Crochet Uni Hat

I made this crochet unicorn hat.....and to me it's one of those FAIL projects that you see the jokes about.  I'm not happy with it at all.

Here is the pattern I used to make it.  She is much more talented than I am.  I'm still trying to decide whether to try and sell it in my shop or toss it in a bag and forget I even made it.

Comments from friends mostly were that the horn needed to be longer.  I agree, but that was ALL the yellow yarn of that color I had.  The other comment I got was that the mane looked more like hair.  I agree with that too.  

Any suggestions?

I Love This Thing!

Hubby found this at a rummage sale this summer. No way was I going to light a candle and add extra heat to the already hot upstairs. 

Last night it was rather cool so we decided to light a candle. I put a tealight candle in it so I didn't have a big melted wax mess to deal with.

I closed the curtains completely for s few minutes and this lighted the room quite nicely.  It was oh so pretty too.  The different colors dancing on the wall. Even Fuzzy watched it. 

I need to look around in my stuff to see if I have any more pretty candle holders.

Happy Homemaker Monday 9/28/15

You know, even though I'm not a SAHM I'm still a homemaker.  I have a family to take care of and a home that should be kept it neat and clean.  I do also have the responsibility of 2 businesses to keep neat and clean, and a multitude of customers to care for as well.  Wow!  So....I've decided it's going to be Happy Homemaker Monday, because my home AND my businesses are my home.  They are where I spend my time, with my family none the less, 24 hours a day.

The weather..... 

Looks like fall is on the way.

Right now I am.... Sitting here at the shop computer.  Hubby just left for a job (so I get the computer for a few minutes) to make keys for a lock on a message board at a church here in town.


On my Kindle.... I am currently reading Katie's Redemption by Patricia Davids *affiliate link*  This book is FREE today (Monday 9/28/15) if you'd like to go get it.

TV on my Computer..... Switched at Birth again tonight.  I'm looking forward to that. I won't watch it live, but will watch it sometime this week online.

I have also been watching the "Back in time for Dinner" videos on YouTube.  Quite interesting.  I've noticed that over the years, mens fashion hasn't changed much at all, unlike ladies fashion.  Food has change drastically too.

What I found while surfing the net.... I have found SO many crochet patterns I want to make.  I need to learn to crochet faster so I can make them all.  Other than the Amigurami, which I've set aside now, I have this Shawl and this Shawl on the hook

Favorite Find on Pinterest...... I'm looking forward to the cooler evenings that is supposed to be here next week.....I want to make THIS!

My Menu....

Cheesy Chicken Tater Tot Casserole
 crockpot roast beef   with potatoes cooked in the crockpot
Crockpot BBQ Chicken
Crockpot Ravioli
Dorito Crusted Chicken Strips  with Cheesy Bacon Ranch Potatoes  Both New Recipes
Slow Cooker Cube Steak with Mashed Taters in the crockpot

Check my side bar updated as to what I have on hand to make, or what's in the freezer.

On my to do list this week....

Um.....other than the usual cleaning stuff I'm not real sure.

In the craft basket....

Here are the 2 shawls I currently have "on the hook". The links to the patterns are shared on "What I've Found Surfing the Net".

Looking forward to this week.... Um......Friday? Sunday?  I dunno.  Nothing special happening this week that I know of.

Looking around the house....

I cleaned,rearranged and swept last week.  This week it looks like I need to sweep a little more.  Hubby did bring up the treasure chest.  It's one he made many years back to haul his armor around in. It needs cleaned out first, then I'm going to put as many blankets in it as will fit. I'll try to remember to take a picture for another post.

From the camera....

Did you watch the eclipse last night?  It was pretty awesome.  I watched through the full eclipse, then didn't watch the last part.

Tips and Tricks...... If you go to the laundromat to wash/dry clothes, try getting a dryer that is still hot or at least warm from someone previous using it.....it saves me at least a quarter or two.

On my prayer list.....

• Business to pick up so we aren't scraping to pay bills
• We are able to find some scaffolding to borrow so we can work on the kitchen area
• The drain up front works so we can at least serve ice cream and drinks and baked goods come April 2016

Praises this past week......

• Youngest son got a job 
• We had a good 3 days vacation.  Still did mobile work, but nothing in the shop until Thursday
• The pre-release went really well

  This post linked to Happy Homemaker Monday over at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Sunday......

It's been a LONG, but FUN weekend!  We got up regular time on Friday morning, but didn't get to bed until 6 am Saturday morning, because we held a Magic the Gathering midnight pre-release.  We were back up and had the shop open at 10:30 am (an hour and a half late, it was planned).  Saturday night we were in bed by 11:30.  Either the neighbors (it's a bar) were quiet or I was so tired their leaving noise (between 1:30 am and 3:00 am) didn't wake me up.  This morning (Sunday) I asked hubby at regular time to get up to go to Sunday School, if he was ready to get up, and didn't get much response from him, so we slept in, and mad it in time for church.

Speaking of church......I get this notification nearly every Sunday on my phone  while at church.  I'm just outside city limits a few miles.  Makes me wonder if going to my church is something extra special.  I won't need data access in heaven, won't even need a cell phone.  LOL!

After church we are out *sigh*  Hubby says I/We need to get more organized.  Organization in my book is right there with exercise.....pretty non existent. Guess I'm going to have to try harder.  

SO, My FIRST TO DO,  after we got home from lunch I sat down and made a menu (I'll share it tomorrow in my HHM Post)  while my phone charged (from my out of the US trip) for a bit.  

Heading upstairs to get my laundry

Once that was done, my SECOND TO DO,  I headed to the laundromat.  Washed 2 loads and dried 1.  Brought the other load home to hang up to dry.

My THIRD TO DO was to go grocery shopping.  Here are pictures and what I bought, thanks to my Out Of Milk app,  from that trip.

My FOURTH TO DO was to make supper, so we didn't have to eat out again.

Here is what I made:  French Onion Chicken Noodle Casserole

It is REALLY GOOD!

Here is the recipe (click on the picture to go to the actual BLOG I found the recipe on)

While I was making this, and eating my plate (actually had 2 plates full) people started to show up to play MTG.  Right now I have a "living room" full.  No we aren't actually open tonight, but if there is enough people who want to play on an "off night" we will let them come play.  Gives everyone plenty of room and a safe place to get together.

Here in a few hours we will be heading to the gym. 

In the mean time, I'm going to work on my HHM post and also keep checking on that moon.  I'll share pictures another day.

Menu

Cheesy Chicken Tater Tot Casserole
 crockpot roast beef   with potatoes cooked in the crockpot
Crockpot BBQ Chicken
Crockpot Ravioli
Dorito Crusted Chicken Strips  with Cheesy Bacon Ranch Potatoes
Slow Cooker Cube Steak with Mashed Taters in the crockpot


French onion Chicken Noodle Casserole

My Week.......

**Lots of pictures in this post**

If you remember from last week's HHM post I said we were having a busy week.  Well, we did.  We were in the final prep for Pirate Day which was Saturday.  We only had 11 people come, 8 adults and 3 kids, but we are thankful for those 11.  Here is what we had for fun........

Follow the treasure map......

to where "X" marks the spot for FUN!

We had a photo area, complete with Captain Jack.

Free Pirate Snacks

Coloring Pages (all were colored by adults  LOL!)

Guess how many Doubloons.

Deep Sea Fishing

Treasure Hunt

And some random decorations.  Pirate Skeleton in a cage.

Net hoisted from the loft landing to the heater duct.

and Lanterns strung across the room.

The decorations and the "Treasure Hunt" will be left out for the month of October, and Halloween.

YEA!!!!! We have a street light in our alley now!  The owner of the building next door paid to have it repaired, and the owner of the building to the left is paying the electric on it.  It actually benefits all 3 businesses.

Vacation began Monday morning.  Up until now we have only taken 1 day off (not including holidays) since last September.  We weren't open at the lock shop, but were willing to do mobile calls as long as we were in town.  Monday morning we were supposed to go make keys for a vehicle first thing (9;00am) but the person found their keys.  SO off we went and enjoyed a day going to flea markets in SW Missouri.

Tuesday morning we headed north to unlock an RV for a service garage that had been working on it.  We then stopped at a "dent and ding" grocery store on our way home.  We didn't know what it was when we stopped, we thought it was another flea market.  Lookie at the Amish horse and wagon!  There is a large community not too far away.  There was an Amish couple shopping at the store too.

We then headed south into NE Oklahoma, after getting a bite to eat.  We went to our favorite flea market there.  It's HUGE!!!!!!!  It's a good 3 blocks long and probably at least a quarter block wide.  

Today, Wednesday, we decided to stay home and work on some things around here.  We did unlock a few vehicles today.  I spent the morning catching up on my dishes and doing a little cleaning downstairs.  Then I went upstairs to clean the bedroom.  

Here is the "before" picture.......

and the "after" picture. 

I did some rearranging.  I'm hoping by putting the metal "closet" in front of the window and moving the bed to the opposite sire of the room will help make it a little darker.  Those darn street lights (I think they are switching them out to LED bulbs) are quite annoying and making it hard to sleep.  Have to have the curtain open if we want any air from the open window.

We decided to be social, it's not something we do very often, and we went to the local Chamber's open house.  Then off to church for supper and bible study.  After we got home we finished cleaning downstairs and are almost ready to open tomorrow evening at 5:00.  Just a few little things left to do.

Thankful for the time off.  It was MUCH needed.  Wish we could be off longer, but you can't make money if you're not open.

Preview

HHM 9/14/2015

You know, even though I'm not a SAHM I'm still a homemaker.  I have a family to take care of and a home that should be kept it neat and clean.  I do also have the responsibility of 2 businesses to keep neat and clean, and a multitude of customers to care for as well.  Wow!  So....I've decided it's going to be Happy Homemaker Monday, because my home AND my businesses are my home.  They are where I spend my time, with my family none the less, 24 hours a day.

The weather..... 

Not looking too bad this week.  This morning it's been kinda cloudy looking and they say we could have spot storms. Nothing severe, just rain and wind.

Right now I am.... listening to the lights buzzing. I can hear a lawnmower somewhere downtown, and cars driving by on the street.


On my Kindle.... Still reading In the Presence of my Enemies by Gracia Burnham *affiliate link*  

TV on my Computer..... Switched at Birth again tonight.  I'm looking forward to that. I won't watch it live, but will watch it sometime this week online.

I watched Anne of Green Gables this weekend.  It has been a long time since I've seen it.

What I found while surfing the net.... I have found some crochet and knit and tunisuan crochet patterns that I want to try.

Favorite Find on Pinterest...... Next month we are having a pumpkin decorating contest at the Castle.  No carved pumpkins, just decorated ones.  There are a ton of ideas!  I think we need to make one, just because.  LOL!

My Menu.... I think mac and cheese with hot dogs.

I've NOT kept my side bar updated recently, but will try and fix it soon, as to what I have on hand to make, or what's in the freezer.  I don't haven't a menu/list made up for this week.  Something I will work on tonight and tomorrow.  Hopefully we bring in enough money this week co I can go to the store.

• Sunday dinner at church, I took oreo fluff, and  for supper I made ham and cheese sliders
•  Monday: mac and cheese with hot dogs
• Tuesday: homemade pizza of some sort, maybe pizza bread, it's easier ;-)
• Wednesday: supper at church 
• Thursday Homemade corndog bread unless we have to run the AC at the castle
• Friday: ??  something heat and eat
• Saturday: ??  something heat and eat

Here is what I bought at the store for this week:  Love the Out of Milk app!

(the .99 cents at the top is the cool whip from the previous picture. and the price shown is for 1 item even if you need multiple.)

On my to do list this week....

• make menu
• make grocery list
• clean bathrooms
• work on knitting and crochet projects
• sweep living room
• sweep upstairs
• sweep kitchen
• Get snacks ready for pirate day, on Saturday.
• Print coloring sheets for pirate day
• Report sales tax for last month

In the craft basket....

I still haven't made any more flowers for my curtain.  I have been working on my poncho and trying out (and frogging) different Tunisian patterns and knit patterns.

I did organize my hooks and needles looking for a pair of knitting needles, which I still haven't found.

Looking forward to this week.... Wednesday night supper (cause I don't have to cook) and Bible study (hope I can stay awake this week)

The "portal kids" Friday night at the castle

Pirate day Saturday afternoon at the castle

And if it counts .......vacation time starting as soon as the last person leaves Saturday night!

And Sunday we are planning to go to an SCA meeting.

And just in case I don't get back for next Monday's HHM, I'm hoping to make it to the food show next Tuesday.

Looking around the house....

There are a bunch of those little green grass hopper like things and several big green katydids dead on the floor.  i need sweep them up.  Thursday night we had storms come through that knocked off the electric for about 4 and a half hours (it was nearly bed time anyway LOL), and since we don't have real screens on our windows, the bugs came in for shelter.  For some reason, even though we didn't have power, the street lights were still shining bright.  Not complaining, it helped against any break-ins that could have happened.  Anyway, This little guy is probably the reason for all the dead bugs.  I was super excited to see him.  I also like the contrast of the building in the background that makes him look larger than he really was. :-)

From the camera....

I'm not normally a selfie person, in fact I rarely take them, let alone share them, but hubby added this mustache to the mirror in the bathroom at the castle.  Who could resist?

On my prayer list.....

• Business to pick up so we aren't scraping to pay bills
• and business to be good this week so we can AFFORD to take a few days off next week
• my youngest son can find a job
• my aching feet.  have been having problems with them since July 5th.
• we are able to find some scaffolding to borrow so we can work on the kitchen area
• the "neighbors" (it's a bar that opened up AFTER we did, and we live upstairs of our business) to be quiet so we can get sleep

On my PRAISE list....  

• My future daughter in law finally found a job
• (i know there are more from last week, but I'm drawing a blank right now)

  This post linked to Happy Homemaker Monday over at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

ok, gotta get serious about food again.......

and since it's supposed to get cooler again I won't need the AC on (hopefully) so I can use the oven and the grill.

also i probably should go shopping tomorrow morning and be there when the store opens because  i probably won't get a chance during the day.  not that i will shop for 10 days, at least until sunday or so.  i did manage to pry loose one of my "ice block" freezer meals tonight, without tearing the bag.

i think i can come up with $40 for a few extras that i will need. for the most part though i will be using things already in the freezer that we need to use so it doesn't get freezer burnt

1. i think i will try cooking hot dogs in the crockpot
2. and make baked potatoes in the crockpot
3. i have some mac and cheese and i can put hot dog (just 1 i have half pound all beef hot dogs) in it.
4. i found this recipe and think i'll use turkey and bacon and provolone cheese to make the siders
5. i'm thinking maybe pizza bread again

we are having a dinner at church sunday and i think i will make some oreo fluff

if my store has them in the freezer i will get some frozen burritos for lunch if we have no leftovers

friday  baked potatoes
saturday hot dogs
sunday dinner at church, taking a dessert.  supper sliders
monday pizza bread
tuesday mac and cheese

---

what i need to buy:

bacon  12oz 2 for $5.00
hawaiian rolls  $3.00?
oregano $1.25?
pizza sauce  $2.00?
hot dog buns $1.00 (i think they are on sale  if not it's about $1.50)
store brand oreos $3.00
cool whip  $1.25
frozen burritos $10

looks like approximatly $27 dollars, i should have enough

i just don't know

things have gone topsy turvy the past couple of weeks.  it all started when i found the freezer door not closed all the way, and now all my freezer meals are frozen in blocks of ice and i will have to move the freezer probably outside to defrost it.  i haven't made a menu in about 2 weeks (since my last hhm post) and have just been lazy.  thankfully wednesday night supper at church started back up last week, which helps on a meal.  also we are open one more night a week, thursday evening, at the castle.  also we had a holiday in the middle there.

i feel so.......distracted, discouraged, undecided.....whatever you want to call it.  i'm not getting things done like i should.  i have been trying my best to stay off facebook, but i end up going there anyway.  i do keep up with my groups and pages (i admin both and have some that i am a member of and read mostly, it's how we know what's going on around here), and I do have messenger because my friends refuse to move to a different format or contact.

thankfully in 2 weeks we are taking some much needed time off.  just a few days, even though we can't really afford it, but we need to get away.  other than holidays we have only taken 1 day off this year.  gotta work to get paid and if you don't work you don't get paid.   it's a never ending circle.

i have been crocheting lately though.....here's what I've made since i last showed you:

i decided to participate in the crochet crowd's mystery amigurumi challenge week 1 has 4 random parts. tonight i made part 1.  the next clue comes out next wednesday, so i have a few days to finish the other 3 parts.

i knitted another dishcloth. finished it today and just need to weave in the ends

i made a bigger dice bag for my oldest son. this is the one i made him for christmas last year. it was stretched tight enough i was afraid he would loose his dice.  he assured me he wouldn't.  i decided to make him one anyway.  now he has room for a few more dice than he has now.

i finished that 3 color spiral slouchy (and it still hasn't sold, *sigh*)

and last but not least, i restarted making a shawl/poncho/whatever it turns out to be, using a different pattern that i was using earlier this year.  cold weather is going to be here sooner than i would like and i need to be ready for it.  it's just regular crochet but i only had the correct size needle in my tunisian hook set so that's what i'm using.  i'm actually farther along than this now, i've used 4 balls of yarn i think, or maybe i'm on my 4th one, not sure.  it's gonna be awesome when i get it finished.

ok back to my sulking corner for a while longer.