Bluebirdbaby

Odds and Ends

I was cleaning up my desktop and noticed a bunch of photos I have wanted to share, but didn't really have a post to share them in. So they are odds and ends. Then I thought why not designate a whole post to odds and ends?! Tada! So here we go...

My friend has the BEST vintage wardrobe ever. We went totally 70's during a recent barbecue and I hope to continue monthly dinner parties from different eras! So much fun.

I love my two bakers. They keep this belly happy. We recently started baking two loaves of bread each week to keep the little one well fed with sandwiches and toast. Gotta love the sound of them baking in the kitchen!

The cupboards were ripped out yesterday. Oh my. This is the challenging part...not having a workable kitchen. Eeks!

Two months ago the little one and I did a little switch for a spring change (we were anticipating spring!) and moved some toys into this room. We created a little play room just for her and it really suits the flow of the house. But...

During our kitchen remodeling, the play room has become the pantry, and dining room, and counter space, and well...a makeshift kitchen. This is going to be interesting...!

Thanks so much for all your lovely links! I loved every one of them. Yay!

Demolition Monday

Holy moly. Our kitchen is a mess. A big mess. But a good mess, because a mess in this case means major progress. The plaster is being ripped off the walls. The lath looks pretty cool and I considered keeping it for an awesome rustic look, but I think I would tire of it soon! Anyway, it's a really rainy day out with blustery winds. My normal porch photo just wouldn't do, so I couldn't resist getting a little demolition action in this Monday. I'm still loving those boots obviously! The sweater dress I've had for three years. I love it. And the little wrap was recently thrifted. I was really tempted to wear a crazy polyester, geometric patterned, collared dress from the 70's I scored over the weekend, but it needs a good washing first. That mothball smell doesn't go over very well with me. Maybe next Monday...

Links!

• her work is absolutely stunning and I love this picture
• i've been stalking Etsy for summer dresses. see here and here and here!
• i was in such a good mood today. Don't you just love it when that happens? It's like I wanted to hug everyone I saw. I was well rested and migraine free!! It's amazing what not being in severe pain does to my spirit!!
• i'm loving plants right now. I went to the garden center down the street and bought three more houseplants. We really have no more room for them, but I'm squeezing them in everywhere!
• I'm psyched for a mini garden this year. This is inspiring and I would move right into their yard if they'd let me :)
• this young woman's photography is absolutely stunning. I can't get enough of it. I'm constantly amazed at what she produces.
• we're working on our bedroom soon. The floor needs to be painted and we need a bed. This is what I'm going for. I've always wanted a very zen bedroom. Looks like it will finally be a possibility!
• loving this song
• also loving this song so very, very much
• I'm eating mostly raw these days. I would love any "uncook" books recommendations!
• I've been toying with getting a nose ring for so long. My passion is renewed, but I don't think it will ever happen. If I ever did, my mother would go nuts! (sorry mom...but I know that you would!)
• looking forward to Easter Sunday! Yay! It's my favorite holiday and always has been.
• gosh, they are so very talented. I know I linked to them last week, but I can't get enough of them. This song is forever stuck in my head. (And the video is genius.)

What are you loving this Monday? I seriously love looking at your links so leave me one! Happy Monday!

twenty seven :: 30 days of beauty :: a photo walk

I had the pleasure of going on a photo walk with a talented young photographer this afternoon. I captured these images on this blustery cold day. The little one and I just walked past this pond last week in light layers, the sun shining on our faces while we watched a turtle sunning itself on a rock. Not today. It was cold and chilly! We did all we could to keep our hands from freezing!

My 30 days of beauty are almost coming to an end. It has been such fun and I've enjoyed looking at all your beauty too! There's just so much of it out there. I think this will definitely be a yearly tradition for me, but don't worry...I'll continue sharing plenty of beauty here always!

twenty six :: 30 days of beauty :: the light

I love watching how the light moves through our home. I love how older homes were built with solar heat in mind :: all the big windows on the south facing side to let in all that warmth and light. Our bedroom gets a cozy dose of it close to dinner time. The little one and I headed upstairs for some bed jumping and discovered this scene. Sasa has been sick and in bed for days, but left it for some relaxing in the sun on our porch. His tea cup still on the windowsill and my favorite pillowcases cheering up the bed made such a lovely scene. I snapped this before the jumping began!

So what about you? What beauty have you all been finding lately? Leave me a link to your recent beauty finds! I wanna see!!

twenty five :: 30 days of beauty :: a picture, a song

Oh, the little one. She is quite something. It's hard to really describe her because she's just so darn unique and special. But a close description would be likened to Frances. You've surely read those books, yes? Frances is a smart, quick little badger who goes about her day singing all the while. The little one goes about her entire days singing. She's like a walking musical. Today she was making up songs about car rides, mangoes, chicken eggs, Kiwi cat, and restaurants, just to name a few. But one song stuck out. It wasn't a "little one original," but a song I was quite familiar with. She finished, then came into the kitchen where I was cooking lunch and said, "Mama! That was the song you used to sing to me when I was a little baby!" Be still my heart. Yes, it is. It was the song I would sing to my belly when she was the size of a lima bean. It was the song I sang as I felt her kicking inside me. It was the song I sang when I felt those first contractions before sunrise. It was the song I sang as she nursed when she was just days old. And I haven't sang it in months, but she remembers.

So tonight, after the lights went out and we were all snuggled in with her head leaning on my shoulder, I sang it again. Her eyes closed, and she nodded off to sleep with a smile on her face. Nothings beats that moment, this day, that girl, and that song. She is growing up so fast. It's a delight to watch her blossom and grow. What a lucky job I have being her mama.

And some things I am loving today ::

::Outside play with chicken accompaniment. ::

:: Happy Eggs! ::

:: Raw goat's milk ::

:: A vintage slip from the 20's I recently scored thrifting. It hangs in our room now because I love it so. ::

:: A little before dinner play on the sidewalk. We like to make the neighborhood pretty! ::

Have a lovely weekend everyone!

twenty four :: 30 days of beauty :: flowers and friends

At the dinner table each night we all say what our "most favoritist part of the day" was. Tonight the answers were, "I liked playing with my friends!" And, "Sasa coming home with flowers for us." And, "this moment right now!" It's a wonderful way to begin our meal and is a tradition I look forward to each night. My favorite part involved the above flowers. Sasa went out on his walk and returned with flowers for both me and the little one. Hers were naturally purple, and mine were happy colors. So sweet of him! He rocks!

The little one chose her visit with our friends as her favorite part. My mama friend is the most grounding and centering girlfriend anyone could ask for. I immediately feel more connected with myself and the world around me after spending time with her. The little one and her sweet girl spent the afternoon playing games, feeding goldfish, and having yummy snacks. It was a wonderful afternoon...one that I hope will repeat again and again over the summer. We are very lucky to have such amazing friends.

And Sasa chose dinner as his favorite part of the day. He loves when we are all together connecting. And we all connect so very well over delicious meals!

So now it's your turn! What was your favorite part of the day??

Spring Nature Table and Baking Day

Today we set to work making our spring nature table. We had to move it from its original location because Kiwi took over the ledge (who can blame her?!). So we nestled it right on top of the boxes in the play corner. We cut some forsythia branches and brought them inside to watch them bloom. Then we made some wee felted eggs and a little paper basket for them to go in. A bigger basket for the little one will follow later this week! I'm sure more spring treasures will be added in weeks to come, but we were limited on this chilly, rainy, and snowy day with nature's treasures.

We spent the morning doing our baking. Up until now, we've been baking something different on each baking day. I wanted to simplify the whole process even more and create more of a familiar rhythm too. I decided baking a loaf of bread each baking day would be a familiar routine, with tasty results! Sasa had a great recipe for bread that we tried last week, but we've been on the hunt for something a little squishier. So I turned to Carol Fenster and found a great French bread recipe. I mixed up a big container of gluten-free flour mix, and the little one and I set to work this morning. The verdict? Soft and squishy and amazingly good. Almost both loaves are gone already!

And a day wouldn't be complete without a concert from the little one. The above is her playing at a "restaurant." She has c.d.'s for sale as well. (See the white thing on top of her case? A handmade c.d. cover!) Oh, and even though she's playing "old time fiddle music" that's still a violin she's holding. "Not a fiddle, mama!" Oh okay, sweet one. Whatever you say.

twenty three :: 30 days of beauty :: food

Oh, food...how I love you. I love your bright colors, the way you smell and taste, and the way you make my tummy happy. I think you are beautiful. And the people who make it? They are beautiful too. And the people who eat it? Definitely on my beauty list! Thank you for being so beautiful. And thank you for being so good!

Above are just some of the things we've been eating lately. I eat about three mangoes a day (the little one is right up there too!), Sasa is on a seaweed/medicinal mushroom kick, and the little one is loving smoked salmon. There's lots of potlucks, dinner parties, and picnics going on which results in a lot of extra yummy food. My tummy is happy. Really happy.

What is on your plate lately?!

Monday Link Love

I went for the casual yet sophisticated equestrian look today. Thrifted cords and a preppy shirt, and my beloved boots. Oh, and the side part hair in a braided bun thing too. Sasa assisted me this morning during my picture taking, which resulted in some pretty goofy pictures. Not one came out with a straight face. We just have too much fun...!

Here's what I'm loving ::

• this print (teehee!)
• I've decided to completely do away with shorts this summer (because I look about 12 years old in them) and only wear vintage sundresses. Like this and this and this and this. I think I need to hit the thrift store...!
• I plan on doing a lot of this this summer.
• Love this bench Monday.
• This is a pretty awesome tune. I love their voices. It's totally Maine-ish. Check out this one too!
• What I wouldn't do for this!
• How cute is this?!
• Kinda wanting a vintage inspired bathing suit this season. I'm not so sure how I could pull it off. This is kinda cute, and this is way cool.
• I want to try this with the little one.
• I want to get a new pair of these for my love this summer.
• I am addicted to fruit ever since my stomach bug. Today I've eaten three mangoes, one apple, two oranges, and a banana. The only other thing I've had is almond butter. I am craving the oddest things! But we're having sushi tonight. Yay!
• Sasa got a great couple of recipes lined up for y'all. Check out his latest!
• It's finally raining here. Kiwi is asleep on the couch, Fly is asleep at my feet, and I think I would be asleep too if not for the millions of things I need to get done.
• Loving this song and can't wait to see this.
• I'm off to work on photo stuff. Did I mention I can't wait for sushi??!!

What are you loving this lovely Monday? What foods, movies, music are you into right now?

twenty two :: 30 days of beauty :: spring

Grow little seeds, grow.

Feel the lovely breeze blow.

In your dark and Earthen home, you are friends with little gnomes.

Push your head up to the light.

Push, push, push with all your might.

Then raise your crown up to the sun, shining bright for everyone!

Oh, spring! It's here. The equinox has arrived! And we prepared for it yesterday with a 70 degree day, full of beach fun and barbecues. We are preparing for the arrival of spring by switching out our winter books (look on my sidebar to see what we're reading), reading this over and over, looking at all the bulbs coming up in our yard, putting our ears next to the earth to hear the root children bustling about, and felting eggs! Check out this amazing tutorial for how to do it.

What are you doing to welcome spring?!

twenty one :: 30 days of beauty

Kiwi. Asleep. In the most comfortable looking position ever. Add a cute cat to a fabulous chair and, in my book, you have beauty. Sasa and I constantly marvel at Kiwi's sleeping positions. They all look so darn comfy. She makes me want to be a cat!

And oh, today...today was so very gorgeous. Another cloudless blue-sky day full of sunshine. We felted eggs (more on that later), baked bread, went on a road trip to the most gorgeous place ever to have a picnic on a mountaintop and run through the fields. We always play the same game in the car on the way home.

It goes like this ::

"Mama, I love you!" 

"I love you too, sweetie!"

"Sasa, I love you!"

"I love you too, my small friend."

"Guys...guys?!! I love you!"

"We love you too!" (In unison.)

"No, I LOVE YOU!"

"No, we love YOU!"

And back and forth and back and forth. There's lots of love being passed around our car. So sweet. I hope it never ends.

Oh, and if we could we'd bring our wagon full of Happy Eggs around to each one of your doors! Thanks for all the Happy Egg love. But our chickens deserve all the credit!

Happy Eggs for Sale

You are what you eat, right? So if you eat an egg from a sad chicken, you will be sad too. But if you eat an egg from a happy chicken, well...ya know. Maybe that's why we're all so happy?! The little one is learning a bit about running a business. An egg business, that is. Let me introduce "Happy Eggs." A little side business the little one and I are diving into to help make extra money for our chicken feed. Plus, our fridge is just loaded with eggs. We can't keep up!

First thing we did was make a sign. A big one. Then we made a money jar. And then we decided our egg cartons needed a little sprucing up, so handmade labels were designed. Oh yes, these little eggs go out in style!

We talked about setting up a roadside stand in our front yard, but remembering my failed lemonade stands as a kid, we opted to go to the people instead of waiting for the people to come to us. So we loaded up the wagon, hitched on our sign, got a basket for our eggs, and went to town. Nothing beats bringing food to people, especially when a cute little dinoasaur is delivering it. We were quite a sight...me, the wagon, a little dinosaur, Doggy Fly trailing behind us, and along the way we picked up three more friends who followed us into town.

And guess what? We were sold out in the first FIVE minutes. Our money jar is full and we have standing orders. Oh my. It's a good thing we have happy chickens who lay happy eggs daily!

New Website Revealed

I am so excited about this. I'm excited about the fact that I designed it myself (with very little knowledge), put my heart and soul into it, chose images that make me smile and music that makes me joyful. It's all so very me. I revamped it after feeling like my old site needed a little pick-me-up. It was getting a bit blah. I tried changing the color, but it needed something more. I know you're all going to ask me about the music. I found it recently (I love how sweet songs like this always remind me of Sasa) and loved it so much I had to use it. It's "What I Wouldn't Do" by A Fine Frenzy. Love it.

So please go check it out! Click here and it will take you to my new site! Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Happy Wednesday everyone!

thirty :: 30 day of beauty

Finding beauty at the beach is easy. There is just so much of it. We headed out tonight for a picnic at the beach because it was just so very lovely. The sun, the sand, the crashing waves, the food (yay! I'm eating again!), the company. We found two heart rocks and walked the beach hand in hand.

A lovely night full of beauty!

Thanks for all your well wishes. Tomorrow I hope to reveal my new photography site! I've been working on it for about 20 hours (straight, it seems) and I can't wait to show you all. Stay tuned!

For The Love of Mondays

Well, I'm a bit earlier with this than usual. I've been battling a stomach flu since last Friday. So sorry I didn't reply to comments or answer e-mails. I'm still a bit out of it and I still can't eat. And y'all know how much I love to eat, so this is serious!

Luckily, (and I never do this) I had taken an extra pic last week because something extra special had arrived in the mail. Yes, I did it... I got them. I waited since last September for these babies to go on sale and, of course, they didn't budge. But at least I was able to save up for them over the course of five and a half months. When my UPS buddy arrived at the doorstep, I almost gave him a hug. Instead, I shrieked with glee, giggled a bit, said "thank you, thank you, thank you!" and left him in a daze while I rushed inside to try them on. And oh my...are they perfect. I highly recommended anyone reading to get a pair. You won't be disappointed. Just make sure you take out all the pesky cardboard inserts before walking around in them for a day and complain that your feet hurt like heck. Oh, what a dork I am! I'm happy to report that the rest of the outfit is entirely thrifted. So there...that evens it out a bit, right?!

Linky Love ::

• because I'm always on an Anthropologie kick, I need to say that I want these and this and this. Oh my. I'm picturing some high wasted, button-pleated khaki shorts with a rolled cuff and a shear white t-shirt with it. Oh summer!
• I wish I knew how to make these.
• My first sweater is getting close to being completed! I'm SO happy it will fit the little one this year and next.
• this (and her process) gives me hope for our own bathroom redo
• such a sweet picture
• I love this swing top. Wish it came in my size!
• lookie here! Another e. wallace! And her prints are gorgeous.
• this shirt is super cute
• her shop, dresses, and photos are AMAZING
• whenever I see a lunch tray, I can remember quite vividly how those rubbery chicken nuggets from primary school used to taste. ick!
• here's a local boy and his love who are just awesome
• cutest movie ever. (the part where the bird was captured made me cry!)
• Sasa has been taking such good care of me. I am one lucky gal. I love you Sasa!

And now for a little extra something...

The little one makes quite a fashion statement too! Looks like she's taking after her mama with all the layers. And the stripes and polka-dots? Love love love them! Hey little one...you ROCK! She's kinda like the modern version of Punky Brewster...

What are you all loving this Monday??!

nineteen :: A Little Peek

Jenny recently started up a little group on flickr called "Peek Into My Life." I love that idea...taking a photo that is pretty intimate, no matter how everyday-ish, that gives you just a little extra glimpse of the more normal and not so special moments of our days. So I started with this morning. Belina (my best hen friend) loves to join us for breakfast (and afternoon snacks) and this morning she was up and in the house as soon as the barn door opened. This is a typical morning...the three of us making breakfast, sitting down at the table to light our candle, say our blessing, and dig in. And, of course, Belina being a good vacuum and cleaning up all the crumbs. We try to hide the scrambled eggs from her sight...

And here is my baby. All bright eyed and ready for the day. She's such a cutie.

Happy Weekend!!

eighteen :: 30 Days of Beauty :: violin love

Oh, the excitement! Ever since her buddy came over with a violin two months ago, the little one has literally begged me non-stop for her own. She even picked up her ukulele and one of my knitting needles and pretended to play. She has played that ukulele/violin for two months now, everyday. I thought maybe the interest would begin to wane, but oh no...she's become more insistent. After seeing some other little ones put on a concert recently it was all she would talk about. So I searched and searched and luckily the universe provided us with a teensy tiny violin just her size. And a teacher to go with it.

Six days before we were scheduled for the violin pick-up and first lesson, she woke Sasa and I up twice in the middle of the night asking for it. We then made a handy dandy violin calendar so she could mark off the days until it was the big day.

So today was finally the big day. We celebrated, we had a "Happy Violin Day!" breakfast. We dressed extra special for our violin lesson. (She wanted me to make her a "violin shirt and pants" this morning an hour before we had to leave!) And we told everyone in town (for the fiftythousandthtime) that we were going to get her violin.

And she ROCKS it. Seriously. I mean, she had a good grip on the uke, but honestly...it's like she's played before. She carried it around with her all day: to the bookshop, to the bank, to the co-op, outside to play, upstairs to bed. She won't let it out of her sight.

The zipper on the case is broken, so we made some fancy bands to put around the ends to hold it closed. (Purple, of course.) Next violin craft on the list? A lesson bag for her music books! And a violin shirt and pants I suppose...

What an exciting adventure this violin thing is! I'm sure you'll be seeing more soon!

seventeen :: 30 Days of Beauty

Sun on our faces. Wind through our hair. Little peeks of greening grass underfoot. The sound of life outside. Birds chirping, chickens clucking, bees (yes bees!) buzzing, a little voice sending shouts of laughter and squeals of delight through the spring-like air.

The changing of the seasons always inspires me. It gives me hope, sets us free of the now monotonous winter rhythm of staying inside, and opens up a whole new world for us to play in. We are spending every minute outside. Lunch, dinner, and snacks are eaten in the sun. Books are read under trees. Laundry is hung on the line. Friends are out and about.

We race down the sidewalk, running from mailbox to mailbox seeing who can be faster. We speed down the street on tricycles and balance bikes, trying to beat cars that pass by. We watch as maple trees are tapped, as dry leaves and brush are cleared from front yards revealing bulbs poking out from the brown earth. Our house is coming alive with visitor after visitor. Friends stop in to say hello and bring flowers. (Thanks A!) Everything feels alive again.

Life is grand, isn't it? There are so many things that surround us on any given day that are enough to fill our hearts with love and joy. And to get to share it all with the two I love most? Nothing beats it. Especially because the three of us know how to appreciate it all so very well.

What does spring mean to you?

Vintage Monday

Oh I how love this vintage shirt. It's so sweet. And the sweater was a perfect top layer on this warm, sunny day. The shirt fits perfectly and the compliments on it today didn't cease. I've been inspired to braid my hair lately. Lots of experimenting goes on in the mornings and usually I find something that works. It's all too much fun! For someone who is not quite a morning person, having some fun creative things to look forward to helps tremendously!!

And here they are...the Monday link list ::

• chicken pot pie recipe is up! yum...it's all I keep thinking about.
• we went to an Academy Award party last night. It was a blast! Especially entertaining considering Sasa and I hadn't seen any of the movies up for awards...
• one of my favorite pictures ever. gosh, I miss those cute little cheeks!
• this has to be the cutest wall ever
• I just learned if you put one of these in a microwave, they explode. If we had a microwave, I'd totally try it. Can someone do it and take a picture for me??! Hehe. (I'm serious, you know...)
• I love everything about this picture.
• this is seriously brilliant. holy cow! I want to learn more about how they pulled it off!
• I won this! Eeks! It's awesome and I really needed another camera bag. And check out her blog...full of inspiration!
• Are you ready for some vintage shoe overload?? I have been majorly inspired by shoes lately. Here are some of my favs...red, spectator, moccs, and these would finally make me taller. See? I'm just loving shoes...
• This bag is so very, very lovely.
• This belt would make me complete.
• I'm really, really wanting a high wasted skirt and jeans (I'm willing to take that fashion risk. I am just all over high wasted everything right now.)
• Amen.

What are you loving today? Hit me with some links!!!

sixteen :: Progress

There's wood under all that linoleum. And it's pretty darn beautiful if you ask us. It will look much better refinished. The cabinets are the next to go. Oh my. Trying to come up with a temporary solution to storing my Pyrex collection will be pretty interesting...

Happy Weekend! I hope you are all enjoying some sunshine today!

fifteen :: 30 Days of Beauty

Oh, the beach. How I love you. How we all love you (especially the little one and Doggy Fly). You make for a perfect afternoon with the warm sunshine on our faces, the sea breeze whispering in our ears, and the waves lapping our boots. If only every day could be so very lovely...

It was such a lovely day today. We had adventure after adventure, and our day finally ended at the beach. The little one caught a boot in the parking lot, made sand castle after sand castle, chased the waves, explored the rocks, and giggled the entire time. What a perfect way to end the day. Thank you beach...we'll be back.

Winner and Super Cat

Well, my random number generator chose #67...

What do you call a mushroom that buys everyone in the pub a drink?

A fungi to be with.

Oh, the old ones are the best!

OK, I'd put it in my boy Frank's room, next to his Paddington Bear. He'd love it.

So Jules...it's yours! And your joke made me giggle. Teehee. I just sent you an e-mail, so look for that!

On to Super Cat...

The little one and I wrote a story yesterday. We were working on rhymes, so this fun little project soon developed. Then, of course, we had to make a video to share it all with you. Enjoy and Happy Weekend!!!

fourteen :: 30 Days of Beauty

Oh my oh my oh my. The concert last night? Amazing. She is one talented woman. We had so much fun. I highly recommend you go see her if you ever get the chance. She is very inspirational!!

Okay, onto the beauty. Sasa and I had a great time on our day off yesterday. We stopped at an antique store on the way down and I found the cutest little chambray shirt with a peter pan collar. It was a "juniors" and is pretty small, but I think (hope) I can pull it off. Maybe you'll see it in my next Monday post! It's really quite beautiful. And the other is a beautifully hand knit, wool, vintage sweater given to me by my mama. I love it and it's super cozy! I love adding a bit of vintage beauty to my wardrobe.

And this isn't quite beautiful, but I took this earlier in the week. I set to work making dinner (kale, sausage, and white bean soup) and this song came on. It never fails to get me moving. Inspired by her dancing pics, I grabbed the camera, continued dancing and cooking, and now I have this silly little picture to share with you! So Happy Dancing Thursday to you all!

The winner will be announced tomorrow morning with a special treat the little one and I made for you today!! Yay!

Giveaway :: Lovely World Handmade

Maribeth, from Lovely World Handmade is a mother, blogger, crafter, and a midwife by training. Her blog is visually inspiring and full of crafty goodness. I am in love with everything she does. Those mushrooms? Those dolls? That fox?! Eeks! She has kindly offered to do a giveaway here at Bluebirdbaby! Yay! Thank you Maribeth!

Here is what Maribeth has to say ::

My mother is a talented seamstress and I credit her with inspiring me to learn to sew. I was very lucky in that the home I grew up in had a sewing room, and some sort of project or another was always in the works. I began to sew in earnest when I was in college. I studied art and women's studies, and wrote my thesis on the history of quilt making. I made quite a few quilts around that time. I went on to graduate school and became a nurse-midwife by profession. Caring for women and their families is incredibly satisfying, although sometimes exhausting, work. I continued to work as a midwife after I had my children (9-year-old Miriam and 6-year-old Adam), but found it increasingly difficult to balance my work with being the mother I wanted to be. So, for the time being I have made the decision to be home full time. This change has opened up more time for creative work. I started my blog a year and a half ago, and opened my Etsy shop this past December. I do some sort of creative work every day. I sew, embroider, knit, crochet, and sometimes make things with paper such as collage and paper cutting.

My inspiration comes from diverse places. I live in a rural area and spend a lot of time outdoors, finding much inspiration through observing the natural world around me. I also love looking through old illustrated books - whether children's picture books, naturalist guides, or art books. I enjoy discovering images that I can translate into a new creation. Japanese craft books have also been a wonderful treasure-trove of inspiration. And, of course, I am incredibly thankful for and inspired by all the lovely art and craft blogs I read and all the bloggers who have been so supportive and kind to me. It is an important community of women, and I'm always discovering something new.

Maribeth's shop is just full of lovely goodies. She has graciously offered to give away a mushroom to one lucky reader. Can't you just picture it on a nature table? Or on a shelf? Or on a windowsill? Or on a nightstand? Okay...it could go just about anywhere! To enter, leave a comment and tell us where you'd  put it in your home. I'll close the comments at 9 a.m. EST on Friday the 5th.

Good luck! And thanks Maribeth for the fabulous giveaway!!

thirteen :: 30 Days of Beauty

On the days I work, I often feel like the day is officially almost over once I get home. It's only been recently that I've really made a point to get out and enjoy that (now) two hours of daylight left. Mostly because the sun is out later, and also because I refuse to go from one work to the next with no break in between. So instead of jumping right on the computer and doing photo business stuff, I get out into the sunshine. And it's glorious! I go for a long walk, say hello to the chickens, throw balls for Fly and watch Kiwi do her "jungle cat" impression in the weeds, and soak in as much sunshine as possible.

I mean, take today for example. There was...

...a silly little chicken (Belina) who escaped, bathing in some dirt. She promptly stopped bathing and came right over to give me a nudge.

...bulbs already coming up. Hard to believe in early March!

...a beautiful winter sky.

So much beauty, all waiting there for me when I came home from work. I'm so glad I decided a little quiet time with nature was in order.

And stay tuned for a fabulous giveaway tomorrow morning!! See you then...

twelve :: 30 Days of Beauty :: Couch Monday

:: This morning ::

Well, I have a funny story to share with you. Remember the chair that I was just so giddy about? Remember how the chair giddiness only fueled my "I must find the perfect vintage-modern couch?" Well, let's fast forward to a week and a half after I got the chair. I was at a party with some friends. Two of my favorite crafty gals started going on and on about all the great finds they got at Sals (Salvation Army) that very morning. And one of them says, "Yea Erin...remember that chair you got recently? Well, we found a couch that kinda looks like it." My jaw dropped a bit. Turns out, the couch was the mama of my chair. They are from the same set. The couch wasn't on the floor at Sals yet, but tucked in back in storage. And the lady at the check-out didn't even mention it! Luckily, my friends rock. Mandi bought it, then ended up trading me so my chair could have its match. How sweet is that??! Okay, my friends are really awesome.

::This afternoon ::

So now? Our living room looks a bit more matchy and super sleek. And all that mustard yellow? Pretty sweet, if I do say so myself. Thanks Mandi! I owe you BIG time!

Okay, enough about couches...onto the links ::

• I'd love to find a table like this
• loving her processing
• this picture took my breath away
• this blog has tons of crafty ideas to do with little ones
• a new thrift store opened today down the street. yes, down the street! I went after work and let's just say my wardrobe is starting to look like it came straight out of this movie.
• we're going to see INGRID MICHAELSON this week. Oh my oh my oh my. So unbelievably excited are we!
• not only that, but we're taking a whole day this week as a "date day." just the two of us, doing anything we want, going anywhere we want, and eating whatever and wherever we want. So fun!
• these chairs are awesome. when does one decide that another chair in their house is not entirely practical?!
• have you seen this movie? it's too cute!
• was just introduced to the Dirty Projectors. Crazy awesome stuff. (The video is a bit strange!)
• my new fav Pandora station at the moment is "Sally's Tomato"
• miso soup and broccoli are on the menu tonight
• have you seen this video? I want to learn how to do that!! I think that will be my summer goal...

What are you all loving this Monday?! I would love some good spring shoe links, your favorite outfits, Etsy artists you love, and what in your life is making you HAPPY!