Craft Hope

Like so many, I have been deeply saddened by the devastation in Haiti, and I have been searching for what I could do to help in my own, small way. The number of organizations and programs of outreach is truly amazing, whether it's a national or international organization, Facebook group, Ravelry charity group, or private organization. Last night while I was searching the internet for a worthy cause that felt "just right" for me, I came across the craftivist site, Craft Hope. There are several craftivist projects a year that the site focuses on, and right now the focus is Craft Hope for Haiti. Crafters/artists have donated their work to the Craft Hope Etsy Shop, and ALL proceeds will be going to Doctors Without Borders.

I wanted to get involved, so I have already made one purchase. I'm sure I'll make more, as there are so many beautiful pieces of work in the shop. What a great way to stock up on gifts, for yourself and others. One word of caution: if you see something you'd like, purchase it right away (I learned this the hard way); the listings are going fast! Another way I got involved was by donating the neck-warmer shown below. This is from a personal pattern I've been working on, and I used Rowan yarn's Lima. The yarn is absolutely beautiful with tons of depth and softness. It's actually corded instead of plied and is supposed to have memory (perfect for any project with texture) and resist pilling. The turn-around for project submissions is taking several days due to the generous amount of projects being donated, so this neck-warmer probably won't be in the shop until the weekend.


So, take a look around at the Craft Hope Etsy Shop, feel good about the purchases you make, and make a donation if you're so inclined (Craft Hope is receiving donations until tomorrow evening).

If there are any other great craftivist websites out there, I'd love to hear about them!

Christmas Knitting for Children

My Christmas crafting has extended into January, but at least now I don't feel pressured by deadlines! :) Most of my gifts have been completed, but some still need to be delivered. Out of all the projects on today's post, only the robot was delivered by Christmas morning. This robot (from Knitted Toys by Zoe Mellor) was Matthew's special Christmas gift from me. Several months ago he and Pat were looking through the book when Matt spotted the robot. From that day forward, just about every day, Matt informed me (and anyone who enquired) that Santa was bringing him a robot for Christmas. And, yes, Santa delivered. Actually, we told Matt that Mommy was going to make the robot, then give it to Santa to place in his stocking (after Mommy and Daddy let him in the front door since the whole chimney/fireplace thing was a little scary; also, I didn't want Santa to get all the credit!). The robot was knitted on size 2 needles, and I finished it at 11:00pm on Christmas Eve. It was all worth it when Matthew spotted it the next morning, let out a little gasp, and said, "thank you, Mommy!"

My first goal was to make two pairs of these cute little gator mitts. I actually have the green portion for two pairs completed, but only had the patience to actually finish one pair. Hey, at least I have a head-start for next year!

There are a couple special little girls in my life who were born at about the same time as Ben--one was born the next day and the other just five days later. Since there are many blues and greens in my house, I have to take advantage of knitting some girly-colored gifts. Both these hats were made using Bulky Cashmerino (Debbie Bliss), size 10 needles, and a personal pattern that I've been working on. I had fun working in some eyelets and picot edging, and further expanding the details of this pattern. I hope to have all the kinks out soon and share it here in my little space on the web.

Thoughts During Walks Revisited

I created this blog nearly two-and-a-half years ago when Matthew was just a couple of months old. At the time we were going on VERY LONG walks, as it was just about the only way for him to get in a good nap. I would seriously walk around our neighborhood for one to two hours at a time! His napping got better, the weather got cooler, but we still got our walks in just about every day until I became pregnant with Ben. By then Matt was getting pretty big for the Ergo (plus it got difficult to carry him with my pregnant belly!), and he refused to sit for any length of time in his stroller. Also, I have to admit, I got a bit lazy.

So, I've been thinking about changing my blog's name. I've been going back and forth about this decision, and I'm glad I've decided to wait. The boys and I are getting out more now, and I'm enjoying my walks once again. This afternoon we went out for about an hour. Matt was in the stroller and Ben was in the Ergo. By the time I got home, both boys were asleep. Ben's now up and exploring our office while I type this, and Matt is still in the stroller (in the house). How I love not having twenty steps to climb before reaching our front door!

It's been cold here the past few weeks, and the snow from before Christmas is still on the ground. Typically, it melts soon after it has fallen due to our brights sunshine and fairly warm temps. I love the smell of fireplace smoke in the air, and there were tons of birds out looking for food (note to self: pick up a bird watching guide at the library!). My thoughts today were on my own past and how much I've come full circle: we walked passed a couple of ex-boyfriends' homes, the pool where I lifeguarded in the summers, a friend's house who passed away when we were eighteen. How things have changed: now I have two babes, a husband, a house, four pets, and a lot of history!

Now, I don't necessarily want to make "walking more" a resolution, but it is something that is being more and more incorporated into my life again. It makes me feel good, helps my boys rest, and helps me to gather my thoughts and have increased motivation. So...perhaps it is a New Year's resolution, then. I just don't want to jinx it!

On to crafting--
After seeing Ellie's great thermal cowl, I knew I wanted to make it. I even had the yarn the pattern called for in my stash. All the ribbing did take longer than I expected, so I was only able to make one before Christmas for a friend. I would like to make more, but I just need to remember to allow myself more time!

Several of my friends received these sweet crocheted caps. I found the pattern in the Winter 2007 Knit Simple magazine I had stashed away on my shelf. It was fun to do some crochet after weeks of working on the knitted Christmas stockings for the Advent calendar. I already have yarn picked out for a crocheted cap for myself!


I have many more resolutions, or perhaps I should call them "goals" or "ideas" for 2010, so there's much more to come! What are your New Year's goals? :)

Mini-stocking Advent Calendar

Last night I finally finished my last Advent calendar stocking. This has sure been a labor of love, and I'm happy to finally have it up! We awoke to snow this morning, and since the high temp today was 27 degrees F, the boys and I spent a lot of time inside. Matthew enjoyed helping me hang the stockings up, but I did shoo him outside for a little while to enjoy the snow while it lasted.

Advent Calendar Notes:
I used this miniature stocking pattern for all of the stockings. It was a great way to use up yarn from my stash since the pattern called for worsted weight yarn. It was fun for me to remember back to the projects I used each skein for before it became a "leftover." It was also interesting for me to find patterns in my color tastes: lots of jewel tones, as well as Christmas colors from last year's projects. Since I'm just not that much of a random person, there was some order to my stocking knitting: I made six variegated, six two-toned, six striped, and six solid-colored stockings. I ended up attaching them to a wide ribbon using buttons and ribbon attached to each stocking.

I'm fairly happy with how it all turned out, but I already know the improvements I want to make for next year. No, I'm not going to re-knit all twenty-four stockings, but I do want to find a more substantial ribbon to attach the buttons to. The ribbon I bought turned out to be very flimsy. I think that a velvet ribbon would add a bit more weight, or I may even sew a long, lined piece of holiday fabric. Also, I accidentally sewed twenty-three buttons on instead of twenty-four. Oops!

WIP: a Couple Days Late

I've been plugging along on my Christmas knitting, or at least trying to anyway. We've had a bit of a rough week with crummy side-effects from vaccines, not much sleep, and a pretty full schedule. At the end of the day all I want to do is sleep, which is what I did last night. Usually, even if I'm tired, I try to spend some time crafting since it makes me feel good, but last night it was light's out at 8:30. Luckily, the boys were tired as well!

Back to the Christmas knitting: I found the pattern for the sweet little gnomes at the blog, Plain and Joyful Living (now added to my sidebar). They are knitted flat, but since the finishing is "sew as you go," it's really not that bad. They're addicting little guys. My first was the red gnome--can you tell? I made it to go in Ben's stocking along with the matching ball from my previous post. I'm definitely going to re-knit the hat, although it makes me smile looking at it (so maybe I won't re-knit it; I don't think Ben will mind).

After Matthew saw Ben's gnome he asked me to make one for him. He said he wanted it to be blue and was very insistent. We've been working on colors, so I pulled about five different colored skeins out and asked him to choose which one he wanted. He picked up the blue skein and said, "blue, Mama." Translated: "I said the blue one, Mom. Why do you keep asking me this?" I lovingly obliged and enjoyed giving it to him on a Saturday morning after he woke up.

Below is a pair of Later Gator Mitts I've been working on. They're from Stitch and Bitch Nation, a book I've had for years now yet have never made a project from (it's a bit too trendy for me). I think that Matthew will enjoy having a pair of these mitts and am even making a pair for one of his friends. Another good thing: I'm using yarn from my stash.

I've been learning some difficult lessons about taking care of my knitted projects. Last spring when I was VERY pregnant I didn't take the time to wash and store my garments/accessories properly. Now I'm paying for it. I'm finding evidence of moths everywhere and am having to wash and mend numerous pieces. My finished Wisp is another example of not taking care of my knitting. I finished it shortly after Ben was born and kept it in my knitting basket until a couple of days ago when I finally got around to blocking it. Sadly, I found a couple of huge holes right in the middle. I haven't found any evidence of moths, so I think that a pair of scissors got it. I took it to my LYS yesterday and got some good suggestions on how to fix it. So, here is another WIP: mending my knits and learning from my mistakes!

WIP Wednesday: Baby's First Ball

Football season is now finished for the Hilltoppers, and although I always want them to do well, I'm happy to have my husband back. The team finished with a record of 4-6, so I guess that it was considered a "growing season."

We spent this Veteran's Day basically relaxing at home. I've been trying to organize all of the boys' clothes, and Pat tried to go through the huge wood pile that the previous owners left behind. Unfortunately about half of it is rotted, and there are plenty of spiders, mice, and other creatures making their homes in it. We hate to disturb them, but we also want that wood for the winter. Hopefully all the critters won't decide to move into our house!

This afternoon while Pat was tackling the wood pile, I pushed the boys in their swings while sneaking a couple stitches here and there. The yarn was stuffed into my vest pocket along with the project when I wasn't working on it. I'm just about done with Baby's First Ball except for the sewing and felting. This will be a stocking stuffer for Ben, and I may even make a few more. It's very satisfying starting and finishing the knitting for a project all in one day.

(After I took this picture I noticed that Benny lost a booty--oops!)

Another WIP for me right now is creating a pilot cap with bulky weight yarn. I've made one each for Ben and Matthew and hope to have a (free) pattern up soon. I just need to double-check my pattern notes first so that it's an easy pattern to follow. I know what I want to say and do, but I can't assume that others know that as well, you know what I mean? :)

Shawl Collared Jacket

As mentioned in my previous post, this sweater has been a work-in-progress for about three years now. I am so relieved to finally have it finished! Seaming it up and sewing on the buttons really wasn't that difficult; I have no idea why I didn't do it earlier. Maybe a psychiatrist could figure that one out. Anyway, the pattern is the Shawl Collared Jacket from Baby Knits for Beginners by Debbie Bliss. After looking at the Ravelry page, I noticed that there is errata available, but I can't remember having any difficulties with the pattern. I used Debbie Bliss Merino Aran for the yarn and really enjoyed working with it. It's so soft and doesn't seem to bother Ben at all. I used the Kiddie Cadet pattern for the matching hat and am really happy with the results.

Ben was very fascinated with the grass during this photo shoot, so it was difficult to get any good shots of him looking up. Of course, I also had to put down the camera a number of times to pull grass and leaves out of his mouth!

WIP III: The Three-Year Sweater

Why is it that adding those last few finishing touches to a project can take the longest? I am ashamed to admit that I started this sweater when I was pregnant with MATTHEW. I even finished all of the knitting, including the collar. All I had to do was seam it up. Well, I finally finished seaming it yesterday! Now I still need to add the buttons and add a brim to the matching cap. Then Ben will be ready to go...for a few months anyway, until he outgrows it.

WIP Wednesday II

We've had a couple of cold, wet days this week. I took this picture at about 7:30 am on Monday morning. Matthew was so excited to play in the snow, but I found him outside crying after about ten minutes because his hands were so cold (he refused to wear his mittens). Poor little guy. It was, however, a good lesson about why it's important to wear warm clothing when it's cold out.

Due to the cloudy day, I wasn't able to get good lighting for today's work-in-progress photo. I am proud to say that I've been working on at least one of my Christmas goals: a mini-stocking Advent calendar. Unfortunately, I can't find two of the stockings. Hopefully they'll reappear as we continue unpacking.

Before I had kids I absolutely loved rainy, snowy, cloudy, and/or cold days. I would curl up with a blanket on the sofa, watch movies, knit or crochet, and drink tea or occasionally hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps. Post-kids, however, it's a little more difficult to do any of the above (especially the peppermint schnapps bit!) I'm fine with Matt going out in the cold, even encourage it, but he's not always willing. He'd love to sit on the sofa and watch a movie as well, but there's only so much tv I'm going to let him watch. So, after a major tantrum because I turned off the tv, he finally settled for some play dough. I gave him the "man," he found the clothes pin in the laundry room, and behold: his very own forklift. He was very proud of his creation!

Some Wee Projects

While I have a couple more involved projects going (okay, more than a couple), sometimes I like to change things up with a little instant gratification in between. It helps to keep my crafting mojo going, if you know what I mean. :) Sometimes I also like to make something "just because," such as these little gnomes. They're currently on our nature table (when Matthew isn't catapulting them across the room or trying to shove them into a vehicle of some kind), and I found the idea at Wee Folk Art. It was fun for me to do some crafting other than knitting, and each gnome took about half an hour to make. I have plans to make many more of these wee folk.

This is my first pair of Toasty mitts from the popular Toast/Toasty pattern. I used some Noro Silk Garden that was in my stash and just love the way the colors turned out. These are for a friend who is going to be spending a couple of years in Nepal. I made her a pair of fingerless mitts when she was in Mongolia for two years with the Peace Corps, and she requested a second pair since the first were "loved to death." Of course, I happily obliged. And since my life isn't nearly as exciting as hers, I'm happy that at least my knitting can accompany her on her journeys.

Finally, a hat for the wee one. This pattern is from the Fall 2008 issue of Living Crafts Magazine. I honestly couldn't understand the directions too well, so I ended up doing my own thing. I'm happy with how it turned out and love how Ben looks like a little elf in it.

I hope everyone has a lovely fall weekend!

Work-in-Progress Wednesdays

One day a while back, on some blog I found that I can't remember the name of anymore, I saw a post titled, "Work-in-Progress Wednesday." In the hopes of trying to have posts up on a more regular basis, I'm going to adopt the idea of showing what I'm working on each Wednesday. I don't usually have a completed project, but I always have something in the works (usually multiple things!).

One of my current projects is the Simple but Effective Shawl. This one is for me with hand-dyed, hand-spun yarn I picked up at the Taos Wool and Yarn Festival. It is a bulky weight and is so soft and cozy. I can't wait to cuddle up in it!

Colonnade

I finished Colonnade about a week ago, but I was waiting to post pictures until I found the *perfect* button. And I found it on Sunday at the Taos Wool and Yarn Festival in Taos, New Mexico. Coincidentally, the booth was titled, "The Perfect Button." I am very excited about this shawl (and the button)! The minute I saw it up on Knitty I knew I had to make it--and right away! The grey yarn is Swish worsted from Knit Picks, and the blue is actually a merino/silk blend that I picked up at the Taos Wool Festival last year. Both yarns are worsted-weight, so they came out at a smaller gauge than the pattern called for, but I think that they worked out well. I wore my Colonnade to our local farmer's market today, and it kept me warm in the cloudy and misty weather. Ben enjoyed putting his fingers through the lace bit of it while I was carrying him in the Ergo.

(I wish I had better pictures, but by the time my husband gets home from work it is already dark out, and I didn't want to wait until the weekend to take pics).

The perfect button:



My only yarn purchase at the festival--a hand dyed, handspun wool/alpaca/mohair blend in bulky weight. I'm planning on using this for another cozy shawl.

What has been on your needles and hooks lately?

Autumn Exchange

I have completed my knitting for the Season's Round Autumn Exchange and have had lots of fun putting it all together. The exchange is for a fall nature table, must contain at least one handmade item and all items must be made of all-natural materials. We haven't had a nature table in our home before, so I thought that this would be a great way to start.

I knitted the pumpkin using this free pattern from Knitty, and the leaves were knit using a pattern from the Fall 2008 issue of Living Crafts. Both the pumpkin and the leaves were fulled in the washing machine, and I needle-felted some extra details onto the leaves. I enjoyed both patterns, as well as the finished results, but the pumpkin did take A LOT of seaming. Next time (and there will be a next time since I want to make one for myself!) I'll try knitting it in the round.

The play silk and snail were both purchased from the etsy shop, Syrendell.

Fall is my favorite season, and I'm excited to create our first nature table, knit up some cozy hats and other accessories, enjoy hot cups of tea, and play in the leaves with my boys. Today we're getting a taste of cooler weather as it's been rainy, cloudy, and in the low-60's. I love it!

Unfinished Business

I've been trying to knit a little each day, even if it's just for a couple minutes. I love my boys, but I often feel like I'm running ragged, and for me, crafting is a quick pick-me-up. Sometimes when both boys are entertaining themselves (especially if they're outside), some mindless garter stitch is in order. Late at night, after the boys have gone to sleep and I'm not too tired, I'm able to work on something that requires more concentration. It will probably be a while until I'm able to actually finish a project, so I thought I'd share what I'm working on in the meantime.

First, my mindless knitting project: the Moderne Log Cabin blanket from Mason-Dixon Knitting. I have tons of stashed yarn that I'm using for this project, and I'm planning on using all warm colors. It will eventually end up on the sofa in our more formal living room (now we have a living room AND a family room--I feel so spoiled!) This project contains miles and miles of garter stitch, so I know that it will take me quite a while. That's ok, though, we're planning on staying in this house for many years. :)

I'm currently a part of the Seasons Round Fall Nature Table Swap. I can't get too specific about the next project in case my partner is reading, but here are the pieces (can you guess what it will be?):

And finally, my little Sheldon. I've been wanting to make one for quite some time now, and started shortly after Ben was born. This was supposed to be my trial, and I have yarn for two more for the boys, but the way things are going who knows when I'll have the time to finish three! Right now I'm waiting on getting some safety eyes before I finish the body. It's a fun little knit; it takes some concentration but isn't too difficult.

I have MANY more projects in my queue, but that's for another post...

Have a great weekend!

Knitting the Time Away

What do you do while waiting anxiously for a baby to come? Knit a ton of bibs, of course! Actually, most of these will be gifts, but it has been a fun and calming process.

I have been wanting to make the Petal Bibs from One Skein for quite some time now, but most of my friends/family have been having boys. Finally some little girls are on the way, so I ordered some Knit Picks Cotlin and got started. I ended up knitting three, but my first had so many mistakes that it won't be gifted. I learned quite a bit, though, about short rows, applying an i-cord, and being sure to check my gauge. I knit the first on size 6 needles, and it turned out WAY too big and floppy. The two pictured were knit on size 4 needles, and they're just perfect. The pattern is such a great design, and I will be sure to make more of these in the future.

A couple of weeks ago, when I was thinking that our little one was going to come any day, I started looking for patterns that would be very simple knits. I settled on the Baby Bib O' Love from Mason-Dixon Knitting, but made up my own pattern since I didn't have the book. I used Rowan Handknit Cotton DK, which is a lighter weight yarn than the yarn used in the pattern. The size of these bibs are more appropriate for an infant, and the original Bib O' Love is sized more for a toddler. I also wanted the strap to be adjustable, so here is what I did:
CO 33 stitches
Knit in garter until desired length was reached
WS: knit 7 sts, put on holder. Bind off 19 sts. Work the next 7 stitches in garter for about an inch. Bind off on wrong side.
Reconnect yarn to 7 sts that were on the holder and work for 23 garter RIDGES.
*Buttonhole row (RS): knit 2, knit 2 together, yarnover, knit 3
Work 3 Garter Ridges
Repeat from * 2 more times
Bind off on the WS
Weave in ends and add a button to the "short" strap side

This was also a learning experience for me, and I made improvements on each bib. Although the design is not my own, I enjoyed making adjustments to fit my needs.

So, what now? I've picked up my Wisp that's been hibernating since last summer, and I've also started a blanket for the Linus Project. I checked out some movies at the library today, and the newest issue of Mothering Magazine came in the mail. I am planning on relaxing this weekend and, most importantly, I am at peace with the fact that this little one will come on his own time, even if that means past his due date.

In Preparation

I feel as if I'm now as prepared as I'm going to be for the *big* day that will hopefully arrive soon. All of our bags are packed, the house is at least semi-clean (thanks, Mom!), there are some frozen meals in the freezer, and I've finished the last of my baby knitting.

This afternoon I finally sewed the buttons on to the Harvey Kimono that I made for our new arrival. This is actually the second Harvey Kimono I've made (I made one for Matthew shortly after he was born), and even though all of the seaming is a beast, I just think that it's such a sweet pattern. I also love the yarn: Green Mountain Spinnery's Cotton Comfort. It is such a treat to knit with and the perfect yarn for baby garments. I highly recommend it! Underneath the sweater in the photo is a stroller quilt that my very talented friend made. I am very fortunate to have her in my life and be the recipient of such a sweet handmade quilt (thank you!).

A week and a half ago, during one of my ultrasounds, our little guy measured to weigh a little over eight pounds! I am thankful that he's a healthy size, but I have to admit that it scared me just a bit. I thought that for sure I would have had him by now, but here we are, still waiting. I have another ultrasound on Thursday and, based on that, my OB said that we'll "revisit our options." I am afraid that he'll push for either an induction or a c-section, neither of which we would like to do. Of course, we'll do what's best for the health of the baby and my own health, but we really have our hearts set on a natural birth. Please send prayers and thoughts our way for our little guy to come soon, preferably before Thursday. :)

Vintage Dish Towel

My husband is leaving tomorrow for the weekend to visit his sister and her family, as well as his mother, in Tucson. I've never been on my own for that long with Matthew before, so I'm a little nervous. Being 34 weeks pregnant doesn't help, either! I have several activities planned including attending a friend's baby shower, dinner plans with my parents both Friday and Saturday, and I even stopped by Hobby Lobby today to pick up some craft supplies "just in case." Hopefully it will be Sunday before we know it!

I am sending this dish towel and dish cloth with my husband as a gift for my sister-in-law. The dish cloth is similar to others I've made, except that this time I did an edging of single crochet with a hanging loop. The dish towel is the Mitered Hanging Towel from Mason-Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines, but you can find it here for free. Both projects just took two balls of Peaches & Creme, total. You have to love that!

Baby Blues

Thankfully, this post is about what's been on my needles lately, not post-partum depresson! I can't believe that it's already been a month since my last post, but I have been keeping pretty busy. I've had so many projects-in-progress and really wanted to finish all of them before blogging. Of course, life got in the way as well, as I've been tackling my "to-do before the baby is born list" and taking care of a sick kiddo.

First up I have my third pair of Stay-on Baby Booties from Knitting for Baby. I used Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, and although it is super soft, I do like the Koigu better. The gauge on this pair is a bit off, so they're probably be a little big for a newborn. Hopefully they'll still get plenty of use!

After seeing Soule Mama's beautiful kicking bag, I decided to make one of my own. I even had some sock yarn in my stash that worked out wonderfully. This did take a while since I was using size 2 needles, but it the was perfect project for car rides and watching tv. The wool/cotton blend will also be perfect for the summer: our days can reach the 90s, but our nights are still quite cool. (The kicking sack looks like a giant water-bottle cover just in case you're wondering; I just liked this close-up of the mock-cable ribbing the best of all the pics...)

Now this next project I finished months ago. For some reason I just wasn't very motivated to get out the camera. With Matthew we ended up doing part-time cloth diapering, but this time around I am determined to go full-time. I have learned a lot about the dos and don'ts, and hopefully this little one won't have Matthew's very sensitive skin. I purchased this pattern, the Hybrid Rib Soaker, more than a year-and-a-half ago from Little Turtle Knits, but this is the first time I'm actually knit it. It was super quick and a great stash buster (I used leftover Paton's Merino Wool from Pat's Cobblestone Pullover). The pattern comes in many sizes (perhaps 5?) and with the option of using either dk or worsted weight yarn. This cover is a size small and is just so adorable. I can't wait to meet its wearer!

Finally, everybody needs some good washcloths. A couple weeks ago, out of the blue, I had an itch to make some washcloths. I even had some Peaches and Creme cotton lying around (another stash-buster, yay!) and found this pattern after searching Ravelry (there is actually a VERY similar pattern in Knitting for Baby, but the Grandmother's Favorite is free). There's just something nostalgic about knitting washcloths for babies, don't you think? Anyway, I figured our new little one would appreciate his own washcloths instead of stained hand-me-downs from his brother. I plan on knitting many more in the future!

Finally, I'd like to thank you for all of your kind comments on my last post. I sometimes hesitate about sharing something so personal, but I do believe that those ups and downs of pregnancy, motherhood, and life in general, are all very real. I don't know of any "perfect" families, and although I often just enjoy highlighting the positive aspects of my life on this blog, I believe that it's more honest of me to also mention some of the trials. Life is good, but sometimes the road can get a bit bumpy.

Have a terrific weekend!

Happy New Year! I have wanted to posted sooner, but I've been enjoying time with my husband home from teaching, family and friends visiting from out of town, eating delicious goodies, relaxing a bit, and doing a bit of crafting here and there. I hope that you all have had a blessed holiday as well.

We certainly had a white Christmas this year! We woke up to snow on Christmas morning, and there was still the ten inches on the ground from two days before. A week before that it had snowed about 16 inches, so we had quite a bit piled up (and still do)! It made Christmas all the more magical. Matthew was a much bigger participant this year than his first Christmas, and I can definitely say that he liked Christmas. :) Of course he enjoyed opening gifts, but he also enjoyed being around all of the family and friends who showered him with love and attention. We are so thankful for all of our loved ones. We even spent a couple of days in the "big city" of Albuquerque going to the aquarium and biopark. It was fun just to do something different and get out of our small, isolated town. I do always enjoy coming home, though!

As you can see in the next picture, I FINALLY finished Pat's Cobblestone Pullover. I seriously finished it at 11:00pm Christmas Eve, and I think there are still a couple of ends that I haven't weaved in yet. It fits him well and he's happy with it, and I'm happy to finally have it finished! Yay! About a month ago we discovered a wadded up wool sweater in the bottom of his hamper full of holes and covered in moth eggs. I told him that it would be in his best interest not to ever let that happen to this sweater. :) (I'll eventually have all the specifics up on Ravelry).

After all of the stockinette and garter stitching on such a large scale, I have taken a little break from knitting since my marathon on Christmas Eve. I've been enjoying crocheting and sewing, and just looking through my books, magazines, and on the internet for inspiration for my next project. It's nice to just relax with the crafting and not feel rushed.

We found out that Matthew will be having a little brother, which we're really excited about. There are some adorable patterns and ideas out there for little boys, but they're really more difficult to find than those for little girls. A friend steered me toward the Flickr group, Handmade Crafts for Boys, which is great. Boys need our crafting love, too! There will be a lot more on this in the months to come. :)

This year for Christmas gifts for my girlfriends, I decided to make the Artsy Clutch from Amy Karol's book, Bend the Rules Sewing. It's a quick and easy project, and the little bag can have so many uses. I have used mine as a purse, wallet, and even small-project knitting bag. This Christmas I made six, and since we were pretty much snowed in, I made them all using materials from my stash. It felt good to be resourceful!