Susie's Quilt

It sounds kind of crazy but I'm starting a new quilt. It's going to be for Susie. The crazy part is the number of unfinished quilts I have already. Well, it's just two and one of those is pretty far along, but it's really got me determined to keep up with this new one. It's a Thimbleberries club quilt where you do a block every month and at the end of the year you have a finished quilt top. It's going to be pretty - here's a picture. I think it will look good in Maine.
(At least that's where I'm guessing it will live when it's done.)Here's the first block. I got it done on time to take to the quilt group meeting for "show and tell."You also do three little blocks each month that eventually fit in between the big ones. The fabrics look pretty when you see them in person.
OK let's see how well I can stick to the schedule :)

Indoor Scarves

I'm really excited about this cool kind of yarn I found. It's one of those self-striping kinds, pretty thin, and it has aloe in it somehow. It's super-soft and comes in beautiful colors.

I first started making a crocheted hat with it, but I didn't really like how it was coming out. So I ripped it out and knit it into a scarf. I used really big needles - I think size 11. It was quick - quick! Isn't it pretty?

Then I decided I liked it so much that I'd make some more scarves. Here's one I made for Sarah.
And another one I'm working on now - maybe for Katie? Or maybe another one for me? :)


Haha - I love these no-pressure projects after Christmas!

"I love when people use the word baloney in a sentence."

Haha - what a funny quote. I heard someone say it on NPR tonight. I really love NPR by the way!

Birthday Weekend

We had a double celebration this weekend - both Sarah and Raf's birthdays. We had a nice birthday brunch. Looks like a wild party, right?Bruno likes to help open presents.Sarah has a new Red Sox shirt for her collection. Beautiful food.These cupcakes have special football sprinkles since it's Superbowl Sunday too.

So happy - birthday candles in apple crisp. I think I can see smoke.

Oh yes, I finished this little crocheted cactus. Maybe I won't kill this kind. :)

Happy Birthday!

Blue and Yellow

Here are two bags I finished making recently. I must be in a blue and yellow mood.

This quilted one I made for my mother to use in Florida. Can't you just picture using these bright colors down there in the warm weather? I think it will go with her colorful clothes. The instructions were five pages long so it took awhile to finish. I'm thinking of making another one from this pattern for myself - but using some funky black and white prints. I like the zipper top, and all the pockets - two outside and six inside!

This is an Inga bag like the one Sarah made last month. I thought the pattern looked fun so I wanted to try it too. I like the way you turn the granny squares so they're diagonal, but the holes make horizontal and vertical lines.

Another bag must mean I need a new project to put in it, right? :) I have a few ideas.

As a matter of fact I just got a new knitting book. I won a Barnes & Noble gift card in a raffle so I got myself a treat - some very cool ideas in here.

Nice Ice

It was a pretty day today - everything all sparkly.I sometimes knock down a few icicles when I open the front door. I have to be careful not to get stabbed!

The stone wall by the cellar door is looking a little glacial.

Haha - I had to put this one in since it's so icy cool. It's from a couple of weeks ago in Freeport.

A Miscellaneous Collection

I've been wanting to write about some of the things in my house and deepest winter seems to be a good time.

I've been replacing switch plates and I got a bunch of these Anne Kilham ones. She's an artist from Maine, and her things are so pretty and cheery and New Englandy. It's like having mini-pictures around, and most of them remind me of favorite places or favorite flowers.
Some interesting lamps (at least I think so - I hope this isn't too boring)

This one was made by the potters at Strawbery Banke in Portsmouth.

Two from Ikea - they have a really good selection of lamps.

I'm not sure where this jug came from, but it's perfect for a lamp. Maybe it came from around Keuka Lake somewhere.I know this one came from somewhere near the Finger Lakes. The potter isn't there anymore but I remember driving way back into the hills to get there. It was worth it - his stuff was really nice.

Now we're really getting into the miscellaneous section.

I love these batik curtains in Katie's room. We found these cool matching stars in a Ten Thousand Villages store in Cambridge. Definitely a fun store to spend some time in.

OK, my earring collection is a little over the top. I give some away once in awhile but my frame is getting full again.

These are witch balls. I think they're supposed to protect you from evil spirits or something. Bruno bats them around sometimes.
And I just can't resist putting in a project picture. These granny squares are made of cotton and they're going to become a tote bag. I just have to sew it together now. I'll post a picture when it's done. Sarah made one of these and I got inspired to try it too.
My blogging buddy - he sits in front of the screen when I'm trying to type. :)