March is more than half done...spring is just about here...I swear I can hear her footsteps around the corner. I can certainly smell her perfume now and then: it's faint, but there nonetheless.

Projects for this month were Easter. I vowed last year to put the seasonal patterns out the month BEFORE the holiday, gives people more time to make them. And so far, I think I've done pretty good keeping up with that. The patterns are all on my sale page, which is where all new patterns go at introductory prices. My fave this month is the firefighter teddy bear from my previous post. I know, not Easter, but I (and I'm sure I'm biased) think he's adorable.

The duck's butt did get done. Not as curvy as I wanted, but it works:

Also new are Meet the Bulbos (a recycling idea for lightbulbs--but NOT meant as a toy) and two more Egghead Buddies.

Next month? Believe it or not, I am BEHIND. I have an afghan started, I'm almost afraid to mention when it was started....(October). Now that I'm getting rolling on it again, I find I'm in dire need of more yarn. It is Red Heart, but even with no dye lots, I can't guarantee the cream colour will still be the same.

I just started working on beads today...don't want to say too much, but I think I'm going to have fun with these. But then, isn't crochet always fun? Uh...no, I don't want to hear about last minute rushes to finish gifts that just HAVE to be done...NA-NA-NA-NA-NA...I'm not listening!

And more than 4 months later...

She's back. At least for a short time.

What's been going on?

Well, the same ol' same ol' in my disfunctional family. But, you don't want to hear that!

On a crochet note, which is more likely what you want to hear, I have been doing several smallish items. And a larger one on the go.

I am currently fighting with...I mean, working on, a duck's butt. Yes, duck's butt. At a suggestion from a visitor to my site, I am designing a rubber ducky toilet tissue cover. That butt was giving me a hard time. Three tries, and I was still unhappy with the results. The 4th try, well, if I say much, I might jinx it. So I'll stop there!

I did finish a firefighter outfit for 6-8" teddy bears. I thought he/she turned out quite well. Modelling the outfit is none other than my pal Custard. Friends for Custard can be made using the pattern available for sale on my site. The two above patterns as well as two other 'sets' will be available March 5th. As long as I finish Mr. Duck's tush.

I'm slowly (very slowly) working on re-vamping my site. Apart from creating a page that lists ALL the free patterns together (no pics, just links), I'm still at the thinking stage. Sometimes that's the longest stage for me. I do want to create new categories to help people find patterns more quickly.

Before I go: a peek at the firefighter outfit. Custard's pattern will also be available at a special price for those purchasing the firefighter outfit. I'm seeing Custard as...a surgeon. Think I might even have that green colour...

Elections and Waste with a bit of Crochet thrown in

What do you do when the municipal election is coming up and you have problems with both candidates? Let's see: the current mayor, who is young, but seems a little too egotistical in my eyes. As homeowners, we also felt that a plan to sell town property adjacent to us was a done deal before citizens were asked for their comments. Especially when we offered to purchase part of it, and were totally ignored.
Then we have a former mayor back in the running. A little older, you'd think more mature, but I tell you, I really hate it when their campaign literature consists more of slamming their opponent than stating what they have planned for the town. And apparently, some of the points were a bit inaccurate.
I heard one neighbour girl who is 9 claiming that her uncle doesn't vote because it's a waste of time. I was quick to inform her that it is NEVER a waste of time. Even if your candidate doesn't win, if you vote, you have the right to complain about what happens after the election. Show me a person who did not vote, and then complains about the winner, and I'll slap their face. If you don't vote, if you don't get that tiny little say...you have NO right to complain.

Which leads me to waste. Yard waste. A fair amount of it. Our town recycles. With yard waste pick ups a couple times a month through the summer, then again in the fall. Paper and regular recycleables picked up every two weeks. Brush pick up now and then.
Why do I have 5 bags of yard waste? Because that pick up stops June 28th and doesn't start again till October 11th. Funny, the town neglected to tell my weeds to stop growing for those few months. So, my 5 bags have sat. And sat (3 of them only since September 8th, my last post!). I made sure to get up early this morning to put the bags out. Three went out, I came back for the 4th, and the bottom had rotted. The 5th bag...the bottom had rotted too. Everything was wet from heavy rain last night, so that yard waste will sit there for a bit to dry before I rebag.

Now, to further make no sense: we've been told our area is the worse for recycling. Yes, I see it: people who don't feel like saving corrugated cardboard for a week or so for the recycling pickup stick piles out with their garbage. Or clear plastic bags full of leaves. Neither one is picked up with the trash, btw (or it's not supposed to be!), so I laugh my butt off. But (but, but, but) the town does not make it easy to recycle yard waste especially. Not only is there the 3 months with no pick up, but when it's a paid day (which is most of the season), you have to pay $1.50 per sticker at the town hall. Where is the town hall? Outside of town. Not really walking distance, unless you really like to walk a lot!

I'm just hoping the stickers stay put on my bags. If the stickers fall off and blow away because they're not sticking in the rain, and my bags are not picked up, the town hall will hear from me.

Now, for the bit of crochet! I've recently finished designing a wallet, which I'm rather proud of, for a woman who wanted a crocheted wallet. Now, I have to make me one, I am so happy with the way it turned out! Also this month, a hanging towel, which is in use on my oven door, a Candy Stripe bathroom set, and a baby burp cloth.
What's next? Currently, 3 stockings, two snowman toilet paper covers, an Angels Watch Over afghan, more squares for my Smilieghan crochet along (only $4.95 for 16 squares total). And patterns for November....and I'm still trying to find time to squeeze in a free crochet along for a group I belong to!