a new routine

finding a new routine to my days,

includes a dilatory project to keep my mind and hands busy...

traveling woman.

stitch by stitch, row by row, she's now ready for the lace.

I hope you're finding peace and joy in the rhythm of your days.

happy wednesday!

stopping by for a quick update of a few finished ADVENTure projects. these are wrapped and ready to bless! I love that. having my gifts waiting and ready to give. let's be honest, most years I'm up until 3:00 am the night before we leave for holiday wrapping gifts.

this week I'm focusing on being unhurried. I may inevitably be "busy" but I'm challenging myself to be unhurried amidst the busy. taking the time I need to recharge, connect with others, and savor all that the celebration of His birth has to offer!

Pattern: Dolores Park Cowl

Yarn: Trendsetter Yarns, Granito, Color 4

Needles: US 13 circular

Project Notes: love the feel of this yarn!! so soft against your face. I used one and a half skeins of yarn.

I can't get enough of these! this time in Cascade 220, black.

and these again, by special request. I finally found a colorway that may match her kitchen!

finished gift count: 15

finished santa count: 5

finished home deco count: 3

cast on, cast off

that's just how it felt to knit this dream of a scarf. I purchased the yarn and received the pattern, when I visited SO Original with lisa. what a wonderful yarn shop! lana had so many tempting projects on display that I left with yarn for three! add those to her huge book, pattern, and yarn selection and you'd be in stitches for years.

Pattern: Dropped Stitch Scarf by SO original

Yarn: Araucania, Ulmo Multy, in color #704; 1 skein

Needles: US 7

Project Notes: This project will keep you interested! There are multiple yarn overs that make the varying length, bar-like design in between knitting rows. So it's easy to find and fix mistakes. (I know, because I made a few.)

not sure what direction my crafting will take next. I have a beautiful punch needle project, my Christmas quilt, and a lacy shawl all calling my name...

**many thanks for all your wonderfully kind comments on my last post. I hope you're on your way to finishing a project that's been dangling. much love to you.**

cre8.

the past few weeks, our house has been filled with activity, as mark and I checked "to do" items off our lists. we've done time consuming projects like (finally) painting and decorating the downstairs' family room area for the boys to easier projects like (finally) ordering 5x7 photos to fill picture frames. we kept each other moving toward the finish line with words of encouragement and by finishing one project at a time.

{because it's our first day of school...} remember newton's first law of motion? an object at rest will remain at rest and an object in motion will remain in motion unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. I can say I've been at rest.

I've always considered myself a finisher. that is until I was hit with the feelings that came after kris' death back in may. then something happened. I got stuck. do you ever get stuck? ever feel like you just don't have enough time or a project is too large or you don't have the skills to finish? if so, don't loose heart! you can finish those projects!!

here are a few of my finishing tips:

* make a written list of projects taking up space in your mind and consuming mental energy

* pick the most important task for you to finish to feel like you've made progress

* begin working on that one item for 15 minutes

{don't discount 15 minutes! you'd be amazed at what you can complete in that amount of time!!}

* as time permits, add time to the project in 15 minute increments

* don't focus on perfection, focus on completion

* celebrate each and every finished "to do" with a large check

* once you're moving...pick the next task and repeat

while many of our items were house related, I had plenty of things I wanted to cre8 as well. these are 8 of my favorites:

1. back-to-school card cre8tions

2. an idea that turned into a new fall decoration

3. a dropped stitch scarf

4. a set of laundry room curtains

5. a craft room curtain

6. an original lego cre8tion

7. pillowcases for connor.

8. and (the most important) part of the downstairs' family room

happy finishing my friends!

august ADVENTure

we've been busy tying up lots of loose ends in the home deco area this week, but I didn't want the 25th to slip by me without an ADVENTure update. Christmas is only four months away! can you feel the excitement and anticipation in my voice? here are my current completed projects:

Pattern: Dashing, by Cheryl Niamath

Yarn: Rowan Felted Tweed, color 147- Dragon (green); 1 ball

Needles: US 7 dpn

Mods: I made them a few rows shorter than the pattern.

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back in february, lisa sent me these for my birthday. I feel in love with them immediately and have used them on every trip away from home since. we travel... a lot. and these shoe bags were the perfect gift. in fact, I think they're the perfect gift for anyone on your list. there's something so special about putting your items into beautiful fabric bags instead of gallon ziploc bags, don't 'ya think?

with lisa's recommendation, I followed betz's tutorial for the bag and larissa's tutorial for the french seams. my fabric was purchased at joann's, and I used cording instead of the cotton twill tape. do you know how hard it is to find 100% cotton twill tape in black?? H A R D.

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seems like my cross stitch projects scream for me in the summer. during july and august I was able to stitch up these additional santas for my collection. I'll be sewing these into pillow ornaments just like the others. have I said how much I enjoy the small project size of these santas? perfect for toting around and stitching while I'm waiting for this or that. if you haven't picked up a hand stitching project in awhile, I encourage you to find a favorite and begin!

I'm anticipating a spectacular september, hope you are as well. blessings to you...

the collection:

finished gift count: 9

finished santa count: 5

finished home deco count: 1

february lady wrap up

I'm thrilled to be finally posting this project! love it! love it! love it!

Pattern: February Lady Sweater

Yarn: Ella Rae Classic, Light Pink Heathered, 4 skeins

Size: Medium

Needles: US 8

Mods: Please visit ravelry for a few of the details of my project.

once. I. find. my. pattern (uuugh)...I will post the rest.

special thanks to mark for all the photos.

ruffled scarf wrap up

(okay, a model I am not. just focus on the scarf.)

(special thanks to Lisa Q. for her photography.)

Pattern: Koigu Easy Ruffled Scarf; adapted for Knitting Off Broadway

Yarn: Koigu KPPPM yarn, dye code P534, 2 skeins purchased from Knitting Off Broadway

Needles: size 6 dpn

Mods: The pattern calls for 2 skeins of Koigu and 2 skeins of Rowan Kidsilk Haze. I only used the Koigu.

back in May during our annual vera bradley trip, we took some time to explore Ft. Wayne. thanks to my iPhone, we found Knitting Off Broadway. Jan and her shop make you want to sit and knit awhile, so stop in and visit her during your next trip to indiana.

I fell in love with this scarf at first sight! I was fascinated with the twisting look and had to knit it up! this was my first project using short rows, and once I sat and followed the directions, they were absolutely no problem.

neighborly wrap up

a new school year is calling, and I'm filling with anticipation. I get a "wipe the chalkboard clean" kind of feeling as we approach september. I've got the need to: tie up loose ends; get things in order; check a few more things off my summer do list; and start the school year fresh. so it's in that spirit that I'm using august as a wrap up month. there will be a few projects I've been meaning to share, completing projects that have been on my mind all summer, and savoring the last bits of time with the boys. first up...a neighborly wrap up.

many months ago, I started and completed my grown up girl neighborly. special thanks to my friend larissa for not only the pattern, but the soft as can be chocolate and the noro that brought such anticipation and delight to the project. I loved everything about this project, and it fit my model just perfectly! thanks for modeling m.q.!!

Pattern: Grown Up Girl Neighborly, based on Jennifer Casa's Neighborly

Yarn: Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted, Chocolate Souffle- 2 skeins and Noro Kureyon, #156- 2 skeins,

Needles: US 8 circulars, US 8 double point needles for armholes, US 6 circular for neck ribbing

Size: Large

Mods: I wanted to lengthen the sweater a bit, so before starting the noro striping, I completed the neck ribbing and armholes to ensure I had enough chocolate yarn. I then added length to the body of the sweater with all my remaining lamb's pride yarn.

laugh

I hope you begin your weekend with a smile...

A highway patrolman pulled alongside a speeding car on the freeway.

Glancing at the car, he was astounded to see that the blonde behind the wheel was knitting!

Realizing that she was oblivious to his flashing lights and siren,

the trooper put down his window,

turned on his bullhorn and yelled "PULLOVER!"

"NO," the blonde yelled back, "IT'S A SCARF!"

-thanks for making me laugh this morning, mom!

meet martin

checking off my list.

spencer's sock monkey is complete! and I'm happy to share that he's already being well loved.

let me introduce martin the monkey:

Pattern: from Paton's Classic Wool, Monkey Business

Yarn: Paton's Classic Wool

Needles: size 5 dpn

the inspiration piece:

my childhood sock monkey, circa 1968. my grandmother made him for me. and as the story goes...my main past time as a child was to flush my sock monkey down the toilet, even still, he remains. and after I pulled him out of my hope chest last year, spencer made a special request- his own sock monkey. I was hesitant but encouraged by mark to knit it up for Christmas. I made the push, but just didn't finish. I think spencer would say he was worth the wait.

my "advent"ure is finished

last year I followed along as leslie created her advent calendar each day in December. I fell in love with it! so many months ago, I started. {I was not going to be as daring as leslie and think that I could make it during one month.}

I am more than thrilled with how it finished! and spencer is enjoying his new role as "the turner." I hung up each hat and mitten on a garland with white lights, then turned the numbers to the back. spencer's job is to turn the number appropriate item over as he comes out for breakfast, and if he forgets he has a little brother ready to remind him!

project details:

pattern: advent calendar from tangle

yarn: cascade 220 in natural, forest, and burgandy

you can check out all the details of my project here on ravelry.

go ahead...you know you want to. you won't be sorry!

one stitch at a time

the February Lady has captured my attention. I continue to stitch four rows at a time. one lace repeat at a time, it begins to resemble an actual sweater. all the items I've knit up until now were just the practice I needed to feel confident enough to start this project, which was way out of my comfort zone.

today I stepped out of that zone again when I had my first crochet lesson. It was uncomfortable, scary, confusing...just like it was when I started knitting. the speed and fluidity kathy was crocheting made my attempts seem somewhat childlike. but with her encouragement, I have a few rows of single crochet to show you.

this post was meant for me today. many of jodi's feelings about her grandmother are my own. Thanksgiving day will be the one year anniversary of my grandmother's death. she was such an inspiration to me. she did it all-needlepoint, knitting, crochet, sewing, and quilting. and now many of her tools are mine- knitting needles, crochet hooks, and her quilt frame. although she didn't teach me one of her crafts, she inspired me to try. I hope you have someone inspiring you today!

something wonderful

something happens inside you when you finish a project that's been undone for awhile. something wonderful! mark and I experienced this feeling over and over again this weekend!

we started saturday with a very long to-do list. mark looked a bit like a deer in the headlights when I shared the list. I'm sure whatever he was thinking was on the agenda for saturday didn't look like this...

first on the list...the post office to mail out lots of correspondence.

our home projects started in spencer's room by washing windows and adding new blinds.

once the bed was pulled out, the worn carpet was history.

and once the carpet was gone, we could move the bed...which lead to a total room makeover...

including a new art showcase wall.

next up? connor's room.

mark replaced the missing molding piece (that I swept up with the sweeper...ooops!),

and I touched up the paint.

a good closet clean out and both boys are set for the start of school.

my laundry baskets which were full to the brim were emptied.

and the hall closet had a big purge. watch those expiration dates!

on sunday, as part of my relaxing and recharging, I finished my knitting santa cross-stitch,

packed connor and I for our trip,

and forced myself to learn how to make button holes, so progress could be made on my february lady sweater. look-I did it!!

"don't you wish every saturday could be this productive?" I said. "what? I think it would kill me!" was mark's response. okay, so I'll take this one good work day. he blessed me with his time, his skills, and his patience. and I couldn't be happier about all we accomplished.

so in the end, something wonderful happened.