Glory Days

October is being gentle of spirit for a few days, giving us tender days of golden sunshine and huge cotton clouds drifting lazily across clear blue skies. I find myself opening windows once again to air the house, grabbing my knitting, brewing a cup of tea and wandering out to the front porch to settle in on my beloved porch swing to enjoy these days. They are like a beautiful ear of Indian corn, these fresh early glory days of Autumn that are sprinkled in here and there. I know they must be captured and appreciated when we are blessed with them. Before too long the porch swing will be silent.

Therefore I continue to knit cozy warm articles for the cooler Fall days and Winter that surely is coming. For I know it's easy to be fooled on these mild days of lovely, light breezes but eventually the winds of change will come. So I find mitts and mittens continuing to fall from my needles.

Then in the midst of it all I had the pleasure of something light and almost Summery come through my Shop as a custom order. I was able to put down the knitting needles for a few hours and pick up my crochet hook.

I have a regular customer who likes to purchase little pretties from time to time and after buying one potholder in a different color combination she also placed a custom order for this one.

The first time I ever made one in these colors was for my sister, Bridget, so I always think of her when I recreate it. I have to say it's my favorite color combination for these potholders.

Speaking of Bridget, we do finally have a diagnosis after the many doctor visits and blood tests.

She has Aplastic Anemia, which you can read about by clicking on the live link.

We Thank all of you for your continued prayer on her behalf.

Your love and support mean the world to all of our family.

Those of you who know Bridget know how much she loves to cook and bake.

Here's a sampling of her recent artwork.

Even though she doesn't feel her very best, she continues to worry about her big sister when I get overly tired. The week after the Pumpkin Festival Craft Faire she sent supper over every single evening so Scott would be fed while I was knocked out on the couch. Not only was I exhausted from the Craft Faire but once I get through the Pumpkin Festival, my busy season is in full swing and I knit or crochet all hours to stay on top of it. She has also baked fabulous desserts for my Monday night knitting group the last three weeks. These gorgeous pumpkin cookies were last nights offering.

How wonderful it is to have a sister to go through life's journey with.

These are glory days indeed.

"What sets sisters apart from brothers and also from friends

is a very intimate meshing of heart, soul and the mystical cords of memory."

Carol Saline

Soft Serenity

For those of us who live in the corner of the world where this time of year slowly brings Autumn to our doorstep, we are sitting on the edge of our seats with the anticipation of little children as we watch September once again walk out of our lives, taking with her the last random days of golden summertime. She must make way for her friend October who will bless us with her soft hues of russet, deep red, orange, brown and her own softer shade of gold. We see apple trees heavy with their fruitful bounty and porches decked out in their harvest attire of pumpkins, gourds and mums.

The days will become clear and crisp and the nights will be fresh with a hint of smokiness in the chill of the air. Each step Sweet October takes closer to our hearth makes us dream of cozy sweaters, thick socks and friends and family gathered with us around steaming mugs of cocoa, cider, coffee or tea.

For me it's always lovely hot tea along with my knitting projects to be worn for the cooler days ahead. This always includes a variety of fingerless mitts to suit different peoples fashion styles and this Fall it includes a few custom orders for some beautiful Shawls that I am so excited to make.

The one shown in the picture at the top is my own personal wrap. I have a customer who wants me to crochet one identical to it for her elderly mother who lives in Texas and gets very cold in air conditioning. Hers will be worked in grey and I am anxious to see this favorite accessory of mine made in a new color. As for the other two shawls I have been commissioned to make, I will show them to you when the journey begins ...

It really does thrill me when someone discovers I make shawls and orders them from me. These lovely articles have a language all their own and not everyone speaks it anymore. It seems to be too antiquated for some. Those of you who continue to share my love and passion for them know exactly what I mean.

Fingerless mitts and mittens are another one of my great knitting loves. There's just something about warm hands that make us warmer all over. I love fingerless mitts especially this time of year because they enable us to still hold onto those delicious hot drinks of choice, not to mention leave our fingers free for the many tasks of our day. Another bonus for me is knitting in the round on double point needles. It is my absolute favorite way to knit. There's just something about it that I find extra soothing. Maybe because it forces me to work just a touch more slowly and therefore is even more relaxing to me.

These are my newest mitts on my shop

They are just like Jane Austen might have worn... very feminine and lacy with a touch of old fashioned romance to them. This pair is a gorgeous shade of Cranberry Red, which is my all time favorite color. I am currently working on another pair in Charcoal Grey; my other favorite color. I also love all shades of pink and most purples. There is a beautiful ball of the loveliest shade of Dusty Lavender patiently waiting its turn in my knitting bag to be the next in line to grow into a pair of lacy mitts right after the grey ones jump off the needles.

I love keeping a pair of mitts in my work basket because they can be done in between other projects so quickly and easily. Plus they are very transportable.
I am busy stocking my shop with a few different options.

These are the heavier, warmer cabled version that I love so much with their wonderful flecks of tweed.

 There are also some with a more intricate cable and a bit more length up the arm.

I absolutely never ever get tired of cable work.

It's classic, elegant and totally timeless.

Although I am a Summertime lover through and through, I must admit that when this time rolls around every year feelings of peace and soft serenity begin to settle in on me. Oh how I love going to the drawers where I store the items I have handmade for myself over the years and pulling them out. Old friends we are at this point. They lay waiting to once again wrap themselves around me so together we can be set free to discover all the hidden secrets this new Autumn holds for us.

It's as if they too know there will be mornings in the park picking up colorful leaves, acorns and pinecones, afternoons spent on the porch swing with my tea and knitting, and moments of awe when the most glorious sunsets suddenly fill the sky and I will need their warmth wrapped around me to step out into it all and soak in every drop of the beauty my heart and soul can hold of this magnificent season.

"Autumn, the years last loveliest smile."

William Cullen Bryant

Deja Vu

As Summer has finally given way to Autumn I have set my needles and hooks to warmer work. Still, however, I must admit to a bit of a backward glance. These last roses that I dried from my garden, along with a sprig of lavender, inspired the color palette for my latest crochet project. Being ever fond of soft hues of

 purple

 and

rosy pink

 I love yarns that have a blend of these colors along with more earthy tones like

amber

and

green

   They take me straight back to my little cottage garden. So when I spotted this heavenly skein of  kettle dyed Malabrigo Yarn I had a moment of Deja Vu. Although the sumptuously soft merino wool will keep me wonderfully warm, the colors mingled together will help me find my way  to my Summer Garden through the long Fall and Winter ahead.

As you can see, even my tiny helper is excited over it. He's guarding it so the cat doesn't snatch it while I pour myself another cup of tea.  

When I started crocheting this I intended to make a full sized Granny Square Shawl. They are so pretty and actually quick to make. And I am so cold natured. I need as many layers as possible!

 And why not be arrayed in 

The

COLORS

of

the

GARDEN

Now this is what just one skein does. Maybe I should leave this one at this length and wear it as a neckwarmer. Or maybe I should head for the yarn shop for just one more skein 

{I only purchased one ~ but Heaven knows that can be remedied!}

and grow it into a proper Shawl.

What do you think?

I will take a vote from my Knit Night Girls this evening as well.

Either way, it just gives me an excuse to buy more yarn and make this lovely pattern again....and again...

I see several neckwarmers and shawls in my future.

Afterall, the Holidays are just around the corner.

And I live in an estrogen dominant family!

Oh!

The color name of this gorgeous yarn?

 

DEJA VU

 

 

Subtle Shades of White

I have a passion for white pumpkins! They're not a true white however. That's what I like so much about them. They have a soft, just barely off ~ whiteness about them. Instead of being...

STARK

 they are

subtle.

 

While browsing the aisles of my local K~Mart store the other day, I happened upon these precious pumpkins in my favorite shade of Non~Orange! {Tee Hee!}

Low and behold, they were on sale.

Only $5.00.

Being hard pressed to do an overabundance of Fall decorating, due to the fact my house is rather ROSY on the whole,  and does not lend itself well to Autumnal colors, I couldn't pass these little beauties by.
So I snapped them up

 then I headed for the spray paint section, the REAL reason I was there, and found a can of

Heirloom White.

 

I wanted to spray paint all of these baskets I have purchased at the local thrift store.

I love this shade of white paint.

It's not ivory, or cream, or antique, exactly.....

It's "heirloom".

 Very

soft

and

subtle.

 I will fill all of these baskets with yarn of various colors and fibers.

Then they will find a new home in my soon to be  

ROOM OF MY OWN

I am turning an upstairs bedroom that one of my newly married daughters has left vacant into my very own

 DREAM ROOM

Yay!

I will finally have my own Office / Studio.

Once I get started I will show the work in progress.

The walls are a  FRESH GREEN already.

 There will be lots of creamy, white goodness all about.

And of course, my beloved PINK ROSY~ness will have to be sprinkled in here and there.

I will keep you posted.

Hope you are all having a Beautiful Sunday
full of
Rest
and
Blessings.

Bridal Rose Tea Cup

 

This has been an absolutely beautiful day of sunshine, soft fluffy clouds and fantastic early Fall breezes. I did wake to a house that was slightly cooler than I prefer, so when Hubby left for work I turned the furnace on for the first time and let it run for about an hour just to knock the chill out of the air.





 Naughty Me!

 

But as the day went on it was just gorgeous and I had to open the windows to let the warm breezes blow in and warm the house that way. Such funny weather this time of year!

Well ~ it was such a lovely day that my Mother and I decided to take a stroll around the local thrift shop during the afternoon. And I am so happy that we did :)

This is the treasure I returned home with from today's hunt.

A Fine Bone China English Tea Cup and Saucer.

The pattern is

 

~Bridal Rose~

 

I have never seen it before.

I am totally in love with it!

And so very glad I ventured out.

It is in perfect condition.

I paid a mere $6.99 for this delightful piece.

As you can see in the first picture, I settled right in and had a nice cup of tea when I got home.

So very charming.

Don't you agree?

I felt just like

"Her Majesty"

from the first

to

the last

sip.

I think she's happy in her new home.