While resting yesterday...

Yesterday - between sneezing and sniffling - I did a lot of resting in our most comfortable reading (aka nap) chair. While I was sitting there, I took a few photos of the things around me to share with you today.

Cashews - one of my favorite snacks! I have to dole them out to myself in small portions because I could easily eat a whole pound in one sitting... Well - ahem - I did finish all of what we had left in the pantry yesterday! Not really a small portion. 

Right in front of me ... lookie there ... my art! :) Pretty, no?

And to my right on the living room table (please disregard the dog hairs on it... Winslow is like a big fluff muffin - his fur flies around everywhere) - one of my dear friend Vicki's gorgeous fall nests! If you are interested in growing your blog, head on over to hers (click here) and join the blog party she is planning. And if you knit or crochet, you might want to participate in her very worthy Pink Scarf Project. You can read all about it on her blog.

Ok, now a view our our front entry way. Doesn't the floor look shiny? Well, it's an illusion...I really need to get out the mop soon! But not today...

I love those skinny windows next to the door letting in light, but I don't always like that people can look in from the outside, especially when I am home alone. I've thought of putting up a curtain rod and sewing two narrow panels of sheer (but not see-through) material. Do any of you have a suggestion?

Ok, back to the from-the-chair sightseeing tour.

On the fireplace, a little bit of halloween decoration (we bought these waaaaay back when we still lived in Michigan at Horrocks, a fantastic country farm store I still miss) and some of my favorite pottery from Germany, which seems to multiply every time I visit my family.

And speaking of waaaaay back when - my mother bought these little etchings probably over thirty years ago. I still love them!

To the right of the chair: the aquarium - or as I also like to call it, my meditation station. It is impossible to watch the fish and feel any kind of stress or anxiety.

Now we've arrived at my lap and a throw I am crocheting for us. Did you notice how I chose a color that is compatible with both Ramses' and Winslow's fur?  Pure necessity at our house! If beige looked good on me at all, that's the only color I'd ever wear!

Friends, there is absolutely no way to sit on the chair (or really anywhere) without Ramses joining you. It was hard trying to dissuade him from sitting right on the knitting and crocheting projects, but he finally agreed to settle on my legs - and consequently refused to look at me for this photo. I tried for five minutes and gave up. Cats!

So different from Winslow, who was happy to pose for me, sweet boy that he is ... as long as he didn't have to lift his head. It was an exhausting day. NOT!

"Where was Daniel?" you might wonder. He was in the kitchen cooking up a pot of delicious midwest chili for us and making our most favorite corn bread recipe (double yum!!), which I might just have to share with you in a future post. 

But for now I am back to sneezing and sniffling and resting and keeping all of you who are in Hurricane Sandy's path in my thoughts! 

Wishing you a most wonderful Monday!

❧ Silke

Been busy...

I finally got going with some of my crafts again and am busily stocking my Etsy shop with new fun and elegant lacy scarves and loopy brooches from all kinds of different fibers.

I'm having fun making these things and hope you'll enjoy having a look at them. 

These pins are such fun to make and SUCH a mess. Of course I have to get out all my yarns to see how I want to combine them.

And then the snippets of the eyelash yarn ended up on everything, even on Winslow who was laying at my feet last night while I was making these.

But it's an entirely joyful mess!

And these shiny yarns just make me happy when I see and knit them. I added some furry ends on these scarves for some fun and whimsy.

The one above looks to me like a beautiful autumn afternoon with the sun low in the sky giving you that absolute golden light. And red one was very hard to photograph - somehow my camera doesn't like red. But the true color is deep and rich and gorgeous!

I can't wait to show you the one I am knitting right now - the colors remind me of vacationing in the Caribbean! 

With that I send you creative greetings from a very warm Savannah that obviously didn't hear the news that it is now officially fall... 

Oh, and here's the link to my Etsy Shop. Simply click here! You can see all of these goodies and much, much more! 

❧ Silke

Hodgepodge

This is going to be one of those posts with a bunch of things that just make me extra special happy these days! 

First up is my granny stripe blanket in progress (and almost done!). I got the inspiration and pattern here at Attic24, a wonderfully colorful and crafty blog! It has been one of those calming and steady projects. I love it!! And will start another blanket as soon as this one is done...

More hearts in progress and a couple of them finished. 

They've been added to my Etsy shop. And there are more in the works - they are time-consuming to make, but I am enjoying every minute of it!!

Our garden has been exploding with all the sunshine and warmth we've had. The pomegranate is blooming and beyond beautiful! Stunning, really!

Our fig tree is loaded with tiny figs. I'm already starting to collect recipes - starting at They Draw and Cook, the most fun database for delicious cooking and baking!! If you haven't been there yet, I highly recommend you check it out!

Our little blueberry bushes are already sporting gorgeous berries! Maybe there will be enough for a pie this year? But I'm happy to just have them to add to our delicious homemade muesli (the recipe is here).

In the kitchen, I loved last night's dinner of salmon and asparagus with an orange sauce. We used to make it all the time and when I was looking for a recipe the other day, I came across this one. I might have to share it with you if you are interested - it's easy and fast!

This little cup of espresso with cream made me extra, extra happy yesterday. The little cup was a wedding present - many years ago - from wonderful family friends (actually, it's a whole espresso set), the tiny spoon my mom and I bought when we were in Istanbul many many years ago (I was in my teens) visiting my aunt and her family, who lived there.

The colorful trivet was a gift last year from Daniel's oldest sister who also visited Istanbul last year. Isn't it pretty? Colorful things just make me happy!

And yesterday my blog was featured here at Pocket Change, which is a really fun website with great info on lots of topics - crafts, home decor, fashion, pets - something for everyone. Go on over and have a look!!

Oh, and I almost forgot - through my blog friend Scriptor Senex, I discovered Postcrossing, where you send and receive postcards to and from every part of the world. You simply sign up, request an address and get started. My first postcard is going to Germany and my second to Russia. Fun!!

Now I am getting ready for another good day and hope yours will be as well!! Maybe I'll even make it into my studio...

A strange day...

Today was one of those weird days that started really early for me. I woke up at 1:30 in the morning with a start and couldn't go back to sleep. 

I tried to sleep a little after Daniel left to teach, but Ramses didn't think that was necessary at all. He kept climbing on me and waking me up again.

So, finally, I got going, except I never really did. It was a gloomy day outside and pouring rain for much of it.  Not good for trying to stay awake and getting things done...

I was so happy Daniel had bought us bright and beautiful flowers over the weekend.

My very own indoor sunshine to make me happy.  On days like that, when I am so tired, everything seems so serious. My emotions are close to the surface and I can quickly feel anxious or guilty about whatever it is I think I should be doing or should have done.

Luckily I have learned over the years not to take anything seriously that floats through my mind on those days...

Instead, I put most things on hold and simply look for what makes me happy. Little things.

One of those things today was this little project from the latest issue of LandLust Magazine.

I love tiny projects like that. They are fun to do and finished so quickly. Instant gratification!

All I needed was a little bit of yarn and a couple of stray buttons. And a little birds nest, of course, for picture taking.

Aren't they adorable? One of those buttons arrived on a package from my friend Beth not long ago.

I like these little egg cozies so much I am sure I'll be making more.

And I have a feeling some of them might actually show up in my future giveaway...

I hope that your today was better than mine (even my attempt at printing did not go very well...).

Tomorrow is a new day! And I'm glad...