well-crafted

October 1st

Working on something special today and enjoying some sweet memories.

Messes made pretty

I’ve had these old, sort of foamy/plastic-y placemets kicking around the kitchen for years. They became too gross to use for eating a very long time ago and now are meant for art projects. Just before school started, we squeezed in our traditional summer-break tie-dye session and used the backs of these as a surface for each kid to work on their shirt. While I was cleaning up, I noticed how truly gorgeous they have become. I wonder how it would look to print these photos on art paper and frame them as a grouping like small paitings.

Tiny wool ring

Lauren “doodled” this ring during an assembly at art camp this summer with a small piece of yarn. I think it’s so beautiful.

Making plans

The Kids Clothes Week Challenge starts today! I’m trying to keep my goals manageable: two pairs of pants and a skirt for Lauren. If time allows, I may squeeze in a lightweight jacket or hooded cape. I intended to trace and cut over the weekend, but spent yesterday working on my Tea Leaves (almost finished!) and making two of these for gifts. So, today will be tracing and cutting. Oh, and agonizing over fabric choices…

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Mother’s Day was awesome, by the way. The kids put these on my door:

Hilarious and sweet.

Poet

The Sky
By William Anderson

 In the dark sky
The bright moon
Is King.
The grey clouds
Guard him
As if they are soldiers.
His arms are jagged
Like lightning
And he laughs
Like thunder
The sky is his mansion
He owns the night
The night is his.

Will has won first place in the Oregon State Poetry Association’s Student Poetry Contest (K–2 division)! I took him to get ice cream yesterday after school to celebrate. He is most excited about his cash prize and least excited about reading it aloud at the awards ceremony in May. I, on the other hand, cannot wait!

Small hands, Big needles

I know I promised to share my Mexico souvenirs with you this week, but I can’t photograph them because my camera battery has died—really died, like it won’t even take a charge anymore and I have to go buy a new one. So for today you get photos of Lauren knitting! She has been asking to learn for a while now and I was sort of putting off teaching her because I thought it would be too difficult and frustrating. But, oh boy, was I wrong. We sat down for a little lesson last Sunday and it blew my mind how quickly she got it. What a natural!

What we’ve been up to

It’s been a fun, cozy, lazy, silly, sweet and relaxing holiday week. Hope you’ve all enjoyed yours!

Math lesson

Candy Cane Nap

This was my girl at 4 o’clock this afternoon. Visions of sugarplums indeed.

His new medium

 

 

 

Will has been playing around with Illustrator lately and I’m loving the results. From top: The Vampire, Untitled 6, Storm.

A crushing blow

This sweater has been on its needles since February. A smaller version began in January, but once I realized it was going to be too small I ripped it out and before casting on again I had an earnest conversation with Will:

Me: Are you really sure you want it?
W: Yes, Mom, I really want it. Please.
Me: And you will wear it?
W: Yes, I promise.

I think you know where this is going.

Yes, seven months and 90 dollars later he doesn’t like it. Upon our return from camping I asked him to try it on so I could check the length of the sleeve. His review came quickly. “I don’t really like it that much Mom. I’m sooo sorry.”

Remorseful tears ensued (not mine, his) and my disappointment was soon replaced with trying to figure out what the hell to do with it. Some friends have advised finishing it in the hopes that he will change his mind, but I am really not very optimistic about it. Will had a suggestion: “You could put it away and save it for my son.” Oh my. I could finish it and try to sell it for the cost of the yarn. And truly, the yarn is exquisite. I am really leaning towards frogging the thing and re-using the yarn to make this or this for myself. Especially since I am almost finished with this for Lauren. The problem with frogging it is right now it’s double stranded but I would need to use it single. How am I supposed to separate and rewind all that yardage?!

What would you do?

And on a completely unrelated topic, look what I just took out of the oven! It is taking great willpower for us not to cut into it right now, slather it with butter and jam and gobble up the whole thing.

And now she is 5!