Hello Again

I went to the grocery store late this afternoon. When I got back I was greeted by the sweet scent of wild onions. The girls had been running around outside with Tait while I was gone and had apparently been pulling them up in the yard (hmmmm...perhaps time to break out the mower?). I love this little sign of spring. The trees have already begun to bloom and I started planting the garden last weekend.


Perfect days for going to the park with our new group.


I've started a little spring knitting project as well.

A cotton cardigan, with raglan sleeves, of course. Is there really any other way to go? Who knows, I may even keep this this little ditty for myself.

Snow, Yes, Snow

Yesterday we got a piddeling amount of snow in the afternoon. Zoe chose to stay inside with me but Tait took Kaiya about for just a few minutes. Then, later in the evening it really started coming down good and we woke up to a nice amount to play in. (The yard is so up and down, I won't give you a quote on the inches.)Now, I have been thinking all season that the girls really need some nice, new woolen mittens but, honestly, I didn't think we were going to be getting any real amount of snow at all this year. So, here is the snow and no mittens, because, of course, I want some nice woolen mittens, not icky acrylic, store-bought mittens. And this brings me to this morning, knitting two little pairs of mittens just as fast as my hands would go, as the little ladies were so eager to get outside. Whew! My hands are tired. But they are the proud owners of new woolen mittens, lovingly (and speedily) knit by their mother. Blue for Kaiya (her favorite color), and red for Zoe.
And off we went, sliding and stomping through the snow. And here in NC snow means no school and no work so it was so nice to have hubby home to play with us.

Show and Tell Sunday

I have been too absent this week and plan to make it up starting tomorrow. To be honest I don't know what has been stealing my time away. Do you have ever have weeks like that? So busy doing what? I don't know. I did have a few orders to get out but nothing major. No, if I had to guess I would say cleaning this house which seems kinda like that IHOP commercial with the never-ending pancakes. Do you know which one I'm talking about? The man takes a bite of his pancakes and they immediately reform. Yeah, that's my house. I clean and the mess just reappears as quickly as I can clean it up.
And these things have been diverting my attention;

Vintage pillow cases I got from Etsy seller LissyBug. I don't know what I'm going to do with them yet. I may......use them as pillow cases. I know, it's out there. I also got this

It's my first piece from Art and Ghosts. And she sent this piece with it as a 5x7.


I am in love!
So, this is where I've been, I suppose. Shopping online. I have more that I'll show you later. Now I'm off to do a little birthday knitting for my Zoe Gail.
Good night!

No, Really, What Next?

I am experiencing abit of a creative block today. I have a little red bag in progress using this yarn (yes, more of this yarn). But I ran out last night and can't go get more til Tait comes home from work. I've spent the morning digging through pattern books and trying to revive my mental list of new design ideas (still am not writing this stuff down). Gave up, mopped the floors and then settled on a bunny for my bff's new baby girl.

I am blaming the block on my sweet little ones, though. Tantrums have been at an all time high this week and mommy's nerves are shot! Honestly it feels as though Kaiya is entering the terrible twos all over again. She had a huge meltdown last night, I'm not even sure what it was all about, I just now know it involved much screaming and me wanting to lock myself in the bathroom. Ah, the joys of parenting. I'm so glad the week is over so now I will have back-up.

I did get these listed in the shop yesterday. Hopefully a semi-restful weekend will kick start the creative juices.

The Boring Part

This is why I don't do more than one sweater a year. I hate knitting the body, that long, boring expance. I have really enjoyed working on this dress for my Zoe Gail. I know how I want the body but am still undecided about the details. Though, if you will notice the line of eyelets around the middle, I have decided to run an icord? crochet chain? ribbon? all around it. Short sleeves that only need the seed stitch trim, so she can wear it in the spring and summer. It's some more of that great, soft cotton. And just because I love doing raglan tops, fun! Other than that, I have a few ideas but nothing concrete on the embellishments. But first I have to finish this blasted body. At least it's all one piece so I don't have to make another when I finish. No, I think that is the worst thing about sweaters. having to do the second piece. I love the detail work, having to pay attention to it. Like being intimate with the knitting. Fortunately she's only going to be two, so I don't have far to go.

Sock it to Me!

I found this fabulous giveaway this morning (ok, maybe you don't care so much if you don't knit) on Beth's blog, At the End of This Row... A new blog, for me, and a very nice one I might add. I always love to see what fellow knitters are up to. Her husband made her a pair of these sock blockers for Christmas and she encouraged him to make more. A rather great idea, I think. So he has made some for his shop and she has snagged another for a giveaway! So, hop on over to her blog and enter to win.

Purls of Wisdom

Well, I am back! Bet you didn't even know I had gone anywhere, didja? I was lost in Christmas-ville. Orders and gifts and company and food. And wrapping and lights and carols and anxiously waiting for packages to arrive in the mail. I feel like it kinda swallowed me up this year. Do you ever feel like that around the holidays? Like you're just trying to make it throught to the end so you can breathe a little? This year did that to me. I think it was trying to run the shop and my life at the same time that did it. But I learned heaps and am so ready to take on the new year a little wiser. Oh, and I wanted to share my latest design. I've been dreaming of this necklace for a couple of months but have only had time for what I have to make instead of what I want to make. But now I'm able to work on all sorts of new things. This is my take on the ever classic and elegant string of pearls. But mine is called "String of Purls", of course. Love, love, love the yarn! Soooo soft and silky, Silk Bamboo from Patons. Tonight I'll be working on a new color, Sapphire!

Fall Days

It has been weeks since we have ventured outside to play. A week of rain, a week of colds and yet another week of rain. Now it's so windy one could fly a kite if one felt so inclined but the girls have been going a little crazy so we went out to play on the swing set and kick the leaves around.

No new updates to the shop this week. I've been kinda swamped with custom orders. And I just rounded them all up and realized today that I have 5 projects on needles. I really hate that. I like to knock out one project at a time. Some I got bored with and others have got pushed aside this week to make time for the custom orders. So my weekend project is to knit up all these strays....and to knit myself a cowl. I just can't help myself!

Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas?

Are you thinking of Christmas yet? I have to admit, I've been thinking about it since about July. Not that I am in any way prepared. I've been so busy knitting for shows and custom orders all I have had time to do is think about it.

I have not made one (complete) gift yet. And I try to make all or most of the gifts I give. Am I worried? Not in the least! I have quite a few handmade, though not by me, items that I have traded some other talented Etsy sellers for. So a few people on my list are already taken care of. And the rest..... well, I still have time.

I have started working on these little hearts for my own tree and ths shop. But, what you're looking at is what I've got, so I'd better get busy! But, even though I've been thinking about Christmas for so long, I have to say that I am really turned off by how each year, it seems, that the stores are bringing out the merchandise and even the Christmas store decorations! earlier and earlier. The day after Halloween, Halloween!, I went into...Wal-mart....ahem, and what before my wondering eyes did appear but a Christmas Tree!, right beside of the door. Not for sale. No, this is for decoration. Note my wild use of italics today. It's just disgraceful. Though I obviously don't agree with them, I do understand those who are cynical about Christmas. But, just like life itself, it is what you make of it. If you buy into the commercialism (or are totally repelled because of it) then that's what you'll get. A holiday for buying and shopping and working so many overtime hours you don't even see your family till Christmas day. Or you can toss all that aside and remember why we celebrate. Whether it be for religious reasons or simply a celebration of love and family.

Opinions Please!

I've been retaking pics of my pumpkins (again) today. And they turned out so nice that I thought I'd use them on my invitations for Thanksgiving. Problem is...I love them all! Please help me decide which shot to use. 1 2 3 or 4.