around here.

There has been a much appreciated break in the rainfall,
and we have had many beautiful, but very chilly days.
Everything looks so crisp and bright, in contrast to the usual grayness of winter in the Pacific Northwest. I don't mind winter like this. I love walking in this cold dryness, it is shocking and refreshing all at once.
The furnace is humming nearly all day, offset by the warmth of our gas fireplace. I like keeping the lights low on days like this, maybe a few candles burning. So very cozy.
Today, I have some knitting in mind, mingled with loads of laundry and baking. Homemade macaroni and cheese for dinner with steamed carrots.
A perfectly contented day at home.

Have a blessed day, Tami

in with the new

The decorations are all put away. We have resumed life post-holiday. It already feels like forever ago.

I am always very introspective during the first days and weeks of the new year. Making plans, making financial decisions, clearing out the clutter that seems to accumulate despite my best efforts. It is a time of looking within too, to see if my outward actions are matching my beliefs within. I think during the "birthday season" and the holidays, I take a break from my normal responses to life in order to just cope with the giant task of juggling it all. There doesn't seem to be any other way. I have read so many books on slow living, simplifying, hundred dollar holidays, handmade holidays, etc. Even with this vast knowledge under my belt, it just never changes.
So every holiday season, I juggle until my arms hurt, and every new year I am ready to get back to what I hold true. What I hold true seems to be all of the things I fail at during the holidays. I feel as though I am fighting a losing battle. I think I give in partly because I feel alone in it. Like I am the one who's doing it wrong. If everyone around me is fully engrossed in the typical holiday frantic consumeristic hoopla, then it must be right. Then why does it feel so bad for me. Clearly, I need a better support system of like-minded folks. If I were to choose one thing we did right, we gave more handmade and bought local this year. Okay, all.done. my token after the holidays rant.

Whew!

On with the new.
Digging in deeper with our nutrition. I have been hearing a lot about what certain chemicals actually do to the human body. It is one thing to know that something is bad for you, but when I can get specifics, that does it for me. I have one child that seems to be particularly sensitive to chemicals in foods. If only for him, we need to get off all processed foods with anything artificial.
I am becoming increasingly unapologetic with my family for the food choices I am making for them. We have some family members battling serious health issues right now because of poor lifelong food choices. My hubby and I are entering middle age, and need to be even more serious with our diet. I am going to hear lots of complaining for awhile. (Nutrition also took a back seat over the holidays.) Just like other changes we've made......they'll get used to it.

Going minimalist. Not modern sterile minimalist, just nice cozy cottage minimalist. I have said before that we live in a 1500 sq. foot home. We have enough space to sleep and bathe, a plenty big kitchen, a dining room/library for homework and crafts, and a decent sized living room. It is enough. It begins to feel cramped when we are invaded by too much stuff. I work really hard to cut down on the things coming in. It is time to take it to the next step, and get rid of more. When I spend a few hours putting everything back in it's place I realize, it's still too much. Way more than a person needs. Too many clothes, shoes, papers, dvds/games, pieces of needless furniture, power cords, small appliances. These are the things that just come to mind. I feel bogged down by these things, the care and storage of them mostly. Too much. It is time for breathing space. (I just found this post I wrote nearly 5 years ago....*clearly* I have not found many answers.)

Being more consistent with reducing our impact on the Earth. Avoiding waste. Reducing packaging. Getting solar. Using less of everything.

Limiting obligations. Slowing down. Taking little getaways together. Summer picnics. Eating well and feeling well. Creating. Learning. Growing. Reading. Knitting. Noticing. 2013.

I am excited for what can be in 2013.
Maybe by next Christmas, I will have more ideas and more answers. I would love that.

Have a blessed day, Tami

October

{Rafe's 9th Birthday}

October, you are almost done. You have been filled with lots of football and soccer, field trips and birthday parties, rain and cold, and the flu.
I am just now catching my breath.
No time for writing, and what little internet time I had, I spent doing family history research. That has uncovered so much really great information. Each branch of my family has uncovered some truly amazing people and stories.
My favorite would be Mark Twain. I find that connection so awesome. It is a closer relation than most that I found. It's really wonderful to have blood relatives that came over as colonists, but it was so long ago that it's hard to feel a connection.
I have solved a few family mysteries and uncovered a few very sad stories.
My research is slowing down for now, I have invested much time, and now need to get back to focusing on the family I have here and now. I has been a wild ride. I am sure that my research won't stop completely. There is a always information to be found.
I do have to say one thing. Genealogy research has kept me distracted enough that I didn't have such a hard adjustment to the kids going back to school. Maybe a planned distraction is what I need each new school year. Yeah, that sounds like a great idea.
October and November are birthday months for our kids. We are 1 down and 3 to go. I am ready with the gifts, now we just need to figure out a few friend get-togethers to celebrate.
I started wrapping Christmas gifts this past week. It always feels weird doing that in October. If I am not finished and wrapped by the end of November, I teeter on insanity during December. There is so much fun to be had with my kids, that honestly I don't want the added stress of shopping and wrapping. December for me is about music, gift crafting, baking, reading Christmas stories by the fire, snow (sometimes), and just being together. Keeping it simple.
I am 2/3 the way through book six of the Outlander series. That's the other thing that has been distracting me. Each book is about 1000 pages. It takes me a few weeks of reading here and there. Still, that is a lot of reading. More than I usually read for sure. I have book 7 on order, it should be her just in time.
Knitting gets put to the side when I read this much. I haven't the talent to do both. I did finish up a washcloth a few days ago, it will become a Christmas gift with a yummy bar of almond/oatmeal soap in a pretty little box. My raglan cardigan still needs the sleeve finished..........
I am off this morning to have breakfast with my mom and sister. It was my little sis' birthday yesterday. Maybe we'll wander around a bit, too. Coffee for sure.

Have a blessed Monday, Tami

slow

I am laying low the rest of the week. I am the unfortunate recipient of a little spot of skin cancer near my right eye.
All is well, and they were able to remove all of it and get me stitched up rather quickly. I have a humongous bandage nearly covering my eye and a few stitches to contend with.
All in all, quite a bother, but I am glad it is done.
So I am taking it easy for a few days, feeling a bit like someone punched me in the eye.
I will be feeling back to my old self soon.
There are a ton of raspberries to pick. Sounds like a good thing to do today. And knit, for sure.
Kane is home, and we are so glad.

Have a blessed day, Tami

messy monday

This morning I spent a good bit of time exercising my "mend and make-do" mantra. I woke up to tiny clumps of down feathers all over the place. When I took the duvet cover off the down comforter, it was just like in the movies, when the end of a pillow fight is a mass of feathers floating everywhere. What a mess. A great opportunity though to spend some time with thread and needle mending about 50 (thousand) little holes AND ONE BIG ONE.
All is well now, and I have freshly laundered bedding and a vacuumed carpet in the bedroom. Love that.

What a way to start the week.

The weather is gray and cold. I appreciate the rain, it means I don't have to water the garden, and I like that. My plants are exploding. They like the rain followed by a few days of heat and sun.

Kane gets home tomorrow night from New Orleans. I have missed that boy so much. I hear that he has been existing solely on Po'Boy sandwiches and Snowballs. Nice.
It has been really hot for them, but it sounds like he is having a great time.

My chickens are taking turns being broody. It's Henny's turn this time. Every time I open the nesting box door, she screams at me. Oh, she is a fun one.

I am almost finished knitting a sweater I started last week. The design is a simple raglan sleeve, top-down, v-neck cardigan. I used a bulky yarn in a beautiful peacock blue color. I am sure hoping that the yarn softens up when I wash it. It is pretty itchy right now. I will wear it anyway, the color is just too wonderful not to.

That's about all for today. We are taking it slow and easy. We have been doing too much running lately. I need a day at home to relax. Today would be a great baking day. Yes.

Have a blessed Monday, Tami

Tea Cozy

I knit a new tea cozy. With all of the rain last week, I spent some time on the couch knitting and watching the first season of Downton Abbey, a movie called Land Girls, and Housewife, 49. All good period stuff.
I have knit this particular cozy pattern before, but this time omitted the knitted leaves. I love the picot hem. The cozy is for my biggest teapot, the one I use most often. I thrifted it about a year ago, I am pretty sure it is from the 1940's. I can brew a pot in the morning and it lasts all day long. Love.
Still no sign of the sun.
I guess I will have to spend some more time being cozied up on the couch, darn. I bet I can whip up a few knitted washcloths. I also want to find a cute Aran vest pattern.
If it's not raining cats & dogs, my kids are sure to be outside most of the day. They come in to be fed and watered, that's about it. As soon as we get better weather, I am anxious to get to the beach.

Have a blessed day, Tami

being inspired

I love this wallet. And this planner. Debbie of Homespun Living is so talented and I love her blog.

There are so many talented people out there, people that make up the ideas that inspire the rest of us. I am constantly inspired, and so thankful for it. It makes my creative life so much more interesting.

I love being inspired by food. It can get a little mundane in the kitchen cooking for a family. My family appreciates it when I come up with new ideas for meals and snacks especially.
I am constantly in awe of knitters that can come up with their own patterns. I would love to be a knitted pattern designer, what a cool job that would be. I can never leave well enough alone, and always sneak in modifications when I am knitting. It is the pattern-designer-wannabe in me.

Necessity happens to be the best inspiration in my house. If we need it, I'd like to come about it in a non-conventional, ingenious, eco-conscious, and resourceful way. Waste Not, Want Not - as they say.

What is NOT inspiring me right now. The rain. ;~)

Have a blessed day. Tami

my week

These days are keeping me busy, a late night post is in order.
Here are some little snippets from my week.

Gage and I made these very funny little candles at Pioneer Farms. We hand-dipped them ourselves. What a great experience we had there. I even milked a Jersey cow!

 I am tired of buying processed snack foods! So........I made crackers today. I used a few different recipes. The ones we liked the best were from here. I will definitely try them with whole wheat white flour next time. Graham crackers are up next.
I haven't made homemade Grapenuts in a long time. It is time for those, too. If I keep HM Grapenuts and granola around, it really cuts down on my family clamoring for store-bought cereal. This is a good thing.
Oh, and I also need to make yogurt. Looks like a busy Friday for me.

I am knitting a Baktus scarf. I have a bunch of sock yarn to use up, so I thought I would make a scrappy little scarf. It will be so nice and cozy.

I did my once-a-month bulk shopping yesterday. That always feels good to get done. This weekend is busy with baseball. We are wrapping up the season, and I think everybody is glad. Now bring on Summer vacation. Only 16 more school days!

Have a blessed day, Tami

worth the wait

Two years ago, I came across 5 skeins of Berroco Alpaca yarn at the Goodwill.......for $5.00.
When I found this yarn, I snatched it up quick. I decided that whatever I made, I had to be great. I settled on a sweater, searched for a pattern that worked with 5 skeins, and began.
I finished the original sweater 18 months ago. It was too big, and not the good kind of big. A good big would have been flowy, drapey, and comfy. I knew I wouldn't wear it.  I frogged it all the way to the bustline, and set out to make it fit better. The original shoulders and arms fit me so perfect that I didn't want to mess with starting over completely.
I am so pleased with how it turned out. It is a basic top-down, raglan sleeve, v-neck cardigan. I used a garter stitch band around the sleeve, neck/front, and bottom. The body of the sweater is stockinette. It has no closures and came out with the perfect amount of drape in the front. The sleeves are my favorite part. They are long and wide with a kimono-ish style to them. The bottom of the sweater hits me mid-hip and is nicely fitted. I just need to finish blocking and I am done! I would say, it was worth the wait.

Happy Leap Day, Tami

inspiration

I finally got around to starting my inspiration notebook. Again, I am using a marbled composition book.
I am thinking of having 2 main sections. I want a place to put my favorite knitting patterns, the ones that are tried and true. I also want a section to paste my magazine clippings and print-outs. Mostly these are for home inspiration. I want lots of space to doodle, write notes and list ideas.

I love having a place to put all these inspirations, and using a book makes it feel a little like art journaling. Anytime I can make something into an artist expression, that's the project for me.

Have an inspired day, Tami

a knitting basket

I take my knitting projects with me everywhere. I really wanted a basket with handles that was sturdy enough to stand up on it's own. I found a lovely basket at a local thrift store. It is exactly what I wanted, but really needed to be lined to keep my knitting projects from snagging. I love the size, it is the perfect for hauling around an in-progress sweater and a skein of yarn.
Now for the liner........

A thrifted 1980's shetland wool sweater. I felted the sweater, stitched in an oval piece where I cut the sweater below the armholes, which created a flat bottom to the liner,  and cut 2 slits near the top so it would slip over the handles. Pretty simple.

I stitched up the cut I made for the handles with gray wool yarn.
I may do a little more finishing work, like a blanket stitch around the bottom edge and maybe some embellishment. Maybe even a few pockets. I love how it turned out, practical and pretty.
Have a blessed day,
Tami

::for baby::

My littlest niece is due to be born here in a few weeks.
It has been 8 long years since we've had a baby born into the family. Everybody is so excited.
It is their firstborn. Having my first seems like a lifetime ago.

My sister's baby shower was yesterday. Anya and I went and had a little girl time. Anya is the youngest of the cousins and of our close friends, so she hadn't been to a shower.
She loved it! And she won a game, too.

I made this little knitted mouse from a pattern I found on Ravelry.
I think it came out quite well, and hopefully baby will love it.
I also added a few treasures that I thrifted. A cute vintage pottery mug and a Beatrix Potter treasury.
I made another of my handmade boxes out of 12x12 scrapbook paper. It turned out the perfect size for the baby mug. I will definitely make more of these in the future.

We had a great day and it was so wonderful to be with family and friends.
I can't wait to hold that baby when she's born!

Have a blessed day.
Tami

::Knitting Therapy::

I have found that during these long, dark, and sometimes dreary winter months that I require more therapeutic activities. The time that I spend in the Word, journaling, knitting, reading, cuddling, and baking are like therapy to me.

I was reading "The Creative Family" last week and stumbled across the section on knitting. (forgive me but I already returned the book and now can't reference the page numbers). Amanda wrote about her very beautiful experiences with knitting, and it is clear that I feel the very same. The rhythm, the quietness, the moving of hands while the heart and mind are still. I can pray, contemplate, plan, dream. Knitting is *it* for me. My first choice of creative activities, especially when I get to rock a little in my new~to~me rocking chair. Oh and of course, I have to sit by the fireplace with a creamy cup of coffee :~)

When the dark winter months are over and we are spending *all* of our time outdoors, I will look forward to the cooler months that always come. Months that I spend rocking away, knitting in front of a warm fire. My therapy.

Have a blessed Saturday and enjoy lots of cozy activities with your treasures.

In God's Love, Tami

Knitting and Kiddos

I have been knitting a lot lately. I am loving the book

"Last Minute Knitted Gifts" by Joelle Hoverson so much.

This cute little hat on my sweety is a variation on the

rolled brim hat in the book. So, so easy and cute.

My oldest son snapped this photo of me for my avatar, I thought he did a great job! I am wearing the cowl I knitted from the book. I am making several of these for Christmas gifts.
It is so strange to post pictures of myself, even if the kiddos did take them. Feels a bit strange. I am so used to showing off photos of everything else but me.

Every so often I hand my camera over to one of the kids. I love the way children freely flitter about snapping photos of what interests them. I get a precious glimpse into their hearts and minds. Today, what interested my daughter was me knitting. A common sight this time of the year, here I am making another cowl.
She instructed me to make *heart-hands*,
a favorite way to say *I Love You*.

I love this close-up she took. My hands look so hard-working, not pretty hands that's for sure.

I don't mind though, they are hardworking and strong.

I pray that you are all having a blessed and productive Friday. In God's Love, Tami