To Another Knitterly Year!

A Happy New Year's to all! It's been a while since my last post, but reflecting upon the last twelve months, I'd have to say it's been an awesome knitting year! I've been able to finish a lot more projects this past year than I've ever been able to and get back into spinning. I joined sweetgeorgia's fibre club and made it to Gibsons' Fibrefest. I've enjoyed knitting for our new baby (cardis, socks, mary-janes, Pebble Vest) the boys (Kiddie Cadet hats and mitts), a niece and nephew (Boheme and Owl Vest), a sister (Give a Hoot Mittens), and friends (various mitts and hats--baby to adult). I still have quite a few unfinished projects around the house (mainly for me), but I'll slot them into my 2010 New Year's resolutions.

The last days of 2009 were spent making the comfort dolls above. They were inspired by a comfort doll that D received in the hospital when he was three after undergoing a tongue tie procedure. After I found the pattern and made one out of leftover worsted cotton (the one in the striped red shirt), I couldn't stop. These dolls are very addicting! If you have a stash as big as mine with a lot of partial skeins here and there, this is THE pattern for you to make some little person very happy! My boys even carry their doll off to bed with them.

Health and happiness to all and may 2010 be full of new adventure and opportunities!

Baby K is Four Months

We're now into the first week of K's fourth month! R just graduated from preschool yesterday, and D is wrapping up Grade One today. There's a lot to celebrate and a lot to be grateful for. D is about to have a birthday and we can hardly believe we've had him for seven amazing years! R is happy to be moving on to "big boy" school in the fall, so that he can be with his older brother and "hang" with his friends. K, she's just discovered her hands and feet, and is quite perplexed and entertained by these wonderful moving parts that will someday help her learn how to knit! However, to our surprise, she's also learned how to protest as loud as possible with her set of strong lungs and by arching her back in an attempt to slide off the chair in the above pic. It's enough to put a squeeze on the brain and rattle the eyeballs out of their sockets!

Where Did 2008 Go?

Christmas came and went, just like the rest of 2008. I can hardly believe that we are at the end of another year. Upon reflection, 2008 was quite an intense year filled with anxiety for the unknown, passion for life, and gratitude for all I have around me. I wish you all a happy, healthy, new year full of peace and new endeavors!

On Being a Big Brother

From time to time, your children say amusing things to entertain you. It's just a given....but then there are times when children just say things that seem ridiculously profound or just a lot older and more advanced for their age. Two days ago, D was being very helpful and set the toilet ring on top of the big toilet for his brother to go potty. Being very conscious to recognize my D's kind and considerate gesture, I told him that he was a very good big brother and that he was going to be an even bigger help as a big brother to the baby that was growing inside my tummy. As D leaves the washroom to give his younger brother some privacy, he turns to me and nonchalantly answers, "That means more work and that means more stress." Now, is that really a six-year old talking??!? Seriously, sometimes I think there's a fifty-year old living in that six-year old's body. I hope he's not too worried about his RRSPs yet.

Who's Charlie?

I walk into the living room to check on R yesterday morning, and he looks directly at me in this mischievous way and blurts out, "Sit down Charlie." I try not to burst out laughing, explain to my forty-four-month old my name is not Charlie and that I'm a little too busy to sit down right now, and walk back into the kitchen, all the while trying to figure out where he may have picked up this line. Such a funny kid.

Made Me a Pair of Fetching

I finally made myself a pair of Fetching using some lovely Sierra Aran (elann yarn) in the most delicious deep brown colour (walnut), and I'm very happy with it, despite just two little mistakes in the cables at the beginning of my first mitt where I twisted the wrong way. Oh well, I just couldn't be bothered to fix them. It just seemed too stressful at the time. I think, if you caught me with this situation ten years back, I would've frogged the whole thing and started all over again, but since having children and living life with so much on my plate, I've just learned to pick and choose what to really stress over. I went down some needle sizes (used 3-1/2mm) to get the tighter gauge asked for in the pattern. Anyhow, I've been wearing my Fetching for a few days now, and love 'em! It's funny how little things can make you so happy!

So cool!

D: Mom! Come here! Come see my spit! (calling me to bathroom where he is brushing teeth after being given a lollipop by grandpa)

Me: Why?

D: Because it's cool!

So I go and take a look at his red spit and make a comment about how cool it is and agree with him that it looks like blood.

Here's to an Even More Creative New Year!

Look! A Present for Me!
2007 was a fun, creative year for me. I got the chance to practise more with the digital camera, knit some socks, re-acquaint myself with the sewing machine, spin with a drop spindle, experiment with new hat designs for the shop, and just keep up with custom orders while family life and a work life (outside of the home) continues. Oh, and let's not forget my hardcore addictions to yarn buying that keep me busy on Ravelry and to keeping up with this super gratifying blog that keeps me creatively connected to all those interested... Thanks for reading everyone! I didn't get a chance to finish that Electra vest like I had hoped for in 2006, but 2008 has only just begun. I'll continue to aim for Electra's completion, as well as for more knitting, spinning, dyeing, photography, and all my other crafty interests! Maybe this will be the year I manage to make time to attend a Vancouver Spinners' Guild Meeting or a Maiwa class??? Or maybe just to slow down and complete some UFOs and attack the growing yarn stash?

Much Needed Comic Relief

Me: Drink your milk R.
R: Yes sir!

or

R: (in the car) I'm hungry!
Me: We'll be home soon. I'll make you something to eat when we get home.
R: I want to talk to my lawyer!

When the pressure is on to get presents bought, the house clean for a Christmas tree that's been sitting outside for days, and to eliminate thoughts that you behaved, or rather misbehaved at the "office" party, it's good to know that your little boys are always there to provide you with lots of comic relief. R, our three-year old, has been making us all laugh lately with his spontaneous lines picked up from movies that he's watched. I believe R's "Yes sirs" have come from Buzz Lightyear of Toy Story and the "I want to talk to my lawyer!" is a line from Ratatouille, a movie I haven't even seen yet!

A Children's Christmas Fair

This past Saturday morning, we braved the chilly weather, like we did last year, to attend the Vancouver Waldorf School's Christmas Fair. A most memorable activity at this wonderful fair from last year was visiting the "Cookie House" to select a decorated gingerbread cookie from amongst many all hung on curtains from ceiling to floor in a small, narrow, dimly-lit, ambient space. We waited in line to experience the wonderful Cookie House again this year, complete with an elf to guard the house, as well as a fairy, to assist with the cookie selection. As you can see, R knew his immediate plans for his cookie upon leaving the "house".

There were many beautiful wreaths and table centerpieces being created all around us.....
...and new experiences to be had.... candle dipping!!!

in another dimly-lit, but magical room decorated with winter scenes, lots of stars and tiny lights...

...and warm, nurturing teachers that made all the activities at this fair so meaningful. D really got into making and dipping his own candle, deciding on his own how many more times he wanted to walk around the table to dip his candle into the wax pots.

Other cool activities included puppet plays, silk painting, visiting a winter wonderland and woodland pond, woodworking, and a variety of musical offerings around the school. And what's a Christmas fair without a "Marketplace", which was so crowded that I barely looked for fear of losing the boys. I did, however, pick up my felt order from Natalie of Bear Dance Crafts who came down for the fair from Kaslo. She offers good quality wool felt in lots of great colours for those of you who are interested.


Here is D's beautifully fragrant candle finished and wrapped with paper tissue and a lovely poem. The poem should read as below, but with the last line, perhaps, intentionally and appropriately left out:

A candle is but a simple thing,
It starts with just a bit of string,
But dipped and dipped with patient hand,
It gathers wax upon the strand,
Until complete and snowy white,
It gives at last a lovely sight.

Life seems so like that bit of string,
Each deed we do a simple thing,
Yet day by day if on life's strand,
We work with patient heart and hand,
It gathers joy makes dark days bright,
And gives at last a lovely light.

How we love this fair for its wonderful, meaningful experiences that appeal to all our senses and the child within us!

Hats to Finish

Tell me. So where is all the extra time to finish all my projects now that D is in Kindergarten full time? The custom orders are growing and I need to make more inventory for the store. And I don't even want to mention the UFOs all over the house! I finally managed to squeeze in some time to work on hats this morning, (my favourite time in the day to do so) after dropping D off to school and finishing dishes from last night's birthday celebration. (Our little R is now three!!!) But pretty soon, it will be time to get the panniers ready for work after lunch and play-doh time with R.


Here's R just outside the beautiful McGill Library in Burnaby from last week. Vancouver's civic strike is still on, so there are no libraries open in our city. It's hard to believe that it's been about 10 weeks now without our local libraries!

The Magic Word

R has been making a lot of demands lately, maybe to practise using his words, maybe to test out his boundaries, but probably to primarily show his brother that he is just as fast talking and capable in every which way. Last week in the van, R asked for some sandwiches that I had just packed for our outing. I obliged, but then added, "So, what's the magic word.....?" before handing over the sandwich.

"Poo-poo!" laughed R as if it was the most hilarious joke in the whole wide world. D joined in on the joke. Me--I was still waiting for that word (please), which eventually came out as I expected, but bathroom humour, neverending as it may seem to me and common at this age, is what's going around my world these days. I think it's time to find some new and exciting "knock-knock" joke books.

Happy 1st Blogiversary to Me!

My little blog has given me:

656 visits
953 page views
new like-minded friends and contacts
an opportunity to document my fibery interests
an opportunity to record some daily life with family
a wonderful sense of accomplishment
a whole lot of instant gratification
and a creative outlet

Very Funny

"How did a beautiful mama get so angry on her day off?"

Dylan, 4yrs and 9mos.
--remarks from my eldest after being scolded for fooling around with the sink stopper and ignoring my pleas to brush his teeth this morning

Now, if this doesn't just throw one off in the morning, I don't know what will... And how do you respond to that? Do you get mad, or do you laugh? I think I did both.

Oh, the Choices!

I'm currently wading through all the projects I'm dreaming of knitting with IK Spring 07 at my doorstep, the new Knitty out, March MagKnits out....I just cannot keep up! So many new sock patterns....look at the cute socks above...and so appropriately named Rainy Day socks just for me in wet Vancouver. I like these mitts designed by a fellow Vancouverite, Cheryl Niamath and these fantastic knee socks in the new Spring IK by the amazing Eunny Jang.




Or how about some real instant gratification....I could knit this (from Spring IK 07) in no time.

Before I sign off, here's a quote that has come to my mind almost every year around International Women's Day (which was yesterday, March 8) since I read a variation of it over seven years ago. The quote neatly sums up the general expectation from women (not just Congresswomen) today and throughout history.

"A Congresswoman must look like a girl, act like a lady, think like a man, speak on any given subject with authority and most of all work like a dog.”

Representative Florence Dwyer (R-NJ, 1957-1973)
Quoted in Karen Foerstel, Biographical Dictionary of Congressional Women

Wow, we still have so far to progress. And to think, it's the 21st century and the Wimbledon Championships has only just announced (February 22, 2007) that they will offer women and men equal prize money for the first time in the tournament's history this year.

New Eye Candy

Two arrivals via Canada Post last week: new Spring 07 Interweave Knits and a stack of four Japanese craft magazines ordered from YesAsia with a Christmas gift certificate courtesy of my sis. Happy mail can always help a week full of stress and commitments.

Desiderata

So, this is what I've been thinking about and reading lately, a poem introduced to me by a fellow co-worker and friend. As the new year begins, I try to remind myself of Max Ehrmann's words to get through the chaos of a messy house, the deluge of incoming bills, the lack of time to relax, the lack of communication between the people closest to you, and the perplexing "thing" we call life.

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann, Desiderata, Copyright 1952.

Reflections and Resolutions 2006/2007

sweetgeorgia posted some great questions to think about and here are my thoughts in a nutshell....
HOW WAS 2006 FOR YOU? A mix of missing my mom and busy, busy, busy….just trying to keep up with the toddler and preschooler and making time for the husband, as well as myself.

WHAT WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR YEAR? There are many highlights to mention…1) Our first family vacation introducing the boys to camping 2)Digging out the wheel to spin again 3) Moving on from Kool-Aid dyeing to acid dyeing 4) Learning to knit socks and 5) starting a blog

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH THAT YOU DIDN’T GET TO? Finishing that Electra vest that I started last year. Must finish!

WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING FOR 2007? There is so much I'd like to do. There's learning how to use my new DSLR Olympus Evolt...there's taking courses at Fibrefest or at Place des Arts....but I think I should just try to keep up with the spinning, dyeing and knitting. Oh, I'd also like to experiment with handmade felt and plan for another family vacation or two….