Feeling Froggy

Frog Legs anyone?

I admit that I have never tried this delicacy. These are part of a project I just finished and I used them as an opportunity to play with the black-and-white-plus-one-color setting on my camera. The green isn't really the right shade - I'll keep playing with the function...

I managed to start and finish this project in short course. I think he is quite the cutie, and I really have no idea what I will do with him, but he fully qualifies as an FO and for now, he is mine. So I let him lounge in the Liriope

The instructions are here, another adorable Susan B. Anderson pattern. I used good old Cascade 220 and modified the toes a little bit. The pattern calls for 12 individually made toes that you sew on. I crocheted mine (3 simple picots through both thicknesses at the bottom of each foot), all done with the working yarn so I wouldn't have so much finishing. The tummy is stuffed with a tennis ball for perfect roundness.

DH and I had a great weekend involving a quick trip to see DD#1. She and her BF arranged a "play date" for DH, myself and BF's parents. The menfolk played in a charity golf event, and us girls made a day of lunch, a quick tour of the St Louis Basilica, a trip to a semi-local winery for a fun afternoon of wine tasting, and then met up with the boys in the evening. Fun times and great company! BF's Mom and sister are great!

This funny little statue was on a side table in our lunch restaurant. The boa caught my eye (and internally I was groaning and thinking of fun fur).... the red matches the painted toenails, and it just looked silly sitting on an empty table all by itself. Not much of a guard dog!

From St Louis, we headed back toward home, making a pit stop to see DD#2 play in her first college soccer game against the school's soccer alumni. DD didn't disappoint - she scored 2 of the first 3 goals. Yea! She was a little disappointed not to get her favorite all time jersey number, but I think she got over it! She thinks college life suits her. I'm starting to agree.

Home again with a full agenda of work to be done. DS#2 is the lone child here... we missed him on our trip, but he had to stay here for school. His first varsity soccer match is Tues night..... another season begins, ready or not!

Berry Time and Back-to-School

I have enjoyed a lot of fresh berries this summer. I bought this "Mixed Berries" colorway last summer or fall and it's been sitting patiently waiting for me to wind it and play with it. I wasn't totally crazy about it at first, but once I wound it, I liked it much better. It does remind me of a yummy blend of berries.

Lorna's Laces Shepherd Socks, Mixed Berries

Back-to-school shopping. Ugh! We are taking DD to college on Saturday and she and I have done our fair share of shopping for all of the usual stuff. As a soccer student-athlete, I figured she would want/need extra shinguard sleeves. They sell for $12 a pair, which I think is a total ripoff, so I took a pair of the commercial ones to Needle Nook Fabrics and matched up the sleeve fabric with fabric of equal stretch. DD was thrilled to find bright colors to choose from.

I spent $12 on fabric and whipped up 5 pairs on my serger that afternoon. Frugal. My mother would be proud.

The second pair from the right was made from leftovers. Underneath her real socks, she will look a bit like a court jester.

And last but not least, my "baby", Douglas, turned 16 over the weekend. His friends honored him with this gift.

The city came by to pick it up this morning. Other than the slight misspelling of our last name, it's quite a novelty. No, we didn't let him keep it!!