Home again! I'm just back from a quick visit to see my mom. She just had surgery and needed a little cheering up, and I needed to sit with her and see with my own eyes just how she was really doing—much better—thanks for asking. My time with my mom this week was full of sweet moments. A while back Annri blogged this lovely post about mothers and mothering and it has really stayed with me—she said it all so well—I love that about her.

What does a girl need for a short stay away from home?...

Well, I'll tell you...she needs at least a half dozen knitting books, a basket of wool for working on the mini-stocking knit along, her mystery socks, several odd skeins and stitch guides for random swatching, an apple coffee cake, a batch of cherry scones, an assortment of teas to help settle Mom's queasy tummy, at least two books for reading, because you don't know what you'll be in the mood for, a camera which she will promptly forget about until after she's left her mom, her ipod loaded with various podcasts, her favorite slippers and...oh yeah, a change of clothes...This is why it is dangerous for me to travel by car.

{sorry for the blurry pics in this post —my camera is being persnickety these days}

Now that I'm home, it's starting to look a lot like...

Have I told you how much I love this holiday?...the dressing up, the crafting, the pumpkins, the weather, the colors, and the candy!!!

In the interest of full disclosure (you're only as sick as your secrets, right?) I will own up to the fact that this is about the time of year when I stop eating meals and just forage for candy.

I didn't even buy treats that I like this year and still today's lunch was a handful of candy corn and a cup of coffee...and I don't even like candy corn, but, after all, it is candy and it's here...pathetic, I know.

Even more than the candy though, I love the creative opportunities surrounding this holiday—so many fun crafts, so little time. We made this little door pocket a while ago. There have been many like this through the years.

It is a perfect first sewing project—perfectly imperfect! Terrific for new sewing hands. You will need some wool felt scraps, some buttons and yarn scraps to make this quick project.

Here's how...All we did was draw the outline of the shape we wanted onto a piece of paper, pinned the paper pattern to two layers of felt and cut around the edges. Then we raided the button jar and the scrap pile for eyes a nose and a mouth. Time to pin the facial features to one of the layers of felt and sew them on with a whip stitch or running stitch. There is really no way to mess this up. The results are always cute and a little funny. Finally we layered the pieces of felt together and sewed around the edges using a blanket stitch. Leave the top of the head open for candy, notes or whatever, and tack a ribbon or spare piece of felt to the inside back of the pocket for a handle and voila! Easy-peasy, and once it is filled with candy, this cranky kitty is absolutely delectable!

This just in...

If you're still trying to figure out how your little darling is going to carry all of her Halloween loot, or if you're feeling the need for a festive and seasonal knitting bag/purse, you might want to check out the Going Batty Treat Bag pattern — free for all who want it!

Glad to be back...I missed you!...Alison