Year of Knitting: Farmhouse Shawl

          I seem to really be into knitting shawls this year with this - the Farmhouse Shawl from Cabin Four- being my fourth (and most favorite) shawl of the year! This is the most snugly shawl- practically a blanket- perfect for curling up on early mornings with. While I saw knitting this pattern I kept imagining myself grabbing this off the hook at my - imagined- back door and heading out into my - imaged- back yard. Curling up in my- very real and favorite- outdoor chair and sipping on a mug of coffee. The vision was so real I could practically feel the cool Autumn air on my cheeks.

        Before we found a place to live this shawl kept my vision firm- we would find a house- it would happen. Knitting this shawl kept me focused and grounded through the weeks where we didn't know what our future would look like. Knit with gorgeous Hinterland Range yarn from Vancouver Island in Snow this yarn is as local as it gets for us. Working with Hinterland yarns is a dream- as soon as I started I could feel the love that had gone into making such a beautiful product.

      The pattern it's self was so quick and easy- one to surely make again. I truly enjoyed the process. I will admit to feeling a bit like Stevie Nicks with the fringe and I will likely wear my Farmhouse to the Vancouver Folk Festival- yes even in July it can get chilly on the water!

It's Friday!

          Friends it is Friday again- time to kick back .... and pack more boxes! Yes that seems to be the theme of our days! Often when I glance at the calendar I get a gross sinking feeling- so many tasks to be checked off that giant to do list that comes with moving. For the most part our family has been pulling together to take care of the more mundane tasks such as laundry and packing during the week so we can still have our weekends a bit free. There are still so many things we wish to do here on the Coast before moving at the end of July- we have created a bucket list of sorts.

        I am hoping to post here all of our favorite spots in and around Vancouver to visit- you can also follow our summer adventures over on Instagram. I may or may not have started a hash tag #thingsiwillmissaboutvancouver which is pretty much everything friend and food related! So stay tuned for weekly updates on our Summer 2016 bucket list- maybe it will spur you on to create your own family bucket list for the coming months!

       As mentioned it is Friday- aside from packing boxes I hope to have a few quiet moments with my coffee while I start a new knitting project- it's a secret for now- details will be forthcoming! So here's to two entire days of coffee, knitting and adventuring! Happy Friday Friends! xox

Year of Knitting: The Vera Tee

         With all the travelling between the Okanagan that we have been doing these past few months I have traded in my sewing machine for the knitting needles- knitting being the more portable of projects to pack for the weekend. Not only am I still making and creating in a very tangible way but the very act of knitting keeps me sane- I am by far a patient person- possibly the worst traveller ever and so the knitting keeps me busy.

        When I came across the Vera Tee from Mackenzie Sasser I knew that my girl needed one- or possibly more- of these sweet little tees- the very perfect layering layer! Initially I thought the Vera Tee would be great in the fall under her jean jacket or layered up when it gets frosty- to be honest I am afraid my children are going to freeze in the Okanagan! After this weekend though my girl wore her Vera tee almost everywhere- it turns out this knit is great for warm weather as well as layering!

      I knit this little sweater up in a week- yes the time spent in the car stuck in traffic helped but this pattern was so simple and a pleasure to knit up. I used two skeins of Malabrigo yarn in #035 Frank Ochre- this mustard shade is a favourite of both my Girl and I! The Vera Tee is knit inside out- once the shoulders are seemed up you flip the whole thing about before picking up the collar and tacking down the roll sleeves.

      As I mentioned I am slightly worried my West Coast kids are going to freeze this fall and winter- a real winter in Kelowna is slightly different than what we are used to! I will definitely be knitting a few more Vera Tees up to have on hand for when things get chilly!

Life Lately

        Life lately has been a bit of a whirl wind- to say the least. As many people who read this blog have possibly already heard- either via word of mouth or social media our little family has made some major life changes of late. We are moving home to the Okanagan- a brand new adventure for all of us. While my Mr. and I both grew up in the Okanagan it's a place that we haven't lived together as a couple- ever! We both moved to Vancouver when we were kids- fourteen years later we are ready to head East again and start a new chapter in our life.

           This move comes at a time when housing prices are skyrocketing in Vancouver- there is literally no way we could ever afford the type of house or lifestyle we desire. However housing is not the main reason we are moving. When we came home from our trip to California at the beginning of March both the Mr. and I felt off- we felt something was missing from our life here in Vancouver. We felt stuck in a cycle of business that neither of us were interested in- the rat race if you will. At what could be considered the height of our careers we were both feeling flat and rather unfulfilled. As a family we felt disconnected and out of control. We needed a change.

          Its so funny how the Universe opens the right doors just when you need it. Things just started lining up and happening- slowly at first- new jobs and then a place to live- our own home right by the beach- a garden and a clothes line. Slowly we are starting to dismantle our life in Vancouver- one by one doing all the things we love to do and wish to do just one last time- we can't bear to start saying good bye to people yet- those tears will come in a few months. Vancouver will always be such a special place to our family- it's where we fell in love, became a couple, became parents, watched our babies walk, the run, then bike.

       This change is exciting- and at the same time so scary. We have done this whole life thing on our own for so many years we will have to relearn how to be a part of a larger family once again. We are such a part of an amazing community here in Vancouver- walking down the school hall to do drop off we feel like we belong- we will have to find a new community again. This relearning of how to adult in a city that is so familiar and yet so changed from the one we knew before. Exciting but scary stuff! They say you can't go home but we can't wait to get started!