Passport Photos Round Sixty-Seven. Also, Ice Cream.

I just had a four-year-old come into my room as I'm writing this, asking if she can take off her pants and put on a tattoo.

I don't know what kind of show she thinks we're running here, but I understood when I looked up at her: that would be a tutu, darling.

Last week, after the homemade passport photo debacle, (and you must know that we had three or four separate photo sessions followed by running all over here and beyond trying to find a place with decent printing services, all for naught) it was decided that we would task the professionals  with the impossible job.  So off we went to the other side of the city, and the professionals took approximately 10 minutes to obtain suitable photos of all the children, who calmly and peacefully obliged with perfect passport poses.  Naturally.

On the way home, we had to stop at this epitome-of-ice cream-parlors, Aglamesis Bros.  I'd just been out this way the day before, and stopped at a very swish yarn store next door.  I knew I'd have to bring the kids in, because really...how could I not?

I Love Yarn Day (two weeks early)

   

My sister said something today about it being I Love Yarn Day.  As usual, I'm a day late and a dollar short, but fortunately I do have something that I'd already planned to share with you today.  

My project, the one I am so excited about, is finished.  It's a fair-isle stocking that I designed.  I'm surprised and thrilled it turned out.  Mostly surprised.  

The knitting group is having a Christmas stocking competition, and everyone else was knitting fabulous stockings, including all the newbie beginners.  I tried to hold out and just focus on the little girls' cardigans, but as more and more people entered their creative and colorful projects, I was feeling left out of the fun.  So I joined in too. 

One day to make the design, with pots of tea and candles and flowers and teacups and snowflakes, and hubby, the six kids and me. Then a couple days to knit it up as I could find the time.  It would have been quite fast, but I had to frog the lace at the top a lot of times, and then a few more froggings of other bits as well.  A challenge, but it was fun, so much fun, to do this.  And really, not hard.  Surprisingly easy, in fact, once I figured out what I was doing.

So here are some pictures, for I Love Yarn Day, of some of the stocking entries at the knitting group and my little stocking as well.  I do love yarn, I really really do.  When is I Love Knitting Day?

** I've just been googling I Love Yarn Day and it's not until October 12!  I'm early!  Woot :)

Project details: pattern adapted from Leisure Arts 4962, Old-fashioned Christmas Stocking.  Yarn is Berroco Comfort DK in Aegean Sea and White on size 6 needles.  Fair Isle pattern is custom design.

Joy Comes in the Morning

Everybody who knows me knows that I am not a morning person, at all. Unless 11pm could be considered morning, because without fail, that is the time that I wake up and finally get my groove on for the day. That said, lately, I've been awake earlier, in the yet-tender hours of the morning. Maybe it's the thyroid meds finally (finally) kicking in, or maybe -- and this could certainly be the motivator -- it's the promise of knitting that exciting, intriguing, can't-put-me-down project currently on the needles, before the hordes crash and smash their way into the day.

 In hopes of motivating myself to not waste the morning hours with one eye barely open and the other mostly shut, I cajoled cooperation out of myself by promising and swearing not to get up choring, but to get up knitting. Oh yes, that makes a difference. You should try it.

This morning, in the tender hours, it was unusually quiet and serene, and yet I was still not eager to face the chilliness of the early autumn air. But then: a cinnamon candle, a pot of tea, and, oh yes -- something I've been meaning to share with you -- a GIFT! A gift from a very kind and generous reader, Joy, who sent me the little card I set on my tray because it looked SO well with my cheery yellow teapot, and because it made me feel really, really happy even though it was morning.

 Thank you, Joy, for sending me some joy in the morning.

 Joy has many other gorgeous self-made cards for all occasions: you would be blessed to see her etsy site and maybe order a little gift for someone you love.

It's the time of year, already, for goldenrod. Oh, goldenrod. I love it. Subjectively. Because: yarn. Dye. Gold-dyed-goldenroddy-autumny-yellow-yarn. Goldenrod is the last of the summer sun's rays, stored up and gifted to us to glow sunnily through the winter in the form of warm, soft, golden-yellow-dyed sweaters and shawls and scarves and hats. Oh, I'm dying to do something with it. We have so much of it!

But but but. Time. We have so little of that.  We are moving, you know. Slowly.

Tea is Exciting

You all know I love tea. I love it, I do, it's just the thing. There is never a time, ever, when I don't love tea. My favorite cup of tea: the one the nurses bring you in Swan Districts Hospital right after you have delivered a baby.

Have you seen flower tea? This is my kids' most favorite. A little monster-ball, dropped gently in steaming hot water, and as it brews: suddenly a flower pops out and the ball is transformed into a bouquet resting in the bottom of your glass teapot. Tea is exciting, oh yes.

Tasha Tudor Day Celebration

 












































In celebration of Tasha Tudor's birthday and life: watching Tasha's DVD's in the morning; a Tasha-styled Gater in a hand-dyed silk kerchief; salad rolls and sandwiches for lunch; drawing and painting our very own books; flower tea and the special yellow tea-pot with Tasha's gingerbread for afternoon tea; dinner and lots of running around with cousins visiting from China at Aunt Jeannettes; knitting for Mamma.

 A lovely day.

 It's an unusual tradition but a fun one in our home.
 I hope you had a good one too!

Cutie-tude and Frischs

This is just a teaser-squeezer post.

This is for all my family in Australia who want Frischs RIGHT NOW.

Mmmmmm, popcorn-ice Cokes. Mmmm, Big Boy Sandwich.
Mmmmmmm-mmmm, Frischs extra-special, super-delicious tartar sauce.

And Gater -- don'tcha just want to squeeze 'er!