My First Crochet Pattern Book Is Available Now! Still Time To Win December Blog Giveaway!

I'm very excited to announce the publication of my new e-book, "Crochet With Sheila Volume I - Floral Decorations To Crochet." It is available at this link. It contains 16 of my floral motifs, ornaments and mini-doilies – some previously unpublished!

Thanks to the unique features of e-publishing, once you purchase the book you can automatically receive updates when they are added to your book! I've already run across about another 10 patterns I need to add to this book. The next volume, which should be ready in January, will be "Sparkling Crochet Jewelry." If you are inclined to share, I would sincerely appreciate sharing the info about my book! It is the realization of a lifetime goal for me. I have 12 more volumes planned and my goal is to complete them all in 2014.

I hope all of you have enjoyed your holidays and crocheted lots of special things! If any of my patterns were included in your crocheting, I am honored!

I really enjoyed Christmas and was blessed to have both of my children and their dear ones here with us. We had a "snack feast" which is our Christmas Eve tradition. Then on Christmas Day we all went out to a superb buffet at Harrah's, one of our nearby Iowa casinos. They put on quite the spread. We also celebrated my daughter's birthday so it was truly a special day.

Last Saturday, we woke up to a very sick SueSue, our 8-year-old rescue girl. We rushed her in and she was hospitalized for the day on IV fluids with severe pancreatitis. She is slowly improving now, thank God. Our Scrappy Jack, who has been fighting a cellulitis infection since Thanksgiving, is also making slow tiny improvements. He has battled so hard, bless his heart.  Thankfully Ladybug is happy and well!

Susie

Scrappy Jack

Ladybug

You still have time to win the December blog giveaway! Just leave a comment below to enter.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all! -Sheila

December Blog Winner! New Giveaway for January! Crocheting for Warmth!

Baby, It's Cold! 
At this writing, it is -6º actual outside! If you walk out without something over your face, you instantly freeze! I've been busy crocheting some new fingerless gloves with cover flaps you can flip over your fingers for warmth. I found the warmest yarn, Hobby Lobby's Yarn Bee Riot Eyelash Sparkle, in a pretty turquoise and I am crocheting a neckwarmer/cowl out of it right now! I refuse to leave the house until it is finished! Yesterday I had to go out to take my Scrappy Jack to the vet. The wind has been brutal here creating wind chills in the -30º range! He wore TWO doggie coats and a blanket. I had on my usual two fleece jackets, my mobius scarf which is the warmest thing ever, and my fingerless gloves (without the flaps). I FROZE. Needed something more, the neck warmer. I'm even considering making leg warmers, something I have never owned! It's just awful here. It will be a huge relief that we are going to climb into the 20's today!

Help For My Eyesight! 

I'm very excited that my neuro-opthalmologist has found some help for my eyesight issues! I'm very farsighted to begin with, I have constant double vision from myasthenia gravis, and a stroke in 2009 made me half blind in my right eye. It has been a huge frustration trying to see to do my close-up crocheting, my writing on the computer, and so on. He told me we can't correct my vision properly with one pair of glasses and bifocals anymore. So he has prescribed two different trifocal glasses, one for computer and one for walking around. I've picked them out and ordered them, and they should arrive in a few more days. I am so excited at the possibility of seeing better to do my work! 

Scrappy Jack In His Crocheted Sweater

Scrappy Jack Update... 

Not much else to tell right now - I've been busy caring for my sick Scrappy Jack Schnauzer. He is very slowly improving but he's been sick with this awful cellulitis infection in his jaw since Thanksgiving Day. Prayers and/or good thoughts are much appreciated!

December Blog Winner! 

OurJoy is the winner of my December blog contest! She won her choice of my crocheted Hexagon Snowflake or Dancing Angels Snowflake, along with her choice of any pattern offered on my Craftsy.com site. Congratulations! 

January Giveaway!! 

For January, the contest will be to win the prototype for my "Sweet On You" Valentine motif, (not yet published), along with the winner's choice of any pattern offered at my Craftsy.com.  All you need to do to win is leave a comment below! 

Happy Crocheting! 

– Sheila