weaving in the ends: 2 finished knits!

I love finishing off things.  I think it's great to use up the last bit of yarn, empty the shampoo bottle, check things off my list and I just adore it when someone finishes off the last of the leftovers.  You know what I mean?  But I've noticed that I tend to put off the finishing when it comes to my knitted items.  All that weaving in of the ends turns me into a procrastinator first class.  Kristyn is right though, it's really not that big of a deal to finish off a project.  And today, I knocked off two items!

This is the Marley hat from Itty Bitty Knits is for our sweet friend Gabe.  I started it in February and just finished the last of it today.  (there were tons of ends to weave in!)  Gabe isn't able to regulate his body temperature and therefore he wears hats a lot of the time. They help to keep him warm and happy!  I knit this out of cotton yarn thinking it would be perfect for spring and summer and the cotton also makes it perfect for his mom to throw it in the wash when needed. 

John Samuel modeled it for me with the emphatic request that I not show his face!  {It's too bad, because he's just so cute!}  I made the 2 years and up size and cast on 88 stitches.  It made quite the large hat.  {Rachel, you might need to shrink it first!} I used Tahki Cotton Classic yarn and some Lion Brand Cotton Ease.  It was great because I could use up some of my leftover yarn!  The original hat has a knitted topper that I decided to omit.  I liked it enough without all the extra hoopla that the topper added. 

I also finished another girlfriend scarf.  I took this with me to the HSPN tournament in Lychburg and only knit on it in the car going and coming.  I finished it watching March Madness here at home!  It's knit with two yarns held together: one strand of Rowan Kidsilk Mohair and one strand of Koigu merino wool.  I love the subtle color changes, it's just enough to keep things interesting.

The Girlfriend Scarf is a fast and easy travel knit because there's no counting or concentrating...just seed stitch the entire length of the scarf until the koigu runs out.  When I finished I had this much yarn leftover from the koigu and the kidsilk. 

 They just belong together don't they? 

 Happy Spring!  Happy Finishing! 

happy Easter to my peeps

It's Good Friday and we're headed to co-op this afternoon.  We're plugging away with our Logic class and then we'll enjoy the sunshine and have an egg hunt.  I saw these cute little toppers {they're free!} over at eighteen 25 and thought they'd be fun treats for all the moms!  I made about 20 of them...such sugary fun!  If you've got some special peeps in your life, these are fun and easy to make & share.  I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend knowing the hope that we have because He has risen!  Happy Easter my friends!

my recipe binders

Several years ago, I started compiling our family's favorite recipes into binders.  I bought some 8 1/2 by 5 1/2 binders and some page protectors and typed our 'go to recipes' into the computer.  Then I printed them on card stock and popped them into a binder.  These binders have gotten a work out.  I pull them out weekly when I'm meal planning or looking for last minute supper ideas.  Because the recipes are in the computer, I've printed out copies for friends and even made a couple of 'cookbooks' to share with friends who were moving.  

 But of course, over the years since everything was first put into binders, I've acquired several new 'keeper' recipes.  They've been piling up in my cupboard and I've gotten tired of rifling through the pile to find the one I wanted....so, over the last week, I took some time and typed in the new recipes.  My friend (hey Laurie!) asked me how I knew which recipes to add and which recipes didn't quite make the cut.  My answer was the test of time.  If I find myself making a recipe over and over again (and it's getting eaten over and over again) then that recipe belongs in my binder! 

I started with two binders and now I'm up to three.  I spruced up the covers with some fresh scrapbooking paper...(thanks for the inpiration on that Kristyn) I'm thinking one day when my kids are ready to start their own households, that these will make wonderful housewarming gifts! (and at the rate I'm going...there will be plenty to share!)  These binders are not only stuffed full of special recipes but memories as well! 

setting the table

When I was little, I remember my mom had these yellow and white plaid placemats.  They were laminated and perfect for a family with kids. (very wipable!) My mom always set the table with placemats under the plates.  Didn't matter if it was breakfast for one or a family dinner, we always used placemats (unless of course she had a table cloth on the table).

 Fast forward 30 years and now that I'm the mama setting the table (or having my kids set it!) we always use placemats. Quirky as it sounds, it just doesn't feel quite right without placemats.  Matter of fact, one of John Samuel's jobs is to clear the placemats after every meal.  So, I had some leftover fabric from my scrappy log cabin quilt and an old sheet and I made some placemats for my ever changing collection. 

 I didn't want to make them too busy as I have so many busy cloth napkins and my everday plates have a strong design on them.  So I added a strip of squares down the side of the placemat and then quilted them with straight lines. This was a great way for me to practice my quilting skills on a much smaller, easier to handle project.   I used a warm and natural batting in between the front and the back and then put on a binding with my machine. 

I started this project back in January and I've not been in a hurry to finish it.  These placemats have been percolating and slowly emerging from my mind.  They are reversible which is great...that gives us so many options.  (really...it allows us to flip them over and use the clean side until they can be thrown in the wash!)  

The back is an old sheet.  That old sheet has been used for some many projects.  I ended up making six placemats from what I had left over from the quilt.  I really like them.  I think we'll enjoy many meals on these placemats....who knows maybe one day, my kids will think a table is not quite right unless there are placemats under the plates!  How about you....any quirks going on at your dinner table?  

champions and adventures on the river

Thanks to everyone for their well wishes on our trip to Lynchburg, VA.  Everyone had a wonderful time.  There were tons of memories made and many special friendships formed.  And we came home victorious!  The girls played their hearts out and took the championship title of Division 2a.  They got to play their final game in the Vines Arena at Liberty University.  Playing in a Division 1 gym was overwhelming and exciting all at once.  They trailed the entire game and managed to take the lead in the last three minutes.  It was a nail biter to say the least!  We're so proud of all of them!

On our way home from the tournament, we had ourselves quite an adventure.  We came home through Virginia and decided to cross into Maryland via White's Ferry.  When we were about 1/3 of the way across the Potomac River on the ferry, the cable holding the ferry broke!  Aparently a huge tree had floated down the river and bumped into the ferry getting tangled up in the cable.  The tension caused the cable to snap and it was then that we were floating freely down the Potomac River.  It was the most surreal experience.  We were in the front of the ferry and so we saw everything clearly. 

 As we drifted down the river, we went askew and hit the river bank on the Maryland side.  The captain told everyone to get into their vehicles and we all quickly complied.  Our family began gathering our laptops and cameras and essential stuff in case we needed to pile into life boats. (just so you know...my knitting bag was in that essential stuff pile!)

That however, proved unnecessary as they were able to slow the ferry down enough to hook it to a tug boat.  That little tug boat pulled the entire ferry back to the dock and after some manuevering with a big bucket tractor, we were straightened out and able to drive off.  It was some kind of adventure.  (that's our van in the front there with Johan Samuel and John in the front seat getting a great view of all the action)

I called my mom and mother in law and asked them to pray for everyone on the ferry.  God was so gracious to answer the prayers that were lifted up for all of us.  We felt calm and peaceful throughout the entire experience....well, except for Kenzie.  She had to go to the bathroom so badly and when she realized we were off cable, she had a bit of a moment.  But she and I jumped ferry when they got us close enough to the dock.  They had left the gate open as they were securing cables and she, Maggie and I quickly slipped out and jumped to dry land to get her to the port o potty. 

Whew!  (good lesson:  go to the bathroom before getting on the ferry!)  As we were leaving the ferry, after the hour + long ordeal,  the ticket collector gave us two round trip fares and told us to, "Come back and see them again!"  Needless to say, we're so grateful to be home.   We're praising the Lord for His protection...I'll even relish doing the piles of laundry this week....those piles that could have ended up on the bottom of the Potomac River! 

the madness begins

March....brings spring rains and peeping flowers.  It brings the end to winter for many...and it brings the madness of basketball tourney time!  I just love March Madness.  During March (actually all season) you'll be able to find me sitting in front of the tv watching basketball or at a game cheering on my favorite team.  Heck, the entire family is into basketball. We've got our brackets filled out and we're ready. 

Maggie's basketball team is competing in the East Coast Basketball Tournament this week in Lynchburg, VA.  Teams from all along the east coast, Texas, Tennessee and Iowa will be there grinding it out.  John is one of the assitant coaches, John Samuel is one of the ball boys, Kenzie is a middle school groupy and I'm one of the chaperones. We're taking down 15 girls and our Varsity boys team is going as well.   

If it's anything like last year's tournament, we'll come home loaded down with memories and in need of some serious sleep.  So in between cheering for the Warriors, I'm be checking scores and marking off my NCAA brackets.  I'll be blogging about the Warrior's games here.  And maybe, just maybe I'll get in a bit of knitting.  The gatorade is packed....see you next week! 

wanted

Tomorrow is my adoption day.  When I was just a wee baby, only two weeks old, I was adopted.  My mom and dad, have always told me how special the day was when they got the call that there was a baby girl needing their love. Mom tells me she was coming in the door from teaching and the phone was ringing.  She dropped her books on the ground and snatched up the phone.  The voice on the other side said, "We've got your baby girl ready for you to take home."  There's not a time when I can remember not knowing I was adopted.  It's who I am.   I've always felt special because of being adopted.  I guess I could have gotten stuck on the fact that somewhere, someone didn't or couldn't or wouldn't keep me...but thanks to the grace of God, I've always felt chosen and wanted. 

I'm so grateful that my biological mom made the hard choice to allow someone else to raise me and care for me.  Her unselfishness (that's my way of looking at it) allowed me to grow up in a home where I heard the wondeful news about Christ and His love for me.  I asked Him into my heart when I was a bitty girl and He's been walking with me all the way, guiding my journey through this life.  When I think about it, I've actually been adopted twice.  Once by my adoptive parents mom and dad and once by my Savior.   I am so thankful for my mom and dad; they've blessed me beyond measure.  I was grafted into a wonderful family.  And in a different way, I'm thankful for the parents that made the tough choice to let me go.  But mostly, I'm thankful for my Savior who knows me better than I know myself and yet loves me unconditionally. 

O LORD, you have searched me

and you know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise;

you perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down;

you are familiar with all my ways.

Before a word is on my tongue

you know it completely, O LORD.

You hem me in—behind and before;

you have laid your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle on the far side of the sea,

even there your hand will guide me,

your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me

and the light become night around me,"

even the darkness will not be dark to you;

the night will shine like the day,

for darkness is as light to you.

For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you

when I was made in the secret place.

When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

your eyes saw my unformed body.

All the days ordained for me

were written in your book

before one of them came to be.

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!

How vast is the sum of them!

Were I to count them,

they would outnumber the grains of sand.

When I awake,

I am still with you.

Psalm 139

Happy Adoption day Mom and Dad...this day is yours as much as it is mine!  I love you both so much.

It's a shoe in...and swap info!

My dear friend Kristyn celebrated her birthday last week and I wanted to send something that would make her smile as she is always so good at bringing smiles to my face.  When she was here over Christmas, she mentioned that she wanted to try to make some shoe bags.  Shoe bags are great for keeping your clothes and shoes separated when you pack your suitcase. Betz White has a tutorial on her blog, so after I shopped for some fun fabrics (Kristyn's favorite color is pink)....I followed Betz's tutorial and made 4 shoe bags.  

Kristyn and her family travel mulitple times a year, so I knew these would get lots of use.  I don't have a serger but I wanted the inside seams to look nice, so I hooked up to Larissa's tutorial for making french seams.  I love how the inside seams look...so professional.  These were so fun to make and Larissa's directions were the perfect finishing touch. 

Aren't blog friends just great for tips and tricks and patterns and stuff?!?   And speaking of friends...I've emailed everyone their swap partners.  If you didn't get an email from me with your partner and their email address, please let me know.  {my email address is on my sidebar} Thank goodness it's Friday....Shoe hope you have a great weekend!  (sorry I couldn't resist)

and the winner is....

I used a random number generator to pick the winning comment and the number 3 came up.  (that was so easy...and no little papers to cut up and pull out of a hat!) So congratulations to Renea!  Renea, email me your address and I'll get your prize in the mail to you!  Thanks everyone for playing along and for sharing...I loved reading about all of the blessings in everybody's life...isn't God good!?! Have a wonderful week enjoying more of God's goodness.  {let's just hope that goodnesss doesn't come in the form of snow...ya know what I'm sayin!?!} I'll be back later in the week with some more stuff to share and I'll also be emailing all napkin swap participants their swap partners later this week. 

neighborly news: a finished knit, blessings and a give away!

I finished my grown up girl neighborly a while ago and have worn it several times.  I love it!  Larissa sent me the yarn and the pattern (quite a neighborly gesture wouldn't you say?!?) and I started it before Christmas.  But, with all of  the holiday finishing, it got put aside until after the holidays.  That actually worked out great as this sweater turned out to be the 'best riding to basketball game' knitting ever.

 I was thinking it was going to be a be a bit short on me, but some aggressive blocking helped with the length.  If you've never knit yourself a garment before, I highly recommend this one.  It's fast and simple with no seaming whatsoever.  And the noro yarn makes for fun knitting as you get to the end.  Thanks Larissa for blessing me with such a fun project. 

The knitty gritty:

Pattern: Grown Up Girl Neighborly, based on Jennifer Casa's Neighborly

Yarn: Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Worsted - 2 skeins ~ Chocolate Souffle

Noro Kureyon- 2 skeins ~ #156

Needles: US 8 circulars and US 6 size double pointed needles

Size: Medium

Mods: None...I knit it just like Larissa wrote it!

In other neighborly news, I've been blessed recently with some tremendous gifts from some of my wonderful friends:

~a special mini quilt made from vintage linens from Jodi of Jolly Bee

~some adorable sachets and yummy fabric from Larissa of Stitches in Play

~and a package full of goodies and this too cute for fingers hand-towel from Kristyn of Kristyn Knits

I love every one of them.  So in the spirit of being neighborly...and because I've been so blessed..."Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows~ James 1:17" .....I thought it would be fun to have a little neighborly give away.  Just leave a comment sharing one of the blessings in your life and I'll enter your name for a chance to win a perfect box pouch and a snappy fabric cuff!  I'll pick a name March 1st!  Enjoy the blessings in your life...both the big and the small. 

 ***oh and Grasshopper...I don't have your email address so if you could email that to me or leave it in the comments, I'll make sure you have a napkin swap partner.  Thanks! 

swap!

My small change for February was for our family to do away with paper napkins.  So, we made the switch to exclusively using cloth napkins.  So far...so good.  When I originally posted about that small change there was some interest generated in having a cloth napkin swap.  Courtney actually suggested it...so we've been 'talking'.  Courtney and I are excited about the swap and it sounds like several of you are as well. 

So, here's the nitty gritty:

Leave a comment here with your email address so I can get in touch with you.  {If you have a blog, make sure you're signed in, in order for me to get your address....sometimes I get that no reply comment thingy...that won't help me get in touch with you.}  If you don't want to leave your email address in the comment section...send me an email instead.  My email is on my side bar.  Once everyone has signed up, you will be paired with a partner and you and your partner will swap a set of 6 handmade cloth napkins ~ 16" square. (version 1...directions here.)

Here's the mother in me coming out, but if you sign up, you need to follow through with making and sending your napkins to your partner.  We've all been the recipient of a secret Santa exchange gone bad...and you know how that feels.   So, sign up under 'Scouts Honor'.  You and your partner can be in touch with each other and share addresses and color preferences once you get their name.  Just think, you'll be making a new friend as well as getting 6 napkins!  So, if you're commited to making 6 napkins and sending them off to a new friend, leave a comment or send me an email.  Hopefully, we'll get a flickr group set up so you can post pictures of your napkins as you make and receive them.  The deadline for sign ups is the end of next week....2/27.  I'll aim to get you your partner's information by March 6th...You should plan on having your napkins in the mail along with your taxes by April 15th...sound good? 

Oh! and Courtney made a button (isn't it cute!?) if you participate feel free to grab it and add it to your blog!

snowthing much

We're out from under the bulk of the snow....but it's still piled up all around outside.  We're slowly getting back to our regular routine after having all of life cancelled.  It's been nice to be home enjoying the slower pace that snow days bring.  We've been:

{playing}

{drying out}

{building}

{warming up}

{exploring}

{celebrating}

{relaxing}

We've also been shoveling, doing school, crafting, baking and watching lots of basketball.  Hope your days have been full as well...Check back later this week for sign ups and information about the Napkin Swap....