Splurge!

"Two if by Hand" Polwarth/Silk (85/15)

I've waited so long to catch some CatReading handspun for sale... and last weekend I had just the chance I had been looking for.

Look at this amazing stuff... now what to make of it?  Suggestions?

Generosity

Goodies from the most lovely friends

This year I missed Squam Art Workshops.  And missing it was really, really bittersweet.  But it was for good reason.  Our little family is going to be expanding early this fall, and the experts curtailed my travel plans just before the New Hampshire trip.

So the amazing and talented girls that I met there last year went again this year.  And Elizabeth - the mastermind behind the event - allowed us all to share a cabin again.  So it was a rekindling of our little group. By all reports everyone had an amazing time.  And how could you not... Squam Lake is such a beautiful setting and the classes offered are unlike anything I would encounter locally.  This year I missed a photography class, and two knitting classes with Stephanie Pearl-McFee and Steven West.  (So, so sad about missing those.)

Gnome Homes

But my room-mates were the best.  We had planned a swap among us of creative and fun little things.  And I am sure that I got the best gift.  These were made by the lovely Emily and are "gnome homes" for double pointed needles. They are hand-knit, felted and each of their little hats is secured by a length of elastic so that you can lift it off and store you double pointed needles.  How clever is that?  You can see on the red-hatted one that I've got some bamboo DPNs in there already! I'm doing my best to convince the small fry that they aren't intended to be used as new characters in her doll and fairy cast.  And I received hand made soap with a crocheted bag (lovely Jamie), a pea pod pin (lovely Kelly), an initial necklace from the Squam marketplace and some tea (lovely Jen).  And they mailed to me the goody bag from this year, complete with two skeins of beautiful blue yarn. So the disappointment in missing all the fun this year waned a little when all these goodies arrived in the mail.

It's so, so good to have kind and thoughtful friends. I am a lucky girl.

On the baby front, I've just arrived at the third trimester and things are going pretty well.  I've got my energy back and I'm feeling good.  And now that I'm not craving sleep by 8p.m. every day, the creative projects are back on my "radar." So cross your fingers for an uneventful remaining rest of the pregnancy, and more blog fodder sooner than later!

Lovelies

These lovelies are off to their new home.  I hope the recipient likes them.  The largest glass bead is one that I made, and the assortment of other little beads is hand strung on a sterling silver chain that dangles below.

Off to a new home

And something of the same style, but with a different color scheme is now available in the shop.  Click here to see them and a better description.

Rosy

  

Class Picnic Blouse – again

Ready for summer...

This last week or so I've been a little less "out and about" than normal and have managed to finish off all three of the little "Class Picnic Blouses" that I had cut out awhile ago. This is record timing for me, but I must attribute my speed with the simple truth that cutting, sewing, pressing, etc. in a batch process – even a batch of three – makes things so much faster.

Heather Bailey Garden Gnomes

Amy Butler Graphic Floral print

Woodland animals

The gnome version is 3T size, and the other two are 6-month size.  And I'm pretty happy with the way that they all turned out.  I even did a few things wrong (also in batch) which meant three times the number of seams to rip out, re-align, pin and sew. (ugh.)  But it was worth the trouble to have a nicely finished product that I won't be embarrassed to put on our girl.

And the current favorite baby got a new shirt too... can't leave anyone out of this action.

New baby doll smock

And now on to the Monkey Dress...