A Christmas Card and Letter

Thought I would send you all my Christmas Letter
click on them to make them bigger

Crazy, busy life is nearly over (I hope)

Just some quick picks of things I have worked on during the past couple months.

Squash buns made for Thanksgiving-mmmmm-tasty

More teeny/tiny ornaments
(I sell them at a local coffee shop during the Christmas Season)

I finally finished the mittens and scarf I started working on last spring!

Edge detail-I enjoyed making these, but I think that I will use either different sized needles or thinner yarn next time. I ended up using Lion Brand Homespun for these and for some reason the fabric seemed a little too dense even though I had used the same things when I made my own a few years ago. I mean I like the denseness of the fabric for warmth, but it sure got stiff as I was knitting and made it a bit unpleasant to work on. Either my hands were less bothered last time I made this pattern or I just forgot that it was a bit painful. (It did take me a couple of years to make the first ones because I kept setting it aside to do other things--maybe that was why)

Now for the cutest picture of the day!

My friend Leah's little girl in the little EZ sweater I knit.

Thanksgiving

My Family last Thanksgiving-
l to r-me, Dan, my dad, brother Joe, nephew PJ, sil Melissa (my mom took the picture!)

Deadlines are looming--I'm busy, busy, busy . . . furnaces die, but yet life is goes on!

I'm tired as all get out tonight as I got very little sleep last night, but tonight we will go to our Thanksgiving Eve service at church and remember to be thankful for all we have been given in this life.

The classic thanksgiving song comes to mind tonight

Count Your Blessings
Johnson Oatman, Jr.

When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed
When you are discouraged thinking all is lost
Count your many blessings, name them one by on
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly
And you will be singing as the days go by.

So, amid the conflict whether great or small
Do not be discouraged, God is over all
Count you many blessings, angels will attend
Help and comfort give you to your journey's end.

Count your blessings, name them one by one
Count your blessings, see what God hath done
Count your blessings, name the one by one
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.

Ahhhh . . . I needed that ;o)

Happy November!

Pictures from the long ago arts and crafts show!

Flasks and coasters made by my Stetson Man-Dan!

Dan and I sitting in our booth (me knitting on my dad's vest)

Knit mini stockings and sweaters and leather Christmas Ornaments

Hutchinson Brothers Sculpture with our tent in the background
(My dad did the sculpture and Dan and I helped him with it all during the process. Dan works at the bronze foundry where the sculptures were put together. I used to do wax work at that foundry, so I help my dad with that area of his sculptures.)
Info on Lost Wax process for making bronze sculptures.

I hope that this posts finds you all doing well and that this coming month will be a good one!

Another Friday, another drawing

For Robin

Hi!

Here's a little kernel of something to look at today.

Have you heard of Ingrid Michaelson? (you probably have because I'm a little late to hear of a lot of up and coming musicians--I'm not so much up on who people are and new stuff and all, but I digress) She has some great music. She did the "sweater song" for the Old Navy ads and for all you knitting lovers she also has a song that includes knitting called "The Hat"--(scroll down a little-you'll find it)

So anyway, I, for the very first time in my life, downloaded music from itunes because of her music and the need to hear it all. You should seriously think about it, too.

One last thing--a drawing I just did in honor of a woman who I just met on Saturday--keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

Busy Bee

Aack, I feel like I have been a busy, busy bee lately putting my nose into every little flower that comes along. Here are a couple of things that I have been up to . . . (photoshop has been working over time--click on pics for bigger versions)

I've always loved this quote from Mother Teresa and thought I would like to be reminded of it when life gets real busy and crazy-like, so I fancy photoshopped one of my pics of Butternut Lake (the lake just down the road from my house) and here it is--Now to frame it--ha, ha, ha!

Quick had to make a map up of all the businesses participating in the Arts and Antiques Weekend (October 26-28--shameless plug to advertise to the few remaining people who don't even live near me who read this blog--Sorry--I sometimes think I am the one woman chamber of commerce for my town!)

New business card design--ain't it purty!!!!!

And tomorrow I go to take pictures for my first real commissioned artwork! (I do graphite drawings of horses. So far all the horses I have ever done are portraits of my own and other relations horses)--Here's one of our horses that I did a drawing of several years ago.

***Sorry about the copyright stuff, but I'm protective of my horses***

Long time no blog--me bad blogger

Hi, do you still remember me? I have been a terrible blogger of late (which seems to happen quite often).

I have also been doing some knitting of late. Christmas stockings, finished the vest for my dad (still need to get pictures of it, but it is quite nice if I do say so myself (plain as anything, but exactly what my dad wanted)), and a pair of legwarmers!!!!! (Ever since I was a young child I have yearned for a pair of legwarmers and now I am in a dance class just down the block from the gallery and feel as though I can really justify the luxury)

Anyway, I have been extremely busy setting this up. (getting everyone to work together and putting the advertising together) We are hoping for a stunningly beautiful weekend that will bring millions . . . ummm . . . . thousands . . . . ummmm . . . several hundred people with checkbooks and credit cards to our fair city.

Have a beautiful weekend! (I leave you with some Camel-ly goodness)

Arts and Crafts Festival

Hey all--if you live around here---- my dad, my husband and myself are at the Hutchinson Arts and Crafts Festival this weekend. Come by and see our booth if you can. We are located by the statues of the Hutchinson Brothers.

Our booth consists of photography (mine and my dad's), knitting (mine), leatherwork (my husband's), and a couple drawings (mine).

Anyway-hours are Friday 10-6 and Saturday 9-4

Hope you all have a great weekend wherever you are!

A few pictures of the weekend!

Hey all-now that another weekend is nearly upon us-
here are some more pictures of Red Rooster Day Weekend
(know to the rest of you as Labor Day Weekend)

Dan and Dakota on the porch

The local parade . . . .

Waiting in line for the BBQ chicken dinner (I found out that we serve between 3500-4000 half chickens every year. Pretty good for a town of about 1250 people, huh?)

Looking out at the ball park.

(Crow River string Band playing, antique car show and bouncy slide in the background)

I'm Back (and a beautiful FO!!!)

Okay, I'm back everyone!! (if your still reading that is . . . sorry, I am a bad blogger sometimes) I hope you all had a great Labor Day Weekend! Around here Labor Day Weekend is called Red Rooster Days (our town festival) and it was much fun--(although much busy fun). Our gallery sponsors a fine art show with local artists. We set everything up, print off certificates for winners and do all that jazz. You would be amazed at how many really good artists like to live in our neck of the woods. Maybe it is the corn fields mixed with lakes and trees--who knows, but we have a lot of people around here who like to do artwork!

Anyway another fun thing that happens on Red Rooster Days is that we have a fireworks show on Sunday night. (One of my favorite events) I took my dad's digital camera along to get some pictures.

Ooooooo, ahhhhhhh



(and everyone clapped and cheered at the end)

Now, for some really exciting news the Myrtle Leaf Shawl is done! And I really like it. I don't know what you all will think, but golly, I think it is purty. We did a quick photo shoot yesterday evening. I may not be the best model ever, but I guess the photos turned out okay!

(this is my favorite photo-I used to dress up as a pioneer girl (like Laura Ingalls) all the time when I was a a little girl and I would go play by this rock-I don't know why it made me think of being a pioneer or why it felt like that was where I should go play, but I did)

Myrtle Leaf Shawl-
pattern: from Victorian Lace Today
yarn: Misti Alpaca Lace (in dark Brown)-Two and a little of a third skein. (if Barney hadn't have chewed threw my first start and some of one skein of yarn, I probably would have just used two skeins)
needles: clover bamboo size 5 circular and dpns
modifications: none, really, except for using a different yarn than called for and the random mistakes I made.
started: oh, sometime in February, but then Barney ate that first start, so I really started it around July 20
finished: August 29

One nice thing about a shawl that has pattern on both sides (rather than pattern on the right side and purl on the wrong side) is that you catch your mistakes right away. Now, that being said, it is much harder to pull out stitches and pick them back up correctly, so I tended to fix the pattern in the following row rather than ripping back unless the mistake was really easy to find.

It was so much fun to work on--now to finish that set of mittens I started on, and my socks, and my dad's vest, and, and, and . . . . .

EYEs not wanting to be open FRIDAY

Soooo sleepy . . . .been working late into the night on the Myrtle Leaf Shawl . . . fifty or so repeats to go on the border . . . need to . . . . finish . . . . the shawl.



Oh, one other thing----Remember those missing size one bamboo needles-I searched everywhere for them. One just magically appeared in my car. It couldn't have possibly been there the whole time (right?). Must be the gremlins screwing with my mind again.

Happy Monday, Everyone!

Hi!
I know that Mondays are often times not anyone's favorite day of the week, but for some reason this Monday seems especially refreshing--(maybe it is because my niece didn't wake me up at 5:30 this morning-even though she doesn't wake up until 8 at home)

Dan and I went to a great concert last night up in St Cloud. We saw Michael Martin Murphy. It was such a great night of music. Listening to him always makes me happy to live in the country and makes me feel like I should really get out and weed the garden ;o)

Of course, this morning I couldn't get out to weed because it is raining and has been all weekend. As with anything, so much rain can be bad for some people (Southern Minnesota has been getting some major flooding), but around here the rain has been a great blessing.
It brings to mind a song that we sang a few weeks ago at church

"Showers of Blessing"

There shall be showers of blessing
This is the promise of love
There shall be seasons refreshing
Sent from the Savior above

Refrain
Showers of blessing
Showers of blessing we need
Mercy drops round us are falling
But for the showers we plead

There shall be showers of blessing
Precious reviving again
Over the hills and the valleys
Sound of abundance of rain

Well, have beautiful day and I hope that you will receive some kind of shower of blessing this week.

Just checking in . . .

Hey there, I'll be back next week-my niece is here visiting from out of state and she is keeping me pretty busy.

Hope you are having a really nice week (by the way, I only have four repeats to go on the center of my myrtle leaf shawl--then on to the border!!!!!!)

Eye Camel Friday (and a Barney)

Ummm . . . here is a not-so-crisp-and-sharp-picture of Oliver the Camel with some of the newest artwork here at the gallery. (I'll have to get a better picture some other time). He is posing with a beautiful hammered copper bowl and wood sculpture.

I'm still progressing on the Myrtle Leaf Shawl. As of last count, I have 24 of 40 repeats finished, so I am over halfway done with the main center portion. I still have to add the willow border, but it is not an extremely wide border, so I don't think it will take me forever-ly long (ha, ha, ha---famous last words) I have used up one skein of the Misti Alpaca Lace (well, the cat used up a bunch of the skein while it was sitting at home and also ate away some of my first start (before you start to worry-the cat did not actually eat the yarn, but he did rip it up-okay actually there is reason to worry-I have a cat the likes to rip up yarn)

Speaking of that cat (ah, the Barney) and yarn. He has a little section of a sweater that he enjoys carrying around the house. (It was a piece of a baby sweater that I never really finished that I had made a mistake on) He treats it like it is his own little baby-carrying it around the house in his mouth, meowing at it, purring and setting it down next to him (he sometimes does this with really soft skeins of yarn as well-thus, the torn lace)

(Barney with yarn child)

BTW-have you SEEN the Cinnabar Pullover by Kate Gilbert in the latest Interweave Knits? Gorgeous, gorgeous----I must have it-(if I can ever get around to making it that is)

Keep Minnesota in Your Prayers

I am sure you have heard about everything that went on yesterday in the Twin Cities, but I just want to be another person to say "keep us in your thoughts and prayers."

I don't live down in the Twin Cities, but I usually get down there once a month and just crossed 35W bridge on Friday (as our framing supplier for the gallery is very close to that area). I also used to cross the bridge all the time while I was going to college in Roseville. I can definitely say it is used by many, many people everyday. It was just a shocking sight to see when I turned on the television last night.

My brother works at one of the hospitals in the area (doing computer tech stuff) and, thankfully, was using a different way to go home lately.

Eye Camel Friday

Hey, it's a quick Eye Camel Friday (courtesy of remembering to take pics of Oliver before the digital camera went on vacation to Washington and Idaho).

I know two special ladies who will really love this edition of Eye Camel Friday.

(wink, wink, nudge, nudge)

sooooo, here it is . . . . . . . .

Oliver


and his


very own


brand new


loom!!!!!

Now, back to working on the 90 prints that need to be shrinkwrapped before next Wednesday (and the 10 that need to be framed, and the 3 pics that I need to print and shrinkwrap by Monday afternoon while I am in the middle of all this other stuff. aaack!) Why does this always happen when the person who owns the digital camera goes on vacation?

Its Raining!!!!

Hey there all. Just wanted to let you know that it is raining here. (Which is good). We haven't had much rain for the past month. At my house we have only gotten 2/10 and inch in the last month or so. I don't know what is normal for you guys out there, but we were on the verge of a drought if we didn't get some moisture soon. That is especially hard news on the farming community I live in. Now, some of the lack of rain is already irreversible, but at least we should be able to get some benefit from it all.
Not like we would have absolutely died from the lack of rain-people have crop insurance and all that kind of stuff, but it makes life hard. We are still a community of small town corn and soybean farmers around here-no millionaire farming groups-just your everyday seed-cap wearing, beat-up truck driving folks.

Sorry no pics of anything current. The digital camera is on a visit to Idaho and Washington, so you'll just have to deal with the Norman gazing at you in amazement.

Something finished, something blue (uhh, pink)

Alrighty, do you remember this yarn?

Cherry Blossom Worsted Weight by Sundara (this colorway no longer available, but golly she has some good stuff)

Well, is has now turned into this!!!!!!!



At the time of the picture, I had not put on the buttons/closures
Can you guess which ones I used?



Plain buttons, ribbon for making bows to slid through the buttonholes, heart buttons.

This project was for my best friend from college who just had her first baby last month. I had made her a little hat, but wanted to make this sweater for someone who was having a baby this summer. And wonder of wonders, she was the only person I knew who had a baby girl. Soooo, I know the sweater was meant for her.

One more thing-remember this?

Ummmm . . . it had some issues.

When an

gets combined with a Barney



it can turn into this



Now, though, I have 11 repeats of 40 done (no picture of that yet, but one will come next week sometime) Anyway, that is how my knitting has been going.
Now, to finish putting together 10 picture frames (can you tell I have been procrastinating?)

HELLO LONG LOST FRIENDS!!! (and Eye Camel Friday!!!!!!!!!)

Hi, there everyone. It has been about two weeks since I posted anything-not because I haven't been around-not because I haven't been working on any projects-not because of anything really, but I didn't know what to say.

Since my ultrasound a couple weeks ago, I have been to the GYN and he had to do a couple more tests and I am awaiting results, but he is pretty sure I have PCOS (which isn't really the worst thing on earth, but explains a lot of things about me) Anyway, I have always suspected I was a little weird and that I may have problems when it would finally come time for me to have kids and things, so now I know that I was right and can actually go about finding out what I can do about it all. Yippee, yay! Stephanie wrote about a book that she got in one of her posts that is a very useful one for women and knowledge about themselves and all that. I decided to get it and was able to read it before I saw the GYN and was able to realize that he might not be the guy for me in the long run because he didn't give me the kind of information that this book was able to get me and blah, blah, blah . . . I'm doing much better-thanks!

Okay, now for Eye Camel Friday!!!!!!

Oliver was able to find a new friend this week and he is very excited. As noted in the last post, he wanted a friend that was a little bit of a trouble maker, but wouldn't all of a sudden decide to eat him.

Oliver and Mr. Stretch (he's the black sheep of the family . . . ha, ha, ha-uffda-I make myself laugh!) We found Mr. Stretch at JoAnn Fabrics and Oliver just had to bring him home. I am sure that they will have lots of fun in the coming years.

Now, for a couple other things. I had a birthday a couple weeks back and I got a few fun things from people(my brother and sister-in-law (really from my sister-in-law, but my brother picked out the yarn) and from an artist friend of mine).-

Starting from the top going clockwise: Hippo notion holder thingy (already holding a bunch of stuff that I tend to lose-darning needles, buttons, etc.), sock yarn that is a superwash wool and cotton blend, handmade ceramic buttons (by my friend Jena (if anyone likes these buttons or is looking to get info about about their work-I can get it for you) who, along with her husband, makes some of the most beautiful ceramic works of art I've seen(oh, sometime this coming year they are going to be showcased on the show That's Clever!)), and size 2 bamboo sock needles (5.5" long-the only needles I have are much longer and can be a bit awkward, maybe these will work better)

I also got other fun presents including a new set of pans for the kitchen that I was in great need of-(let's just say that when Dan and I got married 5 years ago-no one got us pans that would actually last more than a month. (Although, we did get 3 Pyrex glass pans with insulated carriers (actually, I think we got 4-I gave one to my mom and one to my mother-in-law and kept two for myself (our church has potlucks and I'm from Minnesota, so they are perfect for hotdish)), two waffle irons, two crockpots, and two mini choppers.), some gardening tools, pretty plants for my garden and a couple of DVDs.

Anywho-I've been doing some knitting as well and have an FO that I will show you tomorrow or Monday-it is too much to put into one post!

Have a good weekend.

So anyway, It is Eye Camel Friday (and it should be pretty fun!)

Oliver has gone looking for new friends (being as that I am not necessarily that best one available). He thought he would look for what kind of friend he would like by looking through some old family photo albums that are available for him to peruse while I am working at the gallery.

He thought that this little character would work. It's a little baby goat. Goats are pretty nice friends. I explained to him that goats are really smart. (he thought this was good because he could use a smart friend) I told him that they can be sneaky and get into all sorts of trouble (Oliver would like a friend that he could sneak around with-and he would really enjoy finding some trouble) Then I explained to him that goats like to eat pretty much anything. They are great for eating down thistles and weeds that other creatures don't like because of those teeny tiny little lips. (Oliver thought, "Hmm . . . alright-they're good eaters) I told him, "They also like flowers and trees (wood) and fence posts (wood) and gates (wood). "
(At this point Oliver started to get a little worried about making friends with a goat). I told Oliver about how one time our goats got out and decided to chew down two ornamental trees in front of the house - - which caused them to become permanently disfigured. (Oliver thought, "I don't want to be permanently disfigured. That doesn't sound like fun at all.")

Anyway, Oliver is still on the lookout for a new friend.

In other news, it's my birthday tomorrow and I am looking forward to it a lot. We are having a bonfire out in the pasture and inviting a few friends and family. (Now, to run home and get the house looking good, so I can rest tomorrow!)

I've been US-ed

I went in for the exciting ultrasound (US) this morning and I don't know anything yet. They don't let the ultrasound person tell you what they see because it might be "confuse me." (Whatever that means) And being that they didn't let me look at the screen-I have no clue what could be up. Now, I get to wait until after the 4th of July because my doctor will be on vacation until then. After all of this gets done, I will have an appointment with a GYN in mid-July. I don't know if that is the way it is around where you guys live, but that is one thing I wish could be better in rural MN. It seems like you have to wait days or more just to find out if something is wrong with you even though there are well trained people who know what they are looking at that would be able to tell you what they see on the screen. Grrrr . . . In the mean time I will pretend that I am a-ok and all that.

Anyway, on to more interesting news. I happened to meet Karen today. She blogs near me and was at the Farmer's Market in Cokato (near me, too) as I happened to be passing through yesterday. It was only a very quick meeting because I had to get to a free Yoga class (my first time going to yoga) that the choreographer for a musical that I was going to be in (more in that in a minute) teaches. He told the entire cast that while that musical was going on he would allow us to come to his classes for free. I had kind of wanted to try it out, so I went with a friend of mine. Anyway-Hi, Karen. (Oh, and she knows my husband's uncle)

Soooo . . . I was going to be in a local community theater production of Fiddle on the Roof, but now the entire production was called off. We just found out that the company that owns the rights to it isn't giving them out at all because there is a national touring company doing it right now. (Although, I have searched for it and can't find where it could be touring at all and it seems that there are other smallish theaters doing local productions around the country, hmmmm) Anyway, we shall have to see what happens with that. They are going to be having a meeting tonight to discuss all the options. (Golly, I'm a little rant-y today)

Well, that's what has been going on with me. Now, for something more nicely calming. Ahhhh . . .farm pictures

It is nice to come home to things like this when you have days that aren't as nice as you would wish. Home Sweet Home!