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strawberry smoothies
(The podcast I did with The Parents Journal is up and can be found here.)
We're headed out the door right now to play in the woods for a few days. I can't wait to be there.
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!
First up, thanks for the nice words on the Gratitude Wrap! I'm pretty psyched about it as a project (I'm fully enjoying catching up on my 'thank you's'!), and do indeed have some plans of making a few wraps to add to the shop. I also have a new embroidery hoop project I've started for the shop. My hope is for a mid-month update, but July's a full month, so we shall see what happens. I'll let you know!
Yes, July. A 'full' month indeed - camping trips and hikes, parties, and travel plans, and then the regular daily living of summer. Full in every regard. And I'm finding myself spending more moments playing with my camera than sitting at the computer to write. Ever since I completed the 30 Days of the Everyday photo project in February, I knew I wanted to do another one, one that would be a seasonal balance to the living in that project. An attempt to capture how daily living here changes so much from season to season, and yet - how some things stay constant.
And so, today begins my partner to the winter project - 30 Days of Summer. But I'm going to do things a little differently this time - "summer style," if you will. A few less self-imposed rules. It won't be 30 days straight in a row, but rather 30 days interspersted with other posts here and there. And I'm not restricting myself to 'just' photos - if I have words to share, I'll share them. So all that really means is that things might look a little less 'regular' around here for the coming weeks. But shaking things up once in a while is part of the game, right? It's definitely part of summer living.
Silent gratitude isn't very much to anyone.
-Gertrude Stein
Though it bums me out to say so, the truth is that about two years ago, when things started to get a little more nutty than usual around here, I - for the most part- fell out of the 'thank you' card rhythm. It's nagged at me ever since, while I've also reminded myself that there's only so much one can do in a day, right? Right.
But because it's something that's important to me, I kept trying to find my way back to a rhythm. And I kept getting stuck on logistics - getting the address book, cards, stamps and myself all in the same place seemed to never happen when I had a spare moment. A few weeks ago, as I was helping one of the kids write a thank you card, it dawned on me that I wasn't exactly modeling the behavior I was expecting from my children. Ugh. That night, I finally got the idea for, and made this Gratitude Wrap.
The outer linen is from Cicada Studio, and I am pretty much totally in love with it. Aren't those pecking birds so sweet? Some linen on the inside, batting in the middle, and linen bias binding on the edges (from goodness). The pockets I sized for an address notebook (this one from Operation Paper Cut), some cards (currently full of Black Apple and Simple Sparrow loveliness), and stamps (note to self: get some prettier stamps). It has everything I need, compacted into a relatively small space, and I can take it wherever I go - for when I have a quiet, thoughtful moment.
I'm so, so thrilled that this project is finally 'out' of my head, and more importantly - in use. It was one of those really simple sewing projects that will greatly improve simple daily life. Especially when I'm writing little notes of gratitude from wherever I am - like, say for example, the beach. Yes, that feels very apropos, indeed.
It's no secret that I love this little city of ours. Having spent most of my life here, I may be a little biased, but I do think it's a really fabulous place for families. So, naturally, I jumped at the chance to talk about my hometown recently when AlphaMom asked me to write "50 Things to Do in Portland, Maine With Your Kids Before They Grow Up".
Head on over and take a peek. If you're local, I hope there's something new for you to discover there - and I'd love to hear your favorite spots that I left off the list (leave it in the comments of that post for all to see!). And if you're headed this way for a vacation sometime, I hope you'll find something to make your stay even more enjoyable. And if Portland isn't in your travel plan anytime soon, there are some other really great lists for cities across the country already listed and more coming in the next few weeks.
Special thanks to my Dad, for not only his help with this list, but for taking me to so many of these spots as a kid!
Here's to exploring your favorite cities with litle ones!
Evidence of a morning spent at the farm - picking berries and wandering in the dirt; followed by an afternoon ice cream stop; and ending with an evening walk in the rain-drenched woods.
Dive in. Get Dirty.
Thanks for the reminders, my loves.
ten things I'm loving right now...
1. Absolutely every little crafty thing that just arrived from good-ness. I can't wait to sew with it all
2. My rekindled pregnant-in-the-summer love affair with banana splits.
3. The bittersweet end of a little league season, where I watched my child's confidence blossom in so many new ways. And where I was entertained. In so many new ways.
4. Strawberries. Yes, still. And the (re)discovery of this strawberry-rhubarb muffin recipe. I Googled 'strawberry rhubarb muffins' and was led to - get this - SouleMama, where I found the forgotten about, but much loved muffin recipe. So bizarre.
5. These book plates from The Black Apple which make the nine year old (not to mention the virgo) in me so happy. "Library" was my favorite game, whereby I cataloged every book in our house, and created elaborate check out systems (Library was followed closely by 'shoe store', which pretty much, I think, sums me up). And while it might be a little unrealistic to cover every book I own in these plates, it is quite tempting, because they are so sweet. So, I'm starting with the craft books.
6. Adelaide's daily request of this video. She currently has a 'baby beluga' growing in her tummy, by the way, so this is of particular interest to her. (Thanks for the link, Brandie!)
7. Being outside all day, then bringing a tiny bit of it inside in time for the evening light, full of gratitude to the gardeners here before us who planted so many lovely things.
8. 20 minutes of sewing that makes my laundry chore just a little bit prettier.
9. This gorgeous yarn from Siri's Knitting Iris shop update. Please tell me how I was supposed to resist that goldenrod yellow? I couldn't, and I'm so pleased I didn't. There's a wee baby sweater in the plans.
10. His style. (little sister's dress up shoes, papa's winter hat.) It aways, always, always makes me smile.
What are you loving right now?
I really love the extreme in the day-to-day actions of summer living in New England. On the one hand, there's the carefree, moment-to-moment visits to the beach, camping trips by the river squeezed in, every meal possible eaten outside, and so forth - the general frolicking and fully enjoying of the precious moments of warm weather and sunshine.
And on the other hand, there is the 'work' and preparing for the season to come. Certainly, it isn't like generations past where the labor for winter was so intense....but still, there will be the lack of local, fresh food to prepare for by canning, preserving, and freezing it now. And there will be the need for warmth, combined with the frighteningly rising cost of oil that necessitate cutting, chopping and stacking now.
I really appreciate that reminder to seek that balance - staying present in the moment, trying to enjoy what's 'right now,' while also looking ahead and preparing for what is to come.
I think that 'looking ahead' might have been what prompted me to cast on for these mitts. With some luscious summer-colored "Savannah" yarn from The Fibre Company (a wonderful mother's day gift from my loves), I just made these Maine Morning Mitts (from the book The Knitters Book of Yarn, but the pattern provided as a free pdf here). The pattern worked up easily, the mitts are super comfy, and I know I'll be wearing them lots this fall and winter. And likely, they'll remind me of the beach days of summer on which I knit them. The threads of the seasons, tied together, in a way. I like that.
Oh! And for anyone who gets The Parents Journal with Bobbie Connor carried on your local NPR radio station, I'll be on the show today talking about "promoting children's creativity." If you miss it, or it isn't carried in your area and you're interested, I'll share the link to the excerpted show on podcast when the link is up.
The veggies are done! It was a full-on sewing marathon this weekend as I finished these up. Thank you so much for the advice and recommendations in the comments last week. Especially a huge thank you to Julie who 'cracked' the washable-yet-fluffy dilemma with her expert advice - 'tulle'! The grand total? I stopped counting after the 30th yard of tulle. Seriously.
So, keeping it local, we have....a blueberry, potato and a carrot.
And the strawberry, tomato and pumpkin.
The kids had a veggie parade ("just like at the Common Ground, but less crowded!" they said) all afternoon to properly 'test out' the costumes before we handed them over to the farm. Good times, for sure.
And last...the veggie bag. How could I load all these yummy, local veggies into a plastic bag or box? I couldn't. They needed their own canvas tote, of course. With a happy carrot (from the Sublime Stitching I Love Veggies pattern). Naturally.
I got stumped a few times along the way in this costume making process, I must admit. Totally hung up on making something really 'look' like its veggie. Thank goodness I eventually had Calvin nearby to remind me, "Mom. No matter how you make it, it's not like a person can really look like a carrot. It's called i-m-a-g-i-n-a-t-i-o-n. It's just for fun."
Right, that. Thanks, kid - you rock my world.
There has, indeed, been more picking, more eating, and more jam-making since I first mentioned it last week. How could we not? It's so yummy, and, well, next strawberry season seems a long ways off. And the 'jam' shelf in the pantry was looking mighty bare...just waiting.
As promised, here's the recipe I used. But you have to promise to remember that I really don't know what I'm doing and honestly, I made it all up as I went along, so take it all for what it's worth (how's that for an intro?). If you want good sound advice on strawberry-rhubarb jam from a pro, check out the current issue of Bon Appetit, where Ms. Molly's montly article and recipe this month is on strawberry rhubarb jam! I haven't seen it yet, but like everything else of hers, I'm sure it's wonderfully good.
So, here's what we did:
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
5 cups strawberries, hulled and quartered
3 cups rhubarb, sliced 1/2"
juice of 1.5 lemon
1 TBSP grated lemon zest
1.5 cups sweetener (I used turbinado sugar the first time, and honey the second - both worked well, though I think the specific pectin I used was helpful in making the liquid of honey be okay as a substitute)
1 oz pectin (I used Pomona's Universal Pectin, found at Whole Foods; but here's an article on making your own)
Combine all ingredients in a glass bowl (except the pectin), cover with wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
Drain juice from berries and rhubarb, and put in a large pot. Add half of the berry/rhubarb mix, and the pectin powder. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until it starts to thicken a bit. Puree, and then return to pot.
Add remaining berry/rhubarb mix. Bring to another boil, and then lower heat to a simmer for 20 -30 minutes, or until the jam thickens to your liking.
Pour into prepared jars, filling to within 1/2" of the rim, and place lids on. These could be eaten immediately, refrigerated (for a few months?) or preserved:
For preserving, I use (sterilized in the dishwasher, followed by a few minutes in the oven) ball jars, and once filled, the simple 'open canning method' of placing the filled jars in a large pot of boiling water for five minutes. I've been keeping my eye out for years for a canner while thrifing, but no luck yet, and I seem to get by fine without it. A jar lifter is really helpful though, and I do have one of those. For a great canning resource online (a little overwhelming, but everything you need is on there...somewhere!), Pick Your Own is really helpful. Should preserving/canning the jam be the option you choose, I strongly recommend you do a little more reading about it. That website is a good start, as well as one of the many canning cookbooks out there.
That's it! I hope that's clear and I especially hope that it works for you should you try it. Though we've nearly eaten three jars this week, I've got to slow our pace down. Because there is nothing like the feeling - to me - of a fully stocked pantry headed into the fall season. And of course, that dream of strawberry jam in January. Okay, and all the days from here to there in which strawberry jam will certainly be a breakfast feature.
Some June moments I've been enjoying this week:
::: laundry on the line and the way it just begs to be run through
::: peonies in the garden...and just one inside
::: dinner, outside...with greens from our first CSA harvest
Have a lovely weekend, everyone! I'll be back Monday to share the recipe I used for strawberry-rhubarb jam. Which will mean more picking, eating and testing of the recipe. A good weekend, indeed!
Alright, alright...so technically it's from my studio. But now it's in the garden, and soon will be headed to The Farm - the mother of all gardens. Meet the Tomato - the first in a series of fruit and veggie costumes I'm making (by, uh - next week) for the kids' program at our local CSA farm.
This one little tomato (and the forthcoming similarly shaped costumes) is the result of so many muslin prototypes, and I'm still not really sure I've got it quite where I want it yet. I have a commercially made child's pumpkin suit that I'm using as a model, but you know how sometimes something appears to be so easy to replicate? And then it isn't really at all? Yeah, it's been like that. We want a costume that can be worn by many sizes, easily washed and dried, and durable for all the on-off use it will have, not too heavy for summer months...and that still looks like a fruit or veggie - nice and round and puffy and lined. It's been a little tricky. (If this rings a bell for you to any online tutorials, I'd love to see them! My searching hasn't produced much.)
But luckily, I have some very, very willing models to try them on over and over until I get it just right. They're good product testers, these ones. I mean, really, would I have ever thought of testing out its flying capabilities? It's a good thing I've got them around for important details like that.
"Strawberry Farmer" is totally on my (very long) "What I Want to Be When I Grow Up (And Own Land)" list, but in the meantime, I'm grateful for the local farmers who grow them, and share with us (though the balance of supply and demand for organic, local, pick your own around here makes me a little nervous...and eager to get planting my own, with plenty to share).
Yesterday, we excitedly found our way to a strawberry field.There was lots of picking, followed promptly by eating...
And today, we'll make jam - strawberry rhubarb jam, to be precise...yum.
And if we can manage to make enough (we'll have to find another field!), come a cozy, wintry day in Maine later this year or early next, the six of us will huddle by the woodstove and top some freshly baked bread with strawberry rhubarb jam, and remember these early beautiful days of summer.
Okay, so here's a little confession: My serger scares me a little bit. Sure, I've had it for three years and use it semi-regularly. But really, the only things I use it for? Finishing garment seams, the occasional rolled hem for pants and skirts, and making cloth diapers (which, alone, has made it 'worthwhile' for me, by the way). And each time I use it? I do so with half-closed eyes, and crossing my fingers that all goes well. That the tension won't get all wonky on me - or that I won't have to re-thread the needle (wicked scary). I do have a couple of serger book, which seem helpful in describing the machine, but not in applying its use to a design I'd actually wear. So I was pretty psyched this spring to check out the new book SEW U HOME STRETCH: The Built By Wendy Guide to Sewing Knit Fabrics by Wendy Mullin. It's been out for a few months now, so you might have caught some reviews (here, here, and here to name a few...and oh my - Melissa made the hoodie, which combines zipper and jersey, which pretty much makes her a goddess in my book). I should mention, also, that this book includes instructions on how to sew knits with a regular sewing machine!
So, I've been spending a lot of time with the book since it arrived. You know, reading about tension and other important serger-like things, and getting a little less scared by the page. I love how this book (like her first book) are organized - and the instructions just so clear. This weekend, I finally dove in with the "Tee with Rolled Hem Edge," and some thrifted jersey. And you know, it wasn't that scary. And in the end? I have a tee shirt. A simple, basic, stretchy-over-the-belly (an important detail), comfy tee shirt. It gave me a little bit of confidence to at least think about trying the dress in the book. I'm even thinking about changing the thread color - just for fun. I know, I know...I'm getting a little carried away.
The publisher Little, Brown has sent me TWO giveaway copies of Sew U Home Stretch. If you're interested, leave a comment in this post, and I'll use the random number generator to draw a winner on Wednesday morning, 8am(ish) my time. And because I like my grandmothers advice of making people sing for their supper (she really did), I'd love to hear your serger tip, tale, or drama in the comments. Or, you can just say hi. That works, too.
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Well, I had no idea how many of us were intimidated by those little machines! Thanks for all the lovely tips, tales, and hello's yesterday. Now, let's all go read some serger books and manuals and conquer those fears. ;)
We have two winners, Lindsey and Leah! Congratulations, and thanks to everyone for playing!
digging in the earth,
baseball games by the shore,
a little bit of water,
knitting and driving (a.k.a. "farm hunting/dreaming"),
and a whole lot of sweet in the form of Raspberry Rhubarb Tartlets.
Happy Monday to you! Wishing you a lovely start to your week.
I got pulled into the photo albums yesterday while looking for that sweater photo. I found this one, too, which I love so very much. It was somewhere around the first Father's Day, seven years ago. It's a scene so familiar from that time - in the early days of parenting, as we figured
out what we were supposed to do and how, I remember so very
many 2, 3, 4 am fully-awake moments - with a baby lying on a sheepskin and
Steve giving a midnight serenade with his guitar. After Mama was 'nursed out', we didn't know what else to do, and this worked. And if it didn't, there were the walks around the
kitchen table he gave, reading his worn and treasured copy of Alice in Wonderland
to our six month old, lulling them back to sleep with his gentle voice.
So many nights, so many different calming things.
The sling that he's carried all of our babies in just recently came
to my studio in need of repair. It is, in fact, beyond repair this
time. It is worn, and completely torn from seven straight years of daily use - seven years of those midnight walks back-to-sleep, with the sound of Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Portishead or sometimes a Red Sox game humming from the radio. Seven years of mid-day 'escapes' from the world for our little ones, where they've found comfort, love and the steady rhythm of Papa to soothe them back to 'home', back to themselves. It's the same steady rhythm that guides them long after they've left the sling - through the trials and joys of every single day. I watch as one discovers baseball - a sport Papa loves and knows so much about. And yet - the 'coaching' comes in the form of quiet and strong patience, as he throws the asked-for pitches over and over and over again, eases in a gentle word here or there about stance, and breathes the message to our competitive little one, that it's about the joy of the game, and the work..and believing that with every ounce of his being.
Watching this man become a father has been one of the truest honors of my life, and is the greatest inspiration to me in being the Mama that I want to be. Though we tossed ourselves into the game with little time to prepare, making the transition to 'Papa' appeared to be - for him - as effortless and natural as if he had been preparing for the role for all of his 30 years prior. I think he had, in so many ways - all those rivers run, all those snowy mountains, and all those many, many roads traveled. They all led him here, and taught him everything he needed to know about what's important, about life, and about breathe in the every single moment - especially the hard ones. Sometimes I hear people ask him if he misses what was 'before,' and his answer fills me with such peace and groundedness each time. He loves where he is right now. We're so glad for that.
Happy Papa's Day, Steve!
Wishing all the Papas, Dads, Pops, and Fathers a very
special Father's Day weekend surrounded by those you love!
I don't think it was more than 24 hours after seeing those two lines that I cast on for this sweater. I looked through my pattern books, and Baby's Pure and Simple Pullover from Weekend Knitting (by Melanie Falick) was the first to pull me in. A quick trip to KnitWit for some Rowan Wool Cotton, and I was off. In the early, trepidous weeks of pregnancy, I found tremendous comfort in stitching this sweater - in all of its simple, rhythmic garter stitch. And in the busy moments of the work of spring, I stole away moments at a time - sometimes literally a row at a time - as a reminder to myself about balance, and what was in store for us. Blissful baby knitting, yes, indeed.
Yesterday, I put some buttons on this sweater - some favorite little vintage greens. And now it begins a little pile of what will surely be a 'pile' of handmades for baby that I will love making.
But there's a funny/funky thing about this little sweater. Just as I was sewing on the buttons - and not a moment sooner - I realized why this sweater felt so familiar to begin with. In that moment I remembered the very first sweater I ever knit - when I was pregnant with Calvin eight years ago. Yes - a very similar sweater - as in a sideways knit, garter stitch, pullover, knit in white cotton infant sweater. In other words, the same sweater. (To my credit, I guess...at least it was a different pattern! The original is a Debbie Bliss pattern, I do remember.)
I immediately went to the photo albums to confirm my memory, and here it was - this photo. That sweater! I don't remember if the other babes wore this sweater. I don't even remember if we still have it or where it is. But it's likely that somewhere in this house, exists an eight year old sweater just like the one I finished yesterday.
This realization brought with it a few facts: A. My taste has apparently changed very little in 8 years. B. Apparently, neither has my knitting skill advanced all that much. C. My memory? Uh...Not so great.
But instead of those facts, I think I'll focus on the fact that I began both my first and last pregnancies in the comfortable rhythm of knitting essentially the same pattern. A perfectly knit full circle. Yes, yes...let's go with that.
Thank You!
You're all so sweet. It was such fun to share the news with you! Many of you caught onto the crazy timing - my first trimester this spring was, indeed, a little challenging with all that was going on in our world - books and shows and such. A first trimester recap? I was sick. I was tired. And I was very, very busy. But now - now with two feet planted so firmly in the second trimester, and feeling so much better - all that lies ahead is a little bit of fun work, and a whole lot of slowly enjoying the season, each other...and what is to come.
So of course there's been some knitting for baby! You've seen this project pop up in many photos likely...it's a tiny and simple little thing, but it's been ever-present for months as I squeezed in just one row - whatever moment I could manage to steal away for the bliss of working on it, and dreaming about who might wear it. It's almost done - some buttons to be selected today (which could very well turn into an all day project with all my button-selecting-helpers), and I'll share the finished project tomorrow.
Thanks again for all of your sweet words! Your joy is much appreciated, and we are full of it too. This pregnancy was a bit of a long road for us to get to, with some challenges along the way, and we're just so grateful to be where we are....with a strong heartbeat, a healthy baby, growing belly, and the anticipation of our family of six all being together by years' end!
Did I just say six?!
Alright. The Summer of 2008 Beach Bag System has now been established. Sometimes I'm convinced that 99% of my job mothering is directly related to organization. Okay, so I really don't believe that. But...there IS an awful lot of time spent "organizing": shuffling schedules and kids, puzzling out how to fit two beds and two bureaus and all the toys in a tiny bedroom, or figuring out the right stuff to put in the right bag in which each child can carry. Luckily, and especially when it involves a beach plan, I'm totally game for the challenge. The beach bag "system" (which I say half tongue in cheek, you know) changes each year of course, based on who can walk, who's on the hip or in the sling, and who is of the right weight, age and temperament to help carry the load to the beach (and most importantly, to carry it from the beach to the car when leaving).
So what am I rambling on about? I'm not really sure. But there's this new bag in my life, and sometimes just the right new handmade bag can make me very happy. This one does. It's the Mama Beach Bag, because that's my revolutionary beach packing idea of the year (last year it was consistently remembering to pack a wet sack. The year before? Carabiners clipping the bags to each other, trailing behind me as I held a babe on the hip...oh, what a sight). The idea of The Mama Beach Bag, of course, being that the stuff in here? It's just mine - and therefore it's not mixed up with half-eaten granola bars, and "treasures" of sticks and seaweed. Nope, you'll find none of that in here. You'll find all MY beach essentials - and hopefuls - like knitting, a book, a journal, maybe perhaps (just maybe) a tiny bit of chocolate, and anything else I deem necessary for the beach. It's wonderful and simple in the way it helps me - I can now stop being a freak about the kids pawing through a big bag looking for whatever they need, while worrying about stitches being dropped. Or that granola bar being smeared on my moleskin. They've got their bag. I've got mine. Brilliant simplicity that makes things just a little bit easier.
So, yeah, it's kind of huge. But I love that about it. The fabric is a super soft vintage cotton that I got at the sale (and already used! Yay!), with linen straps, so they're really sturdy, because man, that bag can be full. And heavy. And I had every intention of keeping it ultra simple, but in the end, once I had all the pieces cut out, I couldn't stop myself from slapping (uh, handstitching) a doily on there. It was nearly compulsive and I didn't realize I had done it until it was done (true).
Okay, then. So now? Now we go to the beach! Oh, summer in Maine...I love you. You are so very worth the wait.
There is a treasure trove of wonderful ideas in the comments from yesterday. So many great childhood memories, new ideas for little ones today, and just really simple and lovely thoughts on nature and kids. Be sure to read a handful when you have a moment (as inspiring as it was, I don't advise staying up until the wee hours of the morn reading them all). I know I'll be visiting those comments when some fresh ideas are needed. And be sure to be on the lookout for I Love Dirt! at your bookstore or library - it's a wonderful resource.
Speaking of books (ahem), I thought it would be fun today to take a moment and browse through The Creative Family Flickr pool with you!
(Click on image for links and full photo credits)
So much child/parent/family creative goodness happening, so much color, and so much fun..and noise, too (can't you just see the noise?)!
I am LOVING the photos you're sharing there! (As are my little ones - who, especially, do a little dance everytime they see a new banging wall show up..and then promptly ask when we can visit that one). Actually seeing what's being done with the book out there is such a huge reward and joy...and hugely inspiring seeing all the twists and turns and tweaks that you've put on the projects and ideas, in your own creative families. I think you'll find the photos inspiring too, if you haven't seen them yet. You can check out many, many more wonderful images in The Creative Family Flickr pool, where there's also a discussion forum. And if you're so inclined, you can add your own!
I hope you all have a lovely weekend....maybe with a bit of creative play? I think ours will be in the form of gardening, and baseball games. Summer, indeed!
I've been excited for the release of I Love Dirt! by Jennifer Ward since hearing about it this winter. When I heard it was illustrated by the lovely and talented Susie Ghahremani, with a forward by Richard Louv, well, then I was really excited. The book arrived last month, newly released, and has lived up to my expectations of it. Perfectly open-ended, positive and gentle, the book is a compilation of 52 projects to 'do' with children in nature. The projects are arranged seasonally (love that), and cover topics from birds to leaves to sun and sky and wind and rain and everywhere in between. The projects are general and open ended, but each contain a "Help Me Understand" section that has more detailed info should you want to get a bit more specific.
What I love most of all about this book, though, is its simplicity. Because there are any number of books on craft projects with natural materials, or actual experiments you do in nature, with specific structured projects and such. I have a lot of them on my shelves, and sometimes they are quite perfect for what we need. But you know, for the most part - there they are, on my shelves; and then, there WE are - out in the woods. What I love about I Love Dirt! is that I can read a project, and it's just unique and simple enough that I actually remember it (Though, it's also a neat portable size, too if you wanted to carry it). So the next time we're out on the trail, or we're in the backyard, and I sense a need or a want for something different to do, something to get us started, the ideas I've read about come to mind. I've found this happening so many times since opening this book. Our favorite so far? "Try to build a birds nest, using materials around you in nature." What an amazing experiment in versatility, but even more - what way to marvel at just how difficult and truly awesome it is that birds do this. And a good example of how the projects are meaningful - they're not just projects, they're experiences.
I don't think kids need a lot of 'instruction' outdoors - really what they need is to just 'be' there. Based on what I've read in this book, I think Jennifer Ward would agree. But sometimes, a little direction, a little incenctive for the parent, another reason to head out, or a little stretching beyond what we normally do is really fun, engaging, and a wonderful way to connect with each other, ourselves - and the earth around us.
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Shambhala Publications/Trumpeter Books has kindly donated a copy of I Love Dirt! for a giveaway here. I'll use the random number generator to draw the winner, and announce it at the bottom of this post by Friday, 8am EST. So if you're interested, please leave a comment here. And because I would love to hear it, (and to make you work a little bit harder for a free book!), tell me something you love to do outdoors with children, or loved to do outdoors as a child yourself!
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Yay!! Trumpter Books has given us a second book for the giveaway, so the TWO lucky winners are Sandy and Julie. Congratulations!!
My
boys are blissfully happy just splashing in mud puddles and making worm
pies, although I prefer the mud pie variety over the worm ones.
Making tents out of blankets and setting up a picnic is pretty awesome too.
After reading *your* book, my daughter and I have started going on nature walks. We collect things like flowers, baby pine cones and feathers. We don't have a nature table, yet, but we have a nature bowl. She loves taking things out and putting them back in all the while exploring their textures. I would love this book for even more outdoor ideas!
I know, you've seen and heard of these in bits and pieces for a while now. But I never did gather all my girls and my thoughts about them in one place before the show, so indulge me if you will, today.
The inspiration for this project came from this quilt and these vintage girls' sewing patterns. The quilt - an amazing piece of handwork - was beyond any kind of repair or even display, but too beautiful and precious to not do something special with. Cutting ever so carefully into it, it became the foundation of each of these six quilts. The embroidered dress on each quilt piece came next - each inspired by the pattern drawings on one of these vintage patterns. As I chose a dress pattern to work with, I dreamed up a girl - her name derived from the era of the pattern. And this girl? Well, I spent a lot of time thinking about her...and choosing just the right prints, design, and notions for her. All the pieces of the quilts are vintage materials - I even became insistent about the thread being old and 'found'. Did I really get into this project? Why yes, yes I did. These girls crept into my brain and my life, and I enjoyed making their quilts immensely. My thoughts while making them ranged from big to small - clothing, gender, eras...to "oh, this button is pretty!" and so forth. I dearly loved the time spent working on these.
I do wish I had photographed them before framing, as the glass really gets in the way in these photos. But the framing is so beautifully done (local peeps: Thomas at Artist & Craftsman is fabulous!), I wouldn't dare mess with it. So, anyway... the girls:
Margaret, 1945
Patricia, 1956
Susan, 1967
Jennifer, 1970
Lisa, 1971
Heather, 1975
Now that their time at Edith and Edna is over, one is staying with me (My favorite - Margaret), some are headed into their new homes here in Portland, and some are headed to The Shop right now.
Also in The Shop, you'll find a handful of the Embroidered Hoops that were a part of the Everyday Threads show as well.
These small quilts meant so much to me in the making, thanks for indulging me in one last little show and tell!
I love my serger (a Baby Lock), but it does scare me to use it sometimes. It's so fast, there are TWO needles, and then there's the blade!! I like that I can lock it if necessary. Threading it is easy enough, but my biggest trauma lately is that the left needle keeps breaking (three since I bought it in February). But oh, do I love it for making clothing and the first time I sewed with knits? Well, you can see my reaction to it here:
http://willowluna.wordpress.com/2008/02/10/a-whole-new-world/
Anyway, this book is on my wishlist, so I'd love a copy of it. Thanks for sharing your serger trepidation, it made me feel better about my own!
I love my serger, but am nowhere near using it to it's potential. Maybe someday.
Posted by: Leah | June 17, 2008 at 10:24 AM
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