cici at home

the other birthday present

Will you indulge me while I post about another little handmade gift? I just discovered this Black Apple Doll pattern on Martha Stewart (HT Lera).  As usual, I'm late to the party.

Anyway, my sister's husband is a triathlete. And when he isn't biking and running and...whatever... he's biking.  So, the Heather Ross fabric was the obvious choice here.The ponytails are just like Miss E's very own (but seen before here).

The doll was lovingly wrapped (and I should add stuffed) by my own kiddo's.  I'm not sure who was more excited - Miss E who kissed the doll immediately, or my own children who were overjoyed that she loved something they made.

Sis, won't you move closer?

cold weather, chunky legs, and legwarmies

And cuteness. Genuine chubby baby leg cuteness.  Thanks for the comments on the color combo - my sister actually picked the two colors out and, I have to admit, I gave her a hard time about it.

You see, when we were kids my sister LOVED Punky Brewster. She did, really.  Admitedly, she hasn't worn any unmatched high topped canvas shoes since she has been visiting me these past 14 days.  But that may be just because they didn't fit in her suitcase.  I'm just sayin'.

There was some concern that she's trying to turn this adorable little girl into a walking rainbow.  But all's well that ends well. The color combo looks great.

But you do see the color explosion here, right?

regarding the CPSIA law

A well needed Civics Lesson can be found here. Read the lesson (in the little snippets I've seen around the web I am astonished at the lack of understanding on how our government works). Learn the lesson. Then follow her advice on how to get this law changed.

Wake up and take your government back, people.

Update: another good article here.

i kan't believe it

Karyn of Trail Mix Designs fame nominated me for the Kreativ Blogger award.  I'm sure I've earned it. Afterall, I post regularly and am so very creative.  Nonetheless, I am flattered and flattery, as they, say will get you anywhere. Or everywhere. Or klose to it.

So, here are the rules:

1. Copy the award to your site.
2. Link to the person who nominated you.
3. Nominate 7 other bloggers and link to them on your blog.
4. Then leave a message on their blog notifying them you have nominated them for this award.

So, items one and 2 are kompleted.  But I hate number 3. I'm a poor sport.  Konsequently number 4 won't get done either. Are you a Kreativ blogger?  Why not kopy the little badge and play along?

In the meantime, my apologies and sincere gratitutde to Karyn!

socks, interrupted

Really, this little project isn't just an excuse to avoid the socks. I'll knit them right after this little project - my 4 year old will make sure of it!

Did I mention my sister is visiting me? Her and her daughter - who turns one later this week. It's been such fun here with all four of those munchkins playing and laughing together. And the smallest of those munchkins, my niece, turns one in just a few days.  Sooo...a new project on the needles and I need to knit fast and furious to get them done in time.

I'm pretty sure I'm the world's slowest knitter.  I hope nobody's holding their breath...

i'm a bad influence

of the very best kind.  My sister is visiting (she lives about 3000 miles from me) with her darling daughter.  In the evenings, when the children are all asleep - and in between the littlest one's every 3 hour wake up - my sister is learning to knit. Her first project is one of these.

And now that our favorite Aunt is learning to knit, another set of hands has started to pick up the needles.

I love it.

socks, stalled

If only because they seem so hard.  I'm up for the challenge, really, I am.  But I'm nervous.

And looking at yarn is so calming, don't you think?

it's my obsession

I have a hard time finding balance in my life. Its always jump in with both feet and then take it to the extreme.  Take, for example, these dishcloths.  Two for my friend, two for my sis, and two for my mom.

So, did you notice I didn't say, "two for me?" You know what that means, don't you?  There's more.  Oh yeah. I need a couple of them, too. They're great, these dishcloths.  They have the magical power of making you believe they make your housework easier. They have the magical power of making you smile when you see one in your sink.

I mean, cleaning supplies with magical powers? Who can resist?

baby, its cold outside

Really, very, very cold.  Like I wish I was a bear and could hibernate cold.

But that is not really the point of this post.  It's just a way I could whine about how cold I am.

This post is about New Year's resolutions and calm, and patience and peace.  And serendipity.

Lots of serendipity.

Because its more fun that way.

legwarmies

It took me a month and a half to knit a pair of legwarmies.  My pair are a bit larger than the original.  After all, they are meant for legs twice the years.  Skinny legs. But 6 1/2 year old legs.  It took almost two skeins of yarn. Okay so: twice the age = twice the yarn = twice the time to knit. Right (see, I can teach my children math!)  And then there was Christmas and all the stuff made and never photographed...that took up a large chunk of time, too. But six weeks for a pair of legwarmies?!?

Oh yeah. And then there was the time when a certain child who won't be mentioned by name (or first initial) but is certainly younger than two and older than 18 months...ahem...was taken by a sudden urge to remove the knitting needles and pull a bit of the yarn.  And then, those same needles were randomly inserted into various balls of yarn. They look better that way.

Anyway, I knit 1 1/2 pairs, really. And that's my story. And its a story that repeats itself often enough around here. And its why everything takes so long around this place. And sometimes I need to remind myself that its okay. That these are really the small stuff. Small hands (and legs) have a limited life span - they get big and grow up. They're why I'm here. The legwarmies - they're just for decoration.