A Lesson in Paying Attention

As the calendar turned to January, I was feeling motivated to get things accomplished on my knitting to-do list. I felt like I was making a lot of progress on the Sugar Candy sweater. I knitted up the last sleeve and looked ahead to see how to make up the project.

And that's when I realized....that I need to pay attention better.

You see, there was a boy and girl version of this sweater. In my eagerness, I knit up the front side of the sweater using the boy pattern. I'd like to call this a big mistake. Ugh.

On to ripping I went. Luckily, the body of the sweater remained and I only needed to change the neckline. The mistake was fixed, but put me back a few days...and did you see that list I have to accomplish in 2013? I don't have time for setbacks!

Anyway, this whole fiasco reminded me of a Thanksgiving Friends episode. Rachel was determined to make a trifle for the meal, and the pages of the recipe book stuck together. Her trifle consisted of lady fingers and minced meat. Everyone dreaded eating it - but did - and of course, Joey found it delicious. This is what I call a lesson in paying attention. Minced meat does not work in a trifle. Boy patterns do not work for girly sweaters.

Inspired by Rachel, here's a link to a yummy looking Paula Deen trifle - just make sure you pay attention!

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22 Weeks!

Cravings: Orange juice, please! Anything with a citrus-y flavor.

Gender: At the moment, I'm thinking boy! When I asked the ultrasound tech if she could tell, her response was "Definitely! Healthy genitalia." That made me wonder...

Sleep: Lots of tossing and turning. Not too uncomfortable yet but I'm a little restless.

Movement: Feeling baby is the best! Mostly in the morning and at night. I notice it when I'm at rest.

Mood: Happy! Excited! Started buying neutral onesies and the cuteness is making me excited!

The List

Now that things have finally settled down, I am ready to pick the needles back up and start knocking some of the projects off my list. The List is a daunting one. It is jam-packed...and with a baby on the way, things somehow keep getting added to it. We don't want baby to be cold, do we?

So (hangs her head in shame), here are the projects that I will try to tackle in 2013. These are projects that I actually have yarn for - yikes! Wish me luck!

1) Sugar Candy Sweater by Sublime -- currently on my needles. Hoping to finish this one soon!

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2) Mary Lou's Holiday Stocking -- Yes, I've been working on this for 3 years. Yes, I say I will finish it every Christmas. Yes, I missed the boat on this one again. 

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3) Sara by Debbie Bliss -- I don't even want to know how old this yarn is.

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4) Montera by Classic Elite Yarns -- Love the buttons on this one. Love the pretty blue color I chose to knit it in. At least the yarn is adding a punch of color to my yarn basket right now.

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5) High Neck Cable by Blue Sky Alpacas -- I really, really love this one. I would really, really love to be done with this one.

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6) Big Herringbone Cowl by Purl Bee -- I made one of these for my mom. It was a lot of work, so like everything else, the yarn sits and waits!

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7) Striped Cotton Cowl by Purl Bee -- Again, I've had this yarn forever. Noticing a pattern?

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8) Eyelet Baby Blanket by Blue Sky Alpacas -- I just bought the yarn for this. I chose to go with Ecru since we aren't finding out the gender. Since baby is due to arrive in May, this one will be the next project I tackle.

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Honorable Mentions (I don't have the yarn for these YET, but....)

1) Otto by Ysolda -- I just think this would be cute to bring to the hospital.

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2) The Beekeeper's Quilt by Tiny Owl Knits -- This one is in the back of my mind. I'd love to use my scrap yarn someday to make this quilt!

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3) Howlite by Army of Knitters -- I bought this pattern over the summer. The intricacy of this sweater is a bit daunting, and this project alone would probably take me a year to complete. There is something about those cables, though...

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Okay, so who else feels overwhelmed? I must NOT buy new yarn....I must NOT buy new yarn...unless I see something really cute...

So long, 2012!

2012 was a big year for us. A marriage, a new home, and finding out that we'll be parents in 2013! All of that has kept us very busy this year, and I can't help but feel warm and fuzzy when I think of all that we have been blessed with.

Although I'm not big on resolutions, I do like the idea of having a natural, fresh start to right some wrongs and make some positive changes in life. In 2013, I'd like to practice greater patience, cook and bake more, and spend quality time with my family. I also need to knock some items off the knitting list...something that I wasn't too great at in 2012!

Here's to a happy, healthy New Year!

A sneak peek at our 2013!

home sweet home

It happened.

My dream home.

It's ours!

After failed attempts of selling our condo and going through a terrible move (everything that could have gone wrong DID), we made it. Back in my hometown, where "Friendliness is a Way of Life." Not even kidding -- that's our motto. Who WOULDN'T want to live here?

I love our colonial...spacious and echo-y right now, just waiting to be filled with furniture, children, and memories. It's strange...we have only been here for 3 weeks, but yet it already feels like home.

My mind is bursting with ideas, wondering how I'm going to make this place feel like us. It's a wonderful feeling, knowing that we have this blank canvas before us...just waiting. We bought our first Christmas tree last week. Even though that will be the only item in our living room, I'm going to make sure it is DECKED out. I will sit before it in all it's glory, sipping my hot chocolate, and wondering how we got so lucky.

So much to be thankful for!

xo,

J.

Hello, Bead Board

Pinterest is very unhealthy for me. It's creating all of these crazy obsessions, and I really don't have time in my life for yet another obsession. One girl can only handle so much. Real Housewives episodes, Caribou coffee and knitting are about all I can take right now.

My current obsession is bead board. Specifically, bead board on a kitchen ceiling. Swoon! I love the idea of having texture on the ceiling...I imagine that it makes the room feel cozier, and who doesn't want a cozy kitchen. Here's some inspiration!

Source: houzz.com via Jenny on Pinterest

Source: kendallboggsfineart.blogspot.com via Jenny on Pinterest

Source: justovertheriver.blogspot.com via Jenny on Pinterest

the stool

Picked this up in Door County. The question is...how should it be styled?

Should it hold old linens? A vintage bowl filled with goodies? A watering can? God forbid someone should actually sit on it!