Springy weather

Shortly, I am off to a craft show. YEAH! And the sun is finally shining for this sunny occasion.

Crafty wonder

Good friends (and new ones) showed me a warm reception at the Busy Fingers craft show yesterday.

Meet 'Sally' who showcased my husband's new t-shirts.

I had a great time but now I need to re-fuel and reflect, of course.

In the zone...

I've been crafting up a storm for a craft trunk show tommorow. I said I would't stress and I haven't. That being said, I've dedicated more time to it than originally thought. In a good way. I always learn from these experiences.

• Ideal background 'noise' is 'This American Life.' It's the right balance of keeping my mind on task - cutting, sewing, stitching. Sometimes movies on netflix require too much attention and some songs gets me agitated for not feeling right.
• I work better in blocks of time. As sweet of a thought to craft the day away, it is not my reality. I've found if I dedicate select time, keeping watch with an egg timer. This keeps me focused and balanced with the rest of my life - house, kids, work, etc.

Amidst the chaos, I try to remember and smell the jasmine. It has a way of lifting spirits in winter.

Peeks

My good friend, Amanda of Fancie Pants Knits, is a crafty wonder. She is a co-founder of Craft night, where we get together, craft and catch up. She is constantly a source of inspiration and support. I wanted to share a pin she made for me - love!!! It made a 'so-so' day spectacular. She's really been into embellishing old sweaters needing new life and thrifted wonders. She's inspired me to refresh some of my go-to cardigans.

Peek into snowy bliss

We finally are receiving our long-awaited snowstorm. Kids school is closed as well as mine.

For the most part these 'days off' are listed as lazy but I find myself (and the kids) doing lots. Lots of good - a bit of work and play.

• A chance to make No-knead bread adapted by Sullivan Street Bakery. Definitely have time today.
• Trying out our new teapot.
• Reading Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese.
• Started a rag rug for the kitchen. Strips are being kept in a thrifted bag at the Brooklyn Flea.

Glimpses from around the house:

The bar is set so low these days and yet these days seem fulfilling. My kind of day as I float from one thing to the next. Not everything needs completing. I love that the goal of such a free day is to do what you please, more else at home base.

And there's more snow a-coming. Yeah!!

Learning New

After reading Jane Brocket's The Gentle Art of Domesticity (again), I've changed my mind about 2 things: learning to crochet and knitting socks. Before I thought, why bother? Then her words and pics inspired me so. I picked up a copy of Erika Knight's Simple Crochet. I LOVE this book and the projects.

So, armed with a crochet hook and some cotton yarn, I tackled our 7 + hour ride to western NY with the goal of learning how to make a granny square. guess what? I did it. Still learning and lots of frustration, I did it. They're not perfect but that's ok. I love changing up the colors and using my stash.

So once I caught this crochet bug, I'm a bit obsessed (typical Elizabeth-style). Came across Wisecraft's Granny square scarf - this might be the perfect project for these squares. Attic 24 has a great tutorial on joining the granny squares. I don't know how warm the cotton yarn will keep me put it sure is cheery.

Crochet is so portable. I'm loving it....now to be inspired to sew in some loose ends.

Busy, Busy holly days

We've been running around enjoying the holidays. Here are some snaps:

Seeing Santa

Holiday concerts wearing our Sunday best.

Selling items in time for the holidays

A last-minute gift for mom, lover of many things including Strawberries. I (HEART Cath Kidston MAKE)!

Lots of applique.

Off to finish some pj bottoms while kids are in school/play date. merry, merry

I did it!!

This is me at a table. Smiley for a variety of reasons.



I signed up for a craft show. I made things, showed up, and sold things. Phewww...All my nights working toward this event caught up with me. I crashed.

Overall, great success. Next step is etsy land (there is no problem with link, just a blank shop that is not open for business...yet). Need to re-charge, instead of plowing through. Hoping to get items up in the new year.

So off to enjoy the December festivities with our friends and family.

Chugg a chug

Caught up on my blog reading today and stumbled upon this quote by writer Elisabeth Elliot, while reading latest and greatest from The Happiness Project:

"When you don't know what to do, do the thing in front of you."

I've been busily preparing, in random steps, for selling handmade items in Dec. and forward. It's a lot to juggle and know what to do first - do I focus on my labels when i haven't actually finished a piece yet? I have  tendency to get overwhelmed with the details as well as finding the energy to keep doing and making (when I've spent hours keeping up with life (kiddies, house, etc.) It's all part of a dance, isn't it? Instead of getting overwhelmed, I need to just do what is in front of me, re-evaluate, and see what's next (or how much energy remains).

Looking at this face, how can I not be inspired and loving this life o' mine?!

I (HEART) Cath Kidston

Cath Kidston rocks.

The colors, ideas, style. Simply grand. My sort of thing. Always inspiring. And, did I mention it makes me happy?

So, when I checked out her book, MAKE, I fell in love all over.

I took the ordinary tank I find myself wearing constantly in the summer and made it more, me. It was a great beach cover-up too.

Here I come

I did it.



After much thought (too much thought) I signed up for my first craft show. This is HUGE for me. Baby steps of confidence. Looking forward to creating and learning from the experience. I will never be super ready but I am looking forward to this goal.

Wed. December 1 from 11am -3 pm. McGuire Hall - Loyola University Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21210

Up and Away

We're home. restored. I am breathing better. Actually, I've picked up a chest cold but nonetheless I have been rejuvinated. The stress is gone from the shoulders and I have re-charged. We've even had hints of fall weather and I am loving it.

Lots of reflection so here we go.

I have a tendency to raise the bar too high for myself and then I get overwhelmed. viscious circle. I am always checking in on the balance. Seasonal shifts are great. Although I'm not returning to school, I find it necessary to thank summer for a great, although hot, time and look forward to fall and new beginnings.

Bits of reflection.
 - I want to cook more and better. Nothing elaborate. I've also come to the realization that easy is the key on certain week days.
 - As much as I am enjoying blogging, I am finding it is taking a good percentage of my craft/inspiration time. Looking forward, I want to prioritize doing rather than writing about it (realizing though, that that is cool too!)
 - letting things go. I wanted to do some preserving/canning this summer and maybe there is still time but realistically there might not be. And that is ok. there's always next year.
 - I realize I am a continuous learner. And that is a good thing.
 - I am glad to be crafting monthly with my friends. I look forward to this time and revel in their creativity.
 - My kids are growing fast. Life is full of moments. I know I can be doing more and creating this 'perfect' childhood. who am I kidding? I'm doing pretty good. I love the imperfections.
 - With our new home (it's been a year!), I get overwhelmed with how I want things to look and the energy/money associated. baby steps. prioritize and plan. Can't do it all. It wouldn't be fun.
 - There a lot of creative people out there and it is not a competition. I do what I can. If I get ETSY up and some craft shows, great. If not, oh well. There's always tomorrow. I'd rather make things I am proud of. I need to start doing. And I am...
 - I need to schedule more fun time for me. Otherwise, days go to fast and robotic mode sets in. not so fun heading toward burn out.
 - I'm working on finding the cozy spots in our home. It's important. Just takes more than snapping fingers.

Phew. It feels good and right.

Remembering me

I'm reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin and I LOVE it. Really love it. After a long day, sometimes it feels like a project to open this book, read and reflect. But it is helping, really helping.

As a working mom (inside and outside our lovely home) of two young, wild and innocent children, I sometimes lose sight of me. And it is scary. I crave the creative and am always dabbling in many half begun projects. I love sewing and knitting but sometimes find that I am in love with crafting than the 'doing'.

Blog-land has been great for inspiration and reference especially since I have a small number of friends who craft in town. As much as I love blogs, I find myself immersing myself in other blogs and getting completely lost and overwhelmed. The sum total of blogs I peek into intimidate me. It's almost like I've shown up to a contest and I am not qualified, just interested. Not always a positive experience. I since wonderful things people are creating and I get frustrated with myself for not figuring our how to balance, work, home, and craft. I have aspirations for creating pieces to sell on etsy. How do I act in confidence that I have good eye and I am full of passion? it's proving hard to verbalize. Maybe I should just start doing.

There are so many chapters to reference in the Happiness Project. I am starting with 'Being Elizabeth'. I need to be acceptable of who I am and my abilities. It is one thing to be inspired by others work, it is another thing to weigh me down and erase my confidence. I am finding that I am different and can't compare to anyone. I am trying, ever so hard, in every component of my life to be better and to be me.

*Be Elizabeth*

Coaster needed

We added a couple side tables to our family room recently. The joy of sitting near a light and reading. Simple but true. Realized we were lacking coasters. Off to the craft boxes we go to make with what we have. Cut cork and layered paper, rick rack and fabric scraps. O sealed with Mod Podge.

 
Such a simple addition makes our already great mornings a bit better.

I'm here...

Happy New Year



I know it is mid-January but I've been doing lots of thinking about my relationship with me and my blog. I paused to reflect and am now to finally ready to write. I want this forum to be a place for me to learn about myself - especially my creative side. I will try to stay positive but sometimes a girl needs to vent.

I want to write for me. Sounds a bit selfish but not intended. The Internet is a very good thing and I find myself losing hours, perhaps days peeking around at other crafty and creative blogs. It's one thing to get inspired; it's another to get overwhelmed and lose confidence in my ability. I've been hanging out in the later and that just isn't fun. I want to find a creative community 'out there' for support. I need to remind myself of the inspirational things surrounding me. everywhere. walking from the parking lot, waiting at the grocery check out, at the doctor's office, the gaping hole reminding me my baby lost his first tooth.

I get it. It can be difficult raising 2 kids (under 6), keeping our house a home, working inside and outside this home while pursuing creative endeavors and standing, with energy of course. But I also know I need more and try to figure out this balance-thang. So, new start. I want to embrace my every days and capture words and images that will motivate me to find my creative authentic self. I'm writing for me and if I find some friends along the way, even better. SO, rather than wait for the perfect moment when all is quiet and I am in mode, i think now is better than ever. I'm excited. Writing it down makes it more real.

Turkey Trot

I typically have Wednesdays off so I've been hanging out with O and V today, getting ready for Turkey Day. Lots of lounging and playing including baking pies - Pumpkin and the Martha Stewart Prize winning pie -English Toffee and Pecan and creating this bird. Yes, it is a turkey and it stands in front of my cookbooks for inspiration. This turkey will have friends after the kids create tommorow.

I've been working on a skirt - trying to understand basic structure principles. So rather than cleaning and setting the table, I'm putting the final touches on this skirt.



This skirt is made from re-purposed fabric (used to be one of my 'wrap around' skirts) trimmed in ribbon and tulle. I need to fine-tune my hand sewing. When I tried it on Viv, she said she looked like a princess. She always does.

Probably should focus on the other stuff since the reality of hosting Thanksgiving dinner is starting to hit me. My mom is bringing the bird and others are bringing other menu items.Have I told you how much I love a holiday with such great, comfort food?

I am grateful for many things especially family. We look forward to celebrating in our new home.