Life LackaDaisiCal

Day 2 - it snowed on and off all day yesterday....very light, very wet, very fine....and it seemed even more beautiful this morning....but it is starting to melt! Everything is covered.....this is where the pergola meets the roof. These huge evergreens are snow laden....luckily they just go with the weight of it all. The branches touch the ground and support the higher branches. I would say that the bird feeder roof load was a bit much - so I cleared it off to protect any feeding birds! I'd just slogged back to the deck...  (definition of slogged?  Well, that's when you are walking through deep wet snow....you slog...) turned around and looked back..... this fellow was right there, ready for his morning snack! When there is a male Cardinal around, there is always a female - they hang out together! She was first down to the seed - just a little braver ?!? He wasn't far behind - it is amazing how RED cardinals are in the snow. I would say they are my favourite by far....of al...

Rowan posted this video (don't worry - there is no sound!) of the designs in Rowan Magazine 53! How wonderful to be looking at these summery designs..... Looks beautiful from a distance - but look at the end of the driveway!   When we have a winter wonderland happening here this morning!

After Stitchtopia wrapped up, Mrs. Tishell and I were invited to stay with Mrs. Cartshed.....we felt right at home......want to see why? This all gave me a serious case of knit decor envy....Mrs. Cartshed is an accomplished knitter. I need to get serious about my Jubilee Throw project.......to take advantage of my enthusiasm to have my own Jubilee Throw over the back of my sofa by Next Christmas. Happy knitting!  

Arrived home safe and sound.....a familiar bed.....sigh.... Got up this morning and made English muffins with honey and Yorkshire Gold tea.... Daisy treated me to a good roll in the snow....here she is defrosting in the kitchen..... And while I was doing the laundry, I finished the crochet Easter Egg from the Jane Crowfoot class on crocheting with beads and colour! I've still got a couple of things to share with you about the trip.....I'll do that in the next few days. And......I didn't watch the Oscars until the end...I saw Shirley, Jennifer, Adele and Barbra...what an amazing group of women...I was happy.  

The last workshop of our Stitchtopia experience should have been called... The Kid Silk Haze Support Group All of us at the Kid Silk Haze workshop introduced ourselves with various admissions, confessions and secret revelations of our infatuation with Kid Silk Haze. Solids, stripes, glamour with sequins..... Knit alone, doubled, held with another yarn.... Beware.....it is highly addictive! Ok, now that I've got that out.....our workshop project was to knit these lovely lacy wrist warmers....using two solids and a glamour shade while discussing the ins and outs of the yarn we love. I've knit one, now the hard part - knit another one! Our Stitchtopia event was over......it was time to say goodbye... The Arena Travel group and Rowan have already booked the conference centre for Stitchtopia 2014!

Wednesday..... A special knitting friend from the UK joined Mrs. Tishell and I on our Wednesday class.....a day with Kaffe Fassett, picking fabric and cutting pieces for his Sunlight in the Forest Quilt from his Quilting in Sweden book. Both my friend, aka Mrs. Cartshed and I had never used a rotary cutter before, we weren't quilters, and we were a bit nervous to say the least! Mrs. Tishell, although she doesn't quilt now, was an accomplished quilter in a past life.....so she wasn't quite as paralyzed with fear as we were. Well, let me tell you! With a frenzied start with everyone grabbing fabrics and madly cutting.....we were told to just cut the prescribed sizes and slap them up on the wall in the proper order......I wasn't feeling any better ! It didn't help that despite the title of Sunlight in the Forest......my main fabric was somewhat light with birds on it...... Both Kaffe and Brandon tried to dissuade me....but I held firm..... So as you are cutti...

Arena Travel has partnered with Rowan to run craft based holidays. Stitchtopia is the first craft conference organized at the Wyboston Lakes conference centre. Mrs. T. and I arrived by train from Kings Cross at a small station approx. 60 minutes north of London. A short cab ride and we were there....checking into our rooms, reading our introduction packages and heading off to have lunch before our first workshop. While the rooms aren't large here...everyone gets their own room and there is plenty of room for a single.....with a desk area and all the usual amenities, including a heated Towel rail...I love heated towel rails! We both had chosen "Learn to Crochet" with Jane Crowfoot . Although I can crochet....reading a crochet pattern can be confusing.....so I hoped to get clarification of a few details of crochet at this workshop. The first thing I learned that crochet done in Rowan Glacé is just gorgeous - I wasn't a big fan of cotton........but I love these...

This became our motto....We've got London in our back pocket! By Sunday, the tube was second nature.....we popped on up to Euston and over to the Angel station....up the road....yup, headed to Loop. No rush, it opens at noon on Sunday. Look at this gorgeous flower shop we passed on the way! There was a huge lineup for "The Breakfast Club".....obviously a popular cafe with a sense of humour! We arrived at Loop just a little early...we could see activity inside... And pretty soon the window was being revealed.....and the open sign appeared... Here it is, the moment we had been waiting for....... And here is the view from the inside out..... And just a quick glimpse of what is inside. We found Koigu and Hand Maiden yarns (both from Canada) and Brooklyn Tweed, along with Isager, Malabragio, and loads of other yarns that I wouldn't think are widely available in the UK. After that we went to Kings Cross Station.... where we swung by Platform 9 3/4! ...

Saturday morning.....Liberty of London.... Mrs. Tishell and I immediately headed up to the third floor..... Look at that roof! Here we are....the Rowan Department! Yes, all of the Rowan yarns and books...all Rowan! Look at that wall! I believe I have the Rowan Fine Tweed for this sweater in my stash! It was lovely to see it in real life.....Merrion by Marie Wallin, from the Tweed Collection booklet. The magazines were all there to peruse... All Rowan yarns....every shade...HEAVEN! Mrs. Tishell and I were so overcome with it all....we had to go have something to eat in the Liberty of London cafe...2nd floor! Look at that amazing wallpaper! I did treat myself to some yarn from Liberty....just to support my Rowan habit....two balls of Cocoon for a hat......that wasn't too bad now was it? Happy Knitting!