academy 31

{meet the ladies}
"Service enhanced by training. Knowledge tempered by humility. Strength refined by grace." 

Attention high school age girls! There's an excellent opportunity for you to expand and broaden your practical skills and knowledge approaching!
Academy 31 is a two week girls camp dedicated to teaching high school age girls practical and useful skills as well as encouraging them in the Christian Walk. For those who are looking for inspiration or simply need more education in the practical skills of life, this camp is tailored for you.

Participants will learn more about a wide variety of topics including baking, calligraphy, business, emergency auto care (fabulous to know!), personal safety, photography, cake decorating, fire arm safety, and much more. These Girls have thought of just about every important topic for we girls to learn.

Read here for all of the important details, and be sure you visit the Academy 31 site for more information!

All photos were used by gracious permission from the kind Ladies at Academy 31

yes, you can// mercury mirror glass

"yes, you can!" is the first in a series of monthly DIY installments, yes, ladies and gents, the world of DIY and tutorials is coming to this blog! Each month I will be posting photos, steps, and tips on a DIY project that I've completed (this month it's mercury mirror glass, next month could be anything!), but before I go on I have a few questions: what do you want to DIY? Is there something you've been wanting to try but haven't? Let me know and I'll add it to the list, I'd love to hear what you have in mind.

Now, on to the steps!

As usual, I came across this DIY on pinterest and was so excited about trying it out! After looking at a few tutorials I decided to follow this one and am very happy with the results!
First, I spent a few weeks cultivating and cleaning some clear glass jars and bottles (kombucha, jam, jam, and jam :)

Following the instructions, I filled a spray bottle with equalish (I eyeballed this one) parts of vinegar and water, though I have heard that using plain water works well~ let me know if you try it! Also, I got a handy coupon and purchased the Krylon Looking Glass Spray from my local craft store; next time I think I'll grab two bottles so I can create another batch in the future.

side note: While looking for this spray, I got extremely super totally very distracted by all of the different spray paints and found that I just might need to add the glitter spray, chalkboard paint spray, and gold spray to my new "Spray Paint Wishlist". Ahem, anyways.

Working semi-quickly, I misted each glass with a layer of the water/vinegar mixture then followed with the Looking Glass spray; let this dry for a good 2-3 minutes, then dap with a cloth or paper towel and repeat three to four times. //tip: Give this step time to dry before you proceed with more layers, otherwise you'll end up wiping away everything//

Aaaand you're done! Once mine dried I wrapped some with muslin ribbon, lace, and yarn and they now sit as a collection on my dresser (photo to come!), for now anyways.
In the future I plan to use these for table centerpieces, adding tealights and some greenery, and there are so many more ways you could use them!
Enjoy!

happy pinterest weekend

 

Happy Friday, ladies and gents.
What grand schemes do you have for the weekend?
For myself, the next few days will hold much laughter, stories, pillow talk, and good eats; yes, you guessed it, this is Sister Slumber Party Weekend! You know there are four girls in my family, well, we have a set of friends who are four sisters also (did that make sense?)! Though we have much in common (faith, convictions, interests, mutual affection for particular romantic comedies etc) we've only been together once as a group. So, in March we all marked our calendars for this weekend and are all meeting at mi casa for a weekend together. Yes, it's going to be marvelous (photos to come).

So, to start this weekend on the blog I thought I would share with you some of my favorite pins from my pinterest board (feel free to follow along!). Mostly I use it as a way to keep and organize the photos and ideas that inspire me; there is a craft board and I am thus far successful in actually using the pins that I post!
The above pin is taken from one of my favorite songs from this band; it's a shame they haven't done a concert in my city, ah well, youtube is almost as nice. ; )

If I lived in a climate that allowed it, I'd probably be dressed like this all most of the time; cardigans, sweaters, and cowls are so great.

Happy weekend everyone! Oh, and don't forget about this great giveaway--there's still time!
Perhaps sharing pins on Friday will become a tradition, what say you?

review & giveaway!

{Five Strand Boho Braided Headband}

Pardon the cheesy opening but I must ask, do you know what time it is?
That's right, it's time for another giveaway!

I'm very happy to announce today that I am giving away this new item over at
namaste by day 
I know, I'm so excited too,
so stop waiting in anticipation and skip hop over to this blog post to read the review, get to know Gina better, and enter into the giveaway!

As a side note, I wanted to share these fun links I've come across this week,

//Today I'll be gifting the yummy results from this Carmel Cake recipe, 

nothing says 'thank you' like homemade delicacies! 

//Lately I've been in a Brandi Carlile mood, this one has been a favorite--any other Brandi Carlile fans?

//So, so, so excited about this weekend and the sweet house guests we're having! More on this later but just know that there will be much to blog about on Monday! I'm also looking forward to using some of the recipes and ideas from this pinterest board.

//Speaking of pinterest, I've really been enjoying the pins coming from this board--how many other pinterest addicts pinners do we have here?

dubai

 I'm here!!!

If you've followed my other blog you'll know that already and will have seen pictures of what my sister and I have been up to the past few weeks. As I've already mentioned, Dubai is such a glamorous city and definitely caters to the wealthy while there is also a large portion of the population that is hard-working and just here to make money for their families back home; there really isn't much of a middle-class since you have to be working in order to stay in the country (unless you're on holiday, like me).

 I've really loved being here.

Our dear friends have been so kind and generous and I quite feel as if I live here myself, very odd, especially considering that it's only been three weeks; perhaps it is because of the familiarity that has already been established, the grocery stores and places of interest are discovered, kindred spirits are met, and there is a solid church already in order. 

I love that we literally walk around the corner to a closet-sized grocery shop (price tags not included) and purchase milk, eggs, full-cream yogurt, and whatever other kitchen necessities we may need.

I love that the beach is a 5-minute brisk walk away and that Mica and I can run in the wee small 

hours of the morning right next to the beach 

(I don't love the mangy cats that we have to avoid but who's counting the dislikes?).

I love the way the sun rises in the morning room and that if we get up at 5 am like we're supposed to I can have an entire hour of still, morning quiet to read and pray.

I love that---for the first time---someone here thought that I was Mexican and not Indian, Middle Eastern, or Italian; not that I mind but it was a pleasant surprise to know that I do look somewhat Mexican.

I love that the store bought eggs come with feathers and that beautiful artisan bread is so inexpensive.

I love meeting people from every corner of the globe and I love hearing their stories.

Stay tuned.  : )

Encourage One Another {book clutch DIY}

{sorry, source is unknown}

For this weeks contribution at Deep Roots At Home weekly series, Encourage One Another, I decided to share a crafty idea. : ) I was first introduced to the book clutch from this Girls With Glasses video a while ago and just loved them, not the $325 kind of love, just the "Oh, I bet you I can make that for less!" kind of love. Which is why I was so delighted to come across this book clutch tutorial! It seems like the steps could be shortened and possibly streamlined so please let me know if anyone tries this! I already have a clutch and am looking for a book that is just the right size...

Do you have an encouraging link you'd like to share?

Then, click on the link above to post your encouraging link! 

Topics can range from yummy recipes, character building posts, insightful posts, or practical, everyday tips.

vintage+a sermon

I'm very pleased to show you the new vintage section in the etsy shop!
At last, I've made the decision to list some of my estate sale finds and treasures, though I must confess that it was a bit difficult to decide what to sell; most of my thoughts go like this,

"Okay, I've got to list at least--oh, wait, I remember buying this! It was in that old house with the--no, Elena, just list it, when are you possibly going to use this anyway? Well, maybe someday I'll need a really small decorative bowl and--oh, mercy, just list it!"

So, in the end, I convinced myself decided to pull a few things from my stash and see how they sell in the shop; this week there are a few estate sales that I'm planning on checking out, so hopefully I'll be able to add more things in the shop.

Also, along the "vintage" thread, I saw this diy project for recovering books, vintage-style, on the ever resourceful Design*Sponge (I just love that place); let me know if you try it out, I'd love to see how your covers come out! Currently on the project list are a few painting projects (I've been loving that lately), a lace baby dress, and a shawl for my Mama; so, don't really have the time to devote to this but I'm definitely putting it on my "future project" list (I'm a big fan of lists. : )
What's on your project list?

Also, I wanted to share with you the link that I posted on Deep Roots At Home for this weeks "Encourage One Another" link-up. This week shared this sermon on Humility: A Blessing from Dr. Peter Masters of the Metropolitan Tabernacle. I was first introduced to Dr. Masters when my parents visited during a trip to the UK last year; they were so blessed by his sermons and we've been listening to them online for quite a while.

Dr. Masters precision and burden for the Word of God to be preached rightly makes for a rich and encouraging sermon. (also, I'm a huge fan of accents so it's a nice feature. ; )

Check it out and let me know what you think!

Encourage One Another {Cait}

{Pookie, taken around this time last year.}

So sorry for the confusion yesterday! 
The links are redirected and working now 
(thank you Mrs. F for alerting me!)

It's that time of the week again at, Deep Roots At Home!

Last week, we looked at Betsy's post from Part of the Main (pop over to that one if you missed it!).

This week I'd like to encourage you younger ladies (mostly applies--but not limited to, in-your-twenties) 

with the blog of my sweet friend, Cait from What Kady Did.

If you'll remember, I featured her a while back in a Project Inspiration post (hehe, that really didn't make it to being a weekly feature!) called Birds and Sparkles. As a married (mummy-to-be!) young woman, she writes about life married life in Dubai. She's also a wonderfully creative person who enjoys filling her home with comforting, fun things. Hop on over and be inspired and encouraged! 

friday musings

{Sleeping Eva} 

You might have noticed the absence of the {Dubai Covers} page (don't look for it, it's already gone), well, the time has come to add the inventory to our shop! Though this feature did quite meet my expectations, I've decided to employ my "reuse, reuse, reuse" mentality and am posting the unsold covers in my Etsy shop!

{Here is the first of many listings to come}

Mica and I still planning our trip and thanks to some other forms of fundraising, have enough collected for our trip! I'm so, so, so excited and have continued my mental packing of suitcases. : )
As the planning continues I have a mysterious question (don't you just love it??), how many of my readers are located in the London, England or Frankfurt, Germany area? Just wondering...

As an interesting bit of random information, I'm also wondering how many of my readers play musical instruments? This question has no mystery, sorry. Currently, I'm learning to play the piano again (Thanks so my fabulous teacher, Amy Sheehan) and one of the songs I'm working on is Beethoven's Sonatina in F (if that little seven-year-old can play it, by george, so can I).

And before I part with you on this fine Friday, for my estate sale/thrifting friends,
here is a great resource I use: estatesales.net
Ever used it? I will be this weekend, I'm on a hunt for plates. Lots of them. And teacups with saucers in addition to my usual, "Gee I Wonder If They Have This" list. Yet another mystery for you (isn't it exciting?).

There's still time to add your link to the 

Encourage-One Another link-up!

Click the button for more details.

A Wonderful Kind of Ugly

Do you have an item/accessory/trinket that you just love...but everyone else thinks it's hideous?
Well, the pair of shoes you see is my "Wonderful Ugly" item. Those Simple shoes are probably the most comfortable pair of shoes that I own; I could wear them all day long, they're just practical and super comfy. However, around these parts, they're known as my "granny shoes" (I prefer to call them my "Whole Foods Shoes"). 
This reminds me of my journey selling on Etsy; at first, I had to remind myself "not to despise meager beginnings"; to do what I could with what I had. Rather like my "Whole Foods/Granny Shoes", my methods weren't terribly streamlined or professional (and are still being refined) but practical and they worked for the time being (I'm glad to know that I did the best with what I knew at the time!).  I'm so thankful for the helpful people and resources that I have discovered and am still discovering (You know who you are)! I'll be you have a "Wonderful Ugly" item as well, don't you?    ; )
 

Also, I wanted to introduce you to a great, new resource for selling your crafts online, in fact, it's called How to Sell Your Crafts Online (groundbreaking title, I know ; ). It is being released on Amazon in October and seems somewhat similar to one of my favorite how-to books, just more relevant to Etsy sellers.
What sorts of books/resources do you find helpful? Let me know, I'm always looking to expand my library!

There's No Place Like...

...Home

It's been very nearly a week since I was last in Austin. 

Not surprisingly, I really miss rinsing diapers (crazy, I know), wiping chubby hands, and getting bitten by Wee Teeth (long story); the rhythm of my home is pretty different from the hustle and bustle of little people laughing and ricocheting around. In case you get the wrong impression, we Marques girlies can get pretty crazy in our own way.

Since being home, I've been settling into my new routine (read: trying to get used to a house without littles--we miss you, Hoods!) and since I've become a huge fan of lists, I made a list of things I'd like to do for September, wanna peak?

Organize Closet (again)

I've become inspired by Kendi's organizational post

Create business goals for 2012

Post Fall 2011 Line for Shop (knitting, knitting, knitting)

Make two more projects using UK yarn (post to come)

We have a trip to NC coming in October and I want to be ready!

Begin video series (Youtube, here I come!)

Research, research, research for my Light bulb Idea (again, post to come!)

So, there you have a few of the things I'm working on; thankfully, I don't really see anything currently on the calendar that would prevent me from checking these items checked off, aside from the fascinating book I'm reading. I'm about 3/4's of the way through The Help and so far, I've really enjoyed it (thanks so much for lending it, J!); a kindred spirit loaned it to me, we have similar taste in novels and this is no exception. I love the feel and flow of Kathryn Stockett's work. It reminds me very much of Harper Lee in the sense that I can clearly "see" everything happening and I am quickly familiar with the characters; the story is set at the tail end of one of my favorite times in history and I love the way Stockett has incorporated so much of the culture and happenings of that time. Have any of you read it/seen the film? 

{Note: the following is not at all to meant to downgrade fiction reading, it's just something I haven't done in a while.} I haven't read a fun, fiction book in quite a while, so I feel the need to ration the time that I spend reading; it's dreadful, but somehow I feel like I'm wasting time when I read fiction (that. sounds. so. prudish.). Honestly, I haven't read such an intriguing novel since, The Chosen (loved that one) or The Red House Mystery (delightful story!), but like Pinterest, I ration the amount of time I spend reading. 

Are you mostly a fiction or non-fiction reader? I'd love any of your suggestions!

Fresh Baby

Eva Christine

For you formed my inward parts;

you knitted me together in my mother's womb.

14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works;

my soul knows it very well.

Psalm 139

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,

the fruit of the womb a reward.

4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior

are the children of one's youth.

5 Blessed is the man

who fills his quiver with them!

He shall not be put to shame

when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

Psalm 127

As you've read on my other blog, my dear Sweet Pea Niece is here!

Since her arrival, each day has been wonderfully filled with cuddling, changing, washing, and caring for this new little one. Some sweet ladies from Nicole's church have been very attentive and brought scrumptious dinners too!

I'd nearly forgotten how wonderful new babies smell, especially the tiny part underneath their chins; Eva is a particularly sweet baby (as her Aunt, I am privileged to say this), she doesn't fuss until she's hungry and is practically perfect.

The past few days my Mom has taken my place in Austin and I've been here in Houston, enjoying a few days at home. Mia acted as our Little Stowaway and it's been a fun pleasure to have her here by herself! PBJ's and ice cream have been an almost daily occurrence

(my Dad is a wonderful Grandpa. :)

Oh, and I wanted to show you this new apron I got from one of my favorites stores (courtesy of the sale room, that is); yes, ladies and gentlemen, that is a maxi-apron--with pockets!

I've found it comes in high handy when you're washing dishes and a sticky fingered munchkin attempts climbing up your skirt and the pocket feature is very nice too.

In between changing/washing diapers, baking pavlova, and kissing Little Munchkins,

I've been doing a bit of reading and here are some interesting links, enjoy!

Reliable resources that the book for this film is excellent and

I'm hoping to read it before seeing it(I'm a big book fan).

You've seen Sarah on this space before, and here is a new blog feature she's started!

That's all for now!

Knitting for a Bun in the Oven

Today I finished the second sweater for the wee one my sister is brewing.

Remember, I'm in Austin! Read here to follow my mini adventures in the Weird city.

That's really where I'll be sharing most of my thoughts and accounts from my time here.

Back to the pattern!

It was so easy peasy, lemon squeezy, a great one-skein project, and I don't have to block it (another nice feature)!

Here are the notes for you ravelry members.

Did I mention fast? My "To-Do" list caused this project to go on longer than it would have but I can see getting this project done in a day or so.

No dpns and so simple, I could drop and pick it up with no problem,

the lace pattern was simple enough but still looks like more than a few yarn overs and knit together's.

All that it needs is a button and a baby to try it on for size!

More pictures on that soon, you can be sure. :)

I'm so excited to see what this new addition will look like; each of Chris and Nicole's children are so different, what will this little, nameless dumpling look like??

Bits of My Home and "Hello Summer"

{Irises gracing the dining room table}

Ah, summer, the time for pool parties to get in the sun and games of scrabble

and cards to get out of the sun; this year I'd love to have a few movie night

with friends, start a bookclub, and try out this Basil Lime Soda recipe

--anyone want to join me?

Though we don't really have a beach here in Houston I'm looking forward to

getting into the water this summer and have lots of sun time with my nieces

and nephew, because it's just so much fun to go to the pool with stickies.

What are your favorite summer pastimes?

{Lounge Around Baby Sweater}

So, the shop has been refreshed and replenished with new items, just in time!

Today's new listings are just a start so be looking for new ones in the weeks to come.

Here are a few peaks at what's in the Etsy shop, enjoy.

{Butter Yellow Lace Baby Hat}

Have you been by Spancy's Closet yet?

Check out Sarah's project on Goodsie and it's kind of a test to see how things sell;

I'm looking forward to hearing her results and opinion!

I've already bought something and am please with the process, very similar to

buying something on etsy

(I especially love how the shipping cost is worked into the price.)

{I just love the half off section in the floral department}

This week will be moving on in my studies with educational psychology and reading

more about the effects of caffine and sugar (gasp!), as well as buying yarn for my sweater

(which will be unveiled to all of you in September!).

KAL's are so fun. :)

What plans do you have for the week?

Scones and A Booklist

This weekend, my sisters and I were in a teatime mood, so we quickly brewed a pot of Yorshire Gold and I whipped out my favorite Lemon and Blueberry Scones (yes, a similar recipe to the one that gave me the inspiration for my business name!). I attempted to have my quiet time at the breakfast table but the events of the day cut my time short.

Along with my scripture reading, I am working through The Valley of Vision and To Die is Gain.

On the blog that I contribute to with my sisters, I shared a portion of The Valley of Vision that was a particular blessing to me last week.

To Die is Gain is the story of John and Betty Stam, missionaries to China; I confess that I'm only on the second chapter but so far it covers the early lives of John and Betty. I've been wanting to read more missionary biographies lately (Thank you Mrs. Leonora!) and I think I'm really going to enjoy this one.

What's on your reading list? I find that I go through seasons of reading lots of new and interesting reads and other seasons when I'm happy just to get my study books completed! Right now I'd really like to compile a reading list and discover more good books; the two I mentioned above are on my mental list but I'm still choosing what to be reading next.

As far as computer reading, A Part of the Main, is a recent blog find that I've really enjoyed!

Betsy is the wife of a Biblical scholar who is currently studying in the UK; they have two little girls and lots of what she writes about is the joy and little moments she treasures in her family.

I hope you'll hop over and read her sweet insights into motherhood and what she discovers about her surroundings. Whenever I read I feel an urge to brew a pot of tea and curl up on the sofa--so delightful! I've also added her blog to my {Inspirations} page for future reference and reading! Betsy also has an excellent reading list, that I've taken advantage of in the past few months, and there will be more on that later!

If you're wondering about the trendy gluten-free phase that seems to be going around, have a look at my sister's perspective. Mica blogs at our Pickwick Portfolio blog as well as her own, A Wholesome New World. Recently, she explained more about her own gluten-free experience and shares some tips and resources in her post, Why Do I Eat Gluten-Free?

Happy Monday.

It's All in the Packaging

{as seen on, oh, hello friend}

Crafters and small business owners alike, pay attention!

This post has to do with you and the growth of your craft!

Perhaps you already know this, in which case it's always good to be reminded

of things and to cross reference what you've learned.

If this is new information, I'd encourage you to read and see what you can

apply!Today I came across this article, How to Deliver an Experience, via

Etsy newsletters, and I found it to be so encouraging in the area of shipping

your product.I've read it in just about every "small business" book I've read:

it's really all about the packaging.

Naturally, it all makes perfect sense.

You make knitted finger puppets, it's a longtime hobby and you do it just

about everywhere you go. You decide to sell on etsy and are so excited to

be making a profit with your favorite craft; your first buyer makes a purchase

and you jump on the opportunity to make them a returning customer, your

one stump is that you don't have that much capital to spend on specialty

wrapping, stickers, stamps, or tissue paper.

But since your motto is, "Do the best you can, with

what you have, where you are." (thank you, Teddy),

you decide to do just that.

So, you lovingly wrap your knitted finger puppets in some brightly colored

tissue paper you got at Target, oh, and you place a few of your business

cards along with the puppets, just in case. Then you decide on the smallest

box at the post office and--wait, you make notecards too! They're not on your

shop yet but you decide to write a personal note on it (you never know),

thanking the buyer for his purchase and letting him know of the other products

you sell (like those beaded scarves you love making), and you add another

business card in the note ( just in case one falls out). Then you tape it up and

handwrite the buyer's name and address with that floral design you enjoy

drawing, better write "have a great day" on the back, just so they don't forget

you. Then you place it in the trusty hands of the USPS and off you go, making

more items and hopefully sell more items. The point being that a) you don't

need commercial packaging to make a difference, and b) it's not that hard

because it's a way of promoting what you love doing.

Your product is an outflow and representation of you and your work,

what does your work say about you?

The excited crafter will want to make her customer as satisfied as she can with

her craft and to stimulate future business. The seller in the article added her

logo and name no less than five times in her package, how can you forget

something after seeing it five times?

What can you be doing to ensure a cheerful, unforgetable business experience?

After reading, ask yourself what more you can be doing to promote what you

love, how can you stand out to your buyers?

Let me know what you think; I'd love to know what you come up with!

{Pleasant Beginnings}

{Sorry, source is unknown!}

I hope your Friday/weekend is off to a fabulous start.

This morning we made our way to an estate sale bright and early; I was expecting a bit more treasures but I'm now the happy owner of a German wooden box (like the Dutch tin, I'm not quite sure what I'll use it for--yet) and ten wee juice glasses. You can't complain really.

Yesterday I finished all three of my top secret projects and one item for the shop! Today and tomorrow will be for tying up the loose ends, taking pictures, and posting.

I can't wait to share them with you :)

Today I was browsing inspiration blogs and I rediscovered the Purl Bee--which I just love!

So, attention all knitters, crocheters, seamstresses, and crafters! This is a great resource, which has two fabulous stores in New York (just so you know).

Here is a great idea for an empty wall (or party decoration) and another lovely fabric pattern.

Next time we visit our dear friends, I hope to make it over to Brooklyn and visit the perfectly color coordinated yarn racks (ah, yes).

Also, check Rachel's new blog, Lavender and Honey, there are already quite a few cute posts and ideas; plus we're featured on her St. Patrick's Day post!

One last note, keep your eyes out for new spring items in the store!

We'll also be featuring a special new line of products--but more on that later :)

Have a pleasant weekend.

Colors {Yellow}

{Design*Sponge}

I've posted this photo before, but I wanted to show you again the inspiring

virtues of this cheerful color.

Today I wanted to point you to this post from SouleMama--

my very favorite is the first photo of the yarns!

It reminds me of an antique shelf that I saw in New York...that's a purchase that "got away"

(my own fault really); it would have been great to display some special yarns on it,

ce la vie.

Also this post from Design*Sponge--a great idea! Unfortunately this isn't something I can really try out right now but it certainly has been stored for future uses.

I could also see this painted on a lonely wall, perhaps in a small nook of a bathroom or hallway...

Look for more pictures to be added in the {on the needles} page;

I have a few new projects that just need pictures!

Magpie Ideas

{Design*Sponge}

So, on one of my study breaks (yes, I do take study breaks), I was perusing various design blogs for ideas and I came across so many that I had to share with you!

Enjoy.

First of all, I was thinking of the lack of fun, spring pillows on my sister's sofa, then I saw a DIY for this cute floral one with a HUGE poppy in the middle: I love this pillow.

Also, I remembered how much I love sweaters and saw a pattern for this sweater

which I just love! Can so picture fixing an early cup of tea in this...hmm...

Then, I remembered my sewing project and came across this adorable pattern;

possible tea towels anyone? They make great hostess gifts!

After finding out that my sister is have a GIRL, I've gone a bit batty in my knitting ideas for the newest Webb offspring, I present to you this sweet sweater.

Yes, the baby will-Lord willing-be born in July,

but this could be for the off chance that she will be chilly.

But wait, there's more!

Here is a patter for a baby sweater with some pretty cute button patterns.

Most of these ideas came from Magpie Patterns, check it out,

there's some pretty fun ideas that will fill your work basket!

Ode to Sweaters

{Sorry, source is unknown at this time--contact me if you have the info}

Confession:

I have a slight obsession with knitted sweaters.

Unfortunately I don't currently live in a climate to encourage this sweater collecting hobby (maybe that's a good thing), so I content myself with magazine clippings and imaginations--

for now at least :)

Most shapes and sizes will do the trick,

sweaters for lounging, for walking on the beach, for trips to the market, or just because.

They're simply wonderful.

Have I completed one in reality? Well, no--but I'm working on it!

More to come on that note :)

So, straight from Quince & Co., the Belfast Hoodie has been added to my mental list of sweaters to make.

When I make time to cast on another sweater (yes, I have one on the needles at the moment), I think this one may just be next--

I'll be saving my milk money to buy the pattern on this one I think.

Anything you're saving for?