technical difficulties

I feel so frustrated!  It's been a week and I'm just now getting to post again.  My computer is sick and I'm trying to figure out what to do to make it better.  Let's just say, we recently gave Geek Squad a great deal of money to fix said computer, but alas, some computer buggie is still lurking inside.  How frustrating. 

So, it's back to Geek Squad for that temporarily useless paper weight.  For now, I'm logging on using my daughter's computer.  Unfortunately, it doesn't have my normal photo editing software, so my post is pictureless today.  Until the computer geeks can figure out what's wrong, I'm sorry to say, I won't be able to post for a while -- at least not with pictures.  And what good is a gypsyticks post with no pictures?  Ugghh...

Well, hopefully my trusty computer will be back in good health soon.  Until then, I wish you sunny spring days, healthy computers, happy blogging and ...

blessings and happiness,

Athena

playtime

We have been so blessed this week with warm spring weather.  I can not begin to tell you how thankful for that we are.  So since today was Friday and it was so beautiful outside, I took the children to the park for a little playtime on the way home from school.

It was so nice to enjoy some time outside together.

After we played, we walked around the pond and waterfalls where a few geese and ducks were enjoying the spring weather, too. 

After a stroll along the path, my attention was drawn to a group of train cars at rest on a nearby switch track.  I thought Sean might like to go over and take a closer look since he likes trains.  As we got closer this is what we saw.

I never can tell what graffiti says (which is probably a good thing), but I like the bright colors and think in its own way, it's art. 

I hope no matter where you are, you have some spring weather to enjoy and maybe some unexpected art to discover, too.  Enjoy your weekend!

blessings and happiness,

Athena

getting to work

I finally got to work on a project that's been waiting for me.  I am making a pair of curtain panels for a window in the master bath.  It's one of those big 46 x 46 windows right over the tub that builders are using these days.  Who wants a giant window right over the tub?  Any way, since it's a custom size, and I can't buy store-bought curtains the right size, I'm making my own.

This is a cream colored light weight upholstery/home decor fabric with beautiful embroidery in silver and a very pale lavender.  You can barely tell the difference, but the leaves are silver and the stems are lavender.

I'm definitely not an advanced seamstress, so I'm keeping it simple and making two panels that will hang from curtain rod clips.  Basically two lined rectangles.  Simple right?

measuring and pinning for the hems

I was doing great until (after it was too late), I discovered I didn't allow enough seam allowance of the liner fabric.  Basic sewing mistake #1!  I was so intent on measuring and doing math and adding seam allowances for the actual panel fabric, that I didn't take the same precaution for the liner.  Uggh.  I'm sure all you expert seamstresses (and my Mom) are just mortified.  Sorry.

Fortunately, it's a mistake that won't show and only I (and you) will know.  Tomorrow it's on to panel number 2 and then hopefully the installation so I can show you how they look hanging up.  :)

blessings and happiness,

Athena

so thankful

  A close friend recently came over for a visit to see our new house.  She was so sincerely encouraging and uplifting and joyful in our blessing.  She thoroughly relished seeing each room and would comment on the little details she enjoyed.  When she came into our living room, she said she felt peace.  I was like, "Yes!  That's exactly how I feel. And that's how I want people who come to our home to feel.  Peace."

I feel so thankful, grateful, and in awe of how blessed we are to have this beautiful home.  I thank God daily for all He has given us.  I'm so happy to finally be able to share little snapshots of it with you.  I hope you don't mind.  I hope you don't think it's cheesy or vain.  I just want to share some of my joy with you. 

My little knitting corner.

I hope that not only in my home, but also here in my little gypsysticks piece of blogland all who enter feel ...

... welcome to put your feet on the coffee table, and pull out your knitting.  Thank you for allowing me to share a little piece of my world and my happiness with you.  As always, I wish you

blessings and happiness,

Athena

happy valentine's day

This is what my wonderful husband brought home yesterday.  Aren't they lovely?  The fragrance is intoxicating and is already filling the living room.  I always tell Rob, I'll take flowers any day of the year, but I hate for him to pay the outrageous Valentine's dDay prices.  So usually he gets me chocolate or some other special treat.  But yesterday he couldn't resist these stargazer lilies because he knew how much I love their fragrance.  (And it helps bring spring a little early for us to enjoy inside).

The children came home with treats and cards from their friends in school, we enjoyed a quiet family dinner at home, some special Valentine's presents sent in the mail from Grama, and then a movie after the children went to bed.  Later today we're going to a local Japanese steak house to have our Valentine's dinner date.  I hope you're enjoying some special time with the special people in your life, too. 

blessings and happiness,

Athena

a good start

Yesterday after taking the children to school, I had a few brief errands to run, one of which was a trip to a local chocolate shop.  Well,  I don't know about you, but leaving a chocolate shop empty-handed is like leaving a yarn shop empty-handed -- not happening. 

So as a treat to myself (I rarely buy nice chocolate for myself) I bought a few truffles to enjoy at home.  As I cast on my new sweater, I sat back and relaxed and enjoyed a little peace and a little piece of chocolate.  I think it was a good way to start.   :)

Rob's due back from a trip later today, so I'm doing laundry and tidying things up a bit, but I'm definitely going to squeeze in some more time for knitting.  What are you making time for today?

blessings and happiness,

Athena

new yarn

Many things in life bring me great joy, and one of them is new yarn.  There's nothing quite like having a day to myself to go to my favorite yarn shop and indulge in new yarn.  You may recall I've had a sweater pattern that I've been wanting to make and just hadn't found the perfect yarn for.  So yesterday my good friend Madeline from Knit1WeaveToo helped me pick the perfect one. 

This is Cascade Yarn's Lana d'Oro -- and the name says it all -- wool of gold.  It's 50% wool, 50% alpaca (my favorite fiber!).  It's amazingly soft, and not too expensive.  I haven't cast on yet, and still need to do my gauge swatches, but I'm really looking forward to getting started. 

I chose kind of a loden green because it's kind of nuetral without being beige or grey, and I think it will look good with purple (which I wear a lot of).  It's tweedy, so hopefully that will prevent me from getting bored after 1,775 yards of knitting.  (I don't know about you, but knitting with a variegated or textured yarn always keeps me from getting bored with a project before it's done.  I'd go mad if I had to knit the whole thing with a completely monochromatic yarn!)

Although it's cold outside, it's quiet and warm inside (praise God) -- a hot cup of tea and it will be the perfect day to sit down and knit.  What are you creating today?

blessings and happiness,

Athena

art room

First off, I have to say the close up pictures are the little things that make me happy, but the wider angle shots are the ones that tell the whole story.  So I'll preface the tour by telling you that our new house is a two story craftsman style house in a new neighborhood.  It's a brand new house, but it feels old because of some the features built into it.  (I love old houses, Rob not-so-much.  So this is a good compromise for us.)

My art room is actually in the basement, which is a walk-out that we plan to finish.  So for now my room is unfinished so you'll have to pardon the exposed wall studs, insulation and concrete walls.  But what I do love is that I have a great window and door that let in lots of light and lead out to the patio and backyard.  In fact, this was the view out back 2 days ago.  We had just gotten another round of snow and the trees looked beautiful. 

So I hope you enjoy this tour of a little bit of my new world. 

If I could, I'd invite you over for a cup of tea.  We could chat about blogland, our art, our families, the weather, maybe a favorite book...  But I guess this is the next best thing.  So thanks for stopping by and as always, I wish you...

blessings and happiness,

Athena

fresh start

I know it seems lame, but one of my favorite rooms in the new house (besides my art room) is the laundry room.  In our other house, the laundry room was very utilitarian.  You walked through it on the way from the garage to the kitchen and it had a wall of very sturdy wood shelves Rob built that became home to all sorts of things from pancake griddles to life jackets to paint.  So my old laundry room did not give me much of a chance to make it look cute or pretty.  And it definitely didn't motivate me to want to go get the laundry done!

So in this house it's been a blessing to have a little more "privacy" to make things pretty.  :)

It's funny how having a room that makes you feel happy or special makes you enjoy even doing your chores a little more. 

This little window makes me happy because the cafe curtains are actually kitchen towels that were hand-embroidered by my grandmother.  So it makes me feel like a little piece of history is here with me.  I never met her so the vintage linens I have of hers are very dear to me.

Even the vintage Dubl Handl washboard was used by my other grandmother.  Can you imagine what they would think of our modern washing machines and how easy our chores are today?

Thank God we don't have to do it this way any more.  I never realized it, but even my favorite apron pays homage to the laundresses of old. 

So as I begin with a fresh start looking forward to the future, I carry on thankful for my past and the little vintage pieces of it that surround me.  Maybe that's why I'm so drawn to vintage and antique things -- they're comforting and reassuring -- just the way I imagine my grandmothers would have been.

blessings and happiness,

Athena