Christmas is coming

I've been making my list and checking it twice, sometime multiple times a day.  All the things that need to be done is never ending.  A hidden stash of Christmas candy is a nice afternoon treat to help the work day move along nicely. 

Whether at work or home I've noticed I indulge in a sweet treat most every afternoon.

Maybe I should share a treat with with Avi.  She seems to be waning.  Actually, I think she just likes being in the middle of what I'm doing.

As I'm out and about running errands it's been fun to see all the festive decorations.  The book return at the public library was cute.

This hay bale snowman is so clever.  He has an orange caution cone for a nose and those are tires for his hat.

Santa and Rudolph ride through our neighborhood on a fire truck.  This is one tradition that always makes me smile.

Most of the houses in our neighborhood have decorations.  The three Santa flamingos are one of my favorites.

Once things are checked off the list it's nice to end the day with some crochet time.  I was making progress on the Cozy Stripe blanket till Avi decided it was the perfect place for a snuggle.

I hope things are getting checked off your To Do List.  Don't forget to enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by for a visit,  Lisa

Winter Project Link Party December 2017

I'm not as late to the Jennifer's Winter Link Party this month but I have been a little behind with blogging.  We've had a few internet issues, we won't talk about Verizon.  I've also had some issues using Blogger.  I can not seem to leave comments on other blogs.  Well, I leave comments but they won't show up after I publish them.  It is very frustrating.  My apologies for the lack of commenting.  I have been reading your blogs.

The Cozy Stripe blanket is a slow growing blanket.  This may be a forever project because I swear it's going to take me FOREVER to finish it.  I think I'm going to add a progress keeper and move it monthly.  Then maybe I'll feel like I actually see it grow.  The goal was to use only stash yarn but I think I may buy another skein of the cream color.  What's shown in the picture is all I have left of it.  The cream color adds a bit of brightness and helps break up the dark colors.

My take-a-long project is the Liula scarf.  It's a pay for pattern by Potter & Bloom and can be found on Ravelry.  She did a CAL in early fall.  I didn't participate because goodness knows I'd never finish on time.  Most of the scarfs for the CAL were done in beautiful gradient yarns.  I wanted a more neutral color so I went with Knit Picks Stroll Fingering.  It's a lovely pattern and I will probably make another at some point.

The blue peaking out from behind the scarf is a recent splurge.  I bought a Fringe and Co. field bag.  I have wanted one for the longest time.  I got it on a recent trip to Fiber Space in Alexandria, VA.  I didn't buy any yarn and there wasn't any shipping cost so it was a win/win situation.  Oh, the stories I tell myself to justify a hefty purchase.  But I do really like it :) It's already accompanied me on a recent road trip to pick up my daughter from college.

We put up our tree on Thanksgiving Day.  Binxy is always the first of the animals to nest under the tree.  I call her the first present.

Not to be outdone, Avi wanted to nest is the Christmas card basket.  Every year the number of cards we receive is less and less.  Most of our friends post their family pictures to Facebook.

Count-down Santa and I are back at watching the days of December tick away.   I wished they didn't go by quite so quickly. 

I hope you are having a wonderful start to December.  Thank you for stopping by for a visit, Lisa

Winter Link Party 2017

As always I'm late to the party.  I'm happy to join Jennifer with her Winter Link Party.  I hope to finish the Cozy Stripe blanket this winter and to continue to use the abundance of acrylic yarn I have in my stash.

Little progress was made on it during the spring or summer months.  I wasn't sure if I'd even try to finish it.  When I started this blanket I planned on making it for my son.  After having worked on it for awhile I've realized it's just too colorful for him.  He's a much more muted color kind of guy.

Another reason I haven't been so excited about it is it's a very stiff blanket.  I am using a G hook and I'm a very tight crocheter.  I do wish I would have used an H hook but live and learn.  I'm not sure what I'll do with it when it's finished.  I guess first I have to finish it before I should worry about that aspect of the project.

It is nice to see the blanket growing in size.  It has out grown the tote bag on the right and now is  happily housed in the blue chevron one on the left.

I have a thing for tote bags.  I have two knitted and one crochet cowl in the bags by my chair in the family room.  I think I'm always surrounded by projects and animals.

There could be much worse things surrounding me :)

Thanks for stopping by for a visit, Lisa

Random Sunday Things

After getting Lindsay off to college and the great house declutter project of August all I want to do is sit and knit. With the help of my sister via FaceTime and slow knitting videos on YouTube I am knitting a cowl.  I cast on all by myself, which is a huge accomplishment for me, and have been slowly knitting.  I've even taken this with me to appointments and on long car rides. I am so loving this project and learning something new.  The pattern is the Easy Peasy Cowl.  It is free on Ravelry. The yarn is by Dragonfly Fibers.  It is Traveller, Winter Woods.  Both the pattern and the yarn make me happy.

But all I've wanted to do is knit.  My other projects linger around me neglected.  There are two cowls and the Cozy Stripe Blanket that I haven't done much with since early August.  

I saw a post on Instagram showing this new to me magazine/Lookbook.  It is called By Hand: making communities.  They are almost like a travel guide for crafty things and makers in certain areas.  The first issue is the Portland, Oregon area.  The other issues are about different making communities around the United States.  There are articles about different artists, patterns, and recipes.  I am finding them very enjoyable.  It does make me want to travel to all of the places.  If you're interested the website is: byhandserial.com

Maybe Instagram is a bad influence.  I saw this book on a post.  It's called "Dot journaling" by: Rachel Wilkerson Miller.  I don't think I'll do a full out Bullet Journal but I am hoping this may help me be w tiny bit more organized with my To Do lists.  Probably just doing things on my list would make me feel better.  I'm very good at making lists, not so good a doing the things on them. :(

Thank you for stopping by for a visit.   Lisa

August happenings

I probably have said this many times before but it seems time is racing by.  This summer feels like I've been running a never ending marathon.  It's been a good marathon but there are still so many things I want to do.

For brief moments the upstairs bedroom looked like a normal functioning guest room.  It didn't stay like this very long.  We are in the process of painting my son's room.  It's now holding things that have been moved from his room to make painting easier.

Picking the right paint color is never easy.  Our laundry room is the testing area.  It's fun to see what colors were used and which ones were just wrong.  One day our rainbow room will be all one color.  

This patch of sun is great for a nap but napping cats are not helpful for painting a bedroom.  I promise there are plenty of other sunny patches through out our house for a good nap.  Of course those sunny spots would not be as interesting as this one.

The hallway is being used as storage for all the college dorm stuff.  This pile is only half the items my daughter will be taking with her.  I'm trying not to think about how quickly her move in date is approaching.

Between shuffling junk and painting I finished my summer blanket.  I love it!  It is the perfect size and weight for when the air conditioning blows cool and I get a chill.  I'm still working on the Cozy Stripe blanket.  It is definitely a long term project.

We've been playing board and card games this summer.  One of our new favorites is Rummikub.  I really like this game.  It's easy but makes you think and is rather addictive.

Bru is convinces the tiles are chew toys. He tries to get as close as possible to steal one or two.

True confession and full disclosure - One reason the upstairs bedroom looked so tidy was I moved the junk from it down to the basement bedroom. This is now the sorting area.  We have a charity pick up scheduled.  I hope to have most of this stuff out and waiting to me hauled away.

Thank you for stopping by for a visit.  Lisa

Things here lately

Summer is progressing nicely, if not a little too quickly.  My husband and son are at the National Cubing competition in Fort Wayne, Indiana this weekend.  My daughter and I stayed home this year. She has work and I've kept the animals company.  

Darren, reluctantly posing for a picture.

While they've been away I've been keeping myself busy with different little projects.  The weather has been lovely so I've been doing some much needed yard work.  We finally had some rain which makes weeding the flower beds a breeze.  It's a shame the wild bunnies refuse to eat the clover.  I wish our investments grew as quickly as the clover.

I've also been working on my summer blanket.  It is very close to being finished, maybe it will be completed before August.  Bru has to wear the cone of shame till his allergy medicine kicks in.  He has seasonal allergies and is licking his paws raw.  We go through this every summer.

The guest bedroom is back to being a staging area for decluttering.  The endless cycle of going through closets and book shelves.  I'm always shocked at what I've squirreled away in this house.

I know I'll never be finished decluttering because I can't stay out of the shops.  Although I am much more selective about what does come home with me, I still shop.  I stopped by a thrift store on my way to the public library.  I found a cookbook and a pottery pot.  The cookbook looked interesting but once I've read it I doubt it will stay.  The pottery pot on the other hand might be here awhile.  I've always wanted a lidded pot and this was such a bargain :)

The book I got from the library is by a local author.  My neighborhood book club is trying to arrange for her to attend one of our meeting.  So far I'm enjoying it.  It's an easy read, perfect for summer. The story starts with a tragedy and follows the family's struggles as they cope with the aftermath.  

The other book I picked up at the library is "Goodbye Things."  Doesn't it look so pretty next to my new pot?  I've actually listened to this book on Audible.  Since I listen while driving to and from work, I wanted to reread a few of the chapters.  I know I will never be an absolute minimalist and that's ok.  I find the minimalist movement fascinating and inspiring.  I like things but I'm learning that my things don't define me and it's ok for them to come and go.

Thank you for stopping by for a visit.  Have a lovely week,  Lisa

Looking for the perfect summer read

I've been in a major reading slump for almost a year.  I work in a library so you'd think I would be able to find something to read.  I bring books home, start reading, and then stop reading. Nothing seems to holds my interest.  Books that everyone else enjoys I'm only so-so with them.  My night stand looks like a mini library.

This past weekend there was an enormous used book sale held at one of the local middle schools.  I love going to this event.  The building is filled to the brim with books.  It is  fun to browse all the tables full of books.  After the time I've spent purging clutter, I am much more selective of what comes home with me.  Most of what I do buy I will re-donate for next year's sale.

The Martha Stewart book and the Still Life with Chickens will be passed on to my sister.  I think the book that has the most potential to stay for awhile is the Wildflowers guide.  It is in great condition and even had a bonus of a pressed leaf.

I'm going to clear off my night stand and only leave the books I want to try and read on it.  Hopefully I will find that one book where the characters become my best friends and I never want the story to end.  I think that's part of the issue, my expectations are too high.

At least the crocheting hasn't hit a slump like the reading.  I'm still working on my summer blanket and I made a set of 4th of July coasters.

I've made this pattern before and love it.  It's on Ravelry - Ombre Crochet Coasters.  The cotton yarn helps soak up the condensation on cold drinks.  Plus crocheting coasters is so satisfying, a quick project I can finish!

Well, summer is in full swing at our house.  So far I've not been able to rally these two to do a summer purge of their rooms.  They don't get as excited as I do with the clutter clearing.

Thank you for stopping by for a visit, Lisa

normal life shall resume

Oh the end of the school year, it's always a crazy time.  This year was filled with banquets, award ceremonies, senior prom and then all the activities for graduation.  I'm not saying they weren't fun but I will admit to being extremely tired.  Ok exhausted is more accurate.

Lindsay, Dan, and I the afternoon of prom.

my graduate!

Lindsay's school is the oldest in our county.  If weather permits the graduation ceremony is held on the front lawn of the school.  The ceremony was at 8am in the morning and it was perfect.  We were finished before the heat of the day.  The front of the school makes for a lovely backdrop for graduation.

Bru has the right idea.

I started some cosmos from seed this spring.  It's nice some of them survived Bru's attempts to un-plant them.  He can be such a rascal.

When I haven't been too brain drained to concentrate I've been working on a summer blanket.  I wanted something to throw on my legs when I get chilled because of the air conditioner.  The pattern is Triangles & Stripes baby blanket from Ravelry.  I adjusted the size to be a little larger.  It's an easy and fast pattern.  Hopefully I'll finish it before cold weather.

Thank you for stopping by for a visit.  The plan is to post more frequently during the summer months.

Lisa