12/12/12 sale!

Come on by my shop at noon when the shelves start filling up... and then help me EMPTY them! I'll have a lovely assortment of printed and stitched goods, many of them will only be $12. Each one is made by me just for you (or someone you love). I'll also have signed copies of  Reinvention 12% off. It's going to be fun! Prices are subject to change after today, the 12th, so seize the moment!

lace and eggs

 This weekend we'll be dying a dozen or so eggs in our typical child-focused fashion. But I've been craving a different kind of decorating, as well. I hoped for a few very simple eggs that didn't disguise the shell's natural pigment (which would be especially lovely for blue and green eggs, but brown were what we had). After blowing out three, I wrapped them in lace ribbons. I tried several different widths, but the thinner was by far the best way to go. One was a remnant of an old pillow case, the other a vintage find, and the blue is my new French ribbon from Sonia.

A few stitches to the back attached the two ends in place and a dot of glue keeps it from sliding off.

Pretty*Simple*Easy

Here are two other alternatives to dying that you might enjoy:
spice eggs from Ella
crocheted eggs from Anne 

What are your favorite egg decorating techniques and traditions? I'd love to hear...

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natural window cleaner (new and improved)

Happy April! Who's ready for some spring cleaning? I've been attacking one big cleaning project after another. Yesterday my dirty windows were calling. I always use a little water and vinegar in a spray bottle, but I made up a new recipe that I'm excited to share with you. After hearing that a smidge of cornstarch kept the streaks away, I thought I'd add a little to my usual mixture. In order to dissolve the cornstarch, I used hot water. I had never cleaned windows with anything but cold water, and I was super impressed with the difference the temperature made on getting the job done. So here's my natural recipe for sparkling windows...

Window Cleaner

1. Pour hot tap water and white vinegar directly into a spray bottle with a ratio of 2:1 (hot h20/vinegar)
2. Add 1/4 teaspoon of cornstarch.
3. Shake.
4. Spray while water is still warm if possible. Use lint free rags for the first few swipes across the glass and then finish off with a crumpled piece of newspaper.

Here's to seeing with total clarity... and clean windows, too!

magnolias and making

Our magnolia tree blooms every year during Earth Day... not so for 2012. Its early blossoms confirmed just how ahead of schedule we are.

The forsythia are following closely at its heels... and I'm so inspired to get get going on some fresh new tutorials and projects for this season. In the meantime, here are some lovely ideas from springs gone by. Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend!

baby clothespin bunny

Branch Brooch

leaf cuff

spring basket

spring faves

Over the weekend there were plenty of favorites: bare feet, constant meals outdoors, busy clotheslines, good and messy art,  baby leaves, too early daffodils, endless swinging, and lots of digging...





And in the final hours, there was even some sewing! I did it! Yes sirree!

My new spring bag is indeed strong and beautiful... and exactly what I had hoped for. Not always the outcome when you sew without a plan or pattern, which makes me love it all the more. Happy Monday friends!

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memories

Gathered reminders of summer...

snow

Our green winter turned white this morning! Wahoo! Now, I wish all I had to do today was feed the fire, but there are appointments and schedules that need tending. There are windshields to be scraped and slushy roads to be traveled. Winter is gorgeous when you don't have to go anywhere. Boo.

So glad the weekend is almost here. I intend to make soup, bake cookies, play board games, and sew something cozy as soon as possible. Mmmm, doesn't that sound just right?  How about you... what do you intend to do with your weekend?

wrap it up

We've always enjoyed creative and green gift wrapping, but last year I had big plans for making drawstring cloth bags for all of our family presents. I gathered up my material that felt festive and cheery. Stacks of red and white scraps and yardage sat on my work table with high hopes of seeing seams and drawstring channels. And there they sat, as slippers, buckets, and the like got sewn. As the big day loomed, I acknowledged that it wasn't to be... but maybe that was for the best. Simply wrapping presents up with those piles of fabric kept my options open. No cutting or sewing allowed me to keep some beautiful yardage that I'd rather save in one piece. It also inspired me to get creative with other materials that I wasn't ready to cut up. Out came vintage napkins and tea towels.. such perfect sizes for wrapping! The children struggled with using only yarn on some of the odd shaped packages. A little tape came to the rescue. Last year worked out so well, that we'll be following suit this week. We'll use the large pieces for big items and fold scraps to size for smaller presents. No scissors! The pile above is a photo taken on Christmas morning 2010... the happy aftermath. Later we rolled up the yarn, saved the tags, and folded the fabric to go back on the shelf. It didn't take long with everyone's help. Below is the after shot- neat and tidy.

I'll be making some more tags like these... they make me happy! Yesterday my daughter and her friend had a wonderful time making little watercolor snowflakes to top presents and just to give.

I helped them punch 2" flakes out of watercolor paper. They added glitter glue after the paint... which diluted the paint, but they didn't care. Glitter is essential.

If you're looking for wrapping options, it really doesn't have to be complicated, nor involve scissors and thread.  Napkins, tablecloths, and pieces of fabric are all you really need. Tie it up with ribbons and yarn. Add handmade gift tags and you'll be set! This works for everyone on your giving list, but especially for those presents that stay right at home.

herb gift toppers

I've been topping some of my gifts with fresh herbs. It looks festive, smells wonderful, and can be put to use in holiday cooking.

Tuck  a bundle onto a package wrapped with baker's twine or lace. If you don't have any greens of your own, check your grocery store for fresh rosemary, sage, and thyme- a wonderful and classic combo. The two latter herbs need to be added right before giving, as they'll begin to wilt.

Rosemary is quite sturdy, on the other hand. Tie some to a gift bag for instant cheer. Below is an easy way to wrap with rustic, reusable appeal in three easy steps.

1. Pull out several strands of jute from each short end of  a long burlap rectangle (to create a fringe).
2. Fold in half lengthwise. Sew up the sides and lock stitches. 
3. Insert a gift and secure with twine and fresh herbs.   

Have a wonderful weekend!

simple gifts: yule log tray

I have a new wooden tray.  I just made it a few minutes ago and love it! The idea came to me as I gathered firewood to bring inside. I realized that a flat slab from a log would make a lovely rustic centerpiece for holding candles and such. The rounded underside needed a base to make it steady. Fallen branches from our kindling pile looked just right. I collected some supplies and whipped it up. The end result is so pretty that I might just enlist my kids to make some more for giving. That's right... this is an ideal carpentry project for children (or woodworking novices) because there are very few steps and only two simple hand tools are needed.

Supplies:

• flat slab of firewood/log
• 2 branches of similar diameter (around 1")
• hand saw
• hammer
• nails
• sandpaper
• vegetable oil and rag (optional)

Make

1. Sand the rough hewn side of the the log just enough to smooth out edges and prevent splintering. I rubbed a little vegetable oil on the surface at this point. Optional, of course.
2. Saw the branches to equal lengths. Make them both a little longer than the width of the log.
3. Rest the log on branches and determine the steadiest spot for their placement.
4. Turn over and nail in place. I found that a single nail in the center of each branch was the most stable spot for attachment.

Done! That was quick, wasn't it?

A dusting of snow on our picnic table looked  like a romantic spot for a winter picnic... so I rounded up my candles and pretty greenery along with my camera.

What a perfect centerpiece for any winter celebration!

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..

counting down with a december map

Since 2008, I've had a blast creating count down/advent calendars out of the unassuming, and quite humble, toilet paper tube. This year we will "roll" out one the three sets to revisit. I'm thinking 2010 strung as a garland. If you'd like to try your hand at one, they're quite fun to make and easy to adapt for plenty of child participation.
2010
2009
2008

The t.p. tubes I've been saving all year will definitely take on some holiday transformations, perhaps as ornaments... I'm in the very fun experimental stage, but will share soon.

Every year we count down to Christmas with a combination of treats, time tickets, and clues. I will be completely honest, I often don't know what it will be until the night before. Sometimes it feels like a mad scramble. This year we're switching things up to simplify life as well as to appreciate living simply during this busy season. Each night and weekend morning my children will find a slip of paper with an activity that celebrates the magic of this month. I am working on my list right now and making sure that each one corresponds accordingly with what I already know of our calendar. For instance, building ginger bread houses will happen on a Sunday vs. a school day with piano lessons. Just common sense, but I'm finding that the process is a bit like mapping out this month that has the potential to overwhelm me. Here's what I've got going on so far... I'm still playing with the dates:

1. cut paper snowflakes and tape them to the windows
2. make hot cocoa with candy cane stirrers
3. bring in evergreen boughs
4. bake cookies
5. hang stockings
6. fold paper stars
7. string cranberries and popcorn
8. decorate sugar cookies
9. gather unused toys to share with others
10. go tree hunting
11. Make gingerbread houses
12. decorate the tree 
13. make edible decorations for the birds and squirrels
14. read Christmas stories
15. sing carols
16. make salt dough ornaments
17. make a card (or two) and send it to someone special
18. Daddy's birthday choice 
19. poach pears
20. roll beeswax candles
21. have a candlelit evening (and an unplugged night)
22. roast chestnuts and take a drive into the village to see the lights

So much of what has made it to the list are things we do every year. Much anticipated traditions. I've seen my share of activity advent calendars over the years, but I had no idea what a sense of comfort and rhythm they create for the organizer. My December map! (I can almost here the sound of trumpets!) Are you ready to transition into next month, yet? Here we go...

editor's note: I was waiting all day for my friend Sonia to put up her count down activity list... she has inspired me for years with her wonderful December projects.  It's up now, so got take a look here!

simple nature wreath

Look what I gathered beneath dark clouds. They were wrapped around the branches of one of our locusts and when I yanked, they fell to the ground in one round coil. These wild grapevines were begging to be this year's wreath. I listened to them.

They asked to be tied gently but firmly with garden jute so that they could keep their nice circular shape. The strands of jute invited dried seeds, rose hips, and spiky thistles to be tucked in between the strands. A gorgeous skeleton of a tomatillo husk stuck to the thistles like velcro.

Pine cones were secured between a few vines and it was done. Wow! This was my easiest and most satisfying wreath to date. It might just be the prettiest one, too.

What do you have lying about... whether it be in your recyling bin, scrap basket, or backyard? If you listen to the materials and honor their properties, I bet you'll find a simple and lovely wreath just waiting to be made.

oak

Nothing like getting out into the woods. If you live near by, the upper gorge trail at Taughannock is worth hiking: right now. Laura goes several times a week and recently gave a great tour here. Yesterday we walked, ran, and rolled in miles of oak leaves. There were so many varieties we couldn't help but gather and share our favorites. Look at the beauty of each step we took!

Some inevitably came home.

To identify...

And to craft with. All of our maples are long gone, but these freshly fallen oak leaves promise a last chance for more leaf crafting.We have our favorite projects: water colored fall leaves and a fall bunting, but it's fun to try out at least one new idea each year. I'm particularly excited to experiment with Jean's technique for doodling on and preserving leaves. And when we're done with leaves, we may move right on to pine cones and other gathered bits with our nature wreath making. I'm loving the deep and subdued hues of November more than ever this year. I hope you get a chance to walk in the woods soon... whatever season it may be in your neighborhood.

seasons- the book

On a beautiful summer day, I opened this utterly captivating children's book called Seasons. My mother had placed it invitingly in a quiet corner by a window. Her good friends had brought it as a gift, knowing that she would appreciate the beautiful design and incredible illustrations by French artist Blexbolex. It captivated all of us, adults and children alike, with each simple, yet evocative page. If you live amidst the seasons, each picture tastes of something familiar. Every page represents an archetypal image of the rhythms of the year and cycles of nature. When we are knee deep in summer or winter, it's often hard to feel anything other then the heat of the dog days or the chill of frozen breath. I lived without seasons for most of my life, so I can't seem to get over the extremes of where I live today- the beauty (and sometimes intensity) of waking up to a first snow or watching an early crocus open. There are just so many "firsts" when there are seasons. I marvel at each of these beginnings as if I've never seen them before. Some I excitedly wait for, others come before I'm ready.

But come they do... and although it may feel like we are just along for nature's ride, we don't have to be a captive audience. Diving into each month with the work and play that represent the turning of the calendar has its thrills. For instance, today we dusted off the ice skates. In November? Why yes, ice skating lessons begin in early November around here. Ice skates made me think of this book, and reminded me that I had yet to share it with you.

Let's peek inside:

When I was looking for a link and some info about the book, I discovered this little video that I think you'll enjoy!