Beautiful Boston

Back from my vacation in Boston. (miss you Nee and Ty!)

I had a fabulous time...
more on that later this week.

Been getting Olivia ready for school... gearing up for September. I can't believe how fast the summer slipped away.

Here I come Renee!!!

I'm leaving in ten minutes to visit my sister and my bro Ty who I haven't seen in a year.... to be honest I think it's been a year and a half. That's sick and wrong people!




We are going to sail on the new boat, eat lots of sea food, dance and sing and cry and laugh. I CAN'T WAIT!

Have a fabulous week!

I'm off!

Love.

Happy birthday Mom.

We send you tons of love and hugs and wishes.
Mwah!

*pic from my mom's visit last May

Popular color.

Top 2 spotted via Anthropologie
Bottom left via Anthro :: bottom right via Toast

I have been seeing this color
(same as the new sweater i'm knitting)
all over the internet and blog land. I love it!

fall progress.

Fall is going to be here

(especially in Oregon)

before we know it.


So i'm trying to embrace that by preparing with something fun.
Meet the progress on my new sweater.

The color reminds me of a campfire on a summer night!
So it's not all windy, rainy, fall motivation.

And the best part... It's knit on size US 10.5 needles.
mwah ha ha!

Mom?

Can i paint?
yes!


on that wood person?
Um.... sure!



Next thing i know it's photo shoot time.






This is the bowl of fruit on our dining table.

yummmm.



What a way to spend a Saturday afternoon!

I ADORE this girl!

Red hair & Red yarn cakes.

images belong to the photographer, oprisco :: spotted via: knit creations of a curious mind

Beautiful photography, right?!
Check out more amazing photos at Oprisco's portfolio!

Second skein of yarn wound up and ready to go. I have about 4 more inches to go on the body of Liv's red sweater and then it's sleeve time.


Hope you all have a great weekend!

um. yes please!

spotted via you are my fave.


island.
water.
beautiful old wood.
TONS of giant romantic windows.

LOVE this house.

LOVE!

It was purchased by one family for $3600 years and years and years ago.
It's still in the same family today.

so sweet.

These are engagement pictures. Don't you think they are adorable? I do.

spotted via Unruly Things

more.

More Last-Minute Knitted Gifts.
by Joelle Hoverson
photographs by Anna Williams

I'm sure most of you knitters are familiar with the first book. Well now there is more.

Take a look at Purlbee's review as well as some Gorgeous project previews!

Joy.

Well folks, it happened. I finally got to meet my dear new friend Joy. We have been chatting via facebook, our blogs and emails for what seamed like years.

But Friday we made it happen for real and had a blast.




We have tons in common and not just things to talk about or liking the same things. We talk about all these things the same way... it's crazy and cool and weird. But mostly just really cool.

Oh and guess what??

...her awesome husband Brett... was my boyfriend in high school! OK.
That does sound more weird than cool... but i promise it's great.

Olivia met her 3 kids and kicked it off with her two girls brilliantly. Joy and I caught up on the last 25 years of or lives in a matter of a few hours while they played. Really... we talk fast. it totally worked fine to talk over each other at shocking speeds!

I arrived just about 30 minutes before Brett left for work. So we got the chance to talk as well and I gotta tell ya, having these beautiful people in my life is a Joy!

budum bum.

Check out Joy's blog here. She is so funny and adorable. I know you will snort your coffee out your nose in delightful fits of laughter as you read her family and life stories. No? Well that's how I rate a good blog read.

hide away.

picture from: unknown

Isn't this peaceful? I would so drop this in the middle of the woods or on a beach and hide away for awhile.

Growing like a weed.

ha! I wish!

My hair is growing soooo slow! But it is long enough to start thinking of an actual style. It's not just "growing out" and forced in to hair pins anymore. Although that doesn't stop me. Cause I do have Lazy in me folks!

To DO:
A load or two of laundry so I have my cute clothes clean.
Take the time to orderly place make up on to my face.



Then I may be able to polish up like this cute chicka!

spotted via A Cup Of Jo


I love her swooped messy bangs. Her make-up is minimal and neutral but really really lovely. I like her clothes too....



spotted via A Cup Of Jo


But a little too school girl for me.
I think I'd pick something more casual...



Like this...

spotted via a history of architecture

or this...


spotted via toast


OK... off to do that laundry. ugh.

I adore this.

image spotted via The City Sage

China Doll Update.

Livi has a very specific idea about what sweater i should be making. It's pretty cute.



red, check.

mandarin collar, check.

wrap like a kimono, check.



So far so good. phew!


I just slipped what's done so far on Olivia last night and the sleeves and chest fit great.

Not too big, but roomy enough that she could use it as a jacket this fall.

I'm loving this stitch. I've used it before in two tone on a sweater that I was designing but never ended up writing. It has a woven look on one side and seed stitch on the reverse.



Being that she wants it to be "a red Chinese sweater mom!" I'm thinking I want to add little Chinese Frogs for the closure. Like this...

...in a bright color or just a simple black. Haven't decided yet.


Slowly but surely this little number is coming along. I have some fun ideas in my head to embellish and make it more cozy. Stay tuned... it's going to finish up looking completely different!

Madelinetosh

Speaking of inspiring sweaters to knit... isn't this cozy and beautiful. I have to make time for this knit. I think i'd wear it year round!

What inspires me.

It's not often that I am inspired by knitting patterns and pattern photography. Well that's not totally true.... of coarse there are times. I have a pile of favorites in Ravelry. And then there are the projects that people knit, taking a pattern not their own, and turn it in to something almost unrecognizable from the original designer's pattern and it turns out beautiful.

(oh boy. I may regret that I even brought this up... yikes.)

Stay with me... I have a point.


Issara by Anne Kuo Lukito


What I mean is...
Usually I come across a sweater someone else has knit and it inspires me to knit it too. But I never would have thought about it if it were not for someone's interpretation... be it the yarn choice or a brilliant modification or breathtaking FO picture.


Rarely do i see a pattern that fits my personal taste in yarn, design, style, and something I know that I will wear for years. I'm not blaming the designers or the photographer or even saying that it's not a beautiful design. I'm saying it doesn't fit MY style.


Stratocumulus bu Cheryl Burke


So I get pretty excited when that happens! Twist collective came out with their latest collection and there are some really beautiful and creative patterns!

There are a handful that caught my eye and inspired me to start a new project. The yarn and design both excited me. And beyond that, some photography that I really enjoyed.



Red Oak by Julia Trice



Thank You To the Designers and Twist.

Dear Campfire,

We love you.


Your glow as the sun goes down, the deep comforting smell that hugs everything. We miss you and can't wait to spend another weekend circled around you. Thank you for sending your perfume home with us... in our bags, on our blankets and twisted around our strands of hair.


Over the next few days, loads of laundry and showers and baths will wash you off. Please forgive us, we would keep that lovely smokey camp sent but all things must come to an end.