et voila!

The 5 hour/5 day cardigan is done - added some fancier trumpet style sleeves and the sweetest snow bird buttons to complete it and it looks beautiful:

I will definitely be making another one - but this time remembering the whole, no pun intended, knit into the back not front to get the holey lacey effect you want for girlish style. But as it is I love it. Can't wait to see baby wearing it with a little sleepsuit underneath. Perfect for chilly winter days! Next on the knitting agenda is a hat using Martha Stewart's yarn range, available at Michaels. I'm switching the colors a bit and doing a soft lilac instead of the green - I think it will be beautiful. Will update with a completed pic when it's finished.

a chill in the air

To consider we had temps touching 80f last week brrr not so this week! It's in the 40s today and there was a hard frost last night.  According to the weather forecast tomorrow on is to be back 60s high 50s.. and I'm really hoping that this is the absolute last cold day of Winter - or Spring as it is now! I have racks of plants waiting to be planted outside, and some are starting to get a bit leggy argh. I will be planting more today some lovely Canterbury Bells, Snapdragons and Asters. Tomorrow I'll be out all day sorting out where my raised beds will be going, as I want to get them ready for planting after Easter.  I need to take measurements for edging too, as right now I'm doing it with logs - and with the threat of those nasty termites ever present - don't want to keep that there for long! There are beautiful Hyacinth popping up all over the place, daffodils, tulips, bluebells and the peonies that sprung up last week are now a good 12 inches tall!

Haven't seen a hummingbird yet - but I'm ever hopeful! Spent most of the weekend choosing patio furniture - so hard when they all seem to look the same - but I think I've settled on this Martha Stewart set from the Home Depot http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=202497395&storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=202497395&cm_mmc=shopping-_-googlebase-_-D28X-_-202497395

I like that all the chairs are swivel, I also like the tabletop very much. Not sure I'm keen on the linen effect chairs but at least I don't need to buy cushions for it! I also want a small bistro or what they call a conversations et for the top deck - basically a sofa, 2 chairs and a low table.  Then there's the BBQ to consider.  We have a gas hookup outside - but there's something about cooking on coals that makes it more authentic - after all I have an amazing 5 ring burner in my kitchen so why would I put one outside too? I'm launching a new hair flower range - Maribella Rose next week.  Really need to step to it picking what colors and themes I'm going with, and I plan to do the first show of the season at Spring-fest in Nyack, so there's that to organize too.. then there's always laundry and cleaning, and unpacking, and making lists for the home side of the renos - back to the grindstone!