We've Only Just Begun

When I started thinking about the possibility of getting married again, I started thinking about what kind of dress I might like to have. What style I wanted. I dreamed up my dress. I thought I might like to make my own dress. I wasn't sure of the fabrics, but I had a basic idea of the design lines.

One day, I was flipping through a knitting magazine. I saw an advertisement for a knitting book by Nicky Epstein. My heart skipped a beat! THAT WAS IT! IT WAS MY DRESS! I was thrilled! I discovered that the dress was crocheted. I've crocheted for a lot of years and have made a lot of afghans. So I knew I could crochet, but there was one little problem: I couldn't make sense of crochet patterns. I knew the basics, but despite that, reading and understanding crochet patterns would stump me every time. Since my sister is an avid crocheter, I asked her to take a look at the pattern and tell me if she thought it would be too difficult. She told me it looked pretty straightforward and she was certain I could handle it. I decided to go ahead and order my yarn.

I bought one hank of the yarn, took it home and made a few practice motifs. I was so happy!

I eagerly awaited the yarn's arrival. While I waited, I used the yarn to knit a scarf. Upon completion of that project, I decided I wasn't too thrilled with it as it was just a little too fuzzy for the look i wanted with my wedding dress. Alas, the word came that the yarn I ordered had been discontinued. I didn't panic. I was relieved, actually. I re-chose my yarn. I decided to use a yarn called Bahia. It's got a silkiness to it and a lovely sheen.

I found a quiet moment and started working on the pile of motifs I will need to sew together to make my very special dress.

I look at them and I smile. I feel happy in my bones. They're beautiful to see.....and to touch.

I've gotten mixed reviews. Some friends are supportive, some question my sanity....I'm thrilled with my choice. I am also happy to report that after practicing with a few little projects from patterns, I can read crochet patterns! I feel so accomplished! :)

Right This Instant

Oh how I love a strong cup of hot coffee in the morning. I mix it with just the perfect amount of Hazelnut flavored fat-free creamer and two packets of sugar, thankyouverymuch.

When I go to Starbucks, I let them mix it up for me in the form of a triple grande skinny hazelnut latte. Mmmmmm! That is my regular drink.

When my favorite Starbucks Barista, Jessica, handed me some samples of their new "Jiffy Brew", I was skeptical to say the least! I've had instant coffees before and they taste.....well.....instant. Coffee connoisseurs might all agree that the difference can be tasted! I am here to tell you that I tasted the instant coffee by Starbucks and it tastes pretty darned good. I tried the extra bold and really liked it. It doesn't do much for getting that fresh-brewed coffee aroma in the kitchen. It could very well be the solution to those mornings when you're out of beans! Keep a stash of these on hand!

Try it!

A Long Time Gone

It feels like forever since I've been here. Well...it HAS been forever. I was blogging many times per week and then down to nothing. I think my creative muse was suffering a slight blockage. There were things about which I was feeling extremely creative and managed to still create, but not at the same levels.

In the time that I have been gone, I found a winner of my quiltie for the One World, One Heart blogging event. Her name is Diana. I need to sift through all the e-mails and get her contact information and get this out to her. Now that the event is over, it will be a lot of fun to visit all the blogs that were registered.

Every so often, I have this need to touch fabrics (and or yarns). I managed to squeeze in a tiny little jaunt to the quilting store in Castle Rock yesterday. The fabrics in the accompanying photo are the haul: ten fat quarters and 5 fat eighths. I don't really have a plan for them yet, but soon....very soon they will be come a part of something wonderful. I'm not sure yet just what. :)

In the past couple of weeks, I also benefitted from a few sessions of retail therapy. I picked up a new sewing book in which there are directions for a sweet scalloped edge table cloth. I saw some wonderfully cheerful birthday fabric at a Joann's fabric store and thought it might be fun to try to get one made for the upcoming march birthdays in our household. If I have time, I would like to create a new fabric birthday banner, too. We'll just have to see how much energy I REALLY have when the time comes. Gosh! The celebrations are quickly approaching. I guess I better get on it!

Knitting and Coffee

I snapped this with my camera phone as a coffee tag. The project is a beret while still in WIP stages...I am proud to announce it is now complete and....on my head as I type! Now to knit up the matching mittens!!! Ahhhhh coziness!

Tag! You're IT!

My minivan is getting old and tired. It's giving me fits. I took it into the shop today. I checked in at the front desk. I looked around and saw one chair near the door. It was a nicer front office for an auto mechanic shop, but I worried how long I'd have to sit and wait while the guys ran the scan on my sickly set of wheels. Jim offered, "Ma'am? There's a really nice waiting room upstairs if you'd like to go on up." I told him Thank you and began to climb the stairs.

When we reached the top of the stairs, I was quite surprised! The spacious room was decorated in a cowboy theme, complete with white leather sofa, arm chair and ottoman. There was a small child's sized table with two chairs, two stick horses and a corner shelf stocked full of fun toys and videos for the kiddos. "WOW," I thought to myself: "This IS a nice waiting room!" I found the refreshments table! There was a water cooler/heater and a basket of coffees, creamers, sugars and swizzle sticks. I said out loud, "COFFEE??!?! Twist my arm and make it hurt!" Then helped myself to a hot, instant cuppa!

Quincy played contentedly with a stick horse that made galloping sounds with the squeeze of one ear and whinnied with the squeeze of his other ear.

Happy to have the place all to ourselves, I decided to send my friend, Shelly, a coffee tag! I pulled out my cell phone and got right to work with being creative!

What is coffee tag you ask? Well, it's a picture texting game Shelly and I have played for quite a while with one another. We use our cell phones to take pictures of our coffee cups daily. It lets the other know we're thinking of them. Not to mention, it's a fun way to start the morning and help to get the creative juices flowing. When I got home today, I made a few minor edits to mine and decided I liked enough I wanted to share it here.

Not bad for a camera phone, eh?