Snow, Yes, Snow

Yesterday we got a piddeling amount of snow in the afternoon. Zoe chose to stay inside with me but Tait took Kaiya about for just a few minutes. Then, later in the evening it really started coming down good and we woke up to a nice amount to play in. (The yard is so up and down, I won't give you a quote on the inches.)Now, I have been thinking all season that the girls really need some nice, new woolen mittens but, honestly, I didn't think we were going to be getting any real amount of snow at all this year. So, here is the snow and no mittens, because, of course, I want some nice woolen mittens, not icky acrylic, store-bought mittens. And this brings me to this morning, knitting two little pairs of mittens just as fast as my hands would go, as the little ladies were so eager to get outside. Whew! My hands are tired. But they are the proud owners of new woolen mittens, lovingly (and speedily) knit by their mother. Blue for Kaiya (her favorite color), and red for Zoe.
And off we went, sliding and stomping through the snow. And here in NC snow means no school and no work so it was so nice to have hubby home to play with us.

Show and Tell Sunday

Happy Sunday, everyone! This weekend I saw the documentary from Ricki Lake (yes, the talk show host) and director Abby Epstein, 'The Business of Being Born'. This was such a beautiful film, if you are expecting or have any interest in natural birth I highly recommend you watch it. It explores natural and homebirths and the devastating turns that are occuring in "traditional" hospital births. I talked about it a little more in depth on my Natural Family Living blog.

This films does show actual births and can get a little graphic, if this type of thing bothers you. To me it doesn't. I watched it with Kaiya, who is almost 4 and she loved watching the birth scenes. I think it is so important that our daughters see women birthing naturally and without fear as opposed to the way childbirth is typically depicted on mainstream television and movies.
Btw, I know you can tell where my head has been lately. You may not know this about me but natural childbirth and parenting is something I am quite passionate about. But, I promise we will get back to crafting next week.

North Carolina Natural Family Living

I wanted to share my latest project with you. No yarn, fabric or paper involved here. This is a very special project. I have been a stay-at-home mommy for almost four years now. Raising my children in a way that comes more naturally to me than the standard model of child "rearing". And while we have the support of our families we struggle to find like-minded families to interact with, in our area. So, rather than wait for someone us to reach out to us, I have begun to reach myself.

Thus is born North Carolina Natural Family Living. Now, I know most of my readers are not in my area. If you are, we would to have you join us. Otherwise, I did want to share my new blog through the site. All about, well, obviously, natural family living.

I ♥ Mary Englebreit

I was so sad to hear that Mary Englebreit's Home Companion is no longer being published. You can go here to learn why. Such an inspiring magazine and a real visual feast. But one of my favorite things about ME mag was the free paper dolls in every issue. I pulled them all out of my back issues and stored them, not knowing exactly what I would do with them. But I was recently inspired (I can't remember what caused the lightening bolt) to cut them all out and display as the art they are.

How sweet is that?! Here's more waiting to be cut.

Show and Tell Sunday

Some paper dolls for you today.

I really love paper dolls, though I have never liked to play with them. I've just always thought they were so charming just they way they are. I found these sweethearts at Kiddio. I also offer up for Sunday's show and tell these lovely coloring pages FREE! from Mary Engelbreit's online shop. That is, if you are a ME fanatic like me. She has other freebies there, as well. And tomorrow I will show you how I have combined my love of Mary and paper dolls. Til then....!

I Almost Forgot

My little flawed frames. I don't know where my head is today. Hubby let me sleep in til almost noon, as Zoe is still letting me get very little sleep. And now I am having a lazy day, mostly knitting and snuggling. Wait, I have no pic for the day. Hold on....

And....

A sweet cotton hat in the same stitch as these. I really don't know why it has not occured to me til now to use it in a hat. And I'm beginning to think warm weather thoughts (though, I'm trying real hard not to)so I thought it must be a nice soft cotton.
Anywho, my little flawed frames have found two new homes; Angie and ismoyo! Thank you everyone for all the frame love. I have all but one up in the shop, now.
Have a happy weekend, all!

Perfect!!

I am so pleased with how these turned out! The zigzag was exactly what they needed.




And I got a little carried away and made these, too.


I'll get these and probably more, listed in the shop in the next few days. But, if you would like either of the flawed pieces you are still quite welcome to comment in the last post. That will be open until this Saturday.

Not Quite Right

I have had the idea for these brewing in my head for a couple of weeks, so I was so eager to get started on them after I finished up Zoe's birthday stuff. I really love making them but I am not quite satisfied with them yet. I think I may try a zigzag stitch over the raw edges. With these I have treated the edges with Fray Check, but I am thinking that closing up the edges may keep the fabric from moving around so much as I sew around the outside.



The fabric is backed with a heavy Pellon interfacing and an extra piece is sewn onto the back to slip your photo into. I really dig them but I think I'll work on them some more today til I get them just right. But, this leaves me with these two flawed pieces. So, if you would like to give one of them a home leave me a coment on this post and I would love to send one to you. I will draw two names this Saturday. That would be..........the 21st. And these are so light I'll send them anywhere. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have some success to show you.

TTFN!

My Baby is 2! or The Dresses

So, as you can see, I made the doll a matching dress. Though, apparently it's not nearly as fascinating as those JujyFruits.

She's not been sleeping well,though, and that means I'm sleeping next to none. I guess she must be working on the last of her baby teeth. But, I'm exhausted so I think I'll take a little nap, now that hubby is home.

Show and Tell Sunday/Zoe's Birthday

Today, my sweet Zoe Gail turned 2. I always hear other mothers say how it feels like "only yesterday" they were itty bitty babies or still kicking aroud inside them. Not the case with Zoe. It feels like she has always been with us. I can barely recall life without her. My Zoe has a very strong personality. I already knew who she was going to be while she was still inside of me. I felt her first kicks when I was about 13 weeks along. But within that month, her kicks became so strong and forceful I felt that I must have been farther along than we thought. So much that my midwife decided to do the home visit (my girls were both born at home) a few weeks early, just in case. As it turned out, I actually went 15 days over my due date. But, we knew from then that a little hurricane was entering our lives. She was born hard and fast the day after Valentine's Day. She could not even wait for her bag of waters to rupture and was born in the caul. And she has definately not failed to live up to her reputation. She never stops, never gives up, and is just about the sweetest little devil I have ever known.

And she wanted to show off her new big girls panties. We started training her just a few days ago.

I have more pics to share but I will get to them tomorrow. For now, though, I did want to share a couple of thrifty finds I picked up a couple of days ago.