Who is She, SANDY, that is?

Sandy of Sandy's Space, who is she? Well yeah there's a little ditty of a profile on the blog, don't we all have that. (pretty typical picture of me, preparing pasta and wine at hand....I'm sure there's yarn laying somewhere too)

Well, Sandy's a 60 year old who sometimes feel 60 +, though is lucky enough to usually feel much younger. I don't get hung up on age, or birthdays, they're just numbers after all. Numbers don't mean much unless we place great importance on them.

I'm married and when June rolls round this year will be celebrating 39 years. Neither hubby or I have been married to anyone else. We met in high school, though we only had one date then. We were friends, lived on the same street even. He worked with my younger brother the summer after high school and that's when we started dating. Unlike kids today we didn't know and date each other for eons and eons before getting engaged; nor were we engaged for YEARS earning our millions, buying everything on our list before getting married. We dated about 9 months, got engaged in the fall and got married the very next June. We had a very small outdoor wedding. My Mother made my dress and the dress my SIL, Jan wore who was my maid of honor. Though I guess technically she was my matron of honor since she was married. We had one used car between us, and somehow managed. Hubby was working full time evenings, and went to school during the day, while I worked day shift at a local hospital. We were happy, don't think we cared our furniture didn't match, or wasn't new. Don't think we even realized we didn't have much. We were together and that's what mattered to us.

We were married a good long while before we had our one practical perfect daughter. We never vacationed without her, and in the early days we camped mostly because that was affordable, and because we like being outdoors. We hiked, cooked out, and enjoyed lots of family time. We had one TV, and later when she needed one for school 1 computer.

I love good wine, quiet time, pretty scenery, computer time, and naturally knitting and crochet time. I go no where without a project in hand. You never know if you'll have time to do a row or two. I learned to crochet and knit when I was very young. Mom taught me to knit and a lady next door taught me to crochet. I really didn't do anything with either craft until after I was married though.

I'm not an animal person. Many animals scare me. I've always assumed part of that came from being attacked by a large dog when I was a kid. Also, probably too the number of people I saw badly mauled when I worked for a plastic surgeon from their family pets didn't help. Though we had dogs when I was kid growing up, and hubby and I had 2 cats when we were younger.....so, we have had pets; but not now.

I love to travel, and almost always visit historic locations when we do travel. I love learning who was there before me. I enjoy doing genealogy, though due to library cut backs don't do as much of that as I used to. I like spending time in and photographing gravestones for the same reason, to learn history and genealogy. Most cemeteries are such peaceful pretty places, it's also a good place to walk.

I began this blog back in August of 2005, though blogged in other venues prior to that. Some of you might remember aol had blogs, though I couldn't get anyone to blog with me then. Everyone I knew that had aol was afraid to blog. I blogged for awhile on msn spaces and yahoo's 360; until both became irritating with things not working. That's when I found a home here on Blogspot. I didn't blog as much then as I do now, and have deleted all my earlier blog posts here. I now have 3 blogs here on blogspot, Traveling Suitcase, and Bridge and Beyond. Obviously Traveling Suitcase is a travel blog, Bridge and Beyond is dedicated to helping homeless through knitting and crocheting. And now, perhaps you know a little bit more about me, the lady called Sandy.

This is my S post, Z-A Challenge

Oddball Baby Blanket now a FO

FO Friday post

Cupid, the Oddball Baby Blanket is now complete and will soon be on it's way, traveling once again. It will be heading to Minnesota, and after being wash on it's way with many others to a hospital for babies in need. I blogged about this blanket, the process and the purpose for my WIPW HERE.
Here's a close up of the border which is comprised of a row of sc, followed by a row of dc cross stitches, followed by a row of shells made with 5 dc. I believe it does pull the blanket together a bit, not as much as I had hoped. I see the yellow (Xanthic), but the blue speaks aren't as visible as I would have liked. I like it better finished then when I began, but it's still not a favorite for me.

Items to work on: Afghan for Bridge and Beyond, Washcloth for Bridge and Beyond, Scarf for...maybe myself?, Scarf for Red Scarf Project, but have the urge to start something new....I'm seeing and hearing some yarn calling out to me. And, it's calling pretty loudly, so don't know if I'll be able to pretend I don't hear it much longer.

**Z-A V post is HERE
***U post is HERE

So much more then a Washcloth

A washcloth, really...you're blogging about a washcloth? Yes, I am. The finished washcloth in pretty spring colors was a gift. I belong to Oddball, and in fact blogged about in yesterday, (scroll back for the post). As we send around our knitted blankets that benefit charity; we generally include (though it's optional) a little gift for the next person doing the knitting. I got this wonderful washcloth from Cheryl. Cheryl is a fellow Ohioan which is cool, and if you've not used a hand knit or crocheted cotton wash cloth, you really don't know what you're missing. They are fabulous.

Hand knitted or crochet washcloths are both new and old. They are new and or retro, because; they really are quite old. People used to make these all the time, and suddenly they've become popular again. People in the crafting communities have decided maybe Grandma knew what she was talking about after all. They're very nice on your skin. They can be made square or round, some folks like to use them in the shower and some in the kitchen. There are several brands of 100% cotton yarn, but probably the most common and widely known and used is Lily, the original Sugar'n Cream 100% Cotton made in Canada. The new larger skeins are normally 3 oz, and measure 150 yards.

If you like to use body wash, you truly only need a dab if you use one of these wonderful cotton washcloths.

The 2nd one pictured, The camo one that's on the needle, well... I decided after getting Cheryl's gift I hadn't made one in awhile and nabbed some camo cotton. I'll be making as many as I can from the one skein and all will be donated to Bridge and Beyond.
Bridge and Beyond is one of my other blogs that focuses on helping homeless and those in need. Please hop over, always love visitors. Homeless people live in the elements. Do you have any idea how good it feels to take a bath, a shower, to wash up? To do that with a hand knit or crocheted washcloth is something easy to do at our end; and very meaningful at the other end. Skin tired, cold, wrinkled from the elements deserves to be washed with a hand knit especially for you cloth. Hand made shows them someone does care. We knit and crochet to warm those in need through Bridge and Beyond.

A simple washcloth with a bar of soap, is so much more then a washcloth and soap.

**A-Z Challenge W post
****V post CLICK HERE

Oddball, Xanthic ?

This baby blanket is knitted, each strip/section by a different knitter. The blanket travels as each person adds the section much like a progressive dinner moving about. This OddBall Baby Blanket has traveled through Washington, California, Hawaii, Wyoming, Minnesota and to Ohio. This group, Oddball Blankets is fun to belong to because of the variety. Some groups make baby blankets, others full size blankets, others pet blankets. Each travels in a prescribed geographic area. Though the group I belong to is several groups merged so our geographic area is quite large. Doing a section is a nice way to try a new stitch. The end result is heart warming in that all blankets go to charity. The other nice point of the group is using up your stash, using up your odds and ends. It doesn't take much yarn to knit a section. Blankets are all named and knitters are to choose colors appropriate for the theme. We sign up in fact for the blankets we want based on the yarn we have on hand and what goes with what.

This blanket is Titled "Cupid". When I signed up I thought, great I have lots of reds and pinks. Beyond that, it occurred to me people might use white or purple as well. I had plan A and plan B. I knit and crochet and so was added for the border patrol. Border Patrol people crocheted the edge. I had a great variegated laid aside with pinks and reds I thought would probably really tie into the theme and pull the blanket together. Later, I also noticed I had a 2nd variegated with pinks and purples...which is also romantic and "Cupid" like to me. Thus, I was ready with plan A and B. Looking at the blanket above with blue and yellow, neither of preconceived ideas were going to work. Searching through my rather large stash, I had nothing that pulled these colors together. Shopping trip! Normally I love shopping for yarn, but that sorta defeats one of the 3 things I like about the group.


Xanthic? Yes you're saying the word is in the title....what is it? According to Rgb scales #237 and #237/9, it's also listed on the Hex list as EDED09. I've read it described as the color of ripening lemons, and the color in eggs. When looking at a sample of the color, it seemed to me to have a tinge of green? Now, that could be due to my computer screen; but...that's my current take on it. See the yellow in the variegated above? And don't forget the 2 blue sections.
Here then is my work in progress using Red Heart's Fiesta to try and pull some blue and some Xanthic into the border, hoping to pull this blanket together. The color is called Harvest #6332. Firstly let me say, I hate this yarn and do not recommend it. It's not wrapped well and separates easily when being crocheted (as bad as Caron's Simply Soft). It might be better knitted? Using a cross stitch here to add a little bit of a lace look to it...Cupid after all would be frilly, lacy, romantic. Or at least my idea of.

Check back on Friday for FO, hoping to get this done and in the mail. Thus far I have to say, it's not one of my favorite projects. I don't like yarn I'm using, and I'm not feeling the theme of Cupid.

**Z-A, Z post, badge in sidebar
***WIPW post, badge in sidebar

Y Post Here

Yellow Memories Mom

I knitted this yellow shawl for Mom's 80th birthday.

While you can't see her well, here she is unwrapping it.
Yellow was her favorite color. As I type this blog post I am wearing this yellow shawl. I'm not sure she ever got the chance to wear it, except perhaps while watching TV at home. She got ill not too long after this happy day. Between several surgeries on her knee, being in rehab, falling and hitting her head, having back problems, prior to her emergency surgery which caused her a long 7 week hospital stay (mostly in ICU), and ultimately her death, she didn't get to wear this out. Air conditioning on her shoulders was bothersome and thus I thought this knitted shawl in her favorite color was just the ticket. She liked yellow because she said it was a happy color, the color of the sun and warmth. She often laughed and said happy people like yellow.

Though this picture has faded over time, this is another yellow item I crafted for her. I crocheted this yellow sweater long ago for Mom as a Christmas Gift. She had small rounded shoulders and so a raglan sleeve style sweater made a nice fit for her. I loved this pattern. I remember being frustrated when I realized I was going to run short of the yellow yarn with the same dye lot. So I decided to do the red and white striping in the yoke area. I remember being truly excited my stripes can together so well. This was an awesome pattern. Sadly, I've lost this pattern and would dearly love to find it again. I remember the cover well. This sweater was in solid light mint greenish blue on the cover. The sweater was made with 2 ply sports yarn and the stitches were mostly good old double crochets with the ribbing being back stitch single crochets. Does anyone remember this pattern? Does anyone have it per chance? I've looked high and low at yarn stores to replace it. I don't think it's in print anymore. It was one of those leaflet types with about 6 patterns in it, not a book.

Yes Mom, LOVED yellow. And she wore it well. Some folks have trouble wearing yellow. This was taken at my youngest nephews rehearsal dinner. She so loved yellow she asked to be buried in this yellow dress. She worried a bit about that, saying yellow wasn't the color most folks wore at their funerals; but she loved yellow and wore it well. It's been just slightly over 2 years that we lost Mom, so I sit here wearing your yellow shawl remember you like this, with a smile on your face.

**I've added a tab across the top of my blog, as I continue my alphabetical memories of Mom**
***My Y post for May Z-A Challenge***

Happy May 1st (Zinnias)

Zinnias a flower I used to plant often, as did my Mother. Wonder why I got out of the habit? Funny, as I think back so did she. Zinnias are annuals, though they do come in both seeds and plants; most often you see them in seed. Perhaps that's why we both changed our habits. Annuals require more work then perineals do. Seeds though cheaper require more work then seedlings/plants. We planted seeds back in the day. There are many varieties, many sizes, many colors and once they grow, quite easy to care for.

These make wonderful flower beds whether you choose a mix as above or all one color and all one variety. There are small shorter single varieties that make lovely edges, the larger double and giant flowers are great to cut. Zinnias will continue to flower after you cut and bring in doors. In addition, they will continue to bloom if you dead head regularly. They'll branch and be more bushy if you pinch them back. They attract Butterflies and Hummingbirds to you yard, as well as beneficial insects. Indoor bouquets do best if you cut the flower blossom before it's fully opened.

I live in planting zone 5, which means seeds could be sowed indoors as early as late in the month of March; or sowed outdoors in late April. Burpee suggest planting in full sun after the threat of frost is mostly past. Plant seeds 12 inches apart with 1/4 inch soil covering them. Water frequently keeping them moist during seedling stage. Generally you'll see your seedlings within 7-10 days, at which time you're suppose to thin them to 18-24 inches apart. I can't say I ever did that, and doubt Mom did either. Who wants to pull out a plant that's trying to grow? Not me.

I've not thought about these flowers in some time, and need to review my yard to see if there's a place I might like to plant them again. I do love to attract Butterflies.
And Happy Birthday Chuck, my oldest brother. Shall I pick a bunch of flowers for you?