dear owl

oh this week!! my darling husband celebrated his fiftieth birthday! and my grandson his thirteenth! they share the same day! we celebrated with cupcakes and a christmas party, and dinner at the wharf, and then a bean and cheese burrito dinner party for the birthday boys the following night. happiest birthdays to you travis and chuck, fifty! he's catching up to me!
i've been knitting knitting knitting, but like most of us can't share just yet, the holidays and all! and i've been reading too, a book called, 'a house in the sky' by amanda lindhout. i forgot a photo for yarn along (tsk tsk). i could not put it down. finished in three days, for me a record. this book is a true story, completely and utterly unforgettable. (not for everyone, it's an inspiring though difficult read).
and meet little owl! a christmas gift i received today! my totem, this dear little owl (story here). designed and hand felted by my dear friend karen. even if he tried i don't think he could be any sweeter! karen, your talent, the skills you possess amaze and inspire. and oh how i love him. karen and her husband pat made the yarn bowl for last weeks give away also. the lucky number generator chose:

* * *  melissa  * * *

i wish i had a magic wand, i'd send one to each of you. thank you for your lovely comments! i know your kind words made my friends so happy! i hope you are having a wonderful week and enjoying all the holiday preparations (even trips to the post office).   :) 

p.s. oh! and one more birthday, hannah rose, my youngest girl, will be celebrating her twenty third birthday in kentucky this week! happy birthday honey!

joining with ginny

busy making

time for the christmas tablecloth! it's just like santa's workshop here! busy busy busy. chuck has been gone on a backpacking trip and i was able to stay home a few days from work. it's been heaven, really and truly. getting things done! most of the time i didn't get out of my jammy's, or even cook (leftover pumpkin pie for breakfast and take out baked potato soup from the deli, yummy comfort food in cold weather, temps have been down to the 30's at night).

i made: a sweater for baby layla, and one sock, eight project bags (with toadstool fabric) swatched some new marled merino and started a ribbed hat in black cashmere (at least that kind of makes up for knitting in black, ugh.). i watched: hallmark movies, out of africa, midnight in paris* and the hatfields and mccoys (did you know they made up? shook hands and all). * made me want to read *this again.

~ the tiny sweater was made from this book using madeline tosh merino light in the winter wheat colorway. i used soft suede for the ties. baby layla lives in kentucky, where i see there is snow, i hope it will keep her warm and cozy. i like kimono wraps for babies, there is a double layer of fabric around the tummy, important!
ravelry notes here.

~ the project/gift bags were made with a double drawstring and fabric by moda, called a walk in the woods. there are foxes too!

~ the sock is going to (hopefully!) have a partner... pattern found here

~ pretty marled wool was my first purchase from here. there are one thousand five hundred fifty yards of fingering weight. the swatch is made with a size six needles, wondering what this will want to be? it's awfully pretty :)

~ the embroidery happened over thanksgiving with my girls (daughter and granddaughter), they practiced their stitches and i made more project bags, these were sent off to a kal and as a thank you. hopefully i will have more in the etsy shop soon! oh and the blocking pins i had a chance to try on the baby sweater are fantastic! the company  i ordered from has run out, but i found more here. (they look the same to me).

~ and last thing! did you see the yarn bowl? the one in the photo right above the one of chuck and owen on the beach? i am so happy to be able to share with you another creation made by my good friends karen and pat, the tsutsumida's. they made the yarn bowls i've shown here on the blog before. the humble potters (hee hee, yes you are) have opened the doors to their new shop, 'crow's nest studios'. to celebrate, they are offering this bowl, a giveaway!  measuring approximately 4 1/2" across and 3" high, it will easily accommodate most any ball or yarn cake. we are warmly welcoming you to put your name in the hat for the sweet yarn bowl. karen and pat will ship anywhere. they would also like you to know they will be adding more handmades to 'crows nest studio' so check back (EVERYTHING they make is amazing). to enter leave a message in the comments with your email so i'll have a way to contact you. this giveaway ends on sunday december 15.
thank you for stopping by and something i've been meaning to say, thank you and welcome new followers, friends. how lovely. xxxxxxxxxxxx lori

p.s.  forgot to say i hiked too, needing a break from all that making! and right before chuck left we took a few (two) walks on the beach, the tides have been incredibly low. owen thinks being out there is the most fun thing on earth. :)

joining with ginny and nicole