Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Hiding the "Stash"


Looks like an ordinary shoebox...but is it?


Oh my, is that possibly ....gulp....YARN!
Look at all that squishy, colorful, yarnyness.



I'll admit it.
I can not pass up a good deal and WEBS is fueling my addiction.

They had closeout pricing on all this Araucania Bulky and it begged to be worked up into hats for the nieces Christmas presents.

Don't all the girls you know want big, slouchy, tam style hats this season?

Though, I distinctly remember saying, I wasn't going to make knitted gifts this year.

After swearing Wendy to a blood sister pack to assist in the stashing , she whisked it home, swifted it into nice little cakes, and returned it in disguise.

You have to get fairly inventive regarding hiding your newest stash...when you live with a skinflint!

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Ella



This is Ella, she is a Fawn Doberman Pinscher puppy and she belongs to Junie and Will.

They have opted for the humane treatment and are not getting her ears docked.



She is the most gangly, coltish puppy I have ever seen. She doesn't seem to understand that she will someday soon be 60 or so pounds and will not be able to curl up on Junie's lap.

Am not sure who will be the most disappointed....Ella or Junie?

Junie requested a photo shoot today so Ella photo could be proudly displayed next to Pearl at the shoppe.

Will had worn her out early in the day, so we only got very sleepy puppy photos.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

No Jill, I wasn't in Wisconsin


We just returned from our annual vacation at the cottage.

How I wish we got up there more than once a season.
Counting the last 5 days I have been there at total of 8 days this summer.
Doesn't make sense when you pay the mortgage each month, to only spend that much time there.


Some new traditions this year included falling out of the hammock!



And Knee Boarding....yes, I did try it.
Got up and rode for oh.....1/4 of the lake.(all of 5 minutes, felt like an hour).

I just like to keep it real for the kids.




We didn't forget the old traditions though...
Plenty of "duck butting"



and a trip to the cottage would not be complete without at least 1 tow back to the dock.
We were having so much fun trashing the boys on the tubes, we....hummmm...ran out of gas!

Thank goodness of great lake neighbors.

This kind gentleman saw us stranded at the far end of the lake, came from his house and towed us back.
He didn't even bother to uncover his boat completely.



Of course, my favorite past time was shooting pics of sweet kids.

They are growing up so fast, Dan and I just hope we get to spend at least a few more vacations with them, before they figure out we are just not all that.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Photo Shoot 2009

Girls/Photoshoot Weekend 2009



Ok, I may be biased but doesn't she take a great photo!



I think we shot 127 of them.



This could be my favorite!

Friday, July 17, 2009

Roadtrip to Texas

Every 5 years or so Dan's mother's family holds a Family Reunion.

This event was held in Texas this past week.

Did you know that Texas is in the midst of a heat wave, that they haven't had any significant rainfall for 3 years.
Did you also know that in the Texas Hill Country temps can reach 110 degrees in July.

You have now been forwarned regarding the perils of traveling to Texas in the summer

We decided to roadtrip from Michigan, we both love roadtrips, we pack the car, pack the cooler and head out early in the morning.
We tried to leave before dawn (it reminds us both of those childhood roadtrips) but we got away just as it was breaking.

It was my choice to what route we would follow.
I routed us via Springfield, IL so we could stop at the new Lincoln Museum.



This museum is worth the stop, it chronicles Lincoln from a small boy,



through his White House days.



We then grabbed a quick cooler lunch and hit the road to St. Louis.



My father has slides of the Arch being built, it was great to be able to stand under it.
It was in the high 90's and at least an hour wait to go up, so we opted out.

My photos of the Arch are my favorite of the trip.



The first night in Texas a party was held at the 4 Season in Austin to celebrate the the 50th Wedding Anniversary of the Boothbys and LaCourts.



One of the Texas cousins lives high up in the limestone hills of Wimberly, the photos don't really convey how steep, rocky and hilly this is. The bridge connects the house to the swimming pool and basketball courts for there is no flat lawn areas.



Texas Longhorns, what can I say. You're in Texas you must find some Longhorns to photograph.

It was a fun trip and great to see everyone, the Texas families were wonderful hosts.

And I loved catching up on my reading and sleeping on the way home.

p.s. Can I tempt you with a Texas dashboard taco? Anyone.... Greggy?

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Arrowhead Wrap



No excuses for not updating since June 8th.
Let it just be said, the summer is not conducive to blogging.

I have started a new knitting project and here is a tiny peak.

Project Details:
Arrowhead Shawl,originally published by Interweave Knits, Spring 2006
Available as a free download from Knitting Daily

Yarn: Reynolds Sea Wool in Colourway 1030
Needle: size 8

And oh yeah, it is 90 degrees today with no breeze and a heat index of 96 degrees, summer has finally hit and with a vengeance!
Perfect for knitting with wool!

Monday, June 8, 2009

Busy Times


Allium bulgaricum
Syn: Nectaroscordum siculum.
Clusters of pendant, greenish-white florets, strongly flushed purple and edged in white. height 36". Hardiness Zones: 6-10.

The Spring goes so quickly when you are busy running a small garden shoppe.

Most customers assume that I have wonderful flower gardens, and I hate to disappoint them, but I always have to say....I used to.

I spend on average 60 hours a week between the shoppe and the greenhouse. I have several clients that I do custom container plantings and that takes up most evenings.

The last of the custom works gets delivered next week and the schedule opens up a tad more.

But never enough time to garden in my own backyard.

Insert "Big Sigh" here.

The above photo was snapped last week when all the alliums were blooming in what is left of my Perennial boarders.

Thanks goodness for the bulbs I planted years ago before I owned the shoppe.
While other perennials have been choked out by crabgrass and thistle, the bulbs always hold their own.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Happy Sweet 16!


Happy Birthday Little Miss Em and Em
Though I am telling you, you should still be 5 years old! 6 at the most!
You know the older you get, the older I get Little Missy!

Hmm....I think you look about 20 here in this photo.
Oh My!

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Connor's Graduation BBQ

Random Shots from Connor's Party.
It was a great afternoon we had perfect weather, wonderful food and good company.


Connor with the 1st of his gifts, a computer bag.


Em getting Bare Essentials from Nana for her birthday.


Just a great snap of Gracie and Drewsey.
Grace has been a lifesaver this last week at Green Wellies, don't think I could have made it without her. Happy Birthday Gracie!
Yes, we have alot of B-Days in May!

The first of which is this guy's who turned 77 on the 4th.
Happy Birthday Papa!

Friday, May 15, 2009

Sad, Hard, Week

We lost a dear friend this last Sunday, he was a kind and gentle man who loved his girls immensely.
We are all trying to recover, but don't know if that is ever really possible.



Please keep this dear child and her sisters in your thoughts and prayers, and maybe she will once again be able to breath.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Blooms.....No Stitches


There are many things I appreciate about my hour commute each day

1. Time in the am to prioritize my day.
2. Time in the pm to zone out.
3. The only time I have to talk to best friends and sisters/niece without being interrupted with "do we have any ketchup?"...."do you know where______ is?" Not that he doesn't try!
4. NPR...love, love, love, NPR
5. Choices...I have several routes I can travel. I can mix it up and not get stuck in the same routine.
6. The Countryside...it always offers up something new. Last week it was this...Peach, Cherry, Pear and Apple trees in Bloom!

Am back at the shoppe full time, I believe I was there 14 hours yesterday. That is "spring rush" in the garden shoppe business.

So, no knitting, though I still carry it with me everyday thinking I may have 5 minutes to pull out the needles.
But, alas, the same 3 rows of my newest project have been in my bag for the last 4 weeks.

Feast your eyes on these spring blooms instead.

Friday, April 24, 2009

Ira Glass



We went to the live broadcast of "This American Life" last night.
This was a live presentation of my favorite PRI radio show that was shown in movie theatres across the country.

It was the best and quickest 90 minutes I can remember ever having.
I did not want it to end.
When Ira Glass was ending the show with the credits I looked at Dan and said....I don't want it to be over.

It was announced that they will be rebroadcasting it on May 7th.
go to This American Life for more info.

Don't miss it!

Ira Glass, what can I say. ummm....tasty!

Monday, April 13, 2009

Hello Bunnies!



After their photo shoot the bunnies all found new homes.





This one reminds me of 'Rabbit' from Winnie the Poo. Something about the expression and the elongated body. Papa always called Mallory, Mallory Rabbit when she was a wee one so, this went home with her.



Just a few of the eggs.



Happy Easter everyone!

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Bunnies Revisted



After the great success of the Von Tropp Family of Easter Bunnies last year, I decided to make bunnies again for the nieces.
Different pattern, different style, I think just as fun.

I wanted them decidedly different from last year. This pattern allows for 2 bunnies, one sitting and one standing.
As of last night 2 sitting bunnies are finished.


A little embroidery, a little beading, a little needle felting and the bunnies come to life.


This guy is a little timid and didn't want to face the camera early in the morning.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

New Knitting Friend

Last Friday Cali and Cody came into work with Wendy.
They had no school for some reason and during tax season Dan can not function with out Wendy, so the kids come into work with her.

Wendy sets them up in the conference room with dvd's to watch and usually something crafty for Cali.

Dan (whom Cali thinks never says no)always buys pizza for lunch.
So it is a fun day for all of us.

While eating lunch, Cali found her way back to my office, (is it because it's the only place not strewn with papers, or that my desk is always clean of clutter?) we ate our lunch, chatted, and knit.

Cali has been knitting for a couple of months now, she hasn't wanted to purl yet, but the child has the knit stitch down.

She was making wrist warmers, and was at the point to cast off. I showed her how to do the 1st 2 stitches and she completed the cast off all by herself. She is a fast learner that Cali.


Monday morning I received this little package.

It said: to: Leisa, love Cali, I hope you love it!, I did it by myself!
Clue: It is Knitted!

I love a girl who knows when to use an exclamation point!

In the package was this cute little basket.
She had the yarn with her on Friday and I had commented that it would make a great Easter Basket.

My work here is done.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Sleeves...we have Sleeves...Attached!


Finally.



Added little simple wooden buttons.



oh, and a hat to complete the ensemble.



so glad this is completed, because I then was able to whip out these little lovelies.



My first cupcake from the wonderful Julie at Little Cotton Rabbits, a order for 15 has been placed for a certain 9 yr old's upcoming birthday.


And then my Coopers Flock bird.
Please click on the icon at the top of my blog to read more about Cooper.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Guitar Sonata Complete


Many weeks ago I gave a preview of a pair of gloves for Ben.

Guitar Sonatas are now complete.

They have actually been finished for quite some time, I just needed to sew the top and thumb
flaps on to the mittens, add the button and crochet loop.


I finally just sat down on Sunday afternoon and finished them up.
I really hate works in progress (wips). I am definitely in the camp of don't start something new until the current project finished.

I do this with everything....to much clutter, clutters me up.

Chaos creates Chaos, this is my mantra and I am sticking to it.
I know that many natural creative types crave that clutter and chaos, but not me, no sir, no thank you ma'am!

So does that make me not a natural creative type?

I don't know, but I know I just need it to be clean and organized to allow me to think and process.

I have told this often to the very messy man I live with.