What I've been doing...

My bees are all snuggled in for the winter. I still have a couple of things to do, which I'll explain later, but for the most part, they are ready. And I didn't have anywhere I HAD to be this week. Besides the grocery store. So I've been practicing making more of these crochet holders. They look easy enough but it's hard to get the circles to look good and the clay even.

And I've been crocheting more flowers like I showed you in a previous post. But I've also been making some out of this Christmas yarn. My first thought was to use it for a Christmas bunting, with the balls in between the flowers and maybe hang it on a tree, or across a mirror, or a picture. But then I thought it might be cute with a pin on the back, worn on a lapel, or a scarf, or a sweater. Or they could be hung on a tree. What to do....

I've also made some more stars and trees. I was wondering, for you crocheters out there, how do you stiffen your motifs? I've never made anything like this before and have heard of several different ways of making them hard so they will hang properly.

Between crafting, and cleaning, a little bit of house painting, and moving winter stuff back from our house we are not moved into yet, (I had to throw that in there) I've been cutting the last of the flowers I grew.

Saving seeds.

and bringing plants indoors.

oh yeah....and decorating for Halloween!

My nieces are planning to come and stay with us this weekend. They haven't stayed all night in ages. Rumor has it, my great niece is coming too.

And now...thoughts from a peri-menopausal woman...(this might become a new feature)

I am OK with winter coming on. I am. For those of you that do not know me, I usually love decorating, entertaining, and the holidays. Spending time with family and friends, creating traditions and keeping up the old ones. And I usually enjoy winter because it's a lot less work! No gardening, no beekeeping, no food preserving, just snuggling in, watching Hallmark or Lifetime and crafting. But last year was not good for me. I have actually had the stomach flu the last two Thanksgivings, and missed out on our traditional festivities. I was sick most of last winter and for a time didn't leave the house for two weeks. Building the house has been a lot of stress. Last year was supposed to be the last year that we were to live in the house we are living in, so I took our winter stuff and our wall decorations and some furniture to the new home. Now I'm bringing the winter stuff back. More stress. But you know what? It's going to be OK. And my house I am living in may not be perfect, but it's got a lot of memories. Good memories. And I do love it here, so I'm going to embrace the holidays, keep with traditions, snuggle in and enjoy the season, because I do believe this will be the last winter at our old loving home. I will cry when I leave this place. It's special.

Edited to add..another thought. Blogger is ticking me off, for obvious reasons....

Cindy Bee