Cupcakes

Hello!!

I'm quickly popping in to say that since I've finished all the Christmas knitting, as well as my swap requirements for the newest Itty-Bitty swap I joined, and even got the Lizzy Bennet's Shawlette done (except for blocking), I started something new just for me - Cupcakes Mittens by SpillyJane. 

I'll be back tomorrow to explain more, but right now I need to get some sleep if I'm going to be able to stay awake past midnight tomorrow night.

xoxo

P.S. Daniel came over for a visit last night, and he is doing great!!  It was so amazing to actually see him in person and to see what a miracle the Lord has done in him!!

Merry Christmas

Hello!!

I just wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and say thank you for being such wonderful readers.  I truly think of you all as friends and I feel so very blessed!!  I hope each one of you has a Christmas full of love, laughter, caring, sharing, and remembering what the Season is really about.  Without our amazing and loving Saviour's birth, we wouldn't have anything to celebrate. 

I thought I'd leave you with a few photos of some cookie basket assembling,

and some Christmas swans :)

Warmest Wishes,
xoxo

P.S. I just wanted to add that I did finish that miniature for the stocking stuffer!!  

It's Christmas Eve, Eve!!

Hello!

I had to sneak away from my cleaning to quickly tell you all that the cookies are baked and most of the baskets have been assembled and some delivered, with a few more scheduled to go out for delivery with my Dad in the morning.  So, that means that the cookie baskets are pretty much done!  I actually pulled it off - with a lot of help and a ton of hard work, but it was worth it!  Now my sister and I are cleaning up and getting things ready for our family dinner tomorrow. 

Tomorrow is also my Mom's birthday!  I have her cake baked up and I will ice it in the morning.  I was going to do that tonight but it has a whipped cream icing and so it needs to go in the fridge.  However, the Christmas ham is in the way, but by morning it should be in the oven.

I even checked my knitting list, and I am done, except for I'd like to knit a little miniature for a stocking stuffer if I have time.  I haven't told anyone this since they already think I'm crazy, so I thought it might be best to knit it up tonight once everyone is asleep.  I'll let you know how that goes!! 

I should get back to the cleaning!  I hope you are all having a wonderful start to the Christmas Holidays!! 

xoxo 

Mid-Week Report

Ho Ho Ho!!
Things are coming along great!  I got more cookies baked today and even got my Mom to help me with icing the sugar cookies.  I still have a lot more to do, but I'm getting there.  Tomorrow is going to be a big baking day, so once that is over I should have a good idea of where I stand with the cookie baskets.  I don't know if I've ever mentioned about the cookie baskets before or not, so in case I haven't I will explain: every year I bake up all these different kinds of cookies and then Christmas Eve day, my Mom and sister put together these beautiful baskets to give as gifts to family and friends.  This year we have to assemble the baskets a day earlier since we are having Christmas dinner at our house on Christmas Eve, so with that, and the fact that I thought there was an extra week before Christmas, I'm having to rush a bit with the cookies, but I have faith that it will all get done. 

I still have not looked at my knitting list to make sure I have everything I need finished....I think I might be avoiding it a teeny bit.....but really, it's probably best not to know right now when I can't do anything about it, well, at least until the cookies are done.

xoxo

Motivation

Hello Again,

I rarely post twice in one day, but I had to share this.  If you need a little motivation, check this out.  I want to be like that.... 

xoxo

One More Gift Down

Hello!!

I've got one more gift finished!  I knit another cowl using the Bernat Really Big yarn, this time in the Amazon colourway.  It's for my Auntie Ruth, and since she has dark hair, I think this will look really pretty on her.  Again, it was a quick knit and I'm really happy with the end result!!  Now I just need to wrap it up.  I will be back soon with an update on how things are coming along, at the moment, I don't really know!!

Much Love, xoxo 

Please Tell Me You're Kidding!!

Happy Holidays!

Okay, I know I said that I wanted this Christmas Season to be less stressful and more about the small things and enjoying life.  Well, today I realized that I have one less week than I thought I did before Christmas is here.  I mean, I thought there was one more extra week.  Like I kept saying to myself, "Oh don't stress about that Christmas gift you need to knit.  It's big needles and chunky yarn, and plus you still have another week." or "start making my cookie list?  Oh, why worry about that already, I still have one more week."  Until this morning when my most wonderful Mother told me the cold hard truth - next week is THE week before Christmas, which by the way is on the Sunday of that SAME WEEK!!  How did I miss this??  I mean come on here, I have been opening a gift each day as part of the Advent Swap, and I hang up another number every day on my Advent bunting!  It's not like I'm not aware of what day it is; it is clearly December 14th.  So how did this happen then?  My guess is that it is because I never looked at an actual calendar that showed all the days of the month on one page.  Somehow by not seeing "the big picture" I missed out on the fact that there is only 10 Days left before Christmas - and yes, I did just count that right now, and no, I don't feel the best at the moment....  So now this leaves me grasping at all the fragments of my broken plans and trying to piece something together that will work.  My Mom just walked by and said, "It's amazing what you can do in 9 days" - gotta love her and her enthusiasm.  I think I'm going to go and lie down for a bit and think.  I'll report back in a few days to let you all know how it's going.  Wish me luck!!

xoxo

A Cowl for Mom

Hello!

This cowl is a birthday present for my Mom.  She picked out the yarn the other day and said she'd like to have a cowl like the store sample, so here it is.  The yarn is Really Big by Bernat and the pattern is the Knit Cowl that is included on the label.  It uses big needles and the yarn is a super bulky, so this was a very quick and easy knit.  I think she'll like it!  I like fast projects like these, especially around the holidays!!

Today has been a busy day of Christmas shopping in the city.  Now I feel like I need a nap!  It's been raining here all day and since we have no snow it doesn't look very Christmasy.  I can wait for the snow a bit longer though, at least until all the shopping is done! 

Have a great evening!
xoxo

Star Advent Bunting

Happy Saturday!!

I finally got the Star Advent Bunting done this past week!  It's all hung up and I'm enjoying putting up the numbers for each day!!  Who would have thought that such a small thing as that could bring me such excitement?? 

I didn't do the lovely little felt and fabric numbers like Lucy did for hers because it was getting too late for me to make them, so what I did instead was cut out bigger and smaller circles from construction paper and then wrote the number on a small one and glued it onto the middle of a big one.  I punched a hole in the top of each and hung them with coloured paperclips like Lucy did, and I think all in all, they turned out very cute.  Maybe for next year I will make the felt ones, since I'm sure they will last a lot longer and be prettier. 

To hang them, up I chained a nice looooonnnngggg chain and strung each star through the two side points.  I attached two hooks to the wall, and tied the ends of the chains into loops and attached those to the hooks.  The hooks are the kind that you can easily remove, so that will be great once the holidays are over. 

I have to admit that every so often I come into my room to admire it!!  The combination of the colours, the cute little star shapes, and seeing them all strung up together just makes me so happy!!  I think that's one of the best things about handmade items.

xoxo 

December Is Here

Hello!

Wow, my last post was November 30th!  It doesn't even seem like it's been that long!  This beginning part of December has gone by rather quickly, but I hope it starts to slow down soon so I get the chance to enjoy it a bit more. 

I am almost done my Christmas gifts, I think.  I still have a few finishing details to do on a couple of projects, but most are at least done the biggest part.  I hope that by the end of this week I will have them all completed and wrapped up under the tree.  That's my goal anyways.  We will see how it goes.

The light levels have been pretty low here over the last bit, so I haven't taken many pictures.  However, I took one this morning of a cowl I finished up over the weekend when I was at my sister's house. 

This is the Thick and Quick Ribbed Cowl and I used a skein of Knit Picks Swish Bulky in Saffron that was in my stash.  I really like how it turned out.  It's soft and cozy around your neck, just as a cowl should be.  I'm still not sure if this will be a gift or not.  I also knitted up another cowl, which is waiting for the right buttons, and finished up my Mom's Christmas socks, but they still need their heels put in yet. 

Over the past while I've worked on the Sweet Flower Granny Blanket as well as a few tiny gifts that I will share when I get some better lighting for pictures.  Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that when I was really stressed out last week, I started a Milk Run Shawl for myself.  What better way to curb stress than to start another project, right?  Actually, I think not, but it helped distract me until I could get a few other things under control. 

I've also been enjoying opening up my daily gifts from Jessica!!  It's such a bright spot in my day!!  I usually open my gift while having my morning coffee, since that is the best way to enjoy a present I think.  All I can say is that I have been spoiled, spoiled, SPOILED by Jessica.  I'm enjoying it all immensely!!

I hope you are all having a great start to the week.  I will try to post more often now that I'm aware of my tardiness! 

See you soon, xoxo

Itty-Bitty Advent Swap Package

Good Evening,

I wanted to share some pictures tonight of my Itty-Bitty Advent swap package that I received from Jessica.  I got it in the mail on Monday and had only opened the box for a quick peek and to read the card, but tonight I unpacked it all and put it under my palm tree.  Here's a picture of what I seen when I opened the box:

And here is it all unpacked under the tree:

Squeeeaalll!!!!  I can hardly wait till tomorrow when I get to open the first package!!  I will be posting pictures each day on my Ravelry page as I open them, so if you are interested in seeing what is in each one you can check it out by clicking here.  I have a feeling December is going to be an especially fun month!!

Have a great night, xoxo

P.S. I wanted to let you all know that Daniel is home now and is doing great!  He is getting better each day and we are so thankful to the Lord for it all!!  He still has a ways to go yet in his recovery but he's making strides at a remarkable pace.  Thank you so much for praying for him, we all appreciate it so very much!!!! 

A Reveal

Hello!

Over the weekend I got my Mom's Christmas socks done except for the heels.  Here's a picture of the second one when it was almost finished.

Isn't the colourway pretty?  She picked it out herself, it's Knit Picks Stroll Hand-Painted in Punky.  I've been having a fun time knitting them because I like to see what colour is going to come up next.  This was my last pair of Christmas socks.  Now I just have to do some heels and they will all be completely done and can be wrapped up!  Yippee!!!!  I'm getting closer and closer to being done my gifts!!
 
Also, I finally got the colourful project started over the weekend and I can now reveal what it is going to be....

It's my own interpretation of the Sweet Flower Granny Blanket from Attic24.  I was originally going to make a blanket like Lucy's BB, but I fell in love with this blanket instead and just had to make it.  Lucy hasn't written up the pattern yet, so I set out on the adventure of trying to make something similar in looks.  I used the flower information she gave here, and pretty much winged it for the rest.  It took quite a few tries and a couple of hours before I got something that looked good to me.  I'm using Bernat Super Value and leftover Red Heart Super Saver from my stash in colours that are pretty close to Lucy's since I'm not fully confident in my own colour choosing yet.  I know it's probably not the smartest thing to start a blanket while I'm still working on Christmas presents, but I just had to.  You see it's getting a lot colder here now and I need a extra blanket on my bed at night, and since it's almost not Fall anymore my Fall Blankie needs to be put away and replaced with a new one, but I don't have a new one, so therefore, I need to make one.  Sounds logical right?  I thought so. 

xoxo

Happy Thanksgiving

Hello!!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American readers!!  I hope you are having a blessed and wonderful day :)  We aren't doing too much to celebrate this year, but some years we do.  I use the excuse that since part of my Dad's family lives in the States, then we can celebrate too.  I am making a pumpkin pie though, and of course we're going to watch Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving - it's a tradition!  I've also been taking some time today to reflect on all the things I am thankful for.  I think it is something I need to do more often.  Lately I can get so caught up in everyday life that I forget to take the time to enjoy all the many blessings in my life.  It's something I definately want to be more mindful of. 

In some crafty news, I've had a bit of a hold-up with the colourful project I was going to start this week.  I changed my mind about what pattern I am going to use and this resulted in needing a few more colours, which I'm planning on picking up tomorrow.  But in the meantime, I finished up the Advent Bunting Stars!!  Now they need to be starched and I have to come up with some sort of a plan for the numbers.  I'm not sure what I want to do with that part yet, but I have a few more days to decide. 

I also have a couple of smaller projects that I want to cast on since most of my Christmas knitting/crocheting is done.  I'm hoping to work on them this weekend while I'm staying at my sister's house.  Most of them are along the "mindless" knitting lines, so I can knit them while watching movies and visiting.  I'm not sure yet if I will keep them for myself or put them aside for gifts, but I have the yarn just laying around so I thought it best to use it up just in case there might be some new yarn under the Christmas tree for me!! 

So have a wonderful holiday weekend everyone and I will hopefully be back soon with some in-progress photos!!

xoxo   

It's the Weekend!!

Happy Saturday!!

I'm so glad that it's the weekend!!  This past week has been a bit stressful and busy to say the least, so I'm very happy that it's over now.  Also, my Dad came home last night!!  He got in just a few minutes before 4:00am and of course we all had to get up to welcome him home.  He has been working way up north for the last two months so it's really nice to finally get to see him and have him home for a bit.  Since he was away for his birthday, I'm baking his cake today, and we are going to celebrate tomorrow.  I gave him his birthday socks this morning and he said they looked real professional and he was going to wear them to church tomorrow!  I'm so glad he likes them!!

Speaking of Dad, I finished his Christmas socks!! 

I'm so excited to have them done, and I think they turned out really nice.  I hope he likes the colour, but I think that he should because he likes both red and grey.  He originally asked for red and white socks, but I couldn't find a yarn that would work, so this was the closest I could get.

I also snapped a picture of the yarn for my next big project I mentioned earlier.  Want to see??

Ohhhh I'm so excited about this one!!  I still have a couple more projects to finish up before I can start it, but I think I should be done them soon, so maybe you'll see some progress next week!! 

Have a wonderful and relaxing weekend!

xoxo

Advent Bunting

Hello!

I hope you are all having a lovely week!  I wanted to post before now, but I've been so busy working on Christmas presents and finishing up the final details on my Advent swap package, that I haven't had the time to stop and write.  I've been doing a lot of sewing mostly, but I have done a little bit of crochet that I wanted to talk about today. 

Back in the springtime when I found the Attic24 blog, I seen Lucy's adorable Advent bunting and knew immediately that I had to make one for my own room this year.  Counting down the days till Christmas is one of my favourite things to do, and this is such a cute way to do it.  I'm using Knit Picks Dishie cotton for my stars and I only have three done so far, but I think that are super cute!!  They work up in a snap too which is great.  I can sneak one or two into little spaces I find during my day when I can't work on bigger projects.  I like watching the colours come together and seeing how each star turns out unique and beautiful.  If you'd like to give them a try yourself, you can find the star pattern here and the how-to for Lucy's bunting here. 

On a side note, yesterday while in the city doing some shopping, I made a trip to Zellers to pick out some really pretty colours for a big project I'm going to start soon!!  I'm beyond excited about it and can hardly wait to share it with you, but I need to get some pictures first.  Since it's a dreary day here today I will have to wait a bit longer before I show you, but believe me, it's going to be so much fun!!  Anyhoo, have a wonderful day!!

xoxo

McHenry

Hello!!

I finished McHenry!!  Isn't he so cute??  This was a delightful pattern to knit, as are all of Susan's patterns.  I had so much fun watching him come together and get a personality of his own.  He seems like the happy-go-lucky type to me.   

I used Knit Picks Comfy Sport, which makes him all huggable and squishy - exactly what a stuffed toy should be.  It's a little sad to have to part with him but I think he's going to make a really fun Christmas present!

Much Love, xoxo

Granny Square Tea Cozy

Happy Wednesday!!

My Mom bought me this cutest robin's egg blue teapot a few weeks ago because she knows how much I like tea, and with the weather getting colder we will be drinking a lot more of it!  She thought it would be nice to have a pretty new pot to enjoy it in.  I thought that it needed an equally pretty cozy to help keep it warm and toasty.  With my new-found like of everything Granny Square, I knew that this was the perfect pattern!!  It's by Sarah London from her new book Granny Square Love.  I don't own the book, but this pattern was an excerpt from it that was featured in the November/December issue of Crochet Today! Magazine.  Granny squares are perfect for stash busting (which I need to do more of by the way), so I used some of the leftover yarn from Brittany and Nick's Granny Stripe Blanket.  The blues matched just right with the colour of the teapot, and I even found the perfect ribbon in my "ribbon stash" to go with it, so this truly is a stash busting project.  Now it's all ready for a nice steaming cup of tea....and maybe a couple of scones for Mom!

Much Love, xoxo

~ Pretty Things ~

Hello,

Today I want to start something new on the blog.  I have seen Lucy from Attic24 do "Pretty Things" posts, and I think they are such a wonderful idea!  I'd like to include them here on my blog because it's such a good way to stop and appreciate the beauty in everyday life.  Sometimes I find that I'm just moving too fast to take joy in the small things and I think that this will help me slow down and enjoy what is around me.  I hope that you like the posts and that they bring some beauty into your lives as well.

Since I'm just starting off, I only have one Pretty Thing to share today.  We had our first heavy frost about a week and a half ago, and my Mom took this picture of it on one of her plants.  I was just struck by the intricacy of it.  If you look at it hard enough, you'll see that it looks like it has been carefully painted on by hand - it's breathtaking!!  It just blew me away that there would be such detail on something so simple as frost. 

I find nature one of the most fascinating things to stop and really look at.  The beauty found in it is truly amazing!!  Our Creator really does care about all the small details, and He puts it all there for us to enjoy.  I am so thankful for that, and I plan to keep my eyes open to see it all.

Much Love, xoxo

A Couple WIPs

Hello!

Wow, it's Friday already!  I don't know where this week has gone, it's just flown right by.  I'm happy that the weekend starts soon though, there's so many fun things happening.  Tomorrow our Pancake House is open, so my Mom and I are going to go there for an early lunch, and then one of the towns on the Island is having their annual Christmas Craft Bazaar, so we are going to go and do a little early Christmas shopping!!  I'm hoping to find some things for my swap partner to add to her package, as well as a few other goodies for my family's stocking stuffers.  My sister may even come down for the day and join us, which would be so much fun!  This Christmas Craft Bazaar is something I look forward to every year.  It's always so neat to see what new and creative things people are making, and it's a good chance to support our local artists. 

In the knitting department, I have a couple of WIPs to share today!  I've been working on McHenry by Susan B. Anderson from the new Interweave Knits Holiday Gifts issue:

Susan's patterns are always such fun to knit!  I finished his limbs, tail, spot and collar last night and now he only needs to be assembled and get a face.  McHenry is a Christmas gift for someone special, because really, doesn't everyone want a dog for Christmas?? 

The other WIP for today is my Lizzie Bennet's Shawlette by Anne K. Riley.  I mentioned this before.  It is for the KAL that I joined in the Knitting with Jane Group last month.  I started mine late, due to other knitting commitments that needed to be finished first, so I didn't get mine finished on time.  However, I am enjoying knitting it and try to work on it, even if just a little bit, everyday.  The colour I chose for mine is the Meryton colourway, which is a very lovely green. 

I'm still working on the boarder.  I have 23 of the scallops done, and there are 40 in total, so I'm a little over half-way done this part.  Next I need to pick up the stitches and work the body, which is stockinette, so it should go a bit faster.  I'm okay with it taking a while though.  It's for me and I don't mind waiting.  It's such a pleasure to work on so it's all worth it.

Well, I hope that you all have a great weekend and enjoy yourselves!! 

Much Love, xoxo

And So IT Begins!!

Hello there!!

Happy November to you all!!  It is now officially "get ready for Christmas time" here at my house :)  I've decided to start early this year because I have found that in years past I'm always so rushed with making gifts and baking, etc, that I don't get to enjoy the actual things about the season that are so special to me.  So this year I'm trying something different; I'm making a change.  I've cut down my gift-making list to be more reasonable (in keeping with the plan of small, useful, handmade and lovely) and I've started plotting things out on my calendar to make sure that I don't end up leaving things to the last minute.  All this should help leave room for the other "special" things that I want to do this holiday season, and for the actual enjoying. 

So, in keeping with the theme, I thought I'd show you two of the required knits I finished for the Itty-Bitty Advent Swap. 

This is the Mouse from the Christmas Set in Itty-Bitty Toys.  He turned out really cute, and I think I might have a little bit of sadness about parting with him, but I know he is going to a good home where he will be well loved! 

And here is my Tiny Elf from the Spud and Chloe pattern.  Not too bad for an elf, eh?  He was a really quick knit! 

The other required knit was Susan's Santa Baby Ornament pattern, which I knit but forgot to take a picture of.  It was super quick to knit and even cuter than most of the mini hat patterns I've seen.  I've also knit some other gifts for my swap partner (SP), but I'm up-in-the-air about sharing them on the blog because I don't want to spoil anything for anyone, so we will see.  But for now, this is the first sneak peeks :) 

Much Love, xoxo

P.S. Yes, I'm listening to Christmas music and I'm even breaking out the Christmas movies tonight!! 

Giant Granny Square Blanket

Happy Monday!!

I hope you all had a great weekend!!  Mine was a bit low-key with some relaxing since my asthma has been acting up.  I'm feeling better today though and so I thought I'd come on here and write a little post.  I know I mentioned working on a crocheted blanket for my Aunt a little bit ago, but I never got to show you any pictures.  It's all done now and has been dropped off at her house to keep her snuggly now that the weather is getting cold.  I got my Mom to snap a few pictures early in the morning before we went to my Aunt's house, so the lighting is not the best!!  But here they are:

I didn't have a specific blanket pattern for this, I just used the basic granny square instructions from The Happy Hooker book by Debbie Stoller.  I had started it last fall with the intentions of making a baby blanket, but I didn't like how the colours were turning out so I put it away and forgot about it.  That is until I was looking for some yarn in the stash a few weeks ago and happened to stumble upon it.  I thought that I might as well finish it up, because I had no idea what else I would use the yarn for, and once it started to get bigger I began to actually like the colours.  I think it was just too hard to tell what they would look like when it was so small.  The yarn was Jo-Ann Sensations Rainbow Classic, which is a bulky weight brushed yarn, so it's nice and soft - perfect for a cozy blanket.  Pink is the colour that stands out the most in it, so it matches my Aunt's living room furniture really nicely.  I hope that she enjoys it and that it brings her lots of warmth this winter.  If you would like any more information on it, you can check out my Ravelry page. 

Well, I'm off to finish off some embroidery on some of the things I made for my Itty-Bitty Advent swap partner!!  Take care!!

Much Love, xoxo

Some Baby Knits

Hello!!

Today I'm doing a little catch-up on some baby knits that I finished a while ago but never got around to photographing or blogging about.  (I don't know why I seem to put these things off for so long....)  Anywho, they are all finished up now and awaiting their departure to their new homes. 

First up is the Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmermann.  This was a really fun and pretty easy project.  I did mine using the written directions from The Opinionated Knitter as well as the row counting charts and collar directions from the wiki page.  I knit it to be a newborn size using sock weight yarn.  I had originally made it for baby Grace, but I didn't get it to her soon enough and she outgrew it.  Which leads me to my next finish knit:

The Marshmallow Bonnet by Susan B. Anderson.  I knit this to replace the Baby Surprise Jacket.  Yes, I know it's not as big of a gift as the cardigan, but I was running low on time, so I had to knock out whatever I could easily manage.  I don't know why I waited so long to knit this pattern!  It is adorable and super functionable for a baby!!  It's got a chin strap to help prevent the baby from wiggling out of her hat, which is genius if you ask me.  I used Berroco Vintage and Palace yarns, both leftovers from the Cupcake Hat I knit for the C is for Cupcake Swap. 

And lastly is another cute little baby cardigan.  This one is the Puerperium Cardgian by Kelly Brooker.  It's a free Ravelry download and is meant for the puerperium period, which is the first six weeks after baby is born.  The buttons all down one side make it easier to dress the baby when they are so new and little.  I knit the short-sleeved version because I thought it looked really cute worn over a long-sleeved onsie, but the pattern has instructions for a long-sleeve version as well.   

All in all, I would knit each one of these patterns again because they are easy, quick and so cute!!  I hope that they are useful and come in handy for each precious little one. 

Much Love, xoxo

A Fall Walk

Hello!!

I thought you all might like to get a glimpse of what fall is like in my little corner of the world.  These pictures were taken about three weeks ago when our leaves were almost at their peak.  God's handiwork is so amazing!  Enjoy!!  

Happy Weekend!!

Much Love, xoxo

Busy Few Days

"The Love Frog" picture is from last year when he was the ring bearer at my sister's wedding.

Hello!!

I'm just popping in to let you know that the I'm doing cupcakes for a wedding on Saturday so things might be a little quiet around here for the next few days.  It's funny how this time last year I was doing almost the exact same thing, except I was making my sister's wedding cake.  It must just be a wedding-time of year.  Sometimes it seems like it has been so long since they got married and other times it doesn't seem possible that it will be a year on Sunday!! 

I've been getting a lot of knitting done both yesterday and today since I seem to re-direct my nervous energy into making things.  This is actually coming in very handy because I have a lot of projects that need to get done.  I remember last year that during the time I was baking the cake, I started knitting Susan's pattern for the Happily Ever After Mitts.  I even remember knitting them in the car on the way to the rehearsal.  I was so nervous that I just had to make something and these were just the thing!  They distracted me enough that I didn't worry too much, yet weren't so involved that I couldn't focus on other things at the same time.  I'm so glad that I did knit them because now they have such happy memories tied right in.  Every time I wear them I recall so many good things from what was such a special moment in our lives.  

Since I don't know when I will get a chance to post again, have a great weekend everyone!!

Much Love, xoxo

P.S. Daniel is doing great and has had all tubes except his feeding tube removed.  He is able to talk and has even been up walking with a walker!!  We are all so amazed at the miracles of God and so grateful for all his healing and progress!!  Thank you everyone so much for your prayers, they are much appreciated!!

Annie's Shawlette

Hello!!

I hope you are all having a great Wednesday!  It took me by surprise this morning to realize that we are already half-way through this week.  I've been busy knitting away on Christmas gifts and projects for the Itty-Bitty Advent Swap I joined, so the time has been well spent.  Above is a picture of my first finished Christmas present!!  It feels great to already have one gift checked off my list. 

I knit the North Cape Shawlette using Bernat Mosaic for my friend Annie.  I've had this yarn in my stash for about a year just waiting for the right project to come along.  This turned out to be perfect for it!  The colours will look stunning on her since she has gorgeous dark hair, and hopefully it will come in handy and keep her warm this winter.  The project just flew off my needles!!  I think I was so mesmerized by watching the colour changes come up that I didn't even notice how much I had knit.  I made this one a little bigger than the original so that it could be worn more like a shawl and not just a neckerchief.  I'm very happy with how it turned out and I can't wait to gift it to her. 

Now I off to work on the next gift on my list....  Have a great day!!

Much Love, xoxo

Oak Grove

My lovely Mother was my model :)

Hello!!

I seem to be playing a little catch-up again with my projects!!  I haven't been very faithful in keeping the blog updated on what I'm working on again.  I'm hoping to change that though, and so to start off I want to show you my Oak Grove Fingerless Gloves.  At the beginning of the month I was starting to get myself back up-to-date on the happenings over on the Itty-Bitty Knits Group and stumbled across a KAL they had been doing of Alana Dakos of Never Not Knitting's pattern called Oak Grove.  KAL's always peak my interest, so I just had to check out the pattern.....and it was GORGEOUS!!  Alana is one extremely talented designer, and I'm a huge fan of hers so I knew I would not be disappointed if I bought this pattern.  I had been feeling particularly down that day and this was just the little "treat" that I needed!! 



I also just happened to have the perfect yarn in my stash!!  Again, something I forgot to mention; I joined the Knitting with Jane Group on Ravelry's Elizabeth Bennett Shawlette KAL and when I purchased the kit, I bought the two other colourways they were offering as well.  This one is the Pemberly colourway and it a gorgeous kettle-dyed chocolate brown that is a scrumptious blend of merino and silk.  It was a dream to knit with and makes the gloves extra special because I'm a big Pride and Prejudice fan. 

I decided to do the fingerless gloves instead of just the fingerless mitts so that I could learn a new technique, and I really like how they turned out!!  It's nice to have that extra little bit of warmth on my fingers.  Now I want to knit a pair of fingerless flip-top mitts, but I think that will have to wait a little bit as I finish up a few other gift knits first.  I'd highly recommend this pattern if you like fingerless mitts/gloves as they're a fun and satisfying knit, and they're perfect for your fall wardrobe.   

I also think I forgot to mentioned that I've started my Christmas knitting!!  I actually started back in August, but I've only been working on them off and on.  Some I can show on here and others I can't since some of the recipients read the blog.  This is a first for me; usually I don't start until the end of October/beginning of November.  I've also adopted the theme of small, useful, handmade and lovely this Christmas.  I hope that it will make both the gift making and gift receiving much more enjoyable to all!!  Instead of just "mass making things" so that everyone will get lots of presents, I'm trying to choose the gift completely based on the person and their likes, tastes, and what would be practical for them.  I think it's a much better way to make things and it makes the gift more special.  In this generation, we tend to be consumed with more, more, more, and I think we need to take a step back to a more simpler way of life.  One where we notice the little things, slow down, and learn to really appreciate each other and enjoy life.  At least that's what I am going to try to do.  I'm tired of being so worn out from trying to do too much because of the pressure that either I've put on myself, or from what I think other's expect out of me.  I'm going to do my best to let go of unrealistic expectations and consumerism, and embrace life and all it offers.  I think it will make for a much happier me and those around me, since our attitudes affect those we are close with.  I'm not going to go "full-out" with all this and do such things as not purchase things anymore or take on radical attitudes.  I'm not doing a complete turn-around and overhaul of my life, but more like a gentle shift of priorities. I just want to take the time to  learn to find and enjoy the simple pleasures in life.  I guess I see it like this: God gave us such a beautiful world and I am going to do my best to enjoy it. 

Much Love to you all, xoxo

Man Socks

Happy Saturday Afternoon!!

I hope that wherever you are, that you are having better weather than we are having here at the moment!  It's blustery, and rainy, and a downright mess outside today.  Definitely not a day that I want to go out in that's for sure.  Yesterday we had the rain, but the wind didn't pick up until the middle of the night.  My Mom and I had to go into the city for an appointment, and the rain was enough for me.  At one point, it was raining so hard that water was pouring down our faces!  It was like walking through a shower.  It gushed down the streets and when you walked, it was like walking through one giant puddle.  Today would be very similar from the looks of it, only the rain would be carried around on gale force winds.....  Nope, that's not for me.  This however, is perfect weather for cuddling up with a blanket and some knitting, which is exactly what I plan to do with the rest of my day. 

I do have a little ta-da to share.  I finally knit my Dad a pair of socks!! 

The picture is not the best, but I wanted it to be in the fall leaves while we still had some.  I made them for his birthday, which was October 2, but since he has been working way, way, WAY up north for the last few weeks, he wasn't home at the time.  This worked out to my advantage though, since I didn't have them done by his actual birthday.  I think that since they were "man-sized" I thought they would take me a long time to knit, and therefore, I kept struggling with them.  I'd knit and knit and knit some more and they would not grow....it got to the point where I didn't even want to look at them anymore, let alone knit on them.  And this was all before I had even gotten the first one done!!  Anyways, after much procrastinating, I finally sat down and finished them up.  I have to say that in all reality, there really wasn't that much more to knit then a pair of socks for myself.  I think I just thought that they would be a big job and so that made them seem like a big job.  Now that I have this pair under my belt, I feel much more ready to tackle his Christmas socks as well as my brother-in-law's Christmas socks.  I used Cascade Heritage, which was a first for me, and I did like it, although I found it a bit more slippery than the Knit Picks Stroll I was using on the socks I was working on before this pair.  The colour is nice though, and I think he will like it.  I just hope that they fit and he enjoys wearing them!!  That's the part about gift-making that I don't like so much - the not knowing if the recipiant will like their gift or if it will fit, or come in handy and be well used.  However, I find that the joy most gifts bring to others far outweighs the uncertainty, don't you?

Well, I hope you all have a lovely weekend and get to do lots of knitting and crocheting.  I know I'm going to try to sneak it in any chance I can get.  See you next week!!

Much Love, xoxo

Nordland Morning Mist Cowl Pattern

Jesus replied, "Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again.  But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again.  It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life."

John 4:13-14

This cowl's inspiration came from the colour of the glacier water I seen while in Norway.  We were in an area called Nordland, where the river was the most gorgeous colour of light blue/green, which we were told was due to the high amount of minerals from the glaciers that melted into the river.  When we were there the mornings were a bit misty and cool, so this cowl would have been just the thing to wrap around my neck.  It's easy and quick to stitch, making it a perfect thing for a last-minute gift too!! 

Yarn
2 balls Bernat Roving (80% Acrylic/20% Wool; 100g/3.5 oz.; 120yds/109m) - Low Tide

Hook
M (9mm)

Supplies
Yarn needle
Measuring tape

Abbreviations
ch - Chain
dc - Double crochet
sc - Single crochet
st - Stitch

Pattern:

Ch 129 (or until the chain length is 45" long with the total number being a multiple of three).


Working into the back loop.

Row 1: Working into back loops of chain, 1 sc in each stitch to end.


Join the two ends together with a slip stitch.

Row 2: Slip stitch into first stitch at other end of chain to join into a ring, being careful not to twist the chain.  Ch 3, 2 dc into same stitch as ch 3, *sk 2 sts, 3 dc into next st, repeat from* to end.  Slip stitch into top of ch 3 from beginning of round.

Slip stitch to the first space.



ch 3 and 2 dc to make the first cluster.

Row 3: Slip stitch across to first space, ch 3, 2 dc into space, 3 dc into each space to end.  Join round with a slip stitch into top of ch 3, as in round 2.
Repeat row 3 until your cowl is as wide as you'd like or until you run out of yarn.  Mine measures 6 1/2" wide.  Fasten off and weave in ends.  Wrap around your neck and enjoy!! 

Designed By

Armida Joy

http://www.fairytaleknits.blogspot.com/

Disclaimer:  This pattern is for personal and gift use only and may not be sold in paper or crocheted form.  Selling the item for charity or fundraising purposes with all proceeds going to the charity is always welcome.  Thank you!!