tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45390115590431811642024-03-21T18:14:45.740-04:00Random HappinessReminding myself to enjoy life's little pleasuresLizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14877599198159325096noreply@blogger.comBlogger111125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539011559043181164.post-69613872083863134872013-04-25T15:33:00.003-04:002013-04-26T16:24:58.422-04:00Eyelet Yoke Cardigan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Continuing on with my list of really great free knitting patterns I used to prepare for Baby's arrival is the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/eyelet-yoke-baby-cardigan">eyelet yoke cardigan</a>. The eyelet yoke detail is lovely and might seem a little bit girly, but I think depending on your choice of yarn it could be appropriate for a baby boy, too. Since we didn't know whether Baby would be a boy or a girl, I opted to omit the eyelet details on the sleeves and lower border, and just used it on the yoke. This could be made even more masculine by using a nice navy or deep blue yarn, but I opted to use yarn already in my stash: a beautifully soft and warm alpaca yarn that my Mom had purchased for me while traveling in South America. The yarn, Indiecita DK, is truly lovely, though it does shed quite a bit. It leaves my black fleece looking a mess, but V doesn't seem to notice. (Rav details <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/lizzym25/eyelet-yoke-baby-cardigan">here</a>)<br />
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The pattern is written in great detail up to the point where you separate for the sleeves. After that, you have to have a good idea of what length you want to make the sleeves and the body, because little guidance is given with regards to either. I used the same sleeve and body length measurements I used for my <a href="http://lizzymrandomhappiness.blogspot.com/2013/03/puerperium.html">puerperium cardigans</a>. I probably should have made the body and sleeves just a touch longer, since the resulting sweater has the 3-6 month width, but is a little on the short side. Nevertheless, I love this cardigan, and will likely make it again as a baby gift.<br />
<br />Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14877599198159325096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539011559043181164.post-2741904720775366752013-03-03T11:35:00.000-05:002013-03-03T11:35:20.957-05:00Puerperium<div style="text-align: left;">
Without a doubt, my favorite newborn sweater to knit and to put on V is <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/puerperium-cardigan">puerperium</a>. It is a great little cardigan, entirely seamless, which knits up in no time. I loved it so much, in fact, that I have made three so far (Ravelry details <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/lizzym25/puerperium-cardigan-2">here</a>, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/lizzym25/puerperium-cardigan">here</a>, and <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/lizzym25/puerperium-cardigan-3">here</a>). These are so adorable on babies, and truly so easy to put on and take off of newborns. </div>
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I used Superwash yarns for all three sweaters, knowing that I would probably not be doing a whole lot of hand washing those early weeks. The cream and pink sweaters were knit using Cascade 220 Superwash, which felt a little scratchy at first but softened up beautifully after blocking. The gray puerperium was knit using Knit Picks Swish DK. That, too, softened up quite nicely, but felted slightly upon machine washing. It's the first time I have a problem with Swish felting, but at least it was only a tiny bit and nothing to extreme.<br />
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One thing I love about these sweaters is that they work equally well for a boy as they do for a girl. We didn't know we were having a girl, and so the first two sweaters I knit were done in gender-neutral colors: gray and cream. I also like that you could totally personalize the sweater by making it striped, adding an intarsia pattern, or even adding some texture to the body. And since they are so teeny tiny, you don't mind the stockinette body at all - by the time you are beginning to get bored of it, it's time to knit the bottom border and bind off!!<br />
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V just recently outgrew her pink puerperium, which I knit at a slightly looser gauge than the other two. By simply adding a little bit of length to the body and sleeves, she was able to wear this one from one and a half months to around 3 months, right after outgrowing the other two. Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14877599198159325096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539011559043181164.post-81376653212067530902013-02-20T07:30:00.000-05:002013-03-03T11:36:33.775-05:00Saartje's Booties<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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First up on the free baby patterns I love list: <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/saartjes-bootees">Saartje's Booties</a>. This pattern is incredibly easy and these adorable little booties fly off the needles. I knit these up over a few days after V was born, but waited a while to seam up and add buttons. I know lots of knitters have an aversion to seaming (myself included), but these really are not that bad. Just in case it's a total deal breaker for you, <br />
you can do a search on Ravelry -- I think I spotted a seamless version of this pattern on there.<br />
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I made mine using some gray KnitPicks fingering sock yarn, figuring that would ensure they were soft, durable, and washable. I didn't do the color change because at the time I only had this color of fingering sock yarn handy, but the pattern calls for a color change between the sole and the top of the bootie, making them all the more adorable. I searched through my stash of buttons, and unearthed these fun hot pink flower buttons I got from my Mom's button collection a while ago. I love them so!<br />
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I would totally recommend making these booties - they are beyond adorable and easy to put on. Of course, that makes them easy to kick off, too, but I think modifying the placement of the straps would go a long way to remedying that. For my next pair (yes, I will knit another pair using thicker yarn and bigger needles, in hopes they will fit baby in the next three months), I think I will use a single ankle strap to keep these guys on. Hopefully that will do the trick. (Ravelry project notes <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/lizzym25/saartjes-bootees">here</a>).Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14877599198159325096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539011559043181164.post-85660377552652341582013-02-19T15:47:00.002-05:002013-03-03T11:36:57.597-05:00Nesting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Before our baby girl arrived, I had this overwhelming urge to get ready for her arrival. Now, I know that traditionally, women who have this "nesting" instinct clean their home, cook meals to stock their freezer, and prepare the nursery. I did some of that, of course. But for me, nesting took the form of knitting. Yep, knitting.<br />
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Having had a summertime babe the first time around, I was a little worried about keeping our newest addition warm in late fall. So last summer, just as soon as the last box was unpacked and the house felt like it was moderately under control, I started on a list of gender neutral pieces I wanted to knit for our Fall baby. I didn't get to knit all of the items on my list, but enough to see this baby through her first two months in cozy handknits. Over the next few days, I'll share the wonderful (free!!) baby patterns I used for these handknits, in hopes you can use them and love them as much as I did. Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14877599198159325096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539011559043181164.post-16009416157314741522013-01-17T15:18:00.000-05:002013-01-17T15:27:45.400-05:00Happy 2013!!Happy new year!!<br />
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I can hardly believe that it's now 2013. I know everyone says it, but, really, where did 2012 go? It was a very busy year for us, full of big decisions and changes for our little family. The biggest bit of news is this:<br />
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We welcomed the newest member of our family, a little girl, at the end of November. Big brother M is over the moon in love with her - and luckily the newness of it all hasn't faded for him. He continues to break into that big gorgeous smile any time he talks to her or even talks about her. I know it won't always be like this (I am a big sister myself, after all), so I will carry this picture in my mind and heart forever.</div>
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Little V is now 7 weeks old and has integrated into our family quite nicely. Mikey and I are still pretty tired and sleep deprived,but we are treasuring every moment -- as we are constantly reminded by M that it all goes by too quickly (I mean, just look at him! He's so big!). </div>
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I am starting 2013 feeling really fortunate with these two little munchkins and their Daddy in my life. Now I'm off to tackle that endless pile of laundry...</div>
Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14877599198159325096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539011559043181164.post-74647579761116685342012-03-20T21:57:00.000-04:002012-03-20T21:57:00.140-04:00A puppy for Ellie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of our little friends has a birthday coming up, so I dusted off my copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Itty-Bitty-Toys-Animals-Dolls-Playthings/dp/1579653766/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331603425&sr=8-1">Itty Bitty Toys</a> and cast on for a little brown puppy this weekend. The pattern calls for a cotton wool that my LYS doesn't carry, so I chose Rowan Handknit for this project instead. I'd forgotten how much I dislike knitting with 100% cotton wool until now. I find it stiff and hard to make the increases, and my hands constantly ache from knitting. Thankfully it's a quick project and the bulk of it is done, so my hands won't be aching much longer.</div>
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As I flipped through the pages of the book, I was reminded about how much I like knitting toys and wonder why I don't do it more often. I'm thinking I need to cast on a few more toys for other special little people in our lives - after all, Easter is right around the corner!</div>Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14877599198159325096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539011559043181164.post-11110731187911026832012-03-15T08:58:00.000-04:002012-03-15T08:58:31.039-04:00Not ready to say good-bye to cute<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It seems as if though almost overnight my little guy has become a big boy. Complex, well-thought out sentences have replaced the short, choppy ones of just a year ago. His pronunciation has vastly improved, and gone are the days of guessing what he had just said. I no longer need to dress him, and he's such a good little helper. He spontaneously tells us that he loves us and compliments us on our clothes (so funny and terribly sweet). </div>
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But the most drastic change (or at least the most noticeable, since the other ones were gradual changes) is his new love for all things <i>boy.</i></div>
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At not-nearly-4, I thought I had at least another year before he would discover that kind of play. I thought we had another year of trains, dinosaurs, wild animals, planets, and bugs. While he still enjoys all those things, it is super heros, ninjas, and Star Wars that have taken over the pretend play these days. I gather they were introduced by the older kids at his school, so his understanding of each is a little questionable (he keeps talking about <i>Darn </i>Vader.. heee!). But he knows there's good guys and bad guys, and at almost-4, that seems to be a fascinating concept. Last Christmas, while out shopping, I took a stroll down the super hero aisle at the toy store. I was not impressed - these action figures were too bulky, too angry looking, too <i>grown up.</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggv6yZfRb5CTdAVp2CQlftEm9ENYrBAhYCvZ5RwAlwV7opllOI5NICprkLVnB6xFPRMp1Tcay9yVufewEj6xEGMXO41z6uM5TOJtPxAWQV1dalCAxdfQBz9XIwONHlAaEdNHBEhOsXBIOj/s1600/IMG_0434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggv6yZfRb5CTdAVp2CQlftEm9ENYrBAhYCvZ5RwAlwV7opllOI5NICprkLVnB6xFPRMp1Tcay9yVufewEj6xEGMXO41z6uM5TOJtPxAWQV1dalCAxdfQBz9XIwONHlAaEdNHBEhOsXBIOj/s400/IMG_0434.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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So I returned home, ordered some <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/iUsedToBeATree?section_id=7380019">wood peg people</a> from Etsy, and started planning. I dug up my cheap acrylic craft pain and started googling images of my favorite super heros. By the time the wood peg people arrived a couple of days later, I had a plan. It took me probably 4 hours to paint all 5 of these guys - the hardest part was waiting for them to dry. I love how cute they are, and I especially loved how happy my little guy looked when he unwrapped them at Christmastime. Since then, I've had to spray them with a sealant/varnish to keep the paint from getting damaged. It seems these super heros have a tendency of flying into each other. Or the wall. Or pretty much anything. </div>
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I love watching him play with these guys. I'm really not ready for big boy toys - and this lets me hold on to "cute" just a little bit longer.<br />
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Of course, he did ask for "a Spiderman with arms" for his birthday. Ahhh, well...Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14877599198159325096noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539011559043181164.post-54155938197385489132012-03-14T07:35:00.000-04:002012-03-14T07:35:00.913-04:00Green Tea Leaves<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Last Friday, my Green Tea Leaves cardigan finally dried and I could wear it. M, who is now home with me on Mondays and Fridays, "helped" me attach the buttons by handing them to me one by one while reminding me that "needles are very sharp, so please be careful, Mama!". It was very sweet, but it slowed down the process significantly. I had held off putting the sweater on until the buttons were all in place, and I'll tell you, it was really really hard not to rush it. </div>
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Once the buttons were finally in place, I put the cardigan on, and my first thought was how incredibly soft the yarn was. It's so soft, in fact, that I've been wearing this sweater with tank tops (it is pretty warm here now, after all). I used <a href="http://www.knitpicks.com/cfyarns/yarn_display.cfm?ID=5420209">Knit Picks Swish Tonal</a>, and I guess it's not a very popular yarn to knit adult sweaters with, because a search on Ravelry yielded few adult sweater projects using this yarn. Anyway, yes, the yarn is very, very soft. But having said that, after just 4 days of nearly around-the-clock wear, I'm starting to see some pilling on the inner sleeves.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKhFMkaIE7jpr_Y_gOl5uVretv-8hHqDIQgTO_gw_AKlLN6AItX-2cvCYhdvZUqVIqP5LpweEjZtNCFz02AVVZRaYilcM5GwgIXIn_z-HjsLB5bBRLB402yLTPcSNoA7NhiDWcyGtRt1of/s1600/green+tea+leaves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKhFMkaIE7jpr_Y_gOl5uVretv-8hHqDIQgTO_gw_AKlLN6AItX-2cvCYhdvZUqVIqP5LpweEjZtNCFz02AVVZRaYilcM5GwgIXIn_z-HjsLB5bBRLB402yLTPcSNoA7NhiDWcyGtRt1of/s400/green+tea+leaves.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Knitting up this <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/tea-leaves-cardigan">pattern</a> was a delight. I made a size 36 thinking I wanted this sweater to be an everyday sort of sweater, comfy and roomy. I should have made the next size down, and it would probably still have been roomy enough. The yoke is just a teensy bit too deep, so the arm holes feel a little too big. I prefer my sleeves to be on the long side, so next time I'll definitely be adding to their length. I've heard folks complain about the wide neck of this sweater, but I think it's lovely. I've been wearing mine in place of my much worn black fleece jacket. Luckily, it appears my outfits mostly consist of jeans these days, so it works perfectly.<br />
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All in all, I'm quite pleased with how this sweater turned out. I'm feeling pretty pumped about finally finishing an adult sweater (poor Mike is still waiting for his, and I started his 5 months before this one!), and I've already cast on for my next one. Errr... wait, maybe I should go finish Mikey's sweater first.Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14877599198159325096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539011559043181164.post-48050884645711790642012-03-13T08:04:00.000-04:002012-03-13T08:04:00.345-04:00Neglected<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh06TXpq1HFbs2jEsLBRjtdkw6HJ-sHCSRnde5Kk4M_s_2AZU9FvFCe7HSe4Q7MsbySiF0_Hqcjl6VVAPv3CRATYRAbg_sA2nMrqp1xN3HIpY7KVFG59CwdxfA7Wco4ZMWyXsi_hVJ5JwU/s1600/languishing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh06TXpq1HFbs2jEsLBRjtdkw6HJ-sHCSRnde5Kk4M_s_2AZU9FvFCe7HSe4Q7MsbySiF0_Hqcjl6VVAPv3CRATYRAbg_sA2nMrqp1xN3HIpY7KVFG59CwdxfA7Wco4ZMWyXsi_hVJ5JwU/s400/languishing.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Last year, Mikey asked me to knit him a sweater. At the time, I hadn't knit much more than baby and toddler wear, mostly hats. He bought me the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Knits-Men-Want-Knitting-Patterns/dp/B006TQUVDK/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1331174738&sr=8-1">Knits Men Want</a>, and even picked the sweater he wanted me to knit for him. I even took him to the yarn store to pick out non-itchy yarn.</div>
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And then the yarn sat, untouched, for months.</div>
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I finally cast on for his sweater last August. The knitting went pretty fast, and was enjoyable. I blocked the pieces of the sweater back in December. And they have sat, untouched, since then.</div>
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I feel really bad that this poor sweater is being neglected. But the truth is that I really do not enjoy seaming. It's, without a doubt, my least favorite thing to do, and that's probably why I gravitate towards seamless sweater patterns.</div>
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Ahh.... winter is pretty much over in our neck of the woods, but I must finish up this sweater in the next few weeks. I must. Or it will never get finished.</div>
<br />Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14877599198159325096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539011559043181164.post-70570058592069666942012-03-12T06:05:00.000-04:002012-03-12T06:05:00.393-04:00From our weekend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTUWHlLm2SMRKW1yyPMJsG5-z4rIzfcIPtHy-eegqPKxKtwt3IkGYpvAqYtqx5EnwJ3TAJzETrbLuOk48wNrBPUu-TLZjwmqMBbdxKlFRgzSM6wbThY3ZdoYLL1g9moxQFLh73IFJF5N_T/s1600/weekend1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTUWHlLm2SMRKW1yyPMJsG5-z4rIzfcIPtHy-eegqPKxKtwt3IkGYpvAqYtqx5EnwJ3TAJzETrbLuOk48wNrBPUu-TLZjwmqMBbdxKlFRgzSM6wbThY3ZdoYLL1g9moxQFLh73IFJF5N_T/s320/weekend1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>cast on for a new project</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbS8ZZN1wvZ2nXt9j7SoxKzDOkNlF2AOo9pAj3pc5oZ91n2EnVaC62g0Rncy-jrgE_2OupoHumINzaJBJMEekU1w6cyk_DTJOnL0cYH8svY3gYvS_jNoAUFI-zPBbMMdKRS2_wUj2KFcs/s1600/weekend2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbS8ZZN1wvZ2nXt9j7SoxKzDOkNlF2AOo9pAj3pc5oZ91n2EnVaC62g0Rncy-jrgE_2OupoHumINzaJBJMEekU1w6cyk_DTJOnL0cYH8svY3gYvS_jNoAUFI-zPBbMMdKRS2_wUj2KFcs/s320/weekend2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>moved the creating outdoors to enjoy the sun and mild temps</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFV9px9JwFJxtB12Tdc2StCzU6Ar5sZOTvLEv-FyGlo6Bg3UTmO1zKnHg0TXe30XaxY1ZdzYZMFlIVjB87TUaV9RsFCkwL3Cs5n10MauVBb6ucygDWiWUY9HQJ344giJml6pxf0pymEtvQ/s1600/weekend3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFV9px9JwFJxtB12Tdc2StCzU6Ar5sZOTvLEv-FyGlo6Bg3UTmO1zKnHg0TXe30XaxY1ZdzYZMFlIVjB87TUaV9RsFCkwL3Cs5n10MauVBb6ucygDWiWUY9HQJ344giJml6pxf0pymEtvQ/s320/weekend3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>swatched, planned, and painted in the sun</i></div>
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We had a lovely, low-key weekend together. The weather was delightful, and we made sure to spend plenty of time outdoors, even moving the creating and painting out to our back patio. M has been really into drawing, painting, and coloring these days. I wore my Green Tea Leaves cardigan all weekend long, but managed to get no good pictures of me wearing it. You'll have to take my word for now that it's delightfully soft and comfy (but a little big). More on that later this week.</div>
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Hope your weekend was a lovely, restful one, and that your week is starting off right.</div>
<br />Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14877599198159325096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539011559043181164.post-83121776966772393292012-03-09T07:05:00.000-05:002012-03-09T07:05:00.261-05:00This Moment<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;">Inspired by <a href="http://soulemama.com/">SouleMama</a>:</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23px;">This Moment: A Friday ritual. A single photo capturing a moment from the week. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiFtUTg8KPSmEEmE6erxfJvFrTtKOETfXfN_qoELl23OwBnRDcBbtFNMBHaY88DjRzPjfYHdRC2UsWbwyXDewqMxUhfjXsTDBjDWNqAjW4F5PlqBiPVIZl6t3gxk_bRnSMlcGkgwndg26G/s1600/DSC_6077.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiFtUTg8KPSmEEmE6erxfJvFrTtKOETfXfN_qoELl23OwBnRDcBbtFNMBHaY88DjRzPjfYHdRC2UsWbwyXDewqMxUhfjXsTDBjDWNqAjW4F5PlqBiPVIZl6t3gxk_bRnSMlcGkgwndg26G/s400/DSC_6077.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Just love those busy little hands.</i></div>
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</div>Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14877599198159325096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539011559043181164.post-84652829672114742462012-03-08T05:52:00.000-05:002012-03-08T05:52:00.264-05:00Blocking<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM072aCZ3tk3I52irtDS0gGMSuFQLGjr883NCoTFhCrSBg5jb4v5x_XEs5b5mLILPeQSUaYToC4GDsNln9N8r_sY0Rw7tEovrQzoD45p9jRIpYI2FLNRdCQCJ5aYbrdyW8b-eHUmh6t-Fm/s1600/DSC_6023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM072aCZ3tk3I52irtDS0gGMSuFQLGjr883NCoTFhCrSBg5jb4v5x_XEs5b5mLILPeQSUaYToC4GDsNln9N8r_sY0Rw7tEovrQzoD45p9jRIpYI2FLNRdCQCJ5aYbrdyW8b-eHUmh6t-Fm/s400/DSC_6023.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Blocking is an exercise in patience. I feel like I keep checking my cardigan to make sure it's dry... and it's still not. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNfW4oH5hC7rOsKeBUTReq659EvtxyOQQH3A79InglVZSTK0Riy2I11Ljq8O4LIEKUzZS0tk5brwDfVNJL4dICJCD63McqXRncoDkGefl9yGaruDY0V8o4fH1cj3-01UgGPQJc1tE69b6T/s1600/DSC_6025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNfW4oH5hC7rOsKeBUTReq659EvtxyOQQH3A79InglVZSTK0Riy2I11Ljq8O4LIEKUzZS0tk5brwDfVNJL4dICJCD63McqXRncoDkGefl9yGaruDY0V8o4fH1cj3-01UgGPQJc1tE69b6T/s400/DSC_6025.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I have to admit that blocking makes me a little bit nervous. I know that it can make your garment look so much better, but... still. I always worry something unforeseen will go wrong and all those hours will be wasted.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0fl5Ss2q-X_bV8Ua7BgHRs0LeMPefBhnQTHqoWG64B7oHR5n2wUaN_UXFAAS89X-o7F4MsDn5tH9v3KmC5Qb68a1O-7iD-QTgy_JBs6AcwOb7Z3Elcs-3BcNKEO-GCpbUYGOfeZr706Rr/s1600/DSC_6026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0fl5Ss2q-X_bV8Ua7BgHRs0LeMPefBhnQTHqoWG64B7oHR5n2wUaN_UXFAAS89X-o7F4MsDn5tH9v3KmC5Qb68a1O-7iD-QTgy_JBs6AcwOb7Z3Elcs-3BcNKEO-GCpbUYGOfeZr706Rr/s400/DSC_6026.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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But nothing went wrong. In fact, aside from the incredibly long time it's taking to dry, all is good. I've knit a few baby and toddler sweaters before, but this is the first adult sized sweater I've finished. I'm feeling pretty good about it - and can't wait for it to dry to actually put it on.Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14877599198159325096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539011559043181164.post-50426084505978905812012-03-07T06:59:00.000-05:002012-03-07T06:59:00.603-05:00What's for dinner?<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I try to plan ahead and know what I'm feeding my guys for dinner so as to avoid the last minute rush that ensues if I don't have a plan. The (sad) truth is, more often than not, life gets in the way and it's 20 minutes before dinnertime and I've got nothing. I try to keep things on hand that can be quickly turned into a tasty dinner that we will all love, but lately my family has been turning up their nose at my black bean soup. So it was time for a change.</div>
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My life saver this week has been a batch of bread dough from the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Artisan-Bread-Five-Minutes-Revolutionizes/dp/0312362919/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330010950&sr=8-1">Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day</a>. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpN3eGoeIMaBkNgKyiP-P20_XaEdOxSm4vSc22bAFWw2VzBa_ksz09MmnPRgnyvy8AmO6_aPOz0oVRzPAnH37A1Z_lYJ_TdWysFBnu_BaX_LFzH1WTgkysRipWkxuN85cQQYchc_qOnExC/s1600/what'sfordinner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpN3eGoeIMaBkNgKyiP-P20_XaEdOxSm4vSc22bAFWw2VzBa_ksz09MmnPRgnyvy8AmO6_aPOz0oVRzPAnH37A1Z_lYJ_TdWysFBnu_BaX_LFzH1WTgkysRipWkxuN85cQQYchc_qOnExC/s400/what'sfordinner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I usually keep a half batch of the master recipe on hand in my fridge (a full batch is just too large for our little family of 3), since it makes such delicious bread. One glimpse through the cookbook, and I realized it would also make delicious pizza crust and pita bread. Both have been part of our last-minute dinners this week.</div>
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Mini pizzas topped with left-over roasted veggies and caramelized onions, some salami and kalamata olives, and whatever cheese we had on hand baked in the 15 minutes it took to make a salad. The crust turned out amazing, and the best part was there was absolutely no whining from M. He even helped to make these!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWeuCEK0MdJ-dOltcE53Fjp02mQkqHtMpVzQ8Doo2Pg3EiEd-y6neyZVr4Bska6DvZfTrPY_LDuk_iw8hDhoNTS2w_2VU8-5EkVQAI4st8-dmhUbvkNEiP0akt4Oldpgw7BNNxa6rKKl1/s1600/whatsfordinner2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWeuCEK0MdJ-dOltcE53Fjp02mQkqHtMpVzQ8Doo2Pg3EiEd-y6neyZVr4Bska6DvZfTrPY_LDuk_iw8hDhoNTS2w_2VU8-5EkVQAI4st8-dmhUbvkNEiP0akt4Oldpgw7BNNxa6rKKl1/s400/whatsfordinner2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Two nights later, we used the left over dough to make pita bread to accompany the last of our salami and capiccola, white cheddar, and apples. Probably not as balanced a meal as I would ideally like, but we all gobbled it up and enjoyed every bite. And it sure beats getting take-out.</div>
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What do you keep on hand for last minute dinners?</div>Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14877599198159325096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539011559043181164.post-67396000381805041832012-03-05T06:35:00.000-05:002012-03-07T11:32:38.301-05:00From our weekend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQDmX8Xx3SUoiwXgsKMqx4n1i5ujp6Xx2AoQBH43Rw0C2VD8H7XWjGyzvpp5-UC3qxm3Baxkt05NaaAgwCEaoCH1rn70CHXz8Seqd3Xwzr_Ziie05s4O5JP7rUtcSvEI6yjU7bGsrAZKU/s1600/weekend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQDmX8Xx3SUoiwXgsKMqx4n1i5ujp6Xx2AoQBH43Rw0C2VD8H7XWjGyzvpp5-UC3qxm3Baxkt05NaaAgwCEaoCH1rn70CHXz8Seqd3Xwzr_Ziie05s4O5JP7rUtcSvEI6yjU7bGsrAZKU/s400/weekend.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>first swimming lesson</i></div>
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<i>fun with friends</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOJFE10REKhrZxxD7lvtk6T1tLIQa8cDdR94AZnFuwTIYkmPEizR358z4Xf_cjOqttwOs3egd2TpAqJk-Dmq_5fdKPjcUxWBOv_1V79qnPVfnsEKfkhS0ewzSpo-KTwDqFlbQJ5tT1QKa4/s1600/weekend2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOJFE10REKhrZxxD7lvtk6T1tLIQa8cDdR94AZnFuwTIYkmPEizR358z4Xf_cjOqttwOs3egd2TpAqJk-Dmq_5fdKPjcUxWBOv_1V79qnPVfnsEKfkhS0ewzSpo-KTwDqFlbQJ5tT1QKa4/s400/weekend2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>picked out buttons for my Green Tea Leaves</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ3n8vb6ECc4BdV9PNCOVLkzOaVSlnRFtymuxt2L-Wb-G5YLuFXeNPBf_2j2uqZ6uIFSb0XopA_x78PbmaTMfcAjvOMWKDCXkRN3gdIDhlaX2E0SHbxCXb-YL6fxuZdslJSfSfmSgOpoP8/s1600/weekend3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ3n8vb6ECc4BdV9PNCOVLkzOaVSlnRFtymuxt2L-Wb-G5YLuFXeNPBf_2j2uqZ6uIFSb0XopA_x78PbmaTMfcAjvOMWKDCXkRN3gdIDhlaX2E0SHbxCXb-YL6fxuZdslJSfSfmSgOpoP8/s400/weekend3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>finished up my first cabled knit</i></div>
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Our weekend flew by, as all good weekends do. We managed to fill it up with friends and good times, but surprisingly little crafting time for me. M had his first swimming lesson scheduled, but it was unfortunately canceled. No matter, he still enjoyed a good hour in the pool before we made our way home. Between playdates, I snuck away to find buttons for my (now finished!!) <a href="http://lizzymrandomhappiness.blogspot.com/2012/02/happy-new-yea-wait-its-february.html">Green Tea Leaves cardigan</a> and wove in the ends to my <a href="http://lizzymrandomhappiness.blogspot.com/2012/02/chunky-cables.html">Snappy hat</a>, which felt good. I never made it to my sewing machine this weekend, so the quilt will have to wait. </div>
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I love weekends like this one: full of fun times and laughter. I feel refreshed, ready for the week ahead.</div>
<br />Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14877599198159325096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539011559043181164.post-44592227551718345132012-03-02T06:40:00.000-05:002012-03-02T06:40:00.120-05:00This Moment<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;">Inspired by <a href="http://soulemama.com/">SouleMama</a>:</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23px;">This Moment: A Friday ritual. A single photo capturing a moment from the week. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBRl75Buq9deDKsEniJjkt2gN5G2rUPVOFXRr9v1uIXevuJk8VEABd0m9uiEBC3f5963YoSlsswmdWpvi62su0w4SlgfQ7wQBvNOj_o1Gv-PiYS9FzdJWb65VJNLCiUshpVLiU0c0nm03/s1600/thismoment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBRl75Buq9deDKsEniJjkt2gN5G2rUPVOFXRr9v1uIXevuJk8VEABd0m9uiEBC3f5963YoSlsswmdWpvi62su0w4SlgfQ7wQBvNOj_o1Gv-PiYS9FzdJWb65VJNLCiUshpVLiU0c0nm03/s400/thismoment.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>a little monster keeping me company while I work. Ahh, toddler love notes.</i></div>Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14877599198159325096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539011559043181164.post-26290402433804959212012-03-01T05:56:00.000-05:002012-03-01T05:56:00.152-05:00Around here...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNhYCpHticYTouvSfdDcmrrfgy7kR15rwJinCh1EDAO286GLcbVkPy_IZHwpkIuCGHxRKuXSFXnGIwe6MZbG2EltPWS_u_vZgYmUfDgcJ5pkdAYwgL4rlKr4imCi1mYerog4GB_HsTuxgL/s1600/quilting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNhYCpHticYTouvSfdDcmrrfgy7kR15rwJinCh1EDAO286GLcbVkPy_IZHwpkIuCGHxRKuXSFXnGIwe6MZbG2EltPWS_u_vZgYmUfDgcJ5pkdAYwgL4rlKr4imCi1mYerog4GB_HsTuxgL/s400/quilting.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Life is back to normal at our little house. We're returning to our routines, getting back into the swing of things, and getting projects out and worked on again. Our guest bedroom doubles as a craft space of sorts, and whenever we have visitors all my projects get put away in a mad dash to make the room comfortable and... well, tidy. (I am not the tidiest when crafting, and since my projects tend to take a long time to get completed, the room is messy more often than not).<br />
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About a week or two ago, I started cutting some darling (very girly) fabrics to make very pretty pink, blue, gray, and red quilt (with lots and lots of white, of course!). The piecing is going <i>slowly</i>. My seams are rarely accurately 1/4" and I need to pay a lot of attention as I piece to ensure that the finished block looks just right. I am not usually so fussy about piecing and the finished product, but I really want this quilt to be something that I'll be happy to display on our bed come summertime.<br />
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In preparation for my Mom's arrival, the cut fabrics were tucked away last Friday in a spot where little M wouldn't find them (he loves to <strike>mangle</strike> cut fabric these days with his toddler scissors). I took them out again last night, and am so looking forward to carving out some time to sit down at the sewing machine and see the blocks come together. This is one project I am not rushing, and will savor... hopefully the end result will be as lovely as I envision it.Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14877599198159325096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539011559043181164.post-19776714283484314862012-02-29T07:00:00.000-05:002012-02-29T07:00:09.707-05:00Chunky cables!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Lryl10G3-PZ1LGkV6GyupTtXGZ1bUs6S7TOKfGKrhMDlOu02oDE8Gv3Q7RwXRMQtlczsVx3cT4scQwT51FOtWa7VoM5JYpi9A5Fdrm2xmnud3OHSQIdWPubZB0Fv50sdxp5woHdPcPcs/s1600/DSC_5941.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Lryl10G3-PZ1LGkV6GyupTtXGZ1bUs6S7TOKfGKrhMDlOu02oDE8Gv3Q7RwXRMQtlczsVx3cT4scQwT51FOtWa7VoM5JYpi9A5Fdrm2xmnud3OHSQIdWPubZB0Fv50sdxp5woHdPcPcs/s400/DSC_5941.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I dug through my yarn bin this afternoon and located a lone skein of Cascade 128, a bulky Peruvian highland wool that I bought on a whim a few years ago. I remember buying it, with no real project in mind, back when I first started knitting in 2009. It has sat, lonely and ignored in my yarn bin until now. I was delighted that I could get a jump start on my cabled practice project right away - no need to go buy yarn or anything. I am loving the natural cream color of this yarn, and am so totally psyched that I'm actually knitting cables!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP1SM71zEqXz1kGmPSgppIiFNIo9fAAybnx5ZhzEmILRbBGSqovTVdHFcMheIr-lPoj4vFlc2Mu1_mIhoN_GfHnwsy_PcjwiGrTrHIYQ8Vvw9WF7sLgNXxO47TdHuuM3dQEyQHl0YZ4wAk/s1600/DSC_5943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP1SM71zEqXz1kGmPSgppIiFNIo9fAAybnx5ZhzEmILRbBGSqovTVdHFcMheIr-lPoj4vFlc2Mu1_mIhoN_GfHnwsy_PcjwiGrTrHIYQ8Vvw9WF7sLgNXxO47TdHuuM3dQEyQHl0YZ4wAk/s400/DSC_5943.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The pattern is a free Ravelry download, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/snappy-hat">Snappy Hat</a>, and it's really easy to follow. It's definitely a great first cabled project, and the fact that it uses bulky weight yarn makes it go pretty fast. I took these pictures after knitting for just a couple of hours. I am really looking forward to seeing how this hat turns out - if it looks half as cute as the ones people have posted on Ravelry, I'm in for a treat!Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14877599198159325096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539011559043181164.post-50052150629420342122012-02-28T18:56:00.000-05:002012-02-28T18:56:00.290-05:00Planning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvoQgcR_4R6LTQoY4JFkpG8qRCiKItq3Z8Yo4gYcXthr3SDDDttacV9TC83Lm55Q7BXqQ6VhrJYfeMZbq2y4p8uuqZyxVqAI8vT12uPtSBeN4s1ok9vzC4PFrUSkbK_WX3VaAAiFn0Yah/s1600/yarn1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvoQgcR_4R6LTQoY4JFkpG8qRCiKItq3Z8Yo4gYcXthr3SDDDttacV9TC83Lm55Q7BXqQ6VhrJYfeMZbq2y4p8uuqZyxVqAI8vT12uPtSBeN4s1ok9vzC4PFrUSkbK_WX3VaAAiFn0Yah/s400/yarn1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I had grand plans to stop by yesterday and share some of the fun we had this weekend with my Mom in town, but the truth is: we had so much fun that I hardly remembered to take any pictures at all! It was so great having her to ourselves for a whole weekend, and M especially loved getting to spend some quality time with his Biti. It was very sweet watching him tell her all about his passion for dinosaurs and superheroes, and asking her to read to him. <i>Thanks for the fun visit, Mom. We're all missing you already.</i></div>
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And now, it's back to reality and the routine of the everyday. I'm finding it hard to get back into the swing of things after her visit, but that's usually how it goes after having an all-fun-and-no-work sort of weekend. It's taking me a little longer today to make my usual to do lists and actually getting things done.</div>
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One thing on my to do list is to finish up my <a href="http://lizzymrandomhappiness.blogspot.com/2012/02/happy-new-yea-wait-its-february.html">Green Tea Leaves cardigan</a>. I am making good progress, with both sleeves finished and only the button bands left to go. Unfortunately, I've only got enough yarn for one of the button bands left, and will have to buy one more skein for the other one. </div>
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While I wait for the yarn to arrive, I'm starting to plan my next big knitting project: a <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/rocky-coast-cardigan">Rocky Coast cardigan</a>. It looks divine, and I cannot wait to cast on. Having never knit cables, I'm thinking maybe tackling a smaller cabled project first might be a good idea. <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/snappy-hat">This</a> hat, maybe?</div>Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14877599198159325096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539011559043181164.post-4581670372175675972012-02-24T06:58:00.000-05:002012-02-24T06:58:00.370-05:00This Moment<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;">Inspired by <a href="http://soulemama.com/">SouleMama</a>:</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23px;">This Moment: A Friday ritual. A single photo capturing a moment from the week. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23px;"><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicVFfM-zw3t6LQQ51W35ddYvo9dgSSqgEi435YF-c2DEJHl9yx3M5CQ6wr3bADfqT_XUs4vj2OCeVElWHaccJGzmmD2uPX74JLu_OriSX-P4MUw1S7bgN4l_JEwAjUSO07p9pUE_jEj2BX/s1600/tiny+tea+leaves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicVFfM-zw3t6LQQ51W35ddYvo9dgSSqgEi435YF-c2DEJHl9yx3M5CQ6wr3bADfqT_XUs4vj2OCeVElWHaccJGzmmD2uPX74JLu_OriSX-P4MUw1S7bgN4l_JEwAjUSO07p9pUE_jEj2BX/s400/tiny+tea+leaves.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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My <a href="http://lizzymrandomhappiness.blogspot.com/2012/02/making-progress.html">green tea leaves cardigan</a> is coming along nicely. The body is finished (felt like it took <i>forever)</i> and am nearing the end of sleeve #1. The end of any knitting project often feels like it can drag on, but I'm surprised at how quickly this one is going.<br />
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In the meantime, I wanted to share the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/lizzym25/tiny-tea-leaves-cardi">pink Tiny Tea Leaves cardigan</a> made for our little pink-loving friend in Seattle. Ellie is M's best friend, the little girl that he grew up with and had nearly daily play dates with from the time they were only a few weeks old. One of the reasons leaving Seattle was so hard was because the mere thought of not seeing Ellie and her family on a regular basis made me cry -- and, really, it still does.<br />
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This girl is pinkalicious. Having a boy, I of course love any and all opportunities to make pink anything. And so, last September, on our flight to a friend's wedding, I cast on for a pretty little short sleeve tiny tea leaves. It took only a couple of weeks to knit, but it sat, untouched, for months.<br />
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What is it about weaving in ends that is so daunting? Whatever the reason, ends got woven in, buttons attached, and sweater blocked in time for it to be mailed along with some very, very late Christmas presents.<br />
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I loved knitting this <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/tiny-tea-leaves-cardi">pattern</a> - so easy and straight-forward, and it totally got me psyched to make an adult version. The stripes were more a matter of necessity than a design choice: wanting to use yarn in my stash, I had three skeins of Cascade 220 Superwash in three different shades of pink. No idea what the original intent was for that yarn, but it doesn't matter: it worked and Ellie loved it.<br />
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I wish I'd been there to see her put it on, but with any luck, I'll get to see her wearing it this summer at our annual family vacation. (Yeah, right... at the rate toddlers grow, I'll be lucky if she can still wear it past April!)Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14877599198159325096noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539011559043181164.post-61666428609082267782012-02-21T20:59:00.001-05:002012-02-21T20:59:00.407-05:00Making Progress<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifxFPkrv_j1nyJEzYC_FaZ3Ru-EHcWQuiywfL-Qn74L16ptlp_P2yFec1KZSgLNkBgD6bffoLOThWaE6FcIoJKRZAdAJpLkYJKzc71eLHglJEP6d22rlAKLF5CXKZ9q7SYsyDKYXCQQCkT/s1600/green_tea_leaves_progress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifxFPkrv_j1nyJEzYC_FaZ3Ru-EHcWQuiywfL-Qn74L16ptlp_P2yFec1KZSgLNkBgD6bffoLOThWaE6FcIoJKRZAdAJpLkYJKzc71eLHglJEP6d22rlAKLF5CXKZ9q7SYsyDKYXCQQCkT/s400/green_tea_leaves_progress.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Because this weekend was a busy one, with lots of time spent outside running around, I got very little done on my Green Tea Leaves cardigan. It has reached that size where it is no longer practical to carry around and try to sneak in a row here and there, so I have resigned myself to working on it mostly at night, after M is in bed. Over the last week I managed to finish the body and am working on the first sleeve, so I am making a little (if slow) progress. </div>
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I have to say that while the color seemed a little jarring at first, it's definitely growing on me. I'm thinking it'll look really cute with dark wash jeans and boots -- and now I cannot wait until I can wear it!</div>
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<span id="goog_1963703247"></span><span id="goog_1963703248"></span></div>Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14877599198159325096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539011559043181164.post-74442795736803984932012-02-20T19:51:00.000-05:002012-02-20T19:51:11.858-05:00From our {long} weekend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyLMf1kAJYjdWTyfCvCt9d8Q-2EHsas0ttXEDofWi-nzry19xziyTsSEfCubgdtyLKQbU0y2o-8QkwC3-uB_qqqScR11uFdEexuna1qBpTP_y-BpD8Ywnl43d1fQhezzF8YxtYhWjjzOrs/s1600/weekend2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyLMf1kAJYjdWTyfCvCt9d8Q-2EHsas0ttXEDofWi-nzry19xziyTsSEfCubgdtyLKQbU0y2o-8QkwC3-uB_qqqScR11uFdEexuna1qBpTP_y-BpD8Ywnl43d1fQhezzF8YxtYhWjjzOrs/s400/weekend2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>playing patio "hockey"</i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWsiTPI2OYsBjUUpYhvUbb26vr_muMsHOvi8QNPPTVkYDDs72psedvaXV2JRIhShfCn7CLU_RajZSkZrOzf1rhvJydEIkRxK_Fbo5URLTmEN6fimokfRB6kqoKjiNcQZAFdAPsckrI3Nnv/s1600/weekend3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWsiTPI2OYsBjUUpYhvUbb26vr_muMsHOvi8QNPPTVkYDDs72psedvaXV2JRIhShfCn7CLU_RajZSkZrOzf1rhvJydEIkRxK_Fbo5URLTmEN6fimokfRB6kqoKjiNcQZAFdAPsckrI3Nnv/s400/weekend3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>barefoot at the park (in near 70 degree weather) making sand angels</i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdgOsrTQQNOZiyKv-2idphXee2egeP6s2AeBSaZono5z3AxalmQPN9uo3WfM2XKDTJmli8BB_XcID7of51QudV_tQw1Po_HyWb11SMSUPnXfJZsRG8ofXUgZ6KqbLc1CSeQUohpnHtm2zk/s1600/weekend4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdgOsrTQQNOZiyKv-2idphXee2egeP6s2AeBSaZono5z3AxalmQPN9uo3WfM2XKDTJmli8BB_XcID7of51QudV_tQw1Po_HyWb11SMSUPnXfJZsRG8ofXUgZ6KqbLc1CSeQUohpnHtm2zk/s400/weekend4.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>climbing trees</i></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-_vTJNvHqNdl9cBOhcT4eywcsx0PADSULH3b7DVwW38bIYUwpIQRB5IAVESGJIUZeWI1DaUbnIJwsJF9aNP-5oU_5WmeshXO3l5e-JPn7Q1hSnh8uSa0I9wx4WVvvPOQ22u9mLzCmmpkP/s1600/weekend6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-_vTJNvHqNdl9cBOhcT4eywcsx0PADSULH3b7DVwW38bIYUwpIQRB5IAVESGJIUZeWI1DaUbnIJwsJF9aNP-5oU_5WmeshXO3l5e-JPn7Q1hSnh8uSa0I9wx4WVvvPOQ22u9mLzCmmpkP/s400/weekend6.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>enjoying having daddy home, out collecting pine needles</i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuROGzRD7HKcZFJm-2-nFDSivqfk7c7RasaHE-ohHPPPr-0Y1LtkrfMI8UlhC8ucZpFfg9p0B-LqOpQJzYhcxnSmaOX3ZyILcyIRr9O0z8pKrA6OfBRWl5pOovUHh5otp6p1ixE9u9Cdaf/s1600/weekend5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuROGzRD7HKcZFJm-2-nFDSivqfk7c7RasaHE-ohHPPPr-0Y1LtkrfMI8UlhC8ucZpFfg9p0B-LqOpQJzYhcxnSmaOX3ZyILcyIRr9O0z8pKrA6OfBRWl5pOovUHh5otp6p1ixE9u9Cdaf/s400/weekend5.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>building a nest for his baby dinos</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div>Mikey was gone for part of the weekend, which left M and me to have each other's undivided attention for a couple of days. We spent our Friday and Saturday enjoying the unseasonably warm weather we've been having by playing outdoors as much as possible. I really loved running around at the park like a 3-year-old, pretending to be a dinosaur ninja (whatever that may be). And I hope that as he grows, he'll remember his Mom making a fool of herself growling and jumping and running around, and he'll know, without a doubt, that he's loved.<br />
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On Sunday, Mikey returned home, just in time for cold, rainy weather. We spent the day at home, cooking, laughing, and (what else?) roaring and pretending to be dinosaurs. (For some reason I always end up being the T. Rex that everyone runs away from. I'm trying not to take it personally.) I'm told there was snow not too far from us, but by the time we woke up this morning, there was only a slight dusting where we live. Today, we've been soaking up one last day together before having to get back to the everyday routine tomorrow. Luckily for us, my Mom will be here later this week, to join in the fun.<br />
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<i>Thank goodness for long weekends.</i><br />
<span id="goog_1457743679"></span><span id="goog_1457743680"></span>Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14877599198159325096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539011559043181164.post-74402726905060804882012-02-16T06:48:00.006-05:002012-02-16T06:48:00.406-05:00First finish of 2012: Wonder Years<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwTHHDXXLydl1lD1LwqmLjV7dpKAoL5yXKilKXFaAR9pWCGUxADe-c2Smbc46vhC38wEuhAdboZkzi1s2NOYu7Pl5vbC9UJHth_iM37w8u6eMc3_-89crjsKZMjjxOnxsw5bA3AjrfOX2i/s1600/IMG_0824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwTHHDXXLydl1lD1LwqmLjV7dpKAoL5yXKilKXFaAR9pWCGUxADe-c2Smbc46vhC38wEuhAdboZkzi1s2NOYu7Pl5vbC9UJHth_iM37w8u6eMc3_-89crjsKZMjjxOnxsw5bA3AjrfOX2i/s400/IMG_0824.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I considered setting the goal of knitting 12 sweaters in 2012, but I am notorious for setting crafty goals and not meeting them, so I figured: why set myself up for failure? Instead, I'm challenging myself to knit all the sweaters on my wish list that I've actually purchased yarn for. Luckily, I've only purchased yarn for 4 sweaters (one of them toddler sized), so it's definitely feeling doable. And until that goal is achieved, I just can't justify buying any more yarn.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>There's nothing like putting oneself on a yarn diet to motivate one to actually knit. Go figure.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhKIpr3VvI0WFEhR3Wzcl4k3lmQdBOmArPas_8gvO1R1S_NHJsTwEMTZv29T9oexl46LnwHqUiMpZ-ymBZIbgQuUnqdQI4pTJr0euM-7cNkUYw_Akvvo5QJSwfPyx1xxrTLeD5TE3HSis0/s1600/DSC_5525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhKIpr3VvI0WFEhR3Wzcl4k3lmQdBOmArPas_8gvO1R1S_NHJsTwEMTZv29T9oexl46LnwHqUiMpZ-ymBZIbgQuUnqdQI4pTJr0euM-7cNkUYw_Akvvo5QJSwfPyx1xxrTLeD5TE3HSis0/s400/DSC_5525.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have two sweaters in the works with said purchased yarn, and one of them will be finished by the end of the week, come what may. But today I wanted to share a sweater not originally on my sweater knit list, which also happens to be the first sweater I finished in 2012.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Back in December, when I should have been working on holiday gifts, I cast on for this <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/wonder-years-toddler-child-cardigan">Wonder Years cardigan </a>for M (details <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/lizzym25/wonder-years-toddler-child-cardigan">here</a>). It's a really great top-down raglan sweater pattern and I love that it comes in a wide variety of sizes (up to a size 8-10 years!!). This pattern is so clearly written and very easy to follow, and I know that I will definitely be making more of these in various colors and fibers. I worked on it a bit over the holidays, while in the car heading down to visit family, but the truth is that it mostly sat untouched until January, when I really made it a point to finish it.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhABAQm0jUL-oEqr9nt_6CKvjxBZkbUu-OF22RkKKRoRdV1S5Q57nj2Hjlh8R6EwfuZ-zsMlm1EUjAQ1mn_t7S7tfh8Ae0Tnr5MggS_lAyKoGCzx2aP8Mj9gp0IOUyP4tzF0tSYcQ4tMMsn/s1600/IMG_0825.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhABAQm0jUL-oEqr9nt_6CKvjxBZkbUu-OF22RkKKRoRdV1S5Q57nj2Hjlh8R6EwfuZ-zsMlm1EUjAQ1mn_t7S7tfh8Ae0Tnr5MggS_lAyKoGCzx2aP8Mj9gp0IOUyP4tzF0tSYcQ4tMMsn/s400/IMG_0825.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I used Knit Picks <a href="http://www.knitpicks.com/yarns/Comfy_Worsted_Yarn__D5420171.html">Comfy Worsted</a> (a Pima cotton/acrylic blend) for this sweater for two reasons: 1) I wanted it to be an easy-care garment to encourage wear, and 2) I had previously bought the yarn for a project that never materialized, and I wanted to use it up. I don't normally enjoy knitting with cotton, but this yarn was very easy to knit with and is incredibly soft. I seriously loved working on this, and would use this yarn again for this pattern. Having said that, though, the next time I make this pattern, it will likely be with wool (Cascade 220 Superwash maybe?).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I loved making this sweater for my little guy. Sadly, this little boy of mine who adores his mama-knit hats really, really, <b>really</b> doesn't care for this sweater. He tells me it's because it doesn't feature a dinosaur, truck, or other trite boy motif. Ah, well... good thing a <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/digger-jacket">Digger Jacket</a> is in my knitting queue.</div>Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14877599198159325096noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539011559043181164.post-16398546198337840702012-02-14T10:10:00.000-05:002012-02-14T10:10:13.370-05:00Happy Love Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg74vvm8EPLkIv9htbnmOxGA2X1qCcTmI_mq5ip3e29-53_5FP2gmIW3w6AR5yHFXthuQ_-fXYYfeRUmwI6hDfGKimnAVgoV2EReYhDKAr3VhO8b99Q_NBkHG-0Uiu37p4e-gjt4y1dgTk6/s1600/Vday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg74vvm8EPLkIv9htbnmOxGA2X1qCcTmI_mq5ip3e29-53_5FP2gmIW3w6AR5yHFXthuQ_-fXYYfeRUmwI6hDfGKimnAVgoV2EReYhDKAr3VhO8b99Q_NBkHG-0Uiu37p4e-gjt4y1dgTk6/s400/Vday.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Wishing you a day filled with love. xo.</div>Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14877599198159325096noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4539011559043181164.post-59878546097725202062012-02-12T20:00:00.000-05:002012-02-13T10:46:30.206-05:00From our weekend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihSGqaGENAb83AsbQvkVAcSnVh7xiHpbSIs0fvC_RrCzyiEucBkRmnLS0LFYNCGhWdH7rzyzvPZS_3n5FacoyfnWiPGQiJPDMJHIGFtMYZmVZcIzAt_6zep9QkOsepppTkMuanQ8xXg_9X/s1600/weekend1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihSGqaGENAb83AsbQvkVAcSnVh7xiHpbSIs0fvC_RrCzyiEucBkRmnLS0LFYNCGhWdH7rzyzvPZS_3n5FacoyfnWiPGQiJPDMJHIGFtMYZmVZcIzAt_6zep9QkOsepppTkMuanQ8xXg_9X/s400/weekend1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>getting ready for some swimming at the Y</i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvJ6czUSftWXXN-mucHTO2iaqqhx11tl74CD-neHEJc1yHGs4ZrN5vHuyjfpzqKvr-QvaemD9dmHlKpr0T1TgSNjRHap0Ds1yYKeC1DmIaS7CIxB9jEbUK1vkJGgaEiXvcEUZdDe6Jx9S-/s1600/weekend2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvJ6czUSftWXXN-mucHTO2iaqqhx11tl74CD-neHEJc1yHGs4ZrN5vHuyjfpzqKvr-QvaemD9dmHlKpr0T1TgSNjRHap0Ds1yYKeC1DmIaS7CIxB9jEbUK1vkJGgaEiXvcEUZdDe6Jx9S-/s400/weekend2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>building a dinosaur amusement park for the other animals to visit</i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHaVGFq0KIZOfbLQk0ytzVFNn6t0QeKgKZUI5oKl1DzKeFKE71WiPV_cnipSA1bSmBwVAkFTPf5SLSxiDKvbyl6Fz9jncnwEPWA2uUI1TU_GwBhf18ZQiT1DN2gv69S8jvWDkkNz3FCQO/s1600/weekend3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHaVGFq0KIZOfbLQk0ytzVFNn6t0QeKgKZUI5oKl1DzKeFKE71WiPV_cnipSA1bSmBwVAkFTPf5SLSxiDKvbyl6Fz9jncnwEPWA2uUI1TU_GwBhf18ZQiT1DN2gv69S8jvWDkkNz3FCQO/s400/weekend3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>lots of multi-tasking: reading Dr. Seuss while drawing monsters</i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIfhWop2536Epl2NwM3SQlzPSCw8CzUc5mvsREssNQsJRrZZk8lk0GQw-DLwZh3mwpdJrf0o1wJwkf_U3kQzjcYU7BlEx4GFnrUP4iAY2_8fEkxQZTroQRIj2F-Zr4xP14-W1fTDbHoxVZ/s1600/weekend4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIfhWop2536Epl2NwM3SQlzPSCw8CzUc5mvsREssNQsJRrZZk8lk0GQw-DLwZh3mwpdJrf0o1wJwkf_U3kQzjcYU7BlEx4GFnrUP4iAY2_8fEkxQZTroQRIj2F-Zr4xP14-W1fTDbHoxVZ/s400/weekend4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>a family nature walk in 29 degree weather, with plenty of stops to sketch in our nature journal</i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio8XxjX73jIdwwpi_lYoDfrGPrjghYJJZJ4j1qZuz3Cxj5TKO_HkT4Xe4gs3kveg5bVmO91Vjx480kkCELQZh8bjEio8XB4dFk1wIGHqjaICNu92qhUFCBC0GhPnvLHCrMI8BoEWMQDmbU/s1600/weekend5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio8XxjX73jIdwwpi_lYoDfrGPrjghYJJZJ4j1qZuz3Cxj5TKO_HkT4Xe4gs3kveg5bVmO91Vjx480kkCELQZh8bjEio8XB4dFk1wIGHqjaICNu92qhUFCBC0GhPnvLHCrMI8BoEWMQDmbU/s400/weekend5.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Baking oatmeal raisin cookies for some special friends</i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXB8HXcaM0_C9Az6VLhUIU9lB_fxO5Iy86tuYec2xg1eC95xXmxFw110jDzyU5x7D2ZTS9p1Ro8NwPzDdAit_VwNmXATePPKZEgxDJZ-YUvyt9mu2etQ4g-ZNDE_6enfJIcHiqGch30MqQ/s1600/weekend7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXB8HXcaM0_C9Az6VLhUIU9lB_fxO5Iy86tuYec2xg1eC95xXmxFw110jDzyU5x7D2ZTS9p1Ro8NwPzDdAit_VwNmXATePPKZEgxDJZ-YUvyt9mu2etQ4g-ZNDE_6enfJIcHiqGch30MqQ/s400/weekend7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>dinner with friends means a much-needed cleaning and tidying up around here</i></div><br />
I live for weekends. I mean, I love my job, but there's nothing I love more than spending time with my family. And so weekends are the time I recharge and get ready for the week ahead. Our weekends are full of play time, reading, and outings. Love them.Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14877599198159325096noreply@blogger.com0