Journals, Crocheting and Valentine's Day

I had a wonderful weekend (my weekend of Monday and Tuesday). It snowed both days. I love getting to stay inside when it storms.

Monday morning I straightened up my studio and spent some time sorting through my bookcase. In the process I found six . . . count them six journals. I have a "thing" for journals. I love them. I collect them. I have plans to make a few more. I never seem to fill one before I start another one. These are my creative journals (I have another collection of personal journals). The tulip one in the top left is used for quilt and sewing project planning. The one in the top middle holds graph paper and is used for charting blocks. The one in the top right is the newest one of the bunch and holds notes on crocheting projects. The bottom three are still empty. Maybe someday they will be filled. Do you collect journals? How do you keep your creative notes?
I received the last of my Christmas book purchases yesterday. I skimmed it last night. The process looks a little challenging, but fun. I can't wait to spend a few afternoons playing with the patterns.
I'm still crocheting my Paradores Scarf. I have all three panels done, now I need to block them before putting them together.

In the meantime, I saw Leanne's Be My Valentine cross stitch pattern and decided I should stitch it. I'm using Finca and Cosmo floss and having fun working the pattern.
Mr. E is now crawling . . . the world will never be the same. Mommy is already learning babies find everything she missed when cleaning the floors!

What are you up today?

Sweet P

Yarn and Giggles

Well, Miss P's dive into floss was quickly changed when I received my Naturally Caron newsletter on Monday afternoon. The highlight of the newsletter was this gorgeous Paradores Infinity Scarf. I have a stash of Spa Yarn and couldn't resist starting this scarf.
I finished the first panel this morning. I'm using blue, sunshine and coral. The blue is the top panel, sunshine in the middle and coral on the bottom. I'm hoping to finish it before I fly to San Diego the end of this month. The panels work up quickly so I should be able to meet that goal.

Mr. E and DIL spent the day here yesterday.
Mr. E pulled himself to a standing position for me. How cool is that?

Even better . . . last night he decided to have a big giggle fest at bath time. DIL was quick enough to grab the flip video and get some of those giggles. I can't resist sharing them!

My weekend is over and I'm back to work later today. I can't wait for next Sunday when my weekend starts again.

Happy Stitching!
Sweet P

From Yarn to Floss

Miss P allowed me to finish a pair of booties to match the afghan I completed last week. Now to get the package out in the mail.

Then I started playing with a skein of Cascade 220 Paints yarn I bought recently. I've tried two patterns and neither of them is working out. In both of them the colors get muddied together. Does anyone have any suggestions for a crochet pattern for variegated yarns?
This morning Miss P decided it was time to put the yarn away and play with floss instead. I straightened up my stitching corner and pulled out the last stitchery block from Gail Pan's A Christmas Wish BOM. I've had the block prepped and sitting in the hoop since she published it a few months ago. I have a plan for the blocks now I need to execute it.
Who knows what I'll work on tomorrow? Mr. E will be here and I heard that tonight he stood without holding onto anything. I wonder if he'll do it for me . . .

Happy Stitching!
Sweet P

Discipline and Miss P

I like to ponder words and their meanings. I guess all those hours of philosophy classes and exercises discussing words paid off. Paula at The Quilter wrote about her quilting discipline yesterday after reading a post at Living Life at Lee Haven. The posts got me thinking about discipline and where it fits in my creative life.

Websters.com has a whole page of definitions for discipline. A few of the meanings are negative:

• punishment inflicted by way of correction and training.
• an instrument of punishment, esp. a whip or scourge, used in the practice of self-mortification or as an instrument of chastisement in certain religious communities.
• to punish or penalize in order to train and control; correct; chastise.

I don't think punishment is what many of us have in mind when quilting.

My favorite definition is this one: an activity, exercise, or a regimen that develops or improves a skill; training.

I quilt or sew or crochet or stitch because my creative inner self (I call her Miss P) expects me to have the discipline to be creative every day; to push my skills a little further than the day before. Miss P can get rather indignant if I don't make the time to create something every day. Not every project has to be big and grand. Sometimes Miss P is satisfied with a well-cooked meal. Sometimes Miss P is satisfied with a small sewing project. Sometimes she gets pushy and demands a large project with a short time line to completion. Miss P doesn't mind UFO's, WIPs or WHIMMs. She doesn't mind a pile of fabric, a tumble of yarn skeins or a neatly wound box of embroidery floss. One morning she will tell me it's time to cut the fabric or crochet with the yarn or stitch with the gorgeous floss. All I can do is have the discipline to listen to her.

I satisfied Miss P with this finished crochet afghan yesterday.

I also satisfied her by taking my pantry from this . . .

To this . . .

Now Miss P is telling me it's time to end this post and get back to creating the matching booties for the afghan so I can send it off to the little lady it belongs to.

Have a great week!

Sweet P

Welcome 2010, SSCS Gifts and 2009 Recap

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. I truly did. DH and I had lots of Mr. E time, took a mini vacation to celebrate 11 years of being a couple and 3,100 days of being married and are easing back into the daily routine. Here are a few of of my highlights from the holidays.

Granny Loz was my SSCS partner. She sent me this gorgeous table runner.
It will be going on my studio table later today.

She also included a wonderful covered journal (I'm already using it for tracking yarn projects), a cute bottle tote and a small mat folded up like an envelope. Thank you, Granny Loz!

The Tuesday before Christmas my DIL and I took Mr. E for his first professional photo session at Picture People. Here are scans of two of the photos we purchased from them. I call this one his "Resume Photo" - anyone want to hire a precocious 9-month-old?

This close-up of him is to-die-for. Mommy chose this one to be done as a 10 x 13 inch photo with a black mat and frame. The photo is simply stunning.

We were lucky that mommy, daddy and Mr. E spent Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with us. On Christmas morning we had breakfast before opening any gifts. I call this photo "Got Presents?"

"Oh . . . there's presents in here!"

Our mini vacation took us to southern CT for some relaxing and casino time.
Here I am in the whirlpool tub with lots and lots of bubbles.

2009 Recap
In 2007 I started tracking how much time I spend creating and how much money I spend on creative tools (fabric, yarn, thread, etc). Yesterday I completed my 2009 spreadsheet and here are is a recap:

2009 Total Hours: 473.75 hours, an avg. of 39.48 hours a month or an avg. of 1.3 hours a day. My most productive month was October with 50.25 hours, least productive was January with 26.5 hours. My busiest day of the month was the 24th with a little over 2 hours a day spent creating. My slowest day of the month is the 9th with less than 30 minutes a day spent creating.

2009 Money Spent: $1,906.59, an avg. of $158.88 a month. That's not bad considering I work at a fabric and craft store. Of course, if I didn't have an employee discount the value would be higher.

2010 Ahead
I don't make resolutions. I go with the flow. However, today and tomorrow are holiday clean-up days and reorganizing. I'll be back tomorrow with an update on that process.

Sweet P

Taking Care of Mr. E.

Mr. E had a bad tummy bug the last week and I took care of him for three days so he wouldn't get anyone else sick. I didn't get any Christmas sewing done, but my camera got a work out instead. Here are a few random photos of our time together.

He has to keep his cell phone handy,
after all mommy or daddy might call.

I introduced him to a wooden spool and a bowl.
He figured out how to beat the spoon on the bowl,
but he also thought the bowl was a great hat.

He's beginning to enjoy tummy time
and discovered the bottom of his exersaucer.

He now likes to feed himself . . .
usually the bottle is in the right position.

He is better now and is enjoying early Christmas presents: his top two front teeth! He has four teeth now and loves them. Yesterday he surprised me by giving me a kiss! How cool is that? Who needs anything for Christmas when you have adorable grandchildren?

Sweet P

A Scarf for Hotel Man and Photos With Mr. E

I finished the scarf for Hotel Man. He was gracious enough to let me take a photo of him in it.

Mr. E came over and spent Sunday afternoon with us. He came appropriately dressed for the game and for the holidays. I love the smile on his face.

Hotel Man, AKA Grampa Boo, adores Mr. E and I'm sure the feeling is mutual. Here they are having an intimate conversation. I think they are talking about how ugly the Patriots played on Sunday.

Mr. E loves to look at himself in any mirror,
even if the mirror is as dirty as this one.

I am almost finished with my Christmas gifts. I have a child's apron and a Christmas stocking left and then I'm done.

Tomorrow we are getting another snow storm. Hooray! I love snow, but I have to go to work instead of staying home and sewing. Oh well, I'll get a snow day sometime this winter.

Sweet P

SSCS Package and First Snowfall

My SSCS package arrived from Granny Loz a few days ago. She included this wonderful stocking that was holding a Christmas soldier who is hiding a seam ripper and a Christmas stocking stitchery pattern.

Four children's book for Mr. E,

A mug holder for Hotel Man,

And a present to open on Christmas. Oooo . . . I can't wait to open it up.

In other news, we had our first real snowfall of the year. Here are a few of the views we woke up to this morning.
Looking out the patio doors

Looking out the living room window

A close-up view of the mill smoke stack

Our car

I love, love, love snow. I was so giddy yesterday I think I drove one my co-managers crazy. I couldn't stop smiling, singing Christmas songs and giggling. Now I am really in the Christmas mood!

Sweet P

What's Happening Around Coffee Time

It's been a quiet holiday weekend at Coffee Time. My mail box is still looking for my Stitching Angel package and my Secret Santa package. However, I did win a drawing on Threadbare Creations and received these two adorable Christmas stitcheries. Thanks, Rose!

I finished the scarves from Joy's Scarf Along. I kept one for myself and the rest are gifts. I love them! I wore mine shopping the other day and received a few compliments and smiles on it.

I finally wound my Cosmo floss and put it in a box. I'm still looking for the right pattern to be able to use them, but for now they are fun to look at!

I've been working on my Gypsy Scarf from Learn a Stitch, Create a Scarf. I'm onto the second of three parts of it. I love it so far! The flower stitch in cream is a new one for me. It took me a few tries to figure it out, but I think I like it.
Today I plan to work on a few Christmas cards and goodie packages. I decided to send Christmas cards and stickers to our younger nieces and nephews. I figure they will enjoy getting their own Christmas mail.

What are you doing to get ready for Christmas?

Sweet P

Happy Thanksgiving!

I wish everyone a
Happy Thanksgiving
today!

I finished my one cooking chore last night - Pumpkin Tiramisu. Today we are going to my in-laws for a late afternoon dinner.

Thank you to everyone who stops by to read my blog. I hope you have a wonderful day today and a great weekend!

Sweet P

What I Want For Christmas

I was cruising around the Janome web site the other day and say this little beauty:

It's a Janome Gold Plus Trim and Stitch. What makes it so special? Besides being a portable machine it also has a Light Serging System. I think for my sewing purposes this would be a great new machine. I do minimal garment and home dec sewing, but may do more if I had a serger and I'm not thrilled with having to own to separate machine.

Has anyone test drove this machine or own one? Any comments? How about the price? I can't find a published price anywhere. I do plan on calling my local Janome dealer, but would like any input anyone has.

Thanks!

Sweet P

Scarf Along and Christmas Tree

Today was a sewing day for me and I got several projects worked on for Christmas. I worked on Joy's Scarf Along and finished one scarf. I'm happy with this one and can't wait to finish the other seven.

Here's a close-up of the fun trim I found for them. I love it!

I had enough scraps leftover from the Scarf Along fabrics to make this Christmas tree with the pattern from Pleasant Home. I'm going to give this to Mr. E for his bedroom door. It will match the Quilted Nap Sack I'm going to make for him from the same fabrics.
In case you're counting, that's three projects from these Christmas fabrics. And, I still have enough scraps leftover for at least one more project. Not bad for 13 half-yard pieces of fabric, huh?

Are you getting ready for Christmas?

Sweet P

Quick Christmas Swap and Sneak Peek

I participated in Jenny's Quick Christmas Fabric, Buttons and Trim swap. My envelope of goodies arrived yesterday from Darcey in British Colombia. This was Darcey's first swap and she did a great job on gathering the goodies. She included blue Christmas fabric (my new fave color this season), red, white and green ribbon, snowman and snowflake buttons, a scissor fob (that is now attached to my yarn snips) and a key chain for the 2010 Olympics in Whistler, BC. Thanks for a great package Darcey. I hope you start a blog soon.

I'm finishing up my SSCS giftie. Here's a sneak peek at one of goodies I'll be sending to my surprise partner. I love these fabrics and what I'm making. I'll be making one of them for me too.

Mr. E stayed over last night. He's getting over a nasty double ear infection and mommy and daddy needed a good night's sleep. As usual, he slept well for me and mommy and daddy slept well at home. This morning mommy and I got our hair cut and then we went to Applebee's for lunch. Mr. E enjoyed applesauce and crackers. They've gone home now and I'm relaxing with a cup of tea and a few magazines before I stitch some more.

What are you up to today?

Sweet P

Joy's Scarf Along - I Couldn't Resist

I've decided to join Joy's Scarf Along. This summer I bought 13 half yards cuts of Peppermint Cottage by Diana Knott. I have a pattern picked out for some of the fabric, but there was enough of the fabric to cut the pieces out for the Scarf Along. Why not create Christmas-themed scarves for Christmas presents? I think it's a wonderful idea.

Here are close-ups of the fabrics

I can't wait to start sewing the scarves. This will be a lot of fun.

Anyone else joining along?

Sweet P