Monday, June 15, 2015

Making





The garden has been keeping me pretty busy lately, but that doesn't mean there hasn't been time for making around here. Being creative is just part of a normal day in our home, for all three of us, and so even when the seasons shift and we spend more time outside, we still make time to feed our creative sides.

Two projects came off the needles over the last few weeks, both for me....a pair of fingerless mitts and a shawl.  The shawl is knit with yarn from the lovely Camilla at Mountain Girl Yarns. Both have been tucked away for now, but I look forward to wearing them in the fall.

Currently on the needles is a hat for Reece, I think it will be his winter solstice hat, and a milo for a friend who welcomed a sweet baby girl last month. The milo has become my go to pattern for new babies. It is a fun and easy knit, and as with all baby patterns, it knits up pretty quickly.

With summer upon us I have been busy making bug spray, and healing salve for our adventures in the woods, and hand salve for our tired, blistered, and sore gardening hands. Body butter and lip balm have also been whipped up over the last few weeks. I make all of these products for us, and for customers. I enjoy making them, and to know that other families enjoy using them makes me happy.

So how about you, what have you been making these days?

42 comments:

  1. lovely goodies. so productive.

    that salve after the garden must be your best friend lol

    i keep wanting to make a shawl but never have the the right yarn. i've realised that for crochet I'm going to need something very light indeed.

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    1. Thanks Autumn. Yes, coming in from the garden to my hand salve is heavenly.

      I love making shawls, and love wearing them too. I didn't think I would, but they are so perfect to wrap around the shoulders on a chilly evening. Yes, I think you most likely would, but I don't know anything about crochet :)

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  2. Such beautiful knits Kim and I smiled with I saw your photo of you salves. I am coated down in your body butter [a little too much sun yesterday] and I have to tell you it is a favorite of mine.
    Enjoy a beautiful Monday on this planet, living and creating!

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    1. Thank you Tracey. Oh that is so wonderful to hear Tracey, I am glad you are enjoying the products I sent your way.

      It has been a wonderful day, and I hope it was for you too. xo

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  3. Can't believe how much you get done!!! Love all of your knitting, those mitts looks so soft (had a recent disaster with a pair myself), I've made a few new born milo's too - what's there not to like about them!
    I've made some bug spray this week which I'm happy to report really works, going to try and make some for the dog who manages to get himself at least one tick each time he goes out side, but I'm a bit worried about the essential oil on his fur - if he licks them? Do you have a recipe that you use on your dog? I should try making some more salves but in the past mine have 'curdled'.

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    1. The fingerless mitts are knit from an alpaca blend, so very soft. I can't wait to wear them.

      For our dog we just put a drop of rose geranium oil on her neck at the back, and on her back just before the start of her tail, it does the trick and seems to keep the ticks away. We don't have many ticks in our yard though. In the last three years Shelby has had three, one each summer. We don't usually start putting the oil on her until we find the first tick. Hope that helps.

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  4. Great looking knitting projects! The colors of the shawl are very pretty, she makes some beautiful yarn! How did you make the bug spray? Sitting outside right now means we're dinner for the skeeters and I'd love to make something without all the chemicals.

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    1. Thanks Anke. Camilla does make beautiful yarn. I have a few more skeins waiting to be knit up, and I just need to find the perfect project for them.

      Bug spray...you can see one of my recipes right here http://www.motheringwithmindfulness.com/2013/07/exploring-new-trail.html

      The one we are currently using has rose geranium, lavender, and lemongrass essential oils. Both work equally well.

      If we are just sitting around outside we tend to use sandalwood incense sticks, they work like a charm at keeping the bugs away. We light a few around the area where we are sitting and let them do their thing. Bonus, they smell good too :)

      Hope that helps.

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  5. Kim, your knitting is lovely. I really like the colors in your shawl, how pretty. I think your skincare products look really good too. I've never really done anything like that but I've always wanted to try. As for me, I'm crocheting a small throw and I'm getting ready to do a simple embellishment on a cotton scarf, just because the technique is interesting to me. I've also been sewing a little here and there. I hope you have a good week.

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    1. Thank you Jennifer. I love making my own self care products, it really isn't hard, or time consuming, and I know exactly what is in everything :)

      Hope you will share your scarf, it sounds interesting and I would love to see what you are doing with the embellishment.

      Wishing you a lovely week too.

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  6. beautiful photos of yarn. Camilla is so talented! I still have a skein tucked away that I'm saving for when I hit the perfect project. Lovely knits, Kim!!

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    1. Thanks Karen. I agree, she is one talented lady. Can't wait to see what that perfect project will be :)

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  7. Oh that shawl is sublime... everything else looks amazing too. Around here, we also keep going at it. We do spend less time indoors, but knitting and such travels so well. I've been working on a scarf for my niece for Xmas and will be starting on some Mason Jar cozies for drinking on the go. Will be purchasing some Cup-ows soon to also offer as holiday presents. I have so many oils infusing right now. I'm excited about trying cold process soap for the first time in fall. I would say it,s a busy time of year, but what time of year isn't? :-)

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    1. Thanks Yanic! Yes, there has been quite a bit of car knitting around here lately too. I am lucky in that Justin likes to drive, so I always get to knit :)

      I love mason jar cozies, always nice to wrap your hands around one. I hear you on the oils, I strained some dandelion oil today, and made some salve. It is like sunshine in a jar.

      We can make some soap when you are here in the summer if you like, the supplies are here, and if we have time, we can give it a go :)

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  8. Love your making. Do you have a pattern for that milo? It is so sweet! I have some friends who have and will be welcoming little ones, and it looks perfect for a gift.

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    1. Thanks Alexa. You can find the milo pattern here http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/milo-3

      It really is a great knit for little ones. Have fun!

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  9. Wow! That's impressive. Those fingerless gloves look so cozy and soft! I knit one row of a new project while we were watching a movie Friday night--a very long row that required a lot of paying attention to knits and purls so that by the time I finished it, I was tired and put it away for the rest of the movie. Otherwise...not much in the making department. I am definitely more of a winter crafter.

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    1. Thanks Andrea. They are super soft, and I can't wait to wear them. I most likely would have done the same, I find it hard to knit a complicated pattern and watch a movie at the same time.

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  10. Your knitting makes me wish it was fall already. Shame! Haha! So so beautiful. Love them.

    I just recently made some bug spray myself as the black flies really love my youngest and I find them just so darn annoying. I do have some plantain salve on my list so I must get out there and start picking. I love your containers - where do you purchase them?

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    1. NO!! Not yet! Although I am looking forward to wearing them, but I can wait a few months, I want summer first :)

      I get my containers from here https://www.voyageursoapandcandle.com/ So many great choices, and I have always had wonderful service from them.

      Have fun!

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  11. I love all of your projects! Your salves are amazing, thank you so much for sending some my way. I've been a bit slow on the correspondence front (unlike the girls who have letters ready to mail for Reece), but plan to get them in the mail very soon. I just wanted to thank you again, and tell you how wonderful your healing salve is! It smells so amazing. Hope all is great out your way. xo

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    1. Thanks Carlin. I am so happy you are enjoying the salves, it was my pleasure to share them with you.

      No worries at all, I totally understand. I'm not going anywhere, so whenever you write back is wonderful. That is great, I know Reece will be happy to get mail from your girls again.

      All is well, and I hope things are well for you guys too. xo

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  12. I just got everything i need for making some homemade bug spray for the first time too ... except for witch hazel. I'm excited to try.
    Your knitting work is gorgeous

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  13. Such gorgeous work! I crocheted several hats for my little boy and love knowing I made them when I see them on him. It makes them extra special
    Dresses & Denim

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    1. Thanks Carly. I feel the same way when I see my little man wearing something I have made.

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  14. I love that shawl! These days see me in the garden all the time too. But I recently managed to sew two dress and am working on a picnic quilt which is so very close to being done.

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    1. Thanks KC! How lovely, can't wait to see your finished projects.

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  15. What a lovely life! Do you sell your salves?

    Tara @ world-mothering air

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    1. Thanks Tara. Yes, I do. I don't have a shop per say, all of it is word of mouth :) If you are interested in anything shoot me an email kimcorrigan_oliver at hotmail dot com.

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  16. you have been busy creating !!! I love your shawl - i'm sure just seeing it makes many of us miss Camilla more...do you have a stall at a farmer's market for all your salves? Hope you are having a nice day Kim.

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    1. I have, but honestly, it is just part of the every day around here, and I love making :) Thank you, and yes, I have been thinking about Camilla lately, hoping she will return soon. I miss her too.

      I don't, at this moment word of mouth is how people find out about me. I am right now thinking hard about what, it anything, I want to do with all this making of healing potions. I so enjoy it all, the growing of the herbs, the wildcrafting of herbs from the forest, the creating of products, but obviously we don't need 20 tins of healing salve, so if I am going to keep at it, I need to maybe take a step forward and get myself out there a little more. We shall see.....

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  17. I so completely understand your 'being creative is just part of a normal day for us' sentence! And although I'm finding I'm spending more time out in the garden these days, I'm finding it very energising in a strange way. I think when you get lots done and see results and feel happy with what you've achieved then you feel incredibly motivated to do more and more. And somehow your day becomes so much more productive, when you really didn't think that was possible. Anyway, I especially love the colours in your shawl, they're just beautiful.

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    1. I knew you would Sally. Yes, that it is exactly. Seeing the results of your hard work inspires you to do more. It is a good feeling, and one, that right now, is bursting forth in our home :)

      Thank you. Camilla does a really lovely job with her yarns, and I am so pleased with how it turned out.

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  18. oh! the colors in the shawl! gorgeous! the gloves are absolutely darling as well. the salves, butters, and balms sound absolutely amazing. what a perfect treat for tired garden hands.

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    1. Aren't they amazing. Camilla's yarn is just stunning, and knit up so lovely. Yes, I have to say the hand salve gets used a lot this time of year :)

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  19. Your projects as always are truly lovely. I'm still knitting the heat and sweater I started last fall. Boy am I slow.

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    1. Thank you. Hey, a few stitches a day is all it takes to get it done, doesn't matter how quickly it gets done, as long as it gets done :)

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