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July 03, 2009

Back to the Grind

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Oi! Stink foot! Think I'm going to suck it! We're home now, safe and sound - back from a whirl windy family visiting trip - many of whom got to meet Kale for the first time. Though homesick, I got to sit back, knit and bask in the glory of my Mom's Peruvian cooking. Love being back to the day to day routines I love and thrive in though. Here we are back to starting the day with Kale adjusting Craig in a morning yoga practice while Mama finishes her coffee and online stuff - parenting's my yoga these days. Edie's up a few hours later (sleeper-inner!).

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And of course, Barney. In case I forgot to mention, Kale and Barney have a special thing going on. They really missed each other so while we were away visiting family - many of whom got to meet Kale for the first time. The reunion between these two was bordering on making me jealous. Meanwhile, it's been hot here so we try to spend the remainder of the day eating, cleaning up after our eats, hanging out and creating in the coolness of the strawbale walls. Love!

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And guess what this is. It's a felted pencil case coughing up a handspun fur ball! I call it Barney. Just kidding. This is Petunia; your friendly hand-spun in a felted bag gifty gift! Two more colourways are in the fiber pipes and will be listed in my shop over the next couple of days. Off to crank off some bloomers for sale too! Deets to follow in my newsletter due out next week. Stay coo.

June 24, 2009

Attack of Summer

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It's been a while. Kale's sleeping in until all hours isn't quite happening like it use to. So I have about five minutes for a quick update. Here's a quick story utilizing all the cool photos Craig gifted me from our fancy camera. Here it goes: Edie and I decided to go out and collect some flowers to make some perfume.

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We decided to bring her little brother just becuase he's so cute (who just happened to turn seven months the other day! Where did the time go? Not crawling yet. He will not crawl until we get back from our next road trip for my sanity's sake. We know how that's slim pickings these days!) .

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We were all walking up the bushy path up the mountain behind our house. Edie's still blabbing on and on about how much fun she had with Cousin Camryn the week prior.

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I was going on and on about how much I love the new bloomers I just whipped up and how I was never ever going to take them off because they're so comfy and cute. So there we were both talking at the same time, not really listening to each other. Or the rustling in the bushes... duh, duh, duuuhh... (scary music that was suppose to be)

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No, no, it wasn't a feral baby - that's a stock picture of Kale I haven't had an opportunity to use yet. That's the first time he was on a swing when we hit the road last month. Continuing: we heard a rustling in the bushes and immediately the media victim in my head went to the news story from the day before of a cougar attack on a mother and three year old and how the mother got right in there and shoved the cat off her babe. I can do that, I remember thinking in that moment.

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So I looked over my shoulder (while wearing my new hat of course) and I saw distinct movement in the bushes. I said to Edie and Kale, who was strapped to the front of me by the way, hindering my ability to throw myself between a beast and a babe, other than him I suppose, 'what could that be?' then all of a sudden a creature came busting out of the bushes! About three feet long, a foot wide and all super intimidating-like. My first though was, oh my god, there's badgers in these parts! Because it was so low to the ground and so agro. So I grabbed Edie's hand and said "come on, Edie, RUN!". And did I mention we were on a hill? We ran about, oh, one step, and Edie bailed flat on her back, head pointing down hill, feet still up. Kind of like this shot from '07:

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I look over my shoulder again, wearing my new hat, and I could see the mystery creature still coming toward us then when I try to get a better look at to figure out what the #$@ it was it retreats a bit, scuffling backwards, but then it comes towards us again! Eeks! So I hoist Edie up, who's flat on her back, screaming like, well, a little girl and say "RUN MUMMY SAYS!" and we run two steps this time then kerplunk flat on her back, same unideal position screaming. Kale starts screaming too (alas, like a little girl) so I just left Edie there (kidding). So we just basically did that dance about three more times until finally we were able to run into Craig's office, where he's extremely busy, on a serious phone call and I yell, "we've been attack!" and I made him look up immediately what I think it could of been. Badger, wolverine, I don't know. But after sharing my story and some deep meditation, in the end I think it was this:

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But much, much scarier. Like, I said, it seemed three feet long and a foot wide and it was poised all horizontal rather than cute, fluffy and vertical. So scary. We're asking Craig to go back up with the camera just to confirm so we'll get back to you with an update, more pictures and an epic You Tube video hopefully. My five minutes are up. My baby grouse is up. Happy Solstice!

June 18, 2009

The Hot, Sweaty Farmer and His Frustrated Wife

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Wait, wait, let me clarify. I'm frustrated because I finally sewed something for Craig but he's so obsessed, OBSESSED I tell you, with all the work that needs to get done around here he couldn't take a second to strike a pose wearing the gardening shirt I made him. All I wanted was one beefcake shot. So frustrating. Here he is in action - planting our blueberry bushes, with the shirt, doing what the shirt was designed to allow him to do in ease, comfort and poofy pirate man style. Love that he loves it (his eye tells me so, see?)

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Speaking of hot and sweaty, to keep me stylish and cool this gardening season, I try to stay inside in the sweet, sweet coolness of the strawbale walls and drink lemonade mixed with lemon balm ice tea. Then, I put something cute on, like my new hat I just bought from my friend Anni's store (you might remember here from years ago when I blogged about another hat and legwarmers I scored from her - brace yourself, serious blast from the past), and prance around the yard telling Craig how much I love how our garden is coming together. He loves that too.

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I made some room in my Universe for a new hat with discarding a couple of knits from my stash (two hats gone from that post a couple of days ago by the way- I'll try to update that next). See, it's a hat, not it's a wrap, no it's a hatwrap! Long ties are fun to manipulate whatever way feels right. I like to whip it under and around my ponytail then back over the visor like a turban. Fun! Get one and we'll be a hatwrap wearing tribe. Must go - my morning ritual now includes writing a page for my new book. Won't get into now but it's fun and helpful when the internet's down and I'm itching to type before the kidz get up!

June 15, 2009

Garden of Cute

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Didn't think it was possible but the Kind Art Club just keeps getting cuter and cuter. This weekend was all about flowers. Here they are blissing out among the egg carton flora. Love seeing my little flower bloom among all this creative and kind energy. Yay for Art Club! they're all saying here - after some gentle prompting from me.

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And they were to bring a toy to plant a flower in but it was hard for Edie to part with any of hers (slim pickin's I guess). In the end Craig sacrificed one of his boots which was kind of funny because just the day before I nagged pointed out to him that all the shoes lined up in the primo spot by the front door were all his and they all seemed exactly the same. So it was quite touching to see this when I went to pick the monkey up. Love Kind Art Club!

June 11, 2009

Caterpillar Girls

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And things have been twice as cute as usual in the girly front thanks to Edie's little cousin visiting. They're the same age and Edie's been in Heaven all week. They were in her playroom and she gushes 'I never had a cousin in my playroom before!' Too bad it's been glorious all week so they've been ushered outside the majority of the time. That plus Kale's been pulling double napping time in so I didn't want the girly action to wake him up. Out you go. Go get some more 'pillars.

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And this is kind of caterpillar-like. One more scarf I forgot to throw into the spring clean pile. Terrible picture, can't see the scarf. This was one I made in a crochet class I took at Make 1. I'm terribly crochet-challenged. I was the slowest in the class for sure but the scarf turned out cute! It's called the Squiggle Scarf cuz it's all squiggly. Email me if you're interested kathy at! whiletangerinedreams dat com.

June 10, 2009

Yart-ing around the Yard

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Quick post! Got family visiting. There's a Yart Sale going on at Etsy that I'm partaking in. Like a yard sale but a little funkier.  I'm offering two for one Tangerine Dream Batts and discounts on some selected yarns. Check it out! Just hop on over to my Yart Sale section or follow the link above. Plus here are some more offerings on my spring cleaning mission. Above a hat I knit up using Rowan Ribbon Twist yarn and pattern.

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A scarf from Stitch and Bitch Nation with a Debbie Bliss alpaca/silk blend. Got a little critter latched on to it. Suppose to be a butterfly but everyone's like, 'what a cute heart'. I just go along with it.

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This one was bit of an experiment: handdyed, handspun, knitted with areas of felt pieces. Warm, that's for sure!

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This one was tricky to get a picture of for some reason. Craig couldn't hack it. Maybe because it blends in with my hair. Rowan Ribbon Twist and pattern.

So, again, the deal is $12 US to US and $15 US to Canada. Off to put on my hostess with the mostest hat on now!

June 08, 2009

Spring Clean

My front entry way is a disaster and we all know what that means in terms of Feng Shui: give it away, give it away now. So, to make room for abundance, wealth and more knitting projects I'll be giving away the following in return for shipping, packaging and handling costs (primarly the handling of two small children to the post office) which comes to $12 to US and $15 to Canada (crazy how shipping to Canada's more expensive!) in US funds please:

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The Aspen hat from Big City Knits knit up with the actual Twinkle Soft and Cushy or whatever it's called.


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Hand spun, hand knit by me. The Lissa capelet from a Rowan Big book.

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My power beanie for a Pluffyfluff challenge. Handdyed, handspun, handknitted. Chocolate coil nibs included. Birdies not. 

I'll have more to offer tomorrow - just hoping it will stop raining for a photoshoot - and that the smoke machine I ordered on Ebay is in the mail. If you're interested (in a knit, not a smoke machine) send me an email to kathy(at)whiletangerinedreams(dat)com with your mailing address and I'll send you a paypal request for money back.

June 05, 2009

How I Spent my Spring Holidays

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Behold our first family of four shot ever - as far as I can recall. It's all been a blur these last six months! Crazy how two people meet in a drunken stupor at a Halloween party next thing you know you split yourselves in half and multiply. The good Lord smileth upon our cell splitting. Oh, man, I'm so happy to be home I'm not making any sense whatsoever! The epic journey happened and I was so giddy the whole time (except when Kale starting freaking out in the car halfway home) that Craig kept saying; 'see what happens when you just go with the flow?'.

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Little guy only seemed content when he's behind the wheel. Bit of a backseat driver like his old man. Everything went really smooth in terms of Craig and Edie leaving here at 7 am, Kale and I boarding a plane at 3:30 and all of us rendezvous-ing at Vancouver International Airport at 5 pm. It was weird, it all seemed to make sense on paper but I was a doubter. It actually panned out super smooth. I was so happy to see those two at the airport I actually had tears in my eyes; though airports always make me cry - perhaps comes from being a pilot's daughter and spending my youth being airsick on a regular basis.

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The obligatory 'Ty Ty says' shot. How can I score a smoke machine for our photo shoots back home???

Another four hour drive the following morning after a fun night in a hotel (we're tv-less so being in a hotel for us is like a crack whore cracking up ... no offense to all the crack whores reading) and we landed at our destination, ocean view cabana for a super romantic wedding and celebration (congratulations you guys - so beautiful!).

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Edie and I pulling off our best Beaches moment to date. Craig took this shot from the balcony of our room. The wedding itself was amazing, I heard. Yeah, Kale's still the epic napper so I had to stay close when he was down, knitting my tunic for the knitalong  (which, by the way has a funny story related to trip involving just coming across Three Bags Full after our landing in Vancouver. I needed certain needles so I jumped out of the car while it was still moving. So awesome!) while watching shows I never even heard of but was instantly addicted to (Star Channel plus a dishwasher would fully complete my life).

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Edie wanted to wear her Water Princess dress to the wedding for the ceremony was in the water. I think I missed that window of opportunity when she was pretty gung ho about wearing matching outfits to weddings. Oh, who am I kidding... we will be Twinkies again. I just have to be more sneaky about it.

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On the way home Kale got to check out his first rain forest. Tree Guy just like his old man. Yeah, the freak out happened halfway home. Nothing major but for a little guy that's either out unconcious or awake smiling, it was heartbreaking to witness. Then it dawned on me; oh yeah, I have to get back there in the back seat with him, strike a fancy yoga pose (Boobnassana I think it's called) and nurse him while he's safely strapped in his carseat and breathe through the continuous waves of foot cramps. Happy Baby equals Happy Car Ride. Must tackle the mountain of laundry these trips seem to propagate. This was a great experience spending time without chores with the family. I'm glad we decided to go. An excercise in leaving the house with two small kids. I can do it (if Craig tags along anyway)!

May 28, 2009

Ship, Shower and Shave

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Decided very last minute to go to some friends' wedding this weekend -  oceanside. Again, with each child my decision-making skills are diminishing. Even this morning I was asking Craig ' maybe I should stay home'; then asking Edie 'should Mama stay home with Kale?". She said 'come'. I do what she says.
So this Tuesday I started this dress from Burda World of Fashion - I think Spring 2008 issue - I'll double check - and finished it just in the nick of time. Damn, it's tricky getting the self-portrait shot with a grungy mirror. I need a dress from. Hey! Wait a minute, I have one!Just not set up yet. Gratis, my friend. A sweet old lady answer my ad in the local paper and wouldn't accept any cash for it. Thanks Lola!

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So we got a dress for Mama, house/chicken sitter, knitting projects packed; now what? Our friendly neighbourhood self-professed snipper-witch came over for emergency haircuttings for this is a pretty classy crowd and we're all looking a little Hillbilly lately. So sweet she did a house call at the last minute. Thanks Cha Cha! As for the shave, I'm going to hop in the shower now and hopefully won't damage the plumbing with my increasing in intensity de-hillbillying. As for the ship part of this post; we're going to ship Kale out via Air Canada - precious Cargo! Don't want to traumatize him with too much driving - I'd hate to mar his almost surreal happiness status quo. I'll share some shots of our grand adventure when we get back!

May 27, 2009

Wordless Wednesday

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