Bluebirdbaby

Another One

About a week ago I was asked to donate something to the annual "Chocolate Festival" auction next month in town. I agreed and it got me thinking about a new bag design. I think they were rather surprised when I arrived to drop off my donation yesterday. What can I say? When I get an idea, it's usually only about a day or two before I have to make it a reality.

The "Everything Bag" can be used for, well, everything. I wanted to design something that was aesthetically pleasing and eye catching. So I chose an Amy Butler print with a modern and simplistic look. I think it went beautifully with the gray corduroy. It's almost the same dimensions as my diaper bag so it can be used for a diaper bag, or for a larger handbag.

I used a vintage button from my stash. I used the same loop technique as on the diaper bag because I like how the bag won't flop open when set down.

There are three pockets inside. One has a "key ring" so your keys don't get lost at the bottom of the bag. Thanks to a special order where someone requested this, I think I just may have to put one in every bag now. I'm really pleased with how it turned out. What do you think? Is it shop worthy? I think there may be more in the near future...

And just something you can be sure to see going on around here lately. I've been using my precious sewing time while the little one naps to read. Read! Ah, I haven't done this for ages it seems. Sure, little bits here and there, but none of this actual "finishing" of books. Now that the little one is getting older and doesn't need to be in my lap all the time, I can get in a few minute here and there. This book is absolutely amazing. Mesmerizing more like. I have three pages until I'm done. I've learned so, so much. You must check it out. Most certainly worth every penny, but check your local library too.

And some wintry scenes from another warm day yesterday can be found here.

A Weekend Trip

I've mentioned our love for the local bookstore plenty of times in the past. The Maine Coast Bookshop is a great little store with a terrific selection of books, and for a nice bonus there's a cafe attached. The little one and I usually head in there every day or so, mostly because it's the only place she just loves to be. We can spend a good two hours in there and I still have to chase her around to get her coat on before we leave. Yesterday we all took a trip in to get a hot chocolate and do some book browsing.

One of the best things about this great local store is the people who work there. Above is Lisa, one of Elisabeth's most favorite people. They have a special bond and Lisa is always the recipient of many hugs and kisses.

I really believe in supporting local businesses. Sure, I can browse Amazon and get plenty of books at a discounted price, but where's the fun? There's no real experience in doing that. I can't physically flip through the pages, read excerpts, or ask the staff what they thought of it. There's nobody to recommend a good book or a smiling face at the checkout. Who exactly am I supporting when I buy a book off of Amazon anyway?

So now I do only my browsing on Amazon or other blogs, then special order everything at this bookstore. Plus, there's the fact that the little one thinks nothing is better than running around in a store full of books all day. She browses, rearranges, interacts with the lovely staff, greets customers coming in from the cold, runs to the cafe to give Lisa a hug, plays with her favorite toys, and generally just has more fun than anywhere else. We've actually stopped going to playgroups because she likes the bookstore more.

Stephen enjoyed his mocha, chili, and a good book while I sipped my hot chocolate trying to keep an eye on the little one. After a good two hours of chasing her around a large store, I am usually in need of a rather filling lunch. She has certainly perfected the art of running.

One of her favorite things to do is push this cart around the store. She's usually pretty good about not running into anybody, but mama tends to help a bit turning the corners.

Another favorite would be the Folkmanis Puppets. I have a feeling we'll end up with one in the near future.

And, of course, there's the street watching where she points to every big truck going by and likes to wave to the people on foot.

After we said our goodbyes we went to Renys for a balloon. This provided about five minutes of entertainment in the car before she was out like a light.

A perfect Sunday morning, if you ask me.

A Bit of Randomness

Yesterday, the marvelous Rhea came over for some chatting and tea. I call her the "marvelous Rhea" because she really is quite marvelous. She knows me well and as soon as I whipped out my camera she asked, "is this going on the blog??" Rhea is a terrific graphic designer and has agreed to completely rework my logo for the shop, including business cards and some free gifts to include with my Etsy sales.

I'm really excited about it all and hope to reveal the new look with the next update of my shop. Hopefully that will be towards the end of the month. There's so much crafting going on here, but I want the next update to be a surprise. I'll show you snippets here and there in the coming weeks so at least you know something is going on in the green room.

The following are completely random photos I've taken around the house lately. I guess quite fitting for a Friday, where the craziness from the rest of the week seems to melt away in anticipation of the weekend. Ah, Saturdays...lounge pants, pancakes, a good book, a movie, some snow playing (and eating), and visits to our favorite little book store to see friends and have my daily soy mocha.

A hat the little one found buried in Stephen's office. She dragged it upstairs and placed it on the floor in front of where I sit on the couch. I found it after she had gone down for her nap and chuckled as I read the visor.

A mobile that was my sister's, then passed down to me, now passed down to the little one. It sits in our living room where the sunlight streams through the window most of the day.

A glass bubble I thought looked brilliant in the sunlight.

My favorite dried flowers that I never tire of.

I hope your weekend is full of creativity and laughter. Stay warm! See you back here on Monday.

Movie Night

Stephen and I usually spend a special night or two a week curled up on the couch with a good movie, and of course a couple of these. This week's selection was a find at our local bookstore. I found it on the sale table and it looked rather intriguing so I picked it up. The movie's title "The Wooden Camera" caught my attention, being that I love anything "camera" and Stephen loves anything "wooden." I assumed it was a safe bet that at least one of us would like it.

The movie did not disappoint. Of course, wearing my favorite slippers (six years, three pairs), sweatpants (are they still technically sweatpants if there are no elastics around the ankles?), and eating my favorite chocolate always makes a movie more enjoyable. But the movie was enough to make our evening a good one; filled with beautiful shots that offset the harsh reality of life in South Africa, and seeing the view from a young film maker's eyes was very inspiring. We give it two thumbs up.

A few of you readers might be interested in a new book I picked up at the same store. Basic Stitches by Katie Ebben is a wonderfully inspiring book for anyone beginning embroidery. The pictures are lovely and the sketched instructions are easy to follow and very beginner friendly. In addition, there are some neat projects featured which don't require any sewing at all. Oh, the ideas spinning through my head now...

First Snowfall

*Not such a quiet post today. Sometimes I just can't keep my word!*

Amazing the difference a year can make. Last year the little one was not too impressed with the snow. But this year? Well, as soon as she woke up from her nap and saw the window, she screamed in excitement and ran to it to get a closer look.

Of course, we had to go outside. As I opened the door you could see the delight on her face. How fun it must be to really see snow for the first time. Quite fitting it should snow today, the same day our special order Winter book by Gerda Muller arrived at our local bookstore. (See that dog on the front page? That's "Twister," Elisabeth's special friend. The coffee shop is attached to the bookstore and we visit everyday. Need I say more?!)

While playing in the snow, Elisabeth discovered that it's also good for eating. I'm surprised this picture even came out as the camera was jumping up and down from my laughing. She insisted on eating all the snow off of every  solar light along the walkway. 

With the snow today and Thanksgiving quickly approaching, I'm definitely getting into the holiday mood. I felt so much excitement today, just like I remember as a child. Now, if I could only find time to work on all the gifts for Christmas...

We Love Books

*I am so thrilled by the enthusiastic responses to yesterday's post. I'm very interested to see what you all come up with, so if you do find that perfect thrifted sheet and decide to do something with it, let me know-I'd love to see it!*

A good deal of our day is spent reading. I started reading to Elisabeth when she was three weeks old. For months it was one of the only ways to stop the incessant crying. She had her favorites back then; those books that really caught her attention, even during the midst of doctors poking and prodding and the long car drives down to the big city.

We keep a basket handy of books to get through the week. It sits in the living room near the rest of her toys. There are pillows to plop on for a good read and snacks always nearby. Sometimes she can get absorbed in a book for about fifteen minutes, which is saying a lot considering she never seems to slow down for anything else; not even food.

We're still mostly into board books because she does like to flip the pages herself and tends to lug the books around with her everywhere, so traditional paper pages just don't hold up. However, we are now into reading longer stories so our biweekly trips to the library result in a bag full of books mama is very excited to get reading.

The rest of her books are kept in her room. We rotate the selection in the smaller basket each week. Most of the books come from thrift shops and the secondhand bookstore in town. Our local bookstore carries a wonderful selection of children's books and I've had my eye on Elsa Beskow's books for weeks now.

Most of the day, our reading time is spontaneous. She grabs a book, comes over and puts it in my lap while signing the word for "more" (like the above photo) and saying "please" ("peeee!"). We sit, read, and repeat the process until we've gone through at least five books.

Most of the time it's mama who needs a break from the reading. There's only so many times I can read about saying goodnight to a moon in one day. But I have to smile when she insists on reading the same book I loved as a child over and over again. The same old, well-loved, taped together copy I had at her age.

But I really enjoy our reading time together.  It's the only (and I mean only) time of the day when she is contently sitting and not struggling to get out of my lap. She is one busy little lady, and I am so thankful for her love of books and the time it allows us to spend together.

We're always on the lookout for more great books. Please, leave a comment and let us know some of your favorites.

Happiness

Before becoming a mother, I often did things that provided my life with a healthy dose of happiness: dinner with friends, a trip to Videoport in town for a movie, the ferry ride home, hiking, drinking Monte Antico with a side of Green and Blacks, and my favorite...performing in front of hundreds of people. But I never thought of these things as the moments in life that fill me with joy. I never really acknowledged that fact until I became a mother. Now there is no time for most of these. I certainly haven't performed in front of hundreds of people lately and Videoport is a long ways away now.

When you spend all day with a little person who can't communicate her needs very well, wakes up very early (yawn) and proceeds to drain every last ounce of energy from your body in the first two hours of the day, sometimes happiness seems a long way off. In the past I found it hard to think about anything positive when my life seemed so full of negatives. But now, the little things that would have gone unnoticed are getting attention and are filling that happiness hole left when this new motherhood adventure started.

A new sweater paired with my favorite orange shirt.

Watching the completely fearless little one climb on anything she can find.

A dreary October day that really makes you appreciate the amazing color of the trees.

A special order that just arrived at our local bookstore. I've already made it through a few chapters and feel like I could have written it myself.

An easy, but oh so tasty, supper. (Rice pasta, pesto, sheep's cheese and broccoli.)

Working on a gift for someone special.

May you find happiness in the little things today...