Nicholas And Alexandra by Robert Massie (and Nicholas And Alexandra the yarn, by The Plucky Knitter).

Mary and her lovely daughter, Beth. Just love these girls (the rest of the family isn’t too shabby either!!!).

Mary inspires me. She always has. Mary is a big-sister, best friend and mom type, all rolled into one amazing, creative, supportive, kind and wonderful person that I just can’t imagine my life without. She (and the rest of her lovely family) have been part of my life for as long as I can remember.

When I was in my early teens she loaned my mother a book (Nicholas And Alexandra by Robert K. Massie. The inspiration for this months club shipment) that I promptly called dibs on and couldn’t put down. (I forever had my nose in a book. And, almost always, the book was either historical fiction or some sort of biography or autobiography. Don’t all third graders get this book from their Dad? Who needs Nancy Drew?).

Hope you enjoy this months shipment as much as I enjoyed putting it together – I really had a ball with this one.

M. Frey Studio – Isn’t it cute?

Next up – who’s ready for an update? Cashmere anyone?!? Next update scheduled for Sunday, January 11 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. Hope to see you there!

And, I owe you all a contest winner, don’t I? I’ll be posting the winner very soon. You guys are a busy busy bunch – I love hearing what you have all been up to!

When you have a house full of sickies (one daughter and one nephew), it takes all kinds of elixirs to get them well.

Tummy soothing soda. Check.

A favorite movie. Check.

One very snuggle-y dog and your favorite quilt. Check.

And one Mom/Aunt to wait on you and make toast on your command. Check.

I hope you and yours are all rosy cheeked and healthy as can be!!!

Don’t forget. Sign-ups for Plucky Classics ends tonight. Thank you all so much for your enthusiastic response.

I’m in a tizzy. An organizing tizzy. Not sure if it’s the beginning of a new year, the end of an old one, the season or just the fact that I’ve been all work and travel and not enough time at home – could that be what is making me obsessed with getting things “just so” in the house? Next week it’s back to the dye pots in a huge way, so this weekend I’m scurrying about the house getting things just the way I like them. Isn’t it such a great feeling to have put your house (or even just a room or a bookcase, for that matter) together and know that everything is in its place? Well, that’s what I’m going for this weekend.

But, it’s been so long and there is so much to catch-up on. We’ll just have to take it one post at a time, ok? There was a trip to the other side of the lake (again, it’s an annual thing!) a stop in Chicago on the way home, weather (don’t even get me started on the weather), some knitting, food, lot’s of food.

What have you all been up to? What are you knitting now? What are you cooking/baking? Dreaming of Spring? Tell me, I’m dying to know. And, because I’ve missed you all so much I think it’s time for a contest. All you need do is tell me what you are up to and/or have been up to, really, anything. I’ll pick an entry (randomly, of course!) and you will get a skein of sock yarn. Comments will be open until Tuesday, January 6th at Midnight, Eastern.

Spent some time organizing my bookshelf…… here is my 1938 edition of Gone With The Wind – I love that book, though I only ever look at the spine, as I’m too afraid to touch it for fear of it falling apart.

These books just make me smile. What books make you smile?

To sign up and for more information….

Jan/Feb/March subscriptions will be based on “cozy.warm.light.happy”

It’s that time again! I’ve opened up a few spots in the Plucky Classics Club – won’t you join us?