Anna, Chelsea, and Koal

Anna driving Koal at her first American Registry of
Miniature Horses (AMHR) Nationals. Don't they look elegant !

















Chelsea showing Koal at the same show.
They did very well. He was the horse that started it all back in 1997.
The bargain basement mini the trainers said had little potential.
Well, he's won Grand and Reserve Championships, plus
a number of top tens with Chelsea,Isaiah, and Anna.
Pretty good for a horse that was supposed to have no pizazz !
Thanks to Cindy, Chelsea, and Isaiah for taking
care of him and working with him. He's a rascal
and a scamp and provides us with much amuseument !
He's a hoot and a holler !

Koal and his favored mare Peppermint dressed for the holidays.
Don't think they are amused !

Tack så mycket Barbro !

Came home from work in the pouring rain to find a package in my mailbox. Presents in exchange for a book I sent earlier. What a treat ! A funky moose tote, homespun yarn, and lovely traditional wristwarmers like the ones we saw in the Karlstad Museum. Thank you ! It lifted my spirits ! Thanks for caring and your encouraging words !

Christmas Morning

God Jul och Gott Nytt År !
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year !
(Thank you Marianne and Bengt for the lovely card this picture came from)

















Christmas Morning Aftermath !













Kids thought the modern Dala horses we
were given should be included too !


The true blessings in my life Ryan, Anna, and Marcus.

Knitting family

Had a pleasant day knitting with my sister in law Karen while Anna and her cousin Jessa went shopping. This is Karen's Koigu sweater and gloves she is knitting for son Alex with the lovely yarn Mountain Colors.

Loved ones and more yarn !

Times like these make me think of beloved family members. Bertha Winroth (Brita Nilsdotter) my great grandmother and her daughter Anna Alida Winroth Anderson,my grandmother. I have fond memories of visiting them in the nursing home. I would sit on the bed behind my gammal mormor in a chair, take the hair pins out, and brush and brush her long hair. She would give me a big hug, kiss me with a clucking noise, and give us hard candies and change for the old soda machine for Orange Fanta. My grandmother made us feel special too. She was very crippled from Rheumatoid Arthritis and in a wheelchair. She would give us loving hugs and I remember one year her letting me write "Luv" when addressing her Christmas cards.


















I thought I had purged the house of Red Heart a year ago but just found some in the back of the closet. I started a charity blanket from a pattern found in a brochure at church beginning with just 4 stitches.
The yarn I bought from Kristin who belongs to B&B knitters too. She spun and dyed it herself. Beautiful colors and wonderfully soft.

A quiet corner

My mind has been so weary at times since the "life altering event". Someone suggested creating a quiet space to clear the mind. Ryan helped me set this corner up over the weekend in my bedroom. A lilac scented candle is burning, light glows from a heart shaped IKEA light in the window, and "Jul med Håkan Hagegård" plays as I knit my charity baby blanket. It is very peaceful.

Julgran

Lee and Anna decorated the tree yesterday. Love it.























Started the Lucia Crown out of "Handknit Holidays" yesterday. Too late for this year but I wanted to try it. I may even just make a longer garland to wind around our candelabra for next year.

Special Memories

My Great Step Aunt Peg was the one who introduced me to needlework. She was always hand sewing us dolls, stuffed animals, ornaments, creating advent calendars, crocheting sweaters, and embellishing all with embroidery when need be. She gave me my first embroidery kit when I was in grade school. A simple lion on burlap type material. From then on I was hooked. She would take us girls one at a time downtown for a special day at the Fredericks Tea Room and shopping. She can't knit and I can barely crochet but we both love handiwork. Thanks Peg for being a special part of our lives. All the ornaments, dolls, stuffed animals, she had made for me were lost in our house fire of 2001. Those and letters from beloved grandparents were the things I mourned most. The rest was just "stuff". My sister just gave me a bag of Peg's ornaments that came from my mother's collection. I was so happy to put them on the tree this morning.


Bert the cockatiel having his annual Xmas picture
in the tree.He's over 15 years old and just a sweetheart.

Christmas Cheer from a dear friend

Came home last night tired from a busy day of work and a Christmas Fairy had come and decorated our side porch, side door, and front door. Thank you so much Cindy !
It's beautiful and a lift to the spirits.



This is the coin purse made from Lavold Silky Wool scanned, not blocked or sewn in half. Just bought the zipper and need to raid my crazy quilt scraps for a lining. It was fun to make.

My four legged soul mate

Dogs-Man's best friend or the ultimate parasite as I read once in a magazine. I believe it's the former. I love dogs. They are always happy to see you and think you are the greatest person on Earth.
I love all three of my dogs but Betsy, my Bassett/Corgi/Beagle/? born on Valentines Day of 2001 and adopted in December of that year, is my soul mate. We both love to eat too much, expend little energy, and love lying on the comfy couch. She is such a snugga puppy as I call her and loves to cuddle with me in the evenings.

Signed up at the last minute for a beaded coin purse class at
"Let it Rain Yarn" It was alot of fun. Used Lavold Silky Wool and #6 beads. It will be fun to pick out the fabric for the lining too.













Started my holiday sheep puppet with Frog Tree. It's so easy to mess up the tiny stitches it's driving me somewhat crazy but I'm going to get thru this !













Quote: Be good, be kind, be humane, and charitable; love your fellows; console the afflicted; pardon those who have done you wrong.
Author: Zoroaster BC 628?-551?,

Books from my parent's collection

The top picture is from " The Decorative Arts of Sweden" by Iona Plath published in 1948. Interesting mittens !
The book below my parent's picked up at a book sale at Western perhaps which was published in 1910. I can't seem to find any knitting in it though !

Yarn Therapy for the stressed out works !

When life dumps a truck load of lemons on your front lawn instead
of getting an industrial press and making lemonade go yarn shopping instead!
Much more soothing and relaxing. All the wonderful colors and feeling the fibers between your fingers is great therapy. Even saw Seaweed Yarn at the Fiber Gallery. It does smell like the sea !

Top picture I'm thinking of doing a Shadow Shawl. Second picture of Natures Palette Black, Zinfandel, Orchids, and Lilacs. I have no idea what to do with them but I loved the colors !

In a one horse open sleigh

This is from Ängersjö which has one of the churches Cousin Per Ingemar is pastor to. Looks like fun !

Pictures here from the logging museum.













Swedish Proverb for the day
"Trägen vinner."
Translation: "Persevere and never fear."

It's a cold, crisp day

The sun is shining but the snow and frost are slow to leave.
Joshua Bell is playing a piece by Borodin from his
"Romance of the Violin" CD one of my all time favorites. Luciano the canary agrees as he is singing along with. I used to remember my father sitting by the stereo with such bliss on his face when music such as this was playing.

Making better headway on my holiday themed sheep puppet. I have at least two inches and I don't think I'll have to rip it out and start again ! I'm using Frog Tree Alpaca. Off to Edmonds in an hour to meet my sister in law for lunch and check out the shop "Spin a Yarn" I think it's called.

I knit this hat a few months ago for a co worker who was having a hard time. The camera wasn't working so used the scanner. Just dinked around with a pattern from "Oddball Knitting. It's Frog Tree from Weathered Wool.

Tusen Tack !!

I loved seeing Carl and Karin Larsson's
house again. So very, very charming. Her textiles are wonderful and his art warms my heart !





Many thanks to all of you who've helped me on my journey to learn more about Nordic and all types of knitting, good quality yarns, and listened to my crazy ideas about Nordic knitting related events here in Seattle.
Thank you Carol, Susanna, Suzanne, the Karens, Barbro, Chris, Charisa, Teresa, Charlotte, Marianne, Ulrika, Bengt, Kristina, Shannon, Patience and many more. I grew up in a world of Red Heart Yarn and it's been so much fun learning about all the wonderful fibers, designers, techniques, and more.