Strawberries in the Suite

 Good morning,

It pays to be Loyal to Royal Caribbean.

Catherine and Erica received these lovely strawberries in their suite aboard Independence of the Seas.

Goodness they look wonderful!

:),

Lois

Needlework Update - July, 2026

 Good morning,

Welcome to the current Needlework Update!  This is where we share needlework items completed since the last update.  

Above is my signature original afghan blanket design in my favorite colors:  New Large Afghan Blanket in Shades of Blue and White.  It was hard to put this one in the shop rather than keep it for ourselves.  $185.  Only one available.  More images and information are here. 

 This is a favorite, too.  The Blue and The Gray Lap Blanket will be welcomed by a man or a woman.  $65.  More images and information here.

What a lovely gift for a student going off to school.   This one happens to be in Georgetown colors.  There are other colors in the shop, too.  

See more afghan blankets in many sizes here.    

 This is a lovely baby shower or first birthday gift.  The turtle is all crocheted together with no loose parts.  The blanket is warm, yet airy enough to use as a breastfeeding cover-up.  $65 for the set.  More here.

Our Babies and Children Section is here:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/EvensensProductions&section_id=57765808 

Since they take awhile to make and I want to be prepared for the season, I spend much of the Summer knitting and crocheting hats for Fall and Winter.  This is a washable wool blend Scandinavian Intarsia design.  $40.  More images and information here.

 These are available in a range of sizes so there is something for everyone.  $40. More here.

 

So many colors and designs available!  This one is also a wool blend.  $40.  More images and information here.

 

And, patriotic colors for the USA, Norway, and many other countries.  This is also a wool blend.  $40.  See more about it here.

This blue and white Scandinavian Design Blue and White hat is knit in washable acrylic yarn.  $38.  More information here.

Our Basket Weave knit design provides a lovely warm texture. Fits 24"-28".  $38.  See more images and information here. 

We have dozens of similar Hats, Scarves, and Headbands available to ship now here

Our popular Cloche Hats can also be used as Chemo Caps.  They fit snugly below the ears or the brim can be folded up.  They roll to fit into your coat pocket.  Only $10.  More details here.

This is a similar hat in Charcoal Gray washable acrylic yarn.  $10. More here.

And, finally for this month is a lovely Cloche Hat in shades of blue and white.  $12.  Details here.

We have dozens of similar hats from $8 available here. 

Enjoy 15% off orders of $25 or more on everything in the shop through July 31. Use coupon code 0726USABIRTHDAY15 at checkout.

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Click an image for a link to that item or come see all of our more than 300 items available to ship here: https://evensensproductions.etsy.com

Sending a gift? Gift wrap is available at checkout.

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We sincerely appreciate your encouragement, comments, shares, favorites, likes, pins, and purchases, too! We're celebrating our shop of 15 years: https://evensensproductions.etsy.com

All the very best,

Lois

Lamb on the Grill

 Good morning,

This image was captured in our own back yard.  Kjell was preparing lamb on the grill.  It tasted even better than it looked and smelled!

Yum!

Are you grilling outside this summer?

Enjoy!

Lois

Life is Like a Box of Chocolates

 Good morning,

As Forrest said, "Life is like a box of chocolates... 

 ...you never know what you're going to get."

This box of chocolates was a gift Catherine and Erica received in their suite aboard Independence of the Seas.  

Lovely!

All the best,

Lois

Salmon Salad

 Good morning,

Salmon Salad for lunch served in Chops Restaurant aboard Independence of the Seas.

It looks scrumptious!

Enjoy,

Lois

Corn Hole on the Glass Bridge

 Good morning,

This sure looks like fun!  It's a game of Corn Hole on the Glass Bridge of Independence of the Seas. 

 The game is between crew members and guests.  What fun!

Thanks for the images, Catherine!

Love you,

Mom

Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries

 Good morning,

Are you singing that title yet?  I'll be singing it all day.  ;)

We've been doing a great job of having healthy snacks (most of the time) as we watch TV in the evening.  

OK, there are some evenings we have ice cream, but, hey, we are trying!

;),

Lois

Front Porch Flowers

 Good morning,

Here are today's blossoms that I grew from seeds.   

 These are growing on my front porch.

It's amazing how easy this is to enjoy Mother Nature's beauty.  I just toss some seeds in the pots on the porch and wait.  

So simple;  so pretty!

Lois

Salmon on the Grill

 Good morning,

Kjell prepared salmon on the grill and it was terrific.

He wrapped the salmon in aluminum foil with lime, peppers, spices, and olive oil. 

 A short time on the grill was monitored by his food thermometers - see left side of image.

He has the cook job here!

Yum!

Lois

Freak Storm and Flooding

 Good morning,

Two days ago, just after 5 PM, we received this message on our phones.  

 

The message was the real thing!  We were right in the middle of this freak storm.  Fortunately, we were home and safe.  The storm continued for about three hours.  The severity of this storm was totally out of the ordinary here.

And, this is Lily during the storm while there was deafening, prolonged thunder right over our home.  She and her two sisters weren't bothered at all by it.  However, if I had opened a bag of chips, she would have suddenly been sitting right in front of me, staring at me until I shared some with her.

According to the news, sadly, there was one death and there were several injuries due to the storm. 

As of last night, it's still raining here....

I hope it's dry and comfy wherever you are.

All the best,

Lois

Gas Prices

 

Gas Prices:  The go up, they come down, they go up, they come down....

 

 

 

 

Any Excuse for a Road Trip

 Good morning,

Soooo, as I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, we got a new car.  

We make regular trips for doc appointments and to the post office, but we decided to go further this time.... 

 

This time we drove all the way to Bob Evans - not really that far, but further than the post office. 

And, we had a very tasty lunch.  I had the grilled chicken and fruit salad.  Kjell had a giant omelette.  Yum!

 

We need more road trips!

;),

Lois

Cheese Omelet and Toast

 Good morning,

My goodness this was tasty.  Kjell made brunch again and it was terrific.  The cheese made it just right.

 Thanks, Sweetie!

Lois

Today's Patio Blossom

 Good morning,

I love going outside each morning to see what new blossoms are there to greet me.

This pretty flower is blooming in my "mixture" pot.  Each Spring I sprinkle seeds in a pot on the patio and wait to see what happens.  My mixture pot never disappoints.

Enjoy!

Lois

Lamb and Eggs

 Good morning,

Kjell prepared Lamb and Eggs for breakfast served Norwegian style with the eggs on top of the lamb.  Before heating in the skillet, he split a piece of lamb in two thin pieces.

It was yummy!

Enjoy....

Lois

Daddy's Lap Dog

 Good morning,

Sweet little Lily isn't so little anymore.

She does have a favorite lap.  :)

Darling!

All the best,

Lois

Kjell's Lamb Dinner

 Good morning,

After many cruise images, here's an image from home!  Kjell made a delicious lamb dinner.  

He cut a lamb leg into serving-size pieces, then grilled it and served with mint jelly, grilled peppers, and salad.

What a marvelous summer meal!

Enjoy,

Lois

Morgan Car on the Royal Promenade

 Good morning,

This Morgan is parked in front of the wine bar on the Royal Promenade aboard Independence of the Seas.

Notice the driver and friend are giant teddy bears.  Cute.  But, there is a practical reason for them.  They are to discourage guests from getting into the car to take pictures.  Good plan.

Enjoy!

Lois

Independence of the Seas Culinary Staff

 Good morning,

During each cruise the culinary staff appears in the main dining room where guests can thank them for the marvelous meals they prepare.  Of course, they are met with resounding applause.

Ah, yes, cruise ship fun!

Enjoy,

Lois

Nesting Seagulls

 Good morning,

As Independence of the Seas was pulling out of Halifax, NS, our friend Erica was able to capture this image of nesting seagulls on the top of a building.

How very sweet!  What a perfectly placed patch of green for their nest.

All the best,

Lois

Serenading Piper

 Good morning,

This piper was serenading passengers aboard Independence of the Seas in Halifax, Nova Scotia.   

It's always fun to see what is happening on the dockside at the various ports.  This was just lovely!

Enjoy!

Lois

Towel Critter

 Good morning,

We're not sure what critter this is, but it is some sort of sweet mommy with her baby.

Towel critters have become such an important part of cruising.  I remember when the first simple ones began to appear more than thirty years ago.  They've now become a fun tradition.

Enjoy,

Lois

Independence of the Seas - Pool Deck Artwork

 Good morning,

Each Royal Caribbean ship has distinctive artwork and Independence of the Seas is no exception.

This is artwork on the pool deck.  Note the etched glass in the upper right corner of this image, too.

When you cruise, be sure to take time to stroll around the ship and enjoy the artwork.  A port day when you want to stay aboard and relax is a perfect time to do this.

Enjoy!

Lois

Welcome to Halifax

 Good morning,

Independence of the Seas' first call was Halifax, NS. 

 The weather could not have been more beautiful.

Thanks to Erica for sharing your images.  Catherine also shared images that are yet to come.

Love you!

Mom and Dad

Happy 250 Birthday USA!

 

Happy Birthday, USA!

Home of the Free Because of the Brave 

Good Night from Independence of the Seas

 Good Night from Independence of the Seas.  

 Photo credit:  Our friend Erica

 

 

Great Food Aboard Independence of the Seas

 Good morning,

Here are just a few images of the great food served aboard Independence of the Seas.  Above is a BBQ sandwich served on boarding day. 

 Soups are made on board.  Yummmmm.

 Main dinner course Beef Bourguignon.  

Soup at another meal....

The great food just keeps coming!

I think I've gained five pounds just looking at the images....

Yum!

:),

Lois