One of my birthday gifts ---

It's c-o-l-d in New England this week!

Well, I made these this week as Christmas gifts:

It's time to keep people warm!

Hey -- Take a look at my friend's great hand-made candles!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/WoodenCandle

Karate Man, Mark

ohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdSQGLwjX_o
My son-in-law, blackbelt Dr. Doherty.
You'd better believe that I do whatever he says when I'm in HIS chair!

I'm on a knitting roll! (Or maybe it's because I was in with a cold...)

Well, today is Thursday, and I finished two items since last weekend.
One was a keyhole type of scarf, made with the great yarn that my online/now-in person friend, Laura gave me:
I found that taking a selfie aimed at your neck is not the easiest thing to do.  But in any case, here's the finished product.  Nice and warm and cozy for the New England winter.  

This was the first time I made a keyhole type of scarf, so I checked with Ravelry and found a lot of patterns there.  It really was simple to do, and the pretty colors in this skein blended nicely.  Thanks, Laura!

Next, I was in nursing a cold this week, and I got my needles going on another comfort shawl.  We had quite a stack at our shawl group; but it seems that our stack is getting diminished quickly, as there are names submitted of people who need a little comfort and prayers because of  illness.

Here's one which I found online.  It has a cross on each end, but I found them to be rather small, so I tried to highlight them a bit with some little, pearlescent beads I had from a dress that I had made for my granddaughter.  I also decided to make a chunky fringe at the bottom, with the fringe a little more spaced apart than I have done in the past.
Again, the color isn't exactly true when I use my camera, along with indoor lighting in my living room.

This yarn is considered a "berry" color.
Prayers for healing and comfort go with each shawl our group sends out, although we may not know who the recipient is.

Throw away those "R"s

Hot off the needles---

Well, here is a picture of the comfort shawl I just completed.

 

I used a pale yellow baby yarn for this one.  Because I only used one strand of this 3-ply yarn at a time, it took me longer to complete.   However, I must keep those hands busy, as we seem to have a great need for these shawls.   

I hoped our shawls would be appreciated; but I was surprised to hear at our last meeting that some of the recipients have treasured them and even teared up, upon receiving good wishes and prayers from others.  It really touches people's hearts.

Next thing you know...they'll be driving...

How do these babies all of a sudden start getting bigger and having a life outside of us holding them, watching them and spoon-feeding them? 

Middle School

I think it happens while we sleep.

4th Grade

Pre-School

Everyone is getting bigger and we are getting older.

Meeting someone online....

Laura & I have the exact same blood type!

Our first meeting was at an Irish Pub

Coffee chicks

We've heard all of the warnings.  We've gasped at how people meet up and then are disappointed, scammed or kidnapped.
But when it comes to knitters, there's not much to worry about. (Even though they carry needles with them.)
Laura H. from N.Y. and I have been talking via Facebook for several years now.  We had a couple of things in common, which  made us comment on one another's posts.
Well, on their way back home, they graciously stopped after leaving Logan Airport in Boston and we had lunch together.  We now have more in common, and it seems like we share the same type of values, with both of us having been blessed with SUPER kids.  We love knitting and we also love animals.  (But we already knew that.)  Hope we can spend a day together sometime and not just a luncheon date.   Thanks to her patient husband, Ken, they changed their route to go home and we finally found that we aren't pictures on Facebook, but REAL people!  

Whew! Dodged a bullet that time!

 

So, I was waiting for my grand kids to come over here on Halloween night.  This is the meeting place!

They set out from here, circle the neighborhood, then return here to check out their haul.

I was careful with my candles here and there, because I didn't want anyone to bump into them, or risk little sleeves going near them.

As I waited I worked a little more on the recent comfort shawl I am making.  Of course, I always have my trusty mug of coffee near me.

Well, the kids arrived and I got up to greet them.

Xander was in the house for about 30 seconds and spun around, bumping his plastic candy bucket into my coffee cup!  YIKES

It wobbled and spilled a little on the magazine...but miraculously, it didn't spill on the pale yellow yarn that I was working with! 

Whew!  Was I ever happy!  That would have been very discouraging to have coffee on my knitting project.

BOSTON STRONG

Well, congratulations to the Red Sox, and we KNEW it would happen.
Boston has been through enough sadness and grief this year with the marathon bombings and loss of life...
This was the way to show their strength!
Big Papi thanked God first of all as he spoke, and that's what I'm talkin' about!
************************************************************************************
And NOW for the parade!

I MIGHT KNOW THESE GUYS...  :-)

Maddie needs prayers from everyone

Maddie Grace has been a very brave little girl.  She is fighting cancer and loves to get cards!

Here is the link to her story:

http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2013/oct/13/10-year-olds-positive-outlook-despite-cancer-inspi/

We heard about Maddie because some of her relatives attend our church.  She has a great attitude!

Here is where you can read updates:
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/maddiewindle

Bella (Botelho) Ezikovich turns 100

Left, Bella's daughter, Barbara

Bella with her sister, Dottie

My husband, Bill with his cousin, Barbara

Bella is the sister of Bill's birth mother, Annie (Botelho) Laliberte

Bella blows out a candle

My grandkids

It's a blessing to be able to have a family.
Having a family means that you have to sacrifice and share and can no longer think of yourself, as all parents realize.
Having grandchildren means that after you leave your earth suit and travel on to the next life, you have left behind some people who are a part of you and who remember you with love. Does it get any better than that?
Thank God for grandchildren!

Oh yes...having a granddog and grandcats is great, too!

BFFs spend their last day together...

Well, Sheila and her aunt, Janet Caldwell arrived at my house shortly after noon and I took them to Tickle's.

Take a look:-----  http://www.ticklesshop.com/about.html

I just knew that they'd have a great time here!

We browsed a bit, then our buzzer went off, alerting us to the fact that our table was ready.   We reluctantly paused our shopping and went into the dining room.

You might think that's a tablecloth.  We did too.  It is part of the wooden table, painted to resemble a tablecloth!

The atmosphere is country-cottage-rustic-charming.  We ate in the tea room.

Last spring when I was there, my friends and I ate out on the patio and it was a great experience.

So, we ordered and talked and ate and talked.  Sheila's aunt and I realized we both knew some of the same people and places in the Attleboro area.  Janet, Sheila and I are all from North Attleboro.
We were anxious to get back to our browsing!   They end serving in the tea room at 3 p.m., so we continued on our shopping journey.
We just couldn't get enough of the unique items offered there.  Everything from scarves, jewelry, various brands of handbags, hats, unusual rings, bracelets, wall hangings, baby gifts -- you name it.
Sheila and I got matching Alex and Ani bracelets with a friend charm.

  The younger saleswomen thought it was extremely cool that these two ladies in their mid 60s had been BFFs in high school and were celebrating our friendship that way.
After we made our various purchases, we tore ourselves away from Tickle's.

The sweet waitress offered to take our picture. L to R: Sheila, Aunt Janet, Jan

We were on Rte. 6, or G.A.R. Highway in Swansea, MA, and I offered to take them just down the street a couple of miles to where I love to pop tags. (as in the funny thrift shop video--the G-rated one)

They were enthusiastic!
So, we headed down there, and browsed some more.  Sheila made a direct line to the linens, pillow cases and sheets, where she is able to give new life to various fabrics.  Since she is a quilter, she buys materials like these and cuts strips, etc...for a quilt she is working on.  This is a great way to introduce matching or harmonizing colors to her current projects.

Aunt Janet found a sweater that she was happy about.
We had a great afternoon, then it was time to say our good-byes.  Aunt Janet would head back to North Attleboro, Sheila and her sister-in-law will soon reverse their journey and head back to Ohio where Sue lives.  After the upcoming weekend together, Sheila will fly back home to Orlando.
Ahhh....they visited many people and saw some great places.
Everyone is happy.  Tired, but happy!

Sheila brought me a gift!

Here's is what my talented friend and GREAT QUILTER brought me:

This was just perfect for my table!  I had my fall pumpkin out, but didn't have anything under it. And lo and behold, look what she showed up with.  Love the label she has on the back, too.

BFFs from Class of 1964

Janice (Stafford) Laliberte, left---- Sheila (Reilly) MacDonald, right---- 2013 Yarmouth, Cape Cod, MA
North Attleboro High School class of 1964 friends

Here we are!  I'm on the left, and my dear friend, Sheila is on the right, sitting and watching the seagulls at Cape Cod.
Sheila is visiting here in MA this week from Orlando, FL where she has lived for years now.
We were BFFs in high school in the 60s.
We went to lunch at a nice little spot near Bass River and visited with some others, too.
On the way home, we stopped at a quilt-supply store, which was like a wonderland of quilt books, beautiful fabrics and supplies for a fervent quilter, like Sheila!
Tomorrow we are making another excursion.  Maybe I will have more pics tomorrow!

Friendly "visitors".  Well, we DID have cookies with us.

No close up setting needed here.  These guys came up to us and hung around!

She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. Proverbs 31:13

This pattern has a fan design.  I found the pattern online and it's quite easy.   I will post more pics of it when it is done.

What's on my needles right now:

 

I'm working on this baby blanket and finishing it up by the end of the week, I hope.  Our next door neighbor is expecting a baby granddaughter very soon, and I want to have it ready.   This pattern is so easy.  It just consists of three rows, repeated.    The first row is knit, the pattern row is: K1, YO, K5, Sl 1, K2, PSSO, K5, YO, K1, then repeat across row.    Then the third row is Purl.   It causes the ripple effect very easily. 

(For size, you cast on 150 sts.   I used two strands together of kind of thin baby yarn.   You can decide on the size of the needles and the bulkiness of your yarn.  I used # 8 needles on this. After you've reached the length you like, end with Row 1, which is the Knit row....then bind off.   I have made this before and noticed that the bind off row is not as "pointed" as the beginning. That's OK, as I think the less-pointed row could be used up near the baby's chest and neck area.  I suppose it doesn't really matter much. ( Roll that kid up like a burrito! )

I made this comfort shawl this week.

I tried to drape it so that the pattern would show up in the picture.  As you can see by the lighting, the color was not true.   The bottom pic shows a more accurate color.  (thanks to the daylight coming in through the front door)

I used Simply Soft yarn by Caron, and used two strands together for the pattern.  I had started this shawl using just the one strand, and the pattern was coming out well; but I could see that it would take me so much longer, that I doubled up the yarn and went with that.  This was an easy pattern to work with.  on the lower right I added my little traditional cross charm.

My only problem is when I spot something of interest on TV while I am knitting, or my husband asks me some question that makes me lose track.   It's inevitable, I guess.