Snail Tales

Could this be any cuter? I found these over here and made one last night, in no time at all. Nothing slow about it. I am thinking of putting some strong magnets inside them and giving them as little teacher gifts for Christmas. I suspect that most teachers don't need another coffee mug or a candle, so I thought that I would make these little things useful and give them with hot cocoa mix. I'm planning on making some mitten ornaments as well. He looks a little wonky here, but it is just the angle. It was so simple to make, and uses next to no yarn...go make some for yourself, it is so easy and the result is beyond satisfying.

And just for fun, and in keeping with the snail theme:

Ever feel like doing this?

Some fall pondering

It has been a while, but things have been moving along quite quickly. First, I have a new nephew who was born in late August. Sweet babies deserve something special, so I made him some little fruit and veggie rattles from JimmyBeans Wool. It is a free pattern, super easy with very impressive results. Unfortunately, like happens so often, I have no photographic evidence of said knitting. I worked right up till the moment of delivery (of gifts, not baby) and then handed them off with out so much as a snap-shot for my blog. Ugh. But you can go check out the website, knit a few of your own and see what you're missing out on. I also made a little monster pillow thing, which was really cute, and which also has no picture. I don't even have a website to point you to, because it was designed by my friend and I, just for fun, just for the new addition. If I ever make another, I will be sure to get pictures, but imagine googly eyes, silly teeth, green ribbon toes and a big red pocket to stash a baby sized necessity...maybe a pacifier? Maybe a fruit or veggie rattle for the road? I don't know what babies need to bring along anymore, since I am far from that stage, so your guess is as good as mine.

In other knitting and crafting news, I started back to my Tess shawl in earnest. I am about half way done, and with this crazy weather, it may be getting some good wear before the end of the month. We have had snow, wind, covered peaks, winter wonderland type weather these past few days. Nothing like the wonderful fall weather that I remember from days of yore. This new skip spring and autumn is really messing with me. I prefer to see my seasons changing, that way I know where I'm heading.

Not much else has been knit or sewn (after all the Spanky-Panty excitement, I know you were expecting more...) But now that holding wool seems like a good idea again, I hope to actually get something off the needles in the near future. And in the meantime, enjoy some fall-like photos to remind you of what it was supposed to look like. (Except for Buddy wearing the cone of shame, that is, that is just to make me happy.)

My better half...

Last Saturday I ran my half marathon. I missed my projected time by 7 minutes, but I felt great for finishing. Celebrate with me, I am practically a runner.

A little bitter, a little sweet

It is hard to put into words what it is like to hand your little child off to the big world of public education, but I did it again yesterday. Sigh, life keeps on going at mach speed. Next week, Mimi meets her teacher, then starts preschool the following week. I see driving, college, marriage and children for them looming on the horizon. Strangely enough, I still see myself as 15, if only I had the energy and the abs that I did back then...

So Sew

I'm not sure if I've ever mentioned that I own a sewing machine, but I do. A fantastic little Bernina that I bought at a garage sale for $35.00. Yes, you read that right. But I don't do much sewing, nothing blog-worthy anyway. I tend to mend things that are falling apart, whip up the occasional tag-blanket for a new baby, head-bands for my head, and a pair of towel pants for B's swimming last winter. But really, I have no real skills, and until now, why even bother trying to improve them when my mother-in-law has mad skills and can help me with anything that I need? Miss Mimi is going to be starting preschool in a few weeks (eeks, I can't believe it!). A girl that loves to dress in beautiful dresses and skirts but can't resist the siren call of a somersault must have some spanky panties to go along with her. So, or should I say 'sew', I've been rummaging around and have determined that there is no such thing as a modest-type of undergarment for a little girl who is out of diapers. I am determined to make my own. Exciting, yes? Today I began Operation Spanky Panties, in which I waged full assault against the dungeon of my laundry room, where there is a very handy shelf/table unit built right in. So far, it has been covered in crap from every station of life, but no more! I cleaned it all out, and got it ready for sewing. Tomorrow, I order my pattern, and perhaps look into buying some nice cotton fabrics and sewing supplies. No child of mine will be showing her Dora undies to the world outside this door, no sir! I can't wait to get started.
Here is the sewing area in all its glory (including the sewing machine up on the second shelf), now all I need is a nice little stool to reach the table and I'll be in business. It still looks a little dull and uninteresting down there, but I plan to paint it as soon as I have some time. Also, for some reason, the perspective in this photo makes it look like there is no room under the table, but there is plenty. Weird. Notice the bin of knitting stuff down on the floor? Yeah, it is lonely and needs my attention too.

I almost forgot to mention that I am running a half-marathon on Saturday, with one of my dearest friends of all time. We are doing the Georgetown to Idaho Springs 1/2 and I am a wee bit nervous, but should probably be more so. I am a little concerned that my shoes have given up the ghost, and there is no money in the running budget for a new pair, nor would I want my first run in a new pair to be that long. So, wish me luck that I will be able to walk, come Saturday around 10:25 am (my projected finish time, if all goes well). Till next time.

Tweaking toward perfection

Ok, I've been playing around a little with background and font color on this here blog. I think things are looking pretty good, official even. We'll see if my new look will inspire some new knitting. Let me know if the font is easier to read now, and don't forget to feed the fish when you stop in!

Here is a lovely flower for what troubles you. Even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. (Although this is a Colorado Columbine, not a lilly of the field, but still.)

Home at last

It's that time of year again, where I lament how fast time flies, how I claim that next summer will be much less busy and how I swear that school starting will be a welcome break from my over-stretched and traveled summer. Whew, glad I got that out of the way.

We had a wonderful trip to VA to see my sister-in-law and her family, which was also the first time 2 of my 3 kids has flown on an airplane. It was quite an adventure, believe me. Let us just say that my kids may have been the reason that half the Midwest missed their connecting flights out of MI. If you flew out of Detroit on June 22, and were stalled by kids stopped on the moving sidewalk, or on the escalators, or at the handless paper dispensers in the bathrooms, or at the check in kiosks or at the applestore vending machine, or fighting over who pushed the buttons on the elevator, I apologize. Those were my kids. The novelty of such things never ceases to amaze my kids. If I hadn't been so freaked out about them being run down by angry travelers, I may have shared in their excitement. As it was, I played the part of the frazzled mom of three young children. They are actually wonderful travelers, in cars, on planes and subways, and every time I saw a toddler throwing themselves to the floor, I counted my blessings that my kids are so great.

Virginia was a great time, the kids spent every spare moment in the swimming pool, except for Jack, who spent every spare moment testing the water and freaking out about his face getting splashed. It is time to get that boy into swim lessons. By the end of the week, he was fine, though and was actually enjoying the water. B has spent some time in VA and DC with my mother-in-law, so he was old-hat at most of the activities. We spent two days in DC, which was an adventure. We caravaned in two cars, and yours truly actually drove in the crazy traffic. We saw the Smithsonian and the Lincoln Memorial and walked around the Washington Mall. It was a lot of fun, even when we were hot and the wheels had come off the bus, as far as the kids were concerned.

We also visited Virginia Beach for an afternoon, which was the only thing that Mimi requested we do. We all had good, sandy fun and got lots of sun too. What a great trip!

By the time we flew out, we were all ready for a rest and reprieve at home. But does that sound like a typical summer for us? Oh no. We barely got our bags unpacked and we were packing again, this time to see my family in Durango. I tell ya, it is time to hang up my traveling shoes and put on my slippers. School starts in a mere two weeks, and I am looking forward to the routine and the mellow....wait, didn't I already say all this, last summer??