When it Rains, it Pours!!

It's been hot. Very hot.  And humid. It's only the beginning of June, and the temps have nearly hit 90 a few times already. Did I mention the  humidity??

We've had a few storms as well. The rain should cool things off, right? Well, it did yesterday for about 5 minutes. Then the sun came out and baked up all that nice rain into humidity stew. That's what we were slopping around in. I had to have the window AC put in last night just so I could sleep. Then I about froze to death. You have to understand, I am a warm blooded gal (and being a big girl doesn't help much either!). I don't even wear a "proper" winter coat. Yes, I am that warm. So the humidity gets to me some. And those around me, if you get my drift...

Needless to say, when it rains it pours. Here is a pic of things to do when it rains and your kids are cooped up inside:

Yep,  you LET EM OUT!! They absolutely loved running in the rain, and screamed  hysterically every time the thunder boomed. It was great fun, from the nice dry doorway!

And I got two new partners for my Secret Swaps, my SP12 partner, and my Keepin Cool dishcloth partner. These are going to be fun. I can't wait to start blogking (blog-stalking) and checking them out on Ravelry.

I just sent off my secret buddy exchange for the At My House Group. This is sorta like SP swaps, but lots different. Like you can't contact your partner or reveal yourself, and the bulk of the items are  handmade. Plus, you really can't get to know them...so it's kind of hit or miss with what you make. I sent stuff I would like to receive. It's hard in the summer, since handmade items tend to be warm...

I was in such a hurry to get the box in the mail, I didn't take pics of a lot of the stuff. This is what I've been spending most of my time on. Oh well, guess next time I will take pics as soon as the stuff is done.

I finished this cute little clutch for a secret purse swap. I just need to add some kind of closure. Do I add velcro or a button? Hmmm, I need to decide soon, since the deadline is fast approaching. This was crocheted in a day. I really like the middle pattern.  This pic just does not give it justice at all. I did not line the bag, although it would probably be more useful that way. Still haven't tried the whole lining thing as I'm not a good sewer. I don't want to practice on someone else's goods.

This is what I got at Hobby Lobby last week. I only had so much money, or else I would have gotten tons more. They had a .99 cent  blowout sale on tons of stuff, including cotton!

This is going to become my very first Clap.

This is going to become a scarf:

And some of these are already marked for a project which is still in the works:

I came across a bunch of very cool crocheted patterns on Ravlery for quick things, like headbands and bookmarks. I am the Queen of Quick these days. If the baby isn't hungry, he's poopy. If he's not poopy, he's tired or crying. Or my other kids want some attention (too bad they weren't made from yarn. LOL) I have to cook and sometimes clean, and there's always hygiene to think of, at least for those around me, if not for myself. So I need very quick projects. And since my budget is limited, I need inexpensive projects.

which leads me to....

Dishcloths. I need to talk about a favorite pattern for my dishcloth exchange. Every topic I answer, I get an entry to win a nifty prize.  Wouldn't it be nice to win?

What is my favorite pattern? I love the Entrelac dishcloth. It looks very complicated, but it's super easy and looks wonderful. I like the Vortex Cloth, another amazing one for the eyes, yet stunningly simple.  I also like the dishcloths from Smariekknits.com and k1p1KeepingYouinStitchesStudio. I like visually stunning cloths that are easy to knit. The ballband cloth is fun, as is the DW cloth. A little lace is nice, as long as it's not too holey (I don't want my little fingers poking through). I also like simple yet efficient patterns: Grandma's favorite.

I guess  you could say my tastes are eclectic.  I prefer a smaller cloth to a larger one, though I find myself knitting larger cloths for exchanges! I also adore free patterns!

So that's it for today. I will post pics of the bucket hat I am working on and my other daughters finished tank (when I finish it!) Still working on another purse/bag and a crocheted baby blanket CAL for one of my Yahoo groups. And keeping cool.

Speaking of keeping cool: here's my boy pouting. He sure is a handsome one heh?