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Monday, August 27, 2012

Year of Projects: An (un)Update

Just a quick note for anyone stopping by from a Year of Projects.  I've got nuttin'.    Babygirls got strep and I'm down with a viral throat thing.  There has been absolutely no knitting/crocheting this week.  I hope to catch up on reading blogs later in the week.  Babygirl (and in turn mommy too) slept through the night for the first time in a week last night.  So hopefully she's on the mend.

Saturday, August 25, 2012

4 Months Until Christmas!

Yup, I went there ;)

 I love Christmas. Normally around June/July I'll start picking up things for Christmas and making my list. I started that to help me with the knit/crochet gifts planning. As this year's theme is "Selfish Crafting" I don't have to worry too much about that. (Selfish knits defined: Due to limited crafting time I've decided only the kids are getting something handknit/crocheted this year. The rest of the year is knitting for Babygirl and I. And no, I'm not being mean excluding hubs, he's not much of a handknits kind of guy. He's set on blankets and hats, when he wants another he'll get it.)

 Anyway...this year is going to be a different kind of Christmas for us. Due to Christmas being in the middle of the week, hubby's work schedule and Babygirl being so young, we've decided we can't go home for Christmas. The decision was not easy, but it's best for our little family at this time. Although I know it's the right decision for us I'm still having a hard time with it. (Being a grown-up sucks sometimes!) This will be the first year I am not home for Christmas. We've had a good run, being away from home for 9 and a half years and only missing one Thanksgiving because of a bad snowstorm. We will be going home during December to celebrate with family, it'll just be a different day. At this point there is talk of some family coming to visit us for Christmas, but it's all very up in the air right now.

 I've decided that regardless of where Christmas is this year, I need some help with the organization part of it. It's no secret that since Babygirl's been born I feel very scatterbrained. Sometimes I find it hard to figure out where to start my big projects. I recently stumbled across  Organized Christmas and am hoping it helps me with Christmas/holiday planning this year. As an added bonus, if I follow the plan my house will get the "deep cleaning" it so desperately needs and we'll be ready for overnight guests! And using the card list, maybe I'll finally get to updating my address book. That way I can stop sending those "Hey, I've got somethign for you...need your address" texts/fb messages.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Sticky Art

Babygirl's playgroup came over for an art project  yesterday.  I'd like to say the lack of pictures is because we were having so much fun that I just forgot to take my camera out.  The reality is not so pretty:  Babygirl was up from 10pm - 3:30am the night before (love teething!), then got up at 7am and my brain was fried.  I took the camera out and left it in plain sight....but did I take any pictures...nope.  The pictures below are all after the fact.

Here's what I call Sticky Art (Step by step directions at the end of the post):

Basically you take clear contact paper and stick "stuff" to it, then back it with a piece of construction paper.


Here's the "stuff" we used: feathers, pom poms, yarn snippets, foam shapes and letters, stickers, ribbon flowers, and construction paper shapes.


Here are Babygirl's Sticky Art Collages:






Step by step directions:
1.  Cut a piece of contact paper a bit larger than your construction paper.
2.  Take the backing off the contact paper and tape the contact paper to your work surface. Sticky side up :)
3. Place your "stuff" on the contact paper, pushing down slightly so it sticks.
4. Once finished you will place the construction paper over the contact paper.  Apply a little pressure so the contact paper sticks to the construction paper.  Smooth out any air pockets that may form as you go.
5.  Since you cut the contact paper larger than the construction paper you will be left with a contact paper edge.  Fold this edge over the construction paper.  At the end you will have some "extra" contact paper in the corners.  You can fold it over and tape it to the back of your art or cut it off.


Photobucket
Raising Bean



Wednesday, August 22, 2012

~Wordless Wednesday ~





Can someone please explain how this happens?  Where are all the mates?!?

WIP Wednesdays

Wip Wednesdays:

WIP Wednesdays with Tami's Amis:

I feel like such a slacker.  This is all I've worked on since Friday:


Really not sure what's going on with me and knitting/crocheting right now.  I'm just not feeling it :(    At this point I'm not sure what to do.  Do I step back and take a little break?  Start something new?  Force myself to work on what I've got on the hooks needles?  I don't like feeling this way.  Knitting and crocheting are my stressbusters.  They usually help me to relax.  Right now, not so much.  I'm hoping this passes quickly.

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Year of Projects:Sunday Update #7


Because I don't have enough to work on.... My crochet guild met at my house last week and I realized I don't have any active crochet projects.  I was going to attempt to knit Babygirl a stuffed animal to take with us on vacation.  (Her lovey is a Winnie the Pooh made by a friend and I refuse to take it out of the house for fear of losing it!!!)  I made an owl body and am using the ears and ears from this.  The second ear is complete, just didn't make the picture.  I'll finish this up this week to give Babygirl some time to get used to it before we head out for vacation.


Socks that Rock plain vanillas are moving right along.  I'm turning the heel now.  I love this yarn, it's a bit thicker than the other yarn I've worked with.  These socks are going to keep me nice and warm this winter.


The Lacy Cardigan has been neglected once again this week.  I'm just not feeling it right now.  Which is not good as I plan to wear this to Rhinebeck in October.  I did add four hexipuffs to my collection though.  I'll try to update with a picture when I locate my camera.  We had a very long day yesterday and I have not unpacked our bag yet.

Friday, August 17, 2012

Healthy Eats: Canned Tomatoes

These:






Have been turned into these:


Canned tomatoes

One more batch and I should be good to get through next summer.  There's nothing better than opening a jar of garden tomatoes in the middle of the winter! Next up: salsa

I must say, canning is definitely more challenging with a toddler running around.  And this was a relatively simple can.  I waited until Babygirl went to bed to do this.  She woke up about an hour after I started.  Daddy's going to need to be home when I do the salsa. 

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Tomatoes, Tomatoes Everywhere!!!

Last night was supposed to be a freezer meal cooking session.  I had three breakfast recipes ready to go.  While mixing up some Baked Oatmeal Muffins a friend called with an offer of two free bushels of tomatoes from her neighbor (a farmer).  So I went from making these:






To dealing with these babies:

(This is only half.)  Looks like freezer cooking has been pushed back.  The tomatoes can't wait.  Last night I prepped all the jars.  Today is going to be all about canning!

Monday, August 13, 2012

Peach Picking 2012

This is the fourth year that hubs and I have gone peach picking at a local orchard.  They don't have a peach picking season, but will open a weekend or two each year for peaches.  Every year I wait for that email and hope we don't have plans on peach picking weekend.

Last year Babygirl's grandparents came with us.  Turns out that Grandpa H was here for this peach picking weekend as well.

Like previous years we've picked quite the crop:



These are probably the best peaches I've had in *years*!  So juicy it's unreal.  I'm not even going to pretend that these will last for canning/jellymaking.  I've already planned my return visit to the farm to purchase a bushel for canning/baking/freezing.





Here's a picture of me and Babygirl.  Not the best, but I'm hooking up with Embrace the Camera over at Anderson Family Crew because in a nutshell I don't have many pictures of Babygirl and I together.  I'm the one who hides behind the camera photographer.  I figure if we keep taking them eventually I'll end up with some I like ;)

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Year of Projects: Sunday Update #6



Still working on my lacy cardigan and a pair of socks. It is growing slowly.  Time to pick up the pace on it so I can have it done in time for Rhinebeck.  I still have to look for buttons for it. No picture as there really isn't much new to see.


Sock #1 is finished!  Moving on to #2



Hexipuffs:  Did three this week:






Took out the minis from my last swap:

This will be the next round of hexipuff knitting.  Hopefully I'll get the 20 I need for July and August out of this batch of yarn.


My List:
UFOs:
1. Hubby's blanket (just needs to be sewn together)
2. Kool Wool Sweater
3. Rainbow shawl
4. L's blanket

Craft Fair:
Make 30 items

Christmas:
1. Babygirl:
2. Cousin J: hat?
3. Cousin Crash: car hat
4. L:
5. M:
6. Gma:

New Projects:
1. Irish Sweater:
2. Socks that Rock Socks (in progress)
3. Babygirl Sweater 1 Completed 7/28/12
4. Babygirl Sweater 2
5. 120 Hexipuffs (10 a month) (3 down, 117 to go)
6. socks
7. sweater: Lacy Cardigan (in progress)
8. colorwork
9. shawl
10. Solar Flare (in progress)
11. my stocking

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Lego Build and Read

Babygirl and I had the opportunity to attend a Lego Build and Read Party a few days ago.  Our friend Christine was chosen to host the Lego Build and Read Party through House Party.  Christine opened her house to our playgroup so we could come check out these new toys from Lego.  She was sent the Busy Farm set for the kids to try. The book describes Farmer Ted's day on the farm while showing how to build the animals with the Lego pieces. 



Babygirl had a blast playing with The Busy Farm set. She loves books, but being able to help build the animals took it to a new level for her.  The books say ages 1 1/2 to 4 years on them.  While Babygirl had a blast playing with them the older kids, not so much.  There were a couple of 4s/5s there.  Once they went through the book and made the animals that was it for them.  I'd put these more in the 1 1/2 to 3 age range.


In the end, it was good that the older kids lost interest because there were only four book sets sent with the party kit. Christine, being the wonderful person that she is, had made up some goody bags for the kids.  (She didn't want anyone to be left out, as there were 10 kids invited and only the four books sent.)


Currently there are two other Build and Read sets: Grow Caterpillar Grow and Let's Go Vroom.  I look forward to checking these out with Babygirl.  I've spotted them in my local Target for $12.99, but being the cheap frugal momma I am, I'll be on the lookout for a sale!

Friday, August 10, 2012

Quick Eats

What's a mom to do when faced with a jam packed weekend....(besides throw out the healthy eats post ;) )

Bring out the pouch!


We've got a fun filled weekend ahead of parties and family visits.  Then on Sunday I am hosting my Crochet Guild's monthly meeting.  So I started some baking tonight.  I added oatmeal to the blueberry and bananas to the chocolate chip just to jazz it up a bit.

From pouch to pan in five minutes!  Shhh, I didn't even use a mixing bowl:


These babies were out of the oven within 20 minutes of ripping open the pouches :)



Gotta love those baking pouches!!!


Linked up at:
Chubby Cheeks Thinks



Wednesday, August 8, 2012

WIP Wednesday

Wip Wednesdays:

WIP Wednesdays with Tami's Amis:


Still working on my Lacy Cardigan.  Here's the latest picture:


Sorry about the picture, something is going on with my point and shoot camera.  I'm hoping it's just the memory card.  I'll be getting a new one this weekend to test it.  Until then I'm going to have to use my SLR for photos.


 Almost finished sock #1.  As of last night:



Babygirl is teething something fierce this week, so there hasn't been much time for knitting.  Any free time I have I find myself slipping away to get a quick nap.  Hopefully this will be over soon.  Poor kid is miserable :(

Monday, August 6, 2012

Menu Planning

It's hot and sticky here in New York.  I'm so not in the mood to cook!  When it's this hot I try to get dinner made in the morning before it heats up too much.  This week I'm just not into the whole meal planning/cooking thing.  (Can't we just have ice cream for dinner ;) ?)

This is what I've got so far:
Monday: Breaded/fried eggplant with ricotta and sliced garden tomatoes
Tuesday: Burgers (BBQ) and corn from the farmstand
Wednesday: salad: lettuce, tomato, homemade crutons
Thursday: ???
Friday: homemade pizza with veggies
Saturday: ???

I'm off to scour the net Pinterest for some more ideas...

What are you making?  Got any quick and easy recipes to share?

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Year of Projects: Sunday Update #5



I've been working on my lacy cardigan and a pair of socks.  Thanks to knit night this week and Babygirl's teething letting up I've been getting some knitting done.   Here's the cardigan:





  Moving right along on the socks:



Going to continue working these two projects for the near future and add some hexipuffs.  Looking back over my list I saw that I listed 10 a month...haven't done any yet.  Oops!

My List:
UFOs:
1. Hubby's blanket (just needs to be sewn together)
2. Kool Wool Sweater
3. Rainbow shawl
4. L's blanket

Craft Fair:
Make 30 items

Christmas:
1. Babygirl:
2. Cousin J: hat?
3. Cousin Crash: car hat
4. L:
5. M:
6. Gma:

New Projects:
1. Irish Sweater:
2. Socks that Rock Socks (in progress)
3. Babygirl Sweater 1 Completed 7/28/12
4. Babygirl Sweater 2
5. 120 Hexipuffs (10 a month)
6. socks
7. sweater: Lacy Cardigan (in progress)
8. colorwork
9. shawl
10. Solar Flare (in progress)
11. my stocking 

Thursday, August 2, 2012

July Update

I thought it would be nice to record some of Babygirl's milestones in a post once a month.

Here's what July looked like:

new words: yarn, hot dog, hamburger, oatmeal, pool,
new signs: bird, bath, please

favorite books: Mama Loves Me, ABC book

favorite toys/activities: WALKING!, going in the pool,  reading books, play with the gumball machine, puzzles and the shape sorter

This month's highlights:  *first trip to the aquarium
                                     *first curse (dumba$$).  Time to really watch what we say :)
                                     *walking all over the place :)

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

WIP Wednesdays

Wip Wednesdays:

WIP Wednesdays with Tami's Amis:


Since finishing  Babygirl's sweater, I've been working on my lacy cardigan and a pair of socks. Here's the cardigan:

 The socks are my almost mindless knitting project.  I'm at the heel so there's a little bit of thinking involved, but definitely not as much as the lacy cardigan.  With my lack of sleep (teething again!!) this week I'd much rather screw up the socks than the sweater :) And the socks:


They've grown a bit since this picture and have been separated so I can work on them one at a time, but you get the general idea.  The yarn is Socks that Rock and I am loving it!

I'd like to wear the sweater to Rhinebeck in October so this will be my general focus for now.