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Blessed Lughnasadh

Today we celebrate Lughnasadh. We have been harvesting from the garden this past week. Prepping and storing away for the winter. I love this time of year, I am not a summer person however I enjoy gardening as well as the appreciation that I get from this season for the other three that I love so much.

The garden has taken over as it usually does this time of year. It is untamed and wild. We enjoy all the visitors while we harvest and plant for winter. This year we had sunflowers sprout from last year. I think they are mammoths as they are now well over 15 ft high. One laid down but stayed rooted and bloomed, which to me is another beautiful lesson from nature. We may get knocked around a bit, but no matter what keep blooming.

I mentioned that I was taking a little break from pottery. Well I finally took the plunge and bought an espinner. This past week in between batches of preserving garden treasures I spun my first fiber braid. What an experience! The Sweet School of Georgia and a very dear friend of mine, Sarah have been amazing. I spun a full braid, made a 2 ply yarn, washed it and it is now drying. She is full of character with her wobbles. I am very much looking forward to knitting her up.

I hope to do some more spinning as well as finishing up some other projects and clean the pottery. This month is always a busy one for us. With the garden chores and the regular goings on, it is also our boys’ birthday month. So a very busy and very special month for us.

Are you excited for Fall? What projects are you working on? Any plans for handmade gifts for the holidays?

Happy Monday Friends.

Summer Days

Every winter when the days are short and everything seems to slow down I plan for the coming spring. And every year I think “this is it, this is the year I have a solid plan and will get things done” and every year the cart goes off the rails. I have decided that this year I am accepting that I am just along for the ride.

We did manage to get the rock down in the garden before the heat hit. Thank goodness. With this heat we can manage a bit of time in the garden but not long before we cool off in the pool. Which the boys are are very much enjoying this summer. The garden is doing well although the Japanese Beetles have been wreaking havoc. We applied beneficial nematodes however we waited too long and they were already pretty well established. Leigh Anne with GlennLeighFarms got herself a dust buster to vacuum them up. Mine should be arriving any day now, I am determined to save the rose hips and rhubarb! Wish me luck.

Finished up the pre order for Mushroom Root, whew that took a lot out of me. Happy that everything has been sent off to their new homes. At first I kind of didn’t know what to do with myself to be honest. I had been so focused on getting the orders done that everything else got pushed to the side. It has been nice to putter in the sewing room, finish up quilts for the boys I started a while back. I have been planning all the new projects I want to do. I want to sew some dresses, start some quilts, work on fairy houses, try my hand at watercolors, knit a few rows, cast on a few things…. throw in some embroidery, crochet and oh I almost forgot. Spinning. I ordered the Ashford espinner 3 and I so excited!

Miss Clover has taken to her role as emotional knitting support companion. More like crochet support companion. I have been trying to crochet this cowl and my gosh I can’t get my stitch count right the first time for anything. It is only an 18 row pattern and I think I have done each row 2-3 times to get the stitch count right. I would have several of these by now if I had the right amount of stitches the first time.

I am excited for fall. I had plans for the pottery for the fall and holiday season but I am not sure if I will be pushing through to do that this year. I am leaning towards taking a break from this season and embrace a slower pace. We shall see. I am looking forward to crisp air, steaming mugs of magical goodness.. add in some cozy knits and I am all set.

I just set out my little kit from Alicia Paulson (Posiegetscozy) on my knitting dresser. I told myself I couldn’t start it until I finish one of my current works in progress. We shall see if I can stick to that.

I would love to hear what you are working on. Did you plant a garden this year? How is it going so far?

Cottage Witchery

There is a chill in the air, the leaves are starting change and I am loving it. The garden has seemed to calm and soon we will be tidying her up for her winters rest. I find that I too am slowing a bit, taking in the changing of the season. Slow days, enjoying cozy meals, candle light, cardigans, quilts and hand knitted socks keeping our toes nice and toasty.

Most days you can find me juggling homeschooling, cottage witchery and making pottery. A while back I moved my sewing studio upstairs and moved the pottery to the main floor. This way I was closer and more able to multi task daily chores and activities. That being said I had yet to take the time and get my sewing room in working order. I took the time this week while my next pottery collection was drying and then was in the kiln for their first round of firing to do just that.

I can definitely tell Autumn has arrived in our home, cobblers in cast iron, steaming mugs of magical goodness, lots of knitting, puttering and nesting….. making cozy spaces, working on holiday gifts. I have a few quilts to get on the long arm and several things I need to get off the needles. How about you? Are you working on any handmade gifts for the winter holiday? I am debating if I should cast on for a knitted stocking…. I would love to hear what you are making!

Hope you are enjoying a cozy start to Autumn if that is the season where you are.

love and magic to you my friends.