Christmas Early, Part I

We had hotel points we had to use or loose by next Monday (December 15). We had taken the car in for its scheduled maintenance the Monday before Thanksgiving, only to learn we needed new tires... with our first winter storm of the season on its way. The shop was skeleton crew for the week, due to Thanksgiving, and getting our car back in time for my Christmas present to Lizard (and his Christmas present to me) was on the line.

our most recent trip to Moab, in 2019

We could take the (1995) truck, but we'd taken it for its scheduled maintenance a couple months earlier, and the shop had injected dye they wanted us to burn off in 300 miles so they could see where a leak was originating. The possibility of head gasket replacement kept us from driving the truck too far from home until the week of Thanksgiving, while the car was in the shop. The truck seemed to be running okay; my son, the auto mechanic of my immediate family, assured me it would emit white smoke from the exhaust pipe if it truly did need a new head gasket. (8 December update: It is indeed the head gasket, darn it.) Nevertheless, driving the truck to Moab seemed a bit risky... Actually, it was unthinkable.

Two days before our westward trek, we exchanged the car for the truck. The car had new tires, we had our first snow of the season (a skimpy dusting), roads were a nightmare, and we had traction!!!

The mountain pass forecast for Day 1 of our journey did not look promising at all to this now-whimpy driver who hasn't navigated rush hour traffic in a year and a half and hasn't done any long highway driving for more than five years. I decided to make use of the solar road plow the day before we were scheduled to leave. Our adventure gained an extra day!

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Snowflake Monday

We got to watch snow whipping completely around us while blowing in all directions on Friday, hence the name of today's flake, inspired by a January 7 snowflake on my back porch.

You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!

Finished Size: 3.5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Yrsnö Flake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: 6 sc in ring; sl st in starting sc. Pull magic circle tight.

Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in same sc as sl st, [in next sc work (2 dc, ch 6, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 4 ch, 2 dc)] 5 times; 2 dc in next sc*, sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2, 5 foundation sc to form 6th point of flake.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.
NOTE: Stopping * and working 6th point same as previous 5 makes a pretty cute little flake. Add a favorite point to each spoke, if desired. I did ch 8 (instead of ch 6), sl st in 3rd ch from hook, ch 3, 2 dc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook.

Round 3: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), in top of last foundation sc made work (2 dc, ch 1, sl st in top of dc just made, 1 dc), [working down spike, 1 dc in each of next 2 sc, sk next 3 dc and next 2 sc, working up next spoke, 1 dc in bottom of each of next 2 sc, in bottom of next sc work (2 dc, ch 1, sl st in top of dc just worked, 1 dc), in tip of point work (2 dc, ch 1, sl st in top of dc just worked, 1 dc), working back down point, in next sc work ((2 dc, ch 1, sl st in top of dc just worked, * 1 dc)] 6 times, ending * on final repeat; sl st in top of 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off. Weave in ends.

Finish: I've been stiffening my flakes with undiluted, full-strength water soluble school glue for quite a while now, and I've been squishing the glue onto and throughout each flake with my fingers (yucky mess!!!) instead of gingerly painting the flakes with glue. Yes, it's a mess. But it's faster. And stiffer.

Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.

If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.

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Breath of Heaven

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A Whole New Dress

My newest dress has been patiently waiting since September to come to life.

I grabbed a few minutes at the sewing machine every chance I got for the last three weeks.

And I finally finished!

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Wordless Wednesday

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Fresh Relaxation

I think I've shared in the past one of Lizard's favorite relaxation techniques is watching live airport feed. (By airports, not by spotters. The naration drives him nuts.

I like watching the northern lights, and I turn off the sound if there is any. Greenland airport feeds have no sound, thank heavens. North Dakota feed also has no sound. I like the quiet, but I think I like the quiet because Lizard requires the quiet. (Unless, in the case of airport feeds, he gets to hear the engines. He does like that.)

This year, we've been watching live feed from Kīlauea, too. The USGS feed has no sound, and when the lava spews, we both are mesmerized!

There have been many winter nights of fireplace feeds, and Lizard also likes thunder, snowstorms and wind.

We recently discovered a new relaxation video that really appeals to Lizard (sound turned off). And it's fun to watch him get excited over watching ski footage by Warren Miller, then tucker out and fall asleep smiling.

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Snowflake Monday

Another 11-month-old snowflake photo inspired today's creation, which almost didn't happen today thanks to nearly overwhelming family obligations last week. I'll have to upload finished photos later today because the pinned snowflake is still drying as I type this pattern.

You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!

Finished Size: 5.5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, .75-inch to 1.25-inch shank button, size 7 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Stuffed Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 11 dc in ring; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2. Pull magic circle tight.

Round 2: [Ch 16, sl st in 4th ch from hook, sc in next ch and in each of next 4 ch, sl st in next ch, hdc in next ch, dc in next ch and in each of next 4 ch, sk next dc, sl st in next dc] 6 times.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Round 3: [Ch 2, working up spoke, sk next 2 st, sc in each of next 2 st, hdc in next st, 2 dc in next st, ch 1, sl st in top of dc just made, ch 2, sl st in same st as 2 dc, sc in each of next 2 st, hdc in next st, dc in each of next 3 st, in ch 3 tip work (2 dc, ch 1, sl st in top of dc just made, ch 3, pc, ch 3, dc, ch 1, sl st in top of dc just made, dc), working back down spoke, dc in each of next 3 st, hdc in next st, sc in each of next 2 st, in next st work (sl st, ch 2, dc, ch 1, sl st in top of dc just made, dc), hdc in next st, sc in each of next 2 st, ch 2, sk next 2 sc, sl st in joint between spokes] 6 times; bind off. Using starting tail, secure button to center of snowflake. (Button may be attached after stiffening, but you'll likely have to clip the tail after and then secure the end with another dab of glue or stiffener.) Weave in ends.

Finish: I've been stiffening my flakes with undiluted, full-strength water soluble school glue for quite a while now, and I've been squishing the glue onto and throughout each flake with my fingers (yucky mess!!!) instead of gingerly painting the flakes with glue. Yes, it's a mess. But it's faster. And stiffer.

Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.

If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.

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