Snuggle Size Knit Gnome

I doubled the number of stitiches from the pattern here to make a baby doll sized gnome.

Warm wishes, Tonya

Weather Tree

A new daily ritual with Sarah, Grade K/1, is to put a new leaf on our weather tree each day.  I had a nice blank wall and quickly painted up a tree.  The idea came from the wonderful book, All Year Round.  Each day, Sarah writes the number of the month and colors the leaf in - for example, white for snowy, grey for cloudy (a lot of those these days), blue for rainy, yellow for sunny, a rainbow leaf for a family member's birthday, etc...

It will be fun to see it fill up with a variety of leaves in different colors throughout the year.

Warm wishes, Tonya

Yarn Along

Joining in with Ginny today...

Using Peace Fleece in Blue Jay, I have started another vest using size 11 needles.  The vest should fit a toddler when finished. 

I am about 2/3 of the way through Coop - A Family, a Farm, and the Pursuit of One Good Egg, by Michael Perry.   Quoted from the back cover, "Living in a ramshackle Wisconsin farmhouse - faced with thirty-seven acres of fallen fences and overgrown fields, and informed by his pregnant wife that she intends to deliver their baby at home - "

I have enjoyed the light entertaining reading and simple reflections on life that are weaved throughout.

Warm wishes, Tonya

Hanging Laundry Inside

As part of keeping things simple (considering our criteria for every purchase) and being gentle to the earth, we choose not to own a dryer, and instead, hang our clothes outside in the nice weather, and inside the rest of the year.

We have a very basic system.

On either side of our bathroom, we put in screws and then attached a rope to each screw.  On this line, I use clothespins and hangers to get as much as possible on that one line.

The smaller pieces of laundry - socks, underwear, rags and cloths, and napkins all go on a small hanging rack that is in our bedroom which is close to the woodstove in the main living area.

I do one load of laundry each day. 
Warm wishes,
Tonya

Knit Vest Pattern

I've had several requests and here is the link to the vest pattern.

The doll kit I purchased from a local museum shop.  The kit is called - Miss Poppet, An Early American Cloth Doll Kit.

Warm wishes,
Tonya

Some Sewing and Some Knitting

I just love this time of year to spend more time on handwork.

Another infant wool vest for our shop

After supper last night, Abby and I sewed up this little rag doll.  It was so nice to work together.  She is 10 years old and she would stuff and braid and help cut the pieces.  She has begun to use the sewing machine as well.  We purchased it as a kit.  Very simple.  It makes me eager to try our skills at more - like this one .

Good thing we have lots of winter left.

Warm wishes,

Tonya

A New Year

Happy New Year!

Last night we all stayed at home and played games, snacked, enjoyed the new branch rope swing Mike made for the little ones, and watched a movie from the BBC that wasn't really all that good.

It is just a branch slice with a rope.  We have high ceilings in our living area with a beam across the middle - perfect for a swing.  We can take it off and on easily with a "S" hook.

and a bar too!

a  late night treat of sherbert

Today we are still enjoying one another's company -

the tree came down

more organizing and cleaning

home learning planning

goals and lists are being made (goats, chicks, herbs, berries to start)

and

cinnamon rolls for lunch

Warm wishes for a beautiful day and a year filled with beautiful moments,

Tonya