Saturday, January 31, 2026

Day 31 of 2026

We got to see GB#2 perform with her show choir today 
to start off the spring competition season. 

 

Friday, January 30, 2026

Day 30 of 2026

I have successfully ripped this back
 to a plain purl row prior to my mess. 
Since this picture was taken I have 
put the stitches on my needle, 
oriented them correctly, 
figured out where I actually am in the pattern
 and knitted a few rows. 
My center line has stayed in the center, one of my former problems.

 

Thursday, January 29, 2026

Day 29 of 2026

There is a lot to say about this piece of knitting, 
but most of it will have to be for another day. 
Today I will only say that tomorrow 
I will need to see if I can successfully rip it back
 to a preferred spot without a lifeline. 
Wish me luck.


 

Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Day 28 of 2026

 
Today's sort through was a box labeled "Old Books."
I have reduced the number of books I'm keeping
 to about one quarter of what I started with. 
It seems it was common to write one's name and the year in books. 
This one was my grandfather's. 
He saw fit to write all the pertinent information on the cover. 
What struck me most though 
was that the year of his high school graduation 
was one hundred years ago.
 
 

Tuesday, January 27, 2026

Day 27 of 2026

These are the adorable crocheted items I told you about on Saturday
From the small pot on the right the "succulents" pull out and become coasters. 




 

Monday, January 26, 2026

Day 26 of 2026

Now that the snow is on the ground, 
the temperatures are going to stay very low for a while. 
The positive side of that is the beautiful frost on the windows.

 

Sunday, January 25, 2026

Day 25 of 2026

Final result tonight after it finally stopped snowing. 
9 1/2 inches on the patio table on the deck in the back yard. 
Everything is shut down tomorrow. 

 

Saturday, January 24, 2026

Day 24 of 2026

Fireball and I went to the Home Show today before the snow started. 
This is a new featured exhibit I didn't expect. 
There were many tables set up in a specific area, 
each occupied by a young person selling their hand crafted items. 
We bought a couple of adorable, very well-made 
crocheted items from one of them. 

 

Friday, January 23, 2026

Day 23 of 2026

Back on Wednesday when I cleaned out the hall closet, 
I decided to move the box on the top shelf to another location
 so I could keep all our luggage together. 
I moved the box today and put it in its proposed new spot. 
Unfortunately, it won't work there but also can't go back where it was. 
I have stopped trying to figure that out today 
but will come up with a solution soon. 
What's in the box, you say? 
It's my wedding gown which my mom made for me. 
I know you cannot see it all here, 
but it is a long dress with short puffed sleeves
 and a separate lace pinafore. 
Mom did the embroidery on the neckline 
and more secret stitching on the inside portion of the hem. 
I did not unseal the box so I can't tell you exactly 
what is stitched there but I do know that 
our wedding date is part of it. 

If you've been here for a while, 
you've probably seen the dress in a post. 
Use it for general shape and design. 
The details don't show in this picture.

 

Thursday, January 22, 2026

Day 22 of 2026

My candy canes from Christmas are almost gone
 so I am savoring my peppermint hot chocolates while I can.

 

Wednesday, January 21, 2026

Day 21 of 2026

Do any of you remember when silk ribbon embroidery was a big deal? 
I took a class in which we learned how to embellish a jacket. 
While decluttering a closet today, I found my jacket from that lesson. 
I still love it even though I haven't worn it in a long time. 
I'm not ready to part with it yet so it will go back into the closet. 
Maybe at some point I will take lots of detailed pictures of it 
and let it go, 
but not today. 
Plenty of other items did leave.

 

Tuesday, January 20, 2026

Day 20 of 2026

I have changed the dishes. 
I've skipped right by my preferred winter colors
 to make sure I didn't get busy or distracted
 and forget to change them for Valentine's Day. 

Colors used: 
Peony, Flamingo, Linen, Sky, Scarlet, White

 

Monday, January 19, 2026

Day 19 of 2026

Indiana University wins the CFP National Championship! 
Cignetti smiles!

 

Sunday, January 18, 2026

Day 18 of 2026

The last of the holiday cards will go out tomorrow. 
On to other things.

 

Saturday, January 17, 2026

Day 17 of 2026

I have done a lot of sorting
 through the holiday decor and ornaments this season. 
I am finally packing it all up to put away 
and now have at least three empty containers
 due to the reduced amount I have kept. 
I have also reduced the total number of containers
 and boxes going back into storage even more
 by putting some of the boxes into existing containers
 that now have more room.
These two boxes are no longer needed but contain lots of memories
 so a photo was in order before they go into the recycling bin.


 

Friday, January 16, 2026

Day 16 of 2026

Where am I? What is it? 
It appears I am about 3 or 4 behind 
on answering the Where am I? and What is it? questions.
 I'll wait until the end of the weekend to give you some time to answer 
and then I will answer all of them 
and link back to the original questions.

 

Day 15 of 2026

Another January evening sky.
(photo taken 1-15-2026)

 

Wednesday, January 14, 2026

Day 14 of 2026

I have selected the yarn for my next sock project. 
That didn't take long.
Unfortunately, by the time I got the yarn wound
 it was dark outside so the color is not true. 
As soon as I cast on and knit a bit of each color, 
I'll take a picture in the daylight
 for a better representation of the actual color. 
I wanted to cast on tonight, 
but I have been researching stretchier cast ons instead. 
I think it's a good investment of time to learn something new
 that may result in a better product in the end.

 

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Day 10 of 2026

I'm almost there. 
I checked the fit and length of the toe, 
have made some adjustments per a consultation with M, 
and will make an effort to finish the second sock tomorrow. 
After that is blocking so I'm hoping I can share a picture
 of the finished pair on Monday.

 

Friday, January 9, 2026

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Day 8 of 2026

While I ordered my advent box this year, 
I took the empty box from last year 
and surprised Fireball by filling it with goodies for him.
 He really enjoyed opening our boxes together each night.

 

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Day 7 of 2026

This zipper pull had come off the track and 
I was asked if I could fix it. 
The process involved unstitching, 
replacing the pull, adding a fabric pull stop, 
stitching the main fabric back to the zipper tape, 
stitching the lining back to the zipper tape 
and redoing all the topstitching. 
Because the spaces were awkward, bulky and not at all flat, 
all stitching was done by hand.
Whew.
I have to say though, I am pretty happy with the result.

 

Tuesday, January 6, 2026

Day 6 of 2026

I can always count on my trusty Betty Crocker's Cookbook
 (©1969, 1974 reprint) to quickly give me the right proportions 
for the medium white sauce for tonight's casserole. 
Oh, in case you needed to know, 
Cheez-it crackers now come in a gluten free version in the US. 
Yes, they are also in my casserole.

 

Monday, January 5, 2026

Saturday, January 3, 2026

Day 3 of 2026

I did the Stitch Supply Co advent box again this year. 
This is the first opportunity I've had to share what was in it. 
This is the entire haul with the exception of the pillow case fabric 
which has already made it to my studio. 
It was fun again with some perennial favorites
 and lots of new, exciting items.

 

Friday, January 2, 2026

Day 2 of 2026

I'm going through knitting books. 
These are a few that I thought I would be able to part with. 
I was wrong.

 

Thursday, January 1, 2026

Day 1 of 2026

Fireball and I went outside to see the first sunrise of the new year. 
I think we may need to make this an annual activity. 

I'm excited for another year of pictures. 
Are you?