And another one.

When things get hectic, the first thing to go is cooking. I guess the last thing to go are the crafts. Andy's office was the one room in our house that really hadn't been touched in about ten years. It had become a sort of repository for cast-offs and Posie overflow. This week it was completely taken apart and repainted (white). A wall of pretty grayish-brown cabinets/shelves and a desk will go in there soon. Behind the glass doors of the cabinets I'll move fabric and yarn. I expect I will need some sort of baskets or something or it will just fall all over the place, but if I can do it right I think it will look so pretty.

As the room gets put back together, it seems like my stress level is coming down. Yesterday I swept up piles and piles of leaves and dirt and pet hair from all over the house, changed all the flower vases, watered all the plants, put away huge stacks of books that had collected next to the side of the bed and in the nook, scrubbed the kitchen, sorted the mail, got my car fixed, dusted. Simple stuff that I normally do that I hadn't been doing. Funny how it piles up and makes me feel like something's wrong but I don't know what. When I feel that way apparently I should just go get the broom and dustpan.

That white thingy up there? It's an Alpine Frost scarf-in-progress made out of lace-weight Malabrigo. When I put it on my neck it feels like a cloud. It's crocheted with the smallest hook I own (3.25mm). I've been wanting to make this scarf forever and I'm finally doing it. The weather's (sadly, maybe) right for it, too. I think when the scarf is blocked it will look more like lace. I'm going to do probably a picot border on it, too, the way several people have done on Ravelry (this one's particularly gorgeous). Having a little neckwear obsession lately.

Thank you for the nice words about my new quilt. I didn't work on it at all yesterday but I will put some photos together to show you what I mean about how I put the squares together. It actually comes together pretty fast. It's the ironing that takes a LOT of time. I wanted something that felt really airy and simple but still kind of . . . delicate. I think this is the first truly traditional quilt I have ever made. It's called a Triple Irish Chain and I kind of used this (the checkerboard version) as an inspiration, but I didn't have a pattern so I just kind of worked my strippy concept out on the fly. The finished patches are 1 1/2" square. It's definitely the tiniest-squared largest quilt I've ever made. Not sure yet how I will quilt it?

(***For those who have asked, my basket is from the Mirador. Andy's birthday cake recipe from last week is here, and the lasagna recipe is here. Unfortunately I don't know the names of any of my roses or peonies. Sorry!)

Comments

[tinajo]

Love the last pic, makes me wanna sit down and chat a little. :-)

[Karen]

Love how u call it Andy's office, yet u r putting yr yarns in it. I do the same thing and makes my hubby tease me lol

[anna]

I'm the same way...letting things go and then wondering why I feel like my energy is off. I'm trying to remedy my space today, The glimpses of your lovely place always inspire me. Thanks for sharing your beauty with us!

[Jodi Anderson]

When things get hectic for me here, making my own food is the first to go. I fill up that extra time with crocheting and basket weaving instead. Somehow, it energizes me. That's what I keep telling myself.

[Susie Sears Taylor]

A clean house, like being COMPLETELY honest, is highly over rated. A momentary thrill at best. PLAY and do the things you love NOW. Arthritis is coming.

[Deborah Bauernfeind]

"If you can do it right?. Awe, you can't do anything but right! **happy smiles** Deb

[Melissa L.]

Lace- weight Malabrigo...yum. I don't think my poor eyes could work with it or that small a hook. Bet it will be gorgeous.

[Lynne]

You are a talent all of your own!

[sadie]

that scarf is utterly divine. love it.

[Christine]

Your home looks so peaceful! Very calming. Love Malabrigo (any weight), it's so soft! That scarf will be a joy to wear. Mirador looks like a really great store!

[Tracy]

I have been focused on baby gift making the past two weeks (using some of your patterns!). I have a deadline (the baby shower is this Saturday), so laundry, cooking, dusting, have all fallen by the wayside. I can see the messes piling up an it's making me anxious. My kids will be home all day for summer vacation beginning the end of next week, and I am thinking my house won't be clean again until September. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

I made a small Irish Chain quilt many years ago. I quilted diagonally in both directions through the small squares (making Xs through the squares), and I quilted a medallion-type pattern in the larger blocks. Whatever you decide to do will be beautiful, I am sure!

[Frances from Florida]

Hope you will consider machine quilting (in the ditch or on the diagonal). Know you love tied quilts, but quilts with a lot of machine quilting last (almost) forever, and take a lot of abuse from people and washing machines. They just get softer and softer too. Plus, I find a lot of satisfaction and relaxation as I rack up those "miles" of stitches as I quilt on the machine. Something to ponder. Love your posts.

[Kate Bratt]

I think I just clicked on every link in your post. What fun things! I've eyed that scarf on Ravelry before. Hmmm… great time to start a Christmas present, right?

[Lisa G.]

Like Karen above, I also got a chuckle at the thought of you putting your yarn in Andy's office - well, his stuff would never fill the place, now, would it? He would be needing help in that area. :D

[karen]

I love your blog...I adore the pictures of your house and gardens.

[jake]

hi Alicia, Andy, et al. (aka critters)

Back in Cowtown from my trip to Stumptown. Very relaxing/rainy train ride from Vancouver BC to PDX. A nice dose of the Pacific NW. Saw lots of stuff in Portland - Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, Chinese Garden, Nice houses and yards in Ladd's Addition. Pearl District - Tear Drop, Andina, Lovejoy Bakery, Powell's Books, Specialty Liquor, cool shops. Alberta Street -Branch, Salt and Straw, browsing, Bollywood Theatre looked like a very popular place. Mississippi Ave - The Meadow, a nice little nursery with a cat (souvenir veg seeds), Mr. Green Beans (ricotta molds). Saturday Farmers' Market was beautiful, so much produce and lots to eat. A bit of Hawthorne - Potato Champion, a couple of antique shops, and distilleries close by. Lots of cocktail places - Clive Common, Beaker and Flask, Departure Lounge. Dinner and Jazz at Brasserie Montmarte. Voodoo doughnuts (they we serving them at our hotel the day we arrived, but we checked out the shop too), Stumptown coffee, Oregon Heritage Museum, a bit of the starlight parade. Lots of photos of parks, gardens, old buildings, cool signs. Other stuff too...Hot turkey sandwich at Huber's (just to hang out in the old space), some breakfast place downtown...Morning Star?, a couple of food carts. beer.

If i was visiting a bit longer it would have been nice to check out the country side, natural places, and wineries too.

Thanks for the tips. cool city, enough tattoos and beards for awhile.

Portland is only a 1 hour and 15 minute flight from Calgary!

cheers,
Jake

[Candylei]

I understand the wanting to quilt in summer but can't explain it very well. I am the same way. We wait to work outside while it freezes all winter. Then the " ahh" moment comes we happy dig, plant water away. Nature us very competitive too and wants to grow things in the same exact spots!! So we take a break and come inside to the sewing machine and happily stitch tiny pieces of fabric together. I do love them both though! And garden goods taste better than fabric...so there is a balance.

[Jenny]

Okay seriously? when I crochet my stuff never looks NEARLY that delicate or even half that pretty. *sigh* You seriously have a Midas touch or something.

with awe,

Jenny

[Thefoxandthemountain.blogspot.com]

That scarf looks sumptuous! And the photos make me want to climb into the computer! Lovely.

[Julie G. in Iowa]

Ooh, ooh! I think Andy-office before and after pictures are needed here!

[Melissa@Julia'sBookbag]

THANK YOU for the cake recipe!! Happiness. :)

[Janelle]

Hey!I thought you said it was Andy's office and there you go putting your yarn in it. Give the man some space! I got your back Andy! From a fan of both of you.

[Sandra Licher]

I love everything you do and I find myself saying..."Yeah, I'm going to do that too". Ha! Who am I kidding? But the joy comes in the attempting and the planning and the dreaming and then sometimes you actually finish and then comes the rapture! I think you've experienced more rapture than me but how would we know as so much of that "love" is given away. Beautiful and inspirational projects...all of them! Thank you!

[A Knitters Notebook]

Your scarf in progress...is Beautiful!! Please show it to us after it is blocked. Your photo's are always so great...hope you get to show us your newly painted room too....

~~Renee

[Lisa]

Really, girl, I don't know how you create such gorgeous photos. Fantastic.
I wondered about that first pic, and I love that it's a scarf!!! Awesome.
I'm finding it difficult to find "my" balance in the building on wheels, but there are so many wonderful sides to this, that it's hard to whine. That being said, I miss my space to be quiet and create. I love checking in with you daily.