Hi all.

I just wanted to let you know that I am changing my blog for a little while.  Please visit me here: http://bizzycrochet.blogspot.com  Hope to see you all there soon! I just haven't been able to put the links, etc on here that I wanted to be able to soooo....If I can get it to move, I will be moving everything over to the new one.

Sorry for any hassles!

bizzer

You are sociable, outgoing, energetic, and lively. You prefer to be around people much of the time. Stressful and frustrating situations can often be upsetting to you, but you are sometimes able to get over these feelings and cope with these situations. As a practical person you like to think in plain and simple terms. Others describe you as down-to-earth, practical, and conservative. You have some concern with others' needs, and are generally pleasant, sympathetic, and cooperative. You like to live for the moment and do what feels good now. Your work tends to be careless and disorganized.

Ok. Apparently I'm a really nice person that stresses out easy, flies by the seat of her pants and lives like a slob. Nice.

bizzer

Hello all.

Today is a Wednesday. It is the first day of November. That means only 54 more shopping days till Christmas. I think this is an appropriate time for me to panic.

I haven't begun any sweaters that I wanted to make for Christmas. Opening the store has taken care of that!

WIP's are not that many now that I really stop to think. I have an afghan at the store that I am plodding my way through. I really hope to finish that in the next week. I have a sweater at home that I should have done by the end of the week....So what am I freaking out about? I could get at least 2 if not 3 sweaters done by Christmas, if they are the ONLY things I work on until then. And I'm pretty sure that we are all aware that I cannot work on ONE thing at a time.

My brother in law has been hassling me for about 4-5 years now for me to make him a fisherman's knit sweater like my husbands. I have made him two beautiful afghans(more than my husband has gotten from me) and still he nags....worse than a woman. I have made him slippers(my husband doesn't have slippers)...and still he nags. What am I going to do with him? I mean besides the obvious sneaking into his house and doing weird things to him while he's sleeping (he's a heavy sleeper, it might work).

He is now living with a lady with two small children. So now I have a new 'munchkin brigade' to make things for. WHAT??? am I going to make for them? They have EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**side note** I have discovered external hard drives....they are beautiful...may I please kiss the person that invented them.....**

Yesterday was Halloween. My children went as an angel and anakin. While my beauties were getting ready I all of sudden realized...Oh my Gosh...I'm in retail now..how fun would it be to dress up????

So out comes the old Flintstones costume I sewed myself a few years ago for a party. Um, dare I mention it could double as a sausage casing?? So that was a ..No.

My children spy our Tae Kwan Do uniforms from several years ago and say...hey mommy, go as a karate girl! Brilliant, I say! Heck the uniform even still fit! Then to add the fun to it, I gave myself a makeup black eye and two missing teeth.

Well, the makeup missing teeth came off, cuz I hadn't eaten breakfast yet and I wasn't going to eat black makeup mixed with my bagel and schmear. yuk.

I walked into my mom's office and I thought she was going to fall on the floor from laughing. Thank you very much. My husband just shook his head and I even got a chuckle from one of the other service guys. I can die happy, my work here is done.

Then customer number one, no kidding, says "Oh are you doing karate in back?". Oh. My. "no maam, its halloween". "ohhhhh".

Wow.

And the people that looked at me with such sympathy cuz of my black eye. I was like, ok, I don't even celebrate halloween for all intents and purposes and even I knew what day it was!

Well, I suppose, the store closes in 8 minutes and I have things I actually have to do.

TTFN

bizzer

I screwed up the last entry....

I just had to share with you our trip to the apple farm yesterday.

We got up and left early (8am). For those of you whose day is half over by then, I feel for you. I really do! It was an hour and 15 min drive from our house to the farm. We took our two kids, our niece, nephew and a friend of our daughters with us. So we had a van full.

One word--Loud! That word descriptively encompasses the entire trip.

So we get to the apple farm at about 20 minutes to 10. We are literally the second car there. There was NOONE! We were like 'oh bummer'.

No, being with people is not the fun of going to the apple farm. But there is a certain ambiance that is created by lots people connected in the quest to find the perfect pumpkin and bag of apples. There just is.

So anyway, we went into the depressingly empty bakery (void of anything delicious except for the smell) to buy our "peck" bags. Three to be exact and trudged out to the area of the orchard where the owner said they were still picking. As usual we picked a weekend late in the season to go picking!

Lo and behold we came upon trees laden with beautiful fruit!

There were some pretty big honkers picked!

Well, while we were about our apple fun, we heard gunshots in the distance. We all thought "gunshot? what hunting season IS this?" And God answered the unspoken question only moments later when a male pheasant went flying from one area of the pumpkin patch to another area of the apple orchard. Needless to say, I didn't feel too keen on being between a hunter and his prey, so we moved the brood down a few (like 6) rows to a different apple tree. I really mean a different apple. These were red like plums.

And the other 'of course' is the apple sampling. You can't be at the orchard and pick apples and not eat one. The kids really enjoyed the lighter red apples, but everyone loved the dark red ones. We were standing in nature's refrigerator so they were wonderfully crisp and cold. They had a great sweet/sour tang to them and they were snappy. Everyone had at least one...my nephew had somewhere around 5. How he managed to keep from living in the bathroom, i don't know.....

Back row, from left to right: Cory(nephew), Stefani(daughter), Katie (friend)               Front row: Bekah (niece), Teo (son)

Sampling yet another apple....cuz ya know every one of them tastes different!

Great time with friends! Stef and Katie hamming it up!

In a couple of spots, Tony had to climb in there and "be tall" for us 5 footers.

OK, enough about the apples...we did more! We decided to then go pick out our pumpkins. As we are walking back in the direction of the bakery, we noticed something....people! So we weren't the only 'loons' out in the 40 degree weather picking apples!!

The owner told us the best pumpkin patch was all the way back and to the right.....1/4 of a mile later we found it. And it really was a great pumpkin patch.

I have dubbed this "Holy Pumpkin Field, Batman!"

Katie, Bekah and Stefani took to naming the pumpkins. Interspersed with all of the pumpkins were gourds. Well they were all little, fat and cute. So they all got named. My favorite name of the day (besides the honorary mention to my daughters name of "Fry") is the name my niece gave her gourd. "Mowacca" (Moh-wah-ka). When asked how did you come up with that name? She simply replied, "Well he looked like a moracca (sp?) and I said Mowacca. And decided thats what his name should be."  Well, ok then.

Bekah also had another side 'love' in the pumpkin patch. She did it in an earlier one and I didn't think to get a picture of it. Really, I didn't think anything of it until she did it in this pumpkin patch.....She jumps on the big pumpkins and rides em like horsies!

I apologize that I didn't get a front picture of her doing this, I had all I could do to maintain myself enough to get this one! Hilarious.....Giddy Up!!!

Then we walked back to the bakery once more to pay for the pumpkins(this is what 3 miles by now?). Well, lo and behold, they've fired up the haywagon!! So we quick decided that was something we wanted to do. We all got on the haywagon and took a ride. It came to a stop at the Corn Maze. We all got off and decided to go through it. Many other people were just getting their pumpkins..(from far inferior pumpkin patches, mind you)..and choosing where to pick apples. But since we had already completed these tasks, we jumped into the corn.

The POSER'S!!!

We noticed little signs along the way that would say,"you've reached the letter "e", there are 6 'e's' in the phrase"....etc. No sign ever made sense and we never did find out what the phrase was. But the maze was fun!

Even Tony and I stopped to pose for a picture...(Tony!, tilt the camera down more!) When you have a whole foot to recover in bending down...self pictures become awkward affairs. (notice the crows feet? at the tender age of 34 and 11/12ths)

We ended the maze with very little fanfare. There was no dazzling end, just a hole in the corn. So we posed instead.....

Aren't they beautiful? My nature babies!

When we came out of the corn, we didn't see or hear the tractor running for the hay ride. So once again we 'hauled our cookies' back to the bakery to pick up the last minute items....apple dumplings, fresh apple butter and caramel apples...for the trip home. We then packed up the van with pumpkins, apples, baked goods and loud, but tired children and headed home!

All in all, it was a verrrrrry good time! This was probably the best time we've had at the pumpkin/apple farm so far. I love having lots of kids with us to enjoy the event. I think kids make most things more fun. Don't you? Don't get me wrong...I am not all 'let's have a daycare'! EEEKKKKK...Run away!!!! As the Telletubbies used to say.  No Thank You very much! God has given me the grace for my children and child-size relations. (Where did this rambling mess on children come from??)

That last paragraph was begun more to say that in the last few years the times have been good, but not as fun. When Stef was going thru chemo, it was hard. One year we couldn't even go because she was in a wheel chair from the chemo(evil stuff). The subsequent years have been a little dull. This year we were able to take a car load and that made it a good time. I love being the only adults, cuz then I can spoil them and buy them things and they don't have to be afraid of getting yelled at because they ask for things. Long story....really can't expound.

**Side note** Remember the guns?

Well, it just so happens that as we are leaving the orchard we notice that the small farm at the end of that road (1/2 mile long at the most) is a "pheasant farm". Ahem....the birds can fly....and they do....and we are just up the hill from you....in the orchard...picking apples....ya think this is the safest place/time you could be shooting at them?!?!?! JEEZ!

We somehow made it out of there alive!!! LOL

I suppose, I am dragging my tail and I desperately need my beauty sleep to combat those crow's feet!!

G'Nite all

bizzer

I am exhausted now. Two Pokemon critters is enough for one day. I will post other two asap.

bizzer

Here is the Pikachu look-alike. I think he turned out darn cute myself...

Obviously there were some serious size-reduction issues. (and my embroidery skills...well they stink....) But if we can look past all of that , we'll see a Pokemon critter waiting to be loved.

Pikachu-guy      designed by Elizabeth Mareno 10/20/06

Materials: F hook, sport weight yarn (altho i did this with worsted), stuffing and needle.

**Do not join rounds unless indicated**

Row1: ch 2, 6 sc in second ch from hook.

Row2: 2sc in each sc around

Row3: (2sc in next, 1sc in next)

Row4: (2sc in next, 1sc in next)

Row 5: Back Loop Only, 1sc in each around.

Row 6-8: Both Loops again, 1 sc around

Row9: Sc in 3 sc (change to brown) sc in 6sc (chg to Yellow), sc in remaining sc.

Row 10: with yellow, sc in each sc around.

Row 11: Repeat row 9

Row 12-13: Repeat row 10

Row 14: (dec 1, 1sc in next 2) around to last 3 sc, (dec 1, 1sc in next)

Row 15: Back Loop Only (2sc in sc, 1sc in next) around

Row 16: Both Loops again, Repeat row 15.

Row 17-19: sc in each sc around.

Row 20: (dec 1, sc in next 4) around to last 3 sc, (dec1, sc in last sc)

Row 21: (dec1, sc in next 3) around to last 2 sc, dec 1.

Row 22: sc in each sc around

Row 23: (dec1, sc in next 2sc) around to last sc, sc in last sc.

Row 24: (dec1, sc in next) around to last sc, sc in last sc. Start Stuffing!

Row 25: Dec 1 around, sc in last sc.

Row 26: dec around.(4)

Fasten off and sew shut after pikachu is stuffed firm.

Top Feet: (Make 2)

Row1: ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook

Row2: 2sc in each sc.

Row3: Back Loop Only, sc in each around

Row4: Both Loops, sc in each sc around.

Finish off. Sew to front of body using picture as reference. Stuff as you sew on.

Bottom Feet: (Make 2)

Row1: ch2, 6sc in 2nd ch

Row2: 2 sc in each

Row3: 1 sc in each.

Finish off. Sew to front bottom of body using picture as reference. Stuff as you sew on.

Cheeks: (Make2)

ch 2, 6sc in 2nd ch from hook.

Finish off and sew onto face using picture as reference.

Embroider eyes, nose and mouth in appropriate spots (look at the picture) using a straight stitch. I went side-to-side with Pikachu's nose, in stead of up and down.

Ears: (make2)

with black

Row 1: ch 2, 4sc in second ch.

Row 2: (2sc in sc, 1sc in next) around.(6)

Row 3: (2sc in sc, 1sc in next) around. (9)

change to yellow

Row 4-8: Sc in each sc around.

Fasten off, stuff, sew to head. Make one cockeyed off to the side (left ear)

Tail: (Make 1, do not stuff)

Row1: ch7, sc in 2nd ch from hook and 5 more. (6) working on opposite side of ch, sc in remaining unworked loops from ch (12) Do Not Join, Do Not ch1, Do Not turn.

Row2-5: sc in each sc around. (This will want to curl inside. The sooner you push the right side out the easier the rows will become)

Row 6-7: (dec 1, sc in next) around.

Row 8-12: sc in each sc around.

Row 13-14: Repeat row 6 (8)

Change to brown

Row 15-16: sc in each sc around.

Sl st to finish off. Flatten end, sew to middle of butt below stripes.

All done. Let me know of any pattern "snafoo's".

bizzer

I know all these Pokemon names are licensed, etc. So I am trying to be as "non-license-infringing" as possible.

I took a picture of the original plushie next to the homemade plushie just so you could judge the differences. Yes, there are many, but for a homemade version I'm thinkin I like it....

Torchic-guy    designed by Elizabeth Mareno 10/20/06

And I was going to be silly and say...Can you see the difference?...but with a big ole tag hangin off the one guys butt, its not hard...

Here's his pattern:

Materials: F hook, Sport weight yarn, Fiberfill, Large eye needle for sewing parts on,

Body:

**Do not join rows unless indicated**

Row 1: Ch 2, 6 sc in second ch from hook. (6)

Row 2: 2 sc in each sc around (12)

Row 3: (2sc in sc, 1sc in next sc) around (18)

Row 4: (2sc in sc, 1sc in next 2 sc) around (24)

Row 5-8: 1sc in each around.

Row 9: (dec 1, sc in next 2sc) around (18)

Row 10: (dec 1, sc in next sc) around (12)

Row 11: (dec 1, sc in next sc) around (8)

Row 12-13: 1 sc in each around (8)

Row 14: 2sc in each around (16)

Row 15: (2sc in next, 1sc in next sc) around (24)

Row 16: (2sc in next, 1sc in next 2 sc) around (32)

Row 17-21: 1sc in each around. (32)

Row 22: (dec 1, sc in next 2) around (24)

Row 23: (dec 1, sc in next sc) around (16) Start stuffing!!

Row 24: (dec 1) around (8)

Row 25: (dec 1) around (4)

Finish off and weave in ends.

Feet: (Make 2)

Row 1: Ch 2, sc in 2nd ch from hook (1)

Row 2: ch 1, turn, 2 sc in sc.(2)

Row 3: ch 1, turn, (2sc in next, 1sc) (3)

Row 4: ch 2, turn, (sl st in 1sc, ch 2) twice, sl st in last sc.

Finish off, leaving long end to sew to bottom of body. Sew feet to the middle of the body on or about rows 1 and 2. Try to leave some toe floppy and hanging off out front.

Neck Feathers: (Make 1)

Row 1: Ch 12, sc in second ch from hook and across (11)

Row 2: ch 3, turn. (Sl st in sc, ch 3)twice, sl st in next sc, Ch 4, sl st in next sc, (ch 5, sl st in next sc) twice, ch 4, sl st in next sc, (ch 3, sl st in next sc) four times.

Finish off, leaving a long end to sew to neck. Pin one end of neck feathers to one side of neck and start sewing on the opposite side. They should not meet in the middle. There should be a small space(look at pic for reference). Pinning them down just helps hold them where you want them. Make sure the feet are centered to the neck feathers.

Head Feathers: (Make 1)

with yellow, ch 3

Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch  and the next ch. (2) ch1, turn, sc in 1sc (change to orange) sc in same st, sc in next st (change to yellow) sc in same st. (4)

Row 2-4: Increase one stitch each side, keeping the yellow the same and putting the orange in the middle.(10) (i know thats not a great instruction, email me if you can't get it)

Row 5: ch 2 with yellow, dc in same st (change to orange) (trc, dc, hdc) in next st, sc in next, (hdc, dc, trc, dc, hdc) in next st, sc in next st, (hdc, dc, trc) in next, (change to yellow), (dc, hdc) in last st.

Row 6: with yellow only(no orange), ch3, dc in next , hdc in next 2, sc in next, sl st in next, sc in next, hdc in next 3, sc in next, sl st in next, sc in next, hdc in next 2, dc in next 2.

I apologize, but don't ask me how many stitches you will end up with.....

Finish off, weave long piece down to the small end and sew to top of head.

Beak:

Follow the pattern for the feet, omitting the chaining in row 4, just do sc's. Tie off and sew it into a cone shape and put on the middle of the face. Lightly stuff if it is roomy enuf.

Ok, that is the best it gets for the little Torchic-guy. Write me with any pattern difficulties. This has not been tested yet.

Hello all,

I feel as though I have been away for an eternity. And well...in blog world, I have.

The store is faring very well. Our opening has been a very good thing so far. The pressure seems to have let up a little bit this week and I can almost see myself living a normal life again. If you haven't already tried it, find a "Knifty Knitter" loom and have a go at it. These are the most popular item in my store for three weeks running. I get 5 sets of looms in at a crack and can't keep them on my shelves. The pattern books fly out almost as fast as the looms themselves do. If your local yarn store doesn't carry it, look for it at WalMart. They usually come in a kit of 4 looms. Great stuff!

We are going to the apple farm tomorrow. We are taking a van full of youngsters, so it should be a really fun time! I'm really looking forward to some fresh apple dumplings and apple butter. Not to mention the amazing apple cider they have! GOTTA have a mug of that before we leave!

Ok, now to what we've all been waiting for...drum roll please.....

Crochet Pokemon Critters!!! YAY!!! I have patterns figured for four of them and pics and I am sharing them with YOU!!!! YAY!!!!

I am going to put them into their own blog spot though cuz they are LENGTHY! So I am closing this one out real quick to open up a new one and post a pattern.

(I love brussel sprouts, I just wanted to say that!)

bizzer

Good Morning...(at 4:25)

Well, this has been just about THE worst month of sleep in my entire existence (not including 'newborn' months). We were up at 5 something yesterday morning to get the store into 'sell'mode. Everything is up, everything is priced....yet, I feel like I'm missing a box of product somewhere...I just feel it in my bones. Then we went to bed at 10 something last night. I woke up at 2am to the hollering of one of my kids in the next room having stomach pains. I no sooner get some tylenol in the child and they lay down and promptly go back to sleep. Me? I'm still up.

After 2 hours of listening to the peaceful snoring of my beautiful husband, I got out of bed and came downstairs. So far I've made an arm for the little teddy bear I've been working on and I plan to go and finish him this morning before I have to go take a shower for church. My right arm, however, keeps hurting so I am taking it slow. I need to go to the chiropractor.

My Grandma gave me some beautiful pieces of 'Hardanger' that she has made to sell in the store. She didn't tell me what she wanted for them, and I have noooooo clue what price to put on them. I could use some suggestions. There are several intricately patterned doilies and some bell pulls and a pillow cover that is stitched(really gorgeous stitching), but needs to be finished on a pillow. I should really take pics and post them and see what you guys think. ?!? yes? no?

I hurt in places I forgot I had muscles. We worked so hard yesterday. So much still needs to be done, but we are at least operational and can open on Monday.

Well, I have run out of things to gab about and the teddy bear is calling my name.

sleep tight!

bizzer

Hello,

Well, I just met the neatest lady on the phone from Intuit. If you read the blog...HI!

Other than that, I thought I needed to amend an entry from right after July 4th. I said that I was designing a shirt for my daughter of the knitting variety. Well, it got about an inch and a half big and I quit. No thank you. I bought a knitting machine and made the same shirt in about 2-3 hours(only cuz I messed it up a bunch and had to start over). She wears it constantly. :) Knitting machine is totally the way to go! Once the store is completed and I have space, I plan on setting it up and making more stuff to donate. I just need one more extender to be able to make afghans on it. So that is my plan.

The store is humming right along. The rest of us are dragging our butts behind us, but the store is doing great! We open on Monday, come H*** or high water! I don't think I'm going to sleep much this weekend. I have been taking pics of the progress, so I will post some pics of it soon.

Well, I have much to do.

Hugs to all.

bizzer