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I don't know... would you kiss this face?
Happy St. Patrick's Day! We generally try to make this a special day around here, but since I'm still (STILL!) sick, it's been a little low key. Liam did score some chocolate gold at pre-school this morning (with some for the other kids, too, of course), and I'm hoping that will satisfy their need to mark this special day.
I am knitting something green, though - Erin Go Bragh! (Now, I just need to get better...)
I often hear marketing that suggests the value of a product by comparing the price to a cup of coffee. You know - "this skin care system costs less than a cup of coffee a day"! That kind of thing.
The other day, I found my kind of value. For less than the price of a cup of coffee, I had all kinds of entertainment, sorting through... this!
Talk about value - who wants skin care when you could have a scrap bag?
You know when you're sick, and you forget stuff? Even super good, awesomely happy stuff? Well, maybe you don't but I do, and today I had the most wonderful "surprise"!
I knew I had made a fabric order, and was waiting impatiently for it to arrive, but had forgotten what I had ordered. (Is this possible? Apparently so.) It arrived this morning (yet again, I was in my bathrobe - what on earth must the postman be thinking?), and I opened it up to see this.
Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, oh my goodness! I have been longing for this Happy Campers fabric for ages. I would go over to the site, look at it all, put it in my shopping cart, then close the window and carefully walk away. One day, however, there was a happy intersection of sale fabric and free shipping, and I just couldn't resist!
Just look at that wonderful fabric! Look at the little camper! Look at the happy children! The trees! The tents! Oh my goodness, oh my goodness...
Stuart & I have both been struck by (what I like to think of as) an early spring cold. On mornings like this, I am ever so grateful for quiet mornings. For a snuggly big boy (who is clearly Not A Baby), for kids who like to have sleepovers together in the basement, and spend their morning writing songs together. For hot lemon tea with honey & ginger, for garlicky broth, and a stack of library books to leaf through. A sweet Sunday morning, indeed.
A little late to be showing you this now, I know, but here is what Gwenyth made as a Valentine gift for her favourite (local) people. Salt dough is fast becoming one of my favourite kids' crafts - it's easy to mix up, requires few ingredients, and is a dual-benefit craft. It keeps everyone busy to make it, and once it's dry, you then get to decorate it.
We rolled balls of dough, squished them relatively flat, and then used our thumbs to make thumbprint hearts. I usually dry our salt dough creations for about an hour in a low oven, and then leave them for a few days on a rack to air dry.
Can you see the hearts?
Oh, the relief, the giant, encompassing relief! Yesterday was the first day this year for real, genuine Outside Play! Of course, we've been venturing out in bits, but yesterday, when the big kids came home from school, all four of them ran outside (they're building a raft, I think, although I find it's better not to ask too many questions) and had to be forced in for dinner.
There were chocolate chip cookie provisions, and important tools to be found (hammer, nails, water pistol), but other than a brief moment here and there, my presence was absolutely not required.
Poor Stuart & I were forced to sit indoors, having a cup of coffee and adult, uninterrupted conversation. I don't know how we survived. But... can we do it again today?
There is a guy I work with, who started bugging me last summer to knit him a hat. I suggested, as I always do, that he learn to knit one himself, and he seemed keen on the idea. After a few failed opportunities, though, he offered to paint me a picture in trade for a hat, and the deal seemed to good to pass up. He's loving his finished hat (although I haven't seen the picture yet...) - apparently it's great for "clubbing". Who knew?
Particulars:
Pattern - Koolhaas, by Jared Flood
Yarn - Patons Silk Bamboo, Taupe, 1 ball
Needles - 3.75/4.0 mm
Notes - Because of the tendency of silk to stretch, I knit the smaller size, and it seems perfect for the recipient. I was a little bit frustrated at first with all the cabling, but soon got into a nice rhythm, and sort of missed it when it was finished. I was sure I would need to use more than one ball, but finished with a bit to spare with only one ball. That's okay - Katie would love me to knit her one out of the other ball...
In return for Katie's madly awesome modeling, she asked me to share this riddle with you -
From the beginning of eternity
and the end of time and space
To the beginning of every end
and the end of every place.
What am I?
There are days that are busy - so busy, I start to wonder where on earth is a little space for me to be creative. I've been really working on finding windows, even on the crazy days, for me to make something, try something new.
I can't remember where I first saw a zipper flower, but the idea caught my attention, and this seemed like a project I could fit into one of those hectic days. It did involve some planning ahead - I picked up the black zipper and a clear plastic bangle at the thrift store. I also had my hot glue gun at the ready, knowing my moment would come. That seems to be a big part of making creative time - being organized. Planning ahead. Watching for the window.
There are lots of different tutorials out there for zipper flowers - I ended up following Martha's. I used an approx. 8" zipper for the flower. I was looking for a black bracelet to use, but ended up with this clear one instead. I found a strip of vinyl and glued it around, because I felt that the black zipper on the clear plastic was too harsh, and this seemed to bring it together.
The whole thing took me about 15 minutes during an otherwise highly energetic, kid focused day, and gave me a sense of peace and accomplishment at a time when I really, really needed it. A flower from a zipper may not be the spring blossom you might expect, but these days, I'll take what I can get. And enjoy each window as they come.