winter postcards #5 Charlotte

Winter Postcards: a series of snapshots capturing this magical time of year
Format: Instagram (follow username for sneak peeks)

My daughter wished for a doll... a cloth doll... the kind Laura Ingall's had. Her name would be Charlotte just like Laura's, and she would have long hair... and arrive on Christmas morning. She had it all planned out. I've only made a couple of dolls (remember Lucie?), but this is just the kind of challenge I love... and also the kind I find myself doing in the wee hours of Christmas eve/morn. These manic midnight making sessions are not destined to be my finest crafting moments, but certainly some of the more memorable ones. I created a quick pattern, drawing inspiration from Erika's dolls. Her woolen hair was the only brown yarn I had and is so thick, I think they're a bit more like dreads. I will work on hair for the next doll... and there will most certainly be another. Charlotte needs a friend. I love the process and would enjoy having a bit more time with the next. And we certainly have enough gorgeous clothes. She fits all of Grandma Bunny's vintage outfits and is sized just right for some very spiffy linen doll clothes I picked up at a Flax garage sale last spring. Isn't that dress perfect? Have you made a doll before? Do you have a favorite pattern? How about clothes? Can you hear the little girl in me coming out? Yes, doll making seems to tap right into my child self.

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Wild Apples

I woke up this morning thinking about holiday gifts. Before anyone woke up, I tiptoed downstairs and made a list for my family and friends... and a new one: for my shop. I'm working on some patterns that I think you'll enjoy for your own gift making. More details soon. In the meantime, my favorite toymaker came to mind. I did a post about him in the very early days of my blog, so I thought I'd bring it back for you to enjoy today. He's truly amazing. May I present you with...

I recently discovered a modern day Geppetto living down the road. Geppetto was the famous toymaker who brought Pinocchio to life. Gunther Keil, of Wild Apples, has been making beautiful crafted natural toys from wood for over thirty years. When I first visited his toyshop/studio, I felt like I was stepping into a page from a storybook. The walls were neatly lined with all his whimsical creations and there sat Gunther at his workbench, looking every bit the magical elf you'd expect to create such beautiful toys.
In this day and age of plastic and disposable, where most items available to our children are mass produced, how wonderful to find lovingly handcrafted toys using non-toxic finishes, local woods, and green energy. Back to the present. I now consider Gunther one of my friends, not just someone I admire and I can tell you this: he's the real thing. True to himself and heartfelt in all that he makes. Here's a little bit more of his story, I'm sure you'll see his spirit shining through!
My long standing favorites are these gorgeous banks.

I'm sure my daughter would go crazy over this Kitten Caboodle.


Just so you know, this post is unsolicited... as much as I enjoy promoting someone wonderful just for the sheer pleasure of it... I'm also thinking of all of you. Wild Apples toys has something in every price range (seriously reasonable for handmade wooden toys!) and ship all over the world. Plus, I have a suspicion that many of you love natural toys for gift giving, too. Mama Goose carries Wild Apple toys if you're local. If not, you can go directly to their website:
Wild Apples

bed board

We made a sweet discovery yesterday! Allergies had gotten the best of me on Sunday night, and Monday morning I arrived at the barn exhausted. My daughter was still in her pajamas, so my mom tucked us both into bed. Ahhh, the rare opportunity of being both mother and daughter. My girl was ready for action long before I was, and gathered a bunch of blocks and little cars to play with amidst the hills and valleys of the blankets. My mother recognized the need for a sturdy play surface and went to find a tray of sorts. A lot of chalkboard projects are happening in the barn kitchen, so she happened to have a portable black board on hand... even better than a tray! Soon we had roads, a pond... an entire village was built. I suddenly got my second wind, and the perfect "stuck in bed-boredom-buster-board" was born!
Think of all the open-ended play opportunities this one tool will afford. We're getting out the farm animals next time. I'll make certain to have one on hand before the cold and flu season hits. You can buy a ready-made chalkboard or create your own with a light-weight piece of wood covered in chalkboard paint. Don't you think these would make wonderful gifts with a little basket of vehicles?

barn studio and collections 2

Just a few more peeks at my mother's extensive collection of vintage toys in the barn studio. She grew up in a nursery school and became a nursery school teacher, herself. Not a big surprise that she finds so much inspiration in children's playthings of yesterday.


Being a seasoned traveler, toys from other countries also fascinate my mother.

As you can imagine, my four year old is in absolute heaven in the studio. Every art supply at her disposal and intriguing toys every where she turns... each with a story to tell. The vintage dolls are her favorite.

This baby is always seated at the top of the steps to greet her. I love knowing that she is being introduced to dolls from a more innocent time... when little girls were not expected to grow up so fast.

One of the finest articles about the barn went live today on the Storque (Etsy). My mother and I are so honored to be in the SPOTLIGHT. The author, Christine really seems to get what this space is all about. If you've ever looked at one of my barn posts and longed for something in one of the photos... Christine has come up with an amazing line-up of Etsy finds to get that barn look. Please head over there, it's so much fun! Thank you so much, Christine!

happy december!

I can't believe it's the 1st! Your wonderful wishes fed me the entire Thanksgiving weekend. I'd like to share a bunch of things with you this Monday morning. You may remember hearing me talk about my new organic line a few weeks back. I invested in some incredible organic cotton to make beautiful gifts and new items for my shop. I pre-washed one yard to gauge shrinkage and to experiment with some new ideas. That beautiful yard of fabric sat and sat in my studio. I just couldn't make the first cut. Has that ever happened to you? You have something new and lovely, and it's just so hard to open it up and use it. I came up with a plan. I decided that I had to turn every scrap of that yard into something: My One Yard Challenge! When I told my friend, Margie, what I was up to, she immediately thought of the beautiful book Something from Nothing, by Pheobe Gilman. I'm so glad that she reminded me, because this is one of my family's all-time favorite books, and I can't recommend it enough. It's the story of a little boy and his grandfather, a tailor. the grandfather makes him a beautiful blanket when he is born. As he grows and the blanket wears, the grandfather creates new life from what is left. He turns the blanket into a jacket, later a vest, a tie, and then a cloth covered button... it's a beautifully illustrated book with a very special message about resourcefulness and the fullness of life...

Everything in the above photo is made from my one yard of white organic cotton fabric. This is also a little introduction to some of the things I will be selling in my shop. I had so much fun figuring out ways to make tiny items out of my scraps.

So, come on in and take a closer look at the little stuff. These will be part of my gift giving this year:

- mini partridge and a pear tree ornaments stuffed with smaller scraps
-a little bird/dove zig-zagged with raw edges and a little quilting
- my first attempt at fabric covered buttons with hand stenciling... I'm addicted and wish I had time to make buttons all day!


More about the Elephant at the end of this post.

These three toddler totes were so fun to make and will be going in the shop next week.


Each one has French seams and the handles are reinforced. They are just right for a young child to pack up with toys and a snack... or to take it on a nature walk and fill it with treasures. My daughter has made it clear that she'd like each one... so they have the little person's seal of approval. I guess I'll be making more! The best part: they can be thrown in the washing machine.

Mark your calendars for December 8th! I've had so many requests for more burlap buckets. I've decided to do a big shop party a week from today. Well, not really a party... but I'll do a huge listing of all different kinds of burlap buckets, organic cotton buckets (that have the wonderful feature of being washable), some of what you've seen today and many holiday gifts! I'm really excited and would love you to come by. I'll be giving sneak peeks throughout this week.

And now, about that sweet baby elephant and the little bucket... if you fly over to The Crafty Crow right now, you can read all about them. You can also enter the give-away and WIN THEM! Yes, another Give-Away! Click here to find out more!

There are so many fun things happening today! if you have a chance, don't miss the grand opening of Margie's new Etsy shop, KNITALATTE at4pm EST!

Have a great start to your week... and to December!

sew and tell

My children have always loved what I've made for them...they're my fan club and inspiration, all in one. But I must admit, the wonderful praise you've been singing has me dancing around the house...and my appreciation is so much bigger than a simple "thank you"!

This sleeping matryoshka doll is my new favorite print and I'm certain it will be followed up with more variations. I'm having sooooo much fun!



This little girl of mine is having a hard time letting me share with you (my sweet, typical 3 year old) and I can't help but smile...it signifies a success. She's very particular. She didn't even want it up on the clothes line...just wanted it on. She wore her new nightie until lunch time!


This night shirt was upcycled from her big brother's out grown long sleeve shirt.

Here's that owl I was telling you about. After seeing the owl T-shirt, my daughter so wanted a little owl baby of her own...this is from a rejected print on linen, but she loves him and puts him under her pillow to sleep.

After the owl baby was "born", my daughter quietly went into my studio and pointed to the exact fabric she'd love the mommy owl to be made from. Babies need mothers, after all. This mama owl is a bit psychedelic, but the eyes are really from the same print and I think it works in a wild sort of way. That girl is quite the designer.

Whether you're cooking, making, sewing, playing...I hope you have a wonderful and creative weekend!

she's off to australia!

I just finished this elephant for "Softies for Mirabel", a charitable auction for an Australian organization. Mirabel supports the children of families affected by substance abuse, and to find out more about them go to www.mirabelfoundation.com. My elephant's name is Ella Bella, and I will be sending her off on an adventure to Australia. She will go directly to Meetmeatmikes and live in their window display with so many other wonderful softie creations, as they await to be bid upon at the end of July. Click here to see the increasing group of softies arriving in their flikr pool. Ella Bella is made of oatmeal colored linen with polka dot (Amy Butler) accents on her blanket, ears, and feet...and two little felted wool circles. She was the first sewing project in my new studio space. I haven't made an elephant in months and it felt great to make one for a worthy cause.

You were all so enthusiastic about my mom's barn in the last post...thank you! I love being able to share such a fun and exciting project...I promise not to disappoint. We stopped over yesterday with a couple of odds and ends (that she had stored in my garage this winter) and I'll try to post some initial interior shots...before we begin to unpack.

the goose hatched!!!

Well...it quietly happened on Monday morning. Kelly Moreland (pictured above), founder and owner, opened the doors to the brand new location of her very popular children's resale shop, Mama Goose. There had been several weeks when the little Goose was closed as it transitioned over to the greatly expanded new site. The regular customers didn't need a huge grand opening announcement...they'd been hovering around the front doors for days with many "when, oh when will you open?!" So, this initial soft opening had quite a turn out. I stopped in on Tuesday...not as a designer, but as a shopper. My growing nine year old needed new shorts...and with Mama Goose's expansion, comes more stock in older children's clothing...hurray! There was a constant (moving) line at the check out...
I loved watching the expressions on everyone's face when they walked in through the front doors...total amazement... it's an incredible transformation, if I do say so myself! The windows, which had been covered during the entire "make-over", were flooded with sunshine. It's quite a thrill seeing some of my little touches incorporated into every corner. In the following shot of the tween section, note the bunting in the window and the floor cushions. Underneath the window benches, made from recycled crates, are galvanized locker bins filled with chapter books and modern light fixture was a craigslist find. you can click on any picture for a close-up.



I even got immediate great feedback on the baby wall ...from a mother who was so grateful to be able to put her infant in a safe spot adjacent to her, as she shopped. Her baby gave the best compliment of all...she didn't want to stop spinning those wooden shapes or touching the sensory frames!
Kelly is such a visionary, and we worked so well together as we put the new design into effect. She is definitely my favorite brainstorming partner, and I feel a bit wistful as this project comes to a close. Might need to call you, Kelly, when I choose colors for my studio...how can I ever look at paint chips without you, again!? Helping to design the new Mama Goose has bee a turning point in my creative life, and I'm thrilled to have helped someone make their dream a reality! Congratulations, Kelly!

stone dolls

Well it's official, I'm completely smitten with stone painting! They are such a perfect little canvas! Holding a little part of the earth seems to ground and inspire me all at once... mmm...smooth stone in hand and time disappears. Last night I could have painted dolls until the sun came up...but I knew the price to be paid was too steep! Thursday mornings are a flurry of activity around this place...a little sleep helps. When I collected these stones at the lake on Monday, I had no idea that I'd be needing more...so soon! I think I see another Father's Day project happening this afternoon...whoops! Hope you're not reading this, sweet husband... who feels like I've traded him in for a pile of rocks!

As much as I've loved creating stone dolls, my daughter has enjoyed carrying them around and playing with them. I've been reminded of a beautiful children's book by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen, Elizabeti's Doll. This is a Tanzanian story of a young girl who longs for a doll to cuddle, when a new sibling is born. She finds a stone that is just the right size and shape to nurture and carry on her back (just like her mother). What a gentle and universal tale.

I must have been tapping into something deep and primitive within...I've discovered stone dolls have an ancient history. Archeologists have uncovered a 4000 year old stone doll (Bronze Age). They thought it was a religious artifact, at first, but it was found in the children's quarters next to a set of tiny dishes. Click here for the article. I encourage you to forage for natural materials for your children's play...and the art you create ...sticks... stones...nuts...seeds...

meet our garden friends

Well, it's your friend Midnight Blogger, here. I've been meaning to post this all night, but I couldn't stop painting stones...I'm hooked and I perfected the technique with better tools and materials...more on that next time. While the stones are drying , please indulge me in one more post about the flower folk...

We had so much fun playing and taking pictures of these "new fairies" in the garden today. Combining magic with dramatic play made for some very elaborate story-telling by my 3 year old. I'll let you make up your own with some of these images. Meet Lupita (of the lupines) and her children: Primula (primrose) and little Bud.

the wee little people

When I was a girl, I believed very strongly that there were little people...miniature flower folk that lived hidden in gardens and tucked away in secret places in the woods. I'd spend every summer building elaborate stick and stone dwellings....little landscaped villages with ponds and streams (hand dug and filled by a hose). I just knew that they came every evening to play in their little fenced yards and sleep on their mossy beds...sometimes, I even saw their tiny, fading footprints when I'd do my morning check for traces of their visits. As I got older, my belief started to waver...but along came my little sister (nine years younger and a flower fairy, herself)...The summers of the little people continued as I created for and with her for many magical years.
During the spring my son turned two, I began making little flower folks for him...we'd bring them out to the garden and let the natural surroundings guide our play with them. I made them seasonally and shared them with all of the children in our life. Now, seven years later, I am introducing them to all of you. This is Rosita, in her rose petal skirt (she's been with us for a while)...she's on her way to meet the new little people in the neighborhood. She'd be delighted if you'd stop back tomorrow to meet them, too!

sticks and stones

We're in the middle of an insane heat wave! Just about 100 degrees today! Staying in water seems to keep everyone happy and comfortable. We all love hanging out at our lake...there's a special spot that remains quiet, even on a scorcher, so we had the beach to ourselves and frolicked for hours.
I got to incorporate my need to make, desire to collect, and wish to stay focused on my children all into one morning. How? We happily collected art supplies right on the shore as we waded and played.
I have been admiring some beautiful stone creations on flikr, like this and that. I was looking for the perfect round dome-like river stone...well this is a lake, so nothing fitting that description was to be found. I started to notice what kinds of rocks we did have...triangular, pear-ish, female-shaped stones. I've collected these before, but all of sudden...LIGHTBULB! These looked like the nesting dolls I've also been enjoying...like these! I couldn't wait to get my white paint out.

This is just the first set...I'm excited to see how they evolve...they were such a pleasure to create...I think they are just the right size for my daughter to enjoy! And the sticks...drift wood? Right now, I'm just loving them in the bucket, but soon I think they'll help to suspend something new...we'll see! So look around you, whether you are out in nature or hanging inside...the resources for creating are staring right at you...just waiting to be looked at with a fresh new perspective.

vintage rescue

In 1947 my grandparents built their home with a beautiful nursery school attached to it. They lovingly ran the Huntington Cooperative Nursery School for over fifty years. I was born there and spent every summer of my childhood in that magical paradise. Imagine having a huge, beautifully equipped nursery school for your child... all to themselves...to reign as prince or princess. My grandmother graduated from Bank Street College of Education and knew exactly what materials were best for three and four year olds. Being the nostalgic woman that I am...I remember each and every toy I lovingly played with. Unfortunately, when my grandparents retired, they sold the nursery school fully stocked...so that it could continue to run as it always had. One of the original dump trucks is all that remains. I've been grieving for some of these lost pieces of childhood to share with my children...and my mother has saved the day! She has started to rescue some of these worn, but still wonderful Community Playthings people on ebay. They arrived in a little box on Saturday. I remember them so well...I would build villages and cities out of blocks for them. I've been a bit teary-eyed seeing these old friends and introducing my kids to them!