Archive | Knits and Crochet RSS feed for this section

a hat for poppa and a thank you

By on December 11, 2013 in Knits and Crochet, Lego Rosary

IMG_0467 IMG_0469 IMG_0450 IMG_0471

 

IMG_0473IMG_0399

Firstly, thank you all so much for your emails and response to my thoughts on opening a little store here where I can offer the things I make once again.  It is a blessing to have so much encouragement.  Please don’t forget to enter to win that Lego Rosary.

Baby, it’s cold outside.  I thought I would not make it, living here through winter that is, when we found out we would be leaving Florida.  I know it isn’t really winter yet but we have now had a whole lot of snow on the ground for over a week and the cold has not gone away and it seems we are just fine.  Minor inconveniences of having to remember to start the car a few minutes before the kids get in and watching the wood stove to make sure the fire is going are not so bad.  I know what you are thinking right now… I am thinking the same thing and we will see how I feel in another month, or two, or three???  Well, I am proud of us Southerners for so far, we are coping just fine and dare I say, enjoying ourselves immensely.

In between making Sweater baby orders for some of you and all the Lego rosary orders, I have been stealing a minute or two here and there for a special project for Poppa.  It seems that not having hair on ones head does make winter a bit more uncomfortable so Poppa, who has never, ever asked me to knit him anything will be getting a cashmere hat.  One that he has asked for and I couldn’t be more pleased to fulfill this order.  The yarn in a dark grey comes from here.  It is so wonderfully soft to work with but even with doubling up the double stranded yarn, it is taking me some time.

Every night this week, we have been enjoying some quiet reading time.  A few Christmas books, like these favorite Tommy DePaola books and last night the little ones heard this sweet little Christmas story about a momma (ahem) knitting everyone a hat for winter, while this Momma worked on that hat, just like in the book 🙂

Yarning along with Ginny today and back to work I go in the studio.  If you would like to order a Lego rosary, Sunday is the last day I can take the order.  Just send me an email if you like.

Comments { 14 }

on nickmas (the feast of saint nicholas)

By on December 6, 2013 in being Catholic, Feast Days, Handmade Holidays and Celebrations, Knits and Crochet, Sewing and Crafts

 

IMG_0176IMG_0175 IMG_0180IMG_0173 IMG_0184 IMG_0187IMG_0131 IMG_0141IMG_0212 (2) IMG_0217 (2)IMG_0192 IMG_0195IMG_0197 IMG_0199 IMG_0200

 

IMG_0133IMG_0134IMG_0129IMG_0124 IMG_0127

Nickmas, yes, the day that we celebrate two important days.  Nicholas patron saint and the Feast of the same, Saint Nick.  Many years ago, he took it upon himself to rename today Nickmas.  Naturally, we all just play along.

Yesterday was quite the day.  It’s not that I didn’t know it was coming but that I’ve been so busy I kept telling myself  “tomorrow, tomorrow I will work on the gifts”.  Well yesterday there were no more tomorrows and on top of that the kids and I had planned a trip to see The Nutcracker.  Oh me, oh my!

I will share pictures of the ballet tomorrow for this will probably picture heavy enough with the handmade gifts.

Disclaimer:  These gifts were all made by me in one day.  That is not to brag but to excuse any sloppiness, and remind myself that I am exhausted right now and should not do this again next year.  Also to be fair, the body for Matthew’s knitted Waldorf doll has been sitting in my knitting basket since he was in my belly so I already had that done and just had to make the head, knit the hat and stuff the body.

On the way home from the ballet, Poppa called me to tell me that we were expecting a bad snow storm tomorrow and I had better get some things at the store.  Add that to my impossible to accomplish list.  While at WF, I walked around wondering how I was going to do this and why oh why did I wait so long.  My poor babies would be expecting something in their shoes tomorrow and I was empty handed.  I went through the toy area at Whole Foods thinking maybe there would be something there that I could buy that would be as good and not junky but the items I did like were at least $20 each and that would spell about $160 on just Saint Nick presents.  I could kick myself, surely there are so many other things I could spend that money on especially knowing that I have everything I need to invent some presents at home for free.

I did go through the bulk aisle and got them some organic jelly beans and gummy bears.  The kind that I only buy twice a year because they are $8.99 a pound.  When I got to the car, I whispered to Nick my dilemna.  He assured me that I could do it.  The kids once again pulled together to give me the time in my studio to make something…anything.  Here is what they got.  A Waldorf style baby made from a sweater sleeve which I am calling a Sweater Baby, a knitted Waldorf style lavender stuffed buddy,  an angry ninja leather case for Nick’s itouch (given to him by his sister once she didn’t want it anymore, our children do not need cell phones) made from a leather skirt I thrifted years ago and a tool belt made from the same leather skirt, a locket for each of the girls which I need to cut silhouettes of each of them and couldn’t do it without telling them what I was making and two vintage super hero toys found during a thrifting escapade.

The final touches were completed around 3 AM.  This morning I waiting to hear the kids running around but after waiting until 9 AM, I went out and found them waiting in one of their bedrooms all together not wanting to wake me up 🙂  They are all I could ever ask for.

I love mornings like this one where I see the childlike magic in their eyes, all of them, even the teens.  I hope you are having a wonderful day with your family and if you celebrate it, Happy Feast of Saint Nicholas to you.

Comments { 14 }