the work of hands...

I have a goal to be intentional about "making" this summer. Whether that be with yarn, fabric, wood, paint, or food, I have some aspirations.

First of all, I absolutely go a bit crazy when I have a project languishing for too long, That means I have a few things that I absolutely want to get done before we start back to school in August. First of all, I have a pair of socks that I knitted for Brad. I finished the second sock while we were in Tennessee in May, but forgot my dpn's so I couldn't finish the toe. And it's STILL sitting in the project bag now a month later! What?! That's definitely a priority. Not because Brad needs wool socks in the summer, but because I only have several rounds left on that darn sock and it needs finished!

I also want to knock that large crocheted afghan out of the park over the next three months. It's already quite large, but my goal was to make it huge so that multiple bodies could snuggle under it. I was working along at a very nice clip until I ran out of yarn and had to order more and then, subsequently, lost my momentum. I'm using this pattern by Attic24.

Another fun crochet project was the market bag. I literally made that entire thing in under 24 hours, start to finish. I used this pattern, and I love how it turned out. It's a bit bigger than I thought, but that just means I can fit more things into it. This was a practical item for me to make, and I do plan on using it when I visit the little farmer's market we have here in the summer. But I could also see this bag being very useful for the beach as well.

Lily is currently making a crocheted rug out of thrifted sheets. I made another thrift store run yesterday morning for more sheets. One of our local thrift stores sells flat sheets for $1 each, and you really can't pass that up, especially when you have a use for them. I bought enough sheets for her to make her rug, as well as enough for me to make one.

I also have a collection of vintage, thrifted pillowcases that I want to trim with a crochet trim. This will probably not be done this summer, but it's definitely on my list of creative "to-do's." I love the look of these pillowcases. In addition, I bought that charm pack last spring because I wanted to make a quilt. Not an over-the-top quilt, but, rather, just a plain, simple patchwork quilt. I've only ever quilted a few smaller projects, so I think intimidation has been preventing me from actually cutting into that fabric. That's silly though, isn't it?

Handiwork has become a very important pastime here in our home. I suppose it has something to do with me sticking the kids in their highchairs at the age of one with oversized paint brushes and non-toxic paint. They've always just seen the process of creating from both Brad and myself, so I suppose that they would just naturally assume the same habit. In the above photos, the sewn doughnuts, the woven candle mat, the rag rug, and the yarn on the spindle are all projects that Lily completed or is working on right now (plus many, many more.) That girl can create up a cloud of dust when she gets in the frame of mind to do so. She's always got her fingers into a project of some sort. Ian is more interested in working with wood or repurposing things (he gets that from him dad and a bit from me.) He made me the wooden coasters from a tree he cut down behind our house and gave them to me as a Mother's Day gift.

So, yes, we spend a lot of our time making things here in our home. Maybe that's foreign to some people, but I honestly couldn't imagine not making that a priority for our family. And I am absolutely certain that it is essential to me and my peace of mind. It's a big part of how I express myself. I just feel like I must create. Which is one of the reasons I have recently took up watercolor painting again this summer. I used to paint in high school and college and my hands-down favorite medium was watercolor. I recently started a nature journal which I am head-over-heels in love with because it is enabling me to practice painting again and learn and record so much about nature (which is another favorite topic of mine.)

Now I suppose I need to find the time to pursue all of these creative goals/projects this summer. I have a rather good feeling that I will not accomplish near what I would like to because I do spend most days out-of-doors in the summer. But there are always rainy days and nights around the campfire which lend to the "making" mood.

Some other crafty plans I have...

I love this Chevron Crocheted Bag

These would be great for storage.

I love this shawl by Cherry Heart.

I need one of these on the side of my barn.

the makings of a rainy day

Yesterday was a very rainy, drizzly, gray day. The kind of day when the dark clouds lay low and heavy and one has to literally peel herself up out of her warm, cozy bed in the morning. Oh yes, it was a gray day, and that is exactly how I had to get up out of bed.

I was so very tired that I had to fight to stay awake to get the kids' school lessons in and completed. I just kept telling myself, "Get it done and then you can take a nap after lunch." And that is what I did, indeed. I got lunch finished and then tucked myself in under a handmade afghan with my little dog Molly and we took an hour long snooze. It was divine. 

The rest of the day then was quite productive. There was laundry that needed done and dinner needed made (Lazy Man Cabbage rolls, what an appropriate dinner for the way I felt yesterday.) Lily spent some time working on the dress she is making for herself. Ian spent a lot of time reading, of course (one of his favorite pastimes), and I spent three whole hours later in the evening spinning. Three hours!

How did I ever manage that? 

As we all were feeling a bit tired and had no plans to go anywhere, we decided to have a family movie night. We found a movie called The Water Horse on Netflix, and so I spun and wound up yarn during the whole movie, and then I was on such a roll that I continued to spin until bedtime. 

I also did a bit of knitting yesterday. Well, everyday has a bit of knitting in it for me. I don't think I can go a day without knitting, actually. 

Yesterday, I finished up a three crosses dishcloth (my third one now), and I did some work on my Harvest cardigan. I have found this cardigan pattern to be very easy to understand which I really appreciate as this is my first time knitting a sweater. And while I've been doing my knitting, I've also been enjoying some very lovely Manderine podcasts. 

My little pottery mugs of herbs are growing just fine. The basil was the first to come up, and it seems as though I will definitely have to thin it out. The parsley just started to poke its little green heads up from under the dirt yesterday. And then our oak trees! Oh my! They are doing so good! 

I hope that you all have a wonderful day. I need to do a little grocery shopping this morning, and then we are visiting some friends this afternoon. It's still a bit gray today, so a visit with a friend will be a lovely way to cheer up the day!

everyday things and some very last minute birthday making

I don't know how I manage to do this for every single holiday that I have planned handmade gifts (which is pretty close to every holiday that there is gift-giving involved.) I always seem to wait until crunch time, until the week before (sometimes less) to start the making. I am a natural born procrastinator in many ways. I have always found myself to work at peak performance when I'm crunched for time (although, mentally, I usually find myself quite stressed and cranky.) 

Well, Lily's birthday crafting this year was, of course, no different. Why should I expect anything else from myself? 

I just started making her Miss Dandelion Doe yesterday. Actually, I haven't even traced nor cut out the pieces for the actual doll herself. Yesterday, I found myself sitting at my sewing machine all afternoon working on a little wardrobe for Miss Dandelion Doe as well as another dress for Miss Maggie Rabbit. Lily was spending the day with my mom, so it worked out quite nicely. 

And I have already decided that if I don't finish this little project up by this Saturday (which is her birthday) then I can always give it to her for Easter. We don't traditionally give the kids gifts on Easter, but I was thinking it would be nice to fill little baskets with some healthy treats and perhaps a little handmade gift or two. 

And even though the crocheted afghan surprise has been blown and Miss Dandelion Doe may not be completed for her birthday, we still have another gift for her that she will really love. I will take a picture of it after she receives it. Right now it is being stored in my parents' basement, but it is an antique vanity dresser that I found at a local shop earlier in the year. I know she's going to love it because she was with me at the shop, and she sat at that vanity for a long time, and I could see all of the little girl dreams floating before her eyes. 

And here are some of the ordinary things going on in our home...

 This is what the kids and Brad came home to. Curled up under the covers in Ian's bed. Somebody's just a bit spoiled. 

 Lily took this picture. Our cheese grater has a happy face.

 Homemade tomato soup using tomatoes and herbs I had preserved in the fall.

 A few of my favorite cookbooks.

 Brad is the smoothie king. He is the official smoothie maker in our home. 

 Lily's homemade blueberry jam and blueberry juice. Breakfast over the weekend. 

 Ian has been enjoying photographing his Lego figures using materials around the house. All inspired by this book.

 A book on Michelangelo and weights, of course. Why wouldn't these two things be side by side on our coffee table?