After a rocky pause, progress is moving along on Lor's afghan.

I have all  four double panels completed and today, got as far as pinning these two together using gigantic hairpins. I'm ready to sew them together and then weave in all the loose yarn where skeins of yarn were joined together.

When I started this pattern it called for knitting one panel at a time.. I decided to knit all eight, but after doing a few that way...tearing out mistakes meant tearing out my own hair, I opted for knitting four panels of two rows..
   
Beautiful color, huh~

Historically, I hide out in my bedroom where I don't usually get disturbed. the foot stoll comes in handy as a table, just the 'right' height. 

I am getting a little help.
 
Sometimes it is interesting.. with all her energy.

                                 DOG TIRED!

She likes to sleep in her Holly House with her head out..probably so she won't miss anything.

We had a panic yesterday, we could not find her anywhere...and thinking that somehow she got outside.
I decided to call her and here she came out of the house.. wondering what the fuss was. She had burrowed
deep onto the towels inside..sleeping and completely oblivious to the mayhem.
She loves towels At any one time she has pulled two or three inside. Steve has fashioned her a towel lanai (patio).

re: edit... picture title Dog Tired is from Maggie 70.    Marilyn, you always have the best ideas  

This are slowly getting back into a nice routine.. some routines were not our idea.. like the Daisy Dance.
and we have all the sounds down pat..
Daisy Dance is simple.. Dance on one foot while trying to extricate puppy teeth from the other... and we oh!  ouch! oh no! ewh!
Somewhere along the line she has taken these anguished cries as some sort of love talk..

The only thing that can save us is moving a favorite toy past her in a challenging manner or offer her a slipper. Only then can her attention be diverted. 

Being of terrier spirit, and a puppy she will attack anything....

Here she has attacked her potty box... and decided to bring in her favorite toys, curley monkey and her red
ball to join her in so much fun play.

The attack couch....

Even while she sleeps, she does not want to miss anything
   
Is this the face of a real terrier-ist?

Un huh!   

There is a new puppy at our house. A Yorkie again~ The hole left behind from Holly's leaving us was way to great to live with.
 
My DeeDee and Debi along with Grands, Lor and Dani pooled $$$ so that we could get her.

         Doesn't this look just like Trouble about to break out?

She is definitely a handful! Trying to get pix is a 95% blur rate. She has two speeds, 'watch out'! and full stop!
You can all imagine 'watch out'... and those little teeth are new, sharp and used often.. everything has to be tasted...at full speed and full stop is full stop.. exhausted, she will flop down in mid run and be snoozing.
This house sings again with her at the helm.
 
We have taken to calling her Daisy..a little flower and so hardy. I like Daisy.. something about Happy Daze are here again.
 
Already she has amassed a collection of toys.... including an Amazon box that was under the tree. It was un-delicately opened by her. Steve had to take out the gift inside ( for me)

Then we went shopping to get more.. and the floors are once again, a field of toys.

This one came as a freebee from the Vet's office ( via Science Diet)
 
                   She likes the Vets office..

Yes, she has selected us as her very favorite toys.... our feet , fingers and Steve's nose. Nothing is sacred.. even the walls and base shoe is fair game.

Rugs?  For being so tiny, 2 whole pounds she can do what ever she decides
      
 
          
      

                       Yes, this is definitely a gift of love
       

Nope, I am not a spoon collector..
but a Christmas cup ? Well, THAT will get my attention!

This year I only added one.. quite by accident ...from a friend. She was thinking about me as I popped in to see her at work '20', and dropped off a little something I made for her and a latte from Starbucks.

"I was just thinking about you and what to get you."she offered.

"ACK!  Don't be out there spending good money.. just to buy a gift..You are my gift every day. You are my friend."
 
We walked over to her truck where she reaches in and shuffles stuff around in the back.
She works outside so she pretty much lives out of her truck.
"YEA!  as if wining an Olympic event, she turns toward me, throws her hands in the air and one hand is holding her prize... she holds up a cup .. to share the latte.   

"HEY!  IS THAT A NEW CUP? "

Nope, she said..Do you like it?" 
" that is so dumb a question." .... we laugh at that~

History is made and I have my new cup for my ' Memory collection'.  Win! / Win!

That's the one, on the back row to the far right.. with Santa~

Prior to moving to Hawaii, I had given my other cup collection away to a family member, while I was scaling back.
I hope the new owner is pulling them out this season and enjoying their eggnog, sharing coffee with friends, their coffee with Baileys or even just the morning coffee.

These are the ones I have now and there is' bout another 12 hovering in my cupboard.. washed and just waiting to be sprung into action.

I have guidelines ... sort of...  I get them from friends and family. I drag them all out after Thanksgiving and maul over the memories they represent.. friends and occasions.
Few are purchased, per se.. unless they are from 'Sally's Boutique' or Yard sales..and that is where I get my starter set. They have to be special. I will buy one only if I really like it... like a little something painted on the inside. I'll know it when I see it.
 
I am looking for the replacement to the one that is crumpled up and says 'Bah Humbug'!

I did bring one...it's from my friend Tita.. a huge cup.. holds an entire day's worth of coffee with a big red Santa on it. During the dry season ( unchristmas) , I have used it as my paint brush holder.
I have searched and searched.. and not found it. (probably in a 'good safe place') .. but I still remember my friends.

For the most part, my cups are gifts from friends. I am warmed as memories flood back as I hold/use each one.

Celebrating friendships, THAT! IS MY CHRISTMAS!

Weren't you thinking about starting your memory collection today?

Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership and Mercy. 

The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes. 

Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. 

The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments. 

The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples. 

The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.

  I have mentioned before that I have painted my own cards.

Some I redraw and paint from scratch again. Some I'll print cards using my own computer.
I thought I'd share a few that are out there. 

Interesting, that both of these were only made as Christmas Cards.

I did this one in a variety of colors and is my own favorite!

 The plan is to make printed Christmas Cards for sale as well as full painting.

Trying to find studio time is like looking for 'The Holy Grail'.   

I hate wrapping these days.. like for years, actually. I used to pay my girls to wrap for me. I would put their things in boxes and tape them shut with miles of tape... and they earned extra shopping $$$.  
It was not always like that, but it was a Very looong time ago.. probably in the land before time.
Then I moved into the stage 'If this store does not wrap, I don't buy it here.'

Right now, I have the best deal going yet..
I send the Christmas checque and the Mom's (my daughters) do the shopping.

I feel sorry for the people that do not have willing daughters. Mine are a godsend and my salvation.

My family has scattered to the edges of this earth.. or so it seems. The Grands grew up and into very different ideas of fashion, color, taste and toys.
Even if I 'hit' it would be the wrong size.

Once or twice a year visits would not tell me that this one did not like long sleeves and the other did not want buttons or anything around the neck... You have to be there! 
I was totally traumatized and I did want to please.

The answer works Christmas and birthdays.They do this for me. It is as much a gift to me as it is to them and their family!
I get pictures of the openings.. I have been there and I love to see the torn and shredded gift warp festivities.

I did have to wrap for a few of my local friends.. things I know they will have fun with. The tiny friends get toys and the bigger ones get hand made somethings... unless I spot something in a store I know is just Perfect.
 This years gift wrapping 101 included some interesting materials. I include a tree ornament for each.. not expensive, but something.. and the ribbon?  This season, I use pretty garland for just about everything.  
What do you think?
     
Jingle Jingle!

Wonderful!
I have a new kitchen faucet!

I have searched and searched for many months for a new one.
I really liked one of Delta's.. that has the mechanisms on a separate stem.. but they are pricey... and I'm not yet willing to give up my right arm or my firstborn to get one. . 
While usable, the old one is tired, the spray button is broken and constantly on sprayer mode.
Mostly, for me,  it does not look 100% . For Steve, he bonks his head when he washes his hair in the kitchen sink.
Does any one still do that?

And does it have to be on MY CHAIR?

I lay claim to probably a 6.5' X 10' space in a 30 x 30 garage. I call my 'Painting Studio'.

It has a large window, bringing in plenty of natural light. We installed overhead lights above the table.
I am the one that has to keep it clean, a chore when the big door is open most of the time and we have
Trades that set free volcanic dust.
*note the cover on my table.. keeping things covered helps, but it still requires my time before the
space is usable. 
 
Wouldn't you know it that it is this very space that collects most of the incoming~ .  

The Right Stuff!

...hand made tracing paper.
Every once in a while, about once a year, I have to just sit and cover sheets of paper with pencil graphite.
It is pretty much a mundane and mindless operation. I have to force myself to just sit down and do it.
I have no idea what has happened to the ones I made last year.. probably died of exhaustion .
This one is only about half the coverage I'd like. It will 'work', but If I want to use it multiple times
it needs to be a heavier coating. ( and preferably not creased)
I do recognize there are sheets of non-greasy transfer papers on the market. I have a collection and I do
use it for some of my other projects.. but...I particularly like the results of this hand generated tracing paper
for my artwork.

I have learned to do these when I was a kid.. when I could not afford real tracing paper. so, for me, it is...
'The Right Stuff'

    Merry Christmas !