My weekend FLEW by!

Hello all! I wanted to update yesterday, but before I knew what happened, it was time for bed! I was very busy yesterday, all weekend really, and it did turn into a very productive weekend. I wish they could all be as productive as that LOL! So there is A LOT to share with you all! Ms. Debbie created 2 hats for <3 Hats from the Heart/My Journey Journals <3. I love the colors and simplicity of her hats, they are great! And the bobbles on the edging of this hat are simply fabulous! 

And just look at the hues of this hat! Aren't they pretty? Reminds me of an AZ sunset! :)

I had started on a man's hat at the beginning of the week, but was unable to complete it until Saturday morning. Sometimes you just set out with the best intentions, and somehow they just get blown out of the water LOL, but not to worry, I was back at it with a vengeance to get it done! So here is the man's tweed look hat, I found the pattern over at Crochetville.

I am trying something new with the photo's in hopes that one's focus will be on the hat itself and not my chairs, table or refrigerator LOL. So please give me some constructive feedback and let me know your thoughts! :)  I'm feeling the need to update and make some changes to my blog, all for the best I hope. I will not be taking on that endeavor until after I've returned from vacation, as I still have way too much to finish up before it is time for me to go.

I tried really hard on Saturday to get inspired to make some Journey Journals, but then was unable to do so, so I started a ladies beaded beanie that I finished up on Sunday morning. You can find the pattern over at The Laughing Willow and there is a great video tutorial on how to add beads to your hat so that the beads do not fall through the stitches. We most definitely don't want the patients who wear these hats to have beads scratching their beautiful heads! This was my first attempt at putting beads into my crocheting, and I didn't do too bad, but I really want to try finding some smaller beads next time.

I was able to create two Journey Journals also on Sunday, along with a birthday card and baking brownies ha ha! I had been in a creative slump for a couple of weeks before, and I guess it just hit me all at once this weekend LOL! Here are the two journals, and hopefully everyone remembers that these are given to the patients so that they can write whatever they want in them. The feedback that we received was that they were very helpful for the patients in helping them keep track of medications, dietary changes and numerous other things I'm sure.

I believe that is all the photo's I have for you on this update, but please come back, as we are always creating more! I am positive I wanted to say so much more this evening, but I think my mind is flying so fast that the thoughts are escaping quicker than they can be captured. I leave you with this quote by Emmanuel Swedenborg: 

"Kindness is an inner desire that makes us want to do good things even if we do not get anything in return. It is the joy of our life to do them. When we do good things from this inner desire, there is kindness in everything we think, say, want and do."

May the light of God's love help each and every one of you to Glow from Within....<3

A few new hats for you.

Good evening all! I have been remiss in posting for a couple of weeks, for that I apologize. Just not sure if it was the heat or if I was in a creative slump, but just couldn't seem to get any hats made. We have been blessed with some monsoon activity and it has relieved the heat to a certain degree. The rain (when we get it) and the winter in AZ reminds me of why I live here year after year, oh and the fact that my wonderful hubby and kids live here too LOL :)

On to some creations by a lovely lady, Debbie, who has graciously offered to help make hats for <3 Hats from the Heart/My Journey Journals <3. I just love the colors and the simplicity of them, because not everyone wants a hat that has embellishments, stripes or flowers. For some, simple is the best way to go! Here are three of her lovely hats, aren't they FABULOUS?

Now I know for myself, I get bored very easily, so I have to learn new stitches and keep them interesting for me. I LOVE all kinds of colors and I just really enjoy looking at a picture or pattern and bringing it to life under my crocheting fingers. If I follow a pattern, I do try to make it my own in some small way, or somewhere in it, I have made a mistake and it becomes my own LOL!

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am totally addicted to the Pinterest website, so I get a lot of my ideas from there. When I am able to find them with pattern's attached I am thrilled, because creating without a pattern is a big challenge for me. With that being said, I have posted some hat pictures that I call "pinspirations" (I picked this term up from my little sister) and this next hat is one of these "pinspirations". This is a little girl's Chicky ear flap hat, and I am so proud of myself for making the pom pom's!!! What do you think?

I wanted to make a couple of Journey Journals this weekend, but unfortunately, I was unable to get them done. Perhaps I may be able to make some next weekend. I was able to create a ladies Slouchy hat yesterday, and I finished it up this morning. I found this pattern over at Knot Your Nana's Crochet . I do really like her blog and try to follow it on a regular basis, as there are some pretty nifty "freebies" over there. :) Here is my version of her slouchy hat.

Now I guess I must be bidding you Good Evening as it seems as though I am having technical difficulties with blogging. I hope that my blog finds everyone in good health and spirit, and may the light of God's love help you all to Glow from Within....<3

Quiet Independence Day's

Good morning all! Just a brief little update for you this morning. Our Independence Day aka July 4th, was quietly spent at home enjoying each other's company. We didn't have a barbecue or have anyone over, our kids were busy either working or spending time with their significant other's. It was a little too warm outside anyway, so I was busy inside making a couple of hats for the project! As I was making my hats, I was also reflecting on our Independence Day and what it means to keep our country free! The many sacrifices that our men and women of the armed forces make each and every day, yes that is their choice, but without their choice to do so.....would our country still be free? I am proud to be an American and LOVE my country, and as the Pledge of Allegiance has always stated "In God We Trust", so do I! It isn't just a day to have a barbecue or an excuse to watch fireworks, but a day to reflect on the many sacrifices of those that came before us, those in the present making sacrifices and those that will be making the sacrifices to keep us free!

Now, as I stated I made two hats for the project yesterday. I really wanted to make three, but found that after the second hat was finished, my wrists said...NO WAY, are you crazy??? LOL So, two completed hats for you this time.... the first hat up is a little boy's patriotic themed ear flap hat! It was the last hat I finished up yesterday, and it turned out really cute! I found the pattern over at Micah Makes and I am grateful for the free pattern for a basic ear flap hat! It will be put to use many times in the future, I am sure!

I started out the morning making a man's hat with a big chunky yarn by Lion Brand called Wool Ease. Now I loved working with this yarn, the hat worked up super quick and it is a softer yarn, but not fuzzy, so it was easy to work with.

This pattern was found over on the Ravelry website by Dawn Gillis. I love the simplicity of the design and that it has a brim on it. I am going to start trying to give credit for these free patterns that I use to whom the credit belongs to. I'm still learning this "blog" thing, and hope everyone realizes this is still a work in progress. :) Without some of the free patterns from the internet, I'm sure I wouldn't be as far along as I am, because creating your own patterns is a challenge at times!

I received another donation of yarn's, fabric and some buttons from another beautiful soul who saw my "flyer" at work. I will never have enough words to express my gratitude for the many donations I have received and the help I am getting with making the hats! Without the support, donations and inspiration you all give me, it would indeed be a slower process than what it is currently! Thank you from the depths of my soul for your generosity and kindness!

Now I must get up and finish up morning chores so I can get ready to leave for a short visit to my sister's. Going to work on a "travel journal" while I'm there, as my sister and I don't want to forget one minute of our upcoming "Road Trip vacation to Florida"! Until my next posting may the light of God's love help each and everyone one of you to Glow from Within..... <3

Mini vacation and mini blog update.

Good evening my friends! I hope everyone is staying cool, or here in AZ attempting to anyway. WHEW, it is HOTTTTT!!! Record temps for two days combined with increasing humidity, means anytime I walk outside I feel as though I'm melting into a little puddle! LOL :D As my oldest sister Lulu said, "It is hotter than a firecracker on the 4th of July!"

Okay, enough about the heat :) My wonderful hubby and I were treated to a little mini~vacation up to the Grand Canyon by my beautiful Mother-in-law. It was wonderful to escape the heat for a few days, even if we chose the wrong weekend to do it LOL! It was for my hubby's 50th birthday, and it was great to get out of town even for 3 days. We went up to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, and I thought it was beautiful and breathtaking! We were disappointed by the fact that there just aren't enough pull outs on the North Rim. I think there is only a couple, but the colors were more vibrant than the South Rim. I was also able to see a lot more wildlife than I've ever seen in my whole life! I did take the baby blanket to work on, but I did not pick it up once, I was too busy enjoying the scenery and relaxing! My crocheting does relax me, but sometimes it is nice to just not do anything and enjoy the ride! The next day we were visiting the South Rim and then we came back the following day. It was a great little trip.

I had a little trouble the week after getting back into the groove of my crocheting. Not sure if it was just the heat, or being so busy at work that I was exhausted when I got home or what, but wow, last week I just couldn't pick it up! So yesterday and today, I was determined to get at least one hat done for my project! I am happy to say that I did succeed in getting a ladies sunhat done, despite my wrists bothering me! It didn't quite turn out how I envisioned in my mind, but I think it still turned out rather cute!

I think I am just going to have to figure out my phone camera, or maybe the user just needs to figure out how to take better pictures LOL!

Well I did say a mini blog update, and here I am still rambling! I hope to get a man's hat started and finished pretty quickly in the upcoming week so keep your eye's open for that! Until we meet again may the light of God's love help each and every one of you to Glow from Within......<3

Father's Day...

Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's, Daddy's, Pop's, Pa's, Father's and even the Mother's who are Father's too! <3 Hope everyone has had a wonderful day, and spent it telling your Dad's how very much you love them and enjoy spending time with them. Some of us are wishing our Daddy's were still here with us, but we wished them Happy Father's Day in Heaven! We all know that they are just on the other side waiting for us. :)

I have been fairly busy this weekend, in fact, I didn't get everything done that I was supposed to get done LOL. But, I did get two hats created and I call them "pinspirations" because I have pinned a photo on Pinterest and then there is no pattern, so I have to make my own from looking at the picture. The first one I call a little girl's Daisy Mae hat, and it is SUPER adorable!! Anytime I do anything with daisy's I think of my oldest sister Lou, because Daisy's are her favorite flower of all time! <3

And next I made a little boy's Blue Dog hat. Now his ears are a tad crooked, but I think that just lends to his charm :) LOL And you can't really see his spots in this picture, but I assure you there are five spots on this hat!

Now while I was busy trying to create my cute little hats, my sister Vicky in Maryland created a couple of Journey Journals, and I just LOVE her creativity!! Can hardly wait until we are on vacation and can have some fun creating and crafting together, it has been WAY too long since that has happened! Oh and lets not forget seashell searching on the beach!!! Oh I am sorry, I just got carried away in the excitement of my upcoming vacation in September LOL Here are her two Journey Journals that she created. She did such a fantabulous job, they are beautiful!!! <3

And here is the second one she created. :)

 

A very busy weekend indeed for my project! I still have two birthday cards to make, but I think I am running out of time tonight. I might be running out of steam also LOL. That little boy's hat took me all day to make, and I just don't understand how it took me that long. Ah well, some I can whip out really quick and some just take a little longer to create. 

 

I have had a wonderful donation of yarn and some scrapbooking papers and trinkets for hats and journals from a beautiful lady, and I can never say thank you enough to the wonderful people who have donated supplies to my wonderful project. I am also in contact with another beautiful lady who wishes to help make some hats for the project also. YAYYYYYY!!! :D My deepest heartfelt appreciation goes out to these beautiful ladies for their kindness in donating supplies and their time to our wonderful group! <3

 

For now, I must bid you all a good evening. Remember you can never say I love you enough, and you can never spread enough love and kindness around! Kindness has a ripple effect, your one act of kindness will inspire that person and so on and so on. <3 May the light of God's love help each and every one of you to Glow from Within.....<3

 

 

Despicable cuteness!

Good evening everyone! I hope y'all are staying cool, for those of us that live in AZ, we either stay inside where the A/C is blowing or find some water aka pool, to submerse ourselves in LOL!

I have two hats finished this weekend bringing me to only 4 hats away from my last years goal of 40! I am feeling very accomplished and proud of myself this evening! I have kept the momentum going and I am blessed and thankful beyond measure for them. I will continue this awesome momentum, even though I have numerous other projects to finish up, this baby blanket being my top priority, as the baby is due in July.....arghhhhhhhhhh, best get busy this evening on that!! LOL Anyone who knows anything about me can tell you that I ALWAYS have numerous things going on at once :)

First up, is the Despicably Cute little boy's minion hat. I absolutely LOVE the minions on the Despicable Me Disney movies, especially the one~eyed minions, they are so ADORABLE!! :) So without further adieu, here is the Despicably Cute Minion hat. A Pinterest inspiration, made without a pattern, just eyeballing it for the idea... :)

You may have noticed my blogs name on the beautiful "rock" beside it? My beautiful sister Vicky and her bff Ginny saw this and sent it to me. I, being the big baby that I am, cried! Yes, she is my sister and I know she loves me and misses me and thinks of me as often as I do her, but it touches my heart and soul that she is proud of me and my passion for my project! I am extremely proud of her for all of her hard work for the Relay for Life that she has done, she just completed her walk on Friday and she exceeded her goal of $800!! I am so proud of you sis, and this is such an awesome accomplishment!! <3

Next up (before I start crying again LOL), is a little girl's Watermelon hat. Another Pinterest inspiration, no pattern and I added a little bow for embellishment, because little girl's need bows :)

I LOVE it! It just makes me feel cool looking at it :)

Now just a few more words before I stop yammering and get busy with dinner and working on the baby blanket :)  I was told one time when I asked someone to check out my blog and what it was about that "I bet it is sad, because you are doing this for cancer patients". I did insist that it isn't sad, but only that person can be the judge of that by reading the blog. I truly don't want my blog to be sad, I write to keep track of what I am doing, because I don't want to forget what I've done and maybe I can inspire someone else too. I sometimes may get lost in memories and write a few of them in here, but I honestly only want to keep a record of what I am doing and of my progress. I choose to believe that those that are meant to read it, will when they are supposed to! And yes, cancer is a horrid disease and takes far too many of our loved ones (one is too many), but there are so many success stories out there! Let's not forget the successes! I have two successes in my own family and friend's circle, so I will never forget the successes!

Now I must get busy on the rest of my delicious dinner for the evening! Chili Lime Cucumbers & Tomatoes, Baked Chicken and Corn on the Cob. Oh, let's not forget Watermelon for dessert!! We must all try to stay cool somehow! :)  Until my next post, may the light of God's love help each and everyone one of you to spread kindness, inspire and Glow from Within.......<3

Welcome to the HEAT of an AZ summer!

Good evening all! Welcome to our AZ summer (and it isn't even officially summer yet)! When it is this hot, all you want to do is spend it in a pool, which I don't have, OR spend it inside under the A/C. So, guess where I am right now? You guessed it, I'm inside debating which hat is my next endeavor! :)

I have two hats to show off this week. I made a ladies hat and it turned out a little big, but I would wear it! I call this a "Sunflower & Denim" hat, two of my favorite things! Sunflowers are simply my favorite flower and nothing beats a good pair of jeans! I added a few beads to the center of my sunflower and I just simply love how it turned out! What do you think?

I then found a man's hat to work on and finished it up in a couple of nights. It should have only taken me a day, but for whatever reason, I didn't get it finished LOL You know how we women are, we get distracted or get busy doing other "chores", or find something that HAS to be done right away. Anyway, I call this a Swirled Gray man's beanie. I love the contrasting lighter gray on the darker gray. :)

This is a very small update this evening, as I really should get in there and make two thank you cards and get started on my next hat. :) I want to thank all of you who read, follow, comment, donate, or help with this project! You may think just "viewing" my blog and not commenting that you aren't really doing anything, but you ARE!! You were interested enough to stop in and see what it is all about, and maybe I have unknowingly inspired someone else to make their light shine! Thank you from the very depths of my heart and soul! The ripples felt from one small act of kindness is ever widening and ever reaching! Until my next update, may the light of God's love help you to Glow from Within.....<3