New Year’s Eve, I’m unresolved.

The blizzard is mostly melted and gone, the Christmas tree is packed away and on the curb for disposal, the leftovers are even gone.  Christmas 2010 is a ghost, 2010 is a few hours away from being a memory, and here we on the the eve of the new year.

This was a first for 2010:

That’s a pretty wicked icicle for Piedmont NC!  It got started on an icicle-shaped light bulb, and went on to its own magnificence.  Just as I usually start with a kernel of an idea, and then let creativeness grow the way it will.  So I am unresolved, but inspired.  Thank you winter blizzard!

I love a reading gift

There’s a beautifully illustrated book about a girl and her mouse doll.

Phoebe’s Sweater is written by Joanna Johnson, illustrated by Eric Johnson, indie published by their company Slate Falls Press, and has knitting patterns for a girl sweater, mouse doll and dress, and doll sweater. Irresistable, right? Definitely.

Here’s my Phoebe’s Sweater in size 2:

and a closeup of the buttons:

 

The buttons came from JoAnn, and I’ve stacked the smaller pink butterfly button onto a round white button to frame it and make it a suitable size for the buttonholes. I do like the effect, and the pink is the exact shade of the yarn in the Phoebe mouse doll and her dress:

 

which makes the whole set coordinate harmoniously.  A sweater for the doll completes the set:

 

throw in a copy of the book, and there’s an unforgettable gift for a small girl and her reading, knitting, parent to share.  I’m sad to part with the book myself, though. I’ll have to buy another one.

Merlin helped me knit them all:

 

He works for ear scritches, and a biscuit now and then. Good doggie.

snow!!!

Do you have any idea how unusual this is where I live? Before Christmas? This much?

 

While this was falling, we had a fire in the fireplace, we put up the Christmas tree, and hung up our stockings.  I am so much more in the Christmas mood now than I was yesterday.  Going to bed now, hoping for visions of sugarplums dancing in my head.

having fun with pinterest

here’s my fledgling gift guide board:

I really have to stop messing with this and get some of my life done today!!