Here is the first new pattern off my needles in years - Ametista (amethyst in Portuguese). It's been a while since I exercised my knitting chops and I had to remember how to write a pattern. But, it's kind of like riding a bicycle, you might be shaky at first but it all comes rushing back. This cute little number was inspired by the beautiful amethysts from Brazil, and it's part of the Armchair Travelers series that I have started designing. I am so happy to be knitting again! Of course it always helps to have a beautiful model to... Continue reading

I've had a bit of a hiatus from knitting and blogging in my life as I navigated some real life stuff. But, I'm happy to report, that the knitting love has come back to me, and I'm back to designing again. One of the things that happens when you are a knitwear designer, is that you rarely knit for pleasure. You're always working out pattern logistics and, at least for me, I feel guilty if I'm knitting and it's not design work. Now that my knitting mojo has come back to me, I'm going to try to be a bit... Continue reading

It's been a long time since I posted on this blog. I've been healing and growing, while finding a new focus in life. Along the way I began to date, I got engaged, and now I'm married. Who knew that lightning could strike twice in life. I am twice lucky, and twice blessed. I haven't had a lot to say during this process, I had to turn inward to find out who I am and where my life is taking me. But lately I've had a little bit of a hankering to write again. And so I'm considering resurrecting this... Continue reading

Oy! Rain, snow, sleet, snow, rain, sleet, freezing rain, snow, snow, snow. It's enough to give me da crazy eyes, if ya know what I mean. Continue reading

Well kiddos, this ain't LA I'm livin' in. They got this crazy stuff here called snow. It'll freeze your kishkas off (if you still got 'em). Anyhow the superstars seem to love the stuff, so I guess it can't be all bad. Best part is that it tastes delicious (except... Continue reading

This gorgeous, sleek gal is Daisy. She's not only beautiful but she has brains too. And, she can kick anyone's can down the lane if you know what I mean. Daisy is our undisputed fearless leader. I got a bit of a crush for Daisy but I'm a little bit... Continue reading

Hey Babies, I am ringing in the new year with my new life. And it's aaaaalll gooooood! I'm getting over all those dog shelter blues, my skin is looking smooooooooth, baby, and I'm rolling in the horse poop, er hay! Seriously, peeps, my new year's resolution is no shelter ever... Continue reading

So, like I said, I moved in with these supermodels. I calls 'em the superstars. I mean these guys are gorgeous, athletic and they know all the commands.... sit, stay, wait for the cookie on your nose. I have trouble just controlling how much my butt wiggles from my front.... Continue reading

I'm Otis, Otis Wishbone Ziffel, for short. I've seen a lot of things, some beautiful things and some things you don't want to know. I came from California where I went through a rough patch, living in a shelter in the seedy part of town and begging scraps from the... Continue reading

Although it's deep winter right now, I am feeling the stirrings of spring within my knitting soul. I have been inspired to dust off my Ravelry store, resurrect my old patterns and... gasp.... cast on for new ones! In gratitude for the return of my knitting mojo, I am running a series of sales in my Ravelry store. I'll periodically announce new sales in my Ravelry group, and also here on the blog. It feels great to be back! My current sales are: Birch Dreaming Deep - $1.99 Birch is a great crescent shape worked in garter side to side... Continue reading

I have always loved the holidays, I love the family, the good cheer, the decorating and for heaven's sake I love the baking! I always happily gain weight during the holidays because I am in love with all those treats! This year was particularly wonderful for me, I spent glorious weeks celebrating not just one, but two holidays, and I cooked up a storm. And, as much as I love the holidays, I also love when they are over. The quiet interim between Christmas and New Year when you begin to shift gears, wind down from the excitement and quietly... Continue reading

Wishing a good Veteran's Day to all of the brave men and women who voluntarily put themselves in harm's way for our sakes. Thank you for your service, you are appreciated. Special thanks to my Airforce cousins and Marine inlaws. Regardless of how you feel about any particular conflict, our veterans deserve respect and honor for the sacrifices they make for our country. In honor of veteran's day I made a donation to my favorite veteran organization Semper Fi Fund. There are many organizations out there that help veterans, I like Semper Fi Fund because 94% of the donations made... Continue reading

It's been a while, since I last felt the urge to share my world here on the blog. It has been a difficult year and a half as I learned how to navigate widowhood, groundlessness, fear, sadness and darkness. But the beauty is that within all that pain, there is still the spark of life and joy and courage and meaning. Steadily that spark has grown in my life to the point where I now feel strong and capable again, able to contribute again, to the point where I have rediscovered joy. Sorry to have been gone so long, but... Continue reading

Friday marked the 365th day since my beloved Rustle left this earth. I have learned and felt so much in this year. The pain and sorrow has been exquisite, but so has the hope and joy and beauty. Several months into this grief year, I came to the conclusion that, if I wasn't ready to die (and I'm not), then I might as well live, and live well. That's what Rustle would have wanted for me, and it's what I want for myself. This process of shedding pain and re-opening my wounded heart to life hasn't been easy. Every step... Continue reading

If you're gonna hike in Oregon, (sooner, rather than later), you're gonna have a day of liquid sunshine to contend with. One of the things I love about Oregonians, is that they don't let a little thing like rain stop them from having a good time. They just put on... Continue reading

A sweet little 1 mi hike. A good volume of water was coming over the falls and I got to take a few photos before my battery ran out. Camera: Canon D7 ISO: 3200 lens: 18mm aperture: f3.5 shutter speed: 1/1600 I wanted to try and capture the droplets and... Continue reading

One day last winter we awoke to find a special visitor in our garage. A little western screech owl had found its way in and was settling down for a nice daytime nap when we discovered him. We opened the garage door to let him out, but he was uninterested... Continue reading

Snow? or Cosmos? Here in the PNW, our snow is often heavy and wet. I was recently visiting in the Eastern Sierra, though, where the snow is huge, light, fluffy and powdery soft. I took the opportunity to get out my good camera and the macro lens and peer into... Continue reading

Sweet Creek on the right, marries Beaver Creek on the left in the Beaver Creek Falls Named after the Sweet family, pioneer homesteaders in the area, Sweet Creek is a truly sweet little hike. Lovely cascades, roaring falls and lush coastal rainforest make this a great scenic hike for photographers... Continue reading

I've always believed in starting a new year with the motto "start as you mean to go on... " This year has been so difficult, the hardest year of my life. But 2014 is here now, and I wanted to start it off with something to set the tone for the next year. So I went snow camping! I've never been snow camping but it sounded adventurous and I want more adventure in 2014. I set out with 4 people I'd never met before and ended up with 4 new best friends. A perfect way to ring out the old... Continue reading

Every year I find my "holiday" pattern. I can't manage to design AND make it through the holidays at the same time, I need a pattern by someone else, something I don't have to invent as I go. Some years it's been a hat, others a scarf. This year it's something completely different.... I've been in a knitting fever lately working on sweaters, and other stealthy holiday projects. But when I go out knitting with friends or have them over to tea, I need something quick, something simple and something cool to knit. And I found the perfect pattern in... Continue reading

One of the strange blessings you get when your heart is ripped wide open, is that now your heart is wide open. Like that first morning blink when the lights get turned on, at first it seems as if you won't be able to sustain this level of interaction with the world. Not only is the pain exquisite, but also the joy, love, and beauty. But the longer I have lived with my heart wide open, the more I have come to appreciate, and even thrive with, this level of interaction in the world. Although I don't recommend this method... Continue reading

"the cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears, or the sea" - isak dineson One of the ways I have been coping with loss in my life, is to remember the things I have and to be grateful for them. Early on in my grief journey I began posting photos of friends on my refrigerator to remind me of all the people I still have in my life, instead of always thinking of what I have lost. But, for a long time, I still wasn't sure how much of my former life I could regain. Sometimes when our... Continue reading

I am sitting in my darkened house, feeling a bit sad that I had to cancel my classes at Stitches East due to the flu from hades that invaded my lungs this week. When you're ill you are a walking Typhoid Mary that should be quarantined away from all decent (and indecent) folk. And yet, you crave contact and comfort when you feel vulnerable and in pain, some kind of human touch. So as I was wallowing in these thoughts and hacking up a lung, a little voice that's been in the back of my mind got a little bit... Continue reading

Continue reading