A Charlie Brown Christmas!

A Charlie Brown tree this year. We needed a table top size due to Breezy just starting to walk! The tree topper is a Koala bear puppet we have used for years! Can't see the lights very well. It looks great, really!! Nothing like the smell of an evergreen. I was able to get some branches for the mantle too. My sister has given my kids an ornament every year from places she's traveled. 3 kids are on their own now so ornaments this year are those of the last 2 at home and a few of my own. I need to start collecting a few more or my tree will be bare when they move out!

Please be careful driving though neighborhoods!

My little Bella was hit. Fortunately she will be fine but I am so angered by the people that speed down our street and don't even live on the street. They are cutting through to someplace else.
I think I'll buy these and post them. Probably won't help though.

I see it's been a while since I've posted. Wonder if anyone missed me!  Just so you know I've been real busy with this little lady, my granddaughter, my little Breezy! No, that's not her real name.

She's almost 11 months old and beautiful!

Before.....

I got this Vintage Stylaire Step Stool on the side of the road a while back. It's been sitting on my back porch. I started stripping the paint when I first got it then never got back to it. So, here I go again. The seat, back and some trim was painted red. I've removed some of that and it's yellow. I am sure yellow is the original color so I plan to repaint it yellow. Some no brain person painted the chrome and the top of the two steps gray. It comes off the chrome well with a razor and steel wool. And it's in great shape.
Here also is a picture found online of what it probably looked like originally. Someone on Etsy is selling this for $85. I'll keep mine!

Refinishing

I've refinished lots of furniture in the past but it's been a while. Now that my daughter has her own place I am making a guest room. I needed a dresser and prefer antiques since they are likely solid wood. Found this on our local Craig's List and snagged it for $30. I think it's maple. It needed light sanding and staining. It's missing the mirror but we have one that will be fine sitting on the top.

KNITTING update.....

I should at least prove I'm still knitting. Here are some works in progress. A cardigan called, 'Bel Air' by Anne Hanson, another cardigan 'White Pines' by Amy Christoffers, socks from the book, Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush, Na Craga an Alice Starmore pattern in her Hebridean 3 ply and the back of the Kaino vest in Berroco Ultra Alpaca. Too many I know! But believe it or not for avid knitters it's not so much.

More Sewing?

I don't like to sew but it seems I need a few things so I'm at it again. My backdoor needed a new valance. My kitchen is red and green and this was the perfect fabric. Let's see who in the family will even notice!

A Little Sewing

I needed curtains for a small room that happens to be the home of my desk, rocker, spinning wheel and my knitting. It's my place. I found fabric that I really love and bought all they had which was all you seen in the photos. Just enough for valances. Sewing is not my favorite thing to do although I used to quilt and sew a lot. I think you can assume knitting is my favorite.

PYREX saved the day!

YES! Another Pyrex find today after an exhausting morning of yard sales and thrifting. Found this little pretty at the very last place.
I was searching with my daughter today as she is getting ready to move into her first apartment!
If you need a Pyrex fix yourself check this site: Pyrex Vintage Patterns

My Pyrex Love!

This is my little collection. I use all my vintage Pyrex too.
Then today I found these little beauties at a yard sale for a grand total of 75 cents each!

Na Craga Progress...........

It's a nice change knitting with worsted weight yarn. This will go much faster. It's an easy pattern to remember.

Our newest family member....

Bella!

Another Starmore .... Na Craga

Just started this sweater. Another Alice Starmore
Virtual Yarns pattern. I am using her yarn as well, Hebridean 3ply. It's a navy blue called, "Storm Petrol'. Almost finished with the ribbing. I love all the cables and I miss knitting on my Inishmore I did last year so I thought I'd start another.

I am also working on a Kaino vest (Ravelry Link) in black using Berroco Ultra Alpaca for my sister and an Ann Hanson sweater called, Bel Air using Wollmeise for me.

Rosemary Bread

Mondays are spaghetti night at our house. We typically have scout meetings so it's just easy to have a set plan. Tonight I made a quick rosemary bread and it was wonderful.
2 1/2 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon yeast
1 teaspoon sea salt
1-2 tablespoons sugar
chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon garlic powder
a little less than 1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup warm tap water
Mix, knead, shape, rise 45 min to 1 hour, slice across the top, brush with egg white and bake at @425 - 15 minutes turn oven down to 400 and bake 10 more minutes.

Honeybee Stole

I finally finished something I have been knitting on for a while. That's only because of other knitting. I wish I could be a one project knitter but that wouldn't be fun. This pattern is by Anne Hanson at Knitspot called the Honeybee Stole. She is an amazing knitter and designer. The yarn is Knitpicks Merino/Silk Bare in fingering weight.

Baking Scones while Baby Sleeps!

My favorite blog is Gumbo Lily. Love her pictures, the place she lives, her handwork and her cooking!! I grabbed her scone recipe yesterday and made them this morning. These are Stone Gable Scones made with sour cream and I added cranberries to some of them. These are a softer scone than I prefer but still good! Here locally there is no better scone than the cranberry/orange scone from Mill Mountain coffee and Tea and it must be from the downtown shop!

A Pair

Just so you know there's a pair! Wollmeise has got to be the most fabulous yarn! Knit on a '0' it's a wonderful thick fabric. Next in this yarn a 'Pesto' green cardigan. Still trying to decide on a pattern.

Finished Sock

The pattern is from Nancy Bush's book, Knitting Vintage Socks called Gentleman's Fancy Socks. Yarn is Wollmeise Twin in Clementine. Knit on a '0'.

Kaybree is home and healthy!

I should offer an update on my grandbaby Kaybree. I apologize for not doing that before now. She is doing great now. She did stay in the NICU for close to a week. Now she is a healthy, happy baby. I saw her today and of course she is beautiful!
Mom and Dad both have time off together with their daughter. That's been wonderful.