take off and landing

 Happy Monday! I feel so much better entering this week, than I did when last Friday dawned. What I didn't mention  (because it was too painful) was that the current schedule, and various other elements, determined that I wouldn't be with my son on his birthday. At all. Ache. It was super hard on both of us, but yesterday we made up for it with such a splendid day and evening that we're literally bouncing into this new week!

We didn't throw a bash or set of fireworks, we simply shared the day and evening with his two closest friends (and a little sister for his little sister!)... children I've watched grow up, as well. Dinner was a feast of favorites and the birthday cake was the same recipe from my own childhood that has graced most of my children's celebrations, as well. Those candles... yes, they've been around since his beginning! Beneath our family birthday banner we tasted tradition with renewed appreciation for how important and vital continuity is in all of our lives. Never, never underestimate the beauty and significance of repeating unique traditions within your family. When push comes to shove, it's those gifts that are the most valuable. I see that to be so true, right now.

 And a little bit of something handmade, customized specifically to him, was just the love he needed. I mentioned a few weeks ago that my son's room had some reorganization to accommodate the teen scene. Our old sunroom couch moved upstairs, and last week I made some birthday pillows to freshen it up. Aviation continues to be his passion, so planes were a no-brainer. A little freezer paper and textile paint were applied to his favorite fabric (super soft chambray I used for the first travel pillow years ago) before I stitched up a sweet cool set of take off and landing pillows. The Boeing blue print tacked above the couch came from one of my mom's garage sale adventures. Love!

p.s. I was informed (rather sheepishly) that the nose on the left  plane wasn't very realistic, but that he loved me and the pillow just the same. Adore that boy!

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taproot #2

I've always loved the early morning hours before the day gets going, but I enjoy them even more in the summer. The sun is up and waiting for me at the picnic table long before my children roll out of bed. It's some of the only quiet time I have these days, and I savor it with my favorite cup of coffee and bit of good reading. Today I finally had the moment I've been craving with the second issue of Taproot. I know, I know... it took me a good long while, but it was worth the wait. This issue is even more lovely than the first!
Editor, Amanda Blake Soule, understands deeply just what has been missing in the print world for the growing community that respect a life that is slower and closer to home... that seeks sustainability, simplicity, and soul. She's curated (and written) a compilation of articles, recipes, stories and projects that feel like a gathering of old friends that are brimming with new inspiration. I think one of Amanda's gifts is that she truly is that old friend you adore that always has the best ideas. I'm absolutely honored to be included once more.You'll find my Story Staff amidst the pages.

It's a walking stick collaged with foraged treasures from family hikes... and a great summer project for making and taking on your next journey into the wilderness or even just down to your local park trail.

the sweet stuff

It was a bunny filled weekend, that's for sure! Some were made of fruit, two were knit by Laura, several were fingerprinted, and every last little bunny that could be found was gathered up on Saturday night to await for the arrival of jelly beans that were tucked in paws or in between ears.



And a few were taken outside while we did our work- because pockets full of bunnies and treats make the  act of  hammering and picking bouquets that much more magical than they already are.


Hope your weekend was filled with the sweet stuff, too!

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and so it starts...

Good morning! Happy Vernal Equinox! Hello Spring! Welcome new beginnings!

I tiptoed outside this morning and began the day with an egg- to honor the new life and growth that comes with this season... and to bring my grandmother's presence closer to me. I haven't seen her since the fall, and I'm missing  her terribly.  My grandmother made my ultimate comfort food and favorite breakfast as a child. She combined little pieces of buttered toast with tiny bits of  fresh bacon into a little egg cup. It was then topped with a soft boiled egg. I would eat it with a tiny spoon, savoring each bite. To this day, just the thought of it makes me happy. My soft boiled eggs are never quite as good as hers, but I keep trying... my new little egg cup makes all of my attempts delicious anyway.

love to you,

maya

quiet confidence

 Last night my daughter sat in the spotlight, calm and poised, and played flawlessly at her second piano recital. She is, by nature, quiet and shy in public. It was a monumental moment of growth for her. "I didn't even shake this time... it was easy!" Wow... hearing those words pour out of her beaming mouth was blissful. I want her to grow up to feel powerful and confident... brave and strong... beautiful and unique. During her evening performance she embodied all of those qualities at once. She's only seven. How I wish I could bottle it all up for the future, when life gets more complicated.  But we can't do that, can we? Parenting is tricky business. Guiding and watching, we find our way too... right alongside our children. Sometimes we are the teachers, more often than not it is they who show us the way.

from california to the new york island

Jonatha Brooke debuted a new single at last week's show- a new rendition of the classic, This Land isYour Land. As Woody Guthrie and America's most famous folk song... it was a perfect way to honor him. Her interpretation is gorgeous, fresh and with an entirely new twist... you can find it on on itunes right here.

By the first verse the tears were streaming down my cheeks. My mother sang it to me constantly when I was little.. it was our song (along with the rest of the country). She and I had left Long Island when I was a baby and moved out to San Francisco.

From California to the New York Island...

For years, I had thought my mom made up that line just for us. She always sang folk songs to me... most of which were ones that she learned at summer camp in the 50's with none other than Pete Seeger! She went to Camp Woodland in the Catskill Mountains, a very special place steeped in folk music and the beginnings of social change. It's a huge part of her story, but I didn't think I'd be writing much about it when I began this post. My search for links lead me down a wonderful path. In order to link up Camp Woodland, I discovered their fairly new website... the sidebar had a section with photos. Now wouldn't you want to see if there were any old and long forgotten photos of your mother as a child... and teen? I certainly did! Within seconds, I was staring at a girl that was about the same age as my son... and most certainly her!

Since my mother was at work, I called her little sister- my aunt, Amy. "Is this mom!?" She was practically speechless... not only was it definitely my mom, but as she looked at the other pictures, she said "Did you know I went there too? I went to Camp Woodland when I was little! I recognize these people and the cabins and....". Can you imagine being able to go back in time 50 years? That's just how she felt... suddenly transported.

With this new information, I went scouring through the archives like a madwoman looking for a tiny Amy... and I struck gold! I'm getting goosebumps as I write this... here is my mother teaching her little sister how to float on her back.

When I saved the picture to my computer to send to my aunt, I saw the imbedded title. The name of the girl standing in front (an old long forgotten camp friend) and my mother's name. The little mysterious floater... well, I knew just who that was! Unlike today, where we're all snapping pictures every second, this photo was taken at a time when folks savored their film and only took a few select shots.The sweet girl posing was aware of the lens focused on her, but my mother and her little sister never knew this photo existed until now, 50 years later. There is something extra poignant in their candidness, don't you think? What an amazing gift, to go back somewhere so dear, when you didn't think you could. And it all came from one song, This Land is Your Land, which I'm listening to right now, as I type. Thank you Jonatha.

p.s. I will write more about Camp Woodland some day soon- it was an extraordinary place at a very volatile time in American history.
p.p.s. I promise to return tomorrow with some craftiness, but I just had to share these photos with you first... I couldn't get them out of my head. And I knew you'd appreciate them, because that's just how you are!

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a mother's work

I really enjoyed the discussion that came out of my last post. I think it leads very nicely into sharing a little bit about the creative work my mother does today. She is still a nursery school teacher throughout most of the year, but when she has time off she comes to us... and her barn down the road, which is shown above in all its winter glory (not this snow-less one, I'm afraid). I've shared about it countless times, but for anyone new to maya*made, I think you'll enjoy grabbing a cup of tea and checking out the photos and links over at flickr barn set or reading through the barn archives. The barn is the first home that she has ever owned. Her dream had always been to live in her very own studio.  After years of renting tiny places and having little room for her collections and creative space, this barn became her biggest and greatest canvas over the past four years. So when I spoke about how we can use our homes as our galleries and studios, my mother's journey was at the forefront of my mind. She doesn't have small children surrounding her (at home,at least) anymore. There is finally a little time to actually make art. I've been trying to get her to document her mixed media work and bricolage diy projects for some time, but in the mean time here are a couple of pieces I shot recently. They were created (mostly) this summer in and around grandchildren. I placed them on her stairwell for display. The crew of puppets above seemed like a supportive audience. (That monkey on the right was mine when I was little!)

Not surprisingly, found materials are her constant muse.




I'm in love with each of them and marvel at the ease she has with assembling odd bits and bringing them to life. As you can probably see, I am her biggest fan and loudest cheerleader. And isn't that what we all might hope for as we creatively raise our children?

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ease=joy

What if it wasn't so hard... so tricky... so fancy... so busy... so much? What if December was actually about discovering simple, easy, slow, free? Mmmmmm. Yes.  I talk about this each year as a reminder to myself, as well as to you. My mantra for this season is always "simplify". Maybe you're thinking... oh that's easy for you... your life looks so tidy. Well, the reality is my Decembers are just as busy as anyone's... two birthdays, three holidays, recitals, gatherings... you name it, it's on our calendar*. But each year, I try to find at least one new way to scale back. Our count down calendar has been a phenomenal success and perfect example of how EASE is another name for JOY. Thankfully, my children were very flexible about shifting the focus to celebrating new or favorite family traditions each day. How I've worded every activity and set our intention for togetherness has made all the difference. The four of us gather round and truly have fun together. So far, cracking open a gorgeous red pomegranate has been the highlight. Who knew? Red sticky fingers and tons of giggles. I mean it doesn't get much easier! So, with that in mind... I urge you to think about what your family truly needs to make this a memorable season.

p.s. We've also loved our other count down activities which have included:
1-Making our very own snow to welcome in December"  with snowflakes found here.
2-Toasting to good cheer- with sparkling cider in wineglasses for everyone.
3-Stuffing dried apricots with chocolate-an easy favorite.
4-Sipping hot cocoa by the fire with candy cane stirrers (we buy these at our health food store).

Easy stuff! Right?  I bet you have some too- simple family traditions that make happiness not stress. Please consider sharing one in the comments... I'm sure we'd all love to hear!

I'll be bringing back my simple gift series this week...so  stay tuned!

* editor's note: after a funny phone call with a good friend, I'm adding in another slice of my reality!

• A ceiling tile in our main bathroom fell to the floor. Yikes! It's still being held in place with duct tape and a piece of cardboard, two weeks later.
• I was recruited to sew huge fabric "floats" for my daughter's class play. They need to be done TOMORROW.
• My studio floor is so cluttered that there have been two (minor) injuries from tripping in the last 24 hours.
• Our stove burners all rusted out simultaneously. Waiting for parts has meant cooking with only one burner sparingly... for a week so far.

So"simplify" it is. Thanks N, for reminding me to keep it real and share the whole story..

NYC

You may have imagined us having a very simple Thanksgiving down our quiet road. Not at all! We often head down to my husband's family in the the city for a boisterous gathering that is always delicious and quite a departure from our everyday. From watching the sun rise over the east river with a fresh bagel in hand...

to enjoying The High Line  with very soft front row seats...



It's fun to shift gears for a while and give our children a taste of a very different lifestyle... with lots of cousins at their side. Hope yours was wonderful weekend, too!

fall flames

It was just my kind of weekend. Saturday was cold and gray. The kind of day where the wood stove cranks, and we all find ways to do our work close by. We burn wood three out of the four seasons, and the very best part is how my family gathers together. My son would definitely be up in his room doing homework if not for the cozy temptation of the fire. My daughter set up a new mini crafting table and set to work. My husband folded the laundry as close as possible, and even though I did sweep the entire house... I mostly just circled the stove!

 

The following day was filled with gorgeous blue skies and a different kind of autumn fire(the glorious maples)... and out we tumbled to bask in our other favorite kinds of flames...

Stop on back tomorrow, my daughter will be sharing a little how to...

flying

Thank you all for your birth*day wishes for my boy teenager! I just wanted to share a few words and pictures from what can only be described as transformational... for both child and parents.

Giving our son the opportunity to live out a dream and literally fly above his everyday world was the perfect right of passage.

above our beloved Taughannock Falls

I thought that I would be terrified and paralyzed left on the ground. I was so wrong. The sight of him in such a place of strength and joy was beyond anything I had anticipated. Bliss.

My brave husband was tucked into the tiny backseat, the pilot sat beside him, but for most of the flight... that boy of mine FLEW!! Helping to give birth to your child's dream is powerful medicine, indeed!

*Note: This was a Discovery Flight (could it have been more aptly named?) with the East Hill Flying club. Read about it here.
Julie left an amazing comment in the last post about Harris Hill Soaring Center, and we will be investigating it further. Thank you Julie!

wings

Thirteen years ago my first child came into the world. From his very first moments he began teaching me lessons I didn't even know I had to learn. This boy of ours continues to be one of our greatest teachers. I'm so grateful for his brilliance, enthusiasm, curiosity, and sensitivity. Embarking on raising a teen feels a bit like those early days of parenting when the world looked so new and we desperately hoped that we'd get it right. Luckily, he can talk now... and let us know what he needs.

Today we will celebrate his birth with his favorite chocolate cake (that's in the oven!) and honor his growth by letting him fly... literally. He has been passionate about flight and planes since he was two. His walls are covered with air crafts. He speaks a language that only pilots truly understand. Today, if the weather holds out, that airplane-lover will get into a cockpit of a 4 seater that is not parked in a museum, but on a real runway. With the assistance of the pilot, he'll fly over our town and the lake he knows so well. Oh sweet boy... we give you your wings! Happy Birthday!

picking and printing

Last night we went to the farm so that I could gather armfuls of flowers for my botanical printing class. The first of the fall raspberries were in and it blossomed into a gorgeous and delicious way to spend our last evening together before we all depart. My son is off on his own outdoor adventure this week and the packing for our separate journeys has been monumental. But I'm almost there! My last bit of making happened in a flurry last night and these printed linen sachets are now filled with lavender. I downloaded some perfect inspiration for the road, and now I'm off to fly through the last little details. Can't wait to see some of you soon!

planning, plotting, and packing

You, my friends, are my pause today. Deep thanks! Sitting down to say hello with my very large vat of coffee (yes, caffeine is back!) will possibly be the only time I'm still all day. As exciting as it is to venture off into the wilds without my clan... my, does it take a lot of sensitive and strategic planning. The lists run off pages and onto envelopes and the backs of receipts. I gather them all into my "ready, set, go notebook"... which sounds much less ominous then my previous name for it: "the departure notebook".  It's a special journal that I keep my master lists for each time I travel to Squam Art Workshops. It includes everything I need for teaching, vending and most importantly... what needs to happen to ready my family for  when the house manager, head chef, nurse, therapist, librarian, house cleaner (hmm... not always the best one), and chauffeur go on leave. Luckily my husband takes on these roles with ease, and my children are growing so capable... but you better believe the fridge is stocked and there are multiple charts at the front door! The quiet gift to all of this plotting and planning? There is a deeper appreciation for the little things that I do each day. I bet if we all wrote down the varied things we manage and do in a single week, there would be a collective WOWZA! What superheroes and powerhouses we all are!

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Below you'll find a small sampling of my sewing for the art fair on Saturday night. Since everything I make is one of a kind, documentation feels so important. In the feverish pitch of last minute this and thats, it sometimes gets overlooked. Once again, may I praise the ease and convenience of my dear helper- Instagram and my trusty iphone! I'll be posting photos directly to twitter when not blogging them this week... I want to bring YOU with me!  And if you live anywhere near Holderness, New Hampshire please do come by for an introduction and a hug. I'd love the opportunity for us to meet and for you to see the beauty of Squam Lake for yourself... and if you're in the market for some repurposed coffee sacks, I'll have dozens and dozens of GOOD wares!

melancholy monday

 Good morning friends!
Hope today finds you dry, safe and well. Although the sun is shining brightly right now, yesterday's storm kept us cozy inside with a pot of soup and a cake in the oven... a definite taste of the cooler months ahead. Summer is coming to a close.We said goodbye to my mother after her long and wonderful stay. Heartbreaking for each of us. And now I get ready to say goodbye to the long leisurely mornings for my children and all of the other dreamy, slow qualities of this season. This is my last full week of having them home with me, and I intend to soak it up.
This weekend I found myself:

staring at their happy bare toes and sun-kissed shoulders

and

inhaling their tousled hair scented with the perfume of days spent outdoors

I'm etching into memory how they look and smell and feel in my arms right this moment, because come October we cover up to keep warm. The next time I'll see my children so wild and free, they will be that much bigger. Oh, the ache that comes from watching a life unfold. A longing to slow it down. Please. This photo captures so much for me that I struggle to find the words... I think it's that feeling we all get when we observe someone we love while they are unaware. The full depth of our love washes over us for a moment like a big sigh.

And this gorgeous bouquet? It's the last one my mother picked at the farm... beautiful just like her. I think I'll head over to the barn and scoop it up for my own kitchen table before the petals droop too much.

Oh, the bittersweetness of a life full of love. I DO feel very blessed even (or maybe especially) in the midst of my melancholy Monday.
Ah, I think I just figured out the title to this morning's post...
xox,
Maya

summer postcards #15 birthday wishes

Today my sister turns one year older...  she's such a wonderful mother, loving woman and as gorgeous inside as out. She is also... STILL... my first baby girl! Happy Birthday!

If you were here, we would greet you with banners and laughter...

bouquets of just picked flowers...

and bowl upon bowl of fresh summer goodness! Missing you so much... especially today! So grateful for this virtual world that can bridge oceans miles instantly!