Hats off to my little Grant!

Last week, while going through yet another plastic bin I came across the tiniest little baby hat. I remember that I had started it for my grandson Grant over two years ago.  It is an adorable little dinosaur hat, and finished except for the spikes that would be sewn on to the top. Because Grant was an August baby I thought the little cap would be the perfect fit for the fall; until I saw him that is.

Grant entered our world weighing 9lbs. 9 -1/4oz. and 22" long. It was clear at first glance that there was no way this little cap would fit over his "gigantic melon".  So, with the perfect excuse not to finish it I tucked it away with everything else I hadn't completed. Until now. This past weekend I visited my daughter Meagan in NH. I packed up the hat, needles, pattern and yarn and took it with me with every intention of putting the finishing touches on it. Well, as life would have it, we got busy and not only DIDN'T I FINISH IT, I never even worked on it. If that isn't bad enough, I LEFT it there by accident. (hmmm, accident?) 
  SOOOOO I actually failed on this one twice. The little dino hat goes to the "back burner" for a while but I WILL finish it.

If I ever get it back that is!

Remembering Diane

 

This is how I remember Diane. With her

 beautiful blond hair, a smile on her face

and surrounded by children.

 In 1979 soon after Bob and I bought our little house in Rockport, my sister-in-law Diane presented us with a very special present. A hand stitched piece of embroidery in a yellow frame for our new kitchen.(Ahhhh the 70s it fit right in with our gold, avocado and orange kitchen and complimented our brown shag rug in the adjoining living room.) The whimsical stitchery was of a bunny peeling apples and in process of making an apple pie. It said Home Cooking. How appropriate coming from this beautiful woman who not only worked her magic in the kitchen but into our hearts. The little bunny graced my wall for several years until one day it fell off the wall and crashed leaving the frame and the glass shattered. Well, by now most of you know me pretty well. I threw away the frame and tucked the 8" x10" piece of stitchery safely away, vowing to re frame the much loved gift as soon as I could. But life has a way of happening. Babies came and life got busy. That was at least 25 years ago. The little Muslim fabric gathered dust
and dirt and became discolored.  Sadly 3 years ago Diane died. We all miss her terribly. She was my sister-in-law and my friend. We God parented each others children and I am her daughter Katie's Confirmation Sponsor.  Katie is grown now and has developed into a beautiful young woman.  In the three years since Diane's death I have seen Katie at special family occasions and at our annual Christmas gatherings.  It is there that I have come to notice something quite lovely.  Katie shares many of her mother's talents! She is smart and creative and talented. How could she not be with a mother like Diane. Her own special ability to capture life's beauty through her photography is amazing.

The wall hanging has been washed.

It has been lovingly mounted and matted in honor of Diane. 

It has been framed fittingly in the bright yellow frame that Diane intended.  

This is for you Katie. I'll send it your way.

Hang it on your kitchen wall and be inspired by your mother's love and handiwork. She would want you to have it now.

With all my love. 

To Read Or Not To Read..That Is The Question

One of the reasons I can't accomplish anything is that I am being pulled in too many directions. If this sounds like an excuse well it is.  About the time that I committed to Finally Finishing I also committed to my 11 year old grandson Dylan that I would read all the Harry Potter books with him and then we would watch the movies and discuss. Well, I can't seem to read and do everything else on my "to do list". Dylan has finished HarryPotter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, book 3 in the Harry Potter Series while I tag along on  page  301.Tired of waiting for me to catch up he has since

started book 4 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and  already on page 150 or so of an almost 800 page book. (Apparently he doesnt' know of my 300 page limit on any book I read)  So If I seem a bit sluggish finishing my promise of the third and final scarf from my last post  it is because I am reading every night until my eyes bleed. I can not face him again and admit once more that "no, I have not finished my book yet"

I don't know if it is disbelief or disgust I see in his eyes but since I can't find the cliff notes to this book, "come hell or high water" as they say I will finish

 the book today !

One Down Two To Go

I am definately learning NOT to act on every "good" idea that comes into my head. Take this "Fun Fur".   Fun? ...not so much. It is the hardest yarn that I have ever worked with. I know why it has been referred to as "eyelash" yarn now. The tiny eyelash size little fibers that make it soft also make it impossible to work with. The little suckers get stuck and tangled as you try to knit or crochet. I got soooooo frustrated while knitting the darn thing that I almost threw it out the window. Instead I stopped , pulled it out and tried it in crochet. It really was easier especially with a large hook. Two more to go!  

A good friend called me today to say she would like to buy 4 scarves.  So, Judy I thought about it I came up with a fair price that includes material and the labor intenstity factor.  How about  $1,000  each.

Spell my name correctly on the check Please!

Faux Fur....Fad or Fashion?

The problem with finishing all the projects that I have ever  started is that by now many of them have gone "out of style".  Take the once popular"Fake Fur" or as the more refined say "Faux Fur".  Just  few years ago it was all the rage. Funky looking scarves were in vogue and almost everyone including me had one. So of course I ran out and bought several skeins with the intent of making scarves for me and my sisters.  Something more important must have came up because the yarn was packed away and eventually forgotten......until today.  So I ask you....fake fur:    IN  or OUT?  Does it really matter? No I say, because I have started knitting my scarf.  I remember choosing pink because it is the color that represents the fight against Breast Cancer.

  October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

I have been cancer free for 20 years  and you can be sure as the weather gets chilly my sisters and I will be

"styling" our pink "out of style" scarves.