cold and bright

Today's highs were in the negatives here in Minnesota, like many of our past dangerously cold days the sky was clear and the sun was bright and it was just plain cold, cold, cold. I counted myself lucky to be behind the glass walls of my office and able to observe it all without having to participate . . . in the frostbite! (My husband dropped me off at work today, so I didn't have to walk from the train station to the office in the cold.)

My winter woolens have come in very handy this season, they're getting a bit fuzzy though. They need to have all of the nubbins picked off of them and then a nice soak in a tub of cold soapy water.

Dinner on Sunday night was really good. I made my sister's baked salmon recipe.

       

1/4 cup butter and 3/4 cup cream cheese (or sour cream) mixed together

2 cloves of minced garlic

three green onions minced (green tops included)

1/2 cup shredded parmesan

crushed seasoned salad croutons

Then you mix the parmesan, garlic and the green onions with the butter/cream cheese (or sour cream) mixture, spread it over the salmon, sprinkle the salad croutons on top and pinch the tinfoil over the top and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30-40 minutes (depending on how thick the fillet is) the salmon should flake when pressed - it's done. Very good. Works well on the grill too, when it's not forty below.  

Here's another project I started this weekend. (Another goodie for my sister's baby which is due in the beginning of March.) This is from some handspun that I made about four years ago.

I've been meaning to use it for something like this, but I always got distracted by the other yarn in my yarn basket. I love the garter stitches and the way the color switches with each row (almost as if I dyed and spun the yarn with that in mind) but I didn't - it's an accident. A happy one. Can you guess what this is going to be?

Something cute, that's for sure.

weekend spinning

"There was a magnificent sunset, and the snowy hills and the deep blue water of the St. Lawrence Gulf seemed to rim in the splendor like a huge bowl of pearl and sapphire brimmed with wine and fire. Tinkles of sleigh bells and distant laughter, that seemed like the mirth of wood elves, came from every quarter."

excerpt from Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

My fan sweater from Japanese Inspired Knits. I'm going to get some work done on this over the weekend.

All things spiral seem to be appearing before my lens today. I managed to beat the sunset home last night and tripped out to the sidewalk with my camera to capture the colors that were quickly sinking behind the houses across the street. The tree branches in the rose-colored light captured my attention.

I've been reading Anne of Green Gables on the train. It being winter, I love the winter passages that describe the landscape of Prince Edward Island. Having grown up with both the books and the movies of Anne of Green Gables, I'd love to visit there one day. Maybe I can talk Garrett into it.

I've started to spin the beautiful fiber shown above. I'm going to take a weaving class from the Weavers Guild of Minnesota and I plan to use it on my first weaving project. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to get this spinning done between now and when the class starts the first weekend of February, but things are working out.

Tonight we're planning dinner and a movie with family. Should be a fun time.

2 black cats

Sunday turned into a cozy afternoon of crafting. With the temperatures well below freezing, Ashley and I filled our laps with warm projects. Sorry Chewy, that's actually the cat in my lap along with my embroidery, but she was also warm and soft if not mischievous.

Some hand-dyed wool from the farm. This is our 40% mohair 60% CVM romeldale wool blend so its soft and warm too. This batch of combed top I find particularly easy to spin. It must the the mohair that makes it slide through my fingertips so fast and smooth.

Speak of the sheep and they appear. Here are some images from my last visit to the farm. I'm sure the sheep are even rounder and woollier now.

I wonder what little creature might build their nest in this tree? Some leaves, moss and soft feather down could make it a nice winter nest.

baby sweater

I'm working on finishing up some projects this weekend. I've sequestered myself in the upstairs gable bedroom with a pot of tea, all my craft supplies, spinning wheel and my sewing machine. It's been about four years since I unpacked my sewing machine so we really need to get "reacquainted." I can't remember how to load the bobbin with thread and wind the thread through the machine to get it to run properly. I do have the manual, so that's good.

I just realized that I no longer have cutting mat and that my rotary cutter is as dull (three years of use in an architecture studio) so I'll have to invest in some new supplies in order to finish some of these things off. I'm working on a few presents for the toddlers in my life. Two little girls who need something frilly and soft to tuck into bed with them at night. That's where the embroidery is coming in. I'm having so much fun sewing. It reminds me of my 4H project days.

A long lazy winter afternoon stretches in front of me. I'll need to think of something to make for dinner later on, but for now I'll just keep playing in my studio. I have my friendly Kalanchoe plants (that are almost about to bud again) to keep me company.

around 60 meatballs

I made a little dish called Wedding Soup today. This was a recipe kit that we received as a gift at our wedding. The gift tag had fallen off of it though, so I never did get to thank the giver of the gift properly. They just received a "thank you for the gift" card after our wedding. It sure made a good meal, mysterious gifter. You obviously have a sense of humor.

I don't know anything about the history of Wedding Soup, but its the kind of name for a dish that just begs a story to be made up about it. I told myself that this is a good luck soup today when I was making it. I made myself believe that for as many meatballs as I made for the broth that's how many years I'd be blessed with my marriage. I made a lot of meatballs, that's for sure!

I dug out all of my embroidery floss and organized it today because I'm using it for some projects. I thought I only had a few colors, but I kept finding hidden stashes amidst my craft supplies. I really have a thing for all shades of the color magenta.  The apron above was a gift from my mom, she made it from one of her old skirts and I like to wear it around the house even if I'm not doing anything in the kitchen.

My husband caught me around the waist one day a few months ago when I was wearing it and he said "You'd be perfectly happy as a 1950's housewife, wouldn't you?" And, well, give or take a few important changes that have happened for women over the last sixty years I had to respond with: "I can't believe you're just noticing this now, honey."

Have a good week everyone. (Just wear your pretty aprons . . . even if you're not cooking!)

anniversary (#1)

Work in progress. (The sweater too.)

I made this dried flower arrangement with with dill and poppy blossoms from my garden. I added some sparkles to catch the light.

Handmade wedding presents that bless our married life each day. The quilt from my sister and the embroidered pillow cases from my childhood neighbor Louise.

The baby sweater is coming together nicely. I still have to decide on the buttons.

Garrett and my anniversary is this upcoming Monday, but it was a year ago this weekend that we got married surrounded by our family and friends in my hometown. When I think back to that day I remember the light through the stained glass windows of the church, the feel of Garrett's hand holding mine, the giddy (completely satisfactory) feeling of being in the perfect place with the perfect person at the perfect time. (Sigh.) I've tried very hard not to overload this entry with photos from my wedding.

My grandma fell and broke her hip last week, so I spent today with my mom and cousin visiting her. She's in good spirits and healing nicely. I'm very grateful for that. From there we hit a major sale at the craft store. I got some supplies, so you'll be seeing some different types of projects here on Tendril & Twine. I've been thinking a lot about my great-grandma Leona lately. She made many many blankets, quilts and pillows. I'm going to try to re-create some of the gifts that she made for my sister and I when we were little girls.

Hope your weekend is filled with fulfilling projects and activities.

baby sweater

A tiny project started and finished in less than twenty-four hours.

New Year's resolution collage: yoga, fun and games with family, fiber time and long walks collecting natural artifacts.

A drawing of my mother's given to me on my graduation.

Something tasty for a New Year celebration.

Back to work today, after a long stretch of days off playing in my studio with yarn, paper, words and paint. Snow started to fall this morning at about the same time that I was getting off my train downtown. I watched the fluffy flakes fly outside the window of my office as I was working. The flakes got caught in the updrafts from the traffic and they swirled, paused and plummeted to the pavement to melt under the bootprints of the pedestrians. (I couldn't actually see all that . . . but that's what I imagined.)

This is a new project that I started on Monday and finished on Tuesday. (More photos to follow in subsequent posts.) The pattern is easy to follow and a fast knit. I only had one skein of Blue Sky Organic Cotton so I cast on fewer stitches and did fewer repeats than the pattern called for. It's a very soft, plush knit. Any mama would be tempted to put it on their newborn . . . which sometimes isn't the case, I feel, when it comes to wool. I'm biased toward wool, however - but it's always fun to knit with something different every once in awhile.

It's almost been a year since Garrett and my wedding. The sparkly bits in the bouquet have kept well - so have the memories.