One Morning in Maine

...the icicles outside the kitchen window looked like this, as the sun was rising.

I am gathering the contents of a package I am sending over a continent or two (depending on which way the mail goes) and across at least one ocean. It's a fun blogging swap! I am always interested in swapping, and the way we worked it out this time was to think of what could be made in about an hour...since we work in various media. I liked that way of doing it. And if you follow that aforementioned link, make sure you read this post about Nigel the robot who is always the life of the party.

The cute hat is complete! And I do wish I had some small ball or a tiny model head to show it on. I think the 3D effect would be delightful. It's a nice soft alpaca-silk yarn from KnitPicks. And I liked the pattern so much, for ease of completion, for just enough thinking knitting, for sheer cuteness, that I am already beginning a second hat. For some girl baby, with PINK, since I had no reason to knit pink for my own children. Someone will have a girl, somewhere, I hope.
Jonas made the butterfly cord for the ties. I have no idea how to do it myself, but it's something he learned in school.
We have to import our flowers here right now, but oh that color is such a feast for my eyes. (Notice the photo in the upper left corner? The very one that my brother used for his portrait of Jonas and I!) We're the care-takers of the flowers this weekend---they were given to Mr. E's class on Friday after their stellar performances of two marionette puppet shows. They wrote their own scripts inspired by African folklore, wrote musical accompaniment, and made their own silk marionettes! Here's a small taste, from How Monkey Got His Tail:
And I have been meaning to introduce you to a new blog, Totally Smitten Mama, and this amazing post in which she details all of the amazing crafty items she made for Christmas with/in-spite-of her three boys and pregnant wife! Those adorable little wooden peg people just about make me swoon whenever I see them.