one photo, one thought

A lightly pondered thought:  I realize why I never liked cross-stitch when I learned it.  There are so many more fun, active, imaginative things for a kid to do!  And now I see why I'm getting a bit obsessed now... there is already so much to do, that sitting and watching a pattern grow before your eyes, in the bits and pieces of scattered free seconds through the day, is quite fulfilling.  (Not that this will even be done this year, I'm sure something new will take its place, but perhaps next year we'll have a few pretty new ornaments for the tree!)

tiny stitches, waning light

A few years ago I purchased the lovely Alicia Paulson's yearly handmade ornament kit.  (Something about the knitted scarf for the polar bear;  I simply needed it.)  After receiving the package, I opened and marvelled at all the little parts and (to me) complicated instructions, and carefully set it away.  For more than 2 years.

As I got the package and little parts out a bit ago, Kaatje was immediately stricken with the red coat, and Greta insisted on sewing her own polar bear (I think the sequins were a major part of that decision).  I was only sad I couldn't give them real felt to use, as I wasn't about to fork over the lovely bits of (Expensive) 100% wool felt from the kit, that being all I had.

Though I'm reminded again how good ingredients make for the best finished results, and wish I had real felt on hand, the polyester "felt" they use is fine and they enjoyed sitting in the dimming afternoon and stitching.

I'm so glad I put this away and can share it with them now, instead of fighting for a minute here or there to have to myself to do it.  We're constantly fighting the battle of feeling like whatever struggle now will last forever, then when the next step gently comes, we don't even realize we've made that next step, through and beyond that particular hard spot.  Until I'm sitting and watching polar bear faces being stitched and coat pockets being placed, while I do my own.

Now to finish a teeny seed-stitch scarf knit on #1 needles.  For a polar bear.

blog.

I want to blog.

life is not letting me.

I want to sit down and tell you 

what we've been doing and 

what we're making and 

where we've been and what we've seen.

but everything else keeps getting in the way...

a doll needed a shoe.

(just one.)

a small boy needed a birthday crown.

a brother (uncle) needed a birthday bookmark

drawn by his 4-almost-5-year-old niece.

(extra credit if you can tell me 

whose picture is on the bookmark!)

and all this (and much much more) has been more important than words in a computer.  

However, I do like the peacefulness of sorting pictures and thoughts.  

So as soon as I have more than a half-moment to spare, I'll sit here and do more of that.  

Hope you're getting time to sort your own, this lovely mid-winter...

We've been making a few little things around here.

For small cousin's birthday banner, K wanted to embroider "a butterfly with a flower"... and she did - designed it herself and made it all at once!  Of course little G needed to do one, too.  I suggested hearts, so she did her own flag.

We're so busy this time of year (who isn't?) but I have so many ideas, in my tired head, that I'd like to try...  K's tiny felted bowl (I crocheted of scrap yarn, she felted) has really inspired me.

I love this tiny thing!

So many other projects going on, and a collection of knitting patterns waiting to go on the needles... I really must stop going to the library.

But I'm really thinking this overcast chilly morning needs some cinnamon roll muffins.  Then maybe I can think again.  

(Sugar and caffeine clears your brain, right?!)

Hope you have some time to bake, craft, and maybe relax this weekend, too!

Have a lovely one!

on the list.

happy me - I have a full list of craft projects that are being checked off, one by one, as they are needed! it really is such a good, fulfilling, feeling to not only be working on something that is due soon enough to feel justified sitting down to knit, but also to have finished some gifts, then have more on the way!! yay! I'd like to share with you:

finally a green vest - my very first adult clothing piece. I do love it!



it's finished, blocked, fits perfectly... and is TOO HOT. so I will enjoy looking at it on my dresser until the temps fall, which will be too soon for me.

but at least I'll have a cute vest to wear!

~
along with a birthday, my sis-in-law and my husband's brother celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary this month.

I had been meaning to make them Alicia Paulson's family tree from her book "Stitched in Time" for some time. the timing for summer worked well for me to do it, and, blanket stitching the afternoon I was going to bring it to them, I finished it in time!




I very much like how it turned out, however, I found out that I don't have the patience for embroidery like I do for yarn work or sewing. maybe it's keeping all those little stitches even, maybe struggling with hoop/needle/knots, or perhaps it's just that I haven't done it as much. ah, well, I did enjoy the process.

note - I did not do the project exactly as suggested by Alicia. I didn't make little bird appliqués to blind stitch on, I used iron-on light adhesive for everything, and whip stitched everything instead of just the tree/leaves. I also decided I liked the simple, more representative than obvious look of leaving off the embroidered names. (Alicia's bird family has the mother/father/child's names embroidered on them).

~
and there's more and more.... baby shower next week, Ren Fest with two of four family members needing new clothes (and I really do need a new skirt), and more birthdays.

.... and someday a new porch to decorate!

*happy sigh*