November 17, 2014 A Blustery Day

Today totally looks and feels like NOVEMBER!!  I'm all safe, secure and warm but I often wonder how the Pilgrims and other first settlers ever survived the harsh weather, illness and other setbacks.  Could we survive one week in the elements or even one day?  How fortunate we are and how thankful we should  be.    Count your blessings everyday.

I am all caught up on major chores so today will be a stitching/knitting day.  I have four knitting projects to finish by Christmas but three will be finished by Thanksgiving.  This will give me plenty of time to decorate, bake, wrap, entertain and have some sanity during the Holidays.  I love this season and don't want to be super stressed out.    I like to take time and look at our decorations some even from my grandmothers trees from years ago, items made by our children and now grandchildren and of course a few new ornaments. 

I was totally peeved at Hallmark!!!  I love Hallmark and went to purchase their 2014 Moose Ornament only to be told that it was a limited edition and each store only got a few which they promptly sold out of the first of October!!!!  Bummer.  I looked on line and there are collector groups that have this $12.00 ornament for sell for $30.00!!

I guess I should update a bit about Fonzie Knits as we now have two Scotties!  Fonzie is 10 and a precious little gruffy Scottie.  Archie is four and a darling wheaton with a fun personality.  The Boys get along great.  I appreciate their warmth on cold days as they are immediately on your lap or next to you when you sit in the den.  They like to stitch and knit!!!

It's time to update my Prairie Schooler collection of patterns.  I have ordered three booklets that might soon be out of print.  I love stitching these patterns and usually have a project or two in the works. I have completed three of the samplers: Book 154 July, Book 176 August and a fall October.  I completed two of the samplers from Book 49 Garden Verses.  I have stitched 9 of the Schooler Santas and have made several several several ornaments.  Now working on Book 177 January.  I have picked out patterns and have them together to stitch for 2015 Christmas ornaments.  I also have a couple of Lizzie Kate patterns and 2 from Little House Needlworks.  Do you have favorites you like to stitch from for the Holidays?  

Hopefully I will keep this blog going ....  I have certainly done a horrible job!!! And I know...a few pictures would be nice.  So, we will see what actually comes about!! 

Still stitching!!! The August sampler is coming along nicely. I plan to stitch the November sampler next. I have it started on white material. I really think the Fall colors would blend better on a beige. The white is glaring!! So, I will start over but first another trip to the Cross Stitch & Crafts for material. All socks still on HOLD for another week or so. Now off to either work in the yard or paint on wicker ... after I throw a load in to wash.

Cross stitching news ... I finished the Prairie Schooler July Sampler!!!! Then I went to Cross Stitch & Crafts in Johnson City and bought the August sampler. Love Sandra and Amie!! The shop is warm, friendly and FULL of goodies to stitch. In one week I have stitched half of the August sampler. Remember, it took me 3 years to stitch July! I have since been back to the shop and purchases a handful of floss for a pansy picture that I plan to work on in the Fall.

This is Archie in a delightful pose and Fonzie in a wiggling pose!! Archie is a little doll dog. Fonzie loves him and they play together well. Two dogs are more work but they are double the fun and love.

I guess now this should be known as the year and a half blog!!! Oh well, the world goes on. Our little famiy has grown ... we now have a second grandson and another Scottie!! I will post some pictures soon ... do I promise ... better not as I am so slow to do some things!!!! What am I knitting?? SOCKS and lots of them!! I did decide to knit socks for the family. I have three pairs completed, one pair on needles and four pairs to start. I also have two vest for me on needles and two shawls for gifts on needles. I have been cross stitching on a Prairie Schooler sampler, July. I am to the bottom and hope to finish by July. Wait!! That would be Sunday!! Maybe finish in the next week or so!! I also want to stitch an ornament from this booklet for my summer tree. There are six choices and I just can't decide as they are all so sweet. I did retire last June after 37 years of work. I do miss some of the folks I worked with but I LOVE BEING RETIRED!!!! I stay totally busy and on the go about 99% of the time. My big project at the moment is hand painting my antique wicker living room set given to me by my grandmother when I started work. The wicker and a bed was all I had when I moved to an apartment to start work. I painted the brown wicker blue. Now I am painting the blue wicker brown!! And, it looks so good, so retro. I love it. I want to drive over to North Carolina to the fabric mills and look for material for new seat covers and pillows. Hopefully, Linz and I will do that in mid July. HOT HOT HOT in East Tennessee. Thank heavens we live in the woods (except I did loose a huge tree in the front yard which has changed all my front shade beds to semi shade flower beds ... which has been interesting) and it is a few degrees cooler than most areas. They are predicting 100* today. I am staying in and the Scottie boys are too!!

Back Again!!

Maybe this should just be a yearly blog ... one random post ...on one random subject!!

So, what are Fonzie and I up too? Well, we are still knitting. On the needles today I have a little beige and brown owl or owlet for a gift. Two little ones are finished. I have not made a toy in a while and I had forgotten all the extra handwork involved. But, hopefully this project will be totally finished tonight.

And then there are Bob's socks!! I am at the toe of one sock and the instep of the other. These should have been finished 5 years ago. He will wear them once and the yarn will dissolve when washed!!! Hopefully not. Why is it that it has taken me years (at least 5) to knit on these socks and I think I can knit everryone in the family socks for this Christmas??? That would be eight pairs or 16 socks!! I'm going to have to totally rethink this when I am in my right mind!!!!

Well, well, well ... it seems that Fonzie and I really did fall off the face of the earth!!

Man, we have just been so busy. So, what have we been up to? KNITTING!!! Yes, actually knitting and knitting and knitting. Since January 1, 2010 we have knitted several items. Two hats (although it is really one hat that I knitted twice as I didn't like its shape the first time around) and two scarves in January. For February knitting we have finished another scarf and almost finished a round blankie (that should have been finished in September).

Is anyone involved in Olympic Knitting?? I want to do that ... start a knitting project with the opening ceremony and finish the item by the closing. It can be an unfinished item or a new project. I wanted to knit a neck warmer but then I found a hat pattern. So, of course I am changing horses in the middle of the stream and of course, I do not have the correct size of needles. And I probably will need another skein of yarn (Debbie Bliss - gorgeous).

Why is it that I have 200+ knitting needles and not a one is the correct size I need for this hat. I keep several of my needles in candy tins. I'll have to take a snapshot to share. Anyway, it is fun looking at the tins and of course thinking about chocolate.

Which brings up the subject of Lent. What am I going to give up?? I'm still pondering but you can bet it is NOT chocolate!!

Zucchini

Now I know why I don't bake a lot ... look at all the dishes and this didn't even include the baking pans!! But, from one zucchini, I made 18 muffins and 2 small loaves of bread. OK, OK, I know there are only 16 muffins in the picture. Well, a cook has to taste you know! We have several good friends that have supplied us with fresh veggies. I thought I would return the favor with fresh bread.

So, what else have Fonzie and I been up to? Nothing really, just playing with floss and yarn. And taking walks. We are getting pretty good at climbing the hill in our subdivision. I thought I should really get some leg practice in as I will be at the Appalachian Fair for 2 weeks running around like a nutcake. You know, you hate to poop out on the second day there!