How I spent my birthday

I was fortunate to spend my birthday at Boyne Highlands in Harbor Springs. I attended a statewide conference for child support (my paying job) and had the opportunity to meet with my co-workers from all over the state. We do this once a year and this year it landed on my birthday.

This is the view from outside of my window.

It was a great conference, spent with wonderful people, learning about new and updated items.

And I love fall!!!!

It is Done!

I blocked it and now I am wearing it.



Lovely yarn, lovely pattern, lovely scarf.

Life is good (especially since it is also the fall season).

Get your dogs on

We love knitting. We love kitties. And we love puppies.

Meet Hallelujah, a Briard.

She had a great time checking out the shoppe.



This is Rory. He is a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever.


He never sits still.




Always in motion.

What to do when you are not knitting

When I went over to the Post Office the other morning, I saw these.

Nothing like cruising.

Got Kittens?

Last Monday, Jill pointed out a grey tabby in our back yard. When we tried to get a closer look, she would scoot under the back deck.











Later this week, I found out that we had kittens under the front deck. Five of them!





Do you know anyone who wants a sweet kitten?

You can have your summers

I am in the minority. I have a problem with summer. I do not like bugs, heat, or humitity. I don't want to garden and pull weeds. I don't mind mowing the lawn.

I would rather look at falling leaves and rake them. I love to have snow melting on my face and I have fun shoveling.

But, and this is a big "but" - there is something I do like about summer. I like the farmer's markets and roadside stands. I grew up in a farming community and I used to bike up to the local roadside stand and buy fresh vegetables. (asparagus and corn on the cob stand out in my mind)

I stopped at the farmer's market in Suttons Bay this morning and picked up some goodies.


I bought fresh basil and garlic to make pesto. (ask me how good my car smells)

















I have green beans, cucumbers, and lettuce.



And then I treated myself to a pecan roll and flowers.






















So, I guess summer is not all that bad.

Can't stop obsessing

When Linda, my Classic Elite yarn representative, showed me this

this past spring, I fell in lust. Then other parts of life took over and I forgot about the yarn.

This weekend I was back on Ravelry (as always) and found this scarf, again.



75% rayon, 25% linen.


There are more patterns for this yarn, but this was the clincher. I ordered several different colors today.

Renate Hiller - "On Handwork"

What a wonderful way to explain why we should create.

Art Walk

We had an Art Walk Friday night and it was fantastic!



Lots of people, good food and music, and amazing artists. If you did not attend, you missed a fun party.Our featured artist was Vanessa Fox-Gruenwald of Laughing Fox Studio. I know Vanessa as she works at the MSU Extension Office. I kinda knew she was an artist, but I really found out when she brought her art to the shoppe. Here is what Vanessa has to say:

Multi-media artist and educator for more than 25 years, Vanessa Fox-Gruenwald of Laughing Fox Studio in Suttons Bay, Michigan is also a published, award-winning photographer and writer who incorporates architectural glass and clay with found objects from nature, junkyards, and recycle centers to create on-of-a-kind jewelry and art works that grace people, homes, and gardens across the country.

For the 2010 kick-off Art Walk in Suttons Bay on Friday, June 25th, she will show her current work with a highlight on her collections of custom buttons designed to compliment the full range of artisan yarns available specifically at the Thistledown Shoppe. These miniature artworks are in high demand by fiber artists and are of limited availability.

We were busy and I just wasn't able to take out the camera. So, what you are seeing are the buttons Vanessa left with us for the next week and what I purchased from her.

Fairy portal

Pins and sun catcher

Stop by the shoppe and to see her buttons and then visit her at the Leland Art Fair on July 10, 2010.

Knitting on

Every week folks bring in what they have made. Here are photos of some recent projects


Autumn Shawl


Misti Alpaca socks



Socks knitted with Alpaca Sox




Hooded cardigan knitted with Marble and Northern Worsted.

Light, Luscious, and Lacey

Nancy came in today and brought her summer sweater
that she knit with Cotton Fleece. Here is the picture of the pattern.

It is Aconitum Lace from the Knitter's Spring 2010 magazine.

Here is what she knit.





What do you think?
Nancy says it is easy.

The lovely button is from the downtown yarn shop in Traverse City (shhh, it is Lost Art).

I told her she could knit one for me next time, only I want mine longer.

Namaste

We have a new product line - Namaste.



Ask Ruth, Diane, and I how much we love it.

Namaste carries knitting bags, needle cases, clutches, wallets, pouches, binders, and cases.

I snatched up the eggplant colored Laguna and receive compliments whenever I am out and about.

Stop by and if we do not have what you want in stock, we will order it.