Thursday, September 27, 2012

About This Time of Year...........

About this time of year, businesses bring out pumpkin spice or pumpkin pie flavored ice cream, pumpkin fragranced items, pumpkin pies, pumpkin fabric, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin colored yarn, pumpkin spice everything!  I love it all!!!  If I remember right ladies, it is also a male aphrodisiac.  LOL  I had a skein of salmon colored yarn, so I thought I would make a crocheted pumpkin.  A plain pumpkin would not be enough, it had to have embellishment of some sort.  (I tend to over do, so embellishment is always necessary.)   I also had a skein of brown tweed yarn which had a few flecks of other colors, including orange.  I crocheted the pumpkin, sewed it up on the bottom, stuffed it with wool fiber, added pumpkin spice fragrance to the inside, crocheted the stem and vine, and pulled out some of the wool fibers here and there to add my embellishment.  If you are looking for something different and fun for the fall, you may want to make my crocheted.pumpkin spice fragranced, bobble pumpkin.  


I know this background blends in with the pumpkin, but it just says fall and I HAD TO USE IT.
To make my crocheted.pumpkin spice fragranced, bobble pumpkin, you will need one skein of wool or your desired yarn.  I used 50 g. ball of wool.  I also used size f crochet hook, but use the size that suites you.  For the stem and vine, you should be able to use a smaller amount of the skein, approx. 1/4 of it.   No gauge needed for this project.  Chain 35 stitches. You will crochet in the back of each crochet stitch throughout the project.   Row 1, single crochet into the second stitch from the hook.  (the chain one counts as the first stitch of the row.)  single crochet 5 more stitches, half double crochet 7, double crochet 7, half double crochet 7, single crochet 7, chain 1 and turn your work.  Row 2, single crochet in each stitch, chain one at the end of the row and turn your work.  Repeat these two rows until the desired size you want, or you almost run out of yarn.  End with Row1.  Single crochet on the right side of the pumpkin through the loops of the first and last row together to join the piece, making a ridge down the pumpkin which looks like the prior ridges.  You are probably asking which side is the right side.  There really is not a right or a wrong side.  One side looked more uniform, so I used that as the right side.  Sew up the bottom stitches tightly with a tapestry needle.   Stuff the pumpkin with orange colored wool, or any desired stuffing.  (For alternate materials, try ribbon, paper shreds, fabric strips, or lace)  Line the inside bottom with a small sheet of plastic or aluminum foil if desired.  This would keep any fragrance oil from draining through and getting on furniture.  Stuff the pumpkin with wool.  I used varied shades of orange and coral Cotswold wool, which has long curly locks.  Stuff the pumpkin as full as you desire.  Place one tablespoon pumpkin spice fragrance oil in the center of the pumpkin.  Cover over the oil with wool stuffing.  (You could use spices for an alternate to the fragrance oil.)  Attach the brown tweed yarn to  the top of the pumpkin edge.   (You could use green yarn as and alternate).  Crochet around the top with one stitch in each ridge.  You do not need to be precise.  No pumpkin top and stem is identical or perfect. Every 5 or so stitches, crochet two together.   Once you are down to 6 or 7 stitches, continue for a few rows without crocheting any more together.  You will have a hollow stem and you could stuff it with some of the wool or yarn if you wanted it to appear fuller.  Crochet the last stitches together at the end of the stem.  For the vine, I attached two brown tweed yarn pieces and chained approx. 50 stitches.  Then I twirled the stem so it would wind.  At the bottom of the stem, I attached it to the pumpkin side.  The stems do not lay flat, so let yours coil and let it lift off of the pumpkin.  Trim off any extra threads, if you have any and pull the ends into the pumpkin to make your work neat.  (You are almost done.)  With your crochet hook, pull out little wool bobbles from the lining randomly.  If they get to big for your taste, push part of the bobble back in.  Bobbles are an option and you may prefer your pumpkin without them, don't do this last step. 

If you notice a typo or you have questions, just give me an email.  

On a sad note, Larry's goat, Sassafras Van Goat, passed away yesterday in her pasture of green grass.   She is now in goat heaven and eating apples.  She loved to eat apples. 

Thank you for viewing and may you and yours be truly blessed.                                                        Dawn

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Just a scarf and a little juvenile humor.........

I completed a scarf with manufactured yarn.  I wanted something simple to make and the yarn was on sale, so......  It was intentionally for a Christmas gift, but I may need to add it to my wardrobe.  LOL
For Grins and Giggles......................I saw a Big K-Mart sign tonight and part of the B was not lit.  It was funny to me, but it was late and have juvenile humor at times.  Please excuse the bad photo, I can't figure out how to photograph neon.

Monday, September 24, 2012

A Little Donation

At least once a year we like to take a donation to Union Rescue Mission.  It is a great reminder that, "only by the grace of God go I."  I think that is how the saying goes.  I want my son to go in with me if possible.  My son is 20. I noticed that the clientele has gotten younger.  It is sad that homeless people exist, but more so when they are young.  Before, the older men needed a place which offered food, shelter, faith, clothing, a set of teeth, help to find a job, and a way to get to and from work.  It is easier to see an older person living at a shelter where life has handed him or her some hard knocks such as illness of self or a family member, or the loss of employment.  Young people haven't had an opportunity to even experience life.  Many of our youth, especially those with special needs, are being tossed out on his or her own way too soon.  I know that parents have lives too, but your children become your live when you choose to have them.  Children are a choice!  A girl I recently met told me that her mother moved to northern Kansas and is living with a boyfriend.  At the age of 21, she is here in Wichita, on her own without transportation and she has disabilities.  I understand that she has a father living in town, but he lives with his mother and he is an alcoholic.  Another girl I know is 25, but not mentally able to make real choices due to disabilities and not having many life experiences.  (She was sheltered.)  She has a bicycle for her transportation.  Her mother moved to another state to live with her parents since she lost her job.  I know that 18 is the age most children are considered to be an adult.  Is your child ready to take care of all life hands him or her when they turn(ed) 18?  Were you ready when you turned 18?  All these children need is a little guidance and a helping hand.  They don't know how to make more than simple meals.  Is there someone you know that could benefit from your guidance?  Now, I will get off of my soap box and get back to the original topic.  I took a photo of my son in back of the soap before he left the van.  He was playing with a piece of gum, so he has the grins.  Yes, his shirt says "Amazing in Bed," under that in small letters, it says, "I can sleep for hours."   I did not do this blog for you to pat me on the back for donating.  I did this blog to remind you that you can make a difference, even if it is a few minutes of your time and a little encouragement.  Teach your children to also donate.  Thank you for reading my blog.  I hope you and yours are truly blessed! 

Monday, September 17, 2012

Blueberry Muffin Salt Soap

I have had those strong urges to create more soap.  Yes, I do have plenty, but the holidays are coming and I need to make some with more of a fall and winter theme.  I moved my soap to a storage area and all of my crafting items will follow.  Yes, I will still have the occasional knitting needle here and there and maybe a sewing machine, but I am overran with crafting items in the home!  So far, all is going well, except I needed batteries for my scale today and I did not have any in storage.  Eventually everything will run smooth.


Today I made blueberry muffin salt soap, but I think the name will change.  The smell is wonderful and it is harvest time, so I may need to give it a harvest name.  More pictures to come once I cut the soap loaves.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Blue Feathered Cloche








I just finished  crocheting a hat made with my handspun wool yarn.  One ply of the yarn was a smooth blue yarn and one ply was a lumpier curly kid mohair.  One side of the hat is adorned with a peacock feather, royal blue feathers, a bird nest veil fabric, and buttons. (vintage and new)  The brim of the hat can flip up or down, depending on which look you are going for.  It is a bright happy hat that you can't feel unhappy wearing.  It looks like It is a thick yarn and large stitches were taken to make the hat.  It took a little more work than it appears since the ridges on the brim were made by crocheting 3 stitches  around the post of a stitch.  What projects are you working on?  Thank you for viewing!  Blessings to you and yours!  Dawn

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Misc. rantings about parenting a child with disabilites

I didn't think you would read the blog if I didn't put a picture in it.  LOL  This is a picture of my late Uncle Scott Johnson.

Any parents out there with a disabled child will understand some of my rantings, but parents of typical children can not really relate to a parent with a child who or is it whom has disabilities.  My son is a wonderful caring adult that is lucky to have the same friends for many years.  I am very lucky to have survived through many challenges with him through the years.  He is now 20.  We adopted him when he was 6.  His disabilities were not fully realized at that time he was adopted and I was naive.  (We loved him and wanted him not matter what problems he had, so I doubt it would have made any difference to us If we knew what his challenges were.)  I thought his, "Developmental Delay," diagnosis meant that he would eventually catch up with the other children.  He was just delayed, right?  No, it does not mean that and probably should be called something else, but that I will have to get into at another time.  Anyway, my son is an attractive guy and he looks typical.  He is polite and communicates fairly well.  Until you get into a long conversation past small talk,  you may not realize that he has any disabilities.  One of his major issues is his potty mouth.  He can go for some time without saying something, "off color," but he then has to let it out.  I kind of relate this to something like Turrets Syndrome, dirty words just come out of your mouth, no matter where you are and who you are with.  I could be a prude and complain every time this happens, but it happens too often.  I have to pick my battles!   If we go out to eat, most of the meal we can get through without this happening.  Then out of the blue his saying for the time has to come out!  We can't get through a complete meal.  I am fortunate enough to eat at places which have not thrown us out.  LOL  We have been kicked out of the public library when he broke a chain due to throwing a fit.  Yes, I had to pay for the chair.  His friends even toss his colorful language into all conversations with us, just for fun.  Learning to deal with a problem may not come easy, but you can't cry over it the rest of your life.  Believe me, I did my share of the crying, but I had to learn to carry on and make light of the situation.  One of the fun things about my son is his odd humor.   A case in point is his desire to legally change his name to Mr. Long Stroke.  LOL   I could be upset that he shared this with me, or I can shrug it off and wonder what may be next.  I hope I am up to the challenge............ 

I left my my cell phone in the van and I already had a night gown on when I realized it.  It was dark outside and I thought I could sneak out and get the phone and no one would see me in my nightie.  Wrong!  My neighbor's motion detecting yard light was more sensitive tonight than normal.  LOL

Our youth want to gain freedom and move away from home.  It is perfectly understandable.  I did so once myself.  For those with disabilities, they also want to be like others and move away from home.  Many people with disabilities do not drive or have transportation.  If they are lucky, they are able to use public transportation for have a family member to drive them where needed.  What do they do when they need to go to the hospital when a close friend has been rushed there?  What do they do when a prescription needs filled and it is not within the public transportation times?  At this age, they are very lucky to have a living parent, but when they are older and the parent is gone, they are left in difficult situations.  You and I don't think twice about jumping into our car and going to pick up an ingredient we need for a special recipe, or milk and bread.  I urge you to reach out and look around you.  Help those in need when and if you can, even if it is a lift to the grocery store.