Monday, Monday... Back from Vacation

What was left of my delicious Flax Seed Muffin

Cottage Life

The Cottage had to get along without me this last weekend. A gal friend and I went to Bainbridge Island and had a marvelous time. I had forgotten how to laugh and I hadn't even realized it. We caught the Ferry on Friday evening had a wonderful dinner at Docs Marina Grill I had the oysters, of course, and Sandy had the night's "Special" braised Pork. It was relaxing and fun, then on to our digs for the weekend... We stayed at The Bainbridge Island Best Western.

Nicely furnished rooms

Sandy came prepared and even brought real Coffee mugs, half and half, and some amazing flaxseed muffins... and Cupcake Wine. How fun. I came with computer and knitting in hand but didn't do a thing but "chew the fat" (who came up with that saying anyway?) and laugh. A lot.

It was great to hang out until early afternoon with no schedule to keep. On to shopping. We got to go to a popular yarn shop called Churchmouse Yarns and Teas

A great assortment of Buttons and fasteners

Some amazing yarns, although a little pricey

Did I mention that the weather was perfect for meandering around down town. Lots to see and be inspired by. The leaves were all brilliantly colored and crisp. Oh and then there was the bakery window... For the record I did not eat these. I just left handprints on the windows.

Tis the season

 

OMG

 

Wine tasting...

Then there was wine tasting, a Northwest tradition.

Because we didn't want it to end we drove up the other direction towards Shelton on our way home and stopped at the knit shop in Paulsbo. We would have stopped in Allyn too but we were running out of time.

A fun and colorful scarf

Thanks Sandy!!!  Let me know when you want to compare feet again...

Much fun and laughter. Thanks Sandy!!! A great way to kick of my upcoming "Season of Hiatus" Loving it. Really I am. Of course this is only the first day. :-)

 

Before and After

Grand Daughter Jaylee.... while we are waiting for baby Milo

Before

A real cutie, I know.

After

The detail at actual size, with paper texture.

I did a watercolor treatment for this one. I think if I did it again i would pink up the Jammies a little.

Hmmm... Pause for Thought

from me to you...

 

Until next time...

Monday, Monday... Back from Vacation

What was left of my delicious Flax Seed Muffin

Cottage Life

The Cottage had to get along without me this last weekend. I and a chum went to Bainbridge Island and had a marvelous time. I had forgotten how to laugh and I hadn't even realized it. We caught the Ferry on Friday evening had a wonderful dinner at Docs Marina Grill I had the oysters, of course, and Sandy had the night's "Special" braised Pork. It was relaxing and fun. then on to our digs for the weekend... We stayed at The Bainbridge Island Best Western.

Nicely furnished rooms

Sandy came prepared and even brought real Coffee mugs, half and half, and some amazing flaxseed muffins... and Cupcake Wine. How fun. I came with computer and knitting in hand but didn't do a thing but "chew the fat" (who came up with that saying anyway?) and laugh. A lot.

It was great to hang out until early afternoon with no schedule to keep. On to shopping. We got to go to a popular yarn shop called Churchmouse Yarns and Teas

A great assortment of Buttons and fasteners

Some amazing yarns, although a little pricey

Did I mention that the weather was perfect for meandering around down town. Lots to see and be inspired by. The leaves were all brilliantly colored and crisp. Oh and then there was the bakery window... For the record I did not eat these. I just left handprints on the windows.

Tis the season

 

OMG

 

Wine tasting...

Then there was wine tasting, a Northwest tradition.

Because we didn't want it to end we drove up the other direction towards Shelton on our way home and stopped at the knit shop in Paulsbo. We would have stopped in Allyn too but we were running out of time.

A fun and colorful scarf

Thanks Sandy!!!  Let me know when you want to compare feet again...

Much fun and laughter. Thanks Sandy!!! A great way to kick of my upcoming "Season of Hiatus" Loving it. Really I am. Of course this is only the first day. :-)

 

Before and After

Grand Daughter Jaylee.... while we are waiting for baby Milo

Before

A real cutie, I know.

After

The detail at actual size, with paper texture.

I did a watercolor treatment for this one. I think if I did it again i would pink up the Jammies a little.

Hmmm... Pause for Thought

from me to you...

 

Until next time...

Too good to be Thursday

 

Fall Berries

Cottage Life

Tonight I am on the cusp of two great events. We are still awaiting "bundle of joy" Milo who has eluded us thus far, and I am also  looking forward to a girls' weekend away. A little knitting perhaps, with my feet up, plenty of chitchat, and maybe a glass of wine or two.  Thanks so much Sandy W. for making this possible... It's been a long month and I can't think of a better way to kick off my upcoming Hiatus. Note to Baby Milo: if you don't make an appearance before this grandma heads out of town, I will make it up to you by loving on you double time when I get back.

 

Girls weekend away

Before and After

Working with "snap shots"

Going through some older photos and found this one of the girls taken at Leslie's wedding. It was a snapshot in dappled shade. It's funny to look back. It hasn't been that long ago, and my granddaughter Allison looks so young here.

Before

The girls, Nicole, Jodi, and Allison

Everyone is getting lost in the shade. I wanted to bring out their personalities and add some punch, and make a more timeless shot.

After

I brought them out of the shadows with a little punch and highlights. Now Jodi's not disappearing in the shade. I also added a "grunge" frame to add a little zip.  Great smiles Girls!

Before

Another shot from my daughter's wedding. Two of my grand kids. Fairly dark photo and Grandson is looking away. The fairy princess strikes a pose worth saving though...

After

The finished vintage look

As you probably know by now, I love vintage photos. This one seemed to lend itself to this kind of look with just a hint of color...

As always if you have a photo you'd like to see in a different light, let me know and send it my way.

Healthy Choices

Ahem. We will assume healthy choices and back to the gym come monday thank you...

Hmmm... Pause for Thought

A little Prairie home Companion... I'm a big fan of Garrison Keillor. Maybe it's because of those Scandinavian roots.

Enjoy :-)

 

 

Until next time...

All things pumpkin

Madee's Pumpkin

 

Cottage Life

It's Baby watch night again... this time we are awaiting little Milo's arrival.  I'm sitting with the grandkids away from home and was wondering what to post when Friend and "In-law" Ferol sent me an link for pumpkin seeds with Alton Brown. It put me in a pumpkin frame of mind. So I bring you... All things Pumpkin.

Alton Brown and Pumpkin seeds

 

Pumpkin carving taken up a notch...

Sweet tooth time ;-)

 

 

Before and After

Had to come up with some shots while waiting for little miss Madee to get off the bus. I shot what was available.

The transformer above me

The place across the street

Little Miss Madee after school

Until next time...

Too much Tuesday and "Crafting with Cat Hair"

"Home Sweet Home"

The Cottage as I came down the driveway this afternoon.

Cottage Life

 

I ran across this book in Barnes and Noble today. I swear I'd never heard of this before. Collecting cat hair and turning it into fun little handicrafts. Hmmm... It caught my attention so I began to look into it. Low and behold there is even a website called http://www.craftingwithcathair.com Her tagline is "into every craft a little cat hair must fall". What a hoot. Who knew?

 

From the book

 

Little felted cat hair cats on totes

 

I don't know seems a little odd to me but then I don't have a cat. Now dog hair I get. After all, my sister Sandy did knit a hat with home spun yarn made from their dog Hastings' fur.

Happy Crafting!!!

Before and After

An old Barn that I keep taking pictures of. It seem that every time I go by I have to take another shot. The rusty roof in particular calls to me.

Before

 

The colors are nice with the sun shining on the barn and highlighting the textures.

After

With a sketch layer added

This one is more "Drawn" The detail shows up much better at actual size

 

 

 

 

Fence Post

Healthy Choices

The Bearded One made his trademark Salmon, cooked in foil on the grill with fresh lemon and butter. It was accompanied by cinnamon sweet potatoes and steamed broccoli. Now that's healthy, and delicious. When I go "on vacation" next week I will have to start trooping up and down the 1700' driveway to get my exercise. The job I have now entails a lot of walking. I will have to make it up somehow, and marching up and down a fairly steep driveway will help. Now if I can get myself out of my slippers and out into the fresh air.

Hmmm... Pause for Thought

Storyhill- I love the harmony of this duo... well worth the listen.

 

Until next time...

A Trip to the beach, the art of the cloth napkin, and "Chub Cam" Monday

The Bearded One looking into things

I was looking through some older photos to see if I could find anything that I could fiddle with for today's before and after and came across this one of "the Bearded One". The funny thing is that I'm looking across the top of my computer screen and He's doing the exact same thing. His never ending quest for knowledge continues.

Cottage Life

I absolutely love cloth napkins. I use them everyday. It's a fairly recent affair. I used to only associate cloth napkins with "special dinners" where we would try to impress the family with our chicness. We would use them once, then throw them in the wash, and be dismayed at how misshapen they would come out of the dryer. The chance of ironing them was next to nil so in the drawer they would go. Things changed when we moved into the tiny enchanted cottage in the woods, which came equipped  with our marvelous landlord living in the larger cottage next door. She has been amazingly inspirational.  With Melody everyday cloth napkins are a way of life. Good wine with dinner, and candles lit are also the norm. From our first night when we were invited for hors d'oeuvres, fresh baked mediterranean bread (baked in a covered crockery dish, then cooled out on the deck railing) I was hooked. Melody had stacks of colorful napkins. Large, well worn, multi patterned, cover your lap napkins. The fact that she is a gourmet cook and loves to entertain probably added to the magic. Her Cottage is not very large but is built for entertaining and dinner parties. She has a restaurant worthy gas range, a enormous cutting block island, and a large "banquet" built in with seating all around. Cookbooks are everywhere. They fill the shelves that line the stairs, and sit perched on bookstands opened up to favorite recipes.  Large french doors lead out onto a multi tiered wood deck over looking the bay with seating all around. But I digress. Where was I... Oh yes. Cloth napkins. I find myself carrying them around with me. They start out at the table, then move with me and my coffee to the desk. A little like Linus and his blanket. It's funny how something so simple can make life feel a little extra special. And they don't even necessarily have to match. They must however, be soft and friendly as only a well used, much washed napkin can be.

 

 

 

A day at the beach a while back...

I love to take pictures of people taking pictures

Ruby Beach is a favorite of mine. Someone had stacked stones everywhere that day. Very cool. No one knocked them over. It was art for all of us to enjoy. Very "Zen" like.

No, apparently I can't just let a photo be a photo... I have to putz with it.

Before and After

Another photo from the garden. Sometimes as you may have noticed, I just take pictures of this and that. Then I try to see if I can salvage anything.

Before

A ball of twine...with a mallet.

After

I really liked the old shears and mallet , so I cropped in really tight and focused on the texture of the twine.

Healthy Choices

Okay so today is "Chub Cam Monday". Its been an unusual two weeks. And today I've done better. So here we go again. I actually thought that the humiliation factor of chub cam would keep me on task but that obviously has not been the case.

 

 

Trying to cover "Chub"

Disclaimer: I may resort to photoshopping my progress at some point so be forewarned ...

 

Hmmm... Pause for Thought

 

Really??? I don't think so....

For those local knitters (seattle, Olympia) check this out. A train ride for knitters. From Seattle to Portland and back. You can get on in Centralia too. lot's of knitters, yarn shops in Portland etc.

www.seattletoportlandyarntrain.com

 

 

Until next time...