happy belated easter

::eggs decorated::

::sugar rush hitting hard::

::fever hitting 102.5::

::cake hitting the freezer to be eaten this weekend, when we will actually celebrate easter...::

*photos taken on a trial run lumix....to be returned tomorrow to purchase the D80...woo hoo!

camera craze

ohhhhh boy!

do not give me options. i will ponder and ponder and ponder...and then just sit and think about it....and then look more things up....and then compare....and then freak out....and then go back to the original plan....and then wonder if i did the wrong thing....and then look again....and then go back to the original plan again....and stick to it.

so...i originally wanted a nikon d80. but then chris showed me these leica's. reeeeaaaalllly nice, but pricey and not exactly what i want. to get a leica that does what i want (but at a way more professional level and price $5500!) i'd have to get the m8. and no way. so then i thought, oh forget it, just get another crappy point and shoot. but no! that's not what i want! so i searched and searched flickr. (you may not want to do this if you are at all indecisive like me!) so...after way too many long hours spent on this topic, last night i decided...i will get the d80. and maybe even this week! (don't hold me to it!) i got to play with my sisters d70x on sunday at her baby shower and loved it. (as does chris...some of his flickr photos are done on that exact camera). so...i'm so excited and can't wait to share!

on a different note, some craftiness has been happening in between camera obsession. i knit a variation of elizabeth zimmermann's february baby sweater from knitter's almanac for baby bare. it was done in koigu's kersti merino crepe. a variegated dk weight yarn that knit up looks like camo! two cute beads for buttons at the neck. photos to come (they are still on lura's d70x!) stella colored some cute bird pictures that we ironed on to onesies for the babe, too. VERY cute! (again, on the camera!) so...hopefully the blogging will resume shortly with some colorful additions.


we'll see. i just might change my mind again!

thoughts

not much to write lately...so just things in my brain.


the path to wisdom is one of trial and error. and lots of prayer.

even my best effort requires repentance.

god is like a mother hen gathering her chicks...glad i'm a chick.

loving this verse:

Psalm 131:2 - But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.

praying for a peaceful weekend for all of us.

xo

the martha experience

wow. so it's been a loooooong time, heh?

well...let's just say things have been fun and wild here in nj. last wednesday was the taping of the handknits show on martha. what a fun day...here goes:

woke up early early and baked some trader joe's chocolate filled croissants. yum. these things are fabulous! you buy them frozen, leave them out overnight to proof (they get huge!) and bake for 25 minutes. pure heaven. and fun for a bus ride to nyc (accompanied by a very big latte).

so the bus trip was great...mom, loren and i had fun chatting the time away (a mere 1 hour 40 minutes...not so bad) and wondering why we don't do this more often!?! we arrived with plenty of time to spare, so we thought we'd walk the mile or so down to chelsea studios...the wind said no! it was fuh-reeeeeezing. so, we taxi-cabbed it. fun and cheap enough to do 2 more times that day! when we got in, our nerves were crazy. what the heck? this was supposed to be so fun and all of a sudden, there we were surrounded by handknitters/crocheters and feeling very strange. the producers were walking around checking out what we brought and it felt very judgey...some "uh-huh's" "nice" and "oh, that's cute" left you wondering what the heck are they thinking? a little girl next to me had handknit and designed the most adorable doll which barely got a blink. and who did they choose to sit in the front row and talk to martha??? this horrible sweater. sorry but seriously. the lady called it her tribute to sergeant pepper's...the three of us agreed...michael jackson, beat it! AWFUL. tacky. too big. ugly. and i'm not trying to be mean. we wondered if the producers were making fun of her and putting martha on the spot?? maybe. watch today and see!

all in all though, it was great. the set is so fun to see and the people working there seem to have fun. we got a free book! love it! and stella is so excited to make some toys!

we then taxied down to soho to go to purl and purl patchwork. yum. much love there. i could spend a small fortune at those stores. we then ate three delicious steaks to fill our aching bellies before heading home on the bus in the snow. we were zonked...and happy!

so...anyway, it was an experience...and overall, and enjoyable one.

in even more exciting news...a better blog is on it's way...say, this weekend? keep your eyes out for a more enjoyable view, if you know what i mean!!! (hmm hmm camera hmm hmm) yep...chris did some searching around and after viewing lots of camera options, i think we decided...but since it's not purchased yet, i'll wait on the reveal until it's in my hands! yippee!

then...i can show the finished hourglass sweater that is already getting too much wear! the camo baby sweater for baby bare! and more more more! can't wait...anyway, thanks for the blog patience...and hope to see you soon! xo

catching my breath

wowzers.

we hibernated last week due to a nasty virus infestation. stella and eli had it bad, up all night for about 4 nights coughing like crazy. broke out the nebulizer again. i have a love hate relationship with that thing. freaks me out, but it works...so i don't know. we all camped in the living room...it was the only way we got any rest. stella had to sleep almost completely upright, so she was on the couch. i pulled her mattress onto the floor where i crashed and had eli by my side, all propped up on pillows. not fun. and quite exhausting. glad they are better now...

in the meantime, i had delusions of glorious hours of knitting as they napped away their illness, but no. i barely got anything done! but i'm back at it now. the hourglass body is finished and i'm halfway done sleeve #1. looking good (might still be a bit baggy, even with doing the smaller size!...oh well. it'll be cozy) i panicked about the bagginess one night and had to set it aside. so i cast on elizabeth zimmerman's february baby sweater. so cute and easy. i can't give details because the recipient reads this! wink wink lura. i got some hours to myself on sunday (thanks chris) so that i could hit the yarn store again (what a problem!)...they were having a great sale! 30% off ALL yarns. i got some nice merino for more baby items and some luscious malabrigo for a sweater for stella and an aran for me. i'm going to try to design it myself! this may not happen for a while...but the stash is now sufficiently overflowing with goodness. also got some great sock yarn...i still never knit socks! gotta try it.

so...my pay it forward friends, your gifts are now planned and hopefully will be completed by the end of the month. i'll keep you posted!

hope to be back into blogging mode now...see you soon!

some photos

taking from rachel, but not so "artsy"...some phone-photos:
first, stella's self portraits...love those lips!




and hourglass progress...


***dangit...i don't know how to make them bigger. rachel? any advice?

HOLY CRAP! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

I AM GOING TO SEE MARTHA LIVE ON FEBRUARY 20TH!!!

oh my good gracious! i'm so excited! it is a live show all about handknits!

i'll be 35 two days later...and my momma (who's coming with me!) will be 60 four days later! i'll also be bringing my good friend loren (because we watch martha together AND craft together AND i love her!)

so watch martha on february 20th and maybe you'll see my ecstatic little face!!!

WOOHOO!!!