Bluebirdbaby

Tamara and Alex (Indulge me for just a bit...)

I had the pleasure of photographing a wedding for my friend and coworker this past weekend. Tamara and Alex are such an amazing couple. Truly amazing. The love they have for each other is so natural and you can't help but go "awwww!" when you see them snuggling or holding hands. I tell you...it's hard taking pictures with tears in your eyes!

They were totally up for anything I suggested and I am thrilled with the shots I got. I wasn't afraid to get down and dirty. I wasn't afraid to look silly by laying on the ground with my camera pointing up towards the sun. I just tried everything. And boy...I'm so glad I did! Also, I'm trying some new editing techniques and am really liking what I've found. I've only imported 50 or so shots onto my computer from their special day. That's a far cry from the 1,400 I took! With a computer that's full and ready to crash, I'm waiting on a loan to purchase some equipment that will really allow me to do what I love...without restrictions! When the others are able to be edited, I will share more.

So Tamara and Alex...congratulations and thank you so, so much for letting me be part of your special day. I hope you like what you see. And if I've captured at least one moment that will forever transport you back in time to that very moment, then well...I've done my job. You two are amazing and wonderful. I'm so honored to have had the opportunity to put your special day into images you will have forever.

Yoga Babe

I had the pleasure of photographing a children's yoga class as a partial trade for the little one's toddler/mama yoga classes. Now, the little one had her own idea of what was fun during those classes. It didn't so much involve yoga, but more licking the mirror and running around in circles. So when she had enough of that, we moved on and decided yoga would best suit her if it was in the form of gymnastics.

But what happens when you add big kids to a yoga class? Well, you get one toddler who is insanely interested in doing each and every yoga pose in an hour long class. You get a toddler who wants to sit on the meditation cushion and listen to a story. You get a toddler who drinks her tea while seated and staring intently at what the bigger kids are doing. And you get one mama who stares in bewilderment that mirrors aren't being licked and requests to jump from the tallest cushion aren't being heard.

So mama clicked away while the little one did downward dog, cat pose, and sat with her legs crossed looking completely blissful. She adored those big kids and she learned that she really adores yoga. And in the car on the way home, I kept looking back to to see her beaming and saying proudly, "Mama, I did yoga with real big kids!'

Yes, sweetie, you sure did. And you were really good at it too!

A Garden Apron

Recently, a very loyal customer requested a garden apron. I told her it might be a couple of weeks until I got to it because I'm bogged down with requests from co-workers and photography gigs. But by Sunday night, I just couldn't wait any longer. I was inspired after a day full of gardening and knew exactly how I wanted it to be.

I chose some simple linen for the main section and tie piece, then used various fabrics to make the pockets. There are four pockets in all, and I bordered the top with some vintage trim.

It's super comfortable to wear and fits small gardening tools in the pockets quite nicely. The top can fold down if you like it to sit low on your hips, or can be worn slightly higher.

So I guess I'm going to have to make another one. After this little photo shoot, I realized gardening would be much more fun (and stylish) with an apron on!

Parades and Trampolines

:: Parade Fun ::



:: Favorite part of the day...the trampoline ::

:: Just something pretty ::

:: And the pie! ::

We hope your day was filled with fun too!

Ode to The Beach

Oh beach, how we love you
We love the sand in our toes, the cold Maine ocean, and the warm sun on our faces
We love the beach fries, the ice cream cones, and cold lemonade
We love coming home after a long day at the beach, tired and happy, with big smiles and hungry bellies

We just love, love, love the beach. (Expect to see many more beach pictures this summer too!)

I hope you're all enjoying the long weekend!

On Our Walks

If you lived in our little town, you'd be sure to see the little one and I walking everywhere. People probably think we don't own a car. I even walk up to her preschool pushing an empty tricycle (getting many weird looks) a mile to pick her up. And the little one would rather be walking around town exploring than anything else.

Each spring, I am amazed again and again at the beauty everywhere. The little one has grown so fond of road side flowers; specifically dandelions, lilacs, and buttercups. We pick flowers for everyone: the staff at our favorite little bookshop and cafe, my coworkers at the co-op, the people at our favorite restaurant, and just about anyone walking down the street. Not to mention every surface in our house!

Thank goodness for sun, pretty flowers, and spring. We are loving every minute of our days! I hope you are too!

Teepee

First off...thank you for all the recent bag and photo love! You guys rock and I love, love, love reading your comments. I wish I had time to reply to everyone, but just know that I adore reading what you have to say and this is my big, massive THANK YOU!

What do three big sticks, some green twine, an old thrifted sheet, and an hour spent outside in the sunshine get you? A teepee and the best little playhouse for a toddler!

We literally made this in less than an hour (even with a trip to the hardware store thrown in for some twine) and by dinner time, we were eating in the teepee!

I have grand visions of fairy gardens, fun little outdoor play spaces created from old sticks and twigs, and a kid-sized veggie and herb garden. I think this teepee is just the jump start I needed!

I hope you are enjoying some beautiful sunshine today!

One For the Guys

Do you know a guy who tends to grab any kind of bag he can find before leaving the house? Does he stuff books in plastic shopping bags, bring his lunch to work in a canvas bag big enough to fit a small child, or just lug everything in his bare arms?  If you do, then this tutorial is for you! My guy was in desperate need of a "lug anything anywhere and look good while doing it" bag, so one morning I got down to business and came up with this.

It's a messenger style bag, complete with pockets to hold mason jars full of tea and a key ring, so the keys will never be lost at the bottom of the bag again. It can hold a few books because of its depth and the front flap keeps everything nice and secure. You'll find the tutorial on the left hand sidebar. I hope the steps are easy to follow, but if you have any questions, just e-mail me!

This would make a lovely Father's Day gift as well! If you attempt it, I'd love to see the finished results!

In other news, I've been whipping out these like crazy. Most for gifts. They are super fun to make and I'm working on some for our kitchen now. I've always wanted fun pot holders!

I hope you enjoy the start to your week!

Inside :: Outside

:: Inside ::

:: Outside ::

The Really, Really Big City

Well, the little one got a glimpse of a really, really big city. Boston, to be exact. And the verdict? She loved it! I mean, she acted like she was born in the city. I thought my little farm girl would be scared of things like escalators, subway trains, amazingly tall buildings, noisy people and traffic and such, but not her. She just reveled in it all. I think she thrives on energy like this, and she probably was doing all she could to soak up as much as possible to bring back to our little town.

We took a trip to the aquarium where she enthusiastically clapped and giggled at the sight of real penguins. She ran up and down that place so many times (there's a slight incline that circles around the gigantic fish tank in the center of the building) looking at the sharks, sea turtles, and tropical fish. She waved "hello" to pretty much everyone. She spent over 30 minutes in the touch tank mesmerized by the star fish. And then we hit the gift shop where she toted around almost every stuffed penguin she could find. (Don't worry, she did bring one home: a penguin backpack!)

She rode the "T" like a pro, insisting she "do it mysewf!" She gave a guitar player a dollar and danced a little jig while he played with a smile. And the "escagator"? Well, that was right up there on her list of favorites.

All in all, it was an amazing day. We're still beaming about it (with a few yawns thrown in there). I hope you enjoyed the little glimpse of our day in the big, big city.

Enjoy the weekend! I'll have the tutorial up by Monday morning.

What's Been Going On

:: Barbeque's almost every night ::





:: Trying out the picnic blanket ::





:: Watching things grow ::

I have another tutorial in the works (a really exciting one!) and hope to have it up by this weekend or early next week. I have quite the list of things to sew, mend, and hem for other people and after I'm through with that, more items will be in the works for the shop. Thank you for all your previous suggestions. I'm hoping to add some items for the home as well as some summery things for the little ones. Maybe a few bags too!

I hope you're all enjoying the week!

The Winner *and* Oh-my-gosh-it's-finally-DONE!

Thank you all for your lovely comments on the giveaway. Mandi is so awesome and her products are too! I read through lots of great ideas, so we both want to send out a big "thank you" for entering!

Well, random.org picked number 99. So that would be:

Oooo, everything looks so good. And that packaging is so pretty I would have a hard time tearing into anything!

How about a body cream for the little ones?

Posted by: Jennie F. | May 10, 2009 at 12:39 PM

So Jennie...please contact me and we'll get your goodies sent out to you!

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Oh my gosh it's finally done. There. I said it. The picnic blanket that I've been talking about sewing since last spring finally made it on the to-do list. I had the top pieced together for ages, but was so intimated by batting and having a massive hunk of fabric I had to edge, that I just let it sit around. But last Friday I enlisted the help of Sasa's mom, an experienced quilter, and together we managed to get it done.



I just made the quilt top up myself. It's 60"x60", the perfect size for three or four people to sit on for a picnic. I backed it with a vintage table cloth, added rock pockets in the corners using Erin's tutorial and pieced it all together using her recommendations as well. It was a really fun project and I feel like I might finally be ready to tackle a quilt for the little one's bed.



Quilting is definitely not for the kind of people who like instant gratification. Kind of like me... Oh, getting those pieces lined up and painstakingly pinning and measuring and double-checking, only to find out that they really don't line up after all?!! But it was so worth every little mistake and stitch rip. I mean, this thing will be around forever! I kind of picture toting it around to have picnics with my grandchildren one day.

So I am very pleased it is done and finished just in time for a season of picnics by the river, lunches at the beach, and laying on the hill watching the sun go down. Thank you all for being a huge motivation. Enjoy the start to your week!

This Weekend

Wishes are free.

My helper.

Outside play.

Wishing you all a very happy Mother's Day! Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Giveaway :: Long Winter Farm

Last spring I came across a nearby Etsy shop using the shop local search tool. I contacted Mandi from Long Winter Farm in hopes she'd want to hook up sometime and talk Etsy crafting talk. Little did I know she was the hippest, craftiest, wittiest, yurt-livin' single mama of two. We talked back and forth for months before actually meeting up (which is silly considering we lived less than 5 minutes from one another...) and when we finally met face to face, it was kind of that super comfy feeling friendship; like we had known each other forever.

I mean, anyone who says things like "sweet biscuits" and "teehee" is a winner in my book. Really, you have to be super cool to sell soap titled "tan my ham" and "hippie juice". Together we have a gift for talking at great lengths about crazy things like pyrex and bowling shoes. She also does some pretty amazing gift guides on her blog (check out her playlist!!) where she pretty much nailed both me and Sasa. Her writing is witty, totally sincere, and so much fun to read.

Her products are amazing. Every time we get together she introduces me to something new: lip balm, new soap scents, body cream, massage oil, etc. I mean, how does a single mama of two get all this done??! I honestly haven't a clue...but she does. And she does it with style. Her packaging is beautiful, which compliments her fantabulous products perfectly. She just plain rocks!

So Mandi has kindly offered a giveaway here on Bluebirdbaby! Yay! The winner gets to pick three bars of soap, a jar of cream, and lip balm. Woohoo! Just leave a comment telling what you'd like to see in her shop in the future (shampoo, a different soap scent, etc.) and the winner will be drawn Monday morning at 9 a.m. EST.

Check out her shop policies for more information on her products. Good luck!

Down By the Bay

The latest favorite evening walk. A bit of rock throwing. A bit of splashing. A bit of giggles. A lot of fun.

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With my urge to sew, sew, sew, I wanted to add some items to my shop (the poor thing has been neglected far too long!) but I'm not sure what I should focus on. Bags, clothes, home items? What do you think? Leave a suggestion and maybe I can put something together before too long!

Also, stay tuned for a fantabulous (another word that isn't, but really should be) giveaway tomorrow. Trust me, you won't want to miss it!

Flour Sack Skirt

A couple of weeks ago I was walking around our local "department store" and noticed a pack of flour sacks on the shelf. The sheer, white cotton immediately drew me in and I suddenly began picturing summery blouses and flowing skirts. I ended up buying three packs and tucked them away until the warmer weather inspired me to make something out of them.

Last weekend I was inspired. The sacks washed up nicely and I began messing around with a couple to make a blouse. I was halfway through the blouse making when I realized the pattern I had made up was the same as two shirts I already own. So I decided perhaps a skirt would be better.

Two flour sacks, a few mismatched vintage buttons, and one hour later, I had a new skirt. And it was easy. So easy, in fact, that I wanted to share it with you! So you'll notice a new tutorial in the upper left hand sidebar. Hopefully you'll be able to find flour sacks near you, but if not, just use the flour sack measurements for any fabric you'd like to use! This skirt has just the right about of twirl to it, and is perfect layered over leggings, jeans, or a longer skirt. It has definitely become a staple in my wardrobe.

I hope you enjoy the tutorial. I will try to answer questions as best as I can if something is not clear. And if you make it, let me know. I'd love to see it! Oh, and thanks for all the bag love. You guys are so sweet!

A New Bag

You probably all know I have a thing for sewing bags. Lots of them. So many that I can't possibly use them all. Then there's the part about really enjoying the process, but the end result? Not so much... I think I've only made one bag I've really gotten a lot of use out of. Somehow when the bags are finished, they just don't feel like me anymore, so I pass them along or store them in a closet. But after seeing the above bag in the book Linen, Wool, Cotton, I knew I wanted to attempt my own version.

And this bag? Well, this bag rocks my world. It is so completely me in every way imaginable. The colors, the feel, the style...all scream "This is Erin's perfect bag!!" I was given a large amount of plain linen and ended up dying a portion of it that pumpkin orange color. It was fun and super easy. I used the iDye by Jacquard. I paired that with an old table cloth I'd been carrying around forever.

The bag itself varies slightly from the book pattern. I shortened it by 8 inches, lengthened the straps, and made it reversible. The other side is the pumpkin orange linen, for those days I'm feeling a bit more plain. The pattern was very easy to follow, although I think somewhere in the translation from Japanese to English, a few steps were left out. But this is a very beginner pattern and I would recommend it for someone just starting out. (Okay, the gathering thing would have thrown me off in my beginner days, but other than that, it's really easy!)

It's fun to finally make a bag I love; one that I would have grabbed right away in a thrift shop or store. And the fact that I was able to make something I love so much just adds to my giddiness for this bag. And do you recognize that brown dress I'm wearing? It finally made its way out of the closet...

Stay tuned for a great little tutorial I'll share later this week! Happy Monday!

Blooms and Bowling

:: Weekend blooming, yard work, and chores ::

:: Weekend bowling, dinner with friends, arcade games, and pool ::

Now I'm off to finish some sewing projects. I hope your weekend was full of joy and laughter!

DIY :: Art

In a quest to find affordable solutions to artwork for our bare walls, I was struck with an idea while in a local artsy goods store. They had decorative wrapping paper that I was drawn to and kind of wishing were fabric instead. I grabbed a few sheets and thought I would somehow display them on our walls.

I had been keeping an eye out for frames big enough. They are 20x28 inches, and I knew I didn't want a large border around the paper. I wanted something clean and simple. So I went to another local art supply store and bought large pieces of foam board, some Mod Podge, and hooks that would stick to the back of the boards.

The Mod Podge didn't really work out. It made the paper bubbly and the board warped after a while. So armed with a ginormous (it really should be a word...) glue stick, I glued the heck out of the back of the paper, placed it carefully on the board while smoothing it out with the side of a credit card, and voilà! A simple, clean display of decorative paper. And all for under $20 (for four!). I've got a couple more to do for the little one's room, and I have a feeling a few for the kitchen too!

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend! I'm hoping to work on some sewing projects to share with you, and hopefully I'll have a new tutorial up soon. Stay tuned!