Scissor Happy

Ah yes, the age of three.

Cutting with scissors is fun, isn't it?



Especially when it's your own hair! As you can see by her goofy face, she's quite proud of what she did.



This happened the other day while I was putting C down for her nap. K even put the hair she cut into a jar with some pieces of paper she cut up.
I guess they all have to try this at some point, right? I think she could pull off the Bettie Page bangs (unlike me!)...

Scissor Happy

A True Hero

"I want to fight until the day I am no longer able. Fight for what? For the world, for life, for happiness, for fresh air, for songs, for the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea."
-Jacques Cousteau

Ever since I can remember I loved Jacques Cousteau. I was always so fascinated with his ocean explorations as a kid. His study of sharks is what really got me to love him, though. (You may remember the mention of my shark obsession in my WIPster interview.) He really worked so hard to destroy the fearsome man-eating image most people envisioned when they thought of sharks. He taught people to see them for how amazing they truly are, and respect them. He reminded that in a world without sharks, humans would not survive. He did all of this in his amazing lifetime and that is just barely the tip of the iceberg of all his work.



"We must not only defend sharks because they are useful and beautiful, but we must protect the sea that feeds them. And also restore the balance of the great ocean's ecosystem, of which sharks form an important link and on which we ultimately depend."
Requins, Innocents sauvages, J-Y Cousteau et Yves Paccalet, Ed. Robert Laffont 1997.



Even though he has left this earth he will forever have my admiration. So you can imagine my excitement when I found the Cousteau Society headquarters *almost* in my neighborhood. I kid you not, it's literally a 7 1/2 minute drive. I am so happy I discovered this before we moved! The girls and I drove there on Tuesday. They had a tiny museum filled with some of the most amazing things. The girls were not as excited as I was, although K really liked the mechanical shark. If only we lived here while they were older...


Life size mechanical great white shark

I could have spent hours in that tiny museum but they let me have about 45 minutes. I think we reached a good compromise! (That is one of the keys to parenting, wouldn't you say?) I learned so much about his life and his amazing family. I look forward to the day when I can share my love and gratitude for Jacques Cousteau with my girls, and have them fully understand. Until then I can continue telling them stories of his expeditions and teaching them to respect and care for our oceans and planet. I think that's what he would want us all to do.


From the Calypso


Underwater camera from the late 1970s

A True Hero

WIP Wednesday: Mini Yum Yums

For the latest installment in my never ending project may I present...



a pear fit for a fairy. That's all I can think of when I knit these tiny things. K is in love with them. I think once this is all said and done I will have to knit extras for her Ostheimer animals to have in her farm.

6 days left to finish up the pattern details and photos. I don't know how, but I have somehow managed to forget how to use my tripod for self portraits. I guess it's been at least 5 years since I've done a self portrait. I don't know of anyone near me who knows how to work my camera to take the pics for me. I pretty much have about 1 hour each day to figure this out (while C is napping and I have good lighting). I guess we'll see what I come up with. Anyone have any good reminders or pointers they want to share with me? Help jog my memory,please!

I have to say, when I am knitting I become ecstatic, almost giddy like. Knitting is definitely my much needed release from such crazy, hectic days. My dogs are usually the only ones that witness my silliness while I knit,(which is probably a good thing).


Paw Paw

As you can see they think I am crazy.

I hope you are all having fun on whatever you may have in progress!

WIP Wednesday: Mini Yum Yums

Happy Summer Solstice (and Father's Day)!

Flaming light,
Shine so bright,
Flaming light,
Give your might,
Make us strong and make us bold
Turn our world to living gold.
- M.Meyerkort

Hope everyone has a great one! We are on the tail end of a wonderful week filled with visits from our dear friends and my mother. <3


June

Outer banks find


--------------------------------------------------------------------------
We threw this together fast so it's not looking all that great right now,not to mention my not so great pics! Sorry!!

Happy Summer Solstice (and Father's Day)!

WIP Wednesday: Are You Sick Of This Project Yet?

Time for a happy dance! I have the prototypes all done, patterns complete and I'm on to the picture taking phase, then I just have to knit up a bunch more and mail them on their way. I'm so happy I am finally at this stage! Hopefully I will knit up the rest fast and then you guys won't be sick of hearing about this project ;)
Can I just say the little 'accessories' for the basket are turning out so cute! They are the size of a dime!!
My project really ends up being very simple and I think even the beginner knitter will be able to make this. I just hope now that it's good enough to make it in the magazine. I am working with the most amazing and talented women ever known. Honestly, it's just an honor that I was able to participate in such a wonderful project. I can't believe I have to wait until the winter for all of you to see the beauty of everything everyone is making. I will keep you all updated on it until then, as long as you don't get sick of it!



Happy creating!

WIP Wednesday: Are You Sick Of This Project Yet?

For the Birds

*a little warning- this was typed up without coffee in my system!*


'Daddy' mourning dove keeping the eggs warm while 'Mama' is away eating

My dear friend Cat just posted recently about the loss of life on her farm.
Although, it's all part of nature it still saddens me.

The girls and I have become quite fond of our bird friends in our yard. We feed them daily, along with our squirrel friends. We truly love watching and admiring them throughout the day.

We watched 2 mourning doves build their nest in our tree twig by twig. Every day we would peek out our window and check on them. Then the mama laid her eggs, and we would watch them delicately move them around in the nest to re-adjust. We even saw the babies hatch. Then something went wrong. I checked out our window to see how the babies were doing and both parents were gone. Flies were buzzing around the nest. I knew that couldn't be a good sign. I confirmed that one of the babies had died. I went outside to look for the other baby and oh my, I can't tell you how happy I was when I found that sweet little guy alive and moving under the tree. I quickly picked him up and got some old blankets and rags together to make him a temporary home until the emergency vet opened.



K loved watching over him and making sure he was warm enough. He was a very tiny thing, his eyes weren't even opened yet, but I hope they are able to rehabilitate him. We have our fingers crossed. These vets are amazing. Last month I had to bring in a male blue jay to them. I saw the poor guy get run over by a car. The technician thought he had a great chance though. The girls and I choose to have hope that our feathered friends will be ok. It may sound silly but seeing what these animals have to go through really makes me cherish what little time we have.

For the Birds

WIP Wednesday: a Tisket, a Tasket....

Wow. It's that time again. It seems like I have only been able to post on Wednesdays lately.
I am very, very happy to say that my lack of enthusiasm towards knitting has gone to the way side, and I'm back in full force! *happy dance time* I don't have the chance to knit during the day anymore but at exactly 8:05 every evening (OK, maybe give or take a few minutes) I am in my living room with both dogs knitting like a mad woman.

After being reminded many times over why I never did like math equations, I finally got my pattern figured out for the magazine project. I still have a lot to do, but knowing that I conquered that silly issue has me elated.



That is a pre-felted sneak peek of what I've been up to. I have until the 30th to finish up my instructions/patterns for every part of the project, and get pics of my prototypes in. Then I have until the end of July to make about 6 more of them. If we weren't moving cross country that would be a piece of cake but I admit I am spreading myself a bit thin here. I think it's well worth it though!!
Happy creating everyone!

WIP Wednesday: a Tisket, a Tasket....

Featured WIPster? Who, me?!

I had to share with everyone how honored and amazed I am that I am the June featured WIPster. You can find the info HERE
Thank you Shelly for the honor.

I have been a bit absent this week from the computer. The girls and I have been keeping ourselves rather busy and I am still a bit stressed over figuring out my pattern for that project. I have been able to work online only after they have gone to bed, but I have found myself rather exhausted by then too. Plus, I do have to admit it's hard to resist this sweet dirty sleeping face



and this kitty butt in the air!



Have a great weekend! This is Pirate Festival weekend for us!!

Featured WIPster? Who, me?!

WIP Wednesday: Knitting vs. Sewing

Where should I begin? Much to my excitement my fabric arrived just a couple days after my last WIP Wednesday post and oh my do I love it! I actually got a couple other different fabrics not pictured, they are currently hiding in the closet from prying eyes. I washed the princess and the pea fabric the minute I opened it so I could get some work on the secret surprise done before the yarn arrived. I did make a bit of progress, but then...



*sigh* so I'm back to knitting for that magazine project and the secret surprise is back to the back burner. I am normally more excited over knitting than I am sewing but this time around it is the opposite. I really just want to sew. I was so excited over taking part in this project for such a great magazine but for some reason my momentum has left me. That usually does happen to me. Then something makes me get head over heels excited again and it's like I never lost it in the first place. Hopefully, now that I have my yarn and I can get back to knitting, it will come back to me.
I did sneak in some more work on K's surprise that night though




I couldn't resist! That may be the teeniest crown of all!

To make the yarn choices less mysterious, here's a little hint as to what that yellow will be used for



What do you think? Pretty close?
*ETA: I apologize some of the pics are rather washed out looking. My laptop is a bit haywire at the moment.*

WIP Wednesday: Knitting vs. Sewing