New Music - Eva Cassidy

God I love youtube!
My brother, Russ mentioned this artist to me then I read reference to her in a novel I was reading. Isn't that the way it goes?
I love music that touches me. Today, it's Eva Cassidy. Sadly, her story has a tragic ending as Eva died from Melanoma in 1996. It's our loss, to be sure.
But how wonderful she can live on and continue to touch souls with her songs. I'm so glad to have these little bits of her.
enjoy -

Ken is workin' the ladies

For Cami. And this was while it was still light out:

Workin' the ladies for Cami, or Clementine, depending.

He's still out there. In the cold. In the dark. The lovely man that he is sent me in where it's warm. I said, "I love you more than anything!" as I stripped off the seventeen layers I was wearing to stay warm. We've been at it since 1:00 this afternoon.

I love you, Cami but not this much. ;) melly should never be outside when the frost comes! Two nights in a row. I routered for you. I handled big power tools!

The good deed is done and I have four ladies lined up in the back of my truck.

My husband is a god. He rocks. I told him doing things like this makes people have hope. Hope that there are more nice people in the world if there are two friends that can stay out in the cold all day for one mighty Becher.

See you tomorrow.

Pay it Forward Handmade Style

While doing my usual morning reading, I stumbled across Shannon's blog and found a Pay It Forward challenge. What a great idea.
I love making stuff. I love making stuff for other people. I don't love swaps. People don't follow through or don't send stuff near as nice as mine (can I BE so modest? -lol-).
So here's the snippet I pulled from Shannon who got it from Jacqui who got it from Maggie May...you get the idea.

"I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog."

So come on out of the woodwork to get something fabulously handmade by me! It might be knit, it might be paper crafted, it might be whipped up in my kitchen. You just don't know! But I promise you'll like it!

It may be ugly but it sure tastes good

My mom has a somewhat partial opinion of me, I think. It happens when you're the favorite, you know. She admires my knitting, my sewing even my family. And my pie crusts. She thinks I have perfect pie crusts. I called her today and told her they were ugly. She wouldn't listen. I know she imagines me with perfectly golden, flaky crusts. She's got some imagination, that mom of mine.

Here's the truth. I was going to say in black and white, but it's a color photo but somehow that doesn't have the same ring to it. I think that phrase was actually meant more for print and not photos anyway. I digress...

Sorry to spoil your image of the perfect daughter, mom but my pie crusts - they are ugly.

But we don't care because they'll soon be filled with the most wonderful banana cream pie (from scratch!) as soon as my husband gets back from the grocery store. I need more flour. My mom and I decided together corn starch probably wouldn't work. On another day, possibly. But you don't mess around with Thanksgiving Day Pie. Not in our house, anyway.

The beer. It cools.

The games. They wait.

To be continued. . .

death to crocs

uploaded by imelly

Just got back from the podiatrist - official diagnosis: plantar faciitis. I knew that.
She said crocs are as bad as flip-flops, they really offer no support whatsoever. :o\
I'm currently in my tennis shoes waiting for my new orthotics to arrive.
I feel like an old woman.

The story behind the picture:
Susan got orange crocs for her birthday. My envy nearly consumed me so I got my own pair - the pink ones (and black mary janes, and pink ballet ones for Roo. It's a sickness, I tell you!). Lisa gave us such a hard time for our "hideous", "gross", "UGLY" shoes, so for her birthday, Susan and I got her a pair as a gag gift, really. Hers are the blue ones. See how worn they are? She LOVES them! She has two pair now.
Resistance is futile.
Sorry Lisa! (all this was before The Official Diagnosis)

testing out Flickr's blogging option

NOW baby's got back

I need to pace my excitement!

If I call three inches above the ribbing progress, what am I going to do when I get two sleeves added to this thing? Pass out, probably. -lol-

I'm knitting a sweater. It's crazy!

F is for:

Fall.

I love Autumn. For so many reasons. It's like a miracle, watching the colors of the leaves change on the trees. I'm always amazed at the deep reds, bright yellows and flaming oranges where only green was before. The sight of fall color has literally taken my breath away before. I love it!

I caught sight of something on a tree near my house that wasn't visible when the trees were in full summer splendor. I could tell, even from the road, that it was someones names or initials in a heart, carved in the bark of this tree. I knew I wanted to take a picture of this. I've been thinking about it for a few days, so yesterday I pulled my little car off the side of the road and snapped this picture.

There was a branch casting a shadow, darnit. I can photoshop that out later. Isn't this a fun picture? I wonder who they were, WHEN they were, if they ARE.

This next one was a surprise shot. I went cruising down my favorite road with the top down yesterday, a rare 60° November day and saw how the sun was coming down on these trees, lighting them on fire. I again pulled to the side of the road but I had to walk for a bit to get close enough to get the shot. I wanted to stay and take more but my top was down, the keys were in it and my car was getting our of sight the closer I got to the trees. I've got to get better at this whole pull-off-the-side-of-the-road thing. But this was so worth my nervousness:

I love Fall, don't you?

baby's got back

well, half a back, anyway.

progress!

I'm no longer monogamous

In my knitting, anyway.

I've got another round dishcloth in the works for Susan and I've started my first ever full-sized sweater! That's two things going at once! I guess I -am- a knitter!

Pictured is the start of the back with 2 x 2 ribbing. It's for Ashley. It's going to be FABULOUS!

Thanks again for the needles, mom. Size 7 is just what I needed!

my mom, she rocks

I got this package in the mail yesterday from my mom. She cleaned out her needle stash for me and sent her duplicates! See how much she loves me? :)

I was floating around on that little bit of bliss yesterday until I realized she sent me my Christmas socks early. See them there on the left? They're that bulky thing up there that suspiciously looks like a hank of yarn. I have to make my own socks now! -tears- That's what I get for learning how to knit. :o\ Cooking worked much the same way. I hardly ever get out for a good meal now that I'm such a Betty in the kitchen.

But the yarn is lovely. It's made from Chitin fiber? (not to be confused with chitLin -lol-) Ever heard of it? Me neither. It's YARN made from shrimp and crab shells! But it's soft! Really! I wouldn't kid the internet! Can't wait to play around with it.

Thanks, mom!
You ROCK!

mundania

remnants of the creative process


the leaves fell over night. happy fall, ya'll.

birdhouse painting on my dining room table

festive dish cloth for Lisa

Round Dishcloth by Amy Carpenter

knitting short rows and everything!

the pattern used to be available online but their site has been down for some time.

email me and I'll get you a copy.

imelly at comcast dot net (replace the at and dot with @ and . respectively)

Thanks Rhonda!

E is for:

Europe.

Just one of the places I'd like to visit.

The canals of Venice, the ancient architecture of Greece, the castles, the Alps, the people, the FOOD.

Ken and I both appreciate architecture. I can't imagine viewing structures built hundreds or even THOUSANDS of years ago.

Neuschwanstein Castle of Bavaria, is pictured above. It happens to be a relatively young castle at a mere 120+ years.

Isn't it spectacular? I can't even imagine standing in the presence of such amazing architecture.

It's a good thing I can't afford to travel just yet. Can't have me fainting all over Europe!