Friday, April 29, 2016

South Bay Shawlette

Because I seem to be in the mood to crochet these days...
and
I can't get enough of shawls...
here's one more.
This is the
that I just had to make.
It's just lovely and so versatile.
I can see why so many of you are making it yourself.
are the two who inspired me.
Thanks Girls!
I'm in LOVE.
For this first one I used Berroco Vintage in a DK weight.
{Notice I said "first one"... I just might be working on a second one ...}
The gorgeous Dusty Teal really makes me happy.
You can find the pattern on
If you love to crochet shawls,
this one is a
must.

Also,
I have a new
I would like to invite
all of you to visit.

"There is magic in long-distance friendships. They let you relate to other human beings in a way that goes beyond being physical together and is often more profound."
Diana Cortes

Thursday, April 28, 2016

A Tool Set for Mother's Day

If you have a special fiber artist in your world,
Mother's Day
is the perfect time
to give her the beautiful new gift of
You can purchase them in sets
on my Etsy Shop
or

They are available in three luxurious Sustainable Woods:
Ebony
Nam Oc
&
Trai.
For those who want a sampling of everything,
there is also a
Variety Set.
Each set of
11 Crochet Hooks
includes an
Elegant Multi-Colored Satin Case.

After all ...
Why should Men
 be the only ones to get new
Tool Sets?

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

My Happy Place

My favorite place inside my house is my kitchen.
It's my happy place.
I can often be found at the table with a teacup at hand,
a bit of knitting or crochet on the go
and an audiobook playing in the background.
No matter how busy my day gets
I gravitate back to the kitchen repeatedly.
It truly is the heart of the home for me.
Positioned at the back of the house
it seems to be the warmest room,
especially when it is bright with the afternoon sunshine.
This August will mark my 30th Summer in this kitchen.
So many hopes and dreams have been shared
over countless cups of tea and coffee
in this amount of time.
Though my kitchen is rather small,
my family and friends are drawn to it as well.
There always seems to be room for one more.
And the kettle is at the ready.
I've always loved to bake.
The smells...
Pure heaven.
And the feeling of dough through my fingers.
Like a child squishing around in the mud.
Then at the end of it all
there's a lovely treat.

Lemon Bars

2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Confectioner's Sugar
1 Cup Unsalted Butter {Softened to Room Temperature}
4 Eggs ~ Beaten
2 Cups Granulated Sugar
1/3 Cup Lemon Juice
1/4 Cup Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder

Sift together flour and confectioner's sugar.
Cut in butter till mixture clings together.
Spray 9 x 13" baking dish with cooking spray.
Press mixture into dish.
{This will form the crust}
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

While first mixture is baking,
Whisk together 4 eggs, granulated sugar and lemon juice.
Sift together flour and baking powder.
Stir into egg mixture.

When first mixture is done baking,
Take from oven and pour second mixture over the top.
Return to oven.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Cool completely on rack.
Dust with confectioner's sugar.
Cut into bars.
Pour yourself a cup of tea or coffee
and
Enjoy!

Thank you so much for spending time in my happy place with me today.
I hope you enjoyed my kitchen.

"Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of lights,
with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow."
James 1:17

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Lovingkindness

Life is such a magical thing;
The world such a beautiful place.
In all its vast glory
we are sometimes overwhelmed.
Sometimes our journey is straight ahead,
smooth and even.
Other times we are forced to climb ...
up
up
up...
to where,
we are not certain.
Then at times we find ourselves sinking down just a bit
or maybe a bit more.
This is when we look around and see we are not alone.
No, never alone.
For God has done a truly precious thing.
He has given us fellow sojourners.
We are meant to travel this life together,
walking in love with one another.
When You are sinking
I will lift You on My way up.
And, as surely as the seasons change,
we will meet on that middle ground again.
This time You will raise Me
higher,
ever higher.
And our world will be transformed.


"The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the Lord."
Psalm 33:5b

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

The Language of Shawls

There is something about a shawl.
The allure...
the softness,
the delicate movement against the skin,
the pure femininity,
that speaks to me.
This one is called
The very moment my eyes beheld its beauty in the book
my soul took wings.
I knew I had to crochet it.
About a year ago I purchased two glorious skeins of
Malabrigo Silky Merino
to save for just the right shawl.
During that time I have occasionally
taken it out of the drawer to feel its softness against my face.
I was never quite certain what I would create with it but I knew that
eventually something would speak to me,
like a soft whisper.
Before I was finished with the entire shawl,
I came to the end of the lovely Malabrigo.
Therefore I added a delicate ivory border.
This was done in Berroco Folio which is a fiber blend of
65% Superfine Alpaca & 35% Rayon.
Sometimes the most beautiful things happen when we have to improvise.
There are many more shawls in this divine book I plan to make.
I started with this one thinking it would be perfect for gentle
Spring & Summer Days and Evenings.

No matter what else is on my hooks and needles,
there are times I just have to have lovely shawls in the making.
They bring comfort to my soul.
Without uttering a sound,
they have their own language.
I love the whole process of working on them
and then seeing them around the house.
Maybe I'll just do one more...
before moving on to something else.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of mercies and God of all comfort..."
2 Corinthians 1:3

Thursday, April 14, 2016

I am Overjoyed

I had a friend for lunch today.
The sun was shining nice and bright...
 The curtains blowing in the breeze.
We spent the entire afternoon
laughing
talking
eating
knitting
and being thankful for the day.
I am always especially happy when the weather becomes
nice enough once again for me to open up my windows and let 
the fresh air in.
And if it actually blows through my curtains,
I am overjoyed,
especially when this particular friend is coming to spend time with me.
The sight of  my curtains blowing in the breeze
for some reason makes her as happy as it does me.
We both wait with great anticipation for it through the long Winter months.
This friend is very dear to me.
She and I have been close for over thirty years,
raising up our children together.
Now sharing the joys of watching our grandchildren grow.
About a year and a half ago she had a serious battle with
Breast Cancer.
Two forms actually.
She's had surgery.
She's had treatments.
She is Cancer Free.
Praise God.
Together we 
Celebrate
the wondrous
small
simple
joyous 
 things of every day life.
Each day is precious.


"If ever there is tomorrow when we're not together...
there is something you must always remember, 
you are braver than you believe,
stronger than you seem,
and smarter than you think.
But the most important thing is,
even if we're apart...
I'll always be with you."
Winnie the Pooh

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

A Quieting of My Soul

Late afternoon has always been my favorite part of the day.

The explosion of early routine, 
having surged into mid-morning chores
then escalating into early afternoon
duties and errands,
begins it's sweet decline
as the sun blazes its way further westward.

Suddenly I feel a settling within me;
a Quieting of my Soul.
 Oftentimes this is  
when I pray
or reflect on the day.
Sometimes I read, journal or knit.
Warmer days always find me on
 the porch swing,
as though the shifting sunshine
just 
whispered
my name.

This time of day is a time of anticipation for me.
Waiting...waiting...
for my loved ones to return to me.
As the sun continues its journey,
they are getting closer.
I hear their voices in my heart...
see their smiles in my soul.
I am waiting.
Composed 
&
Quiet
"Surely I have composed and quieted my soul;
Like a weaned child rests against his mother,
My soul is like a weaned child within me."
Psalm 131:2

Sunday, April 10, 2016

God Brings Beauty up out of the Dirt ...


..."Giving them a garland instead of ashes,
The oil of gladness instead of mourning,
The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting,
So they will be called oaks of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that
He may be glorified."
Isaiah 61:3

I know some of us are going through some very difficult, 
even heart wrenching 
and soul sucking,
times right now.
Either that,
 or we have been there 
or
we will go there.
Only God knows.
Our days are in His hands.
Sometimes we feel like we've been abandoned.
Alone in the dirt.
Nothing but broken ashes.
No beauty around us,
none left inside us.
But 
Trust Me on This...
He holds us in the Palm of His Hand.
He calls us by name like no other can.
He collects every single tear we shed.
It all matters to Him.
And the day will come when
He sends the Springtime rains
and washes us anew.
We will rise up out of that dirt.
We will see the 
"Goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."
Psalm 27:13
Not only will there be beauty all around us once again,
He will show us that WE are a thing of Beauty.
So, please...
"Wait for the Lord;
Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the Lord."
Psalm 27:14

I am a person who believes in the power of prayer.
God has worked great miracles in my life.
If any of you need someone to pray for you,
please let me know.
Send me an email.
prettypinkpurls@gmail.com

With Love & Thankfulness in My Heart,
Danette

Saturday, April 9, 2016

Pretty Puffy Hat

Back in the Winter I crocheted a couple of hats that I really love.
While scrolling through my pictures,
 I realized I never posted them to my blog.
The pattern is just so cute that I hate for you to miss out
 in case you want to make some yourself.
You can find it on an Etsy Shop called
 Mon Petit Violin Patterns.
It's the 
My youngest daughter,
 Chelsea,
 is modeling the Green one for me.
It's  for sale on my Etsy Shop.
Vita, 
the designer,
 gives permission for those who purchase her patterns
to sell the finished product.
I also made one in charcoal Grey for my sister,
 Bridget,


 who loves to wear hats.
It was part of her birthday gift from me in January 
and one of the very first things I crocheted with my
which I honestly don't know how I ever lived without.
My love affair with these is going strong...
The way this hat circles around in little puffs
 is what really does it for me.
This is Me wearing Bridget's
 because I had someone snap a picture before I wrapped it up.
 I knew once the birthday party started
 there would be too much commotion
 to try to get a picture of her sitting still in it. 
She really was so happy with it though.
It doesn't seem to matter how many
  grey hats
 I knit or crochet for her,
she is always thrilled.

Both of these hats were crocheted using 
70% Merino Wool
 30% Silk
Green ~ Clover
Grey ~ Hawk
If you want to use this yarn to make this hat
 you will need to purchase 2 balls.
This is a lovely fiber blend for this particular hat,
as it is soft and silky
 with just the right amount of drape and a slight sheen to it.
It makes beautiful knitted and crocheted shawls as well.
And speaking of shawls...
I must get back to the one I'm currently working on.
Hopefully there will be pictures of it before much longer.

Many Blessings to You All,
Danette

Friday, April 8, 2016

New Horizons

My beautiful new business sign arrived in the morning post.
I absolutely LOVE it...
You might even say I am 
Tickled Pink
with it.
Not only is it the perfect shade of soft blush pink
but it has the most lovely sculpted roses along the top
with a cascading swag.
I love the script font and the pretty scroll work too.
Plus the worn, rubbed look of dark chocolate brown peeking through.
Also, it has an easel attached to the back to stand it up with.
Pure perfection all the way around.
It most definitely speaks to my feminine side.
I will use it when I peddle my wares at our annual
Morton Pumpkin Festival.

This year will be quite the celebration in town,
as it is our 50th year for the festival.
Also, along with my cousin and a few friends I sometimes do other
craft fairs during the year.
Then we do a Christmas Tea & Sale Open House
in my home the first Saturday of December.
So I think my pretty little sign will get plenty of good use.
I purchased it on a fabulous Etsy Shop called
My Primitive Boutique
Cheryl, the owner is absolutely wonderful to work with.
Obviously her work speaks for itself,
but she herself could not be nicer.
She is warm, friendly and very personable.
She responds immediately when contacted and works with her
customers to get it "just right".
My sign even shipped faster than it was scheduled too.

I love this sign so much I've used it as a header for my new 
Facebook Business Page


If any of you are interested you can follow me there and "Like" me.

Speaking of "business",
 I'm also very excited to be a new member
of the
 Morton Chamber of Commerce
Not only am I working hard to grow my business,
 as I set my sights on some new horizons,
I want to be more involved in my community.
I love the town I live in.
It's small, hometown living at its very finest.
The kind of place where I can wander in and out of the shops and everyone knows my name.
I can sit on my porch swing on a beautiful day and chat with the same people
 who have been walking by on my sidewalk for years now.
It's a beautiful sense of community...
of  family...
of  home.

Wishing You a Day Filled with Sunshine of the Heart,
Danette

Thursday, April 7, 2016

Treasures on Earth and in Heaven

About a month ago I was sent on an errand for my elderly Mother-in-law.
She was in search of a new chair.
Her first mistake was sending me into one of my favorite places,
 just down the street from my house
First Dibs
where an entire treasure trove of upscale second hand furniture and various household items
 are just longing to come home with 
ME.
The moment I entered the store this Beauty called out to the Soul of this 
knitter
crocheter
reader
journaler
tea drinker
daydreamer...
It wanted so very badly to live the rest of it's beautiful life with Me that I could not tell it NO...
And So...
We now have a beautiful relationship.
I just LOVE finds like this.
I believe it's from the 1950's.
Absolutely perfect condition.
Beautiful soft aqua/teal color with raised swirls of another color that's hard to peg.
Kind of lilac blue... almost pale periwinkle.
And it's low to the ground, which is lovely for me because I am only 5'3".
It fits me like it was MADE for me...
Like it has spent it's entire life waiting for me.
I love Vintage and Antique items.
They draw me in with the promise of stories they hold.
The lives they've passed in and out of.
The homes they've graced; the laughter and tears they've heard and even caught.
I'm more at ease in something old than I am in something new.
I think it's because there were other lives, other souls there before me.
I feel more settled, warmer, somehow comforted.
Apparently I am not the only one who feels the pull.
Every time I get up I come back to find Mercedes snuggled into this chair.
She has very quickly claimed it as her new napping spot.
I find her in it throughout the day and, of course,
 the moment I settle into it with my handwork she joins me.
The size of  the chair is also perfect for children.
The first time Archer, my sweet little grandson, discovered my new friend
it was like a welcome invitation to him.
He wandered off into the next room and gathered some of the books I keep here and nestled himself 
right into the lap of that comfy old chair and let himself feel that warm hugging sensation. 
My granddaughter, Gabby, has always been drawn to Vintage and Antique things...
 she feels that pull too.
Maybe Archer will be the same way.
I think it's born in some of us.
My Mother has always told me I was 
"Born with an Old Soul".
Maybe I have a couple of grandchildren with the same inward design.
The same love of history and things that out live us and go on to touch the lives of others.
For whatever reason
I find peace and beauty and great comfort in these things.
I like knowing that other people have lovingly used things I now treasure and that 
someday, if I take great care,
another soul will take delight in the things I call my treasures now.

I would like to say that I don't mean to come across materialistic.
My real treasures are the sweet little ones who sit in my chair
{even the furry ones napping there}.
And the family and friends God has so richly blessed me with.
I am just a person who truly 
Loves
History and Old things.
And when I stumble across such a perfect fit like this chair,
I see it as a Gift straight from the Hand of God.
I believe wholeheartedly that He intends for us to enjoy and treasure things 
that He knows delight us in this life while we are here.
Things we love and need.
I have 2 Rheumatoid Diseases,
which I give myself a weekly injection for.
Sitting comfortably is always very challenging for me.
Chair shopping for me is like Goldilocks trying out the beds... only worse.
When I do find the EXACT right thing it is always something old... never new.
I did not find a chair for my Mother-in-law that day.
As it turned out, that wasn't what God had in mind at all.

"But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
 where neither moth nor rust destroys,
 and where thieves do not break in or steal; 
for where your treasure is,
 there your heart will be also."
Matthew 6:20,21



Where is your favorite place to sit and do your most beloved things?
I would really love to hear about it and all the things you do there.



With Love,
Danette