Tuesday, March 29, 2011

making, reading, gardening!!!

..

Perhaps it's a stretch to call it gardening quite yet, but we have been busy preparing, and lots of dreaming. Several days now we have been blessed with some outdoor hours, enjoying the feeling of that nice cool dirt in our hands. And today I just couldn't help myself, I planted some spinach seed. Not sure if it's a little too early, but I really don't care!

In addition to a great stack of books from the library (I told Jason I needed to run in for just a minute or two to grab a couple books, came out with more than ten, but really it only took me about 2 minutes. This little library is really pleasing me lately..) we are reading this fun new Tiptoes Lightly story. It is an Easter tale, which I gave to the girls on the first day of spring since Easter Sunday comes at the end of the book, I thought we could slowly enjoy it up until then.

Please just ignore the fact that I don't seem to be working on the little quilt lately. In my defense, I am at the point of putting the layers together and basting and the big table is always covered with the girls projects, a good excuse to procrastinate I guess... And also we really needed new potholders. And by new I mean I really needed to cover up our old potholders, so I stitched new covers for them. Much prettier now!

I also added a new color to my granny square project, this nice light aqua. I think I like it very much. I did however also take some colors out of the afghan, wasn't feeling they were quite right, so my stack of squares is still growing somewhat slowly.

And here is a nice spring feeling picture that Chloe drew. I'm not sure when she did it, the girls do almost all their drawings in blank sketchbooks (cause 100's and 100's of loose drawings in the house does not seem like it would work out so well) but once a cat puked on one of the notebooks so we had to tear out a bunch of the pages, trim off the cat puke part (sorry, gross I know) and I came across this in the stack of pictures the other day. I just love all the detail she includes in her drawings, and there is always a story to go along with them, and she never seems to forget those stories.

Thanks to all of you lovely ladies who always share such inspiration, including sweet Ginny with her Yarn Along, crafty clever Julia and her Sewing Bee, and wonderful Melanie for her super great emails and long distance sewing companionship!

We may not have much spring color outside yet, but we are trying to create it inside as best we can!


...

22 comments:

a little crafty nest said...

Renee, And a thank you to you, too, for your sweet posts and lovely sewing inspirations to me!!! I always love seeing what you are sewing, i just love your colour combos. I'm interested in the Easter book...what do you think is the appropriate ages for it? My oldest is 5 1/2 yrs and he is quite sensitive to any sort of conflict. By the way, I chuckled at your "gross" part, but smiled too!
xo Jules

Lily Boot said...

Your pot holders are lovely and the granny square colours very pretty. I know what you mean about unlikeable colours in an afghan - I finished my ripple last year and now when I fold it over the arm of the sofa, I always have it one side up - I don't like the combo on the other! Enjoy your gardening and I'll send your spinach warm thoughts.

MJ said...

Your daughter's drawing is absolutely lovely!! And I am still loving your crochet squares :).

Kaylana said...

Keep going on those squares!
The cat story had me laughing! Some would say just pitch the whole book - but there are some wonderful memories tucked inside. And the stories that go with each one... maybe she should start writing them down. :-)
(Words of advice for me with my 7 year old too...)
Cheers!

Mandi said...

Her Picture is so sweet! I'd like to jump in and help out.

Emily@theNest said...

Hello fellow-crocheter! There is only a few of us o Yarn Along I think!! I 've been meaning to make new potholders for AGES, I really must get making them... We have had beautiful warm days (unusual in Ireland!!) and I've my seeds started too- I'm blessed to have a polytunnel. Love your daughters picture, childrens pictures are precious! X

Erin said...

Those crochet squares are so sweet! Now I really have to learn to crochet I think...

Amy said...

Your granny squares are lovely.

KnitterMama said...

I planted some seeds early myself. have been watching them daily and no signs yet but maybe soon...

Heidi said...

I love the aqua in the squares...I just gave my daughter her first sketchbook (small size) for her doodles...she studiously carried it everywhere she went and drew lovely stick figure portraits of everything and everyone she saw...I'll have to get her some larger books to use...now, if she could only paint in the book...I have a large stack falling off of the top of the refrigerator of her paintings...

Tonya Gunn said...

Dear Renee,
While in most places we still have over a foot of snow, their is one garden, near a grove of maples that has melted and I am so tempted to also plant some lettuce.... But alas, a winter storm is predicted for tomorrow night.
Love your potholder! and your Chloe's drawing.
Warm wishes, Tonya

W-S Wanderings said...

Yep, I just wanna step right into that drawing. She has captured not only the details of the subjects, but also the relationships. Fabulous! And your handwork, mama, is always inspiring.

window into our life of love, joy, and adventures! said...

I love the colors in the granny squares : ) and the lil drawing is just adorable! Reminds me of when my kids were young and always hard at work with their art.

S/V Mari Hal-O-Jen said...

Pretty colors! I need new potholders too but I never considered simply recovering the old ones - brilliant!!!

Mama Ash Grove said...

Oh Renee, many many thanks to you too! I am always uplifted by you- your posts, and your wonderful chatty emails! <3 When we live across the woods from each other. . .
I am so very impressed with Chloe's art- her perspective is wonderful. Are you or Jason artistic with drawing?
I always love your vintagey colors you use in your projects, our tastes are so similar I think. And when we live across the woods I'll come over with my basket and you'll help me learn granny squares.
I just discovered the Tiptoes Easter book, and would very much love to get my hands on it! Ella has always been a Tiptoes fan, but now Asa and Ollie Winter are falling in love too. They of course love Pinecone and Pepperpot. Maybe they think of themselves?
<3

Bending Birches said...

oh, gorgeous and thoughtful as always, friend:)
xxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxo

Mein Weg said...

Your girls draw always so loveley pictures!
There must be so much good "food" in their souls!

perches said...

cute potholders!

Unknown said...

Hello sweet mommie, I to love Reg's books but didn't know about this one. How lucky you are to have a library so close, I don't even think there is one in this country, maybe in the main city. Your granny squares are lovely I can't wait to see the project completed. My mom is here and I asked her if she wanted to learn to make granny squares with me. (maybe for the future babe:) Chloe's sweet drawing,, so delightfully happy, a beautiful picture indeed. You have a talented little artist in home. We shall be leaving within the next couple of months, Fabien tells me it's warming up over there. We shall see you soon. xxxx

Hullabaloo Homestead said...

I feel like I know those trees in your pictures! We are always finding drawings everywhere too. We have moved to notebooks, but it seems like every and any little piece of paper gets used for drawing, so there are still floaters, although when I find them...they are like little treasures. :)Lisa

Sparklee said...

I love your daughter's drawing--there is so much personality and activity in it! Cute pot holders, too!

Heather said...

Love those potholders! I've been wanting to make some patchwork potholders and now you've inspired me to get going on it. Yours are so fresh and pretty.