This week

This last week I have been working away at my 2010 intention of not wasting...

I have been meticulously composting.  It's amazing how much we have to compost.  All those winter soups and stews have yielded a lot of scrap veggies.  Not to mention breakfast smoothie fruit scraps.  I'm looking forward to all the gorgeous soil the composter will yield so I can smother my garden with it.  I have already pulled out my gardening books and flower books and I am planning for warmer weather.

Loving this cake.  Thanks Larissa for the link.  It tastes good and has fruit and yogurt in the ingredients.  Nothing like feeling virtuous while you are scarfing down bread sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Made a turkey dinner for my husband's birthday.  Thanksgiving is his favorite meal and so the last few years I have cooked up a Turkey dinner on his birthday complete with stuffing, potatoes, gravy and green beans.  With the leftovers I make pasties to freeze and they are the perfect quickie meal.  A Thanksgiving dinner all wrapped up in a crispy pastry crust.  We had friends over to celebrate, a gazillion kids, and a surprise snowstorm to boot.  All in all a good weekend.

And casting on for another sweater for my daughter.  I don't want to waste any of this time while my kids are little and love wearing anything I knit.  I had some bulky wool and this sweater is one I have had my eye on for awhile now.  Hopefully I'll finish it up this week.

How is your week going?

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A pullover for Jack

While organizing closets a couple of weeks ago I noticed that my son only had only one handknit sweater from me.  My daughter has half a dozen at least.  I love wool sweaters for the kids because sometimes a winter coat is too much but a shirt isn't enough.  A pullover or hoodie is the perfect in between.  So while watching the olympics over the weekend I pulled out some worsted weight washable wool and cast on for a pullover.

No pattern was used.  Just his chest measurement with 2 inches of ease added, then I used the recipe from the princess dress for all my numbers. 

A simple raglan pullover with a bit of white striping to break up all that blue.

Perfect for today where we have warm (for winter) temps and blue skies.

I didn't even wash or block it because good temperatures and an even tempered two year old equals to "strike while the iron is hot".  So we headed outside for lots of play.

I used Knit Picks Worsted weight Shine in blue and Cascade 220 superwash for the white.   Size 6 needles.  Pattern:  Mine :)
Hope you are having a lovely start to your week!

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Valentine's party time

Valentine's day is upon us and it was time to get all the finishing touches on my daughter's valentines for her class.  After seeing this I decided to do a version of it for my daughter's friends.  We gathered our supplies of red fleece, thread, a heart pattern, needles, tissue paper and glitter glue.

Of course we were going to need some candy to fill up the little heart pouches.

After I cut out two heart shapes, our new budding resident seamstress stitched them together.  The pillow is on her lap to avoid poking herself when she pushes the needle through the heart. 

I know there would have been many tears of frustration if she tried to spell out each persons name.  The initials were our compromise.

We tucked candy into tissue paper where she used a marker to write a little message and her name and we tucked each paper pouch into the appropriate heart. 

I think they turned out really cute and she's excited to pass them out.  These would be great if you were hosting a party; they could serve as a place setting and a small gift.  Happy Valentine's Day to all of you!

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Happy Friday

I am looking forward to a little pampering this weekend.  Some home spa remedies, tea, and a book.  The superbowl is on Sunday and we have a four year old birthday party in the morning and a party to attend in the afternoon/evening for the big game so I am going to indulge myself a little bit this Friday afternoon in anticipation of my busy Sunday. 

I have this book to peruse and hopefully find some good moisturizing masks because this winter is drying my skin out beyond belief. 

I am going to make copious amounts of tea to sip while I start a new book. I know green tea is very good for you but it is not a favorite; this one from Good Earth with mango, peach, and pineapple is fantastic hot or on ice.  But my first tea love is chai tea and I always have plenty of that on hand. 

I have this book list I posted last year.  Seventy-Five books every woman should read.  Sadly I haven't read anything in the last year to make the list a little smaller.  So I have The Left Hand of Darkness to start on my way to whittling down the list.

Anything fun on your list of things to do?

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A little taste of the holidays in February

Each year on the day after Thanksgiving we scour the mountain for just the right tree. The menfolk cut it down and haul it back to the truck. We walk through the woods sometimes through snow, sometimes not.  Back at the trucks the trees are loaded in the back and our lunchtime picnics are pulled out. Hampers of food full of Thanksgiving leftovers and goodies baked for this day. A thermos for coffee and another of hot chocolate. Giggling, story telling, good food shared with friends and tree cutting. 

This weekend my husband surprised each of us with a special present. A reminder of that special day and the month of Christmas that follows.  Using  a saved portion of our Christmas tree trunk he....

Cut

Sanded

Drilled

And created pencil holders for all of us.

He sealed them with a clear sealant and used a sodering iron to put the date on the bottom.  Placed on our tables and desks we each now have a small reminder of our Christmas tree. 

And if you don't have any pencils that need to be stored then lollipops will do in a pinch :) 

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Some mitts for my girl

Well after the flurry of mitt knitting last May my daughter requested some for her. So what was I to do but cast on.

They have been approved for all sorts of activities like bike riding
Potion making
And some unapproved activities like painting at a friends house :)
And of course after I knit up one pair she requested another and another and another. I am expecting to have a rainbow of colors knit up very soon for her.

Here is the link. It is a free pattern and incredibly fast and easy to knit. I used Cascade 220 superwash, a superb fiber for children knits. Both pairs have been washed and dried (in the dryer) many times and are holding up beautifully.
P.S. The yarn I used for my newsboy cap was Blue Sky Alpacas 100% alpaca sportweight. Luscious yarn.

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The New Year

Happy new year to you all! It is the first month of the new year and after a lot of lazing around with my family after the holidays I feel full of energy. Being as it is the new year there is usually a lot of resolutions being made. I prefer to call them intentions because then there is no sense of failure if/when I slip up. I am very excited for this year and my intention is going to be to not waste. Period. Not waste .....

my time- I want to spend my time. If I am being lazy then relish the nothingness. Not just spend time but fill it. Actively. Knitting projects, sewing projects, playing mindfully with my children, really enjoying each moment.

food-I want to buy and cook food with the least amount of waste and really compost what I can. Not just when I think about it but really do it. Plan my meals. Cook mindfully. Prepare in volume and freeze for later.

my body-Exercise this body of mine. It is healthy and strong and I shouldn't waste this time while I am on the youngish side. Keep it healthy and strong for when I get older.

yarn/fabric-I want to make things that are either beautiful or will be used. If I make it and it doesn't fit into either category than rip-rip.

I think you get the idea. With this in mind here is my first project for 2010. I turned this

into this.

The Hannah Newsboy Hat (ravelry link).

I didn't wear the cowl ever and I really needed a carpool hat for the days when I can't quite get it together before we get out the door. This is my solution to feeling just a bit more put together. It was very easy to knit and the pattern comes with a lot of different ways to make the hat. Multiple bands, and hat tops can be mixed and matched and then just add the brim. I will definitely be making more.

The only part I am not particularly thrilled with is the brim. It was torn out out and redone twice and I think this is as good as it will get. Maybe my next one will turn out a little better.

I hope you are all off to a wonderful start for 2010!!

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