About this Blog: Bread making recipes, knit and crochet projects, wood working, gardening, digital imaging, travel, cruise ships, Labrador Retrievers, and more....

About the Header Image: Idlebrook Wendy Darling Evensen "Wendy" one of our four Labrador Retrievers.

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Saturday, November 30, 2019

Elsa Says It's Small Business Saturday!

Good morning,

This is sweet Baby Elsa peeking at me from below my keyboard tray at my computer desk.  She likes to help me when I am working at my computer.

Today she says, "It is Small Business Saturday! We hope you'll support small business this year."


Thank you,
Lois

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Happy Thanksgiving

Good morning,

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!  We are so very grateful for all of our family and friends.
Once again, credit for a fabulous meal goes to our daughter, Catherine.  To accommodate family schedules, we celebrated one day early this year. 

All the very best,
Lois

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Work in Process This Week

Good morning,

On my way out the door to a routine doctor appointment for My Honey yesterday I looked around for a quick project to take to work on in the waiting room. The current sweater is up to the neckline where I needed to count stitches so not a good waiting room project right now.  I grabbed the yarn you see above to make a lap blanket in shades of brown and gold (the lighter yarn in the image above).  It's very pretty yarn and I love working with it!  I had purchased a small amount of the yarn to see how I like it.  I like it!  To provide a little more weight to the lap blanket, I'm striping with knitting worsted weight yarn.
 
 You may remember the sweater mentioned above from the last WIP post.  I've finished the front neckline since I got home from that appointment.  The front and back are now joined with a three needle bind off at the shoulders and I've started the first sleeve.
 And, finally, I finished the Pink Flowers Afghan Blanket and it is in the shop.  Yay!  That one seemed to take forever because it was too big to be portable to work on wherever I went.  I worked on it every time I got back to my studio when I wasn't working on my computer.

So, this has been a week of progress in the Work in Progress department.  It feels so good to have a "finished project" once in awhile, doesn't it!

What are you making, baking, growing this week?  For those living in the USA, I'm betting there is some turkey in the plan this week.  Happy Thanksgiving week!

All the very best,
Lois

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Product Development - Preview

Good morning,

This is a preview of an unfinished item in the development stage.  My Honey is working on this in the wood workshop at the moment as a new item for the shop. 

I just love this!

Lois

Monday, November 25, 2019

Santa Hard at Work

Good morning,

Santa is working hard at this time of the year! 
I found him in his workshop painting this beautiful eagle and flag plaque.

Christmas will be here soon!

;),
Lois

Sunday, November 24, 2019

There's a Lump in My Bed!

Good morning,

Yesterday while making my bed I discovered I had a huge lump in the middle....
Sure enough, it was Erik, one of my favorite bed warmers. 
I folded the comforter back so he'd be comfy and he continued his nap....
Wendy joined him, too.

These pups are wonderful to have in the bed especially on cold winter nights.   They are so warm and cuddly.

 ;),
Lois

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Happy Birthday Alex!

Good morning,

The birthdays keep rolling around at this time of the year for our family.  Now it's Grandson Alex's turn.  Fifteen?  Could he be fifteen?  My goodness, I can't be old enough for him to be fifteen....  OK, yes, I am....
Gift wrapping was easy this year.  Alex made it known he wanted cash to be able to purchase computer equipment. 

Happy Fifteen, Alex!

Love you,
Grandma

Friday, November 22, 2019

Work in Process This Week

Good morning,

The back is finished for the current cables and lace sweater and I've started the front.  I worked on this at the CPA meeting, too.  (see yesterday's post)

This sweater is a custom order so it won't be available in the shop;  however, there are other sweaters in a variety of sizes ready to ship in the shop now.  Don't see what you would like to have?  Let me know and if possible, I'll make up a custom order for you.

I've finally up to adding the border to the pink flowers afghan that has been sitting in my studio waiting for me to be there long enough to work on it for several weeks.  As soon as the border is complete, all I need to do is get it photographed and listed in the shop.

What are you making, baking, growing this week?

All the best,
Lois

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Thursday, November 21, 2019

Accountants Having Fun

Good morning,

OK, I guess the title is stretching it a bit.  We weren't "really" having fun.

Catherine and I attended the Ohio Society of CPA's semi-annual "Advance" program.  It is an update on current events related to the profession and an opportunity to see and visit with some of our friends who we probably wouldn't see otherwise.

I've now finished all of my required 120 hours for renewal of my CPA certificate for another three years.  Yay! 

All the best,
Lois




Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Snow and Cold

Good morning

Winter Wonderland?  Not quite.  I took this picture through the storm door in our kitchen last week.  It was really cold.  Really, really cold last week. 
Driving wasn't as bad as it might have been, though.  The streets were dry surely because it had been warm the days before so the snow didn't stick to the pavement.  This image is of the parkway a few blocks from our home.  We drove this route from our home to the hospital area where we had a routine appointment that morning.  No problems with the drive at all.

However, all was not well.  A day or so later, about bed time, we noticed the house was getting very cold.  The temperature that night went down to 9F and our furnace wasn't working.  It was too late to call the repair folks, so I fired up the fireplace and we bundled up with afghans, comforters, and cuddly dogs.  With the fireplace I was able to get the temperature up to 55F inside the house.  Not bad!

The next day the furnace guys arrived and solved the problem.  We are warm and toasty now.  All is good.

It's that time of the year....

Lois

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Wendy's Weekend

Good morning,

We are very proud of our Wendy.  She had great fun this weekend.

Very often she gets first place ribbons, but it's the fun that counts!

;),
Lois

Monday, November 18, 2019

Autumn Moon

Good morning,

The moon was so very pretty when I had Penny out a few evenings ago.
There are jet trails in the sky...
...and a halo around the moon.

So pretty!

Lois

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Another Birthday! Don's Turn

Good morning,

Happy Birthday to Don!

We've gotten old enough around here that only one candle is enough. 

;),
Lois

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Honeysuckle Berries

Good morning,

These honeysuckle berries always remind me Christmas is coming soon!

Such pretty colors.

Enjoy!

Lois

Friday, November 15, 2019

Only Two Weeks Ago

Good morning,

Only two weeks ago we had this beautiful Fall color.

It's cold and we've had our first snow this week.  Welcome to Cincinnati weather.

More images to come....

Lois




Thursday, November 14, 2019

Mousie's Bath

Good morning,

That's Elsa in the image above giving her Mousie a bath in her water bowl.
Mousie doesn't look very excited about this!
He's doing the back stroke very well, but I came to his rescue.

Baby Elsa is so much fun!

:),
Lois

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Catherine's Birthday Dinner

Good morning,

For Catherine's birthday last month we went to our favorite Japanese restaurant, Tokyo.  This was my steak dinner and similar to what everyone else ordered. Yum!

I think I'm ready for another one of these. 

;),
Lois




Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Old Chevy

Good morning,

We spotted this old Chevy parked in a lot and I had to get a picture.

Someone has shown this sweet old girl a great deal of love.

;),
Lois




Monday, November 11, 2019

Veterans Day - United States of America - Freedom is Not Free

Veterans Day

United States of America

Freedom is Not Free

This flag flies 365/24/7 in front of our home.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Work in Process - A New Beginning

Good morning,

My current work in process is another custom order cables and lace sweater.  This one is a beautiful azure blue.  I started working on this while sitting in a waiting room and worked on it more yesterday evening.  The mulberry color sweater in the same pattern that I showed you last time has been finished and delivered to the customer. 
Yesterday I finally finished a black lace crochet shawl that I started on our road trip last month.  I had all but the last few rows and fringe to complete it and get it in the shop.  It feels so good to get things finished, doesn't it!

And, that pretty pink flowers afghan that I showed you last time is still a work in process.  I'm down to the last few squares, then the border.  I'll use that as my crochet project to balance the current sweater knitting project to give my fingers a rest from the same repetitive movements.

What are you making, baking, growing this week?

All the very best,
Lois

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Fall Foilage in Ohio Road Trip

Good morning,

Earlier this month when the weather turned cooler and the leaves began to change we took a short road trip into Central Ohio.
The leaf color certainly didn't disappoint!
Of course, I had my knitting with me.  The color is definitely not real life!  That's the front of a mulberry color cables and lace sweater that is now finished and delivered to the customer.  I took the picture of the knitting on my lap with my phone camera on auto settings and no flash.  It's still a pretty cool picture, though, because I can see the stitches much more clearly than if it were the real life dark mulberry-purple.

Happy Fall!

Lois

Friday, November 8, 2019

Loveable Lap Dog

Good morning,

Baby Elsa is getting big!

But, she is convinced she is still a lap dog.  I don't think that will ever change.
Elsa is a cuddle dog, too.
She loves to cuddle and snuggle all the time.
Kisses are involved, too!
And, she will sing you a song....
And, wash your neck....
 What a sweetheart!

Elsa sleeps between My Honey and me almost every night.  The nights she isn't sleeping with us, she is sleeping with Catherine.

What a sweetheart!

Life is good!

Lois

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Needlework and Wood Working Update - November, 2019

Good morning,

This is our monthly Needlework and Wood Working Update that includes all of the items we have finished during the past month.

This is a baubles sweater...
...matching hat...
...boot cuffs...
...and headband that was still on the needles when I took this picture.

The four items above are part of a custom order that has been delivered to the buyer.  I loved working with this beautiful yarn.  More sweaters and accessories are available in the shop ready to ship now!  Come take a look!  EvensensProductions.com
While we were on a road trip this month, I made six sets of these to give as gifts to our hosts and friends.  These luggage identifiers are invaluable to have on your luggage to make it stand out from all other others when you are claiming your luggage in an airport or cruise ship terminal.  These are available in the shop here.
Also, while in the car I started this lap blanket that is perfect for a stroller or small wheel chair to cover the occupant without the sides getting caught in the wheels.  This blanket is available in the shop.
While at a meeting during our trip I started this hat and finished it when I got home to the double pointed needles I needed to complete the crown.  This is a beautifully stylish safety color hat.  It, too, is available in the shop.
Kjell has carved a number of these Second Amendment wall art plaques.  This one we are keeping for ourselves and will hang in our recreation room.
 This Second Amendment wall art is made in walnut and is a little larger than the last.  It is available for purchase in the shop here.
 Finally for this month...
...Kjell carved two Blessed Virgin Mary wall art plaques.  She is available in the shop here.  What a lovely gift for a member of the clergy.

We have a number of other items still in process that will be in next month's update.

Thanks so very much for your kind encouragement, likes, favorites, shares, and purchases, too!

All the very best,
Lois

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Order now before they're gone!

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Hand Crafted Designs Made in the USA
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