False alarm! The camera is ok, it was the memory card that was shot! WOOT! Viva la camera!
Now I can continue to take crappy pictures in all but the best light for who knows how long!
The last few weeks have seen me being a really frustrated Mommy, what with the moody almost-5-year-old and the Very Busy Toddler who refuses to eat more than a few bites of food and drinks almost nothing. So I stepped back from blogging to keep it from becoming a bunch of repetitive whining. But, thank God, Spring is arriving as it always does, and we are able to get out in the sunshine, generate some vitamin D, play, breathe fresh air, and start to climb out of our winter rut.
I meant to get photos yesterday, but couldn't, so a quick idea of what we've been up to:
- Flashy light-up Disney princess sneakers for Daughter in a really big size (major growth spurt this winter!). I truly hate light-up princess sneakers, but I truly love my kid, so we got them.
- A new-to-us scooter for Daughter was procured (handed down from some cousins). We are planning to buy her a new one as this old one is in rough shape, but we had to make sure she could do it and like it before we spent the money.
- Plans are being made for purchase of Daughter's first bicycle. She still rides her trike but is practically giving herself two black eyes as her knees come up so high when she pedals. Also, she needs a new helmet because the one she got at 2 years old just isn't cutting it anymore.
- SHOES on AJ for the first time! (He is not a fan.)
- AJ playing outside for the first time! (He is a BIG fan.)
- Knitting and sewing (obviously).
As we wait for the playgrounds to dry out - which could be awhile, this is Buffalo and we are probably going to get a few more inches of snow before Spring is officially here - we are hanging close to home. So I'm still knitting and doing a little sewing. I'd like to increase the sewing but the Very Busy Toddler doesn't allow me much time.
After finishing up some baby gifts for a dear friend, I got busy with:
This dress for Daughter was originally going to be a size 2. I cut it out at the end of summer '08 when I was about 7 or 8 months pregnant with AJ. It never got stitched together (in fact, the pattern pieces were still pinned to the fabric). I wanted to salvage it because the fabric is pretty, so I cut a new bodice in a size 4 and used the existing size 2 skirt. I had originally cut the skirt to the size 4 length anyway. It still needs sleeve hems and buttons/buttonholes. She can wear it, but the problem is the length...even the size 4 length is far too short. I can't lengthen the actual dress (nor do I want to, it would look funny because it's open all the way down the back, plus it is already hemmed), so what are my options? I had the thought of making a slip with a wide band of the dress fabric at the bottom, designed to extend below the hem by about 5 or 6 inches, kind of like an old-fashioned underskirt. Lame? Ideas?
On to the knitting! I can't believe I have never made one of these before. Do I even need to say what it is? I finally made a "February Baby Sweater!" I checked The Knitter's Almanac out from the library during the summer of '08 and paged through it while Daughter played at the playground, but like everything else during that long, hot summer of anxious pregnancy, it didn't go real far. I thought it was kind of interesting, but I was in no shape to do math or otherwise use my brain.
Holy cow, what a great pattern. Elizabeth Zimmermann was a genius. I have since gotten my hands on all her books and I'll be doing more posts involving her stuff very soon. I am obsessed.
Anyway, this FBS was made with some soft sort-of putty color Patons Grace I got in a clearance bin at Michael's last year. Two skeins at $0.99 apiece, plus a card of gorgeous vintage buttons, and I have a very frugal little baby gift for a new cousin (born, ironically enough, in February). I think this came out to about a 6-month size, using size 5 needles. I've since purchased additional sport weight yarn to make another and see what happens with the sizing. EZ! You are fascinating! I'm also eager to try this using a different stitch for the body (maybe to make it more boyish?) as I think that's really the spirit of the pattern as it was written...to use it as a springboard and make it your own.
And finally, newborn soakers have been selling well all winter, so I'm working up a few in random leftovers to sell at a reduced price. I know some people balk at paying even $18 for a newborn diaper cover, so these will be 'knitter's choice' colors and will probably list for about $15 (including shipping). I think that's fair.
Oh, and a really special treat for me and Hubs:
It turns out we got the new, larger memory card for our camera just after Daughter was born. This is one of the photos we found on the old, original card when Hubs popped it back into the camera yesterday. Here's Daughter, 5 days old and all of 5.5 pounds, being cuddled by Hubs' grandmother. Impossible to believe that one month from now she will turn 5 years old.
