Don't ya hate big decisions? I have been playing around with the idea of a tattoo for awhile. At first I wasn't going to, but after a lot of prayer, I think it's OK. Now I have the problem of WHAT kind to get. I've been thinking about a dolphin (they symbolize "communication" and I'm trying to be an author) or a cross because of my Christian beliefs. I also saw a "fish" with a flower that was very cool. I'm leaning toward something on my ankle, but I could do the hip. I'm stuck on what to get....

I'm STILL working on that hoodie for me. Cold weather hasn't hit the upper Midwest yet, so I have a little time still.

I did make my daughter a pair of flannel PJ pants the other day. It was a very easy pattern, so I actually whipped up 2 pairs in about an hour. One has a cute frog and dragonfly pattern. The other has a Bugs Bunny pattern -- actually that pair is a T-shirt weight, but still very cute.

Also went geocaching this weekend. Well, not really.... Went to a writer's conference in Deadwood, South Dakota, and knew of a virtual cache right there. Great excuse to see the final resting place of Wild Bill and Calamity Jane!

As for the writer's conference -- officially known as the "South Dakota Festival of the Book" -- it was wonderful! I heard some great speakers and have been playing around with a mystery. One of the best things I learned was that I was looking at the murder-mystery all wrong. I sort of know the amateur detective character, and I know some things about the victim, BUT I KNOW NOTHING about the murderer! So now I've decided that if I learn about my murderer, the motive will come. May not work, but right now I have a dead body, no suspects and no motive, so I'll give this a shot! (Hey, anyone with ideas about WHY someone would be pushed off a building, let me know!)

Well, off to homeschool the little one!

Oh my gosh! My daughter loves Harry Potter. She really enjoys well-writen fantasy books, so this is right up her alley! I'm thinking of making her a HP sweater for Christmas. (Great pattern at http://alison.knitsmiths.us/pattern_weasley.html) I'm so glad I found it! I'm a little nervous about making it on the sly, though. Too bad I don't have Mrs. Weasley's needles!

I hate frogging projects! I'm trying to knit a hoddie for me -- one of the few projects JUST for me! -- and was having a heck of a time with the neckline. I have the back finished and am working on the front. I think I finally got it. This is the first project I've done with two balls of yarn at the same time, so that was a bit of a challenge, as well.

Oh, I did get some Magic Stripes yarn from Lion Brand that I'm going to make ME some socks with. The last pair of socks I made was for the pre-teen and now she's begging for another pair. Since she's gotten the first crocheted blanket, many scarfs, a hat and now socks, she can wait, don't you think? She's also asking for a Christmas sweater a la "Harry Potter" complete with her initial on the front. Too bad I don't have Mrs. Weasley's magic knitting needles for that!

Haven't done much geocaching this week. The weather has been great for it, but I just haven't had time with music lessons and school and meetings and even a bake sale on Saturday. I did get some writing done and hope to enter a short story in a contest later this year. Since my "real name" is already in use by a romance author, I have a pen name lined up and am trying to get used to that.

Went Geocaching the other day at a local college. Had a blast. If you've never done a cache, you really must! We have a cheap GPS we use and have a good time on the "treasure hunt!"

Do you know what to do with that left-over yarn? I didn't. Until I got the "Stitch N Bitch Nation" book. There was the answer to my problem! Page 226 has .... CAT TOYS!!! We have 3 cats, so I knitted a couple of mice with yarn left over from various projects. Little Jo, the grey tabby, just loves her red mouse. Made with some left over Lambs Pride 100% wool yarn, it collects "dust bunnies" like nobody's business, but what the heck.... the cats are happy!


The other picture here is of Little Jo actually playing with the mouse. She will carry it all over the house. If you throw it, she will play fetch. Odd cat! (What do you expect from a cat named after a Bonanza character AND a Little Women character?)

The mice don't take much yarn at all. I think the next one I do will have some catnip inside it... that should make them even more fun!

OK, I did it! I'm jumping on the "blog bandwagon!" This is where I'll post my craft projects (I just learned to knit and crochet!), my home education challenges (check out my "serious" blog at http://classicalhomeeducation.blogspot.com/), geocaching, even a bit about my journey to become a published author. Mostly about the craft stuff, though!




For starters, here is a "Third-Eye Chullo" hat I knitted for my daughter. But since she didn't like the "Third-eye", I did a moon for her instead. The pattern was from "Knit Wit : 30 Easy and Hip Projects" by Amy Singer. Even though she doesn't look it, my daughter really was glad to get the hat.... gotta love pre-teens!