To be clear, there is good reason I enthuse over the simplicity of stockinette knitting. Most of my knitting happens after 10pm when my brain is starting to conk out. Two evenings of the first clue in the mystery shawl show sadly little progress thanks to my not so stellar pattern reading late at night. Despite knitting the wrong clue then the right clue with silly mistakes I will persevere.

Today I’ve pulled out the awesome cookbooks, Against All Grain, to thumb through. I’ve been following Danielle Walker’s blog and instagram for a while and love the recipes she shares. Although we’re not paleo or grain free, I’ll admit I do feel better when I limit grains and focus more on proteins. I’ve been particularly leaning away from grains at breakfast, easier now that we don’t do wheat (wahhhhh, I miss my bread). This book is a goldmine in that pursuit.

And now it’s late and of course time to make some mistakes, er, progress on my shawl.

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joining Ginny for yarn along, better late than never

While blogging has been a distant dream these last months, knitting has taken centre stage as my late evening activity. I’ve worked on some sweaters, the annual hat stack for the little jays, and few pairs of fingerless gloves. Of course, despite best intentions, I did not manage to get through the long list of gift knits I’d planned.

Fortunately we’re celebrating Christmas late this year with my parents and siblings who have flown in from the east coast. We snuck out of the big city and traded it once again for our favourite mountain destination. Amidst the many fun activities to keep us busy here there has most certainly been knitting.

I normally do my best to hide gift knitting while it’s on needles but I’m racing with a deadline to finish my sister’s gift. Fat chance I’ll get it done in time but none the less I’m trying!

A couple months ago my sister spotted some yarn on instagram and fell in love with the colour (and perhaps the Doctor Who themed name…). I ordered the yarn and set to pattern searching. My sister has a soft spot for Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy so after a little humming and hawing we decided on the Trillian shawl. I’ve had this pattern on my radar for a while and now that I’ve started it I’ve already got plans for the next one. It’s beautifully simple (just my speed these days) and simply beautiful as the pattern reveals itself. I’ve decided I need to always have a largely stockinette project to grab when we’re on the go and this fits the bill.

I’m going to enjoy this knit even as I hope to move quickly on it – I also have a colour affection shawl waiting on needles and the first clue in the follow your arrow mystery knit-a-long calling to me. January (and February and March…) are for shawls!

I haven’t done much reading lately but when I do I love picking my way through Shauna Niequest‘s Bread & Wine. It was a gift from a thoughtful friend who knew I’d love it. I adore food memoirs and, between the stories of faith and friendship and the comforting recipes, I’m feeling inspired in more ways than one. As our family has grown (and our dinner table had not) we’d gotten away from sharing meals with friends – one of our most cherished events. We’ve recently invested in a larger table – no matter it doesn’t fit our kitchen. We stopped waiting for the perfect farm table in a renovated kitchen and found an in-the-meantime table which which seats us all with room for more. It’s time to get back to making memories around our table. Bread & Wine feels like the perfect accompaniment to this remembrance.

And now it’s time for my needles to click again. Littles are enjoying special time with Grandma and Grandpa, dinner’s in the oven, and there’s a mountain view to feast on in the meantime.

::

Have you been crafting on these January days? What have you been reading?

joining with Ginny for yarn along

So hello. We’re still here and going strong. As for our last, erm, months they’ve been wonderful and hectic and joyful and, to be quite honest, a blur. Since words take the kind of concentration I don’t have at 10pm, here’s a largely photographic recap.

:: we explored ::

:: we played (instead of dusting…) ::

:: we celebrated ::

:: we admired ::

::we cried ::

:: we grew ::

:: and grew ::

:: we harvested ::

:: we put away ::

:: we refreshed ::

:: we got dirty ::

:: and curly ::

:: we escaped ::

:: we posed (willingly and not so much) ::

:: we succumbed (and were thankful) ::

:: we dressed up ::

:: we got cuter by the day ::

:: we read, we snuggled, we cherished ::

:: we welcomed winter once more ::

:: we charmed ::

:: we learned ::

And certainly much more.

I’m full of thanks this New Years Eve. I’m ready for a new year and entering it with new prayers, new hopes, new vision. But I’m ever so grateful for all that has come before. The joy and sorrow that has brought us to this place today.

This place is good.

::

Thank you for your friendship and support, friends! Wishing you great blessings and adventures in the year to come.

Much love from the jays xoxo

I am crawling out from under the rock of blissful and bleary-eyed babymoon to introduce the little one we welcomed into our family last week.

Thomas Joel Stewart was born at home with the help of his wonderful daddy and cheering siblings, amidst cries of welcome and tearful joy.

He matched his last sister’s newborn girth, tipping the scales at 10lbs 3oz (and stretching those newborn onesies). He’s got the broad shoulders and big hands of my family, and the full newborn locks and sweet dimple chin of his father. He’s got six adoring older siblings and two besotted parents. He’s got favour and destiny and future and purpose.

I’ll never get over the miracle of it.

xoR

I’ve been a crazy knitting fiend this last week that we’ve been on vacation. It’s really amazing how much knitting I can accomplish when I have more than the hour of sleepy, post 11pm knitting I usually get at home.

Of course it doesn’t hurt that I’m obsessively knitting newborn baby knits which hop off the needles nearly as quickly as they hop on. I’m taking chances though, knitting newborn sized vests and sweaters when Mira was a whopping 10+lbs. I’m trying to stick to 3-6 months sizes to avoid too many repeats of the problem I had with my undersized owlie sack.

It is so fun seeing my little stack on knits growing as I dream about this new little person! I’ve realized my colours are leaning decidedly to the more manly side of things even though I’m trying to stick to neutrals while we wait to meet our new addition (will this be our fifth daughter or our third son?). Dan rationally suggested I wait to see before knitting much more but of course after the arrival my arms will be full of baby with very little time for needles and wool (a sacrifice I’m perfectly thrilled to accept).

So on I knit! Perhaps I’m making a little wish I thrown a rosy hue or two into my suitcase but the colours I brought are very happy making.

And because Dan can only get so excited about baby knits (“Don’t get her wrong, kids, she’s knitting for herself”, is a recent quote from him), I’m going to share them here with you.

In truth I knit this one while we were still at home but I got the buttons on fairly recently. It’s the tried and true puerperium pattern which I’ve knit (and loved) quite a few times now. I was getting pretty stressed that I would run out of the leftover Cascade 220 I’d found in my stash so I  kept the sleeves short. It will be perfect over a long-sleeved onesie and should fit during our late summer/early falls days.

{notes here}

This smoky vertebrae was another I’d been working on at home. Unlike the last time I knit this pattern I conquered the collar immediately (I’m rubbish at picking up stitches). It was quick and enjoyable (I’m all about those types of knits these days) and so, so soft in the Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran from my stash. I used only two of the five skeins I have so I’ll be happy to pick it up again for another project.

I couldn’t bring myself to knit the newborn size (although it would be darling) so I stuck to the 3-6 month directions…although I am tempted to whip up another in the newborn size…(somebody stop me!!).

{notes here}

First up when we hit the road was this 5-hour baby boy sweater, a simple free pattern. Short and sweet, it really only took about the time promised (although I spent a fair amount of time swatching). I sized the needles down to US 8 (5.0mm) which I felt knit a better fabric than the needles called for in the pattern. I also moved the sleeve stitches to scrap wool, finished the body, then picked up the sleeves for knitting in the round – much nicer than all that seaming! I knit it in some clearance Martha Stewart Merino I’d picked up at Michael’s for a song. It was lovely wool and the colour ended up being much more watercoloured aqua than the baby blue I’d first expected. Gender neutral, right?!

This one will get a good blocking and some sweet little buttons when we get home!

{notes here}

A few weeks ago when I asked baby pattern recommendations, Svenna recommended the felipe pattern. Her little guy wore his so sweetly that I’d already searched it out in her ravelry projects before she mentioned it. It was ridiculously speedy – an evening’s knitting and an afternoon movie (the first matinee Dan and I have seen in 10 years!). This blue is not technically neutral (or even vaguely) but it matters not – it’s too darn gorgeous to resist! Mmm, malabrigo rios!

{notes here}

For a quick break from the sweater knitting I cast on this speedy little hat. I used Rebecca‘s mods (gundyknitter on ravelry) to size it down a touch for a true newborn size. There is some doubt whether this will even be big enough for a newborn but I’ll block it well if it’s too snug…And perhaps I’ll whip another up slightly larger one, just in case.

{notes here}

My needles aren’t getting any chance to cool with this stack of knits awaiting baby. I’ve just finished a Small Things Sweater but it needs a good soak before I can show off its true beauty. Now I’m thinking maybe I quick pair of socks, a sleeping cap, and maybe some longies or shorties? As you can tell I’m unstoppable.

::

I know I’m always asking but I do get so curious what others are working on. Have you got a crafty project on the go (needles or not)? 

Thanks for stopping by!

We’ve left the rush and bustle of the city for a couple weeks while we’re visiting the Grandparents Jay.

It’s our annual trip and I’ve written about our visits here before. My inlaws have a beautiful home on stunning Vancouver Island and we get spoiled with beach visits, forest walks, and grandparent love. The kids love every minute, and Dan and I are blessed with rest and relaxation as my generous inlaws chase after our children and our messes.

Neither of us realized how tired we were until we arrived here (collapsing across the threshold). Now we’re starting to feel like ourselves again with a few longer nights of sleep under our belts. I’m thankful for the freedom to rest now that I’m coming to the last weeks of pregnancy. I’ve picked up a book, knitting, and even a couple naps. It’s blissful.

And with this extra freedom, I’ve finally picked up my camera again. I’ve been lazy lately and grabbing the convenience of iPhone shots and instagram sharing, but I do love picking up my canon. The weight and click of a proper camera is a familiar comfort.

The last couple of days I’ve followed the kids around (who are mostly moving too quickly on bikes and scooters) and enjoyed photographing their play and the detritus of it.

There is such joy in these childhood days.

(Also, I have to ask…are there many things sweeter than a babe in leggings??!)

Is the sun shining in your neck of the woods? More spring rain to grow the garden? Or a change of season into cooler days and longer nights?

So here it is. With not so awesome photos but hopefully I’ll remedy that today and see if I can write the recipe again, just as deliciously for the dairy-free & gluten-free crowd. The best news is that it’s already sugar free – Saweet! 

In our home the first birthday celebration is a special event with its own special traditions. One of those traditions is carrot cake. And while I love a good carrot cake, it just didn’t feel right for our heat-of-the-summer born, barefoot loving, fruit adoring little lass.

Big sis had tried her hand at cake making recently, turning out a beautiful upside down cake for our enjoyment. It was tasty but very rich (she confessed to doubling both the sugar and butter measurements….that would explain it). With boxes of fruit overtaking the kitchen, I decided to take a second look at the recipe she used and shake things up a bit for a first birthday cake.

I’m not ready for Mira to sink her four teeth into sugar, so I debated over replacing it with maple syrup or honey. I decided on honey as my sweetener and with the added sweet/tart flavour of the fruit, it was perfect.

Peachy Upside-Down Cake

While we’ve tried this with peaches and cherries, as well as peaches and blueberries, it would work beautifully with many other fruits. Just remember that local, in-season fruits will taste best.

1/2 cup + 2T butter, softened

5 peaches: halved, peeled, and pitted

1/2(ish) blueberries or pitted, halved cherries

1/3 cup honey (may be replaced with sugar or maple syrup)

2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 1/2 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk

Preheat over to 375 F. Melt 2 T of butter in springform pan (or other large cake pan).

Arrange fruit (cut side down) in a single layer in the prepared pan.

In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a separate bowl or stand mixer, cream butter and honey until smooth. Add eggs, stirring after each, then mix in vanilla. Add flour mixture in thirds, alternating with milk and ending with flour.

Scrape batter over fruit in pan. Tap the pan on a counter to remove any bubbles.

Put pan in the over for 40-50 minutes until top is browned and a toothpick (or cake tester) comes out clean.

Allow to cool in pan. Run a skewer or offset spatula around cake to loosen from pan. Place a plate over the pan and quickly flip the cake onto the plate. Remove the pan and enjoy slices served with lightly sweetened whipped cream.

::

Do you have special birthday traditions in your home? I’d love to hear them – I’m a total sucker for a good family tradition.

The days are long and full, the sun has been shining often, seeds have been planted and seedlings nurtured as we cherish these days of warmth and light.

And while life is exploding around us, we are also watching growth of another kind as we expect a seventh child to join our family. Somehow, quite unintentionally, I’ve managed to neglect posting about it here until I briefly mentioned it here (although I shared a clue in this photo). I’ve shared some belly shots on instagram recently but until recently this pregnancy has seemed like a bit of a dream.

Back when I was feeling so miserable in the fall, thinking I was full on detoxing, it turned out I was also dealing with first trimester symptoms. I got through it, still not realizing what was up – you’d think I hadn’t done this before. It wasn’t until a baby belly popped that I finally got the hint (at about 16 weeks).

Now here I am at about 33 weeks and definitely feeling very pregnant. I think this baby it taking up every square inch of belly space! It’s been hands-down my healthiest pregnancy even though I’m starting to feel uncomfortable. I’m so thankful that I’ve been blessed with healthy, low-risk pregnancies.

As much as I’m beyond excited (along with the rest of the household) to meet this new little person, I’m trying to enjoy this waiting time of preparation and growth, the kicks and curiosity over who this little person would be. All the kids are voting this one is a boy (a boy Simon thinks we should name Sally) but I suspect that may be influenced by their desire to even things out a little bit. I’m never sure until I’m in labour and even then I’m often surprised – oh, the surprise is such, such fun!!

And of course I’m trying to make the most of making for baby! I’ve got a puerperium awaiting buttons and a baby vertebrae on my needles, a baby quilt cut (with hopes it may progress beyond that), and more fabric to be cut for a few sweet baby items (I’m gaga over these pants and need to make them by the dozens).

::

Do you have any must make baby items? You know I’m always looking for fresh inspiration!

P.S. Sorry for the recycled instagram photos, I’m miserable at self-portraits, particularly belly shots but I’ve got a gardening post to share and the kids snapped an impressive amount of photos of me looking sweaty and pushing a wheelbarrow. Aren’t you excited to see those? Ha!

The garden has been calling for lots of attention and hard work these past couple of weeks but my needles have not been forgotten.

…Okay, perhaps, some of my projects have been a little neglected (*cough* grace cardi) but I’ve had fun with some teeny knits.

I have a handful of knits blocking in my bathroom right now – some new, some recently de-muddied, a few destined for the post office. I’m way behind in updating my ravelry projects but once my recent finished objects are dry and buttons are sewn on, I’ll share some photos.

At the moment, though, I’m knitting a newborn sized baby vertebrae. This one is especially special because it’s for the new addition we are expecting!! Number seven is on the way – rather sooner than later as it happens (more on that later) so it’s knit time! I’m knitting it in another stashed wool – Debbie Bliss’ cashmerino aran. The wool is gorgeous and unreal soft. It pairs so nicely with this awesome pattern by Kelly Brooker. I love many of Kelly’s patterns (shout out to the puerperium cardigan) – they are well written and clear with so many options for sizing and yarn weight. I adore a pattern that allows me to match with a yarn from my stash.

When I find a chance to grab a book I’m finally reading My Antonia. I started it a few months ago but the library called it back too soon. It must have been on a course reading list because suddenly it had over 50 holds so I had a wait before it came back to my hands again. It’s early days but I’m enjoying it. I’m finding my imagination is picturing the landscape as that of On the Banks of Plum Creek, I like the familiarity.

(Psst…my new project bag up there is sewn from luvinthemommyhood‘s reversible sock knitting project bag pattern. I’ve got more gushing to do in a future post, but I couldn’t resist sharing how much I love her clever but simple pattern.)

And now I’m off to knit a few rows before bedtime summons.

Happy Wednesday! Thanks for dropping by!

::

for more yarn along post visit Ginny at Small Things.

I’m coming in a day late with another photo reveal. This one is going to be our last for a while at least – we may say goodbye to the lexicon project or simply take a break. We’ve had such fun snapping and comparing photos but, as it does, life has plenty of demands and we’ve been slacking on our weekly game.

For this farewell reveal we have guidance.

Here’s my photo:

And Corrie’s:

Did you capture a guidance moment this week?

As always, link up below with a URL to your photo (blog, instagram, or flickr account) or share on the house full of jays facebook page. Take your time with it or grab a quick snap – but please do share!

Looking forward to seeing your photos!

::

all things lexicon project here and my first post about it here

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