31 Days: Writing Challenge - Doll Knitting

So tomorrow starts the 31 Days - Writing Challenge and I've decided to write about my doll knitting. This is really going to challenge my writing creativity skills. I knit every day, but to write about knitting everyday....well....that's another story.

I have a few posts planned out, starting with my inspiration for doll knitting. I'm in the process of knitting a doll now, so will share my progress, thoughts, and anything else I can come up with.

Let the fun begin!

31 Days of Doll Knitting!

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Day 1 - My Inspiration for Knitting Dolls
Day 2 - The Beginning
Day 3 - The Body
Day 4 - Head
Day 5 - Arms
Day 6 - Legs and Mary Janes
Day 7 - Legs, Short Rows and Fall
Day 8 - The Dress
Day 9 - The Dress Continues and Zac Brown Band Concert
Day 10 - The Doll Pieces
Day 11 - Dress Continues
Day 12 - Dress Continues
Day 13 - Dress! Almost Done
Day 14 - Dress Done!
Day 15 - Stuffed!
Day 16 - Doll - I Am Not My Hair
Day 17 - Hair
Day 18 - Hi
Day 19 - Done!

Apple Pie and Faded Memories

Apple pies are my favorite.

The smell while baking is heavenly. And the smell....that sweet, apple, cinnamon smell took me back in time. To a yellow house on Marsden St, to a small kitchen, with an open window looking out into a backyard of plum trees, lilac bushes, a chestnut tree and a clothes line filled with freshly washed clothes.

I see my Mom, standing in that kitchen with a piece of apple pie, a slice of cheese melted on top, and a cup of ever present black coffee.

A faded memory, so clear while smelling my own apple pie. Sometimes I want to go back. Back to the time when she wasn't sick, battling cancer. To the time she was young, enjoying life, being Mommy. 31 was too young to die.

Funny how the smell of my own apple pie, bought Mommy back for a moment.....bought me back to her....standing in that kitchen at 75 Marsden. St, smiling and eating apple pie.

Few Seconds

In the kitchen last night, getting a drink at the same time, I glanced UP at Ezekiel, him down at me, and for a few seconds we just stared at each other, then smiled. It was a mere few seconds, but in those seconds, I prayed for time to slow down. Prayed for the world to be kind to this man child, for him to always keep his sense of humor, to have more happiness in his life than sorrow, and if possible to always be close to home.

A mere few seconds....

Look for the Light

I've been wanting to make some changes to my blog lately, in hopes that it would get me writing again. I clicked on a few things, thinking I would be able to preview my changes before saving and ended up ruining my blog template! I did this without saving the HTML of what my blog originally looked like. Big mistake! I could have cried! I played around with the HTML, knowing nothing about it and after working on it several hours, I am finally ok with how it looks. There are a few tweaks here and there, but.....I actually like it better than what I had.

To kick off my new blog look, I'm participating in 31 Days - a writing challenge. Pick a subject and write everyday in the month October. I haven't decided what I will be writing about. I'm thinking something knit related, but I have a few days yet to decide. I'm just glad my blog is back up and running, especially after the disaster yesterday.

Fall!

Today is the first full day of Fall, and it sure feels like it! Chilly today! I know I say this every year but this is my favorite time of year.

Yay for Fall!

Cookies!

Cookies!

I'm not really a cookie person, but the past few weeks cookies have been my go to baking item. Sugar cookies and peanut butter cookies have been made more than once. The Texas Longhorn cookies I made this past weekend, and they were not easy to make! Cutting the cookies out, the horn would break off. I had to redo almost all the cookies. Once baked they looked great. Just took a little extra patience. And if anyone knows me, I'm kind of short on patience. I tried to get the perfect burnt orange but as you can see - or not see - since I didn't post any frosted cookies, I really wasn't successful. And trying to frost them, made me realize I am not a cookie decorator. The ones not frosted looked so much prettier. Simple is better, right?

Want to make your own cookies? Here's the recipes I used.

Cut-out Cookies - taste great without icing!
Sugar Cookies - best and simple sugar cookie recipe EVER!
Peanut Butter Cookies - Nancy Fuller of Farmhouse Rules is a new favorite of mine on Food Network. One change - don't bake for 18mins. Might be a misprint. I baked mine for about 8 - 9 mins. I would check as baking as each oven is different.

FO Friday - Dolls

exhale deep breathe....

These twins are finally done and I couldn't be happier! Happy to be done and happy how they turned out!

Dolls are my favorite to knit. I love to see how they turn out. While knitting them I really have no clue how they will look when finished. Each doll is unique and has it's own personality. Even these two. They may look identical, but there are subtle differences. These twin dolls are going to cousins. Their Aunt who commissioned them wanted them alike as the little girls would fight over them if they were different. I'm hoping they love them to pieces.

I'm composing a post of why I started doll knitting. They have become my favorite to knit. My Mom was a knitter and over 35 yrs ago she knit a doll for my cousin. 32 years ago my Mom passed away. My cousin still has that doll.  I hadn't seen the doll since my Mom gave it to her, until this past weekend. Getting my thoughts together to write about it.

Creative Friday

Sock Monkey Slippers

Because sometimes you just need sock monkey slippers.

And then decide you also need pink bunny slippers.

Whisper of Fall

September 1st and it's a hot and muggy 90 degrees!

But if you look closely, you can see the whisper of Fall. It's just around the corner. I can hardly wait.