found!

While I was up in the attic, packing away the winter clothes, I stumbled upon a missing treasure. This swiss music box merry-go-round had been mine when I was a baby. I had been wanting to put it in a little vignette in one of the kids' rooms, but could never find it. I was so happy to discover it, but realized it was in pretty bad shape. A little elbow grease and some glue and it's looking fine. Once it's dry I'll have to find a special spot for it. I just love fixing things!

sharing perspective

My daughter and I have been reading (over and over again) this lovely book:




Learning to see the world through someone else's eyes, whether family member, friend... or even a snail...teaches compassion and perspective. After reading this book, my daughter and I love "being snails".
My friend and fellow blogger at Zen Crafting has a beautiful post,Ways of Seeing.

nature bracelets

What could be better than taking a walk out in nature on a beautiful Spring day? Try collecting treasures and making something beautiful...to wear...instantly as you walk! This is a perfect activity for a three year old on up...I certainly had fun!


Supplies needed:
-duct tape ( try clear or white) masking tape works pretty well too
-grass, leaves, seed pods, flowers, petals

To create a beautiful one-of-a-kind nature bracelet:
- rip a piece of tape to fit over the wearer's wrist with enough room for it to slide off
-if using duct tape for a tiny wrist, cut/rip the tape in half down the long strip to make a narrower bracelet.
-connect the sides with the sticky side facing out and the smooth side against skin
-go for a walk
-collect treasures and add them to your wrist as you go
-admire your/your child's handy work and give thanks for all of the beauty at your finger tips

one day at a time

Local artist, Mary Beth Inken, is working on the Mama Goose mural on the Corn St side of the new building. It's so exciting to see such a large version of this beloved logo and familiar Ithaca icon...originally designed by another local artist, Alice Heise.

Yesterday.....Today....

artful organization

I'm obsessed with getting organized...primarily, because I never seem to stay that way for long. When I find something that really works, I know it's worth sharing. I have two children and a very creative house...this means a lot of craft supplies and many lovely things to display. Creating a system that could rotate art and be accessible to everyone was key. Introducing... "gallery clip boards". I'm a big fan of traditional pegboard because it's so darn easy...no drilling involved. They come in easy to manage 2x4 ft. sheets at Lowes. Simply painted in a favorite color and adorned with bulldog clips and an elastic band, this has been a lasting solution to the paper madness. Both the clips and bands are attached with a screw, nut and washer. My older child can rotate his art, my youngest can't pull it down. My little one has so many treasures and folded paper pieces; she loves tucking them into the elastic strap all by herself and surprising me. I've also put two magnetic boards beneath for her to manage and update with her tiny creations. Here's a little corner of the children's studio right off the main room of our home. We all find it very inviting and orderly.

In addition, these giant clipboards can be customized for any room in the house. Unlike a traditional cork board, papers stay in their zone, rather than all over the place. Add more clips or bands depending on your needs.
- mudroom: a family communication wall
- art studio: a new kind of inspiration board
- kitchen: smaller one for meal planning
- home office: a clip designated for each project/task/day of the week

If you've been reading along, you've heard me mention Mama Goose, the expanding children's resale shop I'm doing design consultation for. In retail, finding unique ways to organize and display merchandise is key. We will be using the "clipboards" to hang packaged toys neatly and uniformly and a board of straps for corralling softies. For more info about Mama Gooses' move (or to learn about my role in all of it), check out the new blog dedicated to their expansion project by clicking here.

my mom

I talked about my mother in my very first post, but haven't since. I think I've been worried that if I start, I'll never stop. My friends are very patient about me going on and on...they enjoy my mother too. My family doesn't mind...they all adore her as much as I do. My mother and I share everything from the daily minutia to the big stuff. She even calls to tell me what typos I have to edit from my blog..."not another exclamation point, Maya"..."can't help it Mom...I'm enthusiastic!" You see, she is my best friend, my mentor and my confidante. She's the most beautiful, creative woman I know...my brother and sister would definitely agree. I'm quite nostalgic, so I thought I'd surprise her with some lovely "Vintage Mom"...but she's even more lovely today.
Precita Park, San Francisco 1975


Valencia St. 1973 My mother hugs my little friend, Mary, and me(left)


Three generations: My grandmother, mother and me Baker Beach 1972

delicious dandelions

Last night at dinner, my family and I realized that I had caught the wild spreading disease of "blogaphoria", where bits of life start being shaped by posting opportunities. The biggest symptom might sound familiar to some of you. I find my camera to be one of my best friends and have started to shoot EVERYTHING, because the I love having a venue for sharing. Thinking back on my life, I keep kicking myself at all the perfect "posts" I could have been doing. Ha ha. Here's what inspired that revelation...

It's dandelion season! Every year when millions of Americans are bemoaning their perfect lawns being littered with yellow weeds (and dumping tons of pesticides into the earth), my family and I celebrate the beginning of "picking our dinner". Our meadow becomes our garden and we go out and harvest the edible greens of this lovely golden flower. Common, everyday little dandelions have green leaves that pack an incredible nutritious punch...very rich in iron.


Even the tender new leaves can be a bit bitter, but I've come up with a secret ingredient that has my littlest asking for seconds. I saute them with olive oil, fresh garlic and tamari until they have wilted and aren't too chewy...then I add some magic, a little maple syrup. Sweet, salty and garlicky seem to work well for my family. We prepare kale and other greens this way too. Here's to backyard greens!

liquid sunshine

As promised for today... a little DIY bucket o' grass. This is so easy, satisfying, and cheap...I want to encourage everyone to grow their own bucket. It could greet you on your front porch or bring a little greenery into an urban dwelling. Let's face it, these buckets are just happy! I'm planning on having grass growing all winter long next year. My inspiration came from the buckets themselves. Each bucket is 12 quarts of heavy duty, galvanized steel and only $4.95 at Lowe's. That's an amazing deal for their size and quality! Here's what you need to get started:

-bag of soil
-packet of wheat grass (don't use other varieties...wheat grass is majestic as it grows)
-hammer and a nail
-bucket

step 1: Hammer several holes into the bottom of the bucket for adequate drainage.
step 2: Fill your bucket with soil.
step 3: Sprinkle soil with a generous amount of seeds and cover it lightly with another thin layer of soil.
step 4: Water. Continue to keep soil moist through entire growing process.
step 5: Place bucket in a sunny location.
step 6: Sit back and watch it grow...liquid sunshine!


Here's some getting ready for a trim:

light at the end of the ...shed

The last two days have been very exciting over at Mama Goose's new site. The front end of the store's historic building has been covered up since the 1960's. The sheds that hid the entrance are coming down! We've been waiting for this moment for a while, and even the local press went out to cover the demolition. Today's Ithaca Journal had a wonderful article about the Goose and the revitalization of State Street. The top picture was taken from inside the shed, where the front patio WILL be. The rest of this post will be a series of shots of the unveiling of
the frnt entrance and a peak into the marvelous chaos of unpacking and helping to set up shop.

thanks sfgirlbybay!

I check out the inspiring blog sfgirlbybay just about everyday...for her lovely perspective and a taste of my hometown ( I grew up in San Francisco...the Mission and Noe Valley). Somehow, I missed yesterday...what a day! I noticed my Flikr photostream going crazy over my picture of buckets of grass and figured something exciting was happening. Needless to say, Victoria (sfgirlbybay) had discovered it on one of my favorite Flikr groups, Corners Of My Home, and featured it on her blog! Hurray and thank you! I was just getting ready to take a picture of how lush the grass has grown, alas it's a rainy Spring day (and I need that "sun streaming in" effect!)....stay tuned for a bucket up-date and tutorial tomorrow!

all my little ducks (GEESE) in a row

Putting the finishing touches on this little project seems to be paralleling putting the finishing touches on the new Mama Goose. Things are moving steadily along. More to post tomorrow, after I check the furniture and display racks the moving team delivered this afternoon.

newsworthy

I love bunting...pennants......banners. They go by many names and have become a popular decor element in many modern children's rooms. These days, bunting is most often seen in vintage or repro fabric. I wanted to create something new and unique with sustainable materials...and I enjoy working with newspaper so much. It's readily available, needs to be recycled, and is the perfect medium for crafting. The bunting I designed was given a wash of diluted acrylic paint to add color without hiding what the paper really is. I used the palette we've been working with at Mama Goose, since these will most likely find a home in the new store.

store opening soon!

As I've mentioned in earlier posts, I'm assisting the owner of a local children's re-sale shop with the design of her new and expanded store, Mama Goose. It's such a surreal experience to see something in 3-D that had only been on paper before. Look forward to some sneak peeks in the next week or two. Here are some little projects I've been working on from my home studio. At a recent auction we picked up these amazing mid-century modern chairs. They were dirty and covered in peeling paint. Thanks to some help from Kelly's amazingly talented staff at Mama Goose, these chairs are about to take on a whole new life...sitting in prominent parts of the store. Over the weekend I made cushions with fabric from reprodepot and now I wish I could keep them all. Here's one visiting my living room:

I've been designing magnets for a large galvanized steel play wall that will be part of a playspace for the 5 and under set that shops at the store. I went for simple wooden letters that I sanded, oiled, and adhered strips of magnets to the back.

I got some wonderful help from Gunther, of Wild Apples. He's a master woodworker and toymaker extraordinaire! He used the Mama Goose's icon (of a hip mama with her baby in a carrier) and created a 10 inch silhouette on thick wood...cut into three pieces.

The next stage is really fun: I'm turning them into magnetic, mix-and- match, dress-up geese.
I had had this idea months ago, but didn't know how I could ever manufacture it. Thanks to Gunther, they're going to be a delight to share with all of the children that come through the store each day. I'll post more pictures when they're complete.

it's a boy!

My new nephew was born yesterday afternoon! He's healthy, huge and happy! We are all so excited! I'm putting out a package in today's mail. I had to make a baby elephant, of course. I used blue felted cashmere that I had been saving for him. It's so incredibly soft , I can barely stand it! I'm including some fun things "to do" for his big sister. I think it's always important to include a gift for a sibling and why not make the new parents life easier by making it something that will keep them busy during the crazy first few days. Interactive sticker books by Dover are always a good bet. Depending on the older child's age, I also like to give a quiet activity that can travel...like lacing cards or stringing beads.
Happy Birthday little one!