going a little retro

Last week I found a new pattern for a crocheted trivet with a retro look and feel that I really liked and so, even though I don't really have any use for a new trivet, I decided to try my hand at it.  One thing that interested me is the fact that this pattern is rated as "intermediate" difficulty.  I usually go for the easy patterns that I can work up without having to think too much, but every now and then I feel the need to stretch myself a tiny little bit and see what happens.  

 What happened is a trivet that was a lot of fun to make, and really not very hard at all.  So far I have made four of them, just to play with the color combinations.  I'm working on another, so apparently everyone I know will be getting a trivet for Christmas :) ... I've thought about putting them in OCC Shoeboxes, but I don't really know what the kids would do with them.    

They start out kind of funny looking and it is very hard to see how they will turn into anything like the end result.

Ronnie says that they are downright ugly at this stage, 

but if you look closely you can see that the spikes are starting to turn, which will eventually make the final shape.

This is my first attempt.  I think it turned out pretty well.  

I really like the brown and blue color combination.

My second attempt

Number three ... 

For this last one, I changed the final round to half double crochets

instead of singles.  I like the way it sets off the color change.

So, anybody want one?  I'm having too much fun playing with the color combinations to stop now. At the moment, I'm working on one that has a brown center with yellow for the contrast.  I may even throw in a third color, but I haven't decided between sage green or a coral color.

Happy Crocheting!

(Here's a link to the pattern, in case anyone is interested ... Colorful Kitchen Trivet)

fourteen

I say it every year on this day.

How can it be possible that I am old enough to have a ____ year old daughter.

Here we are again and this year I have a fourteen year old!

I spent the morning looking through old pictures ~ you know from back in the dark ages when we actually printed pictures ~ and it dawned on me that I really miss those carefree days before the real world crowded in and we all had to grow up and go to school and such.  

But there is joy in these new days as well.  Today that joy is found in celebrating the young woman that my beautiful baby girl is becoming.  I find joy in the little things I notice about my girl ... this has been a hard year for our family and I can see her coming through it stronger, but a little softer and more willing to look for the good instead of the bad.  She's learning the value of working hard at things that aren't as easy as she thought they would be. That lesson alone will serve her well as she continues to become the woman that God created her to be.  Sometimes, I miss that tiny little girl who used to talk my ear off but that is mainly because I realize that she is quickly growing up and I want to hold on to our days together.  

I wish I had something witty or memorable to say at this point, but all I know is that I love this little girl with all my heart and I am excited to see how God is going to use her for His glory.

My little angel ... I didn't even feel like a Mama yet when this picture was taken :)

I loved this outfit!

With her Daddy on her first Easter

LB with my Mama ... we didn't know then that Mama would be
LB's first best friend.  I am so thankful for the time they spent
together while they had the opportunity.

I think this is one of the cutest pictures ever taken of my girl!
She was dressed up for her first trip to the Dixie Stampede.

On the tire swing at my parents' house

LB's third birthday

Her first day of Mother's Morning Out

The day she was recognized at church for memorizing 100 Bible Verses.
She sure misses her friend Poptart since she moved away!

At Disney, with the only character she really wanted to meet!

At a family reunion last weekend

Me and Mama ~ I was 20 ... several people have looked at this
and thought it is a picture of LB and Mama.

Beautiful girl!