Almost there

Hello, how have you been?  I've missed sitting here and writing.  I've been sitting in my family room with my notebook, crochet hooks, and spools of the unexpected - creating and healing.

Like most other modern moms, I have a hard time not doing, even when I'm not supposed to be doing.  So on a few occassions since my gall bladder surgery two weeks ago, I've over done it.  No surprise.  I praise the Lord for the invention of Advil.  I thank Him for my wonderful friends and family who have helped in ways big and small over the past two weeks.  We really could not have gotten through without the phone calls, help pick up children from school, meals delivered by our church family, and friends coming over to chat while the children play.  It really is so lovely to have such a community of givers.  We are so blessed!

I am almost there, almost ready to reopen my shops.  They need some sprucing up.  Don't be surprised to see certain items dissapear or relocate to a different shop.  Unfortunately while on "Vacation Mode" I am unable to alter inventory in my shops.  So, I'll be working on that over the next several weeks.

On April 30th I finally felt well enough to pick up the hook and start crocheting again.  In the past twelve days I've made six items.

The first thing I crochet was a pair of apple green bamboo blend fingerless gloves.  I've seen them around and I thought, I can make those.  So I tried.  And I did.  And they're simple and warm and soft.  Two days later I was talking to my mother-in-law.  She mentioned the doctor told her to wear gloves around the house to ease the coldness in her hands from her osteo-arthritis.  I told her that I'd made a pair of fingerless gloves and that I would gladly make her a pair.  I altered the pattern to a small hand, since I wear a medium and the green gloves fit me nicely.  I am unsure if I'm going to add fingerless gloves to my line of items.  They're quite time consuming to make, but they're very nice.  I will have to pray about it.

I also crochet a newborn baby hat from a bamboo blend and two short-brimmed sun hats out of a spool of the unexpected.  The cotton fingerless gloves for my mother-in-law and a merino wool blend hat for a friend.

The spool of the unexpected... I look forward to sharing this with you.  It's so incredibly fun!!!!  Something for you to look forward to seeing!

I have not gotten into paper arts too much, only for lack of wanting to shift too much stuff around because I fatigue easier than I think I should (getting well takes so much longer than I think it should!).  I do have some cotton twill tape that's gotten brittle.  It makes for a beautifully shabby-chic ribbon for my handstamped bird favor/gift bags - quite the beautiful look!  A bit of frayed edge with the crisp white bag - fill it with whatever you like - perfect for baby or bridal shower or baby's first birthday.  Whimsy and beauty all in one!  They'll be added to WoodstreamPapery in the coming week.

I have yet to pick up a needle and thread...  I have plans in my head and have begun to felt the cashmere and merino wool - oh the colors for Fall 2012 are stunning!  I cannot wait to reveal all that I have stored up in my brain!

I'm easing back into life.  I am enjoying doing things as I can.  I am reminded that I am not fully healed and cannot do everything just yet.  But I look forward to reopening WoodstreamDream and WoodstreamPapery next week.

Until then, Happy Mother's Day to all of you mommies out there!
Thank you for reading and have a blessed weekend!
Nicole