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Self-Care· TH

knitting and reading

I have done it!  I am officially done knitting my runner – my very short runner!  Actually, it is perfect.  The shelf that it will eventually be going on top of is only about two feet wide, so it will be just on the top of the shelf, which is what I wanted.


I thought that I would go on to the second ball of green yarn that I had, but then remembered that I have a baby who likes to grab at things, and if I make this runner to hang over the top of this very short bookshelf, she will most definitely pull it off, along with everything else that I plan to place on the top of the bookshelf.  


“What about the books?” you ask, well I have the bookshelf crammed incredibly full of books so that it takes a little bit of work to get the books out…I learned my lesson when my oldest was a baby.

As far as my reading goes, I have taken a break from book reading (didn’t I just get back into book reading?!) to work on some of my fall magazines.

I love the holiday season, and all that it offers food wise.  Food, glorious food, I can’t seem to get enough of all the fancy ways to prepare these delicious fall vegetables.  I am on the lookout for new dishes to prepare for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I love to have something new each year, and drooling over the recipes in the magazines doesn’t help me narrow it down at all.  Plus, all the beautiful tablescapes…I love it!

Also, can we all agree that Thanksgiving in two weeks is a little insane?  Thank you!

What’s on your needles this week?  Are you reading anything fun?

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  1. karen says

    November 13, 2015 at 1:24 pm

    I LOVE that green, it's a pretty deep green that would go with my house or with my wardrobe 🙂

    Reply
  2. Knitting Snowflakes says

    November 13, 2015 at 8:23 am

    Beautiful lace work! wish I had the patience to knit so much lace haha.
    Warm hugs 🙂

    Reply
  3. kathy b says

    November 12, 2015 at 8:29 pm

    Your runnner is indeed lovely and I'm all about magazines. Just learned to download them free from my library! life is good!

    Reply
  4. Eileen says

    November 11, 2015 at 11:49 pm

    Love the stitch pattern and green a favorite color for me. Yes, this time of year is fun to have a stack of magazines around to get me in the festive mood, Lord knows I need a good shove in that direction. great blog!

    Reply
  5. Chrisknits b says

    November 11, 2015 at 9:32 pm

    Adorable! I love that stitch pattern. And you can't go wrong with green in my book.

    Reply
  6. Jessica @ Barefoot by the Sea says

    November 11, 2015 at 8:57 pm

    SO beautiful! I love it!

    Reply
  7. deborah says

    November 11, 2015 at 8:36 pm

    I think your runner is grand!

    I love to drool over the food too and especially the beautiful table settings. I like to cook {baking best}, but I would gladly take a cook right now to just cook up wonderful meals for us!

    My stack of books is tall right now. But it makes me happy to know I have plenty to read! I just finished Come Rain or Come Shine by Jan Karon. Loved it so much!

    Reply
  8. K Birkenwasseranhöhe says

    November 11, 2015 at 6:45 pm

    What a lovely pattern for a runner! That green color is gorgeous and perfect for knitting called "fern" 🙂

    Reply
  9. Amanda says

    November 11, 2015 at 2:57 pm

    Your knitting is lovely. That green color is so rich and shows your stitches so well. You should certainly do videos on your knitting and reading. Thanks for popping by my blog today. 🙂

    Reply
  10. Amanda says

    November 11, 2015 at 2:56 pm

    Your knitting is lovely. That green color is so rich and shows your stitches so well. You should certainly do videos on your knitting and reading. Thanks for popping by my blog today. 🙂

    Reply
    • Heather says

      November 11, 2015 at 2:57 pm

      Thank you! I think I might have to try that for next week…we shall see!

      Reply
  11. Donna says

    November 11, 2015 at 2:46 pm

    Your runner looks great! What pretty lace work

    Reply
    • Heather says

      November 11, 2015 at 2:55 pm

      Thank you Donna! It was a fun pattern to work with. I always love all of your knits!

      Reply
  12. Kristin says

    November 11, 2015 at 2:32 pm

    Love your runner! What is the pattern?

    Reply
    • Heather says

      November 11, 2015 at 2:54 pm

      The pattern is called "Baby Fern" and it is from an old Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Needlework book. It was my mom's and I think it is from the 70's – you might be able to find it at your local library! Or on Amazon used books 🙂 There are a bunch of lovely stitch patterns in that book.

      Reply
  13. flyingjen says

    November 11, 2015 at 2:27 pm

    I love fall magazines, but usually end up reading them late. I just finished an October issue. So much for the fun Halloween cakes.

    Reply
    • Heather says

      November 11, 2015 at 2:56 pm

      Yes, I sometimes put off magazines for a while. I actually received these three a few weeks ago, and started looking at them, then stopped and now I am starting again 🙂

      Reply
  14. Pom Pom says

    November 11, 2015 at 2:18 pm

    You've inspired me to improve upon my veggie roasting and serve some different choices for our Thanksgiving feast. I love your runner. That is a gorgeous pattern. I am listening to Jane Austen's Persuasion while I walk. It's Jane Austen time of year to me. Ha! Take care, good knitter.

    Reply
    • Heather says

      November 11, 2015 at 2:56 pm

      I haven't ever listened to Jane Austen on audio book…that sounds like a good idea! I think it is always a Jane Austen time of year 🙂

      Reply

TH

knitting and reading

First I would like to say a big thank you to all of you who left comments and sent me e-mails about books I should read.  Thank you so much!  Of course now I have a very long list that I need to take to the library, but I think that is always a good problem to have.




I am still working on the shawl, I think I am a little more than a third of the way done.  The pattern is actually for an adult, and since I am making it for Emma, who is just a little peanut, it won’t need to be nearly as long.  It is supposed to be a shrug, so I really only need to make it long enough to be the width of her body after I sew the sleeves together.  I think it will be perfect for spring, and plan to give it to her as a birthday present.  Since her birthday isn’t until May, I have a bit of time!


I finished The Fringe Hours this week.  I really enjoyed it.  I am also going through the videos each week with the Bloom Book Club which is equally as good.  I like how the author really makes her hobbies and personal time a priority.  If we never fill ourselves up, how can we continue to give to others?  Overall, very good book!  And it continues with my whole theme of self-care and self-reflection this year!


I grabbed the above book, Attempting Elizabeth, off of Kindle unlimited (hey, you get a free 30 day trial!).  I don’t think I realized that there is pretty much an entire genre of books about Pride and Prejudice.  I mean, I realized it to some extent since I have read other books like Austenland, but I didn’t realize there were so many re-writes.  This was a quick read, kind of cheesy, but cute as well.  Something easy to read after all the non-fiction I have been reading as of late!


Are you reading anything new?  What projects are you working on?

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  1. Lilly's Mom says

    March 16, 2015 at 2:40 am

    I love the deep rich color of your yarn. I'm excited to see the completed shawl, too!

    Reply
  2. pippasmum says

    March 12, 2015 at 1:36 am

    I loved your purple from the second I saw it. So lovely!
    Did you enjoy The Fringe Hours? I'm reading it more slowly than you but I have to thank her for the chapter on finding your passions. It's funny, after reading, I think it was ch. 5, I put together a Pinterest board of inspirations and before I knew it, I was playing on Ravelry and choosing patterns and dreaming of future knitting. Whether I get anything else from the book, it was fun to really rediscover how much pleasure I get from knitting!

    Reply
  3. Sam Findlay says

    March 11, 2015 at 6:09 pm

    Such a beautiful colour!

    Reply
  4. thingsherelately.com says

    March 11, 2015 at 5:21 pm

    I agree with everyone…that purple! It is the perfect plummy shade. Beautiful! 🙂

    Reply
  5. fjord girl says

    March 11, 2015 at 4:33 pm

    That is a pretty stitch- love the rich color.

    Reply
  6. jsoxford.net says

    March 11, 2015 at 2:55 pm

    Beauuutiful colour. Like a plum! 🙂

    Reply
  7. Jayne says

    March 11, 2015 at 1:55 pm

    Love the purple as well. I am really into all those books about other books as well, and there are so many about JA. I hadn't seen this one though, so I will have to look for it.

    Reply
  8. Reinventing Mother says

    March 11, 2015 at 1:53 pm

    Such a pretty color! Did you make a digital list of all the suggested books? That might be fun to share:)

    Reply
  9. steph says

    March 11, 2015 at 1:52 pm

    that purple is great!!! love it…and sounds like this is almost an FO!!! 🙂

    Reply
  10. Sarah says

    March 11, 2015 at 1:35 pm

    Love that purple!! It looks so soft and squishy with that pattern!

    Reply
  11. Donna says

    March 11, 2015 at 1:29 pm

    I just love that yarn. It sounds like you will be finished in no time. Thanks for the link for Bloom Book Club. I am going to check it out

    Reply
  12. Zauberflink says

    March 11, 2015 at 12:31 pm

    Your knitting looks so lovely in colour and texture – beautiful!

    Reply
  13. karen says

    March 11, 2015 at 12:12 pm

    love that purpley goodness you are knitting up. Bet you will be done in no time at all. I haven't done the Kindle unlimited yet but I do have loads of fun checking out the daily kindle deals. about once every other week I find something I'm interested for only $2!

    Reply

TH

knitting and reading

I am happy to report that the wristlets I was making for Emma are done, yay!  And she loves them, deeming them “fashion” and wants to wear them all the time.  That definitely makes the knitting so much more gratifying to me.  I’m sure there will come a day when handmade by mama is not the most exciting thing in the world.



My plan was to immediately cast on for a cowl for Jack, unfortunately the flu, or some sort of flu-like illness, has taken over my house.  Emma had it first, then Jack, and now Matt also has it.  So far Lucy and I have seemed to miss it, I’m not that optimistic that I will completely miss it though.  My pattern is to stay healthy while everyone else is sick, and then get sick once everyone is better…


But, with the flu comes lots of downtime for reading!  I finished reading The Wonderful Wizard of Oz to the kids last night.  I loved it, never reading it myself.  Now the kids are begging me to see the movie, so we may be doing that today!


I am almost finished with Own Your Life by Sally Clarkson.  Wow, what a great book!  I definitely recommend it.  I am not one to mark up books, I prefer to keep them looking like new as long as possible (probably why I have so many books from my childhood still!), but this book made me bring out my purple pen.  There are so many amazing truths in this book.  


My reading has definitely been slower this year, but I think it is because of all the non-fiction I am reading.  I haven’t really lost myself in a novel yet, and I don’t have any on the horizon that I feel like I *have* to read right now.  So non-fiction it is!


What are you working on this week?  Are you on track for your reading goals?

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  1. Plain and Joyful Living says

    February 12, 2015 at 7:29 pm

    Glad to hear you enjoyed the book – it is on my wish list. I have a few of her others and re-read them every couple of years.

    Reply
  2. thingsherelately.com says

    February 12, 2015 at 4:37 pm

    My own daughter Emma loves wristlets, as well. 🙂 Hoping you all feel better very soon!!! *hugs*

    Reply
  3. Angie Allan says

    February 12, 2015 at 8:56 am

    Sending healing blessings so that your family feels better soon xx
    And those wristlets are awesome – love the colour!
    Angie xxx

    Reply
  4. CathieJ says

    February 12, 2015 at 12:43 am

    I hope you avoid the prevailing illness altogether. Your wristlets are pretty.

    Reply
  5. elizabeth says

    February 11, 2015 at 10:16 pm

    I am curious about that book! the wristlets are so cute! 🙂 hope you all feel much better soon! God bless!

    Reply
  6. Elizabeth says

    February 11, 2015 at 6:43 pm

    I am not meeting my reading goals at the moment, but like you I think it might be because I'm on the non – fiction.

    Reply
  7. Sarah says

    February 11, 2015 at 6:08 pm

    I was working on my book list ideas for the year and Something-by-Sally-Clarkson went on my list. I see her name everywhere with many different books so it's time to figure out what to read by her. Own Your Life might be the starting point!
    Love your wristlets, they are darling! My little on was just asking to wear her pair this morning for her cold hands – kind of rare that anyone asks to wear a handknit indoors in this house for some reason! I was overjoyed to pull them out!

    Reply
  8. The Cozy Knitter says

    February 11, 2015 at 5:58 pm

    the wristlets are beautiful and you are so right, there is nothing more gratifying than knitting for someone who appreciates it.

    Reply
  9. Darcel {MahoganyWayMama} says

    February 11, 2015 at 3:49 pm

    Nice wristlets. I put Own Your Life on my long reading list. Maybe I'll get to it sooner than I think.
    Stopping by from Frontier Dreams.

    Reply
  10. Jessica @ Barefoot by the Sea says

    February 11, 2015 at 2:11 pm

    Her wristlets are adorable – just like Mama's! Let's hope everyone starts feeling better ASAP! It's been one long Winter!

    Reply
  11. Reinventing Mother says

    February 11, 2015 at 1:53 pm

    Love the wristlets!

    Reply
  12. Donna says

    February 11, 2015 at 1:40 pm

    Love Emma's wristlets! It's a great feeling to enjoy a book so much that you mark it up . I hope you all get healthy and stay that way.

    Reply
  13. Laura at Beehive Rugs says

    February 11, 2015 at 1:34 pm

    So glad Emma likes her wristlets, hope everyone is well soon.

    Reply
  14. Jodi says

    February 11, 2015 at 1:06 pm

    Hoping your family feels better soon and that you stay healthy! I have added Own Your Life to my list to read! Have a great week!

    Reply

TH

knitting and reading

Yay!  I finished the baby hat.  Of course the total time it took was not very long, but those little interruptions keep creeping up on me!  


We found out last week that we are having a girl!  So it will be all purples and pinks from here on out I believe.  Well, I will have to balance that with some blue for my boy as well. Emma has already asked me to knit a hat in her favorite pink yarn.  I can definitely picture her asking for a lot of matching items.  I think I will be moving onto baby leggings next.  That will be something I will get a lot of use out of with a fall baby.


As far as reading goes, I saw that my husband had taken this book off the shelf a couple weeks ago.  I put it back.  I haven’t ever read it before, although started it several times.  Then yesterday I saw another blogger mention that she found the book at a yard sale and she was excited to read it.  


Well, that got me thinking, I have been looking for a good, positive book to read, and this seems like a good place to start.


I am still reading Pursue the Intentional Life with the Bloom book club.  It is really interesting to see what everyone has to say about the book, and I think the discussion is keeping me in the book at this point.  I will have to look through some book lists to find some lighter reading soon though.  That is before I break into the stack of homeschooling books I will need to go through for the fall.  Hmmm…maybe I should look for that light reading sooner rather than later.


What are you working on this week?

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  1. Lucy Bowen says

    June 13, 2014 at 6:43 pm

    Lovely hat – congratulations on your news – I love pink!! (I have 2 boys so pink has largely passed me by!)

    Reply
  2. karen says

    June 11, 2014 at 11:52 pm

    Beautiful wee hat and how exciting your having a girl 🙂

    Reply
  3. mamasmercantile says

    June 11, 2014 at 5:42 pm

    Congratulations. The baby hat is delightful.

    Reply
  4. wifemomknitter says

    June 11, 2014 at 5:13 pm

    Congratulations on the baby news!

    Reply
  5. harknessangels says

    June 11, 2014 at 2:45 pm

    Congrats! Love the baby hat! 🙂

    Reply
  6. Lisa @ HappyinDoleValley says

    June 11, 2014 at 1:40 pm

    Congrats on both the finished baby hat as well as the baby girl knitting in your future — enjoy! 🙂

    Reply
  7. Jessica @ Barefoot by the Sea says

    June 11, 2014 at 9:26 am

    The baby hat is adorable! Can't wait to see more matching items in the future, as well as coordinating items for Jack 🙂 Leggings sound great for a Fall baby! 🙂

    Reply

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