Cafe'...Art

February is leaving us!

Here is my 'ode to February.....aaah, Valentines, the "happy" heart!   I tried my hand at needle felting....it's neat.  Dangerous though..ha ha!  But they do turn out fast, I think I made like 15. Look here for felting hearts info.  Dances with Wool is the blog site, and I have to say my all time favorite and inspirational! Now she KNITS!!! among other things!

the link is

Finishing projects has been the name of this game!  2 corduroy pants that I started and were to be for grandaughter Carlee for Christmas...well did not get done. DONE now!  They go with the knitted cardigan in purple I made.  FUN!

Also the chevron scarf I have been knitting on inbetween other things.  Finished!  For my daughter Angie...a very belated birthday present for her....Love the way it turned out. Pattern found in the book Last Minute Knitted Gifts...love that book and have used many of the patterns in there.

Of close picture of the pattern, and colors...is of mostly cotton blend.

Next is the Aspen Neck Cowl, with matching hand warmers...lovely, for my lovely sister, Wendy, who helps us all at tax time....garden projects and what not!

This was made out of Rowans Kid Classic.

Anyway, she loved and good for this cold Wisconsin winter we are having!

You can scrunch or fold the cowl, or...if you are out and needing it, pull it up over your head. Yummy!

Quilting with Kaffe Fassett...he like colors!  I just couldn't resist this pattern and the way the colors flow through out the finished piece...see here.  On the website of Cabbage Rose Quilting.

This is a picture of the finished piece. It will be queen size when done.  It's a quilt block of the month club.  So I will have to be quite disciplined! 

I also was able to get a lusciouss scarf knitted up in  llama wool and an angora blend yarns! Love the earthy tones and the small pops of colors.  For my daughter Ruth for her 28th Birthday. She is my youngest and let me tell you, if that doesn't make you feel older....sigh...

This pattern is found on Stitch Marker Blog,here.

Then click on Creme of Spinach Scarf under Patterns and Tutorials.

I certainly cannot leave out the wonderful Tea

cozy I received from Lisa.  This was organized by the site Down To Earth!  Found here!  This was pieced and and embellished with embroidery, and a hot pad with a Bible verse embroidered on.  She lives in Canada and it was very fun to email back and forth.  I hope to keep in contact with her...Lisa I am enjoying my cozy!  I hope you are also enjoying yours!

This is the one I made for Lisa in the tea cozy swap.  I also had to add a knitted cup cozy!

Knitted in a brown wool tweed, and lined. 

Embellished with knitted flowers and leaves.

I love love buttons...don't ask me why..I sew too is that why...??

A close up of the matching cup cozy.  this pattern can be found here..have fun!

Another project I have been working on is a surprise gift for some one!   he he he

Will have to wait, but I bought a wool sweater at a thrift store, felted it. And made a lovely bag.

It is lined and has pockets! Nice big ones.

the inside is out of decorator fabric, and I also used a lining stabilizer.  More will follow, I am still filling it!!!

This will be my close to February.  Hoping that Spring is just around the corner...please!

May all have blessings and memories to hold in ones heart pocket! 

Valentine Swaps and snow, did you think we were finished?

I received my hanging heart from my swap partner, Erin, plus a surprise....a mini Kleenex holder that she sewed special!  Just love them both!

I already found a place to hang  the lovely!

On my china hutch!

I couldn't resist,  my iron dress form!    She is dressed for the storm in her lovely snow dress!

the pictures don't show how the snow just sparkled on her. 

My garden bench was all but buried!  We were able to at least dig out a path from the house to the garage!  This is when an attached garage would be nice!

e felt like we were kind of in an igloo all day, snow covered just about all our windows, from the blowing!

And finally, the view out my big window in the living room!  W

Winter's Still Here, and Going Strong!

Last night the snow started again, pretty at first, and with my twinkle lights woven through the snow covered grapevines, and greenery.  The pergola on my deck felt like a covering under the blast of winter descending on us once again.  There are just certain things that I have in place to "help" with the yukkie parts of life.  We all need our warm fuzzies!  If you work, when you get home, take the time to slip on something that is your "comfie" even if you have to listen to kids, help them,  make supper. Put on some music if you can, a glass of wine, or a cup of tea.  Just do something for yourself! OK!  I love to use essential oils, and my favorite is lavender, some of that on the back of my neck and wow, what a difference!   When the kids were young, I was always up really early, like 4-5 A.M.

This way I could get some of supper organized, prepared for popping in the oven or getting the crock pot going which is   any women's time management system.

When the kids were older, they would of course, do dishes, sweep, clean the bathroom, mostly this was the "Saturday" thing, if there was to be any tv or playing, things were to be done first.

My middle daughter, Angie, did alot of food prep for me when I worked.  And got to the point of being able to put on most of the meal, which was nice.  Don't get me wrong I love to cook and bake!  I just think the Kids need to do these things and know these things, we will not always be there to do it for them.  Even my oldest son, Jeremy, did dishes, and other housework, I can remember he also did laundry.  I think it served him  well when he was on his own and single, and even had roommates that did nothing, he not only knew what to do, but did it!  He said he hated the mess and they didn't do any of it!

Oh well all that is past, now I have grandchildren and my son and his wife are now expecting their first child, in August.  I am so excited for them and can't wait to see the two of them coming together in looks and personality of THEIR child.  I have loved that with my daughters children. Seeing both father and mother reflected in them.  It is the miracle of life and of sharing in love.    Ha ha....a bit "sappy" aren't I!

Back to the SNOW!!!   Today, was just unbelievable!     I just had to venture out and fill my bird feeders.  They were coming to empty feeders, and I just felt bad for them.  So out I went, bad knee and all!  I had to wade through, so I took some pictures!

They are saying that our area has gotten a total of 16.1" already. And we're not done yet!

Not like we haven't had years that we've gotten alot of snow, it's just been a while.

Good weather for my projects!  Now I know it's good to have a "stash" of things.  So if your out and see a kit or pattern or something that just hits you, and you can get it. DO! Even if you think you don't have the time for it now......YOU WILL!   You just never know what life if going to hand you....i.e. God,where He leads or whatever you want to call it!  I just pulled out this kit, I know I have had for atleat 5 years!

Felting... I will show the finished product soon>I have never done needle felting before.  I found a blog with a project she was doing and she gave wonderful directions. She used a cookie cutter for a form!  Very clever!   Anyway...ssh! There gifts.

I have also set up a table tapestry loom, that my friend Susan had gotten me awhile ago.  I certainly don't know exactly  what I am doing. But I am doing...ok, we'll see how it goes.

So far I like it and am learning from some of the tapestry weaver blogs out there. Believe me there arn't many!!  Plus Susan also gave me 2 really good books.  I don't have bobbins yet, so am using my upholster needles, and I have to say that those work just great!!!  It will be a picture of juniper with the berries.  Alot of ferny stuff. Ha...you can't tell much now, but I will keep you posted as it grows!

Knit some cozy to warm yourself

Tea cozies....well one to show anyway.  My friend Susan's Birthday present..a knitted tea cozy and a matching cup cozy.  In black so they are a bit hard to see.  The tea cozy has knitted ruffles around it.  They turned out cute and I think she liked it...

I was on a roll with knitting the cup cozies...they knit up fast and are just so useful...I plan to make more.  They are just fun to make too.  This one went to Erin who was my partner for the Valentine Swap.                                                                 

They go together so nice.

    I will have to get busy knitting some more.

This is an up close look at the knitted flowers and leaves.

Here is the link for the Knitted Cup Cozy, Enjoy, I did...