The Benefits of Procrastination...

I know it's terribly un-PC of me to say this out loud, but there are times when I miss being able to throw things in the garbage and just completely forget about them. I spend more time sorting, cleaning, categorizing, bagging, and sifting through recyclables and compost than I ever would have imagined a decade ago. I will admit to you that some days, it really really drives me batty. I miss the ignorance and arrogance of an age long past, when everything from batteries and paint cans to chicken bones and paper towel all went in the same bag and out to the curb and we were all happy little clams that knew none the wiser. This was also an era when dogs were just dogs and no one seemed to care about their 'emotional needs' or 'self esteem'. But that's a rant for another day.

A nice thing happened to me the other day. The fact that I have craft projects from six or more years ago still hanging around unfinished actually came in handy.

My little A is really into flipping through books right now...

Exhibit Little A

...even to the exclusion of playing with other toys, which I have to say, just thrills me to no end. I've been reading to her since day one, so to watch her really enjoy flipping pages and investigating what's inside is just a joy. She enjoys it so much in fact that she likes to have a book in bed with her, which I have no problem with, other than the fact that she might roll over on it etc. while she's sleeping. I couldn't see a small board book doing much harm, though it might prove to be a bit uncomfortable. Then I remembered that at one point in time, I had started a soft fabric book as a project and still had it buried somewhere in my fabric stash.



So I dug it out and as of last night, I have all the pages assembled. I just need to figure out how to do a binding on it. I'm thinking eyelets/grommets. It is unlikely that I'd be able to sew through all the layers on my sewing machine.

My house looks so ghetto without trim on the windows...that's the next project for Mr. Fixit.

I've been able to get back and play in my craft room a little more these days since I packed up the baby swing that was previously occupying the spot that the play pen now is. It's like a revelation. She's quite content to sit and play while we yammer away to one another and I get to exercise some creative muscles.



So I was able to finish a new sleep sack for my sleeping beauty as well. This had been hanging around for months and months, not because it was time consuming or difficult to finish, but more so because I was in sleep sack denial. I don't think I wanted to admit to myself that she had grown out of the other ones I'd made. But the fact that there are bright and cheerful owls on it (and glow in the dark no less) have almost made up for the fact that I've now packed away all the receiving blankets, bibs, burp cloths and baby bath towels.



I'm obviously on a finishing jag at the moment, and because this next project is turning out to be awesome beyond awesome, I'm only giving you a small teaser for the time being. This is my epic Babette Blanket in the process of being assembled, which it now is and I'm just putting the finishing touches on the border. I really couldn't be more in love with it if it were actually Colin Firth (mmm...yummy). I'm quite proud of the fact that I'll have it finished well before little A's first birthday, a baby blanket for my not-so-much a baby anymore. But that's also a lament for another time.

Until later...

An Inch an Hour, Two Feet a Day...

*If you know the album and group from which today's post title comes from, I will give you 1000 coolness points.*

Alright, I'll admit it. I have my cranky pants on today. We've been here in Nova Scotia for two years, although this is our third spring. And try as I might to hang in there and be optimistic, today, as of this very minute, after what seems like an eternity of rain and greyness, I loath springtime on the East coast. Loath. It.



Everything I do these days, I do in little chunks of time, which doesn't come as much of a surprise. The fact that these little chunks add up to actual progress does somewhat. During my morning reprieve from mothering duties (yay for predictable naps) I spent some time in the craft room getting reacquainted. I hauled out the spinning for a brief interlude. Didn't get very far, but it was kinda fun to play with an old toy. I also dabbled in fusing plastic. More about that in another post.



In addition to the Clapotis and the little cardigan I've been working on in the knitting department, I just couldn't seem to resist the urge to cast on a sock. The pattern; Paraphernalia (Ravelry link). The yarn; Kertzer On Your Toes 4 Ply. Liking the cabling quite a bit. I've been wanting to knit this for about a year or so, but I don't know if it's just me or what, but the pattern seems to be messed up. What I ended up doing to make it look like it should and what the pattern tells me I should be doing are not one and the same. In reading others descriptions of this pattern, no one else seems to have encountered any problems. The pattern is translated into English from another language (Dutch perhaps? I wasn't paying attention), so perhaps that's where the problem lies. In any case, once I got a rhythm down, they seem to be progressing quite quickly.

And now little miss is awake. Perhaps not so predictable after all, as I was expecting to get a whole other hour out of her. Off to 'enjoy' another dreadfully dreary and blaseh day. Yippee.

Until later...

No Boys Allowed...

I have had the best two days. I now have...are you ready for this...A CRAFT ROOM!



With the prospect of a new little furry body inhabiting our tiny space becoming more of a reality with each passing day, I knew I had to get my craft stuff out of the apartment to make way. That, and I just couldn't take it anymore. I needed to gather all of my lost and lonely bits of craft into one organized space.


(ironing station, with my yarn stash and patterns underneath)

This is the 'third' bedroom in the house, which really didn't have a purpose other than perhaps becoming a kids room, if/when that ever might happen, so I thought what better place for a temporary crafting space. It doesn't really need to be painted, although I do plan on changing the colour at some point and even though the floor isn't finished, it's totally servicable to walk on. So yesterday I cleared it, which didn't take long, and cleaned it up and started in on loading the room up with all of my stuff.


(my sewing station...not sure where the base of the dressform is which is why she's being dubbed Ilene for the time being)

We have another room in the house, the 'forth bedroom', earmarked as the craft room, so once that room is finished, I'll have to do this all over again. Darn! I'm one of those bizarre types that loves (and I do mean loves...like almost to a worrisome level) to organize and categorize and sort and cross reference and put things into little piles. So needless to say, the past two days have been blissful. Doesn't hurt that it's all stuff that I haven't seen in a good long while and it's all stuff that I love so very very much.


(weaving station...I can't tell you how happy I am to see my loom...I want to weave something SO BADLY!)

All of the other rooms require some sort of work, be it drywall and/or mud or just plain paint, so this was a good choice. It's just really quite incredible to me that I actually have a space, a comfortable little space for all of my craft stuff. This is the kind of thing that I have dreamed of for sooooo long. I've carted these damn supplies and tools with me over the past year or so and finally they have a proper little home!


(cutting station on my grandmothers antique table, which I'd rather not be using, but it's the right height and I'd rather it be in this room, out of harms way)

Notice the little baby loom there beside the table. It works like a charm! I'm thinking of weaving a dog leash on it before too long (thanks to Carrie for the suggestion!) I'm not sure where my lamp shades are at the moment, which explains the bare bulb. It just so happens that I've chosen the room in the house with the poorest lighting possible. Ah well.


(the craft closet)

So that's the 360 tour! It really does feel like my own little fort. And see that bucket there? It's full of sock yarn remnants! Squee!

I've put together a knitting bag with one project and a few permanent supplies for the apartment and my goal is to only keep it at only one project, and if I want to switch it up, I'll have to come here to swap things out. Should keep the clutter down in the apartment and lessen the chance of yarn etc. getting eaten. My only concern at the moment are mice. We've been dealing with a bit of an infestation since we've moved in, and I'm just not sure how fond of yarn mice might be. The only balls that are accessible are my sock yarns and my acrylics, so if something gets chewed, I won't be too heartbroken. I'd rather the acrylics get it than the sock yarns though. So I guess the excuse of not having a proper workspace in which to craft Christmas presents doesn't hold much water anymore. But I'm still not doing it! My first order of business will be to hem some curtains. I have an area in the room designated for W'sIP, and as of today, I have a total of 3. Two knitting, one quilt. This quilt has been on the go for a few years now, so after the curtains, it's onto the quilt.



Oh yeah, the floors are done too. It's hard to get a really good shot, but this pretty much does it justice. We put the final coat of Varathane on last weekend. This is the floor in the masterbedroom. Kinda come a long way, huh?



We are soooo in love with these floors. They're sexy. We walk into these rooms and just sing 'sexy floors, sexy floors!' (we're dorks...with nice floors).





The spare bedroom. Nice and slippery. Good for sliding. I'm just waiting for when I fall, then it won't be so cool.

Anyhow, this has been a picture heavy post and I'm listening to a Lime and Violet podcast (cuz I just figured out Podcasting...took all of 30 sec.) and I'm a little distracted, so I'm gonna call it quits. Might go play in the craft room!

Until later...