in the new year

hello friends.  I don't have much happening on my end at the moment besides cleaning up, purging & making my 2011 list.  Here's how it stands:
- get lenses for my awesome new wooden glasses
- take a page from elsie marley, simple, organized & cool.
- give this midwife some business
- organize my studio, again.
- do more yoga
- make homemade cheese somehow
-  give these children some breakfast. 

happy new year all of you. 
Lily

making a bit of christmas magic for a friend.

Hello all you holiday makers,  we're gearing up just like you are for all the festivities later in the week. While my lists are done,  I got a chance to help a good friend this week by making her boys some stockings to hang for Santa.  I had been making mittens using old felted sweaters and this fantastic free tutorial from Five Green Acres ( and Mary Jo's old sweaters too! ) .  These stockings were simple to make using the scraps from the sweaters.  I used an old stocking as a pattern and than cut it into 5 pieces.  Using the pattern I tried to make a white, blue & green stocking each embroidered with the sweet boy's name.  I like the cozy handmade look of them,  maybe I'll make some for my boys next year.      there's always next year rite?! 
Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays to you all. 

Cheers,  Lily

homemade cocoa

 

Here's a simple homemade gift for your neighbors & friends.  

Hot Cocoa mix:

 1 cup cocoa + 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

or if you like it a little bittersweet reduce the sugar to 1 1/4 cup. 

We mixed them together with a whisk and carefully packaged them into jars as gifts.  

Add one tsp cocoa mix for every cup of milk, heat, serve & smile.  

here's to getting a bit of the holiday spirit, 

lily & oscar

after the first snow

knitting for my dear sisters

Advent candles, one for each boy, found them .here

recycled sweater tree garland inspired by meg

 We Wisconsinites got our first snowfall yesterday.  It was perfect,  only 4 inches or so and on a Saturday.  I had been thinking about starting to unearth the Christmas box and this snow storm completely got me into the holiday spirit.  Here's some views from around our house this weekend.

Simple snowflake ribbon wrapped around a wreath. 

I found this amazing vintage felt appliques thrift shopping,  I'm happy I got to finally use them.

Finally a tree for the boys room.  I think this is the year they will reallllly get into the holidays.

 

 

and he is 5

 This once tiny boy is 5.  We had a very full week with new work and preparations for a celebration.  For sanity's sake ( yes, she flew over the house for a moment last week) I did NOT do the crown, the hobo lunches, the t shirt or a  extravagant cake.  Without intending on having a theme it turned into a circle party.

 Vanilla cupcakes with vanilla frosting and sprinkles,  I was told that is what kids have at their birthdays, not cakes.   I did make hobo gift bags filled with dollar store gifts.  They were simple and fun,  a simple place mat construction with loops on 3 sides and a long rope on the 4th.  Polka-dots were on the outsides of all, in case they take them to ride the rails.

 We made pizza's, ate a ton of veggie sticks and cantaloupe.  The kids ran wild & the adults drank too much coffee, it was a nice party for a Saturday afternoon.  To finish off the birthday weekend we all went to 'Strega Nona the Musical' today, a favorite book.

When I get a moment to reflect on it all I am astounded at this past 5 years, I can't even fathom what is next. 






( felix 2 months old & me  26)

a musical break

Our good friend Steffan Jonsson from Sweden.  He came this spring to pick up a guitar made by another friend Devin. As always in our home, a safe haven for musicians, a shop party in their honor made for some amazing music.  Here's a taste.  Have a great week.

tiny acorn hat

Ta Da!!
my first try at a hat,  a teeny tiny hat.  I modified this free pattern on ravelry called swell.  Since my kids arn't surfers I thought an acorn pattern would be cute.  Even though they look more like Chinese lanterns than acorns I'm happy with the result.  And while there's no one in our home to fit this tiny hat I'm sure I can find a little person to give this too before the winds blow. 

Now to cast on for one double this size for my guys. 

acorns again?  we'll see.