I love thrift shopping. I love finding just what I needed/wanted/never knew I needed until I saw it. And I love getting it for a deal.

Since I’ve started sewing it’s been even worse…now there is vintage fabric and sheets to search for along with the notions, books and wool I’ve been collecting.

My husband does not feel the thrill of the thrift like I do but he is very patient with waits in the car with five children, or listening to me deliberate over a certain floral pattern which he loathes because vintage is not his thing. Considering there are seven people living in this rather small and currently overflowing home, he is very, VERY understanding of the steady trickle (stream?) of used books, buttons and crafting dreams that follow me into this space after I’ve been let loose in a second-hand store.

The kids, well, I am still working on them. They have mixed emotions where thrift stores are concerned. If someone is looking for a Halloween costume or a certain volume of Magic Tree House, they are more willing participants and if they are less than enthused I can always tempt them with a browse through the books.

This weekend my lovely family was so kind as to wander with me through not one but two second-hand stores. They helped me search for buttons, encouraged me to buy one more sweater, picked out some fun reading materials and quietly accepted the florals despite their revulsion to them.

There was only one small casualty during our time out…

…careful it isn’t pretty…

…maybe stuffing four loaves of bread into the fridge for a slow rise was not the best idea. This guy didn’t do so well.

But these little guys cheered me up.

So now that I am even more fully stocked than before I have to get going with some projects…ideas anyone?

Maybe I will start with a slice of cinnamon bread.

*We’re planning some fun Valentine’s Day projects this week in the jay’s house – hope you’ll pop in for another visit!

Joining with Amanda at SouleMama for this moment.

{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you’re inspired to do the same, leave a link to your ‘moment’ in the comments for all to find and see.

May you enjoy whatever adventures this weekend brings you!

Joining Ginny over at Small Things for another instalment of Yarn Along.

Things aren’t looking too different since last week…

I have nearly completed the mittens – only a thumb left at this point. I really could have finished the pair in a longish evening of knitting but this week, although I have often carried my knitting around the house, I have gotten little needle time in. I am determined, though, that as soon as this post is up I am going to escape the computer and work on my hat. It has been cold, cold, cold here and although they are calling for a warm up over the next few days it will undoubtedly be followed by a return to the cold, cold, cold and this mama needs a warmer hat!

As for reading, I am loving Howards End. It has been so enjoyable – just the thing for my craving of all things turn of the century. I’ve even had a little luck listening to it for free at Libravox (public domain books, ie. published before 1923, are read by volunteers are made available for free). I don’t usually do too well with audio books and I really do prefer the feel of a book in hand but I’m finding I can squeeze in a chapter without having to rewind too often and still keep my knitting in hand. I have particularly dug into it since the end of Downton Abbey (no spoilers, but for those of you who watched it – really, that’s how it ended??!).

I have also been listening to Animal, Vegetable, Miracle on my iPod. I read through most of it last year but didn’t quite get through it before my library renewals were up. Now I have been listening to it while I’m folding laundry – and because no one wants to get roped into helping me fold, I don’t usually have too many interruptions. Such a good book and I love having the audio book read by the authors. I would highly recommend it to everyone – although I do feel increasingly guilty about the bananas on my counter.

I’m hoping to have a new project (or at least a different project) and book to show for myself next week. Looking forward to seeing what everyone else has on the needles and in the book pile this week.

Happy Wednesday!

Once a week when the “big” girls have gym, my eldest son and I get to visit the library together. The library is one of our favourite places and the hour never seems long enough.

We wander through the children’s section.

Pick some favourites.

Even find some treasures.

Then we snuggle up on the big cushions on the floor (ignoring the impulse to wonder what those things might be breeding) and read together.

At home it is rare to have reading time alone with mommy. As soon as a reading is requested by one child all the others come running to find a prime spot on my lap…ankle, shoulder, head – whatever is still available.

An hour alone to read together is a special treat…

…aren’t I fortunate to receive such an honour!?

Joining Ginny‘s yarn along again today.

While I would love to be showing you great progress on the hat I began last week with more of that delicious alpaca, my needle broke bringing me to a temporary standstill. But as I had mentioned there are a few mittens on needles around here so I have picked them up in the meantime. I am using a thrummed mitten pattern that came with a kit my mom bought me a few years ago and omitting the thrums….Sounds like someone is a little too lazy to find a new pattern? This pair will be seventh I’ve made with this pattern (the sixth sans thrums). The wool is Paton’s Classic Wool in not-my-favourite shade of pink but a certain three-year-old here loves that these mittens will match her scarf and hat.

In a rather lazy, marathon day of lounging around and reading I finished (well, nearly began and finished) The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner’s Dilemma. I perhaps didn’t enjoy it quite as much as the first two but that may also have been the speed with which I devoured it. I always feel a little cheated if I speed through a book too fast (which of course gives me ample opportunities to never finish a book I am enjoying). The Prisoner’s Dilemma held the same (gentle) intrigue, adventure and excitement that the others contained, maybe I am just sad that I suspect there may not be a fourth. Hopefully I am wrong.

Now I am at an impasse over which book to get into next. The kids and I have started Mary Poppins but I suspect it will be slow going because they are too wrapped up in Tintin and the Castafiore Emerald to choose anything else for bedtime stories. I was tempted to read Mary Poppins on my own but they are still interested in it so I will wait. Now I am torn between a light, easy, yet entertaining read through Tears of the Giraffe or a longer commitment to E. M. Forster’s classic Howard’s End.

I'm drooling over this edition

As I really wanted to read a good turn-of-the-century English novel, partly thanks to watching this series on Masterpiece Theatre, I think I will happily sink my teeth into Howard’s End. Maybe I’ll amaze myself by actually making some headway on it this week….Although sadly at the expense of my knitting since I haven’t worked out a strategy for doing both at the same time.

Happy Wednesday!