 Like a lot of people, I guess, I have done my share of TV watching. Early on in the pandemic, the good folks at MDK (Modern Daily Knitting) recommended Schitt's Creek as good fun. Having had my COMPLETE fill of made for TV Hallmark "movies", I was pretty much ready to try anything. So, for a delightful month or so, my husband and I binge watched Schitt's Creek. The MDK people set me up by saying yes, it's a comedy, but watch for the love. So, basically, I was already primed to love it. Not disappointed. LOVED this show. We have seen all the episodes at least twice...well, ok, maybe three times. David. Patrick. Johnny. Yes, look for the love. ❤❤❤ P.S. Want to see the newest silver earrings?? Sure! Click HERE to shop. Full disclosure, they are currently sold out but I'll make a pair just for you! 👌  I know I mentioned before that we love to travel, especially in the western US, where are sons live. We almost always drive so that we can take our time & enjoy the journey. One of our favorite things to do is stop along the way and look for cool rocks. We live in a place (south Louisiana) with no rocks at all but I grew up in Arkansas, so most all rocks could be described (by me) as "cool". Anyway, we have gotten a little bit pickier with what we pick up & haul back across the country. So, early in the pandemic, I decided to switch out all of the "knobs" in our house with knobs made of the the rocks we have collected over the years! It was a fun project and we love the results. Each knob is a little work of art!! Rocks rock!
In between rock stops, I knit. Want to see the sterling silver stitch markers I make? Click the button below!
 So....technically, it was my husband who learned to make yogurt but I helped (by watching the thermometer....) so, yeah "we" learned to make yogurt. We make a gallon at a time. I made yogurt regularly years ago with one of those little yogurt maker things but this is a whole different ballgame. Why? Because of the digital/remote thermometer!!! No more watching like a hawk for minute temp changes! No more worrying that it's too hot or too cold - this thing actually sounds an alarm when the temp is perfect! How cool is that? So now it's a gallon of yogurt every few weeks - whew, that's a LOT of yogurt!!!
Wanna see the handmade bags, perfect for knitting or whatever you need to carry around?? Makeup, meds, toothbrush, yeah any of that stuff! So cute! Click HERE to see all the bags!!  We have taken lots of "mini" road trips in the past year. We love to travel and, with our sons living several states away, we missed that a lot so we started taking day trips. One of our favorite places to go was Ponchatoula, LA. At just about 45 minutes from our home, it was an easy drive and provided a nice place to walk around and window shop the antique stores. Another favorite was Ann Brown Preserve near St. Fancisville. This place seems like an undiscovered gem, providing a nice easy walk in the woods and the terrain is hilly!!! What a concept.  Awkward seque: want to see some handmade zippered bags that are perfect for knitting or makeup or anything else you need to "tote" around?? >>>>>>>> ClICK HERE!
Continuing the painting journey during early Covid times, I took a couple of online courses in acrylic painting. So much fun!!! No goal in mind, nobody to please but myself; really no chance of anyone even seeing what I was doing was very freeing. I just painted. Just for me. It. was.amazing. I recommend it sometime.
I took a class (in Spanish, with subtitles!) on watercolor painting, with a focus on the cosmos! What a fun thing to do - I learned so much about how to use watercolors, which had always been a pretty scary thing to attempt.
So, here is what I learned - with the proper instruction, all sorts of things can be learned. It's really more about motivation ("want to") that anything else. Interesting concept, that. Motivation is the key!
We raised monarch in the spring of 2020!! What a fun thing this was!! I saw some friends raising them on Facebook & decided to jump in. A friend sent me seeds for milkweed (the only thing monarchs will lay eggs on and then that's what the caterpillars eat) and they grew well! Then the monarchs came (and kept coming) and laid their eggs. We ended up protecting them from the birds and then watched them make their chrysalis and then emerge into gorgeous butterflies. The entire process took about 3 weeks - what an amazing transformation!! That's my husband in the middle photo getting a close up look at the chrysalis!
This video shows how intricately the chrysalis is attached to the structure. I pulled this off AFTER the butterfly emerged!
I think maybe a lot of people got interested in new hobbies during the lockdown due to Covid. The first thing I did was continue my love affair with knitting. I was a relatively new knitter last March when the lockdown started but I have done a lot more knitting in the past year. All I knit are socks....I love a small, more or less "bite-sized" project and if it's portable, even better!
 These faceted "opal quartz" drops are amazingly beautiful. They can reflect blue or pink depending on their surroundings - so pretty. There is some debate re: whether these are actually quartz or a manmade material (i.e., glass) but whatever they are they are really lovely and fun to wear! Click below to shop!
 This bracelet has been available for awhile now in sterling silver and in a combination of sterling and gold but I have now made in availabe in gold fill! Gold fill is not plated and the thick coating of 14k gold will last a lifetime, giving the look of solid gold at a fraction of the price!
 I just added this to my shop - the larger bracelet in the familiar & beloved byzantine design. Class, elegant and, in the new larger size, a bold choice!
 This is the newest in a line of larger earrings; still the designs you love and the metals you love (plus a couple of new ones....) but in a bigger, fun size. Because we all need something a little bigger now & then! :)   Two stitch markers in one! yay! no more rootling around in the bottom of your bag because you need a bigger or smaller stitch markers - these markers do double duty. WIN! Click below to shop!
 oh, the zippered pouches!!! Can you have too many? Apparently not - I love making them and I love using them. So many possibilities! This little bag stores everything from makeup to power cords to knitting projects! (One ball projects, anyone?)
 Simple sterling silver stitch markers for knitting. Smooth and oh so easy to use. These handmade silver stitch markers get the job done in a beautiful way. Bonus: these are meant to be passed down to the next generation of knittings in your family. Pure sterling silver! Click here to shop these silver stitch markers now!
 After a fairly long break from jewelry making (no shows, no in person sales), I am back at it. Starting with some pretty cool bracelets. Click the button below to take a look...and stay warm out there, y'all!
 I love anything that does double duty and these stitch markers are perfect - they work for many different sizes of knitting needles from small needles you use for knitting socks or baby things to larger needles used for bulky sweater and shawls.
No more digging in the bottom of your project bag to find a stitch marker that will work! One & done - win!!  This is the brightest project bag for your spring knitting projects! It's a medium size so, pretty much perfect for everything you have planned. Handle so you can carry it around wherever life takes you!   I have been on a real run of making these little makeup or jewelry bags - they have zippers so things inside are both secure and easy to access. The best thing? That little matching fabric tassel attached to the zipper pull! It can double as a keychain or place to hang all sorts of miscellaneous things that you need easy access to! Click below to take a closer look & shop!
 Special request for larger knitting stitch markers so these were born & will remain a permanent part of my knitting accessories collection. I know they work will with US size 15 knitting needles and, since they are a loose fit on those needles, I also know they will work with larger needles. I couldn't get my hands on larger needles when I was sizing them so it's a little unclear what size needle is the outside limit!
Click the button below to shop these silver stitch markers!  Valentine's Day is here so I wanted to show these hearts that I made alongside this new silver bracelet. As much as I try, I can't stick with just one "thing". I have made jewelry for a long time and I love it. When the lockdown came (almost a year ago now) and the simultaneous canceling of every art show I was planning to attend, I found myself with more time on my hands.
First I turned to knitting (wonderfully addictive, calming and just plain fun) then to an old love of mine, sewing. When I came across an idea for these little patchwork hearts, I just could not resist. I think I made about 10 of them. Aren't they the cutest?? Happy Valentine's Day, y'all!  Bracelets in silver and gold are my favorite thing to make. There is just something about getting into the rhythm of making a bracelet that is so satisfying that I don't get from earrings - not enough time spend on earrings to really get into the groove, I guess. Not as long as necklaces but longer than earrings. Perfect amount of time spent on handmade bracelets.
If you need a new bracelet, click below to shop now!  Oh, my goodness, guys, this fabric!!! I collect all sorts of fabric, some incredible, some not so much. This fabric is amazingly beautiful. It's from the designer Kaffe Fassett and his colors are the best. Plus the fabric is soft and lovely pure cotton. What's not to love? This bag is perfect for storing all sorts of things; I use it for knitting WIP (works in progress) but, honestly, it's a great size for all sorts of things. Click here to get more details about this bag & to shop!
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I am Laura Teague, a metal smith, knitter and sewist living and working in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and traveling the western US whenever I can! Categories
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April 2021
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