Bluebirdbaby

The Weekend

On Friday I left a cranky baby, darling husband and messy house behind to join lovely Rhea over at Alewives for a little sewing fun. Or, I should say a lot of sewing fun.

With a pizza, some Green and Blacks, good music and a new project to work on, we chatted and sewed, and then did some more chatting and sewing. The only thing that didn't make me happy was the fact that my sewing machine broke. Off to the shop it goes.

Saturday we headed down to my mother-in-law's house to celebrate my birthday. She had a table full of delicious food and gave me the gift of a shopping "spree" in downtown Portland. So, so sweet and very fun! My mother joined us and made a heavenly chocolate gluten-free cake.

Then it was off shopping. We started on Exchange St. where I stopped into Awear and bought a gorgeous hemp and wool sweater. My favorite color too! This was just a slice of the goodness I came home with on Saturday. Mare is so very sweet and generous.

On the way home, we stopped at my mother's house where she surprised me with a new sewing machine! I couldn't believe it! Perfect timing, eh? It feels so great to have my very own sewing machine, instead of borrowing my mother's. I'm excited to get working tonight. I have so many new things for the shop, but that's all for a later post. Stay tuned!

My Day

I'm officially a year older today. After giving Stephen hints of the gift I had my eyes on, (like sending him the link and saying "my feet would look really great in these") I was pleasantly surprised when last night he came up toting a shoe-sized box. I was giddy with excitement as I tore through the tissue paper and threw open the cover to discover these precious things:

There couldn't be a more perfect shoe. Made with bamboo, organic cotton, a recycled tire for the outsoles, coconut and jute, these shoes are just my style. And they are beyond comfortable. I love the color (Stephen decided on it all by himself) and am excited to wear them out and about. Thanks sweetie!!

And, what would a birthday be without a little creativity? I am getting ready to introduce something new for the shop. I have one completed, so you get a sneak peak.

I'm off to enjoy more chocolate mousse pie for breakfast. Have a great weekend!

Busted

I'm still feeling under the weather. What is this now? Going on on seven days? I've never been sick in September. It's especially odd with the 80 degree weather we've been having. I will admit, I'm a tad bitter about being sick during my favorite season and having more hot and humid days. I'm not a fan of the summer and much prefer the coolness of autumn or growth of spring. For now, I will enjoy my hot chocolates in front of the air conditioner.

It's almost as if the trees recognized Mother Nature's last gift of a few more warm days and finally decided to let their greenness go. Tucked away on our little hill, we seem to be lagging in the foliage department, but a glance out the window this morning and it was clear we are starting to catch up.

Regardless of the days being filled with heat and humidity, we are gearing up for a long and cold winter ahead. For a family who heats only with wood, there is a lot of preparation. Stephen does most of the work, which I am extremely grateful for. He chops, he stacks, he lights the boiler, he keeps the fire going all day and relights it in the morning after the last log has finally burned. It's a tremendous amount of work and really has made us appreciate the warmth of home during those cold winter months.

And, a little someone found the Nikon yesterday and immediately dropped it. Thank goodness for UV filters. The 50mm was on at the time, and at first I panicked and thought the lens had shattered. But it was just the filter. I think I need to go thrifting soon for a cheap film camera as a decoy...

Sleepy Sacks

A little something new for the shop. These "Sleepy Sacks'' hang on your little one's doorknob and hold their pajamas and favorite bedtime book! The drawstring holds everything in tight and is easy for little hands to loosen.

Our little one had a blast peeking in the bags and you can bet one will be on her doorknob very soon!

Cozy Corners

Living in a house that is essentially one big room has made me very aware of the sun; where it comes up and where it sets. You can sit on the same couch all day long and watch as the sun's rays move from one window to the next, and eventually end up on the opposite side of the house than when the day began.
This window seems to catch the most of the sun. It sits right in the middle of our family "room" and provides hours of sunshine throughout the day.

I'm still under the weather and now it looks as if the wee one is too. Thankfully, she is still able to breathe while sleeping, so at least someone is getting some rest!

~Joy~

joy |joi| noun: a feeling of great pleasure and happiness

~The Fair~
Quite possibly the last hot day of summer. We walked around in the blazing sun for hours, taking in all of the goodness the fair has to offer. The animals were a tremendous hit with the little one. We had to pull her away from the cows at one point. We learned, we watched, we ate and we had a marvelous time.

~Fair Goodies~
A pumpkin and a wooden spoon for a little someone were our only treasures from the fair. She thinks the miniature pumpkin is wonderful and carries her spoon around with her "stirring" all day.

~The Drive Home~
A long, scenic drive past countless farms and trees that look on fire. Talking with Stephen while the wee one finally falls asleep. Eating french fries from the fair, while resting my bare feet on the dashboard and watching that autumn light slowly sinking lower in the distance.

~Fall~
Gathering leaves on our walk. Watching as the wind makes the ferns dance and the trees whisper. Stopping for a snuggle on the hammock to listen to birds and spotting a hawk flying above.

I am feeling a bit under the weather, my friends. I may be a little quiet until this passes. Happy Autumn to you!

New pants, new paint.

At the end of a long day, there's nothing better than eating brownies for dinner. I did have great intentions of making some lentil soup, but Stephen is out for the night and I am feeling a bit lazy. I'm allowed to feel lazy, right?

You requested the "shirt converted into pants" pictures. Well, here is one pair in action. I seriously love that tutorial. I made three pairs in less than an hour. There's something very satisfying about converting an old and well loved shirt into tiny pants for my little one. Very satisfying. You might notice that I had a bit of a hard time choosing between the, oh, 50-some-odd pictures I snapped of her outside this evening.

These pants just happened to be made out of one of my favorite shirts from the Horny Toad, which sadly seemed to have shrunk while away in a box during my pregnancy.

And that early evening fall light? Gorgeous. Love it. Can't get enough of it.

And there has been some exciting news in our small town. New roads! New paint! How exciting!! The little one got to see dump trucks galore while our roads were paved last week. Just yesterday they painted the yellow lines, so we had to check them out once they were good and dry. Don't worry, our road is less than busy. Totally safe.

We're all geared up for the Common Ground Fair tomorrow and Saturday. I can't wait. I'm especially excited to learn about milking goats tomorrow in anticipation of adopting some next spring! I finished my batik sling for the fair yesterday and it turned out great. It's a tad big, but it will work. Tomorrow night is also the sewing lounge at Alewives, so there may not be another post until this weekend.

Enjoy your Friday!

To Do

Yesterday I finished a sling with some new, beautiful fabric I just adore. I originally made this for myself to use at the upcoming Common Ground Fair, but it's too big! So it will go in the Etsy shop soon and I will work on another one this afternoon. You can get a peak at the new tags I made for the slings too!

I have a few more to make for the fair, then I'll be working on the slings from the free giveaway. They'll be on their way next week Jessie and Nicole!

I have a mountain of old shirts I am converting into pants for the babe. This was the result of our fall cleaning episode yesterday. My favorite tutorial for doing this is here. Brilliant I tell you. I was very excited to find this and have used it on almost all of her pants yet. So easy!

And lastly, a new fall bag. I am really loving the "Pleated Beauty Handbag" from Amy's book. I ordered that yummy fabric from Superbuzzy. Have any of you readers made this yet? I have to admit, I'm not a pattern kind of gal, so I'm a wee bit intimidated about doing this and cutting into an $18 a yard piece of fabric! Suggestions? Tips? Help?!

Not Much

There's not much happening these past two days. We are mostly recovering from a hectic weekend, so I still haven't dragged my sewing machine out that I stashed in a corner for the party. I have a few slings to make, a new fall bag (for me!) to work on and some more pants to make for the little one.
So this post may be a bit scattered, but after being up until 2:30 this morning, (Elisabeth discovered some wheat crackers and cheese on the floor at the playgroup yesterday, hence the rough night) scattered is exactly how I am feeling.

Yesterday I watched as she excitedly made some "soup" in her new kitchen. She has also discovered the wooden knife and cutting board and finds it a joy to chop up the veggies. So we did a lot of this yesterday.

We spent some time outside exploring more of our yard. We brought our new book out with us to find some inspiration for what to collect for the nature table. We ended up finding a patch of ferns and picked some to  put in a vase. She is in the phase now where she wants to know the name of everything. So "fern" is our latest word.

And once a year I go through my closet, take everything out and get rid of many things. One would assume I would do this during "spring cleaning" but I've never gotten the urge to spring clean. I "fall clean." This is my time of renewal and cleansing. My wardrobe is already down to fitting in one drawer and one shelf. But I still have clothes I had in high school and have decided that it's time to really be wearing something I actually enjoy wearing. I've already set aside 5 shirts to be converted into pants for the babe.

And now, I'm back to entertaining a certain somebody who was up all night and still refuses to sleep today.

Two years ago

Two years ago I married the man I knew, without a doubt, was my soul mate. From the moment I first saw his c.d. collection, I knew it was true love. Miles Davis, Chet Baker and  Charlie Parker? What more could I ask for?

Our first anniversary was spent with me in bed and Stephen taking care of a one-day-old baby with my mother's generous help. This anniversary was spent with Stephen at work, but a quiet evening at home with pizza and a movie.

 

Happy Anniversary sweetie! I love you!

Please forgive the scans...they are the original, unedited versions (red eyes and all!) of the wonderful photos our photographer took.

A Year

In the wee small hours of the morning on September 15, 2006 I started having contractions. We set up our birth tub, the birthing table with various midwifery essentials and my birthing "alter." I was so happy to be having a home birth and couldn't have imagined anything different.

19 hours after the first contraction, here she is...

And here she is at two days old, probably the last time she ever slept until she was 8 months old.

A year can pass so quickly. Our first year of marriage is a blur. So quickly did those days fly by. But most of the first year of Elisabeth's life has been one of pain.  I won't get into the details, because it's really a very long story. But she is such a remarkable little one. Every time she grabs a book off the shelf and sits down to flip through the pages, or excitedly picks up a leaf in the yard, or points to the trees, or melts into my arms right before a nap just makes all of those hard-to-think-about memories disappear. She has become a person I am so proud of and have to remind myself that she actually belongs to me.

Her birthday celebration today was more than perfect. Surrounded by loving family and special friends, we celebrated her first year with us.

I got the table ready, cut fresh flowers from my favorite tree that blooms just before fall and helped Papa bring up the not quite finished play kitchen. (The cupboard and oven doors will be added this week!)

She had a gluten/wheat/soy/dairy/egg-free spice cake. The frosting was creatively made by mama out of coconut oil, organic powdered sugar, vanilla and rice milk (that was quite an experiment I tell you...), and well, this picture pretty much sums up her thoughts about that whole experience:

Then there was the birthday crown. Perhaps next year it will stay on longer than five seconds.

And, of course, her love for the play kitchen was quite apparent. She didn't stop playing with it until bedtime. All of the accessories she got from her Grammie were a big hit.

 

She wanted to carry her new enamel cup and plate around with her everywhere.

Her Nana Mare gave her some great books including "The Story of the Root Children", which is already an instant fav on my list! Our neighbor, friend and author gave her one of only 10 copies of his latest book and told us it was blessed by a Buddhist monk. How special!! She is one lucky girl. A big thank you to everyone who helped make this day so special.

While this year seems to have gone by so slowly in many aspects, it does not seem possible that I have a one year old. One! That's so old ... isn't it?

 

Creative Husbands

I wanted to take a moment and reveal my husband's wonderful talent. I am not the only creator in the family. While I create with textiles, Stephen creates with wood. We both have the "if we need something, let's make it!" mentality which is great, but also very time consuming. Stephen does not have the freedom to spend many hours down in the shop like he used to since our little one has been born. But he's been working on something very special for her birthday tomorrow.

He's completed so many wonderful projects that I honestly couldn't list them all here. One of my favorites is the beloved "Harbor House". It's an 18th-century style post and beam home right on the ocean on the coast of Maine. The family shares it and we all get our alloted time to spend up there in the summer. We're lucky to be less than an hour from it. You can click on the previous links to see the inside.

I probably should also explain that the reason we bought our house was because the entire first floor is a woodworking shop. A man's dream come true! I had honestly never seen so many tools in my life and didn't know half of them existed until I met Stephen. A workshop was a must during our house hunting adventures.
I've also been educated about his craft over the years. I now know the difference between a "flathead'' and a "Phillips" and can find my way around his toolbox for various instruments I've found handy for sewing emergencies. Being married to a tool guy really has it's perks.

Here's a brief tour of the shop, with some action shots of the birthday gift work in progress.

So for the past month, he has been working away downstairs trying to get Elisabeth's birthday gift done. It's almost there and I'm pretty sure it will be upstairs ready for the party tomorrow! Here's a sneak peak. Can you guess what it will be?

I really am in awe of his talent. I can't even imagine what goes into designing and building a house. A handbag-yes. But a house? Oh my. He has many plans in the future for big projects like barns, decks, a yurt down by the river and an addition on our house. But it's the simple things that bring such pleasure to our household and lives. Placing a book on the shelf he made or sitting in a chair he mended are enough to make me smile and feel so proud to be the wife of such a talented man.

And I must admit, the hum of the sewing machine and table saw together is quite something.

The Little Things

It's been one of those challenging days of motherhood. It's on days like this where I have to step back for a moment and really center myself. I need to take time to notice the small things and forget about the big picture. I need to leave behind the dishes in the sink, the toys scattered across the floor, the dirty diapers waiting to be washed, the clothes needing to be put away, the baby who won't sleep and try to find the small things that make me happy. At first, this was hard. I didn't want to; it's almost as if I wanted to wallow in my own sorrow. But with practice, it has gotten easier. Much easier.

We walk past my favorite tree blooming and I smile.

On the way to the library I glance back and see the babe wearing her new linen pants I finished yesterday.

She finally sleeps.

I eat ice cream right out of the container at 1 p.m. in the afternoon. It was lunch and I have no guilt.

I wrap the presents I made for Elisabeth's birthday on Sunday and start thinking about the past year and how far we've come. Can she really be one already?

It's Friday and I am gearing up for some thrifting (alone!) tomorrow.

Happy Friday!

~Transitions~

transition |tranˈzi sh ən; -ˈsi sh ən| noun the process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another


~Season~
It's not quite fall, yet no longer summer. The trees are green with hints of orange and red. The weather alternates between cool and breezy, and days where the humidity is so high you want to grab your towel and head to the beach. I'm anxious for the fall but sorry to see the summer pass so quickly.

~The Babe~
No longer a baby and transitioning into toddlerhood. So wonderful and fun to watch. This is my favorite stage yet. Where we spend the days outside exploring, collecting acorns and leaves, watching the grasshoppers dance across the grass and throwing sticks for the dog. Inside we read book after book, she watches closely as I bake muffins and runs to the window when Papa arrives home. I am anxious for what comes next and to see what wonderful ways she will continue to develop and grow, while being thankful for the moments we share presently.

~The Home~
Bringing bits of nature into our home is something we do everyday. Elisabeth loves to gather acorns, fallen leaves, sticks and flowers in her basket while we are out exploring the yard. We bring them inside and place them on our nature table or on the windowsills. I often find acorns in the middle of the living room floor and leaves in her mouth (just to taste) and am reminded that while we are tucked inside our little home, there is something bigger and quite marvelous just outside our door.

~The Family~
We are still transitioning from our family of two, to a family of three. The transition has been challenging, mostly due to the hardships of the first 7 months of Elisabeth's life. We are finally settling into our lives together and enjoying the time we spend as a family. I am excited to watch us grow and to see how we change as the years pass.

~The Blog~
A new blog for a new phase. I am not quite sure where this blog will lead me. A little crafting, a little parenting, a little life...it's not just about any of these things, but about my life as a whole. My life is forever changing and growing, so I'm sure this blog will be doing a little of that too.

Projects For Rainy Days

Two days of cold, rainy weather  proved to be just the little push I needed. While the little one napped, I continued working on slings to stock the store in Damariscotta and for the Common Ground Fair, and finally by Monday I had them finished. It's very satisfying seeing them all stacked together, ready to be loaded in the basket to take to town.

And the wee one needed more pants for the upcoming cold season. The pile of corduroy became pants last night after I finally got up the courage to break out the serger. I still have a long way to go with my serging techniques, but I love knowing that the seams won't fray in the wash like the pants I make on the sewing machine do. I'll be finishing the linen pants today using some vintage trim. They should be perfect for the fall weather.

I've also decided that one can never have too many coasters. Using the instructions in Amy's book, with a lot of inspiration from Amanda and many scraps from Superbuzzy,I turned 6 of these out over the weekend. Pay no attention to the attempt at embroidery. In the future I must remember not to embroider while watching a subtitled movie. Can you tell which one I was more interested in?

Today we are off to visit some friends. The sun is finally out and we plan on soaking as much of it in as possible. Enjoy your Wednesday!

The Winners :)

Well, on the way out the door I asked Stephen to pick two numbers from 1-11. He chose 3 (Nicole) and 9 (Jessie).

Thank you to all who entered and I really wish I could give you each one. I may be giving one away every month, so keep checking back!!

Nicole and Jessie, please e-mail me (link is to the top of the page on the left) for sizing info and fabric choices!

Thanks again everyone!

Free Sling Giveaway

To celebrate the beginnings of a new blog, my little one's first birthday on Sunday, our anniversary the day after that and my birthday a week after that (wow...that's a lot!) I am giving two lucky readers a FREE sling! That's right...two readers could walk away with a free Bluebird.

All you have to do is leave a comment and the winners will be drawn tomorrow morning. I would be especially grateful if any of you reading knew of someone who really needed a sling, but couldn't afford one and told them about my little contest :)

So leave a comment, tell your friends and check back tomorrow morning for the winners!

Because...

This is me, coffee in hand, after being up until 3 a.m. with a babe in pain. She reacted to something she ate yesterday and the results were not pleasant (for her or I!). So I'm tired, it's raining, it's cold, it's a Monday, and it seems like the minutes are hours and the day will never come to an end.

Because of all of this, my original topic I had planned to write about will have to wait until another day. But to not leave you on a sad note (I would never do that to you on a Monday), let me tell you 10 things about myself you probably don't know. Anyone want to join in on the fun?

1) I despise sheets. I only have the fitted one on my bed and my feet have to stick out of the quilt or I can't fall asleep.

2) My favorite foods are basmati rice and Green and Black's Dark Chocolate. Not necessarily together.

3) Before I met Stephen, I swore I would never get married or have children, and adopt when I was around 35.

4) I still don't own a sewing machine. I'm "borrowing" my mother's.

5) I make the best vegan mashed potatoes.

6) I took ballet for 10 years, and then switched to figure skating.

7) My favorite movie is "Off the Map". I've watched that more than I care to admit.

8)  My dream is to own a coffee shop. (High ambitions, eh?)

9) I don't like shopping. You couldn't force me into the mall if you bribed me with a bolt from Superbuzzy.

10) I am a jazz trumpet performance major, just a few classes shy of a degree. I don't know when I'll return.

So there you have it. I will be back to more "normal" posting tomorrow after I've actually slept.

Feet Week

Well, it seems to be feet week in the blogging world, so I thought I would jump on the wagon too.

These shoes (now don't laugh) have been accompanying me on many trips each summer since my freshman year of high school. They seemed to have stretched a bit and are actually bigger than they used to be. My feet, however, have not grown an inch since junior high. I think my many years as a ballet dancer stunted their growth.

See how the buckles are kind of greenish? That would be from the first summer I had them. They were dipped in the ocean one too many times and ended up getting that salty-ocean-water-on-metal stain. Rustic.

I don't have any cool shoes to show like all the other fashionable bloggers. But as I sit here typing in my hemp t-shirt and linen skirt, I think these shoes are just right.

For the Shop

Tiny Fruit Totes

I've been working on these for a little over a week. They were inspired by the bag I made Elisabeth for her birthday a few weeks ago. I love the size of these (measuring 8x8) and think they are perfect for a little one to carry around. Although, I have discovered that they make a nice little handbag for the mamas too!

They will be up in the shop later today! Stay tuned.

Expectations

Taking a self-portrait with a very large and heavy camera is quite challenging. This was the best I could do, arm outstretched below us while Elisabeth hung out in her favorite spot as of late.

We spent most of yesterday outside, doing exactly this. I would put her down, she'd walk for a few minutes and then request to be on her favorite hip again.

We came inside, only to do the same thing. There was no sewing or crafting yesterday. Nothing to get my creative energy out, except for starting and designing this Typepad blog. And at the end of the day I felt rather empty, like I had accomplished nothing.

I looked at all the material strewn about on the table, the projects that have been started but not worked on, the mountains of sling fabric waiting to be cut and ironed and felt a tinge of guilt. Guilt from the pressure I put on myself to get things done quickly, to make sure they are perfect and when I don't seem to meet my expectations, I carry that guilt into other parts of my life.

I want to, need to, be easier on myself. I want to enjoy crafting and just be happy with the end result, no matter how long it takes or how many times I have to put the incomplete project away to tend to my family. I want to be happy that I am creating something, with no pressure on myself and no expectations.

That is my goal for this new season.

Signs of a New Season

New reading material for a new season. Thrifted, first edition from the 1930's.
Last morning of bean picking for the season.
Collecting acorns.
Stumbling upon the first fallen red leaf (and of course adding it to our nature table).
Breaking out the teapot in an attempt to warm this mama up on an early, chilly morning.
Spending a lot of time outside while the glorious weather lasts.

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