Gingerbread house

The girls and I made a gingerbread house from a kit today. It was a sticky good time.


The girls barely let it set before demolishing half of it.



Now they want to finish it off, because we also have a kit for a gingerbread train. I am definitely saving that for another day!

A new cowl

Ok, so here is that cowl I was talking about. It's called the Versacowl (Rav) (nonRav) by Michelle Miller (aka Fickleknitter), and it is the first cowl I have made, owned, or worn. I love it, it is so warm and comfy, and I like that it can be worn three ways. Michelle is awesome, you should check out her other patterns as well, I have knit several of them.

Happy Halloween

Well, what is cuter than a goofy little Jack Russell in a Halloween costume? My youngest daughter dressed as a cowgirl, and she needed a horse....

I was planning to post more, like about this really cool cowl I finished that can be worn three ways, but Blogger is being temperamental and refuses to upload more than the one picture. I'll try again later.

My loveable, loopy Lucy

I haven't actually been silent for 2 months, I just decided to delete the whole negative drama of not getting the puppy from my neighbor as promised. We did, however, find a 6 month old Jack Russell pup a month ago, and she is a great fit for our family. It takes my kids to keep up with a Jack Russell and it takes a Jack Russell to keep up with my kids. lol We take multiple walks daily, lots of playing, and she is a little snuggly lap dog too. Here's my Lucy, doing her "Please pick me up!" look.

In the meantime, we have built a new deck, which is all railed in and gated so we can let Lucy sunbathe off leash, and we have a place to grill and relax. I have been busy designing knitting patterns and still taking classes for my bachelor's in accounting, so it has been a busy summer. The girls are glad to be back in school, although their little sister misses them when they are both gone all day. I have been working on a hoodie for little Lucy to wear as the weather cools. She has a very short coat and shivers if it gets to be 50 degrees F or below. lol

Oh, did I mention that we rescued a litter of four kittens, and their mama, who was left outside without food all summer to have her babies? Three kittens have found fabulous, perfect homes, and the last kitten and his mama are going to a great home together today. Gratuitous kitten pics:


This little girl went to a home with a very kind man and his son, where she will be the only pet and loved and spoiled.

This little man goes to a home with his mama today.

This little man went to a fabulous home where he is spoiled and has a "big sister" kitty.

Finished projects

Two days ago, I finally finished the Olive Branch Yoga Hoodie (nonRav) (Rav) I've put aside for almost a year. Poor thing, it is so comfy and turned out great; why did I let it wait so long?


Then I did a quick little crochet project, a blankie for Milo. Edited to add that my crazy neighbor gave us the dog for a day and took him back. sigh. More to that story, but I won't go into it here. I'll give the blankie to a rescue. sigh. Oh, and here's Milo, he'll be 9 weeks tomorrow:

New pattern-- clover fields lace scarf

Here's a new pattern I've been working on. It is a PDF that I will email to you within 24 hours of payment receipt. The pattern is for a pretty lace scarf, done in fingering weight yarn, and reminiscent of a clover field. The lace pattern alternates rows of flowers with rows of three-leaf clovers. It is very easy to knit; all you need to know is yarn overs, ssk, k2tog, and psso to make this one. If you are interested, you can purchase it now from my blog for $3.75, using the "Buy Now" button from Paypal, below.

Book destash

Hey everyone, I am selling some good books here, all are new or like new. Each book is $15 including U.S. media mail shipping. I accept Paypal.

Knit on Down (House of White Birches)

Brand new, $15 includes US media mail shipping.

Alterknits
Very good condition, $15 includes US media mail shipping.

Glorious Rubber Stamping
Brand new, $15 includes US media mail shipping.

Thanks so much for looking! Leave me a comment with your email address or Ravelry user name and I'll get back to you.

Free dishcloth pattern-- gingham reversible dishcloth

Here's a freebie, a reversible-patterned dishcloth/washcloth I am offering free. It is knitted with U.S. size 7 (4.5mm) needles and less than one ball of Peaches n Creme worsted cotton.

Gingham Reversible Dishcloth
by Jennifer Rice

This simple dishcloth pattern is reversible. Makes a great dishcloth or washcloth.

Needles: U.S. size 7 (4.5mm) needles
Yarn: One ball of Peaches n Creme or other worsted dishcloth cotton
Cast on 45 stitches.
Row 1: *P5, K1, (P1,K1) twice; repeat from * to last 5 sts; P5.
Row 2: K5, *(k1, p1) twice, K6; repeat from * to end of row.
Rows 3-6: Repeat rows 1 and 2 twice more.
Row 7: P1, (k1,p1) twice, *P6, (k1,p1) twice; repeat from * to end of row.
Row 8: *P1, (k1,p1) twice, K5: repeat from * to last 5 sts; P1, (k1, p1) twice.
Rows 9-12: Repeat rows 7 and 8 twice more.
Repeat these 12 rows 4 more times. Bind off.

Swingin' Summer Tank Top 2T knitting pattern

Ok, so my most awesome friend (and designer extraordinaire) Michelle bought this tank I knitted, and an inquiry from her friend prompted me to put it up for sale. I have never done this before, but it's very exciting. If you would like to buy a copy of the PDF, click the Paypal button and it will link you directly to Paypal. I will email the PDF within 24 hours of payment receipt.

New and improved Etsy shop

Hello, everyone, I just wanted to give a heads up that I put all new pictures on my Etsy site, and some new items. If you are looking for toddler or kid knits, or maybe a scarf and beret for next winter, check this out. Also, my husband has some gorgeous woodworking stuff on there, and my parents-in-law have some adorable handpainted vegetables for sale. Thanks for your interest!

A beautiful weekend at Silver Lake

Well, we just got back from 5 days at Silver Lake. The weather was perfect, warm but not hot, sunny with a breeze. I did some knitting on my friend Katt's Leap Frog Socks (Ravelry link) (Etsy link). They are the cutest cabled kids' socks. My 8 year old loves them and my 5 year old is requesting a pair next.

Ah, back to reality, but here are some pics from the trip.

Emily and her daddy on the dunes

Me and Maya by the camper

Maddie, Emily, and Maya on the dunes in front of the buggy

Wow, Maddie sure is getting big now that she is 8... She celebrated her birthday up at the campgound and this is her basking on the dunes.

Just a quick little bit of humor...

This is a picture of an actual sign posted on the brick wall of Campbell's Pharmacy in Plainwell, Michigan. It looks completely normal, unless you really read it and notice there are some things we just don't rent and return for use by others!

Enjoy the laugh.

Easter eggs, crazy faces, and sweaters from afar

Here is the appreciative face of an almost-8 year old, wearing the handknit sweater she just received all the way from Tasmania, Australia from my friend Katt. You should check out her Etsy shop, she is the bomb. Good prices and great quality.


This is what happens to a three year old after candy, cake, and ice cream at Grandma's. She has not yet perfected the headband.




I hope everyone enjoyed Easter. My kids love dyeing the eggs, especially Emily now that she is three and old enough to join in. She's pretty good at dyeing her fingers too.

Emily's 3rd birthday party

My little baby is three now, or she will be tomorrow. We had her party over the weekend. She received three Barbie Mariposa fairy and friends dolls, a big Tinkerbell doll, a stuffed spider monkey from Diego's Animal Rescue, a Little People princess horse and carriage, and well, here is her favorite gift. This was her immediate reaction upon opening it, this is not a pose.

A miser in the making?

I got tagged by Katt. :)

Here are the rules:

Link to the person who tagged you.

Mention the rules.

Tell six quirky yet boring, unspectacular details about yourself.

Tag six other bloggers by linking to them.Go to each person’s blog and leave a comment that let’s them know they’ve been tagged.

1. I love animals. Lots of animals. Right now, we have a guinea pig, a cockatiel, some fish, and three cats. This is a small number of pets for us. lol

2. I'm addicted to Super Mario Bros. We have a Wii and I still play Super Mario Bros.

3. I used to be a vegetarian, for 7 years, and then my boyfriend at the time (now my husband) left a Hot N Now cheeseburger in my truck one day, and well, I'm not a vegetarian anymore.

4. I'm a BIIIIIG Harry Potter fan. I've read the books multiple times and have all the DVD's that are out so far. Expecto Patronum!

5. I like dragons. I'm not into Dungeons and Dragons but I like dragons in general.

6. I must have Diet Cherry Coke. I cannot substitute a different kind of pop if I run out. I NEEED Diet Cherry Coke.

Ok, now I'm tagging Trish, Nele, Michelle, Erin, Jussi, and Melissa.