knittin and sewin and crochettin and...

And spring keeps coming. So much to do!! We are working away on crafts around here, in fact when a friend recently asked Pera what she had been up to lately she responded: I have been doing crafts. (!! at 3:), her mama loves it!)

I don't have much to show yet, if you look closely there are some spring skirts in the works, more soon on that.. But for now here is a few pictures of spring and some finds we got at UW surplus. What do your spring days energize you to do?

Knitting and more

So much to make and so little time! A couple weeks ago I began taking this class to knit two socks in the round on one circular needle. It boggles the mind, who comes up with this stuff? The magic loop as it is called is a really wonderful  chance to use math and knitting together. My first forray in creating my own sock pattern based on my own measurements. Oh this could make for many a warm stocking to come. Pictures to follow soon. For now here are some things that are inspiring me as of late:

These oatmeal pancakes are devine: http://orangette.blogspot.com/2010/01/very-definition.html

This sweet little on line knitting mag: http://petitepurls.com/Fall09/fall2009_patternIndex.html

This little February sweater, which may need to be my March, April, May sweater: http://www.flintknits.com/blog/?p=151

And there is something frolicking around in my head about making little crochetted eggs for easter for Pera's little animals to crack out of whenever they please.

Happy Spring!

Happy Solstice

Tonight we honored the passing of a beautiful tree that grew strong and sheltered many a bird in our front yard. We lit candles. We lit the hearth. Peace and happy solstice.

Little Nests

What fun we had today. Digging worms and putting the garden boxes to bed with fig leaves. Thoses worms never had such a nice bed to play in! Tobias and I have been taking parenting classes for the past several weeks. And looking at new ways to see our selves as we grow and learn with Pera. I am trying to let a little bit of my neat freak go. Trying to get closer to Pera in play, in laughter and in tears. Its a work in progress, but so worth it.

Spring!

Yay! Its spring time in Seattle. We are busily planting a little garden out front. The parrots have returned. Watching them in the evening as they pluck cherry blossoms off the tree is a treat. Its light again when I head out the door for boot camp. And we actually put on sunblock and sun hats today. In Pera's case she was wearing nothing else so that means its getting warmer!

In the crafting department I have been doing a few projects and dreaming of many more. One of which is this little sweater in light green and navy I started for Pera before she was 1 and now it probably won't fit her! Toddler sweaters should take no time at all but I think I am a little tired of knit - knit - knit.. I need to do some cables, something a little more challenging. It doesn't help the process that I knitted not 2 sleeves but 3 little sleeves!

Many ideas floating around my head right now. Projects, projects, projects. But next weekend I will put those thoughts on hold and go to a Rug Hooking Retreat with my mom in Leavenworth, WA. My first time as a happy hooker. Should be fun! Will try and take some photos and share the craftiness.

Moving slowly

Pera's dad and I have crafted this finely tuned schedule in which one of us is home with Pera each day; so we can parent, play and experience the world through our ever changing 2 1/2 year old. We try to live slowly. We don't rush here and there.. Being one who has rarely ventured into the mall or other such place its not hard to say, "Okay, any where we go today we will walk, skip or hop! No cars, errands can wait."

That said, it's not always easy to slow down. We have had to set some ground rules for ourselves, like no crackberries at the table and when the girl says "Let's Play!" we do it. At the same time because we work at home (this is how we have made the schedule work day to day), she says things like, "Email dada!" When you work from home its easy to just work from dawn to well past dusk, because you don't ever leave your office. It gets tricky. For us slowing down includes not being plugged in all the time, with blackberries and wireless internet its hard to unplug sometimes!

So slowing down for us means setting those artificial limits so that we can enjoy our time with Pera and nourish our family connection while attempting to balance work with life. I was reading this article in this month's Parent Map and found there is yet another lable for this type of parenting: Slow Parenting. Slowing down and really enjoying the moment. Bouncing on the bed, dancing in the kitchen to "Dancing Queen"and having pancakes for dinner (and sometimes lunch, and definetly breakfast) are ways in which we parent slowly around here.

I know I am a mama to one, and going through this for the first time its easy to get on a soap box. There is a lot of privelege in the "choices" we make. Not many have such versaltile work schedules to do what we do.

I so much want to thank Pera for all she is teaching me a long the way. I may get razzed for staying in my jamas until 11 am some days (heck I don't think I get out of them some days). But I wouldn't trade in this time for the world. Being slow is a conscious choice. Being in our jamas, walking to the park (after changing clothes most days), or reading books in bed until we hanker for some pancakes with blueberries are all ways we physically slow down.

This month we are looking at a preschool for Pera. Not preschools, just one preschool. There is one 2 blocks from our house that is a cooperative school, which means parents are way involved in the day to day of the school's operation. There is very limited space. Most of the moms in our hood that we have talked with are applying to 4 - 5 some have looked at 19 schools! We have looked at one. It fits us. And if we don't get in, we can try for the next year. We will continue to fill our days with play, walks, books, and exploring the world around us, slowly.

The week after Valentine's Day

I had big ideas of doing some posts for V day and the projects I have been working on. But my own head gets in the way. I think, "I have to have photos to post with my log." And each day I realize this, at night, when I finally have a chance to sit still and think about such things.. Then I don't want to take more pictures in the dark. Something about lighting when you are taking pictures of sweet little doggies or chocolate sweet nothings that just call for a little sun. One could think that the Seattle weather is getting in my way, but it has been absolutely gorgeous here so I just need to find the time!

At the same time this blog is not just about crafts and things. Living simply is something we attempt to practice around here. Buying used or freecycling when possible. Recognizing the simple pleasures like swinging with your family at dusk, watching all the planes fly by and counting the stars one by one as they begin to pierce the evening sky. Bliss. So with that in mind I will begin to look at other ways of posting our day and not get bogged down with the thing, the photo, or the made object. And speaking of living simply we are so excited with the changes in recycling and yard waste (not so sure about the composting of meat and dairy though) pick up that are coming soon in Seattle. We have the smallest garbage can on the block already. If Pera would potty train already we would have no garbage!