More house pics

I finally got a chance today after we had gotten all the ramps and all cleared away the other day to get a pic of the outside of the house. Not a real close shot but here it is... coming along nicely!




Spent a couple hours today working inside and outside just generally cleaning up. Still need to do some more work outside, and as soon as my MIL gets her storage building put up outside the small shed is coming down. The side porch will be rebuilt eventually, too and made a little larger. A little landscaping too is in the works. Also the area around the den window that has the siding around it will eventually be redone- the siding will be removed and it will be re-bricked.

Also here's another pic of my infamous poncho... pay no attention to the stupid expression on my face- I was trying to direct my mother on how to use the digital camera. Poncho looks good but I don't!!



Well off to do some more crochet/planning.

Poncho finished!

My coming home poncho actually goes in the Finished Objects category now! I'm so proud of myself- both for the great job on the poncho and the fact that I've actually got something to put in my FO's category now! Now if I can just finish the rest of my WIP's... I've got many more than mentioned here and need to get them out of the way... most are charity projects or something like that.

Here it is!!


A superb job if I do say so myself. I think it looks just like the infamous one, better than the pic on LB's site. The pic of the one on their site, someone crocheted awfully loose... it is way too open in my opinion- the original wasn't that way. It was a granny pattern but wasn't so open that it showed her outfit underneath. The link to the pattern is to the right under FO's as LB coming home poncho.

Give it a try if you like ponchos- it's really easy and quick to make. Takes 4 skeins of homespun (well, 3 and a half really). I bought 4 skeins of discontinued DISCO at Wal-mart (THAT was the color I was looking for but couldnt remember the name of!) and plan on making me another one .... these are darker colors more suitable for winter. NEXT winter. Weather's almost too warm now unless you wear it at night.

More House work and pics

Well I've been doing more work on the house this afternoon. Got dragged up early to go to a funeral this morning, then a nap I seriously needed since I woke up about 6am to the hall light on and my dad messing with the battery in the smoke detector of all times. I could've had one less father. Since I was up anyway and springtime asthma was starting to kick in I went found my inhaler, checked the puter then went back to bed for a bit. Only to be awakened a couple hours later to have to get up and go to the funeral. Not that I minded, of course- I just hate being woke up early.

Actually *I* didn't do the work on the house this afternoon- I gave a guy the ramp and porch covering out front (now you can see the pretty brick porch that was underneath), the wood from the side ramp, the old mailbox and the privacy fence on the side. Boy does it look different! Don't have any pics of the outside yet but here's some of the inside we've been working on:



Living room- Couch area





Living room- front wall




Living Room- My curio cabinet





Kitchen





Aren't my burner covers cute?





Hallway area- view from back bedroom





My dresser in my computer/craft room I found. It's an antique chifferobe that's been painted over. I didn't take the whole room cause it's a mess right now with remodeling but the whole room decor will be light purple.





Oh yes, and I can't forget to introduce.... Smokey. Smokey was Scott's Grandma's cat that we "inherited" (Scott's mom always joked that he part of the package deal with the house) when Grandma passed away. A little devil sometimes too!

Will post more inside and outside pics as soon as I get to take them.

Angel's Story

Well I promised when I got time I'd post Angel's Story on here, so here it is. Warning: GET OUT YOUR KLEENEX!!!!!

Angel


In early March of 2000, we were blessed with the presence of a beautiful persian mix stray kitten. It was still in the 30's at night and maybe 50's during the day. One day this beautiful approximately 3 month old kitten showed up in our woods as we were burning things. I tried to feed him some cheese, but he was too little- he didn't know what it was. We asked around the neighborhood- none of the neighbors had seen him before. That night it was about 30 degrees outside and he was sleeping in a tree about 20 feet off the ground so we invited him in.





Flea Jan. 2000-Aug. 12, 2003



We promptly adopted him and I named him Flea Bit. Well, the "Bit" never stuck and he wound up with the name Flea. Flea was a beautiful cat- always at play and ready to be loved. He met me every night when I came home from work, and if I was late he would yowl until I got home.



On the morning of August 12, 2003 I had decided to sleep in on my morning off and was asleep upstairs. My dad had just sold a metal detector to someone and the front door was cracked open about three inches or so. He finished in the living room, turned out the lights and shut the door. Then he and my mom went into town to get some breakfast. When they returned less than an hour later, they made a heart wrenching discovery- Flea had gone to sleep in the front door between the wood and storm door. Although they were only gone an hour, it was well over 90 outside and Flea had suffocated in the short time they were gone. My baby was gone- freak accident but he was still gone.



I was miserable for 8 days- Flea was gone and no animal in the house since the Shih-tzu we had for 17 years had passed away the fall before. Noone to meet me when I came in from work at night anymore, and I bawled turning in the driveway every night. I called several ads looking for a persian or himalayan cat- there was none to be found and not one would have looked like him anyway.



On August 20, I walked into my local PetSmart hoping to find an ad for someone selling or giving away kittens. I had been hesitant to look at my local Humane Society- I didn't want some "mangy pound cat". Little did I know that at PetSmart, they board cats and kittens for local animal shelters for adoption. I went to take a look and the first thing I saw was this beautiful white fluffy 10 week old kitten staring at me. The other cats were playing in their cages but she was sitting there all alone, so tiny she didn't know what to do.



I immediately picked her out, took her home and named her Angel. Both since she had the appearance of an angel aside from the black spot on her head, and because I felt like God had sent me an angel kitten to replace the one I lost. I found out later that Angel was left behind at the Metropolis, IL. airport. A stray Mama cat had had kittens and someone decided to take Mama and the babies home. Somehow Angel, one of the kittens, got left behind.



Please Consider adopting your next pet from your local PetSmart, Animal Shelter or Humane society. So many animals are put to sleep just because they need a home, and the only reason they are locked up is because no one else wants them.



Angel is "my" cat. Oh, she plays with the dog and everyone else, but she stays with me most of the time. She sleeps at my head or my side at night, and she always "helps" with all my crafts. She truly is my Angel, and is always there when I'm making something. My site is dedicated to my Angel.

Engagement announcement

Well for my out of town friends or those of you who don't take the local paper, here it is... My engagement announcement.



Caneer-Potter


Sunday, March 27, 2005

Richard and Trena Caneer of Paducah announce the engagement of their daughter, Marla Dawn Caneer, to Scott F. Potter, son of Mrs. JoAnn Potter of Calvert City and the late Jewell Potter.

Miss Caneer is the granddaughter of Roy and Ruby Caneer of Paducah, and the late J.D. and Novella Lampley. She is a 1993 graduate of Reidland High School.

Mr. Potter is the grandson of the late Roger L. and Josephine Swanson, and the late Roy Lee "Pete" and Jeanetta Potter. He is a 1985 graduate of Marshall County High School and is employed by Schwan's in Calvert City.


Well what do ya think? Don't we make a great looking couple?? Only a little over 2 months left!

Playing Catch up...

OK I'm doing playing a major game of catch up here- on almost everything. Except a nap at the moment- that will come after dinner at my MIL's in a couple hours.

Friday we worked outside the house all day, I tore down a ramp and porch while Scott put up 2 mailboxes and posts- ours and my MIL's. It's a long story but the Calvert City Postmaster is being a butthole and if we want the mailbox in front of our house instead of on the next street, my MIL has to put one up next door too. Nevermind- I just want my mail where I can get it. Anyway the rickety ramp on the side of the house is now gone... I thought the thing was rotten and would easily come all to pieces.... NOT!!!!!! Although the wood was weathered and somewhat cracked, it wasn't rotten enough to break apart or pull apart. Then some of the nails we actually had to cut- they were NOT coming out of the wood even after we cut enough of the top layer out to get a better grip on them. Even Scott, my 6'2" 235lb fiancee couldn't pull them out... one of the heads even broke off trying to get it out LOL. We finally took a rotozip saw to the things ROFL.

Was gonna do some more work Saturday but that plan was cut short- Scott's blood sugar bottomed out Saturday morning causing him to have a diabetic seizure. We finally had to call the paramedics since he was fighting us and we couldn't get close to him but by the time they got there he had come out of it and was drinking Mt. Dew and Orange Juice. Then after he drank all that, we went to eat Breakfast about an hour or so later so naturally his sugar was sky high when we came back. It finally levelled out that afternoon but he still didn't feel like doing much. He's fine- just having to watch his sugar pretty close. It isn't often something like that happens but once in a while it will spike or bottom out on him. About average once every 2-5 years is par for the course that it gets really off.

So while he was relaxing Sat and last night.... actually about 5am... I finished... or semi finished my Coming Home Poncho. OK so I cheated if you want to know the truth... I finished it enough I could wear it to church cause with all that went on Fri and Sat I didn't get much chance to finish it. I didn't cheat that much and it already looks good.... just haven't put the collar on yet, and one more row of the scallop edging. THEN I'll post pics of it!

As of right now, I'm beat- running on Adrenaline. Was gonna get a nap after church but almost forgot we had to take Easter baskets and stuff to Carson, my 4yo cousin. He's just getting old enough to get excited about everything. Of course he and Scott spent most of the time wrestling... don't know who's the bigger kid!!!



Carson- Christmas 2004

So after I have dinner at my MIL's and I get Scott off to work, I'm coming back here and do some major crashing or relaxing- whichever I feel like!! Everyone else must have been busy too- not many sites/blogs updated. Hope everyone had a great Easter.

And last, a prayer request- Please keep my friends Sharon and Kristin in your prayers, their MIL and grandmother Mrs. Brown passed away last night.

WIP Poncho etc.

Real quick before bed... have to report that my poncho is about 75% done. I only lack about another row of the body, then the edging and collar. Think I can get it done tomorrow, definitely Saturday. Will be ready for Easter Sunday.

I took it with me in Cracker Barrel this morning and worked on it while we were waiting for our food- got quite a bit of attention over it. Everyone wanted to know what I was making. On the way out the door a lady asked me what I was crocheting and I said a poncho and she said "Oh yes, I like those. Especially that one Martha Stewart wore when she got out of jail". ROFLMAO!!!! I had to laugh and explained that was what I was working on then she nearly had a heart attack wanting to know where I got the pattern for it. Well I decided to be nice and tell her.... what I really should have said was I made it up and offered to make one for her for a fee!! ROFL! I'm so mean sometimes!! But I was a good girl and told her where to find the pattern.

Actually the thing was kind of expensive... 4 skeins of Homespun @ $4.57 ea. Now don't get the wrong idea- I actually hate Martha, can't stand to look at her or hear about her.... BUT I did think to myself "hmm I like that poncho" when she got on that plane in the news. I wondered at the time if it was something commercially bought (figured it was something her clothing line had made) or if someone had made it. Now we know.

Before I go.... Please pray for both Terri/family AND Michael Schiavo (Hey the bad guy needs our prayers as much as the innocent) as well as for those who lost relatives in the MN school shooting this week. May God be with them all.

Moving... ugh..

Someone shoot me if I ever move again. No, actually I'm not moved yet... far from it. But at this rate it's gonna take me at LEAST the next six months to get my stuff together and cleaned out and sorted... not to mention moved.

For the last week or two now I've been working on my yarn and fabric collection. Need I say more about what's taking so long?

Been doing that and getting some stuff listed on Freecycle all day. Worked on my poncho for a little while but that soon gave way to sorting out more stuff. The only time I've gotten out of the house today's been when we went to Breakfast. I need a break!!

Hopefully I've got everything I need for the wedding except the music and the girls' dresses. Maybe now I can get rid of those pesky wedding supply catalogs that have been around here for ages!!

Besides the girls' dresses and music, all that's left is to address shower invitations and I plan on doing that by computer. Tacky, maybe... but quick. At least the Wedding invitations themselves got done by hand and look fairly nice even for my usually messy penmanship.

No pictures of finished crocheted objects or Angel's story to post yet but I'm promising those will come soon as I get a chance to post them.

Well back to sorting, etc. Gotta get some of this mess out of the floor!

Move junk or crochet.... hmmm.....

Well I don't know if I'm a day behind or a day ahead. It's kind of confusing posting tonight (or so it feels like although it's already almost 4am) stuff about yesterday (still feels like today). Does that make sense? Didn't to me either. Anyway I'm posting stuff about yesterday when it still feels like it should be yesterday- I haven't been to bed yet.

Had a major dilemma all day.... move junk to either get rid of or take to the new house with me... or crochet. Been doing some of both. I know, I'm a BAAAD girl but I just HAD to go ahead and start that Coming Home poncho for myself- doing it in homespun delft and planning to wear it Easter Sunday to church so it will look like a new outfit.. noone will pay attention to what you have on under it anyway!

Actually I used to HATE working with homespun.... always got tangled for some reason. This has worked up like a dream so far and I love it! Just don't anyone send me any (or anything made from) any of those dull and drab colors homespun likes to produce. I like the brighter or pastel colors too.... the blues and some of the variegateds. Especially one color that I don't know its name... gotta pick some up next time I go to Wal-mart- Hobby Lobby was out of it.

Actually made it to HL before they closed tonight, which is rare. They close darn early (8pm) and everything else stays open til at least 9 around here. Most stuff later. Anyway found that delft for the poncho and some Lt. coral for my teardrop granny ghan, and a green I thought matched that didn't. Oh well... another skein for charity. Maybe something for men or boys.

We never actually made it to Wal-mart tonight- it was cold and misting rain and just plain miserable out so we wound up going home.

Stereo is ready and fixed.. or so he says so I'll pick that up tomorrow. Er... today. Whatever. Whenever I get dragged out of bed anyway. Which will probably be early.

Right now I'm fading fast so I'm about to collect my cat and take her to bed with me. Sara gave me an inspiration... I'll post Angel's story in the near future... so that will probably be one of my next posts. Right now too sleeeeepppppyyyyyy..... I see Angel has fallen asleep without me in the next room... better catch up to her.

WIPS, WIMS and FO's

You'll notice I've been rather busy this morning- added quite a few stuff to the template, changed a few things, introduced my co-host ANGEL (please give her a big welcome! LOL) and added a list of WIPS (Works in Progress), WIMS (Works in Mind), and FO's (Finished objects- these are rare!!!). Figured I'd better explain for all you non-crafters out there.

Gotta run this morning- hoping for a trip to Hobby Lobby and Walmart and GOTTA make a trip to the post office to get out those packages I shoulda and said I'd get yesterday but didn't. Sara's and Jess' included. Sara you'll have an extra envelope from me- some patterns I forgot to stick in with your YarnExchange package. *Also a plug for YarnExchange group- Next exchange will start April 15th! Tax day....

On a non-crochet related note, guess I'm gonna have to call the guy back about my stereo. Took it in to the repair shop to stop the constant skipping, freezing, etc. even after a good cleaning. Been 5 days now.... how long can it take to take the back off of it and see what's wrong with it? The man doesn't stay that busy. I want my CD player back!! Guess I'll have to settle for AOL radio til then.... or puter CD player....

Gonna run crochet something til time to go. Gonna see if I can't get something down on that FO's column!! Need to do that before I start any more WIMS.... or is that WIPS....

Crochet and House decorating

Well today wasn't much of a day for anything but relaxation. But I needed it! I wound up staying up til almost 6am then sleeping in. About all I've accomplished today was getting another package ready to go out (This one is yarn scraps unusable to me for my charity projects, and spare skeins of yarn going to LoveAfghans4PRR a group that sends afghans to the elders and such on Pine Ridge Reservation in SD), and crocheting on a ghan (haven't decided if it will be a lapghan, child's ghan or comfortghan- could be either) using my Teardrop Granny Pattern. The thing I've noticed with this pattern is be sure to crochet LOOSELY or you will have the corners larger than the middle. Be sure to use a large enough hook that your crocheting isn't tight!!

I also was by Big Lots tonight; they've stopped selling yarn so nothing crochet to report there but I did pick up a bargain on garbage bags for the house (HEY we all need them, right??), a fleece blankie for my living room for $2.99- can't even buy the fleece on clearance for that- and a really pretty kitty rug/doormat for my den "porch" inside the door.

Well, off to do some more crocheting and *ugh!* sorting more stuff out to move or get rid of.

Review: New Crochet Fantasy

I had the chance tonight to pick up a new Crochet Fantasy magazine and look thru. My Opinion: 95% waste of paper. There was a pretty poncho pattern in there (OK so I'm not into ponchos much but it looked good) and a couple good articles. Other than that most of the patterns were... well... repetitive. They seriously lacked that creativeness and fun of Crochet World and some others. Now THERE's patterns!

Looks like a good magazine... if you're one of those fashion designers that puts boring outfits nobody buys anyway on toothpick-skinny, ugly models and parades them down runways and calls it fashion.

Oh and another nice thing.... if you subscribed to them in January before the change of management/ownership, guess what? Your money's no good anymore. If you want the rest of the year, you gotta pay your subscription fee all over again. Forget it- glad I didn't subscribe- I usually just pick up the ones I am interested in on a newsstand.

As I said, it DID have one or two nice patterns but it's gonna take more than one or two nice patterns to get me to shell out $5-6 for a magazine. Especially with gasoline about $2/gal. Hope the next issue is better!

Just a quickie....

Not much time today - just thought I'd post a bit more about me and a pic....

So here's a pic of me and Fiancee, Scott. Getting married in a little more than 2 months! Boy Wedding Planning is a major ordeal!



Along with getting married comes the fun of remodeling the house, learning to raise a grown child (My fiancee, that is!).... But seriously, got the master bedroom painted this past weekend and part of the hall trim. A new vanity and sink in the bathroom too. Oh and did I mention we had to clean out Grandma's house before we could start remodeling? I loved his Grandma but I seriously don't know how one 86 year old lady could amass so much STUFF, especially being a widow and living alone for 13 years! Then we don't even want to talk about the stuff I've got to go thru and move here.

But... it'll all be worth it. IF we ever get it done that is! Now to relax a bit, see if I can't crochet some til time to eat supper, and get these YarnExchange packages ready to mail out to Jess and Sara.

In The Beginning....

God Created the Heavens and the Earth; I created this blog.

Well, it's the truth ain't it?? Actually I started to leave a comment for someone's blog and got roped into creating a blog identity/site of my own so I thought what the heck... might as well give it a try.

I already have a web page, Marla's House that tells a lot about me, this will be a good place to post my brainstorms and daily thoughts. I can also use this to talk about my crafts, mostly crochet, moving and remodeling a house, and planning my wedding coming up in June. Visit my web page while you're being curious... there's a picture there of me and my fiancee among other things.

Well, time for bed finally at 3:48 am (YES- I am a chronic severe night owl!!!)- had a long weekend of house painting/remodeling, addressing wedding and shower invitations and much more!

Will post and edit more later. Night all!