Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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You are here: Home / Archives for crochet

The Trouble With Having a Blog…

February 28, 2013 at 8:46 am by Claudia

The trouble with having a blog is that it is a daily journal. For me, it’s an honest chronicle of my days here at the cottage – for better or worse. It can be joyful or sorrowful. It’s always cathartic. But, it also serves as a reminder of what happened a few months back or a year or two ago.

Yesterday, while I was responding to comments, I glanced at the “You May Also Like”  links at the end of that post. One of them was entitled, “Riley and Scout: The State of Things.” I clicked onto it and there, right in front of me, was a photo of Riley, taken six weeks before he died, laying down on the mat we had fashioned for him in the living room.

I burst into tears. Not gentle tears, but great, huge sobs. I couldn’t stop. I was reminded of my boy’s struggle and of our struggle and of all the love I have for him and I wanted him back. As I read the post and the comments, I was immediately plunged back into that time last summer when we knew the end was in the not-too-distant future, but also knew it wasn’t time yet. That time when I fashioned a hospice here in the living room and I spent my days taking care of him.

Oh, how I miss him.

That photo of him sleeping on the mat filled me with sadness and at the same time made me long to be able to stroke his sweet face again. Crying is a good thing, I know. It just took me by surprise yesterday.

mygirl

I’m so grateful that I have this girl, my Scoutie, with me. She misses him, too.

Oh, how hard it is to lose a beloved companion.

Okay, let’s move on to cheerier things.

critter

Don received this as a little Christmas present when he was in San Diego. It’s called a Critter. You wind that key and it walks. Actually, it walks in a jittery kind of way. It’s so cool. We were sure Scout would be intrigued by it, but she is indifferent to the whole thing. I, on the other hand, love winding it up and seeing what happens. Guaranteed to put a smile on my face.

And, finally, a question.

redflower

This flower is about 3 ½ inches wide. I used Peaches & Creme yarn because it’s a little stiffer and seems to work well for these garland flowers. Do you think that size makes it too big for a garland? It’s probably about twice as big as the aqua flowers in my other garland, which now that I think of it, are on the small side. Thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

Just wanted to add this link from the PicMonkey Blog, Claim Your Artistry by Adding a Watermark. I already knew how to add a watermark at the time I edited a photo. What I found valuable about this link was the last section, entitled Making a Transparent Image to Watermark Many Photos. This is a real time saver. It might be helpful for you, too.

Happy Thursday.

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Filed Under: blog, crochet, flower, Riley, Scout 62 Comments

Stir Crazy

February 27, 2013 at 8:37 am by Claudia

rainywindow

The view out my window this morning. It’s a rainy, messy day. It started with sleet last night, then a wee bit of snow and now, rain. There is more rain promised for today and tomorrow.

It certainly gives one pause. Do I really need to go out? No. Does Don? Maybe. Poor Scout has no choice.

I deliberately haven’t allowed my thoughts go there until yesterday, but oh, how I am longing for spring. I need to garden, to put my hands in the soil, to see little green buds everywhere. Heck, I’m even looking forward to cleaning up the garden! Do you feel that way – those of you who live in a winter climate like me? Are you going a little stir crazy? It’s just about the end of February and March in my neck of the woods can be very wintry. Or not. I’m pulling for not.

I need to be outside, working in my garden, witnessing the renewal of spring. I’m tired of being indoors. I’m tired of gray, which is a perfectly nice color, but not in the sky and the landscape. These last days of winter are always the hardest for me. I can see spring off on the horizon, but it’s just out of reach.

So I’ve been crocheting a new flower for some garlands to sell in the shop.

newflowers

If I can’t see flowers in my garden, I can create some with some yarn and a hook. I like this flower even more than the other design I was using. And it’s time for a change, isn’t it? This is a pale pink Debbie Bliss baby yarn I had in my stash. Karen Dunn, if you’re looking at this post, this is the color I was thinking you might like for your garland. If you like this design, let me know, and I’ll make it for you.

Crocheting flowers makes me happy, which is very welcome on a gray, rainy day.

pjparty

Don’t forget about our pajama party on Monday. Today is such a flannel pajamas day! I have no idea how many of you will show up for my party, but I would so love it if you came. Your pajamas can be flannel or cotton or your pajamas can be a nightgown. Just write a post about how much you love them, any adventures you’ve had in them – you get the picture. I have had many adventures in mine. It will be a one-time-only linky party. Put the date, March 4th, on your calendars and we’ll have a bit of fun as we wind down Winter and move toward Spring.

Happy Wednesday.

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Filed Under: crochet, flannel pajamas club, flower, winter 49 Comments

Juggling Projects

February 26, 2013 at 9:29 am by Claudia

Do you ever find yourself juggling projects?

I seem to be doing a lot of that lately. I’m hand quilting the bed quilt and I can see the end in the not-so-far-off distance. But then I have to leave it to crochet some scarves. Which I then leave to try my hand at some new crochet flower patterns that I might use for garlands.

But I have two books to review: one next week and one the week after. So I have to make sure I allow time for book reading.

And then a customer orders one of my Crochet Flower Garlands and I have to crochet the flowers, since I make them to order.

quiltfolded

Then I discover this quilt that I made in San Diego as part of a Quilt Along and my attention is diverted once more. You can see that I’ve hand quilted quite a bit of it already. That happened a few years ago. But there’s more to go.

quiltlaidout

It measures 58 inches by 69 inches in its unfinished state. I’m not sure what the heck I’ll do with it when it’s finished, but the project grew out of a six month long stint in San Diego where I knew I had to make something or go crazy. That’s when my dear friend Ingrid, who is a costume designer, lent me her Featherweight. (And when I fell in love with Featherweights.) I found a Quilt Along online. I didn’t have any of my fabric stash with me, so I bought a jelly roll of pretty fabric and some more for the border and back. I also pieced the bed quilt during that same time.

Very, very simple, but nicely graphic pattern.

quiltcloser

I love the fabrics. It won’t take long to finish the hand quilting. It might be too large to use as a wall hanging, though that’s what I’d love to do with it.

Stop right there, Claudia. You have books to read, another quilt to finish first, scarves to crochet and a script to work on.

Not to mention a house to clean, errands to run, Etsy packages to mail and a dog that needs a bath.

Psst. Don’t tell him, but I don’t work quite as efficiently when Don is here. My rhythm gets out of whack. He’s distracting.

Do you find yourself in the same situation? Juggling projects? Perhaps a little ADD about the whole thing? Please share.

Oh, and speaking of projects, there are two new scarves in the shop. I don’t know what the weather is like where you live, but we have a good month or so left of winter. Maybe more. These are in wool and acrylic and they are soft and beautiful.

scarfpompodoublog

scarfmidnightrideblog

I have a couple more to make in silk/bamboo and then, my friends, I’m considering retiring this pattern. That’s not definite but if you have been interested in getting one, now just might be the time.

Happy Tuesday.

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Filed Under: crafts, crochet, etsy, quilting 29 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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Scout & Riley. Riley left us in 2012. Scout left us in February 2016. Dearest babies. Dearest friends.

Winston - Our first dog. We miss you, sweetheart.

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