When Taro was here visiting with his family I thought it would be fun to take his wife to a meeting of modern quilters in our town to show her some American craftiness. She was a little nervous about sewing in front of people she didn’t know since she is a beginner. I wanted to come up with an easy, but still interesting top for her to sew. I decided that teaching her log cabin blocks would be really fun, since they are easy, and almost infinite in their design possibilities. She picked up on the idea quickly, dug through my scraps, and got to sewing. Once she had a few blocks she straightened them up, added bits if needed and came up with this little grouping.
Then she added this beautiful light blue Kona Solid around the outside to get a simple, modern quilt top:
Before she left she picked the back and tasked me with finding a binding (something green with a pattern was requested).
I had this organic (and super soft) discontinued Cloud 9 print in my stash that worked great for the back. She thought this would be the perfect size quilt for her little one, and I agree, this size is the best for everything from a floor play mat to car rides to stroller, to sleeping in a toddler bed.
I did an all over meandering but put in a few special touches, like baby’s name
and a few sweet hearts here and there.
If you have a friend who you want to get into quilting might I suggest a project like this? Almost all quilters have an abundance of strips in their scrap stash. This makes if fun and easy for your friends (or children!) to make designs quickly. And the way a log cabin builds on itself makes it easy to square up, or embrace the wonkiness if you want to. Plus there is nothing like a quick project to get someone hooked on quilting!
(If you’d like to see another quilt like this, I made one in a similar style, but with completely different quilting. Click here to see it)
Lately
-It’s 12:45 AM and Bennet has woken up 4 times already. To pee at first, but now it seems she caught Tuesday’s cold. Stuffed up noses + baby = not good.
-That’s why I’m blogging from my phone while nursing.
-See that excited girl up there? The sun plays a big role in that excitement, but so does her and Apples (her doll) matching satchels. My grandma gave me some 18″ doll patterns and that little purple bag was one of them.
-Tuesday has circled 99% of the other outfits on 9 other patterns for me to make. For a total of about 30 separates and a million tiny pattern pieces.
-Turns out I’m pretty easy to convince.
-I finally admitted to myself that Tuesday was never going to use most of our Montessori equipment and packed it away.
-I put out new (actually old, just forgotten) toys downstairs and had some peaceful moments and lots of good playing. I’m in spring cleaning/re-arranging mood for sure.
-I found this pack of “vintage” ki memories (favorite scrapbooking brand) for 99¢ at goodwill and about fell over.
-I’ve been scrapbooking again. I still love it.
-I met with a lawyer for Pax Forest School. It went so well.
-She had this giant relief map of Oregon on her conference wall and I about died, so awesome! She also slid two barn doors closed and the backs had white boards on them. The office was fully paneled in cedar and reminded me of Black Butte in the 80s.
-Speaking if vacation homes we’re looking at yurts for forest school. I want one so bad now. Just put it out on the middle of nowhere and I’ll sit in there and read while the rain comes down.
-The phone always autocorrects put to out. I really dislike it when I spell something right a few times and autocorrect helps me out by making complete non sense out of my sentences.
-ok Bennie is asleep on my lap. Going to attempt a transfer.
More on Pax
Yes, Pax Forest School has taken up most of my time these last few weeks. I’m not sure what I expected, starting a non-profit extracurricular outdoor education co-op from scratch! But we have our insurance applications in, we are a registered non profit corporation with the state. The Bylaws are written!!! And the appointment with the attorney is next week. Phew. Just a million other things to do (um find a permanent location being a BIG one), but so far so good. When I start to get overwhelmed by it all I just think of the days outdoors that my girls are having.
Taking a walk by the river with mama and Tuesday (who is behind me here).
Another mama (who just found us online and didn’t know any of the founding members before) whipped this up for the kids to weave natural materials onto. Love it.
Bennet and I trek up to the Porta Potty. She is in awe of the whole thing I think. Usually she just sits and takes it all in while eating lots and LOTS of snacks and lunch. By the way if you haven’t made a pixie hat yet, you should! These things are SO GREAT.
Oh ya, and we made the front page of the paper (!!!). Read the article here.
This Moment
Joining in on Amanda’s this moment project. A moment from the last week. A slice of life.
Celebrating Five
Last year Tuesday had a car themed party. And she told me then what the next few parties were going to be, she had it all planned out. I did not expect her to remember or still want the train themed party that was next in the line up twelve months ago because it has not been all about trains any more. In fact I put the whole big pile of Thomas books away in storage. But she was like, duh, yes, I said a train party. So train party it was!
Hilariously she talked Bj into growing a mustache. He only had five days, but it was still quite noticeable. I guess some guy on the Thomas show has a mustache and she wanted Bj to be that guy. She actually talked quite a few people into doing things for her I’m realizing.
This is the only picture of the ticket I have, she had aunt Sciarrino design it to be punched. It’s awesome.
She had my mom make these gift bags for her friends. She wanted them to be “green bags with fun ribbons”. Each one is different. She filled them with a hello kitty thing (what are these called?), lip gloss, a pencil, four Christmas bandaids, and a blank “Happy Holiday Carols” book that she made each of them:
She was certain her friends would want these. I love the way young minds work in this way, “Surely if I am interested in it/like it, everyone else will too!”
The kids came in and sat at a table and colored while we waited for everyone (I covered it with the awesome roll of paper from Amazon that I am still loving for everything). I am doing the rule, your age plus one for how many guests my kids can invite to their parties. It’s working great. Tuesday invited one boy, “Lachlan I’m inviting you because you’re so good at train set ups.” It’s true, he really is.
We got out ALL the pieces. People I went a little nuts and got a TON of track and trains when Tuesday was three (mostly big lots on eBay). I had a spreadsheet and everything. I don’t know why I thought she would love trains FOREVER, but I really wish I wouldn’t have gone so crazy. It was fun for this party though.
Lachlan was born two days before Tuesday so we went to his party earlier in the week. He had a cupcake cake thing in the shape of a race track with cars on it and I was like, “dude we’re copying that.” Tuesday requested it be in the shape of a five.
I managed to score the overalls for Bennie at the last minute (Goodwill $2.99), Tuesday’s we got at a train museum last summer, and mine were a gift. I borrowed the hat from a friend.
My sweet girl. She knows what she wants and how to get everyone to help her with her projects. We’ll see if she sticks to the schedule. If so we’ll have a bike themed party next year.
At Five
Oh sweet, sweet Tuesday, my five year old! How quickly it happens, as they all say. And I’ve loved every minute!
I celebrated her trips around the sun with pictures from five wonderful years, and had all this set up so she would see it when she woke up.
She was not as surprised as last year (the first year I did this), but loved it none the less. I’m glad I stayed up until one making the crown (a last minute decision). I used the PDF from this tutorial, but none of the directions. I assumed she’d want to wear it all day so I sewed it instead of using adhesive. I was right, she LOVED it.
I fell in love with the Waldorf birthday ring idea, but just couldn’t justify buying one (though I came really close!!). I decided to set up something similar using stuff we had around. The candle in the middle is from a favorite artist of ours, Barb Campbell. The objects represent years. I had Tuesday walk around the table (the sun) for each year, talking about that year while holding up an object. I held up the plane first, “In your first year we traveled all over the country to visit friends.” then the book, “When you were one you learned to love books” the mini tea set (hard to see), “When you were two you loved to play with your indoor and outdoor play kitchens.” the train, “When you were three you loved trains.” the mailbox, “When you were four you loved to make mail and dress as a mail carrier.” The heart just symbolized how much we love her and how excited we are for what five will bring. She freaking loved this, it was a hit and for sure we will do it again.
She got a long reach stapler, a book about making books, and a book about trains (found at Goodwill, a nice coffee table type) from us. She’s never asked for a specific present for a holiday, I honestly don’t think she realizes she could. So yay, we get to choose.
An ice cream cake. In addition to the candy and orange juice for breakfast. Dish of pepperoni slices for lunch, and homemade pizza for dinner (with warm frothed milk). Ha! When a five year old can eat whatever they want I guess that’s what you get!
My favorite thing to do is ask her the yearly questions. We do this just the three of us and wait until she is calm.
1. Favorite color? Bright Pink
2. Favorite toy? Tea sets
3. Favorite fruit? Strawberries
4. Favorite TV show? Thomas
5. Favorite thing for lunch? Pepperoni sandwich (bread, butter, pepperoni)
6. Favorite outfit? Princess dress up
7. Favorite game? Hide and seek
8. Favorite snack? Goldfish crackers
9. Favorite animal? My teddy bears
10. Favorite song? Itsy bitsy spider
11. Favorite book? Tales of a forth grade nothing
12. Best friend? AB
13. Favorite cereal? Cheerios
14. Favorite thing to do outside? Play in the mud
15. Favorite drink? Cold water
16. Favorite holiday? Opening Presents
17. Favorite thing to take to bed? A stuffed animal
18. Favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Cereal
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Homemade Pizza
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? A sewer
21. What do you want to do when you grow up? To sew
Here is three, and four.
After a lovely family dinner the three of us headed to the symphony. We have season tickets for the 2013-2014 season, and it just happened to fall on her birthday.
It didn’t start until eight, and I worried that she wouldn’t make it (or wouldn’t be able to sit still!) with all that sugar in her bloodstream! But she did great; only loosing the battle to sleep in the very last movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8 in F Major. Which was fine with this mama because I got to snuggle her while listening to beautiful music and thinking about all the things we’ve done, and all the great things to come.
Pax Forest School
Oh the things I have to update you with! I have a few posts in the hopper but I’m going to jump right in with a big one. My mama friends and I are starting a small little part time school! A forest school, a 100% outside in the weather (no matter the weather!) school. Right now we’re meeting two days a week, four hours each day, at a local park that suits our needs (near the water, and a place to make fire!).
Today was the first day.
That’s Tuesday in the brand new rain gear (green jacket). She got a new backpack and pocket knife as well. As an early birthday present we took her to REI and let her pick those two things out. (some of these photo credits go to another mama friend, fyi)
Tuesday using her knife for the first time.
This is a small inlet of the Willamette River. Giving you an idea of where we let the kids wander.
“We should try roasting an apple!”
My friend! Her baby slept through it! Oh they were having a blast in this mud…
As you can see!
I’ve set up a little blog for Pax here, and we have a Facebook page that you can like if you like (ha!).
I should back up a little bit and mention how this all started. In December a friend posted about an outdoor kindergarten program. Another friend and I mentioned that we loved the idea, and had been thinking about it (here is a link to watch a short clip about outdoor kindergarten). We thought we might join with an established center, but decided a more free to play sort of structure was what we wanted. And since we’re homeschoolers we (the parents) really wanted to be involved in all the details. So we jumped in! I’m busy researching insurance, 501 (c) (3) status and a bunch of other things (yurts!). We may not know exactly what we’re doing all the time, but I can say one thing for sure; this might have been the best day of Tuesday’s life, and I love that.
No, excuse me, I have a bit of laundry to do.
Resolutions
Ah resolutions. I don’t always make them, and I don’t always follow through when I do. But I’m feeling particularly enthusiastic about this coming year. By the end of the year I won’t have any kids in diapers and they’ll both be sleeping through the night (a girl can dream)… the world is my oyster!
The first thing I decided to do this year was have a word to keep in mind as I move through the year (inspired by Ali). My word is smile.
I know, look at these two! How can I not? But I get frustrated, I’m tried, and I just feel myself drooping. I wrote in my scrapbook about my word, “I want to do it more, all the time. I want my girls to know how happy I am with my life and them. Even when they are old I want them to think about how I was always happy and smiled through good times and bad.”
Now on to resolutions.
Loose 20 pounds:
Sounds lame and like a million other people’s resolutions. But I need clothes to fit. And I need to gain some strength. It will only get harder as I get older. (Currently 146 pounds)
Blog more:
Mostly to keep track of my family. But also to share my crafty pursuits.
Get out the DSLR:
And shoot the shit out of my life. I can always edit down. These moments are fleeting. Also I should probably take a few pictures of Bj and I as well, we’re in a very few!
Go outside:
Can I go for a walk a day? Well I should be able to go for one a week at least, preferably with the whole family.
Be together:
Not just in the same room. But actively communicating with each other. It’s hard when we always have so much to do to, “divide and conquer” Instead I want to take on tasks together and enjoy our leisure activities as a family, even if that means giving up “me” time.
10 minutes x 3:
I’m going to make this happen. Ten minutes for each person in my family giving them all of me for that time. At the end of the year that will translate into 61 hours for each of my wonderful people. I can’t wait to see how it changes our relationships.
Use it or loose it:
Caul through my supplies, clothes, books and only keep what I need.
Spend with a purpose:
Keep financial independence in the forefront of my mind, not what I want now, now, now.
Turn off my iPhone:
I use it way too much, it’s like a growth. When I want to spend quality time with someone or really get something done I’m just going to shut. it. down.
A couple other fun things. I love how my friend Nora does a monthly highlights post about her family, and a snapshot of them. Nothing fancy, but they have at least 12 pictures together for the year. I want that for us! Another fun thing I may implement; I’m a pretty big reader. When I used to sit down with a novel I also had a little notebook and handheld electronic dictionary (back in the olden days). I wrote out longhand every word I didn’t have a perfect grasp of and it’s definition, as it pertained to what I was reading. I remember filling up pages reading Moby Dick! I think this would be fun to do again. I love words, and it would be great for Tuesday and Bennet to see me doing. Never stop learning, right?
I’d love to read your goals, dreams, and hopes for the year. Leave me a comment with them, or a link and I’ll check it out. Here’s to a great 2014.
Year in Review
I really feel the need to do a year in a review, since it was probably my slowest blog year in the last 8 (almost 9!) that I’ve been blogging.
January
Celebrated Tuesday’s forth birthday with a car themed party.
Oh how they’ve grown! I loved the way we set up the dining room on Tuesday’s actual birthday too, we are definitely doing the photo strips again. And it will be the third year of the quiz.
February
I spent February blogging just in pictures, one of my favorite things to do lately. Rainbow Rice was my most popular post.
March
We went to Alaska to visit our friends, where we got to ride on a one horse open sleigh.
Bennet had her first bite of solid food, and a little bit of dirt too! Also I made this super cute bear sweat suit.
April
Visited the tulip fields as a family:
Tuesday got her hair curled by grandma. Super warm weather meant lots of sleeveless walks and picnics. Bennet got her first tooth.
May
I made a bunch of baby food (then Bennet decided after a month that she was so over being spoon fed). I made Tuesday a cute swimsuit. We took a short family vacation for Bj’s birthday to the Oregon Coast, and the Oregon Coast Aquarium (might be becoming a tradition?).
Got a new front door.
June
Tuesday had her second dance recital. Made a bunch of teeny tiny trainers (and a tutorial here). Edited my kitchen, picked strawberries, hiked Forest Park. Kids science association first meeting. Played in fountains.
Made skirts for myself, and a prairie girl dress and bonnet for Tuesday.
July
More fountains. Homeschool hiking group trip to the river, every meal on the front porch, forth of July with matching mama, baby, girl skirts (I never did share this did I?)
I sewed some other clothes for the girls too. Bj made this cute toy for Bennet. Playing outside everyday, and lots of gardening. Bennet walking! Sister’s Outdoor Quilt Show, the Salem Art Fair. Bennet is one! My dad and I built a Montessori map cabinet. Bean picking with Salem Harvest. Homeschool playgroup by the creek. Visiting nana and pops. Tuesday dressing up as a postal carrier. I finally made myself some leggings. After 8 long months mama can eat soy and dairy!!!! And Bennet was totally fine with it!
August
Worst bug bites of my life! Re-doing the dry-loc in the basement and repainting the walls. Finally finishing up the french doors, painting, etc. Thrifting: buying and selling at our own garage sale. Pacific NW quilt guild meet-up in Portland. Swimming in my mom’s pool. Beginning the summer canning. Started having B, my mother’s helper come twice a week for a few hours. Outdoor play kitchen everyday.
Mama’s birthday at the fair. Camp out at my grandpa’s.
September
Repeat most of the summer months: swimming at grandma’s, playing outside, gardening and eating outside everyday. Add in a massive corn pick with Salem Harvest, and a ton of corn canning, including learning to pressure can.
Harvesting the sunflowers we watched grow all summer for the birds for winter. Harvesting our first (and most expensive!) potatoes. Canning, canning, canning. Freezing too. Dance camp for Tuesday. Summer colds. Pumpkin stuffed with everything good. Visit from our Alaskan friends. Did I mention the canning (of course I had to rope my mother in law in for at least a day or two of it)? Rendered my own lard for cooking. Decided to get back on my bike and pull my girls anywhere close enough to make it. A bounce house birthday party at a farm on a rainy day. Bennet’s first pig tails. It was no-spend September and one of the best months of my life.
October
Painted with Bennie for the first time. New dance class at a “real” dance studio. More canning (shocker). Hood River with my mom and nana, who met us there.
Drawing with Bennet, hey she’s right handed! More homeschool days at the creek. Impromptu beach trip with gramps. We bought an electric car! Pumpkin patches. A Susan Enan concert in a friend’s home. My high school BFF moved back to Oregon and had a new baby, I can drive to see her for the first time in years. Counting to big numbers the Montessori way. Jury duty, Zumba, bean bin. A garden gnome and mail carrier.
November
Harlem Ballet with Tuesday. Taro and his family came to visit! From Japan! And I never blogged about it!
Fall leaves that were crispy because it wasn’t wet (trust me this is very weird). Sorting all my fabric, and starting too many new things. Lots of bee blocks. Tuesday setting up things and Bennet getting all up in her business. Bubble painting. Short haircut for Tuesday. Thanksgiving at the in-laws.
December
The month started off with high temps and bad colds and is ending with vomit laundry and upset tummies! Epic estate sale scores. Snow! Soups from scratch. Christmas pillows and finally finished an advent calendar. Letting the girls paint wrapping paper.
Tuesday dictating her own books and illustrating them. And writing her own Christmas carols in a made up language and insisting we go to the neighbor’s to sing to them. Getting Tuesday to sleep through the night again. Night weaning Bennie. Re-organizing the girls’ room and building a bunk. Watching choirs at the state capital. Solstice celebrations with the neighbors and then a nighttime lantern walk with homeschool friends. Christmas with my mom’s side. And barely making it up to post-Christmas at the in-laws (and barely making it back, ugh, the puking). The good news is that Bennet should be diaper free in a few days… yay for a big win!
That’s a wrap!
I realize there is lots, LOTS I didn’t blog about. There always is, but this year I really didn’t get much of it in this space. I’ll save goals for another post, but I think that will be one. One big thing I never mentioned (because this blog is all me, me, me, ha!) is that Bj left his job and started at a new local-ish company, did a one hour (minimum) commute (one way) for a few months before going back to his old job, in a role he loves. Back to him working from home, and we love it! I know that makes it obvious that the blog just touches on some aspects of our lives. I hope to keep recording all the fun things we do here for a long time.
The girls room
Please excuse the cell phone pics… as you can imagine it only looked this pristine for a short while and I didn’t snag any better pictures with my big dslr.
We finished! We used this plan from Ana White, only slightly modified to remove a step and add a ladder rung so it would fit under our window. Also you can’t see it, but we did add an extra 2×6 on the bottom back as an extra brace. I whipped up some bunting and Bj hung a few poofs (left over from a wedding; a friend was giving them away).
We used KD fir, which came in at $63.50 from our local lumber place. And I white washed it with left over trim paint. Um, hello white washing is awesome! So easy and quick (half water, half paint, apply liberally, whip off excess. Bam done). Plus I love the softness it lends to the piece. I needed a light for Tuesday, who I knew would want to stay up a little later than Bennie. So I got this adjustable holder (and then realized it was green so I spray painted it silver with some leftover paint), and this lantern. It is cheap, but has a great dim-able option, it goes so low. The bottom has a big black access to get to the batteries, so I covered it with a piece of fabric. We also ended up getting a mattress and cover from Amazon. It seriously came in a bag and inflates when you cut the plastic a certain way. Very cool, perfect for a top bunk (and I think it’s pretty comfy too!).
Ya they pretty much love it. We managed to have it done before we left for a Christmas Eve gathering, and the reveal was great. The picture above is from right after Tuesday got up here for the first time.
Bennet being silly. She is starting the night in the bed, and when she wakes up the first time we rock her back to sleep and put her into the crib, which is still in the nook in our room. Not a perfect solution, but at least I have a little time to enjoy the room without a sleeping baby. My laundry is even put away now, since I can open and close drawers without worrying about waking her up! My lucky girls also got new quilts for Christmas that their nana made them, so those are on the beds now. Tuesday already has about five hundred pillows and stuffed animals up there, so she’s all settled in.