a little inspiration

You: : Are trying to jump. : Have boundless energy. : Love snuggling.  Mama, Papa, Zo Bear, Sydney, pillows, blankets, bed, whatever.  Let's just snuggle. : Want to be out and about. : Like to go through books at whirlwind pace and then go back to the best pictures over and over. : Think it is so funny when Papa makes the boar sound. : Have just discovered hide and seek.  This is also fall down funny. : Are almost weaned. : Have started sitting on the potty again.  But mostly you like peeing on the floor. : Love your picture book.  We look at it several times a day. : Put your foot out to be tickled. : Like Papa to name everything on the counter for you. : Understand just about everything we say. : Like to sit in your carseat when it is in the house. : Have started to pretend. : Started dancing. : Bring us endless joy. : Dislike being evicted from the kitchen for eating dog food. : Love and fear the vacuum. : The vacuum aside, you seem to ...

Weirdly, at the end of this weekend I felt as if I hadn't gotten anything done.  This must mean I am insane cause looky here: I made three blocks for this month.  I couldn't help it.  I didn't like how the first one was going and then once I decided to go with a more traditional log cabin style I knew I would need one for myself too.  Because I am very selfish about log cabin blocks.  Especially pretty, contrasty ones.  This was the first try.  I wanted to do the log cabin once I had found the fabric and came across this wonky style.  It turned out too wonky for me to like enough to send it away.  And it will NOT lay flat.  But it is interesting.   The second try I went ahead and made two of them because making two is as easy as making one if you know where you are going with it.  I ran out of strips and so only one of them is 10" and the other one then stays here with me.  I LOVE how they turned out. For Barbara: ...

: watching tiny hands touch furry friends gently . : seeing those same hands work a new skill over and over.   : standing in line to get into the library when it opens. : how fun daily chores are when you have a little help. : watching the beginnings of dancing starting to take hold. : the anticipation that builds up when I am trying to work up my courage to do something I have never done before. : making plans for a future that may or may not happen. : the feeling of relief finishing a project brings.  One down, a million to go. : hearing rain, walking in rain and stumbling through puddles. : knowing I am going to get re-arrange the furniture soon to save him from himself. : getting reminded to stay right here with a gentle snuggle hug. What are you loving right now?

Today Senor and the Bug are visiting grandma's house.  So I have been working on this: And this: And these: The sweater is a new sample for the baby sweater class ( I just realized I never put up a picture of that.  I am far too distracted!) I teach at Lovely Yarns in Hamden.  I am taking July and August off (you know because I work sooo much :) and finishing up a few new patterns (like for the cape ) to teach starting in the Fall.  I have a couple of these on order for babies arriving towards the end of summer.  I love crocheting for babies.  I feel like you can add love and blessings in each stitch. The blanket is for a wonderful friend who keeps coming back for more items.  It seems like every time she has a gift to give she asks if I can make it.  I love that.  I can't even begin to tell you what a compliment it is.  There will be many more of these little quote blankets I am sure. The last picture is silliness....

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. From Soule Mama. Have a lovely weekend, friends!

GSC Project 1 , originally uploaded by Mr & Mrs Speeed . This is the Simplicity 2599 blouse I made. This picture is not of the completed shirt, I added a ruffle around the neck also. Yesterday I had it on all day and never got a picture of it. Such is life. A certain someone was on the go and that was that. This picture doesn't make the blouse look very flattering. I am not sure that it is quite that boxy looking in action but it certainly is comfortable. If I threw a belt on with it that would be cute. The next one I make I think I am going to add the elastic waist. But it is a woven shirt so it shouldn't fit like a t-shirt. The modifications I made: I lowered the neckline about an inch (this means I had to change the facing as well.) I cut the back on the fold instead of making it two pieces (ditto about the facing.) Maybe not a mod, but worth mentioning is I used french seams on the sides and shoulders. No messy inside finishes. I am trying to focus on th...

  The other day I had this crazy idea: What if I didn't buy any clothing for myself for one year?  What if anything I wanted I had to make?  I immediately wanted to try and do this.  No second thoughts at all.  And so here we go.  This is my rule and you are going to hold me to it: 1) No buying any clothing item for myself for one year, July 4th, 2010 to July 4th 2011. With two exceptions:       a) Bras.  I can buy bras since I am in the middle of weaning and things are changing rather dramatically.       b) One emergency clothing item buy in case of lost luggage, unexpected freezing temperatures or something like that.  Hopefully not to be used at all. That's it. I'm going to call this the Getting Skills Challenge.  I want to be able to make all basic items of clothing for myself.  I want to use my button hole foot and my zipper foot without fear.  I want to make patterns t...

gardening , originally uploaded by Mr & Mrs Speeed . {this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. From Soule Mama. Have a lovely weekend, friends!