madmaxmama

sweet baby

2012-02-08T08:58:00.001-08:00

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i recently discovered instagram, and can't get enough of the "earlybird" filter, making the photos i've been taking of my babes turn out sorta vintage-y. in these photos, milo is loving on the felted rings his grandma made for him, and his sister is loving on him. none of us around here can quite get enough of his sweet, chubby baby snuggles.

superbowl sunday.

2012-02-07T17:58:00.000-08:00

LOVE. :)

sunshine + "robot boy"= who cares about foosball, anyway.

manly knits.

2012-01-28T10:24:00.000-08:00

Here is a fun set of knits that I made for a friend to give to her man. I just wanted to show you, in case you might be inspired to knit a quick(ish) gift for a special guy in your life. For the scarf I followed the simple instructions for a striped scarf found here, but obviously I didn't stripe the whole thing, based on the request for "just a few stripes". I'd love to try it again sometime though, using this yarn.

For the mitts, I used the Manly Mitts pattern I found on ravelry. Will definitely be making them again soon. I could tell Karl liked them when he modeled them for these photos. :)

this moment.

2012-01-27T08:08:00.000-08:00

from SouleMama:
{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

The plus side to working.

2012-01-24T06:58:00.000-08:00

(this might be a stretch, but I'm really pushing to make myself see ALL the positives here)
I figured it out! After my first two pregnancies, I lounged around in sweat pants until my pre-pregnancy wear fit me again, but one of the plus sides to going back to work is that I don't fit in my non-maternity clothes, yet most of my maternity clothes are too big and sloppy. I need work-wear. That means I NEED to go shopping, right? Unfortunately I'm not a huge fan of it. Weird, I know. I do love new clothes to wear. I just don't enjoy trying to pick things out and I also hate getting all jazzed up to buy clothes and then finding out that nothing in the store fits me right. Plus, it is insanely hard to try clothes on while wearing a baby in the Moby and tripping over two kiddos. The last few times I've bought clothes (not any time recently, mind you) I avoided that situation all together and just ordered online with the knowledge that I could try it on in the comfort of my wn bedroom and just send back/exchange whatever didn't work out. Somehow, that seems easier to me and more enjoyable to me. But, staying true to my 12 in 2012 goals, I decided I need to either sew up some wardrobe fixes or go to a thrift store. Then the big storm came, and I decided shopping for clothes wasn't important right now so I put the idea aside. Then, since the big storm came, I decided I should get my little man Maximus some snow pants and Goodwill seemed like the place to look. While we were there I thought maybe I should swing through the women's section. I was in luck!! TWO pairs of pants that looked brand new and were in what I guessed my size might be, and when I got them home they fit perfectly! Woo-hoo to not wearing maternity pants to work. Hehe. Also, Mad scored three pairs of pants (one with the store tags still on them) and Maximus got a great little outfit, but they were fresh outta snow pants. Bummer. Anyway, add in the two books we grabbed to entertain Max while we shopped and we were outta there for just under $30. What a deal. I feel like a secret to be successful in a thrift store is going in without specifics in mind. This is hard for me, but I'm hoping to get lots of practice throughout the year. ;)

this moment.

2012-01-22T19:27:00.000-08:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

"this moment" is being posted on Sunday instead of Friday this week because we only JUST got our power back after being in the dark since Thursday morning. we had lots of lovely moments this week reading and playing board games by candle light, cozying up at my mom's house for warmth from the gas fireplace, and also spending the night at my brother's house. they live across town and got their power back on yesterday. but this photo from Tuesday takes the cake. we had a whole evening's worth of fun playing in our own little jug band. we had max on the drum, which he got for his birthday, daddy on the guitar, mad on the bottles, and mama on the "uke-a-lady". as you can see, this family is quite serious about music. ;)

a whole foot!

2012-01-19T08:45:00.000-08:00

We woke up to over a foot of snow yesterday. Made me wish we had snow shoes or cross country skis. The kids were so funny playing in it. Maximus just kept falling over saying, "Uh-oh I'm stuck!" Then after getting helped out of his hole, we'd hear it again 2 seconds later. We definitely aren't use to this much snow around here, but I have enjoyed getting to spend a full week together as a family. Yesterday afternoon the power went out, which meant dinner by candlelight followed with Uno Moo and Candy Land. It was a nice change of pace! :)

2012-01-18T15:19:00.000-08:00

Maximus and I having a gelato date last February at our fav restaurant.

The whole family has had the pleasure of being at home all week so far, with school being canceled and Karl's work on hold until the weather clears up. Can you say cabin fever?! It's much colder and way more snowy than usual, so we're not quite used to it around here. The kids want to play outside, but we lack adequate snow gear, so our ventures out to play are cut short by cold, wet pants (Maximus outgrew last year's snow pants and I didn't think he'd need new ones this year until it was too late!) and frozen cheeks. Speaking of the boy, it seems like little Maxi has been pushing my buttons and trying our patience in general lately, but then when we're worn out and about to be pushed over the edge he has little ways of making us laugh and putting things into perspective for us. Last night it was when he kept getting out of bed. He's a persistent little guy, that's for sure! Finally he started to settle down and called for Karl to come in there, asking Daddy if he would sleep with him. Karl walked in and I heard him ask Max to scoot over in his bed, followed by Max's response (in his sweetest voice), "No, Daddy, you can sleep on the floor. I'll get you a pillow." And then Max pranced out to the couch for a pillow and tucked his daddy in on the floor of his room. It completely cracked me up. He's in a funny place, having just turned three and beginning to really enjoy his role as Big Brother and his capabilities toward being independent, yet still sometimes wanting to have special time to snuggle with just Mommy or Daddy. He has never been much of a cuddler, the way his sister is, which means I really enjoy the special moments when he stops running long enough for a long hug, or insists that I read "just three" books to him at bedtime. I hope these last.

2012-01-16T09:36:00.000-08:00

Here are a few snapshots that my amazing mother in law took on Max's birthday this weekend. We had a tiny party for him with some friends and family, and he had a great time. It was nice and little-boyish, complete with "dirt cake" and too many chips. :)

happy birthday max!

2012-01-14T21:35:00.000-08:00

January 2009

It was three years ago that Maximus joined our family, and has both filled our home with laughter and kept us on our toes ever since. Maxi boy, I hope you know just how much you are loved by each of us. Happy Birthday, little man. I can't believe how much you have already grown up in just three years. You have turned into such a sweet little boy and I so enjoy watching you grow and change.

this moment.

2012-01-13T08:25:00.000-08:00

inspired by SouleMama.

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

our next build.

2012-01-12T16:01:00.000-08:00

I am seriously loving Ana White's website. This "helping tower" is going to be our next build. It is quite similar to this one, which I've had my eye on for a few years, but just couldn't justify the purchase for our small home and budget. But, since we could build this one for a fraction of the cost, and since she also gives instructions for making it fold flat (!), we are excited to give it a try.

Ever since building a bookcase a few years ago, and then recently building the play kitchen, Karl and I have decided it feels so good to build things for our home that we have lots more plans on the horizon for building.

we make a good team! (a year later)

2012-01-09T08:12:00.000-08:00

For Christmas, Karl and I made the kiddos at wooden play kitchen. I've had my eye on a particular kitchen for years, since it is made in the US, is gender neutral, and appears to be quite sturdy (a must in this house!), but it just wasn't in the budget. So, last LAST Christmas. That's right... 2010 I drew out a plan on paper, we purchased all the supplies, and then failed to find the time to make this. This year we were determined. Karl was up until 2am on December 23rd (true to this family's procrastinating ways) sanding, drilling, and assembling this sweet kitchen. It turned out perfect! The kids love it, I love it, and so far it has already baked 137 pizzas and made 322 pots of wooden vegetable soup. LOVE! And a bonus? Since we made this ourselves, we were able to make it a pretty good height for our taller-than-average children. Hoping this will be played with for years to come.

The kitchen's current home is in our dining room. Some homes I go into I noticed that all the kids' toys are tucked away into bedrooms and the living room/dining room/kitchen all appears to be "adult" space. That's lovely for some families, but I really want to create a home atmosphere that is child friendly in every room. Though they do have toys in their rooms too, I don't want my children to feel like they have to be isolated in bedrooms to play, and my husband and I like to be involved in their play. So keeping some of the shared toys in common areas of our home is a good solution. I'm just trying to figure out how to keep it looking neat.

Oh, and that stick above it? That's where we hung the stockings. I'm not sure what to do with it now that the stockings are gone though. It's such a cool looking branch I kinda want to leave it there, but I'm not sure what to do with it. Hang a cute heart garland on it for Valentine's day? Make a cute felted bird's nest to tuck into one of the curves of it? Put it back outside where I tell Max everyday is where sticks belong? Hmmm... Any suggestions?

i'm loving...

2012-01-07T15:57:00.000-08:00

This was actually a post of photos I put together last month, but for some reason it never got posted. What a beautiful winter afternoon it was with my boys. I'm thinking I need to move someplace where the sun is always shining.

back to work!

2012-01-07T12:10:00.000-08:00

sweet baby M helping mama knit.

Oh my, life sure has been busy with three babes! We are now back in school, and back at work. This is the first time I have ever worked right after having a baby. Mad was 5 months old when I went back to work at the school, but then I just worked a few months and the school year was over. after that I taught preschool for a year before having Maxi, and have stayed home up until last January. I had the summer off, then worked up until the end of October and am back to work already from my maternity leave. It's CRAZY hard to leave the kiddos everyday, but I can at least find peace in knowing I'm doing what's best for my family for now. I also find peace in knowing that the school year is over in June and I'll have the whole summer to spend with my three beautiful babes. :) Two of my children's grandmas (they have LOTS of grandmas!) spent time with the boys this first week I was back at work (THANK YOU!!), and next week is the start of going to Uncle Zach's house everyday to play with him and sweet Gavin, their one and a half year old cousin. What fun! I feel like the next six months are going to go by in a flash, which is bittersweet. I can't wait for summertime, but to think about tiny Milo being eight months old by the time I get to be at home everyday does make me a little sad, so for now I'll just concentrate on the fact that I will, in fact, get to be home with him (and the other two!) everyday in just six short months. Hopefully that will preserve my sanity. :)

2011-12-30T10:31:00.000-08:00

playing along with SouleMama.

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

12 in 2012

2011-12-28T11:54:00.000-08:00

I am playing along with That Mama Gretchen's 12 in 2012 as a way to hold myself accountable for and keep track of the goals I'd like to reach in the coming year.

1. Eat local food. This will include joining the local CSA and shopping at our farmer's market at much as possible this season so that I can preserve food to get us through next winter.

2. Buy used. My husband and I are turning to craigslist and the Goodwill in our goal to try to buy "used" as much as possible this year, everything from clothing and toys to home decor and household items. We are trying to cut down our budget as well as things like packaging and supporting companies/corporations with unfair trade practices.

3. Read Little House series. I'm not sure how I got through my entire childhood without reading this series. I suppose I got stuck in the woods and never wanted to move out to the prairie with the Ingalls family. Madelynn enjoyed Little House in the Big Woods so much, that I plan to read the rest of the series to her as well.

4. Hike! This is an old goal I am revisiting. I want to hike with the kids as much as possible this summer, and have been studying up the Washington Trails Association website, reading as much as possible about hiking with kids.

5. Run a half marathon. This is something I hope to accomplish in 2012, but if I only make it to a 10k, I'll still feel pretty good about it. Running is something I've really never done, but have no excuse not to do since I have a pretty sweet double jogging stroller and a kiddo who loves to ride in it (just need to wait until baby Milo is big enough to join him in there).

6. Become a licensed daycare provider. I have started this process twice and even though I talked myself out of finishing it both times, I still have it at the back of my mind feeling like it is something I need to do. I plan to become licensed, and then go from there, starting small to be sure it is actually a good match for my family (I think it will be).

7. Sew more. When Max was still tiny, I was pretty good about sewing clothes for the kids. To my surprise, they enjoyed wearing my creations just as much as I enjoyed making them. This will probably have to wait until the summer though, when I'm done working for the school year.

8. Spend more time unplugged. I'm specifically talking about the television (ok, computer too). We haven't had cable for about a year (minus a few months when we plugged back into just basic), but we did end up with streaming Netflix on our Wii. Though we spend considerably less time in front of the TV than we used to, I'd still like it to be less, and replace that time with time spent outside or reading or doing some sort of learning activity with the kids.

9. Finish our backyard. I have had a vision of what I wanted our backyard to be like for awhile now, but we have to first reclaim our backyard from our St. Bernard. I want it to include a tire swing, a small patio with a marshmallow roasting area, and some sort of garden space. It will first and foremost include repairing all the damage our dog did as a large puppy.

10. Visit family more often.

11. Dye fabric. I want to experiment this Summer with dyeing fabric a variety of different ways. I'd love to try out some new tie dye techniques, as well as batik.

12. Reduce. I am specifically referring to the amount of garbage my family produces. Many factors will play into this, including my above goal of thrifting, remembering my cloth grocery bags on every trip, and taking advantage of my mom's next door chickens and compost bin, as well as paying better attention to what we can recycle.

then and now.

2011-12-14T09:09:00.000-08:00

May 2009

December 2011

I adore these kids.

bah humbug

2011-12-13T14:54:00.000-08:00

I've been struggling with the "so much to do, so little time" feeling I usually get this time of year. It adds to the hustle and bustle, the stress of not having everything just so, and the desire to BUY MORE! that I feel has taken over so much of the Christmas spirit. I noticed this year that there was Christmas decor out at many department stores before Halloween was over. What's the rush? Don't people understand the sooner Christmas comes, the sooner it's over? How can you savor the present moment, when all you ever do is plan for what's next? There have been so many years that by the time Christmas is over, I wonder where the enjoyment even was. I was so busy doing or making or buying or stressing that I didn't even enjoy it. So this year, I've decided to stop. Stop and enjoy the "right now". Stop worrying about giving the kids the "perfect" Christmas with lots of presents. At the ages they are at now, I do not want them to get the impression that Christmas is all about toys. I want them to experience the comfort of tradition, the warmth of being together, and the love of friends and family more than anything else. Because of this we have decided to bring Christmas into our home slowly this year, adding something small whenever we feel like it. Last week we cut out and hung "tie-dyed" paper snowflakes and hung a paper-bag chain decoration. This week, the kids each were allowed to bring a tiny seedling into their room and decorate their own Christmas tree. And we'll eventually hang stockings and get our family tree sometime before Christmas, when the time feels right for us. Each time I feel the "oh no, Christmas won't be perfect!" feeling start to creep in, I'll take a deep breath and remind myself to just enjoy the present moment. I also plan to stay away from all department stores from now on. ;)

a little late.

2011-12-12T08:52:00.000-08:00

The kiddos helped Karl get into the Movember spirit by last month by donning hand-drawn mustaches for a day (thank goodness they didn't find my Sharpies, or they may have lasted the whole month!).

Since I had no luck in my mustache growing endeavors, Karl ordered me my very first pair of TOMS!

They had special ones for Movember. Aren't the tiny embroidered mustaches great?! Toms shoes donated some money to the Movember Foundation for each pair sold, and they still sent a pair of shoes to someone in need. Not to mention, they are super comfy and go with everything!

the boy needs blocks.

2011-12-10T10:41:00.000-08:00

dear santa,

please bring blocks for my boy.

this moment.

2011-12-09T09:19:00.000-08:00

inspired by SouleMama.

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

autumn sunshine.

2011-11-12T21:11:00.000-08:00

This was a few days ago and I'm pretty sure it's the last bit of sunshine we'll have until springtime around here. It was so nice to get out of the house for a few minutes and soak it up, and I'm pretty sure baby Milo was thinking the same thing. ;)

baby sweater blogged here. booties on my ravelry page.

this moment

2011-11-11T09:29:00.000-08:00

inspired by SouleMama

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

welcome baby milo!

2011-11-10T15:45:00.000-08:00

A week ago today, my family welcomed our newest member. Baby Milo Zachary joined us on 11.03, weighing in at 9lb, 6oz! We have been enjoying our time getting used to being a family of five, and getting just small tastes of what it is like for my husband and I to be outnumbered by our children. So far, so good. ;) This third babe of ours is such a joy. I had already forgotten in just two and a half years how much having a newborn around forces you to take life more slowly. I have been trying to soak up all this newborn-ness as I know now how quickly it all passes by.

Here are some photos my mother in law took while we were still at the hospital.

Super sweet hat knit by Grandma Ferol.

happy halloween in too many photos ;)

2011-10-31T21:48:00.000-07:00

we had a pretty last minute halloween around here tonight, but luckily that didn't take away from the excitement of it all for my littles.

saturday was pumpkin carving. maxi didn't care much for the pumpkin guts, but was thrilled that we allowed him to use a forbidden sharpie.

mad was all about playing in the guts.

how is one suppose to keep a two year old clean, anyway?

pumpkin creations!

though at one point i had intended to sew up some costumes, that flew out the window when i thought i might have a newborn at halloween. silly me.

madelynn thought my blue dress looked like the ocean, so she cut some sweet marine life out of construction paper and helped me attach it just so for a kickin' last minute costume. :)

hope your halloween was just as awesome as mine!

belly shots.

2011-10-24T12:38:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure why I want to publicly document this. Other than the fact that it makes me laugh.

Here is my belly a few days before Mad was born.

Here it is a few weeks (I swear it got even bigger!) before Max was born.

And here's a photo, taken just days before Little No. 3 makes his grand entrance.

Man, I was tiny with my first! Not only do first pregnancies seem to be held in tighter, but sweet Mad was only just over 7lbs at birth, while Max was just over 9. I'm hoping the growth trend does not continue with this one, and that my LARGE belly is simply a product of old, worn out abs.

(Eww, did I just say I hope that's why?!) Ha!

full of it...

2011-10-10T16:31:00.000-07:00

"Monday's child is fair of face

Tuesday's child is full of grace,

Wednesday's child is full of woe,

Thursday's child has far to go,

Friday's child is loving and giving,

Saturday's child works hard for a living,

But the child who is born on the Sabbath Day

Is bonny and blithe and good and gay."

I'm not sure why, but this poem popped into my head the other day and stuck there. So today, I decided to google all our birthdays to find out what we've got in our family. Turns out, Karl and Max are "full of woe," while Mad is "full of grace" and I'm apparently "fair of face." Hmmm... I wonder what Little No. 3 will be full of.

right now...

2011-10-07T19:12:00.000-07:00

With the nearing of Little No. 3's arrival, I'm realizing the nesting bug definitely has yet to strike. My house is kind of a disaster, and to avoid further housework I am currently:

*using this tutorial to sew up some cloth nursing pads--won't my husband be happy to not receive panic-stricken phone calls at work from me begging him to stop at the store on his way home for another box of nursing pads?!

*snuggling sniffly artists on the couch

*and getting ready to enjoy the amazingly delicious caramel popcorn my hubby is currently whipping up in the kitchen.

ahh... it seems my weekend is already off to the perfect start!

quick knit!

2011-10-03T17:07:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post today to say that I just can't get enough of these socks. I had already knit a pair this summer, but I'm thinking Little No. 3 might get yet a few more pairs in the weeks before he arrives. They knit up SO fast, they are perfect for a last minute gift (hence the title of the book they are from).

more details on my rav page.

:)

love in stitches.

2011-09-29T07:44:00.000-07:00

It's so nice to know that while this sweet little babe in my belly has plenty of hand-me-downs coming his way, he'll have a few things that were made just for him. Ok, more than a few. Maybe his grandma and I have gotten a little carried away. That whole thing about babes being super easy to shop for? Well, the same applies to knitting. :)

All of the details of these projects can be found on my Ravelry page, with the exception of the ones that were knit by my mom. The orange vest in the top right corner is the Milo, the light-colored soaker lying next to it is the Curly Purly and is knit with Lion Brand Fisherman's wool, and lastly, the super sweet tiny yellow/orange hat and vest set in the center are the Baby Cable Singlet and the Swirl Hat.

No doubt, this baby is loved.

thanks, anna.

2011-09-27T21:10:00.000-07:00

Here's a dress I made a few weeks ago. It may be the most comfy piece of clothing that still fits over my giant self. Possibly even more comfortable than my striped skirt. I used the tutorial for Anna Maria Horner's Museum Tunic, with a few minor changes. While I LOVE her fabric for this dress, I opted for a super light slub-knit jersey, which I double-layered over the whole dress. My fabric piece was long enough that I didn't have to sew the shoulder seams, the dress is basically just two long skinny rectangles sewed together with an opening in the middle for the neckline and some elastic shirring below the bust. I sewed the back of the neck closed, but left the front a deep V. I worried that the solid color and casual fabric would make it look too nightgownish, so I paired with an elastic belt I recently scored at Ross. I think it helps. And even if it doesn't, at least my belly isn't showing! ;)

Don't worry, I'm not giving anyone the death-stare in the next photo. Turns out, I am often unaware of my facial expressions. Until someone catches them on camera (thanks mom).

I'm excited about this dress, not only because I made it weeks ago and it still fits, but also because I think it has some serious potential for post pregnancy wear as well. I'm thinking the deep V will come in pretty handy for nursing.

felt beads!

2011-09-26T09:42:00.000-07:00

Here's a crafy idea! Why not spend your first few days of Fall making felt beads? Mad and I actually did this during the last few weeks of Summer, if you're going to be picky about the details. It turned out to be a super fun project, and the products will probably be transformed into Christmas gifts in the very near future.

We made ours outside so I didn't have to mind where the water was dripping. I wasn't sure if Maxi would join in on the fun, so I wanted to be prepared to have a totally two-year old safe craft. Turns out felt bead-making is totally two year old safe, but not nearly as interesting as shooting at bugs with homemade water pistols, or seeing how far felt beads can fly when being flung into the air when no one is looking. Good thing he's cute!

There are so many good tutorials on how to do this that I couldn't choose just one to link to. Go ahead and google search felt bead tutorial, and click on whichever sounds good. It's a pretty easy art to master. I actually learned how to make them when I was in middle school and my brother and I were briefly involved in a llama 4H group... but that is another story for an entirely different time!

;)

long time gone

2011-09-25T22:41:00.000-07:00

Wowza! I can't believe I've nearly let the whole month of September fly by without a single post. We've been having computer issues, and though my mom generously loaned us an extra laptop, it's slower than I'm used to and doesn't have the same photo editing software I've been using... and since it's not my computer, I've been reluctant to upload photos from my camera onto it... but mostly I've been l a z y. I'll do my best to catch us all up since beginning of August. And then maybe I'll start posting regularly again. :)

First, Little No. 3 is still in my belly, as you can see. Yet, that fact doesn't stop me from "trying on" the latest knits he'll be forced to wear. It's funny to me when I think about the differences between my first and third pregnancies. With Mad, I couldn't wait to be DONE being pregnant. I just wanted to meet the little being growing inside of me. Whenever I was asked how far along I was, I could tell you down to the hour (haha!) how much time I thought I had left. This time around, though I am equally excited to meet this little guy, I have my other two keeping me so busy that I feel like the end of my pregnancy is beginning to sneak up on me! We have the crib set up in Maxi's room, but have yet to do much else to prepare for this sweet one's arrival. And for some reason the list seems to be growing as time is running out (set up the cradle in our room, sort out all the newborn baby clothes, get cloth diapers ready, buy baby wipes in order to avoid running in a panic to the store when we run out, sew diaper pail liner, sew more nursing pads, finish baby's crib quilt... and the list goes on!). Whenever I get started on the list, my brain automatically inserts "take nap" between each item. Good for my body, not so good for productivity.

Mad turned 5 since my last post. She also started school. Kindergarten. All day. I am absolutely amazed to see all that she has already learned and the amount of social growth that has taken place in just a few weeks since she started. Five years ago, this stage in our lives hadn't yet crossed my mind, so it feels weird to say I'm surprised by how much I am enjoying it. Watching these babes grow and seeing what comes next is such a blessing and a learning process, and I'm honestly loving every step.

And last but not least, my big guy is getting bigger. And more stylish, obviously. I have fixed his hair cut and put away the too small "horsey boots" since this photo was taken. I'm thinking these ones might have to show up under the Chrstimas tree this year, since my kiddlets have such round little foot-tops, and owning a nice pair of "horsey boots" is as close as they'll ever get to their dream of someday owning a horse (how do I make them understand we must first own a farm?!). And by the way, that Mtn Dew bottle became a cowboy pistol, which apparently makes a "pew-pew" sound and is useful for shooting sisters, bugs, and chalk grafitti.

weekend in photos

2011-08-08T08:47:00.000-07:00

We ended up taking a spontaneous road trip this weekend to visit my sweet sister in law and my bff from high school. We are trying to squeeze as much summer out of the next few weeks as possible, before my baby girl goes off to kindergarten.

Hope yours was just as lovely.

favorite skirt.

2011-07-30T20:19:00.000-07:00

I've been needing a skirt like this for weeks now. It turns out this babe is riding pretty l o w, and I cannot stand waistbands. Even my full panel maternity jeans feel like they are cutting into my guts when I sit. I keep telling my husband I'm going to go find some giant, tacky mu-mu's on my next thrifting adventure (now that I see these, the mu-mu seems even more tempting), but I'm glad I have this skirt in my life so it doesn't have to come to that.

Helllllllo stripes! I can't get enough of them and I don't even care if it's a complete fashion faux-pa. Is it?

All I did to make this skirt was find an over-sized tee on the clearance rack at Old Navy...

...Then I cut the shirt off at the armpits, folded over a 1in waist and inserted some 1/4in elastic (it's just what I had closest to me). Similar to this tutorial, but without the A-line shaping. Easy peasy!

This skirt is SO comfy!! It sits right under my belly, and I can't even feel the elastic. I might wear this every day for the rest of the summer. And then I might get some leggings and continue to wear it through the fall. I'm thinking it will be a great post-baby wear as well!

2011-07-25T11:50:00.000-07:00

It was another hot and sunny weekend (though not very productive, I must say), full of front yard picnics, splashing, playing in the dirt, and of course knitting. I love the kind of days where I skip the laundry and enjoy the sunshine with my babes. Good thing we soaked up all the sun this weekend, because the rain clouds are starting to roll in!

It's really beginning to dawn on me that the laundry will in fact always be there, but the sunshine and the kiddies who want to play with me will not. :)

longies for the babe.

2011-07-23T07:49:00.000-07:00

I might post about something other than knitting soon. Maybe I'll even finish sewing these. But don't quote me on that! For now, I have to show you something that I am so happy to have finally finished. These little pants first started as a soaker WAY back when Maxi was still in diapers. And tiny. Then, when I realized I wouldn't finish it in time to fit Max, I frogged what I had started and began knitting Elizabeth Zimmerman's baby leggings pattern for my nephew born last summer. Unfortunately I ran out of yarn and didn't get around to ordering more until my nephew, Baby G, was too big for the pants. It was around the time I realized I no longer had a recipient for the pants that they made their way to the very bottom of my knitting basket and have lived there for nearly a year. A year! Needless to say, I'm pretty happy that these are finally finished. They will be going to Little No. 3.

You can see the details on my Ravelry page.

this moment.

2011-07-22T08:48:00.000-07:00

inspired by SouleMama.

another baby knit!

2011-07-21T08:05:00.000-07:00

I just can't stop knitting for this babe. Yesterday, while Mad was at ballet "camp" I finished this kick back / snuggle sack I have been working on. I'm super excited about it, and couldn't be more pleased with how the yarn looks. When I first got the yarn in the mail, I wasn't sure I'd like the color knitted up (it can be hard to tell on the computer screen!), luckily it pooled nicely and the colors are awesome. :) It's also softer than I thought it would be. Hopefully Baby likes it as much as I do.

The pattern is Kicking Bag for Babies and the yarn is Imagination Hand Painted Sock Yarn in Seven Dwarves from Knit Picks.

2011-07-19T18:58:00.000-07:00

I'm usually not that great at matching different fabrics, but I think I've finally matched up enough of my stash fabric to finally make my girlie a couple Bo Peep Skirts from Anna Maria Horner's Seams To Me. I've made a few things from this book so far (though I've been wanting to make everything if only my time and fabric budget would allow!), and I love it. The patterns are well written and I feel like I have learned something new with each project.

I'll let you know how they turn out.

the perfect buttons!

2011-07-18T13:24:00.000-07:00

It sure didn't take long for the perfect buttons for my baby sweater to materialize. When my mom saw the sweater, I told her I was thinking little wooden buttons were what I had to find, and about 30 minutes later she knocked on my door (we live next to each other) and held out six little buttons freshly cut from a twig she found near her chicken yard. Perfection, I tell ya! I am always amazed (still!) by my mother's creativity. By the next day or so she had the holes drilled and the buttons sanded smooth and polished. I LOVE the way they complete the sweater.

Thanks Mom!! :)

EZ is a genius.

2011-07-11T07:27:00.000-07:00

Behold, the infamous Baby Surprise Jacket from Elizabeth Zimmerman. This is a project I have been wanting to do for quite awhile now, but hadn't been brave enough to try until quite recently. I'm so glad I did. If you're familiar with EZ, then you know many of her patterns are written more as a series of suggestions rather than clear cut instructions. But, as I found out, if you just trust what she writes without second guessing anything you don't understand, but knit on with faith (she is, afterall, a knitting goddess!), you will realize that the bath mat you thought you were holding about halfway into the project miraculously gains the potential to actually become a jacket.

And here it is:

This is what it looks like before seaming. See the resemblance it holds to a tiny bath mat?

And the seaming is a piece of cake. I used the original pattern from her book, The Opinionated Knitter, which only has instructions for one size. She does point out that by using a different gauge with the same number of stitches, you can alter the size. After first starting with fingering weight yarn on size 2 needles, I quickly realized it was going to be much smaller than I was aiming for (a definite newborn/preemie size), so instead I restarted holding the yarn double and jumping up to size 4 needles, ending up with something closer to a 3-6 month size.

The yarn I used was Knit Picks Imagination in the colorway Wild West. Love it!

And since I held the yarn double, I went through my two skeins before I finished the sweater. So I finished it off with some leftover City Tweed from the hat I made baby last week.

All that's left is to find the perfect buttons.

2011-07-09T07:56:00.000-07:00

I finally got some new photos that better show the colors of the baby blanket I'm currently crocheting and I had to show them off. The first photos just weren't that great. This is more what the blanket is looking like in real life (oh, the wonders of natural light in photographs!). This blanket is just so fun, and I think I'll actually be able to finish it. My mom will understand why I say that. She taught me to crochet when I was in third grade. Together we decided that I should finish a twin-sized afghan she started and had all the yarn for in a cute little tote bag. It lived under my bed and I'd work on it every once in a while, but was never really crazy about it. I found it again when I was packing for college. I think I probably did a total of 3 color changes, which equaled about 6 inches of length added to the afghan over almost a decade. Haha!

This one has been really fun to work on though. It's a do-able size and I get to change the color to whatever I want, whenever I want, which really adds to my interest in the process. It doesn't take long to do a color stripe or two, so it's fun to work on whenever I have a few minutes to spare. Plus, since the colors are totally random, Madelynn sometimes thinks its fun to help me choose which color to use next.

I think I linked to the pattern in my last post about it, but just in case, it's this one. There are lots of really cool projects of this blanket on Ravelry, which are so fun to look at. Maybe one day I'll get up the gumption to try a color-themed throw for the living room.

summer knitting!

2011-07-08T08:33:00.000-07:00

I have a couple recently completed projects, as well as a few more in the works. These are all for my fall babe, and I'm loving the patterns! The first is the pattern Baby Socks, from the book More Last-Minute Knitted Gifts. (I completely recommend this book, by the way. Full of great projects that aren't too time or yarn consuming (let's face it, sometimes its tough to knit on a budget). I want to knit each one. That doesn't happen for me with knitting books very often. My usual luck with books and cd's is that I buy one and only like the cover project/title track. But that is definitely NOT the case here!!)

I am completely in love with knitting these. They are done in slightly heavier yarn that what I normally think of when knitting socks, which means they call for a larger needle, which means a whole pair knits up in no time at all. I'm pretty sure I'll be making one in every size, in every color in my stash. After all, an October (or November) babe needs warm to have warm toes, right?

This hat is also a pattern from the same book, but I accidently made it less pointy. (Details here).

I was unsure whether or not to undo the top and fix it, so I tried it on this baby-head sized melon and am thinking I'll just leave it alone for now. Cute, right?

Lastly, I'm using some sock yarn from Knit Picks to knit a kicking sack. I can't wait to finish this project. The yarn, by the way, isn't supposed to be striped at all. It's a hand-painted yarn that I got on super sale. I wasn't crazy about the colors (which is sometimes hard to tell on the computer screen), but felt ok about it because it was SUCH a good deal. I am so happy that the colors ended up pooling the way they did. I love it!

So there you have it. The sunshine is good for my knitting. :)

reflection

2011-07-07T11:32:00.000-07:00

We have been so blessed with sunshine over the last few days and enjoyed every minute of it. It has given this mama lots of time to sit in the sun with yarn in hand, while being surrounded by the sounds of littles enjoying the summer. Knitting (and crocheting!) for this babe in my belly reminds me that I first learned to knit the summer I was pregnant with little Maximus, which doesn't seem that long ago, but oh just look at him now! I have been doing an awful lot of reflecting lately, with one kiddo about to go to school for the first time, one completely out of diapers, and another new life on the way, and am coming to realize how quickly time flies. I am so thankful for where and what life has brought us and for who I am sharing it with.

a good 4th.

2011-07-05T17:09:00.000-07:00

We hope you had as great a 4th as we did this year. Ours was quiet but very enjoyed. It included lots of watermelon, corn on the cob, a lunch picnic, sparklers, a small firework show thanks to Daddy, and lots of rest for this mama!

Look at this girl. Just look! She is getting so grown up.
And she reminds me daily that she is an almost kindergartner.

It seems to me the more I realize just how fast my kiddos are growing and how quickly my family seems to be expanding, the more I enjoy just being with them. And so, a nice quiet summer holiday was just perfect, and leaves me today feeling oh so blessed!

:)

a saturday dinner

2011-07-03T00:58:00.000-07:00

Today was the perfect day for learning how to grill pizza.

We may never bake it in the oven again.

Hope you all have a safe and happy 4th!!

:)

2011-07-01T08:56:00.000-07:00

easiest dress ever!

2011-06-29T07:37:00.000-07:00

I scored a couple of great thrifted pillow cases a few shopping trips ago for a buck each and recently decided it was time to try some pillowcase dresses for Mad. There are some great tutorials out there, but nothing that was quite what I envisioned. So, I simply cut about 4 inches off each pillowcase on the closed side, made a rolled hem, and used elastic thread to do about 8 rows of shirring a little over a quarter inch apart. The 4 inches I cut off the top left me with the perfect amount of fabric to make ties for the straps. Easy peasy! I didn't have quite enough elastic thread to finish the striped one, but that I'm hoping that that king size pillow case will be like a maxi dress on my girl.

Wanna give it a try? Just go find a pillowcase that will be long enough for your girlie and get to work. Here is a tutorial specifically for shirring with elastic thread, and here is a tutorial for an entirely different project (which I must make soon!) that also has some helpful tips for shirring.

Have fun!

tough boys wear pink!

2011-06-28T11:53:00.000-07:00

I used the tutorial found over at Zaaberry to finally make a boy's muscle shirt for Maximus! I have been wanting to make one since last summer, but just finally got up the courage to give it a try.

It is no coincidence that the courage came shortly after I found this Godzilla shirt a on a trip to the Goodwill. I knew at once it had to be turned into something for Max.

Godzilla on pink?! It completely cracks me up!

This photo is included for proof to my husband that it was in fact, a men's shirt. :)

The shirt turned out a little slimmer than I meant for it to, because I used a pajama shirt to trace for the pattern. (Note to self: pajamas are meant to fit more snugly than regular clothes.) But speaking of pattern making, I also found out that paper grocery bags are the perfect size to use for little kid/baby patterns.

He loves his new "monster" shirt and given that it took about 30 minutes to make, there will definitely be more of these in his summer wardrobe!!

beach trip!

2011-06-28T09:48:00.000-07:00

We went on a totally spontaneous beach trip last Sunday, and all had a blast. Though you'd think that since I've lived in Washington all my life, I'd realize that WA beaches are rarely sunny, and definitely not warm. Yet every time I go, I dress as if we're going to be soakin' up the rays, when really what we need are scarves and wetsuits. We only live an hour from the shore, so I just assume that when it's 75 degrees and sunny-bright at our house, it will be the same there. Oh-well, we have fun anyway. Here's the proof! :)

Turns out all this boy needs to have fun is a big pile of sand and a stick!

:)

peasant top from diy maternity

2011-06-24T08:58:00.000-07:00

Hehe. These first two photos are courtesy of Madelynn. She's such a good Mommy's helper! Last night I made the maternity peasant top, following this tutorial from diy maternity. All the tutorials there are so well put together with lots of photos. I'm quickly gaining confidence when it comes to sewing for myself, and I'm excited to try more of the patterns and tutorials from that site!

Starting with this shirt I swiped from my husband's side of the closet (it was only there because I forced him to buy it years ago. He's never been a fan of pearly looking snaps though.)...

...I ended up with this totally cute and comfy maternity top. Love it!

The only thing I did differently from the tutorial is the sleeves. Instead of making them more fitted, I just slipped some elastic into the hem. Now my shirt is plenty roomy and because of the snaps, maybe it can also double as a nice and loose nursing top this fall.

detail shots

2011-06-23T12:04:00.000-07:00

I finally got Maxi to take his "new" jacket off long enough for me to get some better photos of the embroidery. It's SO easy to do it. If you've been dreaming about attacking something with embroidery floss, children's clothing is the way to go. Get creative and have fun!

mama's boy jacket

2011-06-23T07:26:00.000-07:00

I am always so inspired by Anna Maria Horner and Jenny Hart and their ability to stitch anything they want on nearly anything they want flawlessly. I often daydream about embroidering random pieces of fabric/upholstery, but always panic at the thought of ruining something perfectly good to begin with it. When I pulled this little jean jacket out of the closet for Maximus a few weeks ago, I've been thinking ever since how cute it would be to embroider it. It took me quite a long time to have an idea that wasn't super girlie though (I can't seem to get Day of the Dead-inspired floral designs out of my head lately), but I finally figured out the perfect design for my sweet little mama's boy.

And look! He approves! (Tough guy took a serious spill on his bike yesterday and has some road rash on his face to show for it.)

Honestly, I'm not sure why I've been afraid of ruining things all this time. I did mess up a few times and used a seam ripper to tear out my stitches, and you can't even tell. You can almost see in this photo the design I just drew straight on to the jacket with an orange colored pencil. It wasn't just hard to photograph, it was hard to see! I need to find my white sewing pencil thing for next time. Anyway, I have full confidence now that I couldn't have ruined this jacket. Even if the design were a total failure, I could have just ripped out the embroidery floss and tossed in the washer, and no one would be the wiser. Total confidence boost!

I think this is the best photo I got of the detail. It does actually say "MOM," but I couldn't get a great photo of it with my always-on-the-move two year old! (And he didn't take it off until bedtime).

And look! He's finally mastered big boy undies. This Mama is all kinds of proud!

baby knits!

2011-06-21T11:20:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of baby knits I've been working on for my little number 3. The wool soaker is the Milo soaker pattern from Vintage Baby Knits, and has been a work in progress for quite some time. Mostly because I saved it for a doctor's office knit, since the waiting room at my doc's office is a nice and quiet place to fit in a few stitches. I knit it in some Lion Brand Fisherman's wool (which I love!) that I had leftover from Maxi's sweater last Fall.

I absolutely loved knitting this sweater. I used a Knit Picks cotton, just because it's what I had, and I think it turned out pretty cute. The pattern is Puerperium Cardigan, but I chose to knit it as a pullover since I didn't have enough matching buttons for the whole thing. It is so darling and I can't wait to try it on the babe this fall.

The sweater knit up so fast, it is perfect for a last minute baby gift, and it has instructions for short or long sleeves (I decided on an in-between) so it works for any time of year! I think I might knit up a spare to have on hand. :) I'm also tempted to knit a bunch of the soakers up, but I've never used wool soakers before and am not sure how these ones will fit. Anyone have experience with them or a favorite pattern to share?

And there you have it. Now maybe I can move on to finishing the baby quilt I've been working on since long before this babe was even on his way.

maternity shirt (refashion!)

2011-06-17T15:20:00.000-07:00

I found this bright orange men's extra large muscle tee for just a few bucks a few days ago while I was out shopping, thinking I could try to turn it into this or this, but it turned out to be not quite enough fabric (apparently my belly circumference is a whole lot closer to men's XL than I thought!). So instead I just cut it up and played around with it, until it turned into this:

It's not exactly how I imagined it at first, and there are a few funny puckers around the belly and on the back straps where I put some shirring, but overall I think I surprised myself. I'm pretty sure I'll be trying this again with a few thrifted T-shirts I have to see if using a thinner jersey material will help make it more flowy and less puckery.

I made a purse!

2011-06-11T08:23:00.000-07:00

Way back in November, my Aunt sent me one of her husband's ACU shirts from Germany and a link to this website for inspiration. I'm still not sure why I told her I could make her a purse from his uniform. I had never made a handbag before and didn't have a pattern for one that seemed fitting for this material. Also, do you know how hard it is to cut into ACU? I went through rotary blade just on this project, even though the shirt was worn thin in spots. I couldn't imagine trying to cut up a new one! But all that aside, this probably has be the project I'm most proud of to date.

I finished it in December, after procrastinating when I realized how much this would challenge my sewing skills. But I didn't blog about it back then, because I wanted to make sure a) she really liked it first and b) that it wouldn't fall apart the first time she used it. I'm glad I waited to show you all, because it looks WAY better now that she's used it and put all his patches on it.

I just made up my own pattern for the bag based on the size she wanted, and the size that would be most logical. I used the front of the shirt for the front of the purse, which put some great pockets and the name tapes right on the front. I wish I'd have been brave enough to put a zipper into the purse, but I think I would have needed a stronger machine, or at least way bigger needle. The fabric is seriously so tough! But I found some large snaps that match the look of the bag, and work just fine.

I used the shoulder pockets for the sides of the purse, which worked perfectly for the dimensions of the bag, and just sewed a single strap. Which I love! I was so happy to see that she came over using it, as I was a little worried at first that my maybe I was way over my head with ambition that didn't match my actual skill level. Yay! that it hasn't fallen apart. :)

I'm definitely not itching to make more of these anytime soon, but I am so glad I made this one. It really makes you stop and think when you're holding a shirt in your hands that has been to places you can't imagine going.

what a lovely week!

2011-06-10T14:55:00.000-07:00

This weekend marks the end of a busy, but fantastic week. We welcomed some family members "home" after living in Germany for the last three and a half years, though they won't actually be to their new home until their drive over to the mid-west in a few weeks. My kiddos played with (second) cousins they didn't even know they had, and Mad got her wish for a sleepover (finally!!) for three nights in a row. We came to the realization that we'll have to begin to prepare for this babe growing inside me sometime in the next few months, otherwise it will end up sleeping in a drawer somewhere. ;) (The bigger my belly grows, the older my babes on the outside seem too.) Maxi has started speaking in full sentences (mostly about robots and robot-bunnies), and Mad has learned to ride a bike (without training wheels!). She then proceeded to ride a a whole mile the same day and has since earned some pretty sweet "bike-riding blisters" on her thumbs to show for it (we credit the "balance bike" method for her quick learning).

But it turns out baby-growing requires more energy than I have left, so I'm going to follow this lovely week with a weekend full of nothing but knitting and napping. Hope you have a restful one, too!

this moment.

2011-06-10T08:49:00.000-07:00

inspired by SouleMama.

crazy colors crochet!

2011-05-31T14:37:00.000-07:00

One of these days I might have a finished project to show you. I do finish things sometimes, I promise. But for now, I want to show you what I most recently started. It's a granny stripe baby blanket for my babes. I'm making it large enough in hopes that all three of my babes will enjoy snuggling with it on the couch. Being mostly a knitter, I'm always surprised at how fast it seems crochet projects go. I only started this blankie two nights ago and already, it's a third of the way done. Loving it!

The colors in the first photo appear a little brighter than they actually are. It's a bright, colorful blanket for sure, but many of the colors are a little more muted than they actually appear. The yarn I'm using is a Knit Picks yarn called Crayon, which is a soft cotton yarn that's fairly cheap (which is why I had enough in my stash to make a whole blanket long before I had the skills or desire to do so. ;) )

this moment.

2011-05-27T07:24:00.001-07:00

inspired by SouleMama

my funny girl.

2011-05-26T09:23:00.000-07:00

This girl, who loves to smother her brother with love, is growing up much too fast! She is far beyond her years in so many ways, that I love to savor the moments in which I am really reminded she is still just my little girl. Madelynn has recently (as in the last six months or so) taken interest in telling jokes. Knock-knock jokes are her favorite. So we told her an old joke that I figured would be easy to remember. This is the joke she told my mom a few days later.

Mad: "Knock knock!!"

Grandma: "Who's there?"

Mad: "Salad"

(By now I was already trying not to laugh!)

Grandma: "Salad who?"

Mad: "Let me in, it's cold out here!!"

Of course, Lettuce is the one that was supposed to be knocking, as in "Lettuce in, it's cold out here!" I'm sure she'll start to catch on to punch lines soon, but for now her jokes are funny for other reasons. Another funny was just today when she ran into my room with her nose plugged and was frantically telling me that "Max ran out of gas!!" it took me much too long (I hadn't yet had my morning coffee) to realize she meant that Max had passed gas, which was definitely important information to pass along since Maxi has been working on potty training. I think she feels more let down by accidents than he does (though she's careful not to show it), since it was Mad who first started potty training him by sitting him down on the potty and sternly instructing him to "get busy!" just as Aunt Sami does with her guide dog puppy in training.

Oh my, am I ever blessed to be the mama of these sweet little ones!

on my needles

2011-05-21T09:46:00.000-07:00

As always, I have more than one project going at once. Hopefully before the end of the summer, these will turn into a wool soaker, this wrap/cardigan, and more booties!!

this moment.

2011-05-20T08:01:00.000-07:00

inspired by SouleMama.

Happy Birthday!!

2011-05-18T07:21:00.000-07:00

To the man who takes marshmallow business very seriously,

who is a great leader to his family, and who makes my world go 'round.

Happy birthday, Sweetie. I love you!!

2011-05-17T21:04:00.000-07:00

I have so. much. sewing I'd love to get done so I could start checking some items off my list, but how am I supposed to sit behind my sewing machine when it looks like this outside?! The sun is finally showing itself to us... and it's warm enough to enjoy it to boot!

This would have been a good idea if the frisbee wouldn't have
smacked her in the face shortly after this photo was taken. :(

I did, however, find time to knit while soaking up some rays.
This pair of booties will be going to my little number 3.

bitty booties!

2011-05-15T13:04:00.000-07:00

I knit these sweet booties up for a coworker who is adopting her first babe this summer.
I can't wait to give them to her!!

The pattern is Christine's Stay-On Baby Booties, and I used some of the leftover yarn from this project I knit last year. I messed around with the size a little as the original sole I knit was literally the size of a domino. I know newborns are small, but not quite that small. You can find the details on my ravelry page. These knit up so quickly and took so little yarn. LOVE them!! I already cast on another pair for my own babe, and have plenty of time to knit another pair in every color of the rainbow before he/she arrives this Fall. :)

This photo has nothing to do with the booties, but when Madelynn found these funny little crochet flowers stashed away in my knitting bag she decided they should adorn our rhodies for now. Love her!

Hope your weekend is just as lovely as can be!

this moment.

2011-05-06T08:25:00.000-07:00

inspired by SouleMama.

crafties

2011-04-27T07:31:00.000-07:00

Here are a few photos of the craft bazaar I participated in this weekend at our local Arts Walk. It was a pretty good experience for my first, and I can definitely see myself doing it again sometime. I scheduled this one on pretty late notice, so I didn't have enough time to come up with some of the creations that have been floating around in my mind lately. Instead, I just stuck with some baby goods and a few hand printed cards.

I shared a table with my friend Kathleen, who makes jewelry. Isn't her display the cutest??

my weekend in photos.

2011-04-25T07:46:00.000-07:00

We had a GREAT weekend. Saturday was a beautifully sunny day and we spent nearly every hour of it outdoors. Sunday, however, was a cold and rainy mess which meant less egg hunting and more napping on the couch in front of Anne of Green Gables. It was perfect. I hope you had the kind of weekend that leads into a lovely Monday.

wardrobe fix.

2011-04-22T08:04:00.000-07:00

Sometime in the last few weeks I realized that unless I'm going to wear sweats to work, I'd better pull out my maternity wardrobe again. My little number 3 is sticking way out there already. The first thing I made, in hopes that I could stretch my current work wardrobe (get it?) a little further into my pregnancy was a belly band, using this tutorial. It worked pretty well, but turns out I just don't prefer layering on an extra piece of clothing. I wasn't confident enough that it would actually keep my pants up, and felt very self-conscious while wearing it. Good thing I didn't splurge a bunch of cash for a real one!

Hello 14wk belly!
(I'm sure my husband's recent baking spree has nothing to do with it)

Instead, I used this idea to sew a maternity panel into this pair of pinstriped slacks I've had for years and have never been able to zip. I basically just cut a tummy-shaped scoop out of the front of the pants. I put the pants on and used a crayon (like all the pro's do, right?) to draw where I thought I should cut. Then I sewed a double layer of stretchy knit fabric right into the pants. Ta-dah!!

Here they are in action. I apologize for the next shot, I just wanted to show you how the panel actually fits.

Perfecto! Free maternity pants, since I already had everything I needed to "make" them in my closet. I was even able to throw them together in the morning before work and wear them the same day. (I use the term "morning" pretty loosely here. I don't actually go to work until 10:30)

!

2011-04-21T08:27:00.000-07:00

I know my blog posts have been few and far between for the last few weeks now, and there's a good explanation for that, besides this one. You see, aside from having all the technical difficulites, I've been a bit distracted with looking up things like this, and discovering patterns like this, and sewing things like this. If you took the time to click on all those links, I'm sure you've caught on to the obvious.

We found out about a week before my birthday that this little guy is going to be a big brother!! I think he'll be excited about it when he figures out what it all means.

This girl, on the other hand, has it all figured out and could not be more thrilled about the new addition.

As you can see, our house tiny house is going to be a VERY full house come this Fall, but we could not feel more blessed and excited about our growing family.

2011-04-19T07:19:00.000-07:00

Here's a little preview of a project I've been working on this week for the bazaar this weekend. I screen printed these fabric panels by hand way back when I learned to screen print last Spring. These were just little drawings I made and thought there were funny for baby things because they all have nocturnal animals on them. If you're not busy Friday night, I hope you can make it downtown for the Olympia Arts Walk. That's where I'll be.

a little thing to sew.

2011-04-18T07:30:00.000-07:00

This weekend, while I was busy sewing away at some projects for next weekend, I was able to fit in a fun little project for my girlie. I made the bucket hat from the book Little Things to Sew.

I fell in love with this book the first time I saw it, based on the photos alone. The projects are great, too. This is the first one I've made from the book, and it went together in a snap. Madee had fun picking out the fabric for the lining and loves that the hat is reversible so she can change her look. ;)

I ended up making the size large (sz 7-9), which fits my taller-than-average 4 year old pretty well. I always feel like hat sizing is on the small side with most patterns in general--knit and crochet ones included, but that's probably just because we all have grande cabezas in this house.

You can see here that my sewing isn't perfect, which is why I love sewing for my kids--they hardly notice that I can't sew straight! This project was pretty technical for me, which means I learned a lot. I like books like this though because while some of the projects are just above my skill level, I'm not too scared to try them since botching them wouldn't be a huge fabric loss.

I hope you all enjoyed your weekend!

crochet hat.

2011-04-15T08:02:00.000-07:00

I crocheted this super cute hat months ago, with the intention of making two more for three of my super cute nieces, but so far I've only made one and a half. The pattern is called Big Girl Bonnet, and it can be found on this blog. Or on ravelry. I used some plain cotton yarn from my mom's stash (thanks Mom!!), and I love how it turned out. It's an adult sized pattern, and fits my large head well. I'm thinking I'll need to make four more instead of just two, so that Mad and I can join in on the super-cuteness as well. ;)

If anyone would like to find me on ravelry, here is my project page.

Hope the weekend brings you all joy and relaxation!

hello again!

2011-04-10T21:34:00.000-07:00

Wowza! It sure has been a while since I've posted on here, and there's a good explanation for that. Our poor net book recently bit the dust, and just as my husband pulled out his old desktop and got it all running again it also bit the dust. I think I mentioned before that I tend to have that unfortunate effect on technological devices. In the meantime, while we've been patiently waiting for a brand new(!!) computer to arrive, I decided to get busy at the sewing machine. I signed up for my very first craft bazaar, and might have bigger plans for it than I can actually handle. But only time will tell. I have almost two weeks left to sew, screen print, and embroider enough lovelies to fill a table.

2011-03-31T13:41:00.000-07:00

My husband and I went to see Kyle Cease last year sometime when he did a comedy show with Louie Anderson. We absolutely loved his message, which he presented at the end of his routine. He talked about little kids, and how they believe whole-heartedly that they can do or be anything they want when they grow up. His main point was that if we can foster that excitement and belief in ourselves, no matter what other people think or what may seem more "logical" we just might surprise ourselves. Here is a video from his blog with a similar message. I have been straddling a line for the past few years, and that line is between doing what I feel in my heart I'm supposed to do "when I grow up" and doing what I think others expect of me. For some reason it has been tricky for me to realize that the people in my life who matter most will love me no matter which direction I choose to go. Now I just need to have the confidence of a four year old and the ~~stubborness~~ drive of a toddler.

handmade baby toys.

2011-03-12T17:16:00.000-08:00

I am loving these sweet little soft baby blocks I made today for my niece who will be born in a few weeks. I used this tutorial over at Zaaberry and they couldn't have been easier. After reading the comments on the tutorial, I decided to try making one block "crinkle" by putting a piece of plastic from a grocery bag inside, along with the fiberfil stuffing. It worked like a charm! I also put a jingle bell inside one of the blocks, and then left the third plain, but with an extra couple ribbon "tags". I'm pretty sure my little niece-to-be will love them, and I'm going to make up some more for my little sweet little nephew who is now sitting up and playing toys.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!!

inspiration.

2011-03-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

This would fall under the category of parental/educator inspiration. I hope that one day I'll be able to convey this same kind of peace through gentle and loving communication.

another sock post.

2011-03-07T18:53:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to let everyone know I haven't given up on my socks yet, the pattern by the way, is Clover. I'm not sure if I mentioned before that this is just my sixth sock (which means there is a kid sock in my knitting bag that still doesn't have a mate!), and my first adult-sized sock. I'm thrilled with how it's coming along. I'm using a 9in circular needle which seems to make the knitting go faster.

Here's a better look at the funny heel. I'm doing a short row heel, which is not what the pattern calls for (I'm also knitting the socks toe-up which is also not what the pattern calls for). It looks a little funny like this, but I tried it on and it fits perfectly and looks just like any other heel. Here is the tutorial I used, in case you're curious.

Ta-Da! Have I mentioned yet that I'm thrilled with how this is coming along?! I have been asked a few times how I knit things that seem daunting to some people, and my answer is always this: If you want to knit it, just do. My trick is not to read the whole pattern through before you start. Simply make sure you have correct gauge and go for it. Sometimes reading the whole pattern came make it seem confusing, but reading it as I go, line by line, means I don't question the pattern trying to think ahead about what to do next. I just trust each step as I do it. So far, it has worked for me! Believe me, if you asked me just two years ago if I thought it were possible for me to knit socks or a sweater I would have just laughed at you.

Now for the funny part: shortly after that last photo was taken I got a phone call, and left my knitting in the couch. Then I looked through the kitchen doorway into the living room to see a sweet two year old boy smiling up at my, wearing a giant green lace sock on his little foot. He accidently pulled out a section about 12 stitches wide and 4 rows deep. It was so cute that I didn't even lose my temper. But I did invite my mom over (she lives next door!) to come over for a "knitting" date once the kiddies get to bed. She's my knitting moral support.

baby blanket.

2011-03-06T11:14:00.000-08:00

I finally finished this super sweet baby blanket I had started when I first found out my sister is having a girl. I took my time on it partially because I like to bounce between projects, and partially because I have a secret fear of finishing things--what if it doesn't turn out?! Luckily, I'm beginning to learn that the amount I learn from each screw up greatly contributes to the success of my next project.

Anyway, back to the blanket. I used the tutorial at MADE, as well as the one she links to. I LOVE the way it turned out.

One thing I love about this design is that I'm always a little nervous to throw my freshly sewn items into the washing machine. I have fears that they will just completely deteriorate and all my hard work will be completely ruined in one 30 minutes cycle. So, imagine my pleasant surprise to find out that not only did this blanket survive the wash, it actually improved as the cut edges frayed, making them softer and more chenille-like.

I decided to spend the time to hand sew the binding onto the back of the blanket. Even though it took a lot longer for me to do it this way, I love the thought of putting hand stitches into a project. It gives you some extra time to really hold the project in your hands and infuse it with all the love you want to give to the recipient. I think this is also why I am so drawn to knitting for people, and babes in particular.

You can sort of tell in this photo that I used multiple colors of contrasting thread, mostly because I ran out of my first color and decided to make it look like that was the plan. I actually like how the "stripes" turned out though. The horse fabric is an embroidered corduroy that I found at Joann, and I think it's perfect for a little baby girl who will be born and raised on a small farm, especially since there is already a pony in the family. :)

Overall, the tutorials are great, the blanket was fun to make, and I love the way it turned out. Success! Give it a try.

pillow!

2011-03-01T09:01:00.000-08:00

Here is the pillow I finished for Mad's room. I am entering it in the Blogger's Pillow Party. What fun!

I ended up making a scrappy log cabin (of sorts) for the front panel, and experimented with quilting it to a small piece of batting.

Here's a better look at what I did. I love the way the stitch lines formed squares at the corners, it really adds to the "quilty" look I was going for. The owl is a left over piece of fabric I had hand screen printed a while back.

I added some embroidered tree detail.

And appliquéd some leaves.

And in case you're curious, I sewed my first ever envelope back (super easy!) out of an old sheet, which means I didn't even have to hem the envelope opening since I just cut my pieces from the edge.

Success! She approves.

pillow progress.

2011-02-26T07:00:00.000-08:00

Here's a little peek at what I've been working on for Madelynn. I was planning to enter it into the Blogger's Pillow Party contest over at Stitched In Color, but for some reason I thought I had until tomorrow to enter for this month. Luckily, there will be a March deadline to enter also, so hopefully I'll make that one. And then maybe when I finish this one up I'll finally get around to working on the crochet pillow I've had in my head for months.

this moment.

2011-02-25T15:31:00.000-08:00

inspired by SouleMama.

lemony-limeny.

2011-02-25T15:09:00.000-08:00

Or does it look more like mustard and wasabi? Either way, I love these yarns together, even though I'm not working on a project using both of them together. I started the one in yellow a few weeks ago, on a trip to Portland. There's just no denying that small gauge, single-color projects are MUCH more portable than most larger ones, especially if the larger one is striped with about seven different colors, which means juggling seven balls of yarn around...

Back to the yellow. My mom came up with a great scarft/shawl pattern a few months ago, and I love it, so she generously supplied me with that skein of fingering weight yarn to "test knit" it. :)

The green project is my first pair of adult socks, and my first (somewhat) involved lace pattern. I'm knitting these babies up for myself for my birthday. Which isn't really anytime soon, but I'll need a few weeks if I actually plan to have them finished in time! I chose green (also out of my mother's stash. Happy Birthday, right?) so I don't get pinched.

Both of these yarns are from Knit Picks, since that's where mom and I get most our yarn-- lots of colors + super affordable = sold!

pillow party.

2011-02-21T16:04:00.000-08:00

I am super excited to say that I am currently working on an entry into the Blogger's Pillow Party. I thought this was the perfect excuse to try my hand at something new, without committing to a huge project. I can't wait to show you the finished product.

a recipe for you.

2011-02-16T09:05:00.000-08:00

A few days ago I searched high and low for a recipe for broccoli salad. The result: you don't need a recipe, as long as you have a good dressing! Just combine some of your (or your kids') favorite things, or you can keep it simple with just broccoli and crumbled bacon. Yum! On Valentine's day I used a head of broccoli (finely chopped), some shredded cheddar, a diced apple, and blue cheese crumbles and served it alongside heart-shaped sloppy joe's. The day before that I had bacon instead of blue cheese, which was equally as good! Like I said before, anything goes! You could also add raisins, green peas, sunflower seeds, almond slivers... be creative!

Here's the recipe I came up with for some super yummy dressing:

1/2c. mayonaise

1/2c. plain yogurt

2 Tbs balsamic vinegar

3 Tbs honey

Just mix all ingredients together, dump into your bowl of salad, and enjoy!

Happy Valentine's Day.

2011-02-14T07:53:00.000-08:00

You can click the picture to read a Wikipedian History of the special day, which is where I found this fantastic piece of artwork.

valentines:: from me

2011-02-09T14:57:00.000-08:00

Here is a fun valentine idea. An embroidered card. I made this one for my special someone. The bottom wing looks crooked in the picture, but in person you can see that I used variegated thread, and where the line looks crooked, it is actually filled in with pink. I probably shouldn't have folded the thread over so that the pink and red are "mixed", but it really it does look better than the picture shows.

The bird is a Jenny Hart pattern from her book, Embroidered Effects.

valentines:: from the kiddies.

2011-02-08T19:27:00.000-08:00

The other day the kiddies and I did some sweet Valentine's Day projects. Our first was the classic painting of rocks, making them into "love bugs."

Mad couldn't decide if these should stay out by our flower bed or if they should reside in her bedroom.

Our second project was making actual cards for Madelynn to mail to her friends. We used this idea, which we found here. (That all makes sense once you click on the links.)

Madelynn, who takes recycling very seriously, used our card scraps to make her "love-bot" which now hangs next to her bed.

motivation.

2011-01-31T15:00:00.000-08:00

I need to figure out a way to bottle up this girl's motivation. I'm thinking I could make millions selling it on ebay and we'd all be set. Or maybe if I allowed it to rub off on me more often, I'd be in a lot better shape! Lately she is really into running. I just wish I could say the same for myself!

embroidery.

2011-01-30T22:37:00.000-08:00

This has been in the works for over a year. Partially because it's the first large piece of embroidery I've ever done, partially because I am easily distracted, but mostly just because I'm slow. I've had it in my head the whole time though, that this is for Max.

The design is the product of my doodling across notebook paper during the rehearsals for a children's play I was in last winter. The play was a story-book version of The Tortoise and the Hare, which had the actors dressed up like a bunch of woodland animals, all of which walked on their hind legs. The stage makeup was amazing.

I absolutely love the way it turned out. This probably won't be my last piece of embroidery. I love the way I was able to change it and add things as I went along. In fact, now that I think about it, I wish the turtle was holding a ukulele. Or possibly a banjo. Maybe this isn't actually finished...

happy anniversary!

2011-01-28T10:00:00.000-08:00

Five years ago today I married the man of my dreams. And with our powers combined, we have made two of the sweetest, most beautiful kids ever. I feel more and more blessed everyday.

clean house, dirty kids

2011-01-27T15:39:00.000-08:00

Karl has been playing Mr. Mom for a few weeks now that I got a (very part-time) job, since he just happened to be home for the entire month of January. This means the kiddos have enjoyed having Daddy around to take them to the park after dropping me off at work, play with them in the dirt box (what used to be our garden bed), and chase them around the house with flashlights. They have loved soaking up all this daddy time! And I'm pretty lucky because though this is definitely not a permanent arrangement, my man plays Mr. Mom incredibly well--he even does dishes and laundry!

good times.

2011-01-26T19:41:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I got a chance to go to another one of my man's solo shows. It was lovely to be able to sit and chat with some friends, drink a few beers, and listen to my favorite music in the world. He'll get the chance to play another show soon, too. He'll play a charity show at Efeste Winery on February 5th. If you're interested, you can check out his facebook page which has a video of one of his very first solo shows last November (I think).

the difference a haircut makes

2011-01-25T18:39:00.000-08:00

before:

after:

We cut Maxi's hair right after he turned two, and though it wasn't his first haircut, I am just as surprised at how much more grown up he looks with shorter hair. The second Karl finished with the clippers, I suddenly remembered the vow I had made last summer to never cut his hair again. It was probably good that I had forgotten it, because although I found his little ragamuffin look endearing, he was constantly having to push it out of his eyes. Problem solved. His new 'do definitely makes shampooing easier too, which is good because this little guy is not a fan of having water anywhere near his eyes, nose, or ears. Now we can wash and rinse his hair with a washcloth-- a definite plus!

As a side note, the 'before' photos were taken on two separate nights in the same week. Maximus is helping us find the perfect pizza crust recipe. Any suggestions?

2011-01-24T21:11:00.000-08:00

I finally visited anthropologie.com for the first time. In real life, I'm an Ikea kind of gal, mixed with some Target and Value Village. But while browsing around the site I decided that one day, when Karl and I build the old farmhouse of our dreams, this will be on the front door.

And this will be on the bathroom door.

Wall paper will definitely be welcome in our dream house. The one on the right, in the kitchen. The beauty on the left, in the Peter Pan-style nursery (not because I want a Peter Pan theme, but because I'll design the perfect room that my children will share until they're twelve. We'll also probably rename Gus and call him Nana. It'll build character. It'll also be cute.)

And these here are calling to me in a special sort of way. It must be the fabric. Or the fact that Anne of Green Gables is the one dressed in pink. Either way, they would probably take center stage in my dream house and land on a shelf in the living room. By the fireplace. On a brick wall.

knitted shirt.

2011-01-23T17:54:00.000-08:00

Here is the shirt I recently finished for Madelynn. It's the Autumn Leaves Vest from Pickles. I knitted it with some Knit Picks cotton that I've had in my stash. Because I used the same yarn as the horse dress, I was really crossing my fingers by the time I came to the middle of this shirt, hoping I had enough. Turns out it was just about the perfect amount! I ended up using larger needles than called for and worsted weight yarn and casting on the same number of stitches as for the 12 month size, which is another reason I was crossing my fingers--in hopes that it would fit!

You can see more pictures here, on my Ravelry project page.

bffs

2011-01-15T09:13:00.000-08:00

I've never seen anything like this girl and her cat. It is seriously sweet. I never really liked cats, but I couldn't say no to Madelynn when Mike showed up last summer--on her birthday no less. She flops him over her shoulder and takes him everywhere, and the cat just purrs and purrs. Mike comes looking for Madelynn several times a day for some loves, and always sleeps at the foot of her bed. I'm pretty sure they're best friends.