2016, so far.

Welcoming in the new year with friends and crafts is a time of year I look forward to. It is also a nice conclusion to the madness that is December. This year was no exception. A great group of friends came over bringing with them delicious food and their current craft project/s. We drank tea, snacked, crafted, joked, shared updates and generally had a great time together. 2016 was properly greeted, if you ask me.

2016 has been a significant year so far and it is only the end of February! Paul was gone almost the whole month of February. He took a long-planned trip to Australia. He and a friend had a great time exploring the mainland and Tasmania, with the trip culminating in scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef. Paul has been back for just a few days and is already plotting how and when he can go back to Tasmania. He didn't get his fill of all of the amazing hikes the island has to offer, so he wants a second chance.

While he was away, I held down the fort at home, taking care of the house and all of the animal family members. Another big thing happened while he was traveling,: I got a new job/promotion at my work! My day to day work life is a whole different thing now and is already challenging me in lots of great ways. All of the newness is tiring, so I took it easy this past weekend in order to be recharged for where I am headed at this very moment: COSTA RICA! I hope to have lots of photos and adventures to share when my sister Jessy and I get back.

Happy New Year!

2015! As Crafternoon tradition dictates, I welcomed the first day of the new year with friends, knitting, tea and great food. Although not well documented, I assure you the year was properly greeted with a potluck brunch that favored the sweet over the savory.  After the sugar-filled month of December, I think savory was what we were all craving.

This year I made beaded stitch markers as a gift to Crafternoon attendees. We usually have a mix of crafts, but this time everyone who came was a knitter so I hope the stitch markers bring a little sparkle to their notion bags. Inspiration credit goes to Jamie who, years ago, made me a set of beaded stitch markers that inspired this beadworking session of my own.

I am making a sweater for Paul, which marks the second such occasion in the 12 years we have been together.  Between the holiday driving time and crafting gatherings, it has been coming along quickly! 

With 2015, came a surprise.  Another of our chickens started laying! We are supplementing light in the coop but doing so conservatively.  A timer prompts the light to go on at 3am and off at 4pm, giving them about 13 hours of light.  That amount of light is a bit shy of what is recommended to force laying. With that choice, we thought it unlikely that the other hens would start laying until the spring. Surprise! The addition happened this week and so far we have had 2 days where we have gotten 2 eggs.

I am thinking it is Camilla that has started laying because I am still holding out hope that Petunia will lay blue/green eggs. So far we can tell the difference between the eggs from the 2 layers due to slight differences in color, size and shape of the egg shells. As they settle into their rhythm, it is a rare day where we don't get an egg. With our newly acquired riches, I think it is time we start delving into the egg book Paul got for his birthday!

I hope this year provides you with happy surprises, good food and people to share it all with.

Happy New Year!

On the first of every year it has become tradition for me to host a Crafternoon brunch at my house.  Some of my nearest and dearest crafty friends brave the cold weather and come over toting project bags and a potluck contribution.  We eat, we drink tea, we craft, we laugh and we start the year off by doing many of the things we want to nurture throughout the coming year.  I love this tradition.

This year Missy and I used the occasion to cast on for a sweater knitalong we are doing together.  We toasted the occasion by clinking needles and swatches together and then casting on for Strokkur.  I haven't done much in the way of stranded colorwork so I am looking forward to increasing my knitting skills.  We are both using a shockingly blaze orange accent color in the sweater yolk so it will be exciting to see how these turn out!

Thanks for taking this picture, Jessica!

Good riddance, 2013!  Welcome, 2014!

Happy New Year!

Today marked the 4th annual New Year's Day Crafternoon.  It has become a tradition I look forward to.  I love spending the first morning of the first day of the new year in the company of a group of crafty, smart and cherished friends.  This year that group included Jill, Jamie, Jessica and Missy.

We ate really well, which is an important part of this tradition!

We crafted, we chatted and we enjoyed a warm morning/afternoon inside while the temps were very January-like outside.  And, as usual, I was focused on the socializing and hosting duties rather than my camera.  These are the only 3 photos from the day!  That is ok, though, because it is the time together that really matters.

We started the year as I mean for it to go on, which is what is at the heart of this annual Crafternoon gathering.

2012

2011

2010

A very happy New Year to you!  I hope you are starting it as you mean for it to go on.  

I am spending the rest of my afternoon/evening trying to wrap up 2012 pictures and posts.  Check back this week for the onslaught of 2012 F.O.s, pet pictures, some food highlights and a rundown of back to back to back holidays that happen in my family during October-December.

Crafting in the New Year

May you relish 2012!

Crafting, chatting and sharing delicious food has become my favorite way to welcome in a new year. Luckily for me, I have a great group of crafting friends who are willing to celebrate with me! I didn't capture any pictures this year, but I do have the memories of a great brunch filled with interesting conversation that spanned from religion to health to crafting with children to pet personalities. Thank you to Jill, Mary Margaret, Casey and Jessica for helping me start the year as I mean to go on.

We also welcomed in 2010 and 2011 in this same fashion.

Jars of relish are the Cucumber Relish from Canning for a New Generation.

Crafty for Another Year

I haven't been as thorough as I would like to be when it comes to capturing each of the Crafternoon gatherings, but I did want to be sure to post about our second annual Crafternoon New Year's Day Brunch.

As I mentioned last year, I like to start the year as I mean for it to go. Luckily for me, I have a group of friends who also value food, good company and crafting. The gathering this year included Libby (nearing her due date!), Cyrus, Meg (who must have jumped ship right before I took this photo, since her seat is empty), Kala, Jen, Jamie, Missy and Jill.

The potluck brunch goers outdid themselves with a delicious spread. Our feast included a sundried tomato and spinach strata, brussels sprouts and hazelnuts, green beans with almonds, hummus, homemade cookies, gourmet caramel corn, fruit, cheese, nuts and, of course, caramels (including caramel gift bags for people to take with them).

I am grateful for friends who are willing to venture out in the frigid Minnesota weather in order to welcome in the start of a new year together. Happy 2011!

Crafternoon (spell check does not approve)

The Crafternoon gatherings may not be happening with the regularity that they used to, but they are still going strong. Today's group was a full one including people who've been absent from the past few gatherings. The afternoon was full of people catching up and the showing and telling of projects. At one point, Paul tried to come and chat, but realized he had very little chance of being heard amongst all of the conversations. Thanks for a fun and crafty afternoon, ladies!

Crafty in the New Year

Project 365: Day 273

When I was in Boston, I attended a Knit In the New Year potluck party at Circles Knitting Salon. I loved the idea of starting off the new year with friends, great food and creativity. It reminds me of the very apt saying, "Start as you mean to go on." Luckily for me, the Crafternoon gang was up for a similar crafting gathering today. Jamie, Jill, Libby, Missy, Cyrus, Meg, Mary Margaret and I all spent a good part of the day welcoming in 2010 together. We snacked on fresh bread and jelly, caramel rolls, carrot bread, fruit and dip, salad, green beans almondine, cheese, crackers and nuts. We knit and we talked about everything from family to movies, from Madonna to Lady Gaga, from pets to househunting. If the saying is true and this event sets the tone for the rest of the year, I am very much looking forward to what 2010 will bring.

When all the guests had left the house and I was doing the clean-up, I came across two little surprises. Cyrus had knit a Christmas ornament and snuck it on my tree and Jamie had hid the little chicken ornament in one of my cupboards. So, now I am wondering, will 2010 be filled with good friends, good food, fun conversation, creativity and fun surprises? Man, I hope so.

November Crafternoon

Project 365: Day 233

November was a great month for the Crafternoon. We had a big and lively group including, clockwise from the left: Sally, Casey, Kathy, Jamie, Meg, Missy, and Cyrus. Jill was also there but didn't arrive until after the photo. We had a lot of knitting, some cross stitching and some jewelry making. Thanks to all the Crafternooners for making it such a fun event this month!

Crafternoon is Back

Project 365: Day 191

After a summer hiatus, Crafternoon is back in business. We had a fun group of 7 today, with lots of knitting and a little free form skull cross-stitching. I hope we can keep it going strong because we are heading into the long Minnesota winter and we'll need the company to make it through. The forecast is for a 1-3" accumulation of snow tomorrow!

February Crafternoon

February's Crafternoon boasted the biggest group yet! I am really enjoying spending time crafting, snacking and bonding with these fabulous ladies.

Jamie and Jen

Kathy (AKA Mom) and Jess

Melanie and Sally

This month's Crafternoon included the finishing of this gorgeous birthday cowl, knit by Melanie and given to Sally.

We are quickly learning the ways of the Crafternoon: the snacks are so good that it is worth showing up hungry, the gathering lasts until the dogs are demanding their evening walk, and I don't tend to get all that much knitting accomplished, but feel a resurgence of inspiration from seeing everyone's projects.

I am already looking forward to next month!