Country Living

The May issue of Country Living just hit the newsstands. It is the most exciting issue of any magazine I've ever read... can you guess why? Page 42 is very special to me! Do you recognize that cork board? Or perhaps the pincushion? I was asked to contribute some of my burlap products for their round-up of feed sack items. Can you believe it? I certainly can't, and I've known about it for over three months!

I was thrilled then, but seeing it in print has put me on a cloud. Never in a million years did I think one year ago that I would be on this exciting ride today. I'm so grateful you're all here sharing it with me. It makes it that much more special. So I'm off to set some fireworks... I mean pour myself a glass of wine and read my magazine! I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

gather 'round

Wow! That gather bucket was a bigger hit than I had expected! I see my family is in good company with our nature collecting habit. So without further ado... the winner is Lynn. Lynn plans on gathering with her grandchildren. Hooray Lynn! Please contact me via e-mail with your mailing address and preference for the toadstool or Goldfinch Moleskine notebook. For all of the rest of you, I hope you jump in and make your own collecting buckets. I will be selling a small and large one for the non-sewers in the upcoming weeks, but what do you think I'm most excited about? Those Gather Bucket Kits! Sounds like there is enough interest to create a tutorial and package up the components. The pleasure in making something with your own hands is so satisfying, that I want everyone to give it a try. This is why I enjoy sharing tutorials so much... and I do try to balance the sewing ones with the crafting ones: to make it fun for everyone.

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I promised you some references for sharing nature with children. In the process of collecting my book list (and checking in with my mother, the most amazing nursery school teacher in the world... along side my grandmother of course!), I realized it was time I did some organizing for all of you. I hope to put together a little bookshop of sorts, inspired by Amanda's, to share all of my resources. There are just too many for one post. In the mean time, check out this little list from last year and be sure to look in the comment section, because Margie added some great sources also. These are a couple of the worn and loved ones that I've picked up over the years, often at garage sales, so they might be a little dated... but still so good!

Click on the picture for a closer look and Google any that might interest you. I have others out on loan ( I actually have a such a big library from homeschooling days that I end up lending a bunch), so it will be fun to put them all together in a master list... thank you for reminding me how much I've wanted to do that... your input makes this so much more of a conversation, and I just love that!

p.s That one little Love Letter Pillow was snatched up quick... now I know to make more! I just cut out 7 pieces of linen... look for more pillows next week.

little things

Happy April! Hope you haven't gotten into too much mischief. My son has so many plans for foolery today... he's so excited that he already whispered to me all of his tricks. Now, I have to keep quiet... I almost spilled the beans when I first wrote this post and his Dad definitely reads this blog. Shhh. Suffice it to say, he set the alarm so that he could get a jump start on his tricks! Ten is the perfect age for April Fool's Day!

Instead of having a huge shop update, I've decided to add a little each day for the next week or so. I really enjoyed making Love Letter pillows for a special friend and thought that others might enjoy this sweet smelling lavender pillows too.
I modified the shape a tad and stuffed them with buckwheat hulls so that they could double as warming pillows. Each one has a recycled felt heart pocket. Perfect for tucking in a love note to a special little someone. The back side is monogrammed with a letter of your choosing. It will be up in the afternoon (nap time). I'm also adding a bunch of coffee sack pincushions...

My favorite part of these little bits of repurposing is selecting the typography.
I had way too much fun taking words apart to make new ones or just the simple act of selecting letters/numerals and shapes that I find interesting.

It's been so wonderful hearing all of the enthusiasm around the Gather Bucket! I will definitely make a couple to sell in the shop, but I was also curious what you thought of this next idea: a Gather Bucket Kit. I'm thinking it would include pre-cut pieces of the burlap base, pocket, handles, and stamped patch.. and of course, simple instructions for putting it all together. I couldn't possibly make enough buckets for all of you, but making kits that you could work on, maybe even with a child... might be a way to get us all collecting bits of nature together. I'd love to hear your feedback so that I can get a jump on creating it over the spring break (my upcoming blogging break). And just so you know, I'm working on a list of resource books for your little naturalists. Look for it on Thursday when I announce the new owner of the first Gather Bucket...

blue egg custard

I didn't want to use those beautiful eggs from Kate in just anything. I wanted to honor them with a special recipe, then I saw Se7en's delicious custard and knew I'd found it! My mother always baked custard as a dessert/after school snack. Sometimes, she'd even let me eat it for breakfast... that was the best! Although I remembered my childhood custard having a delicious sweet top, my mother informed me that she never actually added brown sugar to ours. I decided to create my own custard recipe somewhere in the middle of se7en's decadent caramelized version and my mother's simple but heavenly one. If you are not a custardy/pudding lover, please skip the rest of this post! So here is what I came up with for our pretty eggs...

Blue Egg Custard

2 eggs and 2 yolks
2 1/4 cups of whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup organic brown sugar and more for sprinkling

-Preheat oven 350 degrees.
-Set 4 to 6 ramekins in a shallow baking dish.
-Heat milk with sugar until it has dissolved.
-Beat eggs and gradually whisk in the hot milk.
- Add vanilla.
-Pour mixture into cups and add water to pan until it comes up at least one inch on the sides.
-Bake for around 15 minutes and then sprinkle brown sugar on top ( I waited too long with mine... but they were still delicious!)
-Bake for another 25 minutes or so. Insert a knife to see if it comes out clean ( a good readiness test).
-Chill.

I love how it tastes after it's set in the fridge for a few hours, but I never can wait for the first bite...
The rest was saved for dessert on Sunday. My children had it with breakfast the following day... of course!

gather give-away

Happy Monday! I'm so excited for this week: another give-away, more spring craft tutorials, a book review, recipes... maybe even a shop update (I was cutting out WIP stencils all last night!) As usual, I have very lofty visions... we'll just see how much can really be squeezed into one week. So let's get to the part about my next give-away!

Introducing the Gather Bucket, for the child in your life...

My favorite thing to do once the weather warms up is to get my children out into the woods to see what winter left behind. We end up walking back to the house with pockets bulging full of nature's treasures. This sturdy carrier was built for hauling stones, toting sticks and keeping feathers... or whatever else you might discover on the trail. It has a handy pocket for small finds and also happens to be the perfect size for holding a field notebook...you never know when you might want to sketch a leaf for later identification... or add a bird to your sighting list. Repurposed burlap is the perfect material for this job: shrugs off mud and dirt on the outside, and the loose weave shakes out grit on the inside. It is unlined for this purpose. The handles and pocket are made from a rugged canvas drop cloth. The patch was hand stamped with fabric ink onto natural linen. Edges were left raw and frayed in keeping with the organic and earthy look.

When I think of gathering, acorns always come to mind... this is my new little hand-carved stamp. This bucket comes with a field notebook stamped with your choice of a toadstool (another recent carving) or an American Goldfinch. I designed this for the six year old and up crowd, but my four year old prefers it to the little one I made for her... (I always have to make things in multiples if my children see them!).

If you'd like a chance to have a Gather Bucket and field notebook sent out to you, please leave a comment on this post between now and Wednesday at midnight EST. (The nature collections and identification books are not included... but highly recommended!) I will randomly pick a winner and announce him/her on Thursday. Good luck!

And the bucket goes to...

gathered during a walk in the woods...

My intention was to announce the winner of the give-away first thing this morning... but the internet server pixies have been getting into mischief. I've had an intermittent connection for over 24 hours, and I'm actually posting from our village instead of at home... this means I have just a moment to thank you all for joining me in the celebration of the first year of my blog. Not quite how I had envisioned this post, but there are unexpected gifts from not having internet access... more time for walking outside in the sunshine to name a few! Thank you all for coming out to celebrate my anniversary with me! The number of comments would have been enough to keep me smiling for the entire next year, but the loving content of what you all shared is what will sustain me. I read each and every one (phew!)... and often followed you back to your own lovely blogs. I've sometimes wished, while mothering, that there were several of me to get everything done and still have left over arms to hold everyone in my family. I wished for those extra Mayas this week, so that I could thank you all individually. Please know I would, if I could. And who will be getting a package delivery soon? The winner is.....

Rowena !

Hurray Rowena! Please email me your address so that I can send you your filled bucket. I just discovered that Rowena had just opened up her own Etsy shop ... congratulations! I love seeing that!

I have a wonderful second give-away all ready for you... or really a child in your life, but that will have to wait until Monday. I'm sure (hoping!) my technical difficulties will be over by then. So here's to a wonderful weekend... hope you get outside and enjoy it!

peaceful palette

An evening or two ago, I glanced out the window as I was preparing dinner and realized that my favorite dusk light had returned. Oh, how I missed it all winter long! During this golden glow is when I love to grab my camera. Every photo looks incredible at this special moment, and it's fleeting so you have to be quick. Chopping onions could wait! I grabbed my new gorgeous eggs from a friend (Kate) and ran outside. As I arranged them in the bowl on my old white picnic table I had an epiphany. Well, before the epiphany, I called for everyone to come outside (it wasn't that warm, mind you) and admire these stunning eggs all aglow. They humored me for a moment and then ran back in to the warmth of the wood stove. I stayed shivering and beaming at the colors that have inspired my life for so long. My revelation wasn't that new to me, just a deepening. I choose these very colors over and over again because they bring me peace and a sense of calm... they are nature's palette: browns, creams, pale greens: all neutrals. I choose them because they nourish me. Color has such a powerful impact on how we feel. I think the last two weeks of reading Elsita's new blog, The Hidden Seed, has brought a heightened awareness to the color choices I make. Definitely go check it out if you haven't already.

We are all so unique... I'd love to hear what colors or palettes inspire and nurture you.

*Ameraucana hens lay the most amazing pale blue-green eggs!

barn bathroom diy

It seems high time for a little visit to the barn. I've been waiting to give a bathroom tour until all of the finishing touches were completed... we're just about there. My mother's wonderful toilet paper holder is the perfect place to start, because it's such a great little DIY. As you can guess, my mother didn't want anything traditional. She's passionate about mixing industrial design with her eclectic vintage collections. Galvanized plumbing pipes tend to be a favorite.

Handrail for front steps to the barn.

Function, minimalism, simplicity. If these qualities appeal to you, you may want to install a t.p. holder just like this. Here's all you'll need:

Supplies

-3/4 inch pipe
-flange
-elbow
-cap
-screws

Assemble

-Attach flange to wall.
-Fit pipe, elbow and cap together.
-Screw onto flange.
-Pop on a roll of toilet paper.

How utterly simple! Now, this may not be for everyone... but you must admit it's quite ingenious! If you have any questions, ask for assistance at your local hardware shop... my mother impressed them so much that all of the hardware employees were going home to make their own pipe paper holder. Cost: about $8.

Remodelista featured just this very thing recently... right here. If you love the barn and my mother's fantastic design sense, you may enjoy checking in at Remodelista regularly... you'll be in good company... it's my mother's daily morning read.

Soon, I'll share the softer, more vintage side of the "powder room".

more to celebrate!

I have some exciting news to share about my buckets. They are now being sold at one of my all time favorits places, Three Potato Four. To have them be a part of such a beautifully curated shop is an honor. I'm so happy!! Thank you Janet & Stu for inviting my buckets to join your shop. More will be available at designs maya*made later on next month. Now, before you go thinking, how does she find the time to do all of this... let me assure you that I am not super human... nor am I crazy. Remember that post about motherhood and balance? I've found another pair of expert hands to assist me when needed. I was fortunate to find an amazing mother, a talented artist, and skilled sewer just around the corner. I live way out in the country with cows for neighbors and only a few houses per mile. Do you realize how incredible it was to find lovely Kate? More on Kate and her own phenomenal work coming up soon... as well as a little DIY over at the barn!

And about yesterday's incredible turn out... wow! I'm so grateful that you all found your way to maya*made this year... Thank you for sharing your stories about how you got here. I enjoyed reading each and everyone!! So many of you have joined me through the Crafty Crow, my go-to source for all things crafty with children. Quite by surprise, I discovered that we share the same birthday! Happy Anniversary to the Crafty Crow. Does that mean that our blogs share the same astrological sign? I always knew we were kindred spirits!

celebrate!

I started maya*made one year ago today! This has definitely been the most artistically creative year of my life. I know this blog and the wonderful community I've discovered through it has been my greatest source of inspiration and motivation. I would not have been nearly as prolific, nor as daring without your support and encouragement... really, you mean so much to me!! So to honor this first blogaversary, I'm having two give-aways this week! Today I present the first give-away: my largest burlap bucket with w.i.p. stenciled on the front. I know how creative you all are, so I figured you needed and extra big place for your works in progress.

Oh look! I tucked some fun things inside...

One friend will be receiving: a burlap bucket, a burlap pincushion, a barn swallow Moleskine, and my new favorite sachet...

printed with an Indigo Bunting and filled with organic lavender...

So if you'd like a chance to have me send this to your doorstep, please leave a comment between now and Thursday at midnight EST. I'd love to hear how and/or when you found me or maybe one of your favorite posts from this past year. There's no obligation, a simple "hello" will get you entered into the drawing. I'll announce the winner on Friday morning and share the next give-away, which will be child focused. Thanks for joining me in my celebration!

*A little note about that candle: it has been lit for every family birthday needing a one in it since my first child was born.

shop update today

Good morning! I will be having a little shop update at around 11am EST. I say around 11 because I'm still sewing (hee hee!)! Buckets and birds are ready... and will arrive promptly... scarves may stagger in a few minutes late. Please come on by...

I will be making more scarves for next week and will let you know when they're ready for their new homes. Hope you have a lovely weekend and get a chance to play! I'll see you on Monday morning... it's a very special day, please don't miss it!

adding to my flock

I'm falling in love with carving stamps... oh, but you know that. But do you know how deeply? I enjoy sketching the design, thinking about positive and negative spaces. I marvel at the magic of transferring it to a block. I appreciate the slow and meditative process of carving. It can't be rushed. And then there's the printing... onto paper... cards... journals... linen. So I've gone a bit wild! I'm having a little sale in my shop tomorrow 11 am EST. I will be selling some bird scarves... I wore the black one into town yesterday (keepin' it!) and got more compliments than I dare to repeat... it's embarrassing! There will be a similar one tomorrow for sale. Thank you Kath at Whip Up! for loving it, too! I've been glowing all morning!

Last week I stamped my Moleskine journal with the barn stamp... which inspired me to make more for you.
As you can see my flock of birds has grown... an American Goldfinch and Indigo Bunting have joined the Barn Swallow. I made some sets of bird note cards, too.

Stop by tomorrow's sale for birds and maybe some surprises... there might even be a bucket or two. We'll see what I can come up with!

Happy Vernal Equinox!

simple spring basket: how to

Tomorrow marks the return of spring: the Vernal Equinox. I can't remember a March when it actually felt like spring, but here we are with no snow on the ground and birds by the thousands filling the skies. This little basket is adding a sunny touch to my daughter's room... filled with a raffia nest and wooden eggs from her play kitchen. It's the perfect craft for this first weekend in spring... quick and easy to whip up with only basic sewing skills needed. It would also make a great basket for Easter or a sweet little party favor container. I kept mine very simple, but you can think of these as little canvases to embellish with your own style. A recipe for you to interpret your own way... Make them out of any kind of felt. I used cotton batting, because I have so many scraps leftover from my burlap buckets... and it performs exactly like felt! I'm also fond of white.

Spring Basket

Need:one piece of felt or batting measuring: 8x13 inches
one piece of " ": 2x11 inches

contrasting felt for flowers and leaves
2 buttons
pinking shears

Make:

1. cut out rectangle
2. fold in half and sew up the sides with a 1/4 inch seam allowance... trim excess with pinking shears
3. make boxed corners by opening and folding in the opposite direction with the seam now falling right in the middle (see photo)
4.keeping seams even with one another on both sides, mark and sew a 3 1/2 inch seam over the corner... trim off excess triangle (from the corner)
you now have your basket... fold over top about an inch

5. Make handle: fold 11x2 piece of felt in half the long way. Sew up each side with a 1/4 seam allowance. Trim excess with pinking shears.
6. Cut out eight flower petals (I made hearts for simplicity) and two leaves
7. Sew handle to the outside of basket directly over side seam.
8. Tack four flower petals and leaf together with a few hand stitches. Attach flowers with buttons covering where the handle meets the basket.

Fill and enjoy!

There are so many ways you can personalize these... covered in felt flowers, applique, embroidery, buttons... I'd love to hear how you create yours! And if you're a maker who doesn't sew... I have a basket just for you coming up.

the birds return

After my screen printing weekend, I've been aching for more. Carving stamps are the perfect remedy for the time being. I'm dreaming up big stamp plans... I'm thinking different series. I'm currently consumed with birds... an annual spring fascination. Birds are a classic favorite for so many of us, and right now they are filling the skies as they fly home to the northeast. Stepping outside my backdoor, I'm hit with the sheer volume of their calls and announcements. I live in the country, surrounded by fields and forests... we have a lot of birds! We've taken out our binoculars and bird books and we're welcoming our feathered friends back by name.

It will be a while before we see a swallow... one of my favorites. I love my tree swallow print, but I started wishing I had one of a barn swallow... which has special significance to me. When my mother and I first toured the upstairs of her barn (pre-renovation), the hayloft... soon to be art studio, had broken windows by the roof. Swallows were soaring in and out, nesting in the rafters. Seeing them swoop in, silouhetted by the streaming sun, was like something out of a dream. So this next stamp was an obvious choice.

After I tested it out on linen with textile paint and fabric stamps...

I felt compelled to sew something delicate for spring. I love scarves during this time of year more than any other season. I wear cozy ones in the fall and winter, but I'm not much into fashion during that time of year... just serious warmth. During the spring, it's such a joy to have something new and fresh and light to accessorize with.

This is made with linen in natural and Michelle Benscko's (Cicada Studio) Dogwood fabric. I was so happy to find it locally at Quilter's Corners and immediately bought a fat quarter, not knowing what it would become.


The bottom is trimmed with more vintage pillowcase trim. I think I have a crush on my own scarf... crazy!
Well, that was way too fun, and I had to make another one...

More linen, cotton crochet and thrifted mini black plaid. I made them up as I went along and just pieced together randomly.


I love them both. They were going into my shop, but I haven't made up my mind if I can part with them. When my husband saw them (and he doesn't usually notice clothing) his first response was "keep them!" The beauty of a stamp: you can always print another!

almost time for...

SPRING! Are you ready?
This hidden fern locket was created by the ever-talented and lovely Melissa from tiny happy. It's helped me have faith in the return of green growing things.

And now I'm making my annual list of projects... it usually gets longer and longer as I get more and more ambitious. It's such an exciting time of year. All feels new and fresh. So here's the beginning:
-get the garden ready for planting (more lasagna method)
-prune the crab apple
-sew spring skirts and blouses (small and adult)
-wash all of the windows
-ready the bikes
-plant more poppies
-find a place to forage for fiddle heads
-get down to the lake to see what's washed up on the shore
-head to Sapsucker Woods to see how the Andy Goldsworthy installation fared over the winter
-make fresh linguini (not a spring thing, but on my list, nonetheless!)

What will you be running out to do now that the sun has returned?