Egg cartons essploding

We started some pumpkins, sunflowers and sweet peas (think big easy-to sow stuff for a 2 year old), more to help Bennett get enthusiastic about the work ahead of us in the garden, but he is enthralled with the plants on our windowsill. Who knew some old egg cartons and a bit of time could be so awesome?

Sunflowers!

Pumpkins!

The little tray of wild seedlings, nestled in their pizza box liner...

Score!

I've been jonesing for a few sewing books lately, and found that many were not available through our local library. So, I finally indulged a couple weeks ago. I really lucked out and scored this awesome book at my local Half Price Books... and the patterns were still in it!


Heather Ross is a tremendous illustrator and fabric designer, and I keep hoping the baby will be a girl so I can make MOUNDS of these:
And even if it's a boy, I've got some fabric lined up to make several pairs of these from Anna Maria Horner's Handmade Beginnings book:
Then there's this awesome pattern for a quilted sleeper, also in Handmade Beginnings.

Maybe this is what that scrappy pile of fabric will turn into!

Dirty Dirt Dirt

As spring quickly approaches it is time to get back outside and boot up the garden. Our first task this year was to fill the raised beds that little B and I built frames for last year.

This job requires three things:

Dirt

Manpower

and Wheelbarrow Rides!!!

A special thanks to Jake, Sarah, Finn, Colleen, Andy, Uncle Scott, and Opa Pratt for all their hard work. Need more Bennett and Finn pictures? Visit Speedville.

Bennett's SUPERmittens

He calls them his SUPERmittens because they have SUPER Powers. Best worn with his bike helmet, hand-me-down Spiderman snow boots (thanks Sasha!!), big boy underpants (yesss!) and not much else.

I used this pattern on Ravelry, my other guilty pleasure! They were quick and fun, and a great way to practice for the Valentine's Day socks in progress for Brian... maybe I'll get those done by his birthday in July.

I'm nuts.

I like to pretend I have all the time in the world to work on all these ideas bouncing around in my head. The latest: quilting up fun kids quilts while using up some of my precious tiny scraps.

Day job, household chores, errands, Etsy, sleep, it's all pushed aside as these ideas tumble forth, at 2am these days, while the baby in my belly decides I need to switch sides for his/her comfort, thank you very much.
I keep perusing fun patterns for using up tiny scraps, and although I've been smitten with spiderweb quilts lately, this type of quilt seems a better choice for highlighting some of the quirky and unusual patterns and prints.

Fancy Sleeve

A fun sleeve for the hubby's new Xoom... I'm in love with the print! Almost as much as he's in love with the tablet. He hasn't been able to find a sleeve he liked to keep it in, and has been worried it would get damaged or scratched. So, I made him a temporary sleeve this afternoon until he finds his "ideal" holder.

I quilted the layers (cotton print outsides, a layer of batting middle) before assembling the teal flannel lining to give it some squish.

Now he can actually take it places!

Bockfest!

Unfortunately the rain prevented us from attending the Bock Fest parade and crowning of the Sausage Queen... and some cranky selves (we have a houseful around here) battling lingering head/chest colds that we all thought were done and gone.

Oh, well! We'll have to toast a round of Bock Beer at home this year. And watch Jake Speed's annual commercial on You-tube.

Spring

I can feel things shifting as the weather warms up. The bulbs are beginning to rise, the ground is getting soft, and this heart-crushing sadness begins to well up inside me for Burke. It's as if the memory of him that has been dormant all winter begins to flow like the sap inside a tree.

I stumbled across the hand print molds we made on the day he died a couple days ago. They were buried in the back of the spice cabinet, behind the sprinkles, straws and cupcake papers, and the contrast between these two things made me have to sit down for a minute. I had forgotten we stashed them there, out of sight, out of mind, waiting to find the strength to actually pour the plaster in to the small cavity left by his tiny hand.

After four years I'm still astounded at the depth and breadth of this ache.