{this moment}

Inspired by Soulemama (in her words)

 {this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see. 

Have a great weekend!!

The weekend :: in pictures

This weekend was spent in my favourite way.... on a road trip.  We took the kids to the Fleece and Fibrefest  at Silmaril Farms.

the BEST cheese ever

it was a fantastic weekend that exhausted us all!!!

Shop update

There are two new dresses in the shop!!!  The yellow dress is a 24mths/ 2T  and the blue dress will fit 3T-4T.  Ava wears a 5T and the dress fits her perfectly (maybe just a little short) and also looks great as a tunic with shorts.  My models were a JOY to work with!!!!

May 2-4

Running through sprinklers and using garden waste bags for sleeping bags...it was a fun LONG weekend for sure.

I heart sun hats

Okay I am totally addicted to making sun hats for the kids.  They are quick, easy and the kids always look oh so cute in them.  The first one I made was for Anthony and I used this McCall's pattern that I bought from the thrift store (a real score because it had all the pattern pieces).  

The hat is made out of some old linen curtains and I hand embroidered locally grown across the front.  It fits him perfectly and he keeps it on which is super important.... I really don't like darting here and there trying to catch hats that are being flung off of heads.  Next time I think I would line the brim in a contrasting fabric and maybe use a medium weight interfacing  instead of HEAVY which has resulted in a cardboard-like brim.

My next sun hat adventure was started at 10pm last night after trying to pack for a day at Marineland (more on that another day) and realizing that my dear sweet Ava only had her precious T-ball hat to protect her head (and that hat is NOT cute) so in my insanity I made her the most adorable hat.  I bought the e-book pattern from here and got started right away.  I love this hat and the pattern was so easy to follow with great step by step pictures.  I caused the only problem.... I made it a little small (I should have read the sizing chart a little more closely).  I also didn't line the hat as it called for because I used the serger on all the seams.  Ava does not like her head to be hot so I thought the less fabric the better.  I will be starting a new hat with the same pattern but in a bigger size as soon as I finish this post.  I have big plans for my kids heads.....I'm just hoping that one day they will actually let me take a picture of them with the hats on.

Firsts

Over the last couple of weeks we have had many firsts around here.... Lord A's first steps, our first asparagus and strawberries of the season and  our first 2010 trip to the zoo but none of these firsts (well maybe the steps) were quite as exciting as Lady A's first T-ball game.
I tend towards the solitary sports myself....knitting, sewing and cooking..... so I wasn't much help, but the Mister has been waiting for this day and was prepared like no other.  He became a co- coach by default and it was a joy to watch him and Lady A in their element.
It took 2 hours to play 2 innings but I think a grand time was had by all.

Here are some highlights

First ever at-bat.....she hit the ball well and then

                                         she chased the ball and tried to grab it herself

                        once she got the hang of it she really whipped around those bases

to be welcomed by her father/coach at home plate............ the excitement and pride on her face is priceless.

I am so looking forward to many more t-ball firsts

{this moment}

inspired by soulemama

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see. 

Three gifts

I was given THREE  gifts for mother's day this year.  One that I loved, one that I am excited/scared of and one that I did not appreciate at all.

1.  The mister and lady A went to a daddy and me group and made me a concrete stepping stone for the garden which I can't say enough about.  THe creativity and thoughtfulness that went into this gift really touched me.  I LOVED IT

2. The mister bought me a Janome 1110dx serger which I am so scared of.  Of course I am excited to get using it but let me tell you the set up of the machine is overwhelming.  I will have to take the free courses offered through the store that he bought it.

3.  THe FLU....kids have been sick the last few days and today it hit me.  I spent the day in bed writhing in pain.  At first I was thinking from a positive place......like I will have a lot of time to myself.... but I was in too much discomfort to enjoy any alone time that I had.

Overall I had a great mother's day as I got to hear the kids downstairs playing with their Dad and enjoying time with him.  I could not ask for a better family to be a mother to.........I am truly lucky.

Happy Mother's Day

July 19th 2006 I became a mother.  I was given a gift (my daughter.... and later a son) that takes my breath away at every turn.  Something changed in me that day and until recently I had a very hard time putting my finger on what it was... of course I knew the obvious.... I was more responsible and softer hearted but it was something deeper than that.  One day while reading one of my favourite blogs The Blankie Chronicles I came across this post that put into words exactly what I was feeling.  It discussed the idea that as mothers we have a "desire to protect and care for not just our babies, but all children" and that we have a" protective roar that can turn the world upside down".

       This was the change that I had felt...it was the overwhelming feeling that I wanted to protect all children....the ones I saw without proper winter clothing, those that were getting publicly screamed at by their parents, those that were too young to be playing out on the street late at night and the list goes on and on.      

       This mother's day brings much appreciation for my two wonderful children and the joy and excitement that  they bring to my life everyday.  This mother's day I am also thankful for the awareness of this feeling  that I am part of larger whole.... a force of MOTHERS....who can collectively change the world with their "roar".  I am going to work hard to harness this "roar" in my community to make a change...a change that will hopefully make a difference in the lives of the children who really need it.  

Thank you Kate for the inspiration and Happy Mother's Day to you and all the other mothers out there!!

{This Moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see. 

yay

yay....my first ever etsy sale and guess what...... it was not from a family member or friend.  I am above and beyond excited.  I am so motivated to get this little business going.  HEre is a picture of the tote bag that I sold.

I also made a hand embroidered thank you card which I totally fell in love with.

I am going to learn how to use photoshop and make some wonderful postcards from this card.  Oh the possibilities are endless.

What to do.....what to do

For the first time in a year and a half I spent the morning all by myself today.  Mister was at a walk-a-thon and the kids were at my moms.  I spent most of the morning wondering where to start and how to make the most of my time alone.
I wasted my morning.
I am trying to see the positive in this but am having a very hard time.
I will have to plan better next time I am given this gift of a morning.

A bee in her bonnet

Each Easter I make Lady A a dress and matching bonnet.    I love making them because they are so easy and look totally adorable on everyone....including my husband.   My darling child never wants to wear her bonnet and always kicks up a royal fuss just before we have to leave for Easter dinner.  Every year she ends up looking adorable and my family always talk about how comfortable it would be to wear a bonnet and how Little House on the Prairie it would be of us to start sporting these 

in our daily lives.  My cousin Laura suggested making one for Lady A with a bee in it.  It took me a while to get the joke...ha ha ha a bee in her bonnet.   So of course I decided it had to be made.... so I made one for Laura.  Above is a picture of Lady A modelling a too big for her unfinished bonnet (she was making all attempts at getting out of going to bed and knows the way to her mama's heart is to say" can I just try it on so you can "camera" me ").

The little bee on the brim is especially cute and I think can also be interpreted as "queen bee" on days when Laura doesn't have a "bee in her bonnet".

Here's hoping she loves it because I am mailing it off today.

Finally some sewing content

I have been spending my free time making these sweet pea pilot caps (as modelled Sylvia, Lady A's doll) by Meg for both of the kids.  While completely adorable I have been having  a really hard time getting them to fit properly.  The ribbing at the back always looks a little wonky (technical term).... I think I am stretching the ribbing out of shape when I am sewing it on.  Perhaps keeping my eye on the sewing and not on reruns of Project Runway would help.  I think it must be time for me to get a serger (save save save save save).    The machine I have my eye on is the Janome 1110DX...the slogan for the machine is "so advanced, so quick, so easy to thread"....that sounds like the stuff dreams are made of.  For now I am off to master the mock overlock stitch on my machine........perhaps playing with needles and tension will help my cause.

Any Ideas????

I finally got a moss terrarium for Christmas this year and I promptly realized that I hadn't a clue.  We have over-watered it, neglected it, strewn it with Playmobil figures, knocked it over and lord only knows what else.  The other day we sat down for breakfast and out of the corner of my eye I spotted a mushroom growing through the moss.  OH how we quickly took the lid off to examine it...touch it...smell it and I think I may have seen a certain little 3 year old LICK it.   My husband made quick work of letting us know that we didn't know what kind of mushroom it was and BLAH BLAH BLAH so we should be very careful.  THe mushroom has since been squished by little hands but I was able to get a couple of pictures of it.....for identification purposes of course.  That is my mission for tonight.  I also wonder if we are supposed to have mushrooms growing in our terrarium or am I doing something wrong (unheard of).  

the linen pants lesson...on an important day

okay...this was a lesson that I had to learn the hard way!!!
I went out the this morning and bought a fitted pair of linen pants for my nephews first birthday party and one hour into the party they looked like the above picture ....M.C. Hammer pants. This is not a becoming look on a chubby girl trying to appear a little slimmer.
This was just a little PSA from a girl who knows from experience.
Better days are ahead!!

we couldn't stand the heat so we got OUT of the kitchen

Who makes muffins when it is 36degrees out????

We got as far as making the batter, lining the tins and licking the paddles.

The batter is waiting in the fridge for tomorrow morning....hopefully it will be a cooler day.

summer picnics

Recipe for the perfect summer picnic
start with one ant on the picnic blanket
add one wooly mammoth hiding in the roots of a tree

two lovey siblings
and some time for me to make more summer plans. I plan on making this recipe a couple of times a week.

T.V or not T.V?

That is the question in this house.  Tonight I sat and watched 3 hours of nonsense on t.v..  Most of it was of the train wreck that is jon and kate +8.  I have no feelings towards this show and lord knows had tons and tons of other things that needed to get done but instead i just sat cuddling with the baby and mindlessly watched.  

This was a t.v. free household for 6 whole months last year.  We watched dvds on friday nights but that was it.  I really enjoyed the peace, productivity and creativity that came with this tv free time.  We listened to more music, imagined more and it seems that we connected more.  I want this back.  Mission organization took a back seat to jon and kate (both of whom I have a very hard time tolerating).  Lady A is very quick to ask for the "t.d." and most of the times i am also quick to oblige because it is the easy thing to do.  

Mister had a very difficult time without the t.v. and I think it would be very hard to convince him to cancel cable again.

Perhaps we could go 3 days a week without t.v. and see how that goes.... it is worth a try.

what time is it mr.Wolf??????

oh it is time for a great many things. Most importantly it is time to start living more creatively instead of just talking about it.  There was a time (oh about a year ago) when a day didn't go by without me spending some time sewing or knitting.  Since the arrival of Sir A. I have really neglected this part of who I am and what I need to be happy.  I realized today that all of my attempts to rekindle my motivation to create have been thwarted by my lack of organization.  I spend most of my time trying to gather up all of the materials for a project instead of being able to just sit down and begin.  By the time I get started the baby is crying, someone wants a snack or a bum needs to be wiped.  Today marks day 1 of mission crafting organization.  I will soon be posting before and after pics of my sewing room... if all goes as planned.  

I am also so happy to announce (to who I don't know) that I finally put in my application to be a vendor at the Mississauga Fall Festival.  This year's focus is on simple living and green living... both things of which I am quickly falling in love with.  After the organization of all of the supplies is finished I will be able to plan what I am going to make for the festival.... also another source of motivation for getting myself going.  I am looking forward to this June adventure....I will be keeping you posted.