Things I am Thankful For....

some things I am thankful for....

big fluffy snowflakes

crinkle french fries

Star Wars

biographies

parents

children

light switches

light bulbs

blankets

basketball games

good friends

computers

hot tea

flavored coffee

hot chocolate

marshmallows

popcorn

flushing toilets

ketchup

fluffy warm kitties

daughter singing Soft Kitty to herself at bedtime

Rainbows & Storms

This thought was going through my head several days ago, before the tragedy in Connecticut. I almost posted this the week before that happened.

 Just because there's a rainbow, it doesn't mean that the storm was a blessing. Just because there's a rainbow, it doesn't mean that the storm wasn't a tragedy. Just because I can be thankful for the rainbow, I don't have to be thankful for the storm. I am just not going to be thankful and happy about tragedies. Not even if a beautiful rainbow is the result.

I will and can be thankful for the rainbow, but I don't have to be happy about the storm. Storms can be bad and destructive. They can leave horrible devastation, and I am not going to be happy and thankful about that. I mean.....I am not happy that God destroyed the world with a flood. The flood was terrible. A lot of life on earth was destroyed. I still trust God, and I am happy about His promises, but there is a lot about Him that I just don't get.

 I am not happy and thankful about hurricanes and tornadoes, school shootings, parents and children dead too soon. I *know* that God will redeem any situation and bring good and blessing out of it. I will be happy and thankful for His promises and the rainbows. I hate the storms. I hate the tragedies. I hate the homes and families destroyed by hurricanes, mean people, tornadoes, school shootings. I am not happy about stolen children, raped women, warped minds who hate people.

We are all broken at some level. There are parts of all our lives that are full of storms, full of tragedy and heartbreak. I hate those parts of my life. My hope in this life is that I *know* I can count on my God to make rainbows and blessings out of my storms. I *know* He is the source of love and He brings love and hope into my life. I would be selfish if I didn't do my part to share hugs and encouragement from Him to people I meet.

(click the picture to find out how to photograph a rainbow)

Learn how to make Rainbow Toast here

To see a picture of beautiful rainbow hair, click here

Here is a crochet pattern for a lined zippered rainbow coin purse that I might make someday

Feeling Cozy

Sometime this fall, I decided to try to make a couple of the currently popular mug cozies. I soon found out that I preferred the kind that have a built in bottom on them. I listed a few on my etsy site, and for a while not much happened. Then one thing led to another, and I now I am getting to make lots and lots of cozies. Fun!! Here are a few pics of some that I've made since Thanksgiving.

Happy Birthday, Willa Cather!

Happy birthday to the great Willa Cather!!

“I like trees because they seem more resigned to the way they have to live than other things do. I feel as if this tree knows everything I ever think of when I sit here. When I come back to it, I never have to remind it of anything; I begin just where I left off.”
-- Willa Cather, O Pioneers!

Purr Babies

This is Snowball. He has been really snuggly lately. He was in some kind of fight recently and had some minor wounds. I hope it wasn't a raccoon. He seems to be recovering ok, but is sleeping a lot.....but then again, he always sleeps a lot.

This is TigerGirl. She likes to walk the fence.

Hydrangea Test Flower

this is a test flower in response to this article Lacy Crochet's Hydrangea. I was trying to help her test her pattern and make the petals more hydrangea-shaped. She wanted them more pointy. I followed her instructions, except I added an extra petal (5 instead of 4) and I added a picot in between the 2 trebles. For the picot, ch 3 after the first treble, then sl st into the first chain of the ch 3, then continue with 2nd treble. See  the link for her full instructions. I tried to make a french knot for the center, but I am terrible at making them. Just ask my mom, hahahhahhahahhahaha

What I Have Been Working on Lately

Thick round potholders, dishcloths, and a heather gray shawl

Things in Bloom

It has been so hot and dry this summer that hardly anything bloomed in my yard. I just wanted to post a few pics of things that were blooming the other day. It was mostly one or two blooms per plant, so my husband would call this trick photography, making my yard look lush and beautiful. My black-eyed susans mostly got mowed over several times so that only small patches here and there bloomed this year. Hardly any of my hibiscuses bloomed either. I like the picture of the little bug in flight. See if you can find it. The althea blooms are actually much smaller than the hibiscus. I also found a cute little spider. My two kitties always follow us around the yard. I got a pic of Snowball, but TigerGirl wouldn't stand still for a pic. Both kitties also like to go on walks with us around the block. Silly kitties!

First Day of School 2012

Here we go on a new adventure! God bless my children as they go and learn beautiful things and meet beautiful people. May they always be filled with love and compassion and be protected from all harm. May their hearts always be singing a song, and may they always bring a smile to everyone they meet.

Natasha, 6th grade
Eliana, 3rd grade
Talon, Kindergarten

My Beauties

I could not resist adding a picture of my sweet girls. They love dressing up. The purple dress and the blue shawl are fabric remnants that they swiped from my fabric bin at some point :). The silver gloves were the ones I wore to my prom way back in the 1980s. I am so proud of my girls. They are so fun and creative. I am so thankful to God for giving them each other. I love my sweeties :)

Sunrise Sunset Collection

 I don't know why, but the dishcloths I have made lately from all of my bits and pieces of leftover yarn are some of my favorites. These all remind me of the sunrise and the sunset. I find that I really like to have that splash of color in my kitchen. These are all for sale in my etsy shop (see sidebar). If you live in western Kentucky, you can also buy KittenYarn handmade dishcloths at the Saturday Farmer's Market on the Murray Court Square. They are at the Country Blessings table, where my friend sells her awesome homemade soaps. To see these dishcloths and other handmade kitchen things, go to my Kitchen and Bath section of my etsy shop :).

Giveaway Winner!!

Hurray!! The winner of my 75 fan giveaway is Susan Davis!! Please send me a private message, Susan, and you can pick out your prize!! Thank you to all of my facebook KittenYarn fans! I will have another big giveaway when I get to 100 fans.

KittenYarn Giveaway

I just passed 75 fans on my facebook page! Hurray! To enter the giveaway, you have to Like my facebook page and leave a comment here on this post telling me your favorite handmade gift that you ever got. I will put all the names in a hat and if your name is drawn, I will let you choose one $15 item from my etsy shop as your prize. I have several to choose from, including market bags, scarves, and baby hats :). I will post the winner on my blog on Monday, July 9. Here is a link to my KittenYarn facebook page:

 Here are a couple examples of what the winner can choose: