belated ta-dah

Ohayo  from Sapporo, or just good morning!

I'm so amazed we're here and you can read more about my adventures on our travel blog: www.springinsapporo.blogspot.com

Since I'm writing a second blog, I doubt there is much time or subject matter for this little crafty, cooking, gardening, "lifestyle" blog. 

What I'm getting at: a small 3 month hiatus. 

Before that though, let me share what I was up to those last hectic 2 weeks before we left!

Spring had sprung!

Family dinners of bacon topped pork tenderloin roasted on carrots and onions. Yum!

Dessert was creme brulee. Yummer!

 

Enjoying my orchid before we left.

Chasing this muffin down who has learned to stand on her own so quickly!

 

That hair!

 

 We miss this guy a whole lot.

And this naughty kitty.

Oh wait, what's she on?

I finished my blanket before we left!

 

TA-DAH!

 

80 squares, 8x10 rows, a thick border.

I didn't measure it but it's spread out on our queen size bed if that gives you an idea.

 

The border is just hdc around.

 

I tried fitting it in the frame (too lazy to switch lenses) by putting it on the floor and standing on the couch. Muffin didn't get it. But at least you can see how big it is in comparison to her!

 

the back.

 

I'm super in love and it turned out better than I could have hoped for.

I can't wait to use it next fall and winter snuggled on the couch. :)

And now I can start my white border sunshine starburst here!

I hope you'll check out our other blog linked above.

Have a great spring!

Tidbits

Raspberry lemonde bars. 

Obviously the solution to defrosted raspberries sitting in your fridge.

 

Easter photo session outtakes. Because every girl needs to have a butterfly dress like that. 

Super seriously still love it. 

 

As messy, loud, and sometimes obnoxious as this guy is...I'm really gonna miss him.

And those other two buggers.

 

Practicing still life and styling with my fantastic sister.

Much fun!

 

Playing with negative space in composition.

I really love these tete-a-tete narcissi. 

Working on my edge on the blanket. Slowly.

Pondering the packing conundrums.

Hoping no one wakes up my baby while she sleeps on the balcony.

Love that (Finnish) custom of having babies sleep outside.

I want to too!

Also, I should not consume more than two cups of coffee per day for numerous reasons (my coffee maker says I've had 3/4 liter of it so far...) but how I really would love another cuppa! 

One week till Japan!!

Sneaking a moment...

I'm sneaking a moment to share my latest going-ons... I feel naptime might be running out so I'll make it brief!

 Meal planning.

It sounds boring and tedious to decide what you're going to eat for the next week. I used to think so anyway.

We've been doing this for a month or two and it's changed the way we cook (healthier!) and the way we spend money at the grocery store (less!).

Here's a spaghetti dinner we made. I just love the look of the pasta :D

Pussy willows. 

The first sign of spring. I can't believe the winter we've had and how fast spring has come.

(even though it's snowing outside at the moment, it's supposed to melt by Friday).

 

I haven't gotten around to crocheting or knitting much since last time. 

Unfortunately! 

But my knitting machine Aunt whipped out TWO pairs of baby socks for Elisabeth while she was in town! :)

 

The border is growing. Slowly. 

I made a whole row of sc in the light gray... only to get about 15 stitches from the end of the WHOLE ROW and run out of yarn! GRRRR!

It pissed me off enough that only today have I picked up the hook again. 

Now I'm just going to do hdc rows of green and the dark gray. 

This blanket is already getting used though, even with some ends hanging off. It's perfectly large and thick!

As an anniversary present from my aunt, we got a pot of pansies. 

(I had just complained about how I will miss out on pansies on my balcony this year). 

They are so very pretty!

 

My muffin is growing at warp speed and now she can stand up all by herself against any table or chair that she chooses. 

 

This face is so cute that I can't even handle it.

I have this photo as my background on the laptop and it makes me smile every time. 

Just over a week left until we are headed to Japan... 

I can't handle that either! 

There is so much still up in the air about living there AS WELL AS after we get home... 

If ever, now is the time to just say, what happens happens and hope for the best!

Life's an adventure, right?!

So close, on the edge!

Ok, so maybe the title was a bit dramatic. 

But what I'm referring to of course, is my blanket!

I've now crocheted together 80 squares, 8x10 rows.

Here it is more laid out for viewing purposes:

I've actually surprised myself and immediately after crocheting the final rows, I began sewing in the ends!! I know, no procrastination on a not-so-fun job, I can hardly believe it myself! ;) 

Seriously though, why must I procrastinate about everything that's even just a little tedious or irritating to take care of? 

Phone calls are the worst!

Anywho, I've even started work on the border today after I got the last ends sewn in. Woohoo!

I am so into this blanket now, it's ridiculous.

I want to work on it until it's done and I can hardly put it down!

By far, my most favoritest ever crochet make. ♥

This week saw us back at Ikea. I haven't been there since maybe November? 

Of course, I walked away with an orchid. How could I when they were even on sale?!

We also got some baby proofing items for our mobile little one, new curtains (the living room ones barely cover the window as we found out when the sun shone for 2 hours a couple weeks ago), and a new duvet cover. We've been using the Christmasy red blanket from my parents since November and now that it's getting brighter and the snow is gone (!), spring is on our minds. Time to lighten up!

This was the cheapest of the three contenders and now that we have it in our room, we are happy we went with it. 

Hubby especially loves it, and I have been teasing him about liking "French country" style stuff. ;)

My sister got Miss Muffin a tea party set. :)

But I think the cat is more interested in it than Muffin since she's been stealing pastries every chance she can get!

So that's about it. Just mainly wanted to share my progress on the blanket!

(and obviously my pretty new orchid)

See ya around soon!

Maybe next time, I'll have one more completed blanket under my belt! Woot!

Valentine's recap and handicrafts and so on

Happy belated Valentine's Day! ;)

Ok, so I really did mean to post something for then, but understandably, time gets away from me. I had a great Valentine's Day though, spent with my two most favoritest people eating good food! We made homemade chicken pizza from scratch (including the crust!), topped with lots of fresh veggies. We ate the pizza with arugula (rocket) on top. I've seen it on pinterest like that before and the idea stuck. It was definitely delicious that way! 

Dessert was heavenly fudgy thick peanut butter swirl brownies. Yeah. Yum! (just not very photogenic...)

Obviously Valentine's Day = flowers. 

I bought myself pink and purple tulips this year, since we were at the store a  few days before and I couldn't decide which color I wanted more. Hubby's answer: get both. Ooooooh twist my arm why don't ya! ;) 

  (blue inside the purple ones!)

My sister bought Elisabeth a beeeeeeeeeautiful (and surprisingly a little fragrant) pink rose. Ah. ♥

I've been crocheting and knitting quite a bit when I get a chance... It is my stress/anxiety medication. 

I have made more owls. (check out my last post).

 Not pictured is the blue on blue one I made for my sister.

I've been knitting more of this simple garter stitch scarf. I love the stripe. I love variegated yarn. I love blue. So um, yeah. There's a love thing going on with this, even if I do find it a little repetitive. 

I have all my blues and greens used up for my starburst blanket. I got to 80 squares! My mom and her friend came over last Monday, and she actually crocheted I think the last 4-5 squares while I knit! I have them assembled in piles to be crocheted on... but suddenly I'm stalling! I don't know why. I guess because crocheting them together and sewing in the ends is so dreadful? :D 

I have a major yarn swooning thing going on with these here.

I bought them for my next big blankie. I am so in love with the starburst pattern, that I'm doing a brighter version with a "classic" white border. The white is actually more of a cream but you get it, right. 

Anywho, I am sooooooo in love with these jewel tones. Ah, perfect! ♥

This will be the bright sunny sister to my shadowy blue and green blanket. :)

 We had a sushi night on Sunday with the family... It was super fun and was our late Valentine's celebration and kind of sorta a celebration because we bought the tickets and it's 100% sure we will be living in Japan from the end of March-late June!! 

:) 

(my roll was a little heavy on the rice...)

But yep, Japan. Us three. Three months. 

Spring! 

I'm so thrilled, happy, excited, scared, nervous, happy, excited, well I think you're getting the idea.

A lot for us to arrange but when adventure comes knocking, we aren't the type to tell it to go away. I think there is probably a meme with Bilbo out there that describes this situation right now. ;)

We will be on the North island, Hokkaido and living in Sapporo. I am kind of torn as to whether or not I should 

a)blog about the life there

b) blog about our life there on this blog

c) start a travel blog?

I'm kind of leaning towards option C because I kind of like my personal little blog and I think of this as my (private) journal where I log in all my makes and eats and flower pictures for me to look back on. :D 

And I think I'd like to share my travels more openly (=linking on facebook) and possibly do it in both Finnish and English so that everyone could read it? 

If you have an opinion, leave and comment or send me a message! 

Well, it's dinner time for a muffin I know. I'm surprised I managed to get around doing this to the end, seeing as she woke up half way through! 

I'll leave you on a cutie pie note:

Benjamin the British Blue. ♥ 

I super mega love this kitten and might just steal him when my friend's not looking ;)

Thanks for reading.

Until next time, cheerio!

Runeberg

Today is Runeberg's Day here in Finland. He was a famous Finnish poet, if you're interested, you can read about him here.

I thought yesterday was Runeberg's Day, so I whipped up a batch of his wife's famous pastry that we eat on that day... 

I guess the upside is celebrating two days in a row? ;) 

And for once, I have pictures to show on the of the holiday for that holiday. Cool!

It's not even 11 p.m. yet either! 

These past few days, I have been working a lot on my blanket and knitted shawl that I just had to take on a little instant gratification project. 

I'm making them for kids I know for Valentine's Day. 

Cute! 

If you want to make one, the pattern and tutorial are here @ bunny mummy's blog 

They are really fast and easy.

The only change I made was for the eyes. I made a magic circle and hdc 8 into it. Then I made french knots for the eyes. 

The pink and green one on the left was for my little muffin. 

It might be me, but she's the cutest thing I've ever seen. ;)

And crawling so fast and all around the house now. She's ever so busy!

Hope you are having a wonderful Runeberg Day. Even if you don't know who he is!