The last of the year. Possibly the last ever, as I feel ready to move on from this project. But surely one of my favorites.
Category Archives: 52
an everything post….
Kind of like an everything bagel, only without the garlic. I save the garlic for other posts. Otherwise we’ve got it all; the 52 project, knitting, sewing, the weather, a tree…
I’m having issues with the auto-focus on my camera. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.
Seraphina’s new Baby Bubble Bloomeralls! Ack! Don’t you just want to kiss her cheeks?!? I modified the pattern to include a button closure between the legs for easier diaper changes/potty using. The yarn is Capra DK in ‘Velveteen’. I’ve been itching for an excuse to make her something in this color for ages now.
Ok and now the weather, because she’s out in that, in the middle of December! It’s so crazy. There’s green grass in these pictures! We were out getting our Christmas tree in sweaters. With no snow boots. This all feels very strange and kind of wrong. I’m not sure what to make of it. But it was rather nice not to have our fingers and toes going numb while waiting for everyone to decide exactly which tree was the right tree.
Books- I finished The Princess and the Goblin and passed it on to Galen. I misplaced my birthday book (this happens far more often then I care to admit) and have picked up this instead.
After cleaning out her drawers it turns out that Mairi Rose basically had the two pairs of velour pants I made her last year left to cover the lower half of her body- daytime or night time. This did not seem to be enough, so in between quilt sewing (did I mention I’m actually working on two quilts now?) I’ve been making leggings. Pretty much all the same pattern in different fabrics. I haven’t really been keeping track of them all. Let’s see, there was another pair of velour ones in a tan color, these stripped ones that I mentioned before and a pink and purple stripped pair… Basically just assume that I made any pants you see her in from here on out! I thought the last two weren’t really warm enough for winter wear (as it turns out I may have been wrong! It’s got to hit sometime, right?). As I was out of really thick stretchy fabric, I jumped at a sale and got a yard each of a handful of things. She picked out some bubble gum pink cotton fleece with roses on it. There was enough to make an attached skirt as well. She liked that idea and I figured two layers of fleece would be warmer than one.
Tomorrow we are baking cookies. I have some last minute knitting to do and if I get the chance, I’d like to do it alongside a nice period piece (tv show, mini-series or movie), because that’s just the kind of mood I’m in, any suggestions?
50/52
This week! Goodness, we have been busy. I barely took any pictures and the ones I did were literally a blur. This doleful picture is the best I have to offer. I don’t know why she looks so sad here, she was really enjoying herself.
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Seraphina: Lately she has stopped asking for things in favor of just saying “thank you” (or more precisely, “Dank-dank!”) as she happily helps herself.
Galen and Mairi Rose: A Christmas tree of their own design.
I’m growing rather weary of the 52 project, but we are so close to years’ end!
47/52
Mairi Rose and Seraphina were off playing and giggling by themselves. I peeked in to find Mairi had dressed them both up. Seraphina looked at me very solemnly indeed and said, “tutu” with a nod of her head. Serious and important business that.
I wanted to thank you all for your kind words of support on my last post. Believe it or not, the week actually became more challenging as it progressed, but I’ll not talk about that now. I only mention it to say that many of your comments really bolstered me up and helped me along and I am grateful for that. I’d like to write to each and every one of you, but my computer time is limited. Please know that you have been heard and appreciated. I’m also deeply grateful for sweet little girls in tutus and brothers who reach them up to the ceiling!
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Class observation week at ballet!
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Mairi Rose: Yesterday she decided she was going to spend the day as me. She put on my clothes and did her hair like mine.
Seraphina: Has been singing this song to herself.
Halloween and 44/52
I had what I thought was an adorable idea for a costume for Seraphina and others. As of 3:30 on October 30th, all that I’d managed of it was her little hat. And I couldn’t have cared less. In fact, I was quite ready to throw in the towel with Halloween across the board. Try again next year. Maybe. Maybe not even that. But Elijah, who obviously puts great stock in creative Halloween costumes, and probably equally pressing was looking to get out of washing dishes, laid the old sheet I was planning on using out on the table and started piecing together a pattern. And so, with a good deal of help, I rallied and there were costumes all around.
I wanted Mairi Rose to be a Matryoshka with us, but no, she wanted to be Tink to his Pan. Mommy and daughters matching costume? Totally cute. Controlling mommy who insists you wear the costume she wants you to wear? Not so cute. So I did not push even though it really would have been kind of perfect since she is just the right in between size. Side note: All three boys and I just recently watched the Milwaukee Ballet’s production of Peter Pan. It was magical. And inspiring for a certain young, male, ballet dancer.
Sewing notes: I used this pattern for Seraphina’s bonnet and a pattern similar to this one for my kerchief- which was very comfortable and stayed on perfectly and I want to make a bunch more for everyday wear. Seraphina’s dress is this one. Details on the sweater to come. I just made my dress up as I went along. It didn’t balloon out as nicely as it could have. Also, for the record, I’m not actually shaped like Humptey-Dumptey. Or at least not any more so than you would expect a woman who has given birth to five children to be. It’s the costume, honest! (well, mostly anyway) Mairi’s leggings in the first picture were made from this pattern.
43/52
42/52 and gathering in
Seraphina: Watching the leaves showering down. It was her first time in mittens this season. I joked that she was bobbing for tomatoes, as she kept leaning over and trying to remove the cherry tomatoes from the plants using only her mouth! 
After an unusually warm September it seems as though deep autumn is very suddenly upon us. With our first hard frost on the horizon we spent Saturday bringing in the last of the delicate, tender produce. As if eager to emphasis the point, snow started sifting down as we filled baskets with green tomatoes…and continued through the next day; wildly swirling at times, but mostly melting on the still warm earth. Garden fresh flowers filling my windowsills, with snow falling on the other side. Such a strange contradiction!