maya*made

Thursday, February 24, 2011

a thank you giveaway!

I have been wanting to offer one of my handmade giveaways for so long! Your enthusiastic reception of my upcoming book was a good reminder to finally get to it. All of that spool love cinched the deal. So, I made a bucket for one of you... a smaller version of the one in our sun room. I filled it with things that I love and thought you might, too. Here's what's inside:

an assortment of vintage spools
a hand stamped "reminder" stone (collected at our lake in the summer)
Mary Oliver's poem Wild Geese... to go with the stone
and a handmade notebook

I've been making notebooks with paper scraps and binding them on my machine for the last few weeks. A quick satisfying project- and I'll share how to next week.

~~Please leave a comment below before Sunday, February 27th at 5pm~~. Comments are now closed. I'll announce the random winner on Monday morning. I will ship anywhere in the world. Wishing I could send a bucket to everyone, but you know that!

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

a story of crafting hope

photo courtesy of Dana Willard

Dana, of the always exciting blog: Made, contacted me yesterday to share this story... and I haven't been able to get it out of my mind since. (If you follow me on twitter, you know it brought me to tears.) She and a friend organized a service project at her church. They decided to use Craft Hope for ideas, as Dana had contributed a project and was intimately familiar with it. Of all of the wonderful patterns, one of mine was chosen! The group picked the infant kimonos and found a local place in need of baby items:
"It's a house for young pregnant moms to live before and after having their babies so they can learn new skills and get back on their feet. We decided to help these new moms out by making infant gowns."- Dana

Two summers ago, I worked diligently on perfecting that pattern, determined to make a design that was streamlined enough for even a new sewer to make in multiples for giving. Since the book's release, I've seen some lovely gowns made, but NEVER in stacks! In the course of a few hours of working together, Dana's group made 20 of them! TWENTY!

photo courtesy of Dana Willard

I can't tell you how much it moved me to see the photos of them all working together and having such a good time (and using thrifted materials, to boot!). I can't help but think of the tiny new babies that will snuggle into these gowns made with such kindness and generosity. Such love. This was my highest hope and the highlight of an already very special week.

photo courtesy of Dana Willard

A huge THANK YOU to Dana, her friend Katherine, and all the other wonderful women that joined in to craft hope for twenty young mothers in their town. Sewing is powerful work. To see more photos and read the story in full, please check here. You may want to pour yourself a cup of tea and get comfortable if you haven't visited Made before. Dana's blog is brimming over with great ideas...

And that giveaway? Come by tomorrow it will be up bright and early!

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

bucket of spools and gratitude

Yesterday felt like my birthday or a holiday of some sorts! It was an extra-ordinary day. I felt witnessed fully. First and foremost, that is because of all of the love that you generously showered on me. THANK YOU!! Something else occurred because I took a risk. It was a subtle one, but a risk nonetheless. I chose to announce my new book from a place of vulnerability, and I believe you felt it. I mentioned that I had struggled with how to share the news... for days! I had all kinds of fancy and high falutin' plans, but none of them seemed right... or (dare I say that much over used word) authentic. I happened to watch Brene Brown's TED video on Saturday night, and I do believe it influenced my ability to courageously be real. I showed you ME. Happy me, but me. I didn't style it, nor get gussied up. Man, I was wearing my ~~sweats~~ yoga pants behind that blackboard. You are friends... I really and truly know that. To show my gratitude, I'm putting together a very special giveaway for my next post.

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Now, back to those SPOOLS!

A quick bucket was made. I think I can make buckets with my eyes closed by now! It's bigger than it looks... so. many. spools. The ideas and stories in the comment section of the first spool post were incredible. Definitely worth checking into. My favorite idea was tried immediately: bath-time bubble blower.

Dogwood said-

My grandmother used wooden spools to get us kids to actually get clean in the bathtub. If you rub soap on yourself, say your leg, then rub the end of a spool on your soapy leg you can blow bubbles.

It was such a hit, that I feared my daughter would never return from the prune she turned into! Now we keep a little bowl of spools on the ledge above the tub. Here are some more ideas for us to all enjoy from various spots around the web:

For now, the bucket of spools remain our new blocks. We moved them into the sun room with all of the other blocks. (And yes, I realized after I put this pic up, she's in another tie-dye! Guess we all crave color in February.)

I've only shown tiny glimpses into our sun room before, and this is still but a peek. It's our playroom... filled with light, toys and books. It's 100% child space, and I've kept it somewhat private for the past (almost) three years of this blog... but I think a tour may happen one day soon...

Monday, February 21, 2011

the big one!

Phew! This is my third attempt at this post... it's hard to find the words for something I'm so excited to finally tell you! I know, I know... I get excited about a lot of things, right? But this is different. This is the BIG ONE. This is a serious dream come true. I've been working on a project for years... mostly in my head and then a series of notebooks. I knew it would take a focus that I wouldn't have until my family was ready to be on board, too. Well, we're all ready... it's happening, folks! At the beginning of the year, I happily signed a contract with Wiley Publishing! Wahooooo!

My very own book will be released in early spring of next year!

These last two months have reminded me of the first trimester of pregnancy... when you haven't fully announced your news, and are quietly holding a lovely secret that has transformed your world. So, now the cat is officially out of the bag... but you'll have to hold tight for the details. They will be good and worth the wait, promise. YOU are the ones I'm writing it for, so I'll be sure to share as much as I can... as soon as I can.

I know you're enjoying my excitement, too! I feel it as I write. I hope you'll take a little piece of my joy and hold it tight... because guess what?

Making dreams come true is contagious!

Thursday, February 17, 2011

new phone and temp slip

Thank you so much for your wonderful contributions to the last post. Wooden spools triggered many fond memories and inspire creativity. I'm working on a follow up post and large storage bucket to share soon.

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As much as I appreciate all that technology has offered me in the last few years, I resent how much time it takes away from the here and now. For this reason, I've prided myself on using an antiquated cell phone, no texting, etc. After many break downs (phones) and lots of thought, I now have an iphone. eek! Today, I have another request for your input. Help, please! I'm determined to not let it be a time suck... but I'm very new at this. If you have any favorite apps or uses, I'd love to hear. I don't even have a cover for it... so I'm open to those ideas to. I'm very enamored with this bamboo Vers, but buying anything more felt a little over the top for one day.

Before I took it out to town, I thought I'd better protect this investment in some way. I made a temporary 10 minute slip cover with a little bit of that green leather I love from a long ago Salvation Army find. I was in too much of a rush to insert a leather needle into my machine, so I blame any imperfections on my impatience. After all, the plan was for a quick fix. But when I took a second to stamp it with my gingko design, I decided it was a very nice quick fix. I can't remember stamping on leather before... ooooh that was fun! I set it with an iron and the pigment of the ink settled into the surface so beautifully. I'll be experimenting with this some more... might need another trip to the thrift store for more old leather. Thanks again for any tips you might have!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

old spools: new blocks

My mother is doing some spring cleaning out in California. She had a collection of wooden spools that were searching for a good home. I just knew that I could come up with something if she shipped them my way. I jotted down a few ideas before they arrived on my doorstep yesterday...

But for now, I think they have become our new blocks. Look who dove in the moment the box was opened! Sorting heaven- a perfect math manipulative!

First she sifted through looking for unique ones... then came classification time. It wasn't long before there was a run to the doll house for some props. We've left them out in the middle of the floor for continued play.

Here's last night's impromptu Valentine's Day Tea of the feline variety... you can't imagine how tiny those hearts are!

I see a super tall burlap bucket in my future... one to hold all of these new "wooden blocks". Fresh tools/toys our a perfect antidote to the February blahs. There seem to be enough to share (understatement of the year... holy moly, mom!), so I'll let you know when I get to working with them, myself. Please share if you have any spool projects of your own!

Monday, February 14, 2011

daily love

What a special day for a pink & purple loving 6 year old girl! As she donned her brother's old tie-dye, she exclaimed why can't every day be like this? Well, we all know the answer... it CAN! I think I'll slip more love notes onto nightstands. Feeling cherished from the moment their eyes flutter open is something I hope my children will always feel. Right now, I have an opportunity to ensure that.. to fill them up to the brim with all I've got. I was happy to help my daughter spread some of that love to her friends today. Frilled pencils roll up so easily, and her little hearts were tied on just so with favorite yarn. It's a simple choice: to live each day with love as the focus. This morning as I sent her off into the world with a bouquet of love, I was reminded, once again... teaching this to my children is my most important work.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

enjoying

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February

sponsor spotlight: Green Rainbow Shop

I'm so happy to welcome back long time sponsor: Green Rainbow Shop! I love having them up in my sidebar to offer you a wonderful resource for a one stop organic shopping. Their selection of items includes everything from home decor, apparel for everyone in the family... to thoughtful books and a wonderful array of children's toys.

One of the things I appreciate most about Green Rainbow shop, is the lovely person choosing the thoughtful products it carries. Through many late night e-mails I've gotten to know and become friends with Eva, the founder and one-woman show that runs this "organic boutique". As a mother of young children, she wanted to model how to leave less of a footprint on the planet. Green Rainbow was her dream, and she's so happy to be learning alongside her family how to make each step an eco-friendlier one. I love supporting her dream! My first hand experiences of purchasing from Green Rainbow has been wonderful...and I urge you to remember to hop over the next time you're looking for a gift or that something special. In fact, go visit today!
Green Rainbow Shop

Saturday, February 12, 2011

giveaway winner announced!

The Write Start: A Guide to Nurturing Writing at Every Stage, from Scribbling to Forming Letters and Writing Stories

A love for writing is a gift I wish upon each and every child. Thanks for all of your wonderful comments in the giveaway post for a copy of The Write Start! I hope it sparked an interest in the power of early learning and enjoyment of the written word.

A big congratulations goes out to the winner:
Tracey-

"As a homeschooling mom with a two year old granddaughter here every day, this giveaway is perfect. Thanks so much!"

Please e-mail: mayaluna{at}yahoo{dot}com with your mailing address and I'll ship it off to you.

Friday, February 11, 2011

Valentine Prints- diy stamps for children

As you well know, I love carving and printing stamps. Finding successful and safe ways for children to make their own stamps always feels extra satisfying. Here's a simple technique for creating stamps that could be applied to many artistic pursuits for multiple ages... but for today-Valentine prints for young stampers. I'm not a fan of craft foam, but some of it has wandered into our art corner... again! Why not utilize its redeeming qualities, and turn it into something that can be used over and over. Craft foam can easily be cut with small (and not so sharp) children scissors and absorbs ink/paint nicely for printing.

diy stamps for children

Need:

scrap of thin foam
tape
cardboard
wine cork
glue
pen
ink pad

Make:

Have child cut out small (around 2 inches) heart- or any shape for that matter.
Tape it to a small square of cardboard.
Encourage child to draw a design on foam with pen or pencil. Ask them to press hard. If the foam shape is random vs. a heart... you may want to have them draw a heart in the center using a stencil for help.
Cut off the excess card board around the foam.
Glue the back of the cardboard to a cork (a wooden spool would work well, too). We didn't want to wait for glue to dry and a little piece of duct tape worked just fine as an instant fix.
Stamp away!

These would make a wonderful last minute handmade Valentine, as well as a nice addition to any love note throughout the year.

Here are two more stamping ideas to share with children (and yes, foam appears again!)
-stamping with children part 1
-stamping with children part 2

And here's a bunch of Valentine inspiration from year's past.

Happy Friday and happy stamping!

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

The Write Start: a giveaway

Congratulations to Jennifer Hallisy who has just published her first book about inspiring and nurturing young writers! It's aptly titled: The Write Start, also the name of her blog.

We are a family of avid writers and readers, so I was quite happy when her publisher, Trumpeter, sent me a copy. I read through the book in one sitting... it's a fairly fast read, which is always appreciated in a parenting book. The first section focuses on writing development- from the "scribbler to the scholar". The second half contains 52 activities to encourage writing and foster a love for it. I really appreciated that many of the activities didn't call for much more than most of us already have on hand. I have a background in early childhood education, so my children have been exposed to lots of rich writing exercise over the years, but I now have a couple more tricks to add to my bag.
As Jennifer says-
"You play an important role in nurturing your child’s writing development. You are your child’s first writing teacher, and their most important writing role model. From teaching your child how to hold a pencil and form the letters of the alphabet, to creating writing spaces and meaningful writing rituals at home, this book gives you all of the information and inspiration you need to confidently raise a writer."

The Write Start would be a wonderful addition to any library of parents with small children and a great resource for young homeschoolers... as the emphasis is on toddlers through the early elementary years. Many thanks to Trumpeter for offering a copy to give to one of you! If you'd like a chance to win The Write Start, please leave a comment in this post before Friday at 9pm EST. I'll announce the winner on Saturday... good luck!

Note: in response to the question of international readers...YES! This giveaway welcomes everyone from all over the planet.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

barn lights and a beam shelf

This winter, my mother added two new lights to the barn's main room. This shop light was picked up at a yard sale. The wires are threaded through a galvanized pipe. It hangs high above the kitchen sink, so it was hard to get a good shot from the floor. I stood on the counter so you could get a glimpse of its patina.

And look over there... do you spy a bookshelf in an unusual spot? My mother has a huge collection of cookbooks and finding a place to store them, but keep them accessible to the kitchen, was a huge challenge. And then we came up with the beam shelf. Small spaces can feel very cluttered with too many bookshelves lining each available wall. Taking to the rafters is a nice solution. It utilizes untapped real estate, while raising the eyes to create the illusion of more height in any room. A huge beam separates the kitchen ceiling from the rest of the room. It was added to the barn during renovation for stability. Here's a photo of it with the old tiny sink light to give you perspective. By putting a bookshelf on the kitchen side of the beam:

the books are hidden to the rest of the space
the visual impact of the beam upon entering the room was kept intact
and access was perfect with help from our favorite slim fold footstool

Galvanized pipes and flanges hold the shelf, keeping the hardware in the room consistent, while doing their job with strength and honesty.
Hey- there's the other new light!

My mother had originally gotten the light to hang outside. It didn't attach well to the chosen spot, and sat in the shed dejected for two years. I think its new home is just right, don't you? Exterior (industrial) lighting works very well in the inside of a barn/home.

I might have to go sit under that light with a stack of my mom's cookbooks... and plan some delicious meals to get us through the rest of this snowy winter. I'll let you know if I come up with some winners. I was quite thrilled with how many of you made last week's lentil miso soup! It's the simple things... it really is.

Monday, February 7, 2011

heart pop up cards

When I tuck my children into bed, say good bye to them, or even part with my husband... they often hear "Love you more than words can say." My mother said/says it to me. We pass these bits of love down the family tree, don't we... I'm sure you have a saying, too. I thought it would be sweet to put these words on everyone's nightstands on Valentine's day. Shhh. A little greeting when they open their eyes. Since my daughter had called the process of punching out her water color hearts "heart popping", I got the idea to make a couple of the extras into these pop up cards. Here's how:

I took a small rectangle of card stock (around 3x5) and created a crease at the midpoint with a bone folder.
A watercolor heart was pasted over the crease.
I cut out the heart to the crease with an xacto knife.
When I folded the card, that little heart popped right up!

Happy Monday!

Thursday, February 3, 2011

making and baking

We're keeping busy with our favorite activities: making and baking. There's been lots of making: mini books, music, and hearts. The hearts were my attempt to steer my daughter into mass production mode while still maintaining the fun. No one wants Valentine burn out within the first few days of February! After wetting several sheets of water color paper with a sponge, she covered them in pink and purple. After they dried, we brought out our heart punch. It was her first time using it, and there was much enthusiasm. The excitement about the scraps almost topped the thrill of the "heart popper", as the puncher has now been fondly dubbed. I'm not sure how they will turn into Valentine's, but we're off to a good start.

Making an abundance of hearts is a definitely a sweet way to spend an afternoon...with the addition of my son serenading us on the piano (practice time is like a free concert these days... he's so good!), I was transported to one of those mothering moments. You know, the ones when you float out of your body and hover around the ceiling looking down at the scene thinking, "hold onto this memory... keep it safe... bottle it up... remember it when things aren't so smooth."

And so we baked. Baking is one of my favorite ways of saying "I love you" to (and with) my family. This gingerbread (via Laura) was perfect. Her daughter had baked and shared it last week before ice skating lessons, and my kids were excited to make it themselves. The recipe is in the first Silver Palate if you have it, and I found it here, too. It's a good" throw everything in a bowl" kind of cake. I love that there's no dairy (we avoid it when there are colds in the house), and the amount of sugar is fairly low. They ate it unadorned... no icing or dusting of powdered sugar... and begged for ~~seconds~~ thirds!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

golden lentil miso soup

Sunshine on a snowy day...

Red/orange lentils are a staple in our house. I've been making our golden lentil soup for years. Eighteen to be exact! That's definitely a tried and true recipe. My boss at the Garden of Eatin' (a vegan restaurant in Marin, Ca. circa early 90's) taught me how to make it, and I've been whipping it up ever since. Fast. Healing. Satisfying. What follows is more of a how to than an exact recipe:

Golden Lentil Miso Soup

Ingredients:

red lentils
a couple of carrots
a couple stalks of celery
a couple of potatoes
one clove garlic
red miso
Make:
-Fill a large pot with and 2 inches or so of dry lentils. Rinse until the water runs clean. This is the most time consuming part of the entire soup process, and will take several rinses. The water will get foamy. Swish your hands around in it. Clean those lentils.
-Drain. Fill the pot a little more than half way with water and bring to a boil. Do not cover. Watch your pot well. It will bubble over if not attended to. The kids love reporting that it's getting ready to erupt like a volcano. That's when I run to the pot with a ladle and bowl to skim off the foam and turn down the heat just a little.
-Now it's time to add your chopped potatoes, carrots, and celery. We put onions in everything, but rarely do they end up in this soup. If you feel like it, go for it.
-If it looks like it's getting too thick add more water. Cook until lentils have dissolved into a lovely golden puree. This happens surprisingly fast. I meant to time it for you, but I got distracted... and then they were done. After all of these years I've never clocked it, but I'm thinking 30-40 minutes.
-Turn off heat. Ladle about a cup of the "thick broth" into a blender with several tablespoons of miso and a clove of garlic. Blend until smooth and pour back into the pot. Taste. If you want it a little saltier, just add a little more miso.

Miso is a living food with restorative powers, try not to over cook when re-heating your soup or it will destroy the good micro-organisms.

Serve with cracked pepper, crusty bread and a salad... or add some greens to the soup in the last 5 minutes of cooking. I know the ingredients list is short and not overly impressive, but I believe that the simplicity is the secret to why this soup works as a perfect comfort food on a cold winter night. Variation: omit the potatoes, add more water and some cooked noodles... and you have a delicious and healing alternative to chicken noodle soup.

Have a warm and healthy day!

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Snowed in

The first day of the month has arrived with a huge snow storm (and it's just getting going)... and sick kids. It was all brewing yesterday and now "Hello February, aren't you in fine form!"

But I'm prepared. My pantry is stocked. The wood bin is full. The art corner is ready... after a quick 6am pick up. I'm a homebody after all- hunkering down, keeping the fire burning, reading stories all day, making soup, steeping tea. I can do that! And as I paint you this picture of a snow covered farm house, with smoke curling up from the chimney and delightful cozy activity glowing from the windows, know that I will also have to find time to get some pressing work done. I plan on carving out snippets of time in between stirring golden lentil miso soup (my "cures what ails you stew"), helping to make 25 Valentine's day cards (might as well seize the moment), finding something for my son to read (because the library books were already devoured).

But right now, the day hasn't fully begun. I'm sipping my tea, writing to you, and watching the snow pile up around me...

This photo was taken last week. Let's call it the before shot... I'll report back with an after shot when the storm is over!

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Please give a warm welcome back and welcome in to February's sponsors: Green Rainbow Shop, Woolen Moss, Two Peas in a Pod, Silk Oak, and Peculiar Momma

Be Well!

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Thursday, February 24, 2011

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Monday, February 21, 2011

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Monday, February 14, 2011

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Friday, February 11, 2011

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Monday, February 7, 2011

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Tuesday, February 1, 2011