casapinka

Orla Kiely Patterns

The other day, I looked down at my bed and liked all the patterns and colors, so I took a picture. The Orla box was from here.  I keep my inspiration journal things in it, like double stick tape, scissors and gel markers. We're getting ready to go for a family breakfast now. Junior is already throwing a hissy because he's wearing these and Husband said Absolutely Not and I'm tucked away trying to avoid the argument. Shhh: I'm the one who told him he could wear them in the first place. I'm going to be busted any second now. 

Lie Back and Think of Canada

I couldn't possible write a post yesterday, as after all the consternation of two days ago, in the middle of it all, the "fire cleanup people" almost made me move to Canada. Yesterday was spent talking myself down and ensuring I didn't emigrate.  You remember the Fire of December, yes? Well, they are finally doing the cleanup and restoring and while Junior was yakking his brains out they decided to  to shut off our water. Barfing kid - no water - sleep deprived, wild-eyed mother - bad combination. I won't comment further as I've decided to be a lady today. 

What always amazes me is how during calamitous times at Casapinka, stuff gets knit. Husband forbids me to put this bumper sticker on my car but I think other knitters can relate. Don't think of denying it! All is well with Junior now. He and his sister are back yelling "Duh!" at the end of every answer to a simple question (anyone hate that as much as I do?)  Anyway, here is this baby dress for a 1 year old that knit itself while I was thinking of Canada. Perhaps that's what I'll call it.  It's so boring and dumb looking  I want to cry, though. It needs something. Here's what's been suggested and please pipe in: a bow, a heart, some ric rac, an Easter Bunny, a pocket with a heart, two pockets with hearts,  and an embroidered heart tatoo on the butt that says "Mom." 

Junior Sells Out

I'm phoning it in today, folks. For the third week in a row Junior has some malady. He was sick all day and night. I finally bit an adult anti-nausea pill in half and managed to get it down his gullet at 3am. The last place I wanted to end up was the ER for IV hydration. The pill did nothing - he couldn't hold it down. I tried it again this morning and it worked better. It's a bit touch and go. Husband, are you having FUN in VEGAS?

Awake at 5am (memories of breast feeding come to mind - those days when it was easier to roll over and feed the kid while still sleeping, only this time I was holding a bright pink bowl under Junior while trying to make him sit up) I stumbled downstairs to make coffee and the machine broke. BROKE! Then the cat wouldn't shut up because she had no litter. Meow! Meow! Meow! She's an indoor cat but I'm ashamed to say i almost tossed her out the front door with a "Figure it out! Find some dirt or something!"

So, covered with the noxious scent of Junior, sleep deprived and in caffeine withdrawal, with a cat screaming for more litter, and a massive headache, I started to knit a new blanket. 

Neckties from Me and Matilda's Etsy Store 

Fernando Voken Togni

I love graphic designer Fernando Voken Togni. Husband is gone for the week so I thought I'd remind him of our engagement in Paris by posting this. Oh, and I just realized that it's Valentine's Day and I'll spend it watching black and white Dennis the Menace reruns while eating pizza in bed with the kidoodles. I also want to  gently correct him on something quite important. When we saw that stacked washer and dryer while house hunting this week, he clearly stage whispered  to our realtor, "At least she can't wallpaper these!" So, allow me to introduce what will be happening during you next absence (once we actually have a washer and drier.) Have a lovely time at your "crappy little hotel" in Vegas  - I know, I know, you're in meetings all day and night and not whiskey tasting with the boys til 4am. You don't have to tell me again!   Happy VD, honey! P.S. Look between your pink and light blue shirts in the big suitcase.

Addendum: 2 hours after writing this, Junior ralphed all over the back seat of my car on the way to school. This kid really gets sick a lot. That'll teach me to joke about washers and dryers. Luckily I texted Permanent Magenta and asked if she could, "Pleeeeeease  pick up this bag of rinsed out clothes and wash them for me!" That was after the 45 minutes it took to clean out the car. Happy Valentine's Day, once again, honey. Remember, it's spelled T.I.F.F.A.N.Y. and I'm sure there's one in Vegas.

When the cat's away...

The mice will play! Husband is leaving for a week today. It's just a mighty good thing we're in this little apartment (hopefully not much longer.) Otherwise, there would be some changes around here! The bamboo tv wardrobe would be painted a stunning color, such as this yellow one. I'm quite Anti-Flat-Screen-TV-Above-One's-Fireplace (even if it's framed.) I like my tv where it can be closed off, although recently the kidoodles have been closing themselves inside while watching Johnny Test (which they aren't supposed to watch), so nobody knew the tv was even on. It was very quiet in the house for a week, though, until Husband lost the remote and found it in the wardrobe with two giggling children.

 I also might do something to the stairs without proper supervision. It's a good thing  we have plain stairs that are rented. Man, would I be in trouble if Husband came home to this. That's it for today. I'm off to take some photos for a fellow knitter and work on a new knitting design. If anyone has Netflix streaming suggestions I really love them. I've been watching "Burn Notice" and "Desperate Housewives"which by season 3 is getting tedious. I've watched "Dexter", "Downton Abbey" but that CSI stuff is too creepy for me. Finished "Mad Men" but couldn't get into "Arrested Development."  Send your suggestions - please! Watching good shows makes me knit faster.

 Photo Via Vintage Yankee and  Change my color, babe

Samurai Birthday Party

Not a lot to report today. Still dreaming of the Secret Garden House. Junior is now allowed back in school after his Scarlet Fever, and interestingly, he developed an imaginary friend during his illness. His name is Samurai and apparently has a birthday party planned for Sunday. Our conversation last night:

Pink: Who planned the party?

Junior: Samurai did.

Pink: Well, who's baking the cake and making the goodies?

Junior: You are, mommy! And he has a twin named Samurai 2 so they need two cakes!

You can get away with so much when you're five. Photo by by Eileen Porterfield.

I also designed and knit a total bust of a baby dress this week. Thinking I can maybe redeem it with a huge floppy orange bow or something.  This is the color of the dress - it's called Blue Gingham. Any ideas for big bow colors? Bright orange? Fuchsia? I tried red and it didn't work. Maybe striped would be neat - something different or even polka dots. Think outside the box, Pink...isn't that your middle name?! I think the Scarlet Fever induced Samuarai Twin birthday party has depleted me of creativity for the moment. 

A Scattered Post for a Scattered Day

 

One of those days. Woke up and this is my artistic interpretation of how I found Junior this morning, including bed head. He had bright pink cheeks, an obvious fever and pinky red rash all over. Scarlet Fever. Ugh. Dragged him into the car still in PJs to take Juniorette to school. Couldn't even accuse him of faking it, poor guy.

 

The Emma Bridgewater Aga above has a couple of meanings (three actually): First,. it's spotted just like Junior. Second, I always call Junior my "Aga" because he's so warm at night and when I go to snuggle with him he warms me up like an Aga, and Third, It would look sooooooo good in any ol' kitchen we might buy.

 

I came home and canceled my dad's visit for tomorrow. Ditto a doctor's appointment. Poor Junior and his pestilence means we have to stay at home, watch tv and knit together. Called the pediatrician to get an appointment for antibiotics. Can you believe they asked me Junior's birthdate? Jeez! What about his name? I know his name instantly, every time. Junior! I felt as dumb as that chair above and much less cute. I tried to joke with the receptionist: "This isn't a trick question, is it?" Icy silence. Michelle Duggar must sound like a total moron when she goes to make an appointment. Stuttered out his birthdate finally. Called the school (see yesterday's post - didn't want them to think I left Junior at home because I was selecting yarn at 3am) and told them Junior would be knitting for a couple of days.

Lastly, I just like this kitchen, above. It's cheerful and fun and I bet the oven works, unlike ours. I called the landlord again about the non-working oven. "Yeah, I know," he said. I called in the service guy last week and he didn't show up." Ok, but we haven't had an oven (except for "broil" as you all know) for a month. "Yeah, I'm really sorry," he said. So, how about some take-out Chinese one of these nights? Send over some pizza! Baked Alaska would be great! Something that doesn't require a microwave or boiling. I think he's too tired from the fires to care about what's going on elsewhere. Have a lovely, rash free day, all of you. Enjoy your oven but don't gloat about it because that isn't good karma.

Photo credits:

From RoomServe

From Home Interior Design Themes

From Gult Inte Fult

From Clare's Creations

 

Koigu Made us Tardy

What do you tell the school secretary, the truly lovely Mrs. P,  in a case like this? "I'm really sorry they're late for school, Mrs. P. Usually Husband gets the "non- morning people" out of bed (Junior and me) but he was working all night." 

I was up until 2:14 trying to find the perfect combination of blues and purples. And Mrs. P - could you believe I couldn't find a good coordinating aqua?!

 I feel the tardiness is technically Koigu's fault. Perfect attendance really shouldn't be lost over yarn. Isn't it more irresponsible to put together an ugly knitting design than to have the kids arrive half an hour late? No? I'm the parent and I should be more responsible? Roger that. I'll call Koigu about they're lack of a good aqua yarn right this minute!

Color Selections - Pink, pink, pink, more pink

This is what I did at 2am this morning. Spent ages at Purl Soho, combining pinks for an ombre pink shawl.  Doesn't matter that I'm probably the only person interested in so much pink in one shawl. This should matter but somehow I feel if I do it just right everyone will want to wear pink. Doing this in the middle of the night shares similarities to drunk dialing your ex, but only if you hit the "Pay" button, which I didn't. The next day some of the colors one picks out seem like giant mistakes. 

 

Because, you see, about an hour later, after I'd looked at 500 brands of yarns and their accompanying websites, I suddenly felt this compulsive need to add brown. Clearly, fatigue was setting in.  I think it's in my head somewhere that Mature People add brown (or rust but I refuse to knit with rust.) I HATE RUST. Who invented that stupid color, anyway?

 

Finally, if one really wanted to go overboard, which I never do in my designs, one could order every pink in the shop. It seems a bit unrestrained in the light of morning. Just because something is pink doesn't make it great. Case in point: Pink Crocs. GROSS! You guys think this knitting schtick is easy but negotiating plantar warts and little girls who beg for pink crocs is a lot easier than selecting colors for designs. 

Little Little the Plantar Wart

 If medical things gross you out, you should probably stop reading here. You can look at the photos of pretty wallpaper or Junior's dream of a fire pole and boat bed for our new house. This post, though, is about Junior and his little friend that needs to be killed. You seen, Junior has a plantar wart - those slowly growing little dots that are on the bottom of your feet and why your mom told you to wear flip flops in shower areas. He's had it for about a year and it's never hurt him. In fact, it has a name: Little Little.  Little Little is actually kind of cute. He's small and sweet, like Junior's little feet. It's as if Little Little found his perfect place in the world; shouldn't we all be that lucky? He stays solely with Junior, too, and hasn't brought his in-laws or biker friends to visit any of our feet. He's respectful that way. 

These plantar warts - they either go away on their own or become painful and sometimes - ugh - multiply. Triplet Little Little's would lose their cuteness very quickly.  I periodically ask him if Little Little is painful and he always answers no. Followed by, in the sweetest voice ever, "Little Little's my friend, mommy." Stab. Mother Guilt. Can you feel it? Maybe when we move we can ship Little Little out to sea with a bottle of champagne and a new Power Ranger.

 Unfortunately, Little Little is growing a bit. He's becoming a bigger little wart. My guilt in wanting to put a "hit" out on him grows by the day, too. Little Little against Pink. How do you murder your kid's friend who goes to school with him, watches Ruff Ruffman, and sleeps with him? I'm sure it's a bit of Stockholm Syndrome for Junior at this point. Nobody wants to keep a wart, right? RIGHT?

A recent coversation:

Pink: "Junior, Little Little is growing a bit. It's time to remove him." (sounding authoritative.) 

Junior: "No, but then I'd miss him, mommy."

Pink: "Why- is he still your friend?"

Junior: "Yes and he likes Power Rangers, too." Damn. Why couldn't he be a Masterpiece Theater fan?

Pink: "Well, do you talk to him?"

Junior: No mommy, Little Little is a Deep Thinker. 

 The above print is by Helen Darkdik. I wonder if she could somehow commemorate Little Little in a way that Junior and family could fondly remember his deep thinking, thoughtful plantar wart but without actually hosting it on his person. If anyone could, she could. I love her! 

Finally, I guess I should take this to heart. I might make one that says, "Enjoy the Little Little things in life, for someday you will realize (that although they were contagious and kind of gross) they were the big things. All parenting suggestions welcome.

Purple wallpaper rom Larking About's Flickr.

Fire pole from Strange Closets

Boat bed from The Fancy

Black and white sign from  Bluebird Vintage

 

Broiling a Birthday Cake

A very sweet friend arrived with a birhtday cake the other day. Our oven is on the fritz (despite telling my landlord close to a month ago.) Try that one...preheating oven, 2 cannabilistic kids frothing at the mouth for pizza...and the oven doesn't preheat. I throw matches inside it, hoping something will hit a gas source like a pilot light (or we'll have a third fire and have to go out for food) - to no avail. That was not fun. The whining.  The whinging. Hungry children dead set on pizza. Thank you Nutella, you've saved my life more than once. I'm glad there's an alternative to Spam these days. The can is so unpalatable. 

I forgot to tell Husband about the oven problem and assumed it was fixed because the landlord was messing around with it. Apparently, on my birthday Husband and posse mixed batter for a cake and made frosting. they put the cake in the oven and after 30 minutes the cake was still batter. The oven, however, does have the fairly useless ability to still broil everything, so Husband just figured he could broil the birthday cake. Now, I don't know if this is a commonality in Ireland - failure to understand that broiling is exposing food to direct, intense high heat, or if this is a Husband thing (please chime in Irish readers.). He'd actually never heard of "broil," probably because it has nothing to do with sausages or bacon. Anyway, broiling the cake didn't work so well. I'll leave the image for you to chuckle over, along with Husband's confused look ("Heat is heat", he claimed.)

I did love the effort Husband made, and the Y chromosome which has a gene that says, "Pshaw, if I can get Junior to a sushi restaurant without his Superman cape, I can broil a birthday cake." Thanks Mo, for this glorious birthday cake. She told them to make it blue with huge pink flowers. We loved it! Junior clandestinely drank a bunch of batter from the burned/liquified  birthday cake and ran up and down hallway for about 30 minutes, like our cat at 3am, but he has since recovered. Next year the ante is upped, Husband. Pink ombre cake - directions at Glorious Treats.

Mo Shawl

This is a shawl I made for my friend Mo for Christmas. I call her Mo because she is Margaret Owen, the artist of Permanent Magenta. I have that habit of giving everyone a nickname. I was making her the Swingy Poncho in bright pink but the yarn wasn't working out so I designed this for her instead. The really cool thing for me is that I looked on Ravelry and it's at #2 for popularity this morning under "Patterns." Holy Cow! This is a first for me - to make it to the top twenty. So, if you're on Ravelry, please give it a "fave" and queue it.

This weekend we had a fresh snowfall and Husband took the kiddoodles sledding while I took these pictures. I then got an emergency phonecall to draw a hot bath because he had two small icicles who needed reheating by bath and hot chocolate. The shawl is made from lovely MadelineTosh Vintage in Iris, and is extra long so she can wrap it around herself a couple of times while contemplating art in her studio. 

Pink Walls

Junior tried to fake it again today. His sister busted him before I got involved. I heard the conversation from down the hall.

Junior: murmur murmur murmur

J'ette: You're NOT sick. You just ate M and Ms!!! You're going to school today, MISTER.

(and me, thinking, "he also ate leftover pizza for breakfast. I am not a sucker."

Poor Junior didn't get very far in the Faking It Department today. Have a good weekend, all of you. I'll have some new knitting designs out next week while I continue to think of nice colors for the walls of our eventual house. I think this pink is particularly beguiling, don't you? From Beautiful Portals.

Mindfulness and Sick Little Chaps

What the heck - I'm going to indulge in more fantasies of color for my new home even though I still don't know what we're going to do. We're just contemplating it, wondering if renovating a basement is something we want to undertake. One of my projects for the new year has been to learn to really live in the present rather than in my head. It's pretty tough! This print is called "The Colorful Decay of Plants by Carla Broekhuizen and is available at Society 6. 

 I've been following the Wild Elephant Project where each week for 52 weeks you incorporate a "mindfulness task" into your daily routine. It's based on the book "How to Train an Elephant and Other Adventures in Mindfulness" by Jan Chozen. Photo from Addison's Wonderland. 

This week is "leave no trace." You choose a room and attempt to leave no trace of yourself after leaving. The idea is to train your brain to be less unconscious when doing the mundane. I wimped out and chose the bathroom. Easy.  That said, I'm finding that it's rubbing off into other areas. I see Junior's shoes and put them in the shoe bin in the entry, rather than step over them. I just quietly pick up extra things here and there (and flush the toilet, haha.) Photo from Jacklyn Paige Tumblr.

I'm feeling inspired by saturated color today. I have Junior home with me. He failed the Casapinka Chocolate Test (not unlike the Hamburger Sign in appendicitis) but managed to convince Daddy that he was sick. You see, Daddy is a sucker. For my birthday which is coming up, Husband took the kids to school today letting me laze in bed with breakfast. Before leaving, Junior said his tummy hurt and Husband brought him to me. "Oh, poor chappy. Would some chocolate make it better?" Photo from green home store Viva Terra. 

Chomping happily on a piece of my secret chocolate stash he headed off to school. By the time they arrived, Husband, traveling in a chocolate-free car, was faced with Junior who swore up and down that he was about to throw up. So, he was delivered back home to me (I told you Husband was a sucker - he should have been in his classroom faster than you can say Lady Godiva.) The Chocolate Test, to every parent out there, is great: Failed = Nailed. Since arriving back home, he's managed to help me block a new shawl, eat two breakfasts, watch a Power Rangers Movie, cover the cat with pieces of knitwear, and is now opening his Mystery Machine lunchbox to eat his school lunch. Sick, indeed.  Photo from Holier than Thou's Tumblr.

Luckily, he doesn't do this often and it's actually lovely to have a snuggly little boy who still thinks his mommy is the duck's quack. This is one fallout from the fires - Junior has become a bit of a mama's boy. Sorry y'all but, ironically, I have to go play School. Ttonight it's Bed Pizza Slumber Party while Husband is on call - I'll just bet the poor sick boy manages to scarf half a pizza in his frail state before beating us all at Uno. We really need to send Husband for a Sucker School Refresher Course.  Bitchin' pink Nikes from Air Max On Line. 

Text from Husband after he read this: "I feel so suckered. But at least it put a smile on my face." 

Potential Casapinka 2 Again

Oh boy, Husband and I are talking a lot about this latest house, the Downton Abbey Dollhouse. We're letting it settle in (well, I'm letting him let it settle in) and we'll see where it takes us. Right now, since we are in blustery cold New England, one aspect of this home that just makes me weak in the knees is the idea of outdoor living. It has two large side porches, both dark, dark, dark. It's not on the national historical register so I can do what I want to it. I could brighten it up like this porch From Mimou via Lanalou Style.

There are beautiful tress scattered about just waiting for someone to admire and love them. 

 I went into the arched stables yesterday as we did a second look. There are a bunch of old, arched French doors in there waiting to be reattached (if we were to win the lottery, I suppose.) Both photos from stylist Paul Hopper. I could stand outside and sweep in my polka dot silk robe on occasion, but my broom bristles are pink, not yellow. Perhaps I'd get a special broom for the arched stables. 

And although Husband won't understand, I would love to read in an an outdoor bed, not to mention an outdoor bathtub. All the "grounds" (although not huge, it's just not a "yard") are surrounded by stone walls and since the gardens are in "ruin" there are only a couple of grassy areas to mow. A roofless stone greenhouse with ivy climbing up the facade could house a little herbal tea garden if I should like to dabble in the green arts. Photo from Dying of Cute.

It's just not something you see in the United States very often. When we lived in Albuquerque, our house extended into our backyard for much of the year. I miss that a lot. The photos on the website aren't terribly good, which in my opinion is why it hasn't sold. You really have to "vet" houses to look at in Rhode Island as both the buyer and the seller agents have to be there, so it's four schedules to coordinate. Talk about a PAIN. Anyway, the pictures on the website focus on the grounds and miss the lovely interior (with ugly paint job) of the actual house. The tall ceilings and the redone bathrooms. The staircase to nowhere.  we've passed over the house for 6 months or so, but saw it it an open house last weekend just for something to do.

I get excited thinking about it but not too excited as I know I'll be very disappointed if we finally decide that it's not the one for us. It needs a little bit of work, which is why it's in our price range - not a colossal amount  - but if Husband sticks with his "turnkey" idea of a house, which I do understand, then we'll pass it up. But ooooh, will that man get beaten with my pink broom.

 

A Potential Casapinka

Not to be a pessimist but we saw a rather wonderful house yesterday. I'm sure since I'm posting this that an offer is being placed as I type. And mindful as I am in 2012, that's OK. Husband thought that I didn't like the house because after 10 minutes I left to sit in the heated car. He was being all adult and responsible and asking questions. Me, I saw what I needed to see. Such as? Well, let's see: The rather rudimentary kitchen that could stand some slapped up shelves to show off all my colorful dishes! No granite and cherry in there, baby. From Rice.

The unfinished basement that actually had windows and whitewashed walls. Not a trace of musty odor. Potential studio space complete w/ mommy pied a terre and day bed for reading. So much room for yarn that I could lay a yarn floor. Maybe I'll just do that, honey!  Pip Studio wallpaper from Daisy Park.

The dining room is large and seems like wasted space to me. I wonder how we could multipurpose a dining room since we would eat in the kitchen most of the time. Perhaps place the table under the window and put a kiddie pool in front of the fireplace, to be drained when company comes? Any ideas? Yvestown did a nice job of making space for books. Perhaps we could think along those lines.

There's a little white lavatory off the dining room begging for some bordello-like wallpaper. Via Retro Villa.

There is room in the master for a knitting corner with a floor light and perhaps a few baskets of yarn. "No yarn in the bedroom!"  I can hear Husband from the other side of Providence as I type this. Via Small Space Style.

The knitting corner would overlook the crumbling stables. Very Grey Gardens.

Dare I mention the large kiddo bedrooms with the tall ceilings? From Skeppsholmen.

 

The gypsy caravan will fit right in. The neighbors would hardly notice. From the wonderful Paris Hotel Boutique.  Talk about adventures outside for the kidoodles! It's a 17 minute drive to their school. The unfinished basement has 3 large rooms and windows! Room for a studio, Husband's snooker room and a playroom. I don't know how difficult or costly it is to finish a basement, though. There are no exposed pipes - just lacks heat and has a cement floor. So much to think about (this is me being kind to Husband...I think we should just buy it already, or perhaps I already mentioned that.)

Did I mention the six (non-working) fireplaces? 

 

Being Bossed Around

While you guys are here looking at this Avoca Coffee cup, I'm off at a yoga retreat at Kripalu, which means staring at the lake while knitting, eating their amaaaaaazing vegetarian food and soaking in the enormous hot tub.  Husband gave me the retreat for Christmas, bless him. He is such a sweetheart.

Anyway, If you're ever in Ireland, you must go and visit the happy and colorful store, Avoca. I'm plugging them despite getting busted for taking a photo of a pink Smeg fridge there. But I have a Design Blog, sure I do. Wanna get a blank look in Ireland? Either say "Top o' the mornin" or BLOG. So, deciding some other person must have snapped the pink Smeg back in 2007 when I got told off,  I decided to search Google Images to see if I could find it. Turns out, it leads back to a 2007 post of Casapinka. Apparently I didn't heed their warnings and took the picture anyway. Bad with authority. You're not the boss of me! Anyway, I have to say that the winner of the prettiest take out coffee cups must go to Avoca, even if they are bossy (Anthropologie welcomes photos, by the way.) The coffee cup photograph was taken by Meagan of Row House Nest who undoubtedly realizes that she took her picture. I'll see you back next Monday when I hope to return and remember Husband's name (Husband) and that my windshield leaks when I take it through a carwash. Both important in the scheme of Things.

Vintage Eyeglasses

 

Pink: Hey hon, thanks so much for my birthday present.

Husband: Pauses. Crinkles eyes. "Is this a trick?"

Pink: No, I really appreciate it - they're freaking COOL.

Husband: Ohhhh... "I" got you a birthday present that you're going to love - is that it?

Pink: That's it, Buddy Boy!

Boy, do I hope they fit and that he likes them better than my cat-eyes that I bought at Anthropologie as sunglasses and had them fit with clear prescription lenses. "Well, they wouldn't have been my first choice" was his diplomatic observation.

Check out the  mannequin view. For those of you who have read Casapinka for a few years now, I think it's fairly apparent that Iris Apfel is a total girl crush for me. At 90 she's launching a line for MAC! Husband is lucky I'm not doing a total Iris on him in light of the conversation in yesterday's post (see final paragraph.) My birthday glasses are tame in comparison to Iris' owl bionicals, one must admit.

My Fridge is Immortalized

 

A Christmas parcel arrived all the way from Ireland last month. And in it amidst Irish tea and chocolate, shirts for Husband and Irish fairy tales for the kidoodles, was this one book that I have wanted for AGES. It was sold out everywhere for quite a while, then I couldn't justify the expense, etc. Well, here it is and allow me to share some of its golden moments with you.

In case you couldn't guess from the patterns, this is the book:

Just staring at the pages makes me happy.  The colors and shapes, never mind all the clothes which I would wear in a heartbeat. 

Perhaps, if you were a Casapinka reader back in 2009, you remember how much kvetching Husband did when I ordered Orla Kiely wallpaper from the UK, primed our rusted rental fridge and then coerced him into helping me wallpaper it. He just can't wait to move so we can leave it behind (well, that's his plan.)

Well, when your very own in-laws send you this book with aforementioned much complained about refrigerator published on page 283 (bottom right should you miss it), and they don't even realize that aforementioned fridge is in the book, well...that earns a big hug and sheepish "I'm proud of you, honey." from Husband. To which he gets the typical (when I do something outrageous to his rather conservative persona)..."You could have married some BORING girl who would have bought a BORING fridge and had a BORING bread box and your life would have been so... BORING." So, thanks Michéal, Kevin, Eileen and Niamh for this most appreciated book! I just love it. 

Crocheted Baby Blanket

I'm  happy with myself because I finally got this pattern written up. It's a crocheted baby blanket, available on Ravelry or Etsy (left sidebar.) I think there are so many interesting color combinations for it, be it for a girl or boy. 

And a coordinating bedroom lest you prefer bedrooms to baby blankets. Thanks for tolerating my shameless self promotion and have a lovely weekend, all. From Creamy Life.

Wednesday Prettiness

Beautiful turquoise kitchen designed by Bridget McMullan, via Interior Design Pro. 

Ombre pink doors via House to Home. So effective, so darn pretty.

Crumbling plaster antidote - paint it pink, baby. From Marie Claire Maison via Daisy Pink Cupcake.

Careful what you complain about, Husband...or welcome to your new office. Via Vindesign's Flickr

Goals for the New Year

This new year I am hoping to complete a few goals. I hope to find a house that Husband and I both like. Oh, quit laughing. Image from By the Ocean - Tumblr.

I will try to stay true to my own style while designing knitted items, rather than designing knitted projects to maximize sales. I do best when I try to be myself which I sometimes forget. Dress from Silly Horse's Etsy Store.

 

I will remember that hand made goods are very personal and make my home feel wonderful, and will find a bit more time to use my (crappy, clunking) sewing machine (that causes me to swear a lot.) I will also work to clean up my potty mouth. 

I am going to be more tolerant of my cat who meows a lot and is stuck to my side in a very codependent way ever since I developed Lyme Disease.

I will remember that if I'm in a funk baking or cooking with my family always makes me feel connected to them, is a form of art, and is just plain fun. From Loretta Flower via Design Sponge.

I will also work on learning meditation and practicing mindfulness. I love to be busy and have projects but I realize that some quiet reflective time is also healthy. I know this seems in contrast to the cat/gun image above. Via Art.com.

I will challenge myself to make this pink quilt, which I mentioned doing last February. I will also continue to say kind words to my sewing machine as I do this. 

Other goals for 2012:

1. Publish 10 knitting patterns

2. Be featured in 2 publications. I was in 2 books and 3 magazines this year. Wowsers - I did ok! I was in The Meghan Method, Orla Kielye's book, Pattern, Love of Knitting, Casa Creativa and Grace. 

3. Organize my yarn stash.  Via One Late Night's Flickr.

4. Work to eat healthily, minimize stupid stress (no more fires!), and get rid of the Lyme Disease flares that give me fevers, night sweats and joint pains that make it hard to knit, not to mention irritable (see cat annoyance, above.)

5. Work to be easier on myself and mindfully breathe a lot more than I do. 

6. Participate in the Creative Every Day challenge. 

Happy New Year, everyone!

 

Otomi Decor

Traditional Otomi embroidery from Mexico makes the winter days brighter. I love the versatile ways people use these textiles. This one is available on Ebay.

Anna Spiro framed a bit of otomi to beautiful effect. 

The simple hanging of this otomi, dorm room style, isn't too formal or fussy. It seems to complement the vibe in the room, what we here in New England might suggest, with a bit of arrogant smugness, is "California." I'll take it.

Otomi stretched and hung in an Australian home, from Table Tonic.

Finally, this is an otomi inspired painting framed in gold, via Liz Caan Interiors. I'm sure textiles these will look wonderful power-stapled over the dark paneling Husband seems so intent on acquiring in our new home.

 

 

 

Christmas Fire

Permanent Magenta was over this morning and we were happily sitting on my bed exchanging gifts. My gift to her was an incomplete poncho made out of fuchsia Donegal Tweed. I smelled faint smoke but thought nothing of it, even with the sound of the fire alarm going off next door (must be their timer.) Then sirens. "Poor chumps," I thought...having a fire on Christmas. And the BANG BANG BANG and the "fire brigade" as Husband calls them, burst on in...THERE'S A FIRE - GET OUT!! Are you having deja vu?

What do I do, again? Right. Laptop into purse. I was tempted to grab the jumbo bottle of Baileys in our bedroom which we'd enjoyed while wrapping gifts last night. Permanent Magenta raced down the stairs to help out with the kiddos. We were all still in pjs which is always fun when it's snowing out. (We'd made the little snow heart above earlier.) The kids were sobbing terribly, with memories of the previous fire close in their mind, and the people whose house we go to when our landlords have a fire (this is their third) were gone for Christmas. 

We all sat down on the curb like we usually do,  but when the firemen got on the roof with the axe and more fire engines arrived the crying increased into howling and other neighbors took us in. The neighbor husband was hobbling from a recent vasectomy. If I'd just had a vasectomy I'd have run for the hills rather than host two hysterical kids and their blank looking mom in weird rainboots. Thanks, Dave - you're our hero, as are you, Jen my new-found Etsy/Pinterest friend!  There is no damage to our side but nobody wants to make Christmas dinner anymore. I want sushi in bed with a book and Husband wants a real meal around the table to materialize from a fairy godmother.  I think we might serve the breakfast leftovers Junior brought us at 430am which were also last night's dinner leftovers (shown above). With plenty of wine, it'll be just great. Merry Christmas, all!

 

Santa KNOWS

For Christmas, Juniorette asked Santa for a trundle bed for her American Girl Doll. A trundle because Junior's Power Rangers have to sleep there, too. Good lord, what would happen if procreation occurred - An American Girl Power Ranger in calico spandex?! What wasn't on the list, however, learned in the car yesterday morning, was that Santa will include bedding to go with it - in pink and "aquamarine" no less. "How will he know to bring those colors?" I ask, thinking that the bedding can be picked up at Target or somewhere, most likely in colors other than pink and aquamarine. "Mommy, (incredulous at my ignorance) he knows. He's SANTA." Like, Duh.  A race to the fabric store, stealthy sewing when the kidoodles are asleep. Pink and aquamarine, indeed. At least she didn't request brown and yellow.

I thought a couple of little cushions made out of the green flowers would also be pretty. Hopefully, Her Highness will agree and her faith in Santa's color sensing powers won't be shattered. Tonight, this little pink elf gets to sew sheets.  Of course it would be a trundle bed...double the bedding, double the fun. Do Junior's Power Rangers really need sheets? Can't they sleep on their nunchucks or something?

Thinking Pink

No wonder we haven't found a house yet. Husband must visualize just this type of scenario when he invites his snooker playing, Irish whiskey connoisseur-ing buddies over. From Selina Lake's Flickr page. 

And rightly so. I have many, many plans that possibly contradict the manly vision he has of his homestead. I don't think his vision includes this couch, from Skona hem.

Or purple doorknobs for that matter. From 9Minutes Etsy Shop. God love him, I know we'll somehow compromise. 

Last night I got a video message from Portable North Pole  (if you haven't already, you must make one for your kiddos - it's a huge hit in our house for the second year running. ) that thanked me for being such a loving wife, and in particular, tolerating "Sweetie's snores." I figure that's good for at least a fuchsia foyer. And the way the kids keep falling over in giggles and saying "Sweetie SNORES!" to Husband is just priceless. I know you've probably all seen this House Beautiful image 1000 times but it's a favorite of mine and I don't know that I've ever put it on Casapinka.  Have a balanced and mindful Thursday, everyone. 

 

Madelinetosh Silver Fox

Does it shock and dismay you that I love a nice, silvery gray? This is my latest knitting pattern in progress. I'm using Madelinetosh Vintage in Silverfox and it's like butter through my fingers. Of course, it won't be left just plain gray - what do you take me for?

The variations in the yarn mesmerize me...from white to silver to gray. It takes a real artist to dye yarn like this. This gray will eventually play host to a subtle rendering of a bright color such as ruby red or, er, some shade of - what do you call it? Ah, that's it. Pink. Or maybe I'll just be a woman of unpredictability, throw all caution to the wind and use purple or better still, lavender. All opinions welcome.

Gingerbread House

Every dang year I picture myself as this benevolent, loving mamacita, gently guiding her children into crafting a beautiful ginger bread house. And every freaking year I forget that I ever so carefully load the messy icing into the plastic bag and prematurely congratulate myself and Juniorette for successfully completing the messy difficult part. What I forget is that I go to make a frosting door or window and end up backsqueezing it so the whole damn thing  of icing goes sailing out the bag onto my hand, arm, table and floor.

And then I swear loudly, causing each kid to charge me $1, much to their delight. So, a happy Christmas project now has me fuming at the kitchen sink, cleaning all the sticky icing off, while the kids are down on their knees wrestling each other while licking the frosting off the floor until I come in and announce that they need to GET OFF THE FLOOR NOW.  We try again, this time with the lesson imprinted in my mind (seal the end, seal the end.) The giggles (even mine) return and we have a great time finishing the house. At least it didn't collapse in on itself this year - that would have cost me at least $5 in bad words. We ran short of candy since we ate every second piece or so, which was part of the fun.

They were instructed not to eat the house until Christmas Eve, yet when I went to take pictures of it this morning, it seems something had happened to the back, which I guess I wasn't supposed to notice. It's like the gingerbread equivalent of stripping copper pipe from abandoned houses. So Pink, next year remember that the bag backfires if it's not sealed properly and the kids are going to eat part of the house no matter how many times you tell them it's for decoration (yeah, right - decoration. Good one, Pink.) Nevertheless, I suggest this activity to most of you who probably don't get fined for saying bad words because you don't ever say them, and you have all the right attachments and clamps for pastry bags. You guys just go right ahead since your kids probably don't lick frosting off the floor, either.

Pom Pom Pony Scarf

Yea! Another knitting pattern I designed is up for sale. A very colorful and happy scarf with bobbles and pom pons - what more could you ask for in a scarf?

Every bobble is knit in and guess what - no obnoxious ends to weave in at the end - just stick them through buttons and tie a square knot and cut them off so it is reversible!

Pattern available on Ravelry and in my Etsy shop. Have great weekend, everybody!

Holiday Welcome Mat

The Idgran welcome mat from Ikea is very cute but in my opinion just needs to be taken to the next level. I was looking for a holiday welcome mat and the Santas and cutesy holly leaves just didn't do it for me. 

The mat comes with an indented heart in it. All you need to do is fill it in with fabric paint of your choice. I used neon pink, naturally. It was also approved by Juniorette (and Husband likes it, too!)

And let's face it, a girl needs a mat to match her favorite holiday shoes.