Enchanted Mama

Season of Light::

Wishing you all a beautiful season of light with family and friends!

Happy Holidays! 

 

Our Tree::

We decorated our tree with Ornaments:

---Vintage and handmade  

---Breakable and made from yarn.  

---From my father when he learned to crochet in elementary school.  

---Made from felt, buttons, and wood.  

---Hung in sets of four all along the bottom of the tree that were placed just so by our three year old.  

We also used lights and candles this year, just to keep things interesting.  

 

The Result:: Our eclectic tree that we love so.  

Happy Holidays to all of you.  

Won't you tell me about your tree?

 

Mr. Gingerbread Man::

Dear Mr. Gingerbread man, 

Well, it is nice that you finally re-surfaced in the playhouse after that really long game of hide and seek.  The children had all but thought you had disappeared.  You, so craftily hiding under the pillows in the loft.  

I don't understand your need to run, run, run as fast as you can.  Can you explain that to me?  I mean all we want to do is hold you.  Squeeze you.  And, just nibble on you a small bit.  What is wrong with that?  

After I created you from the Melanie Falick Kids knitting book it seems like you would be more grateful.  We love you and your yummy icing.  Your coy little smile and the jaunt of your step.  

Now, the dog has mentioned that you tease him far too often which you might want to work on.  You know we all have to be able to live together here.  

I even used different wool yarn to make you look nice and toasty.  I filled you with wool batting and cinnamon sticks and cloves to make you smell oh-so-delicious.  So how can you turn your back on me?

Why can't you just let us smell you a little?

 

Ooookkkay, I forgive you.  

You turn that smiling face on me and all I want to do is pull you into my arms and kiss you, and nibble on you, oh I mean kiss you.  That's all.  

Sincerely, 

Your mama 

(who all the sudden has the hankering for some gingerbread.  Anyone else? ) 

 
 
 

Handmade Holiday part II::

Now that the writing in November is finished (50,011 words and a day to spare--whew!) there has been a lot of knitting going on around here.  Though most of it is yet to be finished panic hasn't set in quite yet.  I still feel that I will indeed finish all my projects, I hope, I hope.  I may need to turn into a ten armed Shiva Goddess before this is all through but like I said, "I'm not panicking yet".

 

 

The rest of the projects are progressing as well.  The children are having a great time deciding what to do and starting on their "oh-so-secret" gifts.  I've enjoyed watching them think about their person and come up with an idea that is "so them".  That does make this mama smile.   

 

I have a few of my own "oh-so-secret" gifts that I'm having to keep underground.  It is an interesting challenge to figure out when to work on those.  Nights mostly?   I'm understanding though that I have so much more energy when I actually sleep...hmmm.  

The big daddy and I have decided on gifts for each of the children.  

When there are four children and two adults and activities and school and nursing and playing and hiking and homework there is not a lot of one-on-one time.  So, we have decided that for the children we will each take one child and have an adventure.  

One may go to lunch and a visit a museum.  While another may go to a pottery lab and do some creating. Yet another may go to a concert with the big daddy at a cool old theatre and have dinner. 

More than anything it is time for real conversations.  Time for memory making.  Time to be with their mama or big daddy while they still think we are "kinda fun".  

 

So there you go.  I hope to continue progressing and finishing these projects in the next couple weeks. While enjoying myself sitting by the fire and sipping on a latte. It's possible right?  

I've warmed up to the idea of Etsy if all else fails.  Also, there are some lovely handmade fairs coming our way.  At least if panic does start to creep in I will have another option.  

I believe it's always good to have a back up plan.  

 

How are your holiday projects going?  Anything fun and exciting?

 

For those Ravelry knitters out there here are the patterns: 

Green sweater--- here.

Chocolate sweater ---- here. 

Cranberry neck warmer --- here.  

Mermaid Leg warmers --- here.

Mystical Hood --- here. 

December::

Here is to the season of green wreaths, red berries, pine cones and white lights.  

Here is to candles on the Christmas tree and new pajamas.  

Here is to delicious meals shared with loved ones and songs swirling through the air.  

Here is to the smell of smoke from wood burning fires and brisk walks in the snow.

And, here is to all the secret holiday knitting and creating spoken about in whispers.  

 

Happy December Everyone!  

 

Thankful::

Thankful for family, friends, delicious food and this holiday season.  

 

Hope your weekend was lovely.

 

One skein::

I was curious to see just what could be made with one skein of Noro yarn.  I saw over here how it was turned into a delightful-bit-of-woolly-kitchen goodness.  I'd made another project here.  

This is what I discovered...  

One baby sized a-line top derived from this pattern.

It's warm.  It's woolly.  It's delightful to look at.   Oh, maybe that's the baby but the top is quite nice too.    

 

I'm delighted because it's getting cold and we had our first snow yesterday.  I love wrapping all my children in wool as if you hadn't already noticed.  And, can they really have too much wool?  At least when its cold?   

 

So I figure, if one skein makes something this fun maybe I ought to try out a few other things too.  

What do you think?

 

Happy Halloween::

Wishing you a spooky, jack-o-lantern kind of day.  

 

*halloween pumpkins 2009*

Turning "37"::

Thirty-seven turned out to be pretty lovely.  

I enjoyed myself.  I played.  I laughed.  My three year old sang the birthday song to me at least twenty times.  I found some delicious yarn and cast-on all in the same hour.  I enjoyed great meals made with love.  I did have my latte with the big daddy and the two little ones in the "really good chairs" by the window.  And?  There was an extra special muffin waiting for us to arrive with extra chocolate chips.   

I watched the big daddy direct a three-child-multi-color-cake-preparation with dinner brewing on the grill.  If you look at the picture below and squint your eyes you'll see that he made the cake to look like a pile of yarn with knitting needles in it....do you see it?  Squint a little more...now?  

Well, I'll tell you that it was the most delicious tasting yarn I've ever eaten.  

 

A good day.  A full day.  A day I felt older and younger all in an hours time.  Birthdays are interesting.  They bring me to the reality that I'm growing up.  Growing older.  Growing into who it is I want to be.  As time moves forward I feel blessed to have the love's in my life share in my journey.  

 

Thank you to all of you for the beautiful birthday wishes!  

A Fall Weekend::

A delightful weekend.  No snow...rain and hail but no snow.  We spent a lot of time outdoors.  A picnic at the park.  Guitar accompaniment from a stranger.  More leaves on the ground.  More time with our 12 1/2 year old puppy which we didn't think would happen.  Some yarn wound which resembles colorful sushi.  Even a bit of knitting.  

 

How was your weekend?