Stash Busting!

I've been working away at my New Year's resolutions.  I've come up with a brilliant stash busting plan (or at least I think it's brilliant).  I went through all my yarn and my favorites in Ravelry and found a project for every last bit of yarn in my stash.  I then took it a step further and printed all the patterns, matched them up with the yarn and put them in my favorite project bags, Ziploc bags!

My stash now looks like this:

and this:

Here's an example of one of my project bags. 

 
I did a count and I now have 22 projects all set and ready to go.  I'm going to see how many of these I can knock off in 2012 and try not to bring in much new yarn in the meantime.  I did join the Plucky Knitter's Classics club so new yarn will be arriving four times this year.  That yarn will be used for my adventures in sock knitting.

Being this organized feels good!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!  I hope your holiday season was as fantastic as ours.  If you are wondering about my holiday to do list.  I'm happy to say that it was mostly completed!  I didn't finish Sammy's sweater until December 31st but I'm still counting that as a victory.  Here are some of my favorite photos of everyone enjoying their gifts!

Sammy had to take his hippo to breakfast with him!

Have you ever seen a kid so happy to have a hat and mittens.  That girl knows how to appreciate a hand made gift!  My favorite moment of the day was when Brooklyn hugged me and said, "Aunt Beth whenever I miss you I'm going to just hug my hippo and think of you."  Can you ask for more?  Now where is my hippo to hug?

Several of the blogs I follow had a finished object count in their New Year's post.  I did my count and it turns out I had 37 finished objects in 2011.  I'm completely amazed by that number.  

I've been thinking about my goals for 2012 and here's what I have so far:

1. Use up a good chunk of my stash yarn.  I've been working on a plan today...more to come on this one.
2. Knit at least two sweaters for myself.  I'm getting to work on this one right away and I just ordered yarn to start my first one.  I know this is counter to goal one but I really didn't have enough bulky weight yarn.  Really...I promise. :)
3. Try not to turn myself into a crazy person during the holiday season.  This year's holiday knitting got out of control.  I really don't want to do that again!

I've also set some lofty health goals for myself this year.  We are doing a Biggest Loser contest at the office and I'm participating and hoping to drop at least 30 pounds by my birthday.  I'm also really focusing on how to get my butt back to the gym regularly.  This has really been a struggle for me post-Sammy.  I've been doing well so far though.  I started a kick boxing class and a swim class and am trying to fill in with walking and some elliptical time.  I also went meat-free again in the New Year.  

We've had so many blessings in 2011 and I hope 2012 is fully of many more.

Pilgrim's Progress

Remember that list I've been working on?  This pilgrim has been making some progress! 

Didn't Brooklyn's hippo turn out nice?  I love it in the red!  And I finished my brother's golf club covers.

I'm pretty pleased with how they turned out except for this guy...

I think he looks less like a Wookie and more like a fur ball but I think my brother will love it anyway.  

I'm off work today and hoping to make some progress on Matt's present while he's at work.  I've also made some final decisions on my list and here's how it will look moving forward.


1.  These socks for my Mom
2.  A sweater and hat for Sammy.
3.  This hat for Sammy's Speech Therapist.
4.  My favorite simple guy hat for my Dad.
5.  An undisclosed gift or two for Matt (I know you're reading baby).


How many days are there until Christmas?  Wait...don't tell me!

It's begining to look a lot like Christmas....

Do you know what this pile of knitting says to me?

Christmas is coming!!!  I decided to knit something for all my family members again this year...and in some cases more than one item per member.  I know...I'm a crazy person.  This means for the last month I've been living in essentially a knitting sweatshop of my own creation.  But the good news is I'm making some progress!

So far I've completed:

1.  A hat and mitten set for my niece, Brooklyn.

2.  A matching cowl for my Sister-In-Law, Sarah.

3.  Two speedy cowls for Sammy's preschool teachers.

4. A Reversible Rib and Lace Scarf for my Mimi.

5.  Harriet the Hippo for Sammy's stocking stuffer.

Not too shabby huh?  Unfortunately, here's what I left to do...

1.  Two pairs of socks, for my Mom and Mother-In-Law
2.  A sweater and hat for Sammy.
3.  Another Hippo for Brooklyn.
4.  Some sort of hat for Sammy's Speech Therapist.
5.  These completely awesome golf club covers for my Brother.
6.  An undetermined present for my Dad.
7.  An undisclosed gift or two for Matt (I know you're reading baby).

Think I can do it??  I'm starting to get concerned.  I think if I do the math I have to finish a project or two a week until Christmas is here.  Hmmm...I'm a crazy person....

Luckily I have a great support system that includes this cutie

who is always by my side, even while I'm trying to take pictures! 

Happy Belated Birthday Sweet Boy

Exactly 26 months ago today, I met the most wonderful person in the world and finally got to see this face.

It's hard to believe but that little bitty baby has turned into a very busy, active, curly headed, kind hearted, funny, sweet, and talkative little boy.

The last few years have been nothing short of the most awesome adventure I could have ever dreamed.  Who knew a heart could hold this much love.  My cup runneth over Sammy!

Of course I had to knit something special for the birthday boy and nothing says I love you like a birthday monkey!  

The pattern is Cheeky Monkey.   Check out my project page for more details on the knitting. 

Special Delivery

On this motherhood journey, I often find myself inspired by other Moms.  Few more so then my friend Janelle, one of my sorority sisters from college.  Her own motherhood journey has been anything but easy and included the loss of her first child just a few days after his arrival.  A few weeks ago, she gave birth to little girl who they named Lexi.  Upon her early arrival, I desperately wanted everything to go well for my friend who has already faced more grief and worry than any mother should have to face in a lifetime, let alone a few short years.

So, I decided to embark on my own special kind of prayer.  I picked a cute little girl cardigan pattern and started kitting.  With every stitch I thought of this sweet baby and the life I want her and her family to have.  A life full of love and joy and fun.  One full of friendship and family and community.  And I knit and knit and knit until the end result was this...

and this...

and this very special delivery.

It looks like my special delivery should be arriving just in time for Lexi's homecoming!  I hope it finds her in good health and that she has a life full of friends like the one's I've been so lucky to have.  I know she'll be starting life with a huge advantage...one of the best Mom's I've ever seen in action!

The sweater is the Sunnyside Cardigan by Tanis of Tanis Fiber Arts, raveled here.  The booties are Emily Griffin's Garter Stitch Booties, raveled here.

All play and no work

The last few months we've been doing lots of this...

and this...

and this...

and this...

and way less blogging.  We've had a very busy couple of months that included tons of visits with family and trips to see the cherry bloosoms and the aquariumin Baltimore.  However, you can put your mind at ease because there has been lots of knitting, including my first pair of socks. 

These beauts are made from Neighborhood Fiber Company sock yarn in colorway Palisades.  I used a simple pattern from my Ann Budd sock book.  I'd be lying if I said I think that I will be trading in my old hat standby to become a sock knitter but I am pleased with the results.  In the future, I'll be trading in the six inches of ribbing for just an inch of so.  I think if I had done that with this pair, I would be a much happier camper! 

However, I do already have another pair of socks planned for my neice's upcoming birthday.  And speaking of birthdays...a certain little boy will be turning two next month and this pile of knitting might not look like much now...but soon enough it will be a birthday monkey!! 

More on that and my other summer projects soon, I promise!