Baby Love (DaLocalWife)

Some of the more recent (last month or so) baby items I have designed and crocheted:

Kind of makes the uterus ache, doesn't it?  Contemplate the unthinkable?  Another try at a girl?

Nah.

Discovery of a (reluctant) Early Bird (DaLocalWife)

After a three day battle with the nastiest stomach bug KNOWN TO MANKIND, I settled nicely into bed at 10 pm (after indulging in a rather unsettling episode of Criminal Minds).  I'm not feeling great but I was pretty sure of myself and my ability to snore rhythmically (at least until 6 am, COME ON!!).

2 am...pokepokepoke.  A, my youngest, standing in front of my bed like a pile of misery, assuring me he had this bug as well.  After sitting in the bathroom for (felt like 5 hours) 1/2 an hour with him, I thought he was maybe looking for attention?  Wrong! (I will learn some day) I have been up since then with a pitifully sick A.  Having nothing better to do, I  retrieved old pictures off my dead computer and my discontinued Facebook site (I know, most people would have done that waaaaaaay before disabling a page, but oh well,...a$$-backwards, that's my motto).

But lookie what I found!!!!!

A learning to crochet in 2010

I had forgotten about this!  I love the look of concentration on his face, all confounded-like with the rebellious yarn.

Wouldn't it be cool if someone opened a little workshop where kids got to learn the "Lost Arts"?

Wonder who could get such a thing rolling.....

Crazy Crochet Lady (DaLocalWife)

Being married to the chef entitles me to lots of kitchen gadgets and doo-dahs.  Sometimes these outgrow their designated containers and a sane person would go to the store and BUY a bigger vessel to contain such chef-designated treasures...not me.

BEFORE

AFTER

The chef is back to working more hours and before long we will pass each other with a kiss in the morning and he will nudge me to say hi when he comes home at night.  Tis the season for a Country Club-type executive chef.

My only worry is that, left to my own devices, with nothing but kids for company aaaallllllllllllll summer long?

By fall, the whole house should be covered in granny squares and ripple stripes.



Dog Couture (DaLocalWife)

Did I ever mention my faible for dogs?  Or babies?  It is the most likely reason why I prefer to adorn them with my hookie work, rather then just lil ole you or me.

LOOK!

 

Ludwig Van Barksalot, stylin' in a blue wool fisherman's sweater

 beauteous Bella from Quebec, putting the D in diva.  Ooooh lala

 Bella, being a diva, needs two outfits.  This is an acrylic, utilizing the African flower.

 Rugged Rotu likes plain outdoor apparel in aubergine (DON'T call it purple!)

not even poor Fleazel is spared.  This is him, modeling a hood created for Nofuratu.  Check this dude out.  HERE:  http://www.nofuratu.blogspot.com/

As you can see, I am an equal species opportunity kind of gal.  Poor Flea.

"let me know when Hollywood calls.  Until then...don't bother me."

Overseas love (DaLocalWife)

I might have mentioned before how much I love giving people what they want or need (when it comes to crocheting ... gutter, people). 

Here is another instance where I sent a one-of-a-kind cotton play blanket (depicting a farm, beach, ocean and sky scene with some removable play parts) to Germany and have gotten pictures back, showing it's use. 
ILOVELOVELOVETHISSTUFF, so keep it coming, people.

Incredibly cute baby (no bias here) on my blanket at three months



Incredibly cute baby on my blanket at 7 months

This is why I do this crochet thing.  Create and please, instant gratification upon completion.

I am in the middle of designing (as I crochet it - that's how I roll) the cutest little cardigan/beanie set in lavender.  German Shepherds willing, it should be done in two days, for me to TADAH all over this page.

I never did post my dog sweaters, did I?  Oh well, another day.

Da Papoose (DaLocalWife)

Like I've said before, my favourite thing to crochet is something that someone dear to me (or with lots of money :P) has seen/thought of/wants/needs.  A high school friend dinged me on Facebook a few weeks ago and asked if I could look at some pictures and come up with an idea that would suit her needs.  C wanted a papoose or a hat or a combination of the two that depicted a bear.  Made out of Teddy Bear-like yarn.  Seems her little (I use this term very loosely here because I have met him and he is NOT small) brother and his wife (with the coolest name ever), who live in Ireland, are expecting their first baby.  They affectionately call Junior "little bear".  Oh, and really?  It needed to be done within two weeks.  Creative juices flowed.

This is what I came up with:

(pardon Grover)

(notice the Canadian content)

When I sent C the pictures of the finished project, she seemed pleased.  But, as is usually the case, her daughter's eagle eye spotted a glaring omission.  I made the appropriate change:



I hope the little Irish/Canadian bear loves his/her little cocoon of fuzzy.

What is it you do, exactly? (DaLocalWife)

I f someone asks me this question, I generally take a deep breath. 

 I raise kids.  In my opinion, that alone earns me a medal since none of them are felons and they all still love their Momma. I keep them clean and healthy, happy (weeeeell, mostly) and amused.  I don't feed them.  They'll thank me for that one day as the chef is much better qualified to do this (and my time is best spent NOT smashing kitchen appliances in frustration). 


 I raise pets. Since I am responsible for their numbers I find it only fair I do most of the work.  Flea, a 14 year old beige tabby cat is the regent supreme. He has been with me since the first day of his life and I raised him by bottle. This resulted in a cat who thinks he is human. Most people agree with him. If they don't, he persuades them.

 
Drako is a GSD from a breeder in North Bay  http://shepherdpups4sale.gotpetsonline.com/ , beautiful to behold, comical to watch once you know him.  He has come a long way in a short time and is an integral part of this wacky family.

PJ and Chocolate, the two guinea pigs.  I love guinea pigs, I think it's their lips.  I also enjoy rustling bags and opening the fridge...the resulting cacophony of fweeps never fails to amuse me.

I keep the house and yard.  Some say I'm a wee bit obsessed with order and cleanliness.  They have been silenced and no one will find them.  I'm a great gardener, ever wonder why the plants grow so well and I keep adding beds?

I am a warrior.  Can't help it, must be the fact that my Grandma's maiden name was Krieger.  (German for ...you guessed it)  I declare war on incompetence, stupidity and ignorance.  Chef has a small fortune saved in case he needs bail for my release. 
Most importantly, I am a warrior in my son's stead.  I fight Prader-Willi Syndrome every day of his life.  T was diagnosed 20 months after his birth and his struggles are only outweighed by his successes.  He is brave, persistent and my lil hero.  Go T!  Down with PWS!!  If you don't know it, look it up.  http://www.fpwr.ca/about-foundation-prader-willi-research-canada/ You'll come across it again.  Kick it for me, will ya?


I crochet. LOTS. I have a bigger stash (of yarn) than anyone I know (outside of the yarn stores). I sometimes get paid to create specific projects, and that's my favourite part. It seems to make itself and gives me great satisfaction.

Often my own designs haunt me until I have to make them.  I love the design part, frequently falter on the completion of said design.  *sigh* In the next few days I will post some pictures of what I do with (or to?) yarn.  People seem pleased when they buy stuff, or I give them stuff...or they can talk me out of stuff because I have been drinking red wine.  The red wine part is a rare occurrence, I swear!  No one around to contradict, cuz that's how I roll. And I have a wonderful garden.

Lastly, I help out with the care of my Oma (grandmother), who will turn 93 on Valentine's Day.  My Oma is the epitome of who I want to be. She raised a bunch of us, had her hand in the development of several generations. Can always count on her.  For wacky advice. Sayings. Predictions. Home remedies. Support. A wooden spoon on the heinie. Every day she slips away a little more.  Mentally - that's the hardest.  Physically - that I can help with.  It's why our family moved only 10 mins away from my parents' house.  I want to be her rock, like she was mine, for however long she needs me. I also like helping my parents.  With the house.  With the property and gardens. With their sanity. Sometimes, due to this, my sanity suffers.

So, that's kind of what I do.