A birthday card

This is the super cute, creative and original birthday card/book that Janeen made for Charmie's birthday.  I love little Janeen.  She is 6 and in Kindergarten.  Janet noted that Janeen had no direction or prompting for this, she just decided to make it on her own.  It reads, "Happy Birthday" (Picture of Charmie waving) "today is my cousin's birthday" (a birthday cake) "He is having a party" (Charmie with a birthday hat holding up a piece of birthday cake) "happy birthday" (charmie with a 2 and a birthday hat standing next to Janeen) "I love you" (hearts nested around each other getting larger and larger). 

This was so sweet of her to make for her cousin!  Kids are great.

Mardie climbs up

Here the boys play on one of their latest garage sale treasures. . . As you can see little Mardie wasted no time learning to climb up the steps to slide.  He can get his knee up on the platform but still lacks the strength or coordination or both to get the rest of his body up there. . . it's only a matter of time though.  He's 8 months 1 week and 1 day in this picture.  He's going to be like his brother from the stand point of climbing anything and everything I think.  Please pray for me as their mom!

Charmie's gift from Grandma and Grandpa Ray

Here's Charmie with a gift from Grandma and Grandpa Ray.  His very own vacuum cleaner.

Riding on Daddy's Bike

Here Rocky and Charmie are getting ready for an afternoon ride around our street.  Charmie and Rocky both love this time and activity together.

Mardie's standing

Mardie started crawling over to things and using them to stand up about a week before this picture was taken.  Here he's using his new hippo car.  As more pictures are added to this blog you'll notice a theme of ride on toys.  Our boys love to ride on anything that moves.  This is Mardie's first.  Charmie has many ride on toys but he was reluctant to share and none of them are really at the level that Mardie needed with his present skills to balance.  Charmie quickly claimed this one though soon after we introduced it to Mardie as his.  We daily have to explain that this one is the "baby's."

Charmie's 2nd birthday

I have created this blog but haven't updated it. I've been bad. I decided to start with Charmie's 2nd birthday. Here he sit's reading a gift counting book from his Grandma and Grandpa Manuel.

Seriphina Shawl

Here's my version of the Seriphina Shawl that my sister introduced me to this past weekend.  I love the pattern and design.  I found a great deal on some bulky chenille and decided to whip this one up yesterday.  It worked up extremely quickly in the bulky weight yarn with a P hook. 

Quilts for Charmie and Mardie

I've finished construction on the quits for Charmie and Mardie.  These were super easy.  I want to embelish the other squares over time with fabrics and things that have meaning to them but for now this is a servicable quilt!

Poncho Sweater complete!

After seeing the poncho sweaters for little girls I was one of those waiting with baited breath for the adult version.  I printed this from Emerald Moon's site a little less than a month ago but with other projects looming and then my slump I just didn't/ couldn't get started until 3 nights ago. I whipped out my Aunt Lydia's Denim ball and started.  I wasn't sure if the 400 yd. ball would do me and like an idiot I didn't buy two just in case. . . Hence the darker variation in the thread color in the bottom edging of the sweater and along the sleeves.  To my eye it's hard to distinguish in regular lighting but photo's show it well.  I don't think it's unatractive though.  Just a suprise to me. 

I like this piece and can't wait for the occasion to wear it.  It will definitely need a tank top under it.  as it's transparent for the most part.

Hand dyed raw wool before felt attempt

Here's the raw wool bag I started. This is before attempting felting. It didn't felt really though so I'm disappointed. I don't know what to do with this yarn now. My whole plan was to dye and felt it.

Charm'sKnit sweater finally finished!!!

I knit this in Paton's Classic Merino. It's a Debbie Bliss pattern from Easy Baby Knits, Shawl-Collared Jacket. It's bigger than I planned. I made the 18-24 mos size. I didn't check guage. It may fit him this coming winter. If it's too big then I'll have to decide if I'll wait another year or Felt it down a little.
He was having a bad morning when I attempted to get him to try it on. He ran away kicking and screaming so it's just laying on my bed now. He's normally really happy to try on stuff I make for him.
I really enjoyed making this one and want to make a similar style sweater for Rocky possibly on my knitting machine. I just got a pattern today from Ultimate Knitting Mag Fall 2002. It's a cabled pattern so I'd be learning all kinds of things to make it. I also want to make one for M eventually but for now I don't really have one planned.
It worked up faster than I thought it would. I started this way back in August and it sat on kneedles for months. The other night I finished the final sleeve, front and collar detail and sewed the seams and added the buttons. I still need to get some lables. I haven't found the right ones yet for the stuff I make my boys.

Summer Crochet Poncho/Skirt

I put these pics on the other night but I'm just now getting the time to update the entry. My laptop is down and with my little ones sitting in my office on the pc just doesn't work unless I want someone to get into my yarn stash or sewing shears or rotary cutter or serge themselves. . . both boys are very curious and very mobile these days so everything below 36" is fair game! What Mardie can't reach Charmie pulls down for him. I swear sometimes they communicate with eachother.
My sister made the Shells & Roses Poncho by Coats & Clark sans the rose. . . I really liked it so I decided to make one of my own likewise sans rose. I used TLC Cotton Plus yarn, 3 balls. I chose this color because I think it's gorgeous and it goes perfectly with my crochet dress. . .but this poncho does not! LOL, too much crochet!
I modified the pattern with 2 less shells. It fits as either a poncho or a skirt, however I need to make a slip of sorts if I am going to wear it as a skirt.
As a poncho it hits a few inches below my elbow. As a hipster skirt it hits almost at my knee. I'm 5'2" so I"m a shorty!
I love how this turned out.