Parades Galore...

Sophie marched in the Jr Rose Parade this year with her school band and Nalah and I had a great time at the parade together. We made it with just barely enough time to see Sophie march and pick Solomon up from school.Smarter parents pulled their kids out for the afternoon, I didn't even think of that. I guess I like to live dangerously. 

This was also the week of the Storybook Parade at my Son's school. This is our 8th and final year. So bittersweet, I always loved this sweet parade. The children dress up as a favorite character from a book and Solomon decided to dress up as Horton from the Dr Seuss book. Nalah wore her lamb costume that I made for her for Halloween and marched in the parade too, she was pretty pumped up even though she only made it a few blocks, she really wanted to be part of things. So sweet. Sophie and her band class marched in this parade as well and provided great tunes such as the "Immigrant Song" by Led Zeppelin and "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana. It was fun to have them both in the parade again this year.

Only four more school days to go.We have a very busy week ahead.

                            Nalah caught that t-shirt from a t-shirt gun they fired off from across the street. She was pretty happy about it and had to wear it immediately.

                                                     So sweet,waving at the parade.

                                                   Sophie's school band at the Jr Rose Parade.

Horton

                                                                   

Yarn Along: Alligator and a Woodland Sprite

Joining the Yarn Along today with Ginny over at Small Things.

I finished knitting this Woodland Sprite Bonnet back in October but felt like it needed a little more warmth so it was sitting in my sewing room(pantry) being neglected over the holidays. I finally sewed the flannel lining that I had been intending to do for many months. It turned out a bit big but that means she can wear it for many years to come. It is such a cute pattern. I took a zillion pictures of it you can see more and find the details for the pattern here.

I am currently working on an Alligator Scarf for my son. This is a fun knit and a really well written pattern. My youngest daughter wants on now too, in pink. I think this pattern will also make a great gift for my nephews. I think I may shorten it a few rows so I don't have to buy another skein of yarn although that might be cutting it close as you can see in the above photo there is not much left to work with.

My son insists that this alligator is going to need so eyes so I was thinking of needle felting a pair of eyeballs for it. Hopefully next week I can show you the finished project.

 I am currently reading the Good Life Lab: Radical Experiments in Hands-On Living by Wendy Jehanara Tremayne. I love reading about alternative life styles, especially off the grid homesteads. This book is so inspiring! It is about a couple that moved from New York City to New Mexico to build a homestead from scratch using found materials and scrap and learning along the way. This book is also filled with beautiful illustrations, and fun little do it yourself tips and recipes. To learn more about her lifestyle and building techniques you can go here to her blog Holy Scrap (isn't that a great name?).
I have been reading about alternative home building for several years and I think it would be so much fun and so satisfying to create your home from scratch. Recently my Dad sent me a link to this house called "The Mushroom House" in the Wisconsin woods( I am originally from Wisconsin). I have to say I would love to restore a place like this, it has so much potential. It would be the project of a lifetime, that is for sure.

I also wanted to share some beautiful Children's books we have been reading around here. As an aspiring Children's Book Illustrator I have a bit of an obsession with them. They inspire me just as much as they did when I was little.
Sun Bread By Elisa Kleven is a sweet colorful book about animals who bake bread to lift their spirits get out of their winter blues. While they are celebrating the wonderful bread they wake the sun from it's sleep. They end up sharing their bread with the sun. It even has a recipe on the back cover so a little child can make their own sun bread. We are borrowing this from the library but I think we might have to get a copy to keep. It is so sweet.

 

Another Children's Book we are enjoying is called Knitty Kitty by David Elliott. This story is about a  Mama kitty who knits to keep her kittens cozy but the kittens find someone else who needs the handknits more than they do. I love the illustrations, they make me miss my childhood in Wisconsin, playing in the snow.

 

What are you reading and knitting? Join along in the Yarn Along!

Yarn Along: A guacamole colored sweater and some illustration eye candy.

 

I started working on my Greenfield Cardigan last week. The yarn is my favorite color ever, it reminds me of guacamole but the actual colorway is called "turtle". The trip to the yarn store was fun as I got to carry around a tiny white poodle that is the store mascot who looks like a tiny little sheep with tight curls that look like little dreadlocks, he smells so good too. I don't know if I go there because I like the yarn selection or if I just want to get my hands on that sweet little fur ball.

I have been very inspired by Mark Hearld's illustrations in the book, Outside Your Window: A First Book of Nature by Nicola Davies. I checked this book out on a whim from the library and renewed it half a dozen times now. I really should just buy it, it is just beautiful.

For adult reading, I am currently reading Plainsong by Kent Haruf. It was a score from a great thrift store that sells books a dollar a piece that I visit every so often. I have quite the summer reading stash going on now.

What are you reading and knitting?

Please join along in the Yarn Along with Ginny over at Small Things.

Gnomes!!!!

I have a few fun new costumes to share that are brand new this year to my Etsy shop, HumbleLuna.

Introducing the Gnomes!

 

The Gnome boy has a fun swirly beard.....

And the girl has long braids and a flower in her cap...

The gnome costumes are inspired by a Halloween costume I made for Solomon four years ago when he was Nalah's age...you can see it here.

These new costumes were also inspired by an awesome thrift store find from several months back. I found this beautiful Gnome pop up book that is over 30 years old in mint condition. All of the pop up elements still work!! There are gears to turn and gnomes to slide and tabs to pull and the best part is the last page where the gnome is playing on a tiny swing that really swings. I was so thrilled to find this treasure I almost couldn't believe it. I have a weak spot for beautiful Children's books. Since Nalah is still very wee and likes to rip things and color in every book she finds I have it stashed away in a safe place. We take it out and look at it often, But I can seem to leave this wonderful book out where it could be damaged.

The Gnome hats are currently made to order. In the very near future I am planning to make different colors options available for the hats and the beard/braid colors. I may even sell them pre-made in different sizes. At the moment I feel more comfortable making custom hats to insure it is a good fit, I think once I make a zillion of these I will have the sizing down. I am also planning to make some Christmas Gnomes since the white bearded gnome could easily also be a Santa costume!

If you are interested in my Gnome hats please visit my Etsy shop Here.

Thank you so much, your support of my handmade costumes helps my family a great deal and we are very grateful for each and every sale.