Vitamin D

I haven't actually been crafting that much these last few weeks. Finals and papers kind of prohibit that. I am studying outside, though, and soaking up some Vitamin D. It is 75 degrees here in Greenville! I can't remember having a December this warm. I could really enjoy having a seventy degree winter, but we've already had several cold weeks. 

I'm sitting underneath this stunning old magnolia that grows outside my dorm, studying chemistry, or rather, taking a study break. 

Below is the view from my window. The porch roof of my dormitory collects rainwater, which means that many of the little birds come to drink and splash around. 

Here is a dried hydrangea from my grandmother's garden.

This is a pair of hand warmers I knit this fall from the remaining yarn from the In Threes Baby Cardigan in that lovely blue and beige variegated. The yarn was purchased at the yarn shop, Unwind, in Rhode Island. 

What's the weather like in your town? What are you making? Please leave a comment below! Merry Christmas!

Crafting Alphabet C: Christmas

As Christmas approaches, I want to have a focus on why we celebrate Christmas. Not the panic or stress of Christmas shopping, buying gifts that will put me in debt, but focusing on God's grace in my life. I don't deserve His daily mercies that are new every morning. Lamentations 3:22-23 says: "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning, great is your faithfulness." 

As finals press closer and stress builds, I try to take a few minutes every day to knit a few rows, read my Bible, breathe. 

Over Thanksgiving break, I had a wonderful time visiting with family and got to go on a few walks through the park near my home.

Here's my sister modeling the blue hat I knit this summer from New England Knits with a swirly, fluffy scarf that I learned to knit this week. I didn't make that particular scarf, I made another like it. It's fun to see my sister layer on the hand knits for the winter weather.

My other sister happily modeled the beret from last week on this blog. 

When I returned to school, I put up some little white lights and put a little Charlie Brown Christmas tree in my window. I made Christmas wreaths with friends a few weeks ago while singing Christmas carols together.

I'm currently working on a pair of gray hand warmers. Pictures will follow. 

In the meantime, please leave a comment about what you're doing for crafts, reading, or any other traditions this Christmas season. Are you making your Christmas gifts? Knitting? Any other crafts? What are ways that you and your family celebrate Christmas? I love to hear new ideas, so leave a comment!

Crafting Alphabet: B

Here is a beret I finished a few months ago from the Koolaid Dyeing Project. It was a really fun project, especially after dyeing the yarn myself in the garage, using stepladders to hang the yarn to dye, and making a total mess. The pattern is "Pebbled Beanie" by designer Elisabeth Parker from Weekend Hats. The pattern took longer than I expected, but I'm looking forward to wearing it in this cool weather. 

Campus has definitely gotten much colder since the weekend. I've been using more of my hand knits, enjoying the fall colors, but not the freezing weather. But after a few days of gray rain, a rain-free day today was lovely. 

Isn't this Japanese red maple stunning? It's right outside my Spanish building, so I get to see it progress in its glory each day. Are you enjoying the cold or disliking the wind and rain?

I hope you all are having a wonderful autumn!

Crafting Alphabet: A

A is for the autumn light filtering through the changing trees.

Grayness has descended on ECU's campus, with a light, cold drizzle. The autumn colors are not as brilliant as they were in the sunshine from a few days ago, but they're comforting splashes of color against a white sky and the gray cement. 

Below is the view from my window. I've really enjoyed watching this huge tree change colors. 

A is for apples in season.

My apple, my favorite fingerless mitts, and my view. 

I hand-dyed the yarn for these mitts in a dyeing class. I couldn't decide between the colors silver, brown, beige, pink, and blue, so my instructor let me use them all, even though I was supposed to pick three. 

The pattern was a simple, fun pattern from One Skein: 30 Quick Projects to Knit or Crochet by Leigh Radford. It's become one of my easy go-to pattern for gift knitting because they fit almost anyone's hands easily and they are fun to make. 

What are you doing this gray, autumn day?

Autumn Knitting and Trees

Fall has come in all its glory to Greenville. The trees are stunning and fill me with an excitement to see all the blazing colors as I do the ordinary, everyday things of life, walking to class, going to the dining hall, or reading on the mall.

El otoño ha venido en todo de su gloria a Greenville. Los árboles están impresionantes y me llenan con la emoción para ver todos los colores llameados como hago las cosas normal de la vida, caminando a la clase, yendo a la cafetería o leyendo en el campo en el centro de la universidad.

I have had some knitting time during my classes. Below are some of my creations and fall crafts.

He tenido algo tiempo para tejer durante mis clases. Debajo hay unas de mis creaciones y mis artes del otoño.

I am enjoying having the cool weather to wear all my knitted hats and scarves. I am also slowly getting ready for Christmas gift knitting. Have you started on your Christmas knitting? Are you enjoying the weather?

Me encanta el tiempo fresco para llevar mis sombreros, chulos y bufandas tejidos. También estoy preparando para tejer los regalos para la Navidad. ¿Has comenzado tejer los regalos para la Navidad? ¿Te encanta el tiempo del otoño?

Knitting on the Mall and the Morehead City trip

I got to knit a few days ago on the mall. I am working on a chullo from Andean Knits for a professor of mine who requested a hat. He's a very artsy professor, so I decided I would go ahead and make something more unique than a standard beanie. He also lets me knit during his class and he frequently asks me questions about my knitting.

A few Saturdays, I went with a few of my friends to the Homecoming Parade. I didn't even go to the game afterwards, but I really enjoyed the parade.

Yesterday, I went to Beaufort, Pine Knoll Shores, and Morehead City for an Honors College trip. We went to the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Laboratories, and the NC Maritime Museum in Beaufort. 

Below is a picture from a boat restoration building that is connected with the Maritime Museum. They are restoring several wooden boats that used to be used as the life boats on the navy ships before they were replaced with their fiberglass counterparts.

We had lunch in a lovely home overlooking the intercostal waterway in Pine Knoll Shores. The house had a dock that went out into the water that we went out on to take pictures. Some of my friends even fed the fish.

Below are two pictures from the NOAA center in Beaufort.

We went to the aquarium and got to go behind the scenes, try on scuba gear, see the sea turtle perform a few tricks to get pieces of green peppers.

Here's one of the really cute baby sea turtles on display in the aquarium. 

Here's a lion fish at the aquarium that we saw.

Yes, I almost fell in trying to reach the sting ray (with the stinger removed, of course) that was in the interactive exhibit.

The dock in Beaufort was lovely! I really enjoyed walking around in the evening breeze, taking pictures and enjoying the brilliant blue sky that was fading into a misty sunset. I had fried shrimp for dinner at Clawsons on the street that overlooks the sound. 

I had a wonderful and restful weekend, but I'm really excited to start the new week. I'm registering for classes tomorrow at 6 am with everyone else in my dorm. I hope that I'll get to work on my knitting this week like last week. Any knitting projects or fun trips in the eastern North Carolina region that you would recommend? Please leave a comment below!

The Past Month

It is now cool enough to enjoy herbal tea, hot coffee, and, especially, hot chocolate. Here is a beautifully drizzled hot chocolate from the Scullery in downtown Greenville. It is such a lovely place to hang out with everyone being friendly. I want to go back and bring my knitting.

"Hug Me" is stenciled onto almost every tree on the mall. One day, I'm planning to go out on the mall and bring my knitting. Right now, I'm still busy with homework, exams, and essays. 

However, I finished the purple and gold scarflette in time to wear it to the Homecoming Parade today. It was nice and warm to wear while waiting for the parade to start. It was actually cold this morning!

The pin is a rose pin from my grandmother.

I have also finished the gray Greenery Hat, but I don't have pictures yet. I have also started knitting a brown chullo. What are your favorite small projects for keeping warm in autumn? Please leave your comments below!