quirky granola girl

Picture that smell

Ben was mowing the lawn tonight while wearing Henry in the Ergo carrier. Both guys came back in the house during twilight and the little one was just inches away from sleep. He needed a new dipe before bed, so Ben was changing him and I took the opportunity to smooch Henry's eyespot. (In case you don't know, the eyespot is that lovely bit of skin between the outer eye and the temple. I adore that spot.) Henry had this magical scent combination of cut grass, a fresh orange peel, sunshine and fresh air. Can you picture that smell? Really it was heavenly and I wish I could bottle it and wear it all of the time. Since the boy was so sleepy, I got a few more good sniffs in until I felt a little drunk and then Ben whisked him off to bed.

I guess bed is where I should be headed now but I keep breathing deeply trying to find that scent again.

Stripping Paint

This is what our sun room looked like when we first moved in, four years ago. That dreadful rust color is crackle paint. Can you believe someone did that on purpose? We also had dark brown crackle paint upstairs, brown and white crackle paint on the fireplace and green and gold Packer crackle paint as a decorative touch on the broom closet door.

(remembering all of that makes me shudder now)

Well, we only have two crackle paint doors left in the whole house. Henry has recently been picking at the paint on the door to the basement, so.... I'm finally getting around to stripping it.

Working in the driveway or the garage:

And here it is without any finish. It is still in the garage. I have to work during naps or when Ben has Henry, so I still have to do the other side of the door.

It feels good to make progress, even four years later.

Rounding out the days nicely

I've been posting here lately about craft projects and garden projects and I have more posts like that up my sleeve, but I thought I'd say a little about the other things that happen in between the many projects that are brewing around here.

Henry is nearing numero uno and he has a long list of favorite things that we play during the day.

Peek-a-boo is a huge hit and he loves pulling a blanket over his face and then lying very still while I ask, "Where is the baby?" Then he continues to stretch out the dramatic pause, and then he starts kicking his legs and when he just can't stand it anymore, he flips back the covers with a huge laugh.

We do a lot of spinning. He loves doing it so many times until I nearly lose my balance, and then he holds himself really close like a baby monkey. Sometimes he just looks up at me and grins.

There is a fair quantity of upside down tickling or just dangling. (I think he's almost ready to learn some yoga inversions.)

Singing is a big hit. The "Bubbaloo" song that I made up for him is the most popular, but nearly any song will work and short youtube video songs are especially popular.

When the weather is nice, Henry and I go out to the patio swing at least twice a day for a 10 minute "settle down." And then we do it again with a couple of books before bed. Dr. Suess ABC rhymes on warm spring evening with a baby in jammies on the patio swing is just about the best thing ever.

Another popular outside activity is eating mud and grass. I don't participate myself, but it is very popular with the household members under age one. He's also gotten a little sneaky about it. Whenever he has a stick or leaf or maple helicopter in his mouth, he gets very quiet and then turns away from me when I come near him. That's the signal that I have to dig something out, so I do. He's also learned that it is much easier if he then opens his mouth and sticks out his tongue because I'll chase after him anyway.

Lastly, Henry loves to watch the cooking on the stove. That is particularly so if Ben is cooking or if we are over at our friend Paul's house when he is cooking. I love that he admires guys in the kitchen already.

So, there are some days that the creative projects take much longer than they used to and it can be frustrating at times, but our days are much richer with our babe.

Henry, I'm proud to be your momma. Thanks for being such a great guy.

Sewing for Knitting--and a rough tutorial

My double pointed knitting needles required a new and tidy home. I have a needle case with pockets but the pockets were too big for the little needles, too slippery to hold them in and I'd have to get out the needle guage and test four sets before I found the right size.

I just loved these batik fabrics together. The fabric behind the needles is recycled from a pair of my corduroy pants.

If you want to make one of your own, you will need:

11 x 17" each of fabric for behind the needles (now called backing fabric) and the outside fabric
one 6 x 17" piece for the pocket fabric
17" of twill tape and a narrow piece of fusible webbing
two 6 x 16.5" pieces of fabric for the flap

Steps:
1. fold 3/8" of the top edge of the pocket fabric under and fold it one more time. press and then sew the edge. then fuse the twill tape to the top edge of the pocket fabric with an iron

2. mark the pocket widths with chalk and a ruler first, then embroider the numbers for the pockets with an embroidery hoop and floss.
Pocket widths:
start measuring 1/2" in from the edge to allow room for stitching the layers together
size 0--2cm
size 1--2.25
size 2--2.25
size 3--2.5
size 4--3cm
size 5--3cm
size 6--3.25
size 7--3.25
size 8--3.5
size 9--3.5
extra pocket #1--3cm
extra pocket #2--3cm
extra pocket #3--2.5
there should be at least another 1/2" on this edge for stitching the layers together (I have a very tiny pocket left on mine but it will hold a small crochet hook perfectly)

3. pin the pocket fabric to the backing fabric and sew lines to divide the pockets, backstitching carefully at the top edge of the pockets

4. take the flap pieces and stack them right sides together, pin and sew around 3 sides (2 short sides and one long side, turn inside out and press

5. now stack the backing and pocket piece right side up, place the flap on that with it aligned where you want it on the finished piece, lastly place the outside fabric on top with the right side down and pin around the perimeter. sew around the edges with a 3/8" seam allowance and leaving a 3" gap to turn project right side out. be sure not catch the short sides of the flap in your seam or it will not open.

6. turn project right side out and press. press the edges of the gap to align them with what has already been sewn. * topstitch around the entire perimeter 1/4" from the edge. fill with needles and enjoy!

* if you want your needle case to have a label, an elastic and button closure, or ties, here is where you would tuck the label/ties/elastic hairband into the seam gap before doing the topstitching.

Be aware that this is my first attempt at a tutorial. If you have any questions , or if it doesn't make sense, please ask.

Cute Knits

Just a few pictures of cute knitting to cheer up a friend. Do you think these guys will do the trick?

My new sewing machine needs a name

My first sewing machine used to be named "the Bitch." I got her for $10 from Goodwill back in college and she was lovingly named this because we listened to a lot of Ani Difranco and Tori Amos and we thought that being angry and creative was cool. I was one of four women in a rental house that had a spare tiny bedroom turned craft room that we called the Sweatshop because we were constantly refashioning our clothes and we were so ironic.

My machine cover is still labeled.

(picture singing this to Guns 'n Roses' "Welcome to the Jungle")

(Sidenote: the toaster oven in the apartment was labeled "Toastmaster General")

So, my sewing machine is now called "the Beast" or, affectionately, "Mrs. B" and she has done me very good service. She had one tune up early on and the kind people at the sewing and vacuum store there taught me how to clean and oil her. She has muscled her way through quilts made from old jeans and corduroys--2 of them. In fact, I've made at least 6 quilts with her. She only does straight and a simple zigzag stitch but she did them well and without complaint. Recently, though, she's retired to a nice resting place in the basement. I still visit and check up on her, but she needs her rest these days. (I also need a rest from carrying a thirty-five pound sewing machine around.)

It just so happens that my mom bought a new sewing machine and her old machine needed a new home. This new girl (new to me) can do a 3 step zigzag, overcast stitch, a couple of embroidery stitches and doesn't pull my shoulder out of the socket whenever I move it. My two most recent projects on her are a baby sling (tutorial from Karma Baby).

and a ribbon and rattle plushie (tutorial from Chez Beeper Babe).