Joy-FULL Living

As hot Summer days gradually slip into soft and gentle early Autumn,
I am soothed to my very core.
And yet I find myself to be oddly exhilarated at the same time; inspired even.
This is a good thing.
A very good thing.
My business is growing more all the time
and I am working on tweaking things
like ordering new business cards
for a fresh new look and updating my websites,
including my business facebook page.
For those of you who are on Facebook and are interested
in following me there you can click on the link
and keep up with what I'm doing on a regular basis.
You might even see me make a fool of myself on live video from time to time...

As you can gather, our September Sale was enormously successful,

not to mention so doggone much FUN!

I knitted ever so many Pumpkins in a bazillion different colors...

And yet I am still knitting more and more of the little beauties for custom orders

because they were all snapped up during our sale.

This is, after all, THE Pumpkin Capital of the World. And we LOVE our Pumpkins!!!

From time to time over the years I have been asked if I ship internationally.

The answer is YES! Absolutely!

This lovely little trio left our Morton Post Office yesterday to head across

the big ocean to their new home in London, England

where I hope they will be very happy indeed. 

{More importantly, I hope they will make the sweet young woman

who ordered them extremely happy!}.

I cannot even express the honest to goodness pure JOY that is brought into my daily life by the entire process of every aspect of this business. It just keeps rolling on from year to year. I love choosing the fibers, which I am extremely particular about. I love pouring over patterns then modifying them as needed to make them fit the needs of individual customers or my strict standards. For example, it has taken me several years to perfect these Pumpkins. I use the exact same wool, a certain type of poly fill and my own secret technique. Plus each one weighs the same in order to ensure premium product quality.

I want my customers to have only the very best.

If my name is on it, then it better be top quality. 

PERIOD.

My policy has always been that unless the customer is 110% HAPPY,

I remake or refund.

This brings me to the real JOY-FULL part of what I do.

I am first and foremost a people person.

Those of you who know me personally, know this.

However, I deal with so many people around the globe

who I will never meet face to face.

I want all of you to realize that

if you place an order or make a purchase with me,

I work hard at going back and forth online with you until we get it exactly right.

I track packages once they ship and I follow up with customers to make sure they are happy with their goods when they receive them.

They may be small things like pumpkins or fingerless mitts,

or larger garments such as 

shawls or baby clothing that I've made to specific measurements.

I need to be sure they fit properly.

It is all very important to me because YOU as an individual

are very important to me.

Whether you live locally and I know you personally,

 we have just recently connected through one of my events 

or I work with you through one of my websites 

Front Porch Knits

Or

My Etsy Shop

You bring great joy into my life.

You cause me to continue to grow and stretch as an individual.

My days are filled with creative purpose as I work full time from home 

to continue to supply as many lovely knitted garments and items

my hands and needles can possibly create in a year's time. 

For all of this, I thank each and every one of you.

I am excited about the many new avenues we will travel together

as my business continues to grow and expand.

I look forward to placing small treasures in your hands that make you smile 

or ...

Wrapping you in cozy things that make you feel warm, happy, beautiful and loved.

For me this is Joy-FULL living.

It's my adventure.

"Wonderful adventures await for those who dare to find them."

Hazel Gaynor, The Girl from the Savoy

Front Porch Knitting

There's a whole lot of Front Porch Knitting going on at my house these days as I work at breakneck speed in preparation for the upcoming Pumpkin Festival. We have just under 3 weeks left to finish up and then we will all be setting up our booths at the Craft Faire. I love the hodgepodge variety of all the vendors set up together. The buzz of energy as we all work individually, and yet collectively, is nearly palpable in its silent hum that constantly weaves throughout the entire event. Quite honestly, I believe it's one of the biggest and best reasons I return year after year for this wonderful event. I am truly delighted in, and totally energized by, the overall sense of belonging; sense of community the Pumpkin Festival bestows upon me. It is small town living at it's very finest.

And I am a small town Girl to the core.

   So I have been knitting a lot of pumpkins these days.
Some have been for custom orders, some fly out the door as people stop by and some will show up in my booth at the Festival.
Never fear...

If you arrive at my booth too late and I'm sold out...

I take custom orders and I work fast.

This photo was taken by a recent customer who sent it to me after she received the pumpkins as a surprise gift from her very sweet hubby.

Pictured here are three pumpkins in Natural and three in Blaze Orange.

All of my pumpkins are made using 100% Pure Wool double stranded and contain approximately 8 cups of fiber fill per pumpkin. 

By the way, this photo was used with the permission of the happy customer. :-)

I love to provide variety for people

so I knit pumpkins in different colors to suit various tastes.

Also, if you look closely, you will see just the top of some pumpkin dishcloths peeking out from underneath the stuffed pumpkins in the basket.

They are made from a wonderful fiber blend of cotton and linen

and I will have them along with me as well.

Then, of course, I will have some baby items for sale too...

But switching gears...

There will be items besides pumpkin themed knits in my booth as well, such as one of my all time favorite Fall Fashion accessories: Fingerless Mitts.

I always provide several styles and colors for those who like them.

So if you love warm hands and free fingers,

come and see me.

 I'll be in booth number

62

Front Porch Knits

September 15 & 16.

I sure hope to see you there!

And please do wander throughout the whole Craft Faire.

Each year brings with it a treasure trove of new delights.

I promise you will love it!

"There is immense power when a group of people 

with similar interests gets together

to work toward the same goals."

Idowu Koyenikan

This Moment

'Tis the season for pumpkins...

Beautiful, glorious pumpkins are everywhere. Pumpkins of every size, shape and color. These soft creamy white ones have always been my absolute favorite with the rather dusty looking green ones coming in a close second. The stores are filled with them, front porches and steps are dotted with a variety of them and where I live we are surrounded by fields of pumpkins still growing on the vine. I also live close enough to the Libby's canning factory to smell the pumpkins being processed drifting along the Autumn breezes.

This picture of me holding the pumpkin was taken by my daughter Chelsea yesterday at a local park. She and Parker stopped by and he ran through the house looking for me. "Grammy, Grammy!!!"

"We're GOING TO THE PARK!!!"

"Do you want to go with us?!!"

Well now... how do I say NO to that?

Monday's are busy for me as they are for most people. I do extra housework to prepare for my Knit Night Girls to be here for the evening and I spend a portion of the afternoon in my kitchen baking.  Like I've mentioned already as well, I have a steady flow of knitting work to accomplish from now until Christmas. This pair of Jane Austen Mitts was a custom order that shipped this morning.

The season for fingerless mitts is in full swing too.

While Parker was running around enjoying the fresh air and sunshine, his mommy was able to snap a few photos for me to use for my Shop. It was just a sudden thought on the way out the door for me to grab these mitts just in case we had a chance for a quick picture or two. I'm so glad it worked out.

More importantly, however, I realized that the real heart of the matter was that I was so happy to be there at the park with my daughter and grandson, watching him skip along from the curly slide to the swings, then to the bouncy dinosaur and car, while the wind ruffled his hair, all the while calling over his little shoulder, "Come on Grammy, Come ON!!!"

I could have so easily told them, "No... I have way too much to do today... I really should just stay home."  But then I would have missed out on that particular moment that will be forever engrained within my heart and soul. We weren't there long and by days end I still got everything accomplished  that I needed to.

There was time to work on another custom order ...

A Crocheted Shawl in the making.

Most of my orders are in some shade of Grey these days.

I have no problem with that,
as I can never seem to get enough of the color myself.

And I had plenty of time to mix some pumpkin and spices around in the kitchen and make the house smell warm and inviting for the arrival of my knitting group...

Pumpkin Spice Bread

2/3 Cup Unsalted Butter

{softened to room temperature}

2 2/3 Cups Sugar

4 Eggs

2 Cups Pumpkin

2/3 Cup Cold Water

3 1/3 Cups All Purpose Flour

2 1/2 Teaspoons Cinnamon

1/2 Teaspoon Cloves

2 Teaspoons Baking Soda

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla

1 Cup Chopped Walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place Parchment Paper in the bottom two Loaf Pans and
spray with Cooking Spray

In large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar together until well blended.

Add eggs and beat.

Add pumpkin and water and beat well.

Sift dry ingredients together and add to pumpkin mixture.

Pour half of batter into ONE prepared Loaf Pan.

Add walnuts to remaining batter.

Pour remaining batter into second Loaf Pan.

Bake for 60 - 70 minutes, watching closely as ovens vary.

Cool bread on wire racks for 15 minutes.

Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

Enjoy with your favorite hot drink!

"The living moment is everything."

D.H. Lawrence

(1885 - 1930)

Visions of Pumpkins & A Beautiful Gift

My days are still filled with visions of

pumpkins...

All sizes

all shapes

&

even all colors...

For the first time ever

I put some items in our

Pumpkin Festival

Craft Sale

with the girls from my LYS.

My goods did quite well and I was just

*tickled pink*

{not orange mind you ~ I am still not a lover of orange,

which is why I am attracted to pumpkins in other colors!}

I just love these sweet little

pumpkin egg cozies.

I found the pattern on

Wool Free and Lovin' Knit

I will probably make a few orange or pumpkin colored ones also

but.......

I had to start with

cream

&

flamingo pink :)))

OH!!!!

And my other

exciting news ~

My friend Neicee

over at

Insomniac With A Hook

had a recent

Give Away

and

I was the

LUCKY WINNER!!!

Just look at all this

Yarny  Goodness!

:)))))))

I can accomplish a whole lot with this lovely

treasure trove!

Plus

she was sweet enough to include

a bag full of assorted teas.

They are not in the picture

because

I confess~

I have been drinking them up left and right.

I am a true addict.

It is all very yummy...

yarn ....

tea....

aahhhhh..........

Now THAT'S what I'm talking about!

**Thank you,

thank you,

thank you

My Dear Neicee!**

You sure know how to treat a girl nice :)

A Harvest of Good Things

Once again it's

Pumpkin

time

here in the

Pumpkin Capital of the World!

Our Pumpkin Festival

started today

and runs through Saturday.

I, of course, look forward mostly

to the

Craft Sale

on the last day :)))

Living here and being surrounded by

pumpkin mania

this time of year

keeps me on the constant lookout

for new pumpkin patterns.

I love this one they gave me at my

LYS.

I did tweak it a bit here and there {naturally}.

It has been a fun pattern to work with.

Cute, huh?!

And on a personal note~

My Mother~In~Law

is doing better,

however,

due to her age she has some

longstanding health issues

 that will be with her always now.

I still keep a close watch on her,

take her to all doctor appointments

and fill her medication keeper each week.

I am so thankful she lives next door to me.

And I thank each one of you for your kind comments,

concern,

&

prayers.

It means so much.

Also, I had a new experience today.

For the first time I gave myself an injection.

The doctor put me on Enbrel for my RA.

Rather than going into the office for a weekly injection,

I opted to self inject.

It went quite well.

I feel just fine.

Much better than when I was on Methotrexate {UGH!!!}

So~

So far so good.

I have high hopes for this medication

and

who knows

maybe next year

I

will win the Golfing Championship

{maybe I should learn to golf first...}.

And one more thing~

Tomorrow we hit the 2 year mark from Scott's Pancreatic Cancer.

Can I get a good

AMEN!!!

I pray this finds you all

Happy

Healthy

&

Blessed.

With Love,

Danette