Bliss Beyond Naptime

Peaches and Dream

Peaches are in prime season here and we've been feasting on peach pie while slurping up the last juicy bits of summer. Thanks by the way for all the kind congratulations on the last post. It's heartwarming to know that close friends and long time readers understand how this is somewhat of a major fruition of a long stretched out dream for us. It's exciting to finally be moving into a home that we've been dreaming about pretty much since Craig and I met. Actually or second date to be exact when we're were swapping dreams in between swapping spit. It's not the exact manifestation we were expecting but how things actually turn out are just as if not more so magical.

So, under the catagory of knitting, sewing, spinning and other crafts, this is the first project I've made using yarn I spun. It's based on the Karee pattern from It's a Tape Thing but it's not. It's a Merino and Alpalca Thing.

Here we go off on a tangent; As I mentioned in the comments of the last post, we will be having the bedrooms painted by a Lazure painter who was trained by this guy. Lazure painting is ethereal, gauzy, layer-y, looks really cozy and suited for strawbale's plaster texture. So, the painter/kundalini yoga teacher came and saw then recommended peach and rose tones for Edie's her because of the Steiner belief that little kids should remain in a peachy keen type reality for as long as possible. Especially Edie. She's pretty light on her tipy-toes. Clara's kind of the same way so luckily I had enough left over of the homespun to make her a little fruity tooty dress.

And because I can't sew any bigger type clothing projects (things can messy and we're having people view our house we're trying to sell here) Clara's been ca-chinging the bulk of my creative mojo these days. I sewed up this little apricot number:

Once again, good from far, far from good. Luckily she doesn't complain much!

Sold the Farm

We answered an ad:

Straw Bale Gem on 6.78 quiet, private sunny acres. Inviting and artistic home, close to village shops and cafe, with great neighbours. New water system, additional potential building sites. Small workshop/shed and open shed, and a lovely cedar grove.

And then we fell in love and bought the house. For a time there I was all over the idea of moving to the closest town; primarlly I was stoked on the idea of Edie going to the Waldorf school and becoming a pedestrian again but after having an offer on a house fall through there we had a pause to realize that this special valley is our home and we're not ready for a return to a teeny tiny yard quite yet. I have sheep I intend to attempt to raise!

So the day evening before we were to leave here for our trip to Calgary I found the ad for this house and as luck would have it I visited back in the day I was pregnant when I was researching strawbale and hung out with the owner's now ex-wife (yikes. We have some serious smudging to do. The owners before who built the house met the same demise). I started my Horseshack oo-oo-oo (those of you who remember Welcome Back Karter) and getting really excited by myself (that sounds weird) because Craig just took off kayaking. I called the guy and I'm like, "don't sell your house, we'll be right there" and he's like, okay, freak, then I spent three hours at home wondering out loud where the *$^% Craig was - though I knew he was kayaking.

This house has everything on our check list. 1800 square feet (not too small, not too little), straw, four bedrooms (we only need two but both Craig and I need an office each), building potential (for Craig and my office each out of the house), lots of acres to play with permaculture design, a beautiful sunny spot, and, finally all this without the drama and stress of building. I might want to be nesting here pretty quick for Craiglette II you know?

And, in a funny piece of fate, the house was designed by the same architect we hired for the Horniman Hacienda. That's funny. So our trip to Calgary was delayed by a day and we ended up purchasing it pretty much over the phone in Calgary. Luckily I was the first person to answer the ad. The price was so right and inspection passed with flying colours. Our move comes just in time for the change in season.

Twirl Girl

Come on, Edie. Don't be shy. Give us a twirl, girl.

Keep twirling. Keep twirling.

Good girl. Butterick 5496. Had to type that down before I forget. Feels like I'm getting sewing little girl dresses down. This one was whipped up in no time at all. The apron attached to the bodice is from my own hemp fabric stash and the puppy material I bought at the local fabric store's 70% off everything because we're going out of business sale. I'm so very bummed about that one. Now I have to go to the big chain store in another town which I never go to for only that sole purpose. That and East Indian buffet I suppose.

I think one more sewing project and then I have to put my toys away and start packing because we're moving in a month! Ack! We're all extremely happy and excited. I'll post tomorrow the whole story with a whack of photos of our new (as of today!) strawbale house!!!

On My Felted High Horse

I don't know what you do to treat yourself/recharge your batteries but when this Mommy needs to get away from it all she attends a felt making class. Craig's so sweet (and frugal these days), he's asks why I sign up for these workshops when I could probably teach them. Well, for starters a. that's sweet and all but I have lots to learn yet (and it only costs $15, already. A lot cheaper than a pedicure and two beers.) and  b. it's the only way I can have guarenteed interrruption-free creative time away from my loved ones, other than my knit/sew circle. I love, love, love felting and I'm starting to love needle felting especially these days.

So up on to my high horse. Oomph, haven't got up here for a while. Think I pulled something. I had intentions at the beginning of writing this post to spiel about this horrific China-made toy recall that's been all headline news. If you're reading my blog chances are good that either you are into handcrafted items and can therefore understand my passion for wishing my child to play with the least amount of mass produced plastic-y items than necessary or b. you are related to or wish you were related to Edie and know how I've been kind of a freak since pregnancy with the whole outlining of which gift items are acceptable for the littlest Tangerine - basically no plastic, nothing battery operated, and no brand names (ie Dora, Barbie, Disney).

This is one of the many reasons my desire for quality and not quantity when it comes to anything that permeats the environment of not only of my precious piece of mostly organic loin fruit but also for the sake of her children and her children's children. Seven generations you know? I was going to ramble about this (or I guess I did. oops. I hope I hadn't offend.) but Angry Chicken made such an eloquently written post about it here that I urge you to read through it and her list of China-made toy alternatives.

Paisley Parade

I've actually been sewing quite a bit this summer. Our weekly knitting circle has even morphed to a monthly, sometimes weekly, sewing circle. Problem is I've been having no camera luck to document all of my finished objects. Either I didn't have freshly charged batteries or Craig's busy with silly things like work to take my damn picture for my blog! Gawd, I need to learn about the self-picture taking device on the thing. This top's from Simplicity 3835. Same pattern this dress is from.

And in action. I love the fabric but I don't know about it as a top. If I would have had enough I think I would have preferred a dress out of it. It's so light and airy. A lovely wrap around would have been cool. Plus the giant paiselys make my t@t@s look like T@T@S. Kind of weird how that works

How I Spent My Summer Holiday...

First of all, thank you all soooooo much for all the way to goes last post. It warms me all the commoderie to be found in this bizarre world called blogging (so hard to explain the beauty to non-bloggers without sounding like a freak). I love you guys.

We attended a Family Yoga Retreat this long weekend not too far from us, a short ferry ride then water taxi trip. There was full-on catering and tippi accomodations if we were so inclined.

We spent the four days swimming, attending three yoga classes a day (Craig and I took turns, there was a kid-friendly one too), eating amazing vegetarian fare prepared by the staff (no dishes, yay!) and just basically goofing/lounging around. Edie got to hang with some yogi kids and even made a new best friend (Craig's backpack lost its status, yay!).

One Drama Queen moment I'd like to share because you know, the beauty of blogging. When we were almost at the camp a feeling crept up leaving me to believe on a 65% level that I left the iron on. I called three neighbours to peep through my basement window to confirm it either way. I'm somewhat more embarassed of the thought that the locals think I iron before a camping weekend. It was, of course, to iron out the seams of Edie's hemp poncho I whipped up for her right before our trip. You know, to protect her alabaster-like skin. Like right before. Thus I left the iron on, perhaps. Luckily, our friend was able to jimmy a window open, crawl through, crawl back out the way he came to report back, right before I lost my yogic cool that I indeed unplug it. I thought so!

 

We had a frog living on top of our sleeping quarters,our tent, again. This happened throughout my pregnancy when we'd stay in the Horniman Trailer. Little critter kept waking us up at 5:00 am. We believe it's Edie's power animal. Can't you see the resemblance?

Sweet greens...

Published!

I was invited to participate in my friend Amy's felt book, Not Your Mama's Felting. Amy's one of the most talented people (who also happens to own the best yarn store on the planet) I know so to be ask to contribute to this project has been such an honour! I just got my copy delivered and I have to say it's pretty cool to be see my name in print. Something I always dreamt of.

Here's a snap shot of my entry. Soap balls and soap box for some good clean felting fun! Lots of great felting ideas in here. Congratulations Amy on yet another fiber book. You are amazing, Sweetie!