SSCS Gifts...

Don't you love it?

This was the gift received from my swap partner, Kate.

Thank you so much Kate!!
It is pretty and perfect and just what I needed!

I made my little people bags for our weekly trips to the library and now I get to have a special library bag too!!

The partner I sent my gift to was another Kate

This quilt is called Dazey Daze from Debbie Mumm!

Kate posted about receiving it here.

Sincere thanks to Chookyblue for hosting this swap again this year!

Happy Hobbies!!

Believe

Everyone can be a child at Christmas.

Everyone can celebrate with glee.

Everyone can make a Christmas wish list

And gather 'round to decorate the tree.

Everyone can watch for Santa's helpers,

Darting in and out as good elves should.

Telling Santa Claus if we've been naughty,

Letting Santa know if we've been good!

Everyone can wonder at a snowfall

Blanketing the hills in winter white

And enjoy the spirit of the season

Or the moonglow on a silent night.

Everyone can know the special magic

Of waiting for St. Nick on Christmas Eve.

Everyone can be a child at Christmas;

All we have to do is just believe.

~Jan Miller Girando~

Merry Christmas friends!

Tuesday

Christmas Sewing...

Here is a picture (not the best) of one of the sets of applique towels I'm sending off to one of my favorite families this Christmas!

The towels are from Target and the fabric is from my stash!

More Christmas sewing to come...

Happy Hobbies!

Thursday

Some decorating...

.

I decided to get into some holiday decorating yesterday.

My original plan was to do just a bit of decorating each day.

I was just going to do the mantle, but I emptied that box and had things put up in about 10 minutes. I decided to keep going. So, one box at a time, I emptied and placed item after item.

Finished and tidied up in less than an hour!

That's it!

(I've finally learned, that if you box everything up just so the year before, it really is just that easy!)

I spent the rest of my day just smiling!

Simon & Annestelle were ever so excited when they came home from school!

There were reindeer games!

And, before bed, the question...

"When will we put up and decorate our Christmas trees?"

Now for today... more Christmas making!

Happy Hobbies!

Monday

I will NEVER be too old for

I remember listening to this album all through the 1980's each year during the Christmas season! Now my kids love to listen with me.

Now it is a CD, but back then it was a good old record!

What are you listening to? Is it something old or new?

Happy Hobbies!

Sunday

Handmade Mistletoe

Mistletoe has been a required decoration since the little people have been old enough to get the concept of kissing under it! Each year we scramble to the places we know to find it and we are always put off for a week or so because the orders have not yet come in. In reality, the mistletoe we buy isn't very big or even very pretty as it is heavily preserved. So when I saw the pattern for Magical Mistletoe, here, I was thrilled! I worked with Aunt Betty and we made 7 sets. We used wool felt on one side and fabric on the other and used a much lighter fusible stabilizer than recommended. I also opted to use beads rather than the felt balls because of the large number needed for the 7 sets. I have just 2 sets left to bead for each of the kids rooms. I think these are lovely little holiday keepsakes!

Happy Hobbies!

Thanksgiving Thursday

This morning I ran the Turkey Trot in the rain.

I am thankful!

This afternoon we had a wonderful Thanksgiving meal with some of my family.

I am thankful!

We were guests and not hosts.

I am thankful!

This evening I will be sitting and knitting all evening long!

I am thankful!

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Happy Hobbies!

Wednesday

Halloween... a month later

(better late than never)

Here they are...

Dracula

Kitty Witch

Bat Girl (the doll)

A fun day. A fun night. Too much chocolate for Mommy!

Happy Hobbies!

Tuesday

Cinnamon Honey Butter

This simple recipe can be found here at LIFE IN GRACE.
After making and trying a tester batch, Annestelle said, "It tastes like Christmas!"

She is so right!

We made a double batch and filled six 8 oz. jelly jars to give as hostess gifts this Thanksgiving weekend!

Aren't these jars sweet?

I plan to make a few more batches to give as Christmas gifts this year too!

Happy Hobbies!

Monday

The last week has been full of cinnamon tea and trying to finish my SSCS gift in time!

What are you working on?

Happy Hobbies!

Dear Blog,

I know I've been ignoring you lately.
I don't know why.

Um..
Well, I do...

There was that nasty computer virus which resulted in my computer crashing. Lost so many things... sniff...

There was the first grade Halloween Party... Planning activities, organizing volunteers, etc...

Halloween weekend at our house called for fun party food... have pictures, no wait HAD pictures, but well, computer crash...

I've been working on my Secret Santa Christmas Swap present... can't show you that.

I've been knitting on a thing or two... Christmas secrets...

Also, sewing some doll clothes, something I said I would NEVER do. Never say never.

I can't seem to stop reading either....

I'm hoping to be a little more faithful dear blog... no promises though!

Take good care,
HobbyMommy

My Life this September

Many things are spinning in my head and I want to share every tidbit with you, but this September has all but swallowed me up. For today, I'll just jump back into blogland with a few snippits how my time has been spent.

• Job hunting... all that goes with that process
• Activities for the little people... music lessons, orchestra, fun run, school lunch duty
• Birthday parties... my sweet girlie Annestelle turned 7 on Saturday and HobbyHubby is celebrating 39 today.
• Knitting... there has been some... ever so slowly another pair of fetching gloves for a friend's birthday...
• Sewing... on a library bag for my girl for Christmas
• Planning... Christmas gifts, home improvements, life

Happy Hobbies!

Tennessee Adventures...

We (HobbyHubby, the little people & my Mother-in-law) took a little trip Knoxville at the beginning of August to visit my brother-in-law.

We had a wee bit of time to visit a yarn shop.

Loved it!

We visited downtown Knoxville to see the SunSphere, which is located at the site of the 1982 World's Fair.

Went to the Knoxville Zoo and had such fun! Aren't those little people the cutest animals?

Went to the Dinosaur Walk in Pigeon Forge. Annestelle was in heaven, naming each and every dinosaur replica!

This is the view from Clingman's Dome, the Great Smokey Mountains National Park's highest point east of the Mississippi. Would you believe we saw John Glenn and his wife hiking back down from the Dome? Yes, the astronaut. HobbyHubby took Glenn's picture with a woman (using her camera), but hated to bother Glenn any further so didn't ask the woman to return the favor. Very exciting nonetheless!

Happy Hobbies!

{this moment}

{this moment}

- A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

~ From Amanda Soule

Beret!

I love this beret!

Quick! Easy! Fun!

What more could a girl need for a quick summer knitting project?

Well, maybe a bit of entertainment...

I quickly decided that I needed to know more about Crazy Aunt Purl while listening to an interview with her on a Knit Picks podcast recently.

This woman is hilarious! I just couldn't get my hands on her book fast enough.

Crazy Aunt Purl's Drunk, Divorced, and Covered in Cat Hair: The True-Life Misadventures of a 30-Something Who Learned to Knit After He Split

That's some title! You don't have to be a knitter to appreciate her humorous story!

Back to the beret; a few specifics...

I used some fantastic handspun wool from CosyMakes.

It seems I could have gone down a needle size, but rather than rip it back and repeat, I opted for felting. One cycle through the washing machine felted this hat just enough for my perfect fit. Now, I just have to wait for cooler weather to wear it!

I can wait.

Happy Hobbies!

A Quilt Finish

This one is intended for use as a shower curtain.

The colors in this fabric line from Denyse Schmidt are a perfect match for the bird cards I plan to frame for display. I have to say, both the bird cards and quilt are prettier in person.

This is the back. I had the chance to use the professional quilt machine at Aunt Mary's last spring!

I tend to do things out of order... like picking out pictures and making a shower curtain before the 70's gold wallpaper is stripped, the shower surround replaced, new light fixtures installed, and the walls painted... you know, all the important stuff? I did finish the wallpaper stripping on Thursday! I really HATE stripping wallpaper, but it is done! The old fixtures are down... Progress is being made!

You'll be seeing the bathroom finish someday!!

Happy Hobbies!

Outside

Enjoying...
Impatiens & Begonias on the deck...

and some lovely Lavender.

Noticing...
the sad condition of my herb bed;

possibly the saddest it has looked since I started it 5 years ago.

hmmmm....

Waiting for...
the wild flower mix to bloom.

Can you see the tiny bits of color?
They're coming!

Happy Hobbies!

Just in time for Christmas in July!

Remember the blocks for this?

Here & Here

All of the fabric from this shopping trip with my mom & auntie.

I put this all together late in January while sewing with the aunties

& quilted it at the WV auntie's house on the big

beautiful quilting machine!

All that is left is sewing the tag and a wash.

I think I'll celebrate, on the first rainy day in July, by turning the air conditioning COLDER so I can cuddle up and watch It's A Wonderful Life!

Why not?

Happy Hobbies!

Pretty & Practical!

Found this fabulous apron design with instructions in Stitch.

I decided that my day could be brightened while

doing my chores with an apron made from

this lovely piece of fabric!

It does make me smile!

Happy Hobbies!

School is OUT!

Hurray!

As of last Tuesday, we have...

a 2nd grade boy &

a 1st grade girlie!

We've had the pleasure of 2 trips to the beach

with fabulous friends!

Our most scheduled summer time is immediate with

Summer Music Academy for her &

Summer (day) Camp for him over the next 2 weeks.

Busy & fun!

Happy Hobbies!

Wee knits...

My first baby knits for a special little bundle we have yet to meet!

(this little giftie was shipped off to the little darling last weekend)

The Baby Belle Sweater and yarn purchased at the

Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet Festival from CosyMakes.

The Jelly Bean Baby Socks are my first ever socks

(mighty or tiny) from Spud & Chloe.

Loved knitting both patterns.

I had to rip back many times, but learned so much.

Knit love, I tell you!

Happy Hobbies!

Our Little Violinist!

Annestelle gave her first violin performance on Saturday at a Barnes & Noble book fair!

Despite dropping and breaking her bow, she was confident enough to play.

I think I was nervous for her!

She sure makes us proud!

Happy Hobbies!

The 2010 Knitting Olympics

Thank you Yarn Harlot!

I'm taking on the challenge...

a never before knit...

my first sweater!

Garter Lace Jacket

from Ann Bud's book

Simple Style

I cast on tomorrow night during opening ceremonies!!

Happy Hobbies!!

Hello February...

I planned to do so many things over the weekend.

One of those things was to finish testing a pattern for a fellow blogger.
When I finally made it to my sewing space on Saturday, I had the sudden urge to reorganize.

(This usually happens January 1st.)

Things happened:

• furniture was removed
• supplies were sorted and/or discarded
• a list was made (I'll share that one later this week)
• knitting books and notions were brought from upstairs
• patterns from various blogs were filed
• things were cleaned and vacuumed

After about 6 or so hours total, I called it quits.

Instead of testing that pattern, I ended up making Annestelle a scarf with scraps from her quilt.

She loves it!

What are you supposed to be working on and what has you sidetracked?

Happy Hobbies!

In the knitter's lunch box...

HobbyHubby and the little people gave me the simple yet effective shawl pattern for Christmas and some lovely Noro sock yarn to go with it.

Been working on the piece for about a week and a half now...

What a simple and calming pattern...

Back tomorrow with some more quilting....

Happy Hobbies!

Squares to go with the pinwheels...

which you will find here.

Happy Hobbies!

Piecing pinwheels for my Christmas quilt....

It is not really late...

I mean, what is another month,

considering...

I've had this fabric since August of 2007

purchased on a shopping trip with my mom and aunt?

Aren't these fun?

Can't wait to get back to the machine...

Still trying to find my post Christmas groove.

Happy Hobbies!

Handmade Christmas Presents III

Well!

I planned to post about all of the Christmas knitting that I completed.

Apparently I didn't take any pictures. Hmmm... What was I thinking?

So here is the run down of knitted items linked to the patterns.

• 2 sets of fetching gloves
• 1 tudora
• 1 set of fingerless (communion) mitts from Knit One, Embellish Too sans the embellishment

Not quite as many things as I thought...

Oh, right, I spent hours of my knitting untangling yarn.

Happy Hobbies!

Handmade Christmas Presents II

Appliqued Towel Sets

for my little people and my nephews...

(I really need to improve my photography skills)

These were well received by all!

Handmade Christmas Presents I

A book mark for our priest.

Pictures drawn by the little people and stitched by me.

Inspired by SouleMama's portrait bookmarks.

Simon asked what to draw and I asked him what he thought would be appropriate for Father.
Perfect!

Annestelle had the same idea!

Happy Hobbies!

Goodbye 2009; Hello 2010!

(Christmas knitting with some help)

Last January my dear HobbyHubby said that 2009 was not going to be a good year. Statements like those don't often come from him, but he just had a feeling. Luckily his prediction wasn't completely on the money. 2009 wasn't such a bad year. Although, there WERE some dramas here and there regarding friends and family, resulting in a personal lack of focus for me across all of my roles, I still have a good many things to be grateful for:

• friendships (old AND new)
• 16 years of marriage (our anniversary celebrated on New Year's Eve)
• a year of music by our two little people (and the opportunities coming their way)
• the magic of all that those same little people bring to our lives
• hobbies & this little space (however neglected)
• inspiration from blogland

I look forward to all that 2010 has to offer as well as all that I can bring to it!

Happy New Year & Happy Hobbies!

see you tomorrow