It’s Snowing…!

Just in time for weekend guests to arrive and enjoy this winter wonderland.

IMG_1757

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’ll be entertaining them all weekend, but will be back next week.

Meanwhile, I’ve been working on some new knitting surprises, and here’s a sneak peek:

IMG_2027

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These gorgeous buttons are vintage brass from 1920, embellishing a new project inspired by the same era. The yarn is Sundara’s Aran Silky Merino, a delicious 50/50 blend of silk and merino wool.  More soon!

Happy December

It’s astonishing how quickly this year has flown by… December already! Thanksgiving is already in the rear view mirror, meaning that this:

IMG_1796

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

has been consumed in multiple forms, from roasted root vegetables (original Thanksgiving dinner), to Leftover Thanksgiving Pie (Post-feast casserole), to what will soon be a pot of our family’s favorite, Turkey Carcass Soup.

This was also the first year I made “Mama Stamberg’s Cranberry Relish,” described by NPR’s Susan Stamberg as “atrociously pink, like Pepto-Bismol,” but delicious. Evidently, Craig Claiborne invented the original recipe back in 1959, but Ms. Stamberg popularized it beyond either’s imagining. And it is amazing, adding just the right degree of horseradish-y zippiness to the holiday meal.

IMG_0118 See what I mean?

I also completed my first Lucy Hat, by Carina Spencer, the pattern for which is available for sale on Ravelry. My unreasonable love for cloche-style hats adds fuel to my suspicion that I was born into the wrong era, fashion-wise. Having made one Lucy Hat, I now feel ready to experiment with alternative cloche styles, brims, and embellishments. Stay tuned.

IMG_1812

IMG_1797

However, I can’t decide which button(s) to use on this one as a simple adornment, despite many attempts. These are the three finalists. What do you think? Please help me choose! The first two options are antique carved black glass, probably Czech.

IMG_1814

IMG_1815

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_1809

The final option is the large antique brass button shown above. If the winner is either button #2 or button #3, I will also probably add some simple embroidery in the charcoal gray yarn to encircle the single large button. The three small buttons, however, can stand on their own with no additional embellishment.