My Love

Oh I love this man. I woke up this Saturday morning to my phone buzzing from a text from my sister wanting to know when we were going to meet up. I texted back that I wanted to clean my house really quick but it wouldn't take long. J read the text over my shoulder and said, "OK, let's go clean the house." He knew that last weekend was so busy we hadn't had a chance to sweep and mop the floors and they really needed it. He knew it was important to me.

He takes such good care of me. I have to get up early for work, so I usually go to bed earlier than he does. When I lay down he cuddles me for a bit and gives me kisses. Then I usually browse on my phone. My phone charger is at the foot of my bed, which forces me to stand up and turn off my alarm. I am not a morning person and this is necessary. I usually fall asleep and my phone ends up on the bed. Every night he finds it and plugs it in for me.

It's the little things I really appreciate.

One time J told me that the most valuable advice he ever received was when we were first married. A guy at our church who had been married awhile passed it on. J was told to always express appreciation to your wife. So he tries very hard to notice when I do things and to tell me thank you.

He is also the most considerate husband. It's interesting the things we don't notice unless someone points it out. J always puts the toilet seat down, but it wasn't until we had been married for years that the subject came up. I had assumed that it was something he had always done; perhaps it was a rule in his family and it was an ingrained habit. He informed me that he started doing it once we got married, because he was trying to be nice to me. It was something he consciously did to make my life easier.

I hate cooking. I've never wanted to learn. Very rarely J will ask for help in the kitchen, and I get frustrated trying to cut carrots or measure liquids. But he makes me the most delicious dinners. Where one has a failing, the other steps in. We have the chores divided up so that we're pretty happy. I actually like doing laundry, and I don't mind scrubbing toilets. But I hate putting groceries away and feeding the dogs.

He makes me laugh. Sometimes I think about the celebrities who have their own reality TV shows. I'm pretty sure people would think our inside jokes are weird. I don't even care. He's hilarious and he's my friend.

The thing I appreciate the most is that J doesn't treat me like some men treat their wives. He doesn't talk sharply to me or in an annoyed voice. He doesn't get irritated when I'm talking or tune me out. He treats me like a friend. When he gets up from the couch, he asks if he can get me anything while he's up. When I don't feel well, he takes care of me and doesn't make me feel like a burden. He calls me at work to ask how I'm doing or tell me he misses me.

It's amazing, because ultimately I am a selfish being. But when J is so nice to me, it makes me want to return the gesture. I look for ways to be nice to him. To make him smile. When I don't want to do something, but I know it's important to him, I have to fight against my nature to be selfish. Usually he wants me to come into the office or outside to his garden when I'm in the middle of a book or TV show. I ask him if it's important. He gets a look on his face that says it is to him, but he won't make me come if I don't want to. So I come.

People have seen our relationship. Apparently it's unusual. I've been told to "just wait," that the honeymoon phase will wear off. Being married to most people means having someone you don't have to be nice to.

Maybe it's because we don't have the stress of children. But I feel like J would be kind to me anyway. I give him all the credit.

When J talked to my Dad about getting married, my Dad asked J, "Are you sure? She can be difficult." Something that hurt my feelings at the time. But J knows how to handle me. When I'm being a brat, he doesn't get upset or yell or tell me to quit. He laughs and looks at me like I'm adorable. He teases me. He coaxes me out of my stubbornness.

He is my puzzle piece.

Patio Set

J and I had a little patio set in the front. The cushions were really sun worn and the fabric was getting holes in it. I tried to find new cushions, but they were a weird shape. I contacted someone on Etsy to see how much it would cost to make new cushions. I wasn't willing to pay that much. And I wasn't going to sew myself new cushions. I am not a fan of sewing.

So I surfed Craigslist to see what I could see.

And found this set for $20.

I spent a couple hours sanding it down and adding new screws to strengthen it. Then I painted it.

I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I had the paint left over from painting my Adirondack chair. So for $20 for the set and $4 for the screws, it wasn't a bad project.

Mickey / Minnie Mouse Crochet Hat

I found a crochet pattern for a Mickey/Minnie Mouse hat for a baby. I have a friend who is mad about  those mice, and is expecting a baby, so I thought I'd whip her up one.

Biggest. Mistake. Ever. The pattern was all messed up so I ended up making up my own. Then I couldn't get those freakishly big ears to stand up; they kept flopping over. It was such a pain. But I friggin did it.

Then I thought about my bestie Katelyn. Who is mad about Disney. She also had a birthday coming up. And apparently I am a glutton for punishment.

And also the best friend ever.

So I had to make her a hat. I am just picturing her in it on a cold day at Disneyland.

Here is the crochet pattern for the ears:

Stitch Marker needed.

Baby ears: Hook G

Adult ears: Hook I
Scroll down to learn the secret to get the ears to stand up.

Round 1: 8 HDC in magic loop. (8)

Round 2: 2 HDC in each stitch around. (16)

Round 3: *1 HDC in first stitch, 2 HDC in next stitch* repeat around. (24)

Round 4: *1 HDC in first two stitches, 2 HDC in next stitch* repeat around. (32)

Round 5: 1 HDC in each stitch (this gives curve to ear) (32)

I'm not going to include a pattern for a beanie hat - there are millions for free on the internet. Hopefully if you crochet you already have a simple DC pattern saved somewhere. Or you could fancy it up with a shell stitch or something and then do the ears. Do whatever you want.

So how did I get the ears to stand up?

I tried fabric stiffener. Don't try that. It just looks crusty.

The secret is to crochet the hat and ears with two strands of yarn and then use black pipe cleaner. I crocheted the pipe cleaner into the ears on the last row and left it sticking out as I sewed the ears on.

Then I weaved the ends of the pipe cleaner into the hat to give the ears stability. I made sure it wasn't sticking out in a way that it would stab the person (or baby) wearing the hat.

It totally worked. And Katelyn loved it. I am so glad. Her hubby wants a Mickey one now.

So how to make the Minnie Mouse bow? If you I to tie a bow normally, it looks weird. Maybe there is some secret way to do it, but I haven't figured it out.

Seriously. It's weird.

So I manufacture one and then attach it to a clip. I bought these clips from Sally's years ago. Since it's a pack of 100, I still have a few left.

Some people sew the middle of the bows to give it that scrunched look. I found out that I am not a fan of sewing. So I use hot glue.

First I cut a piece of ribbon and then glue the ends together so it makes a circle. 

This is the loopy-bow part.

 Then I pinch the middle together.

I squish it and glue the middle together on both sides and on the inside. Then I cut another piece of ribbon for the end piece, as if you actually tied a bow.

I fold it in half and cut it so that the ends look nice.

You can take a lighter and just slightly melt the end pieces so that they don't fray.

I squish it and glue it in the middle, the same as the first piece, then I glue the two pieces together.

I did the same for the top ribbon part and the bottom ribbon end piece. Then I glued them together.

Then I covered it up with a piece of smaller black ribbon.

And covered up the top part of the clip with the black ribbon (the 3/8" ribbon works best).

And annoyed my J by making him model it. Oh he is so handsome when he pretends he is angry.

Overall I'm pretty happy with my little project.

Crocheted Fox Gloves

My sister posted something on Facebook that she wanted from Etsy but it was sold out. It was some really cute fox gloves.

I tried finding a pattern for this with no luck. I gave up for a bit. And then Christmas came around and I thought it might be a nice surprise. Checked the Etsy listing. Still sold out. Rude. I was going to have to attempt to make the gloves.

I found a free pattern for fingerless gloves easy. It was too large, so I modified it down until it fit my hand.

I found the fingerless gloves pattern here:

http://www.straw.com/cpy/patterns2/accessories/m5-CrctFgrlessGlves.html

Here's how I modified it (my notes in red):

Note:  Except for the first rnd and last rnd of the glove, you will not join the rnds with a sl st.  Instead, you will just continue to work sc in a spiral.

Ch 26.  (Ch 22 instead.) Join with sl st.  Place marker to mark beg of rnd.  (You will slip the marker up at the beg of each rnd.)
Rnd 1:  Ch 3, work dc in next and each rem st. [26 sts] 22 sts
Rnd 2:  Work sc in each dc.
Rnd 3:  Work sc in each sc.
Repeat Rnd 3 until piece measures 4".

Deidre did rows: 4 - 11.

Begin Thumb Gusset:
Next Rnd (Row 12):  (2 sc in next sc) 2x, sc in each rem sc. [28 sts] 24 sts
Next Rnd (Row 13):  sc in each sc around.
Next Rnd (Row 14):  2 sc in 1st sc, work sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc, sc in each rem sc. [30 sts] 26 sts
Next Rnd (Row 15):  sc in each sc around.
Next Rnd (Row 16):  2 sc in 1st sc, work sc in next 4 sc, 2 sc in next sc, sc in each rem sc. [32 sts] 28 sts
Next Rnd (Row 17):  sc in each sc around.

Next Rnd (Row 18):  2 sc in 1st sc, work sc in next 6 sc, 2 sc in next sc, sc in each rem sc. [34 sts] 30 sts

Next Rnd (Row 19):  sc in each sc around.

Next Rnd (Row 20):  2 sc in 1st sc, work sc in next 8 sc, 2 sc in next sc, sc in each rem sc. [36 sts] 32 sts

Next Rnd (Row 21):  sc in each sc around.

Next Rnd (Row 22):  sc in 1st sc, skip 10 sc and sc in next st, pulling taut to connect thumb gusset, sc in each rem sc. [26 sts]. 22 sts

**Continue to work sc's in each sc until piece measures just above beg of fingers (~1½" from top of thumb gusset).  Join last rnd with sl st.  Remove marker and fasten off.  Weave in ends.

********

Then I had to figure out how to make a fox face. I played around with a few different things and this is what I came up with:

Fox ear pattern:

Row 1: Ch 5. Sc in the 2nd ch from hook and each remaining ch. Turn. (4 sc)

Row 2: Ch1, sc2tog, sc2tog (do not use the little nub on the end). Turn.

Row 3: Ch 1, sc2tog (do not use the little nub on the end). Fasten off.

Crochet the ears in both colors (white and the color of the fox). Join the white and fox-colored triangles (more notes below) and Sc around the three sides of the triangles, joining them together. Leave an extra long tail to sew onto the glove.

**As you sew on the ears, make sure it’s tight. I sewed it on loose and tried to tighten it later and it was too hard – I had to unravel it and do it over.

Snout pattern (white):

Ch6

Row1: 4 hdc in third ch from hook. Hcd in next 2 stitches. In last stitch, 5 hdc. Working on other side of ch, hdc in next 2 st, join with sl st to beginning.  Fasten off, leaving a long tail to sew on.

Nose (black): 

Chain 3.

Do a single crochet decrease over second and third chains from hook. Fasten off, leaving a long tail to sew on.

Eyes: buttons

The ears were a pain because you had these two pieces of yarn to weave in.

So I weaved them to the middle then knotted them together and made sure to sew that side inward.

I hate sewing. It is such a struggle getting things centered correctly and everything weaved in and tied off. It was a relief when this project was completed.

They're not as elegant as the original, but I hope my sister likes them.