Winter is here to stay

It's amazing how the light changes when the snow comes.

Everything goes from grey to brightness

I'll take the brightness of snow over grey winter days any day.

There's something about the arrival of snow that makes hot chocolate feel like a necessity

I do believe that at this point eating snow is the girls' favorite part.

It's only just beginning tho...

There's so much fun to be had!

Lovely mellow family time

Lately I've been feeling quite frustrated - overwhelmed really. The logistics of maintaining a family often elude me. Just doesn't come naturally to me - the whole meals at a certain time to pave the way for bedtimes flowing smoothly..... more often than not I end up getting distracted by something or other and dinner is late and then bedtimes are late and everyone gets cranky.

Being that I tend to be quite influenced by Waldorf Education, finding a good rhythm is important to me - and yet it is such a struggle.

So I keep trying - and slowly but surely I know that it's coming together. Really - I have 5 kids from the age of not quite 2 to not quite 15 years old. 2 Kids in school, 1 homeschooling and 2 little wee ones. Life is so so busy.

So when we have a day that flows. I celebrate. And today flowed. It was such a great day. Meals, homeschool lessons, sibling harmony, all good.

This evening we made popcorn, hot chocolate and watched a movie together - just the oldest 3 after the little girls went to bed. They were even drawing together.

I'll celebrate this one day. Then I'll let it flow into tomorrow.

back to scheduled programing....

My what a long break that was from blogging ! I missed it so.

There was quite a bit of time spent sick laying around watching movies together like this...

Then my husband and son went to one side of the country and I went with the other kids to the other side - adventures both fun and exhausting abounded. There were a ton of great shots, but unfortunately they never got taken on that trip, as much to my dismay I forgot my camera. :(

Upon our return we were very much engaged in settling in, and the girls got busy baking when we weren't looking. ;)

See that greasy *blue* hand? Right. That would be the *permanent* blue marker that she found when again mama and papa were busy unpacking. Standing in the same room, but obviously not paying enough attention ;)

Apparently they had big plans!

Oh and I got home on Monday, and I'm only posting this now? Right - that would be because while I was gone a serial camera cord switcher snuck into my house and switched my camera cord for a larger one. Or I suppose the cord may have grown - it's a mystery we may never solve ;) Thankfully my sweet husband bought a new one today.

I have all sorts of projects on the go for Christmas, so expect lots of pictures soon :)

Sickies are gone....

but now I'm heading off on an adventure with 4 of my kids :)

I likely won't be able to post, and I don't think I'll have my camera (my husband is headed to the other side of the country with our oldest son and I'm guessing they'll really want to take it with them)

Ya never know tho - maybe I'll just be bursting at the seams with wise and wonderful words ;)

Mama's sick....

I'll be back soon...

And it starts with a stocking.....

The Christmas season that is :) I know it's early, but Christmas is next month! Oh my - I have so much to do - I needed a quick project (that instant gratification thing again ;) ) to get me in the Christmas mood :) Not that it's hard, but we've been so busy lately that by the end of the day I'm not all that excited to do much other than veg. I know that once I get into it I can just ride that wave, so tonite while laying in bed waiting for Big Miss A to drift off to sleep I came up with a plan. It's important to keep one's mind busy when waiting for a little one to go to sleep - that warm bed combined with a cozy kiddo and an always tired mama - sleep must be fought!

So my plan was simple. Stay awake, then get up and make a stocking for Little Miss A. How could I not get all revved up for Christmas crafting after making a pretty stocking for my little one?

Well I'm happy to report that it worked ;) I will likely stoke that fire a little with some Christmas music - yes in November ;) ....it'll drive my poor husband crazy, but I'm fairly certain it'll help me remember that I've got a ton of work to do!!!!! 5 kids, 1 husband, 4 birthdays - and a mama who really wants to make a handmade gift for every person, for every occasion. And besides - my teenager informed me that our Christmas' just doesn't cut it because we don't sing Christmas carols! Sheesh - I start in November, so I'm fairly certain that's not entirely accurate, but apparently we have to sing *together* on Christmas eve - just like we always have at my mom's house. So this year we'll sing extra ;) I certainly can't complain about that ;)

So back to the stocking ;) My mother inlaw made the other kids stockings (she's a crafty gal too :) ) and I wanted Little Miss A's to match in shape, so I used one of hers to trace for a pattern :) Pretty huh?

I embroidered her name on the bottom like the others, and since I'm still somewhat obsessed with bias tape, I used it to finish the top.

It was as I'd hoped a really fast project - less than an hour, and had the desired effect of leaving me wanting more ;)

And now I'm off to dig out the Christmas music ;) ........

Jasmine Lace Edge Cardigan, by Louisa Harding.

Life has been so incredibly full lately - I'm finding it a little hard at the end of the day to find inspiration for a blog post, so I'm going to do a few posts on previous knitting projects. Starting with this one ;) Because that was the first one I tracked down in my photos ;) Easy is top priority right now ;)

This is Little Miss A wearing the "Jasmine Lace Edge Cardigan" found in Louisa Hardings book, "Natural Knits for Babies and Moms"

This sweet cardigan was my first attempt at lace. I was really pleased with how it turned out.

I used O-Wool Balance which is 50% cotton and 50% merino wool. I really really like O-wool - both the balance and the Classic are so lovely to work with.

I started this sweater when Little Miss A was a baby and it took me almost a full year to complete. I was fairly new to knitting when I started and it seemed sooooo hard! Then when I came back to it after ignoring it for several months (yes I do that often ;) ) I had more experience knitting and all of a sudden it wasn't hard - I didn't take long to finish it after that.

I made a Pilot hat to match - that'll be another post coming up tho, as I've made several from that pattern.

I think tho that my favorite part is the buttons - Mr. K helped me pick them out :) They really make the sweater I think :)

Ravelry:

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Skiesmama/jasmine-lace-edge-cardigan

indulge me if you will....

.....while I dive into shallow waters and share my new boots with you ;)

Yes I get excited about really weird things - so sue me ;)

I've been ranting for years about how there needed to be some stylish yet functional boots - it gets very cold and wet and snowy for many months of the year here - a person gets tired of clunking around in heavy ugly boots.

No more clunky boots for me!

They are made with a technical fabric - very not natural ;)

IT was the decorative stitching that got me tho ;)

They are made by Solomon if anyone likes them other than me and wants to find a pair ;)

Light as a feather, rated to -7 degrees C and they fit slim enough that they'll look good with capris :) They even have uber-functional tread ;)

I'm such a geek.......I'm quite ok with that tho ;)

Wordless Wednesday

a little repurposing...

I brought home the sweater for this little jumper this summer. It just seemed like it needed to be turned into something.....

It ended up becoming this jumper, and also a pair of pants/leggings that I'm realizing I don't actually have a photo for ;) - oops! For the leggings I used the pattern here: http://mamauktalesfromwales.blogspot.com/2009/03/arms-to-legs.html

The jumper I just used another jumper folded in half as the pattern.

I then finished the edges around the arms with a blanket stitch.

Both projects were very quick and easy - which is my favorite kind of project right now since I don't have vast quantities of time for crafting, and I do so love instant gratification that way ;)

She's hiding ;) - If I can't see you , you can't see me - is still her favorite way to hide ;)

Garter Yoke Cardigan

The Very First Ever Sweater for *Me*

This is the "Garter Yoke Cardigan" by Melissa LaBarre.

The pattern can be found on Ravelry

The yarn is Peace Fleece, Muldova Burgundy

My favorite thing about this pattern is that it is shaped slightly at the waist.

I'm in love with the color :)

I love the colors of the Peace Fleece yarns - they just seem so alive and vibrant to me.

I used Oyster Shell buttons - again - I love them so much.

I have to say that it feels really really good to have finally taken the time to knit something for myself.