Travelogue

As Alex shared with you last week, I had a cabin adventure in up north Wisconsin. Aside from the oppressive heat we are enduring in our state these days, the trip was wonderful. My littles got to experience boating, beach fun, campfires, rural attractions, and special time with family. A couple snapshots of the inspiring up north atmosphere...

Paddleboating

Amazing historic steam train

But my own personal vacation, the one where I make something or escape into a book. Always snuck in during the down times. Some of it at the cabin and some of it in my few days home before starting back to work at Company X. Well, it looks more like this...

Fox is coming to life

Super-secret knitting

Crocus sweater in progress

6x10 quilt blocks...tutorial to come

Really enjoying this book (and iced tea)

Some projects were touched more than others. An there is always the regrets of projects left undone (ie. the hand lotion bars I was hoping to make). If only vacation time could just move a little slower than regular time.

–Cassandra

I'm just like Ma Ingalls

Well, not really. But I am going to a cabin next week. And I am a mom.

I love you Caroline Ingalls.

Last year I wrote about our family camping vacation. It was real camping...tents, dirt, open fire cooking, and all. This year we are going to a cabin. From what I understand, this cabin on a lake business is "civilized" camping. I will have a kitchen, bathroom, shower, and all the outlets a girl could need. Total game-changer.

Where before I was worried about what to cook and how I was going to manage sleeping on an air mattress, now I am wondering what crafts to bring along. I realize that my "me time" will be limited and I will still be cooking, chasing little boys around, and trying to keep things clean. Still, I have visions of myself on a lawn chair in the shade, with some handwork on my lap.

Only my fellow crafters will understand when I say that I had a small bit of panic on this subject last night before I went to sleep. What I bring with me is REALLY important. Really, really.

Normally I would just lug along my knitting bag with whatever is currently on the needles. But it's going to be hot out. And I'm not sure I feel like working under a sweater that is 3/4 finished. And I'm probably going to be interrupted every 10 minutes so that could make the knitting design projects I have going difficult to keep track of with notations and all. Sewing machine? Yeah right. Maybe if it was a cabin full of my awesome girlfriends!

Embroidery....now that's a thought!

A tumble of floss that resides in my knitting bag.

Embroidery is so summer to me. Easy to pick up and put down. Lightweight and minimal on supplies. Love it. I have some plain flour sack dish towels in my cedar chest that have been waiting for embellishment for quite a while. See, my hoarding has paid off! :)

Also, there is one little guy left in our Woodland Series embroidery templates waiting to be stitched. We have Owl, Hare, and Bear for you as free downloads. But Fox, poor Fox...he was designed and then set aside for some bigger fish to fry. Maybe it's time to give him some color and share him with you. Yeah, he might just have to come up north with me.

Fox needs to be taken from sketch to reality.

Speaking of embroidery...this past weekend, I went antiquing at my favorite antique fair in Elkhorn, Wis. Wandering around the fair grounds pieces of embroidered fabric kept catching me eye. Still starched, never used, lovingly stitched items. Made me pause. I said to my mother, "see they made them and saved them for "special"....and they should have just used them everyday because here they sit." And I really believe that. Live with your handmade items. Every day is special.

I was wishing I had the initial S when I saw this beauty.

–Cassandra