Wild Violets

Kelwyn's fisherman

2012-02-09T13:06:00.000-08:00

I just finished blocking Kelwyn's winter sweater, the Fisherman pullover. This was such a nice knit. Easy to follow and some wonderful yarn from my local yarn store. It has been such a mild winter he hasn't needed to wear too many sweaters. I went a size up so it would fit him next fall and winter too.
Maybe we will get a small taste of winter, (and snow!!) before spring arrives. I would love to see him running circles outside in his new sweater!

Flower picking in the sun

2012-01-30T13:36:00.000-08:00

Adeline and I went to our first Mama and me ballet class today. She had a wonderful time with a few twirls and lots of running around the room in circles. She refused to wear her tutu, but did lots of singing and laughing instead. Afterwards it was such a beautiful day we went to the park for lunch before picking up Kelwyn from school. One of the first things she said at the park was "Mama it is such a beautiful day!!". The sun was shining brightly and warm on our backs as we walked through the blooming meadow. The first flowers of spring were coming up all over, a bit early it seems but I welcome them. We found lots of dandelions and bluets. Adeline picked the yellow and blue flowers and put them in her knit bonnet. It was quite sweet. She was saving them to bring home to our nature table. Lovely morning with my little girl.

Sweaters for the Ladies

2012-01-16T06:19:00.000-08:00

I finally put buttons on a sweater I started knitting for myself in early fall and finished last week. It is the February Lady sweater and it really turned out nice. I bought the yarn a year ago at the SAFF and wanted to have it done by last February, but this works too. Better late than never!! It has a beautiful lace pattern that took me a little more time and concentration, which was easy to forget sometimes.I also just finished a simple vest last week for Adeline. I was amazed how quickly it knitted up and it looks adorable on her. Some of her favorite colors too in a lovely Noro yarn. She was really excited to put it on, and the yarn blend has a bit of silk in it so it is extra soft.
I am going to get started on a winter sweater for Kelwyn and some fingerless gloves, I am embarrassed to say, I promised Slater last winter. I got halfway through the first glove and it was too big, so I put it down for a while. Thankfully it has not been too cold!

Baking, water painting and a silly 2 year old

2012-01-08T17:30:00.000-08:00

I thought I would post a quick update of some of our days last week. We spent as much time outside as we could, the weather has been so mild and lovely for cold January. We made some delicious oatmeal raisin cookies for a playdate, the little ones had fun painting with water on the chalkboard(no mess!), and I was chased down by a 2 year old who just got into some of my lipstick. I could not stop laughing as she pointed her finger at me and was telling me her story. Gotta love toddlers!

Holiday knitting and sewing

2011-12-29T13:30:00.000-08:00

I decided to dedicate most of my holiday crafting to my sweet mama this year. She mentioned she would like a kitchen apron and has been admiring one of my shawls for some time now. I used June's apron pattern with Loulouthi fabric from Anna Maria Horner. I just love the fabric and how it all came together. This fabric has such beautiful colors and prints I may have to add it to my every growing quilt to do list. I was thinking of this one.I have spent most of my knitting time since Thanksgiving working on the textured shawl. My Mom picked out a beautiful teal silky merino from Malabrigo yarn on her last visit up her in the fall. I made it a bit bigger than mine for more warmth and it turned out quite nice. I finished it the week before Christmas and thankfully it arrived in time!I did not get around to knitting and sewing half of what I would have liked to for the holidays. I would like to make toys for the little ones and more holiday decorations, maybe something for Slater too. Next year I think I will start in the summer!

Christmas day hike

2011-12-28T13:23:00.000-08:00

Christmas glimpse

2011-12-26T00:00:00.000-08:00

We had a lovely Solstice celebration and Christmas weekend at our home. I loved seeing the excitement and sparkle in my little ones eyes with the magic that comes this time of year. It filled my heart with such joy after a rough week of sick children and a sick mama. My family has not been to our home for the holidays, so I thought I would share a little glimpse. This one is for you Mom!!
Wish everyone much love, peace, and happiness.

Fabric Holiday Wreath

2011-12-19T10:00:00.000-08:00

I remember a fabric wreath my Mom had when we were little somewhere in the back of my mind. I wanted to recreate my own, so I made one inspired by Soulemama's. I went through my fabric scraps and found some great pieces to add. After I wrapped the fabric around my wreath base and pinned it in the back, I added red ribbon, white rick rack and a bit of lace. The star in the middle was a Christmas ornament handmade by my mother in law, June,many years ago. I loved how it turned out and it looks so pretty with the afternoon sun shining through it on our kitchen door window.

Christmas tree

2011-12-12T07:43:00.000-08:00

We went to a local tree farm over the weekend to pick out our Christmas tree. The drive to the farm was beautiful and the little ones where ready to run through the rows of trees once we arrived. Kelwyn was 100% positive when he found our perfect tree. Adeline ran around and around the tree, did a few twirls too, in agreement. Thankfully it was on the bottom of the hill close the cars, since Slater would be sawing it down and carrying it for us. I could feel everyone's excitement as Kelwyn helped Slater tie it on our roof and we piled in the car for our journey back home. O beautiful tree......

My little loves

2011-12-10T08:00:00.000-08:00

Adeline's Solstice pants

2011-12-09T13:30:00.000-08:00

I had grand ideas of my little ones each getting a nice warm, hand knitted sweater on the Solstice. Ha! I have not even started. Other knitting projects have kept me busy. Oh well maybe for Valentine's Day. Yes, to keep my loves warm.I decided a quick sewing project would be more like it. Adeline will be getting a pair of pink corduroy pants on the Solstice. I made the Quick Change Trousers from Handmade Beginnings. They are just darling, reversible and the bottoms fold up and can be adjusted to fit her for quite a while. Love them! I am hoping to get started on Kelwyn's Solstice pants this weekend and wrap up my holiday sewing with a teepee, from Growing up Sew Liberated, in the next few weeks.
Next week will be full of home made ornaments, tree decorating, gingerbread houses, cookies, peppermint bark and more cookies. Maybe some spiced eggnog too. Hooray for holiday crafting and baking!

Over the mountain and through the woods

2011-12-05T18:13:00.000-08:00

I missed my favorite craft show, The Big Crafty, downtown on Sunday. But, I got to spend the afternoon over the mountain and through the woods at Wellspring Farms. It was an hours drive from my home, but the scenery was breathtaking. I was amongst llamas, alpacas, sheep, goats, bunnies, 9 cats and 5 dogs. I am taking spinning classes from an amazing woman, Elke, this fall and winter. Today was my second class out of four. I have been learning how to spin fibers into yarn and today I got to ply 2 of them together. Afterwards we set and washed the spun fibers, and I must say I was amazed to see the yarn I created! It was so inspiring to be around these beautiful animals, many Elke and her husband have rescued from all over the country. They put so much love and time into their animals care and it really shows. Their farm is just breathtaking, nestled down a valley and up a mountainside, surrounded by hundreds of acres of undeveloped land. The Appalachain trail even goes through very close to their land. I have gained so much appreciation for the yarn I knit with, seeing the animals it comes from, and their gentle spirits and beauty. Not even considering their care, shearing the wool, processing it and getting it ready for spinning. I bought some lovely fiber for spinning from some of her animals. I am truly humbled by how much work goes into making a skein of yarn, especially handspun. It is a beautiful art.

Sitting in Santa's sleigh

2011-12-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

Running after the sun

2011-12-01T15:49:00.000-08:00

We had a relaxing afternoon chasing after the sun at one of our local parks. We have been spending a lot of time inside with a few rainy and cold days. Now, I must admit I could stay inside all day knitting, baking and "resting" on the couch. I know my little ones need to run and play in the sun and I feel like I have to drag myself out sometimes. We all came home with pink cheeks and smiles. A dose of sun did us all some good.I am trying to gather my list of holiday crafting and baking with the little ones and homemade gifts. My list will always and forever be larger than I can accomplish. Many to do's will have to wait until next year or the next. I have finished up a few sewing projects for me over the past few weeks I will have to share soon.

Lantern walk

2011-11-12T07:32:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Martinmas with a lovely lantern walk at Kelwyn's school over the weekend. They had made their lanterns the week before in class and he carried it as we walked down the candle lit path. Adeline close behind her brother's footsteps.The full moon was shining behind us as we all sang a beautiful song, I Go Outside With My Lantern."I go outside with my lantern, my lantern goes with me
Above the stars are shining bright, down here on Earth shine we.
The cock does crow, the cat meows, la bimmel, la bammel, la boom.
‘Neath heaven’s dome till we go home, la bimmel, la bammel, la boom.

I go outside with my lantern, my lantern goes with me
Above the stars are shining bright, down here on Earth shine we.
So shine your light through the still dark night, la bimmel, la bammel, la boom
‘Neath heaven’s dome till we go home, la bimmel, la bammel, la boom. "

Rustling leaves

2011-11-10T23:30:00.000-08:00

The little ones and I had a lovely walk in the woods this week. There were still a few colorful leaves on the trees, but I just noticed that overnight most of them have fallen and all is still. In between sweet thoughts and questions from Kelwyn all I could hear was the rustling of leaves at our feet. I did not think I was ready for the dark, quiet winter and I was pretending the cold winds were not on their way. I was not ready to look deep within like a flower turning to the earth to sleep after the first frost..
But now I think I am ready.....

Acorn Pip hat

2011-11-08T12:01:00.000-08:00

I just finished knitting Kelwyn's fall hat and it turned out so cute. It is the Acorn Pip hat, and of course he picked blue out of a yarn lineup of brown, cream and orange. It is based from one of our favorite fall books Woody, Hazel and Little Pip by Elsa Beskow. He put it on this morning and said "Ok mommy, you can take a picture now".We have been busy enjoying our fall and I just realized how close Thanksgiving and Christmas are! It dawned on me how much sewing and knitting I wanted to get done as gifts and I really need to sit down and see what is practical for me this year. I am also starting fiber spinning this week, YAY, so I will have a lot of practicing to do. But, I have dedicated my sewing time to me this week. I signed up for Kathy's Indian Summer Sew Camp at least a month ago and have not gotten started yet. I am hoping to have the Hooded Capelet done by the end of the week. The season is approaching and I must get busy!

Pumpkin time

2011-10-31T08:00:00.000-07:00

We loved looking for pumpkins and running through the corn maze last week at our favorite local farm Hickory Nut Gap.
Pumpkin carving and roasting seeds this afternoon. Last minute costume decisions. Trick or treating this evening with friends. Happy Halloween!

Autumn Pixie hat

2011-10-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

My little fiery 2 year old was not very happy to wear her new hat. I was chasing her around the yard to catch a photo before she took it off and to make sure it fit. Now, she thought that was funny! I knitted her a Autumn pixie hat, known as the pointy elf hat from More Last Minute Knitted Gifts, to match the greenone I made for Kelwyn last fall. I found some very soft and scrumptious Malabrigo Yarn in purple from my local yarn store. My thought was that if her big brother was wearing his hat, then she would too. We'll see, maybe when it gets really cold outside or she may be throwing it in the snow all winter.

Autumn in my heart

2011-10-28T16:00:00.000-07:00

This time of year fills my heart with so much love and inspiration. I am in awe every time I look at the beauty that surrounds me. Falling colors of red, orange and yellow at my feet, the warm sun on my back. I too become still, quiet and ready for a long winters rest after a blazing burst of color and outward energy of the summer. It reminds me to let go, surrender, and hold what is sacred within. We tried to get out in the sun as much as we could this week before the cold front and rain came through. We were outside all day yesterday and enjoyed every minute.

Autumn crafting

2011-10-27T07:24:00.000-07:00

We have been trying to do a bit of Autumn crafting here and there the past few weeks. I remember a weather tree I saw on a blog last year and finally got around to making one for us to observe the weather each day. I cut a tree out of brown craft paper and taped it on the window. I also cut leaves in shapes of oak and birch trees. The little ones love to look out the window in the morning and declare a sunny or cloudy day. We put up a yellow leaf for sunny days and an orange leaf for cloudy days. I need to pick out a color and leaf for snowy days up ahead too.Slater gathered some beautiful fall leaves close to his work from a sugar maple tree. I dipped them in melted beeswax to preserve their yellow and red colors. I tied some to a string to give out as party favors for Kelwyn's birthday party. I thought they would make a nice window hanging. With the left over leaves I hung as a garland from our mantle. I am loving the autumn colors bringing warmth to our home and a bit of nature in.

Kelwyn Ash turns 4!

2011-10-23T14:15:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Kelwyn's 4th birthday on a beautiful, picturesque Autumn day. He awoke to a trail of silver, sparkly stars to his birthday table, birthday ring, balloons, yearly picture book, and a sweetly wrapped wooden turtle. I am not sure he noticed much of his decorations because his big, big surprise was hiding under a quilt. A huge grin, and a bit of shock, appeared on his face when he unveiled his shiny, new red bicycle! Now Slater could tell you all the stats and info on the new bike. He put a lot of research and looking into finding the perfect, first bike for Kelwyn. I must say he did a wonderful job! Kelwyn was so happy and began riding it around the room. He took to it very quickly and got the hang after a few falls and wobbles here and there. (Slater put on training wheels when we saw Kelwyn's feet could not touch the floor. We were going to take off the pedals and training wheels so he could learn to push with his feet and balance.) We spent the afternoon at a local park with friends riding bikes, scooters, and tricycles, and playing in the sun. The little ones rode for hours, stopped for snacks and a seesaw ride, and kept on going. We enjoyed strawberry ice cream and I made 3 dozen banana cupcakes with honey cinnamon frosting. Oh, we topped it off with another birthday song and candles in Kelwyn's diner pizza, his request.
Oh, my sweet, adventurous, vivacious little boy is 4! It is hard to believe 4 years have so quickly passed. It brings me so much joy to watch him change and grow into this amazing being. We love you Kelwyn!! Happy birthday!

Weekend rejuvenation

2011-10-17T13:44:00.000-07:00

I was very fortunate to spend a blissful weekend alone at the Southeastern Women's Herbal Conference. It was my first time away since becoming a mama and I must say I enjoyed every minute of it. I soaked up a bit of sun, watched golden leaves twirl through the wind, listened to amazing spiritual and herbal classes, enjoyed the sweet melodies of Rising Appalachia, watched the moon glisten and dance on the lake, ate delicious meals, slept in a bunk bed with a cabin of lighthearted women, heard the constant sound of distant drumming and reconnected with a lot of friends. The highlight was helping my dear friend Kelcey at her amazing booth, Sweet Mess Art and Seed & Sky Jewelry. Her work is amazing and filled me with such joy to be surrounded by it all weekend and see it touch the lives of so many other women too. She has so much love, emotion and beauty in her art. I cannot wait to find a new home for my new prints to smile at every day (thank you Kelcey!). To top it all off it was my birthday. I came home to a delicious cooked meal by Slater, wine, chocolate cake, smiling little ones in my lap and the sweetest gifts. I got to spend the evening with my mom and family after a heart filled weekend. Many thanks to my mom and Slater for holding down the homestead for me!

Nature Fair

2011-10-10T13:11:00.000-07:00

My friend Sarah asked me to help her at her booth at the True Nature Country Fair this past weekend. She has a little girl Kelwyn's age, Violet, so I took him along for a mother and son outing and thought the two little ones would enjoy some play. Sarah was demonstrating spinning wool into yarn and said she would also show me a few techniques to get me started for helping her out. Her booth was full of raw wool, hand dyed wool and tools to get wool ready for spinning, I was in heaven! I have been wanting to find the time to learn how to spin wool for some time and was more than thrilled to help her and work with wool all afternoon. All the kids loved carding the wool, which was a process which breaks up the lumps of fibers to get it ready for spinning. Turning the crank was a blast for Kelwyn.
She sent me home with a drop spindle to get used to twisting the wool roving. I must admit it is quite tricky and will take a bit of practice! Serendipitously , I also saw that Kathy from one of my favorite blogs, While Tangerine Dreams, hand spun some yarn with me in mind for her art yarn shop . She named it Wild Violets, I feel so honored and happy, the colors are beautiful! I also feel it is a sign to pursue my spinning dream! It is so beautiful and I will definitely have to get her to spin a ball for me!! Thanks Kathy, your yarn is amazing:)

Kelwyn and I also ventured out a bit in between helping Sarah at her booth. We did a flower pounding together. Of course Kelwyn loved pounding flowers and leaves inside a piece of muslin with a hammer. We saw sheep, sheep dogs, goats, chickens, drank freshly pressed cider, and enjoyed watching a bit of folk dancing and bluegrass music. But, the highlight for Kelwyn was the goat drawn cart ride. He and Violet waited their turn and eagerly climbed into a little cart for a ride. It was one of the cutest things I have ever seen and the little ones loved every minute of it! The best $3 I ever spent!! Thank you Sarah for the spinning inspiration and a beautiful day!

Apple picking

2011-10-06T13:30:00.000-07:00

We went apple picking with a group of friends this week at Sky Top Orchard. It was a beautiful Autumn day where the blue sky met the tops of the trees. Warm in the sun and cool in the shade. There were apples a plenty in the trees and ones that had fallen to the ground. All the children were busy putting them in their baskets and climbing trees to pick a few. Our baskets soon became full of red and green goodness, as I saw apple juice dripping down the little ones cheeks and shirts. The view towards the end of the orchard was breathtaking, I could have sat on the mountain top for hours. At the end of the afternoon the little ones cheeks were rosy and pink after a day of running and playing in the sun. There will be lots of applesauce, apple butter, apple crisp and apple pie in my kitchen the next few weeks. Beautiful day.

Fall knitting

2011-10-05T11:30:00.000-07:00

The knitting bug has definitely hit me over the past month. I am finding myself winding down, tired, lazy and wanting to sit in front of the fire, wrapped up in a cozy blanket sipping tea and knitting the evening away. I am trying to organize and plan the projects I want to knit for myself and others for the cooler months ahead. Oh, and as you can see I desperately need a yarn swift, to help me wind my yarn. I enjoy the simplicity of putting my yarn on the back of the chair and watching my yarn ball grow and grow, while thinking of my knitting project. But, halfway through I am done and it always seems to get tangled towards the end which takes me as long to pull out the knots as it does to wind the ball from start to finish. Of course the little ones come and go pulling out a few strings here and there too. One of these days....

I am thinking of knitting this sweater for Kelwyn. I am hoping to have it ready by the Winter Solstice to keep him warm through the dark days of winter. I have some beautiful Noro yarn to knit Adeline a pretty sweater or vest, thinking of this or this.

I am also embarrassed to say I still need to knit the fingerless gloves I promised Slater last winter. I was halfway through knitting one of them last winter, but it was way too big so I stopped the project and have not gotten back to it.

And knitting for myself.....
I love Quince and Co yarn and I love all the patterns they offer. So many to choose from and the yarn colors, oh my!! I also pre-ordered a yarn book coming out in a few weeks. I do not usually buy too many knitting books with the great online resources, but this one looked so wonderful and I would knit everything in it. Lots of cozy nights with my knitting needles and a hot cup of tea. Now, if I could only read and knit at the same time......(sorry to bore all you non knitters out there, loving my fall knitting and wanted to share)

Adeline's birthday dress

2011-09-22T08:50:00.000-07:00

Thankfully, I did manage to finish Adeline's dress before her birthday. I sewed the Oliver and S ice cream dress. This time I measured her to make sure it would not be too big and it fits wonderfully, with a little bit of room to grow. It has nice big pockets to store all her finds and treasures. I love how it turned out and she was so excited to put it on after breakfast. I used some Japanese fabric I found during a sale at Purl Soho. Japanese fabric tends to be a bit pricey, so I was thrilled when I found it half off a few months ago!! It is a cotton/linen blend with a darling Cinderella print. I found the pink polka dots in my stash fabric and they matched nicely. My mother in law, June, helped with the finishing touches in time for the big day. The dress was set out with her birthday crown when she awoke; which she refused to wear again this year, sigh. Oh well, maybe next year. She loved dancing and twirling all day in her new dress!

Adeline Rose is 2!

2011-09-16T04:53:00.000-07:00

My sweet Adeline Rose is 2 today! It is so hard to believe just 2 years ago I was holding a tiny, warm, beautiful, baby in my arms. Her lips were like a little pink rose bud and her features were so delicate and tiny, perfect in every way. She healed me after a very stressful and traumatic birth a few years earlier, my VBAC (vaginal birth after cesearean) success story. It has been such an honor to get to know this little soul and watch her change and grow. She has not stopped moving and exploring since her feet have hit the earth. She loves to run, jump, dance and twirl. It is such a blessing to have her in our lives. Happy birthday sweet Adeline Rose! We love you!

First day, big day

2011-09-06T14:06:00.000-07:00

Oh, my! I cannot believe today was Kelwyn's first day of Kindergarten. He was so excited he woke up in the middle of the night (asked for a cup of milk and went back to sleep with his Grammy) and could hardly eat breakfast. Of course he picked out his favorite green corduroy overalls and big fur winter boots to wear. He bravely marched up to the classroom with his lunch box, and Slater and I trailing behind. He will only be going 2 mornings a week, but it is a big step for him, and us. This is the first year for Kelwyn's new school, Azalea Mountain, and a lot of love and work has been put in our local Waldorf community to prepare for it over the years. The classroom was beautiful, warm and inviting and full of wooden, simple toys. He took off his boots and found his cubby to place his things. Miss Kate, our teacher chose an owl for his picture after her visit to our home a few weeks ago. It was precious and I think he loved it too. (hard to see in phone camera picture, but it is really cute) I am looking forward to a wonderful year with lots of fun festivals, pot lucks and nature day/field trips. I also need to plan our activities and homeschooling for the rest of the week. I am a bit behind on this task due to several very busy and hectic weeks. I want to try and get outside as much as possible and enjoy the beautiful fall season ahead.

Busy sewing

2011-09-04T22:23:00.000-07:00

I have put my projects on hold to sew a few things for Kelwyn's new waldorf school. He starts going 2 days a week in the Kindergarten program tomorrow! We will also continue with our homeschooling the rest of the week with Little Acorn Learning. Last week I whipped up 16 bean bags filled with lentils and a bit of lavender. Of course I could not send them off without a few for my little ones to toss around. I dug through my scraps and found some cute fabrics. Turned out really cute and I can imagine the children tossing them to each other as they sing songs.I also have been working non stop to make colored pencil holders. They took a bit more work and time, but I finally finished up last night and they turned out great. I am glad to have them finished so I can continue on with my fall sewing plans. Adeline's birthday is in a couple of weeks and I am planning on making her the ice cream dress from Oliver and S. I am also getting the knitting bug again with these cooler nights and end of summer. I am working on the February Lady sweater, which I meant to knit last winter but did not get around to. I need to get started on hats, mittens and slippers for the little ones. It will be chilly before I know it!

Fermenting

2011-08-21T07:18:00.000-07:00

We have an abundance of cucumbers and cabbage from our CSA this summer. I decided to get out my fermenting book, Wild Fermentation, and get to work. First I made sour pickles and they turned out excellent. Very cool and crisp. With my cabbage I am fermenting kimchi in the kitchen right now. It takes about a week and I need to check on it and taste daily to see when it is done and then move it to the fridge to stop fermentation. I am hoping it turns out with just a little kick to it. I added ginger, onions, garlic, and chili peppers for spice.I also have pounds and pounds of beets and I am looking for a pickling recipe. Slater's grandmother makes the best ones. I am hoping to make some similar and can them for the year. Delicious summer fermenting and pickling!

Rays of light

2011-08-15T13:43:00.000-07:00

We do not get a lot of direct sunlight in our house. But, in the late afternoon rays of light come in through the skylights in our kitchen and hit the wood floor. It is really beautiful and Adeline discovered it and stood in the golden rays for a bit and did a little dance. She was staring at the light and watching her shadow on the floor. She glowed and glistened.

August

2011-08-14T13:56:00.000-07:00

Savoring the last little bits of summer........

Green Corduroy

2011-08-12T06:47:00.000-07:00

We went for a hike a few weeks ago and Kelwyn insisted on wearing his green corduroy overalls. Now this boy loves overalls and was even more excited when I found a pair of green ones at the thrift store for a $1. Well, I was excited about the $1 part and putting them aside for cooler weather. Perfect for a hot summer hike, right? There was also a perfect place to hold his pet puppy.

Summer Dye Party

2011-08-11T05:51:00.000-07:00

My friend Alison had a natural dyeing party at her lovely home this week. She ordered a lot of silks to throw in the dye pots. Children love silks to play dress up, wear as a cape, or just swish around in the air. Adeline likes to twirl with one in her hand and we also use them to wrap her dolls up and carry around in a sling. Endless play, so we decided to dye a few more. I also went through some of my white linens to dye too. I have a lot of white linens with stains on them and I am not very good at keeping them pure white. My linens turned out beautiful with new life! I dyed a vintage tablecloth of my Grandmothers a marigold/yellow color. I also found some linen and cotton napkins at the thrift store for a few dollars and love them now in lavender. It was so much fun trying out new colors and seeing how they turned out. Kelwyn was more interested in swinging and playing, but Adeline helped me put a few silks into the dye pot and stir. After all the dyeing the silks and linens hung in the sun to dry. So many beautiful and vibrant colors! I have collected old white pajamas, gowns and socks to take back for another round of dyeing tomorrow. We will see how they turn out!

Summer fruit pie

2011-08-03T13:51:00.000-07:00

We had some friends visit last weekend and I thought it would be nice to serve up a delicious blueberry peach ginger pie. I have been drooling since I saw the recipe on Maria's blog. I must say it was delicious and even better with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Mmmmmm.....
I know this is not the best picture, it was taken with my phone. Unfortunately our camera broke last week, so all pics will be phone taken. I am hoping for a new camera for Christmas. I have my eye on a few and would love any suggestions.

Rainy afternoon play

2011-07-25T00:00:00.000-07:00

Love those sweet summer afternoon rain showers.

Short Summer bloomers

2011-07-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

I finally got around to making the short version of the bloomers from the Sew Mama Camp I did online in the Spring. I must say they are very short and I do not think I have worn anything this short since middle school. But, I was not planning on wearing them anywhere but around the house and in the garden, so they will be nice for these hot summer days we are having.I am planning on sewing another longer version of the bloomers in a cotton denim for the end of summer and fall. I just love these bloomers, they are so cute and comfy. Kathy is having an online Sew Mama Fall Camp in September I am hoping to take part in it again. It look like she has some cute patterns and tutorials in the works. She is also currently offering her Spring Camp online and I really enjoyed it. It was nice to learn how to sew with knits, a hurdle a have been avoiding for some time. I really loved all the clothes we made and they are comfortable to wear. It was also great to sew at night when the little ones where asleep, while doing the class online. Loved it!

Weekly visit to the farm

2011-07-23T10:06:00.000-07:00

We have been getting a CSA produce box every summer from our favorite local farm, Flying Cloud Farm, for a few years now. I just love all the delicious, fresh produce and finding new ways to cook it. This year we get to pick our weekly vegetables up at the farm and it makes for a fun weekly visit. We decided to get out and walk around for a bit. Well, the kids saw the long rows of flowers and took off running. The rows were full of bright, colorful zinnias and sunflowers. I think they are going to start a u-pick flowers for $20 a bucket. We will have to pick a nice bouquet one week.
We also stopped off at their farm stand on the way out to see if they had any more blueberries, but they were out for the season. The blueberries were so delicious and we may be going picking with a group of other mamas and children next week. I am hoping to have enough left over to freeze. Love our local farm.

Summer top and skirt

2011-07-05T12:29:00.000-07:00

I finished an adorable ruffle top, from Heidi and Finn, last night for Adeline. The ruffle gave me a bit of trouble, but it turned out great in the end. It looks really cute with a pair of bloomers she had in her drawer. Nice top for these hot, hot summer days we are having.Last week I sewed her a skirt from a free pattern I found on Made. It was so easy and quick I will definitely be making a few more, maybe with a lace, ribbon or a different color fabric around the bottom of the skirt. It is a tad too long, but it will fit her for a while and she can wear pants or tights under it when the weather turns cooler. She had fun twirling and running through the gardens the other day. Love summer sewing! I am planning on a few things for me next.....

Dinosaur wrestling

2011-06-27T10:17:00.000-07:00

Adeline got a kick out of Slater's Father Day dinosaur balloon. It stands about as tall as she does and stays on the floor to be walked. Well, Adeline decided to wrestle him and trapped him in the corner with a very mischievous grin on her face. She was pretty pleased with herself and I think he lost a leg. I could not stop laughing, hilarious!

Summer Dress and bonnet

2011-06-24T09:50:00.000-07:00

I finally got around to finishing a dress and bonnet this week for Adeline. She loves prancing around and got a kick out of running off as I was trying to capture her picture. I was pleased she did not throw off her bonnet like she does with most of her hats, and she even let me tie the ribbons around her chin! I used some of my stash fabric I bought last year at my local fabric store. It is really darling with little bunnies and flowers on it. I think it is a vintage reproduction print. I used Heidi and Finn Perfect Party dress, but left out the sash for a sweet little peasant dress. The bonnet is Amy Karol's pattern and the same one I made her last summer. I have plans for a few easy skirts, a ruffle tank shirt and a dress to finish up my summer sewing for her. I am hoping the skirts and dress I make will fit her through the winter with some tights or pants underneath and a cardigan. I am hoping to sew a few things for myself as well this summer and have my eye on some beautiful fabrics. Maybe a few good nights of sleep first would give me the boost I need to get going. Still teething this week which means a poor nights sleep and extra coffee for me......

Exploring together

2011-06-20T07:14:00.000-07:00

Love Daddy

2011-06-19T13:24:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to our wonderful Dads and my loving husband. We appreciate all you do and you are all so dearly loved. Our little ones are so lucky to have you as their Daddy Slater, and you bring them so much love and guidance. I love to watch them grow and change with you by my side. Such precious moments to cherish together. Love.

Ripples in the water

2011-06-16T13:49:00.000-07:00

We had a peaceful walk at the Botanical Gardens today and ended with some splashing in the creek. Well, Kelwyn pretty much ran around the path through the gardens and woods and found his way to the creek. Adeline held my hand and ran, which was a swift walk for me. Those little legs are trying to keep up with the fast run of her big brother.The water felt so cool on our feet and we were at a spot where we could hear the water gurgling by. The sun was hitting the water and dancing through the leaves in trees that made for a very peaceful morning. As the children were throwing rocks into the water I was watching the ripples that came out of their splashes. Kelwyn picked up big rocks so he had bumpy, large, and loud ripples. Adeline picked up little rocks so her ripples were soft, delicate and quiet. It just made me think of how life/mothering can be; times of big, bumpy ripples and time of soft, quiet ripples. They seem to phase in and out of our lives and come and go as quickly as the ripples disappeared in the water. Float on and change..... I do not get too many times of reflection with my little ones running around and pulling on me most of the day, so it was nice to have a little moment. Beautiful day.

Crossover tee shirt

2011-06-13T19:24:00.001-07:00

I finished up Kelwyn's summer sewing with the crossover tee from the book Growing Up Sew Liberated. It turned out really nice (even with lunch on it) and it is very soft and comfortable. I did go a size up, since he is in between sizes right now so it is a bit loose on him. Hopefully it will fit him next spring too.f I could also make the shirt with a pair of long john's from the same book for pajamas too. There are a ton of wonderful projects for the little ones on my to do list from this book, it is really a good one. I have been a little behind on my summer sewing for Adeline. I have a dress cut out and hope to sit at my machine tonight. I have been really tired the past few nights with not much energy for sewing, a few nights of Adeline waking up more than usual with teething got to me.

Sewing for the boy

2011-06-10T17:28:00.001-07:00

I decided to dedicate most of my evenings this week to sewing some cute and comfortable summer clothes for Kelwyn. I also discovered 2 blogs I follow were doing the same thing this week too, Celebrate the summer boy at Made and Made by Rae. I got lots of great ideas and inspiration for my next boy sewing binge. The shorts I made are a great free pattern found here. They are very easy and quick to sew up. I made 2 pair of the flat front shorts in cute animal prints I thought he would like, elephants and turtles. The next pair are made using the same pattern with a few changes and a thin, very soft corduroy, the retro racer shorts. I love them and I think they are my favorite. They all turned out really cute and Kelwyn loves them all! He was telling Adeline that he was "wearing the new clothes Mommy made just for him." Love..... I am planning on finishing up with a quick tee or two this weekend. It is so much fun sewing for the little ones and it goes so much faster than clothes for me, plus it does not have to be perfect because they will grow out of it so fast!

A bit too warm for these....

2011-06-02T13:55:00.000-07:00

I have not been doing a lot of knitting with my Sewing Camp, but I finally finished the legwarmers I started last fall. Not to be too hard on myself I finished several projects in between working on these. They were a bit tedious, but I love how they turned out! Very colorful and I used a lovely Noro yarn. Even though it was close to 90 degrees today, I managed to wear them for a few minutes to capture a photo. I will be ready for the fall!

My little gardeners

2011-06-02T12:40:00.000-07:00

We are still getting around to planting some of our flower seeds. The little ones have been helping me put them in the ground and cover them to sleep. They love to dig in the dirt and of course help with the watering. I am hoping to have a nice flower garden this year and plenty to bring inside to enjoy too.
My little gardeners have their own garden this year. We got a bed ready for them and planted lots of pretty flowers, herbs and a few tomatoes. I thought it would be nice to decorate their garden with some garden wish flags I remembered last year from the Artful Parent. We each colored on muslin and I sewed them onto fabric scraps. We hung it across their garden and our vegetable garden. Really sweet. I would also love to put a garden loom in the garden for them to weave fabric and yarn through, and of course for the garden faries. If not this year then the next......

Camping at Cataloochee

2011-06-02T11:09:00.000-07:00

We spent Memorial Day weekend camping with a large group at Cataloochee. It was our first camping trip since Adeline had been born, so we did not quite know what to expect. There were tons of other children to play with, so our two had a wonderful time. The weather was beautiful and a bit hot in the mid afternoon, so we cooled ourselves off in the creek. Long walks, new bugs, creek play, running in the fields, throwing balls and frisbees, sitting by the fire, smores, long naps (for the little ones), bug bites and catching up with friends. I also got a little bit of knitting time in too. We will have to plan our next camping trip!Oh, we also had an elk wander into our campground. He did not want to leave and the the kids got a kick out of him picking up a large frisbee and tossing it about. Quite funny, but we were ready for him to leave!

Sew Mama Camp Take 2

2011-05-22T13:23:00.000-07:00

I finished up my second project for the Sew Mama Camp. We made some adorable bloomers. I made the longer version and we can make some shorter ones as well. I may make the shorter pair after my next two projects are finished. They are very comfortable and I love how they turned out. This time I went with a deep purple hemp cotton fabric. It as been a great learning experience working with fabrics I love, but have not sewed with before like linen and hemp. On to the next project!!

Little feet in the sand

2011-05-16T17:44:00.000-07:00

It was the little ones first trip to the ocean a few weeks ago with my family. They absolutely loved every minute of it. There was lots and lots of sand, shells, seafood, pier walks, slides, crabs, and new adventures. Needless to say the were tuckered out at the end of each day. It was so nice to meet up with the ocean again, it had been a while. Thank you for a wonderful trip Mom and Dad!

Mama Sew Camp take 1

2011-05-15T13:50:00.000-07:00

I started my Mama Sew Camp, with Kathy, this month and finished my first project! It has been great and so nice to go at my own pace at home. We made a utility smock for gardening, house work, future chicken keeping, and good ole mama time. I used a turquoise linen fabric and loved how it turned out. It has poofy, wonderful pockets to carry all my needs for me and the little ones. Oh what I would do for a full day to myself for sewing.....

I also made a fun skirt a few weeks back from Favorite Things. I used Anna Maria Horner's fabric. As you can see from previous posts I love her fabric and her beautiful new fabric line coming out very soon. After the month of May for mama sewing I have a huge list of things for the kids and the house. Oh, check out Elsie Marley's kids sewing week challenge. So inspiring, maybe next year!

That wonderful time again

2011-05-14T14:26:00.000-07:00

Oh how I love this time of year! Rock throwing at the creek! It has been one of Kelwyn's favorite past times and now his little sister loves it too. Anything he does, she will follow. They took off as soon as we got out of the car and I had to run to keep up. We found the path and splash time began! What a wonderful way to cool off in the hot sun and keep those little ones happy. Oh it is that time again.....

May Faire

2011-05-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

Our local waldorf community put on a wonderful May Faire this past weekend. It was such a beautiful celebration with children running, playing, laughing, crafting, and lots of flowers. Kelwyn's favorite craft was the bark boats. He got to make a little boat and was eagerly awaiting to set sail. We also made some spring wands by wrapping fabric scraps and ribbons around a stick all sorts of ways fancied by Kelwyn. He also helped me make one for Adeline. I made a flower garland for her, which she was not to happy to wear. Kelwyn informed me that he would not be wearing one either. Mama was thrilled to put some flowers in her hair! Adeline helped me make a flower pressing by pounding fresh flowers under some fabric. It really turned out beautiful. All the children seemed to love this activity. We were sitting at a tiny table with tons of colorful smashed flowers at our feet.There was also some music, singing, and a lovely puppet show of the Frog Prince. All the children were captivated. Emily did beautiful work needle felting the frog, and the puppetry as well. I think my favorite part of the festival was the May pole. It stood beautifully with ribbons and flowers awaiting the dance towards the end of the afternoon. Kelwyn loved it too. He stood in the middle before we got started and grabbed one of the ribbons with me to circle around.After the May Pole we went downtown for a bite to eat and to cruise through the Big Love. Kelcey's booth was absolutely beautiful as always and I love her work. I also love these lovely felted headbands. Tons of amazing artwork, pottery and clothing. Left me very inspired. Needless to say the kids were wiped out a bit on the fussy side after an action packed day. Easy to bed though!

Beautiful Easter Day

2011-04-25T16:53:00.000-07:00

We had a lovely day. The sun was out, warm and so much green surrounding us this year. The night before we left carrots, cabbage and water out for our little bunny friend. I think Kelwyn had a tough time falling asleep with the anticipation of the bunny visiting our home. Kelwyn and Adeline had a great time discovering the treasures in their Easter baskets and prancing around the room until the egg hunt. Adeline kept up with her brother as she followed him around the yard looking for eggs. He was sweet to give her a few when he saw that she did not have half as many as he did. They could have looked for eggs for hours and Kelwyn kept asking where the rest where when we were done.
He got his chance later at an Easter potluck at our friend's home. The kids got another egg hunt and Kelwyn found more than his basket could hold and Adeline was a little quicker picking up her eggs this time around. My two sweeties gathered together at the end of their hunt to see what treasures were hidden inside. Oh, we tried to take a few pictures of all the little ones in front of a blooming azalea, but they had other plans. So sweet.

It fits!

2011-04-23T07:23:00.000-07:00

I saw this great idea on the Artful Parent last year and found a few old onsies of Adeline's to make a quick and cute dress. The onsies still fit her up top, but she has grown too long for them. I cut it off and added some fabric in my stash for the skirt. Very simple and it will fit her now. I think I may have a few more to turn into dresses and I will have to keep stained shirts to do the same with. She kept running away from the camera and giggling, so I did my best to capture a good shot. I love it and the idea of reusing old items for a cute new outfit.
I also made these baby booties a few weeks back for my newborn nephew. I got the pattern from the book Handmade Beginnings. I cannot wait to meet him and put them on his little feet! We get to meet him in a few weeks for a visit with our family. I am really excited!!

Sewing for the ladies

2011-04-21T18:21:00.000-07:00

I find little snippets of time to work in a bit of sewing and I just finished up a piece for me and Adeline. The skirt and fabric is from Anna Maria Horner and the pattern is her free download called Flirting the Issue Skirt. I absolutely love it and have fabric to make one more. It turned out really cute and easy to follow. Perfect for those warm, sunny days.The dress I made Adeline turned out really cute, but way too big. I made the 12 month size, thinking it would fit her, even though she is now 19 months. She is definitely my tiny little sprite, but this one probably will not fit her for another year. I must admit I did not take any measurements. You live and you learn, like I have discovered with countless knitting mistakes. Oh well, a dress for the future and she enjoyed prancing around in it for a little while. The pattern is from Portabellopixie and I found the fabric at a local fabric store. I have another dress in mind to use up some fabric I already have, so hopefully it will fit this summer. Oh, I saw this darling dress on Etsy today. Something to dream about in my sewing world. Now for the skills and a pattern.......

Spring is here

2011-04-15T07:27:00.000-07:00

It has been quite a while since my last posting, I know. It seems like any free time I had I got in a few minutes of sewing or knitting. Also, our old computer froze every time I tried to download pictures onto the blog, so I did not bother. We have a new computer now and so far so good!
We have been busy little bees over here, getting outside as much as possible with the beautiful weather and getting our gardens ready for the year. Kelwyn is much happier running free around the yard and looks for worms to add to his collection constantly. He could live outside and we have to drag him in. Adeline is happy playing in the sandbox and following him around the yard on his adventures. She also is getting into art projects and loves to color and paint. She is starting to say more words and just is as sweet as can be.I finished up my first quilt. I love how it turned out and have the top of another quilt I need to add the backing to and hand quilt to finish it up. I have been doing a little bit of sewing every week and just finished up a cute skirt for myself. I am now working on a dress for Adeline I hope to finish up over the weekend. I am also doing a Sewing Camp online in May. I am very excited about it and hope to tune in my clothing sewing skills. I will be making some adorable pieces for myself and can work at my own pace and at home, most likely when the little ones are asleep for the night. Hooray for spring and new beginnings!

Valentine's Day crafts and update

2011-02-16T07:45:00.000-08:00

I have not done a whole lot of blogging lately. A lot is from lack of sleep, stomach virus a few weeks back, Adeline teething, and recently getting over a horrible cold; just plain run down and exhausted. It seems like there is always something keeping me from a good nights sleep. Now the kids have the cold I had, so we are home bound for a few days. Come on spring and little ones sleeping through the night! But, I would like to share our Valentine's crafting. Kelwyn loved making cards out of felt sticker hearts he placed on large heart shapes. Very easy and fun. We mailed them off in time for the big day. Then Kelwyn's sweet friend Lili came over for some crafting fun too last week. They painted coffee filter cut out hearts with watercolors and we placed them on the window after they dried. They brighten our space and look so pretty with the sun shining through.Lili's heartsKelwyn's heartsAdeline has been having fun running around with her dolls, riding her horse, and trying on Daddy's shoes. She loves to twirl and dance to any beat she hears. So precious!Oh, I have been taking a quilting class the past few weeks and have found a new passion! I have had to put my knitting needles down for a little while (I still need to finish Slater's fingerless gloves and a baby hat for my nephew on the way), but I just love quilting and find the hand quilting as relaxing and meditative as knitting. I am now working on a patchwork quilt with beautiful vintage fabrics provided by my sewing teacher, Peggy. I also got a lot of help from my mother in law during her visit a few weeks back, a very talented sewer and quilter. I have a few more lined up to get started in class. I will have to post some pictures of my projects soon. It brings me so much joy and peace to create something for myself or others and it helps me wind down my day.

I also found some beautiful Anna Maria Horner fabric to attempt to make this skirt. We will see how it turns out!

Winter happenings

2011-01-15T10:17:00.000-08:00

We have been trying to stay busy finding things to do with all the snow this winter. Of course getting outside in the snow is always fun, although Adeline cannot walk in it yet, so just standing in place or being held gets old for her quick. But she looks adorable in all her winter garments! Kelwyn has a blast and loves to throw snowballs.
With a majority of our time spent indoors we have been building forts,water color painting and drawing on the windows with window crayons,kitchen play, dress up, and musical parades. I think at times we are all getting a little stir crazy!And my favorite part of this winter is coming in from the snow to our new fireplace! It keeps us toasty and I have been dreaming of having one in our home for years. The little ones and I love to sit in front of and enjoy a story or songs. A cup of hot cocoa and I am in winter heaven.Here is a picture from Christmas with the fireplace on. Loving it!!

Winter Solstice

2010-12-21T12:22:00.000-08:00

We started the day lighting candles all around the house to enjoy the Solstice in all its peace and darkness. It was very nice spending the day in candle light and thinking of the return of the sun after the longest night of the year. Kelwyn and Adeline found glow sticks in their Advent stockings, and it was such an overcast all day we lit them early. Kelwyn and I made cranberry rings for the birds, by stringing fresh cranberries on florist wire. I made a circle, twisted the wire together and placed yarn around it for hanging. Kelwyn wanted to place them on our Christmas tree for a little while before taking them outside. I made some delicious walnut bread for a Solstice dinner at our friends home. Maria made an amazing chocolate yule log for our dessert, delicious. It was a lovely evening with friends and Kelwyn slept with his glow stick to keep his little light through the darkness.

Advent and St. Nicholas

2010-12-06T15:31:00.000-08:00

We have been enjoying celebrating the past 2 Sundays of Advent with our candle lighting, cookies and cocoa. We started this tradition last year when Kelwyn was 2. He loves to blow out the candles when we are done. I have really enjoyed the time with my family and the peacefulness and silence we share with the dark and candle light. I like the cookies and cocoa too!The little ones woke up this morning for to see if St. Nicholas left any treats in their shoes they left by the door the night before. Kelwyn dumped out his nuts on the floor and was being such a sweet big brother by showing Adeline the nuts in her shoe. After breakfast we enjoyed reading some new books, The Story of the Snow Children and Around the Year. Both beautifully illustrated and sweet stories. Little elves and gnomes have also been visiting our Advent stocking every night. My plan was to knit 24 tiny advent stockings this fall so we would have one for each day. But, I only got 6 done. So, we are just using one for now and each night. Maybe next season......

Crafting

2010-12-06T07:22:00.000-08:00

With the cooler weather here I am having the urge to knit as much as I can, by our new fireplace and sip on some hot tea or cocoa. (It is not done yet, so I will show pictures when it is all finished with rock work and mantle.) Back in mid Autumn I knit Kelwyn his yearly vest to keep him nice a toasty this winter. I was afraid he would refuse to put it on, but no complaints! I remembered this little pilot cap I knit for Adeline last fall, but it was way too big at the time. So, I pulled it out and sewed a cute flower on it to spice it up a bit. I just finished this darling little tunic for Adeline. I just love how it turned out and the yarn is just divine. (I got is at the South Eastern Fiber Festival in October). She seems to enjoy it too!

My most recent project was a quick knit elfin hat for Kelwyn. I got this pattern from my new book More Last Minute Knitted Gifts. It was not as long as I wanted because I was using up some some old yarn and it ran out, but still adorable and will keep him warm.Over the weekend I got out for a few hours to the Big Crafty for a little shopping and admiring of local crafters. I got some beautiful earrings from my dear friend Kelcey and she gifted me a lovely ornament for our Christmas tree. Thank you, I love it!! Check out her beautiful work at her etsy shop. Amazing!!

Slowing down

2010-12-03T03:01:00.000-08:00

I have been feeling a little hurried and stressed lately and I want to slow down to enjoy this special time of year. I feel myself rushing through one task to get to the next. Crafting projects to do on my own and with the kids piling up in the corner of my mind, cleaning, baking, holiday decorating. I was reading another blog about mindfulness and this quote really rung true for me.

"If while washing dishes, we think only of the cup of tea that awaits us, thus hurrying to get the dishes out of the way as if they were a nuisance, then we are not 'washing the dishes to wash the dishes.' What's more, we are not alive during the time we are washing the dishes. In fact, we are completely incapable of realizing the miracle of life while standing at the sink. If we can't wash the dishes, the chances are we won't be able to drink our tea, either. While thinking of other things, we are barely aware of the cup in our hands. Thus, we are sucked away into the future -- and we are incapable of actually living one moment of life!"

-Thich Nhat Hanh

I want to enjoy every moment now. Enjoy the ups and downs of parenting and be there for my children with loving and caring arms. Not the hurried arms and mind I feel I have sometimes with them. Practice mindfulness. Remember to breath and slow down...... Every moment with them is so precious.

New Curtains

2010-11-18T12:16:00.000-08:00

I finished sewing some curtains for Kelwyn's room. It is a project I have been wanting to do for years! I found this adorable japanese fabric and worked from there. Slater cut some fallen branches for me and viola! curtains. Very simple and quick project. They definitely complete his room.Oh, I am excited to be participating in the Seasonal Handmade Exchange this year. I will make a few items to send to another family for the holiday/winter nature table. I am knitting a project for it right now to later felt and have a few more in the works. Thanks Rae!!

Thankful tree

2010-11-14T15:55:00.000-08:00

I thought it would be nice this time of year to have a thankful tree. We have so much to be thankful for and it is nice to have a reminder. I collected branches from outside and placed them in a pretty vase. I cut leaf shapes out of construction paper and strung yarn through a hole on the top. Every night at dinner we say something we are thankful for in our lives and Kelwyn hangs it on one of the branches. It seems like a nice little touch to bring a sense of appreciation and thanks for this special time of year and all we are blessed with.

Martinmas lanterns

2010-11-12T12:09:00.000-08:00

I love the inner light we carry into the cold, dark season of winter that lies ahead of us as we celebrate Martinmas this week. A nice remembrance of the warmth of the sun. I wrote a little more about it last year here. Kelwyn and I made tissue paper lanterns to take on our lantern walk. He helped me brush a mixture of glue and water on balloons and we placed pits of tissue paper all over it. We did it in 2 layers and let them dry in between, doing this project over several days. I popped the balloon, punched holes into the top of the lantern and strung it on yarn. Adeline had her fun too while we were crafting. We found nice sticks outside and I tied the lanterns on for us to carry. I placed tea lights inside to light on our walk. We all enjoyed a lovely walk to the light of our lanterns and the half moon after dinner. Kelwyn was having so much fun and kept asking me to sing our sweet song while following his lantern light. It was my first walk and I loved it. It was very peaceful and the stars where twinkling above.

Halloween Weekend

2010-11-01T11:51:00.000-07:00

The little ones had a grand time playing in the freshly raked leaves. Kelwyn was taking huge jumps into the pile and Adeline could not stop giggling. I was tempted to take a leap into the leaf pile myself.We went trick-or-treating with my dear friend Kelcey and her family. It was our first time with the kids. It was so much fun to walk up to the houses with Kelwyn and see the excitement on his face to get candy in his basket. Kelwyn did not want to wear his costume, but after he saw what he was getting he agreed. The candy fairy came for a visit after he was asleep and left a little behind. My little sugar plum fairy had fun watching all the other kids running around. I loved seeing all the children, and parents, dressed up for the night. This year I was a rainbow fairy. Next year I am thinking of little red riding hood. A good excuse to sew a red cape.

Kelwyn is 3!

2010-10-26T08:23:00.000-07:00

My sweet little Kelwyn turned 3 over the weekend. It is so hard for me to believe it has been 3 years since gave birth to my precious little bundle and held him in my arms for the first time. Words cannot express how happy and full of joy I was that day. Even though my birth did not go as planned, I felt like a strong and courageous mama. Now that he is becoming this amazing little boy, by heart is filled is full and touched by his love and laughter everyday. It is really awesome to witness my little babe growing up and changing. Every year brings so many surprises and they change so dramatically! Now he is full of imaginative play and loves to bring me into his magical world.
We celebrated his special day with silvery stars, balloons, gifts and play in the morning. Then we spent the rest of the afternoon at the creek throwing rocks, one of his favorite activities, and went downtown for pizza and a lovely evening with our family and Nana.

We celebrated with friends the next day with more balloons, giant bubbles, hand-made bubble wands, bike riding, train play and maple cupcakes. We could not have asked for a more beautiful autumn weekend and time spend with loved friends and family. I feel so blessed.
Happy birthday to my darling Kelwyn! We love you!

Little bit of knitting and sewing

2010-10-13T17:19:00.000-07:00

I knitted the Tea Leaves cardigan most of the summer and finished it a few months ago. I did not do a ton of knitting over the summer, but finished it in time for the cooler weather up ahead. I had to redo the button band, so it sat in my sewing corner for a bit. I love the way it turned out and the yarn is divine. I used Madelintosh, it is so soft and knits beautifully.I sewed Kelwyn some little red corduroy pants for his birthday coming up next week. I cannot wait to see him running around in them.Last night I finished up the shower curtain for Kelwyn and Adeline's bathroom. I had a beige, old shower curtain that was a little drab. I wanted to spice it up and add some color. I found a nice arrangement out of Seams to Me. I had to tear the fabric (which I was very nervous about) into strips and arrange them on the curtain. I love the brightness it brings to the room and it has a few strips of mermaids and seahorses for the little ones.

Morning at the farm

2010-10-03T11:22:00.000-07:00

We spent the morning at Hickory Nut Gap Farm with some friends that visited from out of town. It was a beautiful and brisk Autumn day, perfect for running through a corn maze. Kelwyn absolutely loved chasing his friends through the maze and hiding in the corn, as all the dried stalks towered above us. We had to drag him away, as we left through the pumpkin patch. We also got to see pigs, a horse and baby chickens. Kelwyn adored the chickens and chased them around the coup, picking the up and trying to feed them. It was so sweet and just affirmed how much I am looking forward to the day when we can get some chickens in our yard. Maybe in the next year or two. We left with a bag full of their frozen meat, apple cider and a variety peck of local apples. On the way home we ate at the Sugar Beet Cafe, very tasty. I love all the local food and farms in our area, we are very fortunate and try to support them as much as we can.

Autumn Wreath

2010-09-30T13:16:00.000-07:00

We made a pretty little autumn wreath today, following our home schooling with Little Acorn Learning. Kelwyn picked among acorns and pinecones we have collected over the past few weeks. We also had some dried corn and my friend Maria gave us some leaves and smelly pinecones . Thanks!! He decided where everything should go and I glued it on for him. When we were done we put it on our front door. We will have to get some pumpkins next!

Autumn Fairies

2010-09-29T14:34:00.000-07:00

Kelwyn and I made little autumn fairies today. We used wooden closespin pegs for the body and wool felt for the dresses. Kelwyn awaited patiently as I sewed up the dresses and he was ready with a little acorn cap that we glued on.I added some wings when they were all done. He lined them up in a row on the window sill and mentioned finding a home for them. So we will have to create a little magical space for the autumn fairies.Adeline has found her way into the cabinets. She was so thrilled to climb inside and find new things. It is time to lock them again.

First of Autumn weekending

2010-09-26T08:44:00.000-07:00

Kelwyn and I had a little mother-son time at the local Waldorf group gathering of the Michaelmas Festival. We weaved a fairy loom and a wet felted comet together at the crafting tables and watched a nice puppet show with rain and thunder in the background. It was very dramatic I must say. Kelwyn was a little taken back by the life sized dragon that came out into the circle. After it was tamed he was a little happier. A local blogger, Moment to Moment, has a wonderful post about the festival and beautiful pictures. I do not have the best camera, and it was not taking very good pictures with the rain and moisture, so I recommend checking out her work. I really enjoyed the festival, sense of community, and a lovely celebration to bring in the fall season.
We also made our yearly batch of elderberry syrup. It is a yummy anti-viral herb that will help keep us well this fall and winter. We can also take it during an illness for a speedy recovery. Kelwyn enjoyed tossing in the herbs and watching the sliced pieces of ginger splash into the water. Delicious! I will not have any trouble getting him to take his daily dose!

Happy Birthday Slater!

2010-09-23T17:57:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday Slater! You mean the world to us and we love sharing this day with you! I love watching and admiring you in your role as Daddy. It brings happiness to my soul to see you with our little ones laughing and playing. We welcome you home with a delicious birthday dinner and dessert, and a weekend full of fun. Have a wonderful day! We love you!

Autumn Equinox

2010-09-23T14:04:00.000-07:00

Happy Autumn Equinox! I must admit I am ready for this beautiful season and burst of color. The days are getting shorter and cooler. Mother Earth is quieting down and getting ready for a long rest after a hot and bountiful summer. I too am ready for that time of rest and inner solitude. A time to reflect on the year past and the present moment. A time to keep warm in our homes and enjoy our daily rhythms. More time for crafting, knitting, baking, sewing, reading, and sitting by the fire with my loved ones. And oh, I so excited to say we are getting a fireplace this fall in our home. It will be a vented gas fireplace to keep me warm and toasty. I have been dreaming every winter of sitting next to a fireplace knitting. We do have a beautiful fireplace outside we enjoy occasionally on cool evenings. But, to have one in my home! What a wonderful autumn treat.

Çorn husks

2010-09-20T09:21:00.000-07:00

We recently started back up our homeschool program, Little Acorn Learning. We took a few months off in the summer. It has been so nice to get our daily rhythms back. We are doing this 3 days a week, attend Kindermusik class once a week, and on Fridays attend a Waldorf Parent-Tot group with the Azalea Mountain Waldorf School. I am really enjoying everything so far and look forward to all the Autumn crafts and festivals.
Today we made a family of corn husk dolls. I could not find any corn husks at the local craft store this weekend. Slater made a yummy corn and bean salad for a pot luck Saturday night and piled the corn husks up to be taken to the compost. It dawned on me that, oh this is exactly what I need! Next summer I will save all the corn husks for Autumn crafting. Our program shared the directions for making the dolls, and I also found a great tutorial from Gardenmama. Kelwyn loved soaking the corn husks in water to help them soften up again. Then he handed me the husks as I formed them into the dolls. Of course his dump truck came along for the show. They turned out really cute and will make a nice addition to our fall nature table. We may try to find a corn maze this weekend to keep up with the corn theme for the week.

One year around the sun

2010-09-16T04:47:00.000-07:00

Happy 1st birthday to my sweet little Adeline Rose! It is so hard to believe how quickly this first year has gone by, and now our family is complete. To see Adeline growing and changing just melts my heart. She has been standing up and letting go, giggling in the process in her accomplishment. She is ready to walk soon and exploring everything in her sight. My little baby is moving into toddler hood! We love you Adeline! You bring us so much sweet joy, love, and laughter.

Beautiful day

2010-09-06T17:51:00.000-07:00

The weather has been just perfect. It was such a beautiful day. I just love this time of year with autumn just around the corner. The sunlight seems just a little bit softer, skies bluer, nights are cooler and the leaves are just starting a tiny bit to turn color. Mother nature seems to be getting ready too for a nice rest after a long, hot summer. But before her quiet rest, my favorite season is on its way with one last boost of beauty and color. Baked apples, pumpkins, hot cider, hot cocoa, sweaters, fires, festivals, blankets, knitting, warm soups, birthdays, wool socks, cuddling....I can't wait!

End of Summer Sewing

2010-09-03T08:46:00.000-07:00

I finished up a few sewing projects I have been thinking about all summer. I made a little dress, with the help of my sewing class and mother in law, for Adeline's first birthday coming up in a few weeks. I still need to hem it. I also made her a birthday crown. I love the way it turned out. I sewed the crown with wool felt, and added some pretty ribbon and felted flowers I needle felted out of wool roving.I decided to sew myself a little something. I made the Smashing Smock from the book Seams to Me. I used Anna Maria Horner's Little folks collection, made with voile fabric. It is so soft and divine! I will have find something else to make with it.

Oatmeal cream pies, oh my

2010-09-02T14:28:00.001-07:00

I have wanted a Learning Tower for the little ones in the back of my mind, and I scored the other day at one of the local children's consignment store. They are pretty expensive, so I was tickled pink to find a used one for less than a third of the price. Kelwyn was thrilled to climb up in it and bake away. I found an Oatmeal Cream Pie recipe in my Everyday Foods Magazine, and just had to make them. I used to eat these as a little girl, although I think Little Debbie made them. Kelwyn of course helped pour in all the ingredients, stir, and lick the spoon. I had to hide the bowl from him to keep his little fingers out of the dough. His face was covered with it too. After they were baked and cooled, I spread the cream cheese frosting on one cookie and he placed the second cookie on top to make the sandwiches. They are so yummy and I think I will send some with Slater to work tomorrow for his office. (Otherwise I may eat them all!)After our baking fun, Adeline had a great time pushing Kelwyn in a little wagon. She just loves it and giggles away.

Ball felting

2010-09-01T14:21:00.000-07:00

Kelwyn and I decided to enjoy these last days of warm sunshine with some water felting. I found some small, wooden balls at the craft store and had some wool in my stash. I filled a large pot with warm, soapy water.Kelwyn pulled strands of wool and we wrapped them around the wooden balls. Next, we dipped them in the water and rubbed them in our hands, putting them back in the warm water several times. Well, Kelwyn had fun dropping them over and over in the water and laughing at the splashes he was making. He kept asking if he could put his feet in. After several minutes of rubbing the wool over the felt, I did this part, it felted over the balls. We had some pretty rainbow colors and laid them in the sun to dry. The soft, felted balls will make a nice addition to play and I think Adeline will like taking them out of the bowl and back in. Kelwyn washed his trucks in the soapy water when we were finished. Too cute!

Wonderful waterfalls

2010-08-23T12:50:00.000-07:00

We are blessed to live around a multitude of beautiful waterfalls. We took a nice hike with the little ones on our backs to check some of them out. Kelwyn and Adeline enjoyed their rides and views. Adeline took a little nap up the mountain from one of the waterfalls to the next.
It was amazing to see nature at its finest and so peaceful to hear the rushing water beside us. The only mistake we made was forgetting our bathing suits!

Blackberry galore

2010-08-08T06:37:00.000-07:00

We went blackberry picking this weekend. I have never seen such big, juicy berries! They were absolutely delicious and I could not help filling my belly full as we were picking them off the vine. Our fingers were stained purple after we were done and we came home with about 9 pounds of blackberries. We will freeze half of them and have a nice treat when snow is on the ground. I think I will make blackberry cobbler tomorrow night and we may have enough for some jam. Yum!

Books and cruising

2010-08-04T16:11:00.000-07:00

Kelwyn loves our trips to the library for new books, so I thought I would make him a little bag. I got the pattern from a great book, Sewing Bits and Pieces. It turned out so cute and he was very pleased with his new bag full of books. Back home for story time.Adeline has been cruising all around the house and pulls up on everything. She will find anything that moves, empty boxes, highchair, and walk behind it. It is so funny!
She may be walking soon.

Summer harvest goodness

2010-07-28T15:52:00.000-07:00

We have been getting a CSA box full of wonderful fruit and veggies since May from the Flying Cloud Farm. It is so nice to pick up our veggies every week, knowing the love and hard work that has gone into growing them. I feel very fortunate. This week Kelwyn was very excited and immediately starting pulling out produce from the box. He said with a huge grin "Look what I found Mommy" for every single vegetable. He helped me put them away in the fridge and we dug into the gold of our box, 2 pints of big, juicy blackberries. Yummy!

Buttons and ribbons

2010-07-13T07:52:00.000-07:00

I had my last sewing class and finished up a few projects I have been working on the past month. I made Kelwyn a little button down shirt. He was so excited to wear it and handed me each button as I sewed them on.I found this dress for Adeline with my McCall dollar pattern sale, but it turned out way too big. I made the one for her weight, but it will probably not fit her until next summer. The bloomers would most likely fit up to her neck! It turned out really cute though. I am working on a dress for her birthday coming up in a few months that should fit her. I found this silly little girl going through my ribbon stash. So cute!

Summer Çough Syrup

2010-07-10T08:36:00.000-07:00

Kelwyn has had a cough in the evenings before bed and early in the morning. I am not sure why, maybe allergies or extra mucus. We decided to make a nice summer cough syrup to help ease his throat and hopefully get rid of the cough. Kelwyn helped me gather hyssop, horehound, anise seed, marshmallow, licorice, and fresh ginger root. We added the blend of herbs to a quart of boiling water and steeped it for a couple of hours. Then we simmered the strong tea to a pint, strained the herbs and added a cup of honey for flavor, preserving and its demulcent properties. I also added a few drops of peppermint essential oil. It turned out really yummy, but the horehound did make it a little bitter. Kelwyn has been taking his cough syrup throughout the day and hopefully his cough will be gone soon. I have a little medicine maker.

Shindig

2010-07-03T07:56:00.000-07:00

We went downtown this evening for a little bluegrass and dancing at Shindig on the Green. Kelwyn and Adeline just loved watching all the people and busting out a few jigs of their own. It is so nice to live in an area with such great music. People would bring their own instruments and just set up all over the place pickin' with others and creating their own tunes. It was a lot of fun!

Sun tea and mud pie soup

2010-06-25T14:27:00.000-07:00

We decided to celebrate the bright, shining sun today with some herbal sun tea. Kelwyn was thrilled to go out into the garden and pick herbs. We picked anise, lemon balm, peppermint, bee balm, feverfew, lavender and catnip. Adeline wanted to help too with the harvesting of bee balm. He stuffed the herbs into a glass jar and I filled full of water and into the sun for some tasty summer goodness.

Kelwyn decided to make us some lunch with a huge pot of mud pie soup.
Fun in the sun!

Daddy

2010-06-20T17:24:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to my wonderful husband and our Daddys. It was a day full of good food, a beautiful afternoon in the woods, good beer, more good food, love and laughs. We love you!

Watching and waiting

2010-06-18T09:22:00.000-07:00

Kelwyn is a bug fanatic. He just loves watching, catching, and playing with bugs. His favorite are Daddy longlegs. We have a ton of them all over our yard, which he catches and puts in his bug house. He also loves to chase butterflies through the garden, hoping to catch one. So I thought he would enjoy watching caterpillars turn into butterflies. I found a great package here, and our little caterpillars arrived in the mail one day in a plastic jar. We watched them move around and eat the food provided by them. It was not long before they hung upside down on the lid of the jar and spun their cocoons. It was really neat to watch and it has been something I have wanted to witness too. I placed them in a mesh holder so they could fly when they were ready. I was so amazing to watch them emerge and spread their wings! They are just beautiful and we will release them into the garden in a few days. Kelwyn and I have been feeding them sugar water on flowers and a few orange slices in the meantime. The same company does ladybugs and earthworms. We will have to pick another bug to watch soon!

Thrifty tea and other finds

2010-06-09T06:51:00.000-07:00

We went to one of the local thrift stores today. I spotted some cute sea green plastic cups that would be perfect for Kelwyn's play kitchen. I stated how nice they would be for tea and Kelwyn was talking about a tea party all around the store, to the sales clerk and all the way home until we prepared our tea. We went out into the garden and gathered lemon balm, catnip and peppermint for a lovely pot of tea. We used the floral pillowcases, I also found at the thrift store, for a ground cloth and had a few cookies. Kelwyn set up a cup for me, himself, Daddy and Adeline (who was taking a nap).I also found some great non plastic food storage containers for leftovers, which I have been looking for a while. These come with a top to store in the fridge. Slater said his MaMa has some just like it. I was pleased with my find.
On another note Adeline has been pulling up on anything in her reach. She came upon Kelwyn's drum and starting drumming away.