SouleMama

So long, 2007

We woke up this morning to snow falling outside, and it looks like it will be coming down for a bit. It's perfect, as our New Years plan involves staying right put and cozying in. The kids have grand plans of 'staying up all night' to greet the new year. All manner of strategies are in place by these little ones - involving water bottles to spray in their (own) face when they're tired; a walk in the woods after dark; uncomfortable sitting positions; and so forth. Good fun, and fabulous entertainment for us. Who needs TV when you've got a full-on performance troupe in-house?

The coming year holds so many different and exciting things, and I'm sure there will be lots of talk tonight of all those plans and dreams for our little family. Tonight, we'll put aside the practicality of some of those fun kid - and adult - wild ideas and just let the dreams fly. I love the magic of a New Year - giving room to all the possibilities in the world. Because you never do know...

Thank you for sharing a bit of 2007 with me - your daily stops here to read, cheer, laugh and encourage have moved and amazed me and warmed my heart in more ways than I can say. I thank you for all of that.

May your own New Year be full of joy, creativity, and peace! Cheers to you and yours!

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.

thrifted fall favorites

I haven't shared a proper thrifting report in a good while now, though of course that's not for lack of thrifting. A few little little treasures that have found their way into my home this fall:

 

A little more detail on the Flickr pages.

This quilt was a very lucky, under-the-table flea market find by a friend. But since it was my birthday, she gave it to me - isn't that nice? Not that I was about to wrestle her to the ground for it or anything. Nope. Not me. We thought it was a cutter for sure, but after three days in the tub with Nancy's Vintage Soak, it's just right and soft and cozy and white again.

And then a month later I found this sweet, soft, and affordable vintage quilt. It's lovely to have one that I both love to look at and that I also don't mind having a child on either end of it playing tug of war. Know what I mean?

I instantly fell in love with this sweet little nightdress, and figured if Adelaide didn't like it (she's quite clear about what she will and will not wear), I'd happily keep it anyway. Thankfully though, we both love it.

And this is not just any Pyrex bowl, no - this is my new favorite Pyrex bowl. I adore this pattern. It's the Balloons pattern from spring of 1958. And why do I know this? Because that's what procrastinating in front of the computer will do to you. Lead you to a website like this where you can easily spend away an hour. Or more. Sigh.

And just this weekend - before the storm hit - on a little flea market adventure (where else to find completely unique handmade gifts?), I found this little set. Or more accurately, it found me. As in - You Break  It, You Buy It. Yup, in all my years of thrifting I've never done that. But there's a first for everything, and this weekend my fumbly, over-caffeinated hands dropped a pile of Fire King bowls right on top of this cream and sugar set.

But really - how lucky was I? It was $12, not $200, it glued back together with my much-loved (and crazy-toxic) E6000, and it's kinda sweet, too. I'll consider it a lucky break.

snowy day

Outside::

Inside::

It's still snowing out there! It's been one of those storms that I must admit - I've rather enjoyed from the inside for the most part. From my cozy spot on the couch? It's very pretty out there.

studio reds

This weekend:

Number of packages of red rickrack used: 2.5
Number of red spools of thread used: 2
Number of red velvet cupcakes (from Two Fat Cats) devoured: Just one. But oh-so-good.

out walking

Some sights from a walk this week. More snow arrived last night (making the Old Port absolutely beautiful for Merry Madness), and more is headed our way tomorrow.  We have every intention of hunkering, playing, and cozying on into a wintry holiday weekend.

Wherever you are, and however white - or not - it is outside your door, I hope your weekend is a cozy one!

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.)

sorta, kinda martha-like

When the December issue of Martha arrived, I was immediately hooked on this scene above - it's been on my inspiration board since it arrived. It must be all that Scandinavian goodness. Or the sleeping child under handknit blankets. Whatever the reason, I knew we had to make the gingerbread mobile.

Which is just what we did last Friday night. Or attempted to do last Friday night more precisely. We had some funky dough issues. And some funky children issues. And some funky oven issues. (And some funky camera flash issues, too. It was a funky night. Thank goodness it was a funny-funky kind of night.) I should have stuck with my stand-by Gingerbread recipe (also a la Martha), but I tried the one called for in the magazine. It was near impossible to work with - but I don't blame the recipe (yet) - it could have been any of the other 10 funky factors going on at the moment. I'm pretty sure I'll be cleaning that gingerbread dough off the floors (and ceilings and cabinets) for as long as we live here. But regardless - a fabulously good time was had by all. Really - a silly, fun and very good time.

Over the weekend we iced our gingerbread.

And then yesterday, we put our mobiles together. Or rather, Adelaide and I put this mobile together. All of Ezra's mobile-destined cookies (bats, by the way) ended up in his belly (and nearly all of Adelaide's ended up there, too...if you couldn't tell from the photo above).

Then Calvin completed his. When the funky dough issues made it impossible for him to make his planned deer, he quickly switched gears....to doughnuts. It's a Holiday Doughnut mobile. It hangs over his desk now, and I'm pretty sure it's the most fabulous holiday decoration I've ever seen. A Doughnut Mobile? Really now. I'm in love.

a written request

In the interest of keeping it mellow amidst all the other holiday crafting-for-little ones happening around here right now and not overdoing the matchy-matchy, I had every intention of skipping the Mama - babe matching holiday wear this year. Last year's version here and two years ago here (look at those baby cheeks!).

But then ... last week I was working in my studio on a book-related project when Adelaide snuck past the Papa defense line and burst in with a "whatchamakin, Mama?" I told her, and she rephrased her question, "You makin' me a dress, Mama?". No, honey, I replied, as I explained once again what I was making. Then I asked if she wanted to go back downstairs with Papa or work with Mama for a bit. She opted for some studio work -which for her is either moving pins from one cushion to another (endless fun), or drawing. She got right to work with a pen and some paper on the floor with a mission.

And in a minute, she handed me this drawing which was accompanied by, "My draw you makin' me a dress Mama."  Pause. And a little bit louder, "You makin' me a dress?"

Be still, my heart. Of course she's getting the dress.

keeping it mellow

Oh, those December piles are gathering. You know - piles of waiting-to-be-finished gifts, piles of gifts that never will be finished, piles of decorations not yet hung, piles of cookie dough waiting to be made, piles of gifts to mail, piles of a manuscript in progress, piles of snow gear with no 'home' yet, piles of dust (a great month for my vacuum cleaner to die. and my tea kettle. and my coffee maker. Sigh.), piles of holiday cards to write and mail, and piles of laundry (oh, that massive pile of laundry). It's tempting to cave under the piles. Oh, and trust me - there are moments when I do. But you know...it's much more fun if I can find a way to tune out the piles for a while (and let a few go in the process. who says the clothes have to be folded?), put on my favorite holiday sound in front of the tree and the fire, share a new favorite - pomegranate martini (found via Ali) - with the one I love, and tackle just one pile - one little card at a time. Yes. That's how I want to spend my December.

On that note, I wish you all a lovely weekend with many moments of peace amidst it all.

holiday & bathrobe nostalgia

Shhhhh, don't tell her, but this is a little Solstice present for my babe. (I figure she's the only one who can't read the blog. The rest of the gift-making will have to remain hush-hush!). We have a little tradition of mama-made pajamas each year, and this year - hers will come with a bathrobe. She highly covets the boys', made by their Nana last year. I might have to send this one with Steve to work until gift-giving time though, because I know I am going to be oh-so-tempted to give her the bathrobe every single morning and every single after-bath moment for the next two weeks. The temptation to put her in it NOW and squeeze up the adorableness is very, very difficult to ignore. Sigh. I shall try my best. This is not my strength - I nearly always give presents away too early because I'm terrible at waiting to give them.

I remember tucking this pattern away when she was just a little tiny thing. I'm so glad to have found it in time to fit this year. The fabric is a flannel by Michael Miller. I used rickrack instead of the called-for lace, because, well, it was 11pm and there was no lace to be found in my studio. Rick-rack - yes. Always plenty of that around. The fox print under the pattern -  an old Munki Munki print - will be the pajamas.

Growing up, we always had the tradition of new (usually matching) pajamas on Christmas Eve. I remember getting a new bathrobe to be a pretty big deal. I adored the one above - it was quilted and likely polyester, with tiny flower prints all over. Funny the tactile memories we have, isn't it?

While looking for the one above, I found this one too, which makes me so happy. There are so many photos of all of us in our matching clothes posed in front of the tree. But these seemingly random ones are my favorites and I'm so grateful to whoever decided to keep them. So much for me to love in here - my grandmother's apron (oh, what I wouldn't give to walk into her house to see her in that - I can still smell it), the matching red velvet clothes, my dad's crazy pants, and me - being the bossy little one that I was. We put on a Christmas pageant every year at my grandmothers big holiday party, and I was the director. Every. year. My cousins and sisters are just about now forgiving me.

Continuing my little trip down holiday memory lane, I'm very honored to be included in the Winter '07 issue of Small Magazine - the beautiful and inspiring online children's design magazine. In this issue, you'll find my Mama's recipe for the not-super-healthy, but oh-so-yummy ambrosia. Canned fruit and marshmallows? Good stuff. Like polyester bathrobes and plaid pants.

it's here!

Winter has arrived around these parts, and with it ... some of the treats of the season: gingerbread cookies, warm cider, and sledding with friends.

It amazes me each and every year - how instantly everything changes when this blanket of snow comes down and covers everything around us. Everything transforms into something new and fresh. And even though the weather has been slowly shifting as it does, it's still always a shock those first few times of the season - stepping out into the white crunch. It's beautiful, magical and amazing. The challenge is to still find it as beautiful, magical and amazing come March when it feels as though it will never end. So here's to remembering in March. It really is magical out there.

Calvin Blogs :: twistie ties for my tree

{photo by calvin}

"First, you cut a really long string. Then you cut a really long string in another color. Or you can use the same color, but then it's hard to see. You put the two strings together, and one person holds one end and the other person holds the other end. And you start twisting, but in opposite directions. So if one person goes one way the other person goes the other way. And you twist for a really long time until it's tight. Then you very very carefully bring the two ends together, and the string will get all twisted up. Quick, you have to tie a knot on both ends of the string. And then it's done! A twistie tie! You can put it on your tree, or you can hang it on the walls, or you could keep it in your car for when you need rope to pull you out of the mud and snow and stuff. Just kidding. Bye!"

knitting for the tree

LuluBeans yarn has recently made it's way to Edith & Edna, and after seeing it in person and touching it I had to have some pretty much immediately. It's really fabulously yummy. I had no idea what it was going to become, but it's arrival coincided with the arrival of our tree last week. Hanging the skein on the tree to take a photo (of course!), I knew just exactly what it needed to be. But I had to hurry.

And so I started knitting. And that knitting went everywhere with me for days.

Really. Everywhere.

Somewhere along the way, I ran out of yarn. Got some more. Kept knitting.

And finally...last night...my dear sweet family's wait was over, as my really super long i-cord was finished. Long enough to wrap around the tree as our knitted 'garland', so that we could finally - finally - move onto the decorating of the tree.

They're really a very patient lot when it comes to Mama's silly little ideas. I thank them for that. 

There's a pattern in Handknit Holidays by Melanie Falick for a knitted garland that includes several i-cords together with pompoms. This was my original plan, but really, it's just not nice to string these little ones along (literally) longer than I already did. So I'll put that started cord away and enjoy the first of our winter storms today (it's still coming down! We're hoping for a foot), and cozy up with the finished tree too. Maybe next year the garland shall grow.

first of december

Part of a batch of holiday stockings that found their way this morning to Edith & Edna (where I can buy local and buy handmade. oh so good).

And Day One of our Advent Stockings. Originally posted here, with ideas for filling them on my post at Kiddley from last year. (The half finished tree? Ah, yes...the family work in progress. I'll tell you the tale on Monday).

Happy December to you!