Taking a breather!

...or trying to! Saturday was Tiffany's wedding, and she was a beautiful bride! She used her tatted hanky as part of her bridal bouquet. The ring bearer was adorable, and he had the pillow clutched to his chest like it was his favorite stuffed animal. The wedding was about 2 1/2 hours away, so we got to bed way past our bedtime Saturday night. Somehow, I still managed to wake up around 6 in the morning!

Yesterday, daughter Carol and I drove up to my sister Janet's house to see her new living room furniture (very elegant looking and comfortable!), then we headed out to Janet's favorite store to try on FitFlops. Janet had bought a pair last week and said I had to try them on. I don't usually like anything between my toes, but Janet insisted that I try them, and then... she bought me a pair! I have to tell you, after walking around in them for several hours yesterday afternoon, I was amazed at the workout my legs got. Janet told me it was easier for her to get out of bed the morning after wearing them the first time, and guess what? It was easier for me to get out of bed this morning! I just have to get used to that feeling between my toes!


After shopping, we drove up to daughter Alison's house. Alison gave me this adorable scrapbooking basket made from Amy Butler fabric (Alison and I love Amy Butler's designs). I don't scrapbook, but it does make a great project basket! I'm working on a "Small Round Purse" from Crochet - made easy by Anne-Lise Hald. I typically don't buy beginner crochet books, but I fell in love with some of the projects in this one, and I just happen to have a little bit of crochet cotton around the house! ; )


Alison drove us up to McHenry for the Midwest Fiber Fest at McHenry Junior College. I probably have the name of the event and the place it was held wrong, but we had a wonderful time! Janet found a porcelain plate that had a patchwork effect and some vegetable ivory buttons. Carol found a beautiful blue vase. Granddaughter Eva found all sorts of yarn that she longed for... garish pink, blue, and yellow combinations that only a six-year-old could love! She settled for a pair of flip-flops decorated with fun fur, an origami crane, and a stuffed llama that she named Lucy at Aunt Carol's suggestion! Alison and I just enjoyed looking at and touching all the luxurious yarns (we both have way too much stash left to justify buying anything at this point). I did buy some HiyaHiya circular knitting needles. The vendor claimed they're nicer to work with than Addi Turbos (my favorite), so I just had to buy some to test them out! It was 8 p.m. by the time Carol and I got home, and I was beat!

I had a little time to read blogs this morning before thunder storms rolled through. Maria is working on a beautiful knit doily in size 30 thread. I told her I'd post pictures of what I'm working on... here you go! The peach is a baby blanket for daughter Andrea. I'm just using the basic dishcloth pattern that I love. When I want to think about a pattern or worry about how much yarn I have, this is the pattern I turn to! The green is "Fiddlehead Scarf" by Anne Hanson. I love Anne's designs, and her blog is a lot of fun to read! The cream color is a scarf from Victorian Lace Today. I know I've put the book some place very safe (in other words I don't know where it is right now), so I can't tell you the name of the pattern, but it is mesmerizing!



Did you see Elizabeth's cross pattern today? It is beautiful! I did try tatting it, and Elizabeth's directions are perfect. I just had a hard time following directions (must have been the headache I had before the storm front rolled through), so I wound up with too many picots in one spot and not enough pattern repeats in another spot. I will tat this beautiful little cross correctly, but I have no picture of it to show now.

So, how am I taking a breather? It's after 1 p.m. and I have accomplished nothing today except this post and reading blogs! I've been having fun!