What a nice surprise….

I had such a nice surprise the other day when I picked up my mail on the way to an appointment and noticed a priority envelope addressed to me from Oregon.  Since I didn't think I knew anyone in Oregon and hadn't ordered anything from there, I was mystified as to what it could be.  I very well couldn't rip it open as I drove, so my mind was filled with various possibilities.  As soon as I reached my destination, I tore into it and found the most wonderful note and the items below.  A new handmade dishtowel for my new green kitchen along with a dishcloth made by the "givers" mother.  How sweet!  My heart was filled with joy at the kindness that my friend, Pennie, gave me….what a wonderful gift and nice surprise, just when I needed it most.  Thank you, sweetie!  I love them both and they are already being put to good use.  I wrote you a note on Flickr…I hope you saw it!

On another note, another friend had an exciting event happen at her house this week…..her Havanese girl dog gave birth to 9 healthy babies……YES…9!  I could hardly believe it!  Mama weighs only 14 lbs.  I like the little black and white one in the middle, don't you?  Now I will have fun watching them grow up……and I will go visit before they leave for their new homes, believe me.  Wow!

Of course, I sent out a few envelopes this week.  The girls still appreciate getting books in the mail.

And, again, no sewing, or reading this week and I wasn't even a very good knitter either.  The first two socks were flops and taken apart.  I hated the combination colors of the first, and the 2nd ended up too tight and felt like it had already been in too hot of water.  It was stiff and not soft.  SO…I tried again with bigger needles and I think I got it.  #3 is in process…..stay tuned!

Incidentally, if you're interested, they're having a Knit-Along with this pattern on Raverly…..there are tons of different combinations posted.  I've ordered a ton of yarn……I want to try them all!!  lol

Until next week…………...

Decisions - decisions

Now that the kitchen is done, I have been thinking/looking at various floorings to put in our 18ft vaulted living center, stairway and loft area.  Right now we have carpeting…..but should I replace it with hardwood?  AND if I do hardwood, should I just bite the bullet and put it through the rest of the downstairs too….including the kitchen, 1/2 bath, hallway, laundry room and front foyer?  That would be approximately 1400 sq ft……not cheap to say the least!  OR, should I just be cheap and practical and replace the carpeting with new carpeting?  I am stumped!  First though…..and yuck about this…..my house was built in 1988.  Do you know what that means?  Yes, our vaulted living center and loft areas have popcorn ceilings.  Glory be!!  I've already decided to leave the stuff on the vaulted ceiling in the living center (after all how many people look that high up anyway?), but I think I need to have the ceiling updated in the loft area with the 2 skylight chutes as well.  Hopefully, we can hire our son to do that, otherwise Jennifer (my trusty contractor) will be getting another job.  No way would I even attempt to do it!!!  I will let you know what happens.

In the meantime, here are the envelopes I sent out this week:

And here is what I've been doing all week.  This is pair #6, I'll have you know.  I found an awesome pattern for some real fun socks online this week and have ordered a ton of yarn to play with, so stay tuned.  I can hardly wait for the mailman!  Did you note my matching reading glasses?  I couldn't resist!

And that's about the news!  No books again, and I must admit that I really miss reading.  One of these days….!!  Hope you are having a great summer and are staying busy.  I just love all the sunshine and no snow.  lol  Until next week….

Another week…….

First off I want to thank you all for your oh-so-nice comments on my newly remodeled kitchen.  I do love it and your comments make it even better!  (Still no stainless refrigerator here yet, BUT Monday is our 43rd anniversary and I have a funny feeling that some big cardboard box might be at the door soon after that….I will let you know.)  I have been shopping for carpeting, or hardwood though.  We need to replace 98 sq yards of carpeting in our living center, stairs and loft area and so far, I'm not sure what I want to do.  Personally, the only hardwood I really LOVE is bleached maple in 5 inch planks, and it really doesn't "go" in my house.  Quite honestly, I actually swoon when I see it……..it's soooooo gorgeous!  I'll probably just end up buying carpeting though.  I hadn't been to a flooring store in 14 years and I was surprised how soft the carpeting has become.  Years ago, you'd have to pay through the nose to get really soft carpeting, but now, it seems they all have some softness to them AND it's not as expensive as I thought it would be so that's a plus too!!!

Naturally, I sent out envelopes to my sweeties this week:

Again, I didn't even stick my nose in a book all week.  Shame on me!!  Seems I can't read and knit so lately I have been knitting my brains out………BUT it takes soooooooo long!  I can read a $25 book in probably 1 1/2 days at most, but it takes me 10 days or longer to knit $25 worth of yarn for a pair of socks.  Now, you'd think because of this, I would be saving $$, wouldn't you?  NOT SO MUCH!!  Problem is that I shop online for more yarn……..yes!  This week I think I ordered 7 skeins.  DO YOU know how long it'll take me to knit 7 skeins of yarn for 7 pair of socks?  Over 3 months!!  Hello???  And this isn't the only week I shopped for yarn online……….eikes!  I'm getting quite a drawer full, I must admit!

Here is the pair that is almost finished.  I am close to being done with the foot part and then I only have the toe to go.  Yippee!  I LOVE making the first sock, but by the time I need to start #2, it's not as much fun.  Any of you knitters out there have a solution for this?  If so, PLEASE let me know! 

So, that's the news here.  I hope you all are having a good summer and doing fun things at least once a week for yourself!  It's important to feed your own soul…..I do it with creativity.  (Plus, I'm getting a start on Christmas gifts……lol)  Until next week………….

Saving the best for last…..

First off let me show you the envelopes I sent the girls this week:

Then……do you remember this?  This is my kitchen not that long ago:

AND…..ta-da……this is my kitchen today!  All bright and happy and I LOVE it!

I did not match the tile to the paint color……actually, if you'd see the glass tile in person, you wouldn't believe it even looks green.  It's a beige color called "cloth".  AND…behind the tile, the wall was painted with white primer so you can't blame it on paint either.  I was surprised to say the least that it took on a green hue, but not in a bad way.  I really like it.  I just hope I don't get sick of green!

Note the creaminess of the cabinets next to the underside of the soffit which is painted "ceiling white"…..the color on the cabinets is "Maritime White" by Benjamin Moore.  They match my bisque Corian countertop perfectly.  (It only took 3 tries before we got the right color……that's a whole other story.)

This morning, I popped over to Target and bought pale green towels and washcloths for the kitchen….matchy-matchy, you know!  lol  Next is a new refrigerator.  Believe it or not, mine has been working perfectly for about 15 years and it's almond.  Hubby is insisting on stainless.  I guess I'll cave this time.  Ten years ago when we put in the countertops, and did the original back splash and bought the other appliances, I insisted that the almond refrigerator was fine…..and even now, it seems a shame to get rid of something that still works okay.

So, that's the news here!  Needless to say, I didn't read a book this week…….BUT, I am working on a new pair of socks which you will see soon!  Have a super week……!!

Happy 4th of July

I'm already getting ready for family to celebrate the 4th of July…..hope you are too!  I have potatoes boiling now for potato salad, and just got back from the store with tons of fruit for a fruit salad.  Yummy eats on the 4th are part of the tradition!!

I'm sad to tell you that my kitchen is no further than it was last week, but that will change soon.  I heard from my contractor that the tile is in and she will be here to install the back splash on Tuesday.  Yippee!  I'm so anxious to get this completed and to show you the before and "afters".  I do love it so far!

Sent out envelopes with books again this week…….(naturally)…..and was asked my my sweeties to take a picture of myself in the artistic process since they're both saving the envelopes.  I thought that was sweet.  

My little great niece called me and told me I looked like a real artist…..how do you like that???  I had to laugh.  Kids are so funny!

AND….I was knitting.  (I should be reading two books I took out from the library, but haven't started those yet and they're due the 11th….bad me.)  Anyway, here are the pair I finished (the 3rd pair I'll have you know) and following is the pair I just started (which I am having a heck of a time with for some reason.)  The yarn is very stiff and rough and doesn't want to leave the needles easily…..love the pattern though.  I will finish one sock and see what I think after that.

So, that's the extent of my week.  Like I said, I do have two books here and hopefully I can at least get to one this coming week…….(if I would stay off this computer shopping for yarn.  lol)

Hope you have a wonderful 4th of July with friends and family.  So until next week, "Happy Birthday, America"!!!