Pillow Cases, Kitten Faces, Beautiful Places

Work has been a little slower this past week, so I've been on a major creative streak.  Inspired by the budding trees (and also desirous of using up some impulsively-purchased variegated yarn), I started knitting a pair of spring-green socks.

I'm always picking up these teeny tiny frames at thrift shops.  They're great for tiny cross stitch and embroidery projects.  I finished off this trio last weekend.  Cross stitch can be kitschy, but these are so small and unobtrusive that I think they add a nice little pop of color on our nature-themed wall bookshelves.

I also finished my vintage-inspired German shelf edging project. 

It was easy to do.  I took the end from an old pillow case...

...cut it in half, pinned it up, and sewed the edges under.  No measuring involved.

Then I selected a font and printed my template.

Then it was just a matter of embroidering a little every night.  I'm fairly happy with the finished product.  I wholeheartedly agree with the phrase, I am a huge lover of the German language, and this is most of the German pottery I collected on my trips overseas, so it is all very pleasing to me.

This has been a great week, because our spring peepers are back.  They're still a little tentative right now, but pretty soon we'll be hearing their deafening night chorus.  Eating supper in the sun room with all the windows open, the sun setting on the water, and the spring peepers crying out has become one of my favorite spring memories of South Carolina and something I look forward to every year.  I've gotten so fond of them that I've now got a CD of frog calls, just in case our next house isn't on a pond. 

Our herons are going crazy with this sudden abundance of food.

Flowers, flowers everywhere.

Big forsythia branches, brightening up the kitchen.

Cats in windows, faces tipped up to catch the breeze.

Yes, the spring is a very happy time here.  So many times phrases about the beauty of nature seem a little trite, but with every passing spring I find myself marveling more and more at what God has created here.  Spring is definitely a very special time.

Have a great week! 

Planning ahead...

After an absolutely frigid week, we're finally warming up.  The cats have assumed their customary stations.

I've been too busy with work - and too cold - to do much outside.  I've brought in a few flowers that survived the cold...

...to add a little color to the dining room.  Camellias and helleborus are in full swing...just waiting on the bulbs and forsythia, and finally, the azaleas!

In the absence of outdoor activity, I've mainly enjoyed the view from my office window...

...and planned future projects.  I'm bored with my octagon quilt project, even though I'm only a row away from being done (lap blanket size), so I started a large square that I'll hang up somewhere when completed.

I finished the second panel of my embroidery project.

The two identical pieces fit perfectly in the front wooden panels in our back living room cabinet.

As soon as I locate the first fabric panel, I'll wash, iron, and frame both pieces.  Hopefully it will fit my vision!

I measured the dining room hutch that holds my German pottery for shelf edging.

It's kind of an old-fashioned European style, with embroidered lace or fabric edging hanging down 2 - 5 inches from each shelf.  Sometimes the fabric is embroidered with pictures, or sometimes words.  I'm thinking of embroidering in German one of my favorite quotes about marriage:

"Es ist niche mehr schon, freundlich und charmant Beziehung, Gemeinschaft oder Gesellschaft als eine gute Ehe."

Or, "There is no more lovely, friendly, and charming relationship, communion or company, than a good marriage." 

I found one I *loved* on eBay, but it was $65 and also too long for these shelves.  I'll probably start on my own this spring! 

Speaking of love, we had company on Valentine's Day so didn't do much in the way of "officially" celebrating.  I did make a batch of cookies to mail out to friends and relatives, although much smaller than I usually do due to lack of time.  I just baked basic chocolate sugar cookies and dipped them in melted candy melts.  Then, sprinkled them with candy hearts.

They were individually bagged and I made a little Valentines-themed label for each bag.

Hopefully I'll have more time at Easter for a bigger baking session. 

Have a great week!