Off the hook...

Nope, the socks are not finished yet! I had to interrupt their progress to crochet these two sweet little sweaters. My son's boss at Starbucks recently had twin boys and I wanted to do something special for them. Everyone at my house had fun ooo-ing and ah-ing these little itsy bitsy sweaters in preemie sizes. The pattern is sooooo easy! It is called "Baby It's Cold Outside." You can find it here if you are interested: http://www.crochetme.com/Feb_Mar_2005/patt_baby_sweater.html

Also, there is a "crochet-along" for this pattern at Crochetville. http://www.crochetville.org/forum/showthread.php?t=36185 Different folks have posted photos of their finished sweaters. Some have made versions for older kids and even grown up sizes.

For those who might want to know (I always want all the nitty gritty info when someone shows what they made) The pattern was written for Homespun yarn and a K hook. To make it smaller, I used Caron Simply Soft yarn and a G (4.25 mm) hook. I followed the pattern exactly. I bought one skein of each color and I probably have enough yarn left over to make two more sweaters! There is an awesome chart compiled here of different sizes and yarns etc. for this pattern: http://www.knicknac.com/crochetville/bico-chart.htm



These are the first shaped garments I have ever crocheted. Up till now, I have made things like afghans and such...squares, rectangles, etc. I even crocheted the little buttons...too cute!


Also, I have been making some stuff for my secret pal. But I can't tell you about those things because I wouldn't want to spill the beans!!

Other than the occasional knitting and crochet, life has been a total whirlwind of activity. I thought life was busy when I had 6 kids all ages 8 and under, but now that 5 of those six are teenagers (with a 10 and 5 year-old too,) I look back on those days as "slow and easy!" My hubby tried to tell me that having 7 kids was not going to be easy, and he was right! They are not bad kids, they just keep me hopping!

Just Checking In

I am sorry, so sorry that I have not blogged in a long time! Life has been terribly, incredibly, unbelievably, insanely busy. I shall say no more about that...don't want to bore you. I just wanted to check in and let you know I am still here and well.

Sock #1 is finished and #2 is well on its way. I would be further along on that project, but I had to stop and fill some orders that came in for hair sticks, my crocheted hair accessory organizer and the crocheted stone necklaces I make. In fact, I had a hair stick order from Malaysia. How wild is that? So far I have my items not only in various U.S. states, but also in Australia, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, England and now Malaysia. That is just so neat! Amazing how the internet can connect people.

But back to the socks...I think I have conquered the continental style of knitting. It really does go faster. I also have a theory now that continental knitting lends itself well to slippery needles like the KnitPicks. Before, I liked wooden best, but the better I get at continental, the more I see why some folks like these slick DPNs. However, I think I will always be a fan of the old-fashioned wooden needles. Someday I will be the proud owner of some needles like these



and/or hooks like these.

Socks and Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks.

Wanna' see my latest project? Here it is:


(My apologies for such a poor photo. The color is off and it isn't the clearest. I will try to replace it with one that is better soon. However, if I take the time to fiddle with my camera and get a perfect photo, I will not have time to actually write anything!)

Yes, that strange distorted object is a soon-to-be sock! I have knitted down the leg and have rounded the heel (which, I am told, is the hardest part) and am now heading towards the toe. The yarn is Reynolds Swizzle. I chose that yarn for my first pair of handmade socks mainly because it was available at my LYS (local yarn store) which provides instant gratification (no waiting for packages to be delivered). But the other big reason is that it was cheap (as far as sock yarn goes). I hope to someday soon order some nice sock yarn from somewhere like The Loopy Ewe which is run by someone who seems to be one of the nicest ladies in America. You can view her blog here: Sheri's blog.

And yes, those needles are wickedly sharp! Here is a better view for you to see.



They are the double pointed needles distributed by Knit Picks. I really can not give you a fair assessment of them because I am not in a good position to judge. There are many reasons for this. (1) I have not used DPN's much at all. (2) I have not done much, if any, knitting with yarn and needles this small and I have never made socks so I don't really have any previous projects to compare it to. (3) I am trying to learn to knit in a new way, and so I feel like a clumsy beginner, so I can not judge if it is the needles or my own ineptness.

You see, I am a firm believer that old dogs can learn new tricks, or maybe I am just a little crazy. That is why I decided to learn violin when I was in my upper 30's, which is not exactly the normal time in life to get started on the violin. That is also why I have decided to learn to knit continental. I was just a kid when I learned to cast on and knit a basic stitch. I didn't do much more than knit Barbie scarves until I was pregnant with my first son. It seemed the right thing to do, so I got a teach-yourself-knitting book and knit a blanket. Since then, I have knit on and off for the last 18 years in the traditional American way. Well, lately I have seen more and more folks who knit continental, and it just looks so much more efficient and faster! Why not try it? All I can say is that it has given me a great appreciation for folks who are just learning to knit or crochet. I have had to go through that whole fumbly-fingers-feeling all over again. However, I am getting the hang of it and I can see why so many might prefer that style.

Oh, and I am still caffeine free. Do you know how hard that is to do when my son goes to work at Starbucks every morning and brings home coffee beans every week?? My goal is not to never have coffee again, but to not NEED coffee. I want to save it for the occasional treat. I just seem to be one of those folks who shouldn't have caffeine every day...it effects my muscle and joint pain too much.

New Math

3 days + 0 caffeine = 1 grumpy woman

How do folks do it???

I just don't understand. How do folks "keep up" with all that is going on in blog-land? Shucks! Just between the fascinating knitting/crocheting/spinning blogs I want to read I get sooooo behind! Then there are the witty and interesting blogs my friends keep. I can't find enough time to read it all daily, much less write daily. How do they do it? I just don't seem to be able to write in my blog regularly either. I will write a post and then I blink my eyes and a week or more has passed. So tell me, how do you all do it??

May I also add to this how intimidated and inadequate I feel when I see so many well written blogs with gorgeous photos and original layouts? Someday soon, I want to give this poor polka-dotted blog a new look. Truth-be-told, I am fearful of fiddling around with it and accidentally messing the whole thing up!

For your viewing pleasure, may I submit to you two different blogs...one I stumbled across just today, the other I have been familiar with for a short while. They are a feast for the eyes...lovely to behold.

http://yarnstorm.blogs.com/knitblog/
http://moonstitches.typepad.com/moonstitches/ (sorry, due to a very sensitive filter on my computer, it would not allow me to link to this one)

Yarnstorm and Moonstitches are examples of what I am talking about...their blogs both inspire me with their sheer beauty and make me feel like a failure by my lack of it. (((sigh))) Oh well, I must once again remind myself that this is the season of my life I must spend in the trenches of motherhood. Homeschooling and meeting the needs of 7 youths takes the majority of my time and energy. If I even manage to accomplish anything else beyond that, it is just icing on the cake!

I feel sooooo SPOILED!

Being on a limited budget and being the mother of many children means that often your wants or needs come last. But lately, I have been spoiled rotten! It started out on my anniversary (December 20). My hubby had received an unexpected financial blessing and he gave me some $$$ and told me I had to go out and buy myself some clothes with it. Now, I know that many, many women shop as a hobby, but I am not one of them. I hardly ever, ever go out and buy clothes. In fact, my new clothes usually come in hand-me-down bags. (But don't translate that to she-wears-old-ugly-stuff! I have been most fortunate to have a friend who has a sister who is one of those shop-as-a-hobby folks. Often I have even gotten things with the tags still on them!!) I am so thankful for the things I have been given. But that is not the same as being able to pick out something that is uniquely you and makes you feel like a princess. Well, that is just what I did. I went to my favorite shop in town and bought myself this bee-yoo-tee-full dress. I can not begin to describe it. It is 100% black cotton layers with lace, made in India and totally awesome!! I wish that I could relate it's style to you, but I don't know how to describe it...it is a little ethnic looking, a little "hippy" looking and a little like something out of the 1920's. I will try to get a photo of it posted sometime...but I am sure it will be hard to do, since it is black. I also got a lovely red pashmina to wrap over my shoulders with it.

Then there was Christmas which included several lovely gifts including a stainless steel travel mug for my coffee, other goodies, more $$ and gift cards to shop with. I went out and bought myself the most exquisite, killer cowboy boots in the whole universe. These are not your dusty, kick around boots (although I now want a pair of those too.) These are so purdy, they make me want to cry. And, the owner of the shop gave me a great deal!



And, as you see two posts down, I got a fabulous book for myself.



Well, the other day my neighbor brought by a late present. It was a nice cookbook, and I was so pleased. But, as I browsed it, I realized that there was a good number of recipes that just wouldn't be to my family's liking. I contemplated keeping it to provide occasional variety and inspiration, but she had so kindly put a gift receipt with it, so I trotted off to Barnes and Noble to see if there was anything I preferred. Baby, I hit the jackpot!



This first book (Knitting Rules by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee) I can not recommend too highly! If you are a knitter, especially if you are one who finds yarn and needles and anything else knitting-related addictive, then you will find a kindred spirit in this author. She writes in a conversational style and she is hilarious! She understands and sympathizes with my obsession. Also, she gives lot of good and useful information without talking "down" to you. Alshough this is not a book of patterns, she covers the basics in sock, scarf and shawl, sweater, and hat construction, giving you all the tools you need to make your own pattern! I read this book the way I read a novel. I did not want to put it down. That is how good it is. You can also visit her blog here: (Well, I TRIED to put a link, but I think my filter is blocking it! Our filter is pretty sensitive to any terms that might trigger "adult" content and you know how spicy those knitting blogs can get!! So, I will type it out so you can get the idea!) Her site is "www.yarn*h*a*r*l*o*t.ca/blog/" but remove the **** in the address.

And here is the other book I got: Spinning in the Old Way by Priscilla A. Gibson-Roberts. (What is it with these authors and their hyphenated names???)



I dream of spinning my own fiber. I regularly visit sites that sell spinning wheels and drool. But alas, I have neither the budget nor the space. Granted, if I had the budget I would find the space! This book is by a lady who not only spins using a simple high-whorl handspindle, but actually prefers this method. I have not really sunk my teeth into this book yet, but the print and drawings are a pleasure. It looks very warm and user-friendly. And best of all, hand spindles are affordable and don't take up much space! I am eager to get my own and give it a try!

So now you can see why I feel so spoiled! New clothes, new boots, new books...what else could a gal want????

New Year's Resolutions???

I haven't spent much time on the internet lately, but in my brief browsing I notice that there seems to be a lot of anti-New Year's resolutions sentiment out there. Personally, I have always liked the idea of looking back on the old, assessing my life, and then looking ahead to the new year. Starting fresh, aspiring to do better, putting my stumblings behind me and pressing on...these are all ideas that I like!

So, I have been thinking about what I want to change and what I want to accomplish in the upcoming year. Of course, there are the usual eat-healthier, exercise-more, yadda, yadda thoughts that go through my mind, but really, that is not what inspires me this year. What I have been thinking on most is about how can I serve God better? What can I do to draw closer to Him? I want to know Him better, spend more time in His Word. So, to accomplish this I will definitely be doing a reading schedule that will have me completing the entire Bible in one year. (I am even contemplating accelerating the schedule so that I go through it twice.) Now, the trick to this is to not let it become a chore, or something that I just go through the motions on. Let me be honest, I can not tell you how many times I catch my mind wandering when I am reading the Bible. Suddenly, I will realize that I have read an entire page, but I have not digested a word of it because I am planning a meal or thinking of something that needs to be added to the grocery list! GRRRRR! I want to really focus and read the Bible purposely.

Another thing that I want to improve on this year is my burden for others. It is all too easy to become consumed with my own busy life and my small sphere of community and to forget there is a big, vast world out there of people...many who have no hope and have not heard the Gospel. Lately I have been reading a lot about other countries and their needs. Here in America, we have a church on every corner. Granted, there are many, many needy people right here, and I am not shutting my eyes or my heart to them. However, if someone in the good old USA wants to know more about God, they could buy a Bible at any bookstore. They could choose from a plethora of local churches to seek spiritual guidance. I don't want to ignore the needs of those around me, but I want to be ever mindful of the fact that most people do not live with the freedoms and affluency that I am accustomed to. I want to open to the possibility that God might want to use me to share His love with them. In the very least, I can pray for their needs.

A third area that has weighed heavily on my mind is my squandering of gifts that I feel I have left undeveloped. I want to be ready and able to serve in any small way that I can. There is a parable in the Bible about a man who gives 3 of his servants different amounts of money (called talents). Two invest their talents wisely and earn praise because they can give their master the dividends they have earned. Therefore the master entrusts them with more. The third servant buries his talent in the ground and only gives back to his master, exactly what he was given. Because of this, the master takes his one talent from him and gives it to the others who will use it wisely. What skills, abilities, aptitudes has God given me that I have not been improving or developing? Will there be a need in the future that I will not be able to assist in because I have not been diligent with what God has blessed me? There are two specific areas that immediately come to mind: music and language. I have not been diligent in practicing my instruments. I have had a piano and guitar for years. I have also acquired a violin and flute more recently. I look back on the last 10-20 years and realize that I would be fairly competent with the piano and guitar if I had just spent 15 minutes a day on each one. Right now, the church we attend abounds with musical talent, but what if one day our family were to be moved and the fellowship had no one who could help out with the singing by playing an instrument?? How sad and disappointing if my lack of diligence might leave a need unfilled! As for languages, well, I have studied both German and Spanish, as well as sign language. I am conversant in none because I have not used any of them in years. Think of all the thousands, or even millions of people out there who do not speak English. What doors might open if I were to take the time to be competent in another language or two? I don't have to go far...there is a large hispanic community right where I live.

So these are three major areas that I hope to improve in 2007. It will require discipline and diligence. It will also probably require that I set up some semblance of a schedule. I will need to get out of the bed earlier (ugh!) and I will need to piddle away less time on the internet.

Oh, and of course, I have the usual goals too: Be a better wife and mom. Be more patient and kind. Be more focused on home schooling my kids. Unclutter and dejunk. Live with less stuff. Manage my money better. Finish my 101 unfinished sewing, knitting, crocheting, needlepointing projects, etc.

I also want to eat healthier and exercise more! ;-D

A belated Merry Christmas!!

I hope that you all had a wonderful holiday. Mine was nice, but exhausting! Between filling orders, making gifts, cleaning house, hosting friends, baking, wrapping, etc., I've had no time to spend on the internet. Sorry for the lack of blog posts. I am sure you have all been on the edge of your seats, waiting to read my next update! (grin)

We did not have any family commitments for Christmas Eve, so a week before Christmas, we decided to invite a few friends from church to come over and visit. Well, our invitation to a few friends snowballed into having "open house" and basically inviting the entire church. We ended up with about 40 people coming over in addition to our own 9!!! (And no, I do not have a big house.) It was really fun. My daughters and I baked and cooked all day Saturday. I made lots of food since I had no idea how many would show. I wanted to do luminaries, but I feared there might be kids in the yard and that the candles in paper bags might be hazardous. So instead, I wrapped votive candles with wire in all sorts of odd and funky shapes and swirls and hung them from the trees in our front yard. It turned out soooo pretty! We decorated the table and house with live greenery and fruit, brewed up lots of coffee, hot spiced apple cider and I made my own punch recipe (cranberry juice, pineapple juice, orange juice, ginger ale, and soda water). The table was spread with rolls and ham and turkey and lots of goodies. Good food, good friends, good fellowship...what more could a person want? I wish you could have been here! After the vast majority had left, a few of the teenagers stayed and played games with my kids for a while. Later our whole family just flopped in the living room and hung out until after midnight.

Yesterday, I used a little Christmas money I received and bought myself a present: Victorian Lace Today by Jane Sowerby. It was tops on my Amazon wishlist, and when I saw it at my local Barnes and Noble, I had to have it!


It is a lovely book. The pictures are all taken on location in England. The projects are all scrumptious. It is full of useful information, not only on technique, but also on the history of Victorian knitting. I can not wait to get started on one of the projects! Of course, that may require that I go out and buy MORE yarn, and the necessary double-pointed needles...

Here's something I have been making...

These are stone donut necklaces that I crochet. This one is made of Leopardskin Jasper. Here is another one made of black onyx.

The possibilities are endless as can be seen by this photo of several different donuts I have been able to round up.

I have been selling them faster than I can make them to friends and family and I haven't even had a chance to photograph them and get them up for sell on my business website! Today, I finally got them posted up on my site (www.bluemoonartistry.com).

I think they are pretty cool! However, I can not take credit for the idea. Pam, of the Knotty Generation shared it on her site and gave me permission to make them and sell them. She is awesome! Thanks Pam!

Fiber lovers will understand!

I am sooo excited!! I confess, I am a yarn addict. I love rich, touchable fibers. For years now, my only local options have been Michael's Craft Store, Hancock Fabrics (which only carries Lion Brand) and WalMart (choke! choke!) Don't get me wrong. I am thankful that I have any store in my town that sells yarn, but I just have not been able to get my hands on the stuff that dreams are made of. However, that has ended! We now have a small, independent yarn shop in our area...well in a nearby town less than 25 minutes from my house! Huzzah! Huzzah! (Oh, and for those of you who do not have boys who are into historical books and stuff, and that would be pronounced "huh zah" with the accent on the last syllable.)

Because it is close to my local, independently owned bead shop, I have had the opportunity to drive past this yarn shop multiple times wondering when it would finally open its doors, always to be disappointed. On Tuesday, I was thrilled when I saw the owner's van parked in front. FINALLY, I would get to browse. I just about wet myself I was so excited. But alas and alack! They were not open! She was just there vacuuming the shop. I peeked in the windows and wanted to cry. I walked past the door 2 or 3 times and then finally marched up to it and boldly knocked. She opened and I begged for a brochure or something with their hours, etc. I was secretly hoping she might invite me in, but she was there on her lunch hour from another job and was in a hurry. Needless to say, I was back the next day during business hours. As luck would have it, friend of mine who is an avid crocheter also happened to be there. The only thing better than drooling in a yarn shop is drooling in a yarn shop with someone else who also appreciates yummy yarns. I am sure that the owners got a big kick listening to us "Oooooo & ahhhh!" We were like kids in a candy store..."Oh! Look at this!" and "Come see!!" The owner's also probably got a big kick out of the fact we both bought yarn! I confess, I spent every single penny that I had in my wallet! In fact, I had to borrow six cents from my friend! But it was worth it! Not only does this shop carry nice, manufactured yarn, but also handspun, hand-dyed, and hand-painted yarn!! Photos can not do it justice, the colors are much prettier in real life, but have a peek:

This is 250 yards of 100% wool that has been hand-dyed. I wish you could see and touch it! It has a lovely sheen and is very soft, not rough like some wool.

I also got two 100 yard skeins of this, also hand-painted 100% wool:


Aren't they simply scrumptious? Yummy?! And, the owner wrapped it all in pretty tissue paper, put it in a bag with a bow and candy cane and tucked a little baggy of candy inside as well. You just can't beat small, locally owned businesses! Now my new yarns sit where I can see them. I am waiting for them to speak to me and tell me what they want to be knit (or crocheted) into!

And, lest you think that I have been unproductive these past few months...
let me set your mind at rest! Here is a shot of the afghan I crocheted for my Autumn Secret Pal. I don't think I have shown it here yet. I did not post it earlier because I did not want to ruin the surprise. She wanted purple and yellow, and so that is what I made! I have the hardest time getting the color purple to look true with my photos! But this will give you a general idea.



Here are some other items I have been making and selling like crazy! Can you guess what they are?



They are headbands! I make them out of cotton in all kinds of colors. The nice thing about them is that they are totally "ouch-free!" The crocheted cotton has a bit of stretch to it and it also does not tend to slip. I make them with ties so each person can adjust it to fit their head perfectly. I often forget I am wearing one.

And for my friend, Anna, here is a "fun shot."



I have also made a ton of earrings, hair sticks and necklaces in the past month or so. I will save those for another post (which can be interpreted as: I don't have any photos of those and so you will have to wait!)

Thanks, Kim, for the inspiration!

My lips are orange.

You may be asking yourself, "Why on earth are her lips orange?" Well, I shall tell you. My lips are orange because instead of having a second cup of coffee today, I pulled out my juicer and juiced some yummy, organic carrots. I sacrificed my java as an act of solidarity. My internet friend, Kim is trying to kick the coffee habit. So, I figure if the caffeine queen can give it a go, so should I.

Actually, I need to do a total overhaul on my eating and drinking habits. There is too much bad and not enough good these days. I know that this may sound extreme to most of you, but if I really want to feel good, I have to cut out caffeine, sugar, dairy, processed foods, red meat, most other animal products, and do proper food combining (fruit alone, proteins with veggies okay, carbs with veggies okay, but don't eat carbs and proteins in the same meal). I managed it after my last baby was born. I ate lots of whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies, and drank carrot juice regularly. I lost weight (which was nice, but not a major goal for me now), and more importantly, I had energy, my joint and muscle pains went away, and I felt good. I was also frequently making two different meals...one for my family and one for me. That got old. Also, I missed the whole social part of eating. I did well for months until the holidays came around. Then I fell off the wagon. I just haven't had the will power and determination to do it again.

However, I am getting pretty tired of feeling crummy, so I am praying about what I should do. I want to be my best and not settle for falling apart at 40.

The joys of the season...

I don't know who coined the phrase "The luck of the Irish," but I would like to punch him in the nose! I have good strong Irish blood running through these veins, but as my mother says, if I didn't have BAD luck, I wouldn't have any at all!

I have been married for almost 19 years, and I can not think of one, single Christmas (or anniversary which is the 20th of December) that has rolled around when we have not had some sort of major car repair or household repair come up. Well, maybe our first Christmas, but then, we had only been married 5 days! One year recently I got a water pump on my van for Christmas. Woo! Hoo! Another year, the washing machine died. Oh thrill! It has been like that repeatedly. So, lest we break tradition, this year is bound to break the records! So far, in the last week, I have had to order a $70 part for my computer. Thankfully, my son is a geek extraordinaire and will be installing it for free. Then there was the hot water heater that had to be replaced yesterday. That was over $700. Who wants a hot water heater for Christmas? And today??? Well, I found out my car needs $1000 worth of repairs!!

Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas!

I guess it is a good thing that we have never wanted to get sucked up into the commercialism and lavish gift-giving that goes on at this time of year. We couldn't, even if we wanted to! I wonder if there is a way that I can wrap up some hot water and give it to my kids as their Christmas present? Hmmmmm...

Can't talk now!

My entire family will be at my house for Thanksgiving. That means I will have somewhere around 22-24 folks at my house. YIKES!! Needless to say, I am running around like a chicken (ahem! Make that a turkey) with its head cut off! I am trying to find places to sit them all, clean house, and prepare mounds of food. So, I really can't talk right now. I have WORK to do!!!

I hope you will have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. I know that I do! I have a wonderful husband and 7 healthy kids, food, shelter, and the greatest gift of all--forgiveness of my sins and eternal life because of what Christ did on the cross. Who could want anything more??

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Don't eat too much! ;-D

I must be a boring person!

I have decided that I must be a boring person, because lately, I have felt totally uninspired to blog. I don't seem to have anything to say! There is nothing terribly interesting going on in my life. It is just the usual hectic whirlwind of activity that comes from doing all that I do, and I hesitate to bore anyone with that! I apologize to my 2 readers who eagerly check my site daily for an update, only to have their hopes dashed! ;-D

However, for those of you who have stuck by me, regardless of my lack of posting, here is a photo for you:



Yes, that is what you think it is! It is a cut-open bottle of lotion! It was the kind with a pump. I am so dementedly un-wasteful that once the pump could no longer extract any product from the bottle, I took it out and proceeded to use it for days by turning it upside down and whacking the bottle. When that no longer worked, I would stick my finger in that itsy bitsy opening and try to get any small drop of moisturizer I could. When that became fruitless, I got frustrated because I could see there was still plenty of product in the bottle clinging to the sides. So, I cut it open to get all the rich creamy stuff that was all along the walls of the container, making it stretch for even more days!! What does this say about me? That I am extremely frugal and refuse to waste a single drop by throwing it away? That I am so cheap that I will go to extreme measures to avoid having to buy more? That I am broke, and have no choice? That I am totally off my rocker?

And my dear reader, you can take this post as proof positive on my theory that I must be boring. I mean, really! A post about cutting open a lotion bottle?? I rest my case and leave it to the jury to decide and the judge to pass sentence.

(Oh, I see that I have put both the judge and jury to sleep!)

Who says living in the South equals being warm????

I may live in the South, but my house is NOT warm!! How cool is it in my house? Well, my hubby left his glass with ice in it sitting by the sink before he left for work this morning. Three hours later and that ice had hardly melted at all!!! Brrrrrr!

I am feeling the LOVE!!!

Over at Crochetville, I have participated in a few swaps this Fall. Basically, a swap is where you send goodies and handmade stuff to your partner and you get goodies and handmade stuff from your partner. Goodies? Handmade stuff?? Packages in the mail??? What could possibly be more fun?!?!?

I was in a tea cosy swap and also a secret pal swap. My tea cosy partner made a great wool cosy for my teapot and then felted it. Let me tell you, that bad boy keeps my teapot hot for over an hour!! She also enclosed a bunch of goodies in my package, but when it arrived, it was mangled and torn and there was nothing in the envelope but the cosy! Thank goodness the cosy made it! Well, a few days ago, even though it was not required, that dear lady sent me a new package and look at what I got:



She sent me...

~a crocheted pot holder
~a crocheted mesh bag (YES! A bag she crocheted for me!! It is awesome!)
~a crocheted book mark
~a beautiful note card
~oodles and oodles of herb tea
~some imported chocolate from Holland (which is totally yummy!!!)
~a votive candle that made the whole box smell like flowers!
~some pretty floral tissues
~a ball of gorgeous yarn (with wool and cashmere in it, no less!)
~some L'occitane samples (which I have never had a chance to try before)
~a mending set (compact needles and thread for any emergency)

There were even more assorted tea bags that made their way to my kitchen before I took the photo. Also, the candle is not in the picture because my daughter swiped it. Oh, and the chocolate?? Let me just say, if anyone wants to make me a happy person, just send me some of this:



Here is another shot of the mesh bag:



Thank you, Joanne!!! I really appreciate your thoughtfulness and going WAY beyond the call of duty!!


AND JUST LOOK AT WHAT MR. POSTMAN BROUGHT ME TODAY!!!



My Autumn Secret Pal, Anna sent me a box bursting with goodies!! It included:

~4 balls of Sugar'n Cream cotton yarn in 4 colors that I do not yet have!
~a bag of Hersheys Special Dark chocolates in the shapes of leaves
~a bag of assorted candies (Smarties, Sweetarts, Tootsie Rolls, Atomic Fire Balls, jawbreakers, bubblegum and lollipops)
~Ferrero Rocher Hazelnut Chocolates
~a BIG bar of Cadbury milk chocolate
~a bag of Sour Bears
~Vanilla Caramel Truffle tea
~a tin of Cafe' Vienna
~some Stash tea bags in the Chai Spice flavor (her personal favorite and I can't wait to try it!)
~some pumpkin pie candles (spicy scents are my favorite!!)
~some Holly Hobbie stickers
~a pocket calendar
~a pad of stationary (or is it spelled "stationery?")
~some post cards
~a set of turkey taper candles (I can't wait to use these on Thanksgiving!)
~a Tom Turkey candle (adorable!!! Thanksgiving is my FAVORITE holiday!!)
~and the BEST for last...a tote bag that she designed and crocheted just for ME!!!

Here are some close-up pictures of the turkey candles:





I told you they were precious!!

And here are some photos of the tote bag she made for me. I can not imagine all the time it must have taken her to not only design the pattern, but then all the hours of work!!! She not only crocheted the bag, but then, she crocheted the lining!!! The pictures just do not do it justice!! The blue lining is more of a grayish denim blue and not as bright as it appears on my computer.





I would also like to point out that during this Autumn Swap, Anna moved across several states, continued to run her online business (http://www.lullabiesandlace.com/) bought a new home and painted it all by herself while keeping up with her toddler, and still found time to spoil me rotten! Thank you, sooooo much, Anna!! I am awed!!

Time for a Change??

I am really feeling the need to change the "look" of my blog. Sort of like the regular urge I get to rearrange furniture. HOWEVER, and this is a big "however," I am just not too familiar with "blogger" and how it works. It has been a while since I set the whole thing up. I used to change the way my old blog looked frequently, but that was a different host site and it was soooo easy! I am afraid that I might totally mess up the entire thing!!

I guess it is time to start investigating and see what I can figure out. Any advice will be appreciated.

The Best Way to Eat an OREO!!

Oreos and how to properly eat one...I know that there is much controversy on the subject. Do you take it apart and eat the cream first? Do you dunk it in milk? Well, my dear friends, I am here to tell you that today I made a fantastic discovery. Perhaps it is nothing new. Perhaps you have known this all along and neglected to tell me the wonderful news, (shame on you if you did!) but I have stumbled upon the truly BEST way to eat an Oreo. No glass of milk for me. No sirree! You dunk it in...a cup of coffee! Oh yum! Oh ecstasy! Oh delight! All these years and to think I never knew!!!

Just too CUTE!!!

Aren't these adorable?? A fellow home-schooling-mom-of-multitudes who goes to my church made these. Makes me want to go out and learn needle felting! So many crafts, so little time!!

Oh, and if you want your own little acorns, I believe she sells them on Ebay.

May I recommend???

Every now and then, I come across web sites or small businesses that I am impressed with. It is not always easy to find places that give quality products and good service. When I find someone who is trying to make a go at it offering unique, often hand-made items in our mass-produced society, I am always happy to tell my friends.

I recently participated in a "Teacosy Swap" with some other ladies on Crochetville. In my search for teapot-themed items, I came across Roses and Teacups. If you like teapots, or floral-themed items, then this is the place for you to go! Nancy sells some really beautiful items there. Be sure to browse the Carol Wilson stationery...the butterflies and teacups are gorgeous!! I recently ordered from her and when my package arrived, it was like having a birthday celebration. Everything was so sweet and lovely. I have had a lot of email correspondence with Nancy and I can tell you that she is a great lady. I highly recommend ordering from her.

In the interest of full disclosure and total honesty, I will tell you that Nancy and I got along so well, that she is going to sell some of my teapot earrings and hair sticks on her site. BUT that is NOT why I am recommending her site! If I wanted to hawk my stuff to you, my fine reader, I would just send you to MY site (which, by the way, is www.bluemoonartistry.com heh! heh!)

I have enjoyed my dealings with Nancy at "Roses and Teacups." I am a satisfied customer. I also happen to know that she is using the proceeds from her business to help pay medical bills for her children, but don't tell her I told you that!

Here are a few items from Roses and Teacups.

Butterfly notecards and Rose Journals:



Hand-crafted table linens and beautiful fabric boxes.




I would also like to recommend another site I enjoy visiting. This site does not actually sell anything, but if you like old-fashioned and vintage, if you want to be encouraged in your homemaking, if you like sites that have a sweet and gentle spirit, then go visit Debra's site: My Vintage Home. Funny, now that I think of it, I "met" Debra through Crochetville!

So, I guess it would be appropriate to end this entry with a plug for Crochetville an online community of folks who enjoy the art of crochet. If you crochet, or want to learn, this is the place to go for information and encouragement.