Untangling

Last couple of days I was happy because I found a cute project to use up some vintage yellow yarn I had been given. One thing led to another and I needed to find a ball of grey yarn that I *knew* I had just seen in my basket a couple of days ago. The result is that this morning I am using the quiet time before all the kids get up to completely empty my yarn basket and see what's in the bottom. I am ending up spending some time rewinding small balls of yarn and untangling others. Some day I'll realize that this is a process I need to do more regularly, haha. Nearly to the bottom of the basket now and still haven't found the grey. The good news is that I'll get to go through my yarn shelves and project bags to see if that's where it ended up :).

I've always found untangling things and unknotting things and oddly calming activity. Going to have to credit my dad for that. When he was in the navy he learned all kinds of knots. Combine that with lots of patience and determination and you have someone who is good at teaching not only knots, but unknotting and detangling.

edit-- actually, now that I'm at the bottom of the basket, I'm realizing that the next step is the couch, which always ends up being a resting place for yarn, yarn project bags, finished objects, etc. I do *try* to clean up the couch at least once a week, and sometimes twics (don't fail over from fainting), but it always ends up with more yarn stuff by the end of the next week.

untangled (yes, untangled!!) yarn basket...hint of couch (you're next!) behind that

basket find-- crocheted heart, ready to be sewn onto *something*--proud I put it back in the basket and am continuing on my original quest, to find the grey yarn, instead of stopping this untangling to make something cute to sew the heart on to (hopefully, I'll find the grey soon, will finish current project and will get to make something for the little heart) haha

(and yes...I always stop the yarning to feed the children, wash the dishes, take out the trash, hug the children, etc etc. I even get outdoors in the sunshine every day, even if it's just to go to the mailbox, water the kitties/flowers, and feed the cats---all that counts as going outside)

All the Pretty Things

a few of my recent creations.....I just love all the colors! These were all fun, fairly quick projects. The little purses are not quite done, as I'm looking for some fabric to line them with. They were so fun to make that I'll likely be making more little purses in different colors and sizes.

The only other exciting craft happening around here is that the little shop where I help out, Raggle Taggle, is moving to a larger location.....in another city! I won't be able to work in the shop like I have been, but I'll still help with crochet classes. It's been a fun season, to work in a little shop like that. I've had a relaxing summer so far, and I've spent quite a lot of time at home, doing things with the family. The dowtown Saturday farmer's market is still calling my name, so I might still do that. The market runs all the way through October, so I have plenty of time to join in if I want to :). We'll see....I'm really enjoying time home with the babies (though they're not babies anymore!). My oldest will be in high school marching band this year, so I'll likely be going to all kinds of marching band competitions, in addition to lots of gymnastics meets :)

Some recent family pictures (sure do love these people)--

The Songs in My Head-- Lead Me to the Cross

woke up this morning with this song running through my head
It is one we sing at church. It is that sweet season in the summer where the kids are going to vacation bible school, and are singing all the songs and having lots of fun. It won't be long until school starts, so we're trying to make summer stretch out. We've had a mild summer so far. No extreme storms or temperatures. This week, however, we're finally feeling hot, and the heat index is rising to 109 on some days. That's pretty hot for around here. The actual temperature was hovering around 99 yesterday. Next week my oldest daughter will begin her high school journey by going to her first band camp. She is in for a treat and a shock, making lots of friends and memories. I am totally looking forward to school supply shopping, though :). One in 9th grade, one in 6th, and one in 3rd grade. It's going to be a fun year.

Lead Me to the Cross

Savior I come
Quiet my soul remember
Redemption's hill
Where Your blood was spilled
For my ransom
Everything I once held dear
I count it all as loss

[Chorus:]
Lead me to the cross
Where Your love poured out
Bring me to my knees
Lord I lay me down
Rid me of myself
I belong to You
Lead me, lead me to the cross

You were as I
Tempted and trialed
Human
The word became flesh
Bore my sin and death
Now you're risen

Everything I once held dear
I count it all as loss

[Chorus]

To your heart
To your heart
Lead me to your heart
Lead me to your heart

[Chorus]

Tapestry

Tapestry

My life has been a tapestry of rich and royal hue
An everlasting vision of the ever-changing view
A wondrous, woven magic in bits of blue and gold
A tapestry to feel and see, impossible to hold

Once amid the soft silver sadness in the sky
There came a man of fortune, a drifter passing by
He wore a torn and tattered cloth around his leathered hide
And a coat of many colors, yellow-green on either side

He moved with some uncertainty, as if he didn't know
Just what he was there for, or where he ought to go
Once he reached for something golden hanging from a tree
And his hand came down empty

Soon within my tapestry along the rutted road
He sat down on a river rock and turned into a toad
It seemed that he had fallen into someone's wicked spell
And I wept to see him suffer, though I didn't know him well

As I watched in sorrow, there suddenly appeared
A figure gray and ghostly beneath a flowing beard
In times of deepest darkness, I've seen him dressed in black
Now my tapestry's unraveling - he's come to take me back
He's come to take me back

I've always felt a special connection to this album, since it was released in the year of my birth. There are so many good songs on this album, and Carole King is such a good song-writer and musician. I love the idea of our lives being like a tapestry, woven with the stories of our lives.