Tag: Chocolatedogstudio

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Looking Back…

I wrote this about a month ago. Believe it or not everything that I was worried about has been handled. All of the things that I thought were worthy of worry are now solved, resolved or handled. Shall I share the outcome of each of these worries.

I am starting to push the panic button. In the next month we have a ton of things happening.

  • The college girl comes home with all of her belongings  She is home and everything is great!
  • Sr. recognition Sunday at church for our graduating senior Done and over!
  • High school graduation for our youngest son Graduated!
  • Our 26th wedding anniversary Celebrated and wonderful!
  • Memorial Day, a day which we now try to put flowers and remember those who have passed away and those who have served in the military. Done
  • I need to get a child ready for camp
  • send her to camp
  • I have two kids needing to find summer jobs They both found jobs on their own without my interference!
  • feeding all of the people that will be here this summer I have two extra cooks and meals are getting accomplished daily!
  • find out about my foot in the boot and what needs to be done. The boot is gone. I am mobile and taking up the rhythms of life again!

I guess I am discouraged by the busyness of life. I need to take time to remember that these busy times are sweet family time. We will once again all gather around the table and share stories, insights and food. It seems that my family places importance on food as it gathers us all together.

Yes, we do place importance on food as it is hard to get all of us together at any other time.

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I hope you and your family find some sweet family time this summer!

Talk to you later,

Karen

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The May Garden

I love perennials in my flower beds. These grow in the raised flower bed at the front of the house. I am transplanting an off shoot to the new flower bed.2014-05-23 15.18.55

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Aren’t they bright and sunny. I can’t remember the name of them. We also have Russian Sage growing in this flower bed. The sage was planted in the middle and has migrated out to the front edge.

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It has bright blue flowers that the bees love. It is tall and ferny and simply lovely and yes I cropped this photo so you can’t see the tree growing in the bed at the back. Here is a good shot of reality. It is the area around the corner from the front garden bed.

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It is pretty wild and needs a lot of work. These are the new flowers that we added last week.

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English daisies and Purple cone flower both of which we had at our last house. They seem to love hot summers and the so- so watering job that I do.

I have too many projects going right now and I feel really stretched thin on the creative side of things. I am in the process of adding some new to the shop and I feel really pretty overwhelmed and terribly forgetful. I am tending to skip around from project to project during the day and not seeming to accomplish much.

I guess I need a new challenge and there is one I am thinking about but I just can’t decide if I really want to participate. It is a daily listing challenge and I am wondering if it would be wise to try it. I would have to list something new in the shop everyday. Summer, has been a little crazy so far. We have three of the kids home. One is working a full time internship with regular working hours and the other is working almost full time hours at Arby’s. This means that he has crazy hours. So I am not sure about the listing challenge. The other challenge is a one hundred Granny Square block challenge. I am still thinking about this one. I have been tossing it around since we lived in Iowa, which is close to 2 years ago. The other challenge has to do with more scrap busting! I am still thinking about this one, but I know that it wouldn’t be wise to totally stop buying supplies like I did for the 100 items in 100 days challenge!  http://www.chocolatedogstudio.com/2014/01/17/1-thing-for-100-days-challenge/

I do need to use up some scraps so we will see!

talk to you later!

Karen

 

 

 

 

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WIP’s

WIPS or works in progress have been stacking up at the sewing table. The good news about that is that cleaning has brought a bunch of partially finished projects to light. Here are a few that I have been working on lately.

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There are several many crochet projects in a partially finished state. I tend to work more on inspiration when it comes to the yarny projects. So, yes there are many half done. IMG_4025

Like this one. I am going to take it to the DMV  while I wait for the driver’s license testing to be over. I hope things go well. I also hope that we don’t wait long for his turn to take the test.

See you later,

Karen

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Patriotic Bunting

I’ve tried and tried not to get pulled into the bunting craze but last week I just couldn’t help myself. Here are two sets of lovely red, white and blue bunting!

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This set is little pennants in red, white and blue. Perfect for all those patriotic holidays and Christmas too!

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Here are the beautiful red, white and blue stars garland. I think they would look equally good in a little boy’s bedroom as they would on a Christmas tree or your dining room for the Fourth of July! You can find both of these in the studio.

Talk to you later,

Karen

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Infinity Scarves

I have been spending my time productively the past few weeks. Saturday our son came over and took some really good photographs for me. He does such a great job and I really appreciate it. I can’t wait to get these into the ChocolateDogStudio shop but I will take my time and list a few a day. It really stretches my mind to come up with flowery, enthusiastic, descriptive phrases. I am really only good for listing one or two things at a time.

IMG_3909 IMG_3904 IMG_3898 IMG_3892-001I really enjoyed crocheting this pattern, it is fun. I love how these scarves turned out. They are stretchy and lacy at the same time. A lovely accessory for those that tend to get too warm with a traditional infinity scarf. Even though, I have stopped the Use your stash challenge, I found that these scarves are great stash busters!

I found the pattern here if you want to make your own. http://classycrochet.wordpress.com/2013/01/12/free-pattern-diamond-lattice-chain-crochet-infinity-scarf/

It is an easy pattern and great for beginners. Jen does a great job with step by step photos, walking you through the pattern bit by bit.

talk to you later,

Karen

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Boho Poncho

Do you remember these photos?

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Well, here is the finished product! I am so excited to show this to you. It came out beautifully and the photographs truly capture how beautiful it is! IMG_3914-002IMG_3914-003IMG_3923-002 IMG_3915 IMG_3916 IMG_3918-001 It is crocheted out of so many different yarns. It is mostly wool but there are novelty yarns, chunky wools, eyelash yarns, ribbon yarns, cotton yarn and such a wide variety colors. I love the texture of it and the many different ways you can wear it. I love the carefree fringe and I can barely put it in the studio for sale. I see it in the Autumn with boots and leggings, taking the place of a jacket. I see it in the winter adding a splash of color to your life. Yes, this is available in the ChocolateDogStudio Etsy shop. See you later, Karen

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Cottage Charm

Here are some little cottages that I made several years ago. These are just for fun as I have so much to do today. These cottages are hand sized Christmas ornaments. I haven’t put the hanging ribbon on them yet. There are some things that I would change but overall I like them. I would call these prototypes.IMG_0126-002 IMG_0127-002 IMG_0128-002

I am thinking about adding some like them to the shop, but I’m not sure. What do you think?

Talk to you later,

Karen

 

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Monday!

Yesterday it was a rainy Monday. I sent two kids off to town. One to apply for a job and the other to drive him there and do some errands. It has been a busy day already with a trip for two to the orthodontist and then a trip to the bank to open a checking account for one of the kids.

I spent time yesterday morning sewing some new bibs and then I spent a little time crocheting this.

I love the bright red lady bugs. and the red crochet cotton just goes so  nicely. We will see how it looks when I am done. I am trying something new for the shop. I think the fabric and cotton thread go so nicely together.

Talk to you later,

Karen

 

 

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Graduation

Once again we are here. It seems only yesterday that he was this big.

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Such a funny little guy. In the top photo he is three and the bottom photo he is about 5 months old. He is now almost 19. I will never forget seeing him face down in the sand pit with his brand new glasses on his face. I will always remember “Sometimes my Mom lets me have three pieces of cake!” at about four years old as he conned my cousin into two large pieces of cake. I will never forget his cello breaking at a summer music camp! I loved watching you come into your own as a high school student. IMG_1850 er YBThere is not much left to say, but Congratulations! You have a strength and fortitude that astounds me. Thank you for being the funny guy, the punster, the artist and quiet guy. I can’t wait to see what happens next in your life and where life takes you!

See you later,

Mom