Lazy Summer Days

Since Granddaddy's (my FIL's) death on July 5, I haven't done anything in the way of needlework. My new job, combined with his recent death, has taken most of my focus this month. The high temps here in DFW this summer haven't helped me want to do much, either. I have been reading ALOT, instead.

For some reason, James Patterson has been an author that I have always avoided reading in the past (don't ask me why, I can't explain it!) However, when I finally picked up the 4th, 5th and 6th books in the Women's Murder Club series at a garage sale one day, I decided to read him, and SURPRISE! I actually like them. I also picked up one called "Big Bad Wolf" and "Four Blind Mice" in the Alex Cross Series that I finally read and liked, also a stand alone called "Lifeguard". I finally broke down and went to Half Price Books yesterday and got the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd books of the Women's Murder Club to read, and I have put the 7th book on hold at my local library. I am a major bookworm and read voraciously, so most of the time, I don't like to spend a lot of money on books unless it is at a garage sale, because we would be talking MAJOR bucks if I did. I have library cards to most of the smaller cities around FW, and also three in other cities across the state. I don't EVER want to be unable to read, where-ever I may go! :)




I am including what I think is a funny photo of the twins that DD sent me yesterday. She had just fed them and they are "passed out".


I was looking around on Ravelry awhile ago, and saw a knitted dishcloth pattern I would like to try. It is called Lizard Ridge and is a dishcloth version of the Lizard Ridge afghan pattern found on http://www.knitty.com/issuefall06/PATTlizardridge.html.


Finally, a photo of the festive gifts I will be mailing to DD to celebrate her birthday later this month.

I'm a Millionaire!

WARNING! MESSY RECIPE AHEAD!!!

I made "Texas Millionaire Candy" or what some people call "Turtles" for Christmas. It is from a recipe that a co-worker from long ago shared with me.


Recipe:

Texas Millionaire Candy

2 Tablespoons butter
1 bag Caramel Candy, unwrapped
2 Tablespoons Water
3 cups chopped pecans
1 package (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 square Gulf Wax

Add butter and water to caramel candy in a microwaveable bowl. Heat until caramel is melted (about 2 minutes). Stir in nuts. Set aside to "firm up". Heat Gulfwax and chocolate chips in a double boiler on the stove. When caramel is firm enough to roll, butter your hands, then roll caramel into balls, dip into the melted chocolate with a toothpick (as you can see by the photos, I didn't use the toothpick method this time). Then place on waxed paper to cool.

In crochet news, still not much of anything going on. I got out one of my "Christmas" boxes and pulled out a few things I made last year, such as these snowflakes, below. I got the patterns for these from Leisure Arts Leaflet #3013, called "99 Snowflakes". As you can see, I still have about 96 to go.....................

And I also found this fast and easy dishcloth that I had forgotten I made. The pattern can be found free, here, and literally takes about 1 hour to make:

FUN, FUN, FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Prize winnings!

The prize I won from Bron's drawing arrived by mail today! Wa hoo! Boy, does she have me figured out or what? :) This was exactly what I was hoping to win!

I am very much into making potholders and dishcloths, so this will be used up soon! Thanks again, Bron!

Finished Objects

I found these dishcloths (free pattern here) that I had knitted up last winter, all they needed to be finished was to have the seam sewn up! So, I finished them. Then, I found this little pig potholder (pattern in this book) that I started in the Spring. I decided to finish him up, too, so he can join the rest of my growing animal potholder farm.