NWN - Halloween

We have a "Toy Story" fan in our house :)





These days, we are fortunate to have someone who makes us smile.

-tb:xox

A Sorrowful Goodbye

It is with a heavy heart that I write this post. October 20th, 2010, my dear grandfather passed away peacefully in his sleep.

He was a man filled with kindness.




















He loved to create.




















He made time for his friends.














He supported his family.














He lived for love.















He enjoyed the small things in life.













He was simple and honest.




















He will never be forgotten.














HJM: September 8, 1912 - October 20, 2010 (98 years young)

-tb:xox

At Last!

I have FINALLY started knitting the Endpaper Mitts.

I've had these suckers in queue on Ravelry for 2 years.

The time has come, my friends, to twist and loop these two gorgeous colours into works of magic.

Materials:
- S.R Kertzer On Your Toes 4-Ply (with Aloe Vera): 1 ball of "Carnation", 1 call of Sage Heather.
- Needles US1 (2.25mm) and US2.5 (3mm)

Can't wait for these to be on my hands.

-tb:xox

EFL - Baby Gifts!

Is it wrong to use chip bags as materials in a babies gift? Not if no one knows ; )


Made two "crinkle" toys for me nephew. The first, I made with an empty wipes package, and it was pretty crinkly. THEN for the second one, I used the Sunchips 100% recyclable bag. You know, the really (REALLY) loud one? The one so loud they needed to put a disclaimer on the packaging telling you why it was so loud? Ya, that one worked really well!

I'm not super at sewing in a circle. I really admire people who are!

Without further adieu, my nephews tagged crinkly toys!

And then their back-sides:


I love making things for babies.

-tb:xox

Making Robots!

H.Bo has caught robot fever. We're not sure how it happened, but he LOVES robots. Grandma recently bought him a pair of robot jammies, and as soon as he got in them, he danced around the room singing "robot robot" to the tune of "twinkle twinkle".

So, for our "Make Something Monday" craft, we decorated our own robots!

I cut our three different robot 'bodies' from various leftover scrapbooking papers, and then random shapes from other papers. We picked our bodies and started to glue! This was also a very good opportunity to practice our shapes as well (ah, the tricks parent's play).

Hunter asked for most of the pieces by name: "Triangle, please" and so on. He even got the diamond right :)

We talked about the shapes, we talked about the colours, we even talked about the textures! He was a big fan of the 'spawkwy" white circle he got to put on.

Our end results!:

Hunter's Robot

Daddy's Robot

Mommy's Robot
(and yes, I realize my robot pales in comparison to the boys')

And while we're talking about robots, check out some other really cool robot stuff:

1. Frugal Family Fun has this robot craft using recycled products (if I told you what she used, you wouldn't believe me, so go see for yourself!) --> Take the time to look through this website, it's so fantastic.
2. This free Ravelry pattern for an R2D2 beanie is sure to make any Star Wars (or robot) fan feel warm and fuzzy!
3. Adorable robot lunchbag from Chatpers - 100% certified organic cotton with a removable EVA liner. There's no way anyone would forget there lunch with this bag!

Have fun :)

-tb:xox

Parties, Baking and Yummies

This weekend was a busy one. I had agreed to help a friend of mine plan her daughter's "Dora" themed birthday party. I was busy making 36 cookies and 24 cupcakes! Unfortunately, I was so rushed (yes, I leave most things until the last minute) that I didn't get any pictures, but trust me, it was cute : ) As a thank you, my friend gave us a little bag full of roasted pumpkin seeds!

It's all the yummies without all the work:

Later, I made mini cookies! We made a few trains, some bears, a few pigs (which got eaten right away), the cutest hippos, and a couple dinosaurs. We had the 'animal train' vs. the dinosaur:

(L to R): Dinosaur, train, hippo, bear

After the baking dust had settled, it was time to get the farmer's market goodies in our bellies! I love Sunday dinner; it's my favourite time to sit with my family, enjoy their company, talk about our days, and fight with our son to eat. Other days, the fighting with him to eat isn't as fun, but Sunday's it OK ; )

Mashed potatoes, green beans baked with purple onion, boiled ham

P.S. trying to cut up his ham in the same shapes as the cookies did not get him to like the ham any better.

-tb:oxo

To Market, To Market!

A few minutes from our house is a large, obtrusive shopping mall. We frequent it a lot, despite our best efforts not too. Mostly we go to the drug store there for baby wipes, diapers and bread.

This fall, for the first time, a farmer's market has set up shop in the mall parking lot every Saturday from 8:00am - 3:00pm. What a treat!

We've been there a few times this season. This time, we picked some of our favourites: potatoes, green beans, purple onion, and because it was the last week for them and I couldn't resist; strawberries!


H.Bo, or course, made quick work of those.

Happy Saturday : )
-tb:x0x