In Process

Linking to Tami (WIP) and to Our Sheltering Tree because in process today are...

• A Hospice visit with Libby to see a patient in a rehab hospital (Therapy Dogs International)
• Two Knitting Projects

• finishing up painting interior walls
• whipping up these delicious apple treats, from a Mennonite Girls recipe found here, along with their photograph
• sending off a book for a tweeners' birthday

Please leave your blog address and I will be sure to visit you to see what you are up to today!

Painting

It's been quiet here on the blog these past few days. Because it has been a record breaking cold spell. It is now -2 degrees F at 6 AM.

And because I've been knitting and reading and playing Scrabble online getting ready for a Scrabble tournament in Las Vegas next month.  

But mostly because the bathroom and entryways needed painting. That leaves little time for introspection.

So, I took up the cause and got busy with paint.  Here is the bordello red powder room that needed a face lift:

Using Behr's Indulgent Mocha with primer, it now looks lighter.

and a bit brighter

But wait.  There's more. 

This entry it is not yet finished.  It screamed for camera documentation. The door is going to be a bear to paint.

How many aspirin have disappeared during this exercise?  Quite a few.

A Knit in Memory of KnitPurlGurl

Podcaster, knitter, blogger, designer, wife and mother of two young children, Karrie Steinmetz died suddenly at the age of 38 in December, 2012. She called herself the Knit Purl Gurl.  I was her "follower" along with over 1200 others on Google.

Karrie was a talented young woman full of energy and ideas.  She was always willing to share and teach others as shown through her blog found here.  Her last post was about podcasting and giving tips to others who might be interested in creating their own podcast (Karrie's podcasts are archived here.)  And Karrie's knit pattern designs can be found here.

She was a real encourager.

Karrie started giving patterns away in what she called Random Acts of Patterns.  In October, she wrote:

I’ve declared that Tuesdays are for Random Acts of Patterns (or RAP). It’s the fibery equivalent to Random Acts of Kindness! Most of us have either randomly given or received patterns, so this is not my invention. However, I’d like to make it a movement and get more people involved! So on any random Tuesday that you feel inclined to and/or can afford to, consider randomly selecting a fellow Raveler and gifting him/her a pattern off of his/her queue. :) THEN - Come back here and tell us! I get so inspired by people who participate in RAK, or in this case, RAP, that I’d love to hear all about your generosity in this fab community! :) Of course, you don’t have to wait for a Tuesday. You can participate in a RAP at any time, but I thought Tuesdays could use a little jazzing up!  ALSO - if you’ve been the recipient of a RAP, please share too! We all need a little sunshine in our day!

One of her shawl designs was given to me in a RAP after her death.  And I sent it on to keep the RAP going.

This is "Crosswords at the Coffeeshop," a pattern she designed saying that

When I’m not knitting at the coffee shop, I’m working crossword puzzles. This is the perfect mashup of rugged and lacey. Intended to wear at the coffee shop, the shawlette is just perfect to keep the draft from the door from giving you a chill, while the shawl is a perfect wrap. It’s knit in an aran weight to provide that snuggly warmth. Inspired by crosswords, there are elements of boxes in the lace and even the short rows create squared tiers. Throw on a pair of fingerless mitts and enjoy a latte!

And for Finished Objects Friday and Fiber Arts Friday, here is my (Karrie's pattern) Crossword shawl.

Warm.  Thinking of Karrie and her family.

All pattern purchase proceeds go to her family.