Yarn Along

Joining with Ginny at Small Thing's for this week's Yarn Along .

It almost looks like there is snow on the ground, but it's just petals from our plum trees. It looks really lovely. Even our car is covered.

I am almost done with the baby sophisticate sweater I am knitting for my husband's assistant at work.  Just a few more wrap and turn rows on the collar strip and we will be good to go. Now to figure out what to knit next.........

The rain has finally returned, so maybe I will feel more of a pull to knit. It has felt like summer, which is typically my knitting off-season.

I am reading bits of  A Tree Grows in Brooklyn here and there and just started reading Inferno by Dan Brown. I was in the mood for a mystery.

What are you reading? What are you knitting?

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Phoebe's Sweater

Here it is.... finished and modeled!

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A Fourth Birthday Party

Last Sunday, Phoebe turned four. And, for her fourth birthday she wanted nothing more than a My Little Pony party. Now, My Little Ponies are not exactly my favorite, but it wasn't my party, so I happily agreed to indulge her.
We tried to keep it simple, but you know how things always end up being more complicated that originally intended. At least at my house.
For decorations I made a pony banner and then just reused all of the decorations from Phoebe's rainbow party last year.

Phoebe really wanted to dress up as one of the ponies, Rainbow Dash, for her party. I found a Rainbow Dash mask from a shop on etsy,  and had my friend Heidi, who has a sweet little etsy shop called Humble Luna, make her a Rainbow Dash tail. They booth looked fantastic. I paired this with a simple dress that I quickly made from My LIitle Pony fabric and the Rainbow Dash sweatshirt that Phoebe got for Christmas.

Instead of a fancy, complicated cake, I decided to do a few varieties of cupcakes, and top the ones for the kids with miniature My Little Ponies. This made it easier for me, and the ponies became their party favor to take home.

For activities, I made craft stations with a My Little Pony theme.

There was a mask-making station, where each kiddo could choose a pony mask to decorate. I got the mask templates here.

There was a hair salon, where each child could choose a barrette and use hair chalk to color their hair.  I bought plain barrettes from the craft store and then got My Little Pony button from this etsy shop and just glued them on with a hot glue gun. The hair salon also had pony tails that I made. I simply took old yarn from my stash, made a tail, and stuck a clip into it.

There was a tattoo parlour, with DIY pony tattoos.

Their was a face painting station, where kids could paint cutie marks on their faces (for those who are not in the loop, cutie marks and the symbols on the sides of the ponies that differentiate them from one another).

And lastly, there was a bracelet making station.

The kids stayed busy and had fun. I think a lot more time was spent running around wildly than actually at the craft stations, but that's OK. As long as they were happy! Pin It Now!

Gratitudes

This week I have felt grateful for:

* The bounty of blossoms and color that have invaded Portland. We have had unseasonably warm days, with lots of sun, and despite the fact that it is most likely a result of climate change (and therefore freaking me out),  it has been lovely.
* The busy birds that visit our feeder each day and the moments I can find to sit and watch them.
* Running water, electricity, a washing machine. The very basic things we take for granted every day. I think the book that I am reading, California, in which the characters have a lack of the basic amenities, has made me very appreciative of my 'modern' life.
* That my teaching term is almost over, that the days are getting longer, and that we have a spring break road trip coming up!

What have you felt grateful for this week?

Playing along with the other Taryn of Wooly Moss Roots.

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This Moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo- no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Inspired by Soulemama.

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Yarn Along

Joining with Ginny at Small Thing's for this week's Yarn Along .

Phoebe's Phoebe's sweater and the mouse and all of her clothes got done in (plenty of) time for Phoebe's birthday. I actually loved knitting the mouse clothes. They were finished so quickly and are so sweet and tiny. Phoebe hasn't worn the sweater yet, or really played with the mouse either, but she has been wrapped up in birthday goodness. I am sure the mouse will have a turn soon.

I am currently knitting up a quick baby sophisticate sweater for my husband's assistant at work.  She is due with a baby boy on the 17th. Baby sweaters are so tiny and quick, and this yarn is amazingly soft. Love.

We are planning a few day long road trip for spring break near the end of March and I am looking forward to browsing ravelry for a project or two to knit while we are on the road. It feels so luxurious to be able to 'browse' knitting projects, and not be frantically trying to finish a project by a certain time. My husband always makes fun of me because I stress myself out by self-imposed deadlines on knitting and sewing projects. It is sort of ridiculous when I really stop and think about it. Oh well. That's how I function I guess.... ;)

In the reading world, I temporarily set aside A Tree Grows in Brooklyn so I can focus on California by Edan Lupecki. It's due back on the library soon, and I want to have a chance to finish it. Honestly, I have only had a few moments to read in the last week, as we have been busy with a very special fourth birthday, but I expect to have more quiet nights in my future.

What are you reading? What are you knitting?

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Four.

My sweet little Phoebe, my baby, turns four today. Four! It sounds so old, so grown up, so not-a-baby-anymore. And she's not a baby anymore, is she?
But this age is amazing. I love her spunk, her independence, and her imagination. I love her goofy personality and her tendency to tell you exactly what is on her mind. And to tell any person that passes by exactly what is on her mind too. I love that when she is sad or tired, a good snuggle usually makes everything better. I love how everyone she meets is her friend and I love how she pretends to be shy, even when she's not. I love how she sings about everything, all the time. I love how she constantly tells me that she loves me and that she wants to be together forever. I love it all and I love her to pieces.
I know that over the next year, the bits of baby still left in her will fade even more. She will become more independent. She will probably start to say "three" instead of "free", and maybe she will start putting her shoes on the correct feet. But no matter how big, how grown up, or how independent she becomes, she will always be my baby.
Phoebe has taught me so much about life: how to ease tension by being silly, how to instantaneously forgive someone, and how to unabashedly tell people how much you care for them. I am so very lucky to have this amazing little lady in my life. Happy Birthday dearest Phoebe!!

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