And Z is for...

Zac...

Pictured here on the right along with his sissy, Isis Dreamweaver. He is part dalmation/jack russell terrier!

This post ends the ABC Along and the year 2008!

May you have a wonderful New Year's Eve...See you in the New Year!

Y is for...

Yarn...

Need I say more!

X is for...

Xerox Machine...

Where would we be if we couldn't xerox charts to help us knit our lovely things? Besides who wants to mark up really good books and you might want to make that again...then you'd have all those marks in your book...

The chart is for fingerless mitts...and it saves me from making little tick marks on everything...

W is for...

Winter...

These were shots of the 2007 - 2008 winter....wondering what 2008 - 2009 is going to be like!

V is for...

VOTE -- the right to vote.

Democracy is…the conviction that there are extraordinary possibilities in ordinary people. — Harry Emerson Fosdick

U is for...

Unfinished!

This sweater made with Cascade 220 100% wool - is unfinished! And, from the looks of it - it will remain unfinished.

Once I got it knit - I hated the way the front of it looked - the pattern that was in the sweater looked awful...and, I didn't even bother to block it - because I just knew I would never wear it.

So, now all four skeins are back in cute little red cakes of yarn - waiting for me to decide what I want to make out of it.

T is for...

Teapots...

I love teapots...have no idea why or where it came from...other than I occasionally enjoy some hot tea! Especially in the winter time when curled up with a good book under a nice quilt - it will either be hot tea or hot chocolate!

So, these are a lot of my teapots...

The one on the left has a kitty in the window and it was made for me by Tammy, a friend of mine. Actually she made a few of the ceramic teapots you'll see.

The brown one with the cup and the blue one were made by potters - and were bought at craft fairs all over the country. In the background you can see part of a tall teapot - that is a Harry Potter teapot Tammy made.

Some of these I bought at stores on my travels - and others were gifts.

The blue and white on the left is set given to me - it is very oriental in style. The brass one that needs to be polished came from some hotel and the beautiful blue one is heavy as all heck - and it came from a local person.

Teapots and tea!!!! That works for the letter "T"

S is for...

Sisters...

Mary Ellen is my only living sister. I had another sister, Evangeline, but she passed away when she was six months old. My two brothers passed away went they were both a day old.

So, this is my sister -

Here she is in front of her pond and garden - it was a magazine shot - for a pond show that was being done for the Humane Society where she lives. The two four-footed children are Maggie May (the one with the black face) and Russell. Both are Jack Russell Terriers.

This is Mary Ellen's wedding photo - She and Michael have been married 28 years.

This is one of my favorite photos of her. Loved her wedding dress...

And, this would be the family on that day - Mom, Mary Ellen, me, and Tara. Tara was the flower girl...age 4...and I made her dress...it was a beautiful cream colored eyelet material - trimmed with ribbon to match the bridesmaid dresses. Still have that dress in my cedar chest.

R is for...

Roving!!!!

No, I don't spin yarn...but, the person who won the Project Runway contest does - so, I sent her some Romney/Border Leicester. It comes from sheep at another friend's farm.

And,

Reading!!!

This was the other book I won - it is by Trish Milburn - a new author for me. So, I'm looking forward to reading it...

Q is for...

Quilting! The above was one of the projects that I was working on during the quilting retreat! It was fun. Managed to get three pieced...plus I worked on some other projects.

The following photos are of projects that were worked on by members of my guild while at the retreat! There were some wonderful quilts being made...

Edited to say: The batik quilt in the above photo was made by Beth at the retreat and the pattern is Wheel of Mystery by John Flynn.

P is for...

Potatoes...

Okay, don't laugh! I love potatoes! And, the ones from the farmer's market are so good.
Bottom Row: Yukon Gold; small white potato
Back Row: Small red potato; blue potatoes.

The blue ones are my favorites - they have a really good earthy taste.

O is for...

Objects...Finished Objects that is!

Three scarves are ready for the Red Scarf Project this year...
Two Cat Snuggles are ready to go to the local Humane Society.

I've been on a roll!!!

N is for...

Necklace. Not just any necklace but one that I made a zillion years ago! This must have been made in the late 70s...when taking a class with my next door neighbor at a bead store in Tampa.

It is a great necklace to wear with that little black dress!

M is for...

M is for Mom and Motherhood...

My mother - this was taken years ago in our yard in Florida. She loved working in the yard and was one of those people who could make anything grow beautifully. The day before she had her first stroke she was helping us plant our garden in Tennessee. She still loves plants and flowers - even though she isn't able to garden anymore.
Motherhood - something I never thought would happen for me. I was 30 when I had my little girl...she was so tiny! Under five pounds when she was born...that red hair turned a gorgeous shade of blonde.

L is for...

Lace...


I love lace knitting - the patterns are so delicate! Since I began knitting I have wanted to try some real lace knitting - (yes, I've done some lacy washrags - but nothing bigger than 12x12 inches)

I bought A Gathering Of Lace because it had more than four patterns in it that I would make. (that seems to be the magic number - 4!). And, the Angel Lace Shawl was a pattern I bought at NH Sheep and Wool this year...

So I am ready...

K is for...

Killian! My wonderful cat of 12 years!!!!

and

Knitting!

J is for...

Jams and Jellies...especially those that are homemade! These are sitting at my local farmers market just waiting to be taken home and enjoyed!



I have great respect for those who make jellies and jams - I know how difficult it can sometimes be...and have fond memories of doing a lot of jelly making while living in Tennessee!

I is for...

Ireland...

Would love to take a trip to Ireland and see all the fiber related areas!

Photos from www.ifsa-butlerireland.com

H is for...

Homespun by Hockey Mom...

Hockey Mom does some nice homespun...and I got this a while ago for a contest I think...All I know is it is lovely...and will make a great scarf ... at least that's what's been kicking around in my brain...

H is for...

Home!

My personal refuge! Where I can relax, enjoy, and live my life!

Looking from Living room into the kitchen and hall - one of my quilts hangs as you enter the hall. I have a loom hanging over the stereo next to the iris wall hanging and an embroidery hoop hangs from the thermostat...
Looking again a corner of the living room toward my front door...you can see a bookcase full of books and a smaller case that holds my DVDs and videos...and again into my kitchen.

Please note Killian sat politely to have his photo taken too...