Plum Stitches

where oh where did my tree go?

My little tree has completely disappeared into a sea of snow!  I do love the snow, but honestly if we get anymore, and none of what we currently have melts, I'm not sure where we're going to put it.

I baked some Blueberry Banana Muffins from the Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook.  They were pretty good and my kids enjoyed them.  There's no added sugar - they were plenty sweet from the mashed bananas.  I did sprinkle a bit of turbinado sugar on top.  Chloe seemed to enjoy the tops of them the most, so if I made them again I might add a bit of agave for a little more sweetness.

cozy

Looking much cozier on my model.  I do think the buttons are too big and will attempt to replace with other, slightly smaller ones. 

The Watch Cap, from Vogue Knitting on The Go!

Pattern:  Felicity, by Wannet Clyde - you can find it on Ravelry as a free download

Yarn:  Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Superwash, colorway SW43

Needles:  size seven and size eight circular

Size:  it fit Chloe perfectly.  if i were to make again with the same yarn for myself I would cast-on ten additional inches.

Notes:  love this pattern.  knits up quickly and looks great.  am about to start on my second one, this time for a friend.

a few finished projects

Pattern:  Watch Cap, Vogue Knitting Caps & Hats

Needles:  size 8 circular

Yarn:  from my stash,

Size:  depending on head size, I would say for a young child, although it seems to fit my head as well.   So, really just depends on how snug you like your caps.

Notes:  it looks a bit bulbous in this picture (all to do with the stuffing).  Unfortunately, one of my models is in deep sleep and the other is off at school.  This is a good 'go-to' simple pattern

 

Pattern:  Heavily, heavily modified February Sweater, from Elizabeth Zimmermann

Needles:  10 1/2 circular

Yarn:  Lyon Brand Wool-Ease, Thick & Quick

Notes:  If you know me, or are a frequent visitor to this site you know how much I adore the sweater on two needles pattern.  I can't seem to get enough of the lack of seaming and I love the loosey-gooseyness of EZ's patterns.  I probably wouldn't have been able to deal with her directions when I was a beginning knitter, but now that I have the basics down, I really appreciate the patterns.

I haven't sewn the buttons on yet, because I'm just not sure about them.  They're vintage, but I kind of feel like they look like Owl Eyes, not that those are a bad thing...

 

 

 

 

more snow on its way

Crazy amount of snow this winter.  It just makes me want to hibernate in my flannel sheets.  Am a little worried about the newest addition to the family surviving all the snow, although my Aunt says it should be fine.  And now that I look at this picture, I realize I need to tie the little tree up to the post.

Thankfully, Chloe's school is just across the street and I don't have to go very far with all the snow.  Actually, these days I seem to leave our neighborhood less and less frequently.  I have a gym, food co-op, Chloe's dance studio and then I just saw a sign that Tribeca Pediatrics is opening a location in our neighborhood. 

  Jim's been traveling for work for a few weeks, so we've been trying to keep busy.  Last weekend we went to a friend's cabin just across the border in Pennsylvania.  Cold, cold, but beautiful.  Sadie came too and had blast with our friend's dog.  So much so that she didn't move an inch on Sunday.  I keep forgetting that she's getting old (she'll be 10 this September) and just can't run and play as hard anymore.  Luckily we managed get into the car to come home.  I so worried about her on Sunday, but now it's Wednesday and she's sprung back.

the great clean up

I'm wondering if I'm the only one that deals with this kind of chaos.  This is our collection of 'stuff' that I've found buried in boxes, bags and in general not in its proper home.  I'd like to instill a sense of order in my kids, but I don't know that it will ever happen.  In general our house is pretty organized, but it's all this little stuff that creates the mess!

I'm half tempted to toss all of it after reading this article a few weeks ago in the NYT's about a home organizer's visit to the writer's home...

Then after sorting a bit, it became clear that some of this really does have a home.

Animals

Hair Accessories

And then some seriously old school sledding.

felting project - the next step

The next phase of my little felting project.  Boy, is this booooring knitting for some reason. 

The pink piece is Rowan's Kidsilk Haze (from my super-secret stash) and the other pieces are Debbie Stoller's Alpaca Love from Red Heart.  I kind of like how the alpaca is showing through with the felting process, which is a bit difficult to see in this picture.  Next step is to cut the pieces.

 

I think this little project over at The Purl Bee is super-cute, need to get-on-it and make a few of these.
 

getting organized in 2011

My new little book for tracking my daily list, exercise regime and dinners.  I had started one of these little books last year, but in the frenzy of Christmas shopping I must have left it in a store.  It disappeared into thin air and has not surfaced.  At the time it made me very grumpy, but I've gotten over it and replaced the old with the new.  This was a gift from a good friend, when I turned the big 4-0, back a few months (guess I neglected to mention that one!)

I've been trying to plan out my days with a fresh page, making a list and then at the bottom writing down my exercise routine and plans for dinner.  It's worked pretty well so far and should serve as a good way to look and see the progress I'm making.  Because 2011 is all about progress for me!

Mid-Month (almost) Progress Report

• organize digital photos - have completed an overhaul of pictures from 2004, could use another look-through, but it's more or less done
• clean out under kitchen sink yeeeha!
• clean out the fridge yeeeha!
• clean and organize laundry room - been putting this one off
• plan out weekly dinners - with the help of my trusty notebook, I'm off to a great start
• exercise - again, with help of my notebook, it's going well

On the snow front and sled saga:  I gave up on the search for a sled in an actual brick and mortar store and just ordered one from Amazon.  Suprisingly, the snow is still fresh and white and I've heard we're getting more over the weekend, so hopefully the sled will arrive by then.

lotus eaters

Love, love, loved this book.  I haven't been so absorbed by a book in awhile.  My only wish is that I had been able to read this six years ago before we took an unexpected trip to Vietnam.  We stayed at the Caravelle Hotel, in Ho Chi Minh City for part of the trip and traveled to many of the locations which were visited in the book.  Of course we were there not so long ago and the book is about a female war photographer during the Vietnam war.

Now I'm in search of a new book to get lost and absorbed by - an recommendations?

making progress

A few projects in the works.  I'm also making progress on my to-do list for the month of January, might even add a few more items to the list.

We're getting ready for the snow to fall, but sadly we have no sled (it was tossed last year) and everywhere I've been is sold out.  We'll have to make do with the ol' laundry basket, but I think I'll be buying a sled from Amazon, so we're ready for the next big snow storm.

a watchaman's cap for a child

a heavily modified February Sweater

and just for fun

the day the finger sucking stopped

I always assumed with two children, the second child would accomplish/master things much faster than the first.  So far I've been way off base with this assumption.  Chloe was a late walker and Phoebe was even later.  Next was Phoebe's speech.  It's all foggy in my mind as to when Chloe really started talking (I'm thinking phrases, etc.)  I meant to write all of it down, but it never happened.  Phoebe was pretty late with the talking as well.

Since she spit the pacifier out at about 3-4 months, Phoebe had been a serious finger sucker.  It occured to me over the past few weeks, that probably why her speech was so slow was that those two fingers were jammed in her mouth at every opportunity.  Endearing as it may have been, it was inhibiting her.  At the end of November she came down with Cocksackie.  Fortunately no sores on her feet or hands, but her poor little mouth was covered in them.  And Viola!  Finger sucking ceased and she hasn't gone back (knock on wood.) 

Since then her speech has really expanded and she rattles on all day.  Of course now I'm kind of wishing I could take back a day or two of finger sucking for a bit of quiet!