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You are here: Home / Archives for crochet

A Cup (or Two) of Joe & Some Pretty Yarn

September 23, 2013 at 9:13 am by Claudia

You know how you see some object in a store or on a blog and somewhere in your brain you register that you really like it? And then you see it over and over and you think, “Oh, well now I’m seeing it everywhere” and you (meaning me) dismiss it? That happens to me frequently. A few weeks ago I saw a photo somewhere in blogland of a mug/bottle rack filled with colorful cups and mugs. One of them was a large Anthropologie cup in a pattern that I loved – the very thing I had rejected so many times in the past.

Well, darn it! There it was back in my head again.

And I thought to myself, “There are very few things you can afford at Anthropologie, Claudia. But you can spring for a pretty cup or two.”

So, yesterday I escaped from downtown Hartford and drove to Anthropologie. I do love that store and we don’t have one near us back home. They sure know how to style and market their merchandise. It’s always a treat for the eyes.

prettycup1

Ah. Do you see why I love it? It’s oversized and holds a lot of coffee or tea. The little flower right under the  top of the handle is such a sweet touch.

prettycup2

Well, I couldn’t help it. I got one in red, too. I had to, aqua and red are the colors of this blog.

They’re for me. I can safely assure you that Don will not be interested in them.

I had some herbal tea in the red cup yesterday afternoon. And I’m drinking my morning coffee from the aqua cup. They make me smile. And they sure beat the mug I’ve been using with the words “Spring Green General Store” stamped on the side. Nothing against Spring Green. It is a lovely little town and is yet another place where I lived for several weeks while on a coaching job.

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There are flowers at the bottom of the cup – a lovely surprise.

I’ve also been feeling the siren call of crochet. It happens every year, like clockwork, as the temperature begins to drop.

yarn

So I stopped at Joann’s. This is the incredibly soft yarn I use on some of the scarves for the Etsy shop. It’s made of silk and bamboo.

Oh, and before I forget:

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That white building you see on the left is the one that is reflected in the waters of the pond on Saturday’s post. If you look closely at those photos you’ll see bits of the building rearranged and repeated, creating that incredible design. I took this photo yesterday during my walk around the park.

I temporarily halted my reading of The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny to read Michael Connelly’s newest, The Black Box. It was on the New Fiction shelves at the library. I would have been tempted to buy it, so I ended up saving some money. I’m halfway through it and have to finish it soon because I’m leaving on Saturday. (And since I saved money, I feel I can validate the cup purchase. See how that works?)

Two of my former students won Emmy’s last night and they’ve both won them before. Dear Jim Parsons won his third Emmy for The Big Bang Theory. And Abraham Higginbotham won his second Emmy for Modern Family. He is a writer and producer on that show and he was onstage during the acceptance speech. I taught Abe at Boston University when he was a young man studying acting. (He’s a good actor, by the way.) Former students, now good friends; I am thrilled for both of these great guys.

Happy Monday.

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Filed Under: china and pottery, crochet, Jim Parsons, On The Road, yarn 51 Comments

Scout: Who The Heck Is In My Corral? (And Other Things)

March 25, 2013 at 8:08 am by Claudia

The other evening, around dusk, Scout started barking while looking out the window. There was, shall we say, an extra urgency to her barks which brought me to the window to see just what the heck was going on.

An intruder was in her dog corral:

deer

deereating

The nerve! At the end of a tough winter, that grass must have been enticing. Scout, of course, kept up her outraged barking. When I knocked on the window (these photos were all taken through the kitchen windows) the deer calmly looked at me and then resumed eating.

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My initial response was that I’d never seen a deer inside of the corral before. And Don remarked dryly that he would bet they were in there more than we knew. He’s probably right. Eventually, Don gently opened the door and the deer took off over the fence.

One early morning when Don was away in California – it must have been around 4 am or so – I got up to go to the bathroom and I could see the silhouettes of deer moving quietly through the back yard. I remember it distinctly because I was half asleep and the movements of the deer seemed other-worldly and almost magical – where you’re left wondering if you dreamed the whole thing. It was real and it was indeed magical. A vivid, wonderful memory.

I love deer. They are beautiful, gentle creatures. They share this land with us.

On this Monday? Snow showers. Oh Spring, where the heck are you? I’ve been feeling the blues lately and I know it’s because I need to get outside, feel the sun and start working in the garden. This winter has seemingly gone on forever. There is much I have to do before I leave for Hartford and the lingering winter is not helping things.

Ah, well.

1000gifts

I won this book in a giveaway from Mary at Ms. Redo. I’ve seen it mentioned on many blogs and I must admit I’m intrigued. I look forward to exploring it. Thank you, Mary!

The crochet you see in this photo? It’s my experiment in crocheting with thread, like my grandmother used to. The problem is that the hook I am using is too big. I’ll have to buy a smaller one. Nevertheless, it’s awfully delicate and pretty.

Today’s egg cups:

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Egg cups with feet. The one on the left is the real deal – made by Carlton Ware of England and called Walking Ware. Such silliness!

The one on the right is not marked as Carlton Ware, but it’s pretty cute, nonetheless.

And for those of you who read my guidelines for posting on A Favorite Thing, the part about leaving a comment was only about that particular meme. Not about my other posts! I love your comments and they make me happy, but this is pressure-free commenting zone, my friends.

Happy Monday.

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Filed Under: A favorite thing, animals, crochet, egg cups, Fellow bloggers, giveaway 50 Comments

I’ve Been…

March 17, 2013 at 9:33 am by Claudia

sundaydeer

Photographing the beauty of a deer in the early morning light. He was in a group of three right outside my kitchen window.

sundaycrombie

Reading more books by Deborah Crombie. After reading two of the later books in the series, I’ve reserved the first 6 from my library. I’m on number two.

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Looking at the mess on my kitchen table and completely ignoring it.

sunyarn

Pulling skeins of cotton out of these bags to make these:

suncrochetflowers

As well as crocheting two Obsession Scarves. All this crocheting, which I love, has kept me from this:

sunquilt

And I really want to get back to it.

sunfabriceggs

Pulling out my fabric eggs just in time for Easter.

And making these, which are now in the shop:

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These are crocheted in a gorgeous cotton yarn from KnitPicks called Shine. There is a slight sheen to the flowers which is so pretty! They are about 3 1/4 inches in diameter and the aqua and coral are bright and cheery. Too bad the weather wasn’t the same when I photographed these!

I like these particular flowers so much, I’m going to make one of these for me!

Linking to Elaine’s Sunny Simple Sundays.

Happy Sunday.

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Filed Under: crochet, etsy, life 44 Comments

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Welcome!

Welcome!

I live in a little cottage in the country with my husband. It's a sweet place, sheltered by old trees and surrounded by gardens. The inside is full of the things we love. I love to write, I love my camera, I love creating, I love gardening. My decorating style is eclectic; full of vintage and a bit of whimsy.

I've worked in the theater for more years than I can count. I'm currently a voice, speech, dialect and text coach freelancing on Broadway, off Broadway, and in regional theater.

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