Friday, October 28, 2011

The October Post

I realize it's been a really looooong time since I've posted, but I have a lot to share, so I apologize in advance for the lengthy post.

It's one of those pretty perfect autumn days. Sure, it's pouring down rain, but that just gives me even more of an excuse to stay inside and bake, knit and sew.  October has always been one of my favorite months here in the Northwest, the days starting long and warm and then turning dark but cozy at the end of the month. This October has gone by more quickly than I could believe, but a lot has been going on around here! We finally bought a house! It's set to close next month, and while it's been extremely stressful dealing with all the red tape (which I'm sure you know all about if you've ever bought a home) it's so exciting! And yes, there will even be a sewing room for me:)  



So in between all the boxes and packing I've even managed to finish a quilt top. It feels good to work on something so simple and satisfying. It's just a tumbler pattern, but made with lots of my favorite prints from the cream-beige-brown-black-blue-red color palette I'm currently obsessed with.


I'm hoping to mop the floor of this house one final time tomorrow before we move so I can baste the top, and hopefully have a finished quilt to show off soon.

I did actually finish a new sweater for me this week too! My brother took a few goofy shots of me outside yesterday before the torrential rains set in.



The cardigan is called Golden Wheat by the fabulous Veera Valimaki. It was an absolute pleasure to knit in this madelinetosh merino/cashmere/nylon blend and I see it becoming a real wardrobe staple. I'm really pleased with how this came out, which is not always the case with everything I knit. The color is called Cousteau, in case you were wondering.

And it's not really fall to me until I've baked some Harvest Squash Bread. These loaves turned out perfectly today, and one of them will be off to our winery for the crush crew tomorrow.


Mark has been crazy busy with wine harvest right now. Making wine is a ton of dirty grunt work so it's awesome to see him getting such great recognition, like in the latest issue of Wine & Spirits magazine. Mark Ryan Winery was named one of the Top 100 Wines in the World in 2011!


And of course I have to show off the little people. It's amazing I'm getting anything done with these two around. Between potty training and chasing one very busy two year old, and nursing this baby the crafting hours are few and far between (and if anyone has tips for getting a baby to take a bottle please bring it on!). My saving grace is that Olivia still likes to nap quite a bit, so if I can time the two naps together some sewing gets done - housework can wait, right?


Olivia is almost 18 weeks old and I can hardly believe how fast the time has gone by.


So that's what's going on around here. I promise I'll have more quilty/crafty stuff to show you again someday, but thanks for hanging in there with me in the meantime:)




30 comments:

  1. Wow, so much to congratulate you on! A gorgeous home, a beautiful sweater, a top 100 winemaker hubby, two stunning babies, a pretty new quilt top, delicious home baking and a smiley mommy!! Woohoo!

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  2. Thanks for sharing all your wonderful news!

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  3. Gorgeous house and such a lovely, lovely sweater!

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  4. I love your house! Congratulations on everything!!

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  5. Looks like you're having a perfectly wonderful October! Enjoy the babies, housework CAN wait! Sew while they nap and have fun in that new house!!

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  6. Nice to see things looking so lovely with you. Beautiful house, beautiful sweater, beautiful quilt, beautiful kids!

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  7. Congratulations on your new home and on the wonderful recognition for your winery! It's an exciting busy time.

    There is no guilt in making housework a low priority item. :)

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  8. Your new house looks spectacular! Congratulations! And your daughters are truly adorable :)

    I love your Golden Wheat! Just bought the pattern and I have a whole bunch of Tosh Candlewick coming my way to knit it up. I love the color you chose! You have a real eye for picking great yarns :)

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  9. wow, thanks for sharing those glimpses into your life! the new house looks wonderful and certainly will be such a great place for you and your family. i love the top, too, very nice fabric choices!
    have a good move and take care,
    Claudia

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  10. Oh mate (that's Yorkshire speak isn't it?!) I love it that you're sewing time is been eaten in to and it's not just happening to me!! I think the best blogs show insight into a persons 'real' life and not just lots of perfectly staged finishes!! Big hugs from me to you all!!

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  11. Wow!!!! I would say that you have had a wonderful October. The new house looks fabulous and I am sure you will be thrilled to be settled again.

    Congratulations to your hubby and his top wine designation. Our son works in the wine industry too so I know what an accomplishment and what hard work it is.

    You did a great job on your sweater. I love the color.

    The little ones are so cute. They DO grow up much too quickly. Enjoy them.

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  12. October is one of my favorite months here (though I'm out on the East coast!) too filled with lots of crafting, baking and snuggling. Today is extra cold and rainy so we're planning to mostly just relax. Your house looks so beautiful! Congrats. And those two girls of yours look like quite a pair. Good luck packing, moving, potty training, etc. :-)

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  13. This is an absolutely beautiful post. Congratulations on your new home...it's gorgeous and has a cozy warmth about it that is so hard to find...but those kids of yours are the best part of all...so precious.

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  14. Congratulations on you new home and your new baby! Your new baby is beautiful and your new home is gorgeous!

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  15. Wow your house looks gorgeous - like something out of a movie! :-)

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  16. I'm a big fan of October, too. November? Not so much.

    Congrats on the new house! It looks lovely...like the perfect place to raise your girls. :)

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  17. The house is gorgeous! Yea for the sewing room. The sweater looks comfy. I'm in need of a new fall sweater to bright up the weather outlook.

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  18. you two are cute together! :) As are your two girlies together. :)

    I think I'm going to follow you and do a post a month for a while. ;) Definitely no sewing going on in this house!

    Congrats to the hubs too! And for the house!

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  19. The Harvest Squash bread looks awesome. Could you share the recipe?

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  20. Thanks for solving my color problem. I've been working on a quilt for my daughter with red, gray, black, whites, and blue. Something was really bothering me, so I put it aside for awhile. (uh-oh) It needs the brown like yours! It bridges the contrasts between the strong colors--what a relief--thanks!

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  21. oh wow, what a wonderful post! Sounds like you have so many fun things going on and I'm sure it will be so great to have your own craft room. :) Your little girls are so cute and the knitting is just gorgeous! I'd love a sweater like that, too and probably wear it all the time in the winter.
    Hope you have a great week!
    ~Jessica

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  22. Life sounds and look grand! You, your babies, your house, your wine are all great! I was check your blog! I was happy you posted, but I understand. Neither of my girls took a bottle...uugghhh! Good Luck!
    Lynn

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  23. Fantastic house! Love your projects and the girls are just too cute!

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  24. oh Megan!!! You have the best life EVER!!!!! AHHH!! That sweater! That new house! That crazy cute family!!! EEEEE!!! <3<3<3

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  25. happy to see you are finding some time for yourself to sew. yes, the dishes can wait.

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  26. Wayyyy tooo many cute pics in the post! First your babies...gorgeous, and the sweater very cut and your house?! House envy! all are wonderful!

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  27. It's December!! I miss your posts, but hope everything is going well with the new house and you enjoy your family in it this holiday season.

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  28. It's December!! I miss your posts, but hope everything is going well with the new house and you enjoy your family in it this holiday season.

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