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

What I'm doing this week...

taking care of my two little flu stricken peeps

and knitting...

I hope you all are staying flu free!

Happy Hobbies!

Knitting...

I spent last weekend with 3 of my aunts. We watched movies while they all sewed and I knitted. It was wonderful to just be with them and have no cares.

We watched Little Miss Sunshine, Juno, Where the Heart Is, hmmm, now I can't remember what else. Anyhow...

for me

sneaks peeks for Christmas gifts...

Happy Hobbies!

Basket of Christmas Ambition

Just been working on my Christmas list...
Who? What to make? What supplies?

Yarn! Didn't you know?
I found some yummy yarn in my own stash for a few projects and then headed on over to the yarn shop with Eve and picked up a few other delicious treats!!

I'm feeling full of energy and ambition and I'm calling this basket "ROUND ONE!"
Are you with me?
What is your medium going to be this Christmas?

Happy Hobbies!

Mitts...

The dashing mitts from knitty!

These are the guy friendly version of the fetching gloves that I made so many pairs of last winter.
Love them... I made them for HobbyHubby.
They were supposed to be his gift for last Christmas...
Yeah, well... October... hmm... I KNOW!!!

I started these yummy mitts in May, but there were lots of issues...

• The dog really did eat them... she split one of the double pointed needles right in half completely pulling the project off the needles. hmm... maybe I shouldn't have left the piece on the table....


• I really did have to re-knit the first glove... eh, hmm... 4 times.... yes, too long, didn't count rows, forgot to cable, dog ate it...(oh said that already)


• I really didn't knit for weeks and weeks... then would knit for 10 minutes and then not again... for a month.... hmmm.... What was I doing? Maybe my Hobby ADD state of mind!

The happy news is that the mitts are finished. The sad news is that the mitts are the only completed knitting project in 5 months... I think my ambition has returned... I hope!!

Happy Hobbies!

Binding

I found my way down to my sewing space last weekend. JOY! I happily pieced the binding for "Split Decisions," which has been sitting on my sewing table since it came home in July. (See the machine quilting here.) I've made my way down one side of the quilt with the hand stitching, one interrupted stitch after the next, but have high hopes of finishing it over the weekend.

Happy Hobbies!

Tuesday Links

Hello friends!

Just noticed my low number of blog posts for this year and wondered how that happened. A bit of a blog slacker? Maybe... It seems to me that I write posts all the time in my head, but never quite make it to the computer to actually type. hmmm.... As one of my friends says about so many things..."It is what it is!" I'll spare you the details of why I haven't made it to the computer in these last few weeks because frankly, it's not all that exciting. Instead, I'll share a couple of links...

Crazy Mom Quilts- Amanda Jean requested blocks from her readers for the Quilts of Valor project. The block above was my donation. Head over there to see all of the lovely squares that were donated!

Simple Mom- Love this plan for a stress free holiday. Check out the series that will be offered for easy holiday season.

Waking up in Bavaria- This former Simple Sparrow blogger has moved with her family from California to Germany for the next year. Each post has the most lovely pictures!

Happy Hobbies!

(Maybe I'll see you tomorrow too!)