Hildegard Arrives

Hildegard Arrives, originally uploaded by confections.

...complete with pink collar and leash: my sister's new puppy, a miniature Schnauzer named Hildegard. My nieces and nephews are in love with her, and so is my Mom, who lives with them.

Crocheted Top for Clementine Louisa

Crocheted Top for Clementine Louisa, originally uploaded by confections.

A quick glimpse at a work-in-progress: a little crocheted top for Clementine Louisa. This prototype is of cotton yarn, but I think I will finalize the design in fine handspun, hand-dyed silk yarn from my stash. I also have lots of wool sock yarn that would work, too. Clementine Louisa is happy that her wardrobe is expanding just in time for spring and summer play!

"The Lark Ascending" by Ralph Vaughan Williams (in two parts), Janine Jansen, violinist

I'm off to the San Diego Symphony tonight to hear, among other pieces, this composition, "The Lark Ascending", by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Here it is masterfully played by Janine Jansen, a Dutch violinist, in two parts. Enjoy!

It's Etsy Day!

etsy car sign final, originally uploaded by schugirl08.

Some of my favorite items on Etsy:

Old Engraving of Victorian Woman Walking in the Spring Woods

Old Engraving of Victorian Woman Walking in the Spring Woods, originally uploaded by confections.

My husband found an antique book for me at the local swap meet last weekend. It is entitled "Sunlight and Shade: being Poems and Pictures of Life and Nature" and was published by Cassell and Company in 1883 (London, Paris & New York).

It contains lovely poems and delightful engravings on every page, not to mention the splendid gilt edges and delicate floral endpapers. For a bibliophile like me, it was a perfect spring posy!

"Secret Garden" by Jessie Willcox Smith

Secret Garden by Jessie Willcox Smith, originally uploaded by confections.

This is one of my favorite images printed by the Green Tiger Press back in its heyday. "Secret Garden" by Jessie Willcox Smith (1863 -1935) appeared in Good Housekeeping magazine in 1922.

This notecard was exactingly reproduced by the legendary Green Tiger Press in San Diego, California, in-house on a four-color Heidelberg printing press in the early 1980's. It displays all the attention to detail for which the Green Tiger Press was justifiably famous.

It is a reminder of childhood days and encourages me to cultivate my garden this spring.

Clementine Louisa Sporting Her New Handknit Sweater

Clementine Louisa Sporting Her New Handknit Sweater, originally uploaded by confections.

I knit this miniature version of Sally Melville's "best friend jacket" a number of years ago when I took a workshop with her. I made two versions in different yarns, one hand-dyed, the other hand-dyed and handspun.

Of the two, this one is closest to fitting Blythe, but I will have to tweak the pattern and yarn to make another that will fit better.

My sister and I are going to an informal "dolly meet-up" with our friend KittyKatDance this Saturday. We'll have our dollies in tow, along with new outfits and works-in-progress.