Recently Completed Knitting Projects

Here are a few projects I've recently FO'd (finished off).

"Liesl" is the first. She is made out of Elsebeth Lavold Classic AL, which is a sumptuous Wool-Alpaca blend. I adapted Liesl into a bolero style sweater, as the pattern is written for a full-length cardigan style. I will wear this over tanks and sun dresses on chillier days, which we've been having a lot of lately!!

The next is "Unshaped Shrug" which is an awesome beginner pattern. A lace pattern constructed with YO's (yarn overs) has very little shaping, thus making it a great beginner project. Unshaped Shrug was made with Rowan Cashsoft Chunky a blend of Extra Fine Merino Wool, Cashmere and Microfiber. Very soft and comfortable.

Both of these projects require very small amounts of yarn which is great because you can splurge on a really nice yarn. I purchased the yarn for Liesl on clearance at Creative Fibers in Windsor, CT and got Cashsoft Chunky during Webs anniversary sale. Both were awesome deals!!

A Family Member

Dave and I recently adopted a new family member. Yup, it looks like Winnie has a baby sister!! Introducing....Pumpkin:) Pumpkin came from a local breeder in Andover, CT, which is where Winnie hails from. Pumpkin is actually Winnie's half-sister as they have the same papa!!

Winnie and the new pup are getting along famously. They play for hours at a time and then crash as shown in the pictures. Here is Winnie crashed out on the couch.....

And her pal, Pumpkin zonked out on the other side....

I think Winnie really loves her new little sister!!

She is certainly a welcomed addition to our little family!!

The Dog Days of Winter....I Mean Summer

This morning, in CT,  we woke up to about four inches of snow. It's the beautiful fluffy kind. Perfect for playing in as evidenced by Winnie during her morning run.  Notice the red coat, that's so we don't lose her in the snow!

I hope your enjoy your snowy Sunday as much as we are!

Thrilled

I am soooooo excited!! I just finished my first knitted sock ever!! This is the first time attempting it and I am really happy with the results. 

I knitted it with worsted weight self-striping wool. I didn't really feel comfortable knitting with fingering weight the first time. The worsted was much easier to work with. 

I was surprised how easy it was. I had heard horror stories of the infamous turning of the heel and the evil kitchener stitch. The pattern and stitches just made sense. Very fluid.

 Anyway, here she is!! I am so excited!!

I am off to go to cast on for the second sock!!

I'm Blushing

Jeananne, a wonderful woman, blogger and fellow Etsian, that I recently met in a Etsy chat room wrote the sweetest most complimentary profile about little ole' me in her blog recently. Jeananne selects Etsy artists then features them in her blog. I was lucky enough to be one of the chosen!!

You can find Jeananne's most recent Etsy picks on her blog, Art Whims or you can visit her Etsy shop Art Whims by JS .

Thanks again, Jeannanne and I hope you love your Java Jacket!!

Here is the glowing profile:

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Java Jackets! You Won't Burn Your Hands Holding Coffee Any More!

Birchtreestudio is a wonderful Etsy shop that creates a variety of knit and crochet items from purses to booties for the baby, and my favorite item the Java Jacket! The shop's creator is a wonderful person full of crafting passion and a great spirit! Each time I have chatted with her, I walk away from chat feeling revitalized! I hope that you will stop by her amazing shop to see what she has to offer!

Don't forget to visit her blog too!http://studiobirchtree.blogspot.com/

Is Anyone Still Out There???

Hi Guys!

I apologize for taking such an extended hiatus :\ I really appreciate all of your kind comments, especially those inquiring as to whether I was still under the weather. The answer to that question would be, "Thankfully, NO".

After my initial flu, I did get what I thought was an ear infection. This was right around Thanksgiving to be exact. But it ended up not being one, just a nasty post-nasal drip, but it still hurt like the dickens!

The main reason I haven't been blogging, on a regular basis, is mainly due to my xmas list and the need to produce products for ETSY. I made the decision to either make most of my xmas gifts myself or try to buy handmade goods from ETSY, with the exception of a few of course that just are impossible to make:) But, needless to say, hand making presents was quite an undertaking!! Every free waking hour has involved either crocheting or baking of some sort. I now have a great appreciation for Santa's elves!

I am just about finished. I still have a few more small things I need to make. I just finished the baked goods for my neighbors, which I will deliver this week. 

I had planned on making donations, in the names of each of our nieces and nephews to a charitable cause we feel strongly about, but Honey didn't think it was such a great idea (mainly due family members "not understanding the gesture"). So alas, I won't be doing that. So, I do still need to figure out something for the children.

I do plan, in the new year, to again make blogging a part of my everyday life:) I do hope you guys will continue to visit in the new year!!

Well wishes to everyone for a safe and happy holiday season!!! May peace be with you all!

Tired of Being Sick

Hi Guys....still sick....feeling slightly better....still have a nagging cough though. 

Because I was feeling somewhat better and was going stir crazy from being sick and confined to the house, I decided to take a knitting class yesterday. It was really fun!!  I caught on fairly quickly,  I think mainly because I crochet. The class was small....only four people. Which was great because in classroom settings, I tend to ask a thousand questions.

The teacher was a  80 year old Lithuanian woman who hasd actually learned to knit 68 years ago in the refugee camps in Germany. She said that she and her sister would take discarded army sweaters and would dye them in bleach which would turn them a pinkish hue and then unravel them to re-use the yarn for knitting. She had amazing work that she had brought for us to see. A fascinating woman with great stories.

So that's what's new here anyway...not much else. Dave will be off from work for the holiday which I am super thrilled about. We plan on going out shopping on Black Friday....just window shopping really, but still fun. Then hopefully putting up our xmas decorations.

Also, these Wrist Wraps just sold and will going to their new home in Michigan on Monday! Because I was home all week, the one positive thing was I was able to get a lot of pieces done. I will be adding them to the shop hopefully today. Xmas shopping on ETSY has picked up so I am trying my best to get the new items listed regularly. 

Happy Sunday!

I've Been Bad

Hey Guys. Sorry I've been a bad blogger. I have a horrible head cold and I just can't seem to kick it. So needless to say, there really hasn't been much to write about because with this cold I've basically been a shut in.

Anyway, on a positive note, these two items have sold! Yippee! 

Hopefully, I will feel better so that I have more to write about!

New Additions

Hi Guys! Here are some new additions to the ETSY shop!! I will now be offering some select children's items. First up....Luxe Alpaca Baby Booties!  My favorite are the Cranberry and Cream...I call them Santa Babies!!  

Lost and Found

Each night before bed, I call out to all the pets to make sure they are all accounted for. Because our cats are indoor cats only, and have no claws, I'm always nervous that one of them will get outside.

So last night, I yelled out the find the pets. Winnie...check, Howie....check, Oreo....Oreo....Whistle, whsitle....Shaking the food container...nothing. Uh oh. So now I begin the flustered hunt to find the missing cat. Looking everywhere, basement, attic, garage, closet, everywhere else he usually hides and then out of the corner of my eye, who do I see??? Oreo!

It seems as though he has found a new hiding spot. After I calmed down, I couldn't help but thinking he looked so darn cute!!

That's my Oreo:)

Teeheehee

Teeheehee

Here are some celebrity look-alikes from www.totallylookslike.com

This website is hilarious!!

Can you tell I was bored this evening???

100th Post Celebration

Hey Guys!

For those of you who are interested, I have a new blog that features my crafts. It's called Birch Tree Studio and you can visit it here.

I will be posting about projects that are in the works or that I've recently completed as well as any sales or promos that I'm currently offering in my ETSY shop. 

Right now, in celebration of my 100th post, I am offering 10% off any item plus free shipping to all my blogging buddies!! Please check it and tell a friend too!

Shhhh...Don't Tell Anyone

So today I went to Bed, Bath and Beyond and guess what I got??? I will give you one guess.

Here I am before my trip to Bed, Bath and Beyond.....

And here I am afterwards!!

Notice anything different??? I bit the bullet and got reading glasses. I do have to say, they make crocheting and working on the computer worlds easier. But just remember.....this is our little secret, ok???

LOL

On My Walk Today

Look what Winnie and I saw while on our walk today!! 

I think I would categorize this as a "custom paint job". What do you think??

Baby Pictures

I was looking through some archived photos the other day and came across these. This is Winnie when she was a puppy. Now, I know....Winnie is still pretty small but look how tiny she is in these pictures.

I've actually never given her a bath on my own since this picture. It was a disaster! 

Oh, how quickly they grow!

I Think I Need Reading Glasses

I just got done updating my ETSY storefront. I've been working on it for the last two days!! Taking photos, resizing them, adding them, coming up with text and on and on. 

Anyway, most of the work revolves around the computer and my eyes don't seem to appreciate that too much. Is it possible for a 32 year old to need reading glasses?? It sure feels like I do. 

Anyway the shop is updated. So go over and visit! I've added a lot of new tidbits and have developed branded packaging for my Wrist Wraps:0 You can click on the picture to enlarge it.

So Darn Cute

This post is from Cute Overload. Anyone who is a animal lover will appreciate this!! 

This is a true story, about how love and kindness can carry us safely through adversity.  If this story has inspired you, please forward this message to ten of your friends and share your blessing.

"A Whirlwind Romance"

It's the story of Rusty, a poor pooch whose home was flattened by a tornado.  Homeless and lost, Rusty was picked up by a kindly stranger with a car ...

... where he met this little lady, another sad-eyed refugee with nowhere to go — and no one to love.

But Fate had other plans.  A tornado may have turned their lives upside-down, but the power of Love set things right again, and the pair became best friends.  And so they drove through the ravaged countryside ...

... and were soon joined by another dog, and ... a cat.  Okay, now I'm not sure what to do here.  I mean, I was trying to work this whole romantic angle, but now ... um ... well, we can say that the other dog stopped by to borrow a cup of sugar, and ...

Oh, come on!!  Now I've got a cat and five dogs!  Sure, it's nice that this guy is picking up all these homeless animals and all, but he's totally screwing up my narrative!  All right, you know what? Don't send this to ten people, see if I care!  Man, this blows.

Are we inspired yet??

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

An Autumn Stroll

I just thought I'd share some photos I snapped while Honey, Winnie and I were out on our walk the other day. 

Here they are!

Here is Winnie in her Fisherman's Sweater. 

As you can tell, she really hates wearing sweaters.

Close up of a beautiful red fallen leaf.

Here is a picture of Honey and this HUMONGOUS leaf we found. It was bigger than his head!

I wonder what type of a tree it was from??

The cool air seems to make Winnie frisky!

Look at her go!

Fiery leaf of a Burning Bush.

Here is a picture of my favorite cottage in our neighborhood!

And lastly, here is the evening sky, later on that day. Spoooky!!

Hope you enjoyed our walk!

I've Been Boo'ed

Sally over at Smiling Sally's has Boo'ed me!! 

Here are the rules:

Go to as many friends as you want and tell them they've been "Boo-ED". Have them link back to your blog to pick up their Halloween Treat (picture) and tell them to Boo their friends. (Then put the pic in your side bar so everyone knows that you've already been Boo-ed and to send the pic to someone else.

See ya later:) I'm off to Boo a few people.

Happy Halloween

EVERY VOTE COUNTS!!

PASS THIS ALONG TO FIVE FRIENDS OR POST ON YOUR BLOG

LET"S ALL GET OUT TO THE POLLS ON 11/4!!

(FYI, video does not endorse a specific political party)

Marvelous Mashed Potatoes

Ok, here is my mashed potato recipe!!!

Peel, cube and boil potatoes, about 2 lbs (I usually double the recipe because we use the leftovers to make potato pancakes the next morning). I used Russet but you could use Yukon Gold or which ever you prefer. Boil until fork tender. Strain and place back into the pot. Mash and then add 1 cup of 1% milk, 4 tablespoons of butter, 4 oz of reduced fat cream cheese and a sprinkle of salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Depending on how creamy you like your mashed potatoes, you can either use a potato masher for a chunkier texture or an immersion blender for a super creamy texure. Next, I finely chop up about two tablespoons of each, fresh chives and fresh flat leaf parsley and throw them into the mixture. You can freeze the left over herbs and use them at a later date! Stir up and add more milk to thin if needed. 

That's it! Super easy!

When I made dinner the other night, Honey was occupied in the garage. So to keep the potatoes warm, I put them into a heat safe bowl and placed the bowl over a pot with a very small amount of simmering water. You can keep them warm like this for about a half hour!! 

I've love to hear about some of your favorite Thanksgiving recipes!! Post em up on your blogs and link them back here:) 

Turkey Time

The other night for dinner, I made a roast turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes. Since turkey day, here in the states, is just a few weeks away, I wanted to share how I make my turkey and mashed potatoes.

I'm sure all you ladies know how easy it is to dry out a bird. I have searched and searched for a recipe that would without fail put out a moist bird and I found one last year.

Ok, the bird.... Preheat over to 425 degrees. Rinse, remove innards and pat the bird dry as usual. Tuck his little wings underneath so they don't burn and stuff the bird now if you would like and then tie his legs together with kitchen twine. Salt and pepper the bird, I use a teaspoon of each. Place in a roaster pan that has a rack to keep the bird raised up. 

Now, in the microwave, melt 1/2 cup of butter on high for 30 seconds or so. Then add either 1/4 cup of chicken stock or a white wine (if you use white wine, use only one that you would actually drink!) and stir up the mixture. Now take a large piece of cheesecloth (big enough to cover the bird) and dunk the cheesecloth into the butter and stock/wine mixture. Remove the cheesecloth from the mixture and cover the bird with it. Place the bird the in the oven for only 30 minutes at 425 degrees, then reduce to temperature to 350 degrees. Cooking the bird at a high temp the whole cooking time will surely dry it out.

Now with a baster or brush, baste the turkey every 30 minutes until the the last half hour when you now remove the cheesecloth so that the skin can brown up nicely. If you need more basting liquid, you can make more of the butter and stock/wine mixture. A thermometer inserted into the meatiest part of the thigh should register 180 when cooked. Check your bird's package, based on it's weight, cooking times will vary.

Once you take the bird out, cover it with a tin foil tent because it's imperative that you let it sit for at least 1/2 hour before cutting into it. This will allow the juices to settle. That's it!! It's by far the most moist turkey you've ever had!! My mother was even impressed!!

Stayed tuned tomorrow when I post about my mashed potato recipe!!

At Night In Our Bed

So this is just a funny picture I took with my iPhone while Honey and I were in bed the other night. For us just a typical night. Honey, me........and three lazy pets!! 

I would hope that we aren't the only push over's that let our fur babies sleep with us at night! Does this photo resemble anyone else's nightly sleeping arrangement??

Handmade, Green & Domestic Holiday Gifts

So with everyone being so environmentally and socially conscious these days, I wondered what cool gifts were out there for shoppers wanting to supoort these important causes this holiday season. 

In addition to ETSY of course, which offers items that are handmade and a lot of which are also made from reclaimed or recycled supplies, there was another cool store I found online called Uncommon Goods. 

A very neat store whose mission statement revolves mainly around being environmentally friendly and socially responsible while offering unique products. Here are some of my favorites!

These glass necklaces are handmade in Pennsylvania by artist named Laura Bergman, made from the broken remains of a vintage cake plate (pink) and a cookie jar (green) otherwise known as Depression Glass. The pastel glass still maintains its original Cherry Blossom embossed pattern.

These tin picture frames, handmade and designed by a Georgian artist by the name of Margaret Taylor, are made from vintage tin ceiling tiles. Very Shabby Chic!

These handmade wine and pilsner glasses are made from old car windshields and windows. Great for the wine or stout aficionado in your family!

And my last pick are these cool recycled newspaper market bags, wallets and cosmetic pouches that are handmade in Los Angeles, USA!! They are covered in a water-resistant laminate covering and can be wiped with a damp cloth when cleaning is needed! And just think, if you get bored, you can read your handbag:)

Hope you liked some of my picks. Definitely check out their website as there are tons of other neat gift ideas! Hopefully this post will inspire some of you guys to think about giving green, handmade or domestic goods this holiday season!! 

Bed Lust

About a year ago, Honey and I decided to replace our queen mattress set with a king size Select Comfort set. A great investment. Because Honey has back problems and we we sleep with all three pets, this purchase long over due! One thing I failed remember, until the mattress was actually was being delivered, is that our current queen headboard wouldn't fit it. Oooops, minor oversight on my part. Anyway, it's been a year and I've yet to purchase a new head and footboard. I've been looking around and hadn't really found anything I liked....until NOW!!

As you all know, I love most things Martha Stewart. I happened to stumble upon her Bernhardt furniture line, which has drastically grown since it was first released and found the bed of my dreams! It's called the Irvington Nickel-Plated Bed and here she is!

I love that it has traditional lines but then has a more modern finish. This bed was inspired by an antique bed that she had at her Turkey Hill estate in Westport, CT. 

I called a local furniture showroom that carries her line to get a price. Let's just say that it will be at least another year before we see that sucker in this house. Windows and a new furnace outweigh a pretty bed, hands down! Oh well, a girl can dream right?

Like A Deer In Headlights

This afternoon, while blogging or course, I looked out the window and look who was staring right back at me. Sorry the pictures are a little fuzzy. They were taken from inside the house and our storm windows are already in.

I love my home!! It seems like they do too:)

Amy Steps In For Gov. Palin

So you guys know that I rarely write about politics in my blog. But I just had to share this. It's hilarious!! Enjoy!

100th Post Blog GIVEAWAY!!

Mojito Maven over at Make Mine A Mojito is celebrating her 100th post!! Isn't that great? 

She is also hosting a GIVEAWAY and five lucky bloggers will win one of these cool Wishing Thread necklaces by Stella & Dot! Go over and check out her  site to see how you can be entered into the giveaway!!! 

Good Luck!!!

Martha Stewart Inspired Homes

I have to tell you....I have always had an obsession with Martha Stewart and everything she does. I pretty much love any product she puts out and her homes are no exception!! Martha Stewart has teamed up with KB Homes to design reasonably priced high-quality homes inspired be her own residences in New York, Connecticut and Maine. 

They are truly spectacular and are seemingly more stylish and less cookie cutter than most mass produced homes. If you are lucky enough to be in a state that they build in, stop by and visit an open house so you can tell me all about it!! Right now, they currently build in Georgia, Colorado, California, Texas, Florida and North Carolina but have been expanding to other states from their initial launch. If you're like me, and live nowhere near one of these states, click on the KB Homes link for a virtual open house.

Here are some of my favorite photos from the KB Homes gallery.

Swoon!! Do you guys see why I love her???

What Was She Thinking??

One of my favorite design shows, that I like to watch every week is Top Design. I love to get ideas from the show and slightly tweak them to fit into a more traditional home setting. 

Some of the design ideas are a bit over the top....and apparently so are some of the fashion choices. Most of the judges always look chic and put together but what was Kelly Wearstler thinking this week?? She was obviously trying to make a statement, but what it was, I'm not sure.

What do you all think of her ensemble???? Chic or Shriek ??

Cutting Wood

Honey and I went up to Lady Blogger's parents house to help cut wood for the winter. Because her parents live on 50+ acres, there are always fallen or sick trees to use. Rarely are healthy trees ever used. Lady blogger and her husband use little to no fuel to heat their house in the winter, which is great considering this economy!! Good for the wallet and muscles!

So here's how it worked...The men cut down the trees, Lady Blogger's parents used the hydraulic splitter and Lady Blogger and I stacked the truck. It was hard work but also lots of fun!! Here are some shots of us in action. 

Here is the elusive Lady Blogger marking which trees to cut

Here is Honey driving the Bobcat which is used to move large logs

At one point, the truck got caught in the mud

Here is Lady Blogger's brother using the winch on his Jeep to pull out the truck

Here is Lady Blogger's hubby resting on the stump of the tree they just took down

And here is the tree!! Now do see why a rest was necessary?

Here is a video clip of Lady Blogger's brother dropping a sapling on me! Oooops

We always have so much fun going to visit with Lady Blogger's family. It's so nice to get out to the country and just enjoy nature. The woods are so peaceful. Here are some of the things we saw.

Lady Blogger and I rescued this salamander that we found in the wood we were stacking

Isn't he cute?

Here is a cool stone wall that was out in the middle of the woods

God only knows how old it is

A moss covered rock

Pie wedge from the tree they took down

Hoped you liked my day in the country as much as I did:)

Dinner With The Archbishop

Every year, Honey and I attend an appreciation reception in recognition of parishoner's contributions to the Archbishop's Annual Appeal. It's great opportunity to learn about the wonderful services and community outreach that are made possible through contributions. 

It's always a great time! There's dinner, cocktails and dancing and the event is usually heavily attended. This year there over 1200 parishoner's present!! It's really a fun evening that my Honey and I look forward to each year. 

As if the evening wouldn't have been splendid enough, we received a call from the Archbishop's office a few days before the event. The woman on the phone said Archbishop Mansell has invited us to sit with him and eight others at the head table!!! We were floored. What an honor!! We've met the Archbishop at a few other events in the past, but to be invited to sit with him at dinner was amazing!!! We obviously accepted.

The event, held at the Aqua Turf in Plantsville, CT, was amazing as was the food! We had a really wonderful evening.

Here are a few pictures.

Fall Is In The Air

Summer is gone.....Fall is here and soon it will be Winter.

This week we began the process of getting prepared for Winter. First up....gutter clean up. Here is Honey up there with the leaf blower. 

We've found that this task is one that should be done several times in the Fall especially if you have tons of trees like we do!!

While out in the yard we had some visitors pay us a visit again. This time they were making themselves right at home eating from our bird feeders.  

And sadly, the grill has been closed. No more cheeseburgers and grilled veggies:(

Garage was cleaned out finally so now we can put Frankenstein (our pet name for our SUV, don't ask) in there for the winter. 

We've insulated the hot water pipes and the hot water heater and still have to insulate the basement bulkhead door as well as the attic door. Also, it's almost time to turn on the furnace so boiler maintenance is scheduled for Monday. 

I've been told be a few people that follow the Farmer's Almanac, that Winter in New England is supposed to be a bad one this year. Let's hope that fuel costs don't go up much more!!

10/16/04

Four wonderful years ago yesterday, my Honey and I wed!! We had a wonderful anniversary. Honey surprised me with these:) 

Isn't he good:) I prepared an anniversary breakfast for us to leisurely enjoy. 

Later that evening we went to dinner at Max-A-Mia in Avon. I had filet mignon and Honey had Lasagna Bolognese. For dessert, I ordered cheesecake and Honey the Apple Torte (we always get different things so we can share). The dinner was delish and the company couldn't have been better;) 

It's amazing how times flies. It's crazy to think that we've been married for four years already. It seems like just yesterday when he knelt down in front of that lake in Montana and asked for my hand in marriage. The last four years of my life have been wonderful and I look forward to the years to come. I thank God everyday that I've been blessed with such a wonderful man:)

A Present For Lady Blogger

Lady Blogger, over at Saturday Is Just One Day Of The Week, just celebrated a birthday (I won't divulge which), and I made her a pair of Wrist Wraps as part of her b-day present. 

I always look forward to shopping for Lady Blogger's presents. She's so fun to shop for. Along with the Wrist Wraps I made for her, I also got her Chicks With Sticks, the crochet book I posted about a few posts ago, some autumnal hued yarn and a political quote book because she and I share the same views on politics. 

Happy Belated Birthday Lady Blogger!!! You're one special gal:)

Had To Share

So there is a family in our town that puts up peculiar Halloween decorations every year. Their house is on a major road and I think that they do it mostly for shock value. Here's what they did this year!

Everybody rubbernecks when they drive by. Which makes me wonder if they've ever had a fender bender in front of their house? I think I'd be scared I might come home to a car in my yard!

Wild Turkey...And I Don't Mean Bourbon!

I was on the phone with one of my girlfriends yesterday afternoon and out of the corner of my eye I saw something quite large moving around in the yard. Well look what it was...... It seems Thanksgiving has arrived a little early this year;)

There were about seven of them and they were HUGE!! They only stayed for a little while and then ran off into our back woods. Just wanted to share:)

Wrist Wraps

I posted awhile back about some wrist warmers that I crocheted,(click to read previous post). Well, alot of our friends and family members since then have asked me to crochet pairs for them and then I thought....,"Why not add them to my ETSY shop"?

So I've decided I will be, under the name "Wrist Wraps" and here are the colors I will be adding for now. More are in the works. 

• olive green wool blend pair 
  
• purple, navy and metallic mohair pair 
  
• taupe, navy and maroon wool blend pair 
  
• baby blue alpaca pair 
  
• periwinkle, avocado and navy alpaca pair 
  
• wine sueded pair 
  

They are crocheted in a ribbed pattern which make them quite stretchy so they fit most hand sizes. 

All of my Wrist Wraps are crocheted by hand in my smoke-free studio and I will putting them on ETSY for $20.00/pair. If anyone would like to purchase a pair before they go on ETSY, just leave me a comment with your email address and which pair you'd like and I will waive the shipping costs! I can take checks, money orders or credit cards via Paypal (FYI, you don't need to have a Paypal account to use this payment method, just let me know and I will email you an invoice first). 

Look, even manly men wear Wrist Wraps:) Here is Honey out in the garage today sporting his Heather Grey Boucle Wrist Wraps. Please excuse the messy garage, that's what we were working on today!  

It's A Beautiful Day

So Honey and I took Winnie (our fur baby) to the park yesterday. We all had so much fun!! It was a gorgeous day, just the perfect temperature and the air was crisp and smelled great!! 

Winnie met some cute little friends and ran and played until she was beyond tired! Here are some pictures of her and her buddies. 

Honey and I were able to watch the whole debate with Winnie sleeping on our lap. After a full day of running and chasing, she was zonked!!

A Neat Idea

I found these photos in the October 2008 issue of Country Living and I just loved the idea!! A picnic table inside. How fun!! 

Sorry, my scanner was being difficult so I had to take a photo of the photo. Hope they are clear enough!! 

My kitchen is too small for a full sized picnic table but I'd love a smaller version. I just love the chippy blue paint. Looks so cottagey and fun! I just had to share:0

What are your thoughts? The Picnic Table....Bring it on in or Keep in at the camp ground? I'd love your opinions!!

A Not So Fun Kick Off To A Vacation

Honey is on vacation for the next couple of weeks and because we are staying local, I decided to be proactive and schedule some of our annual doctors appointments. First up, eye exams. 

Now remember, totally routine, right? Not so much. I went first, nothing out of the ordinary. Next up, Honey. Honey is sitting in the chair and after the doctor does his exam, he tells us that Honey appears to have a tear in his retina and he would like him to be seen by a retina specialist as soon as possible. We just kinda sat there like "what"? He said it was a small tear but he still wanted to air on the side of caution due to Honey being high risk (Honey has horrible, horrible vision and therefore is susceptible to retinal detachment).

So off to the specialist we went. The doctor performed a horrific exam. He took this thimble-like tool that had a hook on the tip and proceeded to pull up Honey's eyelids and flash these terribly bright lights into his eye. I actually saw the tool before the doctor came into the exam room and hoped that it wasn't for Honey! I was cringing and tearing up just watching! 

After he was finished he told us that Honey's retina had in fact started to detach and they needed to preform laser surgery on it today!! We couldn't believe it! 

So first they had the optical photographer take photos of Honey's retina. Then Honey was given a local anesthetic and then surgery began. I prayed during the whole thing because it sounded like it hurt so freaking bad!! Honey said it wasn't that painful just burny and extremely uncomfortable. 

The doctor said that Honey's eye should be back to normal within a few hours, which it was. Unbelievable, huh? What should've been a routine visit turned into a nightmare! We unfortunately are no strangers to that though.....by "that" I mean routine visits turning into nightmares.  

About a year ago, Honey and I went to see his doctor because his finger had started twitching. He had recently hurt his back and we thought that he may have pinched a nerve and it was making his finger spasm. Nope, after seeing numerous specialists, we found out the Honey, who was 33 at the time, had Early Onset Parkinson's Disorder.

I feel bad for Honey! He is such a good patient and nothing is ever simple for him when it comes to doctor appointments. Even though it stinks that Honey has some ailments, we know that is could be worse and we thank God everyday for it not being life threatening condition!!

So thanks for listening everyone. I just really needed to vent tonight!

The Great Pumpkin

Kelli, over at the other There Is No Place Like Home is hosting Show and Tell Friday!! Yippee! Please make sure to visit her site as well as the others....they have some really neat things that they are showing off today:)

So here's my contribution. I'm afraid to say that I'm not super into fall decorating. I know, I know...what's wrong with me, right? I don't know. I just never got into it. I usually just decorate outside, you know, with mums and pumpkins and inside, I just do a few key pieces. Here's is this years key piece I found at Marshall's the other day. 

I really fell in love with it. The finish is that of really old glass or even mercury glass-like. It's very subtle and matched my candle holders perfectly!! Plus, it was only $12.99!

So what do you think? Anybody out there just doing "low key" fall decorations?

Phavorite Photo Phriday

Candid Carrie is hosting Phavorite Phrifay Photo and I wanted to get in on the fun!! Make sure to visit Candid Carrie and all the other bloggers and maybe even join in on the fun!!

I just love this picture of Honey, my Pop and I. My two favorite guys!!

My parents summer at Block Island, Rhode Island each year and Honey and I were lucky enough to go up and see them one year. We are standing in a defunct beach shack that visitors had basically constructed from debris left on the beach. It was very cool. Over the years, because the erosion is so aggressive there, it's taken beating. But it's still standing. 

Here is larger shot of the shack.

Happy Phavorite Photo Phriday!!

A Day At The Spa

So the Aussie Pet Mobile came to our house today to give Winnie a much needed day of beauty. I thought I would post a picture of her. She won't look like this for very long! The Aussie Pet Mobile is great. They just pull up in your driveway and wash, cut and dry the dog right there. It's fantastic. Gee, I wish they had that for people. Hmmm, maybe I'm on to something:) Anyway, here she is!

Doesn't she have that "Where did all my fur go" look in her eyes:) 

Good night guys! See ya tomorrow:)

The As Promised Banana Bread Post

Hi Guys! Here is the banana bread I made last night. I made it at the same time as the cookies but I didn't get finished baking until rather late. So the post was held up because I was waiting to take the photo. Here it is though! 

As usual, the recipe is from one of my favorite websites, All Recipes. Here is the link for the recipe which is named Banana Banana Bread. I altered the recipe slightly by adding 1/2 cup of walnuts. Remember to flour them before dumping them into the batter or they will sink to the bottom of the pan during baking. I actually froze some bananas a few weeks ago that had gotten a bit too ripe for my liking. I pulled them out of the freezer to unthaw them a few hours before I made the bread. I only had two cups worth. The recipe called for a bit more but it came out fine with less.  

Hope you enjoy;) Fall is definitely in the air here!

Oatmeal Cookies

So tonight after dinner I decided to try Barefoot In The Park's recipe for Oatmeal Cookies. I had all the ingredients in the house so I figured what the heck! Well, I'm glad I did! These cookies were so easy to make and I took her advice and used 1/2 raisins and 1/2 chocolate chips. They came out fabulous! Because the recipe yields 4 dozen and Honey and I will never eat that many cookies, I think I will keep one dozen, give one to my Pop and the other two dozen to our next door and across the street neighbors.  

Here's a peek at what they looked like. Yummmy!

Stay tuned in for tomorrow's post on Banana Bread!

Snazzying Up Some Light Fixtures

Honey and I have a running "Home To Do" checklist. This week we tackled some lighting issues.

In the front of our house we had the oldest ugliest garage motion light that I've ever seen! While I was out at Ocean State Job Lot the other day I saw this.

And it was $25.00!! That's unheard of! $25.00 for a decorative motion light!! So I bought it. I really wasn't that fond of the color but I knew I had a solution for that! We wanted to go with the oiled rubbed bronze look. I thought that it would complement our tan colored house quite well. So off to work I went, paint, paint, painting away. I wasn't even that concerned with getting any on the glass as I just scraped it away with a razor blade later once the paint had dried. 

Here's the finished product!

After that was done, it was only more apparent that the fixture on the lamp post didn't match. So I asked Honey to unwire it so that I could give it a couple coats as well. Once it dried, he re-wired it and Voila!!

A cheap solution, but it will do for now:)

9/23/08

What is the significance of this date you ask.....Here are a few hints....

Yup, you guessed it!! Sex and The City, The Movie is being released tomorrow!! 

I will definitely being buying a copy! Anyone else out there a Sex and The City fan?

My Fingers Are Flying!

Today is Blue Monday over at Smiling Sally's! Here is my contribution:) Make sure to go over to her blog today and check out what everyone is showing off!! There is lot's of cool stuff!

So in case you don't know me personally, once I get into a groove, I don't stop!! I have been crocheting like crazy. Whenever I have free time, that's what I've been doing. Here is my latest project. Also from Chicks With Sticks. It's called the Laguna Felted Crochet Hook Case. 

I'm very proud to say that this project also used yarn from my stash! Working on de-stashing:) It's Lion's Brand Wool and I'm not sure of the color names. In my crocheting frenzy, I threw the sleeves away.

As it states in the title of the project, it's felted after it's crocheted. Felting really does change a piece. It's really amazing. All the colors just seem to blend together and it gives the project strength. Once wool is felted it can actually be cut without it unravelling. It's actually pretty cool. Here's the how the felting process works:

• Once the project is complete, throw it into the washer with a couple pairs of jeans. The jeans are for extra agitation. You never want to put your piece in the washer with something that can shed as it will pill the wool. That's why jeans are good for this step.
  
• Place very little detergent into the washer and sprinkle with about two tablespoons of baking soda.  
  
• Run the cycle through on the hottest setting.
  
• Once complete, pull the piece out, if it's not felted enough, repeat the washing step adding the same amount of detergent and baking soda. I usually run the piece through twice.
  
• Once the piece is out, lay it out on a towel and pull it back into the desired shape. You can be rough, it won't damage the piece. Think of this step as shaping clay. Once you have your desired shape, if necessary, pin it in place. Then let the piece air dry.
  

That's all folks. Pretty easy and like I said, it really changes the look of a regular crochet project!