Sewing Weekend at Blueberry Hill

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

 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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

Today I am thankful for:

A Red Cast

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