I am so sorry that I have not explained my absence. Things got busy, time got away, and life marched on. I am now active on Facebook. If you are interested in connecting there my name is Valerie Bircher (Nanette Hutchinson). Would love to hear from you! - Nanette

Valentine's Day 2011

Antony and Cleopatra tea from The Tea Table...

"The tradition of pressing black tea into various forms and shapes dates back to the early Song Dynasty, 960-1279 B.C.  Sculptors and artisans would work with tea the way others worked with clay or textiles to form delicate works of art. Unlike traditional art pieces, however, these tea creations were never meant to be permanent, instead serving to represent the impermanence of life, love, and happiness here on earth." (The Tea Table)

"The tea hearts serve as a testament to fractured love. Like love itself, the tea hearts are fragile and breakable and when the trials and tribulations of life come to bear on it, can unravel in the same way boiling water poured over the hearts causes them to undo, creating a rich bold liquor."

HOW COOL IS THAT?!?! 

Uhmmm, okay anyway,

A little heart-shaped tea cake, a pink heart-shaped cake,

Set a little table with our pink Cunningham & Pickett, Inc., Norway Rose...

Pink, pink, pink, lots of pink!

Let's add our newly purchased Futura by Pope-Gosser (Sharon pattern) creamer and sugar...

Aren't these just as cute as can be?

 We started out on the little table but soon moved over to the dining table.

Pink cake on the inside!

And...our Little companion was pink today too! 

I hope you all had a very...

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Here I am, over here!

Okay, so January is out and February is chugging along.

It's still cold but, as we all know, spring is just around the corner.

January had some interesting twists and turns this year. Found out that two of my offspring have incomplete right bundle branch blocks. They are just fine but it was rather worrisome until we found out just what was going on with them. Interestingly enough those are the two here in North Dakota. Anyway, it all worked out and their tickers are still ticking and no operations are looming in the near future so we are thankful about all that.

We also decided that we would pull Little Companion out of the public school and homeschool her for at least the rest of the year. There were many things that contributed to this decision. We will just say this gives her a more flexible schedule.

We have always had extra education material for her here at home anyway so it has not been hard to go full time with the homeschooling, just a little time consuming getting started.

There is a little more to the story but will leave that for a later date.

In the meantime, Little Companion would like to remind everyone that it is Girl Scout Cookie time and encourages you to show your support.

All the Brownie Girl Scouts in the house say hey!

Will be checking out blogs in the next week or so. Hoping and trusting everyone has remained well and safe!

January challenges

The first half of January has been very busy with unexpected challenges. 

I have not been able to visit blogs as I would have liked to but think of my blogging buddies often. 

Hoping to have things ironed out within the next couple of weeks and get, ha, "back to normal." 

Using what time is available to keep my hands busy with crochet and my spirit drawing near to God.

Looking forward to getting back soon!

Christmas Tea 2010

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas. 

We have been enjoying the Christmas break with the little things that keep you busy this time of year.

I have also had a cold and so have been resting between adventures. But, before we ring in the new year I figured I should get some pictures up of the tea this year.

Snowflakes. 

I thought it was appropriate for a North Dakota Christmas day tea.

I made the snowflakes. They are pretty easy once you get the hang of it.

We used the Old Country Roses china and flatware. I even got to use the medium platter my sweet daughter got for me this year for the gingerbread scones.

We had:

Egg and Chive Tea Sandwiches

Banana Bread

Chocolate Tea Bread

Gingerbread Scones with mock Devonshire Cream

Sugar Cookies

Our Tea was 

Holiday Dreams from The Tea Table. 

This is a blend of China black teas with citrus peels, rose petals, cloves, almond bits, and genuine Bourbon vanilla pieces.

My oldest daughter and her daughter, aka, Little Companion.

Steve who is in college and therefore thought he was exempt from the dress up a bit request. Should we give him a break?

The angels...

The angels from a different angle...

Awwww. 

Hope you had plenty of hugs and kisses this year along with joyful memories.

I'll leave you with a poem:

On Christmas day at half past three

Brew yourself a cup of tea.

Ill think of you, you think of me

Sitting beside the Christmas tree.

Looking forward to 2011!

Wow, it is almost Thursday!

As is with just about everyone this time of year we have been busy too!

You have your normal busy and then little surprises that pop up along the way that make you just one day realize that it is almost Thursday, again! My computer was on the fritz for awhile but I was able to get to it today and restore it's usefulness. We also had the school program and package wrapping...

I have been working on my white doily on and off for the last couple of weeks.  I finally completed it today and will share it with you at the end of the post.

Last week I shared with you that I had finished the dress I had made for Little Companion but we still needed to have the photo shoot. It is nice that my Little Companion lovingly complied and that we now have these pictures. 

We were going for a classy young lady look that was fun and a little vintage. 

I have had so much fun over the years with this.

She has an enormous amount of hair for a 7-year-old (and she is not too keen on hairspray).

Love this picture, gives you a little inkling that she is really full of vim, vigor, and vitality. 

Little Companion is a lovely young lady and a joy to be around.

***

On to the doily...

Now I don't mean to complain but I have to say this was ummm... difficult!

You had your tr, FPdc, FPtr, 5-DTR decrease, beginning 2-DC cluster, 2-DC cluster, beginning 3-DC cluster, 3-DC cluster, beginning split 6-TR cluster, split 6-TR cluster, ending split 6-TR cluster, and your picot. Yes ... difficult. I would have to put it down and really think about coming back to it. In the end I had to take out 3 rows, and re-do. 

But, in the end it was worth it. I have not washed it yet or blocked it in this picture but I did want to share. Now if you think this is an absolutely gorgeous doily that is because the pattern is from the Absolutely Gorgeous Doilies book by Leisure Arts. It is the Perfect Pineapple pattern. I definitely feel that I have climbed another rung on the crochet ladder with this one and am happy that I continued on to completion. 

Happy WIP Wednesday!

I am joining Marie Anne for Work in Progress Wednesday.

 

Please go over and visit her at http://macrochet.blogspot.com/ and see what everyone else has been up to.

WIP Wednesday

I am feeling a little better this week as I have managed to finish up some of my projects.

Finished up the crochet ornaments and got them hung.

Finished up the dress I was working on for Little Companion.

See the little bow in the front? There is a matching bow to go in her hair too.

Hopefully we will have some time to get a picture soon. She is very busy with school, Brownies, and all the holiday happenings!

Finished up the lap blanket.

Almost finished my hot cocoa gifts, just need to put some stickers on the jars. 

The first recipe I used tasted like it was just missing something so I started over. I found a recipe that used pudding as an ingredient and it was wonderful! 

I think if I do these again I will use smaller jars. This amount may last some folks years!

I also made this hat this week. 

Little Companion asked if it was for her and I told her no. 

She asked if she could try it on and I said yes. 

She said, oh, it keeps my ears nice and warm. 

Ya ... she walked away with it after all!

This doily I finished last month but wanted to wait to share it until after Thanksgiving.

Helps to add to the holiday spirit!

Happy WIP Wednesday!

I am joining Marie Anne for Work in Progress Wednesday.

 

Please go over and visit her at http://macrochet.blogspot.com/ and see what everyone else has been up to.

 

Crochet ornaments

Well, I really am moving on with my projects. Tonight I got the ornaments on my little tree.

Through the years I have occasionally had one or two crocheted ornaments on my tree and I wondered what it would look like to have a tree entirely decorated with crochet ornaments.

 The tree topper is a last minute improvisation that did not want to stay straight ... just ignore it.

Angels we have heard on high...

 Snowflakes, no two are the same (some are very close though!).

I heard the bells on Christmas day...

Snowflakes!!!

Ta Da!

Christmas Bells

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

 I heard the bells on Christmas day 

Their old, familiar carols play,

And wild and sweet the words repeat

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,

The belfries of all Christendom

Had rolled along

The unbroken song

Of peace on earth good-will to men.

Till ringing, singing on its way

The world revolved from night to day,

A voice, a chime,

A chant sublime

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth

The cannon thundered in the South,

And with the sound

The carols drowned

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;

There is no peace on earth, I said;

For hate is strong,

And mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep;

God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!

The Wrong shall fail,

The Right prevail,

With peace on earth, good-will to men!

***
The poem is set to music in the video below.
Hoping you have a wonderful peaceful weekend!

Casting Crowns: I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day

WIP Wednesday

Today I feel as if I have too many projects going. 

I tend to like to start something and finish it before going on.

I have my thread crochet doily I am working on...

A lap blanket...

and a dress for my Little Companion...

She really appreciates the dresses I make for her.

I did get my ornaments all starched and blocked...

with the help of my fancy new homemade blocking board, but have not put them on my little tree yet.

(It is so dry here you do not really have to worry about rust and can use regular pins.)

***

So those are my works in progress and I hope to finish up a couple of them this week then on to a couple more I have in mind before Christmas...

Happy WIP Wednesday!

I am joining Marie Anne for Work in Progress Wednesday.

 

Please go over and visit her at http://macrochet.blogspot.com/ and see what everyone else has been up to.

Thanksgiving 2010

Happy Thanksgiving!

We hope you had a very nice day, we did. We made turkeys...

Two years ago we learned from Ceekay, over at http://thinkinofhome.blogspot.com/, how to make these little cookie turkeys and it has since become a tradition for my Little Companion.

She also was in charge of napkin folding for the table.

She did a very fine job.

It was just Little Companion and me for this Thanksgiving dinner, the roads were not safe today for the group in Minot to travel out.

We are thankful for the family that loves us, the friends who remember us with fondness, and the savior who gave his life for us so we can live eternally with the most high God.

Wishing you peace.