...waiting...waiting...waiting...

All is ready and waiting.

Anytime now, baby, would be just great!

Can't wait to let everyone know the name that will be stitched in this space.
So eager to meet this little one and to hang the birth announcement with the others in the baby room.

"Ah! There's nothing like staying home for real comfort. " ~ Jane Austen

****

I've now knit 5 hats so far and have another one on the needles... a variegated blue one this time for another one of my boys. Thanks to a dear friend of mine who gave me a bunch of her small balls of yarn to experiment with and who taught me to knit in the first place!

A new hobby.

I curl up on couch, throw the blanket over my legs, stretch my toes toward warmth of glowing fire, and I knit.

This has provided so many relaxing moments for me this week and I hope for many more as I experiment with this new hobby of mine.

It took me just 2 days to finish this little hat that I made for my 4 year old Allan. I love it on him.

How do I manage to find the time? I knit mostly when the boys are doing their book work during their homeschooling in the mornings. They need someone to sit with them to keep them from losing focus and fooling around too much but they don't necessarily need me to watch them constantly so, as I'm giving out spelling words to Jayden, or listening to either of them read aloud, I knit. And I knit in the evening after the boys are in bed and it's just Husband and I in the quiet. Him usually reading or us just talking. I just love the calm, home feelings it gives.

I am so excited to make more. Next on the list is a hat for a dear friend of mine who, when she saw this one, asked for one too.

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Oh! And I just wanted to mention what I found on the 'net the other day as I was perusing photography blogs. Check this out... I absolutely adore this sweet cream colored newborn hat with the flowers! (just scroll down a bit on her blog and you'll see it.) So precious!!! I wonder. Is it crocheted or knitted? I think it must be crocheted. Which is fine... I really wanna make this so I'll learn that next.

Perfect for Spring.

Remember this post where I gave you a sneak peak at this quilt I was working on?
...Well, I'm done! And here it is...

It looks so pretty hanging over the banister in our living-room.

The perfect display for spring!

Seeking...

Writing out the Word on index cards to be taken with me throughout the day...

...pulled out of envelope to be studied during times of waiting... or on evening walks...

to be glanced at and then repeated in quiet thoughts while stitching up quilt by hand,

or to be propped on window sill to be read while preparing food for empty stomachs...

I fill my heart, hiding His Word deep down, food for my soul when I need it most...

which is so often, each and every day.

One of my favorite passages about memorizing in the Bible is this:

How can a young man keep his way pure?
By living according to your word.
I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.
I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.
[...]
I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.
I delight in your decrees;
I will not neglect your word.

Psalm 119: 9-11 & 15-16.

Isn't this what it's all about anyway...

...that we might not sin against Him?

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And then I made these...

Tiny envelopes made to tuck a single tea bag within...
... and possibly a scripture verse to encourage the recipient?

A great way to use up little scraps of fancy paper,
don't you think?

With Love...

Just a small gift I made today...

...a box made with scrapbook paper...

...and 5 tea bags wrapped individually for placing inside.

The Talent of Giving...

"Giving presents is a talent; to know what a person wants,
to know when and how to get it, to give it lovingly and well."
~Pamela Glenconner

Yesterday and this evening I received two wonderful gifts from two beautiful friends.

I so love to receive pretty packaged gifts from people who have put a lot of thought into what I like and would want.

They hit it bang on with these gifts: A package of Raspberry Hot Chocolate, Beautiful Christmas Tree Ornaments, and a Vanilla Scented Candle in the shape of a coffee mug!

Perfect!

Creating Christmas Cards

The life of the creative man is lead, directed
and controlled by boredom.
Avoiding boredom is one of our most
important purposes.

~Saul Steinberg

I created this Christmas Card while avoiding boredom on a quiet Saturday afternoon.

The only problem is that it took up to half an hour to design and create. Do I really want to spend so much time on each card?

Hmmm... maybe I'll try to come up with something a bit simpler...

Just a few cards I've made in the past
that I wanted to get pictures of
before giving them out.


Now it's time to start the Christmas cards.
For some reason, I just can't bare to give store bought
when I know how to make them myself.

...Even if it is extremely time consuming.
Are you the same way?

I'm getting there!

This is a huge project I started way back in

Autumn of 2006.

Slowly but surely I'm getting it done.

I'm just giving you a sneak peak...

to motivate me to get it done so that I can show you the whole thing.

My goal was to have it finished by the end of the year.

Hmmm...

I'm definitely running out of time.

fun hobbies and a scary mask

I spent a good part of my time going through my pictures on my computer yesterday. Figuring out which ones to print and getting them on a CD so I can bring them in.

I am feeling the urge to start scrapbooking again... slowly making my way from outdoors to in. But not quite because there are beautiful sunny days out there yet. I am excited to get my pic's all in order and into scrap books, though.

And yesterday evening I actually took out my cross stitching to work on! Something I haven't done all summer. I am working on a large quilt and hopefully will post pictures of it soon... I am almost done.

I may even post pictures of my scrapbooking when I get some pages completed.

Well, that's it for now. I guess I should get back to my kiddo's and my kitchen.

I plan to bake some "Pumpkin" goodies today and have a picnic in the park ... a good day for soaking up the sunshine.

Have a blessed day!

The boys are into crafts,too, lately... lots of snippets of paper, tape, scissors and pencils crayons are strewn about the house.

Good times... ;)