Sweet Valentines

You know the routine....  Seasons change, holidays change, and the window changes.  I'm on the lookout for some new colors to put in the window this spring, but for yesterday it was all about...



Little hearts and fibers....

And guess what else?  Cupcake liners!  Of course!  Have you noticed the growing popularity of the cupcake liner?  What a fun idea!  I've noticed in the stores how very decorative these little paper liners have become, but it still didn't occur to me to use them for something other than a cupcake.  I have to admit, my thinking tends to stop at the thought of food.

When we were in the library last week, Young Man asked to look at the movie section....  So while I was patiently waiting for him and trying to keep Sweet P. off the tables I happened to notice a craft mag, (sorry I can't remember which one...I'll check back in at the library to see), but it showcased a few uses for these sweet, colorful, little papers.  One was this garland idea.  Across my big window, this garland seems a bit sparse, but it certainly fit the bill for a quick Valentine's Day decoration.

See how cute these papers are these days?  I could have bought about 8 kinds that I instantly fell in love with, but I'm not planning on repapering the walls or anything, so just stopped at one.  Another use the mag showed was to use them in papercrafting on cards.  I'm giving that one a go too.  Maybe, just maybe, I'll get a pic up of what I end up with.  Their garland idea showed the papers sewed together, but this way allowed me to play with my ribbon!

I have to say "Thank You..." to MemeRose for the lovely, sweet and absolutely perfect heart pattern!  This is one of my new favs and I enjoyed making these hearts with fat, chunky yarn and a big hook to make various sizes of hearts. 

So we gave in and had some sweets with the littles.  Ok, time to cut back now!  Oh yes, and that little postcard there...  It came from my lovely new penpal from New Hampshire!  Yay, that is exciting, too!  I am really enjoying the lettermo.com challenge and have actually done fairly well at getting my letters written daily. 

It's all for fun and memories.  Young Man loves the special feeling of the day even more than the candy.  Sweet P. just wants "canny", lol.

And this is what really happens in the window.  It's a hot spot and gets lots of visits.  It's contents are rearranged daily and gives me loads of opportunity to fix.  Hope you had a good Valentine's Day.  And I wish you the best, most creative day EVER today!  What are you working on?



xoxo, Chris





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One Year

One year of blogging...  My anniversary is coming up quickly.  I can't believe it's been a year really.   

 Looking back through here I see that I definitely didn't post as often as I would have liked, but I knew time would be a factor since I had a really little person in the house.  And the Hearthroom doesn't show quite as much creativity as I would like to see either, but I feel like I have a ton of creative energy to pour into this space now.  Sweet P. is getting bigger and more independent.. ahem...  Which allows for unplanned bursts of creative energy here at the Hearthroom.    Not to mention the unplanned bursts of energy required to keep up with Sweet P.

I actually started blogging because I was so inspired by a select few others who blogged about their creative projects and creative processes, as well as the tidbits of their days that make their lives their own.  What I discovered was that the very things that soooo inspired me about these others folks were largely the very same things that were present in my days.  So as much as I absolutely keep reading up on the happenings of these fellow, crafty bloggers, I found it necessary to journal my own tidbits in an attempt to be inspired by what I do.  So after my year I look back and see a slow start to this journaling journey, but it's been a very positive thing for me so far.  One of the bonuses has been that I maintain perspective throughout my days and I even catch myself looking for the positive!  Yes, the positive!  I tend to be one of those people who sees and remembers the negative things in my days.  Good golly, like the laundry that's still not done and being tired from being up in the night and just not wanting to worry about what dinner will be, etc...  But this journaling process has changed the way I see things and I definitely look at things a bit differently.  An added bonus is finding wonderful folks to chat with and buy goodies from now and then, like the above package from Homespun Living. 

And when I make a little something I get excited about it as if I actually accomplished something great...  Now I know this is just a little crochet covered bottle, but hey, It's a new love of mine and there will probably be many more of them showcased here in the near future.  I have a beautiful blue bottle I can't wait to start crocheting for!  Problem is there is gin in that blue bottle and that sort of thing just takes time.  But seriously, I have been wanting some of those SUPER cute little bottles to use for wee little flowers, so when I discovered these little bottles with labels on them I decided to recycle them into my Wee Nip, Wee Little Flower Vases.  Adorable!  I think I need them sitting on every window sill in the house, but Sweet P. and glass shall not meet, so they will decorate mantels for now.

See it there on the mantel looking so cute??   Right beside my milk bottle which is very busy holding those scrappy little ends of yarn that I snip off my projects.  I do have a natural tendency to toss my little yarny scraps outdoors in the hopes that a little birdy will come along and snatch it up as a prize to use for very colorful nest building.  Then I was reading somewhere recently (anyone else?) about someone who kept her scrappy strings in a bowl because they look so beautiful or even used them as bookmarks and would leave them in the books that she returned to the library.  Fun ideas, sharing the yarn-love.

Please pardon my fake little Wee Flowers...  I was just so excited to see my recycled bottle crochet come to fruition that I searched for any little thing to pop in there until spring does her trick here.  Which isn't far off by the looks of all the green sprouty things coming up around the house.  Did you see what I found last year during this time?

Yes I am loving that little bottle and it looks particularly nice sitting beside this framed crochet fabric I made for Sweet P,  Another new addiction of mine...  At least they all seem to center around yarn!  Sweet P. has a few hair accessories and even though she does not wear them (hopeful...) she does still need a place to stow them!  So I came across this lovely idea years ago and it's been in my Project Notebook ever since.  I believe the idea is to have a place to quickly hang one's jewelry, but hey, who needs to hang anything?  This is just so gorgeous - to frame a piece of crochet and hang it on a wall. 

I'm just so smitten with the idea that I want to make a large one to use as an inspirational board.  A very elegant place to pin my ideas and the sweet note cards I receive in the mail, etc.  Of course, this one is all dolled up for the girlie's room, flutter-by and all!

Here it is with her barrettes safely at home.  Now just to get Hubby to hang it in Sweet P.'s room.

I'm in no hurry really.  I kinda do like seeing it when I walk through the house.  Maybe when I need the space for that blue bottle we'll get to hanging it up!

So I've been scarving

And I've been Rippling....  Yes, it LIVES!  You know I ripped it ALL completely OUT.  Well, it's back and although I'm still more of a color scheme kinda girl, I decided to play nice and use the crazy stripey method I had going and just finish the thing.  Not that it's anywhere near being finished, but it's going along.  Besides, this yarn is so soft I really can't wait to cuddle up in it.

Do you see this?  Yep, she put it on...  Twice...

She's coming around to her Mama's yarny ways after all.

Axle...  Young Man's kitty who has graced this blog before and probably will again.  He is a good example of keeping perspective and finding the positive.  He's the naughtiest kitty I've ever had the pleasure of living with.  So catching him during good behavior is rare, but the important thing is that I noticed him being good.  Rather than tossing him out the backdoor or sending him to the basement for any number of offenses, I spotted him simply sunning himself.  See, this blogging is a good thing for me.  Axel is here to prove it. 



A Few Things Done...

Hey Friends!  What's up with you today?  Happy Friday to ya from the Hearthroom!

It's been a fairly good week here, although it seems to have sped by so quickly, whew!  In all the flurry of activity that has taken place here I have somehow managed to get a few things done so pardon me while I celebrate...

Done thing(s) #1:

Yay!  Aren't they cute?  Yep, Sweet P still hates them...  She's obsessed with headbands at the mo, so I'll hold out hope, but I tell ya, I'm done trying to accessorize that girl.  I'm going back to making her clothes instead.  She does enough accessorizing on her own anyway.  Hubby loves it when she's found in my closet...  Wearing my shoes and handbags that are way too big for her, but she thinks she's larger than life!

Pardon my lack of light.  If you've been to the Hearthroom before, you know...

 

In the process of reorganizing things I have dug up something of a collection of buttons and beads from various jewelry making and sewing endeavors, so they came in handy here.

I do love those ladybugs!  What is it about ladybugs and little girls?  They just seem to go together.

So on to Done thing #2:

You know the little baby 'giant' granny I mentioned?  All done.  Check!

Sorry, I can't show it in all it's glory since it's supposed to be a surprise.  So I really hope a certain someone isn't spending too much time in blog land...

Done thing #3:

Honey Oat Bread...  Aahhh.  I do love fresh bread.  Way too much in fact.  Especially since I'm trying to be good (sort of ) and running and all, this is really the last thing I needed to make.  Oh well.  It's wonderful.  Lovin' from the oven.  We ran our second mile last night with Young Man.  Headed out right after this post for mile 3!

This is not something that's 'done' but I've been needing to make some lists and organize various things so I pulled out some of the notebooks and journals I've had tucked away.  I've always had such a thing for stationery.  I just love it.  So I'm thinking the above notebooks need a little crochet action.  What do you think?

And then I have this beauty:  Made by a lovely, talented crafty friend, I've kept this stashed away because I haven't wanted to ruin it, lol.  I've got to use this one for something special.

And this fabulous journal, will you believe it if I told you this cover is actually removable?  So I can write and doodle until my heart's content and then I can take this great cover off and place it onto another journal.  This was another gift from a very talented, (very), crafty friend.  

So as I organize my thoughts into lists and plans and make use of some of these lovely journals I was thinking I may need to make some covered journals, or journal covers, of my own....  My brain is chock full of ideas!  It's funny too that I came across a blog post the other day all about journals and lists over at HearthandmadeUK with some great ideas. 

And then if you actually want to make your very own journal out of a vintage book, you MUST see this tutorial at Homespun Living.   

And then for all you stationery and letter writing lovers out there, guess what I came across yesterday?  A letter writing challenge.  Well it doesn't have to be a letter.  It could be a postcard or a note, etc. 

Just click on the image for the link.  You'll enjoy it!  Come trade some good old fashioned snail mail with us.  In fact, if you would like to receive a little note from the Hearthroom, just leave me a comment with a way to get something to you!  I have about 20 spots or so left.

I had to show you some kitty love on the way out.  Meet Fritz and Ginger.  Fritz is just a love lump and Ginger is just one of the best girls.

So you will NOT believe the CRAZY idea that has popped into my head about what I have to try and crochet.  Yes, the Ripple will be restarted first and then the bright pink yarn, but then I have to try something that is probably fairly ridiculous, but hey, it will be worth it if I can do it!  I've got to go jot down my idea(s) while they are fresh.  I feel like I'm forgetting to tell ya something, but this post is long enough as is!   Gotta go!

Love, love!



So Many Thoughts to Share!

Hello friends!  How are you?!

 I have so many thoughts jumbling up my mind to share with you that I'm Really, really going to try not to ramble on too much. 

Do  you know what this it?  Hmmmm?

It is a family of feet... All dressed in running shoes.  Well, not Sweet P., but she runs regardless of what's been put on her feet.  Yes, running.  Friends, I will be the first to admit that I stink as a runner.  I always think I'm going to die - it never gets easier... well maybe just a little, but I certainly have not experienced that 'high' that some describe.  Anyway, a little known fact about my Hubby:  He is an Athletic Trainer, yet most don't realize that given his current occupation.  What that means is that I should look like a million bucks!  Just kidding.  I'd have to stop eating this incredible Sugar Cream Pie for that to happen.  By the way, I just found this recipe today in one of my most loved ever cook books!  I don't know how I missed it.  And I've never seen sugar and cream cook up in a pie so pudding like and scrumptious, oh!  Yes, running.  See, Hubby taught me how to run years ago before Young Man was born.  Then he wrote a training program for my Elite Running Friend and myself because we thought it would be a good idea to run a marathon someday.  Ha!

So fast forward to the current, I want to get back into running for heart health, better fitness, etc., and Young Man has now signed up for a kids marathon so it seems the perfect time for us all to get started!

No we are not forcing Sweet P. to run.  They were just excitedly jogging toward the track where we will be exhausting ourselves.  So if I were a very brave soul I guess I would photograph myself at the now and then again later on to show you what progress I have made in this fitness endeavor of mine.  Truth is I'm not sure if I'm that brave, but maybe...  Also, boy would that hold me accountable!  Anywho, the objective is to teach Young Man to run safely and enjoy exercise with the family.  The secondary is to maintain our health and be stronger.  We ran our first mile Sunday afternoon and head back out tomorrow night.  Woo hoo!  I'll let you know how this goes, but I'm not sure about pictures just yet!

So, this old house...  We just keep moving things from one room to another...  Not sure if I ever told you here, but someone partly finished the basement here in recent years in a not-very-well-done way.  And we ripped it out last summer.  So my crafty table all things creative had to be moved upstairs for the time being.  They've been in a few different rooms, but now they rest in what should be a dining room. 

Well, it is the dining room, but since we needed the space in the living room (we really are trying to paint and decorate around here a little!) my stuff had to be moved somewhere else until the basement is a go again.  It works fine this way.  I kind of like seeing some of my yarn and WIPS as I travel through.

Problem is, I tend to have A LOT going on at any given moment and it tends to look a mess.  See the little red apron hanging there?  Yep, Sweet P. still hates it.  Sigh...  See the yellow stripey giant granny in the basket?  An unexpected baby shower gift that is almost done!

Yes, it fits in here fine for now.  And just think, as I finish up things it should get neater!

Aren't these cute!?  They are little barrettes.  They aren't totally done yet, but almost.  Funny thing is I bought the barrettes with plans to make little flowers and then received a Lionbrand email showing little flowery barrettes!  So I tried their pattern and then changed it up a bit.  Guess what??  Sweet P. hates these too!  Ugh.  It's early yet.  She'll come around.  I will try to remember to come back and show you these when they are done properly!

What about my Ripple?  You ask?  What about the Curli-Q flowery scarf?  The scarf is still in the making.  The Ripple is:

Right here.  I know you can't see it because I pulled it ALL out AGAIN!  But totally this time!  I really, really do want to make this ripple.  It had grown on me, but I was not loving the colors.  It was also sooooo big I really needed to rethink things.  So I will be starting it back again.  Isn't this fun?  Watching Christina torture herself over a Ripple afghan?!  I need to complete a few smaller projects and then will tackle that Ripple!

See that really bright pink in the back left corner there?  I've got immediate plans for that!  I'll show you soon!

So after baby granny, bright pink yarn, and then the barrettes - I will tackle the Ripple and have a better plan.  This color journey really has taught me a few things.  I love color, but wow is it hard to make the look I have in my head turn out right in the blanket.  I've got to work on that. 

Last thing I've been meaning to share with you is the WonDerFul woman I met at the Downtown Historic Market.  Diane - she made this ring!  When my Elite Running Friend was in town we found Diane selling her goods and had to  make a little purchase.  She had the most amazing rings and baubles for necklaces and she has an Etsy shop called The Velvet Peony

You know what else?  I'm coming up on my first year Bloggy anniversary.  Yep.  I can't believe it myself.  I mean, I just now am sort of getting the hang of this.  Problem is right now I have way too many ideas and creative things popping in my head to share at once.  Anyway, I was thinking of celebrating with a give-away drawing.  Let me make a plan and then I'll come back and share my ideas with you all. 

Sorry this was a very long rambly kind of post.  I warned you!

Until then:  xoxo

Sweet Little Apron

I mentioned that I made up a little something on a whim Friday afternoon.  Sweet P. received a play kitchen as a Christmas gift and LOTS of pretend food.  So it just occured to me that she needed a little apron.  I had a sweet, colorful image pop into my head that started with lots of red and dashes of various other colors.  But somehow I think the upcoming Valentine's Day holiday got in there and it began to be very red and white and pink....  So I went with it. 

Can't you picture some Valentine's Day baking being done in this little cutie?  It's also very Lucille Ball-ish, isn't it?  Truly I was trying to use up some old acrylic stash yarn and these were the colors I grabbed to start with and then as it took the form of a Valentine, I just went with that.  I hope Sweet P. will wear it and play kitchen with me.  But you know what?  I think she hates it!  She only let me put it on her once and that did NOT last long.  Well, it's too small for me so I hope she comes to like it soon.

So on to the next project!  See you soon!

xo

Close Call

We are feeling Very VERY Very thankful here in the Hearthroom this weekend and I just want to share my little story to inspire all of you to follow your gut, your nose, or whatever else lets you know that something is just not right.

Thursday night here Sweet P. woke screaming at 11:30.  When I stepped out of bed I could smell the very toxic smell of  plastic burning...  I scooped Sweet P. up and put her in my bed with Hubby while I went to find the source of the smell.  I had had a ceramic heater on earlier, so that was the obvious suspect.  I checked it out and unplugged it thinking it must have had something to do with the smell.  Hubby got up and checked it out but everything seemed fine.

But I could not rest until I found the source of the smell.  I returned to Sweet P's room and began checking EVERYTHING. 

 Lamps, baby monitor, toys...  Feeling walls and light switches.  Then as I stood there looking at her crib I realized there was an outlet just behind it.  I pulled her crib away from the wall to find that outlet burning hot.

The plasltic safety plugs were melting inside the outlet.  The outlet itself was beginning to turn yellow from the heat and the wall was hot.  And to think my baby's bed was up against that wall. 

We turned off the power to the room and had a wonderful electrician pay us a visit the next day, (Thank you, Laura!),  and now all is well here at the Hearthroom.  But I just can't tell you enough how THANKFUL I am.  I am so thankful for God's protection, that I couldn't rest, that Sweet P. woke up.

So just be mindful if you feel something isn't right or if you think you smell something burning. 

Don't let it go until you feel certain you've found the source. 

As one friend put it, "I think you've averted tragedy."

Ok, there's my message to you all! Now on to less dramatic things like yarn...

This Ripple, I'm telling you... it almost didn't make it.

At some point when I picked it back up after all the Christmas goings-on, I realized I had a mistake in a previous row.  Gulp!  Well I'll just have to see how I can accommodate for it in the next row so it all works out very Ripply like it should.  Right?

As Young Man was watching me struggle with this particular problem, he said, "Mom, you're gonna have to rip it out."  Well after all the air was sucked out of the room I said I was not going to rip it all out!  I had made progress!   But the more I looked at it (my cover-up wasn't going well) I really REALLY did NOT like the colors I had put together or the way I had done it at all and I actually decided right then and there to bag the WHOLE idea.

So at next opportunity I began ripping it out.  But a funny think happend right after I ripped out the row with the error and the rows of color combos I did not like, I began to feel very sorry to lose the whole thing.  I mean, I really wanted to do this Ripple thing.  So I stopped ripping. 

Sweet P. and I went to the yarn box and began sorting colors and trying 2 and 3 together to see how they felt until we came up with something I thought would work.  I actually labeled all my yarn labels a, b, c, etc... and started adding rows.  I think it's actually ok this time.  Even though I feel like I'm back at the beginning.

What do you think?

As I said before, I am on a Color Journey with this project.  Breaking out into the wide world of color which I so rarely attempt.  But I'm learning something about myself here in this process.  So here it is...  I do love color.  And I'm sure I will continue struggling and putting more colorful projects together, BUT:

I am a color-scheme kinda girl, I think.  You know what I mean?  Like making a project with a controlled amount of color to match a room or to give a certain look...

Anyway, I am happier with my Ripple.  I'm sooooo happy I didn't bag the whole idea.  And I still have so many projects lined up to get to that I'm bursting at the seams!  I am trying to stay focused on my newly loved Ripple and that Curli-Q flowery scarf I showed you earlier.

I did make a little something yesterday on a whim that I'll be back to share really soon.  

So be safe, check out all the smells you smell, squeeze your yarn and hook up something great! 

xoxo



January Brings...

Really cold days with flurries, the inevitable after Christmas clean-up, back to work, and back to school.  Whoa, let's pace ourselves here...

I really, REALLY like snow and wish WISH wish we actually had some measurable amount to be excited about, but flurries are pretty.  We'll take them, too.

And as much as I love a clean house I must admit there are things that take the back seat on a good day.  Then there are the things that I just plain refuse to worry about while we are on Christmas break.  I mean, other than the day to day necessities, I'm not chasing dust bunnies down the hall.  No way.  Well, need I say that as the time has come to begin putting Christmas gifts away and clearing a path through the Lego blocks and pretend food, those dust bunnies delighted in showing themselves.  And the bathroom, ugh, there are no words.  But it's ok.  It's all part of The Plan.  Rest with my family in the beauty of the Season. 

And now it's over and Cleaning Day 2012 began. 

So with MUCH putting and puttering and downright scrubbing, I have reclaimed this house.  It's not perfect, but it's loads cleaner and more organized now.  So on to... School.

Monday evening tuck-in time happened to be something of a surprise to me as I noticed slightly tearing eyes looking up at me from the covers.  What?!  My goodness!  What's wrong Sweet Boy?

A strained little voice told me that Daddy had to go back to work in the morning and we would be back to lessons and it's just been such a good, fun time...  You understand.

The Homeschool Mother in me began to panic as I could take this to mean he dreads returning to our schooling, but I know that's not it.  He, just like myself and Hubby, just was not ready to shake the comfort of random play and rest and jump back to reality.

So we eased into our day with the things he loves most and concentrated on reading fluency exercises and comprehension.  And I noticed how much he laughed and ran and was full of energy throughout the day.  He is truly such a happy kid.  There is no dread, so Homeschool Mom can breathe a sigh. 

So after all that reading fun, Young Man decided he wanted to finish a book he received as a Christmas gift, so I was able to finish this while Sweet P. napped.  Yes she napped!

Sorry, but I really can't show too much of this just yet.  It's a gift for a baby shower for a lovely crafty friend.  This needs to be a surprise for a few more days, then I can share another glimpse of the hooky goodness.  So in the mean time I will show you this:



Yum.  Just yum, YUM, yummy! 

This little basket of scrumminess was a gift and I think I mentioned a little about a flowery scarf before...





  

Here is just a bit of what I've started.  A long vine full of leaves, both large and small.  One curly-Q flower that definitely has potential.  I mean the first one is always, "Ok, where are we going with this..."  But now I can see the curly-Q will be a fun little flower once I tidy it up a bit.

  

Oh, I think I'll be busy with some blocking after this one, but I am just so excited to be working on some of the projects that are on my mind!  So exciting to see them come to fruition!  The problem is that while I'm working on one, I'm planning the next one.  Or stressing that my Ripple is not growing while I'm fooling around making flowers, etc. 

That's ok.  I'm pacing myself.  So now I'm off to read to the little one, feed the big one, dive into our fabulous school books, finishing my cleaning goals for the day and patiently wait for my window of nap time opportunity to make curly-Q flowers.  Or Ripple.

Happy Fresh Starts to YOU! 

xo