Big head...big hats

I am an accessories junkie. I love to add hats, scarves, or necklaces to my outfits. My grandmommy was an accessories junkie so I "get it honest." There is just one problem with my love affair with accessories...I have a big head. I have big hair. I love hats, but constantly have troubles finding hats to fit my head. They are usually just a tad too tight and I want to scream every time I see a hat label that says one size fits most. My husband is probably sick of my hat sizing complaints that he hears every time I take him shopping and try on a few hats. When I traveled to Florida recently I had a stroke of good shopping luck. I found a big white beach hat and two fedoras. Three hats! My summer hat looks are set...now I need to get my winter hats settled. I found this great chunky knit beanie pattern from http://a-friend-to-knit-with.blogspot.com/ while knitting web surfing one night.
I used some more of my Spud and Chloe yarn I purchased at the Black Mountain yarn shop. Isn't this a fabulous color? I love how it turned out. It is simple and cute. A perfect hat to throw on when I go out on cold weekends this fall and winter.

tried to take a self portrait...notice the busy little hands

my new hat did not stay on my head long...

More Norfolk Nuptials

Last weekend we gathered on the banks of the Elizabeth River to celebrate a friend's wedding. Let me tell you, it was hot, hot, hot in the bright sunshine and 95 degree weather (I downed about 8 glasses of lemonade)...but the wedding was beautiful. The bride and groom radiated happiness in spite of the heat. The wedding had gorgeous flowers, great live music, delicious food (the fried green tomatoes were the best), and lovely little herb favors. Their thoughtful planning was evident before, during, and after the ceremony. Don't you just love to discover a drink with your name on it?! I took a few photos to capture the day with the pocket point and shoot. Weddings are such joyous occasions!

love the light shimmering off the water

all the guests had mason jars with their names on them

the first dance

table decorations

herb favors

They had mason jars on their invite and throughout the day, so another friend and I decided to give her a mason themed gift basket. We included a delicious cookie mix jar, homemade strawberry jam, and homemade plum preserves. I also went vintage hunting and found two beautiful fabric napkins to include in our basket. Love vintage linens! I also made a sweet little card to accompany the basket. It doesn't really match, but I made the card before I decided on the basket colors/contents. Hopefully they will enjoy the basket's sweet treats as they nest and establish their home.

basket of deliciousness

Location:Norfolk

Saluting Major Dad

I did make a fun card a couple weeks ago for my brother-in-law who has just finished a Master's Degree in Military Science with the Marine Corps.
This photo is not great due to the fact that I took it in the back of a moving car, but you get the general idea.
I made an envelope out of an old NC road map to go with the card. I love map envelopes! I like to call him Major Dad...he takes the nickname in good fun since his rank is actually Major and he is surrounded with a house full of women. We purchased a Starbucks gift card to go with it. Can't go wrong with a coffee related gift. Somehow it just so much easier to justify spending ridiculous amounts of money on coffee breaks when you pay with gift cards. My husband and I are so excited for him and this educational accomplishment. Go Major Dad!!!

Sunshine State of Mind

This past weekend my little bird traveled with me to Florida to visit family and a dear friend from college days. The weather was sunny and hot, no surprise there. The company was great and the food was absolutely delicious. We shared some great conversation, wine, and authentic Italian food at Cafe Vico in Ft. Lauderdale. I ordered the chicken ravioli with a cherry red wine sauce. Doesn't this look wonderful?

We took a short road trip to South Beach and had Sunday brunch at a great diner called The Big Pink. I had a great big cup of coffee (heaven) and waffles with banana and strawberry. Am I making you hungry yet? I also had my first Cuban coffee...with milk.

While I was waiting at airports and visiting I also did some crafting...I
finished up this simple rolled brim hat with some of the Spud and Chloe yarn I bought in Black Mountain. Looks adorable...she tried it on for me and didn't want to take it off. Silly girl...winter hats are not needed in the sunshine state.



My grandmother is now 87 (87!) and I got a chance to introduce my daughter to her while in Ft. Lauderdale. My daughter was a happy traveler and had a great time visiting my Nana. Nana's dog was a different story. We are still working on the dog love. We do not have any dogs so she is not sure what to do with them.
It is always just wonderful to visit with true friends. It really seems like no time has passed at all every time we get together. Our lives continue to evolve and change in good ways (husbands, kids, vacation adventures) and bad ways (work, stress, more work), but our friendship remains. I am blessed with her friendship and look forward to what the next three years will bring us both!

Wise advice for those of us with too many creative projects and not enough time...

We traveled down to NC recently to visit with family members who have a beautiful home in a golf course community. Of course, I could care less about the lush green golf courses. I did love seeing and admiring the cross-stitch samplers framed all around their house. Envision beautifully intricate designs- not the cross-stitch basic samplers every little crafter does in elementary school.

It is always wonderful to sit and chit chat about creative ventures. My aunt knits, cross-stitches, and quilts. I told her how I have a tendency to start projects and never quite finish them. My husband and my mom's attic would have shouted an "amen" after my crafting overload confession moment.

A woman she knew who completed a quilt a week (I can't even imagine that level of productivity) told her to "never go to sleep without putting her hands on her projects." My aunt then told the story of a quilt that had been lingering unfinished at her house and after getting that advice she did work a little on it each day until it was done. Finding large chunks of crafting time is definitely an ongoing challenge. I have been thinking about this piece of advice and am going to give it a whirl. First up: knitted squares that are still waiting to be stitched together into a blanket for my daughter...

Oh, on a side note: we also went for a nice walk on the beach while down there. Children playing at the beach= total joy.

Silver Mermaids--another work in progress

The city of Norfolk has beautifully decorated mermaid statues all around the city. I made silver mermaid charms for all my bridesmaids in the spring of 2008. I wanted to make something special and unique for bridesmaid gifts. It was an ambitious project that was finished at the last minute. My sweet husband accompanied me to jewelry class sessions to help me finish the project. I was so crunched for time that I didn't finish one for myself. I started making one just for me, but I need to finish the back so I can actually wear it....another project to tackle in 2011. I have to make it back to my jewelry class to work on this project since I don't have a full jewelry making operation...a full workshop requires two things: space and money...lots of it. I have been MIA since becoming pregnant. Pregnant feet and standing for long periods of time in jewelry class did not mesh. If you were a bridesmaid in my wedding and are reading this...email me a photo of you wearing your mermaid necklace so I can add it to this post. I much prefer to view jewelry pieces on actual people. What kind of gifts have you given or gotten for participating in weddings?

Update: thanks Robin and Carrie for sending these photos! I love how they turned out!

Easter Crafting Gone Horribly Wrong

So excited to celebrate the joys of Easter. I am also excited to take my sweet baby to her first Easter egg hunt this coming week. Every Easter season I am haunted by a craft project from my youth. The Evil Bunny. I think I was in 4th grade (not positive because I have a horrible memory) and I made a paper mache bunny. I painted it with lovely pastel stripes, added ears, and then for some reason...gave the bunny a weird face with cat like whiskers. This bunny appears every year at my mom's house...she refuses to let me throw away this horrid creation. This afternoon it somehow made it to my home. Oh the moment of horror when I spotted that bunny amid silver framed photos of my girl. Do you have any bad crafting projects from childhood that refuse to go quietly into the crafting night? Held onto by mom, dad, sister, brother? Please tell me I am not alone.