Pinterest Inspiration

 

Source: tshirtgroove.com via Janet on Pinterest

Dear Blog, here I am with you and Elizabeth, vainly trying to teach me things and take me places I don’t think I want to go. I am learning all about Pinterest. More importantly, I am discovering who I am. Or at least more about me. I have goals. See below.

Love, the Knitting Mom 

 

Source: batixa.tumblr.com via Janet on Pinterest

Megan's Beanie

Here is a darling picture of Megan Bikab, Ben's girlfriend. I knit this beanie and scarf for Christmas for her. And it is surely cold enough here in Colorado for them.

Humility today

Today is a day of humility. Humbling myself and admitting I was wrong. Have been wrong. Will probably be wrong again. I have sinned against another human being very badly. With no thought given to it. Totally intentional to be proud and arrogant and controlling and all important and bossy. But not with the thought that I was SINNING against someone. And it comes to the fore in a very big way - today.
God is teaching me about humility. He has been for some time. And I have been so proud that He has been teaching me. Wow, Janet. Could it get any worse? Probably.
Today I ask for forgiveness. Today probably won't begin a whole new relationship with this person. And I am not even sure there will be forgiveness. But today I ask.
Today I don't try to explain why I have been abominable. Today I ask for forgiveness and admit my guilt and wrong. Today - one more step into understanding the depth of my sin and depravity and SELF and trusting that God has planned this and will use it to HIS glory.

And today I find joy in this that God loves me enough to discipline me. The hard way.

Holy Cowl!

I found this funky chunky yarn for a cowl to knit for Elizabeth. I wasn't sure at all how it would turn out but I loved it! I love the autumn colors, too. Now, when it is cold, rainy, and snowy, I know she has a knitted hug from me around her.

Treasures in the Box

Eric and I have started going through the accumulated boxes of nearly 34 years of marriage and parts of the lives lived before that. Then there are boxes containing memories of and for Elizabeth and Benjamin. I was struck this morning how intermingled these memories are. How the question "what do I do with THIS?" always ends up being either "Goodwill" or put it in Elizabeth's box. (Being the firstborn comes with privileges AND curses.)

When we see these headlines, we always reflect on "where was I?" When JFK was assassinated, I was in the third grade and on the playground. School was dismissed that day.

When Armstrong walked on the moon, I was at my friend Carolyn's house and I remember watching it on television and then going into her front yard and staring at the full moon with amazement. MEN ARE WALKING AROUND UP THERE.

                     Then there was the time I turned 15...This really hip card was from my

                  mom and is in my scrapbook from high school which is really falling apart.

For some strange reason, I lettered in orchestra. They must have had extra "letters" that year. I was never really any good at an instrument and didn't care all that much. Social event for me mainly.

Graduation from high school, one year of college, joined the Navy, met Eric, got married. All wrapped up right there. What to do with these pictures? I know! Put them in Elizabeth's box!

High school pennants for football games. A tin with Elizabeth and Ben's baby teeth in it. Yeah, I know. Eeeww. A Navy commendation medal. A pajama bag that I had as a toddler. Antique! Elizabeth's assorted stuff from Korea, a vest, toy bag and slippers.

Where do collections of old treasures and memories go to die?  No one can keep this stuff forever. The things, the stuff, the memories. How on earth, literally, to deal with them? Downsizing is a reality for all of us at some point. What to keep? What to throw? How to do it? How to organize it? And why?

I guess that is the big question for me - Why? Anyone have any thoughts on this? And how have YOU kept YOUR memory boxes? And what treasures do YOU keep?

Yum-o!

It is now September 5th. In two days, fall officially starts (though not REALLY fall) with the first church supper of the season. I make the desserts. I made 4 pans of Coca-Cola Brownies and thought I would share the recipe. Enjoy!

COCA-COLA BROWNIES

2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 cup butter

3 T cocoa

1 cup Coca-Cola

½ cup buttermilk

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp baking soda

1 ½ cups miniature marshmallows

1 tsp vanilla

Sift together flour and sugar. Heat butter, cocoa and cola to boiling point; pour over sugar mixture.

Mix buttermilk, eggs, baking soda, marshmallows and vanilla and add to mixture.

Mix well.

Batter will be thin.

Pour into a greased and floured 9x 13 pan and bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

FROSTING:

1 cup butter

3 T cocoa

6 T coca-cola

1 16-oz box powdered sugar

1 cup nuts, chopped (optional)

1 tsp vanilla

Combine butter, cocoa and cola and heat to boiling.

Pour over sugar.

Blend with mixer until smooth; add nuts and vanilla.

Pour over cake while frosting is still hot.

Cool and cut into squares.

Yield: 2 dozen

Storms

Hurricane Irene has started me thinking about past storms in my life. I was in a typhoon when I was stationed on Guam. I was in a couple of hurricanes in Florida. I remember a gully washer in Guam where I was stuck at a traffic light in my little VW and a news photographer caught my picture, with water up to my bumper.  That was a wild time. (the next morning, there were dead frogs all over the roads, bellies up and legs in rigamortis - weirdly amusing)

I remember the EYE OF THE STORM as being the weirdest part.  Here we had just sat through howling winds, rain, things blowing around outside and hitting the walls of my home, or breaking windows and other sorts of fearful things. THEN there was QUIET. Not just quiet.  Eerie silence, deafening in its own right. And the thing we were waiting for was the OTHER SIDE OF THE STORM to arrive. And it did, with the same fury the first side had.

The quiet before the storm has become cliche  but is very real. There is a quiet before every storm and we KNOW that the storm is going to hit. We don't know when but we do know.

Life has its storms and it also has its quiet. That deafeningly silent time when you can wait and...prepare.

I have been thinking about how I get complacent in the eye of the storm. Or in the quiet before the first side of the storm hits. I know from experience and observation that in this fallen world, storms are brewing constantly. BUT I have also learned that I don't need to FEAR the storm.  But neither should I lapse into complacency. There is always preparation to be done.

In Guam, we taped windows. put all objects inside that could fly around and damage something. We stocked food and water and candles for that inevitable power failure. We prepared as best we knew, as we were instructed. In Florida, I was hustled into a building with a few hundred other Navy women and waited out Hurricane Frederick in a darkened hot crowded building with too much estrogen in it. (I think being OUT in the hurricane might have been preferable - just kidding)  But we prepared ourselves.

For the storms of life - I prepare by taking shelter in my Savior. By sealing the leaks in the windows of my soul. By taking in the food and water of the Word. By taking all the precautions that my Savior has given. By following all of the instructions ahead of time from His Word.

But even when I have failed to take all the necessary and commanded precautions, He allows the eye to pass. Where a quiet exists and allows a chance to make some adjustments, to embrace His instructions, to trust that He is in the storm and knows what I need. And then to wait out the rest of the storm in His lap, sharing HIS power because mine has gone, knowing that His provisions are all around me, no matter how long the storm lasts.

Isaiah 25:4 - "For Thou hast been a defense for the helpless, a defense for the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat; For the breath of the ruthless is like a rain storm against a wall."

I want the hurricanes of life find me prepared in Him.

Wishing you good storm preparations and happy times in the Savior, janet

It's in the Bag

I found a really fun pattern to use to make these knitted drawstring bags. These would work well as jewelry bags for traveling or for scarves or any little thing that might need protecting. I am eager to make more of these for Christmas gifts this year and am trying to decide what goes INTO them when I send them off. I am also planning to embellish the outsides of some of them.

Christmas doesn't seem far away anymore, except for the fact that I want to see Elizabeth and Kyle so much that the time will drag. All the more reason for me to GET KNITTING!

Have a super time planning your own Christmas gift list!

Sophie's Response to Madigan

My Auntie Elizabeth has a dog named Madigan. She sure is something. She has her own "sub-blog" and everything. She is really very witty. I think she takes after Auntie Elizabeth. I am not witty like that. I am steady, loyal, faithful, precious, loving, and really, really cute. But not witty. (See http://loveisadventure.blogspot.com/)

But Madigan today was discussing CATS. Now I do have an opinion on cats. They are self-serving and arrogant and they think everything revolves around them. They don't think they have to share. I mean, seriously, why would anyone want to have his/her own chair when you could share it with a warm cuddly human? Case in point...

Cats don't think they have to be nice, either. I mean, they say, "take it or leave it" human. If they don't like you, they don't even PRETEND to be polite. Have you ever heard a cat hiss? Well, believe me, it is a daunting sound. One that will keep you up at night just worrying about it.

Then cats feel free to be stupid and think no one will notice. Cats actually believe that no one will consider that they are stupid.  I mean, they can be so stupid and actually think that humans are amazed and excited and astonished by their antics. When all the while they are actually being rather weird and stupid.

I should actually back off a bit here and say that if someone as fascinating as Sarah has cats, then there MIGHT be something to cats. But I doubt it.  I'm thinking that Sarah just has this rescue thing going on and felt sorry for those cats, Pippin and Leo. I mean, really, at least Leo wasn't so 'OUT THERE'.  Pippin now, wow, who really believes he is all that and a can of tuna. Oh yeah, PIPPIN does!

That is all I have to say on the matter. I mean, I couldn't just leave it alone. Usually, I can just let those things slide. But I know how many bloggers read Auntie Elizabeth's posts and I just had to say my piece. I am a pretty peaceful girl, after all.  But this, this was too much, Madigan.  Too much.

As Madigan would say, "Stay Excellent".  I say, "Stay warm, cozy, and happy with a puppy on your lap."

Love, Sophie

Christmas Bells Are Ringing

One of my current projects, the one that keeps my hands busy when nothing else does, is knitting up hundreds of these little bells.  I attach them to gifts, to homemade goodies, attach three together as a small gift, leave one at the table for a great waiter or waitress with the tip inside. They are fun, colorful, and quick. I love being able to just hand one to someone at random, or to employees at some of the companies I serve. I sent 12 to Elizabeth for a Twelve Days of Christmas giveaway on her blog. Just plain old knitting fun.

24 Years Ago, in Korea, There Came a Baby Girl

     24 years ago I was in labor. Hard labor. Foreign labor. No one except my doctor spoke English and when the nurses tried, it was, "No short pushy! Long pushy!" That is a subject for another time. But at the end of this labor, I gave birth to one of the most extraordinary people I have ever met - my daughter Elizabeth.  It is extraordinary to have a child, anyway. But Elizabeth is fascinating.

     Elizabeth is exuberant about life. She always has been. She has never done anything by halves. Elizabeth knows to LOOK for the adventure in life. She creates the adventure. She is one of those people who HAS to have something to look forward to and if there isn't anything in particular, she starts looking around and makes a plan. She chooses to have fun in the smallest details of her life as well as the big ones.

     LB (for short) loves to learn. Her mind is constantly busy and seeking new ideas, new knowledge, new skills. She loves to research whatever she finds interest in. One of the early research projects took place when we first moved back to the US from Germany. She began listening to the "oldies" and fell in love with the Beatles. She can probably tell you every trivia item about the Beatles. When George Harrison died, her heart was broken.
     Far from learning trivia about the Beatles now, she finds subjects and says, "I just want to know about..." and off she goes. Always learning.  (I think that is from the Thimell side of the family)

     LB is loyal to the core. The depth of her commitment is quite compelling and no one is her true friend who has not had that loyalty directed toward them. She is THE friend to have. Thankfully, she chooses her friends in a careful and wise manner.

     LB is a worsdmith. Read her blog (http://loveisadventure.blogspot.com/) and you will know what I mean. Her words flow with humor, depth, pathos, thoughtfulness, creativity.  This is one of the things that I admire most about her. I guess we knew this would happen, though. When she was two I walked into her room and found her surrounded by dolls and stuffed animals. I asked her what she was doing and she said, "I am just getting my babies situated." When she was five, she asked, "Mama, how do I ask Jesus into my heart without using a lot of complicated words?" When she was three, after having read all of the LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE books out loud to her, I heard her "reading" to her babies. "Pa went out and shot a deer and came home and Ma cooked it in the microwave."  She loved listening to her daddy read the LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy when she was five and only later did she tell us which parts really freaked her out.
     LB addresses her fears. She says she does things because she has either never done them before or is scared to do them and so does it to get over the fear. This inspires me to do the same.

     LB is beautiful. But then lots of us have beautiful daughters. I used to ask her, "Is it more important to be pretty on the outside or pretty on the inside?"  She knew the right answer but the fact is that she is just as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside.
     LB is not afraid to dance with her mama in the kitchen. That is how I KNOW she is extraordinary.
     Committed, tenacious, persevering, willing to learn, willing to humble herself, gracious, hospitable, loyal, a good cook (which she had to teach herself seeing as how she IS my daughter), a creative and artistic decorator, talented, musical, intelligent, thoughtful of others, a lover of Jesus, a superb wife and MY DAUGHTER. I could go on and on shamelessly.

     Elizabeth inspires me to be better. I think that is what she does for everyone who comes around her. I am so thankful to the Lord for giving me the privilege of being Mama to this one very extraordinary person and it all began 24 years ago at a hospital in Seoul, Korea.
   

Ben's hats

When Ben was little, real little, my mom sent him a ball cap. It was dark purple and gold and he wore it much of the time but especially to bed. He called it his "nighty cap". Ben has always been a HAT man. He has bought hats in every country we have visited along the way and a few dozen here in the states. Some are nice, some are weird, some are goofy, some are distinguished. They are all BEN.

Loving to knit, of course, I had to make some beanies for Ben. I don't have a lot of pictures of them but here is one of his beanies.

I am currently trying to convince his best friend that he needs one of my beanies, a red one perhaps. But it doesn't matter - I will always have Ben to knit beanies for! 

Gardening Genes



Front berm with yarrow, salvia, sage and other assorted delights




Backyard terracing




More of our front berm. Ben and Eric actually designed and help put
this together several years ago.  It has overgrown somewhat
but keeps that cottage garden feel that I really like.




My fave - red valerian otherwise known
as Jupiter's Beard




Water feature - soothing vacation spot
at home




Decorating our tool shed




Strawberries in the stew pot along
with moss rose, another annual
favorite




A "stay-cation" spot

I was behind the door when the gardening genes were handed out.  My father loved gardens, although he had a bit more cactus than I would prefer. He did love rocks - I came by that fair and square. My mother had a weed-free lawn.  My older sister has a deck to envy surrounded by flowers and plants and impeccable beds and lawns. My twin sister actually has  DEGREE in horticulture and a great eye for design. Imagine that.  I, on the other hand, used to intentionally leave plants out to freeze, just to be rid of them. I had NO idea what to do in the yard, garden, etc. and really was not interested.  Then came the age of the "depression".  We had moved to Colorado 11 years ago from Germany and depressed I was. Extremely and seriously. So I did what every self-respecting depressed person OUGHT to do - I put my hands in the dirt.  I (along with my hard-working and amazing husband), at our former house, amended the soil, put in manure (sheep and horse), and planted.  I planted what I loved and not by design and I learned the hard way that things grow, big, and overgrow. Janet Phillips said, "There are no gardening mistakes, only experiments." But still that first year - oh my, what solace and peace! 

We moved across the street a few years ago and the labor of gardening continues. It IS labor but the fruits of it are soul food, literally.  My spirit still desperately needs and desires the solace and peace that come from being in the space we plant. I talk to the plants. I tell them how lovely they are and how well they are doing. And they understand and return the favor by bringing quiet to my soul.  

"As the garden grows, so grows the gardener."

Thanks for visiting my gardens!

Angels and Friends

A Christmas ago, I remember an old craft that my mom had introduced me to - making paper angels (or trees) out of Readers Digests.  My sister-in-law Eunice sends us a subscription to Readers Digest every year and I get my best jokes and motivating articles to send to Ben from them. THEN, what to do? Well, here is one project.  I made these for friends that year and it brought joy.

When I die...

Ben was getting ready to leave for basic training. It was September 2009. I was sitting at the kitchen table working on a piece of crosstitch. I don't think it was this one. I was talking to Elizabeth on the phone and asked her if she would like something crosstitched. She quickly said "NO!" (she fervently dislikes crosstitch) I said, "Okay, I see how it is. I am going to die and all the things I have made will be shipped off to Goodwill!" She said, "Well maybe Ben's wife will have bad taste!" Can you believe this?  Ben, of course, says, "Well thanks a lot, Elizabeth, what does that say about her marrying me?" And then Elizabeth, true to form, is all worried that I am mad but I am actually laughing and plotting my revenge (see image at right).  I stitched this Mary Englebreit pattern for her and had it framed. I think, really think, she likes it. It was one of her Christmas presents that year. And as demonstrated in this picture, my heart is always hers. I love you, Elizabeth.

Comfort Required

I have been reading and been inspired by several blogs lately. Mostly Elizabeth's blog and her friend Sarah's blog and this Pioneer Woman blog I discovered and more. I am amazed at their ingenuity and ability to communicate as well as how they find the time to be so creative on the computer. Elizabeth has urged me to write more here and I always think I will, just to capture THAT THOUGHT or THAT MOMENT. Right now though, I have been in a major funk. Struggling with several things which I won't detail but suffice it to say, my heart and mind cried out for relief! And so, I went to my craft room (aka Ben's old bedroom). He has a wonderful glass topped desk in there (which I hope he never wants back) and a great light and I began to create. Comfort was required. I NEEDED to create something. Ordinarily I would have gone to my chair with my knitting. That wasn't what was being called for tonight. No, something new and different.

I love paper. Paper of all kinds and textures and colors. I love glue and brads and embellishments and stickers and letters and pictures and putting something unexpected on a page. So I made a little bitty journal for Elizabeth. Here are some pictures of some of it.

Things I've Made for Elizabeth - continued

This particular list of things could go on and on but when Mom visited Kyle and I in Columbus this last weekend, she finally wrangled a few pictures out of me. Here are some of my favorite things Mom has made...

An old screen that Mom decoupaged with old books/clippings. Notice the Wuthering Heights panel on the right, my personal favorite.

Two pairs of knitted socks

A thin green knit scarf with button detail

An Irish flag knit hat for Kyle...this is one of his favorites.

The Elizabeth Collection: Handbags

My daughter is really silly and decided to name the purses I knit her THE ELIZABETH COLLECTION! Here are some photographs...The first two are felted and the third is a knit with beaded handle.

A Tisket A Tasket A Red and Yellow Basket

Once in Germany, many years ago now, I was invited to learn how to make a basket. I jumped at the chance. So did Elizabeth. We had a deadline that day as I needed to get to the bank since I was meeting my older sister in London the next day. Fun birthday that year. Well, we got started and honestly, this was so much fun! It felt like the basket was taking shape on its own in my hands. I have not ever found another place to make baskets and I am not confident enough to do it on my own. By the way, Elizabeth did NOT enjoy the basket making process. This may be why I knit and make baskets and she goes to Ohio State to get a PhD. But I use this basket every day on my desk to hold correspondence that needs to be answered. Today, it got emptied and sorted and I looked at it and thought, oh yeah! I MADE THAT!

THE PURSE

This is THE PURSE that I knitted and felted for Elizabeth. I forgot to take a picture of it before I mailed it off to her so I had to go to North Carolina to get this picture! Fun project. Fun daughter.