Bloomin' Great

 Geraniums

Paperwhites

 African Violets

I think there is something magical about flowers on my windowsill blooming in the middle of winter.

Toodles...L x ♥

P.S.  I just caught site of my garden daffodils poking their little heads out checking for spring. I squealed with excitement! 

I ♥ daffodils.....

And then there were.....

I'm going to get into some SERIOUS trouble if someone doesn't block Craigslist on every computer within a 100 mile radius and ban me from the local flea market.

Yes, it's another machine.

I won't tell you how many I have now, but if this keeps up I'll need another hand to count them on.

Here is my latest find.

Singer 66 - lovely 'Red Eye' decals

1919 - same year as my house and that's why I bought it right? right???

Pricely Sum - $20 tooo hard to say no at that price

* * * :: Before  :: ***

Actually not quite before, she was covered in cobwebs, but luckily no spiders.

*** :: After :: ***

Looking far less rusty and much more shiny.

I've put my hand crank on her because I can't convince the Mister to work on her wiring.  Fairly certain that he won't appreciate my handy work with wiring and me burning the house down.

She sews like a dream.

Must be off!  I promise to stay well clear from Craiglist now and the Flea Market.  But I will tell about the other machine that came home with me last weekend too another time.

....oh my gooodnesss....
....i think i need help...

Toodles....L x ♥

P.S. Please excuse crap lighting and overloaded kitchen table, also affected by crap.

What Comes Next?

Sorry for so long between posts, I've been catching up on housework since our return home from holiday and trying to hold onto the 'holiday buzz'. I won't bore you with tales from the Magic Kingdom, although we did have a most fantastic time.

Naturally of course I took a little knitting with me. Much to the horror of my boss (who was convinced I'd never make it through security with needles) and my children.  But knitting a few rows took my mind off (just a little) my fear of flying and helped me wind down afer long days of walking. 

 A fabulous little pattern this one was.  All knit and no purl, perfect for my simple knitting skills.  The wool I used was from a scarf I crocheted some time back and unravelled.  It didn't crochet well, it was quite stiff, but it has knitted up very nicely.  The stitches look a bit wibbly-wobbly, but I think that is mostly because the yarn was crinkly from being frogged and not my crap knitting skills. 

Because my brain can never be focused on just one project, I've also been slipping in some crocheted squares when I've had the odd spare minute.

Not sure where these squares will take me, but they come together quickly and give me a break from knitting.

Speaking of which......after a long 5 hour car journey last Sunday, one sad good bye and too many tears leaving Big J at university the Mister indulged me and took me to a lovely  yarn shop by Big J's university. 

I cannot speak highly enough of the lovely lady at Mosiac.  She was most helpful and more importantly very patient while I picked out some lovely yarn and a pattern to get started on during our long trip home. Normally I can hold it together quite well when we say good bye, not so much this time. Thank goodness for a lovely husband and local yarn shop.

 Just a simple ladies vest which will hopefully (fingers crossed tightly) be my first proper knitted garment. It's going well so far and the wool is super duper soft!

Of course even with these two projects on the go my mind is  buzzing with ideas and drifting onto other things I am itching to make.  I am trying VERY hard this year to stay focused - no more than two projects at a time.  Of course I haven't clarified whether that is two projects of one craft at a time or two projects total.  So I could end up with two knitting projects, two crochet projects....Help me!!!

Toodles...L x ♥

Home Again :: Home Again

We're home now from an absolutely amazing vacation.

I can't feel my feet, but that's OK because I'm still on a Disney high.  I never knew I could walk so far and for so long.  The 'magic' sure does keep you going.

Will stop by again as soon as I get stuck into tackling "Mount Washmore".

How does one vacation create so much dirty washing?

Toodles... L x ♥

P.S. I tried to blog while I was at Disney from my iPad, but it kept telling me I had reached my blogger capacity for photos.  Does anyone have any advice on that?

Eeekkkk!

.......my first Saroyan scarf is finished!

I absolutely  L ♥ V E D  every second knitting this sweet little scarf.  Perfectly perfect pattern for this novice knitter. 

I've already worn it to work two days!

But I won't be wearing it next week.

'Cos next week the Gephart clan is travelling south.....

South to warmer lands....

South to see the M O U S E !!!!!

Needless to say this household is a eeking and squeaking with excitement as this is our first trip to see the Mouse! 

So I'll be absent from my little blog for a week (nothing new there).  But I'll be back with Mouse stories for sure.

Toodles....L x ♥

Saroyan Snow

It's snowing at our house.

Nothing remarkable about that.

What is remarkable is my knitting.

Started on December 28th....

and still going strong!!!!!

In fact it's nearly done.
I love this easy peasy pattern.

Toodles...L x ♥

Getting Things Done

I've not made any resolutions for this new year. I am utterly hopeless with them.  I did resolve at 8:00am on the 1st not to give into Little J's 'Pester Power' and then found myself having a weak moment at 11:12am.  So I said phooey to all New Year resolutions and resolved not to make any. I have however decided that 2012 will be the year of 'getting things done'.  Which  basically means, tackling the cr@p I've been putting off!

 Lining the a little pouch I knitted and felted with what I consider 'great success', but feared lining and tackling the zip.

 Using my 'surprise' birthday pressie from the Mister - YES another sewing machine - a VERY sweet white Singer Featherweight. First time in 16 years the Mister has actually managed to surprise me.

 Finally finishing the final round of my sampler blanket AND photographing it. It's been finished for a few weeks, but by heck it's been hard to get a decent photo of it.

 Using the fine, but cold weather to get an outside snap of it's beautiful colours and stitches.

 Middle J and I FINALLY tackled the wall in the living room.  Thanks to an ice storm two years ago and some dodgy gutters and downspouts and a leaky chimney the wall got VERY wet outside, which caused the paint to bubble inside.  Gutters have been replaced, chimney removed so I plucked up the courage to tackle it with my scraper, along with Middle J's help.  Who knew this old, cold, horsehair plaster wall had once been painted red?

 

 For the first time ever I'm attempting to grow some Paper whites inside - seems to be going very well so far.

 Yes, your eyes don't deceive you this is ANOTHER sewing machine.  I finally decided to tinker with an old (1910 to be precise)Franklin treadle machine the Mister picked up over the summer.  I've mastered the problem with the needle - it was too short - but now I have to master the actually treadling bit! Who knew it was so jolly hard?

It's hard to believe this old machine is older than our house!

Well I've tackled alot today and I'm feeling quite good about it.  I have however just been informed that I haven't tackled the dinner yet, so I best get cracking and feed my hungry men-folk.

Hope your New Year is getting off to a great start too.

Toodles...L x ♥