More Boot Cuffs

I found my pictures that I had lost of previous boot cuff that I made (although this is not all of the boot cuffs I made).  Some were gifts and I failed to take a pic before I gave them away.

Here are the buttons I used (love the deal $0.50/ea. when they were regularly priced at $7.49/ea.).  I really like the look of the buttons also.

I used Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick & Quick in 'Wheat'.

These were finger knitted.  This was the first time I tried finger knitting.  I really like the non-perfect (primitive and rustic) look of the finger knitting.

Here they are with the buttons sewn on.  I found the tutorial here at The Kurtz Corner.

Here they are with my boots.

Sorry about the glare with the flash.

Here is another pair that I made.  I knitted these with knitting needles and used the knit stitch.

It is hard to tell from the pic, but I used 2 strands of yarn (2 different colors -  Vanna's Choice in Chocolate and Vanna's Choice in Charcoal).  I used US size 13 needles.  (Bamboo needles are my favorite.)

Last pic with the buttons sewn on.  I didn't use a pattern here.  I just knitted across 3 or 4 inches (as tall as I wanted them to be) and then kept knitting until they went around the calf of my leg.  I then sewed the 2 short ends together to form the cuff.  It was a quick and easy project I did when the temp was in the single digits (unusually cold for around here) and I just wanted to stay inside where it was warm and cozy.

What's cozier than working with yarn and drinking coffee or hot chocolate?

I Mustache You A Question...,

....But I'll Shave It For Later

I teach 2 year olds at our church's Mother's Day Out program.  When we were studying the letter 'M', I thought it would be cute to have a mustache for them to wear if they wanted to (I also made extra for me and the other teacher to wear).  When I was making them, my boys were so excited and wanted one.  So I let them pick what they wanted and made some more for my class.

I had to get some pix.  Very fun!

I found the free pattern here. 

Just takes a minute and a scrap piece of yarn.  Great way to use up those yarn pieces that are not long enough for anything else.

Mug Cozy

Mug Cozy

Here is another quick and easy project.  Just have a few minutes and a partial skein of yarn and you can whip up one of these in no time.

Again, there are tons of free (and for purchase) patterns out there.  Just surf and see what you like, but here is where I found this particular pattern...Three Beans in a Pod.

You can make these to match your kitchen, you can give them as gifts, so cute.

Boot cuffs

I have seen people wearing these adorable accessories called boot cuffs.  I have really been wanting a pair.  So when we have had some snow days and really cold days, I decided to peruse the internet and Pinterest and find some patterns.

The red ones were a free pattern that I found on Ravelry (you must have an account to view patterns, but the account is free) - the name of the crochet pattern is 'Sincerely Pam's Chunky Boot Cuffs.'

The above boot cuffs I just knitted a row (using Lion Brand Yarn - Thick and Quick) as long as I wanted the boot cuff to be tall (I knitted it horizontally and then when I finished I turned it vertically).  I knit several roew using the knit stitch - until I thought I had enough to go around the calf (it will stretch).  Then cast off and use the ail to "sew" the two ends together to form a tube.  Add a button for decoration.

Made a couple of pair like that (lost pic to other pair).

The ruffled boot cuffs I saw a picture of and fell in love with them, but there was no pattern.  Tried to crochet a pair similar to what I saw, so this is my version.  I am learning that I need to crochet tighter (to minimize stretching or to make them smaller than I think I need them).

I have 2 or 3 more pair that I forgot to take a pic or lost the pic and they were gifts.  These are a quick and easy project that is really fun to do.  Great winter project when you just don't want to go outside.

There are so many free (and for purchase) patterns out there.  Check the internet and check Pinterest.

The War on Christmas - Book Review

This book is put together nicely.  It is easy to read and the illustrations are great!  This book set out to separate truth from tradition as far as Christmas goes and it does a wonderful job.  Bodie Hodge is the General Editor, so I am not sure who the author is, but everything is backed up with scripture (the absolute truth) and I was quite pleased to see this.

This book addresses all traditions that surround Christmas (most I've heard of and some that I hadn't).  The research has also been done as to how it became tradition.  This book was very interesting to read.

I was very pleased with this book up until the last few chapters (after Christmas traditions were addressed).  The last few chapters no longer addressed Christmas traditions, but the Author/General Editor's religious belief.  I am o.k. with that as long as it is true.  He backed his ideas up with some scripture (which makes it seem like it is the truth), but he failed to use all of the scriptures, especially the scriptures that disagreed with his beliefs.  So I wonder, does he believe the Bible or not?  Take it all or don't take any of it.  You should not pick and choose what you want.  

Deuteronomy 4:2 "You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you."  (ESV)  

Deuteronmony 12:32 “Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it."

Revelation 22:19 "and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book."  (ESV)

There are other scriptures to back up adding to or taking away from (or leaving out).scripture.

So my advice to you is to read about the Christmas traditions and look up the scriptures that he gives to go along with our traditions (see for yourself- as it tells us in 2 Timothy 2:15 "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth ").  When it comes to the last few chapters you should either disregard them altogether or look up ALL the scriptures that have to do with the topic that he is discussing and not just the ones that he gives.

This book was given to me for review by Handlebar Publishing in exchange for an honest review, but the review and opinions are my own.

Cleaning House: A book review

This book was right up my alley.  In a world where kids feel entitled, my husband and I have been going against the grain and trying to make them productive children.  We want our children to have a purpose, feel useful and needed and important (which they are).  It is nice to know that we are not alone in this endeavor.

A lot of the ideas that Kay Wyma suggested in her book, my husband and I were already doing, but she gave me lots of new ideas also.  Kay told the things that she was trying to teach and instill in  her children, but she also told why she was teaching them this particular task and why she felt it was important to her and to her children.

Kay told true life stories in a fun and humorous way.  She gave a fresh take on a difficult but rewarding task.  I loved the way she could see the  humor in a not so humorous situation.  I could feel her pain having been in similar situations with  my children (wish I could have laughed at myself and the situation at the time).  At the end of each chapter she summed it up with some key points that the children learned and things that she also learned.  This was very insightful.  When I am teaching my children certain skills, I often overlook the lessons that I too learn along the way.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book and taking the journey with Kay.  I feel that my task as a parent should not be taken lightly and the hardest jobs to do are usually the most important ones and by taking the easy way out I would just be cheating everybody.  The easy road is not always the best road (actually very seldom is).

This is definitely worth the read.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review, but the review and opinions are my own.

Rainbow

When I came out of church on Sunday night (July 14) there was this beautiful rainbow in the sky.  I hadn't see a rainbow in a long time.