Bring On The Summer Breezes !

The "Summer Breeze" sweater is finished !!!

It kind of feels like a grown-up cape . . .

. . . and I had to twirl a bit . . .

. . . because it's fun and it makes me smile

(until I get dizzy and the motion sickness issues kick in !)

Definitely easy and breezy . . . and done just in time !!!!

Woot !!

"Makes Me Smile" Monday

"Make it a priority, because without play,

life becomes an endurance contest."

- Stuart Brown, "Play: How it Shapes the Brain,

Opens the Imagination and Invigorates the Soul" -

(Me & my favorite playmate - 1996)

ABSOLUTELY !!!!

Happy (playful !) Monday !!!!

The First Ten . . .

It's felt really crazy the last month or so.

There've been engagements, baby announcements (I'm gonna be an aunt !), retirements (congrats to my dad !), wedding hoopla (showers & weddings upcoming !), and too many sympathy cards sent & calling hours/funerals attended . . . plus the usual wacko-ness that is work !

The good, the bad, and the ugly indeed !

In the midst, I've been very slowly making my way through this book. In the section I've read so far, the author talks about how " . . . deep joy is found only at the table of thanksgiving," and how the "height of our joy is dependent on the depth of our thanks." She also started a list of 1,000 gifts: "not of gifts I want, but of gifts I already have."

While sitting in my craft room with the kitties yesterday, taking a break from knitting (the "Summer Breeze" sweater is nearing completion !), I grabbed a pen and started my list on the back of an Anthropologie catalog . . .

1. A steaming cup of coffee

2. Soul food songs

3. Laundry fresh from the dryer

4. Peaceful face of a sleeping cat

5. Dresses (they make me feel girlie & pretty !)

6. The click of my knitting needles at work

7. Lush green of the leaves & grass when it rains

8. Creamy sweet taste of dark chocolate

9. Color

10. The smell of wool yarn

So, what's on your list ??!!??!!

Happy Monday !

Best $1.99 We Ever Spent

Here's what we've been doing for fun lately . . .

. . . watching Marty & Leo play "Games For Cats" on Jack's iPad !!!!

Too much fun !!!

Little Things

"A multitude of small delights

constitutes happiness."

- Charles Baudelaire -

True, indeed !! Here are a few of my recent small delights . . .

A little blurry, I know . . . but my new necklace says "KNIT" ! So cute !

You can check out a much better picture here . . . my first Etsy purchase !

With the help of a gift card and some birthday money,

I bought myself a new knitting bag:

. . . this one has a zipper closure, so Marty can't stick

his head in my knitting stuff anymore !

He's a little bummed . . . but I'm a happy camper !

And now I finally own a piece of the ever-popular Vera Bradley line !!

My "Summer Breeze" cardigan is well on its way:

. . . yup, she's named "Summer Breeze" . . .

courtesy of my mom, who said it reminded her of the song

(which now gets stuck in my head !) !!!!

This lovely sample has been sitting in various places

in my kitchen for a week or so . . .

. . . and looks to be the winner for our new backsplash

(a new floor going in, too !) !! Can't wait !!

This is the view from our guestroom/craftroom,

and my favorite thing to look at during Spring:

. . . I love seeing these buds just starting to turn red,

then swell and grow, and eventually burst into lovely green leaves !

So hopeful that Spring really is coming !!!

Here's to the little things & small delights !!!

"Makes Me Smile" Monday

"If there comes a little thaw,

Still the air is chill and raw,

Here and there a patch of snow,

Dirtier than the ground below,

Dribbles down a marshy flood;

Ankle-deep you stick in mud

In the meadow while you sing,

'This is Spring' "

- Christopher Pearce Cranch -

Luckily, there's no mud or floods today (rain later tonite, though !),

and today was anything but chill and raw (75 degrees !) . . .

just so glad to see Spring !

These lovelies are just making their appearance . . .

. . . and these lovelies are sooooo happy to get out on

the porch, and watch the birds and chipmunks:

Happy Springy Monday !!!

"Makes Me Smile" Monday

Attention coffee lovers . . . this one's for you !!!!

I recently discovered this blog, and immediately found what will

be the first of many recipes I try from this site:

Cappuccino Cookies !!!

Oh. My. Goodness.

These cookies are delicious !!! The flavor reminds me of Starbucks' Java Chip

ice cream (my favorite !), but in warm, cookie form !!! Big YUM !!

I brought some of these to work today . . . and let's just put it this way:

of all the goodies present in our office today

(cupcakes, lemon bars, brownies, etc.),

these bad boys disappeared the fastest !!!!!

Click here, and get busy baking a batch !!!!

Happy (cappuccino overload !) Monday !!!!