Do NOT try this at home

Seriously....I am NOT encouraging anyone else to try this, but I think I need to share what I did yesterday.

I cleaned a pan - stop rolling your eyes! This is scarier than it sounds....I cleaned a nonstick griddle with an SOS pad and a big hunk of steel wool scouring pouf thingy (sorry, I really don't know what it's called but it's made of soft-ish metal and you use it to scrub things that won't scratch easily)

I forgot to take a picture before I started, but I think you can imagine what the pan looked like.....See the black in the middle of the pan, the whole thing looked like that before I started. The pan was "clean" but the black build up from years of using cooking spray and too high of heat was really bugging me.

So I started scrubbing

I moved the pan to the counter beside the sink so I'd have a more solid surface...then I hit my head

If this cabinet didn't hold all my cups and glasses it would have been ripped off the wall after I hit my head on it...the 3rd time!! You would think I'd learn not to lift my head there, but NOOOO I just kept doing it...Ouch!!

I ended up using some BarKeeper's Friend - if you don't know what this is, you really need to check it out it's non-abrasive and helps keep my pans (the non-gunky ones) and sink shining!

I also grabbed an SOS pad for a little extra fine scrubbing.

Then, after about an hour of scrubbing this is what I got it down to

I HAD to stop scrubbing, not because of any harm to the pan....the non-stick coating actually still looks perfect, but my arms were on FIRE!!! That was a lot of scrubbing! I figure I'll have one more good session with the srubber and it should be back to nearly new.

I really would not recommend this method, but I was at the point I was going to throw the pan away if I couldn't get the black stuff off. If I had ruined it, it wouldn't have been a loss.....instead I saved one of my favorite pans. YAY!!! We can still have pancakes and quesadillas!

New Year = New Attitude

For nearly 6 years now, Brad and I have been trying to have a baby....we're still trying. Sometimes all our trying (and the disappointments that have come along with it) lead me to having a bad attitude. I've decided that this is the year it's going to change. I know it won't be easy but instead of the sorrow, disappointment and bitterness that can seem to infiltrate my attitude I'm going to strive for something better.

This year I want to be

Joyful
Prayerful
Hopeful
Kind
Truthful
Forgiving
Thoughtful
Giving
Loving
Purposeful
Attentive
Relaxed

OK these obviously reach farther than our infertility, but they are all attributes of the person I want to be. I hope that I am some of these things already....but I know that I have a long way to go.

I have a lot of fun posts and pictures to catch up on....sorry if this got a little heavy, but it's been weighing on me and I just wanted to share a little piece of my heart with ya'll.

Blog Hopping

I'm blog hopping with Jessica's Coupons this week. I'm actually excited about checking out some new blogs...what better way to find some new inspiration than to find a new pool of blogs to read!

Hope you all had a great Christmas!  I hope to be back to blogging a bit more next week.

Happy New Year Ya'll!

Quick Knit Ornament

I promised the other day that I would share the pattern for the sweater ornament with you....Here it is:

Cast on 13 stitches

Work 3 rows of K1P1 rib

Work Stockinet stitch (starting with a knit row) for 9 rows

Knit 13, Cast on 10

Purl 23, Cast on 10

Work in Stockinet stitch 3 rows

Purl 13sts, Cast Off 7, Purl 13

Knit 13, Cast on 7, Knit 13

Work Stockinet st 3 rows

Cast off 10, knit to end

cast off 10, purl to end

work 10 rows Stockinet St

Work 3 rows of K1P1 rib

Cast off

Using a contrast yarn, and long stitches, add initial to front of sweater

Fold sweater in half, with intial on the inside and sew up the sides and sleeves

Turn right side out, add a hanger (I would just use a loop of yarn) and you're done!

You may have noticed that I didn't give you a yarn or needle size....that's because you can really use any size yarn. For the example I used Cascade 220 and size 6 needles. I have also done with with Homespun (Lion Brand) and size 8 needles....the size yarn and needles you use will determine the size of your finished sweater. I think using some scrap sock yarn would make REALLY cute little sweaters.

I can finish one of these in about an hour so there really is still time to get some done before Christmas.

If you run into any trouble with this pattern, please let me know so I can correct it. Also, I'd love to see any mini sweaters you knit up.



North to Alaska!

YAY!! The bulk of my Christmas crafting/shopping is done and on it's way to our Alaska family. It's always such a relief when I get that Christmas box mailed out. All I have left to do is 17 stuffed owls, 5 wreaths, 1 set of placemats, and another market skirt...did I mention making chocolate covered pretzels, turtles, baking cookies, the church Christmas program, one shopping day with a good friend and getting ready for Christmas dinner? I think I can handle it!

Hope you're all making lots of progress on your to-do lists too.

Only 10 More Days

It hit me today....we only have 10 days till Christmas!!! EEEEEKKKK!  So much to do!! After I had a mini-meltdown (ok...maybe a little more than "mini") I got to work and got quite a bit accomplished. As usual there are things I can't show you...but here are the ones that I can:

I made a couple of great t-shirts for some young boys...I'm pretty impressed with myself on these. I looked at monsters online and then just started doodling. I had probably a hundred to choose from so both the boys get the same little blockheaded monster - they live so far apart they won't run into each other at a party so I think I'm safe



This one still needs to be stitched down, but it's all fused



Here is one that's finished....SO cute!!



I also made a market skirt from this tutorial over at MADE. If you haven't checked out her blog, you really should...Dana has some amazing stuff going on.

This skirt is actually WAY cuter in person!

This skirt was SO simple! It went together really quick and is going to be perfect for the girly little girl getting it for Christmas. I was going to put pockets on it, but I ran out of time....this and one of the monster shirts had to be delivered last week....oh well, pockets will appear on a project soon.

I made these boxes for one the projects that I can't show you....I just couldn't find anything else to fit it (them) so I made my own. I found the directions over at Not So Idle Hands. It took a bit of trial and error to get the measurements just right. I never thought I'd make my own gift boxes, but I think it was worth it!

I've also been working on knit sweater ornaments. I have to trouble shoot the pattern a little more, but I'll try to have it posted in the next couple days. Honestly, I wrote the pattern and knit the first one in just a couple hours, so there is still time to get a couple done for last minute Christmas gifts.

This one is for my secret santa at work....if you know her shhhhhh!!

A little side note:  The cat has found a new napping spot...on my basket of fabric. If you get something from me and find a hair or 2 I'm sorry....just think of it as Bonnie saying hello.

I promise Bonnie is still just a kitten....but she looks awfully big laying there

I joined these parties....check them out for some great ideas.

More Christmas Crafting

I'm reluctant to even call this a craft, but it's my favorite new Christmas decoration....and I kinda made it.

Sorry the picture is sideways....just turn your head to the side and it looks right. I don't know what the problem is I just can't get it turned upright - sorry. Anyway, all I did to make this totally awesome tree was pick up a felt cut out tree from the Dollar Tree (greatest store ever!!) and use a little glue (I used my scrapbooking roller tape) then stuck it onto a tall glass candle holder - if you don't already have one they sell them at Dollar Tree. Eek!!! I LOVE this...it looks great on our entertainment center.

These are a couple of the owls that I'm making for all the kids in the family....I love these guys....I think they are SUPER cute! I might even have to make a couple for myself.

On the stuffed animal front, I also made this snake for my super cute little nephew. I know, I know it's not sewn up yet in this picture....as my Grandma would say "it's all done but finishing"

These are the start of a couple other gifts that I have started....of course these are ones that I can't really give any details about since they are for people who might be checking in here.

Hope your Christmas crafting is going well....As of tomorrow we have 3 weeks to finish, wrap and deliver all our crafty gifts.

You can find this posted linked at