Wednesday, December 30, 2015

What We're Working on This Week - WIP Dec 30th, 2015

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Creating is my passion, my sanity, my sense of being "up to something", my way of contributing a little bit. I always have a few projects going, many left to the side for months or even years before I pick up the best and carry on. Here's some of what I'm working on this week:



Attempting to lighten up the bathroom. We finally decided on paint colors, now to the hardware store to get the color we don't have. Apologies for the awkward angle, I felt I probably shouldn't include a picture of the mountain of laundry we AREN'T working on. :)

Monday, December 28, 2015

Breathing room after big days

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Breathing in, breathing out, the sound of our hearts beating - these rhythms are such a part of our existence that we rarely even notice they're there.

In the larger aspects of our life we must be more conscious of these rhythms or we can easily get off balance. 


After many big days crammed into a few short weeks, we are taking a few days to rest at home. We will find our rhythm heading into the new year, continue put everything into its place or find places for things that haven't yet found one of their own. 

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Crafting (and Blogging) on the Sly - WIP Wednesday

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Creating is my passion, my sanity, my sense of being "up to something", my way of contributing a little bit. I always have a few projects going, many left to the side for months or even years before I pick up the best and carry on. Here's some of what I'm working on this week:

Some of the excitement of presents comes from the surprise and anticipation. As someone who made presents for people from my very first ability to make things, much of my joy is finding the spare moments and keeping the secret. When one has toddlers as company most every moment, especially particularly inquisitive ones, one has to be pretty sly.

For those word nerds like me, the word "sly" comes from Old Norse sloegr meaning "skillful, dextrous, cunning, crafty" source

Monday, December 21, 2015

Mixing the old in with the new - scenes from our home today

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Between the start of the holidays and everyone getting sick, we lost our momentum in making our new house our own. I was bemoaning the lack of magic in our new house (as compared to our old house where we'd been for almost eight years) and then realized, we hadn't yet worked our own magic on much of our new house.


Digging for treasures in the boxes in the garage, I came across a few things that found their place in our new home only minutes later. It's remarkable how some of our treasures remind us who we are. 


We are slowly blending our old belongings into our new space, and incorporating our new space into who we are. 

Many things are lovingly being placed aside to move along to their next life where they belong to someone else. 


We are revisiting old projects, adding new elements and even integrating some pieces recovered from a newly homed grandparent. Four generations and still some room to grow.


The evening after the last post about garlands I spied some lovely ladies getting crafty. We have a carefully collected and curated collection of ornaments and decorations for the season. Most have either survived the time since our childhoods or are handmade treasures made or purchased a few at a time over our years together.

We are looking forward to quiet days at home, celebration, family, giving, light in the darkness, and coming together to express our gratitude for each other.

Wishing you and yours the very best. 
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Wednesday, December 16, 2015

WIP Wednesday - Garlands! 12-16-2015



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Creating is my passion, my sanity, my sense of being "up to something", my way of contributing a little bit. I always have a few projects going, many left to the side for months or even years before I pick up the best and carry on. Here's some of what I'm working on this week:

Garlands! 

As soon as the girls (finally) went to sleep (at the same time!!) I grabbed my camera and went around taking pictures. Turns out, what we're working on this week is garlands.


We repaired an old beloved garland - white and red felt squares with red felt balls for caps at the end. 


We made a peanut garland for the squirrels.


We are making a cranberry and popcorn garland for the bird. Oh how I love the colors!



And made paper elephant and star garlands for our tree.

Not a single one of these was done without a great amount of help from C. And the kind of help where she actually does some of the work, not the kind of help that isn't really very helpful but is just as necessary


I also am, excitedly, working through a new online course through LifeWays North America (in collaboration with Mothering Arts) called Healthy Home Rhythms.

From the description:

"This popular online course, developed by Kerry Ingram at Mothering Arts, supports you to create a balanced home rhythm rooted in presence and joy."

I'm thoroughly enjoying every simple step and will do a full post after I finish. Even if you only get 2/3rds of the way through (where I am at present) I highly recommend the course. 

This is a hectic time of year for most in the attempt to create celebration, connection, keep treasured traditions, and re-center ourselves around the wonderful things in life. Moving and the entire experience has left me feeling off balance and I'm struggling to catch up, rebalance, and reconnect with these girls in my home who've grown an inch or two since last I checked.

What are you working on? What are you excited about attempting? What are you proud to be working on? Take a picture or two and share it with the rest of us by leaving your link in the comments.




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Wednesday, December 9, 2015

WIP Wednesday - December 9th, 2015

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Creating is my passion, my sanity, my sense of being "up to something", my way of contributing a little bit. I always have a few projects going, many left to the side for months or even years before I pick up the best and carry on. Here's some of what I'm working on this week:

There may have been some late night knitting and blocking of a requested blue birthday cowl (being worn at present) and some matching blue mittens. I still have to work in an icord mitten string. 

A's doll is slowly coming along. I finished C's Willow before her first birthday. I'm aiming to finish before Christmas, and as there's only legs and feet to complete, I think I shall be able to finish. 


For the past two years I've made photobooks chronicling the girls' lives in pictures. In "the digital age" it's easy to take pictures, many of which are only ever seen on little cell phone screens. While I aspire to make true photo albums, these books were an easy compromise. The first book was C's first year, and since then I've used her early December birthday as the cutoff for the previous year's book. This gives me the few days following her birthday to scramble it together to have it ship in time for Christmas.

I'm also, nervously, putting together a submission to have a gallery showing in the cafe of the local coop. Other than student shows while taking art classes, I've never put myself forward as an artist. There's a lump in my throat, but I'm sending it in anyway.

What are you working on? What are you excited about attempting? What are you proud to be working on? Take a picture or two and share it with the rest of us by leaving your link in the comments.

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Monday, December 7, 2015

C's Turning Three and Seasonal Ick


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Tomorrow, our dear C turns three. (Wait WHAT??) 


Over the weekend we had a lovely gathering to celebrate. When planning, she eventually agreed we could invite people other than just two of her favorite cousins. We had lively time and received a surprise spinet piano! It needs a little repair and to be tuned, but even so, it's lovely to hear and exciting to have a house with a piano again. 


Sometime around the holidays, at least in our family, we invariably get sick. Not knock and drag out sick we can call out from work, just ick. Just sludgy, slow us down, make us less than inspired sick. With extra naps, vitamin C pops, way more cuddling, holding hands, and patience, and somehow we make it through.

So I'm going to sign off and try, yet another evening in a row, to get an ornament or two on our tree, snuggle up while watching another twenty minutes of White Christmas, and get ready to be patient enough to get to girls in bed.

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Wednesday, December 2, 2015

WIP Wednesday - December 2nd, 2015 Hanging Advent Calendar with Tutorial

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Creating is my passion, my sanity, my sense of being "up to something", my way of contributing a little bit. I always have a few projects going, many left to the side for months or even years before I pick up the best and carry on. Here's some of what I'm working on this week:

I have always loved little things - containers, miniatures, boxes, etc. I loved Advent calendars as a child. I still recall waking with anticipation and tiptoeing down the stairs. The small door to open or a small tissue-wrapped treasure brings me delight to this day.