simplesparrow

ramblings from home

This is the view at my back when I sit to use the computer. I was talking to Noah when I noticed how pretty the light was coming through the skylight. Thank heaven for skylights, I love them so. The orchid on the trunk was a little gift from Mark, picked up while he was doing some grocery shopping. So thoughtful of him. When we were dating I was still in high school (I was 16, he was 19) and sometimes when I would leave in the morning to walk to school there would be a bouquet of flowers sitting on the doorstep that he left for me before he went to work---he definitely scored some big points with that move (are you reading hon? BIG points!)

I got some time last night to work on my spring totes (that's what these will be ) by adding just a little bit of free-form embroidery to the fronts. Sometimes I'm bummed that I can't get most of my projects done faster--then I remind myself of all the other things I need to do during the day--homeschooling, making dinner, laundry, yard work, errands, playing with Noah, spending time with my older ones and providing taxi service, eye doctor appointments, orthodontist apps., paying bills, trying to fit in fun family stuff in between, spend some time with friends, etc..etc.... Oh yeah. Thats why.

We found this trampoline for Noah at the thrift store yesterday. It's only a small, one person one so he can use it in the living room. He's jumping to the moon non-stop. Seriously, this was one GREAT purchase and I highly recommend one for any young child that is full of crazy energy like Noah is.

Actually, now that I think of it, it should be on your list of essentials :)

spring fever

Stripes! Working on a shop update that will hopefully be ready by Friday.

I gave an old favorite painting a much needed face lift. It is spring after all.

That's what I've been up to. Short and sweet today--back soon!

pancake picnic

Oh man, it was the most gorgeous day here today. The kind of day that makes you feel so lucky to be alive. It was warm, (unseasonably) the breeze was just the perfect little wisp, and the birds were singing up a storm. Noah and I had the morning alone together and the spontaneity of a picnic on the patio was the perfect thing. I almost sat us at the table before I realized that a day like today should not be wasted one little bit with being indoors! Later in the day I was thinking how good it is to be spontaneous. Some of life's sweetest memories are created because one was willing to seize the moment. My hope is that I will always be one to snatch a moment when it comes and make it a sweet memory. Like a pancake picnic.

gardens in a glass

Em and I had a bad case of terrarium fever. It hit, oh, about 3 weeks ago. I'm told there is no recovering unless you make a terrarium--maybe 2 or 3. We each made 3--because like I said, we had it pretty bad.

This project was so fun! Actually, it wasn't just us--we involved our kids too. We wanted it to be kind of a science thing for the younger ones so as we all filled our bowls we talked about what plants need to grow, why plants in jars need special care and special ingredients--such as charcoal. I picked up this book from the library and found it to be a good choice. It has all you need to know to make your own glass gardens and a section on how to make your own terrarium tools from things you have around the house. We didn't get around to making some for ourselves, but quickly realized that the tools would be invaluable if you choose a container with a narrow neck. Ours just barely fit our hands and at times it was awkward. 

I love how Noah's fishbowl turned out. These adorable succulents are just broken off pieces from Em's yard (succulents will root just by sticking them in the ground) as well as the delicate ground cover in the bowl above. Look around, you don't need to buy all your plants from the nursery. We're not sure how the succulents will do long term in the jar, it's an experiment.

I can't tell you how much we love having these in the house, especially in the middle of winter when the garden outside is pretty blah. You can see all three here.

breakfast alone and thinking

All of my family was out this morning so I found myself relishing some alone time. I walked around in the front yard and felt the warm, stormy wind blow past me, I noticed again how rich the colors look outside after a rain. I watched my cat drink from a puddle and then laughed sympathetically when he started to climb the screen because I came in and accidentally left him out. I took the time to make myself a decent breakfast and ate while the only sound was the wind whipping through the trees. And I had time to think without a whole lot of other stuff going on around me. Bliss, really.

Creatively I've been venturing down a new path and it feels rather exciting. I was due for a change, a new direction to explore. I'll be sharing some of that with you soon, but for now I wanted to pass along something I've been pondering and am finding very inspirational. It comes from the book Applique Stitchery by Jean Ray Laury (a gem of a book I've mentioned here before) She says...

"To be significant, work must be personally meaningful. Speak only for yourself. You need not try to comment on the world, or on all mankind. Try, rather, to make a simple and honest statement about a single idea with which you are familiar. If you succeed in this, your specific comment is far more likely to contain a general element of truth. As I am neither a deep thinker nor a profound one, I make no attempt to be profound in my work. I can offer only a personal response, and if that response arrives at something basic, it will evoke a response in someone else."

Without rambling on why, I find her words very freeing. I think I might write them out and pin them up somewhere near my workspace.

(thank you for all the blanket kindness! some asked how i felted the wool, actually this is one time that i didn't. i didn't have much to work with so i didn't want shrinkage. i'll wash this in cold water and hang dry as i do all my wool that i don't want to shrink.)

a folding kind of day

After Hannah and I folded about 3 big loads of laundry together we moved on to paper and made these clever origami lanterns. This was a kit that I bought her for Christmas that included the string of lights. The first lantern gave us a run for our money but we eventually got past our brain block and actually even improved upon the directions that were included. Really, I should let the company know because I think I would be saving countless others from the beginnings of a migraine.

These were so fun to make once we got going, and I might also add quite therapeutic--all that repetitive folding. But the real reward is in how very pretty they look hanging on the lights. I think I just might need several strings of these all over the house (Mark, what do you think? Yes? )

You can find the kit here, at Magic Cabin. It happens to be on sale too! Just a small tip, you don't need to buy the extra pack of paper they offer along side of it. The way they word the description you might think you do at first. Just saying :)

discovered

Here are some photos that happily surprised me when I discovered them on my card.....

Nathan taking a self portrait....

Hannah's very creative photo of her very delicious muffins...

Noah with a bowl of tomato soup. Tomato soup that appears to have a pair of eyes. Photo by Hannah.

I hope they surprise me again.

And again.

twas the night before christmas and the village was on fire

I know you must be so dang curious about the title of this post, no? Well, the story goes like this...
The kids and I made Martha's winter village together a couple of weeks ago. These always look so much better with lights at night but where we have it set up there is not a plug, not even remotely close (it was really the best spot for it or I would have moved it) After thinking it over I came up with a genius idea!! (so I thought) Have you seen those little faux candle lights that run on a battery?  Problem solved! I'll put one under each house then we'll have lights! I'll beat this electrical challenge yet... Yeah, yeah, what a smarty pants I was---I didn't take in to account that those lights are supposed to simulate candle light, so they flicker. duh. Which means when we lit up our little village that we were so proud of, all of the houses look like they are on fire from the flickering. Not the warm homey glow we were after. I should just keep Noah's firetruck parked there and put a little person on the balcony yelling for help.

I'm filling a couple of jars with peppermint bark to give out as gifts, that and homemade granola. We are heading back up to the northwest for Christmas in the next few days and that's when we'll be doing lots more baking and homey holiday stuff. We didn't get a tree because we were leaving and I didn't decorate either--it doesn't quite feel like Christmas yet for me. Right now the tummy flu is picking us off one by one. blah. We're waiting for that to pass because that is ONE Christmas gift I'm not going to bring my family. I think my next post will be from Washington--hoping for a white Christmas!

cuttings

I found Noah in my bathroom the other day--but it was a moment to late. He had just finished putting the final touches on his haircut (gasp!!) He was pretty proud of himself and really, it didn't look all that bad considering. But, there were several bald spots and the inevitable was not to be avoided--he needed a buzz. Goodbye sweet curls, grow back soon.

He looks a little solemn here, but in truth he couldn't be happier with his new hair. This is his "hurry up and take the picture mom must you always carry that camera around" look. Yes, I must, if you really want to know mr. Noah. Otherwise I would not have these precious photos. One day you'll be glad, promise.

Speaking of cutting--I'm so impressed with Hannah's amazing snowflakes she has been making. Soon all of her bedroom window will be covered with them.

I'm loving those stormy skies in the background. It's been so long since we've had good storm and we need the rain.

Well, ack! I have yet to get one Christmas gift made. The shopping we are doing this year is just about done so that's good. But I'm so looking forward to the gifts I'm making--and we're leaving in just a little over a week to head up north back to my parents house. Dearie me. Will I ever be done ahead of time? so far (like, all of my life!!) it hasn't happened.  Dang, dang, dang.   

Thank you for obliging me with a walk down memory lane in my previous posts. I enjoyed sharing some of our memories with you and I appreciate your kind comments, as always. Have a lovely weekend!

remembering: a sewing son

I love that Micah has has made himself several things that he needed. Slippers, a quiver, a messenger bag to name a few. All from patterns of his own. I love that he's using the machine I bought when he was a baby and that one of the first things I made on that machine was a pair of overalls for him. I've given him the machine.