Birthday Tea at LTR

Today is my baby sister's birthday and she requested tea.  There was only one real destination for a birthday tea, The London Tea Room (http://www.thelondontearoom.com/index.html).  We love the LTR and have celebrated many things within the walls of this establishment.  Maybe it is the good tea or maybe the scones or maybe it has become a tradition with us, who knows, but today for baby sister's birthday we arrived ready to celebrate. 

I will always celebrate the birth of someone I love so deeply.  The last thing I expected at 20 was another sister, but fate gave me a second chance at a sibling and I am lucky to have the bonus sibling.  Part of the problem is I dislike the siblings I grew up with.  I have tried over the years to fix the differences between my other siblings and myself, but some things are just too broken and I am human after all,  I can forgive, but I am incapable of forgetting.  Baby sister gave me the opportunity to start with a clean slate not marred with pain and for that I will always be grateful.  She challenges me to stay connected to someone a generation younger than I am, and for that I am also grateful.

The day of her birth I was with her birth mother up until the moment of her arrival.  I fled unable to bring myself to witness the miracle of life.  I regret that choice, wishing I could go back and be there when baby sister made her entrance into the world.  I remember she was small, redheaded, beautiful, and loud when we meet for the first time.  It would take my parents 3 years, several legal hoops, and a chunk of change to get through the process of adopting my baby sister, but know she was ours from the beginning.

Being the much older sister comes with lots of responsibilities and sometimes I am not always up to challenge, but I am also lucky that Natalie took up the challenge too.  She has also supplemented the big sister duties with her own brand of love and practicality. Baby sister has always known that Natalie was my partner and spouse and for her this meant more love.

I am not trying to say everything is always perfect, but know having a much younger baby sister goes on my list of things that make my life (most of the time that is) more.  So to my baby sister I wish her a wonder birthday and I look forward to sharing many more birthdays with her.

Not Forgotten

Sorry not to have blogged.  I have had so many things I have thought to blog about, but not blogged.  We have been house hunting, I have been obsessively cake hunting, Baby Sis has moved to town, and Pride is just around the corner. Much busyness. 

Finally, had some tough days with father's day last week and my dad's birthday tomorrow.  Still learning to cope.  Will catch up with my blog soon.

In the meantime, here are photos of details from some of the Cakeway to the West.  Because it is my obsession.

Katy Trail Cake in St Charles

Koi fish swimming on the side of the Grant's Farm Cake

Loved the Elephant on the side of the Eads Bridge cake

Praying Mantis on top of the City Museum Cake

Angriest Dove I have ever seen on the base the Christ Church Cathedral Cake

Happy Birthday Baby Sis!

Today in the eleventh hour I want to wish my baby sister happy birthday.  I am really lucky to have a baby sister so much younger then me.  She keeps me young at heart, though as I get older being young at heart can be very exhausting.  I have been impressed by the adult she has become. 

Jess in the Casablanca Wavy Scarf

Though she has many admirable qualities, the fact that she is knit worthy is one of my favorite things about her.  I have been knitting things for her almost since the beginning of my knitting obsession. She is always happy to get my latest creation.  Vain knitter that I am, she tells me everyone compliments the items I make her.  Finally, the girl can rock some knitwear.

So happy birthday baby sis, and I see many more knitted items in your future.

Dyeabolical Sockhands

My friend Rachel at Dyeabolical Yarns (http://www.dyeabolicalyarns.com/) came up with a pattern called "Sockhands" to showcase her vibrant hand dyed yarns.  She said, "They started out as a sock pattern and whopsie daisy turned in to fingerless mittens."  The pattern is here: http://dyeabolicalyarns.blogspot.com/2013/11/sockhands.html.  The very  vivacious models for this pattern are two of my favorite knitters having too much fun.  I especially love the photo of the two of them mock kung fu fighting.  Take a peak at the pattern just to see these wonderfully silly knitters.

 I don't know if it was the crazy photos or the pattern, but I decided I should make a pair of these mitts for me.  I just happened to have a mutant strain of Dyeabolical Yarns in a color way  I am calling Easter Egg,  I thought the Easter Egg yarn would be perfect for this pattern.  The pattern was easy, the mitts knitted up quickly, and they look smashing.  I especially liked the way she designed the thumb gusset in the ribbing section.  It made for an elegant looking line on the mitt. 

I always have a difficult time photographing anything knitted for the hands, very complicated.  Baby Sis was enlisted to help me show off my knitting prowess.  She was a natural for the photo shoot and coincidentally her nail polish matched the mitts.  I even managed to work in a Fiestaware demitasse cup and saucer in one of the photographs.  Clever me or maybe it is more like obsessed me.  Thanks Baby Sis for the help.