the best slippers ever, recreated

Tante Clara's Christmas Pantoffeln, revisited, brought back from the brink of destruction...

side view

Here they are.  I think I've finally figured them out.  Tante Clara's pantoffeln. She made them for all of the kids and grandkids- nieces and nephews too.  Every year, that woman probably made 60 pair of slippers. 

Mine, well, they're a little too squared of at the toe.  Hopefully they'll round out when I sew the sole on.

I have a couple of pair that I've kept, as Tante Clara passed away at least 20 years ago. 

They're definitely well worn, that blue pair.  The brown I kept "pristine" so I could really look at how they were pieced together.  The pink pair with the cutie flowers were a gift from my sis, years ago. 

So, we'll see how it goes.  Not making any promises, but hopefully will get good enough and productive enough for Christmas gifts. 

Just a quick post today- a wave from the old smokey homestead, as the Las Conchas fire is around 100,000 acres to the southwest of us. 

See ya 'round the (smokey and slippery) corner,

XOXO

Pieces of Parts of a Whole: the Un-finished FOs

The "un-attached" Granny

In order for me to make some order in my mess, I must deal with all the unfinished, but very well-intended, to-be-finished objects, or FOs.  Each were started with the utmost enthusiasm, believe me.  Each were abandoned, literally for the idea du jour. 

I really do believe that I have undiagnosed ADD/ADHD. 

My friends on Ravelry have dealt with my "issue" and have offered up some lovely ideas.  You know, one can never have enough ideas.  Perhaps this is me, asking you to be my co-dependents by adding to the visions in my head...

Well, without further ado, here they are:

To start, the Antique Rose blanket.

A lovely combination of colors, chosen from a block from my baby quilt, circa 1971.

Then there is the Hexagon blanket.

With serious enthusiasm, and about $80 worth of cotton yarn,

in totally wonderful colors,

I went on a binge. 

That was a short-lived run,

when the yarn became in short supply and

funds needed to go toward something more essential,

like food or toilet paper, or both.

The Popscicle Blankie was going to be different, you see.  Each square brought a sense of adventure.  What colors would the next square be?  I don't know what happened.  I just lost momentum somewhere on that super-sized hill known as The Grannys-a-Square-Afghan by Allison Haas.  What a beautiful pattern.  Too bad I ran out of steam on this one.

After that one got boxed, I thought I'd try to go back to basics. 

A single crochet stitch, a little block, a novel idea of a pattern

(for those of you playing along at home):

make block with color A, edge with color B

next block, color B, edge with C, and so on

The photo below is fuzzy.  It's not your eyes.  You all get the idea.  I think I knew it was going to be yet another unfinished FO, so I didn't even bother to take a decent photo.

Well, there you have it.  I will try and not start anything new.  Promise. 

Unless I have a total epiphany.

Ideas anyone?

See ya 'round the (un-finished) corner,

XOXO

Almost Summer now...

Well, it's been a little while since I posted anything so here's an update.

Had ankle surgery on lucky Friday May 13 in Chicago.  The two days before were a whirlwind of activity. 

We got to see our girl Abigail...

Had lunch at Manny's Deli, where they really can put together a sandwich

Dad and his Pastrami

Potato Pancakes

John's Corned Beef

The next day, the day before surgery, John and I walked the Chicago Botanic Garden in record time.  It was 90 plus degrees and about 98% humidity. 

 (Not the day to wear a spring scarf) 

The tulips were in full bloom, the bonsai totally awesome, the orchids and gardenia were fantastic in the greenhouses and the Japanese Gardens were absolutely pristine.

by this time, we were both totally soaked... don't think this will be this year's Christmas card

and then we were home, two days after surgery, and stuck with this:

So here's what I've been working on over the last couple of weeks, since I've been grounded:

Blue-hue Granny Stripe

Summer Garden Granny Stripe

Tulips, lilacs, and daffodils afghan

Attic 24 stripe bag

From here on out, or at least the next few weeks I will be documenting the latest garden adventures.  We've already started planting, after applying a few bags of urea (46-0-0) and two loads of sand.  I say "we" but I really mean my amazing husband John... 

there's nothing he can't do...


 Speaking of which, our closet fell down two weeks ago.  Really.  No joke.  The whole thing came off the wall and collapsed in a heap.  Freshly pressed blouses, dresses, skirts, levis and John's 10 shirts, all on the floor.  I didn't have the heart to photograph that mess, but I'll photograph the "new" closet when it's finished.  Again, my brilliant other half re-designed the whole thing. 

All I can say is that I'm so incredibly blessed to have someone in my life who accepts me exactly as I am;  from the occasional psychotic melt-down to having an obsession with yarn and shoes.  Someone who can look at 1000 lbs of clothing all in a heap and say, "It's okay babe, I'll take care of it."  Simply amazing.

Thanks for stopping in.... until next time,

See ya round the corner,

XOXO