Bluebirdbaby

a series

a few photos from a hilltop on the east end. we had a great date with my mama. xoxo

it's like this

oh, you all. you all have been through so many manifestations of this space here. and maybe i lost some of you along the way, but i do know there are many of you still here. and i believe that the more real i get with myself in this space, the more i connect with others feeling the same. and i attract readers with a similar energy, or something here resonates with them and they know they are meant to be here, reading all i have to say.

there has been a shift over the past couple of years to something more real. more honest. more open. and i want to continue with that. because life is about learning and growing, and heck...i'm not afraid to admit that! and if someone finds what i have to say inspiring and it helps them on their own journey, then well...that's all i could really ask for.

last night i got thinking. i was thinking about everything. contemplating life and what it's about. i was sitting on the couch journaling. and i was feeling rather sad. i stopped for a moment and posted here...that picture where i may look sleepy, but really i was just thinking. and i should have said more, but i was too tired at that point to really write anything. so here i am now.

i thought all through the night (it was a very restless sleep) and i woke at an early 6 a.m. to the sun slowly rising through the big window in the bedroom. i laid there in bed for an hour, thinking. i slept with my camera on the next pillow in hopes of catching that sunrise for a project i'm working on. and i did. i took some pictures without even moving my head from the pillow. and i stayed there thinking some more about life and what it's about. and then i went on a long run and thought some more.

and i thought that maybe, just maybe, there is a way to shift things. to take a situation and make it different. to observe your immediate reactions and behaviors which have been a certain way your entire life and change them. notice them. create an awareness around them that is so constant that there is no way to continue thinking in a certain way. and that's kind of liberating to recognize that.

i believe i'll never stop growing and learning and changing. i feel like a river...just flowing around bends and curves and along straight stretches to wherever it takes me. i don't argue with it. i just go with it. there are no wrong turns, it all just takes you exactly where you are meant to go.

and that's what i thought about today, and where i've arrived tonight.

thanks for listening, friends. xoxo

crazy

it's been a long day.
a good one, but busy and long.
and now it's over.
i'm listening to lana del ray on pandora
and catching up with clients
and thinking about eating some chocolate
and going through photos i took today
and thinking about watching a grey's anatomy on hulu
and then bed.
but it's only 10, and i've come to learn that living alone i tend to stay up until 1-2 a.m. and rise at an early 6 a.m.
and i keep going all day, on 4 cups of tea, perfectly happy and content with it all.
how crazy life can be. i love it.

also, find me here this month. xoxo

fridays

fridays are full of baths (and curious kitties who really like the water), yummy meals, silliness at the table, visitors, and some painting time! we love our fridays.

what did you do today?

a day

a lot happens in a day!...

breakfast dishes alone. black tea and two fried eggs for me, hot rice porridge for her with honey and almond milk and rose tea.

i got these new stackable glasses at a local shop that are perfect for our open shelves and limited storage space.

i've been collecting antique mismatched silverware while out and about.

lunch is often joined by others. i love making a big salad or fried rice. brocolli is always on my lunch menu. and i love a simple platter of cheese and crackers. i've been drinking tons of water throughout the day...trying to offset my tea consumption.

i love the light in the evening. i was working on the computer and looked over to see this. beautiful.

my boys. i love my boys. and apparently they really love each other...see the hug? they spoon and embrace all the time. i love it.

i love watching the shadows as i cook dinner. they seem to capture my movement perfectly.

and the little one is so very content in our new space. she is really loving it all. i was cooking for over an hour tonight and she was happily playing right next to me on the floor.

 

that's just about what our day looks like. how about yours?! xoxo

hello.

i've been looking around, noticing. do you ever do that?

noticing so many things. in just two rooms, we have created a home. we are settled in and happy and feel like we have all the space in the world. we don't need much to be happy. in fact, we need nothing at all because i've come to know that happiness is inside me, and well...that can never be taken away. i'm pretty sure the little one is learning this too. we are a good team, she and i.

my favorite time of day is the quiet time in between work and dinner. where i sit and journal at the table, listening to some Nina Simone, sometimes sipping a glass of wine, watching the sun set and waiting for the dinner guests to arrive. (there are always dinner guests. always.)

last night i was journaling and staring at the page before me filling up with ink, and suddenly the page turned from ivory to gold to pink to orange. it was the most beautiful thing i've ever seen...the sun was setting and just changing and morphing into something completely different every second.

and i began to think about life and how it does the same. things change, shift, morph, evolve. it's what we can count on. it's what makes me so excited about life. i'm an incredibly open person...i think i have a gift of living wide open. i experience everything deeply and fully. i take it all in and acknowledge it; good and bad. and i am grateful for it all. i do not easily get bogged down. i think of everything as a gift. every single thing in life can teach us something if we let it. if we are open to it.

i've been noticing this all. noticing the way the light changes throughout the day, how two rooms can feel so very big, how my awareness can just keep continuing to grow, how my gratitude for everything is so immense that i can't help but love everyday, how i get to witness the little one growing into herself and feeling so very good about where we are.

i'm noticing this change. this shift that feels so very significant to me in my life right now. i can see it everywhere...in my attitude, my gratitude, my awareness, and even my phsyical body. i feel and even look different now. things are changing. and change is hard, but to me hard means good. you push through, you grow, you come out the other side so much more capable than you ever thought you could be.

and even right now, in this very moment, i am noticing how i sat down to simply write about a beautiful sunset, and look what came out. it's all so interesting and wonderful, isn't it?

happy tuesday, friends. thanks for being here. xoxo

Equinox

Happy Spring!! Just some photos from the last few days. We are enjoying our new wee space here, the wonderful light all day long, and the amazing view of the river.

We've had a stretch of amazingly warm weather...temps in the 80's, which means shorts and sandals, open windows, staying out late to ride bikes and scooter through town, skipping rocks in the river and hunting for heart rocks and sea glass. It's just been unbelievable. What a wonderful way to welcome spring!

Hope you are enjoying your week. What did you do to celebrate the return of spring?

Happy Equinox!!

Happenings

 Thanks to all who entered the Polarn O. Pyret giveaway! Random.org chose #77...

andrea said...

always hunting for the right gear here! thanks for the offer :)

Andrea...you didn't include your e-mail, so please e-mail me at ewallacephoto(@)gmail.com and I'll hook you up with Polarn! Congrats!

 

 

Just some happenings from the past few days...

 

• dinner with friends (taco night ROCKS!)
• necklaces from a reader
• thank you letter writing to said reader
• pretending to be a cat in the studio
• an actual cat snoozing in the studio
• daylight savings time love and the sunset streaming through the window
• art in the morning

Hope you all had a good weekend! xo

Polarn O. Pyret Giveaway!

With the little one attending a nature based school, proper outerwear is very important. I'm always on the hunt for warm enough jackets and snowpants, raingear that actually keeps her dry, and everything in between. Polarn O. Pyret always has the greatest clothing...the quality is remarkable, the sizing is always just right and fits for two seasons, and the most important thing is the little one absolutely adores the colors, fit, and designs.

Polarn O. Pyret was kind enough to send us a set of rain gear which we immediately put to good use. Today it was overcast and drizzly, so we put on our new rain gear and headed out into our new backyard (yup...that's our backyard!!) and played on the shore.

What lucky girls we are, eh? The ocean in our backyard and awesome new rain gear! Polarn O. Pyret is also offering one lucky reader a $50 gift certificate. Just leave a comment and tell us what your little one's favorite season is. I'll draw a reader Monday at 10 a.m. EST. Good luck!

studio lunch

lunch with some creative peeps. it was yummy.

i sure am enjoying this view. it's just gorgeous. the sunset last night was beyond amazing.

monday i had the pleasure of shooting and modeling Luksin's spring line. it was a beautiful, sunny and warm day. thank goodness, because we had to strip down to barefeet at the beach! check out some of the photos here.

also, i had the pleasure of photographing some beautiful jewelry from the Future Pearl Co. Check out their site to see some of the photos and their gorgeous work!

it's a rainy overcast day here today. it's a nice excuse to hunker down inside with some tea and catch up on a lot of work.

i'm looking forward to doing some more creative shoots in the coming weeks!

what are you up to today?

 

 

girl's night

well, we officially broke our wee space in with our first "girl's night." the little one was so excited. we had a mellow evening with lots of yummy food, good wine, and sweet friends. i am constantly amazed by the support and kindness of our friends. i am so very grateful for them.

now we can really call this home.

around

it's been fun getting to know the light in this new space. it's beautiful...all times of the day.

late afternoon is my favorite. watching the sun set, lighting the candles around the house, making dinner, and getting ready for a cozy evening. the little one and i are settling in and doing well.

i adore this space. i am feeling so capable, brave, strong, and full of life. i am excited about moving forward, discovering new things about myself and life. we are blessed with generous and loving friends. i am thankful for every bit of my life right now.

here's a little glimpse of what's new. my friends call it our "fairy house"...

gratitude

you have no idea just how much each and every one of your comments made me feel so loved and supported. you all are wonderful, caring, generous people. thank you for being here.

this transition has been very hard on all of us. but the little one and i are settling in okay, feeling somewhat challenged by our two room apartment with its limitations, but we are making the best of it. i happen to absolutely adore it! and you are right...it's a tricky thing writing about personal topics on a space like this. i feel that because i tend to focus on the simple things of our days, you often don't see the whole picture. and while i can tell you that i have an inner happiness and strength that i feel is always there through it all, it doesn't mean some things aren't hard. so many of you, i'm sure, found this all to be such a shock. and that's okay. sasa and i adore each other, have so much love for one another, but we are on different paths and we support that need for us as individuals to follow those paths.

many of you asked if we need anything. we are mostly set, and i feel overwhelmingly grateful for those of you who even thought to ask. money is tight, and being self-employed means a somewhat sporatic income. i have been thinking about making an e-book available for download about photography basics and creative photography tips. would that interest anyone? if so, i will start working on it.

and again, thank you. i really wish i could invite each and every one of you over for a cup of tea or a glass of wine. you're support and kind words continue to inspire and amaze me. i am so very lucky, indeed.

xoxo

 

 

Making Do

hello friends.

it's been a while, eh?

there have been big changes over here. not even sure how to say any of this.

but i just will. the little one and i are moving on...we are now situated in our own space. we are happy and excited about the future. so many doors are already opening and i'm grateful for that. friends are taking care of us so very well...the support is overwhelming.

and this is my path. this is exactly where i should be and there's no arguing that. and i'm okay with it. i can see what a gift everything has been and continues to be.

i am reminded of this quote...

"And I find that each time that you fall, you're just becoming who you are."

-Mainstay

as i sit at the kitchen table, sipping tea and looking out over the river (yes! beautiful river views!), i feel so very happy and at peace. i am home.

 

i'll get back to regular posting soon! hope you are all well, my friends!

full

our life is so very full these days. so very full. it's all i can do to just take a few simple breaths, click the shutter a few times at the beauty around me, and find some simple words for this space.

but i wanted to pass on some things i'm loving:

• Oh Land
• Already Yours
• this song and video is the sweetest
• look for me in the Pop Up Shop in a week! If you know anyone who's getting married, let them know! Major discount on my wedding packages!
• i'm loving Closet Visit
• i want these bangles
• loving Black Crane clothing
• oh, how i wish i could afford these for summer
• i saw this in person...it is fabulous.

What are you loving this week?

painting

Yesterday we enjoyed a morning painting in the sun. The little one finished this piece and I just love it. She is so excited about painting that we had to go back to the art store for more! I can't wait to see where this takes her.

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend! xo

chasing light

i spent the morning chasing light around the house. i've never experienced a Maine winter quite like this. so warm. i've been wearing my tweed blazers, scarf around my neck, and newsboy cap when walking around town, just soaking up the sunlight. i don't mind the lack of snow, or the warm temperatures.

today, walking through town i smelled grass. green growing grass. like spring. and i stopped, took a deep breath, smiled, and walked on. i thought about how sweet it smelled and how exciting the changing of the seasons are...especially coming out of the hibernation of winter. it's like a brand new start every year to look forward to.

for now, i am enjoying the sun streaming through the windows, reaching into corners and changing as the day progresses. there's nothing more beautiful than light...

A Mishmash

A collection of photos from a roll of film shot late last fall. Click on the photos for descriptions..

Hope you are all enjoying a happy weekend!

And, I'm in Love

Had my first painting lesson yesterday with Lari. It was amazing and wonderful and I had so much fun. I decided to work on a few collages for an upcoming art night. And I finished three, plus started two other acrylics!

I'm smitten with painting. Absolutely love it. Can't wait to do more. Next week I'm headed to the big city for some supplies!

Thanks Lari!!

 

What are you all working on this week?

A Little Tuesday Tune

 

 

One of her favorite songs. She is silly. I love the bouncing foot! Happy Tuesday!

a trip up the coast

we ventured up the coast yesterday to visit some galleries, get some pizza and ice cream, and walk around with our cameras.

the little one was in a bit of a mood, but i was able to capture these images that pretty much said it all...

 

a sketch date with my girl

we spent a rainy friday afternoon sketching up in my studio. just the girl and i.

she drew horses, and i doodled. we giggled and had snacks and listened to tunes.

it was a perfect afternoon.

i just can't believe how big she's growing. and reading, and writing, and her pictures are blowing me away.

this growing up thing is crazy sometimes...

 

hope you're all enjoying your weekend! xo

traditions

more old film.

this is our after thanksgiving dinner tradition...a walk down the road. it's always much needed after all that food.

it was a sweet walk, i remember. and sweet to be with family again.

but really...i just love the light in these photos.

i hope you all have a happy weekend! i've been painting the living room for days...you'll never guess the color! (the little one is very happy about it...)

around

Shots from a roll of film last November. Just around the house. Nothing special. Just daily life. xo

food

We've been enjoying some simple meals around here lately. I always start the day with two fried eggs. Always. It is a rare occurance if I eat something else, and even then, I feel as if it throws my whole day off. Two fried eggs are like waking up on the right side of the bed for me. Plus, our chicken's eggs are amazingly delicious, and slightly addictive. Throughout the day I have numerous cups of PG tips (more than I care to admit here), and am usually snacking on chocolate here and there.

Lunch has been leftover soups, baked eggs, simple spinach salads with turkey and a pesto mayo dressing.

Dinners are always different. I love that. Last night we had a cutting board filled with crackers, chianti cured salame, manchego, olives, and quince paste. Oh, and a glass of French wine. Yum. Other nights it's Mexican with friends featuring local meat, homemade guacamole, and plenty of hot sauce. Then the next night could be a frittata with chard, prosciutto, and sheep's feta. And the little one loves homemade mac and cheese, which I make using goat cheddar and mozzarella, with lots of butter and salt.

Tonight I'm thinking of making this herbed flatbread. Grain free too. We still have jars of pesto I made last fall in the freezer. It's fun to use those every week and think of our once green garden.

What's been on your menu lately?

tea with lari

I had the pleasure of finally meeting a local artist I had met on flickr so long ago. We sat down to tea this morning in her lovely home, chatted about photography and art and travel, took some pictures, and then I got a studio tour.

Lari is so incredibly talented. I was inspired by her work and her eye, and I can't wait to meet up again. (In two weeks I'm getting a lesson! So excited!) Check out more of her work here, and see some originals for sale here!

Thanks again Lari! Can't wait for next time...

a simple meal

we enjoyed a simple meal over the weekend. this skillet rosemary chicken was amazing. easy to cook and so yummy to eat! what recipes are you loving this winter?

and the room is almost done! it's so exciting. i love the white. i am on the hunt for some really bold artwork now, and i'm considering having my friend draw something directly on the wall. blank slates are fun! up next is pickling the floor, then i'm moving on to the living room. can't wait to enjoy many dinners in this room when it's done!

happy tuesday!

 

gathering

We've been talking a lot about strengthening our social community for a year now. 2011 was the year of big bashes, lots of music and dancing, BBQs, bonfires, karaoke, and potlucks. This year, we have grand plans for simple entertaining; shifting the focus from large gatherings to intimate dinners and quiet evenings. I think we're all ready for this shift, and I'm excited to see what this year will bring.

To start, I've spent the week so far painting the new dining room. I'm almost done, which is very exciting...I've never painted for 4 days straight before. It's tough work! After the walls are finally done, the floor is next. Then the table will hopefully be finished and in the house, we'll be on the hunt for mismatched wooden chairs, although ideally I'd love folding chairs like these.

With the new dining room, we can gather with a few other couples, have a simple meal, and maybe follow that with some music making or game playing. We're so excited for this simple shift.

 

For the past couple of months, we've been starting this trend with various friends. Mostly to lighten the load of cooking everyday of the week...we've been spontaneously gathering at various houses to enjoy a meal prepared by everyone, with a single ingredient brought to use. It helps our budgets and we also end up having a good conversation, or delving into some kind of art project. It's always fun, and so mellow with no expectations or grand plans. I love that.

I'm looking forward to a mellow 2012, full of good food, good people, and good conversations! And I can't wait to show you all the finished dining room! I'm off to paint another coat...

xoxo

a girl's night

sandy left friday night for a weekend retreat. the little one found ourselves alone with 2 dogs, 2 cats, and 7 chickens. we called it a girl's night and had a feast of smoked salmon, goat cheese, quince paste, and kale chips. i sipped on wine and she slurped her kefir. we had fun, the two of us.

i'm currently spending my days working on photo stuff, doing some shoots, taxes, and painting the new dining room. it's been pretty busy. i just started feeling better a couple of days ago, but i still don't have my full energy back. it's good to breathing normally again though!

hope you all had a happy weekend!! xoxo

noticing

this sickness is definitely getting the better of me. everything is shifting, but not in a pleasant way.

i've been spending so much quiet time at home this week. and i am not normally a quiet person. it's been interesting to just relax, and be, and enjoy everything around me. i've noticed how much in this house i am grateful for on a daily basis. i love it all. it is home.

i have some exciting home improvements i was counting on starting this week,  but just like everything else, they have to be put off for a time when i am feeling better. and that's okay too. it just means i get to enjoy what we have right now a little bit longer...

and i'm off to start preparing a super special dinner for a super special man. sasa's birthday is today, and the little one and i are going to pamper him and feed him and shower him with gifts and love until he closes his eyes tonight.

happy birthday, my love. xoxo

sick as a dog

well, new year's did me in!

i've been sick as a dog since. sasa had this a couple of weeks ago and he said he is just now starting to feel better.

i took this picture in the late afternoon when i headed upstairs to take a nice long bath filled with eucalyptus oils. i've never noticed that light before. it was beautiful. definitely one of my resolutions to take more late afternoon baths in 2012.

what are your resolutions for this year?

Hello 2012!!!

We had a rockin' party last night. Stayed up way too late. Drank lots of wine and champagne. Danced. Sang. And had lots of fun in the photo booth...

There were close to 1,000 shots we took with the booth last night. I try to respect people's privacy, so here's a small sampling with most of the people you already know! What a great way to welcome in the year of 2012! Happy New Year!!!!

The Holidays

Well, Christmas was awesome. Really awesome. The little one got a kitty (a couple days early). The kitty is the sweetest thing ever. We had so much fun! Here are some pics from the day...

I hope you all had a great Christmas too! We are now prepping for our annual New Year's Eve BASH! Complete with photo booth, sequined everything, and lots of good music. Can't wait...!!

Holidaying

Well, I love getting things out in the open. Writing, processing, getting it all out there...it all helps in taking a step back and really observing the situation and how you'd like to proceed with it. Nothing has changed except my attutide about it. I've always made the best of whatever I'm given, but even with doing that I can still feel mournful for what I know could be. But, enough of that! It couldn't BE because it ISN'T! So I am making the best of what I've got while accepting that it's exactly what it is, and could never be anything else.

That probably sounds like much more nonsense all written out than it actually is in my head. But there it is. Thanks for being there through it all. This space is such a gift.

We've surely been making the best of our time this holiday season. Lots of baking, present making, cookie delivering, tree decorating, and holiday music singing (shall I mention the night the little one and I had an impromptu caroling experience? we skipped merrily while singing around the neighborhood like silly people in the dark!). And there are the things like the Christmas cards that will never be finished or even make it in the mail (how about New Year's cards?!), the tins of treats I wanted to make and deliver, the presents I can't afford, and all the rest that just aren't meant to be. And that's okay. Because with what we have, we are having so much fun with it. And that's the best.

I haven't even been capturing all our daily activities with my camera. Taking even a second away from those moments seems like too much. Sometimes I pull my iPhone out and capture the goodness. So above is all the goodness from cooking baking (twice!), packaging, delivering, and holiday cheer around town. We have been having so much fun...!

What have you been up to this holiday season?!

juliana

a shoot for my personal portfolio. check it out over here...

enjoy!!

The winner! and my studio! and some links!!

Thanks to all who entered the giveaway! Random number generator chose commenter #93, which would be....

Susan said...

oh my goodness... what NOT to choose?? i love the surprise bowls and cups, the mini mushrooms and the red birds on parade bowl, just to start. i will be back to visit this shop, for sure!!

thanks for helping me discover it and should i be so lucky to win.

 

Susan...I'll send you an e-mail! Congrats!

 

Have I ever shown you guys my studio space? I can't remember if I ever did. My gals affectionally refer to it as the "girl cave" where we have art night and chill. We have lots of fun up here. And I get a ton of work done too. Everyone is happy! Well, here it is...

 

My favorite corners?! The little one's horse wall (she has also drawn me amazing photos of cameras) which are mostly old except for the top right corner. I love that one. I also love my bookshelf under the window with all my art books. I love my plants. My inspiration wall is crazy and out of hand, but I love it like that. It's like a visual of the inside of my mind. Crazy and awesome all at once.

So that's where I spend my days working. I'd really like to paint the room, but I just didn't have time before moving up here. So it will stay this color for a while. It's growing on me. At night I always have candles going, and it's pretty cozy up here.

And here are some links I'm loving at the moment:

• i've never been into music like this before, but i am loving this today. feels like my mood at the moment. strong, confident, and a bit crazy!
• i love this beautiful selby film for ZARA. i want her glasses.
• finding her blog visually inspiring
• i'm painting the downstairs the next few weeks. can't wait to have a dining room like this!
• have you seen the new marcel?!! we were literally on the floor laughing...
• a friend suggested our annual new year's eve bash should have a dress code of sequins...i was thinking something like this
• inspired by her work and can't wait to meet up with her after the holidays!
• audrey's the cutest
• i want this print for our new dining room!
• this pic of maria's is amazing. the mood she captured is unreal.
• this looks like something i'd wear everyday
• this movie was amazing and so absolutely gorgeous. 

What are you loving my friends? Also, thank you for the super sweet and encouraging words on my post a few days back. They mean the world. You sure know exactly what to say. Thank you. xoxo

 

Giveaway :: Purple Petunia

Valerie from Purple Petunia was sweet enough to offer a giveaway here today! I found her Etsy shop right before Easter this past spring, and fell in love with the "bunny surprise mug". I had a surprise mug as a kid and I have vivid memories of drinking hot cocoa in it every winter and being so excited to see the crocodile (not as cute as a bunny!) at the bottom. So the bunny mug made its way to our house and the little one absolutely adores it!

Valerie was so excited to offer a giveaway, and she has her shop stocked full of wonderful little things for wee ones. Take a peek!

Here's a little more about Valerie and Purple Petunia...

How did you get started in pottery?

I took a community ed beginning ceramics class 14 years ago when I was very pregnant with my first child, Audrey. I had just graduated from college and was working part time at my undergraduate lab, waiting for my husband to finish his last semester, and for the first time in years found myself without deadlines. I made a handful of thick, low-rise bowls while reaching around my huge belly, and LOVED it. In my newly maternal state, I was already obsessed with the whole concept of creation and this making of permanent, useful beauty from mud fit right in. For the next 10 years, a pottery class was my on-again-off-again weekly "Mom's night out," and I made slow progress towards my current style, being drawn increasingly to small, finely tuned forms. Our move to a small university town in southcentral Pennsylvania coincided with my youngest daughter entering kindergarten, and I found a lucky arrangement with the university ceramics studio to fill some of those brief new alone hours. I opened an etsy shop in January 2007, and quickly veered towards filling it with pottery, happily building purple petunia for the next year and a half. My little girl's bone marrow transplant, the birth of a son, and his diagnosis with cancer when he was 5 months old stopped any crafty business efforts for awhile. To our great relief, we've avoided major medical crisis mode for the last year or so, and I've been able to slowly return to studio work. I love etsy because it allows me to just sell what I have when I have it, without the pressure of building and maintaining so much stock (though of course when the shop is as full as it is now it's quite satisfying!) I don't know that I'll ever be a full-time potter--my 5-year-plan is continually shifting--but I love being able to support the hobby without guilt!

What inspires your designs?

My aforementioned little girl, Marian Grace, spent 5 years of her life almost totally tube fed, and I started making pretty little dishes for her, wanting to make eating--when she was willing or able--as lovely an experience as it could be. A friend asked me to make her a surprise mug (I'd trade pottery for babysitting) like she remembered from her childhood, and I thought those might be enticing as well. You know: "Eat enough soup that you can see the bunny's head!" I wish I could report that little trick worked...but it took much more drastic medical intervention. Now, though, ten years old, healthy, and EATING, she loves to use our stacks of little bowls and cups. She is my crafty buddy, and as convinced as I am that handmade is always the right choice!
Surrounded by little girls, my first target demographic was pastel and sweet as sugar, and my niche style has evolved in this candy-colored direction, though I do love the classic reduction-look pottery and we usually eat on "grown up pottery." Inspiration? I love so much Waldorf-style crafted toys, with their fine workmanship, natural-sourced materials, and nature themes. I haven't been the same since seeing my first Magic Cabin catalog! A friend casually mentioned that she thought I'd like it, and I spent hours cutting-and-pasting images downloaded at painfully slow dial-up speeds before my first lovely catalog finally arrived. I have great crafty friends right now, and we love to get our nature craft on! (Our wool collections are getting embarrassing).

My grown-up sense of wonder is lit most in the lovely woods surrounding us in rural Pennsylvania. I imagine wee fairies and gnomes hiding everywhere along the trail as my son and I walk on the AT near our home, and love to spy out little crevices I imagine as prime spots. When I sculpt my little woodland animals and pop them in mugs and bowls, I think they'd rather be in these sylvan hiding spots, but try to provide them a good alternate where they can be both safe and admired :)

What is your favorite thing to make?

I love best to make and gift bowls. I love how useful pottery is. A bowl can be crazy beautiful, but it's never so full of itself that it isn't willing to serve. I think that's a perfect metaphor for life. My little boy is obsessed with trains, so we continually hear (via DVD or iPhone YouTube) Thomas the Tank Engine being praised as "a really useful engine!" I think that's a great lesson for him to learn, and it's something I'm reminded of every time I lift one of my bowls or mugs and it nests so nicely in my hands, the curve of its bell-shaped rim following that of my fingers: it is begging to be filled up with goodness and make something necessary a beautiful experience.

Valerie is generously offering the winner a choice of anything in her shop! Yay! Please leave a comment here (make sure your e-mail is included) telling us what you'd choose if you won. I'll pick a winner tomorrow night at 6 p.m. EST. Good luck and thanks Valerie!!!

She's also offering 10% any purchase from her Etsy shop until December 17th, with code: BLUEBIRD10

here, there, and everywhere

 

So, here I am again...making excuses for my absence and lack of presence. The truth about it all?! Well, juggling a little one going back and forth between two households, and adding in her schooling...well, it leaves us with not much.

I've tried to keep most of this out of my space here, but the reality of it is that it's hard. It's hard on everyone. As it is now, she left Saturday morning and I won't see her again until Thursday afternoon. Then I rush her to her violin lesson upon pickup from school, then it's home for dinner, then it's bath time, then it's bed. And that's pretty  much how our days go. They fly by without time for thinking about anything other than just getting through the day.

As a mama, I struggle with having this energy and desire to be with her, create with her, teach her about the world, show her how gentle life can be, slow down and breathe with her, focus on being together and enjoying those simple things about daily life that we have for 5 years now. But really? There isn't much time for that. Not at all. She comes and goes so quickly, I often feel like I have 5 minutes with her. The days pass quickly. The weeks pass by even faster. The months? Well, I blink and those are gone too.

What am I left with? I'm left with just making it through the day with her and her school life, social life, and all the normal challenges of just being five. And then, on the days we actually have time together, we try to squeeze in a special picnic or hike or trip to the beach or visit with friends, but now even that is all feeling like just too much. Which is really sad. Because what does that really leave a family with?

St. Nicholas Day passed us by while she was at her Papa's house. We made it up for her this weekend. The start of Advent passed by even faster, and trying to keep track of an Advent calendar when she is only here for such a short time seems impossible. Traditions are hard. The magical things we like to do as a family for her and create for her seem so challenging now.

This space feels as empty as I do. I have my business, our busy social life, activities, wonderful alone time with Sasa, and so much more to keep me full. And it does. But there is that intention and awareness we've always had in our lives that really focuses on the little one. And without her, there is a kind of grief for something that once was...and for how childhood should be.

So that's where I am, my friends. Just feeling like all I can do with her absence is focus on myself. Personally, I feel a growth taking place. A magical wonderful growth that I am proud of and so ready for. But there is also a reluctant move away from something that has been for so long, and that we truly miss and aren't ready to be done with.

I'm sure this sounds more dramatic than it all is. I just felt I owed you all an explanation. I am pretty busy over here and here. So I'm not far...

And there will be some giveaways coming up! So don't miss those!! Check in tomorrow...

And, as always, thanks so much for being here. Your support is always exactly what is needed. xo.

Some Killer Links

We had the sweetest little photo session with Maria this past weekend. This image she captured was my favorite, but there were so many good ones.

We have been having such a fun time lately. It's hard juggling school, work, afterschool activities, an amazingly social wee one who is always out running around the neighborhood with friends from early morning to sunset, a busy social weekend life, and then we do it all again. Our time to slow down, breathe, and just be together seems to be few and far between, but we do manage to make the best of every moment we have together; no matter how short.

Today marks the third anniversary of living in this house. It's a special day for Sasa and I. I, of course, completely forgot about it because I am still not convinced it's remotely possible for it to be December. And Sasa, being the sweet guy he is, reminded me at dinner. Oops. So what did I do? I turned our kitchen into an after dinner dance party! We put it on a favorite dancing Pandora station and proceeded to boogie and do the twist and slow dance for the next two hours.

Then the little one put the wicker laundry basket on her back and pretended to be a turtle, which Mama and Sasa bear had to try to eat. But she was a good turtle and curled right up into her shell where she was safe. We ended the night with some drawing before bed. That girl...I swear...she is never NOT drawing. It's insane. I buy her art journals every other day, and they are full before I can get back to the art store. And pens. And pencils. And anything she can draw with. They all get so much use. Her drawings are amazing too. Unbelievable, actually. She's on a horse kick, but she has just started drawing mama with her camera. Cool stuff. She's goooood.

And that's my update. We're all in a silly mood tonight. Dancing does that to us. So here's some pretty sweet links:

• i wanna be your man (how freakin' cool is that dude?!)
• absolutely A-mazing 
• i got inspired and painted my nails this color today
• made this into a necklace. i love it.
• love these tumblers
• enjoying her blog
• this series is gorgeous. she makes everyday beautiful.
• mmmm....for brunch with friends
• i have a horrible addiction to mugs (and tea)
• have you seen melissa's new book?! she was also on the macy's day parade AND martha stewart!! woohoo! go melissa!
• loving his artwork
• one more video. i'm going to style a shoot inspired by it.
• looking forward to this tomorrow night

Happy December! What are you loving right now?!

her request

Our little town had an annual Christmas parade this past weekend. The little one and her friend got to ride with Santa in the wagon. Then it was off for hot chocolate followed by waiting in line to sit on Santa's lap. The little one asked for a "kitten" (oh my) and her friend asked for a surprise, despite my urging him to ask for a skateboarding ramp for the neighborhood.

I am so grateful for our wee town and all its quirky little festivals. There does seem to be quite a bit of them. Sometimes Sasa and I joke that it feels like we're living in Stars Hallow. All we need is Luke's Diner, and it would be complete!

For weeks I've been finishing up this season's wedding work, and with one wedding left to complete, I feel like I'll be a whole new person soon! I've got some really awesome shoots coming up that I can't wait to share. And so many creative ideas. I love having creative ideas. Living with such a passion for creating and noticing and dreaming is a wonderful gift. Sometimes it can feel overwhelming (how will I ever do it all?!), but for the most part it is extremely invigorating. Do you ever feel like that?

The photo above was taken at the local library during the Santa visit. It was one of the only times I've ever asked her to pose for a photo, or to sit in a certain place. The light, the symmetry, the colors were all just too much. Putting her in the middle just blew me away. I love it.

Go here to see more Santa pictures!

Happy Monday, my friends! I'll be back with some sweet links...

 

our day

 

every year it's the same.

and that's a good thing.

30 people, tons of food, more pies than 30 people could ever finish (which means there's half a pumpkin pie in our fridge that i'm looking forward to later), a walk to the ocean after dinner, an early evening with a good movie, and collapsing into bed early.

we have so much to be grateful for this year. i love that there is a whole day that reminds us to be grateful.

what are you grateful for this year?

i'm not ready yet.

It's snowing! The first real winter snowfall. We woke up to plows going by in the wee hours of the morning. The snow is thick and wet and heavy. The chickens are not amused in the least, but it sure is beautiful. There's something about a snowfall, no matter how not ready you are, that makes you want to curl up with a wool blanket, a good book, and a hot cup of tea...even if you're not ready to put the swimsuits away yet.

As my eyes slowly opened this morning, all I could think of was that cup of tea and that book. But today it's another day of work. And that's okay too. But there's tea...there's always tea.

And, because remembering is good, here's some film shots from a little late summer picnic we had in the woods with friends.

Happy Thanksgiving, my friends. I hope you all have a good one. xo.

 

absence

Phew! Sorry for the abense my friends! Life has been, well....life. Busy and full and lovely and crazy and everything in between. Sometimes the weeks fly by and the one simple thing I've been meaning to do gets undone; like posting here. I miss you all! And I miss being in this space.

Life has been very full. Full of good food, get togethers, friends, creating, work (and lots of it), mothering, partnering, and trying to breathe in the midst of it all.

This past weekend, the little one and I had an afternoon in the big city with our friends. My assistant and I are cooking up something goooood with a certain talented someone in the big city after the holidays. So we took a couple of hours to brainstorm and check out some spaces. After we walked around the city taking some shots for a few minutes. Maria snapped these of the little one and I. I adore them. Love them. I hardly ever have photos of us together. It means so much.

And, oh my...how she has grown. I just started photographing her in a very different way. She is no longer this cute little toddler. She's matured. She's got emotions behind those eyes and expressions. It's amazing to witness and even more amazing to capture. She's the best model anyone could ever ask for. She's opening up more to the camera too. I can't wait to see where it takes us....

How are you all? I hope you are all well and enjoying life. I'll be back soon...promise.

slow

02 Hang On Sloopy

thanks for your sweet comments about sasa's pop. it really made me feel a whole lot better reading every single one of them. you guys are the greatest.

i'm wrapping up an 8 hour day on the computer designing albums, sending in submissions, and chatting with clients, when i came across this picture....

one day after the death of sasa's pop, i headed out for my first shoot for a magazine.
after a long drive, the writer and i finally arrived to a cabin full of sweet guys.
an hour later we found ourselves sitting around the fire, singing every country song we could remember, me on the guitar, another guy on the banjo.
the writer snapped this of me. i kinda love it. we were singing "hang on sloopy" and singing like a bunch of crazy people. play the tune above and you can hear it. (not our version!)
it was a sweet time up there, in the maine woods.

i'm having one of those days where i feel so very grateful for everything. for my work, my love, my friends, my home, my family...sometimes it just overwhelms me with how wonderful it all is. even despite the challenges, there is just so much good there. it's all so much sometimes i think my heart might burst...literally. have you ever felt that? you get this incredibly light feeling, where you feel like your heart will jump out of your chest and float up into the sky like a balloon and you'll be left gazing at it in amazement.

it's just one of those days. what are you feeling grateful for today?

the most important thing

 

08 Across the Sea

 

i held a dying man's hand for over four hours yesterday. it felt like the most important thing i've ever done in my life.

we've been living in a state of altered reality for days. the quick decline of sasa's father, the way his family cared for him in his own home, the way we were all there for him...they are things that can put all of life into prespective.

my sleep has been in and out. so aware of where he is in this process. i would wake up in another world all through the night, in my own bed, but somehow him right by my side telling me what he needed and when he was going.

there was something about the ending of his life that awakened ours. the hours spent holding his hand were the most peaceful hours i've ever felt before. all i needed to do was be there, hold is hand, and put every ounce of peace and strength i had in me out for him. the presence was remarkable and seemed like magic.

i will miss him. i will miss his love of the ocean, the way he poked fun at me, how he used to love getting me tipsy on his favorite wine, how he was someone who would always take care of us, the joy he felt to have elisabeth in his life, the way he mowed his lawn "just so", and mostly, the love for his family.

it was an honor and a pleasure to have him be a part of my life. it was an honor and a pleasure helping him move on to what's next. it has changed my life forever. he changed my life forever. thank you, grandpa.

 

I want to step through the door full of curiosity, wondering;
what is it going to be like, that cottage of darkness?

 

And therefore I look upon everything
as a brotherhood and a sisterhood,
and I look upon time as no more than an idea,
and I consider eternity as another possibility,

 

and I think of each life as a flower, as common
as a field daisy, and as singular,

 

and each name a comfortable music in the mouth
tending as all music does, toward silence,

 

and each body a lion of courage, and something
precious to the earth.

 

When it's over, I want to say: all my life
I was a bride married to amazement.
I was a bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.

 

When it's over, I don't want to wonder
if I have made of my life something particular, and real.
I don't want to find myself sighing and frightened
or full of argument.

 

I don't want to end up simply having visited this world.

 

~ Mary Oliver ~

 

poor little one

she's been sick on and off for four weeks.

there is so much going around school, it's hard to tell what's what. but we are certain it's Lyme's now.

the treatment is a bit daunting...so many antibiotics for so long, but i'm grateful for the option and her health to start to improve.

poor little e!

.............................................................................................

in other news... have you guys seen:

• svpply
• how to manifest what you want
• pinhole press' holiday gift ideas? love!
• my pinterst account is overflowing with inspiration and goodness.
• seriously breathtaking
• moutain songs
• cat vs. balloon. HILARIOUS!

what are you loving this week?! happy monday, friends!

butterflies!

So, Elisabeth requested last week to be a butterfly for Halloween. A monarch butterfly, to be precise. I was really happy about her choice. This seemed easy compared to previous years!

I made a cardboard cutout of the wings, covered it with felt, and decorated it monarch-style. We made antennae out of a headband and pipe cleaners, then found fancy black shoes and clothes for the rest! It was a super fun project for us both to work on.

We went around the neighborhood with one of her best buds (who was not a butterfly, but rather a fairy...) and collected some treats. Then it was back home for a pizza party and three hours of handing out candy!

It was so sweet to see these two running around the neighborhood at dusk. I swear I think I even saw them fly....

 

How was your Halloween?!

pumpkins

We went on our annual pumpkin hunt this weekend. We take our wagon up the street to the local farm stand and choose three big pumpkins to take home and carve.

This year we added a little something extra...the little one and Sasa made homemade pumpkin pie using pumpkins from our garden! It was so sweet watching them cooking all afternoon in the kitchen. The little one has been wanting to bake and cook and do anything and everything she can in the kitchen. She even requested to wash the dishes the other night. Um, okay...!

Our trip up to the farm stand was shot all on film and Polaroids, but I did manage to capture some of the carving fun with my digital camera! The little one wanted me to carve a horse in mine, she made a funny face (a super cute one I think!), and Sasa wanted to make a gnome house.

We finished the evening with pie, ice cream, and our favorite pumpkin book!

I finally finished her costume yesterday and she is very pleased. Looks like the real deal, if I do say so myself. Pictures to follow...

What are you or your wee ones being for Halloween?!

around here

Around here there is one itchy, tired person.

One incredibly caring and generous person who takes care of the itchy tired person.

And one little coughing person who is desperately claiming she is still "really sick!" so she can stay home from school tomorrow.

 

But we have settled into a rather nice rhythm. Taking it easy, eating lots of veggies to help our bodies heal (I am adding seaweed to everything these days...), admiring Mr. Pickles who seems to have nailed the art of naps, and early bedtimes for all.

Tomorrow I start on the little one's Halloween costume. She waited until four days ago to finally decide. It's a good one, and quite fitting for her.

Hope you are all enjoying October and staying well!!

Just got a bunch of medium format goodness back in the mail.

This is one of my favorites. She was having such a good time in Boston. I can't wait to take her back.

I am slowly recovering from all my illnesses (which I apparently picked up in Boston), and now I'm battling a nasty bout of poison ivy. My friend has lovingly nicknamed me "itchy and scratchy".

How are you, my friends?!