Monday, February 28, 2011

A Sickly Weekend

Well, this weekend wasn't quite what we expected. The little woke up Saturday night with stomach flu and the oldest woke up Sunday morning with a sore throat - strep it is. The little was back to normal on Sunday but the older is still sick. No school for him. There was a lot of puppy love though! (Need I mention that the dog is not supposed to be on the furniture? Nah.)

Generations of Love

As I was going about my morning task of folding up my little's nightly covers something caught my eye. As I folded each blanket I realized that each night (or those nights that he actually sleeps in his own little bed) he is covered with generations of love. We still use his baby blankets over the top of his mommy made quilt when he needs a little extra warmth (it just takes a few more of them to cover his almost 4 year old body :)). These blankets were knit or crocheted by beloved members of his family. One, the artist of the beautifully crocheted pink, blue and white blanket, he only knows of in name as she passed from this life when I was 17. She is my Great Grandma Dietz and she made that blanket for my baby before I even thought of babies. I think she wanted my little's to have a Grandma made blanket to cherish just as I cherished the one she made me. My little has not become attached to his blanket the way I did (mine was a constant night time companion until I was 11) but it still keeps him warm and is treasured.

He does know who made the other two. The green and blue knitted blanket was his baby gift from my aunt and he now knows her as his favorite playmate Addy's grandma. Finally, the green and white blanket was knit by me. I started knitting a couple years after my oldest was born so he has no mommy knits from babyhood but I wanted to make a baby blanket for my next little. My skills were still forming at that time so I picked something simple (it really looks like a giant washcloth) but it has stood the test of time and someday will go into the chest to be passed on to his children.

I think of the stitches that went into each one of these. I think of the different places where those stitches were made, great grandmas farm, at the hospital where my aunt works and in our own home. I think of how times have changed and how times are continuing to change and I hope that the future for my boys will be all that we hope it will be. I do know that they will be going into life with the love of generations behind them. They will know that they are loved - for generations.

Friday, February 25, 2011

My First Sweater!

I did it! I finally knit a sweater! And I couldn't be more pleased with the results. I decided to go with the Wallaby. I had heard wonderful things about it at the shop where I buy my yarn so I thought I would give it a go. I used Lamb's Pride Wool in Golden Mushroom - picked out by my little. I love knitting with this yarn! There were a few issues here and there - many rows frogged and reknit, not quite grasping the kitchener stitch under the arms, and my little deciding he didn't want the hood so going with a collar instead. All in all I think it really worked and now I really hope he wears it! I think it will be a great addition to his camping and Up North wardrobe.  My oldest has already picked out the yarn he wants for his sweater in the same pattern - no hood for him either. He also doesn't like wearing wool so I will be making his out a cotton linen yarn from Knit Picks.

Really Wishing For Spring

It is still WHITE outside with apparently another 4-6 inches of more of that white stuff to arrive over the weekend. I am soaking up the green in my kitchen window and anxiously waiting for my bulbs to start blooming. Also trying to pass the time by dreaming about the garden that will be. This weekend my seed order will get sent (I know - a little late but I don't need a lot) and I can really start feeling like spring may be right around the corner (ha ha).

My sewing room is also still showing signs of spring as I make up new bags to take on our trip in a couple weeks. I can't wait to fill this little mushroom bag full of fun needlework projects to keep me busy on our 26 hour car trip. More on our preparations for this trip to come very shortly!

Saturday, February 19, 2011

A Little Winter Fun

There had to be 60 to 70 deer in a 1/2 mile stretch around Pomme de Terre River. Above is Pomme de Terre School and Cemetery where some of my husbands ancestors went to school and are buried. To the left of the picture area is where the old village of Pomme de Terre was.
 This weekend we had hoped to spend 3 days hiking through the woods, sledding on the hills, walking on frozen water and just enjoying the splender of the winter wonderland of our great state. Due to an impending snow storm (10-14" of snow is headed our way) we had to cut our long weekend short. We did make the most of our 24 hours up north though with a little hiking, sledding and even a little nature watching on the way to dinner.
Daddy and Sonny (with his new doggy booties) helping the Little get ready for a run down the hill on one of Grandma's vintage Flexible Flyers

The Older making a valiant effort to get his sled going

Hiking through the woods


The Older pulling the Little along passed some beaver work (below)
 

Heading for home

Swans enjoying the chilly open water (we were able to add these to our Great Backyard Bird Count list!)

A Shop Update and A Little Valentines Crafting

I am having such a good time creating things. The market messenger bag pictured above I recently listed in my Etsy shop and I LOVE it! It just screams spring and summer with those beautiful bright flowers. All the materials I used for this one are vintage. The interior is part of a great lime green old tablecloth that I go from my mother-in-law (she keeps me well supplied in all kinds of vintage goodies for my creating - thank you Gima Melon!). The great floral fabric is part of a vintage curtain I got at an estate sale for $.50.  :)  I also used a great vintage trim for around the top and a vintage orange doily to dress up the outside - doesn't it look like a beautiful dahlia?! Inside I used some vintage buttons sewn in the shape of a daisy to fix a flaw in the fabric. It was so much fun to make! I have more picture of it's details on my Etsy shop (link on the right).


My eldest also got in a little crafting this week. I am not a big lover of purchased cards - even Valentine's Day cards. I would much rather give something homemade. I did give him the choice between premade cards and homemade and much to this mama's pleasure he chose homemade :)!  I like to give something useful that isn't going to go straight in the trash or onto the waistline. So I often buy holiday pencils that we then dress up in a fun way. After a search around the internet I found this great valentine idea using pencils - Inchworms! So with a purchase of some colored printer paper and a bag of googly eyes we went to work. And we had such fun and they turned out so cute! They were also well received by his class! Yeah - especially since his were the only handmade Valentines!

Monday, February 14, 2011

"Thinking Spring " Etsy Shop Update

Carrots handmade using hand dyed vintage felted wool (I used Kool-aid for the dyeing and got an awesome mottled orange) and green wool felt.

Hand sewn primitive pineapple

Handmade primitive strawberries in a vintage wood bowl.
I added some decorative felt fruit to my Etsy shop last night. I had such fun making them! You can tell I am already thinking about spring and getting into the garden! I think the carrots are my favorite.

I will hopefully be adding  a couple market bags to the Etsy shop in the next couple days.

(You can also find these items and some market bags (I of course didn't get a picture of my favorite bag - it has swans on it (I LOVE swans) - hope to get one this weekend) at the shop if you are here in Minnesota.)

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Today Was A Good Day...

...playing Indiana Jones (funny that his whip is a crocheted snake considering Indiana is scared of snakes :))

Today was a good day and as most parents with a 3-year old know, not all days are good days. I reveled in it and decided to capture the moments on film so that I can look back at them on a not so good day :)!

Drawing a picture of Daddy on our chalk board
 

Some homemades for the shop almost to completion


An awesome wooden ship - immediately dubbed the Titanic - found at Goodwill for next to nothing
(the little even fell asleep with it tonight)

Making cookies for Daddy and Big Brother and having a blast with the electric mixer
(I have now seen the future with this little one and power tools...)
Painting a plant stake for Mommy's paperwhites

Thursday, February 3, 2011

An Early Spring???

I heard that the groundhog said we were going to have an early spring and then yesterday I came home to a tree full of a flock of birds! Believe it or not they were robins! A flock already migrating back to the frozen tundra of central Minnesota. I know I could use an early spring but I am trying really hard to not get my hopes up! The cabin fever is really starting to set in.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

The Big Move!

 Well, we did it! We made the big move from the out building to the main building at Weekend Cottage Antiques.  My in-laws and I with the help of the Little and an awesome uncle we got everything shifted and set up and if I do say so myself I think it looks marvelous. This new space is so nice with all the lovely light from the windows and four walls on which to hang things. I really hope this helps our sales!


My favorite corner of the room - I love how it all works together!
 



My handmades and a few vintage items on a pretty little washstand

Design by the Little - we thought is placement of the pineapples PERFECT!

Shop Fodder

I was finally able to buckle down and make some things for the big shop move. On either side is a messenger bag I made from an awesome linen towel from Britain (found at Goodwill for less than $2). I was able to cut it just right to form a nice front and back. I am absolutely in love with it and had a very hard time leaving it at the shop.

The bags above and below are from vintage fabrics and notions. I really like the print on the pink kitchen print (found at an estate sale for .50) and think it would make a wonderful market bag.





I also wanted to do something a little primitive and springy to go in the shop and after perusing some magazines for inspiration I came up with these - wool felt fruits - strawberries and pineapples to start with. They were such fun to make and I have already started another batch of strawberries and am looking for other fruits to recreate. I am thinking maybe some needle felted blueberries and raspberries. I am really happy with how they turned out!

 Finally I finished one of two (have to add the ears to the second) more Teddy Bear Hats. Two have already sold so I thought I should restock. These are in honor of my Little Teddy.

What is so fun about all these things is that most of the materials came from my stash. So much fun to use what I have!

Post to follow with pictures of these in their new home (for now) in our new room at the shop.

Whip It!

The Little and I do quite a bit of baking. On tap yesterday was one of Little's favorites - Banana Bread (thank goodness for a $1.99 BOX of bananas at the grocery store over the holidays that are now frozen in my freezer)! My tried and true recipe is from the Betty Crocker Cookbook. He can even find the recipe himself (although I think it helps that the page is batter spattered and well creased :)!) We also have to have in the appropriate music for baking - "Whip It" by Devo! I am a soundtrack lover (I love the wide range of music that is so often on them) and "Whip It" happens to start out the Raising Helen soundtrack. So we get the music going and start baking. In the case of Banana Bread I use my food processor because for some reason the bread turns out so much moister - most other recipes require only a wooden spoon or maybe the electric hand mixer.
Isn't he cute!!!