It's reached a whole new level, people.

A few posts ago, I mentioned that I am the type of knitter that will buy a winter coat, for the sole purpose of having it match yarn purchased to make a scarf. There is a word for that: obsessed. (And crazy. And neurotic. And....)

Well, it's reached a whole new level, people. I bought a cabinet to house my yarn. My yarn basket wasn't cutting it anymore. My yarn had seeped out of the basket and into many nooks and crannies of my house. It was getting out of control. (Oh, and excuse the quality of these pictures. It was gloomy and I had a baby strapped to me - but the yarn cabinet waits for nothing.)

The cabinet was the perfect solution. I could keep all of my materials in one place, and - MAJOR NERD ALERT AHEAD - feel like it was my very own shop. You see, ever since I was a little girl, I've wanted a store. My little entrepreneurial heart asked for a cash register for Christmas. This was serious business. I took what I had -- rubber stamps, play food, stuffed animals -- and I set up shop. (And big shout out to my darling mother who was my frequent - and only - customer.) This cabinet is the definition of my adulthood obsession, out in the open for all to see. Yes, I own A LOT of yarn. Too much yarn, even. When my husband came home and saw this masterpiece (my word, not his), the first and only thing he said was, "I don't think you need to buy anymore yarn for awhile."

Now I am reminded of what I have. And it looks real pretty. So pretty in fact, that maybe I shouldn't disturb it and just buy new yarn for projects. Kidding, kind of.

Here's a quick tour!

1. Straight knitting needles - I have these housed in two large mason jars. I tried to separate by size (small needles in one, large in the other). The only problem I have is I'm not sure how to organize my circular needles. Those things are out. of. control. Ideas?

2. Yarn - I knew from the start that I wanted to sort the yarn by color, not necessarily by project. I love how this looks. And, I also realized that I have a TON of neutral colored yarn.

3. More Yarn - See that pink? It's for the now infamous scarf that I want to purchase a coat for.

4. H - It's not knitting related, but I thought it looked cute peeking out of the windows. From Anthropologie.

5. Knitting Patterns - These are adult patterns. Also stacked on top of the pile is some thread for a future project.

6. Purl Soho Bag - Would you believe that inside this bag holds a half finished Christmas stocking from several years ago? If you know me, then yes, this should be very believable to you. I stopped knitting it because at the time, I didn't know how to turn the heel. I've since learned, but never felt in enough of a holiday spirit to finish it up.

7. More Knitting Patterns - I tried to keep the children's patterns separate from the adult patterns. The binder holds all of the pdfs I've purchased over the years.

8. Yarn! - Again, more yarn. I've had some of that green yarn for a very. long. time.

9. Scrap yarn - I was really torn with whether I should include this in the yarn bookcase. I thought it was best to just keep everything together. My goal is to one day use some of the scrap yarn to make the Beekeeper's Quilt. I've thought about purchasing yarn for this project, but figured that using scrap yarn would almost be like a trip down memory lane for all of the projects I've accomplished over the years. The quilt will tell a story. See? I don't buy yarn for everything.

10. The Last of the Yarn - There's my blues/purples and grays. Excited to use the gray on the top right for a special Christmas project.

There you have it. It's safe to say that I am close to busting at the seams here, so I'd really get my needles clickin' so that I have room for more!

My little Pumpkin

Last weekend was BEAUTIFUL. We took a family trip to the pumpkin patch to celebrate the new season and get our hands on some pumpkins...and apple donuts.

Every year, my family plans a day to go to the pumpkin patch. We were doing this well before children were in the picture. We have lucked out with wonderful weather every. single. year. Sure, there have been times when it's 90+ degrees outside, but the sun has always been shining. I really look forward to this annual tradition. It gets me ready for fall!

There have been so many fun memories at the pumpkin patch. My favorite being when my husband bent over to lift a heavy pumpkin for me...and his jeans split right down the middle. I thought that sort of thing only happened in the movies. He had no problem walking around the rest of the day with built-in air conditioning. If that had happened to me, there would have been tears.

This year's top moment was this: (I don't think I need to explain this one...)

This year was especially exciting because it was William's first visit. Always looking for a photo op, we propped him between the large pumpkins and got some pretty good shots. It didn't take long for him to try and eat the pumpkins, so pictures ended shortly after that.

Everyone knows that a trip to the pumpkin patch isn't complete unless there's a camel ride involved!

At the beginning of the summer, I got two large black urns for my front porch. My mom had a vision, people. And you don't mess with a vision. Instead of replacing my geraniums with mums, we stacked some pumpkins on top of one another for a fun effect. I love how it turned out. We used grapevine and some faux flowers that I purchased from Hobby Lobby to finish off the look. 

I hope you're enjoying fall just as much as we are!

3 months in the making

My adorable niece, Grace, turned one at the end of July. I really, really wanted to have a sweater ready for her when we celebrated her birthday, but that didn't quite happen. So, I was 2+ months late. That's why I made it in a larger size. It bought me some time.

Finding time to knit these days is a little difficult because our little boy thrives on little sleep. When he does go down at night, I often am afraid to get started on something if I can't easily put it down and pick it back up again. This is why it took me 3 months to knit a child's sweater. 3 months.

I liked the finished product, though. The pattern, Cricket, pushed me a bit. It was knit top down, and I've only done that once before. I think I like that way of doing things, particularly because I hate finishing my projects. I opted to knit the pockets, so it was interesting to try that method, as well. I also loved that the pockets, as well as the yoke appeared to look like smocking. I love me some smocking.


I used Quince and Co. yarn -- specifically the yarn Chickadee, in the color Chanterelle. I loved this yarn. It was soft, had a nice stretch to it, and the color was to die for. It was a taupey-pink. The perfect color for this project.

I'm thrilled to have crossed this sweater off my list, and am looking forward to tackling a sweater for my little guy. Hopefully it doesn't take me too long because he is growing fast. So naturally, I chose a pattern with cables. And I'm already stuck after casting on. Hmphf.

Knitting Season

This is, by far, my favorite time of year. The cooler temps, the pumpkins, apple flavored everything...it's just too much. I've heard a few times that this now kicks off "Knitting Season"....I however, disagree. Because for me, every season is knitting season. I don't (willingly) take a break from it. And I have so. many. projects. that I really can't afford to.

This leads me to my yarn obsession. I got to thinking the other day just how bad it is when I found a cowl pattern that I really liked. In my mind, I chose the color that I wanted and everything...only realizing later that it wasn't practical because I didn't have a winter coat to match. A normal person would find a new yarn color. I am not normal. I, instead, look for a new coat.

That is my obsession at it's finest.

It's not a healthy one by any means, but I don't see myself changing anytime soon. I'll keep buying yarn. I'll keep finding creative places to store skeins. And I'll keep adding pieces to my wardrobe just so that I can wear cozy cowls. Sheesh.

Here are a few cowls that you should probably unnecessarily add to your wardrobe:

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4...and 5 months

So, apparently, we enjoyed summer. A lot. I'm still trying to figure out how to update here with greater frequency while making sure we all have clean clothes to wear. It's been a process.

Because I missed William's 4 month pictures, I am including both the 4 and 5 month pictures today.

I've discovered my feet...

...and I will stop at nothing to get them!

Willam's latest tricks:

• He's laughing! It's a deep little chuckle. And, it's hiiiiilarious.
• He can roll from back to tummy. But now refuses to roll from tummy to back. #babyproblems
• When on his tummy, he can fully extend his arms and lift his chest off the ground. He can also pivot. Someone's going to be mobile soon...
• He's still a chatterbox. I find that when I sing to him, he "sings" along with me.
• He loves to dance. Which is a good thing since mommy and daddy don't miss an opportunity to cut a rug.
• He loves peek-a-boo!
• Things are put into his mouth. All. things.
• He can grasp things without missing!
• He has started to tripod sit.

Our sweet William....I love you so very much. You are transforming before my very eyes. You are so curious about the world around you. I love watching you learn new things. I love that you are gaining independence, but still want snuggles :) You make me so happy and proud to be your mommy. I love you to the moon and back!

Three Months!

Another month has flown by, and we are enjoying every little minute with our sweet William.  He is a very big boy! He goes for his checkup this week and I'm anxious to hear just how big he has gotten.  My arms are telling me that he's packing on the pounds!

Some highlights from this month include:

• Smiling - and lots of it!
• Talking! William is very chatty.
• He can lift his head to a 90 degree angle and is beginning to enjoy tummy time a bit more.
• While doing tummy time, William's legs don't stop moving! This kid wants to crawl!
• Fingers are constantly in his mouth -- hasn't quite figured out the thumb yet.
• He has rolled to one side -- if momma hadn't started cheering, he may not have gotten startled and rolled completely over!
• He is still waking up twice a night to eat.

We love you, little boy!

 

Happy 4th!

Just stopping by quickly to say Happy 4th of July! This is one of my favorite holidays of the year...I love the patriotism that today brings. Enjoy your 4th!

William has on his red, white, and blue...eyes :)

Insta-Friday!

Linking up again over at Life Rearranged!

This week flew by and I wasn't the best at taking pictures. Seriously, I just don't know where the days go ever since William arrived. So much of my schedule revolves around when he needs to eat...and then all of a sudden I find that it's dinner time and I'm not exactly sure where the previous 12 hours went!

Anyway, here's a tiny glimpse at our week!

This face. Really. William turned 2 months this week - and it's hard to believe how much he has grown already. It's hard to believe how I've grown, too! I'm feeling so much more confident. I'm not yet ready, however, to move him out of our room. He's quickly getting close to being too big for his cradle, but my heart just isn't ready. I don't think it'll ever be.

Wednesday is 20% coffee cake day at our local bakery. All someone needs to do is say "Sale" and I'm whipping out my debit card whether I need something or not. But, you always need coffee cake, am I right? Legitimate purchase. William and I sat in the cafe, enjoying our treat.  As you can tell, the conversation was thrilling. :)

Ugh. Weeds. My yard is loaded with them, and I feel like I'm constantly picking at them. I'm glad I got lazy enough to see this little gem pop through the patio bricks. I don't have the heart to pull it quite yet!


There's a bit of my week! If you're interested, you can find me @jaohorvath!

2 Months!

Our sweet William is 2 months today! It's really hard to believe how quickly time has gone, and even harder to imagine life without him.

In the last month, milestones include:

• Smiles! And lots of 'em!
• We can hold our head pretty well and we are starting to support our chest during tummy time.
• We love to squeal and coo!
• Old McDonald is a favorite song.
• A moving fan is my favorite thing to watch.
• I can track objects as they move around me.

We had a little photo shoot this morning- it was so much easier to get a decent pic this time around! Must have something to do with being able to hold up our head :)

Going to leave the rest of this post for pictures...because typing with one hand and holding baby in the other is no easy task!

And, just for fun...

Insta-Friday!

Linking up with Jeannett at Life Rearranged to share the happenings of our week!

I have a serious problem with hot chocolate. Since I'm not a coffee drinker (only fancy coffee, thankyouverymuch), I enjoy a mug of hot chocolate every now and then. Even when it's hot outside. Especially when it's hot outside. 

This is Ellie, my lovable little doggie. I feel so badly for her lately -- she's really gotten the short end of the stick ever since William arrived. She has a very sensitive soul. I swear, when that dog does something wrong, she tries to apologize a few minutes later. I miss having the time to walk and snuggle her and I need to make the effort to spend more quality time with her.

My little boy is getting B-I-G! Notice the double chin and enormous hands. Love him!

Last weekend, Seth and I celebrated our first anniversary! It's been quite a year and I love my husband dearly. It was also the first night out away from William. We somehow managed to eat our entire dinner -- dessert included -- an hour after we left the house. Not really a "night out", but we just wanted to spend time with our little guy.

The smiles continue! Loved that I captured this one. He looks like he's up to something...

I've just begun to feel more comfortable taking the baby out in public. What better place to visit than Nordstrom? My mom and I introduced William to all that Nordstrom has to offer and we enjoyed a lunch at their Cafe. I've got to tell you, it was a wonderful day. It felt so good to get out and do things. And I don't think William minded one bit :)

Follow me on Instagram @jaohorvath!

Fun-Do

I've mentioned before that I'm a list maker. I start off most days with a list. Whether paper/pencil or on my phone, I like to stay on top of things. It doesn't mean that they always get done, but at least it's there. It guilts me into accomplishing things. I'm one of those people that needs to get everything done before I can really enjoy myself. So, in other words, I'm lotsa fun :)

So, I got to thinking...what if we made to-do lists that had things we actually enjoyed? What if our lists exclusively included things that made our hearts happy? What if we didn't have to worry about all of those other chores and we really could just sit back and relax?

Instead of making a traditional to-do list, I'm making a FUN-do list. Things that I want to accomplish over the course of the week that make me happy. Does that mean I'll accomplish everything? Not necessarily, but that's what is great about the FUN-do list. You don't have the pressure to get everything done and it gives you something to look forward to.

Here's my current list in visual form! (a small list to start...my 7 week old dictates the schedule, these days!)

1) Knitting. I am currently working on Otto's head. William and I ventured to the craft store the other day to get some stuffing so that I can begin the next phase. I'm enjoying this project so far, and I think I'll learn a lot about the construction once I get a little further!

2) Painting. Full disclosure - I'm not actually the one doing the painting. (Kudos to mom for that!). This past week, a shade of yellow went up in my family room. Blue is next in my half bath. Thinking red for my kitchen. Love having color on the walls and loving making my stamp on this house!

Just what I need...

You know when you look at someone's blog and click on a link, and then click on another link...and another...until you have found something so wonderful and you have no idea just how you got there?

Well, that happened to me this weekend...and now my knittin' fingers are itching.

Let me introduce you to Quince and Co. The prettiest patterns and the most beautiful yarn I've seen in awhile.

Let's talk yarn first. Each type of yarn is named after a bird. Really. Who doesn't want something to be making something out of yarn named Chickadee? How about Finch? Or Puffin? All three? Ok! Let's just pretend for a moment that you are knitting up something beautiful and the following conversation ensues:

Curious Observer: Oh, my! What beautiful yarn! What kind is it?
You: Oh, just this fingering weight yarn...

That doesn't exactly make you want to pick up your needles, does it?
Okay, how about this instead?

Curious Observer: Oh, my! What beautiful yarn! What kind is it?
You: Oh, this? Why, this is called Finch.

See? Sooo much better.

Then, on to the patterns.
I'm particularly struck by the girl patterns - there is something so vintage about these pieces. My little William better watch out, otherwise he's going to end up in one of these!

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And, I'm not one to turn down a cute new scarf pattern:

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Well, what are you waiting for?

Heaven.

This post really needs few words. Just this picture:

If you:
A) Love the peanut butter and chocolate combo
B) Don't like running your oven on a hot day
C) Don't have a lot of time to spare
D) Know a good thing when you see it

Then you should really, really make these peanut butter and pretzel bars...like, yesterday.




Can I just say that I'm a perfectionist and it drove me crazy that my bars did not come out in neat little squares. Maybe it was because it was a humid day when I made these? You know, I just have to let it go...still tastes the same :)

For the recipe, look here.