Monthly Archives: December 2012

Contemplation

Posted on December 13, 2012 by --Deb | Comments Off

So … you’ve just finished reading a book. For the sake of the discussion, we’ll say it was everything a book should be—engaging, entertaining, interesting, thought-provoking. The kind you want to gush over. The question is—do you immediately move on to your next book? Or do you take time to contemplate this writerly masterpiece and all its associated thoughts/emotions/ideas for a while first?

Don’t forget to leave a link to your actual response (so people don’t have to go searching for it) in the comments—or if you prefer, leave your answers in the comments themselves!

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Tagged Wordpress

Yarned by You: Findley Dappled Edition

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Lauria | Comments Off

Findley Dappled was introduced for the Spring 2012 line. The base is the super popular Findley (50% Merino Wool, 50% Silk in laceweight), but Findley Dappled features a lovely variegation without any pooling. It comes in balls of nearly 800 yards! For the smallest sizes of all the Findley Dappled patterns it only takes one ball!

AdmiKnits knit this lovely Featherweight Cardigan in Woodland. It looks like just the right thing to toss on in a too-air conditioned restaurant or office.

This Snowy Evening Scarf knit in Clear Blue Sky makes me feel very peaceful. I’m guessing it took smv2dawn more than one snowy evening to knit it, though!

mariebambo held Findley Dappled doubled to make a lovely pair of socks of her own devising. She assured me that she had finished the pair – her toes weren’t just left hanging dry!

KnitlessinSeattle knit Plotted & Pieced in Zinnia for her 14 year old daughter. This design, by Caroline Fryar for the Findley Dappled yarn line received the most attention when the pattern line first debuted, but has been woefully under-knit.

This matching scarf & hat was crocheted in Frog’s Back. laurielea made the Lothlorien Scarf first, and then created the hat to match.

mrsdr knit this Jeweled Cowl as a shop sample. Clear Blue Sky takes on a different look when paired with orange-red beads!

Possibly my absolute favorite of the Findley Dappled pattern line is Laureate Cardigan. stubbornMM knit this one in Woodland. The back detail makes me so happy!

I hope you enjoyed a peek at these Findley Dappled patterns as much as I did! As always, click on the picture to be taken to the project page for more pictures as well as a link to the pattern.

You can find Findley Dappled in a LYS near you by clicking here then clicking “find a store,” inputting your zip code and selecting Juniper Moon Farm as the yarn brand.

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Tagged crochet, Features, Findley Dappled, Knitting, yarn, Yarned by You

For in his morning orisons he loves the sun and the sun loves him: Christopher Smart

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Julie | Comments Off

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Tagged cats

Probably something you would like…

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Susan | Comments Off

My pals at Homegrown.org has put together a great holiday gift guide, full of stuff I want.

I am kind of digging this Martha Stewart project of putting magnets on pretty spice containers to make fridge magnets.

These Know it All Pencils are great for stuffing stockings. $11.

I had completely forgotten how much I love the Two Fat Ladies! I’ve been watching the entire series on DVD and it’s just so charming and wonderful. $49.99.

I think this gorgeous polar print would be so perfect for a child’s room or nursery. $39.

I am currently reading two books that couldn’t be more different:

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry: A Novel

and

Rasputin: The Untold Story

My friend Marisa McClellan from Food in Jars has done a holiday gift guide specifically for canners.

30 Strange But Delightful Vintage Photos Of Animals

Ugly Renaissance Babies. Hilarious. Some of these babies are actually hideous!

Diving Pigs Make For Tastier Bacon, Says Chinese Farmer Huang Demin

I am broken-hearted that this skirt is sold out in my size. $98.

Stunning. “Hubble snapped this panoramic view of a colorful assortment of 100,000 stars in the crowded core of a giant star cluster. The image reveals a small region inside the massive globular cluster Omega Centauri, which boasts nearly 10 million stars.” Free to download.(via my friend Kristen).

My amazing Amy sent me this perfectly charming sampler kit as an early Christmas gift. Amy and Paul have really gone out of their way to make me know that I am missed back home in Virginia. I hope everyone is lucky enough to have friends like Amy and Paul.

These are the things that are making me smile this week. What’s knocking you out?

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Tagged Features, PSYWL

Decoupage Everything

Posted on December 12, 2012 by librarysarie | Comments Off

As suggested in my book review in my last post, I am currently obsessed with decoupage. I can't remember the last time I did this, but after I read through Mod Podge Rocks! I really did run right out to...

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Tagged Miscellaneous Crafts

Making Days

Posted on December 12, 2012 by WoolyMama | Comments Off

As the days start to pick up speed toward christmas we’ve been spending a little less time with math and science and more time with reading, writing, baking, and crafting.

While the orgy of cookie and cake baking hasn’t quite begun in earnest, there are some being made.

Maddie made both butter cookies for frosting and hamantaschen.

I hadn’t ordered the really good gel food coloring from King Arthur Flour as I had planned, mostly because the box we got from the local Food Lion promised to give true colors. But, as you can see, we got more of a pastel effect from them than we would like.

Oh well. Next time.

The hamantaschen will not last long. There’s a long list of cookies that we will make out of tradition, and there’s a long list of cookies we’d like to try. I think the kitchen will be working pretty well non – stop for the next two weeks.

And here’s a sneak peak of the dress I am making for myself. The fabric is wonderful – a festive and soft plaid shirting from Robert Kaufman.

It will be my third time using this pattern from Sew Lisette. It’s probably my favorite one.

Soon we’ll be making gingerbread houses and settling in for nightly holiday movie viewings – though I am definitely putting Love Actually on tonight for knitting entertainment. Maybe a fire, too. And popcorn.

Tagged: food, Seasons

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Tagged food, Kids, Seasons

Yarn Love

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Susan | Comments Off

At this stage, you would think it would be nearly impossible for a yarn to turn my head. I am completely spoiled by our glorious Cormo share yarn every year, and I am really, really proud of our commercial yarns.

So when a giant box of yarn arrives from the mill, I rarely ever gasp. I almost never get a lump in my throat and have tears in my eyes. But the latest box of yarn to cross my doorstop brought out my full inner kittenhead.

This yarn is gorgeous, even if you don’t know anything about it’s origins. Even if you don’t know that I started the colored flock as a surprise to cheer my sister up when she was going through a rough patch.

Even if you don’t know Roquefort, who once got into a fight with an ornamental concrete rooster. (Roquefort is still holding a grudge.)

Even if you didn’t watch our very first colored lambs being born on the Lambcam this year.

Even if you haven’t watch those lambs grow into healthy, robust sheep.

Even if you never had the pleasure of meeting Miss Leo.

Even if you don’t know any of this, the 2102 Colored Flock yarn is completely covetable.

But when you do know all those things? Well, it positively glows.

We do have a few spaces left in our 2013 Colored Flock CSA, although I suspect they will go fast now that the 2012 Shareholders have received their yarn. Judging from this thread on Ravelry, and the emails I’ve been getting, they can totally see it glowing.

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Tagged yarn