I recently had the honor of making a special custom-made "Fabulous 50" birthday gift.

My client received a Happy Heart Studio gift certificate for her birthday,

and she chose a hand-knit scarf/cowl, scarf embellishment, and birthstone crystal earrings for her gift.

Her gifts were mailed this week, hopefully in time to keep the birthday girl warm on chilly Virginia evenings.

Speaking of chilly evenings, they've been giving me a hankering for yummy roasted acorn squash.

Or maybe it's the melted butter and brown sugar topping I've been craving.  So good!

Don't worry, I've been sharing.

Oh, if you ever need a good excuse why you can't do laundry...

"Keep your face always toward the sunshine and the shadows will fall behind you"

-Walt Whitman

Last Sunday it was my birthday, and I spent my birthday weekend in New York City with a wonderful group of friends.  The hotel room overlooked Central Park; it was a view I couldn't stop looking at and photographing.  It was pure luck that I woke up early enough to catch the rising sun between the buildings.

What a gorgeous misty morning we had the other day.

Couldn't believe my eyes.

Yesterday I packed up and headed to Illinois for a visit with my family.

As soon as I put the big duffel bag on the bed, Lucky strolled over and plopped right down.

He gave himself a bath, had a little snooze.

We were in for some nasty weather so I left a day earlier than originally planned.

I'm staying with my sister and her family, and this morning we woke up to this winter wonderland.

Lovely!

We're just getting settled back in after spending a nice weekend up north.  My husband had a rare winter weekend at home, and even though we weren't technically at our house, we were "at home" in a cabin near where he grew up.  The reason for the trip up north was to attend an award banquet where my father-in-law had the esteemed honor of being inducted into the Snowmobile Hall of Fame in St. Germain, WI.  He had a long and influential career in the snowmobile racing community.  

Here he is during his acceptance speech.  

On Saturday it was a balmy (she says sarcastically) 20 degrees outside, so Pompeii and I stopped and took a nice long walk around the town of Minocqua.

A kids' pond hockey tournament was being held out on the lake.

Vehicles park on the frozen lake.  Temporary "rinks" are set up on the ice.

These kids learn to skate as toddlers.  Hockey is a big darn deal around here.

Check out the snowmobile parking at the local pub.  That's another big darn deal around here.

It's been so long since Pompeii and I have spent much time in the fresh air.  It was wonderful to be out and about.  We walked past this cute little building.  Wouldn't it make a fun art studio?

Wonder what goes on in here...

This mural is painted on the side of a building a couple blocks off the main street in town.

How I love this wreath that hangs outside a gourmet food and coffee shop!  Burlap coffee bags are going on the list in my head of stuff to look for while thrifting.

I just want to put coffee burlap bows on everything...

No one's safe.

I took a self-portrait in a store window.  Ideally I would've like to be smiling, but at the last minute I noticed a guy sitting and watching in a car right there.  Sometimes I'm really just in my own little world and forget that other people may be around (my animals are used to this kind of behavior).  Plus Pompeii was intermittently pulling on the leash and whining while I was trying to keep the camera still.  So I snapped the picture real quick and we moved on.  We were getting cold anyway, as it started to snow on the way back to the car.

We rented a little cabin at a resort near where the award banquet was held.  It was the cutest little thing, felt just like you stepped right into another era, either the sixties or seventies, or maybe a combination of the two.  The furniture and dishes and decorations were all obviously from another decade, but everything was in such good condition and really clean, so it didn't feel "old".  

View from the frosty car window.

It's a snowy Monday here, as we're expecting up to six inches of snow today.  I'm staying inside and finishing up some projects that are in the works.

The other evening we had a lovely sunset.  I was driving to a friend's house and had my camera along, so I stopped along the road and took this out the car window.  There was a light mist in the air at the time, and the sky was the color of orange sherbet!

Stay warm and cozy!

Did you see the moonrise this evening?

Well it's Valentine's Day but around here we don't make a big deal out of it, as most years my valentine is on the road and we aren't even in the same state.  But today he was home long enough to give me a present - three pairs of my very favorite SmartWool socks!  In the winter, I wear a pair of SmartWool socks every single day.  There is only one reason I am ever sad to see an end to winter, and it's that I won't be wearing my SmartWool socks.  Because a pair costs around seventeen dollars or more, I hardly ever buy new ones for myself, and I wear a pair until they are so thin my toes poke through!  Here I'm wearing one sock from each pair of our favorites from this morning.  My favorite is the striped one and his is the flowery one.  Huh, would've thought it'd be the other way around.  Can't believe we actually had a conversation about that.  

Yesterday my Mom sent me this Bible passage that was part of her reading.

A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.

-Proverbs 15:13

Happy Heart's Day to YOU!

The only thing sweeter than watching a morning snowfall

is watching a kitty watching a morning snowfall.

A few days ago my friend Patti gave me an early birthday present.

She made this paper/paint/clay/canvas collage!

Isn't it the sweetest?  I just love everything about it.

For now it hangs in our guest bath, until my attic studio space is ready.  

Then I'll move it up to my studio so I'm surrounded by all things inspiring.

Like colorful little birds and butterflies and hearts and flowers. 

"Live happy"...

Love it so much.

Every winter I struggle with seasonal affective disorder.

A doctor once advised me to eat foods that remind me of warmer weather,

so I've loaded up on fresh fruit and vegetables and am thinking warm thoughts.

It's not really working.  But I'm getting plenty of vitamin C.

My friend texted this picture today of the message she got on her tea bag.  

So much truth to that; it's all connected.

Live happy, my friends.

*Winter in Wisconsin*

It's been so frigid cold(!).
The mornings have been bright and sparkly the last couple days.

My girl Pompeii is trying to tell me something.
If only dogs could talk...

Cutest shoes I ever saw, and got 'em brand new at Goodwill!
Pompeii likes them too.  
Maybe that's what she was trying to tell me!
(The brand is Miz Mooz)

A snowmobile trail groomer working the trail that runs through the field
across the road from our house.

I watch the groomer from these windows.
Because I'd so rather stay inside where it's warm and cozy.

Just when I get to grumbling about living in such a cold place,
a winter sunset makes me smile.

Lucky makes me smile too.

While shoveling the sidewalk this afternoon

I looked down and found this,

a surprise heart...

A little love from the universe!

Well it's been quite a morning so far.  The furnace stopped working in the night.  In the driveway, the snow drifts were too deep and packed to get through with the snowblower.  So we've had the furnace guy and the snowplow guy here this morning, getting us back in working order.  We're starting to warm up now.  Oy vey.  Enough already.

A heartfelt thank you to those who have requested that I post some pictures of the scarves I've been making.  I've knitted A LOT of scarves since this Fall and (gratefully, thankfully) haven't been able to keep them in stock.  I'm still knitting like crazy and taking orders!

I'd love to show you some of the hand knit scarves and other hand knit items I've been working on.

(By the way, please excuse the occasional badly lit iPhone photos on this post.

Been on the road and pressed for time these past few months, so a quick snap was what I could manage...

but you get the idea...) 

My sister hosted an Open House sale for me at her beautiful home in early December.  The hand knit items were snatched up right away, so I started taking custom orders with the promise of pre-Christmas delivery.  It was a crazy flurry of yarn and needles and mailing labels and dust bunnies for awhile there, but (whew!) everything was delivered on time.

The hot ticket item at the Open House was definitely the infinity scarf.  An infinity scarf is basically a long continuous circle with no ends, so it just loops around the neck and is easy peasy to wear...no awkwardly trying to figure out how to tie it and no dipping the fringe ends in the toilet (true story).  

Another thing I love about infinity scarves is that when it's cold, the scarf can be wrapped tighter around the neck to keep out the draft, or it can be worn loosely around the neck just as a fashion statement.  I've even worn an infinity scarf layered with a necklace.  Or two.  So many possibilities!

Here's my beautiful mama right after unwrapping the infinity scarf I gave her for Christmas.  We didn't even coordinate the outfit colors...it perfectly matched what she was already wearing!

This yarn has a little bit of sparkle sprinkled in.
Just like my mama.

A great feature of a custom-made scarf is that the length and thickness can be adjusted especially for the person who will be wearing it.  My mom and I are both on the short side and we have narrow shoulders, so for us I tend to make scarves that won't overwhelm our frames.  Making them a bit narrower and with slightly less bulk is much more flattering for us.

For the *lucky* tall lady like the client who ordered this scarf (she's over six feet tall), I made her scarf longer and a bit bulkier so that it would flatter her frame.  Even though this shorty pants (yeah, it's me again) is modeling the long scarf in this picture, hopefully you get the idea?

80% bamboo yarn...it's a JOY to knit and wear.  Has a lovely drape.

So did you know there was actually a science to this stuff?  Well, not really science (that word scares me)...but it just makes sense, doesn't it?  And no one would ever know that all this thought went into it; they just see that you look fabulous!

On a side note, meet my new head model; she doesn't have a name yet.  I have been on the lookout for mannequin heads to display hats and scarves, and I found this lovely lady in a clearance cart at Goodwill for $1.99!  She must have had a rough life before her rescue because half her hair was shaved off and she had a make-shift tattoo on her neck.  She really just needed a little cleaning up.  With her face washed, what's left of her hair combed, and with a bit of clever placement, she makes a fine model, don't you think?

Bulky chenille yarn.  Yummy!

Below is one of my very favorite scarves I've made so far.  Really debated keeping it, but figured I could add it to the list of things to make it for myself later.  Please do pardon this late-night selfie.  This was before I had a head model.  Desperate times...

The color is called 'Smoke'.
It's a gorgeous heather gray and sometimes it looks a bit like lavender.
It's like...well, the color of smoke.

Here are a few more scarves I made before Christmas.  These were sold together as a set, with an infinity scarf and matching hand made bracelet.  These were really fun to make.

Below are infinity scarves made for a client's sister and niece.  Her niece attends the University of Wisconsin in Madison, so she requested scarves made in the school's colors of red and white.

This scarf was made using a different stitch patten than the other scarf, as the edges roll in to create a different effect.  

Sometimes I like to mix things up and use different stitch patterns.  Instead of the typical infinity scarf that is long and thin, I made this one shorter and wider so that it slips over the neck one time and doesn't get looped around.  It can be adjusted so that it hangs from the neck, or can be gently spread to drape on the shoulders, as shown in the photo below.  Casual or dressy.  Love having options!

Another one of my favorite knitted items is the soft cowl below.  I didn't want to take it off after snapping this picture, it was that cozy!  I later made a matching knit hat, and to that attached a sparkly vintage pin.  

OH MY!  

This is such a versatile piece, probably more of a cowl than a scarf.  On cold days, it can be slipped over the head and worn like a hood, or softly draped over the shoulders, or it can simply hang from the neck as in the picture below.  Quite by accident, I also discovered that it can be worn as a tube top.  Ask my husband how I know this...

After getting requests for hand knit hats, I figured out how to make them and found a style I really like.  It took a bit of trial and error and the very first hat wasn't quite large enough for a human head.  It fit Pompeii though.

And here's my second attempt...that's more like it.

On another side note, I've since had about half my hair cut off and am currently wearing it in more of a chin-length bob.

Other popular hand-knit items have been these headband/ear warmers.  Wish I'd kept an a running count of how many of these I've made since November.  Lots and lots and lots.  Love making these!  Each one is absolutely one-of-a-kind.  I raided my vintage button collection to embellish them.  Some have felted wool flowers and leaves, some have hand-knit flowers.  

Just in case you were wondering, dogs can wear them too!

For a little while anyway.

Well, just long enough to take a selfie.

These actually do make lovely neck warmers for the pooch.

Just ask Pompeii.  She wore one around her neck for the holidays.

My knit items can be made to suit all ages.  These were for a client who had three little babies on her Christmas list.  The top two were made for newborn twin girls, and the bottom one was made just a bit larger for a four month-old baby girl!

Boys can get in on the knitted fun too!  

My youngest nephew requested something in the colors of his favorite football team, the Chicago Bears.

My.  Heart.  Melts.

On my sticks right now are neck warmers I'm making for my other nephews.  The middle nephew asked for a neck warmer in the colors of his favorite football team, the Houston Texans.  I thought it needed some stripes, so my mother-in-law showed me how to change colors and knit stripes.  A whole new world has opened up, my friends!

My oldest nephew requested a camouflage neck warmer so he can wear it in his fort.

They actually sell "camouflage" yarn!

Also on the sticks right now is a custom infinity scarf for a client who bought a red chenille scarf before Christmas, and she recently ordered another one in purple, using the exact same chenille yarn!  It truly warms my heart to know that my knitted items are making people happy, snuggly and warm.  Love that so much.  Really.  Happy, happy, happy.

Here's a new scarf I just finished the other day.  It's a light-weight Spring scarf that I was playing around with.  I've just returned from a short trip to Mexico, and needed a project to work on while sitting on a plane for the four hour flight.  I chose this yarn because it reminds me of the blue and green hues of the ocean!

It definitely doesn't feel like Spring here yet, so I'll be knitting up a (snow)storm in front of the fire.

And drinking coffee.

Can't.  Stop.  Knitting.

I've recently started offering gift certificates for any custom made item.

This gift certificate was for an infinity scarf, for a young teenage girl.

Gift certificates are custom made for the recipient.

All wrapped up in super cute packaging and ready to give!

The recipient chooses the color and style, then I get busy knitting.

So.  Much.  Fun!

If you're interested in placing an order for any of my hand made items, please send an email directly to me at berge.rager@yahoo.com or leave a comment here on the blog.

It's really simple, just tell me a little about what you have in mind and I'll do the rest!

Ear warmer/headbands - $15

Baby ear warmer/headbands - $12

Hats - $25

Scarves - $25, $30, $35 (relative to the size/amount of yarn used)

Cowls - $35, $40 (relative to the size/amount of yarn used)

Neck warmers like my nephews' - $35 (the tiny stitch pattern is really time-consuming)

Please add $5 for shipping. 

Local pick-ups welcome.

I'd be so very honored to knit you up something fabulous!

xoxo