King Arthur Flour Goes To The Dogs...HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOOTIE!!!

Today is my dog Tootie's birthday...she turns 8! What better time to celebrate with her cousin Rangle; and a great time to bake doggie cookies. Tootie's favorite treat is homemade biscuits made with the dog biscuit mix from King Arthur Flour!!! I must confess...these smell so good baking they make me hungry too!

Not much time for crocheting & knitting the last few days. We've gone on plenty of walks and adventures...

All is quiet now, both dogs have a full belly & I think they may actually sleep for awhile. Could it be that I wore THEM out...lol!!!

The Fine Line Of Knitting And Crocheting

Well fellow fiber artists...is it just me or is that fine line between knitting & crocheting finally less apparent?!? Lately while browsing on Ravelry I've noticed more knitted pieces mimicking crochet & visa versa. All I have to say is...It is about time!
While I enjoy both needlecrafts, crochet will always be my favorite...simply because I relax so much more with crochet & reach my state of "zen" - even when working on a complex piece.
I think the time has come for all to embrace that which they enjoy and make the most of their preferred craft. There are so many wonderfully talented fiber artists around & now it is more apparent than ever since we are so lucky to have a site such as Ravelry.
As of late the laceweight yarns and Japanese patterns have been capturing my attention. I love the detail in these pieces and the fact that they are charted out makes it so much easier. If you are a "visual" crafter and are not yet familiar with these patterns I highly recommend checking them out. They can make all the difference in the world!!!
I am adding a few pictures here of my latest laceweight adventure. Thanks to Sharon who started a Spiral Shawl CAL...otherwise I may have never experienced such pleasure and satisfaction in a laceweight project!!!

Til next time...
Happy (whatever you prefer)...knitting or crocheting! Vive la difference

Karen

Coveted Yarn...New Yarn Shop In Gloucester!

Well as a hoarder of the stash, no jaunt is complete unless a yarn shop is found! Thanks to Ravelry, I realized there was a new yarn shop right where we were staying. Yeah...yet another reason to love Gloucester, MA!!!
Rich & I stop by Coveted Yarn and were truly amazing at how much lovely yarn could be packed into such an adorable shop. Upon arrival we were greated by an awesome staff - Robert, the owner & his assistants Astrid & Sari. They made us feel right at home! There was so much to see in this new yarn shop and many gorgeous fibers to touch.
As you can see from my pictures...there is a wall of yarn - all the colors of the rainbow! This alone can mesmerize any fiber artist. The selection of Blue Heron yarn is incredible too. There is a nice cushy sofa right in the middle of the store that makes you feel as though you are sitting in your family room at home. Robert has knitted samples and there are partially knitted pieces for we fiber fanatics to play with as well.
Coveted Yarn is definitely a shop not to be missed when in the Gloucester area. I intend to drop in next time we are in Gloucester & will probably order online too.
I wish Robert and his staff the best of luck with his new venture!!! If all the fiber artists feel as at home and welcome as I felt...this new yarn shop is sure to thrive...
Til next time
Karen

Off To Gloucester, MA

Rich & I took another jaunt this weekend. We went to one of our favorite areas...Gloucester, MA. Gloucester is so beautiful...even in winter; though I must admit, it was a little challenging attempting to walk the beach at -4 degrees!
As a fiber artist, I find it truly amazing how the colors and textures of the beach change so quickly. As you can see from my pictures of the ocean...she can be "moody" and change on a dime. This brings to mind the "Knit A Beach" project by Jane Thornley. How could you not be inspired by this painters palette?!?
While in Gloucester we managed to find an awesome new yarn shop to visit...more on this later!!!

Peace To All In The New Year!!!

So have any of my family and friends made "resolutions" for this New Year?!? I for one have not & will not do so in the future...There is much less pressure in doing the best you can on a daily basis rather than looking at the new year as a whole. I have made a mental list of what I need/want to accomplish for the year. It doesn't make it quite so committing as it would be on paper and it is much more forgiving this way (for me anyway).

Here's to a happy, healthy, prosperous New Year filled with peace & love!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR...Well this isn't exactly the lion laying down with the lamb (but you get the idea)...Tootie wishes you all a Happy New Year too!

Greetings From Quechee Gorge, VT

There is nothing like spending a few days in a beautiful place like Quechee to get you in the Christmas spirit...Quechee Gorge was virtually a winter wonderland! Even though Rich & I are getting rid of nasty colds, we couldn't help playing in the snow with Tootie and enjoying all there is to see & do in Vermont.

On the way to Quechee (we just had to stop at Webs) where a few skeins of Dream In Color's Smooshy and Malabrigo Silky Merino just happened to jump into my basket...I have no idea how that happened...We also went to a charming shop in Vermont called Northern Nights Yarn Shop where a few skeins of Claudia handpainted yarn came home with us.

We stayed at the Parker House Inn (which I highly recommend); a gorgeous bed and breakfast. Our hosts were Adam and Alex and they made us feel right at home in their charming retreat. We did some shopping at Simon & Pierce, antique stores and enjoyed the local cheese and wines.

We also found an awesome little cafe & book store in Putney, VT where we had a nice lunch among all the homey decorations and holiday goodies...complete with a little kitty (that Rich fell in love with) and a dog for me. The pumpkin/apple soup & quiche were so great that we had to stop there for lunch on the way home as well & off to Basketville for a few trinkets too. We decided to pass on a quick stop at Green Mountain Spinnery...I decided that I did enough damage at Webs & Northern Nights to keep me busy for awhile...

Happy Holidays everyone!!! Now back to the business of crocheting, knitting & baking a multitude of cookes...

Peace To All

Christmas Is Quickly Approaching!!!

I can't believe Christmas is almost here...Guess I've been knee deep in crochet & knit projects to notice. Tootie just got her doggie collar for Christmas & I'm quickly checking off those last minute items that need to be sent...(Kelly)!!!

To get you in a festive mood - here is Tootie sporting her new collar.