Some days a latte just won't do it.

Some days what you really need is a nice big cup of hot cocoa. And some times, on those days, you just don't have the energy to photograph and post a photo, or to explain why.

I'm still here and will post again soon.

Day Before Saturday Sky

Must. Create.

While I am creating, so many ideas come to mind that I just can't keep up. Now that I have finished several projects in a relatively short period of time and don't have any super urgent knitting needs coming up, I don't know what to do. Crochet? Sew? Knit? Draw? Paint? Fold paper? Photograph random unexpected corners full of peace and silence? Were it not so late I might take out the material for Brooke's dress. Were it a beautiful sunny morning I would embrace the natural light and follow it with my camera. I'm seeking... something. I started crocheting twice today, but it wasn't satisfying my needs. I looked at houses online and dreamed for a while. I thought about Tommy's upcoming pirate birthday party. I played with Tommy. I worked. I ate. I talked. I sat here for quite a while and even looked around a bit, for some inspiration. This must be an official addiction. Must. Find. Something. To Create.

Sunday Morning

I can think of few better ways to start my morning than getting Tommy settled with one of his favorite treats, a blueberry muffin, and then making breakfast with Brian. While he does most of the cooking at home, I enjoy both baking and breakfast-making, so the above quiche made for some nice time together. As an added bonus, it tasted excellent. For reference, the recipe is for Cheesy (Canadian) Bacon Quiche and can be found in Betty Crocker's Bisquick Cookbok.

Below is a super simple hat I made to satisfy my quick-knit need on Wednesday or Thursday. I don't think it will get much use, as the photo does it more justice than is warranted, but it turned out ok I guess. Not my best work, but oh well. I don't know what's next.

I want to say thank you to Carmi and Jessica and to others who have commented in the past. I enjoy sharing my daily joys, and in this busy culture a nice word or two never goes unnoticed. You have both inspired me to leave random notes of warmth and appreciation wherever I can. In my eyes that is priceless.

Happy Valentine's Day

Birthdays and Strings

My niece is now officially one year old and running around in dresses with little white tights and black Mary Janes. She wears tiny white clips in her soft red hair that's just long enough to curl out a tiny bit at the ends. She even ate her cake with a bit of grace on Saturday, all things considered. In fact I tried to get a photo of her covered in frosting, but the best I could do was to get a few splatterings of white on her cheeks.

Below is her birthday present from me... The fabric shown here was (and still is) intended for a dress to match, but I haven't even started that yet. Here's the finished baby shrug:

Details here.

In addition to the birthday party, my cousin's baby shower, and a day out with family today, my weekend included a night out with Brian on Friday. My sister had bought us tickets to see Bowfire at The Colonial Theatre, and it was excellent. I entered the theatre in an exhausted haze, beat from a long week with little rest and then from the ride to New Hampshire. Seconds into the show, however, I was wide awake.

I am the type of person who tears up before the second verse of each great country song and gets goose bumps whenever a beautiful voice or instrument breaks a silence. I found this show so entertaining that I felt a bit of both at once. Just when I felt I couldn't be more amazed, I was. Who knew there were so many talented violinists with such diverse styles and techniques, and that they could have so much fun playing together... or that three musicians could play a mean fiddle while step dancing in perfect rhythm? Most of all though, it was the pure entertainment value in the whole presentation. The best part was how much fun the artists seemed to have. The music would be terrific on CD, but no one could experience the same excitement or dazzling of the senses from the music alone. I'm pretty sure most of us pondered the possibility of life in the musician's shoes, dancing and fiddling on stage, before we left - if not after. If you ever have the opportunity to attend, I highly recommend you do.

Tonight's Accomplishments...

Above: Some ten minute miracle fudge (a coworker's family recipe that she so generously shared) made with chocolate & butterscotch chips, raisins, and cranberries... Delish!

Below: Yet another newborn ribbon hat... The picture doesn't do justice to the color (I used the same periwinkle yarn that I had used before, for the column of leaves scarf), but at least the hat looks as it should this time. Last year's hats, made from the same pattern, look completely different. I think the only difference is the yarn used, but I could be wrong.

I have been holding off on showing you another FO as it is a gift. I was hoping to have two more to show you after the weekend, but it seems as though it might be just one. While I accomplished quite a bit tonight I didn't even start that which I had my heart set on all week. Oh well.

Before and After Before

For those of you who have seen our futon and are used to us always keeping it covered with a light, neutral colored fitted flannel sheet (which has worked fairly well, all things considered), here is what you have been missing underneath:


I don't have a picture of the chair. Well, I might somewhere, but we didn't take one before moving it out last night. The futon will be sold but the chair discarded. It's best that way. Just trust me.

Below is what we have now. Of course the layout will change once there are two of us here to move everything around, and the curtains MUST go. Otherwise I think visitors might mistake our living room for a giant mint chocolate bar and try to eat it. After we change everything around and add a few finishing touches I'll probably have another before and after to share. Anyway I'm excited that the new furniture is here, and the espresso color is a nice change. Of course, I can't sit on it yet because I would freeze my bottom. I don't know how long it was in the truck, but with below zero temperatures I suppose it wouldn't take long for the cushions to get cold... Here you are:

Off subject, did you see Elmo on The Today Show this morning? They showed a bit from Elmo's Coloring Book, which is the show I went to with Tommy and his class a week or two ago... I just had to mention it.

Sneak Peek

Details after the weekend

It's coming, it's coming!

Our new sofa and matching chair, that is. They will arrive tomorrow… After we see them in our apartment we will need to determine exactly what we need in the way of new curtains and possibly some accents. We have been using a futon for the past four plus years, and we seldom spend so much money in one place, so we are really looking forward to it.

I'm pretty certain my next post will be titled, "Lookie, Lookie!" ...Check back tomorrow! =)

Saturday Sky