Good morning and Happy Sunday, friends! I was up to see the first light of the day this morning. Although with these shorter days one doesn’t need to get up very early to see the first light of the day. I took this a little after 6am. I love being up before it is light, do you?
Yesterday morning, however, I was up a bit later, and instead of the first light I caught the sun welcoming the day. It was a very frosty morning. The landscape looked as though sugar had been sprinkled upon it.
When we start getting snow I start filling the bird feeder. This is the second fill which is almost gone. Hmm, maybe the squirrels could answer that question.
I have finally finished up this blue sweater dress ensemble. I would like Gina to model it, but she is wearing another that needs photographing, so that will have to wait a bit.
Here are my three girls in the other sweater dress ensembles I’ve recently made. Don’t they look festive and warm?
A couple of weeks ago, and while we had snow on the ground, I visited the Chicago Botanic Gardens. They were very busy setting up for Lightscape, so some places were roped off. I walked around the Dwarf Conifer Garden which is the perfect place when there is snow on the ground. It feels so very Christmasy.
I also visited the greenhouses. I wanted to ‘feel summer’ again, and I did. The warmth and humidity in the tropical greenhouse felt so nice.
Happy Thanksgiving to all my U.S. readers! Wishing you safe travels if you are traveling.
❤
Cindy Rice Designs 
I too love the early morning with the first light and while the world is still quiet. Your photo of the sunrise is beautiful. I can FEEL it! I also love the beautiful holiday dresses you’ve made. So much work and detail you’ve put into them. I’ve been sewing since I was a little girl but I find knitting a bit tricky. I admire your expertise!
Hi, Tamara. Thanks for writing, and thank you for enjoying my photos. I find knitting more relaxing than sewing and it’s very portable. It took me a while to get the hang of it too. Enjoy your day. ❤
Love your work, Cindy. We are having spring/summer now and our rain has been late this year. We are thankful for every drop of rain.
Hi, Ina. Oh, that sounds so nice. Spring! While you haven’t had a lot of rain we’ve had too much this year. Our yard is still squishy which usually only happens in the springtime. Wish I could send some of our raindrops or snowflakes over to you. ❤ I hope you're enjoying your weekend.
Je viens de faire une très belle promenade grâce à ton post.
J’aime tout ce que je vois. La jolie vue depuis les fenêtres de ta maison, la neige comme du sucre candi, le parc de Chicago et ses airs de Noël.
Et puis bien sûr, j’adore les tenues réalisées pour tes poupées. J’aime beaucoup ton style au tricot. C’est simple et très raffiné à la fois.
Merci pour tes belles photos.
Bonjour Maria. C’est si agréable d’avoir de vos nouvelles dans votre belle langue. Grâce à Google Traduction, nous pouvons communiquer les uns avec les autres.
Il peut être très joli et confortable ici où je vis pendant la saison des vacances. Aujourd’hui, il fait au-dessus de zéro et il fait beau et mon mari et moi-même venons de nous promener dans le quartier.
Le tricot est ma partie préférée de la création de mes tenues de poupée. C’est tellement relaxant pour moi.
Merci d’avoir commenté, Maria. J’espère que vous avez une très belle semaine. ❤
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Hello, Maria. It is so nice to hear from you in your beautiful language. Thanks to Google Translate we can communicate with each other.
It can be very pretty and cozy here where I live during the holiday season. Today it is above freezing and sunny, and my husband and I just had a nice walk in the neighborhood.
Knitting is my favorite part of creating my doll outfits. It is so relaxing to me.
Thank you for commenting, Maria. I hope you have a very nice week. ❤
I too enjoy all your winter wonderland pics and of the Botanical Gardens little gifts of color and life. Your designs are just amazing and so are your cute little dolls. Their expressions are so sweet and reminds me of when my children were little and I enjoyed watching them so much. Thank you for making a way for us to see a glimpse of your world. You have made it so warm and inviting. I admire your knitting skills more than you will ever imagine. Your designs are so unique and precise. Your little girls are ready for the runway. Have a Blessed Thanksgiving, Christmas and exciting and abundant New Year 2020.
Hi, Mavis. Aww, thank you! I am happy to bring back precious memories from when your children were young. They grow up so fast, don’t they? Too fast in my opinion!!! If only those years could slow just a little bit.
Glad you enjoyed my photos of the gardens and what it looks like where I live. Having lived here for many years, sometimes I don’t ‘see’ it anymore, but through others who find it unique I am able to ‘see’ it again, thank you.
Knitting is my favorite part when I am creating a doll outfit. Thank you for the compliment on my work.
Wishing you joy-filled holidays and a wonderful new year, Mavis! ❤ Also, have a wonderful start to the new week.
Hi Cindy!
I just wanted to wish you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving!!
Thank you very much, Gynnie! ❤
Your posts are always so inspiring to me. Makes me want to reach higher in my own endeavors.. You put so much of your heart in,, weather it be your photography of your world, or your precious outfits. Thank-You.
Hi, Sharon. You are so kind. I am truly honored to inspire you–thank you for saying so. Although my life is quite simple and quiet, I am doing what I love to do. Have a nice week! ❤
So fun to see your squirrel photos. We had to put up a squirrel baffle on our bird feeder. They are so clever. It’s not like they were starving as they have a multitude of oak trees covered with acorns that are ripe from which to choose. Was pretty funny watching them trying to get around the baffle though. 🙂
The dusting of snow at the Botanical Garden made lovely photos too. Great photo of your LD’s by the trees too. They look like they are ready to celebrate. Still debating putting up the Snow Village. Maybe.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. 🙂
Hi, Joy. Those squirrels are such cute piggies! They camp out on the feeder and gorge themselves. It must be funny to see yours try and get around the baffle you put up. Do they fall to the ground trying? Poor things! LOL!
Hoping we have lots of days without snow now. It is so much easier to get around and go out for walks and such when one isn’t slipping, sloshing, and sliding.
My girls have been ready to celebrate Christmas for months already. It is me who is so slow.
And I say yes, to the Snow Village! How many pieces do you have to set up?
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your beautiful family, Joy! ❤
I too like waking up earlier Cindy. The kids are early risers at the weekend too! We had a very hard frost Yesterday too but the day turned out nice and sunny. I love your pics from the comfort of your house of the sugar coating on the grass. The squirrels raid the bird feeder at our house too ! The blue sweater dress is very cute , i love the snowman in the pocket! Gina will look so nice wearing it when the time is right. Oh my your Girls are adorable in their outfits ! They look cozy in the sweater dresses and tights to keep warm . The conifer path is so nice with the snow on the ground. It was nice to get inside I am sure to warm up in the greenhouses. The plants and flowers are so pretty to see in November. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your Family Cindy , where will you spend the day? Sending hugs to you, Terri xo.
Hi, Terri. It sounds like we’ve had the same weather again. And,… hopefully no snow for quite a while, right? Although that probably won’t happen.
Thank you for admiring my dolly makes. The girls are very happy to try on whatever I make. I always wanted sweater dresses like theirs when I was younger–don’t think I ever did have one though.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, Terri. We will be having Thanksgiving with my husband’s family this year. ❤
Absolutely peaceful, beautiful and calm! Love these photos! I love the darling dresses for your girls – so festive and colorful! Happy Thanksgiving Cindy and family!
Hello, Phyllis. Thank you! I love knitting up sweater dresses; they’re so pretty on our Little Darlings. Happy Thanksgiving to you too, Phyllis. ❤