A Tribute

My beautiful knitting pal Audrey, passed away this morning. In an earlier blog I described the knitting group I belong to, and Audrey was a long time member. Here, as usual, she is crocheting for one of her many grand children.

With 11 children, 28 grand children, and too many to count great grand kids, she had to knit and crochet real fast. She learned to do it fast when her children were little. If she didn't do it fast it would never get done in between taking care of all those children.

She also very often would be knitting and crocheting "chemo caps", hats for preemie's, and mittens and hats by the dozen for the church to give to the less fortunate at Christmas.

Audrey was a beautiful person, inside and out. I am proud to say she was my friend. We will surely miss her.

Je T'Aime........ I Really do like it!

Here is the Je T'Aime that was not yet framed in an earlier post.

I think it came out just loverly, and I'm so glad I had the special linen from my sister for this.

Next, I am framing the red bird, as the embroidery on that is finished.

My latest Creation

Here you see the result of a 3:00 am brain fart. I woke up, and my creative mind was going a mile a minute. I couldn't wait to do this one, as Valentine's Day is close at hand. It has now been posted for sale at my peppers2 store.

There are 2 more ideas that I have now on a little scketch pad, and I will soon be doing those also. One has to do with dandelions, and the other cocktails. .. .. .. Got you curious? Stay tuned.

I am also working like mad on a custom order for my knitting, which is boring because it is just plain knit from here to Albany and back (30 miles). Beautiful when it is done, but no creative ability needed.

Busy Beeee .. That's Me!

I have not posted to my blog recently, because I'm so very busy with my store. I really thought January would be a down month to get some things done just for myself.
I have had several custom orders, and the regular orders,... and well, I just keep packaging them and shipping as fast as I can.
Being on "Etsy", it is expected to give personal service to each and every customer. I do this with glee, and eagerly answer all questions, and order special yarn when called for. I love the people who become my customers, and end up considering them part of my "family".
So now, I am off to order more yarn, and knit like crazy filling orders.
Take a peek at my store... kind of down on inventory, but still a lot to see.
Blessings to all...

I Like It ! uh huh, uh huh

Je t'aime... and some little flowers on monet linen. How good does it get!

The linen is some my sister sent me, and I always said "I like it" when I came across it while chosing linen for my embroidery. When I saw t his "J t"aime" embroidery, I knew I had the right thing for this cloth. I intend to put it in a hoop frame, and put it in my Peppers2 store. This was really fun to do. especially chosing the floss. For the flowers, I used two different colors together.

The little bird has just been transered to linen , and will be my next project in embroidery. You can see the floss colors I have chosen, with bright red for the bird. I will use two colors together (again) for the pine cone.

It Is Taking Shape

I have been working on my present that my sister sent, and it is beginning to really look like something. It is lots of fun to do, and even though I save it for my "to do" while I'm doing my medical treatment (every 4 hours), I often extend the time and just keep right on working on it.
My neuropathy in my fingers means that I cannot feel the yarn. This makes life interesting, to say the least. This particular yarn is thin and light like a feather. Sometimes I spend more time figuring out if I have a hold on the yarn, or if I have a hand full of air. Once it is threaded on the needle though, I'm good to go. There is one small area that I am going to take out and do over. I'm just not satisfied with the way it looks.
I have the first crewel embroidery I ever did, and the first needlepoint I ever did, and they both are framed and hang in my bathroom. This will never go in my bathroom!! It is just too beautiful, and will get a prominent spot where people can ooooh and aaaah when they enter the room.
I will post another picture when it is fully finished.

Wordless Wednesday

A Book for Crocheters

Recently, I received a wonderful book from my friend, Dottie, in Florida. This isn't "just a friend", we have been friends since 2nd grade. We went through grade school and high school together, double dated, had sleep-overs, and all the things young ones do. We lost track of each other for several years until someone decided to have a "Grade School Reunion". We picked up where we left off just like we had seen each other yesterday. Dottie is also crafty, like I am, however, she doesn't knit... she crochets. She thought I would like this book, since I also crochet.

"Hooked For Life, Adventures of a Crochet Zealot" is a marvelous book, with somemthing for the crocheter and knitter alike. The author writes of her stash, which her daughter named "Mount Yarn", and UFO's (unfinished objects) and WIP's (works in progress). She writes of different types of yarn, and all the styles of crocheting. She even goes into the history of crocheting. All this with a wonderful sense of humor that keeps you smiling and nodding in agreeement throughout the book.

She writes on crochet in public.. "I am rarely without a hook and a ball of yarn within grabbing distance. It's as if I have a wooly umbilical cord that will only let me get so far away from the possibility of needlework, and I don't want to get too far lest it snap and cut off some vital nuitrients. Crochet, for me, is an ambulatory mood-altering substance that is both completely legal and unlikely to spill and make a mess." Author: Mary Beth Temple

I know there are several crocheters, and also knitters out there with the same feeling.

I loved this book so much, that I went out and purchased one for a dear crocheting friend that needs a smile about now, and my copy will be passed along to other crocheters so that they might also enjoy the smiles and giggles that I had.

If you are into yarn at all for any reason I highly recommend this wonderful book.

Back Again with a completed project (almost)

I must admit I have been sick. Some kind of stomach thing going around. I won't bore you with details.

I did, however, finish embroidering this wonderful Queen Anne's Lace. A few hundred french knots and ta da!! .. done. Actually this was fun to do. Now, all I need is the inspiration to do something with it. I am totally undecided. Should I put it on a pillow cover??, or should I just frame it??. Putting it on a pillow cover is a lot more work than framing it. In fact, I might just put it in a hoop, put a backing on it and wha la... done. I do know that the simpler the better with this one. Anything fancy would take away from the embroidery. I do intend to put a white bow where the little leaf is that holds the stems together. Just a small one.

Any more ideas?

My B-Day Gift

Well, I opened my gift and here it is. An unusual gift, but a very special one indeed. I saw this kit quite some time ago, and called my sister and told her I was absolutely in love with this style of stitching, (it's called "long stitch") and I loved the theme, however the price of the kit was beyond me. I said maybe some day I would splurge. She remembered!! Now, I can't wait to finish up my current project and do this one. It looks like fun, looks pretty easy, and I do like the look of the finished product.

A big thank you out there for my little sister!!!