby. Any suggestions? I haven't been to my favorite local yarn shop, "have you any wool?". I am sure I will find some great skeins there. They always have just what I am looking for.

This week I made these 3 dishcloths for my ex-husband's wife, and her 2 married daughters. I am going to a dinner party on Saturday at one of the daughter's house. We all have such fun together.

Getting late, better say "Goodnight".

What a GREAT weekend.

After a week of cold drizzly weather, this weekend was beautiful.
I spent Saturday morning doing my favorite thing, going to Eastern Market, in the heart of Detroit, to get my weekly produce with my cousins. Marilyn, her husband Jon, and I go almost every week to relax. We talk to the farmers, get our eggs, produce, soup from the Russell Street Deli vendor, bread from the Zingerman's vendor, and visit with total strangers. Often we see the mounted police officer patrolling the market on Elmo, a HUGE horse. What could be better than that? Just look at this picture of the market. This is only one shed. There are 3 others. Let me just say, this is a jewel in Detroit.

When we have loaded our carts with fresh eggs, vegetables, and fruit, we head to Milano's Bakery for the best cheese danish you have ever eaten. Let me correct that, once a month we splurge on the danish. After we leave Eastern Market, we often head to Hamtramck. 50 years ago, it was a city that was populated by Polish immigrants. Now days, it is a more diverse city. However, many of the original polish butchers and bakers have remained. Jon likes to stop at the butcher shop and get some sausage. The wonderful smokey smells that come from the grocery bag, words can't describe, and I AM A VEGETARIAN! Some things never change, smells bring back memories of childhood. The other stop we sometimes make, is at the polish bakery. This week we bought some paczkis, the most incredible round donuts,  either glazed and jelly filled or chocolate dipped with a custard filling. These are not your normal donuts, these are sent from heaven. 


Saturday afternoon was my, "just like",  a grandson's 2nd birthday. Nolan had a bounce house in their backyard. The children had a blast. They had a fire going in the pit ( 48 degrees outside ), but the kids were barefoot most of the time. They carved pumpkins to take home and hit a ghost pinata'. I think they got more candy from breaking the ghost than they will get from trick or treating Halloween night. We had such a good time. 

This is Nolan, enjoying his cake

                                                  

                                                   

                                                  

I also finished "Stretch", the giraffe bib, for my newest little one, David. I will start watching him the end of the year. He is 3 weeks old. I love this bib. 

It didn't photograph real sharp, but in person, the design really "pops". I plan on making about a dozen different styles. They are from Elaine Fitzpatrick. You can get her free patterns on Ravelry or on her blog, Down Cloverlaine. LOVE IT!


OH, I forgot to tell you, my son started the Detroit Police Academy in September. He will be in training until May, 2012. What a change from first, touring for 3 years all over the world with his band, then 11 years as the Community Center Director for the Royal Oak Salvation Army. Maybe running the summer day camps will have prepared him for patrolling the streets of Detroit. LOL! 120 kids, I can't imagine. Anyway, I am so proud of him and happy for him. He has wanted this for awhile. 


I better go. The little ones will be arriving in about 8 hours. I better get some sleep. 

APRIL 6TH????????

Is it true?  The last time I blogged was April 6?!?!?!?  That is pathetic.


I don't know where the time has gone. Spring and summer came and went. With 5 grandchildren, 4 dogs, 3 birds, and 3 turtles that I take care of, I didn't go on vacation. So what did I do?  Wait, that should say, So what DID I do?  If I think REALLY hard, I can come up with a few things. I am a jigsaw puzzle fanatic. I put about 10 puzzles together. I work them on my kitchen table, so, I start the puzzle after dinner and it has to been completed before breakfast. Too bad I can't make money doing puzzles. I would be a wealthy woman.

                                                            


I finished Tortellini Tortoise,

I made 3 skinny scarves,

This is my favorite. I made the Pig, from "itty bitty toys", page 43. I love my pig.

I made a tote bag,

and last, but not least, I made my VERY long, winter scarf.

Oh yeah, one other thing I finally did. I started eating properly. I have been a vegetarian since 1992, but that doesn't mean I was a healthy eater. On June 13th I decided to get with it. Turn my life around for the last time. I have yo-yo dieted so many times, I can't count. I am happy to say that as of today I have lost 47.5 lbs. I still have a long way to go (another 65 lbs), but, I have the rest of my life to get it off and KEEP it off. At some point I will post before and after pictures. Maybe at the half way point. Anyway, my daughter told me to check out  Lose It. I love this website. For some CRAZY reason, it clicked.


I made a delicious pot of Cauliflower Soup over the weekend. It is like a freebie soup, calorie wise. If I remember correctly, Weight Watchers don't count points for most vegetables. This would be point free. DELICIOUS!


Has anyone seen the issue of Knitsimple, Holiday 2011?  Susan B. Anderson has the sweetest set of fairies in a tulip purse. My granddaughters are going to love them. I had to hide the magazine so they won't have a clue about whats to come. Hopefully, I will get started on these fairies this week.


Time to go wash the dishes.