Goal: 7 Christmas Gifts completed before Thanksgiving

Status: 4.5/7
So I have 3 "Nutty Buddies" to make, 2 are crocheted, just need eyes and velcro. I'll finish that up today. I have the picture cross-stitched and framed for my sister, one finished project for my niece (I won't mention what it is, in case she happens to read this over her mother's shoulder) :p
I have half of my nephew's gift done. It's a 2-piece gift, and one of the pieces is completed.
Then I have the other half to complete, 1 more Nutty Buddies to make, and 1 gift for my dear brother-in-law. And the reason these need to be ready before Thanksgiving? Because they are coming down to visit from Michigan, and I plan on saving myself some postage. LOL. Aren't I the penny-pincher? :p

So I'd love to show off the framed cross-stitch, but I don't want my sister to see it. So after Christmas, I'll have all the pictures posted up. I'm really excited about getting all these projects completed.

Then of course, I have more to make after those, but those are the ones I need to get finished by the time they come down.
I'll have the gift for my other sister, plus 3 more of the Nutty Buddies, maybe 4 if I'm feeling real froggy about it ;)
Then 2 more nephews to make gifts for, plus my own 2 children. Then there's hubby. I'm thinking I'll either make him something to wear, or save some money up and buy him a GPS.

Getting ready for a big county-wide yard sale this next weekend, Oct 2nd. Hoping it doesn't rain because they won't reschedule, and there are no refunds. Seems a bit odd to me to have neither, but oh well. We'll have a spot on the courthouse square for the sale, so it's a prime location. And then the following weekend is the big Civil War Days at the park close to where I live, so again, another prime yard-sale time/location. We'll hold our leftovers from the first one to have the next one. And then it's off to the Mission House with everything that doesn't sell. The main point of the yard sale is to get rid of our junk. The money we make is just a bonus. :)

I guess that's about it for updates right now. See you next time :)

Love new curtains

So I was shopping the other day and came upon some curtains on clearance. These are the same type of curtains that are hanging in my bedroom, which I love. I couldn't pass them up, as I'd already commented that I wanted that kind of curtains in my living room. So I got them.
Here's how they look. Keep in mind that ugly border will be coming down eventually.

 

Here are what my old curtains looked like:

Crafty Ideas

So I'm already started on making Christmas gifts this year. And yes, I said "making". I am crocheting, and doing counted cross-stitch. My sisters and I agreed that since we are all flat broke, buying yarn/thread for making gifts is much cheaper than buying gifts. Plus, the fact that they are hand made just makes them more special :)

So, I'll put up a couple pics of what I'm making. Now, keep in mind that I'm not the world's greatest at crochet, considering I've barely any experience.

For one of my nieces, I'm making a bunny. I found the pattern for it online free here:
http://www.rheatheylia.com/index.php?page=patterns&id=3

Here's my pic of the completed bunny I made.

The pattern called for just one color of thread to be used, but I started with a partially used roll of yarn (leftover from one of my mother's projects in days long gone), and got worried that I was going to run out before I could finish. So I just decided to use a different color for the ears. I believe it turned out rather striking :) I found some buttons to use for the face. I think the little white heart for the nose is too cute.

I will be making another one of these for my daughter, but using a fuzzier yarn. It will probably turn out cute, I hope, but I've never used that kind of yarn before, and have been warned that it doesn't work as easy as worsted weight yarn like I used on the above bunny. Oh well, my daughter is only 3, and she isn't picky ;)

I have ideas for my nephews, and am working on my own design for a bag for my sister. I'm also putting ideas together to create a unique cross-stitch picture for my other sister. I'm hoping they will be well-pleased. Keep an eye out for the completed projects to be posted here.

Labor Day Weekend

Well, Saturday was my adopted niece's birthday. She turned 12. I took her with me to Wal-Mart and let her pick out a $10 gift. It was more than I could afford really, but I wanted to do something for her ;) Also she got to spend the night with me, and I baked her a cake and decorated it for her.

Sunday, I met a few of my cousins at the State Park just a few miles from here, and we had a nice cook-out there. Randall even came with me :) Well, he actually headed out with our son a few minutes before I did, but he stayed and ate with us.

Monday, Randall's brother had a cook-out, so we went over there for that. Then came home, and had an early night.

So today it's back to normal finally. Kids are back in school.

I decided to go ahead and rearrange my living room. After coming to the startling realization that I absolutely hated everything about my living room, I tried to think of what I could do to make me like it better. Because I hated it so much, I rarely sat to watch tv with hubby, and I didn't like going in there to clean, either.

So at this moment, the room is almost finished (other than paint and slipcovers) except for the tv. The hole I drilled to move the satellite cable wasn't big enough, so the stupid battery has to be recharged for the third time to drill a third hole to make the hole I already have there a bit bigger. Sad, isn't it? So the kids are happily playing without TV for now. Good thing they don't depend on it for entertainment. :p

So I guess when I get it all done, I'll try to get a couple pics of it posted. Can't wait to get that horribly ugly border down and paint the walls and trim. Also need to find a cheap slipcover for that couch, if possible. Although until I can change out that horrid blue carpet, there's not much sense in covering up a blue couch. LOL.

Learn About Me Challenge - Day Thirty

Day 30- Who are you?

Well, now that's not a simple question.

I'm a 33 year old stay at home mother, with ambitions to redecorate my house. I juggle family meals, household cleaning, and childcare with pleasing my husband, taking care of the dogs, and playing on the computer.
I'm very addicted to the computer, and spend way too much time on it :p
Which is probably why it's so hard to lose weight!

I have a dry sense of humor, that not every one gets, but that's okay. I am me, and there's no one else I'd rather be.

Learn About Me Challenge - Day Twenty-Nine

Day 29- In this past month, what have you learned?

I've learned that I still have to be reminded to remember to blog daily :p

I've learned that I am not happy with my current weight, and can't believe that I don't have more pictures of myself, my family, and my friends. I've learned that I don't have that many friends.

I've also learned that I like to laugh at myself. Better than crying, I guess :p

Learn About Me Challenge - Day Twenty-Eight

Day 28- A picture of you last year and now, how have you changed since then?

The first pic was taken about a year ago, I think. I'd just cut my hair for the first time ever by going to a professional. I loved the way it turned out, but of course, I didn't keep it maintained, and now it's about grown out again to the same as always. Time to get it cut again. As far as weight, nothing's really changed. I might be a size smaller, but I think I'm the same size in both these pics.

As far as things in my life... well, we've all gotten a year older, and wiser (hopefully). I do intend to work harder at losing weight, cleaning the house, etc. My house has looked pretty good for longer than it usually does at a time. Thanks to the new TotH and BotH challenges with my sister ;) Thanks, Becca!!

Here's hoping that if I post a pic of me a year from now, I will have dropped at least one size or more in clothing, been able to keep my house clean the entire time, and been able to complete a few projects I have in mind.