snip snip

Thanks for your mothering support yesterday. I was really happy that you enjoyed the scissor stamp as much as I did! I've been printing on everything in sight. I even had to make a scissor pouch (linen with Japanese hedgehog lining), just so that I could stamp it!
Then there were the moleskines...


organic totes...

I'm thinking of doing an entire series on the tools I use most. Which led me to my next image instantly: the humble clothespin.

How many times a day do I use these ingenious clips? From laundry to sealing up snack bags, I never take them for granted. I've had this stamp on my mind since I made a peg bag last spring. I plan on making a bunch of "peg bags" with a clothespin print for the shop. Oh, I have lots of ideas for how to fill up my neglected little shop... summer is not the time for that kind of pressure, though. I'm finally realizing that. It will be August tomorrow, and I'm grateful that is finally sinking in... just in time for some of this...

Happy weekend friends! Hope you find a bit of time for what you need most...

first hair cut

I'll admit, right from the get go... THIS WAS PAINFUL! My daughter has been asking for a hair cut for a while. My hair was identical when I was a little girl... and I wore it long for most of my life. I have been way too attached to her golden ringlets. I really know this. However, I just wasn't ready. Denying her wasn't right and was way too much about me... oh, but can you blame me?

When she begged last week, "cut off all of my curls, Mama... please!" I cringed, but knew it was time to grant her this wish and stop the tears/struggles every time we needed to brush it.

We're going slowly... 4 inches seemed to be enough for now. She's happy and feels BIG. Very important stuff for a 4 and 1/2 year old.

You know how totally sentimental I am... I decorated a little wooden box for those first baby ringlets (see top photo). I was even inspired to carve a stamp for this project.


All of the energy I put into making this keepsake helped me immensely in letting my baby grow. There is a sweet spot for it in my ever changing studio.

She likes to peek at her snipped hair and giggle. That little girl in the picture behind the box(with the curls)... me.

p.s.Don't be surprised if you see more scissor prints soon... I'm loving this stamp!

move-able collage #1

I wear many hats in the summer: lifeguard, on-call chef, camp chauffeur, art director, librarian, boredom buster, farmer, chief frog catcher, wet clothes hanger-upper (note: remember to put a stool out by the clothesline, already!)... this list could go on and on! It's a good life, and I'm thrilled it's mine. But that ache for "creative me time" keeps coming up. I am finding little ways to satisfy that need during the long dog days of summer... like these and these... and now move-able collages. I arranged an old toy house from my grandparent's nursery school with a paper made doll, vintage lace and other odd bits from my mother's barn studio. When the composition was just right, I photographed it. I can't tell you how much pleasure I received from something so extremely simple!
Temporary art.
Highly personal (or not).
Very little clean up.
Materials already on hand.
There will be more of these, I'm sure. Next time, I'll invite my children... we all know they'd love it, too. Might even be a fun activity for a group of kids (and adults)... wow, even a collaborative art project!
Me-time? I'll slip it in, promise.

envelope purse: a tutorial

What an enthusiastic response you gave to my natural first aid kit! I know many of you are excited to make one of your own, especially since they are quick and easy. These little purses are far too handy to carry just band-aids and remedies. I'm sure you'll come up with tons of different uses and innovative customizations. I'd love to see them, so please consider adding photos to the flickr group... there are some great things happening over there!

Envelope Purse

Need:
-two rectangles of fabric measuring 7x15 inches
-button (covering your own buttons is fun, find kits like this on Etsy!)
-elastic cord or hair band
-thread

Make:
1. Place fabric right side to right side and fold in half length-wise.
2. Cut on an angle from the fold to 2 inches down the side. Use a straight edge.

3. Pin the elastic between the two layers at the top point. See photo. Pin the rest of the purse.

4. Sew around the perimeter (1/4 inch seam allowance), leaving several inches open for turning at the bottom.
5. Clip corners, careful not to cut too close to seams.
6. Turn so that the right sides are now out and press with an iron.


7. Sew shut the bottom. Use a decorative stitch or zigzag if you feel inspired.
8. Fold up the bottom to form your pocket and pin. You choose how far up you want it to go.
9. Starting at the bottom, sew up one side. Back stitch at the place where the fold ends to secure it. Continue around the entire envelope, remembering to back stitch the other side where the fold begins. I did not stitch the bottom, but you may choose to.


10. Fold over the top of the envelope and attach button.


Done! Wasn't that quick? Don't you want to make a dozen?! A great suggestion from one of your lovely comments was to add belt loops so that you could carry your kit hands free if you were hiking or chasing kids around a playground. I gave it a try...

and when I looked for a model, only my nephew was wearing a belt. Seeing it on him made me realize how perfect this adaption is for men, who rarely have a handbag to toss a first aid kit into.

Happy summer sewing!

on the town

Do you ever get a "girls' night out on the town"? It occurs far too rarely around here. For my birthday, Laura made it happen... and in such an amazing way. I'm just landing and catching my breath! On Wednesday I got into a car with three lovely friends and drove into New York City for a jam-packed afternoon/evening of the stuff (my) dreams are made of. We began with the most amazing bookstore (Kinokuniya) I've ever experienced. To say it was "weep-worthy" for me would be an understatement. We then moved onto Purl for gorgeous fabric and pure inspiration... it's very good to have friends that "get" you and know exactly what makes you happy! After a quick walk in the Village it was time for the real reason we had all put aside our regular schedules to drive 4 1/2 hours to the city... a concert in Madison Square Park

with our new favorite female singer/songwriter. I've played this CD of Jonatha's more than anything else since getting to know her at Squam. Even my kids know most of the lyrics by heart!

**************

Between my wonderful date and returning to all of your lovely "first aid kit" comments, I'm feeling full and happy. I can't wait to get a tutorial up... it's such a fun one. I'll try to pull it off soon, but family is arriving from out of town today...
Hope you have a fantastic weekend! Maybe you'll even squeeze in a "girls' night out"!

natural healing

This little envelope purse has redeemed me from my inner critic calling me a "bad mom". On our recent trip to NYC, my 4 year old had a bad fall on the cement at a playground. We were a couple of blocks from our friends' apartment, where I had all of my supplies (first aid stuff). For what felt like an eternity, but was probably only a few seconds, I held her crying with her scraped elbow... pondering my options and kicking myself for not being more prepared. With my first child, I never left the house unless I packed every possible bit of gear we might need on our sojourn to the grocery store. As I saw my mothering history pass before my eyes, my former self ( young mom), came running over with wipes, Neosporin spray, band aids... you name it! I was forever grateful and swore to never leave home without a first aid kit again. To cut myself some slack... we do live in the country, and when we go to playgrounds, we drive. My vehicle is fully stocked... and now my purse is, too. Traditional first aid kits contain mostly items we never use. This one is filled with our natural remedies and latex-free band-aids. Both my daughter and I are allergic to latex, so this is key.
I am by no means a doctor or a naturopath, but these are some of the things you'll find inside:
arnica
res q ointment
rescue remedy
tin filled with assorted band-aids
alcohol wipes for emergencies
natural anti-bacterial spray cleanser

The envelope purse is made out of linen and lined with thrifted ticking (an ode to candystripers) and closes with a red-checked linen button (echoes of the first aid "cross"). It was super quick to make and I really love it. So much so, that I'm planning on making some more and writing up a tutorial as I go along. I realized it was the perfect bag for a new sewer. I've heard there are quite a few of you that would enjoy some more simple sewing projects. Look for this soon!

greencraft!

I had such a wonderful surprise in my mailbox: the premier edition of GreenCraft! It's Stampington's newest publication and my absolute favorite. Even if I didn't have my very own feature in it, I would consider it to be a new favorite magazine. When GreenCraft's lovely editor first contacted me, I was almost as excited about the concept as I was about being published in it. My love for recycled newspapers has a beautiful spread and I'm absolutely thrilled!

If you're familiar with any of Stampingon's other magazines, you know they are really more like beautiful art books. This magazine is no different, except in GreenCraft almost every ingenious project has the instructions to go with them. Eco-art at its very best! Lots of new twists to transforming everything from vintage pieces to rescuing materials from your recycling bins. And of course, some good coffeesack ideas are included... because we all know how incredible burlap is! I love that it's on the cover! Not my apron, but so happy to see it front row and center! There is enough gorgeous upcyling to make me swoon! Serious green bliss... I haven't been asked to promote like this... just can't help it. Taking a deep breath now... and smiling wide. Talk about a sweet birthday present!

two SMALL things

photo via Small

Just popping in to tell you that one of my favorite on-line zines, Small Magazine, just published a fantastic new coloring book filled with original work by a wonderful list of artists. Find it up in the Enjoy section of my sidebar. Small's blog, Smaller, has had an ongoing summer photography project: small moments from two different families over each weekend. Check it out. My "berry picker" is up in this weekend's edition. Thank you everyone at Small!

hopes

She's got her mother's rainboot swagger!

Wow!! Thank you so much for all of your birthday love! Your warm wishes truly helped ease me into this year with a full heart. I shared all of your praise with my son, and he drank it up. Actually, his big head had him floating through the weekend. I took a million pictures over the last few days... and some of the images matched my hopes for this new chapter perfectly. I hope to...

find abundance in each day


see magic everywhere

and believe in it

confidently create... with abandon


walk my own path


juggle (life) joyfully

hmmm... so good to write it down. I'm going to come back to this post when I need a little reminder. Happy Monday, friends!

Here I gooooo!

photo taken by my son last week, as I went to gather dinner in the garden. He's lobbying for his own camera... and making a good case!

I'm off to go eat cake, dance under the stars, drink wine... and turn 40! All with my sweet family and good friends at my side. Doesn't seem so hard, yet! See you in my next decade... ahem... Monday. Happy weekend to you!

stones

I've been painting on stones again. Maybe more like doodling... but it feels good. I have so little time for my own artistic expression this summer. I ache for this kind of time and space... so much so that I'm finding it creeping into my life in unexpected ways. I hadn't planned on stones... they were suddenly in my hand at nap time yesterday. I grabbed my ink and turned away from the the mountain of dishes. The wonderful relief that came with letting my brush move in unexpected ways was amazing.

Are they works of art... well, maybe not... but they are art that works... to keep me open and keep me sane. When my napper awoke, these little stones were incorporated into her afternoon play. Spontaneous goodness in every way.

in the studio with Laura Nelkin

Laura wearing: Tower of Flames

I'm so happy to introduce you to one of my favorite women in the world. Don't you love meeting new friends? Well, go grab a cup (or a wineglass) of something good and settle in for a little chat with Laura Nelkin, an incredibly accomplished knitwear designer who lives down the road from me. Laura's distinct designs have earned her quite a following, and although she remains quiet and humble about her success... I'm her best friend so I get to toot her horn! Laura's incredible creativity, mixed with a keen sense of business, makes her my go-to person for all questions regarding my current projects. It doesn't hurt that she's a sweet, lovely and totally fun person to be with, too. So I'd love to let to share her with you!

-What led you to knitwear design and why is it the perfect medium for your creativity?
I’ve always been a crafter and entrepreneur. My Mom likes to talk about how she sold my woven ribbon barrettes with beads (like these) at her hair dressers when I was 8. After spending my teens, sewing crafting, and working with glass, I ended up going to Cornell University and gained an extensive background in Apparel Design and Textile Science. I hardly ever sew or weave anymore, but when I do, I realize how much knowledge I have stashed away in the recesses of my mind that isn’t being used (right now anyway, but I have plans!) I worked in the apparel industry for a bit and then had my own textile design company. Then my daughter was born, and I starting attending A LOT of play dates. Another mom taught me how to knit and I was hooked, I had found a way to be creative, AND be able to take my “work” with me wherever I went. Oh, and it turns out that designing knitwear is a ginourmous brain twister that exercises my math brain, and I LOVE MATH! Then I discovered that an awesome handpainted yarn company was 6 miles away from my house on country roads. I knocked on their door, and now I am their design director (it’s a dream job.) Knitting: it’s portable, it feels good , it can make your brain hurt (in a good way) and it’s social… perfect for me!-You are considered the lace bead guru/expert... what inspires you about this combination?
Hmm, I wouldn’t consider myself that AT ALL, I feel like such a newbie sometimes… I am constantly learning , and keep realizing just how much I don’t know yet. I am REALLY drawn to texture in my work, the addition of beads with yarn adds another dimension that allows me to stretch the boundaries of texture more than with just yarn. I do, though, try to make sure all of my designs work without beads, as I know bling isn’t for everybody.

Entemology: Laura's extremely popular new pattern. Free at Knitty.

-Do you have a favorite time of day to create?
That's a two-pronged answer. I typically come up with ideas while doing random nothings like taking a shower or washing the dishes, but my best design/work time is when I am ALONE, typically after 10 at night. (This can be really fun in the moment, but a super big bummer the next morning when we have to get up for work/school).

-What are the keys to keeping a balance between your work and family?
I am trying to learn how to “stop” and be aware of myself in each moment. For example, I recently moved my computer out of the kitchen and into a separate room so I have to intentionally walk there to go to work. I still automatically gravitate towards it, but I'm working on making sure I am making the decision to go to it, not just blindly seeking the glow of my screen. I'm also really aware this summer that I am being a “good mother” when I ditch work and go ride our bikes for ice cream, go to the lake on a whim, or catch a play. I am (we are) having a REALLY good time embracing the “good mother” in me!

-What is your favorite tool of your trade?
For work I am torn between my lightweight .25 cent garage sale metal swift, that I use often for winding yarn, and my computer. I have a healthy respect for my computer and in no way want to offend it by forgetting to mention it here!

Laura wearing the Jamie Lee

-Favorite season?
What I really love about seasons is the change, particularly the color. From winter to spring I have these favorite days where everything is this wet, rusty red-brown and you can just tell it wants to explode. All of a sudden, almost hour by hour, little bits of green emerge and in less than a week the grey and brown world we were living in is GREEN... it never ceases to amaze me. But to answer the question, winter. It just feels right to curl up and knit on the couch! Even though knitting is my work, I haven’t gotten over this guilty feeling when I sit down in the middle of the day to knit. In the winter I don’t feel the guilt as much as I do when it's a gorgeous spring day.

-Favorite food?
I love my carbs, but also REALLY love Greek yogurt with peaches or watermelon in it.

-Fave drink?
Coffee (decaf) and red wine, it’s a tie!

Fave article of clothing?
-My jeans… I wear jeans whenever I can!

-Summer reading?
Now:
*The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry: Love, Laughter, and Tears in Paris at the World's Most Famous Cooking School by Kathleen Flinn (for Bookgroup)
*The Zookeeper’s Wife by Diane Ackerman (for Bookgroup)
Soon:
*Girl Who Played with Fire by Steig Larsson
*The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Anne Barrows

I’ll admit that I already read the whole Twilight series this winter (fondly known at my house as vampire crack.)

-Summer listening?
Music- Jonatha Brooke – ready for our road trip to NYC next week to see her? (my 40th birthday present from Laura)
Grassroots is this weekend and I am really excited to see Oumou Sangare with Bela Fleck, and 39 other great bands!
I also decided to listen to the archives of This American Life while I work on a secret design for the Year of Lace Club.

-Two random things most people don't know about you?
1. When I was 18 I toured around the country to see A LOT of Grateful Dead shows (it’s still funny to me that I never met you or my husband, though you two were doing the same thing at the same time!) (yes, I was a dead head!)
2. If I am ever stumped about something I head straight for the shower, 90% of the time I am clear and ready with a solution when I emerge.

Sweet giraffe print by Creative Thursday

Thanks Laura, we're all so lucky to have you as a special guest today. If you've got something on your needles right now... in other words, you knit... head over to check out Nelkin Designs for a full selection of patterns, some new beading tutorials, and a regular dose of Laura at her blog.

summer snacks: fairy berry pies

If your experience is anything like mine, you're probably finding that summer appetites are making you scramble to keep the snacks flowing. I've made it my new goal to have my children creating more of their meals and washing up after themselves. We'll just see how that goes. My four year old really wants to do everything by herself, anyway. She created these bite-sized pies and came up with most of the recipe with very little help.

FAIRY BERRY PIES

Ingredients:
fresh berries
flavored yogurt (we chose strawberry, but vanilla would be good too)
graham crackers
granola
nut butter
honey
fruit juice
mini cupcake liners
note: there are no measurements... just lots of experimenting.

Make:

• CRUSH: graham crackers with a potato masher in a (non-breakable) bowl. Sprinkle in a handful of granola and crush some more
• MIX: several spoonfuls of your favorite nut butter. Add a bit of honey. This part gets good and messy... blend with hands until "crust" sticks together when pinched
• SPLASH: a bit of juice in, if it's still too crumbly.
• PRESS: spoonfuls into lined mini muffin tins
• BAKE: (with assistance from a grown-up) at 350 degrees until golden and crisp.
• DROP: a teaspoon of yogurt on each cooled crust.
• TOP: with fresh berries!

Serve these bite sized pies to very impressed family and friends...

and don't forget to set one out in the garden for the fairies!

So we're off to a good start, but I'm hoping you can help me a little bit. Although I pride myself on healthy and creative options for my family (once upon a time I even thought I'd write a cookbook!), I'm feeling like most of our snackage is the same old stuff these days. We could really use some fresh ideas. Do your children have a favorite snack that's easy for them to prepare... or even one that you make with minimal effort? I'd be forever grateful for your input! I bet we'd all enjoy perusing the comment section if it had lots of new inspiration to munch on. Thank you!