Saturday, March 28, 2015

An Accounting

















Hi there,
Join me for an accounting of the WIPs spread out all over my house!

In the living room --
Encore Log Cabin Blanket














Started in 2011 (yikes)! My first log cabin blanket, in four shades of blue. Originally designed to be adult size, 60" x 90" (we are tall!) It stopped being rectangle even though I thought I started out rectangular-ly?? Now I'm aiming for a crib size, might make a nice baby gift someday. I've enjoyed working on this and learning the log cabin method. I hope to finish it off with an applied i-cord border.

In the bonus room --
Theresa Gaffey Stole














Started in 2014. Probably my all-time favorite WIP. Four colors down, five to go. The Isager Alpaca Merino is the most gorgeous yarn, and I.Will.Finish.This.One!

In my studio --
Guernsey Wrap














Also started in late 2014. I love this pattern, but instead of a wrap, it may very well be turned into a table runner for my dining room. The Brooklyn Tweed Shelter has a very natural feel to it, but I'm surprised at how fragile it is. It seems to tear easily so I have to be very gentle with it.

Under my desk --
Clapo-Ktus














The frogged Clapo-Ktus wrap in the expensive Handmaiden Sea Silk (Charcoal). I got off track on this one, but plan to restart it this summer. Lovely yarn!

In the bags --  
Purl Ridge Cowl & Socks














Purl SOHO bag: A Purl Ridge Cowl in periwinkle!  
Other bag: a frogged and restarted pair of socks, both socks going at once on two sets of DPNs.  
So with all this going on, guess what I'm knitting . . . 

Ballband Dishcloth


















I know there's a one hundred percent chance I will finish this by the end of the week!  

xoxo Tammy

Monday, March 23, 2015

A Special Shower

3/21/15














Hi there,
First of all . . .                      
WELCOME SPRING!!! 

Center: the bride, surrounded by her sister and maid of honor on the left,
and the delighted Mother of the Bride on the right.
Seated: my daughter and bridesmaid on the left, me on the right.
Back row: good friend, proud auntie, and special neighbor*

















It was such an honor to help host an afternoon bridal shower at my home on Saturday for a special bride. Our family has known Alexa since she was age twelve, and she and my daughter played years of soccer together. It's hard to believe these girls are all grown up! I'm so proud of Alexa and the business and life she has built. She designed my 'tamknots' logo for this blog, and it is one of the nicest gifts I've ever received. Please see the link at the bottom right corner for more info about her business.

Friends since ages 12, 11 & 10*















We had a lovely time with great food, gifts, and laughs. Then the best part was when our guys joined us for some more laughs, cornhole, etc.

Backyard cornhole*













The lucky groom and Father of the Bride*















*Photos courtesy of shoofography.com 

xoxo Tammy 

Saturday, March 14, 2015

Thank You for Being

Photo courtesy of shoofography.com















Hi there,
It's looking like our pear trees will be in bloom this coming week. Spring is definitely in the air.

I received such a nice surprise this week. My best buddy on Ravelry sent me a gift of yarn from her stash. She calls it her SABLE (Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy). Isn't that a hoot?!

If you're not familiar with Ravelry, it is basically facebook for knitters (and crocheters). Slate did a great article about it a few years ago: http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2011/07/a_tightknit_community.html 

So much fun to unwrap!














The best part is meeting new friends from all over who share the same love of knitting and yarn. I met Sharon about a year ago when I wrote to her about the colors she had chosen for her Theresa Gaffey Stole. I discovered she is from Nebraska, in a small town where my hubby's relatives have cemeteries, hills, plots of land (something like that) named after them. We've been chatting ever since!

Photo courtesy of shoofography.com

Gorgeous yarn! That's two skeins of Koigu Kersti (Sea & Sky II) to make the School Girl Socks, a skein of Regia sock (Snowflake), and most special of all, one skein of the very limited Plucky Knitter special edition for Churchmouse Yarns & Teas (Ferry Schedule). Wow! Sharon is also the person who first introduced me to Churchmouse Yarns, now my all-time favorite yarn source!

Sharon, I can't thank you enough! You are the best!

THANK YOU FOR BEING!

xoxo Tammy 


Sunday, March 8, 2015

Bye Bye Winter

















Hi there,
Today, I'm saying goodbye to winter! Daylight Savings has started, and I am so ready for the trees to begin budding out, which should happen in the next couple of weeks. Farewell to the dead flowers and Christmas wreath that is still on my front door. Real soon, I'll post new pics of a spring rug, wreath, and plants.














xoxo Tammy 

Sunday, March 1, 2015

I've Been Inspired


Hi there,
Have you seen the new Tory Burch ad campaign in the Wall Street Journal? Go to: wsj.com/tory and scroll down to watch her video. I didn't know much about Tory until now. She is the very impressive Billionaire CEO of her global brand, an American fashion designer, and supporter of entrepreneurship for women.

I've always enjoyed reading the WSJ, starting in college when it was required reading for Econ 101. My mom hated it because my subscription was mailed to our home P.O Box, where it was crammed in with the family's mail. For the past 16 years, I've worked with a CFO and CIO so it's been part of my daily work reading. I'm not interested in wealth, stocks, NASDAQ, or the Dow Jones. It's the other stuff I like--Technology, Style, Health, and the Personal Journal.

What appealed to me in the Tory Burch ad is the photo of her with the inspiration board behind her. This inspired me to hang a 4' x 3' bulletin board in my home studio, and I'm having a lot of fun deciding what to display on it.

Tory and I have the same initials too!










xoxo Tammy