MommyCoddle

someone has to stay home and knit the dishcloths

That's what I told my husband last night, when he walked in the door at 11:00pm, after putting another two and a half hours of work in at the house after dinner. He found me kicked back on the sofa, putting the final stitches on another dishcloth, watching the finale of....ahem, this is hard to admit in public and might lose me some readers...The Bachelor. Shhhh...please don't tell anyone else.

The past few months of bachlorette-hood for me while Dan puts in evenings at the house, have meant that I've done some serious damage in the world of girlie movies, bad TV and my dishcloth stash. Knitting needles and the redbox have been my pseudo husband on nights I found myself alone in an empty house, but for sleeping babes in the back rooms. Dan asked me the other night, as I was finishing up Juno if there were any movies left in the RedBox that I haven't seen...It's not so much that, as it is that I'm running out of movies I want to see in the RedBox.

So armed with the only skein of cotton yarn I could find in my stash, a simple, knit-without-looking pattern, and some good (and bad) movies, I've got myself a nice collection of knitted dishcloths and an answer to the question I often hear from my sister and mother, "have you seen any good movies lately?"

I've never knitted dishcloths before and it really is quite addicting. And now that I've started using these beauties, I'm not sure I could go back to the stinky blue sponge that I'm currently using. I knit mine up on slightly smaller needles so they are more hand-sized and have a tighter stitch. And I love them.

They were inspired by THIS picture. And the pattern can be found HERE. It's called "Grandma's Favorite". Is there really any more that needs to be said?

a pinecone, a feather, an oak leaf, pine needles

My children haven't been getting outside enough lately to just run around and play. The cold weather and not enough prodding by me to get them out there, I guess. Oh, the bundling required. But nevertheless, they need the fresh air and the exercise. When they aren't getting enough outside time I really notice a difference in their behavior and general crankiness. Aren't we all a little like that?

So this morning, I printed a few stock photos off the computer, stapled them together and sent them outside for a miniature scavenger hunt. I thought I'd keep it to a few things so they wouldn't lose interest. They were back in five minutes. BUT, they went right back outside.

I finally finished this scarf for Emma that was supposed to be a Christmas present...then a birthday present...and now turns out to be a Happy Thursday!! present. I let her pick a jumbo button out of my stash. She picked one of the first buttons I ever made. I think it suits her perfectly. And it helps the scarf stay on. Now I have one more to finish up for Mary in the same style, and I think all my Christmas presents will be finished! Oh, that's pathetic.

hello friends

oh, it's good to be back in this space this afternoon. It's like coming home from your first overnight at a friend's house...you had a good time, but you're tired and ready to get back to what's comfortable.

I'm still finding my voice over there on the babycenter website. My dad said to me at lunch yesterday--"after reading your posts over there, I just wanted to tell you to relax, molly. be yourself." I'm trying. It's a bit like starting over again, with those fumbling first posts I wrote more than two years ago.

In the meantime, I'm finding brain turn-off time when I'm in front of my knitting. I'm working on a quick, easy pair of booties for Elizabeth, who can't keep a pair of socks on to save her life. It doesn't help that she has a three year old big sister who enjoys pulling them off her feet as well--especially in stores, then dropping on the ground, whichever aisle we might be in, and silently walking away.

The pattern is from Last-Minute Knitted Gifts. Seems like every book in this collection of 'last-minute gifts' is really good.

There's more to say, but a baby is crying and needs her mother. My agenda for tonight goes like this:

Make Dinner
Eat
Girls--Bath
             Finish Charlotte's Web (knit!)
             Bed
Me--Shower
Me--Knit
Me--Bed

Sounds good, doesn't it?

PS. Thanks for all the comment love over there on the new blog. It really helps a girl's heart.

**I almost forgot: Lori, over at the Camp Creek blog is dreaming up a kids mail-order club. Go check it out. I think a lot of you would LOVE it!**

living 05:: the weekend report

::a good bluegrass concert (moved to a dry location) ::

::a tuckered out girl::

::a wee bonnet finished (just in time for summer?!), a tired model::

Pumpin' Out The Presents...

Unlike most people, I have waited until the last minute to get all of my handmade Christmas projects completed. And I'm still not finished yet. But, I have scaled back my list to make it more do-able and enjoyable.
Here's a few that I finished last night: a library tote for my neice, Emily, and a small knitted bunny for Mary...

Off To A New Home

I think it was just a few days ago that I posted about wondering if anyone ever had success selling on etsy. The next day, I sold my first sutton hoo ! Heather from foursweetpeas  bought it for her daughter stella. It is off in the mail to its new home in california. thanks heather!

Cashmere from cows?

I got this forwarded in an email from some knitting friends. It completely cracked me up. A very good laugh for today:

Download Vid_BlondesLACountyFair_fk_1.mpg

Shopping Spree

I finally opened shop on etsy. As of right now, there are two hats for sale . I hope to get a few more finished in smaller sizes this week. They have officially been named Sutton Hoo's by my husband. You'll have to check out the item description for an explanation of the name.

My mother-in-law just picked up a part time job at a cute little toy store down in the harbor. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to afford her working there.  We visited the shop last week and came home with a ball, paper dolls, and a train whistle for mary.  I'm such a sucker for my kids, sometimes. But after watching Emma, I have decided that every child needs one of these:
(I had to make her put underwear on for these pix. I don't recommend bouncing without them.)

So Touched...

Today, I got my vintage swap goods in the mail. I think that I may possibly have the best swap partner out there. Tomorrow I will photograph all of my loot, after I find the battery charger for my camera. But today, I just had to share one special thing that Gina included in my package. I loved everything that was  in the box, but this gift touched me beyond all the others. It was this sketch that Gina did herself:

If you have been reading my blog, you will recognize this picture as Gertie--one of our baby finches that had become quite a family pet. I hadn't posted about this yet, and little did Gina know, but Gertie died four days ago. It was time for the babies to be put in their own cage--they were eating and drinking on their own, and the parents were picking on them. (probably getting annoyed from having three full-grown babies in their cage). The morning after we moved the babies out, we found Gertie, dead on the bottom of the cage.  It was sad and shocking to lose her. I enjoy my birds, but our family had never really gotten attached to them like we had to Gertie.
I told Emma that Gertie is in heaven with Jesus. We talk about how happy she is there--eating as much millet spray as she wants, taking baths everyday, and flying free with all the other birds.

Opening up my box full of vintage goodies, not expecting such a touching, personal gift tucked inside was overwhelming. Emma clutched the sketch against her breast and declared, "My Gertie!!". I think we'll frame it.

Thank you, thank you, Gina.

Hot off the Needles

I just finished this hat last night. I love the colors and the style. I'm thinking of putting it on etsy or possibly taking a few of them over to my local favorite shop that sells a lot of local artists' wares. She carries a few knitted items, but not much. Maybe the owner will  add my hats and mittens to her consignment inventory.
I  started another one this afternoon in the same pattern, but this time the main color will be the deep plum from this hat.  I'm trying to think of a good name for the hats...I've seen them called pixie hats, Dan calls them "beowulf" hats, and I keep calling them "scandi' hats" as in scandinavian...maybe the long icords remind me of long blonde braids.  Any great ideas out there?
I just finished a little vintage shopping for my swap partner at my favorite thrifty shops. I found a few items to add to my stash. I can't wait to put it all together.

Tonight is my first stoneware class over at the art museum. I can't tell you how excited I am to finally be taking a pottery class. I have wanted to do this for a long time--probably since my older sister took a class when she was in college. When I went to visit her she took me to the pottery studio and even let me try my hand at the wheel.  I was so jealous of all the things she brought home.  I'll give a full report tomorrow...maybe even pictures if I'm brave enough to pull out my camera!