Controlled messiness, order, the cat and the commune

Since starting my own blog, I've gradually begun reading more and more blogs when time allows and I'm in awe of the way some people decorate, live and seem able to effectively juggle all that life has to offer. Lately in particular I'm drawn to the decorating aspect and how people get organized and work out of the home. I look for inspiration from places like this and this, and over here just to point out a few.

If you clicked on any of those links you'll see that my life, studio, degree of organization and knack for decorating is a far cry from theirs and generally looks something like this...

which I recently dubbed "controlled messiness". Thing is, I realize now that I'm one of those people who says, "sure, it looks messy, but I promise you, I know where every single little thing is". Luckily with the recent relocation of my work area, my mess is strictly relegated to this little area and not imposing on the house as a whole. At least that's how I justify it.

Miraculously, from the chaos comes extreme order that I pour into every piece of knitting or crochet I turn out. Here's the latest little goodie:


The booties to match are made, just haven't been photographed yet but they're some of the cutest yet I think.

As for the 13 year old cat, I was seriously worried she was a goner last night. She goes inside and out, all 6 1/2 pounds of her and occasionally will spend a night outside if I forget that she's out. Typically when it's cold I remember she's out because if she were inside she'd be all over our bed. Last night I couldn't find her. Anywhere. I kept going to the porch and flipping on the light throughout the evening which usually brings her up to the house to be let in. But she was nowhere to be seen. Finally at 10:30 I just decided she'd curled up in the barn somewhere which she'll do and was fine.

I got up early to take my walk with Sunny and she wasn't on the porch. So I looked for her body all around the property, on the road, etc. until I thought, maybe she's in the car. Sure enough, she'd spent the night in the van when one of the kids forgot to close the door and I did it remotely much later when I realized it was open. Whew. I hate that feeling.

And lastly, what would you do if your husband came to you and said he thought working for money was for the birds and thought we should just live off the land? I'm thinking it's a pre-forties midlife crisis which I'm not being very patient with. First I said I thought working and having an income was just a fact of life and that he needed to accept it and move on. And then I told him I thought the commune in the next county over would take him if he wanted to go. Be honest with me and tell me how insensive I'm being, please.

What will happen then?

What will happen when my models grow up? Will I stop knitting hats? Will my Etsy shop go under? Will I just make other stuff? Or will I have to, gulp, pay for new ones?

This is my 'tween hat, and I can report it's a big hit with both of my girls and my two nieces. You know, the ones that are hard to buy for and increasingly style conscious. It's in the shop now, with more color combinations forthcoming. And the bonus, it may just fit you too!

Friday's distractions

I shouldn't go in Anthropologie when I need to concentrate on making hats and booties and getting ready for two upcoming shows. I swear that place is so inspiring and interesting to walk into, I just can't help myself and I'm really not a shopper. Don't know if I've said that before but I'm probably the worst shopper I know. I'm a really good looker though, and I look and look, study and touch, wonder and think and then decide that I have what I need. Of course there are exceptions to that and my clothes are not from 1985, but it's quite commonplace for me to go shopping, come home, have Kevin ask me where my bags are and upon reporting that I have none, he shakes his head and walks away.

I went there yesterday (to Anthro) and of course the Christmas decorations are popping out everywhere along with holiday scents and other things that tease and coerce us into buying early. It got me thinking that I really needed to add some handmade ornaments to my shop and the ones above were just made this morning. I have grand ideas for some tiny sweater ornaments too, but we'll see what actually comes to fruition. Too many ideas, too little time.

As for the other distractions, there's a small one called the sunny and beautiful 75 degree day in November that we're currently having. The other thing that sidetracked me today was Trader Joe's. It's quickly becoming my favorite grocery store. It's little which I love because I get distracted (I'm sensing a trend) if the place is too huge, the prices are fantastic and here I mean even better than the mega chains for lots of the things I buy, and they're fast and friendly inside which is getting harder to come by and I really don't see the need for unwarranted grumpiness. It's so good I almost want to work there.

Clearly the last distraction for today is this darn computer. See you later, I'm going outside.

In every day

We've all heard it said that a mother really is a nurse, a doctor, a maid, a cook, a chauffeur, a therapist, a friend, a comforter, a disciplinarian, a playmate, and a teacher just to name a few, and I never understood this fully until I became one. Yet the position entails so much more, we're not just the list above, those who serve and carry out the daily tasks as if robots, no we're more than that, with responsibilities that are indescribable and huge. With motherhood (or parenthood in general) comes the responsibility of love, that calls us outside of ourselves and into a place the enormity of which is terrifying and exhilirating often at the same time.

Today found me on a field trip to the local children's museum with about 70 second graders, four classes to be exact, full of energy, bright, wide eyes and eagerness. Native Americans were the topic of interest and the demonstation/exploration intended to drive home those vocabulary words and concepts we've been going over like Sioux and pueblo, Powhatan and Sioux.

But of course there's much more to do there like dig in the sand, play drums and chimes, get dirty with glue and paint, make sculptures, get wet and weave.

I'm thinking my son got the point though, as he is now outside sitting on a rock by a tree, surrounded by the branches that comprise his "teepee", with two rocks in his hands trying to make fire. (who says we don't homeschool?)

And the ensuing conversation:

Lauren: "WhAAt is a teepee?"

John: "A house that Indians used to live in."

Lauren: "Where in the wORld did you get thAAt from?"

Mostly orange

Before the show's over,

before they're all gone,

I couldn't resist sharing the view from our little oasis.

And some withering Jack-O-lanterns,

before they're gobbled up by the local rescue pigs.

And the knitting goes on and on

A knit hat and crocheted booties to match, made with organic wool/cotton yarn,

along with the hat below were added to the shop today.

I sit here at my desk, on the computer, simultaneously making booties, with Allie on her art mat at my feet with her watercolors.


"You never let me paint!" she informed me, to which I answered, "I will if you can locate your art mat!" And wonder of wonders she did.

Slumber

If Webster's defines slumber as sleep or an inactive state, then slumber party is precisely not what we had last night, especially not with a group of 8 year old boys. Let me tell you first that Kevin and I had a ball and loved having the boys over who we found hilarious, innocent, good spirited and wild. Lucky for us there's room to run out here, but that just meant all eyes outside all the time, some quick reflexes, and the ability to think ahead (like an 8 year old boy) to be ready for what might happen next.

I'm happy to report only minor, brief injuries and that they actually went to bed a little after 10. The time change was a bump in the road, and when our grumpy 13 year old cat, Betsey prowled around their room at 5:20 (new time) this morning waking everyone up, I knew we'd be worn out today.

In addition to the bit of woodworking above, the matchbox cars and track were a big draw,


there was a literally neverending game of chase and tag with multiple light sabers and multiple Nerf guns,

and a puppy who followed it all believing she'd turned into a little boy. If you x-rayed her right now you'd probably find about 15 Nerf gun bullets. Not kidding.