Rosy Ring Around My Neck

Not to be confused with the nursery rhyme, "Ring a Ring o' Roses" or "Ring Around the Rosie" by Kate Greenaway from the 1790's, this necklace was created to beautify my wardrobe and not ward off black plague as some historians may attest.

In need of something pretty for a fantastic dinner engagement with some new friends, I pulled a heap of yarn scraps together and was inspired by the warm rainbow of bark, burgundy, red, orange and coral colors. At first attempt, this necklace started out shorter, but as I worked on it, I came to see the folly of having a scalloped petal collar around my neck. 

A clown, was not the impression I wanted to portray (although, my goofiness still shined through out the night as I challenged a new pal to a "Running Man Off". Yes, there is video evidence, and no, you may not see it.). So, I lengthened it by adding a burgundy single stitch chain that weaved through the top of each petal. The fringe, was a fun afterthought, as I liked the idea of incorporating more of the rose bud colors into it.

The yarns I used were Michael's Loops & Threads Charisma 100% acrylic yarn in Mountain Majesty and a super soft acrylic/wool blend from Bernat Roving Collection in the color bark.  
 

Who Says a Kid Can't Safely Rock a Scarf?

Inspired by repeated requests from my son, Dimitri, to dress like his Daddy, I dedicated a few hours this  week to crochet a safe scarf he could wear that matched his new favorite beanie. A major fan of Yo Gabba Gabba, I had special ordered Dimitri a Muno beanie (& Solbug a Brobee beanie) from an awesome Etsy shop in Indiana back in the fall. With winter in full stream right now, it became apparent how uncomfortable a traditional scarf was for our little boys as they found it more fun to drag on the ground in puddles rather than try to wrap it around their little necks.

Using some acrylic black yarn with vibrant all cotton red yarn, I created this simple cowl neck scarf using single crochet stitches and a larger crochet hook.  The scarf took less than an hour, and Dimitri was happily parading around the house wearing it over his pajamas. His excited smile & repeated "thank you Mama" comments through out the rest of the day has been a reminder to me of the simple joys and comforts we all need and deserve to enjoy the winter time. Now, when Dimitri goes to play outside, he's happy to be warmer, I'm happy to see him unhindered in his outdoor adventures and also grateful that it's one less thing poor Dominic has to wash. ;)

Sen Cha Fukamushi: When Only a Deep Steam Will Do.

Amazing illustrations like the one of the mystical Asian mountain escape above can be found at AppWill, a great iPod wallpaper application.

 A new sencha I have been enjoying for a nice flavor and caffeine burst is our Sen Cha Fukamushi. This deep-steamed style of sencha was developed 35 years ago and is rarely seen outside of Japan.  The deep steaming of the tea leaves creates a vivid emerald green infusion that is strong and full bodied, without bitterness.  The terroir (or combination of soil, climate and environmental factors) of the Shizuoka tea region of Japan gives this sencha a sweet, rich marine taste.  Like walking in a rainy forest in Southern Japan, this tea is quickly become a new favorite for me. 

This tea can be found now both on our website & in our tea shops. 

Cold Nose but Cozy Toes!

The weather is cold, crisp & clear here in the Northwest and I have been in need of replacing my worn out slippers. As I warmed up with my favorite morning brew, Velvet Oolong, a Taiwanese milk oolong we sell at our shop, I thought about the lovely shade of soft grass green suede with lavender leather bow ties. They were a Christmas present that treated my feet well for almost 3 years, but the time had come to branch out into trying to make my own.

Using Michael's Loops & Threads Charisma 100% acrylic yarn in Electric Blue and Lion Brand Homespun acrylic blend yarn in Lagoon, I decided to crochet myself some slippers. They have three ankle straps with wood burned Iris flowers and a reinforced double yarn sole layer.  I didn't follow a pattern, but choose instead to let my imagination guide my stitches. Using mostly single crochet stitches with a variation of longer stitches for the toe sunburst designs, I came up with a style that was both unique and yet simple enough to finish in an afternoon.

My creative & inspired 3 year old son, Dimitri, took these photographs for me.

These slippers definitely suit every need I have for warmth, comfort & breathe-ability while having some rich colored Angelbaby flare to them. Now my little boys each want some new slippers... looks like a few new inspiring projects just got added into the mix!