waiting on Tuesday, and the new year

Not much happening, waiting on a few days off.  Somehow I did get the first few days of the new year off.  It has been cold and gray, with chances of snow again but none yet this morning.  Esme said Grandma is sick -and I hope she feels better soon with this weather.  Esme has been entertaining herself as best she can with the spaceship, new fireworks on Minecraft and some new game of 'carebears' that involves several of her stuffed toys.  I have a little time before I leave in the morning, and a little at home before it is time for bed after work.  She said she was mad about my knitting yesterday - and I said that I had to work all day long, and not all the people who came to our store were very nice, so I was glad to be home and be able to knit a little before I had to go to bed at night.  She was still unhappy - and played her games around me and with me while I put on a few rows.  She was doing her super villain laugh and assembling buckets and tubes and toy creatures.  I did have a few couples come to work yesterday that just were not nice to be around - complaining and arguing with each other, talking about 'having' to return things they bought almost a year ago because the other didn't like it.  In my mind, if you have had a product and used it for a year... it is not returnable just because your partner decided they wanted something else.  You don't ask for money out of it - you put it in the garage or a flea market at the very most.  I guess people are just rewarded for behaving badly sometimes... as they were told they could do this if it would make them satisfied.  *dumbfounded*

tidbit

We put the adhesive chalkboard stuff Grandma gave Esme for Christmas up in the spaceship on one side.  Esme said it was just like the crayon and cloth the teachers use at schools - which is right.  She has been writing her name and giving 'lessons' to toys and the imaginary Cat in the Hat.  She brought a bag of small pom poms from some long ago birthday present in there in a bucket and said they were eggs from an alien planet, and would hatch into cats.  She brought her Daddy's new lantern she can easily operate into the spaceship and it looked VERY cool lit up in there.  She takes toys 'to space' often, and also sits in there to watch TV and eat chips.  She figured out the first day she could twist it around to face any direction she wanted so she could pretend her adventure while seeing us or the TV.  We watched John Carter the other day which secured more thoughts of aliens for her ;)

I am feeling small doldrums and also stress about work - after the holidays the mentalities and personalities are a little poisonous.  And my memory takes everything in, hard to filter it out at the time, it happens slowly over the course of days.  I was so glad to be back home in my own place, with my loves - and try to be secure in my own thoughts again without all of those bad influences.  I find that sometimes, like when I was in Duluth with my sister and was worried that I would disappear against her example - take on traits from her as I sometimes do, voice and language changes, thoughts as what they would do immediately answered by 'no - that is not me, that is them.'  I spent a lot of time alone as a child because I felt that too strongly - the fight between becoming those around me and what I felt was my real wants and needs.  There is still a strong sense of 'assimilate to the norm so you fit in'  there that is more obvious to me after I have been away from large groups for a while.  I don't want to assimilate.   However, the strongly expressed thoughts of everyone else seem to echo back and forth in my head when I would otherwise be happily quiet in my normal thoughts, my strange thoughts of connecting old French words to all other words I know, trying to explain 'new year' to Esme in astronomical terms finally working when all references to calendar or numbers failed or comparing two drain positions to stud locations and then finding a tub to fit it with a skirt and a heater.  These normal 'me' thoughts mix well, but not when they are interfered with by ideas of family and girlfriend/boyfriend fights overheard on phones and large groups of people talking about sports and talking about shopping.  I 'record' all of that and it bounces in my head for hours afterwards trying to find meaning in it - and it actually stresses me out some... which sounds very odd, but if I don't admit it then maybe someone else will think they are the only one that has that problem.  I could never live in a city - the audiovisual  'noise' coming back to me at later dates, in my 'photographic' memory, would be too much.  But, it is not a curse talent to have, either - just requires more doses of peace and quiet, and focus on deeper things to juxtapose and filter out all of the noise.  I wonder, at times, how much of this Esme has and as her language improves in the future, how I will recognize it if she tries to describe it herself.

Random homefront projects

Back from town with Grandma, Esme is still up there, hopefully being helpful.

She was having such a hard time yesterday being good.  It was dark, cold.. she had Mom home all day but I wasn't catering to her activities 100% as I am still a bit tired out from being sick Christmas Eve.  She had about a half hour one person basketball game at one point.. and she has been very interested in exercise and getting big muscles lately, so she was telling me all about that and how lots of breath and muscles were good for her... *roll eyes*

 

dressed up for going out into the snow with the dogs yesterday

 

Yay, let's play!

I think it was about 15-20 minutes, and she was back inside claiming to have frozen to death.

I was impressed at that... I think I knitted an entire row on the afghan while she made snowballs ;)

I gave her a bath and knitted on it some more while she told me all about what toys could float and talked to a 'good spider' that was on the floor... telling it who she was and that she would not hurt it and asking it what it knew about her toys etc etc... very odd!  We also had more discussion about 'brain mad', 'pushing buttons',  and other things - Mark and I just want her to understand that she can't always have us do everything the way she wants, even if it does make her brain mad - she has to get over it and do other things, talk about other things, listen and make new ideas etc..  Her language skills are getting better, making it somewhat easier to talk about big concepts - but she still sometimes makes no sense at all, or way too much sense which is just as unsettling in one so small!

A round crocheted pillow I tried to recreate out of a book.. the ripples were not meant to be there but I did finish it, and it has already been in use as an elbow pillow while knitting, a book pillow for Mark, an 'extra' pillow for Esme when we are watching a movie.  I must say it seemed like a 'old granny square' type project at first, nothing that was going to get used, but it really turned out to be time well spent.

 

This was originally going to be Esme's blanket but it is turning out to be queen size, so we might steal it for our bed.  We watch a lot of movies here and the above pillow and other afghan (under it) have seen lots of use by everyone.  I have another patchwork quilt in the making as well, and am adding another row on the top of that today out of old outgrown Esme dresses.. recycling them in a true sense, pulling out zippers and cutting up the good parts of fabric for quilt squares.

Back to work tomorrow... and I received word my mom is still in the ICU yesterday.  I have a photo printed up for her now and have to send it.

I looked up several patterns for the round pillow, but did not like the idea of following any of them.  So, I just did it this way instead of following anything in particular.  

Round pillow: Large crochet hook, chain three, crochet four in each chain, join with slip stitch, crochet around as for hat, increasing proportionately (that is the hard part - and I was too lazy to use row markers of any kind, thus the ripples) until object is of proper size.  Cut and stuff a pillow form to fit this size.  Center work over pillow and tack in place with small stitches.  Crochet around evenly for thickness of pillow form.  Begin to decrease evenly with work in place, following form - until half of the back of the pillow is covered with decreasing circular crochet.  Tie off and secure further with stitches if you would like, or leave loose for removal later.

boxing day snow

 

Snow, just a dusting.

Esme put a snowball in a container downstairs and excitedly told us it had turned to water.

 

 

Copying the text off the side of the space ship - 

but then she couldn't find a 'c' so she called me over to assist.

A Spaceship for Christmas, and a giraffe

The spaceship was a hit, and the giraffe, which was in the stocking.   Early morning flash picture - she was so happy

She walked up the stairs with her teddybear on her shoulders, talking about Christmas to it. She walked around the table and saw the spaceship - 'Wow', and she dropped the bear. She floundered for the bear while looking at the ship - and we acted surprised like we hadn't noticed it was there. She was so happy her spaceship was here, and it had her name on it. Then she saw the stocking with the giraffe, and an astronaut (playmobil) in it.. and she talked about becoming a big mama, tall - and she would ride in the real spaceship in the space, in the outer space - but she is not tall.. but now she can practice, and go to the moon, and kill aliens! Her sound effects were good, too ;)

Later she got out, examined the base of it - to see what it was made of, so she could sit in it and not fall down. Then she pulled on the staves, and said they were on with glue, but no, not maybe.. and the inside of the roof was cool. She touched the spots she had seen me paint on the staves weeks ago and said in one of her 'whoa this IS our kid' moments : 'And it was not expensive, Mom and Dad, they build it like a surprise, and Santa brought it, and it is space!' *blink blink* I said we helped Santa with the parts and he brought it all after that. She said she was asleep, last night, in the sleeping - so she didn't see it, but it was a great job and really cool!

Ho, ho ho, Daddy Santa

 

Making pizza, telling Daddy about stuff...

 

 

Pretty boots from Aunt Gail, thank you!

 

 

Family picture to send to my mom, who is still in the hospital.

 

 

Staring at toy packages...

 

 

Having more fun with the box, which is natural for kids!

 

 

A velociraptor for Christmas :)  Thank you Mark!

 

Picture of Grandma in her beautiful necklace

 

Iggy poses while Esme dsicovers that yes, she can unwrap presents herself at age 5.

 

 

Grandma watching Esme play with dolls  

 Mouse cat enjoying Christmas as cats do..

tea party in the spaceship!  come on everyone!

Extra Atmospheric Vehicle is Done (no pics)

We finished the present last night while Esme was up the road - at Gr's house.  She did not see it - it is hidden away and I only put the pictures elsewhere.  In other news, we all sat on the bed last night and watched the new Total Recall from underneath knit blankets (I was still working on the one I was under), and it was nice, although little girl bounced every 30 seconds... and eventually went off to play computer because 'kids watch cartoons, not movies' and she was 'being boring' and falling asleep.  How that child can be bouncing behind my back and on my head one minute and sound asleep the next... beyond me.  She went to bed so nicely after Daddy noticed she was trying to sleep at the computer, too... she had a hard day getting up early to go out to town with us (our air mattress needed replacing because of a cat), going to Grandmas, full dinner and 1/2 movie, then computer until zonk  For the record I have not wrapped anything else but need to... and the green sinus cold is still lingering on.  I had a beautiful dream about a teenage Eskimo boy, his friend and his little sister taking a journey through the dream world - to eventually save the little sister - and then trying to explain it to their parents afterwards.. it was like a movie.. I should try to find some way to write that one but it would never be as multilayered and significant as my kind of dreams are... the gryphon was gorgeous :)  Off to work.  The things in the garden were still alive yesterday - but not doing much.  I planted one of my sweet peas in the pot inside yesterday - to see how they will germinate.

waiting for Santa

Esme left her computer and went downstairs - we were doing other things.. but she didn't come back.  She was in her room, standing with the magic theatre box (a painted cardboard box with a door and a window cut in it) staring at it.  She says she is waiting for Santa, he is coming with toys.  I asked her when he is coming - she says she does not know, he is just coming, and she is waiting.

Mark and I walk out into the hallway, look at each other - which one of us is that?  Where does she get this from?  We have work on the extra atmospheric vehicle to do, today .. has she sensed that?  I bought a roll of clearance wrapping paper out in town today... and she saw that the Santa blowup decoration outside my work was gone, now... she was a bit distressed by that fact.  She has no true idea of 'time' yet - I've tried a few days ago to tell her it would be 'this many days' until Christmas.  But instead she is standing in her room waiting for him today?

Other strange thing:  She asked for a two pound dumbbell out of the exercise department for a toy, today - so she can be a girl that is very strong when she grows up to be a mama, and eats vegetables, and grows up very tall.  It was pink... and she actually did have three dollars left on her gift card so it was something I said yes, to.

bit just before the Winter Solstice

My mom is in for heart surgery again today, in Minnesota.  I can only hope that all will go well.  I spoke to her some last night, her speech was very slow and slurry, but coherent.  I was sitting in my chair at the sewing table this morning thinking about that, knitting a little on a blanket - and how six years ago things were set in motion (in about that place in this very house, as a lady named Floy Lilley made what would become a very important statement about family and time and past and future...) that led to this point in the future, with Mark still asleep across the house, Esme playing computer and eating chips at my desk... and how in June that was all in jeopardy when last Mom was as well, because I went up there and got stuck in a very bad place at the wrong time.  I am so happy in my family here - and that is my hope for this new year coming, no matter what may happen otherwise - roll with the punches etc etc...  and give fierce hugs to Mark and Esme.  I'm off to work - will call and find out more from the hospital later today.

we're on to the 6s and then the 7s...

Just a little note to myself.. both of these patterns are coming in the mail. 

Butterick 4543 size 7, dress with long sleeves
I saw this one and it was so very pretty... yet simple, yet compelling.
I went looking all over the internet until I found someone who had it for sale at a reasonable price.  It was a size up from where I need it, but then I thought - well, just at the beginning of this year I was sewing fives for her, and then it has bumped up to six recently with both of the last two dresses... Size seven isn't that far away, really.

Simplicity 6824 size 7 shirt, pants . 

They had this one, too - so I added it on mostly for the pants.

That, along with a coat and a full skirted shirtwaist dress I caught a good while back should provide a lot to choose from for sewing the next size up.

 

I need a pretty dancing dress for the show in the big town...

Esme had plans this morning at 8 am.. it is noon and I have gotten about this far... not bad for staring at the patterns for an hour trying to figure out what was simple enough for my brain today.  I have been down sick but her story this morning was quite coherent (if imaginary).  She said she had to teach kids how to dance in the big town, a long long way that a way, that is where it is - she needs a pretty dress, a dancing dress, so she can dance (ballerina moves) like that and like that, so I have to get up out of bed, not be sick, and sew a dress.  I was thinking to aspire to napkins today, or a little patchwork - so I stared through my stack until I found something simple enough I could perhaps not sew everything to the wrong side without noticing it... and then found a few fabrics that would suffice.   We will see how it works out.  I still sound like a Canada Goose when I talk, but not quite so much it is unintelligible.  Mark is getting a bit of it now, too - poor guy.  He says some childhood cold like disease has grabbed us and is going to make us suffer slow through it.

And she has been playing Creature saving on Wild Kratts on Pbskids.org all morning and having me come read the things she can't understand on the test questions - but she is playing the actual keystroke and mouse parts of the games just fine - with a few despairs but we have told her she can do something else if she can't do that game - and she just dives back in and tries again, usually getting it.

She is eating her lunch and saying she is thinking she will to Grandma's today 'I was thinking about - I go to Grandma's, like that.' I say she needs to finish her food and then we will call and ask. She says: 'but, I will get bored from that, and I will cry.'  Oh really, now?  Then, maybe you'll have to stay home anyway.  Oh, No!  I'm all done with the two food, the drink and the ravioli, but, there is a little bit of pudding, like that (shows me the yogurt cup, makes efforts to start cleaning it out with her spoon).'

She says she is all ready to go see Grandma, with her boots on her hands.  She says she is the hand shoe master, and how can she go to the show now.  I told the Hand Shoe Master (as she is running downstairs playing patty cake with her boots on her hands, still) to change her clothes, put her shoes on her feet, wash her hands and then we'll call Grandma.

The dress in question, blue seersucker and cotton fabrics from stash

A little glittery tulle trim around the waist to make an otherwise 'plain' dress fancier.

Simplicity 9897 circa 1972 size 6

She is quite happy with it, and the cookie, and the cartoon after having been in a bubble bath. She couldn't look more pleased as punch if she tried.. I think. Looking at it - it kind of (kind of) reminds me of Merida's blue dress in Brave, as well.. but that is mostly the expression and wild hair with the similar color.

Note: She says that singing makes her brain mad - and the cheetahs bumping her in her game make her brain mad.. she was in quite a tizzy about that last night - so much we told her she could just go to bed if she wanted to keep it up (7:30!) So, she settled down and watched Clifford, but I kept hearing about the cheetahs from her position underneath a bucket at the end of the bed... and how her brain was still mad. *sigh* Five! She went to bed easily, though - even though I was too tired to read a book. We'll see how the morning goes.

notes

I've been home sick, trying to get over a sinus that has taken my (physical) voice.  Esme has been quite good about it - although Mom can't talk or explain as much as she wants me to.. it sounds like a goose honking when I try to do more than a whisper.  She is coughing some randomly and then seems perfectly okay for hours at a time.  She has tucked toys into my bed and keeps asking if I am all better yet.  I've mostly been trying to stay warm, sitting in the bed knitting and watching movies, sleeping when she allows me to and/or I just can't stay awake.  Mark has been very supportive - giggling at the voice, but that is natural - and he cooked a ginger porkchop for dinner that was excellent.  We looked all over for a movie but realized we didn't have a copy of it...watched something similar.  I've nearly worn a hole in my right index finger - knitting on the larger blanket while wrapped up in the smaller one.  I woke up a few minutes ago and my entire right arm was not responding properly, had wrapped it in a blanket and cut off circulation but it did not feel asleep - just not moving when asked.  That was a little scary, it lasted for about a minute moving only the hand muscles and not the finger ones.  I've been knitting all week, I'm sure that has not helped.  I worked sick a few days earlier in the week because I knew until my voice went I had better be there... was so tired Friday that when an order was not going to be able to be made (wrong electrical specs for what customer wanted) I wanted to crawl into a corner and sleep until my brain could figure out how to settle the matter..... the customer was understanding, they knew the electrical spec they needed was odd for the size - so it could have been worse.  We did lose the order, though.  I was too tired to try to look for some other company that could fulfill it.  In the better light - if I had not been there, it would have been Monday (and delivery date due) before anyone knew the electrical spec was wrong... so there was reason for me to be there just to point that out and refund the customer before they became angry.  *trying to see the bright side* 

bits

Esme had a discussion last night about she is 'just right size' but 'still kid' and she wanted to grow up so she could be big and be a mama, but she didn't want to be any bigger either - because she didn't want to wash her hair and she was still little.  She said someday she would use the big bucket and wash her hair just like a mama like a 'shower' - but for now, she will use the little bucket and cry.  *ha*  I think it takes her seven of her little bucket to get the soap out and she could do it so much easier otherwise... but she hates doing things 'new' when she has already latched onto something, stubborn?  Yes.

We also discussed what 'fire' and 'to fire something' was - she told me the definition when she said 'fire' and threw a handful of bubbles at me and I said it didn't look like fire.  'No mama, there is fire, that is fire (cup her hands around something) and there is fire, to throw something at like this (toss something), that is just like that.  You understand?'  *ha again*.  I then said I knew that - we call that two meanings, like no, no, no is three no-s... but she really only had one nose.  She laughed.. and then said she had two noses... after which I identified nostrils again, nose holes - compared to 'whole nose'... which she also thought was funny but didn't entirely grasp.  Then I asked her what should we call it if we 'fire' a batch of fire through the air?  She laughed again, and thought it was all a good game.

note: I remember telling Mark a while back that with our Poofball kitten being all sorts of colors, and Daphne puppy being all other sorts of colors.. and my bean collection being all colorful and spotted and streaked - we must just have a penchant for spotty colorful things.  That is true...  And then yesterday as I am trying to combat Esme's cold getting ahold of me (which it is, sort of) I noticed in the mirror I was wearing a green knit hat, a blue and white variegated wool waistcoat and crazy patterened fabric scrap slippers all over the house like a gypsy... but I was warm, and colorful, and spotted and streaked everywhere myself ;)

 

The Daphne puppy in question, in her favorite place yesterday.  She is growing, as well.

run by post

 Esme has a cold - she is playing my computer and pretending a lot.

This is what I've been still working on - using up scraps... need to buy a skein or two
It has gotten very cold,and knitting under a blanket is nice - although I really want to just sleep.

work until very late tonight, and earlier tomorrow...probably won't get on for another few days?

Santa and bits at the end of the weekend

.We saw Santa at our local home improvement place yesterday - where I happen to be a plumbing consultant during much of my week...

 Watching Christmas trees, houses and carousels

 Miss Judi, getting an explanation about Santa

 Esme seeing Santa and freezing... but only momentarily.  I think there was also a line, and she was trying to decide how to feel about waiting.

 Santa, look, that is my Grandma!

She sat on his lap and told him about the things she had written in her letter.  I had a hard time hearing all of it because there was a fan going - and I got a couple of eyebrows over something I did not hear, but she seemed very happy he had understood the giraffe and spaceship ideas.

 Candid shots from the triplets that were there before us, we caught one of the elves yawning on the job.

Cuteness Wars.  What a scowl!

We hope to work more on the extra atmospheric vehicle today.  I have a few little sewing things I could do - have to get ambition to work on those or to start something new.  I have been looking at lots of sewing patterns but only slightly inspired, and nothing enough to set to fabric.  I was slightly depressed yesterday by more problems with my Minnesota family, but there isn't anything I can do except give them some advice and then try to stay away from the topic.  It has been raining for several days - warm, not cold... but still, depressing weather does not help.  I'd like to have some sunlight.

I took Esme's measurements today - since she has turned five.  She is 21 w, 23 chest with a 25.5 inch length from outside hip to ankle.  She is 44 inches tall, and about 44 lbs (Mark used the fish scale).. she said that was fun and she was very strong and Daddy was very strong for picking her up.  The patterns I am currently using for her are a size 5 vintage pants pattern and a size 6 vintage dress pattern

This is Butterick 4655, which I do not own but was the only one I was impressed with during my search today.  I have something that will do this already in my collection.  I'm not sure what draws me to this one -- square collars have always done well on Esme, but I do not often use them anymore, as they are much more difficult to set the facing on.  I know I am also drawn to that golden yellow color often - but it isn't Esme's color, hardly anything is a 'bad' color for her, but blues and greens and purples seem to be the majority of her wardrobe.

 Up and Away book, 1949 - we have been reading this before bed and the pictures are gorgeous.  The writing is just above Esme's level, she knows a lot of the 'small' words but needs to take her time so she doesn't say 'far' is 'for' or 'was' is 'went' etc..  That is good to have her pay close attention (when possible, isn't always), stretch, sound things out etc...

Esme and I made a map of the house on paper 'just like Electric Company' today, and went around placing stickers and using a pen to mark where that would correspond on the map.   ie: by the refrigerator, on the stairs, at the edge of the bathtub etc.  Then, we backtracked and put all the stickers back onto the map where they had been in the house.  We hung it up on her wall, and she thought it was a great game :)  I loved watching her gears turn when she tried to figure out which was the kitchen sink and which was the bathroom sink... and three times she forgot what the toilet was in the map - but stood there and worked it out from memory at least once for herself.

message bits

We've been hearing more and more about Esme's 'brain'... today in the WalMart she said she could not be still because she had an 'exercise' brain, and I would put my arm out and she would grab it and pull up and up and up and that is exercise.  I told her I'd rather not.. she is quite heavy, now.  She said the blue bucket was 'just what I've always wanted', and 'perfect'... She did not want to be 'bumped' as I was trying to lead her along in busy crowds, so I asked her to be moving her feet along and she said both of her hands were full, but her feet were not - so she could move her feet, but slowly, for one two hands were full.  *roll eyes* They were 'full' with a spoon and a sample cup of yogurt.  I sent Daddy a text message to tell him where we were and she said 'Message?  I see that message here, ok, see that message.'  I showed it to her and she read the words 'bread' and 'bakery' but could not read 'ready'.  She remembered it was Daddy's birthday and told Grandma that very well when she got into the car.  Grandma had left a coat in our car and she asked me if she could go tell Grandma that she forgot her coat... but it was a gift for Daddy, so that was okay.  She was counting animals out in the fields and doing a very good job - she counted twenty cows that I happened to count for 'checking'.. and she was right - it didn't even seem as if she was really counting it might have been a lucky guess.  She also met a slug on the window of our house - and said it was snail, which was very close - then she came upstairs and told Daddy all about the animal that had two tiny eyes and it was wet and we do not eat them, we talk to them, and they talk to us back.  She has also focused on the Wild Kratts games on pbskids... with creature power, and suits of animals like that, she has to get the animal plates, has to get them all.  She calls them 'wall tracks' - and I had to have her show it to me on the screen to know what she was talking about.

Happy birthday to our lovely Daddy and my husband Mark. 

birds and peas

I'm working on more little birds for the shop. I have a set of bluebirds and a set of chickadees nearly done.

This is the wreath I brought home from work - Esme says it is 'beautiful Christmas.' It smells nice, too! 

Wando sweet peas I am selling a few ounce packages of these 

as I got a lot of them from a local vendor. 

I'm including one of the little birds in each package, as well.

Tomorrow is Mark's birthday, and also the 'visit Santa' day at my work - I have the wekekend off, so we are taking Esme and Grandma out to town.  I hope to get some of these peas in the ground in my garden soon as well, it says they can germinate in 40 degrees and above, but will take longer to do so the lower the temperature is.  They are very cold AND very drought tolerant.

language bits

I was asked how she was named today - I can't remember the exact words, but she said she was a baby, and we held her, and how was name Esme?  I told her I suggested 'Esmerelda' to her daddy, and we would call her Esme, and Daddy gave her the middle name, and then we would know what to call so she would look and know we were talking to her - her name.  She thought hard, then told me that she became not a baby, but a little girl, and she did not talk - just (baby squeal) and point... but then she grew some more and was a kid, and now she can talk and use words and have a play brain, not a busy brain - and she has ideas - and she wants to play, and she can talk.  *wow*...  Later she told me she is tiny in the earth, we are all tiny in the earth - and it is BIG, so big... she wants to live in outer space, in a rocket ship.  I told her there was no air out there, but people were working on making air in rocket ships, and when she was big they might have it all worked out and she could live out there.  She said Santa brothers were in their workshop, and they were making a rocket ship.  I said it would be a toy, and it would be a cool fun toy, but it would not go all the way to outer space.  She said she still thought that was cool, and she wanted to play with it.  She likes rocket ships.

Extra Atmospheric Vehicle Construction part two

May I mention - some of the bean seed varieties we have grown are for sale at KnitOwl shop.  Mostly because I want to share some of these things I have found and loved.. and if they will grow here, they might grow for you and bring as much joy.

 

Poofball kitten and I are watching the moving box show... 

Time to be all dignified and stripey... 

Boo, are you scared?

She has no idea what we are up to, yet... 

But I'm sure she will soon.

Painting bits for the outside of the spaceship.

There were also yellow glow-in-the-dark spots after this...

I am sure she will recognize them (how could she not) when they are in place.

But I covered that the other day when looking for a part in the garage -- Santa told me I had to get something for him that he needed...  She thought that was important - 'Oh, ok Mama', left me alone for several minutes and then came back 'You find it yet?'

Rabbits and blankets

 

Purple rabbit,a prototype for the pattern I am working on. It is a mishmash of my Velveteen rabbit pattern from a few years back and the kangaroo pattern I've had up in my shop for a while.  I think I need to do something different in the bottom legs ... will be working on that for the next one or two I make.

About 6.5 inches tall

Mark said to give it the 'Esme test.'  I showed it to her and she jumped up and down saying she wanted to hold that rabbit, can she have that rabbit.  After that, she insisted it sleep in her bed last night and it was an argument not to have him go to school today, as well. She said the long ears were just right, and that he is smiling.  So, it passed the Esme test.. but still needs that little bit of extra work to make it easier to sew and more stable to sit.

Esme's knit blanket is much wider than the one I had made previously - and I thought I was making them the same number of stitches wide. It might be that the other one shrunk in the wash? We'll see. I'm aiming to make it about the same length, so it is about halfway there.  Most of this is scarp yarn from other projects but a few of the skeins were bought for the project. I'm running out of scraps again - will have to find another random print color maybe to throw on after that green became so strong.

I noted to Mark that all of these pictures look very childish in this post... but they should, as they are projects for a child There is a division in my work between things that are very 'fun' and childish, and things that are straight cut and elegant. I never know which way something is going to turn out - it just goes the way it wants to.

I walked out in the garden today to check on what our fall/winter plowing might or might not have done.  There are little green sprouts in several of the areas, so the frost has not entirely (yet) killed off anything that is trying to grow.  There were Swiss Chard, broccoli, kale and rutabaga planted.  I will have to watch out for dryness... but the weather is looking right for that this week.

bits of December

 Dried beans from the garden awaiting next year's planting.  There are fifteen varieties separated nearly arbitrarily into four bottles.

Black Shackamaxon
Yellow Eyed Kenearly Beans
Hutterite soup beans
Whipporwill cowpeas
Mississippi Silver cowpeas
Florida Speckled Lima Beans
Dixie Butterpea Speckled Lima Beans
Pinto Beans
Lina Sisco beans
Cranberry beans
Mayflower beans
Kentucky Wonder beans
King of the Early Bean (two or three)
Purple podded 'Tennessee Greasy' beans (disputed, large beans with black streaks)
one more 'unidentified' bean that is small, round shiny and white ground with black speckles

 

A little afternoon project, using up scraps from several of Esme's dresses  I've been using scraps for the Christmas deer and for some new rabbits I am trying to perfect the pattern on, as well. It was raining and cold again today. Luckily the rain waited until after we got back from town. These are coffee cups from a thrift store.. very pretty. We also got a few old books that were very interesting - one for Esme I may have to take some pictures of the illustrations

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Getting some practice with fancier things... on a useful table napkin like Esme and I use when we are eating downstairs. I have been making progress on Esme's knitted blanket (which is turning out wider than the original one), and also on a wide wool scarf that might end up in the shop or I might just keep it.