Funny Magic

Hey! Ho! FO!

Finished another pair of socks for Charlie this past week:

I really just kinda' winged-it as far as the pattern goes - it's just a basic sock pattern that I altered a bit to fit my boy's feet. In the end, one sock turned out a little more snug than the other, and I thought I might rip it out and re-do, but there was no way I was gonna get these socks off Charlie's feet. ("They're fine mom! I like 'em just the way they are, thank you.") Ravelled here.

I'm very tempted to cast on another pair for him right away because he's so fun to knit for - he loves his handknit socks. But I'm already working on this:

It's a Thermis cowl, deets here.

Enough about the knitting. Let's rock.

When Juliet was just a tiny baby I remember lying in bed nursing her one night until we fell asleep with the little black-and-white tv on in the bedroom - at about 1a.m. she woke again to nurse, the tv was still on PBS, and just beginning was a Ramones documentary. I stayed awake while Juliet nursed and slept, and watched the whole thing, until 3am or something like that. It was alternately fascinating and bittersweet; I wish I could remember what the title of the documentary was, because I love me some Ramones...

Four.

Today is our littlest one's birthday! This morning Juliet awoke to a brand new outfit to wear and pancakes with lots of syrup for breakfast, one of her very favorite things to eat.

And now, a small, indulgent trip trip down memory lane with some of her mama's favorite pics. Wanna come along with me? Great! Here we go: 

Oh yeah, "The Bouncy Chair." I've praised this modern invention up-and-down in my time...All Hail the Bouncy Chair!

Juliet's first Spring, 2005.

Photo session at Sear's Portrait Studio. (Hello? Where did those chubby baby cheeks go???)

She was a wild and rascally toddler, for sure! (I'd say she still makes me sing for my supper most days...!)

Good times outdoors in a swimsuit on hot summer days with the sprinkler.

And here she is today - Happy, happy birthday Smoochie!

Today we're gonna go stimulate the economy and spend some of her birthday money at one of the local toy stores. Then it's kid-made pizza for supper, strawberry ice cream for dessert, perhaps some Animal Bingo and a movie before bedtime. Good times for sure!

(Thanks for reading and sauntering down memory lane with me - now go have yourself a good day!)

Party Girl

A few pics of the early birthday party we had for Juliet on Sunday:

Pink frosted vanilla cupcakes. (I used this recipe. They were good.)

Friends and family, also very good.

The party girl was served four mini cupcakes, and she ate them all.

I even managed to crank out a handmade birthday crown for my almost-four-year-old. (I followed Jessica's excellent tutorial here.)

Happy Tuesday!

I Love Mail.

How great is it to get good mail? Here's some goodies I got in the mail this week from some recent giveaways:

Some handmade stitch marker from Sarah of Incaknits. They're so pretty, and I love 'em.

A skein of beautiful yarn and a creepy-finger-puppet-monster-girl from Kim of Yarny Old Kim. Right now I'm furiously knitting away on Charlie's socks so that I can finish and cast-on with my new yarn. Love.

I think I'm gonna name my creepy-finger-puppet-girl "Thora, Patron Saint of Thread." 

Well, time for me to get back to my marathon session of deep-cleaning the house. Tomorrow we're having a little early birthday party for Juliet with some friends and family...

Let It Melt.

At this very moment...like, right now...it is 63 degrees outside. 63!! (I feel like I should highlight that number with blinking neon lights and really loud house music or something.) Yesterday was equally glorious in my neck of the woods, so the kids got busy doing this (under the watchful eye of their grandpa):

That's right, pouring warm water onto the as-yet-unmelted patches of snow and ice in our backyard. They spent a good portion of the afternoon tromping in and out of the house with buckets of water. They were on a mission, and a right good one, if you ask me!

(When all else fails just whack away at that stubborn 'ol ice-n-snow with a good shovel.)

Here's to a happy Monday, and here's to the beginning of a change in the weather!

Around the House (with Mouse)

Hoo-yah! It's been cold outside.

Here's what we've been doing indoors these past few days:

 

Hanging out in the tent with Juliet.

Playing Battleship with Charlie.

...breaking my glasses...

And running out to buy a new pair last night because I'm a total four-eyes and blind as a bat without my lenses. (!) Charlie says I look like a Librarian now; I guess that cool.  Juliet wonders if the bling on the sides are real diamonds. "Why, yes. Yes they are, dah'ling!" ahem.

I also finished knitting a little mouse while watching Craig Ferguson last night. (Have I mentioned before that I love him? No? Well, I do.) (Don't tell the hubby.)

Pattern is from Ysolda's Whimsical Little Knits collection. Ravelled here. I just love her patterns and her style and when I finish this post I'm gonna go cast on for another Mousie. I have grand plans to tuck one in the pocket of the coat-I'm not-sewing-but-swear-I'm-gonna-start-soon for Juliet. Or maybe I'll just give her a big 'ol handful of mice - believe me, it's tempting!

Pincushions.

First of all, thanks to everyone who played along on Favorite Room Friday! It was fun to surf around and visit your favorite rooms. I'm thinking it'd be fun to do it again in a few months, say when the weather turns warm and we can share our favorite warm weather spaces. Decks, porches, patios anyone? I know I'm ready to open up our front porch to the warm days, goshdarnit!

Anyhoo, here's what I've been sewing:

Pincushions! My first ones ever, pattern from SEW. I was sick of the little one I'd purchased years ago from JoAnn's and took matters into my own hands this past weekend.

I've also been making some more trees, just because. And I've found that if you make little ones out of wool felt they make excellent cushions for the longer pins:

Next I've gotta bust-a-move and get this little coat made in time for Juliet's birthday:

I will, however, be making it without the fur and with a velcro closure instead of buttons. Because, sad though true, I fear the buttons big time...

Have a good day!

It's Favorite Room Friday!

Welcome to my favorite room:

The place where I shut it down and call it a day.

Where Duckie, Patron Saint of Yarn, resides.

(And a molded handprint of mine, circa 1975 or so.)

On a dresser, a small homage to some of our furry friends, two of which who are no longer with us. Sniff. (The little gray kitty in the picture is a young Millie, however, who is very much alive and kicking, rascal that she is!)

 

I like the way the light shines into this room...

Here's a stack of books for bedtime reading with Juliet: Ludwig Bemelman's Madeleine series, some Margaret Wise Brown (love the Color Kittens, a favorite from my childhood), a big pink book of princess stories, and Kitten's First Full Moon.

Jumping and general silliness always allowed. In an unoccupied bed, of course. (!)  

Wanna visit some more favorite rooms? Here's some truly lovely folks who're playing along today:

Heather

Jess

Alexis

Sarah

Adrienne

Diane

Misa

Knittymama!

Here's to our homes and the rooms within where we rest and laugh and work and play with those we love most in the world. Thanks for reading, and have a great weekend!

Giveaway (...with a twist...)

I found this over at Yarny Old Kim, and it fits right in with my thinking of late - that it's high time for a giveaway (and some good mail). Here's how it works:

The first three people to comment on this post will get something fibery or handmade from me! The catch is that you must repost this idea and offer a giveaway of your own to the first three people who comment and participate on your blog. 

So, the first three fine folks who stop by and leave a comment telling me they've participated on their own blog win a gift - it could be yarn, roving, or, if you don't knit or spin, something handmade. If you're one of the first three to partake just let me know what you prefer. Everyone knows I aim to please!

Moving on...

I've finished the first sock in a pair for Charlie, and have cast on for the second. Ribbing done, now working the stockinette round-n-round. And I've discovered something: I love HiyaHiya dpn's. LOVE THEM. And I think it's because they're smooth and pointy-sharp. I like a knitting needle with a nice sharp tip to it...livin' and knittin' in the danger zone, that's me.

Don't forget that Friday = Favorite Room. Come play along if you wanna!

I Can't Help It.

I am just so ready to start digging around in the dirt and playing in the garden again.

 

Up here in the north country we've got a couple months to wait before we can really break out the garden gloves and shovels, but I've got a serious case of ants in the garden pants.

Happy Tuesday!