Tuesday marked Sam’s very first Valentine’s Day party, which also meant it was his first time making valentines. I was delighted to receive a note the previous week from his pre-school teacher stating that “store bought cards are perfectly fine and handmade cards are not necessary.” I tend to put pressure on myself to be The Pinterest Mom when it comes to these types of things and so having someone give me a way out was a relief. On Monday my mom and I took the kids out to run errands and we stopped off at Michael’s to pick up some pre-made cards. Much to my dismay, they were almost completely sold out of their card sets, save a few Disney Princess themed boxes, which Sam was not particularly fond of, as you would imagine. We ended up purchasing foam hearts and about $20 worth of stickers, heart-printed washi tape, and new markers for Sam to make his own valentines. I put my foot down when he requested glitter pens. I drove home thinking that the afternoon was going to be terrible because I was sure Sam would tire after making three or four cards and I would be begging him to finish all fifteen of them. Surprisingly, not only did he manage to finish the cards in less than an hour, but he completed them all without stopping or any nagging from me. He carefully selected each sticker and mulled over the placement of every singe piece of tape. He was so intensely focused during the entire process that he barely spoke.
It. Was. So. Cute.
On Tuesday he woke up early and dressed himself, he was so excited. When the classroom attendant walked him to his room, he was practically skipping, swinging his bag of handmade cards by his side. Later that night he told me that he had “the best day ever.” Must have been quite the rager.
I finished my Petty Harbour socks! The texture is so squishy and I love how the color works so well with the pattern. This was my first time trying an afterthought heel. I really liked the entire concept, even though I made a few mistakes along the way. I hate picking up stitches for the gusset after knitting the heel. I always have holes that I have to go back and fix, and the afterthought heel completely eliminates that problem. Plus, it’s nice to not have to stop and knit a heel just when you’re getting the hang of some complicated pattern and you finally feel yourself knitting “on a roll,” so to speak.
The afterthought heel was my January skill, so now I need to learn a second skill for the month of February, per my New Year’s Resolution. I have a pattern that calls for a provincial cast on, which I have never done before. I also discovered My Cup of Tea Socks have giant holes in the heels! Perhaps I should learn to darn? Do any of you have any experience in darning or recommend a tutorial online? I hate to throw the socks away!
Happy Wednesday, friends.
