I need to start another yarn craft

I know, I know, I have plenty of crafts in progress at the moment, but most of them are cross-stitch. I finished my granddaughter's sweater. I decided to look in my button box to see if I had a set of five buttons that would work. What good is having a button box, if you don't use the buttons. I had 3 different choices! I chose the middle one that you see below.

The ones I chose are basically the same ones shown on the pattern pamphlet. Now the sweater is drying after being blocked. 

Before, I go any further, I want to know if anyone knows what these items are and what they are used for? 

I was cleaning out a storage box while looking for another item (which I haven't located) and came across these tools. I believe they belonged to either my Wisconsin grandmother or aunt. They have been stored for 30 to 40 years and I have never used them. I think it is time to donate them, but I would like to know what they are first. 

I think I will start a pair of socks next to get my yarn fix. First I have to wind the yarn into two equal size balls. This will be my nighttime TV watching project.  

Since the sweater has been completed, the Merry Christmas Snow Globe has been steadily progressing. I am almost done stitching the snow.

Santa Noel's face has been stitched and I am starting on the beard.

There is a whole lot of beading in that beard after the cross-stitching is complete.

I did add the 7th log to 16 more blocks. 

Next up is a blue log. Once I sit down at my sewing table, this goes quickly. I don't know why I haven't been working on it much. 

I baked again. This time it was Cranberry Orange Nut Muffins from the Taste of Home Magazine issue of December/January 2001. Unfortunately, it does not seem to be available on their website.

 These are very easy and tasty muffins that I have made previously. They use orange juice, orange zest, cranberries and pecans without any extra spices. 

I stopped reading The Housemaid, but Freida McFadden. I was bored and didn't really relish being scared. I am not a fan of thrillers usually. I also have an issue with authors who write about Long Island and state that a character lives "in Long Island". You might live in a town here, but you live "on Long Island". Just a pet peeve of mine that an author should research and use the local expressions. I was surprised also as this author is supposedly from NYC. 

Nevertheless, I am now reading Midnight Bayou by Nora Roberts and breezing through it. 

I will be joining Frederique at the Quilting Patch on Saturday and Kathy for some Slow Sunday Stitching. Take some time to relax with a cup of tea or coffee and pop on over to their sites to see what other bloggers are stitching.

 Thanks for stopping by!