note to self

Get up before everyone else. Read. Pray. Do yoga (or go swimming).
Take a shower, even if the baby has to come along. (Naked babies are fun, after all.)
DO NOT YELL UP THE STAIRS. It does not make you feel happy. Walk upstairs to say whatever it is that needs saying.
Do not whine back to whiners.
LOOK AT THE CALENDAR. Your planner is your friend.
Wait until after school to look at the computer.
Read aloud. And snuggle.
Work on making something with a child.
Work on making something all by yourself.
Watch birds.
Breathe fresh air. Go outside, even for a second.
Eat vegetables.
Remember that there are people that live outside this house. Talk to one (or some) of them.
Give one hundred bazillion hugs and kisses. (They are much more important than math. Really.)
Smile.
Laugh.
Sleep.

I’m printing this out and putting it on my bathroom mirror. I’m needing the reminder lately during these days of not-quite-spring.

Speaking of spring– the new issue of Rhythm of the Home is up!

It’s full of creativity, fun, and loveliness– including the pattern for my sweetie birds. Go check it out!

new skirts

We’ve been battling a very, very, gross stomach bug the past 2 weeks, but I think it’s safe to say that we’ve beat it. Phew! I’ve got lots of posts up my sleeve. Let’s see if life will cooperate with my plans of regular posting.

Another Christmas book I got was Design it Yourself Clothes by Cal Patch.

And, truth be told, I spent a big chunk of my Christmas vacation with a list of measurements, a roll of newsprint, a ruler, pencils and erasers. I got Brenna in on the action too and she drafted her first skirt pattern.

Then it took me awhile to get any of the sewing done, but here they are! Super simple a-line skirts that fit (almost) perfectly (I’ve lost some more weight since I measured it seems.) cut from my stack of designer home-dec fabric. I had only just barely enough, so we skipped hemming them and I just made a lot of green bias binding.

I learned a lot, even with such a simple design. Like– it’s much easier to put in an invisible zipper with an invisible zipper foot, and french seams are easy and pretty. Brenna even sewed her own.

And it looks cute with my warm boots– my snuggly warm Colorado winter boots.

I’ve done some preliminary runs through my basic t-shirt pattern and have visions in my head for that button down shirt. Now to find the time…

(Thanks Barry and Brenna for humoring me through the photo shoot!)

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Logan handed this to me and said, “Well, mom, you ah kinda cute.”

I hope you were showered with love too!!

xoxoxo

the baby had a birthday and got a hat

My little guy turned one a week ago. I don’t even know what to say about it. I love having babies. I love watching them grow… if only it took a little longer to go from a little squeaky lump of perfection to a running ball of chubby energy. *sigh*

He wasn’t sure what to think of the whole celebration. To be honest I think he was a bit scared of the candle. (Nothing like the excitement of this first birthday.)

When I saw the hat that Meg made for Finn a few weeks ago I knew just the handmade gift I wanted to make for Hunter for his birthday.

It’s the Stella Pixie Hat and the pattern is gloriously FREE through ravelry. I knit it up with a strand of Knit Picks kettle dyed sock yarn in Spruce and a strand of Pagewood Farm Chugiak hand dyed sock yarn in the Peaceful colorway. I spent my week of no computer or computer genius to knit it. I stayed up really late. I didn’t do the button neck band, just made about 8 inches of i-cord on both ends of the neckband so I can tie it. I think that makes it easier to make it stay on.

I took my little elf for a walk, but he moves so fast the majority of my pictures turned out like this:

He must scrunch up his nose, squeal in delight and try his darnedest to run every second he’s outside. Unless he finds something to examine.

Then he’ll slow down for maybe a second.

He’s worn it near constantly since his birthday. It must pass the itch test because he doesn’t try to pull it off.

Or maybe he just knows how cute he is.

So stinkin’ cute I can hardly stand it.