1-17-2016 A Cold Start

A cold start to the day

as we head to church this morning!

 After church,

hubby took me to a local coffee chop

for some hot coffee...and...

...a BBQ braised pork crepe for brunch

from the Crepe Guy waving in the upper left.

Mmmmmm!

Then, in the afternoon

since outdoor temps only made it up to -2*F

we decided to do something indoors

and attended a hilarious play at the local barn.

Ended the evening with some Wendy's chili,

and knitting while watching football playoff games.

What a wonderful Sunday!

1-16-2016 Icestravaganza

We went downtown to see the Icestravaganza

ice sculpture of eagles this morning.

1-15-2016 Slippers

The subzero outdoor temps

are making OMa's house a bit chilly,

and since the girls play in the basement

on a (cold) concrete floor

I thought it might be a good idea

to make them some house slippers!

I let each girl go thru my stash and pick out 2 colors

of yarn for their slippers.

The oldest GD picked out pink and 'rainbow'.

The younger GD picked out 2 yellows

(she has always seemed partial to yellows), 

and they are still on the needles.

1-14-2016 Coloring

I'm in a coloring state of mind...

1-13-2016 Progress Comes to a Halt

Work has come to a halt on my "The Doodler" shawl...

I've run out of the green yarn while working the cable across the top.

Fortunately, the store from which I bought it

still has some on the shelf

so was able to order some more!

Whew!

I must say...

this is one FUN knit!

Loving it!

And I can't wait to wear it!

1-12-2016 Good Day to Stay In

1-11-2016 Marvelous Mah Jongg

DH & I have started playing games

during the long winter evenings.

It is so much fun to have the Mah Jongg set out again!

We usually play with the cards from the

National Mah Jongg League,

but I ordered some Marvelous Mah Jongg cards...

so much fun to do some new hands!

We've also been playing Cribbage, 

and plan to do some puzzles as well.

1-10-2016 Christmas Stockings

While reading a library book

about Christmas Stockings,

GD decided she wanted to WEAR

the Christmas Stockings I knitted.

1-9-2016 Scoreboard Scarf

 My Green Bay Packers scarf 

from the "2015-16 Scoreboard KAL" is finished.

I did not include the preseason or the playoffs...just the regular season.

I could tell the Packers had a winning season because I bought the same 

number of dark green (for the Packer's scores) 

and yellow (for the opponents' scores)

skeins of yarn, and almost ran out of green yarn

but had lots of yellow left. Go Packers!

The scarf tends to photograph black and gold

but it is really yellow and dark green.

1-8-2016 Brrrrr

1-7-2015 The Doodler

I've finished Clue !

(the main body of the shawl)

and am ready to start the cable across the top!

I LOVE the 'organic' nature of the shawl...

it will look like a sea shell when completed!

1-6-2016 Current Zentangle

 Here's the current prayer zentangle I'm drawing...

I've been thinking a lot about time and space lately...

how they are a woven fabric...

and decided to use only tangles that are based on a grid

for this card.

1-5-2016 Balance

 DH crafted a simple balance beam

for the GDs ...

they loved it!

They kept re-arranging the boards

into different configurations

and making paths and bridges.

1-4-2016 Strolling

DH strolling in the mall

with our dear GSs...

as we visit Chicago to celebrate

our son's birthday!

1-3-2016 Cream Puffs

DS is getting Cream Puffs for his birthday...

Mmmmmm....

1-2-2015 Embroidered Knitting

Embroidered Knitting is all the rage right now

and I have never done it

so thought I would join this Mystery Sock Knit-a-Long

that employs the embroidered knitting technique

to try it out on something small.

I'm knitting these socks mirror image,

cuff down, TAAT, on two circs.

1-1-2016 Happy New Year!!!

My New Year's resolution...

do a little Zentangle each day!

I find it a wonderful, meditative prayer time.

When I saw this pix on Pinterest,

I thought it would be the perfect way to practice

a new pentangle each day!

12-31-2015 Bittersweet

 It was a bittersweet look on the GDs faces

as the un-decorated our little Christmas tree today...

...and cleaned house...

...and spent the rest of the day playing indoors

discovering old toys they haven't played with in a while...

...and stayed snug as a bug in a rug indoors

as the temps dipped into the teens outdoors...

Happy New Year in 2016 everyone!

12-30-2015 Sledding

 Sledding time!

We have a gentle slope on the south side of our house

that is perfect for the little snow bunnies to sled upon!

Also had fun eating snow and icicles!!!

12-29-2015 And After the Ice...4 Inches of Snow

So glad we got a snow blower!!!

12-28-2015 ICE

It's been sleeting ICE all day...

12-27-2015 Still Using Leftovers

 Stitched up this cute little hat (and headband) today

still using leftover yarns from my sweater(s).

12-26-2015 Ancient Stitch Mittens

 Today I finished these

Ancient Stitch Mittens"

so it's time to start another small project!

These mittens were made with a #6/super bulky wool yarn

and will be nice and warm for shoveling snow and driving!

Next in my queue is a sock KAL that beings in January 2016...

it involves 'embroidered knitting'

which is all the rage right now

and something I have never tried!

Plus, I will get to learn a new Cast-On method

(Estonian Cast-On)...

and who knows what else?!?!?

So, today I wound my skein of gray sock yarn

into 2 equally weighted balls so it is ready to use

and now just have to wait for the Pattern clues 

to start coming out!

12-25-2015 Merry Christmas

12-24-2015 Christmas Eve Angel

Our deepest sympathies

to the family and friends of Margie

who passed away yesterday.

We are so saddened to lose her to this world

but knowing how much she LOVED Christmas,

I know she's having the BEST Christmas ever 

today in heaven with the Christ-child himself!

Love you, Margie!

12-23-2015 Jelly Bean Sprouts

When we picked up the granddaughters this morning

the older one went on and on and on about

making jelly bean sprouts...

how you mix flour and milk and jelly beans

and bake them in the oven

and then feed them to the kitties.

So, Oma put on her thinking cap,

found a cookie recipe that uses flour and milk,

had the girls mix up a small batch,

roll them into "sprouts"

and press jelly beans onto them.

Then we baked them.

Ah, good times, good memories!

12-22-2015 Record Warm Temps

We are having record warm temps this December...

in the 60*F+ range!!!

Thunderstorms and tornadoes!

12-21-2015 The Force Awakens

DH & I

thought it would be a perfect way

to spend the winter solstice today...

the shortest day and the longest night of the year,

by watching the new Star Wars movie!

We both liked it lots!