Snow sorbet

The neighborhood we live in is full of fantastic neighbors.  Living near these folks makes me actually reconsider my dream of a bit of land some day.  Sure we all live squished up next to each other like sardines in a can but we all get along and we are surrounded by green space and trails aplenty.  Truthfully I would like a place with some space some day but this is just great for right now.  I was talking to one of the older gals in our neighborhood while we were out playing in the snow.  She is a wealth of great ideas and I've gotten more than a few from her.  She told us she used to make snow ice cream with her kiddos when they were young.  We just had to give it a try.  We scooped up some clean snow (Yes i know it's probably not really clean but please don't tell me about it.  I just don't want to know) and stirred it up with apricot juice.  That was it: instant sorbet! The kids were in heaven.  Thanks Carol!

Seeds ordered!

I placed my Fedco seed order this week.  This summer's garden will hold all kinds of new experiments for me.  I will be working in a space that is roughly 15'x25'.  Most of it is deck and gravel.  I am trying to be thrifty and crafty in creating my planters.  Old freestanding, iron bathtub anyone...  I'm also doing a lot of research on growing in small places.  I'm planning on trellising my melons, cucumbers, squash, beans and peas, as well as some flowers.  I am going to attempt a version of the sunflower house in the book 'Roots, Shoots, Buckets and Boots' on our upper deck.  Hoping I can get some local restaurants to give me their used five gallon buckets to plant in.  Now as the snow falls thick I get to sketch and dream and wait for my box of gold to arrive.

Sewing with buttons

Lil decided she wanted to make a doll last week.  I helped with the pattern but she did much of the sewing. She also made a blanket for her doll.  Once the doll and blanket were sewn she decided she needed to keep sewing.  She picked through the scraps and button jar.  These little clothes were entirely her own.  I was rather impressed.  Did I mention she turned five a few weeks back?!  I made her a birthday quilt.  More on that to come when I finish quilting and edging.  

A dress from Carefree clothes for Girls

I love this dress pattern from 'Carefree Clothes for Girls' by Junko Okawa.  I've been eyeing it for a while and finally got around to it.  It was quick to sew up.  The time consuming bit was hand stitching on the patches.  Even that wasn't too bad.  I added gathered top pockets with a bit of a bias edge.  I'm of the opinion that girls clothes never have enough pockets.  My girls are forever collecting things in my pockets when we go for walks.  I figure if I give them their own maybe I'll stop finding rocks in my pockets... not that I mind too much.  I only had five red buttons and Lil loved this blue button.  I figured it couldn't hurt.  And yes she is carding wool in the first shot.  It is a favorite pass time around here.

Some not so great photos of a great sweater

 Made this Elizabeth Zimmerman Baby Surprise Jacket for my little buddy Eero in Michigan's UP.  I'd like to tell you a little story of why this sweater was fated to be.   I picked up a skien of this yarn last May in upstate NY thinking I'd make a pair of socks.  With all our travel this past summer those socks never materialized.  Fall rolled around and Eero was born and I found this yarn in my stash but I only had one skein which wasn't enough.  So I went looking for a nice variegated yarn.  I found myself here in CO in Hobby Lobby (which isn't my preferred place to shop for yarn but there I was) and what should I find but a skein of yarn that looked a lot like this.  It was on clearance and I decided to take a gamble.  Sure enough I got it home and it was the same darn dye lot.  Image that!  It took me forever to knit this.  There were other projects in between.  And it was close at the end.  I wasn't quite sure I'd make it.  In fact it was a matter of ten inches.  That was all I had left.  The buttons came off an old H and M sweater.  I love recycling buttons.