Cotton Spice Blog

is what I did today. I had great plans for today. Monday, the start of a new week. Holiday over with. Looking back to this morning, I realize they were grandiose plans.

My day consisted of answering emails, phone calls and getting things in the mail, and getting things ready to mail tomorrow. Now, don’t get my wrong. Several of the phone calls were from people I wanted to hear from. And we had lovely visits. And the emails were from/to friends or designers… and we all know I love to talk Cotton Spice.

But I feel like I have nothing to show for a days work. Nothing is finished. The project list is the same. The plans I had for today, will be carried forward for tomorrow. What will be different about tomorrow? sigh….

I guess tomorrow I’ll let the emails go until the end of the day and keep my nose buried in project #1, and then #2 etc etc. What I really need is an assistant!!!! :)  One who will work for no pay or benefits, just because they  love the magazine. That may be a LOT to ask. Just because I work that way, doesn’t mean anyone else will.

No complaints, I really do love it all. No matter how I feel at the end of the day, I do have the satisfaction of knowing the check register is up to date.

Karen

Rylands Sweater, it’s a size Newborn. You can tell by my mat, how little it really is. This was my first time knitting a buttonhole band. It turned out ok, but the buttons didn’t seem properly spaced. I guess it will just take practice.

This will get put in the mail tomorrow, on it’s way to Idaho, where it’s probably quite blustery.

Jacks sweater is very close to being done. The first sleeve is almost finished and the second one won’t take long.

Karen

We’ll start with the newest first Ryland is nearly 3 months old. Shannon got to meet him when she was in Idaho last week and said he always has his eyes open wide like that. Just takin’ it all in!!!

And Liam! He is just about 5 months old, and doesn’t he look like Ryland? Couldn’t you just eat ‘em with a spoon?

Here’s Liam and Aidan, sleeping on the floor. Just tuckered!

Here’s Jack, working the alphabet on the Fridge. He’s so smart!

And then there’s Riley! It must be some kind of Alaska Blue Mouth Disease… not sure… (or perhaps blue cupcakes)

I love my little boys, they are all so unique and special. I’m so completely blessed in my life, I’m in awe. I have everything I could possibly need and want. Great kids who gave me even greater grandsons. What more can a Mom want?
Karen

I think I’m odd. I like to do laundry. I don’t always have the time to do it. Many times it needs to be done whether I have time or not and I speed through it. But all in all, it’s something I enjoy.

I like making neat stacks of folded clothes. The scent of clean clothes and linens is unlike any other, no matter what products you use. I like taking the three laundry hampers we have in our home, a choatic mish mash of dirty, used up clothes and turning it into the aforementioned neat, nice smelling stacks.

Laundry used to be almost an art. There was a process. There were things you did, and things you didn’t do. Does anyone still know these things? I doubt that I know everything I should know.

My dream house includes a full size laundry room. With cupboards for laundry products. A rack for hanging clothes up right out of the dryer. An ironing board and iron exclusive to this room! (no carrying iron and ironing board back and forth for me!) In the movie Failure to Launch, his mom’s laundry room had French doors to the backyard. Had to add that to my list.

The ironing board brings up the whole Ironing Issue. To Iron or Not to Iron. Full confession here… I also love to iron. It’s the whole fabric, making smooth out of wrinkles thing. I love to use steam and sizing and starch. I like to iron my blouses, and Mikes shirts. (I don’t iron pants) I’ll iron dresses and skirts and just about anything else, but pants… don’t care for it.

I like to send my husband to work in an ironed shirt. When I’m out and about in the mall or grocery store, I’ll notice a man in a wrinkled shirt. It looks like no one takes care of him. Not that I want to run up and whisk that shirt off of him, and set up my portable ironing unit quick as a flash, iron his shirt and be off! No, I’m not that obsessed with laundry and ironed shirts.

I learned to iron when I was about 10 or so. I started on the pillowcases. We had the neatest pillowcases in town. I wonder, if I had this kind of time, if I’d iron sheets? Not sure of the answer to that one.

My dream laundry room would also include a full size linen closet/cupboard. I love linens. My friend Karen Bush used to make her own sheets. She said they were the best sheets ever. I never did venture that far. But I do make my own pillowcases. Which reminds me it’s time to make some more.

I don’t think I have time to work. I have laundry and ironing to do. So, I think I’ll fade into that world of clean linens, the scent of lavender and the heat of a steam iron and dream about my French doors and the linen cupboard waiting to be filled….

P.S.  One time, several years ago, I crocheted lace to put on one of the pillowcases I made. It was my favorite pillowcase for years, the fabric was just soft enough to put me to sleep and the thought of sleeping on handmade lace was just decadent enough to make me feel luxurious.

(I’m talking to myself here)

Yesterday I was going to post here. Something like this -

It’s a beautiful fall day. Not the sunny, brightly colored leaves kind of fall day, but like the last fall day there will be. Overcast, the trees are nearly naked, the tempurature is moderate. The few leaves left are floating down on small breezes, and the ground is covered with dried crunchy leaves. They are the kind you rake up and jump in. I used to do that with Mr. Riley.

(i intended to take some cool photo’s of the leaves)

But today….

It’s raining and blowing and cold. The leaves are soggy and slippery. It’s too nasty to be outside to take a picture of anything.

It’s times like this when I’m SO thankful my office is at home. I can bundle up warmly, without worrying too much how I look - as in ‘proper office attire’. I can wear warm thick socks with my slippers AND turn on the little heater under my desk to keep my toes-ies toasty.

I only had to go out for 10 min. to pick up Miss Riley from school. Made me even more thankful. brrrrr…..

Karen

Remember my knitting post about joining 2 ends? Trying to be frugal and save 6″ of yarn? Well, it doesn’t work. Oh sure, the ends of my yarn are still tied and together, but after washing, this is what you get -

And I’m just not all that crazy about it. Also, after washing, the length shrunk. I have to title this My Learning Sweater. Because even though I’m not able to wear it, I learned  SO much making it.

1. How to join the pieces together. Yes, I did the mattress stitch, and it looked GREAT!
2. I learned how to shorten sleeves that are to long. It was scary, but I did it!
3. The crowning achievement is that I finished it. It’s not  a WIP, it’s a finished product. I’m thinking about framing it and calling it art.

So, Now I’m working on a sweater for Ryland. He’s 2 months old and just now fitting into newborn sizes. The sweater has taken me about an hour and a half and I’m about 50% done. Amazing how small it is!

I’m also doing a sweater for Jack. He’ll be 2 end of this month, and his sweater is much bigger. When he was born, I made him this exact sweater from a cream alpaca. It was the softest thing in the world! But it gave off little whisp-y’s and they got in his mouth and nose.. sneezing and sticking his tongue out. So, I told Shannon I’d make him another one. 2 yrs later and I’m doin’ it!

That’s the front, and here’s a close up of the pattern. It’s just a simple cable

.

But it goes fast. NOW! When I get done with these, I’ll see what I can knit up for my boys in Alaska. If any of my boys need sweaters, it’s them! (oh, not cause they don’t have warm clothes, but because they live in Alaska for goodness sake!)

I still want to learn to knit socks, and I’m going to. I have the pattern and yarn picked out and everythign ready. Now… if someone could just deliver some extra time…

Karen

It’s a lot of fun to come here and see new blogs added. It’s kind of like we have our own room, in the basement of the corner church! Oh, forget the basement, as long as we’re imagining, let’s go for a mountain top retreat with a chef and some maids, and private rooms with spa bathrooms and balconies. Big rooms for quilting with lots of outlets, and some smaller rooms with lots of outlets.

The Cotton Spice Mountain Top Retreat!
It’s like I can go knock on Tara’s door and say, “Hey, whatcha doin’?” Or stop in at Jackers and play sharks with him. See what Tammy is up to, cause she’s always up to something!

I’m just busy editing away… getting the final touches on the December issue. I have to say, it’s absolutely gorgeous. Just gorgeous. I can’t wait to send it out. It’s a beautiful day here in Joplin, 85 degrees. Tomorrow morning it’s supposed to be around 60, and then in the afternoon…. 46. Better enjoy today!

Happy Blogging!

Karen

This is so fun! Now anyone can have a blog at Cotton Spice! Stay tuned!

Karen