Bluebirdbaby

Advent Week Four

The fourth light of Advent is the light of humankind.

The light of love, the light of thought, to give and to understand.

The little one was super excited about lighting the fourth candle this week. She could barely contain her excitement when I announced it was time to light our wreath. We added people to our Advent table to celebrate humankind. It was a wonderful night full of celebration and gratitude.

Sasa had to set up an event at work yesterday, so the little one and I spent some time setting up a little Winter Wonderland on top of the piano. We moved our Advent wreath to the center of the scene, and I think the result is quite magical. She was very thrilled about it. I spent some nights making fabric trees via this tutorial I've been eying for far too many holiday seasons. I'm so glad I finally got around to it!

When Sasa returned, it was time for some baking and holiday reading. The little one loves reading about Father Christmas. It was such a sweet scene to see them curled up together on the floor reading book after book on a cold, wintry afternoon while the smell of soup on the stove filled the room.

And after a long day at work, Sasa and I hit the kitchen for some holiday baking. Nothing beats melted dark chocolate. Especially when mint is added. Oh yea, and a glass of Malbec doesn't hurt either. Gosh, I love this season. I love food. And boy, oh boy, do I love this man.

And thank you all so very, very much for all your thoughtful, amazing, and touching comments. You seriously make my day. You have no idea how special your words are to me. I wish I had time to respond to everyone, but my computer time is so limited these days. I do read every one. So here's a collective thank you!!

I didn't get around to posting our Solstice celebration yesterday, so I'll save it for tomorrow (on the actual Solstice). For those of you who asked, the Winter Solstice celebrates the return of light. On December 21st, the sun will rise later and set earlier than any other day this year. It marks the shortest day of the year, yet the slow return of light and eventually the return of spring. So yay for Solstice! We give thanks to the Earth, the Sun, and all the wild animals out there surviving through a long, cold, dark season. More tomorrow!

Insert Big Sigh of Relief Here

Holiday shopping done (thank you, thank you, thank you Etsy). Photography work done. One sewing project out of five done. House cleaning done. Paperwork, flyers, and printed photographs for Saturday's show done. Packages to be mailed done. It was a good, productive, snow stormy day.

I worked a bit on the little one's Christmas present. Above is a sneak peak. I can't wait to show you more! It's been so much fun.

Sasa rocks. He got home from work early because of the storm and cleaned the entire refrigerator, shoveled, made soup, popped popcorn, and brought me wine while I was working away in my sewing room. Have I mentioned lately just how much I love this man? He constantly amazes me. He is the sweetest person I've ever met. I am so grateful that he is in my life. Now we're settling in, listening to Christmas music via Pandora (I admit, I love Christmas music...especially Duke Ellington's Nutcracker Suites), eating soup, and doing holiday crafts.

I hope you had a day just as productive and cozy. Stay warm!!

Home

I've spent the past two days moving stuff. Ick. I had so many boxes of childhood school papers, toys, and clothes (thanks mom...but now what do I do with them?!) and they all needed to be sorted and stored. We're slowly renovating our home. The kitchen is scheduled for January. Most of the house just needs new interior paint. The past two days I've focused on getting the little one's big girl room (and bed!) ready. We're hoping she can transition to her own room this week.

Clearing out her little corner in our room opened up space for our dresser to be moved back in. Our room definitely has a bird theme going, and that Jade plant was a gift from a friend...it's my favorite!

And I recycled a chalkboard from an old easel and nailed it to our bathroom wall. It's fun to write each other notes and adds a modern touch to an otherwise very outdated (and hopefully not far from being updated) bathroom.

Still battling this cold. It's worse than before, but I'm confident it won't get the best of me. Thanks for all your well wishes!

Winter and Holiday Decorating

Hoping your day was full of peace, joy, and coziness. We spent the day preparing for the holidays. Many of you might remember that I'm usually not a fan of the holidays, but this year is different. Sasa and I have found a way to weave so many traditions into our lifestyle. It feels good. We are excited and anticipating so many new and lasting traditions.

And the first snow fell today. It started towards dusk. After a lovely dinner with family, we headed out for a special before bedtime walk. The little one was so excited. She put on her little "gnome suit" and gathered a bowl for snow collecting, and we walked around the block. We literally skipped, sang, jumped for joy, and giggled through the neighborhood with our tongues hanging out trying to catch some snowflakes. It was a night I'll remember forever.

I hope you are enjoying (or getting ready to enjoy) this holiday season! Stay tuned tomorrow for the winner of the giveaway!

Signing, Shop, and Sun

First off, I want to announce a sweet little event that will be held next Saturday (the 12th) at the Maine Coast Bookshop from noon- 2p.m. I will be there with copies of Artful Blogging, free signed prints, prints for sale, holiday cards, hopefully some handmade goodies, and Sasa, the little one, and Doggie Fly! I will be offering photography tips, answering questions, and have a sign up sheet for a beginner's photography class held at my home in February (would anyone object to the addition of wine and appetizers at this class?!). Not only that, but there are many holiday events and sales going on in town on the same day. Woohoo! So if any of you locals readers want to head out, I would love meeting you!

And I've neglected my poor photography shop too long. I finally got around to adding new prints, print sets (as seen above), and holiday cards. Go check it out! And I'll refund any readers who make a purchase 10% when you enter "bbbwinter09."

In other news, we woke up to one of the worst rain storms ever this morning. It was dark, windy, rainy, and just plain miserable. Then three hours later, the rain cleared, the sun came out, and it was a balmy 60+ degrees in December. (I have to admit that as nice as this was, I am craving snow!) We spent almost the entire afternoon on the back porch reading, playing, knitting, airing out blankets, having lunch, and visiting with the chickens. How lovely!!

I hope you all had a marvelous Thursday too! Stay tuned for a fantastic giveaway tomorrow afternoon!

A Gratitude Tree

After all the suggestions to my post inquiring about seasonal crafts, I decided the "Gratitude Tree" was going to be at the top of our list. Just in time for Thanksgiving! The little one and I searched our backyard yesterday for the perfect branch, and today we cut out the leaves (I save all her watercolor paintings because they come in handy for so many things!!) to put on our tree.

We talked a little bit about Thanksgiving and how it's a good time to be thankful for all that we have. I asked her what people do on Thanksgiving and she said, "They have lots of snacks!" When asked what she was thankful for, she listed Kiwi and Doggie Fly at the top of her list, then went on to name every single person who worked at the local bookshop, and every single person who I work with at the co-op. Super cute!

We decided to draw pictures of what we are thankful for, which was much easier for the little one than words and so fun to look at! When it was all done, we put it on a little table by our front door to see every time we come in and out. The little one wanted to add a "name tag" for the tree, so we wrote "Gratitude Tree" on a piece of paper to place in front of the vase. Thank you all so much for this wonderful idea!! It was so much fun!

And just a little peek at a corner of our bedroom. This room is turning into the "bird room" and is so much fun to decorate! Tweet, tweet!

I hope you all enjoyed your Thursday too!

What We Do on a Wednesday

Just a little peek into our day today ::

Craft for the morning :: felting bars of soap and two little "worms"

A little water play after the felting and some window washing.

Then it was off on our nature walk. (We took three today!) Of course, her baby and bunny had to go in her sling and accompanied us all over town today.

Back home to hang laundry on the line. It was so nice today!

A little snack inside. The goat cheese was mixed with a little honey and cranberries, and the raspberries were an extra special treat!

We finished up the late afternoon with some backyard play. It was warm enough to uncover the sandbox and get all the toys out again. So lovely!

What does your Wednesday typically look like?!

Our Weekend

From Friday to today...

It was full of beautiful sunsets,

fun playing games (a ritual after dinner lately!),

awaiting Saturday morning pancakes,

farm play,

couch jumping with an audience,

a very clean kitchen thanks to Sasa (he totally rocks...he organized the cupboards!) and a very clean rest of the house,

and dinner prepared by the little one complete with her little one in a sling on her back (we had pasta with tomatoes, followed by star cookies for dessert...yum!).

Follow that with a yummy dinner with some great people; a relaxing evening full of good books, a glass of wine, and a little Chet Baker; and a nice, long sleep and you have a recipe for one great weekend!

How was yours? What was your favorite part?!

Like This

Our day kinda looked like this ::

The morning started with seeing what the sleepy fairies brought the little one. Sasa went to work super early for our town's yearly "Early Bird Sale" which meant whoever could wake up and go shopping in your pajamas at 6 a.m. got quite a deal. The little one and I were semi-early birds, but we still had to get through our morning routine before we left. Sasa? He was up at 4:30 today! Poor guy!

We had a visit from one of our favorite friends who joined us for painting day. We introduced purple today (guess who requested that?!) and painted quite a few pictures. We had applesauce bubbling away on the stove and all sat down for a nice snack after. The little one loves to "turn" the sauce in the mouli mill.

We were headed to the big city tonight for a special family dinner at my mother's house. The little one got nice and clean before we left and ended up spending an hour and a half in the tub! Just long enough for me to read through my new camera manual and figure out that silly video recording feature. I had no idea it would be so  much fun!! Maybe you'll be seeing videos soon...

And we enjoyed a lovely evening at Baba's. Now we're home, ready for bed, and off I head to work tomorrow bright and early.

I hope you are all enjoying your weekend!

What a Good Day (again!)

Oh, what a fun day! And it's not even over. I sit here at 4 p.m., already having fixed dinner, the little one is completely engrossed in creative play, and I have a moment. I have a moment! I went through the photos of our day and couldn't help but feel so inspired. It was a good day. A really good day. The little one and I started off our day with the above :: a little snuggling in the morning sunlight with some good books and tea. What a great way to start the day!

After our snuggling it was time for our nature walk. We had a very special activity planned for this afternoon, so we were on a leaf collecting hunt. We wanted to find the prettiest leaves we could to dip in melted beeswax and preserve them for future crafts and our nature table. So we went all over town looking for the best leaves ever, and we found them! We also had to stop for a hot cocoa and a pink balloon (oh no...please tell me pink is not after purple!).

We got home and spread our loot out on the table. The beeswax was melted in a pot and placed on the table ready for dipping. The little one and I took turns dipping our leaves in the wax. The end result was so pretty! We also tried a couple of flowers which turned out lovely as well. We'll save these leaves for our nature table and maybe a leaf wreath too! Such a fun and easy activity. We plan on making candles with the extra beeswax to use at our meals.

And look what the fairies brought the little one today :: fences for her barn scene! We just love Zoo Loo Naturals! You can find their Etsy shop here! (The animals are from there too!)

What a good day, eh?! And coming up for Friday...a giveaway for the little ones! Yay!

Birthday Parties, Craftiness, and Something for You!

My mother celebrated a birthday over a week ago, although we really didn't get a chance to celebrate. So we had her up for a birthday dinner, party, and sleepover. The little one just adores her Baba. The two of them are so similar and just watching them is amazing. So everyone was super excited when Baba arrived at the door and was greeted with a handmade birthday banner and a table full of goodies!

I made her an eye pillow filled with flax seeds and lavender. I added a bottle of lavender essential oil too. It can be heated up or frozen for a cold pack. These things are so handy and so easy to make! I got the eye pillow pattern from here. I downsized it a tad because it was huge. It was a hit with the little one. I'm just waiting for the request to make a purple one...

We enjoyed a yummy dinner made by the amazing Sasa. It was followed by the most delicious apple pie ever! (Should I mention I'm eating another piece as I type this? Yum. He is just so crazy awesome.) And Sasa finally wrote down that gluten-free pie crust recipe and wanted to share it with all of you!

So here it is. Enjoy!...

Sasa's Famous Gluten-free Pie Crust

Sift together ::

• 1 1/4c white rice flour
• 4/3c potato starch
• 1/2 tapioca flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp xantham gum

Blend in until it resembles cornmeal::

• 1 1/2 sticks butter (cold)

Mix ::

• 1 large egg
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 tbs ice water

Mix liquid into dry with fingers until soft dough that can be formed into a ball. Chill 1 hour. Enjoy!

Happy Birthday Mom!! You deserve the best one ever. xoxo

Vintage Goodness and Cookies Too

Thank you all so, so much for your thoughtful comments on yesterday's post. Yes, I agree that seventeen flues in a year is far too many. But I'm working hard everyday to strengthen my immune system. I've been pumping myself with supplements for ages, have adopted a Macrobiotic Diet (heavy on the veggies and fermented goodness), and all that I need now is to get some good rest! Hopefully before the next month is out I will be feeling better. So thank you for all your well wishes and suggestions! I really enjoyed them. xoxo

Yesterday, the little one and I trekked to the famous "Rummage Sale" in hopes of finding something special. I stuck her in the Ergo, pushed my way through hundreds and hundreds of people, and together we managed to find some special things for our home. Remember that bunny from yesterday? That was a score in the "boutique" tent. All the rest took some digging and shoving. I'm particularly proud of the bird prints. I have one more set of four prints to put up someplace special. And the vintage linens on the line this morning? Nothing better! Other scores were :: a vintage tray, some plaid flannel for a scarf I've been putting together, and some nice wooden bowls. Woohoo!

I'm trying to get the little one and I back on a weekly rhythm. It's challenging with our schedules, but I've officially made Friday "baking day," so we set to work baking cookies. She helped me measure and pour and stir and taste and roll and cut. She was part of it from beginning to end, which was a lot of fun for both of us. She has been needing some really structured activities and lots of attention from either Mama or Sasa, so finding little things like this is super helpful.

Have a good weekend!! Hopefully I'll be back with some crafting!

Morning, Noon, and Night

It's been a hectic week here. The little one is still battling croup. I came down with my seventeenth flu since last September. And Sasa is beyond tired and a little sniffly too. So, my apologies for my absence. I do hope it won't be long until we're all back on our feet, well rested, and ready for fun! For now, here's a little glimpse of our day today...

:: Morning ::

:: Noon ::

:: Night ::

What have you all been up to this week? And what kinds of activities do you do to keep sick little ones (with tons of energy) still and entertained?!

Oh, and a big thank you to Juliana and Joel for the yummy soup! It really saved us these last two nights...!

Our Day

We spent the day taking it easy. A croupy toddler prompted this "wellness tray" that could be carried from room to room. It was packed with everything to make croup a little more tolerable, lots of miso soup, and some chamomile tea with honey.

Lots of laundry. I always get a kick out of folding the little one's clothes...one pile of purple, another of stripes and polka-dots.

Working on the little one's costume during some quiet time. Any guesses as to what she requested to be?! And finally, the book I've had on pre-order for months has finally arrived! Yay! Now if I can figure out a way to re-size all the patterns to fit me!

Taking pictures of the little one while she takes pictures of me. I bought her this very cheap digital camera to see how she liked having her own. It's definitely a hit, although I'm not too thrilled with the quality. She sure is a budding photographer despite lack of megapixels!

And lastly, Kiwi stole the little one's laundry basket, so she naturally had to steal mine.

We ended the day with a yummy spaghetti supper. Have you ever tried this sauce? It has whole cloves of garlic in it! Yum! After supper was a new favorite game, designed by Sasa's sister. Have you ever checked out eeboo? I just adore this. It's on my wish list for the little one.

Have a happy rest of the week!!

What's Happening

There's been a lot of construction going on around here. They've torn up our streets, replaced water pipes and other various plumbing things, and will be starting to rip up the old sidewalks soon too. All this construction means tractors everywhere! We wake up to see tractors literally parked outside our front door with very inviting (and empty) seats. The tractors seem to like our house so much that they sleep over almost every night, which means the little one has unlimited access to all this construction fun. And boy, does she take advantage of it!

We've switched around her play area to provide a cozy corner for her dollhouse and barn, which opened up some space for all her art supplies. It's nice to have her table and desk in the same area, and since this little gal is all about the coloring, painting, and cutting/gluing, this space gets a lot of use!

To display her artwork, I took some clothespins and backed them with sticky tacky and stuck it to the wall. Instant art clip! And it's easily movable too. She walked into the room and said, "Mama...are those my paintings on the wall? The purple one is my favorite!" She was so proud!

30 Days of Happiness :: Things That Bring Me Joy

Sometimes I go thrifting by myself, and other times the little one tags along. It's always a fun adventure either way. With yard sales and flea markets closing for the season, I made a mad dash these last couple of weeks to see what remaining treasures there were to be found. The above were things I've been hunting for all year, and you can bet I was super pleased to score them all at amazing prices. The large enamel pots are for felting, washing up our napkins after meals (the little one adores this...one for soapy water, one for rinsing, and then the drying rack to hang them dry), and for any other household task. I love, love, love them. The silverware (a whole set) is so very perfect for our retro kitchen, and the Amish print Pyrex butter dish was something I have been hunting for for well over a year. Yay!!

The little one is always a source of joy. Today on our morning rounds through town, she chose to travel via stroller. Usually it's walking, followed by the bike, followed by the Ergo or sling, but today it was the stroller. So we loaded it up with our various bits of errand paraphernalia and headed out. Our last stop was the food co-op, where she always gets a "honey pop." But they were out and she chose the fudge pop instead. It wasn't until we returned home and I went to get her out of the stroller that I noticed her face. Oh my! No wonder we were getting some giggles from passersby!

My girl has curls, but it's always amazing to realize just how curly it is. After a bath and a good combing, her hair looks so very long. Sasa and I always get a kick out of it. Once it dries, it will be above shoulder length again with "Shirley Temple curls" in the back (as she likes to call them).

Our late afternoon is always spent doing something "chill." It's a very crazy time of the day for little ones (or at least this little one!) and after our quiet time, we try to carry on that calmness throughout the rest of the day's activities. Today was spent playing quietly with her dollhouse while I did some sewing on the floor next to her. She always needs me close to her these days, so having a project to keep my hands busy helps tremendously :: hand sewing, embroidery, drawing, writing letters, a good book, to name a few...

These were some things that brought joy to my heart today. There's always so many and it's hard to chose! Now please share...where did you find joy today?

30 Days of Happiness :: She's 3

My sweet little baby officially turned three years old today. We planted her butterfly bush, we had an autumn-inspired dinner (take a look at this), some special guests, and the most delicious brownie sundaes made by Sasa. It was a sweet evening.

It's amazing to think about the past three years. She's grown and changed so much, yet I still look into her eyes and see that just-born baby I held on my chest long ago. She will always be my baby. I will always look at her and see my sweet little newborn. I will forever feel her feet kicking my ribs, her hiccups every night at 8 p.m., and how her little bum stuck out the right side of my belly. I'll remember her entrance into the world, her sweet little eyes staring into my soul as she nursed, and her first giggle. I will remember those first steps, her unrelenting determination in everything, her love of smooshed peas (cold!), her silly fake cough to get attention (she's a clever one!) , and her favorite songs and games.
And I am so glad I have these memories. I am so glad we had that time together. I am so glad we know each other so truly and deeply. And I am so glad she is a part of my life. She is amazing and I am very lucky to be her mama.

Happy three years, my sweet little one. May this coming year bring peace, happiness, and joy. I love you.

30 Days of Happiness :: A Tidy Home

I love our little home. I love how everything has a place. And I love how there are so many cozy corners. I make a huge effort to keep it picked up when the toddler tornado has moved through. I think it's so important to keep play areas clean, tidy, and neatly organized. And I think it's important for the little one to see me doing it with intention, focus, and joy. And maybe someday soon, she will too imitate the tidying that goes on daily.

Toys in our home are easily accessible. I'm a huge fan of baskets. Some call me the basket queen. I am constantly picking them up at thrift stores (I've never purchased a new one!) and use them for everything from fruits in the kitchen, mail in our mudroom, to blocks and cars in the play area. It's important for me that everything has a place to return to, and if it doesn't, it usually goes. For Sasa and I, having the same baskets store the same toys everyday and having them neatly labeled is a huge help in us picking up throughout the day, and during our big clean up at night. And for the little one, it keeps things familiar and will someday help her to recognize words.

Her "house" area is usually very neat as well. When I play with her (it's always helpful for me to join her in imaginative play first to get her started, then it's easier to move to my work once she's playing), I always make the effort to tidy up as we play. If she is done ironing her playsilks, I will fold them up and put them in her laundry basket, even if she has moved on to the next thing. If she's done "baking" cookies, I pretend to clean the mixing bowl in her kitchen sink, wipe it dry, and store it in the cupboard. I feel it's important to carry the work I normally do around the house into her play.

Is our house sometimes a complete mess? Yes. Is it a constant effort to keep it from becoming one? Yes. But to me it's worth it. It sets the tone for the day (waking up to a tidy home is so important to me), and allows us to do our work, whether it's actual work or play. I think it's important to show the little one that these are our values; and not by telling her, but by showing her so she can learn it on her own. And I am very lucky to live with a man who feels the same exact way. Now the little one? She may have a differing opinion...!

30 Days of Happiness :: Fairy Parties

What can I say about today? It was amazing, wonderful, magical, and just sweet (and I took too many pictures!!). The little one will turn three years old on Wednesday, and since I will not see her until Wednesday night, we decided to honor her today instead. We started the day with a breakfast celebration, complete with her new birthday outfit, crown, a small gift, and her three year birthday ring. Sasa made a terrific breakfast, and Baba (my mother) was there to celebrate too.

The outfit fabrics were chosen by the little one and we worked on it together over the last three weeks. The shirt is an Oliver + S pattern, slightly modified. I was surprised she picked out these colors, but she was very excited about the Little Red Riding Hood fabric and somehow we made it all work. The best part was she was excited to wear it today!

The theme for our small celebration were fairies. Fairy houses, fairy tea, fairy dolls and books, and fairy snacks. We set up the little table in the yard with pumpkins and bags I had made for the children with fairy dolls inside. The little one helped me make each fairy doll: gluing on their hats, felting the wool, and picking a fairy name for each one. She also told me the colors her friends like the best, and we made bags and fairies to suit each child's favorites.

The little one received many loving gifts including a basket filled with embroidery goodies perfect for little hands, a hand-painted tea cup, a necklace made by a special friend, and so much more. Really, it could not have been a more magical party!

After tea, we set off to make our fairy houses around the yard. Sasa had collected many perfect fairy house building materials on a recent kayaking trip and we had a wagon full of things to choose from. The kids made beautiful houses and I think the fairies who live in our yard will be so excited!

Elisabeth has recently learned how to take pictures using my camera (gulp!) and she is quite good indeed. In the next week I will be setting up a flickr account for her and you can view all her photos there. Really, they are very good!! The above are just a sample...

Then it was cake, which was a gluten-free chocolate cake the little one requested with "stripes and polka-dots" on it. Sasa made up the recipe and it was absolutely delicious. The little one has been talking about this birthday cake for months now, and it was so special to finally see her with it. She had a "ginormous" piece and loved every bit of it.

And last but not least, her special present. Sasa's Pop has been working on it for a while now, and his mother has been busy furnishing it. The dollhouse was a big hit (with all the kids!!) and I'm sure you will see many more pictures of it in the future!

Sasa and I are completely wiped after a day full of fun, fairies, celebrating, and friends. It was so very magical and amazing. I'm glad we will have this memory for ever and always. Happy Birthday, my sweet little one. You bring so much magic to my life! I love you. xoxo

For Us :: A Little Bit of Sunshine

Our room was in desperate need of a little pick-me-up. We've been lacking pillowcases, and after flipping through Weekend Sewing, I knew the pillowcases would be on the top of my list.

I chose some of the very breathable and soft flour sack material for the bulk of the pillowcases. Matched with a sunny yellow strip and some leftover material from an old sheet, I had two very cheerful pillowcases in less than an hour. Gotta love instant gratification!

I'm sure the little one will be wanting her own, so I think that's next on my list. And after that? A skirt, shirt, dress, birthday presents for the little one, party favors for her friends, and a new tablecloth for our outside table. Oh my! I may be reaching for the stars here, but it's nice to have goals, isn't it?

What have you all been making lately?! I'd love to hear!

A Little Vintage Love

So our kitchen has kind of been stuck in this "prepped to paint" stage forever. One crazy weekend last winter, we tore down all the wallpaper. The plaster walls underneath were so bad that they kind of scared us to go any further. They sit unpainted and kind of "crumbly" now. I'm waiting for the day we save up enough to have someone come in and prep and paint (any locals up for a trade?!) and turn our kitchen into something I'm really proud of.

For now, I've learned to deal by adding color in other ways. I'm going for a 40's and 50's retro look in our kitchen. I'm on the hunt for a salvaged (or repro) diner counter top with that metal edge. I've got the cupboard paint color picked out and can't wait to dive in and make it all happen. But...time is an issue. So the kitchen sits unpainted and for now I use my crazy obsession with colorful Pyrex and Fire King to make the room shine.

So Saturday, my friend Mandi and I headed on an impromptu thrifting trip and ended up finding some great flea markets and little antique places to stop at. We both scored a bunch of dishes for a crazy cheap price. We were pretty much giddy with excitement (okay, so Mandi chooses to keep her giddiness inside, but I know it's there...) and she even insisted on snapping a picture of my giddiness. It's pretty obvious, eh?

So for now our kitchen sits as is, but I think if I fill it up enough with crazy colored vintage goodies, we might forget it needs to be painted anyway!

And just so you all know, I am still working on the things for my shop update. Hopefully by the end of the week they will be ready. I will announce it here before I update the shop!

DIY :: Art

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

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

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

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

All In a Weekend

The first lawn mowing, flowers blooming everywhere, a high of 70 degrees, tank tops, shorts, bare feet in the grass, playing the guitar on the back porch while soaking in the sun, swinging and sandbox playing after dinner, long walks, a bit of sewing, lots of spring cleaning, writing some new tunes, taking lots of pictures, another trip to the big city for a great concert, homemade coconut milk ice cream, the first sunburn of the season, waking up early to get to work, pumping up the bike tires for the seasons first ride, smelling that freshly-cut-grass smell, creating a new c.d. mix perfect for summer days, and just enjoying every little bit of sun and warmth this weekend had to offer.

Adding Some Fun

With a very unoffensive, yet still flowery, wallpaper coating the walls, it's hard to come up with ways to really decorate the space. I found that if I add some bold, funky colors, it really dresses up the wallpaper without clashing a whole lot. This fabric banner adds a lot of fun to the sleeping corner and it was a breeze to whip up! I love using vintage trim to string it all together.

After finding a lot of old embroidery hoops at thrift shops, I've been meaning to do this for a while. My friend Mandi came over one morning and we managed to finally pick out some fabrics and get them finished. It was a fun (and very easy) project to do together.

And I think they work wonders in the room. The little one walked in and said, "Mama, you're sewing circles are on the wall!" Why, yes dear...they are! But they are definitely a hit and I'm pretty sure some more will be in the works soon too...

A Lazy Day

It seems as though most of the week is spent running here and there, rushing around getting meals prepared and the house cleaned up, squeezing in nap time and getting to bed at a reasonable hour, and all the things in between. It can be exhausting and it's not until Thursday comes around that I remember to breathe and slow down.

Thursday is our wide-open day: no plans, no play dates, no story time at the library. We simply do whatever we feel like. It may entail a trip to the big city, a lazy day at home, or hanging out in our little town. There's no telling what activity the little one will want to partake in, but it always starts at the bookshop cafe for some whip cream and hot chocolate.

With all the previous rushing about, we both seem to really appreciate the slowness of Thursdays. Falling into a rhythm of play and housework; of helping one another side by side or breaking off into our own activities. There's lots of dancing, music (we are loving this group lately), cooking and baking, and eating. And whatever we tend to do, it is much enjoyed.

We always end the day with a special meal and homemade ice cream for dessert. The little one gets extra cuddles and stories at night (she's really loving this book right now), and I sing songs while she settles into bed. Her favorite songs? Well, that would be "Lobsterman's Wife" and "Red Robin", of course!

I hope you are all enjoying this Thursday too!

In Progress

Well, the new sewing room is just about complete! I feel so lucky to have a whole room to call my own. We're working on Sasa's yoga room next!
I started on my first project this evening. It feels so amazing to be back. I can't wait to share more pictures with you. I have yet to get some artwork up on the walls, so I feel like waiting until it's complete to share more. But expect to see some more projects soon! My "to do" sewing list is growing and growing.

Have a great weekend. We've got more house projects in the works and a trip to the big city!

Afternoon Light

There's something about this window. It's my favorite. (And you'll notice that no priming has happened yet...) I can sit at the table with a cup of tea and just stare out this window for hours, thinking happy thoughts and feeling quite content. There are so many things going on for me right now and I have to remember to take a moment and clear my head. Somehow staring out this window seems to clear my mind of all those thoughts that I shouldn't give energy to in the first place.

Yesterday I was diagnosed with a sinus infection (seriously one of the most painful things I've ever felt) and am so happy to treat it prior to the holidays. My head feels a bit fuzzy and I'm currently trying to remind myself why exactly I sat down to type this instead of resting while the little one naps.

But then I remembered...I wanted to share with you some of the things that are making me quite happy and excited:

-The tree up with homemade decorations
-Getting my sewing room floor painted so I can finally move in and start sewing again (too bad the homemade Christmas gifts will have to be late...)
-My winter goal of learning the guitar
-This song (which I found on a reader's blog and love)
-Taking portraits at the little one's preschool and getting this smile out of her
-This print for our new home, ready to be framed and put up on the wall
-Baking more Christmas goodies
-Having homemade ice cream tonight
-These mod glasses
-My friend's playlist (she makes fun of me for downloading all of it and creating massive amounts of c.d.s.)
-a Solstice celebration with the little one on Sunday

So those are things that are making me pretty darn happy lately. What about you?!

Making Christmas Cookies

It's been a while since I've done any holiday baking (with the gluten-free challenge and all...nothing ever tastes the same) but living with a baker definitely has its perks! Tonight we decided to bake some sugar cookies. The little one was a great help and insisted on putting most of the sprinkles on herself. The end result? Definitely very yummy! Next week: gingerbread cookies!

Settled

I'm pleased to announce that we are all settled, the house is completely unpacked, we have found our new rhythm (yay!), and painting begins this weekend! We didn't buy anything new for the house, except for some essentials in the kitchen, and found some amazing vintage items. You'll catch a glimpse of them in the pictures above. It seemed like the universe was totally working with us on finding the perfect items to fill the house with. The little one's play area is filled with all thrifted items (I scored the wooden doll carriage and Waldorf doll, both practically brand new, for an amazing $38 at a junk shop. What it was doing there is beyond me...) except for her new train set. I took a few big pieces from the old house (a couch, dressers, and a bed), but mostly the house is filled with secondhand items. It feels so good buying used.

The little one adores this house. Living in town within walking distance to everything is beyond amazing. The best thing about finally being settled is that our rhythm is back. Bedtime is a piece of cake again, naps are going well, there's a lot less crankiness and more playing happening, and there's more time and energy for everything.

It was so fun to read through your house comments! I'm thrilled to hear that you are just as excited as I am to see the redecorating/painting process. Anyone in the area that would like to come over and help??! Stop by anytime this weekend!

The New Digs

So, the closing was today. The home is ours! We spent a couple of hours in the house tonight, just soaking it all in and unpacking the few boxes that my friend's parents had brought over while we were at work. It's the quirkiest little house ever and I'm so in love with it. I've never felt more at home than in this house. Even when it's empty, it feels remarkably similar to the home I grew up in. With the large windows overlooking town and the high ceilings, it brought back many memories of my childhood.
So much of this house was left untouched over the years. It was built in the 1850's. It has no light switches, so we need to fill it with lights. Unpacking in the dark was rather challenging! And it doesn't even have a shower...just a big clawfoot tub! The wallpaper and vinyl flooring will be all ripped up. The first thing I did was take down all the curtains.
The entire back yard will be converted to a veggie garden, with a small play area for the little one and a fenced in area for the chickens, goats, and ducks.
My friend and I spent three days last week traveling from thrift shop to flea market to antique store to Goodwill to Salvation Army, and found some absolutely amazing vintage finds that I can't wait to share with you! So stay tuned for redecorating and house updating info and some sewing too! I can't wait to get my machine out again...

Click on the photos for more information.

And thank you all so much for your continued support and sweet comments. I've never been so at peace before. I feel like my entire life has been spent in a tense state, and all of a sudden I am sighing a big sigh. And I think I will forever continue to do that. I am so content and so happy and so in love with my life. And I have a tremendous amount of faith in the universe and all the goodness in the world. I feel incredibly lucky. So thank you for joining me on this journey. I'm glad I can share it all with you!

New Digs

In another week or two it looks like we will be settled in our new home, right in town. I always dreamed of farm living, but I think I like the idea of being in town and walking everywhere. And, fortunately, our town has no regulations on livestock, so it appears that we may eventually get those goats I've always wanted. And the ducks and chickens may follow us there as well! So expect to see some pictures of renovations, redecorating, and urban homesteading. I can't wait to share more with you. It will feel so good to have a home again, and I hope to be back in this space more regularly shortly after with lots of crafty goodness!

I hope you're enjoying the weekend! I think snow is on its way...

Our Morning

I used to do a "day in the life" in pictures on my old blog. My readers always liked that and it was a fun way to document exactly what happens around here, and fun for me to look back and see too. So I snapped some shots of our morning together. Stephen is away for a while, so it's just me and the little one until my mother comes up to visit. We are having a blast, just us girls.



I co-sleep with the little one for half the night. She starts out in her crib (which is pushed up against my bed) and ends up with me. This morning she amazingly slept until 6 a.m. and woke me up with a big, wet kiss.



Then it was off for the first play of the day. Starting with the kitchen, of course. Isn't that light something?!



Blueberry pancakes were on the menu this morning. The little one helped me stir and mix, tested the blueberries, and had the first pancake with her requested "extra" blueberries and maple syrup. Note the messy kitchen and dishes I must wash after I get off the computer...





It was soon out the door to get more duckling supplies (who knew I would have to fill two water jugs four times a day for those silly ducks?), a much needed green tea at the cafe and a visit with all our friends, then it was off to the farmer's market. That first picture is the parking lot at the farmer's market! Beautiful, isn't it? We got some greens and fresh chicken and spent some time running around the grass and listening to the fiddle player.





On the ride home I spotted dozens of seagulls soaring through the sky. I knew the alewives were running, so I quickly pulled over and grabbed the camera. It was amazing to see hundreds of alewives just below the water. The little one yelled "fishy, fishy!" over and over again. I had to juggle holding her (not a toddler-friendly place, mind you) and the camera while trying to snap shots. We watched the seagulls swooping down for a little snack and collected some rocks to bring home.

That was our morning (all before 11 a.m. anyway). Wasn't that just thrilling?! I'm attempting to work on a patchwork picnic blanket this weekend. I have never, ever made anything remotely close to a quilt and I will be making this up as I go. Any tips? I promise you'll see some crafty stuff around here soon. We've just been so busy with the garden, the ducks, and well...life. Thanks for continuing to read what I have to say in this little space. Enjoy your (long) weekend!

(Oh, can I mention that I stumbled across a 1980's Mercedes lime-green diesel sedan? Can I mention that I really, really want it? And that I will convert it to biodiesel, which has been my dream for a couple of years? Seriously...lime green, vintage Mercedes, biodiesel...what more could a crazy girl want?!)

Rainy Day Play

Blue

Apparently it's a blue-sky kind of week. The weather has been gorgeous and we've been enjoying every second of it. We only have a couple of weeks until the black flies come out, and then we're stuck inside again. Such a short window to enjoy the lovely weather!

Stephen took the day off to work on our deck. The floor is almost finished, then we'll be working on the railing. Finally, a screened room will be added and stairs that lead down to the ground. We think a hot tub would look fabulous up there in the future...

We've discovered Otay is definitely an outdoor cat. She whines and meows and jumps all over you until you open the door to let her out. She's just like a dog and will chase us all over the yard, comes when we call her, and digs large holes in the garden. Oh, and the sandbox...she thinks that is the best thing ever.

The little one has requested that every minute be spent outside, evident from the tantrums she displays as I try to get her in for lunch and dinner. She'd happily play outside until the sun went down, and I admit to expending a great deal of energy chasing her all over the yard, mostly trying to steer her clear of the road. But we have been enjoying ourselves. We've been walking everyday down the road to see the horses, chickens, tractors, and our friend "Mamee's" house. There are buds on the trees and flowers popping up everywhere.

This internet break has done me good. I've enjoyed it and do not intend to stop. I think I'll say to expect random posting for a while. I'm just enjoying everything that's been going on here. Books have been read, seedlings have been ordered, gardens have been prepared, flower beds have been raked and weeded, we've baked everyday, Stephen and I have been enjoying our quiet time reading at night, but mostly I feel like there is a certain "frantic" feeling that has disappeared. Trying to check e-mails, upload pictures, etc. all while multi-tasking left me stressed and frazzled. It's allowed me to be more present with myself and the little one. I almost wish we were back in the computer-less age.

As the little one and I were raking the garden yesterday I began to think of my mother. We had beautiful flower beds around our house growing up. We were always outside gardening or inside baking. I was trying to imagine how much of that would have been lost if we had a computer in our living room. How would I have felt if my mother was online instead of getting her hands dirty in the garden? (And this is in no way said to make anyone feel bad about their computer usage! It's just my feelings about how my time is spent.) Those times spent gardening and baking are some of my fondest memories. I want to make sure the little one has that too.

I have two new things to introduce to the shop, and while I felt I was under a time crunch to do so, I am just taking it easy. I'm enjoying the orders coming in and spending whatever time is needed in my little green room. I've made a goal of dressing the little one in only handmade this summer, so I'm excited to get working on some special things for her. Of course, I'll share some finished pieces here in the future.

So now I'm off to get some reading done in the sun on our half-finished porch before the little one wakes up from her nap. Enjoy your week! I hope you're sky will be as blue as ours.

The Ol' Switcheroo

Being fortunate enough to have some warmer days lately has made me think about spring. It's a long way off, but just being able to open a window and let in some fresh air motivated me to get things organized. Our old living room/play room set up was getting a tad stale, and the little one had lost interest in many toys. I packed away quite a bit of them, but looking at the above picture, I realize just how many toys she has. Mostly simple things like blocks, stacking objects, musical instruments, and puzzles. But I realize that we do have a lot and I'm really of the principal that "less is more."

We didn't buy most of it. They were gifts (her "Baba" loves to spoil her!) and many were found in thrift shops for little money. But they do pile up. So it was nice to get a good sized bag put away. Her old kitchen set-up (the toy she plays with the most) seemed a bit cramped and inspired a good afternoon of rearranging.

In the kitchen's place, a bookshelf sits with piles of books thrown on the shelves. Small baskets for easier access will soon keep those books organized. I really do love moving furniture around. In our small and open living space it can seem impossible at times, but it's amazing how one little difference can really make a room seem entirely new.

Next on the agenda...paint!

Here

I realized yesterday was one of the first weekdays I have not posted since starting this blog. It felt odd not to sit down with my computer after the day had come to a close, working out my thoughts of the day's events by typing away at the keyboard. But it's late February, and really, there's not much to say. Custom orders are being worked on, teething tablets are being consumed like candy, laundry is being washed, meals are being prepared, books are being read, and we're trying to enjoy the cold and snow, no matter how far away green grass seems. 

Perhaps excuse the prior ramblings and just enjoy the picture. That's the sunlight at 5 p.m., hanging on a little more as each day passes. So you see? Spring really isn't that far away and soon beaches, picnics, catching fireflies, picking flowers, fresh tomatoes from the garden, laundry drying in the sunlight, and walks through the woods will follow. And then we'll be dreaming of snowmen, hot chocolate, cozy fires, mittens, and wool socks. So I think I'll just go on enjoying winter, because it really isn't that long, is it?

Scenes from our day

~Post-breakfast vacuuming~

~Beds are made~

~Green snacks: Veggie Booty and sliced pears~

~Making mama tea~

~Latest favorite activity: jumping on mama's bed before bedtime~

Have a lovely weekend. See you on Monday.

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.

We Love Orange

Favorite clock

Snack

Fresh squeezed

Thrifted chair

Empty lunch bowl (Rice pasta and goat cheese. It was good.)

Custom order crown (Of course I had to test it.)

And definitely not orange, but a little sneak peak at the "big project" that has been underway for the last two months. Hopefully within the next couple of days I can show you the completed project. I'm waiting for a few finishing touches to arrive in the mail...

We Love Stripes

My "weekend shirt"

Alex's pants

Favorite rug

The little one's pants

Just a few more quiet posts until after the weekend. I have a big project in the works that is almost completed, and hopefully by Monday there will be an update about that. Have a wonderful weekend and thank you all so much for your thoughtful comments about my article!

And the stockings were hung...

Our family has decided to celebrate Solstice instead of Christmas. What exactly that means for us will develop over the coming years as our family grows and learns. We already have some traditions in place that seem to suit our family's style, like a special ornament for the little one each year. This year's ornament came from the Etsy shop called My Little Acorn. A bird ornament! How could I resist?!

It's so well made and I just adore the colors. I bought two, one for an ornament swap at a party next weekend and one for us. The little one just loved it and felt very special finding the perfect spot for her new ornament on the tree.

I finally found the time to finish our new stockings. We plan on doing just stockings on Christmas with little, practical, and fun gifts inside. We are really trying to stay away from the commercialization of Christmas and all the gifts it entails. The stress and greediness, the expectations and commitments all seem to drive our family further and further away from our culture's biggest holiday. But we still want to honor the special day in a few unique ways.

The stockings' fabrics were carefully selected to fit each of our personalities.

Stephen is very fond of his and asked how I wrote our names on each one. (Well dear, remember the other night when we were sitting on the couch together, me with a needle, embroidery floss, and fabric in hoop?)

Elisabeth was ecstatic about hers. She insisted on taking it down and carrying it around with her. She kept pointing to the bunnies hiding behind the trees and giggling.

Three hours of stocking making for just one short time of the year? Definitely worth it after seeing my family's appreciation. Nothing beats handmade.

Deck the Halls

I admit, I'm really not into Christmas. Gosh, that sounds horrible, doesn't it?! But with all the Christmas decorating and crafting going on around here in Blogland, I somehow got in the spirit to do a few things...

A tree was first on our list. I really wanted to get a live tree this year, but our budget wouldn't allow it. So we got a small tree from in town, decorated it with any ornaments I could find that weren't breakable, and placed it in our living room where it would be in constant view. My little helper was actually very helpful. She placed more ornaments than I did on the tree and likes to take them off to do it all over again. And I was pleasantly surprised to find myself ordering holiday fabric from Superbuzzy to make a tree skirt and matching stockings.

I put a few decorations that belonged to Stephen's mother around the house. Our home is very hard to decorate for any type of holiday. There is limited wall space (being that our kitchen, dining room, living room, and music room are all one room) and not too many tables around. So finding places to put things is challenging.

I am particularly pleased about our Christmas cards. I found these letterpress holiday cards at a local store and immediately snatched them up. A fun picture of the little one will be included, and hopefully mailed out before the holidays.

So you see? I don't really earn the "ba humbug" title. All you festive bloggers out there saved me this year. Enjoy your weekend!

Winter Nature Table

As I mentioned before, our temporary nature table was on top of the little one's play kitchen. It was kind of in that "end of fall, not quite winter" mode. After being buried by 11 inches of snow (yes, eleven) I decided it was time for the real winter table to begin.

We've been moving furniture around, trying tables in different spots, and switching rugs from room to room. This area behind the couch was previously taken up by the harpsichord Stephen built. It has since been moved to another room and all of a sudden the back of the couch looked rather bare.

An antique table belonging to Stephen's great aunt took the harpsichord's place, and on it went our wintry things: acorns, pine cones, favorite bowls, a bare tree branch, pine needles, felted gnomes, a white silk to represent the snow, and little wooden pine trees.

Okay, I will admit the arranging was more for mama's enjoyment, but the little one just loves to come over and peek at everything. Sometimes she takes off with a gnome, but always puts it back a bit later. The bowls were thrifted finds and in them contain winter's treasures.

I really adore seeing how other people put together their nature tables. If you've posted about one on your own blog, leave a comment because I'd love to check it out!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Corners of My Home

*I know I'm due for a crafty post, and don't you worry...there will be one tomorrow!*

We did a little reorganizing over the weekend. Our house isn't the easiest to rearrange as we please, so subtle changes have to do when I'm in need of a little something new. Switching carpets around, moving a table here and there, lamps in different spots...you know, the little things that when all changed at once, do seem to create a whole new room.

This is the little one's corner. Where the most play takes place and where she "cooks" me soup countless times throughout the day. Our temporary nature table is on the top shelf of her kitchen. The cupboard and oven doors still need to be attached by Papa, but it's not high on the list of to-dos. The broom on the right is probably the second most played with object in the house. She loves it and often helps mama sweep the kitchen.

This is where we keep an endless supply of paper and crayons. Most of the time the crayons end up in her mouth, so I'm not investing in anything fancy yet. The basket and paper sit on the bottom shelf of our bookcase, right next to her basket of books. I love looking over and seeing her scribbling on a piece of paper.

And lastly, not quite a corner but Elisabeth's favorite spot; her perch, if you will. Papa put up a bird feeder over the weekend just outside these big windows. We  have had so much fun spending time looking out the window at the birds. I think I've mentioned her amazing love for birds before. I have no idea where it comes from and I certainly have to wonder why her favorite book is A Field Guide To The Birds. She found this book stuffed in between hundreds on the bookshelf months ago and hasn't yet let it out of her sight. So mama is learning a lot about birds lately.

As I mentioned above, a crafty post will follow tomorrow. You know, all this holiday crafting going on can't exactly be revealed on the blog because of some family readers, but I can show a bit here and there.

I Love Creating

We have been on the search for a new shower curtain for months. I kept putting it off until the disgusting state of our existing shower curtain was no longer ignorable. So I looked around and could find nothing for a price a family on a budget was willing to settle for. I ended up getting two liners to at least keep the floor dry, but they were oh so boring.

Enter thrifted sheet. I found it this past weekend and bought it on impulse. I had no plans for it and couldn't even decide if I liked it. When I saw this photo on flickr and realized the curtain was a repurposed duvet cover, I got the bright idea of making my own shower curtain. So that's just what I did a few nights ago.

Super easy. I serged the bottom edge to the desired length, then added button holes to the top of the sheet where the shower curtain rings would go. It took me about 15 minutes. I waited for Stephen to get home and walk into the bathroom, fearing he would say "oh my!" and declare it too "flowery," but he was sweet about it and agreed it looked much better than plain white.

I made a matching bath mat using scraps from the sheet, a vintage table linen, and backed it with an old towel. The little one loves pointing at the flowers. She spends a good deal of time smelling them too, thinking that all things mama calls "flowers" are supposed to smell.

She also spends a good deal of time taking off with the bath mat. I wouldn't be surprised if this ended up in her bed and I spent another night making a duplicate.

And there are four new pants up in the shop. I am really into the charcoal corduroy. I have a feeling there will be more of these in the future. And for all you blog readers out there, I am offering free shipping until next Wednesday. Just write "blog1107" in the comments to seller area.

Progress

After a large wholesale order for outfits like the ones in the shop, we finally decided to start creating my workspace.

Let me give you three, really good reasons why I need this workspace:

This is how I store my fabric. I have boxes all over the dining room floor filled with fabric like this one. I honestly don't even know what's underneath the top bit.

And, my attempt at actually organizing the fabric I have multiple yards of ended up like this; knocked over in the first 10 minutes by a small somebody who just couldn't resist. I don't even bother stacking them neatly anymore.

Or what about the fact that we haven't eaten at the dining room table for at least 6 months?! It looks like this all of the time because I work whenever I get a free moment. It drives me crazy and you can see this mess from every other room in the house.

So with the help of our neighbor, the men got down to business Saturday morning and started creating my little space. Stephen has continued working on it all weekend and just finished putting up the drywall tonight. It's starting to look like a room! I'm so thankful he was willing to part with a corner of his big workshop.

I already have the colors picked out for the walls and I'm doing something very funky with the concrete floor. It's very exciting to think about having my own space. I will be more than happy to leave the dining room and my small, windowless corner. I'm thinking on holding off on all "in progress" pictures and just showing you the end result. Much more dramatic that way. For now, I stay at the dining room table cutting out oodles of wee little pants for the wholesale order.

And...

Bluebird Baby may just be an official business in a few days! After the town meeting tonight I should find out if my business license has been approved. A big thank you to Blair for answering my many questions about this whole process. Be sure to check out her amazing Etsy shop too!

An Escape

My sewing area is technically in the dining room. I have a little table in the corner with my serger and sewing machine, and a smaller table next to it with my laptop and printer. (I've decided that having my laptop right next to the sewing machine is NOT a good idea. I get distracted very easily...) No, you won't be seeing photos because it is a setup I am not proud of. It's messy, and I am not usually a messy person. A rainbow of thread covers the floor, there are toys (like the above) around my desk and bits of Elisabeth's favorite Deland bread she discarded earlier crunching under my feet. My basket full of trim and elastic is on the verge of exploding and somehow I've still managed to find a spot to unload all of my acrylics and brushes.

The dining room table serves as my cutting table. It's an antique and I have to admit that the rotary cutter has slipped a few times (sorry Stephen). Because I usually have to drop whatever I'm working on the moment the little one wakes, my half completed projects stay on the table until the next free moment I have. We no longer eat supper at the table, but instead eat after the little one has gone to bed, sitting on the couch while watching a Netflix. Good, quality bonding I tell ya.

Stephen and I have discussed the fact that I really, really, desperately need my own space. A place to get away... just for a moment. To step outside the daily life that can sometimes drive a mama nutty. An escape. Ah, yes. Escape. A perfect word. So Stephen is hearing my plea for an escape and has agreed to turn over a little room in his woodworking shop. All for me. It will be a while, but I really can't wait.

And on a completely different note, a swap with a certain somebody had me digging around for this. I (a person afraid of heights) went up a ladder to reach the loft where this was tucked away in a box. Are you stumped yet Grace? This box brings me back to my days at Simmons where I visited the art store down the street daily. I became obsessed with charcoal and have quite a few finished pieces to prove it.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Home

We returned home one day short because of some sniffles and a runny nose. This is the first time the little one has been sick, so I'm not sure what to expect. I'm also not certain that it's actually anything but teething. The drool fountain, which stopped around month seven, has returned with full force and will soak a shirt in about 30 seconds.

Regardless of the above, we had a marvelous time with Grammie. We tried to stay sane with a week full of rainy weather and an antsy toddler waiting to go outdoors and ride her bike. We played a lot, read a lot and ate a lot. That seemed to do the trick, but we were ever so pleased when the sun arrived on Saturday.

While in Portland, I ventured into Edith and Edna for some Sublime Stitching patterns. I am always amazed by the things in that store. Such talented artists and oh so inspiring. I wanted to fill a bag with goodies to take home, but our budget just won't allow it. So a stitching pattern was my only purchase and I enjoyed the time walking around Portland (in the pouring rain) without the little one on my hip.

On Saturday we had a joint celebration of three birthdays: my mother's, and the birthday that my brother and I share. I made a gluten and dairy free cake and I must say that it was delicious. Even the gluten eating among us enjoyed every bite. It was my first bit of sugar after a two week diet of only agave nectar and maple syrup, and the fact that I had three pieces in one day sent my body into sugar shock. So now I am on the hunt for baking recipes where natural sweeteners work well. Any ideas?

That project I showed you a sneak peak of the other day will have to be revealed at a later date. I actually forgot to take a picture of the entire thing, and I can only say that it was a bag I made for my mother. My own design and definitely something I will be making more of for the shop. I also included this little zippered pouch that I made with the help of Amy's book. I wish I could have gotten the embroidery hoop marks off the corduroy, but even with much ironing, they didn't budge. If you're familiar with the book, I obviously altered the pattern a bit. I was surprised that the lining had to be hand sewn inside along the zipper. There has to be an easier way! Overall, it was a simple, quick project and made a very practical and stylish gift.

Much more tomorrow. I hope you all enjoyed your weekend! 

Mishmash

mishmash |ˈmi sh ˌma sh; -ˌmä sh | noun:
a confused mixture : a mishmash of outmoded ideas.

This whole week has been spent catching up on things I neglected during my eight day illness. My posts feel as scattered as the days have been, so please forgive the "mishmash" quality of it all.

Yesterday morning I left to go on a fabric hunt for some special orders, alone! Along the way I picked up these. I seem to be drawn to earth-tones and vintage inspired material. So when I discovered that the majority of these were reproductions, I wasn't surprised. I haven't a clue what to use them for, but I'm sure it won't take long before they are on the cutting table.

Speaking of new material, I seem to be doing a lot of this lately. I had no idea that most of the time spent creating something was behind the ironing board or cutting table when I first began sewing. Now I iron all of my material as soon as it leaves the dryer, whether I plan on using it right away or not. When I start a new project, I really like to dive right in and don't have the patience to do all the ironing first.

The prints are framed! Tucked away in my little corner, I finally feel like this space is becoming my own. It's a temporary studio space (I hope anyway), but I still want it to be an inspiring space to sit down and create. These prints are certainly inspiring.

And the last of the mishmash ... the little one chomping away on an apple. It seems to be her favorite snack this season and I often find the discarded core tucked away with her books or next to her play kitchen. Thank goodness I've always found them the same day. It's hard to miss that apple smell!

Cozy Corners

Living in a house that is essentially one big room has made me very aware of the sun; where it comes up and where it sets. You can sit on the same couch all day long and watch as the sun's rays move from one window to the next, and eventually end up on the opposite side of the house than when the day began.
This window seems to catch the most of the sun. It sits right in the middle of our family "room" and provides hours of sunshine throughout the day.

I'm still under the weather and now it looks as if the wee one is too. Thankfully, she is still able to breathe while sleeping, so at least someone is getting some rest!