A Very Good Day!

A day with my friend Linda.

Waiting On A background

Well.......I think I'm done with the motif, trying to decide on a background.  I have some deep, almost dark blue that I think may work.  If not, I'll have to go out into the cold and find just the right color.  Not a pleasant thought!

Outside My Kitchen Window

This is my new "scrap" project.  By scrap I mean that I'm not buying or cutting wool.  I'm just using leftover linen, wool, yarn, and ribbon.  This design is loosely based on what I see while looking out my kitchen window (in spring, of course).  Today I see snow and lots of birds at the feeders.  I'm wondering if I should be a bit concerned.  I'm already thinking way too much about spring!

So Sweet....

I was sitting and looking at the tree, just a few moments ago, and I noticed how the light behind the little angel showed it's little stuffed body through the fabric.  My mom made that angel many years ago, maybe 20-25 or so.  I just thought it looked so, so sweet!  Just a quick Christmas share.  Oh......one more thing....... early this morning I braved 25 degrees, all bundled up, and headed out to the country to help with the Audubon yearly Christmas bird count.  It was much fun, and also a great learning opportunity for me.  I saw many wonderful birds, but unfortunately, learned from the extremely knowledgeable birders I was with, that the populations are dropping enormously fast.  One gal, who has participated in the count for the 30th year in a row, said that there appeared to be quite a drop in population since last year.   That's discouraging, but when you see a lone kestrel hovering (literally hovering) above a farmer's field, why that's quite a Christmas treat!  Sorry, no pictures.  It was all my gloved, but freezing hands could do to hold my binoculars up!!

Repurpose & Reuse!

I spent the afternoon quite contentedly, because I'm newly retired and am able to actually stop, breath, and enjoy the season, wrapping Christmas gifts.  I enjoyed digging in my clothes currently not wearing, wool storage, paper crafting, and odds and ends closet looking for interesting, yet repurposed or recycled items to wrap with (wow.....that's quite the run-on sentence!).  My favorite finds are a wallpaper sample book, a roll of brown paper used to wrap boxes for mailing, brown bags used to carry apples in from the grocery store (those are really cute for gifting), rug hooking linen scraps, wool worms (you hookers know the value of those...), twine, and reused ribbon.  I've managed to wrap everything so far without the use of traditional Christmas paper or Christmas bags.  Maybe it's not "Christmasy" enough for everyone, but I love the beauty in simplicity!

Sharing On Monday Morning

It's very grey and foggy out this Monday morning.  Cold too!  I love turning on the lights of our tiny Christmas tree and sipping coffee by the fire.  

I really try to stay someplace within the topic of fiber creations on my blog.  Here's a shot of a little Santa mom made about 25 years ago.  She made tiny dolls and sold them in shops located in several places around the U.S.  Someday I'll do a posting showing you all the many intricately sewn, dyed, stuffed, and glued characters she made.  Any creativity I may have now, has all been showered on to me by my lovely mother.  There's nothing she can't do! 

I'm knitting a wrap for my mom for Christmas.  I'm using the subtle rib stitch and just love the way it's turning out.  Apparently Iris finds it to be a comfortable place to snuggle up next to.

Yes, yes....it's another bag.  But it does have a home, and I really need to get it made.  I imagine you are tired of seeing hooked roses every time you check in at the "doorstep".  Although,  I do so love the image of a rug on the frame in front of a warm (although gas lit) fireplace and thought you might enjoy it too.  It makes me feel warm, cozy, and puts me in the mood to hook. But I do really need to break out of this "rose thing"....

So.......working on ideas for a new little mat.  I'm playing with the idea of "Outside My Kitchen Window".  After all these bags, I'm psyched to start something new!

Jan's Bag

Here are views of the bag I made for my friend Jan, of Summer Sundays.  She is also part of the magic that is Leola's.

Today Is A Good Day

Today is the first day that feels like a dreary fall/winter kinda day.....and I love it!  Yes, ever since I retired from teaching at the end of last spring, I've been waiting for a cold rainy morning that I don't have a thing planned and can make the day my own.  Not a weekend day, but a Monday!  It's days like today that I feel simply giddy about my new retired life.  I started today (after the paper and coffee by the fire) by putting together yarns to make a scarf for Sheri's chemo challenge.  Sheri's blog is The Shabby Sheep, and she has challenged knitters to make scarves and hats for ladies going through chemo (as she currently is).  I found two lovely, and very soft wools in my yarn stash that I'm combining.  I will probably tie on some other yarns along the edges when finished.

Then I decided it would be a good day to make some crock pot chili.  I use ground turkey, diced tomatoes, chopped onion, salsa, cumin, chili powder, and throw in some red pepper flakes for good measure.  I cook mine on low for about six hours.

I'm a coffee kinda gal, but days like today make me drag out the teapot.  I love the ritual of boiling the water, then I pour it over the loose tea in my little brewing pot.  Oh!  There I am...can you see my reflection in the teapot?  As I'm blogging right now, I'm enjoying a nice cup of orange chocolate tea.

Tomorrow I have another excellent day planned.  If I'm not too lazy, I will snap a few photos and share them with you!  Now I'm off to do my yoga routine, finish my current hooked bag, and enjoy a bit of reading.  It will then be time for my hubby to return home from teaching his evening photography class, and we'll enjoy a bowl of chili with a nice bit of cabernet................life is good.  Oh.....of course you know things aren't always like this, but it's  nice to savor the moments where everything just seems to be working.  You know what I mean.

Under Construction

One more baggy just about done.  Construction is always my challenge, but I like finding better and easier ways to put it all together.  This one is spoken for, and I'll know where it lives and will get to visit it from time to time.

It's A Challenge!

I'm very excited to participate in the dottie angel challenge!  The challenge is to try  and go 365 days without buying anything new for your closet or to decorate your home.  Handcrafted items are fine.  I have been leaning in this direction for awhile now.  The home is not a problem, don't think I've bought anything new in at least a year.  The wardrobe shouldn't be too challenging until spring.  But, you know, I just really have enough clothes as it is.  I cleaned out my closet and drawers about a month ago.....well.....this is a little embarrassing, but found an old favorite cardigan that I thought I'd left somewhere last winter.  It was pushed back behind jeans and some other sweaters on the top shelf of my closet.  In fact, I was perusing a catalog sometime back with replacing it in mind.  Thank goodness there was nothing that sang out to me as sweetly as that somewhat (5 years or so) old little sweater.  I cancelled most of the catalogs I was getting a year ago, mainly because that was just extra to haul to the recycling center each month.  So, that's a temptation I don't have sitting around (sometimes, late a night, and a glass of wine, I've found myself the owner of a new top or two).  Anyway, this is very good for me, and the cute little dottie angel button on my sidebar is the perfect reminder to keep me in line!  Oh...I am allowing myself the purchase of a new black bra (I really do need this!), and the occasional repurposed vintage treasure from Leola's.  I just can't go cold turkey!!! 

PARADISE

It's Gone and I Miss It

This is my latest little bag, and I put it in DB Designs for sale.  Well, it sold the first day, which is very nice and all......but I kind of miss it.  It was my favorite, plus I didn't really anticipate it's selling that fast.  I thought it would be fun to have it somewhere, I could visit it for awhile, and eventually I would pick it up, bring it home, and it would be mine to carry!  Anyway, I thought I would share my "use ta be" bag with you, and I hope whoever has this little sweet purse now will love it and give it a nice home with lots of TLC.

HAUNTING THE CEMETERY!

My husband and I took our morning walk in the cemetery today.  I should have known something was up when he threw the white sheet into the car.  These are the kind of things I get roped into being married to a photographer.

THE DEAD BRIDE!

What a wonderful costume Emma!

Susan Komen Race For The Cure

Last Saturday I was privileged to participate in the Susan Komen Race For The Cure in Little Rock with my sister-in-law Gloria.  Gloria is a 30 year survivor of breast cancer.  This race is HUGE in Little Rock.  It's a 5K that takes a couple of hours due to the crowd of thousands of women and children that take part.  The following is a very small sampling of the pictures I took. There was every kind of pink costume imaginable, music on every corner, men honoring the women as we passed, and best of all.........so many smiles and happiness everywhere!  My husband said it was very emotional for him to watch as women crossed the finish line because they were all extremely happy, smiling, waving, and the positive energy flow was staggering!

50,000 Thousand Women Marched!

There Was Music!

There Was Dancing!

Everyone Wore Pink!

There Were Lots Of Men Too!

Stripping firemen.

Bikers pretty in pink.

Men cheering us on.

Men in meditation.

My husband snapping our photo as we cross the finish line.

Three Rosie Bags!

Here's the results of about a month's worth of hooking and sewing.  I used the same rose motif for each bag, but they were all hand drawn, so there is a variation in patterns which keep them all unique.   From left to right, I have two clutch bags, and the third has a strap.  Each bag has a contrasting plaid wool lining.  They each measure about the same, which is approximately 8"x9".  The bag with the strap is a bit deeper.  I'm on to one more rose bag, then may take a break and prod myself a kitchen rug.  Not so much to think about when prodding....

Just Stuff

My sweet husband took various shots around the house of my "stuff."  This is just a sample..  Oh dear.......

Fall Teal Rose Bag

Hooked and ready to assemble.  This little bag has given me the opportunity to use some pretty fall colors.  I used this same lining in the hydrangea tote, and just had to find another use for this pretty piece of wool.  I may use this same plaid for a small strap.  I believe that I'll use teal wool to attach sides together and trim out the edge.  Cute button or two and done!  

Pink Rose Garden Clutch

I've finished another rosey bag, this one a clutch.  I love the red button!  It's from my mother's can of old buttons, and is probably from a 1960's sewing project.  I think I have a couple more clutches in me before I need to move on.  I'm starting to obsess over a new rug idea.  More about that later........

WHAT'S SHE LOOKING AT?

The other evening Iris was looking out the front door and growling.  The only time I've heard her growl, is if there are people she doesn't know out on our drive or in the yard.  So.....I took a peek to see what was up......

Well.....what do you know?  Iris was all upset because of the tiny herd of three deer eating acorns by our drive.  They have been hanging around for about a week or so.