Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Sixlet Olympics

It's that time of year again for the
"Annual Thanksgiving Sixlet Olympics"

Six Sixlet events
2 people per team
These are the Sixlets for the 1st event: "Count the Sixlets",
then these Sixlets are used for the rest of the events.

And the winners receive:
Jars of medal colored Sixlets, presented to the winning teams
 as they stand on stacked sofa cushions,
 representing the three places, complete with flashlight for the Olympic Flame. :-)
(we stretched our imaginations a bit this year with the colors.)
Winners receive Gold, Silver and Bronze Sixlet prizes
and...
...medals

The NVO has the advantage because he is the world's best Sixlet suspender.
The NVO's team always wins a medal...
I've never won one. So sad.
Each year I vow to train all year long and it just simply does not happen.
Maybe next year. ;-)

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Ice Blue with Charcoal

For sis-in-law and her cohort
A neck warmer for the "cohort" and a scarf for sis-in-law to match hats I made
for them last year...no pics, though, because that was before the blogging days. :-)

Made with that same Alpaca yarn from the Ice Blue post with the charcoal color added
(Bernat calls it ebony I call it charcoal).

Free scarf pattern from Lion Brand found here.
Lion Brand named it "Paint the Town", I will name these "Paint the Town Ice Blue and Charcoal"
or in Bernat's case "Paint the Town Sky and Ebony".

Monday, November 21, 2011

Rainbow Connection

Someday we'll find it...
The Rainbow Connection

Somebody thought of that
and someone believed it,

Those someones with their
50 year old feet......and......22 year old feet.

"Who said that every wish would be heard
and answered when wished on the morning star?
Somebody thought of that and someone believed it.
Look what it's done so far."

~The Rainbow Connection~
Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher

Little Bug (#6) and I have been wishing for this nail polish called
"The Rainbow Connection" for over a month now.
Every store we checked was either sold-out or it had not arrived yet.
Someone granted our wish and that someone was "K" who not only granted our wish but delivered, the "Pot of Gold" or silver glitter in this case.
What a delightful surprise and generous gift!
Little Bug painted her fingernails too.

The song "The Rainbow Connection" has a special place in our hearts as it is a favorite song for listening (I hope your speakers are on) and a favorite song to which the NVO and I waltz.
And what could be more special, at this moment,
than a gift of polish from a kind friend with such a  name?
Thank you, thank you, thank you "K",
from the lovers, the dreamers and me!

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Norwegian Flag Scarf

A Scarf for Hans in Norway
Who is Hans?
He is my bonus dad, and for additional tidbits, I've written about him here; he's awesome  :-)
He lives in Norway and I thought he might like a scarf for Christmas.
So a "net" search resulted in this;
it reminds me of the Norwegian Flag:
This was a super easy and fast pattern (just alternating single crochets with a chain) from the "Eating Out Loud" website, click here for the pattern and thank you "Eating Out Loud".

Loops & Threads Charisma Yarn with a size J (6.0 mm) hook.

God Jul, Hans!

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Ice Blue

A Favorite Color

My list of favorite colors goes on and on, but if I had to pick just one favorite,
it would have to be "Ice Blue".

Ice blue is a difficult color to find in most everything I search; it must be very light and soft with with absolutely no green in at all and very little gray, if any.
Icy shivers of joy enveloped my entire being,
as by a stroke of luck, while shopping at the local Michael's, I found an Alpaca blend of the most lovely ice blue colored yarn - Bernat calls it "Sky" - that's nice too.

I make every effort and conscientiously choose to fall in love with winter and what's more fun about winter than a feminine scarf as a back drop to icy breath and a black coat? ;-)

Perhaps I love ice blue because it reminds me of a Norwegian winter, additionally we have many winter days in Utah that would also fall into the "beautiful ice blue" category.
(Photographed with a tiny little water color of Norway - maybe in the winter...maybe not...)

So the search was on for the perfect scarf pattern...I started and ended with my blogging friend Mrs. Micawber's most inspiring blog because I figured since she also experiences icy winters that she would likely have something that would work.
Alas, her "Flowering Clematis Scarf Pattern" was just what I was looking for.
And goodness gracious, if you are ever looking for scarf patterns, complete with the most detailed and easy to follow directions/tutorials, her blog is definitely the place to go.
Several incredible scarves that will just tickle you pink.
 (Ohhhh, I like pink too. :-) )

In her post, Sue claims that this scarf is fun, fast and easy. It was so true - the scarf was done in two hours - all the while watching the dancers perform the Argentinian Tango on DWTS.
One show=one scarf that looks like (IMHO) it took much longer to make.


Thank you so much Sue, I love it!

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Gotta' Love 'Em

Out of our six children there is not
a single one that does not do something strange....
#3 and #3a just might be the strangest of all.
#3 is a professional by day...and owns a cage fighting gym by night, and the thing about them that we love the very most...are the tattoos...ah, yes indeed...the tattoos.
(Don't worry #1 and #1a, your turn is coming.)
This is #3 and #3a - something went terribly wrong, but since there is nothing we can do about it, we embrace them and their antics and love them anyway. :-)

So for Christmas this year they will receive this custom made advent calendar.
Complete with tatted dolls made in their likeness.



The NVO designed and made this advent calendar; I added the details.
#3 is to open the odd numbered pouches and his"pegs" are shaped like stars; #3a is to open the even numbered pouches and her "pegs" are shaped like hearts...Isn't that just the sweetest thing ever?  ;-) The gifts in the pouches are things such as...dental floss and stuff. :-)
Six days on each of the four sides for 24 days. Then the top comes off for a secret area that holds a gift for the 25th and for storage of the pouches, tree and people during the other 11 months of the year.

I will say they are pretty darn cute though,
in spite of all that ink.
And they are darn good to the Mama and NTM ("Not the Mama" - aka the NVO)

Happy Adventing Y'all!!!

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Puff Flower Project #3

A Slouchy Hat
If my hair looks blond it's because you cannot see the crown...
I have been too busy crocheting to color it. ;-)

This is a free online pattern; it's called the "Phannie, sunburst pattern beret", and can be found at the Berroco Site. Click here for the pattern. I was using leftover yarn from the scarves at the last two posts, but I ran out so I shorted it by four rows; hence, it's a little less "slouchy".

Ella Rae yarn was used for the puff flowers for this hat and the scarves in the previous two posts.
The cream and the beige are from the stash and were without a label so I don't know what they are, but I do know they 100% acrylic. The Ella Rae is 25% wool and 75% acrylic, but it seemed o.k. to mix the two. :-)

Hope your Sunday is full of peace and relaxation!

Friday, November 4, 2011

Puff Flower Project #2

~Another Scarf~
Yeehaw!!!
And just in time, as SNOW is in the forecast for this evening!
("How to" is a combination of stitches in previous post here.)

Project #3 of the "Magical Mystery Projects" with "Puff the Magic Flowers" is also in the forecast...hint - it's not another scarf, thank goodness.

Have a flowery snow evening!!!