Knit with me Tuesday

For the past couple weeks knitting has been slim.  I guess like everything else in life, it ebbs and flows with the tides your riding out in your life.  I have been working on a pair of knitting loom fingerless gloves.  Still new to the loom and not sure I am in love with it.  I feel I can go faster with the needles, however I am not a fan of the double pointed triangular knit on round items such as socks.  So, the jury is still out but I do love doing new things.

 

 

One part of life that is slowing me up is that I injured the middle finger on my right hand, and you guessed it - I am right handed. Had no idea how much I use that finger, (please keep your mind clean), especially when it comes to knitting.  I have one finished and tried to bind off the second last night, but to much pain last night.  I think I re-injured my finger earlier in the day : (

 

 

 

One done, one to bind off.  

 

 

 

This is a hot pick acrylic with metallic shot through it - pretty!

 

 

 

Thanks for joining me on this knitting update and I will post a pick of the finished item before placing it in my ETSY store.  You can visit my ESTY shop at: www.ETSY.com/shop/Danielsenfiberart

Blessings, Beth

Snow Day - for us, finally.

Mid-week greetings from the frozen ice tundra formerly known as middle Tennessee = LOL  I know, I know, you all are frozen too.  I say we shoot the groundhog, whose with me?  So far my lot has not caved to these circumstances.  I keep telling them we are from northern MI and made of sterner stuff!  Until today.  I caved.  Woke up feeling  .. . . . uhg?  Conveniently the weather had given me an escape with even more snow.  So had a hot shower while the twins played in this fleeting, melting wonderland that I relocated thousands of miles to get away from.  Ah, irony, we meet again. 

Now I am drinking a cup of coffee and ruminating over the past crazy week.  Most likely no one week is any worse than any other (barring death), but doesn't feel like some are entirely comprised of Mondays?  I just haven't been right since putting my back out over two weeks now.  Progress is slow said the hamster in the wheel.

 

 

 So this is where all the magic happens, my corner desk with a view!

 

 

 

After two weeks of intense negotiations, and working around 3 different people's work schedules, we made it here yesterday.  Husband said he didn't care what the weather was doing, we were not rescheduling again! LOL  It was beautiful.  I am slightly embarrassed that it took us 14 years and a wedding to make it to this local historical site.  Husband enjoyed it even more than I, but then again he works with his hands.  Most know him as the car guy, but he can also do some pretty impressive craftsmanship in home construction.  Now we are looking for more excuses to go back.  They have some nice holiday shindigs, but I am thinking the tea room with my bible study ladies : )

 

 

 

Almost finished with my cup of Joe, so I had better get to the point I was mulling over in the shower this morning.

 

We home school and I know most picture our typical day like a trip to Chuck E. Cheese, but nothing could be further from the reality.  I am a militant OCD mom whom believes in work first and play later if there is time.  We are required to put in 180 days of school a year.  I have never come in under 210 in any of the 11 years I have home schooled.  We don't do fall breaks, winter breaks or other public school only holidays.  We even had school on President's day (gasp!), we did however have a great discussion on all the freedoms we have in this country, and even if you don't agree with the president you still have to support him or watch your country continue to deteriorate as people jump ship like rats on a sinking boat.  We also talked about it the presidents job is easier now vs. colonial times.  On the other hand however we take time off a day here and a day there, not counting our regular family vacations.

 

Anywhooooo . . . sometimes I have to remind myself it's ok to take a day and be a kid and have fun.  Besides, letting them play in the snow and test the strength of icicle's can be counted as science class right? Who's with me?  Anyone?

 

Who can say no to these faces?  Not me!

 

One last thing to ponder on this self designated snow day, what to stream on Netflix? Harder than you would think to answer.  We only have the one TV to share.  Don't send emails, we like it that way.  But I don't want to watch mindless violent cartoon, and most tween-adult shows have what my prudish beliefs would call inappropriate content.  Cue the tuba intro of the coolest show ever, Murder, She Wrote!  Thanks to wonderful shows like this my twins had awesome vocabulary words like CULPRIATE by the time they were in 3rd. grade!  LOL  I can now proudly say I have watched each episode of the 12 seasons, twice - no, not all at once, but over a 3 year span.



I so bad want this on a t-shirt!
 

Now I am eyeballing either Quincey M.E. or Rockford files.  Hubby votes based on vehical driven by the starring characters.  Guess which one he is lobbying for?  Working daughter feels the same way, but they are not yet streaming the original Knight Rider. LOL 

Blessings, Beth

Back on my fe . . er . . .seat!

I received these cups and desert plates

 

            Here I am, back in the saddle again (so to speak). Put my back out a week ago today, got to see the chiropractor the following Monday and am just now so I can sit up and not be in incredible pain. Been a long week.  I saw small improvements everyday and my body told me when I pushed it to far.  God is good and I praise Him for taking care of me and for giving me the best husband ever.

Life moved on while I was down and due to the miracle of Wi-Fi I got much more accomplished than you would think.  One thing being getting my spring Mary & Martha catalogs and products ordered .  They were delivered yesterday and I can't wait to share them with anyone who will stand still long enough - LOL

They are currently in my Praise Tray with flameless tea lights

 

I also felt up to being in the kitchen for a small amount of time.  I decided to make my coconut oil chocolate and try out the cute silicone tray I found while shopping for the children's Valentine treat.

 

this tray was almost to big for my freezer!

Recently we were gifted with some yarn and some knitting looms.  We had never done the looms before, but they were a big hit, especially for the twins!

 

Twin son is making a multicolored baby owl

Mom helped sew it all together.
 

I believe he gave it to twin sister for  an early birthday gift - LOL



 

If interested in either the Mary & Martha or learning to work on the knitting loom, please contact me.  I am booking up fast for available days this month and working on the next two months.  Easter is April 5th, and then mothers day is right around the corner!  www.mymaryandmartha.com/BADANIELSEN.

For my local friends, I am checking into loom/knitting classes at the local library.  Let me know if interested and I will keep you posted.

Blessings, Beth

Yarnbox Post

Here it is, the anticipated yarnbox blog, and we all know that the anticipation is more than half the fun! It's like Christmas in your mailbox!  Imagine how excited I was to discover a yarn of the month club!  Ok, well those of you who know me well don't have to imagine - LOL  Talked about it quite a bit while trying to make up my mind I guess, thank you guys for listening : )

 

It's here!

Too funny!
 

You had better believe it
 

The first peek.
 

Ta-dah!
 

Hubby is a good sport about winding into balls.  Maybe one day there will be a swifter in my future.
 

Here it is as the beginning of a circular staircase shawl. 
 

I am also working on another cable knit hat.
 

And for those who asked, here is the sky scarf I began on Jan. 1st. Yes, lots of rainy days.
 

Not sure I will do another box, but I crunched the numbers and it does work out close to what I spend a year in yarn.  Sigh.  Such a luxury.  It is a deal though.  The skeins I received retail for $27 each.  I received 2 plus 2 patterns that retail for $6 each online.  I believe it read, a $65 value for $40 : )   I believe I can get one shawl, one hat and one pair of fingerless gloves out of the two skeins. Sigh.  Such happiness.   You can visit my online store at : www.ETSY.com/shop/Danielsenfiberart

Colossians 2:1-3

Blessings, Beth

Tuesday tie ups

Happy Tuesday y'all! Just clearing off my camera after a full week-end of activity.  Making way for more non-stop fun here in middle Tennessee and posting more ETSY goodies.  Thought I would share a couple of my favorite end of week=end/start new week items with ya.

 

Twin daughters flowers she received after both her dance recitals.

 

You know it is cold out when the cat falls asleep on the heating vent!
 

Finished my first cable knit hat. 

 

Working daughter couldn't stop petting my cables!  LOL
 

Lastly, spring is in the air - new Mary & Martha spring catalogs are here!
www.mymaryandmartha.com/BADANIELSEN




 

Thanks for checking in with me and keeping me company.  The rest of my week will be busy with school work, two, count them, two different bible studies I am doing and as always COOKING!  (You thought I was going to say knitting!  I wish - LOL) 

Will post some yummy recipes later and my new knitting/stitching projects later in the week.

Blessings, Beth

Standard Saturday Chaos

Do you wanna build a snowman?  That is the catch phrase that no one can escape and the first thing I heard this morning.  Yes, we got a dusting of snow in the night and it must not be wasted!  Children who can't seem to be ready for church at 10:35 a.m. were up, dressed and outside by 8 today!

 

Our back yard/carport

These two little beggars came up to the backdoor with 2/3 of a snowman

All joking aside, it was a wonderful way to start a busy Saturday; kids playing in the snow, Bre making hot cocoa, and hubby making pumpkin & spice pancakes with maple sausage - YUM!

Then a mad dash to get ready for twin daughters double dance recital.  One of those hurry up and wait deals.  I would like to thank my friends who came to support us and make the waiting a little more enjoyable.  I mean I have to be there, they don't.  Great friends and a great time.  It was a wonderful show and everyone shined = literally - there were light up wands for the grand finally!

Here is the little ballerina now, and some sunshine as well!
 

She has come so far and is so beautiful



Now the first show is over and it is time for dad and big sis to take a turn warming seats.  Then our first semester of dance will be done, and so will the insanity and our Saturday!  LOL  Never a dull moment when you have children.  Must be why empty nest syndrome hurts so bad.  Even when there are still kido's at home, you still miss the ones who are gone and flying on their own. 

Blessings, Beth


















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Little town, little people, big difference

I live in  a small town.  I love it.  I grew up in a small town. Hated it.  Before I start sounding like a John Cougar Melloncamp song let me be clear, there is no right or wrong, just personal preference. 

 

Even though I live in a small town, it is still larger than it was when we moved here 13 years ago.  We are now considered commuter distance to Nashville and a sleeper community to Murfreesboro, which is the largest growing city in the Untied States (again probably because of it's proximity to Nashville).  So in short, I feel we have the perks of being in driving distance to anything we want/need in under an hour while still being able to have a small town atmosphere and no traffic jams.

 

Our small town has a dance studio, strictly small town, don't send an email on this.  But still nice to have and the people are wonderful.  As a homeschooling family we knew the twins could benefit from this, especially since Ely is a diva that the world hasn't seen since Susan Lucie made her daytime debut  on All My Children!  just needed to find the funds and take the plunge.  I could make this story longer but will try to nut shell it. Took the plunge last summer with Ely and she loved it, naturally. She even ended up having emergency appendectomy and missed no dance classes, no other girls could say that!  Then fall classes started and they added a couple classes for boys.  Elijah decided to give tumbling a-go.  I wasn't sure this was the best fit.  At the very least he is uncoordinated and award.   But what the heck, he need something to call his own.

 

Now here is something I almost never talk about and not to many folks.  Eli has very mild ASD, OCD, and SPD.  All on the Autism spectrum, EXTREMLY mild, but it still rears it's head and most people think he is a immature child.  I still haven't even mentioned it to the wonderful boy who took my son on.  I think he knows.  Doesn't matter. The benefit of a small town is small class sizes.  Eli adores it.  He isn't as good as the tiny little girls in his class who flip everywhere, but he ALWAYS tries, ALWAYS smiles, and NEVER gives up.  As a homeschool mom, these are the real things my child needs to learn.  It isn't about a perfect back flip.  He is learning obedience, team work and  self determination.  That is who I want my son to be. 

 

Not sure where I am going with this but just wanted to share .  He had his end of semester review last Tuesday and he did great.  Definite improvement over when he stated and knew nothing.  He just has to work harder and longer.  All the little girls get it in like  3 - 4 classes, he is still working on it. And he is ok with that.  Which I guess means I am too - LOL  Funny how when you get down to the youngest of your children you get more flexible.  With that said, he will be back hard at it this spring.

 

 

Elysha modeling her recital tiara

Eli and his crew
 

All about balance
 

It takes a village
 

Wish he had remembered to wear his t-shirt : )

Oops, try again

working on a bridge
 

spot on

 

Big finish
 

Elysha and friend on the sidelines cheering!

 

No matter where you are, bloom where you are planted and take root in a firm support system.

Blessings, Beth

Celebrate Good Times

Yesterday I saw something I hadn't seen in quit some time, the sun!  Didn't get to enjoy much of it however as I was in a giant gymnasium at working my first vendor event of the year.

 

However I did feel blessed that a new friend of mine (meet at my first show last year) had included me and almost treated me very well indeed : )  That was one of the big lessons I learned last year doing events.  It is not about what you make or maybe even spend, God brings people into our lives for a season and or a reason.  I can say that I have meet two outstanding ladies that have my best interest at heart, and at least another handful of lovely ladies that make my vendor life a better place for knowing them!  I can honestly say that I believe God brought my family here for a reason and that I never had or would have had the relationships there that I have here. PTL

 

It was a warm sunny day full of fun and friends, old and new.  I love my life!

 

It also happened to be my hubbies birthday, the 18th anniversary of his 29th.  So there were more good times when we got home.  One of his best buddies made a special trip to drop off some b-day wishes and there were a ton on Facebook, which is pretty good for someone who doesn't even have a FB account!  LOL  It ended with a bang when army son called at the end of the day, with a very heartfelt conversation that almost had hubby in tears.  So happy for my hubby and best friend for the past 14 years : )

 

CELEBRATE!  One of the Mary & Martha best sellers.

Cup cozies, a new category for my fiber art.

Working on a new pair of fingerless gloves.

Twins prefer loom knitting, here Elysha is working a flat panel.

Elijah finished a toddler hat on his loom and we got it tagged and out for sale ASAP!
 

Working daughter was in charge of the birthday cake - yummy!

Had to add this pic of twin son photo-bombing sisters big entrance with the cake! LOL

My family is amazing and I can't imaged even one of them not being in my life.  God choose the perfect mate for me (when I finally listened to Him), blesses me with ALL my children and I give all the glory to Him.  I deserve none of the credit, it is only with Him that they have all blossomed and bloomed into such amazing people.  Thank you God.

Blessings, Beth

Finding my joy

We are at the half way mark of the first month of a brand new year.  I made sweeping declarations in an earlier post about this was the year I would work on finding my joy.  I found it.  By day eight!  LOL  Let me explain, while doing my nightly prayers I made sure to keep adding my new recrimination - find joy.  Which would lead me to think back over my day and the things that I had enjoyed or had fun doing.  I began to quickly see a pattern, my family.  That's right, my joy has been under my nose the entire time.  It came without a fancy label, a bible study guide or a DIY blog.  It snuck right up on me while I was busy with life.  It started almost 30 years ago and crept up behind me on stealthy cat like feet.  With that said, it isn't always easy to see t which is why  I almost missed it.  Sometimes I get so covered in self pity or being a martyr that I have to physically remind myself  that I have been greatly blessed!  Everything I have, everything I know, everything I am is because of these blessings given to me graciously and generously from my Lord God                                                                                                                                                                                             Once again God heard my prayer and showed me I already had what I was looking for, now go onto something else to glorify Him! (silly girl)  Not yet sure what that will be for the year 2015, but with one child married, one engaged, and yet another one making noises about also doing so . . .  Could be the year of try to not be stressed and enjoy the remain time with the children still at hand.

                                                                                                                                                                                 

Here is a quick look back at my joy!                         

 

Twins age 10, last 4th of July

Working daughter, last May at her high school graduation.

Army son and twin son, my boys, last Aug.

The gang on vacation at the Creation Museum last April.

My best friend of 14 years, enjoying a break at the pumpkin patch last Oct.

Middle daughter, she is so beautiful, 2013

Oldest daughter and family last fall, I am a glam-ma!

Youngest daughter practicing her dance last Sept. , she is so full of life!

Look at that smile! Bre in the pool last Aug.

Youngest son and friend Christmas shopping last Nov.  He is a riot!

Even this pic of working daughter makes me say - aweeee, she gets so tired working the early shift.

Twin son once again cutting up with another friend, Nov. 2014

Army son and twin daughter, she adores him (all women seem too), Aug.2014

My oldest with my grand kids - good looking crew, 2014




Blessings, Beth