keep going

 Finally framed and hung the "Just Keep Going" poster which was a gift from the "Jess LC-Business with intention workshop that I attended in Brooklyn a few months ago.

Jess will be closing her shop to keep sharing her business with intention workshops and one-on-one consulting.

 Between shopping for new yarn and sending our twins back to college, a middle schooler back into the routine of school and after school activities, it seems we all have good things to just keep going.  Knitting too.  Yarn keeps us going.  I am hosting knitting today, just coffee or tea and a few nibbles.
Time to gather, take a moment to knit and to share stories to just keep us all going.

 Beautiful neutrals for anytime of year paired with white, denim, gray or black.

Beautiful stitches to inspire us to just keep going.

Do you have something special to just keep going, to just keep looking forward to?

cozy up

All I want to do is hide.  Deadlines do that to me.  If only I had this cozy thing.
What cozies up your home?
Do you have an item you grab to fend off winter's chill?
 How I would love to cozy up in this.  Looks like cashmere.  I wonder if it comes in winter white.

So much chicer than that of that fleece snuggly.

 Lately, I just want gobs of creamy wintry white.

 Wintry white snoods around my neck.

 Gentle cozy reminders of snowflakes or white doilies on the plate.  Love this rug.

What cozies up your home to give an air of "all is calm all is bright" - I host knitting today in between dashing to fed ex and finishing up a few more items and on my list.  Soon, all will be cozy and bright!

knit nuptials

The forthcoming royal nuptials are certainly inspiring many crafty items to commemorate the wedding. How about this adorable knitted couple for topping the cake. It certainly takes the cake. Will you be buying any sort of kitschy memorabilia or knitting a royal couple to honor this historic event? How fun that I happened to find this on my knitting day! What's knot to love? Love to see what souvenir "Aspiring Kennedy" falls in love with?

knit and chat group

pve design hand knit baby "acorn" hat - available in my etsy shop

Many of you know that as an artist, we normally have more than one trick up our sleeves. Creativity is an essential element for everyone so please don't think that creativity is only for artists, writers, musicians.

Today is knitting day, several years ago, a dear friend and I were chatting about how much fun it would be to take some time to meet and to knit. I would put on a pot of tea or coffee and we would meet. Our group grew and then we each decided that it would work best as a sort of "lunch" hour so the person who hosts serves lunch. We rotate homes, no schedule, just a time to gather, bring our sticks and strings and knit.

As my pve business has grown, I began taking artwork feeling like I could not waste a moment to knit, but I realized that was like bringing your work to a golf outing. So today, the first meeting of the New Year, I resolve to knit, to give myself permission to knit, to feel the yarn, and appreciate each knit and purl whilst we keep one another in stitches. I would encourage each of you to set aside some time to meet with a friend, sew, knit, or select a craft that ties you together. In this world of fast paced techno-tronic over drive, it sure is nice to meet face to face, knit, nosh and chat. The laughter, learning, the creativity, the support and the link to friends is so crucial on a regualar basis. The continuing act of creativity keeps us young.

Tell me, do you have a "creative" group that meets weekly? It will add years to your life.

(By the way no.7 is the winner of the "French" pattern giveaway and it goes to Joyce at Perfect

Beginning - Woo hoo, congrats to you!)

close knit

"knitting a story" from french blogger here

my knitting -2 x 2, knit stitch - yarn from flying fingers, Tarrytown, NY

Each week, for about an hour or two, a gaggle of local geese flock together to knit stories and to network.  Idle chatter reigns while we each work on our own various projects with sticks and string or needle and thread.   

My dear one, sporting her hat at morning drop-off.  Oops, somebody missed the bus!

Coffee or tea is poured while we ruminate the nature or our daily existence.  Nibbles and nosh are spread out for random bites while we work.  Each of us have families, challenges, dropped stitches, knitting and sewing it all together by meeting and networking.   Simple to complex projects are made ranging from socks, scarves, sweaters, hats and stitchery, but the real reason we meet is not purely for the needle, but more for the yarns, the stories, and sharing life.  We feel connected, our little close knit circle.

Proud and warm, my little "hot-head"

Each of us are unique, all coming from varied backgrounds yet sharing a common thread as women, daughters, mothers, and creators.  We have nothing to prove as we each humbly open our hearts and our homes to taking our hats off to one another.  Do you feel inspired to form your own humble network?

a tisket-a- tasket!

My hand knitted hats!  Circular knitting, aka "Idiots Delight!"

Every summer, I remind myself that the days are longer and with more light - it is always a good time to create.   I love to knit and to make tons of crafty items to sell as well as to gift. Keeping a basket of goodies for newborns, for teachers, and for family and friends is always good.  Filling it up is like stocking my very own little boutique.  I take great joy in completing small projects. As a Mom and an artist, nothing is more rewarding than finishing a project, like something hand-made.  I always look at things and tell myself, "I can make that!"  I love hand-made things.

Children love to create, so lead by example.  (Above Photo from House & Garden -Nov.2005) Baskets provide great storage for my hand-made items and are easy to transport goodies to and from things like our annual school Holiday Boutique.   A tisket-a-tasket, love to know what you are making to put inside your basket, please feel free to share, even if it is not complete.  Perhaps this will inspire you to fill your very own basket of serendipity this summer!  After all - the Holidays will be here in a few months!

Just a few ideas for each of you;

Knitted Hats & Scarves

Note-Cards

Home-made Jelly

Board Books - Scrap books

Hostess Gifts

Needlepoint Ornaments

Ribbon covered address books

Hand-painted flower pots

Hand-painted trays

Hand-painted boxes

Totes

Have fun!