Have you ever seen a more photogenic dog?
I've had mixed feelings about this week. For one thing it's been cold. Brutally cold. But really I'm fine with that. Right up until the moment I have to take off my flannel pajamas and leave the house. I always like to get back to a routine after a vacation but we had two hour delays for school Tuesday and Wednesday and a cancellation for Thursday. It's a little hard to get back to a routine that way. On the one hand it's been nice to ease back into it but on the other hand that makes it awfully hard to get much done and my hopes of getting lots of studio time have been dashed.
I have managed to be semi productive though. If rearranging bookshelves and writing out recipes is productive. I love this recipe tin that Maddie got me for Christmas. I've had a computer lose all of my recipes before so I now feel a need to have them in multiple places. This is reserved for the tried and true family favorites. I love writing them out long hand and hope that my girls will consider them treasures one day. Well, Maddie will. Since in the 8 years between Maddie being in 3rd grade and Emma being in 3rd grade, someone decided cursive was irrelevant. What? I personally thing hashtags and lol speak are irrelevant but whatevs. That's modern talk for whatever. I'm feeling a little sassy today. Can you tell? I'm a little worried for my guy when he gets home!
This week was more about getting things back in order after the holidays and that's fine too. I love a clean house. I do not love to clean though. Apparently you can't have the 1st unless you do the 2nd so I try to make the job as enjoyable as possible. For me that means using cleaning supplies that I love, lighting a candle and putting on some good singing music + singing L-O-U-D! I find it's best (for the neighbors) if I clean with the windows closed. Also I split the cleaning into 2 days, upstairs one day and downstairs the next. Because there are other more important things to do in a day.
I have still been finding a bit of time every day to do something creative. For instance, I turned the calendar pages from last years kitchen calendar into file folders, well except for my two favorites that I hung on the wall in the studio. I love that I will get to enjoy these for a long time like this. I have gotten more emails and comments about that calendar in the last year than just about anything else (it's from 1Canoe2) except maybe the color of my front door (it's Sherwin Williams Aqueduct). Luckily the calendar had an extra page that can stay up all year and they also have refills which I might have to get next year.
Today I braved the Arctic Tundra to get groceries and stop by the yarn shop for supplies. There is a special baby on it's way to our family next month and I plan on welcoming him in style. I have been making it a point to knit from my yarn stash (in the dough bowl) for the last year and have avoided the yarn shop at all costs. Unfortunately I did not have the proper yarn for this project and had no other choice. This is what I'm telling myself, anyway. Also, unfortunately, on top of the skeins of yarn I needed for my project, 7 skeins from the sale bin found their way home with me. But since they were 40% off they don't count against me. I'm sure that's the way it works. Plus. The colors. So there's that.
As you can imagine it took forever for the nice ladies to wind my twelve skeins of yarn so I sat in the front of the store with a group of older ladies that were knitting. I love my elders. I always have. If you haven't spent some time lately listening to a group of older ladies talking about life, you are missing out. Plus since 1/2 of my face was looking especially old to me this morning (don't ask) it was kind of nice to be around ladies who thought I was young.
Happy weekend to all of you. We have a frigid weekend ahead of us so I feel a movie/knitting marathon coming on.
I got a good chuckle about sitting with ladies that make you look young. I am faced with the fact that I am not the old lady!
ReplyDeleteHow do you survive in arctic weather? I guess you back and knit and create!
what a fun post this was, i love seeing a dog in the snow, how cute and i also really like how you turned the calender pages into file folders.
ReplyDeleteIt really is so cold out, so stay warm and enjoy your knitting :)
Rearranging bookshelves and writing out recipes are most certainly productive Jen and that recipe box is adorable! I really wish I had seen the idea af turning your calendar into file folders before I threw last year's away, what a great way to recycle and continue to enjoy the artwork on them. I'll have to remember that for next year :>)
ReplyDeleteDe lurking to say Hi and thanks for sharing yourself on this blog! You've created a lovely, cozy home in real life and on the inter-webs. The recipe box is darling and the calendar up cycle is a great idea. It was too pretty to waste. Question, did it take you very long to get the hang of knitting? I long to knit, love the idea of knitting, but I can't seem to get it down. Not sure if it's because I'm a lefty or just short on patience.
ReplyDeleteI'm in the icebox north of you so I feel your pain on the weather. Stay warm.
love your file folders! such a creative use for your calendar! hope you have a cozy weekend…it's been frigid here too…though i'm sure not as cold as you've been! (and my kiddos are aching to have that much snow!)
ReplyDeleteYour dog is so cute just sitting in the snow. It is cold and snowy here to. I actually went to a yarn shop and was bummed to see a for rent sign. Stay warm and cozy. Hugs
ReplyDeleteI find the best motivation for getting my house clean is opening all the window blinds. I get things cleaned and tidied so fast that way. It's a shame thing. LOL as if everyone is peeking into my windows and judging me or something. That must say something about my childhood!
ReplyDeleteJen....I couldn't agree with you more about cursive not being important anymore......I don't understand that at all....how are these children to sign there name or read it? They can't! So my son is getting lessons at home. The cold has been brutal hasn't it...I live in Central IL....so I feel your pain. I work at a junior college and have resorted to wearing long undies to keep warm!!! I simply love your recipe box....I have a basket that doesn't work so well....would you mind sharing your source for your recipe box? Stay warm!!!!!
ReplyDeleteMay I ask about your mug stand? I've admired it in so many of your photos but I worry that it might wear places on the handle. Have you had any problems with that? I have so many mugs in the cabinet and they take too much room, I'd love to show off my favorites but I also don't want to rub off the finish.
ReplyDeleteYou can get clear vinyl tubing used for fish tanks and slice them into half inch pieces and down the side. Slip them over the wires where your mug will meet the metal and voila! No scratched handles. Worked for me, so I hope it works for you, too.
DeleteThanks Kate J, that's a great (and inexpensive) idea!
DeleteSara,
DeleteIt had not even occurred to me that might happen. I just inspected my mugs and not a single scratch! Whew! Relief!
It's frigidly cold here in northern IL, too. Below zero temps for days. Tomorrow it's actually supposed to be in the teens, so it'll probably feel warm! I braved the cold and snow to go trudging out to the grocery store today, too. And a little side trip to B&N to get a calendar and planner for 50% off. Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteI have not been enjoying the cold. I used to like being confined for a few days but now that my children are grown I do not find as much enjoyment as I did then. I have been putting Christmas way and have decided to hire some of the cleaning done. Next week they will be detailing my downstairs so that gives me more time for those closets and drawers. Dianntha
ReplyDeleteum. just bought that recipe tin. for family favorite recipes. so i always have them nearby. GET OUT OF MY HEAD. kisses.
ReplyDeleteI like your yarn buying philosophy. Sale yarn is always ALRIGHT! I've ben using up leftovers, too. I made myself the promise I would alternate between new yarn and leftovers for each project. However, I broke that rule this past week when Michaels had a lot of their yarn on half-price this past week. I bought enough for three projects! Maybe I'll still alternate... hmmm... we'll see. I love how you reused your calendar pages. They were definitely too pretty to throw out!
ReplyDeleteYour dog is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI definitely like the way you think, Jen! Whenever I stop in our yarn shop, I spend some time admiring all the projects the women in the knitting group are working on. I hope to find the time to join them someday. Your dog is a beauty and is probably having a nice cool down in the snow. When we had a dog, I walked with her every day, no matter what the weather. I'm trying to think that way again and get out for some exercise every day, but it's not easy with the frigid temps! I bundled up today and still, I had a cold headache from the wind.
ReplyDeleteI think it's so sad that cursive writing will soon be a thing of the past! I still have all my recipes in a recipe box, and I like that I can see my mother's and friend's writing on many of the recipes I've had for years and years.
I can't wait to see what you'll be knitting up with all that pretty colored yarn! Enjoy!
Vickie
We've had some frigid weather, too, but I keep reminding myself that it's going to knock the ticks and other parasites out of the loop. ;)
ReplyDeleteAlways love seeing new posts from you.
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way about cursive writing. It is so sad that in place of thank you cards or just receiving a letter in the mail most of this is done through email or text. I love getting a letter or card in the mail as much as I love sending them.
Love your recipe box. I have three very special recipe boxes. One from each of my grandmothers and on that was given to me as a wedding gift. Everyone was asked to bring a favorite recipe on their favorite recipe card. I cherish all three of them..
I do believe that if I lived closer we would be fast friends. I love everything about this post, well I love everything about all of your posts. I'd rather write a letter than send an email. I'd rather sew and knit with my elders. I'm going to try your cleaning advice because I'd rather do anything than clean. It is bitter cold here in Michigan but there is a sparkle to the snow this morning that takes my breath away. Have a wonderful day and thank you for such lovely posts!
ReplyDeleteYou're comment about half of your face looking older cracked me up, because I was just thinking that today lol
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I missed you and your blog and I'm so glad that nothing has really changed. It's just as wonderful as it was when I was blogging last time. The house looks great, Jen :)
xo,
rue
The demise of cursive writing is so sad. It was a particular sadness to my late mother who taught 3rd grade for 35 years. Our young people may never know or understand the joys of handwritten letters or even be able to read the letters we have all kept lovingly from the past.
ReplyDeleteYour recipe box is so sweet. I am now the possessor of wonderful hand written recipes from my mother and grandmother. They join those of my mother in law. All handwritten, a wee bit stained and well loved.
Love,
Sue
I could read your words forever...... love you and all that you share. You are a treasure, you know.
ReplyDeletexo,
Kim