Tag Archives: knitting

First Week in August

Happy Sunday to you from sunny, hot, and very humid northern Illinois.

I’ve kept busy this week, but not sure where it all went to, which is probably the norm for me–the weeks rush by. I had to look at my planner to see what it is that I happened to accomplish, or not accomplish this week. (I guess I did enough.) 🙂

I finished my blue ensemble for the Little Darlings. I am calling it “Summery Blue in the Garden”. Here are some photos I took of Gina modeling it. Thanks to all who helped me with my fabric choice. I think you all picked a winner!

summery blue in the garden 599

summery blue in the garden 636

summery blue in the garden 654

summery blue in the garden 620

summery blue in the garden 632

summery blue in the garden 589

Another finished project this week–the second sock to complete a pair. I also started another second sock that will complete another pair. At one point I had four single socks completely knit (not much use to us). I have two complete pairs and two singles left to work on. My ‘four pairs of socks’ project is getting there. This yarn is so bright; there’s going to be some colorful feet walking around here soon.

2020 socks 691

I also knit a shrug and beret for my next Little Darlings ensemble. The beret is knit from my beret pattern. The shrug (sorry, no pattern) is knit in a simple lace stitch pattern with a crocheted shell edging added once the underarm seams have been sewn up. I’ve made lots of these in the past for the Little Darlings and the MSD sized Kaye Wiggs girls. They seem to love them!

If you’d like to see more ensembles that feature shrugs here is the link that connects you to all my blog posts that were saved with the ‘shrug’ tag. FYI, there is a group of words in the right sidebar (scroll down past my pattern covers and social media icons) where you can click on a word and see all of the blog posts that were saved with that tag such as shrugs. The larger the word the more posts there are saved with that tag.

2020-08-09 684

We had a wedding in the family yesterday. My nephew married his college sweetheart. She is a sweet and beautiful girl whom we welcome into our family with open arms. We are so happy for them both!

I hope you’ve had a fantastic week and wishing you a great week ahead. Thank you so much for visiting with me today! How was your week? Any plans for the one coming up? ❤ ❤ ❤

Hello… Spring?!

13 Replies

Hello! ❤

I hope this new week finds you well and not too bored from being stuck inside. We’ve been alleviating cabin fever as much as possible with walks in our neighborhood and a couple of drives to nowhere. It’s not very busy in my neighborhood, and when we do walk past someone they are completely on the other side of the road. Other than to pick up prescriptions at the drive-through and have groceries put into the back of the car I’ve been home for 11 days! Surreal times!

My husband is able to work from home, and has for almost 2 weeks now. My daughter had an extra week of spring break and is today starting classes back up online. Choir is even continuing using Zoom. She’s still not sure how her two lab courses will be able to continue. Her professors are still figuring that out.

I want to wish you a “Happy Spring”. However, this is what we woke up to this morning, not very springlike, but typical for March. Nevertheless, it is always a shock.

2020 march snow 5414

Even though today is snowy we’ve had some nice days the past couple of weeks. The crocuses bloomed and the daffodils are on their way. Gorgeous blue skies, puffy clouds, and pretty sunrises were experienced for quite a few days.

2020 crocuses 5370

2020 daffodil growth 5349

2020 neighborhood late winter 5350

2020 sunrise late winter 5360

2020 sunrise late winter 5364

2020 country road 5339

While doing some of my floor stretches the other day I looked up at my shelf of craft books and felt a spark of inspiration. I’d like to spend some time going through them again. Let me know if you’d like to look inside some of them. I could snap a few pics to show you what they’re about. Let me know in the comments. I’d be happy to do that.

2020 craft books 5291

I am plugging along on the embroidery for my newest MSD cardigan. Here is my progress thus far. I am taking my time and enjoying the creation of each unique motif. It is always fun to ‘grow’ my own indoor rose garden.

2020-03-21 5408

I recently completed a pair of socks for my daughter and started another pair. Sock knitting is repetitive and mindless and helps to quiet my mind while keeping my hands busy.

2020 socks 5354

I tend to worry… a lot. In this time of uncertainty it has been a challenge to feel grounded and safe. I have found comfort in prayer and reading scripture… and knitting, of course.

2020 socks 5388

I have also found peace with coloring. My daughter and I printed a couple of flower-y pages from Johanna Basford and got to work with my daughter’s Prismacolor colored pencils. Johanna has graciously offered these two pages free of charge.

2020 coloring 5379

What about you? Do you have any go to activities to ease your mind during stressful times?

Sending you all, my friends, warmth and love ❤ and positivity and ‘stay-well’ thoughts.

New Year–New ???

12 Replies

Hello, hello, hello! I have been waiting to write a blog post for you for when I had some doll clothes making progress to show you. And it’s not happening… I am going to blame it on…

❤

Our new puppy!!!

chihuahua puppy 5092

Two weeks ago we drove 4-1/2 hours south to meet this 5 month-old chihuahua puppy and, well, we decided to make him a part of our family. He has a wonderful temperament–is as sweet as can be and loves to cuddle. Our 10 year-old chi does a lot of grumbling at this little guy, but he tries his hardest to put up with him and his crazy energy level (when he isn’t sleeping that is).

2 chihuahuas 1001

My lap is full of chihuahua loves!

2 chihuahuas 5090

I cannot believe Christmas has come and gone along with New Year’s, and now we are over the halfway point in January!

Christmas Day here in northern Illinois was sunny with a blue sky and 55ºF! We enjoyed a walk wearing light coats or no coat at all. So, Halloween felt like Christmas, as it was snowing all day, and Christmas felt like an ideal Halloween!

Even though we never did get to the tree farm to find a real tree we made our little artificial tree look sparkly and festive. On Christmas Day we all took part in making dinner: baked salmon, green beans with mushroom gravy, mashed sweet potatoes, and cookies for dessert–simple and yummy.

2019 christmas 5041

We visited the Volo Antique Mall during the holiday break. My daughter saw these Ideal Love Mate cards; I thought they were a hoot–my how things have changed, thank goodness. The copyright on them is 1941. I wanted to know more about these. I found the original machine they came in on eBay.

vintage ideal love mate 5050

ideal love mate vintage 5047

New Year’s Day morning found me starting my new planner and knitting on a pair of socks which I completed this past week.

2020 new year 5052

The colors are kind of wild, but they kept my feet warm while shoveling the snow this afternoon.

socks uneek yarn 5140

Since I finished one pair of socks I started another! These will be for my daughter.

socks knitted wit 5142

Cannot forget about the birds and how they get so hungry when the snow is falling. Yesterday afternoon I layered sunflower seeds with a basic bird mix and headed out to the feeder which had been recently cleaned out by the squirrels.

feeding the birds 5119

feeding the birds 5126

Last night was all blustery and snowy and cozy. It was nice being indoors!

2020 snowstorm night5130

It’s been an easy winter so far. Even the snowfall last night, the first since early November wasn’t much, although if you ask Morris he would disagree.

morris 5135

2020 snow 5139

We all helped shovel today. Thanks to physical therapy my back is so much better; I am very thankful that I can help out! Notice the little chihuahua potty patch we shoveled. Ha ha.

Our older chihuahua loves loves loves soft blankets! This pure white blanket is as soft as can be. Whoever manufactured it though failed to close up the hole that was used to turn it right side out. Look who found it… and got in it! He’s a funny dog.

chihuahua 5074

I thought I’d show you the list of puppy names we came up with for our new addition. Can you guess which name we chose? Naming this guy took days for us all to decide.

puppy names 5076

And one last photo–this gorgeous sunset during the first week of January 2020!

2020 sunset 5102

Our new puppy’s name is Pebbles!

Sending you all the warmest wishes for a happy and healthy 2020!

BTW, maybe if you all put thoughts out in the universe of me creating things for my dolls it will happen! I am really missing it, but cannot seem to get down to my studio. *sigh*

❤