I Think I Can

After a recent trip to the Christmas Market I noticed I was being very critical of all the knitting venders and found myself thinking 'I could make that...' quite frequently which got me to my next thought, that if I could make that and they are selling it then I could/should sell my stuff!

Although I admit that I already had plans to set up an Etsy store online it was reassuring that I saw some items I have actually made which gave me a confidence boost that it's something I can do and that there is a market for it out there. I was a bit unsure if, with my limited experience, I would be able to start selling anything for awhile but I happened upon an item that was the identical pattern to a scarf I'm working on right now (below)

The item I saw was the same pattern but made as a neck warmer with a button closure which I could easily have turned this into!

Now that I have some added reassurance I just need to figure out how to keep my optimism from turning into pessimism - as it usually does.
I have already taken one step that I believe will help me keep going which is telling people about my plan (which as a bonus I've gotten positive feedback from) so in doing that I know that I've put the word out there and if I don't do as I say I will feel foolish.
Secondly, I have also been asked to make things for a few friends and family members already which is more support and more incentive as well; if I continue to get better and continue to have people wanting my work and perhaps having others wanting it after seeing it then it will really help me get my online store off the ground and the options are really endless from there - depending on what I want to get out of it and how much I want to put into it of course.

So from here on out my new motto is "I think I can...I think I can..."and like the Little Engine That Could I will  try my best to reach the top of the hill and towards my destination!

You Can't Always Get What You Want

As the Holidays approach us and Old Saint Nick begins making his list I am faced with a dilemma, one far too familiar with parents everywhere no doubt, the never ending Christmas Wish List.

My son, being at the age where he can relate Christmas to presents has become a broken record when it comes to what he wants from Santa (and Mom & Dad, the Grandparents, ect.) which has left me feeling rather tired of repeating the fact that he only gets one gift from each person, including Santa, and not his entire list; which I must admit he always replies to with "okay" or "I know" which is probably where you are scratching your heads wondering what I'm complaining about, bear with me.

The other day while driving to get groceries I asked my son what Christmas meant to him, his reply was "Santa brings me presents if I'm good" and I told him that was only a small part of what Christmas is about that it's also about spending time with the people you love which is more important than any gift under the tree to which he replied "But I still want presents" ... I followed with a deep sigh and decided to leave it at that.
My question is how do you explain to a 4 year old the importance of family and not of presents or is this an impossible revelation to fall upon the ears of a preschooler?

Perhaps I am getting worked up over nothing as I do recall a certain family video of Christmas morning where after opening my gifts I asked "is that ALL I got??" and I turned out alright, right...
Do I just continue to explain values to my Son so that eventually he will understand?

We did participate in Operation Christmas Child this year through my Son's school and he seemed to understand the concept that some children don't get presents; I feel that was a great way to introduce the giving aspect of Christmas so he would know there are those less fortunate at this time of year.
I suppose I need to take another deep sigh and remind myself that he is 4, not 14 and that the more we show him the giving side of the Holiday season the more he will understand that it isn't about receiving, that you can't always get what you want but if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need!

Knit 1, Purl 1

Creativity is not something I lack, patience most definitely is; which is why I am so excited that I've finally found a hobby that doesn't test my patience as much as others have!

I've tried drawing, painting, writing (multiple book ideas sit jotted down in my journal ignored) and scrap booking to give myself an outlet to no avail...I am great at getting started on things but I get easily discouraged when I can't immediately see the progress of my work which is why I'm sure I have failed miserably at so many things before.

However I recently took up knitting and I admit that I went into it expecting it to fall into the same category of tried and failed as the rest but alas I seem to have found my creative calling!
Maybe it's the fact that I can see the pile of yarn I'm working continually turn into whatever project I've decided to make; don't get me wrong the projects take me a few days or weeks to complete but I find that every time I pick it back up it's a smooth transition to continue whereas with my drawing, painting, writing and scrap booking I had to be feeling "artsy" to pick back up on things I'd left off which is where my inner perfectionist would come out and pick apart everything that wasn't right and I would end up with a crumpled ball of paper/half finished canvas/blog that has been ignored for months at a time/half full scrapbook... you get the picture!

I'm enjoying learning something new, adding new techniques and building my skills so I can make the next project on my list, it's rewarding and relaxing and I really like that my end results can be enjoyed by others too.

GO KNITTING!!!

Eco-Friendly Fashion

As a famous frog once said "It's not easy being green" and while that may have been true when those words first left his mouth these days it's becoming easier to live green in almost every aspect our lives right down to the clothes we wear.

Consignment boutiques and thrift stores are hardly something new to the world however the concept of shopping green is relatively new to us consumers. Some of you may stop reading this here after you think in disgust that I'm telling you to purchase used clothing but hear me out.

Consignment boutiques are in abundance these days and this type of store only accepts clothing that has been gently worn with which they then take the time and care to inspect and clean each garment before hanging them on the racks for you to buy, an added bonus of consignment is if you choose to take your items to these places and they are sold, you in turn receive a percent of the profit.
On the other hand thrift stores accept only donated items, you don't receive any profit for what you take, and there are little to no guidelines to what they accept and reject to hang on their racks, and they don't take the time to clean each item before it is put on storefront.
The bonus of thrift stores is they are much cheaper than consignment and if you have the time to spend scouring the racks you may come up with a gem for less than $10 dollars.
If you have children both of these are great options to consider when they are growing so rapidly that it's hardly worth shelling out $20 per item that will only fit them for 3-6 months and you can find great clothes starting as low as $1 per item.

I recently did a closet overhaul of my own and found 9 items suitable to bring in for consignment, I chose to take them to Rewind which is a trendy consignment boutique on the corner of Macleod Trail Southeast and 10th Avenue.
The store also showcases items from local designers that are available for purchase and you can check them out online too by following this link Rewind Consignment.

After 1 month I touched base with the store and found out some of my items had sold and I had $63.00 in profit that I was able to either collect a cheque for or use as credit to purchase items at the store.
I decided on the latter and found 3 very cute tops for myself; I owed $1.50 over and above my credit for items that are practically new in turn for pieces that I hadn't worn at all or that didn't fit me any longer. It's a Win - Win!
On top of it all I know I'm contributing, if even in the smallest way, to being more eco-friendly and that's good enough for me.

Getting to the Green

As I've mentioned this year I'm attempting to garden in our backyard... after doing some research I'm feeling the task seems more daunting than do-able but I'm trying to remain optimistic about my green-thumb abilities.

So far my favourite go to site for helpful advice has been from Green Gate, a local Calgary garden centre that not only supplies everything you need for your garden but has a wide variety of online tools to help you get started. At this point I've decided to focus on our lawn, landscaping and prepping the soil beds for next year when I will plant a vegetable garden and more flowers.

Lawn Care 101

Springtime is maintenance time for your lawn, the best thing you can do right now is thoroughly rake your lawn to remove all of the thatching (the dead grass and leaves which will steal the nutrients and moisture from the grass beneath trying to grow through) and another option to consider is getting your lawn aerated, there are many companies out there that offer this service for a fairly decent price.
Aeration pulls small plugs of soil out from your lawn to enable moisture and nutrients to seep deeper into the ground which not only means better grass but if your lawn is lumpy it's possibly due to lack of moisture; if there isn't enough moisture in your soil dew worms will tunnel their way to the surface which creates lumps all over your lawn.
The second step ... or third if you decide to aerate... is to fertilize. Choose a slow release fertilizer high in nitrogen (there are 3 numbers on fertilizers, the first is nitrogen, second is phosphorus and the third is potassium.
Each nutrient is vital to the healthy growth of your lawn and with a healthy lawn you are more likely to avoid pests and other unwanted issues.
Lastly is of course watering, like any other plant grass needs to be watered and the more frequently you water your lawn the deeper the roots will grow which in turn will make your lawn more apt to standing up to harsh conditions as well as retain water better. All the watering your lawn needs each week is 1cm, lay a frisbee or small container out on your lawn during watering to measure this.

Landscaping


Figuring out the layout of your yard is just as important as planning a layout inside your home, if you intend on growing anything such as vegetables or flowers you need to ensure you are plotting the appropriate areas for proper growth. Decide what it is you want to grow and find out what type of conditions the plants need, you can find this on the Green Gate website or ask your local garden centre.
Once you know this you're ready to plan those plots.

Composting


To better prepare your soil for planting (or to give it a boost each spring) compost is key!
It's not only easy but free, eco friendly and a good way to get everyone in the house involved. You can buy compost containers at any home hardware store or garden centre but you can also just set aside a small area of your yard, close it off, cover it up and voila - you're ready to compost!
It's best to reserve a sunny and warm area as this will speed up the cycle of decay in your compost but a shady and cool area will do fine also.
Composting is all about layering... think of it like a lasagna for worms.

Start with brush such as branches from pruning, add fresh grass clippings or other fresh greens and top it with dry brown materials such as dried leaves, tea bags and coffee grounds.
Your compost pile should be damp but not wet and it will require you to turn the pile periodically for oxygen to flow.

Do not compost meat, bones, weeds or grass clippings that have been sprayed with chemicals.

If you start composting in spring you will have a glorious compost pile come fall which you can use to condition your soil for the following spring which is what I intend to do with mine!

Container Gardening


Because I absolutely LOVE flowers and I don't believe a yard is complete without them I plan on purchasing some containers to grow my flowers in for this year as well as some small indoor containers to grow a few herbs in!
A good container with adequate drainage is all you need to satisfy your plants and it's a great way to add some colour to your yard. I'm thinking a few barrel planters with tulips will suffice for this year.

Oh Mr. Sun

What is it about Spring that brings us a jolt of energy to clean and organize our lives?? (Or is it just me?)
Maybe it's the fact that everything around us is shedding it's old, musty and dull weight of Winter for a bright rejuvenation and overhaul... after all Spring is about change and growth in nature so why not for us too?! For myself, I have the incessant need to scrub every square inch of my house until I can see my reflection everywhere I look...not because I like to look at myself THAT much but because then I will be able to sit back and think about how wonderfully clean everything is (until somebody makes a mess which will most likely happen as soon as I sit down to have that thought... ce la vie!)

As I already mentioned I am anticipating gardening season this year and I'm using all of my self control at the moment to stop myself from buying out all of the tulips at the grocery store floral department so I can get revved up for planting some! My compromise is no flowers until the house is clean...which unfortunately also means tackling the spare "bedroom" which would be more accurately described as junk room at the moment.  So with a full list of 'To Do's' to go through I'm buzzing with excitement for all things Spring!

What's your Spring ritual/routine?

Gardening For Dummies

Now that Spring has sprung (officially by Calendar...unofficially by Mother Nature) my mind has set it's gears to Gardening and being a new HOMEOWNER with a large backyard that I don't have to ask permission to use, I fully intend on making use of it's bounty to sow the various seeds I will be planting!

Unfortunately... I wouldn't describe myself as much of a green thumb... plants that come to live in my house... well they tend to die... even the "easiest plant to take care of" (as professed by my Mother) came to live with me and ended up living in a landfill. Then there was the time I tried to plant flowers at our old place, I bought some nice lively potted plants from the store and some fertilizer... dug up some dirt and stuck those suckers in... they died within a week. I don't know where I went wrong... so this time I am enlisting the help of my Mom as well as Auntie to come and help me with my gardening and fix my apparent Faux Pas ...

Oh and one more thing I fully intend on learning/trying is growing my own Indoor Herb Garden, since I love cooking and there is truly nothing better to add to your dish than FRESH Herbs I want to give this a shot too!

Some day I envision I will have a back yard & garden to be envied by all! A vegetable patch, raspberry bushes, lilac bushes, tulips, sunflowers, rhubarb... it will be a thing of beauty and once my dream comes true I will be learning something else that is completely new to me... Canning, which I will be enlisting the help of D's Grandmother to mentor me in.

Wish me luck or Green Thumbs Up!
I will keep you all posted on my progress, what I learn and how it turns out.