tessa

a dearly loved friend has passed on

everyone that knew her loved her

her heart was so big

it graciously held us all

my photos of her beloved homeland, Africa

she is surely there now.

your love lives on.

safari njema tessa

good journey.

♥ lori

christmas 2010...

was incomparable

surprise!

my n.y.c. girl came home

my boys came home

there was laughing

and playing

and posing

with new toy christmas dart guns (because your never too old for toys)

and mama knit hats

and fun

oh so

much fun.

the last four days our home was filled again. kids and friends of kids in and out, 'see ya ma!' some of the things we've done in the past happening differently this year, maybe it's time for some new traditions now that my children are all grown up. it's hard to let go, i can see that even for the kids, but i keep telling them (and myself too) as long as we have each other, everything is okay ( ♥ ).

my sons are gone back to their own homes now, my youngest daughter (eldest couldn't make it) is waiting for jfk to reopen, so she can leave too. her flight tonight was cancelled, due to a severe snow storm on the east coast. and no, i did not wish for that. ;)

i hope everyone had a magical merry christmas and if i don't manage another post before friday, Happy New Year too!

♥ lori

minutia

i found a (free) pattern for the smallest knits ever! they are called minutia, teeny little sweater ornaments that make up fairly quickly. wouldn't they look cute tied on a package? last night i made these two and gave them to a sweet friend today. i think i need to make some more. if you'd like your own, go here for directions. they even share how to make the adorable hangers (my wire gauge was too big and not as bendy as my fingers would have liked).

and i had my first custom green sleeves orders, adding names instead of leaves. i've got so many ideas for the new year. that mostly, but not all, involve wool. :)

three more days till santa!

♥ lori

it's beginning to look a lot like...

christmas!

santa and one year old owen. hee hee.

i think owen told him he'd been good which was not really the whole truth.

hee hee he.

i had to put my knitting needles down so i could begin wrapping...





here are some bags i made. this works really nicely in place of paper and tape, and can be reused year after year (the cylinder is an old oatmeal container with paper around it)






i bought a flannel sheet, the unfitted kind, and cut it up. then i sewed some sacks with drawstrings (adding a simple casing) some just have soft twill tape attached to the outside. it doesn't take much time, and the kids seemed to like them a lot. be sure to make extras because sometimes they go home with the gift.




the tags are recycled and reused too, these are made from cardboard boxes...





i'm sure the kids don't mind that i say the same thing year after year...






it's been raining, a new storm is here, it makes everything feel cozier inside...





here is an ornament i won at a christmas party on wednesday. have you ever been a part of an ornament exchange? it's fun to play. we lucked out when we drew a number, we got the last one! i couldn't decide so chuck chose this bird for me.





i love this vintage handmade tree (it's so dark outside with this storm, i'm having trouble getting photos for this post)





our nativity, waiting for the blessed birth




my space (the cleaned up part) looks like the weather might be clearing up (it didn't).





tomorrow this one, my youngest, is turning 20. happy birthday dear hannah rose. have a wonderful birthday in nyc, on your own, for the first time on december 19th...sniff...tear...happy sad.

thank you for taking the time to visit, go safely through the rain, snow or heat this festive season, and...

merry christmas & happy holidays everyone, from our home to yours ~ we wish you peace joy and much love.

♥ lori

dh

i finished the hat (yay!) :) , but not before he returned

so i showed him the post below

he smiled (his very cute smile) and said that was even better

then he told me all about the volcano he climbed in mexico

and i listened and i knit. then i told him all about how owen has two new best friends, maggie and teddy! and how our oven stopped working and his cake came from the bakery. and i love this kind of catching up.

as soon as i was done, he put on his new hat and we went to dinner to celebrate his safe return and his birthday. on the way we made a stop to catch the sun just as it was setting into the ocean... :)

♥ lori