moments and makings and musings

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Salsify trampled by the rain.
Hooray! It rained!
And maybe more today. Maybe more tomorrow.
Monsoon season.

Early mornings in the garden.
A new bed made along the side of the greenhouse. Collards transplanted. Swiss chard nestled in amongst volunteer kale and overwintered carrots going to seed. There is still a tray of kale that I think will get transplanted into bare patches in the strawberry bed.

Dolls in various stages. Tucked into a soft wool bed by the girls so they stay cozy. And so there aren't a bunch of doll heads laying around...

Chloe has been doing some spinning on the drop spindle, and Chessa a bit too. And then knitting more cats. This is just how it is with cats I guess, whether real or knitted, it is easy to suddenly end up with too many.
(The girls of course do not consider there to be too many cats...)

I'm embroidering slowly. I'm knitting slowly. I'm getting much done in the garden in the moments I have to step outside.

I'm joining Lisa in a Waldorf planning course over the next 5 weeks or so. Feeling a bit uncomfortable, and laughing a lot, that I am considered a guest speaker. (Joking that I am not going to say a word!) (Sorry Lisa, I will though, I promise.)
I am very grateful for the course and inspiration. Usually at this time of year I am buried in notebooks, calendar pages, lesson notes, story ideas. But I haven't done much of any of that yet this year. How unlike me. I am excited to get started though!

One last thought...
Is there any 9 year old child who would not greatly benefit from time spent pounding nails with a hammer? I think most likely not.


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for love, and just because...

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In our own simple way we celebrated a lovely little valentine's day. It may not seem to be a very significant holiday, but I see it as a time to add a little extra color and cheer (and love of course) to these sometimes dark and often long winter days.

The girls spent many days making many, many valentines, most of them for their dolls. And then, inspired by the so very wonderful Tasha Tudor, we made our very own "Sparrow Post" to receive the various cards, love letters, and tiny handmade gifts.

And it snowed. And snowed and snowed and snowed. For many days of the past weeks. We are finally having a real winter!

So we will continue to embrace the simpleness and loveliness of these winter days...


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~ Yarn Along ~

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I am always happy when I am able to Ginny for her wonderful Yarn Along.

I have just one small knitting project to finish up right now and am really feeling the need to start something new. I already have more cardigans planned, maybe pink ones for spring and summer birthdays, but those will have to wait until yarn can be purchased. For now I will try to think of something small and fun, maybe something with the girls. Ahh, that is a good idea...


So now I will finally show you finished pictures of a few of the handmade holiday gifts.


This is one set of the nesting bowls. These sure were neat to make. I was able to knit all the bowls in the evenings, and the wet felting was very enjoyable. Goodness I love wool!


And mittens for the girls, the first pairs I have ever knitted. Also very fun.


Since I knit both pairs from the same green yarn I decided to add a small bit of embroidery to each pair. These mittens have seen a lot of use already. Chloe's are even kind of muddy. Chessa's have come home from the horses covered in burrs.


And some hat/bonnet pictures. I plan on updating my ravelry page with notes on patterns, etc., but I've never really ever updated much of anything on my ravelry page, so who knows when I will really get around to it. The hat pattern though is called Pauline, and quite wonderful I think. I love how it covers the girls ears so well too. I may want to make these again in thicker yarns next winter.

I am happy to say that hats, mittens, and cardigans are worn almost everyday. I am so grateful that my girls love to wear their mama made clothing. It feels so good to be able to clothe them in handmade warmth.


I had been wanting to share this beautiful old book, in really great condition, that we found at the library book sale a few months ago. It makes me very happy. I just so happened to be in the picture, and rather than edit myself out I decided I could just leave it...


I do believe our winter wishes have been answered, winter seems to have finally wakened!
I wrote last year here about some of our other favorite winter books. (And if you asked about the winter book from my last post, you can see more of it there.)

(And this brings up the whole comments and questions thing again. I never know where/how best to answer. I would like to try to start responding more within the comments. I think I will try that...)

And finally I have picked up my poor neglected granny squares. I do not mind that I went three seasons without working on them. It was always meant to be that kind of project, most special for cozy winter days. It was nice to start working on them again, on a beautiful snowy day...

I wonder if you have any special winter handwork projects happening?
Happy creating!


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pinafore love ~ my storybook girl

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My oldest child has just turned 11. Oh my goodness, my dear sweet girl.

And this sweet girl of mine surely needed a pinafore...

So I made one for her.

It just so happened that there was some "storybook apron" sewing going on, and as I finished up this pinafore I realized I could contribute...

Our beautiful children's books are always inspiring me.

When Chloe received the pinafore she exclaimed, "You made me a Five Little Peppers pinafore!"

Vintage fairy tale illustrations always offer inspiration...



Elsa Beskow books are adored around here...




Tasha Tudor inspires us in so very many ways!

Vintage green linen..

all kinds of pleats..

And a little hand embroidery.

For this beautiful person who inspires me so much every single day!


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