food, crochet, merriment
Just added a couple more pretty pillows to the shop. The ponies were Miss Chompy’s idea because she came with me to the fabric store. No, there wasn’t any passing up this fabric. The second I had one made–she claimed it. Luckily, I made a few more.
Had just enough of this fabric for the Viking’s fan to get one- and one more for the shop.
Fun little roll I’m on these days.
We have a couple new babies making their appearance here in the next few months–which for me, means that I have some huge hookey work to do. Babies—babies! Tons of them!! Could anything possibly be more fun?
My first project is this pretty little Granny Ripple. I found the instructions over at the Lazy Hobby Hopper. Turns out, she’s got step by step instructions for this lovely stitch and since I’ve been pining away since I first saw it, I figured now’s my chance.
I was very unsettled about the colors that the mom chose–just never seen this combo together. It worried me so much that I hesitated to even start because I just pictured myself pulling alllll those stitches out. But my worries were silly because as you can see, the colors are…gorgeous.
This is a soothing, almost sing-songy pattern that you’ll end up doing mindlessly before long. I love this kind of work because I don’t have to think about anything while stitching.
Anything, that is, but the pink, fluffy bit of sweetness that will be nestled in it’s warmth in just a few short months.
It’s here!! It’s here! My Smarty-pants daughter’s book is finally here! Bedroom Style, Perfectly Pieced.
And it’s a masterpiece, I’ll tell you. It takes 10 different quilt patterns and shows you how to change the entire look and style of a room, by simply changing the fabric that your working with. I’m not even a hardcore “quilter” but I loved learning how to create different moods and feelings with certain color collections. It’s something that I’ve struggled with forever–that color thing.
After reading through this lovely thing, I think I finally, FINALLY get it.
And there is the slightest possibility that I will be able to choose my own yarn for the next crochet project without having to check in with my girl…you know, to make sure I wasn’t doing it…wrong, or ugly or unforgivably out of date. It’s an empowering feeling, I’ll tell you.
So here’s what I think. I think you should click right here to get your own copy. Then take a picture of yourself holding the book in your own bedroom and go to April’s website and enter to win a $1000 Crate & Barrel Bedroom MAKEOVER!! Yeah, uh-huh.
The odds are good that you could win–so DO IT!!
You’ll become a color blending genius and we’ll love you forever.
Can’t beat that.
This is what I spent a few weeks out of my life creating right before Christmas time. Dog Bone Pillows! These little suckers are positively amazing I tell you. They are perfect for tucking behind your neck, or on your shoulder to rest your head more comfortably when watching tv, or reading a book, or as a passenger in a car or bus or train or plane.
I actually inherited my mom’s Dog Bone Pillow and it kept getting swiped by the kids, so this year, I cut a pattern from it and went a little nuts.
Needless to say, all the adults in the family got one for Christmas. Some of the inlaws weren’t even sure what they were. But oh, my…we showed them. Jacob propped his up against the side of the rocking chair and rested his head on it. He woke up an hour later.
I didn’t actually count how many I needed when I started sewing. I just cut out pillows in lots of different fabrics. So in the end, I had about 20 or so left. I suppose they’ll do nicely in the Etsy Shop. Especially if people have ever used one before. It only takes one happy little experience with these magical thingys. Trust me.
They’ll be hooked and then it will be DOG BONES FOR EVERYONE!!
Except Jiff.
She wasn’t a bit impressed.
For many years now, I’ve gotten a new nativity–of some sort– at Christmas time. If you’ll recall, last year’s was a rubber ducky set. Ridiculous, but very cute. I couldn’t resist.
This was never meant to be a tradition really, but more an activity to ease the heartache of losing an entire box of nativity sets that I’d collected over the past 30 years. In one of the many moves our family made since becoming single, this most important box, somehow, never made it to us. In it we’d packed six or seven different sets that the kids had grown up with–most importantly, one that I bought while on a trip to Bethlehem back in the 70’s. To say that it broke my heart to lose that box is putting it lightly. However, I’ve always believed that things happen for a reason, and if the reason is that someone, somewhere needed that box full of baby Jesus more than we did–well then, I’m good with it.
This year, my dear daughter April gave me a gift. An incredibly beautiful gift. When she heard that her In-laws were going to the Holy Land, she arranged to have them find a new nativity set– hand chosen for me, in the town of Bethlehem. Oh, my goodness what a perfect job they did.
It is beautiful! The detailed carving work is amazing and each piece has it’s own personality, distinct and lovely.
When I was in Bethlehem a million years ago, I bought the only set I could afford. I loved it for that reason, but the craftsmanship was very low scale. In fact, the running joke was, “Don’t look at the faces too closely or you won’t be able to tell a donkey from a shepherd!” Yeah, it was kinda bad.
But this set…is simply gorgeous!! Joseph’s staff is removable and baby Jesus isn’t carved into the manger. You can actually take him out…which fact we’ve learned over and over as we keep finding him in random places. That Magoo! It’s fun to take each piece and study it for awhile to appreciate it’s individual beauty. Mary is smiling, the wise men are incredibly ornate and the sheep and other animals look…real. It’s breathtaking I tell you.
Such a treasure, such a blessing, such a gift of love this Christmas!
Thank you, my sweet daughter.
Your thoughtfulness has healed my heart.
I love it beyond words. And you too.
Merry Christmas.
