The three that I got are:

Heirloom Doll

Wilma and Walter Whoo Owl

Square Pegs Doll

Personally, I am super in love with the Square Pegs Doll and can hardly wait to start making them.  They are SOOOO cute!!  I’m hoping that by giving myself a full 11 months before we open the shop again, I might be able to have a few dolls made.  *crossing my fingers*
Yeah, I was super excited about them.  I’m still kinda pinching myself about it and I have plans to hit up Joann’s this weekend with my girlfriend and get a few supplies.

Last night I also started looking at other kid things that could be put in the shop and don’t take a ton of energy to put together.  I started looking for bow patterns because I know they are super big.  maybe they always have been and I’ve just been blind.  But they seem a lot more “in” these last couple of years.  So, I started looking and while I like the look of using ribbon and fabric, I could just tell I was going to start getting overwhelmed by all the options when it came to choosing patterns and colors.  I’m a bit of a freak like that.  So I started looking for crochet patterns.  And Low!  What did I find but this super, ubber easy and cute pattern for crocheting a simple bow from the blog Things to make and do.  Check it out:

Super simple crochet bows

I am in love with them.  Kinda addicted actually.  I made one last night just to try it out.  And them made another, and another, and another.  Kinda like potato chips, ya know?  Can’t stop at just one?  I love them!  I ordered some alligator clips this morning off of ebay so I could start making clips.  I’m excited about seeing how they actually look on my DD.

So, that’s what I have been up too.  I’m daydreaming about my trip to Joann’s and trying not to think about how much money I could potentially be spending to get supplies for projects.  And this research is about as productive as I have been today (though I did get schooling done and some paperbackswap books shipped and filled up the car with gas).  Yup.  Nice day.
Now you should go check out the links I posted cause your gonna love them too.

But then if I look past the unproductiveness, I see all the things I got done today.  The dishs and laundry that got washed.  The good food I made.  The “schooling” that got done with the kids (and the things they learned playing games on PBSkids and watching Dinosaur Train).  The healthy things I did for myself, journaling, blogging, crocheting, daily affirmation reading and vitamin taking.  The quality time I got to spend with my husband before he works like crazy this next week.  The organizing and setting aside of toys that the kids aren’t playing with right now so they can enjoy them later.  Really I wasn’t completely lazy, as I did get things done.  And when I look at it that way things feel a lot better.

2011 was a full and fast year.  How the heck did that happen?  From start to finish things went so fast I could hardly believe it.  A few months of the year we spent fighting illness, some of it was spent traveling, some with family and friends, and about 99% of it was spent trying to keep up with my kids.  Despite what I had heard from others… 3 kids is way more then 2.  Haha!  But I love them all dearly.

I am excited for 2012.  I have plans this year.  Not entirely sure what those plans on, but I know they will be good.  I have hopes that I can spend more time outside and in the garden this year.  Dreams of crafts that I would like to work on and finish.  And a goal to make the most of my every waking moment.  2011 woke me up and I realized what a very sad and unhappy person I had become.  At the end of 2011 I realized that I needed to end this old mindset and really work to become the happy person I really wish to be.  I am so ready for something new in my life.

As a part of my decision to get healthy and be happy I started this morning out by reading my Daily Affirmation book for ACA (Adult Children of Alcoholics) and what I read is the EXACT words that describe what I want to create this year for myself.

I welcome this new day and the new year

Today I have a fresh start.  I choose to begin a new letting go of unhealthy thoughts, feelings and attitudes that have stifled my growth.

This day I choose to think new thoughts, to look at new values and to find new ways of expressing my God-given gifts.

I now choose to deepen my understanding of myself and others.  I will look at my relationships with family and my friends in a new light.  I choose to have vital, healthy interactions with others.

I truly welcome this new day, this new year, and this new me.  I welcome the wonderful possibilities open to me.

Happy 2012 Everyone!

This morning he’s gone back to sleep on the couch.  I guess the Christmas tree lights are soothing and help him fall back to sleep.  I’m thinking twice about taking the tree down this weekend.  And while he has fallen back into his blissful dreamland, I am fully awake and just waiting for the sun to rise, or the next kid to wake up.  Whatever comes first.

While trying to wake myself up and browsing ravelry I stumbled upon a slipper pattern.  I realized my own feet at that point my own feet were quite cold and that it would be awesome to have some slippers laying around to slip into right now.  I have some, somewhere, but a knitted (or crocheted) pair would feel so nice.  And I wouldn’t feel so bad about loosing them if I could just whip up a few more pairs for anyone to wear around the house.  The thought reminded me of when I was 12 and spent a month in Germany with my Oma and her family.  One of the first things I remember was my Tanta Lena telling me to take my shoes off and put on some of the homemade slippers they had laying around for everyone to use.  I think I thought it was cool that they were made by someone and not just store bought, but then I can’t really remember.  It had been a 16 hour flight from California to Germany and then another hour from Dusseldorf to Dresden (or somewhere near there) and I had stayed awake for most of that time.  My brain was extremely foggy and after the slippers Tanta Lena showed us where we would be sleeping and I passed out for the rest of the day.

So this mornings adventure took my back to Germany in my mind and on a search for a patter that was like Tanta Lena’s slippers.  I found a few patterns that looked like I remembered, or close enough to it that I could alter them and hopefully come out with something similar.  Here are my three top choices:

“Follow the yellow line” Boots is a crochet pattern that has been translated into english.  The pattern looks very simple and easy to alter if needed.  I and such a huge fan of double crochets because it makes things go so fast.  I’m a knitaholic but crocheting has been taking up more and more of my time these days.  Drat those double crochets.  I think they are corrupting  =P

Granny “Miezie’s” slippers is the next pattern I liked.  I’m not posting the picture because there isn’t one of the finished product, but it looks good anyways.  I also need to learn german as this one is not translated to english, but does give a diagram and theoretically could be figured out with a little bit of work.  It’s knitted, and from what I saw on ravelry it’s made with multiple strands of fingerling weight yarn held together.  I like that aspect of it and that when finished it looks very much like the above pattern, just knit.

And then there is this slipper pattern.  The whole page is an image so I can’t get it on here.  Doesn’t look much like the other patterns but I think it could work, with some altering.

At the moment I am rather overwhelmed with unfinished projects of one kind or another.  I have four sweaters, two pairs of mittens and various other projects that are sitting around waiting for me to finish them.  Slippers isn’t really a priority right now.  But maybe after I finish something I could make a pair.  My feet would really appreciate it.

I feel like I didn’t do a great job blogging in 2010.  I suppose with a new baby and two other kids, trying to recover from birth and my dad[‘s death still and “starting” homeschooling I did kinda have my hands full.  This year I envision a little more time blogging.  More time in the garden and outside.  More playing with the kids and more fun.  Not that this last year wasn’t fun, but it was busy.  Very busy.  If nothing else just emotionally busy.

I am so excited about this next year!  DH and I have been talking the last couple of days about what we want to do with it.  We’ll be able to garden in our own garden this year!  It’s been three and a half years since we moved back to Minnesota and this year will be the first we get our very own garden.  We’re going to plant our asparagus and a patch of strawberries, along with potatoes and some other annuals like lettuces and tomatoes and peppers.  We’re going to start planting fruit producing trees and bushes.  So in two years time we’ll be starting to harvest more then just annuals.

We’re going to add on to the chicken coop this year and hopefully make some runs so the chickens can get more grass and range.  I’m going to try raising broilers for myself and we’ll be building a bigger PVC chicken tractor for them so that I can move it all by myself.  With luck we’ll be investing in rabbits this year and will start a colony.  It’s probably only start with three (1 buck and 2 does) but who knows how large and fast it will grow.  More meat, manure and a wonderful addition to our farm (I hope).

I have been blissfully dreaming about what we’ll be doing on the farm this year.  I know I will be doing all kinds of other things as well.  Working on the house, visiting friends, hiking, camping, knitting, and maybe even taking a road trip to California for the first time in over two years.

My wish for you is that your 2011 is glorious and bright!

Happy New Year Everyone!

So Merry Christmas From My Family To Yours!

I’m going to do a bit of shameless advertising  for my etsy shop.  Thanks to my good friend Josie I have started making earrings again.  I love how simple they are and how awesome they turn out.  Here are some of the beautiful combination’s I have to offer.  And in honor of black friday if you use the coupon code HAPPYHOLIDAYS you’ll get 10% off any order.

Here is a little sneak peak at what I have in the shop currently:

Go check it out and don’t get to lost in the crowds today!  Happy Holidays Everyone!

But, alas, reality is starting to kick in and I’m realizing that right now might not be the best time to write a 50,000 word novel in a month.

I have not given up hope completely but I’m also not going to kill myself.  November is one of our busiest month out of the whole year as far as the farm goes.  I don’t have a lot of help from DH just because he is so exhausted from working and doing firewood or helping to harvest and store food for the winter.  Thanksgiving is coming, this week the team will be harvesting trees so we can open this coming weekend.  It’s also been an unusually warm fall, so they are still able to dig trees and have been digging truckloads of 22′-24′ tall trees for the last month and a half.  Wonderful for business, good for us, but very busy.

I’m also realizing just how much time it takes me to sit down and write.  Sometimes I have the time but not the will power, and other times the will power but no time, or ideas.  It kinda stinks actually.  And I just can’t be writing all day long, or staying up all night long to write a novel right now.  Babies and 3 year olds sleep when they sleep and momma better be sleeping then to.  I get crazy grumpy when I’m tired and that helps no one.

I still have until the end of the month to write, and I’m sure I will.  But I’m thinking this may be more like a 25,000 word novel instead of 50,000 this year.  Just to much happening at once.  I’m very proud of myself for what I have accomplished so far and am looking forward to finishing this story, and also the years of nano’s to come.:)

It is only day three but already the ideas I had been toying with in my brain all of October have been pouring forth and mixing and churning to turn into some completely unexpected to me.  Where the heck does this stuff come from?!

It has been years since I’ve written stories.  Journaling, yes.  Blogging, yes.  But a fictional story, just for the sake of writing a story I haven’t done for about ten years now.  It seemed rather pointless and I was uninspired.  I guess kids can do that to you though.

It feels wonderful to be doing this.  I still feel nervous.  I’m trying desperately not to edit my work, and also not to criticize to much.  I know that where anyone but me to read it they would probably fall asleep, or just be appalled at my minuscule vocabulary and high school-esk writing skills.  But, whatever.  Chances are no one will ever read it, or if they do it will be after some very heavy editing.  So I can continue ramble on and on in my story and hope to not get in to far over my head.

During the last three days I’ve logged 5667 words (after some editing).  I don’t know if I have ever written so much before.  It exhilarating and I am so proud of myself for taking on this challenge.

We got away with just a little damage, some trees in the orchard were damaged, one apple (but it was a rather sorry one anyways and I’d wondered if it could even handle the snow this year) and a spruce that was in a wind brake.  I don’t know if there was much more, but I feel fortunate that we got off without much damage.

Tuesday night was our windiest day.  It was also the night DD had her dance class.  While I don’t particularly enjoy driving town just to sit on the hall floor of the school for a half hour, I was kind of looking forward to a half hour without the boys and getting to knit for a little while.  As the day progressed though and it got windier and windier, I knew I wouldn’t do well driving.  I’m not all that comfortable driving anyways, and driving in the horrible weather scared me.  DH rather pooh-poohed my fears but being the wonderful man he is he took her to class.  When they got home they were both talking fast and where all wide eyed (this being something unusual since DH doesn’t usually talk much and certainly not fast).  They told me DD had gotten blown over in the parking lot on the way home and DH had to hold on to her while he fought the wind.  Once they got to the car they had to be careful not to let the car doors blow off, and once finally in and driving the defrost wouldn’t even work.  There was so much fog on the windows DH had to use a rag to wipe it off while driving so he could see.  Boy I was so glad I hadn’t tried to be tough and go on my own.

It was crazy how hard the gusts hit the house, the windows would rattle and because it’s an old house it was drafty and creeky all night.  But we were safe and sound.  We had a few brown outs but nothing more then that.  It was still windy the next day but that didn’t stop the kids from going out and playing in the little bit of snow we got.  They had a blast and spent half of the day out there.

The weather is back to normal.  Cold but not to cold.  No snow and just a little wind.  It was a fun ride and I’m glad we made it out with little damage.