Back in good ol' Georgia

Well we are back. We were in PA for a while and in MD for a wedding on the way home. It was great to see family and friends. I got to visit with some family from MN and PA, and my friends from college. It sure was a long drive back through the night... I didn't have any time to crochet! I bought some new yarn but didn't get to work on any of my projects! This week is my last week of summer school , then I plan on crocheting everyday!
I got a new haircut! I donated my hair to locks of love.
I went to a nice expensive place, and I didn't know until she started cutting that I get a free haircut when I donate to locks of love! What a deal!

The first wedding we went to was my sister's:

Then we went to my college roommate's wedding and got to see college friends!

Work

Last night I finished one wrist warmer. I used bulky yarn and a larger hook, so it's kinda big but it fits. I did the front and back post stitches wrong. Well, I alternated them wrong, the stitches are correct. It gave it a cable look. I hope to try and again soon. I also started a cat puppet. I have at least 4 projects going on right now with several more ready to start, but I can't crochet right now! I have work to do for my masters classes and housework that I've been neglecting... We are leaving next week for PA to go to 2 weddings and stay for a while, and I was supposed to get ahead with my schoolwork. I'm sort of ahead...
I wish there were more hours in the day, especially when it's a day off.

Free Crochet Patterns!!!!

There are so many awesome free crochet patterns online!!! I found a treasure trove of Japanese patterns- so you have to be able to understand the diagrams. But once you do, you will have unlimited patterns to try. Go here, scroll down until you see the rectangles with different topics, click one, and all the thumbnails will lead you to a free pattern! If it says something like "two needle stick" it means knit, and "the key needle" means crochet. I am still learning how to translate the number to the right size hook. Click on the link that says "figure knitting" and that will give you a pdf file with the clear diagram. The link I put on here should already be translated. It's not the best translation but it helps. The home page is http://www.rakuten.co.jp/gosyo/. The yarn brand is pierrot.

Another great site is clover. That link is for patterns. Here's the main page: http://www.clover.co.jp/index.shtml
Here's another clover pattern page: http://www.clover.co.jp/hand/hand67a.htm
This is a pattern I started for slippers: http://www.clover.co.jp/hand/hand44a.htm
That I found here.
I am going to start a pattern for wrist warmers that I found here. You need to click on the purple section and scroll to the bottom. The pdf is this.

If you need help with the symbols, this page is very helpful. It has almost all the symbols.

So many free patterns!! Now I need to get off the computer and pick up my crochet hook...

Grocery Shopping

We are going grocery shopping today. We are going to try something new-finally. I have several tote bags from teaching and other places, and we are ready to "go green" and not use as many plastic bags today. I want to keep the bags in the trunk so we can use them whenever we go grocery shopping. Let's see how long this lasts...
If you're looking for a great way to save money when grocery shopping, check out thegrocerygame.com. You have to pay but you can get a one-month free trial for only $1. You need to buy the Sunday paper each week (we buy 4) and then the grocery game tells you what is on sale at the store and which coupons to use with the sales. We always save 50% or more when we go. One day it rang up as $118. We scanned our store card, gave the coupons, and paid only $29. That was one of our best.
I finished a hat I made for Joel. He isn't home right now so I can't have him try it on, I hope it fits well and that he likes it...
I finally visited the yarn store in town! It's really neat! They have a nice selection of yarn and books. I only bought 2 skeins because they were cool and on sale. It's more expensive to buy nice yarn. (I'm used to Wal-mart and Michael's). I hope to buy more at Strings & Sticks Yarn Shoppe soon.
It's called 2nd Time Cotton by Knit one Crochet too. It's recycled cotton. Now I need to find a pattern to use it...

Yesterday and Today

Yesterday was a busy day! First, we had church. Then we signed an offer on a home (!!), then we went home to eat, then left again so Joel could go to work and I could drive 30 minutes to a Payless to get shoes for my sister's wedding. While I was there I looked around Goody's and found some good things but didn't buy anything. Then I sat in Starbucks and read and worked on my assignment for my masters that was due yesterday. I went home, ate, typed a little, and then went back to town to pick up Joel. I ended up staying up real late to finish my work. I had to get up kinda early today because I had meetings all day for summer school. During the second half of the day (right after lunch, in the library, with the lights low so we could see the screen..) I was super tired. Right afterwards I went to Starbucks again to read and get some caffeine and then crochet and to sit with Joel during his lunchbreak.
When I got home I crocheted an ice cream cone (free pattern!)! I remembered to ask for a few sample cups before I left Starbucks but they were too big for my cone! So I had to do without. Maybe I'll try again some other day.

I'm getting further on my tissue box cover:
The hook and yarn are so small it will take me forever. The pattern is from this book. I want to make another hat for Joel. I might start that tonight. I have so many things I plan to crochet this summer!!