Mary, Mary, quite contrary. How does your cellphone grow?

Apparently all it needs is a lot of rain and to fall into a planter! I could really be sitting on a goldmine here if this thing actually sprouts.

You know it's going to be one of those days when you realize your cell phone is missing, can hear it ringing, but just can't locate it. I got the twins off to preschool and had Pickles in his car seat on the way to the sitter. I realize my lifeline (also known as cell phone) isn't in my pocket. I swing back by the house and call it. I can hear a faint ring. First stop is the dishwasher, as that's Pickles new favorite place to put it. Nothing. Crap man! I gave up quickly cuz I'm a quitter like that.


Hey wait a second. When did that flower phone get put in? I didn't think my secret agent stuff would get here until I sent in all 72 box tops! Let down. It's just my cell phone. It had somehow made it's way into the planter outside. That's it, no more cooking with wine. Crazy things happen when I get all liquored up.
Speaking of liquor, check these babies out: . Ok, so these have nothing to do with liquor. I'm not so great at segueing from one topic to the next. This is one of those things that ya never knew you needed. Maybe you don't need them, but go with me here. Ya know those little cardboard sleeves they put on your coffee cups at Starbucks? Ha, those are for losers. These are much nicer. You know what they say? They say, "Coffee cup, I love you and want you to look fashionable."

Don't drink coffee or other hot beverages? You could also rock them like THIS!

Sweet! I always wanted to be one of those cool kids that wore wrist sweat bands. Lord knows my wrists sweat a lot.

I saw a bunch of patterns for these, but we all know I don't understand them. If you can understand crochet patterns, yippy for you. Here you go. Or, if you don't crochet but want one, look here.

Basically, I chained 35 (some patterns say 30, some 40) and connected into a ring. I double crocheted for 2 rows. On the third row I increased (double up in each single chain), so it would flare. 4th row, 5th, and 6th row, I only doubled up every 4 chains. See, I'm confused again. Stupid words. My advice is to read the "real" pattern. I suck.

~Hearts.

Fall has set in

We finally got a taste of fall weather down here. We took the kiddos to the beach house, for what probably will be the last time for the season. It was so beautiful.

I recently made my first attempt at crocheting a hat. I have never done anything more than crocheting the tops of tea towels so they can hang on a door, so this was big for me. I looked online at patterns, only to discover I can't understand the things (and I thought the Marine Corps had a lot of acronyms!). By looking at pictures, I figured out how to crochet in a round and from there I just figured it out as I went along. This is was my first hat, modeled for us by my lil' pickles (don't mind the chocolate cookie on his face):


On the car ride to the beach, I decided hubby needed a new hat as well. He hasn't taken it off his head since. Here are my two favorite men with their warm heads:
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Here is my laymen's attempt at a crochet pattern for a hat.

Crochet in a round. Start by chaining 2-3 single chains (sc). Sc into one chain 6 times (After numerous attempts to properly photograph this, just look here). Now, into each of those 6 sc, sc 2. You will start to see a circular shape already! I just kinda guesstimated how big of a circle to crochet. I figured out the diameter by measuring the head around then divide by Pi {3.14} and subtract about 15% from that to make sure its snug. Ha ha! Didn't know you'd get a math lesson today did ya?!

Once I got the circle to the diameter I wanted, I just single chained around and around. I tried it on my test subjects as I got close to what I thought was the proper length and added or subtracted chains as neccessary. By the final few rows, I started decreasing. To do this, I simply skipped a sc about every 4 sc (sc 4, skip the 5th, sc 6, 7, 8, 9, skip 10 etc.). Who is confused yet? I am. See why I skipped the pattern and just tried to figure it out??!

They turned out pretty dandy and took very little time. On the car ride home I crocheted myself a pumpkin hat to wear for the next few weeks ! Fancy eh?!

I'm going to make pink hats for the girls and attempt to stitch a crown shaped pattern on it for them. Their heads look cold, do they not?!