Thursday, October 29, 2009

The Merry Month of October...

Home again!  I'm just back from a quick visit to see my mom.  She just had surgery and needed a little cheering up, and I needed to sit with her and see with my own eyes just how she was really doing—much better—thanks for asking.  My time with my mom this week was full of sweet moments.  A while back Annri blogged this lovely post about mothers and mothering and it has really stayed with me—she said it all so well—I love that about her.

What does a girl need for a short stay away from home?...

Well, I'll tell you...she needs at least a half dozen knitting books, a basket of wool for working on the mini-stocking knit along, her mystery socks, several odd skeins and stitch guides for random swatching, an apple coffee cake, a batch of cherry scones, an assortment of teas to help settle Mom's queasy tummy, at least two books for reading, because you don't know what you'll be in the mood for, a camera which she will promptly forget about until after she's left her mom, her ipod loaded with various podcasts, her favorite slippers and...oh yeah, a change of clothes...This is why it is dangerous for me to travel by car.

{sorry for the blurry pics in this post —my camera is being persnickety these days}

Now that I'm home, it's starting to look a lot like...


Have I told you how much I love this holiday?...the dressing up, the crafting, the pumpkins, the weather, the colors, and the candy!!!





 In the interest of full disclosure (you're only as sick as your secrets, right?) I will own up to the fact that this is about the time of year when I stop eating meals and just forage for candy.

I didn't even buy treats that I like this year and still today's lunch was a handful of candy corn and a cup of coffee...and I don't even like candy corn, but, after all, it is candy and it's here...pathetic, I know.

Even more than the candy though, I love the creative opportunities surrounding this holiday—so many fun crafts, so little time.  We made this little door pocket a while ago.  There have been many like this through the years.
 


It is a perfect first sewing project—perfectly imperfect!  Terrific for new sewing hands.  You will need some wool felt scraps, some buttons and yarn scraps to make this quick project.

Here's how...All we did was draw the outline of the shape we wanted onto a piece of paper, pinned the paper pattern to two layers of felt and cut around the edges.  Then we raided the button jar and the scrap pile for eyes a nose and a mouth.  Time to pin the facial features to one of the layers of felt and sew them on with a whip stitch or running stitch.  There is really no way to mess this up.  The results are always cute and a little funny.  Finally we layered the pieces of felt together and sewed around the edges using a blanket stitch.  Leave the top of the head open for candy, notes or whatever, and tack a ribbon or spare piece of felt to the inside back of the pocket for a handle and voila!  Easy-peasy, and once it is filled with candy, this cranky kitty is absolutely delectable!



This just in...

If you're still trying to figure out how your little darling is going to carry all of her Halloween loot, or if you're feeling the need for a festive and seasonal knitting bag/purse, you might want to check out the Going Batty Treat Bag pattern — free for all who want it! 

Glad to be back...I missed you!...Alison




7 comments:

  1. Hi! I'm glad to hear your mom is on the mend; whatever is ailing her, I hope it is not too serious or long-lasting... Toledo? Does she live there?

    We just adopted a black cat at the end of the summer, and so I think Hana and I will need to make that ornament pronto! Thank you for the help.

    You won't believe this, but today at my parents' I ate a mini Milky Way and 3 Musketeers just because they were there! I hardly ever eat candy bars! Hell in a hand-basket, I tell you!!! :) But, again, it's good to know I'm in such good company...

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  2. a girl needs to pack for the unexpected right!? love your halloween decorations!

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  3. Glad to hear that your Mom is doing well.

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  4. Hi there!
    Thanks for your well wishes for my mom. She turned 80 and had hip replacement this summer, and just had knee replacement a couple of weeks ago. She waited a long time to do this surgery and her knee was pretty far gone, so the surgery was particularly nasty and then she got an infection—ugh. But so far this week, the infection seems to be retreating—yay!
    I'm so glad she decided to do the surgeries in Toledo with my aunt's doctor. He is really good and it would have been a nightmare if she had done it in Texas and I was trying to go back and forth from here. Plus, that means she'll be within a 5 hour drive until February—double yay! My aunt and I are working on her these days—we really want her to move to my neck of the woods or to my aunts—keep your fingers crossed!

    Thanks again, my lovelies! You guys really are the best!

    xo—Alison

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  5. I have not bought any candy AT ALL!!! This is because a) I will eat it, and b) we are not going to be home on Halloween. I am keeping my hands busy with knitting so I won't eat!!! I am finishing the edging and strap on the Going Batty bag, then I will block it and line it! I'll send you a pic when its done! Thanks for this fun pattern!!

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  6. Love that basket (is that taffy in there? My, it has lasted you guys quite a while!) with the spiders dripping off. . . and those eggs! Did you whip those up? Wouldn't be surprised. And that mini cat bag is adorable, as well. Complements all around.

    Hope your mom is back at 100% soon. I'm sure you helped to expedite that process.

    All best,
    Christina

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  7. What a sweet daughter you are!
    Love the door pocket -- adorable.
    Blessings,
    G

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