Thursday, November 25, 2010

You CAN Teach An Old "Dog" A New Trick!!

    Okay, so I led this post with this picture because....because.....because I'm hungry!!! LOL Looking at pictures of food...especially Rocky Road Brownies...before you've had your breakfast will do that to you! I'll tell you more about that in a minute.
   First I want to tell you about this show I was watching on PBS {Public Broadcasting Station} yesterday that taught this 'Old Dog' a new trick!! The show is Knit and Crochet Today. I've watched it many times before. Not on any regular basis because, frankly, I've been crocheting since I was 9 or 10. They're usually teaching beginners how to do things that I already know how to do! {Although I do find it fascinating to watch HOW people teach others to crochet, and I have learned little pointers from them in that regard.}
   But yesterday they showed TWO different technigues of things I had never seen before!! One was how to make a scarf using a Hairpin Lace Loom and the other is a technique called Tunisian Crochet. Learning how to do the scarf on the loom is something I'm just thankful to know now how to do. I was given a hairpin lace loom a long time ago, in with a bunch of other crochet and craft items a friend 'just knew I could use'! I couldn't figure out what in the world it was...never mind how to use it!
   Now I know what it's called, and how to use it...if I ever want to...which I probably won't! I'm not a big fan of the look of the items they showed yesterday...But the Tunisian crochet technique?....Now that's another story!!
   As those of you who have been following this blog for a while know, I not only crochet but I also knit. I haven't done it for years, nor have I shown any of my knitting on this blog. The main reason I got out of the habit of doing it was because it's so S-L-O-W!!!!...And it's hard to keep track of your work...your rows and that; ...And when you make a mistake it's not easy to fix...not like crochet, where you just unravel to that point and redo it. One little slipped stitch in knitting and you could end up with a timely hole to repair!
   Well yesterday I found out that this Tunisian Crochet technique is sort of like knitting...but with a crochet hook! At least that's how I describe it. And I am almost kicking myself that I didn't know how to do this! It's obviously a well known technique. Look at the book I found on the web...
    I have some gorgeous baby blanket patterns that use an afghan stitch, using an afghan hook that looks like a long knitting needle with a crochet hook on the end. I tried years ago to figure out how to use it so I could make the patterns, and just could never figure it out!! I think this Tunisian Crochet IS the afghan stitch I was looking at!! When the lady on T.V. demonstrated how easy it was I almost wanted to cry at all of the wasted years of not knowing my craft like I should!
   So, Right away I pulled the crochet hook out of my black and red scarf that I'm making...which is coming along really nicely...and started a few rows of this Tunisian crochet, just to see if I REALLY DID know how to do it.
    And sure enough, 'easy peasy'!! And as you can see, the finished result looks almost exactly like knitting!! I'm going to have some fun with this I can tell!! I guess I'm not too old to learn something new! ^_^
    A couple of other things and I'm out. One being the two treasuries I was just included in. Mariann Rea, of LittleFoxPhotos, included my Green Harvest Hide Away Slipper Necklace...
     ...in her Gifts for Diabetics Treasury.
    How cool is it that she helped me think of how my necklace could be used for this purpose, and then she made a whole treasury of items just for diabetics and included it!! Now if that's not supportive I don't know what it!! :-) Thanks Mariann!
   Then Kim, of NeedlesAndKims, included my White and Purple Hide Away Slipper Key chain...
     ...in her Thankful for my Twitter Friends Treasury!
     I'm really partial to a few of the cute things in this treasury, like this lovely vintage Pink and Gold over White Demitasse Cup by MendozamVintage.

 This Purple Iris Hand Painted Silk Scarf by Julieriis.
   And this Textures of Nature Envelope Set by Maleaab.
     So, thank you Kim, for putting me in such good company!! :-)
   Two more quick bits of news: Hubby will be guest blogging this coming Sunday, November 28, 2010...I'm still SCARED!! :-} ... And I got my first copy of Country Living, the year's subscription I won on SnowFlakeDreams1 's blog! The Rocky Road Brownies in my header picture are one of the recipes in it!!! I'll share the other stuff I found in it tomorrow!!
    WHEW!!! Now that was a lot of work, putting this blog together, this morning! I hope you enjoy it. I'm going to get me a nap and some face time with the hubby. Have a good day now! :-]

Everything Is Getting Older

Everything is getting older,
past it's time, and rusting fast!
No matter how many times you oil it,
Somehow, still, it doesn't last.

Everything is getting older.
Even veggies just  from the store,
have now browned and withered up.
They're not all shiny like before.

Everything is getting older.
Old dogs included, people too.
Even babies, from the womb,
start gettig older, just past brand new!

Everything is getting older,
like real good books, with tales all told.
But, Wait a minute! Some books are good!
That's why "To read" will not get old.

Everything that's getting older
doesn't harm us and displease.
Just think of wisdom in the aging-
that's with people and with cheese!

All the things, those getting older,
showing marks and scars of time,
just need a tad bit more attention,
or just a small aged glass of wine!

14 comments:

  1. Those brownies look fabulous!! I hope you had something sweet to eat after breakfast! LOL How cool to learn a new technique! I love it when I do too, but I never thought to blog about it. I hope you and hubby have a wonderful day together and I'll talk to you tomorrow. We have meeting tonight, thank goodness. I'll be ready to get out of the house by then. I also have to go grocery shopping a bit later. Hate that job, but I love to eat.
    Have a great day my sister!

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  2. Anonymous11/25/2010

    Mmmmm chocolate brownies!

    Happy Thanksgiving!

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  3. Ohh congrats on winning the Country Living for a whole year! I'm so jealous! :D And those brownies, yum!

    And you are welcome about the treasury. I have to be honest, while I was trying to help you too I actually made this treasury thinking of my mom who has type I diabetes. I also bought her those alpaca socks! :D I bet she's gonna love those :)

    I'm happy for you that you found some new things in your crochet world :) That red scarf looks soo good already!

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  4. That brownie looks delicious! I was craving something chocolate earlier but that feeling passed.
    I love the look of that Tunisian crochet. I've never felt comfortable to try it, not yet anyway. I've only learnt to read a pattern not all that long ago. Maybe when I get the hang of the US & UK terminology (I get them muddled up) I might give it a go.

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  5. CinLynn, Yes I did have something sweet after breakfast...a big thick chocolate chip....really it was chunks...cookie!! Had it with a cup of coffee too!! :-) It was good!!!! And I ate it in good company...hubby!....Yep! Learned a new technigue yesterday, and learned about the new school or schools at the meeting tonight!! Exciting!!! :-] I'll talk to you about it tomorrow!!

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  6. Thanks Michele, but there was OH! So much more in this magazine!! I'll blog about it tomorrow!! :-)

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  7. Thanks Mariann, about the magazine, the red scarf, and the treasury! I didn't know your mom had diabetes. She must have had it a long time, huh? The type 1 is the one you're born with, no?! Tough! She looks great though!! She seems to be managing it just fine. Although I'm sure it's a challenge at times. My step-mom had it and my brother does now too! No one else in the family though...Yet anyway.

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  8. Jo-anne, I love the look of the Tunisian crochet too! It's very easy too. And when I say something's easy...it's easy! {The basics are that you chain to start the same as normal with a project. The next row, as you single crochet you leave the stitches on the hook to the end. Next row, loop over take off stitches. Next row go under the stitch in FRONT of your work and leave it on the hook!! That's really all there is to it!!} :-) I'm almost embarrassed to say so! ^_^

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  9. Hey there! Thank you so much for telling me about your blog post and featuring my envelope set! Truly appreciated and I am enjoying getting to know you on Twitter!

    - Malea (maleaab at Twitter)

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  10. Malea, You're very welcome! It was nice to share it with you!! :-)

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  11. You haven't know about it because it's not something I really want to talk about in public for the sake of her. And no, she was diagnosed 2 years ago. Doctors don't understand it too.

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  12. Those brownies look GORGEOUS!

    Julie
    Silknstyle

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  13. Mariann, Okay. I understand that completely.

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  14. Julie, I KNOW!!! I can't wait to see if they look that gorgeous when I make them in person!! :-)

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