Be mine Valentine

I'm going through a crochet phase right now if you haven't noticed.  I think crochet and knitting have different applications, for example I prefer the look of knitting for clothing but find crochet faster and easier for smaller, shaped items such as toys and these little love hearts from PlanetJune.  I crocheted these from leftover bits of Vanna's Choice in pink and red and made them in three different sizes.  They were crocheted all in one night, which was great and very satisfying, however my carpal tunnel kept me up all night and stayed with me the next day.  Does anyone else experience carpal tunnel from knitting or crocheting?  If you do I wouldn't suggest making all seven hearts in one sitting because although you'll have a festive heart garland to adorn your kitchen window in no time, shooting pain up the arm is definitely not worth it.  Valentine's Day is still over two weeks away so you've got time. 

-T

P.S.
The small sized heart would make a cute pin or could be glued onto some cardstock for a Valentine for your sweetie.

2011

Happy New Year!

I would have to read the archives to remember most of 2011.  If I'm correct, it was a lot of smooth sailing - not much craziness.  If my resolution last New Years was to live more simply, I think I'm getting closer.  I was steered towards soccer by friends, and I am grateful to those peeps.  I made myself a promise that I would knit twelve Elizabeth Zimmerman patterns, and I did cast on twelve; however, three have yet to be finished.  I'd say that wasn't horribly bad.  I didn't add too much yarn to the stash.  I was somewhat controlled.   I learned a lot about photography.   I got more involved with my community at public discussions, and I consider myself a heck of a lot more engaged.  I renegotiated our mortgage.   I connected with friends and family.  I started volunteering again after a bit of a hiatus.  I put my foot down and stood by my opinions.  I picked up my tennis racket again after two decades.   I went to some rockin' concerts.  I did not see any rattlesnakes or bears.  And it was all good.  I'm happy.  My family is healthy.  They have clothes, food and shelter.  They are loved.  I have everything I need and, more importantly, want.

I made my resolution back in November, and it's not really something I can conquer in one year, maybe never.  I'm going to be part of building a caring community.  I think Starship said it best.   They also built this city on rock and roll.  They were so ahead of their time.

And thanks, Kat, for reminding us that we didn't have to take our clothes off to have a good time!  Oh no.

N

Bread & Butter with a Little Dill

Christmas has been a success on all fronts.  We gave and received plenty.  Silly bandz have been sorted by colour.  Turkey was scarfed down.  The house is surprisingly tidy.  Knitting continues.  Five full-length family movies have been watched.  Pyjamas need to be laundered.   It's time to get dressed and step outside. :)

Peace and joy to everyone!  I need to make a pickle tray.  I googled it already, and there's no way to kick this one up.  Any ideas?

Cheers!
N

Second Time's A Charm

For the story of this garland, check out my SECOND guest post over on the Canadian Living craft blog.  I had so much fun writing and making these garlands that I had enough for two posts!  Thanks, Austen, for the opportunity to contribute to your blog.  My fifteen minutes of fame were brilliant. :)

N

Christmas Knitting

These seed stitch bracelets from More Last Minute Knitted Gifts take an hour from start to finish.  They take just a titch of sock yarn, and they're so sweet.   I think they would make a lovely little last minute gift for a hip teenager.  Thankfully I have a hip teenager, and she has many friends.

N

PS. The bracelets were knit exactly the same except I stretched the bottom one when I was testing it out on my wrist without undoing it (like a lazy teenager).   Now you probably think I have chunky wrists.  I assure you they're normal-sized.  After I took this picture, I stretched the heck out of the top one, so now they look the same again.  Huzzah.

Friday Morning

Tomorrow, I'm sleeping in. At the very least, I will stay under the covers until 8 a.m.   I'll be back, pillows and duvet.  Do not fear.   Until then, stay warm and cozy please.

N

Pi Shawl

Last spring my parents went on a Baltic cruise, and they brought me back the most wonderful gift.  A giant skein of undyed sheeps wool from Estonia.  This was the best gift I've ever been given besides the three snow days in a row that Mother Nature just presented us AND the Mike Milbury autograph my dad brought me back from a baseball trip when I was in high school.  Don't ask.

I have spent months researching Estonian patterns -  borrowing books from the library and browsing the patterns on ravelry.  I just knew that the project had to be very special and worthy of the wool.  And then December came, and I was gettting anxious about my EZ project.   I need to finish a few last Elizabeth Zimmerman patterns in order to pull it off.  And then I found Wendy Johnson's Shetland Pi Shawl that she had designed to celebrate Elizabeth Zimmerman's 100th year.  It is more than worthy of my precious wool, and it is written in 5 easy-to-follow parts.  I finished part 1 yesterday before heading to bed, and I finished part 2 shortly after lunch today, and now I am into part 3. 

Of course, I should really be knitting Christmas gifts, but I can not stop knitting this shawl for the life of me.  I am loving it.  It's highly addictive.

And that was Snow Day #3.

N

Snow Days

We're on a second snow day here in southwestern Ontario.  No one is complaining.  There's been baking, playdates, cleaning, laundry, knitting, lots of shovelling, building snow forts, pyjamas, hot chocolate, movies, and lots of relaxing.  It's been a gift.

On the other hand, I'm very cognizant of the work piling up on my desk in the office, but it will have to wait.  The weather has other plans. :)

Cheers!
N

Gingerbread House

Holy moly cannoli.  It's snowing hard and crazy.  It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas . . .

And speaking of  Christmas , we can check off decorating a gingerbread house. Done.

 

Now I'm going to have to dig out the driveway, so that I can get out to play soccer.   Bleh.

N

Party Down

 Sleeping in.  Check.

Big ol' cup of coffee for me.  Check.

 Hanging with her favourite cousin.  Check.

 Clown?????   CHECK!

 Crafting ornaments with ice cream cones.  Awesome check.

 A decorated tree.  Not ours.  We're deferring that one until tomorrow.

Verbally telling Santa she wants an ipod touch.  (Letter has been mailed - but she's still not getting one.) Check.

Sneaking in her one glass of pop for the month. (Please ignore what I think may be my Grampa's beer bottle in the bottom left-hand corner.)  Check.

Home safe and sound and high on sugary pop and chocolate balls and molasses crinkles.  Check.

Happy? Check.

N

Family Meeting

Inspired by this post, I called a meeting of the minds - big and small.  We compiled a list of all that we want to do and see in December.  Once we got started, there was no stopping us.  Here's our holiday agenda in no particular order although some thing naturally come before others:

• decorate a gingerbread house
• get a tree
• decorate the tree
• baking extravaganza (the littlest likes these and the eldest likes these)
• build a snowman
• wrap gifts
• go ice skating (LOTS) in the park, at the market, at Storybook, at the arena
• craft night (I admit that this suggestion got plenty of groaning, but I persisted)
• listen to lots of holiday music
• watch holiday movies
• clean and sort and donate
• two school Christmas concerts
• tour of lights
• two family turkey dinners on-site and two family dinner off-site
• playdates up the wazoo
• pizza and bowling night
• low-cost/no-cost gifting
• wearing our pyjamas and sweats for days on end

Oh yeah, and it's Friday!  I must go make a new banner.

N

Decking the Halls

Over the last decade, my parents have invited the grandchildren over to decorate their revolving, sparkling Martha Stewart Christmas tree.  This weekend was no exception.  We arrived to a bare tree and boxes of bows, balls, and ornaments, and by the end of the night, the tree is decked out from head to toe.  I love that they have favourite ornaments to hang, and they feel just as close to the ornaments with which my sister and I grew up coveting.  My favourite ornaments are the cream embroidered and stuffed stars that my mum made one year when I was in high school.  I also especially love the crystal beaded icicles that my sister, my mum and I slaved over for an entire afternoon so many years ago.  Maybe 25 years ago?   And now our children squeal when they pull out an icicle or the ceramic sled with all of their names written on it.  It's gold!

And then my mum makes a big dinner worthy of Christmas day.  This year was roast beef and gravy, mashed potatoes, baby carrots, corn and dinner rolls.  I brought pie and ice cream and cookies.  We ate until we were stuffed.  Naturally the board games were dragged out, and we ended up playing Apples to Apples.  My throat was killing me by the end of the night from all the screaming, laughing and joking around.  It was CRAZY fun.  I was in tears.  And everyone except the two little girls played - they took advantage of this time by moving every piece of my parents' furniture in the basement and building the biggest fort ever made. 

We had such a great time that we rolled up into our driveway well after midnight!

Clearly, this is happiness.  I am so grateful that I have my family, and we enjoy each other's company.  I am ever so thankful for our good health and good fortune.   I have everything I need.

N

Pass the Dutchie

Today we went "home" to see Sinterklaas.

The littlest and I rather enjoyed ourselves.  I had no idea about this Dutch tradition of Saint Nicholas.  Despite being one part Dutch, growing up we celebrated a Christian Christmas on December 25 with Santa sneaking down the chimney - very American.   My goal this Christmas is to skip the shopping malls, and instead we will spend quality time with family and friends.  There will be lots of ice skating, online shopping, wintry hikes, movie nights, board games, exploring other traditions, baking bonanzas, crafting, visiting, laughing, feasts, pyjama parties, and tobogganing.   Doesn't that sound perfectly fun?

N

Happy Halloween

For the first time in my 14 years as a mum, I feel as if I am on top of this Halloween thing.   The littlest is dressed as the ghostly spirit of a young girl tragically run over by a train just like Jumbo the elephant, and candy is ready by the door.  And we still have half an hour before the neighbourhood gang is gathering.

Huzzah!
N

Boo

That kid found the Halloween box that I unsuccessfully hid last year.  Dang.

N

Thanksgiving

Yesterday while the turkey cooked all afternoon, we went for a long hike in the woods as we do every year.  Despite being a third into October, the sun was shining, and it was quite hot.  I wish I had worn a light cotton skirt and a t-shirt instead of jeans and a long-sleeved shirt.  Thankfully I left the sweaters in the car! :)  And today is just as warm again.  The littlest had to run back home from the park to put her shorts on.  It's all so lovely!  The colours of the leaves, the leaves sprinkling the ground, the smell of turkey leftovers, sipping on cinnamon spice tea, and knitting in the sun.  The girls are out playing with their friends.  The house is so quiet.  It's making me a bit sleepy.

 It's been a while since I've posted any finished knitting!  Last week I did finish another Meret beret for a gift, and I am only a handful of rows away from finishing a third Mara shawl.  These are two excellent patterns that I am destined to repeat knit.  After some thought, I realized that I do have some stand-by projects to which I keep coming back.  I'm thinking the clapotis, anything Elizabeth Zimmermann, the purl bee cowl,  the mittens from Knitting Pretty . . . 

Here's a few freebies on my to-do list:

• a Very Braidy Cowl
• Pebble Vest
• Lacy Shell Cowl
• Simple Yet Effective Shawl

So much gift knitting to do!

Here's to another week.  Cheers!
N