This is Karsen. She was lucky enough to go to Mary Poppins on her 8th Birthday. I smile every time I see this picture! It's fun for me to see one of my hats part of her big day. She looks perfect in that color, doesn't she? Her flower is the new jersey type I've been doing. I love how the less it matches the better it looks. A red or brown button would work great too. 
What a lucky girl.
This hat and flower was made from some scraps I had lying around. I bought the fabric 50% off at Mill End. I wish I would have bought the whole bolt!
I love how Mandy thought to put all these colors together. It's a gift she has. She's not only a photographer but a stylist as well.
This is Thomas brand new! Thanks Momma Leah for the cute pic.
Here's our dog, Chloe, in all her glory. She sits by my Mom's garden at the lake and waits for the chipmunks to make an appearance. Almost 13 and she's still kickin' it.
I've been noticing a lot of purples, pinks, and oranges together lately. I love it! This will be one of the flowers I offer this season. I found a glue I really like that helps the fabric stay firm. It gives the flower pin a little more integrity...always a good thing. 
This is my new favorite craft tool! I found this bobbin holder at Gruber's in St. Cloud. I wish I would have picked up a couple more. I carry it around with me when I'm sewing and knitting. It's compact and perfect for on the go. I keep it with all my knitting tools now. Whomever created this BobbinSaver is a GENIUS!
I've been doing some sketching this summer. I like the idea of combining knitting with sewing. After being inspired by Matilda Jane Clothing, I thought it would be fun to create a layered ruffled hat with all sorts of different fabrics. I came up with this sketch...as you can see I never got to the colored pencils part! Life interrupted my process. :) My sketch book has peanut butter smudges, coffee spills and spots of watermelon juice on it. There's evidence of what I was eating and drinking on each page. :)
This is Brekka. Her Mom told me she's been using this hat all summer. Didn't mean for her to have to do that! :) Glad she got good use out of it though....
This is Peyton and Kinsley. Their Mom makes great earrings, so we traded. It was like a shopping spree. I rarely buy jewelry these days...it seems to be an expense I forgo. I had so much fun looking through her creations and picking out the ones I wanted to take home. Thanks Kate!
This is Graham the other day. We were going into the YMCA and I couldn't resist snapping a photo of him. I had an outfit laid out for him (the same shirt with the shorts that go with it). He wanted to wear his soccer shorts instead. I gently (ok, maybe not that gently) told him the brown shorts work better with the shirt. He yelled, "YOU ARE NOT THE BOSS OF MY SHIRT!!!" 
This is Fin the other day. We have been going to the doctor a lot lately and so Fin's nap usually suffers. I've started leaving blankets in my car and this one came in handy. He slept the whole time.
Keenan! He was born Tuesday. Isn't he sweet?!? Look at how crisp and clean that onesie is! They never stayed like that for long in my house.
Mandy's latest...love these. She just gets better and better. 
The gardener and his tree from seed. He started it on a school field trip this spring. We decided to take a pic of it every spring. I love how he's hugging it. That's him to a tee. Oh, and sorry about the messy kitchen. That's me to a tee. 
I was cleaning out my computer the other day and came across this pic of him when he was 2. Oh my goodness...it all happens too fast. Love that curly hair...
This is Rebeckah. Her Friend, Rachel, ordered this hat for her for her birthday. I made 2 flower pins so she can mix and match depending on what she's wearing. This style hat is great for Moms since it's loose enough not to flatten our neatly done hair. :)
Then...
...and now.
Mandy and I went up stairs for a moment, came down and saw this. Chase was sitting in the sun. Soon all the kids and dog congregated around him. How cute!
Saw this on my counter this morning. Fin took a bite and decided he didn't want it.
Here's Brody on his first car ride. Welcome to our world, sweet boy.
What a dream to have my hats part of this photo shoot. Everything was perfect. The clothes, the kids, the day, and of course the photographer. Mandy is a true artist. I love watching her get all her props ready. It's amazing how she finds things at rummage sales, antique stores, on-line...pretty much anywhere. Then she puts them together perfectly. That is a gift in itself! Thanks Miss Mandy for having my hats be a part of that great day.
This is KK. She's so independent and sassy. Can you tell? Those eyes!!! She is going to be something amazing when she goes up...definitely in a leadership role of some kind. I love watching her personality unfold.
Here's Preslee. She is so sweet. She's almost 3 and my 2 year old is much larger than she! She is the tiniest little thing...adorable. See the chair she's on? That's one of Mandy's finds.
Mandy posted this sneak peek of Gav from her recent Urban session. This is his signature sweet look. Can't believe he's so big. In a blink of an eye he went from 3 1/2 lbs. to this amazing young person who woke up last night at 10:30 p.m. for another sandwich. :) They grow too fast, don't they?
It's great to see a picture of this hat again! I haven't seen it photographed in a while. It reminds me how much I love it. The flower would be cute on a headband too.
Fin's latest handy work. Who's the rookie (me) who bought cheap markers for Easter baskets??? Turns out there was a reason they were in the dollar bin. 
Here's Fin watching TV. The minute he woke up he wanted these googles on. He can barely see out of them but he insisted. Meals were particularly challenging. 
Here's where I chose to dry my dyed wool. The birds were very hesitant to come to the feeders when the wet yarn arrived. This came to be because a friend asked me to make her a royal blue hat. It was tough to find that color so I decided to dye my own. I used my big soup pot, put it on my stove top and 30 minutes later had great hand dyed yarn. Fun! I've been dragging my feet to try it. I always thought of it like a "gateway drug". If I dye my own yarn then I'll want to learn to spin the wool. Then that would lead to wanting my own alpaca farm. I would like to stay married so I'm going to use all my will power and stick to dying yarn on my stove top. :)
I was having coffee in my kitchen with some friends...peeked down off the deck and saw this. This is my Mom to a tee. Isn't she great?!?!
This hat is being auctioned off at Christ Lutheran's May Fest Friday night. I found this button in my stash. Not sure how old it is, but I think it pulls it all together. I just made the Amy Butler Halter Top out of this fabric as well. It turned out really cute and is very simple! Crafty Planet has made me very busy lately. It's my dream store...fabulous fabrics and yarn!
I'm trying out some new yarns for fall. This one is organic cotton. It's luscious and indulgent (is that too much?). I love the way it feels when I'm knitting with it. It's silky without feeling....synthetically silky. The true test will be how it holds up. Organics tend to be a bit more delicate so I want to see how this yarn behaves. Isn't Chase the perfect ginny pig? He is such a calm soul. He seems to like brunettes (smart already). When I'm talking he sits and smiles and flirts with me. It's so distracting that I can't finish what I'm saying. I just surrender and coo with him. Babies, like the ones I know, make it hard not to want another.....
This little girl you may recognize from Mandy's blog. Her Momma got a hat too, but it always seems a bit harder for the Moms to send pics of themselves. :) Thanks for the pic Lindsey!
Mandy and Jayden stopped by after their trip home from ND. Mandy made the headband she's wearing. Crazy cute....
My Mom made chicks years ago for her Easter table. Each year as our family grew she made more. 
She made some bunnies this year too! 
My very talented nieces made this cake. I thought Fin was going to hyperventilate when he saw it. The ears are made out of that fruit leather. It was a BIG hit!
I love getting pictures like this! Eloise and Esther are the luckiest girls because their Momma, Tracy, is a Trunk keeper for Matilda Jane Clothing. What a dream! I bought the cutest skirt for myself when Mandy had a Matilda Jane show at her house. Now I just need it to get a little warmer and then I can wear it...
I have been searching for these photos! They were in the abyss of my computer and I found them today. Couldn't remember what I named them, where I put them...hate that.
Graham insisted on skipping a cake and having donuts instead. He and my Mom made these together. He was very proud. Can't believe how quickly 5 years goes by...
I walked down the hall and saw this...the boys playing in the HUGE heap of laundry I let pile up. Why, oh why do I do this to myself? I think it's important to get pictures like this...it's real life. Messy. Fun.
Aren't these the cutest mushrooms? Sharon, who is in our Knitting Club, made this as a birthday present for my Mom. She is amazing. Can you tell she's a Master Gardener? I love the turtle and lady bug too. The bark and such is from her yard. Kathryn Ivy designed the patterns (her site is great!) and they are featured on The Purl Bee. Gotta love that blog.
I had a request for a U of MN hat recently. I wanted to do something besides maroon and gold so I chose gray. I found the patch on Ebay.
My Mom and Stepdad are back from MX so my Mom came up for a minute today. She didn't latch the gate behind her (we thought Fin was pretty much past the that stage). She saw it first and told me to bring my camera. I saw he and the basketball first. Then the mess came into focus....
My Mom takes such good care of her plants. The one the basketball hit was a gift from me years and years ago. We picked this spot since it's out of the way. :/
I had to share another of Brekka. Her Daddy snapped this photo and sent it to me. I love those wrinkles on her back! They're so smooshy when they're new...priceless.
Here's another idea for a hat that was triggered by Mandy's sweater sleeve. I like how simple it is.
This is Caden. He is brand new too! His daddy took this photo while they were in the hospital and sent it to me. As if this new family isn't busy enough, they move into their newly built house on Monday. Congrats Lisa and Ryan! He's a lucky little guy to have you.
This is Brekka. She was born yesterday! Jodi, her Momma, is a friend of mine. I saw her just hours before she went in to the hospital. Brekka is their 4th! Jodi made Brekka's blanket. She makes the blanket then customizes it with her great sewing machine that I drool over.
We went out with the Birdwell's recently. I noticed Mandy's cute cuff on her sweater. A bunch of ideas for a new hat popped into my head. She was nice enough to let me take a picture of her arm in a crowded restaurant. :)
This is what I came up with. For all of you knitters, I did seed stitch on a straight needle. Then after that piece was finished I picked up stitches in the round to create the crown part of the hat. The buttons went on last. As you can see, the seed stitch piece will be a bit shorter next time to lessen the overlap. Jayden was gracious enough to model it for me (and Mandy to take the pic, of course).
Another pic of Chase in his striped hat
This hat was felted after I knit it. It's the same ear flap hat pattern I use. It fit me before it was felted! Look at that look he has. He's just started cooing and chatting. Those little looks and sounds never get old...
Have you ever seen a cuter face?!??! That expression is so adorable...so new and sweet. 
This is Chase's new hat. I have all of this great yarn left over so thought this was a perfect way to use it up! If you recognize the style you must be a fan of Susan B. Anderson's Itty Bitty Hats.
This is a newborn hat a friend of mine ordered. She has a new niece coming soon. She and her husband have 3 boys too so we're instantly bonded. :)
This is Lisa's hat. We met via scrap camp. Now I just need to figure out where I put her e-mail address so I can mail it off to her. :)
This hat is for Emily's little girl. It's a hit! I have since had 2 more orders for it.
Graham has been such a good sport while we've been at home since Fin's sick. He's great at playing with the hundreds of stuffed animals we have around our house. These two are his current favorites.
This is Fin at Urgent Care tonight. It was the only time he's let me set him down all day. A few of the other patients wished they had on his PJ's. :)
This is Kendall. Judging by this pic (and others) I'd say Kendall's pretty fun to hang out with, don't you think? She always has this adventurous look in her eye...I'm sure she keeps her Momma on her toes. :) And those jeans...so cute. I love the star patch.
This is Olivia. Her Mom, Jen, and I grew up together. Olivia has a great black dress coat that this hat goes with. I used a variety of batiks (my favorite) for her flower. The fabric holds up great and is easy to work with. 
Here's Brynn in her hat. Can you believe that beautiful hair? She is the most friendly, fun little girl too. 
Here's Tenley and Daddy playing in the snow. Under that hat Tenley is getting curls just like her sister. :) Thanks for the pics Kristen!
I was in the kitchen and saw this...these are the moments that make all the work worth while. The pillow they are leaning on was my first attempt at free hand quilting. I love that it's become a staple in our house. We are big on pillows and blankets around here.
This hat is perfect for a day like today. It's still hat weather, but feels like spring to all of us used to below zero temps. I hope you like it Court. :)
After I post Fin crawls up and looks at the new pictures. He sits and talks to the screen in his gibberish.
Lately Fin insists on wearing his brother's undies. He strips down and I find him up in their room with 2 or 3 pair on at a time. He's so proud when he gets both his legs in just right.
Baking Soda baths have been frequent around here lately. They seem to work well for sore bottoms. I just like seeing him in there...so cute.
I am in love with these fabrics by Moda. I bought them in a charm pack so picking colors was easy! I love how the flower adds so much...otherwise it would just be another black hat.
Here is Noah's newborn hat. I hope to get my hands on a picture to share of him in it. I know slates and greys are very "in" right now and they just seemed so "boy" to me without being too traditional. From what I hear his parents are very cool people so his first hat needed to be cutting edge. :)
This is one of Tenley's new hats. Sorry about the blurry pic. This fabric is Amy Butler. I use it a lot but love how every flower turns out different since there are so many colors in the print. 
This is Brynn's new ribbon hat. She looks so cute in it. She has long curly blonde hair...can't wait to get a pic and show you! Have a great day...finally some sun and warmer temps for us in MN!
Just hours old :)
Here's Dillion with his Daddy-o. I love the hospital pictures. The time is such a blur it's great to have it documented.
Here he is with his both his parents! Auntie Mandy went to see all of them yesterday and snapped these pics. Clearly Meg is one of those girlies that shows no evidence of JUST having a baby... isn't she gorgous?! Looking at Drew and Meg, I'm pretty sure Dillon will do well in the looks department! Congrats...I hope you get to hibernate and have lots of snuggley naps with that little guy in the next few months.
Oh my goodness...look at this brand new human being! Wow is God good or what?!?!? This is Hunter. His Momma has a very dear friend named Kurstin. She had me make a hat and bootie set for him. It was all packed and ready to go in the hospital bag for a long time...he was 2 weeks late!
Jake was kind enough to model this hat for me. I love how chunky and squishy it is. I like it with brown too. So boy! Thanks Jake!
Ginny
Jayden
I've been into ribbons lately. I've noticed kids like the "craziness" of them on hats...with this project I think I took it to the next level. :) It'll be interesting to see if this hat will be cute on or a bust....I'll find a model today and let you know!
We have been sick, sick in our house. I was the last one standing, but feeling that I was going to get it. I made lunch, shut all the doors (so Fin wouldn't cause disasters), and walked up the stairs to tell the boys they were in charge. When I walked into the room I saw this. The boys were playing "Moles" with the silly glasses Santa had brought them. Priceless! Isn't it amazing what kids will imagine? It was Gav's birthday when the sickness started so we STILL have not left the house to celebrate. He's been such a good sport about it. When I was sick and could barely lift my head, I smiled thinking of this moment.
Mandy took these pics of the girls in their hats yesterday. I'm the luckiest girl in the world to get pics like this all the time! Thanks Mandy!
This is an Amy Butler pattern. The inside is the tan linen and it's reversible. I found the fabric at Hancock 40% off. I love it!
Here's the wallet to match. I love it when handbags have a matching wallet. It's such a nice touch.
This is another Amy Butler set. I love it! It's reversible too. It will most likely be my new knitting bag. It stands on it's own so I don't have to worry about dumping my stuff on the ground.
I finally finished the binding on this quilt. I ran it right up to my log bed and slept with it while we were there. I brought it home and put it in our family room (where I always intended it would go) and Anthony said, "Honey, seriously though...this isn't a Country Kitchen...." Anyone who has quilted a blanket knows that after all the work that went into it I could have drop kicked him across the room. I'm saying that lovingly, of course.
I keep forgetting to share some of the pics Mandy took of us in the fall. I love all of them for different reasons. The one of our whole family makes me laugh because Graham is chewing on my necklace....someone is always yanking on my jewelry or trying to put it in their mouth. 
This is Hunter. He was born yesterday and was 12 days overdue! His Mom was induced and it took her 2 days to have him. She's such a trooper! This is the hat that Kurstin had me make for him. Seeing that hospital blanket brings back memories....
Here's a new green hat that's off to Stillwater tomorrow. I hope I get to see a picture because the little girl that it's going to has red hair and brown eyes. I thought this color would be great for her. The fabrics are Amy Butler...I really like the hues of blue for her hair and eyes too. My job is so fun. :)
Anthony just came gallivanting down the stairs looking for me in this....
Here they are fresh a little over a year ago....
and now! 
Their Momma and I chose colors that would go well with their winter coats. They ended up working for their 1 year pics too. Thanks Jill!
Jill's new hat
This pic makes this hat look a bit yellow-y but it's actually a beautiful cream. It's alpaca...my favorite!
We had Gavin's birthday party today. I almost wasn't invited since I'm female. He reassured me that I could come since I'm not a girl...I'm a Mom. He's been into posing very animated for all pics lately. I have a series from today but this is my favorite. 
This is my friend, Cassie. She's a fabulous knitter, always taking on amazingly difficult projects. I made her these mittens years ago and she wore them today to our lunch outing. Can't you just tell she's one of the greats?
Remember my earlier post today when I told you Fin likes to color on himself? Well, here's proof! Mandy snapped this shot at her house the other day. The layers and layers of marker were so soaked into his skin I wasn't sure it was ever going to come out. Oh, and the spot by his eye was tricky to remove too. :)
Oh how I love this shot....
This is so Fin! Food in the corners of his mouth, the slightest sly smile and messy hair. And there's just something so great about a 2 year old in overalls, isn't there?
Here's Fin in the tub the other day. Gotta love the camera feature on the cell phone! He gets a hold of markers and colors on himself (and friends) so we do a lot of baths lately. He turned 2 yesterday. Happy Birthday Buddy! Can't believe how fast it all goes....
Here's a new pink hat I finished this week. It's on it's way to Duluth.
I am in total and complete LOVE with this hat. It's made from organic cotton and feels so smooth and silky. The colors are my favorite for boys right now. It's hard to find that apple green so vibrant without being synthetic. This hat is going all the way to Baton Rouge. Thank you Misty!
Here is Tenley in her new hat. The scarf was made by her Grandma and she had some yarn left over. We thought we'd try and get a hat out of it and it worked! I love the variance in color of the yarn. It adds great texture and makes for a fun knit! Her flower is made from flannels. It's nice to use since there's enough bulk so the flower stays put.
Here's Anthony's sweater I started a loooong time ago. My Mom helped me finish it up. She crochets her sweater pieces together. Since I'm inept at crocheting, she agreed to do it for me. 
I made this flower from batiks I found at Mill End. I seem to be making a habit of going there. If only I would remember to bring my scissors so they can sharpen them. I mixed a dark pink matte fabric with a textured lighter pink that has touches of white and a softer orange. I love how it turned out. Batiks are a dream to work with.
This hat was ordered for a baptismal gift. This yarn has a natural stretch. I made the hat warm enough for our winter days but with a spring feel so she can wear it longer. Thanks Lisa! I hope they liked it.
This hat is for Tenley. Her Grandma made her a scarf out if this yarn and had some left over. I was able to use the left over yarn for her hat. I can't wait to see it on her. It's the most soft wool I've worked with! It's not itchy at all. I love it. I've noticed the yarn shops don't have it much anymore but you can find it at The Yarn Market. It's called Rowan Tapestry. I used a size 7 needle. It's a smooth knit!
Here's Griffin. If you look close enough you'll see all the food on his shirt. :) I'm always amazed how Mandy can catch his eyes looking so blue.
This is one of the first pics we have of Gav smiling showing his new front teeth.
We had a pancake breakfast at Mandy and Rich's for New Year's morning. All the kids were still in their PJ's from Hanna Andersson. We found them at the Mall of America 1/2 off regular price. It was such a good deal they all got a pair. We're so lucky to have such great friends and neighbors. We packed the kids up and went in our PJ's.
Mandy took these pictures over the holiday. Aren't they great?! 
I combined a few patterns to come up with it. Her kids are great for my prototypes so I can see how they hold up. :) Thanks for the pics Miss Mandy!
Here's how I currently store my scraps of yarn. I separate them by fiber or gauge usually. I always have good intentions of making something with them someday.
My sister, Lynn, mentioned she thought the bins of scraps were pretty with all the different colors so I decided to use them for her hat. She's a big stripes lover so it worked out perfect. I was really excited for her to open it. When she did, she loved it so much she wore it all Christmas Eve.
This is my sister, Ann. She's the one that would sneak into my room when I was a baby to rock me to sleep. My Mom would say, "You're spoiling that child"! Everyone needs an Ann in their life. I made this scarf for her after she swooned over the yarn one day. I had such a good time making it for her. 
This is Yemi. You may remember seeing her in previous posts. She has a innate sense of style. The bird she's wearing on her head is one of my Grandma's Christmas ornaments from years ago. I think it completes her outfit perfectly!
This hat is for my friend, Sue. She's been patiently waiting FOREVER for her hat.
This is a hat from a friend I reconnected with on Facebook. She's a pink lover with an Ivory coat this season. I thought the cream button was just right to tie it all together.
I loooove this hat. It looks a bit dull in this picture (I sure hope my hubby has caught all my hints for a new camera for Christmas). Can't believe I found a button the same color.
Hi Everybody! Happy snow day. Here's my turkey soup out on the deck getting snowed on. I like to make a lot of soup at a time. When there's no room in my freezer this works nicely. :)
There's that big sister look again....love it. This is Jayden with her newest brother.
These two cutie-pies are Olivia and Reed. I can't get over how much they look like their parents. I had a lot of fun making these hats. Maybe because they were a surprise. :) Olivia's flower is made from Moda fabrics I found at Fat Quarter Quilting. I really love how it turned out.
Come on! How adorable...look at Quinn with her "coffee" in New York City! Quinn and Graham were on the same soccer team this fall. She's a rock star player...such a natural. Cooper and Gav have a long history of wrestling whenever they see each other. Thanks for the pic Sonya!
Here's a picture of Tara's little sweethearts. I love how big sisters are truly, deeply in love with their babies. Tara and I met at Knitting Club. It's one of my favorite things...chat, knit and see what everyone else is working on. You really can't beat hanging out with a bunch of fiber enthusiasts. :)
Hi Everyone, it's 9 p.m. on a Tuesday and I could use a glass of wine. Instead, I think I'll go to bed. What a crazy day! Thank the Lord for quiet moments and the presence to appreciate them.
This is Tanya's hat. We went to high school together and reconnected on Facebook. I can't wait to see her in it. She has blonde hair so this pink will look great on her. We used black in her flower since she mostly wears black coats. Thanks T!
Oh my goodness! Isn't this sweet? This is KK in her hat. Look at those eyes! Wow. Thanks for letting me steal the pic off Facebook, Bec!
I just love these...so girly! I used batiks on both flowers so they have a similar look, but not exactly the same. The twin sisters getting these are so adorable. I hope we get to see a pic of them in their new hats :)
Jen's hat...she has a matching scarf too, but I sent it off to Fargo without taking a picture of it. Opps....
