Halloween

This might have been my favorite Halloween yet, because I didn't have to do a thing for anyone's costume besides rescue and re-tape a cardboard box from the recycling bin. That would be for William's "Enderman" outfit, a figure from Minecraft, which the older kids have had a fleeting obsession with. The only flaw was low visibility from the box, so he did most of his trick-or-treating headless. Amy was very secretive about her costume, making her decision several weeks ago but giving no clues besides finding everything wearable that was blue. She was a Navidian (Dividian?) from Star Trek... She doesn't watch Star Trek, but somehow in her passing exposure to the show she picked out this race of creature as something worth dressing as. Caroline was delighted to wear her "cat costume" consisting of the black ears and tail she has been wearing just about every day for a month now anyway. She was so in to the whole trick-or-treating concept this year, racing along with the big kids and all their friends and declaring to me in joy and disbelief after every house, "I got another piece of candy!!"  Matthew started off in a nap, but woke up happily dressed in the cozy warm raccoon jacket costume I picked up at Goodwill years ago for just a couple of dollars, I think. It has been in the closet for ages. He was a great sport. They all were, and I wish I had more and better pictures of each of them in the costumes of their own creation. 

(I gave myself extra points for the fact that there were also raccoons on his blanket.) 

And, as a side note, how fortunate we all feel to be living in a neighborhood so ideal for trick-or-treating. Feeling so blessed in so many ways these days.  

Yarn Season

To pick up where I left off several weeks ago, let's talk about some more projects. Right around the first of October something pinged in my head and I knew it was time to wake up the knitting needles. I have no shortage of projects started, but I haven't touched any of them in quite awhile. Plus, after finally getting my sewing and craft stuff organized I've been forced to confront this rather large bin of leftover or unused yarn. I've been sifting through it over the last several weeks, considering projects different from what I might have intended to use skeins for originally, or ways to combine the leftovers into something pretty or useful. 

So far this season, I'm on a bit of a roll. 

First I wanted to make another helix knit hat. I followed the same general pattern I'd made successfully twice before, this time with leftover purple and pink Red Heart acrylic and presto! A hat for Caroline. 

You can see in the first picture my very not-done to-do list that I was ignoring in favor of some knitting time. In the second picture is the yellow and black helix hat I made for William a few years ago that he still actually wears and likes. Currently I'm whipping through another hat with a different yarn, also from the stash, this time for Amy:3

Might have enough to make a cowl, too. Small projects like this are so fast and satisfying! 

On the opposite side of the speed spectrum is this doozy: 

The beginnings of a attempt to use up all my cheap acrylic afghan yarn once and for all. Working on this project in just a simple giant granny is fun and mindless but gives me some déjà vu because of all the hours I've logged with these colors over the years, in several large-scale projects, most of which were sent off as gifts. Fortunately most of the colors I have on hand work together and go with my living room, so a mix-y, casual blanket to snuggle with should be just right. 

Speaking of the living room, I finally sprung for a rug and end tables and proper lamps, which all together have improved that room tremendously. Here's a quick before and after: 

With these new additions I feel like I finally have a grown up living room. What do you think, should we paint the mantle white?

That's about all I've got for the moment though I hope to keep up the good knitting and crochet momentum; I do love it so and like to report on my projects. I'll sign off with my attempts at catching the autumn beauty going on all around us right now. It's just amazing, especially after being away from New England for so long.  

Hope you all have had many beautiful moments in your week, too! Back soon!