Blog a la Cart

Month: October, 2015

Pumpkin Patch // 2015

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Courtland and I made it our mission to recreate those pumpkin totem poles we saw showcased at our local pumpkin patch. Our porch is now graced with our own pumpkin stack. Another great fall adventure in Vermont!

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“A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2015.”

Sunny: “Mama, take a picture of me with the corn stalks.” Happy to oblige.
Kaki: Our yearly trip to the pumpkin patch, complete with matchy-matchy smocked pumpkin dresses courtesy of Momar. They were the talk of the patch.

More details about The 52 Project here. To view all the portraits in the series visit here.

Snood Dogg

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Yes yes, another post about another knitting project. I mean it when I say that I’ve been a knitting machine of late. With left over yarn from my recent sweater project, I made up this cozy cowl inspired by the Snood Dogg pattern from Wool and the Gang. I just knit in seed stitch until I’d used up all the yarn. Simple, cozy, quick. My kind of instant gratification project.

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Leaf Necklace

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I depended on a number of key colleagues to survive the past six months of planning for the enormous work event two weeks prior. I relayed to one of my staff that knitting had become my survival/therapy. It was how I cleared my head every evening before bed. She then passed along a link to some lovely knit jewelry patterns. I’ve never made a knit necklace, nor incorporated beading into my knitting, but I had a skein of yarn that my mother-in-law had purchased for me during a trip to Italy that seemed like the perfect material for some fancy accessory work, I got the inspiration from a zodiac jewelry collection. As a thank you to this wonderful human for all of her support, I created  my first knit necklace for her. Thanks, Sandra! (I foresee making many a necklace for loved ones this holiday season!)

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Columbus Day Weekend // 2015

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A few images from one of many fall walks by our home this weekend. We are so fortunate to live among such natural beauty with so little disruption and noise. We love our little secluded plot of land with very few neighbors and even fewer cars. And Mother Nature made quite a showing to further reinforce the awesome.

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^^Learning all about Monarch Butterflies, and thus Milkweed. The girls have been helping spread the seeds and thus the food source for these beloved insects.^^

Wonderwool Sweater

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I’ve been knitting, a lot, of late. It’s become my evening ritual after the kids are in bed. A way to spend a hour or two winding down at the end of the day while I listen to an audio book or catch up on my Hulu stream. I’ve been knitting for many a sweet babe as I have a number of friends expecting littles in the coming months, but last week I switched it up and made something for myself. A ridiculously oversized, cozy, plush sweater using Wool and The Gang’s latest pattern, The Wonderwool. I knit two chunky sweaters from their collection years ago – The Cross Country Coat and The Little Giants T-Shirt. Their patterns are always quick and easy (thanks to enormous needles and wool), and the styles quite, well, stylish. In the heart of winter, this bad boy will keep me insanely cozy. Those extra large sleeves are everything.
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Photobomb by Penelope Pig below!

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Pattern and details for Wonderwool Sweater at Wool and The Gang

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“A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2015.”

Sunny: That smile was cajoled out of her after a morning of attitude and sass. She’s becoming more and more independent and strong-willed, which of course is what I wish for my adult female children – but it makes parenting them now more of a challenge. She’s definitely coming into her own and questioning everything/everyone that gets in her way. A sign of confidence (but also frustration (in the moment) for her mom and dad!).
Kaki: Daddy’s girl. Sleepy after a long day of play and apple consumption.

More details about The 52 Project here. To view all the portraits in the series visit here.

Apple Cidering // 2015

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In stereotypical Vermont fashion, we spent Sunday afternoon apple cidering with friends on their mountainside property. We are near peak foliage, so we enjoyed an autumnal palette of color and a sunny day roaming in fields, rocking in hammocks, pressing cider, and munching cider donuts. Weekends like these reinforce why this is exactly where in the world I want to live with these children of mine. This life! Feels like a fairytale – and a delicious one at that.

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^^Chinese Lanterns from the garden! They’ll make a beautiful centerpiece all season long.^^

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^^We brought apples from our property so we could make up an exclusive Cartwheel Farm Cider.^^

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^^Taking after her Doda with that tongue – whenever she works hard or concentrates, it exits her mouth.^^

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Twinning

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It’s no wonder people frequently ask if they’re twins!

We had a stunning Columbus Day weekend in VT. So autumnal. So October. And I think we may have landed this year’s Holiday Card snap in this series.

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There it is. My heart in an image…

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“A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2015.”

Sunny: The most magical time of year in Vermont.
Kaki: Soaking up every minute of sunshine and vibrant foliage we can get.

More details about The 52 Project here. To view all the portraits in the series visit here.