Gnomes are Done!!

Here they are!! Yeah!!
For the last week or so both gnomes have been done except for the faces. I always find faces so hard to do. I had black-headed pins poked into the heads to show where I wanted to put the eyes, but I hesitated. Maybe beads would look good for eyes? I just couldn't decide...but finally I grabbed my needle-felting needles and made little wool eyes for each gnome.

Straying from the pattern I added some decorations to the bottom of the girl gnome's apron and changed the colors of the hair and beard.

The yarn I used was the palette yarn from KnitPicks (fingering weight). The facial yarn color wasn't perfect, a little dark or something but it works OK, I think.

The pumpkins are made by none other than Meg--her own pattern. :-)

Halloween Countdown in Felt

Step right in........

Our Emmy saw the countdown calendar for Halloween in a Pottery Barn catalog and wanted it so badly for this year. Halloween is one of her very favorite holidays. I asked her why she didn't make one of her own and with the artful spirit I love about my girls she set to. She even parted with some of her allowance to purchase orange felt. She designed the house, pockets, windows, etc. and I helped with some last minute sewing, ghost & number-making, along with rod-pocket and stick-cutting.

Each numbered pocket can hold candy but I am going to put a little note in each with directions for Em to seek out the treat and possibly a trick or two. :-)

Em even planned out the window opening for the last Halloween night to reveal the hidden 13th night pocket. We added the ghost last night.

Happy Halloween nights!!!!

Amish Hills

We took a trip this weekend to see more fall colors. This is Holmes County, Ohio where many Amish families have lived for a long time. Their well-kept farms are beautiful with the autumn colors in the background. We saw lots of groups of Amish walking on the roadside, on bicycles and in horse-drawn buggies. I kept myself to descreet peeking, though I longed to stare, especially at the children. Taking pictures was more fun than usual because there aren't as many telephone poles. Telephone poles and wires have become a real visual menace--hate 'em. (tho I like my electric lights--thank you very much) :-)

Sugar Maples and Fall

We took a short drive in our county this weekend and marveled at the beautiful trees and loving the shape and color of the clouds that day. The clouds made the sun sharpen onto some of the hills and intensify the color.

And here is a wee chipmunk making himself happy in our bird feeder.

Not a Sculptress

We all went to a community art night and made bowls for a charity event. I fear mine will not be among the desired bowls when auctioned. I just flat out stink at sculpting! The above is supposed to be a fish---I hope whomever glazes/paints it makes it look better. It was fun though and wish I could have tried throwing a pot on a wheel--it was uber crowded in that room. I guess everyone wanted to send the clay whirling in circles. :-)

Felt Skulls

Looking around the net, I stumbled upon the coolest of ideas from Robin Romain at Rawbone Studio. I saw a string of orange and black skulls she had done on the blog Feeling Stitchy and wanted to make one of my own in all different bright colors. Robin sells her many strings of skulls on her Etsy site. Very Cool!
Mine were made from a skull I sketched out and then cut from pieces of felt. The embroidery was fun, fun, fun. Each face is a little different and if the sun was out I could get a close-up photo, rats....I'll try to add one to this post when the sun comes back. :-)

The sun came out but sadly the close-ups aren't that great. Oh, well.......... :-)

The sun is not shining......

The sun is not shining (but for a moment this morning when I took a picture of my new favorite spot), and the rain will start raining so I think I'll stay inside on this cold, grayish, damp day. Where are Thing One and Thing Two or a Cat in a Hat???

Doll Quilt

Autumny doll quilt top done......now to the binding and backing. These are the parts that I dread the most. Loving the nesting dolls still! :-)

Jellyroll Love

Moda's Hello Betty collection. I love the dots and can hardly wait to use the fabric. I have never gotten a jellyroll of fabric strips before and am not sure how to use them. I think I will look around the blogs for all the great idea's.

Small Harvest

A little garden vege from good neighbors of my parents. Mr. & Mrs. M have lived and farmed in the valley their entire lives. I remember, in my teens, walking along the dirt road to their house on sultry summer afternoons and watching General Hospital with Mrs. M. We were limited to one TV show a week at our house and this way we got to see some extra TV and it really felt like we were getting away with something. :-) I didn't continue to watch the soaps when I moved away but I still smile thinking of "Luke & Laura" of General Hospital fame.
Back to the vege--homegrown tomatoes--Yum!! I made a tomato, cucumber, onion salad adding just a little Italian dressing.

Newest Bloom

The little gnome hat is done for the girl gnome. I am all done knitting the parts and am stitching it together.

Mushroom close-ups

I know--how obnoxious is this--more photos of mushrooms. It is gorgeous tho--all the ribs and bumps. It is gone now--mowed over today--unfortunately.

Wet Days

A little rain on the grass and look what pops up. A blushing mushroom with a skirt around its stem. :-)
I had a great day yesterday--lunch with Meg and Mom and an outing to a local quilt shop. Umm-yum a jellyroll caught my eye. :-)

Deer Herd and Chestnuts

We have been watching this deer herd for the past several days now, coming thru our yard to munch on all the acorns. Em especially likes it--her room looks right over this part of the yard.

There are also two Chestnut trees in the front, but we have tried to stay ahead of the deer in collecting the nuts as they fall from the tree. Evidently there used to be a huge number of these trees before the early 1900's when the Chestnut blight killed them all. Now remnant American Chestnuts have been cross-breed with an Asian Chestnut which are resistant to blight and wah-lah Chestnuts in America again.

We've roasted a small amount and they taste like potatoes--without salt. I will be looking for recipes to use these in. We have given many of them away but still, we collect more. Does anyone know how to store these best? Unroasted, roasted and in fridge or freezer?

Country Living Fair 2009

Pumpkins and Gourds all over the place at the Country Living Fair this weekend in Columbus, Ohio. How lucky I feel to have had this in my own "backyard". It was fun and inspiring, tiring and expensive. Meg and I got there just as it opened and it was mobbed--long wait at the ticket/entrance booths--Meg was smart and brought her knitting which she pulled out while we waited in line. :-)

Here is a farm wagon full of fabric pumpkins--very cool idea.

Artist Debbie Thibault gives a speech--about her inspirations and artwork. She seemed very nice. The room--an old schoolhouse building--was jammed with people--not even standing room left. Meg and I got there early and we got seats in the second row.

Isn't this an unusual colored background field for Dresden Plate? I really liked its boldness. I didn't take very many pictures during the day, first of all I wanted to take pictures of the products being sold and it wasn't encouraged for obvious reasons. But, I fairly haunted the Earth Angels tent. I really like the work of Jody Battaglia and she was very friendly. I was still too shy tho to ask her about taking her picture at her table. She had decorated her table with old children's toys, a dollhouse and all of her little figures. Really neat!

Autumn has begun

The dogwood leaves are changing and I am loving the cooler weather. The house was cold for most of the morning but I couldn't bring myself to shut the windows. So I snuggled up with our dog giz under a blanket and finished the latest Dan Brown novel "The Lost Symbol". I don't read as fast as I used to, it took me forever it seems like to finish it. After I finished it I took a walk in the little bit of woods behind the house. It was sunny and peaceful, the breeze blowing thru the trees and a few birds darting about. I brought a folding chair down with me to the back of the property and sat listening to the horses and cows in the pastures on the other side of the fence.

I love this season and have been all enthused with ideas for stew and muffins. I am making a little progress on the Alan Dart Gnomes, although Dan Brown's book got all my attention the last couple of days. :-)

Ooooo, gingerbread house and gnomes

I've been waiting for this knitting pattern and now I've finally got my greedy little hands on it. :-) Published in the August issue of Simply Knitting (just now available in US--bookstores/fabricstores)

I've started the girl gnome this morning--because I had green already and I ordered from knitpicks some brown (and other colors) to do the house, etc.. I am working it all in a fingering weight and smaller needles. I think it will be OK--should be--just smaller in size. I am tempted to change some of the decorations on the house too. Eiy-yi-yi you know I love the house. The guy gnome is adorable, too with his little belt and both with those hats.

Gotta get busy.........

Floating Fun

Paddling quietly through my weekend. These babies are super quiet in the water and we are having so much fun with them.

My husband finally got me to try his kayak about a month ago and I was instantly hooked. I have done canoes and a double kayak before but steering my own boat is a huge thrill. I didn't realize I was such a control freak! :-) I get a real kick out of paddling to my own drummer.

I didn't take a picture of it but I have got a large square plastic-coated make-up bag on board near my knees so I can have quick access to camara and snacks and still keep things reasonably dry. It does looks like I have a make-up kit on board tho, which is funny 'cause I never worry a lot about make-up. Just a little eye-liner and go. Oh, and the bag, it's polka-dotted. :-)

How's your weekend? Enjoy!

Snowball Fringe

It's a little early for snow :-) but I adore this balled fringe. The yellow polka-dotted fabric is so sunny and cheerful in our bathroom. I have wanted to use this fringe for so long now but the houses we have lived in didn't seem to want this cottage look. Finally, I can indulge.

Gardens

side garden.........

secret garden.........

front garden.........I love them all. We have seen so much garden loveliness this summer, it is so inspiring.

.......and the crepe myrtle in Charlestown. So pink and beautiful. :-)

Resting Comfortably

Finally--good news to report. My Dad is doing much better and is to be released from the hospital soon. I am exhausted from worry and trips to the hospital, but overjoyed that things are going so well right now.

Our funny little dog, Giz, found it very comfortable in this basket, above, that the girls fitted out for him. He climbed in and out of the basket himself and even loved being carried around in it.

By the way--Mickie--thank you so much for keeping up with my blog and all your very warm thoughts--it is hugely appreciated. :-)

Tranquility

I am working on tranquility and calm in the midst of all the hospital flurry and tension. Dad having some trouble recovering right now......