Teaparties and Playdates

Yarn Bombing - Cold Comfort at the Schuylkill Center

2012-02-21T21:27:00.000-05:00

We've been watching Melissa Maddonni Haims's installation of Cold Comfort take shape over the last couple weeks at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education. I love yarnbombing. The kids do, too. There have been some great patches of this downtown and a couple around our neighborhood. It is so fun to see something handmade (and colorful) like this crop up on parking meters, telephone poles, and bike racks. But in the woods? It is magical.

It's been amazing to watch her progress. Tree by tree. We ran into her one afternoon as she was wrapping up and the kids were fascinated. We were able to see one of the 'sweaters' all rolled up and ready to go before it was stitched onto a tree. It was massive. She told us she was aiming to do 30 trees. 30 trees! It's like a fairy tale forest.

They are just incredible. One more thing to make me want to crochet. Or knit. Or do something with yarn.

And to watch which ones the kids were drawn to.
(It looks like recycled plastic bags were mixed into that one)

So cool.

Candyland Lessons

2012-02-13T13:56:00.000-05:00

In September of 1997, when I was 23 years old (woah...), I started my first Child Life Internship on the Neuroscience Unit at Boston Children's Hospital. To begin, my job was to simply see what it was like to be a child in the hospital. Meet the kids, play with them, get a feel for their experience...

I remember spending a morning with one child playing Candyland. Opening the box. Setting up the game. "What are these picture cards?" "This game has changed since I was a kid..." "No", their mother told me. "They have always been part of the game..." Hmmm.

I went home that night and called my mom. "When I was little and we played Candyland," - for I do remember playing Candyland. a lot. - "were there picture cards that jumped you forward and backward on the board?"

My mom was quiet for a moment. And then laughed. Yes, there were evidently picture card even way back in the seventies. My mother took them out of our game and hid them. They made the game last way too long, she told me. As an early twenty-something, I was a little appalled.

Fast forward fifteen years or so. Ollie has finally discovered (and loves) Candyland. It is out on our living room floor more often than not. And those picture cards drive me nuts. You see, my almost six year old is not a gracious loser. And those picture cards? They incite crying, whining, and board clearing swipes. We don't even make it to the end to see who wins. Just the anticipation of losing brings on the tears. Oh dear, I drew Princess Frostina again. I'm sorry!

So, I have recently thought about taking the picture cards out of our deck. Ollie has even asked me to do so - at least he is self-aware, right? But we keep them in. Because there are lessons being learned here, right? Instead, we talk about being a gracious loser. And how Candyland is a game of chance. And how you really don't know who is going to win until the very end. And we take deep breaths. And draw another card. And hope that really that game of chance won't let me win for a third time in a row...

A Quilt

2012-02-07T11:18:00.000-05:00

I am so happy to be back in the Studio right now - or more accurately on the living room floor...

Ollie's Kindergarten class has been studying fabric in Science - with the unit culminating in a class quilt. Each child (and teacher) brought in an old T-Shirt from home and decorated a white quilt square. I get to put them together into a quilt that will travel home with each kid for a night or two and be journaled about. I love the meaning behind the fabric passing through my hands and under my iron right now.

The quilt is bigger than I have done before and has me motivated to do more after this. Especially since my scrap pile is about three feet high. The T-Shirts weren't as difficult to stitch as I thought they would be, thanks to Johanna at Cloth and Bobbin who reminded me that they each needed to be interfaced! Exactly why I prefer to buy my fabric at a local shop...

So the quilt has been pieced and embroidered. Next up, I need to make the back and then sandwich the quilt. The quilting I have planned is a little non-traditional, I think. Each of the white squares the kids used actually came from a kit made for tying the squares together instead of stitching them. This means that all four corners of each square have holes cut into them. My plan is to applique little squares over each intersection, quilting the quilt and covering the holes at the same time. Let's hope the quilt will all fit through my machine!

Is It Really February Already?

2012-02-02T09:21:00.000-05:00

So, somehow, January flew. And now at the beginning of February, we are having Spring-like weather and everyone is a little confused.

But, my bedroom is coming along! And there are some new projects coming down the pike. While I had hoped that my room would be finished at this point, I underestimated how long the painting would really take. Back before we had kids, I remember painting a room in a weekend. But this room? Oh, my, the woodwork. Previously painted a darker color than I realized. Three hours per coat. One coat of primer (that should have been two) and then three coats of white paint (I told you there should have been 2 coats of primer). But I love the look of it.

It's interesting - all of the natural light in the room actually makes it very difficult to photograph mid-day. The color is actually this, Benjamin Moore's Serenata.

There just a little touch up to be done (I've learned to sand out the drips in between coats next time) and another coat of paint needed on the radiator cover and then I will be able to clear out all of the painting paraphernalia.

Today I head out looking for curtains and curtain rods. The big debate - Single rods with a heavier curtain? Or double rods with drapes and shears. It's that darn streetlight that shines right onto The Dad's face when we are sleeping...

January Goal #1

2012-01-12T14:36:00.001-05:00

There are some big home improvement plans going on around here right now. With a big push to finish them all over the next 6 months - the goal being that everything is done by the time the kids get out of school so we can just enjoy the summer without any of that hanging over our heads.

As I type, I listen to the now-less-disconcerting sound of the roofers up above. Doing a total tear-off and installation of a new roof plus with skylights. After the first one went in in the den, The Dad stopped for a moment and said "Really, why shouldn't we put in two (instead of one) in the office." They really are a bit transforming...

But for January, taking no active role in the roofwork myself, my goal #1 is our bedroom re-do. We replaced all of the windows longer ago than I can count, yet they still haven't been sanded and finished. We installed built in bookcases even longer ago than that... Yet they still sit unfinished as well.

So, the sanding is done. The wiping down comes next. Then priming the whole room in prep for painting. Oh yeah, we still have to pick just which green we want, too. I keep coming back to this one but it may turn out just a bit too dark. We'll decide this weekend and start splashing the color on next week. There's also a plan for a photo wall... And did I mention that one of the things needing to be painted in there is a fireplace? With a detailed wood mantle? Yes, let's hope the learning curve for painting woodwork isn't that steep...

Belated Happy New Year

2012-01-09T09:31:00.000-05:00

We had such a nice break. This was the first winter break in a long time that we didn't travel, and it was just so much simpler. Some good hikes, a couple field trips, lots of time just playing at home, and the most perfect Christmas morning. Simple. The goal and the word that just keeps coming to mind.

And now somehow it is already January 9th, 2012. 2012!

December was good. And, looking back at that list of goals, pretty successful. I cleared a bunch of extraneous ~~crap~~ stuff out of the house. Not all of it yet, but it just feels so much cleaner already. The 100% plant-based diet kind of flew out the window mid-month, but it did make a big difference in how I felt so I haven't given up on that. It may not be sustainable, but it is worth the effort.

I did sew a present or two for each of the kids. Ollie's sheep pajamas and a Shirley (giant sheep) stuffed animal/cushion that is actually with him in school today for 'S' Share Day. I made Ella a little bedding set for her doll bed and got most of the way through a silk velvet-y skirt (with one for her doll to match) before we realized that I had made the waistband too small. That one needs to be revisited and finally finished.

And eieio? Besides a couple custom orders last month I haven't even touched it. But I've thought a lot about it and am getting ready to move forward again. The first thing I need to do is some kind of lighting setup. Soon...

And the goals for January? They are already in full swing. The house is getting picked up and cleaned on a more regular (even daily!) basis and I am getting ready to go downstairs to empty out my bedroom in preparation for painting. There's more that I'll put into a list before the month is over. I promise.

A Productive Day

2011-12-15T14:42:00.000-05:00

It's funny what constitutes a productive day around here. Something crossed off my to-do list. A small corner of the house cleaned up and organized. A sewing project finished. I've actually had a couple productive days around here lately.

And while getting car in to be serviced this morning (oil change, sunroof and wiper blade recall) let me check something off my to-do list, I was even more excited to finish my first sewing project for Christmas. Yes, 10 days before Christmas and I am just starting those sewing projects. But that's how it works around here. And they are all relatively small projects. And none of them are necessary - except for the giant sheep cushion which I will start tonight.

Back for Ollie's birthday, I started a pair of sheep pajamas. They weren't finished in time. The bottoms were ready so I paired them with an appliqued T and he was happy. He has been waiting, though, for the complete set. I finally made the top. Now I just need to sneak the bottoms out of his closet (they have jumped into his regular pants rotation) and wrap them up for Christmas Eve. Check Handmade Gift #1 off my list.

** I actually made the top and bottom from two different Oliver + S Patterns. The bottoms are from the older Bedtime Story Pajamas pattern and the top is from the newer Sleepover Pajamas pattern. Love them both - and still learn something new everytime I sew with one. Understitching? Who new?!

Moving Forward

2011-12-08T20:21:00.001-05:00

The sun has been missing around here for a while. It's been grey and pretty gloomy. But I have been plodding along. Feeling like I am getting things accomplished but at a slower rate than I would like. I will focus on the 'getting things accomplished'. Including multiple trips to get things out of the house. So while I don't feel like I'm checking things off my list, I do feel like I am moving forward. And for that, right now, I am happy.

Here are some of the things happening around here this week:

On my kindle: Buddha in the Attic This is not a book I would have ever picked up on my own, but I am loving it. It is heartbreaking and fascinating at the same time, told in a style I couldn't imagine a whole book in that somehow works. Now I want to go learn more about this whole wave of Japanese mailorder brides.

In my kitchen: Super Natural Every Day I made the two cookie recipes last weekend. The carnival cookies (with peanuts, chocolate chips, and popcorn!) were healthy and fabulously yummy. The Dad is already asking when I am going to make the Ginger Cookies again. Yum.

In the shop: Posting is going slowly since we are so short on great light. I did manage to get the velveteen and voile scarves posted. And a great sheep dress that I had actually made for Art Star. When I packed up for the show, I couldn't figure out why I was short a 12 mo. dress. It drove me crazy trying to figure out where I miscounted. When the show was over and I returned home on the third evening, Ollie took me by the hand up to the office. He wanted to 'show me something'. He pulled the missing dress, this sheep dress, out from under the bed. He loved the fabric too much and didn't want me to sell it. "Ollie, you can't wear this dress." "I know, but you can cut it up and make me something." Um, No. This boy loves sheep. Wait 'til he sees what Santa is bringing him.

Conversations about Santa: Ollie is convinced that Santa is going to bring him a machine that makes stuffed sheep. One with a pedal that you push. That screws to the wall. I tried explaining that Santa probably couldn't bring that for him. In tears, he cried "But Mama, Santa can make anything. And he has his elves to help him." The Dad is convinced that we can come up with something... We still have two and a half weeks.

A Yummy, Treaty Recipe

2011-12-02T17:18:00.001-05:00

Last night we were all wanting something "treaty" after dinner.

This has become my go-to, ready-in-a-moment treat over the last couple months.

Adapted from the Happy Herbivore's Instant Cookie Dough recipe, it is just that perfect combination:

1 cup rolled oats
2 T cocoa powder
2 T almond butter (or any other nut butter)
2 T maple syrup (even better with the dark Grade B)
1 cup frozen berries (blueberries or raspberries are our favorites - the photos are of a batch with crushed up
raspberries)

Mix the oats, cocoa, almond butter, and maple syrup together until fully blended. Then stir in the frozen berries. Great both right away and later after sitting in the fridge. The kids like it as a treat in their lunchboxes, too.

Yum.

December 1

2011-11-30T20:26:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow is December 1st.

The Dad reminds me, on a somewhat regular basis, that it has been scientifically proven that writing down your goals increases your chances of accomplishing them.

I don't think he means the multitude of To-Do Lists that I create, scatter, replicate, and misplace every day.

Tomorrow I am beginning a 6-month ~~experiment~~ project. I am thinking of it as 6 months of homemaking. Of domestication. But really? 6 months of trying to make the life that I really want to be living. A lot of it has to do with the state of our house, but it also is about how I spend my time, how I feed my family, and how I create the home that I really want to be raising my children in.

For my own sake, I am breaking it into monthly chunks. With goals for each month. And writing those goals down here - since that make me more likely to accomplish them, right?

1. Go room by room through our house and get rid of anything that is extraneous - the clutter, the things we don't use or need anymore (and maybe never did). For this I am inspired by William Morris - "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." and Kim John Payne's Simplicity Parenting. The organizing and decorating will come later - for starters I just need to purge.

2. Eat a 100% plant-based diet for 30 days. After reading some great books like this and this, I have been eating this way 80-90% of the time for the last eight months. I'd like to go all the way for the next 30 days and see if it is something that is truly sustainable (and helpful) for me.

3. Sew at least one thing for Ella and Ollie for Christmas. I spent September through mid-November cramming for the Art Star Craft Bazaar. I am really looking forward to doing some sewing for my family. I've got a gazillion patterns I want to try. And a request for a giant (!) stuffed sheep pillow from the little boy who thinks I can make anything.

4. Spend at least one hour every day doing something for eieio. It could be sewing. It could be photographing or posting in my shop. I have the habit of just feeling burnt out after a big show, letting my shop fall to the wayside and not capitalizing on the momentum and publicity. I don't want to let that happen again.

I think that's enough. Wish me luck!

Recovering

2011-11-22T12:42:00.001-05:00

I think we are all recovering from the last couple days right now.

Art Star was a great success and a really fun weekend. I met some cool people, purchased a fabulous set of prints, saw some repeat customers, and was reminded repeatedly why I do this. And then I got home to face the aftermath. Hmmm...

Next up, Thanksgiving. And my 20th (Eek!) High School Reunion. And lots of thought and discussion about balance and benefit. While I will keep sewing, I will also be starting on a new project when we return home: Six Months of Homemaking.

One of the things I love about reading some of the crafty/family/lifestyle blogs out there is the inspiration. They help me clarify how I really want to be living my life. I've been doing a lot of soul searching (while sewing, mostly) since the kids went back to school and I've found some focus lately. And some motivation.

About eight months ago, I totally changed the way I eat. Cold Turkey. And it has had amazing effects on all of us. Monday, I am changing the way I spend my days. And I am hoping it will have an even greater effect. There are multiple pieces to the equation. I'm guessing they will be factored in slowly. But it will happen. And life will change. And really, I'm so excited.

I figure the more I write about it here, the more likely I am to stick with it. Some come visit! Leave a comment! Suggestions, questions, all are welcome. I'm diving in.

habit

2011-11-17T10:14:00.001-05:00

She turned seven and a half today. Which means I have been home for seven and a half years. Sometimes I worry I've forgotten how to hold a grown-up conversation...

Inspired by habit.

Holiday Art Star Craft Bazaar - This Weekend!

2011-11-15T08:41:00.001-05:00

Down to the wire, as usual, I am still making just a couple more things. And awaiting the arrival of the rest of my hangtags... that are supposed to arrive on Thursday, just in time to price and attach for Friday. No, I've never been a procrastinator...

I'm so excited for this show, though. I've had so much fun at the Spring shows that I've done. They do such a good job and draw such an eclectic group of people. If you are anywhere near Philly this weekend, definitely come and check it out! The very first Holiday Art Star Craft Bazaar at the 23rd St. Armory. Parking may be difficult, but it is just a couple blocks from 30th St. Station - I, personally, will opt for Septa Saturday and Sunday mornings.

If you go, make sure you come say Hi! I will be at Booth #16 along the back wall. Can't Wait!

As excited as I am, though, I may be even more excited about what will come after Art Star. Things are going to change around here, with a shift of focus. And no, I'm not pregnant. I just feel like I spent the last two months cramming, to the detriment of the rest of my home, and am excited about some solutions I'm planning to remedy that. 6 months of solutions. Stay Tuned...

Business - Busyness

2011-10-27T14:05:00.000-04:00

This is one of those weeks where there just doesn't seem to be enough time to stop (or even slow down) and play. I am in full swing gearing up for the Holiday Art Star Craft Bazaar and a smaller local fundraiser the weekend before.

The kids are out of sorts - Ella yearning for a pet (more about that later) and Ollie just soaking up all Kindergarten has to offer faster than his little brain can handle.

So I have to remind myself to slow down. To slow everybody down.

I get carried away at this point in the process. Where it feels all about production - I think it carries over from the studio into the flow of our days, which really isn't much fun for anyone.

This afternoon we will play, read, and do a little bit of homework. With my undivided attention, which is really what they ~~want~~ need.

A Smile in My Latte

2011-10-14T10:58:00.002-04:00

Happy Friday!

One Last Weekend of Summer

2011-10-11T10:26:00.000-04:00

Somehow, on our fall trip to New England, we encountered one last weekend of summer.

While mornings had a chill, the days were clear, blue, and hot.

Perfect for a walk to the beach, dipping hands (and feet) into the water, collecting shells, and finding their first live spitting clams.

We ate ice cream and found ourselves sunburned at the end of the day.

We fell into bed salty and exhausted, just as it should be.

Today

2011-10-06T13:13:00.000-04:00

Today...

We are heading up to New England for a weekend with family and friends.

There are pumpkin muffins in the oven - the first of the season.

I am re-reading Simplicity Parenting, ready for a re-boot.

I am happy to realize that I can pack for all four of us to go on a 3 night trip (including 14 hours in the car) in under an hour. It tells me that my house isn't quite as chaotic as it feels sometimes.

I am still wondering how I woke up in Ollie's bed this morning having no recollection of getting there in the middle of the night...

I am fighting the desire to spend just 5 more minutes here.

I am drooling over the new Mini Boden catalog and wondering if I should really just try to make some of the things I am looking at since I know I am not going to buy anything.

I am feeling good about being ready for the Holiday Art Star Craft Bazaar just 5 short weeks away. Or... I was until I just typed that it was only 5 short weeks away...

I am wishing for a Kindle Fire or an iPad for my birthday but knowing that I will genuinely be happy just with cake!

And I am loving the quote I just found by William Morris: Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.

Have a great holiday weekend. Enjoy.

Back to Where It All Began

2011-10-04T20:46:00.000-04:00

A week and a half ago, The Dad and I finally took the kids up to the camp where we met. I think it has been 11 years since we've been back.

An amazing place, it has definitely changed. There's a giant gym now and a large swimming pool, more new buildings here and there. Even the remaining cabins are in some ways unrecognizable - winterized with added decking and new entrances, I had to look twice at some of them to orient myself.

Yet the feel of the place is the same. You can close your eyes and breathe the air and know where you are. For a moment on the trail between areas of camp, it is exactly the same as it used to be.

The kids, of course, were more interested in the playground and the farm animals (a pig!) than the front steps of Cabin 19 where we had our first kiss. Ella, though, asked if she could go to camp there in the summer - so I think she caught at least a little of the vibe. We explained that the camp wasn't appropriate for her but that if she wanted to work there some day she could. I would love for them to work there. Those were some of the most valuable, enriching summers of my life.

It's been 14 years since that first kiss. And like camp, we have changed and grown. But I like to think that when we close our eyes and breathe, we are still the same. Just a lot older, a little wiser, and with two monkeys pulling at our shirt telling us to open our eyes and pay attention...

The Timmy Plane

2011-09-30T10:49:00.000-04:00

About a month ago, Ollie got it in his head that he wanted to make a plane with The Dad. A plane, evidently, that was the size of a wagon - in which he could sit and be pulled down the block. Ummm... Let's draw up a plan first.

So Ollie did the drawings. They scaled it down but maintained the necessary detail: a trunk, a crow's nest (doesn't everything have to have a crow's nest?). The Dad wanted to make it about a foot long. Ollie wanted his stuffed animals to be able to ride in it.

So the Timmy Plane was born. The two of them disappeared out into the garage for a couple hours, scavenging scraps of wood and hardware. Coming out only on a search for wheels - eventually re-purposed from an old garage sale skateboard. When it was all done, Ollie insisted that he needed to paint it. I love the way it turned out. And even more that he believes that we can make anything. Just as comfortable in the garage as he is in my studio, he is a creator through and through.

Striving for Balance

2011-09-29T05:49:00.000-04:00

I'm beginning to realize that you can spend your whole life striving for balance. Balance between work and life. Between income and expenses. Between time spent on the computer and everything else you need to get done. Between working and taking care of your house and taking care of your family. Between the attention you give your children and ... There are a lot of balls to juggle in life and I think balance - or near-balance - can only come intentionally.

So the kids have been in school together for two and a half weeks, now. And I know it will take some time to catch up on all that was neglected over summer vacation, but I am still floundering. I think I need a schedule. The two largest pieces of my day should be made up of sewing (I was recently accepted into Art Star's very first Holiday Bazaar! WooHoo!) and cleaning/working on the house. By cleaning, I don't mean just dishes and putting laundry away. I mean deep purging and organizing. This house is messier than it has been in a long time.

I can break the day (really 9-230) in half. I can stagger going back and forth. But really, I just need to do it. And do them both.

So I am going to pick one room each day (on top of the regular dishes, laundry, picking up) and spend two hours on that room - I am deciding this as I am writing it, but let's see how it goes. I will start at the top of the house and work my way down. Since things from the first floor tend to make their way up and stall on stair landings where we look at them everyday when not tripping over them. This way, things can work their way down and then out of the house.

I have more - about what happens after the Holiday Bazaar - but I'm going to save that. Let's see how this goes for starters.

** These pictures have absolutely nothing to do with the post. I can't very well show you pictures of my incredibly messy house, can I? They were taken a couple weeks ago up at a Girl Scout Camp nearby. See the image in the sky in the third photo? We watched, amazed, as a pilot practiced painting smiley faces in the sky. Pretty cool...

Determination

2011-09-15T12:48:00.000-04:00

First Day of School, 2008

When Ella was three years old, she took her favorite stuffed dog to nursery school for show and tell. The ~~rule~~ routine was that, when you arrived, you put your show and tell item in a basket and it stayed there until show and tell.

When I picked her up, her teacher apologized and said she felt really bad for making Ella cry. 'What happened?', I asked.

First Day of School, 2009

Ella couldn't leave her precious puppy in the basket. She wanted to share nursery school with him. So the teacher gave her a warning, took the puppy, and put it back in the basket. Later, Ella took him from the basket again to play. So the teacher took the puppy back again and put him up high on a shelf where Ella couldn't reach him.

So Ella took a chair, pulled it over to the shelving, and tried to get her puppy down. I don't remember what her punishment was. Honestly, I really think that seeing her puppy up high and not being able to get him back was punishment enough. She was reprimanded. She cried.

First Day of School, 2010

I don't know why I thought of this story this morning. Maybe because this story is so classic Ella. I'm sure she comes by her strong-willedness (I know that's not really a word - what is the right one?) genetically. And her passion as well. And we struggle with it every day but we also love her more because of it.

She still will do almost anything to get what she wants. We're working on that. But how do you temper that without breaking the piece that will be so important in the future? Our focus right now is teaching her to think about how her actions affect (actually looked up on dictionary.com if that was an a or an e) others.

First Day of School, 2011

And even though as I drove her home from nursery school that day I talked with her about how important it is to listen to your teachers and follow directions, I still know that she was only three and she wasn't hurting anyone by wanting to hold her puppy.

Summer Is Not Over Yet

2011-08-30T08:36:00.000-04:00

Over the last couple days, I have found myself getting sucked back into my studio. This is a good thing - especially since there were many moments over the summer where I believed I was ready to put eieio to bed. I think, though, that that had more to do with the sweltering heat in my studio and close to zero time for work than a lack of desire. For the first time this summer, I've had a babysitter come in for a couple hours just so that I could get some work done. And I have gotten some work done. Now all I want to do is more...

But there is still a little bit of summer vacation left. And I don't want to waste that. Ella starts next Tuesday and Ollie starts the week after that and then there will be plenty of time. I have a little mother/daughter time this morning and as much as I would love to take her fabric shopping, I know that that really isn't the best way to spend our time. Some day it will be, but not today.

So, there is a brand new batch of Lunchbox Napkins in the shop. And hopefully another Reversible Roundabout and some Trick or Treat bags coming soon. And after September 12th things should get a lot more regular around here.

Today I have a lunch date and some hair accessory purchasing to do with my 2nd grader. 2nd grader. That just blows my mind. And a Kindergartener, which blows it even farther. I'll wait until they are both settled in and I am sitting alone in my house to think about everything that comes next...

This Boy

2011-08-01T20:05:00.000-04:00

This boy

who wanted his head shaved but settled for a mohawk,

who has no interest in starting Kindergarten next month because he would love to stay in nursery school forever,

who requires more patience right now than I sometimes feel I have,

who knows exactly how he wants things and cries when his young hands can't comply.

I've said it before - It's so hard to be a little kid...

Zealand Falls on the Appalachian Trail

2011-07-19T21:19:00.000-04:00

My first year out of undergrad, I applied to grad school. Just one school in a program that I thought would give me what I needed to become a Child Life Specialist. While waiting to hear, I decided that if I didn't get in I was going to Thru-hike the Appalachian Trail.

I actually started buying my supplies (there was an EMS right down the street from work) - a pack, a sleeping bag (that I still use), a 2-person tent. I attended a workshop on what you needed to do to prepare. Then I got into the program I had applied to.

When I graduated high school, my family went on a backpacking trip (my parents, 5 kids age 7-17, and an Irish Setter). We travelled up to the White Mountains and camped somewhere around Zealand Falls or Thoreau Falls. We have some great pictures of us five kids out on a flat rock in the middle of the Falls. I remember it raining. I remember the dog carrying its own food in saddle bags. I remember stopping by the AMC's Zealand Falls Hut and thinking it would be a really cool way to do it.

I've done a couple shorter sections of the AT over the years, including a solo trip in NY state where I camped out on a summit in a thunder and lightning storm (yes, not the brightest idea). I've been excited to take my kids backpacking for a very long time.

This trip didn't let me down. The falls were beautiful. The complaining was kept to a minimum when the kids took the lead. The weather was perfect. The Hut Croo gave us the bunk room for four. With a door. Instead of mixing us into one of the bunk rooms for 16. We only needed to hike 3 miles in to the hut. A nice mix of meandering trail and straight up over rocks and boulders.

Even more importantly, the kids are ready to go again. While backpacking again will need to wait a little while, I think I am going to attempt to take them camping by myself over the next couple weeks. That way I get to start the fire - an ongoing battle between me and The Dad...

Camping in the White Mountains

2011-07-07T15:02:00.001-04:00

We have camped with our kids since they were babies. Sometimes easily, sometimes counting the hours until daylight when we can pack the car back up and head home because she just. won't. sleep...

While we did lots of backpacking before we had kids, we had only done car-camping with them until this summer. We found great State Parks and learned to be particular about sites - the outer ring, along a river always being quietest and best. And we waited. Until they were old enough to hike in, carrying their own (light) pack.

We decided they were ready this summer, having just turned 5 and 7 this spring.

When I was in elementary school, living in Minneapolis, my Dad decided that we were ready to learn how to ski. There were lots of small places for skiing in Minnesota but he believed that for us to really learn how to ski, we had to go to Vermont. Two parents, a grandmother, and five kids (the youngest still an infant) in a large Dodge van driving half way across the country to learn how to ski. I've always kind of laughed at that, but now I understand.

For us, to take them backpacking for the first time, we had to take them to the White Mountains.

After much deliberation and research, we decided to spend the first and third of three nights at a campground and the second at an AMC Hut up on the Appalachian Trail. These pictures are from the campground (where we camped right next to the Pemigewasset River). It was beautiful. We could have stayed there for a week and easily filled our days.

The hike up into the mountains and onto the AT was even more amazing. Next post!

Vacation

2011-06-25T06:49:00.000-04:00

We're heading out on a little family vacation today.

Mountains, Ocean, and some famous Cannolis along the way.

See you back here in a week!

Toleration

2011-06-22T15:56:00.000-04:00

I forgot how busy it is to have the kids home on summer vacation. Busy if I don't want to stick them in front of the television. Busy if I want to stay somewhat sane and minimize the whining and the fighting.

Ollie finished his first week of camp so both are home this week. What I should be doing is packing and preparing for our week long vacation we head out for on Saturday. The one that takes us car camping, backpacking, and to the beach. With about 20 hours spent in the car along the way.

We haven't done much hiking this Spring, so I thought we should get a little more practice in before slapping packs on their backs and heading into the White Mountains National Forest. So we headed over to our local trail system yesterday. We went a different direction this time, weaving around some trail construction and making our way in whatever the direction the kids were feeling.

Have I mentioned that I am a rule follower? I am also a map follower. I had no idea where we were going or if the trail we were following was a loop. I knew we could turn around if we wanted to and that we couldn't go too far without hitting a major road. So it was kind of fun feeling a little lost.

"I promise you we are not lost," I told the kids. "We can always turn around and go back the way we came. But right now I have absolutely no idea where we are." I think this thrilled them a little bit. And then, around a turn, we came upon this:

A statue, perched on a precipice, out in the middle of nowhere. It was a bit spooky, but amazing at the same time. Evidently, the piece is Toleration, purchased at the Centennial Exhibition and placed up here, in what was to become part of Fairmount Park, in 1883.

There is so much to be explored, though from now on both kids will wear pants when out in the woods - we did find a tick on Ollie last night. Ugh. They enjoy it, though, after the first 20 minutes of complaining and the bribe of a popsicle when we get home. They enjoy it more when they can take the lead, so we will do a little more 'not quite getting lost' this summer and see what else we can find out in those woods...

Packing the Camera

2011-06-17T11:00:00.000-04:00

I have started carrying my camera around again.

I don't even remember why I stopped. I think the batteries died at one point. And I was looking for some way to make my bag a little lighter.

But now with summer here, it's back in there. Ready to grab when I see the moment. As long as I remember to periodically charge the batteries.

Now I just need to take that extra step and print some of these!

Sour Cherry Almond Muffins

2011-06-15T13:59:00.000-04:00

While it was fun to pick the cherries, I had no idea what I was going to do with them. The extent of my sour cherry knowledge in baking is the amazing Sour Cherry Danish at The Baker's Wife in Minneapolis that I was not even going to attempt to replicate.

My friend Anna gave me a sour cherry almond muffin recipe with the cherries. I loved the flavor combo idea but was looking for something a little healthier (they had lots of sour cream and butter which I'm sure made them taste all the better!)... Instead I adapted the Strawberry Cupcakes recipe from Lindsay Nixon's Happy Herbivore cookbook and am so happy with how they came out.

Here you go:

Ingredients:
2 cups of white wheat flour (or whole wheat pastry flour)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup applesauce
1 cup raw sugar
1 cup vanilla almond milk
1 overflowing tsp almond extract
1 1/2 cups pitted sour cherries
1 handful sliced almonds
1 handful chocolate chips (optional)

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in one bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk applesauce, sugar, milk, and extract until well blended.

Gradually pour the dry mixture into the wet, stirring until just combined.

Scoop into muffin tins, top with sliced almonds, and bake for 15-25 minutes, until toothpick inserted into the center come out clean.

These are especially good right out of the oven when the cherries are still warm.

Enjoy!

Mama Camp

2011-06-14T20:36:00.000-04:00

Summer vacation has officially begun around here. Ollie jumped right into a week of camp yesterday, so Ella and I are having a little bit of Mama Camp this week. I forget how rarely now we just have regular one-on-one time and how important it is. He's only in camp from 9-1, but that gives the girl and I a solid couple hours.

Today we attempted to pick one more batch of organic strawberries this morning at Maple Acres but they were pretty much gone. We did pick some yummy fresh snap peas, though.

And while paying at the farmstand, Ella saw buckets of Zinnias and ~~begged~~ oohed and ahhed for flowers. You can pick your own there or buy 5 for $1.50. The buckets Ella eyed were 'Yesterday's Zinnia's' and were $10 per bucket. Hmmm... Yes, we came home with a bucket's worth. Inspiring me to think about finding another vase or two this summer to keep on hand.

I told her they were older flowers and wouldn't last very long. She said "They don't have to last long. I just want to look at them for a little while." There's a lesson there, I think.

Green Smoothies

2011-06-11T21:49:00.000-04:00

We've been on a bit of a smoothie kick around here.

Our 'green' smoothies usually look more brown than green. Poop colored sometimes, actually. I tend to go heavier on the berries and a bit lighter on the greens since that seems to get the kids more interested. We have, though, experimented with chard, kale, and spinach so far. And amazingly, the kids have loved (most of) them. Usually with a banana, a bunch of frozen strawberries, and some almonds or ground flax seed.

Today I was feeling a little anemic and remembered that to best absorb iron from these leafy greens you are supposed to add a little citrus. This beautiful green came from a mix of a banana, an orange (peeled and dumped right in whole), about a third of a bag of spinach, and enough almond milk and water to blend it up nice and smooth.

I have to say I was incredibly surprised at how great it tasted! The Dad declared it one of the best so far. The kids drank it even though it obviously had 'leaves' in it. I was scared to go so green - I don't like my smoothie tasting like salad - but am now looking forward to another one tomorrow for breakfast.

Just a little something going on around here right now...

It Is What It Is

2011-06-08T10:49:00.000-04:00

Ollie has his last full day of Pre-School today. Ella will be finished with first grade on Friday. I stop, turn around, and ask myself where the time has gone. Not just the last three months, but the year. The days (most of them) have gone slowly but the school year has flown.

Last night, at our nursery school's last board meeting of the year, I passed on the duty of Board Chair to another parent. After two years. Two years full of a responsibility that at once fulfilled me and drove me mad. Now I have summer vacation approaching - with no responsibilities except for my family and my ~~house~~ home. That sounds a bit archaic, but I am really looking forward to it.

Eieio has been a bit on hold. I did so well at the Germantown Friends School Craft Show that I ended up pulling out of the Art Star Craft Bazaar. I saw how much inventory would need to be created in a short 8 weeks (otherwise occupied with two kid birthdays and two Spring Breaks) and chose sanity and family over the show. While I missed it, I know I made the right decision.

I have also learned over the last couple years that not much sewing happens over the summer. I am able to steal a bit of studio time here and there, but nothing I can count on. Right now, I'd like to use that little bit of time for us. There are so many things I want to make for the kids that keep being put off.

Both kids will be in school full time in September. The same school, one school, one schedule that I am so excited about. Then, I will open back up for business, committed to regular studio hours and finally moving forward... I may also take a class or two. The Dad wonders how long it will take before I am looking for something to do.

Right now, there is lots to do. We have half prepped our bedroom for painting. As we've been talking for three years now about going through the house room by room. Our room will be first. Soon. I promise.

It's exciting, I think, our life right now. It is not nearly as perfect as I would like it to be but we are so, so lucky and I am incredibly grateful. And there is so much potential. Right in this moment...

The Walk the Line Pants

2011-03-24T14:18:00.000-04:00

Mid-construction, The Dad looked at these and said "Either no one is going to want to play with him when he wears those or the girls are going to be all over him."

They walk that line.

Funky or Foolish?

They are made from an Alexander Henry Home Dec Weight fabric that feels like canvas. Sturdy and rugged. Depending on how I look at them, I think 'Cool' or 'Ronald McDonald'.

The bonus is that he loves them.

They have four pockets, which he was so excited about. Next time, he wants six. I turned the fabric 90 degrees for contrasting stripes. I love creating little details like this.

Made from the Oliver + S Sandbox Pants pattern (with an elastic waist instead of the drawstring), I share with you O's new Walk the Line pants. What do you think?

Oliver + S Reversible Bucket Hat

2011-03-15T14:17:00.000-04:00

I've taken a small break from eieio sewing to do a little sewing of our own around here. First up, the Reversible Bucket Hat from Liesl Gibson's Little Things to Sew.

My kids live in these hats in the summer time. They started wearing these as infants - best baby sunhat ever - and moved into these last summer. I am so excited to make my own with fun prints.

For this first one, O picked out his own fabrics. He calls it his 'Night and Day' Hat - the white side for daytime and the black side for nighttime. A boy of his own mind, he is...

It was actually pretty fun to make. I'm always amazed at Liesl's little techniques for simple, quality construction. The top of the black side of the hat is actually hand sewn on to finish it. Can you tell? I can't either! I'm so proud...

Really, I cringe sometimes when I read that I need to hand-finish something - but the more I do it, the easier it gets. And this time? Sunday night? I thought "Woohoo! Handsewing means I can actually watch TV at the same time!" Yeah, my life is that exciting.

E's is up next - purple glittery flower fairies on one side and a new Amy Butler Soul Blossoms print on the other. I want to make three for each of them. Seriously, they live in them - and one inevitably gets lost at some point over the summer. Summer is coming, right?

Coming Up For Air

2011-03-14T13:59:00.000-04:00

The Germantown Friends School Craft Show was fabulous.

So fabulous that I didn't have much left at the end.

So fabulous that it has taken me a week to recover - The Dad came and helped out for a little bit at lunchtime and laughed at me afterwards - "I think you are a closet extrovert!" I am SO not. I love meeting people at the shows, though. I could talk about fabric and the things I make, who people are and where they come from, forever. But I will admit, it is exhausting.

But it is also always a reminder of what a small world it is, too. It's neat to meet people who own one my dresses already. There are enough of them around that it happens at every local show, now. Some have bought directly from me, some have bought in a local shop, and some have received as gifts. I love it.

This show had even a bigger 'small world' oddity - It turned out that the woman doing publicity for the show is an old friend and neighbor of Liesl Gibson of Oliver + S (who I love and have done a couple workshops with) and that her daughters are in Liesl's book (which have finished my first project from - pictures tomorrow!) - so we marvelled about that through e-mail beforehand. But then she brought her husband over to meet me at the preview party and we started talking. Turns out we grew up in the same area of Minneapolis and went to the same elementary school! A rare find here in Philadelphia...

So I really do love these weekends. Even if they take me a week to recover from!

An Office Chair for O

2011-02-24T18:04:00.000-05:00

I took O to Ikea yesterday after school. Which can be a bit painful if I actually want to browse. But this time I just needed coat hangers. And a couple vases for a booth display idea I had. Which meant we really just needed to visit the Children's section and then head out.

In the middle of the Children's section (literally - sitting in the middle of an aisle) sat a child-sized office chair. Oh, the exclamations of excitement. "It's just like Dad's!" It swiveled. It had a lever that made it go up and down. It fit him perfectly. And it had a big sticker on it that said it was from the As Is section and was previously a floor model/display and was marked down.

As he sat and swiveled, a salesperson came over. She had never seen one before. She didn't know they carried those. She looked like she was going to take it if I told O no.

I don't very often buy the kids things just because they ask for them. But really, this was just cool. And less than $14 dollars. And actually useful. I put it in the cart. Ollie sat on it. In the cart. For the rest of the shopping trip.

We were stopped again by another staff person on our way out. Where did we find it? A child size office chair? They'd never seen it before either.

So I checked online when I got home. And found this. It turns out it is not actually 'child-size', though it fits perfectly and is just right for his art table, and can be found with all the other office chairs. It is noted on the Ikea website to be 'appropriate for children'. For O, it is perfect. Score.

{this moment}

2011-02-18T13:52:00.000-05:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual of SouleMama. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Hello, Old Friend

2011-02-16T11:35:00.001-05:00

A couple months ago, after much wanting to add new designs, I stopped making new Reversible Roundabout Dresses. You see, I had run into an interesting dilemma. They kept selling. So I kept making more. Which meant that I didn't really do anything else. Don't get me wrong. I love making these dresses. And of course, I love shopping for the fabric that they are made out of (definitely my favorite part of all this), but I really wanted to do something different for a little while.

So I stopped.

I had a good inventory stocked up and figured I had some time to deplete that before I would need to make more.

Instead, I made Treasure Totes. And Lunchbox Napkins. And started making Twirly Skirts.

And now, with the GFS Craft Show looming, I took stock and realized that I actually needed to make a few more Reversible Roundabouts.

So, I've been ironing and cutting. Yesterday I did the first set of sewing. And honestly? It felt like coming home. I know these curves. My hands know them. My machine knows them. I've missed them.

So it was nice to visit them again. Just a couple for now, but I hear them calling me. Just in time to get ready for summer.

The List

2011-02-12T17:03:00.000-05:00

Every morning I wake up with a list in my head. A litany, if you will. Before I even open my eyes, it is there. What I want to do that that day. What I want to do better.

Sew
Take Pictures
Post something in my Etsy Shop
Make the space I live in more beautiful (and/or organized) than it was the day before
Eat healthier
And less
Exercise
Be a better parent
Be more patient with my kids
Blog
Be present
Appreciate the Day

Some days I'm better than others. Some days I feel like I've done more. Done better.

I used to worry that waking up with this list meant that I wasn't getting any of it done. But I'm coming to realize that it is part of recognizing that every day is new. And every day is a fresh start. And every day I have another chance to try a little harder.

What's on your list?

Snow Day v4.0

2011-01-27T17:16:00.000-05:00

The Dad is a much better Snow Day parent than I am. Unfortunately, as we began what felt like our umpteenth snow day this week, he headed to the train for a day full of meetings downtown.

For me, a snow day means hot chocolate and popcorn and snuggling under a blanket with a good movie or book.

For my kids, it means (and it should mean) lots of time spent playing outside. This also means lots of changing into and out of the necessary accoutrement that go along with that outside play. Mittens (there are never enough dry mittens), snow pants, boots (that must be tucked into those snow pants appropriately), hats, dry socks... You get the gist.

While I don't love playing out in the snow, I do love watching the kids do it. And I love what they come up with on the blank canvas of our whited out yard. Today it was 'snow beds', dug out of the foot deep snow and outfitted with 'snow pillows'. And, of course, paths connecting those snow beds with the other various attractions built up in the yard.

We attempted a snow man. While the snow appeared perfectly weighted and sticky, the balls just didn't build up - crumbling in our hands instead of packing. So we made a small snow man. With the fabulous juxtaposition of eyes made out of shells from our beach vacation in Florida.

The Dad was worried that, moving here from Minnesota, the kids would miss out on 'real' winter and the snow play that he loves. No worries, Dad... No worries.

Twirl On

2011-01-26T16:54:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, the best laid plans... Is that how it begins? And then life happens. And so does the flu. And snow days...

I've been cranking away at the Twirly Skirts for the GFS Craft Show. My goal had been 15, but work time has been short changed over the last couple weeks and I am actually pretty happy with nine right now. Well, eight and a half at this moment. Nine by the time my head hits the pillow tonight.

It is here that I struggle with the idea of production. And how much time I can dedicate. And how I want to spend the little bit of the time that I have.

So, every once in a while, I do a little re-evaluating. And I keep coming to the same conclusion: I do really enjoy this. And while I would love to be sewing O another pair of pants right now instead of one more Twirly Skirt, I am still having fun. And am really looking forward to the Craft Show (that is just coming up way too fast). And I am tweaking and improving both my designs and my skills. Which makes me feel productive, even if a bit slower than I had planned.

But if there is one thing I have learned as a parent, it is that as much as you plan, things rarely go how you expect. And you can plan for contingencies out the wazoo, but it's not really worth the time and energy. So I'm learning to plan a bit, hope for the best, appreciate what I have, celebrate when things go well, and just... well... Twirl On.

{this moment}

2011-01-21T11:12:00.000-05:00

Inside Play

2011-01-20T16:57:00.000-05:00

The weather here has been a little cruddy wavering between frozen and slushy. Given that, on top of school's-out snow days and The Dad and I being felled by the flu, and there's been a lot more inside play here lately.

E has learned French Knitting (or Corking). So have I. I like it. And the idea that you can take these tubes and sew them into something. But for us right now? We just have tubes and grand visions of what they could become. Any of suggestions of what we can really do with them?

For O, who it is a little harder to occupy these days, we have rediscovered the games cupboard. As long as he has your undivided attention, he could sit forever playing games and doing puzzles. Now just to get him to be a little bit more independent in occupying his time! I would be a much happier (and productive) Mama.

Some activities take a little more attention.

And some are a little messier. After seeing how the food coloring stained their skin (and my napkins!), I shudder at the thought of what if could do to their insides...

Word on the street is there may be another snow day for him and another 2-hour delay for her tomorrow. Really? The director of our nursery school said this morning "You'd think we live in Minnesota!"

Definitely not. In Minnesota, they wouldn't keep canceling school school.

Bring Them to the Ocean

2011-01-11T10:57:00.000-05:00

I grew up by the ocean.

I've been away for so long that I sometimes forget the magic that it holds.

Until I roll down the window, as we approach, and breathe in the salt air.

To me, it feels like home.

And then to watch my children explore and enjoy it... I am reminded of how important it is for kids to experience this. Even if it is only once.

The lapping of the water on the shore. The shocking cold if that first dip. The endless horizon before you.

The collecting of shells and building of sand castles. Leaving footprints and watching them wash away.

The more you have it, the harder it is to go without.

We are already planning our next trip.

Design Week at Casa C

2011-01-10T09:45:00.000-05:00

So last week the kids went back at school and my New Year officially began. We were away for the week between Christmas and New Years so there was a little re-acclimation going on over the weekend. My goal for that first week was to create a sample of the skirt I will be making for the Germantown Friends Craft Show in March. For over a year, I have been wanting to add a design for older girls to my collection of standards. Yet I have just kept making the Reversible Roundabouts because people love them. And they keep selling.

This year I told myself I was going to take a break from the Reversible Roundabouts and come up with some new designs. Last week turned into Design Week in the studio. I posted Monday on Facebook (eieio is on Facebook now!) that I was heading into the studio to start a batch of Storybook Skirts. Based on a design I did a long time ago - a simple skirt with an attached apron. As I started constructing it, I changed my mind. And changed my mind again. What came out of the studio on Thursday is the new Twirly Skirt. Which I am very happy with.

I think one of the things I struggle with in a design is keeping it simple in a way that allows the design to show off the fabric. And the child wearing it. Because really, to me, that's what it's all about. I used to love the boutique look, but lots of ruffles and layers don't excite me as much anymore. And really (again) eieio is about keeping kids looking like kids. Clothes they can play in and clothes that they love. And clothes that are easy to put on, take off, and wash. Right?

Looking for the Quiet

2010-12-22T10:35:00.000-05:00

In November, I had grand plans for December. I was going to bake and sew and string cranberries and popcorn. There were going to be handmade teacher gifts and mama-made clothes under the tree. The house was going to be peaceful, joyful, and holiday-laden.

And somehow, life happened. And my last free days while O was in school were suddenly so overscheduled I felt like I was being pulled in ten different directions and getting nothing done.

And I searched for the quiet where I could find it and promised myself it would come.

And you know what? Today is December 22nd. I was up (happily) at 6am making pumpkin muffins for Ella to take in for the teachers and staff at her school. It is just after 10 and I have sat and read with O, needle felted my first little ladybug, and sewn cloth Christmas bags to put some gifts under the tree.

O is playing quietly by himself with a fusion of Playmobil, blocks, and The Dad's old GI Joe vehicles. The house is quiet. And all is good. It's a little late, but it is here. And I am oh. so. content...

O's New Favorite Pants

2010-12-09T06:01:00.000-05:00

I love that O loves for me to sew for him. The glee, the pride, the desire.

I took Liesl's sewing-with-knits class last weekend and came away with a pair of the Nature Walk Pants for him and an almost finished nightgown for E. I used Michael Miller's new-ish Interlock Knit and while it was challenging, it wasn't bad!

O had the pants out of my bag before I even got into the car and had them on in less time than it took to fill the tank at the gas station.

They are his new favorites. They are oh so soft and comfy. He wore them for three days before I wrangled them away for the wash and asks for them every morning (unfortunately they haven't actually made it into the machine yet!)

Two more pairs are in the works. One in a solid black and the other in a brown stripe. They come together in less than an hour and I figure the more I practice sewing with this fabric, the better I'll get, right?

Somehow I Missed November

2010-12-01T06:13:00.000-05:00

Somehow, I missed November. Life got busy around here. I did a big show at our local Waldorf School the weekend before Thanksgiving and at the last minute we ended up traveling for the holiday. I told myself that things would quiet down after that, but they haven't really. And somehow I am feeling even busier and overscheduled now than I was before. And now it is December.

We have begun the tradition since moving here (this will be our fourth Christmas back on the East Coast!) of cutting down our own Christmas tree at a local orchard. It's not quite the taking-a-sled-out-into-the-woods-on-a-snowy-day-and-dragging-home-a-tree that I had envisioned, but it has become its own family tradition for us.

At O's nursery school yesterday, they began talking about holiday traditions and things we all do that could be shared with the school. Kids spoke about lighting the menorah or the advent wreath, sledding, and getting a Christmas Tree. They also talked about Advent Calendars (which I am a little behind on this year and need to hang this morning!). O raised his hand and said that one of our traditions is roasting marshmallows... What?

But really, it is. The orchard where we cut down our tree has a small bonfire where you wait to get on the hayride out to the trees. They have benches, hot chocolate, and marshmallows for roasting. So, in that little 4 year old brain of his, it is a tradition because every year, when we go to cut down our tree, they get to roast marshmallows. It may not be as heartfelt or reverent as lighting the menorah or an advent wreath but, evidently, it is tradition.

What is your favorite tradition of this holiday season?

The Halloween Costumes - The Snow Queen

2010-11-07T05:40:00.000-05:00

Growing up, my mom made all our our Halloween costumes. Every year, I think about what I can make but more often than not have ended up buying. I think it's always a struggle finding the balance between cost and time... and cost.

Last year, O wanted to be a puppy dog. I figured I could easily build a costume off of a hoodie and sweatpants. That I could find pretty cheap. So we walked into Old Navy and right into their Halloween display. Hmmm... $20 for a super cute (and warm) monkey costume? Or that much for the sweats plus whatever the rest of the materials would cost plus my time. Honestly? I bought the monkey costume but over a year later still kind of wished I had made what he wanted.

This year, E wanted to be a Snow Queen. Complete with cape. I told her we could put it together from most of what we had. Plus some not-too-expensive extras and a handmade cape. She really got into it. The Snow Queen had to have long brown hair, though. And tap shoes.

I was able to talk her out of the tap shoes and we went with standard Target silver glitter flats (like the ruby red slippers). I also found an 'alluring' long brown wig that once worn looked a little more Lil' Abner than fancy fairy tale character, but...

And I made her a cape. Which was much more expensive than I had planned but which I loved making and which we will have for a long time.

And while she looked nothing like the original costume she spied in a catalog, she loved it. And I will always remember this one.

An Unscheduled Weekend

2010-10-26T10:00:00.001-04:00

For the first time in what felt like a long time, we had a very unscheduled weekend last weekend. And I was reminded of how important this is. Especially with school in full swing and afternoon free play for the kids shrinking with the commute home from school, home work, and an earlier bedtime, it was wonderful to just let them be.

We found that it is easier for us to be creative in this free time, too. I was able to steal away to the studio for a couple hours to finish this commissioned bunting. A local school has an (amazing) annual used kids' clothing sale every year right around Halloween. (It is here this weekend, October 30th and 31st) This year a friend asked me to make them a bunting that they could use as signage year after year.

I've made bunting before and really love the process of finding the prints to put together. I hadn't appliqued letters on before, but had done enough applique on other things to know what I was doing. The request was for a wool or felt binding, ( I used wool) which I wouldn't have thought of but I love the way that came out. It adds a more classic feel to what is a mix of more contemporary fabrics. And I must admit, laying the triangles out, rearranging the order, picking and choosing fabrics... made me start itching to make a quilt. Hmm... we'll have to see what happens with that.

And, while I was up in the studio, The Dad and the kids were hard at work out in the yard. As I said earlier, the yard is definitely growing as our family does. And while I am constantly amazed at my children's creativity, I am also usually quite impressed with my husband's, too!

This weekend, they added two new elements to the yard:

A 'Bar' made out of some PVC pipe (filled with a wooden dowel for extra support) and lashed between two trees.

And a cargo net.

I love the repurposing of things, too. This cargo net was originally purchased in pieces at Ax-Man and made into a retractable fence to keep the kids in the back yard and out of the driveway when we lived in Minneapolis. It was three years age this week that we moved so it was beautifully ironic to me that The Dad decided to pull it out now.

I know... A bit cheesy. But they are growing so fast. It's nice to have reminders of life when they were so little.

The Fort v.3.0

2010-10-11T13:18:00.000-04:00

Our backyard is always changing. The kids play out there, forget about it, rediscover it, and recreate it constantly.

Introduced way back here, you have also seen bits here and here. This is The Fort.

What began as a small fort with an attached sandbox has grown. An upper level was added. Some sides and a door. A pulley. A roof. Some ladders. A trap door.

It has grown with the kids. I love that they have designed and drilled and hammered and helped. I can't imagine what will be added next.

Shop Update and Weekend ReCap

2010-10-07T17:12:00.000-04:00

Is it really Thursday already? Which really feels like Friday since we are going into a four day weekend? I swear it was just Sunday...

So I did the Highland's show last weekend. It was fun. And a bit different. It was a show where you had to pay admission (a fundraiser for the historical gardens) and the bulk of the exhibitors do this full time, travelling the circuit of higher end shows. I have to admit that at the end of the weekend (technically 3 days with set up Friday morning and a preview party/opening that night), packing up, I felt a bit like a Carny.

And then all the sudden the weekend was gone and it was Monday. And then we said good-bye to The Dad as he set off for conference #1. And tonight we welcome him home. And tomorrow is Friday!!

While the week has flown by, the skies today cooperated and time stopped for a moment. I found this perfect spot of sun on the side of the house with a picnic bench conveniently placed right in front to stand the mannequin on, and I grabbed some new dresses and my camera and snapped and snapped.

And then, with still some more time before I had to pick up the boy at school, I actually sat down at the computer and got them posted in the shop. Five of them. I think I may be on a roll. Now if the weather could cooperate tomorrow, too, so I could get the bibs shot and then the Treasure Totes, and then the SnackMats (formerly the Lunchbox Napkins)... Whew, I'm tired again already.

Happy Long Weekend!

Nature Does Not Hurry...

2010-09-28T09:58:00.000-04:00

...yet everything is accomplished.

I bought this little bowl for myself last year at Artista and this week it has become my mantra. Especially in the morning when I keep watching the clock as the kids get ready for school. I've noticed that less worry and less hurry gets me there at exactly the same time as rushing around and fussing at the kids about not wanting to be late. Hmmm...

I was also happy to see that the artist, Sharon Bartmann, will be showing at The Highlands with me this weekend. I have been coveting her pears. Her work is just beautiful.

On another note, thanks for the comments on my last post. Have I ever said how much I love comments? They make me feel a little less like I'm just sitting here talking to myself! I think those bags may just be Treasure Totes. You're right, Kathy, that's exactly what they are used for. Thanks!

Introducing the Itty Bitty Tote Bag (That Needs A New Name)

2010-09-27T08:31:00.000-04:00

So I wanted a couple new things for The Highlands this weekend. My hope had been to have a design for a larger girl's dress (size 4-8) but it just wasn't ready in time. So instead, I bring you the Itty Bitty Tote Bag. Reversible like the Roundabouts. Some match dresses, some don't.

O saw them in my studio and immediately said "I want one!" He calls it a "Church Bag", as in bring it to church stuffed with little things to keep him occupied. I made a couple in non-girly prints, too. I know first hand that the desire to carry around a little bag stuffed with treasures (that some may call a purse) is certainly not gender specific.

One ended up green with orange handles. I looked at it. And looked at it again It screamed Halloween at me. So off to the fabric store I went for some Alexander Henry Halloween fabric. While The Dad had the kids up in NY for the weekend, I whipped up some little Trick or Treat Totes. Hooray for new ideas!

The only issue I have is with the name. While Itty Bitty Tote Bag is what popped into my head while I finished the first batch, it has evidently popped into lots of other people's heads, too. So I need another name. I thought of The Reversible Out-and-about (sounds cooler when said with a Canadian accent) but it doesn't quite roll of the tongue. Or the Kiddo Tote. I'm kind of leaning toward that one. Any ideas? What do you think?

In the Studio

2010-09-19T15:27:00.000-04:00

I've gone from no time in the studio to spending what feels like every waking minute. The kids have been kind enough to come in and join me, playing at my feet and creating what E has dubbed their 'Book Nook'.

I'm preparing for the Highlands Craft Show the first weekend in October. I'm excited to be doing something different. I'll be sharing a booth there with Jahje of Baby Jives. We'll be outside in the tent, Booth #8, if you're in the area and can make it!

I'll have a huge stash of Reversible Roundabouts, including a small batch in corduroy, plus bibs, lunchbox napkins, and some new surprises. Stay tuned!

Happy First Day of School

2010-09-07T17:39:00.000-04:00

For us, summer is not quite officially over (O doesn't start school until Monday) but it certainly feels that way.

We celebrated with a Back To School Feast last night. The kids requested home made chicken pot pie, mashed sweet potatoes, and the vanilla cake from this cookbook. It definitely tasted like Fall.

This morning, E headed off to a brand new school for first grade. Hopefully ending a yearlong saga of worry and concern. We live in a city. (I think) a great city. In a fabulous neighborhood. Unfortunately it is a city with a reputation for really bad schools. We believe (and know) that they are not all bad. And that everything is relative. And we really hoped that our neighborhood school would work.

When E came home from her first day of Kindergarten saying she never wanted to go back and that she 'hated that place' we were concerned. She reported that the Kindergarteners had been yelled at at lunch. We waited. Then she came home a couple months later looking conflicted. Finally, after some prying, she asked "How come it's okay for my teacher say "Shut Up" but not me?" But she loved her teacher. And she was not getting yelled at. Then after the winter break, she started talking about being bored with her specials. A kid who loves art and music. But we had no other options and while she was struggling with the envrionment she was making some good, good friends and excelling in reading and writing.

Then late last Spring we found out that they had a seat for her for first grade at a local charter school. A highly ranked charter school. The only one in the country to sit on the grounds of an environmental education center. And The Dad and I sat and breathed and acknowledged once again how amazingly lucky we are.

Then we spent the summer deprogramming. When anyone would ask her where she went to school she would say: "I'm going to ___ Charter School. Where they're not allowed to yell or say Shut Up or Boy or Girl." As in 'Get out of my face, BOY' or 'Sit down in your seat, GIRL.'

She had her first day of first grade today. For Art they went outside and picked a tree ('We each got our very own special spot') and drew it. She had a fabulous day. No one yelled.

While I am not breathing my sigh of relief quite yet, I am almost there. And oh so grateful.

The Crayola Factory, Easton PA

2010-08-25T21:14:00.000-04:00

One more little weekday getaway with the kids before school starts.

We've lived in Pennsylvania for almost three years now and had not yet made it up to the Crayola Factory in Easton.

Much more than a 'factory tour' (in fact the actual factory is located 7 miles north of the Discovery Center), this was a creative experience, a cacophony of color, a history lesson, and a playday. Not to mention the hand-on Canal Museum occupying the top two floors of the building and also included in admission. And of course, the on-site McDonald's where my kids experienced their first Happy Meal today. Oh, the look on O's face when he peeked in the box - Look! I think there's a toy in here!

Really, a good time was had by all.

When In Doubt, Get Them Out

2010-08-21T20:56:00.000-04:00

We are in the home stretch, with two more weeks until the kids go back to school.

Blackberry and Raspberry Picking

It is still hot here. E is starting to freak out a bit about going to a new school. She will be attending a local charter school with an Environmental Ed focus this year for first grade - and hopefully staying through until 8th! She doesn't do well with big transitions and is getting anxious about a new school, new teacher, new kids, and the great unknowns. I am sure she will love it. We just have to get her there.

Hopewell Furnace

The kids are starting to get on eachother's nerves, as well as mine. I love them dearly and am surprised (and a bit sad) at how much I am looking forward to the start of school.

Fonthill

I have learned, though (took me long enough), that when the bickering, whining, fussing, etc. starts, we need to get out. I have learned that to say "If you can't be nice to each other, we won't go to the zoo/pool/coffee shop..." is tantamount to shooting myself in the foot. Because if they don't earn an outing, we ALL sit home suffering. Whereas if we all get out and do something stimulating, adventurous, and or fun, the day passes easily and they are oh-so-much more enjoyable (the days and the kids).

The Mercer Museum

Needless to say, we have been getting out much more the last couple days. And we are all soooo much better for it.

Have you gone anywhere fun lately?

Kids' Sewing with Liesl's City Weekend

2010-08-18T14:13:00.002-04:00

I have to admit that I went to the Vermont Sewing weekend with grand (and knowingly unrealistic) visions of a bit of free fabric involved. A girl can dream, right?

We did receive, in our little welcome bags, charm pack of Liesl's new fabric line City Weekend.

The kids were fascinated by all these little squares and in a moment of desperation on Monday I sat them down on my studio floor and spread the squares out between them. Then I let them choose, taking turns, one square at a time until they were all divied up.

O wanted to make a tail. Attached to a belt that he can wear. Which he's been fascinated with since seeing If You Give A Mouse a Cookie last Spring.

O lined his up in the order he wanted them and I stitched them together and then stitched them to some webbing for the belt. One snap later and he was all set. And beaming. Oh, if things could always be that easy.

E wanted to make a barbie quilt. She, who has been asking to sew with my machine for about a year, was determined to piece the squares herself. After a little guidance in the beginning, she was quick to push my hand away when I tried to help guide the fabric. "Mom! I'm six years old. I know how to do it myself." And really? By the end? She did.

I backed it with some minkee and she was good to go.

Of course, the next time I went to use my machine it was kind of dead... The result of the 6 year old foot on the pedal? Or just too long since the last servicing... Keep your fingers crossed.

O's New Sketchbook Shirt

2010-08-15T16:13:00.000-04:00

In planning for the Vermont Sewing Weekend, I really struggled with projects to work on. I had a couple of new skills I wanted to try out and practice but I couldn't decide on a big project. I thought, with Heather and Liesl both there, that it would be fun to do an Oliver + S pattern in a Heather Ross print.

I had the Jumprope Dress pattern and had been wanting to make that for E, but I knew I was going to make her a zippered pouch for school while I was away and felt like I should bring something home for O, too.

I'd been eyeing the Sketchbook Shirt pattern since it first came out. It looked similar to Heather's Kai Shirt pattern from Weekend Sewing that I made O in Spring 2009 and he loved. Her pattern only went up to a 3T so I needed Liesl's pattern to make O one that would fit him now.

Luckily Liesl had one in her studio and brought it with her for me to purchase in VT. Combined with some Mendocino fabric I'd had in my cupboard since back here, I was all set.

I love the way it turned out. I did the inside button placket and the underside of the color in a complementary fabric and love the contrast. The Oliver + S patterns are so incredibly well-written and detailed that even when I get stuck I can figure it out if I read a little more closely - rereading the last step and previewing the next step usually helps.

Thankfully, he loves it. And actually wore it two days in a row, which says a lot. There was a moment, though, where he looked down at it and back up at me and said "Oh mama, you forgot the pocket!" I see more in the future. With chest pockets.

Sewing Weekend at Blueberry Hill

2010-08-10T20:56:00.000-04:00

I spent three days this past weekend in the mountains of Vermont. Where it was chilly enough that I actually donned a fleece and slept snuggled under my covers. While I thoroughly enjoyed the beauty of the area, surrounded by lush green mountains and blue skies, the bulk of my time was actually spent inside a barn, converted into a ~~sweat shop~~ sewing center.

Wine and Cheese at the Tipi

I joined 14 other women to spend the weekend working with and learning from three fabulous instructors: Heather Ross, Liesl Gibson, and Kelly Wilkinson. I was surrounded by creativity. And I have not laughed so much in a long time.

Heather Ross and Ava

But really? What I think hit home the most? Being surrounded by so many like-minded people. It reminded me of the high school summers I spent at music camp, when after the first couple days I was struck by how amazing it felt to be surrounded by strangers who I had so much in common with. This weekend, people would stop to borrow scissors and ask "Can I borrow your fabric scissors?" Really? Other people have fabric scissors and paper scissors! Really? Other people hoard fabric! And are afraid to put in a zipper?!?! It was great. Better than great.

My main project - The Sketchbook Shirt by Oliver + S (Liesl) in Mendocino fabric by Heather Ross

I came home motivated, too. I watched garments being constructed from scratch around me throughout the weekend. We sewed uninterrupted for hours. I came home wanting to go fabric shopping and needing to end this summer long studio hiatus I have been on.

Really? It was summer camp. And I can't wait to do it again.

Wrapping Sticks

2010-07-26T19:00:00.000-04:00

I don't very often see something on the computer and go rushing to try it, but a couple of weeks ago I stumbled upon this post at Ohdeedoh, which led me to this original post, which led me to my studio.

I grabbed a bunch of embroidery thread, tempted the kids with "Wanna do a project outside?" and headed out. They searched for sticks, I tied the knots, and they wrapped away.

E made some of hers into magic wands with tassels on the ends. O got all into overlapping colors. And I think I enjoyed wrapping my own as much as they did.

(Ignore the brown, sun-scorched grass!)

Really, embroidery floss (or yarn), sticks from the yard, some sunshine, and a good hour of summer vacation occupation. Love it.

On Vacation

2010-07-20T12:16:00.000-04:00

As you may have noticed by the silence around here, summer vacation is in full swing. While we actually took a short away-from-home-vacation recently, most of our vacation days take place right here at home.

Most days consist of some combination of a visit to the pool, popsicles, some bickering/whining/or crying, reading books, playing outside, and making up some new pretend game. The kids have gotten into a bit of a groove, but I have to admit there seems to be a lot less time for me to get anything done. I am enjoying this time, though, and while I would love a little more 'me time' in my days, I'm okay about not getting into the studio or posting here on the blog. Amazingly, I'm actually getting more cleaning done, too! Our computer and my studio are up on the 3rd floor which is pretty much off limits to the kids during the day (it's where The Dad works from home). Since the kids aren't up here, I'm rarely up here now, too. Some of my time downstairs while they play has been delightfully occupied by some good reading I haven't done in a while. Magazines, books... It's been really nice.

This week the kids are at camp. Between drop off and pick up for O's half day camp and E's full day camp I have about two hours to myself and 2 hours with O. The little recharge for me has been great and the kids are loving their camps - Pirate Camp for him and Farm Camp for her... Just right for mid-summer.

Camping on the Summer Solstice

2010-06-28T17:11:00.000-04:00

We managed to kick off summer with an overnight camping trip to a nearby (2 hours) state park.

While the kids were a bit more squirrelly than usual, we had some fabulous outside time including a 2 mile hike along a trail sprinkled with wild blueberry bushes.

We still haven't backpacked with them, but I think that day is finally coming. So far we have only car-camped, selecting sites along the edge of the campgrounds that back up onto the wild of the park, a trail, or stream. I have to say that I have been spoiled by being able to bring a pillow (and all you can fit in the trunk of your car) with me - it makes for a much nicer night's sleep.

The kids are much more independent out there now. And while bedtime is still a chore, gone are the all-night nursing marathons that kept them quiet and rested but left me ready to go home at 5 in the morning. O is now requesting to poop in the woods and after this past trip (with multiple wildlife warnings everywhere we looked) both are well versed in what to do if they encounter a Black Bear.

I love that they are so comfortable out there, spending hours playing with a headlamp or hammock instead of the couple of toys brought along. And I believe that the squirreliness and unexpected whining we experienced last week will lessen with 'practice'.

I'd like to do one more year of the car camping, moving to a 'cart-in' site next time, and then do our first backpacking trip as a family next summer. I have visions of a hut-to-hut trip in the White Mountains before a true backcountry trip. Hmmm...

Counting Down

2010-06-03T21:04:00.000-04:00

It's amazing how quickly we adapt. O has had his cast on now for 5 weeks and I forget what it was like before. We've gotten used to accommodating. He's gotten used to lugging it around. We've gotten used to the once-a-week bath and he's gotten used to only having a couple inches of water in the tub.

But last weekend our swim club opened for the summer. And we all began to anticipate the cast coming off next week. So we started counting down. And then I realized that the countdown to the cast removal coincided with the countdown to the end of school (for O at least, E will go for a week longer) and the true countdown to summer.

There is so much I want to do this summer. Not so much of the 'let's go here and do this' variety - more of the 'Here is what I want to do better' and 'here are the experiences I want the kids to have'. I've been reading Simplicity Parenting over the last couple weeks and loving it (and how much it is just the right time in my life to be reading it), slowly incorporating some pieces into our lives (and so happy to have some things we do already reinforced!), and looking forward to a new rhythm to our days when school is out. So with this countdown (6 days!) I feel like I am counting down to a true transition (or two) around here. I'll post more here to let you know how it goes - and to keep myself accountable!

Thanks for checking in.

On the Farm

2010-05-29T17:01:00.000-04:00

This is our first weekend in way too long with nothing really planned. Life got a little crazy around here for a while. Now, though, things are slowing down - just in time for summer.

We returned to Maple Acres this morning for some strawberry picking. While we were really just in the suburbs, the space felt a little more remote once we got past the farmstand and headed toward the barns.

The smell, though, got better as we moved away from the barns and back toward the strawberries.

There's just something about dirt roads and kids in bright colors. Makes me want to take a trip and spend the summer like this. If only The Dad got summer vacation, too...

Art Star Recap

2010-05-23T21:34:00.000-04:00

Sorry I'm a week behind. This week that has disappeared since the Art Star Craft Bazaar has been filled with a birthday, a birthday party, a school field trip, and some general family recovery time.

The show was fabulous.

A bit windy, but clear blue skies and perfect temperatures.

Unfortunately, the lighting wasn't great inside my tent...

Now, back to work. Keep your fingers crossed for some sunshine so I can get some photos for a shop update!

Packing Up: Art Star This Weekend!

2010-05-14T16:49:00.000-04:00

Tonight I'm packing up for the Art Star Craft Bazaar at Penn's Landing this weekend.

Dresses, Bibs, Baby Blankets, Lunchbox Napkins, and a whole rack of Clearance items.

Sunshine, Live Music, and an amazing array of vendors.

I can't wait! Stop by Booth #4 and say Hi if you make it out.

Up by the food and the Chestnut St. Entrance.

Guaranteed to be a fabulous time.

Now, I'm back to ironing and tagging and folding and packing.

Thanks!

Belated May Day

2010-05-06T11:48:00.000-04:00

O's nursery school had it's May Day celebration on Tuesday.

Complete with handmade flower crowns, lots of little kids in white, and a maypole festooned with ribbons.

I realized as the kids were circling that each ribbon had a popsicle stick attached to the end of it. Brilliant in helping them hold on and keeping the ribbon from slipping out of their hands. Even cooler, at the end of the celebration, each child was told to 'plant' their ribbon. They stuck the popsicle sticks into the ground all around the pole, leaving the ribbons splayed out and anchored.

Beautiful.

Gratitude

2010-05-03T06:05:00.000-04:00

Today I am thankful for:

A Red Cast

And that he landed on his arm instead of his head.

Fifteen Minute Increments

2010-04-27T17:21:00.000-04:00

The Dad, who works from home, finished up yesterday and came down to play with the kids. I asked for 15 minutes to run up and sew a little bit. "I could never get a project done the way you work." he told me. "What? I usually work in 15 minute increments." "Exactly."

When I began really sewing (I think I just hit eieio's 2 year anniversary!), E was in nursery school and O was home with me. It was rare to have more than 15 minutes at a time in my studio so I learned how to make it work. Now, O is in nursery school and E is in Kindergarten and I have one full 'Studio Day' per week where they are in school until mid-afternoon and I have no other obligations.

Besides that, I still tend to work in these little spurts. I use my evenings for fabric selection, ironing, and cutting - the parts of the process that seem to take the most amount of time. If the pieces are all prepped, I'll do some sewing, too. I've learned, though, that I should turn off my machine at 9. Otherwise, I get a little glassy-eyed and am more prone to make a mistake.

Last weekend, The Dad took the kids up to his parents' for overnight. They were gone for more than 24 hours! And I got to just sit in my studio and sew. When they returned home Sunday at 5, I realized I hadn't even unlocked the front door and left the house since the night before! Not necessarily very healthy, but oh so productive...

Moving Forward

2010-04-23T17:10:00.000-04:00

To be honest, I've been feeling a little paralyzed around here lately. I apologize for the choppy entries of late. For me, feeling overwhelmed does very little to spur on productivity. I just. kind of. stall. out. And that's what's happened.

But, thing are starting to move. For the first time in almost 7 years, I am getting up at 5:30 am and working out with my husband. And actually really enjoying it. The trade off is that I'm going to bed at 9:30 so I don't turn into mean, growly mama bear around 3pm. After multiple (failed) tries to figure out how to fit a regular workout into my day (and consistently making my health and fitness one of my lowest priorities), I bit the bullet and went back to the beginning.

Before I had kids, The Dad and I had a very regular morning routine. We woke up at 5:30, rolled out of bed and went to the Y, worked out, came home and showered, and headed to work. Once E was born, that just wasn't an option and The Dad went without me. Then when O came along, it got even harder to figure out where to fit exercise in.

I am happy to see it become part of my daily routine again. We actually work out at home - on a great enclosed porch far enough away from the kids that we don't wake them up but close enough that we can hear them if they need us.

I didn't mean to ramble on about exercise and my new routine, but I do believe that the way out of a rut is to just do it - and in this case, it means just writing. So, the next few posts might be random but they are my way of getting un-stuck. So follow along if you'd like, and thanks for hanging in their with me.

By the way, the photo above (which has absolutely nothing to do with the post) is my new mannequin. Frustrated with poor photos of my work, we've added her to the family to help out. E dressed her this afternoon. Earlier today she looked like this:

Cheers!

A Little Pink: Summer Song by Riley Blake

2010-04-20T11:35:00.000-04:00

As I neared the end of my load of dresses for Art Star, I realized that I was missing some pink. Lots of teal/blue and cream with graphics, but not a whole lot of that girly color some folks (like my almost 6 year old) are drawn too. So, off to the fabric store I went. Really, my life is tough...

A little Summer Song by the new(er) Riley Blake Designs.

Beautiful colors, great quality. Just what I was looking for.

Now back to the ironing board.

Literally!

While I've Been Gone

2010-04-18T07:18:00.000-04:00

Besides spending most of my free time gearing up for the Art Star Craft Bazaar, we've been doing some other fun things around here, too:

Building a makeshift Teepee

Celebrating Easter

And O's 4th Birthday

The prep for Art Star (and life) is starting to feel a little more under control now (60 dresses almost finished!), so I'm back. Thanks for continuing to check in!

I Remember Being Forced To Play Outside

2010-03-11T11:57:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, with a weather forecast calling for four days of rain, I told my children that they had to play outside.

At 1:00 (it was a half-day at school), I brought them out. I sat on the front steps, the door to the porch open and the door into the house closed. And, with visiting playmates and each other, they played outside. For four hours...

The fort. The logs. A sled. Collecting bark. A warship. A rescue helicopter. A ladder hanging from a tree branch.

Four hours.

And I remembered, as a child in a small town, living down a dirt road in 'the woods', how my aunt would gather my mother and their friends to sit and drink coffee and smoke cigarettes and play scrabble. They would usher the kids outside and actually lock the front screened door. We were forced to play outside.

There was the injustice of the one little girl who was allowed in with her mom, there was a bit of whining through the screen, but much more than that, there were hours of creative play among the trees and in the dirt.

I'm sure we bickered, but the adults rarely ~~interfered~~ intervened. I remember those hours outside much more than I remember any time playing with toys inside.

I realized yesterday that you don't have to live in a small town, down a dirt road, in the woods for kids to have this experience. Though I didn't lock them out yesterday, I did challenge them. And they rose to the occasion. I look forward to many more days of this as Spring continues to reveal itself.

Ahhh...

Spring is Coming

2010-03-04T21:40:00.000-05:00

O stepped out the door on Monday and exclaimed "Look! There is grass!". And really, there it was again. A small patch of grass amid the slowly disappearing mountains of snow. And all of a sudden, it is a bit easier to find color around here. Aaaahhh...

Disequilibrium

2010-02-19T09:42:00.000-05:00

If there is one thing I have learned in my almost six (!) years of parenting, it is that nothing lasts forever. While ,yes, that acknowledges how quickly kids grow up, it more refers to all of these 'phases' that kids go through. They eventually sleep through the night. The temper tantrums eventually subside. The transitions in our lives eventually end letting us finally settle into some kind of new routine...

And then something else happens.

I am a big believer in the whole child development theory of equilibrium and disequilibrium. Our children's behavior very clearly ebbs and flows. Sometimes in that predicted 6 month pattern, but also clearly related to change and stress. Both of my kids are very... perceptive. Sensitive and observant and reactive.

Why am I rambling about Child Development? Because E right now is definitely struggling, in a state of disequilibrium. Clingy, awaking at night, combative, and cranky. And therefore, I am in a state of disequilibrium. Just as tired. Just as cranky. And seeking balance in my own way.

So while E finds her calm in reading with us and playing quietly in her room, I am spending as much time in my studio as I can. Sewing in preparation for Art Star, preparing to build up my etsy shop (we just need some sunshine around here for pictures!), and waiting anxiously for Spring.

And just as I know that the snow will eventually melt, I also know that things will calm down around here again. Hopefully soon!

Valentine's Day 2010

2010-02-15T15:29:00.000-05:00

With all of the snow days, Valentine's Day seems to be lasting forever around here.

O's valentines for school have been ready and waiting since Friday, while E still has to finish decorating her hearts. I have a feeling I will be attaching pipe cleaners to pencils after she is cozy in bed tonight.

Digging Ourselves Out

2010-02-11T18:33:00.000-05:00

I've been trying to capture the depth of the snow around here but just haven't been able to do it.

Evidently we added 15" yesterday on top of the 28" that dumped on us over the weekend. Luckily, we had a sunny day on Tuesday so a little bit melted before the second storm hit. But still... Really?

Tomorrow we have Snow Day #4 of the week. Sledding? A train trip downtown? The first challenge will be getting the car out of the driveway. So far we have been traveling by foot or by sled.

Teaching My Children to Sew

2010-02-08T21:48:00.000-05:00

I was a little worried about the snow day off from school and how we were all going to occupy ourselves with The Dad away in California (where evidently it is beautiful and sunny and he is driving a convertible) - we three can drive each other a little mad when we sit around only with ourselves.

And then our 10am playdate cancelled and I asked the kids where they wanted to go.

"I want to sew!", E declared. "You've been promising you'd give me a sewing lesson."

The reason I keep putting this "lesson" off is because of O. And his attention span (or lack there of at times). And the fear of leaving E to her own devices (with needle and scissors) while tending to him.

But he wanted to join us, too. And oh how I was surprised!

I got him started the way I did with E her first time: A not-to-sharp 'chenille' needle, an embroidery hoop, and embroidery thread. I had an old tea towel, from an embroidery class I took back in Minneapolis, that was just porous enough for him. He loved it! And was oh-so intent, making "a pillow for dad for valentine's day".

E, for the first time, free-cut pieces and sewed them together. She made me a doll that is not quite finished but that I will try to catch a picture of tomorrow. She used regular thread for the first time, and little tiny curved scissors that came in a basket of thread and notions from an estate sale. I offered her sharper, easier scissors, but she preferred 'her own'. And the thimble. Because she had to have a thimble - and sometimes more than one at a time.

So this was a first for us, the kids sitting and sewing together. A successful one. So fun.

Snow

2010-02-07T20:58:00.000-05:00

I think we're digging ourselves out from under about 2 feet of snow.

A snow fort has been built. The sledding has been done. Hot chocolate has been drunk, as well as peppermint tea. Popcorn has been consumed multiple times per day.

And a snow day has just been declared for tomorrow.

Hmmm... I'm seeing more tea (for me). And more popcorn. Maybe some baking. And lots more play outside.

As well as some more reinvention of the basement playspace that's developed.

Climbing blocks. Tunnel. Recycled crib mattress. Old school exercise jumper/trampoline. Step ladder?

That's my boy.

Highlights of the Week

2010-01-29T12:08:00.000-05:00

This week things have been a little crazy.

I finished a batch of 10 dresses for Art Star.

And had my leg peed on by a little boy still working on aiming while sitting down.

I started working with Minkee again - a fabric that drives me nuts but gives me the softest blankies ever.

I sent O on his first real school fieldtrip, riding the train downtown to the American Institute of Architects to see an exhibit on 'Constructing Play' - and didn't chaperone. A huge step for me.

And I Registered for a summer weekend of sewing with Heather Ross. I think I'm a little starstruck, feeling like I've been e-mailing with a celebrity. But really, a whole weekend in the mountains of Vermont? Sewing with the designer of some of my favorite fabrics?? You can see bits and pieces here (her pattern) and here (her fabric). Love, love, love her stuff.

And it's already the weekend again. The creamy (camel) and polka dot blanket is for a baby shower we're going to Saturday night. The whole 'gender neutral' dilemma. I like the way it turned out. And the flannel? The new Amy Butler flannel - Let me tell you: Not ALL flannel is created equal. This is the softest, softest flannel I have worked with yet. Yum.

The Golden Sneaker Award

2010-01-24T21:46:00.000-05:00

It's funny what kids get so excited about.

This week, E is the "Golden Sneaker Award" winner. This means that it is her turn to bring home this old pair of "teenager sized" sneakers, spraypainted gold. Really, it means she's 'Kid of the Week' in her Kindergarten class. But to her? She's won the lottery.

As skeeved out as The Dad and I am about where these shoes have been, E wears them proudly. Until Friday, when she returns them, and the next child gets a turn.

Oh to be 5 again.

Spring? A Pile of Park Slope Makes It Feel Closer!

2010-01-21T06:36:00.000-05:00

You get one nice day around here and it feels like Spring is coming. And then I remember that it is indeed only the middle of January.

Still, I am starting to prepare for this year's Art Star Craft Bazaar (May 15th and 16th), in an effort to not feel the need to cram for inventory at the end.

I got a great kick start today with this fabulous collection of Park Slope. I've loved this fabric before, in a different colorway, and was so excited to walk away with a whole pile of it this morning. A matter of being in the right place at the right time - as the quilt shop owner was putting it on sale. Hooray!

And on top of that pile? My astroturf pocketbook. One of the best Christmas presents ever from The Dad.

Hoping For Rain: The Oliver + S School Days Coat

2010-01-20T16:43:00.000-05:00

I had the great fortune last Saturday of taking a sewing class at Cloth and Bobbin with Leisl Gibson, the designer behind the Oliver + S patterns. So much fun - and a fabulous pattern! One of the more challenging I've done, made more challenging with Laminated Cotton - but how cool that I could actually sew E a raincoat - under the tutelage of the designer?!

I had actually been eyeing a different Kaffe Fassett laminate and was showing it to E online (I've learned it's sometimes better to consult her ahead of time since she is a child of definite opinions) and she pointed to this one - immediately smitten. "But mom, it will look like the roses are growing all over me in the rain!" I folded, still not in love with it myself. But I tell you, with each stitch it grew on me. And by the end, I loved it as much as she did.

It's lined with some super soft Kaffe Fassett Shot Cotton (in caramel) which almost shimmers. Luckily I bought more yardage than I needed - she has already requested a nightgown out of it, too.

I'm already planning a wool coat for O for the fall.... (After these pajamas for both and this dress for E...)
And there are even more new patterns coming out in the Spring...

A Peek into E's Room

2010-01-18T20:24:00.000-05:00

I know I've said before that I would show some pictures of E's room. I've shown you O's, but E's never seems to be clean enough to take pictures of! We did some major purging in there this weekend. She was all for it. It just seemed that it was impossible to get it clean and organized because there was just. too. much. stuff. Way too much dress up, too many dolls, stuff just ended up all over the floor and the room wasn't very often inviting for play.

Sunday, she filled three laundry baskets of debris to be stored away upstairs for awhile (and hopefully some soon after to be passed on or discarded). What a difference it has made! She played in there almost all day today. And it was so easy to clean up tonight before bed.

Her room is definitely still a work in progress - and is definitely in need of a fresh coat of paint (minus the orange!) this spring. We're getting there, though. Slowly but surely.

The Need to Be Outside

2010-01-15T10:43:00.000-05:00

Things are finally warming up a bit around here. It feels like it has been below freezing since we returned on the 4th. The kids were getting a little stircrazy so we took a quick hour run-around at the local arboretum after school on Wednesday.

I love that even though we live in the city we are surrounded by green space. We don't have to go very far to walk in the woods, but we've also got a fabulous arboretum close by that is perfect with kids.

When we lived in Minnesota, there was a great one about 45 minutes away. It was affiliated with the U of M and was also a great combination of trails and free space for kids to explore. It is so important, I think, for kids to have this opportunity on a regular basis and I was excited to find one nearby when we moved here. (Probably not) coincidentally, this one is also affiliated with a large university.

While they don't quite know their own way around there yet, E is starting to read the signs and both kids have their favorite spots to visit. The grounds are not huge, but large enough that the kids still seem to find something new each time we visit. I look forward to spending more time there as the weather warms up!

Some Productive Studio Time

2010-01-13T22:20:00.000-05:00

It always amazes me how much more productive I feel - in general - when I get a couple quiet hours in the studio.

I love this Modern Home print by Michael Miller.

It's such a big print, though. This dress doesn't quite do what I wanted it to.

I have another idea, though.

And a full day in the studio on Friday.

Stay tuned!

The Fabric Covered Head Board - Take Two

2010-01-11T20:56:00.000-05:00

A little over a year ago, The Dad built E a bed. He did it over a weekend while I was away with the kids and surprised ALL of us with a great fabric covered headboard. Unfortunately, we didn't get any great pictures of it. I did at least get this:

It's a little hidden behind the pillows and multitude of stuffed animals, but it is there. Pink batiked and embroidered fabric, taken from my stash, over a layer of cotton quilt batting and a piece of plywood.

I was very impressed.

Fast forward a year or so. We have inherited a set of nice maple bunk beds and are setting those up for E, passing on her low dad-made platform bed to O.

Now, O is not really a pink swirly little kind of guy (unless he's running around in E's leotard and tutu). I pulled a couple pieces of fabric from my stash for him to choose from (strongly discouraging his preference for the yellow flannel with monkeys) and ended up with this:

So fun and so easy. We actually did this one right over the other layers. All done with fabric and a staple gun. I think it took me longer to iron the fabric than to actually attach it!

Happy New Year

2010-01-07T06:22:00.000-05:00

So, I didn't really mean to be gone for that long. Our holidays ended up being a little more eventful than we had planned. We hosted my whole family (I'm the oldest of 5) here for Christmas - the first time we have all been together in almost 5 years.

Christmas was immediately followed by an awful stomach bug ripping it's way through our house. I think I washed every single sheet and towel we own at least twice.

And then we packed (while doing all that laundry) for our trip to Florida. Did I mention we were driving? A drive that ended up taking a day longer than planned and included my first ride in an ambulance and a visit to an incredibly rural emergency room in South Carolina (think "Oh, we don't have cabs in this county...") (Everything's fine.)

Then 15 people in a beach house (though right on the beach - beautiful).

Four nights and four new tires later we were on the AutoTrain home.

So here we are... Did I say eventful?

Amid that whirlwind of chaos, we had a moment of quiet (before the "Please, Please can I have another mint. Can I have a mint. Can I HAVE a MINT!? that echoed through the end of the service) when we had the kids baptized. In the presence of aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and even great-grandparents on New Years Day. A fabulous way to begin the new year.

So, here's to New Beginnings, Community, Simplicity, and Peace.

It's A Crafty Advent - Day 22: Moo Cards

2009-12-22T11:29:00.000-05:00

I've needed new business cards for a while. I've printed my own, done the basics from Staples, and ordered a pre-designed one from an Etsy seller, but hadn't found anything I loved.

I started thinking about a unique logo and had a friend come up with a couple ideas. But then I hmmd and hawed and lost momentum.

I'd heard about Moo Cards here and there on blogs and in Readymade Magazine but didn't have a collection of photos I was prepared to put on the back.

Then I was almost out of the hodge podge I had left. And saw someone else's Moo Cards in person at an art fair. The feel, the quality... I took the plunge.

And I am so happy with how they turned out! On top of the customer service, super fast shipping, and fabulous quality of the paper, printing, and packaging, their variety of available artwork has something for everyone. And, you don't have to pick just one!

As you can see, I picked a variety. Some of them I really like. Some of them I love. I'd love to mix some of the premade designs with some of my own photography next time.

Because, for sure, there will be a next time.

It's A Crafty Advent - Day 20: The Christmas Eve Bags

2009-12-20T19:58:00.000-05:00

Things have gotten a little too crafty around here lately. I had a couple last minute custom orders on top of everything else and have been spending what little free time I've had lately in the studio. So while I haven't been writing about what I've been making, I've actually been making a lot!

And yet there's so much that could me done! I told The Dad this morning what else I wanted to make/do and his response was "I think you and I have different meanings for "A Simple Christmas".

But really, we are trying (and I think succeeding) at keeping things pretty low key this year.

One of the things I had on my list to do (and one of the things The Dad scoffed at) was some Christmas gift bags to take the place of all the wrapping paper. While more work right now (though really not that much more), I hope that they will be reused for years to come. Especially these first bigger ones.

We have a tradition, brought to our family by my family of origin, of giving pajamas and books on Christmas Eve. Open one Christmas Eve Present, put on the new PJs, and curl up in bed with some good books. These bags in the picture each contain new jammies and about half a dozen new books. I kind of want to fill a bag for myself, too!

Oh how I could shop for books forever. My Christmas shopping has been done for weeks (really, we are keeping it simple this year) but I just can't stop finding books. They're important, though. And I'm so particular about which ones I buy. But I love finding great ones that just grab me. Like the Sound of Music Pop Up book I didn't even know existed! Oh my.

It's A Crafty Advent - Day 8 : Noel Gnomes

2009-12-08T13:06:00.000-05:00

Besides the tree and the advent pockets, we don't do a whole lot of Christmas decorating around here. One thing I added this year, though, is these little Noel Gnomes I fell in love with at the Waldorf Holiday Fair a couple weeks ago.

Every once in a while they get pulled down and played with - especially the "O" one. For the most part, though, the kids have been good with my explanation that these are mine. They're not always happy about it, but they're learning...

"The Felt Lady", as I call her, was talking about all the ways these could be modified - including birthday ones that spell out a child's name. I look forward to seeing what else she comes up with!

It's A Crafty Advent - Day 6

2009-12-06T13:04:00.000-05:00

For about 15 minutes yesterday, the beginnings of our little Christmas Village looked like this. That's a little felt squirrel, if you can't tell. I found the two little woodland creatures at Wonderment when we were in Minneapolis. And in the background - my first attempt at a felt tree (which I love, but which won't stand up on its own) and, of course, our impromptu cardboard-box-manger.

More to be added every day. Stay Tuned!

It's A Crafty Advent - Day 5: The Auction Dress That Wasn't

2009-12-05T06:00:00.000-05:00

So I got the studio picked up. And spend the rest of the morning making a dress for our nursery school's Winter Auction. I actually finished the dress in one sitting and photographed it in hopes of listing it as a custom item in my shop. I took pictures of the front. I flipped it over to take pictures of the back... And found a couple spots/fabric flaws I had missed when I ironed the fabric before I started!

So, no longer a viable donation, I switched gears and finished this up for the auction instead - one of those moments where it is good to have a couple projects sitting around half-done.

But really, while it was frustrating at the time, I'm more excited and motivated that I managed to finish two pieces today! On top of a little straightening up/de-cluttering of my workspace. I call that a success...

It's A Crafty Advent - Day 4: In the Studio

2009-12-04T08:30:00.000-05:00

When the kids started school in September, I really thought I had my chance to get sewing and get my little business off the ground. O would be in school 3 mornings - giving me one to co-op (he goes to a cooperative nursery school where I co-op 3 mornings per month), one to volunteer at E's school for a little bit and get work done around the house, and one to sew. Even 3 hours for studio time would be better than what I had.

I was wrong. The three mornings a week somehow only gave me an hour every once in a while in the studio.

So, today O is starting a fourth day at school and staying all day. Which means 9-3. And I am looking at/hoping for 5 solid hours in the studio.

Unfortunately those 5 hours begin with digging my work table out from under this.

I'll see you on the other side!

It's A Crafty Advent - Day 1

2009-12-01T18:06:00.000-05:00

We hung our Advent Garlands last week and filled them last night. My mom made these for the kids last year and I love them. Last year they were filled with trinkets and a little candy. While I loved a lot of the little things, some were really just filler - little pieces of plastic that ended up floating around our house until they made their way into the trash. And really? Who wants to feed their child a hershey kiss before they've had breakfast?

This year I wanted to do things a little differently. I was inspired by Mary Beth over here last year and decided that we would follow suit and do some kind of "Christmas Village" with a mix of things that are new and things that we already had.

I actually bought a Playmobil advent calendar last summer and have had it stashed away to make up the bulk of the pockets. Mixed in are some new play silks, a new ornament for each kid, a little necklace kit for each, and the pieces of a great hand carved nativity set that my parents bought for me in Holland(?) way back before I had kids. I'm really excited to see what the kids think.

Today, in their first pockets, they each received a new ornament. I especially love the one for O - a great wool felted snowman I bought from Melissa Frueh (of Sqrl & Bee) at the local Waldorf School Holiday Fair before Thanksgiving. I've known of her for a while and was super excited to be able to see her things in person. Check out her husband's cool video Wellington Dreams - an amazingly creative couple!

So, I'm excited to watch the little Christmas Village unfold over the next 23 days. We'll see what the kids decide to do with it all. I have a feeling it is going to end up looking nothing like I imagine...

Small Felt Crayon Roll

2009-11-29T21:52:00.000-05:00

I've seen these crayon rolls floating around the web, mostly fabric ones in various Etsy sites.

A friend showed me a felt one the other day that looked even easier.

So after some hmming and hawing procrastination, I tried making one this weekend for a 4-year old's birthday.

It still needs some tweaking, but I like it! And really, pretty easy.

I'd still like to try a fabric one, too. Hopefully in time for Christmas.

Santa's workshop (also know as my studio) opens this week. My shopping is done and now it's time for a little handmade mama love...

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T09:01:00.000-05:00

Today I am thankful for all of the things I don't have to worry about.

Because as much as I do worry, there is so much I often take for granted.

Have a fabulous and thankful Thanksgiving.

Adding Some Color of Our Own

2009-11-19T20:25:00.000-05:00

That first painting job referenced back here is finally done. And really? It was fun! A few facing pieces to shellac and install and then I'll get some pictures up of the final product. Of course, with the caveat that our bedroom mantle also has to be cleaned of for a prettier shot... So it may take a little bit longer...

I love this bright blue. "Utah Sky", it is called. My first use of Benjamin Moore's Aura paint and I am sold. Great coverage and little to no odor. Can't beat that! We'll definitely use it again.