After the rush of Etsy orders that hit my shop during the fall and winter, come January I decided I needed a break. It was too much to have the husband working 13 and 18 hr shifts while I take care of two little ones... it was a bit too stressful. Although I miss that income and sense of connection with my customers as well as a separate purpose than being a mom... in all my life is a lot less stressful than having made-to-order shipping deadlines.
My break also stemmed from my need to get some bigger projects completed. (this proved virtually impossible during the fall when my free time at night was consumed with fulfilling orders). One such project was completing a knit blanket for my cousin and his wife for their wedding back in September 2013. It was a very fun project that has become a traditional gift for my cousins when they marry. I realized that in order to get big tasks done I simply have to chip away at them veery night... so at the beginning of January I set to work and managed to finish it one month later! Phew! (You can read more about it here.)
Now as a result, I'm knitting a large blue throw blanket for our family room. (A perfect project to have stashed away when I need something mindless to keep my hands busy while watching a movie etc. IE: wont be finished anytime before next fall.)
The other larger project I am working on is my children's book. It's about our daughter's "Jingle bell christmas hat" (she named it) which started as a hankerchief which evolved into scarves to act as hair, since her hair is slow growing. I've written the story, mapped out the story board, and have begun drawing and painting some of the scenes. It's slow going, but I'm enjoying the process, as I try and finalize composition and medium.
We've had a very cold winter that has kept us indoors but we've stayed busy with new crafts and family activities, like Dad- as a jungle gym.
Our daughter at almost 3.5 has stopped napping in the afternoons, which means her bedtime is now 6pm, which is pretty great for everyone... however most nights she wakes up and comes into our bed anytime between 12-4am. It's both sweet and insane (Leg kick to the back of my neck) and I know it's just a phase and some nights I put her back in her own bed... but most nights I'm dead to the world when she comes in, the extra snuggling is pretty nice though, so I'm soaking up the sweet moments.
These two little sweeties adore each other, it's been so fun to watch them grow and to see how they interact and play together, they are two goofy monkeys that know how to make eachother laugh.
Also this winter, during the second weekend in February, I went out to my friend Katy's wedding in Colorado. It was my first time being away from both kids for 48hrs. YES my first 48hr child free time in 4 years (insane!). It was really fun to catch up with everyone and to celebrate Matt and Katy's awesome new life together (they are incredibly sweet and perfect for one another!)
(ah yes, the day after one of our many snow storms when I had to get out of the house. It was epic. It was toooo cold but I managed to walk them around the block. note the boots on the wrong feet, classic.)
Then the first week in March I went up to NYC to see my friend Clint's opening as part of a group show at the Curator Gallery.
Here is Clint's window drawing. It was pretty exciting to see his work in NYC. Then my sister and I went out to dinner that night and I spent the night at her place before returning the following days to my motherly duties ;).
And this little guy is going to be one next month!!! (minds are blown!)
So yes, the past few months have been spent hunkered down with family and friends visiting us and I visiting them. We are looking forward to the spring, but know it is still quite a ways off. So we are pacing ourselves with thoughts of warm days and list making of a spring and summer bucket list.
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