Bluebirdbaby

Happy Tuesday

i can't believe the lilacs are turning already.

it was only a week ago they were ready for picking.

 

we are loving the sun today. the garden. friends. a yummy dinner tonight. each other.

i hope you all have a lovely tuesday! xoxo

a weekend in pictures

It was all too perfect and lovely.

We had a sweet little visit from my mama, BBQs with friends and family, fresh flowers inside, running through the sprinkler, back porch songs, lots of sunshine and time in the garden, cooking and baking, just born baby goats, dreaming up new ideas and plans, and had a wonderful time all being together.

and thank you all for entering the sweet giveaway over the weekend! Random.org chose #20...

angie said...

what a great shop, thanks for introducing me! As for summer, my dream is simple, outside fun with lots of camping trips with the family!

 

Angie...send me an e-mail (ewallacephoto@gmail.com) and we'll get your cape out! Yay! Congrats!

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend! Cheers!

Sponsor Giveaway :: Mosey Handmade

I'm so excited to introduce this sweet little Etsy shop! Mosey Handmade makes gorgeous goodies for wee ones out of recycled materials. I just love love love their shop! And they are based in Maine! Yay for local! I'm swooning over this bunny and these cute baby mushroom rattles!

Jes (owner and maker) has sweetly answered some fun questions about the business!

1) When did you start your Etsy shop?

I started my etsy shop around 2006 on the urging of a college friend and after my first Renegade Craft Fair where etsy had a table full of amazing cutesy crafts.

2) Have you always been crafty?

My mom and my Grandmother were both super seamstresses and made most of my clothes when I was a little one, lots of calico and corduroy. So I always credit them with starting my sewing career. And I've always loved making things for other people, little gifts, handwritten letters. So now it's like I get to do that and make a living...hooray!

3) What inspired you to start making toys and clothing for wee ones?

I had been working in a Waldorf Kindergarten and always LOVED kids, so I just started making hats for the children as holiday gifts. That's actually how the first *Creature Hat* got made!

4) Do the Waldorf ways play a big role in your lives?

Yes. We have our own little one now and are raising her in a very Waldorf way. Lots of good handmade toys, wooden things, silks, lots of reverence for nature ...I feel lucky because there is a pretty great barter system out there for crafters and we get and give a lot of our lovely things that way.

I also have a small little home based school  inspired by the Lifeways approach...so we eat, sleep (or at least nap) and breath it! 

5) Where do you find your recycled materials?
AHA! Enter my business partner. I used to get all of my wool from Boston but with some good cold winters under our belts recently the price of a used wool sweater has really gone up since I started my business. I now source all my wool from Texas where it is very inexpensive and plentiful. It's kind of like New England wool was becoming a rare bird, but it runs wild and free in the Longhorn State. My business partner is a crafter and art teacher in Texas and I am SO SO lucky to have her!

6) What is your favorite item to make?

Our birthday crowns have become a favorite, they are just so festive!

7) Where do you see your business in two years?

I hope it can grow enough that many many children will be tooling around in a Mosey Handmade hat or jumper.  It feels like having a partner is helping Mosey expand and flourish in creative ways too...like we now have a pretty strong Spring & Summer line, which we never really did before.

8) And just for fun...what is your favorite ice cream flavor? :)

Well I'd have to say I'm more of a gelato girl, unless of course it's hand churned and in that case vanilla with fresh strawberries, please!

 

Mosey Handmade has generously offered a giveaway of a fabulous plant-dyed wool felt cape with a custom little bluebird on it! (Aww!) To enter, tell us what your dreams for the summer are! I'll pick a winner Tuesday 8 p.m. EST. Good luck! 

Don't forget to check out...

• Their fabulous shop!
• And super sweet blog!
  

inside

i'm enjoying these succulents inside.

and that bird planter makes me very happy.

sasa got it for me for valentine's day. sweet, eh?

 

it's been a long day, packed full of adventures and fun. the little one fell asleep so very early and we're going to do the same.

 

happy long weekend, my friends!

 

 

our days

the sun came out. it finally came out.

so we've been outside all day, everyday.

there are flowers to pick, vases to fill, sidewalks to play hopscotch on, bikes to ride, friends to have over, picnics to have, and the sun to enjoy.

and boy, are we enjoying it.

 

hope you all have sun too!

a garden tour

I feel like I've been absent from much of my life right now, because every single spare second I have, I am outside in the garden. The little one is either helping, or close by. It's so wonderful to see her interaction with the garden change each year. As I spent a full five hours weeding over the weekend, I realized that just last year I never would have been able to accomplish that with a three year old. In fact, the back perennial bed sat full of weeds all summer long. Now she is starting seedlings, helping weed, watering the garden, and has so much excitement at everything growing!

Last year, our first year with a true garden in this space, and my seventh year gardening (not counting my childhood! my parents had a fabulous garden.), I realized that I really couldn't be happier than when I'm out there working in the dirt. Watching our own food grow, playing a role in every part of it, shaping our land to our imagination, and being outside in the sunshine with dirt on my hands and green at my feet just makes me so darn happy. And I'm so fortunate to be able to share that with my two loves who enjoy it just as much as I do!

So, I thought I was due to share some gardening pictures from this year. It's been a rough start...it's been cold and rainy. Really rainy. Two weeks ago last year, we were picking all kinds of wildflowers and lilacs, but we are at least a week or two away from that this year. The seedlings are struggling to keep up with the rain and lack of sun. But there's green out there despite the weather and it's so lovely to see!

Let's start with the front yard. We put raised beds here because it's drier (our back yard is very swampy) and the chickens couldn't get into things. Last fall we added a few more for winter greens and beets. We have a total of twelve raised beds. This year we are growing basil, tomatillos, tomatoes, kale (2 varieties), chard (2 varieties), lettuce (6 varieties), strawberries (alpine and ever-bearing), blueberries (the traditional Maine kind), elderberries, peas, pole beans, carrots (4 varieties), beets (3 varieties), zucchini, slicing cucumbers, pickling cucumbers and a variety of herbs. We are adding more raised beds in the backyard for potatoes, winter squashes, pumpkins, onions, and garlic.

So, without further ado, let me take you on a little garden tour...

In the front we have the raised beds. I'm also doing some container planting this year for salad greens and peas, just because we ran out of room in the beds. We also have a cherry and plum tree here. This sight makes me smile every time I walk out the door! This picture from last year makes me so happy...

Chard growing in the cold and wet weather.

Lettuce!

The little one's bed full of strawberries is doing well. She also has her own blueberry bed and a place to plant carrots.

I have a perennial bed in the front along the sidewalk full of medicinal herbs and ground covers. I just put some chamomile and lemon balm in this spring, in addition to the lavender, echinacea, yarrow already there.

In the very front of the house that faces north, we put some shade loving greens. Lots of ferns, hosta, and lily's.

I used the window boxes for culinary herbs! Oregano, sage, parsley, and cilantro. We can just open the window, reach out, and pick some for our meals!

We started cosmos and zinnias in tin cans and old olive oil cans. The little one was in charge of all the flowers!

The backyard needs a lot of work, so that's my goal for this year. We have a huge property for being right in town...about 3/4 of an acre. But it's all wet and swampy, which makes it hard to grow anything. There's a lot of weeding to do, plants to add, a chicken coop to build (anyone interested in helping or donating materials?! we will FEED YOU!), more raised beds to go in, and a tree fort to finish. This is the perennial bed I just weeded over the weekend. I love how the bee balm has spread like crazy from last year. I've got flocks coming up too, tulips, mint (oh...whoever planted mint in there?!), lupines, a pear tree, violets, and others that were there when we moved in.

Rhubarb and a peach tree are close by too.

And I've been inspired by her to use some re-purposed planters. One was a stump with the perfect rotted hole that was down by the tiny brook at the end of our property. It is perfect for some succulents! And the other was a tire I also found down there. I am having so much fun finding native plants (you'll be surprised by all the great stuff around you once you start looking!) around our yard and the field behind it. I found some ferns, forget me nots, and some ground covers that I love. So everything from the planter to the plants were completely free!

And lastly, the little one's garden where she can plant anything she wants. Chives, chocolate mint (she wanted it right in the ground, so we have lots now! she chews on it all summer long), thyme, some flowers, forget me nots, and violets are what she chose. She is in charge of this little patch of yard too. She's doing a fine job so far!

So that's our garden! I hope you enjoyed your visit. I'd love to see yours, if you have one! Leave me a link...

The Winner (and something funny)

 

Okay, I couldn't post the winner of the giveaway without a photo or something. Sasa and I were getting a kick out of all the videos the little one makes with Photo Booth on my Mac. This one had us cracking up. Hope you enoy it too...

And the winner is #58!

Kristy said...

What beautiful prints. I felt complete the moment my children were born...and I have never lost that feeling since. Have a beautiful day.

Kristy...please e-mail me with your address and your prints will be on their way! Thanks to all who entered. I love, love, loved hearing what made you all feel complete!

Brrrr

Well, I thought about doing my big garden post today, but I have so many sweet links to share. So the garden post will make its debut tomorrow. Yay!

We're still having this crazy cold rainy weather. It was below 50 today, and between the dampness and the colder air, I was chilly all day long. I drank four cups of black tea too. So hard to wake up on days like this.

The basil and tomatillos are rotting out there in rain, which makes me so sad. Luckily, I've got some more going inside. Sasa is making fiddlehead pasta for dinner tonight with lots of garlic. Yum. I'm a lucky woman.

The above picture is a scene you'll find here often in this rainy weather. We've been doing lots of cooking, baking, water kefir prepping, tea making, and eating lately. Today we baked chocolate chip cookies. Really good chocolate chip cookies too. I love baking with my girl.

Okay, here's some links!

• helplessness blues runs through my head all day long. love it.
• those kids must have had so much fun.
• going to see them tomorrow night! yay!
• saving. saving. saving.
• any locals out there, check out "A Tribute to Muriel" concert on Sunday May 29th at 4 p.m. I hear it's going to be amazing!!
• good idea
• anthropologie contacted me today about their new tumblr account! check it out. great stuff there!
• got a bunch of succulents from here
• oh yea. 
• love this.
• at least summer is somewhere
• like a painting
• i want to be in a parade!
• can i please live there too?

Okay, leave me with some of your favorite links for the week! See you tomorrow in the garden...

Sponsor Giveaway :: Shira Sela

I came across Shira's Etsy shop full of gorgeous prints recently and fell in love. They are all so beautiful; full of simplicity and the natural world. I also love how each print is symbolic of something I'm pretty sure we all have known in our lives.

Here is how Shira describes herself and her work ::

"I am a Montreal based artist and illustrator. My work is greatly influenced by childhood
memories and revolves around themes of escapism, dreams and interaction with nature.
Through these themes I try to convey the beauty of solitude and the power of imagination.

I work with both traditional and digital mediums and I love to use inks, graphite, and
acrylics as well as graphic and illustration software.

I am inspired by movies, old pictures, nature, children, other artists and anything that
makes me think and feel."

Shira has graciously offered a giveaway here for her popular print "Complete." Please leave a comment, telling us what makes you feel complete! I will draw a winner Monday 8 p.m. EST. Good luck and thanks Shria!

Shira Sela Shop

Shira's Website

Find her on Facebook too!

Peek-A-Boo

Playing hide and seek in the woods. Sheer joy. I love this photo. Just love love love. Last woods post, promise. Tomorrow there will be a giveaway! Yay!

And we had a brief break from the rain today...just long enough for me to get a killer sunburn on my back from weeding. Now it's back to raining.

Monday I'll have a garden tour post! I finally got out there when the rain stopped and took some pictures. See you then!

in the field

We took another walk in the woods today. The little one ran for a good two hours. I told her she probably ran over 3 miles today, through the woods and the fields. She was proud of herself and I was too.

We made two fairy houses, saw oyster shell middens that are over a thousand years old, played in the water, visisted the gnomes in the trees, and ran through the fields. Then we came back home to find yummy fiddleheads on our doorstep. Thank you friends!

I think this field series just about says it all!

I hope you enjoyed your Wednesday too. xoxo.

before the rain

Before the rain we spent a day on our friend's farm exploring the greenhouse, holding baby chicks, cuddling the lambs, and running around in the spring air. It's always so sweet to witness these girls playing together. The giggles, the helping hands, watching out for one another, giving each other a chance to try, discovering the delight of having a friend to share things with. It's all so wonderful. Makes me so grateful for all my sweet friends too.

Sasa and I are settling in for a mellow night. We're enjoying a glass of wine, Ray's latest album, a salad with sheep feta and side of kale soup, and I've got some work to do later. But for now, it's a sweet moment of rest.

Good night!

 

woods and ferns

It was a rainy day today. In fact, it's going to be a rainy week I hear. I'm pushing myself out of my comfort zone and going out for a walk no matter how wet. I've never liked the rain...even as a kid. But I've been putting on my boots and raincoat and bringing the little one out no matter how wet or misty.

It feels nice to be out in the rain. It's almost as if the forest is asleep and we are intruding on its quiet time. We enjoyed a nice long walk today. The woods looked so magical with the glistening spring ferns and greens. In the end, we didn't mind the rain one bit and I'm sure that it won't stop us the rest of the week either.

And there are plenty of things I'm loving this week, but here are just a few...

• once again i seem to be addicted to her live in Paris performances
• also loving this
• i received two of the most beautiful screenprints i've ever seen today from here. you really, really need to check out her work. i can't wait to hang them!!
• have you noticed some new sponsors in the sidebar?! what wonderful artists!!
• if anyone ever finds mounted framed butterflies at a thrift shop/antique store, please let me know! i'm in search of some!
• seriously cool travel mug
• can i live here please?
• can't fav this enough

What are you loving this Monday?!!

growth, change, and renewal

robins have been finding me everywhere lately.

they come to my windows, they fly by me while i run, they stare at me from their perch in our trees, they land on our porch during meals, and they seem to love being around me while i garden. the robin is a symbol of growth, change, and renewal. and i feel that it is so true in our lives right now. i want to spend my days tapping into the robin's wisdom.

we are beginning a week of rain. it's pouring outside as i write this and the rain has kept me in doing some spring cleaning and lots of work all day.

i thought it was time for a new look here too. so i played around a bit and came up with something i think just might last for a while. hope you like it.

what are your plans of the week?!

 

tonight

tonight while the peepers were singing

and the birds were chirping

and a wee one was running in and out, out and in giggling

and the water was boiling

and i sat prepping beans

 

i thought

 

what a perfectly wonderful moment. what a perfectly wonderful life. no matter what extravagant thing happens, or some wonderfully momentous news, all i really need and want are moments just like this.

Winner!

Oh man...I LOVED reading your Ruche favorites! Thanks to all who entered! Random.org chose number 76 ::

Caren said...

I would LIVE in the "a break in the clouds" dress. Love the "sun forever," "rosey posey" and "off to bora bora" dresses, and "peacock in paradise" skirt. I could go on and on. But Erin, the PICTURES of your shoot are amazing! I loved the whole gallery! Whoohoo!

 

Yay Caren!! Congrats! E-mail me and I'll give Ruche your information!

Oh, and I couldn't resist this silly picture of my sweet girl. Happy Wednesday!

magic.

absolutely love this every year.

we wait and wait and when it happens it's magic.

i love how every spring there is magic.

Sponsor Giveaway :: Ruche!!

Thanks for all who entered the giveaway for Markets of New England!! It was such fun reading your comments! The winner is ::

shell said...

What a great idea for a book! I bet the pics are amazing! The colors are my favorite part of the farmers markets here in Chicago, but the one thing I can never leave without is the ginormous honeycrisp apples.

So Shell, please e-mail me with your address and your book will be on its way! Congrats!

Oh man...what can I say about Ruche?! The best clothes ever, the most amazingly inspiring "Lookbooks", it's affordable, and they are super great to work with! When they first contacted me about sponsoring my blog, I was beyond thrilled. I love their aesthetic and I've finally found a source for clothes that fit my style and body!

They were sweet enough to send me a dress to model! The first is a sweet little lace dress that I love to layer with some linen pants and a ballet sweater. And the second one is a new staple...as is, with a belt, or over jeans. I just love, love, love it! We had so much fun doing this shoot! Thank you Ruche for the amazing opportunity and the wonderful clothes!

If you're interested in seeing more, please go to the private gallery here. Password is "rucherocks"!

• Photographed by Peter Shellenberger
• Styled by Meghan Costello
• Dresses from Ruche
• Hats and jewelry from Darling & DeLisle

Ruche is offering a $25 gift certificate to one lucky reader! Just leave a comment with your favorite item from their online store and I'll draw a winner on Wednesday at 8 p.m. EST. Good luck!!

Happy Mother's Day

Hope all the mama's out there had a sweet day full of love and kisses. My girl is so awesome. What a lucky mama I am!

And a Happy Birthday to my sister! (That's the three of us at our celebration today!)

Sponsor Giveaway :: Markets of New England

When Christine Chitnis first e-mailed me about her amazing book, I couldn't wait to receive it in the mail. It was so perfect for someone living in New England, who is a frequent farmer's market visitor and would be doing some traveling this summer! I was really interested to see what markets were featured, and if there were any I hadn't heard of before.

When I received the book in the mail, I was blown away by the beautiful photographs and enticing produce and crafty goods displayed inside. It really made me want to visit every single market in the book! (And I just think I might!!)

Markets of New England is an amazing book perfect for any New Englander hoping to buy more locally this season, but it also serves so much inspiration for anyone!

I asked Christine a few questions, and here's what she has to say...

1) What inspired you to write Markets of New England?

I have always been incredibly inspired by farmers and artists.  It is such a hard way to make a living, and yet so many of them do it with such exuberance.  Their energy is contagious.  When you shop at a farmers' market or art event, you feel that energy- and it feels good, it feels like you are part of something important!  I wanted to capture this feeling with my pictures and descriptions, while at the same time, spreading the word about the many amazing markets across New England that deserve attention.

Amazingly enough, with all the online resources available, there was no comprehensive listing of these type of events in New England- so a book like this was needed!

 

2) Before writing the book, did you often visit farmer's markets for your own food and goods?

I was an avid farmers' market shopper long before I had the idea to write this book.  I try to base our weekly menu off of what's available at our local market.  In the winter months, this can be a bit tricky, but with some imagination, it is possible.

My typical daily menu, sourced from the Hope Street Farmers Market (summer) and Pawtucket Wintertime Farmers' Market (winter), includes Narragansett Creamery yogurt, Providence Granola Project granola, and fresh fruit for breakfast, a salad of seasonal veggies, plus Seven Stars Bakery bread and Farmstead cheese for lunch, and a variety of locally sourced meats, along with sides, for dinner.

3) What inspired you the most about the farmer's markets you attended?

It would have to be the colors. The incredible palette of colors that occur naturally in nature never ceases to amaze me, and I will never grow tired of trying to capture the intensity and beauty of these colors with my camera.

 

4) Does any market in particular stand out for you?

There were so many gorgeous markets I discovered while writing this book, that it is hard to pick a favorite.  But, the most unique market that I came across was the Merrymeeting Farm Market Boat, which is basically a floating farmers market that serves various locations on Southport Island, off the coast of Maine.  Imagine an old schooner, filled to the brim with produce, jams, baked goods, prepared foods, and flowers.  It was such a surreal (not to mention photo-worthy) thing to witness.  Discovering the Market Boat was definitely one of the highlights of my travels! 

5) What did you learn throughout this process?

To ENJOY the process!  Writing this book took a ton of time, travel, and energy (did I mention I was pregnant the entire time while writing it?!).  I would get stressed sometimes thinking about everything that needed to get done- but then I would remind myself that I was only going to get to write this book once- and I had better enjoy it.

When I look back on the process now, I am filled with amazing memories- traveling to gorgeous coastal towns, meeting incredible artisans, experiencing glimpses into fascinating artist studios.  I am so glad that I took the time to slow down, and enjoy these moments.

          

 6) How do you hope this book will influence its readers?

My simple wish for anyone who happens upon my book is that it serves as a reminder to slow down and savor the handmade, homegrown goodness in our own communities, and in the far-flung locales we may visit. 

 

            7) Has writing this book changed your life in any way?

I was a freelance writer before writing this book, and as a freelancer, there is so much rejection involved.  For every 10 stories I pitched, 9 would be rejected.  That can be very tough to handle, day in and day out.  This book was something that I had complete control over, for a change.  My amazing publisher, The Little Bookroom- gave me the complete freedom, and support, to write and photograph in whatever way I chose.  This was such a boost to my confidence as a writer, and now, with the success of the book, I am being approached to write articles, instead of me having to do the approaching.  It is a welcome shift!  I suppose the biggest life change is just that- a shift in my professional self-confidence.

9) Any other books in the works?

I definitely have a few ideas for more travel-focused books, and I would love to work with The Little Bookroom again...but we will see.  Right now, with a six-month old, freelance jobs and the promotion of this book- I have my hands full, to say the least!

Thanks so much for hosting me, Erin!

 

Christine is giving away to one lucky reader a signed copy of her book! Trust me, you'll love it! Please leave a comment before Monday (5.8, 8 p.m. EST) telling us what your favorite thing to buy at the farmer's market is! Good luck everyone and thank you Christine!

Please visit her sweet blog here!

After It All

I woke up with a pinched nerve.

I can't turn my head in either direction.

I can't really use my right arm.

And the pain is excrutiating.

BUT...it's pizza night. And it was so, so good. (Next time I'll add rosemary and olives.)

And the rain keeps coming, which is good for the garden and gives me an excuse to "take it easy" as the doctor says.

We're gearing up for bedtime here...the little one just went on one last walk with Sasa and the dogs. Then it's stories and a long night of rest.

Tomorrow is a new day. A brand new day. So much is possible.

And I know that despite the pain, the challenges, and the things that seem impossible, I thank my lucky stars for these two amazing beings I get to spend my life with.

enjoying

enjoying the way the sun fills our wee home. every corner of every room is filled at some point during the day.

enjoying all the dandelions the little one picks for me all day long, and the rosemary plant i promised to keep alive more than one season.

enjoying the clothes on the line, which dry so much faster than they did in 30 degree weather.

enjoying dandelion crowns, running through the grass in barefeet, and swinging on the tire swing.

enjoying my gals. (photo by the little one) they are so dear to me. i love them more than i can say.

what are you enjoying right now?

So Much To Say

Wow. What a whirlwind weekend! I had four shoots and over 2,000 photos to go through, so I am cramming right now. I want to share so much with you right now because I'm so excited about it all, but I can't possibly fit it all into one evening!

So instead, you get another sneak peek at a special shoot I was a part of. But I promise...more to come soon! Also, I'm a guest on habit this month!! So please please check it out!

Some pretty swell links...

• music music music. it's all i've been doing lately. listening, singing, playing, writing. love this.
• and this. (thank you, my sweet amy)
• this inspires me. so much.
• there are so many wee sprouts in our garden right now!
• we had our first bonfire over the weekend with friends. beer, friends, and bonfires are the official starts of the warm season!!
• might buy these
• and this, because it's killer
• serious cuteness here
• those are some lucky chickens!
• eggs make me happy (i eat about 4 a day!)
• never fails to crack me up

I'll be back tomorrow! Happy Monday!