Morning Coffee

{Image by YoungToymaker}

My day is rarely off to a good start if I haven't had at least one cup of coffee {I try to stick to one a day, Josiah is convinced that it can't be very good for someone my age to drink too much coffee, I, on the other hand, am not certain there is a such thing as too much coffee...}.  I'm still not sure how I became so coffee dependent in my 20s, but I blame it on growing up near Seattle, where Starbucks and other coffee shops make a perfect hangout for high school and college students.  Though, I definitely think my morning coffee is a habit developed while working morning shifts at Starbucks.  What else gets one going at 5am as well as a double tall, vanilla latte {I've since switched to a plain soy latte...do I really need caffeine and sugar in one beverage?}?

But, regardless of the start of this habit, I'm sitting here enjoying a nice warm cup of freshly brewed Rawanda {anxiously waiting for Thanksgiving Blend} and trying to get motivated to get busy.  Now, if only I looked as perky as I did three years ago in that photo {I can't even find my makeup bag anymore...}, maybe I do need one more cup...

Finishing up {a giveaway}

I finally finished my little bag for the Friendship Bag swap I signed up for {more info about the bag here...} and am going to head to the mail and send it off.  I'm pleased with my result, but a little disappointed in the fact that I've just now gotten down to finishing it, and it still has a long journey to Europe before it reaches its new owner {I hope she likes it!}.

I modified my original by adding a button {like my other bags} and shortening the handle a little bit {sorry, I wish the photos were better, but I can't wait for a brighter day}.  However, I really found myself stumped, not over the bag, but over the contents.  There was no requirement to put anything in the bags, but, as I've now learned, quilters seem to always want to go above and beyond the requirement.  That being said, I felt like I had to put something in it.  But what?

After much puzzling and thinking, I settled on a little pincushion and a sort-of-sewing-kit complete with a pair of little scissors, seam ripper, and needles.  When compared to some of the other things that are being exchanged, these seem minimal at best.  However, I did not want to add too much to the weight and bulk of the package, as I now have to mail it internationally.  So, hopefully the lovely lady these are intended for will enjoy them.

And now, off to the post office before I miss it for today!

P.S. Leave a comment on this post and be entered to win a free copy of the pattern! Follow our blog and tell us in a second comment for another entry. Giveaway closes October 4th at midnight, winner announced October 5th. Make sure we can contact you!

And the winner is...

Barbie!  Thanks everyone for your comments, I'm still anxiously waiting for my swap partner to receive this little bag.  If you entered this giveaway, I'd be happy to give you $2 off your purchase of any pattern from our shop, e-mail me for details.

Oh, and I'm also waiting on pins and needles to receive my own bag...I'll be sure to post some photos when I do! 

Scenes from the Weekend

These photos were all taken on our Sunday afternoon drive home from Starbucks. Amazing what beautiful scenery can be found on the roads we travel often.

The Final One

It has only taken me all summer, but I've finally finished the pattern for my original Jane bag.  Oddly, I started this pattern first, but had requests for the Isabella and Margaret bag patterns, so I put this one on the back burner.  This past week I had some renewed motivation to finally finish up.  Now I can really get busy designing a new bag {and finishing up the couple bags I've started out of the first patterns}.

Golden Morning

I just love the look of the early morning sun illuminating the golden and red autumn leaves.  It makes up for not being cuddled in bed anymore {at least, that is what I think on the days I'm out of bed early enough to see it!}.

Shopaholic: Rasberry Baby

Modern Flirt Skirt

I haven't ever really bought clothes from Etsy, there's just something about buying clothes you can't try on, especially since they are non-returnable {since they're handmade for you!}.  I usually wear skirts all summer, but somehow, this year, I was down to one, so I decided to be brave and order one from Etsy.  After some searching I decided on the skirt pictured above for it's simple style, neutral colors, and positive feedback.  I simply sent Tiffany my measurements with my order and my skirt arrived a few weeks later and fit perfectly.  While the skirt weather is ending rapidly, this is one shop I'll be back to next year {unless I can't resist a corduroy skirt before then}.

Wearing my skirt at the Statue of Liberty

{this is the only photo I have of me in it!}

Must Have...

For some reason I'm really fascinated by mustard yellow this fall. It makes me think of that first transition in the trees, when they're mostly green and the yellow starts to seep in from the edges of the leaves. It is a sign of the first turn, the crispness that follows, and lots of hot lattes, cocoa, and apple cider {and maybe a pumpkin spice latte too?}.

Sadly, I don't think I own a single thing that is a rich mustard yellow. I'm thinking that has to change, so here are some things on Etsy that have been tempting me...

Lilly in Color by myTida

Saturn Necklace by altinaydesigns

Reclaimed Wool Sweater Brooch by thejunebride

Marigolds by polishedtwo

Bambi Walk Scarflette by AnniesWearableArt

Pincushion Ring by artnestshop

I'm especially eying the pincushion ring, it's just so unique and practical at the same time. I just might have to add one to my sewing supplies {or two or three? they are available in sets...}.

Autumn, I wasn't quite ready a couple of weeks ago, but now I remember why this is one of my very favorite times of year, even my drive through my neighborhood to town today was beautiful.

Update: I ordered the rings, a set of three in aqua, purple and pink! I can't wait to get them.

The Road Less Traveled

On our weekend drive we somehow ended up on a bunch of back, dirt roads in the Adirondacks.  There's something fun and adventurous about those little traveled roads complete with warning signs that read "Seasonal Highway, not maintained Nov. 1 - March 1".

But then the roads narrowed, the gravel increased, and we started getting nervous.  Our little compact car was not meant to go off road.  The roads seemed rougher and more like trails than roads at every turn.  The cell phone signal was long gone too.

So, we decided to head back to the main, familiar, paved roads and continue our journey.  I'm kind of wondering how all those roads would have turned out.  Maybe someday we'll head back, in a more rugged vehicle, with camping supplies, and food...just in case.

Reflection

I always loved the ocean when I was growing up.  I couldn't imagine living anywhere that wasn't a couple hours from the nearest coastline.  But it wasn't until last fall that I really discovered how much I loved lakes.  Not the huge, ocean-like bodies of water I'd previously associated with lakes {like Lake Ontario}, but small lakes, surrounded with trees where the glassy surface reflects the world around it, interrupted by only a few ripples.

While I still love rolling tides, that saltwater scent, and the breeze that is always blowing in from afar, I have a special fondness for the still, quiet reflection of a little lake, it takes me back to a simpler time where life wasn't always a busy rush.

I took this photo while we were out driving last weekend...I have no idea where!

the Margaret mini bag

The newest item in our Etsy shop has arrived:

After posting my trial bag for the Friendship Bag Swap several people mentioned to me that they'd like to make one themselves.  So, I did a little work this week and now have a PDF pattern available.  This is a quick and easy project that is sure to brighten any day. The best part is it makes great use of scraps and is fun to make too.  Happy sewing!

P.S. If you're wondering about the names of the bags, since the original Jane bag was inspired by Jane Austen reproduction fabric, I thought it would be cute to name the rest of the bags after characters in her books.  The Isabella is named after Emma Woodhouse's older sister {Emma}, who has a baby, therefore, the diaper bag.  The Margaret is named after the youngest Dashwood sister {Sense and Sensibility}, simply because it is a smaller version.

Loving Lanterns {Updated}

For the past week I've been working with some of this lovely fabric from the Lantern Bloom line by Laura Gunn, hopefully I'll have something fun to show you {and maybe giveaway} tomorrow Monday!

Update:  Um, everything seems to take me twice as long as I think it will!

Knitting with Debbie Bliss and Tweed

I think I've mentioned how much I enjoy magazines {especially of the quilting and knitting kind}, well, the newest edition of my current favorite magazine is just now out.  I've mentioned this one before {and the title kind of gives it away}: Debbie Bliss Knitting Magazine.

Published only twice a year, it is certainly worth the wait.  I hate to admit I haven't knit anything out of any of the issues yet, but I just know I will.  In the meantime, I enjoy just paging through the issues and wishing I had the motivation to knit an entire sweater.  Fortunately, the styles are so classic and chic, even if it takes a few years, I'll still be able to wear it {if only I could narrow it down to one before another issue is released}.

One of the best things about this issue is that it is full of patterns using Debbie Bliss Tweed yarns.  I have no doubt that I've knit more projects out of Donegal Luxury Tweed than any other yarn.  That blue hat has a matching scarf, and it started like this:

Then there's the red tweed that knit up a lovely scarflette and fingerless mittens to keep a little Alaskan {sister} warm {who happens to live in Florida now...}:

Now there's a little more of this yarn left, and hopefully I'll be cozy warm in a lovely scarflette myself:

It's really too bad knitting takes so long {er, at least for me}, because goodness knows I've got a stash of yarn!

Cider Mill

We have a nearby cider mill that is open seasonally each year. Somehow, we made it through three years without ever knowing it existed. Last year we happened upon it on our way out of town, I'd been told the name but had no idea where it was located. It instantly became an almost weekly stop for the few months it is open. Not only do they make great cider {and the flavor changes over the season with the apples too}, but the warm cinnamon doughnuts, local cheese curd, and maple syrup make it worthwhile.

We always wander around back and take a peek at the waterfall too {it was a saw mill over a hundred years ago}. Sadly, we've had some dry weather over the past few weeks, and the waterfall was pretty dry {Josiah filled me in that many of the streams around here are rain or lake fed, not glacier fed like the ones back home, that is why they may dry up from time to time, who knew?}, just a trickle was all that remained. Hopefully the much needed rain will bring the waterfall back to life too.

However, as often happens when I'm in a hurry, I completely forgot to bring the camera, so instead here is a photo from last year. Yum, I think I may just have to get a glass of cider right now.

Turning

We spent the weekend driving around and enjoying the countryside, and looking at leaves. It's hard to believe they're so brilliant already!

First Real Fall

If you know me personally, you've probably seen this photo before. It's a longtime favorite, my first real northeast fall {the first year the rain caused all the trees to lose their leaves early}. This is one of many one-armed photos {you'll see lots more of these} taken during his R&R from his tour overseas in 2006. We weren't even looking for the leaves, just spending the afternoon in our favorite park. I'm starting to look forward to this year's leaves, which are already starting to turn.

What a place

I've visited New York City {the city} half a dozen times, and it never ceases to amaze me.  My first trip was the spring of 2003.  Interestingly, I started planning it the summer before {the only way to make things happen on a college student's budget}, because a friend I grew up with was living there at the time.  I instantly loved the city for it's variety of sights, sounds, and experiences.

I'm also always pleased that there is something new on every trip.  This last weekend we made our way to Liberty Island for the first time.  It has never fit into our short schedule before, but this time the friend we were meeting wanted to see it, so we all woke up bright and early and headed downtown to catch the ferry.  Fortunately, the lines were quick, and we were able to get through security and board the ferry almost right away.

I'll be honest, I'm not usually a "tourist" spot kind of person for one main reason:  crowds.  I don't like large crowds of people all clamoring to get a good view.  And I'm not a huge fan of standing in line either.  Odd, for liking the city so well, I know.   But, in spite of my skepticism and hesitation, I really enjoyed the up-close view of Lady Liberty.  {But yes, there were thousands of tourists milling around, I think we were some of the only English speaking ones!}

My conclusion: a sight worth seeing {but if you go, make sure to get there early, the lines were horrendously long by the time we returned to Battery Park}.

It's here... {a giveaway}

So, I've been lamenting the arrival of autumn for a while now, but as I drive around and see the glorious reds, oranges, and yellows of the leaves, I remember why I love living in the northeast so much. I know there are fall leaves in many other areas, but until spending a fall here, I never really saw the beauty of it. Now that the leaves are turning, I'm excited to watch the transformation once again.

So, in honor of the upcoming season, my mom has made a cute little something for the giveaway this week, a fall pincushion/home decoration:

This cute little tomato would be a perfect addition to a sewing room, dining room, kitchen, or wherever else you'd like to display it. I think I'm going to have to ask her to make me a few of these for my hutch.

To enter just leave a comment on this post with your favorite thing about fall. Mine are crisp evenings, cozy sweaters, warm baked goods, and, of course, changing leaves. If you follow our blog, be sure to leave a separate comment letting us know. And don't forget to make sure we have a way to get in touch with you if you do win. Happy Autumn!

And the winner is:



Tarena! Thanks every one for sharing your love of fall. As the leaves continue to change and I break out my scarves, you're sure to hear more about it.

I also apologize for taking so long to announce this, I've been sewing up a storm. Have a good weekend and check back Monday for a little something new!

New Ideas

Thank you to everyone who gave their suggestions on the previous giveaway post {winner announced on original post} and for voting in our poll.

We will definitely be rolling out some new table scarves and runners in the next few weeks, as well as a line of small bags, clutches, and mini accessories.  Keep a lookout for some sneak peeks in the near future too, and check back later today for another little giveaway {we just love sending things to our readers!}.  Thanks for being involved in our adventure.  Much more to come!

Anthropologie

I'm a relatively new fan of Anthropologie, simply because it had somehow passed under my radar and remained unnoticed. I had browsed in their shop at Tyson's Galleria a few times, and knew the name, but had never been quite captivated by it.

And then last fall I got one of their catalogs in the mail. {I'm not sure why, probably because I've ordered so many other things online.}

Since then, I've enjoyed every catalog that's arrived, and browsed the website extensively, but haven't had a chance to visit the store since. Until this weekend.

{Image by M.J.S.}

Of all the places on the travel list this weekend, Anthropologie was my pick. I planned it out carefully, so that we'd have the perfect opportunity to stop in the SoHo shop. My one mistake: not being an impulse shopper. I've regretted this many times in the past. I can't ever seem to see something and just purchase it on the spot, instead, it catches my eye, and then I'm stuck wishing I'd bought it and not being able to find it. Case in point:

I saw this sweater on the way out the door on Saturday, and thought I'd just look for it online...only to discover my size is sold out. Now I'm wishing that I'd have gone back and at least tried it on. Hmm...

City Life

We spent the holiday weekend here:

Our few days were filled with:

• American Museum of Natural History
• Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island 
• Anthropologie 
• Macy's 
• Rockefeller Center 
• FAO Schwarz 
• Sushi
• Empire State Building 
• Metropolitan Museum of Art 
• Central Park
• Starbucks
  

So, needless to say it was a busy weekend and we crammed as much stuff into it as we possibly could.  Even though this was our fifth trip to the city since living in New York, we had somehow missed most of the "touristy" stuff, so it was a great chance to catch things we hadn't seen.  I'm planning on a couple more detailed posts with photos and anecdotes, but for now I'm exhausted, my house looks like a tornado hit, and I'm behind on some projects.  See what disappearing for four days does?

Oh Waterfalls!

One of the three falls at Letchworth State Park, also called the "Grand Canyon of the East".

Reading by Cranberry Lake

We camped at Cranberry Lake last August, and somehow got a lovely campsite with a little bit of private beach.  I don't know how this space was available, since I tried to schedule the same campsite for this summer and it was filled up every weekend from May to October.  It was the perfect little retreat from our busy lives, and no cell service, and lovely weather.  I think we spent two entire days reading, splashing in the lake, and stargazing.  **Sigh**

What a Week

Sometimes the week gets away from me.  I don't know if it's because it's too full, or not scheduled enough, or if I'm just caught off guard by laziness.  But this has been one of those weeks.  Laundry piled up high.  We ate lots of pizza because I was too lazy to cook.  Most days were spent sitting at the dining room table surfing the net, knitting, or just chatting with my honey, when he was home.

When I read other people's blogs, I love seeing photos of their pristine homes, and spend lots of time trying to make mine like that too.  But some days, some weeks, it just looks like this:

So there you have it, a little bit more of the real me...

Shop Expansion {a giveaway}

My mom and I have been considering expanding and changing our shop a little bit, and we'd love your input. You'll notice a new poll on the right sidebar with a few options for things we're considering adding to our shop. Here are our ideas:

• Mini Accessories - Little card cases, wallets, checkbook covers
• Smaller Bags - Purses, mini totes,
• Clutches - I've been wanting to design a clutch
• Table Scarves - Table runners and scarves of various sizes
• Placemats - Both patchwork and solid
• Blankets - Flannel blankets, quilts, and mini quilts
• Bibs - In a variety of sizes, shapes and colors
• Patterns - Sewing and/or knitting patterns you can use to create you own items
  
• Something Else - What would you like to see in our shop?

So take a minute and visit our Etsy shop and look around, then let us know what kinds of things you'd like to see, either by leaving a comment or answering our poll. For taking the time, we thought we'd give away a little sample. I made up this little card holder {for business, credit, discount cards, or cash, or whatever else you'd like to fit in it} out of some leftover Charisma fabric {matching bag here}, and I'm giving it away to one of our lovely readers.

And the winner is...Jill!

Thanks to everyone for entering!


{Winner for the last giveaway posted on the original post.}

Clinging to Summer

I don't know what it is about this summer, but I'm not ready for the change of season this time around.  The air is crisp {as I've mentioned before} and this year it makes me sad.  Maybe it's because the summer was so long in coming this year {we weren't able to turn the heater off until mid-June}.  Or maybe it is because the autumn weather returned so rapidly {hasn't gotten above the 70's for two weeks now}.  Or maybe it's because this is our last summer in northern NY.  Most likely, it's a little of all those things.

I'm sad to be counting down the seasons we spend here, in our cute little house, the first place we've lived together, our home.  So, to cheer up, I was looking back on some photos of last summer's adventures, and thought I'd share a few today and throughout the weekend.  Here are a few from Niagara Falls, the first two from Canada and the third from the US.

I hope everyone is making the most of these last few days of summer before Autumn, in all its red, orange, and yellow glory makes its appearance.

Knitting with Louisa Harding

Now that my love of yarn has warmed up again, I thought I'd share a little bit about my favorites. {I was advised at a yarn shop to use this book to develop my knitting skills, and I recommend it to everyone who is interested in learning to knit.} Once I had knitting down {sort of}, I stumbled across this book:

Hats Gloves Scarves by Louisa Harding

It was my first exposure to Louisa Harding, and I didn't even know how fabulous and unique her yarns were until I stumbled upon them a few months later in a yarn shop. From this book I knit my first hat and mittens. They were surprisingly easy, for having never done them before, especially since they were knit flat and then sewn up the side.

And then I discovered Louisa Harding's line of yarns. I picked out the lovely Flotsam in 04 Beach, and knit a scarf from Scarf Style by Pam Allen {I think I was already partially finished with the scarf before I realized the book author and yarn designer were the same}. Since the scarf was a simple pattern and the yarn so detailed and elaborate, it made the perfect combination. I also love that it's so wide and long, it really adds warmth and style to my black coat.

I was pleased with all the projects, and think they compliment each other well. I only wish I could go back and change a couple things. If given the opportunity, I'd have made the hat a little bit longer, and knit gloves instead of mittens {I have a difficult time driving with mittens on!}. But since gloves are more difficult to knit, mittens were probably the better choice, anyway. {Another regret, giving away the lacework scarf from the Hats Gloves Scarves book without taking a picture.}

My current knitting project is from another Louisa Harding book:

Knitting Little Luxuries by Louisa Harding

I've already knit one other project from this book {it's a little bit altered, and hasn't been embellished yet}. Interestingly, I think my favorite thing about this book are the photographs, they're lovely and inspiring. Although the patterns tend to be more difficult than those I've done before, I think I'm ready for the challenge. I'll be sharing some more of my current and previous projects soon, as well as another favorite {you can probably guess who that is!}. Happy knitting.