Safeway, Hubby's Slippers & Herb Garden

The picture really doesn't do justice to how well I did at Safeway last week!
Our Safeway just did a remodel, so there were lots of cheap and freebie things to be had. I ended up spending $44.30 on $94.70 worth of food! Yes, I saved $50.70, and what a high that was!!! Free 24 pack of water, $1 pineapple, $1 clam shell of mixed salad greens, free peanut butter, free apple juice, free eggs... I could go on but I would be here all night! I also found some great deals in the clearance meat section, and I stocked up on whole chickens for .99 a pound, we love drunk chicken on the grill in the summer. So needless to say, I was giddy when I got home and unloaded all of my groceries and figured out what I saved, how many meals it would make, and so on.... Very cool.

Well, one slipper done for hubby's fathers day gift! This is my hubby's slipper compared to my flip flop, what big feet he has, size 13! The kiddo is catching up quick too, at almost 15 (less than a month :( ) He is up to a 12 1/2.
I'm making these out of universal yarn worsted, and the colors match almost perfect to the colors he painted his motorcycle last year. The pattern is the greatest, I see a lot of these in my future for gifts and for the boys to slide up and down the hallway in! I got the pattern from Bev's country cottages: It's called Bev's Quick Slipp-ers and you can find it at http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/slippers1.html
They are a blast, and very fast!

My herb garden is growing very well with all the rain and sun we've had. I have catnip, parsley, dill, and chives going, also basil, but it's looking pretty sad right now. As most of you know, this is my first year gardening so I need a little help with the herb section... Does anyone know exactly how you harvest herbs? I think the dill is getting to the point that I can start using it, but I'm not sure, so any help on this would be totally awesome!

So that's about it for now. School is out tomorrow, and I actually can't wait! Mostly I can't wait to sleep in, yes I do have my priorities! I'm also going to be making some new crochet and paper treats to sell in my etsy shop, so watch for those, and a free pattern on here as well.... WOW, it's gonna be a busy week!

Finally... A Brain Dead Double Crochet Afghan for Us!

I'm finally working on an Afghan for our bed. I decided on 3 solid colors, and one mutlti color, all in Red Heart super saver. I have never really liked working with red heart, but It's getting better and better, and is so much cheaper than what I have been buying. So, what I'm trying to say is, Red heart super saver, at $2.47 a skein, might become my new favorite yarn!

Here is what I am doing, very basic and very beginner... I love very beginner because I get do a lot faster, as most of you know I'm a "want it done NOW!" type of person.

Brain Dead Double Crochet Afghan:

What you need:

5 to 7 skeins of Red heart super saver in colors that you wish. I basically picked out a multi colored yarn and matched it with 3 other solid colors.
Size J crochet hook.

I'm making this for a queen size bed, and basically started chaining and took it back to the bed and measured the length of my chain on the bed. So adjust as to what you want to do.

Chain 300
Row 1... double crochet in 3rd chain from hook and in each chain across, chain 3 and turn.
Row 2  double crochet in each double crochet across, chain 3 and turn.
Continue with Row 2, changing colors after every 2 rows. Makes as many 2 color rows as needed to fit your bed size.

I will for sure post pictures when I am done, and it's laying pretty on our bed. My goal is to get it done in a month, but we shall see!!!

A garden update

I have been actively tending to my garden, and I have to admit it's getting addicting!

The red leaf lettuce is really growing, along with the strawberries, sweet peas & my herb garden. I did loose my tomato plants due to an unexpected frost, so just replaced them and also added a couple of tomato plants in pots on the deck.

I have a feeling that I have finally caught the gardening bug. I have always loved planting flowers and pretty things, but I am so excited to yield fresh fruit and veggies from my garden.

It may look kinda like a hillbilly garden, but I've been told that tires make the best container gardens due to the fact that the rubber keeps everything warm, makes the produce grow even bigger, and the biggest thing is that you are reusing instead of tossing, I love that one the best!

Here are some pictures of just a few of my flowers...

As you might remember a few months ago, I got into making fountains. Now that the roses are blooming, along with the salvia, it's making my wagon and fountain one of my favorite things to look at and enjoy. My very talented friend, Susan, made the star birdhouse, and I reused my frog in my fountain. It was all broken up on the bottom, but you sure can't tell sitting in a fountain.

Some new additions this year... can you tell I love the tire thing? I also put up a hummingbird feeder, hopefully they are using it, I've heard them buzzing around at least. I have to admit, I did have a motive to doing tire flower beds... This is gonna sound terrible I have a feeling.... I decided to do this to annoy the neighbor across the street. I guess I have an evil side, and kinda giggle at the fact of him throwing a fit at the hillbilly, street bike tire, flower beds. But everyone actually likes them, besides him.. lol.


So that is my garden progress, I'll keep updating as the summer goes on. I'm getting addicted to adding things, so you never know what you might see next.


CROCHET NEWS:

I've been finally working on an afghan for our bed, and I'm also making some fun fathers day slippers for the hubby.... I'll take some pictures and post them tomorrow for you to check out. I also will be posting a new pattern in a few days for you to have fun making. I'm also toying with the idea of a get ahead on Christmas presents challenge, with the winner receiving a great prize of yarn and such.

BLOG NEWS:

You will be seeing a lot of changes in my blog in the coming months. I will still be blogging about crochet and crafting, along with the norm, but I also will be blogging about my new adventures in reinventing myself and my life. We have had so many life changing challenges lately that I decided now is the time to reinvent, and jump in with both feet! So stay tuned for new things to come, and I hope that my trials will help you as well.

Getting ready for summer.

I've been working on the house lately and tending to my garden, so it's been awhile since I have been on my blog! I am planning on getting back into the swing of things with my blog and my addiction to yarn and paper! So check back this week for some new ideas, crochet patterns, and what I'm working on. 

I was just looking around online today and thought I would check out what Martha has been up to. I found this fun idea for decorating this summer and the 4th....

Easy Sand Candles

Pay tribute to the Stars and Stripes (emphasis on the stripes). Red, white, and blue bands of sand dress up votive candles to make flickering lights that are cheerful and fun. Sand is available in a variety of colors at art-supply stores; designing a candle is as simple as pouring layers into a glass. Make several, and create a patriotic centerpiece to coordinate with china or linens for outdoor dining.
To make a sand candle, fill a clear drinking glass with enough sand so that a votive candle placed on top falls just below the rim. Set the glass inside a clear glass vase or jar. With a funnel, fill the gap between the two containers with layers of colored sand, using enough to reach the rim of the drinking glass.