After searching for just the right beads to replace my favorite black ones that I can no longer buy, I've found success and have two new necklaces to share.
They may look similar to what you've seen in the past, but trust me, there are some subtle differences, especially with the second one.
I hope you'll enjoy, from my shop, the first necklace here and the one below here. The fruits of my Friday afternoon labor.
I went ahead and made a second version of the necklace I posted about last. The vintage glass button pendant is smaller and it's kind of fun to wear both necklaces at once.
The rain has finally reached us and not a moment too soon, the dustbowl I like to call my yard was thirsty. I have to say sitting in my office window and listening to the pitter patter on the tin roof gives me that homey feeling all over. The only things that make it even better are a fire in the woodstove (a bit early for that), a candle burning (check), music (Alexi Murdoch and friends on Pandora today) and a bit of knitting.
And awaiting my needles is the yummy, creamy, organic yarn that just came in the mail today. I love getting surprises in the mail, but then who doesn't?
Believe it or not I've been making myself a sweater. If you've followed for any length of time you know that my track record is horrible in this regard. Most times (okay every time) I sit down and start making myself a sweater it morphs into something else. Or many somethings else. But this one looks to be a keeper. I have no other plans for the yarn and if truth be told, that's probably the only thing that will save this sweater's life.
saturday
Okay, well maybe that's overkill, but it is bad when you have to shovel snow to get the barn door open just so you can get the tractor out to plow. It was the steady rain and sleet most of the day yesterday and all night long that have put this bout of weather into a new category, different from the last two storms. It's slick, it's icy, it's dangerous.
Even the dog can't quite believe it.
We're feeling fortunate to have not lost power. Yet.
And we're thankful for a full wood rack and a constant fire.
The house smells like cookies just baked,
we've had some visitors, and played loads of games, video and otherwise.
But even the young among us aren't quite sure what to make of it. If this were Maine we'd be well accustomed, but when you consider we were wearing shorts during the 60 degree days of last month, this is quite an abrupt change.
So we continue to kill the time with indoor activities like the piano,
and knitting, this time for those enduring chemo,
and up next another project in red, I'm just searching for the right pattern at the moment, and resting up for sledding tomorrow.
Despite the fact that the knuckle on my right middle finger is twice it's normal size due to an unplanned sledding injury, I managed to finish my scarf. It's dense, soft, warm, a bright spot against the gray drear of winter (or whiteout depending on where you live), and it's mine. For once this project isn't for someone else. And, I'm even making a rare appearance in the photo, a step in a direction opposite from the norm.
Keeping in mind that this site should demonstrate a little knitting every once in a while, I give you some not so new hat styles that I'm finally (after many months of hauling them to market) getting around to putting in my shop.
This is just one of many things I forget to do, right up there with forgetting to give the 13 year old cat her allergy medicine before my husband falls asleep (it is after all a 2 person job), forgetting the seemingly endless list of things the kids need to do or take with them to school on a daily basis, return phone calls (seems like it's all about email these days), put enough water in the rice cooker and clean the shower.
They are, in order, the organic knitted hat--cream with blue flower, simple knitted hat--navy with pistachio, simple organic knitted hat--pink and brown. Enjoy!
The only upside I can see to this whole flu thing (assuming it is the flu) is that I really got a lot done today in the knitting/crocheting department. As well as the laundry department, the cooking department, the running department and of course the nursemaid department.
I'll line each one of these with fabric and hand stitch them into the bags. The first little Noro bag will be lined with Irish linen.
The hot pink Lamb's Pride will be lined with former bloomers from under one of my daughter's dresses from long ago.
And we couldn't leave out the boys. This pretty blue goes nicely with one of my son's old button downs. "Church shirts" he calls them because he wouldn't be caught dead in them for any other occasion except maybe Christmas or Thanksgiving.
There you have it, the fruits of my labor on a day guarding the sick. If anyone is still sick tomorrow daddy is on duty but I hardly think I'd be able to get him to whip me up a few hats or booties, no, I'm sure his activities will have something to do with putting siding on the addition. Neither one of us likes to be idle.
Well, it's only taken us one day to veer off my master plan from yesterday, which just goes to show you that I just may be a flexible mom, even though it may not have seemed like it from that list. John had a friend spend the night last night and he's spending the day with us so the list will just be postponed until the afternoon. The last thing I'm about to do is have him do chores with a friend over, or worse yet, tell him he can't have friends over just because of the list. Yeesch.
I can't leave the boys out. Here's one for them when they want something cool and you still want something half way cute and not too sinister. My son is eight and loves his. For the listing, just click here.
Lately, people have been particularly drawn to this little hat when I'm at the farmers market. It's a new one for the year, and I make it with the most scrumptious organic cotton yarn from Peru. The yarn goes from thick to thin but the gauge remains consistent, and it comes together to make a thick, soft and cuddly hat. It helps too that I sit here in the middle of horse farms, big and small, and plently of horse loving people who like to show their animal appreciation.
I've had these sweaters completed for a while now and realized I hadn't taken pictures of them or listed them in my Etsy shop yet after a photoshoot yesterday with a friend. This time she had the camera and I was her model (yikes!), and it reminded me that I really purchased my new camera to take better product photos for my shop, not just to play around with on this blog.
So I got busy this morning and took some simple photos that I hope to list in the shop soon. But for now these little goodies are headed to the market tomorrow,
top picture: organic cotton hand knit sweater, size 6-12 months
