One Down, One to Go!

Baby booties, that is. (These aren't my booties. This is the photo of the pattern from the book.)

I finally got knitting on this tricky pattern.

It calls for a "boucle" yarn -- a yarn made with lots and lots of tiny loops (almost curls) all along the yarn strand. I had this yarn in my stash:

Some knitting is easy on the hands with little tension. This pattern is not one of those :( 

I knitted the first little bootie and had to stop for the day - sore hands. I'll do the second one tomorrow, I hope.

 There's an i-cord band around the opening, but you'd never know it with all those loops. It was a little maddening avoiding putting one of the double-pointed needles through those loops.

 Double-pointeds were made to drive knitters insane.

Pretty flowers at the grocery store, just for you!

Last but not least, here are the cards I've painted since we last chatted. I've sold some more in the past week! So exciting. Many, many thanks to my encouraging customers who are dear friends.

Another misty forest scene

 Lots of layered flowers

 Another ocean scene, this time without the tutorial

 And two cares with text - a first! Chickens seems a good idea, since they always have lots to say.

I haven't been feeling quite up to par lately -- tooth trouble, achy neck, general fatigue, and a lymph gland in my neck that seems a bit large. Just stuff. I try to take it easier than usual. The weather here (we really can't complain, compared to other places) has been cold, crazy windy, and rainy. We are hunkered down inside until we see blue skies again!

Oh!!! And Lady Grey, one of my silkie hens, has decided to go broody again! I thought she was a bit long in the tooth for that behavior, but no! I'm hoping for a few little chicks in about 20 days. Hooray! Here's the mama: