Crafting On

Joining Nicole for Crafting On, the work in progress edition.

I found this quilt while tidying up the sewing area, and so the most logical thing to do was pull it out and work on it, rather than continuing to tidy.

This project is probably about 5 years old. I have been hand-quilting along the borders, and I was able to make some progress this week, I only have the Southeast states left. 

While I was out running errands, The Youngest decided to get in on the party and decorated a few states in the Baker Man. I think the ink will come out, I found a couple of tips for getting stains out of cotton, I'll let you know if they work...

About a month ago I saw an article about handmade Christmas presents on Poppytalk, and one was a DIY Ukulele kit.
I immediately decided that The Younger needed a uke. His big sister plays many instruments, and I thought he might like one of his own.
As it turned out, The Elder was really excited about the uke and The Younger was luke-warm.
The Elder and I have been building it, with design input from The Younger, and we're about halfway through.

Perhaps when he has his completed flaming ukulele he'll be more into it.
What's on your creative to-do-list today?
Joining Nicole.

My Favorites from the 52 Portraits Project

These kiddos of mine make my life brighter every day, and I am so happy to know them in all of their ways.

52/52

The Youngest in the frog stream at the Children's Museum
The Younger sledding
The Elder cozied up in her birthday jammies.
Despite some setbacks, I was able to finish up this project with a minimum of missed weeks.
Next post I'll share my favorites from the whole year.
Joining Jodi for the last time in 2013.

Learning Curve

Well, as it turns out, since I haven't had my camera for almost a year, I kinda lost my photo mojo. 

It's going to take some serious practicing to get back into the swing of things.

We still had a lovely sunset visit to the sledding hill, and now it's time for some hot chocolate.

In Memoriam and a Christmas Miracle, also 51/52

The past few months have seen the passing of many of our appliances, and I wanted to memorialize them here.

Goodbye Microwave, Grill, Washing Machine, replacement Washing Machine, Humidifier, Space Heater, Phone and Glasses.

It was getting a little dire around here, as though we had a curse of some sort, but I think the Universe was just making room in our lives and hearts for something that had been missing.

My Camera had been hiding for the past 11 months, and my dear Hubby found it on Christmas Eve. 

Just in time to record the exciting Christmas Morning.

 Lego time!

 The Elder enjoying the new set of blocks, while The Youngest supervises.

 The Youngest can now say chocolate with perfect precision.

 For real, it's all about the Legos with The Younger.

We had a couple of delightful days full of family and music and so many toys with so many pieces, it may never get tidy around here...

One thing I can highly recommend is that you make up some marshmallows, (it's really easy, I promise) and then toast them over the stove the next day. 

That is some good eatin'

Happy Solstice, Christmas, etc...

After my phone died, I didn't take any photos for the 52 weeks project, but I'll count these as my week 51. 

Joining Jodi for 52 portraits.

48/52

Fall is in the air around here.
The Elder and The Younger made candles yesterday. We have had that block of beeswax for a couple of years, and The Youngest suggested that we make use of it.
The candles came out great, and they smelled delightful.
The Youngest playing in the leaves. What fun to be an inquisitive toddler.
Joining Jodi for 52 Portraits.

KCCO

This weekend was a big one as far as teaching fun classes went, so I have a few new projects to share.
First, I taught a needle felting class, and this little guy was my in-class sample.
I told the Younger that it was a fire imp, but I was informed that fire imps have red skin and tails, so I guess it's not.

 On Sunday I taught my Fun Stuff with Felt class, and since Thanksgiving is right around the corner, we did turkey-day-related crafts.
This runner and placemats were super quick and fun to whip up, and I think I may need three more so our family can have the full set.

I have a soft spot for hand turkeys, and so I made this one of felt. 

It's inspired by this bunny from The Purl Bee.

What's on your creative plate today?

Any plans for Thanksgiving craftiness?

Joining Nicole for KCCO

47/52

Behind again, but here are the photos from last week. 

The Younger found one last ladybug.

 The Elder is almost always practicing her gymnastics moves, so this is a familiar pose lately.

 The Youngest taking a nap. What a face!

Joining Jodi for 52 portraits.

Yarn Along

Thank you all for your lovely comments on this little dress last week! 

It took me a little time to figure out the next pattern to knit, but I settled on some bunnies, using this chart I found on Ravelry.

In reading news, The Elder has been re-reading The Invention of Hugo Cabret, and since it was out, I picked it up too.

What a beautiful book. So intricately written, and the illustrations are magnificent.

What's on your needles today? 

Joining Ginny, Nicole and Christina.

46/52

I totally missed last week in my 52 portraits, time just got away from me, I guess...

Today's post is all about the Minnesota Children's Museum.

There was no school today, and so The Elder, The Younger and The Youngest joined me on an outing.

The Elder in the Blue Man Group exhibit trying out a pvc instrument.
The Youngest playing peekaboo (Puck-a goo!).
By far the best part of the day was in the Creativity Jam room.
The Younger built a CAR! (christened "Thunderbolt") using random parts: a basket, some dowels, 4 wheels and lots of tape.
It was functional enough for The Youngest to take a little ride.
Joining Jodi for 52 portraits.

Yarn Along

Today is the first time in a while that I have both been at my computer on Wednesday morning, and had something fun to share.
So, here is what I have been yarning lately

I have been able to make some progress on the little sweater for The Youngest in the past few weeks.
I haven't decided yet whether to go all the way to dress length, or just keep it simple.
What's on your needles today?
Joining Ginny (p.s., Ginny has a new wee bairn at her house, he's pretty sweet)

44/52

Halloween is the word of the day this week.

The Elder - A perfect Hermione Granger

The Younger - Getting a head start on the candy

The Youngest - First Trick-or-treating

Joining Jodi for 52 portraits

Crafting On

Well, sometimes my work and my leisure get to intersect, and this was one of those times. 

I am teaching a class on Grettir, a sweater by Jared Flood of Brooklyn Tweed.

While I was planning out how to teach knitting fair isle in the round without a color jog I realized that if I cast on a few repeats of the yoke chart, in this case six repeats, I'd end up with a little tree.

Now I am all fired up to make lots of these with different yoke patterns and then I can have a fair isle forest decorating my Christmas village this year.

So, I ended up with an item that was very helpful as a class tool, but can also be completely frivolous at Christmas time.
What are you creating today?
Joining up with Nicole at Frontier Dreams

43/52

The Eldest - Airborne
The Youngest - Surprise face at the zoo
The Younger - He is Ironman
Late to the party with Jodi for 52 portraits

Crafting On

I've been so busy the past few weeks with work that I haven't had much of a chance to do any crafting.
I decided that's not o.k. with me, so in a few stolen moments since Saturday I cast on and started knitting a little dress for The Youngest.
The multi-colored yarn was a gift from a friend. She messaged me on Ravelry a couple of weeks ago asking if I could use some Kauni Effektgarn. I am never one to turn down yarn, so I said yes!
When the package came it was bursting with all sorts of yarny goodness.

I decided that I needed to make The Youngest a fair isle sweater with the Kauni with another yarn as a foil.
The yarn I settled on (with help from my boss and co-worker) is Alpaca 2 from Isager.
It's so soft, it'll balance the hard texture of the Kauni.
As I was perusing patterns I came across a little dress with a stranded yoke.
So, of course, I switched it up and now it's going to be a dress.
I found a pattern on Ravelry for a fair isle yoke pattern,

and using that as a template I am going to add in some patterns of my own.
I don't plan on knitting the hearts or the squirrels, but I am going to add the paper doll ladies from the sweater on the cover of Rowan Summer Baby and maybe the squiggles and vines. I haven't decided yet.

What's on your needles today?
Joining Nicole with KCCO.

42/52

The Youngest - We were at dinner and all I could think of was "By the third kid, you know, you let them juggle knives" from Parenthood (the movie, not the tv show)
The Younger - All set for Halloween
The Elder - Pippi Longstocking in the pillow pit
As Jodi pointed out, there's only 10 more weeks in this project (and the year) I can't believe how fast it's gone.
52 portraits