mr. monkeysuit

I'm sorry

Hello friends,

I am sorry I have been so absent from this space. I've just been as busy as all get out with starting up the shop, looking after the smalls, keeping up with the laundry, trying to get ready for all the craft fairs, and thinking about the holidays is making me a little nuts. The truth is I am probably going to be a bad blogger at least until the new year when I plan on taking a little restorative craft break. You know, the kind where you just make what you want to without any plans for selling it or giving it. I love those creative spells. Or maybe I'll just spend some time reading all your blogs and finding out what is going on in blog land, or maybe I'll watch all the old episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm and 30 Rock just one more time.

Anyway until I get there I am going to be in and out of here sporadically. I do have some Christmas stuff I want to share with you and I have another free tutorial I'm working on but they are on the back burner for now.

I hope you'll bear with me through this bump and come and check in with me every now and then. Hopefully I'll be able to resume regular programming soon.

 

Keep well and Happy Thanksgiving.

a week of knits:: Cissie

 

This is hot off the needles for Cissie. Well actually that's a lie. I finished knitting it about a month ago....

 

...but then it took me those four weeks to sew on the button. Nothing tricky about it. Just a button.

I'm not alone in this procrastination about finishing things am I? Somehow starting new projects just seems more fun.

This week I am encouraging (ahem) myself to finish some of my knits. So though it is already Tuesday, I am dubbing this the week of knits. Please feel free to join in, just think how satisfying it will be if at the end of this week there are finished projects...buttons on, ends weaved, blocked out, finished projects.

 

This FINISHED sweater is by Knitting Pure and Simple, it's the children's neck-down bolero and you know, it was simple and quick and I love the whole bolero thing for Cissie because it is warm without being bulky but unfortunately I can't tell you what yarn I used.

It was so long ago, I forgot.

thank you and the winner

Thank you so much for all your kind words about my new venture. I am super excited to start something new but kind of nervous about it too so I really, really appreciate your support.

Without further ado, the winner, according to the random number generator, is Vickifrom Hollyhocks. I could hardly believe when her number came up, she is local blogger and one my newest friends. She has just had twins so I am thinking this traveling art show found its rightful home.

I'll be back next week with some (hopefully) completed knits and probably another giveaway too:)

Have a lovely weekend.

lots of new and exciting things + a giveaway

I am super excited to announce the opening of my new etsy shop, auburn studios.

 

I'm kicking it off with these two patterns. The traveling art show above and below, my moleskine notebook cover.

 

To celebrate what has been a very, very long time in the making I will be giving away this traveling art show, complete with all the goodies inside.

 

All you have to do to enter is help spread the word about my new venture.

Post a link to my shop on your blog and leave me a comment on this post letting me know about it and your in the running.

Don't have a blog but you still want to enter, go ahead and leave a comment promising to spread the word. I trust you:)

I am hoping to fill this new store with lots of new handmade goodness and some old favorites.

It would just make me so darn happy if this works out.

Wish me luck!

traveling art show

 

This little collection is up for auction at our local Waldorf school. Cissie and I have recently started going to a toddler group one morning a week. She ADORES it, I mean really, really loves it. It is the event of the week for her and she is so excited to meet up with her little friends and her teacher who she talks about all the time. I love going too, to learn something new and chat with all the mums but most of all I love having one specialthing that Cis and I do together each week.

The school hosts a fund raising auction every year and seeing as how Cissie has gotten so much from being there I was more than happy to give something back.

 

Included in the package was one of these which are known round these parts as traveling art shows. I have a couple up for sale in my shop and they've been a big hit at the craft shows I've been doing. I also included some hair clips.

 

a hair-band

 

and an apron which I'll show more of later.

 

We are so lucky to have found such a warm, welcoming group.I couldn't have asked for a more positive first school experience for Cis.

crying but in a good way

I've just read stories to my sweet girl and cuddled with her before tucking her in.

I've just curled up with my lovely boy in his bed for 'just one more minute' of snuggling.

My kids. My American kids. With their British parents.

Living here has been a journey. I have never been so happy to say I live here, in this wonderful country, as I do today.

America is truly the land of opportunity and I feel so priviledged to be here during this momentous occassion.

Congratulations Americans, you are amazing.

I think that went well

Ooooh I had such a lovely time in NYC this weekend. Lots of good food, lots of wine and even more gossiping....and lots of big sunglasses.

 

(Tristan, Nuala, Paula and David)

Living so far away from so many of my friends has been hard but it makes seeing them again all the sweeter. Thanks guys for making me laugh so hard my throat is still sore.

As I was only there for one night, I didn't manage to make it to Purl this weekend but I have a feeling I'll be back again soon.

And now for something crafty.

 

I got these a while back from my favorite stamp maker, craft pudding. I had been wanting some cute name stamps for them for all sorts of projects around the house. The ones above are to go on their coat hooks.....in the vain hope they may actually hang up their coats every once in a while.

I also got tired of trying to sort out whose white vest was whose. We use these a lot in the winter so to make my laundry sorting a little easier....ta da;

 

and for Cis

 

Hope you all had a lovely Halloween weekend.