happy

Hey Friends!  Hope you had the absolute happiest of days yesterday!  
As you may know, Chalk Lots is my little baby.  And I can't say enough about this little product.  We use them all of the time.  And over and over.  They come in Licorice (our beloved, classic black, or Graham Cracker, shown above) with 4 in a set, including a box of 12 ct. chalk.  They are thick and durable, have bull nosed edges, and engage family members while at the table.  We leave love notes, reminders, inspiration, play games, doodle, draw, create... use your imagination!
They make a great gift for the peeps on your holiday list or yourself!

As part of the happy weekend (black friday, small business saturday, cyber monday) we are offering 25% off your order. Enter code Happy at check out.

Thank you and have a Happy day!

xx,
leslie

faerie magazine giveaway

 Hey Friends!  Are you familiar with Faerie Magazine?  Well, it is A W E S O M E !
It's filled with a huge variety of lovely topics.  From travel, to poetry, to beauty tips, home decor, artist profiles, jewelry and on and on.
 And guess what?  They have recently added a knitting feature!  Cousins, Alice and Lisa Hoffman have joined amazing forces with Alice writing a fairy tale on Lisa's featured pattern.  The blue heron article in the fall issue is beautiful.   A fairy tale written around a knitting pattern in every issue?!  Magical!
 I absolutely loved the recipes featured in this issue.  As well as the article on bees, the poems, the makeup tips, the article on the golden gem, amber, the article on red mushrooms, the poison garden in  England, the enchanted kitchen and well, the entire thick paged mesmerizing magazine.  It really feels so good in my hands I don't want to put it down!
I have actually made both of these recipes and they were delicious.

The lovely peeps over at Faerie would love to giveaway a one year subscription of their lovely lifestyle magazine to one of my readers and a copy of this issue to two of my readers.  If interested, please leave a comment before Tuesday, December 1, 5pm EST and I will have the random number generator choose 3 names.

Also... I'm going to do my first Black Friday Sale on Chalk Lots.  I'll have the code here, on Facebook and over on Instagram.  Be sure to check back!

burton bear cowl

 This is one of those quick, inexpensive, cute and useful knits!
 It comes in every size.  From baby up to adult.  (If you need a baby, toddler gift... oh my!  The pattern has little ears.  So stinking cute!)
 I can see wearing this so much in that really cold weather this winter.  Just having something to pull up on your head quickly...pure coziness.
I just love how Trouble turns her head to fit through the fence.
 Anything for kisses.

Pattern:  Burton Bear Cowl
Yarn:  Wool-Ease Thick & Quick
Needle size:  US15
Size:  Adult

bella cowl on youtube

Remember the Bella Cowl?  Well, I receive quite a few emails about this pattern.  It is a 4 stitch, 4 row repeat that seems to play tricks on our minds.  
SO, my sister Shelly and I put together a little tutorial while we were away last month.   We had so much fun giggling and trying to keep my mom and other sister, Lisa, quiet.  I really hope I never forget my sister saying, "Quiet on the set!  A Friend to knit with, bella cowl, Take 52." I still giggle thinking about it as I do watching this video.  
It took us about 300 attemepts and then it took days of waiting for Andrew to help me put it all together.

The pattern is under the header in the "simple knitting patterns" tab.  And this will be over on youtube if you ever need a little help.  (Or a good laugh.)

thankful giveaway

Hey friends!  Just wanted to let you know that 5 boxes of Chalk Lots (4/box) are being given away over on Chalk Lots Instagram.  Graham Cracker OR Licorice!
 I really am so thankful to all of you.  And these really make life even sweeter.  AND, are tons of fun during this holiday season.
So, if interested head on over to enter!

{Last date to order to have for your Thanksgiving table is Wednesday, November 18th.}

sweet sixteen

 Sixteen years.
Some of it is such a blur.
 This boy of mine has added so much joy and so much depth to our lives.
 Chalk Lots to greet him.  Sixteen balloons.  Five friends for Pad Thai from his favorite Thai restaurant.
 And a chocolate cake with green frosting.  Just like last year.

A trip to the DMV tried to happen.  But we weren't prepared with our forms.
But soon, there will be a new driver on the roads. (Isn't he just a baby!)

Happy weekend, friends!

up next :: madge

I've had this yarn in my stash for quite some time.  I actually can't even remember how long it's been stashed.   But, I do remember,  my mom rolled all of the skeins into balls for me while visiting.  It sat there because I changed my mind about the project it was intended for.
A couple of weeks ago, I spotted Madge.  And, I quickly dug into the stash.  I sure hope it is going to work.  So far it seems a little heavy.  And maybe a little stiff.  However, I'm going to forge on and see what happens.

eighteen

I have been documenting my children's birthdays here since I started my blog.  Nine years ago.  I love/hate looking back at the birthday posts.  I get all sentimental looking at them.  But, I love the record I have of that day. 
I'm not sure where the monkey is that I made her for her ninth birthday.  
 I've been hanging this same banner since her 10th Birthday.
I have been putting their ages on their cakes since I can remember.  Her favorite cake I made was for her eleventh birthday.
Six years goes by quickly.  This was her twelfth birthday, six years ago.
This year, Libby requested Flank Steak and Macaroni and Cheese for dinner.  So unlike her choice for her thirteenth birthday.   (And many of her birthdays.)
 We have been using Chalk Lots since her fourteenth birthday.  But that was the year I didn't record her birthday here.  I wish I would have.  But, I'm assuming Life was just a little overwhelming that year.  And that we were doing some healing.  We did celebrate the same way.  I guess I just wasn't as inspired to document it here.
 For her her fifteen birthday I was into my Instagram photos and affects.  Cause I didn't even use my camera.  Just my phone.
For her sixteenth birthday it was cold and rainy.  And on her seventeenth birthday my heart melted.  
For as long as I can remember,  I make them jump with their balloons.  I try to get a photo of them in the air like they are suspended by balloons. I received a smirk because she was wearing a dress.  :)

Next year she will be in college for her birthday.  Please bring me a tissue.