baby knits

finally completing my babette blanket

totally re-charged my needlework motivation

i wanted to try knitting this time around

and with babies aplenty to knit for

a simple coming-home hat

seemed to be just right

it was fast

and thus oh-so-satisfying...

and my weekend

with computer closed

television off

fire roaring

warm tea

and

fingers wrapped in merino + bamboo

has never felt so relaxing

sparklers

can you believe it will be february TOMORROW!?!

i can.not!

seriously, this month has FLLLLOWN by.

oh, all the good intentions...

(a few catch-up posts coming your way)

like these (now) month-old pictures

from our new year's eve celebration

...

it was quiet and simple

good food

great friends

family

sparklers

mum * tay * me

(yes, totally breaking fire code)

a wonderful welcome to the 2011

that left everyone pooped:

nellie can barely lift her lids

and jack didn't quite make it to bed

sunday sweets

i don't know what it is lately...

cozy comfort food?

evenings by the fire?

but these rich treats

have my mouth watering!

hot chocolate cake with homemade marshmallos!?!

you had me at hello.

reeses?

ummm...

yes, please!

with baited breath...

today's the day...

matchbook magazine is finally launching!

i am SO very excited to see what katie, jane and fallon

have in store for us...

if their tumblr page is any indication

it is sure to be an absolute delight...

adorable, right?

are you a matchbook girl?!

good luck, girls!

friday inspiration

i can't stop watching this behind-the-scenes short

with scott schuman

of

the sartorialist

(one of my very favorite reader-reads of the day!)

he is just so refreshing, humble and true.

totally inspiring!

weekend in the woods 2.0

last year, amidst mortgage paper work and packing

i took off

to my dear friend amanda's lake house in the woods

relieve some stress

with crafting, girl talk and food.

it was just so wonderful

that we decided to make it an annual event...

last weekend,

loaded down with sewing machines, irons and fabric filled boat 'n totes

eight ladies

made it through the snow

to nourish our souls

with craft

cooking

and talk of a fabulous book

and, yes!

it was a success...

i arrived friday afternoon

and got right to work on a simple, modern, spontaneous

baby quilt for an old friend's new baby girl

backed in a one piece of this favorite giraffe print

and the babe's name appliqued in felt

...

saturday morning i was up early

to tackle the mac-daddy

of quilts

purl's famous color wheel

and i did it!

(well, minus the hand-stitched binding)

not bad for a day's work, huh?!

...

sunday morning we all gathered 'round with our loot

for one last group picture

pretty impressive, i must say!

amanda, i cannot thank you enough for hosting and planning.

ladies, it was wonderful to meet you all!

until next year...

photos courtesy of orchardcove

surf sister

yagottabekiddin'me-

as if i wasn't craving summer enough...

heather ross for walden.

favorites unite.

be still my heart.

sewing class: winter jammies and quick gift

our last sewing class in 2010

was just before christmas...

the girls finished up cozy flannel pj sets

(which they reportedly didn't take off for much of vacation)

...

then, we broke into the scrap bag

choosing remnants of past projects

to make gifts for parents and siblings

from the wonderful last minute patchwork + quilted gifts

they personalized kraft moleskine journals

and even improved upon the pattern-

adding a ribbon to the front that extended to serve as a bookmark

they little ladies always amaze me with their creativity!

family members were thrilled, of course

and they even have a few commissions for more...

proving nothing is better than a homemade gift!

game-time garage

WOW. ZERS.

have you seen this garage transformation?

INSANE, right?

our garage looks much like that before shot

(well, when not loaded with furniture to be refinished, a friend's topless jeep and the like...)

having a rad ping-pong party place might be inspiration enough to clean 'er out

come the first sign of spring.

snow day

remember as a kid, listening to the radio in bed, hoping your school's name would be on the list?

sledding in snowsuits pulled over pajamas

warming up with hot cocoa and fluff sandwiches on white bread (a snow day "white party" treat)

we had one of those days here last week.

bliss...

nellie went ballistic romping in the drifts like they were waves

our fish bird feeder and his mowak

of course, we had the adult version of shoveling and projects

but settling down in the evening with a freshly painted kitchen

is just about as blissful as sledding.

trust me.

...

and today

getting a 6am call

that school is off (again)

is just as exciting

when you're a teacher's wife.

no big projects planned

just catching up here

... so stay tuned!

tongue-in-cheek-chic

i am fully immersed in

The Dirty Life-

a story of a woman who left her life in New York City

when she fell in love with a man and their idea of starting a community-sustaining farm together.

i CANNOT put it down.

while certainly not as extreme, when i left NYC for Little Rhody, i traded my heels for clogs, take-out for made-from-scratch and now, too, wear my cashmere to bed.

and, i'm loving every minute of it.

however, i do think these totes would add the perfect amount of city style

to my weekly load of veggies at the farmer's market...

love.

everything about this...

via

to elise with love

remember the family baby shower

we threw for a california cousin late last summer?

i asked family members to each decorate a quilt square

which were strung up on a clothesline at the party

and then i incorporated them all

into a simple, sweet quilt

for

little miss elise!

we hope she will think of all her relatives on the beach of the east coast anxiously waiting to meet her!

the last of last year

before i officially move into the new year here

i need to play a little catch-up

a share some favorite christmas pictures

...

it really was SUCH a lovely holiday

filled with everything you dream about when you think of christmastime...

*decorating our home*

(with our first christmas tree together!)

*baking*

*crafting*

traditional cloves and orange smell SO good!

*celebrating with friends*

don't you love seeing other people's decorations!?! ...from a friend's xmas-eve eve party

and

*coming home to family*

my niece and nephew showing off their annual mamma-made christmas pjs. too.cute!

the MAC DADDY of all the holiday pictures.
grama reading the night before christmas to evan.
his face?
PRICELESS.

good daddy elf putting together anya's dollhouse the night before

and christmas dinner.
waldo-style
where the food always rocks your world.

oh, and 15" of
*snow*

especially lovely when enjoyed in fleece pants over waffles, smoothies and piping hot coffee.

i hope your holidays were just as memorable!
now, onto 2011!
xoxo