SouleMama

five

Hello! Just popping in with a quick hello and a book event reminder (below). Yesterday, we celebrated Ezra's fifth birthday. Five? Oh my. Five feels like one of those big numbers to me - all day I looked at him and thought, "really? five? how can this be happening so fast?" and then in the next breath, of course, cannot remember my life before him, as if it's been years and years. One of those incredibly hard to explain, and yet so very real parenting feelings.

Anyway, it was a lovely day. A perfectly mellow kind of day, well-suited to my little guy. Bike rides (his birthday gift to himself? riding without training wheels!), lots and lots of music, a menu carefully planned out from breakfast to dessert, and a celebratory dinner with friends and family. Good times.

Part of his carefully planned out menu (food is very important to my little one - remember the mustard party?) included this request for a cake: "part strawberry cake and part blueberry cake, but not the parts mixed together. blueberry frosting, with strawberries on top." A little specific, yes. But I was feeling up for the challenge and it all worked out just right (starting with this recipe, but with some changes to make it lighter). A layer of strawberry, a layer of blueberry, with blueberry cream cheese frosting. Yum.

And a tiny moment from the day: Moments after Ezra opened his eyes in the morning Calvin ran to give him a little package he'd made and squirreled away nearly a month ago now - A set of handmade microphones. Ezra loved them .... and I nearly cried. Because these three little microphones just about sum up sibling relationships for me. They are inevitably the first to pound on each other (and they do - quite often); and yet, also the first to lovingly and quietly create and give a gift so absolutely perfect for the other that no other gift could possibly compare. Truly. Heart-swelling.

And last, a little reminder. I'll be popping out tonight for a book reading, Q&A, and signing at Books, Etc in Falmouth, Maine at 6:30 pm. (The postcard here). I'd love to see you there!

{Back to regular blogging soon...I have a few more days of 'vacationing at home' to do. And some cake to eat. And some microphone-singing to do. Oh, yes.}

traditions : old & new

I love watching our little family traditions grow - some of them quite without me realizing they're happening. On Saturday morning, I was getting ready for a journey to the grocery store (the epic experience that is the day before Easter), and walked into the living room to find Calvin, Ezra and Adelaide in the 'shanty' (aka - the couch cushions with quilts draped over them), playing "Laura, Carrie, and Mary Ingalls". But the tone was serious - and I strained to listen to just what was going on in there, worried we were reenacting Jack's (the Ingalls' dog) death again or something equally Little House on the Prairie-tragic.

But another very important kind of meeting was happening in there. Calvin and Ezra were having a little sit-down with Adelaide - filling her in on just what Spring is all about, and what exactly she could expect on Easter. They were explaining how the little animals of the forest leave out treats for them to find. They even impressed me with a few "some people are celebrating this....and some people believe this...." that has me believing they do actually hear me when I ramble on about such things. And then in great detail, the description of the 'really special and beautiful' chocolate bunny they would have in their basket from Mama and Papa. (Perfect, I thought, as I mentally added those yummy Lake Champlain bunnies to the grocery list.)

But before I could get too comfortable in my preparedness, I heard "...and Mama makes us all springtime pants!"  Wait, what? I do? A moment of panic set in as I racked my brain for just what was in the Easter baskets last year (a task more difficult than it should be for my 31 year old brain). Chocolate bunny, pencils, paper...yup, pants. And the year before? Hmn...wood animals, earth balls, watercolors....and oh yeah, pants. Oh gosh. That's a tradition. An accidental tradition, but a tradition nonetheless.

As the day went on, I think I slipped something subtly into conversation about how wonderful it is when things change, or how holidays can be different from year to year and new traditions are made. But of course, I was only trying to convince myself. It wasn't until later that night, with a house full of sleeping babes, and the last of the Easter preparations completed (including a massive search for the Easter baskets. Where could they go?), that I finally succumbed to the pant-making. I distinctly remember whining about it to Steve and a friend during that day...but as I started gathering the fabric, I snapped out of that. I mean, really now, how long will it be that my children are looking foward to handmade pants from Mama in their Easter basket? Not long, I am sure. I'll take it while I can. With joy.

Before you imagine the scene to be too idyllic, I should tell you that it wasn't as though they were jumping up and down excited about these little pants. I assure you, it was the candy first. Art supplies second. Mama - made pants a distant third. But they each did put them on, and sat down together like this - giggling and eating and playing. Soon the linen was covered in chocolate and sticky jelly bean slime, and in a few days, I am sure, they'll be handed to me covered in mud from outside spring play. A perfect tradition.

Oh, and the easter baskets? I couldn't find them. At all. So we 'made do' at the very last minute with some clementine boxes. I think we started a new tradition.

year no. 3

Of course, she got her dress. You knew she'd get the dress, right?  After her not-so-subtle plea, she never let up (such is the plight of the youngest child), asking each and every time she popped into my studio, "You makin' my Christmas dress, Mama?" followed by an incredulous "Why?!" whenever the answer was 'not yet'. When it was finally complete and I tried it on her, her immediate response was, 'My no like it. Take it off." Oh, yes, that's just what she did. Thankfully though, with the allure of new tights on Christmas morning (it's official that all my kids think tights are the most fabulous clothing article of all. And if I had tights with snowflakes on them I would have to agree), she happily wore the dress long enough for Christmas brunch, and even for one more party after that. Yay!

The fabric is by Maywood Studio. The pattern is a vintage one. I eliminated the lace, and added a little bit of baby rickrack instead. Because red baby rickrack belongs with the holidays as much as eggnog does, as far as I'm concerned. I can't resist these things.

And to continue our matchy holiday outfit tradition for the third year in a row, I made myself this apron. The pattern is the Apron Overlay from the Amy Butler Barcelona Skirt pattern. It's a great pattern - easy to follow and quick to whip up, and I was quite happy to wear it Christmas morning, but I'm not such a fan of how it fit - perhaps my sizing was off. Or perhaps my waist has moved. Surely it was the pattern. Ahem.

I know I swore a zillion times over before having children, that I would never do this matching clothes thing to my kids. But whatever, I'll happily eat those words now and continue sewing for just a few moments of fun, silly, and sweet with my baby girl. We like it.

stories

Fresh from a bath, snuggled up in her robe, and cozied under the tree in a quiet and sleepy house, she tells Banjo the story of the cat in The Tomten - one of her favorites right now. In that soft, yet squeaky sing-song two year old voice that fills an entire home and melts everything in it's presence.

Oh, let these moments move through us slowly, but linger forever in my heart.

last saturday

Thank goodness I have three fantastic helper bees who agree that the packaging and the delivery are equally as fun as the making and the giving parts of gifts. One of our Advent gifts was a pile of white fabric squares bundled with some fabric markers. The boys insisting we make an ornament to adorn each package that left the house (the ornaments are much like the simple Stuffed Art from my book - you can find the instructions in an excerpt here. Just add a length of ribbon at the top for hanging).

And then there was the baking. Who knew that when you start making holiday cookies before Thanksgiving, it is quite likely to be tired of making them by the end of December? Hmnn. Small bread loaves to the rescue. Banana Pecan, Pumpkin and Chocolate Chip, and Sweet Potato Cranberry. Yum, yum.

And then the wrapping of our gift. Yes, "gift' the singular. I had this little revelation in September to make something really special, and then kind of multiply it by everyone on our list. Vague - I know. I'll share it with you next week when more of them are in the right hands. But I will say that it made my holiday stress a little bit lighter, the kids had such joy in the making, and - I think - the recipients were pleased. Ah...

And finally, the delivery on Solstice Day. Warm cocoa, some 'fancy delivery clothes' (Ezra's thing) and signage (Calvin's thing), and a family drive around town to scatter packages at the doorstep of friends and family. My little ones had such fun playing Solstice Elves, as they dubbed themselves.

And I dare say, they were the cutest little Solstice Elves I've ever seen.

merry, merry

{a few more holiday photos on Flickr}

It's been such a 'full' week here with lots of Solstice and Christmas celebrating. The holidays go by so fast, don't they? So incredibly fast, and there have been many, many moments this month - despite keeping it all as simple and mellow as we can - where I've felt as though I'm running a marathon that might never end. Or one that ends, only to begin again. The lists, the food, the preparations, the making, the gifting, the wrapping, the driving, the cooking, the cleaning, the meltdowns (theirs and mine), the on and on and on.

But then - there are those little moments. These little oh-so-tiny moments that in reality amount to only minutes worth of time. But the weight of those little moments make them so much bigger - and fill up the whole of the holiday season with their essence. The marathon disappears and in it's place is the feeling of love, friendship, family and joy. The holidays. One little merry moment at a time.

On Solstice evening, as we all returned in from the setting sun and our little bonfire, we set about getting settled in front of the table of food and our tree with gifts. Calvin excitedly began scurrying about into all the corners of the house - under his mattress, in the basement, and everywhere in between - and returned with package after package of tucked away gifts he'd made for us. We knew nothing of these - each one was a surprise, and so perfectly suited for each of us - some he's had planned for months he told us later. Wrapped in cardboard, paper, and duct tape, with gift tags thumbtacked to to the package. They were - without a doubt - the most beautiful gifts I've ever seen. His joy in giving those gifts - and the love in which we were all showered with upon opening them...well, there really aren't words. It was one of those merry moments.

I know this is true of all of life - it goes by so fast and it really is always about the little moments. But I feel it to be particularly true at this time of year. Things are moving faster...and hand in hand with that, those little joys seem to be even more plentiful.

Wishing you many more merry moments as you continue celebrating...or as you move on to the wonder of the post-celebratory rest!

in celebration

{our feast for the birds, in preparation for Solstice}

Just Delicate Needles

It's so delicate, the light.
And there's so little of it. The dark
is huge.
Just delicate needles, the light,
in an endless night.
And it has such a long way to go
through such desolate space.
So let's be gentle with it.
Cherish it.
So it will come again in the morning.
We hope.

--Rolf Jacobsen
Translated by Robert Hedin

Into the holidays we go! I'll be back in this space later next week. I wish you all much joy and love for a Blessed Solstice, a Merry Christmas and a most Happy Holiday week!

much better

When the storm blew in this weekend, it sadly canceled all of our planned holiday parties and festivities. The bright side of that was a cozy, at-home weekend with some unexpected time to make things. I found myself working on this project had nearly written off for another year. On the year of each of the boys births, I knit them their stocking. And somewhere along the way, made one for Steve and I as well. But Adelaide - well, that first holiday season of hers she was just three months old. And the boys were 2 and 4, and I was one really tired Mama. That year I made a 'temporary' stocking, assuring myself that the following year I'd have more time and energy to make one I really loved. It didn't happen last year. I was a year off, but who cares - it finally happened this weekend. It came out just as I've imagined it to be in my head for a long time.

The embroidery is Hillary's Elf Stitchette. Adelaide says that it's her holding me. Oh, gosh - what those kids do to my heart is crazy. The base of the stocking is a worn and soft vintage matelasse bedspread that belonged to my grandmother. The other bits and pieces are all quilt pieces I've found, treasured and squirreled away for just the right project. Like this one.

I had no idea that a full set of family stockings complete could bring me such happiness. But it does. It really does.

decking the studio

I'm sorry, I should have warned you before posting a scary sight like that. Isn't my studio looking fabulous these days? Ha. To be fair - it doesn't generally stay like this for more than a day. It's too small of a space for me to keep it in this state for too long - I start knocking over jars of buttons and tripping over iron cords - and well, that's no good. Rather counterproductive in fact.

So it got a little tidying yesterday, and then a little sprucing up for the holidays. I'm spending many wee hours of the night in here these days, so I figured it might as well look like the holidays in here.  (The socks - I have a feeling you'll ask -  are a pair my great grandmother knit for one of her sons in the war, but he came home before he could use them. Though, I'm not entirely sure how accurate that story is - my grandmother had a wonderful imagination. Regardless, I've always pulled them out at holiday time - you can't see the pretty red striped trim from this angle, but they're very lovely.)

I've been greatly inspired by all the lovely wreaths out there. Just a few - Alicia's, Manda's, Betz's, Aprill's and  Jen's (which I saw in person last night at Shop-a-do - they are lovely, indeed). So this is my little version - strips of fabric, rickrack, buttons, felt and ribbon wrapped and pinned around a foam wreath base. The bird ornament in the middle is from Last Minute Patchwork and Quilted Gifts. I'm loving that book this season - I've been making lots of these birds to attach to gifts (oops - secret's out).

And now - back to the holiday crafting!

with a little help...

Oh, the gifts in progress around here are plenty now. They're in every room and bag and on every chair and table and bed (yes, bed). The kids, naturally, have their own work in progress piles of super fabulous gifting. There's lots of whispering and lots of missing tape and cardboard. We're having a lot of fun.

Each day something new gets ticked off the list - either from completion, or from a little bit of letting go of what I realistically want to make between now and next week. For the latter, I'm relying on some friends to finish the job. Local friends, at that.

I'm thrilled to tell you that my dearest friend Jessie Fields has opened up her first Etsy shop just this week, with prints and card sets of her work. Some of you know her photographs from Flickr or one of her previous blog incarnations or you may have seen her work in a calendar, magazine or the cover of a book (like this one! hee.). She's amazingly talented, and I'm so, so thrilled that we can now buy her work as prints. I'm ridiculously proud of her and doing my very best to curtail the gushing about her photography (and her). Go check it out yourselves.

Another talented friend is up to some new good in her own Etsy shop. I told you about my cabin door a few months ago, but now she's doing some new things with patchwork and linen and red and grey. Okay that last sentence just had four of my favorite things in it. And clearly hers, too - I swear I do not choose my friends based on their love of linen and patchwork - it's just a welcome coincidence.

Continuing the local shopping love, I cannot wait to attend Space Gallery's Shop-a-do Holiday Sale (with food, music and drink too!) this very evening. Some really wonderful local artists are on that list, and I cannot wait to see friends and find some new-to-me local crafters to shop from as well. I'm crossing my fingers Maria will still have three little candy cups by the time I arrive. Letterpress candy cups! It's perfect. As if that wasn't enough, tomorrow night is the Old Port's Merry Madness, where the shops stay open late with all sorts of treats and sales and such. We actually have a babysitter, and I think I might burst from the excitement of winter shopping in the Old Port with my love. Well, that and the anticipation of the cupcakes I've been promised at Edith & Edna.

I know, I know. Calm down. But really - with all this handmade goodness at the holidays - from my studio, my kids' 'studio', Etsy, crafty friends, and local shops -  I get a little excited. I really do believe that in the big picture it has the power to flip this holiday that can lean towards consumerism right on into a holiday full of goodness and heart. At least, that's what I think and feel and tell myself everytime I walk into my studio these days and spy the growing little corner of handmade love - made by all sorts of artists and crafters - that are about to go out into the world. I swear it's radiating. (and yes, I'm a little idealistic like that.)