A Fun Weekend and Then Some Knitting~

After an all day choir workshop on Saturday, we got up, had a leisurely morning, and then headed to Alderbrook Lodge on the Hood Canal.  We got there just in time to watch a very important game and then had a very tasty celebratory dinner. 

The next day we walked to the end of the pier which we could hardly see in the dark the night before; just the lights told us it was there. Off in the distance we could see the entrance to this part of the Canal.

Can you imagine Vancouver's ship sailing here so long ago?

This is Alder. S/he used to have a companion named Brook, but Brook passed away a few months ago  we were told.  Alder seems happy to "decorate" the entrance to the lodge.  We didn't meet her/him until just before we left.

Before we headed back home, we did a little exploring. This is the Dalby Waterwheel which has been preserved. The Dalbys brought the wheel from Seattle in the early 1900s to provide electricity to their house.  As you can see, moss and ferns do very well in this part of the world! Our exploring took us through Port Orchard and a requisite stop at A Good Yarn and the adjacent Tea Room, and then we headed home. (We did not attend the parade yesterday though, but read that 700,000 other people did. Brave souls!)

Since our return, I did finish this dishcloth and an ear warmer.

This is made from leftover Berocco Brio according to Kathy B's instructions.  (I used a size 13 needle and only 13 stitches though.)   Hope it fits Sophia!

That's all for now.  Back to my Downton Abbey KAL project and maybe even some embroidery. Have a great weekend.

Off the Needles and More

Whew!  I had plenty of yarn to finish booties to match Stella's hat and mittens.  There was even a fair bit left!

For the first time in quite a while I got out my sewing machine to make something new, a little hat for Stella. The kit was from the Purl Bee  and contained everything I needed including matching thread.   Sure hope it still fits her!  Ginger looks mighty interested, doesn't she?

My other finish this week is something that kept being put at the end of the list. I finally sewed the binding on Sunbonnet Sue.  Hurrah!

Close-ups in case you're interested:

Mocha doesn't need a quilt to keep warm. She just heads to the nearest vacant register.

And here's Stella wearing her Ugg booties.  They finally fit!

California Dreamin,' Yet Again~ (Photo Heavy)

Since it's cold and dreary here today, I decided to take a virtual trip back to the sunshine, thanks to the photos Dick took while we were there earlier this month.

The first night we we stayed in Anaheim where we enjoyed the Disneyland fireworks from our motel room. The next day we headed to Capistrano Beach to meet up with my sister.  But first, we stopped to see the Crystal Cathedral which we'd only ever seen from the freeway. It has an interesting story.

Then we enjoyed a beautiful sunset over the Pacific in Capistrano Beach with Jane and Ted.

The next day we all went to the San Juan Capistrano Mission which was very interesting. We learned that at one point in their history they served food to a thousand people every day!  It was too early for the swallows though.

It's a beautiful spot with lots of gardens and citrus trees filled with fruit.......

and great views. 

Much of the original Church was destroyed in an earthquake in the 1800's. Can you see the Nativity scene that was still there?

The altar of the little chapel was quite amazing.

We also had fun wandering the beach. What do you think these birds are thinking? We sure saw a lot of them.

After leaving Capistrano Beach, we spent a few days in San Diego, visiting old haunts as well as relatives and friends.

We love to go to La Jolla Cove and went there after church.  The seals have taken over the beach,

and these little guys are well on their way to taking over the cliffs that over look the beach. I think I counted 12 of them running around in these plants alone.

Doesn't this look like a great place to have a peaceful lunch?

We didn't eat at the beach, but we did have a wonderful lunch at the Julian Cafe which is in the Cuyamaca Mountains near San Diego. The drive there has some interesting views of the desert, quite different from our Washington rain forests, but with a beauty all their own.

So, there you have it, a brief respite from the rain and snow.  Hope you feel warmer now; I sure do!

Off the Needles

It's taken me a while to get organized after the holidays, and it's been fun picking up where I left off before the grand kids arrived. It's been fun picking up some long abandoned projects like this dish cloth. I really like the waffle stitch although next time I'll include a border as it looks kind of wonky without one. (Thus the close-up...)

Catherine requested a plain cream colored hat, and here it is.  The yarn is Posh by Classic Elite and a combination of silk and cashmere. It's pretty soft.

You've probably already seen Stella wearing the hat, but here are the matching mittens. I'm hoping to get booties out of the remaining yarn. One down, and one started. Stay tuned.

This is the second cowl I've made using Berocco Brio. It's so soft, has a fun sparkle, and a great selection of colors. This pattern I found online at Darn. Knit. (Anyway); it ranked as a store favorite. It sure knit up quickly!

Here's another shot of Max's play mate. If you're trying to find a specific fabric, I found the website missing fabric.com a great help.

And this is now in the mail on its way to the chilly Midwest. David turns NINE on Monday!

For those of you who may be curious about the tiny baby I wrote about earlier.  She now weighs well over 4 pounds and is wearing the hat I made. She still has ups and downs, so keep her in your thoughts, OK?

Happy Stitching!

Seahawks Sunday

Yesterday was a busy day!  We sang at two services, sorted music, visited with the grand kids, and came home and watched Downton Abbey.

Stella seems happy with her new hat, but she wouldn't hold her hands still to try on the matching mittens.

Max entertained himself for quite some time, driving cars on the play mat I made for his birthday. Long ago I made a similar one for his cousin David and found this fabric with help from a neat website called "missing fabric.com."  I posted a query there and got 2 helpful responses within 24 hours. The fabric isn't the same as what I used for David's mat, but it's perfect for Max who loves construction projects.
                                                               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oh, and Max learned to say "Hurray" every time the Seahawks made a good play.  His dad and uncle were at the game, so we kept Catherine company and listened to/watched the game. 
GO SEAHAWKS!!!

Back Online! Hurrah!

In addition to being very busy with 

and lots of Christmas projects

and then heading off for 10 days in the sunshine,

our computer DIED! Those are the reasons why I've been missing and now have lots of catching up to do, but first, Happy New Year, Everyone, may 2014 be the best year yet!

Merry Christmas!

As you may have gathered from my lack of posts, it's been busy here at Santa Central.  Our grand kids and family from Chicago are arriving tomorrow for the holidays, so don't look for any more posts for a while  either!  (In addition, our good computer croaked, leaving us with this one and no ability to add new photos. That complication should be solved soon, we hope.)

By request of our younger daughter, I took a little time out to make a preemie hat and booties for her friends' tiny baby girl who arrived on Nov. 2, weighing only 1 pound 6 ounces. Since then she's more than doubled her weight and appears to be doing quite well although she has a long way to go before she can come home.   This itty bitty angel, whose name is Audrey, needs lots of prayers!

That's it for the photos for now.  Lots of finishes to share, but I need to get to the grocery store.  Have a very Merry Christmas and all the best in 2014!