My First Jerry

I have been wanting to make him since I discovered knitted monsters.  Here's Jerry:

He was chilling out in our camper on vacation last week.

And he really wanted his picture taken with a banana!

Finally, here he is at Footbridge Beach in Wells, Maine with my mother-in-law.

But Jerry has a new home!  While I was knitting him at work a couple of weeks ago, someone fell in love with him and asked to buy him.  I hope Jerry had a good vacation!  I'll miss him but I will see him often since his new owner will be keeping him at work!

Supplies:
Pattern: Jerry the Musical Monkey by Rebecca Danger
Yarn: Red Heart Cafe & Buff
Needles: US 4 on 47" Cables
Accessories: 12 mm Black Safety Eyes

Beside Still Waters: A Big Sky Novel - Tricia Goyer

Summary from Good Reads: Raised among the Amish of Indiana, 18-year-old Marianna Sommer plans to get baptized into the church, marry Aaron Zook, and set up life in the only community she has ever known. But when her older brother chooses the world’s path following his rumschpringe, and a younger sibling begins showing interest in Englisch ways, Marianna’s parents move the family to Montana.

Marianna's life began from a miracle of a tragedy.  Her two older sisters died in a buggy accident causing her mother to go into labor early for her.  Marianna has always felt the need to be the perfect daughter since she was replacing two daughters.  Her family in Indiana has always been looked at differently since that accident and the family feels that life cannot be bright with that lurking over them.  Her older brother Levi, left the Amish community to live amongst the English and is having a negative influence over Marianna's younger and influential brothers.  Her father decides to move west to Montana at his brother's suggestion.  Marianna does not want to go since she is has feelings for Aaron and they want to begin courting.

So the family leaves via train heading for Montana.  It is beautiful and she cannot help but like the place.  The people in her town are nice but she feels uncomfortable about working along the side of the English.  She starts to trust them as time goes on and she makes friends with Ben, an Englisher with strong religious conviction.  She starts to have feelings for him but cannot stop thinking about Aaron and going back home after her mother has the baby.  She realizes that Montana and taught her family to live again and be happy and she has not seen that in a long time.

Marianna has not been baptized into the Amish church yet.  Her brother left the Amish faith and her best friend Rebecca is challenging it during her rumspringer.  Marianna knows that she wants to be Amish and is grateful to be born into her family.  There is no question about her faith.  When her father decides to leave Indiana to move to Montana, she is heartbroken since Aaron has just admitted his feelings for her.  She is determined not to like Montana but cannot help but fall in love with the mountains, forests and rivers in her area.  Meeting Ben brings all sorts of feelings into question as she gets to know him although it is forbidden since he is English.  After living there for six months, Marianna decides to head home to live with her aunt and to reconnect with Aaron.  She is unsure about leaving Montana since she also discovered another wonderful relationship, the new relationship she has with God.

This was a wonderful book!  At the end of it, there is a short letter from Tricia Goyer explaining how she was asked to write an Amish story which she has never done before.  Ms. Goyer did an amazing job of writing this novel while keeping it true to Amish traditions.  I have read several Amish novels by various authors ans Ms. Goyer will become one of the best ones!  I cannot wait to read the next book in this series, Along Wooded Paths which is due to release in October 2011!

More All Washed Up Dishcloths

We were driving home from Accord, NY a couple of weekends ago after a hot stay at a new campground.  Hubby and I were checking out the area to see what there was to do around it.  We really liked it and will be back again sometime this year.

On our way home, I was knitting my socks and I got to turning the heel on a new pattern so I stopped so I could do it at home with more room and concentration.  So I started knitting some more dishcloths.  Here they are:

I have been using the other dishcloths in the kitchen and they are wonderful.  They are dense enough to scrub with and gentle enough to wipe down counters.  I really like this pattern!

Supplies:
Pattern: All Washed Up Dishcloth
Yarn: Lily's Sugar N' Cream #19011 - Bronzed Blue
Needles: US 7 on 24" Cables

Yarn U - iPhone App Review

I received the Yarn U app for my iPhone for free in return for a review from Mary Beth Klatt, the app owner, through Ravelry. 

I played around with it last night and it is quite interesting!  It lists tons of yarn by brand name or by weight and has all the specifications about it in one place along with a link on where to purchase it.  It is quite helpful!

A cool feature is that there are pictures of the yarns.  If you have ever been into a large yarn store (I live in Massachusetts so Webs is local to me - don't be jealous!), it can be very overwhelming in finding something specific.  Knowing what the label looks like is very helpful!  Another cool feature is that users can post comments about the yarns listed.  Some comments listed were regarding current sales, wearability and quality of the yarn.  It is helpful to have in case you were trying to decide between yarns.

My only complaint is that there are many brand names and different products within them that are not listed; but a nice variety is available. For example, they have Knit Picks yarn available (which is my favorite place to buy yarn lately) but only 12 types of yarns are listed when there are so many more. I know, there are tons of yarns out there and I cannot expect all brands to be listed.

I would like to suggest adding some of the more inexpensive and readily available brand names found at Michael's, AC Moore, Joann's and Wal-Mart such as Lion Brand, Red Heart, Caron and more.  As a newer knitter (I began knitting in January), I still have a hard time spending money on expensive yarns for my every day projects.  I will often try a new pattern on Red Heart before diving into some hand dyed yarns such as Dancing Dog Dyeworks that I have splurged on.

Another suggestion would be to have the ability to compare yarns.  Often times, as a newbie, I want to get the suggested yarn for a project.  If I could compare it to another one, it could simplify the process of finding a substitution.

Overall, I think that this is a very useful app for anyone who knits or crochets.  A special thanks to Mary Beth for allowing me review this app for her!  :)

A Gift of Grace: A Novel - Amy Clipston

Summary from Good Reads: Rebecca Kauffmans tranquil Old Order Amish life is transformed when she suddenly has custody of her two teenage nieces after her "English" sister and brother-in-law are killed in an automobile accident. Instant motherhood, after years of unsuccessful attempts to conceive a child of her own, is both a joy and a heartache. Rebecca struggles to give the teenage girls the guidance they need as well as fulfill her duties to Daniel as an Amish wife.

Rebellious Jessica is resistant to Amish ways and constantly in trouble with the community. Younger sister Lindsay is caught in the middle, and the strain between Rebecca and Daniel mounts as Jessicas rebellion escalates. Instead of the beautiful family life she dreamed of creating for her nieces, Rebecca feels as if her world is being torn apart by two different cultures, leaving her to question her place in the Amish community, her marriage, and her faith in God.

Rebecca Kauffman receives custody of her older sister's children after she and her husband died in a tragic car accident.  Grace left the Amish way of life and was shunned by her family and community to persue her education in the English world.  Jessica and Lindsay weree from Viriginia Beach and life in Bird in the Hand, PA is quite different.  Lindsay adjusted quickly while Jessica felt out of place and wanted to return to Viriginia because she did not belong and could not adjust to the Amish rules.

All things happen for a reason.  Rebecca was not able to have her own family and felt that raising Grace's children was a blessing from God.  Jessica was a typical 16 year old teenager who challenged every Amish rule.  She did not belong there and refused to try to adjust.  Lindsay, who is a year and a half younger, quickly adapted to the Amish culture.  She worked in the family bakery with her aunt and learned Pennsylvania Dutch, went to their meetings and even began to dress like them.  She did this to feel closer to her mother.  It was natural for her.  They both missed their parents and since it happened recently, they could not believe that it was true.  Daniel was faced with rumors about Jessica's behavior and it was commented on by the bishop.  Daniel needed to gain control of his household or their would be problems.

This was a great book!  It showed me that everything happens for a reason and that something good can come out of a tragedy.  It also explained how one group's culture may not be for everyone.  Although you may want it to work out, it is not for everyone.  I throughly enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series, A Promise of Hope.

Dot the Guardian of the Craft Room

Meet Dot:

I made her to be the guardian of my craft room!  I have lots of hobbies so I need someone to guard over everything when I am not there.

Here she is waiting to help me wind some yarn:

And here helping me pick out some stamps to use:

And finally here guarding my collection of ribbon and cardstock:

I really enjoyed making her!  She was easy to make with the super bulky yarn.  But I need to send a special thanks out to maddiesmama over on Ravelry for sending me 2 pairs of size 18 mm black safety eyes to use on her.  The 12 mm ones that I had just looked too small on her.

Supplies:
Pattern: Dot the Dress Up Box Monster by Rebecca Danger from The Big Book of Knitted Monsters
Yarn: Lion's Brand Thick & Quick #103 - Blossom & #112 - Raspberry, Red Heart - White (for mouth)
Needles: US 10.5 on 40" Cables
Accessories: 12mm Black Safety Eyes

Lilly's Wedding Quilt - Kelly Long

Summary from Good Reads: Local Amish schoolteacher Lilly Lapp is tired of weddings, afraid of horses, and immersed in caring for her depressed mother. But when Jacob Wyse, a handsome horse breeder from her small community rescues her from a dangerous accident, Lilly discovers a renewed interest in life and the possibility of love.

Yet Jacob has lost the one true love of his life to another man and doesn't care to expose himself to the vulnerabilities of loving again.

God works to bring this unlikely pair into a sweet romance to produce a pattern of faith, which leads to the creation and comfort of Lilly's Wedding Quilt.

Lilly and Jacob announce their engagement as a reason to avoid getting into trouble for being alone  and barging into Sarah's wedding.  Lilly has had her eye on Jacob but Jacob has only had eyes for Sarah.  As they follow through and get married, Lilly faces several challenges with the most important one being earning the love of her husband.  As the story progresses, they learn more about each other and their marriage becomes a true marriage.

I found this book to be a great continuation of the Patch of Heaven series by Kelly Long.  After Jacob's heart was broken in the first book, Sarah's Garden, it was definitely his time for true love!  After Lilly's father passing, her mother falls into depression and Lilly lives with her to take care of her in her time of need.  Lilly is also the local school teacher who is going to finish her term as teacher until the next school year after she is married.  So with a lot on her plate, teacher, caregiver and new fraa (wife) I can only imagine how she holds it together every day.  It was nice to see how the story wrapped up.  It leaves you with wanting more from the third book in this series, Threads of Grace, which focuses on the relationship between Seth and Grace.

All Washed Up Dishcloths

I made these two dishcloths this past weekend while camping with our snowmobile group up in Templeton, MA.

This pattern was so easy to memorize.  I have so much of this yarn in various colors that I thought I would make some more dishcloths for my kitchen!  I really needed some new ones so why buy them when I could knit them?!

Supplies:
Pattern: All Washed Up
Yarn: Lily's Sugar N' Cream #19218 - Sunkissed
Needles: US 7 on 24" Cables

Working Monster Chunks

My hubby can be odd at times! LOL! When I made my first monster chunk, he told me they were gay. After making a few more, he requested one for work so he could toss it at his two co-workers. So I defended them and told him that I had to make 3, one for each of them as well! Here they are:

Aren't they so cute??!!  I hope they both gang up on him and have a great monster war some day soon!

Supplies:
Pattern: Monster Chunks by Rebecca Danger
Yarn: Lily's Sugar N' Cream #19739 - Over the Rainbow, #01742 - Hot Blue, #01740 - Hot Pink, #01699 - Tangerine, #00158 - Pastel Deilights and #19218 - Sunkissed
Needles: US 6 on 40" Cables
Accessories: Black Safety Eyes - 6 mm, White Embroidery Floss

Happy Birthday Tara!

Here is the birthday card to go along with Tony the Birthday Monster:

I am hoping that she enjoys her birthday!  Things have been really crazy for us at work with year end and all so I am hoping to make this day a little more fun for her!  I am also making her an ice cream sandwich cake with a layer of Cool Whip and rainbow sprinkles to help celebrate.  She loves ice cream so I bet this will make today special for her!  Thanks Dia for the cake idea (I know you are reading this! LOL!)

Supplies:
Stamps: Papertrey Ink - Green Thumb
Paper: PTI White, GP White, SU Green Galore, SU Pixie Pink
Ink: SU Really Rust, SU Glorious Green, SU Green Galore, Archival Jet Black
Accessories: SU Slot Punch, Unknown Ribbon from Stash

Yarn Tree

I was biking along the bike path in Northampton, MA on Sunday with my hubby and came across this:

If you look closely on the left above my head, you can see that even Underdog had a role in this:

Here's a picture of the tag on the tree explaining it:

Isn't this is neatest thing you've ever seen??!!  Only in Northampton, home of WEBS!!!

Dad's Birthday Card

Here is the card that I made for my Dad for his birthday:

For his birthday this year, I got him a car charger for his Amazon kindle.  My father has been addicted to his kindle since he got it last year for his 60th birthday.  When our area was hit by the tornado last month and we had no power for several days, I found out that my Dad was going crazy.  When I asked him how much he read since we could do nothing else, he said none because his battery died and could not charge it.  So I fixed this problem so it would never happen again!

Supplies:
Stamps: Papertrey Ink - All Booked Up
Paper: PTI White, GP White, PTI Enchanted Evening, PTI Dark Chocolate
Ink: PTI Dark Chocolate, PTI Enchanted Evening
Accessories: PTI Mat Stack #3 Die, Cuttlebug

Divine by Karen Kingsbury

Comments from Good Reads: As a spokeswoman on behalf of abused and battered women, Mary Madison seems to have no equal. Affluent and respected, she moves with ease in the corridors of power. Beneath her dignified reserve, though, lurks a secret that threatens her image and her peace. Only one great, redeeming love can save her.

Mary Madison is a strong woman who has been through so much in her life.  After discovering her love for Jesus, her goal in life was to help battered women change their lives.  She did this by taking someone, like Emma, under her wing and explaining the story of her life.  Mary's difficult life began at age 5 with a mother who was a prostitute, drug user and homeless while trying to raise a daughter.  The things that she went through were unspeakable.  Every time she got a "break" problems would arise and be worse than before.

Emma is an abused woman with two young girls.  She took off on her boyfriend Charlie and found the help of a local shelter in Washington, DC where she met Mary Madison.  As Mary begins to tell Emma her life story, Mary has Emma promise that she will stay at the shelter until she finishes her story.  As the story of Mary's life unfolds, Emma starts to see similarities in her life and situation.  God had a plan for Mary and it was to help other women life herself and Emma find Jesus and turn their lives around.

I found this book to be gripping.  As Mary's life story unfolds, you can't help but get drawn in to see what happens next or how it turns out.  I've always wondered how people who have been through such traumatic situations survive emotionally and can continue on.  Once Mary discovered her faith, everything became manageable since Jesus was by her side to help her through it.

This is the first book that I have read by Karen Kingsbury and I really enjoyed it.  I read this book a my choice for my neighborhood book club.  It was a kindle freebie a few months back and since we are trying to read mostly Christian fiction, I thought it would be a good time to try it!

Although religion is prevelent through the story, it was not preachy by any means.  If anything, I found it to be thought provoking.  It made me think about the unconditional love that Jesus has for each of us and how important we are to Him.  It also made me realize that God has a plan for us and that everything happens, good or bad, as part of that plan to make us stronger people.

Tony the Birthday Monster

I made Tony for my co-worker, Tara's, birthday.  Here he is:

Since he is a toy box monster and loves to play with toys, here he is with his favorite toy at my house, Xbox 360.

This is the first full sized monster I have made. He was easier to make than I expected!  I cannot wait to make more of his friends!

Supplies:
Pattern: Tony the Toy Box Monster by Rebecca Danger from The Big Book of Knitted Monsters
Yarn: Lion Brand Vanna's Choice #173 - Dusty Green
Needles: US 6 on 47" Cables
Accessories: 12mm Black Safety Eyes, Embroidery Floss - Black & White

Monster Chunk #2

Here is the second monster chunk I made:

He is going to my co-worker Debbie for her birthday.  Now that I brought these into work, I am getting tons of requests to make them!  Hmmm, an opportunity to make some craft money!  Yipppee!

Supplies:
Pattern: Monster Chunks by Rebecca Danger from her blog (Free Pattern!)
Yarn: Lily's Sugar N' Cream #18010 - Yellow & #01740 Hot Pink, Red Heart - White (for mouth)
Needles: US 5 on 47" Cables
Accessories: 9mm Black Safety Eyes