35, day 1

(Well actually, I have only been 35 for about 6 minutes...But hold on! If I was in New Zealand with Mary Nanna and Miss Smith, I would already be well into my 1st day of 35!)

party favor Valentines

repurposed Nikki McClure calendar,

you know those little mini pictures of the months that live on the backside

of your calendar

Rolled-hem hankie crafternoon! (Reminder tutorial is here.) Lots of laughing, pretty fabrics, fun books to share. And sewing friends.

A Gratitude Wrap made by Marcia, so I can take my notecard-writing on the road.

Inside, three pockets for a notebook, notecards, and stamps. So pretty and functional, and let me point out to you that there is a LOT of bias tape on this project. Which is a pretty big pain to sew. I do appreciate that detail!

We had snacks. This wasn't one of them. (But may I say: Y U M)

These folks know me well. Somebody even organized these friends into bringing lots of fat quarters to share with me! Look, this is the chicken themed pack (Note the white fabric with what appears to be hexagons: it's chicken wire!):

This is the yummy greensy goldsy bluesy selection (including some fabrics at right that originate from Ghana) and a little gifty from Rhea of Alewives (awww.):

And Oh. My. Cuteness. Donut and coffee mugs. Little tiny Japanese girls with parasols?! I ask you.

And we now have our very own Chia Obama, the "Determined" version (he also comes in "Happy"). We will post progress photos of our first African-American president with his organic green afro. Yes! We can!

recipe for a fine summer day

me and my pink grapefruit sorbetto

Start the Sunday morning with sourdough pancakes.

Totally fudged the recipe, added a little yeast, milk and butter, along with a couple of cups of flour the night before, some eggs, salt, and more flour and milk the next morning. They are divine, so light, so delicious...

While cleaning up the breakfast dishes, begin preparing dinner (love that). What's on the menu? Quinoa salad with peas and radishes, mint and cilantro, based on Heather's great recipe. Quinoa takes a lot of coddling (rinsing it beforehand, dry roasting it, rinsing it in cold after cooking to minimize the mush factor), but I think it's worth it. And so good for us.

And also, Baked Sweet Potato Falafel from 101 Cookbooks. My new favorite vegetarian food porn site. Here's what it looked like on the plate tonight, served with a side of cucumber-dill-mint yogurt salad, and fresh greens from our garden:

Sylvan had three helpings of quinoa salad, no Sweet Potato Croquettes (as we called them to avoid the gag reflex on the word "falafel" for the boys, you know "feel awful"). Jonas avoided the quinoa but ate the croquettes. Hey, both are delicious and good for you, so who cares.

Between breakfast and dinner we went to Damariscotta to the bead store for Jonas (who makes great earrings and he's taking orders to finance a portion of his ski pass), for a swim (my first of the season), and the fabric store for me to remedy one of those awful mistakes that we sometimes make. That would have made me swear a BIG BAD swear, had Jonas not still been awake.

Is the addage "Measure twice, cut once" one that crosses cultural borders? Probably, since idiocy knows no bounds. So I KNEW that I needed to cut the fabric for E's PJ pants a certain way. I thought it through twice. I laid it out. And cut it completely the wrong way. Argh. *&(*@!!!! See how I had the iPod all set to go for the pinning and cutting last night? (And that adorable little bag, a gift from E. and her mom, just because. Just because they thought of me when they saw it. I love that sentiment, the bag, and them!)

Also while in Damariscotta, we stopped by North Cottage Coffee for some outrageously lovely handmade gelato. This place is worth a stop, for coffee, gelato, sweet and savory treats, and a great cafe atmosphere. Above is pictured the blood orange sorbetto. I chose the pink grapefruit, which might possibly be up there as my new all-time favorite, up there with Jake's homemade strawberry sorbet. Great color, texture, and flavor to die for. And please notice these cute cups they serve the gelato in, and those plastic spoons? Totally great design, although made of plastic, they fit in your hand and have a nice small spoon-head, perfect for shaving off tiny nibbles of these delectable frozen treats.

Finally, our new peeps went outside their enclosure for the first time this evening. Just a little bit of fresh grass and flying bugs. They were a little unsure, a little nervous about the idea. Kept going in and out.

Notice that buff cochin at right, above photo? I love her fluffy little botto and feathered slippers! There was some aggressive behavior we observed, and we are hoping that we are not seeing the beginnings of roosters. We still have them separated from the "big" girls for now.

On a beautiful day in the garden

Once there was a little girl who knew her own mind. Really, she was a little old lady in the guise of a small blonde-headed girl. She was never easily swayed, often bossy, never cajoled, and she could make quite a tough face that would stop would-be cheek-pinchers in their tracks. She was clever and artistic, immensely creative in her thinking, smart and funny. But I imagine she was not always a dream to parent.

Sylvan PJ pants in-waiting

You may have guessed that small girl was me. I tell you this because one of my boys is all of those things also. This is why I will never, ever homeschool him.

"these are not alligator shoes, these are alligator FEET!"

Jonas PJ pants in-waiting

So this morning, the two boys and I spent two hours (*two*, yes, that's epic in kid-time) in the garden, working together to mulch with newspaper and straw against the weeds. What was really special was that the aforementioned boy was incredibly helpful and dedicated and hard-working, creating a structure for our peas to climb, patiently laying newspaper between the garlic plants (which were planted annoyingly close together), encouraging us to work together and get more than half of the garden done. 

He is often resistant to demands on his time away from reading, particularly when these demands come from Jake. What was different today? I guess I went into it a little more like a river and less like a rock, making a true request that he could engage with if he was willing, and here is the key: without judgment about his decision. (Do I sometimes wish I could just ask for help straight up and get a completely cooperative boy?--Yes, but that's not him.) And first, requesting that he help me figure out if we had enough pea netting from last year and to come up some way to hold it up---I think this appealed to both his sense of independence and his creative problem-solving nature. 

PJ pants in-waiting for E.

So right away, we were collaborators while we listened to the birds and watched the other brother make a fishing net out of the leftover pea netting and some baling twine. It is the first sunny day I have not been working in over a week, and my sewing machine is with our local Guru after developing some squiggly bottom-thread issue (and me getting frustrated and breaking a needle...), so the garden truly benefited. It felt like our inner work matched the beauty of the day.

But OK, check this out. I bought my first pattern for a skirt! Amy Butler Barcelona Skirts  and this lovely summery blue print fabric to make the skirt on the cover of the pattern, sort of a tiered skirt. I have measured myself and it looks like I am between two sizes. But I may get a chance to try on a skirt (from the same pattern packet!) that a friend made in---get this---gnome fabric, because her estimation is that I am not the size I think I am. Huh. Will let you know. Right now the pattern and the fabric are kind of like My Precious.

the loud birds are still awake

...and it's 8:45! That's a sign that we must be close to summer. You know, I have more pictures of my Alewives Fabrics visit the other day. Of course. How can I NOT go there with camera in hand? 

The Amy Butler Birdie Sling Bag

Yummy, plush flannel birdies

It was a pleasant Sunday, I was with Joanie (go ahead, leave her a comment, it'll knock her socks off!), and there was beauty all around the store. 

Rhea (aka Alewives Girl) encouraged me to cut my border fabric for my quilt (so handy that I toted it along), right there in the store with all the nifty gizmos. But really even better was her standing there lending me moral support and watching my patented technique of holding my breath while cutting fabric.

Rhea at work on a duvet cover

You see? Gorgeous.

More later about that sparrow fabric...

I kept coming back to this pattern.

I am not sure I am ready for it.

Good to know such cuteness exists.

I am excited to tell you that Ravenhill is having a giveaway: two prizes for the craftily and sewing-minded. Check it out---although by telling you, I am lowering my own chances to win. But I guess that's how much I like the people who are reading this blog.

Finally, a question or two. Sometimes, does getting out the door in the morning feel like a creative endeavor to you, finding the right shoes, having the teeth brushed, not being a broken record about socks on the floor, etc.? Or the elaborate way that we juggle the schedules of four family members? (And believe me, I would not consider us over-scheduled, just...well, four people). So do you have any tips for morning smoothness and/or peace? What's your favorite type of morning?

Swap Love

two hankies for that Sew Groovy one,

with a Scrabble tile that happened to be on the floor

in her first initial!

Maybe you've stopped by A Sew Groovy Chick's place and seen her amazing creations for yourself, like these ones here and here and here. I have been an admirer of this woman's eye for color, bravery with bold fabrics, and attention for the technical details. It was with some shyness that I proposed a swap with her: a Buttercup bag (with a couple of hankies thrown in), made with love by me (a non-expert beginner bag-maker) for whatever she wanted to make me, because I was sure I would love it. I did and do!

Her package arrived first. But since mine wasn't done yet, I let it sit quietly on my kitchen window seat until mine was in the mail. Here's the card she sent, using selvedge edges and little strips to make a mini-quilt:

tiny, neat handwriting and kind words!

And inside the package, was THIS riot of color. Check Sew Groovy's post with her photos, as I was not able to capture the true colors of the bag's goodness.

my own cafe apron, an Amy Butler Swing Bag, and two fat quarters

she added a layer of cotton between the exterior and interior, 

so it's sturdy and can hold a book or two

(she must know me!)

love those interior sunbursts and spirals

goth cafe apron---reversible

and so cool

So. Here's what I sent to her (read her post here). This Buttercup bag, with buttons found in the store by Sylvan that were a perfect complement:

Matryoshka fabric lining---

Must remember to ask her about her Russian connections,

she alluded to being in Moscow and St. Petersburg at one time

So, thanks ever so much for playing, Ana! Thank you for saying yes, and for the wonderful gifts of love that you sent me. They are treasures! Wear your Buttercup with pride!