Pink Purl

Pink Purl Spring Delights

Lots of new pretties in my Etsy shop!  I'm introducing a new line of fabric/fiber cuff bracelets, new necklaces, brooches and other small accessories with spring and special occasions in mind!

Spring is a long way off here in Norway... There's about 1 meter/ 3.5 feet (almost 40 inches) of snow on the ground. It's been a very tough winter physically and even mentally dealing with so much snow, cold, wind and gray days.  Sometimes it's hard keeping the spirits up.  So while waiting...and waiting...for spring I've been making a little bit of springtime happen in my Etsy shop!  More new designs will be added next week and in the days ahead.

The muse is really calling me... and I'm having so much fun riding a great creative wave just now.  So I may be slow to posting/visiting/commenting in the next few days.  But I'll be around!

Recent days have been very busy, so much so that I've not updated my photo blog much this week. Hope to remedy that very soon, as I'm itching to pick up the camera.  Most of my extra play time lately has been spent in my studio creating things for the shop, as well as working on a few remaining gifts for these last days of February for the 29 Gifts challenge I've been doing.  This has been so much fun, that I do think it will be a permanent way of giving in future for me.

Snow... Looks like we may have more again for the weekend... *sigh*... A bit more semi-hibernation again this weekend probably.  And I'll be in the studio if you need me!  Wishing you all a great weekend ahead... See you soon!

P.S. Our favorite Saturday Night Pizza is now at my foodie blog, Savour... maybe it will be your Saturday night special too!

Jewels by Post

My very dear friend Se'Lah of Necessary Room hosts a wonderful pen-friend event, *Gift of Jewels*, which I love participating in.  Everyone who signs up gets paired with a secret partner and we send cards and/or little gifts.  It is exciting to be surprised with some fun mail!  This is also a great way to meet new lovely folks in blogland and send a little bit of love around the world.

This week a little bit of love made its way to my mailbox-- a little *Gift of Jewels* from Carla all the way from Brazil.  She sent me two postcards of where she lives--it looks like summer-heaven there in Brazil!  And she is brilliant at the craft of crochet and made me this fun origami ornament and neat lipstick cover, as well as this very lovely bookmark.  And she sent along three special Brazilian Good Luck Ribbons to make wishes/intentions by wearing the ribbons. Thank you so much, Carla for gifts made and sent with love!

A little more fun this week... Looking for something new and crafty to join in on?   I just signed up for the Napkin Swap at my sweet friend Lisa's of Stitching Under the Oaks!   Make and send a set of handmade cloth napkins, and you'll get a set back too!  Good fun and good for the environment.  Lisa even provides a tutorial link for making napkins.  Hurry...sign up ends this Saturday, February 27th!

What are you doing at the moment... what fun swaps or happenings have you been in on or just joining? 

Scenes from a Snowy Weekend...

It was a very snowy, cold, windy weekend... Dear Husband kept us shoveled-out... I kept the home fire burning. Behind frosted window panes, I baked a coffee cake--using this scrumptious recipe.  Saturday night we baked a homemade pizza--recipe coming soon to my other place, Savour.  Lots of candle-glow...  Listening to the radio.  Time for our favorite things, creating, dreaming, being together. I put the finishing touches on a trio of felted wool flower brooches--these will be in my Etsy shop later this week.  Charlie snug in his basket.  Sunday afternoon, the sky cracked open with a delicate, sweet light, the snow stopped... for now... All quiet, serene...

Wishing you all a lovely week ahead...

Joy of Knitting

There's a new addition here this week: Pink Purl Free Patterns.  A button has been placed in the left sidebar too, that will take you to it. I'm launching this new feature with a a pattern for my Damask Stripe Spa Cloth.  I used two different colors of cotton yarn to make a pair of cloths. Bundled up with a lovely soap, the cloths make a thoughtful gift for anyone, for any occasion.  These were really fun to make!  And I wanted to be able to share this easy pattern. I will add to the Free Patterns here occasionally, not just knitting patterns exclusively either, but will mix it up with other craft projects.  So stop by there from time to time. (Also in the sidebar, on the right, the Current Reading and Music Box have been added again... with good reading and listening updated frequently.)

It has been snowing again this week... And with it I've felt the need for some semi-hibernation, so hence my being slow to getting back here and being around.  I've been savoring some quiet time--just looking, just listening, just going slow, just being... And enjoying more time for knitting in the evenings too.

Very lately I completed these two knitted projects.  On the left is a cute pom-pom'ed jester-style hat I knit for our baby niece Anya.  I used the Baby Jacquards Jester Hat from the Bernat Yarn site, with Idena Cotton Sport yarn (sorry trouble finding good link to yarn). This was a very fun project!  And another baby creation, I knit this sweet tunic-style top for a cousin of mine who is having her first baby--a girl--any day now!  I used the Child's Beach Top pattern, from the Lion Brand Yarn site, also knit in cotton. These two projects are part of my 29 Gifts, which I've still got going on for February...

And there's more on the needles!  On the left, I'm working on a Baby Kimono in soft wool, which will be a gift. And I've just cast on to make the Weekend Retreat Cardi, another Lion Brand pattern, using a lovely bamboo/cotton yarn.  Most of the patterns I knit are in English, for the American or British market.  Finding yarn here in Norway to knit what I want can oftentimes be a big challenge, as I can't get the yarns recommended in American patterns in my local yarn shop. Ordering yarn online and getting it sent here can be very expensive. So the yarn hunt can take some time. If you're on Ravelry, I've just been getting started there--you can see the progress on my knitting.  My Rav link is in the sidebar.  I just LOVE Ravelry... :o)

This week I've also been in my studio creating new pretties for my Etsy shop... and hope to have a new small collection to share next week. Some very craftacular days just now!

Now the weekend... And more snow!  I think we'll be extending the semi-hibernation into the weekend... I've got my knitting ready! Wishing you all Happy Days!  See you soon...

P.S. New photos at A Certain Slant of Light, and some soup and savory scones at Savour...

Valentine Treats

Weekend treats... Heavenly Belgian waffles with strawberry jam and whipped cream with coffee/tea for two at a favorite café.  Dear Husband's Valentine roses--he knows I love the pink ones!

A little something sweet to start the week off with...

P.S. A little more Valentine fun is at my other place, A Certain Slant of Light.