New Spring Bag!

Feeling a bit springy these days.........

xo
dulcy

Mini Projects!

I've been plodding along in the heat, hooking, some knitting, and a bit of pastel painting.  Last weekend we were invited to a little outdoor party.  I wanted a small over the shoulder bag just for lipstick and my sunglasses.... so I quickly dug through my wool and found a great combo of colors to make a posy pouch to wear with my dress for that evening.  Not modeling the dress here, but this little bag went perfectly and I was very pleased!

 Just a simple little prodded number.  The strap is from leather my bestie, Jessy, gave me rescued from an old belt.  Below is a shot of the back.

Again, very simple but funky and fun.  It can also hold my phone, keys and a twenty if needed....

I had started a pair of socks last fall, but didn't finish after the first one because I ended up not liking the yarn.  So.... A couple of weeks ago I picked the project back up and knitted the mate.  Then.... I crocheted this bit of slate blue to fem them up a bit.  I kind of love them now.... great with my clogs!

This week I decided I'd been away from my easel for too long.... I've been wanting to work a little more on painting glass, and here's my effort. 

Just a bit of fun practice using colors that I love.....

It's a wasteland here, and I don't mean just the heat.  Every SINGLE ONE of our yarn shops has closed!  It's just awful!  But...... there is the most wonderful shop called One City Market in a little town east of here.  It's in an old farmhouse that's stocked to the rafters with yarn and other goodies.  They also give mini classes, so I'm looking forward to taking one on intarsia.  I've sort of taught myself, but not with the greatest results.  While visiting this sweet shop today I picked up yarn for two new projects.

It's so nice to have a well stocked knitting basket again!

Stay cool!
xo
dulcy

Christmas Clutches and Forcing an Indoor Garden

I've been trying to hook some for Christmas.  If you hook, you may find the dilemma of wanting to hook something for everyone, but not the time to get it all done.  Of course.... you may be someone who plans ahead, gets things done and put away, possibly even wrapped.  Oh, I so do envy your diligence!  The above is one of, maybe..... five, little hooked clutches I'm hoping to gift to friends.  This is the front and back of my first completed clutch, and another is just about done with construction.  I hooked this one with someone special in mind.... hence the colors, coffee cup, and bluebirds of happiness.  I really like making something small like this.  Done fairly quick (if I stay with it, and don't get lured by my drawing pad) and not a huge hooking commitment involved.

Today I spent the morning outside emptying flower pots, washing them out, and readying things to be put to bed for the season.  I volunteer at our Library Center gift chop, Between Friends, and I found this great book there about a month ago.  I thought, "How perfect to help uplift myself from the end of the gardening season blues!"

forcing, etc by Katherine Whiteside..... an autographed copy for only $4.00!  We sell gently used books in the gift shop, so I am constantly bringing books home.  This one was a real find for me.  The photos by Richard Felber are fabulous!  It's a "how to" book on forcing just about anything indoors.  At the moment I'm trying to force acorns.  I have them in a little bowl in my kitchen window with some rocks and water.  The book says it takes about a month.  I'm almost at three weeks and nothing yet.  Has anyone tried this with success?  In the book, these really cute little stems have popped up and look darling in the dish with rocks and shells.  Today I separated out my amaryllis bulbs, repotted, and stored in the garage for the next couple of months.  Katherine says that they're really best to bring in after Christmas.... first of January.  So, that's the plan.  Anyway, this book is great to just look at, and there's all kinds of things she's forced to bloom besides the standard paperwhites and hyacinths.  I particularly like the forced stems and branches.  It's a great way to bring some of your garden indoors for the winter.

Hope things are going well in your world, and all survived Halloween in one piece.  Off now to finished my second little Christmas Clutch.
xo
dulcy

It's ALWAYS About The Color!

New bag is coming along nicely.... I'm done hooking....  now for pockets, lining, strap, and buttons.  I found the most perfect button in mom's old button tin.  I think it was part of a set she used when she made a coat a long time ago (30-40 years.....?).  Again,  love working with these neutrals and black.  Great look for winter!

Fall seems to be the time for all the warm colors like orange, yellow, brown, etc.  I'm kind of tired of all the traditional fall decorations.  I guess it's just gotten so over the top in the last several years.  I'm liking very simple decorations and lots of jewel toned colors.  Purples, pinks, scarlets, bright royal blues, and intense golds.

I pulled the last of my spindly petunias Saturday, and planted these gorgeous dark purple pansies for winter.  As I was planting, out popped a good sized toad.  Poor thing.... I think it was dug in for the winter.  It hopped out and patiently waited on the step while I finished planting.  I gently picked it up and put it back amongst the pansies, and hopefully, it dug it's way back down in the nice warm soil.

Don't you just love these pink mums?!  Once again, I forsook the golds and reds for these pretty posies.

My periwinkle blue asters are just brilliant!  These sorts of colors seem kinda old fashioned to me, and that's what I find so appealing.  I'm sure that I'll eventually come back to the more traditional fall color scheme.  Maybe I'm just having a hard time letting go of summer.  I still have lovely blooming pink petunias, and gorgeous blooming fuchsia geraniums.  Also, my blue daze is spectacular right now.  I imagine the cool night temperatures are doing the magic.  The temps. also enticed me to get some home-made tomato soup going in the crock pot for this evening's meal.  Well..... it's that time of day.... yoga time!  Gotta go and stretch..... Here's to a lovely week ahead....xo