good morning

This morning feels good. It's a gray and cold winter day outside, but snug and warm inside. I woke up to the most beautiful song on the radio. I'd never heard it before, but it was perfect to listen to in the early morning hours because it is both sweet and sad. It captured that place between waking and dreaming for me, that time when in my mind contradictions are possible. Everything is possible. The song is called Rest and it's by Cheyenne Marie Mize. You can hear it in the video at the bottom of this post.

I woke up with a picture of this crochet project in my head. I was counting imaginary stitches in my sleep. You see, I finished my big Christmas project last night. All I have to do is weave in the ends! I am so excited to give my mom her present and to show all of you after Christmas. 

I ended up with a partial skein of yarn leftover to play with. I'm really into interesting textures lately; I can't get enough bobbles and cables. And so first thing this morning I grabbed a cup of coffee that the Coffee Fairy left for me and picked up my hook and yarn. The star-spangled quilt kept me warm and cozy. 

I've been so torn lately about what to crochet. On one hand, there are so many amazing patterns out there that I want to try. I've got a hat, scarf, mittens, cardigan, and hood on my list of things I'm itching to make. On the other hand, if I spend all of my time crocheting from patterns I'm never going to get any design practice, and I really want to design. I think one of my new year's resolutions will be to spend more time on my own designs. 

I'd like to share the pattern I'm making for this bobble-y project. I'll get back to work and see if I can't get it posted here before the new year. Look at me, setting deadlines for myself. I work best under pressure!

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How is your morning/afternoon/evening going? 

Handmade Ornaments

Clothespin Rudolph. I think we made these with my Girl Scout troop.

When I was growing up my mom, sister, and I had a tradition of making homemade Christmas ornaments every year. We'd make lots and give them as gifts to our teachers, neighbors, and relatives. I don't know when we stopped making ornaments--maybe around the time I reached high school and life got more hectic. I would love to start the tradition back up again because I loved the time we spent together crafting, and also because I love remembering each year when I spot the ornaments on my tree. I find myself drawn to handmade decorations and thought I'd share some that I've collected. 

Okra Santa. Made from real okra! I bought this one at a craft fair a couple of years ago.

This sweet screenprinted kokeshi doll is a new addition this year. I bought her from my blog friend Amy. She's got more in her shop.

A wooden snowman that K's uncle Gary made for us last year.

A little felt bird that I sewed in Japan.

A pipecleaner and bead snowflake made by Mom.

I love this tiny flowerpot snowman that my mom made. His earmuffs and scarf are so cute!

And finally a cross-stitched Santa that I picked up for a dime at a yard sale.

As I write this I'm remembering all of the ornaments I've left out. There are so many special ones on our tree! 

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Do you have a favorite ornament? What's its story? Is it homemade?

My Real Wish List

A couple of weeks ago Liesl posted "real" things she is wishing for. The list was full of things she wants to do, people she wants to spend time with, and how she wants to feel. I think this is the best kind of wish list! And so I was inspired to make my own.

My real wish list:

Have a movie-marathon slumber party with my mom and sister.

Bake cookies and make peanut butter cups.

Go thrifting. And then go thrifting some more.

Take a hot bath with candles, bath salts, and a good book. Let the semester melt away.

Rent Northern Exposure Season 3. Watch it straight through.

Walk in the park with K.

Have a wine and cheese night with Dad.

Crochet every day.

Play in the snow.

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What's on your "real" wish list?

Lemon Drop Swirl Hat + giveaway links

Meet the Lemon Drop Swirl Hat, a complete Christmas present! I can show it here because I am pretty sure the recipient doesn't read my blog.

I used the Divine pattern again and got inspiration for the flower from Deb at Virginia blue.

I personally love the flower, but I don't know if the person I'm giving it to will. I haven't sewn it on yet because I just can't decide. What do you think? Flower or no flower?

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Don't forget that today is Sew Mama Sew's Giveaway Day! If you're anything like me you'll want to spend oodles of time visiting crafty blogs and signing up to win cool things. I really wanted to participate but ran out of time this year. There are three giveaway lists, so be sure to check them all out. Sewing/Knitting Supplies, Handcrafted Items, Handcrafted Items + Supplies

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Tonight we made a big salad for dinner. It was a nice change from all of the soups and rich holiday food we've been eating. We needed a little something more, though. It's been bitterly cold (for Kentucky) lately. So when we got home tonight with cold noses and toes, we needed something more than salad. Luckily I remembered that I had some sweet potato biscuits squirreled away in the freezer. In twenty minutes we had steaming hot biscuits to accompany our salad. Perfect.  

I've tried a couple of sweet potato biscuit recipes lately. One is from here. Stephanie's biscuit photos are beautiful. Swoon-worthy. Her recipe is top-notch, too. It makes a savory biscuit that would be great accompanying soup (we had ours with miso sweet potato soup) or alongside a salad.  

I also tried a recipe that my mom passed along to me. It's from a restaurant called Blue Pete's in Virginia Beach where she ate sometime around 1978. She'd saved the sweet potato biscuit recipe all these years and to my knowledge never made it. I thought the time had come. When I had her over for dinner a couple of weeks ago I made the Blue Pete's recipe. It was definitely a hit. This recipe makes biscuits that are a bit on the sweet side. We had them with dinner, but I think they would be better for breakfast. You could even play up the sweetness by adding a little cinnamon to the dough or serving them with maple syrup. 

Click on the image to enlarge.

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Have you tried any new recipes lately? I'd love to hear about them.

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P.S. To all of you lovely readers who have left comments lately: Thank you. They always make my day! Soon (oh so soon) I will be on winter break and can't wait to visit your blogs once again. See you then.

My Cold, Cold Hearts

It's December. The holiday heart bunting is up! 

The tree is decorated. I've been spending my free moments cozied up next to it crocheting. I'm trying to finish up a big project by Christmas morning. 

Stockings are hung. Hip hip hooray for the holiday season! I love this time of year.

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If you want to make some Grandma Hearts of your own (they'd be great ornaments or present toppers), the pattern is here.

If you want more details about the bunting I made, my ravelry project page is here.

The inspiration for bunting name is from the song Cold, Cold Heart. I've been enjoying the Aretha version.

Hallway Crochet Love

Our hallway has one of those spots that used to house an old-fashioned phone. You know, the kind of phone that doesn't fit in your pocket. Since we don't have an old rotary phone that needs a place to hang out, I like to use our little phone shelf to create vignettes. 

This one is an ode to crochet and vintage things. Milk glass bowl, cotton threads, crocheted stone from Ms. Margie Oomen herself, pin cushion, Matryoshka doll, doily jewelry holder with vintage brooches, beeswax candle (smells so good!). 

Each time I pass through the hallway this collection makes me breathe a bit easier. It's calming. The light colors let my eyes rest. I've thought about switching things out for Christmas decorations, but I keep waiting. I'll keep these things out just a couple days more, I think. But I like them too much to tuck them away. 

Are your holiday decorations up? We've done a little decorating in the living room, the tree and some stockings. Can you believe it's almost December? I'm so excited for the holiday season!