Dune Blanket Ta-Da and ZZ Shoot

Hello my friends.  How is your week going?  We're having a busy one, for retired people anyway.  :-)  I am happy to share that I finished my Dune blanket, designed by my friend in England, blogger Lucy, at Attic24 blog.  

This is a lap blanket/afghan size and I am making two, one for each of my granddaughters in Ohio.  I don't get to see them often, so I want them to have this blanket to wrap themselves in a hug from me whenever they feel like it.

I have decided that I will go ahead and send this to Jenna, the oldest, as it took me nearly half a year to make and I want her to enjoy it while I work another half year on the 2nd one for Paige.

I did not like the 3 darkest colors in the palette so I bought some other colors for the 2nd one.  I hope I like it as well.  We'll see.  

I did a simple shell border in blue and dusty pink.  I think it works.

I knitted this hat many years ago and wear it throughout December each year.  I had originally made my own pom-pom out of the off-white velour yarn but it fell apart.  SO.. I ordered this faux fur one not long ago and affixed it on my hat.  I wore this in the Veteran's Day parade as we have the windows down through the parade route and I needed it to keep warm!  I did knit the hat but crocheted the brim.

My ZZ plant has put out a shoot.. I'm excited to see a new leaf emerge.

I took this photo a few days ago.. 

And I just took this one.. it's neat how you feel you can actually see them grow.  Do you have houseplants?  Do you love seeing them grow and change?

I was looking for my first octopus ink painting the other day, it's of Dayle pulling our 3 little children on one sled down our snowy driveway.  I did NOT find that one but I did find this one of an old barn.  I'm going to hang this on the family room wall where I have the other ones.  I remember taking this photo when I was driving through the countryside to visit my mom on their property in Scio, OR.  A friend of mine sent me the raw octopus ink from their fishing boat in Alaska and told me of a woman there who used it to do paintings.. so I did and love the vintage look of them.  

I ran across this photo and thought I'd share it, I made this teapot for my friend Shirley and saw it at her house.  I threw all the pieces individually and then joined them together by scoring each piece and added slip which is a mixture of clay and water.  I made a clay strip for the two pieces where the handle fits and the top of the lid.  After bisque firing, I glazed it and high fired it.  Then Dayle bent a coat hanger wire to make the handle and I did a macrame cover for it and finished it off with beads.  :-)

Mocha wanted to say hello to you.  :-)

My back is much better, just a tiny twinge here and there.  I'll begin my swimming regimen again soon.  Have a super week!!  ((hugs)), Teresa :-)