Tardy Tinkering Thursday

Ok, excuse my alliterative title. I couldn't help it. I am late again on my blogging, but I live by the "better late than never" motto. (just ask anyone who has any daily dealings with me) Anyway, I have been a crazy knitter lately. I started working on this shrug for Mallory in June. I put the finishing touches on it a couple of weeks ago. I love it. It is so cute on her too!

While I was working on her shrug I also finished a baby blanket for a friend who just had a baby, and did these three other projects. I did this hat just because I thought the pattern was so neat. It's called Really Warm Hat. It is very warm, but I haven't decided what I will do with it. It will probably be a Christmas gift. I made this baby hat for my friend who just had her 6th baby. I admire her for so many things, and this is just one of them. It is called the Umbilical Cord Hat. Cute, huh?!

I made this scarf for my sister Beth in Arizona. Her son Jake, my nephew, plays football for California Lutheran University and their colors are purple and gold. Beth and Steve go to almost all of his games, many of which are in colder climates. I thought this might help her show her school spirit while also keeping her warm.

So there you have it - all my knitting projects for the last three months, with the exception of the baby blanket which I forgot to take a picture of before I gave it away. (late, of course. It took much longer than I had anticipated, but no worries, it's still too hot here for it.) Now I'm casting on to slippers and a sweater for me! Yippee!

Hope you like my tardy tinkerings! See you Monday! (maybe)

Music Monday - Flower Duet from "Lakme" by Leo Delibes

Once upon a time, I thought I would be living a gypsy life now. I had dreams of being an opera singer, performing in fabulous concert halls and theaters around the world. When I got to Brenau, I got the lead role in our opera that year. I loved the performing, but as I moved along in my major, I realized what an all consuming goal I had set for myself. In order to become a major opera star, it must be your life, and most opera singers don't reach their peak vocally until their mid-thirties. My professors wanted me to go to Italy the summer after my sophomore year. I was in love, having fun in my sorority, missing my family, and just didn't think I could do it. I also realized that my other dream of being a wife and a mother would be put on hold for at least a while as I pursued my dream. So, I decided that the operatic life wasn't for me. I have often wondered, "What if?", but I know that the things I hold dearest to me probably wouldn't be in my life right now if I had gone that route. I still love the music though. You all know that D. isn't really the opera type, so I haven't attended an opera in years. I catch it when I can on tv and recordings. This duet is one of my all time favorites. It has been called one of the most beautiful songs ever, and has been in many movies and commercials. You may recognize it. It just soars, and when it does, your spirit will too.

Tinkering Thursday

I am going to begin another weekly posting to help me stay on top of blogging and also to share projects that I have been working on. I am calling this weekly post "Tinkering Thursdays". As you all know I scrapbook, knit and just generally love to craft, so I will share whatever I have been working on for the week with you all. This summer I did many projects, but one I thought was easy and could work all year long was my tiered planter I made for my front porch. I got the idea Here I pretty much followed the directions, but used colors that worked for me. I also used impatiens, asparagus fern, and spiky dracena in my planters for the thrill, fill and spill. I haven't decided if I am going to use it year-round, but it will be most of the year at least. I love it because it was easy, reasonable in price, classic in design and fun to do and change the plants in. If any of you have done these or do them in the future, please let me know!

Music Monday

In my attempt to get back to regular blogging, I am going to start two new weekly posts. The first is Music Monday. I have loved music - singing, playing piano, listening to many different kinds of music - for as long as I can remember. I sang my first solo in church when I was about 6. I thought it would be my career, and for a while it was. Now I just love it again for the joy it brings me. So, I would like to share with my readers some of my faves. I will share all kinds of music that I love for many different reasons. This first has been a song I have loved for a long time - it's not new, but every time I hear it I'm reminded of the Truth. It is by Christian artist. Sara Groves. She has sooooo many songs that I just love. I love that she writes many of her lyrics and songs. That is such a gift. This song reminds me that I always have exactly what I need to get relief/wisdom/encouragement, etc. for any situation I am in. It's The Word, and God gave it to us so we will always have just exactly what we need when we need it. It will always be more than enough for us no matter what.