Bluebirdbaby

POMonday

Goodbye February and hello March! There's surely going to be warmer days and less snow in March, right? My pals just left after a night of pom-pom making and party planning. Our Mad Men party is this weekend...it should be a blast! I'm very excited about it and even though we're kind of last minute with the decorations, we're going to have a bar, a turntable DJ (go Meghan!), and a photo booth. So yea...that's pretty rockin'. I'm STILL on the hunt for vintage Life Magazines (anyone??!) and I need a pair of black heels in a 6.5...

Here are my links for this rainy Monday ::

• this is so awesome. i swear she sounds just like Lauryn Hill...
• the little one is in love with him
• holy toast!
• ahhhhh summer shopping
• yes indeed
• we made a whole lot of these tonight
• i want to make a garden sculpture out of these
• oh my wonderful
• Mr. Pickles does this all the time
• she's coming on Thursday
• i spent 4 hours cleaning out my sewing room today. there's still so much more to go...gotta get my office up and running soon!
• the little one helped me make soup tonight. she was so cute and SO into it!
• going to make one of these for the spring to get seedlings outside earlier

Okay...I'm off to clean up pom pom leftovers. Happy Monday everyone!!

From The Style Files of E

Here she is, in her rockin' outfit. She got all glammed up this morning to go to a gallery opening tonight. So freakin' cute. Love the Chucks...

It's Coming

The back porch was a good 55 degrees yesterday afternoon. My friend and I sat out there, bare arms, faces in the sun, trying to soak up as much as possible. The girls were running around in the snow with no coats on. We heard birds overhead and looked up to see about twenty resting in the tree above us. They hung around for a while. Their songs reminded us that spring is on its way.

 

What She Wants

Well, you were all so cute with your guesses as to what the little one's saving up for. And you were all so right on with an instrument! Remember the ukulele she was using as a violin before she got a real violin? Well, she still uses the ukulele (although now as an actual ukulele) about four hours a day. She makes up songs, puts on concerts, and just basically constantly has that ukulele in her hand. She's begging me to put a nail in the bottom so we can put a strap on, which means even handier carrying all over town.

But it is a toy ukulele, which means the strings really aren't in tune and it sounds, well...fake. And after seeing Storey with her apple ukulele, the little one had such determination in acquiring one of her very own, that I had to find out where it came from! I'm not sure how we stumbled across the Etsy shop that sells these wonderfully creative instruments, but the little one fell in love with the Avolele. She loves it. Adores it. Wants it in her hands right now.

But it's, um...$400. FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS! That means nothing to a four year old, but it sure does to a mama. So I told her, "Well, I think that's a very nice thing to save your money for, and if you'd like to do some extra work around the house to earn money to save up for your ukulele, than I'd be happy to help!" So she agreed. But the first thing on her list was to round up all the change Sasa leaves all over the house. I swear...guys and change. It amazes me how much they carry around in their pockets. How much indeed...we got $71.50 from all the change she's been collecting from Sasa's pockets. Ha! (He was shocked to find that out!). We counted change all morning, learning about the different coins and how many it took to make a dollar. It took us three hours to count and roll everything and she was right there with me the whole time.

And now we have a chore chart. In addition to the things she already helps out with (shoveling, cooking, vacuuming, cleaning the bathroom with me, laundry, etc.) she has some special "extras" that will earn her a dollar a day. She's so very excited about it. She asks me all day long to read her chore chart to her, even though I illustrated the activities so she wouldn't forget. She's so cute!

So she earns a dollar a day, and between Sasa's pocket change and birthdays and holidays, I think she just might have enough in a little over a year. She sure is excited. SO very excited. She tells everyone that she's saving her money. Her jar of money sits on top of her dresser and she adds to it daily. There is such satisfaction when she empties her earnings into it. She just beams.

I love that she is learning the importance of saving money, and working hard for something she wants so very much. I love that it's not instant gratification and it's teaching her patience. I love that she is just totally rolling with it and it's all good in her world. She wants it, but she is at peace with the process of getting there. And the process is so very wonderful.

 

Up To My Eyeballs

Oh my goodness. Taxes taxes taxes. That's all I've been thinking about. I'm getting started with Quickbooks and YIKES!...it's crazy making. I'm up to my eyeballs in receipts and invoices and bills and payments. My eyes actually feel like they're going to fall out of my head from staring at the computer screen.

I worked for about 10 hours yesterday and had to quit because my eyes hurt so much. (That and I could no longer feel the fingers on my right hand!) But I was saved by a dinner invite at our friend's house. We had a blast. We ate good food, had a mellow evening, sat in front of the cozy fire, and attempted to watch an old movie but then I fell asleep in my chair. So Sasa and I came home to fall into bed. I was asleep in a second. And it felt good.

And you see my "office" here? It's crazy making too. Piles of paperwork, one small little cabinet to fit all my business stuff, and the worst part is it's all in our living room. So I'm cleaning out my sewing room to become my office, which will be so nice to have things organized. And it gets my big honkin' computer out of the living room (although that means no more Hulu).

This processing was inspired (and instructed!) by her. She's great. And she's inspiring me to purchase my first Holga. Yay!

Okay, enough about biz and taxes and boring stuff...onto the super awesome links!

• fun fun fun (freakin' LOVE this video!)
• really, really enjoying her. thanks to a reader for telling me about her!
• this is mine!
• spent 3 hours yesterday putting together welcome packages for my new brides/grooms this coming year! so much fun and lots of goodies for them :)
• what a cutie
• this summer I'm going all flower child
• i want this
• and this
• and i've been dreaming of high waisted jeans since last summer (and I think now they're coming BACK!)
• i love sasa so much. just wanted to add that to get my sasa mooshiness in this monday. because he really is awesome. he's in the kitchen making rice and beans and kale and chard yumminess while i tax away and write my crazy monday links
• yes indeedy
• omg omg omg omg
• super cuteness happening here
• Kristin e-mailed me this print. I LOVE it!
• i love these and am totally doing this with the little one
• the little one is saving up for something super awesome. she has $71.50 as of today. crazy, eh? i will tell more later this week! i'm so proud of her!

Okay, I must get back to taxing.

BUT...

Does anyone out there have any Life Magazines from the late 50's or early 60's??! I need a few and would love to trade or pay! Please e-mail me at ewallacephoto{at}gmail.com if you have any!!

Happy Monday my lovely readers! Here's hoping it's a terrific week for all!

Hers and a Heavenly Day

Well, I started the little one's cowl yesterday and finished it at the breakfast table this morning. I used leftovers from her sweaters. It came off the needles and she exclaimed, "Mama! It only took you two days to knit me this!" And she put it right on. She was very excited about the idea of having warm cheeks on our walks. So we headed right out to put it to good use.

Perhaps this wasn't the best day for cowl wearing because it warmed up to a marvelous 48 degrees! I was outside in my t-shirt shoveling snow for the chickens (who went on vacation and hopefully will be back really soon!) and cleaning up the back porch. It was amazing. Regardless of this warming trend, I'm still starting my cowl tomorrow...

We found a bird's next on our walk home. A teensy tiny one that I placed on our window sill looking out into the backyard. I like to think of it as a reminder that spring is on its way. Our seed order has been placed, our garden will expand slightly to accomodate more winter storage veggies, I'm looking into my bees (!!!!!! So excited and just wanted to thank you all again for the marvelous links you sent me last summer after my bee lust post. I really hope it happens this year!), and we're about ready to tap the trees. I can't wait to taste the cool, clear sap again. Spring tonic. This full moon (Friday!) will start the Sap Moon, which means spring is definitely on its way! (Check out this book...I adore it.)

I hung my first line of laundry in about four months. I'm pretty sure this is one of the first day in months above 30 degrees. And 30 degrees was a rarity this winter. We were mostly dealing with subzero temps. Killer. I can take the snow, but the cold I would rather leave behind.

The little one played outside all day. We went on bike rides, stomped in puddles, let Mr. Pickles (who decided today was much too nice to sleep away) explore the barn a little, and tried to teach Pepper to fetch. Then it was more walks, a little acupuncture, more soaking in the sunshine, and a lovely dinner full of greens.

And it looks like tomorrow might be a repeat which makes me very, very happy indeed.

What are you loving about late February??

A Cowl and a Cozy Cat

My friend's birthday was last week and I had the urge to make her something. She spends a lot of time outdoors with her goats and chickens and dogs, and I knew I had to knit her a little gift to help her stay warm. So I dropped my cowl to start hers! I used a brown super soft wool (I think it's alpaca) that a reader sent me long ago and it knit up so sweetly.

Basically I just cast on about 140 stitches and knit in the round until I had it at the desired width. I want it to curl at the top and bottom to add a bit of contrast. I decreased halfway up to make the top closer fitting.

I really love the end result and can't wait to get working on mine. Except now the little one is begging me for a cowl, so tomorrow I cast on with purple (she wants stripes too). Oh, and a big thanks to her for taking these pictures. She's really been loving my camera lately...

The cowl is up on Ravelry!

And I leave you with some cozy cat pictures. I kid you not, Mr. Pickles sleeps all day and all night curled up on the little one's bed. I'm currently trying to figure out how to write the laziest cat in the world into our "Super Cat" books. But he's a Super Cat in his own special way...mostly his cuddling and his beloved tummy rubs. He's the cutest!

Happy Love Day!

Happy Love Day! It's so fun to have a day full of love...for yourself, others, your sweetheart, or your wee ones. The little one and I spent the morning making potato stamps to stamp our Valentine's Day cards. After they were all done and dry, we delivered them all over town. She was the cutest with her little basket full of love skipping merrily up and down the streets.

And Sasa took me out to an awesome Japanese restaurant tonight. We had a blast. He's seriously the sweetest guy ever. I wore a crazy 1980's pink silk dress that looks so totally JEM. I had to have my friend come over for a fashion check before I left. I mean...it was THAT crazy for me. (See here.) But it was awesome. And the sushi was delish. And the sake was mmm mmm good.

So here are my greatest love links ever ::

• the greatest love songs in my opinion and sasa's
• most romantic movies like ever
• blog o' love
• a whole lot of kissing
• hugs
• love for my tummy
• feel good love
• lots of love
• this one's for Sasa

No we're going to watch this feel-good movie and eat chocolate cheesecake. Happy Valentine's Day!!

Featured Sponsor :: Music by Evan McElfresh

Our first featured sponsor is Evan McElfresh. Evan grew up in an extremely musical family and at an early was already singing and tinkering with different instruments. He started taking piano lessons, which only lasted a few years. He grew tired of the box into which he was being fit. By the age of 7 he wrote his first song, titled Metamorphosis. Now he is sharing his music with the world!

Please check out his website here.

Evan is also offering free shipping on his discs here. Also, look for him on iTunes!

Here are some Q&A from Evan about his music. Enjoy!

How did you get started in music?

I got started in music because it was something to which my entire family identified, including my extended family.  In my family there are and have been piano teachers, choir directors, band leaders, musicians, writers, singers, audio engineers and composers.  I remember singing as a child with my brother, sister and mother.  At the age of four I was contributing to four-part harmonies.  My siblings started taking piano lessons and I wasn't far behind; when I was about five, I started taking piano lessons.  I learned the basics, the jargon and learned how to improve myself, but eventually I decided I didn't like taking lessons, so after just a few short years, I quit.  I never stopped playing the piano though.  I loved how it made me feel.

What are your favorite instruments to play? 

Piano is an easy  answer to this question.  I've had a love-affair with the piano for over twenty years so playing a piano has become more of a conversation than a task.  That said, I enjoy writing music for other instruments and combining different sounds.  For instance, I've recently started composing pieces for small orchestras and I have to say that I've fallen in love with the oboe.  But in order for me to write all of these different instruments with greater depth and emotion, I need to understand how they're played, so I've decided that I need to learn how to play several different types of instruments.  Some of my favorites right now are the guitar, my two Native American flutes, the djembe, and the turkey baster, which is a surprisingly agile woodwind, given that it's a kitchen item.

When did you start composing?

I started composing a few years after I started taking piano lessons.  For most of the twenty years that I've been playing the piano, I've only written piano-only music.  I remember my elementary school teacher letting me play my compositions in class about once a month.  The other kids probably just thought I was showing off, and for a long time that's most likely what it was given my need for attention, but I didn't care.  I wanted, and I still want, everyone to hear my music.  As the years went by the sound of an accompanying orchestra got louder and louder in my head.  It got to the point where I couldn't ignore it anymore and Healing Waters was born.

What inspires you when you write?

I've been asked this question more often recently.  The best way I can describe it is that my music is pure emotion in the form of music.  Van Gogh's art would change depending on his mood.  My music is the same way.  If anyone has an especially bad day or a really good one even, they usually have something they turn to in order to release that energy.  Some write, some grab their camera, some sit down to dinner with a best friend.  I turn to music.  I have never studied one of my works-in-progress in order to decide what would classically work to make that piece function well or tie together.  If the song doesn't progress naturally when I'm sitting at the piano playing the sound over and over, it's not ready to be heard.  I will be asked many times if I've finished a piece I'm working on at the time.  My usual answer is, "Oh, it's done.  I just haven't discovered it yet."

How did you settle on this genre of music?

I would like to think that this genre of music picked me, instead of the other way around.  Honestly, I just write the music that's in my heart.  I'd like to think that that's why there's so much more behind my music than just notes and sounds.  A part of me is in every song.  I did have influences growing up.  When I started buying my own CDs, it wasn't until my freshman year of high school that I owned anything other than Yanni.  My family often listened to George Winston and I also came to really enjoy Jim Brickman.  I would borrow (steal) their techniques in order to achieve the sounds that I wanted, but ultimately I was just searching for the songs that were already in my soul.

There are many layers to your music...do they happen organically when composing, or do you really think about what to add after the piece if fully composed?

This is an interesting question.  When I started recording Healing Waters, I came with a handful of completed piano pieces.  The song, "Healing Waters," for instance has existed on its for almost ten years.  But for as long as I've been playing that piece, I always heard more in my head.  I would listen to the music and wonder why the violinists weren't playing their part.  Creating this CD gave me a chance to let the full song sing out as loud as it wanted to.  So for that song it was more of a post-production addition.  The music keeps an organic nature though.  In a few years I might decide that it's not the right sound at that time.  The core of the song will stay unchanged, but I might build its surroundings differently.  For other tracks, like, "Enter Spring" and "Kindergarten Ballerina," it was more of an organic creation.  I created those pieces in the studio from start to finish.  I hear a melody so I record it.  I listen to it over the monitors and start hearing counter melodies or harmonies.  I hear other instruments and rhythms.  Sometimes I would take it home and listen to it for a week straight on my computer, on my speakers at work, in my car, on my friend's stereos... Any way I could.  When I got back to the studio, I had a slew of new ideas to play with.  Some would work and some really wouldn't, but I never forced a song.

How do you want people to walk away from your music feeling?

I hope that when someone experiences my music they walk away knowing themselves a little better.  I like to think of my music as a form of truth.  Let me explain that.  If someone you know made you angry yesterday and you were to tell them that what they said to you yesterday was wrong and they shouldn't have said it, that's an arguable point.  But if you said that what they told you made you upset and hurt you.  That's truth.  In a similar fashion, I believe that when you're listening to someone speak about their joy or their pain, what you connect to is not the issue they're speaking about; the dog they had to put down, the child who starred in their first play.  What you're connecting to is the root fear or love that exists in that event.  I feel like I am able to tap into that root to create my music.  I let go of the events in my life and write the emotion that exists behind it.  What I hope is that anyone who listens to my music, can tap into that truth.  However that presents itself, whatever feeling manifests, is both out of my control and, I believe, is exactly what the listener needed to feel.

 

Thanks Evan for being a sponsor here on Bluebirdbaby!

Breath

This is my view from the sink in the kitchen. This side of our house faces another house, so my view isn't the greatest, although I've hidden it with plants. I love this window.

It is often when I am washing dishes that I remember to breathe. I focus on breath, relaxing my body, and opening up to the wonderfulness of today.

The crystals, the Buddha statues, and the life of the plants do wonders on my spirit. I breathe in their peace and exhale my worries.

I find that living in Maine, the winter is the time when we really need to take care of ourselves. Allow ourselves that nice long bath at the end of the day, or the splurge of really good chocolate once a week. It really is the greatest gift we can give ourselves...when we care about ourselves as much as we care for others.

So go do something wonderful for yourself...take a bath, escape into a quiet room to read a book, eat a second helping of dessert, go on a walk, dance around the room until you're tired, and just love yourself. Because you are worth it.

Monday, Pizza, Wine, and Chocolate

First off, any central Californian's out there that would like a photo shoot in August of this year? Looks like I'll be flying out for a wedding and would love to book some other shoots while I'm out there! Send me an e-mail at erin{at}alovesupremephoto.com

Oh my, my dear friends. In the spirit of "a year of choice" I will not even get into what this day entailed. But let's just say it isn't going on my list of "best days ever." And that's okay. Because only with these crazy-make-you-want-to-pull-your-hair-out-or-curl-up-in-a-ball-and-cry days that we really appreciate the super awesome ones! And not only that, but Sasa (being that fantabulous guy he is) said, "I'm making you pizza and chocolate and hey...here's a glass of wine!" Yea...that dude totally rocks. I feel like I've been a little slack with my Sasa mushiness, with no real reason why. And I like my Sasa mushiness, so it might have to appear a little more often now.

Oh, and this post is going out to my twin in Colorado. (You know who you are!!)

And see that awesome Polaroid above? That's me, doing my taxes. My parents started me early. I've always been a bit of an entrepreneur, and I believe that year it was my lemonade stand and friendship bracelet business. Uh huh.

Okie dokie...here's my exhausted Monday list of links!

• addicted to these guys again. thanks to the reader that reminded me about their loveliness!
• this is probably my fav Janelle song yet
• totally love these
• went bowling last Friday for a dear friend's birthday and it was so.much.fun. i want to join a league.
• i'm so into glazed mugs these days. this one is awesome.
• check it out! a year of choice in action! (working on the list for my sidebar!)
• my wine kind of smells like rosemary and for some reason that is very yummy
• my lemon thyme plant in the kitchen just started wilting! what is wrong?! it's not dry. any suggestions? it was growing like a weed before!
• this website is cool
• i want to learn processing like this
• Maria has some pretty cardinals in her yard
• my first meeting with an accountant was tonight (not part of my disaster of a day) and now i'm off to install Quickbooks. oh my. but all that taxing as a kid has me in good shape. haha.
• you MUST all check this out. my super awesome inspiring funny creative sweet graphic designer did a video tutorial on creating your own stamps! yay! go sarah go!
• any Mainers out there...I need a new car. and since i have no money because it's winter in Maine, i need a cheap car. I'm looking for a vintage mercedes. my friend says i should get bright pink. so if anyone has a bright pink vintage mercedes they are selling for cheap, send me an e-mail, okay?
• i cut my bangs yesterday because they had grown like an inch in a week. (crazy hair) and um, they are not so good. i need an emergency fix at the hair doc tomorrow...

I'm off to eat delicious kale/olive/feta/tomato/basil pizza. Then that will be followed by a really good movie and snuggling with my super awesome man, then it's on to the super awesome chocolate he got for me. Oh Sasa...I love you.

What are you loving this week?!!!

Oh yes and Snow!

Oh, you have no idea how tickled I was to open my inbox in the wee hours of the morning and find all your lovely comments. You are THERE, you are CHOOSING! And that's wonderful! I am so thrilled beyond belief that you are joining me. Just think about all the people out there who might be choosing now. And think of the trickling affect that will have on others and pretty soon there are a whole bunch of people choosing joy and peace and happiness. So freakin' awesome.

I wanted to reply to each and every comment. Some brought tears to my eyes. Others asked questions I want to answer. And some were overjoyed by the possibility of choice. And every single one of you (even if you didn't comment and are still joining in) are awesome and wonderful and amazing. I can't wait to see what comes of this.

If you are joining in and would like your blog added to my sidebar, please e-mail me at ewallacephoto{at}gmail.com and put "A Year of Choice" in the title, and your blog link in the message first, I will add it!

Thank you thank you thank you for being such awesome people. You make me smile and laugh and love life even more!!!

With that said, I really needed to show you all just how much snow we've been dealing with. Not just inches...oh no...feet. And numerous feet at that. The town plow guy told me FIVE FEET to be exact. It is well over the little one's head. The piles in front of our house are almost 6 feet high. Pretty soon our windows will be covered. It's a tad insane.

I used to dream as a small child about it snowing so much that our house was buried and we would have to tunnel everywhere we went. But now that it's kind of happening, I'm not so sure it's that fun. But making snow igloos sure is!

The little one thinks it great. While I was shoveling the 4 feet of snow the plow left in our walkway and driveway for the fourth time in a day, the little one said, "Mama, I wish it was winter all year long!" Which made me totally chuckle and thankfully shovel the snow that surely wouldn't be there all year long. (Or maybe it will with these ginormous piles...)

But she's having fun and we are enjoying it while it lasts. Hey...it just means more knitting and baking and soup making and snow shoeing and cross country skiing and snow forts and sledding adventures. And thank goodness for seed catalogs that keep us hopeful that green grass will appear again someday...

So, what's your weather like?!

A Year of Choice

Many people have e-mailed me asking if I was going to do another 30 Day of Beauty challenge. I thought about it long and hard. I wanted to, but something was holding me back. Perhaps I needed more of a challenge, perhaps I didn't have the time now to commit to a post everyday, or maybe I was just such in a good rhythm with blogging, that I didn't want to mess with it.

So much in my life has shifted and changed, even since the last 30 Days of Beauty challenge. I began thinking about all we've been through, everything everyone's been through, and realized that I needed to take it in another direction. Life just keeps on happenin'. Everyday, heck...every second, something happens in your life that gives you a choice. A choice between acceptance and gratitude, or misery and unhappiness.

It could be as simple as "Oh dear...we're out of coffee." Or something as serious as a life threatening disease. But, as humans, we have the remarkable option of choice. All in how we deal with whatever is handed to us.

I'm very mindful of the choice I have everyday. It's much more on my mind these days than the beauty I have learned to find everywhere, even in the midst of February in Maine. Making a conscious effort to pick our of the "postive jar" instead of the "negative jar" anytime life throws something not so cool in your face can really be empowering.

We have the option of choosing happiness, joy, love, and goodness. And I know that sometimes choosing to wallow in our pain and misfortune seems so much easier and sometimes much needed. Been there. Done that. And this is exactly why I need this challenge. I was that happy, bubbly person who didn't seem to be brought down by life's hardships. A co-worker once said, "Despite the crap you've been through, you are the happiest and most positive person I know." That stuck with me. I liked hearing that. But then life kept on coming and kept hitting us at every angle possible, and I began to weaken under the weight of its, excuse my language, shit. And I start noticing myself, drained energy and all, falling for that misery. Which is SO not cool!

Then I'm reminded every single day I come on here, that I can choose. And that's what I do. I consistently choose, because that's our gift. And I don't want to waste such a wonderful gift as that. Would you?!

So this isn't a 30 day challenge, but rather a challenge for the year. It doesn't have to be daily or weekly. I want it to be genuine and totally in the moment. Post about your choices and how they have affected your life. Post about joy or happiness. Post about awesomeness in the midst of hardship. Or just post about awesomeness because it's there. Post about a cup of coffee that saved a hard morning or the glass of wine that saved a hard day. Or the knitting that brings you back to your joy several times throughout the day.

And all of this is tied into joy, beauty, happiness, and mindfulness. There are so many ways to go about it. And at the root of it all is choice.

I don't even know which direction my posts will head, but I do know that I sat down to write this without a single idea in mind and look what came out. Oh yes, a year of choice. That's exactly what I need.

Will you join me? Let's make 2011 a year of choice which will bring joy and happiness and beauty in its path.

I've made a blog button for anyone who joins. Here's the code!

<a border="0" href="http://bluebirdbaby.typepad.com/bluebirdbaby/2011/02/a-year-of-choice.html " target="_blank"><img src="http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/489/yearofchoice.jpg"/></a>

Leave a comment if you decide to join! I'd love to here from you!